Miller, Quartararo clash over “unnecessary” Indonesia MotoGP contact

Miller passed Quartararo in the early stages of Sunday’s shortened rain-hit Mandalika race to lead briefly before being overhauled by eventual winner Miguel Oliveira on the KTM.

Quartararo made slight contact with Miller at the Turn 2 right-hander trying to retaliate on Miller, who out-dragged the Frenchman after he made a mistake exiting the final corner.

The Yamaha rider would ease past Miller on lap 16 of 20 to reclaim second, but the latter was left fuming at their earlier contact.

“It was not a fight,” Miller – who went on to finish fourth – said of his early battle with Quartararo. “I just passed him and he precedes to ride his motorcycle into the side of my leg.

“Quite clearly like he did with Johann. I don’t think it’s necessary, once somebody passes you, to immediately accelerate towards their front tyre.

“I will quite happily have a word with him about this, because it wasn’t the first time.

“And as we saw with Johann [Zarco] as well. You can pass, that’s okay. But that doesn’t mean you open the gas and aim for my front tire that I’m gonna crash.

“I don’t think that’s fair, he rode into the side of my leathers.

“I clearly had better pace at that point of time. I come from ninth on the grid and he was on pole and I was faster than him.

“So, it was just an unnecessary risk at that time to bump me in my leg. That’s all.”

Fabio Quartararo, Yamaha Factory Racing

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

Quartararo feels Miller is overreacting about the incident and has “nothing to say” on the matter.

“I do not care. I don’t care, because he’s the one in the paddock in the past that has [made] some aggressive also, and I think my move wasn’t really aggressive,” Quartararo responded.

“I just didn’t really expect to touch and my touch wasn’t something big, was a really small touch.

“I don’t know if he watched it on TV, but before talking he better watch because I didn’t do anything wrong.

“He was talking to me on the bike but I couldn’t hear nothing, but I saw he wasn’t happy.

Read So:

“But I didn’t make any strange move, like [I didn’t] attack him. He just overtakes me in Turn 1, I saw he was running wide and I just closed the line.

“So, I would also like to have the comment from other riders if they saw it as a non-respectful move or not.

“From my side, if I make a bad move I say sorry. But that one, I have nothing to say.”

Tony Blackall Walks The Walk…All The Way To Road America – MotoAmerica

After walking to Road America this week, Tony Blackall will be glad to be back on two wheels this weekend. Photo courtesy of Blackall Racing.

Last year, during the MotoAmerica race weekend at Road America, when you add up all the laps he did in practice, qualifying, Sunday morning warmup, and both Supersport races, Blackall Racing’s Tony Blackall rode his Yamaha YZF-R6 nearly 231 miles around America’s National Park of Speed. This year, Blackall is walking a little more than half that distance just to get to the racetrack.

This past Sunday at about 6:15 a.m., the U.S. Navy veteran started out on foot from his home in Sand Lake, Michigan. He went on a “ruck” as they call it in the military, and the purpose was to raise awareness of armed services veterans who are battling mental health issues that were a result of their military service or who are struggling to adapt to civilian life. It’s a cause that’s near and dear to Blackall’s heart because his heart is also troubled by those same issues.

Tony Blackall and his wife Janet on the Supersport starting grid at Road Atlanta this past April. Photo courtesy of Blackall Racing.

In a recent article written by Milwaukee Journal Sentinel sports writer Dave Kallmann, Blackall said, “I want anybody out there that’s having a bad day to think before it gets any worse or reach out to someone that may be able to comprehend the conversation that they’re not getting elsewhere. Just talking out loud makes a world of difference. Even if you’ve got to say it multiple times.

“Getting it off your shoulders is the biggest thing, and hopefully moving on, because once the story is out there, you and whoever you’re talking with can grow together and keep moving forward.”

Blackall joined the U.S. Navy in 2015 and had big dreams about serving his country. Unfortunately, while training with the Naval Special Warfare Command, he suffered a serious leg injury, which led to his honorable discharge two years later due to medical reasons. The leg healed, but the wound still affects him, and in very profound ways.

“It was hard to grasp,” Blackall told Kallmann. “I put everything into it, didn’t want to come home, felt like a failure. I wanted to do this, set out to do this, and it was going good…and then it wasn’t. It just automatically stopped, and I wasn’t ready to stop.”

