Irwin’s Oulton Park Domination: Triple Delight For PBM Ducati

May 6, 2024

Irwin Triumphs in Thrilling Bennetts British Superbike Sprint Race at Oulton Park

Glenn Irwin claimed a stunning victory in the second sprint race of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship at Oulton Park, showcasing his skill and determination on his Hager PBM Ducati. The race was filled with intense battles and close competition throughout the field.

Irwin’s performance was nothing short of impressive, as he set the fastest lap of the race on lap 3 with a time of 1:33.755, securing an average speed of 102.60 mph. He crossed the finish line just 0.352 seconds ahead of Tommy Bridewell on the Honda Racing UK machine, who put up a strong fight for the top spot.

Christian Iddon, riding for Oxford Products Racing Ducati, completed the podium in third place, a mere 0.586 seconds behind Irwin. Iddon’s consistency was evident as he set the overall fastest lap of the race on lap 3 with a time of 1:33.727, showcasing his speed and skill on the Ducati.

The battle for fourth place was equally intense, with Danny Kent on the McAMS Racing Yamaha edging out Kyle Ryde on the OMG GRILLA Yamaha Racing by just 0.101 seconds. Ryde’s eighth-place start didn’t deter him from pushing hard, ultimately gaining three positions to finish fifth.

Jason O’Halloran, riding for Completely Motorbikes Kawasaki, had an impressive ride, moving up two positions from his starting spot to finish sixth. He was followed closely by Josh Brookes on the FHO Racing BMW Motorrad, who gained seven places from his starting position to cross the line in seventh.

Leon Haslam, onboard the ROKiT Haslam Racing BMW Motorrad, and Ryan Vickers, riding for OMG GRILLA Yamaha Racing, had a close battle for eighth and ninth positions, with Haslam ultimately taking eighth by just 0.270 seconds.

Rounding out the top ten was Max Cook on the Completely Motorbikes Kawasaki, who fought hard to maintain his position after starting from ninth on the grid.

In the Pirelli class, Lewis Rollo on the IN Competition / SENCAT Aprilia put in an impressive performance to finish 17th overall and first in his class, setting the fastest lap time of 1:35.482 for the Pirelli riders.

The race was not without incident, as Luke Hedger, riding for Whitecliffe CDH Racing Kawasaki, was forced to retire after just 5 laps due to a technical issue. Unfortunately, Dean Harrison on the Honda Racing UK machine was unable to start the race.

As the Bennetts British Superbike Championship continues, the competition remains fierce, with riders pushing their limits to secure valuable points and podium finishes. The next round promises to deliver even more exciting racing action as the riders battle it out for supremacy on the track.

Iddon Pushes Irwin to the Limit in Thrilling Bennetts British Superbike Race 3 at Oulton Park

The final race of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship at Oulton Park delivered an electrifying battle for the top spot, with Christian Iddon mounting a serious challenge to Glenn Irwin’s dominance. In the end, Irwin managed to hold off Iddon by a mere 0.128 seconds to claim his second victory of the weekend.

Iddon, riding for Oxford Products Racing Ducati, showcased his determination and skill throughout the 18-lap race, setting the fastest lap with a time of 1:33.712 on lap 6. Despite his best efforts, Irwin’s consistency and race craft allowed him to maintain the lead and secure maximum points.

Ryan Vickers, onboard the OMG GRILLA Yamaha Racing machine, completed the podium in third place, just 0.511 seconds behind Irwin. Vickers’ teammate, Kyle Ryde, unfortunately retired from the race after 10 laps while running in a strong position.

Danny Kent, riding for McAMS Racing Yamaha, finished in fourth place, closely followed by Leon Haslam on the ROKiT Haslam Racing BMW Motorrad. Tommy Bridewell, Jason O’Halloran, and Josh Brookes engaged in a fierce battle for sixth, seventh, and eighth positions, with Bridewell ultimately taking sixth.

Max Cook and Storm Stacey rounded out the top ten, both putting in solid performances on their Kawasaki machines.

In the Pathway class, Lewis Rollo once again showcased his skill and speed, finishing 18th overall and first in his class. Rollo also set the fastest lap time of the Pathway riders with a 1:35.999 on lap 4.

Peter Hickman and Brayden Elliott were forced to retire from the race due to technical issues, while Luke Hedger was unable to start the race.

Top 10 Results:

Glenn Irwin (Ducati)
Christian Iddon (Ducati)
Ryan Vickers (Yamaha)
Danny Kent (Yamaha)
Leon Haslam (BMW)
Tommy Bridewell (Honda)
Jason O’Halloran (Kawasaki)
Josh Brookes (BMW)
Max Cook (Kawasaki)
Storm Stacey (Kawasaki)

After the conclusion of Round 2 at Oulton Park, Glenn Irwin leads the championship standings with 74 points, followed closely by Ryan Vickers with 68 points and Christian Iddon with 67 points. The battle for the top spot remains intense, with Danny Kent and Kyle Ryde also in contention, sitting at 64 and 55 points, respectively.

In the Manufacturers’ Championship, Ducati leads with 77 points, just one point ahead of Yamaha. Honda and BMW are in third and fourth places, with 54 and 51 points, respectively.

As the Bennetts British Superbike Championship moves to the next round at Donington Park, fans can expect the competition to intensify further, with riders and teams pushing their limits to gain valuable points and close the gap in the championship standings.

En garde! Prêts? Allez! MotoGP descends on Le Mans

Frank Duggan

May 6, 2024

Draw your swords and ready for battle as the world’s most exciting sport arrives in Sarthe.

After their explosive coming together in Portugal, COTA offered a chance for more fireworks between reigning Champion Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) and eight-time World Champion Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™). Yet it wasn’t to be, as Bagnaia didn’t quite find the pace and Marquez found the limit. But come Jerez, the rivalry was still bubbling and this time round, the pace of each matched the other and only the other. Two riders, two very different statements at stake, and one top step of the podium. It was a clash of the titans, a battle for the ages, and all other superlatives besides. And Bagnaia came out on top.

TO ERR IS HUMAN, TO BOUNCE BACK SUBLIME
Every time the reigning Champion falters – as all will, one day – the questions seem to come quick, despite the #1 never having been lost for an answer. They did after the Americas GP too, but what an answer. Everything seemed written to deliver Marc Marquez a homecoming fairytale, yet the reigning Champion seems to have a response for the #93 that many don’t. He had to find one at Aragon in 2021 to take his maiden win, and he did it again in Jerez. First, elbows out and muscling his way back into the lead. Second, allowing the lunge to sail past him so he could put the hammer down, wring out that fastest lap on Lap 23 of 25, and then keep it on rails to remain unthreatened to the flag. It was a sublime reminder for any who may have needed it.

That said, after the turmoil Marquez has lived since Jerez 2020, there is sublime to be found even in defeat. A first dry weather podium since 2022, and first with Ducati, would have little right coming tenths behind the reigning Champion on the newer bike – and after both bettered the old lap record – if it were many other riders. So if Bagnaia answered some questions in Jerez, so did Marquez. And the pure enjoyment the #93 radiates at being there – back in the mix, readying that final throw of the dice or that divebomb for glory he’s said he has to try to allow himself to sleep at night? That’s its own statement. To his fans. To his rivals. To his enemies. It’s why he made one of the biggest rider moves in the history of the sport, and it’s paying off. He may be sixth overall but he’s 32 points off the top and he’s only getting quicker. Jerez was a sublime scalp for Bagnaia, but Marquez didn’t win eight Championships by never losing out. He won them by obliging his rivals to need sublime every single week.

ONWARDS & UPWARDS
Championship leader Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) remains so, however. The #89 was looking down the barrel of a potentially monumental points advantage on Sunday in Jerez, but a crash out the lead and the win for Bagnaia – who was ten points closer to him than Marc Marquez – leaves him nursing a much-reduced 17-point lead, and over the #1. It’s still very much Martin’s lead, however, and he’s got at least a little breathing space to try to iron out those scrappy moments and build it back up. Can he? Le Mans has never really been his track, but he’s the points leader for a reason and this season that’s from improved consistency more than pure explosive pace at every venue. Which he’ll likely have at plenty of circuits still to come…

Marco Bezzecchi (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team), meanwhile, was right back in the mix at Jerez – something that could be key after the Spanish GP was a tougher one last season. As the paddock heads for somewhere that was the opposite – Le Mans, a track he absolutely reigned in 2023 – Bezzecchi is likely feeling a lot more ready to rumble than he was on the tails of a tougher pre-season. Can the Italian cause some trouble – in the best way – at the front this time round too?

Elsewhere on Ducati machinery, Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) will be happier to have beaten Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team) to P4 in Jerez, but both will feel they belong closer to the podium, and Bastianini to the win after he’d previously had the advantage on Bagnaia. Franco Morbidelli (Prima Pramac Racing), meanwhile, has building pace but will want Sunday results – and Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) is looking for more too after his teammate got back on the podium at Jerez.

SHARK IN THE WATER
At KTM and GASGAS, there’s plenty to talk about, and first it has to be rookie Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3). A Sprint podium at Jerez in front of a rapturous crowd was another notable result, with the stage seemingly set for Sunday. But a big crash in Warm Up – rider ok – and then some adventures during the race saw him forced to fight back from down the order to complete the top ten. What does he have at Le Mans? Last year in Moto2™ it saw him make a mistake that still angered him by the flyaways – one his track record says he’s unlikely to repeat.

Meanwhile, Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) will want a smoother weekend after a couple of expensive tumbles of late, but Sunday at Jerez saw the South African take another good haul of points. He’s not here for that though, he’s here for glory. For Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) it’s a case of finding that staying power at the front, and for Augusto Fernandez (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) it’s try and replicate his storming performance to P4 in France last year.

ACE UP THEIR SLEEVE?
After his showstopper at COTA, Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) had a tougher Jerez. Conditions in qualifying put Aprilia on the back foot, then he was (one of many) Sprint crashers, and then he got beaten by Miguel Oliveira (Trackhouse Racing) on Sunday. But the Spanish GP probably isn’t a benchmark to judge COTA as an outlier. That will more likely come at venues like Catalunya, Silverstone, Misano, Phillip Island… and Le Mans? It wouldn’t be a shock to see Viñales pulling out another ace card in France. He knows what it takes to win at the venue, and under some serious pressure.

For Aleix Espargaro, meanwhile, it’s been a tougher season so far and Le Mans proves the next opportunity to start rebuilding that, just as at Trackhouse, it seems Oliveira did just that in Jerez. He came home as top Aprilia in the GP race and will want to build on that as silly season starts to ramp up, putting some pressure on the factory riders. Teammate Raul Fernandez also found some positives in Jerez but more will be sought in Sarthe as he aims for the top ten week in week out.

HOME HEROES LOOKING FOR MORE
Yamaha had a tougher Jerez, although there was a surprise – they would agree after a tough qualifying – result in the Sprint for Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) of P5 despite that penalty. Sunday was a tough one though as El Diablo could only rescue 1 point after starting right near the back, and teammate Alex Rins was ahead too.

At Le Mans, there will be the standard goals: improve their pace, work on that qualifying speed, get a better position on the grid as a starting point. But it’s also home turf for France’s first ever premier class World Champion and Quartararo will want to reward the crowd’s devotion – and most definitely beat his teammate this time around.

At Honda, there was talk of a new direction at the Jerez Test, and they put in plenty of laps. They’ll be hoping they can start to dig in and move forward, although there were some positives from the race weekend as Joan Mir (Repsol Honda Team) finished as top Honda in P12, ahead of both factory Yamahas. Still, Mir, teammate Luca Marini, Takaaki Nakagami (IDEMITSU Honda LCR) and Johann Zarco (CASTROL Honda LCR) want more. For Zarco too, a late crash in the Sprint robbed him of some good points, and Sunday saw some scuffles hampering his progress – so he’ll be absolutely pushing on home turf to give the fans a show.

The fans at Le Mans will most definitely reciprocate as the packed grandstands prepare to welcome MotoGP™ back to Sarthe. It’s a classic for a reason and with rivalries bubbling, the Championship gap closing and track records providing some interesting reason, you don’t want to miss it – so make sure to tune in for the Michelin® Grand Prix de France!

TISSOT SPRINT: 15:00 (UTC +2) on Saturday
GRAND PRIX RACE: 14:00 on Sunday

For more MotoGP info checkout our dedicated MotoGP News page

Or visit the official MotoGP website www.motogp.com

©Words/Images are from official press release posted courtesy of www.motogp.com

Moto2: Roberts in the hot seat on the road to Le Mans

Frank Duggan

May 6, 2024

It took a little longer than ,many thought it would, himself likely included, but Fermin Aldeguer (Folladore SpeedUp) finally pocketed a full fat 25 points on home turf to kick his title chase up a gear.

It was a flawless performance from the Spaniard, who now sits 15 points behind our new Moto2™ World Championship leader – Joe Roberts (OnlyFans American Racing). The American trumped Aldeguer to Moto2™ ride of the day – depending who you ask of course – in Jerez when he came from P11 on the grid to finish just 1.2s behind the race winner.

Roberts’ third consecutive P2 finish means he’s the first American to lead a Grand Prix World Championship since the late Nicky Hayden in 2006, and in Le Mans – a track he likes – it’ll be that first win he’s craving after an impressive run of three P2s on the bounce. Meanwhile, following a P4 in Jerez, former standings leader Sergio Garcia (MT Helmets – MSI) is now five points adrift of the Moto2™ summit heading to a track he won at in 2021 in the lightweight class… so the target will be clear.

It’ll be more than just the top three in the Championship who will be challenging at the front though. Manuel Gonzalez (QJMOTOR Gresini Moto2™) scored his second podium of the season in Jerez and is now P4 overall, ahead of Alonso Lopez (Folladore SpeedUp) who needs to rebound after a DNF. Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) won in France last year and will be hoping a P7 can be the catalyst he needs to properly get going in 2024.

For more Moto2 info checkout our dedicated Moto2 News page

Or visit the official MotoGP website motogp.com

©Words/Images are from official press release posted courtesy of www.motogp.com

Moto3: can Veijer and Ortola continue cutting the gap?

