Rennie Scaysbrook | August 24, 2020
Sunday News
Magic Miguel
Convincing the highly experienced Tech3 squad to use KTM machinery from 2019 onwards has been another feather in the factory’s cap. Having a satellite squad provides more data for the factory to analyze and more seats where they can place its stable of young riders coming through the categories. As of 2020 the Tech3 bikes are identical to those in the factory squad.
And it spectacularly bore fruit. Oliveira took the factory’s second premier class win at the Styrian Grand Prix, and Tech3’s first since joining the MotoGP class in 2001. “I was told many times that (moving to KTM) was the worst thing I had done and that KTM was never going to be in a position to win,” said Tech3 team boss Hervé Poncharal. “I like challenges and this was one I wanted to take before leaving the paddock. You can’t believe how motivated all the people in the factory are motivated. When you see this crazy involvement it gives you wings.”
“From the beginning of the year we could see Miguel was a different man from last year, thanks to the one year of experience. Miguel this year is one of the top five or six riders. He’s going to move on and improve. He’s a smart guy, a cool guy and he isn’t excitable. This is what you need to be a top MotoGP rider.’
FIM Stewards Called Out
It was another day for the FIM Stewards to take a verbal kicking. All weekend riders were expressing dismay at a lack of consistency in their recent decisions, with the decisions of ex-500cc champ Freddie Spencer—Chairman of the FIM Stewards—coming under scrutiny.
“Full credit and respect to Freddie Spencer,” Aleix Espargaro said on Thursday. “But when was last time he rode a MotoGP bike? I think we need a position of somebody who rode a MotoGP six, seven or eight years ago that has been a rider in the maximum class but also understands the MotoGP feeling.”
If Jorge Martin was penalized with a one-place penalty for exceeding track limits on the final lap of the Moto2 encounter, then where was Pol Esapargaro’s penalty, Joan Mir wondered. His issue was once pushed wide onto the asphalt runoff on the outside of the final turn, the KTM rider accelerated as if it were a normal piece of track. He crossed the line just 0.011s ahead of Mir.
“We can see that when he touched the green paint outside the track he just opened up the throttle,” Mir said. “He was out a lot. It makes no sense that this is not penalized. You penalize Martin, who didn’t gain anything and you don’t penalize Pol, who clearly gained on me.” Suzuki team boss Davide Brivio went even further, telling Italian TV, “Who knows why they didn’t penalize Pol when we are in Austria, Red Bull’s (KTM’s main sponsor) home…”
Yamaha’s Nightmare
Valentino Rossi, in ninth place, was the highest placed Yamaha, making this the worst premier class race for the Iwata factory since the end of 2007. Maverick Vinales front brake “explosion” underlined the difficulties the factory was having with the front brake at the Red Bull Ring, with its three heavy braking zones.
“Yamaha has been struggling even more,” said Franco Morbidelli, who finished 15th. “One reason could be that in order to catch up with the other guys, we need to squeeze a little bit more the potential in the areas where we can squeeze, so braking, corner speed.” Championship leader Fabio Quartararo could finish no higher than 13th as he fought against braking issues throughout both races.
Rossi said, “it looks like Yamaha suffers more, also because we try to gain in braking what we lose in the straight, because our bike is slow, but it’s good in braking, so we try to brake very hard, and we stress the brakes a lot.”
The final lap of the 2020 Styrian MotoGP will be replayed for many years and will be remembered for the first win by a Portuguese rider in the premier class, and the first for Tech3 Racing after 20 years of trying.
Sunday
In the 900th MotoGP/500cc race, Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Tech3) pulled a last corner under-cut pass on both Jack Miller (Pramac Ducati) and Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM) to sprint to the finish line and score his maiden MotoGP victory and KTM’s second in three races.
It was a race of two halves and one Suzuki’s Joan Mir will want to forget as the Suzuki man had built up a lead of over two seconds when Maverick Vinales’ brakes failed at the end of the front straight, the Spaniard jumping from his factory Monster Energy Yamaha at over 130 mph with the bike continuing at pace. It slammed into the air fence on the outside of the track, setting itself and the air fence alight and causing a red flag and full restart over 12 laps.
