BatiFan Blog | The Alvaro Bautista Fan Blog | Rizla Suzuki MotoGP

Friday 2 October

12.40 – 13.40              125cc Free Practice 1
13.55 – 14.55              MotoGP Free Practice 1
15.10 – 16.10              250cc Practice 1

………………………………………………………………….
 

Saturday 3 October

09.00 – 09.40              125cc Free Practice 2
09.55 – 10.55              MotoGP Free Practice 2
11.10 – 12.10              250cc Free Practice 2
13.00 – 13.40              125cc Qualifying
13.55 – 14.55              MotoGP Qualifying
15.10 – 15.55              250cc Qualifying

………………………………………………………………….
 

Sunday 4 October

09.00 – 09.20              250cc Warm Up
09.30 – 09.50              MotoGP Warm Up
10.00 – 10.20              125cc Warm Up
 
11.15                           250cc RACE (26 laps)
13.00                           MotoGP RACE (28 laps)
14.00                           125cc RACE (23 laps)

………………………………………………………………….

With it being a big old gap between us and Indy on the other side of the pond – or a completely different gap depending on where you live of course! – this weekend is one to plan carefully for TV coverage.
Here’s the BBC schedules…

Saturday 29 August
Qualifying
17:50-21:00, BBC Red Button/online

…………………………………………………………..

Sunday 30 August
125 and 250cc race
16:50-18:05, BBC Red Button/online

MotoGP Race
19:45-21:00, BBC Three/online
Race repeat
02:20-03:35, BBC Three

…………………………………………………………..

A lot of water has passed under the bridge since the Dutch TT of 1984, when Jorge Martínez “Aspar” took on the role of team manager Derbi but still showed his qualities as a rider by taking his first ever victory in the 80cc class. The man he had to beat was none other than local favourite Hans Spaan, which only made his final-lap win even more exciting. Afterwards Ángel Nieto told him: “No matter how many races you have won, savour this moment because you will never forget it.”
Four world titles and no fewer than 36 victories later, the ‘Apsar’ who lined up on the grid in Argentina was an entirely different man to that 21-year-old who came of age ten years earlier at ‘The Cathedral’. Ready to race his notoriously difficult Yamaha and with more than one Japanese job at stake, the veteran made a final corner pass on Ueda to secure the final victory of his stellar career. Today Jorge Martínez “Aspar” celebrates again, having watched his team take their 200th podium no long ago he is now left to reflect on a century of victories.

His own 37 wins as a rider have been complimented by another 63 as the leader of the Aspar Team, now a standard-bearing organisation within the MotoGP paddock. The circuit was Donington and the rider lucky enough to take the milestone victory and forever form part of the glorious Jorge Martínez “Aspar” story was Julián Simón. Faubel made his mark with seven wins, Elías and Porto with six each, Fonsi with five and his cousin Pablo with the only victory of his career; each has contributed to the Aspar Team’s winning pedigree. However, it has been without doubt Álvaro Bautista, the team’s leading light in the 250cc class, who has been the main heir to Jorge’s legacy, taking sixteen victories so far in “Aspar” colours.
 The world of motorcycling has changed and continues to change dramatically since those early days – the circuits, the bikes, the way it is viewed. but one thing that has always remained is that youthful gaze of a fifteen-year-old who has never stopped dreaming despite the success and the inevitable passage of time…
 
 
Jorge Martínez “Aspar”:
“Who would have thought back in ‘79 when I started racing that I could end up in such a privileged position? Looking back on everything we have achieved since then makes me enormously proud and happy. It is incredible to think back to when I was a 15-year-old, when I started racing bikes, and I have never been separated from my life’s passion. I am enormously proud to have a team with six riders in the World Championship, with 200 podiums recently and now 100 victories. There have obviously been a lot of hard times with crashes, injuries, operations and lean financial periods – times when you feel like throwing in the towel. However, I think that one of the most important things in life is consistency, as well as self-belief and fighting for your dreams. I would like to thank all the people who have contributed to the success of this team, from the mechanics to the chief engineers and of course all the sponsors and brands who have worked with us and without whom we could have never reached this glorious milestone.”
 
Álvaro Bautista: 
“What more can I say other than that it is incredible to form part of this team. Everything I have achieved in my career has been here and I hope I can add to it. My objective is to win at least as many races as Jorge, to whom I will be eternally grateful for showing faith in me from the beginning.” 
 

If you’re not at Donington this weekend , then don’t miss the coverage on the BBC…

Saturday 25 July

Qualifying
1250-1600, BBC Red Button/online

…………………………………………………….

Sunday 26 July

125 and 250cc race
1220-1435, BBC Red Button/online

Race
1500-1630, BBC One/online

MotoGP Extra
1630-1700, BBC Red Button/online

…………………………………………………….

Friday June 12th

Live MotoGP – 11.40am
Catalunya Grand Prix: 125cc Practice
(Eurosport 2)

Live MotoGP – 12.45pm
Catalunya Grand Prix: MotoGP Practice
(Eurosport 2)

Live MotoGP – 2.00pm
Catalunya Grand Prix: 250cc Practice
(Eurosport 2)

MotoGP – 9.10pm
Catalunya Grand Prix: MotoGP Practice (rpt)
(Eurosport 2)

………………………………………

Saturday June 13th

MotoGP – 11.00am
Catalunya Grand Prix: Practice (rpt)
(Eurosport 2)

Live MotoGP – 12.00pm
125cc Catalunya Grand Prix: Qualifying
(Eurosport 2)

Live MotoGP – 12.45pm
MotoGP Catalunya Grand Prix: Qualifying
(Eurosport 2)

Live MotoGP – 2.00pm
250cc Catalunya Grand Prix: Qualifying
(Eurosport 2)

MotoGP – 9.30pm
MotoGP Catalunya Grand Prix: Qualifying
(Eurosport 2)

………………………………………

Sunday June 14th

MotoGP – 9.00am
MotoGP Catalunya Grand Prix: Qualifying (rpt)
(Eurosport 2)

Live MotoGP – 10.00am
125cc Catalunya Grand Prix
(Eurosport)

Live MotoGP – 11.00am
250cc Catalunya Grand Prix
(Eurosport)

Live MotoGP – 12.30pm
Catalunya Grand Prix
(BBC2)

MotoGP – 4.00pm (*Delayed broadcast)
MotoGP Catalunya Grand Prix
(Eurosport)

Basically a Eurosport listing, with the exception of the *live* MotoGP race on BBC2…