#moto3 2015

[23mco]

“Quand la zira… la zira” ❤️

[racesport-nl]

[motogoss]

Malaysia - Sepang - Looking back in the run up to the weekend

I apologise for not writing a blog last weekend, I worked a lot of it so didn't get to see much! I did get to see the race though and wasn’t it incredible!! How Marc Marquez did that last lap I will never know! People are saying it’s the best race of the decade, and not only that, Marquez took his 50th Grand Prix win!

After a spectacular race in Phillip Island we now move onto the Sepang, where it is in fact possible for Valentino Rossi to win the championship. Whether it actually happens or not is another story! As for Moto 3 it was a disaster weekend for Danny Kent after crashing out and not gaining any championship points. His battle now no longer stands with Enea Bastianini, but with Miguel Oliveira who sits 40 points behind. It’s close, will this weekend settle it once and for all? 

Here are a few facts about the circuit before I look into each class: Moto GP was first held here in 1999 and is known for being one of the best circuits on the calendar. It was built for speed with 4 particularly slow corners as well as 2 fast straights. It is one of the longer laps on the calendar and is accompanied by shops, a hotel and a golf course worth around £50m. 

Total length: 5.5km           Corners: 5 left-10 right

MOTO GP

Laps: 20                     Total distance: 110.9km 68.8 miles

Honda wins: 5

Yamaha wins: 5

Ducati wins: 3

Suzuki wins: 2

There are a few scenarios that could happen this weekend that would secure Valentino Rossi the World Championship. However, they do all seem almost impossible with Jorge Lorenzo being so strong. There are 3 scenarios and they include:

Rossi wins and Lorenzo finishes 6th or below

Rossi finishes 2nd and Lorenzo is 11th or below

Rossi finishes 3rd and Lorenzo only scores 1 point, or none

So if one of those was to happen, then the GOAT is the new world champion! Rossi does seem to like this circuit as he has had multiple victories here. He has had 6 altogether and they have all been in the premier class. He has started from pole on 4 occasions in the premier class, 3 of which he also went onto win! He has had the most victories here with 6! With Dani Pedrosa is next with 2 wins and Casey Stoner also took 2 wins here. 

Jorge Lorenzo has never taken a win here in the Moto GP and the last time he took a victory on this circuit was back in 2006 in the 250cc class. Although he hasn't managed to win, he still has finished on the podium every year since 2010, also taking 2 pole positions in the years 2012, 2010 in Moto GP and 2003 in 125cc.

Even though Yamaha has most definitely won the championship, it doesn’t mean to say that other manufactures could change how the top 2 riders were to finish. Marc Marquez took an outstanding win last round in Phillip Island, and took the win here last year too completing Honda’s 3 wins in a row at this circuit. He has also taken the pole position in the last 2 years since joining Moto GP as well as once in 2010 during the 125cc. After taking his 50th consecutive victory in Grand Prix racing, this surely will motivate him to finish this season on a high! He also holds the record for the fastest lap and best pole with a time of 1′59.791 and an average speed of 166.5km/h, as well as the circuit record with a time of 2′01.150 and an average speed of 164.7km/h.

Dani Pedrosa also put on an impressive performance in Japan somehow managing to catch up with Lorenzo who somewhat looked miles ahead, so could also mess with the championship standings! He has taken 2 wins here in the years 2012 and 2013 as well as winning once in both the 125cc and 250cc. Andrea Iannone sits 4th in the championship and showed he can put on a fantastic performance when he joined in the fun during #TheIslandBattle last round. After head-butting a seagull out of his way, he continued to fight against Rossi and Marquez in a spectacular edge of your seat race to finally manage to secure 3rd place. With that performance in mind, I am sure he will be looking to try and do this again!  Andrea Dovizioso set the top speed here last year with 329.6km/h.

Here is to hoping that Rossi can secure the championship, and Marquez takes another win to bring it to 51 victories! The world championship has been decided here in Sepang for the Moto GP only on 4 other occasions including 2003, 2005 and 2009 for Rossi and then in 2010 for when Lorenzo won. LET THE BEST MAN WIN!

MOTO 2

Laps: 19          Total distance: 105.3km 65.4 miles

Aprilia wins: 5

Honda wins: 4

Suter wins: 2

Kalex wins: 2

Yamaha wins: 1

KTM wins: 1

FTR wins: 1

With Johann Zarco already winning the championship it was almost like he sat back and took a break as Alex Rins took the win last round in Phillip Island. With Tito Rabat having to sit out of the Australian GP, and now the Malaysian GP, it is possible for Sam Lowes to catch up and take the 3rd place in the championship as he sits 34 points behind Rabat. With him taking 2nd place last round, this might motivate him to continue to finish on the podium for these last 2 races! Although he did crash out of last years race, and then tried to continue, but eventually retired altogether. 

Zarco has only finished on the podium once here, back in 2011 in the 125cc coming in 3rd place. However last year he gave us an exhilarating race battle with Dominique Aegerter finishing in 4th place. 

For the winner this year, my money would be on Rins. He has nothing to lose now and I am sure he will be going for those wins. Since this is his rookie year he has yet to finish in the Malaysian GP in the Moto 2 class. However he has finished on the podium in the last 2 years whilst competing in Moto 3, setting a new record last year also. 

