Competition, Motorcycle News, News

Morbidelli leads all Yamaha front row in Catalunya

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Luca Marini grabs pole and a lap record in Moto2 – Gardner starts from 16th.

Image: Supplied

Franco Morbidelli and the Petronas Yamaha SRT team have led a Yamaha dominated front row at the Gran Premio de Catalunya in Barcelona while the championship leader, Ducati Team’s Andrea Dovizioso, will start from P17. Morbidelli took his maiden premier class pole position ahead of teammate Fabio Quartararo with future teammate and current Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP rider, Valentino Rossi completing the front row.

Morbidelli was upbeat about the race, saying, “It’s always difficult to beat Fabio on a hot lap, so I’m very happy about qualifying today. I was feeling great on the bike and I felt that I could push a lot, on both tyres as well.” He went on to comment about Rossi becoming his teammate for next season, adding, “I also want to congratulate Valentino on one more year in MotoGP and tell him that he is moving to a great team. It will be nice to have him as a team-mate.”

Australian Jack Miller (Pramac Racing) made the most of Q1, setting the fastest time in that session before going on to qualify fourth ahead of Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) and Johan Zarco (Esponsorama Racing).

Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) heads up the third row and looks to have strong race pace, as does Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) who lines up beside him. The third row is completed by the Ducati Team’s Danilo Petrucci, the fastest of the factory Ducati’s on the grid.

The second Red Bull KTM Factory Racing machine of Brad Binder lines up at the head of row four, with Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Indemitsu) the second rider to make it through from Q1.

Dovizioso has the most to lose from this race starting from P17, the championship leader having trouble under brakes and not able to run at the front.

Image: Supplied

In Moto2 it was Luca Marini (Sky Racing Team VR46) back on pole position with a new lap record of 1m 43.355s, saying afterwards he expects a strong challenge from Sam Lowes (EG 0,0 Marc VDS). “I’m very happy to start from pole because it will be important tomorrow, but I think Speed Up and Sam are strong here so it won’t be an easy race.”
Jorge Navarro (HDR Heidrun Speed Up) broke the Kalex stranglehold for one lap pace to take second, with Misano podium finisher Sam Lowes (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) completing the front row. Crucially, Marini’s teammate Marco Bezzechi (Sky Racing Team VR46) starts back in sixth while Enea Bastianini (Italtrans Racing Team) is starting from tenth.
Australian Remy Gardner (OneXOX TKKR SAG Team) qualified in tenth but will cop a six spot penalty after his crash in practice under yellow flags was penalised.

Moto3 featured another lap record for pole as Tony Arbolino (Rivacold Snipers Team) put in a 1m 47.762s lap for top spot. Raul Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and Gabriel Rodrigo (Kömmerling Gresini Moto3) completed the front row and remarkably had identical lap times. The second fastest lap of Fernandez means that he took second spot.

Detailed results

Source: CycleOnline.com.au

Competition, Motocross, News

Statement ride from Osborne with pivotal WW Ranch sweep

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News 27 Sep 2020

Statement ride from Osborne with pivotal WW Ranch sweep

Section: Competition

Another 250MX double for Ferrandis at WW Motocross Park.

Image: Octopi Media.

450MX red plate-holder Zach Osborne has captured the most critical win of his Lucas Oil Pro Motocross career at WW Ranch with a spectacular 1-1 result.

A convincing effort from Osborne in the opening 450MX moto saw him strike in the final five minutes, moving by both Chase Sexton (Team Honda HRC) and Adam Cianciarulo (Monster Energy Kawasaki) to go on and win by 2.733s.

It was Cianciarulo and Sexton who were up front throughout much of the moto, with the latter applying pressure and attempting a pass at halfway, but Cianciarulo remained composed.

Few anticipated the attack of Osborne, however, elevating his pace and going on to make a statement with the win over the rookie, Cianciarulo and a late move from Marvin Musquin (Red Bull KTM) saw him take Sexton – who appeared to go down on the final lap – for P3 despite a heavy practice crash earlier.

Finishing fifth was Justin Barcia (Monster Energy Yamaha), followed by Eli Tomac (Monster Energy Kawasaki), Blake Baggett (Rocky Mountain ATV/MC KTM WPS), Joey Savatgy (JGRMX Yoshimura Suzuki), Fredrik Noren (JGRMX Yoshimura Suzuki) and Christian Craig (Team Honda HRC).

Osborne made it a perfect round in Jacksonville by getting out front by halfway and winning with a 4.201s margin, but not before he had to fend off a late surge from defending champion Tomac.

