OMG, what a Ryde! Is Brookes Back? Irwin lays down a marker! Silverstone BSB kicks off 2023 in Style.

British Superbikes kicked off the 2023 season this weekend at Silverstone and what a treat it was. What would await us at the long anticipated opening round of the season, with a shake up of the showdown points and one of the biggest changes up in terms of teams and rider movement for  a long time… Well let’s say if this is a sign of the season to come, then sit back, strap in and hold on tight!

Three different winners, from three different manufacturers kicks off the first race meeting of the year from Silverstone National circuit. A scrappy little track with little room for error and rest. With only two main straights, the national circuit is a busy, short lap with lap times under a minute. No wonder all three superbike races were contested with +0.00 on the leaders pit board.

Kyle Ryde – Lami Vape OMG Racing Yamaha – Image courtesy Easi-Grip Racing Products

Race One saw battle commence between a resurgent Josh Brookes on his FHO BMW swapping places with Kyle Ryde OMG Lami Yamaha,  Beer Monster Ducati riders Glenn Irwin, Tommy Bridewell and a feisty Jason O’Halloran of McAMS Yamaha. The pack closely followed by Leon Haslam of Rokit BWM Motorrad Team and Mar-Train Yamaha’s Jack Kennedy. An intense sprint race saw first seven places covered by only three seconds. Kyle Ryde managed to get his hands on the winners trophy in Race One after an adrenaline fueled fight, sharing the podium with Tommy Bridewell and Josh Brookes.

After his Race One victory, Ryde said,: “That was a great race! It was definitely the hardest, but most enjoyable races I’ve had since I started in BSB. I was pushing because I just wanted to get to the front because I knew I had a little bit more pace than what the lap time was saying. It was very clean and good fun to ride – there was a lot of moves in turn one from me, I must’ve made about 15 moves but none of them stuck! I had to work, so for me it’s been a great weekend so far. We’ve had a great pace all weekend and been strong, the only thing that went wrong was to have a silly little crash in qualifying and that did hinder me a bit for the race. It took me ages to get going again to know where the braking marker was and Josh and Tommy kept passing me. I’m really happy to get the win; I think over the winter and everything we’ve done so far, I feel like we deserve it, so I’m very proud of myself.”

Race Two was much of the same but for second place back as Josh Brookes hit the front after the first lap and maintained a relatively trouble free race barring a bit of back and forth with Jason O’Halloran. While not breaking away, as is very difficult on such a small track when the level is as competitive as it is in BSB, he was also unchallenged for the win when the race finished under a red flag incident involving Synetiq BMW’s Danny Buchan crashing out of the race. Race Two winner, a very popular winner might I say, Josh Brookes followed by both Beer Monster Ducati riders Tommy Bridewell and Glenn Irwin.

Josh Brookes – FHO BMW Motorrad – Official BSB Image

Race Three started off with surprise leader Danny Kent of Lovell Kent Racing Honda hitting the front, and looking very competitive around his peers. Surprisingly Kyle Ryde didn’t seem to have the pace to match the front runners in the third and final Superbike race of the day with Glenn Irwin, Josh Brookes and Tommy Bridewell stretching a lead after working their way past the former Moto3 World Champion, Kent. A very close chase towards the end of the race saw a first race win of the season from Beer Monster Ducati rider, Glenn Irwin closely followed by Josh Brookes FHO BMW and Beer Monster team mate Tommy Bridewell.

Glenn Irwin – BeerMonster Ducati – Image Courtesy of PBM Motorsport and Double Red Photography

All in all a successful weekend for Brookes, keen to put the last couple of season behind him and show that he’s not ready to stop racing just yet. Beer Monster Ducati, Bridewell and Irwin will all be pleased to also start the year off competitively after a couple of seasons in the doldrums. How ironic they have shared the podium with their former rider, Josh Brookes.

Standings after round one have Brookes in the lead of the championship, by two points from Tommy Bridewell and then Glenn Irwin.

BSB Standings after Round 1

“He’s a bit bonkers! I’d like to see him do well”. Who does James Haydon have his eye on in 2023?

Today, I caught up with Eurosport pundit and commentator James Haydon to see what’s occurring. After a long career as a Superbike / Supersport rider himself, James is the perfect person to bounce a few things off and get some thoughts from a neutral with a constant eye on the ball.

It’s a long one, but it’s well worth the read.

James Haydon – Image @SpeedyHaydon Twitter

Racing Armchair: The season opener is upon us. The new showdown format has been unveiled. Are you excited and do you agree it was time for a change?

James Haydon: “I’m always excited by a new season. It’s such a great championship. It’s so competitive and always so much fun to be a part of so it’s great to be back. There are always plus and minus points for the showdown. It generally keeps it tighter by the points reset but it often feels unfair, especially if you take in someone like Jason O’Halloran who’s had the rub of it for a couple of seasons now. I feel sorry for him really as by rights he should be a double British Champion by now but it’s racing, it’s the same for everyone but he’s just been very unlucky. That’s the negative of the showdown.”

“The showdown was brought in after Leon Camier steamrolled everyone and they didn’t want that to happen again. They wanted to avoid the championship being boring.  Last year, did it work very well? Again plus and minuses for both sides of that one. It definitely needed a shake up and now it keeps the championship interesting doesn’t it? I’m yet to work out whether it’s going to be better or worse but we shall see. ”

British Superbike Updated Points Structure

Racing Armchair: I listened to the Off Track Podcast with Leon Haslam (Click and listen here) and he was quite vocal about the electronic differences between BSB (with no electronics) and World Superbikes (with full electronics) and how that will affect the younger riders from trying to move up to the world scene. Do you think riders from BSB are hindered by a lack of electronic aids?

James Haydon: I understand exactly what Leon was saying. Usually with the full electronics, it’s so different in ways like how you can use the throttle? How much you can trust it? It takes some learning, because if you come off a BSB spec system with no electronics and are straight onto a World Superbike with full electronics, you can’t suddenly just expect to jump on and ride it in the same way.  You have to learn to trust it and the longer you’ve been in BSB, the harder it will be in some ways to jump on one and go. Likewise, the opposite way round is hard too when you go from using electronics to not using them”.

