MOTOGP

Oliveira dances to a magical win in Mandalika

Well it was worth the wait, wasn’t it? On a rain-soaked Sunday afternoon at the Pertamina Grand Prix of Indonesia, Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) mastered the wet conditions to claim victory in Mandalika. Reigning World Champion Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) finished second ahead of compatriot Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing), as Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) was forced to miss the race due to a concussion sustained in his huge Warm Up crash.  

After over an hour delay to proceedings due to heavy rainfall in Lombok, at 16:15 local time, for the first time in 25 years, it was lights out in Indonesia for the premier class. Quartararo got an outstanding launch from pole position and comfortably collected the holeshot. Oliveira made a lightning start from P7 to grab P2, and Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) was swiftly up to P3 from P6 on the grid.

At the start of Lap 2, both Oliveira and Miller passed Quartararo. Miller then picked off Oliveira for the race lead, as the top two started to break clear of third place Quartararo, who had Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar), compatriot Zarco and a rapid starting Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) for company.

Rins and Zarco got the better of Quartararo, but they faced a 2.4s gap to Miller and Oliveira. The latter carved his way past the Ducati of Miller at Turn 12 on Lap 6 to retake the lead, with Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) somehow staying on his GP22 after a huge moment going into Turn 1. The Italian was down to P12 behind Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team) and Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), with Championship leader Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) P20 from fifth on the grid – and struggling.

Having just got the better of Franco Morbidelli (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) for P7, Jorge Martin (Pramac Racing) caught one of the puddles at Turn 1, and unlike Ducati counterpart Bagnaia, there was no saving a crash for Martin. The 2021 Rookie of the Year was down, out, but thankfully ok. Meanwhile, Oliveira had stretched his lead to 1.6s. Miller was second, Rins third, Zarco fourth, and Quartararo fifth with 12 laps to go.

At half race distance, Zarco was the quickest rider on track. A quality move followed on Rins at Turn 12 for P3, and Miller wasn’t far up the road. Oliveira, however, was. 3.5s was now the Portuguese star’s advantage heading into the second half of the race. Zarco was looking desperate to pass Miller, while just behind, Quartararo had found some great rhythm. El Diablo was back into P3 with five laps to go, as he and fellow Frenchman Zarco scrapped away.

Quartararo was the fastest rider on track and was back up to second on Lap 16 of 20. Zarco, eventually, followed the Yamaha man through to get the better of Miller, and with three laps to go, was a special comeback from Quartararo on the cards? The gap was slashed by a second on Lap 17, Oliveira’s lead was down to 3.4s – game on?

Oliveira responded though. The gap came down, but only by a couple of tenths. At the start of the last lap, it was 2.8s, so barring an error, Oliveira just needed to bring it home. Quartararo had a 0.9s buffer to Zarco, who in turn had 2.3s in hand over Miller.

The last lap was completed without worry for Oliveira. An absolutely stunning performance at a rain-drenched Pertamina Mandalika Circuit to claim victory for the first time since the 2021 Catalan GP. Quartararo picked up a phenomenal P2 that will feel like a win for the Frenchman, and it’s a return to the rostrum for the first time since Barcelona 2021 for Zarco in P3.

Miller, always strong in the wet, takes home a hard-earned P4, with Rins doing well to claim P5. P6 for Mir, having started from P18, is also a job well done for the 2020 World Champion. Morbidelli was a very lonely P7 despite his three-place grid penalty, as we witnessed an almighty battle for P8.

It was won in the end by Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), but 1.1s behind the South African was Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team) in P12. Between them came Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) in ninth, the unbelievable, probably star of the day Darryn Binder (WithU Yamaha RNF MotoGP™ Team) in P10 – who was by far the fastest rookie – and World Championship leader Bastianini.

Alex Marquez (LCR Honda Castrol) was also in that battle and picked up P13, Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) was 14th with Bagnaia slipping to a disappointing P15 – that’s one point from the opening two races for one of the pre-season title favourites.

Andrea Dovizioso (WithU Yamaha RNF MotoGP™ Team) was the only other non-finisher alongside Martin, the Italian encountered some sort of issue with his YZR-M1.

Top 10
1. Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing)
2. Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) + 2.205
3. Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing) + 3.158
4. Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) + 5.663
5. Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) + 7.044
6. Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) + 7.832
7. Franco Morbidelli (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) + 21.115
8. Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) + 32.586
9. Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) + 32.586
10. Darryn Binder (WithU Yamaha RNF MotoGP™ Team) + 32.901

Aleix Espargaró P9

"It was a very difficult race because of the weather conditions and because during the first lap, I found myself twentieth due to contact with Álex Márquez. Staying in the group was hard and visibility was also extremely poor. But the bike worked well. Grip wasn’t bad and from there I began to come back. In the last seven laps I overtook quite a few riders, making up positions. Taking home another top-ten finish on such a difficult Sunday was a good result."

