Zarco heads up an all-Ducati top three after FP2

Two notables in the title race miss the top 10 amid the threat of rain in FP3

Prima Pramac Racing’s Johann Zarco is the pace-setter in an all-Ducati top three after the first two MotoGP™ Free Practice sessions at the OR Thailand Grand Prix. Zarco’s 1:30.281 saw him finish FP2 0.018 seconds ahead of the Bologna manufacturer’s key man in the title race, Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team), with Jorge Martin third on the other Pramac entry. World Championship leader Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) is in the top 10 as it stands but both Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) and Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) are both set to go into Q1 if forecasts of heavy rain on Saturday morning prove accurate.

Number 5 to the fore

Much of the pre-event talk centred on what sort of weather we would see in Buriram and while it rained on and off during Friday, the track was well and truly dry for MotoGP™ FP2. That gave competitors the opportunity to work on their race pace and while Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) was top for the session on a 1:31.088 with 10 minutes to go, there still had been no change to the combined top 10. That would change once the time attacks started, but even then, only half the 24-strong field improved on their FP1 pace.

Martin was first to shift the benchmark, clocking a 1:30.471 with a new medium Michelin slick fitted to the front of his Desmosedici and a soft to the rear, moving himself out of the Q1 danger zone. Bagnaia then did likewise, his time a 1:30.299 inside the final two minutes of the session. With the chequered flag out, it was Zarco’s turn as he climbed from eighth to first with that 1:30.281, also with a medium-soft combination but with used rubber on the front.

Beyond the top three, we find the rider who clinched the World Championship on MotoGP™’s previous visit to Buriram and the rider who won the title last year. Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) finished the day in fourth position on the 1:30.523 which saw him top FP1, with Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) fifth courtesy of the 1:30.555 which he set in that morning session.

A different type of team orders?

Interestingly, Quartararo was involved in exchanges with two of the satellite Ducati riders, one at either end of the session. Early on, was seen gesticulating at Luca Marini, who seemed to be taking the opportunity to follow the Yamaha rider out from the Mooney VR46 Racing Team box which is located next door – although then there was a role reversal and FQ20 started following LM10. Finally, on the cool down lap, there was some sort of interaction with Fabio Di Giannantonio (Gresini Racing MotoGP™). Has Ducati sent some of its riders out to ruffle feathers, or is it just a coincidence?

Back to the timesheet, Japanese GP winner Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) is sixth-fastest overall. He was frustrated with himself at a mistake while going underneath Tetsuta Nagashima (LCR Honda Idemitsu) in the closing minutes, but his FP1 effort was good enough to provisionally book a spot in Q2. Marini took seventh on combined times, ahead of Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), Rins, and Franco Morbidelli (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™).

A. Espargaro unable to lift himself into the top 10

Bastianini is 11th with no advance on his 1:30.790 in FP1 and while Aleix Espargaro did improve, the 1:30.892 which he set in FP2 only lifted him to 13th. Not helping their cause was a late crash for Cal Crutchlow (WithU Yamaha RNF MotoGP™ Team) at Turn 7 which triggered a relatively long yellow flag in Sector 3. Crutchlow walked away in some pain after losing the rear and being flicked from his YZR-M1 in what was his second crash of the session. Also hitting the floor during the afternoon were Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) at Turn 3, Fabio Di Giannantonio (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) also at Turn 3 in a separate incident, and Darryn Binder (WithU Yamaha RNF MotoGP™ Team) at Turn 7 – riders okay.

Now, we wait to see what the weather gods have in store on Saturday morning, with Bastianini and Aleix Espargaro among those hoping for dry weather again. Tune in to FP3 on Saturday from 10:50 (GMT +7)!

MotoGP™ Top 10 on Friday

1. Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) – 1:30.281
2. Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) + 0.018
3. Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) + 0.190
4. Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) + 0.242
5. Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) + 0.274
6. Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) + 0.307
7. Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) + 0.313
8. Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) + 0.327
9. Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) + 0.360
10. Franco Morbidelli (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) + 0.484

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Dixon leads the way at the end of FP2

Aspar rider on top as the World Championship leader crashes on Friday afternoon at Buriram

Inde GASGAS Aspar Team rider Jake Dixon has finished fastest in Friday’s running for the Moto2™ field at the OR Thailand Grand Prix. Certainly not resting on his laurels just days after the announcement of his contract renewal, Dixon set a 1:36.280 which left him 0.173 seconds clear of the field when the music stopped in FP2 at the Chang International Circuit. Alonso Lopez (Beta Tools Speed Up) claimed second and World Championship leader Augusto Fernandez did enough to be third-fastest before his late spill. Title rival and Japanese GP winner Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) finished seventh on the timesheet and, in the event of rain on Saturday morning, he too is safely through to Q2.

