Indice dei contenuti per 18 May 2022 in MCN

Brittany Ferries have two new offers for MCN readers on crossings to France and Spain this summer. A saving of 5% is offered on trips to France and Spain from Portsmouth, Poole or Plymouth. Alternatively, you can claim 7% off Sail and Save packages which give the opportunity to book cottages, hotels or campsites with the crossing included. To take advantage download the MCN app, purchase your membership and head to the rewards section. Closes Oct 31. Sinnis go dark Sinnis have released this limitededition Black version of the 125cc Terrain. The new variant of the 12.7bhp, six-speed single, comes with topbox and panniers, USB charging port and 14-litre fuel tank, making it one of the longest-legged 125s available. It also now comes with special black finishes, updated decals and…

Triumph and Gibson guitars are joining forces to provide a special series of prizes for this year’s Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride. Launched in Australia in 2012 in support of prostate cancer research and men’s mental health, the DGR has grown to become a global series operating in 114 countries and over 900 cities. This year’s event takes place this Sunday (May 22). Triumph and Gibson first linked up earlier this year to celebrate the common significance of the year 1959. Triumph’s iconic Bonneville was launched that year, as was Gibson’s first Les Paul guitar. The ‘1959 Legends’ Bonneville T120 and custom Les Paul Standard Reissue guitar were the results. Now, three additional special guitars, each with a custom-painted case inspired by a legendary Triumph rider, are being offered as prizes at…

ASSISTANT EDITOR, MOTORCYCLING ‘I can’t wait to do it all again next year’ The East of England Showground - and local roads – reverberated to the sound of biking all weekend as we opened the gates for the Devitt MCN Festival of Motorcycling and welcomed over 19,000 people to the Peterborough venue. There was plenty to do and see, including the latest models from top bike manufacturers which included UK debuts for the Yamaha Ténéré World Raid and the Indian Pursuit. For those who wanted to do more than just walk around and soak up the sights, there were also test fleets on offer from BMW, CCM, Ducati, Harley-Davidson, Honda, Kawasaki, KTM, Royal Enfield, Super Soco, Triumph, Yamaha and Zero - and well over 1000 individual test rides were delivered…

Bike sales are remaining strong with the latest official figures for April 4.2% up on the same month last year and total year-to-date sales showing a 32.4% increase. Smaller, sub-125cc commuters are still the most popular sector with over 16,000 sold so far this year as people turn away from cars and public transport, with Honda’s ever-popular PCX125 by far and away the biggest seller. But sales of mid-range 126-650cc machines are up 39% year-on-year, led by the best-selling Royal Enfield Meteor 350, and up-to-1000cc bikes increasing by 37%, with Suzuki’s new GSX-S1000GT leading the way. Electric bike sales are also booming with sales up by 68% over 2021 with sub-11kW commuters such as NIU’s NQI GTS proving to be the most popular. Electric bike sales now represent around 6%…

MCN CONTRIBUTOR Chinese bike firm QJMotor is the sister company to Benelli with a range that closely mirrors the Italian brand’s line-up. Changes to their bikes are therefore likely to be carried across in the future so the adoption of a vastly more powerful engine for the QJMotor SRT800 bodes well for a future Benelli version. The QJMotor SRT800 has been type-approved in China, indicating that production isn’t far off, and on the surface it looks like a minor cosmetic update to the existing SRT750 – which is the QJ version of Benelli’s new TRK800. However, digging deeper into the paperwork reveals a welcome change to the engine, providing a 20bhp boost in performance. The styling update includes a new tank and sidepanels, while the ‘beak’ has been tweaked to…

It shouldn’t surprise anyone that British Superbikes’ young guns are taking over. Kyle Ryde has beaten Fabio Quartararo as a youth and Bradley Ray finished fourth in Red Bull Rookies eight years ago, behind Joan Mir and Jorge Martin, but ahead of Darryn Binder and Toprak Razgatlioglu. Rory Skinner’s results in the junior world series suggest that he is every bit as good as Raul Fernandez, Ai Ogura and Tony Arbolino. But while those guys all went on to bigger things on the world stage, our three youngsters had to start over again when they turned 16, struggling to find the money to ride 600s in the British championships on their way up to BSB level.…

