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  • The Top 10 Motorcycle Racing Venues in the World

    We all know that motorcycle racing is an incredible sport and that some of the races we have witnessed will stay with us for a long time to come, but aside from the superhuman athletes their selves, it tends to be the venue that lends itself wonderfully. Let’s take a look at some of the most iconic circuits all around the world and see why they have become known to deal us fans some incredible racing.

    10.) Sepang, Selangor, Malaysia

    Sepang has been a track that has thrown up some of the most extraordinary races in the past, and in 2015, it also became host to one of the most controversial moments in GP history (I’m sure I don’t need to tell you what happened). Its long sweeping chicanes make it a favourite for riders to prepare a move in one corner and execute it in the next, similar to Mugello and Brno. In 2015, WSBK visited for the second year and we were given two of the best races ever. The first was Jonathan Rea and Chaz Davies going side by side to finishing line on the last lap, for Rea to just pip Davies. The second was slightly more aggressive with Davies throwing his Ducati up the inside of Rea for what was simply one of the most explosive races in recent Superbike years. However, Sepang lands itself a top 10 place not just for the layout of the track, but also for the sheer climate of Malaysia. Humid would be an understatement, and the weather really can be unpredictable, with sun beaming through one minute and rain lashing down the next. It puts riders and bike, as well as mechanics and journalists through the paces, and that’s why winning at Sepang could mean something extra special.

    9.) Kyalami, Gauteng, South Africa

    Kyalami in South Africa has been on and off the World Superbike calendar for a number of years and is currently having a makeover to hopefully bring MotoGP and WSBK back to that part of the world. The old track lent itself beautifully to bike racing, with some of the fastest and scariest corners in the world at this facility. The first turn was a right hand kink before sweeping left into a triple left hander. Then they would head along the old front straight into Sunset bend, before two more right handers were tackled. Perhaps the scariest part of the track was the mineshaft, the place where Regis Laconi nearly lost his life in 2009. The track has played host to some of the best races in history, including the sensation 2000 WSBK season opening round, when Edwards and Haga went head to head in not one, but two races. South Africa would dearly love to return to the MotoGP calendar, whether it be at Kyalami or Welkom, and it is for the frightening corners and ferociously fast straights, along with the atmosphere and fan support that earns Kyalami a place in the top 10.

    8.) Laguna Seca, Monterrey, America

    Laguna Seca made a welcome return to the World Superbike calendar in 2013 after an eight-year hiatus, and although the racing hasn’t been too spectacular, it’s the fact that it is edging a deprived World Superbike Championship back to its best by being there on the calendar. Let’s face it, after all the memories that have been made and saved at Laguna Seca, it would be hard to imagine the WSBK grid not being there. From Doug Chandler’s and Akira Yanagawa’s huge crash in 1998, to Colin Edwards’ sensational double four years later, this track has had it all, and is known for one thing. The Corkscrew. The Corkscrew has been home to many memorable moments at Laguna, including Valentino Rossi’s antics on Casey Stoner in 2008, as well as the site of Wayne Rainey’s number one salute on the final lap of the 1990 US GP. The track itself is incredibly dangerous, with the front straight lined with concrete walls. However, the trackside marshals at Laguna Seca are simply second to none, and had they not been as efficient as they had in the catastrophic start line pile up for the WSBK race one restart, there could have been a lot more serious injuries. It is the track, the features and the memories that put Laguna Seca in the category of great motorcycle racing tracks.

    7.) Jerez, Jerez de la Frontera, Spain

    Jerez may have not given us a last lap thrill in the premier class for a few years but in the past it has been a track that has thrown up an unbelievable finish to a race. World Superbikes returned to the track in 2013, and immediately, Eugene Laverty and Marco Melandri went head to head, and it was the Irishman Laverty who snatched the win from ex GP star Melandri. Who can forget Rossi and Sete Gibernau clashing in 2005. The crowds of people that were on their feet in anticipation as two of the best riders of the time put on a sensational show. The lap starts off slowly but opens up through turn three and four before the Sito Pons corner forces you to get a good drive down to turn six, a prime overtaking opportunity. However, what really makes the track special is the double right hander heading back towards the pits and the final corner of Lorenzo (previously the Ducados Hairpin). The incredible atmosphere from the Spanish crowd all around the track has made it one that is loved by fans all over the world, but recent political issues in Spain could see an end to the Jerez circuit on the GP calendar, but WSBK looks set to continue at the venue. It really has got the perfect build up for a bit of ‘Argy Bargy’ in the final corner on the final lap.

    6.) Misano, Rimini, San Marino

    Misano has had something of a renaissance in the world of motorcycle racing in recent years, with the circuit being completely revamped, races now being held in the opposite direction and also the rise of Italian stars from the Adriatic Coast has made it a real fan favourite. When Valentino Rossi won back in 2014, the place went from a motorcycle circuit to an all-out street party, and it really is a special venue for all fans of the sport. However, it has seen some incredible races outside of the premier class of racing, particularly in World Superbikes. Back in 2001, Ben Bostrom romped home to take his first WSBK double; in 2007, Japanese legend Noriyuki Haga bought down Max Biaggi and also in the Moto3 race in 2015, we saw Italian Enea Bastianini take his first and so far only GP win. However, the track was renamed in 2012 to ‘World Circuit Marco Simoncelli’, in memory of the Italian 250cc champ of 2008, and you can really see why. The fast circuit asks a rider to be brave, flamboyant and determined, everything the late Italian was. And it is this combination of heritage entwined with a superb circuit that makes this a very special place!

    5.) Old Hockenheimring, Baden-Württemberg, Germany

    The Old Hockenheimring in Germany was for years one of the greatest rounds in the WSBK season. With more than eight riders battling it out for the lead, it was a massive fans favourite, as well as a rider’s favourite. However, this thrilling and exciting spectacle wasn’t without danger. In 1999, Igor German had a huge crash on his Bertochi Kawasaki, so violent that it ripped the front wheel off. In 1996, Troy Corser crashed out not just once but twice, both times were very fast. In 1989, Ivan Palazzese lost his life in a tragic 125cc GP accident. However, there have been brighter times too. In 1996, WSBK erupted into life with two smashing races; the first saw Aaron Slight and Frankie Chili go head to head right down to the final corners, until Chili crashed in a huge way. The second race was simply spectacular, with 24 lead changes, with Paolo Casoli, Carl Fogarty, Aaron Slight, Troy Corser, Simon Crafar, Anthony Gobert, Frankie Chili and John Kocinski all taking the helm at some point during the race! It was Foggy though who triumphed to the roar of everyone in the stands, to take one of just a handful of wins on the Honda! In 2000, Nitro Nori Haga stormed through to mug Colin Edwards of victory with just 3 corners to go, to claim Yamaha’s first WSBK win at the circuit. Hockenheim did consist of long straights, fast chicanes and hard braking points and is now merely a shadow of what it once was, although it is still a great track. It is for the memories and for the raw speed of the place that it earns itself a place on the Top 10 Motorcycle Race tracks.

    4.) Suzuka, Ino, Japan

    Suzuka is a track that isn’t used as much for bikes as it is for cars anymore, since Daijiro Kato was tragically killed in the MotoGP event back in 2003. However, the track is still home to the Suzuka 8 hours’ endurance race and most of the circuit has remained unchanged since its MotoGP days. The first section really is all about keeping your momentum up through the corners and through the elevation change, before you plunge downhill for the Degna corners. One of the best corners is that of the long right hander just before you arrive at spoon corner, which is itself a prime opportunity to overtake. However, one of the best corners in the whole world is that of 130R, just after the figure of eight crossovers. We have seen many races won and lost there, and some pretty big crashes too. Eddie Lawson and Michael Doohan had a major crash there at the start of the 1990 500cc championship, as well as seeing the 2003 125cc GP race decided at that very corner too. Despite being one of the most dangerous circuits still in existence and despite the negative press it often gets, Suzuka has all the essential ingredients to make it one of the best tracks in the world for bike racing.

    3.) Brands Hatch, Fawkham, Great Britain

    Brands Hatch in Kent, England has seen more people than any other venue in Europe pay to get in through the gates. Back in the early naughties, over 150,000 bike fanatics would squeeze into one of the most exhilarating courses in the world, creating an atmosphere that you could only experience if you were there. The track itself has some of the best corners in motorcycle racing, including Paddock Hill, the immensely fast Hawthorn corner, Dingle Dell and the final corner of Clearways, all of which have played host to some of the most audacious overtakes we have ever seen. The track itself is situated with in a forest, with trees lining the track from Surtees all the way back to Clearways. The fast challenging corners along with the electric atmosphere and air horns makes Brands Hatch one of the most iconic circuits in superbike racing; some would even argue that it is the signature of World Superbikes, despite it not being on the calendar any more.

    2.) Assen, De Haar, Netherlands

    Assen for me, is one of the greatest motorsport venues anywhere in the world. It’s tight and twisty first section may be one of those that is very much one-line and one that is hard to pass on, but as soon as we get past the Struben hairpin, the track opens up into a sensationally elegant and sophisticated surface, with passing opportunities one after the other. However, the last section from the fast double right hander down to the infamous chicane is one that hasn’t just decided races, but its seen host to some of the most controversial moments in our sport. From Frankie Chili and Carl Fogarty in 1998 right up to the recent 2015 clash between Valentino Rossi and Marc Marquez, the final six corners have dealt us some of the best racing in the sports history. This, coincided with the roars of the crowd makes the circuit live up to its name as the ‘Cathedral of Speed’.