Blackall felt like he let his “brothers” down. He was no longer there to support them and help keep them safe. And, he was having a tough time adjusting to being a civilian again.

His wife Janet, who is a Marine Corps veteran, witnessed first-hand the pain that her husband was dealing with. The feelings of disappointment. And the unspeakable darkness. Together, along with an old friend from his former road racing days, the Blackalls got involved in racing again, and then, ultimately, in the MotoAmerica Championship. The camaraderie and brotherhood that both the Blackalls experienced in the military are very much a part of life in the MotoAmerica paddock, as is the action and excitement of competition and reaching goals.

“I can honestly say now, motorcycles saved my life. I don’t think I would be here today if I wouldn’t have started riding them again,” Tony Blackall said to Kallmann in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel article.

Blackall Racing, with Tony as the rider and Janet as both the team manager and crew chief, competed in the past two full seasons of the MotoAmerica Supersport Championship. But, so far, 2022 has been a struggle for them as they haven’t been able to secure the necessary sponsorship to compete at every round. They raced at Road Atlanta in April, and they will be at Road America, the destination at the end of Tony’s ruck, this weekend. And they are also hoping to be at Pittsburgh International Race Complex in August.

The Blackalls are up to the challenge because they have faced far more difficult challenges, both while in the military and especially after their military careers concluded.

As the old Chinese proverb says, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” Tony Blackall’s 120-mile ruck to Road America also started with a single step. But, so did the journey that he is on in life. He walked out of the darkness of his post-military transition to civilian life and into the light of the MotoAmerica paddock.

We hope that light continues to guide him.

MotoGP returns to Catalunya this weekend | Preview

MotoGP 2022 – Round Nine
Gran Premi Monster Energy de Catalunya

In the wake of so much talk following Francesco Bagnaia’s (Ducati Lenovo Team) crash in Le Mans, the Italian’s stylish return to the top step on home turf no doubt felt pretty sweet as Mugello treated us to another Bagnaia vs Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) showdown.

Francesco Bagnaia arrives in Barcelona on a high after a successful weekend at Mugello

Starting with Ducati, Barcelona hasn’t seen a Borgo Panigale win since 2018 and the number 63 seems a good candidate to change that looking at his form at similar venues.

Team-mate Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team), meanwhile, wants just more from the weekend in whatever form, with only a single point to his name from Mugello.

Jack Miller

“I’m happy to be back on track this weekend to put last Sunday’s result at Mugello behind me. The Catalan GP will be like a home race for me as I live in Andorra, and I often come to Montmelò to train with my Panigale V4S. I know the track very well, and I like it. Also, I finished on the podium last year, so I hope I can do the same again this year.”

Jack Miller wants to be out for redemption

Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP) crashed out and slipped a little further down the points table, but still remains the top ranked Ducati rider.

Enea Bastianini crashed out at Mugello, as he also did in Portugal. But he is still the Ducati rider with the highest points tally. It seems he either wins, or is nowhere… A bit like Bagnaia… Bastianini has also won more races this season than anyone, with three victories; Qatar, COTA and Le Mans

Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) wants more before planning surgery to fix his ongoing issues arising from his big crash last year. Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) wants to be more than top Independent Team Ducati on race day, too.

Rookie Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team), team-mate Luca Marini and Mugello polesitter Fabio Di Giannantonio (Gresini Racing MotoGP), however, probably want more of the same. ‘Diggia’ impressed for pole and then took a good chunk of points just outside the top ten, and Marini put in one of his best races with some choice moves to take a top six. But Bezzecchi stole a few headlines as the rookie led the race, went toe-to-toe with winners and champions, and still only just faded from the podium. He’s now really leading Rookie of the Year.

2022 Mugello MotoGP Front Row
1 Fabio Di Giannantonio (Gresini Racing MotoGP) – Ducati – 1’46.156
2 Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) – Ducati – +0.088
3 Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) – Ducati – +0.171

At Yamaha, the two sides of the coin continue to trouble the Iwata marque. For his part, Quartararo remains Championship leader, keeps taking podiums, and wrung absolutely everything out of his machinery at Mugello to get stuck into a Ducati and Aprilia party in the top six and come out only six tenths off the win. He won in Barcelona in 2020, he had his leathers drama in 2021 but retained some scything speed at the front, and Yamaha are the most successful factory at the track. Can ‘El Diablo’ get back on the top step? And can a venue where the bike has a proven track record help the likes of Franco Morbidelli (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) make a step forward?

