It was a tight start in MotoGP race in Thai GP as Pramac Ducati’s Jorge Martin kept the lead after starting from pole as Aprilia’s Aleix Espargaro passed VR46 Ducati’s Luca Marini for second, with KTM’s Brad Binder up to fourth by end of Lap 1.

It was Ducati’s Francesco Bagnaia in fourth but by the end of the lap Binder and Gresini Ducati’s Alex Marquez passed him for fourth and fifth. Aprilia’s Maverick Vinales was seventh from Honda’s Marc Marquez in the Top 8 places.

The Top 10 saw Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo and VR46’s Marco Bezzecchi rounding it out ahead of RNF Aprilia’s Raul Fernandez, Pramac’s Johann Zarco, Gresini’s Fabio di Giannantonio, Honda’s Joan Mir and KTM’s Jack Miller.

While Martin continued to lead, it was battles behind him as Binder passed Marini and Espargaro to get himself into second. Espargaro dropped behind Marini along with Marquez and came under pressure from Bagnaia and M Marquez soon.

Behind this pack, Quartararo was running eighth from Bezzecchi and Fernandez, as ENF’s Miguel Oliveira retired due to problem. As Martin and Binder settled in the Top 2 places, Marquez was up to third from Bagnaia who cleared both Espargaro and Marini.

But Bagnaia did not have it easy as he went back and forth with M Marquez before getting through Espargaro and Marini to be back in fourth. Marini was fifth as Espargaro and M Marquez went for back and forth duel for couple of laps in the fight for sixth.

Espargaro won that duel as M Marquez then lost out to Bezzecchi as well who cleared Quartararo for eighth. A crash for A Marquez helped Bagnaia to be third from Marini as Bezzecchi passed Espargaro for fifth with M Marquez in seventh from Quartararo.

Vinales was ninth from di Giannantonio in the Top 10, with Fernandez, Mir, Zarco, Yamaha’s Franco Morbidelli and Miller in the Top 15 points places. The fight for the win started to get tasty as Binder hustled Martin to take the MotoGP Thai GP lead.

But Binder went wide both the times to lose out. Third time was the charm as he eventually took the lead and stayed at it from Martin, with Bagnaia close to them in third. Bezzecchi was up to fourth after passing his teammate Marini, who lost to Espargaro as well.

He then dropped behind Quartararo in seventh after the Frenchman cleared M Marquez. In fact, M Marquez also passed Marini for seventh, as di Giannantonio was up to ninth along with Zarco in the Top 10, with Mir in 11th from Morbidelli.

It was a recovery ride from Ducati’s Enea Bastianini who climbed from the back to 13th from Fernandez and LCR Honda’s Takaaki Nakagami in the Top 15. At the front, the Top 3 stayed together as Martin came back on Binder in the final laps.

He got through him to retake the MotoGP lead in Thai GP as Bagnaia tried to pass both in the final corner in an opportunistic move. But Martin held onto to win the race ahead of Binder who lost second after the race for track limits at Turn 4.

It helped Bagnaia to be second with Binder in third as the points gap between Bagnaia and Martin stands at 13 points. Bezzecchi was fourth from Espargaro, Quartararo, Marquez, Marini, di Giannantonio and Zarco in the Top 10 places.

A late pass from Morbidelli helped him to be 11th from Mir and Bastianini, as Nakagami cleared Fernandez on final lap to be 14th in the points places. Vinales was a late retirement, as Miller was 16th from GASGAS Tech 3 pair of Augusto Fernandez and Pol Espargaro.

Results: https://x.com/MotoGP/status/1718555048907571472?s=20

L'entrada MotoGP: Martin resists Bagnaia, Binder pressure to win Thai GP ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

It was a bit of slow start for pole-sitter Jorge Martin in his Pramac Ducati in the MotoGP sprint in Thai GP but he maintained his lead from VR46 Ducati’s Luca Marini, who went back and forth against Aprilia’s Aleix Espargaro in the battle for second.

KTM’s Brad Binder was fourth from Honda’s Marc Marquez, VR46’s Marco Bezzecchi, Gresini Ducati’s Alex Marquez in the Top 7 as Pramac’s Johann Zarco made a bold move on Ducati’s Francesco Bagnaia to sneak past the points leader for eighth.

Aprilia’s Maverick Vinales dropped last after a moment against Bagnaia, as Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo also tried a move on the Ducati rider but to no avail. The fight for third kicked in when Binder jumped to third from Marquez which dropped Espargaro to fifth.

But Espargaro retook fourth to drop Marquez to fifth. Meanwhile, A Marquez passed Bezzecchi for sixth but he retook the place as he then passed M Marquez for fifth. As the battles continued, LCR Honda’s Takaaki Nakagami crashed out in the final corner.

Having lost sixth to Bezzecchi, A Marquez was fending off Zarco which allowed Bagnaia to close in the clear both in the final corner and lead-up to Turn 1. KTM’s Jack Miller was on the move too, where he passed Quartararo for 10th.

Up front, Martin had a good lead as Binder finally got past Marini after trying for several laps. Espargaro was a steady fourth but Bezzecchi lost fifth to M Marquez with Bagnaia joining the fight at the back of his VR46 stablemate.

Gresini’s Fabio di Giannantonio was the second retirement from the MotoGP sprint due to a clutch issue, as Vinales was handed Long Gap Penalty for track limits. At the front, it was dominance from Martin to register fifth consecutive MotoGP sprint win in Thai GP.

Binder was second from Marini as Marquez passed Espargaro for fourth after a wide moment for the latter. Bezzecchi was sixth keeping Bagnaia behind as A Marquez and Zarco rounded the Top 9 points positions.

Results: https://x.com/MotoGP/status/1718184858051088544?s=20

L'entrada MotoGP: Martin dominant in fifth straight sprint win in Thai GP ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) has won the first battle of the OR Thailand Grand Prix as his 1:29.287 saw him top the pile in qualifying to take the new all-time lap record. With points to be scored and Championship positions to fight for, it will be Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) who will line up alongside the Spaniard on the 2nd spot on the front row. Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) snatched the final front-row spot and is looking like a contender ahead of the racing action following a positive weekend so far for the Catalan.  

A family affair in Q1 

The gloves were off in Q1 as some of MotoGP‘s finest engaged in an intense time-attack battle. Red sectors came flying in as the chequered flag beckoned, hot laps came in from Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), Raul Fernandez (CryptoDATA RNF MotoGP Team), and Fabio Di Giannantonio (Gresini Racing MotoGP) with the Marquez brothers also looking strong.