Ride further in 2022 with a little help from our one-stop event guide JUST BREW IT Ride out to Britain’s best biking cafés On the outskirts of Loughborough and just a stone’s throw from Donington Park sits Lisa’s Diner. This layby café was taken over by Lisa Vickers eight years ago, and is now a thriving success with customers varying from hoards of bikers to trade workers and long-distance lorry drivers. “I’ve been in catering for 15 years now and it came up for sale just over eight years ago. I decided I wanted to do it, bought it and turned it around within a few months, ” says Lisa. “I’ve changed the menu quite a lot, adding more stuff to it and went from there really. Within a few…

1 Brands Summer Wednesdays May 25 Brands Hatch’s evening auto shows kick off next week. Gates open at 6pm and you can ride up, talk with like-minded people and even grab a bite at Hailwoods restaurant. Advance tickets are £5 per vehicle. brandshatch.co.uk 2 Stratford Autojumble May 22 Find that key part you need for your next project. This Sunday at Stratford Racecourse the jumble will be in full swing from 9.30am with tickets £5 in advance and £6 on the gate. stratfordautojumble.co.uk 3 Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride May 22 In aid of Movember and mental health charities, you’ll be able to find local rideouts in your area. Register online, get sponsors and dress up smart. www.gentlemansride.com 4 Northeast classic May 22 Love a bit of classic metal? This Sunday the…

£17,700 Triumph Tiger 1200 Rally Pro…

Hailwood and Ago had been neck-and-neck throughout the race until the Italian’s chain broke on the fifth lap and he coasted home in tears. “I have very good and very bad memories of the 1967 TT, ” Agostini says. “It was nice because I was leading in front of Mike Hailwood, and this was not easy for anybody at that time! But it was also sad because I didn’t win the race. I was leading him by about seven or eight seconds and was feeling comfortable. When my chain broke, it was the biggest disappointment of my career. I remember crying from the mountain to the finish line. I cried, because to win in the Isle of Man, to beat Mike Hailwood, is not easy. I was very disappointed.” He…

CHIEF ROAD TESTER If you put adventure and dualpurpose rubber to one side there are three basic tyre types for your road bike. Sports-touring, sports and trackday. That all sounds simple enough, but there’s actually a fourth. Wedged between sports and trackday rubber are hybrid fast road/trackday tyres. They’re designed for extremely spirited road use, but sticky enough to keep you shiny side up around a circuit. In Pirelli’s case that tyre is the Diablo Corsa, which has been around since 2003. In recent times it’s evolved into the Diablo Rosso Corsa and Diablo Rosso Corsa II and new for 2022 is its replacement: the Diablo Rosso IV Corsa. It actually sounds better the way the Italians pronounce it: ‘Quattro Corsa’. By the way, Pirelli haven’t called it the Rosso…

Davey Todd left the NW200 wondering what it would have taken to win after finishing runnerup four times on the Milenco Padgetts Hondas during this year’s event. The 26-year-old, who claimed his first major road race victory in a wet Supersport clash during in 2019, arrived at Portrush in peak form after making a strong start to this season’s British Superstock championship. In Thursday evening’s wet Superstock and Supersport encounters, Todd steered his Honda CBR600RR and Fireblade to a pair of second place finishes behind the vastly experienced Alastair Seeley. In perfect conditions on Saturday Todd lost out by just 0.079 seconds to Lee Johnston in the second 600cc encounter after a mistake on the final lap. He came out second best in yet another last-lap battle during the opening…

On the eve of the Le Mans race news broke that Jerez race winner Pecco Bagnaia had run a too low front tyre pressure. So what does that mean, why did Ducati go low, and what happens next? The rule is that every rider has to have a front tyre pressure of at least 1.9 bar for a minimum of 50% of the race distance. Riders will start the race with pressure below this, knowing that it will rise once the race starts. Bagnaia revealed that his front tyre was constantly between 1.85 and 1.89 Bar during his race in Jerez. You would think that this admission would lead to protests, penalties, possible disqualification. But he received no penalty. Why? Because there is actually no penalty for violating this rule.…

MCN CONTRIBUTOR Different track, same story. But this one hurt much more. Fabio Quartararo bemoaned the inability of his M1 to fight with his opponents during his home GP at Le Mans on another frustrating day for the reigning champion. The home hero was so deflated after finishing fourth, he batted away suggestions he’s the favourite to win this year’s crown, despite retaining the championship lead. “I’m not favourite by far, ” Quartararo said. Like Argentina and Austin, this was another day when the lack of power in Yamaha’s M1 -both in terms of acceleration and top speed – was brutally exposed out of Le Mans’ tight hairpins. Pressure was high for the 23-year-old on Sunday as 110k fans were in attendance fully expecting a first local winner in the…

