Метка: Aragon GP

Marquez remains on top in second practice

Опубликовано от ASPPA IMAGES ANO



Marc Marquez took the first step towards ending a 1000-day MotoGP dry spell by rushing to first place in second practice for the Aragon Grand Prix, shaving over two tenths of a second from the all-time lap record at MotorLand Aragon.
 
The slick condition of the new asphalt improved for the main practice and in the wake of fresh milestones for both Moto3 and Moto2 in their respective sessions on Friday. The surface was warmer and laden with more Pirelli rubber and the MotoGP field marked the difference compared to tentative times set in the morning.
 
Gresini rider Marquez led the pack for most of the chrono and set his MotorLand landmark on his 23rd lap of 24. The Catalan has not won a grand prix since Misano in 2021 and will now head directly into Q2 optimistic of his first pole position since the opening fixture of 2023 in Portugal.
 
Aleix Espargaro took the factory Aprilia from the bottom of the classification in FP1 to second place with an effort only four hundredths from world champion Francesco Bagnaia’s 2022 record. He fronted team-mate Maverick Vinales who was fastest in every single sector apart from the long, looping lefthanded Turn 16, where Marquez had the upper hand on the GP23.

Jorge Martin was the first Ducati GP24 racer in fourth ahead of Alex Marquez who benefited from his brother’s slipstream. Bagnaia improved to sixth, while Ducati team-mate Enea Bastianini had his final flying lap scrubbed due to a crash by KTM’s Jack Miller at Turn 16 which drew out the yellow flags.
 
Franco Morbidelli secured seventh ahead of a surprising speed by LCR Honda’s Johann Zarco; the Frenchman slotted the maligned HRC motorcycle into eighth for the first direct entry to Saturday’s Q2 for the Japanese firm this year. Trackhouse Aprilia duo Raul Fernandez and Miguel Oliveira filled the other automatic Q2 spots respectively.
 
Fabio Quartararo crashed into the fast approach to Turn 6 and was mired down in 20th. Augusto Fernandez, close to confirming his role as a Yamaha test rider for 2024, fell on the final corner, Turn 16.
 
Q1 gets underway at 10.50 local times CET (09.50 GMT) and Q2 at 11.15 CET on Saturday.

MotoGP Aragon GP — FP2 results:



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Hungary set to join 2025 MotoGP calendar, Portugal in doubt

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Hungary’s Balaton Park Circuit is poised to host its first MotoGP race next year while Portugal is likely to drop off the calendar, Motorsport.com understands.

While the full schedule for the 2025 season is yet to be announced, more and more dates are coming to light as Dorna finalises plans for the 76th season of grand prix motorcycle racing.

Next year’s calendar will have several changes, with the new Balaton Park circuit located on the outskirts of Hungary’s capital Budapest and near the popular Lake Balaton set to be the most notable addition.

The plan is for local authorities, along with top officials of Dorna, to stage a presentation in the middle of the next month to officially announce the revival of the Hungarian Grand Prix.

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The last time the nation hosted a round of the world championship was in 1993, when Eddie Lawson won on a Cagiva at the Hungaroring, which remains an annual fixture on the Formula 1 calendar to date.

Balaton Park

Balaton Park

Photo by: Balaton Park

It is expected that the Algarve circuit, which first hosted a MotoGP race in 2020 amid COVID restrictions, will be dropped from the schedule to make way for Hungary.

The decision to drop the Portugal event would mean that Spain would keep its four races at Jerez, Barcelona, Aragon and Valencia. Dorna executives were previously planning to rotate between multiple venues in Spain as well as Portimao, but such a solution to balance races will no longer be required.

As already announced, the 2024 MotoGP season will kick off in Thailand on 2 March, followed possibly by another race in Asia on the following weekend.

It is expected that the championship will then head to the American continents, with Argentina retaking its spot on the calendar after the cancellation of this year’s race due to government budget cutbacks. The Argentina GP should be scheduled either before or after the US Grand Prix in Austin.