“The thing we found was the electronics cost a fortune to run. You need a proper engineer. You need a proper data man who’s going to study everything that needs studying and on top of that, the systems themselves are expensive. There’s no two ways about it, they do take something away from the riders. I think one of the reasons BSB is so exciting is these riders are going around with no electronics. I love Leon. He’s a great friend of mine but for him and people like Tom Sykes to come back from WSBK where they’ve been sort of spoiled with that extra blanket of electronics, it does make it harder for them.”

“I can remember the first time I saw an electronics package working in the flesh. 2004, I was on a Yamaha and funnily enough it was Leon on the Airwaves Ducati that year. He was running electronics and we weren’t. We were riding in the damp at Brands Hatch and while I was taking a corner, right on the edge of grip, Leon came around the outside of me and opened the throttle and just rode away. So I came back into the pits and spoke with Rob Mac and basically said “I’ve just witnessed those Ducati electronics and we are going to need something like that or we won’t be able to compete.”

“The thing is now the bikes have so much power, they’re very difficult to ride without the electronics. They’re designed from the factory with full electronics even as a road bike. So I can see both sides. As a rider, if you’ve grown up without them, then getting on a bike with them is going to be very hard but you’ll learn it. The problem being if you let electronics back in, where do you draw the line? A basic system almost like a controlled electronics package? It would have to be a standard, cheap package that would have to be the same parameters and settings for everyone but I do think it would take something away from the show. You always see the best riders rise to the top.  With electronics it would be about who’s got the best package or even who’s got the most money.”

Racing Armchair: So we think it’s a good thing for the experienced riders in BSB who probably aren’t looking to step up to SBK, but how does it effect the younger riders like your Max Cook’s / Davey Todd’s / Jack Scott’s? Think back to Hicky and Taz at Donington SBK when they entered as wild cards. Do you think the lack of electronics shines a negative light on the skill set of BSB riders as it’s too much faffing about trying to set up when you and the team aren’t used to it?

James Haydon: “It’s true it’s much harder to do it all in one race. There’s no way you can get it all setup just for the one round either. It’s unfortunate as back in the day, you did a wild card and as long as you were on the good stuff, you were usually pretty competitive but with the rules we have now, you’re not. It’s all for a good reason though. It keeps the racing good but most important of all it keeps the racing affordable. We’ve never had so many competitive teams in BSB so again it’s swings and roundabouts. It’s unfortunate it doesn’t translate well in a wild card, but it does allow such a broad scope of person to be competitive in BSB. Although it’s much easier to go from no electronics to having them, than it is to go from having them to not.

Racing Armchair: I think someone like Stuart Higgs (BSB Series Director) probably has one eye on moving talent up, but am I right in thinking that his priority is to ensure BSB itself thrives first and foremost?

James Haydon: “Very much so. That’s what it does and that’s what it has done. Thrive. Yes it’s a bit harder for the stars moving up but then again that’s part of it. That’s BSB. I mean when you look at some of these packages now, like in MotoGP or World Superbikes, companies like Ducati, you can see how extensively good their package actually is and how in harmony the motorcycle works. We are in a good time of racing right now in all classes. It’s really interesting.”

“We do have to be a little careful with some of it. Careful with the aero not to allow the bikes to get to the point the aero is so invasive it stops good racing. Changing the feel of the front tyres. Not being able to follow closely like we see in Formula One, that’s the last thing we need for bikes. People talk about development for the future but on the road, these aerodynamics are all but irrelevant. Yes ok they work on the track but how far do you want to go? They need to cap that before it gets out of control. Imagine getting to a point when following a rider in front you have to drop back before you can attack. What’s the point in that? We have to carefully balance these things and not get into a situation where they ask “is it the best person that won or the best bike”? We are in a delicate position at the moment where technology might not allow the best talent to shine”.

Pecco Bagnaia – Moto GP Image

Racing Armchair: Well speaking of talent shining, who of the rookies have you got your eyes on?

James Haydon: “There’s a couple. Max Cook for one really impressed in the Superstock. He was consistent and quick. I was impressed when he stepped onto the Supersport bike too. Into the top class, no mistakes. Not throwing the bike down the road. Just quick. He looks a right talent to me. He’s got a great team around him. Lee Jackson is quick. The team are very friendly and won’t put a great deal of pressure on him to do too much too soon. I think that’s a great little setup for Max. As long as he keeps his feet on the ground and sets realistic goals, it’s a really good opportunity for him to be able to miss a class and jump straight in. Very exciting!”

Max Cook – Cheshire Mouldings FS-3 Kawasaki

“Bradley Perie did really well in the 600’s. He’s a complicated rider, mentally. I really like the cut of his jib. He’s a bit bonkers and I’d like to see him do well. It’s really nice to see the progression of these people stepping up from the support classes like him and Jack Kennedy. Jack dominated the 600’s and he’s got nothing more to prove there at all. Some of the 600 riders needed to step up. If you spend too long riding a 600 you end up stuck in this situation where you ride everything like a 600. Rolling corner speeds rather than standing the bike up and firing it out of the corner. You can spend too long on a 600 and that can hamper your superbike development”.

Bradley Perie and Lee Hardy – Lee Hardy Racing Kawasaki UK Image

“I also like Jack Scott. I’ve been impressed with him and the job that he did so I think someone like Jack will have a good season. Hopefully they all have a good season. These Superbikes, they’re naughty things and it doesn’t take a lot to get it wrong so I just want everyone to build and learn, safely.”

“I think it’s great for the championship because it did get a little bit stale in some ways. Last year felt like a real changing of the guards in some ways. That’s really important because we have seen the same names in BSB for years. Like World Superbikes, you see them [other riders] moving around you’re thinking “What are you doing? If you couldn’t beat Johnny Rea on that bike, you’re not going to beat him on this bike instead!” It’s been like 5+ years and it’s taken new talent coming in, namely Toprak, plus experienced guys like Bautista. You see it and you think “I can’t believe some of these guys are still in there and still doing it!” Make the change, try someone new, get some new talent in!”

