Lorenzo wins Title & Race, as Rossi rides from last to 4th

Photo: crash.net

I’ve been writing about my favourite sport, the greatest sport, the most entertaining sport, the most drama filled sport, MotoGP, for a year and a half now, I’ve been lucky enough to be treated to the greatest season in my lifetime, this year’s 2015 . The icon of the Sport, Valentino Rossi found winning form this year, leading the championship throughout, with Marc Marquez and Jorg Lorenzo pushing him hard, and recently a bit too hard. The rest is history, we all know what happened in Sepang, and Rossi’s actions meant he started from 26th on the grid, dead last, as Lorenzo started from 1st.

Lorenzo got a perfect start, and predictably, Marquez and Pedrosa went with him. If Lorenzo won, Rossi had to finish 2nd to be champion, and if the two Honda’s finished ahead of Lorenzo, Rossi could be champion by finishing 6th. 

Naturally Rossi’s start was utterly phenomenal, better than I thought, passing the Open Class riders as if they were standing still. By the end of the first lap, Rossi had overtaken more than ten riders. By the time there was 18 laps left, incredibly, Valentino Rossi was in 4th place after a series of hard but fair overtakes on the some of the worlds best riders. Only Aleix Espargaro retaliated, and Rossi was back past him immediately. Rossi, now in 4th, spent the race not improving his lap times, and the gap between himself and third place Pedrosa never went below 11 seconds. Marquez stalked Lorenzo throughout the race, getting very close to striking distance, until Lorenzo opened up the gap again. 

The last two laps were the most tense they’ve been all year. Dani had caught Marc and Jorge, but Dani messed up a move on Marc, and this gave Jorge and advantage into the last lap. The advantage was too much for Marquez and Pedrosa, and Lorenzo overcame massive pressure to win a brilliant, and fair race.

Rossi’s ride was nothing short of pure class, he did everything he could, I genuinely believe that is the very best he could possibly have done. You could also say if Dani made a cleaner attempt on overtaking Marc, it could have stuck and he’d of also got Lorenzo. Regardless, the points say it all, Lorenzo won more races, and has more points. 

What a season! With the return of Michelin tyres next year, and an electronics package everyone must have, Valentino Rossi has every chance to still get that tenth title.

Today was also 2006 MotoGP World Champion, Nicky Hayden’s last race in MotoGP. He will ride for Honda in World Superbikes next year.

   
 Dorna TV stills.

Race Results:
1. Jorge Lorenzo ESP Movistar Yamaha MotoGP (YZR-M1) 45m 59.364s 
2. Marc Marquez ESP Repsol Honda Team (RC213V) 45m 59.627s 

