Robem Engineering Aprilia riders to race at the May 5-8 Aprilia Racing RS 660 Trofeo Cup in Italy at Vallelunga
Robem Engineering Aprilia, in partnership with BK Corse, is pleased to confirm that full time MotoAmerica Twins Cup riders Teagg Hobbs and Ben Gloddy will participate in the opening round of the Aprilia Racing RS 660 Trofeo Cup at Vallelunga May 5-8.
Teagg Hobbs (79). Photo by Sara Chappell, courtesy Robem Engineering.
Teagg Hobbs who has the points lead after the first round at Daytona is itching for his first experience on an international stage. “Going to Italy to race the Trofeo Cup is a great opportunity. I can’t thank everyone involved enough for making this happen. I’m excited to get over and represent the United States as best as possible.”
Ben Gloddy, coming off an impressive first ride at Daytona, is looking forward to getting more time on the Aprilia. “I am super excited to have this opportunity to go and race in Italy! It has really been a dream to race in Europe. I can’t thank everyone enough.”
Before Italy the riders and the Robem team will be racing at the MotoAmerica round at Road Atlanta, April 22-24.
Robem Engineering’s partners for 2022 include Aprilia Racing, Piaggio Group Americas, BK Corse, The Center for Plastic Surgery, Synchrony, Motovation USA, SC-Project, Velocity Calibrations, Bitubo Suspension, Woodcraft Technologies, Dymag, Vesrah, Sprint Filter, DID, Magura USA, Sara Chappell Photos, NGK/NTK, Blud Lubricants and Millennium Technologies.
Marquez set for Austin return as Espargaro plots revenge
Marc Marquez will return to the MotoGP World Championship in Austin aboard his Repsol Honda Team RC213V after consultation and clearance from his medical team.
Doctors have cleared Marc Marquez for a return to Grand Prix competition after his fall in Warm Up at the Indonesian GP and subsequent diplopia diagnosis. The Repsol Honda Team rider has completed his conservative treatment plan and is ready to return to action at Round 4, the Grand Prix of The Americas in Austin, Texas. Before heading for the US, he confirmed his feelings and vision on a CBR600RR around the Alcarras circuit.
Marquez’s record around the Texan circuit speaks for itself, having only missed victory on one occasion when he crashed while comfortably leading in 2019. Even with his historic speed at the track, Marquez is not chasing immediate glory and is aiming to spend the weekend getting back up to speed with the Repsol Honda Team RC213V and continuing to build his feeling and speed on the new machine.
Pol Espargaro arrives in the United States of America with a point to prove after crashing out while chasing a podium in Argentina. Despite a mixed Saturday, Espargaro and his crew put everything in place to produce a strong race that showed more of the potential of the rider and the bike before the fall. In 2021, Espargaro finished tenth in Texas on the RC213V – his fourth top ten at the American circuit.
Aleix Espargaro sits atop the MotoGP World Championship with just 45 points after three races, Pol Espargaro is only 25 points back and despite missing two races, Marquez is 34 points from the top spot. With 18 races still left to run, and a potential of 450 points, it is still very much anyone’s championship.
Action at the 5.5-kilometer-long circuit commences at 09:55 Local Time on Friday, April 08. A unique schedule for the weekend will see the MotoGP race, running over 20 laps, start at 13:00 Local Time just before the Moto3 race which will conclude the day.
Marc Marquez
“Of course I am very happy to be back, it’s a great feeling to return and especially to do it at one of my favourite tracks. No matter the situation, I really enjoy riding in Texas and have incredible memories there. We have some work to do after missing two races and the whole Argentina weekend so I am not here to set one target at the moment. There’s many things to do and consider, but the important thing is that we are back on the bike this weekend.”
Pol Espargaro
“After the disappointment of last race I am looking forward to riding again this week. Austin was not the easiest circuit for us last year but with the new bike it’s interesting to come and compare what we did last year to this year. Already it looks like there will be many people in the mix for the championship this year so we need to get back to scoring points and putting together weekends like the start of the year. It’s time to get some more points on the board and start building something.”
There was no way ProKASRO Team ERC Endurance was giving up without a fight.
For the 2018-2019 season, the team had raced BMW S 1000 RR racebikes in the Endurance World Championship as the official representative of the German company. But for the next season, BMW was bringing its team in-house and up to full factory status, racing the new M 1000 RR. And ERC was not going to be involved.
Ducati sends a factory electronics engineer whose job it is to adapt WorldSBK electronics–with strategies developed around that series’ spec Pirelli tires–to Michelin tires. The idea is to save the rear tire so that at the end of an hour-long stint, it is still delivering rapid lap times. Photo by Michael Gougis.
Instead of stepping back and running as a satellite BMW operation, as it did for the first race of the 2019-2020 season, Team ERC went looking for a factory partner, and found one in perhaps the most unexpected of places. Ducati, already winning in MotoGP, World Superbike and elsewhere, opened the doors to its race shop and invited Team ERC in.
The ProKASRO Team ERC Endurance Ducati Panigale V4 R gets a custom lighting system; built to WorldSBK specs the racebike does not come with wiring for headlights and taillights. Photo by Michael Gougis.
For the second race, a monsoon-battered 8-hour event in Sepang, a factory-backed Panigale V4 R was on the grid, a full-blooded racebike built to World Superbike specs at Ducati Corse and modified to survive the rigors of EWC competition.
Endurance electronics settings mean that individual lap times suffer slightly, but the rider and bike are quicker over the distance of a full race stint. Photo by Michael Gougis.
The ERC Endurance machine is one of the most unique motorcycles to come out of the race shop at Borgo Panigale. It is sprinkled with custom, one-off and street machine pieces, assembled with the assistance of factory race mechanics, fettled at the track by a factory electronics engineer with control strategies from MotoGP and World Superbike and tires with MotoGP technology.
In addition to supporting National and World Superbike programs plus a MotoGP program, Ducati still made time to prepare a factory-level Endurance World Championship effort. Photo by Michael Gougis.
*****
Ducati does things Ducati’s way.
Unlike some manufacturers which will sell turn-key International-spec racebikes built either in their racing departments or by their official racing partners to anyone with the cash (BMW, Aprilia), teams have to prove to Ducati that they have the ability to properly operate one of its racebikes before you can buy one. Ducati North America representative Alex Frantz outlined the process in broad strokes as it happens in the U.S.
“Ducati Corse…only work with bona-fide professional Superbike teams,” Frantz says. “Race teams first go through a due-diligence process with Ducati North America to assess the team structure and technical capabilities. Once the team is approved by our CEO, Ducati North America will make a request with Ducati Corse to begin discussions with the team.
Ducati vets potential race teams to ensure that they have the ability and resources to properly operate a factory racebike. Three semi-trucks are a pretty good demonstration of resources. Photo courtesy ERC.
“Each bike is hand-built in Bologna by Ducati Corse specifically to the technical regulations of the particular National Superbike Championship. Each championship applies different elements of FIM SBK regulations for engine specs, electronics. In addition to the bikes, teams can contract Ducati Corse technicians or Magneti Marelli data engineers to help the teams to deliver the maximum potential of the bike.”
The ERC Ducati team starts with a Panigale V4 R racebike built to its specifications in the Ducati race shop, and modifies it for long distance racing. Photo by Michael Gougis.
It makes sense–little good can come to a company’s reputation by selling a racebike to a team that can’t run it. ProKASRO ERC’s reputation and experience in racing EWC didn’t hurt when it went knocking on doors in Bologna. The company, internationally known for its robotic sewer maintenance equipment, also has years of experience in top-level competition. U.S. fans may be familiar with the ProKASRO name; the company has an office in Colorado, and that led to an assault on Pike’s Peak in 2019 with Lucy Glöckner. It also likely didn’t hurt that ProKASRO Managing Director and ERC Team Manager Uwe Reinhardt is a Ducati aficionado with a personal collection of some of the company’s most desirable machines, although Reinhardt says he wasn’t thinking about that when the team approached Ducati.
The backup ProKASRO-backed ERC Ducati before the start of the Bol d’Or. The special Michelin front tire has one lap on it. Michelin works with the team to test MotoGP-spec technology on Superbikes, and is very secretive about the tires it provides to the team. The company will not allow the team to keep rain tires overnight – they must go back to the Michelin truck! Photo by Michael Gougis.
“My passion for the brand and my personal collection of Ducati bikes had little to do with the decision to start up a partnership with Ducati. What really counted was the fast, efficient and substantial commitment they immediately put in place and the support they will be providing throughout the season,” Reinhardt said when the collaboration was announced.
Former Team GoEleven data engineer Fabio Pasqualini (background) discusses electronics strategies with Ducati factory test rider and racer Lorenzo Zanetti (foreground), who took Ducati’s first MotoAmerica Superbike win. Zanetti was racing with ERC at the Bol d’Or. Photo by Michael Gougis.
What really boggles the mind is pondering why Ducati said yes when ERC came calling. At the time, the company was competing in several National-level Superbike Championships, winning the British Superbike title with Scott Redding. It was involved in a tooth-and-nail fight with Kawasaki in the Superbike World Championship and was fighting with Honda for the MotoGP World Championship. As mentioned, each series has its own technical requirements and challenges–and there are only about 100 people working at Ducati Corse. It’s not like the racing department didn’t already have its hands full!
ERC builds special parts for the endurance racebike like this subframe. Note the inner channels for routing wiring. Photo by Michael Gougis.
But Sporting Director Paolo Ciabatti said the company saw the new program as an opportunity. “When ERC Endurance approached us regarding a joint EWC effort, we thought that it was a good opportunity for Ducati to show the quality, reliability, and competitiveness of the Panigale V4 R also in that championship. In addition, endurance racing helps our engineers to get valuable data and information from such long-distance races,” Ciabatti told Roadracing World.
And thus the factory Team ERC Ducati Panigale V4 R was conceived.
*****
Instead of taking a production machine and building performance into it, Ducati and ERC started with a sprinter and built endurance into it. It’s no small challenge. The Superbike World Championship bikes are built to compete in races no longer than 68.75 miles. The winning machine at the 2021 Bol d’Or covered 2,525 miles in 24 hours.
A basic factory Ducati Panigale race engine with a few street internals added to enhance durability. Safety wire is everywhere. The team chose aftermarket GB Racing engine protectors. Incidentally, that Pierobon engine stand runs a cool $848 and change. Photo by Michael Gougis.
The process starts with ERC technicians heading to the race shop to work alongside Ducati race technicians to assemble the machines. The starting point is the Panigale V4 R World Superbike machine, a race-only version of the V4 R streetbike that is available to the public. Compared to the standard 1,103cc streetbike, the V4 R streetbike gets a lighter, 70-degree offset forged steel crankshaft that shortens the stroke to 48.4mm, reducing the displacement to a WorldSBK-legal 998cc. Lighter titanium connecting rods and intake valves are fitted. The engine breathes through 4mm larger, 56mm throttle bodies.
As a Ducati sprint racebike does not come with lights, ERC has to mount headlights into the intake system of its endurance racer. Photo by Michael Gougis.
Understanding the street base configuration is critical because, to get the Stradale R engine to survive a 24-hour race, some of those street-going components are dropped into a World Superbike-spec engine. The racebike gets the pistons and camshafts from the street V4 R. This increases the machine’s durability for endurance-length events, says Lothar Kraus, the ERC engine and suspension technician who showed Roadracing World the racebike in detail as it was being prepped for the Bol d’Or. The rocker arm helper springs are different and the transmission is unique, a WorldSBK unit modified to put neutral between first and second gears, instead of below first as on the WorldSBK machines. The machine exhales via a special full race Akrapovic titanium exhaust that quiets the exhaust volume to EWC-legal levels.
ERC specifies a lower-spec but sturdier Öhlins fork for crash survivability. Brembo brakes, Hel lines with dry-break connectors and 5.5mm discs handle braking. Photo by Michael Gougis.
The Panigale V4 R racebikes run modified front “frame” sections–the Panigale’s chassis consists only of a short subframe mounted to the front of the engine that holds the steering head and, in the rear, the subframe. The racing front subframe has altered stiffness to get the flex that Ducati is looking for. This has created its own difficulties for the endurance team, Kraus says. The Ohlins 46mm pressurized RVP2530 upside-down forks found on the Superbike are simply not crash-worthy enough for EWC competition, where accidents are part of the game and riders and machines are expected to get up and carry on. The Ohlins FGR300 fork that replaces it is stiffer, but that compromises the carefully balanced flex characteristics of the chassis. Still, it is a compromise that makes sense in the context of endurance racing, Kraus says. An Öhlins WorldSBK-spec RSP40 shock is mated to a single-sided factory Superbike swingarm via a factory linkage.
This custom rear spindle is a little bit of clever endurance racing engineering. The threads are coarser to reduce the time it takes to spin the rear axle nut into place. The small ramp-like protrusions at the top and bottom of the conical endpiece are spring-loaded. Once the nut is seated, they extend to prevent the nut from loosening and coming off. A special socket on the rear wheel gun fits over the ramps and compresses them, allowing the nut to be removed. Photo by Michael Gougis.
Electronics are pure WorldSBK–a Magneti Marelli MLE ECU. As part of its commitment to the project, electronics engineer Fabio Pasqualini handles data management duties. He’s experienced with the Panigale V4 R, having served as data engineer to Ducati Superbike factory rider Michael Ruben Rinaldi when Rinaldi won races for the satellite GoEleven squad. “Without the technician, the bike does not run,” Kraus deadpans.
ProKASRO manufactures its own rearset brackets. Custom Akrapovic exhaust meets stricter EWC noise standards without power loss. The team runs a 525 chain. Photo by Michael Gougis.
The Tuesday prior to the Bol d’Or was a lengthy test session, and Pasqualini spent the day gathering data on all the available tire choices, as well as data and feedback from all three riders. He spent the next two days building maps for traction control, engine braking and power settings, maps that served as a compromise for all three riders and for the wide range of temperatures expected.
Compared to the WorldSBK engine control maps, Pasqualini says, the endurance Panigale has less engine braking and more traction control. The riders don’t always like it, because more engine braking and less TC would produce a slightly quicker lap time, he says. But the endurance settings mean quicker lap times at the end of a stint, because the rear tire is less worn, and the rider is fresher as well.
