From a press release issued by MotoGP:
The number 99 bids goodbye to Yamaha with a stunning lights-to-flag signature win
In his 250th Grand Prix start, Movistar Yamaha MotoGP rider Jorge Lorenzo said goodbye to that title in stunning style, as the ‘Spartan’ took a lights-to-flag signature victory in his final appearance in blue. A record-breaking pole saw the Spaniard then escape at the front, holding off a late charge from reigning World Champion Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team). An Italian battle royale decided the final podium place, with Andrea Iannone (Ducati Team) taking P3 on the penultimate lap.
Under the blue skies of a long-awaited dry race day, Lorenzo got the holeshot from pole, but it was Iannone who was the big winner into Turn 1 as the Italian blasted through on the inside to take second. With the ‘Spartan’ imperious at the front, Iannone led the chase as Maverick Viñales (Team Suzuki Ecstar), Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP), Marquez and Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) joined him in the battle behind the lead, after the number 93 suffered a bad start off the line.
After getting past Viñales, Rossi and Iannone fought it out at the head of the second group as the number 99 began to disappear into the distance, with Marquez and Viñales in close company. As Rossi got to the head of the chasers, Iannone hit back again – and so began Round 2. It was the ‘Maniac’ who initially came out on top, before Marquez saw his shot and got through – gapping the fight to start a charge after Lorenzo at the front, eventually cutting more than three seconds off the number 99’s lead.
The podium decider was left to a brutal, classic battle between Iannone and Rossi – with the rider from Tavullia seeming to have got the better of his younger compatriot, until Iannone hit back with an aggressive move that also gave him a gap he was able to hold onto over the line. Viñales completed his final weekend with Suzuki in P5.
Dovizioso eventually dropped slightly back from the front group into the clutches of Aleix Espargaro (Team Suzuki Ecstar) and brother Pol (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) to fight for P6 after grip issues – with younger brother Pol finally taking the honours over the line in a photo-finish against Dovizioso, and Aleix seeing the flag in eighth.
Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda) unfortunately suffered a crash to bid adieu to his fantastic latter half of 2016 – but he takes the title of Top Independent rider although bettered by Pol Espargaro on the day. Crutchlow’s compatriot Bradley Smith (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) had another impressive ride as he gets back to fitness following a crash ahead of the British GP and two knee surgeries, taking P9 in his final race with Tech 3 before he moves to Red Bull KTM Factory Racing.
Alvaro Bautista had a stunning ride in his final race with Aprilia Racing Team Gresini in their special “Red” livery, completing the top ten to round out a year of impressive progress.
Returning Repsol Honda Team rider Dani Pedrosa crashed out after an impressive weekend despite a recent collarbone break, and wildcard Mika Kallio, debuting the new KTM RC16, was sadly unable to see the flag after technical trouble – but the Austrian factory now head into the 2017 pre-season with vital information after lining up for the first time.
After a history-making 2016, MotoGP™ will return in pre-season testing on Tuesday – with Lorenzo in red at Ducati as the pack shuffles and prepares its hand for another incredible season of motorcycle racing.
From a press release issued by MotoGP:
Final farewell: Zarco wins a four-way war
Johann Zarco (FRA)
Moto2 Podium
A battle and a duel see the reigning Champion come out on top
Moto2™ signed off 2016 with a true grand finale – a breathless first half of the race to be remembered as Franco Morbidelli (Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS), Johann Zarco (Ajo Motorsport), Alex Rins (Paginas Amarillas HP40) and Tom Lüthi (Garage Plus Interwetten) went to war in stunning style. A showcase of the best of Moto2™, the fight then became a duel for the lead between equally the aggressive Italian and Frenchman – before Zarco started to pull away, taking his final victory in the intermediate class ahead of his graduation to MotoGP™. As tyres dropped towards the end, some paid the price for the fight – as Lüthi came back through to take second, and confirm second in the Championship, leaving Morbidelli to complete the podium in P3.
The EG0,0 Marc VDS rider’s 18 point haul means he just misses the top three in the standings, as Rins’ fifth place keeps the Spaniard ahead by a single point – after also suffering at the end, caught by Federal Oil Gresini Moto2’s Sam Lowes.
Lüthi got the best start off the line, but Zarco held firm into Turn 1 – and then the battle began. With Valencia having a reputation as a track difficult to overtake on, the four at the front proved the exception to the rule with an incredible showcase of the best of Moto2™.
Julian Simon (QMMF Racing Team) had an unlucky end to a good weekend as he crashed out, leaving Takaaki Nakagami (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) and Mattia Pasini (Italtrans Racing Team) to cross the line in P6 and P7. Jonas Folger (Dynavolt Intact GP) ended his Moto2™ career in the top ten in eighth, ahead of a solid intermediate class ride from Danny Kent (Leopard Racing) to end the year with a P9.
Marcel Schrotter (AGR Team) completed the top ten after a stunning save.
From a press release issued by MotoGP:
Hurricane Binder: the Champion storms back from P22
Brad Binder (RSA)
Moto3 Podium
South African signs off his incredible Moto3™ campaign with a stunning fight through the field
Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Ajo) has signed off his Moto3™ career with an unbelievable fight back through the field to the victory, after ending up in P22 in the early stages of the race. Joan Mir (Leopard Racing) took P2 and another podium to round off an impressive season, taking the title of Rookie of the Year in the process, with Sky Racing Team VR46 rider Andrea Migno completing the podium.
