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  • The Vault

    Ayrton Senna (McLaren-Honda MP4/5) Takes Portier

    The Vault – My column where I take the pictures from the wall of my writing studio and tell the story behind the camera. This week I go back to 1989 and the Monaco Grand Prix

    Monaco, the playground of the successful. A glamourous setting where the rich and famous for one weekend mix with the ardent Formula One fans who make the trip to this principality.

    The above photograph taken from the wall of my writing studio is the next topic for The Vault.

    Portier and the 1989 Monaco Grand Prix.

    After the hairpin, which changes it’s name based on what hotel is present at the time of a specific Grand Prix, the cars head downhill to the double right-hander just before the famous tunnel. This is Portier. It is set in a neighbourhood of Monaco next to the sea which gives it a beautiful backdrop. The corner is called portier, or porter in English, which was the lowest order of Roman Catholic seminarians or students in simple terms.

    In the Monaco Grand Prix a year earlier, with Senna gliding round to head into the tunnel, it was a completely different story for the Brazilian. In 1988 he had opened up a huge lead, completely dominating the race, when he was told by McLaren to back-off. He lost concentration and went straight on into the barrier on the outside of Portier, which handed victory to Prost. He was so upset with this mistake that he left Monaco straight away, refusing to speak to anybody.

    In the race before Monaco, the San Marino Grand Prix at Imola, Gerhard Berger had suffered a brake problem which saw him go off at Tamburello. The resulting crash caused him to have broken ribs, shoulder and burns to face and hands. Ferrari decided they were not going to replace Berger and so had just Nigel Mansell entered for the 1989 Monaco Grand Prix.

    Senna, looking to make up for his 1988 mistake, took pole with a massive one second time difference over his teammate Alain Prost. This is made famous by the video showing THAT lap, in which Martin Brundle commented afterwards drivers out on track at the time decided to slow and jump out of the way, not wanting to spoil this epic qualifying performance.

    Thierry Boutsen was on the second row behind Senna and Prost, he was joined by an impressive Martin Brundle in the Brabham. The Coloni-Ford team got both their cars, Roberto Moreno and Pierre-Henri Raphanel, into the race for their only time at Monaco. During qualification it became apparent that the Pirelli tyre was performing better than the Goodyear.

    Senna got a brilliant start off the line, leaving Prost no other option but to just settle into second without even mounting a challenge. The Williams cars of Boutsen and Patrese would find themselves both coming into the pits to have the rear wings changed on their cars. Mansell, in the lone Ferrari entry, suffered gearbox problems which had been plaguing the team and he was out of the race on Lap 20.

    Thirteen laps later Andre de Cesaris in his Dallara-Ford went to pass Nelson Piquet in his Camel sponsored Lotus-Judd up the inside at the Loews Hairpin, only for them to come together. They blocked the circuit which caused chaos behind them. De Cesaris was furiously shouting at Piquet from his car. Prost was held up in this chaos which allowed Senna to go dancing off into the distance.

    Senna continued to dominate the race with fans and the team hoping there would not be a repeat of his crash at Portier the year before. Prost eventually got going again, but he was again held up by Rene Arnox in the Ligier. Arnoux would comment that he was unable to go faster which prompted the famous quote by James Hunt calling it “bullshit”. It was the McLaren of Senna who took the spoils at Monaco, Prost came home in second and it was the surprise package of Stefano Modena in the Brabham-Judd who completed the top three. This would be the last time a Brabham car would finish on any podium in Formula One.

    What made this Senna victory even more impressive was the fact that in the latter stages of the race he had lost first and second gears. He tried to disguise his problems whilst lapping the streets of Monaco so as not to alert Prost who he felt would have pushed harder to put pressure on the Brazilian if he had known.

    The 1989 Monaco Grand Prix and that Portier photograph I have. Full of back-stories and drama. As I say, every picture on my wall tells a story.

    See You At The Chequered Flag.

    Neil Simmons

    Twitter: @world_racing

  • The Draw of Dale Earnhardt Jr.

     

    NASCAR is in the midst of the chase for its championship. It should be, without doubt, the most exciting time of the season, Daytona being the exception of course. The teams are in high gear and the drivers should be shining bright in the glare of the spotlight they are cast into. It is, however, not the drivers racing that hold the public’s interest, but the one driver that is not. Dale Earnhardt Jr. has long been NASCAR’s most popular driver and being sidelined with a serious concussion has done nothing to stem the tide of loyalty and affection fans express for one of the biggest names in the sport.

