Category: Crew On Two

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Rossi: The Secret Is My Team

Valentino Rossi put in a great ride on Sunday evening from a diabolical 10th on the grid to reach 3rd, racking up his 222nd podium in all forms of GP racing. The veteran Italian overcome a tricky pre-season and build up to race day and now has a solid platform to build on.

Valentino began by thanking his team, saying how the support and trust helps to his performance. “My secret is my team, it’s Yamaha. We never give up and we always keep up our concentration. I always feel the support and the trust from all the guys around me, which is great.”

The 38-year-old nine time champion also said how he had already settled when he got to 5th place. ”We know our potential and we know we have a great bike and race rider. Sincerely, when I was in the top five I already said “this is OK”, but arriving on the podium is something even better.”

The Doctor continued, saying, “I’m very happy to start the season like this, because the podium is always better and like was said, it comes after a difficult period. We have to continue like this. This result is very good for us, both for our feeling and also for the technical side, because we now understand a lot of things.”

Rossi has two weeks off now to prepare for a track which he won at in 2015, with Termas De Rio Hondo coming up for the Argentine round of the championship. Rossi has scored the most points out of any rider on the grid in Argentina, with 58 accumulated over the past three season. Next up in joint 2nd is Marquez and Zarco, who have 50 (including Zarco’s 2 wins in Moto2).

Kiko Giles @MotoGPKiko

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MotoGP Qatar GP Review: Vinales Reigns in Desert Storm

 

Maverick Vinales backed up his pre-season form by taking the win at the Qatari Grand Prix at Losail on Sunday evening. The Spaniard repeated Valentino Rossi’s achievement of winning first time out on the Yamaha, after coming from as low as 5th to beat Andrea Dovizioso. Teammate Valentino Rossi also put in a super-human effort, coming from 10th on the grid to finish 3rd. This makes it the first time that the Factory Yamaha team have had a double podium at Losail since Lorenzo and Rossi achieved a 1-2 in 2013.

The race got underway after a delay of around 40 minutes, as the weather – like on Saturday – proved to be havoc for the premier class. Andrea Iannone got the drop on the field, as the Suzuki breezed into the lead. However it was Johann Zarco who made an aggressive start by swerving across the track to take 2nd position, ahead of Marc Marquez and Andrea Dovizioso. Pole-sitter Vinales was 5th with Dani Pedrosa leading Valentino Rossi and Alvaro Bautista in 6th, 7th and 8th.

At turn six on the opening lap, it was Johann Zarco who took the lead. Barging his way passed Iannone who in turn was lifted up by Marquez. The incredible sight of a Tech 3 Yamaha leading and if we’re honest, it wasn’t the one we had expected through pre-season given Jonas Folger’s incredible form.

As the race progressed, so did the Frenchman, opening up a 1.7 second advantage over the battling Dovizioso, Iannone and Marquez. However, disaster was about to strike for the #5. Into turn 2, Zarco’s front end washed out, dumping the Frenchman unceremoniously on the deck as his Tech 3 Yamaha bounced through the Qatar sandpit. The success was only short-lived but Zarco was a hero in Qatar. He’s made his mark and will be up the sharp end regularly very soon. The crash came as BT Sport’s Keith Huewen said, “So then, Zarco’s leading, Dovizioso in 2nd”. A true commentators curse if ever I’ve heard one.

Dovi was now the race leader and my five pound bet with a chef at my workplace suddenly started to have a little bit more meaning. Dovi wasn’t escaping though, with Marquez, Iannone, Vinales and a rapidly-closing Rossi all in pursuit. Alvaro Bautista was a solid 6th on the Aspar Ducati. I say “was” for a reason. The Spaniard crashed out at the final corner but like Zarco, Bautista has made his mark and will be in that top 10 on other occasions this year.

You’re probably wondering where Jorge Lorenzo is. Having run off the track at turn four on lap one, he found himself down in 15th, although the five-time champion was recovering, up to 8th at one point. He was in a ferocious battle with Dani Pedrosa and Aleix Espargaro who was riding the wheels off the Aprilia on his debut for the team.

Back at the sharp end and there was another casualty. On lap 11, Andrea Iannone’s front tyre also decided enough was enough, putting the feisty Italian on the deck at turn five in the middle of the corner. He and the bike stayed together until they both reached the gravel trap and for the 2nd consecutive season, Iannone crashed out of the Qatari GP whilst looking on for a podium at least.

Vinales was closing the gap to Dovizioso too and Valentino Rossi had also caught Marc Marquez as we came to the end of lap 11. Rossi took Marquez for 3rd at turn 15 and although Marquez fought back, Rossi had the inside for the right handed turn 16. The Doctor was third from 10th on the grid and given his woeful pre-season form, I’d say that was pretty remarkable.

Vinales took the lead from Dovizioso on lap 13, as Rossi closed ever so slightly on the leading duo. Dovizioso had chosen the soft front tyre option but that was starting to wear. Behind Rossi and a remote 4th belonged to Marc Marquez and behind that, Aleix Espargaro had got passed Dani Pedrosa and was in 5th position.

Dovi retook the lead on lap 18 but it was to prove pointless, as Vinales fought straight back, holding on for the remaining two laps to take the victory. Dovizioso took 2nd place for the third consecutive season and it was Valentino Rossi who took third – becoming the oldest rider on the podium since Australian Jack Findlay won the Austrian Grand Prix of 1977, which was boycotted on safety grounds by top riders. 4th place went to Marquez who just held off Dani Pedrosa and a heroic effort by Aleix Espargaro, who took Aprilia to new heights as they achieved their best ever MotoGP result! Britain’s Scott Redding capped a great weekend with a late charge to 7th ahead of Jack Miller in 8th, with rookies Alex Rins and Jonas Folger completing the top 10. Jorge Lorenzo suffered a terrible start to his Ducati career as he finished 11th, just a second-or-so ahead of Frenchman, Loris Baz, who continues to recover from injuries sustained last season. Hector Barbera, Karel Abraham and Esteve Rabat rounded out the points.

