Bikesrepublic

MotoGP 2019

If you have a lot of money and don’t know what to spend it all on, we want to be your friends and advise you on buying one of two units of the 2019 KTM RC16 MotoGP bikes currently being offered by KTM Motorsports. That’s right, MotoGP prototype machine for sale, folks! (more…)

It’s hard to deny how the Petronas Yamaha Sepang Racing Team made their mark during their very first year in MotoGP. Last season was full of drama, spectacles, and amazing results which ironically started with doubts and worries related to a new team and relatively questionable choices of riders. (more…)

  • Marc Marquez won the MotoGP title for 2019.

  • He had won 8 races, finished 2nd four times and retired only once, so far.

  • It was his 8th world championship in total, 6th in the MotoGP class and the 4th consecutive.

You’d probably heard by now that Marc Marquez defends his title and is the 2019 MotoGP champion. But to put it in perspective, it was his 8th total world championship title, 6 in total in MotoGP and 4th consecutive in MotoGP. He is also the youngest champion to attain those records.

Marquez wrapped up his amazing season in Round 15 at the Buriram International Circuit in Thailand yesterday. He had trailed Fabio Quartararo from the start before making his move on the last lap. Quatararo retook his lead very briefly in the last corner but was overtaken by Marquez.

It was a fitting finish for the champion on his trusty Honda RC213V. Apart for just one retirement in Austin, Texas, the pairing won eight races and finished second in the other four. The are four rounds remaining to the season.

The victory is also a special occasion for Honda as they celebrate the 60th anniversary of Honda Racing.

Marquez had won the title during his first year (2013) in the premier class, making him one of only a handful to have carried such a feat. That win also cemented his place in history as the youngest MotoGP champion.

He went on the rampage in the following year by winning the first 10 rounds consecutively, and ending the year with 13 wins and MotoGP title No. 2.

Marquez would miss out the 2015 championship, but bounced back in 2016 and never looked back since, scoring MotoGP titles No. 3, 4, 5, and 6 yesterday.

Along the way, Marquez and Repsol Honda posted 61 pole positions and won 53 times.

“It is a great feeling to be World Champion with Honda again. 2019 has been one of my most consistent seasons. We fought hard when we had to and all of the team and Honda have done such an incredible job to bring us to this level. Celebrating Honda Racing’s 60th anniversary with the MotoGP title it a great honor and I am pleased I could do this for Honda. I want to thank everyone who has been involved in this season and the fans who always support us,” said Marc Marquez.

Yoshishige Nomura, Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) President commended Marquez on his magnificent achievement. “Marc did a magnificent job once again to win his sixth MotoGP title on Honda’s 60th anniversary of World Grand Prix racing. I wholeheartedly salute his dauntless riding that mesmerizes his fans, supported by his persistent training and mature attitude towards racing. I’m grateful for all the support in winning the championship he had from the team staff, the many sponsors who support our racing activities, and MotoGP fans worldwide.”

Source: Boon Siew Honda Press Release

  • Maverick Vinalez won at the Dutch MotoGP 2019 round to end Yamaha’s year-long drought of race wins.

  • Marc Marquez finished in 2nd place.

  • Fabio Quartararo finished on the podium again.

Maverick Vinalez (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) won at the Dutch MotoGP 2019 round to end Yamaha’s year-long drought of race wins.

Vinalez had battled all race long with the youngest back-to-back pole sitter Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Sepang Racing Team) and World Champion Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda). The trio traded places on and on until Quartararo had to slow down due to incessant speed wobbles. Both Vinalez and Marquez passed him without hesitation, to set up a two-bike battle in the closing laps.

Vinalez finally prevailed from Lap 18 to end the race 5 seconds ahead of Marquez. The latter seemingly slowing down to settle for 2nd position to protect his lead in the championship. Indeed, he revealed in the post-race interview that his goal was to finish ahead of Andrea Dovizioso (Mission Winnow Ducati), Alex Rins (Suzuki Ecstar) and Danilo Petrucci (Dovizioso’s teammate).

