Two Wheels

[wino]

Hopper Hoping For Comeback
by staff
Thursday, September 05, 2013
American John Hopkins had suffered so many brutal injuries in recent years racing Grand Prix and Superbike motorcycles that some thought it might be best if he called time on his career and rode off into the Southern California sunset.

The litany of his damaged limbs is numerous. Just for starters in the last three years: A badly damaged and infected finger that required amputation and a damaged hip that required hip replacement surgery. Previous to that? Wrists, legs, damaged back and loose teeth from crashes in nearly every series run in the world.

American Hopkins decided to take a break from racing in 2013 to let his hip and the rest of his body heal. And Hopkins admitted to British media that he considered retirement to avoid more of the crippling punishment that all elite riders suffer but has seemingly been especially cruel to him.

But Hopper has the itch again. He's only 30, and he wants to race next season, probably in World Superbike or British Superbike. Hopkins' ex-wife/current wife Ashleigh is due to give birth to their first child soon but impending fathrhood doesn't seem to have dulled Hopkins love of racing.

"I miss racing a lot," Hopkins said. "Three months ago I would have said I don't know what I want to do, but now I want to get back on a bike and race. I really miss it, and I'm hungry to ride."

The list of injuries that Hopkins has suffered in his racing career is so vast that it might make even the late Gary Nixon--who went to his grave renown as an iron man--pause.

Hopkins also would be very interested in serving as a test rider for Suzuki next season as the manufacturer finishes its preparations for a return to MotoGP in 2015. Hopkins rode a factory Suzuki GSX-R in MotoGP from 2003-07 and thinks a test ride would be an ideal bridge back to racing.

"Ideally I'd love to get the test rider deal with Suzuki because that means I wouldn't be in a high-pressure situation and could build up to things," Hopkins said. "I'd love to build with that project and then do some wild cards. If there is nothing like that in MotoGP, then I'll try for WSB and if not then try clinch the title in BSB."

It's unclear how likely Hopkins becoming a Suzuki MotoGP test rider is with the Suzuki GP team no longer in the control of Hopkins' friend Paul Denning. Valentino Rossi's manager, Davide Brivio, is currently managing the Suzuki comeback effort and Randy de Puniet has been filling in on the test rider side.

When Hopkins left the Suzuki fold to return to the US and undergo major hip replacement surgery, Denning said that if the American ever wanted to give it another go that they'd have a slot for him on the BSB or WSBK team.

Hopkins will do a track day tomorrow at Silverstone, as a guest of Suzuki UK and Crescent Suzuki.

ENDS

 

[wino]

Stoner: Newest Poster Boy for Japanese Tourism?
by staff
Friday, September 06, 2013 Both days of a two-day HRC test featuring two-time World Champion Casey Stoner were rained out this week at Motegi, preventing the retired Stoner from offering development tips on Honda's 2014 RC213V prototype.
But Stoner is scheduled to try again in October in Japan.

That will mark Stoner's third trip in four months to the Land of the Rising Sun for HRC testing.

Stoner's ready willingness to travel to Japan stands in marked contrast to 2011. He was the ringleader and mouthpiece in the MotoGP paddock of the faction that didn't want to compete in the postponed race at Motegi due to fears of radiation emitted in the meltdown of the Fukushima nuclear plant during the tsunami earlier that year.

It didn't matter that scientific evidence defied Stoner's fears. It didn't matter that radiation levels measured at Motegi during the summer weren't elevated enough to cause alarm. It didn't matter that Motegi was the home race of Stoner's employer, HRC.

Sanity prevailed, and Stoner competed in October 2011 at Motegi, finishing third.

The situation at Fukushima has grown steadily worse since then.

CNN reported earlier this week that radiation levels at the Fukushima site had spiked to 2,200 millisieverts, albeit those readings were taken near the cooling tanks at the nuclear disaster site.

Radiation at those levels will kill a non-lead-trousers-wearing human within hours.

ENDS

 

[wino]

'Soup Interview: Wayne Rainey
three-time 500 champ on rossi's recent title
by sean bice
Tuesday, October 26, 2004
Triple-world champion Wayne Rainey leads arch-rival Kevin Schwantz in 1990.
file image
Valentino Rossi's MotoGP World championship signaled the end of a 12-year drought for Yamaha. A dozen years had passed since a Yamaha rider won the world championship and, even though riders like John Kocinski, Luca Cadalora, Loris Capirossi, Max Biaggi, Carlos Checa, and others tried mightily to win the crown for Yamaha, no one could do what Wayne Rainey did-three times in a row.

Soup caught up with three-time World Champion Wayne Rainey to get his unique perspective on Rossi, his opinions of some of today's other MotoGP riders, and his thoughts on a few other motorcycle roadracing topics.

Soup: Wayne, it's been 12 years since a Yamaha won the World Championship, and, of course, you were the last Yamaha rider to win. Did you ever think it would take this long?

WR: Well, all these years, Honda has pretty much dominated. It didn't matter who rode the bike; a Honda won. If they weren't first, they were second. If they weren't second, they were third. I think Yamaha-after 12 years of getting beat-they felt that their bike was good enough, but they didn't have the best rider. And Honda had pretty much tied down most of the good riders. When Rossi became available, obviously, they nabbed him because they thought he was their missing link.

It really surprised me when people thought that Rossi would struggle trying to win races, let alone the Championship. I thought he'd win at least five races, and I knew that he had as good a shot as he did on the Honda to win the Championship because I know the kind of rider he is.

I knew what the performance of the Yamaha would be like and, obviously, the abilities of the guys he's racing against. So I didn't think it was a gamble at all. If anything, I thought it was good for Rossi to switch manufacturers because riders in the past didn't make that change. When Rossi came to Yamaha, they were very, very serious about winning. After my accident, in going winless that whole time, they knew that they had to have a good product. The missing link was Rossi, and he showed them that the Yamaha is as good as a Honda...and, I think, better [than a Honda].

Rainey and Wayne Gardner chat as they walk back from an end of practice plug-chop at Laguna in 1991.
image by dean adams
Soup: Do you think Rossi rides like you did?

WR: I think, in some ways, he does. But, each rider has his own style, his own way of thinking, and his own way of preparing mentally for it. There's no two riders the same. I think Rossi has studied the way I raced, he has studied Schwantz and Eddie [Lawson] and Doohan, and I think a lot of the riders probably do that. I studied the way Eddie rode; I studied the way Freddie rode, and [Wayne] Gardner, when I was trying to get where I wanted to be. So, I believe that [Rossi] just probably uses a little bit of everybody as all the good riders do.

Soup: It just seems like Rossi rides with the precision that you did.

WR: Yeah, Rossi is on the edge most of the time, but I think, with the current guys that he's racing against, he seems to be able to up the pace when he needs to. For instance, at Phillip Island last year, when he knew he had to pick up 10 seconds and he had 15 laps to do it, he just upped the pace a second a lap. And, to just go, 'OK, well, I'm going to go a second a lap quicker now,' that's pretty incredible. You have to be very precise to do that.

Soup: Rossi's competition doesn't seem to be as strong as the competition you had when you raced.

WR: Well, you know, it was a very special time in the early 90's, but I'm, of course, really biased towards the time when I raced. You look at the riders who were racing then, they all won Championships. Eddie won four Championships, Schwantz won a Championship, Mick won five Championships, and I won three. In the early 90's, it was very, very intense. When you lined up on Sunday, nobody really knew who was gonna win. So, the way that you approached the race, you actually had a strategy on what you were going to do. I had a different strategy at a lot of the races, and I don't know if that exists today. The way that we approached a race was, we knew exactly when the tires were going to drop off, we knew how much they were going to drop off, and we had a pretty good idea of what the other guys were going to do, and how their tires were going to affect their lap times. So we developed our strategy even before race day.

I think, nowadays, most of the guys plan their strategy around where Rossi is. If Rossi's in eighth place, they just go 'Well, we'll just kinda wait for him.' And, if he's in first place, 'Well, we'll just try to stay with him.' It's really a shame because I believe Rossi hasn't been pushed. I think he can go faster than he's going. If you look at what Sete's done in his career, I think this is the first Championship he's actually ever raced for. He might have raced for one Championship, the Ducados Open maybe once, but he's never won a championship, and that's very rare—to go into Grand Prix racing without ever winning a Championship of any sort.

