Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
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ROAD RACE FIM MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND 18 / NOVEMBER 13, 2016 CIRCUITO DE LA COMUNITAT VALENCIANA / VALENCIA, SPAIN P68 fourth, and in front again at the end. Mir was second, then Migno, Bastianini, his rookie teammate Fabio Di Giannan- tonio from Juanfran Guevara (RBA KTM). Kornfeil, Oettl, Navarro and Martin completed the top 10. Binder (319) fell short of a record victory points gap by just five points (147, Rossi over Melandri in MotoGP in 2005); with Bastianini at 177. Navarro (ninth today) outpointed no- score Bagnaia (150:145) for third; Mir took the top rookie spot ahead of Di Giannantonio 144:134. CN MOTOGP 1. Jorge Lorenzo (Yam) 2. Marc Marquez (Hon) 3. Andrea Iannone (Duc) 4. Valentino Rossi (Yam) 5. Maverick Vinales (Suz) MOTO2 1. Johann Zarco (Kal) 2. Thomas Luthi (Kal) 3. Franco Morbidelli (Kal) 4. Sam Lowes (Kal) 5. Alex Rins (Kal) MOTO3 1. Brad Binder (KTM) 2. Joan Mir (KTM) 3. Andrea Migno (KTM) 4. Enea Bastianini (Hon) 5. Fabio De Giannantonio (Hon) Has the "retiring" of racing numbers gone out of control? This was a com- mon view at Valencia after news on the eve of the meeting that Loris Capirossi's erstwhile "65" was henceforth to be retired from all three classes. This was a surprise to Moto3 rider Philipp Oettl who raced with 65 all season and at Valencia, and apparently also to other sections of officialdom, who on the same day released next year's entry lists, with Oettl again entered under that number. It turned out to be something of a storm in a teacup, or at least a slip of the tongue, by Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta. The retirement was only from the premier class, and (confusingly) the number had already been retired, forcing Stefan Bradl to go from "65" to "6" when he moved up from Moto2. This is the second number to be retired this year, after Marco Simoncelli's "58" was removed from the MotoGP class at the Misano round. The practice began in 1995, when Kevin Schwantz quit midseason, and number "34" was frozen on the spot. Max Biaggi was back in the paddock at Valencia to announce his return as a team manager, hand in hand with Indian constructor Mahindra. The new role will not, however, be at GP level, yet. "We plan to develop the riders and team to World Championship level in 2018," said Biaggi. The former four- times 250 and double World Superbike Champion has invested his own money in the project, he told journalists, with the same aim as his old rival Rossi, "to develop Italian talent," but at a much smaller scale. Max and Mahindra Rac- ing are starting in the Italian CIV Moto3 Championship with teenage riders Alessandro Del Bianco and Davide Baldini, with occasional entries also in the Spanish CEV series, the so-called "Junior World Championship." "This is not a competition with the VR46 Academy," said Biaggi. "We are not focused on big things, but two riders, two chances, two possibilities." Hopes for the national title were boosted by plans for regular tests, not normally within the budget of national teams. Mahindra Racing's technical base is outside Varese in Italy, with several staff members from Aprilia, for whom Biaggi won both 250 and Superbike titles. "They are people I know, and we talk the same language," he said. Will Suzuki join the major factories with a satellite team in the future? Possibly in 2018, said team manager Davide Brivio. "But it will be very difficult. Suzuki has never had any experience with a satellite team, and the resources are focused on the factory team. But we hope for 2018 it will be possible." The new rules—especially the leveling of the electronics—have been positive for the sport and the championship, all the major manufacturers agreed at a special joint conference at Valencia, where Honda, Yamaha and Ducati were joined by Suzuki and Aprilia. "We are one of the manufacturers who took the benefit," said Suzuki's Davide Brivio. "Also with the change of tires, we were at less disadvantage than before, be- cause nobody had any experience with the Michelins." The rules had opened the way for there to be six manufactur- ers, including from 2017, also KTM. But while this was good for the sport and the spectators, said Yamaha's Lin Jarvis, there was a disadvantage for satellite teams. "In general, it pumps up the price of riders. There were six factory seats, and now there are 12. This makes it hard for satellite teams to capture and keep top talent." Briefly... continued on page 70