Category: Bike Racing

Two-time Dakar Winner Sam Sunderland Retires From Racing

The 2019 Cross-Country Rallies World Champion, 2022 World Rally-Raid Champion and two-time Dakar winner Sam Sunderland retires from racing at a professional level.

The 35-year-old first started riding motocross until a big accident at 16 forced some time away from racing until a holiday in Dubai inspired the switch to rally raids. This led to his Dakar debut in 2012 for Honda, and the first stage win for a British rider in more than a decade in 2014.

A switch to KTM saw him win the Dakar in 2017, alongside other overall rally wins in Morocco and Qatar. In 2022 he switched to GASGAS, and immediately won the 2022 Dakar Rally on the RX450F, the first win for the manufacturer, followed by taking his second Rally Raid title.

Two-time Dakar Winner Sam Sunderland Retires From RacingSam Sunderland has called time on a successful rally raid racing career
Sam Sunderland has called time on a successful rally raid racing career

Andreas Hölzl – Rally Team Manager: “We would like to say a massive thank you to Sam for his time with Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing. I speak for the whole team when I say we’re sad to hear that Sam is retiring from racing, but we completely respect his decision and thank him for everything he has done for us over the years. Beyond being a phenomenal racer, Sam is a fantastic person – always supportive, motivating, and a true team player. He is a huge part of the GASGAS family, and we look forward to working with him again in new and exciting ways in the future.”

Pit Beirer – Motorsports Director: “Sam joined the company back in 2014, and since then his passion, dedication, and results have been exceptional. He not only secured two world championships and two Dakar victories, but he played a massive part in the successes of the whole team. Over the years, our relationship with Sam became stronger and stronger, and with his move to Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing in 2022, he continued to make history. While it’s tough to see Sam go, we respect his decision. I’d like to personally thank Sam for everything he put into the team and wish him well for the future.”

Check out more articles on all forms of motorcycle racing, here. Along with our coverage of previous Dakar events.

Fancy trying enduro and rally riding, or some more gentle green laning? Find bikes to suit most budgets on eBay.

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Francesco Bagnaia Wins The Third Lenovo Race Of Champions

Taking a break from competing for his third MotoGP title, Ducati Lenovo rider Francesco Bagnaia wins the third Lenovo Race of Champions, held during World Ducati Week at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli.

A total of 15 Ducati riders took part, riding the new Ducati Panigale V4 S this year. They includes MotoGP riders Bagnaia, Marc Marquez, Marco Bezzecchi, Fabio Di Giannantonio, Enea Bastianini, Franco Morbidelli, Jorge Martin, and Alex Martin, alongside World Superbike riders Andrea Iannone, Michael Ruben Rinaldi, Alvaro Bautista, Danilo Petrucci and Nicolo Bulega, test rider Michele Pirro, and British Superbike rider Glenn Irwin.

Francesco Bagnaia Wins The Third Lenovo Race Of Champions

The 2024 Ducati Lenovo Race of Champions

Bagnaia also won the 2022 event, ahead of Luca Marini and Marco Bezzecchi. Due to the disruption of the global panedemic, the first Ducati race of champions was actually held in 2018, won by Ducati test rider Michele Pirro ahead of Tito Rabat and Xavi Fores.

It’s not often you get to see MotoGP, World Superbike and other riders compete on the same machinery, even if some might have a bit more knowledge of the Misano circuit that others. The bikes had track modifications include the fairing and racing bellypan, Brembo GP4-MotoGP brake calipers and Z04 pads, and a billet top triple clamp personalised with the rider’s name.

World Ducati Week 2024 also broke attendance records, with more than 94,000 people visiting the 12th annual event.

Keep up with all the latest Ducati bikes, customs, classics and more, here. Along with upcoming motorcycle events in the UK and around the world, here. In the past, the Race of Champions bikes have been auctioned after the event, but if you can’t quite afford that, check out the secondhand Panigale V4S examples currently being offered secondhand on eBay.

