It is the end of an era. There is nothing better than turning on your TV and being welcomed by the same voice or face, or switching over to your favourite sport and being introduced by a regular, passionate, informative presenter. In commentary, it is the same, especially when you’ve listened to the same voice for the best part of 25 years, across numerous formats. You get a sense of more than familiarity but a sense of trust, like you are one of the family. As if they are in the same living room as yourself.
There is one partnership who seemingly go above and beyond that of just being regulars. Keith Huewen and Julian Ryder were reunited in 2014, when BT Sport took over the British rights to broadcast MotoGP. Whilst some may complain at their ‘bickering’ or as I’d rather put it, ‘debating’, I believe they are synonymous with MotoGP and indeed motorcycle racing in general. For years, the partnership has brought British viewers an in-depth, passionate and entertaining outlook on motorcycle racing, which has gained both of them incredible popularity, respect and appreciation. However, this weekend will be the last time that we hear the dulcet tones of Julian, who steps away from the MotoGP paddock at the end of the season.
Whilst he commentated on the early 90s Grand Prix era, where himself and Keith first found each other in the same box, at Eurosport, it wasn’t until the two went to Sky Sports that they found big fame in the UK. Not only did they commentate on the best Superbike racing in the series’ history, on household names such as Carl Fogarty, Frankie Chili, Aaron Slight and Troy Corser etc, but they became household names themselves. They were the two most entertaining, yet informative, motorcycle racing broadcasters that we in Blighty had been blessed with.
It is sad that Julian is going but the day was always going to come in some way, shape or form. No commentator lasts forever; no iconic public figure lasts forever. However, we talk as if he is leaving the sport, sitting at home and reading The Guardian for the rest of his days. Julian is far from retiring, he’s leaving because of the amount of travel which is required to do his job. He will be heard in some form I’m sure.
A personal thank you from me too. As an aspiring commentator, it was ‘Keith and Jules’ who gave me that desire in the first place. I wanted to be able to talk about something that I enjoy watching and have a bit of a laugh whilst doing it – like them – and thankfully, that is beginning to happen – so thanks for that desire. Julian, thanks for the mentions on the TV and thanks for the wonderful insight into many things that only someone of your experience and passion could pass on.
I only met Mr. Ryder a couple of times but those couple of times were enough to confirm my thoughts that he is one of the most enthusiastic and knowledgable characters within our sport.
So, in the words of Frank Sinatra, ‘the end is near’. But only in MotoGP – the paddock may lose Jules’ services but he will be around – he really IS NOT retiring.
BT will keep Keith Huewen and the rest of the team for next season. Although, like I said at the start of this tribute, it is the end of an era. There will be no more ‘Keith and Jules’. That partnership will be done and dusted after Sunday. Just let it sink in for a moment. The irreplaceable chemistry and incomparable irrepressibility from commentary’s most dynamic duo will be in the history books. It’s a bit like a collocation – you can’t have one without the other; it just doesn’t sound right.
From the 90s to now, thanks for the amazing commentary and your excellent end of season books, Julian. It has been a pleasure to endure both. MotoGP really won’t be the same without you and I speak on behalf of hundreds and thousands of people on the UK on that.
The final round beckons for MotoGP in 2017. A season that has seen five winners and one of the best head to head duals in years has arrived at the last setting. Valencia in Spain offers the 18th and crucial conclusive meeting of the year, with the chance to witness one of the most heroic battles in a last round Grand Finale. Marc Marquez needs 11th or better to win the championship, regardless of where challenger Andrea Dovizioso finishes. The Ducati rider in turn must win if he is to stand any hope of winning the championship, something that very few people had thought about prior to 2017. Will we see the expected result or will Valencia throw up one of the all-time greatest shocks in motorcycle racing history… again – remember 2006?
Marc Marquez is in control of the championship. He has been dynamite since winning in Germany, finishing either 1st or 2nd at each GP – with the exception of two races: Silverstone, when an engine fault literally blew his chances of winning and in Malaysia, last time out – where he was 4th. Those results mean that whilst Marquez is all but champion, he is exactly that. The championship is not yet sewed up and one mistake, like we saw with Valentino Rossi in 2006, sends it all tumbling away. By mistake, I mean that it doesn’t have to be his own. Valencia has seen pile ups at turn 1, turn 2 and turn 14 before now, meaning it could be someone else’s accident that brings him down. Equally, weather could play its part and give Marc an unexpected scare. Or, dare we say it, another mechanical? However, all things look in Marc’s hands. Not only is he in control of the title race but he has great form in Valencia. In 2012, he won the Moto2 race from the back of the grid and he also won in MotoGP 2014, from 5th. He was 3rd in 2013, giving him his first premier class title, whilst he finished a close-run 2nd in 2016. Marc hasn’t crashed at Valencia in the race since 2009 in the 125cc class, when he remounted and finished 17th. Can the run continue? He hasn’t had back-to-back 4th place finishes since Silverstone and Misano last season but don’t forget, 4th is more than good enough.
