Latest news with #DucatiLenovoTeam
The Star
20 hours ago
- Sport
- The Star
Motorcycling-Marquez crashes twice in bruising day of practice at Dutch Grand Prix
FILE PHOTO: MotoGP - Italian Grand Prix - Mugello Circuit, Scarperia e San Piero, Italy - June 22, 2025, Ducati Lenovo Team's Marc Marquez celebrates after winning the Italian Grand Prix REUTERS/Jennifer Lorenzini/File Photo (Reuters) -Ducati's MotoGP championship leader Marc Marquez crashed twice on a painful day of practice at the Dutch Grand Prix in Assen on Friday, with the Spaniard saying he was lucky to walk away with no major injuries ahead of the weekend's action. Marquez, who has not won at Assen in seven years, arrives at the Cathedral of Speed with a 40-point lead but as he put the Ducati through its paces, he struggled on the sweeping turns when the medium front tyre failed to grip in cool conditions. The first crash saw Marquez go down in a highside crash and as he ended up in the gravel, he quickly took off his left glove in apparent pain. On the second crash, Marquez lost his balance on a turn and slid into the gravel again, this time stomach down as the bike tumbled away from him. The 32-year-old initially stood up but appeared winded and quickly sat on his haunches holding his groin before he was helped off the track by marshalls. "It's not an easy day for my body but apart from that I'm lucky because nothing important -- some things, yes -- but it's not something that will be a problem for the next two days. Tomorrow I will check when I get up," Marquez said with a smile. "The first one (crash) was a bit strange because I was not really pushing but it felt super slippery. The second one was a consequence, it was a time attack but I did the time attack with the front tyre that I crashed this morning." Marquez also sported a small cut on his chin after his slide across the gravel and the Ducati rider said the size of the stones did not help as he also hurt his stomach. "The rocks are super big and then when you arrive there with that high speed, it hits your body," he added. "I had a problem and then I was breathing (hard) there on the gravel because I was sliding on the gravel face down." Marquez eventually advanced to the Q2 qualifying session but he was not the only rider to crash on Friday, with his brother Alex of Gresini Racing -- second in the championship -- also going down. There were as many as nine crashes and two red flags coming out when Trackhouse Racing's Ai Ogura suffered a crash as his bike landed in a fiery heap while Aprilia's Lorenzo Savadori also went down due to a nasty highside. Yamaha's Fabio Quartararo topped the practice session timesheet ahead of Alex Marquez, KTM's Pedro Acosta and Aprilia's Marco Bezzecchi as four different manufacturers made the top five rounded out by Ducati's Francesco Bagnaia. (Reporting by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Toby Davis)
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
F1 owner Liberty Media finally set to seal deal to take control of MotoGP after European approval
Spain's rider Marc Marquez of the Ducati Lenovo Team steers his motorcycle followed by Italian rider Francesco Bagnaia of the Ducati Lenovo Team and Spain's rider Alex Marquez of the BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP during the MotoGP race of the Grand Prix of Italy at the Mugello circuit in Scarperia, Italy, Sunday, June 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni) Spain's rider Marc Marquez of the Ducati Lenovo Team steers his motorcycle followed by Spain's rider Alex Marquez of the BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP and Italian rider Francesco Bagnaia of the Ducati Lenovo Team during the MotoGP race of the Grand Prix of Italy at the Mugello circuit in Scarperia, Italy, Sunday, June 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni) Spain's rider Marc Marquez of the Ducati Lenovo Team steers his motorcycle followed by Spain's rider Alex Marquez of the BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP and Italian rider Francesco Bagnaia of the Ducati Lenovo Team during the MotoGP race of the Grand Prix of Italy at the Mugello circuit in Scarperia, Italy, Sunday, June 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni) Spain's rider Marc Marquez of the Ducati Lenovo Team steers his motorcycle followed by Italian rider Francesco Bagnaia of the Ducati Lenovo Team and Spain's rider Alex Marquez of the BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP during the MotoGP race of the Grand Prix of Italy at the Mugello circuit