There are also a few other riders to look out for that could make an appearance. Thomas Luthi hasn't been having much luck these past couple of races but he does seem to do very well on this track. On two occasions here he has got pole position and then gone out to win the race in the 125cc and then in Moto 2 in 2011. Mika Kallio has finished in 2nd place on multiple occasions at this circuit including last year in Moto 2 and then 2006, 2005 and 2003 in 125cc. He also set the circuit record last year with a time of 2′07.949. Although Luthi is the only rider currently competing in Moto 2, (as well as Rabat but he is not racing this round) that has taken a win, there are other riders who have won in the lower class. They include Julian Simon, Sandro Cortese and Luis Salom.

Pol Espargaro still holds the fastest lap and best pole record here from 2012 with a time of 2′06.962 and an average speed of 157.3km/h. Azlan Shah put in the top speed record last year with a speed of 271.2km/h.

MOTO 3

Laps: 18                Total distance: 99.8km 61.9 miles

Aprilia wins: 7

Honda wins: 4

KTM wins: 3

Derbi wins: 2

If Danny Kent was to win the championship this weekend he would only need to pick up 10 points. This means he would only need at least 6th place to make sure there is a 25-point gap between him and Miguel Oliveira, even if Oliveira was to win the race. So if I was Kent going into this weekend, I would play safe and just go for the 6th instead of the win! 

However if Kent was to go for the win, here is how he has finished in Sepang in previous years. Last year he was involved in the battle at the front to finish in 4th place, only eight-tenths of a second behind the race winner Efren Vazquez. This was in fact the best result he has had in Malaysia as before this he was only coming in places such as 12th, 6th and 10th. 

Kent’s new main rival, Oliveira, didn't have a very lucky race last year. He crashed out on the first lap when coming into turn 13, however he did set a new lap record 2 years ago and finished in 3rd. Vazquez may also have another attempt at winning like he did last year, especially as he knows he can do well at this circuit. His win last year was actually 1 out of the only 2 wins he achieved in the 2014 season. He also set the top speed record with 232.1km/h. After John Mcphee sat in the pole position for the first time in his Grand Prix racing career as Kent was penalised last round, he put on an impressive performance fighting it out with the front group. Although he sadly crashed out, he still showed he’s able to push at the front with the rest of the riders! This could certainly continue into this weekend in Sepang, and he has had some good results here in the past too! Last year he managed to finish 2nd on the grid but had a repeat of what happened last round in Australia and crashed out on the final lap when fighting with the front group.

Previous Moto 3 riders who have since moved on hold the records which they set last year. Jack Miller set the fastest lap and best pole record with a time of 2′12.450 and an average speed on 150.6km/h. Alex Rins set the circuit record with a time of 2′13.731 and an average speed of 149.2km/h. Who will change that this year?

I got my information from motogp.com, bikesportnews.com and autoevolution.com

Come on Danny Kent! You only have to get 10 points. Lets place it safe and show them how its done! Let’s win this! I support you 100%! 

It has also been 4 years since we very sadly lost Marco Simoncelli - R.I.P I bet you haven’t missed a single race whilst watching from up there. Wish you were here! #SuperSIC

[motogoss]

Australia - Phillip Island - Looking back in the run up to the weekend

We are now into week two of the triple header as the Moto GP riders land in Australia, Phillip Island! Valentino Rossi has continued to extend his championship as there are now 18 points between him and Jorge Lorenzo. Although Lorenzo feel’s this is only down to his own bad luck, would these words make Rossi come back even stronger? With Johann Zarco having already won the championship in Moto 2, he can now sit back and relax. However Danny Kent also extended his championship lead as he now leads by 56 points from Enea Bastianini.

Here are a few facts about the circuit before I look into each class: This is one of the fastest tracks on the calendar and first hosted the Moto GP in 1989 and 1990 before becoming a permanent fixture in the year 1997. Motorcycling events took place prior to the Moto GP in the 1930’s before a permanent track was finally built in 1956. It was given a $5m facelift after being bought in 1985. 

Total length: 4.4km            Corners: 7 left-5 right

MOTO GP

Laps: 27             Total distance: 120.1km 74.5 miles

Honda wins: 11 

Yamaha wins: 5 

Ducati wins: 4 

Although Honda is the manufacturer that has had the most wins here, it has actually been two particular riders who have dominated this circuit. Valentino Rossi has claimed 6 victories here whilst competing in the Moto GP class, but 8 altogether if you include his 2 victories from the Moto 2 class in the years 1998 and 1999. Although he has won a lot of races, his qualifying hasn't always been as consistent (as well all know anyway). The only time he sat on pole here was back in 2003. With Rossi seeming to really enjoy this circuit, can he continue to increase his championship lead?

Jorge Lorenzo is the only other current Moto GP rider who has had a win here. After Casey Stoner dominated and won every year between 2007-2012, Lorenzo took the victory in 2013 after Stoner retired. Lorenzo has only had one win in the Moto GP class, but has had 3 wins altogether. This is including the two times he won in the 250cc class in the years 2006 and 2007. He currently holds the fastest lap and best pole record which he set here in 2013 with a time of 1′27.899 and an average speed of 182.1km/h. He clearly can get a move on around this circuit so I feel he could get back to his winning ways this weekend!

Marc Marquez says he enjoys this circuit, but hasn’t really shown any results here. He holds the circuit record here which he set in 2013 with a time of 1′28.108 and an average speed of 181.7km/h. He also set the top speed here last year with a speed of 346.2km/h. Marquez hasn’t taken a victory here yet in the Moto GP class, in fact he has yet to even score a single point! He scored 0 points in both 2013 and 2014. The only victory Marquez has had in Australia was back in 2010 in the Moto 2 class. With the pace to win, can he use it this year and end an era of bad luck?

