Since Honda’s official return in 2020 to the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship, the Fireblade has had one pole position, four front row starts and five podiums. Honda hasn’t led a lap for five years and whilst progress has been made, it’s been slow and steady rather than the steps that many expected. Iker Lecuona (Team HRC) and teammate Xavi Vierge have been solid performers but now into their second year in WorldSBK, more is expected from them. Even though they have underperformed, there is a belief around the paddock that they are now close to being able to exploit their package. A strong engine and super concession upgrades to the chassis has put the bike into the ballpark but now it’s time for the talking to stop. Honda needs; results.
PERFECT TIMING: is Barcelona the chance to showcase?
This weekend in Barcelona is a home round for the team, they’re based nearby, and with many of the team and both riders Spanish, this is an ideal opportunity to shine. Last year, Lecuona took pole position and both riders had top six finishes. For Vierge, a podium man in Indonesia earlier this year, he is also returning to a track where he had a Moto2™ rostrum finish. Last weekend, Lecuona was called back up for MotoGP™ action with Honda. A sign of the confidence that HRC has in their young charge and whilst Jerez proved a solid if unspectacular weekend, it was good to see him rewarded for his successes with Honda. The most notable of those successes was seen at last year’s Suzuka 8 Hours.
In WorldSBK, Honda has struggled. They’ve cycled through experienced riders and brought in two rookies. Alvaro Bautista, well on the way to a second WorldSBK title with Ducati, had a miserable two-year stint with HRC. The Spaniard’s high point of his Honda tenure was Catalunya 2021. A Superpole Race podium and fourth in the afternoon was a great return to form for him. That being said, matching that feat this weekend will be almost impossible for Lecuona and Vierge.
DRAWING COMPARISONS: is it BMW who are still ahead of Honda?
Honda and BMW are the most natural comparisons to make in WorldSBK. The manufacturers have put resources in over the last few years but have little to show for it. That being said, BMW’s form since 2020 when Honda returned is much more impressive. The German manufacturer has won a race, with Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) at Portimao in 2021, claimed eight podiums and had three pole positions. Their form has been hit and miss but they do have more to show than Honda for their efforts, including beating them in the manufacturers’ Championship last year. The time between now and the summer break features five rounds and it’s critical for teams and riders to make a step. Can you make your bike and package attractive to a top rider? Can you jump onto a more competitive bike? The only way to do that is to have good results and show that there is performance as well as potential.
A CHANCE IN BARCELONA: can Honda outshine BMW?
This weekend is an opportunity for Honda to prove their progress. For the riders, it’s also a chance to stake their claim to the bike for 2024. Lecuona is the better regarded Honda man but since stepping over from the Grand Prix paddock, he has shown only flashes of what’s expected of him. The speed is definitely there but with a package that has underperformed, he hasn’t been able to put his best foot forward. Xavi Vierge has shown himself to be a capable top ten performer who doesn’t make many mistakes. He’ll feel that as a slow burner he’s now ready to show his full potential.
Now is the time for Honda to step up to the plate. Winning races is the end goal but right now it’s about getting into the top five because Vierge’s podium in Indonesia is their only top five all season. Catalunya has been their best track since returning to WorldSBK in 2020 and it couldn’t have come at a better time for Team HRC.
Two weeks on from the start of the 2023 FIM Supersport 300 World Championship at the TT Circuit Assen and the Championship returns to action for the Prosecco DOC Catalunya Round and the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. History was made last time out in the Netherlands and there was plenty of drama throughout both races. Barcelona has, in the past, been a circuit where races are decided not at the final corner but right at the finish line and, following the last-lap battles at Assen, that could happen again in 2023.
SVOBODA AT THE DOUBLE: more success for the Czech rider?
Petr Svoboda (Fusport – RT Motorsports by SKM – Kawasaki) claimed his first victory in WorldSSP300 at Assen in Race 1 and then doubled up with Race 2 victory a day later. Not only were they his first wins in the Championship, they were his first podiums, and he will be looking to continue that run in Barcelona. He’s raced there twice, both in 2021, with a bet result of 25th to his name when on Yamaha machinery. Only one previous winner at the Barcelona-Catalunya circuit is on the grid with Jeffrey Buis (MTM Kawasaki) aiming to make it two wins at the Spanish venue. It’s a track where MTM Kawasaki have gone well at in the past four wins in six races; can the team make it five with either Buis or rookie Loris Veneman?