Andrea Dovizioso has put in a valiant effort in 2017, emerging from the pack as the only rider able to chase down Marc Marquez. A credible threat? Absolutely. He has beaten up Marc Marquez in last-lap, last-corner fights and has the potential to do that again this weekend. Is he a realistic threat? It all depends what you talk about. I personally believe that he can win the race, to become the first Ducati winner at the circuit since 2008, in the Stoner era. However, it is a mountain to climb to win the championship. Dovi can only do what he can do, he has to go out to the front and win the race. That will be his ‘job done’. Similar to Valentino Rossi in 2015, where he did what he could and got to 4th, leaving it in the hands of the motorcycle Gods to see if he would become champion from there. Dovizioso has never won at the circuit before and his best result on a Ducati was in 2014, in 4th. If he does win, it will be his 7th win of the year, the most Ducati have had in GP since Casey Stoner, exactly 10 years ago. Can Dovi do it? Realistically no, theoretically yes. Having said that, remember 2006…
Maverick Vinales can’t take 2nd in the championship now, having had a disaster in Malaysia which saw him languish in 9th. Vinales will be 3rd in the championship, as teammate Valentino Rossi cannot catch his new partner. Maverick will be looking to achieve Yamaha’s first win in the 2nd half of the season, an astonishing statistic. The Yamaha rider has won at the Ricardo Tormo circuit before, in 2011 on a 125cc bike and in 2013, in Moto3 – the latter of which was a titanic scrap between himself and Rins for the championship.
Valentino Rossi heads to a circuit he absolutely despises. It was the scene of his big crash in 2005 during qualifying, forcing him to start 15th – he finished 3rd. In 2006, he crashed out, resulting in him losing the title and Nicky Hayden taking it. In 2007, a monumental crash in qualifying saw Rossi fracture his hand in three places. In 2011, he was taken out in a first corner pile up and in 2015, he started from the back of the grid in his quest to win the GP title – he didn’t take his 10th crown. Rossi last won at the circuit in 2004. The last time Yamaha didn’t win a race in the 2nd half of the season was in 2003, when they didn’t win a race throughout the entire season.
Dani Pedrosa is 5th but has a chance of catching Valentino Rossi for 4th overall, which isn’t actually unlikely. Pedrosa has great form at Valencia and is the only rider to have won races in all classes at the circuit. Three wins and four other podiums stand Dani in good stead for an assault on 4th in the championship this weekend. He was 3rd in 2015 – his most recent podium. His last win came in 2012, in dodgy weather conditions. Pedrosa has been on the podium at every race in Spain so far this year and if he makes it on the podium again, it’ll be the first time since 2012 that he has achieved 4 Spanish podiums in as many Spanish races in one season.
Johann Zarco is already confirmed as top rookie in 2017 and will be wanting to give Tech 3 their first ever podium in Valencia – a previous best result was in 2011, with 4th for Britain’s Cal Crutchlow. Johann Zarco himself has won at the track, last year in Moto2, after a thrilling battle with Franco Morbidelli in the early stages of the race. A Frenchman hasn’t had back-to-back podiums in MotoGP since Regis Laconi at Ricardo Tormo and Phillip Island in 1999 – he was the last French winner, ironically at the Valencian GP. The last back-to-back podium for Tech 3 was at Assen and the Sachsenring, in 2013 with Cal Crutchlow.
Jorge Lorenzo’s 2nd place ahead of Zarco in Malaysia keeps his hopes of a 6th place finish overall in the standings alive. The Spaniard hasn’t had a great season but he could become the first ever Spanish winner on a Ducati in MotoGP. Lorenzo has won at Valencia on four occasions; 2010, 2013, 2015 and 2016. One truly incredible statistic is that Ducati haven’t ever had a back-to-back 1-2 finish in Grand Prix.
Danilo Petrucci’s heroic ride in Malaysia from the back to 6th demonstrated just how much of a top rider he is. Danilo Petrucci is a winner at the Ricardo Tormo circuit, back in 2009 in the European Superstock 600 class. His best result at the circuit in GP racing remains an 8th place in his rookie season, in 2012. For the last two seasons, he has finished in the same place he qualified in. Petrucci is 16 points behind Lorenzo in the championship, making it hard to catch him but not insurmountable.
Cal Crutchlow is 17 points further back in the championship. The top Brit has been a bit ‘hit and miss’ in 2017 and hasn’t had a podium since Argentina, round two. Crutchlow crashed out of a safe 2nd place in the 2012 Valencian GP and has a best result of 4th at the circuit, in his rookie year in 2011. Crutchlow won the World Supersport race at the circuit in 2009 and qualified on pole for the World Superbike round there in 2010.
