Tech 3 Racing Review Argentina MotoGP Race

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Marcel Schrotter produced a sterling display to finish just outside the top ten, in 11th position at the Autodromo Termas de Rio Hondo in Northern Argentina, for the first ever Moto2 round at the track.

The German rider had a good start, keeping his 12th place on the starting grid in the first sector, but then dropped back to 20th position after contact with another rider during the opening lap. However, Schrotter remained focused and rode with grit, and began ascending up the field with a rapid and consistent pace during the following laps at the sun soaked Argentinian circuit. He moved up to 13th place before becoming involved in an exhilarating battle for 8th with six additional riders midway through the race. The Moto2 rider remained with the ferocious pack, until crossing the finish line in a hard fought ride to 11th in what was another encouraging performance by the 21 year old German and the Tech3 Racing Team at the new South American round.

Marcel Schrotter produced a sterling display to finish just outside the top ten, in 11th position at the Autodromo Termas de Rio Hondo in Northern Argentina, for the first ever Moto2 round at the track. 

Ricky Cardus’ hopes of scoring his third set of consistent points for the Tech3 Racing Team, as he replaces Alex Mariñelarena during his recovery process, came to a bitter end when he unfortunately fell during the second lap in today’s Moto2 race in Argentina. Having qualified in 18th, the Spanish rider once again undertook a solid start and moved up to 16th position in the first lap before crashing out uninjured, in what was a disappointing end to an otherwise positive weekend at the new 4.803 metre Circuito Termas de Rio Hondo.

Marcel Schrotter - Race : 11th - Championship : 14th - 12 Points :

“I am quite happy with the result, even if I wanted to finish the race inside the top ten. The beginning of the race was tough as it always is in Moto2. Every rider is really competitive, and even if I try to be aggressive, and brake as late as possible and protect my lines, there are still riders attempting to get past. It’s difficult to stay out of the danger with the overtaking and after contact with another rider I lost numerous positions. But once everything had calmed down, passing was still not easy because of everybody being in the slipstream on the long straight, so we got to the corner a lot faster. Also there was no wind today and I had to modify all my braking points. Many riders made lots of mistakes, so I just tried to remain calm and get my rhythm, without losing the group and tried to come back. In the end, the race was not too bad, and the lap times were quite good so I am pleased to score another points finish. We need to work on the start and the first few laps. If we can improve there and keep our positions then I think we will have a better result in Jerez. “

Ricky Cardus - Race : DNF - Championship : 15th - 10 Points :

“I am disappointed with my performance today. I felt a little nervous and I was too keen to move up the field as quickly as I did. Starting at the rear of the field is never easy, and I tried my best to solve this by overtaking, but I pushed too hard and crashed out on lap two losing the rear of the bike. It was my own fault, I just wanted too much too quickly and I am sorry for the Tech3 Racing Team, because the aim was to be competitive for the whole weekend, and to continue like I did in free practice. Of course, I remain optimistic and look forward to racing at Jerez, where I am certain I will be able to get a good, points scoring result.”

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Tech 3 Racing Review Austin Moto2 Race

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The Tech3 Racing Moto2 Team completed a successful weekend at the Circuit of the Americas with both riders undertaking convincing displays and finishing inside the top 10 in round 2 of the Moto2 World Championship. The race was initially delayed at the start due to the weather conditions, however it did not disrupt the 19 lap race at the 5.513 kilometre Texan circuit.

Marcel Schrotter skilfully guided his Mistral 610 across the finish line in a hard fought 9th place, to score his first championship points of the Moto2 season. The young German had a positive start and held his qualifying position of 10th place during the opening minutes of the race. He then became involved in a battle for 9th, in the fiercely competitive intermediate class, before slipping back to 11th. Schrotter maintained a consistent pace and caught the 10th position rider in front. He proceeded to power past and clinch 9th at the chequered flag.

Stand in rider Ricky Cardus fought intrepidly during the Moto2 Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas to finish strongly in 10th place. After an unfortunate qualifying session yesterday, which saw him finish in 22nd position because of an early crash, the young Spanish rider had a magnificent start in a typically chaotic opening lap in the Moto2 class. He made ten places to find himself in 12th position when passing the finish line for the first time during the race. Cardus, then moved up to 8th, before battling for 7th place. The Spanish rider, who continues to replace the recovering Alex Mariñelarena, eventually slipped back and was overtaken by his teammate before crossing the line in 10th place while collecting his second set of championship points for the team. 

Marcel Schrotter - 9th - 7 points:

“I am really happy about my race today. The start of the weekend was tough, but I managed to qualify well and had a strong race. It was not easy to keep concentration on the starting grid, as we had to wait for a long time and I was wondering how the track would be after the slight rain. Still my start was good, and I got through the first corner well. There was a lot of overtaking during the first laps, and all the riders were pushing hard, so I didn’t want to take too many risks straight away. Once everything had settled and I was alone, I got into a good rhythm, and caught the group in front of me half way through the race. I could have even overtaken DeAngelis at the end but unfortunately I continued to make several small mistakes just before the long straight, where the acceleration is vital. With the worn tyres, there was also a bit of chatter, but I am still very happy with our top 10 result, which is my best ever finish in the Moto2 class, and we will continue to work full of confidence for the next race in Argentina”.

Ricky Cardus – 10th – 10 points:

“I’m truly happy about today’s race, even if it has been a very hard and demanding one. Because of a small injury, I could not train as much cardio as I wanted to, so I felt really tired towards the end of the race. I had a great start and could recover positions quickly, so that even after starting from 22nd position I could stay the whole race with the group from 6th to 11th. Tenth is my best ever finish in the World Championship, so once again I want to say that I’m really thankful for the opportunity to be here with Tech3 Racing and I want to send a hug to Alex Mariñelarena who is recovering at home. His bike is waiting for him because even if it is an individual sport we have to be human and no one wants to take advantage of the injury of some another rider. For as long as I can, I will do my best and enjoy riding for Tech3 because they are really doing a fantastic job to help me”.

