Schrötter to partner Cortese in Moto2™ for 2017

All-German line-up once again at Dynavolt Intact GP next season

Tags Moto2, 2016

As Moto2™’s most recent race winner Jonas Folger prepares to move up to MotoGP™ for 2017, Dynavolt Intact GP have announced compatriot Marcel Schrötter is set to join the German outfit in 2017. The German will join Sandro Cortese in the team and keep the all-German line-up intact.

Schrötter has been showing solid progress in the Moto2™ class in 2016 as he rides for the AGR Team, and will join more-experienced Cortese to create a strong line-up as the team look to take more victories after their recent first win in Brno.

Marcel Schrötter: "I am really grateful for their trust in me and for the opportunity to ride and develop my skills as part of what is in my opinion one of the best teams in Moto2. I am super excited about the new challenges ahead of me and I hope that we will be able to reach the final breakthrough as a team. Together with Dynavolt Intact GP I would like to be a regular part of the battles for future podiums and more. A huge thank you to the Intact GP team for giving me this once in a lifetime-opportunity. Before the start of our collaboration I am eager to show an improved performance during the second half of this season. On the one side I would like to leave the AGR team on a high and on the other side I would like to justify the trust that has been shown towards me. I am really looking forward to 2017."

Sandro Cortese: "I'm just happy and grateful to get another chance in the Dynavolt Intact GP despite the recent difficult season. It's nice to know that my team still believes in me. Some races were a bit unfortunate, but I believe that we still will be able to manage a good overall result. With so much bad luck, as it has happened to us this year, it can only get better. Of course it was not easy to come back after my knee injury. But we are now on the right track and the season is not over yet. I'll give everything that we can do a good second half of the season. It is important to never give up in difficult times and to go through this together. Next year we will keep pursuing our goals and I'm looking forward to it."

Folger takes faultless wet win

German takes commanding victory after taking the lead in Turn 1

 

Dynavolt Intact GP rider Jonas Folger has taken an incredible win in torrential conditions at the Automotodrom Brno, taking his first win in more than a year. Alex Rins (Paginas Amarillas HP 40) and Sam Lowes (Gresini Racing Moto2) completed the podium in P2 and P3 respectively, both taking a chunk out of championship leader Johann Zarco’s (Ajo Motorsport) lead as the title defender crossed the line in only eleventh place.

Folger: "I tried to pull away in the beginning"

Folger took the lead by sweeping round the outside into Turn 1, and the German was simply unstoppable for the rest of the race. With one small wobble the only drama for the German, he managed the gap to perfection to cross the line for his first win in 2016 ahead of his graduation to MotoGP™ next season.

Rins: "Happy to get more points than Zarco"

Alex Rins had a stunning turnaround in the wet on race day, as the Spaniard took a solid P2 after having struggled so much more in the dry in Brno. The ride to the podium cut the gap to title leader Zarco by 15 points, keeping the championship in the balance in the second half of the season.

Lowes: "This track is great in the rain"

Sam Lowes also benefitted from the wet in Brno, as the Brit impressed with a calm ride to complete the podium. With Zarco having such a difficult day at the office, Lowes was able to capitalize along with Rins to keep his title hopes alive.

There was drama on the final lap as Sandro Cortese (Dynavolt Intact GP) and Mattia Pasini (Italtrans Racing Team) collided, with Cortese unable to collect his top 5 finish after an impressive ride through the field and Pasini crossing the line in fourth.

Alex Marquez (Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS) had a fantastic ride into P5, as the Spaniard converted his front row start into a top five finish. Marquez, who slotted through Turn 1 impressively on the inside, fought with the front before choosing a solid finish at the flag, calm under pressure as he rebuilds his confidence with another top result. Hafizh Syahrin (Petronas Raceline Malaysia) made good on his nickname of “the Fish” to finish in P6, ahead of Leopard Racing’s Danny Kent in P7 after both moved up the timesheets in the wet.

Franco Morbidelli (Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS) crossed the line in P8 after taking less risks than those that saw him crash out of contention in the wet German GP, with the second Leopard Racing machine of Miguel Oliveira crossing the line in ninth.

The man in tenth place was Anthony West (Montaze Broz Racing Team), who took his 3-year old Suter chassis from last place on the grid into the top ten -  as a wildcard – in one of the most stunning displays of the day.

Moto2™ now head to the UK for the next Round, with Silverstone ready to fire up the engines on the 4th September.

Tags Moto2, 2016, HJC HELMETS GRAND PRIX ČESKÉ REPUBLIKY, RAC, #CzechGP, Report

 

Rossi: "I wasn't as brave as Cal!"

9-time world champion goes from desperate to podium finish in chaotic Brno

A fast-charging Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) took a P2 finish in the HJC Helmets Grand Prix České republiky, coming through the field from a “desperate” P12 near the start to hone in on the front and slice through to follow winner Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda) home. Rossi, who chose the harder option rear tyre but the softer option front, took some time to get up to speed before the red sectors started to appear and the veteran Italian used his superior grip to haul himself back into contention.

Valentino Rossi (P2): “At the beginning I was desperate because I thought we made a mistake. But after? Lap-by-lap the harder rear was coming better and it was a very long race. You have to stay concentrating and not making any mistakes. It was a great race and I’m very happy for these 20 points, because now I’m second in the championship and I think today we did a good job. And we made the right choice on the rear tyre. Unfortunately we didn’t choose the hard front, that was because in the morning I already didn’t have a good feeling with the soft. I wasn’t as brave as Cal.”

After the parc ferme interview, Rossi was further quizzed on the result – gaining P2 over teammate Jorge Lorenzo and moving closer to Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) in the championship – and whether he thought the 53-point mountain was on he expected to be able to climb.