EWC machines must race in a much wider range of temperature variations endurance race starts out and checkered flag. ProKASRO ERC Ducati 3-D prints custom cooling system parts as part of the process of converting a factory-built sprint racing machine into an endurance racebike. Photos by Michael Gougis. Photo by Michael Gougis.
A custom subframe, rearsets and triple trees made by ProKASRO complete the chassis. Brembo endurance racing calipers handle braking in the front. The team assembles its own handlebar switchgear, and contracted with a neighboring company in its home town of Karlsruhe to create a lighting system–obviously, purpose-built WorldSBK-spec machines don’t come with lights.
Little things: A trick custom rear wheel axle, borrowing tech from Formula One, speeds rear wheel changes. The team had to create a better temperature management system, because while a Superbike team can carefully prepare the bike for the temperature at race time, an endurance bike must operate in the heat of the day and the chill of the early morning hours. ProKASRO 3D-printed special thermostat components. A hydraulic adjuster plumbed into the rear shock allows the team to switch to its wet-weather suspension preload setting in a fraction of a second.
As if there wasn’t enough to sort out, ERC runs Michelin tires. This keeps Pasqualini busy, as he adapts the electronics strategies built around the Pirelli spec tires in WorldSBK to the Michelin tires. Michelin uses the team to evaluate MotoGP tire technology, and is so protective of its rain tire technology that the team must send them back to Michelin’s truck at the end of every day’s racing activities.
So far, the team’s best finish is sixth place. It is still learning its way with the new machine, with only seven races with the Panigale so far. But at the Bol, before brake failure at the end of the Mistral straight led to a machine-destroying crash, ERC was in a solid third at the 10-hour mark. Teething problems aside, the bike has proven it has the performance to run at the front in some of the most challenging races in the world.
Roadracing World started this exclusive special feature recognizing the most promising young road racers as an answer to pessimists who claimed America had no new, up-and-coming young racers. This edition of the Roadracing World Young Gun Awards marks the 26th consecutive year of showcasing an abundance of new talent.
Roadracing World Young Guns have won:
FIM MotoGP and FIM Superbike races and World Championships;
MotoAmerica and AMA Pro races and Championships, including 11 AMA Pro Superbike Championships;
A KTM RC Cup World Final race;
The Daytona 200 (11 times);
WERA National Endurance Championships and WERA National Challenge Championships;
ASRA/Formula USA Grand National and CCS National Championships;
AMA Road Racing Grand Championships and Horizon Awards;
USGPRU National Championships;
Many regional and local titles.
The competition has continually become more intense as more – and younger—racers with higher levels of accomplishment are nominated, and the level of achievement required to make the grade keeps getting tougher.
We’ve spent the last several months accepting nominations and evaluating road racers between the ages of 10 and 18 (as of the start of the 2022 season) who have, at a minimum, won Expert-level road races and/or Championships or had outstanding results as an Amateur/Novice. Most of the riders included here have done far more than the minimum.
The young riders recognized here are the most promising young road racers in North America. All have earned the title of Roadracing World Young Gun.
We will feature one Young Gun per day, presenting them in alphabetical order.
Julian Correa. Photo courtesy Michael Correa.
Julian Correa
Age: 13
Current home: Jupiter, Florida.
Current height/weight: 5’3”/104 pounds.
Current school grade level: 8th grade.
Began riding at age: 5 years.
First road race: 2013, Millville, New Jersey, NJminiGP, Spec50, 10th place.
Current racebike: Honda NSF250R.
Current tuners/mechanics: Tim Cassesse, David Buchman/DBPrepared.
Primary race series: British Talent Cup, PanAmerican Superbike.
Recent racing accomplishments: 2021 season, competed as a wild card in 4 British Talent Cup (best race finish was 10th), won 7 WERA Sportsman Regional Novice Class Championships, won 2 FMRRA Amateur Class Championships, won multiple SFLminiGP Class Championships.
2022 racing goal: Finish in top 5 in British Talent Cup Championship.
Racing career goal: Win Moto3, Moto2, and then MotoGP Championships.
Current WorldSBK Race Lap Record: 1:49.620, J. Rea (Kaw), 2020
Current WorldSBK All-Time Lap Record: 1:48.458, J. Rea (Kaw), 2021
FIM Superbike World Championship
MotorLand Aragon
Alcaniz, Spain
April 5, 2022
Provisional Day Two Best Lap Times (all on Pirelli tires):
Jonathan Rea, UK (Kaw), 1:48.714
Toprak Razgatlioglu, Turkey (Yam), 1:49.068
Alvaro Bautista, Spain (Duc), 1:49.094
Garrett Gerloff, USA (Yam), 1:49.235
Loris Baz, France (BMW), 1:49.383
Andrea Locatelli, Italy (Yam), 1:49.831
Michael Rinaldi, Italy (Duc), 1:49.863
Iker Lecuona, Spain (Hon), 1:49.971
Xavi Vierge, Spain (Hon), 1:50.010
Philipp Oettl, Germany (Duc), 1:50.086
Scott Redding, UK (BMW), 1:50.104
Alex Lowes, UK (Kaw), 1:50.112
Eugene Laverty, UK (BMW), 1:50.446
Ilya Mikhalchik, Ukraine (BMW), 1:50.498
Roberto Tamburini, Italy (Yam), 1:50.656
Kohta Nozane, Japan (Yam), 1:50.683
Axel Bassani, Italy (Duc), 1:50.856
Lucas Mahias, France (Kaw), 1:51.038
Luca Bernardi, San Marino (Duc), 1:51.738
Gabriele Ruiu, Italy (BMW), 1:52.003
Christophe Ponsson, Belgium (Yam), 1:52.143
Hafizh Syahrin, Malaysia (Hon), 1:52.312
Oliver Konig, Czech Republic (Kaw), 1:52.729
Leandro Mercado, Argentina (Hon), 1:53.046
Loris Cresson, Belgium (Kaw), 1:53.534
More, from a press release issued by Dorna WorldSBK Press Office:
Jonathan Rea tops the timesheets after a two-day Supported Test at MotorLand Aragon
Jonathan Rea (65). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Titles contenders Jonathan Rea and Toprak Razgatlioglu were just split by three tenths before heading into the Pirelli Aragon Round
Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) concluded the Supported Test on top of the timesheets, with a best time of 1’48.714 on Day 2. He was the only rider to lap in the 1’48s bracket: “Step by step we are building the package. I felt the conditions, particularly in the afternoon, FP5 & 6 were much better than yesterday and the morning. We were able to get a meaningful work done… We confirmed our bike.”
Toprak Razgatlioglu (1). Photo courtesy Dorna.
The 2021 WorldSBK Champion Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) ended the two days of testing in second place, finishing 0.354s behind Jonathan Rea. He made the most of the sessions to further test the electronics on his Yamaha YZF R1. “The test was great. We improved the bike. We used some new parts and we are happy with them.”
Alvaro Bautista (19). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.It Racing – Ducati) was third 0.380s adrift from the leader. The Spanish rider tackled the test with this weekend’s Aragon Round in mind. “Today has been very positive. The feeling with the bike improved. Yesterday, we only used the SC0 tyre and today we could compare it with some other tyres. We found some improvements and the feeling with the bike improved,” he said.
Garrett Gerloff (31). Photo courtesy Dorna.
American rider Garrett Gerloff (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) finished in fourth as he tried new components previously tested by the Pata Yamaha squad, using the full 2022 bike for the first time. Loris Baz (Bonovo Action BMW) was the first BMW rider in fifth as he posted a 1’49.383 in FP5. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) completed the top six as he finished 1.117s behind Jonathan Rea, and just 0.032s in front of Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.It Racing – Ducati). Iker Lecuona (Team HRC) was the first Honda rider in eighth, with his teammate Xavi Vierge (Team HRC) finishing 0.039s behind him in ninth.
Loris Baz (76). Photo courtesy Dorna.
WorldSBK Combined Times
1. Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) 1’48.714s
2. Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) +0.354s
3. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +0.380s
6. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) +1.117s
Jules Cluzel (16). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Cluzel fastest in final WorldSSP Pre-Season outing
The Frenchman claimed the fastest lap by just 0.057s, with just 0.240s covering the top five
Despite a crash at Turn 2 in the opening session of Day 2, Jules Cluzel (GMT94 Yamaha) set the fastest time of the Supported Test in the final session. His lap time 1’53.407 was faster than the race lap record set by Andrea Locatelli in 2020 by 0.5s. “These two days were not so easy because we started with really cold conditions. We stayed calm and I really tried to stayed focussed on my plan. I tried to get the pace and went step by step to finish well” explained Cluzel. “This season will be really tight, with strong riders with strong bikes, but we know that if we do it well, we can do like at the end of last season,” he added.
Italian Rookie Lorenzo Baldassari (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team) finished in second just 0.057s behind Cluzel; “It was a good test for us because it confirmed we are doing well. Our speed is quite good and I am happy to be fast again after last year.” Can Oncu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) wrapped up the two-day test in third, finishing +0.057s from the fastest rider. “Today we made some race simulations, and we are quite strong. I am really comfortable as I am able to do my laps alone,” he commented.
Two other Italian Rookies are in the top six, with Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) in fourth and Yari Montella (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) in fifth. Reigning WorldSSP Champion Dominique Aegerter (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) finished the test in fifth place, 0.240s behind Cluzel.
WorldSSP Combined Times
1. Jules Cluzel (GMT94 Yamaha) 1’53.407s
2. Lorenzo Baldassarri (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team) +0.057s
3. Can Oncu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) +0.135s
4. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) +0.214s
5. Dominique Aegerter (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) +0.240s
6. Yari Montella (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) +0.681s
Teammates Steeman and Okaya go head-to-head for WorldSSP300 top spot at Aragon test
Steeman joined MTM Kawasaki for the 2022 campaign and has put down a marker as he edged out teammate Okaya
Victor Steeman (MTM Kawasaki) finished on top of the timesheets having set a fastest time of 2’06.509. “Yesterday we didn’t had a good day. I crashed at the beginning of the day. But after all we had a lot of information from were was the limit. And this morning we started to think to prepare race day. It’s always important to get how the tyres are going. In the last session, I just putted the new tyre and I just looked for a good lap time.”
Teammate Yuta Okaya (MTM Kawasaki) ended the Supported Test in second just 0.036s behind, despite a crash in Turn 5 has put an early end to his testing program. Fastest on the opening day of action, Samuel Di Sora (Leader Team Flembbo) finished the two-day test in third place just 0.166s behind Victor Steeman.
WorldSSP300 Combined Times
1. Victor Steeman (MTM Kawasaki) 2’06.509
2. Yuta Okaya (MTM Kawasaki) +0.036s
3. Samuel Di Sora (Leader Team Flembbo) +0.166s
4. Marc Garcia (Yamaha MS Racing) +0.401s
5. Kevin Sabatucci (Kawasaki GP Project) +0.598s
6. Bruno Ieraci (Prodina Racing WorldSSP300) +0.672s
More, from a press release issued by Team HRC:
WorldSBK pre-season comes to an end for Lecuona and Vierge with productive final tests at Aragón
WorldSBK new-entries Iker Lecuona and Xavi Vierge have once again demonstrated their potential, placing eighth and ninth at the end of this final pre-season test. Quickly adapting to what is a new track for them with the CBR1000RR-R FIREBLADE, they posted competitive lap times despite limited track time, cold conditions and, in Xavi’s case, recent injury.
The DWO Supported test sessions that mark the end of the pre-season testing period have drawn to a close today at Motorland Aragón in Spain. With the 2022 Superbike World Championship season-opener set to take place this very weekend at the same circuit, Team HRC and riders Iker Lecuona and Xavi Vierge are pleased with the progress made over the winter, having worked hard to make final preparations ahead of the all-important first race weekend.
The test kicked off yesterday morning in surprisingly cold conditions. Team HRC therefore decided to sit out the opening session, considering it risky, particularly for Vierge who is still recovering after having fractured his twelfth rib during the last test at Barcelona. Later in the day, as the track and air temperatures rose, both Lecuona and Vierge headed out, working hard with their technicians to begin to adapt their CBR1000RR-R FIREBLADES to what is a new track for them both.
Today’s sessions ran in dry conditions, although both Lecuona and Vierge remained in the garage during the first of the three phases, the conditions similarly cold to yesterday. During the subsequent sessions, Team HRC continued to work on set-up and, by the end of the day, Lecuona had set a fastest overall time of 1’49.971 and Vierge a 1’50.010. Both riders now look forward to the opening round of the 2022 championship, which will get underway this coming Friday.
Iker Lecuona (7). Photo courtesy Team HRC.
Iker Lecuona 7
“During these two days here at Aragón conditions were very cold early on, so we decided not to ride in the morning sessions. On day one, I worked with the hard tyre and felt good, considering this is the first time I’m riding at Aragón. There’s lots to learn of course but things went quite well. On day two we continued working on the bike set-up and, overall, the test has been OK though not as good as the rest of the pre-season. To be honest, I expected something more because I know we have the potential to be faster with this bike but here we struggled with the soft tyre and also suffered a crash at turn 2 the first time we attempted a flying lap. I was unhurt luckily, so no problem there, but it’s true that we need to take another step at this track, so over the next couple of days we’ll check all the data to prepare for the weekend. I’m really looking forward to starting the season, improving on the bike, getting to grips with the new championship and enjoying this new racing season.”
Xavi Vierge. Photo courtesy Team HRC.
Xavi Vierge 97
“It’s been great to get back on the bike for this test. It was an important one in terms of preparing for the upcoming race weekend of course, and it was also my first time back on the bike since I hurt myself at Barcelona. Conditions haven’t been ideal, as it’s been colder than it probably will be for the races, but we’ve got the work done. I’m really happy especially with our second day; we continued as we did yesterday, not making too many laps but just enough to understand what and where we need to improve, and to adjust the electronics ahead of the weekend. We took a step forward which I’m really happy about, and we have the information we need to start the weekend with a good base. Physically, it’s been a bit painful for me of course, but it was also important to ride to understand how I need to adapt my riding style to do the best I can. So now I have the information from these two days and then it’s also important to continue with my therapy and physio so I’m as fit as I can be for the race weekend. I want to thank the team for their hard work and for supporting me; I’m very happy to be here and back on my bike.”
