Moto GP : Márquez et Pedrosa manquent la première ligne / Second row starts for Honda teammates

Les pilotes du team Repsol Honda seront respectivement quatrième et cinquième sur la grille de départ de la treizième manche du Championnat du Monde MotoGP™.

Si c’était déjà arrivé à six reprises à Dani Pedrosa, c’est en revanche une première pour Marc Márquez. Samedi à Misano, le Champion du Monde en titre n’a pas réussi à se qualifier en première ligne pour la première fois de l’année. Le leader du Championnat du Monde MotoGP™ 2014 a cependant fini assez près de la pole position puisqu’il n’était qu’à 0.122 de Jorge Lorenzo (Movistar Yamaha MotoGO) et seulement 0.058s de la première ligne, à l'issue d'une séance de qualifications des plus disputées.

« C’est la première fois que nous manquons la première cette saison, peut-être parce que nous n’avons pas encore trouvé le meilleur set-up pour ce circuit, » a commenté Márquez, qui, avant l’épreuve de Misano, était parti de la première ligne 27 fois en 30 courses depuis son arrivée en MotoGP™, dont 19 fois de la pole position. 

« Il nous reste cependant le warm-up de demain, dont nous profiterons pour essayer de progresser. Les deux séances d’hier avaient eu lieu sur piste mouillée et c’est pourquoi il était difficile de trouver des réglages optimaux aujourd’hui. Je suis quand même satisfait parce que je me sentais à l’aise sur la moto, ce qui est important pour la course, mais nous devrons nous battre si nous voulons finir sur le podium. »

Cinquième juste derrière son coéquipier, Dani Pedrosa s’est montré confiant et tentera de faire son retour sur le podium après sa quatrième place à Silverstone.

« J’ai eu un très bon feeling aujourd’hui à Misano mais ma position sur la grille ne le reflète pas, » a affirmé Pedrosa. « Les chronos étaient très serrés aujourd’hui et nous partirons donc de la deuxième ligne. Je devrai prendre un très bon départ et attaquer dès les premiers tours. Il sera aussi important de faire le bon choix pour le pneu avant, ce sera clé pour la course. Nous devrons nous battre en donnant le maximum et la course va être longue. »

Repsol Honda’s Marc Marquez and Dani Pedrosa will start from the second row of the grid at the Gran Premio TIM di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini, in fourth and fifth.

This will be only the second time this season that a bike other than a Repsol Honda RC213V will start from pole position with Jorge Lorenzo (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) claiming the top spot. Marquez chose to focus on race pace as opposed to qualifying speed after effectively losing FP1 and FP2 due to rain on Friday.

This is the first time since the Catalunya Grand Prix last year that Marquez starts off the front row. The MotoGP World Championship leader will start from fourth on the grid, a time of 1’33.360s putting him just 0.058s behind Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) and only 0.122s from Lorenzo on pole.

Teammate Pedrosa starts just behind in fifth and also 0.058s slower than Marquez. Times across qualifying were incredibly tight, the top ten split by just 0.757s. Pedrosa has been within the top five every session and should be a threat come the race on Sunday.

“This is the first time this season that I've been off the front row, maybe because we haven't yet found the best setup for this circuit. However, we still have the Warm Up tomorrow in which to try things out and improve,” said Marquez.

He continued, “Yesterday's practice sessions were both wet, so that is why today we found it a little difficult to find the optimal setup. Nevertheless, I am happy because I felt fairly comfortable on the bike - which is important for the race - but we will have to fight hard to finish on the podium.”

Pedrosa reflected, "I had a very good feeling today in Misano, although this isn't shown by my position on the grid for tomorrow. The times today have been very close between everyone, but tomorrow in the end we start from the second row. I'll have to get a very good start and push on the opening laps. It will also be important to make the right choice with the front tyre, because that will be the key to the race. We will have to fight to the maximum, because this is a very long race." 

