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/717711
ROAD RACE FIM MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND 11 / AUGUST 21, 2016 AUTOMOTODROM BRNO / CZECH REPUBLIC P78 Marc Marquez claimed a sensa- tional pole position, smashing the outright track record and displacing the hitherto dominant Jorge Loren- zo from a confident pole. Marquez grabbed the time in spite of running into traffic in the last corner set. He dove underneath a surprised Rossi then sliced inside Pol Espargaro on the run to the line. "I didn't expect pole but I thought I could make the front row," he said, admitting he may have lost a couple of 10ths in the traffic, but at the same time having Rossi as a target might have helped him. This was Marquez's 63rd pole, putting him equal with Rossi and Lo- renzo in a much shorter career. Jack Miller was declared fit to race by doctors before the Brno GP, but his team and Honda took the op- posite view, and the Australian was ruled out to recuperate over the next two weeks before the British GP. Miller was diagnosed with hairline fractures to his right lower arm and to his T6 vertebra in Austria, but a team spokesman confirmed that further tests had revealed some damage to adjacent vertebrae as well. "We don't know if it was an old injury or not, but since he is not fighting for the cham- pionship we decided it wasn't worth the risk of further damage," he said. Alvaro Bautista will stay in MotoGP. This was confirmed on the eve of the Czech Republic GP, with the announcement that the former 125 Champion will re-join the Aspar team, to ride a Ducati GP16. His teammate remains to be announced. Eugene Laverty has been invited to stay at the team, but with only one GP16 available he is unwilling to ride a low- er grade of Ducati and is consider- ing offers in World Superbikes. The other candidate is Yonny Hernandez, also currently with the Aspar team. While identical twin brother Sam Lowes is earmarked for a factory Aprilia ride in MotoGP next year, cur- rent Yamaha World Superbike rider Alex Lowes was to get his first go on a GP bike at Brno's Monday tests. Alex tested a Monster Yamaha, as a reward for victory at the Suzuka 8 Hours, where he partnered with last year's winner and current Monster Yamaha rider Pol Espargaro. This was "an expression of gratitude for his superb endurance performance," said a statement from Yamaha. Penalties were abound at Brno, where the list of the usual slowcoach- es in Moto3 practice was longer than usual, and where MotoGP's Petrucci had a three-place grid penalty even before he got there. One big loser was Danny Kent, who claimed a career-best eighth on the grid in his return season to Moto2, only to have his lap time cancelled because it was discovered he had been running tire pressures below the allowed mini- mum. This dropped him back to 15th. In Moto3 there was a range of pen- alties depending on the number of times riders were clocked going too slowly, and taking former offences into account. Repeat offender Fabio Quartararo was knocked back seven places, to 26th. Arenas and Oettl each lost four positions, Antonelli and Migno three places. Beginning next year, pit-lane me- chanics will have to wear helmets. At least they will for bike changes in flag-to-flag races. New regulations announced on race day dictate this, and also limit the number of mechan- ics to four, and allow mechanics to hold in the clutch lever, but not to select first gear. The rider must do that. These refinements follow some near misses and at least one direct hit in flag-to-flag races. Aprilia me- chanics were sent flying in Argentina when Bautista lost control in a bike change. Another change comes in Moto3, where manufacturers will now lease machines to private teams rather than selling them. Each one must supply a minimum of six rid- ers to be allowed in the class, with a maximum of 14. Thomas Luthi was ruled out of the Moto2 race after knocking himself out in a heavy crash in qualifying. The Swiss former 125 Champion es- caped serious injury but was taken to hospital for investigation, and ruled unfit to race on Sunday. Australian former GP winner and long-serving campaigner Anthony West is hoping to take a second Wild Card ride in his home GP in Australia, after he made a one-race return to Brno, and storming to 10th in the wet on the only Suter chassis on the grid. Once a Kawasaki MotoGP rider, West qualified at the back, but awoke on race day to conditions tailor-made to his prowess in the wet. "The rain was a big help. It's always nice to turn up as a wild card—old bike, new team, and get a good result." Briefly...