Enduring Bar-to-Bar Action, O’Hara Outlasts Teammate Jeremy McWilliams at Circuit of the Americas,
Pilots S&S-Built Indian FTR to Second-Consecutive Championship

It was a battle between brothers – each armed with their S&S-built Indian FTR Hooligan race bike. Entering the final round of MotoAmerica’s Mission SuperHooligan National Championship (SHNC) at Circuit of the Americas (COTA), dead-locked at 106 total points, Indian Motorcycle Racing’s Tyler O’Hara and Jeremy McWilliams endured bar-to-bar action, each pushing to the bitter end to earn the opportunity to hoist the No. 1 plate and win the 2023 SHNC title.

For the second consecutive season, it was O’Hara, as he outlasted McWilliams in dramatic fashion, taking both rounds at COTA, and winning five of the season’s eight races aboard his Mission® Foods S&S® Indian FTR.

“Hats off to my entire S&S-Indian Motorcycle team, as the guys worked hard all season to keep this Indian FTR dialed in for me,” said O’Hara. “This FTR is an incredible machine. Power, handling, maneuverability – it’s been the highest-performing bike in the class all season, and we’re extremely proud to walk away with another title this season.”

The SHNC final round at COTA was nothing short of exhilarating, as both O’Hara and McWilliams pushed their Indian FTRs in and out of corners, each making incredible passes on the other. Knowing their teammate’s moves and tendencies created an epic battle between two of the sport’s most capable riders. Race 1 at COTA ended with McWilliams high-siding in the final turn of the final lap. McWilliams was unharmed and was able to compete in Race 2 on Sunday. But again, it was O’Hara who captured the final win of the season.

“The relationship between Tyler and Jeremy is truly special – they both thrive off each other’s expertise and experience, and both have an ‘anything it takes’ drive to win once aboard their FTR,” said Gary Gray, Vice President Racing, Service and Technology for Indian Motorcycle. “When you have a team as committed as our S&S crew, paired with the riders we have, you push every second of every day to win a championship. We’re excited to have reached our goal and look forward to running the No. 1 plate again on Tyler’s FTR next season.”

Ben, the automotive industry charity, has today launched a month-long campaign around suicide prevention, to raise awareness about this difficult topic and highlight that Ben is there for those struggling. As part of the campaign, new support and resources are now available on Ben’s website, as well as new online training.

The charity has created a new section of its website dedicated to suicide prevention with information, advice and guidance for individuals at risk of suicide, for those worried about someone and also for employers.

NEW suicide prevention support available at: www.ben.org.uk/suicideprevention  

• Content and resources on the topic of suicide prevention
• Downloadable resources and leaflets for individuals and employers
• Contact details so people know where to turn to for further support
• Information about relevant training and services for employers to support their employees
• New real life story about Tracey, who lost her husband to suicide.

According to ONS, in 2021, there were 6,567 deaths by suicide registered in the UK, with males aged between 45-49 as having the highest suicide rate in England and Wales1. A total of 126 people die by suicide in the UK every week, with around 74% of those being male2. 

The automotive industry is male dominated (80% male, versus 20% female3) so there is potentially a greater risk and vulnerability to suicide than in other industries. Men often feel under pressure to not show signs of weakness and feel embarrassed to talk about their issues, so are less likely to seek help when struggling with their mental health. Sometimes, pride is a factor and men may think they can handle their problems on their own, or they worry about being a burden to others. Men are also more likely to respond to stress with risky behaviour such as abusing alcohol which increases the risk of suicide by up to eight times.

Sadly, Ben has seen an increase in calls to its helpline for support around suicide over recent years. In 2022, Ben supported 303 individuals who disclosed they were experiencing suicidal ideation or intent. Around 7 employers each year call on the charity’s Urgent Response Service after an employee has taken their own life. 

Employers have a role to play in reducing the stigma around male mental health and to provide relevant support to prevent suicide. From findings in Ben’s survey report 2023, 1 in 3 automotive workers reported having had issues managing their mental health, compared with 1 in 6 of the general UK working population.