Quartararo began to disrobe mid-race at Catalunya last year…

Speaking of steps forward also speaks to Aprilia, after another podium at Mugello extended their best ever run with Aleix Espargaro’s fourth podium finish on the trot.

Team Aprilia celebrate with Aleix Espargaro at Mugello last weekend, his fourth podium in a row

It’s home turf for the Spaniard at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya too – as in, walking distance to where he grew up – and with the form he’s in, it’s hard to imagine Espargaro aiming for anything other than victory. On the other side of the box meanwhile, Maverick Viñales continues to make progress with some searing lap-times near the end of the race in Mugello, with those early laps now the next focus…

For KTM, Catalunya is turf they’ve already conquered, with Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) on ​​the top step last season. But comparing Mugello 2021 and a podium to a top ten for the Portuguese rider a year on, there remains some margin between the Austrian factory and the podium, and there remains plenty of work going on to cut that down. Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), however, continues to give it full gas on every given Sunday as the South African put in another race day charge up to seventh after a tough qualifying for both riders. What can KTM do in Barcelona?

Binder was on the podium at the season opener but hasn’t threatened it again since..

The tougher times also continue for Suzuki. In the last two races neither rider has scored, but Barcelona offers a good track record and another chance to reset for 2020 Champion Joan Mir and team-mate Alex Rins. It also offers a layout that may suit the Hamamatsu factory more, so can put the recent turmoil behind them and come out swinging again? It’s also home turf for both, with plenty of support in the stands.

Remy Gardner tussling with Joan Mir at Mugello

Finally, at Honda it’s Stefan Bradl back in for Marc Marquez as the number 93 heads for surgery, and the test rider will likely have plenty to use the track time for as the factory continue to fettle the RC213V. Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team) looks for some better form too, and on very home turf, and the same can be said for Alex Marquez (LCR Honda Castrol). Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu), meanwhile, continues in his step forward… can he keep it rolling and step up in the absence of Marc Marquez…?

Stefan Bradl will step in for Marc Marquez as he undergoes further surgery on his arm/shoulder

MotoGP Championship Points Standings

position	riders	nat	Points
1	QUARTARARO Fabio	FRA	122
2	Espargaro Aleix	SPA	114
3	BASTIANINI Enea	IT	94
4	BAGNAIA Francesco	IT	81
5	ZARCO Johann	FRA	75
6	RINS Alex	SPA	69
7	BINDER Brad	RSA	65
8th	MILLER Jack	OUT	63
9	MARQUEZ Marc	SPA	60
10	ME Joan	SPA	56
11	OLIVEIRA Miguel	POR	50
12	Espargaro Pol	SPA	40
13	NAKAGAMI Takaaki	JPN	38
14	VIÑALES Maverick	SPA	37
15	MARTIN Jorge	SPA	31
16	MARINI Luca	IT	31
17	BEZZECCHI Marco	IT	30
18	MARQUEZ Alex	SPA	20
19	MORBIDELLI Franco	IT	19
20	DI GIANNANTONIO Fabio	IT	8th
21	DOVIZIOSO Andrea	IT	8th
22	BINDER Darryn	RSA	6

Moto2

At Le Mans, it looked like a done deal. Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo) was off and away in the lead looking like he’d become the youngest ever intermediate class winner, and then came that mistake as the Spaniard hit the floor. But that seemed to have little effect once the paddock arrived in Mugello, with Acosta picking straight up where he left off and bolting away for victory to beat Marquez’ record with more than enough time left on take two. So are the flood gates open?

If they are, there are plenty of fast faces lining up to try and mute the Jaws music. Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) is now equal on points with Championship leader Celestino Vietti (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) after a podium for the former and a late technical heartbreak for the latter, Aron Canet (Flexbox HP 40) was on Acosta’s tail before he crashed out, Joe Roberts (Italtrans Racing Team) was back in the mix and the rostrum – and says his recent test in Barcelona was a key factor.

