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  • It’s Back to Work time! Haas F1 Team Belgian GP Preview

    Hockenheim, Germany.
    Sunday 31 July 2016.
    World Copyright: Glenn Dunbar/LAT Photographic
    ref: Digital Image _V2I7307

    It’s back to work time after the three week summer break for the Haas F1 Team and the rest of the Formula 1 teams.

    It couldn’t come soon enough for fans

    The season resumes this weekend at the greatest natural terrain road course on this planet, Spa-Francorchamps.

    Haas F1 Team have accomplished much in their maiden season in Formula 1, with Romain Grosjean scoring points in 4 races, and Esteban Gutiérrez knocking on the points door with for P11 finishes.

    Grosjeans’s points total of 28 have him in the 12th position in the driver’s championship and the team in eighth position in constructors championship, 14 points behind McLaren Honda in seventh and 22 points up on Renault in ninth.

    No one would argue that the team have exceeded the expectations of a rookie team, build from the ground up.

    But the season is just over half complete and with 9 races remaining, Haas F1 Team still have much to accomplish.

    Gutiérrez scoring his first points in the Haas Ferrari powered VF-16 is top on the list and a double points weekend would be a almost an unthinkable occurrence at the start of the year.

    On to Belgium. Spa is known for its reputation of being a driver’s track, thanks in large part to the signature Eau Rouge and Raidillon corners, which create a fast and sweeping uphill, left-right-left combination that drivers view with reverence and attack with gusto.

    The 19-turn circuit is a favorite of Haas F1 Team drivers Romain Grosjean and Esteban Gutiérrez. Before securing his most recent podium when he finished third in last year’s Belgian Grand Prix, Grosjean clinched the 2011 GP2 Series title at the venerable track. And Gutiérrez, with two Formula One starts at Spa, has enjoyed some fine drives in the wet when he visited the circuit during his junior career in GP2 and GP3.

    It’s usually said that “It’s either raining at Spa or it is about to” so a wet track is common, but it’s also common for other portions to be completely dry, as its vast layout means late-summer showers can drench some parts of the track while leaving others untouched. Slicks obviously won’t work in the wet, and intermediate tires and full wet tires obviously won’t work in bone-dry conditions. It’s a conundrum that has often greeted drivers at the Belgian Grand Prix. Preliminary weather forecasts are calling for beautiful warm, sunny weather all weekend. We will see.

    Guenther Steiner – Team Principal
    How do you prepare for the unpredictability of the weather at Spa, as one part of the course can be clear and dry while another portion can be wet and slippery?
    “You can prepare for the race by getting the team’s times down for when you need to change the tires. Otherwise, I think the driver’s experience comes into play here – what to do and when to do it. It all comes down to the driver and what they want to do next.”

    How helpful is it to now have clear instruction as to what can be said on the radio and when during a race weekend?
    “It’s nice to know that you can’t get fined now for something you didn’t have intentions of doing. Before it wasn’t clear on what was right or wrong to say, so it was difficult to obey the rule. Now we can say what we need to say. If somebody goes back now and listens to the instructions that were given to the drivers, they realize it wasn’t something said to make them go faster but rather solving the problem at hand. It allows us to get a read from the drivers now on the tires and other information that becomes useful to help us perform better. I don’t think it makes racing any less interesting by telling them something. For me, I don’t think there is a gain or loss, but it makes it easier for the team since now the information can be more clear.”

    Fuel management played a role at the German Grand Prix, as the Hockenheimring saw drivers at full throttle for two-thirds of every lap. But Spa is 1.5 kilometers (.932 of a mile) longer than the Hockenheimring and drivers are on the throttle just as much. How much does fuel management play into your strategy at Spa?
    “Fuel management is about the same, and it’s very important because the car needs the right time to lift off. Now with the radio communication, it is helpful because the engineer can give advice rather than in the past when the driver would ask and the engineer could not answer.”

    Spa has high-speed straights and corners combined with a tight and twisting section, especially between turns eight and 15. How do you set up the car to tackle all the different aspects of the track? Do you have to make sacrifices in one section to gain an edge in other sections?
    “Like in Hockenheim, we play between levels. It comes between using a low downforce and high topping speed at a low track or using the downforce in the twisty section and losing a little bit of speed in the fast sections.”

    Romain Grosjean – Driver #8
    How do you prepare for the unpredictability of the weather at Spa, as one part of the course can be clear and dry while another portion can be wet and slippery?
    “Basically, you don’t. It’s something that’s out of your control. You don’t really worry about it. When it comes to qualifying or race day, yes, you have to make decisions, but it’s never black or white at Spa.”

    Spa has been called a driver’s track. Why?
    “It’s just a great track. There are very high-speed corners and there are a lot of turns, different types, some high speed, some low – just a good variety overall. It gives you a good feeling to drive.”

