Riders have questioned the ethical implications of proceeding with the Valencia MotoGP season finale scheduled for mid-November after torrential rains in the region wreaked havoc leading to deadly floods
Ducati works rider Francesco Bagnaia has taken a fourth MotoGP win of the season after leading a Ducati 1-2-3, while nine-time world champion Valentino Rossi ends his career with tenth place. Jorge Martin made a brilliant start from pole to lead into turn one, while Bagnaia went from second to fourth. On lap two, Martin and Miller briefly exchanged the lead at turns one and two, before a lovely move at turn four from Joan Mir put him second ahead of Miller. Lap three saw Valentino Rossi, who made a good start from tenth to ninth, then lose that spot to Pramac rider Johann Zarco, who himself had a dreadful start. While the Frenchman then got stuck behind Brad Binder in eighth, fellow Ducati rider Bagnaia got ahead of Mir for P2 along the start-finish straight. Mir was then relegated to fourth five corners later as team-mate Rins also came through. The #42, who was incredibly strong on the brakes, then made another stunning move at turn six to claim second off Bagnaia – lap five. Behind the front four, Miller lost yet another place after 2021 World Champion Fabio Quartararo moved ahead of the Australian at turn four. Rossi was able to stick with Binder and Zarco for the next few laps, however, impressive rookie Enea Bastianini then pushed the nine-time world champion down to P11. Takaaki Nakagami’s dismal 2021 season ended with yet another crash as he became the first rider to lose the front at turn six. While Martin continued to look rock solid out front, Bagnaia moved back into second with a lovely overtake on Rins, before things got considerably worse for the Suzuki rider on lap 11 as he crashed at turn six. After several close looks at turn six, Bagnaia finally managed to overtake Martin for the lead – final corner move. Bagnaia then set the fastest lap of the race to put four tenths into Martin. Meanwhile, Miller began closing in on Mir who was missing several apex’s as he struggled to keep the pace of Bagnaia and Martin. With nine laps to go, Miller made it an all-Ducati podium thanks to a late braking move on Mir at turn two. Rossi’s final race was continuing to be a good one as he remained in tenth with six laps to go, however, the same couldn’t be said for Danilo Petrucci who was last of the current runners. The battle for victory continued to be close as Miller began reeling in the front two. The Jerez and Le Mans race winner looked on the absolute limit in trying to do so, however, that didn’t stop him from getting closer to Martin in particular. But just as he got close on the penultimate lap, Martin then set one of his fastest laps to maintain P2. Mir came under late pressure from Quartararo for fourth, but the Suzuki rider ultimately kept ahead. Zarco, Binder, Bastianini, Aleix Espaargaro and Rossi rounded out the top ten. VALENCIA MOTOGP, CIRCUIT RICARDO TORMO – RACE RESULTS POS RIDER NAT TEAM TIME/DIFF 1 Francesco Bagnaia ITA Ducati Team (GP21) 41m 15.481s 2 Jorge Martin SPA Pramac Ducati (GP21)* +0.489s 3 Jack Miller AUS Ducati Team (GP21) +0.823s 4 Joan Mir SPA Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR) +5.214s 5 Fabio Quartararo FRA Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) +5.439s 6 Johann Zarco FRA Pramac Ducati (GP21) +6.993s 7 Brad Binder RSA Red Bull KTM (RC16) +8.437s 8 Enea Bastianini ITA Avintia Ducati (GP19)* +10.933s 9 Aleix Espargaro SPA Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP) +12.651s 10 Valentino Rossi ITA Petronas Yamaha (YZR-M1) +13.468s 11 Franco Morbidelli ITA Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) +14.085s 12 Andrea Dovizioso ITA Petronas Yamaha (YZR-M1) +16.534s 13 Alex Marquez SPA LCR Honda (RC213V) +17.059s 14 Miguel Oliveira POR Red Bull KTM (RC16) +18.221s 15 Iker Lecuona SPA KTM Tech3 (RC16) +19.233s 16 Maverick Vinales SPA Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP) +19.815s 17 Luca Marini ITA Sky VR46 Avintia Ducati (GP19)* +28.860s 18 Danilo Petrucci ITA KTM Tech3 (RC16) +32.169s Alex Rins SPA Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR) DNF Takaaki Nakagami JPN LCR Honda (RC213V) DNF