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Tech 3 Review Austin Moto2 Day 2

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Marcel Schrotter produced a spirited display today with the Mistral 610 around the Circuit of the Americas to climb to 10th position for tomorrow’s Moto2 Grand Prix.

The young German rider completed a highly successful qualifying campaign today at round two of the Moto2 World Championship by guiding his Mistral 610 inside the top ten, in the ferociously competitive intermediate class. Despite some early issues, Schrotter worked tirelessly with his Tech3 Racing Moto2 Team to complete the session with a best time of 2:10.857. The lap time was just over seven tenths from the leading Moto2 bike, and quicker than his best lap from FP1 by a massive two and a half seconds. Schrotter will now fight to finish inside the top ten and score his first points in tomorrow’s 19 lap race.

Ricky Cardus today rode to 22nd in the Moto2 Qualifying session around the 5.513 kilometre Texan circuit. Unfortunately a fall at the beginning of the session impacted upon his finishing time, as his Mistral 610 was damaged. After closing positively yesterday’s practice session in 9th position, Cardus, who continues to replace the recovering Alex Mariñelarena, produced a best time of 2:12.130. Although the young Spanish rider will start from the rear of the field, he remains hopeful of finishing in the top15 and scoring points.

Marcel Schrotter - 10th - 2:10.857:

“This weekend we managed to improve with every session. Unfortunately, we struggled a little to find a base setup in the early stages and also I needed some time to feel comfortable with myself on the bike. Afterwards we tried to find the best gear ratios for the tight corners on this track, as I wasn’t sure which would be the best configuration for the race. But finally this afternoon, I was really content with my Mistral 610. As in Qatar, we always improve in time for the qualifying session and I think we were better prepared today than 2 weeks ago. I managed to improve the time from this morning by 1.3 seconds and I felt really comfortable on the bike. Also, the fact that I did my quickest lap on my own makes me truly confident for tomorrow. With a good start we can have a strong race, as my pace on used tyres this morning was very promising”.

Ricky Cardus - 22nd - 2:12.130 :

Actually, the qualifying has been the worst session of the whole weekend. I made a silly mistake at the beginning of the practice and afterwards my dashboard was not working properly ; for example I had no lights indicating the gear shifting and it was hard to turn the bike. We still managed to do a 2:12.1min that I have to be happy with considering my mistake. So unfortunately we have to start from the back in 22nd position. We have been strong and competitive all weekend, and I feel very confident with the used tyres, so I’m sure that with a good start we can recover numerous positions and finish in the top 15. The race will be long, but also enjoyable and if the weather stays dry we will see some good battles and overtaking.

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Tech 3 Racing Race Review Losail Moto2

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Spanish stand-in rider Ricky Cardus produced a strong finish in 12th position on his debut outing for the Tech3 Racing Team aboard the Mistral 610 at the floodlit opening Qatar Grand Prix.

Replacing the injured Alex Mariñelarena, who returned this week to his native Spain as he continues his recovery programme, Cardus  qualified in 18th position, having only ridden the French team’s exclusively designed and built Moto2 bike at the final pre-season test in Jerez before the Commercial Bank of Qatar Grand Prix.

Cardus undertook a positive start and progressed up to 10th place during the race. He consistently challenged for a top ten position and became embroiled in a thrilling battle with for example Kallio, West or Simeon. A last lap fall by another rider caused Cardus to take evasive action to avoid the crash, and slowed his rhythm meaning he ultimately crossed the line in 12th position.

Marcel Schrotter’s debut on the Tech3 Racing Team’s Mistral 610 for the 2014 Moto2 World Championship unfortunately came to a difficult end having crashed out on lap 12 after fighting for a points scoring finish. After having worked restlessly to solve chatter issues during the practice sessions, Schrotter qualified in an impressive 13th position and was fully confident of challenging for a top ten finish.  The young German rider had a positive start before running wide and losing positions but showed grit and determination and rode at a rapid pace to regain ground and overtook several riders, whilst closing in on a point scoring position. Unfortunately he fell at the final corner of the Losail International Circuit, with 8 laps to go, whilst trying to overtake Baldassari.

Ricky Cardus – 12th -  4points:

“I’m happy to finish the race with a few points as a thank you for the Tech3 Racing Team and the faith they put in me, but on the other hand I’m also a bit disappointed because I think we still could have done better. I really had a positive start and moved up the order quite smoothly. So I found myself battling with Lowes and Kallio at the early stages, but I had to push hard to follow them and when they lowered the lap times I decided to keep my rhythm in order to feel a bit more comfortable without taking too much risk of crashing as I was determined to score points for the team. During the last lap, I was touched by a falling rider on the back of the bike, but luckily I managed to avoid a fall. Straight afterwards in the last corner Simeon run into my bike pushing me outside and both him and Folger managed to pass me. I definitely needed to be a bit more aggressive but for sure I won’t make the same mistake during the next round in Austin”.

Marcel Schrotter - DNF:

“I am truly disappointed with today’s result as we lost a good possibility to start the championship in a strong fashion. My grid position was promising and also the feeling with the bike had improved after a tricky weekend so far.  The start itself was not bad either, but in the first corner I decided to stay outside, and unfortunately could not keep my line as I got pushed wide and had to avoid a crash. I started to recover quickly until I made a mistake a few laps later running into the gravel. I was 21st when I came back to the track, but again I was able to catch up the riders in front of me. This shows how positive my feeling with the bike was and I am really confident in saying that a top ten position would have been possible, but crashed at the last corner as I lost the front whilst trying to pass Baldassari . Now I can just looking forward to the next round in Texas in a couple of weeks.”

