#Red Bull GasGas Factory Racing Team

[crosscountryrally]

Red Bull Desert Wings con la ambición de ganar todas las categorías en este Dakar 2023

Red Bull estará presente en cuatro de las seis categorías en disputa en este Dakar 2023 con un potente equipo de pilotos que crece en talento año a año. El desafío comienza el 31 de diciembre con el prólogo.

En la categoría reina de Motos, Red Bull apoyará a los equipos oficiales GasGas y KTM con Sam Sunderland, Daniel Sanders, Toby Price, Matthias Walkner y Kevin Benavides bajo su paraguas y con opciones de quedarse con la victoria general. Además, cuentan con apoyo Balooshi, Chapeliere y Svitko.

En la categoría de Autos, todos los grandes candidatos tienen apoyo de la bebida energética con Nasser Al-Attiyah y Giniel de Villiers en el equipo oficial Toyota Gazoo Racing, Sebastien Loeb en Prodrive y Carlos Sainz, Stephane Peterhansel y Mattias Ekstrom en Audi. Además estarán junto al X-Raid MINI de Kuba Przygonski, al Astara de Laia Sanz y junto al nuevo reclutado brasileño Lucas Moraes.

En la categoría T3 de Prototipos Ligeros estarán detrás del equipo oficial Red Bull Can-Am con Cristina Gutiérrez y Chaleco López, con el Red Bull Junior de AJ Jones, Mitch Guthrie y Seth Quintero y apoyando a Guillaume de Mevius con el GRally en un OT3 y a Ignacio Casale con el Yamaha del X-Raid.

Finalmente, en T4 contaremos con Rokas Baciuska, actual campeón mundial de la disciplina.

Motos

#1 - Sam Sunderland (GBR) - Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing

#18 - Daniel Sanders (AUS) - Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing

#8 - Toby Price (AUS) - Red Bull KTM Factory Racing

#52 - Matthias Walkner (AUT) - Red Bull KTM Factory Racing

#47 - Kevin Benavides (ARG) - Red Bull KTM Factory Racing

#25 - Mohammed Balooshi (ARE) - MX Ride Dubai

#26 - Camille Chapelière (FRA) - Team Casteu

#142 - Štefan Svitko (SVK) - Cross Team

Autos

#200 - Nasser Al-Attiyah (QAT) / Mathieu Baumel (FRA) - Toyota Gazoo Racing

#205 - Giniel de Villiers (ZAF) / Dennis Murphy (ZAF) - Toyota Gazoo Racing

#230 - Lucas Moraes (BRA) / Timo Gottschalk (DEU) - Overdrive Toyota

#201 - Sébastien Loeb (FRA) / Fabian Lurquin (BEL) - Bahrain Raid Xtreme

#207 - Carlos Sainz (ESP) / Lucas Cruz (ESP) - Team Audi Sport

#204 - Stéphane Peterhansel (FRA) / Edouard Boulanger (FRA) - Team Audi Sport

#211 - Mattias Ekström (SWE) / Emil Bergkvist (SWE) - Team Audi Sport

#222 - Laia Sanz (ESP) / Maurizio Gerini (ITA) - Astara Team

#203 - Kuba Przygoński (POL) / Armand Monleon (ESP) - X-Raid MINI JCW Team

Prototipos Ligeros T3

#300 - Francisco ‘Chaleco’ López (CHL) / Juan Pablo Latrach (CHL) - Red Bull Can-Am Factory Racing

#302 - Cristina Gutiérrez (ESP) / Pablo Moreno Huete (ESP) - Red Bull Can-Am Factory Racing

#301 - Seth Quintero (USA) / Dennis Zenz (GER) - Red Bull Off-Road Junior Team presented by BF Goodrich

#303 - Austin ‘AJ’ Jones (USA) / Gustavo Gugelmin (BRA) - Red Bull Off-Road Junior Team presented by BF Goodrich

