Category: MotoGp

The Movistar Yamaha MotoGP Team didn‘t rest on their laurels in between the first and second 2017 official IRTA MotoGP pre-season test. After a first successful stint of Yamaha‘s ‘pre-season media tour’, Maverick Viñales and Valentino Rossi went on to meet their fans and the media in Thailand and Vietnam to complete their Asian promotions and get in the right mindset to start the 2017 MotoGP season.

Energised from the first half of the ’Asian media tour’ that had brought him to Indonesia and the Philippines, Viñales travelled to Thailand on Febuary 11th to start the second half of the promotions the day after.

Following a morning photo shoot, the young Spaniard attended the Yamaha Custom-Made Battle and was happily surprised by the large crowd that had assembled at the EM Quartier in Bangkok to see him take part in the presentation on stage.

After posing with the creators of the Yamaha Custom-Made Battle bikes and the fans, Viñales headed straight to the Yamaha Rev Community where again a large sea of spectators had assembled to catch a glimpse of the new Movistar Yamaha MotoGP rider. Warmly greeted as he entered the stage, Viñales stayed for a while to help present the Yamaha YZF-R15 before he quickly had to make his way to the airport.

After his lightning stop in Bangkok, the young Spaniard jetted off to visit Vietnam. There he was joined by Valentino Rossi the next day when they attended a press meeting. During the presentation the riders got to add the flag of Vietnam on the YZR-M1 as a token of appreciation for Yamaha Motor Vietnam‘s support to the Movistar Yamaha MotoGP team.

After the press meeting in Hồ Chí Minh, Rossi and Viñales were in the mood for some action and headed to the YRider Event, where Rossi was surprised with an early birthday cake (he will turn 38 on February 16th). Taking time to talk on the podium and wave, the riders also made sure to entertain the fans off stage and grabbed their helmets to head out on a small circuit aboard 2017 Yamaha Exciter and NVX 155 scooters.

These final days constituted a successful ending to the Yamaha‘s ‘2017 Asian promotional tour’, which has brought the entire Yamaha-family – including the Yamaha dealers, distributors and fans – closer.

The Movistar Yamaha MotoGP Team now make their way to Australia for the Phillip Island MotoGP Official Test from Febuary 15 – 17th (circuit time).

Kiko Giles @MotoGPKiko

Times have moved on in the world of motorcycle racing. Gone are the days of the Isle Of Man TT being on the calendar, and the days where you’d ride over train lines at Imatra. The tracks today are super modern, multi-purpose facilities that tend to run many more things than just races, ranging from executive conferences to charity car rallies and bike shows. But for heaven sake, some of the circuits that MotoGP go to are what I call sanitised. Everything about them is false, there’s little ‘feeling’ as a fan and if I’m honest, the circuit itself isn’t that great. In this article, I take a look at five tracks that MotoGP misses and why they should make a return to the calendar, before we lose more historic venues.

Suzuka, Japan

The blossoming trees in the Land of the Rising Sun. Suzuka is set in a picturesque backdrop of Japan’s Ino area. Once upon time this fast and flowing circuit hosted the Japanese Grand Prix, usually at the start of the season, and it treated us to some absolute belters!

In 1990, Wayne Rainey ran away with the win, but in 1991, it was Kevin Schwantz who mugged Rainey, Doohan and rookie Kocinski to take the verdict. In 2001, Valentino Rossi and Max Biaggi had their infamous elbow barging and finger-flicking session, but despite these memories, it was one tragic afternoon that would spell the end of Suzuka as a MotoGP race circuit. Former 250cc champion Daijiro Kato lost his life in a freak accident at the chicane whilst braking.

In a way, it was great because it showed that unlike in previous years, Dorna were acting on a truly disastrous event that day. However, the fan in me is still mourning the loss of not just Kato, but of Suzuka. Yes, it is dangerous, but the final chicane could be fixed or tampered with to make it a Grand Prix circuit yet again.

The stunning opening section where it is just left to right left again, all whilst undulating and with a mix of positive and negative cambered corners made Suzuka one of the most exciting circuits on the calendar. It’d be welcomed with wide open arms by some of the more aggressive and old school riders, such as Valentino and Marc, however I’m not too sure Jorge Lorenzo would approve, but he would have every right to, seeing as the circuit was taken off for the ultimate reason.

