MotoGP : Viñales unstoppable as he strides to Assen victory

Maverick was Top Gun for the first time in 2019 to make it five winners in eight races

Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) earned his and Yamaha’s first win of the season after a magnificent ride on Sunday afternoon at the Motul TT Assen, the Spaniard beats second place Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) and polesitter Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha SRT) after the trio treated us to a fantastic scrap in the Netherlands. 

Quartararo didn’t make a bad start from pole position, but two blue machines shot to the fore as the lights went out for the MotoGP™ race. Team Suzuki Ecstar duo Alex Rins and Joan Mir went P1 and P2 into Turn 1, with Viñales getting the better of Quartararo into Turn 1 as the number 12 Yamaha got out of shape on the exit. Quartararo got back at Viñales heading into Turn 5 though, with Marquez P5 off the start as the two Suzukis led the premier class freight train around the opening lap at the Cathedral of Speed.

Sitting as one of the pre-race favourites, Rins was looking comfortable at the front as he eyed win number two of the season. But on Lap 3, his race would end at Turn 9 – Rins tucked the front and slid out of contention, leaving rookie teammate Mir in the lead of a MotoGP™ race for the first time. The 2017 Moto3™ World Champion wouldn’t keep it for long though, Mir ran wide at Turn 16 to let Quartararo through.

It wasn’t long before Marquez and Viñales would follow the Frenchman through as Marquez soon became the meat in a Yamaha sandwich. Meanwhile, Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) had made a cracking start from P11 to get himself into P4, just behind the leading trio, with Mir dropping into the clutches of Ducati Team’s Danilo Petrucci in the battle for 5th.

Quartararo, Marquez and Viñales were locked together with Dovi just under a second back. Viñales was looking eager to get past Marquez but heading into Turn 1 on Lap 10, the factory Yamaha man ran wide and lost over half a second to the duo. At the front, Quartararo was struggling to control his YZR-M1 heading out of Turn 5 and onto the back straight. The 20-year-old kept having to shut the throttle to avoid a bucking bronco effect as Marquez closed right in, no such problems for him down the straight as the number 93 took the lead on Lap 11.

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Viñales reeled Marquez and Quartararo back in and it wasn’t long before the latter was back past Marquez after the Spaniard made a mistake at Turn 1. This trio had now dropped Dovi as the Italian found himself in company with teammate Petrucci and Mir. However, all the focus was at the front. With 11 laps to go, Viñales was your new race leader – Quartararo wrestling his M1 again down the back straight as the Frenchman slipped to third. With 10 to go, Quartararo was seemingly struggling. 0.9 was the gap to Viñales and Marquez as it became a two-way scrap for the win.

Was the pressure getting to the leading Yamaha? Another mistake into Turn 1 let Marquez through with nine to go but Viñales regrouped and re-passed the Championship leader. Now, we started to see Viñales get in the groove as he set two consecutive personal best laps. Marquez stayed with him but once clear of Quartararo, thinking about the Championship, the Repsol Honda started to back off as Viñales’ pace was superior. Viñales’ lead was over a second with two to go and with Repsol Honda Team Manager Alberto Puig leaning over pit wall to tell Marquez that P2 was more than ok, Viñales could enjoy the last lap as he came round to claim his first win since the 2018 Australian GP. It’s a win that means four manufacturers have now won in the first eight races this season, with Marquez upping his title race advantage to 44 points heading to his fortress: the Sachsenring.

Quartararo, still not 100% fit after his arm pump surgery, picks up a second consecutive podium in P3 to leapfrog himself to P6 in the Championship. Dovizioso did well to come home fourth to limit the damage in the overall standings as much as he could, with Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) securing his equal-best MotoGP™ finish with a final chicane move on Petrucci – the Italian finishes sixth. Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol) crosses the line seventh, the British rider had strong pace mid-race but a mistake at Turn 1 ended his P4 charge, with Mir also making a mistake late on to finish P8. The rookie was on for his best result of the season as he was embroiled in a race-long scrap with the Ducatis but nevertheless, it was a hugely positive weekend for Mir.

Completing the top ten was Jack Miller (Pramac Racing), a lonely ride for the Australian on a circuit he won at in 2016, with Andrea Iannone (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) earning his best result of the season in P10. Nursing a wrist injury, Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) led home older brother Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) – Aleix also riding injured – as Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Tech 3), Francesco Bagnaia (Pramac Racing) and Hafizh Syahrin (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) came across the line together to complete the points.

