Рубрика: Motosport News

Aprilia’s Rivola appointed new president of the MotoGP Constructors’ Association

Опубликовано от ASPPA IMAGES ANO


Aprilia Racing CEO Massimo Rivola will become the new president of the MotoGP World Championship Constructors’ Association (MMSA), Motorsport.com has learned.

The Italian was chosen in a vote that took place on Monday during preparation for the official post-season test at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.

With his election, Rivola will replace KTM CEO Stefan Pierer for the next two years, with the option to extend his term to a total of four years.

Rivola joined Aprilia in 2019 after a long stint in Formula 1 where he worked for Toro Rosso and Ferrari and has been instrumental in turning the Italian brand into a race-winning force in MotoGP.

The MMSA brings together all manufacturers that compete in the championship, although that doesn’t mean they are aligned in all aspects.

In fact, in recent times there have been tensions within the organisation when delicate issues were brought up. One of the most recent examples was the discussion regarding the engine freeze which will come into force when next year’s engines are homologated. The engine freeze will continue until the end of 2026, just before new 850cc units arrive on the scene in 2027.

Massimo Rivola, Aprilia Racing CEO

Massimo Rivola, Aprilia Racing CEO

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

Despite the fact that the technical regulations had already been presented by then, the proposal left a wide margin for interpretation in the regulations, something that always creates conflicts between manufacturers.

Aprilia was one of the most sceptical members of the proposal that was approved. Among other things, the Italian manufacturer considered it a contradiction to impose a restriction of that extent under the pretext of preventing costs from skyrocketing, when Yamaha — which enjoys the most flexible level of concessions — was allowed to develop an engine in V-configuration with the current displacement (1000cc) when it will have to move to a smaller specification motor (850cc) in less than two years.

In any case, the matters discussed in the meetings of the MSMA must always be ratified by the Grand Prix Commission, which is the governing body of the World Championship, and in which, in addition to the manufacturers, members of the promoter (Dorna), the International Motorcycling Federation (FIM), and the Teams’ Association (IRTA) are also represented.

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Details of Marc Marquez’s first test with factory Ducati emerge

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Marc Marquez will make his debut as a factory Ducati team rider in Tuesday’s official MotoGP test in Barcelona wearing an all-red suit without personal sponsorship branding on a one-off basis.

The Spaniard will start a new chapter in 2025 and will once again have all the muscle that drives a factory team after a season with Gresini, which is one of the most modest outfits on the grid, racing on a satellite GP23 bike.

The post-season test at Barcelona on Tuesday is an occasion that is likely to grab attention, because the expectation is that it will be comparable to the hype generated by Valentino Rossi’s debut with Yamaha at the Sepang test in 2004, and Marquez himself when he got to sample a Desmosedici for the first time in Valencia 12 months ago.

As Motorsport.com can reveal, Marquez will wear a red suit in the corporate colour of Ducati. The bike will also be painted red and will only bear his famous #93 number, plus the branding of Ducati, tyre supplier Michelin and exhaust supplier Akrapovic.

There will be no trace of Red Bull, one of Marquez’s most faithful sponsors in his career, as the energy drinks giant will stay on the sidelines given Ducati’s link with rival brand Monster.

Marc Marquez, Ducati Team

Marc Marquez, Ducati Team

Photo by: Oriol Puigdemont

The contract between Monster and Ducati expires in 2027, one year after the end of Marquez’s own deal with the Italian marque, making impossible for Marquez to continue with Red Bull at any event in which he represents Ducati.

In fact, on the spaces that are owned by the team – suit, cap and motorcycle – the Spaniard will have to incorporate the famous ‘green claw’ logo of American energy drinks maker Monster.

The only exception will be the helmet, where the place normally occupied by Red Bull will be taken over by the stickers of Estrella Galicia, which will also be featured on his water bottle. Monster approached Marquez and made an identical offer to the deal it has with Francesco Bagnaia, but Marquez turned it down.

Marquez also has a long-term agreement with sunglasses brand Oakley, but he won’t be able to use its glasses during his Ducati stint as it has a clashing deal with Carrera. Like Monster, Carrera also tried to bring the six-time MotoGP world champion to the list of athletes its sponsors, but he declined the offer.

Marquez will initially test the GP24 on Tuesday, the same prototype with which Bagnaia and Jorge Martin fought for the 2024 title, before switching to a hybrid version of the bike.