Frank Duggan

May 6, 2024

There won’t have been many people expecting anyone other than David Alonso (CFMoto Gaviota Aspar) to win the Spanish GP.

But that’s not how motorcycle racing plays out sometimes, and a surprise crash out the lead saw his pace fail to gain their just rewards. Instead, a rising star from The Netherlands won for a second time in Moto3™, as Collin Veijer (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) oozed class on his way to beating David Muñoz (BOE Motorsports) by 0.045s, propelling the Dutchman to P3 in the standings before landing in Le Mans.

Veijer sits one place ahead of Jerez’s third place finisher Ivan Ortola (MT Helmets – MSI), and one place behind 2023’s French GP winner – Daniel Holgado (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3). After a crash in Q2, the Spaniard had to settle for P7 on Sunday. But it’s a result that extended his advantage over Alonso as the latter “only” climbed his way back up to P11. Five points are better than zero, but the Colombian will be seeking to bury the disappointment in France… as Veijer and Ortola look to keep cutting the gap to the leading duo after their own early season dramas.

For more Moto3 info checkout our dedicated Moto3 News page

Or visit the official MotoGP website motogp.com

©Words/Images are from official press release posted courtesy of www.motogp.com

Schedule reveals key timings for EWC 8 Hours of Spa Motos

Frank Duggan

May 6, 2024

The timetable for the 8 Hours of Spa Motos, Belgium’s round of the FIM Endurance World Championship, is all set to deliver an action-packed weekend of EWC racing with two days against the clock to provide cost savings for the teams and an unmissable experience for the fans.

Run to an eight-hour format having been contested over 24 hours in 2022 and 2023, Spa’s EWC counter begins on Friday 7 June with Free Practice at 09h00 CET followed by First Qualifying from 13h15. Second Qualifying is scheduled to start at 17h00 after which the grid for the inaugural 8 Hours of Spa Motos will be formed.

A Pit Walk from 19h30-20h30 gives an opportunity for fans to get up close to the bikes and riders taking on the formidable challenge of the legendary 6.985-kilometre Circuit de Spa Francorchamps.

Day two of the 8 Hours of Spa Motos weekend begins with Warm-Up from 09h00-09h45 on Saturday 8 June. A second Pit Walk is scheduled from 11h00-11h45 ahead of the countdown to the big race, round two of the 2024 FIM Endurance World Championship season, getting under way at 12h00 prior to the start of the eight hours of EWC action from 13h00.

A summary of the key timings follows:

Friday 7 June
09h00-11h00: Free Practice
13h15-15h15: First Qualifying
17h00-19h00: Second Qualifying
19h30-20h30: Pit Walk

Saturday 8 June
09h00-09h45: Warm-Up
11h00-11h45: Pit Walk
13h00: Start of 8 Hours of Spa Motos
21h00: Finish of 8 Hours of Spa Motos

In addition to the race weekend, two Private Practice sessions are being organised on Thursday 6 June to provide the riders and their teams the chance to work on set-up and strategy for the 8 Hours of Spa Motos. The morning session runs from 09h00-11h00 with the afternoon running taking place between 13h00-17h55.

Malmedy parade and autograph signing to create exciting spectacle and a thrill for the fans
All motorcycles contesting the 8 Hours of Spa Motos will take part in a spectacular riding parade from Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps to the town of Malmedy on Wednesday 5 June. EWC riders will sign autographs for fans and pose for selfies before returning to the track. The parade gets under way at 16h00 with the autograph signing session from 16h30-18h00. The return journey begins at 18h00.

Details of ticket sales and more fan activities are available here: https://www.spamotos.com/en/

For more info check out our dedicated Endurance World Championship News page Endurance World Championship

or visit the official Endurance World Championship website fimewc.com

©Words/Images are from official press release posted courtesy of Endurance World Championship

Welcome to the future of MotoGP: new bikes in 2027

Frank Duggan

May 6, 2024

Safer, more sustainable and even more spectacular – get ready for more MotoGP™ than ever as new regulations land in 2027.

MotoGP™ will introduce new bikes from 2027, with new regulations set to make the sport safer, more sustainable and even more spectacular. The new machines will be more road relevant and more efficient, powering global sustainability, and are designed to create even better racing and even more overtaking. Welcome to the future of MotoGP™.

ENGINES
From 2027, engine size will be reduced from 1000cc to 850cc. This will decrease top speeds, making the sport safer, and increase mileage, making it more efficient and sustainable. The maximum bore will reduce from 81 to 75 millimetres, which will also limit performance. This makes the engines more road-relevant at the same time as ensuring they keep the characteristics that make MotoGP™ as spectacular as it is.

To make the sport even more efficient, the maximum number of engines allowed for each rider in a season will also reduce, from seven to six.

FUEL
As already announced, MotoGP™ will race with 100% sustainable fuel from 2027 – rising from the minimum 40% the sport has raced with since 2024. As part of the new regulations, fuel tank capacity will also reduce, from 22 litres to 20, and riders will be allowed to use 11 litres during the Tissot Sprint.

AERODYNAMICS
Aerodynamics will be reduced and more tightly controlled from 2027, with the aim of minimising their negative effects. The width of the top of the front fairing will be 50mm narrower and the nose will be pushed back 50mm, reducing the effect of aero where it matters, on the straights and the braking areas. This will create even closer racing, with even more overtaking.

At the back, the aero behind the rider will be part of the homologation from 2027, and teams will only be allowed to update that once per season to control costs.

RIDE-HEIGHT AND HOLESHOT DEVICES
In the new era from 2027, all ride-height and holeshot devices will be banned. That will control performance and make the sport safer, especially during race starts. This will also give even more importance to the skill of each rider, just like aero, is aimed at increasing their ability to overtake.

GPS DATA
To level the playing field even further, GPS data from all riders will be available to all teams after each session. Providing data to all competitors offers better opportunities to progress for the less performing teams and riders, and at a controlled cost. Access to this range of data will help make the sport safer, and it will also increase the level of insight available to fans around the world.

CONCESSIONS
The current concession system, introduced at the end of the 2023 season, will continue – but as the new technical regulations come into force in 2027, all manufacturers will start the season in Rank B. They will then be assessed again mid-season, in summer 2027, and can change rank up or down to have access to more or less concessions. This reactive system means manufacturers’ performance is taken into account from Day 1, keeping the playing field as close as possible as a new era begins.

For the riders, for the sport, for the show: MotoGP™ in 2027 will be safer, more sustainable, and even more spectacular than ever.

For more MotoGP info checkout our dedicated MotoGP News page

Or visit the official MotoGP website www.motogp.com

©Words/Images are from official press release posted courtesy of www.motogp.com

Pure Joy For Jonass And Everts as They Master The Mud at the MXGP of Portugal

Frank Duggan

May 6, 2024

The MXGP of Portugal saw the most challenging weather of the 2024 season yet, even more than it did for Saturday’s RAM Qualifying Races. The distinctive red dirt of the Crossodromo Internacional de Agueda continued to take a battering from the weather, and it put a chaotic spin on the established order of the series so far!

MXGP saw a monumental battle between the two five-time World Champions, Team HRC’s Tim Gajser and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing man Jeffrey Herlings, and the pair shared the two race wins. However, the jubilant overall victor was Pauls Jonass, who took second in both races to top the podium for Standing Construct Honda MXGP!

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing celebrated a stunning win for Liam Everts in a mud masterclass that begun from the first drop of the gate, and apart from a few yards of race two the Belgian led the racing throughout the day as he completed his first maximum point haul for his fifth Grand Prix win. He has now climbed the standings up to an amazing third place after missing the opening round of the season!

Reigning MXGP World Champion and red plate holder Jorge Prado suffered his worst start of the season yet for Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing in race one, as Gajser claimed his first Fox Holeshot Award of the campaign so far. Romain Febvre started in second for the Kawasaki Racing Team, but Jeffrey Herlings fought hard to advance to the lead, and took it with a stunning first lap move on Gajser!

The Slovenian was not letting it go, however, and as the rain lashed down on the best fight of the season so far, two of the most successful Motocross riders of all-time swapped the lead back and forth! At the end of lap four, series leader Prado hit the soaking wet ground before the finish line jump to drop out of fourth place! After stopping to change both goggles and gloves, the reigning Champion came home in an eventual 15th position.

All eyes, however, were on the battle for the lead, and on lap six it was the Honda man that made the move, firing around the outside of Herlings in decisive fashion! Jeffrey wasn’t done however, and started to get close to Gajser again, until suddenly his machine came to a stop and the frustrated Dutchman had to walk back to the pits with no points to show for his best performance of the year so far.

Febvre was lurking for the entire race but a mistake before the finish line jump, within sight of the chequered flag, cost him second place to a consistent Jonass right at the end of race one! Fantic Factory Racing duo Glenn Coldenhoff and Brian Bogers completed the top five in a great race for the team. Gajser’s win and Prado’s 15th meant that the Slovenian had taken the lead in the points table and was ahead by 12!

By race two, after extensive track work from the hard-working crew, the rain had eased slightly, but that only served to thicken up the mud and make it stick to the bikes! Gajser looked like he had grabbed the holeshot, but the Honda slid out from under him through the first corner, and he was clipped by Febvre on the way down! This meant he had to stop a few laps in to tear off a flapping front mudguard. Ultimately, he worked forward from 15th to 10th place at the flag.

Just as the fortune swung Prado’s way as he collected his seventh Fox Holeshot Award of the year, the Spaniard then hit the ground himself heading down the hill to the third corner! Looking in pain and not enjoying the conditions, the red plate was gone, and a recovery to 12th leaves him 14 points behind Gajser as they head to his home race at Lugo next weekend!

Meanwhile, Herlings had taken command and settled into a dominant rhythm that meant he couldn’t be caught. He won the 195th Grand Prix race of his career by 23.5 seconds from a thrilled Jonass, who had held onto second throughout. Febvre was a solid third, but got cross-rutted and fell on lap nine, losing the position to privateer Cornelius Toendel on the Schmicker Racing KTM! Febvre did briefly make a pass on the Norwegian, but Toendel didn’t let it go and passed the Frenchman back immediately, bringing it home for a wildly-celebrated third place finish!

Jonass’ victory was his 12th in Grand Prix racing, but his first in the MXGP class. His last victory had come nearly six whole years ago in MX2, and it was also the first MXGP victory for an independent team since Standing Construct won with Bogers back in July 2022! He moves to within six points of 4th-placed Herlings, with Febvre third, 18 behind Prado and 32 behind new leader Gajser.
The fight is still on!

Pauls Jonass: “This year, our main goal was to be consistent, enjoy my riding, enjoy racing. We work very hard in the winter time with the team and we improved a lot from last year and it’s paying off as, you can see the results! Now, it’s staying consistent! I really enjoyed the mud today. I hve to give amassive shout out to all the team, the sponsors and the supporters, my wife at home and I look forward to go home!

Romain Febvre: “I wouldn’t say that I stayed out of trouble this weekend but you know it was really tough condition, tough to ride for everybody. I took two good starts and in race 1 I was behind Tim (Gajser) and battled with him but with one lap to go, I passed the finish line and crashed, full of mud …crashed again before the finish line and lost the second place there. Then in the second race I hope Tim is okay after the start as he slid in front of me and I couldn’t avoid him entirely but in the end, I got third so I’m a bit disappointed as I feel I could have made it but overall picture it is very good for the championship“

MXGP – Race 1 – Top 10 Classification: 1. Tim Gajser (SLO, Honda), 36:39.323; 2. Pauls Jonass (LAT, Honda), +0:43.860; 3. Romain Febvre (FRA, Kawasaki), +1:13.584; 4. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, Fantic), +2:31.670; 5. Brian Bogers (NED, Fantic), +2:34.973; 6. Andrea Bonacorsi (ITA, Yamaha), +3:40.726; 7. Ben Watson (GBR, Beta), -1 lap(s); 8. Isak Gifting (SWE, Yamaha), -1 lap(s); 9. Jan Pancar (SLO, KTM), -1 lap(s); 10. Kevin Horgmo (NOR, Honda), -1 lap(s)

MXGP – Race 2 – Top 10 Classification 1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 38:10.525; 2. Pauls Jonass (LAT, Honda), +0:23.566; 3. Cornelius Toendel (NOR, KTM), +0:26.802; 4. Romain Febvre (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:41.415; 5. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Kawasaki), +1:27.318; 6. Kevin Horgmo (NOR, Honda), +1:36.669; 7. Brian Bogers (NED, Fantic), +1:59.540; 8. Andrea Bonacorsi (ITA, Yamaha), +2:09.959; 9. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, Yamaha), +2:14.879; 10. Tim Gajser (SLO, Honda), +2:37.624;

MXGP Overall – Top 10 Classification: 1. Pauls Jonass (LAT, HON), 44 points; 2. Romain Febvre (FRA, KAW), 38 p.; 3. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 36 p.; 4. Brian Bogers (NED, FAN), 30 p.; 5. Cornelius Toendel (NOR, KTM), 29 p.; 6. Andrea Bonacorsi (ITA, YAM), 28 p.; 7. Kevin Horgmo (NOR, HON), 26 p.; 8. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, FAN), 26 p.; 9. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 25 p.; 10. Alvin Östlund (SWE, HON), 20 p

MXGP World Championship – Top 10 Classification: 1. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 252 points; 2. Jorge Prado (ESP, GAS), 238 p.; 3. Romain Febvre (FRA, KAW), 220 p.; 4. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 198 p.; 5. Pauls Jonass (LAT, HON), 192 p.; 6. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, KAW), 157 p.; 7. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, YAM), 151 p.; 8. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, FAN), 149 p.; 9. Kevin Horgmo (NOR, HON), 108 p.; 10. Ben Watson (GBR, BET), 92 p

MXGP Manufacturers – Top 10 Classification: 1. Honda, 267 points; 2. GASGAS, 238 p.; 3. Kawasaki, 233 p.; 4. KTM, 210 p.; 5. Yamaha, 189 p.; 6. Fantic, 155 p.; 7. Beta, 97 p.; 8. Husqvarna, 20 p.