Valentino Rossi (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) and Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) were involved in a crash together at Turn 8 on Lap 5 – riders ok – as Karel Abraham (Reale Avintia Racing) also crashed, rider ok. Johann Zarco (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) retired from the race.

An intense battle sees Viñales kick-start his 2019 season with an awesome Assen win. Marquez heads to the Sachsenring as the clear favourite – and the clear leader in the Championship. We only have to wait a week to find out how the 2019 German GP will play out.

Top 10:
1. Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP)
2. Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) + 4.854
3. Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha SRT) + 9.738
4. Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) + 14.147
5. Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) + 14.467
6. Danilo Petrucci (Ducati Team) + 14.794
7. Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol) + 18.361
8. Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) + 24.268
9. Jack Miller (Pramac Racing) + 26.496
10. Andrea Iannone (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) + 26.997

via http://www.motogp.com

Rea takes 74th and "very special" #WorldSBK victory at Misano! Rea reflects on 75th #WorldSBK career win after crucial Misano Race 2!

After the Tissot Superpole Race at Jerez, Jonathan Rea trailed Alvaro Bautista by 61 points in the championship and now, he is just 32 behind!

Exactly 10 years and one day since his first WorldSBK win, Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) took his 74th of an illustrious career, to close in on the championship lead. Rea made a fruitful start to the weekend, having been comfortably ahead of rival Alvaro Bautista (ARUBA.IT Racing – Ducati) in most conditions. With the rain, Bautista’s damage limitation ride meant that Rea could zero in on the Spaniard’s championship lead, which collapses to 32 points.

Despite achieving pole position, Rea started second after the opening laps of Race 1 saw the red flag waved due to track conditions. On the restart, Rea leapt into the lead from second on the grid, squeezing ahead of Alex Lowes (Pata Yamaha WorldSBK Team). However, with 12 laps to go, Lowes took the lead and began to edge clear from Rea, until disaster struck the Lincolnshire rider with 10 to go at Turn 12, as he crashed out. This left Rea to gingerly make his way round for his 149th podium and his 74th victory in WorldSBK – as well as exceeding 4000 points, becoming only the second rider to achieve this.

Speaking after the race, the reigning WorldSBK champion stated his elation of a Misano win: “It is a super-nice feeling. It has been a difficult weekend though, because all year, I have only ridden this bike in the wet in the morning Warm Up session in Imola. I made a gamble this morning in FP3 to keep my fast rhythm for the Tissot Superpole, but when I saw the rain clouds coming in, I was getting so nervous! I made a good start and tried to keep a good rhythm, nothing too crazy; when Alex came past, I just wasn’t prepared to be that fast because he was gaining time everywhere. However, 10 years after my first win, this one is very special!”

With a 28th consecutive point-scoring ride, Jonathan Rea will seek to extend his form to tomorrow’s Tissot Superpole Race. Points for him in that will make it 185 consecutive races that Kawasaki have scored points in. Rea’s winning career of ten years and one day is now the third longest in WorldSBK history, with only Noriyuki Haga and Troy Corser enjoying longer stints at the top.

Continuing, Rea said: “I feel quite good in the dry, Pirelli have brought quite a lot of tyre options. I understand which one is going to be our race tyre and I am comfortable with that. The grip level here in Misano in the dry is a little bit slippier than before, which is the complete opposite to what we have in the wet, which is odd! We will try and do the best job we can!”

Can Jonathan Rea continue to close the gap down to Bautista? 

From 61 to 16: Jonathan Rea’s determination and resilience has seen him close right in on Alvaro Bautista in the WorldSBK title fight!

Jonathan Rea’s quest for a fifth WorldSBK title is back on after the Ulsterman battled to a 75th career victory in Misano, having to overcome a resolute Toprak Razgatlioglu (Turkish Puccetti Racing) on the final lap for his fourth win of the season. Rea made hay whilst the sun shone at Misano, as Alvaro Bautista (ARUBA.IT Racing – Ducati) crashed on Lap 2 of Race 2.

However, it was not plain-sailing for Rea, as from that moment onwards, he was locked in combat with Toprak Razgatlioglu (Turkish Puccetti Racing), who hit the front to lead the majority of the race. Even with four laps to go when Rea hit the front, Razgatlioglu refused to back down and even tried passing Rea at Turn 8 on the final lap. In the end however, it was a 75th career win for Rea, who is now within striking distance of Alvaro Bautista in the championship race.

