Following the lockdowns of 2020, still lives are experiencing a renaissance across the board, appearing on the social media feeds of everyone from fashion influencers to interior designers to renowned art institutions like Sotheby’s London. In the last year, trends like “tablescaping,” or the art of dinner table photography, have revitalized a time-honored niche, inspiring people to make the most of their time at home by creating eye-catching images.
From the minimal to the elaborate, at-home still lives are trending in a big way, and commercial photography is no exception. Browse the social channels of leading brands like Starbucks or Sephora, and you’ll find a visual feast of vibrant and modern product photos that practically jump off the screen. Meanwhile, influential brand photographers and prop stylists have shared their behind-the-scenes tricks in viral TikTok videos, giving at-home shutterbugs more tools than ever.
While the words “commercial stock photography” might be closely aligned with lifestyle shoots featuring people, there’s also a growing demand for abstract visuals with a creative twist. Still-life shoots pose the opportunity to shoot marketable content from home and on a budget, while also encouraging today’s photographers to think outside the box. With that in mind, here are our best tips for incorporating these kinds of shoots into your Licensing portfolio.
Tip #1: Go conceptual
Conceptual still life photography illustrates abstract ideas with simple, often ordinary props and items. When shooting for your Licensing portfolio, brainstorm ways to visualize timely and relevant concepts. To illustrate the larger idea of environmental sustainability, for instance, you might use metal straws and reusable coffee mugs. A still life featuring workout equipment could represent concepts relating to fitness and wellness, while tech devices in still lives could speak to innovation. Vintage items can help capture the spirit of nostalgia after a difficult year.
Research from Getty Images further reveals that success, luxury, and growth are among the most in-demand concepts among customers looking for people-less photography. Certain props, like ladders symbolizing success or puzzle pieces representing innovation, have been overused in stock photography, but that doesn’t mean they should always be avoided. In fact, you can still find fresh and unexpected ways to incorporate them by following the tips below.
Tip #2: Get creative with color
This year, the Pantone Color Institute chose two Colors of the Year: a neutral gray and a hopeful yellow. We’ve already seen these colors pop-up in campaigns for brands ranging from Anheuser-Busch to Amazon Alexa, and we expect to see them trending throughout 2021. You can also check out other color trends and forecasts by brands like Benjamin Moore or Sherwin-Williams, who chose “Aegean Teal” and “Urbane Bronze,” respectively. Color trends can change quickly, so keep an eye on what the experts are predicting.
Choose props or backgrounds featuring these colors and/or their complements (yellow’s complement is purple, while teal’s is ruby red). Maybe you use a monochrome color palette in your next still life shoot, or you experiment with the color wheel. Keep in mind that many colors also have symbolic weight; green, for instance, evokes ideas relating to sustainability and the environment, while blue can convey security or serenity.
Tip #3: Experiment with light
Unsurprisingly, given Pantone’s forecast, warmer lighting is currently trending in commercial photography. Research from Getty Images also indicates that today’s customers gravitate towards realism in photography, boosting demand for photos with natural light and everyday environments. They also found that images with shadows or glare indicating the direction of the light source have also proved popular.
That’s not to say that you shouldn’t experiment with artificial lighting as well. In 2019, in fact, Getty Images named the “return of the flash” as one of their top creative trends, with many buyers looking for bright colors and bold lighting. Play with natural light and off-camera flash to see what works with your subject and style. Try backlighting and side lighting with window light or strobes. Bring in different backgrounds, from matte to shiny surfaces, to see how they interact with your light source or create shadows throughout your composition. Fabrics like velvet will absorb light, while white surfaces will reflect it.
Tip #4: Play with composition
According to research from Getty Images, one-third of finance customers are influenced by design and style in advertising when making purchasing decisions. As with color and lighting, composition is an area where you can feel free to mix things up. You can go ultra clean and minimal with a stylized flat lay, or you can introduce more elements for an authentic, lived-in vibe. Similarly, you can highlight one object against a simple color or two-tone background, or you could take a maximalist approach with several layers.
Maybe you play with transparent and opaque props, or you introduce unusual textures to enliven your composition. Perhaps you use repeating identical design elements to create a pattern. Keep a prop closet with cool backgrounds, objects, and accessories to serve as inspiration. Buy second-hand or rent from a prop store like ACME. A salvaged marble surface, an eco-friendly dishware set, or even a beautiful sprig of green from your backyard can help you to generate new ideas. Try making a sketch before your shoot, and add or subtract props as you go.
Tip #5: Introduce some variety
“Spend your time wisely, and avoid getting bogged down trying to get each photo ‘perfect,’” the 500px team urges. Commercial photography is in some ways a number’s game, so you want to maximize the potential of every shoot by getting as many different and dissimilar shots as possible. It can help to start all sessions with a shot list, while also giving yourself extra time to improvise and experiment on set.
Take multiple photos of the same setup from different angles and perspectives, and add and remove props to mix it up. Try natural light, and then introduce a flash; bring out different backgrounds and props. Remember to include wide shots with plenty of copy space, and then get close for those details. “If you spend time getting many shots instead of spending hours on one setup, you’ll have more Licensable content at the end of the day,” the team at 500px explains.
Tip #6: Get inspired
Every shoot starts with research, so pull some photos and create a mood board for inspiration. You can include photos you find on 500px and Getty Images, and you can also browse the social media feeds of your favorite brands to see what kinds of images they use. Take note of design trends (colors, lighting, etc.) you see on TV commercials, or pull some tearsheets from magazines.
Beyond the commercial sphere, remember to look at art and design blogs, follow the social channels of prominent galleries, or even better, visit a museum and study the greats. Whether you’re looking at a classic still life painting or a commercial campaign, remember to ask yourself what works about the image: the color, the composition, the concept. From there, try to emulate and improve upon what’s been done before.
Tip #7: Be patient
Still life photography is a vast and ever-evolving genre, so it can take time to refine your skills and develop your niche in terms of subject and style. The important thing is to continue shooting and determine what works and what doesn’t. It can help to track your sales or keep an eye out for feedback from the community about what stands out in your work.
Licensing Contributors like Priscilla Ong and Sarah Saratonina have cultivated identifiable styles by experimenting with different props and techniques over time; Priscilla is inspired by pop artists like Andy Warhol and filmmakers like Wes Anderson, while Sarah finds inspiration in fun, eye-popping color combinations. Take a look at their portfolios for inspiration, and get creative at home to put your own personal twist on the evergreen still life tradition.
