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Post by truenorth on Jan 26, 2023 13:49:22 GMT -8
Indian GP: A new flavour of racing awaits The Championship will debut in the subcontinent later in the year, and this is what we can look forward to at Buddh International Circuit The FIM MotoGP™ World Championship continues to expand and in 2023 the World Championship paddock adds the Buddh International Circuit to its calendar. The Indian Grand Prix, organised by FairStreet Sports, will be Round 14 of the campaign and kicks off the Asian and Australian leg of the global tour. As MotoGP™ touches down in new destinations, what do we know so far about our visit to the subcontinent? Well, firstly, we know India to be a country that is a true economic and cultural powerhouse, with a population of over 1.35 billion people, making it the second most populous nation on the planet. Located in the southern part of the Asian continent, India has a long tradition of two-wheeled transport, with over 170 million motorbikes on the roads, accounting for 75% of the vehicles used daily, making it one of the largest motorbike markets in the world and a key location for further development and expansion of MotoGP™. As for the on track action, teams and riders will compete for glory at Buddh International Circuit, which is located just outside the city of Greater Noida, around one hour from the nation’s capital New Delhi. Ground first broke on the circuit’s development in 2007 and was completed in 2009, and it can hold 110,000 spectators while the 5.137 kilometres long track contains 16 corners – nine right, seven left. The clockwise running circuit, like Sokol International Racetrack in Kazakhstan, was designed by German Architect Hermann Tilke. The Buddh International Circuit has already played host to some major motorsport events, but thanks to FairStreet Sports, MotoGP™ pioneers two-wheeled action in India by hosting its Grand Prix from September 22nd to the 24th. The inclusion of India expands MotoGP™’s interest in South East Asia, following the additions of Thailand in 2018 and Indonesia in 2022 This time around the Buddh International Circuit has already witnessed major motorsport events, but thanks to FairStreet Sports, MotoGP™ will be pioneering two-wheeled sport in the country by hosting the Indian Grand Prix over the weekend of 22-24 September. The inclusion of India follows the recent strategy to expand the championship into Southeast Asia, following the additions of Thailand in 2018 and Indonesia in 2022, while Malaysia has been a mainstay on the calendar since 1991.
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Post by truenorth on Jan 26, 2023 13:51:32 GMT -8
Pedrosa set for 2023 Spanish Grand Prix wildcard with KTM Team Manager Guidotti confirms the MotoGP™ Legend will be on the grid in Jerez this year Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team Manager, Francesco Guidotti, has confirmed that Test Rider Dani Pedrosa will make a wildcard appearance at the Spanish Grand Prix in April. The three-time World Champion and MotoGP™ Legend is continuing in his role as the Austrian factory’s Test Rider again in 2023, with Pedrosa’s only previous wildcard outing on the RC16 coming at the 2021 Styrian Grand Prix. “I received confirmation a few minutes ago that Dani will have a wildcard in Jerez, so it means how important he is for us and the contribution he can give to us is high,” said Guidotti in his post-team presentation debrief with the media. KTM Motorsports Director, Pit Beirer, also commented on Pedrosa’s planned wildcard at the Circuito de Jerez-Angel Nieto. “Pedrosa is a strong boy with a strong mentality, so you cannot force him to do a wildcard. So we developed the motorcycle together and we always said that if he wants to do a wildcard, we are happy. “Of course we are more than happy because you have limited tyre quantities for testing, the track is different, you have different rubber on the track, so the perfect test is of course a race, so if you can combine the race, Dani and our test team, together with the other boys and you work on future development parts, it’s super good and super important, so I’m excited that he’s ready to do a wildcard. Reading between the lines, he would not do a wildcard if he thought the bike wasn’t competitive so I hope he gives us the right signal for that.” Guidotti, who enters his second season as Team Manager at Red Bull KTM Factory Racing this year, also confirmed that former MotoGP™ podium finisher Jonas Folger will be taking part in the Sepang Shakedown test for KTM. “We’re also trying to get Jonas Folger ready, he will also be in Sepang for the shakedown and we know that somehow we can count on Dani, and in case he wants, Jonas can ride.”
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Post by truenorth on Jan 26, 2023 13:56:22 GMT -8
Razgatlioglu ends Day 2 at Jerez on top despite morning crash, Aegerter storms into top six Thursday, 26 January 2023 It was a strong day for the 2021 Champion despite a crash while rookies continued to impress with Aegerter taking sixth spot Testing at the Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto came to a conclusion for the teams and riders from the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship that attended, with Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha WorldSBK) setting the fastest lap time. Using Pirelli’s SCQ tyre, the 2021 Champion posted a 1’38.269s, just missing out on the lap record, and topped the timesheets despite a Turn 13 crash in the morning. TITANIC TRIO ON TOP: Razgatlioglu chases a 1’37s, Rea and Bautista close behind… Razgatlioglu was able to bounce back from his crash in the morning to record the fastest time with a 1’38.269s set in the afternoon on SCQ tyres; attempting to break the 1’37s barrier as he discussed on Wednesday. Like on Day 1, Razgatlioglu was aiming to improve acceleration out of the corners, with Razgatlioglu completing 61 laps while teammate Andrea Locatelli was seventh with a best time of 1’39.280s Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) put his ZX-10RR into second place on Day 2, less than a tenth behind Razgatlioglu, after he set a 1’38.352s in the final hour of the test to finish only 0.083s off the pace. Both Rea and KRT teammate Alex Lowes were working to make final checks and balances on the ZX-10RR, with Lowes in fifth place and around nine tenths down on Rea. The Aruba.it Racing – Ducati team, once again looking to work on the 2023 Panigale V4 R machine, took third and fourth with Alvaro Bautista and Michael Ruben Rinaldi respectively, with Rinaldi almost two tenths down on his teammate on the second day after Bautista set a 1’38.449s; the 2022 top three separated by just 0.180s. It was a strong debut outing for Ducati’s new model, featuring revised exhausts and winglets, with two riders occupying two positions inside the top four. ROOKIES IMPRESS ONCE AGAIN: three rookies inside the top ten… After a strong showing on Day 1, three WorldSBK rookies finished the test inside the top ten on Day 2. Dominique Aegerter (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) was sixth fastest after posting a 1’39.193s using the SCQ tyre to make him the second-fastest Yamaha rider on Day 2, with Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) once again inside the top ten, taking eighth place after setting a 1’39.311s. Aegerter’s GRT Yamaha teammate, Remy Gardner, took tenth spot but was only three tenths slower than Aegerter at the end of Day 2; showing how tight the WorldSBK field is in 2023. CLOSELY MATCHED FOR THE TOP TEN: a hotly-contested fight in 2023? Team HRC had one rider inside the top ten with Iker Lecuona in ninth place, completing 68 laps on his way to a position inside the top ten as he set a 1’39.337s, while teammate Vierge was in 12th place and more than six tenths down on his teammate. Loris Baz (Bonovo Action BMW) was the lead BMW rider on Day 2 as he took 11th place with a 1’39.517s. Factory BMW riders Scott Redding (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) and Michael van der Mark were 12th and 16th respectively, while Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW) was 15th; Gerloff had a crash in the morning after losing the front of his machine at Turn 6. NOT FAR AWAY: it’s close at Jerez… The returning Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) was classified in 17th place with a 1’40.750s on his ZX-10RR, with his day ending a few minutes early after he had a crash towards the end of Day 2. Lorenzo Baldassarri (GMT94 Yamaha), making his and the team’s WorldSBK debut, was 18th fastest as he adjusted to new surroundings, while Oliver Konig (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) was 19th; the team have switched brake suppliers from Brembo to Nissin for 2023. BULEGA LEADS THE WAY: Italian rider on top in WorldSSP Nicolo Bulega (Aruba WorldSSP Racing Team) was the lead rider in the WorldSSP field on his Panigale V2, completing 69 laps with a best time of 1’41.685s. Can Oncu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing), with four bikes to try as well as comparing suspension suppliers, was second and two tenths back while Federico Caricasulo (Althea Racing) was third and only three tenths down on Bulega. Adrian Huertas (MTM Kawasaki) was fourth while three rookies completed the classification: Andrea Mantovani (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team) was fifth, 1.4s down on Bulega, with John McPhee (Vince64 by Puccetti Racing) sixth and Yuta Okaya (Prodina Kawasaki Racing WorldSSP) seventh; Okaya’s best time was recorded as a 1’46.225s, but he was running without a transponder for a lot of the day.