“No,” was the response, with the Italian saying the goal was simply to do his best in the second half of the season and see what happened.

Tags MotoGP, 2016, HJC HELMETS GRAND PRIX ČESKÉ REPUBLIKY, RAC, Valentino Rossi, Movistar Yamaha MotoGP, Reaction

 

Loris Baz and Barbera give Avintia a dream double top 5

Different strategies but similar, solid finishes see the Frenchman and Spaniard take a P4 and P5 after recent contract renewals

Avintia Racing riders Loris Baz and Hector Barbera took a fastastic double top 5 finish for the team in Brno, with two different strategies paying off for both in different ways. Baz, who went for the same hard compound front and rear tyres as eventual winner Cal Crutchlow, saw his pace improve and improve throughout the race until the former WorldSBK rider took the flag in an impressive P4. Barbera, who challenged at the front throughout the race in an impressive display of wet weather control, suffered more towards the end with the softer option tyres – as did those around him – and a mechanical problem that saw him eventually collect a P5 behind his teammate.

For Baz, who is coming back from injury, the result was a welcome injection of both points and confidence as he equalled his best MotoGP™ result from Misano in 2015. For Barbera, the top five sees him pull to within only 5 points of Monster Yamaha Tech 3’s Pol Espargaro at the head of the Independent Teams’ rider championship.

Loris Baz (P4): “We had a great race and we took the right decision with the tyres. Because I weigh so much more than everybody else, I have to use harder tyres and before the race the hard rear seemed to be the right choice for me – but you never know if you’re right because you don’t know if it’s going to rain. We were getting closer and closer but we were missing a bit to be able to get further up. I think we were missing a bit of experience with this tyre, the bike was quite hard and it was difficult to overtake. I’m very happy and this is the best way to thank the team for my renewal. As well, I wanted to have a good race to dedicate it to Luis Salom.”

Hector Barbera (P5): “I’m happy because we had a great race. On lap 12 I had a mechanical problem and I was a bit limited for the further ten laps. I tried to do my best, save the tyres, try to be as smooth as possible, but at the end of the race I had some problems. Anyway, I’m happy because we’re closer every time and sooner or later a great result will come. And I want to congratulate Loris, I’m very happy for him because he’s a great guy and it’s been a tough start to the season for him.”

Tags MotoGP, 2016, HJC HELMETS GRAND PRIX ČESKÉ REPUBLIKY, RAC, Hector Barbera, Loris Baz, Avintia Racing

 

 

Lorenzo’s gamble that wasn't

Reigning champion sees comeback interrupted by a tyre problem

Both Movistar Yamaha MotoGP riders Jorge Lorenzo and Valentino Rossi had a difficult start to the Czech GP, crossing the line at the end of lap 1 much further back than their qualifying positions and both having chosen the harder option rear tyre. That seemed a mistake in the first few laps, before the rubber began to come into its own and both riders started to make a big impression on the timesheets – with Rossi eventually crossing the line in P2. Lorenzo, who was at one stage out of the points-scoring positions, also started to see his laptimes drop dramatically as the rear tyre choice began to pay off, and moved back up into the top ten on an impressive charge. Then, with seven laps to go, the reigning champion seemed to make a huge gamble – and came into pitlane to change bikes.

Going back out on his second bike, the decision seemed a wrong one as the Mallorcan then dived back into the pits a lap later to get back on his first machine. However, the lap on the second bike was to give the Movistar Yamaha team time to be able to change the front tyre on the number 1 machine - after the rubber had suffered irreparable damage. Going back out in a last dash few laps, Lorenzo unlapped himself past some key rivals, but was unable to regain the gap on the field.

Jorge Lorenzo (P17): “It‘s a big pity because I was doing a great race. I only had some difficulties stopping the bike at the beginning when there was a little bit more water, and especially with the hard tyre on the exit I didn‘t have grip. I needed to be very careful and that is why I was quite far from the top. But little by little, as the track dried, the rear became better and I started to gain confidence. Seven laps before the end the front tyre tore up so I had to change bike twice - and then finished the race on the first bike in seventeenth. Rossi was unlucky in Mugello and I was unlucky today."

 

Crutchlow charges through to make history

The first British win in 35 years – and the second independent team win of the season

After a torrential Moto2™ race at the Automotodrom Brno, it was the turn of the MotoGP™ machines to head out as the rain was just starting to stop – leaving the prospect of a flag-to-flag hanging over the race. In the end it wasn’t to be, and it was Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda) who sliced through the field in one of the most spectacular victories in recent years, taking the flag to become the first British winner for 35 years. He also follows Jack Miller (Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS) into the history books as a winner with an independent team in 2016, with wet weather opening the door for many on the grid.

Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) and Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) completed the podium in a chaotic race, with the 9-time champion making a small gain on title rival Marquez as the two crossed the line in P2 and P3 respectively.

Polesitter Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) had the worst start off the front row as Jorge Lorenzo (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) and Andrea Iannone (Ducati Team) swept past the championship leader, before both Movistar Yamaha riders Lorenzo and teammate Valentino Rossi began to drop through the field. Marquez played it safe to slot into the middle of the top ten as his title challengers suffered, as Iannone, teammate Dovizioso and Scott Redding (Octo Pramac Yakhnich) escaped at the front.

Cal Crutchlow then proved the man on the charge, with a tyre combination of a hard front and hard rear coming into its own as the Brit charged from P15 to stunningly catch the front of the race. Dovizioso suffered a tyre problem that saw him pull in, as Crutchlow fought to take over at the front on an incredible roll.