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Tech 3 Racing Review Losail Moto2 Day 3

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Tech3 Racing Team’s Marcel Schrotter and stand-in rider Ricky Cardus will begin the opening race in 13th and 18th position after today’s Moto2 qualifying impress at the flood lit Losail International circuit in Qatar.

Both riders made their Tech3 Racing Team debuts on the exclusive French designed and built 600cc Moto2 motorcycle, and qualified within the top 20 with high hopes of challenging for championship points in tomorrow’s race. 

Marcel Schrotter produced a solid and confident qualifying debut aboard the Mistral 610 in preparation for the 20 lap race around the 5.38 kilometre circuit tomorrow. Overnight rain and wind initially impacted upon the amount of traction levels, however grip improved as the track cleaned. Nevertheless, Schrotter worked relentlessly with the Tech3 Racing Team, and after undertaking changes to his set up, completed the qualifying session with a best time of 2:00.994, leaving him in 13th place. The young German’s time was less than a second behind the Moto2 lap record at Qatar in the fiercely fought intermediate class. 

Ricky Cardus completed the qualifying session for the Commercial Bank of Qatar Grand Prix in 18th place, with the young Spanish rider standing in for Alex Mariñelarena who continues to recover from injury. Cardus who only had limited time during the preseason to familiarise himself with the Mistral 610 Moto2 bike, finished with a best personal lap time of 2:01.185 with this time was over a second quicker than his qualifying time from last year.

Marcel Schrotter - 13th -2:00.994:

“Overall I am happy with how we finished today, although it has been a bit of a tricky week so far. We arrived here from the Jerez test with a really good base setup, but unfortunately, it didn’t work as well at this circuit. Today we changed the bikes settings before qualifying and these modifications helped me improve, although there was still a small issue with chatter. This meant I had to change some of the riding lines to solve the problem, but I managed to qualify as well as possible, which I am happy about. There is still some work to do, and I still need to choose the tyre we will use for the race during tomorrow’s warm up but I like this track, and of course, the aim is to finish in the top ten. I am excited for tomorrow’s race with the Mistral and am also really happy with the work the Tech3 Racing Team is doing.”

Ricky Cardus - 18th - 2:01.185:

“I am happy with how everything went today, and the lap times up to 11th place were really close and I could have reached them. I know I can still improve quite a lot as I every additional minute on the bike helps me to understand it better, and it was unfortunate that I had a small crash at the end of the session which happened because I lost concentration for a second. However, I am determined to score points as a thank you to the team for the faith they have placed in me and the Mistral feels really good. The Tech3 Racing Team is working very well with me, so I am pleased, and I look forward the race tomorrow. I also want to say that I am very happy to hear that Alex is recovering well and is now back in Spain.”

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Tech 3 Racing Review Jerez Moto2 Test

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Tech3 Racing Team’s Marcel Schrotter and stand in rider Ricky Cardus today concluded the final pre-season test at the Circuito de Jerez in southern Spain, with just over a week  until the start of the Moto2 World Championship. After various developments and improvements were made during the winter by the Tech3 Racing Team to enhance the Mistral 610, the team took advantage of three days of near perfect weather conditions to make the final preparations before the beginning of the season.

Marcel Schrotter concluded his last preseason test with a general feeling of positivity and optimism for the 2014 Moto2 World Championship. The young German worked tirelessly to establish his base set up and then undertook slight modification changes, in particular on the front section of his bike to improve brake stability and turning. Schrotter had an unfortunate crash in the afternoon which forced him to run into the gravel. However, he was uninjured and the bike was not majorly damaged. With his confidence and experience increasing consistently, the young German and his Tech3 Racing Team finished the session with a best lap 1:43.149 in 16th position.   

Young Spanish rider Ricky Cardus began his adaptation to the Mistral 610 at Jerez this week, in preparation for the opening Moto2 race at Qatar. Cardus is temporarily replacing the injured Alex Mariñelarena who is recovering from an injury sustained at a private test at the end of February. Having never ridden the Tech 3 Racing Team bike before, the Spaniard proceeded to undertake a shake-down initially, having not raced a Moto2 motorcycle since the last season’s final round at Valencia. On the following days, his knowledge of the Mistral 610 grew, as his confidence did. At the close of the test, Cardus finished the session in 26th place with a best time of 1:44.029.

Marcel Schrotter – 1:43.159 – 16th:

“I am quite happy with the work we have done over the past three days as we managed to test a lot of settings to make the bike more comfortable over race distance. We focused mainly on the front section of the Mistral, trying to improve the braking and turning. A big positive that I can take home is that all of the fastest laps were on old tyres, which gives me confidence in race distance. I feel there is still some improvement to be made with how the bike reacts on new tyres, but this was never the main aim at this test. I am looking forward to Qatar and feel confident of fighting for top 10 finishes and having a good season this year”.

Ricky Cardus – 1:44.029 – 26th:

“First of all, I want to say thank you to the team for the opportunity and the faith they placed in me to test their bike. Of course, it’s not the way I’d like to get on the bike, and I really hope Alex recovers quickly. In all honesty, the test went well and was a really good experience. At first, after 3 months of not riding, I struggled to adapt straight away. I saw how far back I was and became slightly nervous. However, with more time on the bike I improved and felt better every day. My fastest lap could have been quicker but unfortunately I made a mistake in it. The lap time was not the most important part of this test for me, as I needed to prepare myself as much as possible for the first race, which I am really looking forward to”. 