AIMING HIGH AFTER ASSEN: looking to return to the podium
Five different riders stood on the Assen rostrum with only Svoboda a repeat visitor last time out. In Race 1, he was joined by Samuel Di Sora (ProDina Kawasaki Racing) and Dirk Geiger (Freudenberg KTM – Paligo Racing) while, in Race 2, it was Humberto Maier (Yamaha MS Racing/AD78 Latin America Team), who has two top-six finishes in Barcelona, and polesitter Matteo Vannucci (AG Motorsport Italia Yamaha) joining him. There was a large group of riders fighting for success at Assen and the unpredictable nature of the Championship was on display with more of this to be expected in Barcelona.
BARCELONA PODIUMS IN 2022: looking to repeat success
Julio Garcia (Team Flembbo – PI Performances) stunned the WorldSSP300 paddock in 2022 when he recorded a podium finish in Race 1 in Barcelona in his first start as he made his debut as a wildcard. Returning for a full campaign in 2023, after switching to Kawasaki machinery, could Garcia repeat his podium success this year? Mirko Gennai (Team BrCorse) was another who took a rostrum finish last season and, after showing strong pace throughout 2022 and at the 2023 season opener, the Italian will be looking for his first podium of the season.
LOOKING FOR A 2023 BREAKTHROUGHT: will Barcelona kickstart some campaigns?
In previous WorldSSP300 campaigns, Lennox Lehmann (Freudenberg KTM – Paligo Racing) has often had to fight his way back through the field after a disappointing Tissot Superpole result, but Assen flipped that on its head. He took second in Saturday’s Superpole session but two crashes in the early stages of both Race 1 and Race 2 ended his charge. Can Lehmann combine his Superpole speed from Assen with his race craft from 2022 to secure a strong result for KTM?
RIDER CHANGES: Hendra Pratama returns as two riders wildcard
The Sublime Racing by MS Racing team will field Indonesian rider Galang Hendra Pratama at the Catalunya Round alongside Clement Rouge. Hendra Pratama is known by the team from a season in WorldSSP in the bLU cRU WorldSSP by MS Racing squad, while he also has two wins in WorldSSP300 to his name from three campaigns. Two riders will make wildcard appearances in Barcelona with two different teams. Unai Calatayud returns with the Arco Motor University Team at the circuit he debuted at last year, while Ivan Bolano Hernandez joins the Deza-Box 77 Racing Team squad for the Catalunya Round alongside Jose Manuel Osuna Saez.
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KTM and 10 other motorcycle brands will be offering demo rides at Americade, June 1-4, in Lake George, New York.
The Americade rally is celebrating its 40-year anniversary in a big way. Each year, the influential gathering of riders upon the shores of Lake George, New York, hosts every kind of rider on every kind of motorcycle, and in 2023 the popular factory demo rides have been super-charged!
Riders attending Americade will have the opportunity to demo 11 different motorcycle brands. It’s an unheard-of number and is nearly twice as many factory demos as any other motorcycle event in the USA. With so many demo choices for attendees, the diversity of motorcycle genres that have become the face of Americade over the past four decades is clearly highlighted.
“We’re really excited for the riders!” said Christian Dutcher, Americade’s Director. “It’s a great opportunity to dream and ride and even if we wanted to add another factory truck this year, we couldn’t. All the space has been taken. We’re full!”
Americade factory demo rides will run Wednesday, June 1 through Sunday, June 4, and the following brands will be available:
Americade is one of the highest regarded rallies in the U.S. and features more rides than any event in the country, one of the largest expos in the U.S., a free 2-day block party concert, and the most factory demos in the nation. In 2023, Americade celebrates its 40th Anniversary (1983-2023). Americade week details are available at Americade.com or by calling (518) 798-7888.
Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) will be out of action during the Prosecco DOC Catalunya Round of the 2023 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship, after his crash at the TT Circuit Assen just over a week ago. Whilst a successful operation has been undertaken, the Dutchman’s road to recovery will see him miss the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya this year, however, he’ll be replaced by 2019 Portuguese Superbike champion Ivo Lopes.
