Gran Premio de Aragón racing numbers

259 – Casey Stoner has 259 championship points after the first thirteen races of the year, ten more than Dani Pedrosa scored in 2008, which was the previous highest points’ total by a Honda rider during the 800cc era of MotoGP

117 – Colin Edwards and Valentino Rossi have both made 117 MotoGP starts riding Yamaha machinery. The only rider who has made had more starts in the premier-class on Yamaha than these two riders is Norick Abe with 143 (107 x 500cc, 36 x MotoGP).

100 – At the Aragon Grand Prix, Randy de Puniet is scheduled to make his 100th MotoGP start. He will become the first French rider to reach the milestone of 100 GP starts in the premier-class. De Puniet made his debut in the MotoGP class at the opening race of 2006 at Jerez and had a 100% start record up to missing the Laguna Seca race last year following his crash in Germany.

95 – Spain is the country that has hosted most Grand Prix events; this will be the 95th Grand Prix to be held in Spain. This includes the Grand Prix of Aragon, Spain, Catalunya, Valencia, Madrid, Europe, FIM and Portugal.

61.5% – Marc Marquez has won 16 of the last 26 GP races that he has started in the 125cc and Moto2 classes, starting at the 125cc Italian Grand Prix last year when he took his very first GP win. This represents a 61.5% win rate over this 26 race period.

50 years ago – On the day of qualifying at the Aragon Grand Prix it will be exactly 50 years ago at the Swedish Grand Prix in 1961 at the Kristianstad circuit that Mike Hailwood won the 250cc GP riding a Honda to become the first rider to win a world championship riding a motorcycle manufactured in Japan.

38 – Jorge Lorenzo’s victory at Misano was the 38th GP win of his career. This places him equal 11th in the all-time GP winners list with John Surtees who won the 500cc title on four occasions and the 350cc title three times.

24 – Harry Stafford will celebrate his 18th birthday on the day before practice starts at the Aragon GP.

18 – Valentino Rossi has scored points in all 24 races since returning to racing at the German Grand Prix last year, after breaking his leg at the Italian GP.

17 – Jorge Lorenzo’s win at Misano was the 17th MotoGP victory of his career. This is just one win less in the premier-class than 1987 500cc World Champion Wayne Gardner.

8 – Casey Stoner’s pole at Misano was his 8th of the year. Only twice previously have riders had more poles in a single season during the four-stroke MotoGP era, both with nine; Valentino Rossi in 2003 and Casey Stoner in 2008.

6 – There have been six different circuits that have been used for Grand Prix racing in Spain. Other than Aragon, the circuits that have been used in Spain are as follows (with number of GP events hosted in brackets): Jerez (25), Catalunya (20), Jarama (19), Montjuich (17) and the Ricardo Tormo circuit in Valencia (12)

6 – Marc Marquez’s first Moto2 victory of the year at the French GP made him the youngest ever rider to have won in the intermediate-class of Grand Prix racing. On the day of his sixth win in the Moto2 class at the San Marino Grand Prix, Marc Marquez was 18 years and 199 days old. This is still three days younger than Dani Pedrosa was when he set the previous record for youngest winner in the intermediate-class in South Africa in 2004.

3 – The San Marino - Rimini Riviera Grand Prix was the third successive GP event held in Italy at which all three winners have been from Spain: Misano 2011 (Lorenzo, Marquez, Terol), Mugello 2011 (Lorenzo, Marquez, Terol) and Misano 2010 (Pedrosa, Elias, Marquez).

source: motogp official website

Rossi: Aragon expectations 'higher than usual'

Valentino Rossi is raising his expectations 'a little higher than usual' as he heads for Ducati's best event of the 2010 season, at Aragon.

Casey Stoner and Nicky Hayden finished one-three in MotoGP's first ever race at the impressive Spanish circuit last year, when Rossi finished sixth for Yamaha.

Rossi returns sixth in the 2011 championship, with just one podium, from his 13 races on the Desmosedici.

“Last year at Aragon was the best race of the year for Ducati, so we approach this round with our expectations a little higher than usual," said Rossi. 

"In addition, after the difficult practice sessions at Misano, we found a good setup in the end and I had a better feeling with the bike and managed to ride it better in the race, especially in the early laps. 

"Now we'll try to combine the two things - the track that seems to work well with the Desmosedici and the good setup work - in order to find the same feeling on Sunday.” 

Team manager Vittoriano Guareschi doesn't expect any major breakthrough this weekend, and again emphasised that Ducati is working for the future.

“We have some great memories of Aragon from last year, so we're happy to return. Every season has its own story though, and we're obviously currently working not only for this weekend but also beyond," he said.

"Our riders and team are completely focused on the goal, and they're giving us a collaborative working group that I think is extremely important. At Aragon, we expect to continue gathering data and information on the Desmosedici and to speed up the setup work during the practice sessions.”

source: crash.net

Spies pleased with equal opportunity

This weekend's Aragon Grand Prix provides one of the few opportunities for Ben Spies to be on an equal footing with the other factory MotoGP riders in terms of track experience.

MotoGP made its first visit to the demanding Spanish circuit last season, when rookie Spies finished fifth for Tech 3 Yamaha, after winning an exciting duel with Andrea Dovizioso.

Now a Factory Yamaha rider, Spies returns with a MotoGP victory under his belt and looking for his fourth podium of the season, as he also seeks to close the 15-point gap to Dani Pedrosa in the standings.

“It's great to come to a track on the calendar where I have the same level of experience as the rest of the field," said Spies.

"Last year was one of my most enjoyable races, it was great fun fighting with Dovi to keep fifth and we weren't so far from the battle for third until I made a small mistake. 

"I've had a chance to relax at my home in Como after the Indianapolis and Misano back to back races so I'm feeling good and looking forward to seeing what we can do.”

Team director Massimo Meregalli added that the trapped nerve which has hindered Spies since Brno continues to improve and that the layout should suit the M1.

"Ben is recovering well from his trapped nerve issue and is getting closer to full fitness again," he said. "Apart from one corner the Aragon circuit layout should be good for us and suit the YZR-M1, so our expectations are quite high for this weekend.”

The top Yamaha in last year's event was Jorge Lorenzo, in fourth.

source: crash.net

Toni Elias starts WSBK test

MotoGP rider Toni Elias made his World Superbike debut for BMW Italia during the first day of testing at Misano on Tuesday.

