Francesco Bagnaia is the 2018 Moto2 World Champion, taking the title at Sepang after eight wins, 12 podiums and six pole positions over an incredible season. Arriving 36 points up in the Championship, his third place in the race – paired with a second for title rival Miguel Oliveira – was enough for the Italian to secure the crown.
Francesco Bagnaia
Making his debut on the world stage in 2013 with team Italia FMI in Moto3, Bagnaia then switched to Sky Racing Team VR46 the year after – but it wasn’t until 2015 that he finally took his first podium. That was at Le Mans, but riding a Mahindra; a marque whose history ‘Pecco’ would become an even bigger part of the following season.
After podium finishes at Losail, Jerez and Mugello, Bagnaia finally took both his first Grand Prix win and the first win for Mahindra after a stunning ride at the TT Circuit Assen. His favourite track, the layout of which he even has as a tattoo. It wasn’t a one off in that impressive season either, with Bagnaia taking another win, this time at Sepang, to put him fourth overall in the standings.
At the end of the season Bagnaia got his first taste of a MotoGP machine at the Valencia test, owing to a bet made with his team. They’d said that, if ‘Pecco’ were to win a race that season, they’d let him try the then-Aspar liveried Ducati.
Francesco Bagnaia
Before he made that a full-time switch, however, Bagnaia’s next challenge was Moto2 – in the same Sky Racing Team VR46. His first podiums didn’t wait long to arrive, as the Italian took to the rostrum in Jerez, Le Mans, Germany and at Misano; enough to put him fifth overall and see him take the title of Rookie of the Year.
His stellar first season in the intermediate class was more than just awards and success – it also penciled him in as a key favourite for the 2018 crown. Starting the year on the top step with a first Moto2 win in the season opener in Qatar, ‘Pecco’ then ceded the points lead next time out in Argentina, but he was back on it in Texas.
A key rival then began to appear: Oliveira. The Portuguese rider won in Mugello from outside the top ten on the grid, and that brought him to within a single point of Bagnaia at the top. But the Italian responded at Assen, winning at his talisman track once again. In Germany there was some drama, however, as Bagnaia was forced into avoiding action after a crash for compatriot Mattia Pasini (Italtrans Racing Team) and crossed the line in P12.
Oliveira then struck gold in Czechia to win another race, but Bagnaia was quick to hit back once again as he took the victory in Austria to begin a run of top results: a win at Misano, a P2 at MotorLand and then another victory in Thailand – the 800th for Italy – to really pull the pin. Second on the road at Motegi, he was later promoted to the win after the disqualification of Fabio Quartararo (MB Conveyors – Speed Up Racing) for a technical infringement – making the gap that much bigger as the paddock arrived at Phillip Island. There, he had his first match point but it wasn’t to be after a more difficult weekend, so the battle rolled on to Malaysia.
There, it was mission accomplished after a stunning season in the intermediate class and another podium to secure the crown. After one more race and now as reigning Moto2 World Champion, Bagnaia will then be getting on a MotoGP bike once again – this time for good as he moves up to partner Jack Miller at Alma Pramac Racing in 2019.
Francesco Bagnaia
Statistics – Francesco Bagnaia
• Francesco Bagnaia is the second Italian rider to win the Moto2 title, following Franco Morbidelli last year. This is the first back-to-back world title with two different Italian riders in the intermediate category since Loris Capirossi (1998) and Valentino Rossi (1999).
• Bagnaia is the 15th different Italian rider to clinch to title in the intermediate category. Bagnaia’s title is also 24th in the class for Italian riders and the 77th in Grand Prix racing.
• At 21 years and 294 days old, Bagnaia is the ninth youngest rider to clinch the title in the intermediate category and the fourth youngest Italian rider to do so after Marco Melandri (20 years 74 days), Valentino Rossi (20 years 250 days) and Marco Simoncelli (21 years 273 days).
• Bagnaia has won eight races so far this year, equalling Johann Zarco in 2015 and Franco Morbidelli last year which is also the second-highest number of Moto2 wins in a season after Marc Márquez in 2012 (9).
• Bagnaia equals Andrea Iannone and Franco Morbidelli, who both stands in the first place on the list of Italian riders with most wins in the class.
• Bagnaia has stood on the podium 12 times this season so far and 16 in the Moto2 class, equalling Mika Kallio, who stands in 10th place on the list of riders with most podium finishes in the class.
• With 16 podium finishes, Bagnaia is now in third place on the list of Italian riders with most podium finishes in the Moto2 class.
• With his pole position at Motegi – his 6th of the season so far – he equalled Franco Morbidelli in 2nd place on the list of Italian riders with most pole positions in the Moto2 class, two less than Mattia Pasini.
• Bagnaia is only the second Italian rider who has won back-to-back races in the Moto2 class along with Franco Morbidelli.
• Bagnaia has scored points in the last 29 successive races. The last time he failed to score points was in Italy last year when he crashed on the final lap. Only Dominique Aegerter (33) and Mika Kallio (31) and have scored points in more than 29 successive races in Moto2.
• Since he stepped up to Moto2, Bagnaia has always reached the finish line and only failed to score any points twice, in the Americas and Italy last year.
• At 21 years and 63 days old on race day in Qatar, Bagnaia became the sixth youngest rider to lead the Moto2 World Championship since its introduction back in 2010, and the youngest Italian rider.
Jorge Martin (Del Conca Gresini Moto3) is the 2018 Moto3 World Champion, taking the title at Sepang after a stunning season. Seven wins, nine podiums and 11 poles saw Martin a frontrunner throughout the season, and the Spaniard weathered the ups and downs of a tense year of competition to come out on top against key rivals Marco Bezzecchi (Redox PruestelGP) and Fabio Di Giannantonio (Del Conca Gresini Moto3).
Jorge Martin
Jorge Martin – 2018 Moto3 World Champion
“My whole life passed through my very own eyes. I come from a humble family and it wasn’t easy to get here where we are now. I would like to thank everyone who supported me and helped me grow: from the “Cuna de Campeones” to the rookies cup to obviously Gresini Racing. I saw this title almost slipping off my hands in Thailand when I thought I wouldn’t have raced, but we did and I wanna thank everyone, including my rivals. To be winning the title and taking the race win at the same time is probably the best thing in the world, so thank you once again!”
Jorge Martin
Martin made his debut on the world stage in 2015 with Mapfre Mahindra, moving up after taking the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup. He scored his first point in the season opener in Qatar and became a regular top 15 contender, ending his rookie year in 17th overall. The following season, the rider from Madrid took another step forward – including his first podium in the wet at Brno – but he also missed a couple of races through injury, therefore ending the season just one place further forward in 16th overall.
2017 saw Martin cement his place at the front as he moved to Del Conca Gresini Moto3, beginning the year on the podium in third at Qatar. He took nine pole positions and eight further podiums that season – but it was a long wait for one to be a maiden win. The Spaniard wrapped that up in the season finale at Valencia; his first trip to the top step setting him up perfectly for an assault on the crown the following year and seeing him take fourth overall in the standings.
Jorge Martin
2018 began perfectly as Martin won in Qatar, but Argentina was a tougher race in tougher conditions and he could only manage P11. That was when the man who would push him the most this season – Marco Bezzechhi – took his first win, and a classic rivalry was born. Austin saw Martin back on the top step before two more difficult races and DNFs in Jerez and Le Mans, both seeing the Spaniard victim to serious bad luck at the hands of Aron Canet (Estrella Galicia 0,0) and Bezzecchi…
Mugello was a win before a zero in Catalunya, but Martin then took back-to-back wins in Assen and Germany to lead the standings once again. Then, however, disaster struck as the Spaniard broke his left wrist in FP1 at Brno. Operated on and forced to forfeit the round, it was an upset to the Spaniard’s charge.
Back on track in Austria, it was a weekend for Martin to clench his teeth and dig deep, which he did in stunning style to take an emotional podium. In Misano Bezzecchi then faltered and crashed, but Martin could only gain the 20 points for second. Aragon was Martin back on full power at the front for a home win, and the first of the flyaway races in Thailand gave him more of an advantage as Bezzecchi was crashed out and Martin took fourth despite some struggles with his recovery. Motegi then saw the pendulum swing again as Martin crashed in the leading group – and Bezzecchi closed back in with a win.
Jorge Martin
Phillip Island was yet more drama. This time Bezzecchi was back on the receiving end of the bad luck as he was hit by another rider, and Martin took some good points although he couldn’t take the win, coming home fourth. That was enough to give him his first match point next time out at Sepang, however, with Martin 12 points clear before the race in Malaysia – and 20 points clear of Di Giannantonio.
After another incredible race, Martin fought it out before pulling the pin to perfection and Bezzecchi was left to battle to try and keep his hopes alive. As Martin crossed the line first for another win, it all went down to the final corner but Bezzecchi couldn’t quite make it through into that crucial fourth place – making Martin the 2018 Moto3 World Champion.
Fausto Gresini – Team Manager
“I was not expecting to win the championship here. It has been a tough race, so it’s twice as rewarding to win it here. Seven years ago we lost Marco here, so I would like to dedicate this title to him. Everyone in the team has been incredible. We are World Champions by getting the most pole positions and race wins and by winning both team and riders’ classifications. It has been a perfect season, and we could still wrap it up with Diggia’s second place!”
Jorge Martin
Statistics: Jorge Martin
• Jorge Martín is the third Spanish rider to win a Moto3 title after Maverick Viñales (2013), Álex Márquez (2014) and Joan Mir (2017).
