For the first time in the history of the intermediate class of grand prix motorcycle racing, the qualifying session in Qatar for the opening round of the 2019 Moto2 World Championship was split into two parts. In the same way as Moto3, the fastest fourteen riders from the combined free practice times would be joined in the pole position shoot-out of Q2 by the four fastest riders in Q1.
The four advancing riders from Q1 were: the Sky Racing Team VR46 duo of Luca Marini and class rookie Nicolo Bulega; Tetsuta Nagashima (ONEXOX TKKR SAG Team) and Iker Lecuona (American Racing KTM), the Spaniard the beneficiary of Fabio Di Giannantonio (+Ego Speed Up) having his fastest lap cancelled.
As in the preceding Moto3 Q2, there was some bunching out on track as riders looked to get a tow. However, the rider who took pole made his lap time on his own, and he did it over and over. Marcel Schrotter (Dynavolt Intact GP) took his first Moto2 pole position as a result of a 1’58.585, which followed a series of laps from the German which would have been good enough or pole.
Marcel Schrötter,gets the first pole of 2019 Moto2 Season. Image courtesy of Dynavolt Intact GP
In the end, Schrotter’s advantage over second place was 0.146 seconds, and it was over Xavi Vierge (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) who put himself in almost the perfect position for his debut with his new squad tomorrow.
Lorenzo Baldassarri (Flexbox HP 40) ensured it was three different nationalities on the front row of the first Moto2 round of the 2019 season, but also that it was a Kalex front row lockout for the first GP of the Triumph-powered era of the Moto2 World Championship. Baldassarri finished second in Qatar last season, and will hope that this good grid position will allow him to go one better this time round.
Fourth place went to Luca Marini after he made it through from Q1. The Italian could have been on the front row but a crash at turn two in the closing stages of the session put him out of contention.
Marini will be joined on the front row tomorrow by the two riders who arguably came into this season as the favourites for the race win: Remy Gardner (ONEXOX TKKR SAG Team) in fifth and Sam Lowes (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2) in sixth. Whilst both Lowes and Gardner would have perhaps hoped for more, the second row gives them a good position from which they can fight for the top positions.
Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Ajo) was the top non-Kalex rider as he put his KTM eighth place, between the two Kalex’s of Tom Luthi (Dynavolt Intact GP) – seventh on his Moto2 return – and Alex Marquez (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) who begins his fifth season in Moto2 from ninth on the grid.
Augusto Fernandez (Flexbox HP 40) will start tomorrow’s GP from tenth, ahead of Jorge Martin (Red Bull KTM Ajo) in eleventh. Martin had a crash midway through Q2, which limited his chances. Jorge Navarro (+Ego Speed Up) completed the fourth row.
Enea Bastianini has looked to have top ten pace all weekend, but could only manage thirteenth on his debut for the Italtrans squad. He will be joined by Tetsuta Nagashima and fellow rookie Nicolo Bulega on row five tomorrow.
After passing through Q1, Iker Lecuona qualified sixteenth, ahead of Andrea Locatelli (Italtrans Racing Team) – who like his teammate has shown better than his qualifying result throughout the weekend – and Bo Bendsneyder (NTS RW Racing GP).
Saturday in Losail for the first round of the Moto3 World Championship saw for the first time a segmented qualifying for the lightweight class. It would see the top fourteen riders from the combined free practice times compete in Q2 along with the four fastest riders from Q1.
The four fastest riders from Q1 were Celestino Vietti (Sky Racing Team VR46), John McPhee (Petronas SRT), Ai Ogura (IDEMITSU Honda Team Asia) and Raul Fernandez (Sama Qatar Angel Nieto Team). These would therefore fight it out for pole position in the second fifteen minute qualifying session, along with the fourteen fastest riders from the combined free practice times.
Although the new qualifying format for Moto3 was intended to reduce the amount of bunching on track, and to stop as many people waiting for a tow, the majority of the field – in both sessions – found themselves occupying the same 200 metres of track.
Aron Canet at Losail, Qatar 2019. Image courtesy of Gold and Goose/KTM
In the melee, Aron Canet (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team) managed to put together a strong lap, at the end of which he found a useful tow from Vicente Perez (Arizona Reale Avintia) with which he managed to set a time good enough for pole position. It was the perfect start to his partnership with Max Biaggi’s collaborative effort with Peter Oettl, and moreover the perfect way to start what he will hope to be a championship challenge.
Second fastest was Lorenzo Dalla Porta (Leopard Racing), just under two tenths shy of Canet’s time. The Italian has been largely under the radar for most of preseason and throughout the winter. However, let’s not forget that he took the first podium of his career in Qatar twelve months ago.
Completing the front row was Kaito Toba (IDEMITSU Honda Team Asia), for his first ever front row start in grand prix racing, and has had a good weekend so will be hoping to fight for the podium tomorrow.
John McPhee took fourth place from Q2 to start from the head of the second row, after a difficult start to the weekend (hence he went through Q1) the Scot seems to have turned it around, and has a good shot at making a good result tomorrow.
Niccolo Antonelli (Sic58 Squadra Corse) has been fast this weekend, despite falling twice (the first crash being the first of any grand prix rider this year). Fifth place gives him a good starting position for tomorrow, and he will hope to capitalise on that on a track at which he won in 2016.
Rounding out the second row for the first round of the season is Albert Arenas (Sama Qatar Angel Nieto Team).
Seventh fastest in Q2 was Tony Arbolino (Snipers Team), and he will be joined on the front row by Celestino Vietti in his first race as a full time grand prix rider and Vicente Perez – who is in a similar situation to Vietti.
The top ten was rounded out by reigning Moto3 Junior World Champion Raul Fernandez after he passed through Q1. He will be joined on the fourth row of the grid tomorrow by Romano Fenati (Snipers Team) – who should have been on the front two rows at least, but for a miscalculation in sending him out for the final run meant he didn’t get a flying lap in at the end – and the injured Gabriel Rodrigo (Gresini Racing).
