Reigning world champion Francesco Bagnaia labeled Saturday's display as one of his best in MotoGP after setting a new lap record in qualifying and winning the Grand Prix of the Americas Sprint.
Ducati's Bagnaia claimed pole for Sunday's race at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in Austin with a new course lap record, edging Honda's Alex Lins by 0.160 seconds.
Bagnaia backed that up with the maximum 12 points from the Sprint where he won by 2.545 seconds from Lins, moving within one point of championship leader Marco Bezzecchi in the early season standings.
"It was one of the best days I ever had in MotoGP considering the performance we had during the whole day," Bagnaia said.
"My feeling with the bike is growing and in this track, for the first time I’m feeling great. This morning with used tyres I was feeling okay, so already I understood where to improve.
"But today for the race it was very difficult because the conditions were very hot and it was difficult to stop the bike.
"I was having a lot of locking and sincerely, it was a bit of a problem at the start of the race. But then I was used to it. Tomorrow will be a different story."
Bagnaia's impressive Saturday came after a disappointing performance in Argentina where he finished sixth in the Sprint and down in 16th in the Grand Prix.
"I started well, and tried to push, do my pace, to build up a gap," Bagnaia said. "Now I've got to focus on tomorrow, that's going to be harder."
Bezzecchi, who finished sixth in the COTA Sprint, will start the Grand Prix from fifth on the grid. Lins, who will start from second, was hopeful of an improvement on his Honda on Sunday.
"Let's see, for sure. We have a good bike," Lins said. "The electronic side was not working at 100 per cent, so let's see if tomorrow it works like this.
"The race today was a little fast, so we need to take a little bit more care of the tyres to arrive with a better performance in the end of the race."
Bagnaia smashed the COTA lap record with a flying final effort of 2.01.892, which was the first-ever sub 2.02.00 lap at the course.
That time came after Bagnaia had attempted to shake off Alex Marquez in his outlap after both recorded identical times.
But Marquez crashed on his final attempt, with Bagnaia released to record his 12th MotoGP pole in style. Gresini's Marquez will start from fourth, with Moorey VR46's Luca Marini in third.
Francesco Bagnaia made it a pole position and sprint race double as Ducati's reigning world champion set the standard ahead of Sunday's MotoGP Grand Prix of the Americas.
The 26-year-old Italian crashed at the Argentine Grand Prix last time out in wet conditions but rebounded strongly in Austin with a reminder of the form that brought him last year's title.
He was thoroughly dominant in the sprint, pocketing the 12 points on offer to the winner and moving just one point behind championship leader Marco Bezzecchi in the early season standings.
Honda's Alex Rins took nine points with second place, some 2.545 seconds behind the winner, while third went to Pramac Racing's Jorge Martin who rocketed through the field from 12th on the grid, with Aleix Espargaro taking fourth for Aprilia.
Espargaro had been running second at one stage, while Fabio Quartararo was also showing lively pace before crashing at the first corner with six laps remaining.
Brad Binder took fifth in the sprint, with Bezzecchi sixth as he conceded ground to Bagnaia in the championship, having been nine points ahead heading into this weekend after his maiden race win in Argentina.
Pole position earlier went to Bagnaia in a lap record of two minutes and 1.892 seconds, with Rins an impressive second, ahead of the Mooney VR46 of Luca Marini.
Marini's team-mate Bezzecchi could only take fifth on the grid, with Alex Marquez (Gresini) fourth and Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia) in sixth spot.
Grid classification
1. Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati) 2:01.892
2. Alex Rins (Honda) +0.160 seconds
3. Luca Marini (Mooney VR46) +0.289
4. Alex Marquez (Gresini) +0.350
5. Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46) +0.376
6. Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia) +0.647
7. Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha) +0.857
8. Maverick Vinales (Aprilia) +0.990
9. Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing) +1.170
10. Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM) +1.192
Championship Standings
Riders
1. Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46) 54
2. Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati) 53
3. Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing) 35
4. Alex Marquez (Gresini) 33
5. Maverick Vinales (Aprilia) 32
Teams
1. Mooney VR46 72
2. Pramac Racing 64
3. Ducati 53
4. Red Bull KTM 53
4. Aprilia 50
Ferrari will begin their challenge to a costly time penalty imposed on Carlos Sainz at the Australian Grand Prix when they take part in a hearing on Tuesday.
Motorsport's world governing body, the FIA, confirmed the Italian team would get their chance to petition for a review of the five-second penalty when they meet with stewards.
The punishment was imposed on Sainz after his collision with Fernando Alonso during the April 2 race.
