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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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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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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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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Danny Kent finds fast form ahead of Brno battle

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Tech 3 Racing Team rider Danny Kent showcased his full potential on the French-built Mistral 610 machine this afternoon to storm to a season best grid position in a close Moto2 qualifying battle at the Brno track.

The British rider will start tomorrow’s 20-lap race from a promising 12th position, with Kent’s best lap putting him less than 0.050s away from securing a first top 10 start.

Kent has been in fantastic form all weekend and signs that he is making huge strides in adapting to the demands of the fiercely fought Moto2 category were evident in practice when he delivered an outstanding performance.

Kent powered his Mistral 610 machine to the fifth quickest time on combined times at the end of FP3, a lap of 2.03.123 a stunning improvement of almost two seconds compared to his speed in yesterday’s opening session.

The former Moto3 winner continued to impress in this afternoon’s qualifying session and at one stage he had thrust himself into contention for the top six in pleasantly warm conditions.

His final pace of 2.02.956 was only a fraction over 0.7s away from pole position and just under 0.4s away from World Championship contender Pol Espargaro on the front row. Kent is now confident he will be able to mount a strong challenge for his second points scoring finish of the season ahead of his vital home race at Silverstone next weekend.

Kent’s fantastic pace was unfortunately not matched by fellow rookie Louis Rossi, despite his crew working non-stop to improve his confidence and feeling on the Mistral 610 machine.

The Frenchman will start from 28th position on the grid, with a best lap of 2.04.299 not denting his confidence that he can fight for a positive result in tomorrow’s 10th race of 2013.

Danny Kent 12th 2.02.956 – 19 laps :

“I’m very happy with my qualifying today. I’m just 0.3 seconds away from second position, but what’s even more important is that I’ve been consistently fast during all the practice sessions this weekend and my race pace is really promising. The crucial point for tomorrow’s race will be the start, but I’m convinced we will battle for a good top 10 finish. I also want to thank my team because after the difficult race last week in Indianapolis they really helped me to improve my feeling and my confidence each time I went out on track. Now I would love to reward their hard work with a good result.”

Louis Rossi 28th 2.04.299 – 18 laps : 

“It was a really difficult qualifying for us. We expected so much from this track and also from the bike as Danny was fast all the weekend. Unfortunately we started on Friday morning with some issues on the bike and we’ve still not been able to find a good feeling, even though my team tried everything to help me. I was sure we found the right direction for qualifying but a tyre problem during the last run obstructed us once again and we could not show the improvement. But I have no excuses because Danny clearly showed that our bike is really competitive at this track. if I’m sure the race will be a tough one tomorrow but I’ll give it my all to learn as much as possible.”

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Difficult race for Kent and Rossi in Indianapolis

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The Tech 3 Racing Team experienced a challenging Moto2 race at the iconic Indianapolis Motor Speedway today, with Danny Kent and Louis Rossi finishing 23rd and 24th respectively in hot conditions.

Hopes were high that British rider Kent could mount a challenge for his second top 15 finish of 2013 after a promising weekend saw him lap at a competitive pace throughout practice and qualifying.

This afternoon’s 25-lap race though proved to be a tough one as Kent experienced a tyre chatter issue from the early stages that prevented him from maintaining an early challenge for the points.

He then encountered a mystery pain in his left arm and given the physically demanding nature of the 16-turn Brickyard track, Kent had no option but to slow his pace and he finished one place higher than teammate Rossi.

Rossi never found a comfortable feeling with his Mistral 610 machine, despite the best efforts of his Tech 3 Racing crew to improve his confidence. The Frenchman still rode a determined race and he gained more priceless experience heading into the second half of his rookie Moto2 season.

Danny Kent 23rd – 3 points

“It was a very tough race and obviously not what we expected. I had high hopes of a good result after a strong warm-up but after a few laps I started to have a chatter issue and that made it difficult. And out of the blue I got a sharp pain in my left arm and I got slower and slower. I am really disappointed but we don’t have to wait long to put things right and I am confident I can bounce back in Brno next weekend.”

Louis Rossi 24th – 4 points

“I am not happy with this result. I lost some confidence in qualifying after a reasonable start to the weekend and in the race it was really difficult. I just couldn’t get into a decent rhythm and 24th is not anything like the result we had hoped for. We go to Brno now where I expect to be much more competitive.”