    So what is it about Junior that makes him so popular even though he hasn’t been in a car since early summer? Some may say it’s being the namesake of one of the biggest stars in NASCAR. Dale Earnhardt Sr was more than a driver, more than even a racer, he was an icon of racing, one of the last ties to a history rich in culture and tradition. Dale Sr was one of the last blue collar heroes, learning to race on the dirt tracks of rural North Carolina and at the hands of legends such as his own father, Ralph Earnhardt. This is where Junior comes from, a long line of men who raced hard with success being marked by the amount of dirt on the car on Sunday morning. It would be ridiculous to say that is not part of it, not part of what draws fans to him, endears him to their hearts, and makes them feel like he is part of their family. It is, without question, part of it, especially for the long time fans. He is the last tie to his father and many fans hang onto him like a life preserver, desperate to hang onto a past that racing has long left behind, for better or worse.

    Junior is, however, much more than his lineage. Dale Earnhardt Junior is an ambassador for a sport that has in recent years seemed to lose steam in its level of popularity and who is in desperate need of a real champion, and much more than that, a hero. Junior is just the person they need. He is the right combination of the old and new guard. He drives hard but smart and seems to see a much bigger picture in racing and in life. When Junior made the announcement he would be steeping out of his car due to a concussion the response received was a tumultuous one. Some people applauded as he made the commitment to be well and take care of himself, while others grumbled he wasn’t his father, who was infamously tough. Junior held his ground though, bringing much needed attention to concussions, and other head injuries, as he openly shared his concussion struggles with the public. As Junior has made progress with his condition, being sure to take his time, the public has learned a great deal regarding head trauma and the effect it can have on someone’s life. He has made concussions, and recovery, a part of everyday life and brought, not the tragedy of them, but the hope of recovery from them, to his fans and to the public.

    So while the Championship Chase continues, while Jimmy Johnson pushes for his seventh championship and Kevin Harvick and the others chase Johnson, it is Dale Jr. that garners the attention and affection of the fans, not because he is his father’s son but because he is him-and the fans love him for it.

    Image courtesy of
    Charlotte Observer

  • Can Germany Manufacture a Premier Class Grand Prix Winner?

    When you think of Germany, you think of many things. A huge economy, mainly built on car manufacturers like Audi and Mercedes. A country built on history from unforgettable leaders to remarkable breakthroughs. A country with many a metropolis, yet quaint 1940s style villages. However, if you look back even further, it was the bikes of MZ and BMW that turned Germany into a constructor of all things two wheeled too.

    Despite this, the first and so far, only German rider to win a premier class Grand Prix was Edmund Czihak in 1974 at the Nurburgring, when many of the top riders boycotted the event on safety grounds. So with this in mind, I pose the question: Where is Germany’s next premier class winner?

    There have been so many top class German riders since the 1970s, with Helmut Bradl, Max Neukirchner, Alex Hoffmann, Jochen Schmid, Anton Mang and Reinhold Roth have all graced the world scene but believe it or not, not one of them has stepped on the top step of a premier class podium. This suggests to me that surely, a German winner isn’t far away, but who could it be?

    The potential is there…

    The first name that springs to mind is Jonas Folger. Born in Muhldorf, it feels like he has been around the GP paddock for ages. The truth is, that isn’t too far wrong. He first came into the GP circus back in 2008, at the Czech Grand Prix, although he retired. However, it was at a drenched Le Mans where the German picked up his first Grand Prix podium. Two years later, and he won in similar conditions at Silverstone, but in the 125cc class. He took his first Moto2 victory under the floodlights of Qatar in 2015, and is now signed to ride for the Tech 3 Yamaha team in 2017. This could be a massive opportunity for Jonas. With the way MotoGP is at the minute, it is no longer a necessity to have a Factory bike to win a race or score podiums, as Cal Crutchlow and Jack Miller have proven this season,

    If Folger can make the transition early enough, then he may well just be the man to end Germany’s 42 year wait for a top-class winner. His ability in the rain is also faultless, so when the opportunity arises, Folger could be your man. Age is also on his side. At just 23, Folger has a good few years left in him yet to prove that he isn’t just capable in the smaller categories, but that he can also win at the top level of motorcycle racing.