Relevant training and services
In addition to providing support for individuals, Ben also works with automotive industry employers to provide the following training and services: 

• NEW online Suicide Awareness and Prevention training
• Suicide First Aid through Understanding Suicide Intervention (SFAUSI) course
• Mental Health First Aid course which qualifies participants as Mental Health First Aiders
• Managing Mental Health in the Workplace training 
• Urgent response service which offers support for employers with critical incidents that affect employees, including support for suicide.

Here is a recent testimonial about Ben’s new Suicide Awareness and Prevention training:

“The suicide awareness course from Ben was a great source of knowledge on a sensitive subject for both those with no experience of dealing with these issues to those with prior training. It gave practical advice of the tools and support that can be utilised in these difficult situations.” - Nicola Fairley, Arnold Clark

For more information on Ben’s training and services, email [email protected].  

Rachel Clift, Health & Wellbeing Director at Ben, said: “Research and statistics should give us cause for concern in our industry, coupled with the fact we currently have more people than ever requesting support. This is why it’s crucial to raise awareness about loss of life through suicide, as it’s a difficult topic to broach. We want everyone in our industry to know that Ben is there for them and urge people to get in touch for support if they’re struggling or in crisis.

“If you work, or have worked, in the automotive industry please get in touch now if you don't feel you can cope or if you’re at breaking point. You can contact our free and confidential helpline.”

Ben is here for those who work, or have worked, in the automotive industry and their family dependents. Don't struggle alone, contact our helpline: 08081 311 333 or use our webchat at www.ben.org.uk. You can also access Ben’s out of hours text support line by texting BEN to 85258. 

A GREAT BRAND RESULT FOR APRILIA WITH THREE BIKES IN THE TOP EIGHT

Maverick Viñales took another positive placement in the top five, finishing fifth at the GP of San Marino and the Riviera of Rimini. Taking the position just behind the leaders in the early stages of the race, Maverick basically maintained his pace all the way to the end, almost never having to engage in battle.

In the Emilia Romagna GP, Aprilia achieved a nice brand result with three RS-GP machines finishing in the top eight. In fact, in addition to Maverick’s fifth place, Miguel Oliveira and Raùl Fernandez finished sixth and eighth respectively. The team RNF standard bearers thereby contributed to confirmation of what the Aprilias had demonstrated on Saturday in qualifying, when four went through to Q2.

In the race, Aleix Espargaró’s sharp performance was missing after winning just seven days ago in Barcelona. He substantially compromised his performance in the early stages after the start, dropping back several positions. An analysis of his pace shows speed similar to that of the top-5 finishers, but difficulty overtaking kept him from achieving a better position. His 12th place means four Important points in the hunt for fourth place in the overall championship standings.

ALEIX
“The result is obviously not good, but I gambled away the race at the start. I lost positions and found myself in a group where we all had a very similar pace. Struggling to overtake, despite laptimes that were actually good, I was unable to do better than I did. We knew that this would be a complicated track for us, both for the characteristics of the RS-GP and because I don’t particularly like the layout. From here on out, I have good feelings, plus we’ll be able to use the test tomorrow to try some solutions to improve in these conditions.”

MAVERICK
“Being disappointed with a top-5 finish is a good sign. It means that we have raised the bar and we want to stay out front. I expected more this weekend – I won’t hide that – but we struggled more than expected when grip increased, especially in braking. It’s a question of balance – compromise in the setup – that we need to work on. Already in the test tomorrow, I definitely want to improve in braking in these conditions.”

A TASTE OF 2024 AND REFINEMENTS FOR 2023: ALEIX, MAVERICK, MIGUEL, AND RAÙL AT WORK IN THE MISANO TESTS

The action at Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli did not end with the races yesterday but continued with a day of official MotoGP testing today. These were two sessions that Aprilia dedicated to both the initial 2024 material tests and refinements to the 2023 package. This was the case for the factory team, whereas in the RNF camp, Miguel Oliveira had the chance to throw a leg over the latest evolution of the RS-GP.