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Post by truenorth on Jan 26, 2023 13:57:39 GMT -8
CONDICIONES ATMOSFERICAS: Soleado ESTADO DE LA PISTA: Seca CIRCUITO DE JEREZ - SUPERBIKE TEST Thursday, January 26th 2023
RESULTS
1 54 WSB Toprak RAZGATLIOGLU TUR PATA YAMAHA WITH BRIX YAMAHA 61 38 ---- 1:38.269 ---- 268,2 2 65 WSB Jonathan REA GBR KAWASAKI RACING TEAM KAWASAKI 56 53 0.083 1:38.352 0.083 269,4 3 1 WSB Alvaro BAUTISTA ESP ARUBA.IT RACING - DUCA DUCATI 86 65 0.097 1:38.449 0.180 279,4 4 21 WSB Michael Ruben RINALDI ITA ARUBA.IT RACING - DUCA DUCATI 67 67 0.197 1:38.646 0.377 276,0 5 22 WSB Alex LOWES GBR KAWASAKI RACING TEAM KAWASAKI 79 75 0.529 1:39.175 0.906 271,6 6 77 WSB Dominique AEGERTER SWI GRT YAMAHA WORLDSBK YAMAHA 71 70 0.018 1:39.193 0.924 266,8 7 55 WSB Andrea LOCATELLI ITA PATA YAMAHA WITH BRIX YAMAHA 69 51 0.087 1:39.280 1.011 268,6 8 9 WSB Danilo PETRUCCI ITA BARNI SPARK RACING TE DUCATI 54 52 0.031 1:39.311 1.042 271,2 9 7 WSB Iker LECUONA ESP TEAM HRC WORLDSBK HONDA 68 58 0.026 1:39.337 1.068 268,3 10 87 WSB Remy GARDNER AUS GRT YAMAHA WORLDSBK YAMAHA 76 70 0.127 1:39.464 1.195 266,9 11 76 WSB Loris BAZ FRA BONOVO ACTION TEAM BMW 61 61 0.053 1:39.517 1.248 269,3 12 45 WSB Scott REDDING GBR BMW MOTORRAD WORLD BMW 71 62 0.193 1:39.710 1.441 270,6 13 97 WSB Xavi VIERGE ESP TEAM HRC WORLDSBK HONDA 79 77 0.150 1:39.860 1.591 269,1 14 5 WSB Philipp OETTL GER TEAM GOELEVEN DUCATI 77 70 0.163 1:40.023 1.754 268,5 15 31 WSB Garrett GERLOFF USA BONOVO ACTION TEAM BMW 52 41 0.078 1:40.101 1.832 272,3 16 60 WSB Michael VD MARK NED BMW MOTORRAD WORLD BMW 77 74 0.120 1:40.221 1.952 266,6 17 66 WSB Tom SYKES GBR KAWASAKI PUCCETTI RAC KAWASAKI 36 33 0.529 1:40.750 2.481 262,4 18 34 WSB Lorenzo BALDASSARRI ITA GMT94 YAMAHA YAMAHA 65 29 0.225 1:40.975 2.706 260,9 19 121 WSB Florian MARINO FRA KAWASAKI RACING TEAM KAWASAKI 52 38 0.578 1:41.553 3.284 266,4 20 52 WSB Oliver KÖNIG CZE VERDNATURA ORELAC KAWASAKI 63 18 0.042 1:41.595 3.326 263,5 21 11 WSS Niccolo BULEGA ITA ARUBA.IT RACING - DUCA DUCATI 69 24 0.090 1:41.685 3.416 240,3 22 61 WSS Can ONCU TUR KAWASAKI PUCCETTI RAC KAWASAKI 72 46 0.173 1:41.858 3.589 237,5 23 64 WSS Federico CARICASULO ITA ALTHEA RACING DUCATI 68 58 0.154 1:42.012 3.743 239,3 24 40 SBK Roman RAMOS ESP KAWASAKI PALMETO KAWASAKI 54 41 0.075 1:42.087 3.818 256,1 25 99 WSS Adrian HUERTAS ESP MTM RACING KAWASAKI 39 12 0.836 1:42.923 4.654 238,1 26 122 STK Sam LOWES GBR MARC VDS TEAM 59 49 0.139 1:43.062 4.793 253,3 27 19 WSS Andrea MANTOVANI ITA EVAN BROS WORLDSSP Y YAMAHA 88 27 0.087 1:43.149 4.880 237,8 28 27 WSS John MCPHEE GBR VINCE64 RACING by PUCC KAWASAKI 65 62 0.516 1:43.665 5.396 236,0 29 131 Roberto GARCIA ESP CARDOSO RACING YAMAHA 27 14 0.909 1:44.574 6.305 255,4 30 16 WSS Yuta OKAYA JAP PRODINA TEAM KAWASAKI 13 5 1.651 1:46.225 7.956 232,6 31 44 David MUÑOZ E S P CARDOSO RACING Y A M A H A 34 6 0.913 1:47.138 8.869 252,5 32 222 Ana CARRASCO ESP CARDOSO RACING Y A M A H A 42 42 1.768 1:48.906 10.637 226,7
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Post by truenorth on Jan 26, 2023 13:59:40 GMT -8
CIRCUITO DE JEREZ - SUPERBIKE TEST 25th & 26th January 2023 TWO DAY COMBINED RESULTS 9 Mejor VR NV Tiempo Tiempo Sesion 1 Sesion 2 Ord. # Piloto Club Marca Neum NVT VR NV Tiempo 1 54 WSB Toprak RAZGATLIOGLU PATA YAMAHA WITH BRIX WORLDS YAMAHA 128 60 67 1:38.597 38 61 1:38.269 1:38.269 2 65 WSB Jonathan REA KAWASAKI RACING TEAM KAWASAK 98 40 42 1:39.302 53 56 1:38.352 1:38.352 3 1 WSB Alvaro BAUTISTA ARUBA.IT RACING - DUCATI DUCATI 174 78 88 1:38.852 65 86 1:38.449 1:38.449 4 21 WSB Michael Ruben RINALDI ARUBA.IT RACING - DUCATI DUCATI 139 64 72 1:39.240 67 67 1:38.646 1:38.646 5 22 WSB Alex LOWES KAWASAKI RACING TEAM KAWASAK 116 34 37 1:39.684 75 79 1:39.175 1:39.175 6 77 WSB Dominique AEGERTER GRT YAMAHA WORLDSBK TEAM YAMAHA 160 69 89 1:39.934 70 71 1:39.193 1:39.193 7 55 WSB Andrea LOCATELLI PATA YAMAHA WITH BRIX WORLDS YAMAHA 148 33 79 1:40.227 51 69 1:39.280 1:39.280 8 9 WSB Danilo PETRUCCI BARNI SPARK RACING TEAM DUCATI 107 29 53 1:39.790 52 54 1:39.311 1:39.311 9 7 WSB Iker LECUONA TEAM HRC WORLDSBK HONDA 136 49 68 1:39.883 58 68 1:39.337 1:39.337 10 87 WSB Remy GARDNER GRT YAMAHA WORLDSBK TEAM YAMAHA 162 79 86 1:40.551 70 76 1:39.464 1:39.464 11 76 WSB Loris BAZ BONOVO ACTION TEAM BMW 121 56 60 1:41.040 61 61 1:39.517 1:39.517 12 45 WSB Scott REDDING BMW MOTORRAD WORLDSBK TEAM BMW 138 47 67 1:39.998 62 71 1:39.710 1:39.710 13 97 WSB Xavi VIERGE TEAM HRC WORLDSBK HONDA 167 84 88 1:39.879 77 79 1:39.860 1:39.860 14 5 WSB Philipp OETTL TEAM GOELEVEN DUCATI 144 61 67 1:40.234 70 77 1:40.023 1:40.023 15 31 WSB Garrett GERLOFF BONOVO ACTION TEAM BMW 106 54 54 1:40.066 41 52 1:40.101 1:40.066 16 60 WSB Michael VD MARK BMW MOTORRAD WORLDSBK TEAM BMW 142 60 65 1:40.770 74 77 1:40.221 1:40.221 17 66 WSB Tom SYKES KAWASAKI PUCCETTI RACING KAWASAK 75 22 39 1:40.883 33 36 1:40.750 1:40.750 18 34 WSB Lorenzo BALDASSARRI GMT94 YAMAHA YAMAHA 132 51 67 1:41.726 29 65 1:40.975 1:40.975 19 121 WSB Florian MARINO KAWASAKI RACING TEAM KAWASAK 63 7 11 1:43.215 38 52 1:41.553 1:41.553 20 52 WSB Oliver KÖNIG VERDNATURA ORELAC KAWASAK 131 58 68 1:41.631 18 63 1:41.595 1:41.595 21 11 WSS Niccolo BULEGA ARUBA.IT RACING - DUCATI