Crew On Two

15th October 2017

Determined Dovizioso Wins Battle Royale At Motegi

The fight for the 2017 MotoGP World Championship was taken to yet another level as Marc Marquez (Repsol-Honda) and Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati) duelled and diced in appalling weather conditions.

They say that on a good day, we won’t know who will win until the final lap. On a very good day, we won’t know until the final corner.

Today was a very good day.

Both riders initially had to work their way to the front after Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati) and Danilo Petrucci (Pramac-Ducati) made the best starts to lead the race in the early stages. The latter leading for the first half of the grand prix, as was the case a month ago at Misano. As then, Petrucci was left ruing that his career should coincide with those of Marquez and Dovi. The two chose their moments and, once cleared, pulled clear with ease and consigned Petrucci to yet another third place – his third of the season.

With the satellite rider dealt with, we were treated to a thrilling contest between the two riders who have been head and shoulders above the rest this season. Despite having clear air and (more importantly,) clear vision, Marquez could not pull clear of his championship rival. The Spaniard tried every trick he could to break clear, but was matched blow-for-blow, by Dovizioso, never allowing the gap between them to grow to more than a second. With seven laps left, the Italian made his first move to take the lead. Initially taking his rival by surprise and, within the space of half a lap, found himself with a lead of several bike lengths.

The three-time premier class champion, however, was in no mood to settle for second. The gap between the pair was eradicated, and the Honda spent a few laps practically glued to the Ducati’s tail. With three laps to go, Marquez forced his way past Dovi with a textbook block pass at turn 3. Roles were reversed and the defending champion began to slowly edge away.

However it still wasn’t over. On the final lap, he was forced to roll off the throttle at turn 8, as his Honda machine lost traction and almost launched itself into the gravel. Momentum lost, Dovizioso was back on his tail. Out-dragging his rival down the back straight, the Ducati retook the lead under the bridge. A brave manoeuvre through the penultimate corner briefly saw Marquez go back in front, but overshot the entry to the final corner. He stayed on track, but it cost him dear.

Hooking up the apex, killing the wheelspin, the man affectionately known to his legion of supporters as ‘DesmoDovi’ blasted across the line to claim his fifth win of the year, and now just 11 points off the championship lead, with 3 races to go.

Behind them it was a day to remember for Suzuki. Not content with having achieved their best qualifying performance of the season on Saturday (both riders qualified inside the top 10), they took the race by storm with Andrea Iannone and Alex Rins finishing fourth and fifth respectively. The team’s performance has been greatly aided this weekend by the addition of their new front fairing, comically dubbed ‘The Moustache’. This seems to have solved much of their well documented front end issues, which has plagued the team all season.

Yamaha had an absolute nightmare of a weekend, particularly Maverick Vinales. After a poor qualifying performance left him starting the race down in P14, the young Spaniard laboriously toiled on an uncharacteristically difficult machine. Never feeling comfortable on the bike at any point this weekend, the best he could do was finish in P9. It all but takes him out of the championship running. His teammate, Valentino Rossi, fared worse. Having to start from twelfth, it was always going to be difficult for the still injured 38 year-old. He crashed out on lap 5, but fortunately did not look hurt. The team have got a lot to do to put things right for the next race, in Australia, next weekend.

It was another solid weekend for Aprilia with Aleix Espargaro picking up another handful of points with 7th place. The tiny Italian manufacturer continues to punch well above its weight in the premier class, with a constant stream of updates arriving for their top rider at almost every round. There were celebrations from both sides of the garage as Sam Lowes claimed 3 points with his P13 finish and the honour of being the first British rider to finish the race. It has been a difficult year for the Lincolnshire man, but this result should hopefully see him produce a strong finish to the season.

Elsewhere it was a case of missed opportunities for KTM. Having qualified on the third row of the grid (P7 and 8), the team will be disappointed that they could only bring home 5 points from the race, courtesy of Pol Espargaro’s eleventh place finish. As has been the case for most of the season, he was the only rider in the team to register points, after Bradley Smith finished way back in P17.

Race Result Top 5:

1: Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati) – 47:14.236

2: Marc Marquez (Honda) – + 0.249

3: Danilo Petrucci (Pramac) – +10.557

4: Andrea Iannone (Suzuki) – +18.845

5: Alex Rins (Suzuki) – +22.982

13th October 2017

BSB Brands Hatch Preview: Call of Duty

Haslam is in charge but will his batteries go flat come race day?

