the Air suit registred 25 g. s for tbe Marc x Josh Brooks fastest lap for a new rider. . . . .ben hall is confidant. like all bushrangers should
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Lorenzo completes hat-trick of Mugello wins
Mugello 2013 - MotoGP - RACE - Highlights
Sunday, 2 June 2013
Jorge Lorenzo has won the Gran Premio d’Italia TIM for the third successive year, leading home MotoGP™ championship leader Dani Pedrosa and Britain’s Cal Crutchlow. There were crashes for both local hero Valentino Rossi and Marc Marquez, ending the Spanish rookie’s run of consecutive podium finishes.
On Saturday, Repsol Honda Team’s Pedrosa – winner of the last two Grands Prix in Spain and France – had claimed his first pole position of the campaign, heading up the front row from Yamaha Factory Racing’s Lorenzo and Ducati Team’s Andrea Dovizioso. Sunday afternoon would prove to be completely dry as the race was held in bright conditions, marking the fifth round of 18 in 2013.
A strong getaway for Pedrosa allowed the Honda man to retain his lead, but he immediately ran wide and was tagged by Lorenzo as the World Champion dived inside to take the lead on the exit of Turn 1. Pedrosa would remain with his compatriot until just past half distance, when small errors for two laps in a row allowed Marquez to attack his teammate while Lorenzo pulled out a healthy buffer.
Pedrosa’s afternoon was a mixed one. He had lost the lead at the start and kept Marquez at bay until the 20-year-old pulled off a courageous move on the inside of Savelli curve on the 19th tour. Marquez’s hard work was quickly undone in exactly the same place just two laps later, as an unforced error resulted in a fourth crash in three days and the end of his bid to become the first rookie in MotoGP history to claim five rostrum finishes at the start of his premier class career.
Marquez’s demise allowed Pedrosa to retake second place as Monster Yamaha Tech 3’s Crutchlow made the podium for the second time in two weeks, becoming the first British rider since 1987 to take back-to-back podium finishes. Stefan Bradl delivered a mature ride to fourth place to equal his career-best result for LCR Honda MotoGP, which had coincidently been achieved at the same race last year. Ducati Team filled positions five to seven, with Dovizioso eventually winning a battle with teammate Nicky Hayden while Michele Pirro raced the GP13 Lap bike for a second time.
Aleix Espargaro carried his Power Electronics Aspar CRT bike to its best result yet in eighth spot, with Tech 3’s Bradley Smith achieving ninth despite being in immense pain with an injured wrist and finger. Hector Barbera completed the top ten for Avintia Blusens, but the biggest drama of the day for the Italian crowd was Valentino Rossi’s retirement only three corners into the race; the seven-time Mugello winner was involved in a collision with GO&FUN Honda Gresini’s Alvaro Bautista, with both men heading into the barriers at Poggio Secco. After the event, Race Direction declared the coming together a ‘racing incident’.
Lorenzo’s second victory of the year sees him jump up to second place in the Riders’ Championship, 12 points behind Pedrosa, as Marquez falls to third and 26 points behind the championship leader. The action continues with the Gran Premi Aperol de Catalunya from Barcelona in two weeks’ time.
Pedrosa second as Marquez fails to finish
Pedrosa second despite lack of rear grip
Sunday, 2 June 2013
Repsol Honda Team took home a single second place from the Gran Premio d’Italia TIM, allowing Dani Pedrosa to maintain his championship lead. There was trouble for Marc Marquez, who crashed out of a MotoGP™ race for the first time.
Pedrosa led at the start from his first pole position of 2013, but lost the lead to Yamaha Factory Racing’s Jorge Lorenzo by running wide at the first corner. He stayed with his compatriot until losing ground on the 13th lap.
"I didn't feel fully comfortable in the race today, but I'm happy because I was able to gain a large number of points," Pedrosa reported, having won the previous two Grands Prix in Spain and France. "In general, this was a difficult weekend. The back tyre was giving me a lot of problems with (a lack of) grip but taking 20 points from this race and maintaining the lead the World Championship is something positive."
rMarquez had overtaken Pedrosa in a brave move at Savelli corner, but crashed in the same place two laps later. This ended his chances of achieving five podium finishes in the first five races of a rookie’s MotoGP career, also meaning he is the rider to have crashed most so far this year – with seven falls to his name.
"Today had our first DNF of the season, but after three difficult days of setbacks and hard work, I finally felt good during the race," began the 20-year-old, who on Friday had been extremely fortunate to walk away from a major incident on the main straight. "I don't fully understand why I crashed (in the race), as I lost both the front and the back at the same time and was unable to save it. It's clear that we made a mistake, but we can't go looking for excuses.
"We've looked at the telemetry and it shows that I was going at the same speed and on the same line as before but, anyway, you learn from these mistakes. We can't forget that this is my first year in the class and I am here to learn how things are in MotoGP. In spite of everything we were still fighting for second place, which is a reason to be happy. I want to apologise to Honda and to the team, as they always support me and work so hard. Now we are turning our focus to Montmelo and I can't wait to race there."