The conditions caused some serious problems for the MX2 pack and their hard-working smaller engines, but for Liam Everts it was just another day of Trials bike training as he spent most of the race up on the footpegs and picking his way through the morass in a stunning display of controlled riding.

Taking his first Fox Holeshot of the season in race one, Everts was tailed by Rick Elzinga, the Dutchman relishing the soft going for Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2, and championship chaser Simon Laengenfelder for Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing. Lucas Coenen tried a move on the German but the front wheel of the Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing machine dug in and he crashed for the first time, but certainly not the last!

His teammate Kay de Wolf was in a better position than on Saturday and picked his way steadily forward in the race. By lap nine, the series leader had got past his countryman Elzinga, and only lost two points to Laengenfelder by finishing third behind the GASGAS man. Behind Elzinga came his teammate Thibault Benistant, after a thrilling late battle with Andrea Adamo, who dropped his Red Bull KTM Factory Racing bike on the last lap after tangling with a lapped rider, but still finished sixth!

In race two, Everts was just beaten to the Fox Holeshot Award by Elzinga, but it didn’t last long as the Belgian eased into the lead through the second corner. JM Honda Racing man Hakon Osterhagen started well, but Adamo was down in a quagmire early on and could only recover to 7th.

Laengenfelder had advanced to second, looking like the only rider with a chance of matching Everts, but hit the ground hard on the first lap and immediately clutched his collarbone as he got back up. His race was over, and we await further news from the team about his participation at Lugo.

Osterhagen was in a strong second despite some ragged moments, but on lap eight the Norwegian fell down the order, finishing 19th for 14th overall. Elzinga brought the Yamaha home in a solid second, good enough for second overall, again just ahead of his teammate Benistant. The Frenchman had battled with Lucas Coenen and surprise package Jens Walvoort on the SB Racing KTM, but would finish fourth at the close. Third would go to Monster Energy Triumph Racing’s sole campaigner Mikkel Haarup, who lost his teammate Camden McLellan to injury on Saturday.

Walvoort was the last rider to not be lapped by Everts at the close, and his 10-5 finishes would be enough for 6th overall behind Adamo! De Wolf had struggled all race and would come home in 9th, but Laengenfelder’s DNF leaves him with a 30-point lead in the standings, while Everts has incredibly risen to third, 58 points behind the Dutchman!

With the first quarter of the Championships already completed, the series heads around 400 km north to the new venue of Lugo, where Jorge Prado’s army of fans will look to cheer him back to the ownership of the red plate, whilst MX2 remains as wild and unpredictable as ever!

Liam Everts: “It’s a real dream comes true to get a double race win, and maximum points with the RAM Qualifying also. It’s something really special. It’s an inconi venue again where my dad won many times. It’s cool, you know, I’m stoked and I couldn’t do that alone. Thanks to my family, the group around me and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing”

Rick Elzinga: “It is amazing and I’m very happy to get my first podium. I feel great right now! These conditions were tough but I grew up riding in the forest in conditions sometimes similar to trial so I feel that is a skill that helped today for sure!

Thibault Benistant: “To be on the podium for the second time in a row is a great achievement. Mainly as I still don’t feel entirely free n the bike. IT’s positive to see that I can still get good results and important as the season is long and consistency is vital but I really hope I can ride exactly as I want very soon.”

MX2 – Race 1 – Top 10 Classification: 1. Liam Everts (BEL, KTM), 35:04.844; 2. Simon Laengenfelder (GER, GASGAS), +0:05.880; 3. Kay de Wolf (NED, Husqvarna), +0:33.021; 4. Rick Elzinga (NED, Yamaha), +0:43.476; 5. Thibault Benistant (FRA, Yamaha), +0:48.204; 6. Andrea Adamo (ITA, KTM), +1:02.909; 7. Hakon Osterhagen (NOR, Honda), +1:44.217; 8. Sacha Coenen (BEL, KTM), +2:26.182; 9. Quentin Marc Prugnieres (FRA, Kawasaki), -1 lap(s); 10. Jens Walvoort (NED, KTM), -1 lap(s)

MX2 – Race 2 – Top 10 Classification: 1. Liam Everts (BEL, KTM), 38:19.181; 2. Rick Elzinga (NED, Yamaha), +1:21.173; 3. Mikkel Haarup (DEN, Triumph), +2:25.313; 4. Thibault Benistant (FRA, Yamaha), +2:28.797; 5. Jens Walvoort (NED, KTM), +2:50.885; 6. Quentin Marc Prugnieres (FRA, Kawasaki), -1 lap(s); 7. Andrea Adamo (ITA, KTM), -1 lap(s); 8. Lucas Coenen (BEL, Husqvarna), -1 lap(s); 9. Kay de Wolf (NED, Husqvarna), -1 lap(s); 10. Oriol Oliver (ESP, KTM), -1 lap(s)

MX2 Overall – Top 10 Classification: 1. Liam Everts (BEL, KTM), 50 points; 2. Rick Elzinga (NED, YAM), 40 p.; 3. Thibault Benistant (FRA, YAM), 34 p.; 4. Kay de Wolf (NED, HUS), 32 p.; 5. Andrea Adamo (ITA, KTM), 29 p.; 6. Jens Walvoort (NED, KTM), 27 p.; 7. Quentin Marc Prugnieres (FRA, KAW), 27 p.; 8. Mikkel Haarup (DEN, TRI), 23 p.; 9. Simon Laengenfelder (GER, GAS), 22 p.; 10. Lucas Coenen (BEL, HUS), 18 p.

MX2 World Championship – Top 10 Classification: 1. Kay de Wolf (NED, HUS), 246 points; 2. Simon Laengenfelder (GER, GAS), 216 p.; 3. Liam Everts (BEL, KTM), 188 p.; 4. Thibault Benistant (FRA, YAM), 185 p.; 5. Lucas Coenen (BEL, HUS), 171 p.; 6. Andrea Adamo (ITA, KTM), 168 p.; 7. Rick Elzinga (NED, YAM), 159 p.; 8. Mikkel Haarup (DEN, TRI), 154 p.; 9. Camden Mc Lellan (RSA, TRI), 126 p.; 10. Sacha Coenen (BEL, KTM), 104 p

MX2 Manufacturers – Top 10 Classification: 1. Husqvarna, 256 points; 2. KTM, 243 p.; 3. GASGAS, 218 p.; 4. Yamaha, 207 p.; 5. Triumph, 179 p.; 6. Kawasaki, 102 p.; 7. Honda, 75 p.; 8. Fantic, 62 p.; 9. TM, 16 p

MXGP OF PORTUGAL QUICK FACTS:
Circuit length: 1630m
Type of ground: Hard Pack
Temperature: 15°
Weather conditions: Rainy

For more news check out our dedicated MXGP/MX2 News page

Or visit the official MXGP website mxgp.com

©Words/Images are from official press release posted courtesy of www.mxgp.com

PBM Ducati’s Irwin Reigns Supreme in Oulton Park Thriller

Matt Anthony

May 5, 2024

Glenn Irwin stamped his authority on the second round of the 2024 Bennetts British Superbike Championship, dominating proceedings at the undulating Oulton Park circuit. After narrowly missing out on pole position in qualifying, the Ducati rider made no mistakes in race one, leading from start to finish in a commanding performance.

Irwin blasted off the line from his second-place grid slot, quickly establishing a lead that he would never relinquish. As the laps ticked by, his advantage only grew, eventually crossing the line over a second clear of nearest rival Christian Iddon.

Iddon’s Oxford Products Ducati ran a lonely second, unable to make any inroads into Irwin’s blistering pace but comfortably ahead of the battle for the final podium position. That honour went to polesitter Kyle Ryde, who made full use of his prime starting spot aboard the OMG Grilla Yamaha.

Defending champion Tommy Bridewell overcame a disappointing qualifying to salvage fourth, keeping his Honda machine ahead of the hard-charging Ryan Vickers and Danny Kent on the McAMS Yamaha.

While Irwin romped to victory out front, a captivating scrap for the remaining top ten positions unfolded. Jason O’Halloran headed that group in seventh, fending off the BMWs of Rory Skinner, Josh Brookes, and Leon Haslam in an enthralling four-way tussle.

The race was not without its share of drama and attrition. Max Cook and Storm Stacey were among the non-finishers, joining the likes of Billy McConnell on the retirements list.

But at the front, it was Irwin’s day. With his first win of the season now under his belt, the PBM Ducati star served notice of his title credentials at the first of the year’s triple-headers. As the paddock resets for tomorrow’s two races, Irwin will undoubtedly start as the rider to beat on the evidence of his Oulton Park masterclass.

Flying Finn Salmela charges hard to ignite FIM JuniorGP title bid in Estoril

Frank Duggan

May 5, 2024

Six races in Portugal didn’t disappoint as mixed weather conditions throw up some surprise results at the Circuito do Estoril.

Rain, sun, then a bit more rain was the order of the day as a fascinating day of FIM JuniorGP™ World Championship played out at the Circuito do Estoril, with debut winners emerging from the tricky conditions. Rico Salmela (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP Junior Team) became a JuniorGP™ winner for the first time as Carlos Cano (SeventyTwo ARTBOX Racing Team) doubled up in the European Talent Cup, while Mattia Casadei (Team Ciatti – Boscoscuro) and Roberto Garcia (Fantic Cardoso Racing) shared the spoils in Moto2™. Meanwhile, in the Stock race, Adrian Rodriguez (SF Racing) became a winner in the class for the very first time.

FIM JuniorGP
With the rain stopping an hour or so before JuniorGP™ lights out, large parts of the Estoril surface had dried up as mixed tyre options were selected for the only race of the day. Jesus Rios (MRE Talent) and Casey James O’Gorman (Team Estrella Galicia 0,0) were two of the top riders who opted for at least one wet tyre, but the eventual podium finishers all went for slick front, slick rear.

Salmela wasn’t in the fight for the podium at the start, but the Finn bridged the gap rapidly and once he hit the front, there was no looking back. O’Gorman suffered a late crash out of P2 just as the Irishman was piling on the pressure, which left polesitter Cormac Buchanan (AGR Team) and Marcos Uriarte (CFMOTO Aspar Junior Team) to squabble over P2 and P3. In the end, Salmela won by 2.5s as Uriarte pipped third place Buchanan to P2. Rios crossed the line in P26 to pick up no points from Estoril as he aims to bounce back on home turf in Barcelona next time out.

Moto2 European Championship
Race 1 was all about Casadei’s wet weather dance to a commanding victory as the Italian sailed to his first 25 points in the class. 12 seconds was his advantage at the chequered flag over second place Jorge Navarro (Forward EEST Racing), the experienced Spaniard picking up a podium in his first outing, as Taiga Hada (GAS UP Racing Team) returned to the rostrum for the first time since 2021 with a well earned P3.

Race 2 saw contrasting conditions emerge as a dry race unfolded, with Garcia producing a scintillating comeback to claim a debut win from P15. Casadei didn’t have an answer for the Spaniard in the afternoon but a P2 – and 45 more points – sees him take the Championship lead into Round 3. Third place went to Alberto Ferrandez (Finetwork Team), that’s his second podium of the season, with Alberto Surra (Team Ciatti – Boscoscuro) crashing out in Race 2 as the Italian endures a tougher weekend at the office in Estoril.

European Talent Cup
It was wet, but it was a wonderful performance from Cano in the opening European Talent Cup race of the day as the young Spaniard proved a ray of sunshine amid the miserable Estoril conditions on Sunday morning. The #71 went from pole to the top step in Portugal with almost six seconds in his back pocket as Misano victor Marco Morelli (MLav Racing) settled for second, with Fernando Bujosa (Team Estrella Galicia 0,0) coming through the long lap penalty loop and some stiff competition for the final podium place. Victory saw Cano move to within 20 points of title leader Morelli, with a second race to come.

It was a case of same outcome, different circumstances in Race 2 as Cano made it a perfect Portuguese weekend with another win, but this time it was much closer than a few hours earlier. In the dry conditions, the top 10 crossed the line 0.9s apart in a brilliant ETC encounter that saw Jesus Torres (Team Estrella Galicia 0,0) and Valentine Perrone (Frando Racing VHC Team) stand on the rostrum for the first time in 2024. After Morelli crashed out in Race 2, Cano tops the Championship heading to Barcelona.

Stock European Championship
In the final race of the day, drama was delivered in spades. Rodriguez came from P4 to take a maiden Stock Championship victory in a restarted race, with Iker Garcia (Yamaha GV Racing) and Francisco Ruiz (DR Andifer Team) debuting on the podium in the class.

Having seen the track dry out after morning rain, the heavens opened once more after just three laps, with polesitter and then race leader Dino Iozzo (IUM Motorsports) highsiding and hitting the deck coming out of Turn 9. The red flags waved and the race restarted, but without the South African on pole as he and teammate Declan Van Rosmalen launched from pitlane after deciding not to go out with the rest of the field. That left Rodriguez unobstructed as he got the perfect launch, though Garcia, Ruiz and Alex Millan (Team Zivimotor) all took turns in the lead.

It was a tight-knit quartet until the final lap, when Rodriguez then posted the best race lap as he stole a march to victory, with Millan the one to lose out in an entertaining podium battle. Lorenzo Dall Porta (Yamaha GV Racing), Misano winner and current Championship leader, came home in a lonely P5 to preserve his lead.

What a weekend in Estoril! New winners emerge as Barcelona for Round 3 now appears on the horizon.

For more info checkout our dedicated FIM JuniorGP™ news page superbike-news.co.uk/cev-repsol/

You can also find all the results, videos, photos and information regarding the championship on the official website: www.fimjuniorgp.com/en

RAM Qualifying Race Wins For Gajser And Everts Through Tough Conditions In Portugal

Frank Duggan

May 4, 2024

In the end the rain had to come to us for the first time in 2024, but despite the muddy conditions the racing was still red hot at the MXGP of Portugal, and the fans added their voice to the atmosphere for the RAM Qualifying Races here at Agueda! Through the squally showers that made the track soft, wet, and heavily rutted, Tim Gajser worked his way to a clear victory in MXGP for Team HRC, taking his second Saturday win of the season and closing the gap at the top of the points table! That was after the MX2 race was won by a clinical performance from Liam Everts of Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, which helps him move up the standings to 6th in the class.