Augusto Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) had a tough Saturday and then a tough opening to the race before slicing back through from outside the points to a top five, and Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) was quick but overcooked a move on teammate Sam Lowes, earning himself a long lap. With a little less drama in Barcelona, ​​what have they got in the locker?

Moto2 Championship Points Standings

position	riders	nat	Points
1	VIETTI Celestino	IT	108
2	OGURA Ai	JPN	108
3	CANET Aron	SPA	89
4	ROBERTS Joe	United States	86
5	ARBOLINO Tony	IT	83
6	Fernandez Augusto	SPA	80
7	SCHROTTE Marcel	ENG	64
8th	CHANTRA Somkiat	Tha	61
9	NAVARRO Jorge	SPA	56
10	ACOSTA Pedro	SPA	45
11	DIXON Jake	GBR	42
12	BENDSNEYDER Bo	NEED	41
13	BEAUBIER Cameron	United States	38
14	LOWES Sam	GBR	35
15	ARENA Albert	SPA	35
16	ALCOBA Jeremy	SPA	31
17	GONZALEZ Manuel	SPA	21
18	ALDEGUER Fermin	SPA	20
19	BALTUS Barry	BEL	15
20	MANZI Stefano	IT	9
21	LOPEZ Alonso	SPA	8th
22	SALAC Filip	CZE	8th

Moto3

On the back of another GASGAS Aspar 1-2, it’s time for Moto3 to take on Barcelona… and if it ain’t Mugello winner Sergio García who won at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya last year. It’s also home turf for both he and team-mate Izan Guevara (GASGAS Aspar team), they’re now 1-2 in the Championship too. Can they keep it rolling?

Two riders who couldn’t at Mugello were Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing), who crashed out the lead, and Jaume Masia (Red Bull KTM Ajo), who had an off track excursion and when back on, was relegated to 17th and didn’ t score. Therefore the two remain locked in a dead heat on points just behind the GASGAS duo, so they’ll be looking to bounce back – and so will Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Tech3), who started from pole and then got a tap from Tatsuki Suzuki (Leopard Racing). The Turk fought back to score a point though.

Suzuki then faced a Long Lap and did his own fight back, with the Japanese rider returning to the rostrum for the first time since 2020. Will that kick his campaign into gear? Already a Grand Prix winner but having had a tougher run of late, the signs looked good to expect the number 24 back at the front.

Aussie youngster Joel Kelso has had another week to recover from the injuries he sustained when he was taken out during morning warm-up at Jerez, and will be keen to add to his points tally.

Moto3 Championship Points Standings

position	riders	nat	Points
1	GARCIA Sergio	SPA	137
2	GUEVARA Izan	SPA	109
3	MASIA Jaume	SPA	95
4	FOGGIA Dennis	IT	95
5	SASAKI Ayumu	JPN	75
6	MIGNO Andrea	IT	71
7	ÖNCÜ Deniz	DOOR	71
8th	SUZUKI Tatsuki	JPN	54
9	TATAY Carlos	SPA	52
10	YAMANAKA Ryusei	JPN	43
11	ROSSI Riccardo	IT	42
12	TOBA Kaito	JPN	37
13	ARTIGAS Xavier	SPA	37
14	MOREIRA Diogo	BRA	34
15	HOLGADO Daniel	SPA	28
16	ORTOLÁ Ivan	SPA	23
17	BARTOLINI Elijah	IT	21
18	Kelso Joel	OUT	18
19	MCPHEE John	GBR	15
20	OGDEN Scott	GBR	14
21	BERTELLE Matteo	IT	13
22	FERNANDEZ Adrian	SPA	13

Gran Premi Monster Energy de Catalunya
AEST Schedule

friday
time	Class	session
1700	Moto3	FP1
1755	MotoGP	FP1
1855	Moto2	FP1
2115	Moto3	FP2
2210	MotoGP	FP2
2310	Moto2	FP2

Saturday
time	Class	session
1700	Moto3	FP3
1755	MotoGP	FP3
1855	Moto2	FP3
2035	Moto3	Q1
2100	Moto3	Q2
2130	MotoGP	FP4
2210	MotoGP	Q1
2235	MotoGP	Q2
2310	Moto2	Q1
2335	Moto2	Q2