Speaking after the race, Jonathan Rea didn’t hide his relief of this massively important victory: “We just try to approach every weekend like a new one, with the same work ethic and motivation inside the team. To win two races this weekend, albeit with a silly mistake by me in the Tissot Superpole Race, we have salvaged a good weekend! I’m super happy with my team and how we work but we still have to improve a lot.”

Rea’s 75th win also makes it a 131st WorldSBK win for Kawasaki and their 11th at Misano from the last 13 races held at the Italian venue.

Continuing, Rea described his emotion of being back in the title fight: “Every race is important and it’s all about trying to minimise our mistakes really. We did a great job this weekend; we are getting limitations each weekend, but we are overcoming them. I really feel that at Donington Park, Laguna Seca and Portimao, we can use the ZX-10RR to its full potential. So, let’s see, we need to keep working but I’m going to enjoy some sun with my family for a week in Italy. I will come back recharged for Donington Park!”

Formula E : Vergne victorious in frantic battle for Bern ahead of Championship finale

            

Jean-Eric Vergne scoops another victory in a frantic battle on the streets of Bern. Evans challenges for the lead but settles for second and home race hero Buemi makes the podium in third. Here's how the race unfolded.

Starting from Pole, DS Techeetah's Jean-Eric Vergne lad the pack around the 2.750km, the 14-turn "rollercoaster" of a track in the heart of Bern, followed by Panasonic Jaguar Racing's Mitch Evans and home race hero Sebastien Buemi (Nissan e.dams) in third. 

Seconds in, a jam at Turn 1 caused by a collision between Mahindra Racing's Pascal Wehrlein and Geox Dragon's Max Gunther brought out the red flag, pausing play. Involved in the incident after he was shunted by Mahindra's Jerome d'Ambrosio, Envision Virgin Racing's Robin Frijns was left stranded on track with a broken drivetrain, ending his race almost before it had even started.

Having cleared the track, the remaining cars returned to the pit lane to repair the damage, reorder (as they started the race) and restart behind the BMW i8 Safety Car with 44 minutes left on the clock.

Back in the action, Vergne led Evans and Buemi while Audi Sport Abt Schaeffler's Lucas di Grassi battled at the back in a bid to clime through the pack. Pulling away from Buemi's dual-motor Nissan, Vergne and Evans battled for the lead. 

Attempting to pass race leader Vergne on Turn 3 downhill, Evans backed off before heading into the chicane, keeping close to the reigning champion. Further down the pack, Jaguar driver Alex Lynn engaged ATTACK MODE by passing through the ATTACK MODE Activation Zone between Turn 8 and 9. Each driver can use ATTACK MODE twice, with each activation lasting four minutes. 

Battling for fifth, Envision Virgin Racing's Sam Bird took Gunther in an ambitious move on Turn 3. With Gunther down to sixth, Bird focused on working his way further forward. 

Slowing on track, Pascal Wehrlein ground to a halt just after Turn 8. Under a Full Course Yellow, the Mahindra driver's car was pulled off track. With the pack regrouped, Buemi was back behind Evans having successfully defended his podium position while Sam Bird had made it into fourth. 

Still intent on taking the lead, Evans attacked Vergne again on Turn 3. Unable to pass, the Kiwi stuck to his tail hoping for another opportunity.

Making use of his FANBOOST, home race hero Buemi attempted to take Evans for second place with less than seven minutes left until the end of the race. Behind Bird in fourth, Lotterer had made his way into fifth. Reliving former rivalries following a battle in Hong Kong earlier in the season, Lotterer went on the attack, determined to take Bird as retribution for the damage he sustained in Asia. Eventually slipping past him on Turn 7, Lotterer took fourth with a podium position in mind.

In the final seconds, heavy rain led to slippery conditions as Vergne desperately tried to retain his lead and get across the line despite Evans continuing to attack. Drifting through the corners, the top four went nose to tail across the finish line with Vergne first, Evans second and Buemi leading Lotterer in third and fourth. 

Across the line, the reigning champion was verbally relived as he brought his car back to the pit lane having significantly extended his lead ahead of the final in New York City. 

 

Rolled ride along

Belharra est fière de vous présenter son premier court-métrage "Rolled ride along". Une ode au voyage et à l'amitié.


Images réalisées par l'équipe Enarro avec la participation de Célia Gelez, Niels Delaude, Thomas Foreau, Olivier Tahar, Edouard Monceaux & Baptiste Ruffenach du garage Emd Workers. Avec le soutien de Deus Ex Machina France - The Tenement of Tenacity