MotoGP can be a ruthless business. Jack Miller has fought for the podium in five of the opening seven races this season. Only reigning World Champion Fabio Quartararo and pre-season favourite Pecco Bagnaia have led more laps in 2022. And he’s scored one more podium than Bagnaia and Jorge Martin. But none of the above seems good enough to save the Aussie’s skin at Ducati. Miller seems resigned to rejection for Ducati’s second works seat. And there’s no cast iron guarantee he’ll land on any of the Bologna factory’s armada of eight bikes in 2023, despite talk of a switch back to Pramac Racing. Miller’s vulnerability is being exacerbated by the brilliance of Enea Bastianini. Even Miller himself admitted in Le Mans that the former Moto2 World Champion’s three wins…

Friends and colleagues of murdered police officer Matt Ratana have completed the first of three 2022 charity challenges organised in his memory. On bikes worth an average of £1000, including Matt’s own ST1300 Pan European, the eight rode from London to John O’Groats, then to Land’s End, and finally back to East Grinstead rugby club, a journey of over 2000 miles in three days, with sections accompanied by police officers from other forces. It was the first of three biking adventures ‘The Matt Ratana Motorbike Challenge’ is undertaking this year in a bid to support The Matt Ratana Rugby Foundation and uphold the legacy of their friend. The other challenges are a ride from London to the Nürburgring in June, culminating in a lap of the track and a 1000…

The Day of Champions charity event is back with all of the most popular elements returning after a Covid-enforced absence. A ride-in, paddock access, pitlane walk, and charity auctions are all planned, with MotoGP stars joining the fun and games. The event will kickstart the 2022 British Grand Prix on the Thursday before the Monster Energy British MotoGP round at Silverstone on August 4. Day of Champions is one of the major fundraising events for British-based charity Two Wheels for Life – the official charity of MotoGP. The event was cancelled in 2020 and was forced to adapt and change in 2021 because of the pandemic and restrictions.…

This 1974 MV Agusta 750, which sold for £48,000 last week, was the star of a charity fund-raising event which has now raised a total of £120,000 for the Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal. The classic Italian superbike was originally supplied new to factory MV rider Gianfranco Bonera who owned it until 1978. The MV was donated by RM Sotherby’s whose auction was the highlight of the exclusive Salon Privé London event which this year was in aid of the Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal following the Russian invasion. Along with the MV, other items were auctioned in aid of the charity during the event’s celebration dinner at the Royal Hospital Chelsea. The bike, which was originally built to ‘GT’ specification and later uprated to ‘Sport’, was bought by Ian Smart who said afterwards:…

TCX R04D WP Boots £139.99 New-for-2022, the waterproof and breathable R04D boots have a T-Dry membrane for riding in all conditions. Safety features include reinforcements on the toe and heel, D3O ankle reinforcements and a gaitor to stash the laces after fastening. There is also a reflex insert on the rear. www.nevis.uk.com Pyramid Plastics flyscreen for Triumph Trident 660 £175 This screen for the Triumph Trident 660 comes in many colour options to match the popular middleweight. It has been designed in-house by the British accessories firm and is quick and easy to fit. Better still, the paintjobs are completed by hand at Dream Machine. www.pyramid-plastics.co.uk R&G Carbon-fibre Lever Defenders £249.99 (pair) Made from superstrong carbon fibre, these R&G Defenders are approved for use in every class in British Superbikes,…

Since its launch in 2019, Yamaha’s Ténéré 700 has caught the imagination of UK adventure riders thanks to a compelling combination of good value, simplicity and true versatility. But that doesn’t mean it can’t be improved. A whole aftermarket industry has evolved with the aim of improving the T7. Suspension upgrades, bigger tanks and tweaks to ergonomics and cosmetics are not only common, but effective – turning a good bike into a great one. But now, with the advent of the World Raid, all those goodies are factory-fitted. The question is, do they work – and do they really make the bike better? More range, more capacity The new, twin-filler tanks boost capacity to 23 litres (up from 16 litres), increasing range to a claimed 300 miles. The outboard design…