Kazuki Masaki (BOE Skull Rider Mugen Race) took thirteenth place, ahead (provisionally) of Jakub Kornfeil (PruestelGP) who was seen blocking Kaito Toba mid-session. Ai Ogura impressively rounded out the fifth row on his debut as a full-time grand prix rider.
Dennis Foggia (Sky Racing Team VR46) will be disappointed with sixteenth place in the opening qualifying session of the season, as will Andrea Migno (Bester Capital Dubai) who was up inside the top ten before his lap was deleted. 2018 Valencia GP winner Can Oncu (Red Bull KTM Ajo) rounded out the sixth row.
This weekend the 2019 MotoGP World Championship begins in Qatar, under the lights of the Losail International Circuit.
Losail is an interesting circuit. The long front straight – one of the fastest of the season – means that power is necessary, but the intensity of the corners after that mean that a sweet handling chassis can also be of use, especially in the three fast right-handers towards the end of the lap.
Partly because of this good combination and partly because Losail is home to the final preseason test – allowing riders and teams to already arrive at a good setting before the Grand Prix weekend even begins – the Grand Prix of Qatar regularly throws up a good race. This year, there are predictions of a ten-rider battle for the podium.
Marc Marquez at the Qatar test 2019. Image courtesy of Box Repsol
Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team), is sure to be one of those riders fighting for the podium. It is slightly hard to believe that the reigning World Champion is about to embark on his seventh season in the premier class, and harder still, to believe that he could win his sixth title come the end of November. Regardless, the all-action Spaniard is not considered – by himself or anyone else – as a Qatar specialist. Marquez has never gone well in Doha – at least, not compared to other places. That said, he does have two wins to his name under the lights in 2012 – when he came back from his eye injury in Sepang 2011 to win – and 2014 when he won whilst with a fairly recently broken leg in a strong battle with Valentino Rossi. Marquez was also very close to the win last season, finishing just 0.027 seconds behind Ducati’s Andrea Dovizioso. With the additional power of the Honda this year, perhaps the Spaniard can reverse that deficit in 2019.
Marquez also suffered in preseason this year, and is still recovering from surgery on his damaged shoulder in December of last year. In a similar way, Marquez’s teammate, Jorge Lorenzo (Repsol Honda Team) had his preseason blighted by injury: a broken scaphoid, which he doesn’t expect to be fully recovered from until the championship heads back to Europe in May. That said, Lorenzo showed some impressive speed in the Qatar test, and should be able to make at least the majority of the race in the battle at the front.
Lorenzo’s record is good in Qatar, too. In fact, it is the best, with six wins across all classes in Qatar, starting back in 2004 when he beat Dovizioso to the 125cc win in what was then the heat of the midday desert sun. Lorenzo also holds the race lap record in Qatar, from 2016 when he rode the M1 to his most recent win at Losail. A repeat of that 2016 result would be a tough ask this time round, but it would be a surprise to not see Lorenzo figuring in the front group come Sunday night.
Jorge Lorenzo at the MotoGP Qatar test 2019. Image courtesy of Box Repsol
Losail was always the circuit which suited the Ducati best, back when it couldn’t turn in, or through a corner, and when it had concessions and softer tyres. In 2018, Andrea Dovizioso (Mission Winnow Ducati) finally delivered on the victory both he and the Desmosedici had been promising since 2015. Dovizioso was also arguably the most settled rider throughout preseason testing, and is probably the favourite for this race, despite two riders in particular having potentially better pace, because of the speed of the Desmosedici on the straight.
Whilst Honda have made gains in the motor department compared to Ducati, Yamaha and Suzuki have not. Suzuki have more power for this year, but they are still at a disadvantage to the Desmosedici in a straight line, and Yamaha’s engine development over the winter was primarily focused on using the tyre more efficiently compared to the last three seasons.
This means that whilst Maverick Vinales (Monster Energy Yamaha) – who topped the test in Qatar quite convincingly – and Alex Rins (Ecstar Suzuki Team) have arguably better pace than their rivals, their lack of straight line speed could make them easy prey for the likes of Dovizioso and Marquez in the straight.
Despite this, the pace the two Spaniards showed throughout testing – not just in Qatar, but in Sepang as well – means that they must be among the favourites for this weekends premier class Grand Prix.
Valentino Rossi (Monster Energy Yamaha) and Danilo Petrucci (Mission Winnow Ducati) should also be in the mix this weekend.
Valentino Rossi at the MotoGP 2019 Qatar test. Image courtesy of Yamaha Corporation
Rossi’s mood over preseason has been largely positive yet reserved, saying that Yamaha are on the right path but that they have more work to do. Vinales agrees with this, mostly, despite his superior pace. Even still, Rossi’s record (four premier class wins) in Losail means he will be expected to be fighting at the front this weekend. Additionally, Rossi has been on the podium in Losail each year since he returned to Yamaha in 2013, with the exception of 2016 when he finished fourth.
For Petrucci, there is a lot of pressure this weekend. It is his debut for the factory Ducati team, and he needs immediate performance. Fortunately for the Italian, his pace over the winter would suggest he is up to the task. He has showed on several occasions that he has the speed as well as the consistency to mean that the #9 Desmosedici GP19 will have a lot of expectation on it this season. The Italian does not have long to convince Ducati that they should keep him for 2020 – such is the nature of the MotoGP rider market – so a good result this weekend could be crucial.
Danilo Petrucci on his 2019 Ducati Desmosedici GP MotoGP bike at the Qatar test. Image courtesy of Ducati
As well as the factory riders, there are satellite rides who should have an eye kept on them this weekend.