It was initially Cianciarulo who led the way until he and Musquin made contact, which allowed the Frenchman to take his turn at the front. It was soon Osborne who charged past, however, and that is where he would remain in a brilliant way to bounce back from his troubles of a week ago.

Behind Osborne and Tomac, Musquin settled into third position, in front of Max Anstie (HEP Motorsports Suzuki), Sexton, Baggett, Cianciarulo, Noren, Savatgy and Craig. After a strong start, Barcia went down while in P2 on the opening lap, forced to pit for repairs and eventually working his way back into the points for 13th.

The overall podium saw Osborne joined by Musquin and Tomac, which has allowed Osborne to stretch his series lead out to 29 points over Cianciarulo – fourth today – and another point in front of Musquin with two rounds left to run.

Image: Octopi Media.

Monster Energy Star Racing Yamaha’s Dylan Ferrandis took one step closer toward the 250MX crown with another 1-1 sweep at WW Motocross Park.

There was no halting Ferrandis on his way to the victory in 250MX moto one, hitting the lead by lap three and then controlling his advantage at the front for an eventual 9.655s victory.

Behind him, Australian teenager Jett Lawrence (Geico Honda) sliced his way through the chasing pack for second, taking points from teammate Jeremy Martin (Geico Honda) in third.

Martin benefited from a late error of RJ Hampshire (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna) to earn that final place on the podium, ahead of Justin Cooper (Monster Energy Star Racing Yamaha) and Alex Martin (JGRMX Yoshimura Suzuki).

Positions six through 10 were Hunter Lawrence (Geico Honda), Shane McElrath (Monster Energy Star Racing Yamaha) after claiming the holeshot, Jo Shimoda (Geico Honda), Cameron McAdoo (Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki) and Carson Mumford (Geico Honda).

It was another commanding ride from Ferrandis in the second moto, scoring a clean-sweep for the second round in a row with a dominant 15.304s buffer to early leader Cooper in second.

A late pass from Jeremy Martin saw him climb to third, getting the better of McElrath in the final laps, with Jett Lawrence working his was into fifth, but just short of the overall podium once again.

P6 was a great way to rebound for Hampshire, as Alex Martin – after tangling with brother Jeremy and going down – was seventh, McAdoo eighth, Brandon Hartranft (TLD Red Bull KTM) ninth and Shimoda 10th. Hunter Lawrence went out with a mechanical.

Overall for the round, Ferrandis stood atop the podium over Cooper in his first top three of the season and Jeremy Martin took third. Ferrandis now has a 13-point lead in the standings with two rounds remaining.

Next on the schedule is the Thunder Valley national in Colorado, next Saturday, 3 October, for the penultimate round of the 2020 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship.

Detailed results

Source: MotoOnline.com.au

MotoGP, Motorcycle News, News

FP4 race pace analysis from Catalonia

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Rossi set six 1:40s in his first stint in FP4 on the soft-soft compounds, one that included two 1:40.3s, one 1:40.7, two 1:40.8s and a 1:40.9 at the start. After pitting and coming out on a fresh rear medium tyre, keeping his 14-lap old front soft in, The Doctor was immediately setting mid 1:40s before setting a couple of low 1:41s at the end of the session. The last time Rossi was on the front row in Barcelona, he won – will history repeat itself? Judging by the timesheets, the nine-time World Champion is definitely in the mix.

Source: MotoGP.com – Read Full Article Here

MotoGP, Motorcycle News, News

2009: Rossi’s last Barcelona front row, will history repeat?

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2. With Morbidelli here and Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) at the Austrian GP, this is the first time there are at least two maiden polesitters in a single MotoGP™ season since 2017, when Johann Zarco (Esponsorama Racing) and Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) achieved their first premier class poles.

Source: MotoGP.com – Read Full Article Here

MotoGP, Motorcycle News, News

Görbe hits back to beat Gurecky in wet weather Race 1 dash

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That’s how it stayed, with nothing in it heading onto the final lap in true NTC style. Gurecky was the man behind but attacked and took the lead through Turn 1, before Görbe hit back himself. And then they went at it again: locked together, the Czech rider attacked once more, but this time the Hungarian was even quicker to respond as he sliced back up the inside. With only a couple of corners to go, it was now or never for Gurecky… but Görbe had hit warp speed.