This is it. 23 races gone, 11 rounds down but here we are, at the final round of the 2017 British Superbike championship. The season has flown past, each chapter carved into the tarmac at each circuit we’ve graced, each dramatic twist and turn of the year has shaped the championship table but still, it is far from decided. Brands Hatch beckons for one last opportunity for the championship to take another surprising turn. Three races offer the chance to add extra spice to a series that has been far from mild in 2017.

Leon Haslam comes to Brands Hatch staring down the barrel of his first British Superbike title. Haslam has had a great season, taking six wins and six other podiums throughout the year, placing him as a favourite for the championship at Brands Hatch. Haslam has taken two wins at the Brands Hatch GP round before, both of which have been the last race of the year – on an Airwaves Ducati in 2005 and 2006. The ‘Pocket Rocket’ was 3^rd and 5^th in the July meeting this year but never scored a podium in the final round last season. All Leon needs to do is finish on the podium in every race, regardless of whether or not Byrne or Brookes romp away at the front. It could be Haslam’s title to lose if race one goes his way.

There are many candidates for ‘story of the year’ in BSB but for me, the achievements of the fully privateer Anvil Hire Tag Racing Yamaha team are astonishing. Josh Brookes comes into the final round of 2017 with a chance of championship success. The Australian, who was champion in 2015, has taken two wins and six other podiums in his comeback season and will finish top Yamaha regardless of his performance this weekend – an incredible achievement on its own. Whilst Haslam may look the favourite with the points gap, ‘Brookesy’ should be considered the favourite out of the two at Brands Hatch. Nine wins for Brookes, including four on the R1 Yamaha, make him one of the most successful riders at the Kent circuit. Add on to that the fact that he has five other podiums and is the current lap record holder, you’d be mad to discount him based on points. Could the phenomenal season for Tag Racing be capped off with a championship victory?

Brookes holds the lap record at Brands, set earlier this year. He and his team know exactly what they need to do.

Shane ‘Shakey’ Byrne has won 17 times at the Brands Hatch GP since he rocked up in 1999, with his winning starting in 2003. Byrne has had a difficult year in 2017, failing to score points in three of the first four races and a further four DNFs since then. Five wins have seen him come to Brands Hatch 3^rd in the championship, just 1 point shy of Josh Brookes and 33 points behind Leon Haslam. At 40-years-old, Byrne is one of the oldest, yet still one of the fastest on the grid and if he were to become champion, he would be the oldest champion since the series was reformed in 1996. One thing that ‘Shakey’ has never done is – despite winning five championships – defended one successfully. In other words, he has never won back-to-back championships. Ducati in turn haven’t won back-to-back championships since 2002 and 2003 with Hislop and Byrne respectively (both of which were riding for Paul Bird) – that achievement came after Ducati won every title from 1999 until 2003. Can Byrne break records and write history?

Byrne is the King of Brands but he needs to make that title count this weekend

Jake Dixon is the next rider along in the championship. Whilst being 54 points back of fellow Kawasaki rider Leon Haslam in the championship, Dixon can still mathematically win the championship. He needs to score four points more than Haslam on Saturday to have a chance going into Sunday’s races. The 21-year-old has been a headline maker in 2017, storming to a double victory in Scotland at Knockhill, before taking three further podiums and two pole positions. Dixon was only 11^th and 10^th on the last visit to the Brands Hatch GP round in April and because he isn’t a main title contender, the pressure is somewhat off him. It has been an outstanding achievement from Lee Hardy’s RAF Regular and Reserve Kawasaki team to make The Showdown and that is something that he can be very proud of indeed. Jake’s future is secure for 2018, staying with the outfit. More success on the horizon?

The last championship contender is Peter Hickman on the Smith’s BMW. Louth’s finest has endured a stellar season, taking a win and a podium at Thruxton and another podium at home – Cadwell Park. The gap between Hickman and Haslam is 63 points, meaning that Hicky must take 14 points off Haslam in the first race to remain in the championship chase. Although it doesn’t look like Hickman will take a surprise championship, anything can happen in British Superbikes and he may well be an interference. He is flying the flag for BMW in 2017, after they failed to get into The Showdown with the Tyco outfit as well as enduring a terrible World Superbike campaign. The German marque will be watching on in hope of Hickman to secure a top four in the championship. It is also easy to forget that Hickman has never been inside the top-6 placings before, so already it is a successful season for him. The Isle of Man TT runner-up took two-4^th places at Brands in July, as well as a win and a 3^rd last season. Hickman only has six other top-10s at Brands Hatch GP however, so there really is no guarantee of anything regarding Hickman – results-wise. It will all come down to race day.

