dimanche 11 août 2019

Di Meglio takes wet MotoE™ win as title favourites crash out

The Frenchman is back on the top step of a Grand Prix podium for the first time in over a decade

Lâ€™image contient peut-ÃªtreÂ : une personne ou plus, moto et plein air

Round two of the FIM Enel MotoE™ World Cup certainly didn’t disappoint with EG 0,0 Marc VDS’ Mike Di Meglio mastering the wet conditions at the myWorld Motorrad Grand Prix von Österreich to take victory, over a decade on from his last Grand Prix triumph in 2008. The Frenchman was joined on the podium by Xavier Simeon (Avintia Esponsorama Racing) and Bradley Smith (One Energy Racing) as a handful of title favourites crashed out.

Lâ€™image contient peut-ÃªtreÂ : une personne ou plus et moto

The race was reduced to five laps due to rain falling at the Red Bull Ring and once round two got underway, it was Simeon who took the holeshot from second on the grid. Poleman, Di Meglio, retaliated immediately though, drafting his way past the Belgian on the run into Turn 3.

Lâ€™image contient peut-ÃªtreÂ : moto et plein air

The fight for third was too close to call, with five riders all aiming for the same bit of track through Turn 3 as Eric Granado (Avintia Esponsorama Racing) came out on top. Then the first bit of drama would unfold as the inaugural MotoE race winner and World Cup leader Niki Tuuli (Ajo MotoE) ran wide into Turn 4 and into the gravel trap. Smith also made an error into Turn 4 and a result slipped down to ninth.

Brazilian Granado continued to make progress through, having started ninth on the grid, and momentarily took second away from teammate Simeon before a big moment allowed the Belgian to retake the position. It wouldn’t be for long though as Granado bounced back, first retaking second and then the lead at the start of the second lap.

He began to break clear, seemingly having the edge on everybody else in the difficult conditions, but then disaster struck. On lap three, on the brakes into Turn 3, the front end washed from beneath him and hopes of a first MotoE™ victory ended.

Di Meglio retook the lead as a result, whilst behind Tech 3 E-Racing’s Hector Garzo and Simeon would go elbow to elbow in the fight for second place, with Garzo coming out on top by rolling around the outside into Turn 9. With just two laps left, Garzo set his sights on Di Meglio, who by this stage was a second clear.

Behind, Smith had battled his way through to fourth following his lap one error as he tried to recoup as many valuable points as he possibly could. As the leaders started the final lap, Di Meglio’s lead was cut in half as a last-lap lunge from Garzo began to look increasingly likely. That was, however, until the Spaniard crashed out at Turn 4 and subsequently handed the 25 points and the second-ever MotoE™ victory to 2008 125cc World Champion, Mike Di Meglio.

Simeon held on to take second place and a first visit to a Grand Prix podium since 2015, whilst Smith kept himself in title contention after a second podium of the World Cup in third. Frenchman Di Meglio now heads to the third round at the San Marino Grand Prix as the title leader after Tuuli could only manage a solitary point, five points clear of Smith.

Alex De Angelis (OCTO Pramac MotoE) took fourth, a tenth clear of compatriot Matteo Ferrari (Trentino Gresini MotoE). A best ride of the season from Sete Gibernau (Join Contracts Pons 40) saw the former MotoGP™ star battle his way through from twelfth on the grid to sixth. Josh Hook (OCTO Pramac MotoE) ended seventh with Niccolo Canepa (LCR E-Team) in eighth. Jesko Raffin (Dynavolt Intact GP) was given a penalty for passing under yellow flags and was demoted a place to ninth, ahead of Lorenzo Savadori (Trentino Gresini MotoE), who completed the top ten.

The FIM Enel MotoE™ World Cup is next in action at the San Marino Grand Prix in Misano, with a double header sure to shake up the fight to become the inaugural MotoE™ World Champion even further.

Top 10:
1. Mike Di Meglio (EG 0,0 Marc VDS)
2. Xavier Simeon (Avintia Esponsorama Racing) + 2.238
3. Bradley Smith (One Energy Racing) + 4.368
4. Alex de Angelis (Octo Pramac MotoE) + 5.071
5. Matteo Ferrari (Trentino Gresini MotoE) + 5.155
6. Sete Gibernau (Join Contract Pons 40) + 6.845
7. Josh Hook (Octo Pramac MotoE) + 7.961
8. Jesko Raffin (Dynavolt Intact GP) + 8.907
9. Niccolo Canepa (LCR E-Team) + 10.331
10. Lorenzo Savadori (Trentino Gresini MotoE) + 11.637

Click here for full results!

