MotoGP

Vinales has been suspended by Yamaha following the Styrian GP, in which he attempted to deliberately damage his bike’s engine in the closing laps. Yamaha announced on the eve of last weekend’s Austrian GP that Vinales had been suspended and withdrawn from the second Red Bull Ring race. Vinales publicly apologised to Yamaha on Saturday in Austria, admitting his actions in the Styrian GP were driven by frustration at his situation during the race and within Yamaha in general. The relationship between both parties broke down irreparably across the 2021 season, with Vinales requesting his two-year contract to be terminated at the end of the current campaign. Last Monday Aprilia confirmed it had signed Vinales for the 2022 season. Yamaha said last week any decision on Vinales competing in further races this year would be subject to discussion. “At the moment, everything is possible,” Yamaha team manager Massimo Meregalli told BT Sport last weekend in regards to the possibility of Vinales racing again. “The decision [to suspend him] was made here, it was made by us [in Europe]. We had some talks with Japan, but the first step was to suspend in view of this race. “Then we will see what happens.” Vinales will not race at the British GP, with Yamaha test rider Cal Crutchlow set to take over the second factory M1 alongside Fabio Quartararo for his home event. Crutchlow, who retired at the end of 2020, has been deputising for the injured Franco Morbidelli at Petronas SRT for the Austrian double-header and was due to do the same at Silverstone. His place at SRT for the British GP will be taken by SRT Moto2 rider Jake Dixon, who will make his MotoGP debut in front of his home crowd. SRT will use the British GP outing to evaluate Dixon as one of its options for the 2022 season, with the team’s search for a new line-up in the wake of Morbidelli’s promotion to the factory squad in 2022 in place of Vinales and Valentino Rossi’s retirement becoming complicated in recent weeks. Last Sunday Petronas announced it would be ending its title sponsorship of SRT for 2022, while Yamaha is set to only supply it with ‘B-spec’ machinery next year. With limited options, SRT looks set to promote Darryn Binder straight from Moto3 to MotoGP next year, with the South African testing a Yamaha Superbike at Brno on Tuesday. At this stage, it’s unclear whether Vinales’ suspension will extend only to Silverstone or if his days at Yamaha have come to a premature end.

MotoGP star Miguel Oliveira has married his step-sister and now the pair have announced that they’re expecting a baby. The 26-year-old sportsman kept his relationship a secret for 11 years before announcing that he was going out with the daughter of his dad’s second wife. Oliveira and Andreia Pimenta got engaged and started planning their wedding which had to be postponed due to his racing commitments. In a post on Instagram on 26 July, Oliveira told his fans: “This weekend we made the most important curve of our lives. We sealed our love through marriage and we want to share it with you. “I feel happy and lucky to share my life with my wife who is my other half. Thank you all.” Then five days ago they shared some more news: they’re having a baby. Once again, Oliveira took to Instagram writing: “Our lives will carry out with a special company. A job that will last the rest of our journey. Anxious to meet you my love.” The happy couple were flooded with messages of congratulations with MotoGP’s official page telling them: “We’re so happy for you and can’t wait to have a new member in the paddock.” Fellow MotoGP rider, Maverick Viñales, added: “Congrats Miguel!!! Is the best thing you could experience in the world.” According to SpeedWeek, the Red Bull KTM star and his wife will become parents at the beginning of 2022. As well as sharing a picture of himself and Pimenta on the track, he also posted a picture of a Shark helmet with the words ‘Bebé a Bordo’ which, of course, translates to ‘Baby on Board’. When Oliveira first spoke about his relationship, he told Portugese TV host Manuel Luis Goucha: “Before love there was a great friendship. We grew up together. “At some point we realised that it was more than a friendship, it is a very strong love. “We were going to get married this year, but that weekend I had a race and we had to postpone it until next year.” His dad, Paulo, spoke to a Spanish sports newspaper, saying: “I’m happy that my son is getting married to the woman of his life.”