Marquez and Bagnaia will get to sample the GP25 in Malaysia at the beginning of February, and that specification of bike will be much closer to what they will race in the opening grand prix of 2025 in Thailand in March.

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The mental metamorphosis that helped Martin secure his first MotoGP title

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As Jorge Martin stood in parc ferme at the Barcelona circuit wearing the Terminator overalls that commemorated his first MotoGP championship title, a figure watched him from afar, diluted in the people who crowded the pitlane, standing next to Jorge Lorenzo.

Xero Gasol is a psychologist who is used to working with sportsmen and women, especially in football, and whose contribution has been crucial to understanding the transformation Martin has undergone over the last year. He is passionate about hockey, to the extent that he has coached the Atletic Terrassa club in Spain.

Precisely this disconnection with MotoGP was one of the aspects that led Martin to work with someone who until last May, when he visited the Barcelona paddock for the first time during the Catalunya Grand Prix, had never been to a race.

Gasol has been one of Martin’s most solid supporters throughout a season in which the Pramac rider has given a slightly different version of himself than usual. He has been more serene, both on and off the bike, a circumstance that allows us to understand the consistency reflected in his numbers: 16 podiums out of a possible 20, with three wins on Sunday, and seven in the sprints. A tremendous dynamic that has taken him to 508 points, the highest score in the history of the competition. An accumulated total even more powerful than Pecco Bagnaia’s 11 victories.

«This year I have worked a lot with my psychologist, Xero, who has helped me to lose the fear of not winning, to race without fear of losing and to do it for the joy of winning,» Martin acknowledged on Sunday, after bathing in champagne.

Jorge Martin, Pramac Racing

Jorge Martin, Pramac Racing

Photo by: Dorna

«This year, Jorge’s change has been continuous. In this environment, when you need help, you ask for it,» added Angel Martin, father of the newly crowned champion – the fifth Spaniard after Alex Criville, Jorge Lorenzo, Marc Marquez and Joan Mir. «Jorge has earned the title. He has achieved what he didn’t achieve last year: consistency,» added Pedro Acosta, another of Martin’s regular friends, given that he shares the same agent with him.

It was Albert Valera who put Martin in contact with Gasol, who prefers to remain in the background, and that the spotlight is focused on the rider. Valera, who is also Aleix Espargaro’s agent, suggested that the two meet at a meal to see how much they were on the same wavelength. From that moment on, communication between Martin and Gasol has been constant, face-to-face via video conferences and, above all, via WhatsApp.

The attention is immediate, especially in the most difficult moments, as for example in Sachsenring, where the then-contender crashed when he was leading the race. His first impulse, as soon as he returned to the pitbox and got into his team’s truck, was to call Gasol and tell him what had happened.

«Jorge’s change has been huge this year. Before he only had to look to tomorrow, with little or no focus on the present. Now he enjoys the here and now, and is aware of how privileged he is to be in the position he is in,» one of Martin’s closest friends told Motorsport.com,

«He had a very bad time, because he put a lot of pressure on himself and didn’t enjoy the ride at all. This time he did,» added this authoritative voice, who also prefers to remain anonymous so as not to take the limelight away from someone who deserves it all.

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I will learn to finish fifth instead of crashing after MotoGP title defeat

Опубликовано от ASPPA IMAGES ANO


Francesco Bagnaia says he will learn that it’s better to accept defeat than go over the limit and crash, as he seeks to retake the MotoGP title in 2025.

Despite winning 11 of the 20 grands prix this year, plus seven additional victories in sprints, factory Ducati rider Bagnaia lost out on this year’s championship to the more consistent Jorge Martin from the satellite Pramac team.

The Italian’s campaign was marred with misfortune and unforced errors, with a number of crashes from leading positions — including in the penultimate sprint race at Sepang — leaving him chasing Martin in the points table for the majority of the year.

Bagnaia took victory in the Malaysian Grand Prix earlier this month and followed that up with a double triumph in Barcelona, but it wasn’t enough to usurp the points advantage Martin had built with fewer first-place finishes.

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Following the final race, the two-time champion has revealed that he has identified a lot of areas where he must improve during the winter break in order to come back stronger next year. 

This includes giving up positions when he is not the fastest rider on a given day, instead of fighting too hard for the win and crashing out.

“We can be very satisfied and very happy [with 2024], but for next year we have to improve in some areas,” he said.