It was set to be Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) and Di Giannantonio who were going to go through until a last-minute stunner from Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) saw him top the session, demoting his brother to P2 and his teammate out of a Q2 spot. 

Relentless Martin piles on the pressure

Jorge Martin came out of the blocks guns blazing as he made his intentions known setting the first benchmark and beating the all-time lap record. As they came back into pitlane it was the Spaniard that led the way with Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) and Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) his closest challengers. The battle was nowhere near over however as there was still plenty of life left in the Thai Q2 session. 

With the 2nd stint underway it was Bezzecchi who struck first as he bettered Martin’s time by just 0.008s. Bagnaia then decided it was time to join the party as he joined his title rivals in the top three. The red sectors came flying in once again and surprise, surprise it was Jorge Martin who was lighting up the timing screens one again. The Spaniard had the bit firmly between his teeth as he pulled out a stunner to smash the lap record, move the goalposts by two tenths, and take the Thai GP pole position. 

With Bezzecchi and Bagnaia failing to go any quicker and hot laps coming in from all directions, naturally the order reshuffled in the final moments. Luca Marini and Aleix Espargaro put in their flyers right at the end as they went 2nd and 3rd respectively, demoting Bezzechhi to P4. 

Brad Binder was another who improved in the closing stages as the South African slotted in just behind Bezzecchi to demote the Championship leader Bagnaia down another spot to P6, with the trio set to line up on row two. 

Row three and beyond

The third row of the grid will feature the two Marquez brothers who were locked together on the timing screens in both Q1 and Q2. Alex will line up on the 7th spot on the grid with his brother Marc getting a good view of his 2024 steed in 8th. It wasn’t meant to be for Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing), who despite looking strong all through practice wasn’t able to put a lap together in Q2, and will start from the edge of row three. 

Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) still isn’t’ quite where he’d like to be but is enjoying one his more positive weekends of 2023. The Frenchman bagged P10 in qualifying and will be joined on row four by Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) and Augusto Fernandez (GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3).

Results: https://x.com/MotoGP/status/1718126383736537319?s=20

[Note: The story is as per press release]

L'entrada MotoGP: Martin breaks lap record to Thai GP pole ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

LCR Honda Castrol’s Alex Rins will not participate in the upcoming OR Grand Prix of Thailand, and is set for surgery having once again encountered injury struggles. A recent round of testing in Madrid uncovered a small hernia near his healing fibula area, causing increased discomfort in his leg.

Having broken his leg in Mugello, the Spaniard returned to action in Japan but only partook in Friday’s runs. He made a full GP return in Indonesia, claiming P9 in the race before pain in his leg forced him out of Australia and it has now ruled him out of Buriram, with another surgery scheduled on Thursday to address the problem.

Despite more setbacks, Rins took to social media to state he is happy with positive progress made: “Happy after our doctor’s appointment today  The injury keeps a positive evolution. We’ve identified the cause of the pain and we’ll undergo a small surgery to ease it. We won’t be at the Thai GP but we keep working towards a full recovery.”

LCR have also announced that they won’t be replacing the #42 this weekend, due to the short turnaround between the Australian and Thai Grands Prix. 

[Note: The story is as per press release]

L'entrada Rins will have another surgery as he is ruled out of Thai GP ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

Changes were made to the schedule to try and ensure the maximum track action in the safest possible conditions on Sunday, but the weather conditions – forecast to worsen throughout the day – have obliged the cancellation of further track activity following the conclusion of the Moto2 race.

Thank you to all the fans who attended the Australian Grand Prix. We look forward to seeing you again next season when we return to the awesome Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit. MotoGP will be back in action for the OR Thailand Grand Prix from the 27th to the 29th of October.

Here’s Dorna chief: https://www.motogp.com/en/videos/2023/10/22/thank-you-to-the-fans-for-enduring-the-cold-and-windy-conditions/480837

Here’s how MotoGP main race panned out

[Note: The story is as per press release]

L'entrada MotoGP forced to cancel Australian GP sprint due to weather ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

The backflip is back! Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) took a stunning maiden MotoGP win at the MotoG Guru by Gryfyn Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix, stalking his way onto the rear wheel of teammate and title contender Jorge Martin before making a brutal, clean and perfectly-judged move to take the lead on the very last lap. He also opened the door for a perfectly-judged lunge from Championship leader Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) too, with Pecco picking Martin’s pocket and the Pramac on the soft tyre then finding himself mobbed by both Fabio Di Giannantonio (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) and Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) late on.

As the dust settles and some more history is made, Zarco gives away his record as the rider with the most MotoGP podiums without a win, Martin licks his wounds as he faces down a 27-point deficit in the Championship, Bagnaia celebrates another stylish bounce back from Q1 to the podium… and ‘Diggia’ celebrates that sweet Prosecco of a first-ever premier class podium.

Binder threatened the holeshot with a great start but Martin held firm from pole, immediately getting the hammer down as the two shot off into the lead and the shuffle began just behind. And that was that. Except this time, it wasn’t. Martin’s strategy was clear: the number 89, an incredible four-tenths clear on pole, had gambled on the soft rear hanging on as he escaped at the front and nursed it home.

And the strategy was absolutely perfect until the very last handful of laps, when the Jaws music really began and Martin’s odds dropped off a cliff as the chasing group closed in. The gap was over three seconds when it was Binder trying to keep tabs, and after an impressive start from an impressive qualifying, next came Diggia, and then Bagnaia at the head of a serious battle for fourth. The reigning Champion led Zarco, Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team), Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing), Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team), with elbows out all over the shop in the first third of the race.

Bit by bit as Martin edged clear in the lead, however, Binder held onto second but Diggia homed in on the KTM – and Bagnaia and Zarco started to create their own daylight to the duels behind them. By 16 laps to go, Di Giannantonio had Binder well within a second and was only continuing to close in, but Bagnaia and Zarco had been able to go with the number 49. The gap kept see-sawing, however, with the Gresini machine homing in on the KTM and Bagnaia losing ground before another few laps would see it close back up.

By nine laps to go, Di Giannantonio then made his move and pulled alongside the KTM on the Gardner straight, taking over in second. The chase was on and the gap to Martin started to come down, but the number 49 wasn’t making the charge alone. Binder, Bagnaia AND Zarco were all locked together on the simple but difficult mission of catching the race leader, and that they started to do. But was it enough? When Binder attacked back with five laps to go, the group ran the risk of losing time in the battle but the gap was still coming down – just over two seconds across the start-finish line.

On the third to last lap, Martin’s advantage started to really tumble in tenths, with Binder still on the chase and Zarco now next in line as he’d taken over in third. Over the line with two to go it was 1.2 seconds, but Turn 4 saw another huge shuffle and another risk of losing time. But it was Zarco who went for a dress rehearsal and equally well-judged attack, snatching second place and quickly setting off after Martin.