WRC, Australie, étape 2 : VW/Michelin se rapproche du titre / VW/Michelin has the title in sight

Les pilotes Volkswagen Sébastien Ogier et Jari-Matti Latvala sont en tête du Coates Hire Rally Australia avant la dernière étape qui pourrait se conclure sur un second titre mondial Constructeurs consécutif et un premier triplé pour la marque allemande. En effet, Andreas Mikkelsen (VW) et Kris Meeke (Citroën) sont à la lutte pour le podium.

Seules quatre spéciales étaient programmées dans le « bush » australien en cette 2^e étape, plus deux Superspéciales à Coffs Harbour pour conclure une journée qui fut mouvementée. Nambucca et ses 48,92 km constituaient évidemment le gros morceau du jour, et les pluies nocturnes ont forcé les équipages Michelin à choisir le pneu LTX Force S4 (soft) pour la boucle matinale.

Jari-Matti Latvala (VW) a remporté les deux premières spéciales du jour et repris la tête du rallye, le 5^e changement de leader depuis le départ. Mais dans la seconde boucle de spéciales, sur des pistes s’asséchant, Sébastien Ogier (VW) a repris le leadership grâce à un meilleur choix de pneus (3 hard et 2 soft), alors que Latvala avait opté pour un choix inverse (4 soft et 2 hard).

Le Rallye d’Australie – et peut-être le championnat Pilotes ! – 2014 a basculé dans l’ES11 (Nambucca II) où Sébastien Ogier a relégué son équipier et principal challenger au championnat Jari-Matti Latvala à 13s4. Le Français a ensuite confirmé avec trois meilleurs temps d’affilée pour rentrer au parc de Coffs Harbour avec 11s8 d’avance sur le Finlandais. Avec deux voitures dans le tiercé provisoire, Volkswagen semble bien parti pour décrocher son second titre mondial Constructeurs d’affilée.

Le duel entre Andreas Mikkelsen (VW) et Kris Meeke (Citroën) pour la 3^e place du général fut lui aussi de toute beauté. Les deux hommes se sont échangé quatre fois cette position en six spéciales. A l’issue des deux Superspéciales, le Norvégien devance le Britannique d’une seconde et demie.

Cinquième hier soir à moins de 8 secondes du leader, Mikko Hirvonen (Ford) a perdu le contact avec les quatre leaders en raison d’un mauvais choix de pneus pour la seconde boucle (5 soft). Le Finlandais paraît désormais isolé à la 5^e place, loin devant Mads Ostberg (6^e, Citroën) qui a pris l’ascendant sur Hayden Paddon (7^e, Hyundai) à la sortie de l’ES11, mais le Néo-Zélandais n’est qu’à 7s3 de la Citroën. Dixième hier soir après avoir perdu 2 minutes, Thierry Neuville (Hyundai) est remonté à la 8^e place grâce à de bons choix de pneus, mais il ne compte que 6s6 d’avance sur Elfyn Evans (Ford). Malgré touchettes et décoincements, Robert Kubica (Ford) complète le top-ten.

La journée fut agitée également en WRC-2 entre Yazeed Al-Rajhi, Nasser Al-Attiyah et Jari Ketomaa, groupés en 10.3 secondes avant les Superspéciales de Coffs Harbour où le Finlandais est parti en tonneau. La victoire devrait donc se jouer entre les deux pilotes du Golfe, séparés par seulement 3 secondes avant les deux dernières Supersciales.

La dernière étape du Coates Hire Rally Australia (100,58 km) ne manquera pas d’intérêts, entre le duel Ogier/Latvala pour la victoire, Meeke/Mikkelsen pour la 3^e place, Ostberg/Paddon pour la 6^e place, Neuville/Evans pour la 8^e place et Al-Rajhi/Al-Attiyah pour la victoire en WRC-2.

Sébastien Ogier and Jari-Matti Latvala top the order ahead of the Coates Hire Rally Australia’s final day which could see a second consecutive Manufacturers’ crown head Volkswagen’s way. Andreas Mikkelsen (3rd) could even make it an all-VW podium, but Kris Meeke (Citroën) is still very much in contention.