World Championship leader Jorge Prado had kept his many fans from this part of the world happy with the fastest time in Free Practice for Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing, but an old enemy resurfaced as Jeffrey Herlings rose to the fore in worsening conditions to claim the first gate pick for the RAM Qualifying Race on his Red Bull KTM Factory Racing machine. Prado was just behind him, three quarters of a second back, whilst Isak Gifting was a great third for JK Yamaha Racing.

The heavy rain caused many riders to decline the chance of a sighting lap, although the top four in the Championship – Prado, Gajser, Kawasaki Racing Team’s Romain Febvre, and Herlings, all made the decision to go out and check the circuit. Perhaps it was no surprise, then, that those four riders bolted quickly into the lead from the drop of the gate, Gajser just edging the holeshot before running too wide in the second corner and allowing Prado and Herlings through.

The three multi-champions knew that track position was paramount, and an aggressive move from Herlings on Prado in the fifth corner looked to have given him the lead. That was for a split-second, as Gajser pulled a stunning outside-to-inside move at the same time and passed both of his rivals in one fell swoop!

The Slovenian, Prado’s closest title challenger, took advantage of his clear vision and began to pull away, but vision seemed to be an issue for the red plate holder, as he lost positions steadily over the first few laps and looked to be telling his team that he would come in for a goggle change. That change never happened, however, and the reigning Champion had his second difficult RAM Qualifying Race in succession. Unlike in Trentino, he did score points, but only 4 this time for a 7th place finish.

Many riders struggled in the mud, but the leading trio of Gajser, Herlings, and Febvre kept it upright throughout to finish in that order, although Herlings put on a charge to draw to within two and a half seconds of the Honda as Gajser encountered the lapped riders first.

Calvin Vlaanderen moved forward steadily for Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing MXGP up to a season-best 4th position, with Pauls Jonass for Standing Construct Honda and Fantic Factory Racing’s Glenn Coldenhoff finishing 5th and 6th despite both men tipping over in separate incidents.

The six-point gain for Gajser nearly halved his deficit to Prado in the standings, hacking the Spaniard’s lead down to just seven points as we head into what could be a wild day of racing on Sunday!

Tim Gajser: “I had a good start but I went too wide so Jorge (Prado) passed me from inside and then also Jeffrey (Herlings) was also really aggressive for the first couple of corners but I knew I had to pass immediately. I was just going out and cutting and then I surprised both of them and took the lead. I was leading quite comfortable but when we started to get to the lappers it was mainly one line so it was not easy to pass but overall I’m very happy and I hope we can do the same tomorrow”

MXGP – RAM Qualifying Race – Top 10 Classification:1. Tim Gajser (SLO, Honda), 26:06.844; 2. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), +0:02.361; 3. Romain Febvre (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:29.633; 4. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, Yamaha), +1:41.737; 5. Pauls Jonass (LAT, Honda), +1:44.603; 6. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, Fantic), +1:46.635; 7. Jorge Prado (ESP, GASGAS), +2:09.401; 8. Alvin Östlund (SWE, Honda), +2:11.193; 9. Isak Gifting (SWE, Yamaha), +2:15.984; 10. Benoit Paturel (FRA, Yamaha), +2:19.641

MXGP – World Championship – Top 10 Classification: 1. Jorge Prado (ESP, GAS), 223 points; 2. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 216 p.; 3. Romain Febvre (FRA, KAW), 182 p.; 4. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 173 p.; 5. Pauls Jonass (LAT, HON), 148 p.; 6. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, KAW), 141 p.; 7. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, YAM), 138 p.; 8. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, FAN), 123 p.; 9. Valentin Guillod (SUI, HON), 88 p.; 10. Kevin Horgmo (NOR, HON), 82 p

The Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing flyer Lucas Coenen topped the timesheets in both Free Practice and the slightly drier Time Practice session in MX2. The Belgian was a stunning 1.7 seconds in front of Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 rider Rick Elzinga, with Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing starSimon Laengenfelder in third.

The track had taken a lot of rain, however, before the MX2 RAM Qualifying Race fired into life, and Lucas Coenen once more led the way from Elzinga, with JM Honda Racing’s Hakon Osterhagen making an audacious move on Sacha Coenen to put the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider back into 4th.

Heading towards the finish line area for the first time caused all sorts of issues for the pack, as Sacha Coenen tangled with his teammate Andrea Adamo and came off worse, hitting the ground. His brother Lucas then crashed out of the lead on an uphill slope, causing his Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing teammate Kay de Wolf to run off the circuit briefly! On rejoining the track, the red plate holder collided with Elzinga’s teammate Thibault Benistant, and two of the top three men in the Championship were on the floor!

Elzinga now led from Osterhagen, but the teenage Norwegian’s dream start nearly fell apart on lap two as he swerved off the track on a jump face, allowing Liam Everts to inherit second place. Osterhagen recovered to stay in third until the finish.

On the third lap, Everts made a smooth move past Elzinga to take the lead, and with all the trials experience and the natural balance associated with his surname, the #72 kept up the momentum from his overall win at Trentino and built a margin of 28 seconds over Elzinga by the finish. It was Liam’s first ever RAM Qualifying Race win, and in fact all of the top three collected their career-best Saturday finishes in MX2 Grand Prix racing.

Behind them, Simon Laengenfelder took advantage of a further crash for Lucas Coenen to claim 4th ahead of the Belgian, with Dutch privateer Jens Walvoort of the KTM SB Racing team taking a lifetime best of 6th! Benistant recovered to 8th behind the F&H Racing Team Kawasaki of Quentin Prugnieres, with TM Moto Steels Dr Jack‘s Yago Martinez a remarkable 9th on his ahead of series leader De Wolf, who suffered another crash but still claimed a single point.

This leaves the Dutchman with a reduced 20-point lead over Laengenfelder in the standings, while Lucas Coenen has just moved up to third by two points from Benistant. As with the MXGP class though, it would take bravery to bet on the outcome of tomorrow’s Grand Prix races as the weather could play havoc with the Championship contenders again!

Liam Everts: “I got a good jump out of the gate. It was muddy you know so got to wrestle all over the track and I knew I had to be aggressive for the first laps and that’s what I did. I almost went down a few times but I managed to keep up. Once I found my rhythm I felt very good and did some trial riding!”

MX2 – RAM Qualifying Race – Top 10 Classification: 1. Liam Everts (BEL, KTM), 25:08.445; 2. Rick Elzinga (NED, Yamaha), +0:28.052; 3. Hakon Osterhagen (NOR, Honda), +0:34.794; 4. Simon Laengenfelder (GER, GASGAS), +0:59.219; 5. Lucas Coenen (BEL, Husqvarna), +1:03.019; 6. Jens Walvoort (NED, KTM), +1:04.781; 7. Quentin Marc Prugnieres (FRA, Kawasaki), +1:09.816; 8. Thibault Benistant (FRA, Yamaha), +1:28.326; 9. Yago Martinez (ESP, TM), +1:30.974; 10. Kay de Wolf (NED, Husqvarna), +1:35.924

MX2 – World Championship – Top 10 Classification: 1. Kay de Wolf (NED, HUS), 214 points; 2. Simon Laengenfelder (GER, GAS), 194 p.; 3. Lucas Coenen (BEL, HUS), 153 p.; 4. Thibault Benistant (FRA, YAM), 151 p.; 5. Andrea Adamo (ITA, KTM), 139 p.; 6. Liam Everts (BEL, KTM), 138 p.; 7. Mikkel Haarup (DEN, TRI), 131 p.; 8. Camden Mc Lellan (RSA, TRI), 126 p.; 9. Rick Elzinga (NED, YAM), 119 p.; 10. Marc-Antoine Rossi (FRA, GAS), 101 p

MXGP OF PORTUGAL QUICK FACTS:
Circuit length: 1630m
Type of ground: Hard Pack
Temperature: 15°
Weather conditions: Rainy

TIMETABLE

SUNDAY: 09:45 EMX125 Race 2, 10:25 MX2 Warm-up, 10:45 MXGP Warm-up, 11:30 EMX250 Race 2, 13:15 MX2 Race 1, 14:15 MXGP Race 1, 16:10 MX2 Race 2, 17:10 MXGP Race 2.

For more news check out our dedicated MXGP/MX2 News page

Or visit the official MXGP website mxgp.com

©Words/Images are from official press release posted courtesy of www.mxgp.com

Irwin Leads the Way at Oulton Park

Matt Anthony

May 4, 2024

Oulton Park, the second round of the 2024 Bennetts British Superbike Championship roared into action today at the undulating Oulton Park circuit. Under cloudy but dry conditions, the superbike field took to the track for their first two free practice sessions.

In the opening FP1 session, it was Glenn Irwin who set the early pace aboard his Ducati, posting a 1:34.053 lap time. Jason O’Halloran, Ryan Vickers, and Leon Haslam gave chase, slotting into the top four positions. However, the session was plagued by numerous track limits violations, with many riders having lap times disallowed for exceeding the limits or course cutting at the notorious Turns 10-12 complex.

As the afternoon FP2 session got underway, Irwin reasserted his dominance, blazing to an incredible 1:33.622 – the outright fastest time of the day. Honda’s Tommy Bridewell, Vickers, and Haslam completed the top four in that session, with more track limits infractions continuing to hamper some riders’ progress.

When the combined times were calculated, it was the Ducati pilot Irwin who led the way overall with his FP1 time of 1:34.053. Bridewell, Vickers, the BMW-mounted Haslam, and Ducati’s Christian Iddon rounded out the top five ahead of tomorrow’s crucial qualifying session.

Top 10 Combined Times:

Glenn Irwin (Ducati) – 1:34.053
Tommy Bridewell (Honda) – 1:34.452
Ryan Vickers (Yamaha) – 1:34.216
Leon Haslam (BMW) – 1:34.419
Christian Iddon (Ducati) – 1:34.566
Jason O’Halloran (Kawasaki) – 1:34.172
Danny Kent (Yamaha) – 1:34.340
Storm Stacey (Kawasaki) – 1:35.006
Rory Skinner (BMW) – 1:35.243
Kyle Ryde (Yamaha) – 1:34.312

While the on-track action was intense, there was one significant incident as Louis Valleley’s NP Racing Kawasaki suffered an engine failure, causing the rider to crash out of FP2. Aside from Valleley’s unfortunate exit, no other major incidents were reported through the day’s two sessions.

Debut poles secured on a rainy Saturday in Estoril

Frank Duggan

May 4, 2024

Buchanan, Cano, Casadei and Iozzo earn their first pole positions during a weather affected qualifying afternoon in Portugal

Rain and fog may have caused some unwanted delays on qualifying day in Estoril but once the action resumed, it didn’t disappoint. Cormac Buchanan (AGR Team) claimed a debut FIM JuniorGP™ World Championship pole, with Carlos Cano (SeventyTwo ARTBOX Racing Team) boasting the same in the European Talent Cup. Mattia Casadei (Fantic Cardoso Racing) bagged a first Saturday P1 in the Moto2™ European Championship too while Dino Iozzo (IUM Motorsports) will launch from pole in the Stock class.

FIM JuniorGP
15 minutes in the wet weather provided an intriguing Q2 in Estoril as Buchanan went on to bag pole by a substantial 0.5s, with Casey James O’Gorman (Team Estrella Galicia 0,0) earning a P2 to hand himself a first front row start in the class. Completing the front row will be Championship leader Jesus Rios (MRE Talent), the rookie 0.7s shy from pole as he aims to leave Estoril still sitting top of the title chase tree.

Facundo Llambias (Team Estrella Galicia 0,0) spearheads Row 2 in P4 as the Uruguayan acts as another rider to pocket a personal best qualifying result. The same can be said for fifth place Danial Sharil (Asia Talent Team). P5 is the Malaysian’s best Saturday score so far, as Marcos Uriarte (CFMOTO Aspar Junior Team) rounds out the top six – that’s the Spaniard’s equal best qualifying.

Moto2 European Championship
Casadei proved to be unstoppable in Moto2™ ECh Q2 as the Italian stormed to a debut pole in the class by a whopping 1.7s. Taiga Hada (GAS UP Racing Team) was the only rider to get within three seconds – yes, three! – of the number 40, with Hada in turn 1.6s clear of third place Eduardo Montero (PS Racing). The latter duo line up on the front row for the first time in the class after an impressive qualifying, while Championship leader Alberto Surra (Team Ciatti – Boscoscuro) – after an early crash – will have to climb his way through the pack from P17 on the grid.

European Talent Cup
Cano’s 2:03.135 was in a different league to anyone else’s lap time as the Spaniard dominated his qualifying group to earn his first pole position. Frando Racing VHC Team’s Valentin Perrone will launch from the middle of the front row in P2 after topping Group A qualifying, with third on the grid going the way of Vasileios Panteleakis (AC Racing Team) – the Greek rider securing his first front row start in ETC.

Stock European Championship
A slender 0.070s split Iozzo and Iker Garcia (Yamaha GV Racing) at the end of Stock Q2 as three different nationalities line up on the front row for Sunday’s race. Italy’s Lorenzo Dalla Porta (Yamaha GV Racing) claimed P3 and was only 0.161s away from pole position in a closely fought wet session in Estoril, can the Championship leader claim another win on Sunday?

So that’s qualifying day done at the Circuito do Estoril. The race schedule for Sunday can be seen below as six more races await – tune in!

Sunday 5th May (UTC +1):

11:00 – ETC Race 1

12:00 – Moto2™ ECh Race 1

13:00 – JuniorGP™ Race

14:00 – ETC Race 2

15:00 – Moto2™ ECh Race 2

16:00 – Stock Race

For more info checkout our dedicated FIM JuniorGP™ news page superbike-news.co.uk/cev-repsol/

You can also find all the results, videos, photos and information regarding the championship on the official website: www.fimjuniorgp.com/en

Irwin and Bridewell separated by 0.237s at the top of the times at Oulton Park

Frank Duggan

May 4, 2024

Glenn Irwin held off Tommy Bridewell by 0.237s to top the Bennetts British Superbike Championship combined free practice times at Oulton Park, with the Hager PBM Ducati rider setting a pace just 0.002s adrift of the lap record.