Over the line for the last lap the number 89 had just four tenths left in hand ahead of his teammate, Bagnaia was now the bike behind Zarco and Binder had dropped to fifth. And again, it came at Turn 4. The number 5 slammed up the inside of Martin to take the lead, Bagnaia cut back in in a flash to also demote the number 89, and suddenly everything had changed: Zarco was just corners from a maiden MotoGP win, Bagnaia was on the verge of a huge change in momentum, and Martin was left trying to fend off Di Giannantonio and Binder.

That he could not. As Zarco crossed the finish line to take that first ever premier class win, Bagnaia took second and Di Giannantonio was more than able to grab third and his first MotoGP podium, with Binder ultimately also demoting Martin right on the finish line. The battle behind was no slouch either. After elbows earlier in the race there were plenty more, with Bezzecchi slicing through to take sixth from Miller.

Aleix Espargaro was even closer behind in eighth, ahead of a seriously impressive charge from the still-recovering Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP). Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team) completed the top ten ahead of Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) after Top Gun was shuffled down the order in a Turn 1 shuffle, and Marc Marquez, another gambler on the soft rear tyre, ultimately finished P15.

That’s that from a historic, unique and instantly iconic Saturday Grand Prix race at Phillip Island, and it’s Johann Zarco who writes his name into the historic books with a maiden MotoGP win. Bagnaia proved once again he can’t be written off, but Martin showed yet more pure speed.

Results: https://x.com/MotoGP/status/1715598093331104057?s=20

[Note: The story is as per press release]

L'entrada MotoGP: Zarco score first win in Australian GP after hectic duel ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

Q1:

The first part in MotoGP qualifying in Australian GP saw LCR Honda’s Alex Rins pull out due to pain in his recovering legs. The first run saw GASGAS Tech 3’s Augusto Fernandez lead with way with a 1m28.435s lap ahead of Ducati’s Francesco Bagnaia.

Behind him, Honda’s Marc Marquez was close behind with RNF Aprilia’s Raul Fernandez was fourth and Gresini Ducati’s Alex Marquez in fifth. The second run saw Bagnaia improve further despite traffic to make it in Q2 with a 1m28.160s lap.

Marquez pipped Fernandez after spending the whole lap behind him to make it in Q2 in second as A Marquez improved to third to start 13th and drop Fernandez to 14th. The Tech 3 rider has a 3-place grid penalty for practice impeding.

R Fernandez was 15th from Honda’s Joan Mir and Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo as the trio will gain a place for the main race. VR46 Ducati’s Luca Marini was only 18th from RNF’s Miguel Oliveira, Yamaha’s Franco Morbidelli and LCR’s Takaaki Nakagami.

Q2:

The second part in MotoGP qualifying in Australian GP saw Pramac Ducati’s Jorge Martin set the pace early on with a 1m27.846s lap to lead the way from KTM’s Brad Binder as Ducati’s Bagnaia came through Q1 to third on his first run.

The other Pramac of Johann Zarco did well in fourth from Aprilia’s Aleix Espargaro in the Top 5. The final run saw a smashing lap from Martin to secure Australian GP pole after a 1m27.246s lap which broke his own MotoGP lap record at Phillip Island.

Binder could only manage a distant second after a 0.416s lap as Bagnaia ended up third in a salvage job with Espargaro in fourth from Zarco. Gresini’s Fabio di Giannantonio was sixth from Marquez who ran behind Bagnaia to get a tow from the Ducati.

KTM’s Jack Miller was eighth ahead of Aprilia’s Maverick Vinales after his late lap which dropped VR46’s Marco Bezzecchi to 10th ahead of Tech 3’s Pol Espargaro and Ducati’s Enea Bastianini to round out the Top 12 runners.

Results: https://x.com/MotoGP/status/1715529575562715407?s=20

L'entrada MotoGP: Martin smashes own lap record to Australian GP pole ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

‘Crazy Joe’, ‘Maniac Joe’ or, famously and in recent times, quite simply, ‘The Maniac’. Andrea Iannone WILL make his return to World Championship action in 2024, joining the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship with Team GoEleven, aboard a Ducati Panigale V4 R. The Italian, famous for his charismatic approach and no-nonsense attitude – both on-track and off of it – will come back to action after being out for four years but is keen to show he’s still got the talent and speed.

HUMBLE START TO Moto2 MAGIC: Iannone’s rise through the ranks

Iannone’s career in World Championship racing started in 2005 in the 125cc World Championship, where he scored points in his first year. A bright start to 2006 didn’t translate into an overall improvement and it was much the same for 2007, but in 2008, his fourth year in the 125cc class, he really shone. A career-first win came in China whilst even further top ten finishes – and a career-first pole position at Sepang – confirmed the potential of the rising Italian star. 2009 would be his final year in the 125cc class, winning the opening two races of the year and three of the first seven rounds, before a drop in form resulted in him finishing seventh overall.

Into Moto2 and the unquestionably talented Iannone adapted well in the first year of the class, winning on three occasions and taking a total of eight podiums for a best Championship finish of third. He’d win a total of five more Moto2 Grands Prix, finishing third overall again in 2011 and 2012, but by now, Iannone had caught the attention of teams in the premier class.

THE BIG OPPORTUNITY: MotoGP’s opportunity and Ducati’s history maker

Moving up to Pramac Racing for 2013, Iannone started his MotoGP career with two top ten results, whilst a collarbone injury at the Sachsenring curtailed the first part of the season. In the second half, more top ten finishes came but Ducati’s redesigned Desmosedici for 2014 would help Iannone come to prominence further. A marked improvement saw him in the battle for top five results and even podiums across the first part of the year and it would go on until the end, with every race that he finished (besides the season-ending Valencian Grand Prix) being inside the top ten.

In 2015, a big break; a promotion to the factory Ducati team as he replaced Cal Crutchlow and instantly shone with a career-first podium at Lusail. Finishing every GP in the top eight until a DNF at Motegi in Japan, ‘The Maniac’ was back on the podium in Australia after a fantastic fight with nine-time World Champion Valentino Rossi on the last lap – and a seagull in the opening stages. Finishing fifth and as top Ducati, 26 points clear of teammate Andrea Dovizioso – who was in his third year with the team – a lot was expected of Iannone in 2016.

However, he crashed out of victory contention in Qatar in Round 1 and wiped out teammate Dovizioso at the penultimate corner on the last lap in Argentina in what would have been a guaranteed podium. Iannone was thus surplus to requirements at Ducati and was replaced by Jorge Lorenzo for 2017. He did manage one massive achievement though, ending Ducati’s MotoGP win drought of six years during the returning Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring.

