Rennie Scaysbrook | August 29, 2021
2021 British MotoGP News—Sunday
Dovizioso to make racing return… with Yamaha!
Yamaha has confirmed further changes to its line-up from Misano in mid-September. Once Franco Morbidelli returns from injury, he will slot into the factory squad alongside Quartararo. “The opportunity is for Frankie to grade up,” said Lin Jarvis, Yamaha Managing Director, at Silverstone.
Andrea Dovizioso will make a racing return at Misano with Yamaha.
In a sensational turn of events, Andrea Dovizioso is poised to replace Morbidelli in the Petronas SRT Yamaha squad from Misano, and will lead that rebranded squad in 2022. “We’ve agreed here this weekend with Andrea and his management. What we’re working on now is Andrea will return in Misano. He’ll run this season on Frankie’s bike and then run a full season next year.”
Having left Ducati at the close of 2020, Dovizioso did a handful of tests for Aprilia through this year. Yet reports suggest he was never fully convinced by the capabilities of the Noale factory, meaning he turned down the chance to race there next year. This much was reflected in Aleix Espargaro’s comments at Silverstone. “I want the people involved in this project to be 100% trustworthy. Maverick is, Lorenzo (Savadori) too. The others, I don’t know…”
This will be the first time the 35-year old Italian will race Yamaha machinery since 2012.
Confirmed: Petronas withdraw, SRT closes
In a busy month for Yamaha, confirmation came on the eve of the British GP that Petronas will withdraw its sponsorship from the SRT Yamaha satellite team. What’s more, the Sepang Racing Team (SRT) will cease to exist, signaling an end to their Moto2 and Moto3 projects.
Darryn Binder’s job will be moved to MotoGP next year, but SRT as we know it will close after just three seasons in MotoGP.
A new-look satellite Yamaha team will take its place, backed by Italian energy producer WithU with Team Principle Razlan Razali and Team Director Johan Stigefelt confirmed as being part of the project. Dovizioso will lead the team next year, with Darryn Binder – currently part of the team’s Moto3 outfit – fancied to take the second seat.
The news comes three years after the team announced its foray into MotoGP ahead of 2019. It enjoyed a sensational start to life and was responsible for the discovery of Fabio Quartararo on the MotoGP stage. In 2020 it won six premier class races.
Toprak in MotoGP in 2023?
Yamaha had made no secret of its desire to place World Superbike star Toprak Razgatioglu in its MotoGP ranks for next season, only for the Turkish rider to opt to stay put. But should he overcome Jonathan Rea in this year’s title, Jarvis doesn’t foresee a reason why he couldn’t move across to the premier class for 2023.
Yamaha dearly wants Toprak in MotoGP but the Turkish star really wants a couple of WorldSBK titles before he goes.
“Toprak and his management (Kenan Sofuoglu) were in Austria,” said Jarvis at Silverstone. “We had a really friendly chat about his future. But they are pretty fixed on staying in the Superbike championship. They’re comfortable there. He wants to win one or two championships in Superbike before he moves. So he can’t really win the championship this year and switch out and go to MotoGP because they’re championship finishes too late. He will stay definitely ’22 in Superbike. But if he becomes champion this year and does very, very well next year then why not? In 2023 maybe we’ll see him here.”
Sunday
MotoGP
In front of a packed house at Silverstone for one of MotoGP’s premier events, Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha) struck a crucial blow in the 2021 MotoGP World Championship race with a classy 2.6-second victory over Suzuki’s Alex Rins and Aprilia’s Aleix Espargaro, who took Aprilia’s maiden MotoGP podium in the four-stroke era.
While the margin of victory was less than some of his other wins in Portugal and Assen, Quartararo’s win was significant for the ease at which he controlled the race once clear of early leader and surprise pole sitter, Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda), taking the reins of the race on lap five.
Fabio Quartararo knew how important that win was to his title chances as his closest rival Joan Mir trudged home in ninth.
Behind him, Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda) and Jorge Martin (Pramac Ducati) repeatedly bashed into each other, with Marquez eventually losing the front and taking Martin down with him on lap one.
With Quartararo out in front, the race was on for the final podium battles between Pol Espargaro, his charging brother Aleix on the factory Aprilia, and Alex Rins, with the latter putting perfect passes on the Espargaro brothers to take over an unchallenged if a little tight second place.