Some other dates for 2025 races are already confirmed, including Le Mans (11 May), Silverstone (25 May) and Spielberg (17 August).



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Marquez fastest in opening practice, Bagnaia 21st

Опубликовано от ASPPA IMAGES ANO



Marc Marquez set the pace on the Gresini GP23 in first practice for the Aragon Grand Prix, but was more than two seconds away from the lap record set at the previous outing in 2022. 

Newly sun-kissed MotorLand asphalt provided a radiant and idyllic stage for FP1 at round 12 of 20 in 2024 MotoGP and the third Spain-based grand prix of the current campaign.
 
Marquez, the rider with the most wins in the 14 editions of the grand prix at the site close to Alcaniz with five MotoGP victories, earned top spot by almost half a second over Pramac Racing’s Jorge Martin.

The latter was the first of the 2024-spec factory Ducatis as world champion Francesco Bagnaia and Ducati team-mate Enea Bastianini struggled. Both Italians ran off line or off track several times and Bagnaia’s P21 was his worst FP1 classification of the season, 1.9 seconds away from future team-mate Marquez.

Bastianini completed the most laps with 20 circulations and managed to squeeze into the top 10 with ninth.
 
Tech3 GasGas’ Pedro Acosta was third fastest, 0.6s off from Marquez and headed another RC16 with Brad Binder capturing fourth, matching his 2022 race result and indicating that the KTMs look more formidable across the greasy tarmac than the Aprilias.

The Italian brand’s prominent runner was Trackhouse rider Miguel Oliveira in seventh. Fabio Di Giannantonio was fifth quickest.

The Italian, one of the better performers on the Ducati GP23 so far this season with five top-five finishes, is nursing a weakened left shoulder after crashing on Friday at the previous grand prix and dislocating the limb.   
 
KTM’s Jack Miller rode to eighth, enforcing the positive start to the day for the Pierer Mobility collective.

Franco Morbidelli sealed the top ten and was the last rider inside the one-second bracket from Marquez. Vinales toiled to 12th but fared better than Aprilia team-mate Aleix Espargaro who was a distant 22nd and last, three seconds off the pace. 
 
Leading spot in the unofficial ‘Japanese Cup’ went to Honda’s Joan Mir, less than a tenth of a second faster than Yamaha’s Alex Rins, who is running a new aerodynamic configuration with the M1 after recent tests at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli. 

MotoGP Aragon GP — FP1 results:



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Honda and Kalex founder end MotoGP chassis collaboration

Опубликовано от ASPPA IMAGES ANO


Kalex co-founder Alex Baumgartel has parted ways with Honda after just six months, Motorsport.com can reveal.

It was during the first pre-season test of the year at Sepang in February that the German technical was seen for the first time in HRC uniform. Honda subsequently revealed that Baumgartel had joined as a contracted technical consultant to strengthen the RC213V chassis. 

However, Motorsport.com has learned that the relationship between both parties has been poor for some grands prix already due to a lack of understanding between their different ways of working. 

It remains to be seen if this episode could also mark a complete end to Kalex’s partnership with Honda which has seen the chassis maker build various parts for the Japanese marque in the last few years.

It was in 2022 when Honda first turned to the engineering company, which supplies chassis to the majority of the Moto2 grid, for a new aluminium swingarm. The partnership was expanded last year, with HRC asking Kalex to manufacture the entire chassis for the RC213Vs ridden by Marc Marquez and Joan Mir.

Despite all the fuss that was created, as Honda turned to an external supplier to create a part as fundamental as the chassis, the riders’ feedback was not the best, with Marquez discarding it shortly after putting it to the test.

Whether the partnership can be seen as successful or not, it is believed that the recent turn of events between Honda and Baumgartel shows the widening gap between the approach employed by the Japanese manufacturer and its European counterparts.

