Star InactiveStar InactiveStar InactiveStar InactiveStar Inactive

Yamaha duo Valentino Rossi and Maverick Vinales had a difficult day in the Catalan Grand Prix, with both riders facing a fight back from the off.

Rossi, who started P13 after missing out on entry to Q2, made good progress until a tougher latter part of the race, whereas Vinales dropped back after a run off at Turn 1 and then managed to ride back into P10.

Grip was a challenge for the factory outfit throughout the Catalan GP.

Now it’s a test day on Monday in Montmelo, before the paddock heads north to the TT Circuit Assen.

Despite this troubles, Rossi remains motivated to test some new parts after the race at the Spanish circuit.

"It’s a great shame for us that we suffered a lot on this track because it is one of my favourites." Said the Doctor "It is a great shame that we suffered in Jerez and in Barcelona where last I won."

"It was a very difficult weekend, but now we have the test tomorrow, and we have some interesting stuff to try so we hope to improve."

"It’s a great shame also because I lost two positions in the Championship, but it’s still very, very tight."

Vinales sees that was the best they could have done, and remains happy to stay leading the championship.

"It was a really difficult day, and there are days where you have to get points, which today we did. Tenth was the best we could and for sure it’s not the normal place, but anyway today we did our best so we have to be happy." He said

"We took six points, so some points and at least we are first in the Championship. I’m angry for sure, because every time I get a lead in the Championship, something happens to me so it’s really very strange."

"Dovizioso is riding impressively, congratulations, because he is doing an impressive job, so let’s continue like this and hope we can get a better result in Assen."

source: motogp.com

Star InactiveStar InactiveStar InactiveStar InactiveStar Inactive

Alvaro Bautista was on a charge at the Catalan GP, battling it out with Jorge Lorenzo and Johann Zarco in spectacular style before running out of rear grip and concentrating on another solid finish.

The Spaniard achieved that in a solid P7, setting him up with some good momentum ahead of the next back-to-back races at Assen and Sachsenring.

"The race was very tough because of the heat and track, it’s always difficult to race here." Said Butista "I had a good start and I tried to manage the tyre consumption, especially on the first laps I tried to not push a lot, so some riders passed me but I tried to stay with them so I could pass and save some tyres for the end."

"Lap by lap I started to feel the tyres dropping off and especially the last five laps it was difficult to stay on the bike. I saw that two riders were in front of me; I was very close but on the last lap I lost the front and had to go wide in the chicane."

"I lost a lot of time so I couldn’t fight with them. It was difficult because they had a little more traction than me, but we finished the race which is important, and we got 7th position so I’m happy for that. We’ll see about Assen because it’s totally different from here, it’s cooler and the track is very demanding for the direction change, so we will see." He added

"I think we are on the right path now and we have to keep working like this: working really well during the weekend, doing better in Qualifying, so our target is to stay on the same level as we are here and the last races."

source: motogp.com

Star InactiveStar InactiveStar InactiveStar InactiveStar Inactive

Jorge Lorenzo led briefly for the first time in red at Mugello, but the Catalan GP saw the ‘Spartan’ back at the front for a number of laps at the start.

From a first front row for Ducati to leading the field, Lorenzo then fell back slightly as he was unable to match the pace.

That prefaced a slice back through the field up to fourth, with Dani Pedrosa out of reach in the last place on the podium but an impressive finish nonetheless.

"We knew it would be a kind of survival race and we had to be really careful with the right side of the rear tyre." Said the Spartan "Save the tyre, so you couldn’t push at the beginning."

"So I could be a little bit faster at the beginning and open the gap a little but I knew it would be worse for the end so I just controlled the throttle. I’m happy, first front row, and it was similar at the start to my era with Yamaha – just unfortunately I couldn’t keep the same pace for all the race."

"Dovi, Marc and Dani had something more, so they escaped. But finally I could be faster than the second group and finish in this good position. I’m happy for Dovi’s second victory and for the team, and I’m getting closer and closer every time!”

source: motogp.com

Star InactiveStar InactiveStar InactiveStar InactiveStar Inactive

Andrea Dovizioso has taken an incredible second win of the season in the Catalan Grand Prix, making him the first Ducati rider to take back-to-back wins for the Borgo Panigale factory since two-time MotoGP World Champion Casey Stoner achieved the feat in 2010.

Reigning Champion Marc Marquez left a spate of crashes in practice behind to take second, with his teammate - polesitter Dani Pedrosa – completing the rostrum.

