Stepping in for injured Maverick Viñales in the Red Bull KTM Tech3 team, Jonas Folger delivered a performance on the second day of the French Grand Prix that mirrored his showing from the previous day. Although he was a good half-second off his lap time in Practice session during this FP2, he found a strong rhythm in qualifying as he battled for grid positions.

KTM’s full-time development rider was already under the 1´32 barrier on his very first flying lap in Q1 and improved his time even further on the following lap. In what is his comeback to the premier class MotoGP™ after a three-year hiatus, the 32-year-old Bavarian proved to be a quick starter during the 15-minute session, as he also went all in on his first fast lap after the pit stop and set a personal best of 1´31.826. This put him just 2.5 seconds behind Marc Marquez’s fastest Q1 time and only one second behind his KTM brand-colleague Brad Binder, who finished second-to-last in qualifying.

The Sprint in the afternoon, which took place in glorious weather and excellent conditions, promised to be an exciting competition. When the starting lights went out, Folger got off to a good start from his position at the back of the field, and by the first lap he was just a hair’s breadth behind the riders in front of him. As the field settled into a line, he began to put pressure on Luca Marini. However, the Italian rider crashed in turn six on the second lap, causing Folger to crash as well. Both riders escaped uninjured.

The Grand Prix will take place on Sunday over 27 laps at the historic Circuit Bugatti in Le Mans. The race starts at 2:00 p.m. CEST. With rain in the forecast, the weather conditions look less favourable than they have been over the past two days in France.

#94 Jonas FOLGER
Red Bull KTM Tech3, KTM RC16
Grid position: 22 / Sprint: NC

«Unfortunately, it was only a short Sprint for me today. But I enjoyed it right up until the crash, which came completely out of the blue. We reviewed the data and found that I didn’t do anything wrong. So, it was probably a combination of various factors. There were a lot of crashes today, which shows just how fine the line can be. In any case, I felt good and thoroughly enjoyed those few laps. I was close to the action and was able to watch the other riders and continue learning what really matters. Of course, I’m disappointed about the early DNF this afternoon, but I’m also satisfied with the progress we’ve made so far, the feeling I have on the bike, and the improvements I’ve achieved. We still have a long way to go, but the positive thing is that I understand the bike and am already riding similarly to the others. It’s great that the team supports me so much and has given me so much help that I can take these steps in a clear direction. Thanks, guys, for your great support.»

#FrenchGP – MotoGP™ Qualifying Results:
1 Francesco BAGNAIA / ITA / Ducati Lenovo Team / Ducati / 1´29.634
2 Marc MARQUEZ / SPA / Ducati Lenovo Team / Ducati / 1´29.646 +0.012
3 Marco BEZZECCHI / ITA / Aprilia Racing / Aprilia / 1´29.657 +0.023
…
22 #94 Jonas FOLGER / GER / Red Bull KTM Tech3 / 1´31.826 (Q1)

#FrenchGP – MotoGP™ Sprint (13 Laps):
1 Jorge MARTIN / SPA / Aprilia Racing / Aprilia / 19´46.830
2 Francesco BAGNAIA / ITA / Ducati Lenovo Team / Ducati / +1.107
3 Marco BEZZECCHI / ITA / Aprilia Racing / Aprilia / +2.786
…
NC #94 Jonas FOLGER / GER / Red Bull KTM Tech3 / KTM

MotoGP™ World Standings:
1 Marco BEZZECCHI / ITA / Aprilia / 108
2 Jorge MARTIN / SPA / Aprilia / 104
3 Pedro ACOSTA / SPA / KTM / 72
…
#94 Jonas FOLGER / GER / KTM

Der Beitrag FrenchGP: Early fall in the sprint does not detract positive overall results so far erschien zuerst auf Jonas Folger.

32-year-old Jonas Folger put in very solid performances this weekend as a substitute for Maverick Viñales. His crash during the Sprint on Saturday afternoon had no further consequences, so he was able to take part in Sunday morning’s warm-up as planned — the final preparation for the Grand Prix that afternoon.

The 10-minute session took place in dry conditions. Shortly afterward, it began to rain. It was only a brief shower, so the 4.1-kilometer track at the Circuit Bugatti dried out quickly. When the race started, the conditions were clear: the entire field lined up on slick tires.