The '93 press release which announced to the world that Rainey would never race a motorcycle again.
image from the adams archives
Soup: Speaking of Sete Gibernau, you're the one who got him started in Grand Prix. He's been able to stay in it so long, and he finally seems to be getting there.

WR: Yeah, you know, I gave him his first chance in Grand Prix when [Tetsuya] Harada stopped, and Sete did a good job for us then. So, we put him on the big bike, and he did a good job for us there, too. But some things changed and we didn't stay with him. Then, some other opportunities opened up for him through tragedy over at Honda a couple different times-once with Aoki and once, I think, with Mick. So, he's had some crazy ways of getting his rides. He knew the tracks, and he can speak a lot of different languages, which helped. This year, though, he proved that he should be there. It did take a little while, but after Rossi, he's the next fastest guy, and he did a really good job this year.

Soup: What if the roles were reversed. If Rossi was still on the Honda, and Sete was on the Yamaha ...

WR: Oh, no. I just think that people see now that the Yamaha is capable of winning. It's like guys who ride Dunlops. They complain about the tires...until somebody wins on them. You know, I think Rossi could win the World Championship on Dunlops. I really do. I think he could. To be a truly great rider, do it on Dunlops. You've done it on a Yamaha. Now, let's do it on Dunlops...

Soup: You did that, right?

WR: Yeah ... and I think Rossi is the type of rider who could make that work. He could make the Dunlops work, and Dunlop would make their tires work for him, and I believe he could win. I think Dunlop does a good job here in the States, and the Superbikes here don't have a lot less horsepower than what they have in MotoGP. If Rossi won on Dunlops, then more guys would think that they could win on Dunlops, too.

Soup: How about Colin Edwards? That was a pretty big surprise when he signed with Yamaha for next year. How do you think he's going to do?

WR: It surprised me this year with Colin. He didn't go as well on the Honda as I thought he would. I don't know what the situation was with his team, but I know he had a Honda, and I know he had Michelin tires, and he knew most of the tracks. I expected him to be in the top three or four every single race. So, for him to get the results that he did...I thought, for sure, that he'd have done much, much better than he did. I think with him now on the Yamaha with Rossi, it's gonna to be tougher for him than it was with Sete, that's for sure.

After he was taken out of GP, Rainey ran Yamaha's GP team where he worked with Norick Abe. The Japanese rider failed to impress.
thanks, yamaha
Sete's a nice fella, and so is Rossi, but on the racetrack, there are two different characters there. And I think, for Colin, this is it. If he doesn't get the job done next year, I don't know if it's gonna happen for him. Maybe he just needs a change. I know, coming to Yamaha, they're going to treat him a lot better.

Yamaha's a different company. I've ridden for both, and I'm very happy with Yamaha. I was able to do what I did for Yamaha because of the atmosphere. It's a great company.

Soup: Let's talk about Mick Doohan. It's interesting that you tried to get him to do something that Rossi ultimately did do-switch from Honda to Yamaha. I wonder if that crossed Mick's mind when Rossi won it in his first year with Yamaha.

Rainey and other stars attend the Yamaha Weekend of Champions every March at Daytona.
image by rick butler
WR: Well, Mick stayed with Honda, and the job that he did there was pretty incredible. But then, you look at the rest of the guys who also won on a Honda. I think Mick knew that the competition-the caliber of the riders he was racing against-wasn't as high as it was when Eddie and Schwantz, and I were there. So, I think Mick was racing for records. Mick was just gonna try to win as many races and as many Championships as he possibly could. And, the only way he could do that was to stay with the same program—Honda.

The Yamaha opportunity came up a few times with him, and I think he was pretty close a couple of times but we weren't really ready for Mick at that stage. Yamaha hadn't quite recovered from when I stopped racing, so I don't think it was the right time for Mick to come. But, I'm not sure that he could have done what Rossi did, anyway.

Soup: With Rossi, regardless of how many championships he does win for Yamaha, when it does end, will there be another 12-year Yamaha drought?

WR: No. No, I don't believe so. I hope the next World Champion is an American. That's my main concern-getting an American to be World Champion again because that would really help us out here in the States. I really don't know why the Americans were so strong when I rode in that era-from Kenny to Schwantz-and why we're not as dominant now when the equipment is so plentiful out there.

Happier days: Rainey greets his wife, Shae, after winning his third title for Roberts Yamaha.
thanks, marlboro
I think four-strokes have a lot to do with it. Everybody can ride a four-stroke pretty close to the same level, and then you've got the one or two riders who can take that level and just be magic with it. I think we've got some good talent coming up here in the States, and we've got four American riders in MotoGP now who I think are capable of winning the championship. I don't know which of the four can do it, but one of them can rise to the occasion. I do want to see Yamaha get the next guy.

On the other hand, I was actually glad that Nicky [Hayden] didn't ride the Yamaha because everybody would've said, 'It's the bike that's the problem.' Now, you see Nicky on the Honda. Well, you can't blame the bike. He didn't have the success. In the beginning, I wanted Nicky on the Yamaha, but in the end, it was good for Yamaha that he didn't come. Rossi's proven that the bike is capable of winning and almost dominating.

Soup: Obviously, you've heard that they're going to run the Daytona 200 next year with Formula Extreme bikes. Your thoughts?

Rex Rainey leans on his dad's wheelchair as he signs autographs, Germany Grand Prix, 1996.
image by dean adams
WR: I think it's absolutely, uh, it doesn't make much sense to me. For me, you know, safety is always first. Daytona is a racetrack that, the bikes are going so fast, that the tires get heated up so much on the banking. If you make a tire that lasts on the banking, then they don't have much grip because they have to be such a hard compound.

In my opinion, they need to change the way the track is configured, if they're going to race at Daytona. They can't be on the banking for as long as they are. I think for them to go to 600s is just, it's not the main class and they went to a class that none of the other manufacturers are in besides Honda. And, it's like, if you're going to make that drastic of a change, you could at least make it to where the other manufacturers would compete in it, and not just the class that Honda's racing in.

When I go to Daytona for the Yamaha Weekend of Champions, and I watch the Superbikes go down the straightaway, man, that is an awesome sight. It's so cool, especially if there are three or four of them together. You watch them go down that back straightaway, man, they're missiles, those things. The 600's just not going to do that. It's going to look a heck of a lot slower than what we're used to seeing there. You know, I understand the fact that they did it for safety, but I don't agree with them going with that class that just Honda is racing in.

(To be continued)

SuperBikePlanet Interview Wayne Rainey, Part Two
by sean bice
Wednesday, October 27, 2004
Less than a year after his career-ending crash, Rainey was back in GP as a team owner. Here he signs autographs at Jerez.
image by dean adams
Continuing our recent conversation with Wayne Rainey—who, by the way, just celebrated his 44th birthday this past Saturday—he talked about the bike he rode to his first AMA Superbike Championship back in 1983, and he also told us a little bit about one of his current racing-related passions: shifter karts.
Soup: Wayne, it's admittedly like comparing apples to oranges, but with Rossi beating the Hondas this year, it reminded me of back in 1983 when you beat the Honda V-fours on that old two-valve, air-cooled Kawasaki and won the AMA Superbike Championship.

Rainey: Oh, yeah. That was one of my favorite Championships.

Editor's Note: In 1983--riding for Muzzy Kawasaki--Wayne Rainey accomplished one of the most stunning feats in the history of AMA Superbike when he won the championship on an aging Kawasaki Gpz750 that was, technologically at least, no match for Honda. Rainey and Rob Muzzy were competing against Honda's brand-new liquid-cooled, V-four-powered VF750. And, despite Honda's considerable efforts, Wayne stood on the Superbike podium an incredible 11 out of the 14 times that season. He won six races on the way to the championship and showed a smoothness and consistency that became his trademark throughout his career.

Soup: That bike is still on display at the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum.

Rainey: You know, I've tried hard to get that bike away from them. I've even told them that I would loan them my Grand Prix bike for five years if they'd give me that bike, but they won't release it... they won't even sell it. They don't seem to want to part with that Kawasaki, so I've got to try a different way.