Lopes, from Lisbon, has a wealth of experience, including two Spanish Superbike open class titles, a Moto2™ European Championship win and three Red Bull Rookies Cup podiums. Along with the success, he has a WorldSSP start to his name from 2018 and a Superstock 1000 start from 2013; both came at Portimao but no points were achieved. Currently, he is leading the Spanish Superbike championship after a win and two second places. He’ll become the 22nd Portuguese rider to start a WorldSBK race and the first since South African-born Portuguese rider Sheridan Morais at Estoril, 2020.
“I would like to thank BMW Motorrad Motorsport and the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team for the opportunity they are giving me at Barcelona. I have always dreamed of racing in WorldSBK, and that dream is now coming true. I know the Barcelona circuit very well, as I do the BMW M 1000 RR. However, the WorldSBK version of the bike is obviously different to the one I ride in the Spanish championship. I will work very hard at the weekend and give it my all to support the team and BMW Motorrad Motorsport as well as possible. I would like to thank them for the faith they have put in me, and also to wish Michael van der Mark a speedy recovery!”
BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director Marc Bongers spoke about van der Mark’s recovery and looked forward to a new name in WorldSBK: “First of all, we wish Michael a good recovery. It was good to hear that the operation in Groningen was a success. We are in constant contact and he has already made the first small improvements. However, he should take the time he needs to return to full fitness.
“At the same time, we welcome Ivo Lopes to WorldSBK. We have known Ivo for a long time in the Portuguese and Spanish championships, where he has repeatedly shown what he is capable of on the BMW M 1000 RR. We are pleased to be able to give him the opportunity to go racing in the World Championship. On the whole, we are excited about the Barcelona weekend. The test there at the end of March was very productive. We hope we can back up the progress we saw at Assen, particularly with Scott claiming his best result of the season so far, at Barcelona.”
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In addition, saying it was close inside the top 10 doesn’t really cut the mustard either. The top five of Canet, Garcia, Jake Dixon (Autosolar GASGAS Aspar M2), Sunday’s race winner Sam Lowes (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) and Albert Arenas (Red Bull KTM Ajo) were covered by less than a tenth. Sixth place Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) was only 0.102s off, while Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) – who was unhurt in a crash – and Manuel Gonzalez (Correos Prepago Yamaha VR46 Master Camp Team) were two tenths adrift in P7 and P8.
Jerez once again provided the drama, as we recap the biggest moments from Round 4 of the 2023 World Championship
It was a cracking return to Europe for MotoGP™, with spectators turning up in their droves the Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto for Round 4 of the 2023 World Championship. Those who did attend certainly weren’t disappointed with thrilling action throughout the weekend as Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) took Tissot Sprint and race honours, while Dani Pedrosa stole the hearts of fans during his wildcard appearance for KTM.
There’s plenty to dissect from the weekend, so without further ado, these are your Talking Points from the Spanish Grand Prix.
“I’ve got to try, or I won’t sleep at night“
Jerez and final corner overtakes are an iconic image in the sport, and we were only inches away from another on Sunday. Having led for the majority of the race, Brad Binder had slipped behind Pecco Bagnaia by the time the final lap rolled around. The South African kept the World Champion in his sights and was eyeing up what would have been another unforgettable moment at the Jorge Lorenzo corner.
“On the back straight, I thought I had it kind of dialled in. Off the back straight I closed in a lot, but then I didn’t get the best drive. I was like, okay, if I do the last two rights really well, I’ve got to try or I won’t sleep at night. But Pecco did a perfect second-to-last corner and braked in the centre of the track. If I would have gone, I would have had to go on the curb. It was fantastic. I had a great time. Super fun race. Me and Jack overtook each other a few times in the last corner. Pretty cool. It was nice riding Supermoto with the boys. Let’s try again in Le Mans.
FREE: Orange takes on Red in thrilling Jerez finale 30/04/2023
Watch the final lap of a sensational Spanish GP that saw a KTM charge take on the reigning World Champion
“We’re taking it to the big boys now!”
It was a big weekend for KTM in Jerez, with a Sprint win and double podium confirming the early season progress they’ve made. For Jack Miller, who traded Ducati red for KTM orange during the off-season, and the Aussie is already reaping the rewards. Post-race, Miller couldn’t hold in his delight at his team’s ability to challenge the status quo.
“We were able to put on a bit of a show there. It’s awesome for the team. It’s awesome for the guys at home that have been working so hard over these last couple of months to build the bike we’ve got. We’re taking it to the big boys now and it feels really great.
