It’s a track that provides a stern test for man, machine and the tyres as Brno features constant changes of elevation, hard-braking zones, fast sweeping corners and acceleration areas. With these factors in mind, the soft, medium and hard Michelin Power Slicks will be symmetrical in design, while the rears will have an asymmetric finish, with a harder right-hand-side to cope with eight corners that go in that direction.
Source: MotoGP.com – Read Full Article Here
The second half of the 2019 season kicks off with Moto3™ FP1 at 09:00 local time (GMT+2) before the premier class get going at 09:55, as the Moto2™ riders begin their Czech GP at 10:55. At 12:00 you can tune into a manufacturers Press Conference, where Honda, Suzuki and Aprilia will be discussing their season so far and looking ahead to the remainder of 2019. MotoGP™ FP2 begins at 14:10.
Source: MotoGP.com – Read Full Article Here
Baldassarri’s season had got off to a strong start, with wins in the first two races and after the first four races, had been on top of the podium on three occasions. However, he has slipped down the order in the last five Grand Prix, meaning he will need to repeat his early season form to get back on track. Teammate Augusto Fernandez came back from injury at the Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto, finishing third. Fernandez took a win at Assen and now, the 21-year-old is just 34 points behind the championship lead.
Source: MotoGP.com – Read Full Article Here
Jonathan Rea helps Kawasaki team win Suzuka 8 Hour event after successful appeal https://bbc.in/2SKb2uk
Source: Jonathan Rea On Facebook
A reason for this has been Ducati’s inability to solve the Desmosedici GP19’s turning deficiencies that were the big problem at Assen and the Sachsenring. Compared to rival manufacturers Suzuki, Yamaha and, to a lesser extent, Honda, Dovizioso and co lost too much ground through the fast changes of direction and long corners, spent mostly on the edge of the tyre.
Source: MotoGP.com – Read Full Article Here
“I’m absolutely certain that Valentino can win another Grand Prix but both the conditions and the bike has to be right on the day,” explained Freddie, who incredibly never stood on a Grand Prix podium again after his 27th Grand Prix victory, a 1985 500cc win in Sweden that brought him the historic 250/500 cc World Championship double. “He showed in Malaysia last year when he came so close but the key is he has to be in that leading pack right from the start of the race. I’m sure he can do it.”
Source: MotoGP.com – Read Full Article Here
News 30 Jul 2019
Section: Competition
Kawasaki pilot finishes fourth in New South Wales.
Image: Foremost Media.
Empire Kawasaki’s Dylan Long believes he had a podium performance in him at Moree’s eighth round of the Pirelli MX Nationals on Sunday, however was denied the opportunity as the event was reduced to just one round of racing.
The popular Victorian put on stellar display in the one and only encounter, charging to a season-best result of fourth at the New South Wales venue.
“I definitely started to feel better today and it was disappointing that we didn’t get to do that second moto because I felt like I had a podium in me,” Long explained.
“I’ve been coming on strong later in the season, but it is what it is. The KX450 was awesome and Empire Kawasaki has been so good – I’m just stoked to be getting better at every round.”
Racing was reduced to just the opening motos after the local hospital reached its capacity, calling for promoter WEM to declare the event. The MX Nationals concludes this weekend at Coolum in Queensland with a double-header.
Source: MotoOnline.com.au
Michael Dunlop has been announced as part of the Team Classic Suzuki 2019 Classic TT effort, with the three-rider team also including Phil Crowe and Danny Webb. Dunlop and Crowe will compete aboard GSX-R1100 powered XR69s, while Webb will ride a Suzuki RG500.
Ulsterman Dunlop, who hopes to be fully fit after his recent spill at the Southern 100, will lead the team in the four-lap RST Superbike race. Dunlop missed last year’s event after withdrawing from racing for the second half of the season but having won the race in 2013, 2015 and again in 2016, he will undoubtedly start as one of the pre-race favourites.
The 30-year old dominated the inaugural race six years ago before having a close battle with 500cc-mounted Bruce Anstey in 2015, and then successfully saw off the challenge of Harrison in 2016. Dunlop’s lap in that race of 126.808 mph is his fastest in the class and is only bettered by Anstey and Harrison who lapped in excess of 127 mph two years ago when the Ballymoney rider was in early retirement.
Dunlop has however, also aggravated a broken wrist injury, sustained at the Southern 100 earlier in July, and emerged from the hospital with his wrist in plaster, sharing on social media, “The Doc reckons that’s the end of race season for this year. Think again Doc…” He was also reported to have broken his pelvis in the same incident.
