The TOBC – Triumph racing team, supported by FreedomRoad Financing, powers Brandon Paasch to win the 80th Daytona 200.
Danny Paasch, winner 80th Daytona 200. Picture courtesy of Triumph Motorcycles
Brandon Paasch defends his title to win his second consecutive Daytona 200 on a Triumph Street Triple RS with the Triumph Street Triple RS setting fastest lap and Danny Eslick having the most overtakes of the race!
Coming off its first season of competition in the 2021 British Supersport Championship, the Triumph Street Triple RS wins its American debut at the World Center of Racing. The winning motorcycle was ridden by defending champion Brandon Paasch, who used his experience gained in the 2021 season with the Triumph Street Triple RS and his past success at the 200 to make the most of the 765 triple’s power around Daytona’s banking.
Paasch started P4 and made it a Triumph 1 – 2 across the stripe first time around, and confidently keeping with the lead pack for the duration of the race. The Triumph 765 triple engine didn’t break a sweat as it endured the 57 lap, 200 mile, race to keep Paasch in the sweet spot. Coming out of the final pit-stop Paasch found himself in fourth, and a couple seconds outside of the lead pack. To catch-up with the front three, putting himself in position for the win, Paasch set the fastest lap of the race at 1:49:959. On the final turn of the final lap, Paasch who was patiently waiting for his opportunity, twisted the throttle and trusted the draft and the triple Triumph engine to power him to the win by 0.007 of a second at the chequers.
80th Daytona 200. Picture courtesy of Triumph Motorcycles
Danny Eslick, who started P8, left the grid with a terrific start, and led the race by the end of the first lap. From there Eslick ran with the lead pack until the red flag. Mid-race, as a result of fighting the high-winds and spending a good amount of the race without the benefit of a draft, Eslick lost ground and his race-lead as he drifted into the pits on fumes. Coming out of the pit, Eslick was able to re-gain significant ground, ending the race with a 6th place finish.
Jeremy Appleton – Global Racing Manager, Triumph Motorcycles: “The Street Triple RS proved its performance and reliability credentials with the win today. The unique nature of Daytona, with its long, high-speed banking and tight in-field showed our bike’s speed and handling abilities in Brandon’s capable hands. He had the race pace, race craft and great maturity today and this win was richly deserved. Danny also showed his class throughout the race and would, undoubtedly, have been right there at the end had the windy conditions running without a draft not slowed him on pit-road. On top of the performance from Brandon and Danny, the preparation, ability, and professionalism of the TOBC racing team cannot be over-stated. The effort and attention to detail that Michelle and her whole crew put into the build-up and execution of the race is a great example of single-minded dedication to winning. With the support of FreedomRoad Financial and all the team partners, Triumph is celebrating the biggest race win for the Street Triple RS to date.
Michelle Lindsay – TOBC racing owner: “After the 2018 season, I wasn’t sure we’d be back at the top of the podium again. To win the Daytona 200 on our first race with Triumph is more than I could have ever asked for. I’m proud of Brandon and Danny for their performances today, and very thankful for Triumph Motorcycles and FreedomRoad Financial for helping us even get back on the grid, Boulder Motorsports for helping to build a winning motorcycle. I’m also extremely proud to have such an amazing group of individuals working in my team. Their dedication and work ethic towards getting the 765 on the podium are unparalleled. This win is truly a team effort, and we couldn’t have brought this great crew back together if it wasn’t for the support from our key sponsors Politus & Matovina P.A. Attorneys, Palm Beach Police and Fire Foundation, Jay Geeker Studios, Pirelli, and K-Tech.”
Brandon Paasch – 2021 & 2022 Daytona 200 Winner: “We did it!!! It’s unbelievably surreal to be a 2-time Daytona 200 winner, but I can’t say this race didn’t play out exactly as I imagined it. After last year’s win, I knew I had a winning strategy, and after a full season on the Street Triple RS, I had complete confidence in the bike and in the preparation of the TOBC racing team, to execute it. I’m thankful for FreedomRoad Financial for helping to make this race effort possible, and for the continued support from the Classic Car Club of Manhattan, Evolve GT, and Luxe Star, and am looking forward to celebrating with the team.”
80th Daytona 200. Picture courtesy of Triumph Motorcycles
Danny Eslick – 4-time Daytona 200 Winner: “Today was tough. A couple things didn’t go my way, which kept me off the podium. Thanks to Triumph, FreedomRoad Financial, and TOBC racing, all of the right elements were here for the win. The bike and the team have all the right pieces for success. I’ll just have to wait a year to snag my 5th win.”
Ducati have announced that Francesco Bagnaia and Ducati Corse have reached an agreement that will see the Italian rider aboard the Ducati Lenovo Team’s factory Desmosedici GP bike for another two seasons. Here’s what they have to say:
Francesco Bagnaia. Picture courtesy of Ducati Lenovo Team
Born in Turin in 1997, “Pecco” Bagnaia made his MotoGP debut in 2019 with the Desmosedici GP of the Pramac Racing Team. He also contested the 2020 season with the same squad, achieving his first podium at the Grand Prix Lenovo of San Marino and the Rimini Riviera, where he finished second on the rostrum.
