Vinales has won three of his first five races with Yamaha, and finished seventh and sixth in his two previous visits to Mugello in MotoGP as a Suzuki rider.
While he also won in Moto3 at the circuit in 2013, Vinales says he will look to replicate the style that took fellow Spaniard Lorenzo to victory in five of the last six Italian GPs with Yamaha.
“I have to copy his riding style, because he was really fast,” Vinales said. “I have checked many races and he was always in front. I think we have good data from him.
“We just have to learn and try to make a good bike and try to make his lines. It’s really important this weekend to be strong, make a good qualifying and push in the first laps.
“I know we are in a good moment, we are really motivated, we know our bike can be really strong here.”
Unlike Lorenzo at Ducati, Vinales has enjoyed a smooth start with his new team, topping all of the winter tests and opening a 17-point championship lead with his third win of 2017 at Le Mans.
The 22-year-old, though, feels he has not yet completely refined his riding style to suit Yamaha’s M1.
“After Le Mans, we improved the bike little bit,” he said. “We have many things to learn, I still have to improve the riding style, it’s not 100% perfect for the Yamaha.
“I think still, myself, I can improve, so it’s something [that would be] good to prove here at Mugello. Sometimes I’m too hard on the brakes. I go too far with the brakes.
“It’s going to be good when I improve that, I’m going to make a step.”
Marc Marquez walked away from another crash in practice as he flew off his Honda on a wet track at Portimao on Saturday
AFP
Last Updated:April 23, 2022, 4:55 PM IST
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Marc Marquez walked away from another crash in practice as he flew off his Honda on a wet track at Portimao on Saturday.
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The six-time world champion crashed in practice for the Indonesian Grand Prix and missed that race and the next one in Argentina with a recurrence of his double vision.
The Spaniard had thrived in the rain on Friday, setting the fastest time.
On Saturday, however, with the sun shining but the surface still slick, Marquez lost control in a corner and flew over the handlebars. His head hit the tarmac after he landed but he got straight up, shaking his head.
The 29-year-old had already set a time that was fifth-best for the session.
Reigning champion Fabio Quartararo, who had only been 20th after Friday, finished third. That secured the French Yamaha rider his place in the afternoon qualifying session.
Local rider Miguel Oliveira (KTM) set the fastest time, ahead of Spain’s Joan Mir (Suzuki) and Quartararo (Yamaha).
Read all the Latest News , Breaking News and IPL 2022 Live Updates here.
A Frenchman will start the Le Mans MotoGP race from pole after Fabio Quartararo’s last ditch effort in Q2 saw him pip team-mate Maverick Vinales.
Conditions were a nightmare for riders throughout the day with a wet FP3 and a drying track in qualifying.
While it was unexpectedly dry for Q2, Quartararo highlighted the ‘last sector’ as being tricky to navigate which included a close moment at ‘turn 11’ with spots of rain coming down.
Quartararo said: “It was good that the track dried for the qualifying. The last sector was a bit tricky at the beginning, but on the last lap I pushed myself to the limit.
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“In turn 11 it was quite close but actually I didn’t know I had pole because I saw three bikes in parc ferme, but at the last moment I saw my mechanics, so yeah it was pretty cool.
“Looks like the wet mixed condition when we are able to go with the slicks it’s not bad. But when we need to go with the wet tires in mixed conditions, for us the bike has no acceleration and we are struggling in the drive area.
“I feel good on the braking and corner speed, but when it is drying up it is really tough. I don’t know about the other riders but I know for me it’s impossible to really lean fast the bike.”
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With tomorrow’s race potentially involving a flag-to-flag situation, we could see a scenario where the Yamaha’s are strongest during the dry, but then Ducati gain the advantage in the wet, which has been the case during the wet sessions so far this weekend .
When asked if he thinks that could be the case, the 22 year-old added: “It’s difficult to say. For me the pace of Maverick [Vinales]myself and Jack [Miller] is really good.
“The condition in the wet I’m struggling more compared to Jack and the next Ducati – I think is Zarco.
“We will see. I think that I have a lot of things to learn in the wet condition. I’ve done only one race here in the wet and it was difficult, so I want to learn every time more.”
More, from a press release issued by Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup:
Perfect Veijer takes Farioli on the line for Rookies 2 in Mugello
Collin Veijer flicked out of the slipstream of Filippo Farioli’s KTM and willed his identical RC 250 R alongside and ahead as the pair led a pack of 13 Red Bull Moto GP Rookies across the Mugello finish line covered by just 2 seconds.
It was a masterly performance by the 16-year-old Dutchman who was never too far from the front along with pole man Farioli the 17-year-old Italian.
It had been one of the truly great Cup races and third went to Tatchakorn Buasri, the 21-year-old Thai by just 1 thousandth of a second over 15-year-old Briton Eddie O‘Shea.
The conditions were so different to Saturday’s soaker and 15 laps in virtually perfect conditions allowed the youngsters to produce their best with no one coming close to breaking away and places swapping many times every corner.
Veijer had a plan
“I knew what I wanted to do on the last lap. I thought I could get far enough ahead that they would not be able to catch me before the line. I had tried it a few laps earlier and I thought it was possible.”
“So I went for it on the last lap to make a gap but then Filippo came past and I thought, ‘well maybe that is not so bad,’ and I got in behind him and concentrated on making a perfect run through the last corner and into his slipstream.”
“I had no idea how close the others were behind me I was just concentrating on Filippo. It is great to get the win. I had tried to break away but I was running long gearing and I couldn’t do it, a great race.”
Farioli with a beautiful ride
“The start was not so bad, the first lap was good. After I saw that it was not possible to escape from the other riders, I stayed in the group, made a good management of the situation. In the end I finished 2nd, I was in front through the last corner but Collin did a very good job to exit fast and passed me.”
“Coming to the last lap I realised I had good pace in the second part of the track and I thought, OK I will pass Collin after the Arrabbiata. But after I did they stayed with me, he exited faster from the Bucine and he won. The Strategy was good but in the end I was 2nd. I am very happy, I must congratulate Collin and thank everyone who helps me.”
“It was a fantastic weekend. I was fast in practice and took Pole but yesterday was a difficult race because it started to rain just as we took off the tyre warmers. It was very difficult and I crashed first lap but after made a good comeback.”
Tatchakorn Buasri saved it until the end
“My plan today was really only to push on the last lap, because there was so much overtaking going on that I could try and lead but it was impossible to break away and I knew the race would only be decided on the last lap.”
“I tried to get in the right place on the last lap and I made it to 3rd place. Not bad for me,” he added with his broad grin, the only rider to be on the podium in both races.
Eddie O‘Shea so close to the podium
“It was definitely the best race of my European career so far. I managed to stay in the front group the whole race, I was comfortable in P5, P6, I was comfortable overtaking on the brakes and the bike felt near perfect and I’d like to thank all the team for that.”
