The Japanese rider tragically passed away today, Sunday 5th September, after being injured in a crash during the Moto2 race at Misano.

  Last GP before the respite of the middle of the season on the deutsch track of Sachsenring, the smaller circuit of the championship, winding and very undulating. After 3 races from which Alexis is back empty-handed, the pilot Ongetta wanted really to score again some points here, even if it’s a circuit that he doesn’t like. The challenge launched, Alexis had to do his best to go for 3 weeks on holiday the spirit quiet.

FREE PRACTICES :

In 1st session Alexis dashes on a dry track and goes to progress constantly laps after laps. During this same session, only little regulations are made to allow to Alexis that he puts himself in confidence on this track, doing as many laps as possible. He ends 16th of this session, and even if there is still work and regulations to modify for the next session, Alexis feels more comfortable than the previous years, an encouraging result !
During the 2nd session, in front of a bad weather report, the pilot is forced to go under the rain. It is the 1st session of the season under these conditions, and Alexis doesn’t feel comfortable, in particular on the rear, where he doesn’t find grip of his bike. In spite of noticeable progress throughout this session, he will finish far, very disappointed, achieving the 22nd time of the session.  

QUALIFYING PRACTICE : Back in the dry !

For this session, Alexis and his technicians of the Team did some regulations on the front geometry of the Aprilia in order to Alexis feels better in entrance of curve and has a better speed in these same curves. It’s an accomplished mission because he wins confidence on his bike. Thus, he was able to go quickly in a good rhythm in the beginning of the session with used tyres. After halfway through the session Alexis put new tyres, and thus, improves his time to achieve the 14th place. The Ongetta pilot will dash from the 4th line for the race.

"This circuit is still a challenge for me. We improved for the qualifying practice, like this I felt comfortable on the bike and I did a good time. The 14th place is not my better qualifying this year but I did my best time on this circuit and I feel good for the race. I feel better than the other years so we’ll work a lot to reach the points tomorrow."

WARM-UP :  

The final laps before the race take place on a wet track. The team modifies the regulation of the day before in order to Alexis finds a better feeling. Like this, he can progress even if he doesn’t succeed in feeling really at ease with the rear of his bike. He’ll finish 14th and confident for the race.

RACE : Alexis returns by far !

During the griding, the track is again almost all wet but dries quickly. Alexis took the risk to go with slick tyres. After a medium start, Alexis ends the lap on the 18th position, in a group of 12 bikes. Trying to go up, he does a first mistake passing an other pilot and 4 other pilots overtake him instantaneously. Alexis who doesn’t’ let go, goes back up the group ahead but commit a new mistake ; 2 pilots pass him and he is 24th. Alexis see the points go away but in spite of his errors, he concentrates again and begins going back up laps after laps on the pilots ahead. On the drying track, Alexis achieves to improve his rhythm and climbs in the placing backing up at each lap. Due to his perseverance, he will succeed to go back up until the 13th position, reaching the goal of the week-end : score points ! A return in points which is nice morally to Alexis and which put an end at the black serie of the 3 previous races.

« The race was long, it was 27 difficult laps because I wanted above all not crashing. Without these mistakes of the beginning of the race, I would have been in fight for the top 10 but I’m satisfied of these 3 points, above all after been in 24th position, that seemed to me impossible. I stayed a maximum concentrated on my piloting in order to not commit mistakes, while driving to the limit. Now I can go on holiday serene and prepare Brno at best. »

Be at the appointment the 14 & 15 of August on the fast circuit of Brno (Czech Republic), where we’ll find again an Alexis more than motivated to return at the outpost and continue his points race !

BACK IN POINTS FOR ALEXIS MASBOU 

After a disappointing French GP (16th, and for the first time out of points), Alexis Masbou finds again with pleasure the fast and undulating Tuscan track of Mugello (near Florence), one of his favourite circuits. The rider is well decided to return in the points! Objective achieved! For Ongetta rider, 12th of the race, competed under a high temperature. Positive epilogue of a hard weekend where Alexis and his technicians knew how to fix the balance working completely. 

FREE PRACTICES 

The tests started well with a good 12th place in the first free practice session but Alexis doesn’t feel very comfortable with his chassis. The next free session will confirm that something doesn’t work correctly on the bike. After finishing far from the best time and face to Alexis’s bad sensations, in particular on road holding, his mecanics of the team Ongetta decided to check everything on the Aprilia and finally they found the cause of the problem. His fall at the French GP has damaged the fork no longer working properly.

« It was frustrating for me to be far because it is a beautiful track which I like quite particularly. This track reminds me a little roller coasters, you have lots of fast chains and then the double right in rise of “Raviata” where you go close to 180km/h without seeing anything, it’s extra! When the team found the problem on the front of the motorcycle I felt released and I was excited to start again for the qualifying practice ».