Folger, who had started from the back of the grid, had a good reaction when the starting lights went out, just as he had the day before. For one lap, he was right on the heels of the riders in front of him. But starting on the second lap, his lack of racing experience became apparent, and the gap began to get bigger.

#94 Jonas FOLGER (Red Bull KTM Tech3, KTM RC16)
Startplatz: 21 / Rennen: P16

«Those were an incredibly gruelling 27 laps today. Leading up to Saturday after qualifying, I had already made some good progress and felt like I had a better control of the bike in certain areas. But a race is always a different story, and it showed us that we still have a lot of work ahead of us. I wasn’t able to replicate the laps from practice or qualifying over the full distance. Also, I didn’t feel particularly comfortable with the seating position, so I think we need to focus more on that if I get another chance to race, because I had problems with my arms and lost strength in my left shoulder. That was another reason why I couldn’t keep up the pace, and since I was riding alone, I didn’t have any points of reference either.»

«But in any case, it was great to complete the entire race, especially without any major mistakes, and to gain this valuable experience. I now know exactly what we need to keep working on. Looking at the weekend as a whole, I’m satisfied with my performance. I managed to achieve my personal goal over a single lap: not losing more than three seconds, except for the first practice session, which was almost like a fresh start for me. I had hoped for a bit more from the race. But maybe I’ll manage it next time, if I get another chance. First of all, I’d like to thank KTM for selecting me for this role, and of course the entire Tech3 team for their fantastic support throughout the weekend. A special thanks goes to my crew, who were so patient and helped me incredibly.»

MotoGP™ Sprint (27 Laps):
1 Jorge MARTIN / SPA / Aprilia Racing / Aprilia / 41´18.001
2 Marco BEZZECCHI / ITA / Aprilia Racing / Aprilia / +0.477
3 Ai OGURA / JPN / Trackhouse MotoGP Team / Aprilia / +0.874
…
16 #94 Jonas FOLGER / GER / Red Bull KTM Tech3 / KTM / +73.229

MotoGP™ World Standings:
1 Marco BEZZECCHI / ITA / Aprilia / 128
2 Jorge MARTIN / SPA / Aprilia / 127
3 Fabio DI GIANNANTONIO / ITA / Ducati / 84
…
#94 Jonas FOLGER / GER / KTM

Der Beitrag #FrenchGP: Lots of valuable experience gained in long comeback race erschien zuerst auf Jonas Folger.

Jonas Folger, 32, who works full-time as a test rider for KTM, is making a temporary return to the premier class of motorcycle racing after a three-year hiatus. Recent complications stemming from a shoulder injury sustained by Red Bull KTM Tech3’s permanent rider, Maverick Viñales, during a crash at the Sachsenring last July are forcing the Spaniard to take another break.

Due to a personnel shortage, KTM turned to Folger once again, as their MotoGP test rider, Pol Espargaro, is also unable to fill in for his compatriot due to a wrist injury. In a way, this brings things full circle for Folger, as he made his MotoGP debut nine years ago with the in the south of France based Tech3 Team, and back in 2023 he substituted Espargaró for six Grand Prix with Red Bull KTM Tech3. At Le Mans, Folger finished the race 13th place.

Folger, who is currently working closely with KTM to get their Supersport RC990R race-ready — and this project sees some race appearances planned for this year too — is still a long way from being on-par with the demands of day-to-day in racing at MotoGP level, despite his intensive physical training.

To make his return aboard a MotoGP bike during a race weekend easier, Folger took part in a test at Mugello earlier this week, where his main focus was on getting used to high speeds again. During his two-day stay in Italy, he also concentrated on the bike’s ergonomics and handling, which allowed him to develop a good feel for his machine ahead of this weekend.

The French Grand Prix at Le Mans, held at one of the most historic circuits on the calendar, is already the season’s round five.

#94 Jonas FOLGER (Red Bull KTM Tech3, KTM RC16):

«First of all, I’d like to say that I feel very sorry for Maverick; I wish him a quick and full recovery so he can get back on his bike soon. For my part, I’m really excited and also a bit proud that KTM has entrusted me with this task again. To be honest, I thought about it for a moment, but in the end I’m glad to have this opportunity again, so I accepted right away. Personally, I’m really looking forward to working with all the guys at Tech3 again because I have shared history with this team, and it’ll be great to see everyone again. Plus, it’s always special to return to the MotoGP paddock, both as a guest and — even more so — as a rider. The welcome was overwhelming. Even the biggest names of the sport gave me a very warm welcome back.»