Current Moto GP riders who have started from pole position in the past include Valentino Rossi (2003), Nicky Hayden (2005, 2006), Dani Pedrosa (2007), Jorge Lorenzo (2013) and Marc Marquez last year. Pedrosa is another rider who has yet to have a victory here, however with his fighting ways back in action after taking a spectacular win last time round in Japan, could this continue this weekend? Bradley Smith took his first Moto GP podium here last year coming in 3rd place behind Rossi and Lorenzo. He also came 2nd in 2009 during the 125cc race, so could this be a circuit Bradley enjoys?

MOTO 2

Laps: 25        Total distance: 111.2km 69 miles

Aprilia wins: 6

Honda wins: 5

Kalex wins: 3

Yamaha wins: 2

Gilera wins: 2

Motobi wins: 2

Johann Zarco already won the championship last time round in Japan, but  I am sure he will still be looking to go out and win! However he has had 2 DNF’s last year, and in 2013. The last best result he had was back in 2012 in the 125cc when he finished in 3rd place from pole position. He also crashed out in 2010 in the 125cc, so with him crashing out in 3 years, is this a circuit he is not so strong at? Good job he won the world title last round then!

I have had no word on whether Tito Rabat will be racing again in the Australian GP after breaking his left arm. He was declared unfit to race in Japan after going out in FP1 and struggled sitting in 31st place. However if he was to race, he could do well here. He came 3rd last year after qualifying on pole, and this was actually his first podium finish in Australia! He also holds the fastest lap and best pole record which he set last year with a time of 1′32.470 and an average speed of 173.1km/h. Let’s hope he can recover soon and finish this season with a good result!

There are no current Moto 2 riders who have won here in Australia, however there are quite a few contenders! Alex Rins has been performing remarkably well on his rookie season, and seems to have done well here in Australia too! When he was in Moto 3 he has finished on the podium for the last 2 years, 2013 he took the race win and last year he came 3rd. Thomas Luthi could also be another rider to look out for as in 2005 as he was on his way to winning the world title in the 125cc, he also won the race here from pole position. When looking at Moto2, he has come 2nd in the last 2 years. Julian Simon also won the race here on his way to taking the world title for the 125cc in 2009. Alex Marquez may have been unlucky in the last few races, but he is still a very strong rider. Especially at this circuit as he has shown some incredible results here. Last year he took the pole position and came in second place in Moto 3. In 2013 he was 13th on the grid but then finished in 4th and in 2012 he was 19th on the grid, but worked his way up to 9th! Amazing! Sam Lowes took a 5th place last year which was his best result of his rookie season, and Sandro Cortese has also done well winning in the 125cc and Moto 3 in the years 2011 and 2012. Let’s also not forget his podium last round in Japan taking 3rd place which was his first podium since the Czech GP last year! He also set the top speed record in 2013 with a speed of 296.8km/h.

So what riders haven’t won here, but are doing well? Ricard Cardus finished 6th in Japan which since using a Suter chassis, has been his best result this year! Could he come back and do a similar performance again? The two Malaysian riders that I spoke about on my blog looking at the run up to the Japan weekend, have improved again! Last time they were the first two Malaysian riders to score points in the same race in the intermediate class of Grand Prix racing. This time they are the first two Malaysian riders to have finished together in the top 5 of a Grand Prix race! Azlan Shah came in 4th place in Japan improving from his last previous best result which was 11th in Indianapolis, and Hafizh Syahrin finished one place behind him! So with them both improving, what could happen this weekend? Alex De Angelis still holds the circuit record from 2013 with a time of 1′32.814 and an average speed of 172.5.

MOTO 3

Laps: 23           Total distance: 102.3km 63.5 miles

Honda wins: 8

Derbi wins: 4

Aprilia wins: 3

KTM wins: 3

Gilera wins: 1

JJ Cobas wins: 1

Although Honda has had the most wins in the lightweight class, the last time a Honda won was back in 2005 when Thomas Luthi took the win. KTM have won the last 3 races. The KTM rider who is looking the strongest is Miguel Oliveira, could he take the 4th KTM victory? The best result he has had here was back in 2012 when he secured a 2nd place after starting from 6th on the grid.

Danny Kent hasn't had the best of results here. His best result was back in 2012 when he came in 5th place. However he was battling it out with the leading group last year before crashing out of the race on the Honda hairpin when coming into contact with Brad Binder. He did manage to get back on the bike and finish in 20th place. So with mixed results here, I think the fact that he is leading the championship could change the way he performs!

Enea Bastianini is Kent’s biggest rival as he sits 56 points behind him in the championship. Last year he qualified 20th but then had to retire from the race due to technical difficulties. Therefore it is hard to say how he will perform this weekend! But we all know if the ground is damp, Kent has it in the bag due to Bastianini struggling in the wet conditions. Other riders to look out for include Niccolo Antonelli who put on an impressive performance in Japan to take the win. He has also been on the podium in 3 races before that with another one of them ending with a race win, after never being on the podium since the start of his Moto 3 career! Romano Fenati took the pole position in Japan last round, but due to the wet was unable to continue his brilliant pace. With that in mind, he could come back stronger this weekend! He was also with the leading group last year the same as Kent and also crashed out, however he wasn't able to re-join the race. He came 6th in 2012, which is his best result in Australia. 