Racing Armchair: So on the theme of the experienced guys also moving teams, how do you see Josh Brookes getting on at FHO BMW this year?

James Haydon: “Fascinating! For the last couple of years he seems to have really struggled. I don’t think the bike has been anywhere near as bad as he made it look. Just look at Sykes. When he had his head in gear at Donington, he just went out and won. I asked the team at the time, “What have you done?” and they were like “Nothing!” while scratching their heads. It’s just that Tom felt happy that day and that’s that.”

“It’s difficult to know with Brookes. He’s getting older and it can change you a little bit. I’m really not sure if his best is behind him and he’s on the way down and maybe this is where he is now, but he thought the problem was the Ducati and decided he needed a change of team and swapped bikes, giving it another go on something else. I wouldn’t say the BMW is the easiest of motorcycles but Hicky has ridden it very well this last few years and Josh was fastest in recent tests. I think it’s going to be very interesting. I really like Josh Brookes and think he has been amazing in this championship. He’s been a champion for us and he’s been super fast but he’s struggled this last few years, some of it seemed in his own head if you ask me, but he needed the change to prove to himself one way or the other. I think we will just have to wait and see.”

Racing Armchair: How do you see some of the other moves panning out, such as Glenn Irwin and Tommy Bridewell to Paul Bird on the Ducati?

James Haydon: “Well Glenn has ridden there before. Glenn is a fiery character and Birdy is not too easy either. Tommy Bridewell is also a fiery character so that is a fascinating one to play out. I really hope they all make it to the end of the year together! One thing Birdy does, even though he’s a hard team boss, he gives you an amazing motorcycle and an amazing team. I am a big fan of Paul Bird and everything he has done for the sport. Glenn and Tommy? I can see fireworks and kicking off in that team quite easily. They are both hard, tough riders. Tommy has been in a one-man team for for the last few years and it will be a different feel at Birdy’s but Bridewell needed a change. He still on a Ducati. He’s been top Ducati most of the time and I can see why Birdy looked at him. I think if they all get off to a good start, they’ll be ok but if they struggle a bit, I think there will be fireworks.”

Racing Armchair: Ryan Vickers at OMG is going to be interesting.

James Haydon: “It’s kinda’ funny because I really rated Vickers a few years ago. He was like in the “Max Cook” shoes with a very promising start but he seems to keep having loads of big crashes, silly ones very early on during the races and he just seems to be trying too hard. He’s lost his way, lost his mojo. He’s struggled but that Yamaha R1 is a great motorcycle. It dominated last year. OMG and McAMS bikes have got to be the easiest package spread across all the circuits. Ok they might not be great in any one area but they’re so good in all the areas and the teams are really impressive. OMG have impressed how quickly they have come to the forefront.”

“Kyle Ryde will be a good benchmark for Vickers. I was disappointed with Kyle Ryde last year. I didn’t think he was consistent enough. He was very hit and miss. He can be super quick but there are question marks on how much he wants it and the effort he puts in away from the track. Both Kyle and Ryan are in a team that can win the championship and it’s going to be very interesting. I hope Vickers has a good year. I like him as a rider and I want to see the young British talent doing well. He’s been lost and I hope he finds his way again. I think Kyle Ryde is going to be a nice team mate for Vickers but Kyle needs to step up now. He’s got everything he needs to win that Championship but it comes down to how hard he works.”

Racing Armchair: So who’s your money on for the Championship?

James Haydon: “Oh it’s such a difficult one. You have to look at the Yamahas. Don’t write off Jason O’Halloran. He’s always been so fast and so consistent but he has to ensure he doesn’t have issues with the showdown, mentally, because it’s always been so cruel to him the last few years. He’s one of the favorites. I think he’s on his own in McAMS. Tim Neave hasn’t shown anything to be able to say he’s going to come in and challenge for the championship just yet but then neither has his brother Tom, in the Honda Racing UK camp.

“Christian Iddon in the Oxford Products garage is in a great, one-man team who will really be loved and really appreciated there. He could easily challenge for the championship.”

Christian Iddon – Image Vision Track Ducati 2020-2021

“Glenn [Irwin] is always going to be there or thereabouts. Last year it was amazing he was there in the showdown as he had been missing for most of the year but then the showdown came along and went his way, next thing he’s in second overall.”

“Danny Kent. We haven’t mentioned him yet. He’s gone really well in testing on his Honda. He’s a quick rider. If he can get his confidence going, he could be really good”. Speaking of Honda, Davey Todd. He could win a race and get on the podium but I’m not sure he will have enough for the whole championship but I certainly see him being a showdown man.”

“Tommy Bridewell is going to be there or thereabouts as will Lee Jackson. Lee is very good but he’s just missing that small bit of ultimate ruthlessness, killer instinct to actually win the championship but I would love to be proven wrong by him. We have so many great names in there like Danny Buchan and lots of other great guys like Hickman.”

Racing Armchair: Come on James, you’ve named nearly everyone there. If you had a cheeky £10 on it now, who would you put it on?

James Haydon: If I had to put the house on it, I’d say O’Halloran. He’s been the most consistently fast man in the championship and I think you can’t deny him. He’s dominated but things just haven’t gone his way but he’s showed his speed and the fact Taz and Brad have moved to World Superbikes, Jason will see it as a golden opportunity. So I’d just have him a nose in front of the rest.”

“I can’t wait really. It’s exciting and I just hope we all have a good weekend and the weather is nice it should be absolutely brilliant!”

Jason O’Halloran – Image McAMS Yamaha

Silverstone BSB Round 1 this weekend. As James says, it’s going to be a very exciting event.

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Not just a Road Racer! Davey Todd and the Milenco By Padgetts Motorcycles Honda for 2023.

Davey Todd, the reigning Pirelli National Superstock 1000 Champion this year steps up to the British Superbike series along with his team, Milenco by Padgettts Honda after a successful assault on the Superstock Championship in 2022.

