MotoGp, we race at Mugello: all the curiosities of an iconic race

SHOES – Last year it celebrated half a century, since 1988 it has been owned by Ferrari, on 3 occasions it was the finish line of as many stages of the Giro d’Italia, 3 seasons ago Formula One raced there: but the Mugello it is above all one of the most loved and evocative tracks of the world championship, with that impressive uphill straight – 1,141 metres, and you feel the Ducati with a scary rumble! – where in 2022 Spanish Jorge Martin – riding a jewel from Borgo Panigale, in fact – he reached 363.3 kmh. At the same spot a long time ago Marc Marquez he fell at 348 kmh per hour, touching a concrete wall by centimeters with his helmet. The very fast Mugello is also the Arrabbiata 1 and 2, the Casanova-Savelli, the Correntaio, the Biondetti: curves that have made the history of this sport. It’s a circuit where traditionally “you don’t sleep”, because people celebrate and let their engines scream all weekend: even if last year it was a flop with the public, and who knows how things will go since – today afternoon – the gates will be open.

Practice, qualifying and races: the times on TV

Practice, qualifying and races live on Sky, streamed on Now and unencrypted on Tv8. Moto3 free practice on Friday, from 9 to 9.35; the Moto2 session starts at 9.50 and ends at 10.30; MotoGP from 10.45 to 11.30. In the afternoon off to the Moto3 FP2 from 1.15pm to 1.50pm, then Moto 2 (2.05pm-2.45pm) and then the very delicate second session of the MotoGP, which already indicates the 10 riders admitted directly to the Q2: from 3pm to 4pm. Saturday the Moto3 FP3s from 8.40 to 9.10, those of Moto2 from 9.25 to 9.55, while from 10.10 half an hour of free time for the MotoGP followed by Q1 (10.50) and Q2 (11.15). Moto3 qualifying is scheduled from 12.50, those of moto2 from 13.45. At 11.00, the start of the MotoGP sprint race: it runs over 11 laps. Sunday the very short MotoGP warm-up from 9.45 to 9.55, then the races: the Moto3 starts at 11 (17 laps), the Moto2 at 12.15 (19), the MotoGP at 14 (23).

“You can’t sleep in Mugello”, the long party

According to the program of the new MotoGP formula, which Carmelo Ezpeleta wants to be more spectacular and open to the public, spectators will be able to meet the riders on the Correntaio stage on Saturday after the 3pm sprint race. There will be lots of music and a DJ set with Hell Raton, it will be possible to follow the Champions League final between Inter and Manchester City on the big screens, at the end the Correntaio stage will host the music of DJ Ralf, Sunday morning off with the Heroes’ Walk and the Riders’ Fan Parade before the races. That of the MotoGp will be introduced by the Mameli anthem sung by the Il Volo trio and by the performance in the sky by the Frecce Tricolori. After the arrival, the traditional invasion of the track by the public returns, and more partying and music with DJ Indira Paganotto.

At the debut Sheene won over Read, by one tenth

It’s edition number 37, the first was in 1976 and after more than an hour the 500 cc race was won by Barry Sheene with a tenth ahead of another legend, Phil Read. Suzuki then placed 9 bikes in the first 9 places (Nielsen’s Yamaha came in 10th). Seven years ago, however, nineteen thousandths separated the winner Lorenzo from Marc Marquez. In 2004 the race lasted only 6 laps and – according to the rules of the time – was interrupted due to rain. The rider with the most successes (9, in different categories) is Valentino Rossi. In the premier class, 4 other Italians won, in addition to the Doc: Capirossi, Dovizioso, Petrucci, Bagnaia. Nothing to do for Max Biaggi.

Biondetti, Materassi and Bucine: the 3 most demanding corners

According to the technicians of Brembo, which supplies the braking systems to all the riders, the Tuscan track has “medium” difficulty from the braking point of view. There are 15 curves, 10 braking points: the most demanding are 1, 4 and 15. In the first, the San Donato, you go from a speed of 337 kmh to 89 kmh in 320 meters and 5.6 seconds; in the fourth, the Materassi, from 234 to 117 km/h in 3.1 seconds, in the fifteenth, the Bucine, from 272 to 116 km/h in 3.8 seconds.