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00:00Satsang with Mooji
00:30Good morning and welcome to the Estoril Circuit,
00:38the venue where last year we saw the series closest to ever finish.
00:41Just three thousandths of a second between Niccolò Bologa
00:43and Toprak Razz Gattioglu in the Super Bowl race.
00:46Let's hope for another weekend that's just as close
00:48between the top two in 2025.
00:51Every reason to think it might be.
00:53Two weeks on from an Aragon round
00:55where the title contenders were split by just three points.
00:57Toprak's narrowest ever win over Bologa in race one.
01:01Now heading into the final two venues here in Jerez
01:03where they were so evenly matched last year.
01:06But with a 36-point margin in his pocket,
01:09just being close to Bologa is enough for Razz Gattioglu
01:11to take the title.
01:13Alec Travey and Steve English for free practice one
01:15at the Eichmann Estoril round.
01:17And Steve, at this stage we've got to just enjoy
01:19the top two performers in the final quarter of this campaign
01:22at three circuits where they're clearly evenly matched.
01:24The title race itself only comes back to life
01:27in the case of incident for Toprak.
01:29Yeah, exactly.
01:30And at this point in the season
01:31you're just looking for exciting races through the pack
01:33because Toprak with his advantage of 36 points
01:36means it's very much his advantage right now.
01:39It's up to him to make sure he gets through
01:40to the end of races.
01:41But what we've seen from Toprak all the way through his career
01:44is he wants to win races,
01:45he wants to win from the front.
01:47And that also puts in a little bit of risk for that strategy.
01:50But for Razz Gattioglu,
01:51he's got the confidence that comes from the season that he's had.
01:54He's been so impressive all the way through the season.
01:56Bullocker did what he had to do in Aragon
01:58to at least keep him honest.
01:59But it is still up to Toprak to get it across the line.
02:01Yes, Toprak has only been off the podium
02:03four times in this entire season
02:05and not at all since Assen in April.
02:08And yet that's what would have to happen
02:10for him to not win the world title.
02:11He can afford to finish second behind Bullocker
02:13in each of the six remaining races
02:15and still be crowned world champion with comfort
02:18thanks to that 36-point margin.
02:19And thanks largely to that race won in Aragon.
02:21Had that been a victory for Niccolò Bullocker,
02:24we'd be in a very different situation in Championship 10.
02:26Yeah, it's amazing how quickly things can turn
02:28in the Championship.
02:29And obviously for Razz Gattioglu,
02:30being able to get that one win
02:32means that it's in his hands for the rest of the season.
02:34He finishes second every race.
02:36He guarantees the Championship.
02:37Toprak's not a man that wants to finish second,
02:39especially if it's eight races in a row.
02:41So he's out to make sure this weekend
02:43that he gives himself that opportunity from the get-go.
02:45FIM President George Villegas
02:48just speaking to Toprak Razz Gattioglu.
02:50Just a couple of minutes now before pit lane opens
02:52and this 45-minute free practice one session
02:55gets underway.
02:56Toprak, as we've said,
02:58a run of 13 consecutive victories
03:00is what's put him in this commanding position.
03:03And yet at these final two rounds,
03:04we saw last year it was three wins apiece
03:06for Razz Gattioglu and Bullocker
03:08over the two circuits, Esterel and Jerez.
03:10When you see the graphic
03:11that shows Toprak's form through the year.
03:13Not bad.
03:14It's ridiculous, I think would be the word,
03:16but ridiculous for Bullocker as well.
03:18And it's interesting
03:19whenever you speak to people around the paddock
03:21because Bullocker is an interesting topic right now
03:24given what the future could hold for him.
03:26Is he going to be in MotoGP
03:27when there's the switch to Pirati tires?
03:29He's done enough to show
03:30that if you want to have Toprak on the MotoGP grid,
03:32you can justify having Bullocker there as well.
03:34And the career renaissance
03:35that he's had over the last few years
03:37has been so impressive.
03:38And last time out in Aragon,
03:41we got to see a good glimpse on the Sunday again
03:43of just how much he wants to give himself
03:45those chances to win races again
03:46and take the fight to Toprak.
03:47As for Nicolo Bullocker,
03:48it's the colour of those podiums, isn't it?
03:50That's been the key difference
03:51between him and Toprak Razz Gattioglu.
03:54Toprak with nine victories more than Bullocker,
03:57even though they've had the same number of podiums
03:59this season.
04:00Bullocker, there's no doubt about it.
04:02He's got to look back at Assen
04:03and the two retirements on Sunday there.
04:05He's got to look back at Misfortune
04:06at the first turn in Mizano
04:08and that incorrect tyre choice in Balaton Park
04:11because otherwise we'd be in
04:13for a real grandstand finish to this 2025 season.
04:16Yeah, and it's one of those things
04:17where Toprak basically gives you no margin for error
04:19when he's in the form he's been in this year.
04:21And when you think back to January testing,
04:24when you think back to Phillip Island
04:25and Portimao and Assen,
04:27you see how difficult it was
04:28at the start of the year
04:29for Razz Gattioglu,
04:30for BMW,
04:31for his crew chief Phil Maron
04:32to get that bike into the right operating window.
04:34Once they got it into that window,
04:36they've been just in the form of Toprak's life,
04:39which is saying something
04:40considering the last few years that he's had.
04:42But it's also meant that Bullocker
04:44has had to ride really well
04:45just to try and keep him honest
04:46as often as he could.
04:47There were some races
04:48where Toprak ran away from Bullocker,
04:50but more often than not through the season,
04:52Bullocker's been a good match
04:53for Razz Gattioglu
04:54and he's had a comfortable margin
04:56over the rest of the field.
04:57This weekend, though,
04:58Estoril is somewhere
04:59where he rode really well last year.
05:01He'll come here with a lot of confidence
05:02after Aragon.
05:03Danilo Petrucci third
05:04in the World Championship standings,
05:06carrying a margin of 30 points
05:08over Andrea Locatelli,
05:0931 to Alvaro Bautista.
05:12And that, in a sense,
05:13looks relatively comfortable,
05:15even though Bautista is the man
05:16who's had the greater number of podiums.
05:18But there is a fitness doubt
05:20over Danilo Petrucci
05:21after a bizarre training accident
05:23that's left him with a hand injury
05:25ahead of a crucial eight-day period
05:28in the championship.
05:28Yeah, it was one of those ones.
05:30Like Dave Bassett,
05:31the goalkeeper in the 80s,
05:32dropped a bottle of mayonnaise
05:33on his foot and broke his fuzz.
05:35It's one of those strange ones
05:36where you hear Petrucci talking about it
05:38and suddenly you get to see
05:40just how much of a knife edge
05:41everything can be on
05:42at different battles as well
05:43down the field.
05:44And certainly for Petrucci
05:46coming to this weekend,
05:47it's now about just trying
05:48to get through to the end of the season.
05:49And we know with Danilo
05:51that the speed is there,
05:53but he's not quite that guy
05:55that's able to really bring it
05:56to Rasgatioglu and to Bulaga.
05:58It's about just trying
05:59to grind out results.
06:00And for Bautista,
06:02on the other hand,
06:03he's got that speed
06:04to go and challenge
06:05at the front for second
06:06and third place finishes
06:07this season,
06:08but he also has the crashes.
06:10So it's a really strange battle
06:11between the two of them
06:12coming into these last two rounds.
06:13Yes, Bautista has got six podiums
06:15more than Danilo Petrucci
06:16this season,
06:18but he's also had
06:19a sizable number of incidents,
06:22non-scores, retirements.
06:24And for Bautista,
06:25well, four retirements
06:26at the last four rounds.
06:27And obviously that's what
06:28keeps Danilo Petrucci ahead.
06:31Bautista, I spoke to him
06:32after the weekend in Aragon,
06:34and he was pretty frustrated
06:35about those lost points
06:36in race one of the Aragon round
06:38because Petrucci dropped
06:39a lot of points
06:40with a seventh and an eighth
06:41on Sunday in Aragon.
06:43But even so,
06:44Bautista was only able
06:45to make up the points
06:46that he'd lost
06:47with his fall in race one
06:48the day before.
06:49So it was a weekend
06:50where he should have been
06:51making up big ground
06:52on Petrucci.
06:53And make no mistake,
06:54Bautista is keen to make sure
06:55he finishes third
06:56in the world championship
06:57this season.
06:58Yeah, and for Alvaro,
06:59there's obviously the bonus money
07:00that comes with finishing
07:01third in the championship.
07:02There's the status
07:02that comes with it.
07:04And there's just
07:05that competitive instinct
07:06that makes sure you want
07:07to have those opportunities
07:07as well.
07:08So we'll see what Alvaro
07:10is able to do
07:10over the course of the next week.
07:11It's his last week
07:12with the factory Ducati team
07:14as well after all
07:14their success together.
07:16And he's got his motivation
07:17to make sure
07:18that he gets the job done.