Although he is in The Showdown, Jason O’Halloran can’t mathematically win the championship in 2017. A sensational campaign has seen the popular Aussie make the brand new Honda SP2 Fireblade work well and for that, he’s been rewarded. Three third-places have seen O’Halloran give the Honda Team its first podium across the world. He is 54 points from Josh Brookes so 2^nd place is still on, although it looks unlikely to go to the other Australian in The Showdown. O’Halloran may well be in a race for 4^th place, with that looking a likely battle in the races. Teammate Dan Linfoot will also want to get involved and help Jason where possible. Neither of the Honda riders are confirmed as staying with the team for next year, with rumours circulating that Linfoot will leave and that Jason is unhappy. Time will tell on the outcome of next year’s rider line-up.

Outside of The Showdown, the Rider’s Cup is still up for grabs. 8 riders can still take 7^th place, from Christian Iddon to Glenn Irwin. However, it looks likely to go to either Iddon, James Ellison or Luke Mossey, who are all covered by just 7 points. They could all be winners themselves. There is a lot of room for upset in the races, with Dan Linfoot looking good, Bradley Ray coming stronger and Glenn Irwin slowly getting nearer to the front. Sylvain Guintoli may look to carry his momentum from Assen to Brands Hatch, to show everyone that the Suzuki is a regular race winner. Don’t discount John Hopkins either; the American has gone well at Brands Hatch before.

It may also be worth noting that Taylor Mackenzie and Billy McConnell are both absent this weekend. Mackenzie is expected to be replaced by Richard Cooper and it is confirmed that Kyle Ryde will make his BSB debut at FS-3 Kawasaki.

Whatever happens at Brands Hatch, we will leave the gates on Sunday evening (or Monday morning, depending on the extent of the hangover) knowing who the 2017 MCE Insurance British Superbike champion will be. Could we see Leon Haslam finally take the ultimate prize in British motorcycle racing? Will Josh Brookes give Tag Racing a historic and phenomenal title? Is it going to be the wily old fox, Shane Byrne, who takes a 6^th title, his 2^nd consecutive title victory. Maybe we will see an upset from Dixon or Hickman. Everything will become clearer come Sunday afternoon.

All images by: Peter Backhurst

12th October 201712th October 2017

Moto3 Japan Preview: Match Point for Magnificent Mir

Joan Mir has his first opportunity to clinch the 2017 Moto3 World Championship this weekend, as the Moto3 circus arrives at the Twin-Ring Motegi circuit, Japan.

The Spaniard leads his nearest rival, Italian, Romano Fenati by 80 points. Should Mir (Leopard Racing) win Sunday’s Grand Prix, then he will be crowned champion. Simple as that. Additionally, Mir can also seal the title even if Fenati (Marinelli Rivacold Snipers) should win the race, as long has he loses no more than 5 points of his lead. For example: should Fenati finish first (25 points) and Mir second (20 points), it will be enough for the Spaniard to claim the championship. His lead would be reduced to 75 points – the same maximum number of points which would remain for the final three rounds. However, even if the two should finish the season level on points, Mir would win the championship by virtue of number of race victories this season.

Although Mir heads into this weekend as bookies’ favourite, it would be unwise to underestimate anyone from the regular front-runners. Fenati will undoubtedly be going all out to win and keep his hopes of winning the championship alive, as will Aron Canet (Estrella Galicia 0,0). Whilst it is a long shot, Canet can still mathematically win this year’s championship. Admittedly he will be relying on both Mir and Fenati to suffer non-point-scoring finishes but this is Moto3, so it is still possible. Canet has to win every race between now and the end of the season in addition to bad luck befalling his rivals. In short he has nothing to lose, which could perhaps make him the sting in this season’s tail.

There will be close quarter racing right through the field, as always in Moto3 this weekend. The Del Conca Gresini team will once again be expected to be in the mix for rostrum honours with both their riders – Jorge Martin and Fabio di Giannantonio. The latter has grown in confidence throughout the season and produced a stunning ride to finish in second place last time out. Another podium finish on Sunday would cement his position as the field’s rising star – as well as provide a very welcome belated birthday present (he turned 19 on Wednesday).

As for Martin, well, if Grand Prix racing handed out a ‘Man of Steel’ award, he’d win it hands-down. His horrendous crash at the Sachsenring would have ended the season for the majority of riders but Martin has battled on remarkably, scoring podiums in Austria and Great Britain and a hard fought fourth place at Aragon. Whilst his injury ended any hopes he had for the championship this year, make no mistake, Jorge Martin has already put down his marker for next year.