Blue skies and perfect conditions – the last battle for Moto3™ had the stage perfectly set for another incredible race. There was drama early as pole setter Aron Canet (Estrella Galicia 0,0) stalled on the grid and was forced to push the bike into pitlane – leaving Bastianini and Binder free to lead the initial melee on the first lap. Then, Francesco Bagnaia (Pull&Bear Aspar Mahindra) and Gabriel Rodrigo (RBA Racing) crashed out as the Argentine lost control and collected the Italian – expensive in ‘Pecco’’s attempt to secure P3 in the title standings – followed by a problem for reigning Champion Binder that saw the South African suddenly sit up and drop from second on track to outside the top twenty; able to then get back into his rhythm and start fighting back.
That left key Rookie of the Year contender Joan Mir at the head of the race and impressing as he did on the way to his first win in Austria. The Mallorcan held the gap initially at six tenths over Rookie rival Fabio Di Giannantonio (Gresini Racing Moto3) in P2 – with the leader for the award going into the weekend, Nicolo Bulega (Sky Racing Team VR46), down in P19 after a 12-place penalty dropped him down the starting grid.
Mir was then penalised for a pass under Yellow Flags and was forced to drop a place – slowing down for the chasing pack to catch him and immediately allowing Andrea Migno through from P2. A front group of eleven riders were close on track – with Binder the last in the freight train as his recovery ride saw him knocking on the door to the top ten with 14 laps to go; fastest man on track.
The South African was well in the podium fight with seven laps to go, hunting down Migno and Mir for the victory. Reminiscent of his fight back from last on the grid in Jerez – when he stormed through to hit the front and then disappear for the victory – Binder had already gained back every place he lost with the early incident, bar one.
The 2016 Moto3™ World Champion made one mistake as he ran wide and dropped back into P4, before moving through to the front once again and proving unmovable around the last lap, despite the best efforts of Mir and Migno. Gresini Racing Team Moto3 duo Bastianini and Di Giannantonio fought it out just behind, with ‘Bestia’ finally getting the better of his rookie teammate and confirming himself P2 in the title standings in 2016.
Juanfran Guevara (RBA Racing Team) got good points in return for his great form in Valencia in P6, ahead of Jakub Kornfeil, who signed off from Drive M7 SIC Racing Team with an impressive ride into P7 following his podium in Sepang.
Philipp Oettl (Schedl GP Racing) took home another top ten in P8, ahead of local hero Jorge Navarro (Estrella Galicia 0,0), who leaves Moto3™ after a solid ride to ninth – and took third in the Championship with the haul of points, after Bagnaia was unable to score. Bagnaia’s teammate, Pull&Bear Aspar Mahindra’s home hero Jorge Martin, completed the top ten.
From a press release issued by KTM Factory Racing:
SHARP LEARNING CURVE FOR KTM FACTORY RACING TEAM’S FIRST MOTOGP WEEKEND
MotoGP Wildcard 2016 – Valencia (ESP)
The KTM Factory Racing Team on Sunday had the opportunity to experience their first full-blown MotoGP race with a wildcard entry for the brand new KTM RC16 MotoGP bike at the last round of the 2016 season in Valencia. And while the outcome of the race was not as successful as they would have liked, the team came away with enough reason to be encouraged.
The wildcard entry with regular test rider Mika Kallio (FIN) was always considered as another development test. The team struggled with grip problems during the Friday free practices but they had reason to be very encouraged with improved lap times during Saturday’s qualifying. On race day, while Kallio was satisfied with his start and the opening laps, a very small technical problem intervened and caused him to eventually withdraw and return to the pits.
Mika Kallio (Test Rider MotoGP): “Basically the start was more or less okay then I tried to choose a good line in the opening few corners and I think I gained a few positions. I was where I expected to be and I was fighting with the other guys in my group. I managed to stay on course in the first laps and this was positive, and I could also see the difference between my bike and the others – where we are okay and where we need to improve. After six laps I felt something happened on the bike going into the corner. I opened the throttle, the power went down and there was no acceleration. It seems there was a sensor problem and this affected the electronics and the controls. The rear tire started to spin and the grip went down fast, so riding became more complicated and the other riders started to pull away. It was a shame because it would have been good to see what we could have done. Anyway up to the point we had the problems the feeling was good. I’m just disappointed we didn’t finish the race.”
Pit Beirer (KTM Motorsport Director): “Despite the outcome, in principle I’m still satisfied because we understood the task, and nothing happened that we had not reckoned with. But what was extremely good to see was how the team reacted, because on Friday we simply didn’t have the speed that we had in the last test three weeks ago. They reacted overnight and prepared the bike so that Mika had a good feeling, times improved and we had the basis for the race today. In the race, the distance from the front was more or less okay. By that I mean we had no reason to be pleased but also none to be unhappy. Realistically speaking we are where we should be. I was happy with the way the team worked together. KTM is a family and no-one in the team is unhappy because we understand how difficult it is to be part of this elite class.”
Mike Leitner (Team Manager MotoGP): “I’m really satisfied although it is clear it is not the outcome we wanted. But that doesn’t have anything to do with how well the team worked. Everybody made a real effort but when we are racing there was an occasional weak point and this was very clear, because it was the first time we had experienced a race weekend. Our wildcard entry was simply an important test for the next season. Mika was able to stick with the riders in his group in the first laps, and he did so right up to when the problem emerged. What is annoying is that we did the full race distance in tests. It was really a very small fault in a part that hardly costs anything, but it is a strong signal to everyone on the team that every single piece on a MotoGP bike must work perfectly.”
Sebastian Risse (Technical Director MotoGP): “As far as the reliability of the bike is concerned, except for the race, everything was without problems. But what counts was the painful learning curve of today. In principle we were satisfied with the performance here, and with the reliability, right up to the incident today.”
The Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team now takes part in the official IRTA tests in Valencia on Tuesday and Wednesday when the 2017 factory riders Pol Espargaro and Bradley Smith will take control of the KTM RC16 for the first time.
From a press release issued by Ducati Corse:
Andrea Iannone scores a splendid podium finish with third place in Valencia Grand Prix. Seventh place for Andrea Dovizioso
Andrea Iannone powered to a splendid third-place podium finish in the Valencia Grand Prix, which brought the 2016 MotoGP World Championship season to a close today at the Cheste circuit. With this result, the rider from Vasto bade farewell in the best possible way to the Ducati Team, with whom in the last two years he scored a fantastic win in the Austrian GP and six podiums (one second place and five thirds).
After a good start from the third row, Iannone crossed the line at the end of the opening lap in second place and was then involved in a terrific scrap with Rossi and Marquez. When the Spanish world champion moved into second, Iannone continued his battle with Rossi, getting the better of his fellow Italian on lap 25 and he was able to hold onto third place until the chequered flag.
Team-mate Andrea Dovizioso had a good race after qualifying on the second row. The Italian was unable to get a good start however and he finished the opening lap in seventh place, before latching onto the group made up of Iannone, Viñales, Rossi and Marquez. Dovizioso then had to slow his pace due to a lack of feeling with the front of his bike, and he was passed by Pol Espargarò, finishing the race in seventh place just a fraction behind the Spanish rider.
The final championship standings see Dovizioso in fifth place with 171 points and Iannone ninth with 112 points. Ducati and the Ducati Team finished third overall both in the Constructors’ and Teams’ classifications.
Andrea Iannone (Ducati Team #29) – 3rd
“Today it was a great race. I got a really good start and then had an incredible battle with Marquez and Rossi: I feel sure that everyone watching today, either in the circuit or at home on TV, must have enjoyed it a lot. I’m pleased because, even though the final part of the championship didn’t go exactly the way I had planned, in my last race for the Ducati Team I was able to get onto the podium, despite a rather difficult situation to manage. Even though after four years unfortunately we go our separate ways, I want to thank Ducati, to whom I have always given 100% and from whom I have always received the maximum of support, and all its engineers, mechanics, team personnel, fans and Ducatisti. I will never forget this great big family, and part of my heart will forever remain in Ducati.”
Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team #04) – 7th
“I’m a bit disappointed because I had hoped to finish the season fighting for the podium again, but I had a problem with the front from the first lap: the feeling with my bike was different to what it was in practice and I wasn’t able to brake the way I wanted. It was a pity because I really wanted to fight for the podium at Valencia, which has always been a tough track for me, and I think that today it could have been within reach. In any case finishing fifth overall was my aim, and if you think that I was eleventh at the fourth round, I have to be satisfied with our final place. I’m also happy to form part of the Ducati project for the next two years, because now we want to try and fight for something even more important.”
Luigi Dall’Igna (Ducati Corse General Manager)
“Andrea Iannone’s race was really great and exciting and his podium was for sure the best way to say goodbye to us. Andrea raced with his heart in his final outing with Ducati and I want to thank him because, in the four years we have been together, he has helped us to improve a lot and arrive at our current level. I’d like to wish him all the best for his new adventure. It was a pity about Dovizioso, because I think that even he could have fought for the podium today, but in any case Andrea showed that he was really competitive this year, especially in the last few races, and he finished the championship in a good fifth place.”
From a press release issued by Yamaha:
Movistar Yamaha MotoGP Signs Off with 2016 Team Title at Stirring Spanish Showdown
Race
The Movistar Yamaha MotoGP team closed the 2016 MotoGP World Championship today at a sunny yet slightly cloudy Circuito de la Comunitat Valenciana Ricardo Tormo in supreme form. Jorge Lorenzo stormed out of the gates to clinch a stunning and untouchable victory in his last appearance for Yamaha. Teammate Valentino Rossi also put up a strong fight and brought his YZR-M1 over the line in fourth place to give Yamaha its seventh FIM MotoGP Team Title.
The Movistar Yamaha MotoGP team closed the 2016 MotoGP World Championship today at a sunny yet slightly cloudy Circuito de la Comunitat Valenciana Ricardo Tormo in supreme form. Jorge Lorenzo stormed out of the gates to clinch a stunning and untouchable victory in his last appearance for Yamaha. Teammate Valentino Rossi also put up a strong fight and brought his YZR-M1 over the line in fourth place to give Yamaha its seventh FIM MotoGP Team Title.
Movistar Yamaha MotoGP’s Jorge Lorenzo returned to winning form at the Gran Premio de la Comunitat Valenciana, securing a masterful first place. Teammate Valentino Rossi gave the Spanish crowds an action-packed 30-lap sprint at the Circuito de la Comunitat Valenciana Ricardo Tormo as he fought hard to hold off the competition, taking fourth over the line.
After a perfect qualifying session in Valencia yesterday, Lorenzo arrived at the circuit this morning feeling confident about his pace and it showed in the opening laps. The Mallorcan stormed into the first corner to take the holeshot before creating an over 0.6s gap to the riders in his pursuit. He was the only rider to drop a 1’36s opening lap before getting into a consistent rhythm of 1’31s.
As his teammate got into a heated battle with Andrea Iannone and Marc Marquez for second place, it was a flawless but lonely ride for Lorenzo. The home-hero maintained an advantage of more than four seconds over his closest rival for most of the race, but decided to slow down his pace in the final stages to end his Yamaha career with a textbook win and a 1.185s margin. Lorenzo’s run-away victory secured him third place in the Rider Championship standings, highlighting his protagonist status.