07:19Top-ranker
07:19Azkat Lioglu
07:20and Michael Vandermark
07:21heading in
07:22at the end
07:22of their first lap.
07:24And that's relatively
07:25common for those two.
07:27BMW like to do
07:28a sort of shakedown lap,
07:29come back in.
07:31Confirmation on your screen
07:32of the new signing.
07:33Alongside Danilo Petrucci
07:34next season
07:35at BMW Motorrad,
07:36we'll have
07:36Miguel Oliveira,
07:38of course,
07:38race winner
07:38in MotoGP.
07:40Good coup
07:41for the championship
07:42and an opportunity
07:44to see
07:45a fair comparison
07:46between two riders
07:47and what they can do
07:48on that BMW
07:48next season.
07:49You can see the first issue
07:50of the session,
07:51Taz McKenzie
07:51down there
07:52at Turn 1.
07:53And it's going to be
07:54interesting to see
07:54what happens at BMW
07:55next year.
07:56Vandermark was interesting
07:56about it as well,
07:57saying that
07:57we're going to have
07:58the comparisons
07:59for Toprak
08:01going over to MotoGP,
08:03but the other riders
08:03have to come here
08:04as well
08:04and get a result
08:05on the BMW
08:06and you can see
08:07there for Taz
08:08that crashed
08:09down at Turn 1.
08:10It's easy to lose
08:11the front end to there
08:12and just run in
08:13a little bit too hot
08:14and you can see
08:15from McKenzie,
08:16once you hit that gravel,
08:17you can easily
08:18then have a little tumble
08:19and that's a bad way
08:21to start the weekend.
08:22Taz needs to have
08:23some good results
08:23here this weekend.
08:24It's actually quite
08:24a violent tumble
08:26there as well
08:26at the end,
08:27so that's a bad start
08:29it's the weekend.
08:31I think just going back
08:31to the BMW situation,
08:33it's also a really
08:34interesting test
08:35for Petrucci,
08:36isn't it?
08:36Because with the best
08:38wheel in the world,
08:38most of his time
08:39in World SPK,
08:40he's been on his own.
08:41Now he's with
08:42Jari Montella
08:42first season in the class
08:44and next season,
08:45he's going to have
08:46an extremely competitive
08:47teammate alongside him,
08:48so that will be
08:49an interesting test.
08:50Yeah, obviously for him
08:51in his MotoGP days,
08:52used to having
08:52vast teammates alongside him,
08:54but a very different
08:55challenge now
08:56because you go from
08:57being on the Ducati,
08:58ultimately the best
09:00bike on the grid
09:00over the last few years
09:01with a good Barney team
09:02as well,
09:03to the BMW
09:04where we've seen
09:05how difficult it is
09:05for Michael Vandermark
09:06to have adapted
09:07to that bike this year.
09:09We heard at the end
09:10of the weekend last time
09:11out in Aragon
09:11confirmation,
09:12we'd already called it
09:13earlier in the weekend,
09:14but confirmation came through
09:15that Xavi Vierke
09:16will move on
09:17to the Yamaha
09:18to replace the retiring
09:19Jonathan Ray
09:20next season,
09:22so Vierke
09:22with another factory ride
09:24and a completely new project
09:25as far as he is concerned.
09:27It was already announced
09:28that Honda HRC
09:30would make a total change.
09:31You'd assume
09:32that they waited
09:33to announce their two riders
09:34until Xavi Vierke
09:35was set up
09:36with a new ride
09:37because it's not a surprise.
09:39Jake Dixon,
09:39Somkhet Chantra,
09:40those were rumoured
09:42back in July,
09:43so those have now
09:45come to fruition
09:45and we're pretty much there
09:47in terms of the key rides
09:48on the grid
09:48for next season.
09:49Yeah,
09:49and like at the end of the day,
09:50Dixon signed his contract
09:51in July
09:52and it's still a wonder
09:54why it was delayed
09:55until now
09:56to actually announce it
09:57because all it does
09:57is create question marks
09:58and for Honda,
10:01ultimately,
10:01there's just been
10:02a lot of question marks
10:03about the team
10:03and changes look like
10:04they're afoot
10:05for next season as well
10:06with the team manager role
10:08looks like it's going to change.
10:10That's been the big rumour
10:11for nine months again
10:12and it's where
10:13you look at the changes
10:14that are going to happen
10:15within that structure.
10:16Two new riders,
10:18they've had so many
10:18different changes
10:19within both sides
10:20of the pit boxes.
10:22It's a really,
10:24it's one of those moments
10:25where for Honda
10:26they need things
10:26to click into place.
10:27Changing both riders
10:28is the right thing to do
10:29because ultimately
10:30with Ikerlec Huona
10:31and Xavi Vieira
10:32you probably need
10:33to understand
10:34just what the next step
10:35can be for both
10:36team and rider.
10:37Yes,
10:38we'll understand a lot more
10:38about both of those riders
10:40next season,
10:40of course,
10:41because Ikerlec Huona
10:41is moving on
10:42to the factory Ducati
10:44and Xavi Geke
10:45moving to Yamaha
10:47to replace
10:48this man
10:49Jonathan Ray.
10:50Lec Huona
10:51making his return
10:52from injury this weekend.
10:53Obviously he's been
10:53carrying that arm injury,
10:54was forced to have
10:55an operation on it
10:56after his crash
10:57in Balaton Park,
10:59so a long time ago now
11:00before the summer break.
11:03Lec Huona
11:03in the meanwhile
11:03has been fixed up
11:04with his ride
11:05for next season.
11:06But when I spoke
11:07to him in Aragon
11:08he said,
11:09look,
11:09don't expect me
11:09to be going out there
11:10and challenging
11:11for the podium.
11:11Of course,
11:12he was on the rostrum
11:12here in Esterell
11:14a year ago.
11:15He's coming here
11:16almost in a testing role,
11:17get himself as fit
11:18as possible
11:19and then any opportunities
11:21that come his way
11:22obviously he's going to
11:22try and take advantage
11:23of them.
11:24But at the moment
11:24Lec Huona pretty modest
11:25about his expectations
11:26for these final two rounds.
11:29Meanwhile,
11:30bad news at GRT Yamaha.
11:32Dominic Egeta
11:33with a hand injury
11:34from a training crash
11:36and no replacement rider
11:38for him this weekend.
11:39Really unfortunate
11:40for Dominic Egeta
11:41as he's still awaiting
11:42announcement
11:43about his future.
11:44Yeah,
11:44ultimately it's kind of
11:46been that situation
11:47for Dominic
11:47since he jumped
11:48onto the super bikes
11:48where it's been
11:49a few unfortunate injuries.
11:51He's obviously had
11:52his problems
11:54with arm pump
11:54and surgery
11:55and complications
11:56after surgery.
11:57He's had some other injuries
11:58and it's all kind of
11:59just added up
12:00over the last few years
12:00for him.
12:01The speed's been there.
12:02You saw it right
12:03from the start
12:03of his super bike career
12:04on the front row
12:05in Phillip Island
12:06for his debut weekend
12:07but it's just never
12:08all clicked into place
12:09and you just kind of
12:10hope that he gets himself
12:11a good opportunity
12:11for next year.
12:12In all likelihood
12:13it's going to be
12:13on the super sport grid
12:14but Domi,
12:15you know,
12:16he's been able to show
12:16how strong of a
12:17super sport rider he is
12:18so as long as we're able
12:19to see him back
12:20at the front next year
12:21I think it's going
12:21to be a good thing
12:22for him
12:22but it is a shame
12:23that he doesn't get
12:23the chance to ride
12:24here this weekend.
12:25Yeah,
12:25certainly dominant
12:26wasn't he
12:26on the Yamaha
12:27whilst doubling up
12:28in Moto E as well.
12:29He was one of the
12:30busiest men out there.
12:31He's highlighting
12:32the super bike class
12:33certainly going to be
12:33those podiums in Jerez
12:35and it's a shame
12:36that he misses the round
12:38directly preceding Jerez.
12:39He'll obviously wait
12:40for further news
12:41as to his fitness
12:42before that final round
12:44but not much
12:45of an opportunity
12:45to recover for it.
12:47Free practice one
12:48just taking through
12:49a quick run
12:49of the times thus far.
12:50Danilo Petrucci
12:51leading the way
12:521 minute 37.248.
12:54Few tenths of a second
12:55faster than Jonathan Ray.
12:57Then Axel Bassani,
12:59Andrea Locatelli
13:00and Niccolo Bullocker.
13:01Alex Lowe's just
13:02going fastest though
13:03by a tenth of a second
13:03over Petrucci
13:041.37.171
13:06and for Alex Lowe's
13:08it's been a really
13:09solid recent run.