“I came out of the final corner 5th, I dragged Tatchakorn and Filippo for 3rd and Tatchakorn beat me by 0.001 I believe. I am happy to take 4th but I’m more happy that I am gutted not to get on the podium.”
Luca Lunetta loved finishing 5th
“It was a very beautiful race, it is fantastic to ride here in Mugello and I enjoyed the race a lot, so much overtaking and I think this is one of the most enjoyable races I have ever made. I can’t wait to get to Sachsenring, I want more,” enthused the 16-year.old Italian.
José Rueda lost the run in to the line
“The race was OK, but not too much,” chuckled the 16-year-old Spanish points leader who is now just 5 ahead of Veijer. “Normally I would like to have more points for the championship. On the last lap, in the last corner I came out in 3rd position and then finished 6th,” he laughed. “That’s how it goes on this track, it’s crazy. The bike was good I enjoyed the battle but….”
Max Quiles could not repeat
“In the last corner I was going to overtake, I was P8, I was on the inside and when I tried to open the gas the front tyre slid away and I went down. I was trying to get the good drive out and overtake in the straight before the line but….” shrugged yesterday’s winner, the 14-year-old Spaniard.
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Amid the pandemic, when the photographer Daniel Cheong found himself unable to travel, he started building impossible, futuristic composites in Photoshop. The results are breathtaking, combining the neon lights and sky-high architecture of Bangkok, Hong Kong, Dubai, Chongqing, and beyond to create dizzying megacities straight from a dream. Early this year, he released his first collection of cyberpunk NFTs, or non-fungible tokens.
In recent years, we’ve seen photographers, painters, digital artists, and more take fresh approaches to illustrating and imagining the future, and many of them have become players in the emerging cryptocurrency/NFT space. With this trend in mind, we wanted to take a look at how today’s artists are exploring futuristic themes, visuals, and concepts in their work. But first, a trip down memory lane.
To understand depictions of the future in popular culture, perhaps there’s no better place to start than with TV. The Jetsons, the animated sitcom that came to television in 1962, only aired for a season, but it sparked hopes of a 21st century filled with possibility and convenience. While we might still long for flying cars, many of its storylines and details proved prescient, from video phones to talking watches.
That same year, NASA reached out to artists to help them imagine the future of space travel. Among them was Robert T. McCall, who became known as the “Space Artist.” He imagined a future filled with floating shopping malls and astronauts in shiny spacesuits. Artists, along with scientists, have always been the best trend forecasters.
Star Trek came in 1966, foreshadowing a future filled with tablets, universal translators, and flip phones. McCall, the Space Artist, would go on to work on films, including Star Trek: The Motion Picture in 1979. He also created promotional artwork for Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey.
At the same time, filmmakers were exploring their own vision for the future of human society. In 1982, Ridley Scott presented a more uneasy view of mankind’s future with Blade Runner. Set in 2019, the film envisioned a technological dystopia, taking place in the rugged streets of Los Angeles. Along with 1988’s Akira by Katsuhiro Otomo, it’s largely credited with pioneering the cyberpunk genre, a movement that continues to inform art and culture in 2022.
Syd Mead, a designer who worked on Blade Runner, Tron, and Aliens, did extensive research on emerging technologies to create worlds that felt both real and impossibly futuristic. His illustrations were the stuff of dreams, though many of his visions came true, at least in part; his handheld devices, for instance, look a lot like smartphones. Though he worked on Blade Runner, his work as a whole is understood as largely hopeful about our technological future.
When it comes to imagining the future, the worlds of cinema, gaming, and photography often intersect and overlap. The Scottish-born photographer Liam Wong, who was once the youngest director at the video game company Ubisoft, also earned a name for himself as a photographer; by 2019, his book, composed of nighttime photographs made in Tokyo, made history as the largest crowdfunded book in the United Kingdom.
Also in Tokyo, photographers like Peter Stewart have captured awe-inspiring views that instantly evoke memories of those early cyberpunk films. “For me, this is about as close as it gets to simulating the world of Blade Runner in real life,” he shared after a recent shoot. These movements aren’t limited to visual art, either; on the heels of cyberpunk, we’ve even seen sub-genres such as synthwave and vaporwave cross over into the music industry.
Elsewhere, Tyler McKay’s Sleepless Streets, a collection of 83 sci-fi-inspired photographs, provides a glimpse into the creative potential of the cyberpunk theme in photography NFTs. Shot late at night, the images feature many of the trademark motifs of the cyberpunk art movement—neon lights, rain-slick streets, towering skyscrapers. As of this writing, the floor price is 0.999 ETH, or approximately $3,018.02.
In more ways than one, NFTs are the perfect fit for futuristic art, in part because the blockchain itself is a new technology. The idea of the metaverse, a 3D space where we can interact with friends, go to work, and buy art, also has historical ties with the cyberpunk genre. As it happens, the phrase “metaverse” was coined in 1992 by Neal Stephenson as part of his dystopian novel Snow Crash.
“NFTs themselves represent a massive leap forward in technology and how we use the internet,” the 500px team explains. “In many ways, collecting NFTs can be seen as collecting a piece of the future.” As the space grows, the meanings behind these works will also shift and evolve. Some artists articulate and visualize our anxieties and fears about the future, while others illustrate the power of hope and innovation.
One prominent photographer exploring futuristic themes in the NFT space is Karen Jerzyk, whose series The Lonely Astronaut became a smash hit. To make the photographs, the artist bought a vintage spacesuit, creating surreal tableaux that imagine life on Earth after humans are gone–or have been forced to evacuate. The project is by turns haunting and hopeful, post-apocalyptic and wonder-filled.
Influential photography projects in the NFT community also include Cyber Streets by the street photographer illkoncept, who was inspired to imagine a dystopian future in the age of climate change, and Neon Noir Tokyo by the street photographer and visual artist TOKYOLUV.
The way artists imagine the future—and respond to the present—is constantly evolving in real-time, with some exploring the climate and water crises, urban expansion, inequality, and environmental degradation through their work. In recent years, we’ve also seen the rise of solarpunk, an art movement that imagines a future where nature and technology peacefully coexist, thanks to renewable energy. Whereas cyperpunk explores a dystopia, solarpunk provides a glimpse at a better world. And it’s not the only movement to advocate for and illustrate a more just and sustainable tomorrow.
The term “Afrofuturism” has been around since 1993, when it was coined by Mark Dery, though the movement has existed for far longer and came into the global spotlight once again in 2018 with the release of Black Panther. Afrofuturist art looks through a Black lens to explore the intersections of the African Diaspora, science, and technology. The movement draws from African traditions, art, and mythology, science fiction and fantasy, and more to reimagine a better future for humanity.
In the relatively short history of NFTs, Afrofuturism has already played an important—and essential—role. Last year, Diana Sinclair curated the crypto art exhibition Digital Diaspora: Liberating Black Creativity, hosted by Superchief Gallery NFT and centered around the theme of Afrofuturism. 18 Black artists from around the world participated. Elsewhere, the African Museum of the Metaverse has dedicated the second floor of their Cryptovoxels space to an exhibition of Afrofuturist art.
