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/389578
MOTOGP MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND 14/SEPTEMBER 28, 2014 MOTORLAND ARAGON/ALCANIZ, SPAIN P78 Briefly... and swingarm. Asked to explain the change of policy, Tsuji spoke of Ya- maha's responsibility also to Dorna, for improving the level of the non- factory bikes and to make MotoGP more competitive for the fans. Next year NGM will get the same conces- sion, but any other Open teams hop- ing to lease Yamaha motors will not, he said. "Our policy was to ask them to use their own chassis. If in the future there are two or more teams, we want them to use their own chassis." More signing announcements: with the disbanding of the official Mahin- dra team lead rider Miguel Oliveira has signed for Ajo Red Bull, one of the premier Moto3 teams currently fielding Jack Miller. Oliveira will be joined there by South African Brad Binder, plus current incumbent and former Rookies Cup star Karel Hani- ka. Ajo is also moving up into Moto2, to run Frenchman Johann Zarco; whose current Caterham team is dropping to Moto3 with AirAsia spon- sorship, to run Malaysians Hafiq Azmi and Zulfahmi Khairuddin. A new FIM research institute was announced at the Aragon GP, based at the TechnoPark Motorland, devel- oping technology to improve safety and sustainability, and including a crash-dummy test rig. "The FIM in- stitute represents a great step for- ward," said president Vito Ippolito. Rider and circuit safety was a top pri- ority. "We plan to test in these labo- ratories devices and materials aimed at safer motorcycling, and to analyze the way accidents happen." FENATI WINS, MARQUEZ TAKES OVER Another tiddler thriller took place in Moto3, in about the worst imagin- able conditions – the track wet, but for a narrow dry line. It made for a race of wildly changing fortunes, most of all for Red Bull KTM's Jack Miller, who lost the championship lead by refusing to concede an early lead to title rival Alex Marquez on only the fourth lap. Danny Kent had led away on his Husqvarna, but Miller took over by the end of the first lap, lost the place to Alex Rins the next time around, took it back on the third, then met his fate at the end of the long straight on the fourth. Marquez had drafted past, but Miller stayed on the outside around the next fast bend... only for the pair to run out of dry line. They touched, and Marquez came off better as Miller wobbled, fell off the inside of the bike, and then off. "If I hadn't have run over my foot I think I might have saved it," he said, ruing his headstrong ap- proach. He got the bike back to the pits for a hasty rebuild and rejoined, finishing last, three laps down. Jakub Kornfeil at the front of the lead pack, along with Scotsman John McPhee, even threatening to lead before he fell victim to the damp on the edge of the narrow line on lap 12. Marquez and Rins had disputed the lead until lap 10, when Rins ran wide, narrowly saving the crash; while Kent was still part of the mix. But a nemesis was coming from behind. Romano Fenati had finished the first lap 19th, but by half distance he was up to fifth, and two laps later took the lead for the first time. He and Marquez scrapped it out, the decisive move coming last time down the long straight. He drafted past the Spaniard, and stayed ahead over the line by .06 of a second; Kent ended up a couple of tenths behind in third. Rins was fourth, more than 10 seconds adrift; then Kornfeil and rookie Enea Bastianini. Marquez took over the title lead with 206 points to Miller's 195. Rins has 188, four-time winner Fenati has 165 and Vazquez is fifth with 154. Romano Fenati (5) came from behind to beat Alex Marquez (12) and Danny Kent (52) in the Moto3 Grand Prix. With Jack Miller crashing out, Marquez took over the lead in the World Championship.