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Danny Kent confident of top 15 challenge in Indianapolis

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Tech 3 Racing Team rider Danny Kent is confident a second points scoring finish in the 2013 Moto2 World Championship is well within his grasp after he returned from the long summer break in fast form at the historic Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

The British rider will start tomorrow’s 25-lap race from 20th position on the grid, but his final pace in qualifying certainly doesn’t reflect his true potential after he challenged for the top 10 for long periods in an exciting session.

Kent ended with a personal best lap of 1.43.956, which was less than a second behind the fastest pace set by World Championship leader and compatriot Scott Redding.

Teammate Louis Rossi faces a tough challenge after a quickest lap of 1.44.907 put him in 25th spot on the grid, the Frenchman still optimistic that he can also join the hunt for the top 15 with Kent.

Danny Kent 20th 1.43.956 – 21 laps

“I’m happy with how the weekend has gone but I’m not satisfied with our grid position as it does not show our true potential and the pace we have displayed throughout the weekend. Nevertheless I’m really confident that with a good start tomorrow I’ll be able to stay with the top 15 and fight for the points to get a boost of confidence to start the second half of the season.”

Louis Rossi 25th 1.44.907 – 19 laps:

“I can’t be really happy with this qualifying session because I think we were able to do much better. I didn’t start the session with a good rhythm, as I felt I was going to crash in a lot of places. During my second run we could slightly improve my feeling with the bike and I could repeat my lap time from this morning. I was able to improve towards the end of the session but besides a few issues with our engine I also have to improve myself on the bike.  I need to change my lines in a few areas as well as my movement on the bike. But if we can make these modifications for tomorrow I’m confident that we can be more competitive than what we’ve shown today.”

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Loius Rossi gains vital experience in German Moto2 race

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Tech 3 Racing Team’s Louis Rossi raced to the chequered flag for the sixth time in eight races this season to gain more priceless Moto2 experience in the eni Motorrad Grand Prix Deutschland.

A 22nd place finish wasn’t the result Rossi had anticipated but there were still plenty of positives to draw from a demanding 29-lap race at the Sachsenring, which took place in pleasantly warm and bright conditions.

For the majority of the race Rossi was engaged in a close battle involving five riders, the Frenchman able to learn more about his riding technique against some of the most experienced opponents in the fiercely fought Moto2 category.

Inaugural Moto2 World Champion Toni Elias and ex-125cc World Champion Mike di Meglio were two of the pack Rossi was able to battle closely with and he eventually crossed the line in 22nd position.

Danny Kent’s impressive 100% finishing record in 2013 unfortunately came to an end today while the British rider was pushing hard in the early stages to break into the top 20 and push on for a points scoring result.

Kent was optimistic that a third top 15 finish was within his grasp this afternoon but a crash on the third lap at the fourth corner ended his challenge in premature fashion. He was uninjured in the fall.

The Tech 3 Racing Team now heads off a well deserved summer break, with Rossi and Kent determined to bounce back strongly at the next round in Indianapolis on August 18.

Louis Rossi 22th  - 4 points :

“The most important thing was to finish the race while giving my maximum and I managed to do that. The final result was not what I had hoped for but I gained plenty of experience in the race. The biggest thing I picked up was that I am not consistent with my body position and riding style and my lines change more than those I was battling with. This is something I will need to work on in the second half of the season but today was a shame because I came to this race full of confidence after a very positive result in Assen. But this weekend was much more complicated. I need to find the key to be faster even when the set-up of the bike is not perfect and I don’t have full confidence. Now I will enjoy the summer break and come back full of determination to do better in Indianapolis.”

Danny Kent DNF – 3 points :

“I am really disappointed. I was really happy with how the bike felt although I was a little bit nervous because all weekend I’d struggled on brand new tyres in the first three laps. Unfortunately that was the problem in the race and I crashed but there are a lot of positives to take out of this weekend. Now I will go and train hard and focus on how I can improve in the summer break before going to Indianapolis where I am sure I can be battling for the points.”

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Louis Rossi races to career best Moto2 result in Assen

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Louis Rossi claimed a fantastic career best Moto2 result in this afternoon’s Iveco TT Assen, the Tech 3 Racing Team rider taking a determined 13th position at the legendary Dutch venue.

After mixed weather dominated practice and qualifying, today’s 24-lap race got underway in the best conditions of the weekend so far and Rossi wasted no time in launching an assault on the top 15.

