‘Red alarm’ ends difficult first race of the year for Rossi
Section: Competition
Mechanical fault of Monster Energy Yamaha forces Italian icon out.
Image: Supplied.
A technical issue ruled Valentino Rossi out of Jerez’s opening race of the MotoGP World Championship on Sunday, ending what was a difficult weekend for Monster Energy Yamaha’s nine-time world champion.
Rossi had a decent start from ninth on the grid, but lost multiple positions after the opening corners and crossed the start-finish line for the first time in 10th position.
After circulating as high as eighth in the mid-stages despite struggling with rear tyre grip, the 41-year-old had settled into 10th when a ‘red alarm’ on the dash of his YZR-M1 prompted Rossi to pull out of the race, denying him of points to open his 2020 campaign.
“It was a tough weekend, because we suffered a lot in the high temperatures with the rear tyre,” Rossi recalled. “It looks like we were not able to make the rear tyre work in the right way. In the race I was not very fast from the beginning, I didn’t have the rhythm of the group that was fighting for the podium. After some laps I had a problem with the rear tyre, because I lost a lot of grip and performance.
“After that, unfortunately, I had a problem with the bike. On the straight I got a red alarm and I had to retire. It is a very strange situation because we will race here two times in a row. From one point of view this is very strange, but from the other side we can take this data and try to make things better and find some solution. It was a bad crash for [Marc] Marquez at a bad point, it was a big high-side – I wish him well.”
Rossi’s non-finish was the low point of a remarkable start to the championship for Yamaha, which won the race with Petronas Yamaha SRT’s Fabio Quartararo and took second place with factory rider Maverick Vinales. Quartararo’s teammate Franco Morbidelli earned fifth.
Crutchlow aims to return on Friday following wrist surgery
Section: Competition
Warm-up crash forces LCR Honda rider to sit out opening round.
Image: Supplied.
LCR Honda Castrol’s Cal Crutchlow will undergo arthroscopic surgery on his fractured left scaphoid in hope of returning for this weekend’s second round of the MotoGP season, again to be held at Jerez.
Crutchlow crashed in turn eight during yesterday’s morning warm-up and was ruled out of the season-opener, but intends to return after having a small fixing pin inserted in his wrist.
“Unfortunately in the last lap of the warm-up I crashed going into turn eight,” reflected Crutchlow. “It seemed that when I braked on the kerb, the front of the bike slid and I was unable to save the crash.
“What was going to be a normal crash escalated when I went into the deep gravel trap and started tumbling, hitting my head quite a few times, particularly my face. I was a bit dazed after the crash and a bit sore in my whole body, especially my hands.
“After further assessment at the medical centre I was sent for the CT scan on my head and neck and it all came back fine. With the facial bruising I had, however, Dr Angel Charte felt I needed eight hours rest, which I think was the right decision.
“When I returned to the circuit I began to feel some pain in my left wrist, so went for another scan of the scaphoid, which it seems has been broken in the crash. Dr [Xavier] Mir will operate on the wrist in Barcelona on Tuesday morning and I will return to the circuit on Friday and hopefully to action. I look forward to seeing the LCR Honda Castrol Team there and hopefully to work hard with them again next weekend.”
It was an incident-packed start to the delayed 2020 MotoGP World Championship, with world champion Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda) breaking his humerus in the race and Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) fracturing that same bone during Q2 on Saturday.
Possible nerve damage a major concern in Marquez injury
Section: Competition
Surgery on arm injury scheduled for Tuesday in Barcelona.
Image: Supplied.
Reigning MotoGP champion Marc Marquez will undergo critical surgery on his broken right humerus bone sustained in his vicious high-side at Jerez, however, the extent of potential nerve damage is yet to be determined.
After producing a miracle save at turn four and then staging an unbelievable comeback to P3, Marquez crashed heavily at turn three with four laps of the drama-packed race remaining.
“Marc Marquez has suffered an injury, it seems, from a direct impact of the tyre to the right arm, resulting in a fracture to the shaft of the humerus, a complete fracture although it isn’t completely displaced, with some possible paralysis of the radial nerve, although we’re not certain,” said MotoGP traumatology specialist Dr Xavier Mir. “This injury has been immobilised here for when they decide to move him to Barcelona to carry out a definitive treatment.”
MotoGP medical director Dr Angel Charte also offered information on the Repsol Honda rider: “Tomorrow Dr Mir will leave for Barcelona to proceed with treatment, if there is no more news regarding the tissue, to surgically treat the humerus. That being said, we can’t say in any absolute terms if he will be at the next race or Brno or Austria. It’s not the moment, we’ll talk about it next week.”
With the world championship due to continue again in Spain this coming weekend at Jerez, the title defence of Marquez will largely depend on the outcome of his scheduled surgery and any resulting nerve damage suffered when struck by the RC213V in the incident.
Marquez has been hospitalised at Jerez and will then travel to the Hospital Universitari Dexeus in Barcelona on Monday, aiming to be operated on by Dr Mir and his team on Tuesday in hope of beginning his recovery and planning a return to competition.
Strong effort sees Miller just shy of the podium in fifth position.
Image: Supplied.
French star Fabio Quartararo has broken through for his first-career victory as the 2020 MotoGP World Championship opened with the Red Bull Grand Prix of Spain at Jerez, in a race where defending champion Marc Marquez put in a heroic ride prior to crashing out.
It’s been confirmed that Repsol Honda’s Marquez sustained a broken arm in the incident and will undergo surgery, however, Petronas Yamaha SRT rider Quartararo was all class on his way to Sunday’s win – a first for the Sepang Racing Team.
Quartararo capitalised on a lap five mistake from early race leader Marquez as he ran off the circuit and he didn’t look back. We witnessed a stunning comeback from the number 93 after his mistake, unleashing unbelievable pace mid-race, but he then suffered a huge crash at turn four when in podium contention with four laps remaining, breaking his right humerus.
