Category: Crew On Two

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A Spartan’s Struggle

It was the worst-kept secret in the MotoGP paddock last year: Triple premier class champion, Jorge Lorenzo, was leaving the all conquering Yamaha factory outfit for Ducati in 2017. Signed to deliver the red bike’s first World Championship since Casey Stoner exactly a decade ago.

It has not gone as planned. Lorenzo’s results from the three opening fly-away races read thus:

Qatar: P11 (Started P12), 5 points

Argentina: DNF (Started P16)

USA: P9 (Started P6), 7 points

The warning signs had been evident for any rider joining Ducati: Just a few seasons after winning his title, Stoner became disillusioned with the team and defected to see out his racing days with Honda. Furthermore, since Stoner left in 2010, the Italian team have achieved victory in a grand total of two grands prix (Andreas Iannone and Dovizioso at Austria and Malaysia last season, respectively). Not even Valentino Rossi, with nine world titles to his name, could tame the Desmosedici-RR. The latter’s failure was perhaps Lorenzo’s real motivation for signing. Succeed where his arch rival could not.

Winter testing was a disaster for both team and rider. Although it is always difficult to judge the real performance of riders and teams, as we are not privy to details such as fuel loads and tyre choice, Lorenzo was constantly in the bottom half of the timesheets throughout most of the sessions. This was also because of Ducati discovering that they had lost some ground on their rivals now that the winglets had been banned. The lack of such aerodynamic aids has undoubtedly hurt the cornering performance of the Bologna-based outfit. With this in mind, the Spaniard was clearly always going to be struggling to adapt from the start.

However, in Ducati’s defence, their bike has always been much more physically demanding to ride than others. Therein lies the crux of all problems for the man known to his fans as ‘The Spartan’. Whilst the M1 has garnered the reputation of being arguably the most well balanced grand-prix bike to ever be built, the Ducati is the polar opposite. Designed around maximum straight line speed, the rider must be prepared to haul himself and the bike around every corner, combating the extreme levels of ‘chatter’ through the suspension, as the machine fights against every directional change. It takes an extraordinary rider to tame the beast. There is no place for finesse and smooth trajectories, which Lorenzo has built his career upon to date.

As a result, perhaps it should not have surprised us that the early stages of Lorenzo’s relationship with his new employers have been rocky. Both team and rider have had a stark reality check since joining forces. Ducati almost certainly won’t be able to win the championship this season, and Lorenzo has discovered how much he underestimated the challenge of riding the Ducati would be.

Poorer than expected results, and a completely disconsolate Lorenzo after Argentina, led certain media outlets into speculating how quickly he might part ways with his team. It was telling that it was Lorenzo who moved first to clarify his situation before last weekend’s American Grand Prix: “I don’t want to think about what has happened. In the team we are all optimistic. We’re working well together and this difficult moment will be over soon.”

Whilst ninth place will not bring home any accolades, it is proof that both the rider and team are improving. Lorenzo was understandably more buoyant speaking after the race. Additionally, there was more of a hint of the old bullish Jorge when on top form: “Today I was faster than ever on race pace. For sure we cannot be satisfied with our final position because our target is certainly much higher. We’re here to fight with Yamaha and Honda. But the positive is we’re much closer than before.”

Now that does not sound like a man who’s giving up just yet.

Eddie Hocknull @EddieHocknull

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Moto3 Americas GP Preview: Mir wanting a Hat-Trick

The Circuit of the Americas plays host to the third round of the Moto3 world championship, with three men dominating the opening two rounds. Joan Mir (Leopard Racing), after two expert victories in Qatar and Argentina, sits on top of the leader board with a perfect 50 points. The Mallorcan will be looking to become the second youngest rider to win three successive Moto3 races since MotoGP series leader Maverick Vinales managed it back in 2012.

Hot on the heels of Mir is the most experienced man in the class, Britain’s John McPhee. The 22 year old, now racing with the newly formed British Talent Team with the favoured Honda package underneath him, has started the season fine form with two second place finishes. 2016 was a mixed year for the young Scot, despite picking up his maiden win in the monsoon like conditions in the Czech Republic. McPhee looks stronger than ever before in 2017, with factory backing from Honda and guidance from former MotoGP pilot Jeremy McWilliams, a genuine title challenge looks to be on the cards. His best result at Austin came in 2015 where he powered through from 15th on the grid to finish 6th, so if McPhee can replicate his Argentine pole, there’s no reason why we can’t see the determined Scotsman pick up his first win of the season.

It has been a great year for the initials ‘J.M’ so far in 2017 as joining Mir and McPhee on the Moto3 podium on both occasions has been Del Conca Gresini Moto3’s Jorge Martin. His third place in Argentina has taken his overall podium tally to three, however his recent record at COTA has been disappointing, crashing out in his previous two visits to the circuit. We can expect the 20 year old to be fighting for the podium places once again, despite the KTM machines occupying four of the top five places in last year’s race.