Pol Espargaro began to drop back with rear tire troubles, but it was Jack Miller (Lenovo Ducati) who came to the fore late in the race, closing right up on Aleix Espargaro as the Spaniard desperately clung on to the final podium position in third.
Miller went for it on the final lap, diving up the inside at turn 13, but he was slightly wide. Miller had the inside line though for turn 14 but the tight entry allowed Espargaro to get the cutback heading onto the Wellington Straight. Going defensive, Espargaro was able to fend off Miller’s late attack and after Quartararo and Rins had taken the checkered flag, Aleix Espargaro claimed third for Aprilia’s first podium.
Espargaro (41) was inspired, holding second for much of the race until Rins (42) came past. He held on for third.
Miller came home fourth ahead of Pol Espargaro, with Brad Binder producing yet another charge from a poor grid slot in 21st to take sixth. Iker Lecuona (Tech3 KTM) had another strong ride to seventh, with Alex Marquez (LCR Castrol Honda) World Champion Joan Mir (Escatr Suzuki) ninth in a devastating blow to his championship charge, and Danilo Petrucci sealing a the final spot in the top 10.
In the championship, Quartararo is sitting pretty on 206 points to Joan Mir’s 141 with Johann Zarco, who had a torrid time in Great Britain with an 11th place finish, third in the series on 136.
2021 British MotoGP Results
| 1 |
Fabio Quartararo |
(Yam) |
|
| 2 |
Alex Rins |
(Suz) |
+ 2.663 |
| 3 |
Aleix Espargaro |
(Apr) |
+ 4.105 |
| 4 |
Jack Miller |
(Duc) |
+ 4.254 |
| 5 |
Pol Espargaro |
(Hon) |
+ 8.462 |
| 6 |
Brad Binder |
(KTM) |
+ 12.189 |
| 7 |
Iker Lecuona |
(KTM) |
+ 13.560 |
| 8 |
Alex Marquez |
(Hon) |
+ 14.044 |
| 9 |
Joan Mir |
(Suz) |
+ 16.226 |
| 10 |
Danilo Petrucci |
(KTM) |
+ 16.287 |
Moto2
Remy Gardner (Red Bull KTM Ajo) took what could be a crucial victory at the British Moto2 Grand Prix, the Australian holding off Marco Bezzecchi (Sky Racing Team VR46) and Lightech Speed Up’s Jorge Navarro. It was a day where Gardner capitalized on rookie teammate Raul Fernandez crashed out.
Remy Gardner’s win puts him in the championship box seat.
Fabio Di Giannantonio (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2) faded slightly and just held off 2019 winner Augusto Fernandez (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) in the duel to complete the top five, with Aron Canet (Kipin Energy Aspar Team) coming home seventh in some clear air. Xavi Vierge (Petronas Sprinta Racing) beat rookie Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) to eighth by mere thousandths, with American Joe Roberts (Italtrans Racing Team) completing the top ten for a solid haul of points after a weekend further up the field. Cameron Beaubier (American Racing Team Kalex) failed to finish.
In the championship, Gardner leads on 231 to Fernandez’s 187 with Bezzecchi third on 179.
2021 British Moto2 Results
| 1 |
Remy Gardner |
(Kal) |
|
| 2 |
Marco Bezzecchi |
(Kal) |
+ 0.481 |
| 3 |
Jorge Navarro |
(Bos) |
+ 1.930 |
| 4 |
Sam Lowes |
(Kal) |
+ 2.284 |
| 5 |
F. Di Giannantonio |
(Kal) |
+ 6.952 |
Moto3
It was vintage Romano Fenati (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team) at Silverstone. Leading from lights out and initially shadowed by Niccolo Antonelli (Avintia VR46 Academy), the number 55 was then able to pull away in the final few laps to take a rare breakaway Moto3 win.
Romano Fenati wound back the years for a dominant Moto3 win.
Antonelli, on return from injury and still riding through the pain barrier, held on for second, with Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing) just coming out on top in a duel for third against rookie Izan Guevara (Valresa GASGAS Aspar Team).
In the championship, Pedro Acosta (11th today) still leads on 201 points from Sergia Garcia on 155 and Fenati third on 132.
