MotoGP is set to make its debut at the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve in Portimao in November, as the last race of the 2020 season, and as a brand new track on the calendar, the teams, factories, and riders have no data on the circuit.
To help them prepare for the race, Dorna has organized a test at the circuit ahead of the race.
The timing of the test is a little unfortunate. The test is due to take place on October 7th and 8th, directly before the French Grand Prix at Le Mans.
Episode 157 of the Paddock Pass Podcast is out, and this one is a doubleheader, as we see both paddock crews on the mics.
Covering the Czech GP at Brno, we have David Emmett and Neil Morrison on the microphones, while Steve English and Gordon Ritchie bring us an update from the WorldSBK paddock at Portimão.
When MotoGP announced that it was adding a 15th round to its 2020 calendar, it was not exactly the best-kept secret in the MotoGP paddock that the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve in Portimão would get the nod.
Today, that news becomes official, with the Portuguese GP set to take place November 20th to 22nd.
Of course, in a season that has seen a bevy of cancelations and postponements because of the coronavirus outbreak, any race schedule has to be taken with a modest amount of uncertainty and skepticism.
Episode 128 of the Paddock Pass Podcast is out, and this one is BONUS SHOW for this week, as Steve English and Gordon Ritchie join us on the mics from the WorldSBK pre-season test a Portimão.
For a treat as well, Alex Lowes and Chaz Davies join the show, with special interviews done trackside with Steve.
Episode 116 of the Paddock Pass Podcast is out, and this one is another WorldSBK show, as the production championship is finally back to racing action after its long summer break.
As such, this means that we see Steve English joined by Gordon Ritchie on the mics, as they are our World Superbike reporting duo for the 2019 season.
Recording straight from trackside at Portimão, the guys give some conversation about the on-track action in Portugal, but there is plenty to discuss about what is occurring off the track, as the contract season is heating up.
Jonathan Rea may have had a third consecutive double at the Portuguese round of WorldSBK, but that’s not to say there wasn’t plenty of action and intrigue as WorldSBK resumed following the summer break.
Portimão is one of the most exciting laps of the year for a WorldSBK rider. The Portuguese circuit is used extensively for winter testing, and last month’s official test also offered the majority of the field a chance to fine tune their settings for their return to action.
The circuit, nestled in the hills of the Algarve, is challenging for riders. There’s a bit of everything here, and getting your eye in and getting the most from the circuit takes time.
“Portimao is my favourite track in the world,” said an enthusiastic Eugene Laverty. “It’s something unique! I’ve done so many laps around this place over the years that I know this place like the back of my hand. At some tracks, you need the bike to work in a certain way to be fast because the rider is limited in what they can do – this place is the opposite!”
Jake Gagne is under no illusions about the remainder of the 2018 WorldSBK season; he’s racing for his future. The American has had a challenging rookie campaign, and it is almost certain that he won’t be retained by the Red Bull Honda squad for next year.
That being so, the San Diego native is excited to get back on track this weekend in Portimao, and use the final four rounds of the season as a springboard for his future.
“It’s been a hell of a ride,” said a smiling Gagne. “It’s no joke racing in WorldSBK. I don’t think that I’ve not shown what I can do yet. I’ve not reached my potential yet because there’s so much for me to learn.”
“Whether it’s bike, tires, or tracks ,you’re going up against riders and teams that have that experience. It takes time to learn and there’s a lot to learn. It’s a huge step from MotoAmerica, and it’s bigger than I thought beforehand.”
“I knew that I was jumping in at the deep end but the depth is so much better. The bikes and the variables with them are more complex. In MotoAmeica, I didn’t have to change much other than a click or two because I’d just go out there and ride my ass off. Here you have to think about so much more. In Moto America, I was thinking about 10 or 15 things, but here its 50 things!”
That level of complexity surprised Gagne. Coming from the Moto America Championship, the Honda rider feels that even the top teams and riders in the domestic series would struggle to make the adaptation. The resources available to riders and teams are so much greater at the world level.
For Gagne the switch was even more pronounced, with his American squad having been severely outgunned when compared to the likes of Graves Yamaha or Yoshimura Suzuki.
“I’ve been slammed into the ground a bunch of times this year, but I’ve enjoying it and I’ve learned a lot. The approach you need to takes for racing at this level and what you need to do to set the bike up have been the biggest lessons.”
“Obviously I’d prefer to have some better results, but I want to try and finish the season as strong as I can. I’ve made some mistakes but these guys are the best in the world.