DUCATI 122 44 53 1:42.454 24 69 1:41.685 1:41.685 22 61 WSS Can ONCU KAWASAKI PUCCETTI RACING KAWASAK 120 31 48 1:42.466 46 72 1:41.858 1:41.858 23 64 WSS Federico CARICASULO ALTHEA RACING DUCATI 144 57 76 1:42.538 58 68 1:42.012 1:42.012 24 40 SBK Roman RAMOS KAWASAKI PALMETO KAWASAK 110 56 56 1:43.139 41 54 1:42.087 1:42.087 25 99 WSS Adrian HUERTAS MTM RACING KAWASAK 96 48 57 1:43.455 12 39 1:42.923 1:42.923 26 122 STK Sam LOWES MARC VDS TEAM 111 49 52 1:43.383 49 59 1:43.062 1:43.062 27 19 WSS Andrea MANTOVANI EVAN BROS WORLDSSP YAMAHA T YAMAHA 171 76 83 1:43.066 27 88 1:43.149 1:43.066 28 27 WSS John MCPHEE VINCE64 RACING by PUCCETTI KAWASAK 120 55 55 1:46.116 62 65 1:43.665 1:43.665 29 131 Roberto GARCIA CARDOSO RACING YAMAHA 66 26 39 1:44.381 14 27 1:44.574 1:44.381 30 16 WSS Yuta OKAYA PRODINA TEAM KAWASAK 13 0 0 - - - - 5 13 1:46.225 1:46.225 31 44 David MUÑOZ CARDOSO RACING Y A M A H A 64 20 30 1:47.673 6 34 1:47.138 1:47.138 32 222 Ana CARRASCO CARDOSO RACING Y A M A H A 82 40 40 1:49.538 42 42 1:48.906 1:48.906
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Post by truenorth on Jan 26, 2023 14:01:25 GMT -8
‘Titanic Trio’ on Jerez testing, 2023 rivalry and who may join them Thursday, 26 January 2023 Last year’s top three give their thoughts on who may join the battle at the front after seeing their rivals in action in dry conditions… Testing may have been restricted in December in the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship in December due to bad weather conditions, but the sun was shining on the Circuit de Jerez – Angel Nieto which allowed plenty of running despite cold conditions in the morning. This allowed riders to check out their competitors on track and last year’s ‘Titanic Trio’, Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati), Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) and Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) gave their thoughts on the season ahead and who may join them in the battle at the front. Everyone at the Jerez test completed plenty of runs and laps in order to refine the setup of their machine during the test and this data allowed the top three from 2022 to discuss their rivals, with Razgatlioglu first, Rea second and Bautista third on the second day of testing, as well as others who may add to the fight at the front. Each rider picked out several others who might make an impact in WorldSBK in 2023. Pacesetter Razgatlioglu outlined who he thinks will join the fight in 2023, saying: “I’m not surprised. I see the result and I’m just smiling because, last year, it was the same. We were fighting altogether. Now I see again I’m with Jonny and Alvaro and everybody is very close again. It’s not easy to say because the season hasn’t started. Petrucci looks strong. Rinaldi also looks strong. Now, it looks like everybody is very strong. Dominique, Gardner, everybody looks very strong. Locatelli, today, made a big improvement.” Rea, who was second on Day 2 but less than a tenth behind Razgatlioglu, added: “It’s not really a rivalry, it’s just other fast guys. They’re great riders and they’re going to be so competitive. At this point, I’m not really thinking of them, I’m thinking about our bike. While we’re making some positive steps, we still have a long way to go. We have a lot of work to do this winter still. I expect to keep working in Portimao to put things together and then I think Australia is the most positive test. I think WorldSBK now is so deep a field, the new guys that are coming in have got great credentials, great CVs. You have Danilo Petrucci, a MotoGP™ race winner not that long ago and a great talent; Remy, a Moto2™ World Champion two years ago, and then the WorldSSP Champion and runner-up. The riders that have exited have been replaced by proper, proper guys and that’s going to make the fight at the front stronger, but I don’t know which one of those guys is going to be there. The year needs a few rounds to get momentum and understand where everyone is. Hopefully I’ll be one of them!” Sporting the #1 plate for the first time on track, Bautista said: “It’s difficult to say in the winter test because you don’t know exactly what the other riders are trying or how much they are pushing. For sure, Toprak and Jonathan will be there. And then, with the new riders, like Petrucci, Aegerter, Baldassarri, Gardner, you have to see how their improvements in the season. I think a rider who is making a good improvement is my teammate, Michael. I think he can fight for the podium and victories this season. I think this season will have more battles than the last one. We have to be prepared for that.” Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) enjoyed a strong debut in WorldSBK as he consistently placed inside the top ten, Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) and teammate Dominique Aegerter both ended Day 2 inside the top ten while Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) and Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha WorldSBK) showed strong pace at Jerez. Lorenzo Baldassarri (GMT94 Yamaha) was making his, and the team’s, debut in southern Spain as they look to adapt to WorldSBK. Will they join the battles at the front of the field?
