Marc VDS head to Valencia to get 2014 campaign underway

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The Marc VDS Racing Team will get their 2014 campaign underway at Valencia on Tuesday 11th February, with the first of three pre-season tests for the Moto2 and Moto3 classes. All three of the team’s riders – Mika Kallio, Tito Rabat and Livio Loi – are raring to go after the three-month winter break.

Kallio spent the break at home in Finland, with a trip to Lapland to see in the New Year, but he didn’t let the notorious Finnish winter weather stop him racing. A former national ice racing champion, Kallio continues to race whenever he’s home in the winter, but this year he also took to the snow and ice in his four-wheeled, Suzuki GSXR750 powered Cross Kart. The 31-year-old is looking forward to returning to the track in Valencia aboard his Kalex Moto2 bike, without the need for spiked tyres!

Rabat has also kept himself sharp by racing on both two wheels and four over the winter break. The 24-year-old Spaniard contested the GSeries BPA race alongside Bradley Smith in Andorra, as well as finishing second behind Brad ‘The Bullet’ Baker in the Superfinal at the Superprestigio Dirt Track event in Barcelona. Rabat finished third in the Moto2 World Championship in 2013 and, with the two riders above him moving up to MotoGP, will start the season as one of the title favourites.

Loi experienced a difficult debut in the Moto3 World Championship last year, but battled his way into the points on four occasions during the season. This year the 16-year-old Belgian has clear targets for the year ahead, with top 15 finishes in both races and the Championship the goal set by the team.

Mika Kallio:

“The winter break has been spent at home in Finland. Most years I would have been out on the ice-racing bike, but winter came late this year, so it’s not been possible and most of my training has been confined to the gym. It means I’m 100% motivated to get back on the Moto2 bike in Valencia, probably more motivated than ever before. I know people are talking about Tito and myself in terms of the championship title this season, but I don’t feel any pressure. We know what we have to work with, because the 2014 Kalex is not so different to the 2013 bike. We know what we need to improve compared to last year; most important is to find a good compromise between rear grip and tyre longevity, but we have some idea how to accomplish this.”

Tito Rabat:

“I kept myself busy over the winter, with motocross, dirt track and even a car race on ice up in Andorra, but I also took some time out to relax after a busy season. The car racing was fun; you had to be really smooth on the ice. The dirt track racing was also fun, but very different. It’s a really explosive sport, with lots of sliding and contact; you’re at the maximum from the start to the finish. I enjoyed it a lot. Now it’s time to get back into the rhythm of the season and I’m looking forward to working with the guys in my crew again. The aim in testing is to ensure we have the most competitive package for the first race in Qatar, not to try to win testing with the fastest lap, but if we get the set up right then we know the the lap times will come.”

Livio Loi:

“It seems a long time since I last rode the Moto3 bike, but I’ve been riding almost everyday over the winter break. After a few weeks motocross training in England before Christmas I headed over to the Texas Tornado Boot Camp for two weeks. There I was on the bike for four or five hours a day and learnt a lot about machine control and throttle control, although for the first few days it was difficult to sit down! Now I’m looking forward to getting back on the Moto3 bike. I’m better prepared than ever and I have been set clear targets for the new season. Meeting those targets starts next week at Valencia. I can’t wait!”

Michael Bartholemy: Team Principal

“With Tito finishing third and Mika fourth in the Championship last year, both riders go into the new season with the weight of expectation on their shoulders. But this expectation hasn’t changed their approach and it hasn’t changed that of the team, either. We head to the first two tests in Spain with clear goals, as well as a determination not to get drawn into the battle for bragging rights that a fast lap brings. We need to be fast from the first race onwards and so we will use testing as it was intended, to ensure that we arrive in Qatar with the most competitive package. Livio heads into his second season with the team, after a learning year in 2013. He also has clear goals this time around, and he understands fully that these goals are set in stone and not in anyway flexible. I am confident, however, that he will rise to the challenge.”

Marc VDS Racing Team Press Release

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Top 20 for Loi as Danilo hits his target

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Livio Loi bounced back from set-up issues in practice and qualifying to finish a creditable 20th in today’s Czech Moto3 Grand Prix.

Jules Danilo came to Brno looking for a finish inside the top 25. The 18-year-old Frenchman leaves the Czech Republic having achieved his goal, after finishing in 24th position in today’s race.

Looking to add to his championship points tally today, Loi wasted no time in making up places after starting the race from 24th position on the grid. Having battled with Romano Fenati and Jasper Iwema throughout the race, the 16-year-old Belgian had fought his way up to 15th and looked set to add to his world championship points tally. With just two laps to go a collision with Jasper Iwema pushed Loi wide and he dropped back to 22nd, recovering two places to eventually finish 20th.

Danilo got a good start from 34th on the grid, but made up six places in the first chicane and then a further three places on the opening lap, to tag onto the group contesting 15th position. The Frenchman spent all but the last three laps in a battle with this group of ten riders, but dropped back after being caught up in Lorenzo Baldassarri’s crash and was eventually caught and passed out of the slipstream for 23rd place by Ana Carrasco.

Livio Loi #11: 20th

“I got a good start today, immediately getting into a battle with Romano Fenati and Jasper Iwema that went on for the whole race. I had the pace to lead, but not quite enough to get away from them, so it was always going to come down to the last few laps. With three laps to go Fenati came up the inside of me at turn four, Iwema tried to follow him through and we touched. I had to sit the bike up and come off the throttle, which allowed the group behind through on the inside. I managed to retake a few places on the final lap to take 20th at the line. I’m disappointed to have missed out on the points, but it was a good race and I enjoyed the battle.”

Jules Danilo #95: 24th

“I got a normal start, but then I managed to get up the inside of a big group of riders into the first chicane, passed a few more later in the same lap and made contact with the group disputing 15th to 25th place. I was fighting like crazy with Philipp Öttl, but then Lorenzo Baldassarri highsided late in the race, Brad Binder hit his bike and touched me, pushing me wide. I lost contact with the group and got caught by Ana Carrasco right at the end. I enjoyed the race; it’s amazing how fast it seems to go when you’re battling in a group, rather than riding on your own. I’m happy to achieved my goal after a difficult start to the weekend and I leave here having gained a lot of valuable experience.”