Quartararo made it home in 3rd for his second podium finish in his first season. He had battled through arm pump to stay ahead of Andrea Dovizioso.

Photo credit – MotoGP.com

His teammate Franco Morbidelli pushed up the field to pass Petrucci on the final lap to finish 5th.

Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda) fought back against Joan Mir (Suzuki Ecstar) to grab 6th.

Jack Miller (Pramac Ducati) and Andrea Iannone (Gresini Aprilia) rounded off the top 10.

It was another nightmare race for Valentino Rossi (Monster Energy Yamaha) who crashed together with Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda) at high speed. Nakagami was stretchered off the track side.

Marc Marquez had predicted a strong race, if not a victory, but one of the Yamahas after witnessing their pace throughout the weekend. As in the previous race at Catalunya, the Yamahas demonstrated higher midcorner speeds and ease of being flicked side-to-side, fitting the twisting format of the Assen track well. Suzuki also had this advantage but Alex Rins crashed out from the lead on Lap 3.

It was Marquez’s remarkable skills to put the Honda in 2nd place. The next closest Honda of Cal Crutchlow was way back in 6th.

The Ducatis couldn’t take advantage of their towering engine power and straightline speed at the Cathedral of Speed. As Dovizioso remarked earlier this season, the Ducati Desmosedici GP19 still has trouble with keeping its line in midcorner, thereby hampering the riders from applying the throttle earlier.

Photo credit MotoGP.com

Marquez currently leads the championship with a substantial 44 points clear of Dovizioso in second. Indeed, the cameras caught a despondent-looking Dovizioso sipping his drink in his paddock after the race.

What about Quartararo’s speed wobbles/tank slapper? As pointed out by our veteran journalist friend, both the Yamahas and Suzukis suffered the same problem down the back straight due to the strong crosswind. The two manufacturers’ bikes are set up for quick-steering hence have less stability, compared to the Honda RC213V, Ducati Desmosedici and KTM RC16.

The next round is at Sachsenring, Germany.

  • Marc Marquez rode to his fourth victory of the season at the Catalunya MotoGP.

  • His Repsol Honda teammate Jorge Lorenzo brought down three other riders who were challenging Marquez for the lead.

  • Fabio Quartararo secured his and Petronas Sepang Racing Team’s maiden podium finish.

Marc Marquez rode to his fourth victory of the season at the Catalunya MotoGP, after dodging the carnage behind him. His Repsol Honda teammate Jorge Lorenzo brought down three other riders who were challenging Marquez for the lead.

Mission Winnow Ducati rider Andrea Dovizioso was leading the charge into the “bus stop” Turn 10, but Marquez outbraked him, causing him to take a wider line into the corner. Behind them, Lorenzo was slipstreamed the three riders in front of him and outbraked Maverick Vinalez who was behind Dovizioso. Going for the gap, Lorenzo suddenly found the Ducati man sweeping back towards the apex, so he hit his front brakes and went down, clipping Dovizioso’s rear wheel. Both the Ducati and Honda then slid into Vinalez’s Monster Energy Yamaha, sending clattering off the track.

Valentino Rossi who was following closely in fifth had nowhere to go and ran over Lorenzo’s Honda. He remounted his Yamaha and rode back to the pits and out of the race.

That bowling session allowed Marquez to escape the intentions of his closest pursuers and he held on to the lead all the way to the chequered flag. The win increased his championship lead over Dovizioso to 37 points, up from just 12.

Behind him, a fierce tussle developed among Danilo Petrucci (Mission Winnow Ducati), Alex Rins (Suzuki Ecstar) and pole-sitter Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Sepang Racing Team).

It was clearly apparent that the Petrucci’s Ducati was much slower in mid-corner compared to the Suzuki and Yamaha, as they closed right back in after Petrucci opened up a gap on the straights. At one point, a frustrated Rins lunged aggressively inside Petrucci, putting tyre marks on the latter’s suit’s right sleeve and shoulder.