3. Dani Pedrosa ESP Repsol Honda Team (RC213V) 46m 0.018s 

4. Valentino Rossi ITA Movistar Yamaha MotoGP (YZR-M1) 46m 19.153s 

5. Pol Espargaro ESP Monster Yamaha Tech 3 (YZR-M1) 46m 25.368s 

6. Bradley Smith GBR Monster Yamaha Tech 3 (YZR-M1) 46m 28.199s 

7. Andrea Dovizioso ITA Ducati Team (Desmosedici GP15) 46m 28.250s 

8. Aleix Espargaro ESP Team Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR) 46m 33.586s 

9. Cal Crutchlow GBR LCR Honda (RC213V) 46m 35.288s 

10. Danilo Petrucci ITA Octo Pramac Racing (Desmosedici GP14.2) 46m 38.943s 

11. Maverick Viñales ESP Team Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR)* 46m 39.110s 

12. Michele Pirro ITA Ducati Team (Desmosedici GP15) 46m 46.417s 

13. Yonny Hernandez COL Octo Pramac Racing (Desmosedici GP14.2) 46m 53.445s 

14. Alvaro Bautista ESP Factory Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP) 46m 56.010s 

15. Scott Redding GBR Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS (RC213V) 46m 56.642s 

16. Hector Barbera ESP Avintia Racing (Desmosedici GP14 Open) 46m 56.727s 

17. Nicky Hayden USA Aspar MotoGP Team (RC213V-RS) 46m 58.106s 

18. Stefan Bradl GER Factory Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP) 46m 58.450s 

19. Loris Baz FRA Forward Racing (Forward Yamaha)* 47m 3.703s 

20. Toni Elias SPA Forward Racing (Forward Yamaha) 47m 3.777s 

21. Jack Miller AUS LCR Honda (RC213V-RS)* 47m 4.576s 

22. Anthony West AUS AB Motoracing (RC213V-RS) 47m 26.645s 

Mike Di Meglio FRA Avintia Racing (Desmosedici GP14 Open) DNF 

Eugene Laverty IRL Aspar MotoGP Team (RC213V-RS)* DNF 

Broc Parkes AUS E-Motion IodaRacing (ART) DNF 

Andrea Iannone ITA Ducati Team (Desmosedici GP15) DNF 

John McPhee tells me about his penalty points and Sunday’s Moto3 Race

After another year with Racing Team Germany, Scottish rider John McPhee had his most successful season yet in Moto3. He’s led races numerous time this year, although he is yet to score his first podium finish.

JH:
It looked like you were having an ok race til that unfortunate ending, how would you describe your race today?

JM:
Yeah, good race, I had a good rhythm throughout, feeling confident on the bike which meant I could ride as hard and as well as possible. I managed to sneak into 5th place into the last corner, only to get hit from behind. Really disappointed for it to finish this way but it looks like we have a strong year ahead of us.

JH:
Do you fancy your chances next year as a regular podium finisher?

JM:
Yeah I hope so! We need to be pushing for podiums and race wins, so I think top five in the championship is not unrealistic.

JH:
What is your view on the penalty points that being handed out to riders waiting for tows for faster laps?

JM:
I think if you’re sitting up and getting in people’s way, then it’s correct to give riders penalty points. But I think if you get one just for sitting up, off the racing line, I think is a little bit stupid. I got a penalty point on Saturday in qualifying, and in my eyes I didn’t do anything wrong. I was actually looking for some clear track, trying to get out of the way out of other guys, and trying to find a clear bit of track for my own lap…and I get penalty point for it. Yeah it’s not easy, but it’s the same for everybody.

JH:
And finally, just how would you say your season has gone, considering the new equipment you got at the start of the year with the new Honda?

JM:
It’s been good, but it’s been difficult. We’ve had no testing what so ever, I’ve been running a standard bike, exactly the same as I started on at Qatar. So it’s been difficult from that side of things, but we’ve made a lot of progress.

JH:
Thanks a lot mate. Best of luck for next year.

JM:
No worries, cheers.

Luthi wins drama filled Moto2 race as Vinales takes out Kallio

Already crowned World Champion, and yesterday’s record breaking pole sitter Tito Rabat led into first corner from Swiss ace Thomas Luthi. Tito’s teammate and race winner Mika Kallio was taken out by MotoGP bound Maverick Vinales, who out braked himself, both riders were ok, but Mika out of the race. Vinales later walked down to their garage apologise. Mika was understandingly very angry at the Spanish rider, who tried rejoining the race, but soon came back into the pits. On the live feed the stewards declared the incident would be reviewed after the race.

With two of the fastest Moto2 riders out of the race, the battle at the front consisted only of Rabat and Luthi. Luthi was setting fastest laps and not letting the champion pull away. One attempt to pass failed as he drifted wide, and Tito regained the lead. This actually happened another 3 times, and twice at turn 1.

Clearly Luthi had to rethink his overtaking strategy…but it turned out he didn’t need to. Coming out of the last corner, on the last lap, with a four bikes length lead, Tito Rabat was seen to slow down either for a wheelie or some sort of celebration, Luthi went straight passed and took a very lucky, and very unusual win! It was still unclear wether or not he missed a gear, or had some other technical issue.

Later on the paddock learnt it was a fuelling issue with Tito Rabat’s Marc VDS Kalex machine.

