Sunday
MotoGP
Having come so close over the last three years, Pecco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) has finally taken a MotoGP race victory in a thrilling Motorland Aragon encounter.
The Italian, who qualified on pole with an all-time lap record of 1:46.322 ahead of teammate Jack Miller and championship leader Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha), was near bulletproof over the 23 lap race distance. After taking the holeshot and leading every lap until the last three, where he engaged in a gloves-off fight with Repsol Honda’s Marc Marquez.
Marquez made seven attempts at taking the lead off Bagnaia, each time running slightly wide and each time Bagnaia immediately struck back.
It all came down to the final lap at the downhill turn 12. With Bagnaia leading, Marquez went for it and threw the factory Honda up the inside but he couldn’t scrub off enough speed for the apex, running wide and the race-winning margin to the Italian, who crossed the line 0.673 seconds clear from Marquez with Joan Mir (Ecstar Suzuki) getting the better of Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) to take third.
Incredibly from lap 2 to lap 21, Bagnaia never wavered more than 0.6 seconds in his lap time. Only when Marquez launched his multiple assaults on the lead did Bagnaia’s lap times drop out of the 1:48-second bracket in a metronomic display of consistency from the factory Ducati rider.
Fifth at Motorland Aragon went to Bagnaia’s teammate Jack Miller. The Australian was third off the start line but couldn’t sustain the pace of Bagnaia and Marquez, and once he ran wide on the final turn at the mid-race distance, Mir and Espargaro swept through, leaving Miller to a rather lonely fifth place.
Miller held sway over the impressive Enea Bastianini (Avintia Esponsarama Ducati) in his best career MotoGP result. The Italian’s sixth place was hard-fought as he defended against Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM) and championship leader Quartararo, who once again suffered at Aragon. Aragon was the scene of Quartararo’s championship undoing last year when his front tire temperature went sky-high, and grip issues affected him again this year, although he did salvage eighth place.
Jorge Martin (Pramac Ducati) and Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Idemitsu Honda) rounded out the top 10.
In what looks like the end of his championship hopes, Johann Zarco (Pramac Ducati) dropped out of the points in 17th, one place ahead of the returning Maverick Vinales, who took 18th on his Aprilia debut.
In the championship, Quartararo is still in charge on 214 but Bagnaia’s win hoists him up to second on 161 with Mir third on 157.
2021 Aragon MotoGP—Race
| 1 | Francesco Bagnaia | (Duc) | |
| 2 | Marc Marquez | (Hon) | + 0.673 |
| 3 | Joan Mir | (Suz) | + 3.911 |
| 4 | Aleix Espargaro | (Apr) | + 9.269 |
| 5 | Jack Miller | (Duc) | + 11.928 |
| 6 | Enea Bastianini | (Duc) | + 13.757 |
| 7 | Brad Binder | (KTM) | + 14.064 |
| 8 | Fabio Quartararo | (Yam) | + 16.575 |
| 9 | Jorge Martin | (Duc) | + 16.615 |
| 10 | Takaaki Nakagami | (Hon) | + 16.904 |
Moto2
In what has to be one of the gutsiest Moto2 performances for many years, Raul Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) blitzed the field at Motorland Aragon a mere seven days after undergoing surgery for a fractured metacarpal on his right hand.
The Spaniard rode a perfect race, forcing early leader and then second-placed rider Sam Lowes (Marc VDS Kalex) into a crash and eventually finishing 5.4 seconds ahead of teammate and title leader Remy Gardner.
Third went to Augusto Fernandez (Marc VDS Kalex), the Spaniard, who is Red Bull KTM Ajo-bound in 2022, just managed to get the better of Jorge Navarro (+Ego Speed Up) with Aron Canet (Kipin Energy Aspar Team) taking fifth.
It was a good showing by the American contingent of Joe Roberts (Italtrans Kalex) and Cameron Beaubier (American Racing Team), the two Californians enjoying a race long battle that saw Roberts home in 13th, Beaubier 14th, for two and three championship points, respectively.
In the championship, Gardner’s damage limitation ride sees him still clear on 251 points. Fernandez claws back five points with his win and now sits on 212 with Marco Bezzecchi, who crashed out in Aragon for the second year in a row, third on 127.