Meanwhile, Maverick Vinales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) put in an impressive performance to bank 20 points and take second in the wake of the drama, with Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) completing the podium after a late lunge on Australia’s Jack Miller (Pramac Racing).
Vinales got a storming launch from the middle of the front row and grabbed the holeshot into turn one, with Miller getting his Ducati off the line like a rocket to initially go P2. The Australian was wide though which let Marquez come through into second after a fairly average getaway, with polesitter Quartararo slotting into third at turn two as he then got the better of Miller.
However, the Desmosedici grunt saw Miller get up the inside of Quartararo down into the Dani Pedrosa Corner, as Vinales got out the seat around turn eight in an early scare for the number 12. Francesco Bagnaia (Pramac Racing) was then past Quartararo on lap two as the Frenchman initially fell back, but he was back through at the final corner on that lap as Marquez and Vinales went toe-to-toe at turn four, before Marquez managed to make the move stick.
Lap five would prove a game-changer after, going through turn four, a miraculous save from the reigning champion was had. Somehow, the number 93 picked his HRC machine up from an almost certain crash and managed to keep it upright through the gravel, coming back on the track in 16th. A huge moment, but it was far from race over for Marquez.
At the front, Vinales was leading for a couple of laps, but Quartararo had got the better of Miller and was soon right on the tail-pipes of the Yamaha. A mistake at Pedrosa corner was then followed by another one heading into Lorenzo corner on lap nine after the pace had slowed into the 1m39s and, as Vinales went wide, Quartararo and Miller were through. Slightly further back, however, attentions we starting to turn to Marquez.
In just five laps, Marquez had managed to get himself from 16th to P10 and was lapping around a second quicker than most of the leading group. Lap 12 saw Marquez set a 1m38.3s – the fastest lap of the race – that was a good 0.4s faster than Quartararo. Lap 13 soon passed and doing the passing was Marquez. He’d got the better of Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Tech3) and a struggling Valentino Rossi (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) to move up into eighth.
With 10 to go, Marquez was a second quicker than third-place Vinales and the reigning champion getting back into a podium position now seemed a formality rather than a possibility. With eight laps to go, Marquez was just two seconds away from the podium as he hunted and passed Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT), Bagnaia and Dovizioso. Suddenly, Marquez had Miller and Vinales right in front of him.
Quartararo was over five seconds clear, but all eyes were on Marquez vs Miller. Six laps to go, turn 13 was Marquez’s chosen passing place on Miller, but the Australian bit straight back at turn one. A man on a mission, Marquez was straight back up the inside at turn two and made the move stick. Now, Vinales was next on the list.
Coming across the line with four laps remaining, Marquez was plotting his move into P2. However, there was about to be another twist and a vast one at that. Coming out of turn three, Marquez was launched off his RC213V in a vicious way. Tumbling heavily through the gravel, the reigning champion was taken to the medical centre and has a broken right humerus that will require surgery.
Back at the front, Quartararo crossed the line to take an incredible maiden MotoGP victory, making some history and converting some searing premier class pace into a winner’s trophy. Vinales was able to grind out a P2 despite struggling with his front tyre from early on and the battle for the final podium spot went down to the final lap. With two to go, Dovizioso made his move on Miller at turn six to hold third.
Morbidelli then almost crashed after colliding with Miller on the inside of the corner, which allowed Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) through in fifth – the Spaniard in the fight all race – but Morbidelli would eventually get the better of him at the last corner, on the last lap. Vinales took second from Dovizioso, with Miller leading Morbidelli and Espargaro over the line. Second through sixth were covered by just 2.3s.
Bagnaia couldn’t keep up the pace in the latter stages as the Italian slipped out of contention and finished seventh, with Oliveira placing eighth, his equal best result in the premier class. Danilo Petrucci (Ducati Team) crossed the line ninth, with Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) closing out the top 10.
There were only 15 finishers in a brutal MotoGP race at Jerez. Johann Zarco (Reale Avintia Racing), Alex Marquez (Repsol Honda Team), Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) – who recovered from an incident in the opening stages to sometimes sit as the fastest man on track – Tito Rabat (Reale Avintia Racing) and Aprilia Racing Team Gresini’s Bradley Smith completing the points.
Rossi suffered an issue and was out of the race with seven to go, with Iker Lecuona (Red Bull KTM Tech3) exiting with heat exhaustion, Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) and Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) also not finishing.
Sky Racing Team VR46’s Luca Marini clinched an impressive victory in Moto2 after holding off a charging Tetsuta Nagashima (Red Bull KTM Ajo) in the final half of the race, the Italian taking the chequered flag for a fourth-career win and his third in seven races. Nagashima was on the podium once more after his Qatar GP win, joined this time by teammate Jorge Martin (Red Bull KTM Ajo), while Remy Gardner (SAG Racing Team) finished seventh.
Moto3 championship leader Albert Arenas (Gaviota Aspar Team Moto3) emerged victorious from the stunning and dramatic lightweight class race. On the last lap, title challenger John McPhee (Petronas Sprinta Racing) crashed on the exit of Jorge Lorenzo Corner, allowing Ai Ogura (Honda Team Asia) and Tony Arbolino (Rivacold Snipers Team) to slice their way through to stand on the Jerez rostrum.
Eric Granado (Avintia Esponsorama Racing) seems well and truly the man to beat in the MotoE World Cup, picking his way past the fast-starting Lukas Tulovic (Tech 3 E-Racing) early on to pull away for a dominant first victory of the year. Reigning Cup winner Matteo Ferrari (Trentino Gresini MotoE) put in a typically measured ride to emerge second from an almighty fight for the podium, with rookie Dominique Aegerter (Dynavolt Intact GP) completing the top three. Josh Hook (Octo Pramac MotoE) scored P9.
