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Category: Superbikes

  1. Success at the Northwest 200 for Kawasaki

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    Kawasaki riders claimed podium finishes in all three race classes yesterday as the racing at the NW200 commenced – including the first International Road Race victory for the all new Kawasaki 650.

    In the Supersport class, JG Speedfit Kawasaki rider James Hillier achieved the first Kawasaki podium of the evening after battling for the race win, he crossed the line in an impressive third position.

    In the Superstock class, Dean Harrison showed his Silicone Engineering Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10RR had the pace to fight at the front as he battled hard with Lee Johnston, finishing in third place as the chequered flag was waved.

    The last race of the evening was the Lightweight race, in which it was a clean sweep for Kawasaki, taking a top-ten lock down as the race ended.

    Lightweight race winner, Martin Jessop, was aboard the brand-new 650cc machine which meant the 2017 model took its first win in this competitive class. Powered by a compact 650cc parallel twin, liquid-cooled engine both the Z650, and its sporty-faired brother the Ninja 650, are brand new for 2017.

    Racing Co-ordinator for Kawasaki Motors UK, Ross Burridge, said: “What a great evening for Kawasaki! The Supersport class isn’t even James’ strongest, so to get a podium finish is fantastic. Dean is also continuing to prove he is a force to be reckoned with in all classes, so we can’t wait to see what they can both do on Saturday. The highlight has to be the Lightweight race though, a great win for Martin on the new 650, and taking a clean sweep of the top 10 places is awesome. We are now expecting to see many more new 650 Kawasaki’s – especially the Ninja 650 – on the Lightweight grid at the upcoming TT in June.  For now, let’s hope the weather holds for more great NW200 racing on Saturday.”

    For more information on the Kawasaki range, visit: www.kawasaki.co.uk

  2. APRILIA RACING TEAM GRESINI - MotoGP Jerez preview

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    APRILIA IS READY FOR THE JEREZ DE LA FRONTERA CHALLENGE

    THE RS-GP HAS SHOWN GREAT PROGRESS THAT MUST BE CONFIRMED IN THE FIRST EUROPEAN 2017 MOTOGP ROUND


    MotoGP heads to Europe for the first continental race on the 2017 calendar, scheduled to be held on the Spanish Jerez de la Frontera circuit. It is one of the most classic rounds and an important one in the evolution of the Aprilia RS-GP. The Italian V4, making constant progress from the pre-season tests, will be called on to confirm the encouraging signs shown in the first three races as well.

    Both of the Aprilia Racing Team Gresini riders, who are taking a test day in Le Mans, have good reasons to be optimistic about the Spanish race. Aleix Espargaró will be on his home pitch on a track that he knows well and that seems to be a good fit for the characteristics of the RS-GP.
    Sam Lowes is looking for his first MotoGP championship points, a feasible goal on the track where he took pole position and won the race last year.


    ALEIX ESPARGARO'
    “I can't wait to ride again in Europe and especially in Jerez, one of my home Grand Prix races. I like the atmosphere of the Spanish crowd, as well as the track. After the crash in Argentina and the problems in Austin I want to have a normal GP again and we will try to find the best setting to do another good race.”

    SAM LOWES
    “I have very fond memories of the race in Jerez last year, when I took both pole position and the win. I like the circuit and I will be aiming to take another step forward this weekend. The goal is definitely to earn my first MotoGP championship points.”

    ROMANO ALBESIANO - APRILIA RACING MANAGER
    “Jerez is a different track than the ones we have raced on thus far. The RS-GP does well on this track historically. The engine does not play a crucial role, whereas the bike's braking and wheelie characteristics are important. The level of grip varies a lot with relation to the temperature, so things could change rather quickly from this point of view. In Austin, we figured out a few interesting things about our bike's settings on the rear - information that we will put to use straight away.”

    FAUSTO GRESINI - TEAM MANAGER
    “The first European round always has a special flavour. Jerez is a nice track, a home track for Aleix, where we have built up a fair amount of experience. This could help us to be more competitive straight away and in this period we have worked hard between races and tests to be ready. After the setback in America, I expect to have a good weekend. We have the potential to stay easily in the top 10 and that is our goal.”

  3. A dominant double from Joe Collier at Oulton Park

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    • Joe Collier takes the Ducati Performance TriOptions Cup championship lead
    • Pole, fastest lap and race win for Collier in Race 1 and Race 2
    • Moto Rapido win their 2nd dealer award
     
    Joe Collier again showed dominant form in Round 3 of the Ducati Performance TriOptions Cup at Oulton Park with a hat-trick of pole, fastest lap and race win in both races.
     