“I have to understand better maybe some situations because I’ve been taken out three times by other riders, I had an issue with the bike, then I crashed four times for very small things. So I have to improve and I will try to do it for next year.

“I’m a rider that never gives up, [but] sometimes it’s better to think more and maybe finish in fifth or fourth than crash and this is something that I will learn.”

Francesco Bagnaia, Ducati Team

Francesco Bagnaia, Ducati Team

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

He added: “I just tried to do the maximum in all the three races and it wasn’t enough because Jorge this season learned that sometimes it is better to be passed and finish second than winning. 

“He did a fantastic job, he deserves the title.”

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Bagnaia suffered an early blow to his championship hopes when he ended up on the ground after a collision with Gresini’s Marc Marquez in the Portugal Grand Prix.

Another DNF followed in Jerez when he was sandwiched by KTM’s Brad Binder and VR46 rider Marco Bezzecchi, and he was also taken out of the Emilia Romagna GP by the other Gresini bike of Alex Marquez.

While it was hard to apportion blame on Bagnaia in any of the incidents, he said he could still change his approach while fighting with other riders on track not to give away important points in the championship.

“The first thing I will have to learn is to understand the situations better,” he said. “It’s true that three out of these eight zeroes come from strange situations, the one in Portimao with Marc, the one with Jerez with Brad and the one with Alex Marquez in Aragon. 

“In all three, it’s true that I’ve been taken out by other riders, but all three were situations that maybe I could avoid. 

“The one with Marc – he was faster, so maybe wait and don’t cross the line. I’m saying that now but when I’m racing I just want to arrive more in front than I can, but maybe from next year I will improve [on] that. 

“The one with Alex Marquez I was clearly faster by four tenths, and I didn’t wait because he was wide so I said, ‘okay, it’s my moment’ — and then he touched me and made me crash. 

“The one with Brad was the same. I think I have to learn from my mistakes.”

Photos from Barcelona GP Race



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Harley-Davidson and MotoGP’s Dorna announce new collaboration

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A day after the conclusion of the 2024 MotoGP season in Barcelona, the series’ promoter has announced a new collaboration with Harley-Davidson.

How their partnership would exactly look like, and whether it could mean the King of the Baggers series will appear on the support programme at select MotoGP races, remains completely open at this point.

«Harley-Davidson is a historic name,» said Dorna boss Carmelo Ezpeleta about one of the most famous motorcycle brands in the world. «That’s why we are very proud to now start a collaboration with Harley.

«We are still discussing the details and do not yet know exactly what the collaboration will look like. Harley-Davidson is of course very important in the US market. It is also an important market for us. Today is an important day for us.»

Harley-Davidson does have a history in motorcycle racing. «We had our first racing department in 1914,» said Jochen Zeitz, who took over the position of CEO in 2020 and has brought the brand back into motorsport.

In 2020, the first King Of The Baggers race took place at former MotoGP venue Laguna Seca. Harley-Davidson is an important feature of the championship and continues to race there with a modified version of the Road Glide, while rival brand Indian Motorcycle is also represented in the championship with its Challenger model.

Walter Villa, Harley-Davidson

Walter Villa racing a 250cc Harley-Davidson in the 1977 Venezuelan GP

Photo by: Motorsport Images

The King of the Baggers is a part of MotoAmerica and has become popular with the fans over the years.

«We wanted to create something unique and start racing with our touring motorcycles,» said Zeitz.

«That’s why we want to explore possibilities together with Dorna. We are both big brands. I’m very happy about it and I’m sure there will be a lot of speculation, which is never a bad thing.

«When two global brands work together, it’s a natural step. We won’t talk about exactly what that will look like today. It’s clear, of course, that a motorcycle belongs on the racetrack at some point. We’ll try to make that happen.»

Harley-Davidson previously competed in the motorcycle world championship in the 1970s. Italian rider Walter Villa won the 250cc world championship in 1974, ‘75 and ‘76 with the RR-250, an air-cooled two-stroke motorcycle. In 1976 he also won the 350cc class title.

«Racing has always been in my DNA, from sports shoes to motorcycles,» said Zeitz, referring to his time as Chairman of the Board of Directors at Puma. Puma’s collaboration with Ferrari started in 2005 with Zeitz at the helm of the company.

Both Harley-Davidson and Dorna want to benefit from the collaboration that is now beginning to take shape. For Harley, it is important to increase its appeal to racing fans. 