KTM’s Brad Binder has pulled off victory in the Austrian MotoGP by staying on slicks when rain fell in the final laps at the Red Bull Ring. Binder inherited the lead when he gambled on staying out as the five ahead of him pitted for their wet weather bikes with just three laps remaining. Francesco Bagnaia, who led for the majority of the race, charged back from 10th with a lap remaining to second at the chequered flag on his factory Ducati. Fellow Ducati rider Jorge Martin similarly rode back up to the podium on his Pramac Racing entry, one week after the rookie had opened his account in the premier class by winning at the same circuit. Joan Mir (Suzuki Ecstar) was also among the lead bunch to pit at the end of Lap 25 and he took fourth, ahead of Luca Marini (Sky VR46 Esponsorama Ducati), Iker Lecuona (Tech3 KTM), and Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha). The latter has extended his championship lead to 47 points, with Bagnaia and Mir equal on points in second and third respectively, after Johann Zarco (Pramac Ducati) crashed out before the rain set in. Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) finished 11th, having dropped back to eighth before the rain shook things up. Ominous skies hung over the Red Bull Ring as the 28-lap race got underway, but it took until Lap 8 before the rain flags started flying. They were soon withdrawn but returned with seven laps to go, and it was then that Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team), who was leading at the time, made an error at Turn 3. He was bailed out by the power of his Desmosedici as Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda) attempted to capitalise, but lost first position to #93 when he ran wide at Turn 1 on Lap 25. Quartararo braked extremely deep at the top of the hill to nab second at Turn 3, and Martin emerged third by the time they exited Turn 4, with Bagnaia back to fourth. By then, Miller and Alex Rins (Suzuki Ecstar) had already rolled the dice on a change to their wet bikes from eighth and ninth respectively on Lap 23. The rain only got heavier after their stops, causing the top five to tighten up before Marquez led Bagnaia, Martin, Quartararo, and Mir into the pits on Lap 25. Binder opted against that, as did Aleix Espargaro (Gresini Aprilia) and several others, while Marquez emerged 10th, ahead of Bagnaia, Martin, Quartararo, Mir, and earlier stoppers Miller and Rins. At that point, there appeared three possibilities for Binder: he would go on to win, he would crash his Red Bull KTM, or he would be run down by one of those who had switched to their wet bike. Rain continued to pelt down and while the race-leading South African had several nervous moments, including a near-spill at Turn 3 on the final lap, he was continuing to build the gap over Aleix Espargaro. Binder kept #33 upright to take a second career MotoGP win, at KTM’s home track, even if he would be issued a three-second penalty for exceeding track limits on the last tour of the Red Bull Ring. Bagnaia looked to have made too many mistakes just before and just after his stop, but cut a swathe on the last lap to finish second, ahead of Martin, Mir, and Marini. The latter was among those who stayed out and looked like he might take a podium, as did Lecuona, who ended up sixth. Quartararo finished seventh and Valentino Rossi (Petronas SRT Yamaha) got home in eighth having also run in the top three after the stops. Alex Marquez (Castrol LCR Honda) took ninth and Aleix Espargaro dropped from second to 10th on the last lap, ahead of Miller, Danilo Petrucci (Tech3 KTM), and Rins. Marquez was 10th, first of those to have pitted, when he dropped his Honda at the start of the penultimate lap, but remounted and earned one championship point by finishing 15th. His team-mate Pol Espargaro was 16th and Cal Crutchlow (Petronas SRT Yamaha) last finisher in 17th. Earlier, the race had developed into a three-way battle between Bagnaia, Marquez and Quartararo. Bagnaia had taken the lead when pole-sitter Martin ran wide on the opening lap at Turn 4, and held it when Martin made an unsuccessful raid on Lap 6 at Turn 7. The Pramac rider instead dropped to fourth by the time he exited Turn 9, and soon lost touch with #63, #93, and #20. Quartararo had a brief spell at the head of the field and, while he lacked the power at Bagnaia’s disposal, the Frenchman tried to make up for it under brakes particularly at Turn 3. Despite the Red Bull Ring suiting the Bologna bullets, Bagnaia could not shake Marquez or Quartararo, and it was the Honda pilot who finally made a pass on him stick on Lap 25. Marquez’s spell in the lead was briefer than he would have liked, however, due to the rain which set up a fascinating conclusion to the grand prix. Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM) did not get that far, crashing out of eighth on Lap 23 at Turn 1. Zarco was running fifth when he lost the front of the #5 Ducati through Turn 9 on Lap 18, while Enea Bastianini pitted after his Avintia Esponsorama Ducati shed its left-hand side bodywork. MotoGP now has a weekend off before the British Grand Prix at Silverstone on August 27-29. Race results: Austrian MotoGP Pos Num Rider Nat Team Bike Time/Gap 1 33 Brad BINDER RSA Red Bull KTM Factory Racing KTM 40:46.928 2 63 Francesco BAGNAIA ITA Ducati Lenovo Team Ducati +9.991 3 89 Jorge MARTIN ESP Pramac Racing Ducati +11.570 4 36 Joan MIR ESP Team SUZUKI ECSTAR Suzuki +12.623 5 10 Luca MARINI ITA SKY VR46 Avintia Ducati +14.831 6 27 Iker LECUONA ESP Tech 3 KTM Factory Racing KTM +14.952 7 20 Fabio QUARTARARO FRA Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP…