The softer tyre compounds of the frontrunners soon began to see them suffer, and it was Crutchlow leading the charge ahead of Valentino Rossi as the 9-time world champion suddenly clicked into gear and followed the Brit into the lead. The two, after seeming an almost lost cause after Lap 1 as they circulated well outside the top ten, proved unstoppable in their climb through the field and overcame what had seemed almost impossible to take the 1-2.

Marc Marquez then chose his moment to fight back, taking Andrea Iannone and Hector Barbera (Avintia Racing) in the squabble for the podium and protecting his title lead with a steady ride home behind Rossi. Now 53 points clear of Rossi, who took over in P2 in the title fight, Marquez has seen his lead grow through some of the most challenging races of the season - and ridden with a level head to make sure that was the case.

Late chargers as the tyre wear proved decisive saw Loris Baz (Avintia Racing) suddenly appear and overtake his teammate Barbera, and Eugene Laverty (PULL&BEAR Aspar) join the fight as he overtook Iannone for P6.

Danilo Petrucci (Octo Pramac Yakhnich) also overtook his compatriot to end the race in P7, with Iannone coming home just ahead of Maverick Viñales (Team Suzuki Ecstar), who crossed the line in P9.

Tito Rabat (Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS) kept his head to take his first top ten finish in MotoGP™, ahead of Yonny Hernandez (PULL&BEAR Aspar). Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team) had a tough race to come home in P12, with old rival Jorge Lorenzo suffering the worst in Brno as the title contender suffered with a front tyre problem.

Lorenzo fell backwards through the field in the early laps like teammate Rossi, and when he got back on the pace proved to be one of the fastest out there - also like teammate Rossi. With 7 laps to go the 'Spartan' then seemed to make the shocking decision to come into the pits to change bikes, but later revealed the front tyre on the first bike was unridable. The Mallorcan headed back out in the race for a number of laps on the second bike in order to not retire, before switching back to his first machine with different front rubber and trying to salvage a better finish.

Next up? Silverstone, as Crutchlow heads back to his home track for the British GP.

Tags MotoGP, 2016, HJC HELMETS GRAND PRIX ČESKÉ REPUBLIKY, RAC, #CzechGP, Report

 

Rossi: “I could have been on the front row”

Top six for the Italian legend after failing to find a clear bit of track

 

9-time world champion Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) will begin the Czech GP from the second row of the grid, after a session that saw him encounter traffic and struggle to get a clear run. With a possibility of changed conditions overnight, the Yamaha rider is satisfied to be on the second row rather than third, but waits to see how race day unfolds.

Valentino Rossi (P6): “It‘s a shame for me because I have a better potential and could‘ve arrived on the front row because my ideal time would have been the third one. I pushed a lot on the second tyre, because I knew I could improve by half a second, but unfortunately I got stuck in traffic and we arrived there with everybody waiting, it becomes like a big casino, you have to risk a lot, it‘s a disaster. At the end I hadn‘t done a clear lap, but anyway the second row is not so bad, because if you are on the third it‘s more difficult. The second is for sure worst than the first, but anyway you are in the top group, so we need to wait for tomorrow and understand the conditions, if it will be wet or dry and also the temperature, if it‘s colder it will become more difficult for the front tyre.”

Tags MotoGP, 2016, HJC HELMETS GRAND PRIX ČESKÉ REPUBLIKY, Q2, Valentino Rossi, Movistar Yamaha MotoGP, #CzechGP, Reaction

 

Czech GP race guide: Saturday's fastest in stats

A guide to the fastest men in qualifying at the Automotodrom Brno

Marc Marquez starts from pole for the fifth time in 2016. From his previous four poles this year he has had three wins and a second place finish. This is the 63rd pole of his career, which equals the number of career poles for Jorge Lorenzo and Valentino Rossi.

- Jorge Lorenzo, the winner of the Czech GP last year, is in second place on the grid. This is his first front row start since the Catalan Grand Prix.

- Andrea Iannone, who starts from third place on the grid, is aiming to be the first Ducati rider to take back-to-back MotoGP wins since Casey Stoner won at Aragon and Motegi in 2010.

- Aleix Espargaro heads the second row of the grid riding a Suzuki, making it four different manufacturers filling the top four places on the grid. This is the Team Suzuki Ecstar rider's best qualifying result since he was fourth on the grid at Valencia last year.

- The top Independent Team rider is Hector Barbera in fifth place on the grid.

- Valentino Rossi takes the final place on the second row. This is his worst qualifying result since he was in 7th place on the grid at Le Mans.

- Andrea Dovizioso, who is making his 250th successive grand prix start, heads the third row of the grid.

- Starting from eight place on the grid is Maverick Viñales, who has been the first Suzuki rider across the line at the last six races.

- Dani Pedrosa is in ninth place on the grid, which is his best qualifying result since the Catalan Grand Prix

- Heading the fourth row is Cal Crutchlow, who finished third at Brno in 2012 to score his first podium finish in grand prix racing.

- Bradley Smith is in 11th place on the grid. This is his best qualifying result since the Italian GP at Mugello.

ags MotoGP, 2016, HJC HELMETS GRAND PRIX ČESKÉ REPUBLIKY, Q2, #StatAttack

Stunning Marquez races to record Brno pole

Championship leader overtakes Rossi in the final corner to take a record pole position

Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) has taken pole position in Brno, as the points leader in the title fight left it late to overcome an ominous-looking Jorge Lorenzo (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) in the final minutes of Q2. Marquez, who topped Friday but had since been overshadowed by compatriot Lorenzo in FP3 and FP4, pulled out an incredible laptime in the session – including overtaking the provisional polesitter’s Yamaha teammate Valentino Rossi into the final corner in a spectacular move. Poleman last time out Andrea Iannone (Ducati Team) completes the front row in P3.