“In terms of my riding, I was probably a bit too pumped up coming into the year. Riding harder isn’t always riding better or riding faster. That was always my style, and I know that sometimes it means that I go backwards or it develops some other issues for me, so it’s been important to relax, stay calm and understand the bike better.”
“I know that being at the limit all the time isn’t the best thing all the time. I’ve learned how I need to set the bike up with chassis or suspension changes and obviously the electronics. I’ve never had to deal with so many variables that can be changed.”
Gagne admits that the biggest variable that needed to be changed at times throughout the season was his mentality. Knowing what to expect and having the confidence to let the weekend come to him has taken time. It takes five years to get five years experience in any job, but Gagne has tried to shortcut some of his inexperience by riding to the absolute limit.
At times he has looked ragged, at times he has looked quick. His home round at Laguna Seca has been the high point because his experience at the Californian circuit meant he knew what to expect. Knowing how the bike should feel is necessary for any rider to go fast, but for a rookie that’s even more the case. At Laguna Gagne was able to claim two top ten finishes.
“Your mentality is so important, and how I approached the weekend and tried to over-ride the bike was an issue. I know that turning myself down to 90% can make a big difference to my performance and consistency, and being able to set the bike up. I need to think about the bike over the stint more than thinking about corner by corner.”
“Throughout the season I know that I’ve been able to give everything I possibly could on every day. I know that each day that I could have done things differently but I also have no had regrets at the end of any day.”
“My crew have always been very supportive and for the last four rounds the target is to get closer to the top ten. I know that I can do better but there’s so many pieces that you have to put together.”
“I know in the last few rounds that I was riding too hard, but two Top 10 finishes at Laguna at least was good. It was the best of the year and obviously knowing the track helped and having last year’s data to compare it to helped. It was an easier start to the weekend because rather than playing catch-up I knew what to expect. I’ve raced at Portimao, Magny-Cours, and Qatar so I know what to expect there.”
Gagne certainly didn’t know what to expect when he made the move to Europe and WorldSBK. Despite having raced in the Red Bull Rookies Cup, he had spent little time outside the US. When racing in the Rookies Cup, he travelled to and from America, but this year he made a point to travel, explore and live in Europe.
“I’ve definitely stepped out of comfort zone this year. In Rookies Cup, the maximum time I spent in Europe was about a month because I stayed in the US as much as possible. I was always with my family at that time, but this year I’ve been on my own and stayed in Europe for months at a time.”
“It’s been really cool because even though San Diego is the best city in the world, it’s been a lot of fun to live in Holland and see some other countries. It’s not just about the airport and the track now because I’ve seen cities this time and tried to enjoy it as much as I can. I’m here to race bikes, but I’m a person too and it’s important to see some cool shit too!”
“I’ve no real regrets about this year. It’s not part of my personality to be honest. The past is the past and you need to learn from it and move on. I’ve learned a lot this year! I’ve had a few too many big crashes from getting a bit too excited, but it’s no joke racing in WorldSBK. You’ve got to push to keep up with them,
“I know my ass is on the line for next year, and that I’ve got to keep learning and finish the year strong. I don’t want to have any regrets. I want to be able to look back and be proud. I want to stay in WorldSBK, but I don’t know what will happen for next year. I’ll try my best and make some headway to get some good results. If I can’t be back in WorldSBK, it’ll probably be back to America for me.”
Photos: © 2018 Jensen Beeler / Asphalt & Rubber – All Rights Reserved
Jonathan Rea took another step towards retaining the World Superbike championship, after a dominant weekend at the Portuguese round of the series. In Race 2, the Northern Irishman took longer to hit the front, but the end result was the same: 25 points.
The victory saw Rea extend his title lead to 120 points over his Kawasaki teammate, Tom Sykes. With the Englishman sitting out this weekend due to injury, Rea’s path to the title was given an unexpected boost, but overall it was business as usual for the 30-year-old.
In claiming his 34th Kawasaki victory, Rea became the Japanese manufacturer’s most successful rider of all time, but it wasn’t plain sailing for Rea.
History was made in the FIM World Supersport 300 class this weekend in Portugal, as Ana Carrasco became the first woman ever to win a World Championship (solo) race.
Her victory didn’t come easy though, as three riders had a hand on the winner’s trophy, as they came down the front straight away for the final time.
Expertly gauging the draft to the finish line, Ana Carrasco put herself in front of Alfonoso Coppola (+0.053) and Marc Garcia (+0.062), narrowly beating the two Yamaha YZF-R3 riders with her Kawasaki Ninja 300.