Monthly Archives: June 2018

Global News, MotoGP, Motorsports

Assen Q2: the closest yet? Relive an incredibly tight Saturday at the Dutch GP

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Courtesy of MotoGP.com

Close at the Cathedral: thousandths decide TIGHT Q2

Everything goes down to the final 30 seconds in one of the closest top tens ever – and it’s a familiar name on top

10 things you need to know before the Dutch GP

It’s shaping up to be a corker and you really don’t want to miss it

Marquez-Rossi: another final corner showdown at Assen?

With everything so close, it could all go down to the wire and the Geert Timmer chicane…

Crutchlow in podium hunt after “strange” qualifying

The Briton says he timed it to perfection in Q2 to take P2

New! Graphics show real time data on Viñales’ screen

Ride OnBoard and stay in the loop with everything you wanted to know about a lap

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Poncharal on Zarco’s form: “His targets were higher”

Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team Principal on the Frenchman’s tougher time since Le Mans
Global News, MotoGP, Motorsports

CRUTCHLOW ON THE FRONT ROW IN ASSEN

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Courtesy of LCR Honda CASTROL Media

LCR Honda CASTROL rider Cal Crutchlow secured a spot on the front row of the grid for Sunday’s Dutch Grand Prix after a thrilling qualifying session at Assen. The Briton looked to have timed his charge for pole position to perfection, but finished fractionally behind fellow Honda factory rider Marc Marquez and will now start from second spot tomorrow.

In sunny conditions once again, Crutchlow served notice of his pace by going third fastest in the morning’s FP session to move through to Q2. The qualifying session itself proved a real shootout with numerous riders looking for a place on the front row. In the end it was world champion Marquez who prevailed, but Crutchlow is now aiming for a place on Sunday’s podium after his fine performance.
Cal Crutchlow – 2nd
(1’32.832 – lap 8 of 8)
“Yeah, I feel great. The team did a good job, Honda did a good job and I think it was an exciting qualifying session for everybody. We’re pleased with the way the bike is working, although it seems a bit hard to ride still as it’s shaking a lot. But I feel strong here, I feel good and credit to the team to be able to put me on the front row.

“But the problem is that there are ten riders that can do the same pace. I think Marc (Marquez) has a little better pace than everybody, but I don’t know if he’ll be able to be a step ahead tomorrow. In the end, we’re happy with the job we’ve done and hopefully it will be an entertaining race tomorrow and we can be on the podium.”


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Global News, MotoGP, Motorsports

Red Bull KTM team hunting for speed after seventh row qualification result at Assen

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Courtesy of KTM Racing

In warm, sunny and breezy conditions at the TT Circuit Assen Red Bull KTM set lap-times close to the top ten through the Free Practice sessions on Saturday but will line-up for the Motul TT Assen with Bradley Smith and Pol Espargaro on the seventh row of the grid.
MotoGP

The kinks and curves of the historic layout in the north of the Netherlands – now 70 years as part of the grand prix series – again reverberated to the howl of MotoGP but for Red Bull KTM the DutchGP meant just a second visit to the iconic circuit.
Pol Espargaro gave much encouragement on the KTM RC16 with the 10th best lap in FP3 and stayed close to the top of the leaderboard with 13th in FP4 and just before entry into QP1 where the Spaniard took 21st; just unable to replicate the same pace with a softer rear tyre.  While Bradley Smith – a rider who first competed at Assen back in 2006 – concentrated on optimum set-up for the RC16 and will sit just one position ahead of his teammate for Sunday’s 26 lap sprint. Both riders were less than 1.5 seconds from Marc Marquez Pole Position effort.
Smith: “We made another good step today and found another half a second and almost managed a 1min 33. We did our job and we are improving. We made some good lap-times but everybody’s level just keeps getting higher. The overall result might look like a bad day but we are only 1.3 from first so it is our ‘normal’ gap. It will be a long race tomorrow, and a physical one in these temperatures and with the tyre ‘drop’. We have to focus, be smooth and fast and bring home some points.”
Espargaro: “FP3 and FP4 was really good and consistent with a good rhythm but in QP1 it was windy and I just struggled to get grip and acceleration. I used the soft tyre and I could not get anything special from it or turn through the long corners we have here in Assen. So I was suffering a lot and I think we need to try a harder compound on the rear; in FP4 I had a good feel with used hard rear. We need a good start tomorrow to overtake a few guys and then set our rhythm, which is pretty good.”
Sebastian Risse (Technical Director MotoGP): “Overall we had some bright moments today. P11 in FP3 was a great thing and also a bad thing at the same time! We struggled here after having a good test and having brought some new things to Assen. I think we have been focussing on improving the bike and that means we have missed some of the fine-tuning necessary at the races. The work is for the benefit (long term) of the project but at the moment, looking at the results, it hurts. I hope we can turn things around tomorrow and looking at race pace I think the situation is a bit different. It is very tight, everybody is pushing but anything is possible. It might not be our highlight of the season here but we’ll do what we can and then look towards the next race.”


