Trackhouse Racing reaches the ultimate spherical of its inaugural season within the MotoGP World Championship – in Barcelona, for the second time within the 12 months. America’s solely consultant workforce within the premier class of Grand Prix bike racing returns to Catalunya, together with the remainder of the Championship groups, within the wake of the apocalyptic flooding that hit Valencia, the venue initially slated to host the final race of the season, simply over one week in the past.
Titled the Solidarity Grand Prix as a gesture of sympathy and assist for the individuals of Valencia, the place over 200 residents died within the flood waters that engulfed the area and the place there are nonetheless many lacking, the ultimate spherical of the season pays its respects on the Barcelona observe to these misplaced, unaccounted for, or displaced from their properties. Positioned simply over 200 miles to the north-east of Valencia, the circuit escaped the worst of the Dana climate phenomenon – when heat, moist air meets chilly air, creating an unstable climate system – which induced the devastation and given its proximity, holding the ultimate race of the 12 months within the area, permits for the fund-raising occasions and present of assist from the MotoGP Paddock deliberate by the weekend for all these so badly affected.
The 2024 MotoGP World Championship has nonetheless to award the #1 plate for ‘25 to the person who makes it to Victory Lane on the Catalunya Circuit and whereas all eyes shall be on that story, the Trackhouse Group may even have motive for celebrations and reflection. First off, the ultimate race will mark the return of the #88 – our Portuguese star, Miguel Oliveira, who joined the Trackhouse MotoGP venture on the outset, scored the Group’s first podium in Germany, however has been pressured to take a seat on the side-lines since his wrist fracture, sustained at Mandalika Circuit, Indonesia, again in late September.
The workforce are grateful to Aprilia manufacturing unit check rider, Lorenzo Savadori, who stepped as much as pilot Miguel’s bike in his absence and now very fortunately trying ahead to welcoming the #88 again and seeing him on his Trackhouse Aprilia RS-GP bike, one ultimate time earlier than he strikes to pastures new for 2025.
The person who has signed to interchange Miguel, is another excuse for pleasure through the coming days in Barcelona – Ai Ogura, the younger Japanese sensation who wrapped up the intermediate, Moto2, class World Championship only a couple three weeks again, in Thailand, will make his debut on a Trackhouse RS-GP24, on the Tuesday following the ultimate Grand Prix of the present 12 months. Tuesday, November 19, shall be an auspicious day for the person out of Kiyose, Japan – the primary time he’ll roll-out onto pit-road as a MotoGP rider, along with his #79 adorning the nostril of the premier class Aprilia prototype. Trackhouse is trying ahead to welcoming Ai into The Home and supporting him for the following step in his profession – his opening season in 2025 on the pinnacle of bike racing.
For #25, Raul Fernandez, a return to the Catalunya Circuit will carry constructive recollections of his weekend right here, earlier within the season. A entrance row qualifying efficiency, main the Dash race and a sixth place within the Catalunya Grand Prix made the weekend a breakout for Raul. On the conclusion of this go to to the observe, with all different present riders discovering a future elsewhere, Raul will return for the pre-2025 season check as essentially the most senior race rider on Aprilia know-how and shall be seeking to proceed the event work he has been enterprise in current races to offer the Noale manufacturing unit a powerful lead forward of subsequent 12 months.
Whereas Ai shall be making his Trackhouse debut in Barcelona, the Trackhouse Racing Group shall be marking the ultimate race of its debut in MotoGP. Having first proven its colours to the world, at a worldwide premier in Milan, again in December 2023, America’s solely MotoGP class workforce launched its season at a star-studded rooftop occasion in Hollywood – leisure capital of the world – in January after which received on observe for the primary time on the opening check of 2024, at Sepang, in Malaysia. Its opening race, below the lights, at Spherical 1 in Qatar heralded its very first begin. Since then, outcomes by the season haven’t matched the ambitions of the Trackhouse group, however #25 Raul Fernandez main within the Catalunya Dash race and coming house sixth within the Sunday Grand Prix, along with #88 Miguel Oliveira scoring the workforce’s first podium within the Sachsenring Dash, are performances which have hinted on the potential in future.
