Author Archives: PressBox

KTM motorsport director Pit Beirer said the factory believes something is wrong inside its RC16 MotoGP engines after a string of breakdowns this season, and he said some of the engines are now considered unusable for safety reasons. The issue came into sharp focus at the Catalunya Grand Prix in Barcelona, when Pedro Acosta’s KTM shut down at high speed and was then hit from behind by Alex Marquez, heightening rider-safety concerns within MotoGP.

KTM has also faced clutch and ride-height device failures this season, and it has already reduced engine performance in an effort to avoid another shutdown. The factory has asked to inspect its sealed engines during the summer break, but that would require unanimous approval from the manufacturers, with Aprilia reported to support the request as KTM looks for answers.

Marc Marquez dominated the German Grand Prix weekend at Sachsenring, converting pole position into a 30-lap victory by 1.996 seconds on Sunday and completing a double after also winning Saturday’s sprint. He took his third win of the MotoGP season and his 13th at Sachsenring, while also recovering from a minor crash in Friday practice to control much of the race at a circuit that has long suited him. The win moved Marquez up to third in the championship standings with 190 points before the summer break.

Alex Marquez was Marc Marquez’s closest challenger early in the race before crashing out of second place on lap nine, leaving Marc Marquez with little pressure at the front. Ai Ogura then passed Raul Fernandez late to finish second for Trackhouse, giving the team a 2-3 result, with Fernandez third and Pedro Acosta fourth. Jorge Martin finished fifth to extend his title lead with 208 points, while Ogura moved up to second in the standings and Marco Bezzecchi and Fabio di Giannantonio fell in the championship after Bezzecchi missed both German races with a broken collarbone and Di Giannantonio recorded his first grand prix DNF of the season.

The weekend also brought wins for Ivan Ortola and Brian Uriarte in the support classes. Ortola beat Daniel Holgado by 0.614 seconds for his second Moto2 victory at Sachsenring, and Uriarte edged Max Quiles by 0.063 seconds to take his second Moto3 win. The German rounds were marked by crashes and attrition across the classes, with several riders failing to finish and a new bump at the Omega corner drawing attention during practice and qualifying.

Marco Bezzecchi withdrew from the rest of the German Grand Prix weekend after a heavy qualifying crash at Turn 7 on Saturday left him with a complete, displaced fracture of his left clavicle. Aprilia said he lost the rear of his bike before being thrown over the handlebars, then was taken by ambulance to the circuit medical center, where X-rays under MotoGP medical director Dr. Angel Charte confirmed the collarbone fracture. Bezzecchi is returning to Italy for surgery with Dr. Giuseppe Porcellini.

Reports varied on his exact position in Q2 when the accident happened. One account said Bezzecchi briefly moved into second place behind Marc Marquez, while another said he was third in Q2, after an earlier lap had put him provisionally seventh on the grid. Aprilia confirmed he will miss the German Grand Prix.

The injury came after Bezzecchi said on Friday that he was “in trouble with my body” as he returned to the bike after a heavy crash at Assen. He was not fully fit when he arrived at Sachsenring, finished seventh in Friday practice, and said the main issue was his body rather than his mindset as he prepared to “suffer” through the weekend.