Alex Marquez set the fastest lap record and the best pole record last year with a time of 1′36.050 and an average speed of 166.7km/h. Jack Miller set the circuit record with a time of 1′36.302km/h and an average speed of 166.2. Juanfran Guevara set the top speed with 252.8km/h. With no current Moto 3 rider (apart from Guevara with the top speed) holding any records, who will reset it this year?

I got most of my information from motogp.com

 Massive good luck to Danny Kent I hope you can extend your championship lead even more! And good luck to Rossi also! I want you to win this championship! And of course, Marc Marquez. Let’s finish this season on a high note!

[motogoss]

Danny and Valentino extend their championship lead, whilst Zarco becomes world champion! - JAPAN 2015 Highlights

After the races being delayed due to adverse weather conditions in the morning, Danny Kent and Valentino Rossi extend their championship leads whilst Johann Zarco takes the world title in Moto 2, due to Tito Rabat being ruled out of racing on medical grounds. It was Dani Pedrosa who showed to be the most impressive taking a spectacular win ahead of Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo. 

MOTO 3

It was Niccolo Antonelli who has dominated the whole weekend from start until finish with Miguel Oliveira very close behind. Antonelli scored the fasted laps in each free practice kicking it off in free practice one (FP1) with a time of 1′57.500 and Oliveira close behind him with 1′57.607. Danny Kent sat back in 4th place with 1′58.138 just missing out on the 1′57 mark. Livio Loi also showed to have a good pace coming in 4th place in FP2 with a time of 1′58.081. At this point there was talk of the rain coming on the Sunday, and with Loi performing so well in the wet could he take another win here in Japan? I think he gave it a very good go! Enea Bastianini would have been looking to make up the points to Kent and gain his third successive pole, however this race track is clearly one he doesn’t get on with. He crashed twice over the weekend one in FP1 and then again with FP2. His highest time was 1′57.510 in FP3, and although it was an improvement from the first two practices this still saw him sit down in 11th place showing he could have been struggling to keep up.

With Antonelli and Oliveira dominating the whole weekend I was surprised with the qualifying result. It was Romano Fenati who took the pole position, his first ever pole, with an incredible time of 1′56.484 which is now the new fastest lap and best pole record! Oliveira kept up his pace placing himself on the first row of the grid, but Antonelli was having technical problems. He still managed to squeeze himself onto the second row of the grid with a time of 1′56.887. Kent gave it everything it had against these fast riders to slot himself on the second row of the grid also in 6th place just behind his championship rival Bastianini who was in 5th. Although Kent did decide to tease the viewers again starting 14th on the grid, but he then very slowly but surely moved up to 6th. With the grid all in place it was time for the race. However, a new rule had been brought in for the Moto 3 riders over the weekend that cost them grid places. They were all sat down and informed that when going out on track everyone had to be within 110% of their own personal best time otherwise it would seem they were dawdling on the track. This is them deemed as dangerous and holding other riders up to which they would then be penalised and moved back 3 places on the grid. It was Oliveira and Jorge Navarro that got caught out this time moving them back, and seeing Antonelli and Bastianini move up. Kent was also issued a penalty but he soon had it taken away again as race direction had recognized that his slow lap was when he was on an ‘out-lap’. This means when the riders first leave the pits they go round on an out-lap before going faster and then being timed. Therefore this saw Kent move up the grid too, putting him 4th on the grid. It was still on the second row, but at least he had his rival in his sights. 

Kent had a chance of winning the championship this weekend and all he had to do was score 20 more points than Bastianini, without Oliveira or Fenati winning the race. With the rain coming down really heavily it was on everyone’s lips that this could in fact be possible, if we saw a repeat of Silverstone! The race was also shortened to just 13 laps due to the weather, and trying to fit all the races in. It was a bad start for Kent as it seemed he was going backwards as everyone was overtaking him and we saw him fall right back to 16th place. With Bastianini out front at around 6th place, and Kent not scoring any points he knew he couldn’t stay here. As Antonelli soared off away from everyone opening up a gap, Oliveira could only sit back and watch. However Loi made a fantastic appearance from 9th on the grid and managed to hold second place for a while. But with only 9 laps to go he very sadly crashed out and kissed goodbye another podium. Hiroki Ono was also out the front at one point and in a chance for a podium, but also crashed out. This put Jorge Navarro in the podium slot making it his mission to stay on the bike. Suddenly it was like something sparked in Kent’s brain as he suddenly decided to get a shift on. He made progress and caught up with the group in front of him and got tangled up with John Mcphee and Karel Hanika. Everyone couldn’t believe the progress he had made as suddenly Bastianini was in his sights. He knew that if he could just overtake him, he would gain an extra point and continue to lead the championship. Lap by lap he slowly caught up and managed to pass him with just a few laps to go. I thought that Bastianini would have fought back, but he just let it go and slipped in behind Kent settling for 7th place. Kent showed another brilliant performance once again showing he DESERVES this championship! Keep pushing Danny! You WILL be champion!

MOTO 2

Johann Zarco has finally been crowned the world champion, and rightly so! He has been dominant from start to finish and deserves this title more than anything. After Tito Rabat’s injury he still came out and rode in the FP1, however he retired after completing only 8 laps. He was right down in 31st place with a time of 1′57.137 (which is slower than what the Moto 3 bike had been doing), so he was clearly struggling. We saw him go back out to the pits and the team inspected his broken arm and they then packed up the bike as Rabat left through the back entrance. It was then announced he would not ride for the rest of the weekend. With Rabat unable to score any points, this then makes it mathematically impossible for him to catch up making Zarco world champion! I am a fan of Rabat, but Zarco really did deserve the championship. With Zarco knowing he has that championship in his back pocket, he could sit back and relax! Well this clearly didn’t pass through his mind as he must have wanted to win it in style. He dominated the whole weekend coming no lower than 2nd across the free practices. Although he came 2nd behind Thomas Luthi in the FP1 with a time of 1′51.568, he was up against the previous GP winner who won here last year round. Thomas Luthi clearly loves this track as he also came 3rd and then 4th in the FP2 and FP3. Alex Rins is also very strong after showing a consistent fast pace over the last few rounds and came 1st in the FP3 with a time of 1′50.909.