Mir had until that point ridden perfectly, gradually pulling clear of Miller and LCR Idemitsu Honda’s Takaaki Nakagami.
At the restart, Mir was unable to fit a new front tire, having used up his tire allocation for the meeting. As such, he used a new rear and the same front, and couldn’t sustain the pace of Miller and Espargaro. He would become embroiled in a race with three-time Red Bull Ring winner Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team), eventually breaking free from the Italian for fourth place.
Dovizioso came home fifth, the first time Ducati has been defeated at the Red Bull Ring.
It was a miserable day for the Yamaha factory. Along with Vinales’ brake failure, Monster Energy Yamaha’s Valentino Rossi would trail home ninth, Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha SRT) 13th and teammate Franco Morbidelli in 15th.
In the championship, Quartararo still leads on 67 points, three clear of Dovizioso. Miller hoists himself to third on 56 following his two podiums in a row, with Brad Binder (eighth today) fourth on 49 and Vinales fifth on 48.
2020 Styrian MotoGP Results
1 |
Miguel Oliveira |
(KTM) |
|
2 |
Jack Miller |
(Duc) |
+ 0.316 |
3 |
Pol Espargaro |
(KTM) |
+ 0.540 |
4 |
Joan Mir |
(Suz) |
+ 0.641 |
5 |
Andrea Dovizioso |
(Duc) |
+ 1.414 |
6 |
Alex Rins |
(Suz) |
+ 1.450 |
7 |
Takaaki Nakagami |
(Hon) |
+ 1.864 |
8 |
Brad Binder |
(KTM) |
+ 4.150 |
9 |
Valentino Rossi |
(Yam) |
+ 4.517 |
10 |
Iker Lecuona |
(KTM) |
+ 5.068 |
Moto2
SKY Racing Team VR46’s Marco Bezzecchi has his first Moto2 victory despite coming across the line in second place behind Jorge Martin (Red Bull KTM Ajo).
The Spaniard took the checkered flag and began celebrating an Austrian double win, only for the former Moto3 World Champion to be told in Parc Ferme he needs to park in P2, not P1, after exceeding track limits on the exit of Turn 8 on the final lap of the race.
As a result, Bezzecchi stood on the top step of the podium alongside Martin and Remy Gardner (ONEXOX TKKR SAG Team).
American Joe Roberts came home in 12th on the Tennor American Racing Kalex.
In the series points, Luca Marini holds sway over Enea Bastianini and Martin, 87 to 79 each for Martin and Bastianini. Fourth sits Tetsuta Nagashima on 68 from Bezzecchi on 65.
2020 Styrian Moto2 Results
1 |
Marco Bezzecchi |
(Kal) |
|
2 |
Jorge Martin |
(Kal) |
|
3 |
Remy Gardner |
(Kal) |
+ 1.027 |
4 |
Tetsuta Nagashima |
(Kal) |
+ 1.974 |
5 |
Tom Luthi |
(Kal) |
+ 3.230 |
6 |
Xavi Vierge |
(Kal) |
+ 6.196 |
7 |
Luca Marini |
(Kal) |
+ 8.634 |
8 |
Jake Dixon |
(Kal) |
+ 9.005 |
9 |
Hector Garzo |
(Kal) |
+ 9.620 |
10 |
Enea Bastianini |
(Kal) |
+ 10.051 |
Moto3
A last lap scrap between Celestino Vietti (SKY Racing Team VR46) and Tony Arbolino (Rivacold Snipers Team) saw Vietti emerge from another Moto3 epic with his first Grand Prix victory. Ai Ogura (Honda Team Asia) took his fourth podium of 2020 to close down championship leader Albert Arenas (Valresa Aspar Team), as title contender John McPhee (Petronas Sprinta Racing) crashed out.
In the championship, Arenas still leads on 106 from Ogura on 81, McPhee is third on 67, Vietti fourth on 66, and Arbolino fifth on 60.