Firstly, Franco Morbidelli (Petronas SRT Yamaha) has been impressive over the winter and could figure this weekend, although he appears to still be suffering with tyre life and acceleration issues.
Secondly, Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda) must always be considered as a potential front runner. However, the Briton is still suffering with his shattered right ankle – although it affects him less whilst riding – and a poor feeling with the front of the 2019 RC213V, a complaint echoed by Marquez. This will be a difficult weekend for Crutchlow, but it would be unfair to discount him at this stage.
The battle for rookie of the year also gets underway this weekend, of course. Francesco Bagnaia (Alma Pramac Racing) was second fastest in the Sepang test, half a tenth away from Danilo Petrucci’s new unofficial lap record, and had some promising race pace in Qatar.
Meanwhile, Fabio Quartararo (Petronas SRT Yamaha) came alive in Qatar, figuring often in the top five, and setting some impressive long runs, too.
Joan Mir (Ecstar Suzuki Team) has missed the headline times, but in many ways that is typical of Mir, who only has one pole position in his Grand Prix career, back in Austria 2016. Mir has, though, looked good on race pace.
Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) has not had the outstanding pace or speed of his three fellow rookies, owing largely no doubt to his machinery disadvantage – the KTM still very much in the early stage of its development – but compared to his KTM stablemates Oliveira has been impressive, setting comparative times to Johann Zarco (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and being relatively close to Pol Espargaro’s (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) times, too.
The battle for rookie of the year could be one of the most intriguing and exciting parts of the 2019 MotoGP season.
The Losail International Circuit plays host to the first round of the 2019 Moto2 World Championship this weekend.
After three days of testing for the Moto2 field last weekend, Sam Lowes (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2) has emerged as the favourite for the win – dominating the three days and ending 0.2 seconds clear of the field. With two difficult years it seems Lowes is ready to return to the front with the team in which he made his most successful season in Grand Prix racing back in 2016. The Brit has always been competitive in Qatar, even in his Grand Prix debut in 2014. Where he finished inside the top ten with the Speed Up team, and it seems as though this year could be his best opportunity to finally take the win in Qatar – a win which would somewhat fittingly see, a British rider win the first race of the Triumph-powered era of Moto2.
From the test it seems that Remy Gardner (ONEXOX TKKR SAG Team) could be Lowes’ closest challenger for the season opener, the Australian finishing third in the combined times of the test, and showing a good rhythm. Back on a Kalex for 2019, Gardner looks set for what could possibly be his best season in the Moto2 World Championship – a podium to open the year would be a good way to start that for the #87.
Between Lowes and Gardner in the Qatar test on the combined times was Tom Luthi (Dynavolt Intact GP) who returns to the intermediate class after a year with the Marc VDS team in MotoGP. Interestingly, this will be Luthi’s first season in Moto2 outside of the Interwetten team with whom he enjoyed so much success previously. He has, though, joined a very strong team in the Dynavolt outfit, who has won races in the past with Jonas Folger, and scored many podiums last season with Xavi Vierge and Marcel Schrotter.
Vierge, who has now joined the EG 0,0 Marc VDS squad is certainly a dark horse for the championship after some strong performances last season for Dynavolt. He looked strong in testing too, and goes to Qatar with hopes of a podium, no doubt.
The same could be said for his EG 0,0 Marc VDS teammate, Alex Marquez, who ended the three days in Qatar just under a tenth behind Vierge and has looked strong throughout preseason. The critical thing for Marquez this season is to stop crashing. Hitting the deck last year cost him the championship – it cost him points and cost him his confidence. The regulation change for Moto2 this season could provide the mental refreshment necessary for the Spaniard to make an assault for the championship.
Brad Binder, Qatar Moto2 test 2019. Image courtesy of Gold & Goose/Red Bull Content Pool
But, aside from Lowes, the championship favourites are almost universally agreed to be Luca Marini (Sky Racing Team VR46) and Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Ajo). Both were over half a second off Lowes’ time in the Qatar test, but have also looked strong since preseason testing resumed after the winter ban.
Interestingly, neither one of the three main championship contenders have achieved a victory in Qatar and, as such, there is a good possibility for the likes of Vierge, Luthi and Marquez to take an early advantage. As well as those three, Lorenzo Baldassarri and his Flexbox HP40 Pons teammate Augusto Fernandez could be in the battle this weekend, although Baldassarri was not particularly spectacular in testing at the weekend. Fernandez, on the other hand, was fourth fastest at the end of the three days, only three tenths off Lowes.
Perhaps the most interesting part of this weekend, though, as far as the intermediate class is concerned is the beginning of a new era. The powerless, screaming Honda CBR600RR engines will have officially been replaced on Friday by the torquey Triumph 765 three-cylinder motor. As well as change in sound, these engines have also produced changes in riding style. The torque of the new engine means that corner speed is not as vital as before to lap time; now it is possible to square corners off and still make lap times. This should result in better racing, as riders can send more risky passes knowing they aren’t going to be so slow on the straight as a result. On Sunday we will find out if this is the reality.
Featured Image courtesy of Gold & Goose/Red Bull Content Pool
The 2019 Moto3 World Championship gets underway this weekend at the Losail International Circuit in Qatar.
Since the inauguration of Moto3 in 2012, the Qatar round of the World Championship has been won five times by Honda riders, including the last four years. In fact, the only rider to have won in Qatar on this year’s Moto3 grid is Niccolo Antonelli (Sic58 Squadra Corse), who both won Qatar on a Honda back in 2016 and is riding a Honda this year.
Honda have had a lot of work to do over the winter to make up the ground they lost last year to KTM in the horsepower department. The KTMs last year had a particular habit of steaming past Hondas on the straights, especially after the French Grand Prix at round five and particularly in the hands of championship contender Marco Bezzecchi for PruestelGP. Reports from the riders would suggest that this work has been successful, John McPhee (Petronas SRT) commenting in Jerez that it is possible to use the low-down power of the Honda now to power out of a corner if you didn’t carry the corner speed.