Jorge Martin has backed up his maiden MotoGP pole with another at the Red Bull Ring just a week later, in qualifying for the Austrian Grand Prix. Martin had put his Pramac Ducati in first position on the grid for the Michelin Grand Prix of Styria, which he went on to win, and will start from the same spot in Round 11 of the season at the Spielberg circuit. The Spanish rookie had a tumble at the end of Free Practice 4, was already going into Qualifying 1, and then also had to break the all time lap record if he was to deny championship leader Fabio Quartararo pole position. Martin did just that, meaning Quartararo is set to start from second spot on his Monster Energy Yamaha, with the Ducati Lenovo Team’s Francesco Bagnaia also making the front row. Practice pace-setter Johann Zarco (Pramac Ducati) set the fastest first flyer in clocking a 1:23.984s, but it was Quartararo soon on top with a 1:22.677s. That was a new all time lap record at the time and the Frenchman even set a subsequent 1:22.794s before pitting, while next-best at the end of the first runs was Martin on a 1:23.037s, with Zarco third on a 1:23.399s. Joan Mir (Suzuki Ecstar) then went to third when he clocked a 1:23.378s, before Bagnaia, who lost multiple laps for track limits breaches on his first run, finally set a lap time when he broke the beam at a 1:23.218s. The Italian consolidated third spot in setting a 1:23.063s just before the chequered flag, at which point Quartararo remained fastest. However, both of Pramac Racing’s riders were on good pace and while Zarco missed the front row in setting a 1:23.120s, Martin came through to lay down a 1:22.643s and thus move from the middle of the front row to pole. Zarco ended up fourth, Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda) took fifth with a 1:23.227s, and Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo) earned sixth with a 1:23.320s. Row 3 will be Joan Mir (Suzuki Ecstar) alongside Aleix Espargaro (Gresini Aprilia) and Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM), with Row 4 comprised of Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM), Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda), and Takaaki Nakagami (Idemitsu LCR Honda). Alex Rins (Suzuki Ecstar) will start from 13th having come up just over a tenth shy of progression from Qualifying 1. Rins had just consolidated second spot with a 1:23.470s when Oliveira knocked him out with a 1:23.365s just before the chequered flag, and #42 will be joined on Row 5 will by Alex Marquez (Castrol LCR Honda) and Enea Bastianini (Avintia Esponsorama Ducati). Row 6 will be Iker Lecuona (Tech3 KTM), Luca Marini (Sky VR46 Esponsorama Ducati), and Valentino Rossi (Petronas SRT Yamaha), with the 20-rider field rounded out by Danilo Petrucci (Tech3 KTM) and Cal Crutchlow (Petronas SRT Yamaha). AUSTRIAN MOTOGP, RED BULL RING – FULL QUALIFYING RESULTS POS RIDER NAT TEAM TIME/DIFF LAP MAX 1 Jorge Martin SPA Pramac Ducati (GP21)* 1’22.643s 7/7 315k 2 Fabio Quartararo FRA Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) +0.034s 3/8 309k 3 Francesco Bagnaia ITA Ducati Team (GP21) +0.420s 8/9 315k 4 Johann Zarco FRA Pramac Ducati (GP21) +0.477s 7/7 313k 5 Marc Marquez SPA Repsol Honda (RC213V) +0.584s 7/7 313k 6 Jack Miller AUS Ducati Team (GP21) +0.677s 8/8 314k 7 Joan Mir SPA Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR) +0.735s 6/10 309k 8 Aleix Espargaro SPA Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP) +0.780s 7/7 312k 9 Miguel Oliveira POR Red Bull KTM (RC16) +0.856s 8/8 310k 10 Brad Binder RSA Red Bull KTM (RC16) +0.925s 7/8 314k 11 Pol Espargaro SPA Repsol Honda (RC213V) +1.095s 7/7 317k 12 Takaaki Nakagami JPN LCR Honda (RC213V) +1.347s 3/7 309k   Qualifying 1:           13 Alex Rins SPA Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR) 1’23.47s 8/9 309k 14 Alex Marquez SPA LCR Honda (RC213V) 1’23.535s 8/9 311k 15 Enea Bastianini ITA Avintia Ducati (GP19)* 1’23.79s 4/9 313k 16 Iker Lecuona SPA KTM Tech3 (RC16) 1’23.825s 6/8 306k 17 Luca Marini ITA Sky VR46 Avintia Ducati (GP19)* 1’23.834s 6/7 310k 18 Valentino Rossi ITA Petronas Yamaha (YZR-M1) 1’23.939s 3/7 306k 19 Danilo Petrucci ITA KTM Tech3 (RC16) 1’24.405s 4/8 308k 20 Cal Crutchlow GBR Petronas Yamaha (YZR-M1) 1’24.509s 7/8 304k

Halfway through the 2021 MotoGP season, it’s an open secret that things are bad inside the works Yamaha camp – or at least on one side of the team’s pit box. Maverick Vinales, already set to leave at the end of the year after breaking his contract, seems desperately unhappy, and it’s being reflected in his results. But are things bad enough to lead to the Spaniard not even seeing out the rest of the season? The relationship between Vinales and the team hasn’t exactly been plain sailing for quite some time – but it has undoubtedly taken a turn for the worse in the past few weeks. All coming to a head in the embarrassment of finishing the German Grand Prix at the Sachsenring in last place, things have got worse rather than better since then despite a brief upturn in form for him. In fact, the mood within the team was actually highlighted not by failure but by success, with an atmosphere in the winners’ enclosure so tense you could have cut it with a butter knife after Vinales finished second to team-mate Fabio Quartararo at the Dutch TT only a week after his humiliating Germany result. He’s since apologised for the disrespect he showed to his fans with his attitude after the second placed finish, but it was nonetheless too late to change much – with news coming less than 24 hours later confirming that Vinales would part ways with the team for next season. He’s taking the very rare step of breaking his two-year contract at the halfway point and looking set to lose a colossal amount of money as he makes the (still to be officially announced) switch to Aprilia. There was hope that taking some time away from the paddock for MotoGP’s extended five-week summer break would give Vinales the chance to calm down and reset his brain, but it seems like that has failed to happen. He turned up for the Styrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring knowing that it was going to be a difficult weekend for Yamaha thanks to the track layout, and it turned into a complete disaster as Vinales blamed a litany of issues for his poor race – problems that eventually led him to pull into the pits with only a lap to go to seemingly avoid the ignominy of finishing in last place for the second time in three races. Making matters even worse, team-mate Quartararo had none of the same issues, fighting forward to an excellent and somewhat unexpected podium finish behind Jorge Martin and Joan Mir. It’s clear from body language alone that things on the other side of the garage are far from fixed – and with incredibly manic interviews to the media over the course of the weekend, Vinales is very clearly deeply unhappy with his position within the team. Which begs the question: is there a chance that we’ll see the nine-time MotoGP race winner fail to even finish the season with Yamaha? After all, there is precedent for the switch, with KTM pulling off exactly the same move in 2019 when it parted ways with Johann Zarco. Like Vinales at Yamaha, Zarco was deeply unhappy at being unable to find performance from the RC16, he too was accused of making the garage a deeply unhappy workplace, and after he and KTM initially announced plans to end their two-year deal a year early things continued to get even worse and Zarco was paid to stay at home for the final six races of the year. Arguably Yamaha has an even better replacement option than KTM had at the time, too, in the shape of test rider Cal Crutchlow. While Zarco was replaced by Finnish racer Mika Kallio, Yamaha has a proven three-time MotoGP race winner who it could drop into Vinales’ place. But as much as Vinales might actually be hoping for some sort of release from his Yamaha deal given the impact continuing with the team seems to be having on him, the reality is that the situation between him and Zarco is inherently different thanks to one key detail: culture. Much is made of the difference in MotoGP between the corporate culture of the traditional Japanese factories and the very different approach taken by the relative newcomer European teams. KTM in particular has an air of ruthlessness about it – just look at the way the sacking of Danilo Petrucci and Iker Lecuona was handled last weekend while the pair were on track for free practice four. That’s not the way that Yamaha does things. It’s a much less impulsive company, sometimes to its detriment – and this is very likely to mean that Vinales has a long second half of the season ahead as he grits his teeth and bears it.