Promoted to the official Ducati team last year, the Turin-born rider continued to shine after taking pole position and finishing third place in the opening GP of the 2021 season in Qatar and soon became one of the main title contenders. With nine podiums, four victories and six pole positions, Bagnaia ended 2021 in second place and is now looking forward to the new Championship, which will start on 6th March at the Losail International Circuit in Doha, Qatar.
Francesco Bagnaia (#63 Ducati Lenovo Team) “Being a Ducati rider in MotoGP has always been my dream, and knowing that I can continue with the Ducati Lenovo Team for another two seasons makes me happy and proud. I have found a serene environment in the factory team: I feel very much in tune with my team and know that we can do great things together. Now I can only concentrate on doing well in this Championship. A big thank you to Claudio, Gigi, Paolo, Davide and all the Ducati Corse staff. I’ll try to repay their trust with my results on the track!”
Francesco Bagnaia and Luigi Dall’Igna. Picture courtesy of Ducati Lenovo Team
Luigi Dall’Igna (General Manager of Ducati Corse): “We are delighted to have Bagnaia with us for another two seasons. Since he arrived at Ducati in 2019, Pecco has shown great talent and the ability to interpret our Desmosedici GP very well, adapting to ride it in any condition. He did it, especially in the last season, during which he had significant growth and got to play for the World Title. The way he managed the races at Aragón, Misano, Portimão and Valencia, scoring four fantastic victories, is proof of his maturity as a rider. With these great qualities, we are sure that he has the potential to aim for the title with us”.
In the latest press release from the Ducati Lenovo Team, they have concluded MotoGP pre-season testing at Sepang with Bagnaia sixth and Miller fourteenth. Enea Bastianini is the fastest (new unofficial Sepang record) with the Desmosedici GP bike of the Gresini Racing team.
Pecco Bagnaia Testing Sepang Feb 2022 Picture courtesy of The Ducati Lenovo Team
Francesco Bagnaia and Jack Miller concluded the first MotoGP pre-season test of 2022 at Sepang International Circuit (Malaysia). Over the two days, the Ducati Lenovo Team riders could lap again at the Malaysian track (which had been absent from the MotoGP calendar for the past two years) with their Desmosedici GP bikes in 2022 configuration.
Despite the scorching temperatures, the Borgo Panigale team’s riders found good conditions to ride, except for the last few hours of the second day, which were disturbed by rain. During the Sepang test, both Bagnaia and Miller continued the testing program they began last November in Spain, at Jerez de la Frontera, testing the new solutions developed by the Ducati Corse engineers over the winter.
With 110 laps under his belt and a best time of 1:58.265, Pecco closed the test in sixth position, while Jack, who completed 92 laps, finished fourteenth with a best time of 1:58.645, 380 thousandths behind his teammate. Enea Bastianini topped the Sepang test with the Ducati Desmosedici GP of the Gresini Racing team, thanks to a lap in 1:58.131, 172 thousandths faster than the current circuit record.
After these first two days on track for 2022, the Ducati Lenovo Team riders will have another three days of testing next weekend. From 11th-13th February, MotoGP will make its debut at the brand new Mandalika Street Circuit in Lombok, Indonesia, for the final official test before the season opener scheduled on 6th March in Qatar.
Francesco Bagnaia (#63 Ducati Lenovo Team) – 1:58.265 (6th): “I am happy with how this second day of testing went. We are definitely not at the level I aim for yet, but I know we will get there soon. In just two days of working with the new bike, we have taken a big step forward, and with each session, we continued to improve. Now we have to keep working in this direction to be ready for the start of the Championship. These days, I did not concentrate on finding the best time. My priority now is to work on developing the bike, which has shown to have really great potential. I am satisfied and can’t wait to get on track for another three days of testing next week in Indonesia.”
Jack Miller Testing Sepang Feb 2022 Picture courtesy of The Ducati Lenovo Team
Jack Miller (#43 Ducati Lenovo Team) – 1:58.645 (14th): “Thanks to the data we gathered on the first day, we were able to take a big step forward today, and I also felt more comfortable on the bike. Unfortunately, we missed the afternoon because of the rain, but we could still carry out most of our program. I have been busy testing some new components, and maybe if we had pushed harder, we could have been even faster, but we are still not far off the front. In general, I’m satisfied with these first two days of work, and I can’t wait to get back on track in a few days at Mandalika.”
KRT’s WorldSBK pairing of Jonathan Rea and Alex Lowes are eager to get back into testing action at the undulating Autódromo Internacional do Algarve for a two-day track session on 8 and 9 February. Here’s what KRT have to say:
Alex Lowes Picture courtesy of KRT Provec Racing
After two winter tests at the Spanish circuit of Jerez, utilising new parts and settings for the 2022 Ninja ZX-10RR, the forthcoming on-track action in Portugal will be useful to make comparisons with all the data gathered so far at a very different circuit design.
