Faenza (Italy), 15 January 2022. Team Gresini Racing MotoGP was presented via streaming worldwide today; the team, which was founded and ‘raised’ by Fausto Gresini, returns to the premier class of MotoGP as an independent team after seven years of absence in this role.

This project is led by team owner Nadia Padovani Gresini and supported by Gresini Racing’s core; this season will witness the return with the family of Enea Bastianini, who already stepped on the podium last year with Ducati, as he joins fellow Italian and MotoGP rookie Fabio Di Giannantonio.

Both riders will race aboard the Ducati Desmosedici GP21 in 2022, a bike they were able to get a glimpse of last November at Jerez de la Frontera. Bastianini has already proved he can be extremely competitive with his new bike, while Di Giannantonio has shown great signs for the upcoming debut season.

The rider #49 will be the first to take to the track in Sepang’s first test, which is reserved exclusively to the MotoGP rookies. On-track action will get underway on January 31st with a three-day ‘shakedown’ where the light blue-liveried team will be already among the protagonists.

ENEA BASTIANINI #23
"The new colours of the bike are very particular, when I saw it first it appears a little strange to me, but now that I see it live I can say it is amazing. Such a great bike can’t be but fast! In about twenty days we’ll be leaving for the tests, luckily it is just a short time because I’m way too excited to be back on my Ducati. I already met the team during the first test: we had the chance to know each other better and to work together, and I can firmly say that I have a super team. I think it is going to be a very interesting season, I’m sure we’ll achieve great results. I can’t wait for the season to begin!"

FABIO DI GIANNANTONIO #49
"2022 is just around the corner. It will be my first season in MotoGP and it will be so cool! I will have a lot to learn, my expectation is to grow race by race and who knows, we’ll may be able to collect even some great achievements. In a bit we’ll be back on track for the test, we’re going in Malaysia and Indonesia is following. I can’t wait to ride again this beautiful beast. The winter break is always too long, I’m counting the days, the hours! And the bike is spectacular, maybe the most beautiful I’ve ever ride, the most beautiful I’ve ever seen. With that unique main color it looks like a bike of the 70’s, retrò style, on track we’ll be recognizable for sure. Particular, original, BEAUTIFUL. A unique emotion".

NADIA PADOVANI GRESINI
“We’re finally presenting a project we strongly believed in and one we have been working non-stop for during the last year. We’re very motivated and we ended up being the first MotoGP team to present itself; plus, I believe our bikes are beautiful – and I hope all the others will like them, too. I would like to think Fausto is looking at us from above and that is proud of his family. There is almost no distinction between natural and work families, we’re one. I must say that I saw both Diggia and Enea in great shape and eager to start: we’re aiming at being among the protagonists and show up at the parc fermé sometimes.”

#CiaoFausto❤️

The UK’s Greatest Ever Celebration of Adventure Biking

• ABR Festival returns to Ragley Hall Estate on the 24-26 June 2022
• Organisers promise to make festival a premier motorcycle event
• A host of on and off bike activities return including masterclass sessions, off-road schools, inspiring guest speakers, greenlane rideouts and live music
• The 20km long AX41 Adventure Trail to now include a beginner’s loop
• The REV’IT! stage to host a full line-up of the UK’s best party and tribute bands
• 2022 on course to sell out with thousands of riders expected 

Billed as the UK’s greatest celebration of adventure biking, the Adventure Bike Rider Festival will return this summer, and organisers have promised their best event yet.

Set in the magnificent grounds of the Ragley Hall Estate on the 24-26 June, the show will open its gates to thousands of like-minded riders for three days of biking action and festival entertainment.

This year’s festival will be a far-cry from any antiquated ‘park-up and shop’ biking rally. As ever, the show promises to deliver a premium visitor experience, with a host of on and off bike activities for visitors to enjoy.

Returning for 2022 will be a packed schedule of masterclass sessions, off-roading schools, inspiring guest speakers, live music, and crowd-favourite, the AX41 Adventure Trail. As with last year, this exclusive 20km off-road trail will take riders through the stunning grounds of the Ragley Hall Estate. The trail presents visitors a perfect way to experience off-road riding but in a friendly, non-competitive environment. The trail will also offer a beginner’s loop, something new for 2022, which will be an ideal introduction for riders looking to build some confidence before tackling the larger track.