«In Le Mans, a huge challenge awaits me - I’m under no illusions about that. Getting back into racing after so many years away and returning to a MotoGP bike means adapting quickly and learning a lot over the weekend. I’m not feeling any pressure from KTM. I have to ride for myself, find a good rhythm, and get the most out of it. My only goal is not to lose 3 seconds per lap. I have to grasp things quickly and put everything into practice. Luckily, I’ve been in this situation before when I replaced Pol Espargaro a few years ago. It was an absolute grind to get on this bike overnight. The others go out in the first practice session and go full throttle. I have to make sure I don’t rush anything, but at the same time, I can’t lose too much. That’s going to be a massive challenge, no question about it. But I believe that in the end, the positives will outweigh the difficulties. I’m really looking forward to these challenges and can hardly wait!»

Jonas FOLGERs Profil:
Alter: 32 (geboren am 13. August 1993)
Beruf: Testfahrer
Wohnort: Mühldorf am Inn (Oberbayern, Deutschland)
Größe: 180 cm
Gewicht: 72 kg
Motorrad: KTM RC16
Startnummer: 94

#FrenchGP – MotoGP™ Zeitplan für das Wochenende (MESZ):
Freitag, 8. Mai: 10:45 - 11:30 MotoGP™ Free Practice 1
Freitag, 8. Mai: 15:00 - 16:00 MotoGP™ Practice
Samstag, 9. Mai: 10:10 - 10:40 MotoGP™ Free Practice 2
Samstag, 9. Mai: 10:50 - 11:05 MotoGP™ Qualifying 1
Samstag, 9. Mai: 11:15 - 11:30 MotoGP™ Qualifying 2
Samstag, 9. Mai: 15:00 MotoGP™ Sprint (13 Runden - 53,076 km)
Sonntag, 10. Mai: 09:40 - 09:50 MotoGP™ Warm-Up
Sonntag, 10. Mai: 14:00 MotoGP™ Rennen (27 Runden – 110,575 km)

Streckendaten Le Mans:
Erstmals Austragungsort eines GP: 1969
Länge: 4.193 Meter
Breite: 12 Meter
Längste Gerade: 674 Meter
Linkskurven: 5
Rechtskurven: 9
Allzeit schnellste MotoGP™ Rundenzeit: 1´29.324 (2025)
Beste MotoGP™ Pole-Position: 1´29.324 (2022)
MotoGP™ Rundenrekord: 1´31.107 (2024)
Jonas Folgers Resultate 2025: Startplatz - / -

MotoGP™ WM-Kalender 2026:
1. März – Grand Prix of Thailand, Chang International Circuit
22. März – Grand Prix of Brazil, Autódromo Internacional de Goiânia Ayrton Senna
29. April – Grand Prix of the Americas, Circuit of The Americas
26. April – Gran Premio of Spain, Circuito de Jerez Ángel Nieto
10. Mai – Grand Prix of France, Circuit Bugatti Le Mans
17. Mai – Grand Prix of Catalonia, Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya
31. Mai – Grand Prix of Italy, Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello
7. Juni – Grand Prix of Hungary, Balaton Park Circuit
21. Juni – Grand Prix of Czechia, Automotodromo Brno
28. Juni – Grand Prix of the Netherlands, TT Circuit Assen
11. Juli – Grand Prix of Germany, Sachsenring
9. August – Grand Prix of Great Britain, Silverstone Circuit
30. August – Grand Prix of Aragon, MotorLand Aragón
13. September – Grand Prix of San Marino and the Rimini Riviera, Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli
20. September – Grand Prix of Austria, Red Bull Ring
4. Oktober – Grand Prix of Japan, Mobility Resort Motegi
11. Oktober – Grand Prix of Indonesia, Mandalika International Circuit
25. Oktober – Grand Prix of Australia, Phillip Ilsand GP Circuit
1. November – Grand Prix of Malaysia, Sepang International Circuit
8. November – Grand Prix of Qatar, Lusail International Circuit
22. November – Grand Prix of Portugal, Autódromo Internacional do Algarve
29. November – Grand Prix of Valencia, Circuit Ricardo Tormo

Der Beitrag #FrenchGP: A surprising MotoGP™ comeback erschien zuerst auf Jonas Folger.