The reigning Moto2 world champion and former MotoGP race winner has struggled throughout the 2011 season with LCR Honda, and is considering his options for 2012.

The Spaniard was eleventh fastest out of 13 riders on Tuesday, during which he suffered one fall without harm.

Toni's best lap time was 2.1sec behind former MotoGP team-mate Marco Melandri (Yamaha) but only 1.3sec from the leading BMW of Ayrton Badovini.

Elias was faster than fellow MotoGP race winners Chris Vermeulen (Kawasaki) and Makoto Tamada (Honda).

BMW Italia is a satellite team - the factory BMW squad of Leon Haslam and Troy Corser were not present.

Testing concludes today (Wednesday) after which Elias will head for this weekend's Aragon MotoGP round. 

Elias is presently 14th in the world championship with a best finish of ninth, in the wet at Jerez.

source: crash.net

Shoya’s Day: A tribute to Shoya Tomizawa

A special event on September 13 at Pole Mécanique d'Alès, the home track of the Technomag-CIP team, was held to pay respects to Shoya Tomizawa on the anniversary of his loss, with many attendees including Championship riders Dominique Aegerter, Anthony West, Hiroshi Aoyama, Yuki Takhahashi, Johan Zarco, Alex Baldolini, Tomoyoshi Koyama, Louis Rossi and Valentin Debise.

An exposition dedicated to the memory of the extraordinary rider displayed the many tributes received from around the world, along with a memorial stone that was unveiled in front of Tomizawa’s parents and an emotional crowd by Christophe Rivenq, the Chief of Staff of the Mayor of Alès.

The benefits of the auctions held prior to the event that featured the Japanese rider’s items and Technomag-CIP team gear, and proceeds from a track day arranged for the event, raised 15,000 Euro, the total presented to the mother and father of Tomizawa.

The Technomag-CIP would like to publically and sincerely thank all of the organizers and participants involved in the special tribute.

source: motogp official website

2012 MotoGP World Championship calendar released

A provisional calendar for the 2012 FIM MotoGP World Championship has been released today, and the schedule is as follows:

Date, Grand Prix - Circuit

15 April, Qatar* - Doha/Losail

29 April, Spain (STC) - Jerez de la Frontera

6 May, Portugal (STC) - Estoril

20 May, France - Le Mans

3 June, Catalunya - Catalunya

17 June, Great Britain - Silverstone

30 June, Netherlands** - Assen

8 July, Germany (STC) - TBC

15 July, Italy - Mugello

29 July, United States*** - Laguna Seca

19 August, Indianapolis - Indianapolis

26 August, Czech Rep. - Brno

16 September, San Marino & Riviera di Rimini - Misano

30 September, Aragon - Motorland

14 October, Japan - Motegi

21 October, Malaysia - Sepang

28 October, Australia - Phillip Island

11 November, Valencia - Ricardo Tormo – Valencia

* Evening Race

** Saturday Race

*** Only MotoGP class

STC (Subject to the contract)

TBC (To be confirmed)

source: motogp official website

Ducati Team happy to return to Aragón

For Nicky Hayden, it was one of his best results aboard the Desmosedici, as he used a beautiful last-lap pass on Jorge Lorenzo to achieve his third-place finish. The American hopes to continue improving his feeling with the GP11.1 so that he can be consistently fast from the free practice sessions on.

Valentino Rossi finished sixth at Aragón last year, but he approaches the Aragón weekend with determination and focus for the work that he’s carrying out with the Ducati technicians and his team.

Nicky Hayden: 

“It’s nice to go back to Aragón, which I like. We haven’t been there a lot, so it’s still new and fun. Last year, it was clearly our best weekend of the season, and in theory, it should suit me and our bike a little bit this time as well. The track was brand-new then, and it was grippy and completely smooth, so we’ll see how well it’s held up. It has a lot of ups and downs, and quite a few corners with open exits, which should be good for us. I’m 100% okay from my crash at Misano, so no excuses there. Hopefully we can catch a little break and have a good weekend at Aragón.”

Valentino Rossi: 

“Last year at Aragón was the best race of the year for Ducati, so we approach this round with our expectations a little higher than usual. In addition, after the difficult practice sessions at Misano, we found a good setup in the end and I had a better feeling with the bike and managed to ride it better in the race, especially in the early laps. Now we’ll try to combine the two things—the track that seems to work well with the Desmosedici and the good setup work—in order to find the same feeling on Sunday.”

Vittoriano Guareschi, Team Manager: 

“We have some great memories of Aragón from last year, so we’re happy to return. Every season has its own story though, and we’re obviously currently working not only for this weekend but also beyond. Our riders and team are completely focused on the goal, and they’re giving us a collaborative working group that I think is extremely important. At Aragón, we expect to continue gathering data and information on the Desmosedici and to speed up the setup work during the practice sessions.”

Ducati Team press release

Milestone weekend for Edwards as Crutchlow aims to continue progress

The Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team makes its third visit of the season to Spain this weekend for the 14th round of the 2011 MotoGP World Championship at the magnificent Motorland Aragón circuit.

Sunday's race will provide another milestone in the distinguished career of Colin Edwards, who is poised to make his 150th MotoGP start. The 37 year-old has been one of the most consistent performers in the Championship since he arrived in the paddock back in 2003 and this season has been no exception, the popular American chasing an 11th consecutive point-scoring finish of the season this weekend.

Edwards currently sits ninth in the overall standings on 87 points and he is hoping for a strong result this weekend to bounce back quickly from a difficult race at Misano. Edwards was battling for a place inside the top seven before he was struck by a severe arm pump problem. Edwards has been able to rest and recover for more than a week at his Texas home and he is confident the issue will not be a problem at Motorland Aragón.

British rider Cal Crutchlow heads into the weekend with his confidence boosted by a hard fought 10th place in Misano. Crutchlow has worked tremendously hard in the last races to find a more confident front-end set-up with his Monster Yamaha Tech 3 machine and he is looking forward to continuing that progress this weekend.

The Motorland Aragón track throws up another new challenge for Crutchlow, who has never raced on the technical 3.155-mile layout before. The 2009 World Supersport champion though has demonstrated his ability to quickly learn new tracks in his rookie campaign and he's targeting another top 10 assault in Sunday's 23-lap race.

