Despite some interest from rival manufacturers, Marquez had made it clear his preference was to remain with Honda, the outfit he has competed with since making his premier class debut in 2013.
Tuesday 27 February 2018
Marc Marquez staying in MotoGP with two more years at Honda till the end of 2020
It was confirmed on Monday (26/2/18), Current MotoGP Champion Marc Marquez has signed a new two-year deal with that will see him continue to compete with the factory Repsol Honda Team in MotoGP for the 2019 and 2020 MotoGP seasons.
Despite some interest from rival manufacturers, Marquez had made it clear his preference was to remain with Honda, the outfit he has competed with since making his premier class debut in 2013.
Despite some interest from rival manufacturers, Marquez had made it clear his preference was to remain with Honda, the outfit he has competed with since making his premier class debut in 2013.
Friday 23 February 2018
MotoGP riders and team news
It was confirmed on Wednesday (21/2/18) Monster Yamaha Tech 3 have signed Hafizh Syahrin for the 2018 season, in a move that completes the 2018 grid.
Syahrin will become the first-ever Malaysian rider to ride the premier-class after being selected to replace Jonas Folger, who was forced to withdraw on the eve of the season with Gilbert's syndrome.
Syahrin has been a regular fixture of the Moto2 class since 2014, scoring a best championship finish of ninth in 2016 aboard a Petronas-backed Kalex and sealing two podium finishes last season.
Meanwhile, Hafizh Syahrin new team Tech 3 confirmed yesterday (22/2/18), they will end an 18-year partnership with bike manufacturer Yamaha at the conclusion of the 2018 MotoGP season.
In a statement, Tech 3 which made its premier-class debut in 2001 and has been with Yamaha ever since, did not specify which bikes it will run going forward, but confirmed it has already received an offer it "couldn't say no" to.
Suzuki and KTM are both known to be keen on making at least two bikes available for a satellite team for 2019, while Aprilia could also be on the market for a customer squad deal.
Currently, there are eight Ducatis, six Honda and four Yamahas competing in MotoGP, while KTM, Suzuki and Aprilia field two works bikes each.
In my opinion a very surprising news has happened, I felt the relationship between Tech 3 and Yamaha was strong; however it wasn't, it might be long and touch decision the team has chosen. My guess Tech 3 will use KTM bikes for the 2019 MotoGP season in-which former riders Bradley Smith and Pol Espargaró race this season.
It was confirmed on Wednesday (21/2/18) Moto2 rider Francesco Bagnaia will graduate to MotoGP next year with the Alma Pramac Racing team, riding a 2019 spec Ducati Desmosedici.
Bagnaia, who is part of seven-time premier class champion Valentino Rossi's VR46 Riders Academy.
Bagnaia will replace Danilo Petrucci who is leaving the team at the end of the 2018 MotoGP season.
No word yet on who is Francesco Bagnaia team-mate yet at Pramac, it would be more than likely be current Pramac rider Jack Miller for 2019.
Finally, it was confirmed last month (24/1/18) Maverick Viñales has signed a new two-year deal with that will see him continue to compete with the factory Movistar Yamaha MotoGP Team in MotoGP in 2019 and 2020.
Viñales finished in third place in the MotoGP standings last season winning three MotoGP wins in his debut season for the team mostly outperforming his older team-mate Valentino Rossi.
Syahrin will become the first-ever Malaysian rider to ride the premier-class after being selected to replace Jonas Folger, who was forced to withdraw on the eve of the season with Gilbert's syndrome.
Syahrin has been a regular fixture of the Moto2 class since 2014, scoring a best championship finish of ninth in 2016 aboard a Petronas-backed Kalex and sealing two podium finishes last season.
Meanwhile, Hafizh Syahrin new team Tech 3 confirmed yesterday (22/2/18), they will end an 18-year partnership with bike manufacturer Yamaha at the conclusion of the 2018 MotoGP season.
In a statement, Tech 3 which made its premier-class debut in 2001 and has been with Yamaha ever since, did not specify which bikes it will run going forward, but confirmed it has already received an offer it "couldn't say no" to.
Suzuki and KTM are both known to be keen on making at least two bikes available for a satellite team for 2019, while Aprilia could also be on the market for a customer squad deal.
Currently, there are eight Ducatis, six Honda and four Yamahas competing in MotoGP, while KTM, Suzuki and Aprilia field two works bikes each.
In my opinion a very surprising news has happened, I felt the relationship between Tech 3 and Yamaha was strong; however it wasn't, it might be long and touch decision the team has chosen. My guess Tech 3 will use KTM bikes for the 2019 MotoGP season in-which former riders Bradley Smith and Pol Espargaró race this season.
It was confirmed on Wednesday (21/2/18) Moto2 rider Francesco Bagnaia will graduate to MotoGP next year with the Alma Pramac Racing team, riding a 2019 spec Ducati Desmosedici.
Bagnaia, who is part of seven-time premier class champion Valentino Rossi's VR46 Riders Academy.
Bagnaia will replace Danilo Petrucci who is leaving the team at the end of the 2018 MotoGP season.
No word yet on who is Francesco Bagnaia team-mate yet at Pramac, it would be more than likely be current Pramac rider Jack Miller for 2019.
Finally, it was confirmed last month (24/1/18) Maverick Viñales has signed a new two-year deal with that will see him continue to compete with the factory Movistar Yamaha MotoGP Team in MotoGP in 2019 and 2020.
Viñales finished in third place in the MotoGP standings last season winning three MotoGP wins in his debut season for the team mostly outperforming his older team-mate Valentino Rossi.
Monday 19 February 2018
2018 WRC Round 2 recap - Rally Sweden
Recap of the last round of WRC from this weekends Round 2 of Rally Sweden.