Webb continues with the team for a fourth successive year. He raced an XR69 in the first two years with his best performance being 2016 when he finished in a strong sixth place after recording a fastest lap of 121.289mph. He also took ninth in 2017 on the same machine.
Twelve months ago he had his first taste of two-stroke action around the Mountain Course though when he rode the team’s RG500 Suzuki. After lapping at 115.572mph during practice week, he was unluckily forced to retire from the race but with a year’s experience under their belt, they are well placed to improve on that result this year.
The RG500 Suzuki enjoyed considerable success in the World and British Formula One Championship races of the 1980s and both Webb and the team will again be aiming to set the fastest lap around the 37.73-mile Mountain Circuit by an RG500. This mark is currently held by Rob McElnea who recorded a lap of 118.24 mph some 25 years ago during a titanic battle with Joey Dunlop in the 1984 Senior TT.
Crowe lines up with Steve Wheatman’s team at the Classic TT for the second time, having proved his pedigree recently at the TT. The Lincolnshire rider has been regularly challenging for top ten positions and has now lapped at almost 130 mph – his fastest lap of 129.957 mph came in last year’s Superbike race. He finished 14th in the RST Superbike race at this year’s TT.
Crowe was seventh fastest qualifier for last year’s RST Superbike Classic TT with a near 121 mph lap and both he and Webb will looking to maintain Team Classic Suzuki’s success at the event.
Tickets for the 2019 Classic TT are now on sale via the Official iomttraces.com website (link) with Official Grandstand Tickets, VIP Hospitality Experiences, and Official Entertainment Events including the Counterfeit Stones Classic TT Party Performance all available.
Source: MCNews.com.au
News 30 Jul 2019
Section: Competition
Australian contender lands sixth overall at Loket’s 13th round.
Image: Supplied.
Australian Jed Beaton is hoping bring consistency into the remainder of his campaign after lodging a motivating 4-9 scorecard at Loket’s 13th round of the MX2 World Championship.
The Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing rider was able to capitalise on a strong start in the opening encounter, however found difficulty coming through the field in race two, ultimately claiming sixth overall.
Following a challenging start to the season with injury, Beaton has surged back into form with a string of strong performances in recents rounds, promoting himself to seventh in the championship rankings.
“It’s been a good weekend for me, especially the first moto,” said Beaton. “I got a decent start and was in around third or fourth coming out of the first turn, but some wheel spin dropped me back a few spots. I had a pretty good moto after that, following Thomas.
“Obviously, when Vialle and Vlaanderen went down it helped both of us, it was good to get fourth. My start wasn’t so good in the second moto and it was hard to make passes. I lost some time behind a few riders, so I wasn’t able to get as far forward as I wanted.
“But it’s been a solid weekend and I’m up to seventh now in the championship. I just need to focus on good point scoring finishes in both motos at each of the remaining GPs now, starting in Lommel next weekend.”
The MXGP World Championship returns to action this weekend at the notorious Lommel circuit in Belgium.
Source: MotoOnline.com.au
A 22-year-old male rider has died after a collision with a truck on an M4 highway off-ramp in Sydney’s west this morning.
Police say the rider was travelling east on the M4 highway when his motorcycle collided with a truck at the Church Street off ramp about 8.20am (Tuesday 30 July 2019).
“Paramedics arrived at the location and treated the motorcyclist before he was taken by ambulance to Westmead Hospital in a critical condition,” police say.
The rider died soon after.
Our sincere condolences to his family and friends.
The truck was towed for examination and the driver was taken for mandatory blood and urine testing.
There are no details yet on the tests.
However, the Cumberland Police Area Command has established a crime scene and an investigation into the crash has begun.
Police urged the public to exercise extreme care when using the Church Street off-ramp exit due to “heavy traffic conditions”.
After the incident, eastbound traffic on the highway was static for up to 11km.
Anyone with information about this incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000 or https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au. Information is treated in strict confidence. The public is reminded not to report crime via NSW Police social media pages.
It is still not yet known what caused the crash and we do not assume any blame.
Riders should always exercise extreme caution when riding around trucks, especially in heavy traffic.
Trucks have a lot of blind spots and motorcycles can easily disappear from their view.
Click here for more information on lane filtering around trucks and truck blind spots.
Source: MotorbikeWriter.com