Aggressive and confident moves saw him claim four places on the first lap from 19th position on the grid and three laps later his pace on new tyres continued to impress when he claimed a further two places to grab 13th.

Rossi’s superb performance in the early laps gave him the perfect opportunity to learn more about the high level in Moto2 and also the potential of the Mistral 610 machine in a close battle.

He was battling with experienced Moto2 race-winning talent like Thomas Luthi and Alex de Angelis and the knowledge gained will prove invaluable in helping Rossi’s development in the ultra-competitive category.

He finished 13th but the most pleasing aspect of his race was his pace on worn tyres in the final laps. A brilliant late surge saw him finish less than one second away from the top 10 and he set a personal best lap of 1.39.428 on the last lap.

That was over 0.2s better than his qualifying pace and only race winner Pol Espargaro, World Championship leader Scott Redding and Mika Kallio in fourth were faster on the final lap than Rossi.

British rider Danny Kent was also a fast starter this afternoon and like Rossi an aggressive first lap saw him move four places up the rankings to the brink of the top 20.

He gradually built up to a fast and consistent rhythm and shortly before the halfway stage he was poised to mount a charge on the top 15.

Unfortunately he was unable to maintain his pace and he slipped down the order to 20th, the teenager now looking to bounce back with a strong result at the next round in Germany before the summer break.

Louis Rossi 13th  - 4 points :

“I can be extremely satisfied with today’s result and I am most pleased for my Tech 3 Racing Team because they have given me great support all season. We have had some bad times while I have been learning but we continued to work and never gave up on trying to improve and today we demonstrated more of our true potential. It is great to be back in the points and there are a lot of positives to take from this weekend. I did well in qualifying and this obviously gives you more of a chance in the race and my first lap was strong and I was immediately in the points. I was fast on new and old tyres and riding in that group with people like Luthi gave me a lot of confidence. But more importantly it was a huge help to building my experience. Hopefully now I can be strong again in Germany and be battling for more points.”

Danny Kent 20th – 3 points :

“Obviously I am not happy with how today’s race went. Coming into this weekend I was really excited because Assen is of my favourite tracks and after the positive result in Catalunya I was optimistic I would be in the top 15 again. But all weekend we struggled with the set-up and I was fighting the bike the whole time. All I can do is try and put this result behind me as quickly as possible and get to Germany and focus on being strong and in the hunt for the points again.”

Herve Poncharal –Team Manager :

“I am so pleased with Louis today because he did a fantastic job and this was the perfect way for him to bounce back from two very difficult races. Every session he has been like a different rider and it looks like the private test we did in Spain after Barcelona has really helped him and he has taken profit from that.  Right from the start he was inside the top 15 and he just pushed as hard as he could for the whole race. I don’t think he could have got more out of the Mistral 610 package today and the way he rode will give him a lot of confidence. What was really important too is the experience he gained from racing with people like Luthi, de Angelis, West and Simon, who all have vast experience in Moto2. That will be priceless for the forthcoming races. He was fast and consistent throughout the race and to be almost as quick as the top two on the final lap is a great achievement and shows the potential Louis has. It also demonstrates that we are moving in the right direction with the Mistral 610. I really hope now that today’s result gives him the confidence to have a really strong second half to 2013, starting at the next round in Germany.  It is a shame for Danny because he was confident after scoring his first points in Catalunya and he was happy and fast at the test. But it has been a difficult weekend throughout and we were expecting a lot more. He has the talent but I think he has to push more and believe in himself.”

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Kent thrilled with maiden top 15 finish in Catalunya

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Tech 3 Racing Team rider Danny Kent powered his French designed and built Mistral 610 machine to a maiden points scoring finish in a Moto2 race that took place in scorching hot conditions at the Circuit de Catalunya today.

Confident he could battle for the top 15 after an encouraging and assured performance throughout practice and qualifying, the British delivered when it really counted in an exciting 23-lap race that unfolded in front of a sun-drenched crowd of over 90,000 fans gathered for the Gran Premi Aperol de Catalunya.

A successful one-day test session at the Mugello track in Italy recently has transformed Kent’s feeling with the Mistral 610 machine and his determined efforts to improve his braking technique reaped immediate rewards this afternoon. 

It was on lap 10 that he first surged into the top 15, with Kent involved in a tremendously close battle for ninth. 

Kent came out on top of a fight with track specialists Axel Pons and Julian Simon and at the chequered flag he took a richly deserved 13th position, missing out on 12th by just over 0.1s. 