Miller’s message to the doubters: “Ha. Where’s the KTM now?” 30/04/2023
The Australian gave a golden post-podium interview where he declared his love of the sport and called out some of the moaners
“He just wanted to pass me one more time to rub it in“
It’s fair to say that some feathers were ruffled in the podium and victory battle in the south of Spain, with an aggressive Bagnaia move drawing the ire of Miller. The Italian was subsequently penalised for it, having to drop one place. Both riders offered up their version of events post-race.
Bagnaia: “I don’t want to say too much on the penalty. I just want to say that I accept it, but in the future we need consistency. So if today I take this penalty for what I did, that for me wasn’t so risky, but if considering other touches we see already this year, I just want consistency and if I will see it, I accept it.”
Miller: “It was one of those ones. I wasn’t expecting it. I didn’t know he was coming. We’ve seen countless incidents like that at that corner. Generally, most blokes have ended up high-siding, or all three have ended up high-siding if we look back to Dani and Jorge and Dovi down there. I saw him at the last round and kind of stood it up.
Bagnaia: “That was for me, for my ego” 30/04/2023
After two GP race DNFs in a row, Bagnaia admits to needing that win for his own ego as he climbs back to P1 in the overall standings
“Of course, my frustration, as you could see, but I got back to work. I immediately had to pass Jorge back at turn eight and then set to chasing Pecco down. Then honestly I thought his bike broke down or something when he peeled off at the inside of turn one. He just wanted to pass me one more time to rub it in.”
“It’s clearly not a penalty”
While on the topic of penalties, Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) encountered the wrath of the Stewards and was slapped with a Long Lap penalty, something which he had to do twice, for his role in the crash which saw the Spanish GP red-flagged on Lap 1. Suffice it to say, the Frenchman and Yamaha didn’t agree with the decision.
“Astonished” – Yamaha boss baffled by Quartararo penalty 30/04/2023
Maio Meregalli, Yamaha Team Director, couldn’t believe the decision to penalise his rider and remains some way off from being convinced
Quartararo: “Not clear explanation was said. From our side, I think we don’t see anything strange and I think it’s clearly not a penalty, but you know is the past – and I make it twice!”
Quartararo: “There’s no reason to have a penalty” 30/04/2023
The Yamaha star was critical of his LLP after his involvement in the crash that saw red flags waved at the Spanish GP
“I was about to cry!“
KTM Wildcard Dani Pedrosa received a rapturous welcome back to track action from the home crowd, with ‘The Little Samurai’ admitting that he was almost overwhelmed by the occasion.
“I really enjoyed that lap. And at one point, we stopped there and they interviewed me a little, and I was about to cry! At that moment, I got emotional. And not, only because of the crowd, which was full, packed and everyone was cheering my name. But also, the riders, I was so surprised. They were so cool and they jumped into the party and cheered for me also! So it was great.”
WATCH: “OHH DANI PEDROSA!” – The Jerez love affair continues 30/04/2023
Join Jorge Lorenzo and the MotoGP™ riders as the fans in attendance at the Spanish GP serenade MotoGP™ Legend and KTM Wildcard Pedrosa
However, being the professional that he is, Pedrosa put in a stellar weekend to claim sixth in the Sprint and seventh in Sunday’s race, while he also managed a little bit of corporate espionage over the weekend as he managed to follow some of his competitors on track!
“I did follow a few bikes, a few different bikes, these days.”
“At 6:30 in the morning, it was already full!”
As MotoGP™ returned to Europe, it was welcomed back with open arms by fans. In fact, 163,479 filled the grandstands over the three days in Jerez, where party mode was engaged, much to the delight of a snoozing Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™).
“We have come back in that mode. It’s true that we have the Covid situation in the middle, we have many things that I think stopped it a little bit from the fan’s perspective because the people didn’t come to the tracks, so it’s more difficult to follow the races, and I think the people lost a little bit the way to follow the races. But it was really nice to see the crowd, at 6:30 in the morning, it was already full. I was sleeping at 6:30 in the morning!”
“We have to improve the system“
Unfortunately, it wasn’t a party for everybody in Jerez. Aprilia have come on leaps and bounds in recent years and they have produced a very competitive package for 2023, but unfortunately for both Aleix Espargaro and Maverick Viñales, they have encountered major struggles with race starts.
