MotoGP 2022

[Gerard C]

Good job Gordon, thanks.

[S griffin]

Classic Repsol livery as always on the Hondas

[GORDON STREETER]

Originally Posted by S griffin

Classic Repsol livery as always on the Hondas

[FIRE]

I think Repsol and Honda are tied for almost 30 years.

[GORDON STREETER]

Originally Posted by FIRE

I think Repsol and Honda are tied for almost 30 years.

Taking a walk down memory lane, the presentation initially showcased a timeline of historic HRC liveries before revealing the radically updated Honda for Marquez’ tenth season with the team. New chassis, electronics and engine culminates two years of development for the Japanese manufacturer, due in part to the pandemic restrictions of recent seasons, as it ‘breaks out of it’s shell’ with the “biggest change” to development in the current regulation period.

The dominant Repsol/Honda partnership continues with a long-reaching view of the future, recognising the need and importance of the reduction in reliance on fossil fuels - including new Dorna-led regulations of a minimum 40 per cent fossil free component by 2024 and 100 per cent by 2027 with Repsol pledging carbon neutrality by 2050.

[GORDON STREETER]

MotoGP made its on-track debut at the Mandalika International Street Circuit on Friday morning for the first of three final days of pre-season testing ahead of the 2022 campaign starting on Qatar on 6 March.
But heavy rain ahead of the test, as well as ongoing construction work around the site, meant Friday’s conditions were damp and muddy.
Though 19 riders had set lap times by the end of the first hour – Pramac Ducati’s Johann Zarco leading the times with a 1m44.830s – the sessions was stopped for around 90 minutes barely an hour into the day.
A length clean-up operation was staged to try and clear some of the mud, and the session is currently ongoing again.
Due to the stoppage, an extra 45 minutes of running has been added to today’s schedule – meaning the session is due to finish at 5:45pm local time (9:45am GMT).
However, a delegation or riders that included reigning world champion Fabio Quartararo, Aprilia’s Aleix Espargaro and Maverick Vinales, Ducati’s Francesco Bagnaia and Suzuki’s Alex Rins – who was first out on track on Friday morning – met with Dorna Sports’ Race Direction representative Carlos Ezpeleta and FIM safety officer Franco Uncini to discuss track conditions
During the meeting, it was agreed that those who wanted to would complete at least 20 laps before 3pm local time.
If no one could reduce their lap times significantly enough by that time, the session would be stopped and track action would resume on Saturday after further cleaning of the circuit had taken place.




















.

[justracing]

Top reporting, thanks Gordon

[GORDON STREETER]

The second day of the inaugural MotoGP test at Indonesia's new Mandalika circuit is underway.

After a muddy start on Friday, and some controversial 'compulsory' track cleaning, lap times had tumbled to a day one best of 1m 32.466s by Pol Espargaro.

That time was beaten within the opening hour of Saturday's action by Alex Rins, with Yamaha's world champion Fabio Quartararo and KTM's Brad Binder then edging ahead of the Suzuki rider as the top five broke into the 1m 31s by 11am, where they have remained.

Best of the rest Jorge Martin, plus Joan Mir and Andrea Dovizioso are among the riders to have fallen in the morning.
Should rain stay away, some riders predict a 1m 29s will be possible by the close of testing on Sunday evening.

The three-day outing, which follows hot on the heels of a two-day Sepang test, marks the final chance for official MotoGP track time before next month's Qatar season-opener.

The Mandalika race, Indonesia's first grand prix since 1997, is then schedule for March 18-20.