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BMW Motorrad Test Team Adds Bradley Smith And Sylvain Guintoli

Some experienced and familiar riders will be starting a new role, as the BMW Motorrad Test Team adds Bradley Smith and Sylvain Guintoli to their line-up.

Smith spent seven years in MotoGP, claiming two podiums from 119 starts riding Aprilia, Yamaha and KTM machinery. He also finished on the podium three times in the Moto2 class, and won three races in the 125cc championship, with a best overall finished of fourth in 2010. He’s the only rider to have taken a podium in all four classes of GP racing, including MotoE, was part of the winning Yamaha team at the 2015 Suzuka 8 Hours, and made a couple of appearances in the World Supersport championship in 2022.

BMW Motorrad Test Team Adds Bradley Smith And Sylvain GuintoliBMW Motorrad Test Team Adds Bradley Smith And Sylvain Guintoli
2014 WSB champion Sylvain Giuintoli will test alongside racing for BMW in the EWC series

The pair will be testing and developing the BMW M 1000 RR for the superbike series, which is being ridden by Toprak Razgatlioglu and Michael van der Mark for Rokit BMW Motorrad, and the duo of Scott Redding and Garrett Gerloff in the Bonovo Action squad.

Which is itself a pretty experienced line-up, with three of the roster already riding for BMW across multiple seasons (van der Mark since 2021, Redding since 2022, Gerloff in 2023) after racing in WSB for Yamaha, Ducati and the GRT Yamaha team respectively. And they’re being joined by the 2021 WSB champion Razgatlioglu, who also finished runner-up in both the 2022 and 2023 seasons.

Check out all of our motorcycle sport coverage, here.

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Alvaro Bautista Gets A MotoGP Wild Card Ride In Malaysia

How do you reward the reigning World Superbike champion and current series leader? For Ducati, it means Alvaro Bautista gets a MotoGP wild card ride in Malaysia, following two recent tests at Misano on the current Ducati Desmosedici GP bike.

The 38-year-old Spaniard spent eight years in the MotoGP championship, taking three podiums from 158 starts with four different manufacturers (factory Suzuki, Gresini Honda and Aprilia, and then Aspar Ducati). He then switched to World Superbikes for 2019.

Pol Espargaro Returns For The British MotoGP This Weekend

There’s a welcome and long-awaited comeback to racing, as Pol Espargaro returns for the British MotoGP this weekend. The 32-year-old should have debuted for the GasGas Factory Racing team at the opening round of the 2023 season at Portimao but suffered multiple fractures in a crash during the FP2 session.

The injuries to his back and jaw required not only surgery, but also having his mouth wired shut for a time, forcing him onto a liquid diet. So he’s had to not only recover, but also build up his fitness once again to pass the medical checks and ride at Silverstone. It means he’ll tackle his first MotoGP Sprint race on the Saturday, before the normal Grand Prix race on Sunday, alongside team-mate Augusto Fernandez.

Pol Espargaro returns for the British MotoGP this weekend
Pol Espargaro returns for the British MotoGP this weekend

Fernandez is currently 14th in the standings, with a best result of fourth at the French Grand Prix. For the past six rounds, he’s competed alongside stand-in rider Jonas Folger on the GasGas RC16.

Pol Espargaro: “Finally! I’m really happy the day has arrived when I can get back in the paddock, see my team and get back on the bike. I’ve missed this part of my life a lot. I know it will not be easy this weekend, in fact, it will be like starting the pre-season again. I will have to listen to my body, understand the new bike and also get familiar with the format this year. I really want to thank everyone at the Pierer Mobility Group and all those who have been behind me and supporting me.”

Also returning this weekend is factory Honda rider Joan Mir, who replaced Espargaro, and has struggled with a hand injury from the second round of the season in Argentina.

The British MotoGP round was originally scheduled to be broadcast live on ITV, but this has now been changed. So if you want to watch it as it happens, you’ll either need to be subscribed to the MotoGP website, or to the TNT Sports service which has replaced BT Sports. MotoGP is €29.99 per month, or less for a season subscription, while TNT Sports is £29.99 per month.

Check out all of our motorcycle sport coverage, here.

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