The second leg’s programme featured just two visits to two stages, plus two more super-specials in Coffs Harbour which wrapped up a dramatic day. The big challenge was obviously ‘Nambucca’ (48.92km), while overnight rain prompted Michelin users to use the soft-compound LTX Force S4 for the morning’s loop.

Latvala won the first two tests to go back in front and produce the fifth leader change since the start. His VW team-mate Ogier resumed control in the afternoon, however, after opting from three hard-compound tyres and two softs, as opposed to four softs and two hards for the Finn.

This year’s Rally Australia, and perhaps even the 2014 Drivers’ title fight, took a significant turn on SS11 (‘Nambucca II’) when the defending champion beat his team-mate by 13.4s. The Frenchman followed that up with three consecutive fastest times to reach the overnight finish in Coffs Harbour with a lead of 11.8s over the Finn. With three cars monopolising the provisional top three, Volkswagen is on target to secure its second straight Manufacturers’ title.

The scrap for third between Mikkelsen and Meeke has been keeping spectators entertained, as well. The two men traded the position four times in the space of six stages, but the Norwegian currently benefits from a one-and-a-half second advantage.

Mikko Hirvonen (5^th, Ford) fell back after a poor tyre choice for the afternoon’s loop (five softs). He still figures comfortably clear of sixth-placed Mads Ostberg (Citroën) who passed Hayden Paddon (7^th, Hyundai) on SS11. The New Zealander is only 7.3s behind, however.

Hyundai team-mate Thierry Neuville started Day 2 in 10^th spot after squandering two minutes on Friday but he has fought back to eighth, helped by some judicious tyre choices. Elfyn Evans (Ford) is a further 6.6s adrift and Robert Kubica (Ford) has survived several incidents to round off the top 10.

It’s been a dramatic day in WRC-2, two, with Yazeed Al-Rajhi, Nasser Al-Attiyah and Jari Ketomaa covered by 10.3s ahead of the Coffs Harbour super-specials which saw the Finn roll. Victory is likely to end up in the hands of one of the Gulf drivers who are split by 1.8s tonight.

The final day of the Coates Hire Rally Australia (100.58km) will see Ogier and Latvala resume their duel for the win, while Meeke and Mikkelsen battle for third and Al-Rajhi and Al-Attiyah target the WRC-2 victory.

Moto GP : Lorenzo décroche sa première pole de l’année à Misano / First pole of 2014 for Lorenzo at Misano

Le double Champion du Monde MotoGP™ partira devant les Italiens Andrea Iannone et Valentino Rossi au Grand Prix TIM de Saint-Marin et de la Riviera di Rimini. Quatrième, Marc Márquez sera absent de la première ligne pour la première fois de la saison.

En pole pour la dernière fois l’an dernier à Valence, Jorge Lorenzo (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) partira en tête de la grille MotoGP™ pour la première fois de l’année dimanche à Misano, où il s’est imposé ces trois dernières années. 

Le double Champion du Monde MotoGP™ a fini les qualifications pour la treizième manche de la saison avec un chrono de 1’33.238 qui lui conférait à peine plus d’un demi-dixième de seconde d’avance sur Andrea Iannone (Pramac Racing), dans le Top 3 en qualifications pour la troisième fois de l’année, et Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP), qui n'avait pas encore accédé à la première ligne cette saison.

Marc Márquez (Repsol Honda) n’était pas loin de Lorenzo puisqu’il ne comptait que 0.122s de retard sur le Majorquin mais devra s’élancer de la quatrième position. L’accompagneront sur la deuxième ligne son coéquipier Dani Pedrosa et Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati), sixième à seulement 0.201s de la pole. 

Pol Espargaró (Monster Yamaha Tech3) retrouvera quant à lui en troisième ligne son frère aîné Aleix Espargaró (NGM Forward Racing) ainsi que son coéquipier Bradley Smith (Monster Yamaha Tech3). 