    1.) Phillip Island, Victoria, Australia

    Phillip Island in Australia has thrown up some of the best motorcycle races in both MotoGP and World Superbikes. From the sensational 2015 Australian MotoGP back to the start of the year where World Superbikes put on a spectacular show, this circuit has never failed to deliver top class racing, testing not just the riders, but the bikes and mechanics too. Notorious for its fast sweeping corners of Doohan, Stoner, and the Hayshed, it is the perfect match of excitement and danger. There have been some huge crashes at the circuit; Alex Barros had a massive get off in 2005 at the Hayshed, Jordi Torres crashed at the fast turn one in the second WSBK race in 2015 and of course the huge crash at the Southern Loop that nearly cost Britain’s Danny Kent of title success in the 2015 Moto3 race. Phillip Island is what is known as a ‘rider’s circuit’, with its sensationally fast Gardner straight leading into incredibly fast sweeping corners, there is no surprise that everyone connected to WSBK and MotoGP can’t wait to get here, let alone the fans. It is for these reasons that Phillip Island is not just the best MotoGP circuit, but also the best race track in the world!

  • The Importance of Representation in MotoGP

    MotoGP is where the very best of the best race against each other for the most coveted prize in the whole of motorcycle racing: The MotoGP World Championship. However, I have noticed a recent trend, that isn’t really that recent; Spain and Italy are dominating the top spots in MotoGP. Is this the start of something bigger, or is this the end of their reign? Is there going to be any riders in the future representing countries in Asia in the masses that Spain and Italy are now? There’s a lot of questions and I’m going to answer them.

    Valentino Rossi, Andrea Iannone, Andrea Dovizioso, Danilo Petrucci and Michele Pirro. Five Italians that currently race in the top level of motorcycle racing. To me, this is OK if you have earned your right to be there, which they all have in their own ways. But what I want to know is what really keeps them in the paddock because I’m fairly sure I am not the only one who thinks that there are other factors involved. Sponsorship is a main reason. Valentino Rossi brings massive money to Yamaha. When he left them in 2010, the title sponsors left too; a year after his return and the they return. But is this capitalist outlook ruining the championship? I’d like to say ‘yes’.

    The same thing is happening with Spain. I won’t list the riders because that may take some time but there are more Spaniards than Italians on the grid. This could be down to sponsors, particularly when it comes down to Repsol Honda wanting two Spanish riders but I believe this is something even bigger. Dorna. The Barcelona based MotoGP owners have really bought a Spanish feel to the championship but is it too much? Four Spanish races, nine Spanish riders, four Spanish sponsored teams and two Spanish based teams; it’s a hell of a lot and if you were a country looking in you may think that it is totally impossible to try and get a new race on the calendar or to try and help the riders from that country develop. The championship has almost lost its world feel to it, not in sense of tracks but in sense of the line-up. The focus on European riders has absolutely crushed the chances of young talent from outside of Europe getting in. Or has it?

    Just one Frenchman on the grid this year in the name of Loris Baz, the former World Superbike race winner and title contender. With all due respect to Loris however, he isn’t threatening the top five because no big team will invest in him because all the sponsors have control over which rider goes where. However, this isn’t a recent thing either, there has been a serious lack of French riders in the top class ever since Randy De Puniet went to Pramac Ducati in 2011. The last French winner in the premier class was way back in 1999 when good ol’ Regis Laconi stormed to his first and only win at the brand new Ricardo Tormo circuit. Before that it was Christian Sarron in 1985 and the dauntingly fast Hockenheimring! The last French top class podium was De Puniet at Donington Park in 2009; these are stats that really shouldn’t be read out! However, France has an advantage over countries that are only just getting into the sport: Le Mans. The historical home of the French Grand Prix is still on the calendar and therefore France is still connected to the championship. There is another distinct difference in the paddock too. In 2015, Frenchman Johann Zarco set records on his way to his 1st title, Alexis Masbou won in Qatar at the start of the year and Fabio Quartararo had some stunning rides, so France is slowly but surely getting back into the groove, maybe not in the same numbers as the Italians and Spaniards but it’s a groove nonetheless.

    Something that has gone missing in the championship is the noticeable lack of fast, competitive Americans and Australians who are up the front winning races. It’s ten years since the last American GP winner which was Nicky Hayden and there hasn’t been an Australian title threat since Casey Stoner in 2012, despite Jack Miller winning at Assen this year. Once upon a time you couldn’t move for fast Americans and Australians, similar to Italians and Spaniards today. Doohan, Gardner, Magee, Beattie, Rainey, Schwantz, Kocinski, Spencer, Chandler, Lawson, Mamola, Roberts, Russell the list could go on for hours on end. Now, not one American in the whole paddock and just one Australian in the top class in the name of Jack Miller. Again, I put this down to the obsession from Dorna to get Europeans in the paddock. It’s almost like the whole paddock has been brainwashed into believing it’s Europe or nothing. And this is evident in the lower ranks too. Not one Australian is a full time rider anywhere else in the paddock. Remy Gardner is competing in the CEV Moto2 Championship and is doing a sterling job too but apart from that, I am struggling to see where the next Casey Stoner is coming from. I don’t want to see an Australian on the grid for the sake of it, I want to see them winning races and battling it out in the top five. Josh Brookes is a fast rider but he has already made his bed in Superbikes and the gap between the two series has never been so big and so hard to make a successful jump. Josh’ age isn’t on his side either and that isn’t appealing to the team owners. As for Americans, they are creeping back. James ‘Rocket’ Rispoli is a real crowd pleaser and is more than capable of making the switch whilst he’s still young and PJ Jacobsen is a top runner in World Supersport and the most likely in the future to bring success to the USA again.

    However, this is where everything starts to change because there is one part of the world that is producing riders like China produces toys and it isn’t Europe this time; it’s Asia. Ratthapark Wilairot has got to be hailed as a legend for representing Thailand on the world stage. He has really set an example to the talent that is coming up from the Far East. Thailand is having a real boom of riders and another rider you can thank for that is Tadayuki Okada. The Honda Team Asia set up is designed to give riders from Asia the chance to shine on the world stage and it hasn’t half worked a treat! Khairul Idham Pawi, a quiet Malaysian lad who contested in the CEV and Red Bull Rookies in 2015 took his and Malaysia’s first ever MotoGP win in Argentina in only his second race this year. He should have been followed home by Adam Norrodin, also Malaysian but he crashed out heartbreakingly at the final corner on the final lap. In the CEV, there are four Honda Team Asia Junior riders; Kaito Toba, Nakarin Atiratphuvapat, Kazuki Masaki and Ayumu Sasaki are all front runners as proven at the latest round at Catalunya. The reason these guys can go far is that thw Honda Team Asia set up has got roots going all the way up to Moto2, where Nakagami and Wilairot ride now. Getting onto the world stage could be the biggest break that they have and it could mean that in the next five years, we will see the first Thai world champion or even see Japan back on the top step in the premier class. You may think that is an over exaggeration but it really isn’t. Look at all the stars that have come through CEV. In 2010, Maverick Vinales won it. Seven years later he will be riding on a Factory Yamaha in the MotoGP class.

    Now, where else is getting a bit more involved in motorcycling? South America is the answer. Yonny Hernandez is the only South American in MotoGP but that could all change soon. In the CEV Superbike class, Max Scheib is the current series leader. The Chilean is aged just 21 and is winning races against the Spanish equivalent of Shane Byrne: Carmelo Morales. If Scheib could make the transition over to the Grand Prix paddock quick enough then he could be the next big thing and the reason that Chile gets involved with MotoGP even more than it does now. In the CEV Moto2 class, Eric Granado, the former World Moto2 rider is winning races and also closing down the series leader Steven Odendaal. He, for my personal liking, was thrown into Moto2 way too young and now he has been given the chance to mature in the CEV, he could be one to keep an eye on in the future. Steward Garcia in the Red Bull rookies is also on course for doing magical things and at just 16 years old, he has got a long time to mature and become a great rider. Gabriel Rodrigo in Moto3 has been getting faster and faster all the time too. He looked in contention for a podium up until he crashed out at turn one at the Catalan Grand Prix.

    There is one other area of the world that is starting to flag up on my radar. Kazakhstan. “Where”? I hear you all ask in a high pitch shriek. Yes, this Central Asian country is putting a bid in to host a Grand Prix in 2017! However, they have also got a very good young talent coming through who caught my eye when I started watching the CEV Moto3 championship earlier this year. Makar Iurchenko was originally born in St. Petersburg in Russia but represents Kazakhstan when riding. A country that nobody has ever associated with bike racing is quickly becoming a real economic hub for that part of the world. A bustling, glamourous capital city of Astana, MotoGP could be very interested in going there in the not too distant future.

