On-Track Off-Road issue 184

WorldSBK

EYES ON YOU Will they see Red or Green or be left feeling Blue?

Phillip Island feels more open than ever for the launch of WorldSBK. Why? Catch Steve English’s insightful teaser further in the magazine and start a sweepstake as to who will rule most of the three races in Australia.

Photo by GeeBee Images

MXGP

OPEN DOORS The MXGP standings are refreshingly blank after being splashed with orange from the first laps of 2018 until the very last. With Argentina and the ’19 opener looming into view who can spring a surprise in Neuquen? Have a look at our MXGP ‘questions’ and exclusive chat with this Monster Energy Kawasaki star in this new issue Photo by Ray Archer

MotoGP

ALMOST READY TO RUN The covers are all off and the liveries revealed…so 2019 MotoGP can really get down to business with the Qatar test at the end of the week.

In our opinion the winners of the ‘best new clothes’ award comes down to Red Bull KTM Tech3 or Monster Energy Yamaha but the sight we all still want to see is JL99 circulating in those iconic Repsol Honda colours.

They might be a bit blurry trackside though Photo by Repsol Honda HRC/ CormacGP

AMA SX

THE CHARGER

Cooper Webb is not only making his mark on the 2019 AMA Supercross season by prevailing at the sole multi-race winner as the halfway point approaches but in also creating record-breaking scenes like the fractions of a second that accompanied his last corner victory charge in Arlington. The Red Bull KTM star is part of one of the most open and fascinating 450SX contests seen in years Photo by James Lissimore

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SE ONE ARLINGTON

AT&T STADIUM · FEBRUARY 16 · Rnd 17 of 17 450SX winner: Cooper Webb, KTM 250SX winner: Austin Forkner, Kawasaki

Blog by Steve Matthes, Photos by James Lissimore

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NO ROLLING OVER ON THIS ONE...

Just one week after the fallout regarding the controversy of lime that was errantly put down on standing water in San Diego and left riders with burns and some parts on the bikes being destroyed, Feld Motorsports had another issue on their hands in Dallas dealing with the incoming sponsorship of CBD oil companies.

Marijuana guidelines are relaxing in a lot of states or in some cases being legalized. CBD oil, which is a non-intoxicating marijuana extract that is being credited with helping treat a host of medical problems, has even been used by some riders to cure aches and pains from the racing. We’re seeing more companies pop up selling the oil, some that are associated with marijuana companies and some are just selling the oil. Privateer Dean Wilson found himself covering the logos earlier this year when Feld told him that because of the vagaries of the laws from state to state, NBC - the network TV provider - has standing policy against accepting advertising from marijuana or CBD oil companies. This was a bit of a mini-controversy to start the series but in one sense, Wilson got more publicity out of

it when the logos were forced to be covered up.

Well Chad Reed started this whole thing back up last week in Minneapolis when he debuted a helmet that had CBDMD.com logo on it. Reed, being the rebel that he is, didn’t clear it with anyone beforehand and caused a bit of a stir before the race. His stance was that this company, unlike Wilson’s, just focused on the oil itself and wasn’t selling marijuana with another branch of the company ala Dean.

“I think it has its place. I really do. For me personally, a hundred percent the reason why I started using it is I moved to Charlotte and couldn’t ride my bicycle because it was so cold,” Reed told me. “So I started running again.

I was just like, dude, I can’t run.

My ankle just hurts daily. So I kind of almost caved into ‘I’ll try it’. Everybody talks about it. So I tried it and long story short, I didn’t even know but ended up with the one brand I bought was cbdMD. They’re locally in Charlotte. It was kind of funny how it all worked out. But I think shortterm sucks, but I think that longterm they’re here to stay.”

So Reed was allowed to race with it and Feld went back to the drawing board with its lawyers and the AMA. We saw a press release get issued by the AMA late last week: • The law regarding CBD products, including their lawful sale, possession, advertising, and sponsorship of them, is unsettled.

By Steve Matthes

Notwithstanding the change in federal law in December 2018, there are no federal regulations in place yet on how these products can be advertised or promoted.

No CBD and related products are not completely legal in all 50 states and there are various restrictions on their sale and promotion.

• Signage or promotional displays for CBD-related products will not be allowed in the pit areas.

• No rider will be allowed to race with logos or other promotional displays on their person, their uniform, their gear, or on their bike.

So that was it, Feld brought the lawyers back to meet with the riders first on Saturday morning before Dallas and then with the media after that. Basically it was explained that yes, the bill that was signed in congress makes the path to marijuana, and therefore CBD oil, being completely legal on a federal level but it’s still up the states to decide what they want to do and that’s a long way down the road.

So the policy that shaded Wilson still stands and Reed’s helmet had to be covered up.

It’s also legal to use via the WADA drug code, which is a bonus obviously.

The bill being signed and reported in the news confused fans and teams. Not to mention the sight of some CBD oil companies being plastered on riders competing at the recent X-Games on another network. And I don’t know if you’ve looked around the pits these days but the sport could use a bit more outside money coming into it.

“Obviously it’s frustrating. I feel like they’re reacting a little bit too quick on it. I think it’s one of those things where it’s of ‘an opinion’. I don’t know that there are a lot of facts,” Reed said about the decision “I think they have certain information that they’re reacting to. When I asked those same questions to the cbdMD people, they obviously are not as concerned. It’s an ongoing fight for them. So I think shortterm it sucks but I believe it’s something that they’re not going to be able to turn a blind eye to. I think that daily, hourly from what I understand…”

We’re all pretty sure, and the Feld rep agreed, that shortly all of these concerns will be alleviated and TV networks will accept the dollars these companies, that are doing very well, will be throwing at them. It’s a larger question that exists outside of our small sport right now but, like the energy drinks fifteen years ago, could really give the sport a bit of a jolt. The effects of the CBD oil can be debated over and over, this isn’t the column for that but just know that some people, including Ken Roczen, use it and are fans of the oil’s therapeutic properties.

As great as the racing has been on the track, and it truly has, the off-track issues have been a real developing issue in 2019. We’ll see what comes of this in the coming months but one thing for sure, between the lime in San Diego and now this, the fans have been really treated to some juicy topics this year. Stay tuned!

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In addition the Americans have upped their game with protection by introducing the Apex range.

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Both are neck brace compatible, are constructed from ventilated in-moulded honeycomb hexframe with EVA foam padding and have adjustable waist and shoulder straps. They are also designed to fit as easily as possible under a jersey and to maximise flexibility and movement for the rider. Answer’s catalogue allows off-road riders to go head-to-toe in their well thought-out, cool looking and valuefor-money wares; now it seems the brand have some serious stock in the important elements that go under riding kit.

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MALCOLM STEWART

FEATURE

MOST CLEMENT CONDITIONS…

By Adam Wheeler, Photos by Ray Archer

FEATURE

I

n the first months of 2009 I remember asking factory Yamaha rider and reigning MXGP (then ‘MX1’) world champion David Philippaerts who he thought would be one of the biggest threats for the forthcoming season. It was quite surprising to hear the Italian utter “Clement Desalle”. The Belgian, then just nineteen years old, had caught the eye with some bursts of speed on a 250cc two-stroke in the premier class and was a feisty prospect that did not move over or show much respect to the older and experienced names of the class.

Desalle had been a promising youth prospect, known to the establishment but eschewed the 250s and MX2 to jump straight in at the deep end. Struggling a little with his English and already distinctive for his intensity and aloofness #25 was easy to capture as the pantomime villain against the flamboyance of Tony Cairoli, the liveliness of Marc de Reuver, the steadfastness of Josh Coppins and the smooth, uncontroversial form of Steve Ramon.

Although in a privateer LS Honda setup (his mechanic at the time is now his Team Manager at Monster Energy Kawasaki Francois Lemariey) Desalle fulfilled Phillippaerts tip: he won two Grands Prix that year, finished third in the championship and firmly ‘arrived’ at the highest level. A good example of Clement’s forthright character, directness and his unwillingess to always play the PR game came in the second victory in the season-closing Brazilian Grand Prix at Canelinha.

When asked if the triumph mattered more at the heavily Honda-backed event the Belgian replied “no, because Honda do not support me much…”

“IT’S INTERESTING TO SEE WHERE EVERYBODY IS BUT YOU CAN NOTICE IN OTHER SPORTS AS WELL THAT SOME GUYS ARE ALWAYS PUSHING MORE AND MORE; LIKE THERE IS NO LIMIT FOR PREPARATION...”

The honesty was weirdly refreshing and a little shocking in the nicety of MXGP. In 2019 Desalle starts his twelfth year in Grand Prix and before the arrival of Jeffrey Herlings was easily the second best rider in the division in terms of numbers: over twenty winner’s trophies and six times in the top three of the championship standings.

He was consistently Cairoli’s closest threat; only injuries to his shoulders made proceedings a little more straightforward for the Sicilian.

Now almost 30 and father to two-year old Emma, Clement has been quietly developing Kawasaki’s new KX450F this winter in what will be his fourth term in green.

FEATURE He is arguably back at the peak of his game: third in 2018, injury-free, confidence imbued, the only winner aside from Cairoli and Herlings. He has transitioned from a period where a broken arm and damaged back interrupted his goals with Kawasaki, and from that aggressive and occasionally sensational racer to one that is more measured and appreciative of the true value of consistency.

Desalle has a strong motocross background and the role of his family as a support structure and solace from the frequent pain and stress of racing is paramount. He has been well brought up: he’s respectful and mannered but also assured enough to skip the bulls**t and follow his own path and beliefs.

“FOR ME IT IS THOSE LITTLE THINGS THAT GIVES YOU A STRONGER FEELING AND THAT MAKES THE DIFFERENCE. I ALWAYS WANT EVERYTHING TO BE PERFECT BUT I KNOW YOU CANNOT CONTROL EVERYTHING...”

He can sometimes seem spiky, but like all enigmatic people at the top of their profession and skill he’s frequently misunderstood. Take his interview technique: he can sometimes brush away a topic or answer in cliché but he thinks about what he says and how his words are conveyed. Ask a question and the answer will evolve as his thoughts churn. Get into a conversation and it’s engaging, interesting and sometimes revelatory.

We’re talking on the morning of the KRT photoshoot that should take place down the road in the HQ of the WorldSBK crew and in the shadow of the Circuit de Catalunya grandstand. ‘Should’ in that Desalle’s hire car was broken into the previous evening and his Airoh helmet and other pieces of kit and personal belongings have gone missing. Despite the infuriating inconvenience Clement is still in the mood to chat…

The big news to hit MXGP recently involved Herlings’ injury. What’s your take on that? Is it possibly something that was on the cards considering the speed and amount he rides…?

It’s so difficult to always be on the limit.

Every week, every training. I hear he was riding a lot. Everybody has their own style of training but to keep at the limit all the time without any injury is very hard to do.

We don’t know how it is for him. He was very difficult to beat last season and even with that injury [the broken collarbone in the summer of ‘18] then he was still strong afterwards. With this guy you never really know and we don’t know the whole story.

I’ll just keep focussed on me and we’ll see when it comes to the gate in Argentina.

2018 was good: the only non-KTM rider to win, third in the championship and injuryfree…

Yes, back in the top three with two really strong guys in front: Cairoli, that I have fought with for many years, and Herlings who was almost unbeatable last year. So it was good because I kept consistent. There were a lot of positives but of course I want more and we’re working with the team and the bike for that and have taken onboard all the feedback from 2018. We’ve been analysing…but I think, mentally, it was a good.

Can you give an example of something you wanted to work on through the winter with a view to fighting the KTMs? It is difficult to be precise with something like this…a few people will say that the sand races were difficult but in the same way I want to modify this perception of me because it is not true. I was second in Ottobiano and two years ago I won the GP in Assen. A sand race is just ‘another’ Grand Prix and, as a rider, the same way to work and feel has to come together. In Lommel I was a small setting ‘off’ with the bike and you quickly lose a few positions because of something like that. But coming back to the question…we have a new bike this year and I think it can help me in a few moments [during a race]. I think that is already important. From my side I made some small changes with physical preparation, some more details with nutrition and we’ve had some help to look at things closely. Overall I’m pleased to see how this might help with improvement. I already take good care about my diet but this is going more ‘into’ what I am doing and eating: I think it can help a little with the feeling on a bad day. Sometimes you wake up and you feel that it will be a hard GP and over the course of twenty races it is important to try and feel you best when it counts. I am also trying to sleep a bit better with some techniques. I’m a really active guy and sometimes it is difficult to relax.