Qualifiés en Q2 grâce à leurs performances en Q1, Stefan Bradl (LCR Honda) et Yonny Hernández (Energy T.I. Pramac Racing) auront gagné une place en devançant Álvaro Bautista (GO&FUN Honda Gresini).

The quickfire MotoGP™ Q2 session saw Jorge Lorenzo take pole at the Gran Premio TIM di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini, with Andrea Iannone and Valentino Rossi also securing front row slots.

At a track where he has a phenomenal record – with three wins in his last three visits – Lorenzo (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) sped around the Misano layout with a 1’33.238 lap time to grab his first pole since Motegi 2013.

For full MotoGP Q2 results from Misano click here.

Just 0.051s behind Lorenzo, Iannone (Pramac Racing) matched his best ever MotoGP™ qualifying result, despite a fall on Friday which saw him take a heavy ankle knock.

Completing the front row at his home track, nine time World Champion Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) qualified in third – his best grid result since he was also third in Australia last season.

Meanwhile, for the first time this season World Champion Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda) qualified off the front row, lapping 0.122s down on Lorenzo’s pole time in fourth place.

On the other side of the Repsol Honda garage Dani Pedrosa slotted his RC213V into fifth spot on the grid, with a time just 0.058s slower than that of Marquez.

A further 0.021s margin behind Pedrosa, Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) completed the second row.

The third row of the grid for Sunday’s round 13 contest will comprise brothers Pol Espargaro (Monster Yamaha Tech3), Aleix Espargaro (NGM Forward Racing) and Englishman Bradley Smith (Monster Yamaha Tech3).

Stefan Bradl (LCR Honda MotoGP) heads row four in tenth following a crash in the session which he escaped unharmed. The German had made it through from Q1 along with Yonny Hernandez (Energy T.I. Pramac Racing) who qualified 11^th, just in front of Alvaro Bautista (GO&FUN Honda Gresini).

Check out the odds of your favorite riders on bwin and click here to get a sign up bonus of £30.

BSMC GEAR GUIDE #25

PRODUCT REVIEW – BILTWELL BONANZA LE RACER HELMET – VINTAGE/GLOSS WHITE

The crew at Biltwell continue to impress with yet another tasty Limited Edition design for the now legendary Bonanza open face lid.

The vintage pearlescent off white is accented with a gloss white strip and fine gold pin striping. It has an unashamedly retro feel and works well with more classic styled customs.

I’ve had mine for a month now, and as per my other Bonanza lid, it fits well, is comfortable, and reasonably quiet for an open face helmet. It makes a change to be wearing something a little more subtle than my usually lairy lids.

The Bonanza’s interior features a custom-shaped EPS safety shell and a hand-stitched liner with moisture wicking brushed Lycra panels and open-cell foam padding for breathability and comfort.

The Bonanza has an injection-molded ABS outer shell with hand-painted finish and an expanded polystyrene inner shel. It features a hand-sewn brushed Lycra liner with contrasting diamond-stitched quilted open-cell foam padding. It meets DOT safety standards, but hasn’t been tested for EU certification. It’s fastened via a rugged plated steel D-ring neck strap with adjustment strap end retainer.

Biltwell is a company born from the alternative custom scene, and their products cater specifically to the needs of custom builders and riders. With this latest LE Racer helmet they’ve excelled themselves yet again.

http://www.biltwellinc.com

PRODUCT REVIEW – AXO NORSTAR TRANS-AM BOOTS

Having thoroughly enjoyed Dirtquake and ScambleOn! this summer I’ve been carefully planning my next years domination of dirt. To succeed we all know we need the right gear, and I’m not shy of a purchase in that respect.

As I have an aversion to pretty much all contemporary motorcycle gear I searched ebay for a pair of vintage motocross boots, but every pair I came across were so rancid and rotten I couldn’t face the thought of stepping my delicate pinkies into them. Randomly my google search up popped the AXO Norstar Trans-Am boots.