Rossi also had a good start from the first row on the grid and slotted in behind Maverick Viñales after riding side-by-side through the first corners. He took a few laps to heat up his tyres before turning up the pressure on the Spaniard on lap four. Not wanting to let the front riders escape, Rossi slipped past him in turn 14, all the while being followed by Marquez.
The nine-time World Champion next set his sights on Iannone and it didn’t take him long to tag onto the back of his compatriot. What followed was a sensational battle for second place that lasted over 24 laps. Rossi’s first attack on lap six was successful, but he had to let Iannone past over the line. The Italians then further delighted the race fans at the eighteenth and final Grand Prix of the season with brilliant scraps, swapping places on many occasions.
With Marquez getting into the mix with twelve laps to go, proceedings intensified even more. In turn 2 Marquez overtook Rossi. The Doctor bided his time in the last eleven laps, ready to pounce when the opportunity arose. Over the last seven and a half minutes, as Marquez started to get away, he tried to take over third place from Iannone, but their fight lost him valuable time. With two laps to go Rossi had a final try at securing a place on the podium. Though he was unable to make it stick, he ended up taking valuable points with a hard-fought fourth position, finishing 7.668s from his teammate.
With today’s results added to the riders’ scores, Rossi ended in second place in the Rider Championship standings with 249 points. Lorenzo claimed third in the overall rankings with 233 points. Their achievements combined give the Movistar Yamaha MotoGP Team the 2016 FIM MotoGP Team’s Title with 482 points and a 28-point advantage over the team in second place.
Tomorrow the team will enjoy a well-deserved day off before they kick off the two-day first official pre-season IRTA test of the 2017 season on Tuesday November 15th in Valencia.
Massimo Meregalli – Movistar Yamaha MotoGP Team Director
“This is the spectacular way to end the 2016 season. Wrapping up such a competitive season with a perfect victory and a fantastic battle that resulted in a hard-fought fourth place is of course a great outcome and it underlines that Movistar Yamaha MotoGP winning the Team’s Title is well-deserved. Jorge gave a flawless performance all week and he ended his Yamaha career in the best way possible. Valentino struggled earlier this weekend, but found a good solution for the race. His battle with Iannone was a pleasure to watch for everybody. It was unfortunate that he just missed out on the podium, but he was forced to give up third position due to tyre degradation on the front. However, the points he scored today helped us claim the Team Title, which was our goal for this weekend, so we are pleased. The 2016 season and our work with Jorge have come to an end so this is a very memorable win and Team Title victory, which we will commemorate tonight and tomorrow with a big celebration before we start the first test of the 2017 season at the same track this Tuesday.”
Jorge Lorenzo
1st / 45’54.228 / 30 laps, Championship: 3rd / 233 points
“It has been an incredible weekend with a perfect first few laps, the pole position, the fastest lap, and the victory. I arrived here in MotoGP at 20 years old, taking my first pole position on my first race. After almost ten years I leave with a pole position and a victory, I think I couldn’t have given Yamaha a better present than this for their support and their hard work during these years. We always had a competitive and winning bike. Now we will enjoy and celebrate these memories. Tonight at the party I will enjoy the last moments with my team. During the race you spend 45 minutes completely focused on what you are doing to dominate this bike, so when you cross the line you aren’t very emotional yet and you don’t think too much, because you need to recover. After two or three minutes I started remembering the best moments in my career and also the hard moments and in parc fermé it was very emotional with my team. For sure I will throw one of my biggest and craziest parties today because it’s a good day. We have to enjoy all of these experiences and especially this last moment with Yamaha.”
Valentino Rossi
4th / +7.668 / 30 laps, Championship: 2nd / 249 points
“I was pushing from the beginning to the end and the first half of the race wasn’t so bad because I was in second position, but I wasn’t fast enough to make a gap and after that I suffered on the second part. Marquez was very strong, so he arrived in second place and after that I had a fight with Iannone. Unfortunately he beat me because he was faster, so just fourth place for me today, but it was a good race. The 2016 season brought a lot of positive things; second place in the championship, a lot of podiums and front row starts. Next year I want to try to win more races, more than two, but we are always competitive. Unfortunately I made some mistakes and I was a bit unlucky with the engine in Mugello so I was a bit too far behind in the championship, but anyway it was a good season.”
Resilient Espargaro closes Yamaha account with hard fought run to 6th – Smith signs off with a positive 9th place finish
Pol Espargaro produced a superb display in his final MotoGP race aboard the Yamaha YZR-M1 to seize the leading satellite honours in the fiercely competitive season closer. The Spaniard bolted forward from the second row of the grid and undertook a solid first lap whilst dicing the factory riders. From here, he set into a formidable rhythm, which allowed him to progress to 7th with just under a quarter of the race having been completed. Espargaro powered onwards and continued his consistent pace to expertly keep the pursuing factory Suzuki of his brother, Aleix Espargaro, at bay. The distance dialed down, and then on the penultimate lap, the 25-year-old hunted down the 2016 GP winner Andrea Dovizioso. Espargaro dug deep and eventually soared across the finish line ahead of the Ducati rider by only 0.039 of a second, in what was a nail-biting but impressive end to his Tech3 campaign.
