| | Biker News - Regularly updated
Category: Moto GP
-
AFTER A FANTASTIC POLE POSITION, ALEIX IS UNABLE TO REAP WHAT HE HAD HOPED IN THE SPRINT RACE
THE MIXED CONDITIONS COMPROMISE MAVERICK’S QUALIFIERS, SEVENTH IN THE RACE
After their show of strength yesterday, with two Aprilias in the lead, Saturday in Jerez de La Frontera also had the Italian bikes confirming their extremely competitive status. In qualifying, a few drops of rain added to the already high tension, forcing teams and riders to make vastly different strategic choices.
Aleix, opting to stay out on the track with slicks for the entire session, did a perfect lap right in the finale, earning a well-deserved pole position. It was a different story for Maverick, who boxed to put on new tyres but was then unable to find a lap consistent with the pace he had demonstrated during practice.
Starting from the tenth spot on the grid, Maverick recovered ground all the way to seventh place, also doing the fourth fastest lap time – proof that he did have the speed that would have earned him a better result.
For pole man Aleix, on the other hand, Saturday ended on a bitter note. After a good start, he stayed in the leading group for quite a while as he prepared his attack, despite the significant difficulty overtaking on the Spanish track. However, a crash during the fifth lap put an end to the Aprilia rider’s hopes.
Aleix
“A shame to have finished Saturday that way after taking pole position. To be honest, I started well in both starts but the KTMs have something more than us in that area. Then the riders who had started with the soft rear had a bit more grip, although the pace wasn’t high at all. But we know that here in Jerez, if you’re up front you are able to defend your position. I was thinking about an attack when I was behind Martin, but I struggled with the front and in the end I crashed. With this new format, we have a chance at redemption tomorrow, where there are important points up for grabs.”
Maverick
“I can’t help but to be pleased. The truth is that in the conditions this morning during qualifying, I did not have a good feeling at all and I was unable to achieve one hundred percent. Then, in the race, starting from the rear you have to battle, overtake, you’re under attack – sometimes rather aggressively – and everything is more complicated. The fact of the matter is that when I had open track ahead, I was able to maintain the same pace as the leaders and that’s what is frustrating because I don’t think this position is a proper reflection of our potential.”
-
Already a title sponsor of selected MotoGP events in 2022 and this year of the upcoming round at Jerez de la Frontera (and later Phillip Island), MotoGP Guru powered by Gryfyn will be alongside Gresini Racing MotoGP for the whole 2023 season, with an ambitious and important project.
With the creation of the first official MotoGP “prediction game”, Guru has entered the World Championship paddock from the main door and not only: its presence on the fairings of the Desmosedici machines #49 and #73 has been highlighted a couple of times at the parc fermé already this year, courtesy of Alex Marquez.
For the #SpanishGP, MotoGP Guru powered by Gryfyn has unveiled the 2023 challenge, with a selection of journalists from the World Championship that will take on the official photographers. It will be a “Fantasy League” open to everybody, in which the prize for the winner will be a Gresini Racing-liveried Ducati machine.
GRAEME WARRING – MOTOGP GURU powered by GRYFYN CEO
“We decided to augment our title sponsorships and circuit activation with a race team partnership. In 2022 at Phillip Island and Valencia we spoke to a few teams and Gresini Racing responded with a very focused plan to compliment what we were committed to doing with Dorna. It was clear that they really embraced the project, and we really embraced the team, especially the legacy of Fausto and the family atmosphere that feels warm and welcoming."
CARLO MERLINI – COMMERCIAL & MARKETING DIRECTOR GRESINI RACING
“Extremely delighted to announce MotoGP Guru powered by Gryfyn as new Gresini Racing MotoGP Team sponsor. Last year Gryfyn strongly bursted into MotoGP environment as title sponsor of a few races and I’m happy that for 2023 they chose Gresini Racing MotoGP as partner to develop and implement the activation program for Guru, the new (and exciting!) official result prediction game of the MotoGP World Championship. Besides the massive branding, GryFyn will benefit of a large range of services and experience to offer as prize to the lucky Guru winners. Welcome MotoGP Guru powered by GryFyn in the #gresinifamily”.
-
Following a triumphant season, Team Gresini Racing MotoGP and MS Glow For Men shake hands once again, this time with a two-year contract that will see the renowned Indonesian brand on the MotoGP fairings of Fabio Di Giannantonio and new arrival Alex Marquez’s Ducati machines.
MS Glow For Men, the leading Indonesian Brand for skin and body care, with a customer base of millions of clients, aims at an even more global dimension and will get maximum visibility also in the pit-box and the trucks of the MotoGP team.