These are brand new boots manufactured by AXO styled to recreate the legend of the Norstar boots that were popular in the early 1970′s motocross. They’re built from high grade leather and have six adjustable straps for a perfect fit. They are reinforced in the toe, shin, ankle and heel. They are accented with the classic red, white and blue stripes and chrome panels. The Trans-Am boot is part of a larger vintage line that includes Trans-Am gear and Trans-Am gloves.

These are a comfortable boot right out of the box, and the straps allow for a firm fit. (give yourself ten minutes to get them on!).They’re more tactile than my Tech 3’s in as far as I can actually feel the pedals and levers. They can be ridden on the road as well as in the mud, and offer a high level of protection. These boots are also very warm, so could be the ideal winter boot. And of course they look the business.

These are currently on sale on the AXO website in the US, and even if you ship them to the UK you’ll save some shekels even paying the duty.

http://www.axo.com

PRODUCT REVIEW – DRAGGIN K LEGS LEGGINGS

So we all know armoured leather trousers offer the best protection for your pegs when riding your bike, but we’re pretty much all guilty at some time or another of wearing just jeans or chinos on a bike. Leather’s great, but not always the quickest, or most appropriate option.

Draggin’ have come up with a great solution, the K Legs. These are a full DuPont™ KEVLAR® long john that can be worn under any trouser. They can be slipped on underneath your pair of favourite pair of selvedge jeans or duck chinos, or even a suit trouser if the need be.

Draggin Jeans’ patented positioning system ensures that each of the primary contact points are well covered. Secured with heavy duty stitching, the K Legs are specifically designed and positioned to keep skin safe at all legal speed limits.

They’re double KEVLAR® and non-allergenic and fully washable, and the fabric softens with wash and wear. They’re breathable, flexible and comfortable, and of course easily removable once you get to where you’re going. They’re not bulky, so fit under pretty much anything. They also add an extra layer of insulation, so in the colder months will keep you warm.

I love these, it now means that I can wear what I want on my bike and have a pretty high level of protection. Of course there’s no armour, but I’m not going to get skinned alive if I slide up the road. These are a really practical solution, they pack down quickly once removed and take an instant to get on and off.

https://www.dragginjeans.net

PRODUCT REVIEW – SCOTT USA 83X SAFARI FACEMASK

So you’re wearing your open face with goggles, footling along at seventy (we wouldn’t dream of going any faster officer) and it starts raining. A pleasant little jaunt is turned into a torturous ordeal as your face feels like it’s having needles fired at it. Or you’re doing a bit of gentle green lane-ing and splat, you get a mouthful of cow shit.

Not if you’re wearing your Scott 83 Facemask.

This retro styled motocross face kit is great. It fits well, is insulating, and well looks pretty mean too. It comes with an anti-fog lens in many shades – light-enhancing or tinted. It’s lined with hypoallergenic face foam and is held on place with a durable silicone lined strap.

It’s great for cold weather blasts and frightening old ladies, and is a useful piece of kit if you’re considering holding up your local sub-post office (not that we condone such bad behaviour).

Unleash the inner hooligan in you.

http://www.scott-sports.com/global/en/products/2181660001043/SCOTT-83X-Safari-Facemask-Goggles/

TOUR MASTER SILK GLOVE LINER

So the summer’s over and autumn is here. There are plenty more good riding days out there, but the temperature can start to vary wildly. There’s little more wretched than finding yourself with the wrong gloves and your digits starting to freeze.

The Tour Master glove liner is the perfect solution. it a 100% silk knit liner with a well insulating wide lycra rib wrist band. These are thin and sized well to set snuggly inside outer gloves. They also provide added comfort and helps prevent throttle blisters.

They’re perfect for those cold weather rides adding 5-10 degrees of usefulness, and when it’s warm the gloves are easy to stow away. Just stuff them in your riding jacket pocket and you always have them with you.

it’s always the tiny things that make all the difference.

https://www.tourmaster.com

via The Bike Shed