13:10Over the last three rounds
13:11he's actually been
13:12the third highest scorer
13:13between our two
13:14world championship
13:15behind our two
13:16world championship
13:17leaders Razgatlioglu
13:18and Bullocker
13:19and of course
13:20the three podiums
13:21in Manukur
13:21are helping with that
13:22but two sixth places
13:23in Balaton Park
13:24two sixth places
13:25on Sunday in Aragon
13:26as well as the fifth
13:27place in race one
13:28really have been
13:29promising signs
13:29for Bermuda
13:30in the latter stages
13:31of this season.
13:31Yeah it's been a really
13:32strong season
13:33considering that
13:34engine is still
13:35a big issue for them
13:36we see it every week
13:36where top speed
13:37isn't as strong
13:38as they'd like
13:38but they've got
13:39a good frame
13:40a good chassis
13:40and a good package
13:41underneath them
13:42and certainly with
13:44Lowe's on the 22
13:45we've been able to see
13:45a lot of progress
13:46as the season's gone on
13:47we've seen some flashes
13:48from Bassani
13:49and a lot more flashes
13:50of his potential
13:51than we saw last year
13:52on the Kawasaki
13:52so you'd hope that
13:54into a second year
13:54in that programme next year
13:55they'll be able to make
13:56another step forward.
13:57as we see Danilo Petrucci
13:59this is Taz McKenzie
14:00so recovering his bike
14:01after that turn one crash
14:03in the early minutes
14:04and of course
14:04this is costly
14:05in terms of
14:06loss running
14:07at the start of
14:08a busy weekend.
14:09Yeah at the time
14:10whenever you saw
14:11Taz just standing up
14:12after the crash
14:13didn't seem like
14:14it was that
14:14significant to crash
14:15it just looked like
14:16he'd ran off
14:16at turn one
14:17but when we saw
14:18the replay
14:18you were able to see
14:19just how significant
14:20it was
14:20and bad way to start
14:22this weekend
14:23for McKenzie
14:23but at least
14:24he's got the bike
14:25back to the pits
14:25and it looked like
14:27he took the brunt
14:27of it really
14:28compared to the bike
14:29so just get the
14:30fairings changed
14:31and hopefully
14:31not too much
14:32other damage done.
14:33building up his speed
14:34first rider
14:35into the 1 minute 36s
14:36so 1.36.662
14:38for him
14:39top rack
14:40Razz Gatlioglu
14:41shadowing
14:42Alvaro Bautista
14:43these two have had
14:43some good battles
14:44here in Estoril
14:45it's been a great venue
14:46it's actually been
14:47a welcome addition
14:48to the calendar
14:49from the pandemic
14:50obviously came back
14:52onto the calendar
14:52again to replace
14:53the delayed
14:54inaugural Hungarian
14:56round
14:56last year
14:57we've got it
14:57on the calendar
14:58again in 2025
15:00but there is always
15:01spectacular racing
15:02around this place
15:02yeah and you can see
15:03for top rack
15:04they're able to
15:05use the slipstream
15:06down the start
15:06finish straight
15:07he was actually
15:07doing 324k's
15:08down there
15:09so just over
15:10201-202 miles
15:12an hour down there
15:12and this was
15:14always a track
15:14that obviously
15:16you see the
15:16infield section
15:17being so slow
15:18in different parts
15:19some second gear
15:20corners
15:21first gear corners
15:22but you've still
15:23got that long
15:24straight here
15:24but you've got
15:25that fast run
15:26through the parabolic
15:27at the end of the lap
15:28it's a really
15:29interesting track
15:30the riders love
15:30this place
15:31because it's still
15:32got that old
15:32school feel
15:33it's all quite
15:34close and condensed
15:35and packed in
15:36on itself
15:36it's a narrow track
15:38but it's got a lot
15:39of really interesting
15:40sections of track
15:41just what we're
15:41coming through
15:42now with top rack
15:42as well
15:43you've got the
15:43downhill section
15:44through the right
15:45hander
15:45then the track
15:45starts to rise
15:46up towards
15:47the top of the
15:49course up in
15:50towards turns
15:509 and 10
15:51this is where
15:52in the past
15:53in the original
15:54layout
15:54there wasn't
15:54the chicane
15:55it was a really
15:56fast right
15:57hander through
15:58there with the
15:58ankle barrier
15:59right alongside
15:59so the change
16:01to putting in
16:01the chicane
16:01was necessary
16:02but the old
16:03layout was a
16:04really big
16:05challenge for the
16:06riders
16:06right alongside
16:07the houses
16:08as well
16:08that turn 9
16:10though
16:10that presents
16:11an action
16:12hotspot as well
16:13for overtaking
16:14for block passes
16:16but also it's a
16:17potential incident
16:18hotspot
16:18there's a fair
16:19few of those
16:19here in
16:20Esterel
16:20particularly
16:21with the
16:22high wind
16:22speeds we
16:23tend to get
16:23here
16:23yeah we've
16:24had a lot
16:24of wind
16:25over the
16:25last couple
16:25of days
16:26and it's
16:27been a big
16:27challenge for
16:28the riders
16:28out there
16:28but luckily
16:30we've got a lot
16:31nicer conditions
16:32today
16:33it looks like
16:33that's going to be
16:33the case
16:34tomorrow
16:34the wind could
16:34pick up on
16:35Sunday as well
16:36just on the
16:36weather forecast
16:37but the weather
16:38we have today
16:39is a lot better
16:40than what we had
16:40last year as well
16:42if you remember
16:42back to the
16:43Friday afternoon
16:44and into
16:45Saturday morning
16:47it was quite
16:48changeable
16:48and Saturday
16:49morning dawned
16:51and a lot of
16:52riders didn't
16:52even go out on
16:53track because of
16:54the conditions
16:54so at least
16:55we're straight
16:55away down to
16:56very fast pace
16:57here
16:57a 36-1 from
16:58Rasguttyoglu
16:59sets the pace
17:00that's only three
17:00quarters of a
17:01second off the
17:02Superpole record
17:03as well so we
17:04should have lap
17:05records broken
17:06this weekend
17:06yeah you'd expect
17:07that wouldn't
17:07you wet Superpole
17:09session last year
17:10so no opportunity
17:10to improve on that
17:12lap time there
17:13the lap record
17:14dates back to
17:14the previous
17:16visit to that
17:16because of course
17:17we weren't here
17:17in 2023
17:18so Jonathan
17:18Ray's poll time
17:20from 2022
17:21is the lap record
17:23135.346
17:24fastest time in
17:25FP1 at the
17:25moment
17:26is a 136.140
17:28almost half a
17:29second faster
17:30than Nicolo
17:31Bullocker
17:31just a word of
17:32note Sam
17:33Lowe's has only
17:33just set his
17:34first lap time
17:35so loses a lot
17:36of time in the
17:36early minutes of
17:37free practice one
17:38if he now runs a
17:39really long stint
17:40he can make up
17:41for some of that
17:42time but
17:42you'd assume
17:43that there was
17:44some issue there
17:44that caused a
17:45delight for him
17:46to get out
17:46yeah we tend to
17:47see it where
17:48in each of the
17:49FP1 sessions
17:49someone ends up
17:50a little bit
17:51behind the curve
17:52and sometimes
17:52that comes down
17:53to engine
17:54mileage as well
17:54where teams
17:55at this stage
17:55of the season
17:56try and just
17:56make sure that
17:57their free
17:58practice program
17:59is a little bit
18:00easier on the
18:00bike and we'll
18:02have to wait
18:03and see what
18:03the issue was
18:04for Sam
18:04and for the
18:05Mark BDS
18:05team but
18:06once you've
18:07missed out in
18:07those first 10
18:08minutes of the
18:08session you still
18:09get plenty of time
18:10to be able to
18:10get good mileage
18:11in
18:11Axel Bassani
18:13coming on to the
18:13start finish
18:14straight here
18:14moving up to
18:15P4 within a
18:16tenth of a second
18:17of Alex Lowe's
18:18good to see
18:18for Bassani
18:19really needs to be
18:20as close to Alex
18:21Lowe's as possible
18:21has had plenty of
18:23top 10 finishes
18:24in the last three
18:25rounds and it
18:25it is clear that
18:26in these rounds
18:27where Alex Lowe's
18:28has made a step
18:29forward Axel
18:30Bassani has in
18:31his consistency
18:32as well
18:32yeah for Bassani
18:33like I said
18:34earlier on we've
18:35seen some flashes
18:35this year the
18:36front row
18:36he's able to get
18:38the right wheel
18:39in a Super Bowl
18:40session and
18:40ultimately everything
18:42in your weekend
18:43is conditioned by
18:44how you qualify
18:44in the Super Bowl
18:45session if you
18:46qualify well you
18:47give yourself the
18:47opportunity to be
18:48able to score
18:49well over the
18:50weekend if you're
18:50down the field
18:51you really struggle
18:52and Bassani
18:53obviously qualifying has
18:54traditionally been his
18:55biggest weakness
18:5631 minutes still
18:58remaining in at
18:58free practice one
18:59first opportunity to
19:00head down to a
19:02warm and sunny pit
19:03lane with our pit
19:04reporter Dave
19:05Goddard
19:05yes thanks Alex
19:07it certainly is very
19:08warm down here on
19:09the pit wall with
19:09BMW team boss
19:10Sean Muir
19:11Sean first of all
19:13the news finally out
19:15this week the new
19:15signing of Miguel
19:16Olivera certainly a
19:18very powerful looking
19:19line up for next
19:19year
19:20yeah it's really
19:22quite happy to get
19:23that finally in
19:24announce it's been
19:25pretty much sorted
19:26for the last few
19:26weeks but we've got
19:27to respect everyone's
19:28current contract
19:30situation so that
19:31was the earliest
19:32opportunity we got
19:33to announce Miguel
19:34and we're really
19:35really happy about
19:35that it's it's
19:37looking like a
19:37super strong line
19:38up for next year
19:39and we're just
19:40doing the final
19:41touches with the
19:41final layout of the
19:42guys and the