Marquez had an orange first sector after Lorenzo’s second attempt saw him move further clear at the top, before the timing screens went red in sector 2 and 3 – with the final part of the track the decider. With two tenths to play with, Marquez came up behind the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 of Pol Espargaro and Movistar Yamaha of Valentino Rossi at the final corner – and slotted between the two through the final apex.

Jorge Lorenzo has shown sublime form all Saturday in Brno, including proving the first man to break the lap record in FP3, and also topped FP4 before just losing the pole position to compatriot and championship rival Marc Marquez. Lorenzo’s race pace looks ominous however, with memories of Brno 2015 also sure to be high in rivals’ minds.

Andrea Iannone had an up and down Saturday before just pipping Aleix Espargaro (Team Suzuki Ecstar) to complete the front row, with a technical issue earlier in the day and a crash. Iannone was the last man to cross the line and had to wheel the bike back up pitlane to parc ferme after not having realized how far up the grid he had qualified.

Behind Espargaro in P5 was Hector Barbera (Avintia Racing), who recovered from a difficult FP3 for a great qualifying result. The Spaniard beat 9-time world champion Valentino Rossi to the top 5, as the Italian completes row 2 in P6.

Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) had a number of issues in the session and got out of sync as he changed the front tyre and tried to make the best of the limited time, but managed a P7 result ahead of the second Team Suzuki Ecstar machine of Maverick Viñales. Repsol Honda rider Dani Pedrosa completes the third row in P9 after moving up from Q1, ahead of LCR Honda rider Cal Crutchlow to round out the top ten.

Marquez’ pole takes the Spaniard equal on pole positions with Movistar Yamaha MotoGP pairing Jorge Lorenzo and Valentino Rossi, with the top 3 men in the title fight now - incredibly - tied on a record 63 pole positions each across all classes…sharing the honours, for once, at the top of the table.

The Sunday showdown sees the lights go out for the race at 14:00 local time (GMT+2) at the Automotodrom Brno.

Tags MotoGP, 2016, HJC HELMETS GRAND PRIX ČESKÉ REPUBLIKY, Q2, #CzechGP, Report

 

 

 

Points leader makes stunning save to top the timesheets

Marc Marquez’ (Repsol Honda Team) Friday in Brno looked set to be defined by a stunning save in FP2, before the championship leader went back out on a fresh tyre and decimated his previous laptime - taking back the top spot from reigning champion Jorge Lorenzo (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP). The championship leader saved a crash just before the entry to pitlane, heading back to the garage in the aftermath and then preparing another assault – the one that saw him drop his previous laptime dramatically to go fastest on Friday.

In the final few seconds, Austrian GP winner Andrea Iannone (Ducati Team) put in a final dash to knock reigning champion Lorenzo into P3 after also showing good pace in the morning, as both Iannone and teammate Dovizioso (P6) made sure the momentum from their team’s stunning return to winning ways continued to push them forward.

Jorge Lorenzo was the fastest Yamaha on Friday, as the 3-time MotoGP™ world champion built on a good morning to improve in the afternoon and challenge at the very front. Topping the session – characteristically – with more than one hot lap, Lorenzo was only a tenth down after Marquez and Iannone struck back and will be hoping to build on a good Friday to find the same form that saw him dominate the 2015 Czech GP from lights to flag.

Hector Barbera (Avintia Racing) used his Ducati horsepower wisely and was P4 - and top independent - on Friday, ahead of 9-time world champion Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) as the ‘Doctor’ completed the top five after a solid first two sessions in Brno. Aleix Espargaro (Team Suzuki Ecstar) was seventh behind Dovizioso with an impressive effort despite a finger broken at the Red Bull Ring, with Monster Yamaha Tech 3’s Bradley Smith having a good day at the office in P8.

Maverick Viñales (Team Suzuki Ecstar) and Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team) completed the top ten in P9 and P10 respectively, with one more practice session remaining to determine direct entry to the Q2 qualifying session.

For full FP2 result

Brno, Friday, August 19, 2016

Pos.	Num.	Rider	Nation	Team	Bike	Km/h	Time	Gap 1st/Prev.
1	93	Marc MARQUEZ	SPA	Repsol Honda Team	Honda	307.8	1'55.840
2	29	Andrea IANNONE	ITA	Ducati Team	Ducati	311.0	1'55.944	0.104 / 0.104
3	99	Jorge LORENZO	SPA	Movistar Yamaha MotoGP	Yamaha	307.2	1'55.977	0.137 / 0.033
4	8	Hector BARBERA	SPA	Avintia Racing	Ducati	307.7	1'56.124	0.284 / 0.147
5	46	Valentino ROSSI	ITA	Movistar Yamaha MotoGP	Yamaha	307.7	1'56.174	0.334 / 0.050
6	4	Andrea DOVIZIOSO	ITA	Ducati Team	Ducati	312.3	1'56.235	0.395 / 0.061
7	41	Aleix ESPARGARO	SPA	Team SUZUKI ECSTAR	Suzuki	305.9	1'56.441	0.601 / 0.206
8	38	Bradley SMITH	GBR	Monster Yamaha Tech 3	Yamaha	308.0	1'56.494	0.654 / 0.053
9	25	Maverick VIÑALES	SPA	Team SUZUKI ECSTAR	Suzuki	306.4	1'56.615	0.775 / 0.121
10	26	Dani PEDROSA	SPA	Repsol Honda Team	Honda	309.6	1'56.662	0.822 / 0.047
11	35	Cal CRUTCHLOW	GBR	LCR Honda	Honda	306.6	1'56.837	0.997 / 0.175
12	76	Loris BAZ	FRA	Avintia Racing	Ducati	304.9	1'56.957	1.117 / 0.120
13	9	Danilo PETRUCCI	ITA	OCTO Pramac Yakhnich	Ducati	306.2	1'57.052	1.212 / 0.095
14	45	Scott REDDING	GBR	OCTO Pramac Yakhnich	Ducati	308.0	1'57.090	1.250 / 0.038
15	44	Pol ESPARGARO	SPA	Monster Yamaha Tech 3	Yamaha	306.1	1'57.335	1.495 / 0.245
16	50	Eugene LAVERTY	IRL	Pull & Bear Aspar Team	Ducati	308.3	1'57.336	1.496 / 0.001
17	6	Stefan BRADL	GER	Aprilia Racing Team Gresini	Aprilia	304.3	1'57.471	1.631 / 0.135
18	19	Alvaro BAUTISTA	SPA	Aprilia Racing Team Gresini	Aprilia	303.4	1'57.569	1.729 / 0.098
19	68	Yonny HERNANDEZ	COL	Pull & Bear Aspar Team	Ducati	306.9	1'57.724	1.884 / 0.155
20	53	Tito RABAT	SPA	Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS	Honda	305.5	1'58.054	2.214 / 0.330