Jonas Folger still holds onto his 10th place in the championship but yet again is not flying the Tech 3 Yamaha flag or the Bundesflagge. He is replaced by Michael van der Mark, who is fresh off the back of a 4th place in WSBK at Losail. He was 16th in the last GP, at Sepang.
Suzuki slumped to yet another poor result in Malaysia, with no points on the board again. They have never had back-to-back no-point scoring finishes during their return to MotoGP. The last time they had back-to-back no-point scoring finishes as a two bike team was in 2003, with John Hopkins and Kenny Roberts Jr., at Le Mans and Mugello.
Aprilia will be racing in RED this weekend, a charity supported by the Gresini Team last season at the same event. Aleix Espargaro could mathematically finish in the top 10 but he would have to win. If he scores two points more than Scott Redding, then he may take 13th, however, Iannone is just 2 points behind Aleix. Teammate Sam Lowes will bow out of the team after Sunday’s race, as he hopes to get third point-scoring ride of the year.
KTM made their return to premier class action at Valencia last season, where Mika Kallio suffered an electrical issue. The Austrian manufacturer will want a repeat of Sepang, where both bikes came home in the points for a 6th time this year and a 2nd consecutive GP. Kallio achieved a 1.32.092 in qualifying last year and that will almost certainly be surpassed this weekend if conditions remain dry.
The Aspar Ducati team head to Valencia with both riders having been on the podium there at some in their careers. Bautista was 2nd in the 250cc class in 2009 and Karel Abraham won the Moto2 race a year later. Both riders have also had top 5s in MotoGP, with Bautista 4th in 2012, having started from the pit lane and Abraham in 5th in 2011, after a battle for Rookie of the Year with Cal Crutchlow.
The Marc VDS outfit continue their resurgence to form, on Jack Miller’s side anyway. The Australian was 8th in Malaysia, still nursing a broken leg. The Valencian GP will be his last race for Marc VDS, as he moves to Pramac Ducati. Tito Rabat hasn’t scored a point since Phillip Island and will be looking to bow out of the team with a good result, as he moves to Avintia next season. Both riders have won a race in Valencia before; Miller in 2014 in Moto3 and Rabat in Moto2 in 2015.
Scott Redding will make his final appearance for Pramac Ducati this weekend, as he heads to Aprilia to replace Sam Lowes next season. Redding’s best finish at the Ricardo Tormo circuit was 5th in 2010 and his best in the premier class was back in 2014, when he was 10th for Gresini Honda. It’ll be the first time since 2014 that Redding hasn’t had a podium in the season – if he doesn’t get one this weekend.
Lastly, it will be the last premier class GP (for now) for Loris Baz and Hector Barbera, as they head to WSBK and Moto2 respectively. Baz has never scored a point in Valencia in GP, whilst Hector Barbera’s best premier class result was 8th in 2010. The Spaniard has won in the 125cc class in 2004 and then in the 250cc class in 2009. Barbera hasn’t had back-to-back point-scoring rides since Mugello and Catalunya, earlier in the year.
It is advantage Marquez at the head of the field, as he pursues title number six. Dovizioso hasn’t won the MotoGP title before but it could all change on Sunday. One of the biggest climaxes to a season before, the 2017 Valencian Grand Prix is arguably the most important race in the history of Ducati in MotoGP. Yamaha will want to end the season on a high, having won the last two Valencian GPs. One thing that we must remember about MotoGP is this: the only thing predictable about MotoGP is that it is totally unpredictable – Charlie Cox, on many occasions.
Back at Brands Hatch, I spoke to Joe Francis of the Movuno Halsall Racing Team, on his return to action after a month and a half away from racing through a back injury. In this exclusive interview, Francis talks about nearly being left without a ride in 2017, how his season has been this year and how the Halsall Racing Team possibly saved his career.
How has 2017 been for you?
It has been a great year but tough at times. We have been fast at every round this season and we could say that we’ve had a lot of bad luck. However, all in all, it has been a mega season. It was a shame to miss Silverstone, Oulton Park and Assen with my injury but that is racing. Considering we secured the deal late on, I think we have really brought the bike together and made it into a competitive package.
How different is the Halsall Racing Team Yamaha compared to the TTC Yamaha you rode last year?
Both bikes are very similar. The only major difference is that at Halsall Racing, I have no Motec. The engine is better at Halsall Racing but the chassis is the same, purely because it is the standard R6. Both of them parts of the bike are still exceptionally strong. We have been progressing with each round, getting used to the bike and basically, just refining it to suit me a fraction more. I think our progression has been clear for everyone to see. We started slow in 2017 but over time, have got nearer to race wins and have been solid podium contenders.
