Just its second year of contesting the MotoGP World Championship, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing has earned its maiden premier class podium thanks to Pol Espargaro at yesterday’s finale in Valencia, Spain.

Despite crashing early on in the rain-filled and red flag encounter, Spanish ace Espargao recovered from the incident and managed to push through the treacherous conditions, ultimately winding up in third to be credited his first podium in the MotoGP ranks.

“It’s unreal,” Espargaro stated. “I felt good all weekend in wet and dry conditions. I was playing around all weekend with a few Yamahas and I was fast – I could do good lap-times. To always be in the top eight was building my confidence up. It was wild out there. The red flag was like a ‘message’ because the bike was still working after that big crash and I said to myself ‘man, this is your opportunity, take it’.

“I just pushed and Valentino was so fast, super-fast. I stayed in that position and was safe, then I fought with Dani but could finally finish in third position. After this year it is unbelievable for me, for my team, wife and all the crew around me.

“Finally we are super-happy with the results for KTM today. You don’t know how much effort and investment they are putting in the project and for them to finish the year in those positions was amazing.”

KTM motorsport director Pit Beirer commented: “I said all year that we are better than we could prove on paper because we had injured riders and we were not so lucky. We fell into a big hole in Sachsenring at a time when we were first in warm-up with a new bike and we thought ‘now we’ll make progress’ but Pol injured himself at the next race. Everything went wrong.

“There was a critical moment two months ago when we looked at the new bike and elements like the chassis and, together with strong people at the factory, we decided to stick to the plan because we were sure we were on the right way. It was important not to lose the direction and today was the first big payback. We had Pol completely free of pain and with a good feeling.

“In this sport you need super-fit riders to compete on this level. This is a big payback for the whole company. I think every single department in KTM was somehow integrated to make this project work and the whole race team and everybody else put in so many hours. Third place is perhaps more than we expected today but this is the best way to give something back to racing people: a result. It means so much and it is difficult to find the right words how I feel.”

It was a historical weekend for the Austrian manufacturer as it secured podiums across all three categories – MotoGP-bound Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Ajo) claimed victory in Moto2, while youthful Turkish talent Can Oncu (Red Bull KTM Ajo) was triumphant in Moto3 while on debut in the class, becoming the first to do so since 1991 while also being the youngest grand prix winner at 15 years and 115 days old.

Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) claimed the final MotoGP victory of 2018 at Valencia, finishing ahead of an on-form Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) and a stunning result for Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) as the Spaniard took his first premier class podium and the first for KTM in MotoGP.

The dramatic race was red-flagged and restarted in heavy rain at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo, and saw a large number of riders fall foul of the tough conditions – not least reigning champion Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) and Movistar Yamaha MotoGP duo Maverick Vinales and Valentino Rossi.

On the original start, Rins had destroyed the field to gain a huge lead after only a couple of corners, and the rain was falling but not heavy. The conditions remained difficult, however, and a good few big names – including some wet specialists – found themselves sliding out.

They included a highside that skittled Marquez into the gravel from podium contention, and a high-speed tumble for Vinales after a good initial getaway. Pol Espargaro crashed out of P4 at turn four after a stunning start, but he was incredibly able to re-join.

Brother Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini), Australian Jack Miller (Alma Pramac Racing), teammate Danilo Petrucci (Alma Pramac Racing) and Andrea Iannone (Team Suzuki Ecstar) also all crashed out and couldn’t get back in it, but Rossi at that stage was only getting faster as the rain was getting worse.

Eventually, however, the volume of rain was starting to beat the circuit’s ability to drain and the red flag came out. The race would be re-started for 14 laps, and the grid would be decided by the standings as of the last completed lap – meaning it was Rins on pole, Dovizioso second, Rossi third and Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team) lining up fourth in his final race. 14 laps and the end of an era for many.

The front row held station as the lights went out for ‘race two’ and all 16 riders safely negotiated the opening exchanges, with Rins leading. However, Dovizioso was once again able to get the power down on his GP18 to slice past Rins heading onto lap two – with Rossi in close pursuit. The three leaders quickly gapped fourth place Espargaro by 2.9 seconds, and Pedrosa tucked in behind the KTM in P5.

By then, the rain was starting to fall once again and conditions were still incredibly tough. Nevertheless, the leading trio were all lapping in the low 1m43s – two seconds quicker than anyone else as it soon became a three horse race for the final win of 2018.

On lap six, Dovizioso then pulled the pin to create a one-second gap back to Rins – a 1m49.921s creating that gap, with 1.5 seconds then splitting the trio. Another fastest lap soon followed for Dovi, as Rossi made his move past Rins at turn four – 1.5 seconds down on ‘DesmoDovi’.