    Spa has high-speed straights and corners combined with a tight and twisting section, especially between turns eight and 15. How do you set up your car to tackle all the different aspects of the track? Do you have to make sacrifices in one section to gain an edge in other sections?
    “You always see different approaches at Spa. Either you’re fast in sector one and sector three, which are the high-speed sectors, or you’re fast in sector two, which has more of the corners. Both work pretty well, so it’s a matter of how you want to approach the race.”

    Can you describe the sensation you feel inside the car when you drive through Eau Rouge and Raidillon? Are you able to take that section flat out?
    “The first lap you go through flat out, you feel sick, like you’re on a rollercoaster because it goes up and down. You’re thinking, will I make that for the race? But, once you’ve done it once, it’s all ok and you just enjoy the g-forces.”

    How important is it to enter Eau Rouge in clean air to ensure you have the maximum amount of downforce available?
    “It’s certainly a corner where you don’t want to have a mistake. Qualifying in clean air is certainly quite good. On the other hand, if you get a big tow, you can have a massive advantage going into turn five. There’s a bit of an argument for both philosophies there.”

    Esteban Gutiérrez – Driver #21
    How do you prepare for the unpredictability of the weather at Spa, as one part of the course can be clear and dry while another portion can be wet and slippery?
    “I think you need to make quick decisions throughout the weekend, especially during the race as it’s a way to gain an advantage. Making a wrong decision can be very detrimental, but that’s what’s special about Spa. It’s a very long track and it can sometimes only rain on one part of the track, on one or two corners, and if you’re on slicks you just need to deal with it. Ultimately, you only want to come in for full wets if it’s raining throughout. You really have to be ready and open minded during the weekend.”

    Spa has been called a driver’s track. Why?
    “It’s a track that has a lot of corners, as well as being a very long track where you can gain a lot of time if you do everything properly and if you’re consistent throughout the lap. This also depends on how much downforce you have on the car as the circuit has a lot of high-speed and fluid corners, which are important factors.”

    Spa has high-speed straights and corners combined with a tight and twisting section, especially between turns eight and 15. How do you set up your car to tackle all the different aspects of the track? Do you have to make sacrifices in one section to gain an edge in other sections?
    “It’s a track where you have to compromise a lot because you don’t want to lose too much speed on the straight and you don’t want to lose too much downforce in the corners. It’s important to have an efficient car to find the best compromise between aero and the mechanical set up.”

    Can you describe the sensation you feel inside the car when you drive through Eau Rouge and Raidillon? Are you able to take that section flat out?
    “Those two corners are usually flat out. It’s an amazing feeling approaching Eau Rouge. It goes up and you can feel the compression at the beginning of the corner and as the car is moving though the corner. As you go uphill, sometimes the car is jumping on the curb at high speed. It’s amazing. It’s difficult to describe it because you have to experience it.”

    How important is it to enter Eau Rouge in clean air to ensure you have the maximum amount of downforce available?
    “Even in the race sometimes you have to be flat out if you are running behind someone you want to overtake. It’s a corner you don’t require much downforce to make it flat out. Usually, we reduce the downforce at Spa because of the long straights and you want to have the least drag possible in those areas. It’s a compromise of how much downforce you set. Even with a low configuration of downforce, Eau Rouge becomes quite challenging, but usually very nice if you can take it flat out.”

    Pirelli is bringing three tire compounds to Belgium:

    • P Zero White medium – less grip, less wear (used for long-race stints)
    • P Zero Yellow soft – more grip, medium wear (used for shorter-race stints and initial portion of qualifying)
    • P Zero Red supersoft – highest amount of grip, highest amount of wear (used for qualifying and select race situations)

    Pirelli provides each driver 13 sets of dry tires for the race weekend. Of those 13 sets, drivers and their teams can choose the specifications of 10 of those sets from the three compounds Pirelli selected. The remaining three sets are defined by Pirelli – two mandatory tire specifications for the race (one set of P Zero White mediums and one set of P Zero Yellow softs) and one mandatory specification for Q3 (one set of P Zero Red supersofts).

    Haas F1 Team’s drivers have selected the following amounts:

    • Grosjean: two sets of P Zero White mediums, four sets of P Zero Yellow softs and seven sets of P Zero Red supersofts
    • Gutiérrez: one set of P Zero White mediums, five sets of P Zero Yellow softs and seven sets of P Zero Red supersofts

    All images courtesy of Haas F1 Media

    Eric Barnes @ebarnes442

  • Cadwell Park set to stage sensational BSB action as Showdown nears

    The British Superbike championship arrives at the famous Cadwell Park circuit in Lincolnshire for round eight of the season. It will be the penultimate round before the Showdown starts so big points and finishing are the key. It’s Shane Byrne in form after a double at Brands Hatch, with Leon Haslam chasing hard after taking being winless since Knockhill. The Cadwell Park track is spectacular for fans, as it is the point in the season where both wheels are off the ground (intentionally) at the famous Mountain.