Dixon gets it done

It was sunshine and dry weather that greeted the intermediate class for FP2, however, and Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo) was first to better Fernandez’s FP1 benchmark when he clocked a 1:36.750 just eight minutes into proceedings. Somkiat Chantra (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) dusted himself off from an early crash to up the pace to a 1:36.597, before Lopez bounced back from a frustrating morning session – when his Boscoscuro had a technical problem – to take over top spot with a 1:36.453. Dixon, however, would go quickest of all in the last eight minutes before the chequered flag.

Dixon and Lopez therefore finished first and second, with Fernandez third on the 1:36.564 which he got in before losing the front at Turn 3 in the 38th minute – rider okay. Chantra’s aforementioned lap time left him fourth, ahead of Acosta, Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team), and Ogura on a 1:36.725. Rounding out the top 10 were Jorge Navarro (Flexbox HP40), Jeremy Alcoba (Liqui Moly Intact GP), and Fermin Aldeguer (Beta Tools Speed Up).

Who else is in Q2 – and who isn’t – at the moment?

Filip Salac (Gresini Racing Moto2™) is provisionally into Q2 also despite a spill at Turn 3 with five minutes to go. He sits 11th, ahead of Albert Arenas (Inde GASGAS Aspar Team), Joe Roberts (Italtrans Racing Team), and Cameron Beaubier (American Racing). Aron Canet (Flexbox HP40), however, is outside the top 14 after a second crash of the day when he lost the front at Turn 12. The Spaniard is 16th, and another notable who will be hoping the rain stays away on Saturday morning is former Championship leader Celestino Vietti (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) in 18th on the timesheet. Bo Bendsneyder (Pertamina Mandalika SAG Team) and Keminth Kubo (Yamaha VR46 Master Camp Team) also hit the deck during FP2 – riders okay.

The last push for direct Q2 spots in FP3 takes place on Saturday at 09:55 (GMT +7)!

Moto2™ Top 10 on Friday

1. Jake Dixon (Inde GASGAS Aspar Team) – 1:43.503
2. Alonso Lopez (Beta Tools Speed Up) + 0.191
3. Augusto Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) + 0.827
4. Somkiat Chantra (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) + 0.890
5. Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo) + 0.920
6. Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) + 0.962
7. Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) + 1.067
8. Jorge Navarro (Flexbox HP40) + 1.102
9. Jeremy Alcoba (Liqui Moly Intact GP) + 1.181
10. Fermín Aldeguer (Beta Tools Speed Up) + 1.244

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Sasaki top after a Friday of random weather

The Moto3™ field had to deal with a range of conditions in FP2 alone in Thailand

Rain gave way to some rare sunshine and it was Ayumu Sasaki who capitalised in FP2 for the Moto3™ field at the OR Thailand Grand Prix. The Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max rider set a 1:43.503 at the end of the session to be top at the conclusion of Friday running in the lightweight class at the Chang International Circuit. Second went to fellow Japanese rider Tatsuki Suzuki (Leopard Racing) on a 1:43.694, with Riccardo Rossi (SIC58 Squadra Corse) third on a 1:44.330. World Championship leader Izan Guevara was classified seventh, six positions ahead of fellow Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team rider – and nearest rival for the title – Sergio Garcia. With the weather looking dicey, that could be the Championship contenders effectively locked into Q2.

Sasaki gets one up on his compatriot

Moto3™ was the only class which had not enjoyed any dry running on Friday morning at Buriram and that looked like being the case for the day as a whole when showers began just before FP2 got underway and turned into a downpour in the early stages. However, the sun then made a cameo and the lap times began to tumble, halfway through the 40-minute session. Rossi had just gone fastest with a 1:51.513s on wets before that was blown out of the water – if you pardon the ironic metaphor – when Suzuki laid down a 1:46.616 after his switch to slicks. Of course, that was not the end of the story.

Suzuki looked like getting the sweep of the Friday sessions – a wet one and a dry one (eventually) – when he set a 1:43.694 in the last two minutes before the chequered flag. However, it was after that came out that compatriot Sasaki denied him the honour with a lap which put him 0.191 seconds clear of the Leopard Honda rider and 0.827 seconds up on Rossi. Red Bull KTM Ajo teammates Daniel Holgado and Jaume Masia rounded out the top five, while Red Bull KTM Tech3’s Deniz Öncü was a highly commendable sixth as he grits his teeth with an injured finger after his highside in Warm Up five days ago at Motegi.