2020 Styrian Moto3 Results
1 |
Celestino Vietti |
(KTM) |
|
2 |
Tony Arbolino |
(Hon) |
+ 0.410 |
3 |
Ai Ogura |
(Hon) |
+ 0.938 |
4 |
Gabriel Rodrigo |
(Hon) |
+ 1.182 |
5 |
Albert Arenas |
(KTM) |
+ 1.380 |
6 |
Darryn Binder |
(KTM) |
+ 1.440 |
7 |
Tatsuki Suzuki |
(Hon) |
+ 1.478 |
8 |
Raul Fernandez |
(KTM) |
+ 4.265 |
9 |
Stefano Nepa |
(KTM) |
+ 6.937 |
10 |
Sergio Garcia |
(Hon) |
+ 8.050 |
Saturday News
Marquez KO’d indefinitely
Any minute chances of Marc Marquez retaining his title have been extinguished after Repsol Honda confirmed he will return to action no sooner than two months from this weekend. This was the first official news regarding the 27-year old since he underwent surgery on his right humerus for a second time to correct the titanium plate that broke when opening a French window.
Marquez and HRC have since consulted a number of specialists on the matter and decided a change of approach was needed. He will now return to racing only when he is fully recovered from the second break. An official statement read, “It is estimated it will take between two to three months before Marc can return to the RC213V.” Those close to HRC believe the eight-time World Champion is aiming to return for the first of the two grand prix at Aragon on 16th October
But team boss Alberto Puig also stressed there is no time frame on his rider’s return. “It’s important to mention HRC did not really put a timing on Marc’s return. The most important thing is he comes back when he’s fit. This is the most important thing because we have a lot of interest and Marc is very important for Honda. We don’t want to say this day or that day. We want to say, ‘You are fit. You race.’ This is what we understood and what Marc understands. This is the way it will go.”
Ducati confirm Bagnaia, Zarco… but destination unknown
A week on from the shock news Andrea Dovizioso will split from Ducati at the end of this season, the factory confirmed it will look to within for his replacement. On Saturday Sporting Director Paolo Ciabatti said an agreement is already in place between Ducati and Francesco Bagnaia for 2021 and ’22. They will also keep a hold of Johann Zarco for next year.
However Ducati bosses are yet to decide which rider will step up to the factory team to partner Jack Miller in 2021. “We basically agreed terms with Pecco for the next two years,” Ciabatti said on Saturday. “It’s too early to say whether he will continue with Pramac or the factory team. We will also continue with Johann Zarco and then we’ll make up our minds just before Misano.”
To earn a seat in the factory team, Zarco believes he must be regularly fighting at the front. “I need to do more podiums and fight more, not for victory but be really constant fighting for the podiums to deserve I think the factory bike,” he said.
Jorge Martin has been signed by Pramac Ducati for next season and will be confirmed next month. Should Bagnaia step up to the factory squad, there is a chance Zarco would replace him there. And Ducati is also in negotiations with Enea Bastianini regarding a place in Avintia Ducati next year.
Suzuki Strong
From 2016 to 2019 Suzuki’s best finish at the throttle happy Red Bull Ring was sixth place, 8.6s back of the leader. For a machine that looks for sweet handling over outright power, the speed of both Alex Rins and Joan Mir at the Austrian venue has come as a surprise.
But last weekend and this has shown the Japanese factory has made real progress with the front end of the GSX-RR in the braking zone. Punch out of the corner is now much better than before, allowing it to stay within touch of the Ducatis on the straights before making time through the twisty sectors three and four.
“They have more grip in acceleration. When they open the throttle they are able to exit the corner in a better way than us. We spin more,” noted Valentino Rossi. And Andrea Dovizioso noted, “They are so good in middle of corners and they become better in the braking. They are very similar to us in braking, much better in the middle of corners, and the acceleration is not as good as us but they are able to exit with more speed (because of the corner speed the GSX-RR can carry). If you exit with more speed you don’t use too much the rear tire. You don’t have to pick up and use max power because you have the speed in the middle of the corners. So you use less the tire and also is the reason why Rins and Mir are good at end of race.”
Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM) created his own piece of KTM history in Austria, taking his and KTM’s first-ever pole position for the 2020 Styrian MotoGP at the Red Bull Ring.