Sunday
time	Class	session
1700	Moto3	WUP
1720	Moto2	WUP
1740	MotoGP	WUP
1900	Moto3	Race
2020	Moto2	Race
2200	MotoGP	Race

Nine tips for making original photos in famous places

A few years ago, research from Panoramio—Google’s old geo-located tagging, photo-sharing website—revealed the world’s most photographed cities. Their findings? New York was the most photographed city, with the most photographed spot being the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum. Second place went to Rome, with the top spot being the Roman Catholic church Trinità dei Monti. Then came Barcelona and Park Güell, known for the architectural works of Antonio Gaudí.

Some places have been photographed over and over again, by professional photographers and tourists alike. According to research released by Sony Mobile a few years later, the most Instagrammed landmarks in the world are The Eiffel Tower, Big Ben, the Louvre, the Empire State Building, and the Burj Khalifa. Does that mean you can’t create an original photograph in these places? Of course, you can. You just have to get a little more creative. Here are our best tips for making the most of a much-photographed locale.

Gather inspiration

The first step in taking a unique photograph is understanding what others have done before you. You might notice some recurring compositions and motifs, so start thinking about how you can mix it up and improve upon the “standard” shot. Google Maps can be a great resource for planning your compositions.

From there, pull some images you love, either from social media, 500px, or magazines. Then consider ways of combining what you admire about them to create something new. Maybe one shot has seasonal cherry blossoms, while another was taken from a unique vantage point. Mix and match elements you like for a shot that’s entirely your own.

Try a different time of day (or night)

One of the simplest ways to mix up your photography is through lighting. While most people aim to photograph famous places around the sunrise or sunset—and you should photograph during the golden hour—you aren’t limited to these times alone. You could try the blue hour around twilight or even shoot into the night (with permission). Daniel Cheong, for example, was able to capture this stunning laser show at the Burj Khalifa.

Night shoots are also ideal if you want to capture those long-exposure light trail photos, which are particularly popular in cities with high traffic. That’s what Carmine Chiriacò did when photographing the lights near the Colosseum, using a three-second exposure.

(If you do opt for the golden hour, it can pay to wake up very early, while everyone else is asleep.)

Change your vantage point

Most famous landmarks have a “standard” viewing spot, whether it’s a scenic overlook or an observation deck. While these places can offer breathtaking views, they’re often crowded, and they’ve been photographed many times before.

Instead, do your research to find a different spot. It could be a hilltop just outside the city or a private area known only to locals. Prepare for a hike, and bring snacks. In cities, you might have to request permission to access a rooftop lounge or hotel balcony, but it’s worth it for the unique perspective and view.

Experiment with different lenses (or a lens ball)

Bringing a few different lens choices can encourage you to mix up your perspectives and focus on new elements that you’d otherwise overlook. When photographing Big Ben in London, Alisdair Miller used a tilt-shift lens to create this dreamy effect.

If you want to take it a step further, you can even bring a lens ball, a popular tool for refraction. Ryan Millier took this approach when photographing the Eiffel Tower, resulting in a one-of-a-kind shot. You can check out our tips for shooting with a crystal ball here.

Get moving

Relatedly, it can be tempting to stand in one place—usually, where other photographers have stood—get your shot, and move on. But often, it’s a more rewarding experience to spend more time at your location and give yourself the freedom to move around and explore.

What if you turned around and faced the “wrong” way? Maybe you step back, far behind everyone else, to capture more context, or you step in front for an abstract, close-up detail shot. It helps to pack light, carrying only the essentials, so you can walk around as much as you’d like.

Try layering

When you break up your photographs into layers—background, foreground, and middle ground—new opportunities arise. Keep an eye out for natural “frames” or foreground elements to help guide your composition. When photographing the Golden Gate Bridge, for example, André Josselin shot through a fence, allowing its contours to fall beautifully out of focus so our attention remained, first and foremost, on the bridge itself.

