| | Biker News - Regularly updated
Category: Moto GP
-
CRASH FOR ALEIX WHILST BATTLING FOR A TOP-10 POSITION
ANOTHER SOLID RACE IN THE POINTS FOR BRADLEY
The race had started on the right foot for Aleix Espargaró in Jerez de la Frontera, quick off the grid and able to make up five positions during the first lap. Once he was in the battle for the top 10, the Spanish rider began to settle into his pace until an unfortunate crash on the ninth lap kept him from finishing this double round with a smile.
Bradley Smith, on the other hand, had to deal with all the confusion on the first turn, involved with contact that was no fault of his own which forced him to slow down. Back in the mix, Bradley rode a judicious race and, thanks in part to a few DNFs, finished twelfth when the chequered flag came out. It’s a result that earns 4 championship points for the new Aprilia RS-GP.
ALEIX ESPARGARO'
"There isn’t much to say. I'm disappointed and sorry for the team who, after many hours of hard work, did not have the satisfaction of finishing the race. I had a good start, but in order to maintain the pace with my rivals, apparently I need to take more risks and ride very close to the limit, especially in mid-turn to help acceleration. I know that starting the season with two DNFs isn’t the greatest, but I always go into the races giving 100% to take Aprilia to a position to battle with the best."
BRADLEY SMITH
"In this second race, we made some progress, especially in managing to contain the gap with the rider ahead of me. Unfortunately, I lost a lot of time on the first corner, having to slow down a lot to avoid the fallen riders. I made the smartest choice, without taking pointless risks. It was a pity because I would have liked staying in the group. One of the positive aspects is certainly the fact that we were able to finish both races without any serious problems and I know that the guys already have some solutions ready to solve some of the issues that came out during these two weekends."
-
- Automotive charity asks the industry to get behind new virtual challenges - Formula Ben
- The first virtual challenge, Formula Ben Silverstone VGP, will raise vital funds for the charity
- Ben needs the industry’s support to help automotive people get back on track
Automotive industry charity, Ben, is launching its first ever series of virtual challenges, as part of Bring It On 4 Ben. The first of the charity’s virtual challenges to run this year, Formula Ben Silverstone VGP, starts on 2nd August and is inspired by the Formula 1 British Grand Prix at Silverstone.
After the last few months of uncertainty, the Formula Ben Silverstone VGP will help automotive people get back on track, funding vital support which is needed now more than ever.
To take part, each participant needs to complete the length of the Grand Prix, a total of 190 miles, by exercising in their own way to raise vital funds for Ben. Participants choose how they complete the challenge, for example, by walking, cycling, running, swimming, or even by playing basketball, wrestling, trampolining – or a mixture of whatever they like! There is a whole list of activities to choose from so click here to find out more.
Participants have 8 weeks to complete the challenge which ends on 30th September. Those taking part will also be able to see their location on the Silverstone circuit and track their progress as they complete the 52 laps of the British Grand Prix.
Sign up for Formula Ben Silverstone VGP
To find out more and sign up, click here
Registration costs £15 per person and each participant will receive a Ben T-shirt. On registration, participants can download an app, link to their fitness tracking device and join the leaderboard for some healthy competition!
As well as raising vital funds to support automotive people, the Formula Ben Silverstone VGP also aims to help people improve their physical and mental health & wellbeing during this challenging time. In addition, taking part in the challenge offers people the opportunity to connect with others and be involved in something fun, while supporting Ben to help automotive people get back on track for good.
As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, a number of Ben’s fundraising initiatives have been cancelled, including Ben Ball, leaving the charity with an anticipated £1m income shortfall this year. Therefore, this new approach to fundraising is Ben’s way of adapting to the situation, with more virtual fundraising events set to take place throughout 2020.
Matt Wigginton, Fundraising Director at Ben, said: “The whole team at Ben are incredibly excited to announce our new series of virtual fundraising events! In the current landscape, we had to adapt quickly and come up with new ways of fundraising because mass participation events can’t physically take place right now.
“So, Formula Ben Silverstone VGP is a fantastic way to have fun and raise money so we can continue providing life-changing support for automotive people - which is needed now more than ever! We’re supporting more and more people with their health and wellbeing during this challenging time, so we need to make sure we can help them get back on track, which we can only do by continuing to fundraise.
“We hope you’ll be part of something amazing and Bring It On 4 Ben by getting involved! Thank you for your support and I can’t wait to see how you choose to complete Formula Ben Silverstone VGP.”