The rider to watch out for this weekend is Canet’s teammate – the rejuvenated Enea Bastianini. The 19-year-old Italian has made a welcome return to form since the summer break, scoring podium finishes at Silverstone (2nd place) and at Aragon (3rd place) last time out. Winner last year at Motegi, the lightweight class veteran will be very keen to repeat that performance as he looks to secure his place in the Grand Prix paddock for next year.

For John McPhee however, it is truly make-or-break now for the remainder of the season. Despite a promising start to the season with the Dorna-backed British Talent Team, the Scot has struggled to put together a consistently competitive season. His best finishing position for this season remains the second place he acquired at the opening round in Qatar. McPhee has not yet been offered a new contract to stay with the team for 2018, so desperately needs a strong finish to the season, to prove his worth in the world of Moto3.

Image by: HondaProRacing

12th October 2017

Folger Sent Home Unwell, Nozane Substitutes

Jonas Folger will miss the Japanese Grand Prix, having been flown back to Germany with a suspected virus. The rookie German said that he has been feeling weak since the San Marino GP and said that “even leaving the hotel room was impossible”.

“I came to Japan and was motivated for these three flyaway races, but I’ve been feeling really weak since the Misano and Aragon rounds. On arrival here, I have been struggling with my energy levels, even leaving the hotel room was impossible for me, and unfortunately, I had to miss some Yamaha events, which I’m very sorry for”, stated Folger – 10^th in the championship.

“I met with Hervé (Poncheral) on Wednesday night and we agreed to go for a check with the doctors this morning. I met with Dr Charte and the Clinica Mobile team and they have advised me to return to Germany right away for a series of blood tests”.

“I’ve had Epstein Barr virus in the past and it’s a possibility that this has flared up again and resurfaced but we can’t be sure until I’ve had these tests in Munich. I am sorry for my whole team and for Yamaha at their home race. I would like to thank them for all their support. Also, sorry to my personal sponsors, I appreciate them all standing by me at this difficult time. Now we must remain positive and aim to come back stronger.”

Folger’s absence means that his 10^th place in the championship could be under threat from Alvaro Bautista, who has scored a podium in the premier class before at Motegi, in 2012. The German will be replace by Kohta Nozane, a 20-year-old Japanese rider, who described the call-up as “a big surprise” and that he “can’t believe” he will be racing at the Japanese GP.

Image by: Yamaha Racing

12th October 201712th October 2017

Gary Winfield: We Have Proved Everyone Wrong

Gary Winfield has said that his Anvil Hire Tag Racing Yamaha team have “proved everyone wrong” in 2017, following the sensational success of BSB returnee, Josh Brookes.

The privateer team, which runs out of Swadlincote in Derbyshire, has had an incredible season, achieving their first ever win in the Superbike class, courtesy of Josh Brookes at Thruxton. As well as that, there has been one other win for the Australian – at Silverstone – and also six other podiums.

“Well this is it, the final round of the season, the last three races of the year and 32 points separates us from the championship lead. It’s going to be a big ask, but that is what everyone said at the start of the year, and look at us now”, began a determined Winfield, who is the team manager of his father’s team.

“The points gap won’t stop us trying, we’ve come this far and we won’t be giving in. We’ll be pushing Leon all the way, giving him a bigger headache each time we head out on track”, he continued.

Winfield continued to state how impressed he is with the whole of his team in 2017. It is easy to forget amidst the success of the outfit this season, that they only scored three points in the whole of 2016.

“I need to put on record how proud I am of everyone involved, this year we’ve proved everyone wrong, and we still can this weekend. I don’t need to say anything about Josh, he’s been a class act all year, he’s going to be fully focussed from the word go at Brands and we hope he’ll bring home the goods come Sunday evening.

“Shaun is ready to fight again, he’s rested up well and is fully fit again for this weekend after the crash he had at Assen. Points is what we expect from him to end his season on a high.”

For those at home wishing to watch the final chapter of the 2017 British Superbike Championship unfold, you can tune into Quest TV (free-to-air) on both Saturday and Sunday.

Image by: Peter Backhurst

12th October 2017

Vinales: We Have to Keep Fighting

Maverick Vinales has declared that he and his Yamaha team must keep fighting in the championship battle, even though his chances of title victory took another blow at Aragon. The Spaniard finished 4th once more, handing more points to Marc Marquez. This means that the next four races are crucial for Maverick, who hasn’t won since Le Mans, in May.

“The next Grand Prix, held in Japan, is very special for me since it’s one of my favourites of the season and it’s also the home race of Yamaha. I hope to do a good job and be able to collect more points for the championship, which is crucial to continue fighting for the title”, began Vinales, ahead of the Japanese GP – an event at which he finished 3rd in last season.