• Martín is the 13th different Spanish rider to clinch to title in the lightweight category. In addition, Martín’s title is the 19th in the lightweight category for Spanish riders and 50th in Grand Prix racing.
• At 20 years and 279 days old, Martín is the fourth-youngest rider to clinch the Moto3 world title after Álex Márquez (18 years 200 days old), Maverick Viñales (18 years 302 days old) and Joan Mir (20 years 51 days old).
• Martín has won seven races so far this season, equaling Luis Salom (2013) and Brad Binder in 2016 in the Moto3™ class.
• Martín has won eight races in his career so far, equalling Maverick Viñales, Alex Rins and Danny Kent in fourth place on the list of riders with most wins in the Moto3 class since 2012.
• Martín has stood on the podium nine times this season so far and 19 in the Moto3 class, one less than Luis Salom and Brad Binder, who both stand in fifth place on the list of riders with most podium finishes in the class.
• With 19 podium finishes, Martín is now in fourth place on the list of Spanish riders with most podium finishes in the Moto3 class after Álex Rins (23), Maverick Viñales (22) and Luis Salom (20).
• This is the fourth successive year that a rider who comes from the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup has won the world title, after Brad Binder, Danny Kent and Joan Mir.
• Martín became the second rider to clinch a Grand Prix world title after winning the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup, along with Johann Zarco (2008).
• Jorge Martín has qualified on pole position 20 times in Moto3, a record in the class. His closest rival is Álex Rins with 13, followed by Enea Bastianini with 9. In addition, he took pole five times in a row from Jerez to Assen in 2017, a record streak in the Moto3 class.
• This is the fourth time that a Honda rider has won the Moto3 world title, adding to the championships won by Álex Marquez (2014), Danny Kent (2015) and Joan Mir (2017).
• Martín (186) belongs to the list of four riders who have led more than 150 laps since the introduction of the Moto3 class in 2012, along with Romano Fenati (265), Maverick Viñales (234) and Álex Rins (173).
Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) secured an 80th career pole position after he was the early master of the wet Q2 conditions at the Shell Malaysia Motorcycle Grand Prix, but there was a small bump back to Earth not long after for the reigning World Champion as he later crashed – and then another hit when he was given a six-place grid penalty for irresponsible riding.
Marquez impeded Andrea Iannone (Team Suzuki Ecstar) and will now start seventh. It did not look like a purposeful act but a momentary brain fade, while the Spaniard himself was baulked in the session by Valentino Rossi at one point, but both men were amicable about the mistake. The penalty for Marquez is quite a blow as the Spaniard was simply on another level during qualiying, dominating the session throughout and looking untouchable in the tricky conditions.
Marquez’ heavy penalty means we have Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) now on top after going second quickest in the session. Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) starts second, and fittingly, it’s Iannone now completing that front row.
The MotoGP race starts at the earlier time of 13:00 local time – which makes it 1600 Australian Eastern Daylight Savings Time.
How QP progressed
Marquez had led the field over the line and set the first benchmark; a 2:13.641 to edge out Jack Miller (Alma Pramac Racing), who was just behind the Spaniard on track. Iannone was also within a tenth after the first lap, with a mere 0.051 splitting the top three, but with a banker lap under his belt, Marquez then slammed in a rapid second lap to considerably shift the goal posts. A 2:12.161 put him a full 1.264 quicker than the man who’d taken over at the top, Danilo Petrucci (Alma Pramac Racing), as the World Champion put some serious daylight between himself and his rivals. The Repsol Honda rider then lost the front at Turn 4, however, and there was no saving this one.
The field then set about trying to beat Marquez’ marker. Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) shot up to P2 but was still over a second off and then on his final flying lap and then Italian crashed at Turn 9, before Iannone went up to P2 but the gap was remained 0.936. A flying Frenchman then propelled himself into second with Zarco cutting the gap to eight tenths and fellow YZR-M1 rider Rossi then leapfrogging him. Could either go one better on their final attempt?
Zarco put in a personal best lap to re-take P2 from ‘The Doctor’, but the gap between the number 93 and his rivals remained 0.548 after a masterclass from Marquez for his 80th career pole position across all classes. Then, though, news came through of the penalty and although it remains a Marquez pole in the statistics, he’ll be starting seventh.
Marc Marquez – P1 then demoted to P7
“I think that being able to quickly adapt to sudden changes in track conditions is one of my strong points. Today I took advantage of that, even if, honestly, it wasn’t easy. It was the first time this weekend we rode in the wet, and we even crashed. But the feeling was there and we achieved the pole position, which is a good feeling even if we’ll ultimately start from the third row. The most important thing is that we made a huge step forward with the setup in dry conditions, and now I think we’re competitive. I also adapted my riding style a bit, and now we’re closer to the faster guys, who here are Dovizioso and Viñales. Now we’ll see which conditions we’ll have tomorrow, then we’ll try and make a good start and if possible we’ll fight for the podium.”
Johann Zarco – P2
“We started with soft-soft and could see that Aleix (Esparagaro) went well with these tyres. I tried to do it, but it didn’t work and I said to myself, it’s not normal that I’m that slow. So I stopped to change to the other bike and asked to put in the medium rear. We already planned to use the harder front tyre. From the first lap, I knew something is possible. On the last lap, my feeling was great, but I was sliding on the rear in turn three and in turn four. I got quite some signals and lost a few tenths, so I wasn’t sure if I could have done the lap time of Marc (Marquez). Anyway, it was great. I enjoy the second place and wish for a podium tomorrow.”
Johann Zarco
Valentino Rossi – P3
“This kind of situation is always difficult, because you have to go into the qualifying with no data and no feeling. I’m very happy about the front row and I’m also happy because I have a good feeling with the bike, I could ride it in a good way. I tried qualifying with a soft rear, Márquez and Zarco used the medium. I ran into some traffic, I had to fight with Bautista a bit. But in the end this result is good, because at a certain point we thought we weren’t going to do the qualifying, so starting from the front row is very important. The race tomorrow will be held earlier, which I think is very clever, because at three o’clock the conditions are always bad here, every day. Maybe we can have a dry race, or at least race with a normal amount of water.”
Andrea Iannone – P4
“Today has not been easy, but it was much better than yesterday because we improved a lot with the bike and the feeling. I end today with a positive feeling and this is important for me. Unfortunately in my last flying lap I got held up at corner 9 and I lost 4-tenths of a second, without that my final time could have been even faster. That was a shame but finally I will start on the first row which is a good position. Tomorrow will be hard but we feel ready.”
That means Dovizioso starts fourth despite his crash, with fellow Desmosedici rider Miller ending the session P6 after setting his best lap on his final lap. Milerl now starts in the middle of a second row completed by teammate Danilo Petrucci.
Andrea Dovizioso – P5
“Today we had to adapt to the different situations that we encountered on the track, both in the morning and the afternoon, and as a result we were unable to try everything we had planned. Both Marquez and Viñales improved their pace and I think that tomorrow there will be a group of riders fighting for the leading positions. In Q2 I made a mistake and crashed on my best lap. We also had to use a front tyre that was too hard, like many other riders, and I entered Turn 9 too quickly and slid onto the grass. Pity because we could have started from the front row, but in any case it was important to be able to lap on the wet asphalt in case it rains tomorrow in the race. In any case I believe we can be competitive both in the dry and the wet.”
Andrea Dovizioso
Jack Miller – P6
“If I have to be honest I was convinced that I could win the front row but in the second time attack the front tyre started to deteriorate a lot. Starting from the second row is still a good result also in light of the race pace that throughout the weekend was very positive”.
Jack Miller
Danilo Petrucci – P7
“After the first run I had a lot of confidence. We decided to try the soft rain tyre at the rear but only afterwards we realized that it was less performing than the medium one. I don’t know what the weather will be like tomorrow but I am confident I can stay in the Top 5”.
Danilo Petrucci
Marquez heads Row 3, ahead of Friday’s quickest rider Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) and Q1 graduate Alvaro Bautista (Angel Nieto Team).
Alex Rins – P8
“I think today was a really good and solid day, especially as we tested our rhythm with used tyres and it wasn’t bad. Qualifying was a bit of a shame because our strategy could have been different, if I had stopped to change the tyre I could have been closer to the front. But we’re happy with the grid position anyway and we’ll try and get a good start tomorrow and be fast.”
Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team), Australian GP winner Maverick Viñales (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) and Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) line up on a super-powered Row 4.
Maverick Viñales – P11
“We didn’t have a good attempt during today’s qualifying. The bike wasn’t working well, so it was difficult. What’s certain is that it wasn’t the tyre that caused the problem, it was the bike set-up for the wet, so that’s what the team needs to work on. In the dry we already set up the bike quite well. I don’t know what I should expect for tomorrow’s race, but it will be very interesting. In any case, we have a much better prospect now the schedule for tomorrow has changed, because the chance of rain is higher at three o’clock than it is at one. So, I hope the track will stay dry, because that’s when I feel the best. We have to see, but in FP4 I was really fast, and I felt so good on the bike. I think I can overtake quite fast at this track because the bike is good on acceleration. I need to concentrate on the start, and let’s see if I can make my best start of the year!”
MotoGP Qualifying Results
2018 Sepang MotoGP Q2 Qualification
Pos
Rider
Team
Time
1.
Marquez M.
Repsol Honda
2:12.161
2.
Zarco J.