Colin Edwards:

“I can't believe I'm going to be making my 150th MotoGP appearance this weekend. It feels like only yesterday since I moved from World Superbikes but I've had an awesome time in MotoGP and long may it continue. Although it is a landmark race in my MotoGP career I'll just try and treat it like every other race and do the best possible job I can for the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team. The Aragón track has a really cool layout and I can't wait to get back there, even though my result wasn't the best last season. And I'm definitely keen to bounce back from Misano, which didn't end how I expected at all. I had a great weekend up until the race but the arm pump was the worst I've ever had. I've had a few days to rest and relax at home so I'm sure I'm going to be 100 per cent this weekend.”

Cal Crutchlow:

“I'm raring to start this weekend having spent a few days with the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team in France. It has been great spending some quality time with the crew while also training hard after a couple of really physically demanding races in Indianapolis and Misano. We've managed to pick up a couple of respectable results recently to restore my confidence, but as a rider you always want more, so the goal this weekend will be to qualify and finish the race inside the top 10. Aragón is another track I've only ever seen on TV and I can't wait to ride it. It looks like a lot of fun with some undulation and some fast, sweeping corners. I think it might suit my style because it doesn't look like a circuit with a lot of strong braking points. It is never easy trying to learn a new track, but the confidence gained in the last couple of races means we can start the weekend in a positive frame of mind.”

Monster Yamaha Tech 3 press release

Barberá targets top Ducati spot for weekend

Mapfre Aspar rider Héctor Barberá scored his best result of the season so far with sixth place at Jerez and he also put in a strong showing with eleventh at Catalunya. Little wonder that he is looking forward to his third home race of the season at Aragón, especially as he looks to continue an excellent run of recent form. Ever since the Italian Grand Prix back in June Héctor has stepped up his work rate and his pace, and thanks to a good base setting the results have been impressive. Ninth place at Misano has given him the confidence and motivation to be fighting for another top result in front of his home fans at Motorland.

Héctor Barberá:

"I had a good weekend in practice at Motorland last year and a good race too. I am confident that we can achieve a top result this weekend. We are in incredible form at the moment, the team are helping me a lot and I am enjoying every session on the bike. We have found a good base set-up and we are getting the most out of the bike at the moment. This is also another home race for us and after qualifying as the best Ducati and finishing the race as the second one I am highly motivated. I love the track - it is very complete and it suits my riding style perfectly. The set-up we have should work well here at Motorland and the objective is to continue in the same way we've been working recently because if we do that the results will come. I would love to be the top Ducati again."

Mapfre Aspar press release

Repsol Honda trio refreshed and ready

After a one-week break following two very demanding races in Indianapolis and Misano, the Repsol Honda riders are ready to enjoy one of the most impressive facilities on the MotoGP calendar. In 2010, Motorland was rewarded with the IRTA Best Grand Prix of the Year Award - the first time a circuit has received the prize in its debut year.

Dani Pedrosa, Andrea Dovizioso and Casey Stoner head into the decisive stage of the Championship very determined and Aragón is a place to shine. Stoner, who is currently leading the Championship, won there last season and will look to repeat his outstanding performances to further increase his gap over Jorge Lorenzo.

Dani Pedrosa, who missed his home race in Catalunya due to injury, wants to enjoy this third race of the year in Spain together with his fans and will also be chasing victory after his second place in 2010. With five races to go the Spaniard currently lies in fourth position, 35 points behind team-mate Andrea Dovizioso who will be looking to return on the podium after two fifth places in the last two races.

The records set in 2010 by Casey Stoner and Dani Pedrosa will be the reference in Motorland. Stoner set the pole position with a lap time of 1'48.942 and Pedrosa established the fastest lap in the race with 1'49.521.

Casey Stoner:

"I've managed to rest since the hard race in Misano, where I was totally worn out. The hectic schedule we follow had drained me completely and I had no energy, nothing left to give, so I've enjoyed relaxing this past week and getting back to some training. The Aragón track is ok, it's not one of my favourite circuits, I feel it could be a little faster. We ran well there last year, mainly due to the fact we took a big step in the set up on the bike. This year we arrive there with a totally different bike so we have a lot of things to learn in FP1, getting the gearbox set up right and a few other things in general. It will be interesting to go there on the Honda, Dani was competitive there last year and I think we can work well there also, and expect a good result. We'll get there and see what we can do.”

Andrea Dovizioso:

“We arrive in Aragón third in the Championship looking to close the gap to Lorenzo in second, but also needing to defend from Dani in fourth. I like Motorland Aragón, the circuit is very nice and it’s fun to ride. The key characteristic is the downhill braking areas and it has some similarities to the Istanbul circuit with interesting corners and changes of direction. It’s not so fast but all in all I like to race there. Last year it was a new track so I think that with one year of experience we can be even more competitive. Last year I crashed on the very last lap while I was fighting with Ben Spies for fifth position, this year we arrive confident that we can have a strong race.”

Dani Pedrosa:

"I have very good memories of the Grand Prix of Aragón, last year we started well and we had a good race. I'm satisfied with our performance in the past few weeks and I feel better every day. This week I've been able to rest and recover some energy and now I'm really looking forward to this race. People from all around Spain attend the Aragón GP and the atmosphere there is incredible. The circuit is spectacular and very technical, it combines fast and slow corners, some of them complicated and blind where you need to find points of reference outside the track. We need to set up the bike very well for this track and make the most of all the practice sessions. The data we have from last year can help us on this and it will be important to start in a good direction but we cannot relax. I'm excited to see the Spanish fans again after missing the Catalunya race and I hope the home support will give me an extra boost so that we can enjoy this race together.”

Repsol Honda press release

Bridgestone previews Aragón round

Motorland Aragón's surface is relatively smooth and slippery, so softer rear tyre compound options have been selected: the soft and medium rear symmetric slicks. Front slick options are more unusual however as the available compounds are medium and extra hard, the same as were offered in Qatar. This is because the location of the circuit means that sand can be blown onto the tarmac overnight, leading to a higher rate of abrasion particularly to the front tyre as it tends to push more into corners on the slippery sand, just like in Qatar, and the extra hard compound has far greater wear and graining resistance. There are also a number of fast downhill braking zones which demand good front-end stability, and some riders may favour the extra hard compound for the benefit it offers in this area. Additionally this year, as per the new regulations, a third option of soft compound front slicks will be provided for cold conditions.