However, with six to go, the gap was up to 2.4 seconds and a lap later, the Ducati rider’s lead was over three seconds. But then, the drama hit again and ‘The Doctor’ was down at turn 12 – rider ok, but lifting Espargaro and KTM up to a podium place. As the last lap began, Dovizioso’s advantage was four seconds to Rins as both safely waded their way to the finish line – the Italian taking his first win since Misano and Rins grabbing a fifth podium of the year to claim P5 in the championship.

Then, emotional scenes followed as Espargaro kept Michele Pirro (Ducati Team) at bay to take both his and KTM’s maiden MotoGP podium – phenomenal from rider and factory alike after the number 44 rider had crashed earlier, remounted and dueled both Repsol Hondas. After a difficult season for the Austrian marque with injury struggles, it made for an incredible dose of oxygen, so said Espargaro.

Behind him and Pirro came the new MotoGP Legend: Pedrosa. The ‘Little Samurai’ took home a hard-earned P5 from his farewell Grand Prix ride on home soil as he helped Repsol Honda secure the triple crown. Behind the three-time champion was fellow Honda rider Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu), the Japanese rookie taking home a career-best P6 as top Independent Team rider in the race, with Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) taking the overall 2018 Independent Team rider honours after crossing the line in P7.

The Frenchman held off Bradley Smith (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), who grabbed his best KTM result on his final ride for the team. Replacement rider Stefan Bradl (LCR Honda Castrol) crossed the line in P9, with Hafizh Syahrin (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) rounding out the top ten – a great ride, but not quite enough to beat Morbidelli to ‘Rookie of the Year’.

On his final grand prix appearance, Scott Redding (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) claimed a season-best P11, with Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati Team) bringing his Ducati career to an end with a tough P12 on the comeback from injury. Rossi remounted to ride to P13 and P3 in the championship, with Karel Abraham (Angel Nieto Team) and Jordi Torres (Reale Avintia Racing) claiming the final point-scoring positions. Alvaro Bautista (Angel Nieto Team) crashed out of his final Grand Prix race with seven to go – rider ok.

In his 50th Moto2 race, Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Ajo) produced a faultless ride to take his third victory of the season in the 2018 finale in Spain. The Portuguese rider won by an impressive 13-second margin over first-time podium finisher Iker Lecuona (Swiss Innovative Investors), as Alex Marquez (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) completed the podium – despite crashing out the lead. Fourthwas taken out by Mattia Pasini (Italtrans Racing Team), as Australiam Remy Gardner (Tech3 Racing) earned a career-best finish of fifth.

It didn’t seem like a day for history to be made when the final grand prix began to wake up to a rain-soaked Sunday. It seemed like a day to endure, to be cautious – to take the points and not the risk. It seemed a day more likely to be defined by attrition rather than heroics, but Can Oncu (Red Bull KTM Ajo) ensured it becomes much more than that.

Taking his first Moto3 win as a wildcard, in his first appearance, at 15 years and 115 days old, the Turkish rider is the youngest ever grand prix winner, the first rider to win his first race since Noboru Ueda in the 125 race in Japan in 1991, and the first grand prix winner from the Asia Talent Cup.

If that wasn’t enough, he did it in some serious style – crossing the line four seconds clear of reigning champion Jorge Martin (Del Conca Gresini Moto3) in second and another two ahead of John McPhee (CIP – Green Power).

Detailed results

Vinales on MotoGP pole following fascinating Valencia qualifier

After a sensational final battle for pole in 2018, Q1 graduate Maverick Vinales (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) was the man to take P1 at the Gran Premio Motul de la Comunitat Valenciana.

A 1m31.312s was enough to edge out second-place Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) by 0.068s and Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) by 0.080 in a close top three.

Reigning champion Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team), meanwhile crashed, dislocated his shoulder, then headed back out to claim a miraculous fifth and Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) starts way down in 16th.

It was seven-time champion Marquez who led the field onto the first flying lap but then at turn four, the 2018 champion suddenly lost the front and went down, seemingly dislocating his left shoulder in the process. Marquez headed straight back to the Repsol Honda motorhome, but soon after he headed back out.

Back on track it was Dovizioso who was setting the pace, but then Danilo Petrucci (Alma Pramac Racing) got the better of his compatriot to set the first 1m31s of the session before blitzing the field again on his next lap – a 1m31.531s becoming the time to beat.

Then with six minutes to go, a warrior emerged in the form of Marquez as he left pit-lane and all eyes were on the seven-time champion. Before the 93 crossed the line though, Vinales shot to the top to take provisional pole.