As a professional athlete it is interesting for you to see or many find out how others have done their preparation? There is the battle on the track, with the bikes and then with the individual ideas and approaches…

Yeah, sure. It’s nice. At the first race you think ‘where am I?’ in comparison with the others. In the end, with experience,

FEATURE you know where you are and every year brings a bit more knowledge and knowing what to expect. Last year I had a slightly different way to work and I could feel it was better during the season: I had a good feeling for longer and this was curious. It’s interesting to see where everybody is but you can notice in other sports as well that some guys are always pushing more and more; like there is no limit for preparation. Sometimes there are too many questions about what you could do. It’s important to know what is good for you and what works.

So it can be easy to get lost…

Yes…but I don’t have this problem. I was better last year at not being so anxious and critical. I was stronger in my head in a good way.

Maybe when you are young you don’t have the support or the resources of being an experienced factory rider but you

have the strength and the ‘abandon’ to attack a race. As you get older that situation must turn around…

That’s true but I still feel – not the craziness – but the aggression, and in a good way. This is also important because you cannot afford to back-off or be lazy. It’s true that it is good to have balance and this is something that really comes with experience.

Your MotoGP counterpart is probably Jorge Lorenzo: an athlete with great technicality that is always striving for that little bit extra perfection and is serious and dedicated with how he goes about it…

That’s good because I’m a fan! I like to analyse, especially when it comes to equipment as well. We’ve had a lot of new stuff recently but I like to evaluate everything in real detail. I know sometimes other guys might think ‘he’s crazy…’ to go into the smallest details…

but for me it is those little things that gives you a stronger feeling and that makes the difference. I always want everything to be perfect but I know you cannot control everything. I want to maintain the feeling of ‘I can do it better’. But, like I said to my Dad sometimes after a race, I know I am doing what I want with my life and for that I am lucky, and there are parts of a race that are very satisfying such as knowing a particular technique through one section saved me hitting a bump and won more time. That helps with my motivation.

But you also seem to be someone who is quite hard on himself…

Yes, that’s true and that’s my character. I know I can be quite hard to live with!

I know sometimes it will look like I am being negative: to always want to be better means not always being happy! But it is more about the search for details…and I know that some of them are not really important in life generally.

People might think ‘Desalle is negative’ but it is just a different style to be better and to analyse how to do that. I’ve changed my mentality in the last few years to look at the more positive parts of what I do and having my daughter Emma has helped with that.

Also helping with leaving some obsessive thoughts at the door. There are times when you cannot ‘leave it outside’ though: things have to be better and a solution must be found. You cannot swing to the other side and say ‘everything is OK…’ and then end up having a problem and losing the moto.

If we do that then we are fighting to be 7th, 8th or 9th. That’s not what we are searching for. Again it is about finding a good balance.

It’s a complicated sport: the need to find the area of satisfaction with results, with speed but also health. It’s a lot to manage…

It’s not easy! And sometimes you have to think about it. On some tracks I feel like I see a lot of ‘green lights’ and I can just go. But that’s not the case on some others and you have to play around with what you can and are prepared to do. Last year I was struggling on some tracks on Saturday and could turn it around to make the podium on Sunday. In Turkey for example it was not so easy because the track was really fast. So you have to play around with what you know you have to do on a weekend. You know the feeling you have on that one day and you have to do the best you can with it. Sometimes it can go well and sometimes you can lose the whole championship because you didn’t want 9th or 10th place. That’s happened to me. I’ve seen ‘red lights’ around the track and have known it’s better to take what I can rather than throw the championship away.

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fly racing Fly Racing are reinforcing their position in the helmet game with serious intent. The ‘Formula’ embraces the latest and maximum safety measures thanks to technology like Conehead, varying densities of EPS and an Adaptive Impact System (AIS) that blends a high-performance ecosystem of structural design and energy mitigating materials. Each layer of AIS is made from RHEON enhanced Energy Cells, so this is complex and effective stuff.

Fly have moved way-and-beyond functional helmets as part of a full riding gear catalogue: the Formula is virtually a gamechanger. The company describe some of the internal mechanics as: ‘the seven strategically-placed cells in the EPS liner are designed to feel natural inside the helmet, resulting in a seamless fit for the rider.

www.flyracing.com Their unique shape and maze-like structure allow the Impact Energy Cells to compress and shear. Each cell can either compress during a linear impact or shear during a rotational impact. This slight movement maximizes absorption of low speed linear and rotational impacts reducing overall brain stress.’

A control release system for the peak and ‘true functional ventilation’ further increases the appeal and aspects of the Formula. In fact Fly claim it ‘outperformed all helmets tested in both high velocity impact crashes as well as forces created by rotational and low speed impacts.’ We’ll have more details in a separate story on the website soon but it’s fantastic to see the company making a massive forward step in terms of innovation and a better safety offering to the market.

FEATURE

6 QUESTIO FOR 2019 MXGP ARGENTINA IS UPON US. WHAT DO YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE NINETEEN ROUNDS OF MXGP STARTS AGAIN?

By Adam Wheeler, Photos by Ray Archer/Yamaha/KTM/Bavo

ONS

FEATURE

1) WHO WILL MAKE THE ORANGE LOOK OVER THEIR SHOULDERS? 2018 MXGP was an anomaly.

There were only three winners in the premier class. Two of those scooped a total of just three Grands Prix between them. One rider owned all the other seventeen. In 2017 there were six victors, in 2016 seven. World Champion Jeffrey Herlings has already rolled out the carpet to invite others to a scene of more parity in the category thanks to his broken right foot. Tony Cairoli, world #2 and one of the three ‘chosen ones’ of 2018, may have had one of his driest seasons last year but Herlings was not exaggerating when he claims he saw the 222 riding better than ever at the age of 32. It will be curious to see if the lack of a Herlings-pacemaker will see the nine-times number one push at the same or higher intensity or taper-off his race speed to cope with the threats around him. Cairoli’s consistency makes him the next immediate benchmark for the title assuming that Herlings will have missed too many points by the time he is fit and race-ready.

A KTM will again be the main target…but expect more winners in 2019 because Herlings’ chastening infliction of result on his peers last summer has forced brands, teams, riders and support structures to heavily evaluate their ‘packages’ to combat the dominance.

Where would you put your money? Three names pop up instantly. The only Japanesemachine mounted MXGP winner in 2018, Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Clement Desalle (with a new KX450F to-boot),

Team HRC’s Tim Gajser (embracing his first healthy off-season in two years) and Monster Energy Yamaha’s Romain Febvre.

Febvre in particular has made some alterations to his training output in an effort to regain some of that fearless and energetic form that drove him onwards to a 2015 championship. 2016 was ruined by a concussion, 2017 was speared due to a misstep with set-up of the factory YZ450FM and 2018 was a lumpy ride of injury set-backs

With some uncharacteristic bravado the 27 year old told us exclusively that “overall this is the best winter I’ve had.

I feel I’m in a great position with a really good shot of going for the title.” This would be common pre-season speak for many riders but Febvre has made changes by working with former world champion Jacky Vimond (and thus training and

riding frequently with brandmate Ben Watson) and also morphing his training regime.

“A lot about technique on the bike, that has been one of the main points and when I’ve trained alone in the last few years this was not really something I was looking at too much,” he admits. “Another thing is my one-lap speed.

I’ve been doing more interval training to help with that. In the past I’d do long motos for fitness and would forget about putting raw speed first. I’m still doing those motos but in a different way and that’s been the biggest change.”

“AS WITH MANY, FEBVRE IS LOOKING TO FIGHT THE KTM MENACE…AND HE’S DOING THAT BY NOT THINKING ABOUT THEM AT ALL...”

As with many, Febvre is looking to fight the KTM menace… and he’s doing that by not thinking about them at all.

“I’m focussing a lot more on myself in 2019 and that’s been part of the mental side of the job with Jacky,” he reveals. “It’s part of racing as well. Last year I was perhaps too worried about certain other riders and now I don’t really care what they are doing. It’s a much more different approach for me, and we saw in the first few pre-season events that it’s working: my

speed was much better and just a few mistakes held me back – which I think is normal as it’s been five months since my last raced.”

Febvre, now five years with Yamaha, is one of the fastest riders in MXGP but is also renowned for being something of a loner and very self-reliant and independent.

The new bond with Vimond and collaboration with Watson (“we’ve been training together a lot and I think it is something we’ll continue through the season as well. It helps that he’s in a different class; we still push each other but it doesn’t get negative or overly competitive on the track”) are signs that an elite-level racer is not prepared to have race results dictated to him on a weekly basis.

Tim Gajser, a debutant MXGP World Champion like Febvre, has a similar tale of injury woe (2017 lost to at least two separate crashes and 2018 wrecked by the horrific Mantova jawbone smash in pre-season). Include Gautier Paulin’s return to Yamaha (the bike with which he won on his MXGP wild-card debut in 2011) and some interesting combinations with satellite KTMs (the ‘Max’s’: Anstie and Nagl) and there should be a slightly more colourful aspect to MXGP podiums.

6 QUESTIONS FOR 2019 MXGP

and the odd bright spot until he hit his head again and broke a rib forcing #461 to sit out the final Grand Prix and the Motocross of Nations in the USA.

FEATURE

2) WHAT ABOUT JEFFREY? The World Champion should get a medical update on his broken right foot around the time of the first Grand Prix at the beginning of March. While his rivals are accustomed to some ‘flexibility’ with the truth when it comes to how fit Jeffrey actually is (perhaps a hangover of disbelief after his return from collarbone surgery to win in Indonesia last July) there is little escaping the complexity of multiple fractures to the foot, and how the ailment will have to be carefully assessed before he can contemplate the kind of punishment riding a dirtbike will cause.

There is also the damage to his conditioning, race pace and confidence. The 2018 collarbone break (also a training accident) was a momentary bump of turbulence in a fastflight to his destination. This latest episode is a case of a ‘severe delay’. Herlings will return and he will win and he’ll have frustration to exorcise but the hundreds-of-thousands-of-euros question is ‘when?’

3) WHO WILL WIN THE KTM BATTLE? No, not that battle. Tony Cairoli remains the Austrian factory’s best hope of an eighth premier class championship since

2010…and he won’t be alone for 450 SX-F back-up. Former teammate Glenn Coldenhoff – the reaper of RedBud – is back on his Standing Construct KTM after recovering from neck injury and has two capable teammates in the form of Max Anstie and Ivo Monticelli (surprisingly rapid at Hawkstone).

Max Nagl has already shown some speedy potential on his return to the brand where he finished as MXGP championship runner-up (and the reunion with Sarholz KTM means re-nesting where his career started in Grand Prix) and Britain’s sole winner in MXGP, Shaun Simpson, is another one looking for inspiration in the orange. Simpson won Grands Prix in 2015 with KTM and as a

4) IS THIS GAUTIER PAULIN’S LAST ROLL AT GLORY? There is an aura of mystery at Wilvo Yamaha. One of the best and most resourceful satellite teams in the paddock is primed for a third term in

‘blue’ but while expectations remain high their possibilities are unknown. A rider of Gautier Paulin’s quality and dedication should lead to strong results as they chase their second Grand Prix victory but an arguably bigger question mark lies over the Frenchman’s friend and equally technical teammate Arnaud Tonus. The Swiss’ moto success at his home round (in a rookie 450 season) in 2017 helped towards another shot in 2019. Tonus’ fortunes that weekend of the summer at Frauenfeld virtually summed up his career – skill and speed to win but then an injury in the second moto knocking all that momentum away. Arnaud hasn’t posted Grand Prix

points since the final round of 2017 so Paulin will not have an unmotivated fellow racer in the awning.

And what of the Motocross of Nations talisman himself?