Enea Bastianini P11

“It took a while to get the right feeling, especially as in the early laps I couldn’t see anything due how wet the track was, so I struggled a bit. Then little by little I was able to make my way back, I found my rhythm and I was fast – especially in the last ten laps. Unfortunately when I reached the group of seven riders ahead I was pushed wide at turn two by Darryn Binder after I passed all of them – and that made be go back to the end of the group. I was able once again to recover and in the end an eleventh place is not too bad: I could have finished eighth and I’m sorry for that, but it was important to score some points – and in the end it was a good race.”

MOTO2

Chantra stuns to claim Thailand’s first Grand Prix win

Thanks to an absolutely fantastic performance at the Pertamina Grand Prix of Indonesia, Somkiat Chantra (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) becomes the first Thai rider to win a Grand Prix race. Chantra led from the first corner to the chequered flag and eventually beat World Championship leader Celestino Vietti (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) by 3.2s, with third place Aron Canet (Flexbox HP40) collecting his second podium of the season.

Ahead of the race getting underway, it was announced that there would only be 16 laps for the intermediate class – 2/3 distance due to safety, caused by excessively high temperatures. Then, more drama, as light rain started to fall on the warm up lap. The race got underway though and it was Chantra who pinched the holeshot from the second row, polesitter Jake Dixon (Inde GASGAS Aspar Team) was P2 before Sam Lowes (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) slipped by at Turn 2.

The rain was still lingering – and it was visible on the camera lens’. Chantra held onto the lead from Lowes and Dixon, with Vietti eventually getting the better of Simone Corsi (MV Agusta Forward Racing) as the Italians battled it out at the end of the opening lap. Canet was a beneficiary of the Vietti/Corsi fight, the Spaniard was P4 and in touch with Lowes and Dixon.

On Lap 6, after just passing compatriot Lowes for second place, Dixon tucked the front at Turn 10. Chantra had opened a gap up to over a second, and after Dixon’s crash, Canet was now second ahead of Lowes. Vietti then passed Lowes for P3, and with nine laps to go, two seconds split the top three. Vietti made a classy move on Canet stick at Turn 12 and his gap to bridge was 2.1s with eight laps remaining.

The response from Chantra? The fastest lap of the race. 2.2s was now his lead over Vietti, and on the next lap, it was up to 2.3s. This was sensational from Chantra. 2.6s was the new gap with five laps to go, it looked like Vietti and co. had no answer for the Thai star. With two laps to go, the gap was three seconds and all Chantra had to do was bring it home.

And that’s exactly what he did. Chantra crossed the line to claim an outstanding victory by over three seconds, becoming the first Thai rider to win in Grand Prix racing. Vietti was able to hold off Canet to pick up P2, the latter takes home P3 as the duo make it back-to-back podiums to start the season.

In the end, Lowes was a lonely finisher in P4 as Augusto Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) held off the recovering Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) for P5 and P6, Fermin Aldeguer (MB Conveyors Speed Up) was P7, with Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) P8. Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo) claimed P9 after his Long Lap Penalty, the Spaniard was embroiled in a great battle with 10th place Albert Arenas (Inde GASGAS Aspar Team).

Joe Roberts (Italtrans Racing Team) ended P11, a good ride from the American after failing to make it out of Q1 on Saturday, he had compatriot Cameron Beaubier (American Racing) less than a tenth behind him in P12. Jorge Navarro (Flexbox HP40), Jeremy Alcoba (Liqui Moly Intact GP) and Bo Bendsneyder (Pertamina Mandalika SAG Team) were the final top 15 finishers.

Top 10
1. Somkiat Chantra (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia)
2. Celestino Vietti (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) + 3.230
3. Aron Canet (Flexbox HP40) + 4.366
4. Sam Lowes (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) + 7.918
5. Augusto Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) + 12.228
6. Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) + 12.384
7. Fermin Aldeguer (MB Conveyors Speed Up) + 12.696
8. Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) + 14.547
9. Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo) + 17.786
10. Albert Arenas (Inde GASGAS Aspar Team) + 18.327

Augusto Fernandez P5

“I am happy to have picked up more points. However, today we wanted a little more. A few drops of rain began to fall from the start to the middle of the race, and that made me very conservative, as I thought the track would be slippery and it could be risky. In the end, I decided to push all the same, but two riders went down in front of me. When I picked up the pace, I matched the leaders and showed the speed that we've had all weekend, which proves that we could have been at the front. It's a pity. Nevertheless, we finished in fifth position and in Argentina we will once again give 100% to get a good result."

Lorenzo Dalla Porta P20

“I managed to finish the race and this is positive. The shoulder is improving: it still gives me problems, but I am working to be in the best possible shape in a short time. The goal is to take another step forward in Argentina, where I will certainly be better off" .

Niccolò Antonelli P25

"Honestly, I'm a little angry with myself because I could have done better. The pace was not bad, but the first laps I was hit by many pebbles and with the smell of rain in my helmet I was convinced it was water. So I started slowly, the first laps the pace was not the best. Too bad, we are not very fast at the moment, even more so it is essential to always give my best and today my maximum was perhaps something more."