Starting on pole for two Sprint starts and two Sunday race starts, Espargaro was unable to compete with his rivals off the line and found himself going backwards on each occasion, which is certainly cause for concern within the Noale factory.
“I can’t be happy” – What went wrong for poleman Espargaro? 30/04/2023
The Aprilia rider was left searching for answers after slumping to a P5 finish at the Spanish GP despite promising weekend form
“I cannot do better practices. The pole position is the best thing I could. So even though I did four starts in the 1st place and I lost four places in all races. I tried to start with both feet on the ground, one foot on the ground. We increased the power on second gear today and it was even worse than yesterday because the bike wheelied.
“We have to improve the system sincerely, it’s a shame because I’m sure that if today I hadn’t lost the positions and I started the first lap in first or second place, I could have fought for the victory or second place. But once they overtook me, it was over for me.”
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The Yamaha MT-09 SP is the perfect bike for track days and canyon rides, but it’ll turn heads in town too.(Photos by Aaron Crane)
In January of this year, EIC Greg Drevenstedt asked me what was on my list of “riding resolutions” for 2023. I had heard about the Yamaha Champions Riding School from content we had published, and even though I have no false pretenses about my future as a professional racer, I told him I would love to attend one of the YCRS classes – even better on a bike like the Yamaha MT-09 SP.
The reason for the latter is that I knew my normal cruiser was clearly not going to be the optimal bike for the two-day ChampSchool class I would attend at the end of January at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Since the program has “Yamaha” in the name, we opted for one of their bikes.
The Yamaha MT-09 naked bike was introduced in 2014 and was a crowd pleaser from the jump. In 2021, the bike received a major overhaul, and the up-spec MT-09 SP was introduced. Displacement on the MT-09’s CP3 inline-Triple was bumped from 847cc to 890cc, and claimed output increased to 117 hp and 69 lb-ft of torque. Yamaha also updated the throttle-by-wire and slip/assist clutch and added a quickshifter.
A 6-axis IMU derived from the YZF-R1 manages the bike’s traction control, slide control, and front-wheel lift control systems. The IMU was designed to be smaller and lighter, and along with other weight-shaving measures, including spin-forged aluminum wheels and an aluminum swingarm, the MT-09 comes in at a trim 417 lb, with the up-spec SP at 419 lb. Both bikes also have two levels of ABS intervention and four D-Mode engine maps that regulate engine response and output.
Weighing in at just 419 lb, it’s easy to get the MT-09 SP from Point A around the corners to Point B.
To create the MT-09 SP, which retails for $11,499 (a $1,700 premium over the standard MT-09), Yamaha added high- and low-speed compression adjustability and sportier damping to the KYB 41mm inverted fork and swapped the KYB rear shock for a premium Öhlins unit that is fully adjustable and includes a remote preload adjuster. The SP also has standard cruise control and styling inspired by the YZF-R1M.
Southern California to Southern Utah
I picked up the MT-09 SP from Cypress, California, the weekend before ChampSchool. The first thing I noticed when I fired up the bike was the sound. It’s not the low rumble I’m used to from my V-Twin, but it emits a nice throaty bellow from the symmetrical muffler with dual outlets mounted under the bike. The pleasing tones continue into the mid- and upper-range thanks to the three variable-length intake ducts that also came along with the 2021 upgrade.
The MT-09 SP has the same engine as the MT-09 but boasts an Öhlins rear shock with a remote preload adjuster.
With the suspension and other settings dialed in, I set off for the 450-mile ride back to my home in southern Utah. On the unfamiliar California highway system, I was glad to be on the MT-09 SP. Its throttle-by-wire provides smooth, crisp response. Even in D-Mode 2 (moderate engine response), overtaking was a breeze when I needed to, and when a quick stop was required, the radial-mounted Nissin master cylinder, 4-piston calipers, and dual 298mm floating discs up front worked in concert nicely.
My mid-January ride started in beautiful weather, but right around San Bernadino, I hit a 20-mph headwind that stuck around for almost the entire 200 miles to Las Vegas. Enter cruise control.
I’ve never ridden a bike with cruise control – and I was okay with that fact. It seemed like there was something inherently unnatural about cruise control on a motorcycle, and on a bike like the MT-09 SP, it felt akin to taking your hands off the steering wheel of a rocket (and yes, I’m aware it’s actually called a “reaction wheel,” but you get the idea). However, with those kinds of winds on the naked bike, I felt more like I was just fighting to hold on as opposed to controlling the motorcycle, and cruise control became my new best friend.