A Sydney woman is serving an 18-month jail term after she fled the scene of a crash in which her car hit a motorcycle head-on in April last year.
Molly Cahill, 23, of Sans Souci, was found guilty in Sutherland Local Court in May 2020 and sentenced on 2 July ondangerous driving charges.
Police told court Cahill was driving her Peugeot hatchback on the wrong side of Forest Road in Peakhurst about 1.20am on 8 April 2019 when she hit a motorcycle head-on.
Rider Tony Nissirios, 38, and his female partner Sam, 26, were thrown from their bike and suffered multiple fractures.
The Sydney hit-run crash scene (All images: Channel 7 Sydney)
Driver fled
Cahill fled the scene, abandoned her car nearby and texted “I think I’ve hit someone”.
She was later arrested at her Sans Souci home and taken to Kogarah Police Station.
Since her first court appearance she has also been found guilty of drug and assault charges and was placed on an 18-month community order, ending in September 2021.
(Apologies for this late article due to my clerical error that listed the sentencing date as 20 July.)
“It feels incredible. I don’t think the feeling has sunk in yet, I think that will come when I watch the race again. It’s a shame that my family, friends and fans are not here to see it, but it feels so good to finally be on the stop step of the podium. It was an amazing race and we were so consistent even though the track was really bad. There was very little grip and the tyres just dropped off so fast. I felt great on the bike so thank you to my team, partners and to Yamaha for that. I had one of the scariest moments of the race in the same place where I had the problem last year, I was worried it was going to happen again! All was good, but the last ten laps felt like they took so long to complete. Every lap we got closer to the end I was feeling better and better, just having some fun. This win is for my family, my brother especially, my best friend, my manager, all the fans who can’t be here, my team and also to those people that have suffered a lot during the last 4 months. I also want to wish a speedy recovery to Alex , Cal and Marc .”
Fabio Quartararo – P1
Maverick Vinales – P2
“I‘m so happy about the start and the first laps, because I was right there at the front. I took the lead and tried to escape. I wish it was already next Friday, I want to work on the next step at this track. When I lost the front for the first time, I started to travel, especially on the edge of the tyre. I couldn‘t turn the bike. So that‘s the point that we need to improve on. Maybe the soft front tyre wasn‘t the best decision, but we brought the bike home in second place, which is the most important thing. We got 20 points for the championship, and now we have a second race here in Jerez, where I think we‘ll have good potential. If we do a good job, we can be back fighting at the front again. The guys did an amazing job all weekend. It was very important to be on the podium at this race, but for the next race we need to find a bit more. We will take our performance from this week as a point of reference and try to improve ourselves, as always. I hope Marc is doing well, because it was a nasty crash. I hope we can fight again at the next race. I want to say ’Congratulations‘ to Fabio, because it‘s not easy to win your first MotoGP race, but he controlled it well.”
Maverick Vinales – P2
Andrea Dovizioso – P3
“This podium is like a victory for me. It was a challenging race, and I didn’t think I could get this result, but luckily I didn’t give up until the end and managed not to make any mistakes. In this morning’s Warm-Up, the team did a great job, as they improved my feeling with the Desmosedici GP, giving me the chance to be constant today in the race. Unfortunately, I still didn’t feel completely comfortable on the bike and, above all, I lacked speed. Surely, thanks to the feedback of this race, we will be able to be more competitive in the next GP, which will be held again here in Jerez”.
Andrea Dovizioso – P3
Jack Miller – P4
“Was really good race for me in general, if you look compared from last year here in Jerez. The most important thing was finished today, the bike was great, the feeling was good. We manage the tyres very well, and now we know what we have to do to improve. We will take the 4th position and we will come back next week with a clear picture in mind.”
Jack Miller – P4
Franco Morbidelli – P5
“It was a really good race. Starting from where I was, I was aiming for a top-five finish but surprisingly we were in the fight for the podium in the last two laps. I didn’t act in the right way in those two laps, I could have been a bit cleverer, but despite this it was a positive race. We came from behind and had some good battles, even though it was a tricky race. Now I will rest a bit and try to prepare for the next race. Our weak point this weekend was qualifying. Having the speed that we did it was not acceptable to start tenth, then ninth, then eighth. With such a narrow circuit it is not great to start from the third row. The front two rows are where you need to be to fight for the podium, so this will be our aim next weekend. Also congratulations to Fabio. I’m really happy for him as he deserves this victory and he was unbelievably fast today. First and fifth position for the team shows the great job that every member of the team is doing. We are heading in the right direction!”
Franco Morbidelli – P5
Pol Espargaro – P6
“It’s been a very good day and I’m happy with the result but you always want more! We were just one second from the podium: very close. I needed to be closer to the guys in front to pass but the front tire temperature was growing like crazy-fast in a few corners. We normal struggle at Jerez so to take this result and in these temperatures is very good. We are happy and now we are convinced we can get push for better in the short-term. All four KTMs on the grid are powerful and strong, especially on the race pace. We are in the game now.”
Pol Espargaro – P6
Pecco Bagnaia – P7
“I’m quite happy. During the first laps when I was in the head group I tried to manage the tires because we knew that the race would be long. I’m satisfied for the great work done with my team this weekend and also for the big step in front that I made. I was in top5 for 15 laps and last year I never ride a race like this. Next weekend we will have an advantage because we already know the tires for the race and I can focus and improve the rest. I can say that I learned a lot from today.”
Pecco Bagnaia – P7
Miguel Oliveira – P8
“It was a very, very happy ending to the weekend. After struggling a little bit in the practices, I think we deserved this good result. To start the season with a top ten is better than we expected. For sure, we still have a lot of work to do for the next race but I’m glad for my performance and I am really, really happy to give this result to the team. It’s also my first race after Motegi in October last year. I’m just happy and hope we can improve next weekend.”