More, from a press release issued by Aruba.it Racing Ducati:
The Aragon test ends with Bautista third and Rinaldi seventh. Bulega finishes fourth in WorldSSP
The last winter tests of 2022 ended today at the Motorland Circuit of Aragon (Spain), which from Friday will host the first round of the new WorldSBK season.
As yesterday, the day started with extremely low temperatures, but track conditions improved significantly during the afternoon.
The two riders of the Aruba.it Racing – Ducati team worked on the final details ahead of the first official free practice of the Pirelli Aragon Round scheduled for Friday at 10.30 am.
In today’s three sessions, Alvaro Bautista completed 48 laps, setting in FP3 his best time of 1’49.094 to eventually finish third, three tenths behind Rea (Kawasaki) and just 26 thousandths of a second behind Razgatlioglu (Yamaha).
For Michael Rinaldi 44 laps completed and the seventh position in the combined standings thanks to a time of 1’49.863 set in the early afternoon session.
Alvaro Bautista (19). Photo courtesy Ducati.
Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati #19)
“It was a positive test, even though the low temperature this morning didn’t allow us to get the most out of every session. Anyway, we did a good job: today we focused on adjusting the set-up with the goal of improving the race pace with the harder tire and the results were positive. We collected a lot of data to work on and this is very important. I’m really happy because the feeling is very good”.
Michael Rinaldi (21). Photo courtesy Ducati.
Michael Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati #21)
“Without a doubt, I expected more from these tests, but even in the difficult times, we can still find data that can help us. We’ve understood what we’re missing to be competitive and I hope that in these two days, after carefully analyzing the data, we’ll be able to find a solution that allows us to improve. In any case, we arrive at the start of the season with a great desire to do well”.
WorldSSP
Due to the low temperature, Nicolò Bulega and the Aruba.it Racing WSSP team only took to the track in the afternoon but had to deal with a small issue that stopped the Italian rider after 8 laps. In the last session, however, Bulega lapped steadily (18 laps completed) finishing in fourth place (1’53.621) but only 240 thousandths of a second behind the best time of Cluzel (Yamaha).
Nicolo Bulega (11). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Nicolò Bulega (Aruba.it Racing WSSP #11)
“I’m happy because during all the winter tests we did a really good job. The feeling with the bike is very positive even if sometimes we struggle to find the right setup on a new machine that lacks experience. Anyway, we are always able to find positive solutions and that gives us great confidence. We are ready to start the season”.
More, from a press release issued by GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team:
GERLOFF AND NOZANE LOOKING FORWARD TO FIRST RACE WEEKEND AFTER FINAL TEST
The 2022 pre-season is officially over. With the last DWO Supported Test sustained at MotorLand Aragòn on 4th-5th April, the GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team finished its preparations with Kohta Nozane and Garrett Gerloff for the 2022 FIM Superbike World Championship, which will start on 8th-10th April in Aragòn.
Cold conditions awaited both riders on the first day, which forced the team to not push too much in the morning (11:35-12:20) apart from making shakedown laps. In the following afternoon sessions, both Gerloff and Nozane bounced back on track with good progress made throughout FP2 (14:25-15:10) and FP3 (16:55-17:40).
Indeed, the American rider managed to finish the day fourth fastest on combined times, with a personal best of 1.50.120 and 36 laps completed. On the other side of the box, the Japanese ace gained confidence each session and ended eighth fastest with 1.50.520 and 37 laps in total.
Afterwards, the day after the GYRT GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team encountered once again cold conditions during the morning. Luckily, this time Nozane and Gerloff managed to complete more laps followed by many more in the afternoon stages. The sessions were planned from 10:55 to 11:40, 13:45 to 14:30 and 16:15 to 17:00.
Both riders tried to find pace and improved their feeling, finishing 16th, with the Japanese having a 1.50.683 as personal best over 41 laps, and 4th fastest as the American scored a 1.49.235 as his best with 49 laps in total on Day 2. Counting both days, Gerloff concluded in 4th position (85 laps done) while Nozane put himself into 15th (78 laps completed).
As the pre-season is officially over, it’s time for the GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team to move on into the first round of the 2022 season of FIM Superbike World Championship. That will take place at MotorLand Aragòn once again from 8th to 10th April with three races during the weekend and many more activities expected to be held at the Teruel venue.
P15 – Kohta Nozane (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) +1.806
Garrett Gerloff (31). Photo courtesy GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team.
Garrett Gerloff: “Overall it wasn’t too bad. On Day 2, we fixed some things that I was complaining on the first day and the temperature went higher. That’s important as for the weekend weather conditions should be warmer. We did use the SCQ tyre as well, it felt good. Sometimes it’s difficult for me to make a one-shot lap, so I need to work on this area. Anyway, finally the pre-season is over and it’s time to focus on the first round of the year. I’ll enjoy two days of rest before being fully focused on the race weekend, but I cannot wait to bounce back on track for the first free practice of the season.”
Kohta Nozane (3). Photo courtesy GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team.
Kohta Nozane: “Having the last DWO Supported Test was important as we’re gearing up for the upcoming season. On the first day I improved my performance each session and managed to finish 8th, while on the second one we tried to keep that feeling but we had to make some work on race pace as well. That’s why we did a long run and settled up things on that aspect. We have a good base and I can start from Friday to prepare in the best way possible for the first round of the 2022 FIM Superbike World Championship. Now we’ll have two days to rest a little bit and then it will be time to switch into racing mode. I cannot wait for this new beginning!”
More, from a press release issued by Pata Yamaha by Brixx WorldSBK:
Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK Complete Aragon Checklist Ahead of WorldSBK Opening Round
Toprak Razgatlioglu (1). Photo courtesy Yamaha.
Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK riders Toprak Razgatlıoğlu and Andrea Locatelli completed two days of testing at the FIM Superbike World Championship Supported Test at MotorLand Aragon today, ahead of the opening round of the 2022 season starting later this week.
Defending WorldSBK Champion Razgatlıoğlu ticked off 91 laps across six 45-minute Free Practice sessions with a fastest lap time of 1’49.068 placing him second overall, while teammate Locatelli finished sixth-fastest with a best time of 1’49.831, having also completed 91 laps.
Despite frigid cold temperatures across both days, the team and Yamaha Motor Research & Development Europe’s engineers took a calculated approach to manage the track time available and found positive results as they worked on set up and new test items to prepare for the weekend. Satisfied with the data collected, feedback from both Razgatlıoğlu and Locatelli will help fine-tune the R1 WorldSBK package for the considerably warmer conditions forecast in the Teruel region.
The 5.077 km MotorLand Aragon circuit has played host to some fantastic race battles in recent years for the WorldSBK class, and 2022 looks set to provide another thrilling start to the championship. But first, the Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK team will return to work on Thursday for the customary WorldSBK “class photos”, before Friday morning’s track action of Free Practice 1 and 2, starting at 10:30 local time (UTC+2) and 15:00 respectively.
Toprak Razgatlıoğlu: P2 (1’49.068) – 91 laps
Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK
“Today we tried a new set up and we improved my bike a little bit from yesterday. The weather was cold but I am very happy with these two test days, because we use different set ups to get more data and find the best package. Now, the feeling is we are ready to race and I’m very excited for the season start. But we will see Friday! I’m waiting to ride my R1 on Friday – we will see what will happen this weekend!”
Andrea Locatelli: P6 (1’49.831) – 91 laps
Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK
“We concluded today in P6, but this is not important! The most important part is the job that we do and I’m happy in the second day for the rhythm when we tried the long run. This good for us, but for sure we need to understand the qualifying tyre to start more in front. But in general, it was a good two days of testing with no mistakes and we have a lot of data, with two days to analyse everything and prepare the bike for the weekend. The guys do a great job and the feeling with the bike is not bad, so now we will continue to work a little more to try to improve during the weekend. We will see but I think we are now ready to start.”
More, from a press release issued by Kawasaki:
Rea Fastest On Eve Of New Season
A two day official pre-season test at Motorland Aragon saw Jonathan Rea and Alex Lowes make their final on-track preparations for the opening round of the 2022 FIM Superbike World Championship, with Rea setting the overall leading pace in the final session.
On the first day the dry but very cold morning conditions kept most of the riders in the pit garages until the track temperatures improved all around the 5.077km long Motorland Aragon circuit. Ninja ZX-10RR riders Rea and Lowes then joined the full WorldSBK line-up on track, riding in what were increasingly good conditions.
Day two was also cool in the morning but consistently dry weather allowed the official KRT WorldSBK duo to work through their final test plans and make meaningful preparations for the first points scoring races of the 2022 season.
Rea set his best single lap time of 1’48.714 on the final minutes of the tests and was the only rider to get into the 1’48 bracket. He was 0.354 seconds faster than the next rider, Toprak Razgatlioglu.
Lowes could not quite find the one fast lap he desired but in term of his overall race pace he was more satisfied with the final sessions before the new season starts for real in just a few days.
A final change in set-up, to make the most of this final pre-season testing opportunity, meant Alex was unable to move up the combined timesheets and he finished 12th fastest of the 25 riders at this test. Now he looks to make use of his good race pace when the first championship points become available.
With the pre-season action now complete the 2022 WorldSBK campaign will begin in earnest at Motorland Aragon, between 8-10 April. Once again there will be three races on the weekend schedule, with the first on Saturday 9 April.
Jonathan Rea (65). Photo courtesy Kawasaki.
Jonathan Rea, stated: “Step-by-step we have built the package at this test. The afternoon sessions were much better than the first morning. We got meaningful work done and we confirmed our bike set-up. On the last runs I was really able to clarify the package we will start the race weekend with. We also ticked a lot of boxes with tyres. We used the SCQ qualifying tyre, which is new for us. We had to understand it before we use it in Superpole qualifying on Saturday. Today I enjoyed riding the bike; I had a lot of fun and got a lot of feedback. When that happens we are able to go quite fast. I am as ready as I will ever be to start racing. You can always do more, but you have to start somewhere and if we were to go racing tomorrow I am happy enough to start. We will have the usual ‘class of 2022’ photos on Thursday and then go racing on Friday.”
Alex Lowes (22). Photo courtesy Kawasaki.
Alex Lowes, stated: “The test was OK but I wasn’t fast enough. We tried a few things with the bike in that last session today, in the good track temperatures. I tried something big and it didn’t really feel that good. Then we did not have enough time to change it back in the final session. We have a couple of days of practice now to put everything we have together. I guess track conditions will be a little bit different on Friday. I feel good in myself and I have had an issue-free pre-season. The bike has been reliable and I have been solid, so the target for this year is to be consistent every weekend. My race pace is OK but over one lap I am not fast – so we need to understand that. Apart from that, it was not too bad and we have a couple of days to make a good plan to start free practice on Friday.”
Pere Riba, Crew Chief for Jonathan Rea, stated: “The test was positive and Johnny is confident with the bike. This two day test is different compared to the race weekend because the temperature is going to be completely different. Now it is around 12-13°C air temperature and it will be around 25°C on the weekend. So the track surface itself will be much hotter and this affects the tyre choice, the set-up – everything. But we have been confirming all we have done in the previous winter tests, to confirm the base bike we want to start with. Johnny is talking quite deeply with the bike and at the end of the day that is the most important thing. Now we will have a chance to relax and then restart for the first race.”
Marcel Duinker, Crew Chief for Alex Lowes, stated: “We used these two days quite well. The first sessions on each day were very cold so we knew we were not going to learn anything. We didn’t go out on track except to make some practice starts. But during each day we reached some acceptable track temperatures and we went through our test programme. From a lap time point of view we are not where we would like to be but this is testing and our season still needs to start. We gathered valuable information and we will start from the correct point on Friday.”
Lucas Mahias (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) was 18th overall at the Motorland tests, with fellow Kawasaki Independent riders Oliver König (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) 23rd and Loris Cresson (TPR Team Pedercini Racing) 25th.
More, from a press release issued by Team Go Eleven:
ALMOST DONE YESTERDAY, DONE TODAY; OETTL CLOSES THE ARAGON TEST IN TOP TEN!
Philipp Oettl (5). Photo courtesy Team Go Eleven.
The long WorldSBK winter is finally over! Last day of testing in Aragon behind us, now there are two days left for the official start of the Championship.
Day 2 at Motorland was very similar to day 1 in terms of temperatures; a first session in critical conditions, with about five degrees in the air and about ten on the asphalt, then with the passing of the hours the sky opened, warming up riders, motorcycles and technicians. FP 5 and FP 6 were two decisive sessions for the Go Eleven team; in the first, Philipp made a consistent long run, to evaluate the drop of the tyres and the behavior of his Ducati V4-RS on this particular track, made up of ups and downs, very technical corners and long straights. In the second, the work was concentrated on the qualifying tyres, which from this year allow for at least a couple of laps in good conditions. On the race pace, the German rider seemed to be well on the Ducati, setting a good pace on 51 and battling with some opponents as well. But it was in the last session that he showed the best things: with the SCX he was able to improve even more, placing himself in the top eight, then at the end all the protagonists tried the time attack. Oettl was able to exploit the Q well, lowering his personal reference by six tenths, returning and finishing the two days in the Top Ten.
DAY 2 – COMBINED RESULTS:
P 1 J. Rea 1.48.714
P 2 T. Razgatlioglu + 0.354
P 3 A. Bautista + 0.380
P 4 G. Gerloff + 0.521
P 5 L. Baz + 0.669
…
P 12 P. Oettl + 1.372
There will now be a two-day break before seeing the Superbikes in action at Motorland again, when the 2022 season will kick off on Friday. Go Eleven and the rider Philipp Oettl can’t wait to hit the track for the times “that matter”, and evaluate the real potential when there are no more masks and everyone will push 100%.
Philipp Oettl (Rider):
“Today it started again a little bit cold, cause we started earlier than yesterday. In the second session we did a long run, to understand the tyres and the electronics settings, trying to adapt my style to the tyre drop. In the last session we tried mainly the qualifying tyre, to understand its feedback. I think we did a good job because I can’t use the first two Q, then I found out how to use the last one. We are going in the right direction for the race weekend, especially the last session was really good. That was important because it was the last one and everyone tried to push. We did a good job in these two days, overall all the tests we had were good and in improvement. I am happy with the team, they are working very well. Now I have two days of relax, while the guys will prepare the bike, and we can’t wait to be on track again!”