Lâ€™image contient peut-ÃªtreÂ : une personne ou plus, personnes assises, moto et plein air

via www.motogp.com

MOTOGP : Dovi beats Marquez at the final corner to win Austria epic

An unbelievable battle between Ducati and Honda goes down to the wire in another sensational Spielberg spectacle

Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) keeps up Ducati’s 100% Red Bull Ring win record thanks to a stunning last corner pass on Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) as two MotoGP™ titans treat us to a breathless myWorld Motorrad Grand Prix von Österreich. Rookie sensation Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha SRT) completes the podium.

Polesitter Marquez was lightning off the start, and so was Dovizioso. The two race favourites headed into Turn 1 in first and second as Jack Miller (Pramac Racing) got in slightly hot, almost clipping Dovizioso. Marquez and Dovizioso were incredibly close heading down the straight into Turn 3 as the two made slight contact at around 300km/h. Marquez had the inside line, Dovi on the outside as the two fought for first. Marquez was in hot though and ran wide, with Dovi having to sit his GP19 up. This allowed Quartararo to sweep through to the lead, with Miller and Team Suzuki Ecstar’s Alex Rins getting by Marquez and Dovizioso on the exit, with the Repsol Honda rider lucky to stay on as tried to control his wheelie.

Dovi then got by Marquez into Turn 4 on the opening lap as the polesitter was demoted to P5. Meanwhile, Quartararo was getting the hammer down as the rookie took a 0.5 lead onto Lap 2, but Dovizioso and Marquez started to make up ground as they recovered from a frantic opening lap. Dovi was back up to second, with Miller holding off Marquez for the time being in third and fourth. Just behind was the fast-starting Valentino Rossi (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP), ‘The Doctor’ climbing his way up to fifth from P10 in the opening exchanges to be in the battle for the podium.

It wasn’t long before Marquez had dispatched Miller as the top three started to edge away from the Pramac man, Rossi and Rins. On Lap 7, Quartararo was like a sitting duck heading into Turn 1 as Dovizioso used the Ducati grunt to blast into the lead. Moments later, Marquez did the same on his Honda. There was nothing Quartararo could do about the Yamaha’s lack of acceleration as he slipped down to third. Now, Dovizioso and Marquez were sitting first and second.

Was Dovizioso then slowing the pace down? It was hard to tell but the top five found themselves split by just 1.3 seconds, as the race would then end prematurely for fourth-placed Miller. The Australian slid out at Turn 9 on Lap 8 and just ahead of him, Marquez was through at the final corner. Then the duo started to pull clear. Not by a massive amount each lap, but Quartararo couldn’t match the pace of the Ducati and Honda as we set ourselves up for another almighty Austrian battle between the two leading contenders in the MotoGP™ World Championship.

Marquez threatened to stretch away but the gap didn’t rise above 0.4 seconds. It was clear the first half of the lap belonged to Marquez, but Dovizioso was the stronger man in the second part. The laps ticked by and there was nothing between them, Dovizioso attached to the back of Marquez coattails. With nine to go: a move was made. Dovizioso powered alongside Marquez as the number 93 had a quick glare at the Italian heading into Turn 1. The Ducati man made the pass stick and it was now the 2017 Austrian GP winner who had control.

Tensions were bubbling to boiling point as for the next five laps, Marquez trailed Dovi by 0.1, 0.2. Shadowing his great rival, where would Marquez choose to pounce? With three to go, we found out. Turn 7 was the unlikely location as Marquez stuck it underneath Dovizioso to regain the baton, was it the race-winning move? Serious questions were being asked of Dovizioso, but he was answering them. Marquez wasn’t pulling clear and heading into Turn 1 on the penultimate lap, Dovi went for it. Would he make it stick? Not quite, Dovi ran wide to allow Marquez to power back past.

Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol) crashed out of contention on Lap 2 at Turn 3. The British rider hit the back of Tito Rabat’s Reale Avinita Racing Ducati after the Spaniard had to take avoiding action due to Pol Espargaro’s (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) bike cut out. Not the result KTM would have been looking for on home turf.

The 2019 Austrian GP will live long in the memory. Another breathtaking Dovizioso vs Marquez battle goes down to the final corner, and it’s Ducati who emerge victorious again. Sensational scenes as Spielberg delivers again. Classics guaranteed? You bet!

Silverstone is next up in two weeks. Who will triumph on British soil?

Déjà vu: DovTop 10:

1. Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team)
2. Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) + 0.213
3. Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha SRT) + 6.117
4. Valentino Rossi (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) + 7.719
5. Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) + 8.674
6. Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) + 8.695
7. Francesco Bagnaia (Pramac Racing) + 16.021
8. Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) + 16.206
9. Danilo Petrucci (Ducati Team) + 17.350
10. Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) + 20.510

Click here for the full results!