«There are also many racing enthusiasts in the Harley community that we haven’t really been able to tap into yet,» said Zeitz.

«So this is an opportunity to explore new avenues together. We have shown the bikes in Thailand, Japan and now in Barcelona. But you can only see them racing in the USA. Wherever we go, there is great interest in these bikes.»

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Meanwhile, Dorna has its sights set on the US market in particular, as sporting director Carlos Ezpeleta explained: «It’s now the starting point. They have an incredible community that we can benefit from. Harley can also help us in the United States and MotoGP can help them globally. We have a big footprint in Europe, but we are also in Asia and Japan. These are interesting markets for them. We are very happy that Harley wants to invest more in racing in the future.»

The collaboration only involves Harley-Davidson, with Dorna stressing that it is not talking to Indian Motorcycle, the other brand in the King Of The Baggers.

At the US Grand Prix in Austin, the King Of The Baggers was part of the support programme for MotoGP, but the races were organised by MotoAmerica.



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The pivotal moments in Jorge Martin’s MotoGP title win

Опубликовано от ASPPA IMAGES ANO


There is no denying that Jorge Martin’s MotoGP triumph in 2024 was built on consistency. No other rider was able to finish on the podium week-in, week-out like the Pramac Ducati man.

But while Martin’s ability to consistently deliver those top-three results ultimately won him the big prize, there were also some standout moments that shouldn’t be overlooked when recapping his title-winning campaign.

The Spaniard built a substantial lead in the championship in the early part of the season and, while it ebbed and flowed as the year went on, he was almost always on the front foot.

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In fact, Martin led the championship after 17 of the 20 rounds in 2024, despite his rival winning 11 of the 20 grands prix on the factory Ducati this year, and scoring seven additional wins in sprints. Martin knew when to strike, and he struck well.

Martin dominates in Portugal as Bagnaia tangles with Marquez

Martin's storming Portuguese GP victory saw him grab the points lead he'd only briefly lose all season

Martin’s storming Portuguese GP victory saw him grab the points lead he’d only briefly lose all season

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

Bagnaia had drawn first blood in 2024 by defeating Martin in a straight duel to win the Qatar Grand Prix. It was important for Martin to respond to the defending champion next time out in Portugal — and so he did.

Grabbing the upper hand in qualifying, Martin first closed the points gap to the top with a run to third in the sprint, as Bagnaia ended up fourth after making a costly error while in the lead.

Then, in the main grand prix, Martin brought his A-game to Portimao as he led all 25 laps after seizing the lead at the start. No one could put any challenge to the Spaniard, who ultimately won by just under a second.

Bagnaia was unlucky to be caught up in a collision with Gresini’s Marc Marquez and suffer his first retirement of 2024. But the fact remains that he was circulating in fifth place — and was on the verge of dropping to sixth — while Martin was leading out front.

Crucially, the Portimao weekend gave Martin a healthy 18-point lead in the championship, setting the tone for the rest of the season.

Defeating Bagnaia at Le Mans provides a breakthrough moment

Martin makes a breakthrough by beating Bagnaia in a straight fight at Le Mans

Martin makes a breakthrough by beating Bagnaia in a straight fight at Le Mans

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

Martin’s next grand prix victory was of even greater significance. At Le Mans, the Spaniard was the fastest rider in every session that counted: pole position in qualifying, dominant in the sprint and the triumphant winner in the main race, where he came on top in a straight fight with Bagnaia.

It was Bagnaia who nailed the start from second on the grid to grab the holeshot into Turn 1, but Martin simply bided his time behind him until making the decisive pass with six laps to go. He held off Bagnaia over the next few laps, until the Italian was demoted to third by Marquez.

While the sight of Bagnaia leading Martin over the finish line would become a common occurrence in the latter part of the season, this victory demonstrated that Martin can outduel the two-champion when he is at his prime — even in a Sunday race.

Bouncing back into the points lead after his critical German GP fall

Martin showed no ill-effects from his Sachsenring tumble by winning after the summer break at Silverstone

Martin showed no ill-effects from his Sachsenring tumble by winning after the summer break at Silverstone

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

Much was made of Martin’s crash from the lead of the German Grand Prix. Much like Le Mans, Martin had been the standout rider at the Sachsenring and was on course to complete a clean sweep of victories that weekend until he dropped his Ducati on the penultimate lap of the main race. Critics cited the error — the second such mistake of the year after Jerez — as a sign that he hadn’t learned from his title defeat to Bagnaia in 2023.