Motorland Aragón has a balanced nature in terms of the demands placed on the right and the left shoulders of the tyres, so for this reason asymmetric rear slicks have not been selected, making the GP one of only four this season where the popular asymmetric rears won’t be used.

Looking closely at last year’s data and rider comments, it has not been necessary to revise tyre compound options for the Aragón GP this year. Based on the circuit analysis and scientific approach to tyre selection last year, Bridgestone are confident that the choices made then are still the best suited to the circuit now. The only difference is the addition of the third soft compound front slick tyre for the cooler conditions, and this could feature more heavily in the morning sessions this weekend than it has done in the past three GPs.

Current championship leader Casey Stoner won the inaugural Aragón GP for Ducati ahead of Dani Pedrosa and Nicky Hayden, with Jorge Lorenzo fourth. After Lorenzo’s victory in Misano last time out closing the gap in the overall standings, the championship race will intensify as MotoGP embarks upon the last five rounds of the season.

Hiroshi Yamada - Manager, Bridgestone Motorsport Department

“Of course last year Aragón was a totally new circuit to MotoGP but I was very impressed with it and certainly there was a lot of good feedback from everybody in the paddock. I am pleased that we are going back this year as it is an exciting and quite dramatic circuit, and with the benefit of last year’s experience not only is our job easier as we do not need to conduct more scientific analysis of the circuit and its tarmac, but we can also be very confident of our tyre compound choices. As the championship fight gathers pace entering the last period of the season, I hope that we will see more good battles not just for the entertainment of the fans but us inside the paddock too!”

Hirohide Hamashima – Assistant to Director, Motorsport Tyre Development Division

“Run for the first time in 2010, we now have the benefit of last year’s data to draw upon for this season which has allowed us to verify that last year’s compound choices were well suited and don’t need revising. The Aragón track surface is relatively smooth and slippery, similar to Misano, so we need good grip which suggests softer compounds, but there are also some long corners and some downhill braking points which require greater stability and thus harder compounds. Last year, although we chose tyre compounds based on exhaustive and accurate scientific study of the circuit, including taking latex moulds to take back to Japan for closer inspection, it was still a totally new challenge for us but I am pleased that we can look back and say that we did a good job.”

Bridgestone slick compounds available at Aragón: Front: Soft, Medium, Ex Hard. Rear: Soft, Medium.

source: motogp official website

MotoGP to return to Argentina in 2013

An agreement was today (Tuesday) signed in Paris between the Argentinean government, the Governor of the Santiago del Estero province, OSD and Dorna Sports which secured a round of the MotoGP World Championship in Argentina from 2013.

Present for the signing of the deal was Argentinean President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, who was accompanied by Minister for Tourism Enrique Meyer, Governor of the Santiago del Estero province Gerardo Zamora and Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta.

The Grand Prix of Argentina will be held at the Autódromo Termas de Río Hondo in the Santiago del Estero province, after a deal for three seasons between its promoter and Dorna was agree upon.

The agreement is subject to the necessary renovations being carried out to bring the circuit within the required MotoGP safety standards.

source: MotoGP Official Website

Gresini to enter Honda CBR1000RR in MotoGP?

Marco Simoncelli’s 2012 MotoGP team-mate could be riding a tuned Honda CBR1000RR-powered bike.

Fausto Gresini is struggling to raise the budget required to lease a pair of RC213V 1000cc bikes for next season, so he is looking to develop his own private entry with a FireBlade engine, most likely using a Moriwaki frame.

Gresini is considering the Honda option after HRC blocked his plans to use an Aprilia RSV4 motor for his second entry.

HRC boss Shuhei Nakamoto said: "Honda sells the CBR1000RR and we also sell kit parts for superbike so he can buy. But I don’t think performance is enough."

Nakamoto said Gresini’s Aprilia plan was an ill-conceived concept and he said: "This is a crazy idea."

He also questioned the wisdom of the Italian’s desire to run a second rider on a privately developed machine. He added: "The engine is not so expensive but he needs a chassis and at this moment nobody is making a prototype chassis for the CBR engine. It means he has to make everything and this is not so cheap."

Simoncelli's new Honda contract is expected to be announced this weekend during the Motorland Aragon round in Spain having agreed new terms in Misano.

source: MCN

No pressure to race in Japan, says Dorna boss

MotoGP bosses have denied putting Valentino Rossi and a host of other top MotoGP riders under immense pressure to travel to the forthcoming Twin Ring Motegi race in Japan.

Dorna chief Carmelo Ezpeleta denied insisting that Rossi, Jorge Lorenzo and Casey Stoner attend the October 2 race, despite the trio expressing grave reservations about travelling.

Rossi is worried about the safety of the Fukushima nuclear plant, which was badly damaged during a devastating earthquake that hit Japan back in March.

An independent report commissioned by Dorna showed the risk of radiation contamination in the area around the Motegi circuit was negligible.

But nothing has convinced Rossi, who has yet to commit 100 per cent to racing in Japan next month.

Despite a disastrous debut season with Ducati, the nine-times world champion is still the major box office draw for MotoGP and if he does boycott the race, it would be a PR disaster for Dorna.

But Ezpeleta told MCN: "I have never tried to convince Valentino or anybody else to go where they don’t want to go. The only thing I did was give to them the information we have and as I said from the beginning of this history, everybody is free to take his own decision."

The threat of a rider boycott disrupting the race is diminishing rapidly though. Yamaha issued a statement yesterday stating that Lorenzo and factory team-mate Ben Spies will attend the race, even though it was only a few weeks ago that the Spaniard was adamant he wouldn't travel.

source: MCN

Sachsenring drops out of MotoGP for 2012

There will be no MotoGP round at the Sachsenring circuit in 2012.

In a press conference - being held at the circuit now - ADAC, the organisers of the German MotoGP round, told assembled journalists that the losses from this year's race amounted to 600,000 Euros.

ADAC tried to counter these losses by increasing the ticket price by 10% and restructuring to save 1.25 million Euros. To add insult to injury, Dorna have increased the fee to host the round at the Sachsenring from 2 million Euros to around 4 million and ADAC have calculated this will leave them with a 2.1 million Euro loss.