2021 British Moto3 Results
| 1 |
Romano Fenati |
(Hus) |
|
| 2 |
Niccolo Antonelli |
(KTM) |
+ 1.679 |
| 3 |
Dennis Foggia |
(Hon) |
+ 2.107 |
| 4 |
Izan Guevara |
(GasGas) |
+ 2.154 |
| 5 |
Tatsuki Suzuki |
(Hon) |
+ 7.475 |
2021 British MotoGP News—Saturday
Suzuki seeking team manager?
Suzuki is open to the idea of adding a Team Manager to its ranks for 2022, after MotoGP Project Leader Shinichi Sahara admitted, “I’m too busy to do this job.” The factory has been dealing with the absence of Davide Brivio, who surprisingly moved to Formula1 team Alpine, since January, and set up a seven-man Management Committee – headed by Sahara – to absorb the loss.
Suzuki really needs someone to fill the departed Davide Brivio’s shoes.
It was a fairly unique situation, with all other MotoGP factories having a Team Manager to direct the goings on inside the box, as well as organising a myriad of other things. “We are now discussing to know what is the best way for us,” confirmed Sahara at Silverstone. “Nothing is fixed for us but we are investigating it now.”
Triumph extend Moto2 deal
Triumph will continue to supply the Moto2 class with engines for three further years from 2022, it was announced at Silverstone after a highly successful two-and-a-half seasons. The switch to the triple cylinder 765cc engine at the start of 2019 has been responsible for 34 new lap records in the subsequent time, while the current Moto2 packages appear to prepare riders better for MotoGP: see Brad Binder and Jorge Martin, rookie winners in 2020 and ’21 respectively.
The grid will still be reverberating to the sound of Triumph Moto2 engines for a while.
“The Moto2 race engines were developed to breathe more freely, rev higher and increase peak power,” said Triumph Chief Product Officer Steve Sargent. “All of that was intended to challenge the riders and teams, and provides a great spectacle for the fans. Our ambition entering Moto2 was to raise our brand profile and credibility on the world stage with perfect platform to demonstrate Triumph’s reliability and performance. The project has delivered everything we aimed for and more.”
Sargent also revealed Triumph is hoping to make fine tune its package further in 2022. “We don’t want to stand still. Next year we’ll go with a closer ratio gearbox. The engine is incredibly torquey. That gives teams more options on set-up and get the gearing optimal for more corners at a circuit. At the bottom end of the engine in the primary gear we found a way to reduce inertia, mass and friction. That should help engine to deliver more peak power.”
Foggia v Leopard
Tensions between Moto3 rider Dennis Foggia and his Leopard team were clear for all to see in the aftermath of the Austrian GP, when the Italian revealed his father Fabio’s paddock pass was rescinded two weeks ago over a disagreement. However, both sides disputed the reasons for this.
All is not well between Foggia and his Leopard team.
After finishing third in Austria Foggia said it was due to revenge. He was formerly managed on a personal level by the team, but switched managers before the summer and was speaking to Moto2 teams. “My dad (had to) stay out of the paddock, an unfair decision,” he said after finishing third in Austria. “Next year I want to move to Moto2, even if there are contracts and they say I have to stay. I don’t want to stay in this class and with this team, so I’ll try to make the move.”
Yet the team released a statement on Friday at Silverstone, explaining its decision. “The team has taken such decisions due to several situations in which Fabio Foggia’s attitudes affected the harmony of the team. In addition, Dennis Foggia’s public statements should have stayed private, as reflected in his contract.” Tatsuki Suzuki will replace the Italian in 2022.
Saturday
MotoGP
Pol Espargaro took the first pole of his Repsol Honda career at Silverstone.
Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team) is back in business. After a tougher time of late, the Spaniard has hooked it up so far at Silverstone and in Q2, the number 44 hit a landmark run to take his first pole position since joining the Repsol Honda Team. It was incredibly close at the top, with Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) just 0.022 back and Championship leader Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) locking out a top three split by just 0.036. Over a near 6km lap, it could hardly be any closer.