#314 - Mitch Guthrie (USA) / Kellon Walch (USA) - Red Bull Off-Road Junior Team presented by BF Goodrich

#304 - Guillaume De Mevius (BEL) / François Cazalet (FRA) - GRally Team

#322 - Ignacio Casale (CHL) / Alvaro León (CHL) - X-raid Yamaha Racing Supported Team

SSV T4

#400 - Rokas Baciuška (LTU) / Oriol Vidal (ESP) - Red Bull Can-Am Factory Racing

Imágenes: GasGas / Red Bull Content Pool / Prensa Red Bull / Prensa Laia Sanz

[saraw4ters]

[purooffroad]

The third round of the FIM Motocross World Championship held all its promises with a fantastic Grand Prix spread across Saturday for the RAM Qualifying Races and Monday for the races due to Easter Sunday! The brand-new track of Frauenfeld gave us some exciting fights across both categories and the atmosphere was electric thanks to the great Swiss public coming in large number.

At the end of the day the victory went to Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP Team’s Maxime Renaux, who won for the first time of the season as well as his first podium. Second on the podium was Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing’s Jorge Prado and third Kawasaki Racing Team’s Romain Febvre.

In MX2, it was also a first with Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 Team’s Thibault Benistant winning for the first time in 2023, in front of Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Andrea Adamo and Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Kay de Wolf.

Keep updated by joining our Puro Off-Road Channel here at the Telegram platform.

[thailandeventguide]

The 2023 Dakar Rally heads back to Saudi Arabia for its fourth edition on December 31, with the world's best off-road racers facing 5,000 racing kilometres spread over 14 special timed stages before the chequered flag finally falls at Dammam on January 15. Audi, Toyota and MINI will get challenged during the Red Bull Race.    Known as the pinnacle of Rally Raid, the Dakar Rally is a form of long-distance off-road racing that takes place over several days. The rally was born in 1977 after the French motorcycle racer Thierry Sabine got lost while driving his motorbike in the Libyan desert during the Abidjan-Nice Rally.     Start of the Dakar Rally After finding his way back to the civilised world, Sabine determined to design a race based on his former experience, starting from Europe, then Algiers and crossing the Agadeze before the rally finishes in Dakar. Dakar Rally was born.   The race has grown from destinations in Africa to South America. Now to Saudi Arabia, which may be on- or offroad a total distance of more than several thousand kilometres and requires precise navigation via a road book.    Dakar Rally will be the longest since the start, and participants must tackle 5,000 kilometres of notable routes and 14 stages. The trails have more dunes and potential pitfalls than ever before. The prologue starts tomorrow in Yanbu by the Red Sea and ends in Dammam on the Arabian Gulf on 15 January 2023.     The 2023 Dakar Rally Athletes   The team of champions at the Dakar Rally must endure the racing challenges, and fresh-faced talents must prepare to push themselves to the limit in a decor of the gruelling heat and sands of South Arabia.  Drivers in the T1 Car Class, Nasser Al-Attiyah and co-driver Mathieu Baumel (FRA), make their way in a Toyota GR DKR Hilux T1+. The driver aims for a fourth Dakar title. Nasser said: "We're ready to defend our title. It would be incredible to win again."   Using the exact vehicle are the drivers (ZAF)/Dennis Murphy (ZAF), Giniel De Villiers and, Lucas Moraes (BRA)/Timo Gottschalk (DEU), who also will return to the rally. Sebastian Loeb (FRA) and co-driver Fabian Lurquin (BEL) push their BRX Prodrive Hunter after being runner-up to Al-Attiyah in 2022.     Of course, the Audi Team can't miss out during this critical Dakar Rally race. Three-time Dakar Winner Carlos Sainz and co-driver Lucas Cruz from Spain race in their Audi RS Q e-Tron E2. Monsieur Dakar, Stéphane Peterhansel (FRA) and co-driver Edouard Boulanger (FRA) will join in Audi's three-pronged assault with Mattias Ekström (SWE) and Emil Bergkvist (SWE). Quite the opposite is MINI driver Kuba Przygoński (POL) with co-driver Armand Monleon (ESP) on board.   On bikes during the competition are Dakar and FIM World Rally-Raid Championship bike champion Sam Sunderland (GBR), who will represent Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing as he targets a third Dakar victory. "The 2023 race is looking to be one of the toughest ever. I'm under no illusion of what that means.", according to Sam.   Another rider is the Australian Daniel Saunders. He scored fourth in 2021 with two-time Dakar winner Toby Price. The Australian said: "The terrain in Saudi Arabia makes the rally very fast. Some stages are a sprint to the finish."   Other former Red Bull racers who return are Matthias Walkner (AUT) and Kevin Benavides (ARG), while Štefan Svitko (SVK), Mohammed Balooshi (ARE) and Camille Chapelière (FRA), who are all former champions of the Dakar Rally.     Complete Dakar Rally Red Bull Athlete Participants List: Bikes #1 - Sam Sunderland (GBR) - Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing #18 - Daniel Sanders (AUS) - Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing #8 - Toby Price (AUS) - Red Bull KTM Factory Racing #52 - Matthias Walkner (AUT) - Red Bull KTM Factory Racing #47 - Kevin Benavides (ARG) - Red B