Garcia into Q2 for now

With the possibility of rain on Saturday morning, it was important for Garcia to make the top 14 cut-off for direct passage to Q2 by claiming seventh on a 1:44.570. Ivan Ortola (Angeluss MTA Team), Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing), and Scott Ogden (VisionTrack Racing Team) completed the top 10, ahead of Kaito Toba (CIP Green Power), Andrea Migno (Rivacold Snipers), and the man on the top of the riders’ points table, Garcia. He was 13th-fastest on a 1:44.906, with Xavier Artigas (CFMoto Racing PruestelGP) just 0.004 seconds slower in 14th, and Diogo Moreira (MT Helmets – MSI) missing out by only 0.007 seconds. Also outside the top 14 for now is John McPhee (Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max) in 16th.

What will the weather throw at the Moto3™ riders next? FP3 takes place on Saturday from 09:00 (GMT +7)!

Moto3™ Top 10 on Friday

1. Ayumu Sasaki (Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max) – 1:43.503
2. Tatsuki Suzuki (Leopard Racing) + 0.191
3. Riccardo Rossi (SIC58 Squadra Corse) + 0.827
4. Daniel Holgado (Red Bull KTM Ajo) + 0.890
5. Jaume Masia (Red Bull KTM Ajo) + 0.920
6. Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) + 0.962
7. Izan Guevara (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team) + 1.067
8. Ivan Ortola (Angeluss MTA Team) + 1.102
9. Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing) + 1.181
10. Scott Ogden (VisionTrack Racing Team) + 1.244

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MotoGP™ to race in India from 2023

India will make its debut on the MotoGP™ calendar in 2023 as MotoGP™ gets ready to take on Buddh International Circuit, as the Grand Prix of Bharat. The country is a true economic and cultural powerhouse, with a population of over 1.4 billion people and more than 200 million motorcycles on its roads. Two-wheeled transportation counts for nearly 75% of the total number of vehicles used daily, making India one of the biggest motorcycle markets in the world and a key focus for the manufacturers in the MotoGP™ paddock.

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Marquez fastest after early crash in FP1

Just 0.118 seconds covered a top five rounded out by Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) and Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar), with Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) taking sixth with a 1:30.746. Pecco, who will be out to regain ground on Quartararo in the Championship after his Motegi crash, was just 13th before setting that lap time with the chequered flag out, and that could prove to be crucial given the threat of rain in later sessions. Also into Q2, as it stands, are Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) – who had a mid-session spill at Turn 12 – Franco Morbidelli (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™), Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP™), and Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing).

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Fernandez sets the pace in FP1

Aron Canet was among the first to swap from wets to slicks and that meant he pushed everyone beyond the 105% qualifying cut-off for a period of time. However, a crash at Turn 4 saw his Flexbox HP40 machine tumble down the road and Canet himself – who was able to walk away from the spill – slipped to 24th on the timing screen by the end of the session. It was also a character-building morning for the Beta Tools Speed Up squad, with Fermin Aldeguer nearly highsiding on a puddle in pit lane, of all places, when he went out on slicks for the first time, while Alonso Lopez lost significant track time due to a technical problem. They would be classified 18th and 21st respectively, outside the top 14 cut-off for Q2 with uncertain weather ahead.

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Suzuki quickest on Friday morning in Thailand

Riccardo Rossi (SIC58 Squadra Corse) and Diogo Moreira (MT Helmets – MSI) rounded out the top five, with the Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team’s Sergio Garcia seventh on a 1:52.268. The latter is second in the World Championship at 45 points behind teammate and Japanese GP winner Izan Guevara, who is currently 15th on the timesheet on a 1:52.906. That could prove significant in terms of qualifying because no one is really sure what the weather has in store for us this weekend, and it is 14 riders who go directly into Q2. The same applied to Leopard Racing’s Dennis Foggia, who was 20th-quickest on a 1:53.123. Elia Bartolini (QJMotor Avintia Racing Team) had a late highside at Turn 4, but is in the top 14 for now, in 11th position on a 1:52.775.

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2023 Ducati Monster SP | First Look Review

2023 Ducati Monster SP
EU-spec 2023 Ducati Monster SP

Introduced in 1992, the Ducati M900 – which became more commonly known as the Ducati Monster – is the bike that many consider to be the establishing shot of the naked bike story.