Today’s result has sent Kent’s confidence and belief soaring and his next goal is to establish himself as a regular top 15 contender for the remainder of his rookie campaign in the ultra-competitive Moto2 category. 

Round six of the 2013 World Championship ended in disappointment for French rider Louis Rossi, who was optimistic he could have joined Kent in the battle for the top 15.

But his race came to a premature but fortunately painless conclusion when he tumbled out on the opening lap while jostling for position with South African Steven Odendaal.

Danny Kent 13th – 3 points:

“I am really happy with the race and to get my first points is something we have been chasing for a while now. Another rider hit me at the start when I was in the group battling for eighth. That cost me 1.5s to that group and I had to do a lot of work to catch them back and used my rear tyre more than they did and I was sliding a lot at the end. But to finish in the points is a great step forward and I found a really good feeling with the bike at the test in Mugello. It feels like a weight has been moved off my shoulders and now I need to build on this result and make sure I am challenging inside the top 15 at every race.”

Louis Rossi DNF – 1 point:

“It is a real shame to finish the weekend like this with a crash right at the beginning of the race. I had made consistent progress throughout the weekend and my feeling with the bike improved a lot. But unfortunately I didn’t manage to finish the first lap because I crashed out together with Odendaal at the end of the back straight. I tried to overtake him but he crossed my line and we ended up in the gravel together. I’m really sorry for the whole team because I think I could have had a good race. I would have liked to thank my crew for their hard work with a decent result but it wasn’t meant to be. Now we have to look with confidence to the next race in Assen, which is a track I like.”

Herve Poncharal – Team Manager:

“It was a really good weekend for Tech 3 Racing. We have been a lot more consistent and the gap in qualifying was the smallest we had to the top time and that was a good result that gave us confidence for the race today. Danny has been strong all weekend and we knew he could get in the points because he made a big step with the bike at the test in Mugello. His start was decent and then he was riding really consistently, which is a big difference to the first five races. Today we saw a performance from him that we knew he was capable of and his ride today fills us with a lot of optimism for the future. At some stage of the race his lap times were the same as the top six and without doubt this is the best weekend of his young Moto2 career. It was a big shame for Louis again and we have to work with him to help him in the forthcoming races. He jumped the start in Mugello and today was the opposite and he got a bad start. When that happens and you are right at the back you can get involved in an incident. The good news is it seems both of them are getting more comfortable on the bike and hopefully that can improve when we take part in a two-day private test at Alcaraz tomorrow and Tuesday."

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Danny Kent targets first points in Moto2

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British rider Danny Kent will start tomorrow’s Gran Premi Aperol de Catalunya full of confidence that he can challenge for his first Moto2 World Championship points after a positive qualifying performance in sizzling heat today.

Kent will start the 23-lap race from 17th position on the grid, the Tech 3 Racing Team rider capitalizing on a morale-boosting recent test session in Mugello to finish just over 0.5s outside of the top six at the Circuit de Catalunya near Barcelona.

Without the time constraints of a Moto2 weekend, Kent was able to improve his confidence and feeling on the Mistral 610 machine and today he was able to show more of the potential that took him to two victories in the new Moto3 category last year.

Kent posted a best time of 1.47.803, which was only just over 0.7s from compatriot and World Championship leader Scott Redding in second position. The most pleasing aspect of Kent’s performance today was his consistency and he is now confident that he be in the hunt for a top 15 finish tomorrow.

Louis Rossi will start from a further six places back, the Frenchman less than 0.2s behind as today’s timesheets once again perfectly illustrated the close level of competition in Moto2. Less than two seconds covered the top 31 riders and Rossi’s personal best of 1.47.986 was less than a second off the front row.

Danny Kent 17th 1.47.803 -21 laps:

“I am happy with today’s qualifying because the position and time is much closer to where we need to be. It’s not my best result of the year, but I believe in terms of consistency it’s definitely the best performance I have put in on track so far. I’m also happy about the positive feeling with the bike that I carried over from the test day in Mugello and I’m really confident for tomorrow. I just have to do a good start and be a bit more aggressive during the opening laps because during the previous races I always lose positions at that stage of the race and then I struggle to recover them later.”