Bridewell had led the times into the final ten minutes of the session, but Irwin was able to move back ahead in the closing minutes at the Cheshire circuit and hold the edge to the chequered flag.

Championship leader Ryan Vickers was third fastest despite a small crash at Hizzys, leading the OMG GRILLA Yamaha Racing charge whilst his teammate Kyle Ryde was tenth fastest.

Leon Haslam also bounced back from a crash to post the fourth fastest time for the ROKiT Haslam Racing BMW Motorrad team with Christian Iddon and Jason O’Halloran completing the top six, with five different manufacturers featuring inside the leading six positions.

Danny Kent moved up the order into seventh for McAMS Racing Yamaha ahead of their home round this weekend with just 0.006s separating him from Storm Stacey on the LKQ Euro Car Parts Kawasaki.

Cheshire Mouldings BMW Motorrad’s Rory Skinner was ninth on his return to Oulton Park, whilst Peter Hickman and Max Cook completed the top 12 riders who progress automatically into tomorrow’s Q2 session.

Bennetts British Superbike Championship, Oulton Park, combined Free Practice times:

Bennetts British Superbike Championship, Oulton Park, combined Free Practice times:

Glenn Irwin (Hager PBM Ducati) 1m:33.622s
Tommy Bridewell (Honda Racing UK) +0.237s
Ryan Vickers (OMG GRILLA Yamaha Racing) +0.247s
Leon Haslam (ROKiT Haslam Racing BMW Motorrad) +0.274s
Christian Iddon (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) +0.313s
Jason O’Halloran (Completely Motorbikes Kawasaki) +0.324s
Danny Kent (McAMS Racing Yamaha) +0.579s
Storm Stacey (LKQ Euro Car Parts Kawasaki) +0.585s
Rory Skinner (Cheshire Mouldings BMW Motorrad) +0.597s
Kyle Ryde (OMG GRILLA Yamaha Racing) +0.599s
Peter Hickman (FHO Racing BMW Motorrad) +0.663s
Max Cook (Completely Motorbikes Kawasaki) +0.947s

For more info check out our dedicated British Superbikes News page

Or visit the official Bennetts British Superbike Championship website www.britishsuperbike.com

©Words/Images are from official press release posted courtesy of www.britishsuperbike.com

R&G And Eazi-Grip Announce New Strategic Partnership

Frank Duggan

May 3, 2024

Hampshire-based R&G and fellow British brand Eazi-Grip are proud to announce a new strategic partnership, beginning with immediate effect.

The new collaboration will see Eazi-Grip’s industry-leading range of products bolstered via R&G’s extensive global distributor network as well as made available to riders, teams, and visitors at British Superbikes through the R&G Technical Centre.

As two of the leading premium aftermarket motorcycle accessory brands in the UK, this new strategic partnership will help strengthen both R&G’s and Eazi-Grip’s offerings even further. The collaboration will see the two work together to prioritise the rapid development of their ranges for the latest machines as they hit the market.

R&G will be stocking and distributing, on an off-the-shelf basis, Eazi-Grip’s market-leading ranges, starting with its ‘Evo’ and ‘Pro’ Tank Grips, which are used and respected globally by top race teams and many thousands of leisure riders, on both road and track. These products will also be made available via R&G’s extensive global network of distributors and dealers, while R&G will also help bolster new releases and marketing campaigns.

With a large presence in the Bennetts British Superbike Championship, R&G will also be adding the Eazi-Grip tank grips to the R&G Technical Centre, which features at all eleven rounds of the series, ensuring they are available to all riders, teams, and members of the public who visit.

Simon Hughes, Managing Director of R&G, said, “We are thrilled that Eazi-Grip has chosen to partner with us and look forward to this being one of our leading distributed brands, alongside Denali and Barkbusters, and, of course, R&G!”

Andy Sherlock, Works Director of Eazi-Grip, said, “Our companies have long admired each other’s success and see a lot of synergies, and so this is a logical and exciting move for us.”

Jack Taylor, Race & Sponsorship Manager at R&G, said “Eazi-Grip’s products are very highly regarded in the racing world, and we look forward to increasing their visibility in paddocks worldwide, be that in BSB, WSBK, MotoAmerica or MotoGP.”

For more R&G news check out our dedicated page R&G News

For more information on R&G Racing products visit rg-racing.com

Bag a bank holiday bargain with £500 off Suzuki GSX-R and GSX-S125

Frank Duggan

May 3, 2024

Suzuki has announced a new offer on its GSX-R and GSX-S125 machines, with customers able to save £500 off the learner-legal machines.

Launching this bank holiday weekend and running until 30 June, it makes it even easier for those looking to get onto two wheels this summer.

As a result, the GSX-S125 street bike costs £4,499, with its racier sibling costing £4,699 OTR.

Both bikes produce an L-plate-friendly 15PS to adhere to licence laws, with a single-cylinder engine that revs cleanly and freely to its top end thanks to its DOHC design.

Housed in a featherweight chassis – the GSX-S weighs just 135kg, wet – both bikes are sporty and agile, as well as being confidence-inspiring and easy to manage.

The GSX-R125 uses keyless ignition, both are equipped with Suzuki’s easy-start system, and come with a manufacturer three-year warranty.

Find out more about Suzuki’s current offers, here.

For more Suzuki GB news check out our dedicated page Suzuki GB News

For more information on Suzuki Bikes GB visit bikes.suzuki.co.uk/bikes/

Updated colours for Suzuki V-Strom 1050 and V-Strom 1050 Tour

Frank Duggan

May 3, 2024

Suzuki has released four new colour options for its venerable V-Strom 1050 and the luggage-equipped V-Strom 1050 Tour.

Both variants of the adventure machine will come in a striking new, bright orange with black infill panels and black wheels. Buyers looking for a more stealth option can choose a gloss black version with grey and black accents and blue cast aluminium wheels.

Also equipped with the blue wheels are an updated grey version and a revised trademark blue colour scheme.

The V-Strom 1050 and 1050 Tour feature an electronics package that includes cruise control, a bi-directional quickshifter, lean angle-sensitive ABS, three modes of traction control and three selectable engine power maps, with all information displayed via a colour TFT screen. They’re powered by Suzuki’s proven 1037cc V-twin engine.

The Tour models include three-piece aluminium luggage as standard – in silver or black – which provide 112 litres of storage capacity.

Both models are also currently available with just 4.9% APR representative finance, on PCP and HP with no deposit required.

For more information on Suzuki’s adventure bike range, click here.

For more Suzuki GB news check out our dedicated page Suzuki GB News

For more information on Suzuki Bikes GB visit bikes.suzuki.co.uk/bikes/

REV’IT! opens first brand store in Denver, USA

Frank Duggan

May 3, 2024

REV’IT! opened its first physical store in the heart of Denver, Colorado in the United States.

With a 6,204 square-foot (576m²) store in the up-and-coming Denver RiNo Arts District, the Dutch brand is looking to provide a place where creativity, cutting-edge design, good stories, and even better friendships meet.

Creating seamless experiences across physical and digital spaces, REV’IT! seeks to serve motorcycle enthusiasts around the world in the best possible way. To complement the existing dealer network in the physical space, REV’IT! proudly announces the opening of its first brand store. With REV’IT! Denver as the global premiere, the Dutch brand can now offer riders the full REV’IT! experience under its own roof, in a purpose-designed retail space.

The United States represents one of the key markets globally for REV’IT!. Both for the advanced level of the motorcycle industry in general, and in terms of the opportunity to further grow presence and interaction with the riding communities. The location of REV’IT!’s very first brand store in Denver, Colorado, the outdoor capital of the world, has been carefully selected to allow to not only serve the Denver riding community, but be an active part of it. The upbeat, innovative, and adventurous vibe of the RiNo district is expected to play a major part in that.

Iain Howe, Global Marketing Director at REV’IT!: “Obviously having our own retail space is a significant step for our brand. We have designed the space to embody our pillars of Performance, Design, and Innovation. From the materialization, a symphony of innovative design in aluminum and concrete with local elements such as the original timber beams, to the flexible set up and welcoming community area, REV’IT! Denver is a motorcycle gear store the likes of which has not been seen before.”

The store
The REV’IT! Denver store features various zones, allowing guests to experience the wide range of collections. From adventure through urban to race, and from accessible essentials to tailormade professional level one-piece suits.

However, to say that the REV’IT! Denver experience is defined by the Dutch brand’s collection alone, would be an injustice. More than just a store, REV’IT! has set up their Denver store to be a community hub. A place where riders’ journeys begin, where they find inspiration, information, and advice. Whether you’re participating in one of the ride-outs, attending a seminar, or simply dropping in to swap stories over a freshly brewed cup of coffee, REV’IT!’s passionate team will be delighted to see you.

REV’IT! Denver is located at 2800 Walnut Street, Suite 120, Denver, CO 80205, U.S.A. Opened Tuesdays to Fridays from 11am to 7pm, Saturdays from 10am to 7pm, and on Sunday from 11am to 5pm.

For more information visit https://www.revitsport.com/gb_en/blog/revit-denver-store and follow @revit_denver on Instagram.

Riding Route 66 – Henry Cole’s new book

Frank Duggan

May 3, 2024

Riding Route 66: Finding Myself on America’s Mother Road

RIDING ROUTE 66 follows Henry Cole as he travels along America’s most famous highway on a journey of self-discovery.

Known as ‘Mother Road’, Route 66 is one of the most famous highways in the USA. Crossing the width of the country, it is an immensely challenging route to travel and Henry has ridden it three times. This book is about the freedom that only the road and a motorcycle can give you, and the importance of embracing the highs and lows of life equally.

The book is more than the story of a road trip, as Henry explains; “Every time I have ridden 66, within 10 miles of setting off, I never want that ride to end. I think it’s because Route 66 encapsulates struggle and, ultimately, triumphing over unimaginably difficult conditions. I think everyone can connect with that.”

One of the most-recognised faces in UK motorcycling, Henry Cole is on television most days of the year as the presenter of shows like The World’s Greatest Motorcycle Rides, The Motorbike Show, Shed and Buried, Junk & Disorderly and Find It, Fix It, Flog It! His career also involves producing and directing and he has his own television production company, HCA Entertainment. Henry is the author of two previous books, A Biker’s Life and The Life-changing Magic of Sheds.

Riding Route 66: Finding Myself on America’s Mother Road is on sale from 6th June priced £22- (hardback, 272 pages) and is available on Amazon and from all good book shops.

For more information visit www.henrycole.tv

For more news on Henry Cole and other tv related new check out our dedicated TV News page

For more information on all programmes produced by Henry Cole visit henrycole.tv

Danny McFadden Racing Valencia Race Report

Frank Duggan

May 3, 2024

A new adventure for 2024 thanks to the support of my sponsors is to contest the Yamaha R1 Cup in Spain. A championship within a championship itself with several categories making it a series with good fun competition throughout the entire grid.

Despite managing to offer a more relaxed schedule with one race per series each weekend in comparison with it’s UK based contemporaries, it somehow also manages to create a significantly higher sense of occasion due to the heavy support from various motorcycle manufacturers, tyre brands and other motorcycling related businesses.

Each race has a race start grid formation complete with bike stands, tyre warmers (unplugged), brolly person and photographers and finishing with full race podiums complete with podium finishers caps, prosecco and various prizes depending on class. A busy paddock made up of various merchandise stalls and a strong crowd make for an excellent atmosphere and sense of occasion.

Add to this the Spanish climate and being able to ride at places like Valencia and Jerez I’m sure you’ll understand the attraction to tick it off the bucket list.

There are of course many hurdles to clear before being able to line up on the grid for the first time and certain distance related ones that will be a constant mark on the ‘minus’ side of the plus/minus list of anyone considering giving it a go would draw up before taking the plunge, just as I did.

I hope to help guide you through the process over the course of my 2024 season.

Despite what I believed to be a decent amount of preparation time with the decision being made to enter the series early last year, the standard issue of long lead time on parts and other work commitments saw the usual mad rush, much like those of you who already race experience before each round despite your best efforts.

This unfortunately left me with a considerable amount of work to do on the bike once it had arrived in Spain, as and when the various items had arrived.

For the outward journey ahead of the season, I had managed to share the costs with another racer who was already driving to Spain and back for testing in February. This represented a considerable saving of both time and cost in having to carry the journey myself whilst also helping to reduce the costs for the other party.

An idea had been to book onto a euro trip with any of the UK based European track day organisers, however after investigation this proved to be a non-option due to insurance and carnet problems whereby the companies had to return with all items listed on the outbound journey.

Seemingly there are more people than you would think that carry out trips into and out of Spain who have space they would gladly sell for fund towards their travel costs. A few simple social media posts should yield similar success for others looking to do as I did.

I met the bike and belongings at Jerez where I’d also managed to book onto the 3 day event directly with the Italian organiser. This made good use of the costs incurred in getting the bike out to Spain and with the costs of flights and accommodation included it worked out to be less overall than had I been able to book an off the shelf euro event.

The 3 days on track were really beneficial in both developing the bike and knocking the riding rust I had developed over a year or so of virtually no seat time.

Once the final day had been completed it was time to conclude the trip with the most important part which was to meet up with the gentleman whom would be taking me under his wing for the season. Pav Steska who runs SRT, itself a race team with riders competing in various championships within Spain. A side of his business is to provide storage/transportation and support as required. Without this service it simply would not be possible for people like me (on a budget) to race in Spain.

Returning to England with a list of items to still sort on the bike as well additional spares/items that the Jerez test had shown I would need to bring back out with me for the first round immediately highlighted one of the larger issues to overcome with racing in another country. That of logistics. For the initial journey out there, as is always the case, there was a limit on space and weight. Also with the service SRT offer, it is unrealistic to believe they can bring the same amount of stuff as you do whilst racing in the UK. Which let’s face it, is everything but the kitchen sink!

Some items are purchasable whilst out in Spain, however most items are easier sourced and purchased in England. In short be prepared to purchase extra luggage allowance for each round.