Soup: You know, the recent news about Christopher Reeve got me to thinking about all the good work he did to raise awareness of spinal cord injuries. All your fans around the world just keep hoping that, as a result of more neurological research and breakthroughs, we'll get to see you walk again.

Thanks for saying that. You know, if God wants me to walk, then that's the only way that I'm going to walk in my lifetime.

The spinal cord is so complicated. It's more complicated than finding a cure for cancer. And, I'm in a situation where that's just the way it is. That's just the way it's going to be. But, to tell you the truth, the easiest thing about being a paraplegic is not walking. That's the easiest thing. If I only lost the use of my legs, it would be no problem at all. But, I don't have balance and I don't have feeling. Those things have all...changed dramatically. Like I said, not walking is the easiest part.

Soup: You and Eddie Lawson sure have a lot of fun racing shifter karts. How's that going?

Wayne Rainey showing off his 'surfer look' at Daytona in 2002. Unlike Mamola, Rainey's long locks are real.
image by dean adams
Rainey: You know, Eddie does mid-23-second lap times around Laguna Seca. That's a second to a second-and-a-half quicker than any bike's been around there. The corner speeds and the braking distances are far superior to being on a motorcycle. The top speed on a motorcycle at Laguna is about 132, and I think a Yamaha 250cc V-twin shifter kart goes about 145 to 150 there. We've got a lot of downforce that slows us down on the straightaways, but the corner speeds are tremendously high. Because of my situation, you know, I don't do it to win because, the way I have to do it, there's really no way to win. I can go to a certain lap time, and that's about it. I'm not going to gain a whole bunch. I'm not going to do 23's like Eddie does. But, if I can do a 26 or even a low 27, I'd be very happy. But, if I don't, I'm not upset about it.

I know my limitations, and I understand the situation that I'm in. I do like to challenge myself, though, and I like to try to go a little bit quicker than the lap I did before. So, that's what I like—putting a helmet on, and going out and trying to challenge myself.

Soup: Plus, you get a lot of bonding in with your father, right?

Rainey: Yeah, I've got my Dad there, and I do a lot of it because of him. Because he enjoys it so much. I try to let him enjoy it, anyway.

Soup: The thing is, you've got to get your Dad to stop working so hard on Eddie's kart. He's going fast enough.

Rainey: Yeah, that's the problem (laughs).

 

[wino]

Prepare for Liftoff in 2014
by staff
Monday, September 09, 2013
The MotoGP Silly Season in 2013 has been a rather quiet affair, with Cal Crutchlow's move to Ducati to replace Nicky Hayden the only transaction among the three factory teams.

But strap in tight for next year, as all of these riders on factory or satellite machinery will be out of contract after the 2014 season and could become free agents: Jorge Lorenzo, Valentino Rossi, Dani Pedrosa, Marc Marquez, Andrea Dovizioso, Bradley Smith, Alvaro Bautista, Ben Spies and Stefan Bradl.

Looking into the murky purple liquid inside the Magic 8-Ball, it seems almost certain that Marquez will be locked down quickly into a long-term contract with Honda. But Pedrosa will finish his ninth season with Repsol Honda - his only MotoGP team - in 2014, and HRC's continued belief in his status as a championship winner may finally have eroded.

One would think Yamaha would keep Lorenzo on a lucrative, long-term deal, as he's the best rider in the series without the last name Marquez. But Lorenzo and Honda courted briefly over Casey Stoner's empty seat last summer, so could HRC and Spanish oil giant Repsol find enough cash to put Lorenzo and Marquez on the same superteam?

It also remains to be seen whether Rossi will want to continue past next season, as he will turn 36 in February 2015. The 2015 season would be his 20th in Grand Prix racing.

Dovizioso also could be a prime suspect to pull a moving truck on Borgo Panigale in Bologna. He'll want to continue trying to coax performance out of the Desmosedici which may continue to be difficult, unless Ducati makes huge strides in 2014.

Expect a bidding war for Lorenzo's services.

ENDS


Aprilia Getting Serious in 2014
by staff
Monday, September 09, 2013
Aprilia once again is running away with the "best of the rest" title this year in MotoGP, as its Aspar ART bikes are the best of the Claiming Rules Team machines for the second consecutive year.

Aspar rider Aleix Espargaro has finished in the top 10 in seven of the 12 races this season on his ART, and he is 10th in the World Championship standings.

But Aprilia will face much stiffer competition in 2014 from "customer" prototypes from Yamaha and Honda, with a factory Suzuki bike on the horizon for the 2015 season. So Aprilia is responding by adding more technology to its MotoGP machines next season to keep pace with the customer M1 and RC213V, European media reported.

The 2014 Aprilia four-cylinder engines may feature pneumatic valves and a seamless-shift transmission, a combination that the all-conquering Yamaha M1 still lacks this season. Aprilia also will unveil a new chassis and aerodynamics, but those components of the bike reportedly will receive less focus than the engine and transmission.

Aprilia is debating whether to use proprietary software for the Magneti Marelli electronic control unit or use the spec Dorna program. Teams using their own bytes in their black boxes will be restricted to just 20 liters of fuel each race and be considered full factory teams, while those using the Dorna software can carry 24-liter tanks.

These changes were enough to convince Aspar boss Jorge "Aspar" Martinez to stick with Aprilia for next season even though he considered a move to customer bikes from Honda and Yamaha.

But Martinez fears the promised upgrade from Aprilia may be too small of a carrot to keep Esparagaro on his team next season. The Spaniard reportedly is high on the list of candidates for a customer Yamaha M1 at Forward Racing, where a strong performance next season could put Espargaro into direct competition for a Yamaha factory seat with his brother, Pol, who will join Tech 3 Yamaha next season anointed as a rider to watch by Yamaha Factory Racing boss Lin Jarvis.

ENDS

 

[wino]

Ducati 899 Panigale

 

[wino]

 

[McM]

The fall that could’ve ruined Marquez’s weekend
Monday, 2 September 2013
Sunday morning’s Warm-Up crash for Marc Marquez brought more negative results than one may have imagined, with the championship leader having been handed two penalty points for failing to slow down under yellow flags. At the same time, the incident helped to confirm the effectiveness of his protective airbag race suit.

It was certainly a dramatic incident on race day morning, as Marquez lost control under braking for Vale corner. His Repsol Honda Team bike would collect the Monster Yamaha Tech3 machine of Cal Crutchlow, already in the gravel and the cause of the yellow flags as Silverstone marshals attended the scene. At the same time, the crash resulted in a dislocated left shoulder for 20-year-old Marquez.

After the Grand Prix on Sunday, race suit manufacturer Alpinestars released telemetry data of the crash explaining how the protective outfit responded. The trace graph accompanying this article shows the energy pattern of the data streamed by the upper body sensors in the Tech Air airbag suit. A change in the strength of the signals is noticeable at the first indication of a loss of control, when the energy trace causes the Tech Air system to deploy the airbags 0.168 seconds before the initial impact to Marquez’s left shoulder. Full inflation was recorded at 0.048 seconds after deployment, ensuring the protection was in place 0.055 seconds before impact.

The peak energy force in the accident was 22.55g and was largely concentrated on the left shoulder, which can be seen by the continuous activity in the data trace. The airbag remained fully inflated throughout the duration of the crash, ensuring that the maximum amount of energy was absorbed.

The rest of the story is already well documented: Marquez was taken to the circuit Medical Centre, where his shoulder was put back into position and any fractures were ruled out. The Honda rider was therefore able to start from pole position before finishing second in his intense battle with Yamaha Factory Racing’s Jorge Lorenzo.

The morning’s crash would come back to haunt him in the form of two penalty points, applied for not demonstrating significant deceleration while the yellow flags had been flying during the Warm-Up. Race Direction decided that the points should be placed onto Marquez’s racing licence after reviewing footage of the moment, in which circuit personnel were adjudged to have been put at greater risk than necessary.

The quick reactions of the marshals ensured that nobody received any further injuries, while – as demonstrated by the photo sequence below – the airbag suit limited Marquez’s own injures, allowing him the opportunity to go on and collect 20 more points in his championship quest.

That ws interesting, thanks wino.