Louis Rossi 23rd 1.47.986 – 20 laps:

“During the whole weekend we have made consistent progress and I have found a lot of confidence coming back. We resolved a couple of issues I’ve been experiencing like sliding on corner entry and now the bike is working much better for me. I can finally say I enjoy riding the bike again and that is the most important thing after some tough races. Obviously we are a little upset about the result of qualifying because I decided to ride alone for the whole weekend to understand better what I do on the bike. But this strategy is difficult for qualifying, as I did not have any slipstream. Anyway after looking at the timesheets I saw that I could have been 15th on the grid if I did my fastest sector times in the same lap and that gives me huge confidence for tomorrow.”

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Difficult race for Kent and Rossi in Mugello

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Today's Moto2 race at the magnificent Mugello circuit in Italy had a disappointing outcome for the French-based Tech 3 Racing Team, with determined rides from Danny Kent and Louis Rossi not reflected in the final results.

A fast and aggressive start saw Kent gain three places on the opening lap, but the British rider was unable to sustain his impressive early charge and he ended the fifth round of the 2013 World Championship campaign in 22nd position.

Rossi's eagerness to make a flying start to launch an immediate attack on the top 20 resulted in a penalty for jumping the start. The ride through pit lane at the end of the fifth lap dropped the Frenchman to the back of the field. 

With his chance of racing into the top 20 gone, Rossi rode a lonely race to 26th but he was able to gain more experience and collect precious data for the Tech 3 Racing Team to help with future developments on the Mistral 610 machine.

The Tech 3 Racing Team will remain at the Mugello track tomorrow for a one-day test session, where Kent and Rossi hope to make positive progress with the set-up of the Mistral 610 without the time constraints and pressure of a race weekend.

One of the items on an extensive testing schedule to assess is a new aerodynamics package, with the long Mugello start/finish straight the perfect place to evaluate it.

Danny Kent - 22nd :

"We knew it was going to be a hard race because all weekend I have been struggling to find a set-up that suits me. It was a tough job and I can't be satisfied at all. Now we need to start making some big changes to try and make some progress because we are not demonstrating the full potential of the Tech 3 Racing package at the moment. Tomorrow we have a test and hopefully we can find some improvements to help me take a step forward in the next races."

Louis Rossi - 26nd :

"I am very sad about this race. I jumped the start and I am very sorry to the Tech 3 Racing Team because it destroyed any chance I had of getting into a battle. It was my mistake and after the ride through it was very difficult to make virtually the whole race alone. I didn't give up and at least I had the opportunity to modify my riding style to try and learn some new things. I have lots of information, so now I will speak to my crew to see if we can make some improvements based on the data we collected today."

Herve Poncharal - Team Manager :

"We can't deny today was very disappointing for the Tech 3 Racing Team on a track where we know the Mistral 610 is capable of battling for the podium. In 2011 Bradley (Smith) was on the podium and last year fourth, and while I wasn't expecting Danny and Louis to replicate those results, I certainly anticipated them being more competitive. Both of them are doing their best and it was unfortunate that Louis jumped the start because that compromised his race immediately. We can't be happy to see both of them outside of the top 20 and tomorrow's test is going to be vital to see if we can make any progress. We are not showing the full potential of the Mistral 610 and hopefully tomorrow we can find a direction that is going to improve our situation for the next few races."

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Louise Rossi Fights to Maiden top 15 in Front of Home Crowd

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A huge partisan home crowd roared French favourite Louis Rossi to his first point scoring finish in the ultra-competitive Moto2 World Championship at the historic Le Mans track this afternoon.

In tricky conditions with rain threatening to fall from the start of the 26-lap race, Tech 3 Racing Team rider Rossi showed poise and pace to battle from outside of the top 20 to 15th in an incident-packed encounter.

Several riders succumbed to the difficult conditions but Rossi engaged in an exciting battle throughout with teammate Danny Kent. 

Their close battle looked certain to go all the way to the chequered flag but with the forecast rain arriving just three laps from the end of the race, Race Direction had no choice but to halt proceedings.

The red flag meant the honour of scoring the first top 15 finish in 2013 for the French designed and built Tech 3 Racing Mistral 610 machine went to Rossi by a fraction of a second from British rider Kent, who can take great encouragement from his highest finish in his Moto2 career to date.

With Rossi and Kent racing to their best results of the 2013 campaign today, the Tech 3 Racing Team now heads to the next round in Mugello with renewed optimism and confidence that both can consistently compete for the top 15 on the improving Mistral 610 machine.