The GP has been at the Sachsenring since 1998 and this year over 230,000 spectators visited over the MotoGP weekend. Dorna have yet to announce which circuit will take the round vacated by the Sachsenring organisers although it is thought to be between the Nurburgring and Lausitzring.

source: visordown

Defiant Aoyama urges riders to compete in Japan

Hiroshi Aoyama has urged his MotoGP compatriots to trust the reports that have declared the Japanese Grand Prix as a safe event to attend in order for them to 'cheer up the people that are suffering inside'. 

As Japan's only rider competing in the MotoGP class, Aoyama has been steadfast in supporting the Motegi event, which was rescheduled for October 2nd in the wake of the tsunami and earthquake that devastated the country in March. 

However, it is Motegi's proximity to the Fukushima Nuclear plant, which was damaged in the disaster, that has raised concerns among riders, with many still uncertain as to whether it is safe to race in Japan as a result. 

Despite this, Aoyama has always maintained he will race on home soil regardless, the Gresini Honda rider insisting it is important to understand that life in Japan, and around the affected area, is continuing without worry. Even so, Aoyama says he understands the trepidation of his counterparts. 

“We were a very lucky country and I would say thanks to all the people who supported the Japanese people in Japan,” he said. “And what I can do now is still try to race and try to give my best in the race and show good news. And cheer up the people who are still suffering inside. And so because of this, I would say let's go to Japan to make a MotoGP race. 

“You know, we checked, the independent company (ARPA) checked the situation of Japan, so they said it's OK, we can go. So now the race is going on. I'm very happy about that. But still some people are doubting or thinking - I fully understand the situation - but if they would go to Japan to race, I am very happy and I appreciate all the guys who go to Japan.” 

Touching on a document that was signed by every MotoGP rider – except for Aoyama - at Mugello asking for more information on the situation, the former 250GP champion says it is important for riders to trust what they are now being told. 

“I know everything is OK and we can go. And Japanese government said it's OK. And afterward also Italy, Spain, America, they say you can travel to Japan. So that means it's OK and I trust this. 

“It's a difficult situation for European people. I am Japanese, so anyway, I have a house there so I go home, even in a disaster situation. It's a completely different situation. And if I'm in a different situation, like the other side, for sure I would think about it.

“But I try to believe this information and for sure we can go and for motorsports fans, they can make the people happy, for sure. That's the most important thing. 

“This kind of situation nobody can push nobody,” he added. “It depends on your point of view. If you believe this information, you don't have to be scared. Just you can go without being scared. If you don't believe, for sure you are scared. 

“Actually, the life in Japan is going on, so that means everything - not everything, for sure - the things are like minimum level that you can travel to Japan. I would say please believe this and let's go to Japan and show our race.” 

Aoyama's words come as Yamaha become the first factory team to confirm its attendance with Jorge Lorenzo and Ben Spies, while Tech 3 Yamaha and Aspar Ducati have also pledged their commitment to Motegi. However, several riders remain doubtful, most notably series leader Casey Stoner and Valentino Rossi.

source: crash

Yamaha confident for a podium at Aragón

The Mallorcan arrives in Aragón with renewed confidence and motivation in the battle for the title after taking a perfect victory last week in Misano. The race win reduces his points gap from leader Casey Stoner to 35 points with five races remaining. The 2010 Aragon race saw Lorenzo start from second on the front row having narrowly missed pole and finish just off the podium in fourth after a battle with Nicky Hayden.

Aragón provides one of the few circuits which put Lorenzo’s team mate Ben Spies on a relatively equal footing to the GP grid, all sharing the same level of track experience there. Spies delivered an exciting performance in last year’s race, battling and ultimately bettering Andrea Dovizioso with a last lap thriller to take fifth. The Texan prepares for the final five races in fifth position in the Championship, 15 points behind Dani Pedrosa in fourth.

Aragón was first scheduled as a replacement for the Hungarian MotoGP round last year. The track is situated near the town of Alcaniz in northern Spain, a few hours drive from Barcelona. Designed by Hermann Tillke, the circuit is impressive and challenging with spectacular elevation changes and fast, flowing corners.

Jorge Lorenzo: 

"I am very happy to be riding at home again and for a second time in Aragón. I’m looking forward to seeing all the fans there, and especially my Fan Club who are coming. Last year I couldn't get the podium which was a big shame. I wanted it because I was competing in Spain and the season had been perfect and also because I was wearing Shoya's helmet in his memory. I had a good race two weeks ago in Misano and now I am very confident we can obtain another podium, we believe we can again reduce our gap to Casey."

Ben Spies: 

“It’s great to come to a track on the calendar where I have the same level of experience as the rest of the field. Last year was one of my most enjoyable races, it was great fun fighting with Dovi to keep fifth and we weren’t so far from the battle for third until I made a small mistake. I’ve had a chance to relax at my home in Como after the Indianapolis and Misano back to back races so I’m feeling good and looking forward to seeing what we can do.”

Yamaha Factory Racing press release

Aragón set for key round of 2011 MotoGP campaign

The MotoGP World Championship returns to Spain this weekend as the Gran Premio de Aragón hosts Round 14 of the 2011 campaign, the penultimate European race of the season before what is certain to be a title-deciding flyaway series in Japan, Australia and Malaysia. The impressive MotorLand Aragón circuit, which was only introduced to the calendar last season and was voted IRTA ‘Best Grand Prix’ of 2010 at its first attempt, will welcome the premier class once more in what will be another important development in the race for this year’s Championship title.

Casey Stoner (Repsol Honda) remains 35 points clear at the top of the standings after finishing third in Misano, where Jorge Lorenzo took his third victory of the season. Catching Stoner remains a tough challenge for Lorenzo but the defending World Champion’s determination remains steely with five rounds of the campaign remaining, and this weekend will provide an intriguing latest chapter as Stoner won on the Ducati at Aragón last year whilst Lorenzo placed fourth on the M1.

Andrea Dovizioso (Repsol Honda) remains in third position in the standings, with almost 40 points either side of him to Lorenzo in second and team-mate Dani Pedrosa in fourth. The Italian has finished fifth in the previous two races and will be eager to return to contention for podium positions, with Pedrosa keen to continue his recent form of four rostrum finishes in the past five races – the latest in Misano was his 95th GP podium.

Just two points separate Ben Spies (Yamaha Factory Racing) and Valentino Rossi (Ducati Team) in fifth and sixth respectively, the American with his sights set on adding to the three podiums he has so far amassed in his first season on the factory team. Rossi comes into Round 14 off the back of a seventh-placed finish in his home race at Misano, a race followed up by a private Ducati test in which he checked out the latest developments on next year’s Desmosedici at Mugello.