CHANGE OF SCENERY: Suzuki first, Aprilia after

He moved to Suzuki’s factory effort for 2017 but struggled to adapt to the inline four machinery, scoring his second-lowest number of points since joining the class and without a podium. In 2018, his last year with the Japanese brand, he enjoyed a big improvement with two podiums in the opening four rounds before a best of the year in P2 at Phillip Island. He finished tenth overall. Joining Aprilia for 2019, a torrid season with just two top ten finishes in the Netherlands and Great Britain, before he led the Australian Grand Prix on his way to P6. However, he was sanctioned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) following a violation of an anti-doping rule after a positive test for a banned substance in the following Malaysian GP, coming in from December 17^th, 2019.

THE COMEBACK IS ON: “I have rediscovered the enthusiasm I had as a child”

After four years away, ‘The Maniac’ is ready to come out and play again, with the 34-year-old’s desire to succeed stronger than ever: “I’ve been waiting for this moment for a long time, I’m finally back on track, where I spent my life. I thank Gigi Dall’Igna, Paolo Ciabatti, Claudio Domenicali, Marco Zambenedetti and the whole GoEleven team for their trust; with their support I have rediscovered the enthusiasm I had as a child. Special thanks also to the WorldSBK family for the opportunity. I’m fully excited.”

Denis Sacchetti, team manager for Team GoEleven, is also excited to welcome Iannone to the race-winning team: “We have worked hard to make this dream real; we have wanted to shout it out to the world for some time now, but creating such an important project is not easy and must be structured carefully. ‘The Maniac’ has decided to get back into the game, it’s not for everyone, it takes guts after everything that has happened and so much time away from racing. It is a courageous choice, for some it may seem crazy, but the right amount of madness and courage can lead to great feats. Why this bet? When we started talking to him, we were impressed by his determination, grit and desire to go back doing what he loves.

“I saw in his eyes the desire and need to race a motorbike, like a child who wants to go back playing and everything that happens around him is out of his mind, because he just wants to go back playing, he has no other thoughts at that moment. We know that it won’t be easy, that at the beginning we will have to suffer and work a lot and work hard, but this awareness unites us even more and stimulates us further.

“I want to thank Gianni Ramello for immediately accepting this opportunity, a particular thank you also goes to Paolo Ciabatti, Gigi Dall’Igna, Claudio Domenicali and Marco Zambenedetti for the support they are giving to this project and obviously thanks to Andrea Iannone for the trust in our team! Last but not least, heartfelt thanks to all our sponsors who allow us to take on increasingly important challenges every day, it is only thanks to their passion that it is possible to face new adventures!”

HUGE HISTORY: GoEleven’s rise in the ranks of WorldSBK

Stepping up to World Superbike in 2015 with Kawasaki machinery after having had a strong paddock presence since 2008, GoEleven have evolved into a front-running team over the years, with top results coming ever since joining forces with Ducati in 2019. Eugene Laverty ended his season with the team with strong results in the top six, whilst for 2020, Michael Ruben Rinaldi delivered a career-first win for himself and the team. In 2021, Chaz Davies kept their podium success going before retiring from the racing aspect of sport at the end of the season. 2022 brought a fresh challenge with rookie Philipp Oettl but he was able to achieve top ten finishes, whilst in 2023, a career-best fifth has also seen a marked improvement.

Team owner Gianni Ramello reflected on the chapters that make up their story, saying: “Since its birth, GoEleven has tried to achieve increasingly important goals and with the move to Ducati we have come closer to our desire. Despite being a private team, we achieved a victory, several podiums, we won a Best Independent world title and gave world-famous riders the opportunity to defend our colors with excellent results, demonstrating that our Team has done a great job. Now we found ourselves having to take a further step and achieve another goal, a new challenge, and this time it will be harder and more challenging.

“A rider like Andrea has not only shown over the years that he is fast and truly talented, but he is also certainly a public character of great interest. The challenge is even more stimulating because we jumped at the chance to have Iannone return to a World Championship after four years and I can guarantee that we will work hard to get to the positions that count, we strongly want to show that we have made this decision because we believe in the potential of the rider, and we are sure that he will give his all to achieve great results.

“I can only thank Andrea for choosing our team, giving us great importance and showing that the excellent work is highly appreciated, and also because he has shown the courage to face this new challenge which is not at all simple. I thank all the Ducati management who gave us strong motivation to start this project and I thank my team who have always shared our projects for better or for worse driven by motivations that excite me. All of them want to win as I do and this, added the certain desire that Andrea will also have, will be a further boost for the 2024 season!”

[Note: The story is as per press release]

L'entrada Iannone returns from ban to compete in World SBK with Go Eleven ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

It was a clean start from the pack in Indonesian GP as new MotoGP points leader Jorge Martin shot from sixth to lead at Turn 1 on his Pramac Ducati taking the inside line from Aprilia’s Maverick Vinales and Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo.

Pole-sitter Luca Marini dropped to fourth on his VR46 Ducati from KTM’s Brad Binder as Ducati’s Francesco Bagnaia was up to sixth from 13th on the grid. He had a back and forth with Aprilia’s Aleix Espargaro but kept him off with RNF Aprilia’s Miguel Oliveria in eighth.

KTM’s Jack Miller was ninth from Honda’s Marc Marquez with VR46’s Marco Bezzecchi dropping to 11th. There was an off track moment for Ducati’s Enea Bastianini who dropped to last as Marini crashed after a hit from Binder at Turn 10.

The South African tried the inside line at the right-hander but touched Marini, who managed to continue on only to serve his Long Gap Penalty from Indian GP. He retired after that along with Yamaha’s Franco Morbidelli, who seemingly had a mechanical issue.

Amid this, GASGAS Tech 3’s Pol Espargaro crashed out to retire. As Martin led comfortably from Vinales, Bagnaia was up to third bringing Espargaro along as Quartararo dropped to fifth despite trying hard to not let the Aprilia rider to get through him.

Oliveira was sixth from Miller, Bezzecchi, Binder and Gresini Ducati’s Fabio di Giannantonio in the Top 10 where the South African was handed a Long Gap Penalty for his incident with Marini. Marquez, meanwhile, had his second crash to retire after sprint crash.

The KTM pair started to catch Oliveira as Miller got through him. Teammate Binder tried a move on him as well but the two touched sending the RNF rider off onto the gravel. The incident was put under investigation with Oliveira dropping out of Top 15.