A scintillating start to the MotoGP season with four different leaders at one point in the race. Comebacks through the grid and shocks in the top 10, how can you not want to watch MotoGP in 2017? The next round is the Argentine Grand Prix from the Termas De Rio Hondo circuit. For the last two seasons, Valentino Rossi and Marc Marquez have done battle so will it be the same again in 2017 or will we see a changing of the guard?

By @MotoGPKiko

@PitCrew_Online

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Davies Primed For Aragon

With the European leg of the World Superbike season commencing this weekend at Aragon, one rider in particular will be looking forward to this round more than most – Aruba.it-Ducati’s Chaz Davies.

The Welshman has a truly imperious record around the Motorland circuit, having secured victory at the venue for the last three races (two in 2016 and the final race of the 2015 round). When he hasn’t managed to take the victory, Davies has not finished outside of the top five in any of the six races between 2014-16 and done the double in 2013 on the Goldbet BMW. As such, it came as no surprise to anyone when Davies announced that he would use this weekend to “reset” his campaign.

The 2017 campaign has not been a disaster so far, by any stretch of the imagination. Davies heads into the third round of the World Superbike championship in second place having scored 70 points and three podium finishes from the Australian and Thai rounds. Although he is a distant second – some 30 points behind Kawasaki’s Jonathan Rea – in the championship, a brace of wins at Aragon will go a long way to cancelling out that deficit.

Indeed, it is hard to look beyond the possibility of Davies securing another brace of victories at the circuit. As with its MotoGP counterpart, the Ducati Panigale superbike comes into its own when given a chance to demonstrate its straight-line speed, although Davies’ weight does have a negative effect on him. With its combination of long straights and numerous heavy braking and acceleration zones, the Motorland venue is therefore a perfect place for the Ducati to shine.

Given this, it can be expected that we may witness the first in-house battle for top honours between Davies and team-mate Marco Melandri. The Italian has secured two rostrums from the opening flyaway races, but is still very much adapting to the demands of the Superbike setup. Davies, has been with the outfit for since the 2014 season and, as such, knows the machine inside and out. A factor that will surely come to the fore should the two fight it out in the final laps.

Eddie Hocknull @EddieHocknull

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Moto2 Qatar GP Review – First Time For Everything

Franco Morbidelli eased to his first ever Grand Prix victory during Sunday’s Qatari Grand Prix at Losail. He beat last year’s winner – Swiss rider Tom Luthi – and Japanese sensation, Takaaki Nakagami. 4th went to Miguel Oliveira while Marc VDS’ 2nd rider – Alex Marquez – rounded out the top five.

In a race was that was more technical than energetic, Morbidelli cruised off in the opening lap. Luthi momentarily took the lead from him on lap two, attempting to disrupt the Italian’s weapon-like rhythm. However, Morbidelli took the lead back at turn 12 and stayed there until the chequered flag. Luthi also remained in 2nd, meaning that the battle was for the final podium position.

There was a crash on the first lap for Australian, Remy Gardner. He was furious as he threw is gloves on the floor in disbelief that his first race of the season had been curtailed. Mattia Pasini was also involved in the accident, along with Malaysian rider Hafizh Syahrin – he remounted along with Pasini.

Meanwhile, 3rd place belonged to Alex Marquez. The Spaniard doing what everyone said he needed to do in 2017 and prove that he is a rider at the top of his game. However, a few moments allowed for Nakagami to get through, swiftly followed by Portuguese rider, Miguel Oliveira, making his debut on the new KTM.

There was also a scrap brewing further down the field, with Moto2 rookie Fabio Quartararo in a battle with Lorenzo Baldassarri and his teammate Luca Marini. Both Forward Racing bikes having a heroic start to the season, especially compared to 2016, when Baldassarri dislocated both shoulders and Marini only managed 10th.

Unfortunately the Kiefer Racing team didn’t endure the start to the season they had hoped for, with Danny Kent and Dominique Aegerter finishing outside the top 10. Aegerter finished 11th with 2015 Moto3 champion Danny Kent 13th.

Valentino Rossi’s Sky VR46 team endured a tricky start, suffering from the massive lack in track time. Number one rider Bagnaia took a respectable 12th place with Stefano Manzi finishing 29th and last, more than a minute down on Franco Morbidelli.

Back to the battle for 6th and it was Luca Marini who held off Fabio Quartararo and Lorenzo Baldassarri to equal his best ever result in Moto2.

But the day belonged to Morbidelli. A perfect performance for the super cool Italian. Morbidelli beat Luthi and Nakagami, who held on to this 3rd place despite a late threat from Miguel Oliveria – a stunning start to KTM’s return to the intermediate class. Alex Marquez survived for 5th.

The next round of the championship comes from the Termas de Rio Hondo circuit, north of Cordoba in Argentina. Morbidelli crashed their last season and Tom Luthi is yet to get a top five at the track, whilst Nakagami is yet to beat 9th place. Of the riders still on the grid from last year’s race, Aegerter is the highest finisher with 5th – although outright, it is Xavier Simeon with a 2nd place in 2014.

Kiko Giles @MotoGPKiko

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Moto3 Qatar GP Review – A Mir Victory

The first of three races in Qatar, the Moto3 race was a slipstream battle right from the start. Eventually, Joan Mir held off the chasing pack, which included Britain’s John McPhee, to take his 2nd career victory. McPhee joined him on the podium, with Jorge Martin in third place.