Rossi’s team-mate Nicky Hayden’s last two races have ended in disappointing style for the American and he will hope to replicate last year’s Aragón podium result, and Marco Simoncelli (San Carlo Honda Gresini) will expect to be fighting at the front once more. Colin Edwards (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) is in line to start his 150th premier class Grand Prix, which will make him only the eighth rider in history to do so.

Hiroshi Aoyama (San Carlo Gresini Honda), Héctor Barberá (Mapfre Aspar) and Álvaro Bautista (Rizla Suzuki) all continue to make progress in their second seasons in the premier class, rookies Karel Abraham (Cardion ab Motoracing) and Cal Crutchlow (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) will visit the track for the first time on MotoGP machinery, and Toni Elías (LCR Honda), Randy de Puniet (Pramac Racing) and Loris Capirossi (Pramac Racing) will each target improvements.

This weekend will also be a special one for De Puniet who is scheduled to make his 100th MotoGP start, making him the first French rider to do so.

Yamaha, Lorenzo confirm Motegi presence

Yamaha has confirmed it will compete in the 2011 Japanese Grand Prix at Motegi in October with a full strength line-up of Jorge Lorenzo and Ben Spies.

The manufacturer's commitment had been in doubt due to safety concerns with the Fukushima nuclear plant, approximately 110km away, which was heavily damaged during the earthquake and tsunami that rocked the east coast of Japan in March.

Indeed, with several riders – including title contender Lorenzo, Casey Stoner and Valentino Rossi - voicing their concerns over the event, which is rescheduled to run on October 2nd and passed as safe by the FIM, there are fears that some won't make the trip.

Nonetheless, with less than a month to go before the event, Yamaha has now become the first factory team to formally commit to its home event, with both Lorenzo and Spies, adding that it will run in the red and white livery that commemorates its 50th WGP anniversary.

A brief statement from the team read:

“Yamaha Factory Racing herewith confirms the attendance of its riders Jorge Lorenzo and Ben Spies to compete for round 15 of the 2011 MotoGP World Championship at Motegi in Japan on 2nd October. 

“The Yamaha Factory Racing team will race in Yamaha's WGP50th Anniversary red and white livery for the 4th time this year at the home GP of team owner Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd.”

source: crash.net

Bautista ready for Aragon assault

Álvaro Bautista is back in his homeland of Spain for the next round of the 2011 MotoGP Championship, this time at the Aragon circuit in the north-eastern part of the country.

The Rizla Suzuki squad are in a confident mood following very promising results in both practice sessions and races at recent events. Bautista had a tough battle at Aragon last year before finally securing an eighth place finish in the circuit’s inaugural Grand Prix. He is determined to improve on that and believes that the strong performances and the information from last season will enable him to push for a high placed finish at the Spanish circuit. Bautista is also looking forward to competing in-front of a home crowd again and is sure the added incentive of that will help to spur him on.

The Motorland Aragon circuit is situated near Alcaniz, approximately 120kms from Zaragoza. It is an ultra-modern facility which has its roots firmly established in a solid history of street racing in the nearest town of Alcaniz - which hosted events between 1963 and 2003. The track was built in 2009 and was used as a MotoGP venue for the first time last year after being announced as a replacement for the Balatonring on the 2010 MotoGP calendar. Aragon was already in place as a reserve event, but the Spanish circuit has its own place on the calendar now following an agreement with Dorna to make it a permanent venue until at least 2016. The circuit is 5,077m long and has 17 turns, it was roundly praised by riders and team alike after its first Grand Prix in 2010 and was rewarded with the IRTA Best Grand Prix of the Year award, the first time a circuit had received the prize in its debut year.

Rizla Suzuki takes to the track on Friday morning for a free practice session, followed by a further practice in the afternoon and another on Saturday morning. Bautista will be looking to secure a good grid position in Saturday afternoon’s qualifying for the weekend’s main event. The 23-lap race will get underway at 14.00hrs local time (12.00hrs GMT) on Sunday 18th September.

Álvaro Bautista:

“This was a really good event last year and I am looking forward to going back. It’s a fun track, a fantastic facility and a circuit that I think we can go really well at. I am feeling very confident that we can run well right from the start and get a good qualifying position. It’s great to race at home again, I do it four times a year, but each one seems special to me. I want to put on a good show for all the Spanish fans and think that we have the package and data to be able to do that.”

rizla suzuki press release

Los MiniBikers - Capítulo 2x13 - San Marino Grand Prix

Dovizioso: Ducati? A nice idea but...

Ducati's biggest problem at the moment is a lack of "sex appeal" since the arrival of Valentino Rossi. While some might have had their doubts about Marco Melandri and virtually ever other rider who has struggled on the Desmosedici, nobody can doubt the ability of Valentino Rossi. His reputation as a bike developer, along with that of Jeremy Burgess, has been tarnished somewhat, but that's another story. 

Valentino has actually come to realize that a good rider, or rather a great rider, is still at the mercy of the engineers and the factory. 

That said, it seemed clear at Misano that Ducati and their principle sponsor have decided the best way to close the gap is with a new project; the one that Rossi tested today at Mugello.  But is it enough to convince the other riders?

According to Andrea Dovizioso, who has received an offer from Ducati to race for a team of his chosing, either Pramac or Martinez, with an option for 2013, evidently not.

"The situation with Ducati?  We are talking with them as well, because I'm at a fortunate moment in my career where I have the possibility to speak with Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki and Ducati.  In many ways - Dovi told GPone.com, while in Rome to inaugurate a new Megabike Honda dealership - I see Ducati as a very interesting team, because they have the same mentality that I do. In my many years with Honda, I've always had to adapt to them, and that's already a big difference.  The Ducati-Marlboro family is very interesting and intriguing, even if they are going through some difficultly right now; after signing Valentino, the strongest rider out there, the one who has won more than anybody, they aren't getting the results. For sure the fact that he hasn't done as well as Casey cuts back slightly on my enthusiasm for taking that same route.  The idea is honestly attractive and fascinating to me, but I think it's a risk that doesn't make much sense considering that I believe the option will be open to me in another year, or further in the future.  Right now I think I can make my mark in a more decisive way next year on another bike, but seeing as how all the most important contracts will expire at the end of next season, we'll talk about it again based on future results."

source: GP One

New Ducati chassis spied in Mugello

Ducati have been spotted testing the new British-built aluminium frame that they hope will transform Valentino Rossi's woeful MotoGP performance this season.