The REV’IT! stage has also seen a significant overhaul with a full line-up of the UK’s best party and tribute bands playing throughout the weekend. Performances from Detroit Soul Collective, Texan Peacocks, Dr Feelgood, Definitely Mightbe (Oasis), Let There B/DC (AC/DC ), Fleetwood Mad (Fleetwood Mac), CODA (Led Zeppelin), Who Are You (The Who), Quo’d (Status Quo) and The Stones (Rolling Stones) can be seen over the Friday and Saturday of the festival.

Within the Adventure Village, will be dozens of the best motorcycle and adventure brands with the likes of BMW, Ducati, Harley Davidson, Honda, Suzui and KTM already confirmed. The village delivers the perfect opportunity to shop the latest gear and speak to industry experts, ready for your next adventure.

Facilities within the festival have also been improved with over fifty catering venders added, serving a variety of street food options to visitors throughout the weekend. The tradition of providing reasonably priced beer at £3-a-pint will continue to be honoured too.

Throughout the campsites and festival grounds will be fully serviced toilets and hot showers, and for those opting to not camp in a tent there are glamping and nearby accommodation options available.

One of the major draws of the festival is the incredible and welcoming atmosphere which offers a real sense of community. A lot of effort from the organisers has gone into providing a quality experience, delivering an event that they too would be happy to attend. When thousands of people with a common interest come together to make new friends and create memories, something special happens.

Founder of the ABR Festival, Alun Davies, stated, “I’ve always viewed the ABR Festival as a feelgood celebration of motorcycles where we are all (that’s industry and public) in it together, and that’s what we are going to continue to deliver. Following on from the success of the 2021 ABR Festival, the aim is to keep growing the event at the magnificent Ragley Hall and provide outstanding facilities for the industry and public alike. It was mentioned in 2021 that the ABR Festival had the vibe of Glastonbury with motorcycles. And with that in mind we’re working flat out on the 2022 Festival which will feature more live music, more festival attractions and more riding opportunities. In short, I’m determined to make the ABR Festival a premier motorcycle event we can all be proud of.”

Tickets for the 2022 ABR Festival are still available but are selling fast, with every previous festival selling out weeks in advance. Discounted three-day weekend tickets, with camping included, are priced at £114 and can be purchased directly from www.abrfestival.com. Ticket holders are covered by a ‘Coronavirus Guarantee’ ensuring that if event is postponed because government enforced restrictions, purchasers have the choice of rolling tickets over or claiming a refund.

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The event which gets the off-road season off to a flying start is well-known for the astounding range of motorcycles on display from across the UK, and 2022 will be no different!

Back after a year’s Covid-imposed exile, The Classic Dirt Bike Show sponsored by Hagon Shocks has secured unique machines and restorations for the event held over the weekend of February 12-13.

Peter Hannis, founder of the Crazy Toyz Workshop in Gloucestershire, brings to Telford a quartet of the most unusual bikes you could ever imagine. First up is a 1940s cement mixer-engined special, with its fuel tank on the engine, finished in steam punk style! "It’s a bit slow” said its builder (do you get the pun), whose previous builds have included a Reliant-based road legal speedboat - which gained national press recognition in The Sun newspaper - and an award from Tango for the most eccentric Brit. 

Next up is a Bultaco trials bike, powered by a 700cc two-stroke sidecar engine which has still got some minor teething troubles. Ex firefighter Peter's latest project is a 750cc off road Trike powered by a Katana four-cylinder motor in a modified Bandit frame, with a Yamaha Tri –Z rear axle and off-road wheels. On this, the 2004 British sidecar enduro champion competed in the Malle Mile offroad sprint races, which is held each July in the grounds of Grimsthorpe Castle, Lincolnshire. It was undefeated throughout the day, winning the sprint final.