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Ricky Cardus announced as Tech3s Moto2 replacement for Marinelarena

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Ricky Cardus will replace Tech3 Racing Team’s Alex Mariñelarena for the temporary future. The Spanish rider will replace Mariñelarena until he has fully recovered from his recent injury and is fit enough to compete in the Moto2 races.

Mariñelarena was involved in an incident during a private test at the Paul Ricard circuit, South France for Team Tech3 Racing on the 27th February. He suffered a heavy fall which knocked him out of consciousness and placed into a medically induced coma by the medical staff at the Saint-Anne Hospital in Toulon. 

After nearly one week of deep sleep, Mariñelarena awoke from the coma on the morning of Wednesday 5th March, 2014. The recovery process is now underway for the 21year old Spanish rider, but the date of his return is as of yet unknown. 

Cardus, from Barcelona, contested in the Spanish CEV Buckler championship before competing as a wildcard in the 125cc world championship several times and riding half a season as a substitute in Moto2 in 2010. The Spanish rider then undertook three full time seasons from 2011 to 2013 in the Moto2 World Championship aboard various chassis to point scoring finishes.

Cardus will begin with the Tech3 Racing Team on Tuesday 11th March, 2014 at the three day Moto2 pre-season test at Jerez, Spain.

Ricky Cardus: 

“Firstly, I want to say that I am really happy about having the possibility to ride for the Tech3 Racing Team, but of course it is not the ideal way to get a ride with Alex being injured. I want to wish him the very best with his recovery, and I hope to see him racing soon. I am excited to ride the Mistral 610 at Jerez this week, and will try my best in assisting the team. Thank you to the Tech3 Racing Team for the opportunity.”

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Alex Marinelarena’s condition improved

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Alex Marinelarena, who was injured during a private test at the Paul Ricard Circuit in the south of France last Thursday, awoke this morning from the medically induced cma he was put under. After nearly one week in a deep sleep,  the 21 year old rider was today, able to move his arms and legs as well as speak.

Further examinations will now follow to clarify his condition, but the recovery process has already started.

The Marinelarena family and the whole Tech3 Racing Team wish to thank everyone sincerely for the numerous thoughts and wishes sent during these tough days.

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[Press Release] Alex Marinelarena suffers injury during a private test

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the Tech3 Racing Team was testing together with the Technomag carXpert Team at the Paul Ricard Circuit in the south of France, to continue the preparations for the forthcoming 2014 Moto2 World Championship. 

During the afternoon hours, Alex Marinelarena suffered a heavy fall which knocked him out of consciousness. While the medical staff of the circuit were administering first aid at the scene, the 21 year old Spanish rider was awake and able speak to the doctors. He was then taken to the Saint-Anne hospital in Toulon to undergo further examinations, where the medical staff  decided to put him into a medically induced coma.

There is no further medical information regarding Alex’s condition available for the moment, but the Tech3 Racing Team will provide information as soon as his condition improves.

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Tech 3 Racing Review Jerez Moto2 Test

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Tech3 Racing Team’s Marcel Schrotter and Álex Mariñelarena concluded the second pre-season, three day test at Circuito de Jerez, in southern Spain today. Both riders continued to make strides forward and took advantage of the additional time with the Mistral 610, Moto2 bike around the 4.423 kilometre circuit.  

The weather was predominantly good in Andalucía, although the Moto2 riders did not ride until after 13:00 on the opening day, due to waiting for the circuit to dry from the previous day’s rain. Conditions on Wednesday were clear, but a slight fog on Thursday morning did not recede until lunchtime, and caused cooler temperatures for the remainder of the day.

Marcel Schrotter continued to learn and explore options with his Tech3 Racing Team Mistral 610, which is entirely designed and produced by the French motorsport team. After running a race simulation today and working closely with the Tech3 Racing Team, Schrotter proceeded to adapt and make advancements towards finding a feeling with the bike which would suit his riding style. His progress was positive, as he significantly improved his lap times over the three day test. Working from the base setup which he rode with in Valencia, the Bavarian rider completed the opening session of testing on Tuesday with a 1:45.112. After some fine tuning, the young German rider found a comfortable setup, and finished the test in 14th position, with a best time of 1:43.209. The reduction in time amounted to almost two seconds from his first outing on Tuesday.

Álex Mariñelarena further accustomed himself with the Mistral 610 which he will compete with in his inaugural, full time Moto2 season this year. Continuing from his testing in Valencia, the young Spanish rider built on his experience and knowledge of the Moto2 bike and completed 180 laps at Jerez. With his Tech3 Racing Team, he experimented with various set up strategies, and worked around minor obstacles in preparation for the season’s opening race. With the former CEV Buckler race winner’s confidence ever growing, his lap times proceeded to reduce. Mariñelarena’s fastest time on the opening day of testing was 1:44.499. By the conclusion of the test on Thursday evening, the young Spanish rider’s best time was 1:43.367, which left him in 20th position, an improvement of over a second.

Tech3 Racing Team’s Moto2 riders will attend one final testing session before the season opener at the Losail Circuit, Qatar on the 23rd of March. The next session will commence on the 11th of March at the Circuito De Jerez, Spain.

Marcel Schrotter - 14th- 1:43.209:

“Altogether, I’m pretty happy with how this test went. The gap to fifth position is not even half a second, which is a good position to start from for the final test here in 3 weeks. Despite the weather not being ideal, we managed to work through our test schedule on the last day, which was very important especially after the time we lost in Valencia. We tried numerous setup modifications and made some really good progress. At the beginning of the test we concentrated especially on improving the turning of the bike, which I’m really happy with now. Today, I did my first long run, as we wanted to collect data about my feeling with the bike on used tyres.”

