Soon, not soon enough for some, MotoGp will kick into gear for the 2014 season. Pre-season testing will give way to full-blown racing and here is the calendar for those who haven’t caught up with it yet.
23 Mar Grand Prix of Qatar Losail International Circuit, Doha
2 13 Apr Grand Prix of the Americas Circuit of the Americas, Austin
3 27 Apr Grand Prix of Argentina Autodormo Termas de Rio Honda, Santiago del Estero
4 4 May Grand Prix of Spain Circuito de Jerez, Jerez de la Frontera
5 18 May Grand Prix of France Le Mans Bugatti
6 1 Jun Grand Prix of Italy Mugello Circuit, Mugello
7 15 Jun Grand Prix of Catalonia Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Montmelo
8 28 Jun TT Assen TT Circuit Assen, Netherlands
9 13 Jul Grand Prix of Germany Sachesenring, Hohenstein-Ernstthal
10 10 Aug Grand Prix of Indianapolis Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Indianapolis
11 17 Aug Grand Prix of Czech Republic Masaryk Circuit, Brno
12 31 Aug Grand Prix of Great Britain Silverstone Circuit, England
13 14 Sep Grand Prix of San Marino Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli, Misano Adriatico
14 21 Sep Grand Prix of Aragon Motorland Aragon, Alcaniz
15 28 Sep Grand Prix of Brazil Autodormo Internacional Circuit, Selangor
16 12 Oct Grand Prix of Japan Twin Ring Motegi, Japan
17 19 Oct Grand Prix of Australia Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, Victoria
18 26 Oct Grand Prix of Malaysia Sepang International Circuit, Sepang
19 9 Nov Grand Prix of Valencian Community Comunitat Valenciana, Valenciana
Significant differences from 2013 are the addition of Argentina for the first time in quite a few years and the loss of Laguna Seca in the USA after hosting since back in the 80’s. The less said about this decision the better, I think. Suffice it to say that there is a hugely active group of fans who are trying to get that decision changed for 2015.
The MotoGp grid will look sort of familiar but very different. Gone are the CRT bikes (good riddance) and now we will see proper factory prototypes battling with “production grand prix bikes” either leased Yamaha engine/electronics packages in the customer’s frame or fully leased race bikes in the case of Honda. The names will all be familiar but the seats have been changed a bit.
Here is the “provisional” 2014 MotoGp grid.
4 ANDREA DOVIZIOSO – ITALIAN – DUCATI TEAM – DUCATI *
5 COLIN EDWARDS – USA – NGM MOBILE FORWARD RACING – FTR YAMAHA
6 STEFAN BRADL – GERMAN – LCR HONDA MotoGP – HONDA *
7 HIROSHI AOYAMA – JAPANESE – POWER ELECTRONICS ASPAR – HONDA
8 HECTOR BARBERA – SPANISH – AVINTIA BLUSENS – FTR
9 DANILO PETRUCCI – ITALIAN – IODARACING PROJECT – TBA
17 KAREL ABRAHAM – CZECH – CARDION AB MOTORACING – HONDA
19 ALVARO BAUTISTA – SPANISH – GO&FUN HONDA GRESINI – HONDA *
26 DANI PEDROSA – SPANISH – REPSOL HONDA TEAM – HONDA *
29 ANDREA IANNONE – ITALIAN – PRAMAC RACING – DUCATI *