Rins kept up the pressure but Petrucci would not yield, until the former ran into a turn too fast and almost outbraked himself into a highside. Rins fell back to 7th and fought his way back up to 4th, eventually.

With Petrucci’s tyres spent in defending from Rins, Quartararo pounced. Quartararo had secured his second pole of the season on Saturday but was again out-dragged into the first corner at the start. Aggressive riders then pushed him down to as far as 9th. But he kept his patience and prevailed to score his and team’s maiden MotoGP podium, in their very first season.

Petrucci followed Quartararo in 3rdfor his 3rdpodium in three races. Jack Miller (Pramac Ducati) fought up the field to finish 5th, escaping Cal Crutchlow’s (LCR Honda) aggressive push (the Englishman crashed immediately after overtaking Miller).

In 6th was Rins’s teammate Joan Mir. It was his best finish of the season. Pol Espargaro once again did well to finish in a high position for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing in 7th. Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda) was the top independent Honda rider again in 8th. A resurgent Tito Rabat (Reale Avintia Ducati) came home in 9th. Johann Zarco finally finished in the Top 10 on the other Red Bull KTM Factory Racing bike.

There were only three other finishers, Andrea Iannone (Factory Aprilia Gresini), Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) and Sylvain Guintoli (Suzuki Ecstar).

11 riders did not take the checkered flag.

  • Danilo Petrucci wins his first and emotional MotoGP race at the Italian MotoGP.

  • It was a thrilling race from start to end, but it was only decided on the last lap.

  • Alex Rins fought hard, but his Suzuki was outgunned by the Ducatis and Honda.

Danilo Petrucci has come agonizingly close to a win on many occasions, but he couldn’t have scored his maiden MotoGP race at a better place than at the Italian round in Mugello. Petrucci was having a fever coming into the race, making the win even sweeter.

It was a nail-biting race from the start, with eight riders battling for the lead. The front group included Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda), Andrea Dovizioso (Mission Winnow Ducati), Danilo Petrucci (Mission Winnow Ducati), Jack Miller (Alma Pramac Racing), Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda), Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda), Fabio Quartaro (Petronas SRT) and Maverick Vinalez (Monster Energy Yamaha).

Photo credit – MotoGP.com

Marquez led into the first corner, stalked by the Ducati riders and Cal Cructchlow. But it soon developed into a slipstream race as the Ducatis made good on their supreme horsepower. Quartararo found himself swamped by the more powerful bikes and was ninth into the first turn.

Photo credit – MotoGP.com

The race settled down to a five-horse race by mid-point but Alex Rins overtook everyone and led the race for a number of laps, only to find his Suzuki outgunned by the Ducatis and Honda along Mugello’s long, long front straight.

Photo credit – MotorGP.com

Soon, Petrucci and Dovizioso overtook Marquez to set the pace. Behind Rins, Jack Miller started pushing, recording the fastest lap of the race. Unfortunately, the Australian made a mistake and crashed out at the chicanes.

That left Petrucci, Dovizioso, Marquez and Rins to battle it out until the end of the race.

Dovizioso stalked his teammate Petrucci before pouncing with three laps to go. But Petrucci fought back the next lap and held on until to start the last lap.

As Dovizioso slipstreamed Petrucci on the straight, Marquez played the role predator as he double-slipstreamed both rider and passed them into Turn One.

Photo credit – MotoGP.com

However, Marquez couldn’t hold on to his line and went wide mid-corner. Dovizioso slipped into the gap, but Petrucci didn’t give up and slotted inside Dovizioso turning it into three bikes abreast in the corner! Rins, holding ship in fourth probably thought he had a chance of the podium had all three crashed.

The move surprise Dovizioso who had to stand his bike up into Marquez, which forced Marquez into second and Dovizioso back into third.

Marquez kept up the pressure but Petrucci didn’t crack and held on through the last turn and past the finish line with the former in firmly in his slipstream.