Louis Rossi 15th – 1 point:

“I'm very happy for the whole team because we finished inside the top 15 for first time in Moto2 and it was really important for me to do it in front of my friends and family in my home race. That definitely makes this positive result have an even better taste because since the beginning of the season we have been struggling quite a bit. But the Tech 3 Racing Team has never stopped working hard and showing me incredible support, and with the improvements we are making and the experience I am gaining I’m sure we can be consistently battling for the top 15 in the future.”

Danny Kent 16th:

“That was the best race I’ve had so far this year. I’m a little bit disappointed because I had just passed Louis and was confident I could take my first top 15 in Moto2 when the red flags came out. That dropped me back to 16th but it was still an encouraging race. The main issue is that we struggle a bit on speed compared to the other riders. This is a track where you can pass at the end of the straight but the speed issue made it a tricky situation and even compared to Louis I didn’t seem to be able to match his speed. But after a few moments in the early laps I’m really happy about my pace. I still lose too much time during the first laps and that means being too far from the points. But we learned a lot again during this weekend and I am convinced we’ll be more competitive in Mugello." 

Herve Poncharal – Team Manager:

“I think today showed that both Louis and Danny are making positive steps in understanding how to get the best out of the Mistral 610 machine. It was a very difficult race in tricky conditions and with the amount of crashes it was clear it was very easy to make a mistake. But both Louis and Danny showed impressive composure and concentration throughout and it was a good battle between them for the entire race. They showed a lot of determination and both of them wanted to score that first top 15 finish of the season. In the second half of the race their lap times were very promising and this time it was Louis who came out on top. I am happy for him because it will be a good confidence boost to get this result in his own backyard here in Le Mans. It will also motivate Danny to try and be stronger in Mugello and hopefully we will see both of them pushing to finish in the points again.” 

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Rain disrupts qualifying session for Rossi and Kent

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The historic French circuit in Le Mans is well-known for its wet and quickly changing weather conditions which this afternoon hampered one more time the Moto2 rookies Danny Kent and Louis Rossi from putting convincing performances on track during the all-important home race for the French based Tech3 Racing Team.

Immediately after starting track time some rain drops began to fall, which forced the riders to push to their maximum from the earliest stages on, a situation which penalized the newcomers in the ultra-competitive Moto2 category.

Boost from the home crowd Louis Rossi managed to use the lack of experience on his Mistral 610 as extra motivation qualifying in twenty-first position on grid while his teammate Danny Kent will start tomorrow’s 26 lap race two rows behind the local French rider after Kent qualified 26th.

Today’s qualifying performances of both young talented riders do not demonstrate the real potential but both are hopefully for an aggressive start that will put them in a battle which of course will help to gain vital experience and bring home the first points of the season.

Louis Rossi 21st - 1'40.281 – 10 laps:

“Of course a seventh row on the grid is not what I would like wished to achieve in front of my friends and family around the track, but considering that we had another tough weekend I should not complain too much about the result. We made some modification before qualifying practice and even though I had just a few laps to evaluate it I felt  immediately more confident on the bike. Therefore I’m optimistic that I’ll be able to fight for my first top 15 finish of the season tomorrow.”

Danny Kent 26th - 1'40.613 – 11 laps:

“Honestly I’m quite disappointed with the result of today’s qualifying as we were taking steps forward during the whole weekend in terms of improving my confidence on the bike. But just a few rain drops were enough to put me back to my initial position as I really wanted to avoid crashing out. Even starting from the ninth row is far from ideal, I will get my head down trying to score the best possible result in front of the French fans. Maybe the uncertain weather condition and the predicted rain will help me a little bit. My main aim is to focus on a good start and be immediately fast during the opening laps of the race as that seem to be the part where we are losing most of our time.”

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Louis Rossi and Danny Kent gain experience in difficult Jerez race

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The Tech 3 Racing Team gained vital data and information to help future development of the Mistral 610 machine in a difficult Moto2 race for Louis Rossi and Danny Kent at the Jerez track in Spain today.

French rider Rossi finished the 26-lap race, which took place in gloriously sunny and hot conditions, in 25th place and he was satisfied to get another full race distance under his belt to improve his understanding of the Mistral 610 machine.

British rider Kent had settled into a consistent rhythm and was confident he could fight his way into the top 20 when his challenge unfortunately came to a premature end on lap 10 after a small fall at Turn 6.