2019 sees Gautier poised under the heaviest guillotine blade of judgement yet. Factory support at Kawasaki, Honda and Husqvarna produced excellent highlights but also problems with championshipconsistency. It feels like Gautier has been labouring under the cloud of being one of the best motocrossers of the modern era not to win a title for several years but let’s not forget his age (29 in March), experience and the real chance that his decision to

6 QUESTIONS FOR 2019 MXGP

privateer and is also competing on British shores again in ’19. Former British Champion Graeme Irwin may have been forced to end his career due to complications with a scaphoid problem but the world championship-winning brand is still not short on plenty of top ten MXGP presence.

FEATURE

5) ANY ROOM FOR THE NEW BREED? The MXGP ‘rookie’ spotlight falls on just two MX2 achievers in 2019: Pauls Jonass and Vsevolod Brylyakov (the Russian thankfully having recovered from the shoulder injury that pushed his career into the balance). There are several more names that carry exciting potential. In the case of the Rockstar Energy IceOne Husqvarna team the realignment from championship contention (a position assumed since 2015 and when Max Nagl held the red plate for Kimi Raikkonen’s squad) to the propulsion of ‘talent in progress’ comes with the signing of 2017 MX2 world

champion Jonass (frantically trying to regain ground for riding and testing after winter knee surgery) and the surprise conscription of Arminas Jasikonis. The tall Lithuanian is just 21 years old (a year younger than Jonass) and shone as a fill-in with the now defunct factory Suzuki team in ’17.

Steering a largely stock Honda in ’18 ‘Jasi’ kept his name in the MXGP frame but has faced injury interruption. IceOne represents a fantastic opportunity and staff inside the KTM group and Husqvarna circles are already tipping #27 as the ‘one to watch’.

There is genuine excitement around Monster Energy Yamaha’s Jeremy Seewer. The Swiss weathered a late team/brand switch at the end of ’17 to negotiate a very satisfactory maiden MXGP season. So much so that he was elevated into the works Yamaha set-up and under the watch of Mino Raspanti and Michele Rinaldi. Seewer progressed every single season to reach the position of MX2 title challenger in 2017. He will be a player in 2019: lay a monetary note for a first MXGP podium finish now. With Red Bull KTM already rocked by Herlings’ setback the podium could be open for more infiltration.

6) IS PRADO UNBEATABLE? Sadly for fans of MX2 and riders with high goals in 2019 the reigning world champion looks to already be reaching ‘Herlings-esque’ levels of potential. While almost meaningless as a gauge of Grand Prix speed his total lockout of the three round Italian Championship (and three podium finishes against the 450s) should not be dismissed lightly. Training partner and mentor Tony Cairoli may be biased and paying a degree of lip service when he claims the eighteen year old has improved further in the winter time but – ominously – that’s to be expected with someone of the capacity and youth of Spain’s first ever #1 in the principal classes. He won in 2018 by building a vessel of momentum and in the wake of a tough pre-season disturbed by a broken elbow. Starts, sand, hard-pack, on-track skirmishes, first laps speed: it’s hard to find Prado’s weakness, which means the teenager’s toughest opponent could be himself and the resistance to mistakes that could cause injury or another handicap.

6 QUESTIONS FOR 2019 MXGP

race with Wilvo Yamaha could result in the enclave of support he has been searching for since he last departed Yamaha in 2011. If #21 feels good then he’s capable of magic and he is long overdue some regular scraps with others for the top platform of the box rather than just the second and third steps.

Nineteen trophies in the last four seasons mean he is the most prolific and ‘probable’ outside of the KTM clutch.

FEATURE

Other teams and brands first need to equal Prado’s vicious starting prowess. He was easily the dominant holeshotter from all classes in 2018 and while his build is slight there are other riders with similar physique in the division.

KTM+technique+weight+belief means an already mighty antagonist.

As a remedy and answer then look to the very few that managed to compete or even beat #61 last year. The onus falls to HRC’s Calvin Vlaanderen and Rockstar Energy Husqvarna’s Thomas Kjer Olsen. In the meantime there is a litter of other riders that could rattle the boat on a given weekend, names like Watson, Geerts, Jacobi, Beaton, Sanayei, Sterry, Mewse, Pootjes and even Red Bull KTM rookie Tom Vialle.

6 QUESTIONS FOR 2019 MXGP

MXGP BLOG

REMEMBERING THE FIRST ONE...

Almost twelve months ago MXGP World Champion Tony Cairoli was stood on the first podium of the 2018 season, breathing heavily, slightly bewildered and a little p***ed off.

At the back of the Italian’s mind, somewhere and somehow, there was also a flicker of calm. Nine world championships, eight-three grand prix wins, fifteen years and two of the last three spent dealing with the annoyance of injury all carried a deep reserve of experience.

The first Grand Prix on a calendar can mean a hell of a lot. It is also the initial thrust of many in the fight. It is fascinating to watch how professional racers tackle and then cope with the aftermath of a championship opener. In Cairoli’s case the defending No.1 came to the Neuquen circuit in Argentina after strong pre-season, another Italian domestic crown, the incentive of a tenth world title and the knowledge that Red Bull KTM teammate Jeffrey Herlings would represent his hardest ever challenge. He earned the first Pole Position of 2018 and then won the first moto by a second from the Dutchman.

Cairoli was a lap away from making it 1-1 before Herlings’ emphatic assault and victory, thus earning the overall triumph and putting Cairoli – who’d erred several occasions while leading – on the second step.

It was clear the defeat stung. Some of Tony’s post-race comments carried the tone of frustration but he was also swift to (at least publicly) default to the position of acknowledging a strong result to begin the campaign.

The nerves and excitement of the first race (and on a circuit that almost all the riders like to attack) means that Grand Prix #1 carries special significance…but depending on the classification on Sunday afternoon a rider may then dismiss or harness the overall emotion and feeling from that unique twentyfour hours. Cairoli was fast, mostly-consistent and represented the sole affront to the Herlings threat.

He could have soaked-up a win that could have been a big statement against his foe and the rest of MXGP - and those that were perhaps questioning his age and ability to tussle with younger opponents - instead he was having to equate the day as 47 points banked.

In a different place emotionally, try telling Herlings the day at Neuquen only signified points. For the Dutchman it was a risky and thrilling repost to Cairoli’s A-game.

He rallied from the arm-pump that affected his Saturday Heat race to pound an exhilarating stamp on the series. You could argue that (while there were still hundreds of miles of racing laps to run) he laid the first slab of a dominant championship in that Argentina volcanic ash. The belief and confidence flowed from that moment. Herlings is also wise to the tremendous highs and lows of this sport so would not have sailed too far on that one-day achievement but

By Adam Wheeler

he - and maybe others in MXGP – knew something that brewing that Sunday.

It is possible to count the hours until MXGP 2019 bounces free of the start devices. Once again Cairoli is the man of the pre-season events and he is almost unbeaten in three rounds and weeks of Italian competition (teammate Jorge Prado actually holds that distinction in MX2 and must be odds-on to sweep Neuquen). He might have had to realign his orientation on Neuquen however. Considering Herlings’ strength in 2018 an equal-points finish would represent a very good day at the races if the Dutchman was still in commission. Tony may have said in these very pages that he is “out to win” in 2019 but he has all those FIM medals because he knows the price of a GP top three and top five result in the premier class. Now in Argentina he must be aware that anything like the performance levels of 2018 means that extra dose of elation.

Or does he? Many riders in the off-season talk of ‘focussing on themselves, their programmes, their own potential’. It means when they all push into the gate for that very first moto on Sunday in South America they will be looking along the line wondering whether their whole approach and winter of work has actually hit the mark.

It is hard to imagine they are not curious about the others. They will have seen crumbs of speed, fitness and form in races like the Italian series and Internationals at Hawkstone Park and LaCapelle Marival but that is also a time when tests are ongoing and experienced campaigners will not be rushing to find limits. Riders even talk about not ‘wanting to peak’ in the first Grands Prix of a seventh month trawl across the globe so that could add extra irrelevance to Argentina and the results sheets.

A host of different physical and mental regimes and individual stories with confidence, set-up, team chemistry and confidence will be colliding in the din of revving throttles behind the gate.

It is revealing to hear Romain Febvre saying that thoughts of his rivals in 2018 was actually detrimental. Surely some appreciation and analysis of the others is smart strategy? Perhaps in a sport where the parameters and boundaries move week-on-week depending on track, conditions and fitness then it’s just too much to digest.

Round one can be a confusing situ of smoke and mirrors but - as presumed with Herlings - it can be a launch pad, and Jeffrey isn’t the only one. Pauls Jonass was rarely more comprehensive in 2018 than at Argentina and cleared-off with the next two Grands Prix. Back in 2015 Max Nagl won in Qatar and then Argentina also and led the championship for the first half of the season.

However, while interesting and often surprising the ‘power’ of the first round is debatable. Cairoli is actually the strongest example for this. #222 has won in the premier class in 2009, ‘10, ’11, ’12, ’13, ’14 and 2017. Guess how many times he claimed the opening Grand Prix in that period?

MXGP BLOG

Just twice: 2012 and 2017. In 2011 he struggled through an injured knee and was 9th overall in Bulgaria: the worst ‘opener’ in his career in the MXGP division…but he still gathered the bigger prize. And yet…we can surmise that his vitality in conquering the last Grand Prix of Qatar two years ago was also a ‘latch-freeing’ exercise towards the ninth world championship?

After all it was his first Grand Prix win without pain or restriction after 2015 and 2016.

Pre-season activities can also muddy the water. I’ll still put a 20 euro note on the table that a rider like Kemea Yamaha’s Ben Watson (whose 4th position at Neuquen kickstarted the next level of his GP career) will be fighting for the MX2 podium in Argentina…but the Brit’s 2019 races so far have seen a litany of issues both bike and rider related. On the other hand countryman Adam Sterry made a fantastic GP debut in Argentina two years previously and shone at last weekend’s Hawkstone Park International but now has to step-up and prove his chops

in Grand Prix. Who will make the two flights and 27 hour trip back to the UK with some shiny metal and a (possibly beneficial) glow?

Grand Prix number one: it’s not easy to deduce it’s importance but it can be an early and possibly vital part of a racer’s story come the wind-down of another year.

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THE NEW REASON TO ADVENTURE HARDER Photo: F. Lackner

PRODUCTS

100% Spring collection time for 100% and the San Diego firm never fail to hit the mark with their product style and design. Among the expanded and revised collections there are new looks for frames and straps. 100%’s range is comprehensive (junior, OTG, mud with the Forecast, road with the Barstow) and so is the choice when it comes to aesthetics across their off-road models of Racecraft +, Racecraft and Accuri (the entry line goggle still good enough that riders such as Red Bull KTM’s Marvin Musquin and Cooper Webb swear by them). Fresh for Spring is the ‘Andre’ and for Accuri the ‘Bali’, ‘Berlin’ and the ‘Galak’.

www.ride100percent.com Tech specs vary slightly (as you’d expect) but one of 100%’s strongest features since day one has been the ability to interchange lenses with frames across the line, so you can be set for any kind of riding condition or any particular look. Have a scan through the full roster by hitting a link and thanks to strong distribution it is not hard to source a pair of 100%s. Prices for the Racecraft hit 65-75 dollars (depending on the lens) and 45-60 for the Accuri.

FEATURE

THE NEW LEAF THE FUTURE OF MXGP: YOUTHSTREAM AND INFRONT TALK NEXT STEPS

By Adam Wheeler, Photos by Ray Archer

O

n the last day of the first month of the New Year the FIM MXGP Motocross World Championship moved into a new era. There had been whispers for some time that the series was being packaged and placed in a shop window but the acquisition of promoters Youthstream by Swiss sports marketing company Infront was the first serious shift in the foundations of Grand Prix racing since the current incumbents purchased the television, marketing and global rights from Dorna in 2003.

Youthstream, under control of the Luongo family – principally father and son Giuseppe and David – have a long association with motocross, stretching back into the 1980s as race and championship promoters. The firm’s stint at the helm of the FIM World Championship began in the mid-1990s as Action Group before the sale to MotoGP rights holders Dorna in 2000.

FEATURE Reborn as Youthstream in 2002 they bought back motocross a year later by observing Dorna’s hesitancy and insecurity with the profit-making model applied to the sport.