As was to be expected, hard moves came straight away and initially it was Jorge Martin leading the way from the likes of Romano Fenati, Joan Mir, Niccolo Antonelli and Bo Bendsneyder to name all but a few. As soon as the front straight came into view, there was six or seven abreast, with Martin be swallowed up and Mir taking the lead from him. Other names up there included Oettl, Di Giannantonio, Guevara, Norrodin, Sasaki, Canet and Migno.

Oettl took the lead briefly but then it was the sole surviving RBA machine of Juanfran Guevara at the head of the 13 man dice. Bo Bendsneyder was the first faller at turn six on lap four. He finished 26th and last.

Britain’s John McPhee hit the front on lap nine, ahead of Migno and Mir. The Scotsman had been setting faster laps than anyone else prior to reaching the lead of the race. It was a great debut for the British Talent Team as their rider did the business out front.

Joan Mir took the lead back on lap 11 on the home straight and despite moves during the other parts of the lap, it was Joan Mir who would hold on for victory. Further down however, Phillip Oettl was causing issues for Juanfran Guevara, who was unceremoniously wiped out by the 20-year-old German on lap 12.

So what did we learn from the Moto3 race? Joan Mir’s rookie season has definitely given him a platform to build on and he’s doing just that. The Leopard Honda team may however be concerned with their other rider, Livio Loi, who finished 12th and 17 seconds off the win.

Even greater concerns will be rocking the Estrella Galicia squad, after their big signing, Enea Bastianini, finished 16th and out of the points. The Italian has never started the season outside of the points and has a lot of ground to make up if he is to challenge for the title. Likewise for Bulega who was 14th who heads to Argentina with a lot of work to do.

John McPhee looks like he is back from his injuries of last season. The wee McPhee was going well and that could be a sign of things to come this season. Now that he has the momentum, McPhee will be looking to build on that one win to his name.

But for me, Mir is the man in fine form. Even coming into this season through pre-season and last year’s campaign, he has an aura about him that oozes confidence and success. He and Jorge Martin could be the riders to beat in 2017. But, you can never rule out Fabio Di Giannantonio who has a habit of coming through the field like the proverbial hot knife.

Overall, it could be argued that we learnt absolutely nothing because the Qatari Grand Prix is a strange race. Unique for being under floodlights at night time and also because it’s the first race of the season, so some of the big names are blowing all the cobwebs off. We will have a clearer picture of what is going to happen when he get to Europe. After all, the first three races are all about staying safe and collecting points. Conservation could prove to be a champion ride for some.

Kiko Giles @MotoGPKiko

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Moto2 2017 Preview – New Everything

Moto2 in 2017 is set to be as fast and furious as ever before! With four of last season’s race winners moving up to MotoGP, there’s a huge hole to be filled in terms of talent. Rookies, veterans and young pretenders all combine to form what is a star-studded line up for the upcoming season and a real mix of nationalities too!

Franco Morbidelli and the Estrella Galicia Marc VDS Team must be firm favourites for the 2017 Moto2 championship. Despite having not won a race yet, Morbidelli took a stunning seven podiums in the last nine races last season, with five podiums in the final five. Aged just 22, Morbidelli has been in the sharp end of Moto2 for the last two seasons and will be hungry to put all that experience to good use. Alongside him in the team once more is Alex Marquez. The Spaniard has been rather lacklustre so far in his Moto2 career, with just one podium at Aragon last year. The 2014 Moto3 champion has been quick in testing and could make for an exciting on track dual with his teammate. The Marc VDS team had an in-team rivalry back in 2014, when Tito Rabat and Mika Kallio went head to head for the title.

Tom Luthi finished the Moto2 season 2nd last season, after starting his campaign off with a victory under floodlights at Losail. He went on to take three more victories and two further podiums but couldn’t overhaul Johann Zarco. One of his best wins last season was at Phillip Island, when he slipstreamed Franco Morbidelli to the line and pinched the win by only a few thousandths of a second. Wanting to go one step further, he could become the first Swiss rider in the history of the Motorcycle Grand Prix World Championship to win an intermediate class title. It won’t be easy but we know he’s quick. Alongside him this season, Jesko Raffin. The fellow Swiss joins Luthi to form a “Swiss Mafia” in the Interwetten Paddock CarXpert team. Raffin has impressed in testing and will want to improve on his best of 8th from last season’s German GP. The third rider in the team is young hot-shot Iker Lecuona, who came in late last season. Given a full-time ride for 2017, he suffered an enormous accident at the Valencia test and will miss the first race of the year (at least) and will be replaced by the recently retired and former 125cc champion, Julian Simon.

The Team Asia Idemitsu Kalex squad once again field Takaaki Nakagami. The Japanese rider took his first win last season at a red-flagged Dutch TT, holding off Johann Zarco as the Frenchman got closer to him. Looking for wins again this season, the 25-year-old comes off the back of a season where he finished 6th. ‘Taka’ always goes well at Jerez, so keep an eye on him there. His new teammate -somewhat surprisingly – is Khairul Idham Pawi. The double GP winner in Moto3 makes a very early step up to Moto2, staying in the same team. The Malaysian rider hasn’t been that much of a stand-out in testing but he has got the whole season to prove doubters – like me – wrong.

Forward Racing are back for 2017 with an unchanged line-up. San Marinese Grand Prix victor Lorenzo Baldassarri lines up alongside Valentino Rossi’s half-brother, Luca Marini. Both have shone in testing with Baldassarri potentially causing a bit of an upset in 2017. He’s quick and his experience of winning from last season will leave him seeking further success. Luca Marini is yet to break into the top five in a race yet, however two top-10 results last season (a best of 6th in Germany) show that he is quick and on his day, could be a great shout for a podium. It’s in his blood after all…

Graduating from Moto3 after taking victories last season, Jorge Navarro takes the place vacated by Sam Lowes at the Federal Oil Gresini Kalex team. Fausto Gresini was quick to snap him up last year and so far, Navarro has been a solid top-10 tester. The Moto2 rookie will take time to adapt – as has everyone else who’s moved up – but expect some good results from the off. He’s got the talent, the bike and the team to guide him in the right direction.