Davey Todd – Image Courtesy of Official BSB

Clive Padgett and the whole squad have made the leap up alongside fan favorite, Davey Todd to BSB. Multiple road race winner and Isle of Man TT podium finisher, Davey is keen to set the record straight for anyone wondering, not only does he intend to take British Superbikes very seriously, it’s just as important as his beloved road racing and he plans to give both disciplines the full commitment they deserve.

I caught up with him to see what’s on his mind and where his head is at.

Racing Armchair: So let’s talk BSB…

Davey Todd: “It’s nice actually because a lot of the media attention comes at you from the Road Racing because everyone looks at me like a TT rider. You usually get everyone coming at you from that direction as opposed to anything else. When you do alright in British Superbikes, people are watching you because of the roads and then they’re usually shocked that you aren’t “just a road racer” which I’ve been trying to prove for a bit now.”

Racing Armchair: Meaning a lot of people think you only crossed over because of Covid and there being a lack of road racing? 

Davey Todd: “Actually more so being that I’ve actually only done a full season in the British paddock once in my life [prior to 2022] and that was in Stock 600 in 2016. Since then I’ve done the roads, because I was given an opportunity there, but no one would even give me a chance in BSB so it wasn’t because I didn’t want to be there.”

“I love road racing but I also love short circuit racing and never wanted to come out of it. Ever since leaving in 2017 I’ve wanted to be back and worked on the opportunities to return. By that point, I had started to do well on the roads and people just treat you as a road racer and ask things like “Oh are you just coming back to do a few rounds to get yourself up to speed for the roads?” and it’s like, no! I want to be a short circuit racer but people don’t seem to believe that. The road racing alone isn’t my goal. Don’t get me wrong, I want to do the roads. I love it. I want to do the TT too but I also want to be a short circuit racer.”

Racing Armchair: So the plan then is to do both properly, rather than choosing one over the other? 

Davey Todd: Exactly. “I will be working just as hard at both of them, side by side. I feel I have a good team around me to do that too. Padgetts are experienced on both sides, albeit a bit more on the roads but they know how it works in BSB paddock. The team haven’t been in the British Championship for something like 10 years, then we came back last year and won the Superstock Championship. For sure it’s a big step up to Superbikes but there’s no reason why we can’t do it. The team build superbikes for the road, while they’re a little bit more ‘stock’ than most bikes in BSB I think, but we work with what we’ve got and we’ll see how we get on.”

Davey Todd – Image Courtesy of Official BSB

Racing Armchair: Would it be fair to say, with your experience on the Superbikes from the Road Racing, you’re not as worried about the step up to Superbikes this year?

Davey Todd: In a way, but I wouldn’t say I’m worried about the step up really. It’s a new venture but mainly for people who haven’t used MoTec (electrical systems). Me and the team throughout the testing sessions we have just been learning the MoTec systems which is probably the biggest part of jumping up to BSB. The fact that everyone thinks getting used to no traction control, no anti-wheelie and no electronic aids is the thing as is the case with MoTec, but I’ve never used any of that stuff anyway. I’ve always preferred to ride with nothing. I think that step will definitely make it easier for me but then a lot of other things are different with the step up. Believe it or not the tyre size change [from Superstock to Superbike] not even the fact we change to a slick tyre, but the size itself is different size which creates a different feeling. On top of that there’s also the racing to get used to with a new schedule. 3 races per weekend etc.”

Racing Armchair: Have you changed the training routine for the Superbike v the Superstock? Do you need to be even stronger?

Davey Todd: “No not necessarily. It’s a common thought, but these days it really isn’t a thing. Yes the races are a little bit longer [than Superstock] but it’s only like 2 – 4 laps and yes there’s an extra race per weekend but people go on about the power difference but there isn’t really now. The Superstock bikes are so good these days and all over 200bhp in stock trim anyway, so any engine builder can give you like 250bhp but then you can’t ride them because we still have no traction control, no anti wheelie like they do in World Superbikes and the biggest difference in SBK is they have the electronic intervention. We don’t have that at all in BSB so that power is just not going to be useable.”

“You hear a lot of riders run the engines basically stock, or just over stock power. Not really a big difference. The bike feeling is pretty similar, it just does everything that little bit better and you can fine tune it all. You have a bit more grip. A bit more edge grip. You can stop the bike a bit faster. Your riding style has to change a tiny bit to get the most out of the tyres [on a Superbike]. The lap times we did last year in Superstock, a lot of the time were only like a second a lap off what they were doing in Superbikes. There’s really not a lot in it.”

Racing Armchair: Has there been any set expectations from the team or just suck it and see? 

Davey Todd: “No. There’s never any expectations from Clive and the team. The atmosphere there is very much on the relaxed side of things. They’re so laid back and REALLY passionate about racing and wanting to do well. But Clive couldn’t be any more laid back. He’s an awesome team boss. Whether it is going out for a test session at the start of the year in Spain, or it’s sat on the start line in the Senior at the Isle of Man TT, he says the same thing to me, “Go out and enjoy yourself”. That says everything you need to know.

Davey Todd – Image Easi-Grip Racing Products

“There’s never any pressure from the team to do anything. We are all there to do as good as we can though. It’s not like if Clive says “Can you ride a bit harder” you actually do ride harder because you are already riding as fast as you can go. It’s not like you need someone telling you to speed up, certainly not me anyway. Any pressure on me comes from myself, no one else. In the same breath though, we aren’t in the championship to make up the numbers. I didn’t want the step up for the team to be going out and scoring a couple of points. I want to be competitive and the team think they can be and I agree with them. I’m really excited to find out!”


Thanks for your time Davey. Good luck with the start of the season this weekend from all the team at Pitcrew Online.

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Rapid CDH Racing Kawasaki rider Jack Scott excited for BSB Round 1

Rapid CDH Racing Kawasaki are partnering this year with Jack Scott along side the returning Liam Delves.

Jack Scott Rapid CDH Kawasaki – @jackscott555 Instagram

Jack joins the team as the reigning Quatro Group British GP2 Champion, having won the series in 2022, taking a whopping 14 victories within the GP2 Class on board the RS Racing Kalex.

After 71 podiums within the British Paddock during his tenure, Jack will debut in the Superbike class at the upcoming Silverstone round.