Is it annoying that you still haven’t won a race this year and that Andy Irwin has?
In all honesty, we have been in positions this year where we have had better pace than Andy and on a few occasions, we have had the pace to win. Unfortunately, we have been very unlucky. The engine blew up in one round and that is no fault of mine nor the team’s. There’s been places where we should’ve won and could’ve won but unfortunately, things just didn’t quite fit together.
You was let down extremely close to the season starting in 2017 – explain what happened.
Just two weeks before the start of the season, a team that promised to come together for me actually didn’t come together, which left me without a ride. We don’t exactly know why they didn’t come together and in all fairness, I couldn’t dwell on it too much because I needed a ride! We had to take it on the chin and thankfully, at the last moment, Martin came up with a package. Martin without doubt saved my season and probably even my career and I can’t thank him enough.
The team on a whole are amazing. I have more than enjoyed 2017. They are a great group to work with and we have had a lot of laughs along the way. Everyone works so hard and it is a great environment to be a part of. Every negative result we have had and all the downs we have had have been turned around and it has been a really fun team to be in. There’s a lot of teams around the paddock that don’t look like they are enjoying themselves but with Halsall Racing, it is like being part of a family and it really is one of the most professional and fun teams to be in and in all honesty, it is the best team I’ve been in.
To what extent did your wildcard at Donington Park help you in 2017?
That wildcard turned our season around. It made us go straight to the top three over in the UK, which kickstarted our season proper. We went to Donington Park, a track we had been to already in 2017, with some confidence. However, we had to push so much harder. I never realised until I got to the race just how hard the World Supersport guys push.
Unfortunately, we tried to take that ‘push like crazy’ style back to the UK and as you’ve all seen, it hasn’t worked out. The smaller British circuits are very different to the likes of Donington Park and circuits used by the World Championship and more often than not, we have crashed. It is a massive shame about the injury because we missed out on circuits where we knew we would be strong at.
How have you got over the amount of crashes this season – including your big one at Cadwell Park?
Most of the crashes have been OK to get over. Some of them have been silly little mistakes and the others have been strange and unexpected. It is all part of racing; I am still young so I am learning all the time and still have a lot to learn in the future.
My injury was enough to put me out for a few rounds. We don’t know what caused the crash but we just got unlucky I guess. I am glad to be back and whilst I may not be the fittest I’ve ever been, I was able to show at Brands Hatch that we can be competitive and that is a really good sign for 2018.
How serious were your injuries?
It was a lot more serious than I ever thought it would be. The doctors were extremely concerned about me but thankfully, it will have no long-lasting effects. When I had the time off the bike, I didn’t do anything too stupid which could possibly harm the injury further or extend the recovery period. The doctors did an amazing job and they also said that we should be alright for the future! It could’ve been a lot worse but we will just have to have a few weeks off and rest properly but like I say, we will be fine in the future.
It wasn’t as bad as some other riders have had. I was told straight away that I would be able to ride a bike again. It was a compression fracture of the L1 vertebrae – talk to other people and you’ll soon find that it is a common injury. The doctors always said that I’d make a full recovery and I’d be back to normal life, as long as I am sensible.
Has Brands Hatch’s results given you confidence for 2018?
I think we already had a lot of plans and confidence heading forward anyway. As for outright speed and pace, I believe that we are one of the fastest, definitely in the top 4. Some riders have to build up to that point where they are at their optimum whereas we seem to have that pace straight away. We just need to put the last few pieces together and hopefully, we will be standing on top of the podium very soon.
What are your plans for 2018?
As I am quite tall, Superbike would be a good route. I think my particular riding style will suit the Superbike. If Martin was to run a Superbike, then that’d be perfect for me. I want to remain with the team and if possible, move up. If he ran the Superbike team, it is the team I’d want to be part of.
Obviously, Supersport is still an option and I think it’d be good to stay here again. Overall, I am looking at the Supersport and Superbike classes. Whatever class we end up in, we will have to do a good job in. In Supersport, I would be expecting to win whereas I would change my plan for the Superbikes, looking at learning the basics in the first season and become consistent. If I was to go to Superbikes, I would be looking at treating it as a three year plan. A learning year, a better year and then hopefully, a big breakthrough year. Of course, as we all know, plans are just that and they could all change year after year so it is best to maybe just wait and see.
One last time in 2017, WSBK take to the Losail circuit to finish the season.
The final round of the 2017 World Superbike championship comes from Losail, in the Qatari desert. Like the MotoGP event, the races will be held under floodlights, although one takes place on Friday evening and the other on the Saturday. This is to respect what is traditionally known as the Qatari weekend. MotoGP previously adopted this format, between 2004 and 2007. Jonathan Rea has never won a World Superbike race in Qatar and will be hoping that he can end that run. The battle for 2nd in the championship is also raging between Welshman, Chaz Davies and Huddersfield’s Tom Sykes. Will we see team order tactics from Kawasaki like last season, to deny Chaz Davies a chance of the silver medallist position?