Istanbul Park, Turkey

Lasting only three years, the Turkish Grand Prix was held around 20km outside of Turkey’s second city, at Istanbul Park. The track is one of few that has been designed with MotoGP in mind, and it was clear to see once the boys got out there in 2005.

It was won by Marco Melandri and although there wasn’t a classic head to head battle, there was a great scrap in 2006 across all classes. The 250cc race saw Alex De Angelis have a huge coming together with Hector Barbera on the run down towards the ‘M’ section that ended the lap, both miraculously stayed aboard.

2007 would prove to be Turkey’s final Grand Prix, and even the F1 boys stopped going after the 2011 race. The circuit was famous for having four consecutive left handers, and the fastest corner in MotoGP, which peaked at 170mph.

Sadly, although the circuit is still in use for national and regional championships, there doesn’t seem any signs of a return to Turkey in the near distant future. World Superbikes went in 2013 but never returned, and one of MotoGP’s greatest additions is going begging. Political and social unrest in Turkey and the complications of neighbours Syria don’t make this the most sort-after circuit on the calendar. A huge shame.

Laguna Seca, USA

Home to the corkscrew, Laguna Seca has provided thrilling battles over the years. In 1988 it burst onto the scene and witnessed a truly heroic comeback from Eddie Lawson, beating Wayne Gardner and Niall Mackenzie to take the win from well down on the grid. In 2008, 3 years after returning, Valentino Rossi and Casey Stoner went head to head at the Californian circuit, with shoulder charging and contact being made around the track, especially at the Corkscrew.

It is synonymous to American motorsport, up there with the likes of Indianapolis, Daytona and Sebring, but maybe, just a step above even those historic venues. Dangerous, challenging, fast and technically demanding are just sine ways to describe the frightening Laguna Seca.

Nicky Hayden won the first two Grand Prix there upon its return to the calendar in 2005, but since then, the Americans haven’t been able to repeat. However, in 2013, the shock decision to take the race off the calendar completely was one that didn’t go down well amongst fans or riders. After all, World Superbikes do still go there, so if it’s good enough for them, surely it’s good enough for the Grand Prix warriors?

To add to the pain for us fans, the chance of Laguna returning for a 3rd stint at hosting a Grand Prix look over. It would cost too much money for the event organisers at Laguna Seca to run, so they decided to keep to the World Superbikes. Also, like before, there wouldn’t be enough room in the paddock for all three classes, and I’m not sure that having just one race is financially viable. Again, it’s a crying shame, but one that is accepted.

Nurburgring, Germany

Before the days of the Sachsenring and during the days of the Hockenheimring, the Nurburgring has hosted some of the most thrilling races of all time. The circuit which witnessed the sensational Chili-Doohan synchronised high-side, along with one of the most dramatic World Superbike races of all time back in 1999. Steeped in history, but no longer serving a purpose, I will come out and say that the Nurburgring is the best race circuit in Germany.

One thing that makes the Nurburgring special is the unlimited opportunity for overtaking around the track. Apart from a couple of fast chicanes, you can pass virtually anywhere on the circuit. This is particularly highlighted when the bikes race there. In 1997, the 250cc race was hectic, with greats like Harada, Jacque, Waldmann and Biaggi going at it right until the final corner, crossing the line 4 abreast. 0.135 covered the top four in a truly remarkable race.

Sadly, those times have vacated the current era of elbow bashing MotoGP stars. Although, having said that, the WSBK paddock did go there up until 2013, and the German F1 race was held there for many seasons. The circuit is effectively bankrupt, and if it can’t afford to host a WSBK meeting, then I’m sure it wouldn’t be able to cough up the money for a multi-million Euro MotoGP event. It is a massive shame, especially as there is so much heritage surrounding the circuit. It is without doubt one of the most entertaining circuits, where greats of both two and four wheels have graced the German asphalt. Unless miracles happen and money is found, the Nurburgring may as well cease to exist. ‘Tragic’ doesn’t cover it.