They have been overseeing Grand Prix (through the four-stroke MX1/MX2 formula and up to the present MXGP/MX2 definition today with heavy influence over the EMX European Championships as well as other disciplines like the FIM Junior World Championship, Veterans and FIM Snowcross) ever since.

Former professional footballer David Luongo has been steering the work and direction of the company at ground level for the last five years and has seen excellent headway in the presentational aspect of MXGP, a larger global footprint, a surging social media audience and reach, renewal of the Monster Energy title sponsorship deal and improved dialogue with the motorcycle industry and co-promoters such as AMA Pro National runners MX Sports. There have been bumps in the road: the SMX ‘Supermotocross’ Cup venture in 2016 was an attempt at European motocross in a Supercross setting and with AMA-level ambitions but was a victim of an already overcrowded international dirtbike calendar.

Infront are no strangers to FIM racing.

They supervised the WorldSBK championship for six years between 2007-2012 before continuing their part in the merrygo-round hand-off of power by allowing Dorna to assume rights over both MotoGP and Superbike.

The Infront-Youthstream alliance means a fresh front on the organisation and promotional face of MXGP for another

seventeen years. It comes at a time when the FIM have a new president (Jorge Viegas) for the first time since 2006 and with staunch MXGP supporter Dr Wolfgang Srb unexpectedly dipping out of the election process for the position and seemingly from the FIM political picture.

The announcement on January 31st naturally provoked a raft of questions: How will MXGP change? What will Infront do with the championship? How much influence will Youthstream retain?

Asking key figures such as David Luongo and Julien Ternisien, Infront Vice President Summer Sports, for their initial strategies for Grand Prix was the next point of call and both willingly (if, understandably, a little guardedly) gave their opinions on several enquires.

Their accessibility is to be applauded but there is little doubt that all cards (if any) will be laid on the table at this stage.

MXGP, as an elite representation of the sport, is very far from being a broken series and the last thing Infront will want is to destabilise the remodelled ship as it veers out from port.

There is an element of unpredictability to the partnership though, and the extent of Infront’s activity and engagement in MXGP and Youthstream’s working practices (and whether they can both sail along) is water yet to be charted. Back in 2001 Dorna employed virtually a full roster of Action Group management to assist in the transition of what an unstable and politically ‘hot’ period for the sport. Why? Grand Prix was run as a full 125, 250 and 500cc calendar for the first time but with the unpopular one-moto

MXGP & THE FUTURE

format. Before the mid-point of the 2001 season Dorna cleared out Action Group staff from their organisation. They had introduced a new level of TV production and maintained prize money but the calendar shrank to twelve fixtures, investment already halted in 2002 (and was cut for 2003) and the Motocross Des Nations that same year tumbled to the nadir of cancellation and last minute revival as a boycotted ‘B-list’ event in Spain.

FEATURE The joint Youthstream-Infront press release claims that a firmer hand will remain on the tiller this time and it will be a familiar one. ‘The management of the Monaco-based company will remain unchanged under the direction of President Giuseppe Luongo together with David Luongo as CEO and Daniele Rizzi as COO,’ the document states.

“From the very beginning of our discussion it was clear from both parties that the management, the people and the philosophy of Youthstream should not change,” offers David Luongo exclusively. “Thanks to our work, choices and strategy during the last decade we brought MXGP to an amazing level, and in that respect Infront will help us to reach the next steps of our developments.”

“Infront aims to develop a new motorsports and extreme sports platform, and thank to the knowledge and the expertise of Youthstream we are be the best partners to work on that.”

“No changes are planned,” he reiterates “as the structure and the format of our different championships are working very well but the expertise and relations of Infront in the TV rights, Marketing world wide and the window on Asia will for sure bring the MXGP to the next steps in term of popularity and awareness.”

The role of Infront as a passive Big Brother and facilitator of MXGP to wider circles is the strongest party line coming out of the deal. Judging by their efforts and stance in WorldSBK this is their MO. “When Infront stepped into WorldSBK it was hardly noticeable

Youthstream’s objective to take Grand Prix ‘more global’ has sparked debate among teams and fans and is based around the concerning expense of racing in the 21st century as well as some of the suitability of far-flung circuits where facilities and knowledge of the sport might not be as elevated as in the European heartland of motocross. The Grand Prix of Qatar from 2013-2017 was a well-supported (and well-liked) cash-driven floodlit spectacle with initial good intentions to expand the sport in the Middle East and connection point from west to east, but it was far removed from the earthy roots of motocross as a decent circuit experience for fans.

Then for every slick, atmospheric and popular Grand Prix in Brazil – for example - there were also others that didn’t

quite hit the same heights for organisation or facilities.

Regardless of the rate of efficacy, expansion has been a success in terms of giving new (or starved) audiences a flavour of MXGP and deepening the richness and diversity of the series. As an FIM World Championship MXGP (as long as it is reasonably sustainable for teams and those who make up the show) has a duty to explore other territories, markets and cultures, to find new fans and re-inspire the old or distant ones. From a sporting point of view the fact that riders have to tackle sapping Dutch or Belgian sand one week, marbley Czech soil the next and then the heat and humidity of Asian hard-pack a few days later only hikes the demands and challenge of the championship further.

In 2019 MXGP will visit China and Hong Kong for the very first time. The calendar also involves two rounds in Indonesia for the second year in a row, a journey to a popular stop in Russia and the championship opener in Argentina in two weeks time. The zeal to keep stretching Grand Prix is unlikely to shrink…and it seems with Infront there is even more ‘back-up’ to make that happen.

David Luongo says the bond between the companies is not a snapshot decision.

“We have relationship and communications with Infront and its top management for years thanks to the great respect both companies and people have to each other,” he states. “It has been a several months of discussion to cover all the aspects of such acquisition, and we would like to thank Infront for their great interest in MXGP and our work in general.”

“The most important point for us was for Infront to feel comfortable with the special family spirit of the motocross and its DNA,” he adds. “We met people [there] that are really passionate about motorsport and it is very promising.

The deal cannot be compared with the Action Group/Dorna agreement because the MXGP FIM World championship is definitely in another dimension today in term of popularity.”

“We have been monitoring Youthstream for a couple of years as we were looking for new properties in motorsports and as we always thought it was a fantastic product,” says Infront’s Julien Ternisien. “Infront will take an active role at Youthstream board level, thus also being involved in key strategic decisions for the company. We will also take an active role in all aspects of commercialising the media and marketing rights to the

MXGP & THE FUTURE

from the management and sport point of view, they just left the championship management as it was and they looked after the Media and production side; I guess this is what is going to happen also with MX,” Biel Roda, Marketing & PR boss of WorldSBK Champions Kawasaki Racing Team told us. “They will let management keep working as they’ve done in the past and be a partner in the Media/TV production side.

It will be a mix of experience of the existing management plus the strength of a big multinational behind.”

FEATURE series represented by Youthstream as well as in supporting YS to accelerate the international development of MXGP.”

Commercially, we see potential for further optimisation in sponsorship, media sales and digital marketing activities.”

When prompted to identify the strengths of MXGP, Ternisien’s reply backs-up Luongo assertion that Infront have looked carefully into the potential of the sport. “[It] is one of motorsport’s fastest growing and most promising properties,” he says, “one of few sports where the results are completely unpredictable and [is] great for fans. The growth the sport has recently shown is part of a long-term strategy with a focus on supporting and developing young riders from the very beginning.

“We will collaborate very closely to further improve fan experience, content offering and ultimately grow the global community in motocross,” he offers on Infront’s expected influence.

“We aim at taking the sport to the next level of commercial success by activating our extensive media and sponsorship network as well as our full suite of innovative sports solutions. This goes hand-in-hand with improving media sales and accelerating digital marketing activities, including further improving the MXGP-TV OTT platform for fans all over the world.”

geographical spread and international appeal (new races in Russia, India, Indonesia; return to Laguna Seca and Jerez de la Frontera) and added major international brands to the sponsorship rooster, including Eni as new title sponsor and Tissot as timing sponsor.”

“Those examples are just of illustrative nature and of course this doesn’t mean we will be able replicate all achievements for MXGP,” he adds.

David Luongo: “I am sure this collaboration will bring new ideas but for the moment the line is the continuity of our work and to finetune the championships. It is a ‘new gate’ that opens for our sport and we are super, superexcited and happy about this new challenge.

For sure it is not the end of my family in our favourite sport but it is the opening of a new chapter.”

With Monster Energy again the dominant brand in MXGP and now Infront an active partner the championship has enjoyed a flurry of positive business activity, and it will be interesting to see how any immediate and midterms results of these negotiations will flow down into the state and infrastructure of the paddock and spectacle.

In a difficult decade for the motorcycle industry an accepted wisdom has been ‘the more dynamic and reactionary and speculative the brand, the more maximisation of their potential and capability to hit the waves’. During that time MXGP has been chiselled here-andthere and the open surge into social media distribution has produced impressive gains but it is time to try ‘twisting’ instead of ‘sticking’ and it seems there is now the means to do that.

MXGP & THE FUTURE

“Just to provide a benchmark: In the five years Infront was a partner to WorldSBK it contributed significantly to the successful international development of the series and proved its capabilities in adding value. Key achievements included: Streamlined positioning of the series including implementation of major re-branding project, significant increase of broadcast coverage (+80% cumulative live / re-live audience; +58% live coverage; +40% number of broadcast partners), improvements of media production, e.g. implementation of HDTV standard, on-board cameras and new onscreen graphics, implementation of a online and social media strategy, increased

FEATURE

WHAT COULD CHANGE? TV – Live television production is one of the biggest budget swallowers for Youthstream and might be one area that Infront could introduce measures and/or improvements. From full coverage of the four motos for MXGP and MX2, to broadcast of just the second motos and then provision of a magazine ‘highlights’ show MXGP is adaptive with its TV package. But don’t expect too much deviation, especially on the live outlay (that would involve tinkering with the root of the sport itself). “For the time being we have no immediate plans to change the format of live coverage,” says Ternisien. “It is well established and known to the fans. Having said this, we will of course have discussions with all parties involved throughout the season and see if there is need and/ or potential for future optimisations.” It is the biggest commercial asset for the championship however and undoubtedly the first area of evaluation.

Social Media – Even more spread? 715,000 followers on Instagram, 2.6 million on Facebook, 64,000 on Twitter, 155,000 on YouTube (with millions of video views) means

MXGP is chugging away on the channels that count. A measurement of Infront’s expertise could see the rate of content or numbers involved surge further in 2019 and 2020.

Distribution – Where, when and how MXGP can be found and enjoyed is another focus point. Bountiful presence on Youtube and social media is a bonus as is the (excellent value for money) MXGP-TV streaming pass but mainstream TV exposure is an area of the business constantly in flux and the addition of the series to the Eurosport catalogue was a very bright move in recent years. For fans in the UK, especially, the sight of Grand Prix motocross on principal sport or TV channels has been in short supply. “We will collaborate to improve our TV coverage thanks to the power of sale of such a group,” Luongo says. “Infront has offices of representation all around the world which will give a big boost to find new markets.”

Format – Two motos per class is a time-honoured format and was only ditched (to much derision) from 2001-2003 in an effort to streamline the sport to increase the chances of mass appeal through television. Youthstream experimented with a ‘Superfinal’ in the 2013 overseas Grands Prix that mixed the top riders of MXGP and MX2 for the second race but what should have been a simplification of motocross actually created confusion and posed questions over the safety of 450cc and 250cc motorcycles tackling the same obstacles at the same time. Expect four motos to remain in place even if it remains cumbersome for live television coverage and the packages that broadcast networks will be prepared to take.

Calendar – A pan-global twenty-round series is unlikely to be reduced. Even more exploration of non-European markets could be on the cards and the continuing search to re-introduce MXGP to Japan, South America, the Middle East and the biggest nut to crack: north America.

Rules – There will be questions over the innovation aspect of MXGP (especially with other series like MotoGP making a big push behind electric bike racing in 2019) but the FIM and Youthstream have always been resolute that the motorcycle should not take priority over the capabilities of the rider. Expect a dim view of more electronics and other aspects that could inflate the costs of racing even further, but perhaps the Infront/Youthstream axis could start to develop ideas like live telemetry for the benefit of TV/entertainment purposes, much in the same way AMA Supercross has started to do.