Joan Mir, Repsol Honda Team

Joan Mir, Repsol Honda Team

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

Honda has been mulling over its bike for months after it became clear how far it has dropped from the dominant Ducati. After changing the philosophy of the engine during the season, Honda is still fine-tuning the motor with a view to next year — and it is expected that new parts will arrive in the next official in-season test, which will take place in Misano on the Monday after next weekend’s race.

One of the main weak points of its bike is its lack of acceleration, a parameter that depends as much on the engine as on the chassis — hence why so much effort went into improving the latter.

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Yamaha selects Jarvis’ replacement for MotoGP programme

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Yamaha has chosen Paolo Pavesio to replace Lin Jarvis as the head of its MotoGP programme in 2025, Motorsport.com can reveal.

The Japanese manufacturer is expected to announce the appointment of Pavesio as the managing director of Yamaha Motor Racing at Misano next week.

Over the past 10 years, Pavesio has held various positions in different departments of Yamaha Europe in the Netherlands, the same office where Jarvis worked for six years before joining MotoGP in 1999.

The Italian, who currently occupies the post of Management Committee Member, has never played an active role in the MotoGP paddock, but does have racing experience through the brand’s teams in the World Superbike Championship.

It will be Pavesio who will manage the ongoing transition at Yamaha and its relationship with new satellite team Pramac, which will announce the signing of Miguel Oliveira and Jack Miller in the coming weeks.

Although grand prix winners Oliveira and Miller do not exactly fit the criterion of a ‘junior team’, Yamaha wants Pramac to initially serve as ‘team laboratory’ to speed up the development of the M1, thus justifying the choice of hiring experienced riders.

Yamaha is also working on strengthening its test team and intends to hire current Tech3 rider Augusto Fernandez for the role. The Spaniard will join Cal Crutchlow, who has been down with injury since the beginning of the year, in an expanded test team.

Fabio Quartararo, Yamaha Factory Racing

Fabio Quartararo, Yamaha Factory Racing

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

Finally, Yamaha is looking to finalise its Moto2 structure for 2025, with the aim of continuing a long-standing collaboration with VR46

Pavesio will have big shoes to fill, as Jarvis has been integral to Yamaha’s success in MotoGP in the last 25 years.

He first joined the squad in what was then the 500cc world championship in 1999, having previously worked in the marketing and communication department of Yamaha Europe for six years.

He announced his decision to retire from MotoGP at the end of the season in an interview with Motorsport.com in April this year.

This year, Jarvis set out to complete several major tasks in order to put the Japanese marque on the right trajectory for the future. 

After convincing Fabio Quartararo to sign a new contract, his priority was to get a satellite outfit that eventually came in the form of Pramac, which won the teams’ title last year with Ducati.

He has also hired a number of senior engineers and technicians, including from the marque’s Italian rival, in order to bridge the gap to the front in the coming years.

With those tasks now complete, Jarvis can now retire as Yamaha’s top executive at the age of 66.



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LCR announces Nakagami’s exit from MotoGP after 2024

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LCR has announced that Takaaki Nakagami will not continue with the squad next year, paving the way for Somkiat Chantra’s move up to MotoGP.

As has been widely expected, 2024 will be the last season in the premier class for Japanese rider Nakagami, who has been a part of the LCR set-up since 2018.

However, he will remain in the Honda family following his departure from MotoGP, bolstering the marque’s test team alongside incumbent Stefan Bradl and incoming Aleix Espargaro.

Unlike Bradl and Espargaro, his role will be based in Japan, but he will also get to take part in select rounds as a wildcard.

Nakagami has tallied up eight seasons of experience in MotoGP, completing over a 100 races during that period, with the highlight being a pole position at Aragon in 2020.

«I’ve decided to end my career as a MotoGP rider at the end of the 2024 season. I want to express my sincere gratitude to all the fans who have warmly supported me,» he said.

«I would also like to thank Idemitsu and Honda for their long-term support. From 2025, I will be involved in the development of HRC machines. It is gratifying to make use of my seven years of experience at MotoGP; I’m excited about my new chapter.