Miguel Oliveira – P8
Danilo Petrucci – P9
“It was a tough race for me. In addition to the neck pain, I am suffering some stomach issues probably due to the painkillers I’ve been taking these days, and today I wasn’t in the condition to do more. In the race, I tried to hold on and managed to finish into the top ten. Hopefully, I can recover and be 100% fit for next week. I am confident to have the potential to stay with the other Ducati bikes and fight for the top five positions”.
Danilo Petrucci – P9
Takaaki Nakagami – P10
“We finished the first race, and that’s good but honestly, I am not particularly happy specially for the LCR Honda Idemitsu Team because this weekend they did such a great job to help me ride in a positive way. Unfortunately, I had issues with the front from the beginning of the race.As there were lots of crashes around me during the race, I tried to stay focused so as not to lose the front and, in the end, I finished tenth. The positive thing is that we race again next weekend at the same circuit and hopefully then we will be able to fight again and show our true potential.”
Takaaki Nakagami – P10
Johann Zarco – P11
“I’m happy to finish the race and it was very important because it’s a long time since I did not finish a race, almost ten months, and this means that step by step I can comeback I can comeback to the high level. I understood many things during the race and many things that I can ask to Ducati to find a better feeling and better pace during the race. I expected to be faster, but it was too difficult to go to 38s and I was every lap doing 39s and this did not help me to catch the guys in front. I’m happy to be here again next week, it would be useful to improve myself and to have a clear target and to see if I can make well my work and work well with the team.”
Johann Zarco – P11
Alex Marquez – P12
“First of all I’d like to wish Marc, Cal and Rins a speedy recovery. It is never good to see other riders get injured. Otherwise, it was a pretty good first race, I think we have a good base to now work from. Today was also a really good test physically because in this heat it was quite tough. It was a tricky race for everyone in the heat. I was fast during the middle of the race but I need to focus on the first five laps and the last four laps. But this is part of being a rookie, learning these sorts of things. Fortunately, we have next week to try it again.”
Alex Marquez – P12
Brad Binder – P13
“In general, it is not too bad. I’m super-happy with the way the bike is. I need to say sorry to my team because today we could have done a good job and taken a good result but at the end of the day we live and we learn. I made a mistake and I won’t do it again. I knew I could be there in that group with the guys, I didn’t know I would be able to sit there quite comfortably. That was a bit of a shock for sure. I’m really happy that my training in the off-season worked because this is a whole new ball game. I must be happy. The whole package is working so well so I must say thanks to KTM for all their work and I’m looking forward to seeing what we can do in the next races. Let’s keep our heads up and keep this work ethic going.”
Brad Binder – P13
Tito Rabat – P14
“During the first laps of the race we had a lot of fun.After the start we followed the race group, then Smith was lagging behind and I got off the group.From here I tried to shoot despite having problems with the front axle, it was really difficult to go faster.It was a long race, I have been cutting back a little bit lap by lap the group of Zarco that was my first objective, although we could not achieve it.Looking ahead to next weekend we will work to improve the feeling with the front end”
Tito Rabat chasing Alex Marquez
Bradley Smith – P15
“The goal today was to do all 25 laps of the race in order to gather fundamental data on the reactions of this new bike. I started very well, but staying in the slipstream of a lot of other riders straight away created quite a few problems for me. The tyre temperature and pressure was off the charts and I didn’t have much grip at all. This will have to be our main focus for our work next weekend. We don’t have any experience with this bike, but every time we go out, we learn something new and I have full confidence in the guys at Aprilia.”
Bradley Smith – P15
Marc Marquez – DNF
“Sometimes things don’t go as you expect but the most important thing is to get back up and move on. I hope you enjoyed the comeback! Now I’ll have an operation to fix the fracture of my right humerus. I promise you all that I will come back as soon as possible and even stronger.”
Marc Marquez – DNF
Valentino Rossi – DNF
“It was a tough weekend, because we suffered a lot in the high temperatures with the rear tyre. It looks like we were not able to make the rear tyre work in the right way. In the race I was not very fast from the beginning, I didn‘t have the rhythm of the group that was fighting for the podium. After some laps I had a problem with the rear tyre, because I lost a lot of grip and performance. After that, unfortunately, I had a problem with the bike. On the straight I got a red alarm, and I had to retire. It is a very strange situation because we will race here two times in a row. From one point of view this is very strange, but from the other side we can take this data and try to make things better and find some solution. It was a bad crash for Marquez at a bad point, it was a big highside. I wish him well.”
Valentino Rossi – DNF
Joan Mir – DNF
“The truth is that our weekend wasn’t bad, the problem was just in the race. I tried to make up as many positions as possible at the start of the race but I had a poor start and I lost the front of my bike and crashed. It was my mistake and I want to apologise to the team. The good news is that we have another race here next weekend, and we will show our potential.”
Joan Mir – DNF
Aleix Espargaro – DNF
“I am deeply sorry for Aprilia, the fans and for myself. I felt good from the start. I was faster than the riders ahead of me and, in fact, I was overtaking when I lost the front end. Unfortunately, with a full tank, it’s difficult to push, but my desire to take the RS-GP to a good result was very strong. Fortunately, we’ll be back on the track in just a few days. To be honest, I wish we were racing again tomorrow, because I think that an important result is within our reach. Next weekend, we’ll need to get off on the right foot straight away from Friday. Clearly, we’ll have clearer ideas so we can aim for better qualifying first and then for a solid race.”
Iker Lecuona – DNF
“To be honest, I already regret my decision to return to the garage. It was only five laps to go, I should have just taken a bit of speed out and try to finish the race as the points would have been in reach anyway. I missed out on what could have been a possible top 10 result but I felt really dizzy and didn’t want to risk a crash or put someone else in danger, so I stopped. Before that, I was quite strong, managed to be close to Miguel all the time.”