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The post Our seven tips for shooting still life photography for Licensing appeared first on 500px.
Brad Binder took the first victory of his MotoGP premier class career on Sunday, won at the Automotodrom Brno and delivered the first checkered flag for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing.
The South African won the Moto3 championship in 2016 and has competed in Moto2 for the last three seasons before advancing to the top tier this year. With nine laps to go, he took the lead and took the first podium in his third start in the premier class of MotoGP.
“To be honest, I have no words,” said Binder, 24. “This is a day that I dreamed of as a little boy, and today it has come true. It’s incredible to win my first Grand Prix. I really wish my parents were here because it is they who have supported me from the start. Thank you to everyone who supports me in coming here. It’s a dream come true.
August 9, 2020 Automotodrom Brno
Remember the day @ BradBinder_41 and KTM shocked the world! # Bradical | #CzechGP pic.twitter.com/CbSZbWx75N
– MotoGP (@MotoGP) August 9, 2020
“I can’t thank my team enough. You put an absolutely crazy motorcycle under me this weekend. I had no idea that I could win, but I had a feeling we could be good. Hats off to my boys. You did an incredible job. I hope this is the beginning of many more. “
Franco Morbidelli finished second for his first podium in the premier class of MotoGP. Pole sitter Johann Zarco was third ahead of Alex Rins and Valentino Rossi.
With a seventh place, the championship leader Fabio Quartararo maintained his points lead.
In the Moto2 intermediate class, American Racing’s Joe Roberts took the first podium of his career and finished third behind winner Enea Bastianini after starting from pole. It is the first podium for an American rider in Moto2 since John Kocinski in 1993.
Roberts, who took two pole positions in four races, improved his points classification by five to eight places.
Bagnaia’s face says more than his words. It is needless to expect that after his comeback, which took him from 16th to 5thIt doesn’t matter if you don’t win. Pecco raised himself best on a bad Sunday, but he lost more points from Quartararo and he knows it. “
“I can’t see the glass half full. I’m in the works team and I can’t be happy with fifth place,” he showed. “I discarded another option when I had the chance to be on the podium. Many didn’t think I was preferred, but I knew I was at a similar pace as Marquez and Oliveira. I discarded the race on the first laps and again lost points to Quartararo, even though I recovered from Miller and Zarco. I have to be as fast as I was in Mugello, starting in Assen. “
What happened after the start?
“For the first six or seven laps, the rear tire slipped at the entrance to the corner, which has never happened this weekend and we need to understand why. When it started working, when it started raining, I was able to push and relax. Then when the others had a tire accident, I knew that my work would help me. I was able to be consistent and keep a good pace. I overtook nine drivers on a track where it is difficult. I am satisfied with that. But you can’t waste that much time in the beginning. Even if I had started later, not much would have changed. “
Could Oliveira and Marquez also be rivals for the title?
“It’s nice to see four or five different very strong teams. Miguel is one of the most talented drivers. He’s another one who can fight for the championship and Marc is back to victory. I haven’t been on the podium in four races. I have to pick it up again quickly. “
The comeback is over. Marc Marquez returned to the top step of the MotoGP podium with a sensational victory on his beloved Sachsenring.
The Repsol Honda rider stormed into second place at the start of the race and quickly forced Aleix Espargaro to take the lead. As the white flags fluttered and a few raindrops began to fall, Marquez pulled the pin, opening up a two-second lead.
Moto2: Remy Gardner takes his third straight win in 2021
Miguel Oliveira gave everything to stop Marquez, but after getting his tires under control, Marquez was able to pull away again in the final laps. The distance never fell below 0.9s.
It is Marquez’s eleventh win in a row on the German circuit and Honda’s first since his success at the 2019 Valencia Grand Prix – 581 days ago. He is only the second driver to have eight wins in a row in the premier class on the same track, one behind the great Giacomo Agostini, who holds the record with nine in Imatra.
Mentally, today’s result will be fantastic for Marquez and HRC’s confidence in the future. Your worst run since returning to the premier class in 1982 is over.
Oliveira crossed the finish line in second, taking his third consecutive podium in 2021, while championship leader Fabio Quartararo completed the podium for Monster Energy Yamaha. The Frenchman now has a 22-point lead in the championship standings.
Brad Binder made sure that both Red Bull KTM riders finished in the top four. It is the South African’s best result of the season so far and his second top 5 result in three races. Francesco Bagnaia stormed through the field in the second half of the race and finished fifth ahead of his team-mate Jack Miller.
Aleix Espargaro fell back to seventh in the closing stages after leading early on, while Johann Zarco, Joan Mir and Pol Espargaro completed the top 10 in Germany. Alex Rins and Jorge Martin finished 11th and 12th respectively, ahead of Takaaki Nakagami and Valentino Rossi.
Elsewhere, it was a nightmare day for Maverick Vinales and Franco Morbidelli. The latter fell back on the first lap and hobbled to the finish in 18th, while Vinales, who started 21st, couldn’t make any real progress and crossed the finish line in 19th.
Danilo Petrucci and Alex Marquez came together on turn one on lap five of the race. The duo then quarreled in the gravel, but the race management took no further action. On the following lap, Lorenzo Savadori’s race ended at Turn 10.
MotoGP Sachsenring: Johann Zarco secures his first pole in 2021
First published: June 19, 2021 by Josh Close
Johann Zarco dramatically clinched his first pole position of the 2021 season at the Sachsenring.
The Pramac Racing Ducati rider ousted championship leader Fabio Quartararo with a 1: 20.236 just before losing the lead at high speed at turn four. The Frenchman looks a little windy but was able to get off his Ducati without help.
Moto3: Filip Salac secures his first pole position
It is Zarco’s first MotoGP pole since the Czech Grand Prix in Brno last season, and his performance also ends Quartararo’s run of five consecutive pole positions. It is Zarco’s sixth MotoGP pole position and he has achieved that award with three different teams – Tech3 Yamaha, Avintia Ducati and now Pramac Racing Ducati. Zarco also put its KTM RC16 in the front row in Brno in 2019.