    Shane “Shakey” Byrne is leading the championship after an incredible double at Brands. He has won three out of the last four races this year, and I wouldn’t bet against him extending that run this weekend. Shakey comes into the Cadwell circuit having had a total disaster at the track last season. Unbelievably, Byrne hasn’t won at the track since 2003, when he won his first title! Personally, I find that incredible! Don’t put it past him to end that run.

    Leon Haslam returns to the Cadwell Park track for the first time since his HM Plant Honda days back in 2008, where he did the double. He comes into the round with a 25-point deficit to Shane Byrne and desperately needs to reclaim some of them points by taking wins, giving him an advantage going into the showdown with his podium credits. He finished 2nd to Byrne in both races last time out, so he has what it takes to run with the leader, but can he beat him? Only time will tell.

    3rd in the championship is home to Jason O’Halloran, who has shown his skills in the 2016 season. The Australian who has fought back from horrific leg injuries after a Thruxton crash last year, has been something of a revelation this year, but this is the first time he would have been to the track on a BSB Factory Honda. His most recent result at the circuit is a 2nd to Danny Buchan in the Stock 1000 series, meaning the Aussie has the pace to go on to take another BSB win this weekend. Can he do it? The Honda rider will be looking to make it a special day for Honda, who are based in Louth, just down the road from the track.

    In an upside down year that has seen him drop in and out of the top six in the title as well as the top 10 in races, Michael Laverty is 4th as it stands. The Tyco BMW rider and former GP star took his latest win in race two at Thruxton after Byrne’s early departure. Laverty won at Cadwell Park back in 2011 on the Swan Yamaha, which he later followed up with a 2nd place. If the Ulsterman can find the form he had five years ago, he is sure to be up there come MONDAY (Bank Holiday race day, don’t forget)!

    Dan Linfoot is still waiting on his first BSB race win. After a mistake at Snetterton on the final corner whilst leading and a red flag whilst challenging Shakey in race two, Linfoot hasn’t finished in the top six, let alone step on the podium to gain podium credits, should he get through to the showdown. Cadwell doesn’t seem the track to see him recapture his form either, as recent results show his best finish has been a 7th. If anyone can turn it around though, then Linfoot is your man!

    Richard Cooper has been a little bit off the boil recently with a podium drought currently sweeping into his side of the Buildbase BMW garage. The Buildbase BMW rider got another podium in race two at Brands Hatch Indy, but needs wins if he is to be there at the end of the season. The rider from Hucknall, Nottinghamshire, will be looking to make a return to the podium at Cadwell Park, after his 8th and 7th last season. Cooperman is without doubt capable of making a fist of things, but he is just three points ahead of in-form Luke Mossey, who occupies 7th in the standings.

    The battle for the showdown is boiling up nicely, with 57 points being the gap from 12th to 6th, with five races left until the top six are locked in. It will be a dogfight, as returning riders like John Hopkins get back to the front, recovering from injuries and Danny Buchan getting back on a Kawasaki he enjoyed so much success with. These two aren’t really in the hunt for the showdown so they could really be decisive in who gets through. BSB is ridiculously close this season, and even riders like Laverty and Linfoot aren’t safe yet. Keep your eyes on Luke Mossey, James Eliison, Christian Iddon and the in-form Glenn Irwin to launch a big attack on the top six.

    The BSB riders have also had a game of musical chairs during the three-week break. Howie Mainwaring-Smart left the Smith’s BMW to join the vacant seat at ePayMe Yamaha. Stuart Easton, who left the team earlier on in the season, joins Moto Rapido Ducati, who parted company with former Stock 1000 champion Danny Buchan. Buchan re-joins forces with MSS Tsingtao Kawasaki Racing, the team he rode for in 2014 on his way to Stock success. Ryuichi Kiyonari has also left the Halsall Bennett’s Suzuki team, who are yet to replace him.

    You can find out what will happen on Sunday. As well as joining us for our live text commentary by Kiko Giles, you too can also watch it live, free to air on Quest! You can follow @PitCrew_Online for the live text commentary and also @MotoGPKiko for all things bikes and boring. If you are on Instagram, then you can follow ‘crewontwo’ for all the bike racing pics from across numerous series!

    Thanks to Gareth Davies for the wonderful images he continues to provide.

  • Lowes returns to podium at Brno

    Aboard the Team Federal Oil Gresini Moto2 Kalex machine Sam Lowes crossed the finish line of today’s rain hit Czech Grand Prix at Brno in third place: despite treacherous conditions the 25-year-old British rider put in an excellent performance, recovering from fifth to third position in the early laps of the race and maintaining the position until the checkered flag, behind winner Jonas Folger and Spaniard Alex Rins, second.

    After two races in which he was forced to retire, Lowes was therefore back on the podium reinforcing the third position in the overall standings with 137 points ahead of his home Grand Prix at Silverstone, scheduled for September 4th.