Kent was able to remount and he continued to push hard for the remainder of the race to build up his experience of the Mistral 610 machine for forthcoming races in his rookie Moto2 World Championship campaign.

He took the chequered flag in 27th position and the Tech 3 Racing Team now heads to its all-important home round at the historic Le Mans track in France where optimism is high that Rossi and Kent can be challenging for their first World Championship points of the season.

Louis Rossi 25th:

“This result is not so good and the position is certainly not what we expect but after such a difficult weekend I am happy to finish. I improved my pace and that is positive but we have to work to get my confidence back. I want to thank the Tech 3 Racing Team for their support because this is a hard time for everybody. But they are giving me maximum support and I really appreciate this. It is my home race in Le Mans next and I will be doing my best to be more competitive for my home fans.”

Danny Kent 27th:

“It was another disappointing race. There was a bit of a tangle at the first corner and I nearly ran into the back of another rider and I lost a few places. I didn’t feel confident with the front in the hot conditions and at the end of the back straight it closed on me and I crashed. I was determined to finish for my crew and although I was on my own and it was impossible to catch the group in front, I worked on my riding style to help me for the rest of the year.”

Herve Poncharal – Team Manager:

“Today was not what we expected at all but it was another learning experience for Louis and Danny that will help them for the future. The Moto2 class is very difficult and it is clear they both need time to gain some experience, but I think they both have to trust in their own ability much more. I believe the potential of the Mistral 610 is much higher than we are showing and I know 100% that Louis and Danny are better than their results are showing. All we can do is continue to work at our maximum level and look forward to the next few races with optimism that we will improve a lot. The next race is in France and that is a huge event for the Tech 3 Racing Team, and I am confident we can be much more competitive.”

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Kent and Rossi confident of positive race in Spain

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Tech 3 Racing Moto2 riders Danny Kent and Louis Rossi remain optimistic and confident they can race to positive results in tomorrow's Gran Premio bwin De Espana at the Jerez track.

It has been a difficult weekend so far for both as they have found it a challenging exercise trying to find a good set-up with the Mistral 610 machine in scorching hot temperatures at the Circuito de Jerez.

Kent will start his third race for the French-based team from 24th position on the grid after setting a best time of 1.45.177, the British rider working his way three places higher up the rankings from where he finished practice.

Teammate Rossi too has found the first European round of the 2013 World Championship schedule a tough affair and the French rider will start his challenge in the 26-lap race from 32nd on the grid.

Rossi was able to pick up his pace throughout the decisive final qualifying session and on his final lap he set a personal best time of 1.45.796. That was less than a second away from the top 20 but Rossi is hoping an aggressive start will get in a battle that will help him gain vital experience in the ultra-competitive Moto2 category.

Danny Kent 1.45.177 - 19 laps :

"It has been a tough weekend so far. The track was very hot and greasy this afternoon and I'm disappointed with my grid position because I was strong in qualifying in Austin and hoping to be inside the top 20 again. I just need to get a good start and be aggressive and try and fight my way through as best as I can. The main problem is I'm losing a lot on the exit of the corner. Entry and mid-corner I am just as fast as the rest but on the exit I can't hold a line and we lose on acceleration."

Louis Rossi 32nd 1.45.796 - 20 laps :

"It has been a very difficult weekend for us so far. Unfortunately I crashed yesterday during the second free practice and since that time I have been trying to regain my confidence. But it's harder than I expected. I struggle to find a better feeling with the bike and we tried quite a few things to give me more confidence but maybe I am putting myself under too much pressure. Now we will just try to do a good start tomorrow and keep our head down fighting in the race. For sure the race will help us to collect some more information and experience to improve our performance during the next races."

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Tough Texas debut for Tech 3 Racing Team

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The Tech 3 Racing Team’s first visit to the spectacular Circuit of the Americas (COTA) proved to be a challenging affair, with Danny Kent and Louis Rossi finishing in 18th and 24th respectively.

Kent was unable to capitalise on an encouraging 13th position on the grid because of a small gearbox issue, but he did brilliantly to fight his way back through from outside of the top 20 in the early laps to claim a respectable 18th place finish at the chequered flag.

With 19 more competitive race laps under his belt, the British rider gained more valuable experience on the Mistral 610 machine and he is confident when the World Championship moves to Europe for the next race in Jerez that he will be able to battle for his first points scoring finish.