Quartararo stayed in second place (+0.011 seconds) after failing to beat his main title rival. However, Quartararo won’t be too concerned given the steady racing pace he showed earlier in the day.
The French duo is supported in the front row by Aleix Espargaro. It is the Spaniard’s first front row on the grid with Aprilia and his first overall win since the Dutch TT at Assen in 2015. It shows the constantly improving performance of the RS-GP in the hands of Espargaro.
Jack Miller had to settle for fourth place after going too deep in the last corner on his last flying lap. The Aussie was unbeatable in the first sector of the round but continued to lose crucial time in the third sector.
The Aussie is supported in the second row by Marc Marquez and Miguel Oliveira. It’s Marquez’s best qualifying result since his injury. Rookie Jorge Martin finished seventh while Pol Espargaro, Takaaki Nakagami and Francesco Bagnaia completed the top 10. Nakagami crashed on turn one in the last few seconds of the session.
The start of Q1 was delayed due to a power failure in the pit lane. Some teams, including Repsol Honda, have been without power for a while. Brad Binder couldn’t get out of this Q1 session and missed a place in Q2 by just 0.036 seconds.
Behind him, the rookie duo Luca Marini and Enea Bastianini qualified in 14th and 15th respectively ahead of Valentino Rossi on the Petronas Yamaha. The qualifying problems of reigning champion Joan Mir continued in 17th place. It is Mir’s worst starting position of the season and for the second time in four races he qualified outside the top 10.
Alex Rins, who had to go through Q1, and Alex Marquez rounded off the Q2 qualification this afternoon.
Franco Morbidelli starts his fastest lap of the session in 18th place after a fall in the last corner. The Italian was on course for a place in the top two before his fall.
Danilo Petrucci qualified 19th ahead of Tech3-KTM team-mate Iker Lecouna, who crashed into turn one in the closing stages of the session. Behind them, Maverick Vinales had a nightmare session in 21st place – his worst MotoGP qualifying performance of all time. Vinales’ problems started in FP3 when, while holding a Q2 qualifying spot, he crashed into turn one with a few minutes remaining. As a result, Vinales lost his place in Q2 and was visibly frustrated in FP4 as well.
Lorenzo Savadori completes the MotoGP grid after a quick fall on Turn 12. Tomorrow’s MotoGP race starts at 1:00 pm (UK).
MotoGP Sachsenring: Miguel Oliveira ends the opening day at the top
First published: June 18, 2021 by Josh Close
Miguel Oliveira continued his positive form on Friday and led the overall standings after the first two practice sessions at the Sachsenring.
The Red Bull KTM rider, winner of the Spanish Grand Prix, set a best lap time of 1: 20.690, an impressive 0.220s faster than the 2021 single-lap champion, Fabio Quartararo. The Frenchman is aiming for the sixth pole position in a row this weekend.
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Quartararo recovered from a major crash during the FP1 session this morning. The Frenchman went down at the bottom of the hill and turned 12. Quartararo seemed uncomfortable as he got back on his feet after hitting his right shoulder – luckily, it looked like it was no serious damage would have occurred.
Maverick Vinales completed the top 3 on the second factory Yamaha M1 and was just 0.054 seconds behind Alex Rins. Pol Espargaro was the leading Honda in fifth place despite suffering two falls throughout the day. The Repsol Honda rider fell on turn three in FP1 before hitting the deck on the same corner in FP2.
Takaaki Nakagami finished sixth overall ahead of Aleix Espargaro and Johann Zarco, while Jack Miller and Franco Morbidelli completed the top 10. All six manufacturers were in the top 10, with Oliveira and Morbidelli only 0.538 seconds apart.
Danilo Petrucci jumped to 11th place in the closing stages, while Marc Marquez finished the opening day in 12th place. Marquez, who has won his last 10 races at the Sachsenring, led the FP1 this morning and reminded people in the paddock of what he is capable of on this track. The left-handed course, including 10 left turns, will favor Marquez’s injured arm / shoulder this weekend.
Elsewhere, rookie Jorge Martin finished his first day on the German circuit as a MotoGP rider in 14th place and recovered from a fall at Turn 12 in FP1. Sachsenring newcomer Brad Binder finished 15th ahead of the reigning champion Joan Mir.
Luca Marini had an eventful day as 18th. The Italian crashed on the last corner at the beginning of FP2 before taking a quick crash in the final seconds of the session at corner seven.
Valentino Rossi’s disappointing year continued in 21st place. The nine-time world champion crashed on the first corner in FP2 and looked rejected as he stepped off his M1. Rumors continue to circulate that Rossi will announce his retirement from MotoGP in the coming weeks.
Francesco Bagnaia, member of the VR46 Academy, finished the first day at the end of the timesheets and has a lot to do on Saturday morning if he wants to avoid Q1.
Saturday’s FP3 session starts at 8:55 a.m. (UK), followed by FP4 at 12:30 p.m. and Q1 at 1:10 p.m. Q2 will follow at 1:35 p.m.
Pecco Bagnaia is not particularly enthusiastic about racing at the Sachsenring. The track layout doesn’t seem to favor the characteristics of his Ducati, but it seems that the problem is more related to the fact that the rider just doesn’t like this track. Pecco openly admits this when speaking to reports ahead of the race weekendwho is fully aware of the most difficult challenge yet of this year 2021.
The Italian doesn’t seem bothered, however, and tries to see the glass half full just to claim something that risks putting everything in a different light. He does that when he speaks of Marc Marquez, who, according to the Ducati rider, no longer suffers from the problems that have conditioned him so far on the bike.
“I believe Marquez is the favorite“Said Bagnaia dryly. “He was quick in Barcelona. He was quick in the tests, and he’s physically at his bestso he’ll go quickly. “
A Marquez in top form on his favorite track. A combination that makes this Sachsenring the most difficult stage of the world championship. “This is without a doubt the most difficult route for me and for Ducati. I don’t like this route. It’s hard for me to be quick here. In 2017 I was on the podium in Moto2 and was fast again in 2018. I know what it takes to be quick here, but it’s not easy for me. Tire management is complicated. You can’t overheat them. In any case, I am confident that I can have a good weekend here. “
Are you or the bike the biggest problem? “This is the worst route for me. We always adapt the bike. I have to adapt here. To be honest, I don’t like it that much. I have to change something in my opinion. I am convinced that I will immediately like the bike, but I think I still have to work on it a little.