“For the next races we have to try to work even more than usual. We have to keep fighting and working with high motivation, even though it will not be easy to complete the last part of the season and bridge the gap between the championship leader and me”, he said. Vinales is 28 points behind Marquez in the championship.

“I will try to work even harder and I arrive in Japan with the aim to learn and be even stronger. I’m convinced that, with the support of the amazing fans at the Motegi circuit, we will be able to give our 100%.”

Whilst taking four podiums at the Motegi circuit, Vinales has never won. That is one statistic he will want to change for 2017 and also for the good of his championship credentials.

Image by: Yamaha Racing

12th October 2017

Moto2 Japan Preview: Morbidelli and Luthi set for Japanese Dual

The first of the three fly-aways gets underway this weekend for Moto2, with Franco Morbidelli coming into the final four rounds with a 21 point lead. That means that he can finish 2nd to Tom Luthi in every race that remains and still finish as overall champion.

The Italian out-battled his fellow countryman and hard-charging Mattia Pasini in Motorland Aragon, to re-claim a sizeable championship lead over the Swiss veteran, Tom Luthi. The 22-year-old will have his work cut out in ‘The Ring’, with Motegi being a happy hunting ground for the 31 year old Interwetten rider, who won there in 2014 and 2016. He also stood on the podium in 2011 and 2013, but crashed out in the wet in 2015.

Morbidelli, of course, is no slouch in Japan. He claimed third place here last year and the same again this weekend would be the bare minimum, especially if Luthi gets to the chequered flag first. All things being considered, if the Marc VDS rider can come out on top in Japan, you have to feel like the championship is his to lose – if it isn’t already.

Takaaki Nakagami is the home-hero in Moto2, placed as top Japanese in the class. The British GP winner will be more determined than ever to take his second win of the year in front of his adoring fans. The team is also run by another Japanese sensation, Tadayuki Okada. Okada himself is an intermediate class race winner in Japan, back in 1994 at Suzuka.

The Idemitsu Honda Team Asia pilot, soon to be in MotoGP with LCR Honda, is riding without the added pressure of a title fight or looking for a ride for next year. A sixth podium of 2017 is certainly on the cards this weekend for the 25 year old.

Alex Marquez is another rider who has fond memories of the Twin Ring Motegi track. The 21-year-old took points as a wildcard in 2012, won his first Grand Prix at Twin Ring Motegi as a rookie in 2013 and then followed it up a year later with another win at the venue, on his way to the Moto3 World Championship. A healthy younger Marquez brother is a dangerously quick younger Marquez brother but will his fitness allow him to challenge for the win this weekend?

Mattia Pasini and Miguel Olivera are two others who will be looking to spoil the party. Mattia has developed a habit of starting from pole this season and has won at Motegi in his lightweight class days; you’d be a fool to count him out. Olivera has a podium in Japan in Moto3 and his pole last time out shows he’s got some fight left in him in 2017. He’s been the spearhead in KTM’s first season in Moto2 onboard the Red Bull KTM Ajo machine, with teammate Brad Binder looking to finish the season strongly as he continues to recover from a terrible arm injury, sustained earlier in the year.

With so much at stake, neither Morbidelli or Luthi can afford to slip up. What will the championship look like after Sunday? It’s only a matter of time before we find out.

Words by Elliott York. Follow on Twitter for more – @journoyork

Image by: HondaProRacing

10th October 201710th October 2017

MotoGP Japan Preview: A Misty, Unclear Setting for a Wide Open Title Race

The 15^th round of the MotoGP championship season comes from Motegi in Japan, with the title still all to play for, unlike last year when Marc Marquez had his first chance to win the title. The Twin Ring Motegi circuit has been on the calendar since 2000 and has been home to the Japanese Grand Prix since 2004. Marc Marquez has won at the track on just one occasion in the premier class – last season – but Honda have won a total of five times, with Yamaha and Ducati winning four times. It promises to be a great weekend of racing, as well a potential turning point in the championship – although it mathematically can’t be won.

Marc Marquez has won the last two races in 2017 at Misano and Aragon. Marquez hasn’t won three on the bounce since Assen, Sachsenring and Indianapolis in 2014, a staggering statistic for someone who has took 18 wins and two titles since then. The 24-year-old has not finished outside the top five at Motegi since 2009 and has taken two other victories at the venue – one in the 125cc class in 2010 and one in Moto2 in 2012. Marquez will be hoping to extend his championship lead to above 25 points, which not only gives him a race-in-hand over the opposition but also gives him a shot at the title at Phillip Island.