    Sam Lowes: The result gives me great conference

    “Given the situation, this third place is a very important result for me: in the dry I had a great chance to win, because I rode well all weekend and I felt very competitive, but that’s okay , because I was able to keep a good pace also in the wet and I didn’t expect to be so fast. Today we still managed to beat Zarco, while for Rins, with 7-8 laps to go I thought it would be possible to reach him, then I preferred to avoid risks because we come from two DNFs and today it was really important to finish the race. This performance is also important ahead of my home race at Silverstone, because also there we may face a variable weather variable and today’s result gives me great confidence”.

  • Sauber Springboard Into Spa

    The word Spa, to an F1 fan at least, is almost the equivalent to a candle lit dinner under the moonlight/a drive in a supercar. In short the mere mention of the word triggers unparalleled emotions in most fans, none more so than the F1 teams themselves.

    The Sauber F1 team, fresh from a spirit lifting new ownership transition, head to the track with the hope of scoring their first points in what has been a difficult, if not career building, 2016 season.

    RACE PREVIEW

    Spa, at 7.004km long per lap, is the longest track on the calendar which brings with it the reciprocal power and aerodynamic demands.

    Sauber have identified the these areas along with braking stability as the key performance areas that they hope Marcus Ericsson and Felipe Nasr will exploit come race day.

    Both drivers will no doubt be buoyed by the news of a new aero package and their new head of track engineering, Xevi Pujolar, who has previously worked with Max Verstappen. The new package has been a long time coming and I thought to have put both drivers in a far more advantageous position at a track that they both rate very highly.

    MARCUS ERICSSON

    The Swede is looking to recapture the momentum that saw him fight his way into the drivers of the day rankings at a track which should suit his aggressive wheel to wheel style of racing. Ericsson remembers the top 10 finish last year fondly & will look at boost his team battle chances in Belgium:

    “the track at Spa is quite long with some interesting corners and passages – Eau Rouge, Blanchimont, Pouhon and so on. Engine power is the crucial factor.”

    FELIPE NASR

    Nasr has been a regular at the Olympic games being held in his native Brazil, which has seemingly served to motivate him heading into the second half of the year. He loves Spa and has a through understanding of the nuances of the circuit, which we suspect may give him the edge he needs:

    “Spa-Francorchamps is the opener of the second part of the season – and my favourite circuit on the calendar. The track is unique, having a lot of high-speed corners and a great corner combination. As a driver you get a nice flow going – up and down – through these corner combinations. From the technical side, the combination of low downforce and traction is essential to be competitive.”

    It might be asking too much too soon to expect a points finish immediately at Spa for the Swiss team. That being said, F1 is a sport that throws up more spanners than a backyard mechanical shop. The realistic expectation is for both drivers to at least get into Q2 and fight closer to the top 10 which should lay down a marker for the back to back trip to Monza.

    Rhea Morar @RheaMorar

  • MotoGP’s Loss is World Superbike’s Gain

    Eugene Laverty is now confirmed to line up on the WSBK grid in 2017 with the Shaun Muir Factory backed Aprilia team, although his teammate has not yet been confirmed. I actually already knew that Eugene was off to WSBK after Assen, when two very reliable sources based in Italy told me that a deal had already been done, but we didn’t know who with: Ducati or Aprilia. When Marco was confirmed at Ducati, it became clear Eugene would be on the Aprilia. And do you know what? I CAN’T WAIT FOR HIM TO RETURN!

    His performances in MotoGP have been nothing short of admirable this season, on a Ducati that is somewhat ancient compared to everything else. A stunning 4th place in Argentina and a 6th at Brno are the Irishman’s season highlights thus far. He hasn’t only improved a little bit this year either, he’s made a massive step change from back of the field runner, to top 10 challenger over the winter break. Laverty hasn’t crashed too much, but there is only so much you can do when nobody wants to sign you. Therefore, I’m happy to see Norge make the dramatic switch to WSBK.

    Eugene is not in MotoGP to make numbers up; however, he isn’t in MotoGP to win races as he isn’t on a factory bike. He has the talent to win races, and I believe he could do it on the Yamaha, Ducati or Honda, as his talent really does go that far. But if that isn’t recognised then why should Eugene stick around? He doesn’t deserve to be held back just because he isn’t given the equipment needed to win each weekend.

    In WSBK, the 30-year-old already knows the majority of the circuits, with the exception of Buriram and EuroSpeedway Lausitz (if they keep them on the calendar), so he will not need to learn any circuits. The Aprilia is a very fast bike and with full factory support, it could be a threat to the Kawasakis and it is that what makes Eugene a worthy WSBK rider; because finally he will be able to showcase to us all that he has endless talent on the right bike.

    It’s not just the fact that Eugene is going to WSBK, it’s the fact that finally, we have a big name going over there to inject some much needed support for the series which once saw over 120,000 people pour through the gates. I’m not suggesting that Eugene will suddenly takes us back to the glory days of the 1990s and early naughties, but he will bring a battle, which will then go on to create a great spectacle, giving World Superbikes a new life.