Had I been racing in England this year I would currently be able to ‘tinker’ with the bike between each round as we all do (read every spare minute doing so) however not being able to do this does mean that I am able to compartmentalise the bike racing side of my life so that once the logistical side for the next round has been taken care I can focus on the things I should have been doing in the first place (work, cutting the grass, cleaning the car etc!)

The first round of the Yamaha R1 Cup was at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo, Valencia and one of several I’ve yet to ride before on this seasons calendar. Luckily for this round there was an extra test day on the Thursday which would give me much needed time to continue sorting the remaining bike alterations and to try and learn the track.

Being an anti-clockwise circuit, left hand corner biased track in an amphitheatre setting I would say it’s nearest UK counterpart would have been the long since closed Rockingham race way. A mixture of seriously fast sections and slower hairpins it’s an incredibly physical lap offering little in the way of rest even along the start finish straight. The sensation of speed is increased at several points due to its enclosed geography.

A track where each part flows to the next making it all too easy to ruin your lap before its even begun. Despite knowing the route to a fast lap time is all about references, for braking, corner entry apex and exit, this mostly goes out the window for me whenever I ride a new track as I spend the first day trying to build up speed and confidence as you would on an unfamiliar road.

The relaxed nature of the days schedule (Thursday 5 x 25 minute sessions roughly 2 hours apart, Friday 4 x 25 minute sessions roughly 2.5 hours apart) seemingly meant I had plenty of time to continue working on the bike between each session although in reality it was still a mad rush to get changed and out for each session. Needless to say, it was a long day which had me looking forward to sleeping on the days events, a time when I often manage to dissect the days riding and begin to formulate the much needed track references I should have been using the day before.

Friday was a continuation of Thursday, working my way through the required bike alterations both chassis and electrically (i.e mapping, engine brake, wheelie control etc) as well as completing the necessary requirements to pass Spanish scrutineering. The main additions in comparison to the UK requirements being the fitment of the oe front sprocket cover (this must be fully enclosed) the drilling and fitting of a removable drain plug to the belly pan and the installation of fuel foam into the fuel tank.

Managing to complete the weekends work just in time for the 3^rd session of the day less than 5 minutes after the uttering of words to my ever patient wife ‘that’s the bike all done now so once the last session is finished we’ll get away early for a relaxing evening ’ I found myself losing the front at the awkward right hander of turn 12. An 80mphish (I’d know more if the datalogging system was working – one of the “still to sort” issues) which despite a relatively impressive roll through the gravel saw me emerge without injury, I’ve no doubt due to the performance and quality of the protective clothing I am very lucky to have access too.

Unfortunately, the bike wasn’t so lucky with the gravel trap causing it to roll over rather than just sliding to a stop. Apart from the usual gravel rash which managed to damage the entire bodywork set, it also damaged things like fairing mounts, footpegs & handlebars. This is of course meant a relaxing evening was most definitely not had! Finally finishing the repairs in the early hours of Saturday morning (largely owing to the help of a fellow garage member – Thank you!) it was a short sleep before an early return to the track in order to complete scrutineering before the first of the 2 x 30 minute qualifying sessions I had in front of me. Of course, for this event ‘sods law’ dictated that the first one had to be the first session of the still cool morning adding to the panic of being able to get signed off in time and to then get the bike on tyre warmers.

Luckily we made it and after a few sighting laps to check all was well with the repairs I had managed to set a relatively competitive time for my class despite in all honestly being reasonably gun shy through turn 12!

For the 2^nd qualifying session of the day, I found myself really struggling with feeling from the front, it felt awful. No matter what I tried the lap times weren’t coming, with the tiredness I couldn’t be sure if it was my riding, the tyre or the bike. Luckily experience told me to just call it a day, so that’s what I did. Finally leaving the track early enough for a relaxing evening meal and some decent sleep.

Sunday morning saw me suitably refreshed and looking forward to taking advantage of the 10 minute warm up session. Unfortunately, this was again the first session of the day and there’d been some very light drizzle before dawn so it wasn’t an opportunity to improve on the day before. A pre-cursory check through the bike and it’s various settings and I immediately found zero preload in the front forks (I knew there was something not right in that second Q session).

I’d managed with my fatigue and the general rush the day before to not complete the job properly after carrying out a front spring change between the two Q sessions. That was a close one as the awful feeling I was having was the forks bottoming out, leaving the front tyre doing all the work. This was clear evidence the knock on effect of something like a crash can have over a whole event. From the incident itself to the lack of rest through to simple things such as not eating or drinking enough whilst you’re dealing with the issues that can then have a significant effect on both your cognitive and riding performance.

The warm up session served its purpose and with the correct preload added to the front suspension, confidence was restored.

With my race not until after lunch time I had plenty of time to finally take in the event, walking the paddock and watching several of the races from the stands above the pit garages as they filled up with a much larger crowd than I was expecting for club racing. With views of the entire track it was easy to see why it’s such a fan favourite track.

As previously mentioned, the process of the beginning of each race is for pack to form on the gird a la professional races. A 10 minute call is made to the start of the race where pit lane opens and an out lap is completed. Just before the grid the track is closed by safety Marshalls where by a small opening is left by which you must have killed your engine before crossing and (hopefully) rolling to your start position. Having qualified 23^rd out of 35^th starters this was not a problem for myself!. Imposter syndrome in full effect whilst sitting on the grid with the various media of the event taking photos and it was suddenly time for the sighting lap. It was at this point I realised I had yet to complete a racing start on the new bike nor any bike in over 18 months. Thankfully this line of thought manifested itself in an awful start, seeing me virtually last into the first corner.

I managed to make up the majority of these positions over the first few laps and found myself in P3 for my class with P2 only a few seconds in front, a gap I could see I was bridging. A lap or so later I had bridged the gap and ready to take advantage of my stronger pace on the second half of the lap (after turn 12!). However, an accident brought out the yellow flags which stayed out for a further 3 laps which was enough time for my racers brain to subside allowing thoughts of just bring it home and finishing the weekend on a positive note to take over. Which is what I did. In a cruel twist of fate it became apparent after the race P1 had unfortunately crashed out of the race, promoting us each a position just to add insult to my hindsight based ‘should of gone for it’….especially as there was a new tyre bonus for the eventual winner.

With the championship being only 6 rounds and 6 races I certainly appear to have developed a different mentality in comparison to when I’ve contested championships with 3 races per weekend. A DNF feels as though it can be made up for over a round, whereas with a single race the possibility of a non finish is far more punishing. I’m interested to see how I manage this during the season.

So in summary I experienced a standard club racing weekend. A mixture of both lows and highs. Dozens of ‘why do we do this’ moments and many more ‘how can I do more of this?.

I have learnt several new things both to do and not to do. I pushed myself to get back up and keep going and once again found that although you’re in competition with people on track that even in another country many of these people will go out of there way to help you off track with warmth and humour those outside of the paddock wouldn’t necessarily expect.

It was a weekend I’ll never forget, roll on Round 2 at Circuito de Jerez.

Thank you to all those who have and continue to help me on this journey:

Sycamore Yamaha Uppingham
Helmet City
EBC Brakes
FTR Suspension
JPB Signs
Hel Performance
Superbike News

Grand Prix of Kazakhstan postponed until later in 2024

Frank Duggan

May 3, 2024

The FIM, IRTA and Dorna Sports announce that the Grand Prix of Kazakhstan has been postponed until later in 2024.

Unprecedented weather conditions have led to flooding across Central Asia, causing a national emergency in Kazakhstan and displacing much of the population. It would not be responsible for MotoGP™ to add any additional burden on the authorities or services as they work to help the tens of thousands of people affected across the country.

Sokol International Racetrack will therefore not host MotoGP™ on the dates previously announced, and any further updates will be published once confirmed.

As our utmost priority, MotoGP™ sends our condolences and support to the people of Kazakhstan and all those affected by the flooding in Central Asia. We hope the nation, region and communities affected can recover as soon as possible.

For more MotoGP info checkout our dedicated MotoGP News page

Or visit the official MotoGP website www.motogp.com

©Words/Images are from official press release posted courtesy of www.motogp.com

Bennetts British Superbike Championship Concludes Intense Test at Oulton Park

Matt Anthony

May 3, 2024

The 2024 Bennetts British Superbike Championship teams wrapped up their final pre-season test at Oulton Park, with riders pushing their limits and fine-tuning their machines ahead of the upcoming campaign. The two-day event saw close competition and a few dramatic moments as the grid prepared for the season opener.

Glenn Irwin (Ducati – Hager PBM Ducati) topped the overall combined classification with a lap of 1:34.050, showcasing his consistency and speed throughout the test. Kyle Ryde (OMG GRILLA Yamaha Racing) and Ryan Vickers (OMG GRILLA Yamaha Racing) completed the top three, with Ryde setting the pace in the first day’s sessions.

Tommy Bridewell (Honda Racing UK) and Jason O’Halloran (Completely Motorbikes Kawasaki) rounded out the top five, both showing their impressive form and adaptability to new machinery.

The third session of the final day saw a couple of incidents, with Rory Skinner (Cheshire Mouldings BMW Motorrad) and Peter Hickman (FHO Racing BMW Motorrad) suffering falls. Fortunately, both riders walked away unscathed and were able to continue their testing programs.

Despite missing the fourth session, Ryan Vickers took to social media to express his satisfaction with the progress made during the test. The OMG GRILLA Yamaha Racing rider’s absence didn’t seem to hamper his overall performance, as he secured third place in the combined standings.

Further down the order, several riders made significant strides, with the likes of Leon Haslam (ROKiT Haslam Racing BMW Motorrad), Christian Iddon (Oxford Products Racing Ducati), and Josh Brookes (FHO Racing BMW Motorrad) all showing promise and potential for the upcoming season.

As the Bennetts British Superbike Championship teams now eagerly await round 2 of the 2024 season, the Oulton Park test has provided them with invaluable insights into their packages and performance.

With the stage set and anticipation building, fans can look forward to a thrilling round of action at Oulton Park over this Bank Holiday weekend. The Oulton Park test has only served to whet the appetite for what promises to be an unforgettable round of racing, as the fastest riders in the country battle it out for supremacy on arguably one of the most iconic circuits in the British Isles.

Darwin Secures FIM Motocross World Championship In Australian Exclusive

Frank Duggan

May 3, 2024

Infront Moto Racing is excited to announce that after a 24-year absence, the FIM Motocross World Championship will make a spectacular return to Australia in 2025 after a landmark agreement with the Northern Territory Major Events Company (NTMEC), strongly supported by the Northern Territory Government to erect this project.

The Australian-exclusive deal, including Motorcycling Australia and NTMEC as key partners, will see the MXGP round held in Darwin in September 2025 until 2029, with an option to extend the collaboration beyond the initial five-year term.

This event is set to highlight the Northern Territory’s extraordinary natural beauty globally and build on the ‘Top End’s’ already enviable reputation as an international tourist mecca.

This new round will be held on a purpose-built track at the Hidden Valley Motorsports Complex in Darwin and broadcast to more than 100 countries including national channel STAN . Construction will begin soon at the multi-purpose Hidden Valley Motorsports Complex. An exciting MXGP track will be located to ensure amazing spectator areas to see the heroes of world motocross work their magic.

The MXGP of Australia will feature the established MXGP and MX2 classes as well as the FIM Women’s Motocross World Championship.

The Australian round of the FIM Motocross World Championship was previously held at Broadford in Victoria in 2000 and 2001. With a rich vein of talent coming through the ProMX national ranks in Australia, the MXGP round in Darwin will provide an opportunity for local stars to take part in the world’s premier motocross championship – just like their predecessors did in 2000 and 2001.

The full 2025 MXGP world championship calendar will be announced later this year, including when exactly the world’s best motocross riders will be ripping it up in Darwin.

Infront Moto Racing CEO David Luongo: “We are really excited to bring the MXGP to Australia and to Darwin, which marks a triumphant return to this vibrant country. The anticipation among Australian fans to get their Grand Prix is unparalleled, as they have been waiting and vocals about a round in their homeland for many years now. Additionally, hosting the event in Australia not only solidifies its status as a major player in the global motocross scene but also highlights our commitment to showcasing this thrilling sport to fans worldwide and extending the overseas rounds. We look forward to witnessing the immense enthusiasm and support from both local and international fans as Australia will becomes part of the MXGP Calendar from 2025 onwards”

Northern Territory Major Events Company CEO Suzana Bishop said: “This is big. The MXGP is an incredibly popular and high-profile major sporting event and to be able to host it here in the Territory is a real coup.Not only are tens of thousands of Australian fans expected to attend the inaugural Darwin round, but a huge contingent of international visitors will also make the journey as the city becomes the epicentre of world motocross. This high-profile international event of the calibre of MXGP will not only assist to highlight the Northern Territory’s extraordinary natural beauty globally – the iconic Uluru at the top of the list – but also build on the ‘Top End’s’ already enviable reputation as an international tourist mecca and a great place to call home,”

Motorcycling Australia CEO Peter Doyle said: “Motorcycling Australia is delighted to see the FIM Motocross World Championship make its long-awaited return Down Under. Motocross racing at the highest level is electrifying, and I can’t wait to see the world’s best riders battling it out with Australia’s emerging ProMX stars in Darwin. It will be fast and furious from start to finish, with local and international fans in for an absolute treat. I’d like to congratulate the Northern Territory Government’s Northern Territory Major Events Company and Infront Moto Racing on forming this new partnership, with Motorcycling Australia be providing all the support it can to make the MXGP round in Darwin a resounding success.”

For all the latest on the FIM Motocross World Championship and the upcoming Australian round, visit www.mxgp.com.

The Best Get Better As GASGAS Reveals 2025 Trial Line-up

Frank Duggan

May 2, 2024

Still red, still awesome, and still so much fun to ride. The 2025 line-up of GASGAS trial bikes is officially here! Updated with better and stronger components, all six models across the TXT GP and TXT RACING ranges are designed to deliver unrivalled fun and performance in equal measure. And that’s exactly what they do…

2025 line-up of GASGAS trial bikes break cover
All six models enhanced with new components
See them in person at the 2024 Scottish Six Days Trial!