Having lost the championship in Germany, crucially just before the summer break, it was argued that the DNF was going to be a major psychological blow for Martin.

But when the season resumed at Silverstone after a month-long break, the 26-year-old displayed both maturity and determination to wrestle back the points lead that he was convinced belonged to him. A new component on his Ducati, which he hadn’t used before despite being standard on other GP24s, was also introduced to help cut down on crashes.

In the sprint, Martin immediately grabbed the lead from Bagnaia, who went on to retire with a lap four crash. Then, in the main race, it was again Martin who finished ahead of the two, even though the race was won by Bastianini on the other factory GP24.

For all the talk of Martin having given away crucial points to Bagnaia in the title race, he was back at the top of the championship in just one weekend’s time.

Martin banks points at Aragon as Bagnaia clashes with the other Marquez

Bagnaia's crash with Alex Marquez gave a handy points advantage at the Aragon GP

Bagnaia’s crash with Alex Marquez gave a handy points advantage at the Aragon GP

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

The Aragon GP is mostly remembered for Marquez’s comeback victory in MotoGP on a Ducati. But that race in Spain also played a crucial role in tilting the championship in Martin’s favour.

Martin was no match to Marquez in low-grip conditions all weekend, but he settled for second when victory was out of reach. That meant he came away with a healthy tally of 29 points from a weekend maximum of 37. His rival, meanwhile, scored just one solitary point.

Bagnaia hinted at a faulty tyre for his dismal slump to ninth in the sprint, while a collision with Alex Marquez took him out of the main race. He had just grabbed third place after a poor start had left him in the lower reaches of the top 10.

Bagnaia had previously retaken the lead in the championship with victory in Austria, but Aragon put Martin back ahead on the leaderboard. He was never headed in the standings again.

Martin repairs damage of rain gamble in second Misano round

A gamble pitting early for rain failed to pay off, but Martin recovered his losses in the return to Misano

A gamble pitting early for rain failed to pay off, but Martin recovered his losses in the return to Misano

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

Martin had made a blunder in the first Misano race by pitting for the wet bike when the first drops of rain began to fall on track. A full shower never materialised and he was forced to return to the pits and swap back to his primary dry-weather bike, leaving him a season-worst 15th. His comfortable 23-point lead had come down to just seven points.

But his response in the second Misano event was very similar to one that followed his crash out of the lead at Sachsenring.

Both Martin and Bagnaia’s team-mate Bastianini were able to pull away from the chasing pack immediately, engaging in their own duel at the front. Martin did lose out on victory after Bastianini forced him off the track on the final lap, but second place was still crucial for his championship hopes.

That was because Bagnaia crashed yet another time while running behind Martin on track, handing the latter an extended 24-point lead in the championship.

Redemption in Indonesia allows Martin to take a firm hold in title fight

Redemption a year on in Indonesia made Martin a huge favourite for the title run-in

Redemption a year on in Indonesia made Martin a huge favourite for the title run-in

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

Martin’s victory in the Indonesian GP was significant in more ways than one. Exactly 12 months prior, he had crashed out of the lead during a crucial stage of the 2023 title run-in, just when the momentum was building in his favour. So winning in Mandalika was nothing short of redemption.

Secondly, Martin had gone winless since the French GP in May, having given away an easy win in Sachsenring and lost first place to Bastianini in Misano II.

It took another error, in the sprint race where Martin lowsided out of the lead on the opening lap, but when he finally stood on the top step in a grand prix again, he did so in style. Leading out front from pole, the Spaniard resisted pressure from KTM rookie Pedro Acosta in the middle portion of the race, before extending his lead to win by 1.4s.

Bagnaia lacked the pace to challenge the podium runners all throughout the race and was lucky to finish third, 5.5s off the lead, after his team-mate Bastianini fell just four laps from the finish.

Bagnaia crashes (again) in Malaysian to give Martin match point

Another costly crash in the Malaysian sprint race left Bagnaia with too much to do

Another costly crash in the Malaysian sprint race left Bagnaia with too much to do

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

Championships are often decided in the penultimate round of a season and it would be fair to say that the events of Sepang played into Martin’s hands.