    At the end of the day, MotoGP wouldn’t do the Irishman any good by staying on a bike that is two years old. If he stayed for two seasons, then he would be 32 and without a ride come the end of his two year contract, which isn’t where he deserves or needs to be. It takes a lot of bravery to say ‘I’m not staying in MotoGP, and OK, I might not return but I want to win again’, and if WSBK is his only option then so be it. He will be a challenger for the title; runner up in 2013, race winner a year later on a very uncompetitive Suzuki, he has what it takes to make the championship exciting!

    Also, Laverty’s addition to the championship adds to the raft of talent that WSBK organisers are currently lapping up. We have what looks like a double champion to be in Jonny Rea, plus a former champion in Tom Sykes; we have 2011 World Supersport champion Chaz Davies, and former MotoGP race winner and 250cc champion Marco Melandri; 2011 Moto2 champion Stefan Bradl also joins 2006 MotoGP champion and 2002 AMA Superbike champion Nicky Hayden. Pata Yamaha will have the 2013 BSB champion Alex Lowes and 2014 Supersport champion Michael Van Der Mark. Not to mention Leon Camier and his BSB title in 2009 if he stays with the MV Agusta. On top of that, if they all stay in WSBK, we have Sylvain Guintoli, the 2014 champion, Markus Reiterberger, the double IDM champion, Josh Brookes, the 2015 BSB champion and Davide Giugliano, the 2010 European Superstock 1000 title winner. When you add all of that together, plus more that I haven’t mentioned, you are looking at more than 20 titles on the grid! So, as they say, ‘one man’s junk is another man’s treasure’. Just in this case, MotoGP’s loss is World Superbikes’ gain!

    For more feature articles, breaking news, build ups and race reviews as well as live text commentary on WSBK, BSB and MotoGP, follow us on @PitCrew_Online. You can also follow me @MotoGPKiko for all things two-wheel related.

  • Belgian Grand Prix Ferrari Preview

    GP UNGHERIA F1/2016 – BUDAPEST (UNGHERIA) 24/07/2016
    © FOTO STUDIO COLOMBO PER PIRELLI MEDIA (© COPYRIGHT FREE)

    Ferrari go into the Belgian Grand Prix at the magnificent Spa-Francorchamps facing a much bigger fight for second place in the Constructors’ Championship than they imagined.

    A mixture of bad luck and poor strategy has cost Sebastian Vettel the Drivers’ Championship title tilt that many predicted, as the multiple retirements and unnecessary pitstops see the German four-time World Champion languish down in fifth place.

    If ever there was a circuit for Ferrari, Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen to start improving their fortunes then Spa is the place.

    From the mid-noughties, the circuit almost became Raikkonen’s playground as he took victory in 2004, 2005, 2007 and 2009 for both McLaren and Ferrari to take four wins in five stagings of the event.

    Vettel too has success in the Ardennes Forest, with two wins in 2011 and 2013 as he enjoyed dominance on a broader scale in F1.

    Ferrari themselves have won 16 times in Belgium, both at Spa and at Zolder, although their last Belgian victory came courtesy of Raikkonen in 2009.

    This season has at best been unkind to the Scarlet squad. Strategic woes set in from the off as Ferrari converted an almost certain win for Vettel into third place as they pitted him from the lead, before engine failure in Bahrain and a collision with Daniil Kvyat in Russia.

    A gearbox penalty put him out of position in Monaco, while a tyre failure saw him take a trip to the wall in Austria, while at Canada he was called into the pits early from the lead and the subsequent two-stopper didn’t work. Since then, it’s been an inconsistent season as Red Bull have overhauled the Prancing Horse.

    Mercedes have been allowed to romp away with both Championships as a result of their own consistency coupled with the inconsistency of their opposition, while Ferrari have also been hit by Technical Director James Allison’s departure from the team for personal reasons.

    So, will Raikkonen continue his love affair with the Spa-Francorchamps circuit to silence those that feel he doesn’t deserve a seat at Ferrari next year? Can Vettel begin to right the wrongs of 2016 thus far? And will Ferrari give them a car to challenge the Red Bulls and Mercedes?

  • Folger showcases display of precision to take first Moto2 win of 2016

     

    Dynavolt Intact GP rider Jonas Folger has taken an incredible win in torrential conditions at the Automotodrom Brno, taking his first win in more than a year. Alex Rins (Paginas Amarillas HP 40) and Sam Lowes (Gresini Racing Moto2) completed the podium in P2 and P3 respectively, both taking a chunk out of championship leader Johann Zarco’s (Ajo Motorsport) lead as the title defender crossed the line in only eleventh place.

    Folger took the lead by sweeping round the outside into Turn 1, and the German was simply unstoppable for the rest of the race. With one small wobble the only drama for the German, he managed the gap to perfection to cross the line for his first win in 2016 ahead of his graduation to MotoGP™ next season.