Finally, have you ever seen a four-cylinder CBR 600cc F3 Dirt bike with an RMZ 450 Suzuki scrambler front end, converted to twinshock spec and using a KTM rear wheel? Well, this MISSILE was put together for the Blue Grass Scramble at Little Comberton Worcestershire, not too far from Peter's base. While it wasn’t the quickest around the corners, when it came to the straights it left its rivals eating its dust.                                                               A race win earlier in the year at the Helter Skelter Hill Climb in deepest Devon was also achieved as the CBR simply flew up one of the steepest hillsides in the country.                                                                              

If you go to a meeting you can't miss Peter and his pal Paul Biggs, as instead of wearing the usual motocross gear, they turn out to race in vintage tweed suits! Well, what else would you expect from an eccentric?

Another new stand for Telford, and also arranged by show consultant Alan Wright, is for Royal Enfield. Alan has gathered nine Bullets and Crusaders, including the Bullet put together by the late and much missed Jim Pickering. The Black Country’s John Richardson put together two Enfield Bullets (one is dead original and one highly modified) that he rode regularly and John’s son Andrew and Gloucester’s Steve Allen are bringing them both along.

Johny Brittain, a lifetime Enfield man who died last year, was the winner of countless national trials in the 1950s. His younger brother Pat was also a National trials winner in the 60s and is coming to Telford with his Enfield riding son, Ian, to meet old friends.

If you would be interested in displaying your bike at the show, please complete the form on the Classic Dirt Bike Show website. For further details about the Classic Dirt Bike Show sponsored by Hagon Shocks, and to order your advance tickets, please visit www.classicdirtbikeshow.co.uk

Classic Bike Shows are required by law to check the COVID status of all visitors. Admission will only be allowed for visitors who can prove they are fully vaccinated (minimum 2 doses); have tested negative for COVID-19 in the last 48 hours (lateral flow or PCR) or are exempt by way of Certificate/ NHS paperwork/ Green Lanyard.  Face coverings are mandatory in all indoor areas. Further details can be found here www.mortonsevents.co.uk/covid/

The British Motor Museum is delighted to announce the appointment of Imogen Watts as its new Senior Archivist.  Imogen will be responsible for the overall running of the Archive department, looking after the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust’s nationally recognised, Designated collections of documents, film and photographs, as well as the Heritage Certificate service.

Originally a Drama graduate, Imogen qualified as an Archivist in 2016. She most recently worked for Gloucestershire County Council as Corporate & Digital Records Manager.

Imogen Watts, Senior Archivist said “I’m thrilled to have joined the team at the British Motor Museum. I’m looking forward to getting to know the collections and unlocking more of its hidden gems. I will be working closely with Cat Boxall, our Curator, to deliver content for exhibitions and looking at how we can develop the archive service for the future. I would like to make the Archive collections more visible to visitors to the Museum and its channels, as well as continuing to provide dedicated access for researchers.”

Imogen will be joining the 7 strong team which includes Richard, Lisa and Sharon who deliver the Heritage Certificates service, Paramjit and Cath who look after the records in the Archive, and Sarah-Jane who runs the photographic service. The Archive collections encompass a wide range of British automotive manufacturers and connected companies, and include a variety of records from factory ledgers and sales brochures to motoring journals and the personal papers of the industry greats. The Archive also holds an extensive collection of photographs and film footage, and items from the collection are regularly included in books, publications and television programmes.

Stephen Laing, Head of Collections at the British Motor Museum said “I'm delighted to welcome Imogen to the British Motor Museum. Imogen brings a fresh perspective to how we can develop our unrivalled collections and I look forward to working with her along with the rest of our talented team to make our collections even more accessible, engaging and enjoyable for all”.

To find out more about the British Motor Museum archive please visit https://www.britishmotormuseum.co.uk/archive or call 01926 641188

KICKBACK: The UK's Custom + Retro Bike Show is inside the Avon Hall at the Three Counties Showground Worcestershire WR13 6NW from 2+3 April 2022.

To see some of the latest bikes to reach the FINALS of the 2022 UK National Championships to be staged once again at KICKBACK next April, please go to kickbackshow.blogspot.com