This weekends was the second round of the World Rally Championship at the Rally Sweden (15th-18th February) that was won by Thierry Neuville in his works Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC.
While, Craig Breen finished second in his works Citroën C3 WRC, Breen was twenty seconds behind Neuville at the end. Meanwhile, Andreas Mikkelsen finished third in his works Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC, Mikkelsen was twenty-eight behind Neuville at the end of the rally.
Meanwhile in WRC-2 class (Group R5, R4, Super 2000 and Group N4 spec cars), that was won by Tommi Mäkinen Racing driver Takamoto Katsuta in his Ford Fiesta R5. Takamoto Katsuta finished in twelfth place overall, he was nine minutes behind Neuville at the end of the rally.
While in WRC-3 class (Group R1, R2 and R3 cars) that was won by Denis Rådström in his own backed Ford Fiesta R2T. Denis Rådström finished in twenty-third place overall, he was twenty-four minutes behind Neuville at the end of the rally.
Highlights of the rally below, enjoy.
Next stop, Round Three of the 2018 WRC season for Rally Mexico in three weeks time.
This weekends was the second round of the World Rally Championship at the Rally Sweden (15th-18th February) that was won by Thierry Neuville in his works Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC.
While, Craig Breen finished second in his works Citroën C3 WRC, Breen was twenty seconds behind Neuville at the end. Meanwhile, Andreas Mikkelsen finished third in his works Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC, Mikkelsen was twenty-eight behind Neuville at the end of the rally.
Meanwhile in WRC-2 class (Group R5, R4, Super 2000 and Group N4 spec cars), that was won by Tommi Mäkinen Racing driver Takamoto Katsuta in his Ford Fiesta R5. Takamoto Katsuta finished in twelfth place overall, he was nine minutes behind Neuville at the end of the rally.
While in WRC-3 class (Group R1, R2 and R3 cars) that was won by Denis Rådström in his own backed Ford Fiesta R2T. Denis Rådström finished in twenty-third place overall, he was twenty-four minutes behind Neuville at the end of the rally.
Highlights of the rally below, enjoy.
Next stop, Round Three of the 2018 WRC season for Rally Mexico in three weeks time.
Thursday 8 February 2018
Pascal Wehrlein returns to the DTM with Mercedes
On Wednesday (7/2/18) it was announce that former Sauber F1 driver Pascal Wehrlein will return to the DTM with Mercedes in 2018 after losing his Formula 1 drive with Sauber to Charles Leclerc.
The 2015 DTM champion was left without an F1 drive after Sauber opted for the current Formula 2 Champion to partner Marcus Ericsson.
In my opinion a good decision for Pascal Wehrlein to return to a championship were he won in the DTM with Mercedes. Also, there is a strong possibility that Pascal Wehrlein is closing on a Formula 1 reserve driver role with Mercedes, which means a likely to combine his DTM race programme with an F1 reserve deal to help keep him in the frame for a Formula 1 drive in 2019.
Anyway, good luck to Pascal Wehrlein in DTM this season.
The 2015 DTM champion was left without an F1 drive after Sauber opted for the current Formula 2 Champion to partner Marcus Ericsson.
In my opinion a good decision for Pascal Wehrlein to return to a championship were he won in the DTM with Mercedes. Also, there is a strong possibility that Pascal Wehrlein is closing on a Formula 1 reserve driver role with Mercedes, which means a likely to combine his DTM race programme with an F1 reserve deal to help keep him in the frame for a Formula 1 drive in 2019.
Anyway, good luck to Pascal Wehrlein in DTM this season.
Monday 5 February 2018
2018 Race of Champions Review
The 2018 Race of Champions took place over last weekend (2nd-3rd February) at the King Fahd International Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
The 2018 Champion of Champions was won by former F1 driver David Coulthard, who beat former WRC Champion Petter Solberg, 2–0 in the final.
While in the Nations' Cup, Germany team of WEC driver Timo Bernhard and DTM Champion René Rast took victory ahead of Team Latin America NASCAR of former Indy 500 winners Juan Pablo Montoya and Hélio Castroneves, in a closely fought 2-0 final.
Contracts to the Champions for 2018.
The 2018 Champion of Champions was won by former F1 driver David Coulthard, who beat former WRC Champion Petter Solberg, 2–0 in the final.
While in the Nations' Cup, Germany team of WEC driver Timo Bernhard and DTM Champion René Rast took victory ahead of Team Latin America NASCAR of former Indy 500 winners Juan Pablo Montoya and Hélio Castroneves, in a closely fought 2-0 final.
Contracts to the Champions for 2018.
2017/18 Formula E - Santiago ePrix - Round 3 Recap
Review of Round Three of the 2017-18 Formula E season held at the Santiago Street Circuit in Santiago, Chile.
The race was won by Techeetah driver Jean-Éric Vergne in his Spark-Renault. Second was Techeetah driver André Lotterer in his Spark-Renault to compete a Techeetah one-two finish, he a second behind Vergne in the end. Meanwhile, third was Renault e.Dams driver Sebastien Buemi in his Spark-Renault to complete a Renault podium whitewash, he was two seconds behind Vergne in the end.
Highlights of the race below, enjoy.
Next stop, Round Four of the 2017-18 Formula E season at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez for the Mexico City ePrix in four weeks time.
The race was won by Techeetah driver Jean-Éric Vergne in his Spark-Renault. Second was Techeetah driver André Lotterer in his Spark-Renault to compete a Techeetah one-two finish, he a second behind Vergne in the end. Meanwhile, third was Renault e.Dams driver Sebastien Buemi in his Spark-Renault to complete a Renault podium whitewash, he was two seconds behind Vergne in the end.
Highlights of the race below, enjoy.
Next stop, Round Four of the 2017-18 Formula E season at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez for the Mexico City ePrix in four weeks time.
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