Australia’s largest city Sydney, in addition to places such as Adelaide, Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Perth and the huge, remote Australian outback are all incredible holiday destinations. One could travel for months and only scratch the surface, with ancient Aboriginal culture beautifully contrasting the modern spirit of this relatively young nation.
Source: MotoGP.com – Read Full Article Here
“The target on Sunday is to fight for victory. It’s a circuit you need to feel, you need to feel that you can because it has a lot of high-speed corners, this means a lot of risk, it’s a circuit that if you don’t feel, you need to stay calm, try to finish on the podium or try to finish the race,” began the reigning Champion. “Apart from that, today we have a summer day, tomorrow we might have a winters day – you never know. This is where we will try to work in a good way to try and sight against Yamaha and Suzuki, I think they have a bike here that is working very good, very stable in the high speed corners. It will be tough to beat them but we will try.”
Source: MotoGP.com – Read Full Article Here
“We also have the added responsibility of an additional stand-alone test for the proposed 2020 rear tyre. We have had successful feedback so far, but need to asses it at a track with high demands, such as here, Sachsenring or Termas. It was not possible to do a full test at any of those venues, so we have a short window to test during this race weekend, for which we are grateful to the riders, Dorna and IRTA for making it happen. It is a very important test as it marks the next evolution for the MICHELIN Power Slick in MotoGP.”
Source: MotoGP.com – Read Full Article Here
This will be the 31st Australian Grand Prix, which has been held every year since the first visit in 1989.
The first two Australian Grands Prix were held at Phillip Island before MotoGP visited the Eastern Creek circuit for six successive years, returning to Phillip Island in 1997, which has been its home since. This is the 25th time that the Grand Prix has taken place at Phillip Island.
A total of 72 Grand Prix races for solo motorcycles have been held at Phillip Island since 1989 as follows: MotoGP —17, 500cc –7, Moto2 —9, 250cc –15, Moto3 —7 and 125cc –17.
Since the introduction of the MotoGP class in 2002, Honda have had eight Grand Prix wins in the class at Phillip Island including three victories in 2015 with Marc Marquez, 2016 with Cal Crutchlow and and 2017 with Marquez once again.
Ducati have had four MotoGP wins at Phillip Island, all of them with Casey Stoner from 2007 to 2010.
Andrea Iannone’s third place finish back in 2015 and Andrea Dovizioso’s third place finish last year are the only podium finishes for Ducati at Phillip Island since Stoner’s win in 2010.
Yamaha have won the MotoGP race at Phillip Island on five occasions, three with Valentino Rossi, one with Jorge Lorenzo and one with Maverick Viñales, which was last year. In addition, both Yamaha Factory riders finished on the podium in 2017 in Australia, with Valentino Rossi in second followed by Maverick Viñales. Johann Zarco crossed the line in fourth making it to three Yamaha riders within the top five.
All three podium finishers in the MotoGP race at Phillip Island in 2014 were Yamaha riders, the last all-Yamaha podium in the class so far.
Suzuki have had three podium finishes at Phillip Island in the premier class. 2006 when Chris Vermeulen finished second, 2016 when Maverick Viñales finished third and last year when Andrea Iannone finished second.
The best result for an Aprilia rider in the MotoGP class at Phillip Island is a ninth-place finish with Aleix Espargaro last year. Jeremy McWilliams qualified on pole position in the premier class at Phillip Island in 2000, which is the last pole position for Aprilia to date in the class.
In 2017, Pol Espargaro crossed the line in ninth place at Phillip Island, which is the best result for KTM at this track in the premier class of Grand Prix racing. Espargaro qualified in sixth position, which was the best qualifying result for KTM in the class at the time, a record beaten subsequently at the Americas GP before both Espargaro and then-KTM rider Johann Zarco took front row starts this season.
Valentino Rossi is the rider with most GP wins at Phillip Island with eight (5 x MotoGP, 1 x 500cc, 2 x 250cc) followed by Casey Stoner with six, all in the MotoGP class from 2007 to 2012.