Team Owner Dean Hipwell recently said of Jack: “We were pleased to announce the signing of Jack for 2023. He impressed us during the 2022 season with some good rides against the main Supersport field.”

Jack Scott Rapid CDH Kawasaki – @jackscott555 Instagram

I caught up with Jack to see what his mindset is prior to the Silverstone round and he was very upbeat about the task ahead. Excited, nervous, but most of all eager to get on with the job.

Racing Armchair: Are the nerves kicking in?

Jack Scott: “Definitely. We had a good test out in Spain. I had a little bit of a crash on day two which isn’t ideal. Then we came back to the U.K and it rained throughout testing. We didn’t really get much running time in the dry at all so the nerves are definitely kicking in for this weekend. I want to get the first race under my belt, see where we stand and go from there.”

Racing Armchair: Stepping up from GP2 to British Superbikes, is it nice to be off the hook somewhat on the food intake and allowing you to engage the strength training / muscle building etc?

Jack Scott: Yes 100%. Not just in GP2 but throughout my whole career, being a tall guy I have always had to keep and eye on my weight. Moving on to a superbike, it’s not so much of a worry with 230+ brake horse power. Being 6ft2 it’s also nice to be on a bike that actually fits me rather than being too big for it. Not so much worried about weight, but I can now do a lot more strength exercises and lots of cardio. I mean it’s obvious I can’t be at McDonalds all the time, but it’s nice not to be worried about being able to treat yourself once in a while.

Racing Armchair: In terms of expectations, what conversations have you had with the Team Management?

Jack Scott: “So far the team has been really relaxed. Dean [Dean Hipwell – Team Owner] has said let’s just learn the bike and you have to also remember it’s a brand new team to me. It’s a whole new environment so I have to learn who everyone is and all the stuff that comes with that. Dean has expectations on my training, as in he expects me to train hard, as I am going from two races a weekend up to three now on the superbikes, which is obviously a big difference and the races are longer in length, more laps etc. But he hasn’t put any pressure on me yet. It is my first season in the BSB and think if you pile the pressure on early,  you are going to end up really de-motivated. Every racer is here to win but that’s the highest of expectations. Obviously once we get the first few races under our belt, we will have more of an idea of where things stand.”

Racing Armchair: On the amount of rookies stepping up to BSB this year, do you think that will add to the pressure?

Jack Scott: “Me and Dean had the conversation about the rookie element and I know the media have picked up on it too. The Rapid CDH Team’s stance on that is you can’t put yourself under the pressure of trying to be “Top Rookie” because you aren’t going to perform as well overall. You have to take it race by race and not worry about what other people are doing. As I said, let’s get the first race underway and see what’s what.”

Jack Scott Rapid CDH Kawasaki – @jackscott555 Instagram

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Lining up along side Liam Delves, Jack is in a good position to benefit from the team’s experience and data collected over the last few seasons, especially from it’s owner Dean Hipwell who has spent years inside the paddock running his own team and racing under the same banner. Good luck to Jack being one of the new faces on the grid and we at the Pitcrew Online hope for a successful, safe season for him. Good luck Jack!

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2023 ARGENTINA MOTO3 GRAND PRIX – QUALIFYING

Following Daniel Holgado’s win at the last round in Portimao, all eyes were on the Tech3 rider coming into this qualifying round, but it was not to be for the first race winner of the season.

A damp third practice, meant the riders who were in the top 14 combined times from Friday, went through to qualifying 2 directly. So although Romano Fenati was the fastest on Saturday, Ayumu Sasaki topped the combined times before qualifying began.

When the track was dry, there was no other rider who came close to Sasaki and this was proven in the final moments of qualifying 2. He sat fifteenth on the timing board and following Jose Antonio Rudea’s fall, Sasaki knew that he needed to show his speed sooner rather than later.

Going out alone, Sasaki put together an almost perfect lap when considering the drying track and popped a 1:48.539 onto the time sheets giving him a second pole of the season. Sasaki was the only rider who made it into the 1:48’s.

Ayumu Sasaki pole setter for Autodromo Termas de Rio Hondo 2023 Moto3 Race. Image courtesy of IntactGP/R. Lekl & S. Wobser

Coming through from qualifying 1 was beneficial to Deniz Oncu as it gave him knowledge of the drying track, and this allowed him to slot himself into the middle of the front row. He did have to contend with some traffic on his fastest lap which meant that he finished 0.603’s slower than Sasaki.

Finishing off the front row was Diogo Moreira who used his track position to finish the session with a 1:49.214.

Ivan Ortola, who has the fastest time early on in the session, heads out the second row along with Jaume Masia and Tatsuki Suzuki.

The best rookie of the session was David Alonso in seventh after he was able to gain some time on the final lap he produced.

Scott Ogden produced a lap that slotted him into eighth on the grid and he will be using the confidence gained from his fast times in practice to help propel him up the field during the race. His teammate in the VisionTrack Team, Joshua Whatley starts 28th.

Andrea Migno is replacing Lorenzo Fellon who dislocated his shoulder in Portimao and Migno’s experience served him well allowing him to place his bike in ninth place.

Daniel Holgado was able to close out the session with a tenth-place finish in qualifying.

Kaito Toba was at the front of the pack, proving the tow for Oncu, and was often in some of the fastest groups during the session but could only finish the session in eleventh.

After coming through qualifying 1, Rueda was able to cross the line with only a few seconds left on the clock and pulled himself up the grid to thirteenth place.

After missing the start of the session, Collin Viejer was unable to progress any higher up the grid than 17th.

After topping the third practice session, Romano Fenati was only able to place his bike in 18th place.