    Back to Europe now but not to Italy or Spain or even good old Blighty, carry on going North until you hit countries such as Norway, Sweden and Finland. Finland has been involved in MotoGP for a long time now with past riders like Jarno Saarinen and KTM’s current test rider Mika Kallio. Moto3 KTM boss Aki Ajo is Finnish. However, Sweden has kind of disappeared from MotoGP. It lasted hosted a grand prix 26 years ago, a race that Wayne Rainey won in the 500cc class, Carlos Cardus in the 250s and Hans Spaan in the 125cc category. Sweden has a former double champion of the 125cc class in Kent Anderson. Here’s a few names some of you may remember. Peter Linden, Bo Granath and Ivan Carlsson. Yes, all Swedish and all very, very successful. Sweden is coming back though, Alexander Lundh is racing for Sweden but I noticed that again, in the CEV, a Swedish flag was waving. Johnny Rotvik and Pontus Duerlund may not be right at the sharp end of the championship but they are representing Sweden and that is a start. Did you know that for the last Swedish win you have to go back all the way to 1975 and Leif Gustafsson on a Yamaha at Brno. Norway is another country on the rise like I said. Never has there ever been a Norwegian on a MotoGP podium in any class, but there is some fresh blood coming up through the ranks. Thomas Sigvartsen in the CEV Moto2 championship has been having a consistent year and so has Michael Meller Pedersen who although is nearly 27, is showing that it isn’t impossible to be successful with an unfavoured nationality.

    The whole point of this article is to just tell you why one or two countries are dominating the premier class but to also show you that there are plenty of riders from other countries also coming through the ranks. And the whole point of getting riders into the world stage? To have a Grand Prix in that country. If a Thai rider was battling for the Moto3 title, I could guarantee you that Thailand would be on the calendar the following year because as soon as one rider does well from that country, the crowd get involved and want to go to a race; in the Far East, where the fasting growing economies in the world are situated, it may be just the perfect time to start hosting races in the region. The image that could be created from hosting races in a whole host of different countries would be amazing. Thailand, Chile and Kazakhstan are already looking set to join the calendar soon and that alone suggests that because of the Junior CEV Championship, these countries are benefiting and will continue to because of the success of the riders and the races that could go ahead.

    Tapping into these markets wouldn’t just be good for the countries in the short term either. A whole new tourist industry would be opened up, which leads to construction jobs when hotels need building and staff jobs when the hotels and cafes open. That means more corporation tax is paid and more people are earning money to pay their taxes. The economy will grow through inward investment from TNCs and then before you know it, a country that had very little appeal is being visited by millions. It all sounds too idealistic but it really isn’t. Look at Qatar, now people go to Losail for the season opening night race but have their annual holiday out there. The same could happen for any new country that joins the calendar. My dad went to Thailand for the World Superbike meeting at Buriram, before meeting up with his wife who lives over there and having a holiday. Yes, it really does happen and he isn’t the only one.

    The talent that is coming through the championships is quite simply incredible. If I could force you to watch the CEV then I would, but I can’t so never mind. In the next ten years when Marc Marquez is the battling with Maverick Vinales, you may just see the current Moto3 riders like Romano Fenati and Brad Binder in the mix too and a shedload of Asian riders too. All of a sudden, we could have ten nationalities in the top ten at every race. And that is what I mean by the importance of representation. One rider winning regularly from Thailand could suddenly bring (even more) bikes to Thailand. Ratthapark Wilairot has done this for Thailand, he put that country out there. A more successful example could be Gabor Talmasci, winning the 2007 125cc title and all of a sudden, the Hungarian’s get back involved with motorcycle racing. Robert Kubica did it in F1, when he put Poland on the map. Alex Barros did it for Brazil in MotoGP. Alex Criville did it for Spain in the top GP class. And who would bet against it all happening again in the future with the current crop of rising talent? Yes. Who would have thought that representation on the global stage could be quite as important?

  • Iannone Waltzes to Austrian GP Glory After “Incredible Race”

    The Ducati Team put in an outstanding performance today at the Austrian Grand Prix, round 10 of the MotoGP World Championship, held at Zeltweg’s Red Bull Ring.

    Andrea Iannone took the chequered flag to notch up his first-ever MotoGP victory, ahead of team-mate Andrea Dovizioso, who finished runner-up nine-tenths of a second behind, in his 250th grand prix race.

    The two Ducati riders dominated the 28-lap race, holding off attacks from Rossi and Lorenzo in the early stages: Iannone moved into the lead on lap 2 and was then passed by Dovizioso on the tenth lap. Dovi kept the lead until lap 20, but next time around was passed by Iannone who held onto first place until the flag.

    Ducati returned to the winner’s podium for the first time in six years, since Casey Stoner’s victory in the 2010 Australian GP. The last Ducati 1-2 in MotoGP dates back once again to Australia, at Phillip Island in 2007 when Stoner won the race ahead of Loris Capirossi.

    Andrea Iannone (Ducati Team #29) – 1st

    “I am really very happy, because in my opinion we did an incredible race. I started off quite slowly and tried to stay up front without ever pushing too hard, because I knew that in the final stages I could have had a bit less pace than everyone else, having opted to start with the soft rear tyre, while all the others made a different choice. I ran the whole race keeping a bit of margin and my bike was really perfect. I think that we did a great job over the entire weekend and I’d like to thank my team, all of Ducati and my crew chief Marco Rigamonti who have helped me improve so much in these last four years” .

    Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team #04) – 2nd

    “It’s a very important day for Ducati because we managed to obtain the win, a 1-2 even, that we have been chasing for such a long time. We’ve been working hard for four years and I am very happy to be a part of this project. I’m disappointed that I was unable to win however, because today I had a really good feeling with the bike and I was really good under braking. We didn’t take the risk of opting for the soft rear tyre, which in the end proved to be the winning move. Iannone on the other hand decided to use it and as he was the only one to do so, towards the end of the race he was at an advantage. In the last few laps, especially in the right-hand corners, I was losing too much time and I wasn’t able to stay close enough to make an attack on him. It’s a pity, but we must look at the positive side of the race because today we obtained a great team result”.

    Michele Pirro (Ducati Team #51) – 12th

    “Irrespective of my result, I am really happy because finally Ducati have succeeded in taking a win in MotoGP after such a long time. We scored the result we had expected and I feel it to be a bit mine and the Test Team’s as well, because in the last few years we have worked so hard to improve the bike. As for my race, I did everything possible to move up and get into the top 10, but in the end I had to settle for twelfth place.”

    Luigi Dall’Igna (Ducati Corse General Manager)

    “I am really happy, it’s an enormous satisfaction! I want to thank all the guys in Ducati Corse who over the years have done an incredible job and I hope that this fantastic result repays them for all their efforts. I would like to have each and every one of them here with us to celebrate this 1-2 win together and give them all a big hug. My sincerest thanks to everyone!”

  • Johann Zarco: The Gentleman of MotoGP

    Johann Zarco has shown an incredible amount of determination to come back from being fourth in the Moto2 championship standings and 21 points off, to leading by 34 after the recent Austrian Grand Prix. However, it’s Zarco’s celebrations and off-track persona that is winning him fans all over the world.

    Back in 2011, Johann Zarco took his first win in the 125cc class, but the season itself was full of aggressive moves and a lot of crashing, despite being at the sharp end for so much of the year. Notably, his ambitious final corner move on eventual champion Nico Terol in Catalunya, which saw him demoted to 5th and in Misano, when he tried to grab Nico Terol’s front brake on the run to the line on the final lap.

    However, Zarco has come from petulant child to sophisticated champion over the course of the last 18 months. His domination in last year’s Moto2 championship was absolutely remarkable, especially considering the competition, with reigning champion Esteve Rabat and rookie Alex Rins. Eight wins meant that he wrapped the title up before the final round in incredible style.

    His celebrations are something a little bit remarkable too! The Frenchman’s backflips have become a fixture and expectation alone with a win. And even his variations of them have been something a little bit special too. At Assen last year, he did one in clogs and in Austria this year, he did it in lederhosen to mix in with locals.

    And it’s not just his celebrations, determination, resilience and success that everyone likes about him. It’s the fact that he has time for his fans; he’s really happy to do the selfies and sign the photos, caps and shirts. He always makes time for as many people as possible and is always the first to congratulate another rider on a win or pole.

    And it is for those reason why I believe that Johann Zarco is the Gentleman of MotoGP.

    For more bike racing news and features from MotoGP, World Superbikes and British Superbikes you can follow @PitCrew_Online and also follow me personally @MotoGPKiko. We are also on Instagram; CrewOnTwo is where to find us!

  • Lorenzo Baldassarri: The Unsung Hero of the German GP

    In warm up, he had a crash, dislocating a shoulder. In Qatar, he dislocated both shoulders, returning two weeks later. Lorenzo Baldassarri is something out of the ordinary and after all ready picking up my ride of the day across all classes, he also goes as the unsung hero of the German GP in 2016.

    He may have only come in to consistent form this year but we all know that Lorenzo Baldassarri will be taking his first win of his MotoGP career very, very shortly. But his ride today underlines just how dedicated these riders are to making it out on the track.

    A crash in warm up looked fairly innocuous for the Italian and it looked a tad kinder than other crashes we had seen over the weekend at that corner. However, it was clear for all to see that Lorenzo was injured as he tentatively walked away. The result proved to be one that we had already seen from the Forward Racing rider; a dislocated shoulder. There was little news on whether or not he would race and I already assumed that he would just sit it out. Then, the number 7 lines up on the grid. A truly astonishing site. Baldassarri went to 5th at turn one before slipping back to 13th. Crashes happened and the Italian benefited from the departures, picking up a remarkable 5th place with what I will say now, was ride of the season so far in Moto2.

    He has been one of the top six riders this year and had an unbelievable battle with reigning champion Johann Zarco at Mugello, where the two exchanged positions six times on the penultimate lap. Although his first win is still eluding him, I have absolutely no doubt that the podium finisher has what it takes to make it to the top step of the rostrum before the end of the season.