1. Thomas Luthi SWI Interwetten Sitag (Suter) 43m 8.366s
2. Esteve Rabat SPA Marc VDS Racing Team (Kalex) 43m 8.499s
3. Johann Zarco FRA AirAsia Caterham (Caterham Suter) 43m 19.094s
4. Luis Salom SPA Paginas Amarillas HP 40 (Kalex) 43m 21.380s
5. Xavier Simeon BEL Federal Oil Gresini Moto2 (Suter) 43m 22.055s
6. Dominique Aegerter SWI Technomag carXpert (Suter) 43m 23.072s
7. Sam Lowes GBR Speed Up (Speed Up) 43m 27.191s
8. Marcel Schrotter GER Tech 3 (Tech 3) 43m 38.551s
9. Anthony West AUS QMMF Racing Team (Speed Up) 43m 38.593s
10. Lorenzo Baldassarri ITA Gresini Moto2 (Suter) 43m 38.970s
11. Jordi Torres SPA Mapfre Aspar Team Moto2 (Suter) 43m 38.981s
12. Ricard Cardus SPA Tech 3 (Tech 3) 43m 41.788s
13. Jonas Folger GER AGR Team (Kalex) 43m 41.960s
14. Takaaki Nakagami JPN IDEMITSU Honda Team Asia (Kalex) 43m 42.363s
15. Louis Rossi FRA SAG Team (Kalex) 43m 42.373s
16. Hafizh Syahrin MAL Petronas Raceline Malaysia (Kalex) 43m 43.944s
17. Robin Mulhauser SWI Technomag carXpert (Suter) 43m 44.057s
18. Nicolas Terol SPA Mapfre Aspar Team Moto2 (Suter) 43m 55.362s
19. Ratthapark Wilairot THA AirAsia Caterham (Caterham Suter) 43m 59.016s
20. Roberto Rolfo ITA Tasca Racing Moto2 (Suter) 44m 0.243s
21. Franco Morbidelli ITA Italtrans Racing Team (Kalex) 44m 1.174s
22. Randy Krummenacher SWI Octo IodaRacing Team (Suter) 44m 1.794s
23. Florian Marino FRA NGM Forward Racing (Kalex) 44m 1.801s
24. Gino Rea GBR AGT REA Racing (Suter) 44m 16.070s
25. Roman Ramos SPA QMMF Racing Team (Speed Up) 44m 21.979s
26. Tetsuta Nagashima JPN Teluru Team JiR Webike (NTS) 44m 23.343s
27. Azlan Shah MAL IDEMITSU Honda Team Asia (Kalex) 44m 23.504s
28. Thitipong Warokorn THA APH PTT The Pizza SAG (Kalex) 2 laps

Marquez makes it 13 incredible wins out of 18 Races in Valencia

‘Crazy Joe’ Andrea Iannone was the man who led the start of the Valencia MotoGP race as tricky conditions looked imminent. Rossi followed suit, then the world champion Marc Marquez sat in third. Then the rain came to Spain!

The spit coming from the clouds was favouring Iannone and Rossi who were really clearing off into the distance. This gap started to get smaller and smaller though as times improved and the vague rain stopped. This didn’t change the order much though, until Marc caught Rossi, passed him, and hunted down Iannone. And for the yet another time this year, Marc and Andrea had a hard fight for the lead, bashing each other around for a few laps. Marc eventually got through and made it stick, pulling a small gap on Iannone and Rossi who also started scrapping.

Dani Pedrosa was the lonely one in fourth, with only Rossi to look at as Iannone out braked himself and fell back to 7th. The rain started to fall again, gaps between riders reduced or increased quite inconsistently. Iannone and Lorenzo decided to switch to wet tyres but it was very premature, as again, the rain stopped. Jorge returned to the pits with 5 laps to go, ending his frustrating weekend.