The frame, built by Buckingham-based FTR, is being tested in Mugello this week.

Bologna factory sources have confirmed to MCN in Misano last weekend that FTR had been collaborating with Ducati for several weeks on the new projects, with Rossi and teammate Nicky Hayden urging engineers to undergo a radical re-design of its Desmosedici project.

Rossi and Hayden have complained all season about a chronic understeer issue and lack of front-end feel with the current carbon-fibre concept. The pair have scored only one podium each in 2011 and Rossi has given up trying to maintain his record of winning at least one GP a year since his world championship debut in 1996.

FTR management refused to comment on a link with Ducati. Drawings have been spotted clearly showing the rear of a twin beam aluminium structure. The bike is believed to have already been built as a 1000, with rules preventing further testing on the current 800cc bikes.

Rossi confirmed he was testing the GP12 1000cc bike in Mugello this week, but he refused to divulge specific details. The 32-year-old, who finished seventh at Misano, said: "We have some new things to try to improve the front grip and the turning, but this is work for 2012."

source : MCN

Valentino Rossi unlikely to accept Carlos Checa’s WSB challenge

Valentino Rossi has virtually ruled out making a shock World Superbike wild card appearance for Ducati later this year.

The nine-times world champion was challenged to a duel by WSB championship leader Carlos Checa at the Imola round on September 25, which Rossi would be free to compete in as the race falls between the Motorland Aragon and Twin Ring Motegi MotoGP races.

But Rossi, who is struggling to make Ducati’s factory MotoGP bike competitive in 2011, said it was unlikely he would take Spaniard Checa up on his invitation.

Although he reiterated his desire to one day compete in a World Superbike race, Rossi said it would have to be outside of the MotoGP schedule.

He did try and secure a wild card in the Qatar round in 2009 for Yamaha to race against Troy Bayliss, but the Japanese factory declined his request to ride a factory R1.

Rossi said: "It is a good idea and I like it but it is always difficult for the calendar. In the past I was always very close to make a WSB race, especially in 2009. There was the race in Qatar but Yamaha said to me they have a new R1, so they don’t have a lot of money and they were not sure. I want to do it but I prefer out of the season. During the season it is too much and it looks like the result of Carlos and the Ducati that the bike isso fast. So why not in the future and because maybe we can have more fun than here."

Rossi also dismissed the idea of WSB and MotoGP running at different times of the year, as has been previously discussed.

Plans to run the WSB campaign over the winter months and MotoGP through the summer have been debated but Rossi said: "I heard about this idea from two years ago but maybe it has some good and bad points. Maybe it is more difficult for WSB to be in the winter to find the right places to make the races. I want to try and make one race but if WSB is in the winter then I don’t make two championships, it is too much."

source : MCN

Wayne Rainey 'overwhelmed' by Yamaha reception

Three-time motorcycling world champion and Yamaha hero Wayne Rainey admitted that he was 'overwhelmed' by the welcome he was shown when he was invited to the Japanese manufacturer's motor racing headquarters in Italy – following a return visit for the first time to the scene of his career-ending accident 18 years ago.

The legendary GP rider spent a day with employees of Yamaha Motor Racing, Yamaha Motor Italy and Yamaha Motor R&D Europe at the Yamaha Motor Racing base in Gerno di Lesmo close to Milan. The American officially opened the Wayne Rainey Boardroom at the facility before taking a tour of the site, where he was joined by current factory riders Jorge Lorenzo and Ben Spies, the trio taking time to sign autographs and pose for pictures with the many gathered employees. 

Prior to that, Rainey had returned to Misano for the first time since his spine-breaking crash in the 1993 Italian Grand Prix there that left him paralysed from the chest down. He was warmly welcomed by the paddock before attending a special dinner of some 25 close friends from his racing past. Guests included riders, mechanics, journalists and others from the racing fraternity.

Ahead of last weekend's MotoGP outing around the same track, the 50-year-old took a special lap of the circuit by open-top car to a standing ovation from the thousands of fans present. He then witnessed defending world champion Jorge Lorenzo storm to victory, and was subsequently invited to take to the podium with the Spaniard. He accepted the manufacturers' trophy on behalf of the team to huge applause from the Misano crowd.

“It's been a great experience spending some time at the headquarters,” he enthused. “It's fascinating to get an insight into what happens away from the track and what it takes to run a successful modern team. I've been overwhelmed with the positive reception from all the people here. 

“It was also a wonderful weekend at Misano. Yamaha welcomed me so warmly and it was very special for [his wife] Shae and I to meet up with so many old friends and familiar faces. I'm honoured to be part of the Yamaha family and will be back again!”

“2011 is a very important year for us, celebrating Yamaha's 50th anniversary of Grand Prix racing,” added Yamaha Motor Racing managing director Lin Jarvis. “The weekend's activity was truly unique. Wayne is not only one of the greatest Grand Prix riders in our racing history, but also one of the most respected Yamaha riders. To have him and his wife Shae make the trip to join us at Misano and at Yamaha Motor Racing Headquarters was something we will treasure. It has been a very special moment in our year.”

source: crash

Rossi rounds off his sixth day of testing on GP12 at Mugello

Valentino Rossi joined the Ducati Test Team at Mugello on Thursday for the third and final day of a special run which continued the development of the Borgo Panigale factory's 2012 prototype.

It was Rossi's sixth of the eight testing days permitted for each factory rider and there was no shortage of work for the nine-time World Champion to get through as he put in 82 laps, trying out an updated electronics package and chassis.

In sunny but not overly hot conditions Rossi rode until 6.30pm local time, unaffected by a minor fall at the Scarperia-Palagio section on his third lap of his first outing on the bike in the morning. Filippo Preziosi and Vittoriano Guareschi were both present in the garage to observe the Test, with official Ducati Test rider Franco Battaini – who had ridden for the previous two days – on track with Rossi.