35 CAL CRUTCHLOW – BRITISH – DUCATI TEAM – DUCATI *
38 BRADLEY SMITH – BRITISH – MONSTER YAMAHA TECH 3 – YAMAHA *
41 ALEIX ESPARGARO – SPANISH – NGM MOBILE FORWARD RACING – FTR
YAMAHA
44 POL ESPARGARO – SPANISH – MONSTER YAMAHA TECH 3 – YAMAHA *
45 SCOTT REDDING – BRITISH – GO&FUN HONDA GRESINI – HONDA
46 VALENTINO ROSSI – ITALIAN – YAMAHA FACTORY RACING – YAMAHA *
63 MIKE DI MEGLIO – FRENCH – AVINTIA BLUSENS – FTR
68 YONNY HERNANDEZ – COLOMBIAN – PRAMAC RACING – DUCATI
69 NICKY HAYDEN – USA – POWER ELECTRONICS ASPAR – HONDA
70 MICHAEL LAVERTY – BRITISH – PAUL BIRD MOTORSPORT – PBM/ART
93 MARC MARQUEZ – SPANISH – REPSOL HONDA TEAM – HONDA *
99 JORGE LORENZO – SPANISH – YAMAHA FACTORY RACING – YAMAHA *
TO BE CONFIRMED – IODARACING PROJECT – TBA
TO BE CONFIRMED – PAUL BIRD MOTORSPORT – PBM/ART
Here is the provisional Moto2 entry list
2 JOSH HERRIN – USA – CATERHAM MOTO RACING – SUTER
3 SIMONE CORSI – ITALIAN – NGM MOBILE FORWARD RACING – FTR
4 RANDY KRUMMENACHER – SWISS – IODARACING PROJECT – SUTER
5 JOHANN ZARCO – FRENCH – CATERHAM MOTO RACING – SUTER
7 LORENZO BALDASSARRI – ITALIAN – GRESINI Moto2 – SUTER
8 GINO REA – BRITISH – AGT-REA RACING – FTR
10 THITIPONG WAROKORN – THAI STOP AND GO RACING TEAM – KALEX
11 SANDRO CORTESE – GERMAN – DYNAVOLT INTACT GP – KALEX
12 THOMAS LUTHI – SWISS – INTERWETTEN PADDOCK Moto2 – SUTER
15 ALEX DE ANGELIS – SAN MARINO – LA FONTE TASCA RACING – SUTER
18 NICOLAS TEROL – SPANISH – MAPFRE ASPAR TEAM Moto2 – SUTER
19 XAVIER SIMEON – BELGIAN – FEDERAL OIL GRESINI Moto2 – SUTER
22 SAM LOWES – BRITISH – SPEED UP – SPEED UP
23 MARCEL SCHROTTER – GERMAN – TECH 3 – TECH 3
25 AZLAN SHAH – MALAYSIAN – IDEMITSU HONDA TEAM ASIA – TBA
30 TAKAAKI NAKAGAMI – JAPANESE – IDEMITSU HONDA TEAM ASIA – KALEX
31 KOHTA NOZANE – JAPANESE – JIR Moto2 – MOTOBI
36 MIKA KALLIO – FINNISH – MARC VDS RACING TEAM – KALEX
40 MAVERICK VINALES – SPANISH – TUENTI HP 40 PONS – KALEX
49 AXEL PONS – SPANISH – ARGIÑANO & GINÉS RACING – KALEX
53 ESTEVE RABAT – SPANISH – MARC VDS RACING TEAM – KALEX
54 MATTIA PASINI – ITALIAN – NGM MOBILE FORWARD RACING – FTR
55 HAFIZH SYAHRIN – MALAYSIAN – PETRONAS RACELINE MALAYSIA – KALEX
60 JULIAN SIMON – SPANISH – ITALTRANS RACING TEAM – KALEX
70 ROBIN MULHAUSER – SWISS – TECHNOMAG carXpert – SUTER
77 DOMINIQUE AEGERTER – SWISS – TECHNOMAG carXpert – SUTER
80 LUIS SALOM – SPANISH – TUENTI HP 40 PONS – KALEX
81 JORDI TORRES – SPANISH – MAPFRE ASPAR TEAM Moto2 – SUTER
88 ALESSANDRO NOCCO – ITALIAN – SPEED UP – SPEED UP
92 ALEX MARINELARENA – SPANISH – TECH 3 – TECH 3
94 JONAS FOLGER – GERMAN – ARGIÑANO & GINÉS RACING – KALEX
95 ANTHONY WEST – AUSTRALIAN – QMMF RACING TEAM – SPEED UP
96 LOUIS ROSSI – FRENCH – STOP AND GO RACING TEAM – KALEX
TO BE CONFIRMED – QMMF RACING TEAM – SPEED UP
TO BE CONFIRMED – ITALTRANS RACING TEAM – KALEX
And here is the provisional Moto3 entry list.