Bradley Smith ended his six-year partnership with Tech3 by concluding the 30-lap sprint in 9th after a determined performance at Valencia today. The Briton, who started from the head of the fourth row of the grid, quickly got on the pace as he weaved his way around the first lap, which he completed in 11th. He pushed onwards whilst battling against the tight and meandering track, and his strong lap times saw him open a comfortable gap to the following rider. At just over the mid point of the GP, the 2015 leading satellite rider was back inside the top ten and running in 9th and from here, he maintained his consistency before meeting the chequered flag in this position. The result marks a positive end to what has been a challenging season for the 25-year-old, that has included a serious knee injury which he sustained in August. Yet, his strong will and determination saw him make his comeback after just seven weeks, and he scored some thoroughly impressive finishes whilst still recovering which helped the Monster Yamaha Tech3 team seize the top independent position in the team standings for the fifth consecutive season.
The whole team would like to express their thanks to both Pol and Bradley for their commitment, passion and hard work over the years, plus also give their best wishes to the riders for their future adventures.
Pol Espargaro
6th / +18.378 / 30 laps, Championship: 8th / 134 points
“It was my last race in black and green for Yamaha and the result today marks a positive end to my time with Tech3. This finish will keep my morale, as well as the team’s, up over the winter break and it’s a good way to end our journey together. We concluded the season as it began, which is in the top independent rider position, even if it has been a challenging year at times because unfortunately, we didn’t quite secure the best satellite placement in standings in the end. However, we always did our best and I have to thank the Monster Yamaha Tech3 team for giving their all in the years that we have worked together. Plus, I must say thanks to them for teaching me how to ride a MotoGP bike. We’ve shared some happy moments and some not so great ones. Our first year was excellent, but then we had a tough second one, yet in 2016 we have tried to handle the situations as best as we could. With regards to today’s race, I think the opening laps were crucial and sadly, we lost a lot of time there. After though, my rhythm was quite similar to the pace of the factory guys in front of me. For the entire GP, I had my brother behind me, but I was never sure if he was struggling to stay with me, or if he wanted to overtake. Fortunately, I kept him behind which allowed us to catch Dovi, who then acted as a barrier between me and Aleix and I made the most of this. Once again, I have to say thanks to everyone in the team for their work in the past three years and I will take a lot of memories of Tech3 away with me.”
Bradley Smith
9th / +25.993 / 30 laps, Championship: 17th / 62 points
“It was a tricky race, but I gave my all, and to finish in 9th is quite a positive way to end the season after what we’ve been through. We never really found the solution to my issues throughout the weekend, even though, of course, we tried everything that we could. However, for the GP, we definitely had the best setup. When it started, I pushed hard to try to stay with the Espargaro brothers and Cal. It looked like Pol had a bit more pace, especially in the second quarter of the Grand Prix and unfortunately I wasn’t able to remain with him. Although it may have been a bit of an ambitious aim, I was hoping to fight with Pol in our final race with the team. Anyway, at the midpoint, Crutchlow fell and after that, it was a case of finding as much rhythm as possible on my own because there was around a ten-second gap back to P10, plus Pol and Aleix were out of reach. Nevertheless, my main objective was to try to recover as much as possible before Valencia, so that we could get close to where we expect to be, which I feel we achieved with a solid top ten. I’d like to give a big thanks to the entire Tech3 team for all of their work in the past four years in MotoGP and two additional years before that in Moto2. I wish the guys the very best with the new riders for the 2017 season and I’ll come and say bonjour again in the future.”
From a press release issued by Team Suzuki ECSTAR:
TEAM SUZUKI ECSTAR 5TH & 8TH AT VALENCIA
Maverick Viñales: 5th.
Aleix Espargaró: 8th.
Team SUZUKI ECSTAR’s Maverick Viñales and Aleix Espargaró raced to fifth and eighth positions in the final round of MotoGP™ 2016, the Gran Prix de la Comunitat Valenciana in Spain this afternoon.
The last Grand Prix of the season ended consistently with both riders capable of fighting in the top positions, especially Viñales well into podium positions for several laps.
Fourth place on the grid and one of the best starts of the season saw Viñales recover positions and turn in third at the first corner and the positive set-up finalised during the weekend allowed him to hold third place for many laps. With the tyre drop, however, he had to give-up two positions and from then on wasn’t able to fight again to recover, although he held onto fifth place until the end.
Espargaró had a consistent race, from ninth place, although he had to give up a couple of positions at the beginning, but kept in touch with competitors to recover to ninth in a few laps, engaging a fierce battle for eighth and then chase seventh. His strategy to preserve the tyres for the last part of the race allowed him to keep his pace and close the race in eighth.
This was the last race in Suzuki colours for Espargaró and Viñales, who have been the protagonists of Suzuki’s comeback to MotoGP™. These two years have seen the machines, the riders and the crews grow very fast, catching-up the competitors in such a short time and now being able to fight with the best manufacturers. All the people in the Team at the circuit, as well as the engineers and management in Hamamatsu, Japan want to say a big thank you to both for these two years together.
Satoru Terada – Project Leader:
“With this race we finished a two-year period that took us back to the MotoGP™. First of all, I want to say thank you to our riders, to the team and to the engineers in Japan. They all contributed to develop the bike that now we see so competitive. Last year we had some struggles in making the machine well-performing, and this made the riders’ job even harder, but they trusted in our project and helped us to improve. In winter, at the beginning of 2016, we finally succeeded in delivering major improvements; a better-performing engine and the seamless gearbox, together with continuous improvement in chassis, set-up and electronics. This allowed us to get the first victory after less than two years, plus three podiums. This is an incredible result we are very proud of. Now Maverick and Aleix are leaving, and tomorrow we will welcome two new riders, starting a renewed challenge. Our commitment is to deliver them a more-performing machine, to continue and even improve the positive path we have started in the last part of the season, and so hopefully we will achieve even better results that can make proud all Suzuki fans, and us as well.”