MXGP & THE FUTURE

WHAT WON’T CHANGE?

PRODUCTS

husqvarna Elegant, practical and functional, with a touch of style: pretty much what you’d expect from Husqvarna with their first Vitpilen & Svartpilen collection. The brand themselves describe the range as: ‘revamped premium garments and lifestyle accessories that allows Husqvarna Motorcycles enthusiasts to confirm their style with clothing and accessories designed to meet the dynamics of a modern life.’ We’re talking two different jackets, three variations of casual/riding pants, three different glove offerings and two crash helmet variations.

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One of which, the Pilen (made by French firm SHARK) perfectly captures the Street character of the eye-catching white bikes. The Eliminator – shown here – is equally distinctive. Hit any of the links to go direct to the page for a browse or curious look. There is also a pair of high-top riding ‘trainers’ made for the firm by REV’IT. Highlighted here is the Pilen jacket (again by REV’IT) which contains CE approved protection in the shoulders and elbows, a back protector slot and includes a removable thermal layer and hood. A bikerfit ‘Progress’ jacket made of cowhide means there is another choice.

SBK BLOG

FINALLY ARRIVING..

More than Europe’s largest MC store

I’m H.A.P.P.Y. I know I am, I’m sure I am…

I am writing this sitting in my office when I should be sitting on a plane at 39,000ft travelling to Australia.

Despite making the application three weeks ago, my Visa still hasn’t come through and I have been unable to leave.

It has only been in the last five years that we have had to apply for this temporary, short stay work Visa and at the cost of $290AUD the efficiency doesn’t seen to have matched the $200 increase in that time. Up until now it has taken no more than 7 days to process but for some reason this year it has disappeared into a black hole. Added to that the customer services help desk is of the chocolate teapot variety, I am going nowhere fast.

This, added to another couple of headaches that are persisting at the moment, places me slap bang on the centre of the F**ked Off Zone…….and a race wheel hasn’t even turned in anger!

That was yesterday and with the help of a few emails from a person I know who knows some people, my visa arrived, a day late, and I rebooked the flights for this evening (Friday). With my bags already packed and good to go it has afforded me a little free time and I have taken the chance to get out and pedal my bike on what is an unseasonably bright and sunny day in Glasgow. Some welcomed fresh air and exercise before I sit in a big tin can for the best part of a full day.

With the stress of getting the travel organized it was nice to finally arrive in Melbourne on a sunny Sunday morning. I even scored a cheeky little upgrade from Emirates on the way to Dubai so I took advantage and had a proper sleep on the first leg of the journey.

It was straight to the track from the airport and into a full day of photoshoots, mainly team shots and set up pictures for press kits but it is time consuming for the amount of content generated and takes a lot of

post production editing. I pushed through the jet lag to get it all finished so I could concentrate fully on the track action today.

Like every season before, this is when the talking stops and we see who are the real contenders for the championship.

There are many potential challengers to Jonathan Rea’s crown but I have this nagging feeling that we are waking up on Groundhog Day. Kawasaki introduced their rider line-up, who we all knew anyway, and their 2019 livery at a launch event, in San Remo, just off the Island, on Saturday evening. Yours truly should have been there but thanks to my Visa fiasco I had to get Vaclav Duska Jnr to stand in for me and I must say a big thank you for doing a sterling job. I had shot the bike and riders in Seville at the end of February and apart form an additional bit of branding here and there, the bike looks exactly the same. Kawasaki has made all their changes to engine internals that you can’t see.

By Graeme Brown

With an increase in horsepower on the production version of the Ninja ZX-10RR, the race machine will now have parity with the other manufactures when it comes to the top end of their rev limit. The engine characteristics have changed to make it more responsive. One complaint JR had last year was that losing top end revs meant that in some corners he struggled to find the right gear to get sufficient drive. I remember he told me how tough Misano was last year for that reason. It was tough, but he claimed a double win. That therefore can only lead me to think that with an improved bike the 2019 championship is his to lose rather than go out and win it.

For me the obvious challengers are the same ones as before – both Ducati and Yamaha riders, Tom Sykes, now on the new BMW, and his team-mate, Leon Haslam. Who will it be and will they have enough to claim the title themselves?

Standing trackside shooting on Monday morning one thing struck immediately, Alvaro Bautista looked lightning fast, way quicker than anyone else.

Experience has told me that that never translates to the timesheets.

However, today I would be put back in in my bock. Bautista topped the timesheets all day, but only by a few tenths from Alex Lowes on the Yamaha. Rea finished third fastest of the combined sessions, but in the afternoon he fell behind team mate Haslam, albeit the wind had got up, and the morning times remained the fastest over the whole day.

Sykes and Davies were further down in the final scores. The Yorkshireman still learning and adapting to his new steed whilst I fear Davies may still be suffering from the back injury that sidelined him in Jerez and Portimao.

The other quick fella today, and looking the part, was Alex Lowes on the Yamaha. Alex is a rider with a style that always ‘looks’ fast and today it was great to see him knocking on the door. Pre-event he was quoted that he feels he can be an ever present on the podium this year.

It’s a bold statement but on today’s showing at least, why not?

However, one swallow doesn’t make a summer and we have another full day of testing tomorrow. By the time you read this you will know if what I have written is irrelevant – well more so than normal - and in any event Saturday’s podium places will be decided on Saturday after 22 laps of one the best motorcycle racing circuits on the planet, not from a day of testing.

I have slowly moved out of the FO Zone and back into my normal slightly grumpy, mildly miserable, West of Scotland self. That’s just me but I am in the Happy Zone.

At 9:15am I was standing on the outside of Siberia corner, camera in hand, blue skies above and the southern ocean off to my left watching a string of motorbikes creep out of pit lane, down to turn one and make there way round the Southern Loop towards me. I can’t think of many better places to be on a Monday morning.

FEATURE

ESSENTIAL Qs 2019 WORLD SUPERBIKE IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER AND THIS COULD BE ONE OF THE MOST INTERESTING SEASONS IN YEARS: THERE ARE NEW BIKES, NEW RIDERS, A NEW WEEKEND FORMAT AND PLENTY OF INTRIGUE AHEAD OF THE 13 ROUND CAMPAIGN. WE DECIDED TO TACKLE SOME OF THE QUESTIONS PEOPLE MIGHT HAVE REGARDING THE SERIES AS PHILLIP ISLAND LAUNCHES PROCEEDINGS THIS WEEKEND. Words & Photos by Steve English and GeeBee Images

s: WORLDSBK

FEATURE

IS THIS THE END OF AN ERA? Don’t count on it but whether 2019 is the year that Jonathan Rea finally trips-up is a legitimate talking point in the WorldSBK paddock. The four times champion has dominated WorldSBK in recent years but for the first time since joining Kawasaki, he might be forced to look over his shoulder at a bag full of rivals.

The foundation of Rea’s success has been built on dominance over his teammate.

With Tom Sykes put in his place, Rea felt the confidence that comes from being able to focus on a single title rival. Typically this has been Chaz Davies, but for 2019 the Yamaha has looked strong in testing and the blue machine has four capable riders.

Ducati has an all-new bike and with WorldSBK regulars Davies and Eugene Laverty joined by MotoGP refugee

Alvaro Bautista the Italian manufacturer has the personnel capable of getting back to the front. Add in a motivated Sykes on a brand new BMW and you’ve got a mouth-watering grid.

Fighting a title battle is hard enough but fighting it out over multiple fronts is even more difficult. Rea is going to have to go through a wall of opposition this season. The Kawasaki is the most versatile machine and Rea is the

DO NEW FORTUNES GO ALONG WITH A NEW BIKE FOR DUCATI?

“FIGHTING A TITLE BATTLE IS HARD ENOUGH BUT FIGHTING IT OUT OVER MULTIPLE FRONTS IS EVEN MORE DIFFICULT. REA IS GOING TO HAVE TO GO THROUGH A WALL OF OPPOSITION THIS SEASON.” No pressure on Davies and Bautista in that case.

The Spaniard comes with lots of hype. He is expected to win and win regularly. Ducati replaced Marco Melandri because podiums at every other race wasn’t enough. They wanted more. Now arguably the biggest question entering

the 2019 season is whether Bautista can get the job done.

He’ll go to Phillip Island having endured a difficult transition to WorldSBK. Ducati has their new bike and are still learning to understand it. Bautista is learning how to feel the Pirelli tyres and a Superbike. It’s a big shift and one that many riders have struggled with in the past. Can the Spaniard be different and join Max Biaggi and Carlos Checa as MotoGP castoffs who won a title in WorldSBK? It remains to be seen but Phillip Island is the best place in the world to start because with two days of testing in advance he can get up to speed, have his bike settings in the ball park and race at a track he knows and loves.

‘PI’ is a track tailor made for almost every rider on the grid.

If there’s a rider who doesn’t like Phillip Island, I’ve yet to meet him. Bautista fought for the MotoGP podium in Australia last October and now he starts his SBK career here.

BMW AND HONDA: THEIR CHANCES IN 2019?

After more than 15 years Honda Racing Corporation is back in WorldSBK. The last time there was a full factory effort from HRC in WorldSBK,

ESSENTIAL WorldSBK Qs

greatest Superbike rider of all time but he won’t count out his rivals in 2019. At races where Rea isn’t quite able to perform to the maximum, he might suddenly find himself behind a host of bikes and fighting for fifth rather than the safe podiums that we’ve seen in recent years, on his rare off-days.

Ducati have put their flag on the mast. The Panigale V4 R This could be the year where has to win the title. The Italthe drive for five ends in disap- ian manufacturer has changed pointment for Rea. tact, broken from their tradition of a twin-cylinder machine and fallen into line.

Ducati has said that: “we aren’t committed to an engine format, a trellis frame or anything other than winning.

We’ve made these changes to make sure that Ducati can win again.”

FEATURE the landscape was very different. Castrol Honda and Colin Edwards won the title at Imola in one of the most talked about races in recent history, and if you’d said then that the big ‘H’ would have only five wins in the last five years you’d have been taken for a fool.

Ultimately resources were spent in MotoGP and other projects but now, finally, Honda are ready to once again invest in WorldSBK and to try and win big. But it will take time. The Fireblade has left much to be desired since the new model was introduced. However going forward this could be the start of something big. Honda will win again in WorldSBK but it would be a shock if this occurs in 2019. This season is almost certain to be a learning year for the Moriwaki-run effort, where Honda evaluate the championship. As the term progresses they should make some strong steps forward.

BMW on the other hand looks the part, has a brand new bike that looks to be fast and have invested heavily. Tom Sykes is the headline signing but don’t underestimate their technical investments with Pete Benson and Pete Jennings as crew chiefs.

Benson is a multiple Grand Prix world championship winning technician, and they don’t come cheap. The Shaun Muir Racing partnership is an interesting one and one that can succeed.

The bike has been quick in testing. Whether it’s quick enough to win races remains to be seen but don’t rule it out. Sykes will have Superpole successes with this bike and the 2013 world champion finally has the engine characteristics he’s been chasing for years.

He’s motivated and hungry.

He’s a former world champion and he’s spent four years being punched in the face by Rea. Sykes is backed into a corner but he’ll be looking to come out swinging. If he’s fast in Phillip Island, a traditional bogey track, he can be fast anywhere.

TOO MANY INDIANS AND NOT ENOUGH CHIEFS AT YAMAHA?

Michael van der Mark, Marco Melandri, Alex Lowes and Sandro Cortese. Between them they have a 250ccGP championship, two World Supersport titles, a Moto3 crown and a youngest ever British Superbike champion. It’s not a bad line-up by any stretch of the imagination. Is it good enough to get Yamaha back to winning titles?

The problem for Yamaha might well be that there’s actually too much competition. If you’re looking for a first crown since Ben Spies

ESSENTIAL WorldSBK Qs

The team has shown that when it has its ducks in a row it can be a good team but now with BMW support - and their financial clout behind them this could be the start of something big.