The J.M’s were the first riders to stand on the podium in the first two lightweight class races, in the same order, since 1972. (couldn’t find when it was last done in 3 races).

However, there are a whole host of young, hungry and determined youngsters ready to end Mir’s domination. The returning Romano Fenati is the only rider on the grid to have picked up podium finishes in the previous four years in Austin. The Italian sits 5th in the championship and will be looking to add to his 5th and 7th place finishes in the states. Andrea Migno, the highest placed KTM rider in 4th will be hoping to break the Honda stranglehold. German Phillip Oettl is the next placed KTM in championship, lying in 8th position. The Südmetall Schedl GP Racing rider finished 4th in the USA in 2016, so expect him to be right up there this weekend.

Pre-season favourites Enea Bastianini, Niccolo Antonelli and Nicolo Bulega will be hoping to kick start their seasons after a disappointing opening two rounds.

It certainly promises to be another fairing-bashing race, with the big question being can anyone stop Mir and the Honda’s? Let’s hope McPhee can spoil the Spaniards party and carry on his title charge, whilst KTM will be looking to pick up their first rostrum of the season.

Elliott York @journoyork

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MotoGP Americas GP Preview: Time to make a Marc in 2017

After two eventful opening races of the season, the MotoGP circus parades up to Texas, for the Americas Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA). Although having only been on the calendar since 2013, the premier class has been dominated by Marc Marquez – however, the five-time champion languishes in the championship, with just a 4th to his name so far. Can all that be changed in the states?

Although we normally start our previews with the championship leader, we have to start this one with Captain America himself. Marc Marquez has won at COTA ever since it joined the calendar in 2013. He dominated proceedings last season whilst in 2015, he did have to scrap a bit with Rossi and Dovizioso. The stop-start hard breaking and tight turning obviously suits his style but unfortunately, that may not suit the Honda’s style. Marc’s form is a little bit left to be desired in 2017. A 4th and a crash out of the lead is not what he had in mind to start his title defence but he will be hoping to continue his domination around what has become his territory on the MotoGP calendar.

Maverick Vinales will be looking to become the first Yamaha rider since Kenny Roberts Snr in 1980 to win the opening three races of the year and the first Yamaha rider to win at the new venue. Vinales hasn’t finished outside the top 10 since coming to the track with the premier class, with 4th last year and 9th the year before. In 2014, he won his first Moto2 race and was 2nd in the first ever Moto3 race in 2013. Now he is on a winning bike and in good form, it may well be time to break Marc Marquez’ stranglehold on the circuit and take the honours for Yamaha. If he or Rossi take a victory at COTA, it will be Yamaha’s 500th in Grand Prix.

Valentino Rossi comes to the United States of America in the same championship position as last year. 2nd in the world currently, the nine time champion will be looking to settle a score with what is statistically his worst circuit on the calendar. No win and just one podium hardly make for a Valentino Rossi love story in Austin. The scene was the start of his championship title unravelling last season when he crashed out and in 2014, 8th was all he could manage. Valentino hasn’t won in America since Indianapolis in 2008. There was a hurricane that day and I certainly wouldn’t put it past The Doctor causing a storm on Sunday. He’s come through the field twice already this year, so can it be lucky number three?

Despite being wiped out in Argentina for the second consecutive season, Andrea Dovizioso comes into the Americas GP in third. The Ducati rider struggled in Argentina, finding himself in 13th on the grid. He was in 8th before he was unceremoniously helped to the floor by Aleix Espargaro. The Italian may not be looking forward to COTA given recent experiences. He was taken out at the first turn by Dani Pedrosa last year, although the season before, he was 2nd and in 2014, he was 3rd. With a 30 point gap to series leader Vinales, a win would be needed for the Ducati team, who have done anything but shine this season. Ducati haven’t won in America since Casey Stoner at Laguna Seca in 2007 and that is one drought that the team will want to end.

In 4th position, Britain’s Scott Redding will be hoping for another top 10 finish. The Ducati rider has finished every race since Catalunya last year, although three of them were 0-point finishes. Redding was 6th in the Americas Grand Prix last year, meaning it was the first time that he had finished in the points at the track. There is also a psychological advantage to Redding, who is beating his teammate Petrucci, despite the Italian being on the Factory bike. The 24-year-old Brit will be hoping for his momentum to continue in the USA.

Completing the top five is fellow Brit and double winner from 2016, Cal Crutchlow. The Brit took a stunning third place in Argentina to kick-start his season following a point-less Qatar. Crutchlow’s form in the Americas GP has been mixed, with 17th last year after a crash but a 7th in 2015 remains his best result on the Honda. However, it was 2013 where Cal got his best result at the track, with 4th. In 2014, he crashed at the fast turn two, suffering horrible hand injuries which hampered him for the first part of the season. Cal sits as top Honda in the championship and will be gunning for a top five at the very least. Who’s to say a podium would be too much to ask?