Binder dropped him di Giannantonio as LCR Honda’s Takaaki Nakagami was up to 10th from Honda’s Joan Mir. The Spaniard’s run didn’t last long as he crashed out along with Tech 3’s Augusto Fernandez in separate incidents to cut down on the riders running.

Binder was handed a second Long Gap Penalty for irresponsible riding. Up front, Martin was cruising with a dominant lead until a crash at Turn 11 in a big moment. His retirement put Vinales on the lead from to-be MotoGP points leader Bagnaia chasing him.

Quartararo was third after clearing Espargaro who lost fourth to Miller. The Aprilia rider lost to Bezzecchi too but a wide moment allowed him to get ahead of him in fifth. This allowed di Giannantonio to sixth from Bezzecchi with Binder running eighth.

Nakagami was ninth from a recovering Bastianini with LCR’s Alex Rins was 11th from RNF’s Raul Fernandez, Oliveira and Morbidelli who rejoined the grand prix. The field was down to only 14 runners after a crash for Pramac’s Johann Zarco in the same corner as Martin.

At the front, Bagnaia eventually caught up with Vinales and passed him to take the Indonesian GP lead as Quartararo started to close in on them in the chase for his first win of the 2023 MotoGP season. Di Giannantonio ran fourth after clearing Miller.

The Australian lost fifth to teammate Binder as Bezzecchi was seventh from Bastianini who cleared Espargaro. In fact, he lost ninth to Rins who passed both the Aprilia rider and Nakagami in the process as Fernandez was 12th from Oliveira and Morbidelli.

It was close for Top 3 in the end but Bagnaia held on to win the Indonesian GP from 13th on the grid to retake the MotoGP points lead. Vinales held off Quartararo’s charge for second as di Giannantonio secured a fine fourth from Bezzecchi.

The Italian passed Binder on the final lap to fifth as Miller was seventh from Bastianini, Rins, Espargaro, Nakagami, Oliveira, Fernandez and Morbidelli in the Top 14 points places.

Results: https://x.com/MotoGP/status/1713466480623292546?s=20

L'entrada MotoGP: Bagnaia wins Indonesian GP to retake points lead ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

The tables have now turned as the 2023 championship baton has been snatched out of Franceso Bagnaia’s grasp following another inch-perfect perfect performance from Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing). The Spaniard fought his way through from 6th on the grid take his fourth Sprint victory on the trot and establish himself as the top dog with Ducati wrapping up the 2023 constructors title. Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) put in an incredibly heroic performance to take 2nd place upon his return from injury. The Italian was in contention right until the end when a small mistake forced him to settle for P2. His teammate Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) is also nursing a recent collarbone injury and was well in the mix as well as he joined Marini inside the top three.

A hectic Sprint start

Tensions were high heading into the Tissot Sprint as the prospect of a new Championship was ever-present with Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) down in 13th on the grid with his title rival Martin starting from P6. The lights went out and it was the polesitter Marini who led through turn 1 before Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) snatched the lead at turn 2. Meanwhile, Fabio Quartararo and Jorge Martin had moved ahead of Aleix Espargaro to sit in 3rd and 4th with Binder in 5th.

Viñales was putting the hammer down in the lead with his teammate having dropped down to P6 from the front row. Espargaro was eager to make up decisions and tried to make a move on Binder as his front tyre slid away from underneath him and both riders went down and out. Martin and Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) were swapping paintwork for 3rd place before the Spaniard got the better of the Frenchman and pulled away from the Yamaha rider. Meanwhile, Bagnaia was on the move and with a couple of laps down had already fought his way up to 8th place.

Martin on the move

Martin was really putting the hammer down with nine laps to go as he reeled in Luca Marini in 2nd. It didn’t take the Spaniard long to make his move on the Italian as he dived up the inside to take 2nd place and take over the championship lead. With clear space ahead of him, the Pramac man was able to pull the pin as he edged closer and closer to the Aprilia in the lead.

As they came across the line with 5 laps to go Martin had clawed back the 1 second lead that Viñales had and wasted no time at all in getting past the #12. Martin checked out straight away as Viñales fell into the clutches of the Mooney VR46 duo of Luca Marini and Marco Bezzecchi. Marini made a move a lap later at Turn 9 with his teammate eager to join him in the top three.

Marini then had his sights set on the race leader and was catching the Spaniard. A small mistake from the Italian saw his race decided however as it was too much of a tall order to catch Martin who took victory by +1.131s with his title rival down in P8.

The battle for P3 and beyond

After Marini went through on the Aprilia, Bezzecchi had a go shortly after at Turn 1 but wasn’t able to pin it to the apex as Viñales got the cutback and retook P3. It was then de ja vu a lap later but this time with the Italian running much wider and losing touch of the RSGP ahead of him.

The Bezzecchi vs Viñales battle did end up going to the wire as a perfectly calculated pass at Turn 9 saw the Italian join his teammate on the Sprint podium in what was a heroic effort given his physical condition.

Quartararo himself enjoyed a very positive Indonesian Sprint. The Frenchman finished just 3.121s back from the victory and was just over one second away from the top three as he brought home P5 ahead of Fabio Di Giannantonio (Gresini Racing MotoGP). Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team) snapped up 7th place ahead of his teammate Francesco Bagnaia who was unable to climb any higher than P8.

Results: https://x.com/MotoGP/status/1713097418948870507?s=20

[Note: The story is as per press release]

L'entrada MotoGP: Martin wins Indonesian GP sprint to take points lead ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

There was drama aplenty for Saturday’s qualifying at the Pertamina Grand Prix of Indonesia. Upon his return from a broken collarbone, Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) sprinkled some magic on the Mandalika circuit as his 1:29.978 secured him a career-first pole position. It’s been advantage Aprilia all weekend, and the Noale favtory carried their strong form into Q2 as Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) bagged a spot in the middle of the front row, falling just +0.031s short of the top spot. His Aprilia teammate is set to join him on the front row. Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) did enough to bag P3 in Q2.

The title race turned on its head in 15 minutes

All eyes were on the reigning Champion Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) during Saturday’s Q1 session as the Championship leader prepared to scrap it out for a spot in Q2.  The Italian struggled his way through as the hot laps came in. Pecco finally found some form with the two minutes remaining and topped the pile.

Just seconds later his compatriot Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) pipped him for the top spot, leaving Bagnaia on the edge of the danger zone. It looked as if no one had enough in the tank to threaten the two Italians at the top, but it was none other than the champ’s teammate Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team) who pulled a lap out of the bag and pushed Bagnaia out of the top two, and forcing him to settle for 13th place on the grid.

The pressure is on in Q2!