No one could reach Zarco when it came to the qualifying as he was throwing in fast laps like he was never to race again. He soared to the pole position with a time of 1′50.339 and Thomas Luthi had to settle for 2nd on the grid with 1′50.510. Even Rins struggled as we saw him slip down to 6th on the grid, this is the first time Rins hasn’t been on the front row since Germany. Sam Lowes put on an impressive performance as we saw him sit 4th on the grid, the last time he was 4th on the grid he came in 3rd place. So we all knew he could have got a result from this position. 

With Zarco already winning the championship he had nothing to lose as he positioned himself on the pole position. As the race was shortened to 15 laps after the bad weather, you could see the determination in Zarco’s eyes to win this race. It started off very well for Thomas Luthi as he pushed his way to the front. Jonas Folger was also up there after qualifying 2nd on the grid. However the rain and slippery track got the better of the majority of the riders as we saw multiple crashes, and riders flying off track and having to steer back off the gravel and onto the road again. Thomas Luthi took a crash out of the race leaving Zarco to catch up with Folger who led for a few of the laps. It wasn’t long before Zarco overtook the German and opened up a gap giving Folger no chance to fight back again. Alex Marquez was also performing well before we saw him go into a corner too wide sending him flying off course, managing to keep the bike upright. He rejoined the race and managed to finish in 18th place. Luis Salom, Xavier Simeon and Axel Pons also struggled against the wet track as they all crashed out losing out on any championship points. But it was the flippin’ Frenchman who took the victory winning that championship on a high and backflipped off the back of his bike wearing his newly designed champion t-shirt. It’s a shame he couldn’t have battled it out with Rabat and won the championship fair and square, however you could say he already won it fair and square after dominating in almost every single race this season. Get well soon Rabat, and congrats to Zarco!

MOTO GP

As the weekend approached we all knew that it was going to be an extremely entertaining battle between Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo. With Rossi leading 14 points ahead of Lorenzo, they would both be fighting for that championship title. It was a very interesting weekend with Lorenzo going into the weekend injured, although he wasn’t giving anything away. He didn’t make it entirely clear as to how much pain he was actually in, was he playing mind games? He still continued to dominate all of the free practices, but it was the Ducati’s that was signalling messing up the Yamaha party. They were throwing in extremely quick times with Andrea Iannone coming in 2nd place in the FP1 with a time of 1′45.827 and Dovizioso was in 6th place with 1′45.947. Rossi and Dani Pedrosa was hiding in the lower positions possibly testing different tyres and settings. Bradley Smith was also seen to be having a fantastic weekend after setting some brilliant times. In FP1 he managed to sit in 4th place just behind Rossi with a time of 1′45.888 and was shown to keep running in the 1′45 time scale consistently. As Rossi was also running in the 1′45 time scale, this showed that Bradley had a very good pace heading into the weekend. Marc Marquez had a really difficult weekend after breaking his left hand which resulted in surgery. Although his team put a customised handle grip to help Marquez, he still seemed to be off pace in comparison to the Ducati’s and Lorenzo. He sat in 4th and 7th place before clearly trying something different in the FP4 and finally shot up to 3rd place with a time of 1′45.198. FP4 was red flagged due to Alex De Angelis having a serious crash and was momentarily unconscious. He is now undergoing more medical checks and is talking as his condition slowly improves. (Get well soon!)

As the riders battled it out in Qualifying 1 (Q1), we saw Vinales and Redding fight it out for those top two spaces. It was really gripping to watch because Stefan Bradl on the Aprilia suddenly appeared at the top, but was soon pushed back to 13th place on the grid. The qualifying was probably one of the best this season as Rossi decided it was time to improve on his quick laps. The Ducati’s and Marquez had no chance as the two Yamaha’s battled it out for that pole position. Just as the chequered flag came out Rossi came flying over the line and scored the pole position time, however what he didn't realise was the shark, Lorenzo, was swimming up behind him and just nipped him to the quickest time pushing him down into 2nd place. Lorenzo scored a stunning lap time of 1′43.790 whilst Rossi scored 1′43.871. None of the other riders were able to keep up with the 1′43′s as Marquez somehow managed to get into 3rd place with a time of 1′44.216. This was unexpected as I would have bet on him getting on the second row after the Ducati’s were doing so well. It was a disaster for Bradley as he crashed twice which put him back to 9th on the grid. The first time he was able to pick his bike back up and carry on again, but then just as he was putting in a really fast lap he lost control again at turn 12, which is a really fast bend, and had what looked like a lucky escape from any serious injuries! 