The Dynavolt Intact GP team field seasoned campaigner Sandro Cortese for the 5th consecutive season, partnering him with fellow German, Marcel Shrotter who will enjoy his 2nd season riding a Kalex. The team took a victory at Brno last year with MotoGP graduate Jonas Folger and will be looking to mount a serious challenge for the title with Sandro Cortese, who has so far failed to impress in Moto2. For Schrotter, the objective will be to hit the podium places by the end of the year, after taking 5th place at last year’s Austrian Grand Prix.

As well as new riders, there is also a new team in Moto2. The VR46 Riders Academy add two bikes to the Moto2 grid this year, with Moto3 race winner Francesco Bagnaia and Moto3 wild-boy and crowd pleaser, Stefano Manzi. Bagnaia has looked quick in testing and will want podiums in the season, whilst also wanting to take home the Moto2 ‘Rookie of the Year’ award. Stefano Manzi may seem a strange signing but being over 6 foot, he will need more than a Moto3 bike – which is similar to Lorenzo Baldassarri’s situation in 2013. After all, it’d be like a giraffe riding a grehound if he was to stay in the class for another season.

The Pons HP40 team have a new rider and a new livery in 2017, reverting to the 2013 look of blue and white instead of the yellow they have run for the past few seasons. Their new rider is non-other than former Moto3 podium finisher and double Junior World Moto3 Champion, Fabio Quartararo. He has proved he has pace in testing and will want to replicate what his fellow countryman Zarco was able to do last season. Whether that’ll be straight away will be left to be desired for now. Edgar Pons is alongside him this season. Edgar’s best finish last season was a mere 14th, so a top 10 will be an improvement.

The Italtrans team keep hold of Mattia Pasini, who did such a fine job last season. The veteran Italian took six top-10 positions on his way to 11th in the championship. He hasn’t had a podium since the 2009 San Marinese GP and his last victory was at the 2009 Italian GP. Pasini will surely correct at least one of them stats soon? Alongside him in 2017 will be Moto3 podium finisher, Andrea Locatelli. Equally as puzzling as Pawi’s move to Moto2, I feel Locatelli may have benefitted more from at least another season in the frantic Moto3 class. Testing has been somewhat mediocre but, like Pawi, adaptation time will be required.

Another new team join the Moto2 grid for 2017. This time, it’s reigning Moto3 champions KTM, who are starting to take Grand Prix racing a bit more serious.

Miguel Oliveira moves back to the team he left in 2015 and joins former teammate and reigning Moto3 rider’s champion, Brad Binder. Oliveira’s season in Moto2 has been helpful and that has shown throughout testing. The Portuguese rider’s best finish last season was an 8th but missed the final part of the year through injury. Brad Binder took seven victories on his way to his first world title last season. He hasn’t been as fast as Oliveira initially but the times will come for the South African. Binder will be looking to become the first South African since Kork Ballington at the Nurburgring in 1980 to take an intermediate class victory as he continues to re-write South Africa’s motorsport history whilst paving his own future.

The Kiefer Racing team move over from Kalex to Suter, not conforming to modern Moto2 fashion. Retaining 2015 Moto3 champion Danny Kent seems a good move; the Brit has been in fine form in pre-season testing and looked like the champion of old. A 6th place in the opening race of 2016 was his best result last year, showing that Danny must show us what he can do this season. Alongside him, former Moto2 winner, Dominique Aegerter. The Swiss rider comes back to his beloved Suter, of which he enjoyed a great season on back in 2014. The only downside to the team’s efforts is the wretched black and white livery they have. It really isn’t for me.

Tech 3 racing return to the championship for 2017, with Xavi Vierge and Remy Gardner. Remy comes in from the CEV Junior Moto2 championship, after doing well but often running into mechanical gremlins. He joined the world championship for some of last year on a Kalex, with a best of 12th. Vierge was something of a revelation in 2016, with a best of 8th place at Sepang. Last year’s rookie of the year will want to get his first podium for sure, to give the Tech 3 Moto2 team something to cheer about as well.

AGR reduce their output in Moto2 this season, from two riders to one. Yonny Hernandez goes to the team following his departure from the premier class. The Colombian’s extravagant style suited him when he was in Moto2 prior to the MotoGP class, with a best result of 6th place on a FTR bike. He boards the Kalex for the first time, knowing that he has to prove his worth in 2017.

Hafizh Syahrin remains in Moto2 and with the Petronas Kalex team. The Malaysian had some great rides last season, often battling away in the 2nd group of riders. 4th place on three occasions last year underlines the Malaysian’s potential and I’ll take odds on him finishing in the top five this season. There are rumours that he and the Petronas team will move up to the MotoGP category for 2018, although nothing is confirmed just yet.

The Speed Up team is all Italian this year as they expand their effort from a one rider garage to two. Simone Corsi retains his place in the team, with the hardcore Italian looking for his first podium since Le Mans last season. 10th overall proves that despite being an elder statesman of the Moto2 paddock, age is just a number. Axel Bassani joins him in the team, moving over from the European Supersport championship. The 17-year-old will make his debut after the Qatari GP.