19:43mechanics in the
19:44box and crew
19:45chiefs and what
19:45have you so yeah
19:47we're looking forward
19:47to it but obviously
19:48we've got a big job
19:49to do the next two
19:49the next week
19:50I'm mentioning
19:52crew chiefs still a
19:54bit of news to
19:54come on that
19:55will film Aaron
19:56be staying with
19:56BMW can you tell
19:57so will he follow
19:58top rack to MotoGP
19:59no he's not
20:00following top rack to
20:01MotoGP you know
20:03we we still have to
20:04finalise matters on
20:05our side it's I think
20:06there's going to be
20:06announcements in the
20:07next couple of
20:07weeks it's not our
20:09priority right now
20:10clearly we've got a
20:11big job to finish off
20:12here in the paddock
20:12our focus right now is
20:14with top rack and
20:15Michael and I think
20:16the next week or two
20:17will be more
20:18announcements coming
20:19about the varied
20:20changes we'll make
20:21the fundamental ones
20:22are the riders and
20:23that's all in place
20:24and we're looking
20:24forward to pre-season
20:25fantastic now
20:25and mentioning top
20:27rack this weekend
20:28he has said that
20:30he's not focusing on
20:31the title he wants to
20:32do the hat trick this
20:33weekend so he's
20:34clearly taking it
20:34race by race
20:35absolutely yeah I
20:37mean look he's
20:37he isn't even talking
20:39about the next chapter
20:39yet so I mean his
20:40focus really is still
20:41with the job he's got
20:42to do here he's
20:44just wants race wins
20:45he's not looking at
20:45the points he's just
20:46going to keep taking
20:47it every everywhere he
20:48can you know we've
20:49got to we've got to
20:50respect the the
20:50competition as well
20:51I think him and
20:52Nicole have rode
20:53fantastically all year
20:54and but but clearly
20:55for us we just want
20:56to get the riders
20:57first and then the
20:58championship for the
20:58manufacturers if we
20:59can possibly do that
21:00as well well Sean
21:02thank you very much
21:03for your time best
21:03luck for the rest of
21:04the weekend thanks
21:04cheers guys thank you
21:05just picking up
21:07Jonathan Ray here
21:08scan the QR code on
21:10your screen and you
21:11can watch the the
21:12day back that
21:13Jonathan Ray
21:14claimed his sixth
21:15world title seems a
21:16long time ago now
21:17Steve here we were
21:19during the pandemic
21:20at the back of the
21:21grandstand commentating
21:22on a race weekend
21:23that was basically
21:24just for us and
21:26Jonathan Ray
21:27claiming his sixth
21:28world title and a
21:29hard one as well he
21:30had to work for it
21:32over the course of
21:33that 2020 campaign
21:34and arguably could
21:35have been 2021
21:36world champion as
21:37well for a seventh
21:38that great head-to-head
21:40between him and top
21:41rack Raz Gatliogli
21:42yeah and certainly
21:43when you look back to
21:44that 2020 season
21:45everything was very
21:46different and for Ray
21:48it was him at his
21:49best that 19-20-21
21:51period that really was
21:53when we saw just how
21:54much of a fighter Ray
21:55was from that point
21:56onwards the Kawasaki
21:57lost its edge and Ray
21:59was still able to fight
22:00he was still able to
22:00challenge but he was
22:02having a really
22:03override his package to
22:04give himself those
22:04opportunities obviously
22:06over the last few
22:06years we were able to
22:07see changes within the
22:09regulations that try and
22:10bring things back but
22:11ultimately for him the
22:13decision was made a long
22:14time ago that he wanted
22:15that new challenge that
22:16challenge became Yamaha
22:17obviously the last two
22:18years have been very
22:19difficult for him but
22:20when you think back to
22:21the success that he had
22:22that led to those six
22:23world championships and
22:24the next couple of years
22:25after that he looked at
22:27one of the best in the
22:27business and he really
22:28was able to get a lot
22:30out of that package
22:31clearly Ray's got to
22:32focus on and enjoy
22:34these final two rounds
22:36he sounded a little bit
22:37emotional yesterday when
22:39he was commenting on
22:40packing up his bags
22:42getting ready to go for
22:43the final time he's
22:44staying out as an eye
22:46between these final two
22:47rounds and he was
22:49saying well you know
22:50it's last time packing
22:51your kit it's those
22:52milestones that bring him
22:54towards the end of the
22:55season and therefore the
22:56end of his full-time
22:58racing career but after
23:00that when the dust
23:00settles on that final
23:01round in Jerez there's
23:03still enough of a
23:03fighter in him he's
23:04proven that in the
23:05last couple of rounds
23:06that he's not done just
23:08yet yeah it's an
23:09interesting one because
23:09I'd be very surprised if
23:11Ray has said he's going
23:12to not be a full-time
23:13super bike rider a world
23:14super bike rider I'd be
23:16very surprised if he's
23:17not a full-time world
23:17insurance rider next
23:18year because he still
23:20wants to ride he still
23:21wants the challenge he
23:22says that he's still
23:23going to do a lot of
23:24motocrossing he wants to
23:25be able to ride a lot of
23:27the Irish nationals and
23:28give himself a chance just
23:29to have fun out there on a
23:30bike and world
23:31insurance would give him
23:32that opportunity as well
23:33and I know when you
23:34speak to people within
23:35BMW they've approached
23:36him Yamaha are obviously
23:38keen to keep him to put
23:39him into some sort of a
23:40program with them as well
23:41and I'd be really
23:44surprised if we don't see
23:45him on the grid next
23:46year in the first round
23:47of world endurance at
23:48Le Mans and I think it
23:50would be it'd be a real
23:51shame if we didn't see
23:52him out there riding one
23:53way or the other and if
23:55he decides to do the
23:56endurance route and he's
23:57out there on the Yamaha
23:58he's out there with
23:58Bridgestone tires it's a
23:59very different challenge
24:00compared to what he has
24:01here in World Super
24:02Bikes the bike would be
24:04very different for him
24:05and I think that he could
24:06be reinvigorated by that
24:07and obviously he's got
24:09plenty of endurance
24:10experience from his
24:11Suzuka 8 hour days as
24:12well and I'd still be
24:14waiting here for him to
24:15come and do a wild card
24:16or a substitute
24:17appearance I also know
24:18that he was definitely
24:20approached by another
24:21manufacturer to see if
24:23there was an option to
24:24be able to put him out as
24:25a test rider and maybe
24:27some wild cards next year
24:28here this is Bobby Fong
24:30wild card rider for
24:31American squad attack
24:33performance and that
24:34team's first appearance
24:35in the World SBK paddock
24:36since Jake Gagne
24:37at the 2022 Portuguese
24:40round a bit of a reward
24:41for Fong who's been a
24:42long-term veteran in AMA
24:45competition in the USA
24:46Moto America super sport
24:48champion of 2019 and
24:51world championship debut
24:53for him so great
24:54opportunity to rub
24:55shoulders with everyone
24:56here in Estrella
24:56yeah I spent a lot of this
24:57year working over in
24:58Motor America as well and
24:59Bobby was very impressive
25:00the attack performance
25:02team do a great job and
25:03Richard Samboli and the
25:04crew have put together a
25:05really good package with
25:06the Yamaha and it's very
25:07different to the Yamaha
25:08that we see from the likes
25:10of Patty Yamaha or the
25:12GRT squad and they've got
25:14a bike that works really
25:15well but you come over to
25:16the world championship and
25:17it's a very different
25:18challenge I think one of
25:19the big things coming into
25:20this weekend is world
25:21super bikes are so
25:22competitive that for Bobby
25:24Fong and for the team if
25:25they're able to come in and
25:26just have a solid weekend
25:28I think they've done a
25:29really good job and I
25:30don't think that there
25:30can be any expectation
25:31for them realistically for
25:34what they can achieve
25:35because to come in and
25:36score a point is actually a
25:37real challenge in world
25:38super bikes now I think
25:39that the good news for
25:40Bobby and the team is
25:41you've got this weekend
25:43and then you go to
25:44Haret it's not just a
25:44one-off their realistic
25:46fight is with the other
25:48wild cards and substitute
25:49riders here is Tetsu
25:51Nagashima obviously we saw
25:52him previously in Phillip
25:55Ireland and he's the man
25:57who sort of takes on the
25:58testing role as far as
25:59Honda are concerned good
26:01to have him back here
26:02this weekend we've also
26:04got a substitute at MIE
26:06Honda with Ivo Lopez
26:07coming in that's because
26:08Zach Wanzai has got a
26:09clash with the Asia road
26:10racing championship so
26:12you'd expect those three
26:13might well be scrapping it
26:15out a little bit further
26:16down the order over the
26:17course of the weekend here
26:19in Esterel past the
26:20halfway mark then in free
26:22practice one Dave as the
26:24riders come back in at the
26:25end of their first stints
26:26by and large everyone's
26:27back in their pit box one
26:28of the exceptions is Sam
26:29Lowe's he's still out on
26:30track and a bit out of
26:31sync with everyone else
26:32what can you tell us
26:33yeah I've just spoken to
26:34the Mark VDS team the
26:36reason Sam got going a
26:37few minutes late in this
26:38session is a bit unusual
26:40he had a problem with his
26:41leathers and they had to
26:42make a last minute