The spotlight was now on the man just 3 points adrift in the title race. Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) pumped himself up for the occasion as 15 minutes of Q2 action was set to decide the next chapter in the 2023 Championship story. The Martinator cracked under pressure early on as a crash on his first run saw him rush back to the Prima Pramac box with his 2nd bike awaiting his arrival.

Aleix Espargaro led the way as they came back into the pitlane for a change of rubber. Martin did manage to get back out on circuit and was making all sorts of shapes on his first flyer with a hard front tyre on his number 2 bike. The battle was then well and truly on as the hot laps came flying in from the Q2 favourites.

The Aprilias were on a charge as they had been all weekend. They controlled the session from the top before an incredible lap from Luca Marini saw the Italian set the first-ever 1:29 lap of the Pertamina Mandalika Circuit to take pole position. The Noale squad kept themselves well in contention however as Maverick Viñales and Aleix Espargaro proved themselves as the clear favourites ahead of lights out in Indonesia.

The charging pack

Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) will head the 2nd row after finishing 0.384s away from the front row. The Frenchman will be joined by Brad Binder(Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) who bagged a positive P5 to take top KTM honours. As ever, Martin left everything he had out on the circuit but 6th place was all the Spaniard could manage, as that hard front tyre hindered his progress to the edge of the second row.

Taking the 7th spot on the grid was Fabio Di Giannantionio (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) with his 2024 replacement Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) taking P8. The eight-time champ will start from the middle of row three with Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing) taking P9 after a trip to the gravel trap, and Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) rounding out the top 10.

Results: https://x.com/MotoGP/status/1713038138866630693?s=20

[Note: The story is as per press release]

L'entrada MotoGP: Marini takes Indonesian GP pole ahead of Aprilia pair ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

The Gresini Family is pleased to announce the arrival of Marc Marquez for the 2024 season. The Spanish rider, a multi-time World Champion, recently announced his separation from Honda and starting next season, he will be the new standard bearer of Gresini Racing MotoGP alongside his brother Alex.

The Marquez brothers make a dream pairing, with Marc joining a satellite team that has already shown it belongs with the best since the squad’s return to the status of independent team in the premier class.

Marc Marquez: “I’m excited about this new challenge. It wasn’t an easy decision because it’s a big change in every way. But sometimes in life, it’s important to get out of your comfort zone and put yourself through the paces in order to keep growing. Bike-chance-wise, I know I will have to adapt my riding style to a few things, and it won’t be easy. But I’m also sure that the whole Team Gresini will help me a lot. I can’t wait to get to know the team and start working with them. I’d like to thank Nadia, Carlo and Michele for the trust and respect they showed me.
 
Nadia Padovani: Gresini Racing Team Owner: “This is a historical moment for the Gresini Family. The fact that Marc Marquez chose to race with us in the upcoming season is absolutely fantastic and I’m extremely happy to be able to make it official. In less than a season we got really close to his brother, and we’ll welcome Marc the same way, as we’re sure he has all the potential to be competitive on the GP23 from the get-go. Last but not least, I would like to thank Fabio Di Giannantonio for his professionalism, and we wish him all the best for the continuation of his career.”

[Note: The story is as per press release]

L'entrada Marquez confirmed to join Gresini Ducati for 2024 MotoGP season ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

Ahead of next weekend’s Indonesian GP, MotoGP front-runner Bezzecchi has been forced to a right collarbone surgery after incident in training. His participation in the next race will be taken in the next couple of days as he joins teammate Luca Marini on the injury list.

The statement from VR46 stated: “Successful surgery for Bezzecchi on the right collarbone. Marco underwent surgery this morning to reduce the fracture suffered yesterday in training. The rider will begin the rehabilitation process immediately: his return on track will be evaluated in the next 48 hours.”

[Note: The story is as per press release]

L'entrada Bezzecchi undergoes surgery after training incident ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3 will continue to showcase some of the best and brightest Spanish talent in MotoGP as Augusto Fernandez and Pedro Acosta will surge into the 2024 championship with the GASGAS RC16s.

Reigning Moto2 World Champion and notable 2023 MotoGP rookie, Augusto Fernandez, will remain with the GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3 squad for his second term at the highest level. The 26-year-old Majorcan caught the eye with points-scoring performances in all but two of the 14 Grands Prix so far this season and has posted a personal best 4th place at the French Grand Prix.

In Japan last weekend he notched his second-best classification with 7th place through tricky rainy conditions at Motegi. Augusto has shown potential and maturity while also progressing with his adaptation to the 2023 GASGAS RC16. He will be joined by the man who could be next in line for the Moto2 gold medal.

Pedro Acosta is in only his third full season of world championship competition but the prolific 19-year-old has won the Moto3 title (2021), Moto2 Grands Prix as a rookie (2022) and has snared 11 podiums from 14 rounds this year to head the standings by more than 50 points. Acosta has the ability, the racecraft and the sheer natural talent to join the MotoGP grid and complete a remarkable journey through the company’s talent structure from being Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup Champion in 2020 to premier class racer in 2024.

GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3 rider, Pol Espargaro, will fill a crucial and very valued position for the Pierer Mobility Motorsport project next year. The likeable 32-year-old was part of this joint-decision for both the short and long-term future of the company’s MotoGP goals. Pol is greatly appreciated for his commitment and experience; right from the very first days of the Pierer Mobility Group’s MotoGP entry up until his dedicated quest to return to competitiveness after injury sustained earlier in 2023.

#44 is an important asset for supporting talented young athletes and maintaining the strength of the current racing set-up and his humility is evidenced by the willingness to assist the next generation hoping to follow in his footsteps. Pol’s character, energy and abilities mean he will still be a prominent member of the MotoGP program on both sides of the pit wall.

Pit Beirer, GASGAS Motorsports Director: “We had an important and difficult decision to make for our GASGAS team for 2024. Augusto has made impressive first steps in MotoGP and we are totally convinced he has the speed and the intelligence to keep on progressing. Pedro is a very special talent who has already won so much, so quickly and 2024 will be about him learning to take the next step with the big boys in MotoGP. I want to thank Pol for everything he has done and all he continues to do for us.

“This guy is super-tough and super-determined and that’s why we want to count on him as an important part of our structure. Pol’s openness and proactiveness deserves my deepest respect. It underlines his greatness as a person that he gave us a helping hand in this situation. It also shows his passion for the sport and his thoughts for the future. With these pieces in place and with Hervé, Nicolas, and all the team and their experience we have an exciting year ahead for the GASGAS brand.”