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Post by truenorth on Jan 26, 2023 16:08:10 GMT -8
Danilo Petrucci: Today I was going sideways…maybe too much
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Post by truenorth on Jan 27, 2023 9:36:42 GMT -8
According to Sully: The Ducatis have higher to speeds than the other bikes. In order to increase the revs of the othe bikes- The rules are based on the WSBK independant Dyno results of a standard engine. They dyno the bikes and then determine the Max RPM numbers for the season. Any + or - adjustments during the year are based on the these Specs. So if they want more revs, they need to work on their valvetrains and lighten the parts
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Post by truenorth on Jan 27, 2023 14:46:23 GMT -8
Ana Carrasco responds to Bautista: "Are you saying amateur because I am a woman?" Ana Carrasco has not hesitated to answer the statements of Álvaro Bautista. The Moto3 rider , (the youngest in history to compete in this competition), did not like the words of the current Superbike champion . This week two days coincided in the Circuito de Jerez-Ángel Nieto , together with his boxing partner David Muñoz , for the preparation of the new season of the world championship. Both shared the track with the WorldSBK riders, who have already completed the two days of testing on the Andalusian track. There Bautista suffered a fall, and pointed to Carrasco as the culprit of his accident for going at low speed in front of him on a curve, and released a comment that the Murcian has interpreted as macho. Bautista: "Ana should run with the amateurs" At the end of the day, the number 1 Superbike spoke to journalists to talk about his day in Jerez. Then he explained his fall, saying that he saw Ana Carrasco in front of him, about half a second away. But under braking he came up too fast on her, moving and skimming the dirt just outside the turn. There, however, the lead slipped and Bautista ended up on the ground, without consequences. However, the Ducati rider added the following: “Ana should race with the amateurs, right now she is too slow to compete with the Superbike and Supersport riders. She is not so sure » . Carrasco responds The Moto3 rider did not like her compatriot's words very much. And her response comes directly from her social network, Twitter, which she takes advantage of to report the Superbike world champion's statements and to add her comment. “Amateurs, you say that because I am a woman?? World Champion, I saw the sign at the finish line, I knew you were coming," wrote Carrasco. “Between T1 and T2 I went in, I turned to see when you were passing and I saw you fall… So don't tell stories ”. TN says: While these two riders fight, it is more a problem caused by Dorna putting Moto3 bikes on the track while SBK are on. Speed differential is a real issue.
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Post by truenorth on Jan 27, 2023 15:23:02 GMT -8
JEREZ TEST NEW TECH: engine specs, new swingarms, gearbox, staff changes and big bosses Friday, 27 January 2023 The WorldSBK test at Jerez gave us a first glimpse of what to expect for the year ahead, whilst there was plenty of technical developments, whilst some senior engineers were also in attendance With the 2023 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship back on track at the first test of the year at the Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto, one thing was always guaranteed: new tech. Whether it was newly-homologated motorcycles, swingarm variations or chassis tweaks, we had a feast to get into across all five manufacturers and plenty of Independent teams too. Ducati: new engine, new exhaust and winglet refinement Starting with the reigning World Champions, it was all about evolution and not revolution. The new Panigale V4 R features an upgraded engine with what Ducati’s CEO Claudio Domenicali said featured “sexy, high-spec engineering” during the manufacturer’s launch in Madonna di Campiglio. They also had new winglets; the new two-element wings (main + flap) guarantee the same aerodynamic load but are more compact and thinner (respectively by 40% and 50%). The new exhaust means that the total potential horsepower of the bike is 240.5 and both factory bikes had the new exhaust and like it (both in performance and look). The priority for both riders was to get used to the new bike, with Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) hailing the new engine as more “linear and smooth” and after back-to-backing the old and new bikes, day two was all on the new bike. However, Bautista had hoped to improve turning, but said that “nothing had changed”, but in terms of stability – another area he was hoping to improve – that he had gained something. He said the engine in 2022 “was too strong and aggressive”, but now it’s a “step forward”. For Rinaldi, it was about getting to grips with the new bike, whilst also working on engine and strategy. BMW: winglet revamps, new gearbox and switch brake supplier Another new bike for the 2023 is the BMW M 1000 RR; one of the key differences for them in 2023 will be the aero package, which has been radicalised. In terms of the aero however, all BMW riders said that they could feel the difference in the corners, with van der Mark branding it “really strong and nice” but that he did have to get used to it. One benefit will be top speed but that won’t be clear at Jerez, whilst in terms of grip coming out of corners and getting the bike to turn – a main complaint from BMW riders in 2022 – a step had been made with this package. With turning the bike, van der Mark commented: “It helps, especially when you dive into the corner”, whilst team principal Shaun Muir said that “over the course of the year, it’ll be a benefit to the team”. One of the other key changes is that BMW have decided to switch from Nissin brakes to Brembo. Van der Mark worked with Nissin exclusively on day one to back-to-back test the two brands, whilst he said it’s “hard to say” whether it’ll be a clear step up just yet, with more feeling needed. Loris Baz (Bonovo Action BMW) however was adamant that it’ll be a positive change: “It’s something that I was pushing for a little bit because we had some problems in some races last year. I think we can take this out of our mind with Brembo, so I’m looking forward to races, especially in hot conditions.” There was also a new gearbox too, which allowed for quicker changes with upshifts and downshifts, making the life easier for the riders. Muir also gave comment to this, saying: “It’s been tested by all riders from BMW in the December test at Jerez and that it was beneficial as well. It’s to suit the power gains that we’ve had over the last 12 months. It’s optimising; we have to select our gear ratios at the beginning of the year to suit the season, so we’ve refined that from where we were in 2022. The change in characteristics, the quick shift characteristics, has been modified as well and the riders are happy with all of that.” Besides that, there’s a new engine mounting point which was confirmed last year and Shaun Muir said to expect benefits from a variation of the swingarm from December’s test to come for the European rounds. Kawasaki: major staffing changes, corner exit speed and suspension items Kawasaki focused on improving acceleration out of the corners and new ideas regarding electronics. Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) re-tested some items that Showa had bought regarding suspensions, something that teammate Alex Lowes stated too, with Lowes working on a variation of an upgraded rear shock, with it being the first test with the latest evolution. Rea stated that he had re-confirmed a wheelbase setting, as it’s something that influences the ZX-10RR “a lot” from track to track. For the six-time World Champion, there was a lot of back-to-back testing to confirm that items and solutions that they thought were better were actually better. For Lowes there was also chassis items, as well as electronic updates. There was a neutral lever too, to help with regards to preventing false neutrals. One thing that was noteworthy was that both riders stated that they’d prefer harder tyres to test instead of the softer compounds that Pirelli brought to the test, with the ZX-10RR characteristics meaning that hard rubber would be favoured. However, one of the standout elements for the entire factory Kawasaki team was that there was new personnel in the team. Christophe Lambert moved over from Toprak Razgatlioglu’s (Pata Yamaha WorldSBK) crew and now takes on a more central role within KRT with regards to electronics – Alex Lowes had worked with him before and stated that having a previous working relationship with him helped and is excited for the new ideas to come through. There was also a new electronics engineer, Zander Donkers, who Rea would be working with. One of the focal points of the test was to understand the communication within the team from riders to the new members, and to build on the working environment within the box. Yamaha: new swingarm, links and electronics At Yamaha, there was a new swingarm and linkage, with Toprak Razgatlioglu getting down to near lap record pace on day two, having stated on day one that he’d target a 1’37. He was also working on a variety of things such as electronics, as was Andrea Locatelli, who had new swingarms too. The core focus for Yamaha was to work on rear grip and acceleration out of the corner, in order to carry more speed down the straight and rival the power of the Ducati. For other Yamaha teams, the GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team debuted their new line-up of Remy Gardner and Dominique Aegerter and the GMT94 Yamaha of Lorenzo Baldassarri all have the same spec Yamahas at the start of the season. Honda: big bosses from Japan, engine specs and swingarms All eyes were on Honda, as some of the biggest HRC bosses were in attendance. Along with HRC engineers Yuji Mori and Tomonori Araki, Masamune Ohigashi, chief engineer of HRC’s race operations was also keeping an eye on proceedings. Engine specification variants, along with slightly different swingarms to try. They also had new Nissin brake calipers to try. There was also a new weld point on the chassis, around the swingarm pivot. Potentially to add stiffness, it was visible on both bikes. There were as well as electronic strategies in order to get more grip in the corner, as well as geometry settings. The engine configurations aimed at more torque and acceleration out of corners.