While it was Bagnaia who claimed pole position, Martin immediately seized the lead in the sprint to put pressure on his title rival. With a points deficit to overcome, and Marquez closing in the distance, Bagnaia dropped his bike at Turn 7 and crashed out of the race.

Martin went on to take his seventh sprint win of the year and extend his lead to 29 points. From there, it was always going to be a difficult task for Bagnaia to displace him from the top.

Martin overcomes nerves to seal title at rescheduled finale

The Spaniard overcame crippling nerves to seal a first MotoGP world title

The Spaniard overcame crippling nerves to seal a first MotoGP world title

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

While Martin did show signs of nervousness in Barcelona as he inched closer to the title, he didn’t put a foot wrong all weekend. Such was his lead in the championship that he could finish as low as ninth in the race, but his strategy was clear and sensible — he’d aim for the podium, but not chase Bagnaia for the win.

In terms of pace, it was certainly an off weekend for the Spaniard. In practice, he was the fourth-fastest rider at best and that’s where he finished in qualifying, missing out on the front row for the first time since his crash in Motegi. But it still put him in a strong position for the rest of the round.

Third place in the sprint, after a last-lap pass by Bastianini, and third in the grand prix, were not by any means his best results of 2024. But it was more than enough for him to lift the title and depart the Ducati fold as a MotoGP world champion.

A pair of third places in the Barcelona finale was more than enough to seal the title

A pair of third places in the Barcelona finale was more than enough to seal the title

Photo by: Dorna



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Espargaro «burned his hands» as Aprilia heat issues strike again

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Aprilia rider Aleix Espargaro says he «burned his hands» during a hot MotoGP race in Malaysia where he struggled to 13th place.

The Aprilia RS-GP is infamous for its overheating problems, with both Espargaro and team-mate Maverick Vinales having repeatedly expressed concerns about its adverse effects during some of the flyaway races in Asia.

According to Espargaro, the Noale brand has made no progress in this direction this year, which meant that he found it hard to even make it to the finish in last weekend’s Malaysian Grand Prix.

Withstanding the heat exuded from the bike for 19 laps in a crash-shortened race, the Spaniard came away with just three championship points as he benefited from incidents further up the pack.

Speaking afterwards, the 35-year-old revealed that the issues not only compromised his own performance at Sepang, but also meant that the bike was running down on power.

“It was very tough,” he described. “I knew that in these types of races [where] it is very very hot, it is extremely difficult for us. And even more if you start that far on the grid, it has been a real nightmare. 

“The engine was really slow, I couldn’t overtake anybody. The engine was very, very slow due to the heat. 

“I was [only] able to overtake Raul. Then I suffered a lot the last three laps where I almost couldn’t make it to the end, I couldn’t handle the handlebar. The heat was amazing.

“I burned my hands and had to open my visor. The heat is the Achilles heel of this bike.»

Espargaro wasn’t the only Aprilia rider to complain about heat issues on a hot and sunny day in Malaysia.

Raul Fernandez, Trackhouse Racing

Raul Fernandez, Trackhouse Racing

Photo by: Asif Zubairi

Riding a 2024 RS-GP with last year’s engine, Trackhouse rider Raul Fernandez also felt the effects of the bike in Malaysia as he desperately tried to get some air blown onto him on Sepang’s long straights.

“Super difficult to manage with the temperature on the bike. The last four laps I was done. I tried to end the race [out of] respect to the team, respect for all my mechanics.

“The last four laps I couldn’t live on the bike. All the straight I had my head out of the bike to take some air. It is very difficult especially when you have slipstream you don’t take air.

“I don’t feel the hand, I don’t feel the foot. I couldn’t take the air. It is safe but it is really difficult.”

Vinales wasn’t impacted as severely by an overheating bike as Espargaro and Fernandez, finishing a relatively strong seventh between the Yamahas of Fabio Quartararo and Alex Rins.

But the 29-year-old spent most of the race in clean air, with Quartararo circulating several seconds ahead of him in sixth.

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MotoGP opens ticket sales for Barcelona GP with proceeds to go to Valencia

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A limited number of tickets for MotoGP’s new season finale in Barcelona are on sale, with all proceeds set to be donated to the victims of the devastating floods in Valencia.

Ticket prices for what is officially being branded as the Solidarity Grand Prix of Barcelona start at 55.30 euros and go as high as 108.50 euros for the ‘Excellence’ grandstands, according to a statement released by Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.

«The event, whose profits will go to those affected by DANA, presents a great diversity of tickets with attractive prices to promote solidarity,» it said.