Monster Tech 3
+0.548
3.
Rossi V.
Movistar Yamaha
+0.848
4.
Iannone A.
Team Suzuki Ecstar
+0.936
5.
Dovizioso A.
Ducati Team
+1.022
6.
Miller J.
Alma Pramac Racing
+1.113
7.
Petrucci D.
Alma Pramac Racing
+1.252
8.
Rins A.
Team Suzuki Ecstar
+1.302
9.
Bautista A.
Angel Nieto Team
+2.024
10.
Pedrosa D.
Repsol Honda
+2.282
11.
Vinales M.
Movistar Yamaha
+2.695
12.
Espargaro A.
Aprilia Racing Team Gresini
+3.179
2018 Sepang MotoGP Q1 Qualification
Pos
Rider
Team
Time
1.
Bautista A.
Angel Nieto Team
2:13.311
2.
Espargaro A.
Aprilia Racing Team Gresini
+0.024
3.
Redding S.
Aprilia Racing Team Gresini
+0.475
4.
Pirro M.
Ducati Team
+0.512
5.
Simeon X.
Reale Avintia Racing
+0.660
6.
Espargaro P.
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
+0.821
7.
Smith B.
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
+1.021
8.
Luthi T.
Marc VDS Racing Team
+1.532
9.
Morbidelli F.
Marc VDS Racing Team
+1.683
10.
Bradl S.
LCR Honda
+2.053
11.
Abraham K.
Angel Nieto Team
+2.368
12.
Nakagami T.
LCR Honda
+3.247
13.
Syahrin H.
Monster Tech 3
+3.514
Moto2
Alex Marquez (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) stormed to Moto2 pole position at the Shell Malaysia Motorcycle Grand Prix, setting the only laptime in the 2:05s to better closest challenger Luca Marini (Sky Racing Team VR46) by a stunning 0.488 seconds. Marquez Fabio Quartararo (MB Conveyors – Speed Up) completing the front row of the grid at the Sepang International Circuit – with ‘El Diablo’ 0.666 off the top…
Alex Marquez (EG 0,0 Marc VDS)
From the outset, it was Marquez who looked menacing and sure enough on his third flying lap, the Spaniard set a sensational 2:05.629 to go 0.692 faster than anyone else. The gauntlet was well and truly thrown down, with Quartararo and Remy Gardner (Tech 3 Racing) sitting as his two closest challengers in P2 and P3 – 0.026 separating the duo, with Marini just 0.009 off a provisional front row with 15 minutes to go.
The timing screens then went stagnant in Sepang and that seemed to be that, with no one able to vastly improve on their early laps. However, this then changed when Marini went from P4 to P2 with under five minutes remaining, although the gap to Marquez was still 0.488. Quartararo, after being pushed down to P3 by Marini, then set a personal best but it wasn’t quite enough to improve his position as the standings were set.
So it was Marquez who took pole – despite a late crash at Turn 1 – to continue his dominant weekend, with Marini and Quartararo joining him on the front row. Fourth place went to Gardner, the Australian producing career-best qualifying in P4 to finish just 0.052 off the front row, with Mattia Pasini (Italtrans Racing Team) lining up alongside him in P5. Championship leader Francesco Bagnaia (Sky Racing Team VR46) completes the second row ahead of his second match point on Sunday.
Remy Gardner – P4
“Today has been a very positive day. I did a really first lap on the first exit of Qualifying, luckily, because then the track went hotter and it was a lot more greasy towards the end. Also the tyres only lasted for one lap. I managed to put a pretty decent lap together in the first lap and we were sitting in P3 for a while all the way until the last two minutes. We put in a new set of tyres again and I tried, but it was just really difficult out there. Quartararo did a good job to pass me in these conditions. We were close to parc fermé, but not in, anyway, I don’t think it’s going to change a lot for tomorrow. We still need to work on our race pace in the Warm up, but I’m happy.”
His title rival Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Ajo) remains close, however. The Portuguese rider was heads up Row 3 and was just 0.068 in arrears – with the duo also having played a little bit of cat and mouse in qualifying. Xavi Vierge (Dynavolt Intact GP) ended qualifying in P8, 0.070 away from Oliveira, with Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and Marcel Schrötter (Dynavolt Intact GP) completing the top ten.
Marquez looks like he’s going to take some beating in Malaysia. Will he take his first victory of the season? And can Bagnaia seal the World Championship? The two title rivals line up in tandem on the grid, with Oliveira out to put the celebrations on hold.
Moto2 Qualification
Pos
Rider
Team
Time
1.
Marquez A.
Estrella Galicia Marc VDS
2:05.629
2.
Marini L.
Sky Racing Team VR46
+0.488
3.
Quartararo F.
Beta Tools-Speed Up Racing
+0.666
4.
Gardner R.
Tech 3 Racing
+0.718
5.
Pasini M.
Italtrans Racing Team
+0.810
6.
Bagnaia F.
Sky Racing Team VR46
+0.920
7.
Oliveira M.
Red Bull KTM Ajo
+0.988
8.
Vierge X.
Dynavolt Intact GP
+1.058
9.
Binder B.
Red Bull KTM Ajo
+1.112
10.
Schrotter M.
Dynavolt Intact GP
+1.113
11.
Fernandez A.
Pons HP40
+1.249
12.
Navarro J.
Federal Oil Gresini
+1.272
13.
Baldassarri L.
Pons HP40
+1.335
14.
Lecuona I.
SWI
+1.412
15.
Locatelli A.
Italtrans Racing Team
+1.457
16.
Nagashima T.
Idemitsu Honda Team Asia
+1.591
17.
Aegerter D.
Kiefer Racing
+1.614
18.
Mir J.
Estrella Galicia Marc VDS
+1.622
19.
Pons E.
Pons HP40
+1.622
20.
Raffin J.
Garage Plus Interwetten
+1.736
21.
Lowes S.
SWI
+1.750
22.
Corsi S.
Tasca Racing Scuderia Moto2
+1.865
23.
Roberts J.
NTS RW Racing GP
+1.887
24.
Odendaal S.
NTS RW Racing GP
+1.937
25.
Pawi K. I.
Idemitsu Honda Team Asia
+2.054
26.
Tuuli N.
SIC Racing Team
+2.796
27.
Danilo J.
SAG Team
+2.871
28.
Pratama D. E.
Federal Oil Gresini
+3.140
29.
Cardelus X.
Team Stylobike
+3.360
30.
Vinales I.
Forward Racing Team
+3.895
31.
Fuligni F.
Tasca Racing Scuderia Moto2
+4.313
32.
Sucipto R. T.
QMMF Racing Team
+4.924
Moto3
Moto3 Championship leader Jorge Martin (Del Conca Gresini Moto3) took pole for the 11th time in 2018 at the Shell Malaysia Motorcycle Grand Prix, setting a new lightweight class qualifying lap record at Sepang. But the Spaniard heads main title rival Marco Bezzecchi (Redox PruestelGP) by just 0.032 to set us up for a Sunday stunner, with Tony Arbolino (Marinelli Snipers Team) continuing his strong weekend to take P3 on the grid.
Jorge Martin
It was John McPhee (CIP – Green Power) who led for the majority of the session and with 15 minutes remaining, despite Bezzecchi briefly taking over at the top, McPhee had moved the goal posts again – his advantage sitting at an impressive 0.584. That was immediately trimmed to 0.052 with Martin going second fastest, however, and Free Practice’s fastest man Arbolino then jumped up to second – with McPhee then clear at the top by only 0.020.
When it was time for the final lap dash, Martin and Bezzecchi both left it late to head out – the latter crossing the line with just four seconds of the session remaining to begin his final lap. Arbolino, Martin and Bezzecchi were then all up in the opening two sectors, but provisional pole man McPhee was also looking to increase his advantage – and that’s exactly what he did. It was only by 0.060 though, with the three riders behind all on fast laps…
Martin then came across the line to top McPhee’s new benchmark by 0.350, as Arbolino slotted into P2 after he also beat the Scotsman’s time. Bezzecchi then made his final lap count and although he missed out on pole to rival Martin, he was just 0.032 down. The two title rivals therefore start side by side, although the third man in the hunt – Fabio Di Giannantonio (Del Conca Gresini Moto3) – starts down in P13 with a little more work to do.
Joining McPhee on Row 2 are Australian GP winner Albert Arenas (Angel Nieto Team Moto3) and Enea Bastianini (Leopard Racing), who was lingering down in P20 with 15 minutes remaining before a final push, with Row 3 an all-Japanese affair. Tatsuki Suzuki (SIC58 Squadra Corse) sits P7 to lead Kazuki Masaki (RBA BOE Skull Rider) and Ayumu Sasaki (Petronas Sprinta Racing) in P8 and P9 respectively. Niccolo Antonelli (SIC58 Squadra Corse) rounds out the top ten; an impressive session from the Italian as he continues to recover from his Japanese GP injuries.
It’s match point to Martin in Malaysia, but with Bezzecchi breathing down his neck on the starting line, another awesome Moto3 race looks set to take place.
Despite the threat of rain throughout the day, the MotoGP riders were able to get two full dry sessions done and dusted in Malaysia, and it was the Suzuki leading the way as the chequered flag came out at the end of FP2.
Rins was the man at the summit thanks to his late FP2 time, with Dovi failing to improve on his FP1 time in the afternoon session – P7 for the Italian in FP2.