Kyalami, South Africa

Fast, exciting, undulating and terrifying, the South Africans didn’t half make Kyalami into one of the fiercest circuits in the world. The Rainbow Nation became home to bikes again back in 1992 and it was Kyalami where the likes of Rainey, Schwantz, Kocinski and Chandler would do battle. Sadly, this would also be the final time that it would host the South African Grand Prix, before the Phakisa Freeway in Welkom took over. But wow, we have some amazing memories.

World Superbikes’ arrival in South Africa back in 1998 was the first motorsport event in the country since Nelson Mandela came to power in 1994. Over 65,000 fans flocked to the venue to see the return of motorcycle racing in the modern time, and they got a treat!

Catastrophically, the Kyalami circuit would yet again be wiped off the WSBK calendar after the 2001 meeting and briefly re-joined for 2009. The track itself hasn’t held a Grand Prix since 1992, and the South African Grand Prix has been missing since 2004, when it was last held at Welkom, and signed off with Valentino Rossi becoming the first rider to win back to back races on different bikes.

The circuit has undergone a makeover. The fast, downhill esses that started the lap have been removed and the incredibly fast Mineshaft corner has been made into a more obtuse and scary left hander before a hairpin. Although most the track remains unchanged, the ferocious turn one and two combination was a spectacle that only Kyalami had, but despite this substantial change, the circuit itself is wonderful. One can only hope that the FIM gives back Grade 1 to the track for Rossi and Marquez to take their rivalry to a new continent, and the country of Gold.

Kiko Giles @MotoGPKiko

The premier class of motorcycle racing has always been great for the true head-to-head title fights, the dramatic off and on-track moments and the scintillating pace at which the front runners set. However, there is often a battle that gets very little coverage. Welcome to the battle of the energy drinks.

It hasn’t always been energy drinks. Once upon a time, Marlboro, Lucky Strike and Rothmans all went head to head in a battle for cigarette bragging rights. However, as cigarette advertising becomes more regulated and energy drinks become more popular, there has been a shift in just how much energy drink sponsorship can mean.

Red Bull are the long-serving sponsors as far as energy drinks are concerned. They have sponsored the Yamaha WCM team back in the late 90s and early 2000s, they were also sponsors of Ben Atkins’ Reve Red Bull Ducati team in BSB in 1999, which fielded John Reynolds and Sean Emmett, with James Haydon joining Reynolds a year later. They sponsored the US Grand Prix at Laguna Seca in its comeback years as well as continuing to sponsor many riders, like Marc Marquez and Maverick Vinales. However, the tide is turning and now, there’s some good, healthy competition.

Monster burst onto the scene back in 2009 with James Toseland, who was in his 2nd season in MotoGP on the Tech 3 Yamaha, also sponsored by Monster. Incrementally, they’ve got onto the shirt tails of Red Bull and now Valentino Rossi, Cal Crutchlow and the Tech 3 boys all sponsored by the energy drink giant. In fact, they have so much input that now they sponsor Grand Prix, the French Grand Prix most notably. Above and beyond this, MotoGP is having an influence on their products too! The Monster Energy VR46 ‘The Doctor’ drink smashed its ways onto the shelves of British supermarkets last year and have gone down a treat with not just bike fans, but the public, promoting the sport we love in markets that aren’t afraid of mass consumerism.

However, there is one more big name energy drink. Rockstar. And they back Jorge Lorenzo. Despite him winning the championship in 2015, there was no limited-edition drink or much say from anyone in Rockstar at all come to think of it. They’re a relatively new sponsor to the sport, although they had a lot of involvement in Yamaha when Fiat left at the end of 2011, when the team didn’t have a title sponsor.

So now you know the background of each drink, what significance does it carry? Well, you could say it promotes healthy competition. For many years it was tobacco brands that would carry ‘unhealthy’ healthy competition, but due to tobacco promotion regulations, that has faded away and been replaced by the energy drinks market which is worth a staggering £40bn.