Andrea Dovizioso had a terrible Aragon and haemorrhaged 16 points to Marquez. Dovi knows he has to take points back out of Marquez in Japan to have any realistic chance of the championship. With the exception of Casey Stoner in 2010, all of Ducatis wins in Japan have come from an Italian rider. Dovizioso – who has taken four wins in 2017 – finished 2^nd to Marquez last year, whilst finishing 5^th in 2015. The 31-year-old has taken two pole positions at Motegi in the premier class, in 2010 and 2014. His worst result was 2013 with 10^th but apart from that and 9^th in 2008, he has never finished outside the top 5 at Motegi. Could Sunday be a Dovizioso and Ducati success story?

Maverick Vinales is really on the back-foot as we approach Japan, with him giving more points to Marquez last time out at Aragon. Vinales hasn’t won since Le Mans and his last podium was Silverstone and before that it was Brno. Vinales was third last year on the Suzuki at Motegi, although he failed to finish in 2015. Vinales has never actually finished a race at Motegi outside the top four but at the same time, he hasn’t won at the Japanese venue. Yamaha’s last win came in 2014 with Jorge Lorenzo, despite taking pole position for the last two seasons. The rival Japanese manufacturer will be desperate to reignite their title fight with a win in Honda’s backyard.

Dani Pedrosa was the winner of the Japanese GP in 2015, coming from eight seconds behind to beat Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo. The Spaniard hasn’t had back-to-back 2^nd places since COTA and Termas de Rio Hondo in 2014 so a 2^nd in Japan would update that statistic. Pedrosa didn’t start the race in Japan last season but was a winner at the track in 2011 and 2012. He has two other wins in the smaller classes too – in the 125cc class in 2002 and in 2004 in 250s. A podium for Pedrosa would give him 9 for the season, his highest since scoring 10 in 2014. Pedrosa must finish 11^th or higher to remain in with a chance of winning the title this year, although realistically, he could do with beating teammate Marquez.

Valentino Rossi caused an earthquake when he announced he would be racing at Aragon and he triggered even bigger aftershocks after running 2^nd for almost 50% of the race. Eventually finishing 5^th, Rossi has been hard in training at his ranch to try and speed up his recovery. Going into Japan, the Italian is two points shy of Dani Pedrosa and is 56 points behind series leader Marquez. The 38-year-old veteran has won at Motegi just twice, in 2001 and 2008. He has achieved 9 other podiums however and will be hoping to repeat his pole position success of last year. ‘The Doctor’ has crashed out of the Japanese GP three times in the premier class and will surely be hoping not to do the same as last year. Rossi must finish 9^th or higher to have a mathematical chance of the title but in reality, he just needs to take as many points off his rivals as possible.

Johann Zarco continues to hold onto 6^th place in the championship. Zarco has finished every race this season, with the exception of the Qatari GP where he crashed out the lead. Whilst that statistic may be impressive, Zarco’s last top five was in Austria and he has only had one podium finish – at home at Le Mans. The Frenchman took his first ever GP win at Motegi in 2011 and also won the Moto2 race at the track in 2015. A French rider has never won in the premier GP class in Japan at any circuit. Could Zarco break that record? He is 51 points off Valentino Rossi’s 5^th place in the championship and mathematically can’t win the championship, relieving Zarco of any pressure, so he can attack fully in the final four races.

Jorge Lorenzo is the 2^nd Ducati rider in the championship. He hasn’t taken back-to-back podiums since Sepang and Valencia last season and will be itching to use the Ducati’s horsepower at Motegi, as the circuit hosts four long straights. Lorenzo has won at Motegi three times and has taken four other podiums. Could Jorge take a win this weekend?

Aprilia’s hopes of a good weekend will be sky-high after finishing the closest to a race win ever at Aragon last time out. Aleix Espargaro was 6^th and will be looking to give Aprilia their first ever top 5. Sam Lowes’ season has been a difficult one, so he will be looking to finish in the points for only a 2^nd time this year. He hasn’t had a top 20 ride since the Red Bull Ring in Austria.

The factory Suzuki team have had a disastrous 2017 campaign. Andrea Iannone didn’t ride at Motegi last year and hasn’t finished a race at Motegi since 2014, where he was 6^th. Alex Rins hasn’t had a top 10 at Motegi since 2014 but apart from that and a 4^th in 2012, he hasn’t had any other top 10s. It may be another tricky weekend for Suzuki at home.