Valentino Rossi has rejected a report claiming he is in talks to sell his VR46 team to Saudi Arabian Prince Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Al Saud. VR46 is linked to the Prince though an apparent sponsorship deal with the predominantly state-owned Aramco petrochemical company, a deal about which there remains some scepticism. However, a report from Italy’s Il Sole 24 Ore earlier this week claimed that Rossi was also negotiating to sell the team altogether, with a figure of EUR 150 million suggested. That was put to the retiring champion by Italian media at this weekend’s Michelin Grand Prix of Styria, where he denied the rumour. “It is absolutely not true that we want to sell VR46 to the Saudis,” said Rossi after Friday practice at the Red Bull Ring. “This is just made-up news; we don’t even think about it. “We like it, we have our whole world there and it’s something that I have no idea how it came out.” Tanal Entertainment Sport & Media, the holding company owned by the Prince which announced the Aramco sponsorship in April, advised last weekend that it would be holding a press conference in coming days. That press conference, which would cover a wide range of activities but have “special emphasis” on the VR46 partnership, is yet to take place. “As for Tanal, I don’t know much about this press conference,” said Rossi. “Our lawyers and accountants are working in VR46, who are trying to do everything. “But maybe I’m not the right man to talk about these things, because I know up to a point.” Exactly what the relationship between Aramco and VR46 is remains unknown, given the company has reportedly denied knowledge of any agreement.

Francesco Bagnaia topped third practice for the MotoGP Styrian Grand Prix, as Yamaha duo Fabio Quartararo and Maverick Vinales almost came to blows. Perfect conditions for FP3 meant combined order lap time improvements came immediately, Pramac rookie Jorge Martin making the biggest jump on his Ducati early on. Martin fired in a 1m23.834s to, an improvement of well over a second from his Friday best, to go second overall and move into the lead of the individual session timesheet. After 10 minutes of the 45-minute session, all but four riders had improved on the combined order, with Yamaha’s Maverick Vinales taking over top spot with a 1m23.781s moments later. This lap stood as the benchmark for around the next 10 minutes before world champion Joan Mir, using Suzuki’s new ride height adjuster, moved ahead with a 1m23.599s having one out on a fresh soft tyre early. Both Mir and Alex Rins have one of the new ride height device each this weekend. Another 10 minutes passed before top spot changed hands again, this time Marc Marquez on his Honda doing the honours with a 1m23.513s. But it was a short-lived stint for the Spaniard, as Yamaha-mounted compatriot Vinales returned to the top of the order with a 1m23.475s. Vinales found more time on his following effort with a 1m23.375s to extend his advantage over Marquez to a slender 0.138 seconds. Teammate and championship leader Fabio Quartararo was nudged out of the top 10 as the session reached its final five minutes having had a difficult session on his M1. Quartararo struggled on a number of occasions to get his bike stopped into the Turn 3 right-hander, the Frenchman visibly becoming frustrated with his plight. On one occasion Quartararo almost clattered into Vinales, leaving the latter fuming as the pair entered pitlane in the closing stages of the session. With just under three minutes to go Quartararo leaped up to second with a 1m23.416s, but had that lap cancelled for a track limits violation, dumping him back to 15th. His following effort of 1m23.142s returned him to top spot and safely secured him a place in Q2 in qualifying. But it was the Ducati of Bagnaia who would end the session fastest of all with a last-gasp 1m23.114s, the Italian heading Quartararo and Vinales at the chequered flag. Jorge Martin was fourth fastest to get his first Q2 appearance since Germany – though the Spaniard did have an embarrassing low-speed tumble at Turn 1 at the end of the session. Mir completed the top five on his updated Suzuki ahead of Pramac’s Johann Zarco and the leading Honda of Marc Marquez, while Aprilia’s Aleix Espargaro, Ducati’s Jack Miller and Friday pacesetter Takaaki Nakagami on the LCR Honda secured the final Q2 places. Pol Espargaro on the sister factory Honda was denied a Q2 place by just 0.017s, while wildcard Dani Pedrosa was the leading KTM in 12th in a difficult session for the Austrian marque on home soil. Brad Binder was the next best KTM in 15th, trailing LCR’s Alex Marquez and Suzuki’s Alex Rins, while last year’s Styria winner Miguel Oliveira was 16th as he battled through a wrist injury. Trailing them came Tech 3 KTM duo Iker Lecuon and Danilo Petrucci, while Petronas SRT duo Valentino Rossi in 19th and Cal Crutchlow in 23rd will also face Q1. Avintia’s Luca Marini was the only other crasher in FP3, the rookie 21st as a result behind teammate Enea Bastianini and a head of Aprilia’s Lorenzo Savadori. STYRIAN MOTOGP, AUSTRIA – FREE PRACTICE (3) RESULTS POS RIDER NAT TEAM TIME/DIFF LAP MAX 1 Francesco Bagnaia ITA Ducati Team (GP21) 1’23.114s 23/23 318k 2 Fabio Quartararo FRA Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) +0.028s 23/24 310k 3 Maverick Viñales SPA Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) +0.148s 21/21 311k 4 Jorge Martin SPA Pramac Ducati (GP21)* +0.180s 20/20 317k 5 Joan Mir SPA Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR) +0.273s 22/23 309k 6 Johann Zarco FRA Pramac Ducati (GP21) +0.373s 20/22 316k 7 Marc Marquez SPA Repsol Honda (RC213V) +0.399s 16/21 315k 8 Aleix Espargaro SPA Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP) +0.480s 16/19 311k 9 Jack MILLER AUS Ducati Team (GP21) +0.617s 23/23 315k 10 Takaaki Nakagami JPN LCR Honda (RC213V) +0.626s 20/22 313k 11 Pol Espargaro SPA Repsol Honda (RC213V) +0.643s 20/21 319k 12 Dani Pedrosa SPA Red Bull KTM (RC16) +0.644s 21/23 313k 13 Alex Rins SPA Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR) +0.652s 19/24 309k 14 Alex Marquez SPA LCR Honda (RC213V) +0.675s 23/24 316k 15 Brad Binder RSA Red Bull KTM (RC16) +0.685s 22/22 313k 16 Miguel Oliveira POR Red Bull KTM (RC16) +0.821s 20/22 310k 17 Iker Lecuona SPA KTM Tech3 (RC16) +1.045s 19/21 309k 18 Danilo Petrucci ITA KTM Tech3 (RC16) +1.228s 19/21 308k 19 Valentino Rossi ITA Petronas Yamaha (YZR-M1) +1.267s 21/21 306k 20 Enea Bastianini ITA Avintia Ducati (GP19)* +1.270s 20/22 314k 21 Luca Marini ITA Sky VR46 Avintia Ducati (GP19)* +1.289s 18/18 311k 22 Lorenzo Salvadori ITA Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP)* +1.323s 22/23 310k 23 Cal Crutchlow GBR Petronas Yamaha (YZR-M1) +1.530s 18/21 305k