[Note: The story is as per press release]

L'entrada Acosta gets MotoGP ride at GASGAS for ’24 alongside Fernandez ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

Honda Racing Corporation and Marc Marquez have mutually elected to terminate their four-year contract prematurely at the end of the 2023 MotoGP World Championship season. With a year still remaining on the four-year contract between HRC and Marc Marquez, both parties have mutually agreed to end their collaboration upon completion of the 2023 MotoGP World Championship season.

Both parties agreed it was in their best interests to each pursue other avenues in the future to best achieve their respective goals and targets. This brings an end to 11 years of collaboration between the #93 and HRC in which they achieved six premier class World Championships, five Triple Crowns, 59 wins, 101 podiums and 64 pole positions together.

Marquez took his debut victory in the premier class aboard the Honda RC213V at the Grand Prix of the Americas in Austin, Texas in 2013 to become the youngest premier class winner and would become the youngest premier class World Champion later that year. In 2014 he defended his title and won the opening 10 consecutive races of year, going on to also claim titles in 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 as an HRC rider with the Repsol Honda Team.

Both parties will continue to give their full support for the remaining rounds of the 2023 MotoGP World Championship season. HRC wish Marc Marquez the best in his future endeavors.

[Note: The story is as per press release]

L'entrada Marquez to part ways with Honda after 2023 MotoGP season ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

As MotoGP heads into an action-packed, pivotal part of the season across Asia and Oceania, the broadcast audience and attendance figures for the first 12 Grands Prix of 2023 are in – and they make for excellent reading once again. The upward trend from the very first events of 2023 has only continued, with weekend television audiences maintaining a more than 20% increase on 2022.

Increases across the board

The Tissot Sprint had a notable impact when it landed, not only increasing Saturday figures but also proving a driving force behind augmented audiences on Sunday and overall. That trend has only continued: the impressive 51% increase in audiences on Saturday has been maintained throughout the first 12 Grands Prix.

Sunday figures also retain a strong average increase on the same races in 2022. In key markets, the weekend broadcast audience has increased for every single one of the first 12 Grands Prix of 2023.

The fans in the stands

In the grandstands, crowd numbers also continue to impress. After the huge challenge posed by the Covid-19 pandemic for sporting properties across the globe, MotoGP attendance has not only recovered by 2023, but has also increased on 2019.

The surge in weekend attendance between 2022 and the first 12 Grands Prix of 2023 is even more notable. Of the 11 Grands Prix for which data is available, all but one saw a significant increase in attendance, with highlights of more than 80% and 60% for some events. Nearly half are up by more than 30%.

For its part, the headline-grabbing all-time record attendance set at Le Mans, where nearly 280,000 fans flocked to the venue across the weekend, was a 23.9% increase on 2022 – and that prefaced another record. Just a few weeks later, the German GP was once again the highest-attended sporting event in Germany, but this year it made a little more history with an all-time record crowd for MotoGP at the Sachsenring. Nearly a quarter of a million people attended across the weekend, throwing down the gauntlet to see which venue can repeat the feat in 2024.

The total fans who have come to see MotoGP trackside during the first half of 2023 is an all-time record for the sport too, with the available data showing more than 1.6 million spectators had flocked through the gates by the half way point.

Now we’re heading across Asia and Oceania in a stunning crescendo to the 2023 season, with millions of fans waiting to welcome MotoGP to some of its biggest and fastest-growing markets. Make sure to tune in for more as the world’s most exciting sport continues to break records – on and off track!

[Note: The story is as per press release]

L'entrada MotoGP shares positive television figures for first 12 races of 2023 ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

It just started to rain as the MotoGP Japanese GP was underway at Twin Ring Motegi. It was a cautious start from the riders with Pramac Ducati’s Jorge Martin leading the pack when Aprilia’s Maverick Vinales had a slow fall at Turn 1.

Pramac’s Johann Zarco had to go through the gravel to avoid it as most of the grid pitted to swap their bikes from slick to wet. But Ducati’s Michele Pirro, Yahama’s Fabio Quartararo, LCR Honda’s Stefan Bradl, Yamaha’s Franco Morbidelli and Cal Crutchlow stayed out.

While Quartararo and Crutchlow pitted early on, the likes of Pirro, Bradl and Morbidelli continued on for few more laps. There was a Long Gap Penalty for Vinales and Crutchlow for Wrong Bike Swap, as Morbidelli ran the most on the slick bike.

It was Aprilia’s Aleix Espargaro in the Japanese GP lead after their bike swap ahead of Honda’s Marc Marquez, VR46 Ducati’s Marco Bezzecchi, Ducati’s Francesco Bagnaia and KTM’s Jack Miller in the Top 5 when Martin went wide at Turn 3 to drop to sixth.

Gresini Ducati’s Fabio di Giannantonio was seventh from RNF Aprilia’s Miguel Oliveira, Honda’s Joan Mir and RNF’s Raul Fernandez, where the latter also got a Long Gap Penalty for Wrong Bike Swap as KTM’s Brad Binder suffered a race-ending crash.

As Espargaro led the way, Bagnaia was up to second from Martin who climbed up from sixth pretty quickly. He continued to stamp his authority by passing both Bagnaia and Espargaro to retake the MotoGP race lead in Japanese GP.

Bagnaia was second from Espargaro as Bezzecchi was fourth from Marquez, Oliveira, Miller, Mir, di Giannantonio and Fernandez in the Top 10. As the race scene deteriorated, Martin continued to lead from Bagnaia with Marquez on his tail after clearing Bezzecchi.

Espargaro dropped to fourth from Oliveira, Mir, Fernandez, Miller and GASGAS Tech 3’s Augusto Fernandez in the Top 10 when Zarco had a crash. The Frenchman rushed back to the pitlane when the Race Direction red-flagged the Japanese GP on Lap 12.

Post red flag –

Zarco wasn’t allowed to take the re-start after he didn’t enter into the pitlane in the right manner, while both Oliveira and Vinales were allowed to start but from the pitlane. The race, however, didn’t see the end of the light due to weather conditions.

On the warm-up lap to re-start, the Race Direction red-flagged the grand prix and ended it with further rain. Full points were awarded after 50% of the race was run with Martin winning the rain-affected MotoGP Japanese GP ahead of Bagnaia.

The gap is now down to just the three points, as Marquez took his first MotoGP podium of the season in third. Bezzecchi was fourth from Espargaro, Miller, A Fernandez, di Giannantonio, R Fernandez and Quartararo in the Top 10.

LCR Honda’s Takaaki Nakagami earned points in 11th from Mir, Crutchlow, Bradl and Tech 3’s Pol Espargaro in the Top 15, with Pirro in 16th, Morbidelli 17th, Oliveira 18th and Vinales 19th as classified finihers.