2023 ARGENTINA MOTO3 GRAND PRIX – QUALIFYING RESULTS
POS RIDER NAT TEAM BIKE TIME
1 Ayumu Sasaki JPN Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP (Husqvarna) 1m 48.539s
2 Deniz Öncü TUR Red Bull KTM Ajo (KTM) 1m 49.142s
3 Diogo Moreira BRA MT Helmets – MSI (KTM) 1m 49.214s
4 Ivan Ortolá SPA Angeluss MTA Team (KTM) 1m 49.314s
5 Jaume Masia SPA Leopard Racing (Honda) 1m 49.344s
6 Tatsuki Suzuki JPN Leopard Racing (Honda) 1m 49.417s
7 David Alonso COL Autosolar GASGAS Aspar M3 (GASGAS) 1m 49.454s
8 Scott Ogden GBR VisionTrack Racing Team (Honda) 1m 49.545s
9 Andrea Migno ITA CIP Green Power (KTM) 1m 49.642s
10 Daniel Holgado SPA Red Bull KTM Tech3 (KTM) 1m 49.665s
11 Kaito Toba JPN SIC58 Squadra Corse (Honda) 1m 49.673s
12 Matteo Bertelle ITA Rivacold Snipers Team (Honda) 1m 49.678s
13 José Antonio Rueda SPA Red Bull KTM Ajo (KTM) 1m 49.766s
14 Stefano Nepa ITA Angeluss MTA Team (KTM) 1m 49.778s
15 Xavier Artigas SPA CFMOTO Racing PruestelGP (CFMOTO) 1m 49.904s
16 David Muñoz SPA BOE Motorsports (KTM) 1m 50.025s
17 Collin Veijer NED Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP (Husqvarna) 1m 50.028s
18 Ryusei Yamanaka JPN Autosolar GASGAS Aspar M3 (GASGAS) 1m 50.342s
19 Riccardo Rossi ITA SIC58 Squadra Corse (Honda) 1m 50.659s
20 Syarifuddin Azman MAL MT Helmets – MSI (KTM) 1m 50.784s
21 Filippo Farioli ITA Red Bull KTM Tech3 (KTM) 1m 50.838s
22 David Salvador SPA CIP Green Power (KTM) 1m 50.953s
23 Mario Aji INA Honda Team Asia (Honda) 1m 51.011s
24 Romano Fenati ITA Rivacold Snipers Team (Honda) 1m 51.358s
25 David Almansa SPA CFMOTO Racing PruestelGP (CFMOTO) 1m 51.697s
26 Taiyo Furusato JPN Honda Team Asia (Honda) 1m 51.729s
27 Ana Carrasco SPA BOE Motorsports (KTM) 1m 52.114s
28 Joshua Whatley GBR VisionTrack Racing Team (Honda) 1m 52.142s

Featured Image courtesy of IntactGP/R. Lekl & S. Wobser

 

MotoGP: Alex Marquez Claims Maiden Pole in Argentina

Alex Marquez battled his way through a rainy Q1 session, a crash and a burning bike to claim his maiden MotoGP pole at the Argentinian GP. He will be joined on the front row by Marco Bezzecchi and Pecco Bagnaia – it was the riders who made the brave move to use slicks tires on a drying track that came out on top.

Alex Marquez has made his way through all the barriers that Saturday could throw at him to secure himself pole position for the Sprint and Feature race at this weekend’s Argentinian GP. He came through a wet qualifying session, in which he crashed in the final minutes and then pulled off the track with a bike in flames, to lay down a stunning time of 1:43.881.

Just 0.172s behind him was last weekend’s podium sitter, Marco Bezzecchi on the Mooney VR46 machine. He has clearly capitalised on the momentum he found in the first race of the season.

Just behind them was reigning champion and championship leader, Pecco Bagnaia. He took his time warming up in the session but seemed to come alive during his final flying lap. He was also the first of a series of brave riders to try slick tires on the drying track.

It was a good day for Franco Morbidelli and Maverick Vinales who will line up on the grid in 4th and 5th respectively. Just behind them with be Johann Zarco in 6th, who many tipped for a pole position today, and Luca Marini in 7th. Rounding out the top 10 are Jorge Martin, Aleix Espargaro and Fabio Quartararo.

Image Credit: MotoGP
QUALIFYING 1

There were some big names in Qualifying 1 today – a session that saw rain falling for most of the 15 minutes. Those names included Fabio Quatararo, Jack Miller, Brad Binder and Alex Marquez. The first sessions started with a mistake from Quartararo as he went too deep in to turn 5 and ploughed into the kitty litter at quite some speed. Despite the mistake, Quartararo spent most of the session at the top of the timing sheets, having laid down a time of 1:47.397 with 9 minutes remaining on the clock.

Marquez then took over at the top with 3 and a half minutes remaining. With lots of other riders improving in the dying minutes of the session, including Fabio Di Giannantonio and Joan Mir, Quartararo’s progression to Q2 was looking uncertain. Miller took a riskier approach, only giving him one opportunity for a flying lap. That approach didn’t seem to work for the Aussie who was stuck in 5th, only to be demoted to 6th after Binder took 5th from him.

As the session ended, it was Alex Marquez and Quartararo in 1st and 2nd respectively and both were promoted to the Q2 session.

QUALIFYING 2

As Q2 started, the conditions were improving and the track was drying quickly. Despite that, the pack started on wet tires and all were quickly on the track to try and test out the conditions. As everyone completed their first flying laps, Johann Zarco was the first to take provisional pole, just ahead of the two Yamaha riders with Franco Morbidelli in 2nd and Quartararo in 3rd. Championship leader, Bagnaia, had a slow start to the session with his first flying lap leaving him in 8th.

With 6 minutes left on the clock, all the riders headed back to the pits with a few brave riders then opting that the track was ready slick tires. Of these riders was Bagnaia who was the first to explore the track conditions on slick tires – the bike kept twitching and wobbling underneath him and it looked like he had made the leap just a little too soon.

But the lap times started to tumble as the conditions improved and, as the chequered flag fell, it was those on slick tires who topped the timing sheets. Bravery paid off!

Feature Image Credit: MotoGP

Moto2: Argentinian GP Preview

celestino vietti and fermin aldeguer moto2

After last weekend’s curtain raiser in Portugal, the MotoGP circus heads to the Americas for the second round of the 2023 season.

The Autódromo Termas de Río Hondo, located in northern Argentina, will host what promises to be an exciting weekend of two-wheeled action. The 4.8km circuit will demand nothing but the the best from the riders. The circuit is seldom used outside of MotoGP and is expected to be extremely dirty. With teams still adapting to the new weekend schedule, the tricky conditions will only add to the unpredictability.