Alex Marinelarena - 20th - 1:43.367:

“This was a positive test for us. On the first day, the team and I worked on the turning of the bike, which we improved a lot and I am happy about. On Wednesday, there was an issue with the rear tyre which kept spinning a lot, but today we solved this and I improved my times quickly after. The bike felt very good and the gap to first place is only just over a second. This test was a steady improvement, after 180 laps in three test days, we are going home happy. We have improved our CEV pole by six tenths of a second."

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Tech 3 Racing Review Moto2 Valencia Test

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Tech 3’s Marcel Schrotter and Álex Mariñelarena today completed the first of three pre-season tests at the Circuit de la Comunitat Valenciana in positive spirits, in preparation for the 2014 Moto2 World Championship. 

The all new rider line up tested the Tech3 Racing Team’s exclusively self-designed and engineered Mistral 610 and eased back into the racing after a lengthy off season. Additionally, both riders explored different set ups, and became accustomed to the new 2014 spec Moto2 bikes. 

Although the weather in Valencia did not initially provide ideal conditions for the Moto2 riders on the opening day with cold winds chilling track temperatures, Wednesday and Thursday were warmer and supplied the Moto2 riders with good conditions for the opening test. 

Marcel Schrotter joins the Tech3 Racing Team having already spent several years in different classes in the World Championship. The German rider began the test by familiarizing himself with the Mistral 610, before exploring set-ups which would suit his riding style. Working relentlessly with his new team, Schrotter pushed forward and set encouraging lap times, despite a minor crash on Tuesday afternoon. This incident did not lower his confidence, and he proceeded to better his lap time to 1:36.684 which was one and a half seconds quicker than his initial time set on Tuesday. The Bavarian rider finished the testing session in 19th.

Álex Mariñelarena continued his learning experience of the Mistral 610 at Valencia as he begins his first, full time campaign with the Tech3 Racing Team this year. The young Spaniard’s time on track was restricted due to an early fall in the Tuesday session. He was uninjured but consequently lost track time due to repairs. However, the former CEV Buckler race winner regained his confidence and continued to push onward during the following days, and lowered his lap times. Mariñelarena finished the test with a best time of 1:37.015, having amassed 25 laps on the final day. His final placing was 25th.

Preparations for the season opener at the Losail Circuit in Qatar on the 23rd with Tech3 Racing Team’s Moto2 riders aiming to optimize the testing time before the season begins. The next testing session will commence on the 18th of February at the Circuito De Jerez, Spain.

Marcel Schrotter – 19th – 1:36.684:

“I am happy with how the test went. There were a few issues yesterday and this morning, with the bike suffering from chatter. This was unfortunate as the team and I were unable to work through our test schedule which we planned. Once this was solved, I had a good feeling with the bike and improved quickly. There are still six days of testing left, and I am confident that I will be prepared and be closer to the front as Qatar approaches."

Álex Mariñelarena - 25th – 1:37.015:

“Overall, I am quite happy. I was disappointed to have crashed on the first day, which meant that we lost the whole day of testing. On the second day, the team had to change the engine, which meant that we lost even more time. However, once everything was repaired on Wednesday afternoon, I was happy with how the bike felt and was also pleased with some of the other improvements the team made. I am feeling really confident and am looking forward to Jerez. I want say a big thanks to my Tech3 Racing Team for all of their work this week as well.”

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Tech 3 Racing Moto2 Press Release Moto2 Phillip Island Race

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The Tech 3 Racing Team experienced a day of contrasting fortunes for Danny Kent and Louis Rossi in a shortened Tissot Australian Moto2 Grand Prix at the picturesque Phillip Island track.

This afternoon’s race was run over a reduced distance of just 13-laps after official tyre supplier Dunlop requested a revised format on safety grounds because of tyre endurance concerns on new asphalt at the spectacular 4.4km coastal circuit.

The sprint race started superbly for Rossi, who got a fast start and was quickly able to move into contention for his first points scoring finish since the Dutch TT in Assen.

Rossi has been fast and consistent all weekend on board the Mistral 610 machine, which is designed and developed exclusively by the French-based Tech 3 squad for World Championship competition.

With air temperatures reaching an unusually high 27 degrees, Rossi’s impressive charge through the field took him to 12th position, which put him firmly on course to score a season best finish.

He was confident he could continue moving forward when he tumbled unhurt out at the Siberia right-hand corner on lap six in an incident that was the consequence of a engine issue.

Rossi’s exit out of contention promoted Kent into the top 15 and the British rider enjoyed an exciting fight with compatriot Gino Rea for 13th position, which went right down to the chequered flag.

The 19-year-old was able to hold off the determined challenge of Rea and his reward was a third successive points scoring finish for the first time in the 2013 World Championship campaign.

The Tech 3 Racing Team now heads to Japan for the conclusion of a gruelling three-week world tour before the season ends in Valencia next month.

Danny Kent 13th

“I can’t deny I was quite fortunate to score points today. There were a lot of crashes, people jumping the start and early in the race I was struggling with the pain in my neck and shoulder after the crash on Friday. I got more comfortable once the adrenaline kicked in and I was having a good battle with Gino at the end of the race. It was pretty easy to follow him and with two laps to go I passed him, but when you’re in front the wind blows you around a lot. I just made sure I stayed consistent and I was fast enough to keep him behind me and after a difficult weekend I am happy to be back in the points.”

