Marc Márquez surged on to a commanding victory, despite a surprise qualifying which saw rookie Fabio Quartararo on pole and fellow Petronas SRT Yamaha rider Franco Morbidelli in 2nd. Marquez, from 3rd on the grid, quickly took first position from the start and never looked back. Sadly, Quartararo, who was destined for a podium, ran in the top 3 but then developed a gear linkage issue about half way through the race and was forced to retire, meanwhile Morbidelli stuck at the front for around 60% of the race but…
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A new sheriff in town : Álex Rins breaks his duck
Álex Rins picked Valentino’s pocket for victory after Marc Márquez lead the race authoritatively but fell midway through the race with a 4 second lead and under no real pressure. Jack Miller picked up the final podium slot, consolidating a great performance and fought off Andrea Dovizioso, who clocked home in 4th place and now leads the championship. The race was a slow burner, what looked to be a cut and dry race of Márquez riding off into the distance, the point of interest naturally fell onto who would be…
Read MoreArgentina GP summary
“A sweet feeling with the bike” The 2019 Motorcycle Grand Prix of Argentina’s drama splattered race was dominated by Marc Márquez, from start to finish nobody else got a look in, Márquez had the perfect race and would have finished the race some 13 seconds up the road had he not slowed right down into the final corner and gingerly crossed the line as he celebrated opposite his team cheering from the pit wall. The race’s main focus though, came from the battle behind, for 2nd position and beyond. With…
Read More2019 Moto GP Season kicks of with a Qatari Desert Dice
Andrea Dovizioso and Marc Márquez cross the line inches from each other to finish 1st and 2nd respectively, whilst Cal Crutchlow started his [and LCR’s] season with a fantastically unexpected 3rd place. The race started normally despite newcomer Fabio Quartararo stalling on the formation lap and having to start from the pitlane, Fabio Quartararo would then to go on to set some of the fastest laps of the race, but presumably using all of his tyres in the process. Dovizioso and Miller had the best of the getaways from the…
Read More2019 Moto GP Season Preview
A new challenge In our 2019 preview, we’ll note all the runners and riders and do our best to showcase what to watch and who to watch. 2019 holds the prospect to be a great season, with two Multiple Premier Class World Champions in the same team once again and a whole roster of huge talent across the whole grid, avid and casual fans of motorcycle racing are surely in for a season full of two-wheel drifts, fender rubbing, drama filled action on the cloud 9 of top level sport.…
Read MoreAprilia Racing Team Gresini’s official ‘roll out’ for 2019
The factory outfit detailed their tool that will propel them through the 2019 season trackside at the Losail Circuit in Dubai. The livery comes as a bit of surprise given the lack of traditional Aprilia colour portions, mainly the lack of the under-fairing being sectioned off in Aprilia red with the Aprilia logo to match but overall it looks very fresh. The Italian Tricolore segments its way over the fairing and seat stay and cuts like a razor blade through fuel tank and sides of the fairing thought the rider…
Read MoreDorna set to utilize “Penalty Lane” for MotoGP
MotoGP are set to use a new penalty system in priority over the “drop position” penalty currently available at the stewards discretion, for infractions less severe than that worthy of a ride-through. Carmelo Ezpeleta, Dorna CEO, set out the plan of Dorna and FIM to have a penalty system that was more accurately applicable than the “drop position” rule which can cost more than one rider a significant amount of time. It is understood that this penalty system is not designed to replace the ride-through penalty. Confusingly to penalty system…
Read MoreKTM RC-16 unveiled in Tech3 and Factory KTM colours
KTM released images of their new assault on MotoGP yesterday in Mattighofen, Austria. Both teams are fielding intensely coloured bikes and a very familiar looking correspondence between the two teams to those accustomed to the Toro Rosso and Red Bull liveries in Formula 1 for the last few years. On a self-confessed special day, Pit Beirer, head of KTM’s motorsport operations had this to say : “For us this is another very special moment in our racing story and it’s a milestone for us to have that structure in place.…
Read MoreYamaha’s new factory and satellite weapons
The Main Event The Yamaha factory team unveiled their new motorcycle for MotoGP in 2019 on the 4th of February in Jakarta Indonesia with title sponsor Monster Energy really leaving a mark on the visual design of the YZR-M1. With strong flashes of blue beneath a main body of black adorned by the bright green Monster Energy logos, this years Yamaha is quite a step from last years Yamaha, visually speaking. With testing going strong for Yamaha already, 2019 appears to be a very profitable effort if Yamaha can utilize…
Read MoreSuzuki showcase their 2019 MotoGP challenger
TEAM SUZUKI ECSTAR revealed their new GSX-RR for the 2019 MotoGP season, rather than revealing their new machine in a physical capacity, they chose to do so in virtual form, Youtube and the TEAM SUZUKI ECSTAR website being the chosen outlets. Fans of Suzuki’s and MotoGP alike praised the bike for its beauty and very tasteful paintwork design. Managing to lay sponsors all over the bike in contemporary format, but still managing to keep the bike looking clean of clutter and clashing portfolios. As well as the new motorcycle, Álex…
Read MoreHonda RC213V launched in Madrid
The Honda Racing Corporation launched their 2019 MotoGP Campaign challenge, with their presentation of the RC213V for upcoming season in Madrid, yesterday. The bike looked much the same as the previous years, as did the livery, so attention was very much focused on the “dream-team” aspect of the HRC Repsol outfit having the 5-time world champion Jorge Lorenzo and 7-times world champion Marc Márquez for 2019. Present at the event were ex-HRC champions Mick Doohan and Alex Crivillé, who gave their accounts of the difficulties and success of their respective…
Read MoreJorge Lorenzo to miss preliminary test at Sepang due to injury.
Jorge Lorenzo will miss the first test at Sepang next week, after fracturing his the scaphoid bone in his hand during a training accident. Although surgery was undertaken yesterday and has been successful Lorenzo will have to rest and miss out at the Sepang opening test session, kicking off the 2019 season proper. His next action on the RC213V will be in Qatar in late February, definitely not ideal for his 2019 season and puts him on the back foot up until the Qatar test. The remaining MotoGP preseason test…
Read MoreMotoGP confirms the 2019 schedule
Just over four months after the preliminary MotoGP 2019 schedule was announced, the FIM has confirmed it today. There are no changes in regards to the original offering – and actually, it’s exactly the same as in 2018. The season starts under the lights in Qatar, which has been a tradition since 2008. The teams then goes on a trip to the Americas, before going back around Europe during the summer months. October and early November is the Asia tour, before the season finishes in Valencia, which has been the…
Read MoreDesmosedici GP19 launched, with controversial “Mission Winnow” adornment
Ducati Corse presented the first of the 2019 MotoGP bike launches in Neuchatel Switzerland, and sparked controversy before the season of racing even began. Danilo Petrucci and Andrea Dovizioso presented a fabulous looking machine, with a primarily red livery completed with sponsors. Most provocative of which, is Mission Winnow. Almost unanimously acknowledged as a vehicle for Phillip Morris (Tobacco magnate most famous for ownership of Marlboro) to continue to sponsor Ducati (as they also do with the Ferrari F1 team), it definitely stretches the boundaries of legality considering tobacco sponsorship…
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