Denis Sacchetti (Team Manager):
“We are also very happy with this last day of testing. This morning the temperatures were as low as yesterday, however, as we already faced yesterday, the track has a lot of grip and we could run right from the start. We carried out and completed our program without any particular problems, making both a long run with a view to the race and some attempts with the new qualifying tyres. Both have been very positive and I am happy with the work of the team and with Philipp’s approach; he faces the session as a long-time rider, despite being a rookie. Throughout the winter we had no particular difficulties, managing to complete all the prefixed work, with good results. Now there is still a lot to work on and grow on, we are not satisfied with what we have done so far, we still want to improve and look forward. We will do our best to be competitive from the start and to collect the good things done in the winter!”
Travis Wyman switches to Bilmola USA helmets for 2022 MotoAmerica season
Replica of MotoAmerica veteran’s special edition helmet to be sold nationwide, abroad
When you see Travis Wyman competing in MotoAmerica Superbike, Stock 1000 and King of the Baggers this year, he’ll be racing in his own edition of Bilmola USA’s flagship helmet. The Harley-Davidson factory racer and 2021 runner-up in the Superbike Cup and Stock 1000 classes will be among the first American road racers to don a Bilmola RC-1 in pro competition, and his special edition helmet features his pet golden retriever, Buddy.
Founded in Thailand in 2010, the Bilmola parent company started out as a design and production firm for other brands before developing its own product line. The company’s product development division, Bilmola USA, opened in California in 2020. Bilmola USA will have support personnel at all remaining MotoAmerica rounds – beginning this weekend with the MotoGP/MotoAmerica round at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas.
The full face Bilmola RC-1 model was developed by Bilmola USA and is expected to go on sale in the U.S. market later this year. The RC-1 is DOT and ECE approved and features a forged-composite shell that is lighter and stronger than carbon fiber.
“My Bilmola RC-1 is the best-fitting helmet I’ve worn in my 14-year pro racing career,” Wyman said. “I had a good first outing with the helmet at the MotoAmerica round at Daytona, where I nearly claimed my first King of the Baggers win. Bilmola USA’s support has been top-notch, and the RC-1’s visibility and ventilation have been outstanding. I’m looking forward to working with the company for the rest of the 2022 season and beyond.”
Replicas of Wyman’s special edition RC-1 are expected to go on sale in Asia later in 2022, as well as in the United States in the first quarter of 2023. Bilmola also plans to feature Wyman on a billboard advertisement in Bangkok, Thailand, later this year.
Wyman makes his debut with the Tytlers Cycle Racing BMW team this weekend. He’ll compete for the first time aboard an Alpha Racing-built BMW M 1000 RR in the two MotoAmerica Superbike races on April 8-10 at Circuit of the Americas.
For more information about Bilmola USA, visit www.bilmolausa.com or follow the brand on Facebook, Instagram or YouTube.
KTM’s RC 390 has always served as a solid and rapid platform for an ultralightweight racebike. For its 2022 update, the company put the revisions into the hands of Shaun Anderson, an engineer who also races in the Isle of Man TT events. So it’s not surprising that the bike is even more track-ready than before, and offers features simply not found elsewhere in this market segment.
KTM introduced the new model to North America media in the best possible way: It rented a racetrack, brought along former AMA Pro Racing National Champion Chris Fillmore (now KTM Road Racing and Flat Track Manager) to supervise, and turned journalists loose on a fleet of the new little sportbikes.
Several hours of ripping around at the (mostly) repaved 1.8-mile Streets of Willow circuit revealed a motorcycle that has all of the qualities that made the prior generation RC 390 so much fun at the track, as well as improvements that really have moved the goalposts in the category.
Tech Overview:
The 89mm bore by 60mm stroke single-cylinder engine remains essentially unchanged from the previous model, but an airbox that moves 40% more air means the torque output is slightly higher. The 373cc engine still makes a claimed 44 horsepower and redlines at an indicated 10,000 rpm.
The chassis has been changed significantly to increase lateral flex and feel on the track, as well as to reduce weight. The company claims the new steel trellis chassis weighs 3.3 pounds less than the previous model’s frame, and now features a bolt-on subframe that can be replaced for track use. Weight savings continue with the wheel assemblies (wheels, front axle, brakes) losing a combined whopping 7.5 pounds of unsprung mass.
A 2022-model KTM RC 390 at rest at the mostly repaved Streets of Willow course in Rosamond, California. Photo by Michael Gougis.
The inverted 43mm WP Apex cartridge forks now feature adjustable compression and rebound at the front, although preload is not adjustable. A single WP Apex split-piston shock offers rebound damping and preload adjustment at the rear.
Electronics take a big step forward, with a 3-axis IMU providing cornering and deceleration data sufficient to operate a simple on/off traction control system and ABS, and both are lean angle sensitive. The ABS operates either front and rear brakes simultaneously or the rear can be switched off in Supermoto mode. In addition, the RC390 offers clutchless up- and down-shift operation, although that feature comes at an additional cost. The six-speed gearbox transmits power through a power-assisted slipper clutch.
Handlebars are slightly higher than on the prior model, but these can be adjusted downward on the fork tubes for a racier riding position. The bodywork is larger for better aerodynamic performance and is easier to get on and off, because racers are constantly fiddling with their bikes!
Little things have changed to make the bike easier to live with. The tank is nearly a gallon larger than the tank on the older model, meaning fewer stops for fuel. The shifter and brake pedals fold in case of a tip-over. The larger windscreen provides better protection for the rider. The levers are adjustable.
And as always, KTM has a pile of performance parts available. Some of the test bikes were equipped with billet, folding levers; solid-mount racing rear-set controls; and lightweight sprockets. One machine was equipped with a kit WP shock with more adjustments and a fork kit with adjustable preload.
It’s safe to say that this machine changes the ultralightweight sportbike market segment. It’s the most sophisticated machine in the class, and it’s priced competitively with the others it races against in Junior Cup classes around the world.
But how race-ready is it?
Riding On The Racetrack
Throw a leg over–and I do mean throw, since the seat height is raised to 32.4 inches–and it’s an easy reach to the flat clip-on handlebars. There’s a reasonable amount of legroom, even with the racing rearsets. Thumb the starter and the bike settles into an easy idle, with little in the way of vibration. The Thin-Film Transistor dash is easy to read and adjusting the electronics is simple and intuitive.
The clutch pull is light. The quickshifter required deliberate motion at the foot, but if I was solid with my shifts it worked, and together with the slipper clutch it made corner entries significantly easier. Just sit up, brake and start stomping down on the shift lever. And if you’re in a little too hot, the ABS gives you the confidence to simply hang onto the lever a little longer, even after you’ve tipped the bike in and you’re angling toward the apex. Nothing like a little electronic safety net when you’re refining a skill like trail braking!
The revised bodywork and windscreen did their jobs. It was easy to tuck in and stay out of the wind, all the way up to the indicated 100 mph that I saw at the end of the back straight. The flat angle of the bars made hanging off a bit uncomfortable, but there was room for my 5′ 10” frame to tuck all the way in.
For a 373cc Single, there’s reasonable power, and the bike pulls cleanly from the bottom and spins to redline quickly in the first three gears. It starts to feel a bit breathless at the top end in fifth, and I didn’t spend much time in sixth.
The light weight and especially the lighter rims make the machine very easy to flick. It did take me a while to get used to how much or little effort was needed on the handlebars and through the pegs to put the bike where I wanted it to go. But whatever I wanted, the bike delivered it quickly. The famous Willow breeze was out in full force, making it a bit harder to be really precise with selecting lines, so I rode with a bit of the track in reserve. Still fun, and the bike stayed nimble as I picked up the pace.
The suspension was surprisingly well sorted, the forks rigid and well damped, easily well enough to play around at Streets, and a bit of vagueness at the rear was cured by adding damping and preload. I’d read some of the overseas reviews in which the test rider praised the shock’s behavior and was a bit skeptical. It’s not a race shock, but it really was noticeably better than I expected on an ultralightweight. Once the bike was set and loaded in a corner, it was dead stable.
My legs were sore–like, more than I expected them to be–the next day. Looking back, I think it’s because I took full advantage of a beautiful day, an open track, and a bike that was really, really fun on this particular circuit. The core of KTM’s little sportbike remains entertaining, and the electronics upgrades add to the usability of the package, especially for younger riders and those learning the ropes of track riding. I’ve got a test unit in the garage, and I don’t think it’s seen the last of its time on the track with me aboard!
Suggested retail starts at $5,799 and the RC390 should be in dealer showrooms by the end of May.
Roadracing World started this exclusive special feature recognizing the most promising young road racers as an answer to pessimists who claimed America had no new, up-and-coming young racers. This edition of the Roadracing World Young Gun Awards marks the 26th consecutive year of showcasing an abundance of new talent.
Roadracing World Young Guns have won:
FIM MotoGP and FIM Superbike races and World Championships;
MotoAmerica and AMA Pro races and Championships, including 11 AMA Pro Superbike Championships;
A KTM RC Cup World Final race;
The Daytona 200 (11 times);
WERA National Endurance Championships and WERA National Challenge Championships;
ASRA/Formula USA Grand National and CCS National Championships;
AMA Road Racing Grand Championships and Horizon Awards;
USGPRU National Championships;
Many regional and local titles.
The competition has continually become more intense as more – and younger—racers with higher levels of accomplishment are nominated, and the level of achievement required to make the grade keeps getting tougher.
We’ve spent the last several months accepting nominations and evaluating road racers between the ages of 10 and 18 (as of the start of the 2022 season) who have, at a minimum, won Expert-level road races and/or Championships or had outstanding results as an Amateur/Novice. Most of the riders included here have done far more than the minimum.
The young riders recognized here are the most promising young road racers in North America. All have earned the title of Roadracing World Young Gun.
We will feature one Young Gun per day, presenting them in alphabetical order.
Torin Collins. Photo by Rupert Collins.
Torin Collins
Age: 16.
Current home: Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Current height/weight: 5’9”/142 pounds.
Current school grade level: 11th grade.
Began riding at age: 5 years.
First road race: 2012, Calgary, Alberta, Alberta Mini Road Racing Association, Youth 6-9, 3rd place.
Current racebike: KTM RC250GP.
Current tuner/mechanic: AGR Racing Team.
Primary race series: FIM Junior GP Moto3 Junior World Championship.
Top sponsors: Bickle Racing, Novalda Coaching, Calgary Cycle Works, Blackfoot Motorsports, Taylor Racing, Kabuto Helmets, Mithos Leathers, Fusport Boots.
Recent racing accomplishments: 2021 season, tied for 30th in the FIM European Talent Cup Championship (best race finish was 14th at Jerez); 2020 season, raced in European Talent Cup (best race finish was 16th); 2019 season, finished 15th in British Talent Cup (best race finish was 7th); 2018 season, won EMRA Lightweight Superbike and Lightweight Open Championships (11 wins, set 2 class lap records), multiple race wins in 2018/2019 CVMA Winter Series, won UtahSBA Moto3 race at Utah Motorsports Campus; 2017 season, won 7 CMA Mini Road Racing National Championships, won 2 FIM Mini Road Racing Championships, won 8 races and set 2 class lap records during 2017/2018 CVMA Winter Series.
2022 racing goal: Finish in the top 15 in Moto3 Junior World Championship races.
Racing career goal: Race in the Superbike or MotoGP World Championship.
Racing hero: Jack Miller.
Favorite track: Estoril.
Hobbies: Riding motocross, ice riding, gaming.
If I wasn’t racing I would be…: Riding on the ice or a motocross track.
AHRMA Brings Vintage and Modern Bikes back to Thunderhill Raceway
ELORA, TN – After almost 20 years, the American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association (AHRMA) is returning to a West Coast venue that’s perfect for vintage and modern race bikes.
Two rounds of the 2022 Bridgestone Tires AHRMA National Historic Cup Roadracing Series will be held at Thunderhill Raceway Park, in Willows, CA, from April 28 to May 1, 2022.
“Thunderhill is a great track for all of the road race machines that run in AHRMA,” said Brian Larrabure, 2022 Chair of the AHRMA Board of Trustees. “The long straights give our vintage, and modern, big-bore bikes a chance to stretch their legs while the technical turns, like ‘the Cyclone,’ make it interesting and fun for our smaller bikes. Plus, the weather should be perfect for racing.”
A wide range of classes for both Vintage and Modern motorcycles and even sidecars will be competing on the 3-mile “East” Thunderhill circuit. The track’s elevation changes will challenge the racers and create great viewing for spectators.
“AHRMA got a taste of Thunderhill during the NorCal Classic in 2004 and we’ve been wanting to come back for years,” Larrabure said. “We can’t wait to show West Coast racing fans what makes AHRMA so good, right in their backyard.”
Whether you race or would like to enjoy a day of watching great racing, you won’t want to miss this event. The event will be a doubleheader weekend with racing on both Saturday and Sunday. On Friday there will be an AHRMA Academy of Road Racing (AAR) school available for new racers. Students who pass the school on Friday will be eligible to race Saturday and Sunday.
AHRMA is the largest historic motorcycle racing organization in the United States. It promotes national events at iconic venues including Daytona International Speedway, Heartland Motorsports Park, WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, and Barber Motorsports Park. For the best racing at the best venues, AHRMA is the place to be.
More details on the event & racing registration can be found at www.ahrma.org
The American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association is a member-owned nonprofit organization dedicated to enhancing the sport of historic motorcycle racing. Since 1989, AHRMA has provided an appropriate environment to showcase vintage and alternative modern racing motorcycles in the disciplines of road racing, motocross, dirt track, trials, and cross country. With more than 3,300 members, AHRMA is the largest vintage racing group in North America and is one of the world’s leading vintage motorcycle organizations.
Ben Gloddy (72). Photo by Sara Chappell, courtesy Robem Engineering.
Robem Engineering Aprilia riders to race at the May 5-8 Aprilia Racing RS 660 Trofeo Cup in Italy at Vallelunga
Robem Engineering Aprilia, in partnership with BK Corse, is pleased to confirm that full time MotoAmerica Twins Cup riders Teagg Hobbs and Ben Gloddy will participate in the opening round of the Aprilia Racing RS 660 Trofeo Cup at Vallelunga May 5-8.
Teagg Hobbs (79). Photo by Sara Chappell, courtesy Robem Engineering.
Teagg Hobbs who has the points lead after the first round at Daytona is itching for his first experience on an international stage. “Going to Italy to race the Trofeo Cup is a great opportunity. I can’t thank everyone involved enough for making this happen. I’m excited to get over and represent the United States as best as possible.”