Rookie Jonas Folger is the rider who occupies 6th place in the championship. The Tech 3 Yamaha rider has rode well so far in 2017, with two top-10 placings from his first two races. Folger’s best result at COTA remains a 4th in 2013 on a Kalex KTM, although last year he was 5th in Moto2. With a Tech 3 Yamaha that is obviously handling very sweetly, Folger may well be able to gel with the track on a big 1000cc bike. The last German rider to get a podium was Stefan Bradl in 2013 at Laguna Seca. Can the drought be ended in Texas?

Jack Miller is 7th in the championship and the 2nd Honda. The Australian winner from last season has had a consistent start to 2017, with an 8th and 9th in Qatar and Argentina respectively. He didn’t start in the race last year but was 14th in 2015 and won the Moto3 race in 2014. The last Australian to win in the USA was Casey Stoner in 2007 at Laguna Seca, something that Miller will want to put right, even if the odds may not be in his favour. Don’t put it past him to put in another sterling effort for a top-10 finish.

Keep your eyes on Alvaro Bautista this weekend, after an incredible ride in Argentina to finish 4th. The Spaniard has some tricky form at the track, with an 11th and 15th in 2016 and 2015 respectively, both on the Aprilia. He crashed in 2014 but was 8th when the paddock came for the first time. His 4th place in Argentina was the first time since Le Mans in 2014 that he had a top five result. He hasn’t had back to back top five finishes since Motegi and Valencia in 2013 and he has never had back to back 4th place finishes. Will he continue this stunning run of good form?

Other names include Andrea Iannone, who was somewhat unfairly penalised for apparently causing Jorge Lorenzo to crash at Argentina. Anyone blessed with eyesight could tell you that Lorenzo most certainly rode up the back of the Italian. Jorge Lorenzo is another big name who is languishing in the championship, in 18th with just five points to his name. A track he has never won at and with just two podiums to his name at COTA, it’s hardly likely we will see Jorge shine this weekend. But give him time.

Johann Zarco got points on the board in Argentina, finishing a solid 5th. The Frenchman is 11th in the championship, behind Dani Pedrosa, who also sits on 11 points. Aleix Espargaro will be hoping to bounce back from his Argentina mistake with another top six. Danilo Petrucci missed the Americas GP last year but will be hungry to return to the track and get more points on the table after finishing 7th in Argentina.

Loris Baz and Hector Barbera will be hoping for some big improvements to come their way to challenge for the top 10 once more, whilst fellow Ducati rider Karel Abraham is going to be hoping to be upset the front runners again, with another solid qualifying position – like in Argentina.

The other two rookies – Sam Lowes and Alex Rins – are going to be looking to challenge for the points again. Rins’ fractured ankle will not be making his life pleasant whilst Lowes will be in search of his first points in the premier class at COTA, a track he has won at in Moto2.

Both KTMs scored points at Termas and if they can do the same again in Texas then we know that they have got massive potential for the rest of the season. Tito Rabat’s double point scoring rides in the opening two races will be propelling the Spaniard in his challenge for a top 10.

Kiko Giles @MotoGPKiko

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Mossey Doubles Up, Byrne Falls and Bradley Ray Shines

Race 1

Venue: Brands Hatch (Indy Circuit)

Weather: Dry, overcast.

Starting Grid: Pole – James Ellison, P2 – Luke Mossey, P3 – Leon Haslam

As the lights went out it was Leon Haslam (JG-Speedfit Kawasaki) who got the holeshot into Paddock Hill Bend off the line, but any hopes of an early lead were short lived by polesitter Ellison, who forced his way back on the final corner, and began to pull clear. With Ellison (McAms-Yamaha) clear early on, a chase group consisting of the JG duo of Mossey, Haslam and Tyco-BMW’s Christian Iddon formed to battle behind.

However, it wasn’t to be glory for the leader Ellison when, on Lap 13, he lost the front wheel on entry to the Druids hairpin and came to rest unceremoniously in the gravel trap. With the Cumbrian out of contention, it was Mossey who inherited the lead and did not surrender.

It was though a poor start to the race from 2016 champion, Shane Byrne. The BeWiser-Ducati ace dropped from his starting grid position of fourth on the opening lap, losing out to several places and had to fight his way through the mid-field. However, this only fuelled his fire as he carved his way back up into the top ten, and managing to close in on the race leaders in the latter stages.

Terrific scrap over second and third place ensued when Byrne closed up to Haslam and Iddon. The trio swapping track position countless times during the exchange. Eventually it was 2016 runner-up Haslam who emerged victorious of the three, with Iddon producing a brilliant rearguard effort to fend off the Ducati on the last lap for the final place on the podium.