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Moto2 & Moto3
Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Miguel Oliveira registered 17th place in Moto2 Qualifying Practice, leaving the top KTM Moto2 runner to be Swiss Innovative Investors’ Sam Lowes with 6th position. In Moto3 SKY Racing Team VR46’s Nicolo Bulega will start from the front row after capturing the 3rd best lap-time on the KTM RC250 GP in the first QP session of the day.
Oliveira: “It was a qualifying session similar to that of the last few GPs. In Free Practice we are very close to the fastest times and top positions, whilst in QP others improve and we stay in exactly the same place as in practice, either with new or used tyres. However, as always our race pace is good and we know that in normal conditions we are up there. Tomorrow I will have to win back many positions and try not to get into trouble on the first few laps, in order to be able to progress. It’s a shame about the results of recent QPs, because the team are trying everything and we are working very hard, but it is not easy to find a solution. We’ll see how the race goes tomorrow, because here at Assen it’s hard to overtake. If a group forms then I hope I can be up there.”

Races: July 1, 2018 – Moto3 11:00 | Moto2 12:20 | MotoGP 14:00 | Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup 15:30 CET


Results Qualifying MotoGP TT Circuit Assen 2018 
1. Marc Marquez (ESP), Honda, 1:32.791 min
2. Cal Crutchlow (GBR), Honda, +0.041 sec
3. Valentino Rossi (ITA), Yamaha, +0.059
4. Andrea Dovizioso (ITA), Ducati, +0.079
5. Alex Rins (ESP), Suzuki, +0.142
KTM
20. Bradley Smith (GBR), KTM, +1.358
21. Pol Espargaro (ESP), KTM, +1.477

Results Qualifying Moto2 TT Circuit Assen 2018 
1. Francesco Bagnaia (ITA), Kalex, 1:37:608 min
2. Marcel Schrötter (GER), Kalex, +0.073 sec
3. Luca Marini (ITA), Kalex, +0.081
4. Alex Marquez (ESP), Kalex, +0.109
5. Xavi Vierge (ESP), Kalex, +0.160
KTM
6. Sam Lowes (GBR), KTM, +0.179
17. Miguel Oliveira (POR), KTM, +0.620
22. Brad Binder (RSA), KTM, +0.997

Results Qualifying Moto3 TT Circuit Assen 2018 
1. Jorge Martin (ESP), Honda, 1:42.039 min
2. Enea Bastianini (ITA), Honda, +0.310 sec
3. Nicolo Bulega (ITA), KTM, +0.406
4. Aron Canet (ESP), Honda, +0.523
5. Lorenzo Dalla Porta (ESP), Honda, +0.555
KTM
6. John McPhee (GBR), KTM, +0.556
8. Marco Bezzecchi (ITA), KTM, +0.725
9. Marcos Ramirez (ESP), KTM, +0.772
10. Gabriel Rodrigo (ESP), KTM, +0.894
23. Darryn Binder (RSA), KTM, +1.423

Results Race 1 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup TT Circuit Assen 2018
All rider on KTM RC250 RB bikes
1. Can Öncü (TUR), 28:28.007 min (16 laps)
2. Xavier Artigas (ESP), +2.162 sec 
3. Ryusei Yamanaka (JAP), +2.255
4. Deniz Öncü (TUR), +2.274
5. Filip Salač (CZE), +2.817

Standings Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup 2018 after 4 of 12 races
1. C. Öncü, 65
2. Carlos Tatay (ESP), 66
3. D. Öncü, 52
4. Salač, 46
5. Yamanaka, 44

 

 

Global News, MotoGP, Motorsports

Movistar Yamaha to Start Dutch GP from First Two Rows

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Courtesy of Movistar Yamaha MotoGP

Movistar Yamaha MotoGP’s Valentino Rossi and Maverick Viñales will be starting the TT Assen race from third and sixth position on the grid respectively.