It is also promoting the sport. As I have already said, Valentino Ross tribute drinks are readily available but it goes another step further than that. Not only does it sell products and expose MotoGP to a worldwide players, but it allows for other sponsors to chip in to. To come away from energy drinks for a split second, I’ll give you an example. Repsol are the main oil sponsors for Honda, however, Castrol have made some appearances on the side of Cal Crutchlow’s Honda and Eneos have been on the Yamaha. In effect, back to energy drinks, once one of them does it, all of their rivals have to do it, and this neo-liberal idea of competition and individual gain is having massive positive effects on our sport across all series, and not just MotoGP.

Energy drink competition give us another on track battle. Now, it isn’t just about winning as a rider, team, constructor or because of your nationality, but it’s about taking your own energy drink sponsors to the top of the podium. The battle last year with Rossi and Lorenzo was Monster VS Rockstar. This year it has been Monster VS Rockstar with Rossi and Marquez. It adds yet another dynamic to our sport, where it gives us something else to read into or analyse. It may have absolutely no interest for some, but it might form a rivalry for others.

One may argue however that energy drinks should have no place in sport of any form, not just motorcycle racing. After all, they are unhealthy, and that isn’t what’s needed to carry out sporting tasks such as racing, running, etc. Similar things happened with the London Olympics, where Coca Cola and McDonalds stepped up as the two big sponsors. Maybe we need to have Tropicana VS Capella instead, maybe stick an innocent smoothie in there somewhere too.

I personally, totally disagree with people who believe energy drinks shouldn’t have a place in sport. They are ENERGY DRINKS. Energy is required if you are going to compete in any sports, and the extra 150 calories that you consume will be burnt off by the time you’ve finished. Unless of course you play the very active sport of golf or bowls, then it may take longer.

Conclusively, the roll of energy drinks in MotoGP is bigger than tobacco was in the 80s and early 90s. The competition dynamic between the different brands is sizzling and the outcome for our sport isn’t bad either. It adds that extra dimension of rivalry and gives MotoGP that extra edge over most other sports, as it has sponsors from the same field, but from different brands, coming together at the top of the championship tree.

And after all, who’s to say that before too long, we will have a watermelon Marquez drink from Red Bull, and a Lime and Orange Lorenzo alongside The Doctors Lemon fizz on the shelves of Asda. Now that would make an incredible front row.

“And down to checkout 1”…

Kiko Giles @MotoGPKiko

The 2016 MotoGP™ season finale already has its place in history secure. The curtain call for a new era as half the grid move teams, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing make their debut, and the history-making 2016 season draws to a close, the Circuit de la Comunitat Valenciana is primed for another incredible end-of-season party. And after a history-making Malaysian GP, there’s that chance of a tenth winner.

No one could have imagined an honour roll with nine names on it when the season began. But that’s the incredible outcome of a truly historic season in the premier class of Grand Prix racing, after Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) became the ninth different winner of the year in Malaysia.

With the Championship wrapped up, Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) will be one of the first attempting to assure victory in Valencia for one of the nine who have already won this year. An error in Phillip Island when the pressure was off followed by an easy mistake to make in Malaysia mean the newly-crowned 5-time World Champion will be fired up as the paddock gets back on home turf – but so will the only other men to have won at the venue in over a decade: Jorge Lorenzo (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) and Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team).

Lorenzo especially will be out for glory. Trying to secure third in the Championship and looking to end the season on a high, the race also sees the end of an era for the Mallorcan before he moves to the Ducati Team. After 3 MotoGP™ World Championships, 43 race wins and 106 podiums before the Spaniard’s final race in Yamaha colours approaches, the relationship is one that has played a key role in defining an era of MotoGP™. With wins at the track in 2010, 2013 and 2015, Lorenzo’s last dance in blue could be one to remember.

Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) has a more difficult record at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo but, having secured P2 in the Championship in Sepang and finished the tough race on the podium, the Italian’s focus is solely forward and he has a point to prove behind enemy lines once again – having already spoiled the hometown party in Jerez and Catalunya, and staged a stunning fight through the field in Valencia in 2015.

As Lorenzo leaves the other side of the Yamaha garage, Rossi’s 2017 teammate will be another out for glory at home. Maverick Viñales (Team Suzuki Ecstar) is already a winner in 2016 at Silverstone, and will want to close out his incredible run with Suzuki as far towards the front as possible. With weather less likely to make life harder for the Hamamatsu factory machines, Viñales and teammate Aleix Espargaro will have their sights set squarely on the podium once again – at least – as they prepare to say goodbye to Suzuki.

