VOLUME 56 ISSUE 42 OCTOBER 22, 2019 P81
BAD BOY SUZI
Suzuki gave MotoGP a taste of
2020 at Motegi, and got a slap
on the wrist as a result. Test rider
Sylvain Guintoli was exercising the
new GSX-RR, outwardly similar
to the Mk2 aero bodywork, with
Honda-like bow-tie wings high on
each side. Inside was the 2020
engine, and he rode it to 19th in
the dry on Friday. Up in the con-
trol tower, the stewards had the
rule book open, and on Saturday
morning came the sanction: dis-
qualification from both Friday ses-
sions, FP1 and FP2. Using next
year's engine is against the rules.
Team boss Davide Brivio blamed
"a misunderstanding in regard to
the regulations,"and said that the
engine had been swapped back
on Saturday morning.
REMY NOT IN
MOTOGP
Remy Gardner broke his silence
on his rejection of a MotoGP offer
from KTM, reported in mid-Sep-
tember from the San Marino GP.
At the time, he was unwilling to
be quoted, but now the Australian
has spoken to the media. "This
was back after I had a decent
race in Austria, until I got taken
out," he said. "My manager just
said he was expecting a call from
KTM and what were my thoughts?
I thought I would like to continue
in Moto2 for one more year. I said
I like fighting at the front, when
we're there. I had a two-year
contract with these [SAG] guys.
I'm happy with the team. I want
one more year's experience, and I
thought it's probably better to stay
here at the moment."
ONCU OUT ALREADY?
Mystery surrounds the future of
youngest-ever GP winner Can
Oncu and his much-fancied twin
brother, Deniz, with no contract
renewal so far after Can's debut
season. While Kaito Toba has
been signed up for next year, the
second seat remains open, team
owner Aki Ajo told Dorna inter-
viewer Simon Crafar. Would either
of the Oncu brothers fill it? "I don't
know," he replied. The brothers
are managed by former World Su-
persport superstar Kenan Sofuo-
glu, who is understood to be keen
to switch one or possibly both out
of MotoGP to that series, which
runs alongside World Superbikes.
Briefly...
Kallio was 14th, a couple of sec-
onds clear of Aleix Espargaro's
Aprilia, which took the last point.
Espargaro's strong qualifying
was let down by electronic prob-
lems spoiling acceleration.
Takaaki Nakagami (LCR
Idemitsu Honda), scheduled
for an early-season end for
surgery to a painful shoulder
injury, survived in 16th. Troubled
Jorge Lorenzo (Repsol Honda)
regained a pointless 17th from
Karel Abraham's Reale Avintia
Ducati by the end.
It was a bad day for Valentino
Rossi. With the task of trying to
recover from a bad qualifying
position of 10th compounded by
a bad start, he finished lap one
14th. He was 10th, tussling with
Petrucci, when he crashed out.