Further down the field there were duels to be found across the track. One of the most entertaining of these was between Avil-TAG Yamaha’s Josh Brookes and Smith’s-Racing BMW’s Peter Hickman over ninth and tenth. With neither bike capable of keeping pace with the front group, the two competed in what can probably best be described as tag-team slipstreaming, as the pair towed each other away from the mid-field pack, before scrapping it out in the final laps.

But the race belonged to Luke Mossey who claimed his first ever BSB race win. The 24-year old rode superbly, always having the measure of his more illustrious team-mate, Haslam, and took full advantage of Ellison’s misfortune to give JG-Speedfit Kawasaki their third straight win of the season.

Race Results: 1 – Luke Mossey, 2 – Leon Haslam, 3 – Christian Iddon

Race 2

Weather: Dry, Overcast

Starting Grid: Pole – Ellison, P2 – Mossey, P3 – Haslam

There was drama even before the lights went out on the grid, as polesitter James Ellison suffered yet more misery. Visibly struggling on the warm up laps, he pulled into the pitlane and retired with what was reported to be a serious steering issue, thought to have stemmed from his crash in race one.

Tyco-BMW’s Christian Iddon continued his solid weekend, forcing his way past Haslam’s JG-Speedfit Kawasaki for P2. The former British Supermoto champion backed up his impressive displays at Donington Park, earlier in the month, with back-to-back podium finishes here at Brands Hatch. The feat made all the more remarkable when one considers that the BMW machine has struggled to match the competitiveness of the likes of Kawasaki and Ducati in recent seasons. A testament to the riding talent of the Stockport ace.

Shane Byrne, who had been struggling with a lack of traction on the BeWiser-Ducati in the first race, appeared to be having a much smoother ride second time out. Having made setup changes to compromise a little straight line speed for more corner stability, the 5 times British champion was finally able to compete at the front end of the field. Fighting Honda’s Jason O’Halloran for P4. However, disaster struck in the closing stages for the home favourite when, fighting for third with Haslam, he lost the front end at clearways, and finishing with a slide into the gravel trap.

Behind the leading pack. TAG-Avil Yamaha’s Josh Brookes fought his way through the field and, following the carnage up the road, was rewarded with a fourth place finish. The Australian was pushed to the limit again to secure his finishing position, finishing ahead of Honda’s Jason O’Halloran by just 0.1 seconds.

Perhaps the most spectacular ride was from Bradley Ray. He made two passes from a long way back at Graham Hill Bend, showing his class in his first year in the Superbike class. The crowd were rooting for him too. He really is a star of tomorrow!

As with the opening race, it was JG-Speedfit Kawasaki’s Luke Mossey who claimed the top step of the podium. Back-to-back wins for the popular Cambridge man. Any doubts from spectators that he could hold race winning pace were obliterated.

Race Result: 1) Luke Mossey, 2) Christian Iddon, 3) Leon Haslam

We would also like to thank Gareth Davies of Full Factory Media and Photography for providing us with some stunning images yet again. You can contact Gareth here, regarding special prints, copies and all other things photography related.

Eddie Hocknull @EddieHocknull

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Two-In-A-Row for Mir as Battle Raged in Moto3

After the rain of Saturday’s Qualifying, the riders were greeted with cool but dry conditions for Sunday’s race at the Termas de Rio Hondo Circuit in northwest Argentina.

Everyone all made good clean starts as the lights went out. Britain’s John McPhee (Starting from pole position) initially lost the lead on the run down to turn one, but regained it quickly after profiting from a more than generous slipstream pulling him down the back straight into turn five. The lead would be disputed continuously throughout the race, as no rider has sufficient power to ever fully pull clear. With such small machines, and only around 40bhp, slipstreaming is a crucial element of racing in the ‘cadet class’. When a group of riders finally pulled away at the front, it numbered eleven competitors.

The race-craft that was required and indeed displayed by these young riders was of the highest quality. Particularly for none more so than Qatar winner, Joan Mir. The Spaniard had looked competitive during Friday practice, but was amongst the riders caught out by the weather in Qualifying. As such, he had to fight his way through the field, having started from P16.

He rode through the field and avoided the chaos which unfolded behind him as Niccolo Antonelli and Romano Fenati came to blows on the second lap. The former being forced to retire, and the latter earning an investigation from the stewards. There was also misfortune elsewhere as with just 10 laps to go, the hometown hero – Gabriel Rodrigo crashed out at turn five. Lorenzo Baldassarri and Fabio Di Giannantonio followed suit the very next lap.

The racing was intense all throughout the field, as every position was fiercely contested. With the championship containing a staggering 31 riders, there is desperation everywhere from these youngsters (most of them between 16-19 years old) to be noticed and sought after by teams in Moto2. Riders who are only just starting their grand-prix careers – such as Kaito Toba and Tony Arbolino – were challenging and beating more seasoned competitors such as Niccolo Bulega, Jakub Kornfeil and Jules Danilo.

