Aperol Grand Prix of San Marino and the Riviera of Rimini 2012
Posted on Sep 10, 2012 by Nick Harris
Bradley Smith is desperate for a strong finish to his Moto2 career before joining MotoGP next season. The 21 year old Oxfordshire rider recovered from a bad qualifying session to finish eighth in Brno riding the Tech 3 machine.
Gloucestershire teenager Scott Redding wants to forget the previous Moto2™ round in Brno where he started from the front row of the grid but crashed the Marc VDS machine at the third corner. He held onto fifth place in the championship two places in front of his great British rival Bradley Smith.
It was also a tough Brno weekend for Londoner Gino Rea who crashed in the early stages but remounted to finish 24th.
Spanish teenager Marc Marquez is a clear favorite to win the Moto2 race on Sunday and the World title before the final race of the season. The Catalunya Caixa Repsol Suter rider chases his seventh win of the season at the circuit where he has won both 125 and Moto2 races to increase that impressive 48 point championship lead.
Nothing is ever clear cut in Moto2 racing and the likes of this year’s other grand prix winners Pol Espargaro, Tom Luthi and Andrea Iannone will make life as tough as possible for Marquez before he departs to MotoGP next year.
MISANO FACTS AND FIGURES
The 2.626 miles Misano circuit returned to MotoGP action in 2007 after a 14 year absence but running the opposite way round. The circuit, which is situated near to Riccione on the Adriatic coast of Italy, stopped hosting MotoGP events following the serious accident of the 500cc World Champion Wayne Rainey in 1993. It returned in 2007 running the opposite direction and with a number of safety changes. The original circuit was built in the mid seventies to replace the sea front road circuit which staged early season international meetings.
MARCO MEMORIES
The Misano circuit was the home track for the late Marco Simoncelli and his San Carlo Gresini team. Consequently there will be a number of special events to celebrate the career of Marco who lost his life at the Malaysian Grand Prix in Sepang last year. The 1993 500cc World Champion Kevin Schwantz has led a cycle ride relay, The Cycle of Wishes, from Donington Park in England to Misano. On Thursday evening all competitors’ in the grand prix this weekend will cycle a lap of honour of the Misano circuit to celebrate the life of the former 250 cc World Champion.
TELEVISION TIMES BBC/BRITISH EUROSPORT
Friday 15 September
1210 – 1500 British Eurosport – Live Practice Moto3, MotoGP, Moto2
Saturday 16 September
1150 – 1505 BBC Red Button & British Eurosport - Live Qualifying Moto3, MotoGP, Moto2
Sunday 17 September
0955 – 1205 BBC Red Button – Live Moto3 and Moto2 races
0945 – 1200 British Eurosport – Live Moto3 and Moto2 races
1230 – 1400 BBC2 and HD Live MotoGP race