Tech 3 KTM rider Iker Lecuona has topped his second MotoGP practice of the year after bettering Jack Miller late on in FP1 at Valencia. Rain began to fall between Moto3 and MotoGP FP1 which led to every rider heading out on wet tyres. As was the case with Alex Rins in Portimao, 2021 MotoGP World Champion Fabio Quartararo was seen using the new shoulder cam around the Ricardo Tormo Circuit. While conditions continued to worsen around the ten minute mark, Miguel Oliveira was able to repeatedly improve his lap time and lead from Ducati’s Miller. Winner last time out, Francesco Bagnaia then jumped to the top of the field with a 1:41.511 – two tenths better than Oliveira, while Danilo Petrucci who is competing in his last MotoGP race went down at turn four whilst following Bagnaia. Bagnaia went on to improve by another two tenths on his next lap around, before he too suffered a crash – turn 2. Despite Petrucci’s crash, the wet conditions were proving beneficial for KTM as Oliveira, Lecuona and Petrucci were all within the top six at FP1’s mid-session point. Valentino Rossi, who will retire following this weekend’s Valencia MotoGP, was one of the last riders to set a flying lap, however, his first few laps weren’t classified due to being outside the seven second margin. Enea Bastianini was the other rider to be in that situation, but that changed for the former Moto2 champion with 12 minutes to go as he went 19th. Bagnaia, who led team-mate Miller for much of the session was then bettered by the Australian who set a first sub 1m 41s lap of the session. Miller’s time was over five tenths quicker than Bagnaia, while Jorge Martin made it three Ducati machines inside the top three with five minutes left. But just like Bagnaia earlier on, Miller crashed at turn one shortly after going quickest. The Ducati rider ran wide at turn one before the painted run-off wiped out the front end of his machine. Luca Marini then made it four Ducati’s at the front before Lecuona went quickest with a 1:40.569s. who has been very impressive in wet conditions since returning from injury at Misano (1), also moved into the top five momentarily, however, the Italian was eventually pushed down to eighth after good laps from Johann Zarco and Joan Mir put them fourth and fifth respectively. VALENCIA MOTOGP, CIRCUIT RICARDO TORMO – FREE PRACTICE (1) RESULTS POS RIDER NAT TEAM TIME/DIFF LAP MAX 1 Iker Lecuona SPA KTM Tech3 (RC16) 1’40.569s 17/19 317k 2 Jack Miller AUS Ducati Team (GP21) +0.155s 11/12 323k 3 Miguel Oliveira POR Red Bull KTM (RC16) +0.161s 19/19 314k 4 Johann Zarco FRA Pramac Ducati (GP21) +0.371s 20/20 320k 5 Joan Mir SPA Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR) +0.374s 16/17 318k 6 Francesco Bagnaia ITA Ducati Team (GP21) +0.446s 13/13 321k 7 Luca Marini ITA Sky VR46 Avintia Ducati (GP19)* +0.535s 13/14 315k 8 Franco Morbidelli ITA Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) +0.631s 15/17 314k 9 Pol Espargaro SPA Repsol Honda (RC213V) +0.731s 18/19 318k 10 Takaaki Nakagami JPN LCR Honda (RC213V) +0.917s 19/19 315k 11 Alex Rins SPA Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR) +0.943s 16/16 318k 12 Jorge Martin SPA Pramac Ducati (GP21)* +0.978s 17/18 318k 13 Aleix Espargaro SPA Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP) +1.320s 14/14 315k 14 Enea Bastianini ITA Avintia Ducati (GP19)* +1.405s 11/14 317k 15 Fabio Quartararo FRA Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) +1.512s 20/21 315k 16 Alex Marquez SPA LCR Honda (RC213V) +1.589s 16/16 320k 17 Brad Binder RSA Red Bull KTM (RC16) +1.599s 18/19 313k 18 Andrea Dovizioso ITA Petronas Yamaha (YZR-M1) +1.613s 12/12 308k 19 Danilo Petrucci ITA KTM Tech3 (RC16) +1.869s 6/6 310k 20 Maverick Vinales SPA Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP) +2.198s 14/15 321k 21 Valentino Rossi ITA Petronas Yamaha (YZR-M1) +12.412s 3/4 293k