 

[McM]

Was there ever a female rider? In rally sports there were/are some chicks.

 

[wino]

Was there ever a female rider? In rally sports there were/are some chicks.

the was a chick in Moto 2 for a while last year dunno where she went. They pop up every now and again. There's heaps of chick racing in Aust some of them do ok as well.

 

[wino]

Agostini: The first Italian motorcycling legend

Wednesday, 11 September 2013
He was the man who got the world talking about two wheels in the 1960s and 70s. At Misano, he will be presenting a book which celebrates his life and career in photos.


As MotoGP™ descends on Misano for the San Marino Grand Prix, one of its most historical figures will be present, never out of fashion despite having competing in his final race some 36 years ago. Agostini, or ‘Mino’ as he is known by his adoring fans, will be presenting a book charting his time both on the race track and off it.

He’s the most successful rider in the history of the World Championship, with 15 titles and no less than 122 race victories to his name. He was known for eating up the records and, assisted by his image, seemingly establishing with ease his popular reputation both with those involved in motorcycle racing and those looking in - something compatriot Valentino Rossi would repeat some three decades later.

Back in the 60s and 70s, the power of the media – not least television – was not comparable with that of today. Instead, it was the youthful idol himself – an ambassador of Italy and well-known athlete – that was the phenomenon.

Agostini landed himself in the world of motorcycle racing with a determination and clarity in ideas second to none. He hailed from a family that was in no way, shape or form associated with the sport; in fact, his father very much deterred him from the very idea of two-wheel battle. He was eventually convinced by an official, when his son was attempting to sign up for the Trento to Bondone race in which would finish second on a modest Morini 175 Settebello.

The following year, Morini signed up Agostini for the Italian championship, which he would win in 1964, but more importantly he made a guest appearance in the 250 Nations Grand Prix at Monza in which he finished fourth. That grabbed the attention of Count Domenico Agusta, who almost immediately signed him for MV Agusta alongside then reigning 500 World Champion Mike ‘The Bike’ Hailwood.

Ago made his 500 debut in 1965. Back then, it was commonplace for riders to compete in more than one class, so the Italian featured in 350s as well as 500s. His first victory at the terrifying original Nurburgring proved to be the first of three that year and he would finish runner-up to Englishman Hailwood in the 500 ranks.

It was year two of the 500s in which the real Agostini ‘legend’ status began to emerge. Teammate Hailwood left for Honda, leaving Agostini in prime position to tailor MV to his own needs – a truly lethal combination that would lead to a record seven consecutive 500 titles, something not beaten or even matched to this day.

Between 1966 and 1972, the track belonged to Ago. Not only did he seal the 500 crown in every one of those years, but also claimed five successive 350 crowns for good measure. The 500 battles with Hailwood and Phil Read were nothing short of epic, while in 350s it was just as tight with Finland’s Jarno Saarinen and fellow Italian countryman Renzo Pasolini; however Ago went through extremely tough times when both Saarinen and Pasolini lost their lives in a tragic 350 crash at Monza in 1973.

Phil Read, now racing alongside him at MV, would clinch his first of two premier class titles in 1973. In another parallel with the future career of Valentino Rossi, Agostini would walk away from a team in which he had achieved so much, in the direction of Yamaha where he would celebrate another top class title (his last) in 1975. It was quite an adventure: winning the 500 crown with Yamaha in 1975, following on from victory in the Daytona 200 and claiming the 350 title in ’74.

Giacomo Agostini was able to enjoy one of the longest careers ever witnessed in the sport, competing at the very highest level for no less than 17 years. In one final case of déjà vu, his final win would come at the same venue as the first: Germany’s Nurburgring. Then came the moment to hang up that world-famous tricolour helmet, but neither Ago nor his records have departed the world of MotoGP™.

 

[wino]

Salom and Viñales join Tuenti HP 40 for 2014-15
Moto2™ is powered by

Wednesday, 11 September 2013
Luis Salom and Maverick Viñales will both participate in the Moto2™ World Championship for the next two years, having been signed up by Sito Pons’ Tuenti HP 40 team.


Pons’ intermediate class outfit is currently battling for the 2013 Moto2™ title with Pol Espargaro and Tito Rabat and will have a strong line-up for the forthcoming two seasons with talented young pair Viñales and Salom.

The Spanish Moto3™ rivals are currently fighting for the title in the lightweight class - Salom leading the standings by a 26-point margin over Viñales with six rounds remaining.

Pons is delighted to have captured the signatures of two of the leading young riders in the World Championship, who between them have achieved 19 race wins (Viñales 11, Salom 8) and 46 podium finishes (Viñales 26, Salom 20).

Team boss Pons stated: “It’s a proud moment for me to announce the signing of these two talented young World Championship riders for the next two years. They are both fast, competitive, ambitious and naturally talented riders. Working with them will be hugely rewarding.”



As The Water Buffalo Turns: Suzuki Won't Dip Toe Into Water In 2014
by staff
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
The sands of Suzuki's return to MotoGP continue to shift as the manufacturer prepares its first prototype for the premier class since withdrawing after the 2011 season.

First, it was believed Suzuki would come back to MotoGP in 2014. But the company announced earlier this summer it would return in 2015, using 2014 for further development of its 1000cc bike. That came after a closed door meeting with Dorna where it is presumed that Dorna made their displeasure known at Suzuki's ramp-up-to-glory-then-pull-out history.

It also was believed that Suzuki would use a few wild-card spots in 2014 races—perhaps with test rider Randy de Puniet aboard its bike—as a barometer of its progress before taking a deep dive off the high board in 2015.

But that won't happen, either, Suzuki test team boss Davide Brivio told British media. Brivio said the decision was made at executive-level meetings in August in Japan, with Brivio indicating he favored wild-card races for the machine next year.

"At the moment there is no plan for wild cards in 2014," Brivio said. "My personal opinion is on one side we have announced that we will only return in 2015, so it would make sense to only start racing then from a business and communication point of view. From a pure technical point of view, it would be very helpful to have the chance to check our performance against the competition and then have a few months to react because it is only in racing that you really understand the level of the rider and the bike."

Suzuki played the press perfectly by releasing images of their MotoGP bike in testing but offering only details which it turned out had little hope to become reality.

ENDS

Pedrosa acknowledges gap must be reduced

Tuesday, 10 September 2013
Dani Pedrosa has the firm target of reducing the championship deficit to teammate Marc Marquez as the Repsol Honda Team duo head to Misano this weekend.


With 12 Grands Prix completed and six remaining in 2013, newcomer Marquez tops the standings by 30 which means he will continue to lead heading to Aragon, regardless of events in the upcoming San Marino race. With this firmly in mind, Pedrosa fully understand that he is in need of reducing the gap as soon as possible.

"I was slightly disappointed after Silverstone, as we knew we had the speed and race pace to challenge for victory," says Pedrosa. "Anyway, we must learn from the mistakes and move on. Misano is quite a tricky track and the grip level is always a challenge, but I enjoy riding there. I've had good results in the past, even if last year we experienced a nightmare on race day! This year we arrive confident and looking to reduce the points to Marc in the championship."

For Marquez, his pre-race aim has not differed and the 20-year-old’s left shoulder – which was dislocated in British GP Warm-Up – is now in better shape.

"I'm already feeling much better since my accident in Silverstone, so hopefully I'll be almost 100% by this weekend!" he begins.

"I will arrive in Italy for the race weekend a little later than usual, as I will use the time to have more physiotherapy on my shoulder. Misano has a lot of braking and is a smaller and slower track compared to others on the calendar, so it will be interesting to ride the MotoGP bike. Once again, the aim is to start to work like always: focusing on Sunday and preparing ourselves in the best way."

So far this year, Marquez has finished on the podium at every race bar the first event in Italy, staged at Mugello on 2nd June; on that occasion, an unforced error saw the Catalan crash out of second position while running ahead of his teammate.







Rossi Heads To Home Race As Lorenzo Says He Is Healthy
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
'In the past I was always on the podium with Yamaha.'
This just in from Yamaha:
Yamaha Head to Misano in Confident Mood

Following a short but well-earned one-week break after an intense three consecutive race weekends, Yamaha Factory Racing now head to the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli for the Grand Prix of San Marino on the 15th September.