Despite their 2018 speed deficit, Jorge Martin (with Gresini) ensured, that the Moto3 World Championship will be Honda’s to defend in 2019. As well as having made some progress with the bike over the winter, Honda have also got a very strong rider roster.
Lorenzo Dalla Porta (Leopard Racing) perhaps comes into this season as the championship favourite, after a strong and consistent 2018 which also featured his debut win at home – sort of – in Misano. Dalla Porta remains with the Leopard team for this year, and also stays aboard a Honda, and a strong preseason could mark him out as a favourite among favourites.
It will not be easy for Dalla Porta in 2019, he will have a lot of competition, and possibly primarily in the shape of Romano Fenati (Snipers Team). After a disgraced 2018, Fenati managed to get himself a ride back at the squad that fired him after Misano last year. Keen for redemption after last year, Fenati has wintered very quickly, ending the Qatar test last week two tenths clear of the field, lapping largely on his own. It seems Fenati has no intention to make his current stay in Moto3 as long as his last, and is by far the favourite for this weekend’s victory.
But Moto3 is never that simple and, even Dalla Porta aside, there will plenty of opposition from Fenati to overcome, starting with his own teammate, Tony Arbolino (Snipers Team), who was second fastest at the Qatar test last weekend and is coming off the back of an inconsistent 2018. Perhaps remaining in the same team for consecutive seasons will be a help for Arbolino, and after throwing away a chance at a first ever GP win last year in Valencia, the Italian will be keen to put that right at the first opportunity.
Aron Canet the KTM RC250 Qatar Moto3 test 2019. Image courtesy of Gold and Goose/KTM
The main KTM challenge this year looks as though it will be coming from Sterilgarda Max Racing Team’s Aron Canet, who moves away from Honda and Emilio Alzamora after a number of years in that camp. Canet has been impressive throughout the winter – not spectacularly fast, but enough for consideration. Canet finished second in Qatar last season, but is without a win since 2017. Now into his fourth season in the Moto3 World Championship, it is time for Canet to make his mark.
Of course, the speed of Canet – riding for Max Biaggi’s team – will have come much to the annoyance of the Sky Racing Team VR46. Valentino Rossi and Max Biaggi, of course, shared a famous rivalry in the early-to-mid-2000s, and that rivalry will in some ways be reignited this year with both of them in the Moto3 World Championship as team owners. Rossi’s Sky VR46 squad has been winless since it picked up KTM’s only win of 2017 with Andrea Migno in Mugello, and coming into this season would have been hoping for Dennis Foggia to be fighting for wins regularly and to make a charge for the title. In testing, however, Foggia has not shown that pace, and it looks like it is going to take a fairly large turnaround in fortunes for Rossi’s squad to end that winless run this season, and especially this weekend.
The final MotoGP preseason test of 2019 took place over the weekend in Qatar, with teams and riders looking to try any last new things they might have wanted to evaluate before the first Grand Prix – in Losail – which gets underway in just nine days’ time, as well as look for further confirmation on items tested in Sepang a couple of weeks ago and to prepare for the Grand Prix of Qatar.
It was Maverick Vinales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) who topped the combined times of the test, with a 1’54.208. Vinales had two tenths on the field, but was still six tenths shy of Johann Zarco’s outright lap record set in last year’s Q2 session at the Grand Prix itself. Vinales’ positive tune – which has been a constant since the post-season Valencia test last November – continued throughout the Qatar test. The Spaniard happy with the feeling he has on the bike, though still pointing out Yamaha’s need to improve on acceleration. It was this concern which was echoed by Vinales’ Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP teammate, Valentino Rossi, who sounded almost desperate after day two of the test. The Italian spent the second day trying some new things, and lost his direction, ending the day in nineteenth. He recovered on the final day, but feels he needs more to fight at the front. Overall the preseason has been positive for Yamaha, but we won’t find out exactly how positive until the paddock returns to Europe.
Marc Marquez and Jorge Lorenzo on the HRC Honda durring qatar preseason testing 2019. Image courtesy of HondaProRacing.
It has not been an easy preseason for Honda, with Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda MotoGP), Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) and Jorge Lorenzo (Repsol Honda Team) all suffering from injuries throughout the winter. This was made clear on the first day in Qatar, after which Marquez declared that the RC213V was a way behind its rivals. However, the strength of HRC’s package was shown on day two, when that deficit was erased, and Lorenzo and Marquez climbed the time sheets. Marquez has still yet to make a proper long run, as he is still nursing his left shoulder, but the laps he did put together showed him to be one of the strongest, which – of course – is a surprise to no one. In comparison, Lorenzo spent a lot of the test working on ergonomics, a big part of his success in Ducati. The sooner HRC can get him completely comfortable on the RC213V the sooner he will be able to fight for wins regularly.
The test was something of a disaster for Cal Crutchlow, who is missing some feeling with the front of the 2019 RC213V – an area which has been worked on over the winter to try to stress the front tyre less under braking. Another issue which was affecting Crutchlow in Losail was the size of the boot on his injured ankle, because he could not use the rear brake properly. Things like that should get easier, in theory, for Crutchlow over the course of the season, but his feeling on the bike is something which could prove more problematic for the Brit in the longer term.
Andrea Dovizioso & Danilo Petrucci riding the Ducati Desmosedici GP19s in Qatar testing. Image courtesy of Ducati.
Ducati’s test was mixed, with Mission Winnow Ducati duo Andrea Dovizioso and Danilo Petrucci both featuring in the top four on day one in Qatar, and Petrucci in fourth as well on the second day. However, by the end of the test, only one Desmosedici figured in the top ten, that of Petrucci. Meanwhile, fellow GP19 runners, Dovizioso and Jack Miller (Alma Pramac Racing) were in fifteenth and eleventh, respectively. Dovizioso admitted to a misdirection on the final day in Doha, whilst Miller was content with his performance, and is positive about his chances for the season opener, as is Danilo Petrucci who showed impressive pace and consistency on his long runs.