You said you know what it takes to be here fast. What does that mean? “It’s simple math. Here you have to drive a lot of speed when entering and then accelerate a bit when exiting in order to avoid overheating of the tires. “
It seems that of all Ducati riders, you suffer the least from the Desmosedici’s original problem, namely the ability to close corners. Do you have a technique that is different from everyone else? “I don’t know what I’m doing differently than the other drivers, but I know that I brake harder than the others. When I step into the corner, I’m already in perfect line. I don’t have to slide at the back. I think that’s the biggest difference to other Ducati riders. I lean the bike hard when braking, others do it differently. Among other things, it’s a technique that doesn’t work in the rain. Here it would be better to drive in dry conditions. “
Forcada paid you a compliment. They don’t give points, but they will teach you.
“Forcada’s words please. To hear certain things from a technician who has had a lot of drivers who were all very strong is absolutely great and I’m happy to have heard them. “
Jonathan Rea took two more race wins on Sunday at the Assen round of the FIM Superbike World Championship to make it three victories from three starts and extend his championship lead. His KRT team mate Alex Lowes was sixth and then seventh today, putting in two battling rides after a crash in Race One on Saturday.
In the Tissot Superpole Race on Sunday Jonathan used all his experience to take the lead and then push on at a pace that none of his rivals could match, securing all 12 points on offer in the ten-lap ‘sprint’ race.
With two race wins to his credit at his favourite circuit Rea also had to work for his third, but like all his peers he was glad that the potential for more rain did not appear. Heavy overnight rain had delayed warm-up in the morning as there were some flooded areas around the track, but all the warm up sessions and races went ahead after a major clean up operation.
In race two Rea had to push his pace to overtake long time leader and series rookie Andrea Locatelli at the halfway point. Jonathan eased out his lead and finally won the 21-lap race by 1.605 seconds, from second place rider Scott Redding. Rea’s closest championship rival Toprak Razgatlioglu was involved in a first corner incident that saw him crash out and no-score.
Jonathan has now taken fully 15 race wins at Assen, three more than the next best total for any single rider at any particular racetrack. One more podium finish for Jonathan Rea will see him reach a career total of 200 top three results.
For Lowes it was a difficult Sunday after his first race fall but despite a small physical limitation he pushed as hard as he could and took a sixth place in the Tissot Superpole Race.
Seventh in race two gave Alex enough points to keep a clear fourth place in the overall championship rankings after five rounds of the season have been completed.
After one free weekend for the WorldSBK riders, Most in the Czech Republic will host the next round of the championship, between 6-8 August.
Jonathan Rea (1) leads Michael Ruben Rinaldi (21) and Scott Redding (45) at Assen. Photo courtesy Kawasaki.
Jonathan Rea, stated: “It was nice to make it three-from-three here at Assen. We achieved it after we changed the rear tyre choice from yesterday. With the overnight rain the track’s grip level was a little bit lower and the temperature was maybe three or four degrees lower. We figured that would be the crossover point to run the SC0. It was nice to win with the soft tyre choice yesterday and the standard race tyre option today. It is a massive testament to the guys in the pitbox and what they have done. We made quite a big chassis change in the set-up this weekend and it was easier to ride. You could see in my passes, I could put the bike where I wanted and it was very nimble, yet stable in the fast sections as well. I went over to see the flooding on the track first thing this morning, considering how much rain there was last night – and there was a lake on the inside of turn five! So massive respect to the track and everybody at Assen because they had lots of machines there, two fire trucks, three tankers and I think we were only delayed 45 minutes this morning. They did an incredible job.”
Alex Lowes (22) heads Chaz Davies (7) and Michael van der Mark at Assen. Photo courtesy Kawasaki.
Alex Lowes, stated: “It was not an easy day or an easy weekend for us. I have had some physical restrictions which have been tough and this track is quite tough anyway, with lots of changes of direction. My tyre in Race Two was in better condition than Michael Ruben Rinaldi’s but the trouble was passing him. I did make a move on him and ran out wide, which allowed Michael van der Mark to pass, but in those last five or six laps I was getting held up a little bit. I could have maybe gone a bit quicker but I still enjoyed the battle through the second race. I was quite happy with sixth and seventh, as I was struggling quite a lot. That is a shame, but my target is to go out and rest and come back 100% for the next race at a new track in the Czech Republic. Sixth and seventh are not where I want to be finishing but all things considered, it was a better day than Saturday! This was the most we could do this weekend.”
Isaac Vinales (Orelac Racing VerdNatura Kawasaki) was 13th and then 14th today and Loris Cresson (TPR Outdo Kawasaki) 17th each time. Wildcard rider Andrea Mantovani (Vince64 Kawasaki) was 16th in each Sunday race, but scored two championship points for 14th on day one.
More, from a press release issued by Team HRC:
Charging Bautista races to strong fifth in race 2 at Assen, Haslam rounds out the top ten
Team HRC has completed the fifth Superbike World Championship round at the Assen TT Circuit with Alvaro Bautista crossing the line fifth in race 2, to score his strongest result of the season to date. Leon Haslam finished the day’s races in twelfth and tenth place.
The 10-lap Tissot Superpole race got underway at 11.00 am local time. Bautista made a strong start and was lying sixth before a crash unfortunately put paid to his plans towards the end of lap one. Haslam was lying twelfth through the opening stages and ran a steady albeit rather solitary race. Unable to make up further positions, the Brit crossed the line twelfth.
Lining up for race 2 later in the afternoon, the HRC riders were lying ninth (Bautista) and twelfth (Haslam) through the first turns. Both Team HRC riders gained a position in the early stages, Bautista going on to pass both Lowes and Van der Mark to place sixth by lap nine. The Spaniard was able to lap quite fast and consistently to get past Rinaldi on lap fifteen and move into fifth place. He kept gaining ground on Davies, reducing the gap from 2.549 to 0.889 seconds before crossing the line to secure his best result of the season so far. Haslam worked hard to catch those immediately ahead of him but was only able to make up one more position throughout the course of the race, rounding out the Dutch weekend with a tenth-place finish.
Bautista now places eleventh in the championship standings with 68 points, Haslam lies thirteenth with a tally of 55. Team HRC will be back in action during the sixth WorldSBK round at the Most Circuit in the Czech Republic over the weekend of 6-8 August.