With only two laps left, Marquez was now a second a lap quicker than Rossi and well in charge of the race. The real race was now between Crutchlow and Dovizioso for 4th place, with Cal determined to beat Dovi in his last race with Ducati, but the Italian was able to pip him to the line.

Marquez won his 13th win of the season, beating Mick Doohan’s record by 1 win! Valentino took yet another 2nd place, followed by another Repsol golden boy in Dani Pedrosa.

Randy de Puniet on the Suzuki had retired due to downshifting problems and had not raced in a long time.

Testing will start tomorrow!

Photo credit to Cormac Ryan-Meenan 😃

1. Marc Marquez ESP Repsol Honda Team (RC213V) 46m 39.627s
2. Valentino Rossi ITA Movistar Yamaha MotoGP (YZR-M1) 46m 43.143s
3. Dani Pedrosa ESP Repsol Honda Team (RC213V) 46m 53.667s
4. Andrea Dovizioso ITA Ducati Team (Desmosedici) 46m 56.332s
5. Cal Crutchlow GBR Ducati Team (Desmosedici) 46m 56.400s
6. Pol Espargaro ESP Monster Yamaha Tech 3 (YZR-M1)* 47m 17.511s
7. Aleix Espargaro ESP NGM Forward Racing (Forward Yamaha) 47m 17.795s
8. Stefan Bradl GER LCR Honda MotoGP (RC213V) 47m 21.430s
9. Michele Pirro ITA Ducati Team (Desmosedici) 47m 25.337s
10. Scott Redding GBR Go&Fun Honda Gresini (RCV1000R)* 47m 30.818s
11. Hector Barbera ESP Avintia Racing (Desmosedici) 47m 36.139s
12. Danilo Petrucci ITA IodaRacing Project (ART) 47m 36.627s
13. Nicky Hayden USA Drive M7 Aspar (RCV1000R) 47m 36.889s
14. Bradley Smith GBR Monster Yamaha Tech 3 (YZR-M1) 47m 37.144s
15. Hiroshi Aoyama JPN Drive M7 Aspar (RC213V-RS) 47m 38.402s
16. Alvaro Bautista ESP Go&Fun Honda Gresini (RC213V) 47m 38.491s
17. Karel Abraham CZE Cardion AB Motoracing (RCV1000R) 47m 42.016s
18. Alex De Angelis RSM NGM Forward Racing (Forward Yamaha) 47m 55.422s
19. Michael Laverty GBR Paul Bird Motorsport (PBM-ART) 48m 5.936s
20. Broc Parkes AUS Paul Bird Motorsport (PBM-ART)* 48m 16.839s
21. Mike Di Meglio FRA Avintia Racing (Avintia)* 1 lap
22. Andrea Iannone ITA Pramac Racing (Desmosedici) 1 lap
Jorge Lorenzo ESP Movistar Yamaha MotoGP (YZR-M1) DNF
Randy De Puniet FRA Team Suzuki MotoGP (GSX-RR) DNF
Yonny Hernandez COL Pramac Racing (Desmosedici)

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Antonelli takes surprise Moto3 pole as Miller & Marquez prepare for battle

Jack Miller headed into Valencia 11 points behind championship leader Alex Marquez, knowing a win and a non podium for Marquez is what he really needs. He started in the best possible way really, topping the timings now and then in the early free practice sessions, and was fastest in FP3.

It wasn’t looking like Alex had an answer for him until qualifying started and he listed a time faster than the entire field while Miller was down in 4th. Marquez crashed a lap later, but was unhurt. GO&Fun KTM’s Niccolo Antonelli was the surprise of Friday practice, and he was able to maintain his form in qualifying placing himself in 2nd with 14 minutes to go. His teammate and rookie of the year Enea Bastianini unfortunately crashed out of qualifying soon after.

Jack Miller took over at the front with a stunning time, with only 6 minutes remaining. But it didn’t quite stick as Antonelli had one last push for pole, and he did indeed steal it with a 1:39.183. Miller will start second, but most importantly, ahead of Marquez, if only by one position!