An upright seating position makes long miles easier.
However, I think the cruise control could use some improvement. Once it’s turned on and engaged, cruise control can be disengaged by applying the brakes, throttle, or clutch, but the on/off, set, and resume buttons are a stretch from the left grip, and they’re small. With my winter gloves on, when I had disengaged the cruise control and then attempted to reach my thumb across to hit resume, several times I inadvertently ended up hitting the on/off button by mistake, which resulted in deceleration when I didn’t want to slow down. Then I had to start the process over, turning it back on and re-setting my speed. The placement and size (or style) of the cruise control buttons could be made more user-friendly.
One place I certainly wasn’t using the cruise control was at the Las Vegas Speedway, and this is where the MT-09 SP really shined.
Taking a breather between track sessions at ChampSchool with the Yamaha MT-09 SP. Is it obvious that I’m not used to track leathers?
The quickshifter was a thing of beauty for getting up to speed (at the behest of my instructor to practice blipping the engine on downshifts, I didn’t use the quickshifter there, but it was smooth when I tried it elsewhere). The quickshifter has up/down arrows that light up on the 3.5-inch color TFT display when it’s possible to use the feature in each gear, which is handy. However, despite the manual’s recommended speeds for shifting, I found the transition from 1st to 2nd kind of clunky at the recommended 12 mph. It was definitely smoother if I accelerated a little more before using the quickshifter.
The 3.5-inch color TFT display shows everything you’d expect, as well as quickshifter up/down indicators.
The MT-09 SP combines traction control, slide control, and wheelie control into four TCS settings: 1 (minimal intervention), 2 (moderate intervention), Manual (settings can be customized), and Off. At the track, at my instructor’s recommendation, I had TCS mode set at level 2, which is moderate intervention across the board. There was one particular turn where I felt the rear end slip out a little on multiple passes, but the traction control did its job with subtle intervention.
For someone who had never been on a track, I felt surprisingly comfortable on the MT-09 SP – several instructors said, “Oh yeah, that’s a good one.” I was able to trust in its abilities while practicing the finer details of track riding. And when it came to riding the MT-09 SP in a favorite canyon closer to my home, all the thought-out details that went into the 2021 upgrade – from the lighter curb weight, stiffer chassis, and throttle-by-wire to the up-spec suspension of the SP – worked together for some nice carving, as well as quick evasive maneuvering around a couple corners where heavy precipitation had loosened some rocks from the roadside cliffs and dropped them in my unsuspecting path.
The 2021 upgrades to the MT-09, combined with the up-spec features of the MT-09 SP, add up to a tidy package full of good times.
As I mentioned in my report on the YCRS ChampSchool, I’ve always been more of a cruiser guy than a sportbike guy, but after more than 1,300 miles on the 2023 Yamaha MT-09 SP, including track, interstate, around town, and canyon riding, I’d gladly take more rides on the dark side.
Carlos Ezpeleta, Chief Sporting Officer, Dorna Sports: “We work very closely with the riders and the teams, and communication with the riders from race control has been a priority over the last few years. In 2020, the riders were complaining about the visibility of the flags, them knowing what’s happening on track and being warned about flags, rain or incidents, so we did a test at Misano in 2020. But the riders weren’t very happy with the first system, they felt uncomfortable with it and the level of noise. So we decided to go down the route of LED panels and imposing them as a must for all circuits from last year, which has been very successful. The riders are very happy and I think we’ve made strong progress and development in terms of yellow flags, and flags in general, and getting information to the riders during races and sessions. So we’re very happy with the LED panels, which are now throughout the whole calendar.
I’m not ashamed to admit I thought there must have been a misprint when the results came through from that first MotoGP™ practice session at Jerez on Friday morning. Dani Pedrosa leading all those young pretenders on the KTM he’d work so hard to develop for the factory team and their riders. Of course, there was no misprint. Dani probably, together with Max Biaggi, the unluckiest rider not to win the MotoGP™ World Championship. Throw in Randy Mamola and the unluckiest rider not to win a premier class world title. Thirty-seven years old and still capable to lead a MotoGP™ practice session, that would do for me because I was still annoyed.