Victor Cherrett, 74, has been part of the 59 Club since way back in 1966, and now dedicates his time to finding historical memorabilia and photographs of the club to keep its (and biker cafes’) history alive. “Father Bill was the gentleman in my opinion, ” says Vic. “He was what I call the gentle soul of the club. Very approachable but never preached to you. If you wanted to talk about something, his door was always open. On Sunday afternoons we’d all get up to London early and go to the Vicarage for tea and coffee and just sit and chat! “But my favourite memory at the club has to be the time a scooter broke down outside Paddington. “We were leaning on the wall and the guy was…

SIMON RELPH, SENIOR DESIGNER Love to build bikes as much as I love to ride them, old or new. Well, I have reached my first 1000 miles on the Kawasaki Z900RS and I am still in that honeymoon period where everything is a joy and I look forward to every ride. Last week I had my longest day in the saddle when I had to take the Z1 back down to Kawasaki for its first service. The ride was a 220-mile round trip and something I was looking forward to – a real chance to get to grips with the machine, and discover that bit more about it. I tried to concoct an interesting route down to Kawasaki HQ in Bourne End, Bucks, and slot in a few bends to…

800 MILES Klim Krios Pro Helmet £460 to £540 (depending on colour) ‘Competition for Shoei/Arai’ Tested by Michael Guy for six weeks /800miles Although I haven’t had this helmet long, I’ve covered plenty of miles over many hours with the riding being a real combination of on and off-road. The majority of riding I now do is on adventure bikes and while I don’t wear a peaked helmet for road use, the trips I’ve done recently have been a combination of tarmac and dirt, meaning Klim’s flagship helmet has been well tested. Over the years I’ve tried a few products from Klim including the Badlands Adventure suit which, after ten years of use, is going strong. The high quality and the associated price tag is a given, and the Krios…

After two decades as a road tester, MCN’s Michael Neeves has learned how to ‘have his cake and eat it’ when it comes to riding happiness. “We really enjoy our riding. We get the best out of our riding. But most of all, we manage to be safe at the same time, ” he says. That balance comes from blending concentration with hazard perception, hawklike vision, excellent road positioning, and great self awareness. “Position yourself on the road so you can see all the way through the corner as far as you can, ” he says. “And don’t get sucked into those common riding errors. Bikers often come unstuck on corners because they’ve positioned themselves badly on corner entry or have gone in too fast, resulting in running wide on…

Lee Johnston’s strong start to the 2022 season continued when he repeated his NW200 Supersport victory from three years ago. Riding the Ashcourt Racing Yamaha, Johnston defeated Davey Todd by just 0.079s. “We both made mistakes at different times but all our passing didn’t slow us down, ” he smiled “I was up against the kerb at one stage trying to find room but it all worked out perfectly at Juniper on the last lap.” Johnston also took second in Saturday’s Superstock race and second and third place finishes in the Supertwin races on the Aprilia he’s recently built himself.…

Huge crowds lined the 8.9-mile Triangle circuit on Northern Ireland’s north coast during a sundrenched Saturday to celebrate Glenn Irwin’s Superbike double. Irwin switched to his BSB -spec machine after being dogged by electronics issues on a specially built road version of the Honda Fireblade in the opening practice session. The Carrickfergus racer immediately dipped under the lap record during final qualifying and blitzed into an early lead in Saturday’s Superbike encounter. Davey Todd pushed the local hero hard throughout the six lapper on his Milenco Padgetts Honda as Michael Dunlop’s outright lap record, which had stood since 2016, was broken by Irwin, Todd, Richard Cooper (Buildbase Suzuki) and Dean Harrison (DAO Racing Kawasaki) before Peter Hickman hit a top speed of 208.8mph and set a new mark of 124.799mph…

Marc Marquez’s struggles are becoming harder to watch with every weekend. This massive talent, never shy to put his neck on the line, is having to do so more than ever, for less reward. In qualifying, he’s reduced to finding faster riders to follow. In the races, in spite of thrillingly bold moves, a single fourth place is his best so far. That’s way below par. Marquez explains that he must adapt to the RC213V’s major 2022 redesign. The old bike allowed him to exploit his style – late hard braking and quick turn-in. Now a rearward balance shift to suit Michelin’s current tyre rules this out. Seven races in, he is still working to change his style. Even so, and especially as he regains physical strength after more than…