After posting some astounding lap times, despite only riding for half a day in the previous Jerez test in January, six times world champion Rea has already demonstrated his sheer pace on the 2022 Ninja ZX-10RR. He also had the opportunity to complete a long run on which delivered pleasing results and valuable information to his team; information which has already been fed back to the KMC engineers in Japan.
Lowes has been working hard on his physical conditioning after a 2021 season affected by injury throughout. Like Rea, he has also found the two post-2021 season winter tests held so far confidence-building and useful in terms of settling on a final direction for race set-up in 2022.
The 4.592km long Algarve circuit – commonly know as Portimao – is a very popular testing and racing venue and features some of the most dramatic changes of incline and highest numbers of blind corner entries of any circuit on the WorldSBK calendar. It is scheduled as the ninth round of the forthcoming season, between 7-9 October.
After this Portimao test the team should have all the data in requires to make any adjustments and improvements before the next KRT test at Montmelo in Catalunya on March 25 and 26.
Jonathan Rea Picture courtesy of KRT Provec Racing
STATEMENTS:
Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team Rider): “It is nice to get back on the bike, especially at Portimao, which a track I enjoy. After our shakedown test recently in Jerez our biggest target is to reconfirm the positive items we have tested during December and January. That will give us good info, because if we can confirm these items at a couple of circuits, it means we are on the right way. The idea is just to keep building the package. I feel we have definitely improved the bike since last year. I was able to make a long run in Jerez and we found some positives with the bike and my riding style, so it is important to try and maybe focus on getting some information on how the tyres behave and the new items after many laps. Hopefully the weather is consistent and we can continue to build the package to start the season. There will also be more bikes on track at Portimao and a lot of the key manufacturers will be there testing. This is the first real test where everyone is together – which is always nice to draw some comparisons.”
Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team Rider): “The recent Jerez test for me was very much a technical test, ticking off new parts. My crew chief Marcel is very technical so I had new stuff to try – just trying to analyse what is definitely better. Portimao is a track that I have always had a good feeling with on the Kawasaki and we have a good base set-up with our 2021 bike. So, to compare new parts will be quite good, because we already have a good feeling. If we can improve that with the new stuff then it should set us up well for the year. Trying stuff at two different tracks means that if it is positive at both tracks then you are a lot more confident committing to that base set-up going into a new season. It is going to be a busy test! I would like to ride as much as possible just to get back into it. I have been working really hard on my physical condition since the end of the season. That has been the biggest focus of mine because I know if I am going to be healthy it is going to make the biggest difference, no matter what changes we make on the bike. We will make a plan with Marcel in terms of how many days we are going to ride. After this test we have a big break so we are really going to have to be clear with the feedback to all the guys in Japan, and to all the engineers within the teams, so we can work hard in the break before the Montmelo test at the end of March. Portimao will be an important test and I am looking forward to getting out and seeing where we are compared to a few of our rivals.”
Guim Roda (KRT Team Manager): “Initially we didn’t have a plan to test in Portimao, because we were considering to make a test in the middle of the year. But, because we had a few points to check on the bike, we would like to compare them on different tracks. Portimao and Jerez are quite different. Also, we have a gap of one month to keep working before the next Montmelo test, ten days before the first race of the year. So, we considered this opportunity at Portimao was a good point to test again. So we joined with Ducati, who had rented the track, to make this test. For us, this is a kind of continuation of the items we tested at Jerez, to double check and confirm the direction of the bike set-up and the performance of the items we have received so far. We will do this so that we can have the best possible bike set-up, in combination with the riders.”
Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK’s pre-season preparations get underway this week at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve, serving as the first of four tests for reigning WorldSBK Champion Toprak Razgatlıoğlu and last year’s rookie sensation Andrea Locatelli to gear up for the 2022 FIM Superbike World Championship. Here’s what Yamaha have to say:
Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK’s pre-season testing Picture courtesy of Yamaha Racing
Returning to the track for the first time since claiming the WorldSBK “Triple Crown” in Indonesia, the team is unloading its Yamaha R1 WorldSBK bikes in Portugal today to set up for two days of running on 8-9 February. Acting as a first shakedown for the upcoming season, the Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK squad and Yamaha staff will evaluate 2022 technical updates, both mechanical and electronic, with their focus on development confirmations rather than outright performance.
Razgatlıoğlu and Locatelli will then be back in action at a private MotorLand Aragon test on 3-4 March, alongside the GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team who will complete their first outing of 2022 with riders Garrett Gerloff and Kohta Nozane.
The target for Aragon will be to re-confirm the development plan completed over the winter and find a strong base set-up at a track that hasn’t often played to the Yamaha R1 WorldSBK’s strengths. It will also be a key opportunity for “rookie-no-more” Locatelli to ride at Aragon again, this time with a lot more experience, four podiums and a plethora of top-five results since his debut at the circuit in 2021.