With these new iterations of forward-thinking art, we’re seeing NFT creators not only predict the future but also help create it. For some, it means looking to cinematic history for inspiration. For others, that means bringing photography into a new era through meticulous composites. And for many, it means confronting the inequities of the past to redefine the future of art for the better, both in the physical world and far beyond it in the metaverse.
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The post NFT trends: The next wave of futuristic art appeared first on 500px.
The Italian has had a largely under-the-radar start to his MotoGP career on his 2021-spec Gresini Ducati, taking a best of 13th last time out at Le Mans, while 11th in Indonesia was his best qualifying performance.
Di Giannantonio used the tricky conditions in Q1 at Mugello to top the session and progress to Q2, where he used his knowledge of the evolving track to snatch a shock pole by 0.088 seconds from VR46 rookie Marco Bezzecchi.
When asked to describe his breakthrough pole, Di Giannantonio said: “Well, what to say?
“It’s something incredible, because you arrive here in Mugello and expect to do a good result for all the people who come for you, who cheer for you, all the support that you have here in your home race.
“Already riding a Ducati MotoGP bike at Mugello is something incredible, and riding to the pole position is something else.
“It was such a great end of the day for me, and one of the dreams of my life is to be on top of the grid in MotoGP.
“And today we achieved it here, so incredible.”
Fabio Di Giannantonio, Gresini Racing
Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Di Giannantonio says following Marc Marquez – who announced after qualifying that Mugello will be his last race for the foreseeable future as he undergoes more surgery on his right arm – and Jack Miller helped him to better understand track conditions in Q1.
This ultimately helped him to his pole charge in Q2, though Di Giannantonio admits converting this to victory on Sunday is unlikely.
“Well, for sure already knowing more or less the conditions of the track were helping me,” he added.
“But also following Jack and Marc during Q1 that are the fastest guys in these conditions usually.
“I was behind them, I saw that the limit of the tire was really high, so I could push really hard to go fast.
“And that gave me the motivation, the knowledge that it would be possible in Q2 to push like this.
“So, it was well preparing me for Q2, so it helped.
“For tomorrow, it’s a question mark. We are on top, but at the moment honestly we don’t have the race pace to win for sure.
“We will try to enjoy the race, to fight in the first laps and then we will see. But we have the warm-up session to better understand which is our place.
“And honestly I arrived here just to reconfirm the good performance at Le Mans. So, to reconfirm that would be quite good for me.”
Tenth place for Marc Marquez in the 23-lap race was the only reward for the Repsol Honda Tam after three intense days of work in Mugello, Pol Espargaro crashing out of the race early.
Stable weather returned to the Gran Premio d’Italia Oakley for race day once the overnight rain had dried. There were then no signs of the forecasted rain as the grid lined up for the 23-lap race. A great start aboard the RC213V saw Marc Marquez challenge the top five from 11th on the grid in the early stages as he pushed to stay with the leaders. Consistent pace in the high 1’47s to low 1’48s saw him defend his position as best he could, working to stay inside the top ten throughout the race. Crossing the line in 10th place after overtaking Fabio Di Giannantonio, Marquez and the Repsol Honda Team leave Italy with six more points.
Marc Marquez will now prepare for the fourth surgery on his right humerus, flying to the United States on Tuesday and therefore missing the Catalan Grand Prix.
It was a disappointing day for Pol Espargaro who crashed at Turn 9 after dropping back early in the race. He was harmed in the fall. A poor launch off the line led to Espargaro losing contact with the group ahead and was then unable to settle into his rhythm with the constant battling.
Elsewhere, Ai Ogura moved to become joint leader of the Moto2 World Championship standings after a spirited ride to third place.
The Catalan Grand Prix in Barcelona is the next challenge for the Repsol Honda Team as they leave Italy and immediately head towards round nine. Pol Espargaro will be hoping to return to his early season form in front of his home fans.
Pecco paints a masterpiece to defeat Quartararo at Mugello
Ducati take back their turf as another 63 vs 20 chess match lights up Tuscany, with Aleix Espargaro making another little piece of history in third
Francesco Bagnaia (63) takes the checkered flag at Mugello. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Sunday, 29 May 2022
Pecco is back on top! In another classic 63 vs 20, Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) was back to his flawless winning ways at the front of the field in the Gran Premio d’Italia Oakley, bouncing back in style from a crash out in France. Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) nevertheless gave it everything he had, stalking the Ducati rider for the majority of the race after the two picked their way to the front. In taking second, ‘El Diablo’ also extends his lead in the Championship.
Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) came through into third for his fourth podium in a row, giving Aprilia some home turf glory and becoming only the third rider on the grid, along with Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) and Andrea Dovizioso (WithU Yamaha RNF MotoGP), to have taken four or more premier class podiums in a row.
Ducati had swept the top five in qualifying but, rather than the slightly more accustomed Bagnaia being on the front row, it was rookie Fabio Di Giannantonio (Gresini Racing MotoGP) starting from pole, fellow rookie Marco Bezzecchi sitting second and Mooney VR46 Racing teammate Luca Marini alongside. Di Giannantonio made a good launch and emerged with the lead from San Donato despite an attack from the VR46 duo, but Marini got past as they turned into Materassi as Bezzecchi slotted into third at the start of the 23 laps that lay ahead.
Bezzecchi overtook Di Giannantonio through Scarperia/Palagio, before Quartararo snatched fourth spot back from Aleix Espargaro on Lap 2 after the Aprilia rider had made a bold move down the hill on the opening lap. Quartararo was third when he slipped by Di Giannantonio at Scarperia/Palagio on Lap 2, but he had a serious challenge on his hands to try and keep the Ducatis at bay given the power they had on tap up the main straight.
A new Ducati threat then emerged when Bagnaia, who had been shuffled back to ninth on the opening lap, got through on Aleix Espargaro for fifth on Lap 4. However, Quartararo was also on the march as he slipped past Marini later on that same lap, promoting ‘El Diablo’ to second.
Bagnaia slipstreamed past Di Giannantonio as Lap 4 became Lap 5, and then pulled off a big move the next time he charged up the hill towards San Donato, passing both Quartararo and Marini to move into second. ‘Pecco’ was in the lead after he overtook Bezzecchi at the start of Lap 9, while Quartararo relied on superior turning to pass the VR46 Ducati rider at Scarperia, on Lap 11. The stage was set and so began the see saw at the front. 1.2, 1 second, 1.1, 0.9… the two pounded on at the front.
Meanwhile, Di Giannantonio’s charge began to fade and Aleix Espargaro again found himself in the top five, just behind a battle between VR46 teammates Bezzecchi and Marini. Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP) and Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) caught that bunch around 13 laps in, but the former was then out of the race when he tucked the front through Materassi, on Lap 14. Rider ok, standings taking a dent.
