We Malaysians are all too familiar with the world of Motorcycle Grand Prix. With the country’s main goal in getting a national rider into the top of the league, there are a few worthy candidates who have been racing brilliantly in the intermediate and novice classes which are Moto2 and Moto3. (more…)
The Red Bull KTM Ajo squad closed off their 2017 Moto2 efforts with a bang thanks to Miguel Oliveira who finished the last race of the season with a super race win. Starting from fourth position, the 22 year old rider from Portugal has awarded KTM with three race victories in their first ever year in the Moto2 race series. (more…)
The scene could not have been more dramatic during the Shell Malaysia MotoGP round at the Sepang International Circuit. All weekend, the Moto2 riders have gone through severe heat to sudden bursts of rain to keep them on their toes. None more so than the two riders who were fighting for the 2017 Moto2 championship, Franco Morbidelli (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) and Thomas Luthi (CarXpert Interwetten). (more…)
Miguel Oliveira and Brad Binder scored the top two podium finishes in the Moto2 race at the Australian GP yesterday, and a place in KTM’s record books.
Oliveira took the lead as soon as the lights went green and never looked back, even opening up a margin of six seconds at one point. Binder trailed in second place but was soon caught by championship leader Franco Morbidelli. The pair traded places with some aggressive moves until the rain flag waved just before the end. Binder held off Morbidelli for his first Moto2 podium in his first year in the intermediate class.
The Austrian manufacturer had decided to contest both Moto2 and MotoGP beginning this year (2017). But while Pol Espargaro and Bradly Smith have been posting encouraging mid-pack results on the RC16 in MotoGP, it’s Miguel Oliveira who has been knocking on the door for his first Moto2 win.
Prior to the Australian GP, Oliveira had guided his KTM Moto2 bike to 6 podium finishes in its very first year in the class. In fact, KTM’s Moto2 effort got off to a flying start when the Portugese rider finished in fourth at the first race in Qatar, then following up with a second place in Argentina. He was on the podium again two races later in Jerez, Spain. More podium finishes came in Catalunya, Germany, Czech Republic, and Aragon.
In the sixteen races leading up to yesterday’s, Oliveira had finished out of the top ten only once in France, apart from two retirements in Austria and San Marino. He had also claimed two pole positions along the way.
Brad Binder, on the other hand, was the 2016 Moto3 champion, before moving up to the Red Bull Ajo Moto2 team to partner Oliveira this year. Fans would most probably remember Binder’s two victories after he started from dead last on grid!
Despite a difficult start to the season and injuries, the South African have been making steady progress since Round 11 in Austria.
Finishing 7th in Austria, Binder has since logged 9th in Great Britain, 4th in San Marino, 5th in Aragon, a DNF in Japan, and the second place in Australia yesterday.
With two rounds left in the 2017 Moto2 Championship, Miguel Oliveira now places third with 191 points, while Brad Binder is in tenths with 89 points.
It was Alex Marquez (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) who came up on top at a very, VERY wet MotoGP race at the Twin Ring Motegi. Second spot went to Xavi Vierge (Tech 3 Racing) but the highlight of the race for all Malaysians was our very own Hafizh Syahrin (Petronas Raceline Malaysia) who scored yet another podium finish in the last three rounds. (more…)
The Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS team has finally completed their 2018 MotoGP rider line-up with the latest signing of current Moto2 rider, Thomas Lüthi. The 2018 MotoGP season will see Thomas Lüthi teaming up with another rookie, Franco Morbidelli, who’s currently leading the 2017 Moto2 championship. (more…)
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