    You can keep up with Lorenzo Baldassarri on Twitter @lorybalda7 and you can also keep up with the Forward Racing Team on Twitter @ForwardRacingGP. You can follow us on Twitter @PitCrew_Online and you can follow me @MotoGPKiko for all things bike related, whether it be opinions on riders or the pictures!

  • Aprilia Boss Slams “Distracted” Bradl and Bautista

    The Austrian GP for Bautista and Bradl’s Aprilias was decided when the lights went out.
    Both penalised by an early start, Alvaro and Stefan had to do a ride through in the initial phases that compromised the outcome of the race. Incorrect communication on the RS-GP bikes’ instrument panels also led the German rider to make another pit stop.

    Based on performance in warm up and, especially based on the pace demonstrated after the ride through, the RS-GP machines had the potential to achieve the best performance of the season on the Red Bull Ring. Bautista, who lapped consistently with a top ten pace, finished sixteenth in the end, in any case on the threshold of the points zone, whereas Bradl was a bit farther back in nineteenth place. At the end of the race, Roberto Colaninno – Piaggio Group CEO and MD – made a statement.

    ROBERTO COLANINNO – PIAGGIO GROUP MD AND CEO

    “Today Aprilia had everything needed to demonstrate the progress the RS-GP has made. From the first race of the season, the new bike has gradually improved and we cannot accept the fact that human error – whether having to do with technical management or how the race is conducted – keeps us from demonstrating our true value and achieving the results that Aprilia and this bike deserve. The MotoGP calendar gives us the opportunity to redeem ourselves straight away with the Brno race. I have complete confidence in Romano Albesiano and in the new bike, but we need to roll up our sleeves and continue working every day in order to be prepared for the next race and to resume that growth trend that we had shown up to now”.

    ROMANO ALBESIANO – APRILIA RACING MANAGER

    “I am the first to be furious with the outcome of today’s race. Even on a circuit that does not favour us, we had the best RS-GP of the season prepared, a bike that has shown tangible improvement, both in terms of the engine and race pace, and the times are indisputable proof of this. If he had not had any problems, Alvaro would have easily finished in the top ten. We cannot accept that, after all this work, our potential is squandered because our riders are distracted at the start and because of trivial mistakes on our part in managing the messages on the dashboard. As professionals like Alvaro and Stefan, I expect concentration and maximum commitment until the end of the year, but I want to call the entire team to put in extra effort that will lead us to working nonstop, even over the August holiday, in order to prepare for the race at Brno. We have a chance to redeem ourselves straight away and we absolutely cannot fall short of achieving the results that are within our potential”.

     

  • Summer break analysis Part 2

    GP AUSTRIA F1/2016 – SPIELBERG (AUSTRIA) 03/07/2016
    © FOTO STUDIO COLOMBO PER PIRELLI MEDIA (© COPYRIGHT FREE)

    Instructions:

    -Go at the bottom of the article

    -Click play on the video (new summer hit)

    – Return to the top

    -Read and enjoy!

    Toro Rosso

    An interesting season for Scuderia Toro Rosso so far, before the Spanish Grand Prix Max Verstappen was swapped with Daniil Kvyat, a move which cost points to Toro Rosso.

    Toro Rosso is currently sixth, behind Force India, but it will be difficult for the team to score points and finish higher than that position.

    Carlos Sainz Jr.

    Points: 30

    Position: 11th

    Best Result: 6th

    Carlos Sainz is trying to finish in the points in every race, but he struggles as he doesn’t have a very competitive car. Carlos best finish position was the 6th place in the home race in Spain, he started the race from the eighth position. Sainz is eleventh in the drivers’ standings, only three points behind Nico Hulkenberg.

    Daniil Kvyat

    Points: 23

    Position: 14th

    Best Result: 3rd

    Daniil Kvyat had to change teams, before Spain. Daniil swapped his seat in Red Bull with Max Verstappen. A move which he didn’t like, but he had to accept it. Kvyat needed some time to get used the new car and the new settings. His best result was the 3rd place in China with Red Bull Racing.

    McLaren

    A dream season for McLaren so far. Compared to their last season’s results, McLaren-Honda shows a totally different face. Jenson Button and Fernando Alonso scored 41 points for the British team. Despite some reliability issues, McLaren has made a significant improvement and makes me think that next season they might be very close to the top team. In Hungary, both drivers entered the final stage of the qualifying session, for the first time since 2014.

    Fernando Alonso

    Points: 24

    Position: 13th

    Best Result: 5th

    Fernando Alonso has finished only six of the twelve races, due to reliability issues. The Spaniard looks satisfied with the MP4-31 and he has scored 24 points so far. Fernando is in the 13th position, just four points behind Grosjean and six points behind Sainz.

    Jenson Button

    Points: 17

    Position: 15th

    Best Result: 6th

    Jenson Button looks calm and he enjoys his moments in the sport. Jenson scored fewer points than his team-mate, but their results are almost similar. Button’s contract ends this season and McLaren might replace him with Vandoorne who scored McLaren’s first point this season in Bahrain.

    Haas

    Haas couldn’t imagine a better debut season, the team has 28 points so far and they look very competitive to the low budget teams. They managed to finish in the top six and in the top fifth in the first two races of the season, since then they finished only two times in the top 10, but still, it’s a great achievement for them.

    Romain Grosjean

    Points: 28

    Position: 12th

    Best Result: 5th

    Romain Grosjean is the driver who has scored all the points for Haas. The French, finished four times in the points, in the first two races he finished sixth and fifth respectively. Generally, it’s a positive season for Romain who has out-raced and outscored his team-mate.

    Esteban Gutierrez

    Points: 0

    Position: 19th

    Best Result: 11th

    No points for Gutierrez so far this season, but the Mexican finished four times eleventh and also Esteban finished in front of his team-mate in the last two races. Luck is not with him so far, but I believe that he will get his chance and he will score his first point with Haas.

    Renault

    Renault returned to Formula 1 after six years of absence. It was known that it will be a difficult season for Renault. They didn’t have the required time to build a proper car, but despite their issues, they managed to score six points. Renault hasn’t announced their driver line-up for 2017 and it will be interesting to see if they will keep Kevin Magnussen and Jolyon Palmer.

    Kevin Magnussen

    Points: 6

    Position: 16th

    Best Result: 7th

    Kevin Magnussen decided to join Renault and try his luck for the second time in Formula 1. The Danish driver is the one who scored the first points for Renault so far, he finished 7th in Russia. His future in Formula 1 is not clear yet.

    Jolyon Palmer

    Points: 0

    Position: 20th

    Best Result: 11th

    Palmer is on the of the rookie drivers this season, the British showed some good driving skills at the start of the season and he almost scored his first point in Formula 1 in Australia, but Jolyon finished 11th behind Max Verstappen.

    Manor

    Manor scored their first point of the season in Austria, and that was the second time where the team finishes in the points in their Formula 1 history. Manor decided to replace Rio Haryanto with Esteban Oco for the second half of the season.

    Pascal Wehrlein

    Points: 1

    Position: 17th

    Best Result: 10th

    Pascal scored his first point in his Formula 1 career in Austria, his results are better than Rio Haryanto’s and the German has high chances to remain in Formula 1, and maybe sign a contract with a bigger team in the future.

    Rio Haryanto

    Points: 0

    Position: 23rd

    Best Result: 15th

    Bad season for Rio Haryanto, Manor’s driver struggles to finish above the 15th position and the team will replace him with Esteban Oco. Haryanto will remain in Manor as a reverse driver.

    Sauber

    Sauber is the only team who hasn’t score a point far. Financial problems keep the team behind. Good news is that new owners were announced and will be revealed in July. That allows for the team to upgrade the existing car. A new front wing will be available for Marcus Ericsson and Felipe Nasr in Belgium.

    Marcus Ericsson

    Points: 0

    Position: 21st

    Best Result: 12th

    Marcus Ericsson hasn’t scored a point in this season and his results are similar with Felipe Nasr. Marcus finished twice in the 12th position, the first one was in Bahrain and the second one was in Barcelona.

    Felipe Nasr

    Points: 0

    Position: 22nd

    Best Result: 12th

    The Brazilian, had some nice highlights during the season with wheel to wheel battles, but Sauber lack of power didn’t allow him to challenge his opponents. Nasr’s best result was in Baku circuits where he finished 12th.

    Next race will take place in Belgium, Spa at the end of the month. Take a deep breath, Formula 1 is almost back!

    Victor

    Follow me on Twitter @FP_Passion

     

     

  • Summer Break, Team by Team Analysis

    Click play and Enjoy

    The ideal way to spend your summer break is to be on the beach, with friends and drink cocktails. But if you are a motorsport fan you will not be satisfied until your read an article about Formula 1.

    Now you can relax, put your sunglasses on and enjoy the fresh summer mood article.

    It’s the best time of the season to analyse how good each time and driver was during the first half of the season.

    Mercedes

    Another great season for Mercedes so far, Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg collected 415 combined and they are the first two drivers in the championship standings. Mercedes won 11 of the 12 races, Max Verstappen with Red Bull Racing was the only driver who managed to beat Mercedes and win the Spanish Grand Prix.

    Lewis Hamilton

    Points: 217

    Position: 1st

    Best Result: 1st (6 wins)

    Lewis Hamilton had a bad start this seasons, in Australia, he finished second behind his team-mate Nico Rosberg and in Bahrain Hamilton finished third. Everyone had high expectations from the three times world champion, but the Brit needed some time to return to his top form.