Ken Kawauchi – Technical Manager:
“The final result in the race was not the best we could achieve, but both riders got a positive result and this makes the weekend a positive one. I still remember when we were here racing in 2014, our very first race after many years, and we were struggling so much; where we are now is an incredible result. We have made huge steps of improvement in these two years, and we must be very proud of our job. Of course, a big part of the cause is the two riders; Maverick and Aleix did an extremely good job with us, allowing us to improve the machine so much and also bringing us amazing emotions, with top qualifying, podiums and also a victory. I must say thank you to them, and also I want to mention the two crews that worked with them as well as all engineers. We can be proud of what we’ve achieved in these fantastic two years. Tomorrow we will start a new adventure with two new riders, it’s going to be an interesting challenge, but I feel confident with the package we have; they will find a performing machine, which can be still improved but which is also a very competitive base to start work on.”
Maverick Viñales:
“It’s been a hard race. Honestly I was expecting a little more, I thought the podium was achievable, but at the end of the race it was so hard to keep the pace. I tried my best at the beginning, but then I had to cease position and hold to the end. At the end my feelings are for these two years with Suzuki, we did a very good job, if I think all the struggles we had last year and now we’ve been fighting for podiums consistently in the last part of the season. It’s a good sensation, and also I’m leaving here some people with which we created a very good connection. I’m proud of the job we’ve done together.”
Aleix Espargaró:
“I had a bad start and then I had to recover some positions, but I struggled in doing it. It was really difficult to overtake, but also I didn’t want to take too many risks at the beginning of the race. Then the pace was good, but couldn’t do better than eighth; it’s not what I hoped but it’s ok. I really enjoyed the race, although my feeling with the front was not perfect. I’m proud of having been a part of the history that we’ve written with this team for Suzuki, the whole team was amazing with me and we really created a family. Also, the bike now is a really good bike, so I’m proud I gave my contribution. I feel I’m not leaving with a complete work, I missed the podium, but all in the team know that I’ve put my 110% every time I wore this blue leather. This weekend has been a really emotional one for me, I’m leaving some good friends and a project that has grown very positively.”
From a press release issued by LCR Honda:
Cal Crutchlow was confirmed as the Top Independent Team rider in the 2016 MotoGP World Championship, despite sliding out of the Valencian Grand Prix whilst running in ninth position.
It has been the best-ever season for LCR Honda in the premier class, with Crutchlow amassing 141 points as he took seventh place in the championship. That haul from 18 rounds of course includes the two remarkable victories in the Czech Republic and Australia, which will no doubt live long in the memory of everyone connected to the team.
The weekend at Valencia had been a tricky one for LCR Honda and Crutchlow, with the team failing to find a set-up of the Honda RC213V that suited the Briton. He fought hard in the early laps as he struggled with the front end, but just when it looked as though he would be able to claim another top-ten finish he crashed out with 14 laps still to go.
With the 2016 season over, the work doesn’t end yet for the team, with testing for 2017 beginning already at Valencia on Tuesday morning.
#35 Cal Crutchlow – DNF
“I didn’t feel comfortable all weekend here in Valencia, we never seemed to get the right setting with the bike, although in the race I felt okay. After ten laps I settled into a rhythm and then I could start to push, but the front tyre pressure was way too high – higher than it had been all weekend. The tyre pressure went back down, but then I crashed out going over the limit of the package we have today.”
“We have had an incredible season as a team, and I feel I’ve ridden well but I want to improve for next year. It’s bittersweet to end like this because we’ve had two fantastic wins and some great podium finishes. We’ve even had more wins than some of the factory riders, so that’s great! We have to take the positives from this season, and that’s them.”
“The LCR Honda Team have done a brilliant job all year. It’s not been easy with our bike, even for Marc and Dani, but hopefully when we start testing on Tuesday and Wednesday it will be the start of new things to come with the Honda.”
From a press release issued by Repsol Honda:
Marquez back on podium in 2nd at Valencia, Pedrosa returns to speed before crashing uninjured from 7th
Marc Marquez returned to the podium in the 150th GP of his career, scoring an important second-place finish in the season-finale Grand Prix de la Comunitat Valenciana and helping Honda secure its 22nd Premier Class Constructor title during its 50th Anniversary racing in the division.
Marc didn’t have a great start from the front row and found himself in fifth by the end of the first lap. He overtook Maverick Viñales for fourth position on the sixth lap and stuck close to Andrea Iannone and Valentino Rossi’s battle for second, while eventual race winner Jorge Lorenzo pulled a gap at the front.
Marc improved his speed as the race progressed, and between laps 19 and 20 he passed the two Italians. As he began putting in a series of impressive lap times in the mid-1:31 range, he cut his gap to Lorenzo from 5.437 with 10 laps remaining to 1.185 seconds at the finish line.
After making a strong comeback and displaying good speed during the Valencian GP, Dani Pedrosa escaped a turn 2 crash uninjured on the seventh lap of the race, when he was in seventh position.
On Tuesday and Wednesday, the Repsol Honda riders will return to action for a two-day post-race test.