March weather can be unpredictable in the Teruel region, so Misano (16-17 March), where GRT Yamaha is set to continue its pre-season preparations, has also been penciled in as a back-up option for the championship-winning Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK crew.
Then it’s back to Spain to the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, where both Yamaha teams will officially unveil their colours for the 2022 season. Fans will also be excited to see Razgatlıoğlu take to the track with the coveted #1 on his Yamaha R1 WorldSBK for the first time from 25-26 March! But most importantly, both teams will look to finalise their full race packages with just a week to spare prior to the WorldSBK Official Test at Aragon on 4-5 April. These two tests will also give Yamaha a chance to square up the competition before the first races of the season.
Finally, Yamaha and the Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK team will begin its much-awaited title defense campaign at the opening round of the 2022 FIM Superbike World Championship at MotorLand Aragon from 8-10 April.
Pre-Season Test Dates:
Portimão – 8-9 February (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK only)
Aragon – 3-4 March
Misano – 16-17 March (GRT Yamaha only – back-up option for Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK)
At the beginning of a new calendar year the official Kawasaki Racing Team will take part in a second Spanish winter test, between 26 – 27 January, with regular WorldSBK pairing of Jonathan Rea and Alex Lowes eager to get back into action.
Picture courtesy of Provec Racing
The second pre-season test in preparation for the 2022 FIM Superbike World Championship will take place at the 4.423km long Circuito de Jerez Angel Nieto.
Always a popular testing venue, Jerez hosted on-track session just a few weeks ago that allowed Alex and Jonathan to evaluate some new items and settings on their official Ninja ZX-10RR WorldSBK race machines.
The purpose of this forthcoming test is to evaluate all elements of machine performance after off-season developments have been carried out, largely based on feedback from the December tests.
Six times world champion Rea has the clear mission to regain his world champion status again after finishing runner up by just 13 points last year. Having come so close to a seventh championship win Rea is as motivated as ever to find the small margins that will help him to regain his crown in 2022.
For Lowes this next Jerez test is another chance to get his 2022 preparations underway in a consistent way. This is of particular importance after a 2021 campaign that was interrupted by injury, especially with so few gaps in the season long enough to let him recover fully between rounds.
The next KRT pre-season test after Jerez is scheduled for the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve, between 8 – 9 February.
Picture courtesy of Provec Racing
STATEMENTS:
Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team Rider): “We have two days planned at Jerez. Depending on the weather forecast, the schedule and how we get on, we may choose to use one of them and save another for later in the year. We had a very productive test at Jerez at the end of last year, so it is always good to go back and draw comparisons. The guys back at the KRT workshop, and KMC, have had a chance to go over all that data and try to improve. We will understand the results in a few days. I have been at home, really recharging my batteries. I haven’t travelled at all since my last test so it has been really productive from a preparation point of view. I am feeling refreshed and now I’m looking forward to riding again and seeing the guys.”
Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team Rider): : “I am really excited to get back to work for 2022. I’ve taken a good rest over the holidays and enjoyed some time with the new family. Now I’m feeling fresh and ready to get back to it with ‘Team 22.’ I’m interested to test some of the new stuff Marcel, my crew chief, and the guys have been working on since our last test and start building up towards the new season.”
Guim Roda (KRT Team Manager): “The forthcoming Jerez test is the first track experience of the new year. After a long winter we all have a big motivation to start our engines and go into race mode. After last December’s test KMC has been working with the inputs we gave them. We have been polishing some points to check how competitive we can be compared to 2021. Alex has had time to recover quite well and Johnny is working more than ever to start stronger in the 2022 season. We need to define many small details that we need to make some upgrades on the final race package of the Ninja ZX-10RR in 2022. Let’s see how it goes at this test.”
In World Superbike news Chaz Davies is to be the Riders’ Coach for the Aruba.it Racing – Ducati Team.
Chaz Davies coach for Aruba.it Racing – Picture courtesy of Aruba.it Racing – Ducati Team
Chaz Davies will remain part of the Aruba.it Racing – Ducati family and will take on the role of Coach, putting his experience and talent at the disposal of Alvaro Bautista, Michael Rinaldi and Nicolò Bulega who – in the 2022 season – will make his debut in the Supersport World Championship riding the Ducati Panigale V2 of the Aruba.it Racing – Ducati WSSP Team.
The Welsh rider will start a new adventure that will allow him to be at the centre of the action again after 8 campaigns (6 with the Aruba.it Racing – Ducati team), 266 races, 28 victories and 89 podiums gained with a Ducati machine in the World Superbike Championship.
Stefano Cecconi (Team Principal, Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) says:
“We are happy to be able to count on Chaz again, albeit in a new role both for him and for our team. His experience will certainly be of great help to our riders, allowing them to express their full potential. His contribution to the SuperSport project will also be fundamental for both Nicolò Bulega and the team, as the Panigale V2 has the DNA of the twin-cylinder Superbikes on which Chaz has achieved outstanding results over the past years”.