Marc VDS Racing Team Press Releas

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Loi on the hunt for points as Danilo returns at Brno

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Livio Loi heads to the tenth round of the Moto3 World Championship at Brno looking for more World Championship points, while Jules Danilo is keen to showcase his talents aboard the Kalex-KTM, as he returns for his second wildcard appearance of the season with the Marc VDS Racing Team.

Indianapolis may have been a new circuit for Loi, but that didn’t stop the 16-year-old Belgian from putting in his best performance of the season so far. After qualifying in 11th position on the grid, his best yet aboard the Kalex-KTM, Loi went on to collect two more World Championship points in the race with a 14th place finish. The Marc VDS rider heads to Brno with his confidence restored and with his sights set firmly on the top ten, both in qualifying and the race.

Brno will mark Danilo’s second appearance for the Marc VDS Racing Team, having already contested his home race at Le Mans earlier in the year. The 18-year-old Frenchman heads to Brno with far more Grand Prix experience under his belt this time around though, having stood in for the injured Danny Webb at Ambrogio Racing for both the Sachsenring and Indianapolis rounds.

It promises to be a busy weekend for Danilo in the Czech Republic. Not only must the Frenchman adapt once again to riding the Kalex-KTM after two races on a Suter Honda, he’ll also face learning his way around the 5.403km Brno circuit, having never raced there previously.

Located 200 kilometres southeast of the Czech capitol, Prague, the current Brno circuit was constructed in 1987. Before that, Grand Prix races were held on a public roads circuit, with literally hundreds of thousands of Czech motorcycle racing fans turning out to watch from the roadside.

While the crowd for this weekend is likely to somewhat smaller, the enthusiasm of the present day Czech race fans can be relied upon to easily match that of their predecessors from the 1970s.

Livio Loi: #11

“Indianapolis was the best weekend so far for me in the Moto3 World Championship, at a track I only saw for the first time on Thursday. Brno will be different this weekend because it’s a circuit I know, having raced to a win and a podium finish in the two Rookies Cup races there last season. Only a mistake early in the Indianapolis race cost me a top ten finish, so we know a top ten finish is a realistic goal at Brno this weekend.”

Jules Danilo: #95

“Sachsenring and Indianapolis were two hard races, as it was difficult for me to adapt to the Suter Honda. It was good experience, but I’m excited to be back aboard the Kalex-KTM this weekend, as it suits my riding style better and it’s also more competitive. I don’t know the Brno circuit; I’ve ridden around it but never raced there, so the first priority on Friday will be to learn my way around the track while reacquainting myself with the bike. I’ll be on a steep learning curve this weekend, but my goal is to show my potential and to finish inside the top 25 in the race on Sunday. If I can do that, then I’ll be happy.”

Marc VDS Racing Team Press Release

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Livio Loi Looking for Another Progress at Indianapolis

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Livio Loi returns to action in the Moto3 class this weekend and the 16-year-old Belgian is determined to increase his points tally during the second half of the season. Loi scored a point in his debut at Jerez earlier this year, but set up issues have hampered his progress since. Indianapolis is a new track for Loi, but he’s been learning his way around the circuit using the latest MotoGP ‘13 game on the PlayStation, playing as himself of course!

Livio Loi #11:

“I want to be more consistent during the second half of the season, picking up more points in the remaining races. It will be difficult this weekend in Indianapolis, as it’s my first time at the track. I’ve spent some time during the summer break on the PlayStation, so I know the layout, but there’s still a lot for me to learn once I actually get to the circuit. If we can make another step forward with the bike and all goes well in practice and qualifying, then I think it will still be possible to finish in the points on Sunday.”

Marc VDS Racing Team Press Release

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Livio Loi Endured a Difficult Race at Assen

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Livio Loi endured a difficult race today at Assen, losing places on the opening lap that he was unable to claw back over the 23-lap Moto3 race, due to problems on corner entry. Loi eventually finished in 23rd position. Struggling to get the bike to turn in and hold a line, especially through the faster corners, Loi was frustrated to be able to pass rivals on the straight, only to immediately relinquish the position at the next turn. The rookie was disappointed to finish outside the points, but took consolation from the experience gained as a result of another race completed.

Livio Loi #11: 23rd

“It was not a good day for me here at Assen. I lost a couple of places from the start, but the first corner was a disaster. I got pushed to the outside and lost a lot of places as everyone came up my inside. I don’t know what position I eventually ended up in at the end of the opening lap, but there weren’t many riders behind me. Normally I’d be able to fight my way back towards the top 15, as I’ve done before, but I was losing ground on every lap because the bike just wouldn’t turn in. It felt like the front tyre was barely connected to the track. The only positive to take from today is that I now have another 22 laps of Grand Prix experience under my belt.”

Marc VDS Racing Team Press Release

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Marc VDS head for the Cathedral of Speed

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The Marc VDS Racing Team hop across the border from their base in Gosselies, Belgium to The Netherlands this weekend, for the Dutch TT at the historic Assen circuit, round seven of the FIM Moto2 World Championship.

Scott Redding heads to Assen with a 35 point lead in the championship standings, after a win in Mugello and a fourth place in Catalunya saw him collect 38 points at the two tracks on the calendar that punish his size and weight the most. The 20-year-old Briton ranks Assen as one of his favourite circuits and he heads to the North of Holland determined to repeat his podium success of last season.

Catalunya was a struggle for Mika Kallio, with set-up issues hampering his progress throughout free practice and qualifying, but the 30-year-old Finn overcame the issues in the race to take a top ten finish and keep his championship campaign on track. Kallio has won previously at Assen, aboard a 125cc machine back in 2006, and, like his teammate, has his sights set firmly on a return to the podium this weekend.

A big crash in Catalunya left Livio Loi battered and bruised, but the 16-year-old Belgian returns to action this weekend at a track he knows better than any other on the Moto3 calendar. Loi has won previously at Assen, in the closely contested Moriwaki Cup, and will be looking to take advantage of his previous experience at the 4.542km Assen track to close on the top ten in both qualifying and the race.