2021 Aragon Moto2—Race
| 1 | Raul Fernandez | (Kal) | |
| 2 | Remy Gardner | (Kal) | + 5.408 |
| 3 | Augusto Fernandez | (Kal) | + 6.824 |
| 4 | Jorge Navarro | (Bos) | + 7.051 |
| 5 | Aron Canet | (Bos) | + 10.695 |
Moto3
Leopard Racing’s Dennis Foggia claimed a third victory of the season in a hugely dramatic Moto3 encounter at Aragon. The Italian overtook second-place finisher Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Tech3) on the final lap to emerge victorious, as Ayumu Sasaki joined teammate Öncü on the rostrum.
The top two in the World Championship, Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and Sergio Garcia (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team), both crashed and scored zero points on home turf. It was a particularly gutting crash for Garcia, as he had the opportunity to close the championship battle right up following Acosta’s crash. However, the Red Bull KTM Ajo rider had luck on his side, and despite his crash doesn’t lose any ground in the championship to be 46 points clear on 201 to Garcia’s 155 points. Foggia is third on 143.
2021 Aragon Moto3—Race
| 1 | Dennis Foggia | (Leopard Racing) | |
| 2 | Deniz Öncü | (KTM) | + 0.041 |
| 3 | Ayumu Sasaki | (KTM) | + 0.644 |
| 4 | Izan Guevara | (GasGas) | + 0.708 |
| 5 | Niccolo Antonelli | (KTM) | + 0.878 |
2021 Aragon MotoGP News—Saturday
Pedrosa wildcard rescinded
After a sterling wildcard appearance at the Styrian Grand Prix, KTM had planned for Dani Pedrosa to race again at the San Marino GP at Misano next week. Yet the Spaniard, who finished tenth in Austria in his first racing appearance in just under three years, had his appearance rescinded by the Austrian factory, who said he will probably never race again.
“Dani is basically not in our plans for Misano. We took it off. He had one race in Spielberg but I don’t think we’re going to see him racing again. We just stopped it,” said KTM’s Motorsport Director Pit Beirer. Pedrosa will make an appearance at the post-race test at Misano in the days that follow the grand prix.
2021 calendar finalized
The 2021 is finalized, albeit in early September. The global situation meant races in the second half of the season were in some doubt. Indeed, four races – the Japanese, Australian, Thai, and Malaysian Grand Prix – were are canceled.
But aside from that, the calendar will remain as is. After the San Marino GP at the Misano World Circuit on 19th September, the series will travel to the Circuit of Americas in Austin on 3rd October. A second race at Misano will take place on 24th October for the Emilia Romagna GP, before back-to-back races at Portimao, Portugal, and Valencia, Spain on 7th and 14th of November respectively.
Argentina’s Termas de Rio Hondo circuit had been given a TBC date all year, but it has finally been canceled. The season will conclude with a two-day official test at Jerez on the 18th and 19th of November.
Marquez: ‘Save’ not in my dictionary anymore
As well as lacking his blistering speed over a single flying lap, Marc Marquez has admitted he can no longer produce the spectacular saves that were once a common occurrence due to a revised riding style and position.
The Catalan endured his 17th (FP2) and 18th (FP3) crashes of the season at Aragon, two more than the rider with the next highest number of falls. The second of those was a low speed front fold at turn 14.
If I had them in 2019 would I have saved half of them? Yes. But this is the situation, the word ‘save’ does not exist now in my dictionary anymore. When it goes, it goes, I can’t save the fall. Before I saved a lot, but for example today in FP3 I lost a bit and before that it was an easy save, but it can’t be for now. I have to ride in a different way, it’s a complicated situation that at the moment I am able to manage.”
On why his qualifying performances have not been so strong since his injury comeback, Marquez said, “When you have a lack of grip then everything moves, you have some movement and everything is softer, you ride smoother. But in a fast lap with very high grip everything is more aggressive and it’s there where I’m struggling.”
Saturday
MotoGP
For the first time since the 2018 Aragon GP, there will be two factory Ducatis leading the pack off the line after Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) set a new all-time MotorLand lap record to beat teammate Jack Miller to pole position at the 2021 Aragon MotoGP. The Italian’s 1:46.322 was 0.366s clear of the Australian and hands Ducati their 50th premier class pole, as Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) claims the final front row spot in P3.