26:43adjustments but he is now
26:45okay and out on track of
26:46course especially in heat
26:47like this the last thing
26:48you want is to be
26:49uncomfortable on the bike
26:50but he sorted that
26:52problem out and he's now
26:53out on track
26:53thanks for that Dave
26:54so simple issue simple
26:56solution in the end and
26:57Sam as I said everyone
26:59else is pretty much back
27:00in the pits exception
27:01Statsi Terrabat and
27:02Bobby Fong rest the field
27:04in the pits so Sam
27:04Lowe's has the opportunity
27:05to make up those missed
27:06laps now
27:07yeah I'd imagine Sam's
27:08problem with the leathers
27:09wasn't the same as the
27:09last time I put leathers
27:10on and suddenly find a
27:12way to expand them but
27:14at least out on track
27:15they were the wrong size
27:16Steve I'm sure
27:16they shrank obviously
27:17but out there now
27:19running inside the top 10
27:20for Lowe's and about
27:211.2 seconds off the
27:22pace so immediately
27:23getting down to
27:24something pretty comparable
27:25to a lot of other
27:26riders Petrucci Bautista
27:27and the likes
27:28Toprak's just got a bit
27:29of an edge right now
27:30half a second over
27:31Bulaga
27:31Iannone's come in and
27:32put in a decent lap
27:34at the start
27:34but a lot of it's going
27:35to come down to
27:36what tyres everyone's
27:38out there running
27:38what their programme is
27:40and at this stage
27:41of the weekend
27:42it's also about
27:43laying down markers
27:44Toprak wants to
27:45make sure Bulaga's
27:46put in his place
27:47right from the start
27:47watching this riding
27:49style comparison
27:50through the Parabolica
27:50interior
27:51it's an important
27:52moment in the circuit
27:53because it's such
27:54high speed
27:55from the exit
27:56of turn 4
27:57through turn 5
27:58and then a straight
27:58towards turn 6
28:00it is an overtaking
28:01opportunity here in
28:02Estoril as well
28:03yeah there's a lot of
28:03places in Estoril
28:04where you can really
28:05try and force the move
28:06and turn 6 is one
28:08of those
28:08but it's also a place
28:09where it's so easy
28:10to run in
28:11a little bit too hot
28:12we see a lot of riders
28:12run wide through that
28:13corner
28:14and once you run
28:15wide through 6
28:16it then opens the door
28:17into 7
28:18it puts you offline
28:18for 8, 9
28:19and all the way
28:20up towards turn 10
28:21this is a track
28:22where if you're
28:23that little bit offline
28:24you lose so much
28:25momentum
28:25and Estoril
28:27it doesn't get
28:28an awful lot of use
28:29through the year
28:29now as well
28:30and it means that
28:31it'd be interesting
28:32to see what the feedback
28:32is from a lot of riders
28:33about what the grip
28:34conditions are like
28:35offline as well
28:36good news for Taz McKenzie
28:38he's back out on track
28:39after his spill
28:40in the early minutes
28:41of the session
28:41so what he's lost
28:42half the session
28:43in free practice
28:44one
28:45but making his way
28:46round now
28:46on an installation lap
28:48getting up and running
28:48with his first flying lap
28:50in a couple of moments
28:50of time
28:51so good effort
28:53from the team
28:53to get him back out
28:54on circuit
28:54as quickly as possible
28:55he's still got 21 minutes
28:56in free practice
28:57one
28:57yeah it didn't look
28:58like there would have
28:58been too much damage
28:59to the bike
29:00so at least it was a case
29:01of just getting it
29:01tidied up
29:02and get back out
29:02there again
29:03and we get the chance
29:04to catch up
29:05with the 95 now
29:06and for McKenzie
29:07it's going to be
29:08interesting to see
29:08what happens for him
29:09and for Binogo
29:10next year
29:10because for much
29:11of the season
29:12we were told
29:12that there's no future
29:14for the team
29:14this is going to be it
29:15they're going to finish off
29:16and draw things to a close
29:18and then over the last
29:19couple of rounds
29:19we've heard more
29:20and more murmuring
29:21that they want to continue
29:22they want to try
29:23and stay on the grid
29:24they want to see
29:25if there's opportunities
29:26there
29:26but obviously
29:28for McKenzie
29:29he's not a rider
29:30that tends to
29:31have the budget
29:32to be able to bring
29:32to the table
29:33so he's trying
29:33to make sure
29:34he's got good results
29:35to finish off
29:35this season
29:36and then wait
29:37and see what happens
29:38but he wants to stay here
29:39and race
29:39the world championship level
29:40top ten
29:42all in the pits
29:42at present
29:43and so is our reporter
29:44Dave Goddard
29:45yes I'm in the Ducati
29:47pit box
29:47with Marco Zambanedetti
29:49Marco
29:50last year we saw
29:51the closest ever finish
29:53in world superbike history
29:54as Niccolo Bulliger
29:55beat top rep
29:56has got the Oglem
29:56in the superpole race
29:57do you think the action
29:58is going to be
29:59as close this year
30:00yes we hope yes
30:02in the end
30:04we hope for a different
30:06end result
30:07but anyway
30:09let me say
30:10that we are so proud
30:12and happy
30:13about this season
30:15I think that the level
30:17demonstrated
30:18from Niccolo
30:19and Toprak
30:20is so high
30:21and they deserve
30:23whatever is the result
30:24that they get
30:25we saw the celebrations
30:27at Aragon
30:28as Niccolo
30:28finally ended
30:29Toprak's winning run
30:30that must have really
30:31boosted the mood
30:33of the whole team
30:33coming into this weekend
30:35yes for sure
30:37but the mood
30:39was really good
30:41also before Aragon
30:42and for sure
30:44winning
30:46the last day
30:49last race
30:51always get an extra boost
30:53for the start
30:54of the new weekend
30:55and we will see
30:57the next race
30:57anyway
30:58we will keep
30:59the maximum pressure
31:00until the end
31:01now Toprak has said
31:03he wants to do
31:03the hat trick
31:04this weekend
31:04he's taking it
31:05race by race
31:06rather than looking
31:07at the championship
31:08as a whole
31:09has Niccolo
31:10taken the same attitude
31:11or is he focusing
31:12on the championship
31:13no no
31:14the attitude is the same
31:15we have to get
31:16the maximum
31:17every session
31:18well let's hope
31:19for plenty of success
31:21for you this weekend
31:21thank you for your time
31:22best of luck
31:22for the weekend
31:23thank you
31:24enjoy
31:24reality is for Niccolo
31:26Bulica
31:26he has to take it
31:28race by race
31:28because he has to
31:29win them all
31:29yeah it's a simple
31:30task for Bulica
31:31right now
31:31he needs to make sure
31:32he wins eight in a row
31:33to finish the season
31:33and the only thing
31:35that changes anything
31:36for the rest of the season
31:37is whether or not
31:37Toprak has a problem
31:38but for Bulica
31:39he needs to put Toprak
31:41under pressure as well
31:42and Raz Gadioglu
31:43we saw it in Aragon
31:45that he's willing
31:46to put it all
31:47on the line
31:47to win races
31:48he also knows
31:49when he can't
31:50win those races
31:50we saw it in race two
31:51when he made a mistake
31:53he lost a second
31:54and he just settled in
31:55he tried for a lap
31:56to see if he could
31:56claw back the time
31:57he couldn't
31:58he knew 20 points
31:59was good enough
32:00Toprak is more than
32:02smart enough
32:02more than capable enough
32:03to know everything
32:04that he has to do
32:05and I think that
32:06that basically makes it
32:07very difficult for Bulica
32:08unless there's a problem
32:10for the BMW
32:10yeah I think
32:11that's a really good point
32:12I think it's also
32:13important as you say
32:15Toprak's still got to
32:16win the races
32:16that are available to him
32:17because you don't want
32:18to take second place
32:19in every race
32:20and then retire from
32:20the last one
32:21and lose the championship
32:22so when the points
32:23are available on the table
32:24he is going to take them
32:26as he did in race one
32:27in Aragon
32:27makes his task easier
32:29brings him closer
32:30to the title
32:30every time he beats
32:31Bulica
32:31but if he needs to
32:33he can afford
32:34those second places
32:35like on Sunday
32:36last time out
32:36two weeks ago
32:37and that will still
32:38be good enough
32:39for this title
32:39yeah exactly
32:40and look
32:41as long as we end up
32:42having good close
32:43racing here this weekend
32:44and the two of them
32:46bringing the fight
32:46to each other
32:47like they did in Aragon
32:47and hopefully a few
32:48other riders
32:49getting in the mix
32:49then we've got
32:51opportunities where
32:52Bulica is able to
32:54still keep that pressure on
32:55the one problem for them
32:56is we know how strong
32:57Toprak is around this place
32:58as well
32:59and Bulica obviously
33:01wins that race last year
33:02by three thousandths
33:03of a second
33:04but Toprak over the years
33:06has been very good
33:07around this place
33:07likely scenario
33:09is that we go to
33:10the final round
33:11because the gap's
33:1136 points
33:12it's difficult to imagine
33:13that stretches out
33:15to the 62
33:16that are available
33:17in Jerez next time out
33:18but I would be
33:20happy enough
33:20to sign for a
33:22world champion
33:22in race one
33:23in Jerez
33:23and then to just
33:24enjoy the Sunday
33:25as an end of season
33:26party
33:27and a final scrap
33:28between
33:29Razgatli
33:30Oglu Bulica
33:30and enjoy
33:32the last day
33:33of Jonathan Ray
33:33and so on
33:34there's going to be
33:34enough stories
33:35to enjoy in Jerez
33:36regardless of the
33:37championship outcome