Alex Rins – P1
“I’m really happy because the bike was really good today. Our rhythm was strong, even with a used tyre, so we’re feeling hopeful. The bike has actually changed quite a lot since we tested here; it has better top speed and we have a different configuration of aero fairing, so we can clearly see the positive development which has taken place during the season. I’m looking forward to tomorrow.”
Alex Rins
Marquez, meanwhile, finished the second session in P2, but the World Champion had an eventful day. In typical Marquez fashion, the number 93 had to save the front of his RC213V numerous times across the two sessions.
Marc Marquez – P3
“All in all it was a good day for us. This morning I felt good, but this afternoon we struggled a lot at the beginning of the FP2 session: I had some moments and had save it a few times. Finally, we changed the front tyre from hard to medium and in the last run we could improve our speed and our lap time. Anyway we need to work very hard on our race pace. We’ll try a different setup in order to see if we may manage better the front tyre. We need to make a step forward is we want to get closer to Dovizioso, who at the moment is the fastest out there.”
Marc Marquez
There were no such close shaves for fourth place overall and sixth fastest in FP2 Valentino Rossi though, as ‘The Doctor’ had a strong Friday to end the day so close to the top.
Valentino Rossi – P4
“The first day is positive for us, because I was quite fast this morning and also this afternoon. After checking the data on Phillip Island, we worked a lot on the setting of the bike. We tried to improve the grip level, especially from the rear tyre. The first impression is positive, because I was good on a hot lap and also the pace is not so bad. It’s only Friday, so we still have to see, but the start was good. Now we have to concentrate especially on the tyre choice, because it’s still very open, front and rear. We also have to wait and see what the weather will be like. We hope it will remain dry, especially for Sunday.”
Just behind him and fifth on the combined times was Jack Miller on board his Alma Pramac Racing Ducati, the Australian setting a quickest time of 1:59.771 to end FP2 in P3, and Miller was also the first rider to dip into the 1:59s in FP2.
Jack Miller – P5
“I had a lot of fun today and I’m satisfied with what we did in both FP1 FP2. I am very confident because we are fast on both race pace and lap time. Tomorrow we will also have to work on the tyres to find out which is the best choice for the race”.
Jack Miller
Meanwhile, Australian GP winner Maverick Viñales (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) completes the day P6 on the overall times, the Spaniard going fourth fastest in FP2 to end the day less than two tenths off P1.
Maverick Viñales – P6
“It’s been a positive day, because I honestly didn’t expect to be so competitive here. Last year I struggled a lot, this is one of the tracks I struggled at the most, but suddenly, when I went out today, I felt really good. In FP1 I had a good rhythm and we have to keep working in that way. I need to concentrate a little bit more on the lines, but there’s not much to work on. We have to put in a good lap for qualifying and then make sure we’re ready for the race. I hope it will stay dry, because I had such a good feeling, but in Japan when I jumped on the bike with wet tyres, I felt strong too. We have to keep focusing on the set-up we have right now, and let’s see what happens. If the race is wet, I hope we will have had the chance to work on the wet set-up before then. The level this year is much higher and we’re already pushing and putting in time-attacks in FP1, so that’s why the lap times are so fast.”
Just 0.009 behind him at the end of Friday’s proceedings sits Danilo Petrucci (Alma Pramac Racing), P7 overall for the Italian thanks to his FP2 time, with Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) improving by over half a second in the second session to end Friday in P8.
Danilo Petrucci – P7
“We are in good shape in terms of speed but I don’t know if we can be as fast lap by lap on race pace. When the tyres start to heat up I feel a vibration that makes me lose grip. I haven’t tried the soft tyre yet and we’ll do it tomorrow. There’s a lot of confidence for qualifying”.
Danilo Petrucci
Johann Zarco – P8
“The first day in Malaysia has been very difficult for me. The base we had, even if we did the winter test, was not working here and I was pretty slow. Fortunately at the end of the session this morning, I could improve my lap time and be inside the top 10. Also in the afternoon I was in the top 10 at the end of the practice, but we are struggling a lot with the traction, with the rear grip. We try to work on it, but we couldn’t find a good solution yet. Therefore, I’m a bit worried for the rest of the weekend. I keep pushing, though it’s just another experience to take with this bike at this circuit. I hope we can find something that helps for the next days and be ready for the race. It’s a track I like, so I would love to have a decent feeling.”
Johann Zarco
Completing the provisional automatic Q2 places were Andrea Iannone (Team Suzuki Ecstar) in P9 and Aprilia Racing Team Gresini’s Aleix Espargaro in P10 – the latter struggling with grip in the afternoon.
Andrea Iannone – P9
“The weather here always makes things more difficult, and it’s very hot today like every year. We struggled a bit in the morning but in FP2 I could improve, we need to continue to work because I still have room for improvement in braking and acceleration. We’ll try our best and find the solutions so I can be quicker tomorrow. But I’m in the Top 10 and Q2 at the moment and that is a good sign.”
Andrea Iannone
Aleix Espargaro’ – P10
“I am happy with the way things went today. I continued using the upgraded bike and I had a good feeling straight away, especially in the morning. In FP2 I managed to be rather fast with used tyres. We need to work a bit more on grip at the rear, but overall, things are not bad. When I put on the soft tyre toward the end, on the other hand, something didn’t work. The grip was not what I expected, so I was unable to lower my time. In any case, a combined top 10 spot is a good start to the weekend for us.”
Aleix Espargaro’
Dani Pedrosa – P11
“Today we had not really a good feeling. No much grip on the rear and we also struggled a lot in turning. I could not make the pace I would like to have here. In the afternoon we improved the lap time but the grip was even worse. We need to improve the bike’s setup because so far we have not the feeling we had in the test. We must to figure out what to do for tomorrow and keep working hard. It will be important to go out tomorrow and try to improve.”
Dani Pedrosa
Local favourite Hafizh Syahrin, who is the only rider of the permanent MotoGP field, who had not tested this year before the Grand Prix at the Sepang International Circuit, had the difficult task to make up for this in just two sessions today.
Hafizh Syahrin – P18
“Today has not been easy. This morning I felt comfortable and we weren’t too far. In the afternoon, we changed the suspension on the bike to improve, but it doesn’t seem to be the right way. I feel a bit confused, because we have a rhythm, we have ok grip, but the bike doesn’t want to turn, so it’s really difficult. This afternoon we will analyse everything in order to make an improvement for tomorrow. We believe we can do it, but we need to find a good way.”
Hafizh Syahrin
Returning from injury, Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati Team) endured a tough opening day. The five-time World Champion finished bottom of the timesheets and over three seconds adrift of the fastest time, and will further assess his fitness on Saturday.
2018 MotoGP – Sepang Friday Combined Practice Times
RINS Alex SPA Team Suzuki Ecstar 1’59.608
DOVIZIOSO Andrea ITA Ducati Team 1’59.697 / 0.089 (FP1)
MARQUEZ Marc SPA Repsol Honda Team 1’59.701 / 0.093
ROSSI Valentino ITA Movistar Yamaha MotoGP 1’59.767 / 0.159 (FP1)
MILLER Jack AUS Alma Pramac Racing 1’59.771 / 0.163
ABRAHAM Karel CZE Angel Nieto Team 2’01.684 / 2.076
REDDING Scott GBR Aprilia Racing Team Gresini 2’01.690 / 2.082 (FP1)
LUTHI Tom SWI EG 0,0 Marc VDS 2’01.743 / 2.135
SIMEON Xavier BEL Reale Avintia Racing 2’01.900 / 2.292
TORRES Jordi SPA Reale Avintia Racing 2’01.940 / 2.332
LORENZO Jorge SPA Ducati Team 2’03.204 / 3.596 (FP1)
Moto2
Friday at the Shell Malaysia Motorcycle Grand Prix belonged to Alex Marquez (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) in the Moto2 class, as the 2014 Moto3 Champion topped both FP1 and FP2. The Spaniard managed to best Fabio Quartararo (MB Conveyors – Speed Up) at the end of FP2 by 0.030 after setting a 2:06.928 on his final lap so it was close but he kept the top spot, with Luca Marini (Sky Racing Team VR46) third – 0.161 back. He was just ahead of teammate and Championship leader Francesco Bagnaia and the two did a good few laps together on track, perfecting their teamwork…
The track conditions were tricky for the opening minutes of the second session but with the rain clouds clearing, the Moto2 field were able to get a good dry stint on Friday afternoon. At the end of play, Marquez and Quartararo were the only two riders to venture into the 2:06s, the latter improving from a P13 finish in the morning, but it was Bagnaia who had the advantage in terms of the title fight – with sole rival Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Ajo) a little further back in eighth.
Between the two, it was Mattia Pasini (Italtrans Racing Team) who completed the top five on Friday and the Italian led FP2 by over a second at the one point after ending FP1 in P2. Then the first of the KTMs on the timesheets was Sam Lowes (Swiss Innovative Investors) in P6, as he just got the better of Oliveira.
Behind the Portuguese rider, Pons HP40’s Lorenzo Baldassarri completes Friday in P8, with Remy Gardner (Tech 3 Racing) kicking off his weekend with a solid P9 on the combined times – the Australian consolidating a top ten place after ending FP1 in P7.
Remy Gardner – P9
“It has been a pretty good day here. This morning it was still patchy when we went out, but we put the slick in when there was still some water on track and we ended up seventh, which was quite decent. Before FP2 it was raining, so everyone went out with wet tyres and of course we did the same, but the track was completely dry after it dried up in just some seconds. We came back in, put some old slicks back in, did a run and improved on our time from this morning. At the end, we put in the soft tyre and made a big step forward. We still need a bigger jump for tomorrow, but I think we’re on the right track after a good start. We just have to see how the weather plays out.”