    Marcel Schrotter has come of age in 2016, showing his face more prominently at the sharp end of things on the AGR Kalex in Moto2. Although it may not seem his best season on paper, Marcel has been showing more pace in qualifying and has put in some pretty sturdy performances during the races. The competition level is also much higher this year than his previous best campaign of 2014 and, if that wasn’t enough, he has had to adapt to a brand-new machine, having left the Tech 3 Mistral behind last season.

    Achieving his career best result of 5th at Silverstone, Schrotter could be a good shout for a few more podiums and perhaps even a win in 2017. He joins the Dynavolt Intact Kalex Team for next season, partnering former Moto3 champion Sandro Cortese. Marcel is in a tight battle for 11th in the championship, with just 13 points covering 15th to 11th. It could be a fiery end come Valencia!

    Now, it isn’t often that you look to World Superbikes for someone to make a transition over to MotoGP, but there is a hidden gem amongst the Althea BMW camp. Yes, I am of course talking about Markus Reiterberger.

    The young effervescent WSBK regular burst onto the scene and immediately impressed, particularly at the second round in Thailand, where he beat his teammate Jordi Torres and took a remarkable 5th place. The former double IDM champion has been quick throughout the rest of the WSBK season, with a best result since of 6th. Markus is just 22, meaning that he has plenty of time to make the switch over to the GP paddock.

    Some people may say that he is stuck in the WSBK paddock, however, I think not. There is time on his side and if he can succeed at WSBK, then he has a fair chance of being snapped up by someone half decent in Grand Prix. Only time will tell.

    Phillip Oettl has been something of a revelation in 2016. Yes, we all knew of him last year, but not many people would have known about him. “What’s the difference?” I hear you cry. Well, to know of someone means to simply hear about them. But to know about someone means they must be prominent enough and important enough to warrant knowing. Yes, it’s all very confusing but what I’m getting at is the fact that Oettl has gone about his business this year incredibly maturely. He hasn’t got himself tangled up in any of that slipstream nonsense in qualifying and he has been in the battle for the win at certain tracks.

    Now, with a 2nd full year on the KTM complete, it may be time for 2017 to be Oettl’s year. He’s quick and has everything in place, now he just needs results. Yet again with age on his side, there’s nothing to say that he couldn’t progress through the ranks and into MotoGP within the next six or seven years. He achieved his first pole position in 2016, could it be his first GP win in 2017, on the road to a long and successful career?

    Who has missed the boat?

    So, with the up and coming stars complete, now it is time to examine who has ‘missed the boat’ so to speak. From World Superbikes to MotoGP and all paddocks in between, who has missed a chance to hear the Deutschlandlied once more?

    Max Neukirchner was for many years, considered the only German in either WSBK or MotoGP to become successful. In 2008, he picked up his first ever WSBK win, and going into the 2009 season, he was a favourite on his Dark Dog Suzuki, but a horrifying accident at Monza put that ambition on hold. He joined the Ten Kate Honda team for 2010 but nothing ever looked like the old Max Neukirchner of old. Ever since, he’s been way off the world scene. An unsuccessful try at Moto2 level was the last full time opportunity Max had, and he now rides in the IDM championship, where he finished 7th this season. Although his career is effectively over, let’s just remember Neukirchner for a moment as the man who nearly made it. The first chicane at Monza would be the last time Max ran with the leaders.

    I almost hesitate to include him in this section, but it is fair to say Stefan Bradl well and truly missed the chance to be something big in MotoGP. The 2011 Moto2 champion stepped up to MotoGP a year later with the LCR and was immediately a top 10 regular. However, the next two seasons never developed into much special, with just one podium coming at Laguna Seca in 2013. Bradl left the team in 2015 to join the Forward Racing Yamaha team, which lasted just half a season. He then teamed up with Gresini Racing and the Aprilias, which is where he has remained ever since. He is off to World Superbikes next season, which could finally see the German win a race for the first time in six whole years. Nevertheless, you can’t help but think that Bradl hasn’t quite been given a fair bite of the cherry in Grand Prix.