Testing at Mandalika takes place from 9am to 5pm, followed by practice starts…



2022 OFFICIAL MANDALIKA MOTOGP TEST - SATURDAY (12PM)
RIDER NAT TEAM TIME
1 = Brad Binder RSA Red Bull KTM (RC16) 1m 31.814s
2 = Fabio Quartararo FRA Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) +0.006s
3 = Alex Rins SPA Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR) +0.070s
4 = Enea Bastianini ITA Gresini Ducati (GP21) +0.073s
5 = Aleix Espargaro SPA Aprilia Racing (RS-GP) +0.092s
6 = Jorge Martin SPA Pramac Ducati (GP22) +0.266s
7 = Maverick Vinales SPA Aprilia Racing (RS-GP) +0.300s
8 = Johann Zarco FRA Pramac Ducati (GP22) +0.413s
9 ^7 Pol Espargaro SPA Repsol Honda (RC213V) +0.417s
10 ?1 Takaaki Nakagami JPN LCR Honda (RC213V) +0.486s
11 ?1 Luca Marini ITA Mooney VR46 Ducati (GP22) +0.503s
12 ?1 Marc Marquez SPA Repsol Honda (RC213V) +0.561s
13 ^9 Raul Fernandez SPA KTM Tech3 (RC16)* +0.587s
14 ?2 Alex Marquez SPA LCR Honda (RC213V) +0.705s
15 ^5 Jack Miller AUS Ducati Lenovo (GP22) +0.783s
16 ?3 Miguel Oliveira POR Red Bull KTM (RC16) +0.792s
17 ?3 Franco Morbidelli ITA Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) +0.840s
18 ?1 Francesco Bagnaia ITA Ducati Lenovo (GP22) +0.939s
19 ?4 Joan Mir SPA Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR) +1.016s
20 ?2 Andrea Dovizioso ITA WithU Yamaha RNF (YZR-M1) +1.188s
21 ?2 Remy Gardner AUS KTM Tech3 (RC16)* +1.296s
22 ?1 Marco Bezzecchi ITA Mooney VR46 Ducati (GP21)* +1.351s
23 = Fabio Di Giannantonio ITA Gresini Ducati (GP21)* +1.845s
24 = Darryn Binder RSA WithU Yamaha RNF (YZR-M1)* +1.860s

*Rookie

Key:
^X Rider is X positions higher than previous hour.
= Rider is same position as previous hour.
?X Rider is X positions lower than previous hour.

[GORDON STREETER]

Mandalika Test Day 2 Full Results:


Pos. Team Time
1 Marini VR46 Racing 1:31.289
Gap
2 Marquez Honda Team 1:31.481 0.192
3 Viñales Aprilia Racing 1:31.516 0.227
4 Quartararo Yamaha MotoGP 1:31.564 0.275
5 Mir Suzuki Team 1:31.586 0.297
6 Zarco Pramac Racing 1:31.586 0.297
7 Bastianini Gresini Racing 1:31.599 0.31
8 Espargaro Honda Team 1:31.605 0.316
9 Martin Pramac Racing 1:31.665 0.376
11 Binder KTM Factory 1:31.814 0.525
12 Morbidelli Yamaha MotoGP 1:31.849 0.56
13 Rins Suzuki Team 1:31.884 0.595
14 Espargaro Aprilia Racing 1:31.906 0.617
15 Nakagami LCR Honda 1:31.918 0.629
16 Marquez LCR Honda 1:31.980 0.691
17 Di Giannantonio Gresini 1:32.047 0.758
18 Oliveira KTM Factory 1:32.200 0.911
19 Dovizioso Yamaha RNF 1:32.303 1.014
20 Miller Ducati Team 1:32.318 1.029
21 Fernandez Tech3 KTM 1:32.401 1.112
22 Bezzecchi VR46 Racing 1:32.471 1.182
23 Gardner Tech3 KTM 1:32.598 1.309
24 Binder Yamaha RNF 1:33.053 1.764

[GORDON STREETER]

[Gerard C]

Tight gaps, thanks Gordon.

[GORDON STREETER]

Originally Posted by Gerard C

Tight gaps, thanks Gordon.

Good to see Aprilia up the sharp end, however time will tell !

[GORDON STREETER]

Split between the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia and the new Mandalika International Street Circuit in Indonesia, pre-season testing for MotoGP consisted of just five official days of running.
Honda's Pol Espargaro topped the Mandalika test outright on HRC's radically revised 2022 bike, with the Japanese marque looking like it has come in from the cold after two difficult seasons.
Reigning world champion Fabio Quartararo was left unhappy with his Yamaha, while Ducati's form remains unknown as it still has some work to do to get the best from its new engine.
At Suzuki, progress looks like it has been made with its GSX-RR after a poor defence to its and Joan Mir's title in 2021, while both KTM and Aprilia have cause for cautious optimism.