Aleix Espargaro finally got back through to fourth as he went down the inside of Marini on Lap 14 at Correntaio, and Zarco relegated #10 to sixth position at the start of Lap 17. Then, Aprilia’s ‘Captain’ got ahead of the next impressive VR46 hurdle with a pass of Bezzecchi at Scarperia on lap 17.
While that was elbows out, Quartararo was starting to make inroads on Bagnaia’s margin. ‘El Diablo’ brought the gap back under a second with around half a dozen laps to go and was able to keep it there, but then the Ducati rider was able to respond. It was back out to 1.1 with a lap to go, and by the time he crossed the line for an emotional win, it was just over half a second. And those 25 points put Pecco fourth, 41 points off Quartararo.
Aleix Espargaro, meanwhile, finished just under two seconds further back, while Zarco passed Bezzechi on the final lap to claim fourth. Marini made it VR46 bikes fifth and sixth, while Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) proved once again that he is the ‘Sunday man’ by climbing from 16th on the grid to seventh all-told, and only a couple of tenths off the VR46 battle.
Rounding out the top 10 were Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu), Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), and – in his last race before surgery on his right arm – Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team).
It took a video review to decide 11th position, in favour of Di Giannantonio, after he and Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) has initially posted identical race times. Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) finished 13th, Alex Marquez (LCR Honda Castrol) took 14th, and Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) scored the last World Championship point in 15th. The non-finishers in addition to Bastianini were Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team), who crashed out on Lap 5, and Team Suzuki Ecstar duo Joan Mir and Alex Rins, who both went down in separate incidents on Lap 8. Rins’ crash was after contact with Nakagami, but the incident was reviewed and no action taken.
In the World Championship, Quartararo’s lead over Aleix Espargaro has crept up to eight points, while Bastianini is now 28 points off the pace in third spot. And Pecco is on the march…
Can he make up more ground when MotoGP heads to the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya for the Gran Premi Monster Energy de Catalunya? Find out next weekend!
MotoGP PODIUM
1 Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) – Ducati – 41:18.923
Francesco Bagnaia: “Incredible. I’m already without my voice; I screamed loud and too much. it’s incredible. I think all of the team and me have really deserved this victory because we have worked a lot. Last week, we were as strong, but we were more unlucky. In any case, we worked so well during this weekend. The start was not my best start ever and in the first braking zone I was a bit late, but in any case, I’m very happy to have won this race at home, in front of our fans. It’s really great.”
Pedro Acosta (51) won the Moto2 race at Mugello. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Acosta makes history to become youngest intermediate class winner
The rookie sensation reclaims his moniker, taking his first Moto2 win at Mugello and beating Marquez’ record
There’s a new history maker in town, or more accurately, Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo) has done it again. After crashing out the lead at Le Mans, the rookie sensation reclaimed that moniker in some style as he became the youngest intermediate class winner, pulling clear in the latter stages at Mugello to take back to the top step. The previous record holder? Marc Marquez. A group fight just behind saw Joe Roberts (Italtrans Racing Team) come home second and Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) complete the podium.
In doing so the Japanese rider moves up to second overall but equal on points with Championship leader Celestino Vietti (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) after heartbreak at home for the Italian, with a technical problem taking him out the fight when sat behind Roberts. There was more drama too, with Aron Canet (Flexbox HP 40) sliding out of second earlier in the race, rider ok.
Canet had got the holeshot from pole position but Acosta outbraked him when they arrived at San Donato and he led the field down the hill for the first time. Sam Lowes (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) went past Canet through the Casanova/Savelli complex on Lap 1 but the Spaniard returned the favour on Lap 2, and Lowes instead found himself in a battle with teammate Tony Arbolino over third spot for several laps.
Acosta rode a composed race, his only real blemish being when he ran wide exiting Arrabbiata 2 on Lap 3 and got loose on the kerb. That moment allowed Canet back past, but he held the lead only until #51 slipstreamed back in front at the start of Lap 4. They were still first and second, having pulled around a second clear of the chasing pack, when disaster struck for Canet on Lap 13. He tucked the front going through Bucine and went sliding into the gravel trap, marking the end of his afternoon but rider ok.
That incident left Acosta on his own at the head of the field, but there were battles aplenty going on not too far behind. In addition to the intra-team battle between Lowes and Arbolino, Roberts and Ogura were going hard it for fifth position initially, while Vietti was on the comeback trail after he was swamped at the first corner of the race and had dropped to 10th.
The pre-race World Championship leader was back up to seventh, albeit one second from the group ahead of him, when he passed wildcard Mattia Pasini (Inde GASGAS Aspar Team) on Lap 6, before Ogura got himself into fourth position when he got by Lowes on Lap 9 at San Donato. The Japanese rider was third when he did likewise to Arbolino on Lap 10, but the Italian got back ahead exactly a lap later.
Ogura overtook Arbolino once more into San Donato on Lap 13, just before Vietti picked off Lowes for sixth through Casanova/Savelli. With Canet out of the picture, Roberts and Vietti were third and fourth once they also got ahead of Arbolino, and then they went after Ogura. The American made a bold move at Palagio on Lap 14 which held up Ogura on exit and Vietti rode through the gap too, relegating the Honda Team Asia rider to fourth.
Meanwhile, the Marc VDS duo continued to lose touch with the four ahead as they sliced and diced with each other. Matters came to a head on Lap 19 when Arbolino had a dive at Turn 2, making contact with Lowes which caused his team-mate to crash. The Briton vented his fury from the gravel trap while Arbolino would soon be issued a long lap penalty.
It was looking like a solid recovery for Vietti, who would have extended his World Championship lead if he stayed ahead of Ogura, but then his bike suffered a problem less than three laps from home. Not only did he miss out on 16 points, the extra three which Ogura would collect by inheriting third position draws them level on points at the top of the table.
There were no such dramas for Acosta. He continued to pull away and ultimately took the chequered flag 4.051 seconds up on Roberts. Ogura finished third, and Arbolino still grabbed fourth, though just 0.015 seconds ahead of Augusto Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) after a long comeback from outside the points after a tougher qualifying and then start for the Le Mans winner.
The rest of the top 10 was Jake Dixon (Inde GASGAS Aspar Team) in sixth, from Cameron Beaubier (American Racing), impressive rookie and new full-time rider Alonso Lopez (MB Conveyors Speed Up), Marcel Schrötter (Liqui Moly Intact GP), and Albert Arenas (Inde GASGAS Aspar Team). Somkiat Chantra (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) was a notable DNF after his spill at Scarperia on Lap 5.
That’s all from Mugello, and now the field head for Barcelona for a quick turnaround and another racing Sunday. Join us next weekend for more in Moto2!
Moto2 race winner Pedro Acosta (center), runner-up Joe Roberts (left), and third-place finisher Ai Ogura (right) on the podium at Mugello. Photo courtesy Dorna.
2 Joe Roberts (Italtrans Racing Team) – Kalex – +4.051
3 Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) – Kalex – +6.749
Pedro Acosta: “It was a long way, a long way to be here. We lost a good opportunity in Le Mans, we lost a good opportunity in America, and finally we have arrived. I think we are doing an accurate job and if we can continue in this way, we can have so much fun at the end of the season.”