Results: https://x.com/MotoGP/status/1708380011122606095?s=20

L'entrada MotoGP: Martin wins rain-affected Japanese GP from Bagnaia ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

It was a clean start from pole for Jorge Martin in the Pramac Ducati in Japanese GP sprint at Motegi as KTM’s Jack Miller was passed by Brad Binder for second, where Ducati’s Francesco Bagnaia dropped to fourth from Honda’s Marc Marquez.

VR46 Ducati’s Marco Bezzecchi was sixth from Pramac’s Johann Zarco, but the Italian lost the place to the Frenchman. Gresini Ducati’s Fabio di Giannantonio and the Aprilia pair of Aleix Espargaro and Maverick Vinales rounded the Top 9 points places.

At the front, Martin had checked out well from Binder but Miller was under pressure from Bagnaia, while Marquez was fending off Bezzecchi who cleared Zarco but the Frenchman stayed with him along with Espargaro. He had passed di Giannantonio.

But a suspected mechanical issue ruled out Espargaro which put di Giannantonio in eighth from Vinales in the Top 9 places whereas RNF Aprilia’s Raul Fernandez was in 10th. There was a crucial fight for fifth where Bezzecchi pressured Marquez for a move.

They both ran wide as it allowed Zarco to sneak through to fifth. Just ahead of them, Bagnaia hustled Miller to eventually take a hard fought third as Martin took another MotoGP sprint win in Japanese GP from Binder to trim down the points gap.

Miller was fourth from Zarco as Bezzecchi passed Marquez for sixth as di Giannantonio slotted in eighth with the final point going to Vinales, as Fernandez rounded out the Top 10 position.

Results: https://x.com/MotoGP/status/1708008331380506922?s=20

L'entrada MotoGP: Martin dominates in another sprint win in Japanese GP ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

Saturday morning at the Motul Grand Prix of Japan offered up a lightning fast qualifying which saw Jorge Martin absolutely obliterate the all time lap record at Mobility Resort Motegi. A 1:43.198 ensured the Prima Pramac Racing ace takes a second pole in three races, as his pursuit of Championship leader Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) continues.

It won’t be easy though for Martin, as Pecco put in a fine effort of his own to take P2 on the grid, while Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) is back on the front row at the scene of his last MotoGP victory.

How Q1 went down

Some big hitters went head-to-head for a coveted place in the battle for pole position. Marc Marquez was among them, and the Repsol Honda rider wasted little time in going about his business by posting a weekend PB of 1:44.997 to go P1 after the first runs, and he was joined by Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) in the top two.

As the time ticked down in the session, riders were back out with fresh tyres, and immediately Quartararo came under threat. Raul Fernandez (CryptoDATA RNF MotoGP™ Team) rediscovered his recent run of fast form and bumped the Frenchman out of the top two. Joan Mir (Repsol Honda Team) also threatened to trouble the timekeepers, but his best effort fell short before crashing on his final attempt.

Under the cosh, Quartararo had to find a lap, particularly as Fernandez once again improved, but as he towed Marquez around Motegi, there was nothing going for the 2021 World Champion and he must settle for 14th on the grid.

How pole position was won

Marquez and Fernandez took their places in Q2, but the headlines were stolen by a rampant Jorge Martin. The Spaniard came out of the blocks fast, posting a mid 1:43 on his very first attempt, before his next effort smashed it out of the park. A 1:43.198 was nearly three tenths faster than Brad Binder’s (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) lap record set on Friday, which felled Jorge Lorenzo’s longstanding record.

The #89’s lap overshadowed excellent early showings from Jack Miller and Fabio Di Giannantonio (Gresini Racing MotoGP), who were sitting second and third on the timing screens by the end of the first runs.

As riders exited pitlane, the big question was could anybody catch Martin? Well, Pecco Bagnaia made a good fist of it, getting to within a tenth before a final sector mistake lost him time. That moved him up to third, before his next effort went even closer and moved him to 0.171s behind. Hopes the Ducati rider could better that quickly faded as the reigning World Champion couldn’t find the same pace riding with two lap old soft tyres.

Jack Miller is on the front row for the first time since the British GP as he clung onto third on the timesheets, with a late riposte of his own.

How is the rest of the grid shaping up?

There was some very early drama for Marco Bezzecchi as the Mooney VR46 rider flew through the gravel trap after a dramatic crash on his outlap. Undeterred, the title hopeful swiftly made his way back to the box and reappeared on track for the second runs and showed his fighting spirit to take fourth on the grid. Brad Binder will join him on the second row, as will Fabio Di Giannantonio.

Having come through Q1, Marquez latched himself onto the rear tyre of Martin for the closing stages of qualifying, and that helped the eight-time World Champion to seventh on the grid. He’ll be joined by Maverick Viñales and Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing), with the #93 and #41 exchanging some overtakes during the final moments. On row four, Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) has Raul Fernandez and Pol Espargaro (GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3) for company.

Results: https://x.com/MotoGP/status/1707949643064119691?s=20

[Note: The story is as per press release]

L'entrada MotoGP: Martin takes Japanese GP pole from Bagnaia ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

The Lusail International Circuit has been under going renovations and facility upliftment in the past year to be ready for this year’s F1 Qatar GP. Those are now complete with Swiss company Geobrugg undertaking the work at various parts of the huge facility.

A new grandstand has been erected at Turn 2 along with a hub of fun at the Fan Zone over the 2.5 kilometers of debris fence. It improves view without compromising safety with additional big screens installed at various points for better vieweing.

Mobile debries fences has been erected at Turn 2 and Turn 10 to create shortcuts with marshal post safety enhanced too. Digital flag panels have been installed along with advanced lighting system for better visibility for the F1 drivers.

The work was done under the supervision of both the FIA and FIM as the Lusail circuit hosts both F1 and MotoGP championships. ‘We are expecting large number of fans to attend Qatar GP, that said spectator safety is of paramount importance to us. We have ensured to incorporate highest levels of safety measures on the track,” said Amro Al Hamad, CEO of Lusail International Circuit and Executive Director of Qatar Motor & Motorcycle Federation.

At the same time Jochen Braunwarth, Director Motorsport Solutions, Geobrugg added: “We’re incredibly proud to add the Lusail International Circuit to the growing list of Grand Prix venues that are adopting our debris fence solutions. As a venue, Lusail is going from strength to strength, adding a combination of car and bike racing to its portfolio, so it was vital the circuit had the best fencing safety.”

Here’s a view of it: https://x.com/lusailcircuit/status/1707366749652349407?s=20

Here’s Rodin explaining about being turned down a F1 spot

L'entrada Lusail circuit completes renovations ahead of F1 Qatar GP ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.