Three other riders have had three GP victories at Phillip Island: Marco Melandri (1 x MotoGP, 1 x 250cc, 1 x 125cc), Jorge Lorenzo (1 x MotoGP, 2 x 250cc) and Marc Marquez (2 x MotoGP, 1x 125cc).
Home riders have taken 10 GP wins at Phillip Island: Casey Stoner (MotoGP from 2007 to 2012), Wayne Gardner (500cc in 1989 and 1990), Mick Doohan (500cc/1998) and Jack Miller (Moto3/2014).
The last Australian rider to finish on the podium at Phillip Island in any of the three classes is Jack Miller who won the Moto3 race in 2014.
Marc Marquez has qualified on pole position for the last five years at Phillip Island, equalling Casey Stoner who did it between 2008 and 2012 at this track.
The nine Moto2 races that have taken place at Phillip Island have been won by seven different riders: Alex De Angelis (2010 and 2011), Pol Espargaro (2012 and 2013), Maverick Viñales (2014), Alex Rins (2015), Tom Lüthi (2016), Miguel Oliveira (2017) and Brad Binder (2018).
The seven Moto3 races that have taken place at Phillip Island have been won by six different riders: Sandro Cortese (2012), Álex Rins (2013), Jack Miller (2014), Miguel Oliveira (2015), Brad Binder (2016), Joan Mir (2017) and Albert Arenas (2018).
The 14th place finisher in the Moto3 race in Phillip Island last year, John McPhee, crossed the line just 0.989 seconds behind race winner Albert Arenas; this is the closest top 14 of all-time in the lightweight class of Grand Prix racing beating the record set in 2017 at the Italian GP (1.524s).
Source: MCNews.com.au
Riders on their way home from this weekend’s MotoGP have been urged to visit the Blue Knot Day site in Sale to help those affected by trauma, such as road accidents.
The Blue Knot Foundation acknowledge and celebrate their annual Blue Knot Day focusing this year on empowerment, recovery and resilience for those who have been affected by complex trauma.
That includes “road trauma” or crashes, whether directly involved or even as a witness; something with which many riders unfortunately have to deal.
Renowned motorcycle advocates, Maurice Blackburn Lawyers, support the Blue Knot Foundation as part of the National Redress Scheme which is actually in response to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.
MBL spokesman Lloyd Toffolon says they are helping out the team that look specifically after the survivors of institutional abuse.
“This year we are hoping we could encourage riders who are heading back through Gippsland on their way home after the MotoGP to stop in at our Blue Knot Day site in Sale,” he says.
“Maurice Blackburn has seen the value in developing pathways for people regionally and remotely have access to support and counselling to help heal.
“They can grab a coffee with us, have a rest and support a fantastic foundation working with those who have suffered complex trauma, not just through abuse but includes those who have witnessed road trauma, or family involvement post trauma.
“It also gives us an opportunity to celebrate all social, health and community workers, and organisations, in the Latrobe Valley and Gippsland region who work closely with those who have been affected by trauma.
When : Monday 28 October 2019
Where: Bond St Centre – 10 Bond St Sale
When: 9.30am to 12pm
Source: MotorbikeWriter.com
The 2020 Red Bull KTM MotoGP™ line-up has been revealed, with Brad Binder set to join Pol Espargaro at Red Bull KTM Factory Racing and Iker Lecuona making the move up to debut alongside impressive 2019 rookie Miguel Oliveira at Tech 3. KTM have decided to invest and trust in the racing instincts of two MotoGP™ debutants for 2020 and for the next development phase of the factory RC16.
2016 Moto3™ World Champion Brad Binder’s progress through Moto3™ and Moto2™ has been impressive and had already put the 24-year old well on the way to a premier class seat for 2020, but with a slot opening in the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team, Binder has been placed next to Pol Espargaro in the factory squad for his rookie season in the premier class.
Source: MotoGP.com – Read Full Article Here
KTM announced earlier in the year that they were taking Brad Binder to MotoGP in 2020 but that agreement had been for the 24-year-old to join the satellite Tech3 squad.