With the two Yamaha’s on pole, Marquez on the front row and the Ducati’s with a ‘quiet’ Pedrosa on the 2nd row, who knows what was going to happen! With the track still wet a lot of the riders opted for a harder and softer option for the tyres, which they then struggled to ride as the track dried up half way into the race! Marquez had an awful start as he wheeled off the line and dropped right back allowing the Ducati’s and his team mate to pass in front of him. Lorenzo managed to pull away on a fantastic start, but Rossi had a very good start too. The two Yamaha’s were fighting right from the start until Lorenzo soon managed to pull away like he is very good at doing. As Rossi and Dovizioso soon found themselves in 2nd and 3rd, Pedrosa had also slipped right back with his team mate as they found themselves in around 6th and 7th place. As Iannone crashed out of the race,  Pedrosa seized his opportunity to move up the rankings. I was really impressed with his performance as you could see his mind working constantly working his way through his tyres that were crumbling away beneath him. However he had a very interesting tactic that I thought was amazing, and won him the race. Every now and then I could see him missing the dry line and forcing himself out into the water, making sure his tyres stayed wet. With this is progress all of a sudden I looked up and he was over taking Dovizioso taking him into 3rd place. Then it was Rossi he needed to catch and he did it very quickly too. He soared up behind Rossi and I thought a repeat of the last round was going to happen, but Rossi was too busy nursing his tyres through the race to fight. However then Lorenzo was slowing down and my heart rate was rising as I could then see Pedrosa catching him too! As Pedrosa rode in front of Rossi, you could see him watching his technique. Rossi then started to force himself into the water keeping his tyres wet too! Then they were both on Lorenzo’s tail, and he didn’t know their little tactic just yet! Pedrosa effortlessly took the lead with Rossi soon following him into second after Lorenzo went wide, almost giving his position away! But it was Pedrosa who was victorious, and he deserved it! He put on an amazing race showing he should not be forgotten about this season! He took his 50th GP victory whilst Rossi extended his championship lead to 18 points! Marquez took a painful and lonely 4th place after Iannone crashed out, and the two Brits Cal Crutchlow and Bradley fought it out for 6th and 7th. It was Cruthlow who took the 6th place, making him the top satellite bike. Pol Espargaro had a very nasty crash as the bike flew him into the air with only 2 laps to go. This is his 5th DNF this season including the Americas, Catalunya, Great Britain and Misano. It also saw other riders fall and end up in the gravel, including Aleix Espargaro who showed his dirt bike skills as he continued to ride his bike through the stones pulling back into the race! Fantastic race, keep going Rossi! You’ve got this championship! And Marquez, just keep going. Pace yourself for next season, they won’t know what’s hit them ;)

The next race is in Phillip Island, Australia, as we are well under-way with this triple header. UNFORTUNATELY I might NOT be able to write a blog next Sunday as I am working the majority of the weekend so I would have missed too much to write a detailed blog. But I MIGHT do something... Either way look out for my blog on Wednesday :)

[motogoss]

Japan - Twin Ring Motegi - Looking back in the run up to the weekend

We leave Aragon and head to Japan with Yamaha officially the world champion team. After Marc Marquez crashed out last round it is now mathematically impossible for him to become world champion again. It now lies in Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo’s hands as they sit with 14 points between them heading into the weekend. It could also be decided the world champion for Moto 2 and Moto 3, as there are ways Danny Kent and Johann Zarco could clinch the title. All depending on how their rivals finish of course.  

Here are a few facts about the circuit before I look into each class: This is a Honda circuit after the manufacturer had the circuit made back in August 1997 for testing purposes. Motegi is now the host for the Honda Collection Hall as well as many other attractions such as a safety riding school, dirt track, go-karts, event halls etc. It welcomed Moto GP in the year 2000 and consists of a 1.5 mile oval and a 2.9 mile road course.

Total length: 4.8km        Corners: 6 left-8 right

MOTO GP / 500cc

Laps: 24         Total distance: 115.2km 71.5 miles

Honda wins: 6

Yamaha wins: 4

Ducati wins: 4

Suzuki wins: 1

This is once again another Honda track as you can see, quite literally this time as well! With this track being the home for Honda it is no surprise that they regularly perform well here. However it is Jorge Lorenzo that has dominated here for the last two years taking the victory in 2013 and 2014. Altogether he has only won 3 times here, and they were all in the Moto GP the first time being in 2009. He also holds the record at present for the most poles with 3, and he also holds the circuit record which he set last year. He set a time of 1′45.350 with an average speed of 164km/h. 

Marc Marquez has shown to be incredibly strong here not coming any lower than 2nd place since 2010. He will also have very good memories in Japan after clinching the world title here last year and celebrated his second premier class world championship. Although he has yet to win in the Moto GP class he took two victories in the 125cc in 2010 and also in Moto 2 in 2012. 

Dani Pedrosa is who holds the most wins claiming one in 125cc in 2002, another in 250cc in 2004 and then 2 in Moto GP in 2011 and 2012. He also holds the top speed record with 310.3km/h. Valentino Rossi doesn’t seem to have done as well here. He has only won here twice in 2001 and 2008. However let’s all not forget that historic battle ‘Rossi vs Lorenzo’ in 2010, could we see a repeat of that again? Especially now as they are fighting it out for the championship we could be in for a treat! Lorenzo and Marquez have both headed into Japan injured with Marquez breaking his left hand in a mountain bike accident, and Lorenzo injured his left shoulder whilst training. Whilst Lorenzo has said it shouldn’t hinder his winning performance at the GP, Marquez admits his hand could cause him some pain. This could be very interesting when it comes to the race on Sunday.

Andrea Dovizioso could also be another contender in the fight at the front. He holds the records for fastest lap and best pole from last year with a time of 1′44.502 and an average speed of 165.3km/h. He has taken two pole positions here including last year and in 2010. When looking at the riders who could call this GP their home, the last Japanese rider to stand on a podium was Hiroshi Aoyama who came 2nd in 250cc in 2009. There are currently no Japanese Moto GP riders. 