Marc Marquez
2ND
“We’re happy because we’ve managed to get on the podium and we’ve finished the season strongly. This is the most important thing. In the race, the start penalized us a lot as I had an issue with the clutch and lost several positions. Afterward I wasted a lot of time behind Rossi and Iannone. As Valentino said yesterday, overtaking is difficult on this track, so even if I was able to get close, to pass them was another story because I was losing under acceleration and was a bit on the limit under braking. I waited behind as the tyres began to affect performance, and step-by-step I continued improving until I found the opportunity to pass them. From then on I was able to improve my speed, and maybe if the race had lasted a little longer I might have reached Lorenzo. Anyway, he had an incredible race and I was not able to catch him. Congrats to him for this result. It hasn’t been an easy season but we were able to win the title in Japan and secure the Constructors Championship this weekend, which is great. Now we’ll work hard starting from the next test to try and improve our bike even more.”
Marc Marquez
Dani Pedrosa
DNF
“It’s a shame about the crash. I started well and was taking things calmly since I didn’t feel perfectly good with the tyres. Unfortunately, after just a few laps, on the entrance to turn 2, without pushing, the rear stepped out, and at the same time I also lost the front and couldn’t avoid the crash. I don’t know what went wrong because I wasn’t riding at the limit. It was a pity not to finish the race, which was our intention. We’ve come to the end of a difficult year, but we’ll try our best to do better next season.”
From a press release issued by Team Aspar:
End of an era for Pull&Bear Aspar Team at Valencia
Eugene Laverty just outside the points in the final Grand Prix of the season, with Yonny Hernández unable to finish after another crash
As is now tradition Valencia will witness the end of a MotoGP era and the start of a new one over the next 48 hours, as a host of riders change colours and machines for next season. Jorge Lorenzo signed off from nine years with his current team with an impeccable performance in Cheste, where he dominated from the early laps and opened up an insurmountable gap at the front. Marc Márquez finished second after escaping from the group and closing down Lorenzo in the latter laps but it was too little too late. Ducati’s Andrea Iannone signed off from his time with the Italian factory with the final position on the podium, with the circuit now set to descend into relative silence before the engines fire up again on Tuesday for the first day of preparations for 2017.
It is the end of an era for the Pull&Bear Aspar Team, who say goodbye to Eugene Laverty and Yonny Hernández before they both head off to different categories next season. The Irishman and the Colombian were desperate to sign off from MotoGP with a good result today but unfortunately neither was able to make the points. Laverty came closest after fighting until the last lap for a top fifteen position, but ultimately he was unable to add any more points to a tally boosted by a best result of fourth place in Argentina, which leaves him thirteenth overall. Yonny Hernández’s season ended prematurely when he crashed in the early laps, losing the front in a very similar incident to a number of others this season.
16th Eugene Laverty: “We just missed out on the points. I wanted to get fifteenth on the last lap with Miller but I was just lacking a bit of pace. It has been a great two years with the Aspar Team and I wanted to finish on a high. We tried our best this weekend and even though the result wasn’t our best one I think we can be happy with our effort. I think thirteenth place in the championship is quite respectable, if you look at the points we have scored compared to last year, and the fact we have finished above two GP15 Ducatis. As a team we can be proud; we improved from last year and that’s always the aim.”
Yonny Hernández (DNF): “It is strange because all of my crashes have been the same. I was pushing hard, I was on the right line and when I let go of the brake I lost the front. It is a crash that has been repeated a lot this season. I was looking forward to finishing the race and the season with a good result. Now it is time for me to look ahead to next season and turning my fortunes around.”
From a press release issued by Aprilia Racing Team Gresini:
BOTH APRILIA RIDERS IN THE POINTS AT VALENCIA AND BAUTISTA IN THE TOP TEN AGAIN
GROWTH OF THE RS-GP MACHINES – TODAY IN RED TO CELEBRATE (RED) – CONFIRMED IN THE SECOND HALF OF THE SEASON
Alvaro Bautista (tenth) rode his Aprilia RS-GP to a top ten finish at the Valencia GP that close out the 2016 Grand Prix Motorcycle Racing season.
Stefan Bradl (thirteenth) also finished in the points, bringing home a good team result worthy of the positive conclusion to a season that, especially in the second half, saw the RS-GP machines and the Aprilia Racing Team Gresini riders consistently battling for a spot in the top ten, the stated goal for Venetian V4’s rookie season, sometimes doing even better with placements like the seventh place finishes achieved in Argentina (Bradl) and Japan (Bautista).
Alvaro, in his last race with Aprilia Racing Team Gresini and penalized by his start from the eighteenth spot on the grid, came back little by little, confident with his pace and the overall good balance of the bike. After overtaking Miller, Redding and Petrucci, he fended off Barbera’s final attempts and, with the six points earned, overtook Laverty in the overall championship standings, finishing the season with a nice twelfth place.
Bradl (also in his last race with Aprilia), after a start that had relegated him to the back of the pack, skilfully came back, even overtaking Redding in the finale to finish thirteenth.
The Aprilia RS-GP machines showed off an entirely red livery in the race, without any other sponsors or even the Aprilia logo, in order to celebrate (RED), the organization founded by Bono and Bobby Shriver that, with $360 million in assistance, has contributed to the fight against AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria in African countries since 2006.
ROMANO ALBESIANO – APRILIA RACING MANAGER
“We finished a very important season for Aprilia. We brought our MotoGP bike to its début, taking it to the races straight away and developing it throughout the season. For the past few rounds our level has allowed us to stay consistently in the top ten, which was our goal. The bike has grown and the racing department with it. We are a strong and motivated team that still has potential for growth. In addition to everyone on the team, I particularly wish to thank our riders, who believed in our project and who have earned our respect. I wish Stefan and Alvaro all the best and now we will already begin thinking about next season, which will start in a few hours”.