Besides our awesome TXT RACING 125, all 2025 bikes benefit from a new cylinder head to ensure improved cooling. What is super fresh is the fact that we’ve made sure you’re still able to swap the cylinder head insert for one from our Technical Accessories range, allowing you to customize and boost power even more.

For 2025, all bikes feature revised transmissions for improved shifting and reliability. What’s more, our TXT RACING models now feature the same gear lever as found on our TXT GP bikes for added strength and smoother shifts. And the upgrades to our TXT RACING range don’t stop there! The bikes are now equipped with the same wavey GALFER disks as found on our TXT GP models, so you’ll absolutely love the heightened level of braking control as you work your way through every section. These disks meet the regulations of the highest FIM race series, ensuring no change is needed.

Exclusive to the TXT GP bikes are slightly reworked hubs for even better strength, which in parallel results in a weight reduction in the front. The lighter hubs are just as strong as before, still anodized in black, and finished with two GASGAS laser etched logos. Also, TXT GP models look the business with the latest GASGAS Factory Racing inspired graphics.

Even though each bike in our 2025 line-up is built to perform at the highest level of trial, that doesn’t mean they can’t be ridden for fun by those who simply want to enjoy time with their buddies at the weekends, or taken into the mountains for a spot of trial hiking. And by being so easy to ride, maintain, and customize, it’s pretty clear why GASGAS trial bikes are loved by so many enthusiasts around the world.

Are you heading to the iconic SSDT this year? If so, then we’ll have two of our 2025 models on display so you may well be one of the first people in the world to see them in person. Pretty cool, right? Find out more about our presence at the iconic event, right here.

All six bikes will be available from GASGAS dealerships worldwide by end of May 2024. But if you can’t wait until then, contact your local authorized GASGAS dealer for further details on pricing and availability.

For everything trial, head to the GASGAS website to discover all there is to know about the awesome 2025 models and while you’re there, check out our latest trial Technical Accessories to spice up your ride and our Apparel, which is hands down the best trial clothing out there.

To highlight all the technical details and list what’s new for 2025, here’s a handy rundown of the components you’ll find on each model…

Technical Highlights – TXT GP 250/300

New cylinder head improves cooling and allows for optional inserts to be installed
New CNC-machined hubs are 40g lighter in the front and just as strong
New GASGAS Factory Racing replica graphics applied to all red, ergonomic bodywork
Revised 6-speed transmission for improved shifting and durability
GALFER brake disks front and rear (FIM approved)
AKRAPOVIC exhaust pipe boosts power and is low in weight
TECH TJ3 shock absorber is fully adjustable and offers consistent damping
TECH front fork with 174.5mm of travel and a KASHIMA coating for enhanced sensitivity
Lightweight steel frame made from cast and tubular parts with aluminum front hangars
NEKEN handlebars and RENTHAL grips
BRAKTEC hydraulic clutch and brakes
CNC-machined, black anodized aluminum triple clamps
MICHELIN Trial X11 tires front and rear for maximum traction

Technical Highlights – TXT RACING 125/250/280/300

New cylinder head improves cooling and allows for optional inserts to be installed (except TXT RACING 125)
New GALFER brake disks front and rear (FIM approved)
Revised 6-speed transmission for improved shifting and durability
Ergonomic bodywork is now all red and features updated graphics
Lightweight steel frame made from cast and tubular parts with aluminum front hangars
Adjustable TECH forks offer 174.5mm of travel
TECH shock allows for a personalized rebound and spring preload set up
NEKEN handlebars and RENTHAL grips
BRAKTEC hydraulic clutch and brakes
MICHELIN Trial X11 tires front and rear for maximum traction
Footpeg design boosts control in tough conditions
Silencer features a super-durable end cap
Strong and lightweight wheels with CNC machined hubs

Motorcycle Jacket VS Knox Armoured Shirt

Frank Duggan

May 2, 2024

Knox has launched a major new campaign putting the traditional motorcycle jacket head-to-head with a Knox armoured shirt.

Quote from Aaron Travell, Marketing Director.
“Knox has been making armoured shirts since the early 1990’s, but over the last few years, we have taken some huge steps forward in their development.

The result is that we now achieve comparable or better CE approval classifications than traditional motorcycle jackets but with all the extra benefits of a lightweight flexible armoured shirt.

This has resulted in massive growth in the sale and distribution of our shirts worldwide.

Our latest campaign aims to reach even more riders by highlighting all the major benefits of Knox armoured shirts in comparison to traditional motorcycle clothing in an entertaining way.

It was a great campaign to work on, and whilst we aimed to present it with some light humour, we’re serious about the message which we are confident will resonate with riders, bumping up against the limitations of their existing motorcycle clothing.”

For more Knox News check out our new dedicated page Knox News

or head to the official Planet Knox website planet-knox.com

MXGP Castilla La Mancha Completes Calendar – MXoEN and YZ bLU cRU Update

Frank Duggan

May 2, 2024

Infront Moto Racing is delighted to unveil the Spanish venue of Cózar, as the host for the thrilling final round of the 2024 MXGP series, making it the third Spanish stop of the season.

The MXGP of Castilla La Mancha will take place on the 28th and 29th September.

This event highlights the growing passion in Spain for motocross and provides an exciting new home GP for our defending World Champion and current red plate holder, Jorge Prado.

The MXGP of Castilla La Mancha promises to deliver exhilarating action as it brings the season to a close. Additionally, it will serve as the ultimate showdown for the European support classes; EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing and EMX250.

Riders will face a challenging and diverse track featuring spectacular jumps and tight corners, pushing them to their limits in pursuit of the final podium of 2024. Nestled in the natural surroundings renowned as the land of Don Quixote, the venue offers a picturesque backdrop.

The MXGP of Castilla La Mancha also aims to promote development and forge connections between the sport and the region of Castilla de la Mancha. This project represents a significant stride towards linking the region with the global motocross community for many years to come.

Castilla – La Mancha was declared last December in Toledo as the European Region of Sport for the year 2024. In this context, the association of sports clubs of Tierras del Quixote and the Castilian-Manchegan motorcycle federation have collaborated and worked together to ensure that the region enjoys the best of motocross worldwide.

MOTOCROSS OF EUROPEAN NATIONS (MXoEN)
Further to this announcement, the Motocross of European Nations (MXoEN) that is set to be held at the TCS Racing Park near the Romanian capital Bucharest, will be pushed a week later to the 22nd of September 2024. The MXoEN and WMXoEN come back after 2 years and will be a celebration of many European riders who will race together and in teams to lift the MXoEN and WMXoEN trophies.

YZ bLU cRU FIM EUROPE CUP SuperFinale
2024 has already been another record-breaking year for the Yamaha YZ bLU cRU FIM Europe Cup, with more than 750 riders aged between eight and 16 years signing up to race either a YZ65, a YZ85 or a YZ125 in 25 countries throughout Europe. Every rider is competing for a place on the start gate at the YZ bLU cRU FIM Europe Cup SuperFinale, which again runs alongside the Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations and will take place at Matterley Basin in Great Britain on 4-6 October. For the first time, the YZ bLU cRU FIM Europe Cup SuperFinale will feature a truly international field, with riders from the United States, Canada, Australia, Japan, Indonesia, and Brazil set to take on their European counterparts.

Vanucci Releases New AAA Rated VUT-7 Motorcycle Jeans

Frank Duggan

May 2, 2024

Vanucci releases new AAA rated VUT-7 motorcycle jeans featuring T-Tex Pro® technology.

Louis Moto’s flagship exclusive motorcycle clothing and accessories brand, Vanucci, has launched the new VUT-7 motorcycle jeans, made with T-Tex Pro® Twaron® Single Layer Technology – a special single layer material combined with denim providing an exceptional level of abrasion protection.

Vanucci’s new VUT-7 motorcycle jeans offer AAA rated protection and utilise the latest technology that allows the production of fabric with Twaron® fibres woven with denim. The result is a highly protective single layer fabric which does not need a separate Twaron® lining.

The T-Tex Pro® material provides an impressive abrasion protection level of 4.2 seconds, with the VUT-7 motorcycle jeans also complete with removable Super Shield SC-1/KB2 air protectors on the knees with infinite adjustability. Super Shield SC-1/SB2 air protectors are present on the hips, too, defending against impacts in all key fall areas.

In addition to offering high-level abrasion and impact protection, the VUT-7 motorcycle jeans provide uncompromised comfort and fit in all riding scenarios thanks to the new single layer technology delivering stretchability and breathability. Comfort also remains while off the bike, making them a versatile choice for daily commuters and casual weekend riders alike, with five outside pockets furthering practicality.

The new Vanucci VUT-7 motorcycle jeans are priced at £257.00* and are available in a 31-inch to 40-inch waist, and either a 32-inch or 34-inch length. The VUT-7 jeans are now exclusively available to purchase in the UK via the Louis Moto website: www.louis-moto.co.uk.

Vanucci is Louis Moto’s exclusive premium motorcycle clothing brand, and for UK motorcyclists shopping Vanucci as well as any of Louis Moto’s other exclusive brands, VAT and refunds on any applicable customs charges on orders made from the UK will be covered. This means riders can enjoy shopping online without any surprise costs along the way. Free delivery to Great Britain is also available on orders over £199.00.

*All prices correct as of the date of the post.

Bennetts BSB Teams Impress at Sun-Drenched Oulton Park Test

Matt Anthony

May 1, 2024

The Bennetts British Superbike Championship teams enjoyed a productive day of testing at Oulton Park, with riders taking full advantage of the glorious sunshine to fine-tune their machines ahead of the upcoming races at the Cheshire circuit.

Glenn Irwin (Ducati – Hager PBM Ducati) topped the combined classification with a blistering lap of 1:34.050, edging out the OMG GRILLA Yamaha Racing duo of Kyle Ryde and Ryan Vickers. Ryde’s best effort of 1:34.188 was good enough for second overall, while Vickers completed the top three with a 1:34.249.

Ryde also showcased his consistency, setting the pace in the morning session with a 1:34.570, underlining his potential as a title contender this season.

Tommy Bridewell (Honda Racing UK) and Peter Hickman (FHO Racing BMW Motorrad) rounded out the top five, with Jason O’Halloran (Completely Motorbikes Kawasaki), Josh Brookes (FHO Racing BMW Motorrad), and Christian Iddon (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) in close pursuit.

Danny Kent (McAMS Racing Yamaha) completed the top ten, just ahead of Leon Haslam (ROKiT Haslam Racing BMW Motorrad) and Lee Jackson (MasterMac Honda), who finished 11th and 12th, respectively.

Further down the order, several riders made notable improvements between the two sessions. Billy McConnell (C&L Fairburn / Look Forward Racing) climbed from 10th in the morning to 17th overall, while Andrew Irwin (Honda Racing UK) jumped from 25th to 18th.

In the Pathway class, Alex Olsen (Cumins by Team IWR Honda) led the way, with Lewis Rollo (IN Competition / SENCAT Aprilia) and Jaimie van Sikkelerus (TAG Honda) completing the top three.

With the sun-drenched circuit providing ideal conditions, riders were able to push their limits and gain a better understanding of their machines’ performance ahead of what promises to be a thrilling round of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship.

Estoril beckons: Round 2 brings us to a Portuguese classic

Frank Duggan

May 1, 2024

A trip to a familiar territory awaits as Jesus Rios aims to continue his 100% JuniorGP™ win record

From one classic venue to another! Following a fantastic curtain raising weekend in Misano, Round 2 of the 2024 FIM JuniorGP™ World Championship season brings us to the Circuito do Estoril for six more races around an iconic piece of Portuguese asphalt.

FIM JuniorGP
It doesn’t get better than a pole position, Race 1 victory and a Race 2 victory – and that’s exactly what Jesus Rios (MRE Talent) pocketed in Misano. The rookie superstar kickstarted his JuniorGP™ campaign in stunning fashion and heads to Estoril 19 points clear of Adrian Cruces (Finetwork Team), with the latter claiming a healthy 31-point haul after earning a P5 and a P2 on the Adriatic coast.

Having bagged a personal best JuniorGP™ result in Misano – a P2 in Race 1 – Alessandro Morosi (Aspar Junior Team) lands in Estoril third in the title race, while teammate Marcos Uriarte is three points further behind in P4 after a third place finish in Race 1. The other podium finisher in Misano, Cormac Buchanan (AGR Team), responded well to his Race 1 DNF in Misano and will be hoping a rostrum is on the cards in Estoril.

Moto2 European Championship
Alberto Surra (Team Ciatti – Boscoscuro) vs Roberto Garcia (Fantic Cardoso Racing) was a battle to remember in Misano as the Italian fended off the Spaniard to claim a debut Moto2™ European Championship win. The fight for the podium went down to the wire too, with Alberto Ferrandez (Finetwork Team) eventually taking P3 honours for his first Moto2™ podium. Mattia Casadei (Team Ciatti – Boscoscuro) and Francesco Mongiardo (Fantic Cardoso Racing), the riders to narrowly miss out on a podium in Misano, will be hunting for a top three in Estoril.

European Talent Cup
A P2 and a P1 for Marco Morelli (MLav Racing) back in Misano sees the Argentinian lead the Championship by nine points, with AC Racing Team’s David Gonzalez his closest challenger after the Spaniard grabbed a double podium in Misano. Morelli shared the victory honours with Giulio Pugliese (Aspar Junior Team) as a slender 0.009s split the duo in Race 1, but after scoring no points in Race 2, the Italian needs to bounce back in Portugal. Pugliese sits one point adrift of third place Valentin Perrone (Frando Racing VHC Team) heading into Round 2.

Stock European Championship
Former Moto3™ World Champion Lorenzo Dalla Porta (Yamaha GV Racing) edged out Andy Verdoia (Team Honda Laglisse) by 0.072s in Misano, will we get another great fight between the duo in Estoril? Dino Iozzo (IUM Motorsports) was under 1.5s from the win last time out and will be confident he can get in the 25-point haul mix again, while Mario Mayor (Yamaha GV Racing) will be thinking the same after crossing the line less than two seconds away from teammate Dalla Porta a couple of weeks ago.