Visit during the off-season

Everyone visits Santorini in the summer, while they’re more likely to visit Lake Tahoe in winter. Photographing a location on the off-season can be risky, as you’re likely to miss some of the iconic elements that define the space (for instance, the cherry blossoms in Washington in the spring, or the colorful Coney Island boardwalk in summer). But if you do your research and choose the right location, that risk can pay off in the long run. It was at Coney Island a few years ago that Derek Chen captured this perfectly minimal photograph of an empty beach, blanketed in snow.

Lean into “bad” weather

Most tourist postcards feature photographs taken on clear, sunny days, but rainy afternoons or stormy skies can give your work a unique emotional undercurrent. Foggy mornings are perfect for moody, ethereal shots. Dress properly and protect your gear, and don’t be afraid to embrace the unexpected.

Incorporate people or their silhouettes

In general, you want to avoid crowds, but a single person or silhouette can breathe life into an otherwise static scene. If you’re working with a model, you can direct them a bit and take your time shooting. If you’re a street photographer, on the other hand, the best approach is to find your composition and wait as people pass.

Eventually, the right person will enter your frame at the right moment. When photographing the Taj Mahal, Mohammed Ali Abdo has included human figures on numerous occasions, including this picture, where the blue of the person’s clothing contrasts perfectly with the orange light of the sun bouncing around the space.

Not on 500px yet? Sign up here to explore more impactful photography.

The post Nine tips for making original photos in famous places appeared first on 500px.

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Klopp urges Liverpool to show Madrid who’s boss in Champions League final

Jurgen Klopp wants Liverpool to show they can more than match Real Madrid as the European giants collide in a Champions League final on Saturday for the second time in five seasons.

Real were too strong when the sides meet in Kyiv in 2018, but Klopp’s men bounced back to become European champions a year later and are now in their third final under the German.

Liverpool wants to join AC Milan as the second most successful club in European Cup history with seven titles if they lift the trophy at the Stade de France.

Madrid are well out in front as the kings of Europe with 13 titles, but Klopp is keen for Liverpool not to be cowed by history being on the Spanish champions’ side.

“If you look at the history of the club, if you look at the experience of the other team, the way Real Madrid celebrate the comebacks, I would say it’s Real Madrid (who are favourites) because of experience,” Klopp said at his pre-match press conference on Friday.

“But I want us to be on the same level, thinking on the same level. I want us to be us in this game.”

Madrid have needed stirring fightbacks to see off Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea and Manchester City to get back to the final for the first time in four years.

Liverpool’s path to Paris has been more serene than they prepare for their 63rd game of the season.

Klopp’s men have already won the League Cup and FA Cup and missed out on the Premier League title by a single point to City.

“Once in my life someone told me the more often you win something the more likely it gets you will not win it anymore,” added Klopp. “I’m not sure Real Madrid thinks like that but I have that dream a little bit that it’s the case.

“We obviously played some really, really good stuff this season. We are not here by surprise or we got a ticket or something like that -– we deserved it.

“Being us on the highest level would be cool. If we could do that then we are a really uncomfortable opponent.

Story continues

“We can talk about what Real Madrid achieved in the past and this season, how good their players are, we probably could write a book together now about this team. But we are good as well and that’s what we want to show.”

– Right side of history –

Madrid also already have silverware to show for their season as they cruised to the La Liga title.

“We are very close to achieving the maximum,” said Carlo Ancelotti ahead of his record-breaking fifth Champions League final as a coach.

Ancelotti won Real’s long-awaited 10th European Cup in his debut season during his first stint in charge at the Bernabeu in 2014.

Thibaut Courtois was on the opposing side that night in Lisbon as the Atletico Madrid goalkeeper and the Belgian is looking forward to being on the right side of history in his first Champions League final since.

“We know when Real Madrid play in finals they win them,” said Courtois. “Now I’m on the right side of that.”

Madrid have enjoyed a more relaxing build-up after sealing the Spanish title nearly a month ago.

But Liverpool are hopeful of having a fully-fit squad to choose from.

Midfielders Fabinho and Thiago Alcantara were doubtful due to muscle injuries, but both returned to training this week and are in contention to start.

kca/jc

MotoGP: Bradl Will Fill In For Marquez At Catalunya

© 2022, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc. From a press release issued By Repsol Honda:

Espargaro focuses in on home challenge

As Marc Marquez heads for the US, the Repsol Honda Team prepare to forge ahead with Pol Espargaro and Stefan Bradl in Barcelona.