The historic Circuit van Drenthe, or the Cathedral of Speed as it is often referred to, is the only track that has appeared on the Grand Prix calendar every year since the series started in its current form back in 1949. A former public roads circuit, Assen is also unique in that it is the only round where the races are held on Saturday, rather than the more usual Sunday.

Scott Redding #45:

“I’m looking forward to returning to Assen, as it’s definitely one of my favourite tracks to race at. Fourth in Catalunya, a track that really punishes my size, was a good result in terms of the championship, but it was also a little disappointing to miss out on a fifth podium finish in Spain. I was third at Assen last season and I think a podium finish this time around is a realistic goal, but even more important is to try and extend my lead over Pol Espargaro and Tito Rabat in the championship standings. If I can do that and stand on the podium this weekend in Assen then I’ll be a happy man.”

Mika Kallio #36:

“Catalunya was hard work, and a little disappointing because we didn’t get the result we were looking for. We came away from Spain with some ideas about the set-up of the bike and that’s something we need to discuss internally ahead of this weekend’s race in Assen. While we are heading to Holland off the back of a difficult race weekend in Spain, confidence remains high, as the team is working well. I like the Assen track and it’s been a good one for me in the past, but I need to be back in the top five, preferably on the podium, there this weekend if I’m to keep my championship campaign on track. If we get the set-up right from the start of practice then I think this is a realistic goal.”

Livio Loi #11:

“I’m feeling confident heading to Assen, despite the problems in Mugello and the crash in Catalunya. Before the Catalunya crash everything was working well and I was inside the top ten in the race, but then a rider closed the door on me going into turn five and I was already on the limit with the brakes. I had no choice but to brake harder to avoid him and, as a result, I lost the front and crashed. I had a bit of a headache for a few days afterwards, but I’m back to full fitness now and I’ve been training hard for Assen. My goal, as always, is top 15 in qualifying and the race but, as we saw in Catalunya, when things are working well then top ten is a possibility.”

Michael Bartholemy: Team Principal

“Catalunya has always been a tough track for Scott, but he came away with 13 points and only a slight reduction in his lead at the top of the championship, which was a job well done. Now we head to Assen, a track that Scott likes and one where I’m confident he can repeat his podium success of last season. We need to find a solution to Mika’s problems in practice and qualifying this weekend. His race pace is good, as he shows every weekend, but his starting position is robbing him of podium opportunities all too often. Livio has had two difficult rounds, with set-up issues in Mugello and a big crash last time out in Catalunya. This weekend at Assen, a track he knows very well, he needs to put the last two races behind him and regain his confidence on the bike. If he can do that then there’s no reason why he shouldn’t be pushing towards the top ten in both qualifying and the race.”

Marc VDS Racing Team Press Release

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Redding and Kallio ready for Spanish showdown in Barcelona

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Scott Redding heads into this weekend’s Grand Prix de Catalunya with a commanding 43 point lead in the FIM Moto2 World Championship standings, after back-to-back wins in Le Mans and Mugello.

The 20-year-old Briton could make it a hat-trick of wins in Barcelona, but he’ll face tough opposition from the Spanish trio of Nico Terol, Tito Rabat and Pol Espargaro, who will be desperate to win in front of their home crowd and to reduce Redding’s massive lead in the championship.

But it may not be only Redding that the Spanish Armada has to keep an eye on this weekend. Mika Kallio currently lies third in the championship – level on points with Terol in second – but the 30-year-old Finn heads to Barcelona with his sights set firmly on giving the Marc VDS Racing Team a one-two at the top of the standings on Sunday.

Livio Loi endured a difficult weekend last time out in Mugello, with set-up issues hampering his progress throughout practice, qualifying and the race, which ended with a 25th place finish. The 16-year-old Belgian made progress with the bike during a test at the Italian circuit on the Tuesday after the race and, as a result, heads to Catalonia with his confidence restored.

Scott Redding #45:

“We head to into this weekend knowing that this race is going to be a bit different. We’re back in Spain, so it’s another home Grand Prix for Terol, Rabat and Espargaro, which means they’ll have the crowd behind them and they’ll be strong. On the other hand, I head to Barcelona with a big points lead in the championship and I’m determined to leave with it intact. To do that I need to ride a smart race, stay out of trouble and pick up as many points as I can this weekend.”

Mika Kallio #36:

“Despite finishing fifth in Mugello, my feeling with the bike just wasn’t there and I need to get that feeling back if we’re going to challenge for the podium in Barcelona. The priority is to be closer to the front from first practice onwards, because we know the three riders closest to me in the championship will be pushing hard and will be prepared to take bigger risks with their home crowd behind them. I’m still pushing for my first win in Moto2, and I’ve had some good results at Catalunya in the past, but if I finish on the podium this weekend then I’ll be happy enough with that.”

Livio Loi #11:

“While Mugello was a difficult weekend for me, we made a big step during the test at the track on Tuesday and my feeling with the bike was much better. Now we return to the Montmeló circuit, where I raced the opening Spanish Championship round earlier in the season. The bike worked well and my lap times were good there, so I’m confident that a finish in the points is a realistic goal this weekend.”

Michael Bartholemy: Team Principal

“This is the second of four home rounds this season for the likes of Nico Terol, Tito Rabat and Pol Espargaro, so we already know they’re going to be strong with the backing of their home crowd. But we will continue to do what we’ve been doing; focussing on our own race with Scott and Mika, which has served us well up to now. Livio had a difficult weekend in Mugello, but worked hard at the post race test to improve his feeling with the bike, with positive results. I’m confident this weekend in Catalonia we’ll see him back in the points where he belongs.”

Marc VDS Racing Team Press Release

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Scott Redding wins again in Mugello

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Scott Redding gave the Moto2 field a master class in controlling a race from the front today, as he stormed to his second successive win in as many weeks at Mugello. Mika Kallio ended a difficult weekend on a high by taking a hard fought fifth place finish after starting from 13th position on the grid.