Iker Lecuona – DNF
Cal Crutchlow – DNS
“Unfortunately this morning in the last lap of the warm-up I crashed going into turn eight. It seemed that when I braked on the kerb, the front of the bike slid and I was unable to save the crash. What was going to be a normal crash escalated when I went into the deep gravel trap and started tumbling, hitting my head quite a few times, particularly my face. I was a bit dazed after the crash, and a bit sore in my whole body, especially my hands.After further assessment at the medical centre I was sent for the CT scan on my head and neck and it all came back fine. With the facial bruising I had, however, Dr. Angel Charté felt I needed eight hours rest, which I think was the right decision.When I returned to the circuit I began to feel some pain in my left wrist, so went for another scan of the scaphoid, which it seems has been broken in the crash. Dr. Mir will operate on the wrist in Barcelona on Tuesday morning, and I will return to the circuit on Friday and hopefully to action. I look forward to seeing the LCR Honda Castrol Team there, and hopefully to work hard with them again next weekend.”
Team Managers
Razlan Razali – Petronas SRT Yamaha Team Principal
“It’s an amazing feeling to see the first win for Petronas Yamaha Sepang Racing Team and first win for a Yamaha satellite team for over 20 years as well as the first win for French rider in MotoGP for over 20 years. It’s a fantastic feeling so thank you to Fabio and all of the team for their effort to get here. It’s an amazing feeling and I can’t describe it much more than that at the moment!
“This is what we have been working so hard for and I’m pleased that our story continues on an upward trajectory. Let’s try for more of the same next week! To add to the win, we can see that Franky was strong in the race and matched his best-ever MotoGP finish on the first outing of the season.”
Razlan Razali – Petronas SRT Yamaha Team Principal
Johan Stigefelt – Petronas SRT Yamaha Team Director
“This was a great weekend. It started with some difficulties for Fabio, which was tough, but we upped our game and the team worked super hard the whole weekend. He had good pace in free practice and qualifying, with the new lap record, and he showed the speed in the race. It was not an easy race in the beginning for Fabio, having to overtake the Ducatis, but he kept calm and when he had the opportunity he made it to the front and extended a gap. We can’t ask for more, it’s a dream come true today. It’s a big hurdle that we’ve gotten over, from only starting this team a short while ago. To win in the first race of our second season is something amazing.
“We came out as the best team today and Franky has helped us achieve that. He was fighting really hard at the end of the race with bikes that were much faster than his. Finish top-five with both guys is great. Franky was very close to the podium this time and I’m really happy with his effort and his work. I’m really looking forward to next weekend. This was only the first race of the season but as a satellite team to be on top it’s incredible. Now we need to try to maintain this momentum.
“Massive thanks to our partners, especially Petronas for believing in us from the very beginning. Also thank you to all the fans for their support, it’s a shame they couldn’t be with us this weekend but we hope that we’ve given them something to cheer about.”
Petronas SRT Yamaha Team
Massimo Meregalli – Yamaha Team Director
“We were expecting a difficult but very exciting race. The main issue, we thought, was going to be managing the tyres, because this track is so demanding, and the heat just adds to it. We expected that there would be three riders who could run the pace at the front: Marc Marquez, Fabio, and Maverick. Maverick had a great start and rode strong opening laps, leading the race. It was a shame that the soft tyres didn‘t last as well as we expected, but he did a great job to take second place from Miller and defend it until the very end. These 20 points are a good start and very important for the championship. We are also happy for Fabio. We would have liked to fight him for the win, but this is a great first victory. It wasn‘t all smiles here, though. Valentino had a difficult time in the race to begin with, and in the end had to retire because of a technical issue. We are very disappointed about this. We have to work hard next week to get better results.”
Monster Energy Yamaha Team celebrate second for Vinales
Mike Leitner – Red Bull KTM Race Manager
“We’ve started an unusual season with such a long time between the races and a lot of things have happened since last November. We knew our bike from the winter tests would perform better than last year, but we haven’t been able to show it until this weekend. This is a result of all the excellent effort from everybody at the factory and all those connected to the project. When it comes to the riders then Pol made a very clever race. This short season means that a mistake in the first GP would have been costly but he still gave the maximum. Brad was outstanding to be in the leading group and until he saved his crash. His comeback and lap-times were amazing. It was a big lesson for him. Miguel struggled in the sessions but was already better from warm-up and managed a super 8th position. We could have had three bikes in the top ten. Iker learned how tough this category can be and how the bikes and the riders push to the limit. He showed us that he’s fast but still needs to get prepared for MotoGP. We are not worried though; he is the youngest in our group and he will pick it up.”
Pol Espargaro and Brad Binder
Ken Kawauchi – Suzuki Technical Manager
“Finally, the start of the season hasn’t gone well for us. It’s a real pity what’s happened this weekend – we lost Alex due to his injury and then also Joan couldn’t finish because of the crash. We had a lot of potential and we weren’t able to show it. Fortunately, we have another race here next weekend. Joan will be able to perform better and we also hope that Alex can come back.”
Joan Mir – DNF
Davide Brivio – Suzuki Team Manager
“It’s been a really difficult weekend for us, with Alex not starting and then Joan not finishing. We had a lot of hope for Joan, because he had good pace and we know he could’ve done a nice race. But starting from the fourth row made it harder, and he needed to do a lot of overtakes, one of these moves didn’t pay off and it ended like that. We’ve learned some things this weekend, and we hope to come back with both riders next weekend.”
Hervé Poncharal – Red Bull KTM Tech3 Team Manager
“What an unbelievable first MotoGP race of the 2020 season here in Jerez! We knew the race was going to be incredibly tough for the riders, for the tyres, and we knew that the hot conditions will bring the riders and the bikes on their limits. We saw a lot of things happening. Our two guys got a good start. Miguel put his head down and kept a strong pace, that we knew from the weekend, because even though the Qualifying was a bit disappointing, we were sure that his pace was strong and this is what he showed. To end up the race in eighth position, which is equaling his best ever finish in MotoGP class, is a great start to the championship. We saw also the other three KTM’s very steady and fast on that circuit. Big congratulations to Miguel, he deserves a huge applause. He and the team worked hard and this is how you start a season on a strong foot.