Louis Rossi

“I am very disappointed because the entire weekend was very positive. We made a good step for the race with the bike and I got a fast start and was catching the group in front. I had just braked for the Siberia turn when I felt the rear wheel lock and I went into the gravel. I couldn’t keep control of the bike and crashed, but fortunately I was unhurt. In the meantime we understood that it was an issue with the engine so it's even more frustrating and a big shame because this has been a very tough season and this weekend I was competitive and improving a lot, so I am sure I could have scored my best result of 2013."

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Kent equals career best Moto2 finish in searing Sepang heat

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A record Malaysian Grand Prix crowd witnessed Tech 3 Racing Team rider Danny Kent equal his career best Moto2 World Championship result today in a restarted race at the spectacular Sepang International Circuit.

The British rider claimed a fantastic 12th position in a battle that was shortened from the original 19-lap distance to 12 laps following a multi-rider first lap accident that gave Race Direction no option but to halt proceedings.

Once the action got underway again in physically demanding heat that saw air temperatures nudge over the 30 degree mark, Kent made a brilliant start from 16th to fight his way to the brink of the top 10 on the opening lap.

He dropped back to his starting position but then mounted a superb counter attack that thrust him back to the head of an exciting five-rider tussle involving former Moto3 adversary Sandro Cortese, Anthony West, Ricky Cardus and Marcel Schrotter.

Kent remained ice cool under pressure and rode an immaculate final few laps to keep the group behind him to score points in successive races for the first time on the French designed and built Mistral 610 machine.

An aggressive start was also pivotal in helping Louis Rossi enjoy one of his best performances in the second half of the 2013 Moto2 World Championship.

Starting from 22nd, the French rider was able to set a fast and consistent rhythm to move quickly inside the top 20. He continued to move forward in the rankings and climbed into 17th, but just ran out of time in his bid to make a pass on home crowd favourite Hafizh Syahrin.

Today’s race was the third race in succession that Rossi has finished inside the top 20 and he is looking to mount a strong challenge for the points scoring places next weekend at the magnificent Phillip Island track in Australia. 

Danny Kent 12th – 12 points:

“I am really happy to get back in the points and it was good to get a better position than Sandro because he has been my benchmark all season after we moved up together from Moto3. It was a really good battle with a strong group behind me and I am content that I kept my pace consistent without giving anybody the chance to take 12th off me. I think I could have pulled away from the pack but all weekend I’ve been having some issue with brake fade and it happened again in the race, so I had to change my style and it took me a few laps to adapt. But I am pleased and I enjoyed being in a fight and I can look forward to another strong race in Australia, which is a track I like.”

Louis Rossi 17th – 3 points:

“I am happy to have had another strong ride but part of me is also a bit disappointed because I think I could have scored some points. Unfortunately I made a couple of small mistakes in the first laps and I lost contact with the group. I am pleased with how I came back strongly and I kept fighting right to the end. I am close to the points again like in the last couple of races, so now I have to focus on making another step to ensure I finish inside the points at Phillip Island.”

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Danny Kent to leave Tech 3 Racing at the end of 2013

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The Tech 3 Racing Moto2 Team and Danny Kent have reached an amicable agreement for the British rider to leave the French-based squad at the end 2013.

With four races of the 2013 Moto2 World Championship campaign remaining, the Tech 3 Racing Team remains fully committed and determined to helping Kent achieve the best results possible before he moves on to seek a fresh challenge next season.

The Tech 3 Racing Team and its staff wish to place on record its gratitude for Kent’s dedication to improving the French designed and built Mistral 610 machine and wishes him well for the future.

Joining the passionate and highly respected Tech 3 Racing outfit for 2014 will be Spanish rider Alex Mariñelarena, who will partner German Marcel Schrotter.

Mariñelarena has made five Moto2 starts and he enjoyed a breakthrough result at the Motorland Aragon track last time out when he scored his first World Championship points in 14th.

Impressed by his hunger for success and eagerness to learn and help progress the Mistral 610 project in 2014, the Tech 3 Racing Team is looking forward to working with the 21-year-old, who is currently second in the Spanish CEV Moto2 series with three wins to his credit.

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Determined Kent claims hard fought top 15 at Motorland Aragon

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A determined display from Tech 3 Racing Team rider Danny Kent secured the British a hard earned third points scoring finish of the 2013 Moto2 World Championship in Spain today.

In cloudy and windy conditions that were significantly cooler than Friday and Saturday at the Motorland Aragon, Kent recovered brilliantly from a disappointing start from 16th on the grid to fight his way into the points from outside of the top 20.

It looked like his hard charge back through the field would leave him just outside the points in 16th position but an incident packed final lap that saw San Marino experienced Alex De Angelis tumble out of top 10 contentions secured Kent his first points scoring finish since a season best of 12th in Brno last month.

Teammate Louis Rossi enjoyed a positive opening to the 21-lap encounter and after starting in 23rd position he was quickly into a fast rhythm and within five laps he had moved into the top 20.

The French rider led the Mistral 610 challenge until Kent found a way through on lap nine and he eventually finished in a respectable 18th position, which ensured him his highest finish since he was 13th in the historic Dutch TT at Assen in late June.

The Tech 3 Racing Team now heads off on the grueling flyaway triple header in Malaysia, Australia and Japan looking foward to finish the 2013 championship with a series of strong performances from Kent and Rossi.

Danny Kent 15th – 8 points :
“I was terrible at the start and it was probably my worst first lap in Moto2. The wind had picked up from this morning’s Warm-up session and I made a couple of big mistakes on the first lap while I was trying to adapt to the conditions. I scored a point, unfortunately a lot of people crashed but that can happen in racing, and I will take a top 15 finish after another difficult weekend. We worked really hard to find a good set-up with the bike and never really found it, so to claim one point is not a bad outcome and hopefully I can be stronger at the flyaways on tracks I really like.”