Copyright 2018 Yamaha Motor Racing Srl
Nome gp
GRAND PRIX OF THE NETHERLANDS
Assen, The Netherlands – 30th June 2018
QUALIFYING
14:35 LOCAL TIME GMT+2 AIR 24°C / TRACK 42°C SUNNY / HUMIDITY 30%
Nome pilota
3rd
VALENTINO ROSSI
1’32.850 / 8 LAPS
Nome pilota
6th
MAVERICK VIÑALES
1’32.984 / 8 LAPS
Assen (The Netherlands), 30th June 2018
The high temperatures at the TT Circuit Assen today matched the hot action in the final stages of today‘s Q2 session. With many riders waiting to make a move until the last minute, the outcome of the qualifying was anybody‘s guess. Movistar Yamaha MotoGP‘s Valentino Rossi and Maverick Viñales rode on the limit on their last flying lap and secured third and sixth place respectively.

 

Rossi had more than one mission during today’s Q2 session. Having suffered a fast crash in FP4, he used his first run to complete three laps to get back into the groove and recover his feeling with the bike, before putting his head down during his second stint.

 

Leaving the garage with four and a half minutes left of the session, the Doctor found himself in tenth position and had time for two attempts to better his ranking. He left it late but found a good spot on the track for his final try and clocked a 1’32.850s, just 0.059s from pole, to take third place, on the front row.


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Similar to his teammate, Viñales delayed his start in the hope of finding some clear space on track. His first hot lap put him in fourth place, but he dropped down the order as the pace quickened. Unable to improve his time on his next try, he dug deeper and posted a 1’33.557s that put him in fifth place, before heading back into the pits with six minutes remaining.

 

He hurried out of pit lane one and a half minutes later eager to give the time attack another go, but the level of competition proved to be fierce. Multiple riders set red sectors in the final minute of the session and dropped below the 1’33 mark. The Spaniard was one of them and posted a 1’32.984s final lap, earning him sixth place, 0.193s from first.

http://www.yamahamotogp.com
MASSIMO MEREGALLI
MASSIMO MEREGALLI
TEAM DIRECTOR
Today’s two practice sessions weren’t as easy as yesterday. Valentino suffered a crash in FP4 and Maverick didn’t have the same feeling on the bike as yesterday, so this made qualifying more challenging. Vale took a bit of time in qualifying to get a good feeling on the bike again, before pushing in the final stages. It wasn’t easy to recover his feeling within a few laps, but he still qualified on the front row. Doing that so soon after a fall is a good result and shows his fighting spirit. Maverick has been fast throughout all the sessions, riding with the race configuration. Even though he missed the first row, starting from sixth position is not a bad result, especially considering how close the times of the top riders are. Tonight we’ll check if there’s any possibility to improve both riders’ bikes’ settings, which we will verify during the warm up. We expect tomorrow to be a hard race, with many riders capable of challenging at the front, but we’ll make sure to be ready for the fight.
VALENTINO ROSSI
VALENTINO ROSSI
I’m so happy about the front row because I crashed in FP4, so I lost some feeling. It wasn’t easy, but I did three laps with the first tyre and recovered my line and my rhythm, and after that it was a ‘waiting game’. Everybody was waiting but I was in a good position. It was exciting because it was a really hot lap! Normally the top riders are really close, but this weekend even more so. You have many riders and three or four different bikes that can fight for the victory, so this makes it really important to start from the front row. Now we just wait for tomorrow. We hope the weather will stay like this. We have to improve some details and also the tyre choice will be very important, because all the three options are not so bad. It will be important to find the right way.
MAVERICK VIÑALES
MAVERICK VIÑALES
It was more difficult to be competitive compared to yesterday, but today we tried to give our best as always. We were focused more on riding with a heavy bike, so I had some issues when I pushed for a hot lap time, but anyway I think we can do well tomorrow. We still need to discuss the tyre choice with Michelin and the team. Starting from sixth is not bad, and for sure I will try to make a good start. I’ll be on the attack in the early laps and try to repeat what we’ve done in the practice sessions. We’ve worked a lot to prepare for the race, let’s see if it pays off. There are many riders with the same rhythm with different tyres, so it’s going to be an interesting race and tricky for sure. I know we can be there, if we work well tonight and choose the correct set-up.