Remy Gardner
Australian GP winner Brad Binder rounded out the top ten on board his Red Bull KTM Ajo machine, moving up the timesheets after a tougher FP1.
Joan Mir (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) had a late crash at Turn 15 in the afternoon – rider ok.
2018 Moto2 – Sepang Friday Combined Practice Times
Marquez 2m06.928
Quartararo 2m06.958
Marini 2m078.089
Bagnaia 2m07.106
Pasini 2m07.107
Lowes 2m07.315
Oliveira 2m07.551
Baldassarri 2m07.605
Gardner 2m07.644
Binder 1m07.685
Moto3
Tony Arbolino (Marinelli Snipers Team) ended Day 1 at the Shell Malaysian Motorcycle Grand Prix at the top of the timesheets in the Moto3 class, with the Italian setting a 2:14.227 on a dry Sepang International Circuit before the rain started to fall with just under 20 minutes remaining, curtailing the day’s action. John McPhee (CIP – Green Power) and Aron Canet (Estrella Galicia 0,0) completed the top three, with Championship leader Jorge Martin (Del Conca Gresini Moto3) rounding out a top four covered by a mere 0.024 seconds.
After his huge Japanese GP crash, Niccolo Antonelli (SIC58 Squadra Corse) returns to action in Malaysia still nursing his injuries picked up in Motegi but nonetheless, the Italian impressed on Day 1 to end fifth fastest, just 0.122 off the top. Countryman Andrea Migno (Angel Nieto Team Moto3) completed Friday another tiny margin in arrears, 0.003 back in P6, with the same gap separating him from another Italian in P7: Enea Bastinaini (Leopard Racing). Title contender Marco Bezzecchi (Redox PruestelGP) is eighth overall, but the gap is just 0.155 between him and the fastest time.
Ninth quickest was fastest rookie Alonso Lopez (Estrella Galicia 0,0), with Australian GP winner Albert Arenas (Angel Nieto Team Moto3) rounding out a top ten that was covered by only 0.321 in Malaysia. P3 in the Championship, Fabio Di Giannantonio (Del Conca Gresini Moto3) finished Friday in P13.
2018 Moto3 – Sepang Friday Combined Practice Times
The man that has won here in Malaysia for the past two years has started where he left off by lapping the 5.54 km Sepang Circuit in an FP1 topping 1m59.697 this aftneroon.
Valentino Rossi put in a late lap to come from outside the top ten into second place on the timesheets with a 1m59.767. The #46 particularly fast in the second half of the circuit to push Phillip Island winning teammate Maverick Vinales back to third place.
Valentino Rossi – AJRN Image
The only other rider to get in the 1m59s in FP1 was Jack Miller. Like fellow Ducati rider Dovizioso it was the first half of the lap where Miller really shone, the Australian second only to the #4 Ducati through those first two splits.
Miller’s teammate Danilo Petrucci was fifth quickest and recorded the highest top speed through the traps at 326.1 km/h.
Suzuki’s Alex Rins and Aprilia’s Aleix Espargaro were next in sixth and seventh respectively just aheaed of Alvaro Bautista and Johann Zarco.
Marc Marquez rounded out the top ten as the leading Honda but obviously did not bother putting in a time attack lap in the session, his best a 2m00.801.
Jorge Lorenzo did put in 12 laps during the session and slowly built his pace but was still last on the timesheets at session end. It will be interesting to see if Lorenzo participates in FP2 and to whether he will stay on the bike for the rest of the weekend or be replaced by Ducati test rider Michele Pirro.
Ciba-Geigy Bonded Aeroweb frame made by Nigel Leaper
With Phil Aynsley
1986 Heron Suzuki TSR08 GP Racer
At the end of the 1983 season Suzuki officially retired from the 500cc GP championship as their venerable square four design (first seen in 1973) was no longer competitive.
Heron decided to invest in a new, light weight chassis made from Ciba-Geigy Bonded Aeroweb (a honeycomb/composite) material, constructed by Nigel Leaper. The first two prototypes were made with an aluminium cladding (painted white) but the following six frames just used the (black) honeycomb material.
1986 Heron Suzuki TSR08 GP Racer
Records show that this bike (TSR08) was the last one constructed, in 1986, and was ridden at Spa by Kevin Schwantz to 10th place (in Rizla colours) – his first points in Grand Prix.
1986 Heron Suzuki TSR08 GP Racer
Later in the season it was ridden by Niall MacKenzie in the Skoal Bandit colours seen here. He scored three top ten places and was on the front row of the grid for the last race of the year, at Misano.
1986 Heron Suzuki TSR08 GP Racer
The motor was the final version of the square four, the reed-valve XR70RV which produced 148hp at 12,500rpm (with UK developed exhausts, heads & air-boxes). Dry weight was 115kg. Top speed 295kph.
The Heron Suzuki TSR1-0 in Barber Museum
The first bike (TSR1-0) can be seen at the Barber Museum in the US.
The Heron Suzuki TSR1-0 in Barber Museum
The Heron Suzuki TSR1-0 in Barber Museum1986 Heron Suzuki TSR08 GP Racer1986 Heron Suzuki TSR08 GP Racer1986 Heron Suzuki TSR08 GP Racer1986 Heron Suzuki TSR08 GP Racer1986 Heron Suzuki TSR08 GP Racer1986 Heron Suzuki TSR08 GP Racer
Mick Doohan was as popular as ever at last weekend’s Australian Grand Prix, where Marc Márquez honoured him by wearing tribute boots and gloves.
Winning the World Championship in Japan allowed Marc Márquez to move level in premier class titles with one of the legends of motorcycle racing, Mick Doohan. Both have five premier class crowns with Repsol Honda team.
Mick Doohan 1998
Did you give many interviews during the Australian Grand Prix?
“I always do at Phillip Island, especially this year with the fifth title for Marc [Márquez]; everyone wants to make the comparison between his titles and mine, because of the number. We’ve both won five titles, all with Repsol and all with Honda; There are many similarities. Mine were won many years ago, but it’s nice to be remembered in this way, even if it means a lot of interview requests in addition to other commitments that I already have. I’m very happy to be able to do everything. It’s not a bother for me, and it’s simply a matter of finding the time and way to do everything.”
Mick Doohan – Phillip Island 2018
What did you think when you saw that Marc was going to wear your boots and gloves?
“It was fantastic. He actually asked me for permission to use them, and of course I said that he could. It’s an honour that he thought of me like that for the race in Australia.”
Mick Doohan – Australian GP 1992 – Image by Phil Aynsley
What does it mean for you to see Marc win five titles with Honda, like you did?
“I think it’s fantastic. It’s good for the sport and it’s good for the factory. Working for Honda was fantastic for me. They gave me a platform that allowed me to win. I didn’t need any extra motivation to continue riding year after year, as long as they guaranteed me their commitment to continue testing the bike, improving it and bringing me what I wanted. If I had needed a motivation to change the colour of my bike, maybe it would have been time to retire. Not everyone will like that, but it’s how I was and I think it’s good for both parties to have a solid association with a single manufacturer.”
What’s more impressive about Marc? His titles or the way he rides?
“I think the two things go hand in hand. His riding is impressive, there is no doubt about that; he makes it exciting for everyone watching, including me. But if he didn’t ride like that, he wouldn’t have won those titles. At the same time, it’s what gets the fans glued to the television. This year we have seen a great season of racing, with many riders at the front and a lot of fighting for wins, which has given us races like Assen. I always try to watch the races, including qualifying, and luckily I can follow it wherever I am – even on my mobile phone. There has been a lot of excitement and Márquez has been part of that. He’s an attraction to get you watching MotoGP to see what will happen, because you don’t know what will happen right until the last corner.”
Wayne Gardner and Mick Doohan on the Honda NSR500s – Image Phil Aynsley
What is the best quality that Marc possesses?
“I think his determination. His commitment to never give up, his will to compete. Some say he is too aggressive, but every rider is. When you are always on the limit, sometimes there is not much room for error and unfortunately there will be contact. There has always been contact, elbows, and moves that are a little aggressive. But before now, not everything was recorded by the television cameras. Now it’s like a football game; you can’t do anything. If you aren’t aggressive, you won’t win. It seems that Marc has a determination and a desire to win that is greater than that of the others riders.”
Marc Marquez admires Doohan’s championship winning NSR500
Can you imagine him on a 500cc bike?
“I’m sure he would have had no problem on a 500cc bike. The great riders like him, which we saw with Valentino and others, are able to adapt to the bike that they have. That was already the case in my time; there were riders who changed manufacturers, but their results were the same. The rider, the organic part of the bike, is the thing that usually makes the biggest difference. Marc could win for practically all of the factories.”
Marc Marquez admires Doohan’s championship winning NSR500
Do you see yourself reflected in any of the things that Marc does?
“I would be crazy if I said that! No, these are different times and the only thing that we could say is similar would be the will to win and to never to give up. I think that Marc and other riders, like Valentino, go into the race wanting to win no matter where they qualify. It’s the only similarity you can find between someone like me and Marc. I never went into a race thinking “I hope I can finish second.” The aim was always to win, and if that was not possible, then the next best position, but I was always thinking about winning.