2nd and 3rd last season are Jonny Rea’s best results in Qatar. The Kawasaki rider has already took wins at 9 out of 12 rounds this season and he will be hoping to make it 10 from 13. Rea has won the last two races and if he was to win the final two races of the season, it’d be the first time ever that Kawasaki have ended the season with four consecutive race victories. It would also be the first time since 1996 that a Kawasaki had done the double in the final round of the season, with Anthony Gobert being the last rider to achieve that. Rea will be hoping to pass Troy Bayliss’ tally of wins, a number at which he is currently level on with the Australian.
Chaz Davies is 2nd in the championship, on 363 points. This is the same number of points as Tom Sykes but Davies is ahead of him on the virtue of race wins countback. The Ducati ace has had a mixed season, blighted by errors which has subsequently led to his demise as a championship challenger once again. Chaz Davies did the double in Qatar last season and was 4th and 2nd in 2015. Back in 2012, Davies’ 363 points would’ve given him the championship, so he is by no means slow or slacking, it is just the inconsistency that has hindered him this year. Chaz Davies last had a pole position at Imola, at which he achieved a double win that weekend too. Can he repeat that achievement?
Tom Sykes is dead level with Davies in the points so that really could be the big focus this weekend. Sykes has had just two wins this season, his worst tally since his sole victory back in 2011, the year he started winning. Kawasaki as a manufacturer haven’t had a 1-2 since race two at Laguna Seca and will be desperate to sign off on a high. Sykes’ last win came in race one at Misano and his last fastest lap was at the Lausitzring, race one. Sykes, like his teammate, has never won at Losail before and had a best result of 2nd at the circuit in race two last season. The last time he won the last race of the season was in 2012 at Magny Cours – the same statistic applies for Kawasaki; the last time they won the final race of the year was the same year.
Marco Melandri has hit something of a run of form towards the back end of 2017. Leading the first Jerez race until a mechanical breakdown four laps from the end wasn’t ideal, however, the Italian fought back in race two and finished 2nd. It was his 12th podium of the season, which stands him in good stead for 2018. Melandri has great form at Losail too, battling with Valentino Rossi in the 2005 Qatari Grand Prix until just a few corners from home. He was only 8th and 4th in 2014 on the Aprilia but on a bike that he is starting to like, he could be a surprise. He qualified on pole for Jerez and if he does the same again at Losail, it will be the first time ever that Melandri has achieved back-to-back poles. Will he continue to set records?
Alex Lowes sits in 5th place on his Pata Yamaha. The British rider comes to Qatar 16 points ahead of his teammate, Michael van der Mark. Lowes hasn’t finished outside of the top 5 in the last four races and will be hoping to extend that run to 5 – something he hasn’t done before. The Yamaha R1 achieved a podium at Losail last season, with Sylvain Guintoli and they will be looking to repeat that achievement this weekend. Lowes’ best result in Qatar is 7th, from race one last year. Although he can’t reach 4th in the championship, the ex BSB champion will be wanting to come away from Qatar with nothing less than at least one podium. This would be the ideal platform for him to start next season from.
Michael van der Mark returns from his MotoGP commitments in Malaysia and will be doing everything possible to try and catch his teammate for a top 5 slot in the championship. The Dutchman had a 5th and 4th at Losail in 2015 but only a 9th and 11th last season – both occasions, for Ten Kate Honda. The 25-year-old did however win a World Supersport race at the circuit in 2014, so he has winning pedigree. ‘Magic Michael’ has been in the top 10 since leaving Germany and will hope to put together a strong end to his season. Will he shine brightly under the floodlights in Qatar?
It is the final round of the championship and although it has already been decided, you’d be wrong to think that there is nothing to look out for. As said above, the battle for 2nd in the series is well and truly alive and kicking. MV Agusta’s Leon Camier is also in a tight fight for 8th in the championship with Althea BMW’s Jordi Torres and Milwaukee Aprilia’s Eugene Laverty, with just 19 points covering them all. With Leandro Mercado not riding due to his Ioda Racing team pulling out, Lorenzo Savadori needs just three points to overhaul the Argentine rider.
Newly crowned Moto3 champion Joan Mir backed up his victory and from Phillip Island with another sensational display at Sepang, taking the win after he caught and passed early pace-setter, Jorge Martin. Martin – yet to win a race – finished second, fractionally ahead of Enea Bastianini, after the two had a battle. Bastianini was just 0.039 behind the pole-master over the line to round off the rostrum. Mir now has 11 wins in Moto3, 10 of which have come this year. If he wins in Valencia, he will equal Valentino Rossi’s record of 11 in a season, set back in 1997. Mir is the first rider to win ten races in a year in the lightweight category since Marc Marquez in 2010.