Raul Fernandez confirmed as a 2022 Tech3 KTM rider alongside Remy Gardner, meaning no room for current riders Danilo Petrucci and Iker Lecuona. It’s been officially confirmed that Moto2 rookie star Raul Fernandez will move to MotoGP alongside current Ajo team-mate Remy Gardner at Tech3 KTM next season. The young Spaniard’s deal means both of Tech3’s current riders, Danilo Petrucci and Iker Lecuona, are not only out of the team but almost certainly out of MotoGP at the end of this season. When Moto2 title leader Gardner’s MotoGP deal was confirmed in early June, Fernandez seemed likely to spend another season in the intermediate class. However, by the summer break, Fernandez had equalled Gardner’s tally of three race wins, alongside six podiums and four pole positions from nine rounds and has decided to join the likes of Joan Mir in spending just a single year in the Moto2 class. A mistake at Sachsenring means Fernandez starts the second half of the Moto2 season in Austria this weekend needing to overhaul a 31-point deficit to Gardner, before both step-up to the four-time MotoGP race winning RC16. “Honestly, I’m really pleased with this opportunity from KTM, as much for this year as for the next. I’ve been learning a lot and enjoying Moto2 and was able to get into a position where I have this chance to enter MotoGP and for which I’m very grateful: it’s the dream of any rider to arrive to this class,” Fernandez said. “Right now, the most important thing is to keep focusing on this season and giving all I have up until the last race to try and fight for the championship. If it doesn’t work out then fine, everything happens for a reason, and you have to look towards the positives. I’ve been a rookie this year and I want to close the chapter and then start again for 2022 where I’ll be looking to find a good feeling on the bike and, above all, aiming to enjoy myself.” Pit Beirer, KTM Motorsport Director added: “We all know that Raul is an outstanding talent. His jump from Moto3 to Moto2 had some question marks but he showed repeatedly that he is an excellent rider on the bigger bike, which was our original thought and hope because he was quite tall for Moto3. Going to MotoGP so quickly wasn’t part of the initial plan but he has demonstrated that he has the potential.” “I think it’s going to be a very exciting 2022 season with the two of the brightest talents of the Moto2 category moving to the premier class,” said Tech 3 boss Herve Poncharal. ” Even though it will be their rookie season, I’m quite sure they will quickly learn and after a few races show their potential in the MotoGP as well. “Raul has had an unbelievable first part of his rookie Moto2 season, something that has not been achieved in a long time. “Although we are very pleased with this announcement we know we still have half a season to go with our current riders, Danilo Petrucci and Iker Lecuona, which I want to thank for their dedication and their never-ending constructive attitude, and, we clearly wish them well and best of luck for the future.” The all-new Tech3 line-up comes at the expense of Lecuona and Petrucci, who until recently had seemed to be battling for the remaining ride. Petrucci arguably had the strongest case for a renewal. Being new to the team and bike this season meant that the double Ducati race winner (like Pol Espargaro and class rookies Enea Bastianini, Jorge Martin and Enea Bastianini) was worst hit by the scrapping of the usual winter testing programme due to the Covid restrictions. Apart from a general lack of familiarity with the RC16, it also meant Petrucci has struggled with top speed due to an aerodynamics package that appears not suited to his size.