Jorge Lorenzo arrives at one of his favourite circuits in confident mood after a stunning victory at Silverstone over Championship rival Marc Marquez.

Lorenzo’s results at the Misano circuit have been consistently impressive, winning for the last two years and taking three consecutive second-place finishes prior to that. He also claims a 250cc win in 2007 meaning he has finished on the podium at Misano every year since 2007.

Valentino Rossi returns to his home race looking forward to riding Misano again on a Yamaha. The nine-time world champion has two premier class MotoGP victories at Misano with Yamaha in 2008 and 2009 and two further podiums, finishing second last year and third in 2010. Situated on the Adriatic coast close to the city of Rimini, the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli was first constructed in 1972 and was a frequent host to the Italian Grand Prix in the 80s and 90s. A leave of absence came to an end when the race returned in 2007, with Yamaha proving to be the most successful constructor since that year with four of the six race wins and an unbroken podium run.


Jorge Lorenzo
“I feel strong again like I was at Montmeló and Mugello before the crash. The performance at Silverstone was really good, the only weak point there was the top speed compared to our rivals, but at last we achieved a great victory against Marc. I thought it was pretty difficult to beat him when he overtook me but finally I could get the win and it was fantastic. Misano is a track I enjoy a lot and also the Yamaha is comfortable there. My next goal is to fight for the victory once more and think race by race, improving our pace step by step.”


Valentino Rossi
“Misano is next and it is my home Grand Prix and an important weekend. I like the track, I always go fast there, especially with the Yamaha and last year also I was able to do a very good race. In the past I was always on the podium with Yamaha. We will arrive very strong and we will try to do our best.”


Wilco Zeelenberg - Yamaha Factory Racing Team Manager
“After the last round in Silverstone we are of course quite motivated for the next race. Jorge likes Misano a lot; he did great races there in the past. I cannot say that our bike is better or worse than our competitors in Misano because finally last year we took the win and Dani had some problems. The most important thing is that Jorge is fit again and is feeling fine so I expect a great challenge at Misano.”


Massimo Meregalli - Yamaha Factory Racing Team Director
“We are really looking forward to being in Misano. After the Silverstone race we got back a really good perspective and motivation. For me it could be another interesting race and hopefully we can get both riders on the podium. The bike is constantly improving and we are feeling pretty positive. Let’s see on Friday morning when we start the Grand Prix weekend.”

ENDS

 

[wino]

Jorge Lorenzo To Honda? Jarvis Expects Another Strong Push From Honda
by staff
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
Lorenzo on Honda's shopping list next season?
Yamaha Factory Racing boss Lin Jarvis said recently he expects HRC to make a strong move toward signing Yamaha lead rider Jorge Lorenzo as Marc Marquez's teammate in 2015.
But Jarvis told British media that keeping Lorenzo is a priority for the company and team even though contract negotiations have not started. Lorenzo is one of the five factory team riders out of contract after 2014, with only Cal Crutchlow at Ducati signed through 2015.

"I think Jorge will want to wait to check the level of Honda and Yamaha in the early races of 2014," Jarvis said. "Then we will see if he has confidence in Yamaha's direction, investment and ability to develop the bike and be competitive and challenge for wins. Our target of developing the bike is not to persuade Jorge to sign but to win races and the championship. If we win this year's championship we will be in a better position no matter whether it is Lorenzo, Rossi or anyone else."

The last time Lorenzo's contract was up he received a strong offer to become a factory Honda rider. However, Lorenzo rebuffed the Honda offer and signed with Yamaha. He said later that he signed the new contract with Yamaha too early in the negotiation process. It's known those around him were urging him to sign with Honda before he grabbed the pen.

There's also a current running through Jarvis' comments that probably is gaining speed in the MotoGP paddock - Dani Pedrosa's time at Repsol Honda could end after 2014 - definitely if the team lands Lorenzo. Next season will be Pedrosa's ninth at the team, and he has zero World Championships despite arriving there in 2006 as the anointed one of HRC and Spanish petroleum giant Repsol. If, and it remains a very big if, Marc Marquez is able to win the MotoGP championship this season it will mark the second time that a new rider has walked into the Pedrosa/Puig team and stole the world championship from them. Casey Stoner--in full Nexus-7 mode--won the title in his first year as a Repsol Honda man and Pedrosa's teammate.

It only took nine races for sensational rookie Marquez to take control of Repsol Honda, giving the team a guaranteed superstar for years to come if it discarded Pedrosa.


-- World SBK 2013 - Round 11 - Intercity Istanbul Park - Turkey-bound for World Superbike Round 11
-- New-look Pata Honda team heads to Asia

The Pata Honda team will compete for the first time in Turkey in this weekend’s 11th round World Superbike championship event at Istanbul Park with a weekend schedule that runs an hour earlier than other SBK events.

The 5.338km Hermann Tilke-designed circuit, which was completed just over eight years ago, lies on the Asian side of Istanbul and, for the Pata Honda team and riders, it will be a first racing visit to the Turkish city.

The team will be without regular rider Jonathan Rea, who broke his left femur after crashing on another rider’s oil on 1 September at the Nürburgring in Germany. The 26-year-old underwent surgery that evening and is optimistic about a relatively quick rehabilitation for his injury.

Rea will be replaced at Istanbul Park by Italian rider Michel Fabrizio, who has been competing in the 2013 World Superbike championship with another team. The 28-year-old from Rome currently lies in eighth place in the 2013 championship standings with one podium finish in the opening round at Phillip Island in Australia.

Fabrizio joins Pata Honda’s Leon Haslam who continues his own rehabilitation from a broken leg sustained in a practice crash at Assen in The Netherlands in April. The 30-year-old British rider has been getting back up to speed over the last few races and will be looking to improve on his season’s best result of seventh last time out at the Nürburgring.

Leon Haslam - "I’m really excited about going to race in Istanbul, even though some of the other Superbike riders have ridden there before. I’ve seen a few of the GP races there on video and it looks pretty awesome, but I won’t really know how it is until I get out there on the bike on Friday morning. We made some more progress last time in Germany but, although I was hanging on to the back of the leading group in race two, we still had some issues. But I do feel like I’m finally in a position – both physically and with the bike – to be fighting for podiums again. We need a few more things to fall into place for that to happen, but we’re nearly there."

Michel Fabrizio - "I am very happy to come back to the Honda CBR after my earlier experience with the DFX Honda Team. To race with the Ten Kate boys in the Pata Honda team is a real honour for me and, of course, I will do my best to get Jonathan’s machine near to the front. I would also like to take this opportunity to wish Jonathan a fast recovery from his injury and I would like to thank the whole Honda Superbike team for their hard work to fix the bike in time for me to race in Istanbul."

Michel Fabrizio – career details

2002: 125cc GP World Championship
2003: FIM Superstock 1000 champion (Suzuki)
2004: MotoGP World Championship (10 races – Honda), World Supersport championship (two races – Honda)
2005: World Supersport championship (Honda) – 5th
2006: World Superbike championship (Honda) – 11th
2007: World Superbike championship (Honda) – 11th
2008: World Superbike championship (Ducati) – 8th
2009: World Superbike championship (Ducati) – 3rd
2010: World Superbike championship (Ducati) – 8th
2011: World Superbike championship (Suzuki) – 12th
2012: World Superbike championship (BMW) – 11th
2013: World Superbike championship (Aprilia) – current position 8th

 

[wino]

Jorge Lorenzo To Honda? Jarvis Expects Another Strong Push From Honda
by staff
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
Lorenzo on Honda's shopping list next season?
Yamaha Factory Racing boss Lin Jarvis said recently he expects HRC to make a strong move toward signing Yamaha lead rider Jorge Lorenzo as Marc Marquez's teammate in 2015.
But Jarvis told British media that keeping Lorenzo is a priority for the company and team even though contract negotiations have not started. Lorenzo is one of the five factory team riders out of contract after 2014, with only Cal Crutchlow at Ducati signed through 2015.