Red sectors were lighting up the screens in the final minutes of the session though and it was Vinales who went quicker again to make 0.068s his margin at the top, with the miraculous Marquez climbing back up to P3. He then had a moment at turn one to end his session, but Rins was then threatening to take pole on his final lap.

In the end however, qualifying ended with Vinales spearheading the grid after his first pole on a Saturday since Aragon last year, with his Americas GP pole this season resulting from a Marquez penalty. Rins and ‘DesmoDovi’ complete the front row, and Petrucci is top Independent Team rider in fourth.

Just behind the reigning champion Marquez in P5, sixth made it a great day for Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) with the Spaniard just 0.265s from pole in KTM’s equal-best qualifying performance. He was just ahead of Q1 graduate Andrea Iannone (Team Suzuki Ecstar) in seventh, with Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) P8.

In his final qualifying, Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team) claimed ninth to start from the outside of the third row after some difficulties in FP4 that affected his QP, with Jack Miller (Alma Pramac Racing) suffering his fourth crash of the weekend to start 10th, but automatically through to Q2 once again.

Italian Luca Marini (Sky Racing Team VR46) picked up where he left off in Malaysia to take the Moto2 pole position, his 1m35.777s enough to beat Xavi Vierge (Dynavolt Intact GP) by a slender 0.027s, with fellow Dynavolt Intact GP rider Marcel Schrotter completing the front row. Tech3 Racing’s Remy Gardner was 17th.

In Moto3, Tony Arbolino (Marinelli Snipers Team) did it again in the season finale as he secured his second-career pole position. A 1m46.773s was enough to beat second-place Nakarin Atiratphuvapat (Honda Team Asia) by 0.244s and John McPhee (CIP – Green Power) in third.

Detailed results

Australia are on the cusp of victory at the 2018 FIM International Six Days Enduro (ISDE) as they take a sizeable lead into the final day of racing in Chile.

With just day six of the ninety-third FIM ISDE remaining, Australia’s FIM World Trophy team enjoy a 7m30s lead over the United States, with Italy third.

Offering no weakness to their rivals, Australia continued to stamp their authority on the 93rd edition of the ISDE. Marching ever-closer to their second World Trophy title, they left no one doubting who was in control of the proceedings by topping the standings on day five.

With a commanding lead, only the final motocross race now stands in their way of securing the top step of the podium in Vina del Mar.

Despite putting in another determined performance, the United States were unable to force the Australians into a mistake and had to settle for second ahead of Italy. After a disappointing week, defending champions France will be happy to see this year’s event come to an end as they sit fourth in the classification.

In the Junior World Trophy class, the United States finally got the better of rivals Italy, claiming the day five win. Feeling good on the new special tests, the US pushed hard to reduce the gap to Italy, but with the Italians fighting back during the latter half of the day, they limited their loss and are 3m35s clear.

Putting the brakes on Chile’s challenge for the final step of the podium, France answered back having lost out to them during the last two days. Third fastest on the penultimate day, France keep Chile 1m30s behind them entering day six. Australia currently sits fifth overall.

Easing back as they race towards a recording-breaking sixth Women’s World Trophy win in a row, Australia still claimed victory on day five. Beating closet rivals the US by less than one minute, the trio of individual leader Tayla Jones (Husqvarna), Jessica Gardiner (Yamaha) and Mackenzie Tricker (KTM) have a commanding nine-minute lead.

Racing to his fourth overall day win, Daniel Milner (KTM Enduro Racing Team) once again set the benchmark. The Australian is now almost 90 seconds clear of closest rival Taylor Robert (KTM) in second, with Daniel Sanders (Husqvarna Enduro Racing Team) 33 seconds behind in third.

Milner and Sanders are currently 1-2 in the E3 division, Andrew Wilksch (Sherco) is 15th and Tom Mason (KTM) P16 in class. Husqvarna’s Josh Strang climbed to fourth in E2, as Fraser Higlett (Husqvarna Enduro Racing Team) is now sixth in E1.

Detailed results

Repsol Honda Team’s Marc Marquez completed day one at the Gran Premio Motul de la Comunitat Valenciana as the fastest man in some tough and wet conditions, topping Australian Jack Miller (Alma Pramac Racing).

Thanks to his FP1 time of 1m39.767s, the Spaniard headed Alma Pramac Racing’s Jack Miller and Danilo Petrucci and the top three were split by just 0.140s on Friday.