Chaz Davies Aruba.it Ducati Picture courtesy of Aruba.it Racing – Ducati Team
Chaz Davies (Riders’ Coach, Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) says:
“I’m absolutely thrilled to remain part of the racing world and especially with the Aruba.it – Ducati family, with whom I enjoyed the best years of my racing career. It will be an interesting perspective to see the action from ‘the other side of the fence’! I believe that with my seven years of experience as an official Ducati rider and knowledge of both the Ducati V2 and V4 bikes I am well equipped to contribute to the future success of the team. We have excellent riders for the 2022 SBK/WSS campaigns and I will give everything I can to maximise their potential. I want to thank Stefano Cecconi, Feel Racing and Ducati for this opportunity and can’t wait to get started!”
Jo Marsh is a scrutineer at the IOM TT and very kindly answered some questions put to her from our Crew as part of our IOM TT feature in lieu of racing this year.
The view from a side street in Ramsey
How did you get into scrutineering at the TT and what skills do you need?
Scrutineering at the TT is something you’re invited to do. The team consists of people from the Isle of Man and the UK and, on occasion, as far as Australia.
To be able to scrutineer you are required to hold a licence from your governing body, in my case, the ACU. To obtain a licence you need to attend a seminar and be assessed on your work, both practical and written. You are then required to sit a seminar at least every three years.
Is scrutineering at the TT any different to normal bike racing scrutineering?
Scrutineering for the TT is different from other race meetings but only in that the regulations are different.
Is it one scrutineer per bike or do a team do the same bits for each bike?
We do one scrutineer per bike, or two per sidecar. However, if the same bike is presented to you at the next session then we will swap with another scrutineer so you don’t do the same machine on back to back sessions.
IOM TT – Picture courtesy of Keith Quirk
What are you looking for – faults/meeting criteria for the race/checking things are tight?
Generally, we’re looking for criteria for the race meeting. Each meeting has its own nuances and rules so things do vary.
Does scrutineering of the rider eg crash helmet, leathers etc take place too?
We do also check the riders’ gear out before the start of practice week. We check helmet condition, age and fit, leathers, gloves, boots and dog tag, which is an identity disc with the riders’ name and date of birth engraved on it. If a rider falls off at any point then all this is re-scrutineered before the next race/practice.
What happens if someone misses their scrutineering time?
If someone misses their scrutineering time in practice week then we queue jump them so they don’t miss their session on the course. It’s different for races. If a rider has a problem and can’t make his or her time then as long as we are aware of that fact we can grant an extension on scrutineering.
Have you ever failed a bike / refused to let it race?
I have failed many bikes! I couldn’t even hazard a guess at how many. It’s a tough one. During practice week there’s usually enough time to get the problem sorted and get out to practice anyway but before a race is heart breaking. I’ve even stopped a bike on the start line, 20 seconds before he was due to start, as I saw something break.
I also stopped a sidecar one race day. He was late for scrutineering which meant when I spotted the crack in the frame he had very little time to repair it before the race started. He was, shall we say, less than happy with me! He got the repair done in time, raced and finished in the top 6. After the race he pulled the sidecar up right alongside me and jumped off, still with helmet on. I was inwardly groaning thinking he was still mad with me but instead he hugged me and said “You saved my life, I’m sorry I was mad at you before”.
IOM TT – Picture courtesy of Keith Quirk
Do you fit the transponders?
Transponders, like bike condition, are the responsibility of the rider. We check that the transponder is fitted and located as per the acu handbook and also that it is the correct transponder for that bike. We also check that it is charged.
Do parade bikes get scrutineered and do you have to check the travelling marshals bikes?
Yes, parade bikes are also scrutineered.
We used to check travelling marshals bikes also but in latter years travelling marshals have all sat the scrutineer seminars also. This means that if a rider stops or is black flagged with a reported fault there is a trained scrutineer in spot to check the bike over and allow them to continue or not.
What happens between scrutineering and the start line – are the bikes scrutineered the night before the race?
Between scrutineering and the start line the bikes are held in a holding area. On race days the bikes are scrutineered up to 45 minutes before the start of the race, meaning we sometimes have early starts to get every machine checked in time!
What have been the weirdest faults/mods/innovations they you seen?
It’s not common to see innovations or ingenious modifications any more as most bike regulations are quite tight and, in some classes, the machines are almost standard, how they left the showroom. The sidecar class has much more room for individual preference on things, such as different chassis manufacturers, sizes of wheels, etc.
Are you also involved in the post race strip down of the bike?
After a race, the top 3 machines are verified. This is done behind closed doors, with only a few scrutineers present. To do this you must also hold an acu licence to be an engine measurer.
Do the riders have any height or weight limit? I’d guess a small rider on a small lighter bike could go faster so is that evened out?
There used to be weight limits for riders, many years ago. There are no limits on riders any more.
IOM TT – Picture courtesy of Keith Quirk
What are the best and worst parts of the job?
The best parts of the job are knowing you’re helping people do what they love. It’s a long fortnight, it’s physically tiring and there’s a lot of pressure. The scrutineering team are amazing. There’s lots of jokes and fun to lighten the darker times. The camaraderie is something else. The worst parts are the heartbreak of losing a rider or riders.