Sergio Garcia (11), Izan Guevara (28), and Tatsuki Suzuki (24) race to the finish line in Moto3. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Garcia, Guevara and Suzuki decide Moto3 thriller at Mugello
Guevara crosses the line first, gets demoted for track limits, Garcia takes the win and it’s still almost a dead heat over the line
Sergio Garcia (Valresa GASGAS Aspar Team) came out on top in a last lap classic at Mugello, with plenty of drama as two title rivals failed to score and teammate Izan Guevara crossed the finish line first. The number 28 had exceeded track limits on the last lap, however, and forfeits the win to Garcia. Tatsuki Suzuki (Leopard Racing) completed the podium as his step back into frontrunning speed continued, the number 24 overcoming a Long Lap and still crossing the line almost in unison with the GASGAS duo.
Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Tech3) got the holeshot and after only a lap, there was a trio at the front: the Turk leading Guevara and Diogo Moreira (MT Helmets – MSI), with Andrea Migno (Rivacold Snipers Team) on the chase at the front of a freight train. It didn’t stay that way for long though, with a long snake of Moto3 machines soon making their way round Mugello.
Drama then hit for Öncü as the fight lit up though, with contact from Suzuki seeing the Turk slide out. The Japanese rider was given a Long Lap to take, and Öncü was able to rejoin, facing a fight back from well outside the points.
Meawhile, Jamue Masia (Red Bull KTM Ajo) had a moment that dropped him down the order too, just as Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing) had taken up the mantle at the front, the Italian starting to build a gap. It wasn’t to be this time round though, with the number 7 crashing from the lead and Carlos Tatay (CFMoto PrüstelGP) avoiding that, just before some more drama as John McPhee (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team) crashed and Daniel Holgado (Red Bull KTM Ajo) went down in the incident too.
The shuffle left a gap behind the leading six of Moreira, Garcia, Guevara, Ryusei Yamanaka (CFMoto PrüstelGP), Riccardo Rossi (SIC58 Squadra Corse) and Migno, with Suzuki then tucked in on a mission to tag back on after completing the Long Lap. And he did it, creating a seven-rider fight for the win by five to go and then taking the lead with four to go.
On the last lap, Guevara was leading Garcia leading Suzuki, with Migno looking to attack the Japanese rider. And in classic Moto3 style it all went down to the final corner as Garcia headed up the inside and Guevara tucked into the slipstream, with Suzuki doing the same and getting some great drive to add to the grunt of his Leopard Honda.
It was neck and neck all the way to the line, but Guevara got there first… just. And then news came through the number 28 had exceeded track limits on the final lap and the victory slipped through his fingers, promoting Garcia to the win and the 25 points. Guevara is classified second, with Suzuki completing the incredibly tight podium.
Migno just lost out on home glory in fourth, with Yamanaka completing the top five and taking his best race result yet. Rossi was the last of the front group in P6 after a tangle with Moreira at the final corner. The two suffered some light contact and then, trying to recover, the Brazilian overgassed it and highsided out.
Five seconds back there was another incredibly close trio, with Ivan Ortola (Angeluss MTA Team) beating Elia Bartolini (QJMotor Avintia Racing Team) and Matteo Bertelle (QJMotor Avintia Racing Team) to seventh. Adrian Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) just pipped debutant David Muñoz (BOE Motorsports) to the top ten, with Joel Kelso (CIP Green Power) a couple of tenths back. Mario Aji (Honda Team Asia) takes P13, with Lorenzo Fellon (SIC58 Squadra Corse) dropping to 14th after a Long Lap.
The points were completed by Öncü as the Turk put the pedal to the metal on his comeback, with Kaito Toba (CIP Green Power) and Masia joining him in a three-way battle to the line. But Öncü took it, making Sunday at Mugello a 0 for both Foggia and Masia, and a day of big gains in the standings for GASGAS.
That’s a wrap on Mugello, and next up it’s Catalunya with a quick turnaround. What will Barcelona bring? We’ll find out in less than a week!
Sergio Garcia: “Yeah, I’m really happy. For me, the Mugello race last year was the most difficult. It’s really difficult to win here and I’m very happy. This race is for my friend, and for all his family. Thank you.”
Harley-Davidson’s latest Nightster 2022 dons a familiar silhouette with a new displacement.
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Harley-Davidson has introduced an ‘entry-level’ motorcycle with a water cooling system after its last production 65 years ago. Restoring the Nightster name, the new model continues the Harley-Davidson DNA with a classic look but comes with some of the latest electronic features.
The main focus lies with the engine, which houses an all-new 975cc platform developed from the Revolution Max 1250 platform that powers the Pan America.
Harley-Davidson claims the 60-degree V-Twin engine with the water-cooled system is capable of generating 88.5hp at 7,500rpm and 95Nm at 5,000rpm.
However, while the Revolution Max 1250 adopts ‘variable valve timing’ on both the inlet and exhaust valves, this latest 975cc engine only features VVT on the ‘inlet cam’ section. Here, Harley applies one ‘sparkplug’ per cylinder compared to two ‘sparkplugs’ on the 1250 engine.
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The Harley-Davidson Nightster 2022 comes with an 11.7L tank and weighs 221kg. It features three riding modes namely Road, Sport and Rain. Equipped with ABS, the bike also has traction control and a Drag-Torque Slip Control System.
PETRONAS Yamaha Sepang Racing Team will be back in action this weekend at Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli for the Gran Premio Made in Italy e dell’Emilia Romagna, which will be the final home GP for Valentino Rossi.
Valentino Rossi gets ready for his final hometown race this weekend.
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Petronas Yamaha Sepang Racing Team rider Valentino Rossi admitted that he is quite emotional ahead of his last appearance at home at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at the Misano Circuit. The event will begin tomorrow at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli.
This is the second race at the Misano Circuit after holding the San Marino Grand Prix last month.
Seven-time MotoGP world champion Rossi hopes to improve his performance this weekend. The Doctor stated that although the first race in Misano was emotional, he remained enthusiastic to take on the circuit one last time before retiring at the end of the season.
“I admit the performance is getting better after two weeks of rest as we have a tight schedule including having to race in the United States (US), where the GP competition in Austin is very challenging.
“For now, I am focused on going through the last three competitions with the hope that the level of mental and physical fitness is in the best condition.
“What is for sure, the second race in Misano is expected to be more difficult than the first because the heat to win the world title is increasingly felt.
“We have to focus fully on the circuit and hope that there are no technical problems experienced by the machinery in the hunt for the podium position,” said Rossi.
The Italian-born rider had a gloomy season as he finished 21st overall with 29 points after 15 races this season.
Dovizioso made his full-time MotoGP return with Yamaha towards the end of 2021 with Petronas SRT (before it was rebranded as RNF Racing for 2022) having lost his ride with Ducati at the end of 2020, upon which he elected to take a sabbatical.