Six races are coming your way in Estoril, make sure you don’t miss a single lap of action from Portugal! The race day schedule can be seen below:

Sunday 5th May (UTC +1):

11:00 – ETC Race 1

12:00 – Moto2™ ECh Race 1

13:00 – JuniorGP™ Race

14:00 – ETC Race 2

15:00 – Moto2™ ECh Race 2

16:00 – Stock Race

For more info checkout our dedicated FIM JuniorGP™ news page superbike-news.co.uk/cev-repsol/

You can also find all the results, videos, photos and information regarding the championship on the official website: www.fimjuniorgp.com/en

Round Five Comes Alive at The MXGP of Portugal

Frank Duggan

May 1, 2024

After a two-week break, the MXGP Motocross World Championship kicks back into life with the MXGP of Portugal at the stunning Crossódromo Internacional de Águeda in the north-western part of the country.

With a history stretching back to 1985, when Dutchman Davy Strijbos took the win on a 125cc Honda, the Agueda circuit has seen victories for legends such as Eric Geboers, Jacky Martens, Alessio Chiodi, and Ben Townley in its glorious history. For the riders with the most wins, you need only go to the top of the all-time GP winners list, as both Antonio Cairoli and Jeffrey Herlings have won 5 times, with Stefan Everts the record holder before them with 4 victories. Amazingly, Cairoli is clearly out in front with a total of 12 individual race wins compared to Herlings on 7 and Everts on 6.

With its instantly recognisable red dirt and dark green forest as a backdrop, the Portuguese venue is a photographer’s delight, and with both native Portuguese and travelling Spanish fans packing the trackside banking, the atmosphere is bound to drive the riders to further heights as they start a three-week run of back-to-back-to-back Grand Prix action!

The EMX125 Championship Presented by FMF holds its third round of the year in Portugal, with Fantic Factory Racing EMX125 rider Noel Zanocz from Hungary holding a slender 8-point Championship lead over Racestore KTM Factory Rookies star Gyan Doensen. Spain’s Salvador Perez holds third for the RFME GASGAS MX Junior Team.

The EMX250 series is also on to its third round, and Italian Valerio Lata has won three of the four races so far this season for the Beddini GASGAS Factory Juniors squad, building a 16-point gap over BUD RACING Kawasaki’s Mathis Valin. The Frenchman won an EMX125 race at Agueda last year so he will feel confident of closing down the leader. Spanish youngster Francisco Garcia should enjoy some Iberian support as he lies 4th for the RFME GASGAS MX Junior Team, behind Gabriel SS24 KTM’s Cas Valk who looks to improve on 3rd.

The reigning MXGP World Champion Jorge Prado still leads the Championship for Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing, although he lost a few points over the MXGP of Trentino weekend to his main opposition, so Tim Gajser is now just 13 points behind for Team HRC. Kawasaki Racing Team leader Romain Febvre re-passed Jeffrey Herlings for third in the series after winning the first race at Pietramurata, but still lies 45 points behind the red plate holder, ten ahead of the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing spearhead.

The Champion has, like Everts, won six races at the Portuguese venue so far, taking double race victories in both of his MX2 title-winning years of 2018 & ’19, as well as the overall in MXGP in 2022, and the first race here last season. His streak of four straight GP wins to start the year will certainly pull many fans across the border from his native Spain, although a few might wait until the MXGP of Galicia the following weekend at Lugo, the town where Prado was born.

Herlings won last year’s MXGP of Portugal, a result which pulled him level with Stefan Everts on 101 all-time Grand Prix wins, before he went on to claim two more last season. He’ll be looking to add to that tally further, even after revealing that he actually sustained four broken ribs in his practice crash at the MXGP of Sardegna! “The Bullet” won at Agueda for three straight years in MX2 from 2011 to 2013, as well as a double defeat of Cairoli in MXGP in 2018.

Gajser has won three races here, but the only time he won overall was with a double victory in 2019. Febvre finished second to Herlings last year, which was his first podium appearance at Agueda, a rare circuit at which he has never won! Fantic Factory Racing’s Brian Bogers has good memories of the track, having finished third overall here behind Prado and Gajser in 2022.

Last year’s RAM Qualifying Race winner was Team HRC’s Ruben Fernandez, but he will miss this edition through injuries sustained in Argentina. Mattia Guadagnini is looking to return from injury for Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing, while the 2023 EMX250 winner, Andrea Bonacorsi, moves up to make his MXGP debut for the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP Team.

Kawasaki Racing Team star Jeremy Seewer won an MX2 Grand Prix here in 2017, and he lies just sixth in the title chase, one point behind the man he beat into second that day, Standing Construct Honda rider Pauls Jonass. The pair split the race wins that day, with Seewer taking the overall on the second race tiebreaker.

The question still remains as to whether Jorge Prado will be able to keep his winning streak alive, or will anyone be able to stop the freight train in Portugal?!

MXGP – World Championship Top 10 Classification: 1. Jorge Prado (ESP, GAS), 219 Points; 2. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 206 Points; 3. Romain Febvre (FRA, KAW), 174 Points ; 4. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 164 Pts; 5. Pauls Jonass (LAT, HON), 142 Pts; 6. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, KAW), 141 Pts; 7. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, YAM), 131 Pts; 8. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, FAN), 118 Pts; 9. Valentin Guillod (SUI, HON) 88 Pts; 10. Kevin Horgmo (NOR, HON) 64 Pts;

Dutch star Kay de Wolf carries the red plate for Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing into Portugal, and although he failed to win the Grand Prix for the first time this year in Trentino, he only lost three points over the weekend to his main chaser, Simon Laengenfelder of the Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing team. The gap at the top is now 26 points, with third-placed Thibault Benistant a further 39 points behind for Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing MX2. Liam Everts took the win in Trentino for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, and moved himself up to 7th in the standings as he catches up from missing the MXGP of Argentina due to a pre-season thumb injury.

As is the case at several circuits this year, nobody in the current MX2 line-up has won a GP before at Agueda. De Wolf has got closest with 3-2 finishes for 2nd overall last season behind Jago Geerts, while Mikkel Haarup of the Monster Energy Triumph Racing squad took 2nd overall here in 2022 with 4-2 scores. Amazingly they are the only riders currently in MX2 to have taken a top three GP trophy away from Portugal. Andrea Adamo was 2nd in the first race last year for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, and after a disappointing couple of GPs on Italian soil, the reigning MX2 World Champion will be hoping to lift himself from 5th in the standings, where he sits just 8 points behind Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Lucas Coenen, who himself is just a point behind Benistant in third!

The wildly unpredictable nature of the MX2 class leaves possibilities of the results going anywhere among the leading factory riders, and only the bravest would bet on any outcome!

MX2 – World Championship Top 10 Classification: 1. Kay de Wolf (NED, HUS), 213 Points; 2. Simon Laengenfelder (GER, GAS), 187 Points; 3. Thibault Benistant (FRA, YAM), 148 Points; 4. Lucas Coenen (BEL, HUS), 147 Pts;. 5. Andrea Adamo (ITA, KTM), 139 Pts; 6. Mikkel Haarup (DEN, TRI), 131 Pts; 7. Liam Everts (BEL, KTM), 128 Pts; 8. Camden McLellan (RSA, TRI), 126 Pts; 9. Rick Elzinga (NED, YAM), 110 Pts; 10. Marc-Antoine Rossi (FRA, GAS), 101 Pts;

Don’t miss your chance to watch the MXGP action in Portugal this weekend. Get your tickets HERE! and VIP TICKETS HERE

TIMETABLE

SATURDAY: 08:20 EMX125 Free practice Group 1, 08:50 EMX125 Free practice Group 2, 09:20 EMX250 Free practice, 09:50 EMX125 Qualifying practice Group 1, 10:30 MX2 Time Practice, 11:00 MXGP Free Practice, 12:20 EMX125 Qualifying practice Group 2, 13:00 EMX250 Qualifying practice, 13:40 MX2 Time Practice, 14:15 MXGP Time Practice, 15:00 EMX125 Race 1, 15:45 EMX250 Race 1, 16:35 MX2 RAM Qualifying Race, 17:25 MXGP RAM Qualifying Race.

SUNDAY: 09:45 EMX125 Race 2, 10:25 MX2 Warm-up, 10:45 MXGP Warm-up, 11:30 EMX250 Race 2, 13:15 MX2 Race 1, 14:15 MXGP Race 1, 16:10 MX2 Race 2, 17:10 MXGP Race 2.

For more news check out our dedicated MXGP/MX2 News page

Or visit the official MXGP website mxgp.com

Ace Cafe New Hope – Grand Opening

Frank Duggan

May 1, 2024

Ace Cafe London is excited to announce the Grand Opening in the USA of Ace Cafe New Hope on Sunday 12th May!

Surrounded by some great roads, New Hope, PA, USA is located by the Delaware river along the route of the Old York Road, the former main highway between Philadelphia and New York City and, in keeping with the Ace heritage and tradition of being a home and destination for all who share a passion for speed, thrills and rock n’ roll, Ace Cafe New Hope will soon be hosting ride-ins, drive-ins, ride-outs and drive-outs, along with a host of meets, gigs and special events

See you at the Ace!

Ace Cafe New Hope
15 Market Place
New Hope
PA 18938
USA

Listen, revel and be immersed in a mix of the best rock and roll and rockabilly, blended with the London sub-culture sounds, broadcasting 24/7 on online radio and social media.

New TracTive X-Treme Pro Suspension Kit for the Aprilia Tuareg 660

Frank Duggan

April 30, 2024

TracTive Suspension, the innovative suspension manufacturer from the Netherlands, announces the release of the X-Treme Pro Suspension Kit for the Aprilia Tuareg 660, designed to enhance performance, handling and comfort for adventurous Aprilia Tuareg 660 riders.

The Aprilia Tuareg 660 has already captivated adventure enthusiasts with its powerful engine and balanced chassis.

Now, with the introduction of the TracTive X-Treme Pro cartridges and rear shock absorber, Tuareg 660 riders will experience improved stability and control, boosting confidence to effortlessly conquer challenging terrains.

Key features of the TracTive Suspension Kit for the Aprilia Tuareg 660 include:

Adjustable Compression and Rebound Damping
Riders can fine-tune their compression and rebound settings on the front and rear to suit their individual preferences and riding style, whether navigating rough off-road terrain or carving through twisty roads.

Anti-bottoming systems
The shock absorber features a PDSII system and the cartridges include a hydraulic end stop. These systems act as a cushion to absorb high levels of incoming energy and prevent harsh bottoming, enhancing comfort and safety.

Enhanced Stability and Control
The X-Treme Pro rear shock includes a high flow 46mm piston while the Closed Cartridge kit features a big 35mm piston, the largest piston among all aftermarket suspension suppliers. In addition to facilitating a high oil flow, these piston sizes enables stable and well-controlled damping behavior.

High-Quality Construction
Each component of the suspension kit is crafted from CNC machined premium materials, ensuring durability, reliability, and long-lasting performance even in the most demanding conditions. All TracTive products are fully serviceable and include a 2 year warranty. If serviced on-time.

Precise preload adjustment
The rear shock absorber is available with or without Hydraulic Preload Adjuster(HPA). The HPA can be precisely adjusted with a 10 mm range.

Both cartridge legs allow preload adjustments of up to 12 mm. This easy adjustment capability facilitates load compensation and optimal balance, whether carrying luggage or a passenger.

Various ride height levels
The Cartridges and rear shock absorber are available in low -20mm, normal or increased +20mm ride height. Offering ample choices to accommodate riders of all types and sizes.

Black & White Edition
The Aprilia Tuareg 660 X-Treme Pro kit is also available in a special Black & White Edition.

In this special edition, every adjustable element essential for fine-tuning the suspension setup is anodized with a deep black finish. These stealthy suspension components seamlessly blend with your motorcycle’s aesthetic, regardless of its color scheme.

Because it needs to be specially produced on order, this special Black & White edition will cost an additional €40 ex VAT on top of the RRP.

Now available

The TracTive Suspension Kit for the Aprilia Tuareg 660 is now available for purchase at authorized TracTive dealerships. Find your dealer via https://tractivesuspension.com/dealers/

For more information, visit https://tractivesuspension.com/tractive-x-treme-pro-suspension-kit-aprilia- tuareg-660/

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Draw your swords and ready for battle as the world’s most exciting sport arrives in Sarthe.

It took a little longer than ,many thought it would, himself likely included, but Fermin Aldeguer (Folladore SpeedUp) finally pocketed a full fat 25 points on home turf to kick his title chase up a gear.

There won’t have been many people expecting anyone other than David Alonso (CFMoto Gaviota Aspar) to win the Spanish GP.

The timetable for the 8 Hours of Spa Motos, Belgium’s round of the FIM Endurance World Championship, is all set to deliver an action-packed weekend of EWC racing with two days against the clock to provide cost savings for the teams and an unmissable experience for the fans.

Safer, more sustainable and even more spectacular – get ready for more MotoGP™ than ever as new regulations land in 2027.

Six races in Portugal didn’t disappoint as mixed weather conditions throw up some surprise results at the Circuito do Estoril.

Buchanan, Cano, Casadei and Iozzo earn their first pole positions during a weather affected qualifying afternoon in Portugal

Glenn Irwin held off Tommy Bridewell by 0.237s to top the Bennetts British Superbike Championship combined free practice times at Oulton Park, with the Hager PBM Ducati rider setting a pace just 0.002s adrift of the lap record.

Hampshire-based R&G and fellow British brand Eazi-Grip are proud to announce a new strategic partnership, beginning with immediate effect.

Suzuki has announced a new offer on its GSX-R and GSX-S125 machines, with customers able to save £500 off the learner-legal machines.

Suzuki has released four new colour options for its venerable V-Strom 1050 and the luggage-equipped V-Strom 1050 Tour.

REV’IT! opened its first physical store in the heart of Denver, Colorado in the United States.

Riding Route 66: Finding Myself on America’s Mother Road

A new adventure for 2024 thanks to the support of my sponsors is to contest the Yamaha R1 Cup in Spain. A championship within a championship itself with several categories making it a series with good fun competition throughout the entire grid.

The FIM, IRTA and Dorna Sports announce that the Grand Prix of Kazakhstan has been postponed until later in 2024.