«Finally, I want to thank Lucio and the whole LCR because I’ve felt like part of a family, and these years have been incredible with them; they will always be in my heart!»

Takaaki Nakagami, Team LCR Honda

Takaaki Nakagami, Team LCR Honda

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

Nakagami’s place in the Idemitsu-backed side of the LCR garage is likely to be taken over by Thai rider Chantra, who currently sits 10th in the Moto2 standings with the Honda Asia team.

Chantra has been actively competing in Moto2 since 2019 and has clinched two victories in the class so far, while he also achieved a best finish of sixth in the championship in 2023.

Chantra will be able to bank on the experience of one-time MotoGP race winner Johann Zarco, who will remain with LCR in 2025 after joining the team at the start of this year from Pramac Ducati.

Lucio Cecchinello, LCR team principal said: «It’s not a goodbye, it’s a ‘see you very soon’! Our bond with Nakagami hasn’t finished; it’s just about to be transformed, as we will continue to see him inside the HRC MotoGP developing program.

“The past seven years have been significant for the LCR family. Taka is a great, fast rider and an amazing person, working with him has been an absolute pleasure. His politeness, kindness, and professionalism have meant a lot to all the LCR team members and HRC, and we’ll be forever grateful.

“From now on, his contribution to HRC will be fundamental, and I can’t wait to see him around. The whole MotoGP paddock respects and admires Taka, and this is something that goes beyond everything. Thanks for your job and your time with us, Taka!»



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2024 MotoGP Aragon Grand Prix – How to watch, session times & more

Опубликовано от ASPPA IMAGES ANO



Ducati’s Francesco Bagnaia leads the championship by five points after outduelling Pramac rival Jorge Martin for victory in Austria a fortnight ago.

They will now battle for glory at Aragon, which is returning to the calendar this year after being absent from the 2023 schedule.

The last edition of the Aragon GP was won by Bagnaia’s current team-mate Enea Bastianini on the Gresini Ducati, while Marc Marquez remains the most successful rider at the venue with six premier class successes on the Honda.

2024 MotoGP Aragon Grand Prix session timings

Session

GMT

BST 

CEST

ET

PT

AEST

JST

IST

FP1

08:45

09:45

10:45

04:45

01:45

18:45

17:45

14:15

FP2

13:00

14:00

 15:00

09:00

06:00

23:00

22:00

 18:30

FP3

08:10

 09:10 10:10

04:10

01:10

 18:10

17:10

 13:40

Qualifying

08:50

 09:50 10:50

04:50

01:50

18:50

17:50

 14:20

Sprint

13:00

 14:00 15:00

09:00

06:00

23:00

22:00

18:30

Warm up

07:40

08:40

 09:40

03:40

 00:40

17:40

16:40

13:10

Race

12:00

13:00

14:00

08:00

 05:00

22:00

21:00

 17:30

2024 MotoGP Aragon Grand Prix session timings in the UK and Portugal

Friday 30th August 2024

  • Free Practice 1: 10:45 — 11:30 BST
  • Free Practice 2: 15:00 — 16:00 BST

Saturday 31st August 2024

  • Free Practice 3: 10:10 — 10:40 BST
  • Qualifying: 10:50 — 11:30 BST
  • Sprint: 15:00 BST

Sunday 1st September 2024

  • Warm up: 09:40 — 09:50 BST
  • Race: 13:00 BST

2024 MotoGP Aragon Grand Prix session timings in Europe 

Friday 30th August 2024

  • Free Practice 1: 11:45 — 12:30 CEST
  • Free Practice 2: 16:00 — 17:00 CEST

Saturday 31st August 2024

  • Free Practice 3: 11:10 — 11:40 CEST
  • Qualifying: 11:50 — 12:30 CEST
  • Sprint: 16:00 CEST

