Team Gresini MotoGP and Enea Bastianini had an excellent show of strength at Sepang and once again proved to be among the main protagonists of the season. Another podium came for the #23 - which adds to the already excellent series of accomplishments of 2022 – at the end of a race battled with his soon-to-be teammate and likely next champ Bagnaia.

Bastianini managed both race and tyres well while trying to win after Martin’s early exit from the race. The battle with Pecco was an exciting one, with the 20 points secured today which are going to be key for an overall top-three finish in the season. Enea now only has to rely on himself to achieve this incredible result: one more point on Aleix Espargaró at Valencia would be enough to secure third place. 

Fabio Di Giannantonio wrapped up his Malaysian weekend ten laps too early. The rider #49 tucked the front at turn five while battling for a top-15 finish with a big group of riders. The last chance to finish the year on a high will be at Valencia in a fortnight’s time.

2^nd - ENEA BASTIANINI #23 
“I’m happy, because 20 points are important to continue the chase to Espargaró, but at the same time I’m a little disappointed because when I was at the front, something changed and the feeling with the bike wasn’t the same. We’ll analyse the data to understand what happened… The important thing is that we showed once again to be among the top players in this category. We’ll try to wrap things up the best way at Valencia.”

DNF FABIO DI GIANNANTONIO #49
“I had a good started and maintained my position despite all the coming togethers of the first laps, but I saw immediately that we were losing traction compared to Pol Espargaró, who was ahead of us. Too bad, because we were in the group fighting for a top-15 finish and I pushed hard for this result: unfortunately I lacked feeling with the front-end and I eventually crashed. Now let’s focus on Valencia.”

The fifth front row of the season for Enea Bastianini in Malaysia confirms the excellent momentum for the Italian rider, who logged the second-quickest time in today’s qualifying at Sepang. The #23, who was the fastest overall (with new track record) last February during official testing here, still managed to log an excellent 1’58.246secs and ended up behind only Jorge Martin. 
 
In dry conditions, Bastianini has proved to have speed and pace to be a protagonist of tomorrow’s race, with the weather that will likely be the deciding factor for a title race that still hangs in the balance. Enea, who is currently fourth, 42 points behind the leader, will line up on the grid ahead of all other rivals, with the goal of getting to Valencia with a few options still open.  
 
The Saturday on-track action for Fabio Di Giannantonio finished with Q1, as the #49 had a challenging time on day two in Malaysia. Despite a few setbacks, the Italian finished the day with an encouraging 16^th position, which could help him get back in the points tomorrow.

INTERIM DAY IN MALAYSIA WITH VARIABLE WEATHER AND SOME TROUBLES FOR ALEIX

The first day of practice on the Malaysian Sepang circuit can be defined as approximate, at least in the Aprilia camp. In the morning, on a dry track, Maverick took advantage of the first session to get a feel for track conditions but without attempting a time attack in the end. Aleix, on the other hand, fell victim to a series of technical troubles that basically kept him from going out. 

The afternoon was conditioned by heavy rainfall that delayed the start of the second practice session, then held on a track that was wet and slowly improving. Not very indicative conditions, with times far from the best time, so confirmation postponed until tomorrow.

ALEIX ESPARGARÓ
"It’s a bit difficult to comment on the day today because in the morning I had two problems on the two bikes that we were unable to solve in time. In the afternoon, in mixed conditions, it didn’t make much sense to push hard because we wouldn’t have been able to improve on our times from the morning anyway. In any case, I’m optimistic because I expect that I’ll be able to be fast with the right asphalt and no hindrances. I’ll get out on the track and push to the maximum from the first lap!"

MAVERICK VIÑALES
"This morning in the dry sensations were less than perfect. The level of grip I felt was very low and that kept me from being fast. In the afternoon, grip was still lacking and we’ll need to analyse the data to figure out how to limit this difficulty. At the end of the day, that’s the element that is limiting us the most because it conditions all riding situations, from entering to exiting corners."

The British Motor Museum is to host a number of events this winter including an interactive evening discussing the exciting Morgan Super 3 – the Designer’s Perspective, a book signing event featuring Michael Barton’s book “Fast Lady – The Extraordinary Adventures of Miss Dorothy Levitt” and the return of the popular evening Quiz Night!