FEATURE

ESSENTIAL WorldSBK Qs “THE EXTRA AFFAIR WILL BE A TEN LAP RACE. MEANING WE WILL HAVE SHORT SPRINTS AT LAGUNA SECA BUT AT A LONGER CIRCUIT LIKE PORTIMAO, IT WILL BE MUCH MORE TACTICAL AND SHOULD ENCOURAGE A BALLS TO THE WALL, WINNER-TAKES-ALL MENTALITY. “

FEATURE in 2009, you need an alpha.

You need a leader. It’s up to the Yamaha riders to find that pecking order as quickly as possible. Making that even more complicated is that Crescent Racing are the established Yamaha squad and the designated reference team, and they have to contend with GRT Racing. GRT are making the step up from the Supersport class and are keen to show their potential.

They will want to be the top Yamaha squad just as much as their riders want to assert themselves.

With the teams able to share data it will be interesting to see how that pooling process operates. Will Alberto Columbo, Chaz Davies’ old crew chief, be able to filter the info and improve the package? It certainly looked that way during testing.

The R1 was fast and consistent. Lowes was the standout but van der Mark has never been a rider that has been known for his testing performances. He’s a racer and when the Superpole session begins in Australia he’ll be right there. Lowes on the other hand has been spending the winter changing his riding style and no athlete was busier at the January tests than the Englishman. It was a close run fight between Rea and Lowes to be the most impres-

sive rider during those tests.

Can the 2013 BSB champion make the step up in 2019 that many have been waiting for?

He’s now a race winner and has the belief that he can win more.

Van der Mark knows that he can beat Rea in a straight up fight. The Dutchman fractured his scaphoid - the same injury that ruled Jorge Lorenzo out of MotoGP testing - in Qatar last year but Van der Mark is now almost back to full fitness. It’s just in time for the start of the campaign and he’s going to be a contender once again.

Melandri and Cortese are the wildcards. The Italian is always a potential race winner and if he readapts to the Yamaha he’ll be a force to be reckoned with. He did the double ‘down under’ last year and he’ll be out to start his season with podiums again.

Melandri thought his career was coming to an end in 2018 so he’ll race with nothing to lose this year. Cortese has been making steps all winter. He’s a former Moto3 and Supersport champion; and while it will take time for him to learn a Superbike he could have some good results.

WILL THE NEW FORMAT WORK? In a word...yes! The new format will see extra track action each weekend. We’ll have the normal Saturday and Sunday races along with the Superpole session. That session will change this year to being a free-for-all, with the entire grid on track together. Winner takes all and the fastest will be on pole for Race 1. It will also set the grid for the allnew Superpole Race. This is the biggest change, but having extra action on the Sunday is a real positive for the crowds.

The extra affair will be a ten lap race. Meaning we will have short sprints at Laguna Seca but at a longer circuit like Portimao, it will be much more tactical and should encourage a balls to the wall, winnertakes-all mentality.

We go to racetracks to watch the big classes. Supersport 300 and the Supersport categories offer great action but just like Moto2 and Moto3, it’s the top dogs that get the attention. The fans pay to see Rea and Davies, Van der Mark and Sykes. They’ll get an extra chance this year and that can only be a good thing.

Despite the evidence of increased parity it’s still tough to bet against Rea. He’s the man to beat until someone takes the title from him. That being said, Rea isn’t invincible and there’s now a pack of riders that will be thirsty for that chance. The biggest question going into the season is going to be if they can do it consistently enough.

ESSENTIAL WorldSBK Qs

WHAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN?

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WEAR IT WELL VALE...

More than Europe’s largest MC store

Having recently celebrated my 40th birthday (I know, thanks), there is an important life question that I have found myself mulling over quite a lot: at what age is it still acceptable for a man to wear a tracksuit?

You see, I am a big fan of the tracksuit: sporty, comfortable, and the closest you can come to looking like an athlete without having to bare your arms. There comes a stage in every man’s life, however, when you put on a tracksuit and look less like Usain Bolt and more like Elton John. The moment that happens, you need a good friend around to let you know.

So, what about the 40-year-old who still goes to work in a trackie top, cargo shorts, Monster Energy cap and Nike Air high-tops? As a new MotoGP season dawns, just weeks after celebrating his own landmark birthday, I fear Valentino Rossi might well be facing the biggest crisis of his professional career. And, sadly, I don’t think Uccio is going to be the guy to help him out on this one.

Thankfully, Valentino has plenty of other friends around the world, as the occasion of his big FOUR-O reminded us. Did you even see the roll call on the video posted by motogp.com? Global sports stars from Diego Maradona to Roger Federer, Marc Webber to Mick Doohan, and a bunch of Italian pop stars and actors who wouldn’t dream of an Adidas two-piece, all chipped in with their best wishes to make up a star-studded birthday showreel.

And they’re just the ones who made the cut!

Those who didn’t were forced to post their own videos and photos, on the auspices of wishing Valentino a happy birthday although in reality what they were actually doing was trying to convince their followers that they are good friends with the man they fawningly call the #GOAT by reposting a fan selfie they took when they were supposed

to be working in what amounts to nothing more than a self-serving, social-media-age, heavyweight name drop.

Ah yes, that’s the other thing about turning 40: you become a cynical old bastard. But having mastered every other trick in the book, I’m pretty sure VR nailed that one years ago too.

I’m guessing Tom Cruise wasn’t available to send a video, which is a shame because if anybody knows anything about growing old in style it’s 56-year-old, self-confessed MotoGP fanatic Tom. In the most recent Mission Impossible film the guy was wearing a leather jacket with jeans and shoes, and yet he still managed to not look like your mum’s new boyfriend.

But, then, he did also commandeer a helicopter in mid-flight, making it hard to say which was the more impressive stunt in the movie.

By Matthew Roberts

Cruise made his own personal idolatry of the number 46 public at Laguna Seca in 2008, when he was so desperate to spend more time with Valentino after meeting him on the Sunday morning that the rider actually had to tell his PR manager to make up an excuse so that the actor wouldn’t try and visit him again in his motorhome before the race.

After the famous battle that ensued that afternoon between Rossi and Casey Stoner, I was waiting – as I always did during that period – to conduct the post-race interviews in the television reporters’ pen at parc fermé. It was an exclusive area, with just the BBC and Italian TV represented at the flyaway races outside Europe at the time, and it always felt like a massive privilege to be the one of the guys getting the first word with the protagonists so soon after such a momentous race.

As I waited for an elated Rossi and seething Stoner to return from their cool-down lap and planned my first question to both, a figure appeared alongside me between the steel barriers that I sensed was not the familiar, rotund, profusely sweating,

effervescent, bearded mass of Sky Sport Italia’s Paolo Beltramo.

In fact, right there next to me was one of the biggest stars in Hollywood, hijacking my primo real estate so that he could congratulate the race winner in person.

Within seconds, in my earpiece, I was given the instruction from my producer back in London to grab his thoughts about the race.

“Tom… a quick word for the BBC?” I offered, politely.

Taking my hand gently in his soft, moisturised palms, Cruise smiled kindly back and nodded his head, saying, “No, I’m sorry, but I can’t do that.” Anybody watching our exchange via the live television cameras that surrounded us would have thought he was being friendly and accommodating. But that famous Top Gun smile held about as much sentiment as a happy birthday video message from Kimi Raikkonen.

The truth is, not everything is as it seems, and as long as Valentino Rossi continues to defy the laws of ageing on track, who could dare to tell him what is appropriate for his image off it?

Whether he starts to look like Elton John one day or not, when that guy decides to stop having fun, it will be a sad, sad situation for all of us.

PRODUCTS

alpinestars Some jacket highlights from Alpinestars’ Spring collection (that also features many variations of footwear and boots). The Atem V3 garment (700 dollars) is based on the successful leather suit and comes in four different colour combinations. The race profiling is clear from the construction of the 1.3mm leather ‘chassis’ to the aero back hump and the focus on cooling with taslon fibre and nylon closures. This is not just for sport though. Handy additions like a waterproof inner pocket and Alpinestars’ HyperRes Stretch Fibre mean it’s a comfy fit.

The Caliber jacket (549.95 dollars) has chest and back pad compartments and a removable thermal lining and is a step more toward street ‘fashion’ rather than the track orientation of the Atem. Moving further along the spectrum is the Crazy Eight (399.95) in grey or beige and this leather piece could be easily worn without a motorcycle in sight. On the whole Alpinestars’ portfolio of jackets and the myriad of materials and needs is tremendously vast. Peruse the website for the right model and purpose (as well as full specs) and then get along to a dealer to try.

www.alpinestars.com

MOTOGP BLOG

DON’T BE FOOLED...

More than Europe’s largest MC store

It would be easy to assume that Honda are in a spot of bother after the first test of 2019 at Sepang.

Of the four riders they have in MotoGP, three are injured, Jorge Lorenzo badly enough to be forced to skip the test in Malaysia.

Of the other two, Marc Márquez is still a long way off full fitness, recovering from deeply invasive shoulder surgery, and Cal Crutchlow was riding around with a kilo of metal in the foot he nearly destroyed at Phillip Island. Only Takaaki Nakagami was fully fit, but he is not part of HRC’s development programme.

The standings at the end of the three-day test might even reinforce that impression. LCR Honda’s Crutchlow was the first of the RC213V riders, in a reasonably respectable sixth place.

Nakagami was the next Honda rider, in ninth, nine tenths slower than Danilo Petrucci’s quickest lap. Marc Márquez got no further than eleventh, a few hundredths behind the Japanese LCR Honda man. It was hardly the domination we have seen in earlier years.

Is Honda really in as much trouble as the Sepang test appears to show? I rather suspect that precisely the opposite is true.

Given just how close the field was – twelve riders within a second by the end of three days – the relative rankings should be taken with a pinch of salt. It is always tempting to read too much into the fastest lap times, and the injuries of the Honda riders make those times even more deceptive.

Injuries make riders less willing to push right to the very limit at a test, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t providing useful feedback.

The trick is to focus on what you are in a position to test, leaving the rest for later.

In Marc Márquez’ case, that meant not worrying about the tendency of the front end to fold under extreme pressure, and concentrate on improving rear grip and acceleration. “This test I wasn’t concentrating on the front, as I wasn’t pushing like always,”

he said at Sepang. “I’m not riding with my normal riding style on corner entry. We tried the engine, then we tried a completely different character of the bike. We are not going into the details at the moment, we are just going for very big things, if it’s working or not working, and get some information. The most important thing is to work on the engine, because from Qatar until the end of the season, we cannot touch it.”

It was top speed Honda are chasing, the one area where they really came up short against the Ducati. This is a question of honour: they are not called Honda MOTOR Company for nothing.

But the trick is to balance top end speed with manageable acceleration, the quicker and more easily you can get out of the corner, the faster you go at the end of the straight. At Sepang, the Hondas were consistently within a couple of km/h of the Ducati, their work over the winter having paid off.

By David Emmett

The 2019 bike features a different air intake, which flows directly through the headstock, instead of being routed round the frame.

That allows for a bigger airbox, which in turn means more power.

New exhausts also appeared on the bike, to help manage the extra horses on tap.

Ignore the headline times, and it shows just how strong the 2019 Honda RC213V is. In terms of race pace, both Márquez and Crutchlow were impressive. Márquez did not do many laps, but he made all of them count, circulating consistently in the high 1’59s and low 2’00s. Crutchlow posted plenty of laps in that range too, a sign that both men were focusing on development, rather than engaging in the manhood-measuring contest which testing can quickly descend into. “Marc didn’t push himself,” Crutchlow noted. “I think he pushed the bike to a good limit and he was competitive. He could’ve gone faster. He’s testing, as am I.”

But even when trying to be as prudent as possible and focus on bike development and avoiding risks, Márquez couldn’t completely suppress his competitive instincts. On the first day of the test, a quick lap on his final run put him at the top of the timesheets.

That, too, was a matter of honour, as well as proving to himself that he hadn’t lost any speed over the winter.

That fast time is just another piece of the jigsaw falling into place. The Honda riders were happy at the Valencia and Jerez tests in November, and content with the progress made at Sepang. In previous years, Honda riders left Sepang worried how far behind schedule they felt they were. This year, no such concerns were expressed. Given that Marc Márquez has won five of the last six championships that should really worry his rivals.