2021 British MotoGP Results—Saturday
| 1 |
Pol Espargaro |
(Hon) |
1:58.889 |
| 2 |
Francesco Bagnaia |
(Duc) |
+ 0.022 |
| 3 |
Fabio Quartararo |
(Yam) |
+ 0.036 |
| 4 |
Jorge Martin |
(Duc) |
+ 0.185 |
| 5 |
Marc Marquez |
(Hon) |
+ 0.197 |
| 6 |
Aleix Espargaro |
(Apr) |
+ 0.384 |
| 7 |
Jack Miller |
(Duc) |
+ 0.479 |
| 8 |
Valentino Rossi |
(Yam) |
+ 0.642 |
| 9 |
Johann Zarco |
(Duc) |
+ 0.690 |
| 10 |
Alex Rins |
(Suz) |
+ 0.750 |
Moto2
A new lap record put Bez on pole in Moto2.
Marco Bezzecchi (Sky Racing Team VR46) set a searing new lap record at Silverstone in Moto2, the Italian putting in a 2:03.988 to just deny Jorge Navarro (Lightech Speed Up) the honour. It really wasn’t by much either as just 0.073 separated the top two, with Sam Lowes (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) taking third and still within only 0.081 of the top time.
2021 British Moto2 Results—Saturday
| 1 |
Marco Bezzecchi |
(Kal) |
2:03.988 |
| 2 |
Jorge Navarro |
(Bos) |
+ 0.073 |
| 3 |
Sam Lowes |
(Kal) |
+ 0.081 |
| 4 |
Remy Gardner |
(Kal) |
+ 0.207 |
| 5 |
Raul Fernandez |
(Kal) |
+ 0.221 |
Moto3
Fenati took the gold in Q2 for Moto3.
Romano Fenati (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team) waited four years for another pole position, and now two have come at once! The Italian took to the top last time out in qualifying and he’s done it again at the Monster Energy British Grand Prix, making it a full house of sessions he’s led at Silverstone so far and this time with a new all-time lap record. His first back-to-back poles and the first time he’s taken four front row starts in a row bodes well, and key rivals Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and Sergio Garcia (Valresa GASGAS Aspar Team) didn’t make it out of Q1, giving Fenati a clear goal on Sunday: gain some serious ground.
2021 British Moto3 Results—Saturday
| 1 |
Romano Fenati |
(Hus) |
2:11.325 |
| 2 |
Gabriel Rodrigo |
(Hon) |
+ 0.043 |
| 3 |
Ricardo Rossi |
(KTM) |
+ 0.197 |
| 4 |
Andrea Migno |
(Hon) |
+ 0.265 |
| 5 |
Niccolo Antonelli |
(KTM) |
+ 0.390 |
2021 British MotoGP News—Friday
Marquez smash requires a hospital visit
Marc Marquez started the weekend in sensational fashion, posting a ferocious pace in the very first session, only for a crash at 170mph to disrupt his day. The Catalan lost the front of his Honda RC213V at the entry to Maggotts, leading to a spectacular crash that brought out the red flag.
Marquez’s crash on Friday was a belter.
He was subdued in FP2. But rather than worrying about damaging the right arm and shoulder that has been so troublesome this year, he later revealed he required a trip to the local hospital to clean his eye. “Unfortunately, at the end of FP1 we had a big crash, and FP2 on that crash I had some sand in my eye, this created that I was crying a lot during FP2 and it was difficult to concentrate well and to perform in the best way,” he said.
“But even like this, we did a good FP2. Then after FP2 I just started to feel worse with the eye. Always the vision is OK, but it was like there was some sand inside, and I went to the hospital and they cleaned everything.”
The Yamaha shuffle
Yamaha confirmed its separation with Maverick Viñales on the Friday before the British GP, meaning it once again had to shuffle its pack with Franco Morbidelli’s continued absence in mind. Cal Crutchlow, who deputized for the Italian in Austria, was moved to the factory team alongside Fabio Quartararo for this weekend.
Jake Dixon’s time on the Petronas Yamaha has been a good one.
Meanwhile English hotshot Jake Dixon was promoted to Petronas SRT Yamaha from his usual Moto2 seat for the weekend. Thrown in at the deep end, Dixon impressed on his first day aboard a MotoGP machine. “It’s like anything you know,” he said. “Generally speaking, if you get in something fast like a car it feels fast for the first couple of times but then your brain is a powerful thing and it’s incredible what it can do and how it adjusts itself.