And it is not just the boys taking the spotlight. 20-year old Maria Herrera fought her way up through the pack on her AGR-Team KTM machine to fifteenth place, and a coveted championship point. It has not been an easy road for the girl from Toledo, Spain. But having signed for a new team during the off-season now seems to be beginning to flourish in the Grand-Prix paddock.

But it was fellow compatriot, Mir, who eventually claimed the spoils. Back-to-back victories and a maximum complement of 50 points from the two opening rounds puts him in early command of the championship. McPhee once again had to settle for the second step on the podium, again still defying much of the pre-weekend expectation. Jorge Martin, on the Del Conca Gresini Racing machine, the front runners more than honest. His podium finish a just reward for his efforts.

Race Results – Top 10: (1) Joan Mir, (2) John McPhee, (3), Jorge Martin, (4) Phillip Oettl, (5) Andrea Migno, (6) Livio Loi, (7) Romano Fenati, (8), Tatsuki Suzuki, (9) Juanfran Guevara, (10), Kaito Toba

Eddie Hocknull @EddieHocknull

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Mackenzie On Fire In Supersport Opener

Photo courtesy of Gareth Davies of Full Factory Media.

Tarran Mackenzie kick-started his 2017 British Supersport campaign with a win in Sunday’s race, in a thrilling race-long battle with Alistair Seeley, Ben Currie, Andy Irwin, David Allingham and replacement rider, Keith Farmer.

The McAms Yamaha rider was in the 4th and 5th for the majority of the race, as the Gearlink Kawasaki pairing of Ben Currie and Andy Irwin did battle with the Team Spirit Moto2 bike of Alistair Seeley, as the three swapped places numerous time each lap.

David Allingham battled with EHA Yamaha teammate Ross Twyman until he broke clear and bridged the gap to the leading group. Jack Kennedy on the MV Agusta also came through the pack and joined the crew at the head of the field.

On the penultimate lap, all hell broke loose as Seeley and Irwin went side by side through the Old Hairpin and Starky’s before Tarran Mackenzie took both of them into McClean’s. Into the Melbourne Loop, Irwin nearly knocked Mackenzie off as he went for the inside, whilst former Superstock 1000 champion Keith Farmer barged his way through past Seeley.

On the final lap, Tarran Mackenzie capitalised on the shenanigans between the Gearlink riders and broke clear by over a second to secure victory on the last lap, ahead of Seeley and Irwin, although Seeley didn’t score any points. Currie held off Allingham and Kennedy whilst the aggressiveness and flamboyancy of Keith Farmer only managed to get him 7th on the road. Ross Twyman, Joe Francis and newcomer Keenan Armstrong rounded out the top 10.

A scintillating race in the Supersport class made up for the disappointment and sadness of Saturday, following the cancellation of their sprint race due to the untimely death of Ducati Tri Options cup rider, Mick Whalley. The sun-soaked crowd got a treat as Supersport provided some seriously entertaining racing.

The action and drama continues in a fortnights time at Brands Hatch Indy where you can expect a fast and furious pace as the riders tackle what is one of the most physically demanding tracks on the calendar. Will Tarran Mackenzie repeat his efforts of round one and take victory or will the opposition fight back to restrict him an early lead in his bid to retain his Supersport crown? Only time will tell.

 

Kiko Giles @MotoGPKiko

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Hickman Hopeful of ‘Strong’ Year Ahead

Photo courtesy of Gareth Davies, of Full Factory Media.

Road Racing specialist and BSB race winner Peter Hickman is hoping for strong season ahead after a good start to the year at Donington Park. I caught up with him briefly in the paddock as he joins his third team in as many seasons, with Smith’s BMW.

How have you fitted in so far with your new team?

I’ve moved to the Smith’s BMW Racing Team and everything’s going alright so far. Testing went really well, although testing is one thing and racing is another. The first day on track in England with everyone else and hopefully we can have a strong year.

Does riding the BMW in 2015 give you an advantage?

Actually, it’s completely different to be fair. The bike is meant to be the same but everyone has a different idea of how they want to build it. Each bike you ride, although the manufacturer might be the same, it’s actually very different. We’re running Ohlins suspension which no one has run on a BMW in the UK. It is very different but I am happy with it all so far and we will just have to wait and see.

What is the plan with you regarding road racing in 2017?

I will be doing the roads with this team, all of them too. We will be riding the Triumph in the Supersport category and the Smith’s BMW in the Superbikes class, which I’m really looking forward to.

Can we expect to see you in the Showdown?

Haha! Well that is definitely the plan and that’s what we are gunning for. The championship gets stronger every year; we say that year on year but it just seems to be the case with the new additions. I think we will be in for good year this year.