Sainz was demoted from fourth to 12th place after making contact with his Spanish compatriot's Aston Martin following a chaotic penultimate-lap standing restart.
There were another two crashes prior to a red flag being waved for a third time at Albert Park.
Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon were involved in a collision, while Logan Sargeant ran into the AlphaTauri of Nyck de Vries but none of those four drivers were penalised.
Sainz was not impressed with the punishment imposed on him and Scuderia team principal Fred Vasseur confirmed Ferrari would appeal against the decision that cost the driver a points finish.
In a statement issued on Friday, the FIA said: "The stewards of the 2023 Australian Grand Prix have received a letter from Nikolas Tombazis, single-seater director of the FIA, attaching a petition by competitor Scuderia Ferrari dated 6th April 2023 under article 14 of the FIA international sporting code, seeking a review of the stewards' decision number 46 made within the framework of the 2023 Australian Grand Prix and requesting that the stewards: 'consider such request and to make a determination whether or not a significant and relevant new element exists in relation to the decision/incident'.
"The driver(s) and team representative(s) are required to report to the stewards for a virtual hearing to be held on 18th April 2023 at 0800 CET in relation to the petition."
World Rally Championship driver Craig Breen has died aged 33 after he was involved in a pre-event test accident ahead of the Croatia Rally.
The 33-year-old Irishman had been racing this year with Hyundai Motorsport, who confirmed he was involved in an incident on Thursday.
"Hyundai Motorsport sends its sincerest condolences to Craig's family, friends and his many fans," the team said.
Breen's team-mate and co-driver James Fulton was unharmed in the accident, which took place before this weekend's race in Zagreb.
Across a career that saw him debut in 2009, BReen achieved eight podiums, most recently matching his best ever finish with second at the 2023 Rally Sweden.
Christian Horner says Adrian Newey will by staying at Red Bull for "many years to come" amid speculation over his future.
It has been reported that chief technical officer Newey could leave the Formula One constructors' champions as his contract is up for renewal.
Red Bull team principal Horner dismissed talk that Newey could be on his way out of the team.
"His heart is still very much in Formula One and his commitment to the team is, it's not something…" Horner told Sky Sports News.
"We don't talk about contracts or longevity of contracts, but he'll be here for many years to come.
"There's always going to be rumours in this paddock, that's Formula One."
Horner added: "He's such an important part of our team and popular part of our team.
"It's great to have him with us for the long term, but also to be involved in some of the things we're now getting involved in."
Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur believes the penalty issued to Red Bull for their cost cap breach was "too light".
The championship leaders were fined $7million and lost 10 per cent of their wind tunnel time after being deemed to have breached the cost cap in 2021, Formula One's inaugural season with the new regulations.
Already having the least time in the wind tunnel due to being crowned champions in 2022, Red Bull's aerodynamic development over the course of the season could be hindered – potentially opening the door for their rivals.
However, Vasseur does not see it that way and believes Red Bull already have a significant enough advantage, rendering the punishment as "marginal" in his eyes.
"The penalty for me was very low," Vasseur said in a recent media call, per ESPN.
"If you consider that basically we will improve a bit less than a second over the season in terms of aero, you get a penalty of 10 percent of this it's one-tenth and as it's not a linear progression it's probably less.
"You are allowed to spend this money somewhere else, so it means for me the penalty is marginal.
"If you consider that you have an advantage at the beginning of the season because you spend more the year before, then the compensation...
"I don't want to say that they didn't do a good job because I think honestly that they did a very good job on the car. I'm not trying to find an excuse at all. It's not this. But if you ask me if the penalty is too light, I say yes."
Christian Horner has responded to George Russell saying Red Bull are "embarrassed to show their full potential" and enjoy a bigger pace gap than has so far appeared to be the case.
Reigning champions Red Bull have dominated the 2023 Formula One season after claiming both pole and the race win in each of the opening three races, including one-twos in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.
Red Bull have almost double the points of Aston Martin in second in the constructors' championship.
However, at the Australian Grand Prix, Max Verstappen dropped from first to third on lap one, allowing Russell to briefly lead before the Dutchman went on to win the race, while his team-mate Sergio Perez rose to fifth following a pit-lane start.
It prompted Mercedes driver Russell to tell the BBC's Chequered Flag podcast: "For sure, they're holding back.
"I think they almost are embarrassed to show their full potential. I think realistically they probably have seven-tenths [of a second] advantage over the rest of the field.
"I don’t know what the pace difference looks like at the moment, but Max has got no reason to be pushing it, nor [have] Red Bull.