«The Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya has already put tickets on sale for the Gran Premio Solidario Motul de Barcelona, ​​which will take place from 15 to 17 November at the Catalan facilities. Tickets can be purchased on the Circuit’s official website and are at very attractive prices to encourage solidarity and donations.”

Barcelona has not officially revealed the number of tickets that have been put on sale. For logistical reasons, with the confirmation of the event arriving just over a week before the start of track action, it’s not possible to make seats available for the same number of spectators as during the Catalan Grand Prix or Formula 1’s Spanish Grand Prix at the same circuit. Those events are usually able to pull in more than 130,000 fans on Sunday.

Marc Marquez, Gresini Racing

Marc Marquez, Gresini Racing

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

Accessing the website of the Barcelona circuit, it can be seen that a total of 18,992 tickets are on sale in nine different locations. If the entire lot is sold out, it will bring in revenue of around 1.5 million euro.

Tickets are available for a variety of grandstands as well as the general admission zones known as ‘pelouse’.

The season finale was due to be held at Circuit Ricardo Tormo, as has been a tradition for many years. But the devastation caused by heavy flooding in Valencia forced the authorities to cancel the event just over two weeks ahead of its scheduled date.

After evaluating all possible scenarios, MotoGP’s promoter Dorna concluded that the best option was to race in Barcelona. The decision was taken together with Valencian and Catalan authorities.

The Barcelona GP will decide the 2024 MotoGP champion, with Jorge Martin currently leading the standings by 24 points over Francesco Bagnaia heading into the finale. A total of 37 points will be on offer across the sprint and the main race.

Tickets for the Valencia race will not be valid in Barcelona. Ticket holders for Valencia have the option of request a fund from the circuit from 11 November or transfer the ticket to 2025.

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Pirro to ride Di Giannantonio’s Ducati in Barcelona GP and 2025 test

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Ducati test rider Michele Pirro will be drafted in at VR46 for the final round of the 2024 MotoGP season at Barcelona, Motorsport.com has learned.

Pirro will be riding one of VR46’s GP23 bikes in the Barcelona GP on 15-17 November, with Fabio di Giannantonio again absent from racing after getting surgery done on his left shoulder last Wednesday.

Although Andrea Iannone impressed VR46 in the Malaysian GP last weekend after returning to MotoGP at the express wish of team owner Valentino Rossi, the one-time grand prix winner will not be racing in Spain next week.

The decision was taken by Ducati in conjunction with VR46 and will be formally communicated to the public next week.

Iannone, who had been out of action since his 2019 campaign with Aprilia after receiving a four-year doping ban, finished 17th less than a minute behind race winner Francesco Bagnaia’s factory Ducati.

One of the conditions required for Iannone to compete again in the last race was not to look out of place at Sepang, a goal he more than achieved with his quick adaptation to the GP23.

Andrea Iannone, VR46 Racing Team

Andrea Iannone, VR46 Racing Team

Photo by: Asif Zubairi

However, Ducati has decided to lean on the reliable Pirro in Barcelona after taking technical and development aspects into consideration.

Unlike this season where Ducati is fielding four GP24 bikes between its official team and Pramac, the Borgo Panigale marque will be down to just three factory-spec bikes in 2025. These will be raced by Bagnaia, new works team rider Marc Marquez and di Giannatonio at VR46.

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The pre-season test in Barcelona, where Pirro will again be on duty at VR46, is therefore crucial for Ducati to get the final details for the 2025 bike right as MotoGP enters a two-year engine freeze phase.

Ducati’s current cushion over other manufacturers is so big that no one doubts the development freeze will be an advantage for them in the long-run.

However, the fact that Marquez does not have much experience on the current GP24 – having ridden a one-year-old bike at Gresini in 2024 – has led general manager Gigi Dall’Igna to conclude that Pirro’s presence at the test is vital for the marque.

At the moment, it is not certain whether three GP25 bikes will be shipped to Spain as is planned, or if only two will be available due to a production issue.

In any case, Ducati wants to have Pirro, who plays a major role in the development of the bike, at full capacity in Barcelona to help Bagnaia and Marquez fine-tune the bike by providing more data.

Pirro is already testing the GP25 on Wednesday and Thursday this week at Jerez. After these two days of running, the bike will be packed up and sent to Barcelona for the first official 2025 test on 19 November.



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