For 32-year-old Jonas Folger, who is filling in for Spaniard Maverick Viñales at Red Bull KTM Tech3 this weekend while Viñales is sidelined with a lingering shoulder injury, began the team’s home Grand Prix, which is based in southern France, with a sense of unease. He found it difficult to hide tension of the task ahead at his comeback, which came together at the very last minute.

But the KTM test rider drew on his experience, stayed calm and impressed with a solid performance as the day wore on. While the watch stopped at a 1´34.098 on his fastest lap during this morning’s free practice session, it took only Five laps for Folger in Practice session in the afternoon in good conditions to break into the 1´33 range. From that point on, he improved his lap time by half a second in virtually every run of the one hour long session.

At the end of the day, Folger set a personal best in 1´32.450. That put him just 2.5 seconds behind the fastest lap time set during the weekend’s first real time attack at the 4.1km track. More important to him, however, are the insights he gained in Terms of his riding and the improved feeling he now has for the KTM RC16.

MotoGP action at the Grand Prix of France kicks off on Saturday morning at 10:10 a.m. local time with the second free practice session, followed by Q1 and Q2. The 13-lap Sprint is scheduled for the afternoon, with the start set for 3:00 p.m.

#94 Jonas FOLGER (Red Bull KTM Tech3, KTM RC16)
Practice: P22 - 1´32.450 (20/21)

«I was really excited before the first practice session this morning. Of course, I was also a bit nervous, because during the long time I’ve been away from MotoGP, the level of competition has risen incredibly and the competition has become tougher and tougher. So I’m just happy to have finished the day, after such a long break, with 2.5 seconds off the fastest time. I didn’t crash, I understood the bike, and I worked on adapting my riding style during both sessions. Still, today’s sessions were enormously exhausting for me. Aside from that, it’s fascinating how much riding styles have evolved with corner speeds are much higher now, everything looks smoother, and it’s gotten much faster. Many thanks to the entire team for their support, which is a huge help to me.»

#FrenchGP - MotoGP™ Practice Classification:
1 Johann ZARCO / FRA / Castrol Honda LCR / Honda / 1´29.907
2 Fabio DI GIANNANTONIO / ITA / Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team / Ducati / 1´29.917 +0.010
3 Francesco BAGNAIA / ITA / Ducati Lenovo Team / Ducati / 1´30.045 +0.138
…
22 #94 Jonas FOLGER / GER / Red Bull KTM Tech3 / KTM / 1´32.450 +2.543

#FrenchGP - MotoGP™ Time Schedule for Saturday May 9th (CEST):
10:10 - 10:40 FP
10:50 - 11:05 Q1
11:15 - 11:30 Q2
15:00 Sprint (13 Laps - 54.509 km)

Der Beitrag #FrenchGP: Steady progress on Friday erschien zuerst auf Jonas Folger.

Had Jonas Folger, who has temporarily returned to racing, known this in advance, he would probably have had a sleepless night from Saturday to Sunday. The decision to send the 32-year-old rider as the first of the three riders into the gruelling eight hours of Suzuka was preceded by a strong warm-up by the Bavarian rider.

Folger finished the session in 13th place, just 1.3 seconds behind the fastest time. The decisive factor was a change in setup, which gave him a better feeling for his race bike. However, something happened at the start that you cannot blame a Suzuka newcomer for, namely that he missed the start signal a bit and therefore lost the sprint to his bike compared to his competitors.

A few laps later, that was long forgotten, as Folger impressed on track with his pure speed and fighting spirit. He quickly overtook one opponent after another and soon saw P15 displayed on his pit board, but shortly afterwards slipped out of the top 20 due to a riding error. Sodo Hamahara then took over the bike, followed by team owner Hideyuki Ogata, who sent Folger back onto the track after him.

At this point, the team was already within reach of the top ten. However, a crash by Hamahara, a brief pit stop, and another crash by the Japanese rider dashed all of the team’s hopes for a good result. Despite the unpleasant end to the weekend, there were many personal highlights for Folger at the 2025 edition of what is arguably the most prestigious endurance race.