Ben Gloddy, coming off an impressive first ride at Daytona, is looking forward to getting more time on the Aprilia. “I am super excited to have this opportunity to go and race in Italy! It has really been a dream to race in Europe. I can’t thank everyone enough.”
Before Italy the riders and the Robem team will be racing at the MotoAmerica round at Road Atlanta, April 22-24.
Robem Engineering’s partners for 2022 include Aprilia Racing, Piaggio Group Americas, BK Corse, The Center for Plastic Surgery, Synchrony, Motovation USA, SC-Project, Velocity Calibrations, Bitubo Suspension, Woodcraft Technologies, Dymag, Vesrah, Sprint Filter, DID, Magura USA, Sara Chappell Photos, NGK/NTK, Blud Lubricants and Millennium Technologies.
Marquez set for Austin return as Espargaro plots revenge
Marc Marquez will return to the MotoGP World Championship in Austin aboard his Repsol Honda Team RC213V after consultation and clearance from his medical team.
Doctors have cleared Marc Marquez for a return to Grand Prix competition after his fall in Warm Up at the Indonesian GP and subsequent diplopia diagnosis. The Repsol Honda Team rider has completed his conservative treatment plan and is ready to return to action at Round 4, the Grand Prix of The Americas in Austin, Texas. Before heading for the US, he confirmed his feelings and vision on a CBR600RR around the Alcarras circuit.
Marquez’s record around the Texan circuit speaks for itself, having only missed victory on one occasion when he crashed while comfortably leading in 2019. Even with his historic speed at the track, Marquez is not chasing immediate glory and is aiming to spend the weekend getting back up to speed with the Repsol Honda Team RC213V and continuing to build his feeling and speed on the new machine.
Pol Espargaro arrives in the United States of America with a point to prove after crashing out while chasing a podium in Argentina. Despite a mixed Saturday, Espargaro and his crew put everything in place to produce a strong race that showed more of the potential of the rider and the bike before the fall. In 2021, Espargaro finished tenth in Texas on the RC213V – his fourth top ten at the American circuit.
Aleix Espargaro sits atop the MotoGP World Championship with just 45 points after three races, Pol Espargaro is only 25 points back and despite missing two races, Marquez is 34 points from the top spot. With 18 races still left to run, and a potential of 450 points, it is still very much anyone’s championship.
Action at the 5.5-kilometer-long circuit commences at 09:55 Local Time on Friday, April 08. A unique schedule for the weekend will see the MotoGP race, running over 20 laps, start at 13:00 Local Time just before the Moto3 race which will conclude the day.
Marc Marquez
“Of course I am very happy to be back, it’s a great feeling to return and especially to do it at one of my favourite tracks. No matter the situation, I really enjoy riding in Texas and have incredible memories there. We have some work to do after missing two races and the whole Argentina weekend so I am not here to set one target at the moment. There’s many things to do and consider, but the important thing is that we are back on the bike this weekend.”
Pol Espargaro
“After the disappointment of last race I am looking forward to riding again this week. Austin was not the easiest circuit for us last year but with the new bike it’s interesting to come and compare what we did last year to this year. Already it looks like there will be many people in the mix for the championship this year so we need to get back to scoring points and putting together weekends like the start of the year. It’s time to get some more points on the board and start building something.”
There is literally nothing in the world like the ProKASRO Team ERC Endurance Ducati Panigale V4 R. Street and aftermarket parts are incorporated into a WorldSBK-spec racebike built at Ducati's racing headquarters. Photos by Michael Gougis.
Copyright 2022, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.
By Michael Gougis
There was no way ProKASRO Team ERC Endurance was giving up without a fight.
For the 2018-2019 season, the team had raced BMW S 1000 RR racebikes in the Endurance World Championship as the official representative of the German company. But for the next season, BMW was bringing its team in-house and up to full factory status, racing the new M 1000 RR. And ERC was not going to be involved.
Ducati sends a factory electronics engineer whose job it is to adapt WorldSBK electronics–with strategies developed around that series’ spec Pirelli tires–to Michelin tires. The idea is to save the rear tire so that at the end of an hour-long stint, it is still delivering rapid lap times. Photo by Michael Gougis.
Instead of stepping back and running as a satellite BMW operation, as it did for the first race of the 2019-2020 season, Team ERC went looking for a factory partner, and found one in perhaps the most unexpected of places. Ducati, already winning in MotoGP, World Superbike and elsewhere, opened the doors to its race shop and invited Team ERC in.
The ProKASRO Team ERC Endurance Ducati Panigale V4 R gets a custom lighting system; built to WorldSBK specs the racebike does not come with wiring for headlights and taillights. Photo by Michael Gougis.
For the second race, a monsoon-battered 8-hour event in Sepang, a factory-backed Panigale V4 R was on the grid, a full-blooded racebike built to World Superbike specs at Ducati Corse and modified to survive the rigors of EWC competition.
Endurance electronics settings mean that individual lap times suffer slightly, but the rider and bike are quicker over the distance of a full race stint. Photo by Michael Gougis.
The ERC Endurance machine is one of the most unique motorcycles to come out of the race shop at Borgo Panigale. It is sprinkled with custom, one-off and street machine pieces, assembled with the assistance of factory race mechanics, fettled at the track by a factory electronics engineer with control strategies from MotoGP and World Superbike and tires with MotoGP technology.
In addition to supporting National and World Superbike programs plus a MotoGP program, Ducati still made time to prepare a factory-level Endurance World Championship effort. Photo by Michael Gougis.
*****
Ducati does things Ducati’s way.
Unlike some manufacturers which will sell turn-key International-spec racebikes built either in their racing departments or by their official racing partners to anyone with the cash (BMW, Aprilia), teams have to prove to Ducati that they have the ability to properly operate one of its racebikes before you can buy one. Ducati North America representative Alex Frantz outlined the process in broad strokes as it happens in the U.S.
“Ducati Corse…only work with bona-fide professional Superbike teams,” Frantz says. “Race teams first go through a due-diligence process with Ducati North America to assess the team structure and technical capabilities. Once the team is approved by our CEO, Ducati North America will make a request with Ducati Corse to begin discussions with the team.
Ducati vets potential race teams to ensure that they have the ability and resources to properly operate a factory racebike. Three semi-trucks are a pretty good demonstration of resources. Photo courtesy ERC.
“Each bike is hand-built in Bologna by Ducati Corse specifically to the technical regulations of the particular National Superbike Championship. Each championship applies different elements of FIM SBK regulations for engine specs, electronics. In addition to the bikes, teams can contract Ducati Corse technicians or Magneti Marelli data engineers to help the teams to deliver the maximum potential of the bike.”
The ERC Ducati team starts with a Panigale V4 R racebike built to its specifications in the Ducati race shop, and modifies it for long distance racing. Photo by Michael Gougis.
It makes sense–little good can come to a company’s reputation by selling a racebike to a team that can’t run it. ProKASRO ERC’s reputation and experience in racing EWC didn’t hurt when it went knocking on doors in Bologna. The company, internationally known for its robotic sewer maintenance equipment, also has years of experience in top-level competition. U.S. fans may be familiar with the ProKASRO name; the company has an office in Colorado, and that led to an assault on Pike’s Peak in 2019 with Lucy Glöckner. It also likely didn’t hurt that ProKASRO Managing Director and ERC Team Manager Uwe Reinhardt is a Ducati aficionado with a personal collection of some of the company’s most desirable machines, although Reinhardt says he wasn’t thinking about that when the team approached Ducati.
The backup ProKASRO-backed ERC Ducati before the start of the Bol d’Or. The special Michelin front tire has one lap on it. Michelin works with the team to test MotoGP-spec technology on Superbikes, and is very secretive about the tires it provides to the team. The company will not allow the team to keep rain tires overnight – they must go back to the Michelin truck! Photo by Michael Gougis.
“My passion for the brand and my personal collection of Ducati bikes had little to do with the decision to start up a partnership with Ducati. What really counted was the fast, efficient and substantial commitment they immediately put in place and the support they will be providing throughout the season,” Reinhardt said when the collaboration was announced.
Former Team GoEleven data engineer Fabio Pasqualini (background) discusses electronics strategies with Ducati factory test rider and racer Lorenzo Zanetti (foreground), who took Ducati’s first MotoAmerica Superbike win. Zanetti was racing with ERC at the Bol d’Or. Photo by Michael Gougis.
What really boggles the mind is pondering why Ducati said yes when ERC came calling. At the time, the company was competing in several National-level Superbike Championships, winning the British Superbike title with Scott Redding. It was involved in a tooth-and-nail fight with Kawasaki in the Superbike World Championship and was fighting with Honda for the MotoGP World Championship. As mentioned, each series has its own technical requirements and challenges–and there are only about 100 people working at Ducati Corse. It’s not like the racing department didn’t already have its hands full!
ERC builds special parts for the endurance racebike like this subframe. Note the inner channels for routing wiring. Photo by Michael Gougis.
But Sporting Director Paolo Ciabatti said the company saw the new program as an opportunity. “When ERC Endurance approached us regarding a joint EWC effort, we thought that it was a good opportunity for Ducati to show the quality, reliability, and competitiveness of the Panigale V4 R also in that championship. In addition, endurance racing helps our engineers to get valuable data and information from such long-distance races,” Ciabatti told Roadracing World.
And thus the factory Team ERC Ducati Panigale V4 R was conceived.
*****
Instead of taking a production machine and building performance into it, Ducati and ERC started with a sprinter and built endurance into it. It’s no small challenge. The Superbike World Championship bikes are built to compete in races no longer than 68.75 miles. The winning machine at the 2021 Bol d’Or covered 2,525 miles in 24 hours.
A basic factory Ducati Panigale race engine with a few street internals added to enhance durability. Safety wire is everywhere. The team chose aftermarket GB Racing engine protectors. Incidentally, that Pierobon engine stand runs a cool $848 and change. Photo by Michael Gougis.
The process starts with ERC technicians heading to the race shop to work alongside Ducati race technicians to assemble the machines. The starting point is the Panigale V4 R World Superbike machine, a race-only version of the V4 R streetbike that is available to the public. Compared to the standard 1,103cc streetbike, the V4 R streetbike gets a lighter, 70-degree offset forged steel crankshaft that shortens the stroke to 48.4mm, reducing the displacement to a WorldSBK-legal 998cc. Lighter titanium connecting rods and intake valves are fitted. The engine breathes through 4mm larger, 56mm throttle bodies.
As a Ducati sprint racebike does not come with lights, ERC has to mount headlights into the intake system of its endurance racer. Photo by Michael Gougis.
Understanding the street base configuration is critical because, to get the Stradale R engine to survive a 24-hour race, some of those street-going components are dropped into a World Superbike-spec engine. The racebike gets the pistons and camshafts from the street V4 R. This increases the machine’s durability for endurance-length events, says Lothar Kraus, the ERC engine and suspension technician who showed Roadracing World the racebike in detail as it was being prepped for the Bol d’Or. The rocker arm helper springs are different and the transmission is unique, a WorldSBK unit modified to put neutral between first and second gears, instead of below first as on the WorldSBK machines. The machine exhales via a special full race Akrapovic titanium exhaust that quiets the exhaust volume to EWC-legal levels.
ERC specifies a lower-spec but sturdier Öhlins fork for crash survivability. Brembo brakes, Hel lines with dry-break connectors and 5.5mm discs handle braking. Photo by Michael Gougis.
The Panigale V4 R racebikes run modified front “frame” sections–the Panigale’s chassis consists only of a short subframe mounted to the front of the engine that holds the steering head and, in the rear, the subframe. The racing front subframe has altered stiffness to get the flex that Ducati is looking for. This has created its own difficulties for the endurance team, Kraus says. The Ohlins 46mm pressurized RVP2530 upside-down forks found on the Superbike are simply not crash-worthy enough for EWC competition, where accidents are part of the game and riders and machines are expected to get up and carry on. The Ohlins FGR300 fork that replaces it is stiffer, but that compromises the carefully balanced flex characteristics of the chassis. Still, it is a compromise that makes sense in the context of endurance racing, Kraus says. An Öhlins WorldSBK-spec RSP40 shock is mated to a single-sided factory Superbike swingarm via a factory linkage.
This custom rear spindle is a little bit of clever endurance racing engineering. The threads are coarser to reduce the time it takes to spin the rear axle nut into place. The small ramp-like protrusions at the top and bottom of the conical endpiece are spring-loaded. Once the nut is seated, they extend to prevent the nut from loosening and coming off. A special socket on the rear wheel gun fits over the ramps and compresses them, allowing the nut to be removed. Photo by Michael Gougis.
Electronics are pure WorldSBK–a Magneti Marelli MLE ECU. As part of its commitment to the project, electronics engineer Fabio Pasqualini handles data management duties. He’s experienced with the Panigale V4 R, having served as data engineer to Ducati Superbike factory rider Michael Ruben Rinaldi when Rinaldi won races for the satellite GoEleven squad. “Without the technician, the bike does not run,” Kraus deadpans.
ProKASRO manufactures its own rearset brackets. Custom Akrapovic exhaust meets stricter EWC noise standards without power loss. The team runs a 525 chain. Photo by Michael Gougis.
The Tuesday prior to the Bol d’Or was a lengthy test session, and Pasqualini spent the day gathering data on all the available tire choices, as well as data and feedback from all three riders. He spent the next two days building maps for traction control, engine braking and power settings, maps that served as a compromise for all three riders and for the wide range of temperatures expected.
Compared to the WorldSBK engine control maps, Pasqualini says, the endurance Panigale has less engine braking and more traction control. The riders don’t always like it, because more engine braking and less TC would produce a slightly quicker lap time, he says. But the endurance settings mean quicker lap times at the end of a stint, because the rear tire is less worn, and the rider is fresher as well.
EWC machines must race in a much wider range of temperature variations endurance race starts out and checkered flag. ProKASRO ERC Ducati 3-D prints custom cooling system parts as part of the process of converting a factory-built sprint racing machine into an endurance racebike. Photos by Michael Gougis. Photo by Michael Gougis.