Saturday
Espargaro clocked a 1:23.580 on the RC16, heading first-time front row starter, Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Idemitsu Honda) with Johann Zarco (Esponsorama Racing Ducati) taking third.
Zarco, however, will not be starting from this on the grid, the Frenchman relegated to a pitlane start as punishment for his involvement in the massive accident last week with Franco Morbidelli.
Austrian MotoGP podium finisher Joan Mir (Ecstar Suzuki) went fourth in Q2, heading the injured Jack Miller in fifth. Pramac Ducati rider Miller rode through the pain barrier after crashing in FP3, injuring his shoulder in the process. He will undergo an MRI scan before the race to assess whether he’s fit to compete.
Valentino Rossi did not make it out of Q1 after crashing out on his final flying lap and will start from 15th, one spot behind Czech MotoGP race winner, Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM).
2020 Styrian MotoGP Results—Q2
1 |
Pol Espargaro |
(KTM) |
1:23.580 |
2 |
Takaaki Nakagami |
(Hon) |
+ 0.022 |
3 |
Johann Zarco |
(Duc) |
+ 0.052 |
4 |
Joan Mir |
(Suz) |
+ 0.098 |
5 |
Jack Miller |
(Duc) |
+ 0.120 |
6 |
Maverick Vinales |
(Yam) |
+ 0.198 |
7 |
Alex Rins |
(Suz) |
+ 0.202 |
8 |
Miguel Oliveira |
(Hon) |
+ 0.217 |
9 |
Andrea Dovizioso |
(Duc) |
+ 0.269 |
10 |
Fabio Quartararo |
(Yam) |
+ 0.286 |
Moto2
Rookie sensation Aron Canet (Openbank Aspar Team) has claimed his maiden Moto2 pole position thanks to a 1:28.787 in Q2 at the Red Bull Ring. The Spaniard heads Austrian GP winner and compatriot Jorge Martin (Red Bull KTM Ajo) by 0.118 on Saturday, with Tetsuta Nagashima making it two Red Bull KTM Ajo painted machines on the front row.
American Joe Roberts will start from 14th on the grid.
2020 Styrian Moto2 Results—Q2
1 |
Aron Canet |
(Spe) |
1:28.787 |
2 |
Jorge Martin |
(Kal) |
+ 0.118 |
3 |
Tetsuta Nagashima |
(Kal) |
+ 0.370 |
4 |
Augusto Fernandez |
(Kal) |
+ 0.381 |
5 |
Marco Bezzecchi |
(Kal) |
+ 0.390 |
6 |
Remy Gardner |
(Kal) |
+ 0.403 |
7 |
Tom Luthi |
(Kal) |
+ 0.454 |
8 |
Hector Garzo |
(Kal) |
+ 0.454 |
9 |
Jorge Navarro |
(Spe) |
+ 0.466 |
10 |
Nicolo Bulega |
(Kal) |
+ 0.473 |
Moto3
Kömmerling Gresini Moto3’s Gabriel Rodrigo will start from pole position in Moto3 after stealing top spot away with his final lap of Q2. The session eventually got underway after a delay of over 20 minutes following Leopard Racing’s Jaume Masia spilling oil throughout sectors three and four.
The Spaniard crashed on his final lap of Q1, a session he eventually topped, and proceeded to ride his bike back to pitlane without his gloves and front faring with a leakage spraying fluid all over the track. Both Davide Pizzoli (BOE Skull Rider Facile Energy) and Andrea Migno (SKY Racing Team VR46) crashed on the fluid, fortunately without injury, and a major clean-up operation got underway. Last weekend’s podium finisher was consequently banned from riding in Q2 and had to settle for 18th on the grid.
Rodrigo will head Red Bull KTM’s Raul Fernandez and SIC58 Squadra Corse’s Tatsuki Suzuki.