-
Less than a week after the Spanish Grand Prix, which took place last Sunday at Jerez Circuit, the Ducati Team is back once again at the Spanish race track for the second round of the 2020 MotoGP World Championship, the Grand Prix of Andalusia.
Andrea Dovizioso's third place last Sunday (his best result in MotoGP at Jerez) brought to five the third places obtained by Ducati on the Spanish circuit, while the only victory and pole position of the Borgo Panigale manufacturer in Andalusia date back to 2006 and 2003 respectively, both with Loris Capirossi.
After the podium of the rider from Forlì and the ninth place of Danilo Petrucci, the Italian team is ready to face another challenging weekend, with very similar conditions on the track, and the temperature of the asphalt that could again exceed 50 degrees. Thanks to the data collected last Sunday in the race, Dovizioso is confident that he can improve his performance and is aiming for another important result in the second Grand Prix of the season.
Danilo Petrucci, who last weekend was the protagonist of a difficult race due to the after-effects of the bad accident suffered in the pre-race tests, returns to the track intending to redeem himself. The rider from Terni, who boasts a fourth place in Jerez in 2018 with the Pramac Racing Team, is confident that he can fight for the top five positions on Sunday.
Andrea Dovizioso (#04 Ducati Team) – 3rd (16 points)
"After such an intense race weekend, I took advantage of these days to continue my rehabilitation after the collarbone surgery. Last Sunday's result was good, and we managed to get positive feedback from the first Grand Prix of the year. We arrive ready at the second race and, above all, knowing better the aspects that we will have to improve to get more speed. It will be important to continue the work in this way, continuing to accumulate the maximum points without making mistakes. Temperatures will once again be very high, and the race will be physically tough. I want to wish Marc, Alex and Cal a speedy recovery. I hope to see them again on the track soon."
Danilo Petrucci (#9 Ducati Team) – 9th (7 points)
"I can't wait to race again in Jerez. After the last two days of rest, I feel much better: I managed to solve the stomach issues and also my neck muscle is fine. I know we have the potential to fight for the positions that count: Dovizioso, Miller and Bagnaia have shown that, so my goal for this race will be to stay in the top five. Although it is not an ideal track for our bike, I am sure that without physical problems I will be able to improve my performance. I also hope that Marc, Alex and Cal can recover well from their injuries and get back on track very soon."
The Ducati Team will take to the track on Friday, 24th July for the first free practice session at 9:55 a.m. local time (GMT +2.00)
-
AN OFFICIAL PARTNER OF THE APRILIA RACING TEAM IN THE MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
Performance, reliability, and power, but also advanced research, a love of a challenge and competition at the highest technological level. These are the values shared by FPT Industrial and Aprilia Racing, which have led the CNH Industrial brand to become an official partner of the racing department of the Noale company in the MotoGP World Championship - the championship that represents the technological pinnacle of motorcycle racing.
The FPT Industrial logo will debut on the track, displayed on the new Aprilia RS-GP ridden by Aleix Espargarò and Bradley Smith, starting on July 19th with the Spanish Grand Prix held at the Jerez circuit. It will accompany the bikes, riders, and the entire Aprilia Racing Team at all the stages of the world championship season that promises to be very close-run and hard-fought, right up until the last chequered flag.
As part of the Piaggio Group, Aprilia has 54 world titles to its name, and with 294 Grands Prix wins in the Motorcycle World Championship, it holds the record for victories amongst all the European manufacturers in the history of the greatest motorcycle competition. Before the start of the season, the many Aprilia fans and motor enthusiasts that are part of the FPT Industrial world had the opportunity to "virtually" test the new Aprilia MotoGP in the Powered by FPT version, riding it on ‘discovery’ laps of the Mugello racetrack.
From May 23rd-30th, aspiring Grand Prix riders were able to challenge the famous e-gamer eleghost555, in a specially prepared video game, trying to beat his lap time at the prestigious and challenging Tuscan track. The fact that thousands of gamers participated in the challenge and the evident enthusiasm it inspired across all social media networks are testament to the rousing emotions to be experienced on track with FPT Industrial and Aprilia.
“At FPT Industrial we also feel at home at the MotoGP circuits. We look forward to the start of the World Championship to see Aprilia Racing take to the track as well as to celebrate ‘Made in Italy’, especially after such a difficult period. Together we want to be the engines of the restart” - confirms Carlo Moroni, Communications Manager for FPT Industrial.
