Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/1116301
IN THE WIND P52 Zarco Under Attack From Pierer T he situation of Johann Zarco and Red Bull KTM hit a new low at the recent Jerez MotoGP, with Zarco caught on camera in FP1 describing the KTM RC16 to have a "shit chassis and power delivery." That expletive-filled attack on the Red Bull team has not sat well with KTM CEO Stefan Pierer, who signed the French former double Moto2 World Champion to a two- year, multi-million dollar contract in 2018, while he was riding for the then Monster Energy Tech3 Yamaha squad. Speaking to German publication Speedweek, Pierer did not mince his words regarding his feelings of Zarco's season so far, in which he is only 19th in the MotoGP points standings with seven points. "A big disappointment is Jo- hann," Pierer said. "That really hurts me, because we hired him, so he and Pol push each other. But it is the opposite. Zarco has separated from his manager. And if a top athlete does not control his environ- ment, you have a problem." It now appears Zarco could be in danger of losing his ride at Red Bull KTM one year early, as rookie Tech3 KTM rider Miguel Oliveira has proven to come to grips much better than the Frenchman so far in 2019. "I have to say very clearly: we will do everything we can to bring [Zarco] forward this year. New material has already been made to Zarco's wishes. Pit Beirer has now also organized Jean-Michel Bayle as a supervisor. "But if that does not work, we will sit down at the end of the season. We'll see." Bayle's appointment as a super- visor came after Zarco split from his long-time manager Laurent Fellon, with the former World and AMA Motocross/Supercross Champion and 500cc Grand Prix podium finisher there to "control more the stress to keep the freedom in the mind that a top rider needs," says Zarco. Michael Scott Johann Zarco needs to get his house in order to make the boss at KTM happy. YART Takes 2019 8 Hours of Slovakia Ring T he Yamaha Austria Racing Team of Broc Parkes, Nic- colo Canepa and Marvin Fritz took overall honors in the 2019 8 Hours of Slovakia Ring, May 11-12, heading home SERT (Suzuki En- durance Racing Team) of Vincent Philippe, Etienne Masson and Gregg Black and current EWC champions F.C.C. TSR Honda France (Josh Hook, Freddy Foray and Mike Di Meglio). Wepol Racing Yamaha (Sheri- dan Morais, Daniel Webb and Michael Laverty) pipped VRD Igol Pierret Expériences Yamaha (Florian Alt, Flo- rian Marino and Xavier Siméon) at the post for fourth place. The fastest Super- stock team was the Junior Team Le Mans Sud Su- zuki squad of Louis Rossi, Hugo Clère and Alexis Masbou, ahead of Kawasaki-mounted BMRT 3D Maccio Racing (Anthony Loiseau, Jimmy Maccio and Jonathan Hardt). SERT now leads the 2019 En- durance World Championship on 113 points ahead of Le Mans win- ner Team SRC Kawasaki France, who was forced to retire in Slova- kia with mechanical problems. The next race on the EWC cal- endar is the 8 Hours of Oscher- sleben in Germany on June 9. CN