The Monster has seen numerous iterations over the years, and Ducati says its newest addition to the lineup, the Ducati Monster SP, is “designed to enhance fun, thanks to technical equipment perfect for those who love sporty riding and embellish style with the Moto GP-inspired livery.”

2023 Ducati Monster SP
EU-spec 2023 Ducati Monster SP

The Monster SP shares the same 937cc 11-degree V-Twin as its stablemates, the Monster and Monster Plus, with all three claiming 111 hp at 9,250 rpm and 69 lb-ft of torque at 6,500 rpm. The Monster SP also shares the throttle-by-wire system, a 6-speed gearbox with a quickshifter, and an assist/slip clutch.

Related Story: 2021 Ducati Monster | First Ride Review

Also standard is Ducati Power Launch, traction control, wheelie control, and cornering ABS. Stopping power for the Monster SP has been upgraded up front to Brembo Stylema monoblock 4-piston calipers on two 320mm semi-floating discs. Braking in the rear comes from a 245mm disc and a Brembo 2-piston floating caliper. While the existing Monster models feature Pirelli Diablo Rosso III, the Monster SP wheels are shod in Pirelli Diablo Rosso IVs.

2023 Ducati Monster SP
EU-spec 2023 Ducati Monster SP

The 2023 Ducati Monster SP also adds on Öhlins NIX30 fork and Termignoni homologated silencer, steering damper, dynamic turn indicators, and a lithium-ion battery. The curb weight of the Monster SP also comes in at 410 lb, 4 pounds lighter than its stablemates. The SP also offers a slightly higher seat option, with the high seat accessory raising the height to 33.5 inches, as compared to the 32.3-inch top height of the Monster and Monster Plus.    

2023 Ducati Monster SP
EU-spec 2023 Ducati Monster SP

The 2023 Ducati Monster SP starts and $15,595 and takes the 2022 colors of the official team’s Desmosedici GP.

For more information, visit the Ducati website.

2023 Ducati Monster SP
EU-spec 2023 Ducati Monster SP
2023 Ducati Monster SP
EU-spec 2023 Ducati Monster SP

The post 2023 Ducati Monster SP | First Look Review first appeared on Rider Magazine.
Source: RiderMagazine.com

2023 BMW S 1000 RR | First Look Review

2023 BMW S 1000 RR
2023 BMW S 1000 RR in Style Passion in Racing Red.

Following BMW’s announcement in July of updates to select 2023 models, the company announced today an updated 2023 BMW S 1000 RR with enhancements to the chassis, suspension, aerodynamics, and electronic assist systems.

“With an advanced suspension and chassis, the new Brake Slide Assist and DTC Slide Control assistance systems as well as optimized aerodynamics with winglets and a redesigned rear end, we are able to raise the RR’s performance to a new level,” Wolfgang Wallner, project manager for the 2023 BMW S 1000 RR, said in a media statement.

2023 BMW S 1000 RR
2023 BMW S 1000 RR in Lighwhite BMW M.

The new BMW S 1000 RR still features a 999cc inline-Four with a 6-speed gearbox delivering a claimed 205 hp at 13,000 rpm and 83 lb-ft of torque at 11,000 rpm, as well as BMW’s variable valve timing and valve stroke ShiftCam technology, producing increased torque in the low- to mid-range and increased top-end power.

However, new to the 2023 model, increased rear wheel traction in all gears is provided by a shorter secondary gear ratio through the use of a sprocket with 46 instead of 45 teeth, and intake ducts and funnels have been redesigned, modeled on the M RR engine, in order to optimize the air charge and power generation, especially at higher engine speeds.

2023 BMW S 1000 RR
2023 BMW S 1000 RR in Style Passion in Racing Red.

As with the previous model, the 2023 BMW S 1000 RR has four ride modes –  Rain, Road, Dynamic, and Race – with optional “Pro” race modes. Dynamic Traction Control is also standard, but new for 2023 is the Slide Control function that uses a steering angle sensor for drifts while accelerating. The new S 1000 RR also features two standard throttle maps that are linked to the ride modes and adjust throttle response and drive torque.

The optional “Pro” modes include DBC Dynamic Brake Control, but ABS Pro is now standard with the new model, preventing the wheels from locking even when braking hard in a leaning position. And the new Brake Slide Assist function acts in a similar way to the Slide Control function, using steering angle sensors to allow the rider to set a specific drift angle for so-called braking drifts while sliding into corners at a maintained speed. Stopping power is still provided by 320mm discs and two radially mounted 4-piston fixed calipers in the front and a 220mm disc and single-piston floating caliper in the rear.