Kiko Giles @MotoGPKiko

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Halsall: I wasn’t enjoying BSB

Martin Halsall left the BSB class last season but is more than up for success on the roads and in British Supersport, with William Dunlop and Joe Farncis respectively. Again, a thoroughly entertaining interview with an owner who is without doubt one of the friendlies and most accessible in the paddock.

 

Well it was a bit of a long way around really, to come back to where we started. Obviously, we decided not to do BSB, which was fine in 2016. We built an R6 anyway, for William (Dunlop) doing the roads. So, we ended up with the bike being surplus to requirements. We’d made the decision to come away from Superbikes, enter Supersport with a bike, which was, like I say, surplus to requirements. Joe (Francis) used to work with one of our mechanics last year with TTC Yamaha. I’ve had my eye on Joe for 2 or 3 years as I know Roger Marshall. We chatted about Joe moving forwards and the conversation came up of running him in Supersport. The fact that we had a bike ready to go made perfect sense to do it here. We’re back in the paddock and the main reason I got into bike racing was to help young riders in Supersport and to enjoy it. We’ve chosen to go back to where we started; it’s a good move and this year I expect to be getting podiums and maybe a challenge at the championship. Joe is an extremely talented rider.

Did you offer Tommy Bridewell a ride in the Supersport class?

No. Obviously, from finishing in BSB, we had to let Tommy go. We had numerous conversations out of season about us doing something and we made the decision not to. The communication as far as Tommy riding our bike finished there really. We’re still in contact with him which is good, as it wasn’t a fall out.

Do you regret not holding out a bit longer for the new Suzuki having seen how competitive it is?

No. No, definitely not. The reason I came into BSB was to enjoy it and I was getting to a point in BSB where I wasn’t enjoying it. Last year, we were promised the bike on three occasions and we knew when the bike came, that it would be a good one. We’re not saying that potentially in the future, we wouldn’t run a Suzuki because if they’re a competitive bike then I’m keen to put riders on competitive bikes. As a privateer team, that’s what that gives you – the opportunity to be competitive against the factories. With the Suzuki last year, we put a lot of work and a lot of effort into 2015 and 2016 but unfortunately it wasn’t to be. We had good seasons and Tommy did well to get two podiums last year but I don’t regret waiting. I’m happy with where we are and let someone else have a stab with it.

Are you already planning on heading back into the BSB class, when you say, “in the future”?

The thing that I needed to do was get out of it, regroup and start fresh again. Fortunately, now we are in a good position in Supersport with Joe and I can see us doing something Superbike wise in the future, we’re just not sure when.

Yamaha are one of a few manufacturers producing new Supersport bikes but you’ve opted to stay with the old Yamaha 600cc machine. Why is that?

The reason for that is because Joe was consistent last year on the R6. He rode it very well last season. We know there’s a new R6 but we aren’t going to change, we are going to stick to what we’ve got. We know it’s strong enough. Whilst other teams may opt for a new bike and try and find their feet there, they’re taking a big risk. You could hit the ground running and be lucky or you could have a bike that’s difficult and be unlucky.

Who are your sponsors?

Movuno.com are an online estate agents. The way I see it is that estate agents are predominantly online anyway with Right Move and Zoopla. They offer the same package as a high-street estate agent but with a fixed price of £599 instead of paying a percentage fee on the price of your house when selling it. They’re fabulous to work with.

How is Joe to work with?

A complete idiot (Joe just came into the truck). No, he’s brilliant! Even over the weekend, he’s acknowledged that whilst being faster in sectors one and two, he has been a bit slack in sector four. This morning, he went fastest in sector four and that shows me something within a rider that he has the ability to adapt. He has the brains to focus on where he’s not so strong. He thinks ‘I won’t focus on one or two because I’ve done that, but I’ll focus on the sectors I’m not perhaps as good at’. So, if you look at that moving forward, then you’re there or there abouts. So yes, it’s all good.

At what point did you know that BSB wasn’t happening in 2017.

There’s obviously a high level of investment needed for a Superbike team. Bennetts had pretty much chosen that they were going to go and talk with Hawk Racing to follow the Suzuki brand. So, it left us without sponsors. I’m quite happy to fund some of the gap but I’m not prepared to fund all of the gap. We did have conversations with Josh Brookes and Tommy Bridewell but to put a structure together and be competitive at that level, I wasn’t prepared to fund it all myself.

Do you therefore feel let down by Bennetts?

No, not really – business is business at the end of the day. They’ll go with whatever brand they want to. The way I run a team I would hope is very professional, well presented and we do things properly. We’ve always built good bikes. There’s not a lot more we can do on our side.

Can you win the Supersport championship and be successful on the roads this season?