Perhaps one of the things which helped Petrucci in the long runs is the new piece of aerodynamics debuted by Ducati in Qatar, which appears to direct air towards the rear tyre, keeping it cool. As the heaviest rider on the grid, Petrucci stresses the tyre more than any other, which is exacerbated by the Desmosedici’s massive horsepower (although it must be noted that, looking at speed traps, Honda seem to have completely erased their deficit to the 90-degree L4 motor in the GP19). The additional stress caused by Petrucci’s weight means he builds heat in the tyre more than any other rider, and it is this which limits the Italian the most, so any method Ducati can come up with to keep the rear tyre cool is welcomed with open arms by the number nine.
One of the most impressive preseason performers has been Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) on his GSX-RR. After day two in Qatar, the 2013 Moto3 runner-up had featured inside the top two in four of the five days of testing and shown impressive race pace in both Losail and Sepang. Day three in Qatar saw Rins fall outside of the top ten, just as he had in Sepang, but there is no doubting the impressive gains made by Suzuki over the winter, and Alex Rins is clearly all too ready to take advantage of those. In Doha there was a new split-pipe exhaust for Rins to try (similar to those seen in Moto2 in the last couple of years). This may not have given an improvement in absolute power, but the top end gains made in the motor department of the GSX-RR over the winter may have prompted the engineers back in Hamamatsu to design a new exhaust to make that power more manageable.
Aprilia had a new fairing to try in Qatar, and also had the privilege of an Andrea Iannone (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) who was fully fit to ride in all three days. Additionally, Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) was able to be fast, despite admitting that he had to push the limits of the bike to be competitive. So far, though, Aprilia’s reversion to 2017’s RS-GP design appears to be working, and they look set for a decent 2019.
Joann Zarco KTM RC18 Qatar Test February 2019. Image courtesy of Gold and Goose/KTM
KTM, like Ducati, had a mixed test. Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) showed impressive speed throughout the three days, and reaffirmed his position as KTM’s strongest rider at the moment. His factory KTM teammate, Johann Zarco, however, seemed to take a step back from where he was after Sepang, and was only nineteenth at the close of the three days. There is clearly still a lot of work to do for the Frenchman with the RC16 before he is truly comfortable with it, but in Sepang he showed what his potential with the bike is, and both he and KTM should use that as encouragement going forward.
If nothing else, preseason testing showed us that the fight for top rookie this season will be spectacular. Francesco Bagnaia (Alma Pramac Racing) produced a brilliant hot lap in Sepang with his Ducati GP18 and went on to impress in race trim in Doha, ending the test thirteenth in the combined times, ahead of Dovizioso. Whilst Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) had some impressive speed in Qatar aboard his Suzuki GSX-RR.
Additionally, Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha SRT) was second in the Qatar test combined times, only two tenths from Maverick Vinales, and showed good speed on the long runs, too. Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) may not be able to challenge the likes of Mir, Quartararo or Bagnaia on a regular basis this season, owing at least in part to his machinery, the progress the Portuguese has made over the winter has been impressive, and he is now clearly faster than teammate Hafizh Syahrin (Red Bull KTM Tech 3), and ended winter testing only 0.057 seconds slower than Johann Zarco. This year’s rookie battle might be the most exciting in recent memory.
With testing now complete before the season proper gets underway with free practice one at the Losail International Circuit on March 8th, the factories will now be sifting through the data gathered over these three days in Qatar to try and arrive at the Grand Prix in the best shape possible. It is not long now until we find out the reality of the order for the 2019 MotoGP World Championship.
Featured image courtesy of Yamaha Motor Racing Srl
Two wins from the first two races of the weekend made Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) the favourite for the third and final race of the opening weekend of the Superbike World Championship in Phillip Island.
Of course, winning the Superpole race earlier in the day gave Bautista pole position for the second full-length race of the weekend, and the power of the Ducati allowed him to make the holeshot. Having gotten through turn four in the lead, it was a clear run for the #19, and it wasn’t long until he had broken clear of the pack. They wouldn’t see him again until the cool-down lap.
Whilst Bautista was escaping at the front, Leon Haslam (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) had passed his teammate, Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) for second place, whilst Marco Melandri (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK) was attempting to join the battle.
Haslam led Rea and Melandri for around half the race before the reigning World Champion decided to make his move. Rea passed Haslam into turn one with ten laps to go, but was unable to break away. The battle that followed between the KRT teammates allowed Melandri to arrive on the back of the two ZX-10RRs, and it was not long before Michael van der Mark (Pata Yamaha WorldSBK) had joined the scrap as well.
With time running down in the second full-length race of the day, van der Mark made his move on Melandri for fourth, and it was at this point that the two Yamaha riders started to drop back from the Kawasakis.
As the Kawasaki duo escaped from the Yamahas behind, Rea’s advantage over Haslam became more apparent – it simply looked as though he had more tyre left. Haslam had tried to chase Bautista in the first couple of laps, presumably trying to contain the Spaniard’s pace as Rea had tried in the Superpole race. This cost Haslam some grip towards the end of the race and it is this which cost Haslam the second place.
The second place was important for Jonathan Rea. With Bautista being so dominant it was important for the Northern Irishman to do a good job of damage limitation, and to lose only twelve points could be crucial for his championship.
Third place for Leon Haslam was his second of the day after making the same result in the ten-lap Superpole race earlier in the day, and made up for his crash whilst battling with Rea in race one which cost him a shot at the podium. Despite it not being a perfect weekend for the Englishman, Haslam comes away from his return to the World Championship after three years away with two podium finishes – a strong base for the #91 to build from.
