Category: Racing

On June 1st, the 2024 Taklimakan Rally season concluded. This season saw the participation of 50 teams, 110 race vehicles, and 200 riders. The original plan included 10 stages, but SS2 and SS6 were canceled due to weather conditions. After intense competition over 8 official stages, 18 motorcycles, one ATV, and 76 cars crossed the finish line, with 95 riders completing the entire race.

Stage champion and overall champion

In the 2024 Taklimakan Rally season, four riders, with the new 450RALLY EX, won stage champions and the overall championship. Among them, KOVE RALLY RACING TEAM rider #01 Neels Theric secured 6 stage wins and the overall championship, #02 Deng Liansong won the SS7 stage, and KOVE-sponsored rider #03 Fang Mingji claimed the SS3 stage win and the overall third place.

 

The immense difficulty is what we want

Our main target in Taklimakan rally is testing the 450RALLY EX. This season, both the stage lengths and the difficulty were significant. The results at the Taklimakan Rally indicate that the 450RALLY EX is now at the level of matuity we have been aiming for in its mass production state. 450RALLY EX bikes performed exceptionally well this season, as expected and as they should. Since the end of the 2024 Dakar Rally, we have spent three months continuously improving and testing the issues that were exposed during the race. At the Taklimakan Rally, we delivered a satisfactory performance.

 

Preparing for the Dakar 2025

The Dakar, with its doubled intensity, presents even more extreme demands on the race bikes, given the challenging conditions, the riding styles of the racers, and the strength of the competitors.The development of a race bike for Dakar status presents new challenges, and our work is just beginning. Next, the 450RALLY EX will have rigorous testing at the Spanish Baja in July and the Morocco Rally in October in preparation for the 2025 Dakar season.

 

 

 

The KOVE Racing Team recently faced another thrilling challenge in the second event of the WorldSSP300 series at the legendary TT-Circuit Assen in the Netherlands. Known for its unpredictable weather, Assen lived up to its reputation, with cold temperatures and rain creating a challenging mix of dry and wet track conditions.

Friday’s Trials: The weekend kicked off with free practice sessions on Friday, allowing our team to assess the circuit and fine-tune the bike settings. However, luck wasn’t on our side during the Superpole. Julio García’s pole position was annulled due to yellow flags being out when he set his fastest lap, relegating him to start from the twenty-eighth position. In contrast, Marc García, using wet tyres, secured ninth place in qualifying.

Saturday’s Challenges: Despite starting from the back, Julio made a remarkable comeback on Saturday, reaching second place within just two laps. Unfortunately, race leader Jeffrey Buis crashed, and Julio, unable to avoid him, had to enter Pit Lane. Although our team managed to repair his bike, regulations prevented him from rejoining the race. Marc García, meanwhile, finished ninth, skilfully avoiding multiple crashes ahead of him.

The bad luck continued for Julio in the second race. He had to make a manoeuvre to avoid a collision at Assen’s final chicane, which cost him several positions. Despite this, he initially finished in a podium position, only to be handed a three-second penalty post-race, pushing him to tenth place. Marc García also had an incident early in the second race but fortunately emerged unscathed and is ready for the next round.

Key Highlights:

• Friday: Julio García’s pole position was cancelled due to a yellow flag.
• Saturday Race 1: Fastest lap by Julio García was cancelled due to a red flag.
• Saturday Race 2: Julio initially finished third but was moved to tenth after a penalty. Marc García’s race ended with a crash, but he is fine.

Catch all the action from the races on the WorldSBK website with the Video Pass or on DAZN. You can also download all the photos from the weekend using the link below. Join us for the next event at the Misano World Circuit “Marco Simoncelli” from the 14th to the 16th of June. See you there!

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The KOVE Racing Team kicked off the Superbike World Championship in spectacular fashion last Friday, March 22nd, at the Barcelona-Catalunya Circuit, marking the start of their second season in the WSSP300 category. Marc García #22, the 2017 World Champion, now races alongside his ally Julio García #48.

Friday’s Highlights: The weekend introduced a new format featuring just one free practice session followed by Superpole. This format suited young Julio from Malaga perfectly, as he clinched pole position with a time of 1:55.313. Marc qualified in twentieth place.

Saturday’s Action: Saturday’s warm-up saw Julio penalized with a three-grid position drop, starting from fourth. Unfortunately, an electronic failure forced him out early in the race. Meanwhile, Marc García made an impressive comeback, finishing seventh and breaking the circuit record previously held by Álvaro Díaz since 2021.

New Record: 1:54.764 – Marc García

The excitement continued with a new grid format for race two, based on the top ten fastest laps from race one. Marc’s impressive performance secured him pole position for Sunday.

Sunday’s Triumph: Sunday was unforgettable for KOVE as Julio García secured the first-ever podium for the Chinese brand in the World Superbike Championship, finishing just 0.064 seconds from victory in second place. Marc finished in eighteenth. The KOVE Racing Team wrapped up a weekend full of remarkable achievements.

Key Highlights:

• Saturday Pole Position: Julio García
• New Record and Race 1 Fastest Lap: Marc García
• Sunday Pole Position: Marc García
• Race 2 Fastest Lap: Julio García
• Second Place Race 2: Julio García

Relive the thrilling races on the WorldSBK website with the Video Pass or on DAZN. Join us for the next event at the TT Circuit Assen from April 19th to 21st. See you there!

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In a thrilling conclusion to the Spanish Superbike Championship, KOVE Racing Team ended the season on a high note. Marc Garcia and Julio Garcia united their efforts to propel the Chinese brand to new heights in the seventh and final round.

Saturday’s Triumph: At the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, both riders dominated the first race. The experienced World Champion, Marc Garcia, clinched the gold, while Julio Garcia secured a respectable fifth place.

Sunday’s Finale: The second race on Sunday, broadcast live on RFME’s YouTube channel, was another nail-biter. Marc once again took to the podium, finishing in third place, capping off an impressive weekend for the team.

As we bid farewell to 2023, KOVE Racing Team is already looking ahead with anticipation and readiness for the challenges of 2024.

CHINA RACING TEAM ESBK Best Results:

• Four number 1 championships
• One 3rd place

Stay tuned for more exciting races and updates as KOVE continues to break boundaries and set new standards in the world of superbike racing.