    After the Spanish Grand Prix, Hamilton, realised that if he wants to win this season’s title he must beat his team-mate. Lewis won his first Grand Prix of the season in Monaco, it was the begging of his dominance. After Spain, Hamilton won six of the seven races and now he is on the top of the drivers’ standings.

    Nico Rosberg

    Points: 198

    Position: 2nd

    Best Result: 1st (5 wins)

    Nico Rosberg started the season with the ideal way. The German won the first four races and showed that this year he will stop Hamilton’s dominance and win the title. After the collision he had with his team-mate in Spain, Nico’s performance wasn’t as good as it was before Spain. Rosberg managed to win only one of the seven races. Nico couldn’t follow his team-mate form and dropped to the second position, 19 points behind Lewis Hamilton.

    Red Bull Racing

    Red Bull decided to swap Daniil Kvyat with the young Max Verstappen during the season, a move which proved to be right for the team. Max Verstappen’s abilities gave more points to the team and improve their position in the constructors’ standings. Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen scored 256 points so far.

    Daniel Ricciardo

    Points: 133

    Position: 3rd

    Best Result: 2nd

    A very positive season for Daniel Ricciardo so far, the Australian finished on the podium the last two races, and he almost won in Monaco. Daniel finished twice in the second place, the first time was in Monaco and the second time was in Germany. He is the only driver who managed to get the pole from Mercedes and he achieved that in Monaco.

    Max Verstappen

    Points: 115

    Position: 6th

    Best Result: 1st

    No words can describe Max Verstappen’s season. The Dutch won in his debut with Red Bull in Spain and he became the youngest driver who wins a race in Formula 1. After Spain, Max has scored more points than any other driver (except Lewis Hamilton). In every race, he shows how skilful driver he is and why he deserves a seat in Formula 1.

    Scuderia Ferrari

    Ferrari started the season with high expectations, in the first races, Ferrari was close to Mercedes and they always had a driver on the podium. In Canada, Sebastian Vettel finished second, almost five seconds behind Lewis Hamilton, but after that race, Ferrari’s performance dropped dramatically. The Italians couldn’t follow Mercedes’s pace and they lost the second position from Red Bull.

    Ferrari collected 242 points so far.

    Sebastian Vettel

    Points: 120

    Position: 5th

    Best Result: 2nd

    The four-time world champion finished five times on the podium, three of the five times Sebastian finished second. Vettel hasn’t finished on the podium in the last four races. The German struggles to beat his team-mate have dropped to the fifth position. Hopefully, Vettel will be better after the summer break and he will manage to challenge Kimi Raikkonen and Red Bull.

    Kimi Raikkonen

    Points: 122

    Position: 4th

    Best Result: 2nd

    Kimi Raikkonen forced Ferrari, with his results, to renew his contract for another season, and secured a seat in Formula 1 for 2017. The Finn has a good season and despite Ferrari’s issues, he managed to score 122 points and be ahead of his team-mate. Kimi is enjoying every moment in Formula 1. Raikkonen finished four times on the podium, his best result was the second place in Bahrain and the second place in Spain. A few days ago, Kimi Raikkonen married Minttu Virtanen in Italy (F1 Gossip).

    Williams

    It was clear before the season premiere that this season will be tough for Williams. Despite the parts on the FW38 Williams still, struggles to find the required speed in order to finish in the top 4. Valtteri Bottas managed to finish on the podium once and that was in Canada. Not the best season for Williams so far, Bottas and Felipe Massa collected 96 points combined.

    Valtteri Bottas

    Points: 58

    Position: 7th

    Best Result: 3rd

    Bottas is trying to keep Williams in the game, has scored more points than his team-mate and managed to finish on the podium in Montreal. It is clear that Bottas can’t challenge Max Verstappen for the sixth position, as the gap between them is 57 points.

    Felipe Massa

    Points: 38

    Position: 9th

    Best Result: 5th

    Felipe Massa started impressively the season, he finished in the points in the first six races, but that was not enough to secure him enough points in order to be close to his team-mate. The Brazilian cannot find the speed he used to have as a Formula 1 and shows that it will be difficult for him to have a seat in the sport the next season.

    Sahara Force India

    Force India has a positive season so far, despite the first disappointing results, scored eight points in the first four races, they managed to improve their performance and scored 73 extra points. Team’s aim is to catch and pass Williams in the constructors’ standings.

    Sergio Perez

    Points: 48

    Position: 8th

    Best Result: 3rd

    Checo has finished twice on the podium (3rd place) so far, the first time was in Monaco and the second one was in Baku. The Mexican scored 48 points and he is only ten behind Valtteri Bottas.

    Nico Hulkenberg

    Points: 33

    Position: 10th

    Best Result: 6th

    Hulkenberg is not as good as his team-mate, he has scored fewer points, but still, his role is important for the team and his last results show that he is becoming better. The summer break might affect him positively and might help him to score points in Spa and Monza.

    This is the first part of the summer break analysis, more to follow the next days. Enjoy the summer.

    GP GERMANIA F1/2016 – HOCKENHEIM (GERMANIA) 31/07/2016
    © FOTO STUDIO COLOMBO PER PIRELLI MEDIA (© COPYRIGHT FREE)

  • Dale Earnhardt Jr. Battles Concussion Woes

     

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. will be vacating the Rick Hendrick 88 car for unforeseeable future. Earnhardt, who on Friday made his first public appearance to discuss his diagnosis, revealed that he will not be returning to racing just yet, but was eager to do so.

    “I just want to get better. Nothing else is a priority. Our intentions are to get cleared and get back to racing. I’m not ready to quit.” Earnhardt promised as he discussed his desire to heal completely and return to his car, his team, and to winning.

    Earnhardt has missed the last three races, including the Brickyard 400. Former champion and teammate, Jeff Gordan, has been piloting the 88 car while Junior has been recovering from the symptoms that have plagued him on and off since his wreck in Michigan on June 21 where he hit the wall after tangling with A.J. Allmedinger.

    During the press conference Junior expressed how much his missed his team and that he was willing to do whatever was needed to get back in the car and be competitive. According to the most popular driver in NASCAR, his doctors are diligently working to further understand his condition and help him to not only recover, but be stronger as a result of the injury.

    Junior has been very communicative with his fans via podcast and social media, keeping them updated on any information he is given, as well as helping them to understand the choices that he is making. While at first Junior experienced push back on his decision to step from the car, the importance and ramifications had he chosen not to do so, are now widely accepted and respected. In addition, Junior choosing to address the issue of his concussion and take responsibility for his well-being has had a ripple effect throughout a sport known for their racers pushing through injury to race. In fact, Junior’s father, Dale Earnhardt Sr., was considered to be the strongest, toughest driver around, being called “one tough customer” after he broke his ankle on a Sunday, had an operation on Tuesday, and was back racing the next weekend. His reputation for being tough enough to take anything and race created the slogan for Wrangler jeans, who happened to be Earnhardt Sr.’s sponsor at the time. Earnhardt Sr ignited a revolution, separating mere drivers from real racers and making an era in racing all his own.

    Now, however, the sport is looked at differently and Junior’s concussion, and response to it, is a prime example. As Junior takes time to heal, racing experiences a shift in focus and priorities, a revolution of the sport that once again is brought on by an Earnhardt.

  • Rally Finland Review! Meeke becomes Meekenen!

     

    |They both came here. Colin and Richard. Looking to take on the Finns, Norwegians and Swedes in a place that the Scandinavians have dominated the top step for decades.

    They never won, but now history has been made with the first fully British crew to win and beat them all.

    Well, how did it all come about? As ever it all started on the Thursday evening with a short blast around SS1 which gave us a top ten of sorts.

    1 A. Mikkelsen
    2 O. Tanak
    3 S. Ogier
    4 T. Neuville
    5 K. Meeke
    6 J. Latvala
    7 C. Breen
    8 K. Abbring
    9 H. Paddon
    10 M. Ostberg

    So to the first full day of stages and Kris and Paul really felt comfortable in their Abu Dhabi run DS3 and thus took the lead from Jari-Matti by 6 seconds, with Ott third on the stage. The top three overall was Kris, Ott and Andreas.

    Moving onto stage three and Jari-Matti won it with Kris just two tenths behind followed by Ott in third. Early leader Andreas has slipped down the order sadly, now 6.9 seconds behind Kris. Of course the running order which is taken from the championship standings meant that he was second on the road.

    Moving onto stage four and Ott went through fastest, but Kris with doing a great job, going through just seven tenths slower. It was all change behind that with Andreas going through third fastest and therefore moving into third overall. Jari-Matti suffered a puncture on this stage after running wide and crossed the line 16 seconds slower than Ott and dropped two places from third to fifth. Craig showed great pace on this stage as well, setting the fourth fastest time.

    Onto stage five then and Kris won this one, to extend his lead over Jari-Matti and Craig again showing his talent to finish third through here.

    Stage six next and Jari-Matti went through eight tenths faster than Kris, but the lead was still over 18 seconds. It seems that he’d found his inner Finn!

    Stage seven saw Ott set the fastest time from Craig and Jari-Matti in third. What this all meant was that Craig was catching Seb for third place on the overall leaderboard, now only 8.9 seconds behind.