Two weeks on from the dramatic Pirelli Dutch Round, the FIM Supersport World Championship heads south west to the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya for the 2023 Prosecco DOC Catalunya Round, the fourth round of 2023’s season. At a circuit that has thrown up plenty of surprises in its short presence on the calendar, with weather impacting races, will there be more shocks to come in the fourth Catalunya Round? With only one repeat winner at the circuit, and no previous winners on the grid, who will grab the land of opportunity this time around?
A YAMAHA CIRCUIT… SO FAR: will Yamaha’s Barcelona run come to an end?
Yamaha have won every race at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya since it joined the calendar. In 2020, Andy Verdoia taking a shock victory in Race 1 in wet conditions to become the youngest ever winner in the class, Andrea Locatelli winning Race 2 to become Champion, Randy Krummenacher’s and Manuel Gonzalez’s last career wins in 2021 and Dominique Aegerter doing the double last season. In 2023, Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) leads the way with four wins from six races while Federico Caricasulo (Althea Racing Team) has one and Can Oncu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing), who won’t be in Barcelona, has also won a race. With no Yamaha victories so far this year heading into a track where they’ve enjoyed so much success, could their Barcelona fortress conquered, or will offer a retreat and act as a turning point in the 2023 campaign?
THE NEXT TARGET: from the podium to a win
Stefano Manzi (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) is second in the Championship standings and top Yamaha; he’ll be hoping to claim Yamaha’s first win of 2023. He has a best finish of third at the circuit, from last year when on the Triumph, and he knows the circuit well from his time in the MotoGP™ paddock. Three manufacturers are in the top three of the Championship with Marcel Schroetter (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) third and, after his first WorldSSP podium last time out at Assen, will be looking for his first win of the year. With four top-eight finishes in his last five races at the circuit in Moto2™, it’s a circuit he knows well and will be aiming to convert this into his first WorldSSP victory.
LOOKING TO SPRING A SURPRISE: never say never in Barcelona
Whilst the wins have been shared between Ducati and Kawasaki so far this season, five of the six manufacturers on the grid have stood on the rostrum. Dynavolt Triumph have a podium finish courtesy of Niki Tuuli’s third place in Race 1 at Mandalika and he was again in the top five at Assen. With a podium already to his name at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, in 2021 with MV Agusta, could he help Triumph to a first win of 2023?
Honda will be looking to score big points again as the only manufacturer yet to score a podium this season with riders Tarran Mackenzie (PETRONAS MIE HONDA Team) and teammate Adam Norrodin, while Bahattin Sofuoglu (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) was strong here last year and took fifth place in Race 1. He’s also a race winner here in WorldSSP300 from 2021, so the Turkish youngster will be full of confidence heading into the Catalunya Round despite a crash from the podium battle last time out at Assen. After a wretched start to his season with just an eighth-place finish to his name, Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) will aim to return to the fore this weekend – although he’ll serve a double Long Lap Penalty in Race 1.
HOME HEROES: will Navarro or Huertas shine in Catalunya?
There are two full-time Spanish riders on the 2023 WorldSSP grid and both are looking for strong results on home soil. Jorge Navarro (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) has had a tough start to his WorldSSP career after making the switch from Moto2™ and suffering from injuries at the end of that season. However, Catalunya is a circuit he’s gone well at in both Moto3™ and Moto2™; winning the 2016 Moto3™ Catalan Grand Prix and taking third in Moto2™ three years later. Adrian Huertas (MTM Kawasaki) made his return from injury at Assen and was back in the top ten in Race 2 with eighth place and he will have high hopes for the Catalunya Round although he is yet to stand on the podium in Barcelona; his best result is fourth in WorldSSP300 in 2021.
WILDCARDS AND RIDER LINE-UP CHANGES: news ahead of the Catalunya Round
There will be a few changes to the grid in Barcelona with wildcards and replacement riders coming in. Swiss rider Baris Sahin, who made his debut in Catalunya in 2021 and was a replacement rider in Argentina last year but did not race following a highside in FP2, will wildcard in Barcelona with the MDR Offitec Yamaha squad. Can Oncu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) was declared unfit following the crash at Assen with Montella, as was Oli Bayliss (D34G Racing) following a Free Practice 1 crash. The Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team will field two bikes in Barcelona, with full-time rider Andrea Mantovani joined by one event rider Adrian Fernandez Gonzalez.
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