Mick Doohan – NSR500
“Marc is only 25 years old and, if he doesn’t get injured and maintains the desire to ride, he could win two, three, four or five more World Championships.”
Marc Marquez – Motegi 2018 – AJRN Image
Can you imagine competing against him?
“Yes, but if he were competing in my time, he would think ‘Who is Mick Doohan? Just a rider against whom I compete,’ just as he treats the rest of the riders today. It’s the same with me. When you go out there to compete and to win, the mentality is the same. Even though my time was 20 years before his, just as Agostini came before me and I would get asked about him.”
Mick Doohan – Image by Phil Aynsley
You rode against Alberto Puig. How do you see his role as Team Manager for Repsol Honda ?
“Alberto is a rider, and that’s what you need in a team. You need someone intelligent, with a good knowledge of the competition, even if he isn’t a rider. I remember that when I competed, he was a fast rider, strong and determined, but he was always very calculating. We have seen him working with young riders for many years, like Dani Pedrosa, and I think he has brought that experience to the team in what is a great step forward. Now he will have to handle Márquez and Lorenzo, and I think he will do well because he knows what each one will be asking for. At least they will not have the language barrier, as happened with me.”
Mick Doohan – Australian GP 1992 – Image by Phil Aynsley
Marc is still only 25 years old. What can we expect from him in the future?
“That depends on him. He is only 25 years old and if, touch wood, he doesn’t get injured, stays fit, strong and healthy, and maintains the desire to ride, then even if he retires at 30 he could win two, three, four or five more World Championships. Statistics are something you don’t think about while competing, although it is important to the media. If everything continues as it has done throughout his career, then if he competes he will do so to win. So if he competes for another five years, he could potentially win another five titles. But if he continues until the age of 35, then who knows?”
Mick Doohan – Honda NSR500 – Image Phil Aynsley
What do you think about MotoGP now, with the same tyres, electronics, etc?
“I think it’s fantastic. I think Dorna have done a great job, especially Carmelo Ezpeleta. I love talking to him, because he’s always one step ahead with his vision. I think he has managed the sport very well; If you look at the fans that come to the circuits and the television audiences, it is working out very well. The good riders would be able to ride without any electronics, but they have managed to make the crashes happen through losing grip on the front end, by forcing the limit of the tyre, instead of highsides when opening the throttle. It is safer and at the same time, with the same electronics, it is easier for everyone to manage the power.”
Do you think your son will get to Formula 1?
“He’s like a 15 year old rider in the Spanish Championship who wants to get to MotoGP. I think you need to have a dream. He’s winning races and he’s fast, but he’s only 15. I guess I’m the one who has been putting some ideas that he has into his head and he has the same mentality of never giving up. He is not happy when he finishes second, but I think that comes from him. There is a bit of that and he gets angry when he doesn’t win, and he tries hard when it comes to training and motivating himself, but at the end of the day he’s only a 15-year-old kid.”
What is it like to be the father of a driver?
“For me it’s nice, because I like motorsports. Being my son, you feel a bit of that adrenalin when he is on the track, but I try not to crowd him too much. Obviously you are a little worried about this or that, just like you see with Marc’s father and other paddock parents. He seems quite sensible and, hasn’t had many accidents for the moment. However, as happens in the Spanish Championship, the level rises exponentially and the competitiveness is much greater as you advance through the various series.”
MotoGP heads to Malaysia this weekend as the final leg of the three-week fly-away tour concludes with a visit to the Sepang International Circuit, before returning to Europe for the season finale at Valencia.
Sepang International Circuit – MotoGP 2018
The melting pot of Malaysian culture is perfectly reflected in the layout of the 5,543m circuit, a track where extremely high-temperatures can heat the surface to highs above 50°C, while the abrasive asphalt can quickly be soaked by heavy downpours.
All of this is mixed with a technical layout over the five left and ten right corners, interlinked by two long straights. This provides alternating challenges to riders, bikes, and especially tyres, so much so that Sepang has become a regular test venue and one that is synonymous with preparing a MotoGP bike and all of its components for the season ahead, during the winter tests.
Sepang International Circuit – MotoGP 2018
Viñales looked unstoppable in Australia and was back on the top step for the first time since Le Mans in 2017, boosting his confidence and adding a spring to his step on the way to Malaysia so he’ll be one to watch for sure.
Maverick Viñales
“After the victory in Australia, sincerely, I’m very happy. The team has worked very hard to overcome the crisis that we were going through. I’m feeling comfortable and I’ve regained my confidence. But we have to think about the next race in Sepang. We are highly motivated. It’s a circuit with very different climate conditions to those we’ve had in Phillip Island and in Japan – it’s always really hot and that makes it a very physically demanding race. I thought we made an important step in Phillip Island and actually I felt really good on my M1. We are on the right path and if we continue like this, hopefully we can finish the season with more victories.”
Maverick Vinales in Australia – Image by AJRN
For teammate Valentino Rossi it wasn’t quite the same weekend, however, as the ‘Doctor’ fought for second before then getting relegated to sixth by the flag.
Valentino Rossi
“Unfortunately in Australia I lost important points for the championship and I’m very disappointed about that, but I’m happy for Maverick and for Yamaha. Now we have to concentrate on the third and last race overseas at Sepang and it will be important to have a good weekend. We must continue to work hard because we have to be competitive at every race. Sepang is not one of our favourite tracks, but we will always try our hardest to get the best results possible.”
Maverick Vinales – Image by AJRN
Viñales has reversed the trend of late and that means the two are now separated by only 15 points in the Championship – will he continue to turn the screw? Or will the vastly different venue turn the tables once again?
Valentino Rossi – Sepang 2017
15 points is now also the gap between Rossi and second overall Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) – so it’s all in play behind newly-crowned Champion Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team).
Ducati took a 1-2 at the venue last year, too – and Dovizioso won that and the 2016 race. Will the Italian be able to do the hattrick and win in 2018 too? He said Phillip Island was important to see how they’d improved this season, given it had always been a more difficult venue – and he took third, and fought for second. That’s a big leap forward so back on ground with a stunning track record, can anyone bet against ‘DesmoDovi’?
Andrea Dovizioso
“Our main aim now is to try and win in Malaysia and for sure we can be competitive at Sepang, even though things are different than last year for many reasons. The fight for second place in the championship is now becoming interesting, because Rossi is still not far behind me, even though in Australia I gained a few points on him, so we must remain focussed because this is a track where he has always gone well.”
Andrea Dovizioso topped the podium at Sepang in 2017 – Image by AJRN
His teammate last time out, Alvaro Bautista, also had great pace at the Island on the GP18 so it wasn’t a one-pony trick for the Borgo Panigale factory. But he now returns to the Angel Nieto Team as, in turn, Jorge Lorenzo returns from injury.
Keyhole surgery undertaken and on the mend, the five-time World Champion should be fit to race – so what can he do? Second last year was a good showing but even more pivotal was Lorenzo’s form in testing earlier in the season: he was at his poetry-in-motion best to put in the fastest ever lap of Sepang International Circuit.
Jorge Lorenzo
“Only eight days have passed since I had an operation on the ligament of my left wrist, but I’m feeling a bit better. For sure the operation was quite recent and so we’ll have to wait until I get on the bike to see how the wrist responds and if I still have a lot of pain when I ride. On Thursday I’ll go to the circuit medical staff for a check-up on my condition and I hope to be able to race even though I won’t be at 100%. I haven’t been able to train for the past few days and the Sepang circuit is very challenging, so this is not exactly an ideal scenario to return to the track.”
Malaysia will see Jorge Lorenzo make his return from injury
Not so fast, however – at least on paper. The fastest official lap, from a race weekend, remains Dani Pedrosa’s 2015 1:59.053 and the ‘Little Samurai’ has some serious form at Sepang: five poles and three premier class wins. Higher temperatures raise expectations too, so what can Pedrosa do coming back from a DNF?
Dani Pedrosa
“The Malaysian Grand Prix is a demanding venue due to both the extreme weather conditions and the track itself, which isn’t an easy one, being wide and requiring precise lines and a good setup. That said, I like it very much, so I hope we can do good work and find a setting that allows me to feel good on the bike and to try to have a good weekend.”
Dani Pedrosa could also be a look in with a strong record at Sepang with his fastest race lap record
His teammate Marquez, meanwhile, also ended up with a 0 in Australia. Hit from behind by Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) and sustaining too much damage, he agreed it was a racing incident but both didn’t manage to finish – leaving a few usual suspects out of the mix at the front. Marquez has only one win at Sepang in the premier class, taken in 2014, but he’s been showing similar signs to that season’s domination a few times in 2018 – and the title is already done. Will he be straight back on top?
#AusMotoGP – Damage to Marquez Honda
Marc Marquez
“We had quite an eventful race in Australia and it was a pity we couldn’t fight until the end, but that’s gone now and we look forward to the next round in Malaysia with our usual spirit and positive mentality. We still have our target of two more titles to achieve, and we also want to try and win again if we have the chance to do so. Malaysia is a demanding round from a physical point of view but that’s something we’re prepared to deal with, so we’ll keep our concentration high and try to start strong beginning on Friday morning.”
Marc Marquez – AJRN Image
Andrea Iannone is fresh from his second place only a few days ago in Phillip Island and he will be taking this momentum as a further push to try and end the season in the best possible way. He feels that the competitiveness of his GSX-RR and his riding is very close to that of the best contenders, thus giving him high hopes for a positive race in Sepang, despite the hot and humid weather expected there.