3 MATTEO FERRARI – ITALIAN – SAN CARLO TEAM ITALIA – MAHINDRA
4 GABRIEL RAMOS – VENEZUELAN – KIEFER RACING – KALEX KTM
5 ROMANO FENATI – ITALIAN – TEAM SKY-VR46 – KTM
7 EFREN VAZQUEZ – SPANISH – CARETTA TECHNOLOGY – RTG – HONDA
8 JACK MILLER – AUSTRALIAN – RED BULL KTM AJO – KTM
10 ALEXIS MASBOU – FRENCH – ONGETTA-RIVACOLD – HONDA
11 LIVIO LOI – BELGIAN – MARC VDS RACING TEAM – KALEX KTM
12 ALEX MARQUEZ – SPANISH – ESTRELLA GALICIA 0,0 – HONDA
14 FRANCESCO BAGNAIA – ITALIAN – TEAM SKY-VR46 – KTM
15 BRYAN SCHOUTEN – DUTCH – CIP Moto3 – MAHINDRA
17 JOHN McPHEE – BRITISH – CARETTA TECHNOLOGY – RTG – HONDA
19 ALESSANDRO TONUCCI – ITALIAN – CIP Moto3 – MAHINDRA
23 NICCOLO ANTONELLI – ITALIAN – GO&FUN GRESINI Moto3 – KTM
31 NIKLAS AJO – FINNISH – AVANT TECNO – KTM
41 BRAD BINDER – SOUTH AFRICAN – AMBROGIO RACING – MAHINDRA
42 ALEX RINS – SPANISH – ESTRELLA GALICIA 0,0 – HONDA
43 LUCA GRUNWALD – GERMAN – KIEFER RACING – KALEX KTM
44 MIGUEL OLIVEIRA – PORTUGUESE – MAHINDRA RACING – MAHINDRA
52 DANNY KENT – BRITISH – RED BULL KTM AJO – KTM
55 ANDREA LOCATELLI – ITALIAN – SAN CARLO TEAM ITALIA – MAHINDRA
57 ERIC GRANADO – BRAZILIAN – MAPFRE ASPAR TEAM Moto3 – KALEX KTM
58 JUANFRAN GUEVARA – SPANISH – MAPFRE ASPAR TEAM Moto3 – KALEX KTM
61 ARTHUR SISSIS – AUSTRALIAN – MAHINDRA RACING – MAHINDRA
63 ZULFAHMI KHAIRUDDIN – MALAYSIAN – ONGETTA-AIRASIA – HONDA
65 PHILIPP OETTL – GERMAN – INTERWETTEN PADDOCK Moto3 – KALEX KTM
80 HAFIQ AZMI – MALAYSIAN – AVANT TECNO – KTM
84 JAKUB KORNFEIL – CZECH – TEAM CALVO – KTM
95 JULES DANILO – FRENCH – AMBROGIO RACING – MAHINDRA
98 KAREL HANIKA – CZECH – RED BULL KTM AJO – KTM
TO BE CONFIRMED – GO&FUN GRESINI Moto3 – KTM
TO BE CONFIRMED – RW RACING GP – KALEX KTM
TO BE CONFIRMED – RW RACING GP – KALEX KTM
TO BE CONFIRMED – TEAM CALVO – KTM
Of course there are still lots of “To Be Confirmed” entries there and work is going on during the off-season to firm them up before March, which will, of course, happen. However, all classes look to be well-subscribed and an exciting season is promised. Unlike our British counterparts who now have to PAY to watch the races, we Aussies still have the luxury of watching the races on Free-to-air TV. Just how much longer that will be the case is questionable as the sport moves dramatically further into the realm of paid entertainment rather than motor sport.
Anyway, plenty to think about and talk about with that lot.
Tomorrow I head to Nowra Speedway again for the races, the 63rd running of the prestigious Australian Speedcar Grand Prix and the third year in a row that it has been run at this venue. Sydney’s Mark “Mad Dog” Brown, has the opportunity to go into the record books tomorrow night. He has already won the event 4 times and, should he win tomorrow night, he will join the greats, Ray Revell and Andy McGavin as a 5 time winner of the race, which was first run in 1938.
See you at the track.