2020 Styrian Moto3 Results—Q2
1 |
Gabriel Rodrigo |
(KTM) |
1:36.470 |
2 |
Raul Fernandez |
(KTM) |
+ 0.012 |
3 |
Tatsuki Suzuki |
(Hon) |
+ 0.064 |
4 |
Tony Arbolino |
(Hon) |
+ 0.105 |
5 |
Celestino Vietti |
(KTM) |
+ 0.175 |
6 |
John McPhee |
(Hon) |
+ 0.342 |
7 |
Dennis Foggia |
(Hon) |
+ 0.495 |
8 |
Ai Ogura |
(Hon) |
+ 0.559 |
9 |
Albert Arenas |
(KTM) |
+ 0.602 |
10 |
Darryn Binder |
(KTM) |
+ 0.669 |
Friday News
Johann Zarco Penalized
Johann Zarco has barely had time to take in the aftermath of his terrifying 180mph collision with Franco Morbidelli last Sunday. The Frenchman flew to Italy on Wednesday to have his fractured right scaphoid plated. He then returned to the circuit on Thursday to meet with the FIM Stewards. On Friday they announced he’d start Sunday’s race from the back of the grid, a punishment for “irresponsible riding” that led to the horror smash.
“Unhappy with the penalty,” Zarco said on Friday. “I was thinking to appeal it to the FIM, but then it’s a bit tricky and would only push the problem even later. In the case my appeal is rejected, then the situation will be not good. So I prefer to swallow this penalty and start from pit lane this weekend. And like this, we will close the story immediately, which is not a funny story.”
Morbidelli was also called to see the FIM Stewards to give his side of the events. “The problem is that when he cut across me he didn’t overtake me completely and he still went wide after (turn 2). I couldn’t avoid because I couldn’t go on the inside, because there was no space to go inside and I couldn’t go outside because I would’ve ended up on the grass.”
Zarco sat out Friday’s action because it was within 48 hours of his surgery on Wednesday has been passed fit to ride on Saturday.
Wall added to inside of turn three
A consequence of the extraordinary near miss at the turn three hairpin was an added barrier and fence on the inside of the track, with the idea to catch a wayward bike that would cut across turn three and collect a hapless rider (as Zarco’s bike did last weekend).
“We had to react,” said FIM Safety Officer Franco Uncini. “We did a small modification in case some bikes slide across the grass and go across the turn. It’s 12 meters of wall and a fence. In front of the wall, the tires and then the airfence.”
Riders were unsure whether this measure was actually safer. As Pol Espargaro said, “Safer? To put airfence in the wall, if you go to the wall then it is going to be huge so it doesn’t really seem that safe. For sure you don’t want to end-up in that situation but Dorna is making a huge effort to bring us the best situation possible and from last weekend it is the only thing we can do. I heard many things about the track being dangerous but it would not be if a human mistake had not happened.”
Uncini also confirmed this would not be a permanent change. “This is just emergency work. It’s not permanent, between one weekend and another. We’ll study carefully what we’ll do in the future and then make a proposal.”
Yamaha withdraws request to unseal engines
Yamaha has withdrawn its request to unseal its engines to replace faulty valves, components it believes caused the mechanical failures of Maverick Vinales, Valentino Rossi and Franco Morbidelli at Jerez in July.
Technical rules stipulate a manufacturer can unseal the engines to replace any faulty components but only if it gains approval from the other manufacturers that make up the MSMA.
To gain such approval it would have had to provide more information. Doing so could well have given away top-secret information to its competitors. Yamaha declined to do so, withdrew its request and decided it can survive the rest of the season with its current engines (Viñales and Morbidelli are already using the fifth and final engine in their season allocation).
Lin Jarvis, Yamaha Racing’s Managing Director, explained, “So we made a request a week ago to replace some valves in the engines that we had stopped using since the two failures we had in the Grand Prix 1. We were then requested to provide more specific evidence, both from the manufacture of the valves and also the specific properties of the valves.
“During the one week since, we investigated deeply inside the factory and also we are in contact with our vendor and finally we were unable to provide the documents that were required and requested. And also at the same time we discovered much more about the valve issues that we had. So finally we withdrew.”
Friday
A week after an inglorious end to the Austrian round, Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM) went top on combined times for the 2020 Styrian MotoGP, held once again at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg, Austria.