Aprilia rider Lorenzo Savadori tops his first ever MotoGP session during a rain affected Styrian FP2. A rain affected free practice two for the Styrian MotoGP produced an unlikely name at the top of the leaderboard, as Aprilia’ Lorenzo Savadori was fastest from Johann Zarco. The Italian took over from Zarco with under five minutes to go and was able to hold on despite late efforts from the Pramac man, Joan Mir and Marc Marquez. While many of the riders chose to stay in pit lane during the first few minutes, Tech 3 KTM riders Iker Lecuona and Danilo Petrucci were first to venture out, before second placed in the championship Zarco followed suit. After just five minutes on track, Lecuona crashed at turn one – his second of the day. However, the Spaniard quickly re-joined before going fastest from Pol Espargaro and team-mate Petrucci. As the rain eased up, tricky condition specialists Jack Miller and Marc Marquez went second and third. That was until Marquez went a full second clear of Lecuona two laps later. With 17 minutes remaining, Lecuona and Mir then got within half a second of Marquez, while Zarco moved up to fourth place. Zarco then went to the top of the leaderboard inside the final ten minutes as a dry line began to appear. However, the Frenchman was then up seeded by fellow Ducati rider Francesco Bagnaia. The Italian only led for a matter of seconds before Savadori put in an impressive lap with just under five minutes to go – good enough to go one second clear of Bagnaia. Miller was unsurprisingly the first rider to try slick tyres but conditions didn’t improve enough for the Australian to go faster, as he ultimately finished the session 13th. Championship leader Fabio Quartararo struggled to get close to the top ten throughout the session and eventually finished 15th. Zarco, Mir and Marquez all had red sectors during their final laps, but Savadori’s time of 1:31.304s was good enough to see him hold on. Alex Marquez and Valentino Rossi both found turn four tricky to manage as they ran through the gravel trap, while Brad Binder also ran off track at turn three late on. STYRIAN MOTOGP, AUSTRIA – FREE PRACTICE (2) RESULTS POS RIDER NAT TEAM TIME/DIFF LAP MAX 1 Lorenzo Savadori ITA Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP)* 1’31.304s 15/19 299k 2 Johann Zarco FRA Pramac Ducati (GP21) +0.154s 21/21 304k 3 Joan Mir SPA Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR) +0.262s 18/18 303k 4 Francesco Bagnaia ITA Ducati Team (GP21) +0.878s 21/21 309k 5 Aleix Espargaro SPA Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP) +0.927s 12/12 299k 6 Alex Rins SPA Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR) +1.007s 18/18 303k 7 Alex Marquez SPA LCR Honda (RC213V) +1.141s 16/16 305k 8 Iker Lecuona SPA KTM Tech3 (RC16) +1.239s 18/20 300k 9 Maverick Vinales SPA Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) +1.381s 10/13 299k 10 Marc Marquez SPA Repsol Honda (RC213V) +1.537s 11/14 303k 11 Enea Bastianini ITA Avintia Ducati (GP19)* +1.720s 21/21 303k 12 Luca Marini ITA Sky VR46 Avintia Ducati (GP19)* +1.848s 16/18 301k 13 Pol Espargaro SPA Repsol Honda (RC213V) +2.111s 10/16 308k 14 Jack Miller AUS Ducati Team (GP21) +2.149s 9/14 305k 15 Fabio Quartararo FRA Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) +2.194s 16/18 298k 16 Brad Binder RSA Red Bull KTM (RC16) +2.285s 19/19 304k 17 Takaaki Nakagami JPN LCR Honda (RC213V) +2.354s 14/15 302k 18 Danilo Petrucci ITA KTM Tech3 (RC16) +2.380s 11/15 296k 19 Jorge Martin SPA Pramac Ducati (GP21)* +2.602s 20/20 308k 20 Cal Crutchlow GBR Petronas Yamaha (YZR-M1) +2.650s 18/19 298k 21 Dani Pedrosa SPA Red Bull KTM (RC16) +2.650s 15/17 296k 22 Valentino Rossi ITA Petronas Yamaha (YZR-M1) +3.278s 15/20 298k   Miguel Oliveira POR Red Bull KTM (RC16) No Time    

Takaaki Nakagami topped his first free practice session of the 2021 MotoGP season at the Red Bull Ring, while Miguel Oliveira suffered a big highside at turn three. Joan Mir was the early pace setter as he led a Monster Energy Yamaha 2-3 of Maverick VInales and Fabio Quartararo. The order remained largely the same throughout the second runs, except when Marc Marquez jumped from tenth to second on used medium tyres. Fellow Honda rider Nakagami was next to significantly improve as he went fastest with 14 minutes remaining, however, the Japanese rider’s time was deleted for exceeding track limits. But with just a few minutes left, Nakagami improved again – this time kept his lap – which eventually saw him pip Mir with his final lap. Behind Espargaro was Alex Rins in fourth, while Pol Espargaro jumped up the order to fifth with his final attempt – one spot ahead of team-mate Marquez. Vinales and Quartararo were two riders not to set a time attack and instead focused on used tyre performance. The pair finished seventh and eighth respectively. The top Ducati was Johann Zarco who finished ninth just ahead of factory rider Jack Miller. Iker Lecuona suffered an early crash at turn three in what’s expected to be the Spaniard’s last season in MotoGP. Dani Pedrosa enjoyed an impressive return to competitive action as he finished 11th quickest – top KTM. Pedrosa’s first session back wasn’t without issues though, as the 35 year-old pulled off the Spielberg circuit with an apparent mechanical problem with 18 minutes to go. More drama followed for the home manufacturer as one of the pre-weekend favorites Oliveira suffered a big highside on the exit of turn three moments later. Worryingly, the Portuguese rider seemed dazed after hitting his head and right shoulder. Oliveira returned to pit lane on the back of a scooter, but did not reappear for the final few minutes. STYRIAN MOTOGP, AUSTRIA – FREE PRACTICE (1) RESULTS POS RIDER NAT TEAM TIME/DIFF LAP MAX 1 Takaaki Nakagami JPN LCR Honda (RC213V) 1’23.805s 22/22 312k 2 Joan Mir SPA Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR) +0.076s 21/22 310k 3 Aleix Espargaro SPA Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP) +0.378s 20/22 309k 4 Alex Rins SPA Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR) +0.416s 22/23 308k 5 Pol Espargaro SPA Repsol Honda (RC213V) +0.449s 22/22 316k 6 Marc Marquez SPA Repsol Honda (RC213V) +0.670s 14/24 314k 7 Maverick Vinales SPA Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) +0.687s 19/25 310k 8 Fabio Quartararo FRA Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) +0.775s 7/26 308k 9 Johann Zarco FRA Pramac Ducati (GP21) +0.775s 22/22 315k 10 Jack Miller AUS Ducati Team (GP21) +1.022s 21/21 316k 11 Dani Pedrosa SPA Red Bull KTM (RC16) +1.045s 20/21 308k 12 Francesco Bagnaia ITA Ducati Team (GP21) +1.110s 20/26 313k 13 Alex Marquez SPA LCR Honda (RC213V) +1.154s 8/23 313k 14 Luca Marini ITA Sky VR46 Avintia Ducati (GP19)* +1.402s 20/22 309k 15 Miguel Oliveira POR Red Bull KTM (RC16) +1.433s 12/14 311k 16 Valentino Rossi ITA Petronas Yamaha (YZR-M1) +1.459s 15/22 308k 17 Jorge Martin SPA Pramac Ducati (GP21)* +1.511s 22/22 316k 18 Brad Binder RSA Red Bull KTM (RC16) +1.512s 13/22 313k 19 Danilo Petrucci ITA KTM Tech3 (RC16) +1.604s 8/20 304k 20 Iker Lecuona SPA KTM Tech3 (RC16) +1.694s 19/20 309k 21 Enea Bastianini ITA Avintia Ducati (GP19)* +1.780s 9/21 313k 22 Lorenzo Salvadori ITA Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP)* +1.988s 18/21 306k 23 Cal Crutchlow GBR Petronas Yamaha (YZR-M1) +2.285s 12/20 307k