Replacing Johann Zarco at Aki Ajo’s Moto2 Kalex team is Japanese rider, Tesuta Nagashima. The #45 rider moves back into Moto2 after having a year in the CEV Moto2 championship. Having been in the championship back in 2015 and sustaining injuries at Silevrstone, there is unfinished business for the 24-year-old to attend to.

Isaac Vinales moves into the SAG Racing Team, on a Kalex. His 2nd full season in the championship will hopefully be a better one for Maverick’s cousin, who achieved a 9th place last year at the German GP, on his way to 24th overall. The Spaniard will be looking for points in every race and may even be hoping for a top five placing here or there.

The last rider on the grid is Xavier Simeon. The former GP winner and Superstock 1000 champion is riding the Tasca Racing Kalex in 2017, moving over from the QMMF Speed Up operation. Whether he can return to winning ways is yet to be shown but he has been more competitive in testing than what he was for the majority of 2016, with a best of 8th at COTA before finishing 17th overall.

Kiko Giles @MotoGPKiko

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Moto3 Preview 2017: An All Italian Job?

The 2017 Moto3 season promises to be as frantic and energetic as ever and with the mix of the last year’s rookies, this year’s rookies and lightweight class veterans, who’d bet on a championship that will go down to Valencia once again. 18 rounds, 13 countries, 31 riders but only one world champion and the chance to make history, this could be the best Moto3 season we’ve ever seen.

Let’s start with the veterans. Romano Fenati returns to the series after being sacked out of the VR46 Riders Academy set-up. The Italian, with seven wins, is now the most successful rider in the field. He returns with the Marinelli Rivacold team; the team have been in Moto3 for some time now, with three wins under their belt with Niccolo Antonelli.

Antonelli in-turn joins reigning champions Red Bull Ajo KTM, in search of a proper title challenge. The Italian has ridden the KTM before, back in 2014 for Gresini. Three race wins might look good on paper but he’s been in the class since 2012, so this time it must be a top three performance if he is to come up through the GP paddock.

Enea Bastianini has also relocated and is in the Estrella Galicia Marc VDS team. This will be the first time in his career that he has changed team so it may take him some time to adapt to his new surroundings. However, he joins a team who took the Moto3 title in 2014, so maybe that’s the experience the Italian needs to propel him to a championship title. Two wins suggest room for improvement for ‘Bestia’.

Grand Prix winner and sole Belgian rider, Livio Loi has the weight of Belgium on his shoulders for 2017. After not quite living up to potential last season, with just a best of 5th in Australia, you get the feeling that this year must be Loi’s year. He finds himself in the 2015 championship winning team, the Leopard Team – although the actual team is totally different to Stefan Kiefer’s title winning 2015 squad.

John McPhee has been one of the unluckiest riders in Moto3. Bike issues, wrong team – wrong time situations and just bad luck when it mattered, the Scot finally finds himself in a team that looks like it could be his magic key to success. Set up by Dorna, the British Talent Team is centred around McPhee – the only Brit in Moto3 this season. Hopefully BT will get some stickers on the bike too, to help with financial situations. A winner in Brno last season, McPhee is fully recovered from horrific injuries sustained at the Australian Grand Prix last year and ready to get properly stuck in.

Jorge Martin joined the paddock in 2015, with a whole year of solid results. In 2016, he finished 16th in the title and took a 2nd place in Brno. Now, he joins a team that is more than established in the class with Gresini Racing and on a bike that is more than established in winning, with Honda. Martin has been one of the fastest riders through testing and could be on for his first win at some point during the season.

I feel a bit conflicted on calling Andrea Migno a veteran but the 21-year-old from Cattolica has been around for a few years now. Entering his 3rd season with the Sky VR46 Team, Migno showed us what he is capable of last year, with two 3rd places at Assen and then Valencia but the win still eludes him. Or will it…

Phillip Oettl is back in 2017, with the same team as last season – the Schedl KTM squad. The pole-sitter from the Americas Grand Prix will be looking for his 2017 to feature a few more podiums, having not cracked open the champagne at all last year. A great ride at the Red Bull Ring however does reinforce his potential and give us journos and fans a great outlook on the season ahead.

Jakub Kornfeil is the only rider in the whole field who has started every single Moto3 race since its introduction in 2012. He took one podium on his way to 8th overall last season, but this year sees him change team once more. The Czech rider moves over to the Saxoprint team, riding the Peugeot. Whether he can take the bike to the heights that McPhee took it to last year is still unknown but Kornfeil will be wanting to check in rather than Czech out…

Last year’s rookies though will be fast from the off though and many are thinking that 2017 will go to one of the new boys from yesteryear. One of them former rookies is Niccolo Bulega. The 2015 CEV Moto3 champion has been topping timesheets all the way through testing and comes into 2017 as one of the favourites. His podium at Jerez was massively impressive and who better than Valentino Rossi to help you out?

Fellow Italian Fabio Di Giannantonio stunned all of us last season, coming through from nowhere in Mugello to take his first points and 2nd place, triggering a string of 10 top-10 placings – with two more podiums along the way. Fabio will be desperate for his first win in Moto3 and will be wanting to win the title at the 2nd time of asking. However, he’s one of a string of riders who believe the same after successes last season. He stays with Gresini Racing in 2017 but changes his number from #4 to #21.

One of them riders is Austrian GP winner, Joan Mir, who stays with the Leopard Racing but makes the switch from KTM to Honda. Mir, like Di Giannantonio, took three podiums last season and finished top rookie, a considerable way back from runaway series winner Brad Binder but only 33 points from 2nd place. Mir will be looking to add to his win tally this year.

Aron Canet is another rider searching for a win this season; the Spaniard took his first podium towards the end of the season at the Australian GP, with a third place. He crashed out of a podium placing at the Argentine GP so he has bags of potential and being a part of the Estrella Galicia Marc VDS team alongside Bastianini, experience from all around him will rub off on his form throughout the year.