KTM continue to impress – in the Pol Espargaro corner anyway. Pol is level on points with Iannone going into the Japanese round, on 37 points. Since Assen, every race Espargaro has finished has been in the points. Bradley Smith however will be feeling the pressure, especially after wildcard Mika Kallio beat him again at Aragon. Smith last scored points at Misano, finishing 10^th, which is so far his best finish for KTM. Neither KTM rider has finished inside the top five before at Motegi in the premier class.

Danilo Petrucci is top independent team rider, in 8^th place. Petrucci endured a disastrous weekend at Aragon, finishing 20^th. It is the first time since Aragon in 2016 that he has finished a race outside of the points. The last time it happened in back-to-back GPs was in 2012, at Catalunya and Silverstone – his rookie season. Teammate Scott Redding finished ahead of Petrucci for the first time since Phillip Island last season (calculated on the basis that both riders have finished the race). Redding has finished every race since Brno in the points and will be looking to extend that run to Motegi, where his best finish so far is 9^th, achieved last year.

Cal Crutchlow did not capitalise on Petrucci’s dire weekend at Aragon, as he crashed out whilst inside the top 10. The Brit’s best result at Motegi is a 5^th from last season, although he retired from a podium battle with Alvaro Bautista in the closing stages of the 2012 race, after running out of fuel. Crutchlow has finished the last two Japanese GPs in the top six, although he didn’t finish in 2014.

Jonas Folger is 10^thin the standings, making all four Yamahas appear in the top 10 places of the championship. The German was 2^nd in the 2015 Moto2 race at the track and 3^rd in 2013 in the Moto3 class. A German rider has never scored a podium in the premier class at any Japanese GP. Could Folger set that record straight?

The Aspar Team have Alvaro Bautista in 11^th and Karel Abraham in 18^th in the championship; both riders have achieved a podium at Motegi at some point in their careers. Alvaro was 7^th last season at Motegi and took a podium for the Gresini Honda team in 2012. Karel Abraham has only finished one premier class race in Japan and that was in 2012 but he was 3^rd in 2010, in the Moto2 class.

Jack Miller is next up in 12^th but isn’t racing this weekend due to a broken leg. He is replaced by Hiroshi Aoyama, who finished 2^nd at Motegi in the 250cc class in 2009. He finished 15^th in the premier class last year. Tito Rabat on the other side of the garage has been more impressive of late. He has a best result of 3^rd at Motegi, back in 2014.

Loris Baz and Hector Barbera are the last riders left to cover. Baz has confirmed he will leave the GP paddock after this year, therefore this will be his last race at Motegi. The Frenchman has never scored a point in Japan. Barbera was 17^th last year, as a replacement rider in the factory Ducati team. His best result in Japan in the premier class has been 9^th, in wet conditions two years ago.

Whatever happens at Motegi, it promises to be a pivotal race in the championship. Will Marquez be able to escape the attentions of his rivals or will they hunt him down and narrow the point’s gap at the front? Could weather play a part in proceedings? It has done before. Will we see Aprilia and KTM up the sharper end again, like at Aragon? Of course, it could be another frantic race, which will be just as unpredictable as others have already this season. We will have to wait and find out.

Race Record (Considered lap circuit record): 1.45.350 – Jorge Lorenzo, 2015, Yamaha
Fastest Lap (Any timed session) 1.43.790 – Jorge Lorenzo, 2014, Yamaha
Top Speed – Andrea Iannone, 2015, 314.3kmh/195.29mph

9th October 201710th October 2017

Giugliano: The Bike is Improving a Lot

Davide Giugliano was left without a ride in WSBK last year but he showed he is still capable, finishing 8th and 11th at Magny Cours for the 11th round of the 2017 World Superbike championship.

“It’s was an unlucky race two because I feel I had the pace to be fighting for a top-6 finish. The realistic goal before the start was to finish between 8th and 11th but we turned out to be quicker than we expected”, said a joyous Giugliano.

“It was hard to push when I found myself at the back of the field, because even though I knew I had to make up ground, I was riding on my own so I didn’t know how wet it was on different parts of the circuit and how conditions were evolving throughout the lap. We put together a good comeback, we made some passes and we showed a good pace, so I think there’s a good synergy developing between the bike and myself now”, he continued. Giugliano looks certain to remain with the Red Bull Honda squad for the remainder of the season.

The Italian also hailed the development of the new Honda Fireblade SP2. He gave the team their first start from a top six position since Nicky Hayden at Losail in 2016. The team’s best race result is 6th, from Stefan Bradl in race one at Assen.