Valentino Rossi announced he will retire from grand prix racing at the close of the 2021 season after an illustrious 26-year career racing in the world championship. In an “exceptional press conference” called on the eve of the Styrian Grand Prix in Austria, the Italian confirmed he would hang up his racing leathers over the summer break despite having the offer to ride in his own VR46 team in 2022, aboard Ducati machinery. Now 42 years old, Rossi has been undergoing his worst season to date after switching from Yamaha’s factory team to the Petronas SRT Yamaha squad. He sits 19th in the World Championship after nine races, with a best result of a single 10th place. His intention at the beginning of 2021 was to continue racing motorcycles next year, he explained. But recent struggles were enough to convince him it was time to stop. “I wanted to continue when I start the championship,” he said. “But I needed to understand if I was fast enough. During the season our results were less than what I expect. Race by race I started to think.” From here, Rossi will switch disciplines and series. The nine-time World Champion had always harbored ambitions to race on four wheels (and came close to joining Ferrari in Formula 1 at the close of 2005). In 2022, he will take on the challenge of racing cars full time. “I love to race with the cars, just a little less than the motorcycle,” he said. “I would like to race the cars. I feel that I am a rider or driver all life long. Just [I will] change motorcycles for cars, not at the same level, but I think I will race anyway.” Rossi has fielded questions regarding his future all year long. But he insisted he was more comfortable with the idea of retiring now than any time in the past. “Sincerely two years ago and last year I was not ready to stop with MotoGP. But now I’m okay. I’m quiet. I’m not happy for sure. Anyway, if I make another year, next year I’d be not happy in the same moment because I want to race for the next 20!” Since Saudi Arabia’s Prince Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Al Saud stated his desire for Rossi to join half-brother Luca Marini in the Saudi-backed VR46 Ducati MotoGP squad next year, speculation mounted on whether he would continue in the colors of his own team. “I had an official offer from my team,” Rossi admitted. “I think deeply about continuing because I [would] like to race in my team, to have my bikes in Tavullia (Rossi’s hometown). We have a great Moto2 and Moto3 team with a lot of people I know for a long time. It (would be) very fascinating to race with my team. At the end I decide not. It’s a good project if you have two or three years. But if you think you have just one season. Maybe it’s more of a risk than a good thing.” Rossi joined the World Championship as a 16-year old in 1996 and has since racked up 423 GP starts over 25 and a half seasons, the most in history. On what he will miss most from life as a MotoGP rider, Rossi explained, “I will miss a lot the athlete life. To wake up every morning and train with the target, to try to win. I like a lot this life. Number one, I will miss riding the MotoGP bike. It’s always a great emotion. Also, to work with my team, starting from Thursday and trying to fix all the small details to be stronger. “After I will miss a lot of Sunday morning, two hours before the race, it’s something where you don’t feel comfortable, you are scared but it’s an emotion because you know the race starts. This is something that will be hard to fix.” For most of his premier class career, Rossi transcended the sport. His charm, charisma and outstanding racing ability was a heady mix that captivated audiences around the world and raised MotoGP to a major sport in his native Italy. His on-track antics and famous celebrations catapulted his profile to be among the most famous sportsmen in the world. Along with the nine world championships, 115 grand prix race wins, 199 premier class podiums, and 65 pole positions, Rossi considered another aspect of his career to be the standout achievement. “A lot of people followed motorcycles because of me,” he said. “This is the most important thing I did in my career. I entertained a lot of people on Sunday afternoon and a lot of people enjoyed for one or two hours during the Sunday when they don’t think about anything, just enjoy my races.”

Franco Morbidelli has undergone successful surgery on his left knee and will now face an eight-week rehabilitation programme. The Italian’s knee was operated on for an hour to fix his injured meniscus and anterior cruciate ligament and will remain in hospital under observation until Sunday. Morbidelli aggravated the existing injury in a training incident earlier in the week and consequently ruled out of this weekend’s Dutch TT at Assen. The predicted eight-week lay-off will likely mean that Morbidelli will miss the two rounds at the Red Bull Ring in Austria. The respective races are being held on back-to-back weekends – August 8 and August 15 – following the five-week summer break. “After another painful incident with my left knee training on Wednesday I made the decision, together with PETRONAS Yamaha SRT and the VR46 Academy, to fix this issue that I’ve been carrying for too long now,” Morbidelli said. “I underwent surgery this morning with only one idea in my mind: to come back in the best form as soon as possible and to be able to perform at 100% on the bike. I want to thank Professor Maurilio Marcacci and his team for their work. “I can’t wait to be able to start my recovery process. I’ll miss my team, my bike and all the fans during this period, but I’m looking forward to being at the circuits again and enjoying racing. Thank you for all of your messages of support. See you soon!” World Superbike rider Garrett Gerloff has replaced Morbidelli for this weekend’s race at Assen, however the Grand Prix of Styria (August 8) will clash with WSB’s Czech round at Autodrom Most. As a result, Yamaha may opt to use test rider Cal Crutchlow for both Austrian rounds if Morbidelli is unable to compete. Crutchlow retired from full-time competition at the end of the 2020 season, re-joining Yamaha following his departure from HRC.