“We were really, really happy until five laps to go with Iker as well, because he did also a great start, he was pushing, doing very close lap times to Miguel, but then what we were fearing happened. You have to be really on top physical form and we could see during the weekend that he was struggling to do these 25 laps in a row in these conditions, so it was a huge pity. I think he did a great weekend, he worked hard, he pushed hard and he deserved to see the flag, but anyway, at the end of the day, it’s easier to work on your physical condition than to make a slow rider a fast rider. Iker is a fast rider, he surprised everyone here, but he has got to work on his physical condition and I think he understood today that this is a crucial and very important point. Let’s hope we can have another strong weekend next week and meanwhile, let’s have a good rest for the next two days, as all of us have been suffering a lot.”
“The selection was similar for all riders today, all went with the soft rear, with just two choosing a different front, the soft, and everybody else on the hard. The soft rear featured the new construction which made its racing debut today and performed really well for everybody. The consumption was not that high, because we chose compounds we expected would work in this heat, so much so that the hard was not needed despite track temperatures of over 50 degrees every day. The soft rear gave good grip for the whole race and everything was under control because it worked so well. It was not easy to decide on the range for this week, because we usually come in May and then back in November for a test, so temperatures are much lower. We expected it to be hot, but not like it was and I want to show my respect to the Technicians that used computer simulations and previous data to make such a strong selection for this weekend.
“It was great to break the all-time lap-record this weekend and get the highest top-speed, these are always important for us as they show reward for the hard work. Congratulations to Fabio Quartararo on his first win, of what I am sure will be many MotoGP victories. He set a stunning lap in qualifying, demonstrating the one-lap ability of our tyres and then showed a maturity in the race to use the same configuration of tyres to take a comfortable victory.
“MotoE gave us another exciting race and Eric Granado showed how hard you can push on the new tyres, especially the front. The latest evolution of MotoE tyres has worked really well here this weekend, we introduced them with the sustainable materials and the new compounds, plus a new rear construction and the performance was impressive, especially when the track was so hot in the afternoons. MotoE is an important discipline Michelin and to be able to kickstart the MotoGP race-day with all the bikes using Michelin tyres was certainly a good moment for us. We will now assess all the information ahead of next week’s World Cup and look forward more exciting races as the season progresses.”
Honda’s chances of success in this truncated 2020 MotoGP season were dealt two major blows overnight in Spain.
Marc Marquez rode like an absolute demon but overstepped the mark once too often which resulted in a high-side and broken arm for the defending World Champion (Link), but before racing even got underway Cal Crutchlow crashed during morning warm-up and was ruled out of the race.
Further investigations have revealed that the 24-year-old Briton sustained a broken scaphoid in the crash and will undergo surgery in Barcelona on Tuesday, as will Marquez, with both riders being operated on by Dr. Mir.
With Marc Marquez and Cal Crutchlow both far from fit, Honda’s hopes might have to rest with Takaaki Nakagami and Alex Marquez. Or will we see HRC draft in a replacement rider if either man is not fit to race this weekend?
It should also be of great concern that Honda’s two main strike riders will need to leave the relative safety of their current surroundings in order to visit major medical facilities in a country that has reported almost 30,000 deaths from the pandemic.
Cal Crutchlow
“Unfortunately this morning in the last lap of the warm-up I crashed going into turn eight. It seemed that when I braked on the kerb, the front of the bike slid and I was unable to save the crash. What was going to be a normal crash escalated when I went into the deep gravel trap and started tumbling, hitting my head quite a few times, particularly my face.
“I was a bit dazed after the crash, and a bit sore in my whole body, especially my hands.After further assessment at the medical centre I was sent for the CT scan on my head and neck and it all came back fine. With the facial bruising I had, however, Dr. Angel Charté felt I needed eight hours rest, which I think was the right decision.
“When I returned to the circuit I began to feel some pain in my left wrist, so went for another scan of the scaphoid, which it seems has been broken in the crash. Dr. Mir will operate on the wrist in Barcelona on Tuesday morning, and I will return to the circuit on Friday and hopefully to action. I look forward to seeing the LCR Honda Castrol Team there, and hopefully to work hard with them again next weekend.”
The biggest problem with many Bluetooth helmet intercoms is the poor quality of sound, but the new Sena 50R and 50S raise the bar on sound quality to a new level.
I’ve reviewed many intercom systems over the years and my go-to unit has been the Sena 20S for reliability and quality.
But my new favourite is the 50R slimline model that Sena Australiasent to me for review.
Sena 50R
Sena’s new 50 series consists of the 50R and 50S which cost $545 in a single pack or $965 for a dual pack.
The main difference between the Sena 50R and 50S is that the R is slimmer and has three buttons instead of the jog dial and has slightly shorter battery life.
Its slimline look is discrete and it probably reduces drag and wind noise, but I would be lying if I said I could discern any differences.
I thought I would miss the very convenient jog dial which has long been a feature of Sena models.
However, the 50S includes an automatic volume adjustment (or “Smart volume control”) that raises and lowers the volume as ambient sound changes.
In other words, it gets louder as you go faster and drops the level when you pull up at the lights so you aren’t blasted.
Consequently, I have never had to touch the volume buttons anyway.
The associated Sena 50 Utility app (available on Apple and Google Play) also allows you to quickly select whether you want this feature set to low, medium or high.
That means you can have subtle changes in volume or quite dramatic changes. I wouldn’t have thought this would be a significant feature, but it is.
The 50 Series will also connect to digital assistants such as Siri or Google using standard voice commands of ‘Hey Siri’ or ‘Ok Google’.