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Post by truenorth on Jan 27, 2023 15:57:51 GMT -8
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Post by truenorth on Jan 28, 2023 8:16:02 GMT -8
Livio Suppo: What Ken Kawauchi will bring to Honda The former Honda and Suzuki team boss analyses the new HRC Technical Manager’s arrival at the famous factory HRC’s signing of Ken Kawauchi as their new Technical Manager is one of the most talked-about personnel changes within the MotoGP™ paddock for quite some time. Kawauchi is highly thought of up and down the grid following the key role he played in Suzuki’s 2020 World Championship success. He now steps into a struggling Honda project desperate to reclaim some of their former glory. As we wait for the season to start, nobody can offer a better insight of what Kawauchi can bring to Honda in 2023 then Livio Suppo. After seven years and five MotoGP™ titles at Honda, and two MotoGP™ victories at Suzuki during his one-year stint as Team Manager, the Italian has a close working relationship with both Kawauchi and the famous Japanese brand. In an interview with MotoGP.com’s Jack Appleyard, Suppo said he found it “almost impossible to understand” what happened at Honda throughout 2022, as they slipped to the bottom of the Constructors’ Championship after registering just two podium finishes. But the incredibly experienced team boss is confident that Kawauchi has the skillset to make a positive impact. "Ken was Suzuki’s Technical Director," started the Italian. "Which means all the team’s technicians had to send their reports to him after every practice and every race. He would lead all the technical meetings, so Ken is very good at collecting information and moving it back to the factory. "Especially for the Japanese manufacturers, it’s not easy getting the information from the track to the factory and from the factory to the track. This is a really important part of the job in my opinion. It’s crucial that they have the same vision and that the people at the track trust the people back at the factory and vice versa. If they don't share the same ideas, then it’s a disaster for the development of the bike. "Knowing that, Ken has two big pluses. First, he’s proved to be very good at his job. Second, he has a very good character. I think that empathy in this kind of job is super important because it's impossible that the engineers at the track and those at the factory share the same vision all the time. Those at the track can miss something that those in the factory understand and vice versa. So, empathy and the ability to work with both groups is very important and I believe Ken has that. "I don’t think Ken’s role will be to build a new bike," continued Suppo when asked what sort of an impact Kawauchi could have at Honda. "I imagine it will be the same as he had in Suzuki and I think he will do a very good job. He will help everybody at HRC to go in the same direction, which is very important. I say the same direction and not the right direction because there’s a big difference. "If everyone is working in the same direction, you will understand if it is the correct way or not. If people are working in opposite directions, then nobody will know what’s right and what’s wrong. The bike can be a piece of crap and nobody knows whose fault it is. It’s important not to have an internal war between people who believe their ideas are better than someone else’s ideas. "What can he bring in the short term? This is a difficult question. In the short term, it will be very important to see how the beginning of the season goes. I believe if the results immediately improve then the atmosphere, the motivation, the feeling of the riders will all improve and then it’s much easier. If it’s not easy at the beginning, I’m not saying it will be impossible, but, of course, it will be more difficult. "All of the riders in the paddock believe that the Honda isn’t that good, right? One year ago, at the pre-season tests and at the first race in Qatar, if you check the articles from that time they all said Honda is back. Even Pol Espargaro was saying to the media that with this bike we can fight, we’re going in the right direction and so on. But what happened after? "How does a bike go from finishing on the podium in Qatar, and Pol had the potential to win that race but he was pushing too much at the beginning so didn’t have any tyres at the end, and then, by mid-season, struggle to finish inside the top ten? It’s very strange. Honestly speaking, it’s almost impossible to understand what happened last year. "Kokubu-san [Shinichi Kokubu, HRC’s Technical Director, pictured above to the right of Kawauchi] has proven he can build a good bike. He was in that same position when I was there and, in 2012 for example when we moved to 1000cc, they built a strong bike so Casey [Stoner], Dani [Pedrosa], Cal [Crutchlow] were all fast. During that time, Nakamoto-san [Shuhei Nakamoto, HRC’s former Vice President] was there and he was vital in keeping everyone in the same direction. I hope, as a friend of both Ken and Kokubu, they can rescue this boat that is right now in a storm, in a very difficult moment."
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Post by truenorth on Jan 30, 2023 9:15:47 GMT -8
PORTIMAO TEST: Ray to make WorldSBK debut in Portugal, first 2023 look at Bassani and MIE Honda Monday, 30 January 2023 Just a few days after the Jerez test concluded, the WorldSBK paddock is heading west to the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve for two more days of testing Testing at the Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto only concluded on Thursday last week, but an intense winter testing programme will continue this week for teams and riders in the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship. Heading west from southern Spain, the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve will host two more days of testing on Tuesday, 31st January and Wednesday, 1st February; the last test in Europe before the Championship heads to Australia. The track action takes place from 10am Local Time (GMT+0) until 5pm on both days. NOVELTIES: on display at Portimao Four riders will be making their first appearance of the 2023 calendar year at Portimao. It will be a WorldSBK debut for reigning British champion Bradley Ray (Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team) as he tries the Yamaha YZF R1 for the first time. One of the stars of WorldSBK in 2022, Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing) will get his first taste of the new Panigale V4 R when he takes to the track in Portugal, while MIE Racing Honda Team duo Eric Granado and Hafizh Syahrin will make their first appearance of the year at Portimao. AS YOU WERE AT JEREZ: all five factory teams on track As was the case in Spain, all five factory teams will take to the track in Portugal. Reigning Champion Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) will once again display the #1 plate as he prepares to defend his title, alongside teammate Michael Ruben Rinaldi. Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha WorldSBK) will be on track on his R1 machine alongside Andrea Locatelli as the pair head into their third season together while Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) and teammate Alex Lowes will be looking to lift Kawasaki up the order in 2023; their preparations continue with two days of action in Portugal. Scott Redding (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) and teammate for a second year, Michael van der Mark, will hit Portimao as they aim to refine their 2023 M 1000 RR machine and become regular podium challengers. At Team HRC, Iker Lecuona and Xavi Vierge will have the CBR1000RR-R at their disposal for their second WorldSBK campaign and, after one pole position and one podium last season, will be aiming to build on that starting with the tests. INDEPENDENT TEAMS TESTING: a very busy test expected Both the Jerez test last week and the Portimao test this week will feature plenty of riders looking to make an impact in 2023. Rookie Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) will have his second test in WorldSBK after impressing at Jerez, as will Philipp Oettl (Team GoEleven), who was flirting with the top ten, and GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team pairing Dominique Aegerter and Remy Gardner who both showed strong pace at Jerez. After making their WorldSBK debut at Jerez, the GMT94 Yamaha team will be back out on track in Portugal with rider Lorenzo Baldassarri, who was not chasing a lap time in Jerez as both he and the team got accustomed to the R1 machine. The Independent BMW outfit, Bonovo Action BMW, will also return to the track at Portimao, with Garrett Gerloff and Loris Baz keen to continue working on the M 1000 RR and be regular podium contenders in 2023. ALSO ON TRACK: WorldSSP riders join the action As well as the 21 WorldSBK riders, several WorldSSP riders will be testing at Portimao. Ten Kate Racing Yamaha’s all-new line-up will be seen in action for the first time, as Jorge Navarro and Stefano Manzi link up for the reigning Champions. After switching teams for 2023, Oli Bayliss (D34G Racing) will get his first outing with his new squad for this season alongside Maximilian Kofler, who is also new to the team this season. Ducati duo Nicolo Bulega (Aruba Racing WorldSSP Team) and Federico Caricasulo (Althea Racing) will look to continue refining their Panigale V2 machines as they look to take wins after being regular podium challengers in 2022, as will Raffaele De Rose (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) as he embarks on his second campaign with Ducati machinery; he’s joined in 2023 by Federico Fuligni, who is competing in the WorldSSP Challenge. Kawasaki Puccetti Racing were very busy in Jerez with four bikes to test, and their testing programme with rider Can Oncu continues in Portugal.