    At only 26, we are considering him as a has been. Maybe, if he had been on a Tech 3/Factory Yamaha then he could have won, or maybe even the present-day Ducati, especially considering they’re owned by German car company Audi. Stefan is a Grand Prix winner, and maybe he will come back a more complete rider, but for now at least, Bradl is being put into the ‘opportunity gone begging’ pile, which is quite sad.

    Although still in Moto2, former Moto3 champion Sandro Cortese doesn’t look like he will be making his way out of the class anytime soon. Just three podiums from four years in the class is not something that particularly stands out, especially when riders like Maverick Vinales, Alex Rins and Pol Espargaro have all come through quicker. However, saying that, Cortese has had some of the most competitive riders around him, so maybe in 2017 we could see the former champion become a championship winner. Sandro, like many others, has struggled to make the transition from Moto3 to Moto2 and maybe he needs new surroundings too. It may relight the spark that has gone out from the German’s riding. The question is whether he will make it to the top class and be a threat to the podium. And in answer to that, I’m not 100% sure.

    The premier class has a much different structure to it now than what it did when the likes of Rainey, Schwantz and Doohan were around. If you feel that we have missed anyone then feel free to tweet in @PitCrew_Online. You can also follow me personally @MotoGPKiko.

    Photo credits to Focus Pollution, The AGR Team, Althea Racing, Honda Pro Racing, KTM and Dunlop Motorsport.

    Kiko Giles @MotoGPKiko

  • Lowes’ Fly Away Disaster ends with Gravel in Malaysia

    The Malaysian Grand Prix at the Sepang International Circuit marked the end of the long flyaway triple header of the 2016 Moto2 World Championship: for the Team Federal Oil Gresini Moto2, just back from the disappointment of the two races in Japan and Australia, was another bitter race, with Sam Lowes forced to retire after just two laps due to a crash.

    Started from thirteenth on the grid in a wet race, the 26-year-old British rider was in tenth position when he went down at Turn 9. The team now flies back to Europe, where November 13 in Valencia is scheduled the final race of the season.

    Sam Lowes: I’m very sorry

    “I started the race slowly to avoid risks, but suddenly crashed and I don’t know why. After two disappointing races we wanted to redeem us here in Malaysia, but conditions have certainly not helped us during the weekend. I’m very sorry”.

    Kiko Giles @MotoGPKiko

  • RW Racing up to Moto2, Axel Pons Appointed

    After many years in the Moto3 World Championship, RW Racing GP will take the next step by entering the Moto2 class. It is with proud RW Racing GP can announce the signing of top Spanish rider Axel Pons for the 2017 season.

    RW Racing GP and Axel Pons are looking forward to ride the Moto2 bike in 2017. The first tests will take place in Spain next month and testing will be continued in February and March during the 2017 Moto2 preseason tests.

    Axel Pons began his Grand Prix career in 2008 in 125cc. With seven top 10 finishes this year, the 25 year old is having his best season in Moto2 so far.

    Jarno Janssen (RW Racing GP team manager): We are ready for a new challenge

    “We are really excited to start this new project in the Moto2 World Championship. It feels like an enormous boost and we will be ready for this new challenge. At 25 years of age Axel is both an experienced and a very talented rider and we are very happy to join forces with him. I would like to take this opportunity as well to thank our current rider Livio Loi for his fighting spirit over the past two years and we wish him a lot of success in his future.”

    Axel Pons: I’m sure next year will be really good!

    “I’m really happy to take part of this project in 2017. Thanks to all the RW Racing GP partners for giving me this opportunity. I’m sure next year can be a really good one if we continue the progress we are making at this moment. I would like to thank Arguinano Team and all my partners for their support during this last seasons.”

    Kiko Giles @MotoGPKiko

  • Vinales loses grip on 3rd in Championship, Aleix out of Top 10

    Team Suzuki Ecstar riders Maverick Viñales and Aleix Espargaró scored sixth and 13th places under difficult weather and track conditions during the Shell Malaysian MotoGP™ at Sepang today.

    Following a 20-minute delay on the start because of a heavy tropical storm, making racing too dangerous, Viñales – who was fastest in the morning’s ‘dry’ warm-up – and Espargaró both had good jumps on the start, moving up into the leading places. Espargaró was in the fight for fourth position until running wide and dropping down to 13th, so spent the race trying to catch-up, while Viñales lost some places at third-race distance before gaining some after a couple of riders slipped-off.