Weather Conditions:

  |   Track Condition: Dry|   Air: 21º| Humidity: 68%|   Ground: 30º

Records:

Fastest Lap:	Lap: 14	Marc MARQUEZ	1'55.840	167.9 Km/h
Circuit Record Lap:	2014	Dani PEDROSA	1'56.027	167.6 Km/h
Best Lap:	2015	Jorge LORENZO	1'54.989	169.1 Km/h

CzechGP: Riders focus on the points now back on known soil

Pre-event press conference sees discussions center around the championship battle after Ducati’s win in Austria

The pre-event Press Conference for the HJC Helmets Grand Prix České Republiky saw Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team), Jorge Lorenzo and Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP), Scott Redding (Octo Pramac Yakhnich), Andrea Iannone (Ducati Team) and Alvaro Bautista (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) meet the press ahead of the event, with the focus of the session squarely set on the championship, and how cards have shuffled after the Austrian GP.

Marc Marquez was the first to speak, and the championship leader first discussed his shoulder – after a crash in FP3 at the Austrian GP caused a brief dislocation.

“The shoulder we can say it’s not 100% - but it’s fixed and won’t be a problem for this weekend,” affirmed the 2013 and 2014 World Champion. “At the moment if I work well in the gym the shoulder will be fixed but who knows in the future. Everything looks fine at the moment, and it looks like Brno will be a better circuit for us. It was an important fifth place in Austria because Lorenzo only took 5 points more, and Valentino only 2. So I’m happy about that because we were struggling at the Red Bull Ring and could have lost a lot of points. But here we’ll try and fight for the victory, and if it’s not possible to win just try and not lose too many points to the Yamaha riders.”

Whilst Marquez defends his 43 point lead, Jorge Lorenzo is the man on the chase and got back on the podium in Austria after some more difficult races.

“I needed a good result,” said Lorenzo of his impressive ride at the Red Bull Ring. “I didn’t doubt that sooner or later I would get back there but the result helps. And now here we’re at a circuit that historically and theoretically is good for us, and good for my riding style. So let’s see if theory matches reality and we can fight for the win. These tyres can change things dramatically at every track. One race you can dominate and win the race then the next one you can be fifth. And now, with the Ducatis being competitive, you can finish easily down in fifth. You can lose a lot of points or recover a lot of points, so this can change things a lot.”

This battle in the top echelons of the points was a point of focus in the Press Conference, with the riders agreeing there were 7 riders that could fight for a victory – the Yamaha, Honda and Ducati factory team riders – as well as Maverick Viñales (Team Suzuki Ecstar).

Valentino Rossi was focused on trying to fight with Marquez and Lorenzo at the venue, after not having been able to in the recent race weekends at the track. The Italian took his first win in the 125 world championship in Brno, as a rookie in 1996 – meaning the track does have a special memory as he returns to it once again, 20 years later.

“This year seems like the opposite of last year with a lot of good qualifying, a lot of front rows…but then more problems in the race,” said the rider from Tavullia. “We need to understand the level of the others because the Ducatis could also be very strong here, and the Hondas. Marquez, but also Pedrosa because he always goes very well in Brno. It’s a great track and also the scene of my first victory so it’s unforgettable. But in the last few years I haven’t been able to be as fast as Marquez and Lorenzo. The target for this weekend is to be a bit faster and fight with them.”

Andrea Iannone was present for the Ducati Team after taking the win last time out at the Red Bull Ring, but is very much back to business, expecting Brno to be more challenging.

“The victory was incredible, but now it’s important to remain focused on the second half of the championship because there are some very strong riders,” said the Ducati winner. “I know Dovizioso will be pushing hard in the final part of the season but so will I, to close out our relationship positively.”

Another Ducati rider present was Scott Redding (Octo Pramac Yakhnich), who is hoping to keep his 2016 momentum going after a podium, a P4 and a top open finish in the last three races.

“The beginning of the season was difficult when we were a bit unlucky,” said Redding. “But the last race was quite good and the target is always to finish top 8 - so I was happy with that. I like this circuit, but in the past on smaller bikes my size has seemed like a bit of a disadvantage at Brno.”

Alvaro Bautista has recently been announced as returning to the PULL&BEAR Aspar Team for 2017 to ride a Ducati, with the Spanish veteran having shown great progress on his current Aprilia Racing Team Gresini machine. “I’m so happy to go back to the Aspar team,” beamed the former world champion. “And it’s a team I had great results with in the past.” Those results included winning the 125 world championship with the team in 2006, during a long relationship that the Spaniard is eager to return to.