MCN CONTRIBUTOR ‘Underdogs to top dogs, in seven easy races’MICHAEL SCOTT Aleix Espargaro is carefully matter of fact. He’s not thinking about winning the championship, just “enjoying the moment”. Given how long he has had to wait, he doesn’t want to become over-confident about what might prove a fleeting purple patch. But what a moment it is, for the 32-year-old veteran of 288 grand prix starts. Suddenly, in his 19th grand prix season, the Spaniard finds himself a serious contender, with a first grand prix win under his belt… backed by three more podium finishes, more than any other rider this year. Only defending champion Fabio Quartararo has more points. Just four. With one third of the longest-ever MotoGP season completed, his rivals are taking Aleix seriously as a title…

MCN CONTRIBUTOR Moto Morini are on the brink of a massive reinvention with 11 new bikes due to be released in the next two years, General Manager Alberto Monni has confirmed to MCN. The funky and affordable X-Cape 650 has already sold by the bucketload (especially in Italy) and heralds the beginning of something special. Now Monni have outlined plans for two more machines using the same engine as the X-Cape, as well as a revival of their V-twin 1200s and new 700s and 900s. Monni has been supervising Morini’s transition from Italian to Chinese stewardship and says two new 650s, powered by the same CFMoto engine, will roll off the production line later this year – the STR roadster and the SCR scrambler. A concept version, dubbed the Seiemezzo’…

When Honda unveiled the Riding Assist and Riding Assist-e concept bikes back in 2017 the selfbalancing machines stunned with their autonomous abilities – and now Honda are developing the technology to use on the road. The concept bikes could balance themselves, even when stationary, and could trundle along at walking pace without a rider, using an array of sensors and self-steering as well as auto throttle and braking. Now the latest patent suggests the aim isn’t to have a bike that assumes complete control, but one that can take an element of control from the rider either to give them a break or prevent an accident. Bike-mounted radar is already a reality and Yamaha are trialling a steering-assist system on factory motocross bikes in the All-Japan championship, but Honda’s new…

Send your first bike pics to: yourpics@motorcyclenews.com YAMAHA RD350LC On my Yamaha RD350 LC 350 in 1983 (I still have one today), both tuned by the legendary Stan Stephens! Giles Waite DUCATI 900SS DESMO Circa 1979. Cr*p electrics, pis*ed oil, but, God, did it fly! Looked pretty good too! Daniel Raffles BMW S1000RR A lifetime of passion for motorcycles has taken me through BSA, Triumph, Ariel and Vincent to my current S1000RR. John Mac SUZUKI Good old two-stroke days. Rob Sitch, my old man (RIP), and me demonstrating the latest safety gear! I did add a helmet before riding off. Ian Ransom SUZUKI GSX-R750 35 years ago in Australia. I got this bike after my GS1000 was written of in an accident with a German Shepherd… Stephen March HONDA CBR600F2…

As a floundering incompetent when it comes to getting dirty tyres, it’s fair to say the prospect of taking to byways on a 135bhp, quarter-of-a-ton, £17,700 giant wasn’t appealing. Which is why I find myself pointing the Tiger into the countryside and thumbing through its various modes looking for ‘imbecile’. I’ve ridden down the route a few times before, bouncing along cheerily on a Royal Enfield Himalayan and almost feeling like I have the vaguest idea what I’m doing on a friendly Honda CRF250L. Surely this will be the same... It’s not. It’s terrifying. Even on relatively smooth, dry, wide tracks it feels like trying to usher a hippo along a tightrope. On stilts. I try standing on the footpegs and let the bike sort of do what it wants,…

People who have shaped our world There are few greater legends in motorcycle racing history than Giacomo Agostini. Not only does he hold more world titles than any other rider (15), and more race wins than even Valentino Rossi (122 vs 115) but his flim star good looks, playboy lifestyle, genuine charisma, and credentials as a former 500cc Grand Prix team boss put him head and shoulders above most other racers. Hell, he even starred in some Italian movies at the peak of his fame! Agostini was born into a life of privilege in Brescia, in the Lombardy region of Italy, on June 16, 1942. His father was a wealthy Italian industrialist so ‘Ago’ certainly had no need to go racing and could have enjoyed a life of inherited comfort…

The Aprilia Tuono 660 Factory is the Noale firm’s top-spec middleweight performance naked. It builds on the already capable standard bike with more advanced front and rear suspension, plus a claimed 2kg reduction in weight and a smidge under five extra bhp. Finished in a sleek black paint with licks of red, its power hike moves it out of reach of an A2 licence-holder and targets slightly gruntier competition, such as KTM’s 890 Duke and the Yamaha MT-09. But do these subtle extras amount to a class winner and should you really spend five figures on a 659cc twin? 1 Feels almost telepathic Aprilia say the Tuono 660 Factory has gone on a diet, dropping around 2kg against the standard bike for a claimed kerb weight of 181kg – making…

