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Category: Superbikes
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A GOOD TEAM RESULT SLIPPED AWAY FOR APRILIA IN LE MANS
ALEIX E LORENZO FAST IN ADVERSE CONDITIONS AS WELL, NOW ALL EYES ARE ON MUGELLO
It could have been a great Sunday for Aprilia in Le Mans. In a race that started on dry asphalt and was then interrupted by the rain, with a consequent bike change on pit lane, Aleix started well from the fifth row, moving up into the top 6. The Spanish rider’s pace gave him the potential to gain another spot and, along with it, important championship points. Unfortunately, a problem, currently being investigated by the technicians, shut down his RS-GP ten laps from the end.
Lorenzo was also headed for an important result, achieved in conditions where he proved to be particularly incisive throughout the weekend. When he had to stop, Savadori was managing twelfth place, but with a pace good enough to make up ground on his rivals. Yet another confirmation of the Italian rookie’s consistent growth.
ALEIX ESPARGARO'
"We missed a great opportunity today where we could have racked up important points against our rivals. The first 5-6 spots were well within my reach, partly because after the bike change, I really felt fast and capable of managing the race. I hope this is just a fluke problem, because the competitive level we have demonstrated even on a complicated weekend like this one is definitely promising."
LORENZO SAVADORI
"I lost a bit of ground at the start due to contact with another rider. Then, when the rain came, I changed bikes and immediately tried to narrow the gap. I was succeeding and lapping well, but a technical problem forced me to retire. In any case, it was an important weekend for me. I tackled these conditions for the first time in MotoGP and continued growing. The latter is still my main objective."
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THE WEATHER PLAYED THE MAIN ROLE ON THE FIRST DAY IN LE MANS
ALEIX CRASHES TWICE WITHOUT CONSEQUENCES, LORENZO DOES WELL IN THE WET
The weather playing the main role is nothing new when it comes to the French GP in Le Mans. In fact, the Bugatti Circuit is famous for its varying weather conditions, capable of sudden turnarounds even during the same session. Today, on the first day of MotoGP practice, the FP1 session was held on a wet track, although a few breaks in the rain began drying off the asphalt toward the end. In the afternoon, on the other hand, the riders were able to use slicks, in spite of temperatures which were anything but summery and some rather intense wind.
These conditions took a significant toll in terms of crashes, including two involving Aleix Espargaró (on turn 3, but inconsequential). The Aprilia rider, finishing tenth in the morning, struggled in the afternoon and, after getting back on the track, had to settle for fourteenth.
Lorenzo Savadori showed good signs in the wet, improving and even finishing sixth this morning. His lack of experience kept him from confirming the good result in FP2, where he finished twentieth.
ALEIX ESPARGARO'
"A complicated day. I felt good straight away, fast in the wet too, and I was confident at the start of FP2. However, the asphalt conditions were less than ideal. They demanded a bit of caution and I crashed. I went back out on the second bike, which I don’t prefer, but still finding the feeling to be able to push. Unfortunately, the front tyre wasn’t up to temperature and on turn 3 I crashed again. I got the bike back to the garage as quickly as I could and the guys did an incredible job getting me back out onto the track where I only missed the top 10 by about two tenths of a second. Considering what happened, it still shows that we are competitive on this track as well and in these conditions. It will definitely not be a relaxing Saturday for me!"
LORENZO SAVADORI
"An overall positive day, although peculiar. This morning, in the wet, I was able to be fast. In those conditions, the small details count a bit less, so even with less experience, you can narrow the gap. FP2 was a sort of qualifying session. With the track dry, a lot of riders pushed hard on the soft tyre, given how extremely variable the weather is. I used the first part of the session to increase my confidence on a track where I haven’t ridden for about 10 years. Then, in the finale with the new tyre, I made a mistake that unfortunately cost me more than half a second. We’ll keep working. There are stages where I’d like to improve the setup, especially in terms of cornering."
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MotoGP is the pinnacle of motorcycle racing. Every biker worth their salt dreams of getting aboard one of the amazing bikes and racing at breakneck speed around some of the most demanding and exhilarating tracks around the world. Fabio Quartararo is one young man realising his MotoGP dreams.
The 22-year-old Frenchman is a MotoGP superstar in the making. He started his professional career during the 2015 season where he raced for Team Estrella Galicia in Moto3. Quartararo finished 10th in his debut season before switching to the KTM of Leopard Racing for 2016. A 13th place finish followed before Quartararo stepped up to Moto2 with the Kalex of Pons HP40. Another 13th place in the rider’s championship was followed by a 10th place in 2018 before Quartararo got his MotoGP break in time for the 2019 season.
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| "Fabio Quartara" by motorsports.com is licensed under CC BY 3.0 |
Yamaha Takes A Gamble That Pays Off
Petronas Yamaha SRT gave Quartararo a shot at the big time. Yamaha initially planned to give Quartararo a 2018-spec bike but gave him a factory-spec Yamaha instead. It turned out to be a masterstroke from the Japanese racing giant because Quartararo was incredible. He went from having a reputation as a talented rookie to being one of the race favourites almost overnight.
Quartararo qualified for the Spanish Grand Prix in pole position and became the youngest-ever polesitter in MotoGP history. Disaster struck, however, on Lap 20, and Quartararo retired with a gearbox problem, but he had shown the world what he was capable of.