Redding, starting from pole position for the second time this season, looked to be in control from the off, shadowing Takaaki Nakagami until the Japanese rider started to slow and then making his move to take the race lead.

Nico Terol managed to draft his way past on the start finish straight at mid-race distance but, after leading for just four laps, was relegated back to second place by a hard charging Redding, who then pulled out a gap that he maintained to the chequered flag.

Redding’s successive victories at Le Mans and Mugello is the first time a British rider has had back-to-back wins in the intermediate class since Rod Gould in 1971. The Marc VDS rider is also now the youngest British rider to take back-to-back Grand Prix wins, a record previously held by the late, great Barry Sheene.

The Mugello win means Redding extends his lead at the top of the Moto2 Championship standings to 43 points over Nico Terol who, along with Frenchman Johann Zarco, joined the championship leader on the podium today.

Mika Kallio put the troubles of practice and qualifying behind him today, to finish an impressive fifth and consolidate his third position in the championship standings. The 30-year-old Finn started today from 13th on the grid, but a lightning start and a late braking move into turn one, saw him emerge in sixth position. Kallio led the second group for the remainder of the race, but lost out on fourth place to Pol Espargaro in the final few laps.

Livio Loi endured a difficult Moto3 race, as he struggled with the same issues that had plagued him during practice and qualifying. The 16-year-old Belgian eventually finished in 25th position and, after putting this weekend behind him, is already looking forward to rediscovering his form in Barcelona in two weeks time.

Redding, Kallio and Loi will remain at Mugello for testing, with Moto2 scheduled to take to the track on Monday and Moto3 on Tuesday.

Scott Redding #45: 1st

“What a weekend! It didn’t start well, as I just didn’t feel comfortable on the bike, but after consigning it to the skip on Saturday morning, the new bike felt much better. Qualifying on pole really boosted my confidence and once we got going I knew straight away that another win was a possibility. I slotted in behind Taka, pushing past when he started to slow and immediately pulled a gap. I’m not sure how Terol and Zarco caught me, but once Terol went in front I could see he wasn’t comfortable running the pace. I have no idea why he decided to let me through, but I wasn’t going to pass up a chance like that. I knew I could pull away, and that’s what I did.”

Mika Kallio #36: 5th

“I got a great start and managed to go up the inside into turn one, coming out in sixth position. I lost a couple of places over the next few laps and then Corsi dropped his pace by almost a second in front of me and, by the time I pushed my way through, he’d allowed the front four to get away. I knew it was better to push to stay at the front of the group, rather than dropping back and getting involved in the battle that I knew was going on behind me. When Pol came past towards the end I had a plan to retake fourth on the final lap, but he pulled just enough of a gap out of the Biondetti chicane to stop me out braking him into the final corner. I almost drafted him to the line, but he managed to just hold me off. Anyway, I’m happy with fifth after the problems we’ve had this weekend.”

Livio Loi #11: 25th

“This is a weekend I’ll be happy to put behind me. We had problems from the start of practice and we didn’t find a solution. In the race I again had to fight the bike into every turn, just to get it to follow a line, but the more I tried to force it into the corner the more the front tried to break away from me. Obviously I’m disappointed because I came here to Mugello looking for points, but we need to put this one down to experience and use Tuesday’s test here to make sure we’re ready for the next race in Barcelona.”

Marc van der Straten: President, Marc VDS Racing Team

“It was a pleasure to watch Scott take his second win in succession by controlling the race so effectively at the front. Even when he wasn’t leading you could see quite clearly he had everything in hand and, for me, the win was never in doubt. Mika also showed his fighting spirit, taking an impressive fifth place despite experiencing so many problems during practice and qualifying. I know Livio is disappointed with his result today, but it’s more experience for him and I’m confident we’ll see him back on form next time out in Barcelona. Finally, it made me very proud to see Michael Bartholemy walk onto the podium to collect the trophy for the winning team today. He has worked tirelessly to make the Marc VDS Racing Team one of the best in the Grand Prix paddock and it was satisfying for me personally to see him rewarded for his efforts today.”

Marc VDS Racing Press Release

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Redding and Kallio keen to repeat Le Mans success at Mugello

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The Marc VDS Racing Team’s Scott Redding and Mika Kallio head to round five of the FIM Moto2 World Championship at the Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello, Italy with confidence high, after an impressive one-two finish in Le Mans last time out.

Redding’s victory – his first in the Moto2 category and the Marc VDS Racing Team’s first win since entering the championship in 2010 – gave the 20-year-old Briton a 24 point lead in the championship standings.

With Kallio claiming second place at Le Mans, the Marc VDS Racing Team became the first team in Moto2 history to claim the two top spots on the podium. The last time one team dominated the intermediate class to such an extent was back in 2008, when Kallio took the win in China ahead of his KTM teammate, Hiroshi Aoyama.

Redding and Kallio are keen to repeat the success of Le Mans this weekend in Mugello, where both will run an experimental swinging arm on their Kalex Moto2 machines for the first time. The new swinging arm has been developed by the team in conjunction with Kalex and is designed to improve rear traction and reduce chattering.

After missing out on a points scoring finish by the narrowest of margins in the Moto3 race at Le Mans, Livio Loi head to Mugello determined to secure another top 15 finish. The 16-year-old Belgian struggled to make up ground after starting from 21st on the grid so will focus this weekend on improving his qualifying performance.

Scott Redding #45:

“While it was good to finally win in Le Mans, it changes nothing. Our approach will remain the same, with the championship being the priority. The win in Le Mans has given me a 24-point advantage in the standings but, as we’ve seen in the past, it only takes one bad weekend to see that lead reduced significantly. Like Le Mans last week, Mugello is a circuit I like racing at. We have some new parts for the bike this weekend, which I think may give us something of an advantage at such a fast, flowing and technical track.”

Mika Kallio #36:

“In Le Mans we went with a completely different set-up to that which we’d run previously and it took us until Sunday to refine it to the point where my feeling with the bike was good. It will be interesting to see how the feeling is on the first day in Mugello, especially with the new parts we have to test there, because we really need to get the bike dialled in for qualifying this week. Mugello is one of my favourite tracks on the calendar and, although I’ve had some bad luck racing in Italy previously, I’m hoping that my luck will finally change this weekend and we’ll come away with another good result.”