Jonas FOLGER (S-PULSE DREAM RACING, Suzuki GSX-R100R):

«My first time in Suzuka was an incredible experience for me, I am thrilled. I am very happy that I took on this challenge and I think I did well. The race itself is unlike anything else. Even though the efforts and stresses are almost inhuman, I really enjoyed it. It was only about an hour before the start of the race that the team told me I would be the starting rider. That almost knocked me off my chair and made me even more excited, as I had never done or practiced a «Le Mans» start before. In fact, I almost messed it up completely because I focused a little too much on the riders next to me and my mechanics at my bike instead of paying attention to the starter and his flag signal. As a result, I ran to the motorcycle a few moments later than the others.»

«After a few laps, I found a good rhythm and was able to ride freely in the large pack. I quickly caught up with the riders in front of me and started to overtake. Unfortunately, a mistake threw me back again. That was a shame, because instead of handing over the bike in 15th place, we were just outside the top 20. The detour through the gravel trap was the only thing in the first stint that I am still annoyed about. Before the race, I heard from many people that the first stint was the worst. That is how I felt afterwards, too. I had no idea how I was going to manage the second stint. In fact, it turned out to be much easier for me. Unfortunately, Sodo crashed later on when we were already in ninth place in the top ten. He was able to continue but still came into the pits because the brakes were overheated and had to be changed. After resuming his stint, he crashed a second time. That caused quite a lot of damage to the bike. The repairs took a good three hours.»

«Despite the hopeless situation, as there was no chance of making it into the rankings, we continued our race. This was mainly in honour to Hideyuki, the team’s owner, who retired as a racer on Sunday. In his last race, he wanted to see his motorcycle crossing the finish line. And I was given this honour, as I did the last stint. But that was not the only reason why Suzuka was such a great experience for me. I had a lot of fun, and it motivated me even more to want to be there again. I am also grateful that I was allowed to be the last rider, because it gave me my first experience of riding in the dark, which was also very exciting for me. In any case, next year I will use the pre-event tests as training if I have the opportunity to participate in this legendary eight-hour race again. Unfortunately, I did not have time for that this year and that meant I was missing a few days and many laps. But now I know the track and the conditions you have to cope with here. I would like to thank the entire team, who are committed with heart and soul and always show incredible dedication. They worked on the motorcycle for three hours to get it back on the road. Ultimately, it was a very nice weekend that I enjoyed. So, a big thank you to Hideyuki and the entire team, who are like a family, and also to KTM for their support in this regard allowing me to take part.»

#2025Suzuka8Hours: Rennergebnis
1 Honda HRC (Takumi TAKAHASHI, Johann ZARCO) / Honda CBR1000 RR-R-SP / 08´00´26.580
2 YAMAHA RACING TEAM (Katsuyuki NAKSUGA, Jack MILLER, Andrea LOCATELLI) / Yamaha YZF R1 / +34.243
3 Yoshimura SERT MOTUL (Gregg BLACK, Dan LINFOOT, Cocoro ATSUMI) / Suzuki -R1000R / 1 Laps
…
NC S-PULSE DREAM RACING (Hideyuki OGATA, Jonas FOLGER, Sodo HAMAHARA) / Suzuki / 60 Laps

Der Beitrag #Suzuka8Hours: An incredible experience, simply unforgettable! erschien zuerst auf Jonas Folger.

After a day of rest on Thursday, on which many administrative tasks had to be completed, the 2025 edition of the legendary eight-hour race in Suzuka featured a free practice session on Friday and qualifying practices later in the afternoon. In two timed sessions per group (blue, yellow, red), the ranking was determined based on the average time of the individual teams.

Jonas Folger finished in P14 in QP1 but improved by no less than seven tenths of a second in his second time attack later in the afternoon, which meant tenth place in his group with a respectable 2’07.033. The team around Folger and his Japanese team mates Hideyuki Ogata and Sodo Hamahara finished 15th overall.

During night practice, which took place on Friday evening from 18:30 to 19:30, Folger was unlucky when he tried to get his first laps in Suzuka at sunset under his belt. A large oil spoil after an engine failure was the cause. Folger and his team therefore only have a one-hour free practice session on Saturday afternoon to put the finishing touches to the long race on Sunday.