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Post by truenorth on Jan 30, 2023 13:32:06 GMT -8
Dosoli: "It’s a strong lineup, the strongest we’ve fielded since returning to the Championship" Monday, 30 January 2023 Japanese manufacturer Yamaha have four World Champions with five titles between them, as well as a national champion, in their 2023 line-up Ahead of two days of testing for the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship at the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve, Yamaha have unveiled their six riders across four teams that will compete for the Japanese manufacturer. With four World Champions having five titles to their name, plus a World Cup and a national championship, the line-up has been called Yamaha’s “strongest since returning to the Championship” by Yamaha Motor Europe Road Racing Manager, Andrea Dosoli. The Yamaha line-up in 2023 features six riders, four of whom are rookies to the Championship having earned a step up following their success either in the WorldSBK paddock in other Championships, the MotoGP™ paddock or in a national championship. The factory Pata Yamaha WorldSBK team consists of 2021 WorldSBK Champion Toprak Razgatlioglu and 2020 WorldSSP Champion Andrea Locatelli, who start their third season together as teammates. The GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team has an all-new line-up for 2023 having secured the services of Dominique Aegerter and Remy Gardner. Aegerter spent two seasons in WorldSSP, winning both titles and is only behind five-time Champion Kenan Sofuoglu in the all-time wins list, while Remy Gardner took the 2021 Moto2™ title and spent 2022 in MotoGP™. Returning for their second season in WorldSBK, the Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team have opted for 2022 British champion Bradley Ray, who makes his WorldSBK debut in 2023, with Ray competing in the European rounds this season. There is also a new Yamaha team on the grid as GMT94 Yamaha make the step up from WorldSSP to WorldSBK for the first time. The French team have secured the services of WorldSSP runner-up Lorenzo Baldassarri for 2023, making it a rider-and-team rookie combination. With four wins to his name in WorldSSP in 2022 as well as winning multiple races in Moto2™, he brings plenty of experience to the team albeit not WorldSBK experience. Discussing the season ahead and Yamaha’s 2023 line-up, Dosoli said: “For the first time, we will have six riders contracted directly by Yamaha representing our brand in the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship, four of them World Champions and one national champion. It’s a strong rider lineup, the strongest we’ve fielded since returning to the championship in 2016, and our expectations are high going into the new season. In Toprak and Andrea, we have two experienced championship campaigners, while Remy brings with him a wealth of experience from MotoGP. Dominique, Lorenzo, and Bradley are all proof that our unique step-up program, where Yamaha riders who excel at both an international and national level, are given the opportunity to step up to WorldSBK. “The investment in our riders has also been matched by the investment in development, with the R1 improving in key areas, which was illustrated by the performance of all our riders at the recent Jerez test. We are in a good position to fight once again for the World Championship title, but we know that we need to eliminate the mistakes that robbed us of important points last year and put together a perfect season. Thanks to our riders, and I wish them the best of luck for the coming campaign.”
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Post by truenorth on Jan 30, 2023 14:49:20 GMT -8
Yamaha WorldSBK Teams Break Cover in Portimao Ahead of 2023 Season Yamaha WorldSBK Teams Break Cover in Portimao Ahead of 2023 Season The covers have come off Yamaha’s six R1 WorldSBK machines that will contest the 2023 FIM Superbike World Championship at the last European preseason test before the season gets underway in Philip Island, Australia from 24-26 February. The Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK, GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK and GMT94 Yamaha WorldSBK teams will be joined at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve test in Portimão, Portugal by Motoxracing Yamaha, who will contest the European rounds of the 2023 WorldSBK calendar with reigning British Superbike Champion Bradley Ray. Leading the title chase for Yamaha once again in 2023, Toprak Razgatlıoğlu returns with the #54 plate after finishing runner-up during one of the most exciting seasons on record. Last year, the 26-year-old secured 14 victories and a further 15 podiums, and following a positive winter test in Jerez remains confident that he can take the fight to his rivals and thrill fans around the world with his spectacular riding style once again this season. Razgatlıoğlu will be back looking for revenge as he teams up once more at Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK with 2020 FIM Supersport World Champion, Andrea Locatelli. After finishing fourth and fifth overall during his last two campaigns, the 26-year-old Italian wants to add to his total of six WorldSBK podiums and secure his first victory in 2023. While consistency is the watchword at Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK, it is all change next door at GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK. There are two new riders for the team: the first in the shape of 2021 Moto2 World Champion, Australian Remy Gardener, who is looking to establish himself as a front-runner in WorldSBK immediately off the back of an impressive rookie MotoGP season. He will be joined on the grid by reigning MotoE and two-time FIM Supersport World Champion Dominique Aegerter. In his move up to WorldSBK, the Swiss rider hopes to bring the form that saw him claim a record-breaking 17 wins on the Yamaha R6 during his successful title defence last season. Aegerter’s main rival from a scintillating 2022 WorldSSP season, Lorenzo Baldassari, has also made the step up to WorldSBK with the GMT94 Yamaha WorldSBK team. Baldassari, who won four races and secured 12 more podiums on his way to second place in his rookie WorldSSP season, is looking to make a successful transition to the WorldSBK class along with his GMT94 team, who will also continue to compete with Yamaha machinery in the WorldSSP category. 2022 British Superbike Champion Bradley Ray will also get the opportunity to showcase his talents by participating in the European rounds of WorldSBK with the Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team. The 25-year-old Briton dominated BSB last season on a similar R1 to that run in WorldSBK, securing nine victories and 14 podiums on his way to the title. Ray’s aim is to adapt quickly to the WorldSBK specification R1 before his race debut at Assen in April. All six riders will campaign Yamaha’s proven, race-winning R1 WorldSBK machine, which has undergone considerable development over the very short winter break. Engineers at Yamaha Motor Research and Development Europe have focused their efforts on improving specific areas without compromising the strengths of the R1, with improved corner exit acceleration a major goal. This direction was confirmed during a two-day test in Jerez last week, with both the two Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK riders and the two GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK newcomers finishing promisingly within the top 10. Both days were topped by Razgatlıoğlu, who was tantalisingly close to breaking the WorldSBK lap record on day two. All the teams will now complete two days of testing at Portimão, before the Pata Yamaha Prometeon, GYTR GRT Yamaha and GMT94 Yamaha teams head “Down Under” for the final preseason test and the first round of the FIM Superbike World Championship at Phillip Island in Australia. Ray and the Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team will remain in Europe ahead of their Assen debut. Andrea Dosoli Yamaha Motor Europe Road Racing Manager For the first time, we will have six riders contracted directly by Yamaha representing our brand in the FIM Superbike World Championship, four of them World Champions and one national champion. It’s a strong rider lineup, the strongest we’ve fielded since returning to the championship in 2016, and our expectations are high going into the new season. In Toprak and Andrea, we have two experienced championship campaigners, while Remy brings with him a wealth of experience from MotoGP. Dominique, Lorenzo, and Bradley are all proof that our unique step-up program, where Yamaha riders who excel at both an international and national level, are given the opportunity to step up to WorldSBK. The investment in our riders has also been matched by the investment in development, with the R1 improving in key areas, which was illustrated by the performance of all our riders at the recent Jerez test. We are in a good position to fight once again for the World Championship title, but we know that we need to eliminate the mistakes that robbed us of important points last year and put together a perfect season. Thanks to our riders, and I wish them the best of luck for the coming campaign.