Louis Rossi 18th – 4 points :
“I think a top 15 finish was possible today and at least Danny got in the points, which is a positive result for the team. I made a mistake and nearly crashing out that's why I lost the contact with the group five laps from the end and that was a bit frustrating. I pushed at my maximum until the chekered flag and it waf really positive to gain one more place when I passed Cardus at the final corner. Even if It is not a fantastic result it's still better than what I expected after a difficult practice and qualifying. Now I am looking forward to the final four races where I will give it my all to finish the season on a high level.”

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Marcel Schrotter joins Tech 3 Racing for 2014

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The Tech 3 Racing Team is delighted to announce it has reached an agreement with talented young German rider Marcel Schrotter to race the Mistral 610 machine in the 2014 Moto2 World Championship.

The 20-year-old brings a wealth of World Championship experience to Herve Poncharal’s French-based squad having raced in the 125cc, Moto3 and Moto2 classes since his GP debut back in 2008.

Schrotter has shown why he is one of the brightest young talents to emerge out of Germany in recent history with a series of impressive performances in the ultra-competitive Moto2 category in 2013.

His consistent form has seen him score points in eight races so far this season, with a best of 10th in Jerez, while he delivered a standout performance in qualifying at Mugello to claim a career first front row start.

The signing of Schrotter and the renewal of British rider Danny Kent’s deal for 2014 at the recent Silverstone round re-affirms Tech 3 Racing’s commitment to helping develop young talent on the biggest stage in world motorcycle racing.

The Tech 3 Moto2 project continues to have close links to the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 MotoGP Team and Kent and Schrotter will be given maximum commitment and support to try and help them follow in the footsteps of Bradley Smith, who graduated to the premier class through the highly respected Tech 3 set-up.

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Danny Kent and Louis Rossi finish inside top 20 at Misano

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Tech 3 Racing Team riders Danny Kent and Louis Rossi delivered determined performances at the Misano track this afternoon to finish inside the top 20 at the end of a tough 26-lap Moto2 race in San Marino.

A sensational start launched Kent immediately inside the top 10, but as the early battle intensified in warm but blustery conditions at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli, he was unable to keep his Mistral 610 machine in contention for a third points scoring finish of the campaign.

The British rider was able to maintain a constant rhythm in the 1.39 bracket, but despite giving his maximum effort to the chequered flag he finished in 19th position.

One place further down the rankings was teammate Rossi, who was able to gain more braking confidence throughout a race that took part in front of a large crowd of close to 51,000 fans.

Danny Kent 19th – 7 points :

“That was definitely not the result I had anticipated after a strong Friday and Saturday. I got an amazing start and was into eighth position but I ran wide going onto the back straight and that lost me a lot of places. I couldn’t find my rhythm and I was making a few mistakes so obviously i'm very disapointed because 19th is not where I expected to finish. I need to go away now and try and regroup and be back fighting strong for the next race.”

Louis Rossi 20th – 4 points :

“I made some mistakes at the start and I lost the group in front and that was a shame because I didn’t finish far behind Danny at the end. It was a very difficult race because the pace of those around me was almost identical and that made it hard to battle through. I finished 20th and that is not a bad result but obviously I would have liked to do better. I gained some more confidence in braking this weekend and hopefully I can be more competitive and closer to the points in the next race at Aragon.”

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Kent fights back to determined 18th at Silverstone

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Tech 3 Racing Team rider Danny Kent produced a rousing recovery in his home Moto2 round at Silverstone today to fight his way inside the top 20 for the seventh time in his rookie campaign.

Kent, who secured his 2014 future with the French-based Tech 3 squad earlier this weekend, delivered an overtaking exhibition on the opening lap, the British rider recovering nine places to 18th to immediately thrust himself into the points scoring contention.

As the early pace intensified in sunny but cool conditions at the super fast Silverstone track, Kent slipped out of the top 20 before his consistent speed moved him back into contention for the top in the final laps.

He eventually took 18th position at the chequered flag, which was not the outcome he envisaged after an incredibly strong showing all weekend.

Kent had been comfortably able to lap inside the top 10 but an early qualifying crash left him 27th on the grid and he will now focus on showing his true potential at the next round in Misano.

Teammate Louis Rossi also set an outstanding early pace in the 18-lap encounter and like Kent a aggressive strategy promoted him up the rankings from outside the top 20 to the brink of the points scoring places.

Locked in an early battle for the top 15, the Frenchman was unable to maintain his early momentum but he did pick up precious experience in the tough Moto2 category after becoming engaged in a thrilling seven-rider fight for 19th.

The group included reigning Moto3 World Champion Sandro Cortese and Moto2 race winner Yuki Takahashi and at the chequered flag only 1.6s split the pack.

Danny Kent 18th – 7 points :

“I knew it was going to be a very difficult race after qualifying so far down but I have to take the positives from the weekend. Going into qualifying I was sixth in practice and really happy with the performance of the Mistral 610. At least I know I can run the pace at the front but the crash in qualifying really put me on the back foot and it is a shame I couldn’t finish in the points in my home race. I got a good start in the race and made up a few places but after the crash my hip kept cramping up and it was difficult. Now I am determined to bounce back in Misano and show the pace throughout that we had in practice here.”

Louis Rossi 24th - 4 points :

“I got a very good start and the first part of the race was not too bad but once I started suffering with the pain from my left foot injury it became very difficult. I was struggling to shift down and the pain was disturbing my concentration and unfortunately I did quite a few mistakes during the whole race. Towards the end of the race I was really suffering a lot, but I absolutely wanted to finish even if I lost a few positions during the last lap. It’s a pity because I think that we would have been able to show a better performance compared to the last races without the injury from Friday. But now I can just look forward to getting some rest and being back to full fitness in Misano.”