GILANG WIDYA PRAMANA – PRESIDENT, MS GLOW FOR MEN
“We are very excited to continue the partnership with Gresini Racing MotoGP Team. Besides the popularity of MotoGP in Indonesia, the values associated to MotoGP are very close to the way we want to propose MS GLOW FOR MEN, also as lifestyle product for real men. 2022 was a very successful season that delivered massive visibility to our brand as well as precious opportunities for activation on every front. We look forward to another exciting MotoGP season for Alex and Diggia”.
CARLO MERLINI MARKETING AND COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR, GRESINI RACING
“The connection between Gresini and Indonesia is now a global firm in the two-wheeled motorsport and it is fantastic that an institution such as Gilang, which arrived in MotoGP only a few months ago, has decided to put their trust in us once again for the next two seasons. We are fully convinced that we created a strong team also for 2023, and we will prove it with Ms Glow for Men as our ally.”
-
Celebrating the great Giacomo Agostini, winner of 122 motorcycling Grands Prix on his way to 15 world titles, Agostini: On the British Circuits by The Classic MotorCycle editor James Robinson, is a stunning collection of period photographs which captures him in action on racetracks in Britain.
Collated using images from the world-leading Mortons Archive, incorporating the Nick Nicholls collection, this book focuses not on Agostini’s worldwide GP achievements, but looks instead at what happened when he came to the British circuits and raced – not only the TT and Ulster GPs, but the circuits up and down the country.
From the mid-1960s to the mid-1970s, Agostini, or ‘Ago’ to motorcyclists worldwide, was the poster boy of two-wheeled sport, his winning combination of bravery, skill, and style on the machine, coupled with film star good looks off it, leading to huge fame.
Ago and the MV were unassailable for years on end, but arguably the Italian’s greatest achievements came when he fled the comfy nest of the MV camp to sign for Yamaha.
Critics and doubters were quickly silenced as he claimed two world titles for the Japanese firm, including its (and Japan’s) first blue riband 500cc title.
British race fans flocked to see the great man in action when visiting the circuits and he generally didn’t disappoint, racking up wins across the country.
Agostini: On the British Circuits is available to order for £9.99 via www.mortonsbooks.co.uk
-
THE FIRST 2023 MOTOGP WEEKEND ENDS WITH ONE CERTAINTY: APRILIA WILL BE A KEY PLAYER
BRILLIANT SECOND PLACE FOR A BATTLING VIÑALES, IN THE MIX FOR THE WIN DOWN TO THE FINAL LAP
ALEIX BATTLES, ENDURES CONTACT, AND FINISHES NINTH. BUT HE IS THE FASTEST ON TRACK
There was no lack of thrills on the first weekend of the 2023 MotoGP season, held in Portimão. After the frenzied Sprint Race yesterday, the 25 laps today were no less exciting and they provided solid confirmation: Aprilia is and will be a key player in this championship season.
Maverick got off to a decisive start, immediately earning positions on the early turns. Armed with a pace that allowed him to catch up the leader, he engaged him in a long battle with the gap narrowed to just tenths of a second. His second-place finish is a proper conclusion to a weekend where both he and the entire team worked almost perfectly together. Knowing that there is a good starting base, now they’ll need to continue growing.
There were two sides of the coin for Aleix’s race. The race fast lap shows just what the Spaniard’s pace is, such that he had the potential to battle for the podium. However, starting from the fourth row worked against him in the early stages of the race, once again hindered by contact with Binder that forced him to ride a demanding comeback after losing 5 positions. His ninth-place finish does not do justice to what he demonstrated on the track, but Aleix himself cannot help but evaluate his first weekend of 2023 as more than positive.
We would be remiss not to mention hometown hero Miguel Oliveira, an absolute protagonist in the race, battling for the win until a rash move by Márquez brought his race to an early end. Initial checks seem to rule out any serious consequences, and this is the most important news.
Aleix
"Overall, I’m pleased both with our weekend and with the speed we demonstrated. Unfortunately, once again today, our starting position overshadowed my pace a bit, which was decidedly good. On the early turns, I had contact with Binder, costing me a lot of positions, and then, when I had free track ahead of me, I managed to be fast, but I struggled a bit in overtaking. This was partly because I didn’t want to risk any pointless contact – I had already seen quite enough of that this weekend and I think that we riders should be the first to think reasonably and arrive in Argentina with less stress. In any case, the RS-GP proved to be fast and I couldn’t have asked for more. One thing is certain – we’ll need to be more incisive in qualifying."
Maverick
"This is a great result and I’m extremely proud of the work Aprilia is doing. Our bike is truly complete and competitive. But our goal is to stay out front, so we need to keep working this way, with a lot of grit, to improve even further. In the race, I tried to stay consistently close to Pecco, even when I dropped back to let my tyres cool and then close the gap again. I tried to keep the pressure on him all the way to the end and we finished really close, but he was good at not making any mistakes and not giving me any real openings to overtake. Now we’ll head to Argentina with lots of confidence."
|