But the 15-time race winner and three-time championship runner-up has found the going tough on his factory-backed Yamaha, scoring just three points in the first four races of 2022.
This has only compounded what has been so far a tough campaign for Yamaha, with reigning world champion Fabio Quartararo scoring just one podium and teammate Franco Morbidelli making it into the top 10 once.
Ahead of this weekend’s Portuguese Grand Prix, Dovizioso says Yamaha apologised to him after the Austin weekend but is pleased with the communication he has had with the marque regarding its struggles.
“As always, I don’t want to be here just to race, and to be in this position I don’t like it,” Dovizioso said. “So, I’m very disappointed about that because I really want to be in front.
“But you don’t have all the power to understand all the details before you join. I think Yamaha are in a bit of a difficult situation at this moment.
“Still there is a possibility to be strong because Fabio is showing in every race, because also when he is struggling he can arrive seventh but the gap to the first is not that big. So, for sure you can be fast with the Yamaha at this moment.
“But as they confirm when we do the meetings, they know very well at this moment Yamaha is struggling a little bit. I also did a meeting with Yamaha because I really always want to do a technical meeting with the project leader and it’s nice to work with them, because they are completely open to speak and they realize the reality.
“They say sorry to me when I was finishing 29s [from the winner] after a race in America. So that’s nice because they understand the situation and together we try to be better.”
Andrea Dovizioso, RNF MotoGP Racing
Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Dovizioso last rode a Yamaha in 2012 with the Tech 3 squad and says “the DNA” of the M1 hasn’t changed since then, but its problem areas have only increased and been further highlighted by the gains its rivals have made this year.
“In my opinion, the situation is this one: if I compare it to 2012, the DNA of the bike is very, very similar,” he added. “It didn’t change.
“The Yamaha now isn’t bad. I think it has the same positive things, really positive things, but the negative things are a bit bigger, plus the competitors worked a lot and they became a bit more competitive.
“That mix created this situation because even Fabio, who last year did a crazy championship, is struggling.”
At the Circuito de Jerez, Fermín Aldeguer, the phenomenon from Murcia known in Spain as ‘Martian’, became the European Moto2 Champion this Sunday.
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Aldeguer is the youngest driver ever to win the title in this category, and with nine victories in ten races, he is going to the last race with the title assured. The Boscoscuro Talent Team Ciatti driver has simply been unrivaled this season and the numbers prove it. Interestingly, the only race he didn’t win was the one that gave him the title. In Jerez, he won the first heat and at that moment he was at the point of making history. In his last race, he didn’t want to miss the sweet taste of victory and did everything he could to stop his teammate, Alonso López, from winning. He failed to do so and finished second, losing his first win of the season by less than a half-second. Here is the league table with the round in Valencia is yet to come:
Quiles was all class in wet Mugello Rookies Race 1
Max Quiles showed himself the master of the most treacherous conditions to take a superb wet Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup Race 1 victory in Mugello. The 14-year-old Spaniard kept his head while those around, and mostly in front of him, were losing theirs. Second was 21-year-old Thai Tatchakorn Buasri with Finnish 14-year-old Rico Salmela holding off Spanish 15-year-old Angel Piqueras for 3rd.
It was a contest of attrition with Gabin Planques, Casey O’Gorman and Cormac Buchanan all leading but falling.
Quiles no rain specialist
“I come from Murcia and there it never rains, it’s always hot,” he laughed. “It rained at the test in Portimão and I remembered some things from that. So actually I was quite comfortable in the wet. In the last few laps I slowed so that I would not crash or anything like that and I am really happy to win.”
“I wanted to win and I was pushing to win. When I was catching the leaders I was really determined and if they had not crashed I would have tried anyway. I knew that I could catch them, at least I was going to try.”
“Tomorrow it can be wet or dry I don’t care, my objective is to be quick whatever the conditions.”
Buasri has prepared for this
“Yes I am so happy with that, great to get on the podium this year. I have a lot of experience in the rain, we have plenty of it at home. I use it to train, I train on slicks in the wet to get the feeling of the bike sliding so I am used to it.”
“When Max got ahead I managed to get in front again but I could feel the bike sliding and realised it was on the limit. My set-up didn’t seem to be quite working as well as his in the conditions so I realised I should not take the risk of trying to race him. I told myself to calm down and I settled for 2nd.”
“For Race 2 I hope for a dry race, I will enjoy it.”
Salmela had it sorted, ending with the fastest lap
“The race was pretty good, at the beginning I didn’t want to make any mistakes so I just tried to relax and not crash. Later, towards the end of the race I started pushing and catching up positions.”
“It was unlucky that Eddie crashed on the last lap and I got P3 but I was going so fast the last laps, catching so much. I am so happy with the podium, I want to thank everyone who supports me. For tomorrow I don’t mind so much if it rains but I like more the dry, it is more comfortable.”
O‘Shea came from the back
“Before the start of the race my clutch cable broke and the mechanics did a great job of getting the spare bike ready for me so I could start but I had to go off the back of the grid and on a bike that I didn’t know,” explained the 15-year-old Briton.
“The first few laps were tricky but I started to work my way through the pack and I had a very good feeling and I got into P3 and held it there with a big big gap behind me.”
“Going onto the last lap I came out of the final corner and felt that the rear tyre was so strange, I went on the kerb and the rear was moving a lot. Into turn 1 and the rear tyre was still feeling strange, Went into Turn 2 and had such a strange crash, off the gas. It turned out that I had a puncture, nothing I could do about that. Just thanks to the team for getting me out there after the clutch problem.”
Points leader Rueda took 5 for 11th
“The conditions were very very difficult and it was hard to get a good feeling from the bike. It was important to get some points. I hope for a dry race and I will push for a lot more,” promised the 16-year-old Spaniard.
Buchanan takes the positive from leading for 3 laps
“Very disappointed, this was a great opportunity for me. I saw the gap come down a little bit and I tried to push a little more but not too much, I just went into the corner the same as usual and tucked the front,” admitted the 15-year-old Kiwi. “Devastated but we showed the potential and tomorrow we’ll try again.”
O’Gorman led 2 laps and did nothing wrong
“It’s a big shame I felt good on the bike, I was not pushing too hard, it felt really good, I looked at the temperature and it was way down to what it should be because of the rain and then as I got on the throttle, it stuttered a bit and the back end came round and I couldn’t save it,” explained the 14-year-old Irishman.
Broadcast
This weekend’s Rookies Cup races can be seen live on www.redbull.tv and on TV stations around the world.
Race 2 is on Sunday at 16:30 CEST, the show starts 10 minutes before the race.
More, from a press release issued by MotorSport Vision Racing:
Ryde defeats O’Halloran in thrilling final lap of the eBay Sprint Race at Donington Park
Jason O’Halloran (22) and Kyle Ryde (77) battle for the lead in British Superbike Race One at Donington Park. Photo courtesy MSVR.