RICHARD NEWLAND, EDITOR Rides every day, all year, in all weathers. Much prefers performance to plodders. The Proclaimers might have been perfectly happy to perambulate 500 miles on multiple occasions, but I much prefer to employ an engine and two wheels. And with the prospect of a sunny day and nowt else to distract me, I devised a 500-mile loop in order to see how the big K stands up to persistent mile-munching. From Stamford I headed over to the Cotswolds, then plunged down through Bath and Shaftesbury and onwards to Corfe Castle, Swanage, over the ferry to Sandbanks, then up to Winchester to wiggle east on the A272 before heading for a cuppa with my dad in Kent, and finally resorting to big roads for the last leg. 501…

MCN CONTRIBUTOR The agony and torment of Suzuki’s impending departure from grand prix racing deepened at Le Mans. Just when spirits needed lifting after confirmation of Suzuki’s sudden exit at the end of this season both Joan Mir and Alex Rins squandered promising podium chances. The double DNF at the French GP extended their extended losing streak to 56 races, a humbling statistic. Right now even a race win would almost feel like a championship success, although it would not stop the axe falling come the Valencia GP. The carpet strollers at Suzuki’s Hammatsu HQ cut MotoGP adrift with a terse statement: “Unfortunately, the current economical situation and the need to concentrate on the big changes that the automotive world is facing are forcing Suzuki to shift costs and human…

After a two-week break for the North West 200, the Bennetts British Superbike Championship returns this weekend at Donington Park. Bradley Ray heads to the Midlands with a six-point lead over Glenn Irwin after winning two out of three races at Oulton. Both Ray and his teammate Kyle Ryde are expected to be strong again around the National Circuit. McAMS Yamaha will hope to put up a fight against their Rich Energy OMG Racing counterparts, with reigning champion Tarran Mackenzie aiming to return from injury. Mackenzie, who hasn’t raced yet in 2022, completed a positive one-day test at Donington last week and will undergo a check-up with the BSB medical team on Friday. Teammate Jason O’Halloran is still looking for his first podium of the year. Elsewhere, Irwin heads to…

The Le mans MotoE double-header started off with a near miss: Jordi Torres’ first lap crash in race one led to a broken left fibula as he was run over by two riders behind. In the reigning champion’s absence, teammate Mattia Casadei made the running, leading all but one lap in the two encounters. That was enough for a first MotoE victory in race one, as he defended successfully from Kevin Zannoni’s late attack (Zannoni would crash out two turns from home, handing second to Dominique Aegerter). But Casadei had nothing for Aegerter on his Dynavolt Energica, in race two, after the Swiss rider’s clinical last lap move at turn three.…

MATTHEW BIRT INSIGHT Getting the inside line on grand prix racing since 1996 Can Ducati afford not to parachute high-flying Enea Bastianini into their factory team in 2023? The Italian’s stock soared again on the 2023 rider market with a profile-raising third win of the season in Le Mans. Ducati are nearing a decision on who will win the race for a coveted seat alongside Pecco Bagnaia next season, with current incumbent Jack Miller, highly rated Spaniard Jorge Martin and 2022 revelation Bastianini under consideration. There have been strong rumours that Bagnaia will be joined by Martin, even though the former Moto3 World Champion is having a torrid second season in MotoGP. A DNF in France was his fourth in just seven races. In contrast, Bastianini is Ducati’s leading title…

Pecco Bagnaia’s famed reputation as a rider resistant to pressure is lying in tatters after Le Mans. Bagnaia buckled in five corners of madness on lap 21 when fighting fellow Italian and Ducati rival Enea Bastianini for the win. Three corners after losing the lead to Bastianini on a lap that will haunt him for a while, Bagnaia reclaimed the advantage at turn six. But he botched his braking going into turn eight to gift Bastianini the lead. Worse was still to come just five corners later. Bagnaia went into turn 13 but didn’t come out the other side as more priceless championship points went begging. Bagnaia was beside himself. Angry that he’d made two mistakes in such quick succession. And in denial that Bastianini’s ploy to attack and unsettle…