Livio Loi #11:

“Two years ago I won a Moriwaki Cup race at Mugello, so at least I know the track, although it will be very different on a Moto3 bike I think. In Le Mans we had a problem with the tyres in qualifying, which is something we need to address this weekend in Mugello. I need to be qualifying top 15 this weekend if I am to achieve my goal in the race, which is, once again, to finish in a points scoring position.”

Michael Bartholemy: Team Principal

“While we have to be realistic and understand that repeating the success of Le Mans will be difficult, that won’t stop us pushing every weekend to do so. In the four races so far this season we’ve had a Marc VDS rider on the podium every time and, for me, there’s no reason why we shouldn’t continue this trend at Mugello. With Livio we will focus this weekend on improving his qualifying performance, as you can’t afford to be starting from the seventh row of the grid in such a closely contested championship as Moto3. He needs to be a little more aggressive, both in qualifying and the race, but that will come as he gains experience.”

Marc VDS Racing Team Press Release

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Tough qualifying for Loi and Danilo at Le Mans

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Livio Loi will start tomorrow’s 24-lap Moto3 French Grand Prix from the seventh row of the grid, after qualifying in 21st position in Le Mans this afternoon. Jules Danilo, who makes his Grand Prix debut this weekend, qualified 26th and will start from the ninth row of the grid tomorrow.

A lack of rear grip continued to be a problem for Loi during today’s free practice and qualifying sessions. The 16-year-old Belgian was hoping for a significant improvement with the softer rear tyre in qualifying, but found himself unable to push for a faster lap time after encountering exactly the same issue.

After finishing yesterday’s free practice sessions in 17th position, Danilo was disappointed to qualify only on the ninth row of the grid. The French rider, who celebrates his 18th birthday today, set his fastest time of the weekend midway through qualifying but was unable to improve further in the remaining 20 minutes.

Both riders will make some changes to their Kalex-KTM Moto3 machines ahead of tomorrow’s 24-lap Moto3 French Grand Prix, which gets underway at 11.00 local time.

Livio Loi #11: 21st – 1’45.517

“I’m not so happy with qualifying today, because my feeling was that I could go much faster. We went with the softer option rear at first, but the grip just wasn’t there. The medium option we ran in the middle of the session felt a little better but, again, when we switched back to the soft the rear grip was non-existent and it was impossible to push for a fast lap time. It means that, just like in Jerez, I have more work to do in the race tomorrow, but I’ll be going for it!”

Jules Danilo #95: 26th – 1’45.741

“Qualifying was a quite hard today. I posted a good lap halfway through the session, but then I couldn’t seem to improve on it as the session progressed. So, it was a bit difficult towards the end, but it was still fun. For tomorrow’s race I’m not too worried, because I know if there’s someone in front of me then I should be able to stay with them. If I get in a good group early on then I think top 20 is possible, maybe even top 15.”

Michael Bartholemy: Team Principal

“I think we qualified where we expected, to be honest. Again we’ve seen that we cannot rely on the soft tyre giving us a significant improvement in the lap time during qualifying, but this will come as Livio gains more experience of how to get the best from the softer rubber. Livio has had the same problems in every session and, although we’ve managed to improve the set-up for him, we still need to find something more for tomorrow. Jules was happy yesterday, but a little bit disappointed with qualifying this afternoon. However, he’s two seconds faster than he was here earlier in the year and just two seconds off the time of Maverick Viñales, so I think he has little to be disappointed about.”

Marc VDS Racing Team Press Release

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On form Redding leads the way at Le Mans

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Scott Redding wasted no time in stamping his authority on proceedings during the opening day at Le Mans, topping the timesheet in both free practice session to lay down a marker for his championship rivals.

Mika Kallio was a little disappointed to finish the day only 13th fastest, despite improving his lap time this afternoon, to close to within a second of his Marc VDS teammate. The 30-year-old Finn still lacks the all-important confidence in the front of his Kalex Moto23 machine, a situation he is confident will be rectified by set-up changes ahead of tomorrow morning’s third and final free practice session.

Jules Danilo, who is making his Moto3 Grand Prix debut as a wild card rider this weekend at Le Mans, ended the day 17th fastest overall. The French rider, who celebrates his 18th birthday tomorrow, is confident of making further improvements ahead of the all-important qualifying session.

After struggling to find confidence in the front tyre in the cold conditions of this morning’s free practice session, it was the rear that caused Livio Loi issues this afternoon. Pumping from the rear suspension under acceleration meant the 16-year-old Belgian was unable to push for a fast lap time and he ended the day 20th on the timesheet.

Scott Redding #45: 1st – 1'38.203

“I like the Le Mans circuit, so my confidence was high coming into this weekend, especially off the back of three good results at tracks that were either new or a little unkind to me in the past. I’m feeling good on the bike here; we’ve had a couple of small issues during practice, but nothing that we haven’t been able to sort out quickly. The lap times today came without really pushing hard, so I know there’s more to come in qualifying if I need it. But this is Le Mans, so who knows what the weather will throw at us tomorrow. It could be dry or it could be wet, either way I think we’re in a good way here with the bike and the set-up.”

Mika Kallio #36: 13th – 1'39.174

“We ran the set-up we tested at Almeria this morning, but it didn’t give me the feeling with the front end that I was looking for. It meant I didn’t have the confidence on corner entry and that lost me a lot of time. We made some improvements to the front for the second session, but there’s still something missing. The bike just doesn’t feel right when I trail the brake into the corners. We have a few ideas for tomorrow, but we need to sit down tonight and decide in which direction to go. I’m not so happy with 13th but with the problems we’ve had, to finish within a second of Scott’s time is not too bad.”

Jules Danilo #95: 17th – 1’46.157

“We had some problems with the bike this morning, but the team managed to get everything sorted for this afternoon’s second free practice session. I’m happy with how things have gone today, as I felt confident on the bike this afternoon and we managed to improve the lap time with every exit. We still have a few things we want to improve on the bike but, overall, it’s been a good opening day at my first ever Grand Prix.”