Thank you for your time Jo and for answering our questions, it is much appreciated 🙂
CrewOnTwo and ThePitCrewOnline wish to send our condolences following the passing of Moto3 rider Jason Dupasquier following Saturday’s incident during the qualifying 2 session at Mugello after he sadly succumbed to his injuries. Our thoughts are with his family and his teammates.
Victory in Race 1 of Round 2 of the WorldSBK championship at Estoril went to Scott Redding (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) when he claimed his second win of the season with Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with BRIXX WorldSBK) coming in second and reigning World Champion Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) completing the top three with just one second separating the trio.
Picture courtesy of BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team
Even though Rea got a good start off the line, it was Redding who got the jump on Rea on the opening lap quickly followed by Raz with Redding and Raz then breaking away by the end of lap 1. Rinaldi passed Rea on lap 2 with Rea taking the place back on the following lap, it was then a thrilling three way race between the trio until the end of the race.
A good start was had by Lucas Mahias (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) moving from 7th to 5th on the grid but unfortunately he then moved down the grid eventually finishing in a respectable 13th place.
Having fought his way through the field, Garrett Gerloff (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) finished 4th after a battle with Rinaldi who came in 5th ahead of Chaz Davies (Team GoEleven) in sixth.
The new BMR M 1000R of Michael van der Mark (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) showed strong pace throughout the race fighting his way to claim 7th place ahead of Alvaro Bautista (Team HRC) after having his Superpole race time deleted and starting 18th on the grid.
The youngest rider on the grid, Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing), who had his superpole time deleted too, came home 11th place, his best WorldSBK race result so far five seconds clear of Leon Haslam (Team HRC).
The top six following WorldSBK Race 1:
Scott Redding (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati)
Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with BRIXX WorldSBK) +0.877s
Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) +0.915s
Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +13.636s
Chaz Davies (Team GoEleven) +17.177s
Day 2 at Estoril saw the Superpole race take place with reigning World Champion Rea taking pole with an all time lap record, his second pole position in two races and his 29th career pole with Redding coming in 2nd followed by Raz completing the front row of the grid.
A great result from Gerloff who starts 4th on the grid after a great session with Sykes 5th and then Rinaldi completing the second row of the grid.
The lights go out for Race 2 and Rea fights back and claims his 103rd WorldSBK victory with Redding crashing out from 2nd place having got off to a great start and taking the lead into turn 1. Rea was forced to go wide at turn 4 by Rinaldi who went up into 2nd place behind his teammate with Gerloff up into 3rd. Unfortunately, on the second lap Gerloff lost control of his bike and made contact with Rinaldi forcing both riders to retire.
On lap 14 Rea briefly got ahead at turn 1 of Redding with Redding passing at turn 2 but turn 3 sees Redding run wide allowing Rea to get ahead. Redding lost the front of bike at turn 4 and we saw him slipping down the field where we eventually see him finish in 14th. The British rider was then given a six-second penalty for a jump start in Race 2 meaning he was classified 16th place.
Michael van der Mark Picture courtesy of BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team
Chaz Davies (Team GoEleven) closed up on Rea in the closing stages of the race but Rea was able to hold onto his lead and claim his second victory of the season. Raz, having recovered rather well from his double long lap penalty for a jump start at the start of the race, came in 3rd, his third podium of the weekend. A great weekend for Raz and the Pata Yamaha with BRIXX WorldSBK team.
Lowes strong start to the season continued when he came home in 4th place finishing just 1.6 seconds ahead of Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha with BRIXX WorldSBK) in fifth, his best result of his debut season so far with Michael van der Mark (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) coming in 6th.
Bautista battled his way from starting 18th on the grid to finish an impressive 7th ahead of Sykes with Laverty coming in 9th with the Moto2 World Champion Tito Rabat (Barni Racing Team) finishing the top ten.
The top six following WorldSBK Race 2:
Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK)
Chaz Davies (Team GoEleven)
Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with BRIXX WorldSBK)
Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK)
Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha with BRIXX WorldSBK)
Michael van der Mark (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team)
A brilliant weekend of WorldSBK racing and luckily we haven’t got long to wait until Round 3 which is the weekend of the 12th / 13th June at the Misano World Circuit “Marco Simoncelli”, Riviera Di Rimini, Italy.
I had the absolute privilege of speaking with Kirsten and was able to ask some questions which she very kindly took the time to answer.
Kirsten is South Africa’s top female enduro racer and has been riding since the age of 8 years old when she started riding dirt bikes for fun with her uncle and cousin round their garden and then her dad started to take her to the track on a Sunday which quickly progressed to both Saturdays and Sundays. Kirsten started riding professionally at the age of 22 and has now truly made a name for herself worldwide in the hard enduro racing scene.
Indeed Kirsten has been the first female rider to finish races such as Redbull Romaniacs silver class, Redbull Sea to Sky, Redbull Megawatt 111, Redbull Braveman & the Roof of Africa. Whilst competing at the top level of her sport all over the world, and most times being the only lady to do do, Kirsten has achieved her South African Springbok colours!