Jonas FOLGER (S-PULSE DREAM RACING, Suzuki GSX-R100R):

«I am really happy with my performance on Friday. To be honest, however, I am amazed about the speed of the riders from the top ten teams. Respect, that is really something amazing. My fastest lap time was 2´07.0. In this lap, however, I was close to my limit. But if you look at the lap times of the guys with more Suzuka experience and perhaps a slightly better set-up, which are almost two seconds faster than mine, then I have to say that is really strong. But it is nice to see and spurs you on. On the other hand, we gathered valuable information from the three sessions today and then racked our brains again to see how we can hopefully find another good half a second on Saturday. That would be ideal. Apart from that, I think we should actually be in a good shape in terms of race pace. Finally, I would like to mention that I am having an incredible amount of fun here. The track is really tricky. There are sections where up to five or six corners are linked together and the track is also very narrow. So you have to ride very precisely, but that is what makes it so appealing. I am already looking forward to the race on Sunday – my first one in endurance racing here in Suzuka, wow!»

Jonas FOLGER´s Profile:
Age: 31 (Date of birth 13 August 1993)
Occupation: Test rider in two-wheels racing
Residence: Mühldorf am Inn (Bavaria, Germany)
Height: 180 cm
Weight: 72 kg
Bike: Suzuki GSX-R1000R
Racing No: 95

#2025Suzuka8Hours: Overall Qualifying Ranking (Avg. Best Time)
1 Honda HRC (Takumi TAKAHASHI, Johann ZARCO) / Honda / 2´05.187
2 AutoRace Ube Racing Team (Naomichi URAMOTO, Loris BAZ, Davy TODD) / BMW / 2´05.346
3 YAMAHA RACING TEAM (Katsuyuki NAKSUGA, Jack MILLER, Andrea LOCATELLI) / Yamaha / 2´05.539
…
15 S-PULSE DREAM RACING (Hideyuki OGATA, Jonas FOLGER, Sodo HAMAHARA) / Suzuki / 2´07.102

#2025Suzuka8Hours: Time Schedule (CEST)
Friday 1 August: 01:30 - 03:30 Free Practice
Friday 1 August: 05:00 - 05:20 Official Qualifying Session 1 Rider BLUE
Friday 1 August: 05:35 - 05:55 Official Qualifying Session 1 Rider YELLOW
Friday 1 August: 06:10 - 06:30 Official Qualifying Session 1 Rider RED
Friday 1 August: 08:30 - 08:50 Official Qualifying Session 2 Rider BLUE
Friday 1 August: 09:05 - 09:25 Official Qualifying Session 2 Rider YELLOW
Friday 1 August: 09:40 - 10:00 Official Qualifying Session 2 Rider RED
Friday 1 August: 11:30 – 12:30 Night Practice
Saturday 2 August: 07:15 - 08:00 Free Practice
Saturday 2 August: 08:30 - 09:00 «Top 10 Trail»
Sunday 3 August: 01:30 - 02:15 Warm Up
Sunday 3 August: 03:40 Race Starting Procedure
Sunday 3 August: 04:30 - 12:30 Race

Der Beitrag #2025Suzuka8Hours: Happy and enjoying the time in hot and humid Japan erschien zuerst auf Jonas Folger.

Extremely hot conditions with high humidity, an unfamiliar track, and a completely unknown race bike in a new team. All these factors combined make for a real adventure, which Jonas Folger is facing this week in the Land of the Rising Sun. After arriving on Tuesday, Folger headed straight for the legendary Suzuka International Circuit, about an hour and a half’s drive south of Nagoya.

Folger, who will be riding a Suzuki Superbike for his friend Marcel Schrötter’s former Japanese team S-PULSE DREAM Racing, has quickly settled into his new surroundings and familiarized himself with the track, which in its current form is 5.807 km long and is considered one of the most demanding race tracks in the world due to its many changes of direction and almost every type of corner imaginable.

Together with his two Japanese team mates, Suzuka veteran Hideyuki Ogata and Sodo Hamahara, S-PULSE DREAM Racing was consistently around 10th place on the timesheets after each session on Wednesday. This raises hopes of finishing Friday’s qualifying sessions in the top ten. This would secure a spot in the «Suzuka 8 Hours» where the ten fastest teams after qualifying will battle for the front starting positions on Saturday afternoon.