It was Jorge Martin who got the hole-shot from second on the grid; the Spaniard not wasting tines as he bolted into the lead early on, having half a second on everyone by turn 4. It seemed it could be a done deal as he had broken the slipstream of his pursuers but Mir was soon on the Spaniard’s case, as he gave chase to his fellow countryman.
The new Champion reeled in his compatriot and sliced past as soon as he was able to, into turn 9, an overtaking hotspot at Sepang. Despite his superior pace to close to Martin, he didn’t pull away like we thought he would. Bastianini was then able to catch both run-away Spaniards and the three were together on track until a moment between Bastianini and Martin allowed Mir to run free.
Mir was then able to hold onto it and leave the pair behind to tussle it out for the final spots on the podium, with that decided at the final corner in favour of Martin.
Livio Loi put in another great ride after coming back from a broken collarbone earlier in the season. The Belgian had a lonely ride to fourth but demonstrated to doubters and critics that he belongs in the class. He was ahead of an incredible battle for fifth which was won by John McPhee. He made his move late to take the place without allowing his competitors to fight back, crossing the line in P5 ahead of a late-charging Andrea Migno
Romano Fenati fought back and took seventh ahead of his rival for second in the standings, Aron Canet. The result meaning that Fenati is runner up in 2017. Fabio Di Giannantonio was able to improve to ninth, with Dutchman Bo Bendsneyder completing the top ten.
Adam Norrodin had an eventful home race as he was running 4th before a small crash at turn one. Despite the cries from the crowd, Norrodin was back on in no time and was initially fourteenth. By the end of the race, the Malaysian was able to take eleventh and just keep rookie teammate Ayumu Sasaki behind him at the line – but it was a great double points finish and a highly positive home weekend for the Sepang International Circuit Racing Team, as the outfit moves into Moto2 in 2018 with Hafizh Syahrin.
RBA Racing Team duo Juanfran Guevara and Gabriel Rodrigo took P13 and P14 respectively, with Manuel Pagliani completing the points finishers.
Tatsuki Suzuki had a huge high-side crash at turn 15 on lap one. He was joined by Darryn Binder and Niccolo Antonelli in the turn 15 tea-party club.
The 2018 World Superbike calendar has been released and it sees some small changes in comparison to this season’s.
The first round will be in Australia at Phillip Island, the typical starting point for the season. We then have to wait 1 month before the next round of the championship, in Thailand, at the Chang International Circuit, Buriram.
The first European round of the year is in Spain, at Aragon before Assen one week later. We then wait 3 weeks until Imola and then two weeks until Donington Park. Two weeks later sees a return to the Czech Republic and Brno – the first time since 2012 that the circuit has featured on the calendar.
Two weeks after the Czech round, WSBK goes State-side and heads to Laguna Seca before Misano – again, two weeks later. This is the last round before yet another, lengthy summer break. There will be no racing in August and the gap itself is 10 weeks long.
After the 10-week hiatus, WSBK heads to Portugal and the Portimao circuit – more of a success in 2017 than in many years before. The series stays in Europe for the French round of the championship at Magny Cours two weeks later.
The final two rounds of the season are both fly-away races. Argentina has been pencilled in for mid-October – two weeks after Magny Cours – and will come from the new Vilicum circuit, although that remains subject to homologation. The final round of the championship will take place in the Middle East in Qatar, at the Losail International Circuit, under floodlights on the 25th – 27th October.
Miguel Oliveira took KTM to their 2nd consecutive victory on Sunday in the Moto2 race, beating teammate Brad Binder to give the Austrian manufacturer their first ever back-to-back 1-2. Franco Morbidelli was crowned champion before the race even got underway, due to Thomas Luthi being ruled out but he still celebrated in style, as he mono-wheeled across the line for 3rd.
The race started and initially, it was Miguel Oliveira who led from Morbidelli and Alex Marquez, with Pecco Bagnaia pushing his way into 4th place. Carnage erupted at the back of the field though, as Andrea Locatelli knocked off Luca Marini who then took down Axel Pons and local hero, Khairul Idham Pawi. Simone Corsi also went ride to avoid disaster. Over at turn 2, Alex Marquez had crashed out, topping a difficult weekend for the Spaniard.
More drama unfolded at turn 6, when Sandro Cortese got his Dynamo Intact GP Suter completely crossed up, ramming the back of Japanese rider, Takaaki Nakagami. Both riders cartwheeled through the gravel trap, with Cortese’s Suter catching fire. Nakagami rode his bike back to the pits and retired from the race. Both Idemitsu Kalex bikes had been innocently taken out in the first half a lap, in what was one of the team’s most important races of the season.