After cruising to victory in the first round, Pedro Acosta is being tipped by almost everyone to top the podium again. The former Moto3 champion has hit the ground running and will be looking to make amends after missing multiple races last season through injury. The 18-year-old threw down the gauntlet with a dominating ride in Portugal, he will be the man to beat this weekend.

Aron Canet was the only rider capable of matching Acosta’s pace in Portimão. The Spaniard finished 2nd for the 10th time in Moto2 and remains in search of his first win in the intermediate class. After finishing 4th in Argentina last season, it is certainly worth keeping an eye on him this weekend.

Last year’s winner, Celestino Vietti, will be hoping to replicate his success on Sunday. After a promising start to his 2022 campaign, the Italian rider had a tough time keeping his VR46 machinery upright. He crashed out of a number of races and his hopes of winning the Moto2 Championship faded quickly. After joining the newly formed Fantic Racing during the offseason, the 21-year-old will be hoping to build on his solid points finish last weekend in Portimão.

Vietti was joined on the podium last season by the Honda Team Asia duo of Somkiat Chantra and Ai Ogura. The latter missed the opening round in Portugal after injuring his wrist during the winter. The Japanese rider has been declared fit and will kickstart his campaign this weekend.

Another rider who impressed last time out in Argentina is 17-year-old Fermin Aldeguer. He stunned the field in qualifying, taking his maiden pole position at just 16 years of age. Unfortunately, the Spaniard crashed out whilst challenging Vietti for the lead, so there’s no doubt he’ll be chomping at the bit to get out on track.

The hopes of British fans will once again rest on the shoulders of Jake Dixon and Sam Lowes. The pair finished 6th and 7th respectively last weekend and both finished inside the top 10 on their last visit to Argentina.

According to the forecast, weather could play a key role throughout the weekend. Rain is likely to be a factor on Friday which will keep teams on their toes with showers a possibility on Sunday. Temperature’s are expected to be in the low-to-mid-20s. The race is scheduled to start at 12:15pm local time (4:15pm GMT).

Feature Image: MotoGP

Moto2: Acosta Dominates Season Opener

pedro acosta portuguese Moto2

Pedro Acosta, labelled by many as the favourite to become the 2023 Moto2 World Champion, vindicated those predictions with a flawless ride in the Algarve.

The Red Bull KTM Team Ajo rider barely broke a sweat enroute to the first of what is likely to be many race wins this season.

After a solid performance on Saturday, Czech rider Filip Salac earned his first pole position in Moto2. He was joined on the front row by Aron Canet, starting 2nd, and the aforementioned Acosta, starting 3rd.

It was Canet who led the field down to turn one on the back of a great launch, with Salac hot on his heels. The polesitter briefly recovered the lead at the start of lap two, before he was shuffled backwards by Canet and Acosta.

There were frantic scenes behind the leaders too, as Bo Bendsneyder was taken out by Alonso Lopez. The Spaniard was given a long lap penalty for his troubles. Moments later Acosta assumed the lead of the race – He would now hold it until the chequered flag was waved.

After joining the newly formed Fantic Racing over the winter, Celestino Vietti made some early progress before serving his double long lap penalty which was carried over from last season’s final race in Valencia.

With the lead pair pulling away from the rest of the field, Marc VDS rider Tony Arbolino muscled his way into third. He then set about the impossible task of reeling in both Acosta and Canet.

After a disappointing qualifying session, Britain’s Jake Dixon had made steady progress through the field. At the halfway stage he was enjoying a good battle with Moto2 rookie, Darryn Binder. The pair exchanged positions before leapfrogging Jeremy Alcoba. Moments later, a mistake from Binder caused him to slide off the asphalt. The South African was able to re-join the race.

Despite Canet’s best efforts, he wasn’t able to challenge Acosta and by the end of the race, the gap between the two was well over a second. The former Moto3 champion looked unstoppable, kickstarting his campaign in style with a flawless ride.

Canet, still in search of his first Moto2 win, finished 2nd for the tenth time in the intermediate class. It was an impressive performance from Arbolino who brought his Kalex home in 3rd.

The British riders had a good day. Dixon managed to claim 6th after making good progress from the fourth row on the grid. Sam Lowes finished just behind him in 7th. Rory Skinner built on his wildcard appearances last season. The Scotsman, now a fulltime rider in the class, finished in 22nd.

After his lap 15 fall, Binder recovered to finish 16th, just missing out on the points in his first Moto2 start. Moto3 graduates Sergio Garcia and Dennis Foggia looked impressive, finishing 15th and 18th respectively.

Feature Image: MotoGP

MotoGP: Bagnaia Cruises to Victory in Portugal

Our reigning MotoGP Champion, Pecco Bagnaia, has enjoyed a dream start to his 2023 season after taking a clean sweep in the first weekend of action. The Ducati rider has won Saturday’s Sprint Race before going on to dominate in Sunday’s Feature Race. He was joined on the podium by Maverick Vinales and Marco Bezzecchi.

After making history by winning MotoGP’s first ever Sprint Race on Saturday, Pecco Bagnaia has carried on his winning streak on Sunday, with victory at the Portuguese GP Feature Race. He took the lead on Lap 2 and, despite a good challenge from Maverick Vinales, he never looked back and took the chequered flag with a comfortable 0.68 second lead.

Our pole sitter, Marc Marquez, crashed out of the race on Lap 3. He made a huge mistake in the braking zone into Turn 3 and clipped the back of Jorge Martin, who was running in 3rd. As he went down, he clattered into the back of home hero Miguel Oliveira, running in 2nd, and brought him into the gravel with him. His injuries saw Oliveira stretched off track and taken to the medical centre – we are still waiting for an update on his condition. Martin was lucky to stay upright and rejoined the track in 16th, before crashing out of the race at Turn 2, on Lap 20 of 25.

Taking advantage of this drama was Maverick Vinales who carefully made his way through the incident and found himself up to 2nd, after starting 7th. He was quickly on the back of Bagnaia but didn’t quite have the pace to steal the lead from him. He ended the day in 2nd.