Source: MotoGP.com – Read Full Article Here

MotoGP, Motorcycle News, News

Maiden MotoGP™ pole for Morbidelli, Yamaha lockout front row

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On the next lap, Morbidelli was flying – again. The San Marino GP winner was 0.082 under Quartararo’s time at Sector 3, but could he hold it through Sector 4? Well, Morbidelli did more than hold his advantage. Sector 4 was a stunner for the number 21 as he shot to the top, beating Quartararo’s time by over two tenths to lay down the gauntlet. Further behind, Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) went P6 as Quartararo went in search of a final lap charge. It didn’t prevail for the MotoGP™ sophomore, but a lap was being strung together by the rider just ahead of him – Zarco. The Frenchman put in a solid last flying lap to go P6, shoving former teammate Pol Espargaro off the second row at the chequered flag.

Source: MotoGP.com – Read Full Article Here

MotoGP, Motorcycle News, News

Marini bags third-straight pole position of 2020

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Quickest in Q1 was Tennor American Racing’s Joe Roberts, and the American spearheads Row 3 in P7 for his first Saturday top 10 since his Czech GP pole position. After finishing second in FP3, rookie Marcos Ramirez makes it two Tennor American Racing liveried Triumphs on the third row – that’s Ramirez’ best qualifying of 2020. Remy Gardner (Onexox TKKR SAG Team) completed the top 10 in Q2, but after crashing under yellow flags on Friday, the Australian faces a six-place grid penalty, meaning Bastianini will move up a position into the top 10 – every little helps for the Italian who faces a tough task to mix it with Marini on Sunday afternoon.

Source: MotoGP.com – Read Full Article Here

MotoGP, News

Rossi to Petronas SRT deal finally ratified

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It had been rumoured to have been pretty much a done deal for several months, but we’ve all been eagerly waiting for an official announcement over the future ride for the nine-times world champion Valentino Rossi.

Today and after six months of negotiating, finally PETRONAS Yamaha have announced that Valentino Rossi will be joining his prodigy Franco Morbidelli as teammates for 2021.  Valentino Rossi needs no introduction as is considered by many to be the greatest rider of all time, after a record-breaking career in the sport.

Valentino Rossi has been competing in the premier class since 2000 and is the only rider in history to win 125, 250, 500 and MotoGP World Championships. In the premier class alone, Valentino Rossi can lay claim to seven world titles, 89 race wins, 199 podiums, 55 pole positions and 76 fastest laps. As part of PETRONAS Yamaha in 2021, Rossi will compete aboard a full factory backed Yamaha YZR-M1 for the ninth season in a row.

The move will see Rossi join the satellite team riding  in what will be only their third season in the MotoGP category, after the Malaysian squad made their debut at the Qatar GP in 2019. That first season in the premier class saw PETRONAS Yamaha SRT rack up six pole positions and seven podiums, and win the Independent Teams’ Championship. This year has already seen three pole positions, four podiums and three race wins, and the lead of the outright Teams’ Championship, for the outfit.

Valentino Rossi

Valentino Rossi

I am very happy to continue riding in 2021 and to do it with the PETRONAS Yamaha Sepang Racing Team. I thought a lot before taking this decision, because the challenge is getting hotter and hotter. To be at the top in MotoGP you have to work a lot and hard, to train every day and lead an ’athlete’s life‘, but I still like it and I still want to ride.

“In the first half of the year I made my choice and I talked with Yamaha, who agreed with me. They told me even if there was no place for me in the Factory Team, the factory bike and the factory support were guaranteed.

“I am very happy to move to PETRONAS Yamaha SRT. They are young, but they‘ve shown to be a top team. They are very serious and very well organised. For this year I also changed my crew chief. I‘m very happy with David, and I think we haven‘t reached our best yet. This was one of the reasons why I chose to continue, because the atmosphere in the team is something I like a lot.

“It‘ll be nice to have Franco as my team-mate, as he‘s an Academy rider, it‘s going to be cool. I think we can work together to make good things happen.

Lin Jarvis – Managing Director, Yamaha Motor Racing

We are delighted that Valentino will be staying in MotoGP for another year, and we are sure the fans of the sport feel the same way. A substantial part of the MotoGP fanbase will have grown up with Valentino and followed him throughout his career.

“This current and final season with the Factory Yamaha Team is his 25th in the motorcycle Grand Prix racing World Championship and his 15th year with Yamaha.

“Early on we assured Valentino that, should he stay in MotoGP for 2021, Yamaha would continue to give him full support and a Factory YZR-M1. In the end, this is exactly what he decided to do.