Kyle Ryde celebrated his first victory of the 2022 Bennetts British Superbike Championship in the eBay Sprint race at Donington Park, taking the chequered flag just 0.038s ahead of Jason O’Halloran as the fight for the win went down to the wire in a thrilling final lap.
The first eBay Sprint race didn’t disappoint as it became a last lap dog fight for the win between Ryde and O’Halloran, who were both targeting their first race victory of the season and to become the fourth different winner in 2022.
Rory Skinner had taken the initial advantage at the start after an incredible move around the outside into Redgate for the first time to put the Cheshire Mouldings FS-3 Kawasaki ahead. Pole sitter O’Halloran and the Rich Energy OMG Racing Yamaha pairing of Ryde and Ray led the chasing pack.
A lap later and O’Halloran grabbed the lead with a move on Skinner into Redgate, but behind them, the teammates were scrapping for third after Ray moved ahead of Ryde at Redgate on the third lap.
Championship leader Ray then had his turn at the front by lap six, as he carved his way through, but two laps later, his Rich Energy OMG Racing Yamaha teammate Ryde had claimed the position.
Ryde then held the lead, despite coming under immense pressure from Ray and O’Halloran plus the Cheshire Mouldings FS-3 Kawasaki pairing of Lee Jackson and Skinner. Jackson and O’Halloran had a huge dice for the position, and on lap ten, it was so close that it cost the pair time, which also meant that Glenn Irwin was then in the mix.
Ryde was determined at the front; meanwhile O’Halloran had regained ground and was into second with three laps to go ahead of Ray. The McAMS Yamaha had his sights firmly set on Ryde ahead of him, closing him down onto the final lap when he made a move at the Old Hairpin, but his rival fought back.
Ryde led O’Halloran into Roberts Chicane as the pair were side-by-side and it was a drag to the line between the pair in a dramatic finish, where the Rich Energy OMG Racing Yamaha rider emerged ahead.
Ray completed the podium ahead of Jackson and Glenn Irwin who completed the top five. Meanwhile Christian Iddon scored a sixth place finish for Buildbase Suzuki as he holds joint position in the eBay Fast Forward Award after making up eight positions from his starting place on the grid.
Skinner finished seventh ahead of Tommy Bridewell on the leading Ducati with Peter Hickman and returning champion Tarran Mackenzie completing the top ten.
Bennetts British Superbike Championship, Donington Park, eBay Sprint Race result:
Kyle Ryde (Rich Energy OMG Racing Yamaha)
Jason O’Halloran (McAMS Yamaha) +0.038s
Bradley Ray (Rich Energy OMG Racing Yamaha) +1.143s
Lee Jackson (Cheshire Mouldings FS-3 Kawasaki) +2.306s
Tommy Bridewell (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) 64
Peter Hickman (FHO Racing BMW) 54
For more information on the Bennetts British Superbike Championship visit www.britishsuperbike.com
Kyle Ryde
Rich Energy OMG Racing Yamaha
eBay Sprint Race winner
“It was very difficult race at the start, obviously there were five or six of us all sort of bunched up and I didn’t really get a chance to look at my pitboard!
“I just saw my opportunity and thought if I don’t do it now, I never will! I had a go and to be honest I came round and there were 12 laps still to go and I was in the lead.
“I thought ‘I’ve gone way too early here’ because I know how good Jason is, especially at the end of a race. It nearly backfired but I just managed to win.
“It was a difficult end to the race as I had about half a second and Jason just bridged the gap and he ran wide into the Old Hairpin, luckily as I think he may have had a bit more speed in the rest of the lap.
“I knew this win would come at some point and luckily for me it was at my home track.”
Maverick Vinales’s strange weekend at Silverstone ended with a podium. After a Friday always among the top riders, Maverick had to surrender to Rossi’s and Quartararo’s great performances, finding himself third among the Yamahas but with a solid race pace, even if not better than the two team companions.
In today’s race, once he lost Quartararo in the first lap. Maverick had to duel it out at the beginning with Morbidelli, then with Valentino Rossi, winning both and coming close enough to Rins and Marquez (who had lost a lot of time with passing and counter-attacks).
“In the last two laps, I told myself to go faster,” Vinales said. “I believed it for a moment, but I knew it would be very difficult, almost impossible to take Rins and Marquez. I tried to delay braking, but I lost a lot in a straight, like in the T4. The podium is a good result in the end.”
An important podium, since it allows Vinales to pass Valentino Rossi in the world rankings and become the best Yamaha on the grid.
“If I don’t win, I’m never fully satisfied,” commented Vinales. “But being the best Yamaha both in the race and in the standings bodes well, and being the best is always my goalalong with always being on the podium.”
From a privileged position, Maverick was a spectator of the duel between Rins and Marquez. Did you have fun?
“Yes. It was a good duel with a nice pass on the last corner, but I would have preferred to experience it and have dued it out with them. It wasn’t possible today. I did more than what the bike allowed me to.”
What stopped you in this M1 at Silverstone today?
“Today I suffered a lot on the straight, and that was the main problem. I felt I was slower compared to Marc and Alex at the beginning of the race. Then, I’m forced to never reach my limit 100% so as not to wear out the tire too much. Today, from lap 14 onward, my grip dropped a little, and it was very difficult to ride clean. I know I managed the tire well, and I’m satisfied with the work done on the bike set-up. I was very strong in braking.”
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WithU Yamaha MotoGP rider Andrea Dovizioso says the 2021 MotoGP championship-winning manufacturer has backed itself into a corner similar to the one that Honda previously placed itself in with Marc Marquez, where only one rider – reigning champion and 2022 championship leader Fabio Quartararo – is now able to successfully ride its M1.
The three-time championship runner-up has had a torrid start to the season as a satellite Yamaha rider, scoring only eight points from the first seven races of the year and finishing more than half of them outside the points altogether – a long way from his previous status as a championship contender with Ducati.
And the reason for that, he believes, is simple: that just like Honda, who built a bike that solely suited the strengths of Marquez and punished its other riders, Yamaha has made a machine uniquely suited to Quartararo’s riding style and the other Yamaha riders are suffering the consequences.
“Yamaha is in a very good situation because they won last year, they’re first in the championship this year, but in my opinion, they’re in a very similar situation to Marc and Honda in the past six years,” explained Dovizioso after finishing the French Grand Prix in 16th. “In a different way, because the bike is completely different, but this is my opinion.
“I don’t know if Yamaha decided to arrive in this situation, but I think Honda decided to go in this way because Marc [was dominant]. I don’t have the experience of the past four years. But the situation is similar – just one rider is able to use the potential and make a huge gap compared to the other riders.”
That’s not meant to be a criticism of the machine, though. Undoubtedly very strong thanks both to an impressive 2021 campaign and a consistent if somewhat lackluster beginning to 2022 so far, it’s allowing Quartararo to head the title race.
And 15-time race winner Dovizioso (who sits only one place ahead of rookie team-mate Darryn Binder) says that Quartararo’s success means that Yamaha is still doing something right.