ull KTM Factory Racing #25 - Mohammed Balooshi (ARE) - MX Ride Dubai #26 - Camille Chapelière (FRA) - Team Casteu #142 - Štefan Svitko (SVK) - Cross Team Cars #200 - Nasser Al-Attiyah (QAT) / Mathieu Baumel (FRA) - Toyota Gazoo Racing #205 - Giniel de Villiers (ZAF) / Dennis Murphy (ZAF) - Toyota Gazoo Racing #230 - Lucas Moraes (BRA) / Timo Gottschalk (DEU) - Toyota Gazoo Racing #201 - Sébastien Loeb (FRA) / Fabian Lurquin (BEL) - Bahrain Raid Xtreme #207 - Carlos Sainz (ESP) / Lucas Cruz (ESP) - Team Audi Sport #204 - Stéphane Peterhansel (FRA) / Edouard Boulanger (FRA) - Team Audi Sport #211 - Mattias Ekström (SWE) / Emil Bergkvist (SWE) - Team Audi Sport #222 - Laia Sanz (ESP) / Maurizio Gerini (ITA) - Astara Team #203 - Kuba Przygoński (POL) / Armand Monleon (ESP) - X-Raid MINI JCW Team Lightweight Prototype #300 - Francisco ‘Chaleco’ López (CHL) / Juan Pablo Latrach (CHL) - Red Bull Can-Am Factory Racing #302 - Cristina Gutiérrez (ESP) / Pablo Moreno (ESP) - Red Bull Can-Am Factory Racing #400 - Rokas Baciuška (LTU) / Oriol Vidal (ESP) - Red Bull Can-Am Factory Racing #301 - Seth Quintero (USA) / Dennis Zenz (GER) - Red Bull Off-Road Junior Team presented by BF Goodrich #303 - Austin ‘AJ’ Jones (USA) / Gustavo Gugelmin (BRA) - Red Bull Off-Road Junior Team presented by BF Goodrich #314 - Mitch Guthrie (USA) / Kellon Walch (USA) - Red Bull Off-Road Junior Team presented by BF Goodrich #304 - Guillaume De Mevius (BEL) / François Cazalet (FRA) - GRally Team #322 - Ignacio Casale (CHL) / Alvaro León (CHL) - X-raid Yamaha Racing Supported Team https://thailandeventguide.com/dakar-rally-countdown-2023/?feed_id=1388&_unique_id=63af16dc3c2b4

[crossprensa]

MXGP INGLATERRA - BRILLANTE!!!