Andrea Iannone
“Last year’s Malaysian GP was a strange race because it was wet, but we showed good performance when the conditions were dry. We arrive after a positive weekend and good moments, I hope we can continue to be as competitive as we expect. Overall Sepang is never to be considered an easy one because it’s always very hot, so we struggle both with the physical condition and the tyre management and choice. We will need to manage everything in the best possible way. The last race in Australia of course gave us positive confidence and I also trust in the work they are doing in Japan, we have the important awareness that we are now very close to the best contenders.”
#AusMotoGP
Alex Rins got a result below his expectations in Australia, but he could take important lessons from his solid 5th place. His performance in Japan was good, taking third place in the race, thus his confidence with the bike is getting better and better and he now has a well deserved place among the fastest riders.
Alex Rins
“In Malaysia I will try to do my best, as always. We will try the maximum and hope to keep the momentum we’ve had in the recent races where we’ve always been in the Top 5. It is true that after the Motegi podium I expected a bit more in Australia, but the race was like that and we have to take the positive points. Sepang is a good track for us, a track we know really well because we usually test there in the pre-season, so we will work hard again to stay in the front positions. Suzuki is working very well in those matters, we need to improve a little more but we are feeling very positive for the coming races.”
Alex Rins chasing Valentino Rossi and Maverick Vinales
Monster Yamaha Tech3 duo Johann Zarco and Hafizh Syahrin can’t wait to arrive in Malaysia for the second last round of the 2018 MotoGP World Championship, with Zarco’s Australian GP ending with a high speed crash that also took Marquez out of the running, leaving him tied with Andrea Iannone on 133 championship points and ranked seventh, with Lorenzo three points behind, and Danilo Petrucci just four points ahead, ensuring the last two rounds will be interesting ones.
Johann Zarco
“The Sepang International Circuit is a track I like and one, I can be fast on. I hope my Yamaha will give me a good feeling again. It’s going to be like in Thailand with very hot temperatures and difficult conditions to race, but I feel fit for this round, even after the crash in Australia. Therefore, I look forward to have a good race and catch as many points as possible to be the first independent rider.”
Johann Zarco
Syahrin will be on home ground meanwhile and sure to be the crowd favourite, with Monster Yamaha Tech3 Team Manager Hervé Poncharal explaining that there’ll be plenty going on for the local.
Hervé Poncharal
“The next round only in a few days’ time is going to be Malaysia – a very important race for the Championship, great event, great circuit, where we do a lot of testing during the winter, where we have a lot of data and where MotoGP is big like it was big in Thailand. This year it will be even bigger, especially for us, because we have the home hero, the MotoGP star in Malaysia, which is Hafizh Syahrin. He will arrive there as a rock star. There are quite a few things organized around him by the media for the marketing of the Malaysian Grand Prix, so we will be very busy there, helping everyone. In terms of results, this has always been a circuit where we have had interesting races. Hafizh should be fast, we hope, although he has never rode a MotoGP bike on that circuit, but it’s his home country, which is always a very special boost. Especially after the nightmare day we experienced in Australia on Sunday, we can’t wait to be on track for FP1 just to forget about this and to be focussed on Malaysia. I hope there will be many, many fans for Monster Yamaha Tech3 with Johann and of course the local boy Hafizh. See you all there!”
Hafizh Syahrin
Hafizh Syahrin currently sits ranked 18th in the championship with 34 points to his name, and it remains to be seen whether he’ll be able to convert the home ground advantage into results, but he’ll have the crowd’s support nevertheless. Heading into his first home Grand Prix in the premier class, the Malaysian crashed out in Australia but took a top ten in Japan and is on form in terms of pace.
Hafizh Syahrin
“I’m looking forward to arrive in Sepang after the good sensations we got in Phillip Island. Although the result was not great in the end, two thirds of the race were fantastic and I learned from the top riders in front of me, plus I was able to stay close to them. Unfortunately, we lost the front in turn four and also in the straight we were missing some power from the engine. I just can’t wait for my home race, which gives me some extra motivation. We keep working hard and believing in ourselves. For sure, we’ll try to do our best there.”
Hafizh Syahrin
Aleix Espargaró arrives in Malaysia on the back of a good race at Phillip Island, finishing ninth after a comeback ride with a convincing pace. The Spanish rider, who has apparently suffered no injury after taking a blow to the hand on Sunday, will continue working on an evolution of the RS-GP in Malaysia.
Aleix Espargaró
“In Malaysia it will be important to test the new advanced bike. Phillip Island is a particular track and we raced there in decidedly difficult conditions, so I want to put the new solutions to the test on a different circuit. My hand shouldn’t give me any problems. The pain has gone down and I don’t think it will condition me for the next race.”
Aleix Espargaró – AJRN Image
Getting back into the points will be extra motivation for Scott Redding who has been steadily improving his feeling over the last few races.
Scott Redding
“At Sepang I’ll be expecting a physically demanding race, in some ways similar to Thailand. We’ll need to work on grip and tyre life. I want to take on my last to MotoGP races with peace of mind, trying to have fun and achieve the best possible result.”
Scott Redding – AJRN Image
The Ángel Nieto Team head to Malaysia with two riders bang in form after best results of the season in Australia for both Álvaro Bautista and Karel Abraham.
Alvaro Bautista – AJRN Image
The Spaniard took fourth at Phillip Island, riding the factory Ducati GP18 in place of Jorge Lorenzo, and he is looking to fight at the front again at Sepang to round off a strong run of flyaway races.
Álvaro Bautista
“We go to Malaysia in even higher spirits if that were possible because this trip is turning out to be really positive. We are on an upward curve, constantly improving. Sepang is one of my favourite tracks, it has a bit of everything and the objective as always will be to have some good practice sessions, work well with the bike and look for a place in Q2. We have seen that if we can start with the front guys we can run with them, so qualifying is very important. Then we can aim for a top ten, which is what we can achieve with the material we have.”
Álvaro Bautista – AJRN Image
His teammate Karel Abraham took eleventh place at Phillip Island to double his points tally for the season. This weekend the Czech rider shifts back to his Ducati GP16, the race-winning bike at Sepang in 2016, and he is hoping it can power him to another points finish.
Karel Abraham
“I am going to Malaysia looking forward to racing again and fighting for more points, even though I don’t like the weather conditions there. At Sepang I won’t be riding the Ducati GP17, which I had my best result of the season on in Australia, but I will be back on my usual bike to give my best as always.”
Karel Abraham
The heat is on at Sepang and another piece of the puzzle will be played out at 300 km/h around the fast and challenging circuit – so who can tame the Malaysian masterpiece? Find out on Sunday 4th November.
Riders for the 2019 Idemitsu Asia Talent Cup have been decided at the Selection Event in Malaysia.
Asia Talent Cup Selections
The Selection Event to choose the Idemitsu Asia Talent Cup riders for next season is now over for another year after taking place at Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia.
Asia Talent Cup Selections for 2019
Following inscriptions on Tuesday and a day of track action to assess the new crop of hopefuls on Wednesday, eight young riders from across Asia and Oceania have been selected to join the grid– as well as five reserve riders.
Harrison Voight – Asia Talent Cup 2019
Aussie youngsters Jacob Roulstone and Harrison Voight are two of the youngest to make it through the selection process while Luke Power has been named as a reserve rider.
The Selection Event took place largely in the wet at Sepang, but it didn’t put too much of a dampener on proceedings.
Jacob Roulstone – Asia Talent Cup 2019
Over 90 youngsters were put through their paces throughout the day before the Selection Committee made their final decisions.
Harrison Voight – Asia Talent Cup 2019
The committee, led by Talent Promotion Director Alberto Puig, selected riders from Australia, Malaysia, Indonesia and Japan to either join the grid next year or be on the reserve list.
Jacob Roulstone – Asia Talent Cup 2019
Now the grid for next year is decided, it’s time to decide the Champion this season. The 2018 Idemitsu Asia Talent Cup will be decided at Sepang this weekend, and young Aussie Billy Van Eerde currently leads the championship by 12-points heading into this weekend’s finale!
SELECTED & RESERVE RIDERS FOR 2019
WEDNESDAY, 31ST OCTOBER 2018 /// SEPANG GO-KART CIRCUIT, MALAYSIA
S/R
NUM
RIDER NAME
NAT
GEN
AGE
Cm
Kg
SEL
18
M IDIL FITRI BIN MAHADI
MAL
M
15
164
47
SEL
20
M SYARIFUDDIN BIN A
MAL
M
16
163
51
SEL
39
HERJUN ATNA FIRDAUS
INA
M
14
170
50
SEL
41
ABDUL GOFAR MUTAQIM
INA
M
14
170
49
SEL
57
JACOB JOHN ROULSTONE
AUS
M
13
157
36
SEL
62
HARRISON SAMUEL VOIGHT
AUS
M
12
149
41
SEL
81
RYOSUKE BANDO
JPN
M
15
170
51
SEL
91
REI WAKAMATSU
JPN
M
12
146
36
RES
27
MUHAMMAD AIMAN BIN AZMAN
MAL
M
18
168
59
RES
40
MUHAMMAD HILDHAN KUSUMA
INA
M
16
170
53
RES
56
LUKE POWER
AUS
M
13
162
52
RES
76
SHOTA KIUCHI
JPN
M
15
164
54
RES
113
KADIR ERBAY
TUR
M
12
170
48
Alberto Puig (Talent Promotion Director):
“It was difficult, especially because of the conditions. It was pouring. We couldn’t do our full intended program of testing but we did what we could. Out of all this I think we’ve selected the riders who were faster today, and the reserve riders. It’s the first time we’ve had rain like this during the selection at Sepang. But we did it and we’re happy, we have some young riders of different nationalities. It’s also important that no one is injured although we had some crashes, everyone is ok. So for one more edition, job completed.