Back at the front, Oliveira had already pulled out an early advantage over Morbidelli, Bagnaia, Brad Binder and local rider, Hafizh Syahrin. Front row starter, Fabio Quartararo, had dropped to 6th but it was the 7th place rider who gained much interest. Up from 17th on the grid, Stefano Manzi had made a sensational start and had got ahead of the likes of Marcel Schrotter and Mattia Pasini.
By the end of lap 8, we saw our first change at the front of the field. Brad Binder forced his way past Francesco Bagnaia for 3rd and kept the position. He then set his sights on Italian, Franco Morbidelli. Further down the field, Xavi Vierge and Mattia Pasini were moving forward, demoting Marcel Schrotter and also Isaac Vinales.
It wasn’t until lap 16 where we saw our 2nd change at the front. Brad Binder moved ahead of Franco Morbidelli, sending KTM into a frenzy in pit lane, as the rookie team now looked like they could be on for yet another 1-2 finish. Back in 4th, the battle was starting to close up, with Bagnaia being hunted down by a resurgent Fabio Quartararo and a hard-changing Matti Pasini. Isaac Vinales had also fought his way back through the field, as he occupied 7th.
As the rain began to fall, Bagnaia was caught, passed and left behind by Fabio Quartararo and Matti Pasini. However, the rain didn’t last and before long, ‘Pecco’ was back ahead and it was Quartararo being dragged back into the clutches of first, Pasini and then, Vinales.
As the rain dissipated, it was Portugal’s Miguel Oliveira who took the win ahead of his South African teammate, Brad Binder. Yet another win for Miguel and another 1-2 for KTM. This is the first time that a manufacturer other than Kalex has won back-to-back races in Moto2 since Suter in 2012, with Marc Marquez at Misano and Brno. Franco Morbidelli came home in 3rd to take his long-awaited Moto2 crown, with Mattia Pasini fighting to 4th.
His Twitter bio reads “Ex bike racer . . have been skilfully avoiding a proper job for 30 years .. stunt dad”
Prior to gracing our screens, he has won the 80cc British Championship, the 1300cc Production British Championship and the TT Superbike Challenge.
He is a British Superbike Champion having won the title in 1993, was BSB runner-up in 1996 and raced in World Superbikes from 1994 to 1998, a team mate of Carl Fogarty. He competed in World Supersport from 2000-2002 and held the track record at Donington Park until 2007.
He runs trackdays with Paul Drinkwater Sports Motorcycling and his famous “6T9” logo can be seen on the leathers of big names in bike racing and around the circuits all over the UK.
British and World Superbike viewers will recognise him from Eurosport as a TV commentator and pundit. His quick wit, humour and amazing technological insight into bikes is without doubt the best you will find on television. His commentary partnership with Jack Burnicle for British Superbikes is quite possibly the most entertaining TV motorsport duet on air.
He is a true legend, a fantastic bike rider, a respected man on and off the circuit and a genuinely top bloke. His biography ‘What A Good Do!’ is a brilliant read (I highly recommend it).
These are his Quick 10 questions and he is……James Whitham.
What is your favourite racing circuit?
You tend to favour the tracks you go well at, regardless of whether they’re interesting to ride . . my fave UK circuit is Cadwell Park and worldwide is Monza
Who was your racing idol?
Mike Hailwood
Who would you regard as your toughest opponent?
Carl Fogarty
Considering racers of all time, you are a team principal and money is no object. Which two racers would you have in your team?
Mike Hailwood and Jarno Saarinen
If you could invite four famous people to dinner (past and present), who would you invite?
Winston Churchill, Adolf Hitler, Nando Parrado and Muhammad Ali
Your personal racing number? What was it and the reason behind it?
69 – reads the same either way up !
What is the best race you have been involved in?
’01 World Supersport race Monza . . . 6 of us glued together for the whole race
Is there a race or series you have not competed in that you would like to or had wanted to?
I would’ve loved a season on a 250cc (2 stroke) GP bike
How did you get interested in motor racing? What ignited that spark?
My dad was a motorcyclist and took me to spectate at some race meetings as a kid . . . I was doomed from there really !
What is the best advice in racing you have been given?
Mick Grant always said that I should leave a team or sponsor on the best of terms . . . Don’t burn your bridges I suppose . . . good advice.
I have said this before, but when you get to interview somebody who you are a fan of and have great respect for then as a writer it is a dream come true.
In this instance I am truly thankful for James taking the time out from his busy schedule to answer the Quick 10 and can’t wait to see him and hear his funny, intelligent and interesting insight on BSB next season. I want to wish James all the best of health and thank him and Paul Drinkwater for this opportunity.
Incredible from Dovi. Against the odds in Malaysia but now, can he overcome them in Valencia?