Yes, we can. I think that there’s a main combination to win championships. The rider has to be right, the bike has to be right and the team have to be right with the right structure and I do think we have that. Joe is an extremely talented rider who will go a long, long way. From what I’ve already seen, he has an amazing attitude towards racing and an amazing attitude to growing within racing. The rider is the right rider. The bike is competitive and proven. The team is a great team and we all work very hard. Within all that as well, you put all that effort in and hopefully get a little bit of luck too. I think the roads will be a little bit different. It’s the same combination as on the short circuits. William is an extremely talented rider, whether he will be there winning at the TT, I’m not so sure. That’s not me not having belief in my rider – I do have belief in my rider but I’m also realistic. I know who else is out there in the competition. My choice with William was ‘potentially he isn’t going to win it but he’s a great brand to have on board’ and that’s the choice we made.

Do you miss Tommy Bridewell?

We miss Tommy massively. He’s a very close personal friend and he’s been up to the house and spent the day with us, with his wife Stacey. We are extremely close to Tommy and Movuno are still sponsoring him personally. He is an extremely talented rider. Last season, we were on an old bike and he proved what he could do. Back to the three combinations, the thing that was missing was the bike because it was an old bike. No problems with the team or the rider, the problem primarily was the bike. If Tommy has the full package then I think he could really show what Tommy Bridewell is made of.

Did you have an idea about coming down to Supersport with two riders?

Originally, it was only going to be the Road Racing with William but through circumstances with the R6, we had a conversation with Joe. I didn’t think to do Supersport, it was just we had a bike that was surplus to requirements and that we may as well give Joe a chance. There was a chance to look at putting William on the short circuits but we haven’t followed that up and he will be remaining on the roads.

Photo credit to Gareth Davies of Full Factory Media.

Kiko Giles @MotoGPKiko

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Gladwin: Everyday is a School Day

On Friday afternoon, I caught up with Sheffield’s finest Brent Gladwin, the owner of GR Motorsport Team WD40 in the British Superbike paddock. We discuss the team, their choice of rider in 2017 and also their future.

Regarding the Superbike class, you’ve been quite unlucky. Why is that and can it change in 2017?

With the Superbike, it’s just a big learning curve. Every day is a school day. We’ve tried hard in the past to develop young riders and that hasn’t worked. We’ve taken riders from other classes and that hasn’t worked. So, we decided for 2017 we would add Moto3 and Superstock 1000 to Superbike trying to bring riders on that way. In Moto3 we have started a new project with Reynolds Engineering of Milton Keynes to manufacture a chassis for that class which is quite exciting and have 16-year-old Liam Delves riding that. In the National Superstock 1000, we have Mason Law on the all new Kawasaki ZX10RR. In Superbike, as everyone knows, we’ve gone for Tommy Bridewell because for the last five years, he has been in the top 10 in the championship and three times in the showdown. We know we have a great crew and we know we have a great bike we needed to add the right rider and then sometimes, you just need a little bit of luck on your side.

How have you found the adaptation to the new Kawasaki easy or more difficult?

I think that any new motorcycle is a learning curve but the ZX10-RR is just an evolution of the one before. It’s got some fantastic new systems to it that we must learn, like the flyby wire. People have been playing with this system everywhere on all the new bikes and it’s not easy with the MOTEC we all have to use in BSB. The guys we have on electronics help, but it is still learning and it’s also about rider feel. Tommy hasn’t used flyby wire before so he’s having to understand the difference between cable and electronics. Leon (Haslam) had the same issue last year, and Rea and Sykes had the same problems. It’s our first round and we can only do what we can do on a day-by-day basis.

How has as reducing the team down to one rider affected you?

Everything is about sponsorship. As a team, we deliver fantastic advertising value and reach out across social media. However, things affect you – such as Brexit. What we’ve decided to do is focus, and with Tommy, we’ve found something that is a good way of focussing. We decided to go for three classes. I think that focussing on one is not a bad thing, as we focussed on Tarran last season and won the British Supersport championship; we focussed on Joe Francis and won the title in the past and on Karl Harris in the European Stock 1000 series where we also won the championship. So, with Tommy, we like what we have and we like the team and hopefully, by the end of a long season, we will be in the showdown and see what we can do.

How come you have pulled out of the British Supersport category after Tarran won it for the team last season?

It’s a purely commercial decision really for us and the rest of the world. The 600cc is finishing, they don’t sell road bikes anymore, for example if you want a brand new ZX6R then there are non-available. We won the title for Kawasaki for the first time in 26 years so our decision was to come out of that class early and go back to the 1000s. Also, with the manufacturers in the 1000s bringing out new models, the class becomes a win on Sunday, sell on Monday class again, making it more important for the manufacturers.

Do you think Tommy’s experience will see you nearer the top of the time sheets?

I think that Tommy is absolutely not a one trick pony. Some riders are, because for example, if it’s not a Yamaha, then they can’t win. With Tommy, he’s rode five bikes in five seasons, with the Honda, BMW, Kawasaki, Suzuki and Yamaha and now he’s back to Kawasaki and each time he’s been successful. For me, if you have a rider with an open-minded approach like his, then you can try something different. I believe that last year, having spoken to his team, Tommy doesn’t give up. He didn’t give up on the Suzuki when other riders wouldn’t ride it. Far too many other riders want to cry in the caravan about all sorts of things. That’s not Tommy he wants to do his best always.