“After probably 4 laps the speed felt normal, felt nothing untoward. I started to then get down to some reasonable lap times. After 4 laps your brain adjusts and figures everything out and obviously sleeping on it tonight and coming out tomorrow will feel even better.”
Viñales Aprilia test
Aprilia does not intend to hang around. Soon after announcing the signing of Maverick Viñales for 2022, the Noale factory confirmed the Catalan will test the RS-GP for the first time at a two-day test at Misano on 31st August and 1st September. Aprilia made no secret of its desire to see the former Moto3 World Champion make his racing debut in the coming weeks.
The countdown is on for Vinales’ Aprilia test.
Technical guru Romano Albesiano said, “We need to understand the preference of the rider and check his first feeling and then work to fit it. There is a lot of expectation. We expect to have a good performance from the bike and it will be interesting to check the bike with a rider like Maverick.”
Andrea Dovizioso was originally penned in to test for Aprilia at Misano at the end of summer. Yet he will no longer do so, with the Italian now likely to make a racing return for Yamaha before the end of the year.
Friday
MotoGP
It was a Friday afternoon of two halves for World Championship leader Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) at the 2021 British MotoGP. A nasty Turn 8 highside saw the Frenchman limp back to his box in some discomfort, however, Quartararo came back out swinging to set a blistering 1:59.317 – 0.512s quicker than second place Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team). Third place on Day 1 went the way of rookie sensation Jorge Martin (Pramac Racing), the Spaniard making it two Ducatis in the top three.
Fabio Quartararo bounced back from a tumble to take top spot on Friday.
2021 British MotoGP Results—Friday
| 1 |
Fabio Quartararo |
(Yam) |
1:59.317 |
| 2 |
Jack Miller |
(Duc) |
+ 0.512 |
| 3 |
Jorge Martin |
(Duc) |
+ 0.622 |
| 4 |
Pol Espargaro |
(Hon) |
+ 0.718 |
| 5 |
Marc Marquez |
(Hon) |
+ 0.734 |
| 6 |
Francesco Bagnaia |
(Duc) |
+ 0.785 |
| 7 |
Aleix Espargaro |
(Apr) |
+ 0.902 |
| 8 |
Brad Binder |
(KTM) |
+ 0.998 |
| 9 |
Alex Rins |
(Suz) |
+ 1.075 |
| 10 |
Valentino Rossi |
(Yam) |
+ 1.083 |
Moto2
Raul Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) topped Day 1 of Moto2 at the 2021 British Grand Prix. Fernandez’ 2:04.501 was marginally enough to beat FP1 pacesetter Jorge Navarro (Lightech Speed Up) by 0.017s in the afternoon, as home crowd favorite Sam Lowes (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) completed the top three.
Raul Fernandez topped Moto2.
2021 British Moto2 Results—Friday
| 1 |
Raul Fernandez |
(Kal) |
2:04.501 |
| 2 |
Jorge Navarro |
(Bos) |
+ 0.017 |
| 3 |
Sam Lowes |
(Kal) |
+ 0.314 |
| 4 |
Augusto Fernandez |
(Kal) |
+ 0.365 |
| 5 |
Remy Gardner |
(Kal) |
+ 0.414 |
Moto3
Romano Fenati (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team) claimed top spot in both FP1 and FP2 on Friday and set a new Moto3 Silverstone lap record in the process to hold a 0.139s advantage over Ayumu Sasaki (Red Bull KTM Tech3). Fenati’s 2:11.334 is almost three tenths quicker than the previous lap record, with Niccolo Antonelli (Avintia VR46 Academy) taking P3 on Day 1.
Romano Fenati put in a new lap record for the Moto3 fastest time.
2021 British Moto3 Results—Friday
| 1 |
Romano Fenati |
(Hus) |
2:11.334 |
| 2 |
Ayumu Sasaki |
(KTM) |
+ 0.139 |
| 3 |
Niccolo Antonelli |
(KTM) |
+ 0.199 |
| 4 |
Ricardo Rossi |
(KTM) |
+ 0.384 |
| 5 |
Dennis Foggia |
(Hon) |
+ 0.390 |
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