I predict a messy race tomorrow, I cannot imagine Miller will race cleanly to the flag if Marquez is fighting him in the top 3. I don’t think Marquez will be clean either, considering how annoyed he was at Miller’s aggressive overtakes in Sepang.

Bring it on!

1. Niccolò Antonelli ITA Junior Team GO&FUN Moto3 (KTM) 1m 39.183s
2. Jack Miller AUS Red Bull KTM Ajo (KTM) 1m 39.251s
3. Alex Marquez SPA Estrella Galicia 0,0 (Honda) 1m 39.556s
4. Isaac Viñales SPA Calvo Team (KTM) 1m 39.637s
5. Alex Rins SPA Estrella Galicia 0,0 (Honda) 1m 39.716s
6. Karel Hanika CZE Red Bull KTM Ajo (KTM) 1m 39.731s
7. Niklas Ajo FIN Avant Tecno Husqvarna Ajo (Husqvarna) 1m 39.750s
8. John McPhee GBR SaxoPrint-RTG (Honda) 1m 39.775s
9. Efren Vazquez SPA SaxoPrint-RTG (Honda) 1m 39.869s
10. Juanfran Guevara SPA Mapfre Aspar Team Moto3 (Kalex-KTM) 1m 39.884s
11. Danny Kent GBR Red Bull Husqvarna Ajo (Husqvarna) 1m 39.923s
12. Jakub Kornfeil CZE Calvo Team (KTM) 1m 39.969s
13. Andrea Migno ITA Mahindra Racing (Mahindra) 1m 40.018s
14. Romano Fenati ITA SKY Racing Team VR46 (KTM) 1m 40.022s
15. Alexis Masbou FRA Ongetta-Rivacold (Honda) 1m 40.038s
16. Brad Binder RSA Ambrogio Racing (Mahindra) 1m 40.045s
17. Miguel Oliveira POR Mahindra Racing (Mahindra) 1m 40.053s
18. Jorge Navarro SPA Marc VDS Racing Team (Kalex-KTM) 1m 40.097s
19. Alessandro Tonucci ITA CIP (Mahindra) 1m 40.334s
20. Francesco Bagnaia ITA SKY Racing Team VR46 (KTM) 1m 40.379s
21. Enea Bastianini ITA Junior Team GO&FUN Moto3 (KTM) 1m 40.412s
22. Albert Arenas SPA Calvo Team (KTM) 1m 40.447s
23. Jasper Iwema NED CIP (Mahindra) 1m 40.780s
24. Hafiq Azmi MAL SIC-AJO (KTM) 1m 40.875s
25. Gabriel Rodrigo ARG RBA Racing Team (KTM) 1m 40.950s
26. Zulfahmi Khairuddin MAL Ongetta-AirAsia (Honda) 1m 41.040s
27. Matteo Ferrari ITA San Carlo Team Italia (Mahindra) 1m 41.051s
28. Luca Grünwald GER Kiefer Racing (Kalex-KTM) 1m 41.137s
29. Jules Danilo FRA Ambrogio Racing (Mahindra) 1m 41.336s
30. Andrea Locatelli ITA San Carlo Team Italia (Mahindra) 1m 41.378s
31. Maria Herrera SPA Junior Team Estrella Galicia 0,0 (Honda) 1m 41.474s
32. Philipp Oettl GER Interwetten Paddock Moto3 (Kalex-KTM) 1m 41.671s
33. Scott Deroue NED RW Racing GP (Kalex-KTM) 1m 41.701s
34. Gabriel Ramos VEN Kiefer Racing (Kalex-KTM) 1m 42.209s

Rossi takes first pole in over 4 years as Marquez crashes

We all know that Valencia is a very stop and go style circuit, so it could be easily assumed that Honda would have a big advantage this weekend. Marc did indeed set the weekend pace in the Valencia practice sessions, as Spanish rival Jorge Lorenzo struggled to get to grips with his M1 in Cheste.