Dani Pedrosa is the other man, along with Lorenzo, who has an incredible record at the track – but isn’t yet sure whether he will be fit to return after his highside in Motegi and collarbone break. Hoping to be able to contest the round on home turf, the venue will be a kind one for Pedrosa if he makes the grid – another of those circuits that sees his name penciled on a trophy before arrival, like Sepang: a race Pedrosa sat out.

Sepang winner Andrea Dovizioso will be one to watch after his incredible ride in Malaysia on a roll of good form, as well as teammate Andrea Iannone – who is another of the many on the grid whose future lies down a different path. His last race for the factory Ducati Team, after taking their first win since 2010 in Austria, will mean the ‘Maniac’ is sure to put on a good show once again. A frontrunner in Malaysia despite his ongoing recovery from cracked vertebrae, Iannone was back with a bang in Sepang.

After Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda) crashed out in Malaysia, Valencia gives the Brit his final shot at securing the title of Top Independent team rider in 2016 – with Monster Yamaha Tech 3’s Pol Espargaro the only one in mathematical distance of the Brno and Phillip Island winner, and counting on home support. Espargaro is another of those who will be moving teams in the end of season shuffle – this time to KTM – and is set to remain alongside current teammate Bradley Smith in 2017.

The eyes of the world will be on Red Bull KTM Factory Racing in the season finale. Their first appearance, with test rider and GP winner Mika Kallio on board, will be the first benchmark for the Austrian factory as they prepare to line up on the grid full time next season – with a reputation for winning built on their incredible success in Moto3™.

Whatever hand Valencia deals for the season finale, one thing is sure: 2016 has been one for the record books – or more accurately, it’s rewritten them.

The final call for 2016 goes out at 9:00 local time on Friday (GMT +1), with lights out for the race on Sunday at 14:00.

Kiko Giles @MotoGPKiko

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

Monster Yamaha Tech3 Team rider Pol Espargaro concluded the Malaysian Grand Prix in 9th position after powering through the treacherous conditions today at the Sepang International circuit. The beginning of the race was delayed due to a sudden downpour at the scheduled start time. However, once the GP commenced, Espargaro bolted forward from 11th on the grid and he completed the opening lap in 9th. During the next few laps, the 25-year-old slipped back to 13th, yet the Spaniard remained resolute and after running a strong and consistent rhythm, he moved into 10th on the 13th lap. Espargaro maintained his solid pace as he continued to run at speed at the physically demanding circuit and he closely monitored his times in order to keep a comfortable gap to the pursuing riders. After pushing relentlessly, the 2013 Moto2 World Champion shot across the finish line in 9th place, which marks a positive close to the penultimate round of the championship. Now, Espargaro confidently eyes up the next GP in Valencia where he will seek to seize the top independent honours in what will be his final appearance on the Yamaha YZR-M1.

On the other side of the Monster Yamaha Tech3 Team pit box, Bradley Smith bravely battled through to 14th to conclude the triple back to back GP’s with another determined performance. Smith began the 20-lap sprint from the head of the fifth row of the grid and he expertly navigated his way around the opening lap, whilst impressively climbing four positions, before concluding it in 11th. From here, the British star stuck into a solid rhythm, yet despite giving his all, he was shuffled back to 16th after one-third of the race distance. However, the determined 25-year-old remained focused and pushed through the challenging conditions all the way to the chequered flag, which he met in 14th. This result marks a third successive point scoring finish since his comeback at the Japanese GP, from his knee injury, with Smith’s displays highly exceeding expectations in the flyaway races despite not riding at full fitness. Now, the British star aims to conclude his six-year partnership with Tech3 on a high note in his final appearance at the next round in Valencia.

Pol Espargaro: It’s been complicated

“It was a very hard race today and especially at the beginning where there was a lot of water on the track but I am glad to walk away with a top ten finish and some valuable championship points. Because of the rainwater on the asphalt, the visibility was limited and the more behind you were, the more time you lost in the first few laps as there weren’t any reference points regarding where to brake or accelerate, so it’s been really complicated. In addition, I didn’t want to risk making any mistakes, therefore we have to be content with this 9th position. However, this result has ensured my 8th place in the Championship standings, plus I am classified ahead of a couple of the factory MotoGP riders so it is pleasing to have ended the oversea races in this way. Now, we’ll head back to Europe for the final round of the 2016 season, which will also be my last event with Tech3 so I’m highly motivated to do the best job that I can.”