MotoGP

THE BIG PUSH

WHAT WAS SAID AND WHAT WENT DOWN IN AUSTRIA AS KTM UNVEILED THEIR LARGEST AND MOST AMBITIOUS PROBE INTO MotoGP

By Adam Wheeler, Photos by KTM/Sebas Romero

“T

o give a rough idea of what we are talking about: on the front-end we have the riders…but behind we have 180 people. I would say half of them in the forefront, half in the background – engineers and technicians. Total budget? We’re talking about 40 million euros. It is not an issue of money finally.

It is [about] the best people…and that’s the KTM family.”

KTM Group CEO Stefan Pierer can normally be relied on to throw some candid and unexpected information to media and guests.

Projects that might have been brewing in secret for years in the vaults, clay model pits and test benches in Mattighofen can sometimes be talked about with lucid enthusiasm by the Austrian who has reignited three prominent brands in the industry and has hiked up his vision towards the world’s premier motorcycle racing series.

Pierer uttered those words towards the end of the 2019 MotoGP presentation in the new City Hall in Mattighofen.

A snowball-throw away from KTM’s almost-finished ‘Motohall’ that was due to host the event and is apparently set to open in April [have a read about the manufacturer’s new project in this story on

the KTM Blog]. At one point he was joined not only by the nine riders in all three classes (five world championships, over sixty wins and one hundred and fifty podiums between them) but also an envious collective of experienced management: Pit Beirer (responsible for the frantic recruitment drive that includes the whole Tech3 MotoGP and Moto3 structure), Mike Leitner, Aki Ajo and Herve Poncharal.

That KTM are investing so heavily and banking so hard on what Pierer says is a “five year programme” was clear to see. 2017 was a debut, 2018 was a tricky injury-hit second term but also had bright moments and that landmark podium in the damp at Valencia.

FEATURE Watching the array of technology and talent on display gave appreciation for some of that 40 million budget: still a hefty whack for Europe’s largest motorcycle manufacturer now spitting out more than 200,000 two-wheelers a year.

Apart from all the riders and three different kinds of MotoGP machine under the lights (kudos for the Torro Rossostyle blue/chrome Red Bull livery and there is, of course, that potent test team of Mika Kallio and Dani Pedrosa in the wings) the Austrian drinks brand was also omnipresent.

Thanks to their backing KTM’s acquisition of the Tech3 squad filled several purposes.

Principally it is to accelerate their scaling of the MotoGP standings. “In the premier class two motorcycles is not enough to be able to develop technology up until the highest level,” said Beirer. “So having a second team in the MotoGP gives us an amazing feeling that our system is in place. “ It also doubles the amount of RC16s circulating the nineteen circuits of the series and forms part of a ‘progression’ philosophy that Red Bull are keen to implement. Hafizh Syahrin (attempting just his second season in MotoGP and an important focus point for the Asian market and ‘hot spot’ in MotoGP) and Miguel Oliveira (a rookie for 2019 and twice a near-title winner for

KTM also their very first rider to come through the KTM ‘ladder’ of Moto3/Moto2) are very much ‘work in progress’ talent. Tech3 might have been used to grand prix podiums and contention for spoils thanks to the likes of Andrea Dovizioso, Cal Crutchlow, Pol Espargaro, Bradley Smith and Johann Zarco in recent years but the new line-up definitely nudges the emphasis of their roster towards youth and promise.

“We started this slowly,” said Red Bull Motorsports Manager Thomas Überall “and grew it very ‘safely’ over the years and we are very happy to have two MotoGP teams in the end: one that is fighting for podiums – I can say this now because we did it last year –

Tech3 is thus the ‘cradle’ and the cooking pot for KTM and their MotoGP tilt but Oliveira was quick to dismiss the notion that he and Syahrin are in any way a form of ‘testing mule’ for the Espargaro/Zarco factory duo. “I don’t feel that we are a ‘second’ team,” he stated.

“I think it is just a big group of guys that want to work and push KTM to be at the top. We are working quite close together. KTM brought many parts [to the Sepang test] that we suggested at the end of last year.

So we are going forward. Of course my goal is to get closer to them but we must bear in mind that they are two riders with a lot of experience and Johann has showed his potential on other bikes. I just have to keep calm and focus on where I want to go.”

Oliveira was one of the most erudite speakers at the hourlong spectacle. The Portuguese sometimes comes across as intense and staid but he is perceptive and shrewd and a contrast to the bland platitudes straight out of the racer’s PR handbook provided by the likes of Marco Bezzecchi (when will Pro athletes learn that it is sincere thoughts and feelings or good anecdotes or stories that capture imagination and interest? It’s a minor but significant part of the job).

In the same talkative vein, Herve Poncharal is accustomed to surprises in his three-decade stint as leader of one of the championship’s leading satellite teams. 2019 might be a season of transition and education away from the glare of

KTM’S BIG MotoGP PUSH

and the second team where we can bring up the riders from other classes and they can have their first steps into MotoGP with less pressure than perhaps the factory team. This is really what we want to do, and is just great.” The parallel for Red Bull with their F1 outlay was immediate (even the link with the Torro Rossi ‘blue’).

“We proved it already in four wheels,” Überall underlined.

“We had Red Bull Racing and just one year later Torro Rosso which is the junior team in Formula One and we do something very similar in MotoGP now. This will hopefully bring us some success for the future and, hopefully, brings us the first world champion on the road in the top class of MotoGP very soon. No pressure to the riders!”

FEATURE

podiums and front-rows that he enjoyed with Zarco for the last two years but the quotetastic Frenchman is a Grand Prix stalwart so his words carried some impressive weight when he claimed: “I have been working with a lot of different motorcycle manufacturers but this is clearly the best, the biggest and the most advanced racing department I have ever seen in the motorcycle industry. When you see this then you know they are serious about racing. ‘Ready to race’: it is not just something on the t-shirt.”

The initial taste of the orange for Tech3 last November looked a little disconcerting but Oliveira, in particular, made great strides during five days of hot and sweaty work at Sepang for the first of two MotoGP tests the previous week. “I can tell you – without being politically correct and I always say what I think and feel - in between what we tested in November and what we tested in Sepang the amount of new parts is impressive and also the amount that has been done: the improvement of the feeling for our riders,” Poncharal added. “ I would like to thank all the engineers for their work during the winter break, which was short.

There is still some catch-up to do but we had a great test

in Sepang and we didn’t just focus on the one lap but we took every tyre until more than race distance and we tried to understand the package and give the right information to the engineers.”

“KTM built a very strong support structure around us, a lot of new faces, so at the moment we have a group but we need to make this group feel like one, to understand each other better and this is the purpose of the winter test but, honestly, so far we are very happy and proud,” he said, revealing that Tech3 might have switched colours and technology after an eternity with Yamaha (it would have been two decades in an official capacity this year) but there is also a human aspect to the change. “We know this year is an exciting challenge: when you have to catch up it is always exciting.”

Zarco is Poncharal’s old vanguard. Espargaro is probably more of the de facto team leader thanks to his experience of the RC16 and the setup however the Frenchman is not only the most successful rider of the entire KTM pack but the one that will face the most scrutiny. Amazingly his union with KTM represents the first time in his career that he can enjoy the status of

‘factory’. “When I go into the garage…that feeling is pretty nice: to have all that support,” he said to presenter Alex Hofmann. “Everyone is important.

We need the time to develop everything and have the bike that will win races but we are on the way and that is exciting.”

The sweep around the other riders (Brad Binder and Jorge Martin two of the last three Moto3 world champions, Bezzecchi and Philipp Öttl and sensational teenager Can Öncü) revealed some interesting titbits. South African Binder is arguably KTM’s main hope in a bewildering first Moto2 term with Triumph engine power. Facing his third year in the intermediate class Binder was given the (by now) usual question about the shifting demands of the category. “[There is] Definitely a lot more bottom power, a lot more aggressive than what we are used to with the old Moto2 bikes,” he offered. “It will be a year of a lot of development with everybody having to build a new chassis. I think we started off in a good way and we’re in a good place.”

Moto2 is a step in the dark for the whole grid but Binder manages to combine a humble and friendly demeanour with one that houses a

KTM’S BIG MotoGP PUSH

FEATURE fierce desire for excellence.

He doesn’t mince his words when it comes to competition. “I have never entered a race and not tried to win,” he signed-off. Rookie teammate Jorge Martin is still recovering from a broken left arm and right foot but is on the KTM fast track having won the Red Bull Rookies Cup in 2014, Moto3 and now embarking on the next rung. He’s chased by fifteen year old Öncü, who continues to tackle the attention and interest in his efforts with the same kid-like aspect.

The Turk is the third Rookies champion in the nine-rider crew (Zarco is the very first, #1 in 2007) and wasn’t afraid to talk up his chances. There as the expected acknowledgement that 2019 would be ninth month process of learning but he also grinned: “if I’m clever and fast it is also possible to win the title!”

Ever-present on stage was Beirer. It was somehow fitting that a video of his battling, aggressive and entirely encapsulating performance to win at the 1997 Motocross Des Nations circulated on social media that morning. The German does not lack intensity, and has moulded the vast racing division into a unit that gathers trophies on Dakar trails, motocross tracks, supercross stadium layouts, beach races and enduro trails for fun.

The MotoGP affair was reminiscent of the 2010 pre-season presentation in MXGP. On that February day in Italy Beirer not only introduced Tony Cairoli and the De Carli setup in KTM colours for the first time but also the innovative 350 SX-F: both would change the face of the premier class of the FIM Motocross World Championship. Fittingly athletes like Marvin Musquin and Jeffrey Herlings were also on the platform. “It’s a very special moment for me and another milestone seeing this structure,” he commented.

“We have been building since 2012 and it is all in place now.”

Beirer also paid credit to the Moto3 foundation of KTM’s MotoGP presence. “Without a Moto3 project we would not have a MotoGP bike today and you have to work so closely and carefully to make gains there,” he said. “It is our base, and it leads us directly onto why we are in Moto2 because it is the next step.”

Before Stefan Pierer’s revealing final statement the CEO had time to express his feelings and goals to the company’s biggest single venture.

“We see on the TV or the internet how many tenths of a second are missing and that really drives you to do everything you can to touch the top of the podium.

That’s our philosophy and that has driven us to success over the last thirty years but in this racing world we are still beginners: this is our third year. By the end [of five years] we want to see the podium and for the upcoming racing season I’d like to see single digit results; that’s realistic because we are still collecting data and we miss all the experience of our competitors.

For 2019 – in gambler’s speak – it’s ‘all in’.”

In the same exposition Pierer also reiterated the support for the “front-end staff” of the KTM family and the need for patience but there was a feeling that the company is hovering a left foot near sixth gear for their MotoGP goals. 2019 really will be a crucial year for the grid’s newest but arguably most fascinating players.

KTM’S BIG MotoGP PUSH XXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX XXXXXX XXXXX

“FOR THE UPCOMING RACING SEASON I’D LIKE TO SEE SINGLE DIGIT RESULTS; THAT’S REALISTIC...”

‘THERE WERE CONCERNS THAT THE 450S WERE TOO FAST, TOO HEAVY AND TOO MUCH FOR THE ATHLETES AND WERE LEADING TO A SPATE OF INJURIES... NEAR-CRISIS MEETINGS WERE BEING HELD.’

MOTOGP BLOG

SPARKING INTO LIFE...

As someone brought up on a strict diet of two-wheel racing, I was struck by a video filmed by colleagues last November. Stood trackside at Jerez’s famous stadium section to observe MotoE’s first official outing, the footage captures a gaggle of Italian manufacturer Energica’s hybrid machines filing past in a flurry. Yes, the Ego Corse - the MotoE World Cup’s bike of choice – looked like a grand prix motorcycle. And it was certainly travelling at racing speeds.

But what about the sound, or lack thereof? Gone were the peaks and wails of an engine and the clanks, cuts and spits that accompany downshifting and electronic aids.

Noises one has become so accustomed to hearing from racing machines. Instead there was a near-silent robotic whirr followed by a whoosh of displaced air - an experience straight from a DVD extra on an upcoming sci-fi release. Watching them circulate on track was more Blade Runner 2049 than elite level motorsport.

That first MotoE shakedown raised several questions that remain unanswered.

