For the penultimate round of the FIM Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup, we found ourselves at MotorLand Aragón, a circuit carved into the landscape of Spain’s Monegros Desert. We knew before arriving that the heat would be a factor. What we didn’t quite appreciate was just how relentless it would be, particularly for the members of our team who weren’t accustomed to racing in the Spanish summer.
MotorLand Aragón joined the MotoGP calendar in 2010 and quickly established itself as one of the championship’s most technically demanding circuits. Stretching 5.077 kilometres and featuring 17 corners, the circuit combines fast sections with technical corners and significant elevation changes. It is a track that rewards precision, punishes mistakes and, perhaps most importantly, demands that riders understand how to manage the circuit from the first lap to the last.
Fortunately, experience was on our side. Eric Granado arrived with a wealth of knowledge from his MotoE career at Aragón, while Jordi Torres first raced at the circuit as a MotoGP replacement rider in 2018. His experience at the track extended through his WorldSBK career, while Archie McDonald had also spent time racing in Spain. Between the three of them, there was a strong familiarity with what Aragón demanded.
But we knew we weren’t the only team arriving with experience. Niti’s Oscar Gutierrez had also raced at Aragón in MotoE, while Andrea Iannone had a particularly strong history at the circuit. Iannone claimed his first Moto2 victory at MotorLand Aragón in 2010 and returned to the podium in 2011 and 2012. His experience continued into MotoGP, where he scored points and regularly fought inside the top ten at the circuit in 2017 and 2018.
It was clear from the outset that the fight for the top five would be anything but straightforward.
There was another factor weighing on our minds: that long back straight, a section that had us quietly wondering just how much of an advantage the Niti riders could extract from it.
Practice & Qualifying
The opening practice session gave us plenty of reason for confidence. Archie finished FP1 in third, just 0.6 seconds behind Andrea, who set the benchmark with a 1:57.37. Eric followed closely in fourth, just three-tenths behind Archie, while Jordi completed the top five, a further half-second behind Eric.
By FP2, Jordi had found another gear. He came out flying to secure third, finishing 0.7 seconds behind Oscar, who topped the session with a 1:56.92. Eric followed in fourth, just four-tenths behind Jordi.
Archie’s session was less straightforward. A small crash on the opening lap meant he recorded no classified time.
Qualifying brought little change to the order at the sharp end. Eric secured third, Archie fourth and Jordi fifth, with Niti’s Oscar Gutierrez taking pole ahead of Andrea Iannone.
For the first time this season, Joe Rascal Racing would not start from pole. It was a small change on paper, but an important one. Aragón had already shown us that this would be one of the most competitive weekends of the season.
Race One
Saturday’s opening race was held under the full force of the Aragón sun. It was hot, the kind of heat that makes every lap feel harder than the one before.
When the lights went out, Andrea launched immediately, charging past the pack with Oscar following closely behind. Saddelmen’s Maxwell Toth moved into third, with all three of our riders tucked in behind him.
By Turn 7, Eric had found his opportunity. Maxwell ran slightly wide through the corner, allowing Eric to move ahead.
Then, on lap two, everything changed. Entering Turn 5, Eric ran wide and suffered a heavy crash. The incident ended his race and sent him to the medical centre for assessment. To see him go from a promising third-place position to being unable to finish was difficult enough, but knowing the result would also affect his championship position made it even harder to watch. Our hearts sank for him. The crash meant Eric would lose his position at the top of the championship standings.
Not long after, another incident unfolded. Niti’s Dimas Ekky Pratama crashed, sending Jake Lewis off the circuit with him. Within two laps, three riders had been taken out of the race.
The conditions were unforgiving. Dust had begun to work its way onto the circuit, and riders venturing outside the established racing line were finding significantly less grip. At Aragón, even a small deviation from the ideal line could have serious consequences.
At the beginning of lap three, Archie made his move. Through the first corner, he overtook Maxwell to move into third. Around halfway through the lap, Jordi followed suit, passing Maxwell and moving into fourth.
From there, Archie began to close the gap to Oscar and Andrea, who were fighting at the front. He continued to chip away at the deficit but couldn’t quite find enough to challenge for one of the top two positions. Jordi, meanwhile, concentrated on creating breathing room between himself and Maxwell.
As the chequered flag fell, Archie crossed the line in third, Jordi in fourth, while Eric’s race had ended prematurely. It wasn’t the result we had hoped for, but Archie’s podium kept him at the top of the championship standings, while Andrea continued to close the gap to the leaders.
There was, however, one piece of good news. After being assessed by the medical team at Aragón, Eric was cleared to race on Sunday.
Race Two
Race two was scheduled for 8am Sunday morning. After the heat of Saturday, the cooler start was welcomed. The riders completed their sighting lap before making their way onto the grid, but there was an immediate sense that something wasn’t quite right. Oscar appeared to be experiencing an issue with his bike. Shortly afterwards, a marshal spotted oil on the circuit and called for the safety car to inspect the track. The start was delayed while officials assessed the situation. Thankfully, the circuit was eventually deemed safe, although the race would get underway later than originally planned.
When it finally did, the opening laps looked remarkably similar to Saturday. Andrea and Oscar immediately separated themselves from the group, with Archie, Eric and Jordi settling in behind them alongside Maxwell.
But the battle at the front was about to become one of the defining moments of the weekend.
There was arguably no one on the grid who understood Aragón quite like Andrea. His experience at the circuit was evident from the opening corners. By Turn 2, he had already managed to move ahead of Oscar and establish himself at the front.
Behind them, Archie had moved into third, while Eric and Maxwell began their own fight for fourth.
As the first lap drew to a close, Eric and Jordi both made their moves, passing Maxwell through the final sequence of corners to secure fourth and fifth respectively.
At the front, Oscar was searching for a way past Andrea. He found his opportunity through Turn 12, but it wasn’t until the beginning of lap two that the two riders were running side-by-side. Oscar eventually managed to get ahead, only for Andrea to respond almost immediately, retaking the position through Turn 2.
The two continued to trade the advantage, pushing each other corner after corner. Then came Turn 12. Oscar ran wide, lost the front and crashed out of the race. The damage to his bike meant he was unable to rejoin, suddenly changing the complexion of the battle at the front.
For Joe Rascal Racing, the opportunity was there. On lap four, Eric made his move on Archie, taking second position and putting himself onto Andrea’s rear wheel. From there, Eric began the chase. He slowly worked to close the gap, searching for an opportunity to challenge for the win. But Aragón belonged to Andrea that weekend. Every time Eric looked to gain ground, Andrea seemed to have another answer. He knew the circuit intimately, understanding exactly where to push and where to conserve.
Eric gave everything he had, but the gap remained. When the chequered flag finally fell, Joe Rascal Racing secured another strong result:
P2 - Eric Granado
P3 - Archie McDonald
P4 - Jordi Torres
For Archie, it was a second podium of the weekend, a double podium weekend that allowed him to retain the championship lead.
For Eric, it was a remarkable recovery after Saturday’s crash. And for Jordi, another consistent top-five finish added to what had already been a strong weekend for the team.
One Round to Go
Aragón gave us Heat. Dust. Crashes. Overtakes. Podiums. And, perhaps most importantly, another reminder that there is no easy weekend in the Bagger World Cup.
With one round remaining, Archie McDonald still sits at the top of the championship standings. But the fight is far from over. Austria is next.
The final round of the FIM Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup awaits, and with the top four riders separated by a narrow margin, the championship is shaping up to be a fight right to the very last chequered flag.
Two races remain. May the best Rascal win.