A special display awaited Valentino Rossi as he arrived for the start of his final Valencia GP race weekend, in Valencia on Thursday. One bike from each of his nine world championship seasons was assembled, plus a representative from each of the respective factories: Lin Jarvis for Yamaha (2004, 2005, 2008, 2009), Alberto Puig for Honda (2001, 2002, 2003) and Massimo Rivola for Aprilia (1996, 1998). “The last race I want to try to make normal, but it’s not possible! It’s a great emotion and already from today to see all the bikes together and all the riders from MotoGP here is a great feeling,” said Rossi. “I have the bikes at home, except the Hondas. I have all the Aprilias and all the Yamahas. The Yamahas are in my house, the 2004 model is in my bedroom, so every morning when I wake up I see the bike! “But to have them all together like this is a great emotion and it’s a long way from the first one, a really long time ago, also if you consider that after the last one [in 2009] have another 10 years! It’s a long way and a great emotion.” Rossi was seen speaking to Puig about the 500cc NSR two-stroke as they posed for pictures, later revealing he had been asking if Honda would allow him to keep the bike he says was promised to him but never delivered. “I spoke with Alberto and I ask for minimum for the 500, also because that 500 is my 500, it’s the bike that Honda was supposed to give to me,” Rossi said. “I was ready to take it, I have already the place at home, but after for some reason the bike never arrived. “I’m happy if Honda changes their mind and give me that one. For sure, the bike will be well looked after, at a good temperature and have a good place in my house!” Rossi won the last ever 500cc world title for Honda in 2001, then the opening titles of the new four-stroke MotoGP era in 2002 and 2003, before stunning the sport by switching to the struggling Yamaha factory where he won the title at his first attempt. While Jarvis was instrumental in tempting Rossi to Yamaha in 2004 and has overseen all his seasons on the M1, Puig and Rivola arrived at HRC and Aprilia respectively long after Rossi’s era at the factories. Editorial Note: Watch a video on YouTube of Rossi’s reunion with the winning race bike here.
Pol Espargaro will be the Repsol Honda Team’s sole rider in this weekend’s MotoGP season finale at Valencia, as Marc Marquez remains sidelined. Then, it was Honda test rider Stefan Bradl who filled the breach, as he had done when #93 missed most of last season and the first two rounds of 2021 due to his badly broken arm. However, the German has not been called up this time around, meaning only #44 will be in the garage at the Valencia Grand Prix. “On Tuesday it was announced that Marc Marquez will miss both the Valencia GP and the Jerez Test due to diplopia after a training crash,” read the works Honda team’s pre-event press release, in part. “The Repsol Honda Team have elected not to field a replacement for the Valencia GP weekend.” Espargaro, who moved across from KTM in the last off-season, is enjoying his best run of form to results with Honda. The Spaniard has five top 10 finishes in the last six races, including his first podium on an RC213V at Misano, two rounds ago, and is hoping to continue that form. “First I want to wish Marc all the best during this difficult time and I hope he can recover soon and well,” said Espargaro. “His absence will of course be felt at the track, but we arrive in Valencia still motivated to do our job the best we can. “It’s a circuit that I really enjoy a lot, I achieved my first MotoGP podium there in 2018 and I think we can do well there this year. “The circuit is very cold at this time of year and this is good for us. It’s the last race, I want to continue the speed from the last races to end well before 2022 begins in Jerez.” Marquez will also miss the post-season test which takes place at Jerez on November 18-19.