MXGP INGLATERRA – BRILLANTE!!!

 la carrera inaugural del Campeonato Mundial de Motocross FIM 2022 concluyó con Tim Gajser del Team HRC y Simon Längenfelder de Red Bull GasGas Factory Racing asegurando las victorias generales en el MXGP de Gran Bretaña . Esta vez, los pilotos disfrutaron de cielos azules y soleados y una pista técnica que los puso a todos a prueba y el resultado general ofreció una carrera muy luchada. (more…)

[bikerspiritmagazine]

Οι Gajser και Längenfelder ξεκινούν με νίκες την σεζόν 2022 στο MXGP της Μεγάλης Βρετανίας - Αποτελέσματα

Οι Gajser και Längenfelder ξεκινούν με νίκες την σεζόν 2022 στο MXGP της Μεγάλης Βρετανίας – Αποτελέσματα

Ο εναρκτήριος γύρος του Παγκόσμιου Πρωταθλήματος Motocross FIM MXGP 2022 ολοκληρώθηκε με τον Tim Gajser της Team HRC και τον Simon Längenfelder της Red Bull GasGas Factory Racing να εξασφαλίζουν τις νίκες του Great Britain MXG . (more…)

[2022dakar]

The eighth stage of the Dakar 2022 was one of the longest, with more than 5 hours of special. Today they competitors had to face a 394km special but they had to add another 434km of liaison, of which almost 70km of track and sailing on course. It is the second longest stage in terms of time on the bike and one of the most complicated for the sum of 100km on dunes.

Car stage winner: Mattias Ekstrom / Emil Bergkvist (Team Audi Sport) Bike stage winner: S. Sunderland (Gasgas Factory Racing) Quad stage winner: Alexandre Giroud (Yamaha Racing - Smx - Drag'On) SSV stage winner: Marek Goczal / Lukasz Laskawiec (Cobant-Energylandia Rally Team) LWV stage winner: Seth Quintero / Dennis Zenz (Red Bull Off-Road Junior Team Usa) Truck stage winner: Dmitry Sotnikov / Ruslan Akhmadeev / Ilgiz Akhmetzianov (Kamaz - Master)

Join The Dakar channel

[redbullbaja]

Honda rider Joan Barreda became the first repeat stage winner of the 2022 Dakar Rally on Wednesday, while Danilo Petrucci put on a starring performance to finish third. In what was the longest stage of Dakar 2022 with a 464km special located between Al Qaisumah and Riyadh, two-time MotoGP race winner Petrucci set the early pace on the KTM as he led the pack until the first three waypoints. Barreda surged ahead at the next neutralisation mark and, although Petrucci was able to keep up with his pace initially, the Spanish rider was soon able to build a significant advantage out front. With the challenge from Petrucci subsiding, Barreda cruised to a 29th career stage win in Dakar, taking the top honours by 4m37s. Pablo Quintanilla made it a 1-2 for defending champions Honda, the Chilean rider moving clear of Petrucci at the penultimate waypoint and eventually finishing just over two minutes clear of the 31-year-old.

The Sherco TVS team enjoyed its strongest outing in Dakar so far, with sophomore year rider Rui Goncalves finishing eight minutes down on Barreda in fourth and teammate Lorenzo Santolino ending up right behind him in fifth. Further back, Sam Sunderland set the seventh-quickest time of the day to hold on to his lead in the overall standings. However, his GasGas teammate Daniel Sanders endured a much trickier day, finishing over 18 minutes off the pace in 17th. It was also a day of mixed fortunes for the factory KTM team with Matthias Walkner the only other rider apart from Petrucci to break inside the top 10. The 2018 Dakar winner ended the day eighth-quickest, eight places ahead of new teammate Kevin Benavides, while Toby Price struggled to 30th on the other factory KTM 450 Rally bike. Over at Yamaha, Adrien van Beveren led the charge for the Japanese manufacturer in 12th, while Andrew Short and Ross Branch were classified 14th and 15th respectively. In the general classification, Sunderland now holds a three-minute lead over Walkner, with van Beveren dropping to third on the lead Yamaha. Sanders moves up to fourth place after stewards cancelled a 10-minute Stage 2 penalty following a protest by his GasGas team. Santolino now sits fifth overall, while Quintanilla remains Honda’s top rider in sixth- 11m13s down on Sunderland. A second stage win in three days has propelled Barreda to seventh in the standings, just 13 minutes off the top spot.