“I previously stated that this Covid-19 influenced MotoGP season would not be the appropriate year for such a legendary rider to close his career. Valentino has always been so popular with the fans all around the world, so it‘s great that he has decided to continue for at least another season. Hopefully the fans will be allowed back into the tracks next year to savour watching the GOAT in action again.

“I would like to thank the management of the PETRONAS Yamaha Sepang Racing Team for their enthusiasm and full collaboration to welcome Valentino into their team. They are still quite a ’young‘ team, but they are very professional and serious contenders for race wins and feature in the top of the championship standings, so we are sure that Valentino will feel comfortable and be able to perform at his best level.

Petronas SRT Razlan Razali Johan Stigefelt
Petronas SRT Yamaha Team Principal Razlan Razali and Team Director Johan Stigefelt

Razlan Razali – Team Principal

On behalf of PETRONAS Yamaha Sepang Racing Team and all its partners, it is an absolute honour to welcome Valentino Rossi – an iconic rider and legend into the team next year. His experience will be a great asset to the team as we move into our third season in MotoGP and we are sure we will be able to learn a lot from Valentino. At the same time, we will do our absolute best to assist him to be competitive to reward him for the trust he has in us as a team. We are humbled by this opportunity and ready to take on the challenge. We believe that the combination of Valentino and Franco will provide a truly formidable force

on track to help us in our goal of being as competitive as possible together next year. We can’t wait!

Johan Stigefelt – Team Director

To be able to sign a rider like Valentino Rossi, for what will be only our third year in the MotoGP championship, is amazing. We have evolved from a Moto3 team to a Moto2 team to a MotoGP team in a short time frame and now to be leading the MotoGP teams’ championship and signing one of the greatest riders the sport has ever known is incredible. It has been a long time since Valentino was in a satellite team and we will try our best to help him feel like new again. We want to make sure that he feels comfortable in our team, which we trust in and believe in so much. Our target is to get even better as a team, help Rossi

deliver the best results possible and make 2021 a memorable year.

Source: MCNews.com.au

Competition, Motorcycle News, News

Official: Valentino Rossi to Petronas Yamaha SRT

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‘The Doctor’ will leave the Yamaha factory team to partner Franco Morbidelli

It was the news the MotoGP world has been waiting for: Valentino Rossi will shift sideways at the end of the 2020 season, leaving the Yamaha factory outfit to see out his riding career at the satellite Petronas Yamaha SRT team.

The move will see seven-time premier class champion Rossi racing at the pinnacle of motorcycle racing at the age of 42, although it has been confirmed his long time mechanic crew of Alex Briggs and Brent Stephens will not be following the Italian legend to the independent team garage.

Rossi will partner his former protégé Franco Morbidelli and be riding a 2021 specification Yamaha M1 in the satellite team that was formed after Hervé Poncharal’s Tech 3 team signed with KTM. This year the Petronas team leads the teams championship courtesy of four podiums and three race wins. Former Moto2 World Champion Morbidelli, having claimed his maiden MotoGP win in the premier class at Misano several weeks ago, is a graduate of the VR46 Academy.

The move becomes a basic swap and will see Fabio Quartararo move into the factory Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP team alongside Maverick Vinales.

This was the official response from the Yamaha Petronas team:

Razlan Razali, Petronas Yamaha SRT Principal: “On behalf of PETRONAS Yamaha Sepang Racing Team and all its partners, it is an absolute honour to welcome Valentino Rossi – an iconic rider and legend into the team next year. His experience will be a great asset to the team as we move into our third season in MotoGP and we are sure we will be able to learn a lot from Valentino.
“At the same time, we will do our absolute best to assist him to be competitive to reward him for the trust he has in us as a team. We are humbled by this opportunity and ready to take on the challenge. We believe that the combination of Valentino and Franco will provide a truly formidable force on track to help us in our goal of being as competitive as possible together next year. We can’t wait!”

Johan Stigefelt – Petronas Yamaha SRT Director: “To be able to sign a rider like Valentino Rossi, for what will be only our third year in the MotoGP championship, is amazing. We have evolved from a Moto3 team to a Moto2 team to a MotoGP team in a short time frame and now to be leading the MotoGP teams’ championship and signing one of the greatest riders the sport has ever known is incredible.
“It has been a long time since Valentino was in a satellite team and we will try our best to help him feel like new again. We want to make sure that he feels comfortable in our team, which we trust in and believe in so much. Our target is to get even better as a team, help Rossi deliver the best results possible and make 2021 a memorable year.”

Source: CycleOnline.com.au

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