Pan-European broadcaster Eurosport will report on the 46th edition of the legendary eight-hour race on Sunday. Whether full or partial live coverage is planned can be found in the broadcaster’s program listings.

Jonas FOLGER (S-PULSE DREAM RACING, Suzuki GSX-R100R):

«My first day as a rookie in endurance racing went well. But as expected, it was tough for me. With a completely unfamiliar track and a bike that was new to me, the challenge could not have been bigger. Above all, the track is very difficult to understand and get to know because it is technically very demanding. There are also sections with different asphalt surfaces. Nevertheless, I really enjoyed it. The collaboration with the team and my colleagues, with whom I share the bike, worked well from the start. We already have some ideas for Friday that will help us to further improve. The sessions on Wednesday were definitely a successful start to this adventure for me. I still need to find a second or two for Friday and Saturday. If I can do that, I will be well in the game for my first time at Suzuka.»

Jonas FOLGER’s Profile:
Age: 31 (Date of Birth 13 August 1993)
Occupation: Test rider in Two-wheels motorsport
Residence: Mühldorf am Inn (Bavaria, Germany)
Height: 180 cm
Weight: 72 kg
Bike: Suzuki GSX-R1000R
Racing No: 95

#2025Suzuka8Hours: Time Schedule (CEST):
Friday 1 August: 01:30 - 03:30 Free Practice
Friday 1 August: 05:00 - 05:20 Official Qualifying Session 1 Rider BLUE
Friday 1 August: 05:35 - 05:55 Official Qualifying Session 1 Rider YELLOW
Friday 1 August: 06:10 - 06:30 Official Qualifying Session 1 Rider RED
Friday 1 August: 08:30 - 08:50 Official Qualifying Session 2 Rider BLUE
Friday 1 August: 09:05 - 09:25 Official Qualifying Session 2 Rider YELLOW
Friday 1 August: 09:40 - 10:00 Official Qualifying Session 2 Rider RED
Friday 1 August: 11:30 – 12:30 Night Practice
Saturday 2 August: 07:15 - 08:00 Free Practice
Saturday 2 August: 08:30 - 09:00 «Top 10 Trail»
Sunday 3 August: 01:30 - 02:15 Warm Up
Sunday 3 August: 03:40 Race Starting Procedure
Sunday 3 August: 04:30 - 12:30 Race

Der Beitrag #2025Suzuka8Hours: Successful start to the adventure «8 Hours Race» erschien zuerst auf Jonas Folger.

Jonas Folger not only ended the first half of the season in the best possible way at Assen on Sunday, but also his adventure in what was a totally unexpected return to the starting grid of the premier MotoGP™ class two months ago. When the chequered flag was shown for the last time before Silverstone on August 5th, Folger added two more points to his tally when he finished fourteenth in the “Cathedral of Speed”.

Folger started the weekend’s main race at the historic TT Assen on Sunday from twenty-second spot on the grid. He managed a good start and also quickly left the impression of feeling more comfortable aboard the KTM RC16 than in yesterday’s sprint. The problems with the front that had occurred on Saturday were resolved in this morning’s warm-up session, which was very positive for the 29-year-old German rider.

The full-time test rider for the Pierer Mobility Group with KTM and GASGAS brands managed to stay within tenths of a second to his team mate Augusto Fernandez in the opening laps. A mistake by Raul Fernandez gave Folger the opportunity to overtake and move into the top 15. On the eleventh lap he set his fastest race lap in a 1´34.589, just 0.396 seconds off his team mate’s personal best. Finally, Raul Fernandez passed him again, but Folger finished the race with consistent lap times and crossed the finish line in fourteenth place. It is the third time he ended up in the points, a nice way to say goodbye going into the summer break.

#94 Jonas FOLGER
GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3, KTM RC16
Grid position: 22 / Race: P14

“I am finally happy with the step we took and with today’s race. It is nice to end my adventure for the last six races with the Tech3 team in this way. First of all, I would like to thank the whole team, who have always been understanding of my situation, who have tried to find solutions to my problems, who have taken away my doubts and who have stayed calm when I was not feeling well.... I am very grateful to have been able to work with them and to return in racing for a while. Coming back was very special for me and I will never forget these weeks together, which will help me a lot in my role as a test rider for Pierer Mobility Group. Thank you, I will continue to cheer you on, and I will be watching Pol Espargaro in the hope that he makes a great comeback. Thank you all for everything!”