Van Der Mark, Lowes and Melandri 2019 WorldSBK – R1 Phillip Island. Image courtesy of Yamaha Corporation
Michael van der Mark and Marco Melandri were joined by the end of the race by Alex Lowes (Pata Yamaha WorldSBK). It was van der Mark who came out on top of the trio, something important for the Dutchman having been beaten by his stablemates in the two previous races of the weekend.
Lowes managed to make it a Pata Yamaha WorldSBK 4-5 by passing Melandri on the final lap and forcing the Italian to settle for sixth.
The battle between these three riders has the potential to be a very interesting fight this season, with all having an apparently similar level and speed and of course equal machinery.
Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) made progress overnight and finished race three in seventh place, 26.823 seconds behind his teammate. It is going to be a long season for Davies, but with the most confidence demanding track on the calendar out of the way, the Welshman will be hoping that it will only get better from here.
Only seven tenths back of Davies was Sandro Cortese (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK). The German’s performance should not be underestimated were it not for Bautista’s performance on the WorldSBK debut, there would undoubtedly be a lot of attention surrounding the German. Whilst he was twenty-seven seconds back of the winner, Cortese was only twelve seconds away from van der Mark – the top Yamaha – in fourth place, and this is something from which the rookie can take a lot of confidence.
Ninth place went to Eugene Laverty (Team GoEleven), who presumably had the correct amount of pressure in his rear tyre for the final race of the weekend, after being 25% over-inflated in Saturday’s race. Laverty has seemed to make some good progress over the course of the weekend, and to come away with a top ten after a difficult preseason, only 2.3 seconds behind Chaz Davies’ full factory Panigale V4 R is at least something for the thirteen-times WorldSBK race winner and his GoEleven Ducati squad to build from.
Leon Camier finishing tenth at Phillip Island for the Moriwaki Althea Honda Team. Image courtesy of Hondaproracing.com
Leon Camier will also be happy with his first top ten of the season for the Moriwaki Althea Honda Team. The 2009 BSB champion knows there is still a lot to come from his package for 2019, so will be encouraged by this starting point, although Thailand may provide a more accurate reflection of the reality in a few weeks’ time.
Leandro Mercado (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) finished in eleventh place, ahead of the BMW Motorrad WorldSBK duo of Markus Reiterberger and Tom Sykes. Both Reiterberger and Sykes had a poor starting position after – particularly for Sykes – compromised Superpole races and coming through the pack when you are severely down on power is not an easy task, especially with the speed of the straight at Phillip Island. Nonetheless it was a surprise to see Reiterberger beating Sykes to the flag. Things aren’t about to get any kinder for the S1000RR riders, either, with the two long straights in Buriram for round two being followed by the downhill drag race in Aragon.
Jordi Torres (Team Pedercini Racing) and Ryuichi Kiyonari (Moriwaki Althea Honda Team) rounded out the points finishers for the third race of the season in fourteenth and fifteenth, respectively.
Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Barni Racing Team) was the final classified rider, although a lap down after pitting due to a mechanical problem.
Alessandro Delbianco (Althea Mie Racing Team) retired in turn two of the first lap with a crash after having to change an under-inflated rear tyre on the starting grid. The wildcard Troy Herfoss (Penrite Honda Racing) was the next to retire, before Toprak Razgatlioglu (Turkish Puccetti Racing) dropped out with a mechanical.
Following Alvaro Bautista’s (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) demolition of the field by nearly fifteen seconds in his and the new Ducati Panigale V4 R’s first Superbike World Championship race in Phillip Island on Saturday, there was much interest in what the field could do in response for WorldSBK’s first ever Superpole race.
Ten laps at Phillip Island was always going to lead to an exciting race, it was just a matter of whether it would be an exciting race at the front, or an exciting race for second.
Having made the holeshot for the second time this weekend, Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) was in the perfect position to be able to try to take the fight to Bautista in the Superpole race, and he did just that. Rea knew that if he allowed Bautista to lead, the race would be much more difficult for him, and so did everything to disrupt the Spaniard’s rhythm, riding with an aggression we perhaps haven’t seen from the four-times World Champion since his Honda days.
For five laps it worked, and Rea seemed to be able to contain Bautista, but with five to go the race one winner pulled the proverbial pin. Rea was able to go with the #19, but unable to get close enough to make a pass, and ultimately was unable to prevent a second win of the weekend for Bautista.
Leon Haslam finished third, four seconds back of the lead battle. After the disappointment of his fall in race one which deprived him of a return to the WorldSBK podium on his comeback to the championship, a trip to parc ferme was much welcomed for the 2018 BSB champion, and he will be targeting more of the same in race three.
Alex Lowes – Pata Yamaha WorldSBK – 2019 WorldSBK – R1 Phillip Island. Image courtesy of Yamaha Corporation
Behind Haslam raged a Yamaha civil war, with all four full factory YZF-R1 riders fighting for fourth place. It was Alex Lowes (Pata Yamaha WorldSBK) who came out on top, 0.087 seconds clear of his teammate Michael van der Mark (Pata Yamaha WorldSBK). A further 1.1 seconds back was Marco Melandri who recovered from an early excursion with Tom Sykes (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK) in turn one to beat his GRT Yamaha WorldSBK teammate and 2018 World Supersport Champion, Sandro Cortese who continued to impress after finishing in the top ten on his WorldSBK debut in Saturday’s race one.
Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Barni Racing Ducati) was the second Panigale V4 R over the line in eighth place, which is impressive considering how lost he seemed at the end of the test on Tuesday.
1.5 seconds further back of Rinaldi was Eugene Laverty (Team GoEleven) who, with presumably the correct tyre pressure for this race, took ninth place and the final Superpole spot for the grid of the third race of the weekend.