The first event will take place on Monday 7 November from 6pm-10pm when visitors can join Jonathan Wells - Morgan Motor Company's Head of Design, for an interactive evening discussing the Morgan Super 3. The evening will include a walk around the car and a behind-the-scenes insight into some of the stories and thoughts which drove the development of this exciting design.

The evening will be hosted by Steve Cropley - Editor in Chief, Autocar and Trustee of the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust, who will be in conversation with the automotive designer in a relaxed environment, with audience participation and questions being encouraged. The evening includes a buffet-style supper and welcome drinks on the Gallery where a selection of Morgan cars will be on display.

Catherine Boxall, Curator at the British Motor Museum said, “Whether you are a fan of the Morgan brand's 110+ years of heritage or whether you would like to discover more about their future plans and innovative automotive designs, this is an opportunity not to be missed!”

On Saturday 26 November the Museum will host a talk and book signing event featuring Michael Barton’s new book entitled “Fast Lady – The Extraordinary Adventures of Miss Dorothy Levitt”. The book, which coincides with the centenary of her death, charts the life and times of Dorothy through the glittering years between 1903-1910 that saw her feted for her ground-breaking motoring triumphs and feisty personality, to her untimely demise at just 40 years old in 1922. Michael will be talking about the book and answering questions posed by the Museum’s Head of Collections, Stephen Laing. Michael will also be taking questions from the audience, before a book signing with the chance for visitors to purchase a signed copy.

The British Motor Museum Quiz Night is back by popular demand on Tuesday 29 November. The fun and entertaining evening will again be led by special guest Danny Hopkins, Editor of Practical Classics Magazine. Teams of up to 6 can enjoy a fun night out at the Museum. The subject rounds will include general knowledge, music and movies as well as more general motoring knowledge questions. The evening includes time to look around the Museum from 5.30pm with the bar opening at 6:30pm. Round one is a trail around the car collection, with teams needing to find the answers by 7pm when a two-course supper, including vegan & vegetarian options will be served. The remaining rounds will take place in the Museum’s stunning rooftop Sky Suite, with the evening ending around 9pm and a cash prize for the winning team.

Tickets for Morgan Super 3 – the Designer’s Perspective cost £25 per person including supper, with a discounted price of £20 available to Premium Members. The Fast Lady book signing is open to Museum visitors so all that is needed is a ticket to the Museum for the day. Quiz Night tickets cost £16 each, £11 for Members and just £5 for Premium Members including supper. Proceeds from these events support the work of the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust.

For more information about the Museum please call 01926 895300 or visit the website at www.britishmotormuseum.co.uk

SHARK-sponsored rider Bradley Ray celebrated a magnificent victory at the final round of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship at Brands Hatch circuit on Sunday, crowning him the 2022 Champion. His long-term sponsor, SHARK Helmets presented him with  a one-off custom helmet to mark the special occasion. 

Bradley Ray entered the concluding round with a 66 point lead over his closest rival, ready to battle for the championship title in the final three races at the Bennetts British Superbike Showdown. After just one race Brad claimed the title by a focused run to fifth, securing 11 points which put the championship out of Glenn Irwin and Tommy Bridewell’s reach.

Proud sponsors of newly-crowned Bennetts British Superbike Champion, SHARK Helmets unveiled a one-off special helmet and presented it to the 25 year-old rider. 

Designed in winning gold and black, the custom Race R Pro GP displayed the Union Jack to celebrate the British title. Brad Ray’s winning helmet design also features a nod to his family with meaningful quotes which his grandad would always say. 

SHARK-supported racers wear the Race-R PRO GP with its distinctive rear spoiler for ultimate aerodynamics. This high performance aero profile, developed in close collaboration between the SHARK Research & Development teams and SHARK’s MotoGP riders, is the result of the most advanced technologies in CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) studies.

The Race-R PRO GP derives from a perfect alliance between unique design, security, aerodynamism and technological innovations.

It’s not just SHARK Helmets-supported racer’s who can get their hands on the iconic Race R Pro GP helmet. The SHARK Race R Pro GP is available in six colourways including the all-new Zarco replica with an RRP of £1049.99 and £999.99 for the FIM variation.