Sunday 1st September 2024

  • Warm up: 10:40 — 10:50 CEST
  • Race: 14:00 CEST

2024 MotoGP Aragon Grand Prix session timings in the US

Friday 30th August 2024

  • Free Practice 1:  05:45 — 06:30 ET / 01:45 — 02:30 PT
  • Free Practice 2:  10:00 — 11:00 ET / 06:00 — 07:00 PT

Saturday 31st August 2024

  • Free Practice 3: 05:10 — 05:40 ET / 02:10 — 02:40 PT
  • Qualifying: 05:50 — 06:30 ET / 02:50 — 03:30 PT
  • Sprint: 10:00 ET / 07:00 PT

Sunday 1st September 2024

  • Warm-up: 04:40 — 04:50 ET / 01:40 — 01:50 PT
  • Race:  08:00 ET / 05:00 PT

2024 MotoGP Aragon Grand Prix session timings in Australia

Friday 30th August 2024

  • Free Practice 1: 19:45 — 20:30 AEST

Saturday 31st August 2024

  • Free Practice 2: 00:00 — 01:00 AEST
  • Free Practice 3: 19:10 — 19:40 AEST
  • Qualifying: 19:50 — 20:30 AEST

Sunday 1st September 2024

  • Sprint: 00:00 AEST
  • Warm-up: 18:40 — 18:50 AEST
  • Race: 22:00 AEST

2024 MotoGP Aragon Grand Prix session timings in Japan

Friday 30th August 2024

  • Free Practice 1: 18:45 — 19:30 JST 
  • Free Practice 2: 23:00 — 00:00 JST 

Saturday 31st August 2024

  • Free Practice 3: 18:10 — 18:40 JST 
  • Qualifying: 18:50 — 19:30 JST
  • Sprint: 23:00 JST

Sunday 1st September 2024

  • Warm-up: 17:40 — 17:50 JST
  • Race: 21:00 JST

2024 MotoGP Aragon Grand Prix session timings in India

Friday 30th August 2024

  • Free Practice 1: 15:15 — 16:00 IST 
  • Free Practice 2: 19:30 — 20:30 IST

Saturday 31st August 2024

  • Free Practice 3: 14:40 — 15:10 IST 
  • Qualifying: 15:20 — 16:00 IST
  • Sprint: 19:30 IST

Sunday 1st September 2024

  • Warm-up: 14:10 — 14:20 IST
  • Race: 17:30 IST

Can’t find your country or region in the list? Check the MotoGP schedule page for the broadcast times in your local timezone.

Can I stream the Aragon MotoGP?

MotoGP has its own on-demand streaming service, offering live broadcast of practice, qualifying and the Sprint, as well as highlights. The MotoGP Video pass is available for an annual fee of 139.99 euros. Several local broadcasters also stream MotoGP races on their official websites.



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Ducati’s GP24 «much simpler» to ride than last year’s MotoGP bike, says VR46

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Former 125cc rider and VR46 team manager Pablo Nieto believes the Ducati GP24 is so dominant in MotoGP this year because it is much “simpler” and “smoother” to ride than its predecessor.

Ducati’s latest-specification bike has been the class of the field this year, winning 10 of the 11 rounds so far and locking the podium spots in four of the last five rounds.

Only Gresini’s Marc Marquez has been able to put up some sort of a challenge on last year’s GP23 bike, but he too hasn’t stepped on the rostrum since the German Grand Prix before the summer break in July.

This is in stark contrast to the 2023 season, when the then-year-old GP22 was reasonably competitive against the newest-spec bike from Ducati, with VR46’s Marco Bezzecchi even challenging for the title after winning three grands prix.

Opinion has been split on what makes Ducati’s new bike stand out from last year’s GP23, itself a title-winning bike in the hands of factory rider Francesco Bagnaia, and whether it is actually quicker than the predecessor.

Bagnaia and his championship rival Jorge Martin maintain that the two bikes are much more similar than what the results may suggest, with the Italian even claiming that GP23 has received more updates this year than his own bike.