So you can use that to control volume, tracks, make and receive calls, etc, so there is no need to ever touch the controls.
Sound quality
Another significant update is the slimmer and therefore more comfortable speakers with more bass and 7% more volume.
Not only are the speakers slimmer, but they are bevelled so they fit even in the tightest of helmets and don’t hurt your ears which is important on a long ride.
In fact, I didn’t even need to fit the supplied foam speaker covers.
Sound quality is also greatly improved.
Many helmet intercoms sound fine when you are stationary, but when you hit about 80km/h the bass is drowned out by the wind noise.
However, these still have a full and rounded sound with plenty of bass, even at highway speeds.
They are also louder.
Now Sena don’t want to deafen riders, but they acknowledge that many riders use filtered earplugs with their intercoms.
I use the Alpine MotoSafe which filter out harmful wind noise, but allow you to still hear important sounds such as sirens, screeching braes, car horns and, of course, your music, albeit at a slightly reduce volume.
However, this can be difficult when you’re out on the road unless you have your laptop with you.
The 50 series now comes with wifi capability allowing you to automatically download firmware updates with the special charging cable.
Just plug in the wifi charger and connect to a nearby wifi source such as your phone’s hotspot.
Wifi charger
Mesh
Mesh is an intercom software system that allows multiple riders to connect even when some riders are out of line of sight.
It’s not a system I use much, but for group rides it is very convenient and is a vital safety feature. (In fact, on one occasion, a rider behind me yelped and I knew straight away he had gone down even though I couldn’t see him.)
Critics say the Mesh software is unreliable, but Sena claim the flaws have been fixed.
I haven’t found any difficulties at all. In fact, there is less “crackling” interference from surrounding obstacles such as blind corners, trees, buildings, trucks, etc.
Sena says the intercom range s up to 2km in open terrain, which is about right by my tests.
I haven’t tested its full capacities with a “virtually limitless” number of riders in Open Mesh and 24 riders in Group Mesh intercom. (I don’t have that many friends!)
However, I have no reason to disbelieve Sena’s claims that Mesh extends range up to 8km (5miles) between a minimum of six riders.
Sena 50R tech specs
Price: $545 (single pack), $965 (dual pack)
Warranty: Two (2) year from date of purchase on manufacturers defects
Dimensions: 97mm x 48mm x 27 mm (3.8in x 1.8in x 1.0in)
Speakers: 40mm diameter, 7.2mm thick
Weight: 65g (2.29 oz)
Operating temperature: -10°C to 55°C (14°F – 131°F)
Bluetooth: 5.0
Working distance: up to 2 km (1.2 miles) in open terrain; Mesh extends up to 8km (5miles) between a minimum of 6 riders
Bluetooth Intercom: 4 riders
Open Mesh Intercom: virtually limitless (9 channels)
Group Mesh Intercom: 24 riders
Microphone Noise Cancellation: Advanced Noise Control
MotoGP is back. In a day of drama, thrills and spills, Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha SRT) claimed his first MotoGP victory – and France’s first since 1999 – in a truly stunning and dramatic Gran Premio Red Bull de España, putting an Independent Team Yamaha on the top step for the first time in MotoGP and taking the Petronas Yamaha SRT team’s first win. The Frenchman capitalised on a Lap 5 mistake from race leader Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) as he suffered a run off, and Quartararo didn’t look back – pulling the pin to stamp some authority on Round 1 for the premier class.
Marquez mounted a stunning comeback after his mistake, with the reigning World Champion unleashing unbelievable pace mid-race – but he then suffered a huge crash at Turn 4 with four laps remaining, breaking his right humerus which sees the young Spaniard heading to Barcelona for surgery.
Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) put in an impressive performance to bank 20 points and take second in the wake of the drama, with Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) completing the podium after a late lunge on Jack Miller (Pramac Racing).
MotoGP Race Report
Jerez MotoGP
Viñales got a storming launch from the middle of the front row and grabbed the holeshot into Turn 1, with Miller getting his Ducati off the line like a rocket to initially go P2. The Australian was wide though which let Marquez come through into second after a fairly average getaway, with polesitter Quartararo slotting into P3 at Turn 2 as he then got the better of Miller.
Jerez MotoGP
However, the Desmosedici grunt saw Miller get up the inside of Quartararo down into the Dani Pedrosa corner, as Viñales got out the seat around Turn 8 in an early scare for the number 12. Francesco Bagnaia (Pramac Racing) was then past Quartararo on Lap 2 as the Frenchman initially fell back, but he was back through at the final corner on that lap as Marquez and Viñales went toe-to-toe at Turn 4, before Marquez managed to make the move stick at Dani Pedrosa corner. Was this the break?
Maverick Vinales and Marc Marquez
Lap 5 would prove a game-changer and say no. Going through Turn 4, we witnessed something we’ve seen so many times before – a miraculous save from the reigning Champion. Somehow, the number 93 picked his HRC machine up from an almost certain crash and managed to keep it upright through the gravel, coming back on the track in 16th. A huge moment, but it was far from race over for Marc Marquez. Far, far from it…
At the front, Viñales was leading for a couple of laps, but Quartararo had got the better of Miller and was soon right on the tailpipes of the number 12 Yamaha. A mistake at Pedrosa corner was then followed by another one heading into Lorenzo corner on Lap 9 after the pace had slowed into the 1:39s, and as Viñales went wide, Quartararo and Miller were through. Slightly further back, however, attentions we starting to turn to Marc Marquez.
Marquez had to come back through the field
In just five laps, Marquez had managed to get himself from P16 to P10 and was lapping around a second quicker than most of the leading group. Lap 12 saw Marquez set a 1:38.3 – the fastest lap of the race – that was a good 0.4 faster than Quartararo, and even more than the riders in the podium hunt. Lap 13 soon passed and doing the passing was Marquez.