    Top three on stage 8 was Kris, Ott and Jari-Matti. Craig was continuing to match Seb’s times, and driving exceptionally well, although he’d dropped down to sixth place after that stage as Thierry and Andreas went quicker than him.

    Into stage nine, and Ott continued to set quick times after his puncture earlier winning this one from Jari-Matti, with Kris in third.

    Stage ten saw a shock. Seb slid off into a ditch and lost over 16 minutes. Jari-Matti won the stage by 1.6 seconds with Thierry third. On the overall leaderboard, with the demise of Seb, everyone behind moved up a place. Andreas moved into third, and there was now just ten seconds between Craig in fifth and Andreas.

    So, stage eleven. Kris and Jari-Matti continued their battle at the front with Kris just edging the stage win by nine tenths of a second and keeping his lead at around 19 seconds over the Finn.

    So, the last stage of the day and Andreas won it from Thierry and Jari-Matti in third. Kris was fifth, 2.6 seconds slower.

    This was the full leaderboard at the end of Friday.

    01. Kris Meeke/Paul Nagle (GB/IRL), Citroën, 1h 13m 22.2s
    02. Jari-Matti Latvala/Miikka Anttila (FIN/FIN), Volkswagen, + 18.1s
    03. Thierry Neuville/Nicolas Gilsoul (B/B), Hyundai, + 44.3s
    04. Andreas Mikkelsen/Anders Jæger (N/N), Volkswagen, + 45.4s
    05. Craig Breen/Scott Martin (IRL/GB), Citroën, + 53.8s
    06. Hayden Paddon/John Kennard (NZ/NZ), Hyundai, + 58.2s
    07. Mads Østberg/Ola Fløene (N/N), Ford, + 1m 02.9s
    08. Ott Tänak/Raigo Mõlder (EST/EST), Ford, + 1m 14.4s
    09. Eric Camilli/Benjamin Veillas (F/F), Ford, + 1m 22.6s
    10. Esapekka Lappi/Janne Ferm (FIN/FIN), Škoda, + 2m 01.8s
    …
    Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia (F/F), Volkswagen, + 16m 53.3s

    This is what the top three drivers had to say at the end of the day.

    1st

    Kris Meeke (#7): “I’m really surprised to have led throughout this first leg and to finish with a twenty-second lead. Latvala and Tänak were very quick today, but I managed to pull clear when they had problems. Otherwise, it was a constant battle, like it always is here. A really close fight with just a few tenths in it. My aim is still the same: do the best job possible. It’s not that I don’t want to, but I don’t absolutely have to win. So I’ll stick with the same strategy tomorrow, doing my best whilst staying just within the limit. It will be very difficult with two runs on Ouninpohja, in the reverse direction to recent years. I’ll have to be really focused, especially on the morning run.”

    2nd

    Jari-Matti Latvala, Volkswagen Polo R WRC #2
    “It’s not easy for me to sum up today. It definitely got off to a bad start, but fortunately my slip on the fourth special stage didn’t have too much of an effect. But the puncture cost us a lot of time. After that we kept on improving our rhythm and threw everything at the task in hand. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough for us to overtake Kris Meeke. The advantage of the starting position is too great here in Finland. But we aren’t going to give up, we will keep driving at the limit and trying to pile on the pressure. Tomorrow’s action includes the stage “Ouninpohja”. A lot can happen; nothing is for free here.”

    3rd

    Thierry Neuville said: “It’s been a day of two halves, really. In this morning’s first loop, we were pushing to the maximum but we weren’t really seeing the results on the timesheets. The car felt OK but we just struggled to find any traction. This afternoon we took the same approach. We got everything we could out of the car and the results were a bit better. It seems the morning loop doesn’t suit our settings so we will have to be aggressive first thing tomorrow. Still, I am pleased we are holding third position at the end of this first day. We know how unforgiving the rally is, and there’s a long way to go, but we’re there or thereabouts. We’ll try to make some improvements to the car ahead of tomorrow’s stages.”

    Comments from the rest of the drivers.

    Volkswagen

    Andreas Mikkelsen, Volkswagen Polo R WRC #9
    “The morning went really well for us: I was really pleased with the handling of my Polo and with our speed. Some sections were new to me and I noticed that I was faster in places. Then I found these tracks a little easier on the second pass. However, the competition also stepped it up and the battle for third place couldn’t get much closer. We also have the legendary Ouninpohja stage ahead of us on Saturday – there is a lot of work to do before the finish on Sunday.”

    Sébastien Ogier, Volkswagen Polo R WRC #1
    “There is a hairpin turn at the point at which I was too hard on the steering and wanted to cut the corner. As a result, I slid into the ditch on the inside. It was totally my mistake, and then at perhaps one of the slowest sections of the entire rally of all places. But that can happen when, like Julien and I, you have constantly been at the limit for the last six rallies. Or need to give 110 percent to try and make up for the disadvantage of the starting position. Initially, it didn’t look all that bad and the fans did their best to help us. Unfortunately, there weren’t as many spectators there as I would have hoped for. But without their help, Julien and I would never have got back on the track, so Kiitos!”

    Hyundai

    Hayden Paddon said: “It’s been a disappointing day but if you take the top two drivers out of the equation, we are not too far off. The morning was difficult. We tried to be aggressive but we struggled with the car on the loose and slippery conditions. We were sliding around and couldn’t stay in the lines. We tried to enjoy it a bit more in the afternoon but it’s hard when the times are not as we’d like them to be. Still, we will come back fighting tomorrow and aim to make up some positions.”

    Kevin Abbring commented: “I’d summarise by saying it was a pretty satisfying day. There are little bits that we can improve in all areas but this is normal in our first ever event with the New Generation i20 WRC. We didn’t do Poland so it’s been tough to get up to these incredibly high speeds and to find the confidence to drive flat-out. We’ve made improvements to the car as we’ve learned more about it, and adapting it to our style. The only real issue we had today was in SS8 (Mökkiperä) when I hit the front after a heavy compression. It seemed fine to begin with but by the penultimate stage of the day, we had some front right suspension damage so had to nurse the car back. Tomorrow’s another day – and I’m looking forward to it!”

    M-Sport

    Mads Østberg (7th) said:

    “It’s been a really fun day today – as offices go you don’t get much better than this! We’ve had some good sections of stages, and some not so good, but that’s okay. We’re still within touching distance of the podium, and anything can happen with two days of challenging stages still to come. We’ll keep pushing.”

    Éric Camilli (9th) said:

    “It’s been a great day for us. Rally Finland is such a special event and it’s never easy for a Frenchman to go fast here, especially when they are driving a world rally car for the first time!
    “We’re so happy to have set some competitive times today. I know that we have a lot more to learn before we can be consistently setting top times on these stages, but it was fantastic to challenge the guys with much more experience at times.
    “The car has felt fantastic and the team have been working really hard. The aim will be to continue learning and progressing tomorrow.”

    Elfyn Evans (6th WRC 2) said:

    “We came here with the intention of challenging for the win so this afternoon was obviously really disappointing. I think that we showed some good speed today, but these things happen. It’s disappointing for everyone as we were on course to challenge for another really strong result.”

    Citroen Abu Dhabi WRT

    Craig Breen (#8): “I might just be the happiest man in Jyväskylä tonight! From start to finish, we thoroughly enjoyed every moment in the car today. Even though I have competed here many times before, you really do go a lot quicker in a World Rally Car and the feeling is immense. Obviously, everything wasn’t perfect, but we learned a lot, especially on the second pass. I think I can safely say that it was best day of my career as a rally driver! I didn’t think that I’d be so high up the standings and within ten seconds of the podium…”

    Khalid Al Qassimi (#24): “It’s been a fantastic day for us. We tried to steer clear of the worst of the trouble and we had a strategy that enabled us to start with a good rhythm. The car worked just as I wanted it to and we were a lot quicker than last year on the same stages. I even felt that I could have gone even quicker still. The second pass was very difficult for the car, with a lot of embedded rocks. I opted to drive more cautiously in these sections.”

    Saturday morning then and a long day of action, with Ouninpohja run twice and 33km in length!

    Kris had got up early to watch a video of the stage and had decided to push. Well, he certainly did that, setting a time that we would expect from Jari-Matti and winning the stage by 13. 4 seconds from the Finn. The lead that Kris now had was now 31.5 seconds. Ott was third, but the great pace of Craig had seen him take seven seconds out of Andreas’ lead and close to within 1.4 seconds of third overall. Thierry lost a lot of time and fell from third to fifth on this stage.

    A shorter stage beckoned in the form of stage 14 and Ott won it from Kris who once more was faster than Jari-Matti by 3 seconds, opening up his lead further over the VW driver. There was a big crash on this stage, with Lorenzo Bertelli rolling his Fiesta, thus meaning any drivers behind would be given a nominal time for the stage. Craig was one of these, so although Hayden was shown in third place, it was extremely likely that position was Craig’s.

    Moving into stage 15 next and Kris won the stage from Seb with Jari-Matti a further 2.4 seconds behind, thus meaning that the overall lead was now over 37 seconds.

    So, stage 16. Seb and Mads shared the quickest time through this one, with Thierry slotting into third.

    Overall, we got confirmation that Craig was up to third overall, just Jari-Matti and Kris ahead! A remarkable drive from the young man.

    The Saturday afternoon action started with a re-run of Ouninpohja, stage 17. Kris went even quicker than he did in the morning and won the stage again, beating Jari-Matti by almost 6 seconds and thus taking his lead to over 40 seconds. Just totally in the groove!!