Alvaro Bautista (19). Photo courtesy Team HRC.
Alvaro Bautista 19
SPRC P18 RC2 P5
“It has been a challenging weekend for us with two crashes in the first two races, something that quite annoys me honestly, because I think that our performance in those races could have been similar to what we did in race 2. For now, when I try to ride more naturally, I fall. Having said that, we finished the weekend with a positive result, a hard-fought top five, with some nice passes, and I think that this stems from the work we are doing. During the weekend we improved a lot on the electronics side, especially on the lower area of the throttle which gives me more confidence now. Maybe it’s not so apparent yet, but I hope it’s just a starting point for the upcoming races.”
Leon Haslam (91). Photo courtesy Team HRC.
Leon Haslam 91
SPRC P12 RC2 P10
“In the Superpole race, a rider caused me to lose many positions through the first turn. It was a difficult race and we struggled with both the front of the bike and power delivery too. In the second race, I made a good start but then Toprak crashed and I had to avoid him, which meant I lost ground again. I felt like I had good rhythm through the first part of the race anyway, but then from about lap ten I started to lose a lot of time, more than one second per lap. Overall, it’s been a tough weekend and I’m left frustrated as I expected top five results at this circuit.”
More, from a press release issued by Barni Racing Team:
Rabat improves and takes double P11 on Sunday at TT Assen Circuit
Tito Rabat (53). Photo courtesy Barni Racing Team.
Assen (NLD). The weekend at the TT Circuit of Assen, in the Netherlands, which held the fifth round of the WorldSBK, ended with a double P11 for the Barni Racing Team. Despite Rabat only just missed out on the Top 10 in both Superpole Race and Race 2, the improvement from Saturday was clear and the progress gives confidence to the team as well as five more points in the riders’ championship standings. With today’s results Rabat moves up to 23 points in the overall standings, fifth among independent riders.
Superpole Race
In the Superpole Race Tito made a great start and after two laps found himself in P7. Sykes (BMW) passed him halfway through the race and two laps later Davies also went on the attack, taking the Ducati Panigale V4 R #53 off the line. Tito lost two more positions, dropped back and finished the race in P11. For the grid revised, Rabat lined up in P13 on the Race 2 grid.
Race 2
Starting from the fifth row the Spaniard was unable to repeat his good start in the Superpole Race, in the chaos of the first corner he lost ground and ended up in P16, but from the very first lap he started his comeback. After a good fight with Bassani (Ducati), Rabat overtook Vinales (Kawasaki), Nozane (Yamaha) and Mercado (Honda) and in the final phase came within half a second of Haslam (Honda). However, Rabat was unable to attack his rival and crossed the line in P11. Signs of improvement and growing results ahead of the next round at the unseen Most track in the Czech Republic, where Superbike will return to racing in two weeks.
Tito Rabat, #53
“I can’t say I’m 100% happy, but the improvements today give me confidence for the next races. Now I want to take a few days off and be in top form at Most.”
Marco Barnabò – Team Principal
“Without the overtaking of Chaz in the Superpole Race we could have finished in the Top 10. That was a normal race situation, but it also affected Race 2. Having slipped out of the top nine we had to line up further back in Race 2 and that makes the situation more complicated. Over the longer distance we showed that we had the pace to be in the top ten, but starting from the fifth row penalized us. Regrets aside, we are satisfied because we had two good races.”
More, from a press release issued by Team Go Eleven:
P4, BEST INDEPENDENT, IN CHAZ DAVIES 200TH RACE!
Chaz Davies. Photo courtesy Team Go Eleven.
Team Go Eleven and Chaz Davies cheered up the Dutch weekend with an excellent performance in Race 2, at the 200th start of the Welsh rider in WorldSBK.
After yesterday’s difficult day, in the night, the TT-Circuit is hit by a violent storm, which floods large sections of the Cathedral of Speed. The Warm Up is even postponed, due to a large amount of water in Turn 5. During the session the track is half wet and Chaz takes to the track to make some laps without pushing to the limit.
The Superpole Race is a fundamental race for those who struggled in qualifying, getting into the top nine is the main goal to aim for an excellent Race 2. Chaz starts quite well, defending his position and begins the chase to the Top Ten. Lap after lap he recovers positions, with a good pace. He goes into battle with Rabat and Gerloff for eighth position, then finishing ninth with a good defense in the last lap. In 10 laps recovering so many positions is not easy, but the third row conquered for Race 2 is definitively important.
Just before Race 2, as in Donington a few weeks ago, some threatening clouds appear over Assen. Fortunately, after a few drops, the sun returns and the last race of the weekend starts on dry asphalt. Chaz has a good start, follows an inside line in the first corners and manages to have an excellent speed on the straight that allows him to recover a couple of positions. His race pace is fast from the start, so much so that he manages to overtake Sykes and Lowes in a few laps. He then sets his pace and sets off in pursuit of the Ducati Redding and Rinaldi duo, in battle with each other for third place. Scott is a bit faster, while Michael and Chaz are fighting each other. The Go Eleven rider throws himself into the second sector and conquers the fourth position. He stretches just enough to defend himself from Bautista’s comeback, but from the middle of the race on, the front tyre is completely destroyed, as happened yesterday. Solid performance by the Welsh rider who stops right behind the podium in his 200th World Superbike race!
Best Independent Team & Rider, Go Eleven is back in business!
Chaz Davies (Rider):
“We made a quite big change on the bike and it was good! I am happy to feel a step forward in turnings; it was turning a much more naturally and that helped not only the performance of the bike, but also from the physical point of view, I had to work on my self a little bit less and I could let the bike do the work naturally. So credit to my crew for making a step forward, for being brave in a decision, it was definitively the right one. Unfortunately we suffered the same problem of yesterday, at seven laps to go I killed the front tyre. That was a bit disappointing, because I was really feeling like I could get in the mix for the podium, catching Scott a little bit; rear tyre was quite good, but the front was absolutely dead. From that I was just managing to stay on the bike, I was really loosing it a lot, I had to save a lot of front slides. I did what I needed to do, I conserve the fourth place and the Top Independent, so happy with that and thanks to the Go Eleven Team!”