The Spaniard knocked in the fastest time during the FP2 session, a 1:23.638, 0.221 seconds clear of Jack Miller (Pramac Ducati). The Australian set his fast time in FP1 but was only 17th during FP2.
Third overall on day one went to last week’s winner, Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) as he looks to take his fourth win in a row at the Red Bull Ring. The Italian finished 0.225 seconds from Espargaro, heading Red Bull KTM Tech3 rider, Miguel Oliveira and top Honda rider Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu).
Following his enormous crash with Franco Morbidelli last week, Johann Zarco did not take part in Friday’s action after wrist surgery but will attempt to ride tomorrow. Either way, as punishment for having caused the accident, Zarco will start from pitlane regardless of where he qualifies.
2020 Styrian MotoGP Results—Friday Combined
1 |
Pol Espargaro |
(KTM) |
+ 1:23.638 |
2 |
Jack Miller |
(Duc) |
+ 0.221 |
3 |
Andrea Dovizioso |
(Duc) |
+ 0.225 |
4 |
Miguel Oliveira |
(KTM) |
+ 0.260 |
5 |
Takaaki Nakagami |
(Hon) |
+ 0.266 |
6 |
Joan Mir |
(Suz) |
+ 0.269 |
7 |
Alex Rins |
(Suz) |
+ 0.371 |
8 |
Maverick Vinales |
(Yam) |
+ 0.422 |
9 |
Franco Morbidelli |
(Yam) |
+ 0.549 |
10 |
Brad Binder |
(KTM) |
+ 0.613 |
Moto2
Sam Lowes (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) once again went top in Moto2 on Friday at the Red Bull Ring, just edging out Australian Remy Gardner (ONEXOX TKKR SAG Team) by 0.016 seconds on combined times, with Austrian Moto2 race winner Jorge Martin (Red Bull KTM Ajo) completing the top three, still within 0.060.
Joe Roberts (Tennor American Racing Kalex) was 17th on combined times at the Red Bull Ring, thanks to his 1:29.374 set in session one. The Moto2 class is incredibly close, with just one second covering the top 25.
2020 Styrian Moto2 Results—Friday Combined
1 |
Sam Lowes |
(Kal) |
1:28.733 |
2 |
Remy Gardner |
(Kal) |
+ 0.016 |
3 |
Jorge Martin |
(Kal) |
+ 0.060 |
4 |
Nicolo Bulega |
(Kal) |
+ 0.081 |
5 |
Luca Marini |
(Kal) |
+ 0.117 |
6 |
Augusto Fernandez |
(Kal) |
+ 0.118 |
7 |
Marco Bezzecchi |
(Kal) |
+ 0.137 |
8 |
Aron Canet |
(Spe) |
+ 0.187 |
9 |
Enea Bastianini |
(Kal) |
+ 0.318 |
10 |
Marcel Schrötter |
(Kal) |
+ 0.476 |
Moto3
SKY Racing Team VR46’s Celestino Vietti remains fastest in the Moto3 class after the opening two sessions of Moto3 action on combined times after setting the fastest lap we’ve seen around the Red Bull Ring since qualifying for the lightweight class in 2019.
SIC58 Squadra Corse’s Tatsuki Suzuki claimed top spot in FP2 but it was only good enough for third overall with Vietti three tenths clear of Championship leader Albert Arenas (Valresa Aspar Team) in the fight at the top of the timesheets.
2020 Styrian Moto3 Results—Friday Combined
1 |
Celestino Vietti |
(KTM) |
1:35.997 |
2 |
Albert Arenas |
(KTM) |
+ 0.306 |
3 |
Tatsuki Suzuki |
(Hon) |
+ 0.401 |
4 |
Gabriel Rodrigo |
(Hon) |
+ 0.412 |
5 |
Tony Arbolino |
(Hon) |
+ 0.461 |
6 |
Jeremy Alcoba |
(Hon) |
+ 0.485 |
7 |
Raul Fernandez |
(KTM) |
+ 0.526 |
8 |
John McPhee |
(Hon) |
+ 0.555 |
9 |
Jaume Masia |
(Hon) |
+ 0.578 |
10 |
Deniz Öncü |
(KTM) |
+ 0.593 |
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