    Stage 18 next and the duel for supremacy continued between the chaser, Jari-Matti and the man at the top, Kris. Ott was taking the fight to Craig for the final podium place, going through ten seconds faster and closing the gap to him to 14 seconds.

    Into stage 19 then and Ott finished second behind Seb, taking almost another 2 seconds from Craig and the gap just 11 seconds between them.

    Stage 20 and the last stage of the day. Craig matched Ott through this one to stop the young Estonian catching him. All the while the gap between Jari-Matti and Kris remained the same at the top.

    This was the leaderboard at the end of Saturday then.

    01. Kris Meeke/Paul Nagle (GB/IRL), Citroën, 2h 22m 00.8s
    02. Jari-Matti Latvala/Miikka Anttila (FIN/FIN), Volkswagen, + 41.0s
    03. Craig Breen/Scott Martin (IRL/GB), Citroën, + 1m 43.0s
    04. Ott Tänak/Raigo Mõlder (EST/EST), Ford, + 1m 54.5s
    05. Thierry Neuville/Nicolas Gilsoul (B/B), Hyundai, + 2m 00.9s
    06. Hayden Paddon/John Kennard (NZ/NZ), Hyundai, + 2m 03.6s
    07. Mads Østberg/Ola Fløene (N/N), Ford, + 2m 06.0s
    08. Andreas Mikkelsen/Anders Jæger (N/N), Volkswagen, + 2m 24.0s
    09. Esapekka Lappi/Janne Ferm (FIN/FIN), Škoda, + 4m 23.6s
    10. Teemu Suninen/Mikko Markkula (FIN/FIN), Škoda, + 5m 10.5s
    …
    Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia (F/F), Volkswagen, + 19m 51.6s

    Here are the thoughts of the top three then.

    1st

    Kris Meeke (#7): “Yesterday was my best day in a WRC. But that wasn’t the case for long, because today has surpassed it! This morning, I got up an hour early today to watch the video of my recce on Ouninpohja. I think it’s the greatest stage in the world, and the most iconic as well. So I was really determined to do something special on it! I knew Jari-Matti Latvala would try to close the gap so I had to push really hard… At the end, I felt that I couldn’t have done any more. But I was still surprised when I found out just how big the gap was! In the afternoon, the rain tended to improve the grip and I was able to go even quicker, but it wasn’t quite as exciting as the first pass. We’re now in a good position to see out the win. We’ll have to stay focused to manage our lead tomorrow and finish the job we have done over the last two days.”

    2nd

    Jari-Matti Latvala, Volkswagen Polo R WRC #2
    “Like yesterday, we had to settle for second best on the day. Kris Meeke produced a very strong performance and also had the better starting position. Put these two things together, and we had no chance. It is not as though we did not try, but after the first running of the Ouninpohja stage it was clear to us that we had to focus on making sure we picked up some valuable points towards the championship. Plus, we also have to think about the Manufacturers’ Championship. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the fans out on the stages for their support. That means an awful lot to Miikka and me, particularly here on home soil. We must all keep our fingers crossed for the Power Stage now.”

    3rd

    Craig Breen (#8): “I never thought I’d be fighting for a podium place before the start of this rally! This morning, I learned a lot during the first run on Ouninpohja. I then didn’t complete SS14 because it was cancelled after Lorenzo Bertelli’s crash. We kept improving though and we had already moved up into third by the mid-leg point. I did feel a little bit of extra pressure for the second loop due to my position. As was to be expected, I lost a bit of time on the stage that I hadn’t contested this morning. But I was pleased to hit back at Ott Tänak on SS20. He knows that I will try to defend my position tomorrow, even though I won’t go over the limit to do so. Once again, I’m delighted with how things are going for me!”

    The rest of the drivers

    Hyundai

    Thierry Neuville said: “All in all it’s been a decent day. We have done the maximum we could do, and we’re involved in a nice, close fight with Hayden. I didn’t really feel comfortable at the start of the morning loop but we have tried to make improvements to the car throughout the day. We were hoping to gain more confidence in the afternoon but it wasn’t easy. Still, we are in a very close battle and the gaps are so small that it won’t take much for us to suddenly be back in podium contention. We just have to keep focused on our job and hope that we have a trouble-free Sunday morning.”

    Hayden Paddon said: “We started the day feeling more confident. It was certainly a better morning loop than we had yesterday. We made some changes to the car balance, adjusting some suspension settings, and it was more to my liking. Of course, we were second on the road so we were sweeping on the morning stages, which didn’t help. We were preparing for a good fight in the afternoon but we weren’t able to find the speed we were expecting. It was difficult to pinpoint why we were losing the time because I couldn’t have driven any faster. We’ll sit down with the team, do some homework and try to sort things out. I can’t be too negative – we get to drive a WRC car on these amazing Finnish stages and that’s special.”

    Kevin Abbring commented: “We have just continued to acclimatise to the New Generation i20 WRC again on today’s stages. We’ve had to find the best compromise between finding speed and staying cautious. When you see people in front of you go off, as happened this morning, you’re reminded to take things carefully. To be in Finland for the first time in a four wheel drive car, it’s not realistic to be on the pace immediately. It’s the first time I drive this car competitively too, so we’ve been making changes on each stage to get a better understanding. We had an issue on this afternoon’s loop when we lost the paddleshift. The car was also misfiring with the mechanical lever too, so we had to drive around that. Our aim is still the top-ten, and we have four stages to achieve that tomorrow.”

    M-Sport

    Mads Østberg (7th) said:

    “We’ve been fighting really hard today – you never give up in Finland because anything can happen. I can’t believe how close it is. At the moment we are in seventh position, but the gap to the podium is actually relatively small. Even though it’s just a short day tomorrow, we have to keep pushing and keep the pressure on. We never give up.”

    Éric Camilli (DNF) said:

    “My pacenote into a left-hand corner was too fast. We went into a ditch and then into the trees and rolled the car. It was a big one – a proper crash – but we are both okay which is the most important thing.

    “We have proven that we have the potential to be fast here in the future. Finland and Sweden are the most difficult rallies for a Frenchman – especially a Frenchman experiencing them for the first time – so it was a positive to challenge some of the more experienced drivers this weekend. We need to remember that.

    “This wasn’t the finish that we wanted, but it wasn’t a bad weekend either; and next we have a series of Tarmac rallies that I am really looking forward to. I know that I have more knowledge and more feeling with the car on that surface.

    “Rallye Deutschland is my favourite event of the year. We have competed there twice before and we are really motivated to do well there.”

    Elfyn Evans (4th WRC 2) said:

    “It’s been a much better day for us today. We’ve been driving well and managed to keep out of trouble for the most part. We climbed ahead of the two guys in front, but the gap is too big to reach the podium on driving alone. We just need to be reliable tomorrow and wait and see if anything happens.”

    Volkswagen

    Sébastien Ogier, Volkswagen Polo R WRC #1
    “Although the atmosphere is fantastic and the routes are incredible fun, this is just not going to be my weekend at the Rally Finland. After yesterday’s mistake, we struggled with braking issues this morning. Unfortunately, the repairs then took so long that we were given a time penalty. That is obviously frustrating for Andreas, as he then had to take over the role of road sweeper. If anyone can understand how he feels, then it is me. For Julien and me, the priority on Sunday is to at least pick up a few points in the Manufacturers’ Championship and, obviously, to push for the three points on the Power Stage. There is nothing more at stake for us.”

    Andreas Mikkelsen, Volkswagen Polo R WRC #9
    “Our first day in the role of road sweeper was not particularly easy, but we did learn a lot. On the one hand, we can be happy with our performance: Anders and I really pushed and came through the day without any problems, except for one slight slip-up. Unfortunately, however, our hard work was not reflected in the results. Some of our times were only on a par with the slower R5 cars. However, we will take that on the chin and do our best again tomorrow – even though it is unlikely that we will be able to improve our position under our own steam.”

    Citroen

    Khalid Al Qassimi (#24): “The start of the day was difficult, with SS13 being cancelled after we had started driving on it. I made good progress in the afternoon, despite the weather conditions which made the stages very slippery in places. At the same time, I was thinking a lot about the performances of Kris and Craig. They are both enjoying a really great race and I’m delighted to see them so well placed this evening. I hope we can secure a great result for the Abu Dhabi Total team tomorrow.”

    It was the last day and just 4 stages stood in front of Kris and Paul for an historic win. There had been four British co-driver winners before, sitting alongside local drivers, but never a fully British crew. All they had to do was bring it home.

    First stage of the day, stage 21 saw a push from Ott and Raigo to catch Craig and Scott and they were 4.3 seconds quicker closing the gap to around 5 seconds.

    The following stage saw that push end unfortunately. Ott and Raigo hit a rock and were forced to retire. Thierry won the stage from Hayden and Jari-Matti. Craig had a 7 second lead over Thierry who had benefitted from the demise of Ott to move up into fourth place.

    Stage 23 then and how would Craig respond to this pressure then with the Rally Sardegna winner closing on him? Well, he went out there and took his first stage win, beating Hayden by a tenth of a second! A brilliant performance.

    So, one stage left then and Kris held a large 32.4 second over Jari-Matti and Craig in third.

    Thierry won the power stage, picking up the three points and beating his teammate, Hayden by a tenth of a second, with Jari-Matti just 6 tenths off in third. Craig was sixth and Kris eighth, but with that they’d won this rally and become only the sixth driver not from Scandinavia to win this event.