in Scarperia, Italy, Sunday, June 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni) Spain's rider Marc Marquez of the Ducati Lenovo Team steers his motorcycle followed by Spain's rider Alex Marquez of the BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP and Italian rider Francesco Bagnaia of the Ducati Lenovo Team during the MotoGP race of the Grand Prix of Italy at the Mugello circuit in Scarperia, Italy, Sunday, June 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni) MADRID (AP) — Formula 1 owner Liberty Media is finally set to complete a deal to take control of motorcycle racing series MotoGP after receiving approval from the European Commission. Liberty Media said Monday the 'unconditional' approval was the last step in completing the deal to buy 84% of Spain-based MotoGP rights holder Dorna Sports. Advertisement 'MotoGP is a highly attractive premium sports asset with incredible racing, a passionate fanbase and a strong cash flow profile," Liberty Media president and CEO Derek Chang said in a statement. "We believe the sport and brand have significant growth potential, which we will look to realize through deepening the connection with the core fan base and expanding to a wider global audience.' Liberty said the deal, which was first announced in April 2024, could go through by July 3. The process was held up in December when the European Commission opened what it called an 'in-depth investigation' into whether the agreement would hike the cost of broadcast rights for motorsports events. Advertisement Dorna chief executive Carmelo Ezpeleta remains in charge of MotoGP but Liberty said he will be joined on the Dorna board by Chase Carey and Sean Bratches, two veterans of Liberty's takeover of F1 in 2017. They were part of its efforts to grow and modernize F1 as a business, especially in the United States. ___ AP auto racing:
Time of India
5 days ago
- Automotive
- Time of India
Ducati unveils renaissance-inspired livery for Mugello Grand Prix
For the Italian Grand Prix at Mugello, Ducati has introduced a new livery for its Desmosedici GP bikes , drawing on themes from the Italian Renaissance . The design has been created in collaboration with designer Aldo Drudi and historian Marcello Simonetta, linking motorsport with Italian historical and cultural identity. The initiative reimagines Ducati Lenovo Team riders Francesco Bagnaia (#63) and Marc Márquez (#93) as modern-day knights, with their machines serving as present-day steeds. The design integrates references to figures such as Leonardo da Vinci and Niccolò Machiavelli, aligning with Ducati's intention to connect its brand to both technological advancement and cultural heritage . Historic inspiration and symbolism The Renaissance, which emerged in Italy between the 14th and 16th centuries, is cited by Ducati as a period that merged art, science, and engineering—a philosophy the brand aims to reflect in its design and manufacturing. The Mugello circuit, located near Florence, provides the geographical and symbolic backdrop for the project. The livery is inspired by Leonardo da Vinci's drawing of the 'Ancient Captain'. According to Drudi, the reinterpretation includes a shift in the captain's posture to evoke a sense of motion, presenting the figure as a modern knight prepared for action. Bagnaia and Márquez feature in visuals that depict them in Florence's Stibbert Museum, where they don helmets, suits, and gloves referencing the same motifs as the special livery. Elements such as the lion and the fox—drawn from Leonardo's artwork and Machiavelli's writings—appear on the bikes to symbolise strength and strategy, respectively. Visual connection between past and present The campaign includes scenes filmed in Florence's Piazza della Signoria, where the Desmosedici GP bikes are placed in dialogue with surrounding Renaissance art and architecture, including Michelangelo's David and Palazzo Vecchio. The company states that the project is intended to bridge engineering and visual culture, positioning its motorcycles within a broader historical narrative. 'This is where the story begins,' Ducati stated. 'Francesco Bagnaia and Marc Márquez, two modern-day knights, riding one of the most prestigious Made in Italy symbols of motorsport, ready to combine power and intelligence in a challenge on the track.' By adopting Renaissance themes, Ducati aims to present a connection between its engineering work and the longstanding tradition of Italian innovation. The livery at Mugello reflects this focus, framing motorsport as part of a larger cultural continuum.