“The guys have done an amazing job: I feel that the bike is improving a lot and that was the reason I was chosen in the first place so I’m happy. The top speed was also excellent today. Obviously there is still a lot to improve but things are going in the right direction”.

Image by: worldSBK.com

7th October 2017

Jonathan Rea – World Superbike Legend and Northern Ireland’s Hero

For the last three seasons, he has been the King of World Superbikes. Domination has seen him go from the nearly-guy to the uncatchable. He has captivated a whole nation and become one of Northern Ireland’s greatest sportsmen, as well as one of the most successful British motorcycle racers in history. Jonathan Rea has been a poster-boy for Northern Irish sport for the last three years and once more, he was hailed a hero after taking a third successive WSBK title. An achievement that former British WSBK champs like Carl Fogarty, Neil Hodgson, James Toseland and Tom Sykes have never been able to carry out.

Born in Ballymena, Northern Ireland, Jonathan Rea could never have dreamt of becoming a World Superbike star in his school-boy days. He was never really a fan of racing on tarmac, as he considered it boring and nowhere near as exciting as motocross. Rumour has it that it was Michael and Eugene Laverty that persuaded him to take his talent from dirt to road and in 2003, he made the move to the British 125cc championship. Rea finished the season just four points behind lightweight class legend Ryan Saxelby, in 15th place – picking up a podium at the penultimate round of the season too, at Brands Hatch Indy.

The following season, he was contesting the prestigious British Supersport category, which at the time had names such as Cal Crutchlow, Leon Camier and Michael Laverty in. He was 12th in the championship before an injury at Knockhill ruined his season. Rea remained on 26 points for the rest of the year.

Fast forward his career and through his British Superbike days – of which he only took 5 race wins – and we find Jonny Rea in World Supersport, teammate to Andrew Pitt at the Hanspree Ten Kate Honda squad. He took his first podium at Assen and his first win at Brno, It was quite obvious that we were looking at a very serious talent in the world of motorcycle racing but surely we never expected him to win three titles?

A step up to WSBK in 2009 saw him take his first victory at Misano, whilst a second win of the season came at the Nurburgring, Germany, beating eventual champion Ben Spies by just under a second. Between 2009 and his departure from Honda in 2014, Rea took 15 wins, including two doubles. He won at least one race in every year whilst riding for Honda but the domination didn’t start until 2015, when he left Honda – having been with them for his whole career – to join Kawasaki.

Since arriving at Kawasaki, Jonny Rea has had a podium hit rate of 89.1%, an extraordinary figure. In the five back-to-back titles that Valentino Rossi won in MotoGP, he had a podium hit rate of 87.6%, so Jonny Rea’s domination has seen him so much more consistent than everyone else and even higher than ‘The Doctor’.

Rea has won 35 races in his time with Kawasaki so far, their most successful rider ever in WSBK. The only circuits that the Ulsterman hasn’t won at on the current WSBK calendar are Jerez and Losail, both circuits of which are up next in 2017. He really has set records. Having said that, he has only scored nine pole positions, which enhances his success. It shows that when he has to, he can come through the field. In 2017, he has won from row three a total of six times and finished on the podium from row three on four other occasions. The statistics go on and on.

Rea is not the only beneficiary. Northern Ireland is being showcased on the world stage in the best possible way. Jonathan is a hero back home, with legions of fans supporting him. School kids are aspiring to be him, he is an idol to so, so many. Maybe one day, he may even be up for nomination for BBC Sports Personality of the Year…

With this success and fame comes interest. In Northern Ireland, a circuit that would be fit to host WSBK and MotoGP has been proposed and is now being built. An estimated 700 jobs are set to be created in the 18-month construction period, which is estimated to cost £30m, in County Tyrone. Lake Torrent is the circuit name. Although the capacity of the venue is only set to be 30,000 per event, Rea would help fill every seat with his fans back home. Overall, it’s a massive boost to the Northern Irish economy as well as the publicity that the country would get from such a top-class facility – which undoubtedly has been driven forward by Rea’s success.

Overall, Rea has been pretty sensational, both on track and off track. Some say that he has ruined WSBK and made it boring but whilst he is racing in the championship, we have to admire the talent and ability that he carries. We have to admire his willingness to never stop winning and to carry on breaking records. Rea is arguably the most talented rider that WSBK has ever seen but as I was told by Neil Hodgson, it is very hard to compare him to anyone else because there is no one else in Rea’s league at the moment, not even Kawasaki teammate Tom Sykes. Jonathan Rea is a legend and will only grow and grow as he racks up win after win, title after title.

Image by: worldSBK.com