"They've done a really great job, to be fair to them. We can't take that away, and we clearly have to up our game."
When Horner was told about the remarks, he made reference to Mercedes' past dominance of winning eight consecutive constructors' titles before Red Bull ended that run in 2022.
"Okay, that's very generous of him," Horner replied. "His team of all people would know too well about those kind of advantages."
Asked if Russell's comments were true, Horner explained both of his drivers were managing their pace in Melbourne given the intended one-stop strategy before the safety car and red flag dramas.
"There's always an element of managing what goes on in any race," he said. "Because it was a one-stop race and a very early one-stop race, of course there was an element of tyre management which was going on, which was what they were doing.
"[But] Checo wasn't hanging about; he wasn’t cruising around, holding back seven-tenths per lap because he didn't want to show it – the grid was certainly a little bit closer at this venue."
Back-to-back world champion Verstappen leads the drivers' standings by 15 points ahead of Perez, with the season's fourth round on April 30 in Azerbaijan.
Marc Marquez will miss this weekend's Grand Prix of the Americas as the Repsol Honda rider continues his recovery from a hand injury.
The six-time MotoGP champion suffered a fracture to the first metacarpal bone in his right hand in last month's Portuguese Grand Prix.
He underwent surgery and subsequently sat out the Argentine Grand Prix.
Marquez had been expected to return at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin this week, but he announced on social media on Tuesday that his injury has not yet fully healed.
"I have just had a CAT scan and it was confirmed that the bone is still in the process of healing," he said.
"After talking with the medical team led by Dr. Ignacio Roger de Ona, we have decided not to take any risks and therefore I won't be able to ride in Austin.
"I will continue working and rehabilitating as I have been doing so far to be able to get back on the bike as soon as possible."
Marquez suffered the injury after a crash with Miguel Oliveira early on in Portimao, with the Spaniard found guilty of irresponsible riding for his part in the collision.
The 30-year-old was handed a double long-lap penalty and the FIM confirmed Marquez will serve the sanction when he next features, though Honda lodged an appeal.
The Spanish Grand Prix on April 30 has now been earmarked for Marquez's possible return.
Jamaica’s Formula Woman driver, Sara Misir, looks forward to raising the roof on Monday at the Dover Raceway as roofing company, Spectrum Systems, announced sponsorship for her 2023 motorsports season.
The significant sponsorship deal from Spectrum Systems will support Misir for the duration of the local racing calendar.
Misir, the 2022 Jamaica Race Drivers Club (JRDC) Champion in the MP3 & TS1 classes, will open her season at the JRDC’s Carnival of Speed at the Dover Raceway on Easter Monday. Misir will take on a new challenge as she moves up a class to the MP4 category to face the 2022 Champion, veteran Doug “Hollywood” Gore.
Misir looks forward to the challenge.
“I dominated the MP3 class last season, so I wanted to take on a new challenge this year. The MP4 class has been dominated by “the beast”, Doug Gore, but look out for ‘the beauty’ this year!” joked Misir.
Meanwhile, CEO of Spectrum Systems Limited, Andrew Stanigar is backing Misir to succeed.
“Spectrum Systems, Jamaica’s number-one roofing company, is pleased to sponsor Jamaica’s number-one female race car driver,” he said.
“We see how much she has dedicated to the race track in 2022 for Formula Woman, the GT Cup Championships and in the JRDC series and we wish her all the best as she takes on the MP4 class.”
Head of Leep Marketing and manager to Sara Misir, Tanya Lee Perkins, said sponsorship support for athletes can be critical to their success.
“We are thankful to Spectrum Systems for joining her sponsor pool for 2023. Sponsorships encourage athletic performance and signals that corporate Jamaica is behind our sports women and men and believe in their talent and ability to inspire,” she said.
Misir is the RJR Sports Foundation Motosports Athlete of the Year in the female category.
In 2022. Spectrum System also sponsored Jamaica's all-female shooting team, the Super Six shooters, that placed third at the Pan American Handgun Championships.
Charles Leclerc has asked supporters to respect his privacy and stop turning up at his house.
The Ferrari driver, who had his watch stolen in Italy last year, is unsure how details of his home address in Monaco became public.
While more than willing to greet supporters elsewhere, Leclerc draws a line at them appearing on his property.
"For the past few months, my home address has somehow become public, leading to people gathering beneath my apartment, ringing my bell, and asking for pictures and autographs," Leclerc wrote on Instagram.