The Brand loves challenges. In the past, it achieved record speed on water with its Cursor 16 marine engine, which reached 277.5 km/h and got on the podium of the historic Dakar race with its Cursor 13. It also equipped a grape harvester with its N67 engine, which harvested 197.6 tons of grapes in Australia in eight hours, corresponding to about 200,000 bottles of Shiraz.
“The partnership with FPT Industrial takes on a special character precisely because it has come into being in such a difficult year, not only for Motorsport and the MotoGP but also for the entire industry, domestic and worldwide” - says Massimo Rivola, Aprilia Racing’s CEO. “It is, therefore, more than just a strong sign of restarting; it is proof of the strength and determination of two Italian brands who are collaborating to compete at the most difficult of moments in a championship at the highest level, united by their love of a challenge”.
-
APRILIA PREPARES FOR A RETURN TO RACING
THREE DAYS ON THE TRACK AT MISANO FOR ALEIX, BRADLEY AND LORENZO
A first taste of the return to normalcy, albeit with all the precautions required by the COVID-19 emergency, saw Aprilia back on the track for three days of testing at Misano. While waiting to resume a World Championship that actually never really officially began, Aleix Espargaró and Bradley Smith shared the track in Emilia-Romagna with a few protagonists of MotoGP and the factory derivative series. One of them was Lorenzo Savadori, first busy with the development of the RSV4 1100 he’ll be using in the Italian Championship and then swinging a leg over the 2019 RS-GP on the third and final day.
This series of tests was fundamental, both to pick up the thread that had been interrupted after Qatar and to give the riders a chance to prepare physically for a rather intense calendar, which will have them busy from July through November with very few breaks. All this was under the summer sun of Misano, which allowed riders and technicians to take full advantage of the time available, but which also put their resistance to the test.
At the end of the three days, the best of the 183 laps Aleix turned stopped the clock at 1'32.932, the fastest of any rider on the track. On the other hand, it was 207 laps for Bradley Smith, who will be subbing for Andrea Iannone for the early laps on the calendar, with a best time of 1'33.536. Also noteworthy was a crash on the “sweeper” for the English rider, but without consequences.
ALEIX ESPARGARÓ
"After such a long stop, it was exciting to get back onto the track and I already can’t wait to go to Jerez for the first two races. Turning a lot of laps is fundamental for us. We have a totally new bike which, although born with great potential, needs to get some miles under it. We also know that Misano is not our favourite track, but in spite of that, at the end of the three days, we managed to achieve a good pace, confirming the positive impressions we had already had in Malaysia and Qatar."
BRADLEY SMITH
"I’m honestly pleased at the end of these tests. I had to make a physical and mental step to go from tester to rider and I think I managed, especially on this last day. Right now, it is fundamental for us to gain experience on this new bike, gathering data and understanding how it reacts. While the base setup proved to be good straight away in Malaysia and Qatar, there are still many aspects that we need to explore in order to exploit the full potential of the new project. On my part, I know that I still have room to improve and Aleix’s performance demonstrates as much, but the gap has shrunk and I feel much more at ease taking the 2020 RS-GP to the limit."
LORENZO SAVADORI
"It was nice to be back in the saddle of the Aprilia MotoGP bike. The sensations improve every time I get on it. My feeling improves with the tyres, with the bike, and with the brakes and I understand more and more which style to adopt to begin to exploit it. I turned more than 80 laps today and I am rather pleased from every point of view. We are growing with the RSV4 1100 that I’ll be using in the Italian Championship. We still need to figure out a few things, but we’ll be back on the track in a few days for the first race at Mugello. I lapped a lot over these three days, more than 900 kilometres, but physically I feel very well and this is also positive."
ROMANO ALBESIANO - APRILIA RACING TECHNICAL DIRECTOR
"These were important tests to define the starting point of our championship. We assessed the various chassis, engine and electronics solutions, in addition to breaking in a team that is brand new in many aspects. The riders needed this test as well to get back into the rhythm after such a long stop, and I must say that I saw them improving day after day. The decisions in view of Jerez have been taken. Many of the new features we had prepared worked well and I am rather pleased with the overall level of the bike. In any case, there is still a lot of work to do on the details, especially to increase overall reliability. We say it every year, but it isn’t wrong to do so: the level of the championship has gone up even farther and that pushes us to make an even greater effort."
|