The Star
6 days ago
- Automotive
- The Star
Motorcycling-Marc Marquez wins Italian Grand Prix to delight Ducati fans on home soil
MotoGP - Italian Grand Prix - Mugello Circuit, Scarperia e San Piero, Italy - June 22, 2025 BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP's Alex Marquez, Ducati Lenovo Team's Marc Marquez and Ducati Lenovo Team's Francesco Bagnaia in action during the race REUTERS/Jennifer Lorenzini SCARPERIA E SAN PIERO, Italy (Reuters) -Ducati's Marc Marquez won the Italian Grand Prix after a dogfight for podium places at the Mugello Circuit on Sunday, taking the chequered flag ahead of his brother Alex to maintain his iron grip on the riders' championship. Gresini Racing's Alex briefly led the race early on before Marc took control, while Fabio Di Giannantonio of VR46 Racing claimed third place after snatching the final podium spot from his Italian compatriot Francesco Bagnaia. Home favourite Bagnaia also led the race in the initial stages but the Italian, who had won the last three races at Mugello, was overshadowed by the Marquez brothers and could only finish fourth in front of his home fans. Marc's victory was also the 93rd win of his career across all classes, matching his motorcycle number, and the Spaniard celebrated by planting a Ducati flag in front of the home fans who once saw him as a rival when he was with Honda. "Amazing feeling... three Ducatis on the podium, to win here (at Mugello) in the red," said Marc, who now leads Alex by 40 points while Bagnaia is 110 points back in third. "I already understood this morning that was super special for them, even for me, because I feel part of them. Super happy. "We managed the race... I was calm and then when the tyres dropped a bit, I started to give everything. Happy to take the 37 points in this amazing weekend." Fresh from claiming his historic 100th career pole with a blistering lap record and Saturday's unlikely sprint victory, Marc found himself locked in a fraternal battle with Alex -- a running theme this season. The opening laps unfolded as a masterclass in close-quarter racing between the two factory Ducati machines -- their special Italian Renaissance livery flashing through Mugello's sweeping turns -- while Alex stayed on their tail. HIGH-SPEED DRAMA The crowd erupted when Bagnaia briefly snatched the lead from Marc after turn one but what followed was high-speed drama as they traded positions, occasionally making heart-stopping contact with each other. Disaster nearly struck when Bagnaia, pushing his bike to the limit, touched Marc's rear tyre as he was forced to brake hard and surrender his position to Alex. Fans in the grandstand witnessed a spectacular moment when all three riders thundered into turn one abreast, a three-wide gamble that saw Alex briefly seize control, drop to third on the brakes and then reclaim the lead moments later on the exit. But Marc eventually broke free, leaving brother Alex to doggedly defend second position against a relentless Bagnaia. However, the Italian did not have the late-race pace to catch up and he was soon forced to defend the final podium place, with Di Giannantonio looking to upstage his compatriot. With two laps to go, Di Giannantonio made his move on turn seven as he squeezed past the twice champion and raced away to claim his first podium finish at Mugello. "I knew that I had to risk a lot to take him but at the end, the last lap, I said, 'Okay, let's go for it,' and we've done it," Di Giannantonio said. "My first podium in MotoGP Mugello, in front of this fantastic group of fans." (Reporting by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru; editing by Clare Fallon)
The Star
21-06-2025
- Automotive
- The Star
Motorcycling-Marquez claims 100th career pole with lap record in Italian GP qualifying
FILE PHOTO: MotoGP - French Grand Prix - Bugatti Circuit, Le Mans, France - May 11, 2025 Ducati Lenovo Team's Marc Marquez in action during the MotoGP race REUTERS/Stephane Mahe/File Photo (Reuters) -Marc Marquez took the 100th pole of his career on his Ducati debut at the Mugello Circuit at their home Italian Grand Prix on Saturday in a qualifying session where the lap record was broken several times. It was Marquez's sixth pole of the season and the 72nd MotoGP pole of his career to go with his 14 poles in Moto2 and 14 more in the 125cc World Championship. "I'm super happy because it was a real pole position, it was without (using) the slipstreams, alone and just trying to find my limits," Marquez said. "The pace was not bad but (I have to) be patient because in the afternoon with a warm temperature, it can change everything. But at the moment we are there and ready to fight for the sprint and main race." Marquez initially took provisional pole when he slotted in behind his brother Alex and used the Gresini bike's slipstream to his advantage. As Alex crossed the line with the fastest time, Marc snatched top spot from him less than a second later with a lap record. Yamaha's Fabio Quartararo then broke the record but before he could celebrate, Marc's Italian team mate Francesco Bagnaia went even faster on his home track where he has won the last three Grands Prix. However, Marc had one more flying lap left in him and when the Spaniard crossed the line, he set a time of one minute and 44.169 seconds to pip Bagnaia to pole by 0.059 seconds. Alex will join them on the front row. "I tried everything in qualifying, Marc was in super shape and it's tough to beat him. I wanted to start on the front row and this was the best result in qualifying (for me) this season," Bagnaia said. Quartararo was only fourth fastest despite breaking the lap record and he will be joined on the second row by KTM's Maverick Vinales and VR46 Racing's Franco Morbidelli. (Reporting by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru; editing by Clare Fallon)