As a tomboy growing up and wanting to keep up with the boys, Kirsten loves the challenge of being a female rider competing against the boys on rough terrain and describes herself as very competitive even off the track – she will race to the front door and even race the dogs to the swimming pool! To say Kirsten excels in her sport is an understatement and the list of achievements is pretty impressive!
2018:
X-Race Namibia, Expert Class : 2nd overall, 1st lady
Redbull Romaniacs, Bronze Class : 15th overall, 1stlady
Sea to Sky, Turkey : 31st overall, only lady competitor in the Gold Class
WildWood Rock : 6th overall, 1st lady
Roof of Africa Gold class Finisher : 25th overall, 1st lady
Powasol Timberland Extreme Enduro : 14th overall in gold class, first lady finisher
Redbull Romaniacs Silver Class : 45th overall, first lady finisher
South African Overall Silver Class National Champion in a male dominated class
Roof of Africa Gold class : 33rd overall
2016:
King of the Hill : 28th overall in expert class; made history being the first lady to ever finish expert class
FIM Super Enduro World Series, Prague: 4th in world championship
Alfie Cox Redbull Invitational Extreme Enduro:Kirsten was the only female to compete, making it into the semi- final and ranked 15th amongst the best male extreme enduro riders in South Africa
Redbull Romaniacs : 48th overall; the first Female in history to finish the race in silver Class
Redbull Braveman : 2nd in Silver class; only female to finish
Redbull 111 Megawatt Poland : 30th overall out of over 1000 entries, only female to qualify and finish
Redbull Sea to Sky : 24th overall in Gold class, reaching the top of Mount Olympus, bettering her previous years position by over 30 positions
South African National Enduro Championship:Kirsten raced a consistent season finishing on the podium at all rounds, but finished 2nd overall. This is the best Kirsten has done in all her years racing the National Enduros.
Roof Of Africa : This was Kirsten’s first attempt at Gold class, going out on a whim & no expectations, Kirsten made history again and became the first ever woman in the 49 year history of the Roof Of Africa and finished the Gold class, completely unassisted
2015
Redbull Romaniacs : Kirsten attempted silver for the first time but due to complications, she didn’t manage to finish.
Redbull Sea to Sky : 56th overall, becoming the only woman in history to ever finish a gold class at any extreme hard enduro event
Redbull Braveman : 1st overall in silver class (only riding against men)
Roof of Africa : 32nd overall in the silver class, first lady finisher
National Enduro Series : 3rd overall in the mens silver class
2014
Redbull Romaniacs : 47th place in bronze class out of 160 bronze riders and first lady home
Roof of Africa : 23rd in silver class, first placed female finisher unassisted
National Enduro Championship : 4th place in silver class
Kirsten Landman
In 2020 Kirsten competed in the Dakar and finished 55th overall and was the 3rd female finisher. What is the Dakar, I hear you ask?
The Dakar Rally, or “The Dakar” was formerly known as the “Paris–Dakar Rally” and is an annual rally raid organised by the Amaury Sport Organisation. Most events since the inception in 1978 were staged from Paris, France, to Dakar, Senegal, but due to security threats in Mauritania, which led to the cancellation of the 2008 rally, events from 2009 to 2019 were held in South America. Since 2020, the race has been entirely in Saudi Arabia. The rally is open to amateur and professional entries, amateurs typically making up about eighty percent of the participants.
The rally is an off-road endurance event and the terrain is much tougher than that used in conventional rallying. The vehicles used are typically true off-road vehicles and motorcycles, rather than modified on-road vehicles. Most of the competitive special sections are off-road, crossing dunes, mud, camel grass and rocks. The distances of each stage covered vary from short distances up to 800–900 kilometres per day.
In the Dakar 2021 there were 108 bike entries, only 63 of which finished the event. Just to finish the event is an achievement in its self.
Kirsten was considering taking part in Dakar 2021 but was unsure about doing the Dakar back to back and then due to the Covid pandemic the economy in South Africa took a downturn and Kirsten was unable to get the funding she needed to take part. As it turned out Kirsten may have been unable to take part had she got the funding as whilst training on the bike one session, Kirsten took a nasty fall and dislocated her shoulder which put her out of action for four months.
Kirsten Landman
Kirsten’s next challenge is to compete in the Dakar 2022 in the Malle Moto class. What is that, I hear you say!
Malle Moto, which is French for ‘Trunk Motorbike’, is a category in the Dakar which riders of motorcycles and quads are almost completely unassisted. There are very few riders who take on this added challenge and it is considered to be the toughest category you can possibly compete in.
Competitors are allowed to pack one Malle (trunk) (there are restrictions on the maximum dimensions) which the organisers will transport to each bivouac. The trunk should contain their spare parts, tools, equipment and any necessary personal belongings. The organisers will also transport one spare headlight, one set of wheels and tyres, a tent and a travel bag.