Bo Bendsneyder stays in the Red Bull Ajo KTM set up for 2017, joined by Antonelli who replaces Binder. The tall Dutchman took two podiums on his way to 14th in the season overall: one in Great Britain and one in Malaysia – both of which were 3rd places. He will be looking to become the first Dutchman to win a race since Hans Spaan won at Brno in the 125cc class at Brno.

Don’t forget though, there are some incredibly quick rookies in 2017, including three Asian riders. Ayumu Sasaki is a bit of a character and he’s on the Sepang International Circuit Honda. He partners last year’s rookie, Malaysian rider, Adam Norrodin.

In the Idemitsu Honda Team it’s all change again, as the other two Asian rookies jump in. Japanese sensation Kaito Toba graduates from the CEV championship into Moto3 to join Tadayuki Okada’s wonderfully decked-out outfit. His teammate is Thai rider, Nakarin Atiratphuvapat. No, your screen has not decided to go all weird, that is his surname. Try saying it after a few pints of Thailand’s finest Singha or a few cans of the local Chang. ANYWAY, he’s incredibly quick and shone particularly well at Catalunya in the CEV. Keep your eyes peeled.

Tony Arbolino steps up to the Moto3 category, with the SIC58 team, a set-up which is run by Paolo Simoncelli, Marco’s father. Yes, he sounds like a character from The Sopranos or an associate of Ronnie and Reggie Kray but he is actually quite quick, having finished 6th in the Jerez test. It really is a wonderful tribute to Marco, who would be proud of what Italy has achieved since his passing and just how influential he was and still is in the paddock. Arbolino’s joined by Tatsuki Suzuki, who has a best finish of 10th, although that is from 2015 at Silverstone.

There are other riders too, such as Gabriele Rodrigo. The Argentine topped the crash list for Moto3 last year and will be looking to top the podium instead in 2017. Juanfran Guevara also returns, teaming up with the Argentine once again in the RBA team, who have team shirts like Myanmar budget airline, Air KBZ.

Young 16-year-old Patrik Pulkkinen joins the championship after having two seasons in the Red Bull Rookies cup. He has won the Moriwaki Junior Championship and has good pace, although it may take time to be recognised. His move underpins Dorna’s support for Finnish interaction, with the addition of the Kymi Ring in 2018 and new television rights with MTV in Finland for this season. And with Aki Ajo already in the paddock, Finland is becoming a more prominent force in the world of bikes.

Marco Bezzecchi returns to the paddock after his previous races, joining the CIP Technomag Mahindra team. Adam Norrodin is back too; the Malaysian remaining in the Sepang International Circuit team. Darryn Binder is also back, on the Platinum Bay Real Estate bike – the team switching from Mahindra to KTM. Marcos Ramirez is also in the championship, joining Darryn in the Platinum Bay outfit, with a best result of 6th at the Malaysian GP last season. Lorenzo Dalla Porta returns, under the VR46 umbrella but in the Aspar team along with Albert Arenas, starting his first full season. Jules Danilo is alongside Romano Fenati in the Marinelli Rivacold garage, whilst Manuel Pagliani enters the championship as third bike at the CIP Mahindra team, after winning two CIV Italian Moto3 championships. Appearances in the CEV series, Red Bull Rookies, European Superstock 600 and World Moto3 all add to the 20-year-old’s potential. The AGR team make their Moto3 debut with MotoGP’s only female, Maria Herrera, who will want to score more points and crack the top 10 on a regular basis.

Kiko Giles @MotoGPKiko

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TeamByTeam MotoGP Preview: Marc VDS Honda

Another team that are keeping their rider line up consistent is the Marc VDS team, as Jack Miller and Tito Rabat spearhead the Marc VDS Honda outfit for the 2nd year running. An unexpected maiden victory for Miller in the tricky conditions at Assen was one of the highlights from 2016, whilst Rabat will be looking to get a solid season under his belt after a difficult start to his MotoGP career. Although for the second consecutive year, the team suffer from a far-from-fit line up. After Jack Miller’s foot and leg injury last year, Rabat has arm and collarbone injuries, meaning that it may be a case of making it through the first rounds for Rabat and not pushing to the absolute limits.

As we know, the Honda is certainly not the easiest bike on the grid to ride, however the aforementioned injuries picked up by the two youngsters haven’t helped with their preparations for this season. The new Honda “big bang” engine though has enabled Miller at least to become more comfortable on the bike, commenting on how the bike is now “more calm for the rider and you can focus on hitting the lines.”

A repeat victory in 2017? 2016 showed how the weather can allow for people like the Aussie to win races. Jack is still only 22 years old and he’ll be looking to impress further this year in the hope a factory ride will come calling sooner rather than later. His Spanish team mate is now 27 years old and after picking up a nasty injury to both arms and collarbones at the Sepang test, the start of 2017 looks like it will be tough for the former Moto2 world champion. Miller is entering his third season with a Honda under him and his 2nd with the Estrella Galicia outfit, meaning that he will be looking to beat the 57 points he scored last season. Rabat’s best finish of his MotoGP career was 9th at last year’s Argentine Grand Prix, his only top 10 in the whole season. Rabat may be out of time if things fail to change in 2017.

Unfortunately, I’m expecting another tough year for the Spaniard. I’m sure were all hoping he can stay injury free and challenge for some decent points every weekend, as we all now the talent he posses. As for Jackass, I feel he can certainly penetrate the top 10 on more than one occasion. If the weather throws up a surprise, expect the Aussie to be challenging for the the top six and maybe we can see him add to his sole victory.