Final time, on the Grand Prix of Catalunya again in late Might, the Trackhouse riders each confirmed pace. Raul certified third on the grid for the races and though the Dash resulted in a double DNF – Raul led within the opening laps earlier than happening and Miguel ran in seventh earlier than he additionally crashed out – the Grand Prix on the Sunday gave the workforce a double high ten with the #25 crossing the ending stripe in sixth and the #88 shut behind in tenth.
One other double high ten, this time within the Solidarity Grand Prix Dash on Saturday, or Sunday’s ultimate essential race of the 2024 season, could be a delightful consequence for the rookie outfit and all at Trackhouse headquarters again in Charlotte, North Carolina.
MIGUEL OLIVEIRA
“I’m actually excited to come back again to racing MotoGP. My expectations usually are not very excessive as a result of I don’t understand how restricted my wrist is till I get again on the bike and it’s a Grand Prix with blended emotions for positive, however my purpose is to depart the Trackhouse workforce on a excessive. We, clearly, shall be racing to assemble some hope and likewise funds for these affected by the catastrophic occasions in Valencia so general – I’m trying ahead to it!”
Championship standing: fifteenth – 71 factors
RAUL FERNANDEZ
“Initially, we are going to race for all of the individuals affected in Valencia. What occurred there may be nonetheless a shock, so we are going to compete for them. Barcelona is an efficient observe for us and though we are going to preserve working for subsequent 12 months primarily, I want to end the final spherical of the season effectively. The consequence we had right here, in Barcelona, final time makes me actually optimistic. I might nonetheless like to remain calm, take it session by session and attempt to do my finest.”
Championship standing: sixteenth – 66 factors
WILCO ZEELENBERG – TEAM MANAGER
“In fact, let’s hope Barcelona goes to be a really particular occasion, to start with, for the explanation we go there, which isn’t the perfect. Let’s attempt to do every little thing for the individuals in Valencia to assist them in no matter approach we are able to. Because the MotoGP group says, we don’t race in Valencia, however we race for Valencia – I feel that is very properly stated and makes this second spherical in Barcelona very particular. For our workforce, it would even be a particular one as a result of Miguel is getting back from damage and Raul led the Dash race, at this house occasion right here, early in summer time. Our bike labored fairly effectively there earlier than so we are going to see if we are able to obtain the race outcomes of the previous. I’m trying ahead to going there, the final MotoGP race of this season and possibly additionally, the ultimate one in all my profession. Aside from that, I feel the workforce shall be prepared for this final occasion of the season.”
DAVIDE BRIVIO – TEAM PRINCIPAL
“We’re going to Barcelona for the final race with blended emotions after what occurred in Valencia and persevering with to control the scenario there. It was speculated to be our large, finish of 12 months occasion and the nice factor is that we hope that with funds that may be raised from this race, in Barcelona, we are able to now be useful to the individuals of Valencia and basically for all of the Spanish inhabitants. From a sporting point-of-view, it is extremely fascinating for us to return to Barcelona, after the race we had right here in Might, the place we had Raul beginning on the entrance row and main the Dash earlier than crashing – so we had been fairly quick there and it will likely be fascinating to see, after the months which have previous, the place we’re this time. Additionally, the very constructive information is that Miguel shall be again with us! We’re very blissful to have the ability to end the tip of this season collectively, earlier than we transfer on for 2025 with new challenges – significantly in Miguel’s case. So, we’re actually trying ahead to Barcelona; aiming to have a profitable weekend on observe and hoping that we are able to present our assist for all of the individuals affected by the catastrophe in Valencia and pleased with any assist the weekend can carry to them.”