    Race 1
    Pole-sitter Joe Collier’s charge to his 4th victory out of 5 races was temporarily put on hold during Race 1 at Oulton Park. The Red Flag was shown when several riders crashed out unhurt at Hizzy’s Chicane following a water leak from Jonathan Railton’s (Boast Plumbing) bike.
     
    As the lights went out a second time, Collier kept his position into Old Hall Corner and went on to pull a 2 second gap over the rest of the field by the end of Lap 2 of the 5-lap restart race. Collier finally took the chequered flag in commanding fashion completing a hat-trick of pole, fastest lap and race win.

    Rob Guiver (Ducati Romford / Hyside Racing) finished runner up to take his third 2nd place of the season and maintain his championship lead. Sean Neary (Zoek Racing) beat Phil Atkinson (Highsparks Motorsport) to the line by just 0.052 seconds to claim the final podium spot while Carl Stevens was the top 899 finisher in 13th place.
     
    Race 2
    Guiver got the better of pole-sitter Collier from 2nd on the grid as the lights went out for Race 2 at Oulton Park, before the two riders immediately pulled a small gap at the front.
     
    Railton, Louis Dawson (Ducati Wolverhampton) and Taryn Skinner (Highsparks Motorsport) had all started towards the back of the grid after their races were ended prematurely in the Red Flag  race 1 incident thus failing to post a fast-lap for a high race 2 grid position. They all made impressive moves up the field, Railton making up 20 positions on his opening lap alone and Dawson and Skinner both claiming 19 positions.
     
    Up at the front Collier went underneath Guiver at Lodge to lead the race as the riders started Lap 3. Later on, Guiver ran off track and dropped back to 6th while Neary was forced to retire after losing power due to a technical fault.
     
    Collier eventually crossed the finish line with over 10 seconds in hand for his second win of the weekend, having claimed another new lap-record around Oulton Park with a time of 1:40.283. Atkinson took 2nd while Day scored his first podium finish of the year in 3rd.
     
    Guiver, who had gone into Race 2 as championship leader, finished in 4th. Collier’s teammate Railton passed the chequered flag in 5th – an impressive feat considering he had lined up for the race 34th on the grid. Louis Dawson, who started in 36th, was the top 899 finisher in 9th.
     
    Collier’s double win this weekend gives him the championship lead from Guiver with Atkinson in 3rd. Moto Rapido won the Ducati Performance TriOptions Cup dealer award.
     
    Joe Collier (Boast Plumbing #4) – Race 1 – 1st, Race 2 – 1st
    “It’s just been a good weekend all round. The bike just keeps getting better and better. Working really well with the team. I’m just enjoying riding and when you’re enjoying riding you’re normally going alright. So hopefully we can carry on this momentum on to the next round and see how we go.”
     
    Phil Atkinson (Highsparks Motorsport #7) – Race 1 – 2nd, Race 2 – 2nd
    “With about four or five laps to go our exhaust came loose so we had a loss of power and quite a bit of noise in the old ears! But credit to the team, but we need to move forward a little bit more to catch Joe but at this moment I will take second any time. Overall the weekend has been good. We missed the official test at Oulton so we were playing catch up but we will be at the test at Snetterton and hopefully closer to the guys at the front for the next round.”
     
    Levi Day (Boast Plumbing #57) – Race 1 – 5th, Race 2 – 3rd
    “It’s taken me a little while to get used to riding a Ducati after a 600 but we’re starting to come to grips with it now. Hopefully I can start getting my name out there and be a front runner for the rest of the season.”
     
    Championship positions:
     
    1. Collier 112.5 pts, 2. Guiver 104 pts, 3. Atkinson 86 pts, 4. Railton 70.5 5 pts, Day 56.5 pts, 6. Ferns 52.5pts
  4. THE RS-GP CONFIRMS ITS POTENTIAL EVEN ON A DIFFICULT WEEKEND

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    ESPARGARÓ FINISHES THE RACE DESPITE A PIT STOP - LOWES CRASHES IN THE 12TH LAP

    ALBESIANO: “WE HAD THE POTENTIAL TO STAY IN THE TOP TEN”

    You need to search through the various sessions of the Texan weekend between practice, qualifying and the race to “filter” the performance of Aleix Espargaró and his RS-GP from the extraordinary chain of adverse events that clipped the wings of his ambition. Having started from the last spot on the grid for not having participated in the qualifiers on Saturday, Aleix found his pace after a few laps, catching up to 15th position. His times, improving decisively, even made a top-ten finish seem possible, something that would have been quite an undertaking. Instead, from the seventh lap, problems with the front end first slowed him visibly and then forced him to pit lane.