#DutchGP - MotoGP™ Race Classification (26 Laps):
1 Francesco BAGNAIA / ITA / Ducati Lenovo Team / Ducati / 40´37.640
2 Marco BEZZECCHI / ITA / Mooney VR46 Racing Team / Ducati / +1.223
3 Aleix ESPARGARO / SPA / Aprilia Racing / Aprilia / +1.925
14 #94 Jonas FOLGER / GER / GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3 / KTM / +45.609

MotoGP™ World Standing:
1 Francesco BAGNAIA / ITA / Ducati / 194
2 Jorge MARTIN / SPA / Ducati / 159
3 Marco BEZZECCHI / ITA / Ducati / 158
22 #94 Jonas FOLGER / GER / KTM / 9

Der Beitrag #DutchGP: In the points for the third time erschien zuerst auf Jonas Folger.

Jonas Folger from Mühldorf in Upper Bavaria has reached an agreement with the company from Mattighofen in Upper Austria to continue his tasks as a test rider in 2024. The 30-year-old Folger will primarily carry out test rides aboard the MotoGP machine, but will also make his skills available on the race track for other internal company projects.

#94 Jonas FOLGER

“I am very pleased to be part of the KTM test team in 2024 and to be able to further expand our collaboration where possible. It will be an intense year, but I am looking forward to the tasks ahead and am highly motivated to tackle them. I will do my best to continue to improve as a test rider and to always be in the best possible condition for possible race appearances so that I can fulfill the expectations placed in me. A big thank you to everyone who has put their trust in me for these high-caliber tasks.”

Jonas FOLGERs Profil:
Age: 30 (born on August 13, 1993)
Occupation: Motorcycle racer
Residence: Mühldorf am Inn (Upper Bavaria, Germany)
Height: 180 cm
Weight: 65 kg
Bike: KTM RC16
Racing number: 94

Der Beitrag #2024MotoGP: Also this year official test rider with KTM erschien zuerst auf Jonas Folger.

Jonas Folger from Mühldorf in Upper Bavaria is temporarily returning to racing. Thanks to the mediation of his buddy Marcel Schrötter, the 31-year-old will make his debut in endurance racing this week in Japan at the «Suzuka 8 Hours» race with Schrötter’s former team aboard a Suzuki Superbike.

For Folger, the adventure gets underway this Wednesday and Thursday, when the final test rides for this weekend’s incomparable event take place. The official practice sessions will be held on Friday. Qualifying will follow on Saturday, and the main competition will begin at 12:00 p.m. local time on Sunday. Lasting eight hours, it will demand everything from the drivers, teams, and equipment due to the extreme heat and high humidity.

Jonas FOLGER (S-PULSE DREAM RACING, Suzuki GSX-R100R):

«I am really looking forward to Suzuka, and I am also very excited to be traveling to Japan again after such a long time. The last time I was there was in 2017, which feels like an eternity ago. I love Japan and have always enjoyed traveling there. This weekend, however, Suzuka will be a completely new challenge for me. The track is completely new to me. I would say Suzuka is a legend of a track. But that is not the only reason why I am so excited. Everything will be new and different from what I am used to during this race week. The schedule will be completely different. Added to that are the tactical manoeuvres that an endurance race requires, which we will go through in detail. That will be really exciting for me. But first, I am looking forward to getting to know the team, how they work, and of course the bike and how it is to ride. That also includes getting to know the track. Overall, I am looking forward to my first Suzuka adventure and hope that we can achieve a good result as a team in the end. Hopefully, we will be spared from technical defects and get through the long distance without any crashes. I would like to thank the team for their trust in me, as I have no experience with endurance racing yet. I would also like to express my sincere thanks to KTM for spontaneously giving me the green light to go to Suzuka, which is something I have always wanted to do.»

Jonas FOLGER’s Profile:
Age: 31 (Date of birth 13 August 1993)
Occupation: Test rider
Place of residence: Mühldorf am Inn (Bavaria, Germany)
Height: 180 cm
Weight: 72 kg
Bike: Suzuki GSX-R1000R
Racing No.: 95

Der Beitrag #2025Suzuka8Hours: Debut at classic endurance race in Japan erschien zuerst auf Jonas Folger.