Rins attempted a gutsy last gasp past on Dovizioso into the last turn but was again out-dragged to the checkered flag.

An emotional Petrucci apologized his teammate Dovizioso for the last lap move, but also thanked him for the support and assistance.

Nakagami rode a steady race to complete the top five. Maverick Vinalez fought up the field to cross the line in sixth, Mission Mission Winnow test rider Michele Pirro in seventh, Crutchlow faded to eighth at the end, Pol Espargaro made it to ninth on the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing bike, Quartararo eventually finishing tenth.

Valentino Rossi had a torrid weekend after qualifying 18th before coming together with Francesco Bagnaia and running off the track. He managed to get back to racing but crashed out eventually.

  • Marc Marquez rode a commanding race to claim the 300th victory for Honda.

  • He was challenged earlier by Jack Miller but never looked back after regaining the lead.

  • Honda had found more power in the engine.

Marc Marquez put on another dominating show at the French MotoGP 2019 to claim Honda’s 300th victory in the premier class.

Marquez had crashed multiple times over the weekend, including sliding off the track on Saturday after setting the pole position time in qualifying.

It turns out that Honda has given the four-time world champion more power from the engine wrapped in the 2019 chassis. According to the Spanish rider, it has allowed him to do away with risky late and hard braking. Consequently, he could use the softest tyre option in the race at the legendary Le Mans circuit.

“Last year we just tried to find the lap time on the brake point. This year maybe we lose a little on the brake point, but we gain in other areas and this is the right way because always the brake point means risk. And risk means it’s difficult to be constant,” he said when interviewed.

Jack Miller had challenged Marquez in the opening stages, but the Australian faded to finish third. Andrea Dovizioso moved in second at the finish line.

The world champion now leads the 2019 MotoGP championship table despite crashing out at Austin. Andrea Dovizioso is relegated to second ahead of Alex Rins.

  • KTM CEO Stefan Pierer said, “Johann Zarco is a disappointment.”

  • It follows Zarco’s outrage by calling the RC16’s frame and delivery “sh*t” in Spain.

  • But Pierer conceded that the bike needs more work.

The KTM MotoGP saga continues with KTM CEO Stefan Pierer saying, “Johann Zarco is a disappointment.”

Pierer uttered the statement following Zarco’s struggle to achieve better results. The two-time Moto2 champion’s best was 13th in Austin, Texas. He placed 15thin the season opener in Qatar and Argentina, and 14th in the Spanish round last week.

Zarco has said that he couldn’t adapt to the KTM RC16, a bike which he said, “only goes well down the straight and only wants to go straight.” He had also been caught on camera calling the frame and power delivery as “sh*t” in Jerez, Spain. This, coming from one of the nicest MotoGP riders was certainly something.

But his statements didn’t go well with KTM’s management.

KTM CEO Stefan Pierer told Speedweek, “Johann is a big disappointment and I’m very sorry about that. We hired him so that he and Pol (Espargarò) could push one another but the opposite happened. Espargarò is on his own.”

The other KTM rider pushing Espargarò was new signing Miguel Oliveira in the Red Bull Tech 3 KTM Racing team, instead. Apart from struggling in Jerez to finish 18th ahead of his teammate Hafizh Syahrin, Oliveira had come home in 17th, 11th and 14th, respectively. KTM was so impressed that they’ve extended Oliveira’s contract through 2020.

Photo credit Autosport

In addition to struggling with a completely new bike, Zarco had to contend with his manager and mentor (and friend) Laurent Falon switching camps to Honda. Falon had kept Honda’s offer a secret from Zarco and team through 2018.

“When an athlete at this level doesn’t have everything under control, then he has a problem. They told me that he was already very rude in the garage in Texas and the situation worsened in Jerez. But I want to say that we will do all we can to improve this year. We’ve already got the new materials, following his indications, and he’ll be joined by Jean-Michel Bayle,” added Pierer.

But Pierer was quick to add that KTM is not seeking to end Zarco’s contract. The French rider was signed also through 2020.