A custom subframe, rearsets and triple trees made by ProKASRO complete the chassis. Brembo endurance racing calipers handle braking in the front. The team assembles its own handlebar switchgear, and contracted with a neighboring company in its home town of Karlsruhe to create a lighting system–obviously, purpose-built WorldSBK-spec machines don’t come with lights.
Little things: A trick custom rear wheel axle, borrowing tech from Formula One, speeds rear wheel changes. The team had to create a better temperature management system, because while a Superbike team can carefully prepare the bike for the temperature at race time, an endurance bike must operate in the heat of the day and the chill of the early morning hours. ProKASRO 3D-printed special thermostat components. A hydraulic adjuster plumbed into the rear shock allows the team to switch to its wet-weather suspension preload setting in a fraction of a second.
As if there wasn’t enough to sort out, ERC runs Michelin tires. This keeps Pasqualini busy, as he adapts the electronics strategies built around the Pirelli spec tires in WorldSBK to the Michelin tires. Michelin uses the team to evaluate MotoGP tire technology, and is so protective of its rain tire technology that the team must send them back to Michelin’s truck at the end of every day’s racing activities.
So far, the team’s best finish is sixth place. It is still learning its way with the new machine, with only seven races with the Panigale so far. But at the Bol, before brake failure at the end of the Mistral straight led to a machine-destroying crash, ERC was in a solid third at the 10-hour mark. Teething problems aside, the bike has proven it has the performance to run at the front in some of the most challenging races in the world.
Roadracing World started this exclusive special feature recognizing the most promising young road racers as an answer to pessimists who claimed America had no new, up-and-coming young racers. This edition of the Roadracing World Young Gun Awards marks the 26th consecutive year of showcasing an abundance of new talent.
Roadracing World Young Guns have won:
FIM MotoGP and FIM Superbike races and World Championships;
MotoAmerica and AMA Pro races and Championships, including 11 AMA Pro Superbike Championships;
A KTM RC Cup World Final race;
The Daytona 200 (11 times);
WERA National Endurance Championships and WERA National Challenge Championships;
ASRA/Formula USA Grand National and CCS National Championships;
AMA Road Racing Grand Championships and Horizon Awards;
USGPRU National Championships;
Many regional and local titles.
The competition has continually become more intense as more – and younger—racers with higher levels of accomplishment are nominated, and the level of achievement required to make the grade keeps getting tougher.
We’ve spent the last several months accepting nominations and evaluating road racers between the ages of 10 and 18 (as of the start of the 2022 season) who have, at a minimum, won Expert-level road races and/or Championships or had outstanding results as an Amateur/Novice. Most of the riders included here have done far more than the minimum.
The young riders recognized here are the most promising young road racers in North America. All have earned the title of Roadracing World Young Gun.
We will feature one Young Gun per day, presenting them in alphabetical order.
Julian Correa. Photo courtesy Michael Correa.
Julian Correa
Age: 13
Current home: Jupiter, Florida.
Current height/weight: 5’3”/104 pounds.
Current school grade level: 8th grade.
Began riding at age: 5 years.
First road race: 2013, Millville, New Jersey, NJminiGP, Spec50, 10th place.
Current racebike: Honda NSF250R.
Current tuners/mechanics: Tim Cassesse, David Buchman/DBPrepared.
Primary race series: British Talent Cup, PanAmerican Superbike.
Recent racing accomplishments: 2021 season, competed as a wild card in 4 British Talent Cup (best race finish was 10th), won 7 WERA Sportsman Regional Novice Class Championships, won 2 FMRRA Amateur Class Championships, won multiple SFLminiGP Class Championships.
2022 racing goal: Finish in top 5 in British Talent Cup Championship.
Racing career goal: Win Moto3, Moto2, and then MotoGP Championships.
Current WorldSBK Race Lap Record: 1:49.620, J. Rea (Kaw), 2020
Current WorldSBK All-Time Lap Record: 1:48.458, J. Rea (Kaw), 2021
FIM Superbike World Championship
MotorLand Aragon
Alcaniz, Spain
April 5, 2022
Provisional Day Two Best Lap Times (all on Pirelli tires):
Jonathan Rea, UK (Kaw), 1:48.714
Toprak Razgatlioglu, Turkey (Yam), 1:49.068
Alvaro Bautista, Spain (Duc), 1:49.094
Garrett Gerloff, USA (Yam), 1:49.235
Loris Baz, France (BMW), 1:49.383
Andrea Locatelli, Italy (Yam), 1:49.831
Michael Rinaldi, Italy (Duc), 1:49.863
Iker Lecuona, Spain (Hon), 1:49.971
Xavi Vierge, Spain (Hon), 1:50.010
Philipp Oettl, Germany (Duc), 1:50.086
Scott Redding, UK (BMW), 1:50.104
Alex Lowes, UK (Kaw), 1:50.112
Eugene Laverty, UK (BMW), 1:50.446
Ilya Mikhalchik, Ukraine (BMW), 1:50.498
Roberto Tamburini, Italy (Yam), 1:50.656
Kohta Nozane, Japan (Yam), 1:50.683
Axel Bassani, Italy (Duc), 1:50.856
Lucas Mahias, France (Kaw), 1:51.038
Luca Bernardi, San Marino (Duc), 1:51.738
Gabriele Ruiu, Italy (BMW), 1:52.003
Christophe Ponsson, Belgium (Yam), 1:52.143
Hafizh Syahrin, Malaysia (Hon), 1:52.312
Oliver Konig, Czech Republic (Kaw), 1:52.729
Leandro Mercado, Argentina (Hon), 1:53.046
Loris Cresson, Belgium (Kaw), 1:53.534
More, from a press release issued by Dorna WorldSBK Press Office:
Jonathan Rea tops the timesheets after a two-day Supported Test at MotorLand Aragon
Jonathan Rea (65). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Titles contenders Jonathan Rea and Toprak Razgatlioglu were just split by three tenths before heading into the Pirelli Aragon Round
Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) concluded the Supported Test on top of the timesheets, with a best time of 1’48.714 on Day 2. He was the only rider to lap in the 1’48s bracket: “Step by step we are building the package. I felt the conditions, particularly in the afternoon, FP5 & 6 were much better than yesterday and the morning. We were able to get a meaningful work done… We confirmed our bike.”
Toprak Razgatlioglu (1). Photo courtesy Dorna.
The 2021 WorldSBK Champion Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) ended the two days of testing in second place, finishing 0.354s behind Jonathan Rea. He made the most of the sessions to further test the electronics on his Yamaha YZF R1. “The test was great. We improved the bike. We used some new parts and we are happy with them.”
Alvaro Bautista (19). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.It Racing – Ducati) was third 0.380s adrift from the leader. The Spanish rider tackled the test with this weekend’s Aragon Round in mind. “Today has been very positive. The feeling with the bike improved. Yesterday, we only used the SC0 tyre and today we could compare it with some other tyres. We found some improvements and the feeling with the bike improved,” he said.
Garrett Gerloff (31). Photo courtesy Dorna.
American rider Garrett Gerloff (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) finished in fourth as he tried new components previously tested by the Pata Yamaha squad, using the full 2022 bike for the first time. Loris Baz (Bonovo Action BMW) was the first BMW rider in fifth as he posted a 1’49.383 in FP5. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) completed the top six as he finished 1.117s behind Jonathan Rea, and just 0.032s in front of Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.It Racing – Ducati). Iker Lecuona (Team HRC) was the first Honda rider in eighth, with his teammate Xavi Vierge (Team HRC) finishing 0.039s behind him in ninth.
Loris Baz (76). Photo courtesy Dorna.
WorldSBK Combined Times
1. Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) 1’48.714s
2. Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) +0.354s
3. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +0.380s
6. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) +1.117s
Jules Cluzel (16). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Cluzel fastest in final WorldSSP Pre-Season outing
The Frenchman claimed the fastest lap by just 0.057s, with just 0.240s covering the top five
Despite a crash at Turn 2 in the opening session of Day 2, Jules Cluzel (GMT94 Yamaha) set the fastest time of the Supported Test in the final session. His lap time 1’53.407 was faster than the race lap record set by Andrea Locatelli in 2020 by 0.5s. “These two days were not so easy because we started with really cold conditions. We stayed calm and I really tried to stayed focussed on my plan. I tried to get the pace and went step by step to finish well” explained Cluzel. “This season will be really tight, with strong riders with strong bikes, but we know that if we do it well, we can do like at the end of last season,” he added.
Italian Rookie Lorenzo Baldassari (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team) finished in second just 0.057s behind Cluzel; “It was a good test for us because it confirmed we are doing well. Our speed is quite good and I am happy to be fast again after last year.” Can Oncu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) wrapped up the two-day test in third, finishing +0.057s from the fastest rider. “Today we made some race simulations, and we are quite strong. I am really comfortable as I am able to do my laps alone,” he commented.
Two other Italian Rookies are in the top six, with Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) in fourth and Yari Montella (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) in fifth. Reigning WorldSSP Champion Dominique Aegerter (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) finished the test in fifth place, 0.240s behind Cluzel.
WorldSSP Combined Times
1. Jules Cluzel (GMT94 Yamaha) 1’53.407s
2. Lorenzo Baldassarri (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team) +0.057s
3. Can Oncu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) +0.135s
4. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) +0.214s
5. Dominique Aegerter (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) +0.240s
6. Yari Montella (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) +0.681s
Teammates Steeman and Okaya go head-to-head for WorldSSP300 top spot at Aragon test
Steeman joined MTM Kawasaki for the 2022 campaign and has put down a marker as he edged out teammate Okaya
Victor Steeman (MTM Kawasaki) finished on top of the timesheets having set a fastest time of 2’06.509. “Yesterday we didn’t had a good day. I crashed at the beginning of the day. But after all we had a lot of information from were was the limit. And this morning we started to think to prepare race day. It’s always important to get how the tyres are going. In the last session, I just putted the new tyre and I just looked for a good lap time.”
Teammate Yuta Okaya (MTM Kawasaki) ended the Supported Test in second just 0.036s behind, despite a crash in Turn 5 has put an early end to his testing program. Fastest on the opening day of action, Samuel Di Sora (Leader Team Flembbo) finished the two-day test in third place just 0.166s behind Victor Steeman.
WorldSSP300 Combined Times
1. Victor Steeman (MTM Kawasaki) 2’06.509
2. Yuta Okaya (MTM Kawasaki) +0.036s
3. Samuel Di Sora (Leader Team Flembbo) +0.166s
4. Marc Garcia (Yamaha MS Racing) +0.401s
5. Kevin Sabatucci (Kawasaki GP Project) +0.598s
6. Bruno Ieraci (Prodina Racing WorldSSP300) +0.672s
More, from a press release issued by Team HRC:
WorldSBK pre-season comes to an end for Lecuona and Vierge with productive final tests at Aragón
WorldSBK new-entries Iker Lecuona and Xavi Vierge have once again demonstrated their potential, placing eighth and ninth at the end of this final pre-season test. Quickly adapting to what is a new track for them with the CBR1000RR-R FIREBLADE, they posted competitive lap times despite limited track time, cold conditions and, in Xavi’s case, recent injury.
The DWO Supported test sessions that mark the end of the pre-season testing period have drawn to a close today at Motorland Aragón in Spain. With the 2022 Superbike World Championship season-opener set to take place this very weekend at the same circuit, Team HRC and riders Iker Lecuona and Xavi Vierge are pleased with the progress made over the winter, having worked hard to make final preparations ahead of the all-important first race weekend.
The test kicked off yesterday morning in surprisingly cold conditions. Team HRC therefore decided to sit out the opening session, considering it risky, particularly for Vierge who is still recovering after having fractured his twelfth rib during the last test at Barcelona. Later in the day, as the track and air temperatures rose, both Lecuona and Vierge headed out, working hard with their technicians to begin to adapt their CBR1000RR-R FIREBLADES to what is a new track for them both.
Today’s sessions ran in dry conditions, although both Lecuona and Vierge remained in the garage during the first of the three phases, the conditions similarly cold to yesterday. During the subsequent sessions, Team HRC continued to work on set-up and, by the end of the day, Lecuona had set a fastest overall time of 1’49.971 and Vierge a 1’50.010. Both riders now look forward to the opening round of the 2022 championship, which will get underway this coming Friday.
Iker Lecuona (7). Photo courtesy Team HRC.
Iker Lecuona 7
“During these two days here at Aragón conditions were very cold early on, so we decided not to ride in the morning sessions. On day one, I worked with the hard tyre and felt good, considering this is the first time I’m riding at Aragón. There’s lots to learn of course but things went quite well. On day two we continued working on the bike set-up and, overall, the test has been OK though not as good as the rest of the pre-season. To be honest, I expected something more because I know we have the potential to be faster with this bike but here we struggled with the soft tyre and also suffered a crash at turn 2 the first time we attempted a flying lap. I was unhurt luckily, so no problem there, but it’s true that we need to take another step at this track, so over the next couple of days we’ll check all the data to prepare for the weekend. I’m really looking forward to starting the season, improving on the bike, getting to grips with the new championship and enjoying this new racing season.”
Xavi Vierge. Photo courtesy Team HRC.
Xavi Vierge 97
“It’s been great to get back on the bike for this test. It was an important one in terms of preparing for the upcoming race weekend of course, and it was also my first time back on the bike since I hurt myself at Barcelona. Conditions haven’t been ideal, as it’s been colder than it probably will be for the races, but we’ve got the work done. I’m really happy especially with our second day; we continued as we did yesterday, not making too many laps but just enough to understand what and where we need to improve, and to adjust the electronics ahead of the weekend. We took a step forward which I’m really happy about, and we have the information we need to start the weekend with a good base. Physically, it’s been a bit painful for me of course, but it was also important to ride to understand how I need to adapt my riding style to do the best I can. So now I have the information from these two days and then it’s also important to continue with my therapy and physio so I’m as fit as I can be for the race weekend. I want to thank the team for their hard work and for supporting me; I’m very happy to be here and back on my bike.”
More, from a press release issued by Aruba.it Racing Ducati:
The Aragon test ends with Bautista third and Rinaldi seventh. Bulega finishes fourth in WorldSSP
The last winter tests of 2022 ended today at the Motorland Circuit of Aragon (Spain), which from Friday will host the first round of the new WorldSBK season.
As yesterday, the day started with extremely low temperatures, but track conditions improved significantly during the afternoon.
The two riders of the Aruba.it Racing – Ducati team worked on the final details ahead of the first official free practice of the Pirelli Aragon Round scheduled for Friday at 10.30 am.