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Post by truenorth on Jan 31, 2023 8:31:21 GMT -8
Bautista leads Rinaldi in Ducati 1-2 at Portimao, two red flags disrupt first test morning Tuesday, 31 January 2023 The reigning Champion put in the fastest time of the morning test to top the timesheets, while Alex Lowes and Xavi Vierge brought out the red flags The first morning of MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship at the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve concluded with Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) on top of the timesheets in a session that was disrupted by red flags. Bautista was ahead of teammate Michael Ruben Rinaldi at the halfway point of the opening day of action, which was interrupted by two red flags for crashes. All five manufacturers were in the top ten positions in the opening part of the test, separated by just over a second. Bautista put in a time of 1’39.862s to top the times by just 0.020s ahead of teammate Rinaldi on a strong first morning for Ducati. Both riders were just two tenths away from the existing Superpole lap record at Portimao, which was set by Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) in 2022 and stands at 1’39.610s. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) put in a late lap in the morning to take third place, just a tenth down on Bautista, and around a tenth faster than teammate and 2021 Champion Toprak Razgatlioglu. Rea was fifth at the end of the morning after setting a 1’40.210s, just over three tenths down on Bautista’s quickest time. The morning session featured two red flags due to crashes. Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) crashed at Turn 10 not long into the session to bring out the first red flags, with Lowes re-joining the session on his second bike after the crash. Xavi Vierge (Team HRC) brought out the second red flag when he had a crash at Turn 13 but, like Lowes, has been out on track since his crash. In WorldSSP, Italian riders were on top in the morning with five Italians in the top six. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba Racing WorldSSP Team) was fastest with a 1’44.240s ahead of Raffaele De Rosa (Orelac Racing MOVISIO) in second and Federico Caricasulo (Althea Racing) third. Can Oncu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) took fourth in the morning with a 1’44.579s, while Stefano Manzi, on his first test day for Ten Kate Racing Yamaha, was fifth.
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Post by truenorth on Jan 31, 2023 8:39:53 GMT -8
FIRST LOOK: Honda’s return to WorldSSP action! Tuesday, 31 January 2023 Honda are returning to WorldSSP with the MIE – MS Racing Honda Team and riders Tarran Mackenzie and Adam Norrodin With the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve hosting two days of testing, it marked a key milestone for the FIM Supersport World Championship: Honda’s first on-track action since their return. The MIE – MS Racing Honda Team, a linkup between MIE Racing from WorldSBK and MS Racing, will have Tarran Mackenzie and Adam Norrodin onboard the CBR600RR machines for 2023 and, at Portimao, the team made their debut
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Post by truenorth on Jan 31, 2023 9:09:45 GMT -8
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Post by truenorth on Jan 31, 2023 10:34:38 GMT -8
Rinaldi pips Rea to Day 1 honours at Portimao, top three separated by 0.068s Tuesday, 31 January 2023 The Italian left it late to top the times in Portugal, with the top three separated by very little at the end of Day 1 at Portimao The first day of testing action for the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship came to a conclusion at the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve with Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) topping the times by 0.061s ahead of Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK). In a day disrupted by two red flags, the top three in Portugal were separated by just 0.068s at the end of the day’s action, with another day to come on Wednesday. TAKING HONOURS: top three separated by 0.068s… It was as close as ever as Day 1 at Portimao concluded, with around than half-a-tenth separating the top three. Rinaldi put in a late lap to take spot with a 1’39.639s as he continued to keep working as he did in Jerez. He was joined in the top three by teammate and reigning Champion Alvaro Bautista in third, with Bautista lapping only 0.068s slower than Rinaldi as the new Panigale V4 R continued to impress in its early days. Six-time Champion Rea was second on Day 1 after posting a 1’39.700s, ahead of his main rivals from 2022, as he goes in search of an unprecedented seventh World Championship. It was a dramatic day for Rea’s teammate, Alex Lowes, as he brought out the red flags after a crash at Turn 10 in the morning. Despite this, Lowes was able to post the seventh fastest time with a 1’40.264s as they continue to work on perfecting their 2023 package. 2021 Champion Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) was fourth fastest after posting a 1’39.851s, with a big focus on the rear of his Yamaha YZF R1 machine as was the case at Jerez last week. Teammate Andrea Locatelli was fourth fastest after a strong day, lapping only 0.136s slower than his teammate after setting a 1’39.987s on his Yamaha R1 machine. SHOWING PACE: a congested field on Day 1 As seen so often throughout 2022, the Team HRC duo of Xavi Vierge and Iker Lecuona were almost inseparable on Day 1 at Portimao, claiming sixth and eighth respectively. Vierge’s best time was a 1’40.053s, with Lecuona half a second behind. Vierge’s day was disrupted in the morning when he had a crash at Turn 13 which briefly brought out the red flags. The CBR1000RR-R machine feature the same updates as spotted at Jerez while there were several Japanese engineers once again present for the test. Independent riders rounded out the next three positions as they once again shone in testing, with Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) in ninth, Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW) in 10th and his teammate, Loris Baz, in 11th; Gerloff the highest-placed BMW rider with Gerloff just over a second off Razgatlioglu’s time and Baz only 0.039s behind his teammate. AIMING HIGHER: hoping for progress on Day 2 Scott Redding (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) was the top factory BMW rider in 12th place, posting a best time of 1’40.749s, while teammate Michael van der Mark was 14th place. The BMW factory team were continuing to adapt to their switch to Brembo brakes as well as the new fairing and aero packing on the bike, plus a new gearbox. Philipp Oettl (Team GoEleven) broke up the group of BMW riders with 13th place, while rookie Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team), continuing to adjust to WorldSBK ahead of his debut campaign, rounded out the top 15 as he posted a 1’41.321s. A CLOSE GRID: a sign of things to come in 2023… Rookie Dominique Aegerter (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) was 16th on his first visit to Portimao on WorldSBK machinery, lapping in 1’41.342s on his R1 machine. Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) was 17th as he re-adjusts to WorldSBK and Kawasaki machinery with Sykes aiming to understand where he and the team are in relation to the rest of the field. Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing) had his first outing on the 2023 Panigale V4 R and lapped Portimao in1’41.982s for 18th place, while rookie Bradley Ray (Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team) was 19th after his first run on WorldSBK machinery. Team and rider rookie duo Lorenzo Baldassarri and GMT94 Yamaha rounded out the WorldSBK field with 20th place. HONDA’S DEBUT, BULEGA ON TOP: WorldSSP action in Portugal Honda’s return to WorldSSP broke new ground at Portimao as the MIE – MS Honda Racing Team made their first on-track action with riders Tarran Mackenzie and Adam Norrodin, although neither rider had a lap time recorded despite being on tack. In terms of riders who had lap times recorded, it was an Italian and Ducati 1-2-3 at the top of the standings. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba Racing WorldSSP Team) topped the times after posting a 1’43.282s, almost half-a-second clear of compatriot Federico Caricasulo (Althea Racing) in second. Raffaele De Rose (Orelac Racing MOVISIO) was third, 0.012s slower than Caricasulo, while Valentin Debise (GMT94 Yamaha) took fourth spot; Debise is preparing for his first full WorldSSP campaign. Stefano Manzi (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) was fifth on his first outing for the team, ahead of Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) who was also making his debut for his new team. Can Oncu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing), still testing four bikes ahead of the 2023 campaign, was seventh with Oli Bayliss (D34G Racing) eighth; Bayliss making his debut for his new squad. Jorge Navarro’s (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) first outing for his new team ended with him in ninth, with Maximilian Kofler (D34G Racing) and Federico Fuligni (Orelac Racing MOVISIO) rounding out the WorldSSP field.