2021 Aragon MotoGP Results—Saturday
| 1 | Francesco Bagnaia | (Duc) | 1:46.322 |
| 2 | Jack Miller | (Duc) | + 0.366 |
| 3 | Fabio Quartararo | (Yam) | + 0.397 |
| 4 | Marc Marquez | (Hon) | + 0.414 |
| 5 | Jorge Martin | (Duc) | + 0.556 |
| 6 | Aleix Espargaro | (Apr) | + 0.561 |
| 7 | Joan Mir | (Suz) | + 0.840 |
| 8 | Pol Espargaro | (Hon) | + 0.872 |
| 9 | Enea Bastianini | (Duc) | + 0.956 |
| 10 | Johann Zarco | (Duc) | + 0.966 |
Moto2
Elf Marc VDS Racing Team’s Sam Lowes notched up a fifth pole position of the 2021 season after a dominant display in Moto2 Q2 at Aragon. The British rider set a 1:51.778 to beat World Championship leader Remy Gardner by 0.279s, with the Australian’s Red Bull KTM Ajo teammate and main title rival Raul Fernandez claiming P3 despite nursing a right-hand metacarpal fracture.
2021 Aragon Moto2 Results—Saturday
| 1 | Sam Lowes | (Kal) | 1:51.778 |
| 2 | Remy Gardner | (Kal) | + 0.279 |
| 3 | Raul Fernandez | (Kal) | + 0.306 |
| 4 | Hector Garzo | (Kal) | + 0.329 |
| 5 | Ai Ogura | (Kal) | + 0.370 |
Moto3
Darryn Binder (Petronas Sprinta Racing) claimed a second pole position of 2021 after his 1:57.724 was good enough to beat Gabriel Rodrigo (Indonesian Racing Gresini Moto3) by 0.181s in Moto3. Despite a late crash, Tatsuki Suzuki (SIC58 Squadra Corse) came through Q1 to pick up a front row start in third.
2021 Aragon Moto3 Results—Saturday
| 1 | Darryn Binder | (Hon) | 1:57.724 |
| 2 | Gabriel Rodrigo | (KTM) | + 0.181 |
| 3 | Tatsuki Suzuki | (Hon) | + 0.252 |
| 4 | Sergio Garcia | (GasGas) | + 0.345 |
| 5 | Andrea Migno | (Hon) | + 0.379 |
2021 Aragon MotoGP News—Friday
Vinales makes Aprilia debut
After an absence of two races, Maverick Vinales made his competitive debut aboard Aprilia’s RS-GP, ending the first day of free practice just 1.1s off the fastest time.
The Catalan signed up to compete for the rest of the season with the Italian factory after a successful two-day test at Misano on August 31-September 1, ended with him lapping 0.2s off the official lap record.
“More than difficult, it has been a release for me,” he said of parting ways with Yamaha and taking Lorenzo Savadori’s spot as full-time rider at Aprilia. “I needed to do something different. I was in a ‘blocked’ moment. I needed to move on to improve myself. As soon as I did the test I wanted to race because I felt good, that I adapted quite quick. During the race weekend is where you can improve yourself. There was no reason to stay at home.”
On adapting to the RS-GP, which runs a 90-degree V-four engine, as opposed to the Yamaha M1’s inline-four, he said, “the most difficult part is the braking because the acceleration is very good and I can control well the slide. It is not an issue but I need to get used to the braking area because it is different to what I used to ride and makes a difference to the lap-time.”
Zarco: ‘Arm pump surgery almost like doping’
There can be no denying Johann Zarco has fallen away in the title fight. Soon after his lackluster 11th at Silverstone, the Frenchman admitted he had placed too much pressure on himself to chase down championship leader Fabio Quartararo.
On Friday Zarco, who rode a 1981 Ducati 900 SS Darma from his house in the south of France to the Motorland Aragon circuit in the week leading up to the GP – a trip of 950km – revealed arm-pump had also played its part, leading him to contemplate surgery, possibly before the season is out.