Every day, the riders must prep their bike for the next stage without any outside assistance which may take a few hours, depending on the condition of the bike. They must also prepare their own road books before every stage and there is a common canteen to eat from. This all has to be done by the rider after each stage, which can run for many gruelling hours. After the rider has done all this, they then need to get enough sleep to be ready for the next stage. It is not uncommon for competitors to survive on just two or three hours of sleep everyday, for two weeks!
Kirsten Landman
Although Kirsten can do a lot of her own bike maintenance already, she is unable to take apart an engine and fix it or work on anything electrical so preparation is already underway with Kirsten learning these new skills in preparation for Malle Moto.
Kirsten knows that time management will play an important role in this. I asked if she was worried about taking part in such an arduos event by herself with no assistance – Kirsten is not really worried about doing it by herself as knows the route having taken part in Dakar 2020 and she is really looking forward to the challenge of doing the event by herself. New challenges excite Kirsten, the harder the challenge is, the better it is.
I asked Kirsten who her inspiration was and she said it was Laia Sanz who is known as The Queen of the Desert. Laia is the best female motorcycle rally racer in history, has won the title of best Dakar racer five years in a row and was the only woman to finish the race at all in two separate years. She is also the three-time Women’s World Enduro Champion. WoW!
Surprisingly, well to me anyway, Kirsten does not ride her motorbike on the road, she finds road bikes uncomfortable and feels that riding on the roads local to her to be somewhat dangerous. Kirsten is far more at home on her dirt bike riding through the mud. Although Kirsten lives in a beautiful place, her two most favourite places to ride are Romania, where she has competed five times and went back again just for some casual riding and La Sutu, which is a country within her country with beautiful mountain ranges and extreme riding.
Kirsten’s best feeling about being on a motorbike is the feeling of accomplishment, knowing that she has achieved the end of the race and got to the finish line. It is the sense of adventure she loves, the fact that she is outdoors, loving the nature around her and being lucky to have such great roads to ride on and travelled the world in the process. Kirsten has made some very passionate lifelong friends through her love of riding with that unspoken rule that as you ride a motorbike, you just get along, the people are just so cool.
Kirsten Landman
So Kirsten, what is the one thing people would never know about you just by looking at you? Baking. Kirsten loves to bake cakes, muffins and cooking in general, she is a big foodie and finds that when she is baking she can switch off from her riding and relax. I, myself can totally relate to that but unfortunately I like to eat my baking too!
Kirsten’s most embarrassing moment on a motorbike came when she was competing in an event and was absolutely desperate for a wee so she pulled over, popped the bike on the stand and walked round to a bush. Just as she was mid flow, another competitor stopped to see if she was okay and walked round and caught her peeing! Ooops!!!
As a youngster Kirsten was a tomboy and used to live in a big smallholding which had a massive garden. When she was around 8 or 9 years she was running around the garden with a friend pretending they were characters from the Jungle Book, they got hold of some matches and decided to make a fire like their characters. When they finished playing they thought they had put the fire out but during the night the wind caught up and the whole garden ended up on fire nearly spreading to the next door property. The fire brigade came and put the fire out thankfully but that is probably the worst thing Kirsten’s mum caught her doing as a kid!
I asked Kirsten if she has a lucky thing/ritual before the start of a race as it seems a lot of racers do. Kirsten is no exception, she always puts her left knee brace on first and then her right one and then puts her right boot on first and then her left one. Kirsten will then sit on the bike, put her head on the handlebars and say a prayer.
Kirsten Landman
The first motorbike Kirsten owned was a Yamaha PW80 which was a limited edition bike. Unfortunately the bike was sold many years ago and has now become a collectors item. Kirsten has been looking for one for a while now with the idea of restoring it and then putting it in her house on display. I definitely like that idea, how cool would that be to have your bike on display in your house.
If Kirsten hadn’t been a racer, she would have liked to become a vet. Kirsten is an animal lover and has five rescue dogs that live with her and has re-homed so many more animals. Kirsten is part of the Saving Animals Movement (SAM) and raises money to help animals who are malnourished, overbred or in dire need of help and helps provide them with medical assistance and finding them new forever homes.
Would Kirsten ride pillion? Even if Valentino Rossi offered to take her out pillion on the road, she would say no! She is absolutely terrified of going out on the road! Now if you were to offer Kirsten a pillion ride on the track, she would happily go with you as long as you were an experienced rider on track.
I asked Kirsten what her friends and family would assume she had done if she got arrested and there was no hesitation in saying that it would be because she had got into an argument with someone over an animal. If Kirsten sees an animal being treated unfairly, she does get very emotional which may have led to one or two arguments in the past ……..
Kirsten Landman
You can check out Kirsten’s website at Kirsten Landman and follow her progress with her preparations for the Malle Moto 2021. You can also follow Kirsten on Facebook and Instagram at : Kirsten Landman.
Thank you Kirsten for taking the time to speak with me, I really appreciate it and wish you good luck for the Dakar next year.
