ROAD NEWS
replacement rider in the class in 2018 and he swiftly learned the necessary speed and demands , to the point where he notched three wins and a total of five podiums in 2019 . 2020 was another educational year but he grasped six trophies in 2021 to obtain another top-five championship finish and fall under the attentive gaze of Aki Ajo and his allconquering crew . Fernandez ’ development , ability and potential means that he now follows the path of progression to MotoGP . Thanks to the brand-new union with the Tech3 Racing team , GASGAS now have a flow from FIM JuniorGP , Moto3 , Moto2 and into the elite with MotoGP . “ It ’ s a dream ”, states Fernandez , “ We still have work to do in Moto2 and I want to go for the title and go to the MotoGP class in the best possible way .” “ Augusto completes a special ‘ all-Spanish ’ flavor for the first year of the GASGAS story in MotoGP ,” says GASGAS Motorsports Director , Pit Beirer . “ He has worked great with Aki and his team , fought hard on the track and showed that he knows how to make the difference in a very close championship where we have seen quite a few different winners . We feel that he has done everything to earn his chance next to Pol in 2023 and to discover what MotoGP is all about . He is about to take the toughest step , where the competition is so strong , but we believe in him and he also believes in us and that ’ s the best reason to take a step forward .”
DUCATI SCRAMBLER PRODUCTION PASSES 100,000
It seems like only a few months ago Ducati was celebrating the manufacture of its 100,000th Multistrada , but wouldn ’ t you know it the upstart Scrambler lineup has rocketed up to the same milestone even quicker . Okay , while Ducati ’ s Scrambler name goes back to the 60s , the modern iteration of the badge has been in production for less than a decade , so its a pretty big deal . Interestingly , the milestone has been reached precisely in the year in which the 60th anniversary of the birth of the first Ducati Scrambler . Ducati relaunched the Scrambler project in 2015 , taking all the ingredients of the original 1960s bike and giving life to a new world , called the “ Land of Joy ”, where values , experiences and ideals can be shared . While it sounds like a load of marketing waffle when put in that phrasing , there is no denying that the retro Scrambler range has been a hit for Ducati . Since the relaunch of the Scrambler badge , Ducati has managed to create multiple interpretations of its basic Scrambler ethos , including the first Scrambler Ducati Icon in
Urban Enduro , Full Throttle , Street Classic and Classic versions , to which the Mach 2.0 , the Italia Independent limited edition , the Flat Track PRO , the Café Racer , the Desert Sled , the Sixty2 and the Icon Dark were then added . The latest models to join the Scrambler Ducati family include the more contemporary 1100 Tribute PRO , Urban Motard and Nightshift . To mark the double occasion of 100,000 Scramblers and the 60th anniversary of the badge , Scrambler Ducati has collaborated with Carrera Eyewear , already Official Partner of Ducati Corse for the Eyewear Collection , to create an iconic pair of sunglasses made for the occasion . While there may be 100,000 Scramblers out on the roads of the world , these fancy sunnies are being produced as a very limited edition with only 60 pieces going on sale . While those sunnies may be out of reach for most of us , we can get in on the celebration via Ducati ’ s YouTube channel , where a celebratory video is available that traces the highlights of the Scrambler Ducati history from 2015 to the present day .
24 KIWI RIDER