Just like FP1, the FP2 session was red-flagged in the early stages due to unsafe track conditions. This came after debris was left on circuit after Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) crashed at the tricky turn 12, but the Frenchman was okay and returned to the pits.

A short delay followed before the riders headed back out, but with the rain heavier than it was in FP1, none of the riders were able to improve on their morning times and the top 10 were decided for the day.

This left Marquez ending Friday as the quickest rider and Miller P2, despite finishing 13th in FP2. Petrucci topped FP2 by a significant margin as 0.407s was the gap back to the number 93, with Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) the only other rider within a second of the Ducati rider in the second session.

It was 12th overall for ‘The Doctor’ however. Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) sits fourth overall and the Italian was P12 in FP2, with Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team) completing the top five despite conditions that have often been more difficult for the newly-inducted Legend this season.

Andrea Iannone (Team Suzuki Ecstar) ends P6 on the combined times, with Maverick Vinales (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) ending the day as the fastest Yamaha rider in seventh overall. Wildcard and Ducati Team test rider Michele Pirro sits P8 overall thanks to his FP1 time.

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Pol Espargaro grabs a provisional Q2 spot by ending Friday in ninth, along with teammate Bradley Smith’s eighth caps off a good day for the Austrian manufacturer in the wet conditions. Alex Rins (Team Ecstar Suzuki) rounded out the top 10.

In Moto2, Iker Lecuona (Swiss Innovative Investors) impressed in tough, wet conditions after his FP1 time saw him end day one at the summit of the Moto2 combined standings. Lecuona’s 1m46.705s in the morning was enough to see him better Alex Marquez (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) and Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Ajo). Remy Gardner (Tech3 Racing) was P24.

Rookie Alonso Lopez (Estrella Galicia 0,0) went fastest on his final flying lap in FP2 to end Friday on top in Moto3, his 1m51.873s enough to oust Marco Bezzecchi (Redox PruestelGP) and Fabio Di Giannantonio (Del Conca Gresini Moto3) took third.

Detailed results

Three-time world champion Dani Pedrosa has been named a MotoGP Legend ahead of hanging up his leathers at the end of 2018, with the Spaniard inducted into the MotoGP Legends Hall of Fame at the season finale at Valencia.

Pedrosa won the 125 championship in 2003 and the 250 title in 2004 and 2005, and is one of the most successful riders of all time in the premier category.

After taking the third most podiums of all time behind only Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha) and Giacomo Agostini, Pedrosa retires at the end of 2018 with 54 premier MotoGP class victories to his credit.

“First of all thank you to Carmelo and thank you for the nice words,” said Pedrosa.” Obviously it’s a very emotional moment you never expect it to arrive when you’re a kid, and now to be here is a bit strange but I’ happy because I felt a lot of support from all the fans, a lot from all the paddock.

“I’m really, really happy about this moment to see my rivals of a lifetime here. I feel that MotoGP gave me a lot of things in my life because basically I’ve always been here and I learned a lot in life thanks to MotoGP. In the same way I’m very happy that I could give something else to the sport like Carmelo was explaining.

“When I started it was a new generation winning races and championships, not only me but everyone here on the front row. This is good for me because it’s a nice feeling that we opened a door for a new generation. Luckily I don’t know all my numbers which is a good thing!”

Asked about a standout moment, the Spaniard added: “Obviously the moment that stands out for me is the first championship because you achieve something you dreamed of. You know you can get a podium or win a race but to get a championship it’s something that, as a kid, you see these guys going so fast and you don’t believe it.

“So when you achieve it all the emotions come out, and not only that year but for life because you’re been dreaming of it since you were born – watching races on TV and wanting to be that guy. So that day is unique and that’s what makes you, it’s the drive that makes you want more and want to keep going and get through the tough times – and the reaction from the people and the love you get is something I could never imagine so for me that’s the most beautiful.”

Pedrosa joins a long list of greats that have been made MotoGP Legends that includes Giacomo Agostini, Mick Doohan, Geoff Duke, Wayne Gardner, Mike Hailwood, Daijiro Kato, Eddie Lawson, Anton Mang, Angel Nieto, Wayne Rainey, Phil Read, Jim Redman, Kenny Roberts, Jarno Saarinen, Kevin Schwantz, Barry Sheene, Marco Simoncelli, Freddie Spencer, Casey Stoner, John Surtees, Carlo Ubbiali, Alex Crivillé, Franco Uncini, Marco Lucchinelli, Randy Mamola, Kork Ballington and the late Nicky Hayden.

The number 26 is set to take on a development role with Red Bull KTM Factory Racing next year, while his position at Repsol Honda will be fulfilled by multi-time world champion Jorge Lorenzo.