Category: Moto GP

1. CRAZY SATURDAY AT SACHSENRING: ALEX IN Q2, TOUGH LUCK FOR DIGGIA

   Posted on 12:00pm Saturday 17th Jun 2023

   Two crashes ruined an otherwise good Friday in Germany for Team Gresini MotoGP, who will have some extra work to do today to fix the Desmosedici machines #49 and #73 ahead of tomorrow. It was a pity especially for Fabio Di Giannantonio, who missed the chance of battling for the direct seed to Q2 after showing that it was well within reach. Alex Marquez managed to get through anyway, and with a 9^th place he will surely have a more relaxed FP3.  
    
   The Italian rider managed to stay with the leaders for the whole opening day. His crash at turn 11 happened at the worst time of all – with three minutes left in the session, as the youngster from Rome could not defend his position from his rivals’ charge in what was the best moment, conditions-wise, after the morning rain.
    
   Marquez crashed slightly further into the lap (turn 13) during what could have been his fastest lap of the day (he was +0.008secs away from today’s best lap-time in the third split).

   9^th - ALEX MARQUEZ #73 (1’20.671s)
   “It was a positive day: I managed to be quick straight away and FP1 was a good session. Without the rain we managed to continue the work done with the bike and everything went well. Too bad for the crash during the last time attack because it was a really good lap, but that’s what Fridays are also for: to find the limit. We’re in Q2, so mission accomplished for now.”
    
   11^th - FABIO DI GIANNANTONIO (1’20.799s)
   “I’m disappointed, even though I must say we’ve been constantly quick today, so it was also an encouraging day. We did everything perfectly timing-wise and with the tyre choice. I entered the track and got a yellow flag and then a red one. Once we made our way back to the track the tyre had lost a lot of temperature and thus I crashed. Here tyre-temperature is key, especially at turn 11 which is the first right-hander after many to the left. We were not lucky today, but we’re charged up for tomorrow.”

2. SACHSENRING - FRIDAY

   Posted on 7:00pm Friday 16th Jun 2023

   IN THE CHAOTIC FINALE OF P2 ALEIX TURNS AN INCREDIBLE LAP TO CLINCH A TOP-3 SPOT
   A CRASH KEEPS MAVERICK FROM IMPROVING

   As if the unstable weather wasn’t enough, with the rain constantly threatening to reshuffle the deck for MotoGP on Friday at the Sachsenring, the riders also had to deal with a heated finale for the second session. First, a few yellow flags cancelled out the time attack attempts, and then a red flag brought things to a halt just over three minutes ahead of the chequered flag.

   At the restart, Aleix had to reckon with two used tyres in order to properly manage the new tyres available. Before a garage left speechless by the tension, the rider from Granollers once again showed his true character, finishing an extraordinary lap and placing in the top 3.

   Maverick suffered the consequences initially of a few yellow flags which hindered his time attack and then he fell victim to a crash without any physical consequences. Once back out on the track, he lacked the time to complete the final lap, so he’ll have to fight through Q1 to go through to Q2 tomorrow.
   
   Aleix
   "When I realized that I couldn’t use any other new tyres for my time attack after the red flag, I had almost given up. Instead, on my last flying lap, I gave one hundred percent, doing a time that surprised even me! It was fundamental because we have seen just how important qualifiers are and going straight through to Q2 is our first goal achieved. I don’t have a fantastic pace, but it’s also true that I didn’t turn a whole lot of laps today, a bit because of the track conditions and a bit to avoid fatiguing my foot. We’ll work on it tomorrow."

   Maverick
   "To be honest, I had hope to go straight through to Q2. We worked rather well today and I felt good on the bike. Unfortunately, however, I was unable to find the right feeling with the first to sets of soft tyres. When I put on the third set, the level of grip at the rear increased suddenly and that’s what caused the crash. We’ll try to analyse what happened further because, in general, I feel ready for qualifying tomorrow. We have a good chance of recovering and going through to Q2."

3. DIFFICULT DAY FOR THE APRILIAS IN MUGELLO

   Posted on 12:00pm Sunday 11th Jun 2023

   WITH THE BEST RS-GP, ALEIX FINISHES EIGHTH IN THE SPRINT RACE
   SUBPAR QUALIFIERS AND SPRINT RACE FOR MAVERICK

   Aprilia's Saturday at the Mugello circuit did not bring the progress expected after the initial sessions held yesterday. Forced to participate in Q1, Maverick missed going through to Q2 by just 32 thousandths, finding himself on the fifth row of the starting grid. The race did not go any better, where he confirmed the same position.

   Things went slightly better for Aleix who, still suffering with a painful right foot, finished his qualifiers with a respectable eighth place. After losing a few positions in the early stages of the sprint race, he demonstrated a good pace and, overtaking Quartararo and Bastianini in the finale, he finished eighth.

   It was a good Sprint race for Lorenzo Savadori who, with the Aprilia Test Team RS-GP, fought hard in the group battling for fifteenth. Only contact with Morbidelli towards the end relegated him to an eighteenth-place finish.

   Aleix
   "The great job done by the clinic and Dr. Charte helped me a lot today. This morning I was still in a lot of pain, but in the sprint race I managed to ride without any big problems. I expected more, if I'm honest. I didn't have a good start, losing a few positions, and then I was further penalised when I went long at the San Donato corner. In the finale I had more traction than Fabio and Enea, so I was able to overtake them and that gives us some good motivation in view of the long race tomorrow."

   Maverick
   "We weren't as fast as I would have expected. The real problem was not going through to Q2 yesterday. Starting from behind with a lot of fast bikes makes everything extremely complicated. For tomorrow, I expect a different race. In the final, physical stamina will also count for a lot. In any case, it is still difficult to gain positions but I have to try."

4. Mugello Sprint

   Posted on 4:00pm Saturday 10th Jun 2023

   JOY BEFORE DISAPPOINTMENT AT MUGELLO: FRONT ROW AND CRASH IN SPRINT RACE FOR MARQUEZ
    
   Today’s outcome at Mugello was a hard pill to swallow for Team Gresini MotoGP and especially for Alex Marquez, who after brilliantly securing third place on the grid in qualifying he ended up crashing out of the sprint race due to a coming together with Brad Binder moments after the start. His ‘tough luck’ does not end here, because the Spaniard will have to comply with the penalty imposed by race direction at Le Mans due to a “collision” with the South African rider.
    
   No glory either for Fabio Di Gianantonio, whose race performance and result were hampered by sub-par qualifying. His still-good race pace was not enough for the Italian to recover positions and finish in the points. With a 14^th place under his belt, he is looking forward to making amends tomorrow.

5. MUGELLO PART1: MARQUEZ DROPS FROM THE TOP, DIGGIA CRASHES

   Posted on 4:00pm Friday 9th Jun 2023

   It was a two-sided Friday for Team Gresini Racing MotoGP who after today’s two FP sessions could not finish higher than 13^th with Alex Marquez, while Fabio Di Giannantonio was 17^th-quickest in the combined times of FP1 and FP2. Needless to say that expectations were very different.
    
   The Spanish rider had dominated FP1 and until few minutes before the end of FP2 he was battling for the top spot, while the Italian suffered a crash while entering turn one at the end of the second session, while going for the time attack.
    
   Both riders will have to go through Q1 tomorrow as they will battle for gaining access to the final qualifying sessions with plenty of rivals including Quartararo and Miller.