Overall, it was a positive day, and not only from a “times” point of view. Preparation for the long series of overseas rounds which will begin with India in two weeks has Aprilia in a good situation, both technically and in terms of high morale. On the other side of things, looking towards 2024, work is moving right along, with the team well aware that they already have an extremely competitive base.

ALEIX
“With Aprilia we are at a level where no revolutionary changes are necessary. To the contrary, we need to avoid the risk of creating confusion. The Test Team is working hard, the engineers have a lot of data to analyse, and from here to Valencia, they’ll have time to prepare the 2024 material. We’ve already tested some things – a different frame with pros and cons and a lot of components. We also know how particular this track is, especially after a race weekend, so it isn’t the ideal setting to draw conclusions. We have a series of races ahead of us where we have every possibility of doing well.”

MAVERICK
“The test went well. Our goal was to improve in braking and we found some interesting solutions, at the same time continuing work on the start and the way the bike performs in high grip conditions. Personally, I feel good in the saddle. I know we’ll be able to take another step forward, but I’m already having fun riding this Aprilia.”

ROMANO ALBESIANO
“Very interesting day, with the few tests available and the many things to try it is always complex to organise the work. Using these opportunities well can make the difference, we can consider ourselves satisfied. We are laying the foundations of our 2024 project, which will not be a revolution but a careful evolution of an already very performing package. Every piece of data and every comparison helps us to define the technical path to follow. In addition to Aleix and Maverick's input, Miguel's comment on his first outing with the latest RS-GP was important. He is a fast rider but at the same time precise and analytical, he can help us on our path of growth.”

APRILIA DOUBLE PODIUM – THE FIRST IN HISTORY! ALEIX DOMINATES THE SPRINT RACE AND MAVERICK IS THIRD

The numbers usually don’t lie, except when it comes to modern MotoGP, because even though the practice session times seemed to foreshadow good potential for Aprilia, you can never rule anything out when it comes to battling in the race.
Aleix’s win came at the end of a fiercely fought Sprint race, where Bagnaia started well from pole position, taking the lead in the early laps. The Aprilia rider overtook first Martin and then his teammate, setting off after the leader, followed by Maverick. During the sixth lap, Aleix pulled the pin. Taking advantage of the RS-GP’s acceleration coming out of the final turn and the power of his V4, he came alongside Bagnaia in the first braking, setting up a clean and decisive overtake. Once out front, the hometown rider’s best pace came out, catapulting him to his first Sprint Race win, finishing with a gap of almost two full seconds.
Maverick finished on the third step of the podium after an outstanding race where he just missed second place (by 51 thousandths) after recovering from near contact with Martin. Ahead of the final stretch, he had an opening to attempt overtaking but, partly due to front tyre wear, Viñales decided not to gamble on any risky manoeuvres.
Today’s result is a historic one for the Italian manufacturer. Never before in MotoGP history had two Aprilias shared the podium.
ALEIX
“I wish to dedicate this win to our President, Roberto Colaninno. He would have been proud to see where we’ve taken his bike and it is thanks to his support as well that we are able to celebrate such an important team result. I felt good today. Pecco started very strong – so much that I thought I might just stay behind him and have a go in the finale. However, at a certain point I had the confidence to overtake him and set my own pace. Today’s Sprint Race showed me that the true key to the race is the front tyre. Even today, we had to manage it, so with twice as many laps and higher temperatures tomorrow, it will be difficult.”
MAVERICK
“Today’s result is fantastic for all of us. Managing to put two Aprilias on the podium is incredible. I’m happy for all the members of the team and I think it is only right to dedicate it to our President. I’m satisfied with my result even if I wasn’t able to overtake Bagnaia at the end. I tried, but he was very good at defending in braking and I did not want to risk contact. Tomorrow we’ll tackle another demanding race, especially in terms of tyre wear. Already today in the Sprint Race, the front tyre suffered a drop and that may be the element that kept me from being more incisive. In any case, we have a lot of data available to work with now. We know we have the pace to be able to battle for the podium tomorrow too.”