Livio Loi #11: 20th – 1’46.295

“The track temperature was very low this morning, so it was difficult to have confidence in the front tyre. Conditions had improved for FP2, but I had a real problem with the rear suspension pumping under acceleration. Even with a new rear tyre the bike was unsettled on the throttle and I was losing time out of every corner. We need to fix the problem tonight ready for tomorrow, as you can win a lot of time on a Moto3 bike by getting on the gas both hard and early on corner exit, which I couldn’t do today.”

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Marc VDS to field four riders at Le Mans this weekend

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The Marc VDS Racing Team head this weekend to the French Grand Prix at Le Mans, where Scott Redding and Mika Kallio are keen to continue the run of form that has seen a Marc VDS rider finish on the podium in every Moto2 race so far this season.

Redding heads to Le Mans off the back of a second place finish in Jerez – where he was one of only two non-Spanish riders on the podium – and a successful two-day test at the Almeria Circuit. The 20-year-old Briton currently trails championship leader Tito Rabat by just a single point but is keen to reverse the positions this weekend, on a track at which he finished on the podium last season.

A crash that forced him out of the Spanish Grand Prix at Jerez saw Kallio drop to seventh in the championship standings, but the 30-year-old Finn heads to France determined to close the gap to the top five. Kallio has enjoyed success at Le Mans previously, twice finishing on the podium in the 125cc category and taking a hard fought fifth place in last year’s French Moto2 Grand Prix.

After an impressive debut that saw him finish in the points last time out in Jerez, Livio Loi heads to France with his sights set firmly on another top 15 finish. The 16-year-old Belgian won the opening round of the French Moto3 Championship at the track earlier this year and arrives in France full of confidence after a successful two-day test at the Aragon circuit in Spain.

Joining Loi in the Marc VDS Moto3 box this weekend at Le Mans will be Frenchman Jules Danilo, who will be making the first of three wild card appearances with the Marc VDS Racing Team.

The Elf logo will be prominent on all four of the Marc VDS bikes and riders at Le Mans, as part of an agreement that will see the French oil and lubricants giant as the primary sponsor of the Marc VDS Racing Team at five races this season, starting with the French Grand Prix this weekend.

Scott Redding #45:

“It’s been a strong start to the season and, three races in, I’m just one point off the top of the championship standings. But this early on the championship standings are just names on a piece of paper. More important is approaching the Le Mans weekend as we have the previous three races, putting in the work during practice and qualifying to give us the best chance of a good result on Sunday. It’s worked for us so far, so I don’t see why it shouldn’t work again this weekend.”

Mika Kallio #36:

“We’ve put the disappointment of Jerez behind us now. The two-day test at Almeria was interesting, because we tried a set-up on the bike that is quite different to the one we’ve used for the first three races this season. The changes worked well at Almeria and we’re confident they’ll also work at Le Mans, where there are quite a few chicanes and hard braking points. An added advantage is that the revised set-up appears to offer more rear traction, which was our major problem in Jerez. Obviously we will confirm the new settings in practice at Le Mans, but I’m hopeful they’ll work and we’ll be back to where we were in Austin just two races ago.”

Livio Loi #11:

“It was good to finish in the points on my debut in Jerez, but now I need to do the same again this weekend in Le Mans. I won the French Championship race at Le Mans earlier this year, so I know the track, but I’m hoping for slightly less snow when we return for the Grand Prix this weekend! Qualifying on the seventh row of the grid in Jerez made the race more difficult for me, so I need to focus on improving my grid position at Le Mans. I need to be more aggressive, more on the limit in qualifying. I was pushing hard in Jerez, but I think there is still some time to find and, hopefully, I’ll be able to do this in Le Mans this weekend.”

Michael Bartholemy: Team Principal

“At every race so far this season we’ve had a Marc VDS rider on the Moto2 podium and this is a trend I’d like to see continue this weekend in Le Mans. It is the first race of the season at which Elf will be our primary sponsor and I’d like nothing more than to give them something to celebrate at their home race, just as we did last season. I know Scott and Mika feel the same way and, as they’ve shown already this year, both are capable of finishing on the podium. Livio started strongly with a points scoring finish on his Moto3 debut in Jerez, a success I hope he can repeat this weekend, on a track at which he has already won a race this season. I’d also like to extend a warm welcome to Jules Danilo, who joins us this weekend in Le Mans for the first of three wild card appearances he’ll make this season.”

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Scott Redding on the pace in Jerez

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The Marc VDS Racing Team’s Scott Redding went under the current lap record to top the timesheet during today’s second free practice session in Jerez, but the 20-year-old Briton ended the day second on combined times, just 0.2s off the time set by Tito Rabat during this morning’s 45-minute free practice session.

While Redding was happy with the day’s work, the same wasn’t true of his Marc VDS teammate, Mika Kallio. The 30-year-old Finn ended the day in 15th position on combined times, after struggling with rear grip issues throughout both of today’s 45-minute free practice sessions.

Livio Loi’s Grand Prix debut got off to a solid start in Jerez. The 16-year-old Belgian ended his first day as an official Moto3 rider 20th on the timesheet, after improving his lap time by more than a second in this afternoon’s free practice session. Loi was confident that he could have gone faster, but was forced to end the session early due to severe chatter from a well-used front tyre.

Scott Redding #45: 2nd – 1’43.551

“It’s been a good day overall. We had a few issues in this morning’s session, but we made some changes to the bike and from the first lap this afternoon it was red, red, red on the timing screens. When you’re seeing P1 on your pit board and you don’t feel like you’re going fast then that builds a lot of confidence. The bike was working really well and I set my fastest time on used tyres, so we know our race set-up is already pretty good. We’ve got a few little things to look at, where we can maybe make some small improvements, but we’re pretty much there.”