Denis Sacchetti (Team Manager):
“In the Superpole Race we weren’t very fast but it was too important to be able to get into the nine, and Chaz did it. For the race, the team then had the courage to risk a completely different set-up, we took a risk but it went well and rewarded us. Chaz’s pace was very fast, and third place was within reach. Unfortunately he finished the front tyre a few laps from the end. A problem we have been carrying around all weekend, we need to understand why we killed the tyre so early. Congratulations to Chaz for his 200th Superbike race; he is more and more in the legend of this Championship!”
More, from a press release issued by BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team:
WorldSBK Sunday at Assen: both BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team riders show fighting spirit and strong chasing performances.
Michael van der Mark (60) and Tom Sykes (66). Photo courtesy BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team.
The two riders from the BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team showed fighting spirit to deliver convincing performances once again in Sunday’s race in the FIM Superbike World Championship at Assen (NED). In the Superpole race, Tom Sykes (GBR) put on a thrilling chase to move up from 18th to seventh place. In the afternoon, Michael van der Mark (NED) overcame difficulties during race two to improve by five places and secure another top result by finishing sixth. After his crash on Saturday, the race doctors did not grant clearance for Jonas Folger (GER) from the BMW satellite team Bonovo MGM Racing to compete on Sunday.
After some heavy rainfall, there was still water on and around the circuit in the morning, causing the warm-up session to be postponed by 50 minutes. The start of the morning’s Superpole race was then also pushed back by ten minutes. The track was then dry, but conditions still proved to be treacherous in places. Sykes once again gave a fantastic chase. Starting from 18th on the grid, he moved up ten positions with his BMW M 1000 RR on the first lap and secured seventh place on lap four. That was where he finished the sprint race, claiming seventh spot on the grid for the afternoon’s second race. Van der Mark also made a good start from ninth only to take a fall a short time later. This put him eleventh on the grid for race two.
At the start of the second race, two riders collided at the front in turn one – while van der Mark was able to leap forward six places to move into fifth. Sykes claimed seventh position on lap one, but then fell back a little. Van der Mark also lost some time. During the second half of the race, van der Mark and Sykes were then involved in a duel lying in eighth and ninth places, all while closing in on the top six. Events took a dramatic turn coming into the final lap; van der Mark was able to overtake two rivals and secure sixth place, while Sykes took a tumble. He was able to rejoin the race and finished 15th to score a point.
Markus Schramm, Head of BMW Motorrad, was at Assen to experience the race weekend on site. “It was super to be back again,” said Schramm on Sunday afternoon. “I hadn’t been here for over a year and I really missed it. It was also the first time that I had seen the new BMW M 1000 RR in action in the WorldSBK. It was great to see the BMW family again and to view the progress that we have made with the M RR. That is what made it good weekend.”
The BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team can now look forward to a first in two weeks’ time; Most, in the Czech Republic, will host the WorldSBK for the first time when the sixth event of the season takes place there from 6th to 8th August.
Shaun Muir, Team Principal:
“After Saturday’s race one where we were reasonably happy with the results overall and showed strong lap times, we were looking to carry those over into today. But it was a tough Superpole Race. For sure, Michael felt he needed to be with that front group of riders which yesterday’s pace indicated he could do that. But he unfortunately crashed out which was a disappointment and set him back to 11th on the grid for race two. Tom managed to push his way through and improved on his starting position, which was perfect. Going into the race, there was a bit of a coming together at T1 which unsettled the pack, but Michael settled back into a rhythm. However, he couldn’t find the grip he was looking for. Tom was waiting for his tyre to come to him but again got stuck in a battle where he was just off the leading two packs. Overall, it was a tough race. We expected a little more from the performances but all in all we are showing the improvement of the bike and that gap to the front is getting narrower at every event. This is the target with the podium in sight. We take the positives from this weekend and move to Most where we will pick up the game from there.”
Marc Bongers, Director, BMW Motorrad Motorsport:
“Our achievements did not match our expectations today. Things did not go smoothly. Michael made a very good start to the Superpole race in the morning, but he crashed after letting his motivation get the better of him. The after-effects of that certainly hampered his efforts in the second race. He had a great race nonetheless, finishing sixth from eleventh on the grid. Tom had a really strong Superpole race this morning, moving up from the back of the field to seventh with some outstanding pace. That pace could have taken him to within grasp of a podium from seventh on the grid this afternoon. He fell back a little in the early stages of the race and then battled his way back together with Michael. He then slipped out over the front wheel just before the end, but was able to cross the finishing line in 15th to score a point. Overall, we definitely could have done better this weekend. I think that we have shown potential but we were not able to convert it into results as we had hoped.”
Tom Sykes:
“We managed to start race two on the third row which was a lot better. We got a much cleaner start to the race as the guys did a bit of work to the BMW M 1000 RR. We used the harder rear tyre and just couldn’t find the grip we needed at the beginning of the race but having said that, the bike stayed very constant throughout the race. Unfortunately coming into the last corner before entering the final lap, I tried to close the line and square the corner off and lost the front. It was such a slow speed crash, but I wasn’t able to save it. It’s such a shame, the bike today was good enough for that top-six and it would have been nice to be consistent the whole weekend. It certainly seemed we have made some good improvements including both me and Michael. A disappointing end to the weekend but we can take the positives from it, and we will focus on that and try to build on it for the next round.”
Michael van der Mark:
“This morning’s crash was a stupid mistake by myself. I really wanted to go for it, and on the fastest corners of the track I tried to go even faster which was a silly mistake on my behalf. In race two, I had an okay start. I had a bit of luck at T1 starting in P11 and by the end of lap one I was in fifth but I didn’t have the pace or the grip I was hoping for. I was struggling to keep the bike on track and I just didn’t have any more to give so it was quite tough. But at the end of the race I found a little extra pace and managed to catch and pass Michael Ruben Rinaldi and Alex Lowes so P6 wasn’t too bad in the end. But I really wanted more.”
More, from a press release issued by Aruba.it Racing Ducati:
#NLDWorldSBK Scott Redding finishes second in a stubborn Race-2. P2 also for Michael Rinaldi in the morning Superpole Race.
The Sunday of Prosecco DOC Dutch Round ends with two podiums finish for the Aruba.it Racing – Ducati team thanks to the second place of Scott Redding in Race-2 and the same result achieved by Michael Ruben Rinaldi in the Superpole Race.