Now, however, KTM have decided to promote Binder into the KTM Factory Team alongside Pol Espargaro for MotoGP season 2020.
Pit Beirer, KTM Motorsport Director
“It was clear that our plans for 2020 needed to change following our mid-season announcement. After some thought and talks we decided to move in this direction and let the young, hungry guys with good experience in the other categories of MotoGP show us what they can do. Brad is a rider that has made his way through the KTM structure and we have no doubt whatsoever that he can walk into the Red Bull KTM team and keep showing that same style and never-give-up attitude we have seen for a long time. Iker comes into the Red Bull KTM Tech3 team and we’re super-confident that Hervé and his guys will be able to help and develop another rookie like they have done so well with Miguel this year. We know we are making good and exciting steps with our MotoGP project and with next season now fixed we can really start building up to this new chapter.”
The South African’s planned seat at Red Bull KTM Tech3, will be taken by Spaniard Iker Lecuona.
KTM have decided to invest and trust in the racing instincts of two MotoGP debutants for 2020 and for the next development phase of the factory RC16.
Mike Leitner, Red Bull KTM Team Manager
“I’m super-happy with the duo we have for 2020. We had a long discussion about it but finally I think it is a good decision that KTM made. In Pol we have a very strong rider who has made good results for us and we’ve seen in the other categories what Brad is capable of with our bikes. He is one of the young kids that has come through the rank. It will be a big challenge for him but I think he will have a great future in MotoGP.”
Brad Binder’s impressive progress through Moto3 and Moto2 divisions meant the 24-year old was well on the road to a premier class saddle for 2020 but with a slot opening in the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team Binder has been placed next to Pol Espargaro for his first term.
Iker Lecuona, who has taken Moto2 podium honours in both 2018 and 2019, had been signed for a Moto2 ride in 2020. The 19-year old has now been promoted to the Red Bull KTM Tech3 MotoGP effort alongside Miguel Oliveira.
Hervé Poncharal, Red Bull KTM Tech3 Team Principal
“My feeling is that this is the strongest 2020 KTM line-up we could have hoped for. We want to have four riders with talent, passion, will and that they will stick to the project. Personally I am happy to work with a young and talented rookie like Iker. This is the way to go for the future and we have seen that the same approach has brought some success to other teams. Let’s start working on 2020: we have the technical support and we have the right people onboard. I believe we will take a big step next year with both Miguel in his second year and Iker keen to show us what he can do.”
Four riders, three nationalities and three athletes below the age of 25 means KTM are now set for their fourth year of MotoGP participation.
Source: MCNews.com.au
To say the milestone is a rare one is to undersell it to extremes. Rossi has been the most experienced on the grid and the most experienced in history for some time, but 400 is quite some number. It’s 42.5% of all Grands Prix, and he’s won 115 and scored points in 353 of them, taking victories on on seven different bikes as the only rider to have won on 500cc two-stroke, 990cc four-stroke, 800cc four-stroke and 1000cc four-stroke machinery. A few of those successes have come at the Island too, so it’s a good place to celebrate.
Source: MotoGP.com – Read Full Article Here
Then, in the early hours of Sunday morning (October 27), European Daylight Saving Time ends. The clocks are turned back an hour at 01:00 UTC (Coordinated Universal Time), for example, this will be 01:00 UK time, 02:00 Spanish time… so check when you need to set your alarms for, depending on your location. The races will take place as follows in Australian time: 12:00 (Moto3™), 13:20 (Moto2™), 15:00 (MotoGP™).
Source: MotoGP.com – Read Full Article Here
Finally, Luca Marini (Sky Racing Team VR46) is the sixth man still mathematically in with a shout – and he’s the man in form. The Italian has now taken back-to-back wins for the first time in his career, but he, like Binder, needs to overhaul Marquez by quite some margin. He could be a complicating factor for the Spaniard however, given his searing pace in both Thailand and Japan, and he races with much less pressure…
Source: MotoGP.com – Read Full Article Here