Mika Kallio #36: 15th – 1’44.638

“It’s been difficult today, as I was struggling a lot with rear grip in both sessions. It was a horrible feeling. None of the changes we made to the bike, and we made quite a few, brought any improvements in rear grip at all. Every lap I had the same problems in the same corners. Obviously we need to make some bigger changes to the bike tonight to improve things, but we need to analyse the data closely first. The changes need to be in the right direction because if we go the wrong way then I’ll lose tomorrow’s final free practice session and we’ll be forced to run an untested set-up in qualifying.”

Livio Loi #11: 20th – 1’49.643

“I tested here earlier in the year, so I knew what to expect today, but it was still a bit special to ride out of pit lane for my first ever Grand Prix practice session this morning. The first session was not so bad, but we tried some new brake pads in the front that didn’t really work as expected, which meant I dropped down the timesheet as the others improved towards the end. This afternoon was better and I was running top 12 after taking over a second off my lap time, but then we put in a new rear tyre and immediately I had chatter at the front. Again it meant I wasn’t able to push at the end and I finished 20th as others improved. Without the chatter I think it was possible to get closer to the 1’48.5 I did during testing here and that’s the goal for tomorrow.”

Peter Benson: Chief Mechanic, Scott Redding

“I’m really happy with today. We’ve had a few issues in Jerez before, trying to get the bike balanced in all the corners. Today we made a few little changes that we’ve been thinking about for a while but never got around to trying, all of which have been really positive so far. Scott did some very fast and consistent lap times this afternoon and he’s happy with the feeling on the bike, so I’m quite satisfied at the moment.”

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Marc VDS head to the final preseason test at Jerez

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The Marc VDS Racing Team are on their way back to Spain, for next week’s final preseason test at the Jerez circuit in Andalucía.

The Jerez outing, which runs for four days and gets underway at midday on Monday 18th March, will be the first time that the Moto2 field have tested with the 2013 race engines that they’ll use this season.

Scott Redding heads to Jerez in a confident mood, having been quick in both wet and dry conditions during the test at the same circuit back in February. Having already tested a number of setting changes on his 2013 Kalex Moto2 machine, Redding will focus this time on refining his riding style to get the best from the bike.

After a difficult test at Jerez last month, Mika Kallio’s confidence received a much-needed boost during two days of testing at Albacete this week, with the 30-year-old Finn declared himself much happier with the 2013 Kalex, after finding improvements to both the weight distribution and the front end set up.

Having been forced to sit out a planned two-day outing at Le Mans due to snow, Livio Loi is also keen to resume testing at Jerez. The 15-year-old Belgian impressed with his wet weather lap times last time out, but is hoping for better weather this time around at Jerez, where he’s aiming to further refine the dry set up on his Kalex-KTM Moto3 machine.

Scott Redding #45:

“We’ve been building up over the last two tests, trying a lot of different things on the bike and finding a good direction with the set up. At this final test in Jerez we won’t change so much on the bike, leaving me to work on refining my riding style to get the most from the bike. If the feeling is good then I’ll be pushing for lap times at the end of each day, but we’ll have to see how it goes. I head to Jerez with some confidence after my times in the wet and the dry there last time out, but there’s always room for improvement and that’s exactly what we’ll be looking for next week.”

Mika Kallio #36:

“Although the weather conditions weren’t ideal at Albacete, where the track temperature was cold and the grip limited, we did find a few things with the bike. We made some improvements with the distribution of the extra weight we have for this year and also to the front end set up on the bike. We will need to confirm the changes at Jerez, where I hope the conditions will be better. Now I just need more time on the bike, without making any big changes, to build confidence. As my confidence increases the lap times will come, we know this from previous seasons.”

Livio Loi #11:

“Hopefully the weather at Jerez will be better than at Le Mans, where we sat out a two-day test this week because of snow! My feeling with the bike was good in the wet during the last test at Jerez, but we still have some work to do with the set up of the bike for the dry. Hopefully the weather will be kind to us for once and I can start to close the gap to the top of the timesheet in dry conditions during this final test.”

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Marc VDS Racing Team unveil 2013 livery in Gosselies

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The Moto2 and Moto3 bikes that will be campaigned by Scott Redding, Mika Kallio and Livio Loi, were unveiled last night during an official launch at the Marc VDS Racing Team’s headquarters in Gosselies, Belgium.

Redding is keen to get his fourth season with the Marc VDS Racing underway, after two successful preseason tests in Valencia and Jerez. For Kallio this will be his third season with the team, making the rider line up one of the longest serving in the cutthroat Moto2 class.

Loi, who will make his Grand Prix debut at Jerez this season, was consistent in the dry at the preseason tests at Valencia and Jerez, but it was his pace in the wet that impressed. The 15-year-old Belgian will test again at Le Mans next week, before re-joining his Marc VDS teammates at Jerez for the final preseason test of 2013, starting on 18th March.

Michael Bartholemy: Team Principal

“Our season started with the first test in Valencia, but the launch was the first time we’ve shown the bikes in their 2013 livery. For us the launch is important, because it’s one of the few times in the season that we get to present the team at home in Belgium, where we have a very strong following. With Scott we go into the season as one of the favourites to fight for the championship, but I think Mika may also surprise a few people this year. Livio has already impressed during testing, but we need to remember that this is his debut season and he’s facing a steep learning curve. There is no pressure on him for results in his first year, so I hope he will take advantage of this to gain experience ready for a proper assault on the championship in 2014.”

Marc van der Straten: President, Marc VDS Racing Team

“A hectic race program for both our car and bike teams means that we rarely see both together in the workshop, which is why the team launch is so important for us. We have a lot of support at home in Belgium, particularly from the area close to our headquarters in Gosselies, so it’s good to present both teams here ahead of the new season. This year, under the direction of Michael Bartholemy I fully expect Scott and Mika to be at the front, fighting for race wins and the championship. 2013 will also be a season of firsts for us. It’s the first year for the team in Moto3 and it’s the first time we will have a Belgian rider on our bike. Livio faces a tough debut season, but I have every confidence that he will bank the experience this year, ready to challenge for the title in 2014. The more I see of Livio, the more I am convinced that he will be the guy to put Belgium back on the Grand Prix map.”