"I think Jorge will want to wait to check the level of Honda and Yamaha in the early races of 2014," Jarvis said. "Then we will see if he has confidence in Yamaha's direction, investment and ability to develop the bike and be competitive and challenge for wins. Our target of developing the bike is not to persuade Jorge to sign but to win races and the championship. If we win this year's championship we will be in a better position no matter whether it is Lorenzo, Rossi or anyone else."

The last time Lorenzo's contract was up he received a strong offer to become a factory Honda rider. However, Lorenzo rebuffed the Honda offer and signed with Yamaha. He said later that he signed the new contract with Yamaha too early in the negotiation process. It's known those around him were urging him to sign with Honda before he grabbed the pen.

There's also a current running through Jarvis' comments that probably is gaining speed in the MotoGP paddock - Dani Pedrosa's time at Repsol Honda could end after 2014 - definitely if the team lands Lorenzo. Next season will be Pedrosa's ninth at the team, and he has zero World Championships despite arriving there in 2006 as the anointed one of HRC and Spanish petroleum giant Repsol. If, and it remains a very big if, Marc Marquez is able to win the MotoGP championship this season it will mark the second time that a new rider has walked into the Pedrosa/Puig team and stole the world championship from them. Casey Stoner--in full Nexus-7 mode--won the title in his first year as a Repsol Honda man and Pedrosa's teammate.

It only took nine races for sensational rookie Marquez to take control of Repsol Honda, giving the team a guaranteed superstar for years to come if it discarded Pedrosa.


-- World SBK 2013 - Round 11 - Intercity Istanbul Park - Turkey-bound for World Superbike Round 11
-- New-look Pata Honda team heads to Asia

The Pata Honda team will compete for the first time in Turkey in this weekend’s 11th round World Superbike championship event at Istanbul Park with a weekend schedule that runs an hour earlier than other SBK events.

The 5.338km Hermann Tilke-designed circuit, which was completed just over eight years ago, lies on the Asian side of Istanbul and, for the Pata Honda team and riders, it will be a first racing visit to the Turkish city.

The team will be without regular rider Jonathan Rea, who broke his left femur after crashing on another rider’s oil on 1 September at the Nürburgring in Germany. The 26-year-old underwent surgery that evening and is optimistic about a relatively quick rehabilitation for his injury.

Rea will be replaced at Istanbul Park by Italian rider Michel Fabrizio, who has been competing in the 2013 World Superbike championship with another team. The 28-year-old from Rome currently lies in eighth place in the 2013 championship standings with one podium finish in the opening round at Phillip Island in Australia.

Fabrizio joins Pata Honda’s Leon Haslam who continues his own rehabilitation from a broken leg sustained in a practice crash at Assen in The Netherlands in April. The 30-year-old British rider has been getting back up to speed over the last few races and will be looking to improve on his season’s best result of seventh last time out at the Nürburgring.

Leon Haslam - "I’m really excited about going to race in Istanbul, even though some of the other Superbike riders have ridden there before. I’ve seen a few of the GP races there on video and it looks pretty awesome, but I won’t really know how it is until I get out there on the bike on Friday morning. We made some more progress last time in Germany but, although I was hanging on to the back of the leading group in race two, we still had some issues. But I do feel like I’m finally in a position – both physically and with the bike – to be fighting for podiums again. We need a few more things to fall into place for that to happen, but we’re nearly there."

Michel Fabrizio - "I am very happy to come back to the Honda CBR after my earlier experience with the DFX Honda Team. To race with the Ten Kate boys in the Pata Honda team is a real honour for me and, of course, I will do my best to get Jonathan’s machine near to the front. I would also like to take this opportunity to wish Jonathan a fast recovery from his injury and I would like to thank the whole Honda Superbike team for their hard work to fix the bike in time for me to race in Istanbul."

Michel Fabrizio – career details

2002: 125cc GP World Championship
2003: FIM Superstock 1000 champion (Suzuki)
2004: MotoGP World Championship (10 races – Honda), World Supersport championship (two races – Honda)
2005: World Supersport championship (Honda) – 5th
2006: World Superbike championship (Honda) – 11th
2007: World Superbike championship (Honda) – 11th
2008: World Superbike championship (Ducati) – 8th
2009: World Superbike championship (Ducati) – 3rd
2010: World Superbike championship (Ducati) – 8th
2011: World Superbike championship (Suzuki) – 12th
2012: World Superbike championship (BMW) – 11th
2013: World Superbike championship (Aprilia) – current position 8th

 

[wino]

New Circuit For Kawasaki Racing Team At Round 11
WSBK, Istanbul Park, Turkey, 13 September 2013
Tom Sykes now returns to action on his KRT Ninja ZX-10R as the Superbike World Championship arrives at the Istanbul Park circuit but his team-mate Loris Baz has had to pull out of the event.

At the previous round in Germany Sykes won the first race of the day and then retook the championship lead by a single point after finishing fourth in the second race. Sykes now has four rounds and eight individual points scoring races left in which to grow his season total of six race wins and maintain his advantage.

Baz was one of a few high profile fallers at the previous SBK round in Germany, forcing him out of the event after a fast crash in morning warm-up. After several medical checks in the run up to the Istanbul Park race weekend the French rider headed to Turkey intent on racing. Final pre-race medical checks on his condition show evidence of a small area of damage on his D4 vertebrae, although this may be an old injury. Until further tests are done to make the situation absolutely clear all parties involved have taken the decision that Loris should take no risk, sit-out the Turkish race and continue his recovery programme.

Baz is sixth in the championship rankings after round ten, having taken a race win at Silverstone and a podium of third at Assen back in April.

Unlike most of his immediate rivals in the championship Tom has not ridden at the 5.340km circuit on the Asian side of the vast Istanbul metropolis before. Some former GP riders have experienced the thrill of a track that has some super-fast corners and also features many challenging changes of direction and gradient.

SBK rider Federico Sandi (Kawasaki Team Pedercini) and Mark Aitchison (Kawasaki Team Pedercini) will once more fight for points this weekend. There will be no Superstock events at the Turkish round, with the stock classes not reconvening until the penultimate round of the year, at Magny-Cours in early October.

For the Superbike class the next round after Turkey will be at a returning SBK favourite circuit, Laguna Seca in the USA, with raceday coming on Sunday 29 September.

Tom Sykes: “We left the previous round in Germany with a win and the lead in the championship and it is a new track in Istanbul now. It’s a track I had never seen before while some of my competitors have been there to race. That was a few years ago and we will just try to work a little bit harder to learn it well. Kawasaki was there with the MotoGP project so there will be some data and information that we can utilise I am sure. We are going to use our time in the long first practice session in the best way possible. I already have a plan laid out with my crew chief Marcel and hopefully that will give us that little bit extra. The Ninja ZX-10R has been quite consistent in most circuits, which is a nice thing for the rider. In fast circuits, stop/start circuits, we can go equally well and that is a great feeling. We worked hard over the winter and it is paying off because we are where we need to be in the championship now.”

Loris Baz: “My injuries are getting better and better but to make sure, to not take any risk, we have all decided it is better not to ride here. There will be a new scan on the affected area soon and if there is no change in the condition it means that the fracture is old. If there is evidence of it healing it means that it is fresh, so we will see this before I go to America for the next round. If I had a broken leg I would race - with the back it is too much of a risk. Even if I was trying to be careful you can still crash. Also, if I ride to be careful I could lose the good feeling I have had with the bike. When we are sure I am OK then I can restart at the same high level as I was riding at in qualifying at the Nürburgring.”

 

[wino]

LCR Still Searching Couch Cushions For Hayden
by staff
Thursday, September 12, 2013
Hayden plays multiple choice on his 2014 career plans.
This is the time of year when deals get made in MotoGP. Deals for riders. Deals for sponsors. Deals for team personnel.
And so far no deal has been made between Nick Hayden and LCR Honda for a "customer" RC213V next season beside the factory Honda of Stefan Bradl. The problem - as always in these flaccid economic times - is money.

Cecchinello said he is halfway home to his estimated budget of between 3 and 3.3 million euros, thanks to commitments from Honda, Givi and Rizoma. It was rumored that the second half would come from Italian electronic gate and door manufacturer CAME, which sponsors the CRT entries from IodaRacing this season in the premier class.