In today’s three sessions, Alvaro Bautista completed 48 laps, setting in FP3 his best time of 1’49.094 to eventually finish third, three tenths behind Rea (Kawasaki) and just 26 thousandths of a second behind Razgatlioglu (Yamaha).
For Michael Rinaldi 44 laps completed and the seventh position in the combined standings thanks to a time of 1’49.863 set in the early afternoon session.
Alvaro Bautista (19). Photo courtesy Ducati.
Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati #19)
“It was a positive test, even though the low temperature this morning didn’t allow us to get the most out of every session. Anyway, we did a good job: today we focused on adjusting the set-up with the goal of improving the race pace with the harder tire and the results were positive. We collected a lot of data to work on and this is very important. I’m really happy because the feeling is very good”.
Michael Rinaldi (21). Photo courtesy Ducati.
Michael Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati #21)
“Without a doubt, I expected more from these tests, but even in the difficult times, we can still find data that can help us. We’ve understood what we’re missing to be competitive and I hope that in these two days, after carefully analyzing the data, we’ll be able to find a solution that allows us to improve. In any case, we arrive at the start of the season with a great desire to do well”.
WorldSSP
Due to the low temperature, Nicolò Bulega and the Aruba.it Racing WSSP team only took to the track in the afternoon but had to deal with a small issue that stopped the Italian rider after 8 laps. In the last session, however, Bulega lapped steadily (18 laps completed) finishing in fourth place (1’53.621) but only 240 thousandths of a second behind the best time of Cluzel (Yamaha).
Nicolo Bulega (11). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Nicolò Bulega (Aruba.it Racing WSSP #11)
“I’m happy because during all the winter tests we did a really good job. The feeling with the bike is very positive even if sometimes we struggle to find the right setup on a new machine that lacks experience. Anyway, we are always able to find positive solutions and that gives us great confidence. We are ready to start the season”.
More, from a press release issued by GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team:
GERLOFF AND NOZANE LOOKING FORWARD TO FIRST RACE WEEKEND AFTER FINAL TEST
The 2022 pre-season is officially over. With the last DWO Supported Test sustained at MotorLand Aragòn on 4th-5th April, the GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team finished its preparations with Kohta Nozane and Garrett Gerloff for the 2022 FIM Superbike World Championship, which will start on 8th-10th April in Aragòn.
Cold conditions awaited both riders on the first day, which forced the team to not push too much in the morning (11:35-12:20) apart from making shakedown laps. In the following afternoon sessions, both Gerloff and Nozane bounced back on track with good progress made throughout FP2 (14:25-15:10) and FP3 (16:55-17:40).
Indeed, the American rider managed to finish the day fourth fastest on combined times, with a personal best of 1.50.120 and 36 laps completed. On the other side of the box, the Japanese ace gained confidence each session and ended eighth fastest with 1.50.520 and 37 laps in total.
Afterwards, the day after the GYRT GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team encountered once again cold conditions during the morning. Luckily, this time Nozane and Gerloff managed to complete more laps followed by many more in the afternoon stages. The sessions were planned from 10:55 to 11:40, 13:45 to 14:30 and 16:15 to 17:00.
Both riders tried to find pace and improved their feeling, finishing 16th, with the Japanese having a 1.50.683 as personal best over 41 laps, and 4th fastest as the American scored a 1.49.235 as his best with 49 laps in total on Day 2. Counting both days, Gerloff concluded in 4th position (85 laps done) while Nozane put himself into 15th (78 laps completed).
As the pre-season is officially over, it’s time for the GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team to move on into the first round of the 2022 season of FIM Superbike World Championship. That will take place at MotorLand Aragòn once again from 8th to 10th April with three races during the weekend and many more activities expected to be held at the Teruel venue.
P15 – Kohta Nozane (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) +1.806
Garrett Gerloff (31). Photo courtesy GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team.
Garrett Gerloff: “Overall it wasn’t too bad. On Day 2, we fixed some things that I was complaining on the first day and the temperature went higher. That’s important as for the weekend weather conditions should be warmer. We did use the SCQ tyre as well, it felt good. Sometimes it’s difficult for me to make a one-shot lap, so I need to work on this area. Anyway, finally the pre-season is over and it’s time to focus on the first round of the year. I’ll enjoy two days of rest before being fully focused on the race weekend, but I cannot wait to bounce back on track for the first free practice of the season.”
Kohta Nozane (3). Photo courtesy GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team.
Kohta Nozane: “Having the last DWO Supported Test was important as we’re gearing up for the upcoming season. On the first day I improved my performance each session and managed to finish 8th, while on the second one we tried to keep that feeling but we had to make some work on race pace as well. That’s why we did a long run and settled up things on that aspect. We have a good base and I can start from Friday to prepare in the best way possible for the first round of the 2022 FIM Superbike World Championship. Now we’ll have two days to rest a little bit and then it will be time to switch into racing mode. I cannot wait for this new beginning!”
More, from a press release issued by Pata Yamaha by Brixx WorldSBK:
Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK Complete Aragon Checklist Ahead of WorldSBK Opening Round
Toprak Razgatlioglu (1). Photo courtesy Yamaha.
Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK riders Toprak Razgatlıoğlu and Andrea Locatelli completed two days of testing at the FIM Superbike World Championship Supported Test at MotorLand Aragon today, ahead of the opening round of the 2022 season starting later this week.
Defending WorldSBK Champion Razgatlıoğlu ticked off 91 laps across six 45-minute Free Practice sessions with a fastest lap time of 1’49.068 placing him second overall, while teammate Locatelli finished sixth-fastest with a best time of 1’49.831, having also completed 91 laps.
Despite frigid cold temperatures across both days, the team and Yamaha Motor Research & Development Europe’s engineers took a calculated approach to manage the track time available and found positive results as they worked on set up and new test items to prepare for the weekend. Satisfied with the data collected, feedback from both Razgatlıoğlu and Locatelli will help fine-tune the R1 WorldSBK package for the considerably warmer conditions forecast in the Teruel region.
The 5.077 km MotorLand Aragon circuit has played host to some fantastic race battles in recent years for the WorldSBK class, and 2022 looks set to provide another thrilling start to the championship. But first, the Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK team will return to work on Thursday for the customary WorldSBK “class photos”, before Friday morning’s track action of Free Practice 1 and 2, starting at 10:30 local time (UTC+2) and 15:00 respectively.
Toprak Razgatlıoğlu: P2 (1’49.068) – 91 laps
Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK
“Today we tried a new set up and we improved my bike a little bit from yesterday. The weather was cold but I am very happy with these two test days, because we use different set ups to get more data and find the best package. Now, the feeling is we are ready to race and I’m very excited for the season start. But we will see Friday! I’m waiting to ride my R1 on Friday – we will see what will happen this weekend!”
Andrea Locatelli: P6 (1’49.831) – 91 laps
Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK
“We concluded today in P6, but this is not important! The most important part is the job that we do and I’m happy in the second day for the rhythm when we tried the long run. This good for us, but for sure we need to understand the qualifying tyre to start more in front. But in general, it was a good two days of testing with no mistakes and we have a lot of data, with two days to analyse everything and prepare the bike for the weekend. The guys do a great job and the feeling with the bike is not bad, so now we will continue to work a little more to try to improve during the weekend. We will see but I think we are now ready to start.”
More, from a press release issued by Kawasaki:
Rea Fastest On Eve Of New Season
A two day official pre-season test at Motorland Aragon saw Jonathan Rea and Alex Lowes make their final on-track preparations for the opening round of the 2022 FIM Superbike World Championship, with Rea setting the overall leading pace in the final session.
On the first day the dry but very cold morning conditions kept most of the riders in the pit garages until the track temperatures improved all around the 5.077km long Motorland Aragon circuit. Ninja ZX-10RR riders Rea and Lowes then joined the full WorldSBK line-up on track, riding in what were increasingly good conditions.
Day two was also cool in the morning but consistently dry weather allowed the official KRT WorldSBK duo to work through their final test plans and make meaningful preparations for the first points scoring races of the 2022 season.
Rea set his best single lap time of 1’48.714 on the final minutes of the tests and was the only rider to get into the 1’48 bracket. He was 0.354 seconds faster than the next rider, Toprak Razgatlioglu.
Lowes could not quite find the one fast lap he desired but in term of his overall race pace he was more satisfied with the final sessions before the new season starts for real in just a few days.
A final change in set-up, to make the most of this final pre-season testing opportunity, meant Alex was unable to move up the combined timesheets and he finished 12th fastest of the 25 riders at this test. Now he looks to make use of his good race pace when the first championship points become available.
With the pre-season action now complete the 2022 WorldSBK campaign will begin in earnest at Motorland Aragon, between 8-10 April. Once again there will be three races on the weekend schedule, with the first on Saturday 9 April.
Jonathan Rea (65). Photo courtesy Kawasaki.
Jonathan Rea, stated: “Step-by-step we have built the package at this test. The afternoon sessions were much better than the first morning. We got meaningful work done and we confirmed our bike set-up. On the last runs I was really able to clarify the package we will start the race weekend with. We also ticked a lot of boxes with tyres. We used the SCQ qualifying tyre, which is new for us. We had to understand it before we use it in Superpole qualifying on Saturday. Today I enjoyed riding the bike; I had a lot of fun and got a lot of feedback. When that happens we are able to go quite fast. I am as ready as I will ever be to start racing. You can always do more, but you have to start somewhere and if we were to go racing tomorrow I am happy enough to start. We will have the usual ‘class of 2022’ photos on Thursday and then go racing on Friday.”
Alex Lowes (22). Photo courtesy Kawasaki.
Alex Lowes, stated: “The test was OK but I wasn’t fast enough. We tried a few things with the bike in that last session today, in the good track temperatures. I tried something big and it didn’t really feel that good. Then we did not have enough time to change it back in the final session. We have a couple of days of practice now to put everything we have together. I guess track conditions will be a little bit different on Friday. I feel good in myself and I have had an issue-free pre-season. The bike has been reliable and I have been solid, so the target for this year is to be consistent every weekend. My race pace is OK but over one lap I am not fast – so we need to understand that. Apart from that, it was not too bad and we have a couple of days to make a good plan to start free practice on Friday.”
Pere Riba, Crew Chief for Jonathan Rea, stated: “The test was positive and Johnny is confident with the bike. This two day test is different compared to the race weekend because the temperature is going to be completely different. Now it is around 12-13°C air temperature and it will be around 25°C on the weekend. So the track surface itself will be much hotter and this affects the tyre choice, the set-up – everything. But we have been confirming all we have done in the previous winter tests, to confirm the base bike we want to start with. Johnny is talking quite deeply with the bike and at the end of the day that is the most important thing. Now we will have a chance to relax and then restart for the first race.”
Marcel Duinker, Crew Chief for Alex Lowes, stated: “We used these two days quite well. The first sessions on each day were very cold so we knew we were not going to learn anything. We didn’t go out on track except to make some practice starts. But during each day we reached some acceptable track temperatures and we went through our test programme. From a lap time point of view we are not where we would like to be but this is testing and our season still needs to start. We gathered valuable information and we will start from the correct point on Friday.”
Lucas Mahias (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) was 18th overall at the Motorland tests, with fellow Kawasaki Independent riders Oliver König (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) 23rd and Loris Cresson (TPR Team Pedercini Racing) 25th.
More, from a press release issued by Team Go Eleven:
ALMOST DONE YESTERDAY, DONE TODAY; OETTL CLOSES THE ARAGON TEST IN TOP TEN!
Philipp Oettl (5). Photo courtesy Team Go Eleven.
The long WorldSBK winter is finally over! Last day of testing in Aragon behind us, now there are two days left for the official start of the Championship.
Day 2 at Motorland was very similar to day 1 in terms of temperatures; a first session in critical conditions, with about five degrees in the air and about ten on the asphalt, then with the passing of the hours the sky opened, warming up riders, motorcycles and technicians. FP 5 and FP 6 were two decisive sessions for the Go Eleven team; in the first, Philipp made a consistent long run, to evaluate the drop of the tyres and the behavior of his Ducati V4-RS on this particular track, made up of ups and downs, very technical corners and long straights. In the second, the work was concentrated on the qualifying tyres, which from this year allow for at least a couple of laps in good conditions. On the race pace, the German rider seemed to be well on the Ducati, setting a good pace on 51 and battling with some opponents as well. But it was in the last session that he showed the best things: with the SCX he was able to improve even more, placing himself in the top eight, then at the end all the protagonists tried the time attack. Oettl was able to exploit the Q well, lowering his personal reference by six tenths, returning and finishing the two days in the Top Ten.
DAY 2 – COMBINED RESULTS:
P 1 J. Rea 1.48.714
P 2 T. Razgatlioglu + 0.354
P 3 A. Bautista + 0.380
P 4 G. Gerloff + 0.521
P 5 L. Baz + 0.669
…
P 12 P. Oettl + 1.372
There will now be a two-day break before seeing the Superbikes in action at Motorland again, when the 2022 season will kick off on Friday. Go Eleven and the rider Philipp Oettl can’t wait to hit the track for the times “that matter”, and evaluate the real potential when there are no more masks and everyone will push 100%.
Philipp Oettl (Rider):
“Today it started again a little bit cold, cause we started earlier than yesterday. In the second session we did a long run, to understand the tyres and the electronics settings, trying to adapt my style to the tyre drop. In the last session we tried mainly the qualifying tyre, to understand its feedback. I think we did a good job because I can’t use the first two Q, then I found out how to use the last one. We are going in the right direction for the race weekend, especially the last session was really good. That was important because it was the last one and everyone tried to push. We did a good job in these two days, overall all the tests we had were good and in improvement. I am happy with the team, they are working very well. Now I have two days of relax, while the guys will prepare the bike, and we can’t wait to be on track again!”
Denis Sacchetti (Team Manager):
“We are also very happy with this last day of testing. This morning the temperatures were as low as yesterday, however, as we already faced yesterday, the track has a lot of grip and we could run right from the start. We carried out and completed our program without any particular problems, making both a long run with a view to the race and some attempts with the new qualifying tyres. Both have been very positive and I am happy with the work of the team and with Philipp’s approach; he faces the session as a long-time rider, despite being a rookie. Throughout the winter we had no particular difficulties, managing to complete all the prefixed work, with good results. Now there is still a lot to work on and grow on, we are not satisfied with what we have done so far, we still want to improve and look forward. We will do our best to be competitive from the start and to collect the good things done in the winter!”