Bradley Smith: We have to look at the positives

“I have to start by saying that the three back to back races have been fantastic and I am more than satisfied with the results. To come back from my injury and score three point scoring finishes is much better than what I was expecting. If we look at the bigger picture, the Monster Yamaha Tech3 team did a superb job as well as the Clinica Mobile medical staff who made sure that I could compete in every session. In terms of the race, it certainly was tough due to the conditions but we have to be content with another finish in the points, even if we were hoping for more. I decided to risk using the hard rear tyre but it is not a compound that I have liked in the past, even though my feeling with it in FP4 was OK on the whole. Unfortunately, with the amount of water that was on the track today, I wasn’t able to generate the right temperature into the rear tyre so it was tricky but I did my best and I don’t think that I could have given any more. It’s a pity to end up in 14th because we’ve had really good pace throughout the weekend, yet we have to look at the positives and take them onboard. Now, we will have a weekend off and then I will head to Valencia, ready for my final appearance with the Tech3 team, where I will do my absolute best.”

Kiko Giles @MotoGPKiko

Heavy rain saw the start of the Malaysian Motorcycle Grand Prix delayed and the race distance reduced to 19 laps, but the more than 95,000 attendees still got plenty of thrilling racing action. Movistar Yamaha MotoGP riders Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo fought hard during the race to take second and third, their fifth double podium of the season.

Rossi had dropped two places from his position on the starting grid as the 21 MotoGP riders stormed out of the gates. As a result he went into the first corner in fourth, but quickly worked his way to the front over the next couple of turns. Rossi swiftly gained the lead and tried to break away but he was soon joined by Andrea Iannone. The following 11 laps were a consistent tug of war for the lead in the race between the two Italians.

The Doctor used the nimble character of the Yamaha to the fullest in the twisty sections of the Sepang circuit. With 12 laps remaining Iannone made his first attempt to take off at the front, but Rossi didn’t let him escape and upped his pace further to close the gap within two laps, with Andrea Dovizioso in tow.

Studying his rival’s riding, Rossi timed his attack to perfection. He wrestled his way past Iannone, followed by Dovizioso, and set a provisional fastest lap while the rivals behind him lost time battling each other. With five laps to go, as the track started to dry, Rossi suffered a problem on the right side of his front tyre. As a result he went wide in turn one, allowing Dovizioso through and after having experienced two moments the Doctor decided to bring his YZR-M1 over the line in second place, 3.115s behind the leader.

Teammate Lorenzo took the holeshot from pole on the wet track, but wasn’t able to hold off an aggressive move from Marc Marquez and Iannone a few corners later, that saw him being relegated to sixth at the end of the first lap. The Mallorcan moved up one place at the start of lap three when Aleix Espargaró went wide and then took up the pursuit of Marquez who was a little more than a second ahead of him.

Lorenzo set a provisional fastest lap, but lost time and a place due to a scrap with Cal Crutchlow. Lorenzo decided to follow the Briton to the leading group and then found an impressive race pace but was unable to match the front runners. He had a lonely ride to the podium as Crutchlow, Marquez and Iannone all crashed in the later stages of the race, allowing him to grab a solid third place, finishing 11.924s from the front.

Rossi’s second place earns him 20 points and leaves him second in the championship standings with 236 points. Lorenzo’s performance sees him take 16 points and places him third in the rankings on 208 points, trailing by 28 points, making Rossi the 2016 MotoGP Vice Champion.

The MotoGP paddock heads back to Spain now for the last round of the season in Valencia in two weeks’ time.