    Maverick Viñales: I didn’t want to high-side!
    “Although sixth place is not so bad, I’m disappointed with the race result. We had a very positive weekend and I performed very fast in the dry, I really had hopes for a podium and also for a victory, but unfortunately in wet conditions we are not competitive yet. We struggle to find a good configuration with the electronics, which makes my riding very hard, in particular when it comes to acceleration. I can’t feel confident with the traction control, therefore resulting in me riding very carefully as I didn’t want to incur a high-side that could prevent me finishing the race. We have made many improvements on the machine and now we have reached a positive competitiveness in dry conditions, but the progress we’ve made in the wet is not enough. This result also proved the positives of the last three races; they were at three completely different circuits and we’ve proved we can adapt and be strongly-competitive in any kind of layout. Now the objective is to have the same competitiveness no matter what the weather conditions.”

    Aleix Espargaró: I felt competitive in the dry
    “I’m disappointed with the final result because the weekend overall had been positive, but then in the race I couldn’t feel competitive. I decided to go with a soft rear tyre, hoping the conditions of the track would stay wetter, but at the end this proved to be the wrong choice. From the very beginning I realised that my performance was not good and I lost the feeling with the grip right after four-or-five laps. I also made a couple of mistakes, and doing them at the very beginning of the race, when all the riders were still packed together, meant I lost many positions and then it was really hard to recover. It’s a pity, we’ve made a lot of progress in the last few races and I felt very competitive in dry conditions, but we still need to improve our capability to have the same performance also in the wet.”

    Kiko Giles @MotoGPKiko

  • Sepang proves pointless for AGR Team

    The morning warm up at the Sepang Circuit was held without rain, but with still some water patches on the track due to the night rain and the fact that the new tarmac does not dry as quickly as expected here. The Argiñano & Ginés Racing Team riders could do 9 laps to try and fine-tune their Kalex for the race, that was declared wet, as it started to rain 20 minutes before beginning.

    The race finished early for Áxel Pons, as before the end of the second lap his bike threw him out and he was force to retire, luckily with no injuries. Meanwhile, Marcel Schrötter started from 22nd and 4 laps later he was already 17th. The German rider led a group of 5 that had a space of 2 and half seconds in front of them. He lost the position and 7 laps before the end he was 20th. He could not improve. By mid-race the rain stopped and was drying, but not completely.

    Our congratulations to the World Champion Johann Zarco, who mathematically secured the title today, but also to his main rivals this season, Álex Rins and Tom Luthi. The three of them made the fans enjoy a lot. And good luck to Rins to secure the runner-up spot in Valencia.

    The AGR finished a tour of 3 tough weeks, where we did our best, and now we need to rest a few days. It will not be many, as the World Championship will finish in Cheste next November 13th and we will also finish the Moto2 European Championship a week later in the same venue.

    Marcel Schrötter: I can’t ride in the wet

    “A huge disaster. I don’t know what to say. I don’t understand what’s happening. We weren’t able to find the way for me to be comfortable on this bike. I can’t ride this bike on wet tarmac, that’s all”.

    Áxel Pons: We need a secure result

    “I’m disappointed. When I saw that it rained I knew it would be more complicated. I tried to keep the pace of the leaders and I lost the rear. The positive thing is that we were there the whole weekend, but in the race, we need to secure a result. We keep our motivation to do a good race in Valencia”.

    Kiko Giles @MotoGPKiko

  • Davies: I Saw it Coming

    After winning Race 1 in a dominant fashion, Chaz Davies did the double under the floodlights in Qatar, home of the last round of the 2016 WorldSBK championship. The Welshman’s sixth consecutive race win and eleventh overall crowned him as the rider with the most wins this season. To further highlight his form, Davies also finished the season with the highest number of fastest laps (10).

    Second at the start, Davies took the lead in lap 1 to progressively pull away from his rivals, led by Sykes. During lap 8, the race was red-flagged due to oil on track, resetting the gap. At the restart, Davies imposed his pace once again and neutralized Rea’s comeback before the 2016 champion ceded second position in both the race and the championship to his teammate Sykes.