Join the “The Dakar” channel here...

------- *Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use. No copyright infringement intended. ALL RIGHTS BELONG TO THEIR RESPECTIVE OWNERS* Attribution : Red Bull Media House GmbH

[crosscountryrally]

Nuevos colores para los campeones defensores del Dakar en motos: Sam Sunderland y Daniel Sanders representarán a Red Bull GasGas Factory Racing Team

El equipo oficial de GasGas ha llegado con todo para quedarse y convertirse en un nombre grande en el rally raid.  Después de conseguir su primer triunfo en el Dakar en 2022 con Sam Sunderland, el equipo dependiente de KTM recibirá un nuevo espaldarazo al ser apoyado oficialmente por Red Bull como sponsor principal. Así, el equipo pasará a llamarse Red Bull GasGas Factory Racing Team para este Dakar 2023 y la temporada del Mundial de Rally Raid FIM W2RC, ambos certámenes donde son campeones con Sunderland. El piloto británico volverá a estar reunido con el prometedor Daniel Sanders buscando otro triunfo en Arabia Saudita.

“Me uní a GASGAS justo antes del último Dakar y esto fue algo muy positivo para mí. Ahora he corrido con el equipo durante todo un año y después de la victoria en el Dakar obtuve el título del Campeonato Mundial de Rally-Raid. Todas estas experiencias son definitivamente importantes cuando se trata de competir en el Dakar. A lo largo de mi carrera siempre parece haber aprendido de la manera difícil. Guardo esos recuerdos conmigo y trato de no repetir ningún error que haya cometido en el pasado” declaró Sam Sunderland, tal vez el piloto favorito a quedarse con el Dakar considerando los resultados de la temporada 2022. “Para mí, lo más importante del Dakar es la aventura. Por mucho que sea un corredor y mi objetivo sea ganar, todavía me encanta la aventura de este rally. Salimos todas las mañanas a las 3 am sin saber a dónde vamos y luego descubrimos cosas nuevas, gente nueva y lugares nuevos en el camino. Eso sigue siendo lo mejor de lo que hacemos”.

“En el último Dakar gané tres etapas y quedé tercero en la general en el Día de Descanso. Luego, el día siete tuve un accidente en la carretera y me destruí el codo izquierdo, así que quedé fuera de la carrera. Después de un largo período de recuperación, volví a subirme a la moto en junio y gané la Hattah Desert Race en Australia. Luego estaba probando en los EE. UU. y, lamentablemente, volví a romperme el codo por completo. Todo va bien ahora y estoy listo para correr el próximo Dakar” complementó Daniel Sanders. “Este año va a ser muy duro después de casi nueve meses sin andar en moto. He estado trabajando duro para volver a donde estaba. Estoy listo para el desafío y creo que podré regresar y obtener un buen resultado. Mi plan es pilotar de manera inteligente durante todo el proceso. Mi objetivo para los próximos años es estar en ese podio tanto como sea posible”.

“Me veo como parte de la nueva generación de corredores en el Dakar y seguro que estoy haciendo todo lo que puedo para aprender de los campeones anteriores. Ahora tengo 28 años y creo que me quedan otros ocho años al más alto nivel. Cada año, el rally se vuelve más y más rápido, por lo que debes asegurarte de mantener el ritmo” concluyó Sanders.

El Dakar 2023 ya se nos viene dentro de un mes, partiendo el 31 de diciembre.