“We still have 15 races to run this year. Going from Yamaha to the KTM requires adaptation and that takes time. There are two different kinds of bikes in MotoGP: Yamaha and Suzuki with the inline 4-cylinders and Honda, Ducati, KTM and Aprilia with the V4. With the latter, you have to ride a certain way. You need to be bold and throw the bike down into the corners, you can’t go easy. Consider how, post Stoner, it took Ducati from 2010 to 2016 to find someone else who could win with their bike.”

On the other hand, Pierer didn’t deny that the RC16 needs more development. He revealed that the bike needs to lose another 4 to 5 kilograms and that the electronics are still an issue.

But what Pierer didn’t mention was the KTM RC16’s chassis architecture, which uses a steel-lattice frame and WP suspension. All MotoGP bikes use Öhlins suspension and aluminium frames. Ducati had suffered with the carbon monocoque for many years (including with Valentino Rossi) before swallowing their pride and reverting to an aluminium frame. It may not make a difference to you and I who ride on the streets and in the occasional track days, but it does for riders who push their bikes to the limits.

Why not change riding styles then? Both Zarco and Syahrin are suffering with turning into corners. Syahrin, Espargarò and Oliveira have all stated that one needs to be “aggressive” with the bike, echoing Zarco’s call.

Zarco has stated before that changing his smooth riding style will result in the team having with too much inconsistent data, especially while developing a new riding style. Setting up a bike is based on how the bike reacts to the rider’s inputs, after all. The best rider to illustrate this was Jorge Lorenzo who also rides with the “traditional” smooth style. He had suffered to no end during his first year with Ducati before the team solved his woes for his second year.

Changing a riding style, especially one that had brought past successes is not easy. The last thing a rider needs to concern himself about is his riding style in the heat of competition. It is the team’s job to provide the rider a bike that he doesn’t have to worry about, to allow him to concentrate on his race strategies i.e. lap times vs. tyre degradation, him vs. his opponents, etc.

The KTM factory had better come up with some solutions fast because all the new riders are at their mercy, rather than the other around.

  • Marc Marquez won the Spanish MotoGP 2019.

  • Polesitter Fabio Quartararo had gone as high up as 2nd but had to retire with mechanical problems.

  • Alex Rins finished 2nd on the Suzuki.

Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda) won the Spanish MotoGP 2019 race convincingly, but it was a heartache for Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamah SRT).

Staring from 3rd on the grid, Marquez blasted into the lead with the two Petronas Yamaha SRT riders, polesitter Quartararo and Franco Morbidelli trailing behind into Turn 1.

As Marquez controlled the race from the front, both satellite Yamaha riders followed closely. But on Lap 8, the reigning world champion upped his pace and started to drop the pursuing duo.

But it wasn’t long before Morbidelli’s started dropping into the clutches of his teammate Quartararo and Maverick Vinalez (Monster Energy Yamaha). Quartararo passed Morbidelli in the next lap and hunted down Marquez. Alex Rins (Suzuki Ecstar) once again rode his way up the field and passed Vinalez for 4th.

Alex Rins – Photo credit MotoGP.com

Although the Frenchman was only 0.1s slower than Marquez, the latter had opened up a 2-second lead.

Suddenly, Quartararo’s bike began to slow on Lap 16 and he pulled off the circuit to a stop. It was revealed later that his quickshifter had broken. With no way to reset the system to manual shifting, his and the team’s dream evaporated underneath the Spanish sunshine.

In the meantime, his Petronas Yamaha teammate Morbidelli started to slow drastically down the order to 6th. Rins had overtaken him by that point into 2nd while Vinalez had to defend from Andrea Dovizioso (Mission Winnow Ducati).

Maverick Vinalez – Photo credit MotoGP.com

Vinalez held on to his nerve and position at the flag to complete the podium positions.

Dovizioso finished 4th, followed by his teammate Danilo Petrucci to complete the Top 5.