Superpole Race
Michael Ruben Rinaldi’s start (from the fourth position) is superb and the Italian rider takes the lead in the first lap. Rinaldi tries to push but on lap 3 he can’t defend himself from Rea (Kawasaki). In the final part of the race, Rinaldi loses momentum, surrendering in the last lap to the attack of Razgatlioglu (Yamaha) and Locatelli (Yamaha), both later penalized for exceeding the track limits at the last corner.
Scott Redding starts from the third position but since the first laps, he doesn’t find a good feeling with the front tire, finishing in fifth position.
Race-2
Redding stays with the leading group from the beginning and his pace increases considerably from the middle of the race. After a great battle with Rinaldi for the third position, Scott starts chasing Locatelli, overtaking him with three laps to go, securing his second podium finish of the weekend.
Rinaldi’s start is once again incisive and in the first 3 laps, he tries to attack Locatelli to take the lead of the race. Since lap 4, however, the number 21 is not able to push effectively and is forced to settle for the eighth position, which allows him to climb to the fifth place in the world ranking.
After the Superpole Race Michael Ruben Rinaldi does a lap of honor of the Assen track riding the Panigale V2 Bayliss 1st Championship 20th Anniversary, the special bike presented last Thursday 22 July to celebrate Troy Bayliss’ first world title in 2001. During the press conference on Friday at the Paddock Show, Michael had the opportunity to exchange a few words with the Australian champion, recalling why he also races with the number 21 (the day he was born in December 1995).
Scott Redding on the podium at Assen. Photo courtesy Ducati.
Scott Redding (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati #45)
“I’m happy to end the weekend with another podium. I struggled a lot to find the feeling with the front tire but in Race 2 we were able to make that small step that allowed me to keep a better pace. In the beginning, I tried not to push hard to save the front tire and for this reason, I lost a little bit of ground compared to the lead. The pace has improved a lot since the middle of the race but the gap with Rea was too wide to fight for the victory”.
Michael Ruben Rinaldi on the Superpole Race podium. Photo courtesy Ducati.
Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati #21)
“Honestly I can’t be satisfied with this weekend. Yesterday I gave my best but I crashed, while today I never had the feeling to be in the ideal conditions. The result of the Superpole Race is clearly positive, but it came after the penalization of Razgatlioglu and Locatelli; after a good start in the afternoon, since the tire performance started dropping, I have been no longer efficient. It’s a bit frustrating: we have to work to find a solution that will allow us to be more consistent”.
More, from a press release issued by Yamaha:
Locatelli Celebrates First WorldSBK Podium amid Heartbreak for Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK
Andrea Locatelli. Photo courtesy Yamaha.
Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK rookie Andrea Locatelli celebrated a sensational FIM Superbike World Championship career-first podium of third place after leading Race 2 for more than 10 laps at the TT Circuit Assen today.
The podium came amid heartbreak for championship protagonist Toprak Razgatlıoğlu, who was robbed of the chance to fight for victory after a first corner incident with the GRT Yamaha of Garrett Gerloff. Further frustration caused by a track limits infringement at the final chicane in the 10-lap Superpole Race also denied the Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK team of a double podium this morning.
Locatelli, having not put a foot wrong all weekend in the Netherlands, missed the chance to enjoy his first podium earlier today as both the young Italian and his teammate Razgatlıoğlu were relegated to fourth and third respectively for crossing into the painted green section of the circuit by just millimetres.
However, “good things come to those who wait” and “Loka” was the star of the day, taking a big step forward in performance to lead the first half of Race 2, coming from fourth on the grid and following up his fifth place in Race 1 yesterday.
In terms of the 2021 WorldSBK Championship, Locatelli closes in on ninth place overall in the riders’ standings, while Razgatlıoğlu’s inability to score in Race 2 sees him relegated to second position, 37 points adrift of leader Jonathan Rea.
The team’s Turkish rider will not need to wait long for a chance to reel Rea back in, as the sixth round of the championship lies just around the corner at the Czech Republic’s oldest permanent circuit – Autodrom Most – from 6-8 August.
Andrea Locatelli – SPRC: P4 / Race 2: P3
Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK
I immediately forgot the situation from this morning because I had another chance to race today, and you still focus to get the maximum when you can do it. I’m really happy because we got the first podium, also to do it in the long race, it’s really an amazing feeling. In the short race, you need to push hard but also it’s a shame to make the tiny mistake with the track limits, it was only a few millimetres! Then in Race 2, I got the lead immediately and was able to keep a good pace but in the end I fought a lot with the softer rear tyre. With the conditions like today and yesterday with some sun, we can push in all sessions and I learned and improved every time – now we are faster and I was in front! We have been close to the front all weekend and I am so happy also for my crew. We work so well together, they work hard and we make no mistakes, and also the R1 is working so well. It’s nice to ride here in Assen and we have another chance very soon to continue in this way and try to get some more podiums!
Toprak Razgatlıoğlu – SPRC: P3 / Race 2: DNF
Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK
In the second race, Garrett made a bad mistake, I am not sure why he tried to do hard braking like this in the first corner – I was surprised and I only feel angry because we lost so many points for the championship. At the start, I passed Rinaldi into the corner but it was not “easy”, it was difficult to stop my own bike so I cannot understand why Garrett arrived inside me. In Most I will only be looking to fight for the win, I am not looking at championship points any more. This weekend, maybe I just had some bad luck, but we fight hard again for the next race.
Paul Denning – Team Principal
Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK
What a day of mixed emotions, achievements and missed opportunities. This weekend has been a breakthrough for Andrea – a podium in the Superpole Race but for 20 millimetres of his tyre on the green run-off area and then finally, leading Race 2 handsomely for more than 10 laps and managing the soft tyre choice superbly to achieve his first podium in WorldSBK! A huge congratulations to Andrea and his crew! It’s been a challenging weekend on Toprak’s side but we also have to take the positives. Assen has been Jonathan’s place for some years and to run him as close as we have all weekend, and to be in an undoubted position to fight to win the second race, shows that we can fight to win pretty much anywhere. Toprak had done his job off the start, made his customary, controlled late braking to take the lead into Turn 1, so it’s very difficult to know what Garrett either was or wasn’t thinking to come from that far back and cause the crash. A disappointing end to what turned out to be a very positive weekend, but we’re very much “chin up” and looking forward to redemption in Most.