Imágenes: Red Bull Content Pool

[crosscountryrally]

Sam Sunderland se perderá el Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge por lesión en el tobillo

Otra baja sensible para el Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge en motos. El campeón mundial Sam Sunderland se ausentará del evento luego de golpear fuertemente en un salto en las pruebas previas al evento y lesionarse en la parte inferior de la tibia derecha. Si bien la lesión tal vez no es de la magnitud de la de Kevin Benavides, Sunderland espera retornar recién en la tercera ronda en el Sonora Rally en México y no competirá este fin de semana.

Con este incidente, el equipo GasGas completo estará ausente en Abu Dhabi ya que Daniel Sanders no tenía planificado participar, también en recuperación luego del Dakar y esperando retornar en México. 

“La noticia de la lesión de Sam ha supuesto un duro golpe para todo el equipo Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing. Estaba realizando una prueba final antes del evento, pasó por encima de una duna y aterrizó en un agujero que provocó que se rompiera el tobillo. Es una pena para Sam, especialmente después de todo el arduo trabajo que ha realizado para estar en forma para esta carrera después de perderse la mayor parte del Dakar. Desafortunadamente, esto significa que GASGAS no estará representado en esta segunda ronda del campeonato mundial. Pero ya estamos mirando hacia la tercera ronda y tener a nuestros dos muchachos de vuelta en sus motos. Todo el equipo desea a Sam todo lo mejor y una pronta recuperación” declaró  Norbert Stadlbauer, team manager de Red Bull GasGas Factory Racing.

Imagen: Prensa GasGas

[sbknews]

Fernandez and Acosta set to Get on the GAS for 2024 MotoGP

GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3 will continue to showcase some of the best and brightest Spanish talent in MotoGP as Augusto Fernandez and Pedro Acosta will surge into the 2024 championship with the GASGAS RC16s. Reigning Moto2™ World Champion and notable 2023 MotoGP rookie, Augusto Fernandez, will remain with the GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3 squad for his second term at the highest level. The 26-year-old Majorcan caught the eye with points-scoring performances in all but two of the 14 Grands Prix so far this season and has posted a personal best 4th place at the French Grand Prix. In Japan last weekend he notched his second-best classification with 7th place through tricky rainy conditions at Motegi. Augusto has shown potential and maturity while also progressing with his adaptation to the 2023 GASGAS RC16. He will be joined by the man who could be next in line for the Moto2 gold medal. Pedro Acosta is in only his third full season of world championship competition but the prolific 19-year-old has won the Moto3 title (2021), Moto2 Grands Prix as a rookie (2022) and has snared 11 podiums from 14 rounds this year to head the standings by more than 50 points. Acosta has the ability, the racecraft and the sheer natural talent to join the MotoGP grid and complete a remarkable journey through the company’s talent structure from being Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup Champion in 2020 to premier class racer in 2024. GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3 rider, Pol Espargaro, will fill a crucial and very valued position for the Pierer Mobility Motorsport project next year. The likeable 32-year-old was part of this joint-decision for both the short and long-term future of the company’s MotoGP goals. Pol is greatly appreciated for his commitment and experience; right from the very first days of the Pierer Mobility Group’s MotoGP entry up until his dedicated quest to return to competitiveness after injury sustained earlier in 2023. #44 is an important asset for supporting talented young athletes and maintaining the strength of the current racing set-up and his humility is evidenced by the willingness to assist the next generation hoping to follow in his footsteps. Pol’s character, energy and abilities mean he will still be a prominent member of the MotoGP program on both sides of the pit wall. Pit Beirer, GASGAS Motorsports Director: “We had an important and difficult decision to make for our GASGAS team for 2024. Augusto has made impressive first steps in MotoGP and we are totally convinced he has the speed and the intelligence to keep on progressing. Pedro is a very special talent who has already won so much, so quickly and 2024 will be about him learning to take the next step with the big boys in MotoGP. I want to thank Pol for everything he has done and all he continues to do for us. This guy is super-tough and super-determined and that’s why we want to count on him as an important part of our structure. Pol’s openness and proactiveness deserves my deepest respect. It underlines his greatness as a person that he gave us a helping hand in this situation. It also shows his passion for the sport and his thoughts for the future. With these pieces in place and with Hervé, Nicolas, and all the team and their experience we have an exciting year ahead for the GASGAS brand.” Read the full article