With initial press duties now over, riders will be back on track at Brno on Friday 19th August at 9:00 local time (GMT+2), as Free Practice gets underway.

Tags MotoGP, 2016, HJC HELMETS GRAND PRIX ČESKÉ REPUBLIKY, Press Conference

 

Back with a bang: Ducati domination of the #AustrianGP

 

Iannone and Dovizioso end the drought for the legendary manufacturer

Tags MotoGP, 2016, NEROGIARDINI MOTORRAD GRAND PRIX VON ÖSTERREICH, Report

After testing ahead of the NeroGiardini Motorrad Grand Prix von Österreich, the word penciled in next to the victory was undoubtedly Ducati. Following the timesheets from the test on the horsepower-dominated circuit, the venue appeared to be neither a ‘Honda track’ nor a ‘Yamaha track’ but a new breed altogether – a ‘Ducati track’. That left the Borgo Panigale factory’s riders fielding questions throughout the weekend about the possibility of the first Ducati win since 2010 as the pressure mounted, but both Iannone and Dovizioso stayed cool and topped all the sessions but one heading into the race. In that race, the two red machines made a break for it and history was made.

"A lot of people at Ducati have worked a lot of hours - really a lot of hours - for four years. So I want to thank them for creating this situation." 

 Andrea Dovizioso
Iannone was the only rider to switch to the medium tyre allocation, which proved decisive in the final laps as the 'Maniac' held off teammate Dovizioso in the veteran's 250th GP. 'DesmoDovi'  didn't have enough grip on the right hand side of the tyre. Iannone's victory ended a six year drought for the team – as well as being his first win – and Dovizioso crossing the line second for a 1-2 marks the 2016 Austrian GP as the first time since Phillip Island 2007 that the Ducati Team has achieved that feat. The project has been a long one for Borgo Panigale – but it also seems to be gradually changing from a project of goals into one of achievements.

The Ducati domination at the Red Bull Ring locked out the 25 and 20 point-scoring positions for the men fighting at the top of the table, and championship leader Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) was the man who suffered most as the Spaniard crossed the line in P5. Even before the gloves came off, the championship looked as though it could have been thrown wide open on Saturday morning as Marquez lost control of his Honda and narrowly avoided collecting teammate Dani Pedrosa – who had also run wide – on his trip towards the gravel trap. Marquez uncharacteristically took some time to get to his feet and shake the crash off, with the 2-time MotoGP™ champion holding his shoulder as he walked back towards the scooter.

Smith: “We really turned things around”

Brit reflects on a tricky weekend overcome at the Red Bull Ring

Tags MotoGP, 2016, NEROGIARDINI MOTORRAD GRAND PRIX VON ÖSTERREICH, RAC, Bradley Smith, Monster Yamaha Tech 3, Reaction

 

Bradley Smith (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) is having a tough season in 2016 ahead of his move to the factory KTM team, but the Brit turned around a tough Friday into a top ten in the race in Austria and beat teammate Pol Espargaro over the line as the Tech 3 duo completed the top ten. Despite disappointment at missing out on crossing the line as top independent rider to compatriot Scott Redding (Octo Pramac Yakhnich), Smith is nevertheless happy with the weekend.

Bradley Smith (P9): "Overall, I have to be happy with the result and we really turned things around today. Having said that, I am also a little bit disappointed because the top satellite position was the aim, especially after the pace that we had in warm-up and I knew that we had a good chance. I was lucky at the beginning of the GP with all the jumps starts around me but I lost a large amount of time on the opening lap and then there were quite a few mistakes by other riders, which cost me. I was pleased that I managed to cut the gap to Laverty and Redding and I believe that I was really strong in the middle part of the Grand Prix. The only issue was that I put a lot of stress on my tyres to close that deficit to those riders. As we weren’t too sure about the fuel consumption, we had to play it safe and slightly dial down some of the power, which meant that I wasn’t able to get close enough to Redding to make a full attack. However, we already knew it would be a challenging weekend, but from where we were on Friday to where we are now, it’s clear to see that we’ve made a big step and I have to say that I’m very proud."

Andrea Iannone pole position at the Red Bull Ring in Austria,2016

Andrea Iannone has taken an incredible last dash pole position at the Red Bull Ring in Austria, as the Italian came out top in a four-way shootout at the front. Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) was just beaten to the top spot and will start from the middle of the front row, ahead of the second Desmosedici of Andrea Dovizioso.
See the full qualifying timings here

 

How Dani Pedrosa's helmets are made

The manufacturing process of a helmet is a highly complex task. Our two MotoGP riders, Marc Márquez and Dani Pedrosa put their trust in Shoei and Arai respectively to get the job done. We begin a series of two reports in which we talk to both brands to really find out how a World Championship rider's helmet is created, starting with Arai.

How are MotoGP helmets made?

 There is no difference between the manufacturing process of Arai helmets for customers and the process used for MotoGP riders. All our helmets meet  the same standards. We do not distinguish between the riders and our customers as they all need the best possible protection. In general, Arai offers helmets that meet the ECE 22-05 and SNELL standards both for MotoGP and regular riders alike.

Do you take into account the size and shape of the rider's head?

 Most riders are supplied with standard size helmets, but there are some whose head shape is slightly different from the norm. When this happens, Arai provides a special assistance service: the MotoGP Racing Service that has decades of experience adapting and customising riders' helmets. The size and shape of the rider's head is carefully measured and this information is recorded for each rider. Basically, these modifications are done by adjusting the helmet lining.

Do the riders tend to make specific or demanding requests?

 Some riders do. If they sweat more than normal, for example, sometimes we adjust the materials and structure of the lining to better meet their needs.

What feedback do you get from Dani when he tries out a new helmet?