More, from a press release issued by GRT Yamaha:
Gerloff’s crash ends GRT’s podium chances in Assen
Garrett Gerloff (31). Photo courtesy Yamaha.
The excitement was high for the final day of on-track activity of the Dutch round of the 2021 FIM Superbike World Championship. With the forecasted rain holding off yet again, hopes were high in the GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team garage too, given the impressive race pace shown yesterday in dry conditions by Garrett Gerloff. Although, the outcome was not what the team had hoped.
The American, in fact, made one mistake that compromised his entire day. After only running three laps in the WarmUp (14th with a 1’39.740, on a drying track), he achieved the objective he had set for himself when he recovered all the way to 8th position in the Tissot Superpole Race, having started from the last row. This result allowed him to keep his finishing position as his starting place for the long race of the afternoon. After a fantastic start, he attempted to overtake the leader Toprak Razgatlioglu in turn 1. The two made contact and the Turkish rider crashed out of the race. For the accident caused by his mistake, Gerloff was given a ride through penalty, which relegated him to last place yet again. In the rush to make up as many positions as possible in the final few laps, he crashed in turn 9, ending his already disappointing race. Afterwards, he was apologetic towards both Razgatlioglu and Yamaha, the victims of his mistake on the first lap. He now has two weeks to put the negative Assen weekend behind him and reset his focus, before heading to the next round at the Autodrom Most.
It was a much better day for Kohta Nozane, who concluded his comeback weekend in convincing fashion with a solid Race 2. Having sat out the morning’s WarmUp, the rookie was disappointed by his pace during the Superpole Race and decided to make major changes to the setup of his R1 ahead of the afternoon’s long race. The adjustments proved effective and Nozane’s pace strongly improved in the first part of Race 2. In the latter stages, though, he was unable to stay close to the group of riders he was battling with, due to the pain in his still recovering right middle finger. At the finish line the Japanese was 12th, but he aims to get much closer to the other Yamaha riders starting from the upcoming Czech round.
Garrett Gerloff: 8th / DNF
“I’m devastated and I can only apologise to Toprak and to Yamaha for today. I got a good start from the third row of the grid, I felt the contact in turn one, but I didn’t realise it was Toprak until I looked back. I’m sorry for him, as he paid a big price for my mistake, but also for Yamaha, who have worked tirelessly to mount a championship challenge. I can only apologise to both, although I am well aware that this won’t change the outcome.”
Kohta Nozane: 15th / 12th
“Today my Superpole Race was not that good. I then made a plan with the team in order to set up the bike in the best possible way, we discussed it carefully and by Race 2 the bike was way better. My best lap in the race was faster than the time I set yesterday in qualifying, so I am happy, but my finger is unfortunately not yet 100% recovered, so with around 16 laps to go I started struggling. I couldn’t keep the same pace until the end of the race, so the gap relative to the riders in front became much bigger. In the end I finished 12th, but it was really difficult to maintain this position and keep the others behind me. All the Yamaha riders are riding more or less the same bike and, when I see them be competitive and fast, I feel like I have to push myself to get better and aim higher to be like them, even though I am a rookie and every track is brand new for me. The next race in the Czech Republic will be brand new for many riders, the conditions will be the same for everybody, so I will try to get there with my finger fully recovered and push myself to reach the level of the other Yamaha riders.”
The world championship standings now see Gerloff in 6th place with 105 points, whereas his teammate is 16th with 21. The next time we start our R1s’ engines will be in twoy 3 weeks, when the WorldSBK paddock visits the circuit of Most for the first time. Free Practice 1 will get the show going on Friday 6 August at 10:30 AM, with FP2 later at 3 PM, local time.
Johann Zarco missed pole and finished qualifying in Assen in fifth row, Caught between Nakagami’s Honda and Oliveira’s KTM. The French on his Ducati is currently second in the championship standings 22 points behind his compatriot Quartararo and now has to continue to defend his point difference a track that seems to favor its main rival.
“It was a difficult day, but I’m happy because in Q1 I managed to set the time for Q2 and in Q2 I continued to give it my all. I would have liked to have given more but it seems that Yamaha really does have an advantage at this track. or maybe they just have fewer technical problems than we do. This morning I made a few mistakes, then we tried different setups in FP4 and in the end I was able to find the right confidence with the bike with a few small changes. I’m happy because even if it wasn’t easy to find the right set-up for this track, it also shows that you can improve the driving experience a lot with a few small changes. Bagnaia did a good qualifying too, I’m also watching his performance to see where I can improve and tomorrow with a good start, if we ride in the dry, we may have a good chance of reducing the dominance of the Yamahas on this track “.
You said that the Yamaha has advantages or perhaps fewer problems, which of the two?
“These are two different ways of looking at the situation. For us, of course, it is more positive to be able to say that they have fewer problems than to admit that they have real advantages.”
As for the usual towing problem in Q1, do you think this is going to be a dangerous or even pathetic situation?
“I don’t think there was any danger today … we came out of the garage and I had to keep going because I had a technical problem up front and I hadn’t set a good time yet. Indeed it’s almost a pleasure to have Marc behind me! Every now and then I shut the gas to better understand the situation and what the other riders want to do, but at a certain point you can’t wait forever and have to start. We talked a lot about it in the Safety Commission and of course you can’t stop in the middle of the track, but we try to avoid as many risks as possible, then of course I still have to do my job and it’s the same for the other drivers. .. it’s part of the game i think. The problem arises when this situation bothers a driver who is trying to make his time, it has already happened in the past. But today we knew it wasn’t going to happen. “
And don’t you feel frustrated when everyone decides to follow you?
“Not always, it happened today because it was Q1, in Q2 they certainly didn’t expect me – the Frenchman replied with a laugh – and then, as I said on TV, Marquez is always a champion to me, he won last week too, so overall, the fact that he chooses to follow me helps a lot. “
We saw you a little tired during FP4, that doesn’t happen often …
“Today I really drove to the limit, the front often closed and to relax I pushed my elbow, which is not very my style. Even at the Sachsenring I went to the limit, but there I did I got the pole while there t enough here. If you feel the bike’s potential and really want to get it, you are really in trouble. “
August 9, 2020
Automotodrom Brno
# Bradical | #CzechGP 
pic.twitter.com/CbSZbWx75N
(@MotoGP) August 9, 2020