    Alex Rins had a stunning turnaround in the wet on race day, as the Spaniard took a solid P2 after having struggled so much more in the dry in Brno. The ride to the podium cut the gap to title leader Zarco by 15 points, keeping the championship in the balance in the second half of the season.

    Sam Lowes also benefitted from the wet in Brno, as the Brit impressed with a calm ride to complete the podium. With Zarco having such a difficult day at the office, Lowes was able to capitalize along with Rins to keep his title hopes alive.

    There was drama on the final lap as Sandro Cortese (Dynavolt Intact GP) and Mattia Pasini (Italtrans Racing Team) collided, with Cortese unable to collect his top 5 finish after an impressive ride through the field and Pasini crossing the line in fourth.

    Alex Marquez (Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS) had a fantastic ride into P5, as the Spaniard converted his front row start into a top five finish. Marquez, who slotted through Turn 1 impressively on the inside, fought with the front before choosing a solid finish at the flag, calm under pressure as he rebuilds his confidence with another top result. Hafizh Syahrin (Petronas Raceline Malaysia) made good on his nickname of “the Fish” to finish in P6, ahead of Leopard Racing’s Danny Kent in P7 after both moved up the order in the wet, after an impressive morning warm up.

    Franco Morbidelli (Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS) crossed the line in P8 after taking less risks than those that saw him crash out of contention in the wet German GP, with the second Leopard Racing machine of Miguel Oliveira crossing the line in ninth.

    The man in tenth place was Anthony West (Montaze Broz Racing Team), who took his 3-year old Suter chassis from last place on the grid into the top ten – as a wildcard – in one of the most stunning displays of the day.

    now head to the UK for the next Round, with Silverstone ready to fire up the engines on the 4th September.Moto2

    Thank you to Dunlop Motorsport and Forward Racing for the images.

  • Redding: Tyre choice cost me a win

    An eventful Sunday for Octo Pramac Yakhnich, a potential win went during the Czech Grand Prix after a difficult week end.

    Scott Redding challenges for the lead with Andrea Iannone and Andrea Dovizioso in the Ducati leading trio and remains glued to the Austrian Grand Prix winner until lap 15 when the front tyre betrays him. Petrux, forced to start from the 16th position, manages to be consistent, catching position after position until the double overtaking on the last lap which earned him a valuable seventh.

    Scott starts well from the 13th position and laps very fast. On lap 2, setting the fastest time, he is already third. Two laps later another best-lap let him overtake Dovizioso. Halfway through the race he is still trying to catch Iannone, then an abnormal consumption of the front tyre, perhaps due to the soft compound that has held up in a less than ideal condition as the track started to dry up. This forced him to slow down to get to the finish line. For Scott, only one point at the finish sounds like a joke.

    Petrux also got off to a good start. Between the first and second lap, he easily passes Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo to place himself firmly between the seventh and ninth. Even when three laps to go Baz and Laverty were able to overcome him, exploiting the hard rubber, Danilo remained focused and on the last lap he managed to pass Vinales and Iannone (who experienced the same problem of Scott) for a precious seventh.

    Scott Redding: Front tyre cost me a race win

    I was very happy with my race. I made a good start and was going well. I felt a great feeling and I was in control. The set up of the bike was perfect. I felt that the front tire was starting not to be performing but it was a normal thing, and I would even settle for Top 6. I was also able to recover some tenths to the front group. But suddenly the uncommon degradation of the front tyre cost me the race win. It’s a shame.

    Danilo Petrucci: Tyre choice was decisive

    I can not say to be particularly satisfied even if P7 is a good result. It has been a strange race. We had a good pace in the warm-up and we have made many changes. The tyre choice was decisive. Maybe we could have a chance with the hard front but we have goals and I wanted to do the race on my target that is the Top 10. In the end I managed to reach the seventh and is not bad. I would like to thank the team and all the people who are close to me.

  • Red Bull Belgian Grand Prix Preview

    Red Bull will hope to continue their dominance over Ferrari as Formula One returns from the mid-season break.

    The Milton Keynes team have a 14-point advantage over the Italians in the Constructors’ Championship but lie 159 points behind Mercedes.

    Christian Horner’s leadership of his team has been impressive as talented driver Max Verstappen has come through Red Bull’s junior team Toro Rosso.

    Whilst Daniel Ricciardo has equally improved since he has worn the famous Red and Blue.

    Though the team boss told Motorsport.com that he is aware that one day there may be a battle between the drivers for supremacy, as Mercedes are experiencing this year: With Max and Daniel we’ve got one of-if not the most-exciting driver pairings in F1.

    I think as long as we deal with it in an open and honest manner and it’s clear what the objectives of the team are, we will deal with any speed bumps that come our way”.

    Spa is next on the Formula One Grand Prix schedule and Red Bull have not fared well in Belgium.