But CAME has not decided to leave IodaRacing for LCR, and no new sponsors have sprouted, Cecchinello said.

"That's why it does not look good for an extension of the team to two riders," Cecchinello said to German media. "In Misano, it will once again be talks with Honda. Then I know more. But for me, no world collapses when it does not work. We then focus entirely on as planned Stefan Bradl."

Outside of LCR, Hayden's options for a seat next season appear to be distilling to racing either a Ducati Panigale as a factory-paid rider in World Superbike or a Yamaha customer M1 with Forward Racing.

Ducati boss Bernhard Gobmeier has all but admitted the Boys from Bologna have made a contract offer for the popular Hayden to ride the Panigale, keeping The Kentucky Kid in the Italian family. And Hayden tested the bike reportedly at record pace last week.

But Hayden has said repeatedly he wants to race a competitive bike next season.

No one knows the performance potential of the "customer" M1. It's based on the World Championship pedigree of Yamaha's factory bikes and should be a competitive package. But there's little doubt the Forward ride will put less money into Hayden's pocket than a deal from the Ducati factory for World Superbike.

It's known that the Ducati offer to Hayden came with a factory MotoGP-level rider salary. Hayden would easily be the highest paid rider in WSBK if he accepted the offer.

A huge, challenging choice looms for Hayden but it might be interesting to note that the major backroom players in this--HRC and an energy drink sponsor--are not pacing the floor just yet because the deal isn't done.

Additionally it's thought that DORNA also is in on the meetings to try and put Hayden on a customer 213V. Why DORNA? Consider that there may be as many as three, and assuredly two, MotoGP events in America next season. Are US promoters going to sell seats at their races based on having just a still convalescing Ben Spies and Colin Edwards II on the grid? That might be why DORNA is in on the talks.

ENDS

 

[wino]

Yamaha goes 'seamless' to take the fight to Honda at Misano

What They're Saying: Thursday's press conference at Misano

Thursday, 12 September 2013
The GP Aperol di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli got underway today with a packed pre-race press conference featuring Repsol Honda Team’s championship leader Marc Marquez, Yamaha Factory Racing duo Jorge Lorenzo and Valentino Rossi, Energy T.I. Pramac Racing’s Andrea Iannone, Repsol Honda’s Team Principal Livio Suppo, as well as Yamaha Factory Racing’s Managing Director Lin Jarvis.


The main talking point for Marquez was whether his injured shoulder from Silverstone has improved: "I feel quite good, nearly 100%. It’s not perfect, the shoulder, but I have good memories at Misano. Every year I ride quite well and it looks like Honda is quite good here. Brno and Silverstone are big circuits with fast corners. This is smaller, but I usually ride quite well on small circuits."

Yet it was Lorenzo who trumped Marquez by announcing the arrival of the seamless transmission, putting them level with the Honda’s gearbox: "It [seamless transmission] will be here for the weekend. We can say that. Tomorrow! After a nice victory at Silverstone, normally Misano is good for me, I have always finished first or second in MotoGP. I like the track and I think we’re in good shape."

Rossi, for whom this is his home-circuit, has good memories of the track: "Yes, this is a special track for me because I grew up here, and the first time I used a real bike on a circuit was here. It’s my home Grand Prix, so it is a special track and I like it. I have had good results in the past, especially with the Yamaha but also with my best result for Ducati last year. We have to improve on the results of the last three races and try to fight with the top three guys.

"We will try the new gearbox from tomorrow and we are so happy. For sure it is important, it is very good for the rider and a big help. Misano is a track on which you use the gearbox a lot, so we hope that will be a good advantage when fighting with the Hondas."

Iannone, who has had an injury-plagued time in his first year in MotoGP™, is pleased with his progression nonetheless: "Yes, many, many [injuries]! But, okay, it’s a very difficult season for me this year. My last injury with the shoulder is a big problem for me, last three races very hard, much pain, but with the Clinica Mobile I have been trying different solutions and last week I worked very hard to try and improve my situation. I am very happy with the development of it and I think it is ready for this weekend, I will try to do my best."

Suppo confirmed not only that the Honda "production racer" is proving competitive in tests, but also agreed that the championship on a whole was heading in the right direction. He also had to rebuff questions regarding a possible return of Casey Stoner: "Sure. We have to find a way to find teams reasonably competitive machines for reasonable prices. It’s not easy because the level of factory machines is very high, but we are trying. Yamaha is doing similar things and it’s good.

"Of course, when you speak about Casey everybody is interested in knowing if he will be back one day, but there is nothing more to it at the moment. He is enjoying it [testing] and for sure for any manufacturer something like this is a dream for testing. We are very, very lucky. For sure, he loves riding the bike because you can’t replicate that. So he is happy to go there testing, no media attention or anything. I think he loved the competition but he just wanted to be in his kind of isolated world, and that is the case with the tests."

Jarvis on the other hand spoke about Yamaha’s plans for next year, and joked that it was rider pressure that brought the seamless transmission in for the race: "Earlier today we announced the renewal with Tech3 for another two years, which is very important with them using the factory-spec bikes. Just now we have come from the Forward Racing press conference; we have a one-year programme to provide them with our solution to the ex CRT class. We will provide them with the package. They are not ready with their riders yet but the project is taking fruition, so that is new and exciting. In addition to that it is our second home race based in Italy – a really busy time to the year. And now we introduce the new gearbox we have been waiting for a while, so it’s a very exciting weekend.

"[The transmission was brought in now] with the pressure from these two! But if it’s ready for Monday, it’s ready for now. We have a deficit to Honda and need to do everything we can to challenge them over these next six races."

The day before, Monster Yamaha Tech3’s Bradley Smith, Ducati Team test rider Michele Pirro, Came IodaRacing Project’s Danilo Petrucci, NGM Mobile Forward Racing’s Alex de Angelis, as well as Yamaha Team Director Massimo Meregalli, all participated in a 5km uphill bike ride up Mount Titano to the Old Town of San Marino, supported by four members of their personal team. Starting at Fonte dell’Ovo, it was Pirro who came out on top with his team, starting his home race weekend in the best possible way.





Yamaha Re-Signs Tech 3 Contract
by staff
Thursday, September 12, 2013
Tech 3: It's where 'King' James Toseland rode in MotoGP.
This just in from Tech 3 & Yamaha
Yamaha Set to Continue Partnership with Tech3

Yamaha is delighted to confirm the contract renewal with satellite MotoGP team Tech3 for 2014 and 2015. The two-year agreement will see Tech3 continue to run the prototype Yamaha YZR-M1 machines in the premier class for the next two years.

Tech3 and Yamaha have enjoyed an excellent partnership and cooperation for over a decade, with Tech3 running the YZR-M1 machines for the first time towards the end of the 2002 season.

The agreement will see Yamaha and Tech3 continuing to work closely together to develop young talented riders as they move into the premier class of motorcycle racing.

Lin Jarvis - Yamaha Motor Racing, Managing Director
"I'm really very happy to continue our relationship with Hervé Poncharal and the entire Tech3 Team. We have enjoyed a very successful partnership for more than a decade and have shared many memorable moments over the years. The Monster Yamaha Tech3 Team continues to perform as the top ranking satellite Team in the MotoGP class and their riders are frequently scoring excellent results and providing great excitement for the MotoGP fans. Now that we share Monster Energy as a common sponsor our link is even closer and we are very keen to continue to work together closely for the future to develop young talent which is a very important part of our total Yamaha Factory Racing program."


Hervé Poncharal - Monster Yamaha Tech3 Team Principal
"I'm very happy and proud to announce that Tech3 is going to be for the next two years again working and supported by the Yamaha Motor Company. It is an honour and a privilege. We have been working with Yamaha since 1999 in the 250 class with Olivier Jacque and Shinya Nakano and in 2000 we won the 250 championship. Next season we switched to the premier class and since then we have enjoyed a great collaboration and a great relationship. It is not only a technical partnership but we feel truly part of the Yamaha family. Next year is a new adventure having two young riders; Bradley Smith will be entering his second MotoGP season and will be joined by Pol Espargaró so we are very excited. I believe this is going to be a great set up not only together with Yamaha, but with our sponsors too and that is something we are pretty proud of."