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Positive second test for Marc VDS despite rain at Jerez

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All three Marc VDS riders declared themselves satisfied with the progress made during the second preseason test of 2013 at Jerez, despite rain disrupting all but one day of the three tests days.

Scott Redding ended the test third on the Moto2 timesheet, just 0.5s off the fastest time set by last year’s championship runner up, Pol Espargaro. The Marc VDS rider was also fifth fastest in the rain of the opening day, after rediscovering his wet weather form aboard the 2013 Kalex.

Mika Kallio was initially fast in the wet conditions on the opening day, but dropped to seventh position after encountering problems with the Dunlop wet tyres. In the dry the 30-year-old Finn was also seventh fastest, running a different set-up to normal on the bike, but was unhappy that the gap to the top of the timesheet was more than one second.

Livio Loi quickly mastered the tricky conditions on the two wet days at Jerez, running top five until a crash – at turn three on Tuesday and turn two on Thursday – brought a premature end to both days. The 15-year-old Belgian slipped back to 21st on the timesheet while working to refine the set-up of his Kalex-KTM machine in the dry conditions of the second day.

The Marc VDS Racing Team will return to the Jerez circuit on 22nd March, for the third and final preseason test of 2013.

Scott Redding #45: 3rd - 1'42.849

“We had some problems in the wet last year, so it was great to jump on the bike the first day in the rain and instantly have a good feeling. The same was true in the dry the second day; the bike just felt right from the first pit exit. We tried quite a few things on the bike, to improve it in a couple of areas, including getting the bike to turn better. Overall it’s been a very positive three days, despite the dodgy weather, and I’m looking forward to coming back to Jerez for the final test next month.”

Mika Kallio #36: 7th - 1'43.509

“My first exit on wets on Tuesday was good, but as soon as we changed tyres I couldn’t get within two seconds of my own lap time. The same was true today; I just didn’t have the grip to go any faster in the wet. We need to figure out what the problem is, because I have no confidence with the wet tyres at the moment. We had a good base set-up for this track last year, but it didn’t work as well at other tracks. For this test we went a completely different way with the settings, but we simply didn’t get enough dry track time to confirm the changes. We will go to Albacete for two more days of testing, where we’ll decide on a direction with the settings before returning to Jerez in March.”

Livio Loi #11: 21st - 1'49.576

“The first day was very good, I was all the time third or fourth, but then I had a little crash. Overall I was happy with day one. In the dry on the second day we had some problems with set-up, but we managed to improve both the bike and my lap time each session, so not the best day but it was okay. Today the first free practice was good and I was running fourth. In the second session I don’t know what happened, but I lost the front into turn two. The track was drying and I didn’t do anything different, so I don’t really know why I crashed. Anyway, overall it’s been a good test and now I head to Le Mans to get more time on the bike.”

Michael Bartholemy: Team Principal

“Both Scott and Mika had a lot to test on the only dry day here at Jerez, so neither were really pushing for fast lap times. Even so they were both on the pace in the wet and in the dry. I’m confident that when we return in March, with nothing left to test on the bikes, they’ll both be a lot closer to the top of the timesheet. Livio had a good first day, but struggled a little with set-up in the dry. While he’s unhappy not to be closer to the frontrunners, he learnt a lot during this test and, as a rookie, this is more important to his future than a few fast laps on a bike that isn’t set-up properly. He will get more experience testing at Le Mans next month, before returning to Jerez for the final preseason test.”

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Successful first test for Marc VDS trio

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The Marc VDS Racing Team’s trio of riders – Scott Redding, Mika Kallio and Livio Loi – today concluded a successful three-day test at the Valencia circuit in Spain.

Conditions for the final day of testing were almost perfect, with the unpredictable wind and cold conditions of the first two days replaced by clear blue skies and warmer track temperatures.

Redding ended the test, the first of the new season for the Marc VDS Racing team, seventh fastest on combined times, having adapted quickly to the characteristics of the 2013 Kalex chassis.

Kallio was also satisfied with the progress made during the test, his first with the bike fitted with the additional weight required to meet the new regulations this season. The 30-year-old Finn ended the test 13th on the timesheet, but is confident that his position will improve next week in Jerez.

After struggling with set-up and gusting winds on the opening two days, Loi took advantage of today’s better conditions to improve his lap time by almost two seconds, ending his first test as a Moto3 rider inside the top fifteen.

Scott Redding #45: 7th – 1’35.293

“We’ve had a steady test, working to get a good feeling with the new bike rather than pushing for fast lap times. The important thing for me is that we have a good understanding of how the 2013 Kalex compares to last year’s version; where it’s stronger and how it reacts to set-up changes. Next week we’ll try to make a few more improvements, before working to close the gap to the top of the timesheet.”

Mika Kallio #36: 13th – 1’35.769

“We missed about 0.3s at this test compared to the race here at Valencia in November. It could be the tyres, which was also a problem during the race weekend, but we will be able to confirm this next week at Jerez. I’m happy enough, but it’s not until next week that we’ll really be able to see where we are with respect to the other riders. Valencia is a strange circuit and one that isn’t really suited to testing. It’s been good to get back out on the bike, but the real work starts next week.”

Livio Loi #11: 14th  - 1’40.750

“The first two days were a bit of a struggle, as it was windy and we didn’t find a good set-up on the bike. Today we switched fork settings and the bike was transformed. I managed to match my lap time from the CEV race at Valencia in the first session and continued to improve throughout the day. With more time I’m confident I could have gone faster, but I’m happy with where I finished today. Now I’m looking forward to next week at Jerez.”

Michael Bartholemy: Team Principal

“This first test has been a good start to the new season for all three riders. Scott started where he left off last year and was immediately on the pace, while Mika adapted quickly to the additional weight he has on the bike for this season. Livio has learnt a lot these three days, both on track and off. He struggled with set-up issues the first two days but I’m happy to say, managed to work with his crew to make a big improvement ready for today. To finish his first test 14th overall is a good start to his Grand Prix career, but there’s still a lot of work left to do before he gets his season underway at Jerez in May. Now we must continue to improve during next week’s test at Jerez.”

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