    Daniil Kyvat, was demoted to Toro Rosso as he struggled in the early part of the season, subsequently he was replaced by Max Verstappen.

    The Russian finished in fourth but Ricciardo did not finish the race in 2015 however the Australian won in Belgium two years ago, stating:

    “Spa is cool and the track is amazing. It’s very historic, fast and flowing. I have had a win here so it has always been a good track to return to for me”.

  • Michael Howarth: I’m not stacking shelves at Morrisons!

    It isn’t everyday you get to interview a top quality British Superbike racer but today, I spoke to Michael Howarth about his injuries, his past, present and future and other things such as the loss of bestfriend Karl Harris and MotoGP and WSBK this season. He said in one word that 2016 has been painfull, so be prepared to be amused (not by me); Michael opens up to me whilst he was having his haircut. Enjoy!

    Who got you hooked into bikes and how?

    Well I got myself into bikes, after I got injured in 2000 playing in Rugby League, as I was a professional Rugby League player at the time. I snapped my ankle and even though I recovered I just never really got back to where I wanted to be. If I’m honest I got bored, so I went out and bought the new SP1. I took it on a track day and started beating all these lads, little did I know they were a bunch of nobodies. I thought to myself, “Im Rossi” and that I’m off and going to be a big thing. I would never have picked any other sport. It wasn’t going to be snooker, because I actually have a penis! I had motocrossers since I was a kid so I’ve always been with bikes. I had road bikes from 1997 too.

    What was the plan for 2016?

    I got my own team back up and running with an old Shaun Muir Yamaha, the 2014 Josh Brookes bike. To get the team up and running properly would cost around 250,000 but I was getting nowhere near it. So then I took my sponsors, had a meeting with Tony Dexter and joined MotoDex BMW. However, then I completed two laps before sending myself to the moon and doing myself up. It was an odd crash because the bike was warmed up perfectly and everything.

    What is the plan for the rest of the season?

    Well I will be back at Cadwell Park, that is for sure. Whether I am on the pace or not is another matter. I’ve got a CAT scan on my hip so that decides what happens after. I might miss Donington because it is a bit too close with Oulton Park. Saying that, I might be alright because I didn’t ride Brands so I had time off.

    How do you motivate yourself every morning to come back from your injuries?

    Not raced since Karl’s death, I wanted to get back out there to ride with him, you know? Biggest thing that gets me is Morrison staff stacking shelves. They look so bored. I’m going to do something I enjoy! The doctor said I wasn’t going to walk since December but you can’t let a crash end your career when it isn’t career ending. OK, I broke my shoulder, knackered my hip and broke my back but it’s nothing that won’t mend.

    Who are your sponsors?

    Traction Chargers who do fancy battery chargers for Jaguar and Land Rover, based in Devizes. E-Dynamics who own 4/5 Volkswagen branches. Without them, I don’t race, it’s as simple as that. Because I’m chasing sponsors 24/7, I don’t have a day job as such. I could be rich and retired by now if I wasn’t a racer but there would be no fun in that.

    Back in the early days, I rode for Malcom Ashley. In 2007, I was riding at Brands, when the front forks snapped on me at about 170mph. Tena4Men sponsored me, but then in 2008 they came on board as a title sponsor. It was my own team, I rode alongside Tristan Palmer. When that came to an end, I became a bit of a journeyman really. I couldn’t find anything proper. Riding a bike is easy, but finding sponsors is difficult.

    Do you ever see yourself giving bike racing up for good?

    Yes; Ive only got a year or so left in me now. I don’t see myself going to Superstock 1000 like Michael Rutter did. He is only doing that because nothing came about in BSB and also because he is more focused on the roads. He’s getting good prize money over on TT, he doesn’t need to do the BSB Superbike class anymore.

    What will you do after bike racing?

    I see myself in team management; I’ve done it before. At Tena4Men, as you know we ran Tristan Palmer, who got us a sixth place finish at Silverstone which put him 10th overall in the championship. In the future, I don’t see me running a BMW. It’s too expensive to run. I don’t really know what I would run until I sit down with manufacturers, but if I said one now, it would probably be the new Honda, because it so easy going and cheaper to run.

    I tell you what, I’d love to bring Niccolo Canepa over to this country; he could win a British Superbike championship tomorrow given the chance. I don’t understand why he hasn’t been bought over before by somebody already. Canepa has done MotoGP, WSBK; he’s a bit lucky he isn’t going to prison like but it’s just one of those things aint it! I’d also like Kiyonari, me and him are good friends through Karl Harris, when they were teammates back in 2006. At Thruxton, Martin Halsall said to me will you go and have a word with him to sort him out, and I did! The talent is there but there’s just something not there for him. It’s been since the crash at Oulton Park with Shakey and he just hasn’t managed to shake it off yet.

    Most rewarding thing about being a bike racer?