NGM Yamaha confirmed as team also switches to FTR for Moto2™

Thursday, 12 September 2013
NGM Mobile Forward Racing, alongside representatives of Yamaha Factory Racing and other technical partners, today made their 2014 plans of a non-factory FTR-Yamaha official at a press conference ahead of the Misano Grand Prix. It also confirmed it would be switching back to FTR machinery in the Moto2™ class.


NGM owner Giovanni Cuzari, along with Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta, Yamaha Factory Racing’s Masahiko Nakajima, General Manager Motorsport Development, as well as YFR’s Managing Director Lin Jarvis were present as the team confirmed its plans to run the "M1 engine-frame-swingarm" package from next year, with technical partner FTR responsible for the majority of remaining chassis parts. The M1 engine will be 2013 spec.

Run with the Magneti Marelli software, the bike will be able to run 24 litres of fuel, compared to the factory effort’s 21 litres. Nakajima-san joked he was concerned that the new addition to the 2014 grid could be quicker than the factory M1, though did emphasise he felt it would be a very competitive machine - especially on the straights, where it will be able to run a richer air-fuel mix due to the increased fuel capacity.

He also confirmed that next week, Yamaha would be carrying out an on-track test in Japan with an M1 fitted with the Magneti Marelli software, to test and ensure the package’s competitiveness. The Japanese factory would however not be providing full data on the M1, saying that NGM along with FTR will be free to set up and design the bike chassis how they wish.

Nicky Hayden and Aleix Espargaro are still in the frame for the ride, yet Cuzari said negotiations were still ongoing. For Moto2™ it was also confirmed that whilst the rider line-up has not been finalized, they will be switching back to an FTR chassis.



Racing Numbers: GP Aperol di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini

Thursday, 12 September 2013
It’s Round 13 of 2013 and the calendar’s next venue is Misano, just ten kilometres from the home town of Valentino Rossi. If you thought those were the only numbers on offer, though, you would be mistaken…


120 – Dani Pedrosa’s third place finish at Silverstone was the 120th time that he has stood on the podium in Grand Prix racing. This just one less podium than Phil Read achieved during his long career, during which he won seven world titles (two in the 500 class, four in 250s and one in 125s).

50 – The second place finish for Marc Marquez at Silverstone was the 50th occasion on which he had stood on the podium in Grand Prix racing. This makes him the youngest rider of all time to reach the milestone of half a century of podium finishes, at the age of 20 years and 196 days. He takes that record from teammate Dani Pedrosa, who was aged 21 years and 162 days when he stood on a Grand Prix podium for the 50th time at the opening race of 2007 in Qatar.

50 years – On race day at Misano it will be exactly 50 years to the day that Giacomo Agostini made his Grand Prix debut in the 250 class at the 1963 Nations Grand Prix at Monza, riding a Morini. He led the race in the early stages before being forced out with a mechanical failure.

45 years – On race day at Misano it will be exactly 45 years since Giacomo Agostini won the 500 race at the 1968 Nations Grand Prix at Monza. He was followed across the line by Renzo Pasolini, Angelo Bergamonti, Alberto Pagani and Silvano Bertarelli – the only occasion that Italian riders have taken the top five places in a premier class Grand Prix.

15 – There have been 15 previous San Marino Grand Prix events, with the first having been held at Imola in 1981. Three different circuits have hosted the San Marino Grand Prix: Imola twice (1981 and 1983), Mugello four times (1982, ‘84, ‘91 and ‘93) and Misano on nine occasions (1985, ‘86, ‘87, 2007, ‘08, ‘09, ‘10, ‘11 and ‘12).

15 - KTM riders have won the last 15 successive Moto3™ races. This is the third-longest sequence of successive GP wins in the lightweight class by one manufacturer; only Honda have had a longer sequence of successive wins, with 19 across the 1990/91 seasons and 17 between 1992 and 1993.

3 – The same three riders (Jorge Lorenzo, Dani Pedrosa and Marc Marquez) have been on the podium at the last three MotoGP races. This is the first time that Spanish riders have filled all the podium places in the MotoGP class at three successive races.

0 – Following the British Grand Prix, there are no longer any riders in the MotoGP class who have scored points at every race this year. Andrea Dovizioso was the only rider that had finished in the points at the first 11 races, but he crashed out at Silverstone on the penultimate lap. Incidentally, this was the first time that Dovizioso had failed to score points since the British Grand Prix of last year.

0 – None of the riders starting the Moto3™ race at the San Marino Grand Prix have previously won a World Championship race at the Misano circuit.

 

[wino]

Guintoli Fastest In First WSBK Practice At Istanbul
Camier, Checa Crash
by steve mcmillan
Friday, September 13, 2013
Pos.RiderTeamBikeTime
1Sylvain GuintoliFactory Aprilia Racing TeamAprilia RSV4 10001:56.851
2Marco MelandriBMW Motorrad GoldBet SBKTeamBMW S1000 RR HP41:57.518
3Tom SykesKawasaki Racing TeamKawasaki ZX-10R1:57.735
4Leon HaslamPata Honda World Superbike TeamHonda CBR1000RR1:58.273
5Toni EliasFactory Red Devils RomaAprilia RSV4 10001:58.369
6Davide GiuglianoFactory Althea RacingAprilia RSV4 10001:58.445
7Chaz DaviesBMW Motorrad GoldBet SBK TeamBMW S1000 RR HP41:58.802
8Jules CluzelFixi Crescent SuzukiSuzuki GSX-R10001:58.805
9Eugene LavertyFactory Aprilia Racing TeamAprilia RSV4 10001:58.902
10Carlos ChecaTeam Ducati AlstareDucati Panigale 1199R1:59.237
11Ayrton BadoviniTeam Ducati AlstareDucati Panigale 1199R1:59.675
12Mark AitchisonPedercini TeamKawasaki ZX-10R1:59.908
13Max NeukirchnerMR-RacingDucati Panigale 1199R1:59.982
14Michel FabrizioPata Honda World Superbike TeamHonda CBR1000RR2:00.216
15Federico SandiPedercini TeamKawasaki ZX-10R2:00.548
16Leon CamierFixi Crescent SuzukiSuzuki GSX-R10002:01.123
17Vittorio IannuzzoGrillini DENTALMATIC SBK TeamBMW S1000 RR2:01.812
Guintoli, Checa, Melandri and Laverty, and others, have raced in Turkey previously while they were GP riders. For many others it is a brand new circuit.


Camier came into the event injured and crashed in this session injuring his foot or ankle. Loris Baz and Jonathan Rea are already sidelined with injuries.

ENDS

and that young fella is leding the first Moto practice . . .



but breaking news..............................................................................

 

[wino]

No More Tin Tops For Stoner: Aussie Quits V8 Supercars
Will Stop Racing Cars At End Of Season
by staff
Friday, September 13, 2013 Numerous Australian news sites are reporting this morning that former MotoGP champion Casey Stoner has decided to end his V8 Supercar career, effective at the end of the season.
The Daily Telegraph news site states that Stoner may jump-start a V8 career at a later date. He has complained about his media and sponsor commitments and wants to have an entire season off before deciding whether or not he will resume his two-wheel career or have another crack in a V8.

As one man who knows him well said when Stoner retired from MotoGP "Casey himself doesn't know what he wants."

The Australian seems to be exhibiting signs making that more prophecy than opinion.

Stoner expressed outrage that news of his MotoGP retirement was leaked, denying it was true. A week later he announced his retirement.

Stoner said he wanted to retire to a small farm in Australia by a body of water, far away from everyone. Instead he bought a gigantic mansion in a posh community, although it is on a body of water.

Stoner wanted to leave racing behind, was sick of the sponsor and media commitments and complained that fans had spit on him. But he basically stopped racing in a high profile motorcycles series and began racing cars, or "tin tops" as they are known in Australia, in a very high profile Australian series.

In recent days Stoner's social media posts are centered around RC car racing. He brought an RC car with him to the recent rained out HRC test in Japan.

ENDS

 

[Scrotty-mcboogerballs]

Man casey stoner should go back to motogp for a few more years then retire..by then rossi will be gone and 2 of the greatest racers can race and give us some excitement finally.

 

[wino]

you thought the last race was boring ?