“It was an interesting day, although it was quite a long one as we were riding until 6.30pm,” said Rossi. “Developing a bike requires a lot of focus and effort but is also very exciting, and it's very fulfilling to be part of a group of people pushing as hard as it can and all in the same direction. Today we confirmed various aspects of the GP12's electronics and chassis, collecting a lot of useful information for Filippo and the guys back at the factory. I think the work is well underway as we prepare for our next steps.”

source: motogp official website

New Yamaha potential thrills Lorenzo and Spies

Jorge Lorenzo and Ben Spies both expressed their delight at the early potential of Yamaha’s new 1000cc MotoGP machine after they completed a second successful test on next year’s bike in Misano yesterday.

Track conditions were far from ideal after strong winds and light rain on Sunday night meant the surface was dirty and slippery, but Lorenzo and Spies were still able to get in 134 valuable development laps between them.

Lorenzo, who dominated Sunday’s race to cut Casey Stoner’s points lead to 35 with five races remaining, set a best lap of 1.33.7 to better his quickest time on the 800cc YZR-M1 of 1.33.906.

Texan Spies completed 74 laps and he set a best time of 1.34.3, which ducked under his best race lap of 1.34.518 on the 800cc version.

Lorenzo and Spies had made shown the immediate competitiveness of the new bike in Brno last month, but the Misano test was a completely different challenge on a much tighter and slower layout.

Lorenzo told MCN: "I was quite impressed because we tried the 1000cc bike in a different track. Brno is much wider than Misano and faster and here it is much more difficult to be at the same level as the 800 at this moment but the bike has great potential and this is good.

"It is quite difficult to ride the 1000cc bike, especially in the first laps because with the 800 we exit the box and on the first fast lap we are close to the best time doing 34.0. But on the 1000 you are doing 35s and 36s before it comes better, so for this reason it is more difficult to warm up the tyres and have good confidence for the entry of the corners. I think the first two or three laps in the race will be more difficult and we might see some more overtaking."

Spies told MCN: "It is definitely a lot different riding the 1000 round here than the 800. In Brno everything was a lot faster but here you have to ride it a little bit different and it was a handful round this track but quite a lot of fun. We were trying to get more getting comfortable in the way you have to ride a 1000s. You have to shift the corner entry because it is a bit different.

"We had some different front-end options and some suspension stuff but I mainly worked on electronics with traction control. It was more about keeping it fast but tame and easy to ride at the same time. As a well-rounded package they’ve done a fantastic job so far and for only the second day on the bike it is right on schedule. I feel we have a great package but we need to wait until we’re on the line with everybody else and see where we stack up."

source : MCN

Title chase no influence on Motegi decision, says Jorge Lorenzo

Jorge Lorenzo has brushed off suggestions he will have to race at the Twin Ring Motegi in Japan next month to have any hope of retaining the MotoGP world title.

Lorenzo’s brilliant victory in Misano last weekend cut Casey Stoner’s series lead to 35-points with five races remaining after the Aussie faded to third with severe fatigue.

But Lorenzo said the title run-in would have zero impact on his decision on whether to race in the re-scheduled Japanese Grand Prix on October 2.

The factory Yamaha rider has expressed major reservations about racing in Japan because of the circuit’s proximity to the Fukushima nuclear plant, which was badly damaged when a devastating earthquake struck the Far East nation in March.

The world’s top riders, including Lorenzo, Valentino Rossi and Stoner, have still to come out in public and say whether they will ride at the Twin Ring Motegi or boycott the event.

But triple world champion Lorenzo said his judgement would be made on personal rather than professional grounds.

He said: "My decision on Japan is not going to be based on the championship. If I am really convinced to go then I will go. If I am not I don’t care about the championship because as I said always this year my first priority is my health."

Yamaha confirmed to MCN recently that it will still participate in the Motegi round even if Lorenzo or team-mate Ben Spies fail to attend. It is understood its Japanese test riders are on standby in case they are required.

source: MCN

video: Tribute To Loris Capirossi

Jerry Burgess: ‘We need some more help’

Valentino Rossi’s legendary crew chief Jerry Burgess said it is time for Ducati to start making radical changes to its struggling Desmosedici MotoGP project.

Rossi finished seventh in his home race in Misano last weekend but still finished 23 seconds behind race winner Casey Stoner as the GP11.1 machine was comprehensively defeated by Honda and Yamaha again.

And Aussie Burgess says the only way to raise the performance potential of the Ducati is to try new parts, with Rossi’s crew out of setting options to try and improve his speed.

Rossi has complained of a lack of front-end feel and understeer ever since he jumped on the Ducati in Valencia 10 months ago.

The nine-times world champion will test an aluminium frame in Mugello this week and Burgess said Ducati engineers have no other option to adopt a different technical approach to see if can improve the Desmosedici.

He told MCN: "We need some more help and some different ideas. Everybody is aware that the feeling the riders don’t get has to be improved and we need to do that by whatever method they decide. We’ve done all we can here at the track and until we get something to work with, we’re really going to struggle to move forward at all. Valentino will go out and go to battle with whatever he has got and he can always say it has to be improved.

"We need to make some bigger steps and that is up to Ducati. We’ve moved the bike around in all shapes and positions, as has every other guy riding the Ducati. When we look at the settimgs used by Casey (Stoner) we can put those in too. But it gets to a point where you don’t do anymore."

source: MCN

Pictures: Jorge Lorenzo Misano 2011

source: motoblog.it

Pictures: Dani Pedrosa Misano 2011

source: motoblog.it

MotoGP: Yamaha has tested for the second time at Misano 1000

24 hours after the race that officially reported Jorge Lorenzo in contention for the title 2011, the Yamaha is held on the Misano track to complete a second test session on 1000 , we will see the version of the M1 on the track next year with three cubicfigureszeros. Once again the new bike has satisfied the pilots here have focused on new structures and small changes from last month tested the bike at Brno

Thus says Jorge Lorenzo once fell from the saddle: "It 'been a bit' more difficult here than in Brno, which is a very fast track. Misano is slower and the difference between 800 and 1000 feels less. It 'hard to understand what makes driving more, but we have made ​​much progress in a few hours and the bike has a huge potential. I can not wait to drive it again, we are working on electronics for help under braking but I'm trying to adapt the bike to my riding style than the other way "

Ben Spies : "We tried the same bike at Brno, but several things have changed and we worked hard on electronics. Misano circuit is a much more physical, it is normal here and slip wheelie with the rear, it's fun but the difference is very noticeable with the 800. I liked and I was fast, we had some good times. We collected a lot of useful data for engineers to take a new step for our next test, I will become a really good bike and I'm looking forward to racing with this bike "

source: motoblog.it