    Well, you are doing the job you love and getting paid for it! I’m doing the thing that millions of people want to do. I aint stacking shelves at Morrisons!

    Who do you see as the best young talent coming through?

    Glenn Irwin. He has showed his talent; he’s got the podium to prove it. He’s come from nowhere, by which I mean people thought he would crash his brains out and get sacked half way through the season but he’s gone about his job properly and done what he needed to. He has kept his head and I’m taking all the credit for the podium because I said he would get one when I was talking to him that weekend.

    Buchan hasn’t shone considering his Superstock 1000 success. He needs traction control and that would be WSBK territory. He really would do it over there.

    Mossey is there or there abouts, he just needs to take his time and preserve his tyres. He has the pace to win if he sits behind Shakey and looks after his tyres until the end.

    Linfoot will win a race without a shadow of a doubt. Dan will stay with Honda next year if he has any sense, although I think O’Halloran may have annoyed him with that win at Snetterton.

    Top 6 prediction in no order: Byrne, Haslam, Bridewell, Ellison if he can get the bike to work. It’s a free for all after that. It will be whoever can figure it out how to string some good results together.

    Your greatest achievement?

    Winning a SBK Cup race at Cadwell Park in 2006. I was fairly new to it at the time so if I had known it’d be last win I would have celebrated a lot more! I thought it would be expected of me to win again. I thought I’d be on my way. Cadwell anniversary this weekend will be alright if my body can hold together.

    Karl Harris, best friend. How much did/does his death affect you?

    Well at the time it destroyed me, as it would anyone, he was my best mate. I did a couple of BSB rounds after but I was lost; it was the first time I’d ever ridden in the championship without him and I couldn’t do it because he wasn’t there. He has inspired me to come back. I’ll never be a Karl Harris speed wise or results wise. The paddock misses him like mad. One of our best on-track memories was at Croft in 2006. F*****G Shakey Byrne cost me a podium after crashing at Knockhill in 2008; I was going to be third in race two but came 5th after he crashed and caused the red flags to come out! We (Michael and Karl) were both on the podium together at Croft anyway, it was a real joy. We had a proper crack in the paddock, we used to sneak off to my motorhome for cigarettes and then go around at night stealing everyone’s beer!

    Ever thought about road racing?

    I want to do the TT, I always have. I could have done the NW last year but it does absolutely nothing for me, similar to the Ulster GP. All I want to do is the TT and set a 125mph lap, then I’d walk away happy.

    What was the lowest of the low for you?

    Got to be when I was at Oulton Park this year and I was out of action after only two laps, having been away and off the bike for two seasons. Next thing I knew I was flying in a helicopter. At the time it absolutely ripped me apart, however it didn’t take me long to get back up to full health.

    MotoGP and WSBK predictions.

    Hmmmm WSBK. I think Rea will win again this year. I really do. Tom will be a close second. It wont be Kawasaki next year; Ducati and that will come along a lot stronger, there is a new Suzuki next year too. Kawasaki have got it sorted for this year but I think next season, we will see the competition be lot stronger and more competitive. I don’t know what Ducati are thinking taking Melandri on. Its utterly ridiculous. I would rather see Eugene on the bike but Melandri is only there because Ducati are skint, after they’ve just given Lorenzo 30 million dollars for two seasons. They offered Casey that much to come back and ride for them; they told me when I went to test their new Multistrada Enduro bike. Marco is bringing a bucket load of money to the team, that’s the only reason they want him. What has he got left to prove? He might prove me wrong and make me look like a plant-pot but he’s not got the motivation to say ‘OK, I’m going to win a title’.

    For MotoGP, I think the little man is going to win it. I think Keith and Jules were right when they said Lorenzo won’t win it. It only takes one more wet race for him to do what he has done at Assen, Sachsenring and Brno. I think it could be a close run affair this year with Marc and Valentino. Rossi can take it to him. It’s only going to take one mistake from Marquez. Rossi won’t get any help from Jorge. He wasn’t relying on it from Jorge anyway and Marc won’t get help from Dani. There’d be murders if it was ever found out that Marc and Jorge worked together again.

    Have you ever fallen out with any racers; are there any you dislike?

    Naaah! To be fair, I’ve never seen something that makes me want to dislike someone or brand them as dangerous. I had a big rivalry with someone in club racing. They all raced ex Troy Bayliss bikes and he was moaning about the bikes not favouring him. We had a battle once and we ended banging fairings. We shook hands after, no animosity or anything. We just said that’s what you call a proper race, a proper battle.

    Top 3 BSB races:

    Hill and Hopkins, Brands Hatch, 2011

    Haslam and Lavilla, Cadwell Park, 2006

    Haslam and Harris, Croft, 2006.

    For more exclusive interviews you can follow us on Twitter @PitCrew_Online, and for all bike related posts you can follow @MotoGPKiko. To keep up with Michael Howarth, you can follow him @howie94! Thanks to Gareth Davies once again for the fantastic picture.