The team itself is one that has fingers in many pies. CEV Junior Moto3 championship, Moto3, Moto2 and MotoGP – there’s definitely a ladder that riders in the lower ranks can look forward to following. The question is for this season is whether the team can transfer the form from the lower classes into the premier class and give Rabat and Miller the results they deserve. One thing is for certain, if the team get another freak win, there will be a party long into the night, with the likes of Jack Miller in the team, there’d probably be a party anyway.

Elliott York @journoyork

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TeamByTeam MotoGP Preview: Pramac Ducati

For the Pramac racing squad, 2017 will be their 16th consecutive season in MotoGP and this year could be their best one to date. There’s a Desmosedici GP17 in their ranks in the hands of Danilo Petrucci after he won the inter-team battle against Scott Redding last season, which means the Italian will get the same package as factory boys Jorge Lorenzo and Andrea Dovizioso. However, that may not be the best thing in the early part of the season. Scott will have a bike that is a proven race winner, whilst Danilo’s is yet to reach such stages. It might only be a short-term advantage but Scott might have the upper-hand early doors on his Italian teammate.

So, can we expect Petrucci to be competing with the likes of five-time world champion Lorenzo? It will be a fascinating challenge for him that’s for sure, as the GP17 will be the most competitive bike he has ever ridden. He’ll be looking to get this year off to a better start, as a testing crash at Phillip Island last year meant he had to miss the opening four rounds. No such crashes this year though for the 26-year-old, who will be looking to add to his podium finish at Silverstone back in 2015. Petrucci has excelled as a rider having left the Ioda team and you get the feeling that he could produce something special in mixed conditions. And, if there is an issue with the factory team riders, Petrucci may well get a call up. It’s all experience after all.

As for Redding, he is on board a bike that has proven race winning potential, as factory riders Dovizioso and now Suzuki pilot Andrea Iannone proved in 2016. Race wins, in the dry at least, will probably be a step too far for Scott. For me, the Gloucestershire born rider can definitely challenge for the top 6 as there is no doubting that the youngest ever GP winner is quick. Redding has had a difficult pre season, however he seemed to have found a set up that works in the final pre season test, good news for us Brits. But, with tricky weather conditions always a threat at Assen and the Sachsenring, Scott could give Paolo Campinoti’s team a much-deserved victory. His 3rd place in The Netherlands last season was a real indicator of the Brit’s talents.

The Pramac team have had a lot of mixed fortunes over the last few years but podiums have prevailed. In 2015, Petrucci put the bike on the podium in monsoon-like conditions at Silverstone and a year later, Redding did the same at Assen. Petrucci momentarily led last season’s German GP, whilst setting the fastest lap of the race in Holland. More of the same in 2017 perhaps?

An intriguing battle to see who will come out on top between these two is certain and it adds yet another sub-plot to the 2017 championship. Another dimension to the series with yet another rivalry brewing. Fallouts from last year look to spill over into this season, so just what exactly lies ahead? Stay tuned.

Elliott York @journoyork

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MotoGP Qatar Preview: Arabian Nights

It. Is. Back. MotoGP returns this weekend for round one of the championship, coming from the Arab Gulf State of Qatar. The Losail International circuit has been a permanent feature on the ever-expanding MotoGP calendar for 13 years now and since 2007, it has hosted the first race of the year. The only race to be held under floodlights, the Qatari Grand Prix looks set to be yet another cracker, with rider and team changes abundant.

Reigning champion Marc Marquez hasn’t won at Losail since 2014, starting what would be a run of 11 Grand Prix victories for the five-time champion. A 3rd place in the race last year was a solid platform for his title challenge and nothing less than a podium will suffice again. Looking for his 56th win and Honda’s 3rd at the track, Marc will want to kick off his season just as a reigning world champion should. However, the 24-year-old has experienced some struggles in testing, only shadowing Maverick Vinales at the Phillip Island test. A war of words has begun between the two, suggesting that 2017 will not be without it’s intense rivalries. Will Marc deliver on Sunday? Only two wins suggest not, however, he’s only been off the podium four times at Losail in his illustrious career. Just what will happen come race day?

Runner up in the championship for the past three seasons, Valentino Rossi still hasn’t given up the dream of title number 10. He arrives at Losail off the back of a pretty tricky pre-season test, although as we all know, The GOAT is a Sunday man. Four victories at Losail see Valentino as one of the favourites to win at the weekend, although it was only 4th for the Italian in the race last year. He has never won from pole at the Qatari Grand Prix and his last pole came in 2007, when he finished 2nd. Rossi hasn’t started two consecutive seasons with 4th place finishes in his whole career and that stat could all change when the chequered flag drops on Sunday evening. There are also new factors in the Yamaha team, such as Maverick Vinales, the wing ban and the absence of Jorge Lorenzo. Could the change suit Rossi? After all, he has a reputation for reinventing himself each year. Don’t discount The Doctor in Doha just yet.

Jorge Lorenzo joins Ducati for 2017 and whilst the team haven’t won at the Losail circuit since 2009, – with Casey Stoner – Jorge Lorenzo has won six times at the venue throughout his career, with three of them coming in MotoGP. The Spaniard could be set to update the records too: having won the last race of 2016 with Yamaha, if he wins the Qatari GP on the Ducati, he will replicate Valentino Rossi’s record breaking achievement with Honda and Yamaha in 2003 and 2004 – and nothing would get the GOAT’s goat more than Jorge pinching one more achievement. Lorenzo is the only rider on the grid to win at the track in all three classes and will want to join Casey Stoner as the 2nd rider to win there on two different makes of bike. Can Jorge kick-start his championship challenge in the same way as last year or will he and the Bologna Bullet bite the Arabian dirt under the night sky? Time will most certainly tell.