The MotoGP train doesn’t stop as it arrives in Barcelona for round nine of the 2022 season. In Mugello, it was announced that Marc Marquez would have a fourth surgery on his right humerus and will be absent from the Catalan GP. Stefan Bradl will once again take over the reigns of the RC213V in his place.

There are none that can challenge the Catalan Grand Prix as being Pol Espargaro’s home race, the #44 having been born and raised just a short distance from the track in Granollers. After several difficult rounds Espargaro is eager to steady himself and put on a show for the home fans and perform at the maximum possible level. His best premier class result at home is fifth place, achieved in 2016 and last year he suffered an unfortunate DNF aboard the RC213V. Despite not achieving the end results he has aimed for, the past races have shown signs of progress and flashes of what he and the bike are capable of.

Stefan Bradl will once again join Pol Espargaro inside the Repsol Honda Team garage, their fifth race as teammates. This is the third time that Bradl will race in 2022, having taken 19th in Argentina and suffering a DNF in Jerez while running as a wildcard. As with many circuits on the calendar, Bradl has a strong and consistent point-scoring history at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. Missing points just once in his six premier class races there and with a best finish of fifth in 2013 and 2014.

Monday after the race also presents the second in-season MotoGP test of the year, both Espargaro and Bradl set to continue development work on the RC213V alongside the rest of the MotoGP grid.

Pol Espargaro

“I know that the home fans will give me an extra boost this weekend. After some hard races, this is just what I need to get our year back to where it should be. I arrive as motivated and as focused as ever and from Free Practice 1 we will be working to achieve our goals. There’s still a lot of races left to run and what we find in these races can help us a lot at the end of the year. Also with the test on Monday, we will have a lot of bike time to be able to understand everything.”

Stefan Bradl

“First I want to wish Marc all the best with his operation and his recovery. I am here for everything that HRC and the Repsol Honda Team need until Marc’s return. We have all seen the level in MotoGP, so we know the challenge that is ahead of us but I am confident that working with Honda and the team we can achieve something. Let’s see what the weekend brings, it will be important to get in a lot of laps and prepare well for Monday’s test.”

Viñales & Yamaha Fast In French MotoGP Practice

Maverick Viñales in action at the Le Mans Bugatti Circuit. (Yamaha photo)

LE MANS, France – Maverick Viñales wasted no time in getting up to speed at Le Mans’ Bugatti Circuit on Friday, leading MotoGP practice for the Shark Helmets French Grand Prix.

Viñales toured the 2.655-mile, 14-turn circuit in 1:31.428 during the second session, ending the day .190 seconds clear of defending champion Marc Marquez.

“It’s been a very positive start to the weekend for me,” noted Viñales. “I think we found our setup very fast, so I was able to make many laps and I felt quite good with the bike. I have a good feeling, also with the tires, but we need to keep working. There are still some places where I need to improve, concerning my riding style, so tomorrow I have a lot of work to do. We’ll see what the weather will be like, because it seems to be uncertain.

“We will have to pay close attention in qualifying, because it will play an important role in being able to be in front during the race. For sure, we’ll have to make quick decisions,” he added. “I haven’t ridden the bike in full wet yet, but in Austin, I felt great on the wet tires. I think tomorrow it will be important to understand which direction to work in and how to improve.”

Marquez’s Repsol Honda rider was second-quick with a time of 1:31.618. Marquez is the defending winner of the event and has won at Le Mans twice during his MotoGP career.

Home hero Fabio Quartararo, who led the first practice session to start the day, finished up third overall for Petronas Yamaha SRT. The second factory Honda Jorge Lorenzo and Ducati’s Andrea Dovizioso completed the top five.

Danilo Petrucci was sixth on the sister Ducati, ahead of brothers Pol and Aleix Espargaro. Takaaki Nakagami finished up ninth for LCR Honda Idemitsu and Jack Miller was 10th for Pramac Racing.

Notable names outside the top 10 included Cal Crutchlow (12th), Valentino Rossi (14th), Johann Zarco (17th) and Andrea Iannone (19th).