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/858916
MOTOGP FIM MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHP ROUND 10 / AUGUST 4-6, 2017 BRNO CIRCUIT / OSTROVACICE, CZECH REPUBLIC P64 remarkable ride through from 19th in the early stages. He closed the gap on the pursuit pair with three laps to go, and got past both of them for the last podium spot on the last lap. Bendsneyder narrowly beat Guevara. Last year's winner, John McPhee (BTT Honda), also came through, from 17th on the grid, for sixth, ahead of Ramirez. Tatsuki Suzuki (Sic58 Honda) was close, likewise Adam Norrodin (SIC Honda) and Atiratphuvapat in 10th. Mugello winner Migno (SKY KTM) had caught right up for 11th, with Albert Arenas (Aspar Ma- hindra) 12th—a good showing for the returned injury victim, after a penalty forced a back-of-the-grid start. Mir has a 42-point lead over Fenati. Canet is third ahead of McPhee and Martin. CN MOTOGP 1. Marc Marquez (Hon) 2. Dani Pedrosa (Hon) 3. Maverick Vinales (Yam) 4. Valentino Rossi (Yam) 5. Cal Crutchlow (Hon) MOTO2 1. Jorge Navarro (Kal) 2. Andrea Locatelli (Kal) 3. Luca Marini (Kal) 4. Sandro Cortese (Sut) 5. Isaac Vinales (Kal) MOTO3 1. Tim Georgi (KTM) 2. Nicolo Bulega (KTM) 3. Nakarin Atiratphuvapat (Hon) 4. Aron Canet (Hon) 5. Lorenzo Dalla Porta (Mah) Jorge Lorenzo was starting the second half of his first year with Ducati with his perspective changed from the beginning of the year. "Honestly, I didn't expect these [bad] results—but it has been going better. "I expect further adjustments. In the last races we have been getting better, but the steps are small.... After the first half we are more far from the front than I expected, but not so far it is impos- sible. We have one third place, have almost been on pole and have led some laps. We are not as far away as it looks." Moto2 bad boy Simone Corsi was in trouble again for an over- aggressive pass in qualifying, sending Suter-mounted Dominique Aegerter looping into the gravel, jumping straight to his feet to shake his fist. The overtake, he said later, had been "pointless." Corsi has a bad reputation in this respect, with several brushes with Race Direc- tion in the past but got away with a mere three-place grid penalty for this one. Two Moto3 riders—Enea Bastianini and Mahindra rider Albert Arenas— suffered 12-place penalties for slow riding. This put both on the back row of the grid. The confirmation of the Finnish GP at the as-yet unbuilt Kymiring circuit for five years from 2019 defers the race for one year, but with Thailand expected to join the calendar as soon as next year, threatens an expansion of the calendar from 18 to 20 races. There are similarities with the abortive and now defunct Circuit of Wales, where Dorna signed a contract with an unbuilt circuit. But work has started at the Kymiring facility, although expecta- tions it might be ready next year have been put on hold. Former HRC executive chief and leader of the Repsol-backed factory Honda team Shuhei Nakamoto has joined Dorna after reaching official Japanese retire- ment age at the end of last season. The outwardly jovial Nakamoto will act as a special advisor, particularly alongside Alberto Puig in the Talent Promotion department. For a second time this season, a Ducati sprang a leak, caused two following riders to crash, and brought out the red flags. The leak came from Alvaro Bautista's Pull & Bear GP16, at the start of FP3 on Saturday morning. It was at the bot- tom of the hill, into Schwantz Cor- ner. The Spaniard almost crashed, ran off into the gravel, then tumbled at low speed. Rossi in his wake missed the spillage, but not so the Hondas of Marquez and Crutchlow, some little way behind. Marquez was unhurt; Crutchlow not so lucky. Not only was his LCR Honda badly damaged, but he suffered a painful whack on the back. Moto3 star Jorge Martin—six times fastest in qualifying—pulled out of the Czech GP on Friday evening, still suffering badly after breaking his ankle in practice for the last race in Germany. In spite of having the summer break to re- cover, the Gresini Honda team rider said that pain and residual muscle weakness made riding an ordeal Briefly...