MOTO 2 / 250cc

Laps: 23        Total distance: 110.4km 68.5 miles

Aprilia wins: 4

Honda wins: 3

Suter wins: 3

KTM wins: 2

Gilera wins: 1

Moriwaki wins: 1

Kalex wins: 1

Once again it is possible for Johann Zarco the win the championship this weekend! And there are different ways he can do it. First of all if Zarco was just to go out and win the race, he’s done it! However there are also some other ways.

If Zarco is 2nd or 3rd and finishes in front of Tito Rabat 

If Zarco is 4th and Rabat does not finish in 1st or 2nd

If Zarco is 5th or 6th and Rabat does not finish on the podium

If Zarco is 7th or 8th and Rabat finishes no higher than 5th

If Zarco is 9th to 15th and Rabat finishes no more than 3 places ahead of him

If Zarco fails to score he could still take the world title if Rabat was to finish no higher than 13th

If Zarco was to take his world title here, it would be at the place where he took his first ever Grand Prix win. This was back in 2011 in 125cc where he took pole position and then went on to win. Last year he came in fourth place which was is his best position so far in Japan whilst racing in Moto 2. 

With the reigning world champion Tito Rabat and the rookie Alex Rins both performing so well this season, are they going to let him win that easy? Rins has had mixed results here as the last time he showed to perform well was back in 2012 which was his rookie season in the Moto 3 coming in a solid 4th. 2013 was a disastrous race for Rins as he claimed pole position, but then crashed on the last lap. The bad luck then continued into 2014 as he was in 21st place after the first lap after taking it too wide on the first corner, but managed to pick himself back up and finish in 10th. Rabat qualified on pole position last year but slipped back to 3rd place, he took 3rd place in 2012 as well. He did set the fastest lap and best pole last year with a time of 1′50.845 and an average speed of 155.9km/h. However, Rabat also goes into the weekend injured after fracturing his left radius in his left arm in a training crash in Almeria. He remains determined to race but the decision will be made after a medical check upon arrival in Motegi. The circuit record and top speed are still held by previous Moto 2 riders who have moved on to Moto GP. The circuit record was set by Maverick Vinales last year with a time of 1′50.866 and an average speed of 155.8km/h. The top speed was set by Pol Espargaro all the way back in 2012 with a speed of 265.2km/h. Could anyone beat that this year? 

Tom Luthi has shown to enjoy this circuit taking 2nd place on the grid and a victory last year, as well as a 3rd place in 2013. It is also the rookie season for Alex Marquez but he has had 2 victories the past two years in the Moto 3 class. We might see his winning ways return this weekend! Could we also see a couple of certain Malaysian riders coming along and scoring some more points? In Aragon, Hafizh Syahrin finished 7th and Azlan Shah finished 14th making them the first two Malaysian riders to score points in the same race in the intermediate class of Grand Prix racing.

MOTO 3 / 125cc

Laps: 20         Total distance: 96km 59.6 miles

Aprilia wins: 5

KTM wins: 4

Honda wins: 3

Derbi wins: 3

Just like Johann Zarco is it also possible for Danny Kent to take the world championship this weekend too! However this time, there are only 2 ways in which he can do so.

If Kent wins the race and Enea Bastianini finishes no higher than 11th

If Kent finishes in 2nd and Bastianini fails to win any points

So it’s fair to say this is almost impossible then? But Danny still could take the victory after showing some great performances here. He took his first ever Grand Prix win in 2012 after also qualifying on pole for the first time! He also took pole position here again last year, but slipped back to 6th place even though he did lead the race for a few laps. Danny also set a new record for the fastest lap and best pole last year with a time of 1′56.555 and an average speed of 148.2km/h. Let’s hope to see him smash his own record this year. He is also the only current Moto 3 rider to take a victory here, although I am sure the other riders will want a turn!

Bastianini didn’t have a very good qualifying session here last year sitting in 15th place on the grid. However he was able to move himself up into 8th place. He will also have in mind that if he was to take another pole position this weekend, that would make him the first Italian rider to take 3 successive poles in the lightweight class since 2007! With two poles in a row so far, this will boost his confidence to continue performing well.  

Other riders to look out for include Fabio Quartararo who looks set to ride again in Japan after his broken ankle. He has also been confirmed to ride for the Moto 3 Leopard team next year! Miguel Oliveira is also a very strong rider after taking the victory in Aragon last round. In 2013 he came in 4th place here, which is seen to be his best result in Japan. Last year he took a high-slide out of the race with 9 laps remaining after battling it out in the leading group. Efren Vazquez came in 2nd last year, and John Mcphee finished 4th which was he best ever result until finishing in second in Indianapolis this year. 

Alex Marquez set the circuit record here last year with a time of 1′57.112 and an average speed of 147.5km/h. Efren Vazquez set the top speed last year with 224.3km/h.

I got most of my information from motogp.com 

Good luck to my boys! #MM93 #BS38 #SL22 #TR1 #DK52 

[motogoss]

Italy - Misano World Circuit - looking back in the run up to the weekend

Silverstone was a success for Valentino Rossi as he now leads the championship ahead of Jorge Lorenzo with a 12 point gap between them. We now move onto the 13th round in Italy at the Misano World Circuit in Rossi’s backyard. They have all had a week to rest but its now back to work to fight this weekend!