Do you see yourself going into Road Racing?

I personally have a great history of road racing. For me, going racing on the roads is a personal challenge for the rider. It’s your choice. I like the organisers of the Isle of Man TT and the NW200 but right now it isn’t for us. We want to concentrate on this side of things. Adding the Roads to BSB makes for an incredibly busy season and there’s enough of a work load on for us right now. After three rounds, we will evaluate where we are and whether we can go and watch the boys at the TT – which is a great holiday – or if we need to work through that period in preparation for round four. It has benefitted us in the past.

Does Assen cost you more and is it an inconvenience financially?

Not really, but the issue is the cost of travel and the time needed with a couple of days extra each side of the meeting. For a lot of the guys in the paddock, who take time off work, it’s the added time off-work that puts the pressure on the teams. The ferry is good and a lot of fun goes on but it’s a round trip of 1000 miles so it is longer than Knockhill, I sometimes question these things but after a think about it, with races at Knockhill, Thruxton which have rubbish facilities etc., we may as well go to Assen. Having said that, there are some great positives: – The British sports fans and BSB aficionados are some of the best in the world and those guys will get on their bikes or in their cars or take a plane and come and watch us at Assen! MSV have bought a circuit in France. Are we going to be going to Europe more often in the BSB series, difficult to call – we’ve had Brexit. Do we need to add costs to go to these tracks? No, we don’t however, a bit of spice never hurts anyone.

Would you like to see a return to BSB of some of the older circuits, e.g. Croft or Mallory Park?

I like those circuits. The trouble is they don’t have the infrastructure or safety any more. They can’t cope with the size of BSB Paddock and most importantly, if a rider falls and is seriously hurt, are you going to be happy? The thrills of motorcycle sport are very important – When a rider crashes we all want to see them get back up and not with an ambulance parked next to him. I know Mallory are doing a good job, trying to bring it into the 21st century but it still won’t be able to cater for the whole BSB paddock. It is a huge paddock. I don’t know how it would work at all. You can’t just take one or two classes. If you get rid of the support classes for a round, who is going to turn up and just watch a couple of races?

Will you be in the showdown with Tommy this year?

I really hope so! Getting in the showdown would be great for our sponsors, however big or small; they will all get fantastic value from his successes. Nobody is shy of success and I am expecting to pay Tommy quite a lot in bonusses and one of them is for him to get in the showdown.

Kiko Giles @MotoGPKiko

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Mir Heads the Pack as Moto3 Hits Argentina

All eyes are on Leopard Racing’s Joan Mir, as the Moto3 World Championship heads to Argentina, following his victory last time out at in Qatar.

The Mallorcan rider arrives at the Termas de Rio Hondo circuit this weekend leading the championship, and knows he is now the marked man of the field. This round should suit both the bike and his riding style, as the layout of the track encourages the last of the late breakers and rewards bikes with top straight line speed. Mir has only competed once before at the Argentinian venue, securing fifth position during last year’s race. Following his success from the opening round, he can be expected to feature in the fight for top honours on Sunday.

Behind him, British Talent Team’s John McPhee will be determined to go one better than his second place finish, a fortnight ago. Nobody then was expecting great things from the new team, even those who had helped bankroll the outfit were talking about success only coming later in the season. That has now all changed, and the 22-year old will now have to deal with the expectation of consistently challenging for victory. The young Scot is undoubtedly a serious talent in the making and, with such a competitive machine underneath him, has the tools to take the fight to the front on a regular basis.

However, dare to write off the rest of the Moto3 field at your peril. The more experienced Moto3 contenders such as Enea Bastianini (Estrella-Galicia Honda), Nicolo Bulega (TeamSky-VR46 KTM) and Romano Fenati (Marinelli-Honda) will all be gunning to reclaim the top step of the podium what all three believe is rightfully theirs. The latter of these will be most desperate to return to winning ways, having not claimed the chequered flag since last season’s Grand Prix of America. With ‘race rustiness’ of the first race of the season now behind them, expect this Roman triumvirate to put on a strong showing this weekend.

Finally, we must not forget Gabriel Rodrigo who is the sole Argentinian to line up on the grid – provided he is passed fit to race. The 20-year old broke his collarbone during FP1 a fortnight ago at the Losail International circuit. It has been a difficult introduction to the ‘cadet class’ for Rodrigo, having only been able to amass a lowly 31 points from last season’s championship. Still, there’s nothing like a race in front of a home crowd to inspire one onto greater things.

The Moto3 Grand-Prix of Argentina is on Sunday 9th April, 1300 local time (1700 UK time)

Eddie Hocknull @EddieHocknull

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