    After changing the tyre and re-joining, without any more hope of a placement, Aleix lapped at a pace even better than the riders who were battling for tenth. This feedback and the times in the Sunday warm-up, the only positive notes on a weekend that was difficult like few others for Aprilia Racing Team Gresini, confirm the potential of the Espargaró-Aprilia duo. Sam Lowes' race came to an early end after a crash when, after finding his pace, he had moved in behind Smith just behind the points zone.

    Now it is time to head for Europe, with two days of testing at Mugello on Wednesday and Thursday. The goal is to pick up from all the positive that had been demonstrated in the first two rounds of the season.

    ALEIX ESPARGARO'
    "From the first laps I had a bad feeling with the front tyre. I kept losing it. I thought maybe it was because of the full tank, but things got worse lap after lap, so much that at a certain point I was no longer riding but just trying not to crash. Making a pit stop is always the last thought for me. It seems like a lack of respect for the work my team has done, but today I had no choice. When I re-joined with a new tyre, I lapped at my own pace without pushing, with the times we had expected. Now I want to forget this weekend quickly. In two days we will be on the track at Mugello to continue working and to be ready for the European races."

    SAM LOWES
    "I think that today was the slowest crash of my career. To be honest, it was a strange weekend for us. Even in the race, the harder front tyre was perfect on the left side in terms of feeling, whereas on the right I wasn't able to ride. The pace was what I had expected. I was able to stay in the group that was battling for points and despite a mistake in the early stages, I had managed to close the gap. Even on a weekend like this one, we were still able to take a few steps forward. My goal is to stay focused and to continue working with my team so that I can get to the point of exploiting the full potential of my RS-GP."

    ROMANO ALBESIANO - APRILIA RACING MANAGER
    "Even with the handicap of a start from the last spot on the grid, we had the potential for a top-ten race, but instead Aleix had a problem with the front. After replacing the tyre he found the sensations and the times we expected, the ones from warm-up where he finished in ninth place. Sure, it was a particular track, with bumps and different grip than the previous tracks, which put us to the test, but without everything that happened to us, we were definitely capable of finishing in the top ten. But even here, we learned something and now we are headed to Europe confident because of what we demonstrated until now and even hoping that this whole series of episodes that hindered us here is over."

    FAUSTO GRESINI - TEAM MANAGER
    "The many crashes in practice conditioned the entire weekend, both for Aleix and Sam. When you begin like that, it makes everything harder. It's like starting on an uphill slope. The team was unable to work at their best for the race. But even an unlucky weekend has plenty to teach us and it has to be used to continue improving. Now we are waiting for the European races so we can leave this weekend behind us, well aware of our potential."

  5. FIRST DAY OF PRACTICE IN TEXAS

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    ESPARGARÓ HARD AT WORK ON HIS RS-GP, GRIP AND FRONT SETTINGS ARE THE ISSUES TO RESOLVE

    LOWES IMPROVES FROM ONE FRIDAY SESSION TO THE NEXT

    Partly due to the Texan track, which proved to be in less than stellar conditions, the first day of practice for the Aprilia Racing Team Gresini was spent looking for the best setup on the RS-GP machines ridden by Espargaró and Lowes. The Circuit of the Americas in Austin was found in much different conditions than in 2016, with a series of bumps and dips. The two free practice sessions were therefore dedicated to finding the right settings for the front end in order to handle this irregularity of the American track and to a series of comparative tests to choose the rear tyre.

    Aleix Espargaró, fresh from two encouraging performances in the initial races of the season, finished FP1 in ninth place (time: 2’06.411) and FP2 in fourteenth with 2’05.468. The standings are very tight, with 11 riders “squeezed” into 2’05. An improvement of a few tenths could be decisive in the final free practice session tomorrow that will determine who goes through to Q2. Sam Lowes continues his bike and category apprenticeship. His 2’06.741 in FP2 demonstrates a clear improvement compared to his 2’08.292 in the morning.

    ALEIX ESPARGARO'
    "It was certainly not our best day of practice. I struggled, especially with front end stability. We also had some trouble with direction changes. The RS-GP is still not as agile as I would like it to be. Now the guys on the team will analyse the data. I think for tomorrow that we will work on the geometry and on weight distribution. Rear tyre choice, on the other hand, shouldn't be a problem. I tried two options and both felt good, so we will focus on the feeling with the front end, which is our main problem for now."

    SAM LOWES
    "The second session went rather well. I was able to improve both in terms of time and my feeling. As often happens, our pace is better than our flying lap. I must say that this is a demanding track with the MotoGP bike, but these are difficulties that help me to improve quickly, changing lines, riding style and my position in the saddle. The track has a lot of dips and our bike is usually stable, but here we will need to work on absorbing the bumps. I think it is a problem that a lot of the riders will have. We will try to solve it by both working on the setup and by trying to change a few trajectories."