Here are a few facts about the circuit before I look into each class:  This circuit has hosted the Italian Grand Prix on 10 occasions throughout the 80′s and early 90′s after first being constructed in 1972. It did not hold a grand prix event for 13 years after the accident that ended the career of Wayne Rainey in 1993. It then reopened in 2007 with an upgraded track, facilities and grandstands. It now runs opposite to it’s original direction when riding around the track in clockwise. 

Total Length: 4.2km          Corners: 6 left-10 right

MOTO GP / 500cc

Laps: 28            Total distance: 118.3km - 73.6 miles

Since 2007

Yamaha wins: 6 

Honda wins: 1

Ducati wins: 1

This circuit has been dominated by Yamaha since when the circuit reopened in 2007, especially by Jorge Lorenzo. He has now been on the podium from 2007 right through to 2014 so you can see he is very strong here. Dani Pedrosa took the only Honda win in 2010 and Casey Stoner took the only Ducati win back in 2007. However, Dani Pedrosa has actually been on pole twice here, so it shows he is also likes this circuit.

So with the two Yamaha riders having 3 wins each, and it being a fight for the championship I think this could be a very interesting race on Sunday! Valentino Rossi did take the win here last year ending a sequence of 23 successive Moto GP wins by Spanish riders! He will also be thinking about his home GP and will want to impress his fans. Let’s not forget about Marc Marquez who could come in and mix things up with the intention to win races from here until the end of the season. He has never taken a win here at Misano in the premier class after coming 2nd in 2013, and crashing out last year and then finishing in 15th claiming just 1 championship point. However he has had success here taking a win in the 125cc and 2 wins in the Moto 2, so could he bring back these winning ways on Sunday? He still holds the record for the best pole and fastest lap that he set in 2013 with a time of 1′32.951 and an average speed of 163.7km/h. Dani Pedrosa also set a record in 2013, but this was the top speed with 292.3km/h. However I can’t help but notice the circuit record still hasn't changed from 2011 when Jorge Lorenzo set the record with a time of 1′33.908 and an average speed of 162km/h. Could someone have this in mind to change this year?

I really hope we can get a win from Marquez, but I also hope that Valentino continues his championship lead! Come on the goat and MAAAAARQQQUUUEZ!

MOTO 2 / 250cc

Laps: 26           Total distance: 109.9km 68.4 miles

Since 2007

Aprilia wins: 3

Suter wins: 2

Kalex wins: 2

Moriwaki wins: 1

Although this is the Italian GP, a Spanish rider has won every year here in this category since 2010. In order of the years the riders include Toni Elias, Marc Marquez for two years, Pol Espargaro and then Tito Rabat last year. However could a certain French man come along and change this? Johann Zarco, who currently leads the championship extending this lead in Silverstone, came in third place last year behind Tito Rabat and Mika Kallio. He hasn’t had the best of luck here throughout his Moto 2 career as in 2013 he came 7th and then 2012 he came 10th. But when he was in 125cc he actually took a podium here in the year 2011. So with mixed results at this circuit, it will be interesting to see what he pulls out the bag here on Sunday. 

He will have a fight on his hands though as there are other riders who are just as strong at the moment. Alex Rins is pushing really hard standing on the podium at the last 4 races, taking a win in Indianapolis. He has also done rather well here in the past winning the last two years in the Moto 3 class. Tito Rabat will also come out looking for a fight as he currently sits third in the championship standings just 3 points behind Alex Rins. After coming third in 2013 he then went on to take the win last year. So what other riders have done well at this circuit? Mika Kallio has taken pole here before as well as then going on to secure 2nd place, this was his first podium here. Tom Luthi has only been on the podium once back in 2010, and this was in 3rd place. 

Pol Espargaro still holds all the records, apart from top speed, here at this circuit back to when he set them in 2013. He set a fastest lap and best pole with a time of 1′37.66 and an average speed of 155.7km/h. Interestingly enough it is Johann Zarco who set the top speed here in 2013 with a speed of 247.9km/h, will this still remain this weekend?

MOTO 3 / 125cc

Laps: 23            Total distance: 97.2km 60.5 miles

Since 2007

Aprilia wins: 4

KTM wins: 2

Derbi wins: 1

Honda wins: 1

It will be hard to judge the riders as much in this category as there actually isn't one rider at present who has won here. But with everyone looking at Danny Kent at the moment as the favourite to win the championship, how has he done here? Well the best he has done was coming in 6th place in 2011 and since then has only managed to get 12th and 18th. He will also have in the back of his mind that if he gets just one more win this year, he will match the record for the most Moto3 wins in one season set by Luis Salom in 2013. Would we maybe see Miguel Oliviera make a come back too? He has gone a bit quiet these past 3 races coming in 15th, 8th and 13th not standing on a podium since winning in Assen. Danny also just needs to continue to hold off Enea Bastianini who scored no points in Silverstone after coming off with two laps to go, the first time this season. Bastianini came 5th here last year, so he’s able to work his way to the front on this turf. Romano Fenati, third in the championship, has stood on the podium once here coming 3rd in 2012. They will all be pushing to try and catch the leader, so lets get another win Danny!

The records were last updated in 2013 by Jonas Folger who set the fastest lap and best pole with a time of 1′42.707 and an average speed of 148.1. The circuit record was updated last year though by Juanfran Guevara with 1′43.196 and an average speed of 147.4. I just hope that Danny can get another win and continue to look towards winning the championship! Come on Danny! I will be cheering for you!

I got most of my information from motogp.com

[denkbeeldig]

JEZUS LOI WON!!!!