“In Austria and Silverstone I got an arm pump problem,” he said. “I often say if I feel good on bike, I won’t have arm pump. This kind of problem it seems now is part of our sport. It’s almost like doping. Fabio is a good example. Now it is coming with all the bikes because we have better acceleration. We can brake very hard and slow down so much. If you do it so relaxed you don’t bring the bike anywhere.”
On when he may do the operation, Zarco said, “I have two choices. Can be the end of season of the break between Austin and Misano. I will see. I still believe I can control it,” he said.
Honda testing different chassis concept
Honda continued experimenting at Aragon as it seeks strong development direction for 2022, with Marc Marquez trying a third different chassis spec in five races.
The eight-time world champion had found improvements with the first of these, which he raced at Assen, Austria 2 and Silverstone, saying, “at Assen, I feel a better stability, especially in the fast corners, but we struggle more in the slow corners.”
But while Marquez is feeling more comfortable, the three other Hondas aren’t so sure. “Now the next races, especially this one, Misano and the Misano test, we need to understand which way to follow for the future in the chassis area,” Marquez said. “The other Honda riders are using another chassis and are going in another way. But when they try my way sometimes they like, sometimes no. Still, we are a little bit confused. But from my side of the box, everything is a bit more clear.”
On what HRC is attempting to solve, team-mate Pol Espargaro said, “Obviously, we are trying to improve the problems we are having this year – low grip on the edge. Floating on the entry. The spinning with the bike straight. It’s trying to get more grip or applying force on the rear tire in a different way. The idea is to be with more grip.”
Friday
MotoGP
Ducati Lenovo Team’s Jack Miller set the fastest Friday time for the 2021 Aragon MotoGP, the Australian landing a 1:47.613 to hold a healthy 0.273s advantage over Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini).
Three manufacturers sat in the top three thanks to Cal Crutchlow’s (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) third place heroics in FP2, the British rider the fastest YZR-M1 rider so far at MotorLand Aragon.
2021 Aragon MotoGP Results—Friday
| 1 | Jack Miller | (Duc) | 1:47.613 |
| 2 | Aleix Espargaro | (Apr) | + 0.273 |
| 3 | Cal Crutchlow | (Yam) | + 0.284 |
| 4 | Johann Zarco | (Duc) | + 0.375 |
| 5 | Jorge Martin | (Duc) | + 0.410 |
| 6 | Francesco Bagnaia | (Duc) | + 0.419 |
| 7 | Fabio Quartararo | (Yam) | + 0.421 |
| 8 | Marc Marquez | (Hon) | + 0.435 |
| 9 | Takaaki Nakagami | (Hon) | + 0.444 |
| 10 | Enea Bastianini | (Duc) | + 0.473 |
Moto2
World Championship leader Remy Gardner (Red Bull KTM Ajo) is in a familiar position at the top of the timesheets after the opening day of Moto2 action at Aragon. Second place Augusto Fernandez (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) is just 0.007s off Gardner, with injured Raul Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) fighting through the pain to finish a close third.
Joe Roberts (Italtrans Kalex) is 19th while Cameron Beaubier (American Racing Team) is in 26th place.
2021 Aragon Moto2 Results—Friday
| 1 | Remy Gardner | (Kal) | 1:53.988 |
| 2 | Augusto Fernandez | (Kal) | + 0.007 |
| 3 | Raul Fernandez | (Kal) | + 0.102 |
| 4 | F. Di Giannantonio | (Kal) | + 0.105 |
| 5 | Sam Lowes | (Kal) | + 0.228 |
| 19 | Joe Roberts | (Kal) | + 1.135 |
| 26 | Cameron Beaubier | (Kal) | +1.508 |
Moto3
Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Tech3) led the way after the opening two Moto3 Free Practice sessions at the 2021 Aragon MotoGP after laying down a 1:58.929 in FP2. It was a time good enough to pip Izan Guevara (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team) by just 0.045s, as Darryn Binder (Petronas Sprinta Racing) completed a top three split by 0.076s.
2021 Aragon Moto3 Results—Friday
| 1 | Deniz Oncu | (KTM) | 1:58.929 |
| 2 | Izan Guevara | (GasGas) | + 0.045 |
| 3 | Darryn Binder | (Hon) | + 0.076 |
| 4 | Sergio Garcia | (GasGas) | + 0.081 |
| 5 | Jaume Masia | (KTM) | + 0.104 |
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