FAUSTO GRESINI – TEAM MANAGER
“Analysing the season, the first goal was to get through all the races without any technical issues keeping us from finishing, which is not a given for such a fledgling project. We demonstrated our potential to our rivals, growing consistently. We have a long road ahead, but we are moving in the right direction. We are proud of the results achieved and my thanks go to everyone: to Aprilia who has always given 100%, as well as to the team at the track and the riders. After such strong emotions, it is already time to reset and restart, with an even stronger desire to show what we are capable of achieving”.
ALVARO BAUTISTA
“In the second half of the season, we began to reap the fruits of a lot of hard work, much of which done last year as well. We went in the right direction for development. Aprilia did a great job and the materials worked the way we expected them to. We improved a lot and now I wish all the best to Aprilia and the team with whom I experienced two years of hard work, but great satisfaction in the progress the bike has made. I always gave it my all, but I must thank my engineers and my mechanics, because they did an exceptional job, always seeking to provide me with the best solution. The race today was good, if you consider that, starting from behind, we went from almost six seconds from the race leader in the first lap to finishing with a dignified gap, especially considering that this is one of the most difficult tracks for the RS-GP”.
STEFAN BRADL
“It was a very exciting race, especially in the second half when I was able to push and overtake Redding, besides the fact that it is my last MotoGP race. Speaking of the race, unfortunately, after the warm up we had to replace the clutch and I was unable to make a good start, which did not make things simple. We decided to start with the soft front tyre, which we had not used in the afternoon sessions, and that meant that I had to adapt a bit, especially in the first laps. From the mid-race point on things improved, but the gap was already too big to strive for a better position. In any case, we finished in the points and, on a track that is difficult for us, that result was not a given. I wish to thank all the guys and Aprilia. This experience has helped me to grow as a rider, taking on a new challenge made up of testing and developing a new project. We can be satisfied with the work we have done and I wish them the best of luck for the future”.
From a press release issued by Octo Pramac Yahknich:
Danilo Petrucci 12th and Scott Redding 14th in the last 2016 MotoGp event at Valencia
The 2016 MotoGP season finishes with a rather complex Sunday for Danilo Petrucci and Scott Redding, respectively 12th and 14th, under the chequered flag at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo.
Petrux, which had always ended his races in the TOP 10, has not started well and finished the first lap in 16th position. He managed not to lose his concentration and started a good comeback that brought him up to the 11th position on lap 10. The rider from Terni tried to chase Bautista but the effort to recover the first few laps did not allow him to be competitive in the final stage.
Scott started well gaining the twelfth position. On lap 10, however, a mistake forced him to lose three positions. The British rider tried to push but he could not find the right feeling to find a faster pace.
14th – Scott Redding
We had so many difficulties. This morning I felt the front closing twice and I nearly crashed in the warm up. It was not a problem with the bike, but it was a lack of feeling between me and the bike. Early in the race, I felt pretty good but as the rear tire started to lose grip on left corners, it was really tough. I must say that I am satisfied with my season. I have shown I can make important results. Now I want to improve.
12th – Danilo Petrucci
I did a few mistakes in the first lap which forced me to push harder to recover positions. In the last seven laps I could not stay with Bautista and Barbera to fight for the Top 10 and then I preferred not to risk and bring home some points. It is not a race I will remember, but now I just want to think about the new bike. I will have to commit and work hard to stay ahead in the next season.
From a press release issued by Team Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS:
Miller in the points at Valencia finale
Team Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS rider Jack Miller finished the season in the points with a determined ride into 15th place in Valencia today.
The 30-lap race at the Ricardo Tormo Circuit completed a roller-coaster season for Miller with the thrill of his maiden MotoGP victory in Assen combined with some debilitating injuries.
The gritty Australia rider expected more from the final race but struggled with grip and shifting issues and was unable to improve upon his starting position of 15th on the grid.
Miller lost ground early on with a full tank of fuel and conceded a gap to the group of Scott Redding, Stefan Bradl and Danilo Petrucci in the battle for 12th place.
A single championship point in the final race of season gave Miller a tally of 57 points for the season and 18th in the standings.
Tito Rabat completed his rookie MotoGP season with Team Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS with 17th place after finding an impressive burst of extra pace in the race.
Rabat has been unfazed by the pressure of his first year in MotoGP and took some valuable lessons away from Valencia in a tight battle with Eugene Laverty over the final laps. At the finish Rabat was just three seconds behind teammate Miller.
Rabat finished the season on 29 points and 21st in the standings.
Preparations for the 2017 season begin at Valencia on Tuesday with Miller and Rabat scheduled for the end-of-season two-day test.
Jack Miller: 15th
“This is not the result I wanted but I struggled right from the beginning of the race with a full fuel load, I just couldn’t push as hard as I wanted. The guys ahead got a gap and by the time I got some pace mid-race it was too late. Towards the end I struggled with wheelspin and also the downshifts into turn one. But I’m happy to bring it home in the points and go to the test on Tuesday and try some new parts for next year.”
Tito Rabat: 17th
“My priority was to not crash and finish the race so it has been a positive end to the season for me, I have learnt a lot. I had good feeling after a couple of laps and was able to make a good pace but as the tyres went down I lost some feeling. But I had a good battle with Kallio, Baz and finally Laverty and we touched a couple of times in the final laps. But I stayed calm and confident and understood where I can make improvements in the future. Now I’m looking forward to the test here on Tuesday to begin preparations for next season.”
Michael Bartholemy: Team Principal
“A very difficult race for both our riders today and the result is a little disappointing because I was hoping for a better result for Jack. The main positive from today was that Tito made the same lap time as Jack and the riders in front of him. This was impressive considering he had struggled for pace all weekend.”