    A truly remarkable performance! This is what he had to say.

    1st

    Kris Meeke (#7): “For a WRC driver, winning Rally Finland is the ultimate goal before becoming World Champion. It’s an incredible feeling to win on the greatest roads in the world. This result was largely determined yesterday with the two runs on Ouninpohja. At the end of the first run, I didn’t know my time but I knew that I had driven really well. But I could hardly believe it when I found out that I gone thirteen seconds faster than Jari-Matti Latvala! Last year, in the other direction, he beat me by six seconds when I thought I had driven the perfect stage. That just goes to show the progress we have made, through a combination of work with the team and my growing experience. I also have to say that the car worked perfectly all weekend. We only did one day of testing, last Sunday, but that was enough for us to see that we already had the best set-up. I felt really confident right from the word go and that was a key factor in the win. This morning, I was totally relaxed. I just had to drive the last few stages to finish off the work that we had done in the first two days.”

    2nd

    Jari-Matti Latvala, Volkswagen Polo R WRC #2
    “I am happy with my performance this weekend, even though I came up just short of a hat-trick of wins at the Rally Finland. Second place and a point on the Power Stage is a very good haul. I also climbed a place in the overall standings. All in all, we could not have done any more against Kris Meeke this weekend. I would like to say another big thank you to all the many fans who supported me. It is always very special to drive here on home soil. We now move on to the asphalt season, which was remarkably good to me last year. We must now back up this weekend’s performance in Germany.”

    3rd

    Craig Breen (#8): “It’s the best day of my career again. But it seems that with this car, every day is a bit better! When I grabbed third place yesterday afternoon, I already felt that I had moved up another level. There weren’t many kilometres left to complete today but it was still pretty tough because I was put under pressure by my rivals. I couldn’t be happier, claiming my first WRC stage win and finishing on the podium. The finish was very emotional. I couldn’t believe it, but it was fantastic to celebrate this moment with the people who have supported me. It’s also a richly-deserved result for the guys in the team, who had to work hard to repair the car after I went off during testing on Monday. I’ve taken a step closer to where I want to be this weekend.”

    The rest of the drivers

    Hyundai

    Thierry Neuville said: “We have given our maximum throughout the weekend and been absolutely on the limit. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to get on the podium – but it was very close! We had a strong finish with two stage wins today including the Power Stage, so that was a nice way to end the rally. It was particularly pleasing for the whole team to have a 1-2 in the Power Stage after a tricky weekend. We have had some difficulties with the car settings and grip levels on most stages so I think we can be reasonably satisfied. It was an exciting battle with Hayden and to have the opportunity to compete on these incredible Finnish stages is always a pleasure. There are definitely some more things we need to learn about the performance of our car in these conditions. We can now look forward to Germany – a rally where we have fond memories!”

    Hayden Paddon said: “It’s been a challenging weekend but there are some positives to take away. We were second on the road for much of the weekend, so to come away with a top-five result is not too bad. We had a decent final day even if the driving was a bit untidy at times. We didn’t take any massive risks and concentrated on getting the cars home. With that in mind, to take 1-2 in the Power Stage was a nice consolation. We gave it our all but we’ve struggled with the car in the slippery conditions. It was a close fight with Thierry and I’ve really enjoyed these fantastic stages.”

    Kevin Abbring said: “I am happy with how this weekend has gone all things considered. We haven’t made any mistakes and we’ve come away with a top-ten result in Rally Finland. It has been an extremely valuable learning experience and I’d like to thank the team for giving us the opportunity. The New Generation i20 WRC has performed well and it’s been a real pleasure to drive. We have made improvements with each stage, refining our pace notes and we’ve done what we set out to achieve.”

    M-Sport

    Mads Østberg (6th) said:
    “It’s been a really good weekend and we’ve been pushing hard on all of the stages. There’s been a fantastic fight for the podium throughout the entire rally. It’s quite incredible to see so many cars fighting for the top positions – and it’s just a shame that we’ve finished towards the end of that fight.

    “I felt something wasn’t quite right on the back of the car and that prevented us pushing to our maximum today. It’s a shame that’s the way it ended – and that we had to settle for sixth – but that’s just the way it goes sometimes.”

    Éric Camilli (DNF) said:

    “We knew before the rally that it would be challenging. Like Sweden, it is hard for a Frenchman to come here for the first time in a world rally car and show immediate speed, but I was actually quite pleasantly surprised by our times.

    “It was a pleasure to be battling with the guys who have a lot more experience than us and we were gaining a lot of confidence with every stage. Maybe we gained a little too much confidence!

    “Through the first pass of Ouninpohja (SS13) we could see that our pacenotes were too slow. All of our minuses were in fact pluses, so I decided to change them for the next stage (SS14). But one left-hand corner was a minus, not a plus. We went wide into the ditch and rolled the car at high-speed.

    “Thankfully both myself and Ben were okay which is the most important thing and we have to put this one down to experience. We’ve learnt a lot this weekend and I think we have shown that we have the potential to do well in the future.

    “Now, we are really looking forward to the Tarmac rallies. I have a lot more experience on that surface and a lot more knowledge. Germany is an event that I know quite well, and I hope it will be possible to do something there.”

    Elfyn Evans (3rd WRC 2) said:

    “It’s been a challenging weekend. Some problems on Friday put us on the back foot and dropped us down to sixth. Third place was probably the best we could have hoped for after that. We’ve had a clean rally with no mistakes and the speed has been really good in places too. It’s a shame as the result could have been a lot more.”

    Citroen Abu Dhabi WRT

    Khalid Al Qassimi (#24): “The pressure was on all our shoulders today! Between the stages, I kept up to date with Kris’ progress and Craig’s fight for third. Finishing with both Abu Dhabi Total World Rally Team cars on the podium at Rally Finland is an extraordinary performance. We couldn’t really have hoped for a better result. I’m also very pleased with my performance. I managed to up my pace and improved significantly on my times from last year.”

    D-Mack

    Ott Tänak said: “Once again we’ve shown a top pace and been able to set top times on the fastest event of the season. But a few problems have stopped us from challenging for the victory, even though we pushed to the maximum all weekend. We had prepared really well for this rally and put in so much work before hand.”

    Karl Kruuda said: “It wasn’t the final result we were after but our pace has improved steadily over the last three events. We had been pushing pretty hard here and the speed at the front really was fast. Finland is one of those special events and it really was an enjoyable weekend here.”

    Marius Aasen said: “After the accident in Poland it was important for us to get a strong finish here. We improved our pace over the weekend and never made any mistakes and I was really having a nice enjoyable event. We made a few changes with the car and everything worked pretty well during the event.”

    FIA World Rally Championship (WRC), Rally Finland – Final Results*

    01. Kris Meeke/Paul Nagle (GB/IRL), Citroën, 2h 38m 05.8s
    02. Jari-Matti Latvala/Miikka Anttila (FIN/FIN), Volkswagen, + 29.1s
    03. Craig Breen/Scott Martin (IRL/GB), Citroën, + 1m 41.3s
    04. Thierry Neuville/Nicolas Gilsoul (B/B), Hyundai, + 1m 45.9s
    05. Hayden Paddon/John Kennard (NZ/NZ), Hyundai, + 1m 48.2s
    06. Mads Østberg/Ola Fløene (N/N), Ford, + 2m 04.6s
    07. Andreas Mikkelsen/Anders Jæger (N/N), Volkswagen, + 2m 22.4s
    08. Esapekka Lappi/Janne Ferm (FIN/FIN), Škoda, + 4m 53.8s
    09. Kevin Abbring/Sebastian Marshall (NL/GB), Hyundai, + 5m 22.4s
    10. Teemu Suninen/Mikko Markkula (FIN/FIN), Škoda, + 5m 35.5s
    …
    24. Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia (F/F), Volkswagen, + 19m 50.6s

    2016 FIA World Rally Championship for Drivers’ Standings

    S. Ogier 143 points
    A. Mikkelsen 98
    J. M. Latvala 87
    H. Paddon 84
    T. Neuville 76
    M. Østberg 70
    D. Sordo 68
    O. Tanak 52
    K. Meeke 51
    C. Breen 25
    E. Camilli 23
    H. Solberg 14
    S. Lefebvre 12
    M. Prokop 12
    T. Suninen 8
    M. Ligato 6
    E. Evans 6
    E. Lappi 6
    L. Bertelli 4
    K. Abbring 4
    P. Tidemand
    N. Fuchs 2
    A. Kremer 1
    V. Gorban 1
    J. Kopecky 1

    2016 FIA World Rally Championship for Manufacturers’ Standings

    Volkswagen Motorsport 227 points
    Hyundai Motorsport 168
    M-Sport World Rally Team 112
    Volkswagen Motorsport II 109
    Hyundai Motorsport N 86
    DMACK World Rally Team 58
    Jipocar Czech National Team 18
    Yazeed Racing 6

    So, what an incredible event! Fantastic to see the man who was mentored by Colin win a rally that is so specialist, that you just don’t see the Finns get beaten like this.

    Also, what about Craig?! This young man has shown what he is capable of and driven amazingly through the weekend! Surely he has to be considered for the other seat next to Kris by Citroen after that performance.

    So, the next rally up is Germany, and Thierry Neuville won there two years ago. Can that be repeated this year? It’s a fully tarmac event and this will certainly see Seb fighting at the front for the win.

    See ya!


    9th August 2016