Simone Corsi NC

"I am really sorry because we could have done well in this race. We were in front and I felt strong on the bike. At the end it started to rain and another rider crashed in front of me and I crashed too. But I have to say that the bike is there and I am happy about that and I thank my team for the great job they have done both this weekend and during the winter”.

MOTO3

Foggia flawless for Mandalika victory

That’s about as good as it gets if your name is Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing). The Italian dominated the Moto3™ Pertamina Grand Prix of Indonesia to claim his first victory of the season – and the World Championship lead. Izan Guevara (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team) picked up P2 as polesitter Carlos Tatay (CFMoto Racing PrüstelGP) brilliantly recovers from a Long Lap Penalty to earn a maiden Grand Prix podium in third.

There was drama before the race started for second on the grid Diogo Moreira (MT Helmets – MSI) – the Brazilian rookie had an issue with his machine and was forced to start from the back of the grid. Moments later, as the lights went out for the very first Moto3™ race in Indonesia, it was Sergio Garcia (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team) who grabbed the holeshot from seventh on the grid. Andrea Migno (Rivacold Snipers Team) and Foggia made great starts from the second row of the grid.

Foggia, Migno, Garcia and Guevara were the quartet who were able to pull a gap in the opening five laps, before Foggia decided to put the hammer down in the early stages. The Italian was 1.5s clear on Lap 7 of 23, as Championship leader Migno had a front-end scare at the final corner. By Lap 9, Foggia’s lead was up to 3.2s, with Guevera opening up a 0.5s lead in second place.

Garcia had slipped back into the clutches of Migno, Jaume Masia (Red Bull KTM Ajo), Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Tech3), Daniel Holgado (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and Ayumu Sasaki (Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max), but the Spaniard suddenly turned up the wick to reel in Guevara with 10 laps to go. At this stage, Foggia had checked out – his lead was now 5.1s.

With Foggia producing a flawless race, it was all eyes on the battle for second. Guevara, Migno, Öncü, Garcia, Masia, Holgado and Sasaki were now joined by Xavier Artigas (CFMoto Racing PrüstelGP), Elia Bartolini (QJMotor Avintia Racing Team), Tatay and Tatsuki Suzuki (Leopard Racing).

Heading onto the final lap, Guevera was 0.9s clear in second place ahead of the charging Tatay and Garcia. Foggia was four seconds up the road and cruising to victory, Tatay was then wide at Turn 10 to allow Garcia into the final podium position as Sasaki and Migno crashed – the Japanese rider tagging the back of Migno at Turn 10.

No one had an answer for Foggia as he popped a wheelie over the line to confirm his dominant victory, with Tatay grabbing the final podium place from Garcia at the penultimate corner. Guevera comfortably earned P2 in the end, Tatay claimed his first Moto3™ podium, with Garcia settling for P4.

Öncü was only a couple of tenths away from the podium in fifth place, with Artigas finishing P6 in the feisty scrap inside the top 10. Masia, Bartolini, Holgado and Suzuki were able to pick up top 10s in Mandalika.

Ryusei Yamanaka (MT Helmets – MSI) was 11th ahead of Kaito Toba (CIP Green Power) and rookie Scott Ogden (VisionTrack Racing Team), with home hero Mario Aji (Honda Team Asia) beating Matteo Bertelle (QJMotor Avintia Racing Team) – after three Long Laps – in P14 and P15. Joel Kelso (CIP Green Power) and Stefano Nepa (Angeluss MTA Team) crashed out at the final corner together, fighting just outside the top 10.

Top 10
1. Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing)
2. Izan Guevara (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team) + 2.612
3. Carlos Tatay (CFMoto Racing PrüstelGP) + 3.639
4. Sergio Garcia (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team) + 3.759
5. Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Tech3) + 3.870
6. Xavier Artigas (CFMoto Racing PrüstelGP) + 4.962
7. Jaume Masia (Red Bull KTM Ajo) + 5.289
8. Elia Bartolini (QJMotor Avintia Racing Team) + 5.405
9. Daniel Holgado (Red Bull KTM Ajo) + 5.533
10. Tatsuki Suzuki (Leopard Racing) + 5.687

Dennis Foggia P1

"I'm very happy after today's win, it was our goal and we wanted to achieve it. The bike was perfect and I could do a really nice race. Many thanks to my team, to my family, to my sponsors and to everybody supporting me".

Jaume Masia P7

“It has been a hard-fought battle, and we have given everything we have. I am happy with the performance we showed, as we were fast and competitive. We needed to manage the end of the race a little better, and this is something that we will work to improve at the next round. I want to thank the team for all their efforts throughout the weekend. In two weeks, we will try again at the Argentina Grand Prix.”

Mario Aji P14

"The result isn’t what we wanted, but after five laps, I started to struggle with the grip. Suddenly the rear tire dropped a lot, and I needed to manage it. But I have found many positive things on this race. My first front row and my first points. That makes me confidence for next race. I would like to thank all the support I’ve received this weekend."

Riccardo Rossi P17

"Today I gave my best.. but simply it wasn’t enough, my physical condition after yesterday’s crash wasn’t optimal. Thanks to my team that worked really hard."