Maverick Vinales took 4th place in the championship last season, with four podiums – including one win at Silverstone. Sixth in the race last season, Vinales will be looking to start the Yamaha chapter of his career in the finest style, meaning nothing less than a win will do. Just one win throughout his career at the track – 2012 in Moto3 – mean that he may not have the race form but he has the pace from testing to counter that. Topping all four tests on the Yamaha, including the Losail test earlier in the month, Vinales must be one of the favourites. His youthful exuberance will be exploiting the Yamaha to the maximum, potentially firing him into the distance in the points standings or into the distance in the gravel. One thing is for sure, Vinales will be there on Sunday. His pre-season form indicates he’s ready and it might be a situation that the only person that will beat Maverick is Maverick himself. Will he be Yamaha’s new Top Gun in Qatar?

Andrea Iannone always goes well at Qatar. But of course, we’ve only seen him on the Ducati in the premier class. How about the Suzuki? Will the combination of an Italian who rides with his heart on his sleeve and a bike that allows you to take liberties with it work under the artificial lighting? Form suggests that Suzuki as a manufacturer will not enjoy the Qatari Grand Prix, having never had a podium at Losail. But Iannone at least has pace around the tight and twisty venue. He got to 4th before crashing in 2014, he took a third in 2015 and crashed out of 2nd in the race last year, not to mention a win in 2009 in the 125cc class and two other podiums in Moto2. Iannone’s form is slightly woeful however, with just 49 points collected in the 2nd half of last year (injury was a major factor in that). Will a change of surroundings help or hinder the seagull-hating Italian? Personally, I think we have another title challenger. But what do I know?…

Now if you fancy a dark horse for a victory at Losail, look no further than Andrea Dovizioso and his Factory Ducati. The partnership has seen two – 2nd place finishes in the last two seasons, with the huge kilometre long front straight working well for the rocket-ship Ducati. Dovizioso doesn’t just have race pace either, having taken pole in 2015 and finishing the first test day at Losail this season on top. With no bowling ball teammates in the shape of Andrea Iannone knocking him down this season, a solid start in Losail could be the start of some serious momentum from Dovi if previous years are to go by. I’ll have a fiver one him for a win on Sunday.

Away from the big six and you have Dani Pedrosa, who comes to a circuit he has never won at in any class of racing. In fact, there has been no pole for Pedrosa at the track and only a fastest lap in 2005’s 250cc is his race showings. But Pedrosa does have six podiums to his name at the venue but not one of them have come from the last two seasons. It may well be a tricky start to the year yet again for little Dani. However, big changes have happened on his side of the Repsol Honda garage. He has brought in former MotoGP championship contender and fellow Spaniard Sete Gibernau as a rider coach. This follows suit with other riders, such as Valentino Rossi hiring Luca Cadalora. The word is from inside Honda that Dani is reinvigorated for 2017 and that he has quietly gone about his business, potentially ready for a title scrap. It may well be his year if he can keep it all together.

Don’t forget LCR’s Cal Crutchlow either. The Brit has a best of 4th place at Losail, coming in 2012. The double race winner comes into the 2017 season off the back of a great 2016, although he failed to finish the last couple of races in Malaysia and Spain. Whether Cal can launch a serious title challenge is questionable but podiums are possible and Cal knows it. Will he bring Britain some much needed good news in Qatar?

Don’t discount Aleix Espargaro from springing a surprise either. The Aprilia rider was on form throughout testing and as the bike improves, he too becomes quicker and more accustomed and confident with his package for 2017.

The biggest shock could be set to come from Alvaro Bautista. The 32-year-old has been flying throughout pre-season testing onboard his GP16 Ducati. He has one win at Losail, which came in 2006 on his way to the 125cc title. He is one of only three riders on the grid to finish in the points for the last seven races of 2016 – the other two are Vinales and Dovizioso.

Don’t discount the Tech 3 Yamaha pairing either. Jonas Folger has been sublime through testing and outperformed reigning double Moto2 champion and teammate, Johann Zarco. Tech 3 are fielding a brand-new line up for 2017 and the first time they’ve ever fielded a line-up consisting of two rookies. Can they be a surprise in Losail. Crutchlow, Dovizioso, Edwards, Toseland and Spies are all former team riders who have glistened in Qatar.

Other mentions through the field include the other two rookies – Sam Lowes and Alex Rins. Lowes rides an Aprilia in 2017 but his form in Losail isn’t particularly great. A crash out of 2nd in 2015 and a jumpstart in 2016 mean he hasn’t had the best of relationships with the track. Alex Rins on the other hand joins Suzuki, who, like mentioned before haven’t had great successes at the track. But Rins has had a podium, in Moto3. He has also never finished lower than 10th at the track and he’ll be looking to keep that statistic going on Sunday.

KTM also return to the championship with Bradley Smith and Pol Espargaro piloting the Austrian machine. Both riders know this will be a development season but that’s not to say they won’t want points from the off in Qatar. Bradley Smith started from the front row back in 2014 and ran with the leaders until crashing out of 5th. Pol Espargaro has one win at the track, in 2013 on a Moto2 Kalex. His best finish has been 7th in the premier class at the track but that might be an end of season goal for the team more than a wishful thinking start.

Other riders making up the grid include 2016 revelation Hector Barbera and his teammate Loris Baz, who is yet to score points in Qatar. Esteve Rabat and Jack Miller on the Marc VDS Honda will want to get their season off and running, although Rabat is carrying an injury from the Sepang test in February. Karel Abraham returns from an appalling season in WSBK, partnering Bautista at Aspar Ducati, albeit on a GP15 Ducati. Pramac Ducati have an unchanged line up, with Danilo Petrucci on the factory GP17 whilst Scott Redding rides the GP16 model.

Kiko Giles @MotoGPKiko

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