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Tech 3 Racing confirm Danny Kent for 2014 Moto2 challenge

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The Tech 3 Racing Team is delighted to confirm that highly rated British rider Danny Kent will remain on board its Mistral 610 machine for the 2014 Moto2 World Championship campaign.

Kent’s dedication and commitment to building his experience in the ultra-competitive Moto2 category is starting to pay off in the second half of his rookie campaign and the 19-year-old is starting to show the talent and speed that took him to two victories in the inaugural Moto3 class in 2012.

Confirmation of Kent’s 2014 agreement comes less than a week after his outstanding performance in the Czech Republic Moto2 round where he claimed a career best grid position and race result in 12th position.

His growing experience and confidence with the French designed and built Mistral 610 machine was further evident at the start of his crucial home round at Silverstone yesterday when he set the eighth fastest time in the first two practice sessions and was less than 0.5s from the quickest pace.

Kent is now looking forward to the remainder of the 2013 World Championship campaign and he is optimistic he can emerge as a consistent top 10 contender.

Danny Kent:

“I am really happy that I have reached an agreement with Herve and the Tech 3 Racing Team to continue with the exciting Mistral 610 project for next year. It has not been an easy switch to Moto2 but I think that is a reflection on how tough the Championship is and how big the step is from Moto3. The Tech 3 Racing Team has given me great support throughout and in the last couple of races I have been able to make some big progress that fills me with a lot of confidence for the rest of the season. I will keep learning this year and hope to be a regular top 10 finisher before building on the experienced gained in 2013 to have a really strong 2014 and show how competitive the Mistral 610 package is.”

Herve Poncharal – Team Manager:

 “I am delighted to confirm that Danny will be staying with the Tech 3 Racing Team in 2014. I have always believed that Danny has incredible talent and finally in the last two races he has been able to show the potential we know he has. It is a very tough job to move from Moto3 to Moto2 but our reference has always been Sandro Cortese, who won the Moto3 title in 2012 and who was always close to Danny. He is on a bike widely regarded as the best in the Moto2 World Championship and he has the same points as Danny, so that is showing we have been a good job together. Danny has made a big step forward since the summer break and his speed in Brno last weekend was a clear sign that he is more confident and comfortable in Moto2. He has carried on the momentum gained into this weekend too and I am very optimistic we will see him fighting in the top 10 in the last races. And I’ve absolutely no doubt that in 2014 he will be challenging at the front.”

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Kent ends positive weekend with brilliant points finish

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A determined ride to 12th position in today’s Czech Republic Moto2 race ensured Tech 3 Racing Team rider Danny Kent heads to his crucial home round at Silverstone with confidence high after a big breakthrough weekend in Brno.

Kent secured his second points scoring finish in the ultra-competitive Moto2 category to complete a hugely encouraging weekend in which he claimed a career best qualifying and race result on the French designed and built Mistral 610 machine.

Starting from 12th on the grid after his 2.02.956 in qualifying was the fastest ever lap recorded by the Mistral 610 at Brno, Kent immediately gained one place in a short drag race to the first corner. But in a typically frantic opening lap he slipped down the order to 16th.

In the coolest conditions of the weekend so far, with temperatures only creeping up to 16 degrees, Kent was able to quickly move back into the top 15. He then maintained an impressive rhythm that enabled him to fight his way back into 12th position, which is one place higher than his previous best result in Catalunya.

The most satisfying aspect of his performance was his pace and consistency over the 20-lap race distance. Kent has been working incredibly hard to improve his speed on worn tyres and he reaped the rewards today, with his pace throughout comparable to those battling for the podium.

He set his best lap of the race of 2.03.308 on lap 14 to finish just 12.4s behind race winner Mika Kallio. Kent is now excited to build on the momentum gained today when he races in front of his home crowd at Silverstone, where is confident he can challenge for a maiden top 10 in Moto2.

Today’s race was a difficult battle for Louis Rossi, who started down in 28th place on the grid. Despite the tireless efforts of his Tech 3 Racing crew, Rossi has never been comfortable enough to demonstrate his true potential on the fast and undulating Brno track, though he did recover to 20th position.

Today’s race was another valuable data gathering exercise for Rossi and his Tech 3 Racing crew and he is hoping to be back challenging for the top 15 again in the forthcoming British Grand Prix.

Danny Kent 12th – 7 points :

“I am really happy with how this weekend went and obviously it feels like we’ve taken a big step. The important thing was to bounce back quickly from the disappointment of Indianapolis and we managed that. To get my best ever qualifying and race result shows we are making progress with the Mistral 610. I got a decent start but unfortunately in the early laps I got a bit beaten up and that ruined my chance of being in the top 10. I definitely had the pace to be up there and that’s what I’m most pleased about. My times were fast, really consistent and as good as those running inside the top six. I had a good pace all weekend and the team worked really hard to give me a good package and now I can look forward to Silverstone with a lot of confidence. This weekend was just what I needed to get some momentum heading to my home race and hopefully in front of the British fans I will be able to break into the top 10.”

Louis Rossi 20th – 4 points :

“I gave 100% and did my absolute best today but clearly it has been a very tough weekend. I felt my pace was strong in the first part of the race but I missed some chances to pass and go with the group in front. We have to learn about what’s happened this weekend and try and be more competitive at Silverstone. We will continue working hard and hopefully I will have a better feeling on the bike next weekend to help me get back into the top 15.”

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