33:37yeah I think that
33:38obviously you want to
33:40have that excitement
33:40that goes all the way
33:41to the end of the season
33:42and the last race
33:43the last corner
33:44and all those things
33:45but it's so unlikely
33:46right now
33:46given the form
33:47that we've seen
33:48all the way through
33:48the season
33:49and Razgatli
33:50Oglu
33:50he'll know the importance
33:51of this weekend
33:52because it's about
33:53trying to make sure
33:53that you go to that
33:54final round
33:55knowing that race one
33:56you're able to get
33:56the job done
33:57you always want to get
33:58the championship secured
33:59as early as possible
34:00because Magdicor
34:01last year showed us
34:02how quickly things can turn
34:03and Toprak knows that
34:05better than anyone else
34:05so even you look at
34:07MotoGP
34:08Mark Marquez wins
34:09the championship
34:09then has his injury
34:10last week
34:11and it shows you
34:13once again
34:13that this is a sport
34:14that changes in an instant
34:15and certainly for
34:17Toprak that's why
34:18he's focusing on
34:19making sure he can
34:19win his races
34:20because that's also
34:21whenever he's at his best
34:22whenever he's able to attack
34:23whenever he's able to just
34:24ride by his natural instincts
34:25yes as far as
34:27Nicolai Bulliger is concerned
34:28if he wins four races
34:29we go to Sunday
34:30in Jerez
34:31but otherwise
34:33if Toprak can start
34:34taking points away
34:35from Bulliger this weekend
34:36and indeed race one
34:38in Jerez
34:38then that will be
34:39the championship
34:40done and dusted
34:40with a day to spare
34:42it's hard to imagine
34:43it's hard to imagine
34:43that Toprak's not going to
34:44win another race this season
34:45given that he has only
34:47just seen a run of 13
34:48consecutive victories
34:49come to an end
34:50but it is clear
34:51in Aragon
34:52Ducati had an advantage
34:53in that final sector
34:54Estrelle Haret
34:55we know their circuits
34:56where that Ducati goes well
34:58and we know
34:58that Bulliger did a great job
35:00there last season
35:01in his comments yesterday
35:02Bulliger saying
35:02well look
35:03I was able to match
35:04Toprak last year
35:05I'm going better this year
35:07than I did a year ago
35:08and Toprak's not got
35:10the same package
35:10that he did a year ago
35:11so Bulliger in
35:12in bullish mood really
35:14in his comments
35:15to the press yesterday
35:15yeah and I think
35:17it's going to be interesting
35:17to see how the weekend
35:18kind of progresses
35:19because sector one
35:20should be strong
35:21for Toprak
35:21sector two should be good
35:22for Bulliger
35:23sector three is where
35:24Rasgidiaga and the BMW
35:25come back into their own
35:27a little bit
35:27with the slower corners
35:28and then that final sector
35:30it gets faster and faster
35:32and the long final corner
35:33plays to the strength
35:34of the Ducati
35:35to set you up
35:35for that run to the line
35:36but we also know
35:38that a lot of the time
35:39to win that drag race
35:40to the line
35:41you also need the rider
35:42in front to have
35:43a little bit of a moment
35:44have a little bit
35:45of a slide or a bobble
35:46and then you've got
35:47just enough time
35:48to get to the line
35:49so it's
35:50it does set up
35:51to be
35:52a really good
35:53deciding weekend
35:54or deciding couple
35:55of weekends
35:56but what we need to see
35:57is just a good
35:58battle between them
35:59out on track really
36:00because that's what
36:02that's what gets us
36:03all excited
36:03rather than a points battle
36:04yeah
36:05the points battle
36:06would be great
36:07to have as well
36:08but the weekend
36:09we had in Aragon
36:09last time out
36:10was superb
36:11regardless of the
36:12championship situation
36:14that increasingly
36:14looks like
36:15Toprak's got it
36:16under control
36:17he is the man who
36:19leads free practice
36:20one here as well
36:20one minute
36:2136.054
36:22four tenths of a second
36:24faster than Niccolo
36:24Bulliger
36:25who's out there
36:25circulating at present
36:26Andrea Iannone
36:28in third place
36:29as things stand
36:30and Iannone's a really
36:31interesting one
36:32because he's a big
36:33name in this sport
36:34big name in this
36:35championship
36:35a race winner
36:36last year
36:37but he's still
36:37without a confirmed
36:38ride at the moment
36:39for 2026
36:40yeah
36:40certainly when you
36:42look at the way
36:42that the rider market's
36:43going and the way
36:45that the sport has
36:46changed as well
36:47it's where for a lot
36:48of riders
36:49they're on the outside
36:50looking in
36:50and that could be
36:51riders currently on
36:52the super bike grid
36:52you look at the
36:53Moto E riders
36:53trying to get into
36:54super sport
36:55spoke about Domi Aguilar
36:56earlier on
36:57there's a lot of
36:58riders that are
36:59trying to figure out
37:01what the steps are
37:02for next year
37:03and what seats
37:04are going to be
37:04available
37:04whether Go 11
37:05motorcourses
37:06obviously potentially
37:07a seat available
37:09there's been a lot
37:10of talk about them
37:11and Ryan Vickers
37:11for next year
37:12and then you end up
37:13looking at the other
37:14seats that are still
37:15there so still a lot
37:17to be decided
37:17yeah Ryan Vickers
37:18himself yesterday
37:20stating that despite
37:22the fact that there
37:23is a contract there
37:24that ride is
37:25in doubt
37:25for next season
37:26has to be to some
37:28extent because the
37:29performance hasn't
37:30been there that
37:30maybe the team
37:31would have been
37:32hoping for
37:32but there's also
37:33you know a
37:34political challenge
37:36there with a new
37:36bike next season
37:37for Ducati
37:38and the additional
37:39funding that that
37:40requires from all
37:41of the teams
37:41yeah and when you
37:42speak to Ducati
37:43when you speak to
37:44teams about it
37:44one of the big
37:45things is that you
37:46obviously then have
37:47to change all your
37:47spare packages and
37:48basically get yourself
37:50geared up for the
37:51next number of years
37:51and that brings with
37:53it the cost that
37:54ultimately
37:55a lot of those
37:55independent teams
37:56bring to bear on the
37:57rider and for Ryan
37:59he's in a difficult
38:00situation because there
38:01have been some flashes
38:02this season of the
38:03speed that we know is
38:04there we saw it in BSB
38:05as well in the past
38:06when he was able to
38:07challenge at the front
38:08and win some races
38:09but ultimately this year
38:11hasn't gone as he
38:12would have planned
38:13and certainly he has to
38:16be looking at the
38:17other options that are
38:17available for him for
38:18next year and it could
38:20well be a return to
38:21BSB and stay on the
38:23Ducati but maybe a move
38:24to the likes of PBM or
38:25something like that
38:26but there are things
38:28that will be decided
38:29after Heret but his
38:30priority will be to
38:31stay here
38:3211 and a half minutes
38:33remaining in free practice
38:35one top rack Razgatlioglu
38:36just making his way back
38:37out onto the circuit
38:38so by and large the
38:40majority of the leaders
38:41are out there again
38:42now Andrea Iannone is
38:43the exception to that
38:44one Jonathan Ray
38:45riding well at the
38:46moment in sixth position
38:47Ray had a great
38:48Estoril round a year
38:49ago it is still his best
38:50scoring round with
38:51Yamaha and he wasn't on
38:52the podium that weekend
38:53but it was a sign that
38:55something could be
38:56possible for 2025
38:57unfortunately for Ray
38:59obviously has an injury
39:00at the start of the
39:01season and then all of
39:02the progress is stalled
39:03but if he had ridden
39:05as well as he has over
39:07the last couple of
39:07rounds throughout his
39:08tenure at Yamaha I
39:09think the situation
39:10might be a little bit
39:11different now in his
39:12mind as well about
39:13decisions on the future
39:15because he had to take
39:16decisions and he had to
39:18be discussing his
39:20future when you know
39:22by Mizano he'd had
39:23well three top ten
39:24finishes one seventh
39:25place and two tenths
39:27and much of that is
39:28because he misses the
39:29opening three rounds
39:29of the season but he's
39:30riding really well at
39:31the moment the last
39:31couple of rounds has
39:32been great value
39:33yeah never say never
39:34about anything when
39:35riders announce their
39:36retirements because
39:37things and circumstances
39:39do change but
39:40obviously for Ray the
39:41biggest issue for him
39:42has been that over the
39:43last 18 months he
39:45hasn't had luck he's
39:45had a lot of injuries
39:46he's had a lot of
39:47problems adapting to
39:48the Yamaha but
39:49ultimately the last few
39:50rounds we've been able
39:51to see that that fighting
39:53instincts still there for
39:54Ray and you know you
39:56look at Maggi Corr and
39:57being able to fight in
39:59those podium positions
40:00you look at last time
40:01out in Aragon and still
40:03really scrapping with
40:04everything he has and
40:05that's Jonathan Ray that
40:07we want to see and
40:08hopefully we see that
40:09over the last couple of
40:10rounds because this is a
40:11track that should suit
40:12the Yamaha and we know
40:14that Ray both here and
40:16in Jareth has been able to
40:16have a lot of really good
40:18performances they suit
40:19his style as well and
40:20especially Jareth is going
40:21to be an interesting one
40:22they've got us down in
40:24pit lane what have you
40:24got for us?