Marquez makes a move on Petrucci
He’d got the better of Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Tech3) and a struggling Valentino Rossi (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) to move up into P8, and a podium finish seemed well within his grasp.
Marc Marquez passing Miguel Oliveira as he scythed his way through the field
On lap 15, Quartararo’s lead snuck past the two-second mark for the first time, but the shark music was playing as the cameras started to show an orange missile quickly making its way towards the back of the fight for the podium places.
Marquez passed Morbidelli on his way back towards the front
With 10 to go, Marquez was a second quicker than third place Viñales, and the reigning Champion getting back into a podium position now seemed a formality rather than a possibility. With eight laps to go, Marquez was just two seconds away from the podium as he hunted and passed Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT), Bagnaia, Dovizioso… suddenly, Marquez had Miller and Viñales right in front of him.
Marc Marquez
Quartararo was over five seconds clear, but all eyes were on Marquez vs Miller. Six laps to go, Turn 13 was Marquez’ chosen passing place on Miller but the Australian bit straight back at Turn 1. A man on a mission, Marquez was straight back up the inside at Turn 2 and made the move stick. Now, Viñales was next on the list – and he would prove the rider right behind Marquez when the eight-time Champion ran off track at Turn 4.
Coming across the line with four laps remaining, Marquez was plotting his move into P2. However, there was about to be another twist – and a vast one at that. Coming out of Turn 3, Marquez was launched off his RC213V in a vicious way. Tumbling heavily through the gravel, the reigning Champion was taken to the medical centre – and has a broken right humerus for which he will undergo surgery on Tuesday in Barcelona. Cal Crutchlow is also to go under the knife on Tuesday after the 34-year-old Briton broke his scaphoid during morning warm-up in what is a terrible double blow for Honda’s hopes for success in this truncated season 2020.
Back at the front, Quartararo crossed the line to take an incredible maiden MotoGP victory, making some history and converting some searing premier class pace into a winner’s trophy.
Fabio Quartararo scored an emotional victory
Viñales was able to grind out a P2 despite struggling with his front tyre from “lap seven or eight”, and the battle for the final podium spot went down to the final lap. With two to go, Dovizioso made his move on Miller at Turn 6 to hold P3, with Morbidelli then almost crashing after colliding with Miller on the inside of the corner. This allowed Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) through in P5 – the Spaniard in the fight all race – but Morbidelli would eventually get the better of Espargaro at the last corner, on the last lap. Viñales took P2 from Dovizioso, with Miller leading Morbidelli and Espargaro over the line. P2-P6 were covered by just 2.3 seconds.
Bagnaia couldn’t keep up the pace in the latter stages as the Italian slipped out of contention and finished P7, with Oliveira placing P8 – his equal best result in the premier class. Danilo Petrucci (Ducati Team) crossed the line ninth, with Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) closing out the top 10.
There were only 15 finishers in a brutal MotoGP race in Jerez. Johann Zarco (Reale Avintia Racing), Alex Marquez (Repsol Honda Team), Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) – who recovered from an incident in the opening stages to sometimes sit as the fastest man on track – Tito Rabat (Reale Avintia Racing) and Aprilia Racing Team Gresini’s Bradley Smith completing the points.
Rossi suffered an issue and was out of the race with seven to go, with Iker Lecuona (Red Bull KTM Tech3), Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) and Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) also not finishing.
There aren’t enough superlatives to describe what we just witnessed in the MotoGP class as 2020 kicks off in style, but with some serious drama on the side. And this coming weekend we have the Gran Premio Red Bull de Andalucia at the same circuit!
Fabio Quartararo – P1
“The best moment of my life for sure. I haven’t realised it yet. It feels so strange without the fans, I would love them to be here to cheer with them. But honestly, this race was for them, for all the people affected by coronavirus and for my family, my brother always supporting me, my parents…
“It was a really tough race because first of all, I didn’t do a very good start. I was fifth behind Pecco and Jack and I knew that behind the Ducatis, it’s so difficult to do our corner speed, especially on the last sector. I overtook Pecco in the last corner, also Jack. Then I saw Marc’s mistakes and then it was difficult to catch Maverick. He did a small mistake in Turn 6 and then I did my own mistake but honestly it felt so strange because yesterday in FP4, the grip was really good.
“After the Moto2 race we know the grip is normally low, but I didn’t expect that much. If you check the pace from yesterday and today, it was almost one second slower. So it was difficult to understand the track, but the most important thing is that we had our first victory today.”
The championship chances for Marc Marquez and Repsol Honda have likely ended after the defending World Champion high-sided at Turn 3 while fighting for the podium.
The crash resulted in a broken right humerus for the reigning World Champion, who will travel to Barcelona for surgery.
Marquez came down heavily on his right arm and as a result, the eight-time World Champion has suffered a transverse diaphyseal fracture to his right humerus.
MotoGP medical staff have confirmed there is no other serious head or thoracic trauma but will remain under observation for 12 hours.
With Marc Marquez and Cal Crutchlow both far from fit, Honda’s hopes might have to rest with Takaaki Nakagami and Alex Marquez. Or will we see HRC draft in a replacement rider if either man is not fit to race this weekend?
It should also be of great concern that Honda’s two main strike riders will need to leave the relative safety of their current surroundings in order to visit major medical facilities in a country that has reported almost 30,000 deaths from the pandemic.
Marc Marquez
“Sometimes things don’t go as you expect but the most important thing is to get back up and move on. I hope you enjoyed the comeback! Now I’ll have an operation to fix the fracture of my right humerus. I promise you all that I will come back as soon as possible and even stronger.”
Sometimes things don’t go as you expect but the most important thing is to get back up and move on. I hope you enjoyed the comeback! Now I’ll have an operation to fix the fracture of my right humerus. I promise you all that I will come back as soon as possible and even stronger💪🏼 pic.twitter.com/5FCIamVZLx
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