Valentino Rossi: In the end it has been a good season

“My main target for today was to arrive in front of Jorge for second place in the championship, but I also wanted to win because I felt very good with the bike in the beginning. I had to fight a lot with Iannone and he was fast. After, when I went in front, I was very optimistic but when the water on the track became less the temperature went up, I was a bit in trouble with the tyres, especially with the front. I had two moments, I risked too much and I made a mistake and in that moment Dovizioso was too fast and he went. Securing second place in the championship is important, the battle with Lorenzo is always very intense and we always arrive at the last race. When you beat a rider that’s very strong, like Jorge, it’s great and in the end it has been a good season. I wanted to win, but it wasn’t possible.”

Jorge Lorenzo: I had a bit more confidence

“Being honest, today I’ve been lucky, because without the crashes I would have finished fifth or sixth. Crutchlow, Iannone and Marquez crashed and finally I got this podium and that’s OK. In the past I have been competitive in wet races, when I felt great. Especially with pit stops I have won races, I have secured podiums and got pole positions in the rain. In the wet, with the Michelin tyres this year, especially at the beginning, I had trouble getting confidence in the front tyre. It has been hard for me but after Brno we made some modifications to the setting and also this tarmac helps. At this track I had more grip than normal, so I had a bit more confidence and I was able to be more competitive. Maybe in the race a bit less than in qualifying, but finally because of some luck it was enough to get to the podium. We now go to Valencia with the aim to confirm the third place in the championship.”

Kiko Giles @MotoGPKiko

Sunday at Sepang held the umpteenth change with the unpredictable weather that characterized the entire weekend. The MotoGP race, delayed 20 minutes due to the heavy rainfall on the Malaysian track, forced the riders and teams to employ an added dose of concentration.

Alvaro Bautista skilfully administered his Aprilia RS-GP in the initial phases of the race, when a lack of grip kept him from expressing himself the way he had during practice where he earned a spot on the third row of the starting grid. Fourteenth after the first lap, the Spanish rider’s progression had him overtaking Smith, Pol and Aleix Espargaró and Miller in the following laps, moving into ninth place. The crashes by Marquez and Iannone then decided his seventh final position, a great result that matches the one achieved in Japan two weeks ago to confirm the progress that the RS-GP has made in the second half of the season.

The race was compromised by a crash for Stefan Bradl, who took a slide during the tenth lap and then rejoined. Despite a good job making up ground on the riders ahead of him, the Aprilia Racing Team Gresini rider had to settle for seventeenth place.

Alvao Bautista: The track was anything but easy!

“Seventh place is a good result that came at the end of a weekend that was definitely positive. We demonstrated good performance throughout practice, even achieving the best starting position yet with Aprilia. In the race, however, we found conditions that were very different from the rest of the sessions. There was much more water, so the feeling with the bike was not the same. I controlled the situation in the first laps, taking care not to make any mistakes and trying to achieve as much as possible. We saw a lot of crashes. The track was anything but easy so, considering the fact that the sensations in the saddle were not the best, we can be satisfied with the result and head to Valencia to finish this season well”.

Stefan Bradl: We weren’t able to prepare for the race

“Not an easy weekend for us. Because of the variable weather and having a few new components to test, we were not able to prepare for the race in the best possible way. On top of that, I had the crash, after which I was able to rejoin, but I lost time and positions. I am disappointed. All we can do now is go back home and set our sights on a good result in the last race at Valencia”.

Kiko Giles @MotoGPKiko

Andrea Dovizioso took his first win in over 7 years as he beat Valentino Rossi to win the Malaysian Grand Prix in Sepang. The race was held in appalling conditions and despite mistakes from Marquez, Crutchlow and Iannone, it was Dovi who would come up trumps in South East Asia.

“It was very important for me to win a race this year: I’ve been trying for so long and I’ve come close on several occasions, so satisfaction for today’s result is truly immense”, began the Italian.

“I really powered to the win, because in the first half of the race I could not push too hard, but I didn’t give up, I didn’t make any mistakes and at the right time I passed both Iannone and Rossi and set my own pace”. It took him 151 races to finally win again, the question is can he make it last into next season.

“I am very happy about the improvements we have made this year, both in the bike and with my team, but also on a personal level. I am working hard also for next year and this win, which has come at the end of the season, is just reward for all the efforts.”