"While I'm always happy to be there for you and I truly appreciate your support, please respect my privacy and refrain from coming to my house.
"I'll make sure to stop for everyone when you see me on the streets or at the track, but I won't be coming downstairs if you visit my home.
"Your support, both in person and on social media, means the world to me, but there is a boundary that should not be crossed."
Leclerc has suffered two DNFs in the first three races of the 2023 season and has just six points to his name.
Speaking after last week's Australian Grand Prix, Leclerc said: "[It is] just extremely frustrating. I mean, it's the worst start to the season ever, really. It is really frustrating."
Ferrari have lodged an appeal against Carlos Sainz's five-second penalty for his collision with Fernando Alonso during the Australian Grand Prix last Sunday.
Sainz was demoted from fourth to 12th place after the Spaniard was sanctioned for making contact with his compatriot's Aston Martin following a chaotic penultimate-lap standing restart.
There were another two crashes prior to a red flag being waved for a third time at Albert Park.
Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon were involved in a collision, while Logan Sargeant ran into the AlphaTauri of Nyck de Vries but none of those four drivers were penalised.
Sainz was not impressed with the punishment imposed on him and Scuderia team principal Fred Vasseur has confirmed the team have challenged the decision to hit the 28-year-old with a penalty that left him out of the points.
Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon were involved in a heavy collision, while William's Logan Sargeant ran into the AlphaTauri of Nyck de Vries.
Vasseur said: "We did the petition for review of the case, we sent it to the FIA.
"As we are discussing with the FIA, I don't want to disclose any details of this discussion."
He added: "The only thing is that about Gasly-Ocon, also Sargeant-De Vries turn one, and the reaction of the stewards was not the same.
"What we can expect is to at least have an open discussion with them.
"Also for the good of the sport, to avoid to have this kind of decision when you have three cases at the same corner and not the same decision."
Lewis Hamilton is embracing the challenge facing Mercedes this season despite their struggles to compete for race wins in Formula One.
A second-place finish in Australia for Hamilton marked his best performance of the season, in a campaign that looks to be another difficult one for the team.
Mercedes ceded their Constructors' Championship title to rivals Red Bull last year, while Hamilton finished the year without a race win for the first time in his career, and remains significantly off the pace again in 2023.
Those struggles have reignited questions about Hamilton's future, with his deal set to expire at the end of the year, though he has affirmed his commitment to the team.
Tied with Michael Schumacher for the most F1 title wins of all time, an eighth crown would hand Hamilton the record outright, and he is ready to clinch that honour.
However, for the time being, he is focused on pushing himself to achieve the best possible result despite Mercedes' issues.
"I don't like driving not great cars. I don't like driving a car that's not the car that we weren't meant to have, but I love that challenge of 'OK, what can I do with it?'," he told Fox Sports.
"Wins are not possible right, so what is the maximum we can get? Can we be a little cheeky and if fifth is the best we can get, can we get a fourth or a third?
"Just make sure we are consistent and fit and ready so when the car does all of a sudden switch on, and it is the car you dreamed of having, you're ready.
"I am ready to win a world championship. I have prepared the best way I can this year – the best I have ever prepared – and if the car comes correct tomorrow I will be ready to fight for the world championship, but unfortunately that's not the case.
"I am working with everyone here and back at the factory to get there."
Marco Bezzecchi felt "at one with my bike" in a thrilling ride at the Argentine Grand Prix saw him secure a maiden MotoGP victory.
Starting second, Bezzecchi was ahead by turn one and never looked back, establishing a commanding lead over the chasing pack.
While the wet conditions may have proved difficult for others, including defending champion Francesco Bagnaia who crashed from second place, Bezzecchi was in control throughout.
Victory not only saw him secure his first triumph in the class but, with Bagnaia's crash losing him a potential 20 points, saw Bezzecchi move top of the standings, and even he was surprised with his performance.
"I didn't expect this when I left home. As soon as I started riding here I felt very well and I was at one with my bike," he said.
"I felt incredibly well since the first moment and yesterday was also very nice, so when I saw the rain this morning I was really sad because I said 'no, I was so good in the dry, for sure it will be difficult in the wet.'
"But when I jumped on the bike in warm-up it was amazing. I started believing again and thought I could do this. I enjoyed riding and was really, really focused. Everything went well. It was a long journey."
Johann Zarco's late charge through the field saw him finish second, overtaking Alex Marquez on the final lap, and he is hopeful he can follow in Bezzecchi's footsteps this season with a maiden win.