There was drama off the line as Pedrosa got a good start from pole, but a wheelie from Jorge Lorenzo saw the ‘Spartan’ almost clash with fellow front row starter Danilo Petrucci – with Petrucci then making contact Marquez. The Italian dropped back, with the reigning Champion pulling clear as Lorenzo attacked for the lead and took over at the front.

Championship leader Maverick Vinales found himself heading through the run off area at Turn 1 off the start and dropping back, with the Spaniard then facing a fight back from outside the points after a tough weekend – and teammate Valentino Rossi unable to make big progress from P13 on the grid either.

Lorenzo led Marquez and Pedrosa, with Dovizioso on the hunt in fourth and Jonas Folger a big winner off the line to move up into fifth. Next it was Marquez who struck for the lead, with Pedrosa needing no invitation to follow him through. The ‘Spartan’ then lost out to his teammate ‘DesmoDovi’ as he began to struggle after the lightning start; Folger and Petrucci the next to get through.

‘Baby Samurai’ Pedrosa then chose his moment to attack for P1, able to keep it as Dovizioso struck on Marquez – but the top three couldn’t quite yet begin to pull away from Folger in fourth, or ‘Petrux’ just behind. After a handful of laps playing high-speed chess, Dovizioso then went around the outside of Pedrosa to take the lead – pulling a small gap before Marquez followed the Italian through.

A three-way fight then broke out between Alvaro Bautista, Johann Zarco and Lorenzo for P6, with the squabble providing some spectacular wheel-to-wheel action and the Frenchman initially coming out on top. The drama wasn’t over, however, with some running out of rubber and some making big gains as the final laps approached – with Lorenzo on a charge back through and Folger one to lose out.

As ‘DesmoDovi’ arrived at the final lap clear in the lead, it became apparent the dream of Mugello wasn’t something the Italian yet had to wake from – crossing the line for his fourth career win to become the first Ducati rider since Casey Stoner in 2010 to win back-to-back.

Marquez kept it calm to take second and get back on the podium after a tough Italian GP, with Pedrosa crossing the line in third to join his teammate on the bounce back from the Italian GP.

Lorenzo sliced back through to take fourth at the flag, ahead of Zarco getting the better of Folger in a last minute duel between the Tech 3 machines. Bautista, after a late run off, came home in P7.

Valentino Rossi came home in eighth, Hector Barbera took P9, and Maverick Vinales made it to the flag in tenth - taking a big hit on his points lead in the Championship.

Cal Crutchlow, Loris Baz, Scott Redding, Karel Abraham and home hero Tito Rabat completed the top fifteen. EG 0,0 Marc VDS rider Jack Miller crashed out of top ten contention, with Aleix Espargaro also failing to see the flag after retiring with a problem.

 Race Result - 25 Laps

Pos. Rider Team Time/Gap
1 Andrea DOVIZIOSO Ducati Team 44'41.518
2 Marc MARQUEZ Repsol Honda Team 3.544
3 Dani PEDROSA Repsol Honda Team 6.774
4 Jorge LORENZO Ducati Team 9.608
5 Johann ZARCO Monster Yamaha Tech 3 13.838
6 Jonas FOLGER Monster Yamaha Tech 3 13.921
7 Alvaro BAUTISTA Pull&Bear Aspar Team 16.763
8 Valentino ROSSI Movistar Yamaha MotoGP 20.821
9 Hector BARBERA Reale Avintia Racing 23.952
10 Maverick VIÑALES Movistar Yamaha MotoGP 24.189
11 Cal CRUTCHLOW LCR Honda 28.329
12 Loris BAZ Reale Avintia Racing 33.281
13 Scott REDDING OCTO Pramac Racing 35.2
14 Karel ABRAHAM Pull&Bear Aspar Team 39.436
15 Tito RABAT EG 0,0 Marc VDS 40.872
16 Andrea IANNONE Team SUZUKI ECSTAR 43.221
17 Sylvain GUINTOLI Team SUZUKI ECSTAR 44.655
18 Pol ESPARGARO Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 48.993
19 Sam LOWES Aprilia Racing Team Gresini 55.492
Not Classified
  Danilo PETRUCCI OCTO Pramac Racing 2 Laps
  Jack MILLER EG 0,0 Marc VDS 12 Laps
  Aleix ESPARGARO Aprilia Racing Team Gresini 18 Laps

source: motogp.com

 

         

 

 

Search