For a sport so visceral, so dependent on assaulting the senses when observing nearby, can the lack of sound (and smell) really be redressed? Will the racing really be that competitive? There was a considerable variation between the fastest and slowest riders present last November. And perhaps the biggest challenge for machine supplier Energica: can these machines really travel at racing speeds for a full race distance?

But fast-forward two and a half months and the first electric motorcycle sprint held at world championship level is edging ever closer.

Make sure to mark May 5th in your diary, a day in which a small bit of two-wheel history will be made. The five-round series, comprising of six outings (a doubleheader at the final fixture to ensure championship tension goes to the last weekend) starts with a 7 or 8 lap shootout at Jerez. Trips to Le Mans, the Sachsenring, Austria’s Red Bull Ring and Misano will follow.

Whether you view electric bikes as a threat to the current status quo, or are just straight up disinterested, it’s worth paying at least a passing attention to how the coming year unfolds; not least because of electric-powered vehicles’ ever-increasing influence on

More than Europe’s largest MC store

our lives in the coming years. It’s believed as many as 60 million electric powered cars will occupy the world’s streets by 2040. Enel X, the series’ title sponsor, estimates the majority of vehicles (55%) sold in that year will be powered by electric, not gasoline.

Beyond that, the majority of evidence suggests MotoE won’t be anything other than a fun spectacle. Showcased at a recent ‘Summit’ conference in Barcelona, the grid will comprise of 18 identical Energica Ego Corse prototypes, machines capable of reaching 165mph. Only ride height, suspension settings and final gearing can be altered. Those working behind the scenes have placed entertainment among the top priorities.

Provide close, exciting racing, it is reasoned, and fans will respond accordingly. Bradley Smith, one of the class’ leading entries, agrees: “The lack of noise doesn’t matter; it’s about the racing. That’s what the spectacle is and that’s all a racer wants.”

By Neil Morrison

The annual TT Zero race has been the highest-profile electric bike competition to date. But with just six finishers in the 2018 event, and budgets varying from the might of HRC (Mugen) to the student run ‘University of Bath Zero’ entry, the race was something of a non-event in terms of spectacle.

Understandable then the general response to MotoE’s creation has been lukewarm at best.

By contrast MotoE promises to be an eight-lap dash that Dorna hopes will resemble a Red Bull Rookie freight train – only this is at the forefront of a new kind of a new hybrid technology. The strength of the field - ten nationalities, seven different grand prix winners and five former world champions – and the teams present (each MotoGP satellite squad has a presence on the grid) - should, on appearance levels at least, merit a level of professionalism befitting of a world series.

In an ideal world, this should be as close to ‘regular’ racing as possible.

That’s partly why Nicolas Goubert, Executive Director of the new series, was so insistent on machines having the capacity to run at full speed over full race distance. “Riders will have the same power from the first to the last lap,” he told attendees at the recent ‘Summit’. “We don’t want strategies. We want races to be the same as normal, and saving energy is not normal for bike races.”

No doubt, there’ll be teething issues to overcome. Energica has done crash tests. But just how quickly will action be able to resume when, inevitably, a bike falls and becomes gravel-stricken? The inherent risks of electric shocks in such situations mean marshals will be forewarned as to whether a machine will be retrievable.

Should a light fitted to the bike’s rear flash green, the machine is not sufficiently wrecked and can be collected safely by trackside personnel. Flash red, however, and action must stop while a truck will collect the bike from the gravel.

MOTOGP BLOG

This could well be a time consuming affair in an already packed schedule.

And while the field boasts undoubted quality, there is a fair variation in terms of talent and experience. Just how will Luca Vitali, a rider with just one year in the 125cc World Championship behind him, and most recently seen in the European Superstock Championship perform against the likes of Bradley Smith, a top ten finisher in MotoGP as recently as last year? Can a 46-year old Sete Gibernau, last seen competing on the world stage in 2009, really be expected to fight against riders half his age?

Fair questions. But considering dashes will last less than 15 minutes, MotoE promises to be short, sharp entertainment shoehorned into a proven programme. Dorna is keen to express this isn’t a replacement for its current championships, but rather an alternative to combustion engine racing.

How that unfolds in the upcoming seasons remains to be seen.

But like it or not, this will be plying a greater influence on racing as we know it in the years ahead.

So why not jump aboard and see where it takes us? I, for one, welcome our new, soon-to-be electric overlords.

CHALLENGE CONVENTION

Please make no attempt to imitate the illustrated riding scenes, always wear protective clothing and observe the applicable provisions of the road traffic regulations!

The illustrated vehicles may vary in selected details from the production models and some illustrations feature optional equipment available at additional cost.

Some rules are made to be broken. We’re not saying you should break the law – but we are saying that the laws of physics are merely guidelines. The KTM 690 SMC R challenges the status quo by writing its own rule book. Experience this all-new, rule-bending, big-bore outlaw and start your own chapter.

Photo: R. Schedl

PRODUCTS

oakley Arguably one of the most famous and desirable sport-lifestyle eyewear brands (with a strong and popular off-road goggle model, the Airbrake) Oakley have an agreement with MotoGP and several of their athletes meaning special edition products around the likes of Valentino Rossi, Marc Marquez and the series itself.

In 2018 Oakley unveiled eight limited edition models around eight of the rounds and circuits of the championship: Losail, COTA, Le Mans, Mugello, Catalunya, Assen, Phillip Island and Valencia (some of which – now sold out – are shown here) and it remains to be seen whether the same kind of initiative will be run this year. Rossi is one of Oakley’s ambassadors so has a signature edition based around the Latch design (173 dollars) but with matte black frame and a #46 bag. Marquez’ – according to the official website – is based on a more robust Sliver (163 dollars). Maverick Viñales has a sporty ‘blueish’ Mainlink Sapphire Fade (180 dollars).

www.oakley.com

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GETTING HYPER KEEP YOUR DUCATI FUN UNCHECKED

Words by Roland Brown, Photos by Milagro

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D

ucati’s Hypermotard has been the archetypal hooligan machine ever since its launch in 2007. Back then, the Hyper was an 1100cc aircooled V-twin; all sharp-nosed supermoto style, wheelie-happy performance, unapologetically up-yours attitude and as much practicality and common sense as a delinquent teenager.

Since then Ducati have revised the Hyper several times, notably when giving it a new 821cc liquid-cooled engine in 2013, and enlarging it to create the Hypermotard 939 three years ago. The Italian firm has managed to make the hardcore V-twin slightly more versatile, comfortable and even sensible without detracting from the urban outlaw image or sense of crazy fun that have always been key attributes.

This year’s updated models, the Hypermotard 950 and upmarket 950 SP, represent another step towards sophistication

and sense, again with the aim of ensuring that this doesn’t spoil the party. In tune with the 2019 theme of mid-sized bikes adopting open-class electronics, both Hypers’ key addition is arguably an IMC (Inertial Measurement Unit) that allows cornering ABS and high-level traction control.

The 90-degree V-twin engine is tweaked, though typically the Hypermotard 950 name doesn’t signify a change in capacity, which remains 937cc. Increased compression ratio and new camshafts add a few horsepower to bring the total to 114bhp at 9000rpm. A new high-level exhaust also helps although its main benefit is a clear view of the rear wheel on its single-sided swing-arm.

The engine mods save some weight, contributing to a 4kg saving that drops the kerb weight to 200kg, or 2kg less for the SP with its fancy forged Marchesini wheels and carbon-fibre front mudguard and engine covers.

DUCATI HYPERMOTARD 950

TEST Mind you, the smaller, 14.5-litre fuel tank accounts for a kilo of that weight loss. Other changes are the slightly wider handlebar, hydraulic clutch activation, and Panigale-like TFT instrument panel.

A reshaped seat makes getting your feet down slightly easier, but the standard Hyper is still a tall bike, albeit a slim and manoeuvrable one. Its character remains thrillingly raw and minimalist, as you sit bolt upright, gripping the wide bars, with nothing to divert the wind from your chest, and the Ducati’s deep, distinctive V-twin exhaust note throbbing from those under-seat silencers.

As before there’s a choice of three riding modes: full-fat Sport, softer Touring, and Urban with reduced output. Such is the Hypermotard’s sweet fuelling and flexible power delivery that even Sport is very rider-friendly, albeit with plenty of instant punch from as low as 3000rpm, at which point the V-twin is kicking out 80 per cent of its maximum torque.

There’s enough smooth top-end power to get the Hyper charging to about 130mph, though its rider’s neck muscles get a severe workout at much about 80mph. With such useable delivery, the main benefit of switching modes (easily done on the move) is that traction control, ABS setting and anti-wheelie change automatically to suit. In Ducati tradition there’s plenty of opportunity for fine-tuning, so for example you can turn off the antiwheelie in Sport mode, or allow stoppies by setting the ABS to its lowest position.

The Hyper is ideally suited to country lanes but makes a fine bike for A-roads, where it’s stable through sweeping curves despite its long-travel suspension and the forces being transmitted through the bars. The standard 950’s Marzocchi forks and Sachs shock are adjustable and well damped; the Brembo Monobloc front calipers give fierce stopping, and the Pirelli Diablo Rosso III tyres

DUCATI HYPERMOTARD 950

TEST

WORLDSBK POR

DUCATI HYPERMOTARD 950

TEST

stick even to damp winter roads. Shame the gearbox quick-shifter, which works superbly in both directions and is standard fitment on the SP, is a near-£200 accessory on the standard 950.

Drawbacks shared by both models include the lack of fuel gauge and smaller tank’s reduced 14.5-litre capacity, though the typical range of about 120 miles is adequate for a bike like this. The hand-guards offer at least some useful wind protection on a cold day.

As a weapon for sunny-day blasting the Hypermotard’s main drawback is arguably that even the standard model is more expensive (at £10,995 in the UK) than enticing alternatives including KTM’s 790 Duke and Triumph’s Street Triple RS. That’s even more true of the Hypermotard 950 SP, which justifies its higher cost (£14,295 in the UK) with Öhlins suspension that is firmer and longer, improving ground clearance and cornering ability in conjunction with sportier Pirelli Supercorsa rubber.

The SP’s seat is even taller, at a lofty 890mm, and despite the extra travel its suspension is so well controlled that the bike feels slightly firmer and sportier.

For track days the SP is the Hyper to go for, but for road use most riders would probably be better off with the standard 950 plus accessory quick-shifter, for its lower seat as much as for its lower price. Either way, the 950 is the most sophisticated, safest and generally best Hypermotard yet. Equally importantly, it’s still every bit as boisterous and irresponsible as its predecessors – just as a supermoto style V-twin should be.

DUCATI HYPERMOTARD 950

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Tony Cairoli. Photo by KTM/Bavo

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ON TRACK OFF ROAD

‘On-track Off-road’ is a free, bi-weekly publication for the screen focussed on bringing the latest perspectives on events, blogs and some of the very finest photography from the three worlds of the FIM Motocross World Championship, the AMA Motocross and Supercross series’ and MotoGP. ‘On-track Off-road’ will be published online at www.ontrackoffroad.com every other Tuesday. To receive an email notification that a new issue available with a brief description of each edition’s contents simply enter an address in the box provided on the homepage. All email addresses will be kept strictly confidential and only used for purposes connected with OTOR. Adam Wheeler Editor and MXGP/MotoGP correspondent Ray Archer Photographer Steve Matthes AMA MX and SX correspondent Cormac Ryan-Meenan MotoGP Photographer www.cormacgp.com David Emmett MotoGP Blogger Neil Morrison MotoGP Blogger & Feature writer Sienna Wedes MotoGP Blogger Matthew Roberts Blogger Graeme Brown WSB Blogger and Photographer Roland Brown Tester Núria Garcia Cover Design Gabi Álvarez Web developer Hosting FireThumb7 - www.firethumb7.co.uk Thanks to www.mototribu.com PHOTO CREDITS Ray Archer, CormacGP, GeeBee Images, KTM/Bavo/Sebas Romero James Lissimore, Milagro, Yamaha Cover shot: WorldSBK Champ Jonathan Rea by GeeBee Images

This publication took a lot of time and effort to put together so please respect it! Nothing in this publication can be reproduced in whole or part without the written permission of the editorial team. For more information please visit www.ontrackoffroad.com and click ‘Contact us’.