2023 BMW S 1000 RR

The 2023 BMW S 1000 RR also still features standard Hill Start Control (optional Hill Start Control Pro), Shift Assistant Pro, and Launch Control.

The S 1000 RR was not only improved in terms of overall performance but also with regard to the chassis and suspension. Introduced in 2020, the Flex Frame, designed to increase the load-bearing function of the engine, has been given more flex, as well several new openings in the side areas.

For the new chassis, rake was increased by 0.5 degree (23.6 degrees vs. 23.1 before) and the offset of the triple clamps has been reduced by 0.1 inch. Trail was increased from 3.7 inches to 3.9. At the same time, the wheelbase was extended by 0.7 inch to 57.4 inches.

2023 BMW S 1000 RR in Lighwhite BMW M.
2023 BMW S 1000 RR in Lighwhite BMW M.

As with before, rear wheel control is managed by a gravity diecast swingarm derived from racing. Suspension and damping are provided by a central spring and shock with adjustable spring base, damping, rebound, and compression. The rebound and compression can still be adjusted by means of a 10-click scaling. The shock is now height-adjustable for enhanced tuning. For easier removal and installation of the rear wheel, the axle bushings on the rear wheel on the right side are now mounted to prevent loss, and the brake pads and the brake anchor plate are chamfered. Rear suspension travel is 4.6 inches.

2023 BMW S 1000 RR

Also as in the predecessor model, the inverted fork with 45mm slide tubes offers a high degree of brake stability, as well as a stable response and feedback. The fork is fitted with closed-cartridge inserts and adjustment options for the spring rest as well as the damping rebound and compression stage. Front suspension travel is 4.7 inches.

The 2023 BMW S 1000 RR can be equipped with an optional electronically controlled Dynamic Damping Control DDC suspension linked to the riding modes. Suspension tuning can be individualized in all riding modes.

2023 BMW S 1000 RR in Blackstone metallic.
2023 BMW S 1000 RR in Blackstone metallic.

The 2023 BMW S 1000 RR also has optimized aerodynamics with a new front section, winglets, a high windshield, and partitioning of the lower triple clamp.

As with the previous model, the 6.5-inch TFT instrument cluster of the S 1000 RR has four available screen layouts (Pure Ride with the main details and 3 Core screens) and riders can choose what is displayed to suit their needs. As a new comfort function, the last selected screen display is retained after turning off the ignition.

2023 BMW S 1000 RR
The 6.5-inch TFT display on the 2023 BMW S 1000 RR has all the bells and whistles riders have grown to love.

The design of the 2023 S 1200 RR features a color scheme with three individual characters: the basic variants of Blackstorm metallic, Style Passion in Racing Red non-metallic, and the racing-oriented Lightwhite non-metallic/BMW M. The covers for the alternator and clutch are now black and are featured in all three paintwork finishes.

2023 BMW S 1000 RR
2023 BMW S 1000 RR in Blackstone metallic.

The 2023 BMW S 1000 RR starts at $17,895. The Style Passion in Racing Red colorway adds $375, and the following packages are available:

Lightwhite non-metallic BMW M Package ($2,495)

  • Lightwhite paint with Motorsport decals.
  • M Forged wheels
  • or M Carbon wheels +$2,000
  • M Sport seat with pillion cover
  • M Lightweight battery
  • M Chassis kit

Carbon Package ($1,995)

  • Carbon fiber front and rear fenders
  • Chain guard and pinion covers
  • Upper side trim panels

Premium Package ($2,340)

  • Akropovic titanium sport silencer with carbon end cap.
  • or M Titanium exhaust system +$1,550
  • Heated grips
  • M Endurance chain
  • Cruise control
  • Ride Modes Pro
  • DDC Dynamic damping control

Billet Pack ($475)

  • Milled anodized aluminum folding and adjustable clutch and brake levers
  • Handbrake level protector
  • Adjustable footrests.

Design Option Wheels ($120)

  • Standard black wheels with painted red stripe.

TPM tire pressure monitor ($275)

For more information, visit the BMW Motorcycles website.

The post 2023 BMW S 1000 RR | First Look Review first appeared on Rider Magazine.
Source: RiderMagazine.com

What you might have missed from Thursday in Thailand

The OR Grand Prix of Thailand is officially underway, with a double Press Conference kicking off proceedings at Chang International Circuit in Thailand. As there always is, plenty was up for discussion ahead of the weekend, with some Championship contenders hoping to leave big mistakes behind them, while a blast from the past makes his MotoGP™ return!

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