Dani’s greatest concern is comfort and his line of sight, judging by his most recent instructions. Like him, other riders also give us feedback about our products, and this sometimes helps us to inspect them and improve on them.

 How many helmets do you bring to the Grand Prix?

Each rider supported by Arai Racing Service takes with them at least four customised helmets with their individual design. We also have a reserve of helmets at our factory that can be sent immediately.

How many helmets are manufactured for Dani in a season?

The rider receives at least six helmets.

How have the competition helmets improved and changed over the last few decades?
Our high-range models have got better and better over the years. The last RX-7V, for example, has a variable-axis visor system that makes the shell even bigger, smoother, and stronger. We've improved various aspects of the helmet: better ventilation, an improved fit, and increased comfort.

Where does Marc Márquez keep his treasures?

Marc Márquez made history when he won the MotoGP World Championship with Repsol Honda when he was only 20 years, 8 months and 24 days old. This adventure started when, at the age of 4, he received his first motorbike for Christmas (a Yamaha Piwi), and he reached the top when he was named youngest World Champion in history in 2013. Now, at the age of 23 and with the title of MotoGP Champion under his belt, he has many more miles left to cover and a lot more triumphs to celebrate.

After 19 years of sacrifice and hard work he has reached the top by winning the MotoGP World Championship with the Repsol Honda Team. During these years Marc Márquez beat categories and rivals and won competitions in different categories until he reached the elite level; miles and miles of triumphs and memories that you can now find at the museum located in his hometown, Cervera (Lleida).

The Repsol rider's museum is located in Cevera's the city centre, within the Lleida Museum, and just a few meters away from the Marc Márquez Fan Club. On display at the rider's museum —an exhibition area made up of large rooms— are numerous materials covering the Repsol rider's career since the beginning of his adventure in motorcycling, when he was just 4 years old.

The most precious exhibits of the museum are the two motorbikes that helped him win the MotoGP World Championship: the 2013 MotoGP Honda RC213V and the 2014 MotoGP Honda RC213V. Furthermore, the museum project is based on a design made up of images and press documents on the rider's sporting life. It is an authentic treasure for motorcycle lovers. 

Trophies and bikes Everyone who visits the Cervera museum will find an endless amount of trophies, helmets, jumpsuits, photographs, memories, and medals but what will really attract visitors' attention is the bike collection that represents his career in Repsol Honda since the start.

It is possible to see the first bike riden by Marc —a Yamaha Piwi— which he received for Christmas, as well as many other bikes such as the 50cc 356 Conti Copa RX, the Honda CR85, the 125cc Honda RS, the 125cc KTM 2008, the Derbi RSA, with which he won the 125cc World Championship, the Suter, Moto2 World Sub Champion, and, of course, the 2013 MotoGP Honda RC213V and the 2014 MotoGP Honda RC213V, with which he won the World Championship in the highest category.

 

You will also find peculiar objects, such as cups and medals won by Marc at the start of his career in motocross and enduro. Also on display, are the helmets he used when he won the 4 World Championships, as well as the commemorative t-shirts with the number 93 on them of the World Championships he won.

The most precious objects
The oldest trophies kept in the Marc Márquez museum are the ones he won in the 125cc category, such as the trophy that marks his first time on a World Championship podium, or when he reached third place at the British Gran Prix in June, 2008. However, the most precious ones for Márquez are the medals and the helmets that prove he was World Champion in all the categories: Moto3, Moto2 and MotoGP. 

Márquez is most probably making more room in the museum for all the trophies he is winning this season, and who knows, whether he aims to replace the 2014 World Champion helmet in the centre of the display case with the 2016 World Champion helmet. 

Tags: MotoGP - Marc Márquez

 

Temperature and asphalt: key factors when choosing a tyre

In every Grand Prix, tyre technicians working for Michelin, the official MotoGP World Championship provider, can be seen measuring the temperature and assessing the asphalt conditions on the track. They do this for every race, to test all of the factors that influence the best choice of tyre for the teams and riders.

"Advice from Michelin technicians let the riders focus on their performance"

All MotoGP World Championship teams have a tyre technician who works for Michelin, the official tyre provider in the 2016-2017 season. The technician carries out a comprehensive analysis of the conditions at the Grand Prix, offering any necessary advice for the team and rider to be able to choose the most suitable tyre when required.

Their work and understanding of the task are crucial for the team's performance and the rider's safety. Their advice is based on an analysis of the temperature and position of the track, tyre temperature and pressure, and the rider's comments during training and the race. The professionals who work with the teams in each Grand Prix emphasise that: “the estimated temperature of the track is not the only consideration. For each race, we assess the layout of the track, including the shape and direction of turns, the micro and macro-granularity (compactness) of the surface, and the lateral and longitudinal forces applied to the tyres".

Each tyre is designed to provide the highest level of performance and sustainability within specific temperature parameters. Data analysis and the choice of tyres affect the rider's performance on the track. If the tyre overheats, it loses grip and the motorcycle begins to slide and turn. Bubbles can also appear in the rubber lining. At low temperatures, the wheel loses its full grip potential and the motorcycle begins to slide. This can cause a phenomenon called graining, where the rubber develops small ridges across the edge of the tyre.

As confirmed by Michelin technicians who work closely with the Repsol Honda Team, "temperature has a direct impact on tyre grip and sustainability". They are designed to be highly versatile, which means a consistent performance in a wide range of temperatures”.  

Choice of tyre

Michelin provides a wide range of different tyre varieties at each MotoGP Grand Prix to ensure that the ideal solution is offered according to the conditions in each race. Before going to the circuit, Michelin staff work closely with member teams to assess the different possible circumstances. However, they emphasise that "tyre pressure and motorcycle adjustments help, but ultimately the riders themselves adapt most effectively to changing conditions, and can change their style at the wheel to ensure the highest output from the tyres in order to achieve the best results".