    After regularly taking part to the WUP session, finished in 14th position, Davide Giugliano was declared unfit for the race due to the worsening conditions of his injured right shoulder, which was further damaged by a contact during Race 1.

    Chaz Davies: I wasn’t good enough for 2nd

    “To do the double here, a circuit where we struggled last year, is a sign of much we turned things around. In the first half of the race I was just managing the gap, but after the restart it was a fast, short race. It was difficult to see the pit-board and I wasn’t looking at the big screens, so I didn’t really know how to manage the race, but then I saw Rea was coming back so I pushed a bit more in the last laps and did all I could to bring home the win. It’s bittersweet, because it wasn’t enough to secure second place in the championship, but I saw that coming. We’ve been the fastest out there since the summer break, and we’ll try to keep improving everyday, take it into next year and be as consistent as possible to get the big trophy in the end. Thanks everyone for all the support!”

    Davide Giugliano: There couldn’t be a sadder way to say goodbye

    “As my shoulder was still healing, I knew that any kind of blow could intensify the pain, but I still wanted to try to finish the season on a high note. Unfortunately, the contact in Race 1 strained the tendons and aggravated the situation. There couldn’t have been a sadder way to say goodbye to the team and Ducati, but I carry many beautiful memories within me. I think that both me as a rider and the bike grew a lot together in all these years. I learned many lessons, and it’s been an intense journey because I believe that having me as a rider elicits a lot of emotions, for better and for worse. I want to give my special thanks to my crew, as they always worked until late night to give me the best tools to race. Also thanks to the whole team and Ducati, which have always made me feel appreciated and worked so hard. I wish them all the best!”

    Kiko Giles @MotoGPKiko

  • Ericsson Edges Sauber Close in Mexico

    GP MESSICO F1/2016 – CITTA’ DEL MESSICO (MESSICO) 29/10/2016
    © FOTO STUDIO COLOMBO PER PIRELLI MEDIA (© COPYRIGHT FREE)

    Almost there! That must surely be the exclamation at the Sauber F1 team factory in Hinwil, after the Swiss team teetered on the edge of their first points finish of the season at this weekend’s Mexican Grand Prix.

    Both drivers put in a strong performance with Felipe Nasr finishing crossing the line in 16th place, but moved up to 15th after the addition of a late penalty. The Brazilian driver opted for an aggressive strategy at the start, which he had hoped would leap frog him up the order, but which was ultimately undone by the safety car period that bunched the field again.

    Nasr opted for a 1 stop strategy which saw him change from the medium compound to the super soft tyre after an impressive 49 laps. He is looking forward to his home race and the possibility of points at the ever tricky Interlagos:

    “…I had a damaged front wing as well as a turning vane, which compromised the lap times. Now it is time to think about the next race in Brazil. It is always a great feeling getting back home and racing in Interlagos.”

    But ultimately the day belonged to Marcus Ericsson, the Swedish driver putting in what he called his best drive in F1, and it would be hard to disagree.

    While he might not have scored points, his 11th place was perhaps, on this occasion, worth far more in the long run. The heart of many a fan skipped a beat when Ericsson suffered, what looked to be a race ending collision at the start when he became the unfortunate collateral damage in an incident involving Manor.

    But a quick nose change in the pits and change of tyre saw the Swedish driver head back out and work his way back up the field by sheer determination and skill. Despite a broken floor, Ericsson carried his car to 11th place and the very edge of the points for the first time this season.

    The drive will put many of the naysayers on the proverbial back foot as Ericsson has again proven that he can extract the maximum out of the car on his 1 stop race, running a set of tyres from the 2nd lap and pushing forward despite setbacks:

    “We kept on going, and I managed to get back into the rhythm, so the pace was still good. Today we were close to the points, but just not close enough. We as a team take a lot of positives from this weekend. It shows again that we are taking steps in the right direction. We will fight back in Brazil.”

    Yes, while Sauber can take heart from the performance, they do need to score at least a point in one of the last two races of the season. The rain in Brazil often throws up an interesting race and perhaps the chips will finally fall correctly for Sauber.