The 2017 MotoGP champion will be decided in Spain at the final round of the season, after Andrea Dovizioso won the Malaysian Grand Prix and Marc Marquez finished 4th, enough to prevent the Spaniard winning his 6th world title. Dovizioso scored 12 points more than Marquez, enough to bring the deficit to the defending champion down to just 21 points.
After a downpour between the end of Moto2 and start of MotoGP, the premier class race got underway in terribly wet conditions, similar to that of 12 months before. Marquez ambitiously bounced down the inside at turn one from row 3 but ran out wide with Jorge Lorenzo, leaving Johann Zarco to lead for Tech 3 out front. By the end of lap 1, Lorenzo recovered to 2nd with Marquez 3rd. Championship challenger Dovizioso was 4th with pole-man Dani Pedrosa 5th.
On lap 5, Andrea Dovizioso made his first move. He passed Marc Marquez to take third but that was not enough: the Italian needed to take 8 points or more away from Marquez; at the time, it was a mere 3. Marquez never looked like fighting back but he maintained the pace and held onto the shirt tails of the leading three at the time.
With Zarco’s lead whittled down to virtually nothing, it was time for the Ducati of Jorge Lorenzo to move ahead. He made short work of Zarco and before long, Andrea Dovizioso followed his so-far-winless teammate, taking 2nd. This now meant that Dovi was taking 7 points off Marquez, 1 shy of the crucial 8 required. This introduced the possibility of two scenarios for the title to be kept alive: Marquez would have to drop back, which would include teammate Dani Pedrosa passing him – an unlikely scenario. The other scenario was Andrea Dovizioso passing his teammate, who, as we have already alluded to, is winless. Would Dovizioso be helped to keep the title alive by Lorenzo? The same multi-million Euro investment Jorge Lorenzo, who is the team’s number 1?
Dovizioso pushed Lorenzo all the way, with the Bologna Bullets blasting off into the distance – over three seconds clear of Johann Zarco who in turn had a massive lead over series leader Marc Marquez.
Perhaps the shock of everything was the fact that there were less riders interfering with Marquez and packing out the places in the order. Back in 2015, Rossi and Lorenzo, as close as it was come the end of the season, hardly met on circuit – either because they were too far out front from each other or there were riders separating them – Silverstone and Phillip Island examples of the latter. On Sunday, there were no signs of Rossi, who looked good in the dry. Likewise, for Petrucci, a demon in the wet – although he suffered a breakdown on the sighting lap. The Suzukis weren’t in the mix and Jack Miller was also out of the top 6. How vital will the lack of interference be at the end of 2017?
We then saw a message from Ducati’s pit crew appear on Lorenzo’s dashboard. “Suggest mapping 8” it read. Whilst we all took to Twitter to ‘suggest’ what “suggest mapping 8” meant, Jorge Lorenzo lost the front of his Ducati at the re-profiled turn 15, allowing Dovizioso to power past Lorenzo and lead across the line. Dovizioso was now in a position where he would take a whole 12 points off Marquez, enough to keep the championship alive.
Dovizioso won for a 6th time in 2017 and Ducati got their first 1-2 since Austria last season, as Lorenzo came home in 2nd – his best result on the GP17. Johann Zarco got his 2nd podium of the season, as he completed the top 3, giving Tech 3 their first taste of champagne in Malaysia.
The championship moves on and heads back to Europe, where all is to play for in what is set to be some of the most high-pressured racing of the season. Who will be the winner of an incredible championship?
A magical Joan Mir wrapped up the title Down Under with victory on ‘The Island’ after rain stopped play in the Moto3 race, with his focus now on beating Valentino Rossi’s total number of victories during a single season in the lightweight class.
Joan Mir crashed out of last season’s Malaysian Grand Prix, at turn 7 with four other riders. At the time of the crash he was leading, although it was on a KTM. Mir will be looking to convert his first pole-position of the season on Sunday and hopefully, take his 10th win of the season. Honda haven’t won a lightweight class race at Sepang since 2014, with Efren Vazquez – also the last time a Spaniard won the Moto3 event.
It was only a matter of time before the Spaniard took his first ever championship win and where for fitting to do it than at the track he made his GP debut in 2015. His teammate then? That years world champion Danny Kent of course, on board the same bike.
The Leopard team couldn’t have wished for a better weekend, as Livio Loi came home second to get the team’s first 1-2 finish in the Moto3 class. After his monumental crash at Misano, which left him with a broken collarbone, it was a massive result for the Belgian rider who has had a difficult start to his GP racing career.
So, the pressure is off for Mir as we head to Sepang. Good news for Fenati and co for the rest of the season? I don’t think so. The new world champion will be riding like he has nothing to lose (because he doesn’t), which will only make life harder for the rest of the field.
Moto3 and Sepang then, arguably one of the best tracks on the calendar mixed with a series that never disappoints come race day makes for a very tasty encounter.