Q1 saw Ducati wild card rider Pirro and Bradl get promoted to Q2, while Brit Scott Redding improved his 21st fastest time from FP4, and starts 14th.

In Qualifying 2, it was Lorenzo, P.Espargaro and Iannone who swapped first place for the first 10 minutes, but the last five were interesting to say the least! Rossi and Marquez soon joined the party, that was until Marc went so fast he threw it all away in a low side crash at turn 4. This left it all down to the other members of the Alien clan, who would attempt to take advantage of this.

Jorge tried his best and could only manage 4th, one spot in front of Marc. Where as Valentino put together a very special lap to take his first pole position since the 2010 French Grand Prix in Le Mans. In recent years he’s never been much of a qualifier, due to the new format of Q1 and Q2, but today he timed his run to perfection.

Pramac Ducati’s Andrea Iannone showed us again his raw pace in qualifying, just pipping Dani Pedrosa for 2nd on the grid.

Photo credit to Cormac Ryan-Meenan.

Q2:
1. Valentino Rossi ITA Movistar Yamaha MotoGP (YZR-M1) 1m 30.843s [Lap 8/8] 323km/h (Top Speed)
2. Andrea Iannone ITA Pramac Racing (Desmosedici) 1m 30.975s +0.132s [6/8] 330km/h
3. Dani Pedrosa ESP Repsol Honda Team (RC213V) 1m 30.999s +0.156s [9/9] 330km/h
4. Jorge Lorenzo ESP Movistar Yamaha MotoGP (YZR-M1) 1m 31.049s +0.206s [6/7] 324km/h
5. Marc Marquez ESP Repsol Honda Team (RC213V) 1m 31.144s +0.301s [6/6] 329km/h
6. Pol Espargaro ESP Monster Yamaha Tech 3 (YZR-M1)* 1m 31.307s +0.464s [9/9] 328km/h
7. Bradley Smith GBR Monster Yamaha Tech 3 (YZR-M1) 1m 31.324s +0.481s [8/9] 325km/h
8. Cal Crutchlow GBR Ducati Team (Desmosedici) 1m 31.359s +0.516s [6/8] 332km/h
9. Andrea Dovizioso ITA Ducati Team (Desmosedici) 1m 31.426s +0.583s [6/7] 329km/h
10. Stefan Bradl GER LCR Honda MotoGP (RC213V) 1m 31.443s +0.600s [3/9] 328km/h
11. Aleix Espargaro ESP NGM Forward Racing (Forward Yamaha) 1m 31.486s +0.643s [9/9] 319km/h
12. Michele Pirro ITA Ducati Team (Desmosedici) 1m 32.617s +1.774s [2/8] 327km/h

Q1:
13. Alvaro Bautista ESP Go&Fun Honda Gresini (RC213V) 1m 32.160s
14. Scott Redding GBR Go&Fun Honda Gresini (RCV1000R)* 1m 32.315s
15. Yonny Hernandez COL Pramac Racing (Desmosedici) 1m 32.321s
16. Nicky Hayden USA Drive M7 Aspar (RCV1000R) 1m 32.395s
17. Hector Barbera ESP Avintia Racing (Desmosedici) 1m 32.443s
18. Hiroshi Aoyama JPN Drive M7 Aspar (RC213V-RS) 1m 32.449s
19. Alex De Angelis RSM NGM Forward Racing (Forward Yamaha) 1m 32.453s
20. Randy De Puniet FRA Team Suzuki MotoGP (GSX-RR) 1m 32.509s
21. Danilo Petrucci ITA IodaRacing Project (ART) 1m 32.683s
22. Michael Laverty GBR Paul Bird Motorsport (PBM-ART) 1m 32.808s
23. Karel Abraham CZE Cardion AB Motoracing (RCV1000R) 1m 33.019s
24. Broc Parkes AUS Paul Bird Motorsport (PBM-ART)* 1m 33.972s
25. Mike Di Meglio FRA Avintia Racing (Avintia)* 1m 34.510s

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