Chaz Davis at Phillip Island. Image courtesy of Ducati
Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) is still suffering with the front feeling on the Panigale V4 R, and at such a high speed track, any missing confidence – especially with the front end – is highlighted. He finished the sprint race tenth, and the last of the Ducatis, fourteen seconds behind his teammate.
Unlike Melandri, Tom Sykes was unable to recover from running wide in turn one early on in the race and finished eleventh, 2.2 seconds clear of BMW Motorrad World SBK teammate Markus Reiterberger in twelfth. Behind the German was the Moriwaki Althea Honda duo of Leon Camier (13th) and Ryuichi Kiyonari (14th) who were split by four seconds.
Toprak Razgatlioglu (Turkish Puccetti Racing) was caught up in an incident with Leandro Mercado (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) and Jordi Torres (Team Pedercini Racing) on the final lap, where Mercado made contact with the Turkish rider, who then collected Torres. All three went down, but Razgatlioglu got back on to finish fifteenth, and Torres remounted for seventeenth.
Between them was the wildcard Troy Herfoss (Penrite Honda Racing) in sixteenth.
Alessandro Delbianco (Althea Mie Racing Team) was the first retirement, joined on the side lines only by Mercado on the final lap.
New bikes, new pilots and a rider roster which arguably sees one of the most competitive fields in WorldSBK history are what awaits in 2019, and it all starts this weekend in Australia, at the magnificent Phillip Island circuit.
Not many series’ are able to claim that the first track on their calendar is best in the world, but the Superbike World Championship has that luxury, and has enjoyed it since 2009.
Phillip Island’s high-speed front straight sets the tone for the whole circuit, which sees riders dip below third gear on only three or four occasions, depending on gearing.
Not only is Phillip Island a favourite with the riders for the enjoyment found in lapping it alone, but also for the racing it provides. The high-speed nature of the layout means the rider can make more difference here than anywhere else. Additionally, the front straight is long, and the exit from the final corner onto that front straight is fast, meaning the slipstream can be very powerful.
Group races, then, are to be expected. Or, they are if you are optimistic.
From the final preseason test, it is possible to assume that Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) may just disappear this weekend, in all three races. The 2006 125cc World Champion and WorldSBK rookie dominated this week’s test in Phillip Island, topping each of the four sessions across Monday and Tuesday, and setting three times as many laps in the 1’30s as any of his rivals. It is not a coincidence. Bautista’s ‘grand prix’ riding style, which utilises the side of the tyre and uses high corner speed, is one which works well in Phillip Island thanks to the long, sweeping corners. At the same time, however, it uses the rear tyre less efficiently than the more ‘stop-start’ style of the riders with more experience with Pirelli rubber and Superbike machinery. Bautista might have Sunday’s sprint race in the bag, but the two longer races on Saturday and Sunday afternoon should see the Spaniard in more trouble – unless he can solve his issues on Friday.
The Panigale V4 R. Image courtesy of Ducati
Bautista’s steed for this year is the Ducati Panigale V4 R, the latest edition of Ducati’s superbike, and the first one in their history to have four cylinders. The V4 R is one of four new bikes on the grid this year, essentially, with BMW returning the WSBK with a full factory effort. The Kawasaki bringing an updated model of the ZX-10RR. Whilst Honda have – in theory – the same bike as last year in the new Moriwaki Althea setup, but in reality the CBR1000RR for 2019 is completely different to the one of last season, as this year’s package is derived from the Suzuka 8 Hour and Japanese championship bike of last year.
But it is the new Panigale, nonetheless, that has – with its MotoGP-derived engine pumping out a reported 234 horsepower and the front wheel being planted by the grand prix-style winglets – attracted the most attention, and Bautista’s speed on the bike has only heightened that. However, in comparison to the Spaniard, the other Ducati riders have been struggling, especially with rear grip. Neither Bautista’s Aruba.it Racing teammate Chaz Davies, nor GoEleven’s Eugene Laverty or Barni Racing’s Michael Ruben Rinaldi could get within one second of Bautista’s times in the test this week, and Bautista has been consistently the fastest Ducati rider throughout the winter. Clearly the V4 R is not an easy bike to master, but once its pace has been unlocked, as Bautista has shown, it has the potential to be a formidable challenger to Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) and Kawasaki.
And, ultimately, that is the biggest question coming into this season: can anyone stop Jonathan Rea? The Northern Irishman has won over half the races he has competed for Kawasaki since he joined them in 2015, and won all four world titles in that time. Phillip Island is not one of his strongest circuits, statistically at least – indeed he did not win a race in Australia last year. He has, however, won five races at the Island, and did the double-double in 2016-17. It seems, though, that Rea is perhaps not yet completely comfortable with the new Kawasaki, and that makes this first round increasingly important for his rivals.
In comparison, Rea’s teammate, Leon Haslam, is something of a Phillip Island specialist – when he has a competitive package, he will be fighting for the win in Australia. Haslam’s history of podiums at Phillip Island stretches back to 2009, when he finished third in the second race, and since then he has scored five further podiums at the Australian track, including two wins: 2010 race one; 2015 race 2.
Marco Melandri – GRT Yamaha Supported WorldSBK – 2019 WorldSBK – Phillip Island – Preseason Test. Image courtesy of Yamaha corporation.
Marco Melandri has a similar affinity with Phillip Island to Haslam, and won both races last year on his head-shaking twin-cylinder Ducati. Melandri has now moved to the GRT Yamaha squad, who have moved up from World Supersport and brought 2018 Supersport World Champion Sandro Cortese with them. Both riders have been impressive in preseason, but especially Melandri was very quick this week at Phillip Island. With the Yamaha’s well-known ability to save a tyre, Melandri could be well in the mix in the two full-length races.