Travis Wyman switches to Bilmola USA helmets for 2022 MotoAmerica season
Replica of MotoAmerica veteran’s special edition helmet to be sold nationwide, abroad
When you see Travis Wyman competing in MotoAmerica Superbike, Stock 1000 and King of the Baggers this year, he’ll be racing in his own edition of Bilmola USA’s flagship helmet. The Harley-Davidson factory racer and 2021 runner-up in the Superbike Cup and Stock 1000 classes will be among the first American road racers to don a Bilmola RC-1 in pro competition, and his special edition helmet features his pet golden retriever, Buddy.
Founded in Thailand in 2010, the Bilmola parent company started out as a design and production firm for other brands before developing its own product line. The company’s product development division, Bilmola USA, opened in California in 2020. Bilmola USA will have support personnel at all remaining MotoAmerica rounds – beginning this weekend with the MotoGP/MotoAmerica round at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas.
The full face Bilmola RC-1 model was developed by Bilmola USA and is expected to go on sale in the U.S. market later this year. The RC-1 is DOT and ECE approved and features a forged-composite shell that is lighter and stronger than carbon fiber.
“My Bilmola RC-1 is the best-fitting helmet I’ve worn in my 14-year pro racing career,” Wyman said. “I had a good first outing with the helmet at the MotoAmerica round at Daytona, where I nearly claimed my first King of the Baggers win. Bilmola USA’s support has been top-notch, and the RC-1’s visibility and ventilation have been outstanding. I’m looking forward to working with the company for the rest of the 2022 season and beyond.”
Replicas of Wyman’s special edition RC-1 are expected to go on sale in Asia later in 2022, as well as in the United States in the first quarter of 2023. Bilmola also plans to feature Wyman on a billboard advertisement in Bangkok, Thailand, later this year.
Wyman makes his debut with the Tytlers Cycle Racing BMW team this weekend. He’ll compete for the first time aboard an Alpha Racing-built BMW M 1000 RR in the two MotoAmerica Superbike races on April 8-10 at Circuit of the Americas.
For more information about Bilmola USA, visit www.bilmolausa.com or follow the brand on Facebook, Instagram or YouTube.
The author at speed on a 2022-model KTM RC 390 at the mostly repaved Streets of Willow course. Photo courtesy KTM North America.
Copyright 2022, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.
By Michael Gougis
KTM’s RC 390 has always served as a solid and rapid platform for an ultralightweight racebike. For its 2022 update, the company put the revisions into the hands of Shaun Anderson, an engineer who also races in the Isle of Man TT events. So it’s not surprising that the bike is even more track-ready than before, and offers features simply not found elsewhere in this market segment.
KTM introduced the new model to North America media in the best possible way: It rented a racetrack, brought along former AMA Pro Racing National Champion Chris Fillmore (now KTM Road Racing and Flat Track Manager) to supervise, and turned journalists loose on a fleet of the new little sportbikes.
Several hours of ripping around at the (mostly) repaved 1.8-mile Streets of Willow circuit revealed a motorcycle that has all of the qualities that made the prior generation RC 390 so much fun at the track, as well as improvements that really have moved the goalposts in the category.
Tech Overview:
The 89mm bore by 60mm stroke single-cylinder engine remains essentially unchanged from the previous model, but an airbox that moves 40% more air means the torque output is slightly higher. The 373cc engine still makes a claimed 44 horsepower and redlines at an indicated 10,000 rpm.
The chassis has been changed significantly to increase lateral flex and feel on the track, as well as to reduce weight. The company claims the new steel trellis chassis weighs 3.3 pounds less than the previous model’s frame, and now features a bolt-on subframe that can be replaced for track use. Weight savings continue with the wheel assemblies (wheels, front axle, brakes) losing a combined whopping 7.5 pounds of unsprung mass.
A 2022-model KTM RC 390 at rest at the mostly repaved Streets of Willow course in Rosamond, California. Photo by Michael Gougis.
The inverted 43mm WP Apex cartridge forks now feature adjustable compression and rebound at the front, although preload is not adjustable. A single WP Apex split-piston shock offers rebound damping and preload adjustment at the rear.
Electronics take a big step forward, with a 3-axis IMU providing cornering and deceleration data sufficient to operate a simple on/off traction control system and ABS, and both are lean angle sensitive. The ABS operates either front and rear brakes simultaneously or the rear can be switched off in Supermoto mode. In addition, the RC390 offers clutchless up- and down-shift operation, although that feature comes at an additional cost. The six-speed gearbox transmits power through a power-assisted slipper clutch.
Handlebars are slightly higher than on the prior model, but these can be adjusted downward on the fork tubes for a racier riding position. The bodywork is larger for better aerodynamic performance and is easier to get on and off, because racers are constantly fiddling with their bikes!
Little things have changed to make the bike easier to live with. The tank is nearly a gallon larger than the tank on the older model, meaning fewer stops for fuel. The shifter and brake pedals fold in case of a tip-over. The larger windscreen provides better protection for the rider. The levers are adjustable.
And as always, KTM has a pile of performance parts available. Some of the test bikes were equipped with billet, folding levers; solid-mount racing rear-set controls; and lightweight sprockets. One machine was equipped with a kit WP shock with more adjustments and a fork kit with adjustable preload.
It’s safe to say that this machine changes the ultralightweight sportbike market segment. It’s the most sophisticated machine in the class, and it’s priced competitively with the others it races against in Junior Cup classes around the world.
But how race-ready is it?
Riding On The Racetrack
Throw a leg over–and I do mean throw, since the seat height is raised to 32.4 inches–and it’s an easy reach to the flat clip-on handlebars. There’s a reasonable amount of legroom, even with the racing rearsets. Thumb the starter and the bike settles into an easy idle, with little in the way of vibration. The Thin-Film Transistor dash is easy to read and adjusting the electronics is simple and intuitive.
The clutch pull is light. The quickshifter required deliberate motion at the foot, but if I was solid with my shifts it worked, and together with the slipper clutch it made corner entries significantly easier. Just sit up, brake and start stomping down on the shift lever. And if you’re in a little too hot, the ABS gives you the confidence to simply hang onto the lever a little longer, even after you’ve tipped the bike in and you’re angling toward the apex. Nothing like a little electronic safety net when you’re refining a skill like trail braking!
The revised bodywork and windscreen did their jobs. It was easy to tuck in and stay out of the wind, all the way up to the indicated 100 mph that I saw at the end of the back straight. The flat angle of the bars made hanging off a bit uncomfortable, but there was room for my 5′ 10” frame to tuck all the way in.
For a 373cc Single, there’s reasonable power, and the bike pulls cleanly from the bottom and spins to redline quickly in the first three gears. It starts to feel a bit breathless at the top end in fifth, and I didn’t spend much time in sixth.
The light weight and especially the lighter rims make the machine very easy to flick. It did take me a while to get used to how much or little effort was needed on the handlebars and through the pegs to put the bike where I wanted it to go. But whatever I wanted, the bike delivered it quickly. The famous Willow breeze was out in full force, making it a bit harder to be really precise with selecting lines, so I rode with a bit of the track in reserve. Still fun, and the bike stayed nimble as I picked up the pace.
The suspension was surprisingly well sorted, the forks rigid and well damped, easily well enough to play around at Streets, and a bit of vagueness at the rear was cured by adding damping and preload. I’d read some of the overseas reviews in which the test rider praised the shock’s behavior and was a bit skeptical. It’s not a race shock, but it really was noticeably better than I expected on an ultralightweight. Once the bike was set and loaded in a corner, it was dead stable.
My legs were sore–like, more than I expected them to be–the next day. Looking back, I think it’s because I took full advantage of a beautiful day, an open track, and a bike that was really, really fun on this particular circuit. The core of KTM’s little sportbike remains entertaining, and the electronics upgrades add to the usability of the package, especially for younger riders and those learning the ropes of track riding. I’ve got a test unit in the garage, and I don’t think it’s seen the last of its time on the track with me aboard!
Suggested retail starts at $5,799 and the RC390 should be in dealer showrooms by the end of May.
Torin Collins (17). Photo by Manuel Tormo (Manutormo), courtesy Torin Collins Racing.
Roadracing World started this exclusive special feature recognizing the most promising young road racers as an answer to pessimists who claimed America had no new, up-and-coming young racers. This edition of the Roadracing World Young Gun Awards marks the 26th consecutive year of showcasing an abundance of new talent.
Roadracing World Young Guns have won:
FIM MotoGP and FIM Superbike races and World Championships;
MotoAmerica and AMA Pro races and Championships, including 11 AMA Pro Superbike Championships;
A KTM RC Cup World Final race;
The Daytona 200 (11 times);
WERA National Endurance Championships and WERA National Challenge Championships;
ASRA/Formula USA Grand National and CCS National Championships;
AMA Road Racing Grand Championships and Horizon Awards;
USGPRU National Championships;
Many regional and local titles.
The competition has continually become more intense as more – and younger—racers with higher levels of accomplishment are nominated, and the level of achievement required to make the grade keeps getting tougher.
We’ve spent the last several months accepting nominations and evaluating road racers between the ages of 10 and 18 (as of the start of the 2022 season) who have, at a minimum, won Expert-level road races and/or Championships or had outstanding results as an Amateur/Novice. Most of the riders included here have done far more than the minimum.
The young riders recognized here are the most promising young road racers in North America. All have earned the title of Roadracing World Young Gun.
We will feature one Young Gun per day, presenting them in alphabetical order.
Torin Collins. Photo by Rupert Collins.
Torin Collins
Age: 16.
Current home: Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Current height/weight: 5’9”/142 pounds.
Current school grade level: 11th grade.
Began riding at age: 5 years.
First road race: 2012, Calgary, Alberta, Alberta Mini Road Racing Association, Youth 6-9, 3rd place.
Current racebike: KTM RC250GP.
Current tuner/mechanic: AGR Racing Team.
Primary race series: FIM Junior GP Moto3 Junior World Championship.
Top sponsors: Bickle Racing, Novalda Coaching, Calgary Cycle Works, Blackfoot Motorsports, Taylor Racing, Kabuto Helmets, Mithos Leathers, Fusport Boots.
Recent racing accomplishments: 2021 season, tied for 30th in the FIM European Talent Cup Championship (best race finish was 14th at Jerez); 2020 season, raced in European Talent Cup (best race finish was 16th); 2019 season, finished 15th in British Talent Cup (best race finish was 7th); 2018 season, won EMRA Lightweight Superbike and Lightweight Open Championships (11 wins, set 2 class lap records), multiple race wins in 2018/2019 CVMA Winter Series, won UtahSBA Moto3 race at Utah Motorsports Campus; 2017 season, won 7 CMA Mini Road Racing National Championships, won 2 FIM Mini Road Racing Championships, won 8 races and set 2 class lap records during 2017/2018 CVMA Winter Series.
2022 racing goal: Finish in the top 15 in Moto3 Junior World Championship races.
Racing career goal: Race in the Superbike or MotoGP World Championship.
Racing hero: Jack Miller.
Favorite track: Estoril.
Hobbies: Riding motocross, ice riding, gaming.
If I wasn’t racing I would be…: Riding on the ice or a motocross track.
AHRMA racers Tommy Ryan (811), Arch E. York (913), and Andrew Berkley (21B) in action in 2021. Photo by etechphoto.com, courtesy AHRMA.
AHRMA Brings Vintage and Modern Bikes back to Thunderhill Raceway
ELORA, TN – After almost 20 years, the American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association (AHRMA) is returning to a West Coast venue that’s perfect for vintage and modern race bikes.
Two rounds of the 2022 Bridgestone Tires AHRMA National Historic Cup Roadracing Series will be held at Thunderhill Raceway Park, in Willows, CA, from April 28 to May 1, 2022.
“Thunderhill is a great track for all of the road race machines that run in AHRMA,” said Brian Larrabure, 2022 Chair of the AHRMA Board of Trustees. “The long straights give our vintage, and modern, big-bore bikes a chance to stretch their legs while the technical turns, like ‘the Cyclone,’ make it interesting and fun for our smaller bikes. Plus, the weather should be perfect for racing.”
A wide range of classes for both Vintage and Modern motorcycles and even sidecars will be competing on the 3-mile “East” Thunderhill circuit. The track’s elevation changes will challenge the racers and create great viewing for spectators.
“AHRMA got a taste of Thunderhill during the NorCal Classic in 2004 and we’ve been wanting to come back for years,” Larrabure said. “We can’t wait to show West Coast racing fans what makes AHRMA so good, right in their backyard.”
Whether you race or would like to enjoy a day of watching great racing, you won’t want to miss this event. The event will be a doubleheader weekend with racing on both Saturday and Sunday. On Friday there will be an AHRMA Academy of Road Racing (AAR) school available for new racers. Students who pass the school on Friday will be eligible to race Saturday and Sunday.
AHRMA is the largest historic motorcycle racing organization in the United States. It promotes national events at iconic venues including Daytona International Speedway, Heartland Motorsports Park, WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, and Barber Motorsports Park. For the best racing at the best venues, AHRMA is the place to be.
More details on the event & racing registration can be found at www.ahrma.org
The American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association is a member-owned nonprofit organization dedicated to enhancing the sport of historic motorcycle racing. Since 1989, AHRMA has provided an appropriate environment to showcase vintage and alternative modern racing motorcycles in the disciplines of road racing, motocross, dirt track, trials, and cross country. With more than 3,300 members, AHRMA is the largest vintage racing group in North America and is one of the world’s leading vintage motorcycle organizations.
Katsuyuki Nakasuga (1) and Kazuki Watanabe (15) fight for the lead early in Race One at Motegi. Also seen are Kosuke Sakumoto (27), Sodo Hamahara (2), Akira Yanagawa (9), Yuda Kamei (6), Satoru Iwata (8), and the rest of the field. Photo courtesy MFJSuperbike.
2022 MFJ All JAPAN Road Race Series Round 1
Mobility Resort Motegi, Japan
April 2-3, 2022
Superbike Race One (April 2):
1. Katsuyuki NAKASUGA (Yam YZF-R1), 14 Laps, Total Race Time 25:27.438, Best Lap Time 1:48.248
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