[Gerard C]

As to the engine management seems we have two groups, ones knowing what to do and others still working out. Good to see HRC back on the front row.

[GORDON STREETER]

The 2021 MotoGP season proved to be a breakout campaign for Aprilia, as Espargaro guided it to its first podium in the modern premier class era seven years into its comeback.

Aprilia – entering its first campaign since its comeback as an outright manufacturer team having previously run its operation in conjunction with Gresini Racing - made major changes to its RS-GP last year having been the only marque able to freely develop its bike coming into and throughout 2021 owing to concession regulations.

The marque has seemingly made further gains with its bike in 2022, ending the Malaysia test second overall and the Indonesia test fourth overall.

Asked whether he felt Aprilia had to win a race this year to truly show its progress, Espargaro replied: “Yes, for sure. Last year we achieved the first podium, so obviously we are going to try to win.

“But it’s very difficult. I think this year the championship is going to be the most difficult of the history of MotoGP for sure because the level of the riders and the level of the bikes is unbelievable.

“But yes, we are closer than ever to this target. Even if it’s a very difficult target, we are closer than ever.”

[S griffin]

Aprilia are on the up, but they need to maintain that progress through this year. But the signs are there that they can keep improving. Having Maverick should help

Testing times are encouraging. Obviously we shouldn't draw too many conclusions before the first race. But Aprilia should be up there at least from time to time based on times so far

It's gonna be hard to pick a champion at this stage, the first few races will, as always, give us some idea. I am certainly looking forward to the championship. And if Aprilia are up there, even better!

[GORDON STREETER]

Rejoice! The winter months have been long and chilly but as the year tips into its first days of spring, so begins the 2022 MotoGP World Championship which this weekend roars into life with the Qatar MotoGP in Losail.

After two COVID interrupted campaigns, the 2022 MotoGP season marks the first ‘traditional’ international season since 2019 with an expanded 21-race line-up that includes returns to a number of missed venues, plus new outings to Indonesia and Finland.

[justracing]

Bring it on! So will Aprillia run at the front? Is this the Maverick's return?

[S griffin]

Look forward to it too. I do hope Aprillia are up there, but most of all I hope it's very competitive. Can't wait to see which riders will be at the front in Qatar. I hope Maverick shows he's still got it, although it will be tough for him

[GORDON STREETER]

Free Practice (2) results from the Qatar MotoGP at Lusail, the opening round of the 2022 world championship.

Suzuki's Alex Rins edged out Marc Marquez to lead Friday practice for the 2022 MotoGP season-opener in Qatar.

As the only night session before direct access to Qualifying 2 is decided, all riders pushed hard for a time attack in FP2 this evening.

Like FP1, Saturday's FP3 will take place in hotter and slower daylight conditions, meaning the FP2 top ten could have already secured their place in Saturday's pole position shootout.

Brad Binder's surprise fastest lap in FP1 was beaten in the opening minutes of FP2, with Aleix Espargaro again putting Aprilia at the top of the early timesheets.

[justracing]

Originally Posted by GORDON STREETER

Free Practice (2) results from the Qatar MotoGP at Lusail, the opening round of the 2022 world championship.

Suzuki's Alex Rins edged out Marc Marquez to lead Friday practice for the 2022 MotoGP season-opener in Qatar.

Aleix Espargaro again putting Aprilia at the top of the early timesheets.

And Maverick - 17th! It's early days but both Suzukis looked particularly fast.
Jake Dixon was quick in FP2 until he had an unsuspected tumble late on and it will be interestiing to see how John Mac performs having moved to Max Biaggi's Sterilgarda team.

[S griffin]

Not a great start for Maverick. Looking very good for the Suzukis, can't wait for qualifying. It's gonna be epic from the start. Be interested to see how the new teams and riders go

[justracing]

Some of these GP bikes are downright ugly particularly the Ducatis with all the aero appendages, the Gresini bikes look as though they have a dustbin lid on the front and some of the side fairings are ridiculous.

[justracing]

I think perhaps it's the colour scheme on the Gresini machines which make it appear so bulky.

[justracing]

Well the suits won't be too pleased at Bologna getting beaten by 2 satellite teams in qualifying.