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Post by truenorth on Jan 31, 2023 10:37:23 GMT -8
Feel Racing Tests 31 January - 1 February 2023 Result of 31-01- 2023 Feel Racing Racing Portimão Test Autodromo Internacional Algarve - 4592 mtr. Pos Nbr Name Motorcycle Cls PIC Fastest In Gap Diff Laps Km/h 1 21 M. RINALDI - 2 DUC ATI SBK 1 1:39.639 73 75 165 .91 2 65 J. REA - 1 KAWASAKI SBK 2 1:39.700 53 0.061 0.061 61 165 .81 3 1 A. BAUTISTA - 2 DUC ATI SBK 3 1:39.707 50 0.068 0.007 59 165 .80 4 54 TOPRAK - 1 YAMAHA SBK 4 1:39.851 38 0.212 0.144 42 165 .56 5 54 TOPRAK - 2 YAMAHA SBK 5 1:39.916 19 0.277 0.065 20 165 .45 6 55 LOC ATELLI - 1 YAMAHA SBK 6 1:39.987 12 0.348 0.071 57 165 .33 7 1 A. BAUTISTA DUC ATI SBK 7 1:39.995 11 0.356 0.008 25 165 .32 8 97 X. VIERGE - 2 HONDA SBK 8 1:40.053 64 0.414 0.058 66 165 .22 9 22 A. LOWES - 1 KAWASAKI SBK 9 1:40.264 67 0.625 0.211 72 164 .88 10 55 LOC ATELLI - 2 YAMAHA SBK 10 1:40.417 24 0.778 0.153 28 164 .63 11 7 I. LEC UONA - 2 HONDA SBK 11 1:40.581 45 0.942 0.164 47 164 .36 12 87 R. GARDNER - 1 YAMAHA SBK 12 1:40.667 50 1.028 0.086 64 164 .22 13 31 G. GERTOFF - 1 BMW SBK 13 1:40.698 70 1.059 0.031 74 164 .17 14 76 L. BAZ - 2 BMW SBK 14 1:40.737 38 1.098 0.039 39 164 .10 15 45 S. REDDING - 2 BMW SBK 15 1:40.749 60 1.110 0.012 63 164 .08 16 5 P. OETTL - 1 DUC ATI SBK 16 1:40.846 43 1.207 0.097 60 163 .93 17 7 I. LEC UONA - 1 HONDA SBK 17 1:40.859 14 1.220 0.013 23 163 .90 18 60 M. van der MARK - 2 BMW SBK 18 1:40.875 51 1.236 0.016 55 163 .88 19 87 R. GARDNER - 2 YAMAHA SBK 19 1:41.168 19 1.529 0.293 22 163 .40 20 9 D. PETRUC CI - 2 DUC ATI SBK 20 1:41.321 56 1.682 0.153 65 163 .16 21 77 D. AEGERTER - 1 YAMAHA SBK 21 1:41.432 26 1.793 0.111 39 162 .98 22 66 T. SYKES - 1 KAWASAKI SBK 22 1:41.578 43 1.939 0.146 53 162 .74 23 65 J. REA - 2 KAWASAKI SBK 23 1:41.770 2 2.131 0.192 4 162 .44 24 22 A. LOWES - 2 KAWASAKI SBK 24 1:41.785 2 2.146 0.015 3 162 .41 25 76 L. BAZ - 1 BMW SBK 25 1:41.858 14 2.219 0.073 17 162 .30 26 21 M. RINALDI - 3 DUC ATI SBK 26 1:41.919 11 2.280 0.061 14 162 .20 27 47 A. BASSANI - 1 DUC ATI SBK 27 1:41.982 16 2.343 0.063 29 162 .10 28 77 D. AEGERTER - 2 YAMAHA SBK 28 1:42.054 48 2.415 0.072 49 161 .98 29 28 B. RAY YAMAHA SBK 29 1:42.400 41 2.761 0.346 43 161 .44 30 5 P. OETLL - 3 DUC ATI SBK 30 1:42.417 7 2.778 0.017 20 161 .41 31 34 L. BALDASSARRI YAMAHA SBK 31 1:42.450 61 2.811 0.033 68 161 .36 32 47 A. BASSANI - 2 DUC ATI SBK 32 1:42.519 19 2.880 0.069 25 161 .25 33 20 F. MARINO KAWASAKI SBK 33 1:42.624 38 2.985 0.105 45 161 .09 34 60 M. van der MARK - 1 BMW SBK 34 1:43.174 3 3.535 0.550 4 160 .23 35 11 N. BULEGA - 1 DUC ATI SSP 1 1:43.282 53 3.643 0.108 75 160 .06 36 69 F. CARICASULO DUC ATI SSP 2 1:43.773 40 4.134 0.491 68 159 .30 37 3 R. de ROSA DUC ATI SSP 3 1:43.785 58 4.146 0.012 61 159 .28 38 88 M. OLIVEIRA UKN 1 1:43.843 10 4.204 0.058 61 159 .19 39 999 ERC BIKE 2 1 1 1:43.862 36 4.223 0.019 42 159 .17 40 94 V. DEBISE YAMAHA SSP 4 1:43.879 52 4.240 0.017 64 159 .14 41 51 E. GRANADO HONDA SBK 35 1:43.950 41 4.311 0.071 45 159 .03 42 62 S. MANZI YAMAHA SSP 5 1:44.062 78 4.423 0.112 81 158 .86 43 55 Y. MOTELLA - 2 DUC ATI SSP 6 1:44.125 54 4.486 0.063 57 158 .76 44 35 H. SYAHRIN HONDA SBK 36 1:44.242 29 4.603 0.117 35 158 .58 45 61 C. ONCU KAWASAKI SSP 7 1:44.246 54 4.607 0.004 78 158 .58 46 99 ERC BIKE 1 1 2 1:45.124 10 5.485 0.878 33 157 .25 47 32 O. BAYLISS DUC ATI SSP 8 1:45.150 62 5.511 0.026 66 157 .22 48 9 J. NAVARRO YAMAHA SSP 9 1:46.096 62 6.457 0.946 63 155 .81 49 73 M. KOFLER DUC ATI SSP 10 1:46.491 56 6.852 0.395 60 155 .24 50 22 F. FULIGNI DUC ATI SSP 11 1:46.565 38 6.926 0.074 59 155 .13
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