40:26I'm down on the Honda
40:26pit wall with Jose
40:27Escamere the team
40:28manager Jose of course
40:30we know that Ike
40:31Lacona is returning from
40:33injury this weekend he's
40:34had a run to assess him
40:36how's he doing at the
40:37moment what can you tell
40:38us well at the moment he's
40:40putting some lats and he's
40:41doing quite good but it
40:43will be better of just let
40:46him ride and get back to
40:48where he was before
40:49a lot of change coming up
40:51in the Honda camp of
40:52course everything seems to
40:53be running very smoothly so
40:54far this weekend for both
40:56Ikea and for Xavi and of
40:59course with three bikes
41:00running this weekend a very
41:01busy weekend yes in here we
41:04have also Tetsuna Nishima
41:05doing us a walker with the
41:07same aim that we have done
41:09on previous races which is
41:11collect data and keep
41:13developing our bike the best
41:15way possible
41:15okay well best of luck for
41:17the rest of the weekend
41:17Jose thanks very much for
41:18talking to us
41:19thank you
41:19yeah really unusual times at
41:23the moment at Honda isn't
41:24it because it's another full
41:26change of ride alignment
41:27we've been here before
41:28haven't we with Alvaro
41:29Bautista and Leon Haslam
41:31two experienced campaigners
41:32replaced by two new riders
41:35to World SBK Ikea Lekwona
41:37and Xavi Vierke at the
41:38time they've both had a
41:40couple of moments
41:41Vierke's been on the
41:42podium Indonesia
41:43Lekwona two podiums he
41:45was on the roster here last
41:48year and and yet we are
41:51never quite sure how
41:53successful that package
41:54could be or is and again
41:57we're not going to get a
41:58full indication because
41:59neither of those riders are
42:00staying next season it's a
42:01completely new look which
42:02confirmation yesterday that
42:04Jose Escameth is going to be
42:06moving on as well so
42:07routine management structure
42:09two new riders and it's
42:12almost as if we're throwing
42:13throwing dice up in the air
42:15and waiting to see which way
42:16they land with that Honda
42:18package over the years
42:19ultimately that has been the
42:20case and even the change for
42:22next year to the rider line
42:23up you look at it and it's
42:25very similar to the change
42:26that they made when they
42:27brought in Lekwona and
42:28Vierke you're bringing in a
42:30rider with you know a year's
42:32MotoGP experience in the form
42:34of Chantry you're bringing in
42:35an established Moto2 rider
42:36Jake Dixon obviously Dixon
42:38comes from a superbike
42:38background we've seen him here
42:40in world championship action
42:41as a wild card but you're
42:44bringing in riders that there
42:46aren't a known quantity and I
42:48think that's one of the things
42:49that is the biggest issue for
42:51Honda I think that bringing in
42:53both of those riders brings in a
42:54better Grand Prix CV than
42:56either Lekwona and Vierke had
42:58because they're both Grand Prix
42:59winners for one thing Dixon
43:01obviously with what a one in
43:02six podium record in the
43:03Moto2 class so he's been able
43:05to really establish himself as
43:06a very good Moto2 rider and
43:09we've been able to see you know
43:10good Moto2 riders come across
43:12and be front running riders in
43:14the superbike class so Dixon is
43:15a hiring that makes sense but
43:17you would have wanted to see it
43:17alongside a very established
43:20superbike rider and ultimately
43:24Honda still leave a question
43:25mark about that rider line-up
43:27and that isn't a change going
43:29into next year and for us we'll
43:31really get a good answer for
43:32where Honda are when we see
43:34how Lekwona does against
43:35Bulaga when we see how
43:36Xavi Vierke does on the
43:38Yamaha yeah and the fact that
43:40those two riders have been
43:41picked up by official teams in
43:44world SPK does show that their
43:45stock is held in good regard by
43:47the other teams and you've got
43:49to respect that as well and say
43:50that you know clearly Lekwona
43:51and Vierke have done a decent
43:53job there with Honda because
43:54there's no way otherwise that
43:56that Ducati would be putting
43:58Lekwona on a on a factory ride
44:01and by extension Xavi Vierke who
44:03by a large has outscored
44:04Iker Lekwona yeah it's an
44:06interesting one because I think
44:07that for you can see Chas
44:09Davis looking on Chas of course
44:10the the rider coach and
44:11analyst for Ducati he'll be
44:12working with Iker Lekwona next
44:14year Lekwona is a really
44:15interesting one because the
44:16ceiling for Lekwona the speed of
44:18Lekwona is unquestionable he is
44:20he is really fast but four years
44:23into his superbike career there's
44:25still that question mark of does he
44:26know why he's fast does he know how
44:27to be fast because we see so many
44:30incidents from we see so many
44:32crashes the floor is quite low for
44:35him but the ceiling is quite high
44:36whereas for Xavi Vierke Yamaha have
44:38gone for a rider that ultimately
44:40doesn't make that many mistakes
44:41probably isn't as fast as Iker Lekwona
44:43but has had better results than him
44:45over the years because he stays on the
44:46bike because he's able to grind out
44:48results I think that you put Xavi
44:50Vierke onto the Yamaha and you know
44:53he can easily fall into the the mix
44:55amongst all their riders for next
44:57year his challenge is to make sure he
44:59goes out and outperforms Locatelli
45:00over the course of the next couple of
45:02years can he do that he can because I
45:04think both of those riders are in
45:05that same group where they're not
45:07quite the superbike world champion
45:11that in waiting but they're in that
45:12group of really solid dependable
45:14riders and Yamaha have got a
45:16good lineup next year with their four
45:18riders you put Manzi in the you know
45:20like the super sport world champion
45:22jumping onto the GRT bike you've got
45:24four very good riders all of them
45:25coming from the same school as well
45:27they're all coming from Moto2 careers
45:29they're all coming from being on a
45:31super sport bike or the like and that
45:33gives them that confidence to really
45:35be able to breathe forward and I think
45:37that's what's interesting for Yamaha
45:39yeah that's something I wanted to pick
45:40up on as well because when I spoke to
45:43Nicolo Canapa after Aragon he said
45:46there was an element of wanting to pick
45:49not just the best possible rider to go
45:52onto the bike but a rider who would be
45:54the best possible rider for that bike
45:56and we pick up Xavi DFA out on track now
45:58with four minutes remaining in free
45:59practice one they made the strategy to go
46:02for the best possible best available rider
46:04the greatest of all time in fact two
46:07years ago and it didn't work out because
46:08the bike doesn't suit Jonathan Ray it's
46:09taking him two years to get to a point
46:11where he can beat his teammate and you know
46:16they've gone for Xavi GK they feel GK's style
46:18will be well suited to that Yamaha and if
46:20they're proven right then as you say
46:22sky's the limit
46:23yeah and I think that it is one of those
46:26situations where Yamaha also know that
46:28they've got a bike that is you know pretty
46:32old compared to the likes of a brand new
46:33Ducati comes out and newer Honda's there
46:36BMW's been updated over the last few years
46:38the Yamaha R9 somehow they keep finding
46:43more and more performance from it they do
46:45such a good job with that package and I
46:47think that ultimately they they now have
46:50hopefully four riders that are all able to
46:53really push it in the same direction give
46:55the team similar feedback all of them
46:57having relatively similar riding styles
46:59Ray's style is so different to the other
47:02riders because Johnny's only ever been a
47:04superbike rider the other riders have had
47:06to come through the super sport ranks and
47:08having to ride with corner speed you look
47:11at Ray and he's always been in and out
47:12rider rather than trying to carry that
47:14speed and that plays against the strengths
47:16of the Yamaha obviously top rack was able to
47:18make Yamaha work but also there's a reason
47:21why top rack left Yamaha at that stage as
47:23well because he knew that it wasn't a
47:24package that was going to allow him to do
47:26what he did on the BMW and for Yamaha
47:28that's where ultimately for Canapa and the
47:32decision-making process being able to put
47:34four riders out there that are all able to