Valentino Rossi (Monster Energy Yamaha) worked his way up to 6th after a disastrous qualifying which saw him starting from 13th on the grid. Morbidelli finally crossed the line in 7th; Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda) in 8th; his teammate Takaaki Nakagami in 9th; and wildcard rider Stefan Bradl rounded out the Top 10.

It was a race to forget for KTM as the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing riders Pol Espargaro came home in 13th followed by his teammate Johann Zarco in 14th. The Red Bull KTM Tech 3 Racing riders Miguel Oliveira took the flag in 18th in front of Hafiz Syahrin in 19th.

All pictures from MotoGP.com

  • Franco Morbidelli gembira berjaya memperolehi tempat yang ke-lima dalam pusingan MotoGP “Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas”.
  • Teman sepasukannya dan penunggang rookie, Fabio Quartararo menamatkan perlumbaan tersebut di tempat yang ke-tujuh.
  • Ini adalah satu keputusan yang amat memberangsangkan buat pasukan PETRONAS Yamaha Sepang Racing Team.

(more…)

  • Alex Rins won the MotoGP race at the 2019 Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas.

  • Marc Marquez crashed out with 12 laps to go.

  • Valentino Rossi finished second.

Marc Marquez had hoped for a perfect record at the Grand Prix of the Americas, but a mistake at Turn 12 destroyed that record, leaving Alex Rins to win.

He had done what he does best by taking the holeshot at the start and took off into the distance, followed by Valentino Rossi (Monster Energy Yamaha), Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda), Jack Miller (Lamborghini Pramac Ducati) and Alex Rins (Suzuki Ecstar).

Marc Marquez – Photo credit MotoGP.com

Crutchlow would crash out with 15 laps to go, leaving the other three riders to battle for the remaining podium spots.

By 12 laps to go, Marquez led by 3.6 seconds and the race looked like it was going to be another boring procession. Suddenly a roar went up in the crowds and the TV screens showed a Repsol rider picking his bike off the ground. It turned out to be Marquez!

He tried time and again to pick his bike up but fell back down on the ground and finally gave up.

Replays showed that he had locked the front wheel while trail braking into the first gear Turn 12.

It was a bad day for the Repsol Honda team as Jorge Lorenzo’s bike broke down a lap later.

Marquez’s crash left a nail-biting battle between Valentino Rossi and Alex Rins. Rins had dispatched of Jack Miller. With 6 laps to go, Rins’s team sent a message to select “Mapping 3” and started to stalk Rossi closely.

Valentino Rossi – Photo credit MotoGP.com

Rins finally made a move with 4 laps to go. Rossi replied with a repass by couldn’t hold his line and that let Rins off the hook.

Rossi’s tyre’s were cooked by now but he didn’t let it go down without a fight. Rins was able to open up a lead of 0.7 second but Rossi managed to pull back 0.25 second in braking down to Turn 12. However, Rins was able to hold on and claim his very first MotoGP win.

Behind them, Jack Miller held on for his first podium in the dry and on a Ducati while keeping himself just out of reach of Andrea Dovizioso (Mission Winnow Ducati). Dovizioso started the race from 13th on the grid.

Jack Miller – Photo credit MotoGP.com

Franco Morbidelli rounded out the Top 5.

The results of the race bring Dovizioso into the lead of the championship with 54 points, to Rossi’s 51, Rins’s 49 and Marquez’s 45. That’s 9 points covering four riders.

Sumber imej: Fox Sports Asia
  • Ketua pasukan Red Bull KTM Tech 3, Herve Poncharal mengakui yang dia berasa “berang” dengan Hafizh Syahrin.
  • Dia telah berkongsi perasaannya itu sewaktu pusingan MotoGP Argentina.
  • Hafizh Syahrin mensasarkan untuk mendapat keputusan yang lebih baik dari teman sepasukan baharunya, Miguel Oliveira pada tahun ini.

(more…)

Archive

Follow us on Facebook

Follow us on YouTube