Cal Crutchlow will return to the MotoGP starting grid as an injury replacement for Franco Morbidelli at SRT. The Briton, who retired from racing at the end of 2020 and took up a test role with Yamaha, will ride for its satellite team in the next three races. That will see Crutchlow tackle the two rounds at the Red Bull Ring as well as his home event at Silverstone. “It’s great to be back riding with Yamaha this year as the official test rider and to be able to step in when needed is good for all parties,” said the man who raced Yamahas for three years at Tech3, from 2011 to 2013. “I’m looking forward to riding for Petronas Yamaha SRT in the three Grands Prix. “Obviously, it’s not in the best circumstances and I wish Franco a good recovery, I hope he comes back strongly after the knee surgery. “I’m sure he will because he’s been riding fantastically over the last two years.” Morbidelli aggravated an existing knee injury in the days before the Dutch TT which preceded the summer break, and was replaced at Assen by Garrett Gerloff. However, the American is unavailable for the next MotoGP round, the Michelin Grand Prix of Styria, given it clashes with his regular programme in the Superbike World Championship. “After looking at all the options, it was a collective decision between Yamaha and ourselves to ask Cal Crutchlow to fill in for Franco, while he recovers from surgery,” said SRT team principal Razlan Razali. “Cal is a credible and experienced rider, who is currently a test rider for Yamaha. As an independent team, this is where we can really step up to help Yamaha. “Cal will be able to rack up some good mileage on our M1, which should aid him with his testing and development work for Yamaha. “Cal will replace Franco for the next three races and we have no real targets for him in terms of results. “We will do all we can to help support him and make him feel comfortable in the team. “He’s already familiar with some of the key people in the team, which helps, and I’m sure he’s up for the challenge.” Crutchlow is keeping expectations modest, having not raced since November last year when he made his last outing with Castrol LCR Honda. “I think it’s difficult to set targets for these three races and it will be more about understanding the bike, as I’ve had limited riding days this year,” added the 35-year-old. “The good thing will be that I can compare the bikes and I should be able to gather a lot of data for Yamaha. “It’s a bit like being thrown in the deep end, as it’s a very competitive MotoGP class, but I’m really looking forward to it and it’s going to be good to be back on the grid. “I’m looking forward to meeting the team in Austria, although there will be some familiar faces for me because Wilco Zeelenberg [team manager] was my team manager in Supersport in 2009 and I actually raced against Johan Stigefelt [team director] some years ago, so it’s going to be a pleasure to be back with them.”

Aleix Espargaro says Andrea Dovizioso “has not been very competitive” during his tests with Aprilia and finds it hard to see him as his MotoGP teammate in 2022. Three-time MotoGP title runner-up Dovizioso was ousted from the factory Ducati squad at the end of last year and elected to take a sabbatical after turning down a race ride with Aprilia. With the 2021 RS-GP immediately proving to be a strong package, Dovizioso requested two private tests with Aprilia before signing on for a full test schedule in 2021 with the Italian marque. Taking a sabbatical this year with a view to making a full-time return to MotoGP in 2022, his tests with Aprilia were seen as a warm-up to joining the team next season. However, Maverick Vinales now looks set to take the second Aprilia seat in 2022 after requesting to have his two-year Yamaha deal terminated at the end of 2021. Espargaro has famously cited Dovizioso as his favourite rider in MotoGP and hopes to emulate at Aprilia what the Italian did at Ducati, but revealed that Dovizioso doesn’t look like he wants to race in 2022. “Dovizioso has done some tests with us,” Espargaro told DAZN. “So far he has not been very competitive and it seems that he does not want to race. “I am a big fan of his, but it is difficult for him to be my teammate.” Due to being a concession manufacturer, Aprilia is able to freely test privately with its race line-up. Already spearheading development of the RS-GP during race weekends, Espargaro wants a “stronger partner” at the team to help share the load. “It is difficult to develop the bike because you have to try new things,” Espargaro added. “Aprilia wanted me to do some tests during the summer holidays and go to the windtunnel. “It would help me if I had a stronger partner, or if there was a satellite team because that way they could spread the work over more shoulders and collect more data.” Aprilia had been evaluating supplying a satellite team with bikes for 2022, but will continue to field just its two factory team bikes next year after VR46 and Gresini elected to partner with Ducati.

The 2021 Thai MotoGP set to take place in Buriram later this year has officially been cancelled. Fears over whether the Thai MotoGP would go ahead were extensive before today’s official announcement due to Thailand currently experiencing a record number of Covid 19 cases and resulting restrictions which, combined with a sluggish vaccination program, has seen the inevitable decision to cancel the Grand Prix – originally scheduled for mid-October take place. An official statement from Dorna said: “The FIM, IRTA and Dorna Sports regret to announce the cancellation of the OR Thailand Grand Prix, which was set to take place at Chang International Circuit from the 15th to the 17th of October. Despite the best efforts of all parties involved, the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic and resulting restrictions have obliged the cancellation of the event. “The FIM MotoGP™ World Championship looks forward to returning to race in front of the incredibly passionate Buriram crowd in 2022. “A replacement event is currently under consideration and any updates regarding a possible substitute will be published as soon as available.” After joining the MotoGP calendar in 2018, the 2019 Thai round saw the highest spectator attendance of the season with 226,655 weekend fans, bringing in a total of 3.45 billion baht (95 million euros). Last year’s round, like all the non-European events, was cancelled.