As for the full factory Yamaha riders, Alex Lowes (Pata Yamaha WorldSBK) and Michael van der Mark (Pata Yamaha WorldSBK), they have had differing winter campaigns. Lowes’ speed in the winter was matched with consistency, especially in Jerez and Portimao earlier in 2019. Van der Mark’s preseason, on the other hand, was initially marred by an injury picked up at the final round of the 2018 season in Qatar. The pair of them, though, have been quick in Phillip Island over the last couple of years, and Yamaha have definitely made a step over the winter, so expect to see them in the front this weekend.
BMW’s new S1000RR is giving up a lot of speed on the front straight. This is to be expected, since the bike is brand new, and the motor isn’t from MotoGP. The time, however, that the bike is giving up on the straight, Tom Sykes (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK) is making up in the rest of the lap. Sykes demonstrated fantastic pace throughout preseason, and this year it is going to be interesting to see what he can do with a fresh start and without Jonathan Rea on the other side of the garage.
Instead of Rea, Sykes has Markus Reiterberger, the last ever Superstock 1000 champion, as his teammate in the BMW Motorrad WorldSBK squad this year. After one-and-a-half seasons out of WorldSBK, Reiterberger will be anxious to show his full potential on this, his second chance in the premier class of production-based motorcycle racing.
World Superbike’s 2019 preseason ended today in Phillip Island with Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) posting the fastest time to confirm his position from Monday, and just two days before the season gets underway.
Bautista was faster, once again, in the morning compared to the afternoon, as he set a 1’30.303 on the Panigale V4 R in the first session. His speed was similar in the afternoon, with a 30.326, and the Spaniard ended the test with three-times as many laps in the 1’30s than anyone else. The question mark surrounding the factory Ducati rider is his ability to manage the Pirelli WorldSBK tyres, which work in a different way to the Michelin MotoGP rubber. If Bautista can get on top of this issue with his riding style, he could be untouchable this weekend.
Alvaro Bautista at Phillip Island WSBK 2019 testing – Day two. Image courtesy of Ducati Media
Difficulties remained, though, for the other Ducati riders, with Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) failing once again to make the top ten, Eugene Laverty (Team GoEleven) only taking part in the morning session in which he finished sixteenth and 1.683 seconds away from Bautista; and Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Barni Racing Team) not managing to get within 1.5 seconds of Bautista.
Second-fastest of the day was Tom Sykes on the BMW Motorrad WorldSBK S1000RR, with a 1’30.539 set in the afternoon. The new S1000RR is suffering on top speed which, regardless of pace, could hurt both Sykes and his factory BMW teammate, Markus Reiterberger, in a last lap scrap with Phillip Island’s long, high speed run to the finish line. But regardless of this (and any new bike can be expected to suffer on straight line speed, especially if the motor is not derived from a grand prix bike), the signs from BMW are positive, and they could surprise a few people this season.
Leon Haslam (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) was third-fastest on World Superbike’s final day of preseason, the 2018 BSB champion setting his fastest time – a 1’30.668 – also in the afternoon, like Sykes. Haslam has proven over the years to be something of a Phillip Island specialist, and it is showing again this year, having beaten his teammate, reigning WorldSBK champion Jonathan Rea, on both days of the test. Haslam will be hoping to continue that into the race weekend itself in a couple of days.
World Champion Jonathan Rea ended the day fourth, but tellingly did not make any long runs, suggesting he is not yet completely happy with the new ZX-10RR. It certainly doesn’t seem to be anything the Northern Irishman needs to worry about too much, but there could be an opportunity for his rivals to capitalise in the early stages of this season, and their ability to take this chance could be pivotal for the outcome of the season.
The Pata Yamaha WorldSBK Team riders were slightly further down the timesheets today, especially Alex Lowes who has been consistently in the top two or three times in preseason before today. Lowes was eighth in the morning, and sixth in the afternoon, but completed fifty-four laps over the course of the day and was still only half a second shy of the dominant Bautista at the close of proceedings.
Lowes’ teammate, Michael van der Mark, had almost the inverse of Lowes’ day, finishing the first session in fifth and the second in eighth. Van der Mark, though, completed sixty-three laps over the course of the day, and it would be a surprise if he were not in the mix come Saturday.
The semi-factory GRT Yamaha WorldSBK riders both were stronger in the morning than the afternoon, with Marco Melandri slipping from second to twelfth between the morning and the afternoon, and Sandro Cortese going from seventh to eleventh. Melandri, though, should be strong at the weekend, having been competitive in three of the four Phillip Island test sessions. The one session where he did not figure at the very sharp end being the final session of the week, where he was running what would be expected race lap times, in the 1’31s.
There were good signs from the independent Kawasaki riders in the afternoon, as Toprak Razgatlioglu (Turkish Puccetti Racing) finished fifth-fastest, Jordi Torres (Team Pedercini Racing) was seventh and Leandro Mercado (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) ninth. These performances confirm that whilst there is a lack of quantity in this year’s WorldSBK field, there is plenty of quality to counter-act that.
Leon Camier riding for the Moriwaki Althea Honda Team at Phillip Island WSBK 2019 testing – Day two. Image courtesy of Honda Racing Corporation via Hondanews.eu
Leon Camier (Moriwaki Althea Honda Team) impressed in the Tuesday morning session, in which he finished tenth, 1.140 seconds shy of Bautista on the factory CBR1000RR. The Englishman backed that up with an eleventh place in the afternoon, 1.151 seconds outside Bautista. Camier’s teammate, Ryuichi Kiyonari, finished fourteenth in the morning and fifteenth in the afternoon.
The third full-time Honda (that is, to ignore the wildcard entry of Troy Herfoss) of Alessandro Delbianco (Althea Mie Racing Team) joined Eugene Laverty in only partaking in the morning session, which he closed in eighteenth place, 2.676 seconds off the pace.
The next time WorldSBK will be on track will be Friday morning, back in Phillip Island, for round one of the 2019 Superbike World Championship.