"A good result like this gives a very good motivation. Congrats to Bezzecchi – I was in fifth position and there were three guys in front of me and I thought if I catch them I will be second, but where is the first one?" He said.
"I even thought that there was maybe a mistake on my pit board. I could see him on the last lap but was four seconds in front and he did an amazing job. Hope my turn will come this year."
Marco Bezzecchi secured his first MotoGP win with a stellar ride in a wet Argentine Grand Prix at Termas de Rio Hondo.
Runner-up in Saturday's Sprint, Bezzecchi took the lead on the opening lap and led throughout, finishing ahead of Johann Zarco in second and Alex Marquez, who started on pole, in third.
Bezzecchi's victory sends him to the summit of the 2023 MotoGP standings, with previous leader and defending champion Francesco Bagnaia crashing out soon after rising to second ahead of Marquez.
Franco Morbidelli looked set for a podium finish before Zarco's thrilling late charge through the field relegated him to fourth, while Marquez celebrated his first podium since his rookie season in 2020.
Brad Binder, winner of Saturday's Sprint, crashed at turn five on the opening lap, while Fabio Quartararo was another to endure a difficult start after being pushed off by Takaaki Nakagami.
Bezzecchi was in a class of his own in the lead, opening up an advantage of over seven seconds after Bagnaia, then running second, crashed out on lap 17.
Quartararo then began to rise through the field but the most impressive late charge came from Zarco, a second quicker than his competitors as he pushed his way to a podium spot.
His work was done on the final lap, overtaking Marquez, but there was no competition for Bezzechi, who cruised to victory to finish over four seconds ahead of his nearest rivals.
Top 10
1. Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46) 44:28:518
2. Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing) +4.085
3. Alex Marquez (Gresini) +4.681
4. Franco Morbidelli (Monster Energy Yamaha) +7.581
5. Jorge Martin (Pramac Racing) +9.746
6. Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM) +10.562
7. Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha) +11.095
8. Luca Marini (Mooney VR46) +13.694
9. Alex Rins (LCR Honda) +14.327
10. Fabio Di Giannantonio (Gresini) +18.515
Championship Standings
Riders
1. Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46) 50
2. Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati) 41
3. Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing) 35
4. Alex Marquez (Gresini) 33
5. Maverick Vinales (Aprilia) 32
Teams
1. Mooney VR46 65
2. Pramac Racing 57
3. Red Bull KTM 47
4. Aprilia 44
5. Ducati 41
Marco Bezzechi secured his first MotoGP win with a stellar ride in a wet Argentine Grand Prix at Termas de Rio Hondo.
Runner-up in Saturday's Sprint, Bezzechi took the lead on the opening lap and led throughout, finishing ahead of Johann Zarco in second and Alex Marquez, who started on pole, in third.
Bezzechi's victory sends him to the summit of the 2023 MotoGP standings, with previous leader and defending champion Francesco Bagnaia crashing out soon after rising to second ahead of Marquez.
Franco Morbidelli looked set for a podium finish before Zarco's thrilling late charge through the field relegated him to fourth, while Marquez celebrated his first podium since his rookie season in 2020.
Brad Binder, winner of Saturday's Sprint, crashed at turn five on the opening lap, while Fabio Quartararo was another to endure a difficult start after being pushed off by Takaaki Nakagami.
Bezzechi was in a class of his own in the lead, opening up an advantage of over seven seconds after Bagnaia, then running second, crashed out on lap 17.
Quartararo then began to rise through the field but the most impressive late charge came from Zarco, a second quicker than his competitors as he pushed his way to a podium spot.
His work was done on the final lap, overtaking Marquez, but there was no competition for Bezzechi, who cruised to victory to finish over four seconds ahead of his nearest rivals.
Top 10
1. Marco Bezzechi (Mooney VR46) 44:28:518
2. Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing) +4.085
3. Alex Marquez (Gresini) +4.681
4. Franco Morbidelli (Monster Energy Yamaha) +7.581
5. Jorge Martin (Pramac Racing) +9.746
6. Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM) +10.562
7. Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha) +11.095
8. Luca Marini (Mooney VR46) +13.694
9. Alex Rins (LCR Honda) +14.327
10. Fabio Di Giannantonio (Gresini) +18.515
Championship Standings
Riders
1. Marco Bezzechi (Mooney VR46) 50
2. Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati) 41
3. Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing) 35
4. Alex Marquez (Gresini) 33
5. Maverick Vinales (Aprilia) 32
Teams
1. Mooney VR46 65
2. Pramac Racing 57
3. Red Bull KTM 47
4. Aprilia 44
5. Ducati 41
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