    * Rhea Morar

    (Image Courtesy of Pirelli F1 Media)

  • Rea Champion, Sykes 2nd as Kawasaki Employ Team Orders

    In 2016 Kawasaki and its official KRT squad won all the major titles on offer – for riders, manufacturers and team. The championship 1-2 for Rea and Sykes was the final part of the overall winning package for the Ninja ZX-10R. Remarkably, all this on-track success came in the first year of a new model, which was only launched a year ago.

    The final race of the year got underway on schedule at 21.00 local time in Qatar and was planned for 17-laps. After an oil spill the red flags came out and the track had to be cleaned. A shorter 10-lap restart began almost 45 minutes after the first, and with full championship points issued.

    Rea had run-on early in the first red-flagged race and was down in ninth on the grid for the restart instead of the pole position he had earned on Saturday. Sykes was second off the grid in the restart and harried eventual winner Chaz Davies, the only rider who could catch and pass Tom to take second in the points.

    As Rea improved his pace and looked to win the final race of his second back-to-back championship season, he overtook Tom and closed in on the lead of Davies. Unable to catch and pass before the final flag he eased up and Sykes secured second place to maintain his overall second in the championship.

    With both KRT riders on the podium their 2016 statistics grew again and made happy reading for rider and manufacturer alike. Rea, the 2015 and 2016 champion, has scored nine race wins this year, taken 23 podiums in 26 races, two pole positions and six fastest laps – including the new Losail lap record of 1’56.974, which he set on lap three today.

    Sykes’ latest podium gives him 20 for the season, including five wins. He has earned eight more Superpole wins in 2016 and six fastest laps.

    In the final Manufacturers’ Championship standings, Kawasaki has 582, 65 more than the nearest rival.

    Jonathan Rea, stated: “I was trying to get to Chaz to win the first attempted race. When I started the bike felt good but when I approached turn one I could not shift gears as a sensor had failed so I ran-on. I lost places so the red flag saved me when it came out. The crew changed it really quickly for the restart and we made a step forward. Today I rode with my heart; rode like I can. In a ten-lap race, starting from ninth place, the maths did not stack up well! I got beaten-up in the first two corners and spent too long behind Leon Haslam and Tom. Chaz had a bit of a gap on me but I closed it right down. When I saw it was not possible to win I decided to work for the team and Kawasaki. We rode a really, really fast race here. A lap record, a pole position and a world championship came our way this weekend, so Qatar has been pretty good to me.”

    Tom Sykes, stated: “To finish runner up has a better ring to it than third and Kawasaki has gone 1-2 in the Riders’ Championship this year. It was a strange weekend in some ways but finally in the first part of race two, which eventually got red-flagged, I was preparing for a longer race. I think our pace at the end could have also been quite good over 17-laps. In the restart to finally do some 1’57 laps was something unexpected. After Jonathan passed me he was closing in on Chaz but obviously when he looked at Chaz’s lap time he would have had to do something special to win. Jonathan has had two great seasons and he has been the man to beat. It was a very good gesture from the other side of the team and this is something that I appreciate so much.”

    Guim Roda, Team Manager, stated: “This is the first year of the current model Ninja ZX-10R’s introduction and it has taken the Manufacturers’ title, plus first and second in the championship. Sometimes, there are in life bigger things than your own interests, and that makes life magic and exciting. Today it was possible, for the first time ever, for Kawasaki to finish first and second in the Riders’ Championship. Be sure next year the competition will be there again and Rea and Sykes will provide a big show to the world again. Congratulations to Tom and congratulations to Johnny – you give the team something we lost in the past.”

    Steve Guttridge, Kawasaki Europe Racing Manager, stated: “We won the Manufacturers’ Championship, the Team Championship and had first and second places in the Riders’ Championship. I am absolutely delighted and the guys did a fantastic job this year again. They have stepped it up another level with the new Ninja ZX-10R.”

    Leon Haslam (Pedercini Racing Team) made a remarkable charge in the final running of the ten lap second race, finishing fifth in his return to WorldSBK as a one-off rider. Roman Ramos (GoEleven Kawasaki) finished 14th in the race and in doing so also finished 14th in the final championship rankings.

    Local rider Saeed Al Sulaiti (Pedercini Racing Kawasaki) was out of race two with a technical issue but Grillini Racing Kawasaki riders Gianluca Vizziello and Dominic Schmitter finished the ten-lap race 17th and 18th respectively.

    Kiko Giles @MotoGPKiko