“The bike is really good in some areas because Fabio has shown us that he can do incredible things,” Dovi explained, “but it’s the only way to be fast in my opinion with this bike. If you don’t ride in that way and don’t do a lot of meters and make a lot of speed in the middle of the corner you can’t be fast.
“The bike, with the same speed as the other bikes, doesn’t accelerate. If you don’t make speed in the middle of the corners you can’t be fast. hey [Quartararo] is really dancing in every track, and it’s the only way to be fast with this bike.”
And, perhaps worryingly for the Italian with two-thirds of the season remaining, he doesn’t see an easy way out of the problem they’re currently in beyond finding a way to completely rewrite his whole riding style to become more like Quartararo.
“In every track and with every set-up we’ve tried, more or less the gap is the same,” he admitted, something reflected in his race results this year.
“This is just another confirmation that the way you have to ride is too different. We’ve tried to change a lot of things, which is all that we can do because we don’t have different material, but you don’t really affect it in a bad way or a good way.
“The only way is to change the microchip in your head, to ride the bike in a way, I don’t have that at this moment. I’m trying to change it but I haven’t found it yet, and that’s the moment why in every track more or less the gap is very similar, pace-wise and on a best lap.”
Today’s result is not yet a victory but it could almost be one for Joan Mir on his Suzuki. After a difficult and hard-fought season at times, the former champion from Majorca conquered the front row behind the two factory Ducatis less than two tenths of a second away from pole. A long-awaited result this season not only by Joan but by all Suzuki who this season had qualifying as their Achilles heel.
This front row is a result you’ve been waiting a long time for as it is important to start in a good position in MotoGP but for you as a rider, especially after a very good weekend, you must feel very satisfied.
“Yes, I am very happy with the result. Already from the tests after Misano we managed to find a solution with the bike setup that allowed us a further step forward and with good conditions here in Portimao it seems that everything is going the right way . However, I think our potential has not yet been reached, both me and the bike can give even more, but for now the sensations for tomorrow’s race look good.”
You have often found yourself having to start from the rear, this result will make things easier in the early stages of the race, do you agree?
“In general, starting from behind means having little chance of winning a race, at most you try to get on the podium. Starting in the front row opens up a greater chance of victory, now we just have to see what will happen tomorrow” .
Compared to the difficulties encountered in the last few races, what has changed?
“In Misano and in Aragon we started to show better potential than during the year, then the Misano test was useful for us, but we still had to understand how to make everything work together. I believe that after the last two races, after the Misano tests and after taking a break, I found my right pace. Right now I’m quite confident, able to ride the bike in a good way, and I’m enjoying it, which is the most important thing. When you enjoy being on the bike, you’re fast.
Even though this is your first row in MotoGP this season, you didn’t seem particularly happy with the result…
“In that moment I wasn’t really happy, because I couldn’t take 100% of the package, and when you’re not able to then you are angry, even if I’m on the front row.”
Can you tell us more about what happened?
“Alex was following me in all the sessions, and in the first exit of qualifying. In the second exit he was waiting again for me, and if he doesn’t disturb me that’s not a problem. But in that moment, I made the first lap slowly, trying to warm the tires – the time wasn’t bad but I was trying to warm the tires. I just had one lap left and he decided to overtake me on the braking and then go wide.”
You said you had found a new solution that improved your setup after the Misano tests, can you tell us more about it?
“That’s the advantage of the test, and we tried different geometry of the bike and it looks like it was a little bit better. We also received a second evolution of the device, and in some places it’s been a lot better than the first one. With that, we lost the same as we gained in acceleration in other places, but we were able to get back a little more with the new one.”
Yesterday you spoke about needing a break after the last race at Misano, can you go into more detail about the reasons?
“As I said, I decided to take a break from sport for a week, to recover my energy and regain the mental balance necessary to face the last two races. After Misano I felt completely disoriented, I needed it.”
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Track action at the Gran Premio d’Italia Oakley kicks off on Friday morning but as always, before the riders do their talking on the asphalt, it was time to chat all things Mugello as World Championship leader and 2021 Italian GP race winner Fabio Quartararo ( Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) was joined by Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing), Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP), Jack Miller and his Ducati Lenovo Team teammate Francesco Bagnaia in the pre-event Press Conference.
IPL 2022 – FULL COVERAGE | SCHEDULE | RESULTS | ORANGE CAP | PURPLE CAP | POINTS TABLE
Quartararo, Yamaha and tackling Mugello
He may have won in Italy last year, but the question remains: how strong will Quartararo be on the Yamaha at a temple of top speed? Sector 2 and Sector 3 were pinpointed by the reigning World Champion as ones he’ll excel in, but the most important thing will be qualifying well and getting a good start.
Quartararo: “It’s difficult to say because it’s not bad tracks (including Catalunya) for us, but if we are in bad positions then it will be bad. I would say if we get a great start and great first lap it can change our race, the qualifying and first lap. Let’s see how it goes but I think the next two will be tough.”
Aprilia’s home GP, new contract, Barcelona on the horizon – a huge couple of weekends for Aleix Espargaro
The breaking news coming out on Thursday was Aprilia Racing announcing that both Aleix Espargaro and Maverick Viñales will be remaining with the Noale factory until at least the end of 2024. Coming into Aprilia’s home Grand Prix, Espargaro is on a run of three consecutive P3 finishes and second in the title race – and next week is the Spaniard’s home Grand Prix.
A huge couple of weekends face Espargaro and there is added pressure given where we’re going. But the same points are on offer, so the target remains the same.
Aleix Espargaro: “It’s two very important races for us. Mugello is very important for Aprilia, I’m very happy to ride in Italy in this way, with good results. We are actually leading the teams’ Championship for the first time in Italy for Aprilia, so it’s fantastic and next week it will be my home GP.
“It’s two very important races, but it’s 50 points, no more than Germany and Assen, for example, so I am trying to work in the same way as the previous weekends. I have the same feeling that Fabio does, that the first laps of the race will be very, very important, especially against the almost Ducatis here at Mugello with the long straight. So trying to be focused from the first lap tomorrow morning will be very, very important.”
Mugello—the perfect place to bounce back for Pecco
It was a disappointing end to the French GP for Bagnaia after crashing out of second place, but lessons have been learned and the Italian admitted that there isn’t any better place to try and put things right than Mugello.
Bagnaia: “Yeah it’s normal sometimes you can make mistakes and my one was a bit too big, but it’s ok. I had time at home to learn from that and I think the best place to re-join is Mugello. I’m really looking forward to riding tomorrow, last year was good to me, everything went well apart from the race, but Sunday was one of the worst days we had during the season. Let’s think from the Championship and try to enjoy tomorrow.”
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) nevertheless gave it everything he had, stalking the Ducati rider for the majority of the race after the two picked their way to the front. In taking second, ‘El Diablo’ also extends his lead in the Championship.
Valentino Rossi gets ready for his final hometown race this weekend. 