However, most paddock insiders dispute that opinion and insist GP24’s ability to extract more performance out of Michelin’s new rear tyre has given it an edge on the competition.

VR46 team manager Nieto has now joined the debate about the two Ducati bikes, supporting those who say GP24 is superior to its opposition. However, rather than this being down to any hardware improvements, he believes that the newest Desmosedici is faster simply because it is much easier to ride on track — and hence push to the limit.

Marco Bezzecchi, VR46 Racing Team

Marco Bezzecchi, VR46 Racing Team

Photo by: Media VR46

Asked if there is a big difference between GP24 and GP23, he told Spanish broadcaster Dazn: “A little bit, yes, it’s true that it goes in cycles.

“Last year, the difference between one bike and the other [the GP23 and GP22] was not so, so, so big. This year they have taken that little step. 

“More than the difference, I think it’s the way the bike is ridden. The GP24 is a much simpler bike, much smoother. 

“On the GP23, the peak power of the engine is much more aggressive. And that, whether you like it or not, makes the bike ride much worse.”

VR46 has to contend with two GP23s this year and has managed a single podium after the opening 11 rounds of the season, courtesy of Bezzecchi at Jerez in April.

However, it’s his team-mate Fabio di Giannantonio who has been making waves this year with a series of consistent performances, securing himself a contract directly with Ducati for 2025-26.

Di Giannantonio will be one of only three riders to have access to the GP25 next year, as VR46 steps up to becoming Ducati’s sole factory-supported team.

Nieto praised the Italian for the way he has turned around his fortunes in MotoGP, having feared he would be left without a seat in 2024 after Marc Marquez’s shock move to his former team Gresini over the winter.

“We’ve seen a thousand times that there are riders who don’t have a place and suddenly they start to do well and get results,” Nieto said.

“Di Giannantonio is doing a spectacular job. He is almost always the second-best GP23 [behind Marquez], which I think is very important, knowing that Marc is always there. 

“Between now and the end of the year I think we can even fight for a podium, which I think would be the main thing this year.”

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Gresini Ducati completes 2025 MotoGP line-up with Aldeguer

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Gresini has revealed that Moto2 frontrunner Fermin Aldeguer will join the team in 2025, partnering Alex Marquez.

The announcement was nothing more than a formality, as Gresini was the last remaining team within Ducati’s stable that still had a seat available for next year.

Aldeguer’s move to MotoGP was confirmed at the beginning of the year and it was only a matter of Ducati finding a team for him to make the step up to the premier class.

Initially, the Borgo Panigale marque wanted to place him at Pramac which has been the proving ground for a number of its proteges, but Paolo Campinoti squad’s defection to Yamaha forced it to look elsewhere.

VR46 and Gresini were left as its two remaining options, with the former’s decision to recruit  Franco Morbidelli earlier this month — ironically from Pramac — effectively confirming that Aldeguer would be headed to Gresini.

The news of Spaniard’s signing was communicated on Wednesday ahead of the Aragon Grand Prix.

 

The 19-year-old is currently in his third full season in Moto2 and sits fifth in the standings with victories at Jerez and Sachsenring. He was hired by Ducati on the back of a brilliant run at the end of the 2023 season, where he claimed four victories in a row between Thailand and Valencia to finish third in the standings.

Aldeguer will make his debut in 2025 with what will then be a year-old GP24 bike, the same machinery his more experienced team-mate Alex Marquez will have next year.

He will replace Marc Marquez, who will move up to the factory Ducati team next year to partner two-time champion Francesco Bagnaia.

Gresini sits third in the teams’ standings after 11 of the 20 rounds, ahead of fellow Ducati team VR46 but also factory squads of Aprilia and KTM.

Marc Marquez has scored four of its five podiums so far in 2024, while younger brother Alex also stood on the rostrum in Germany last month.

Gresini will be the only non-factory supported squad in Ducati’s stable next year, as the Italian marque scales down to three teams following Pramac’s departure to Yamaha.



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