“We always try and find young riders because they always have more potential to learn and grow. We hope we’ve got some potential selected here. They understand they have an important opportunity but at the beginning it will be difficult for them, like it has been for all the riders who have come to race in the Cup. But as always, the guys who are strongest and have the most passion will make it on this road.”
It was a fairly limited supports program at this year’s Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix with only two classes present, Superbike and 300 Supersport.
Supersport 300 was manic as usual – Image by Colin Rosewarne
While there were 26 Superbike entrants, a lot of Australia’s fastest Superbike teams had decided to forego the non-championship event in the face of budget constraints. Thus Yamaha Racing Team’s Wayne Maxwell and Daniel Falzon were not in the field, nor was Team Suzuki’s Josh Waters. BCperformance Kawasaki were also not attending the event.
There were, however, a lot of riders in the field that do not regularly compete in ASBK Superbike events so some of the speed differences were very large indeed. A massive 14-seconds separated the fastest and slowest competitors.
Troy Bayliss – Glenn Allerton – TBG Image
It is fair to say, that Australian Superbike did not have its best feet forward in front of the MotoGP circus and the strong crowds that were present across the Phillip Island Grand Prix weekend. Albeit that the support class action was largely held at times when most of the crowd were yet to arrive, or had already left. That notwithstanding, the racing was tight and action packed across both classes.
The weekend also clearly underlined yet again why ASBK should not, and do not, schedule championship races at the MotoGP event. We are nothing more than card fillers, and as such there are never any guarantees of our events going ahead. We can generally get away with it at WorldSBK events, as they are generally at the beginning of the season, thus the championship connotations are not quite so important, but at MotoGP it would be madness to have championship points on the line.
Troy Bayliss – Glenn Allerton – TBG Image
A three-hour delay after a hefty oil spill early on in Moto3 first practice saw most of the day’s domestic schedule postponed. Luckily, ASBK Superbike competitors had got out on the circuit for FP1 at the ridiculously early time of 0755. An hour later they then got out for their single 20-minute qualifying session on a track registering a cool 16.7-degrees celsius, and an ambient of 13-degrees.
Glenn Allerton – TBG Image
It was the NextGen BMW of Glenn Allerton that set the pace by lapping fractionally faster than the DesmoSport Ducati Panigale of Troy Bayliss.
2018 Australian Superbike Champion Troy Herfoss was around half-a-second slower while young Mark Chiodo was the fastest Suzuki. Chiodo was riding his private machine due to the non-appearance of the Ecstar Suzuki squad.
Mark Chiodo – TBG Image
We were scheduled to have two Superbike races on Friday, a ten-lap race followed by another eight-lapper. Instead competitors only got to race a single eight-lap bout on Friday which got underway at 1720. Superbike then got a second race at 0855 on Saturday morning and a third and final race from an originally scheduled four then took place at 0935 on Sunday morning.
Few people were at the track early enough to witness the support class action – Supersport 300 Race One – TBG Image
Predictably, it was the three men with multiple high-level road race championships under their belts that ran away with the show up front in Superbike.
Glenn Allerton, Troy Bayliss and Troy Herfoss in close formation at Phillip Island – Image by Colin Rosewarne
Troy Bayliss, Glenn Allerton and Troy Herfoss all shared a win apiece. It was however the elder statesman that won the meeting with Bayliss scoring two more points than Allerton, who in turn scored two more than Herfoss.
Troy Bayliss won the first bout in what was a ripper duel between the Ducati legend and NextGen BMW’s Glenn Allerton, a quarter-of-a-second separating them at the line.
Troy Bayliss – TBG Image
It was an important indication that Allerton is really back from injury, up for a fight, and keen to re-establish his place in the top echelons of Australian Superbike’s pecking order come season 2019. The BMW has quite often been found a little wanting at Phillip Island, but clearly the NextGen squad had the S 1000 RR working well last weekend.
Troy Herfoss had an early off-track excursion that took him out of the battle but he still easily took third place, seven-seconds ahead of Mark Chiodo who just managed to hold off Alex Phillis to claim fourth.
Superbike Race Two – Image by Colin Rosewarne
The second race was staged in drizzly conditions early on Saturday morning. This time around Herfoss was back in the hunt for the win and fighting up front with Bayliss and Allerton.
A wet Saturday morning at Phillip Island – Image by TBG
17-thousandths of a second separated Allerton and Bayliss at the flag but it was the nose of the BMW that was in front and Allerton was credited with the win.
Superbike Race Two – Image by Colin Rosewarne
Herfoss was only a bike length or so further behind at the flag in third place, but a huge 25-seconds ahead of fourth-placed Yannis Shaw.
Yannis Shaw – TBG Image
Shaw beat Superbike debutante Max Croker to the line by a single thousandth of a second to claim that fourth place in a photo finish.
Max Croker made his Superbike debut at Phillip Island – TBG Image
The third race was another cracker and staged in completely dry conditions at 0935 on Sunday morning in front of what was already quite an impressive crowd. Herfoss, Bayliss and Allerton were at it hammer and tong throughout the entire eight-laps, and looked set for a fierce final lap battle to the line.
Troy Herfoss – TBG Image
Alas, lapped riders pretty much decided the outcome as Herfoss threaded his Fireblade through the backmarkers at the most opportune parts of the circuit, while Bayliss and Allerton were baulked at Southern Loop, Honda and Siberia.
Troy Herfoss put himself in to the lead on the final lap and it worked out in regards to the 2018 ASBK Champ navigating the backmarkers the best to take the win – Image by Colin Rosewarne
That gave Herfoss the breathing space he needed to remain unchallenged through Hayshed, Lukey Heights, MG and the final high-speed turns to take the win by three-tenths. Luck played its part for sure, but Herfoss had made his own luck by being brave enough to lead at the start of that last lap and it paid dividends.
Troy Herfoss celebrates winnin the final race – TBG Image
The battle for second was still on in earnest though with Bayliss pipping Allerton by a single thousandth of a second in a photo finish at the line to claim second place. That second place was enough for Bayliss to take the overall event victory from Allerton.
All three champions recorded laps in the high 1m32s in that final race. The next quickest competitor was Mark Chiodo, with a fastest lap of 1m34.172 on his way to a lonely fourth place.
Alex Phillis – TBG Image
Alex Phillis also got into the 1m34s with a best of 1m34.969 on his way to fifth place in the final bout while Max Croker showed that he is adapting to the big-bore Superbikes with a best lap of 1m35.454 on his way to sixth. Croker will step up to the Superbike category full-time for season 2019 with the Mat Mladin Motorsports squad.
ASBK Superbike support races at MotoGP 2018 – TBG Image
Phil Cjaz got in the 36s, Shaw the 37s, while the rest of the field from ninth place back were in the 39s or slower. In contrast, at the ASBK finale a fortnight earlier the top 20 were all lapping 37s or better, with the top ten all in the 34s or better.
Supersport 300
Seth Crump and Oli Bayliss – Sons of two Australian motorcycling legends battled fiercely in Supersport 300 – TBG Image
It was a great finish to the Superbike season for Troy Bayliss, made all that much sweeter when 15-year-old son Oli took out overall honours in the Supersport 300 category after some titanic battles with Seth Crump, Hunter Ford, Lachy Taylor and Dylan Whiteside.
Seth Curmp #57 – Oli Bayliss #86 – Hunter Ford #20 – Dylan Whiteside #32 – Image by TBG
It was certainly somewhat surreal witnessing the sons of two of Australia’s most successful ever motorcycle racers going at it hammer and tong around Phillip Island.
Oli Bayliss leads Supersport 300 Race Two – TBG Image
Troy Bayliss is of course a three-time World Superbike Champion, while Seth’s dad Jason Crump took three solo Speedway World Championships, along with a very long list of other Speedway honours both at home and abroad.
Graham ‘Checkers’ Stewart flags the finish of the opening Supersport 300 race with Seth Crump taking the victory – TBG Image
The sons of Aussie motorcycle royalty shared a win apiece at Phillip Island while Hunter Ford took second in both races.
Australian Supersport 300 MotoGP Supports 2018 Overall Oli Bayliss – Kawasaki 18-25/ 43 Seth Crump – KTM 25-16 / 41 Hunter Ford – Yamaha 20-20 / 40 Image by TBG
Australian Superbike MotoGP Supports 2018 Overall
Troy Bayliss – Ducati 25-20-20 / 65
Glenn Allerton – BMW 20-25-18 / 63
Troy Herfoss – Honda 18-18-25 / 61
Mark Chiodo – Suzuki 17-14-17 / 48
Alex Phillis – Suzuki 16-15-16 / 47
Max Croker – Suzuki 15-16-15 / 46
Yannis Shaw – Kawasaki 13-17-13 / 43
Phil Czaj – Aprilia 14-12-14 / 40
Corey Forde – Honda 11-11-12 / 34
Jake Drew – Yamaha 12-10-11 / 33
Oli Bayliss #86 – TBG Image
Australian Supersport 300 MotoGP Supports 2018 Overall