The choice of tyres for the front and back wheels depends on both the team and rider, and in most races they make the correct decision, since all of the tyres provided by Michelin are adapted to the track and range of temperatures. The team's experience and the advice from Michelin technicians let the riders focus on their performance on the track, although depending on their position on the grid and qualifying requirements they can also have the last word on the decision, as confirmed by the Michelin experts: "When there are changing circumstances, some pilots decide to try a more aggressive strategy with the choice of tyres, using different designs to their opponents. If they do this, they need to adapt their style to achieve a higher level of performance and sustainability from the tyres".

Championship tightens after wild weekend in France

The French GP is infamous for a wild campsite enjoying every aspect of motorcycle racing, but the action was just as wild on track.

One Mistake Apiece

For the second time in 2016 only 13 riders finished a MotoGP™ World Championship race. Before the 2016 Argentina GP the last time only 13 riders finished in the premier class was at the 2012 race in Malaysia, a race that was eventually red flagged due to the torrential rain. Of the 13 riders who finished the race, one had fallen and re-mounted: Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team). He, Jorge Lorenzo (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) and Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) have now made a mistake each, creating a more or less even playing field once again.

“The way the Championship runs these days, it’s who gets their stuff together at the beginning of the season--and who doesn’t make mistakes--you make one mistake these days and it’s very hard to come back from,” said Casey Stoner back in 2012. These will be very wise words for the likes of Marquez, Lorenzo and Rossi to follow for the remainder of the season. Each of the trio has proved that they’re untouchable when everything is going well but they’ve also shown cracks in their armour. Patching up these cracks will be critical, every rider and team only getting stronger and stronger with more time on the new electronics and tyres.

A second mistake might not be the end of the world however; Marquez, Lorenzo and Rossi have all taken a MotoGP™ title after failing to score twice. In 2004 and 2009 Rossi lifted the crown despite issues, as did Marquez in 2013. During the 2012 season Lorenzo suffered two DNFs, although his second came at the final round of the year after he had already secured the title. The last rider to win the premier class title with more than two race finishes outside the points was Mick Doohan in 1998, but he took eight wins and three second place finishes out of 14 race starts.

Lorenzo and Marquez have now each won twice, Rossi forced to continue to play catch up to his teammate. But the gap from first to third is only 12 points, the tightest the MotoGP™ World Championship has been after five rounds since 2009 when Stoner, Lorenzo and Rossi left Mugello divided by only nine points. Back then both Lorenzo and Rossi had each failed to score in a race while Stoner had never stepped outside the top five. Stoner’s season would unravel due to illness. Fans around the world stayed glued to their seats for every round of the ever changing 2015 World Championship, but 2016 is so far even tighter and the new regulations have filled each race to the brim with surprises. Mugello might be Rossi's backyard, but Spaniards have won the last six races there. All Rossi wants to do is break the streak and return to the top stop, but both Lorenzo and Marquez are guaranteed to do everything they can to beat him to the line.

Ducati’s Difficulties

The Monster Energy Grand Prix de France was another disastrous weekend for the factory Ducati Team, neither of their riders finishing. Phillip Island in 2015 was the last time that both factory bikes finished together in a race. Their lack of results shows not just for the rider's championship but also for the team, the factory team is fifth in the standings and only a single point ahead of Avintia Racing, who are using the GP14.2 which first debuted back in 2014. Both Andreas were in podium position when they fell, Dovizioso's fall coming out of seemingly no where. Ducati have the pace to battle at the front but have so far struggled to find the consistency to do so over race distance.

With 39 points, Hector Barbera (Avintia Racing) is the leading Ducati rider in the MotoGP™ World Championship standings, Eugene Laverty (Aspar Team MotoGP) is the second highest in ninth place. Andrea Iannone is 14 points behind Barbera, a bigger gap than that of the championship contenders. Meanwhile Andrea Dovizioso’s ever-increasing bad luck has him two points behind Iannone and 11th overall. At this stage in 2015’s championship Dovizioso was third with 83 points and Iannone was fifth with 61, almost three times the points they have now.

Ducati are the only factory team who have their satellite riders and teams ahead of them in the championship. Both Andrea Iannone and Dovizioso need to start finishing races, especially as there will only be one seat open at Ducati in 2017 after Lorenzo’s signing.

Just Deserts

MotoGP™’s hottest property, Maverick Viñales (Team Suzuki Ecstar) was finally able to end on the podium he had been so close to achieving throughout 2016. In Argentina he passed his hero Valentino Rossi for what could have been second place, but then fell form what looked to be a guaranteed top three. No such issues in France as Viñales proved he can handle almost everything that is thrown at him, learning from each and every mistake. He may have benefitted from the falls of several riders ahead, but he still held off Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team), a rider with three World Championships and 100 MotoGP™ podiums. As Lorenzo, Rossi, Stoner, Iannone, Dovizioso and many more have all found out, beating Pedrosa, even on a bad day, is no fluke.

Viñales was the first rider to take a debut premier class podium since Scott Redding defied the odds in Misano back in 2015, taking third despite crashing mid-race. He also became the first rider to stand on the podium riding a bike other than a Yamaha, Honda or Ducati since Aleix Espargaro’s second place on the Forward Yamaha in Aragon in 2014. Before that, the last non-Yamaha, Honda or Ducati podium came at the hands of Marco Melandri on the Kawasaki back in 2009, also at the French GP. Viñales has now definitively proven that both he and Suzuki are contenders, but where does his future lie?

Tags:

MotoGP, 2016, MONSTER ENERGY GRAND PRIX DE FRANCE