Today’s second round of the 2013 Moto2 World Championship at the long and technical COTA track was a big learning experience for Frenchman Louis Rossi.

Despite the best efforts of his Tech 3 Racing crew to improve his feeling and confidence with the Mistral 610 machine, Rossi never felt comfortable to push close to his normal potential and he finished in 24th position.

Danny Kent 18th:

“I am a little bit disappointed with the outcome of the race, particularly after such a positive qualifying that put me 13th on the grid. I had a problem with the gearbox going from second to first and it was creating a big problem for me entering the corner. I think that’s what put Nakagami out of the race too, so we weren’t the only one with a problem. Unfortunately it meant we finished the race with no points and that’s a shame because I am sure I could have been in the top 15 today. I am still learning so much with every lap I complete and I am looking forward to going to Jerez and fighting for my first points there.”

Louis Rossi 24th:

“It was a really difficult weekend for me because right from the first practice I didn't have a lot of confidence on the bike. I just couldn’t push with any confidence at all and we have to try and understand why it turned out to be such a difficult weekend. I want to thank my Tech 3 Racing Team because the bike was the best it has been all weekend in the race and I had slightly more confidence than on Friday and Saturday. Until about six laps from the end I could push harder but then the end of the race I had to slow down a lot. We have collected a lot of useful data during this weekend in Texas and we need to analyse it all in detail to make sure we have a better performance in the next races because where I finished today was nothing like I know what my full potential is. We tested in Jerez in the winter and I am looking forward to going there and being much more competitive.”

Herve Poncharal - Team Manager:

"We were confident we could score our first points with Danny here in Texas today because qualifying went well and he had a good feeling with the bike. But after a bad start and a few first laps where he struggled to find the right rhythm because of the gearbox problem it put him too far behind to reach the points. That's a pity and disappointing but he still showed great fighting spirit with a good recovery during the second part of the race. It was a bit like in Qatar where he was very fast in the second part of the race and easily good enough to see him battling around 10th to 15th. But by that time the gap was already too big. He is gaining experience and that is the most important thing and i am sure it won't be long before he is a consistent challenger in the points. Louis had a very tough weekend but at least he managed to finish the race and gain some experience. Both of them are learning a lot and are now ready for the first European race in Jerez where both have good track knowledge and where Danny in particular made a good job during the test one month ago."

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Danny Kent gains confidence and makes big progress in Texas

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Tech 3 Racing Team rider Danny Kent scored a confidence-boosting 13th place on the grid for tomorrow’s inaugural Moto2 World Championship showdown at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in Texas.

The British rider has been steadily building up his confidence with the Mistral 610 machine throughout the weekend, which has been a challenging experience while he’s also had to learn the long and technical COTA track. 

Kent finished practice in an encouraging 18th position after improving by over four seconds between FP1 and FP3 and his rapid progress continued in qualifying on the COTA track, which features the longest straight on the calendar and a spectacular climb of 134ft from the start/finish line to the tight first corner.

A lap of 2.12.399 saw Kent further improve his pace by over a second and he climbed five places up the rankings to head the fifth row of the grid. He was less than 0.4s away from storming into the top 10 and Kent is optimistic that he can claim his first points scoring finish in the competitive Moto2 category in tomorrow’s 19-lap race.

Tomorrow’s race will be a tough one for Frenchman Louis Rossi, who has found it difficult to find a comfortable setting with his Mistral 610 machine during the weekend.

He was 1.2s faster in qualifying than in practice but his best lap of 2.14.108 left him down in 27th position.

Danny Kent  13th 2.12.399 – 17 laps:

“I am really happy with how qualifying went and to be so close to the top 10 gives my confidence a big boost. This is an amazing track but really hard to learn and that task has been made even harder while I’m trying to adapt myself to the Moto2 machine. I’ve been steadily chipping away and getting faster and faster and I’m satisfied with the progress we’ve made. I’ve made a big step with my feeling with the bike since Qatar and now it will be important to start well and try to get in a good battle so I can learn as much as possible.”

Louis Rossi 27th 2.14.108 – 14 laps:

“I am disappointed to be starting so far down the grid because we expected a much better result. But right from the first lap on this track, which is very technical and difficult to learn, it was hard for me and I have not been able to find any confidence with the bike to push harder. We’ll try and find some solutions to help me feel more comfortable but I am lacking confidence with the front and that makes it hard to push for a lap time. I will do my best in the race and hopefully I can be more competitive.”

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