[sbknews]

Martin smashes lap record for magnificent Misano pole

Bezzecchi and Bagnaia lead the resistance as qualifying sets the stage for some spectacular showdowns. Qualifying laps don’t get any better than that! Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) will start the Gran Premio Red Bull di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini Tissot Sprint and Grand Prix race from pole position after setting a phenomenal 1:30.390 – a Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli all-time lap record. Key rivals and home heroes Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) and Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) join him on the front row on their home turf after stellar efforts in qualifying, despite riding through the pain barrier.

Q1: APRILIA RULE As the first hot laps were slammed in, Miguel Oliveira (CryptoDATA RNF MotoGP™ Team) led by a healthy 0.3s over Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™), with Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) 0.6s adrift in P8 – as younger brother Pol Espargaro (GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3) suffered an early crash. Quartararo improved his time to a 1:31.678 to get a tenth and a half clear of third place Michele Pirro (Aruba.it Racing), but Pirro's fellow wildcard Stefan Bradl (HRC Team) then pounced to P2. Pol Espargaro’s session was then over as he went down unhurt for a second time, as Aleix Espargaro shot to P1 by 0.021s. Could Quartararo get himself back into the top two? Not quite. The slimmest of margins cost El Diablo – 0.038s to be precise – as Oliveira returned to P1 on his last lap, heading through with Aleix Espargaro.

Q2: LAP RECORD OBLITERATED After a brief pause in proceedings, the fastest 12 riders fired up their machines as we got set for the San Marino GP pole position fight. After the slower banker laps were set, the rapid times started to come in as Bezzecchi’s 1:31.027 handed the Italian a tenth advantage over Martin, with Bagnaia’s first lap placing him a brilliant P3 – 0.152s off Bezzecchi’s time. Martin then went for another time attack and it was a new all-time lap record – a 1:30.832 saw the Spaniard rise to P1, 0.195s clear of the chasers. As the pack peeled back into pitlane, Martin led Bezzecchi and Bagnaia, with Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) P4 and Aleix Espargaro P5 – the leading quintet in the title race setting the pace in the opening part of Q2. An absolute barnstormer then came from Martin on fresh rubber, a mind-blowing 1:30.390 putting the #89 0.6s clear on provisional pole. Dani Pedrosa (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) was the rider in second, but briefly, as elsewhere Pecco climbed onto the front row again. Bezzecchi responded to return to take over in second, but the #72 was a mighty four tenths adrift. On his final lap, Pecco was giving it all he had. A red split came through Sector 2 but time was lost in the latter half of the lap, as the Championship leader improved his time but stayed P3 – 0.039s away from Bezzecchi. In the end though, no one could get within touching distance of Martin’s absolute stunner. A first pole since the 2022 Valencia GP was clinched by the title-chasing Spaniard, and what a time to do it!

THE GRID Behind the Martin, Bezzecchi, Bagnaia front row, Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) was able to set his personal best time on the final lap to climb to the front of Row 2 in P4. He has wildcard Pedrosa – the leading KTM! – and Aleix Espargaro for company behind the leading trio. Binder fronts Row 3 in P7, with Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) and Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) claiming P8 and P9 respectively. Oliveira, Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) and Raul Fernandez (CryptoDATA RNF MotoGP™ Team) round out the top 12. Find the full grid below! The stage is set for some serious action on the Rimini riviera. Don't miss it. For more MotoGP info checkout our dedicated MotoGP News page Or visit the official MotoGP website www.motogp.com Read the full article