The win for Andrea puts him a safe 5th in the championship. He is too many points behind Maverick Vinales in 4th, and only 7 points ahead of Dani Pedrosa in 6th, however the latter is injured and not 100% confirmed for the Valencian Grand Prix on the 13th of November.

Kiko Giles @MotoGPKiko

Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) took his second ever victory at the Shell Malaysia Motorcycle Grand Prix, as he navigated the torrential conditions of Sepang to emerge as the ninth winner of 2016: an all time first for the MotoGP™ World Championship to write another chapter in the ever-changing history books of the premier class. After dueling for the lead earlier in the race, Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) came home P2, with teammate Jorge Lorenzo completing the podium.

Lorenzo got the best start off the front row, but it was Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) from Row 2 who moved through the furthest – up to second around Turn 1 – with Lorenzo ahead and the frontrunners shuffling. With Rossi pushed down to P4, the front group of the Movistar Yamahas, Ducati Team and Marquez were joined in the fight at the front by Team Suzuki Ecstar’s Aleix Espargaro – before the Spaniard then slid out at Turn 1; able to rejoin but down the order.

Rossi fought his way back into the lead before Andrea Iannone (Ducati Team) struck to take P1 – despite still recovering from a cracked vertebra from a crash in Misano – and the Maniac held firm. Teammate Dovizioso was holding off Marquez in third and fourth, with Jorge Lorenzo stalked by Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda) just behind.

A duel broke out at the front between Rossi and Iannone, with the Maniac true to form and hitting back as the Doctor attacked, before a Turn 15 move saw Iannone take back the lead and power out of the corner ahead – with the speed of the Desmosedici GP16 unthreatened on the main straight.

Dovizioso and Marquez were far from out of the fight, with both moving back to gain on the Italian duo in the lead. Lorenzo was the rider finding himself out of podium contention as he fell down to sixth, moving back into the top five as Phillip Island winner Crutchlow then fell at Turn 2 – the first shot of melodrama in the Malaysian GP.

Two more high profile crashes then rocked the front group, as reigning World Champion Marquez lost his Honda at Turn 11 and slid out – rejoining in the points but out of contention for the victory – followed by early superstar Andrea Iannone at Turn 9, who was unable to rejoin but walked away unscathed.

Dovizioso vs Rossi: Italy vs Italy: Yamaha vs Ducati became the duel at the front – and Rossi was beginning to suffer with the front tyre. With a handful of laps remaining, the rider from Tavullia ran wide at Turn 1 and left his compatriot able to get through, with ‘DesmoDovi’ needing no further invitation to start building a gap.

Keeping it calm and on the road, the number four Ducati crossed the line an incredible margin clear by the penultimate lap, before letting that advantage eke away on his way to the flag – keeping everything minimal risk. Rossi kept his Yamaha upright in second, as Lorenzo took a solid result in the wet to complete the podium, with the caution that at the start saw the Mallorcan overtaken then converted into a good haul of points as he kept it on the road.

Dovizioso’s spectacular win, as well as marking the ninth different victor of the year, is his second premier class victory – the first being Donington Park in 2009 – and the second win this season for the Borgo Panigale factory, after a long drought since 2010.

Loris Baz and Hector Barbera (Avintia Racing) were the unsung heroes further back on track as the drama ahead stole the spotlight, with Baz showing incredible wet weather pace once again, into fourth with five laps to go. Barbera then overtook his teammate, with the two crossing the line to complete the top five in another Brno-esque triumph for the team.

Maverick Viñales (Team Suzuki Ecstar) had an uncharacteristically quiet race as the Silverstone winner struggled slightly in the wet conditions, nevertheless taking a solid P6 and good haul of points. Alvaro Bautista shone for Aprilia Racing Team Gresini once again in Malaysia with an impressive seventh place for the Noale factory, ahead of Assen winner Jack Miller (Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS), Pol Espargaro (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) and Danilo Petrucci (Octo Pramac Yakhnich), who completed the top ten.

World Champion Marc Marquez – despite his crash – crossed the line eleventh to retain Phillip Island as his only DNF in a stunning year on his scorecard.

The paddock now return to Valencia as Marquez prepares to ride at home for the first time since taking his third premier class crown – but the one remaining race now begs the question…

…can there be a tenth?

Kiko Giles @MotoGPKiko