47:36work in the same direction is important
47:38and it's a smart move by Canapa as well
47:40first year in the job and he's made a big
47:42decision like that
47:42two minutes remaining in free practice one
47:45top rack Razgatlioglu leads the way by two
47:48tenths of a second ahead of Niccolò
47:49Bulliga Alex Lowe's currently third fastest
47:51ahead of Ionone Bassani
47:53Vierke who we just saw crossing the line
47:55Andrea Locatelli on for an improved lap here
47:57just making his way through the final set
47:59yeah and Locatelli about to move himself up on and
48:02probably find about six tenths of a second on this
48:04lap so you'd imagine that he's gone out there and
48:07might be one of the riders with a new tyre at the
48:10end so Foglu's the same he's been down there in
48:1219th or 20th for much of the session he's on course to
48:15move up into the top 10 now as well so maybe just at the
48:17end of the session a few riders just throwing in a
48:19fresh tyre we tend to see this quite a bit at the end of
48:22a free practice one session
48:23yeah we have got the softest possible tyre allocation
48:26from Pirelli this weekend but in free practice you'd
48:29imagine that the riders have got to manage those tyres
48:31somewhat to sort of leave themselves enough for the
48:34remainder of the weekend
48:35yeah a lot of the riders we saw earlier on top rack was
48:38out there on the next tyre and you're trying to just
48:40figure out how you're able to manage your allocation
48:43through the weekend and still be able to get good
48:45information from all of your runs during a free
48:47practice session but Foglu comes across the line on
48:50the number 99 doesn't actually improve his position
48:53but finds about eight tenths of a second there on that
48:55lap what's interesting is Rinaldi's done the same here in his final
49:00stint so the Moto X team just both and trying to work in that same
49:04direction at the end of the session
49:05yeah so Foglu one and a half seconds from P1 but down in 19th position
49:09another reminder as to just how difficult it is to get in those points
49:13paying positions for some of those riders a little bit further
49:15down the field as we head into the final minute now this free practice one
49:19session with top rack Razgatlioglu on a flying lap seven thousandths of a
49:23second up after three completed sectors could he be the first rider to dip into
49:27into the one minute thirty fives in free practice one here in Estoril this morning
49:32exits the final turn he will cross the line he'll have one more lap after this one as well
49:35he's not quite able to improve by a tenth of a second that he loses in that final sector
49:40yeah and for top rack he's been a quarter of a second faster than Bulaga in this session so he's done what he needs to do in the first first session of the weekend and for Razgatlioglu for BMW that's going to give them a lot of confidence because they know they've got a good package now here at this track for this weekend and I think that that's one of the big things that over the course of this season from how difficult it was at the start of the year BMW have been able to put themselves in with that base setting that works everywhere and those first few laps of each weekend there is still a little bit of uncertainty
49:58after what happened in places like Aston and a couple of tougher weekends there is always that little sigh of relief that they're going to be able to get the job done like they did all the way through the summer
50:05so checkered flag falls on free practice one and none of the leaders are set to improve so it looks as though we will finish with top rack Razgatlioglu, Nicolo Bulaga and Alex Lowe's your top three ahead of Andrea Yonone, Axel Vassani, Xabi Vieke, Andrea Locatelli just
50:35pipping Jonathan Ray with his last flying lap there and then Patrici and Alvaro Bautista eight tenths of a second almost down on Nicolo Bulaga obviously it's very early days we know how good Bautista is here in Estoril we saw it again at the back end of last year but my hopes have got to be high that Bautista can show a little bit more of what he did in Aragon last time
50:57yeah and I think everyone wants to see Alvaro there at the front and able to mix it out with the Bulaga and top rack because ultimately what we've been able to see from Alvaro over the years is that speed and that consistency and you want to have another bike in the mix and certainly for Alvaro he wants to give himself the chance of being able to still come away with that third in the championship
51:17so I think he'll be a little bit disappointed to be so far behind his teammate in this one eight tenths of a second but to wait and see what the programs are for everyone
51:25there's also an element of thinking ahead to next year and you know for people to challenge Bulaga you're looking at Sam Lowe's you're looking at Alvaro Bautista and then a big unknown with two new riders moving on to the BMW
51:39yeah it's a strange one because for Sam what we've seen over the course of this season is that especially the summer onwards he's probably been the next closest in terms of raw speed
51:48but he's made too many mistakes he needs to use the winter to be able to iron out those mistakes and try and just have that consistency to be able to settle for what's on offer as well
51:59and that'll be the big challenge for Mark BDS but they'll also know that they've got that speed they've got that ability to be able to give themselves an opportunity next year to have a really strong year
52:08and then you have to wait and see who's able to make the next step and BMW is going to be so interesting you put Petrucci onto that bike you put Olivera in there as well
52:16it looks like Olivera is going to be working with Phil Maron and if that's the case you've got a lot of confidence that Miguel is going to have his opportunity to go in and do a great job
52:24and it's interesting when you will have that comparison like Vandermark said yesterday Olivera comes on to the BMW top rack moves on to the Yamaha
52:33and we're able to see how they both fare out on it as well and there's a lot of pressure on a MotoGP rider to come here
52:39specifically whenever you're coming in to the World Championship winning bike convention
52:43well let's take a look at your results in free practice one then
52:47three different manufacturers in the top three spots
52:50Rasgatti, Oglu, Bullocker and Alex Lowes
52:53Andrea Iannone is the second of those Ducatis
52:57Danilo Petrucci holding up well enough in his first session back from injury
53:02he did say yesterday that he's not in too much pain in general
53:05and gets 17 laps done in FP1 this morning
53:09so showing no in effect Alvaro Bautista will probably be disappointed to be down in 10th position
53:14but there's still plenty of time for him to get up towards the front
53:18Ducatis in general a little bit back on the back foot this morning
53:21because Sam Lowes only P13
53:23let's take a look at the stint summaries then
53:25two stints for top rack Rasgatlioglu
53:28and plenty of low 1 minute 36s
53:31against a lap record remember of 1 minute 35.346
53:35so great pace right from the start of the weekend here in Estoril
53:38Niccolò Bullocker getting his times down in his second stint
53:42and do you know what?
53:43there's plenty of laps there as well that are almost as fast as top racks
53:46even if top rack has the headline fastest time
53:49Alex Lowes by and large in those 1 minute 37s
53:53a decent number in the late 1 minute 36s as well
53:58well stints as far as the sectors
54:00we said it earlier on
54:01top rack Rasgatlioglu's heavy braking style
54:04and suitability for low speed corners works out well for him in sectors 1 and 3
54:09for Niccolò Bullocker he and the Ducati are best suited to sectors 2 and 4
54:14that's the way it plays out this morning
54:15top rack making 1.5 tenths of a second on Bullocker in sector 1 alone
54:20Bullocker fastest but only by a fraction over top rack in sector 2
54:24top rack fastest in sector 3 but not too much in it there
54:27and final sector it's Niccolò Bullocker on top
54:30but again by less than a tenth of a second
54:31so sector 1 the key
54:33with that heavy braking zone in towards turn number 1
54:35that's given top rack Rasgatlioglu first blood in free practice 1 this morning
54:40well that's all for now
54:46we'll be back after lunch in some 2.5 hours time
54:49with the first of our Super Bowl sessions
54:51thank you for joining us today
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