The young Frenchman’s first podium finish came three races later at the Catalan Grand Prix. Quartararo started in pole position again before finishing second to the fantastic Marc Marquez. Two third-place finishes and a further four runner-up finishes, including at the season finale in Valencia, resulted in Quartararo finishing fifth in the championship race with an impressive 192 points.
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| "Fabio Quartara on the track" by PETRONAS is licensed under CC BY 3.0 |
First MotoGP Victories
Quartararo started the 2020 campaign in style with his first and second MotoGP victories in back-to-back races. After yet another pole position, he won the Spanish Grand Prix before taking the chequered flag at the Andalusian Grand Prix, again from a pole position start.
His 2020 campaign was helped by a severe arm injury to championship favourite Marques. The Spaniard was involved in an accident in Spain and hardly races again during the COVID-19 hit season. Quartararo ultimately finished eighth with 127 points from 14 races.
Quartararo’s 2021 campaign has started well. He followed up a fifth-place finish at the Qatar Grand Prix, which is Yamaha teammate Maverick Vinales won, with victories in Doha and Portugal. Quartararo qualified for the Doha Grand Prix fifth on the grid but rode an epic race to finish on top of the podium. The talented Frenchman led for 17 of 25 laps during his second win of the season in Portimao.
His Portuguese Grand Prix victory placed him first in the overall standings, but Quartararo failed to build on his lead after a disappointing showing in Spain. Quartararo languished down in 13th place, some 19 seconds behind Ducati’s Jack Miller and despite setting a new course record for the fastest lap.
MotoGP experts have already drawn comparisons between Quartararo and the great Marques. Six-time world champion Marques is a motorcycle racing legend with 56 wins, 95 podium finishes, 62 poles, and 57 fastest laps from 130 starts. If Quartararo manages to enjoy even half the success of his Spanish rival, he will have enjoyed a glistening career.
article supplied
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EFLY Srl will be hospitality partner of Gresini Racing for the third consecutive year. With the goal to create synergies to inevitably increase the value of an institution based on work and professionalism, Efly will be alongside Team Gresini with its commercial brand T-MODU, which will be visible within Gresini Racing’s hospitality.
EFLY has chosen once again Team Gresini in what will surely be a different season compared to the best – one more reason to be closer to Fausto’s team and family.
EMIL PIZZOCRI, CEO EFLY – brand T MODU
“Efly and its commercial brand TMODU is at the starting blocks of a new season, with a partnership spirit that has reinforced our presence within the hospitality thanks to an all-round collaboration. Efly Srl is one of the biggest Italian producers of fully compostable, TÜV-certified bioplastic cutlery. With its brand Tmodu it researches, selects and produces disposable and durable tools for eating and it does so with the right approach: this is why we aim at the lowest possible impact on the environment, with an eye to sustainability and ecology. For us, quality is synonymous with eco-compatibility, so the concept of disposable has transformed and now everything must be recycled. My best wishes go to the riders and the team… under the light of a new bright star… good work!”
CARLO MERLINI – GRESINI RACING COMMERCIAL AND MARKETING DIRECTOR
“We’re at our third year together for a partnership that has proven to be a winning one already in 2019 and 2020. It’s a pleasure to be able to continue together also this year, with a partner that is more strategic than ever and one that fully matches our profile.”
#CiaoFaustoâ¤ï¸
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THE ADVENTURE OF THE NEW RS 660 STARTS WITH A HAT-TRICK IN THE AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIP
DE KEYREL, BARRY AND SCHULTZ TAKE THREE APRILIAS ON THE PODIUM IN THE OPENING RACE OF THE TWINS CATEGORY IN ATLANTA
A perfect start for the debutant Aprilia RS 660 in the Twins category of the MotoAmerica Championship. On the Road Atlanta circuit, three Italian motorcycles conquered the first three positions in a fierce grid of 23 contenders.
An extraordinary demonstration of strength that exalted the dynamic and engine qualities of the new RS 660. Especially considering that the teams had very little time to prepare the season and carry out tests with the brand new twin-cylinder from Noale, homologated in America just in time for the start of the championship. It is a dazzling start, in some ways unexpected, that places the RS 660 among the favorites for the final victory in the prestigious US championship.
Winner Kaleb De Keyrel, who started from the second position on the grid, gave the Robem Engineering team its first satisfaction, ahead of Jody Barry (Righteous Racing) and teammate Hayden Schultz.
"It was super fun - says the winner - really a good battle. To come here with virtually no riding on the new bike and already be so fast shows that I did my homework well. The Aprilia came out so close to the championship that we didn't have much time. I wouldn't be here without Matt Spicer and Gene Burcham and all of Robem Engineering who put so many hours into the Aprilia RS 660 and worked on everything to get it ready for the race. Obviously, I was involved in the championship fight last year but didn't win, so now I'm hungry to prove that I can stay out front and win races."
Aprilia RS 660, launched last October is revolutionizing the concept of sportiness, it is so light and effective between the curves that, while designed to be usable daily on the road, is capable of transforming itself with a few changes into an extremely fast and fun bike between the curbs. The dynamic qualities, the rigour of the frame, the reduced weight and the exciting performance of the new 100 HP twin-cylinder engine enhance the driving pleasure of a motorcycle that, after being one of the most eagerly awaited novelties, has proved to be fun and enjoyable, able to give emotions in every situation of use.
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