Marco Bezzecchi rounded out the podium spots with a well-earned 3rd place. He took 3rd from Jack Miller on Lap 6 but failed to close the gap on the leading pair. For much of the race, the battle for fourth was where the majority of the action was taking place, and Miller was a key part of this. He battled with Alex Marquez, Brad Binder, Aleix Espargaro and Johann Zarco for much of the race. However, on the final lap, Zarco bested all of them as he leap-frogged from 7th up to 4th with a late move. Alex Marquez, Binder and Miller were forced to settle with 5th, 6th and 7th respectively.

Image Credit: MotoGP

Fabio Quartararo had a difficult day starting in 10th, losing 5 places at the start and then fighting his way back up to end the race in 8th. He took that spot on the penultimate lap as Espargaro made a mistake that opened the door for the Frenchman.

With 6 riders failing to finish the race, all 14 finishers crossed the line to secure some points. Those non-finishers included Luca Marini who suffered his fourth crash of the weekend – a disappointing start to his season after such a consistent year in 2022 – as well as Fabio Di Giannantonio, who retired with mechanical issues on Lap 11, and Raul Fernandez, who crashed on the penultimate lap of the race.

After a perfect weekend, Bagnaia is sitting pretty at the top of the championship standings. Just behind him is Vinales, lagging behind by 12 points, and Bezzecchi, a further 9 points behind.

We only have to wait 7 days for the drama to continue, as the grid will be in action on the 1st and 2nd of April in Argentina.

Full Results:
1st Pecco Bagnaia Ducati Lenovo
2nd Maverick Viñales Aprilia
3rd Marco Bezzecchi Mooney VR46
4th Johann Zarco Prima Pramac
5th Alex Marquez Gresini
6th Brad Binder Red Bull KTM
7th Jack Miller Red Bull KTM
8th Fabio Quartararo Monster Energy Yamaha
9th Aleix Espargaro Aprilia
10th Alex Rins LCR Honda
11th Joan Mir Repsol Honda
12th Takaaki Nakagami LCR Honda
13th Augusto Fernandez GASGAS Tech3
14th Franco Morbidelli Monster Energy Yamaha
Championship Standings:
1st Pecco Bagnaia 37 points
2nd Maverick Vinales 25 points
3rd Marco Bezzecchi 16 point
4th Johann Zarco 15 points
5th Jack Miller 15 points

Feature Image Credit: MotoGP

MotoGP: Marquez Comes From Nowhere To Take Pole In Portugal

Marc Marquez has snatched pole position for the first race of the 2023 MotoGP season, in Portugal. He will be joined on the front row by reigning champion, Pecco Bagnaia, and Jorge Martin. 2023 is the first season to include Sprint Races, giving this qualifying session even more importance.

The 2023 MotoGP season may be starting with a new-look format, but there is a familiar name at the front of the grid after qualifying in Portugal. Marc Marquez, after coming through Q1 to then struggle in Q2, came from nowhere to lay down just one flying lap that took him from 12th to 1st. He set a lap time of 1:37.226, which is a new lap record for the circuit. With a Sprint Race later this afternoon, Marquez has given himself two pole positions for the weekend as qualifying sets the grid for both the spring and main races.

Joining him on the front row will be our reigning champion, Pecco Bagnaia. He was in the mix for the whole session and spent much of Q2 in provisional 3rd before his final lap saw him temporarily take pole position. Jorge Martin and his Prima Pramac Racing machine will line up in 3rd after a strong session.

Image Credit: MotoGP

Miguel Oliveira, who also had to make his way up through Q1, will start both of this weekend’s races in 4th, with Jack Miller in 5th. The Australian rider will be disappointed with 5th after spending the first half of the session in provisional pole. He then crashed at Turn 3, with 3 minutes left on the clock, and wasn’t able to fight back from there and was shuffled back to 5th as others riders were able to improve.

Enea Bastianini, who helpfully gave Marquez a tow that helped him to secure pole, will line up in 6th, ahead of Maverick Vinales in 7th and Marco Bezzecchi in 8th. The top 10 will be completed by Luca Marini and Johann Zarco in 9th and 10th.

It was a difficult day for Fabio Quartararo and Aleix Espargaro, in 11th and 12th respectively. Quartararo was consistently off the pace throughout Q2 and ended the day a whopping 0.694 seconds away from pole. Espargaro, just 5 minutes in to the session, went down at Turn 13 and struggled to recover from there.

In the previous Q1 session, Alex Marquez and Joan Mir were disappointed to not progress to Q2 after a strong session. Marquez faced a scary moment in the early stages of the session, nearly losing the front of the bike in the final sector but somehow managing to stay upright. The pair will line up 13th and 14th on the grid respectively.

Marc Marquez took a gamble in Q1 by staying in the pits for the second half of the session. He had already laid down a brilliant lap time – a new lap record at that time – and decided to save his tires by watching the final minutes of Q1 from the back of the garage. It clearly paid off as he enjoyed celebrating his pole position with the adoring Portuguese crowd.

Don’t forget, with the new format this weekend, this qualifying session has now set the grid for both today’s sprint race and tomorrow’s main race. Crew On Two will have all the updates you need!

FULL STARTING GRID:
1 Marc Marquez Repsol Honda
2 Francesco Bagnaia Ducati Lenovo
3 Jorge Martin Prima Pramac
4 Miguel Oliveira CryptoDATA RNF
5 Jack Miller Red Bull KTM
6 Enea Bastianini Ducati Lenovo
7 Maverick Vinales Aprilia
8 Marco Bezzecchi Mooney VR46
9 Luca Marini Mooney VR46
10 Johann Zarco Prima Pramac
11 Alex Marquez Gresini
12 Joan Mir Repsol Honda
13 Brad Binder Red Bull KTM
14 Alex Rins LCR Honda
15 Franco Morbidelli Monster Energy Yamaha
16 Takaaki Nakagami LCR Honda
17 Augusto Fernandez GASGAS Tech3
18 Raul Fernandez CryptoRNF
19 Fabio Di Giannantonio Gresini

Feature Image Credit: MotoGP

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