Pedrosa continues to lead the standings, but by the reduced margin of 12 points from Lorenzo, while Marquez has fallen to 26 points in arrears of his teammate.
Mugello 2013 - MotoGP - RACE - Highlights
Sunday, 2 June 2013
Jorge Lorenzo has won the Gran Premio d’Italia TIM for the third successive year, leading home MotoGP™ championship leader Dani Pedrosa and Britain’s Cal Crutchlow. There were crashes for both local hero Valentino Rossi and Marc Marquez, ending the Spanish rookie’s run of consecutive podium finishes.
On Saturday, Repsol Honda Team’s Pedrosa – winner of the last two Grands Prix in Spain and France – had claimed his first pole position of the campaign, heading up the front row from Yamaha Factory Racing’s Lorenzo and Ducati Team’s Andrea Dovizioso. Sunday afternoon would prove to be completely dry as the race was held in bright conditions, marking the fifth round of 18 in 2013.
A strong getaway for Pedrosa allowed the Honda man to retain his lead, but he immediately ran wide and was tagged by Lorenzo as the World Champion dived inside to take the lead on the exit of Turn 1. Pedrosa would remain with his compatriot until just past half distance, when small errors for two laps in a row allowed Marquez to attack his teammate while Lorenzo pulled out a healthy buffer.
Pedrosa’s afternoon was a mixed one. He had lost the lead at the start and kept Marquez at bay until the 20-year-old pulled off a courageous move on the inside of Savelli curve on the 19th tour. Marquez’s hard work was quickly undone in exactly the same place just two laps later, as an unforced error resulted in a fourth crash in three days and the end of his bid to become the first rookie in MotoGP history to claim five rostrum finishes at the start of his premier class career.
Marquez’s demise allowed Pedrosa to retake second place as Monster Yamaha Tech 3’s Crutchlow made the podium for the second time in two weeks, becoming the first British rider since 1987 to take back-to-back podium finishes. Stefan Bradl delivered a mature ride to fourth place to equal his career-best result for LCR Honda MotoGP, which had coincidently been achieved at the same race last year. Ducati Team filled positions five to seven, with Dovizioso eventually winning a battle with teammate Nicky Hayden while Michele Pirro raced the GP13 Lap bike for a second time.
Aleix Espargaro carried his Power Electronics Aspar CRT bike to its best result yet in eighth spot, with Tech 3’s Bradley Smith achieving ninth despite being in immense pain with an injured wrist and finger. Hector Barbera completed the top ten for Avintia Blusens, but the biggest drama of the day for the Italian crowd was Valentino Rossi’s retirement only three corners into the race; the seven-time Mugello winner was involved in a collision with GO&FUN Honda Gresini’s Alvaro Bautista, with both men heading into the barriers at Poggio Secco. After the event, Race Direction declared the coming together a ‘racing incident’.
Lorenzo’s second victory of the year sees him jump up to second place in the Riders’ Championship, 12 points behind Pedrosa, as Marquez falls to third and 26 points behind the championship leader. The action continues with the Gran Premi Aperol de Catalunya from Barcelona in two weeks’ time.
Pedrosa second as Marquez fails to finish
Pedrosa second despite lack of rear grip
Sunday, 2 June 2013
Repsol Honda Team took home a single second place from the Gran Premio d’Italia TIM, allowing Dani Pedrosa to maintain his championship lead. There was trouble for Marc Marquez, who crashed out of a MotoGP™ race for the first time.
Pedrosa led at the start from his first pole position of 2013, but lost the lead to Yamaha Factory Racing’s Jorge Lorenzo by running wide at the first corner. He stayed with his compatriot until losing ground on the 13th lap.
"I didn't feel fully comfortable in the race today, but I'm happy because I was able to gain a large number of points," Pedrosa reported, having won the previous two Grands Prix in Spain and France. "In general, this was a difficult weekend. The back tyre was giving me a lot of problems with (a lack of) grip but taking 20 points from this race and maintaining the lead the World Championship is something positive."
rMarquez had overtaken Pedrosa in a brave move at Savelli corner, but crashed in the same place two laps later. This ended his chances of achieving five podium finishes in the first five races of a rookie’s MotoGP career, also meaning he is the rider to have crashed most so far this year – with seven falls to his name.
"Today had our first DNF of the season, but after three difficult days of setbacks and hard work, I finally felt good during the race," began the 20-year-old, who on Friday had been extremely fortunate to walk away from a major incident on the main straight. "I don't fully understand why I crashed (in the race), as I lost both the front and the back at the same time and was unable to save it. It's clear that we made a mistake, but we can't go looking for excuses.
"We've looked at the telemetry and it shows that I was going at the same speed and on the same line as before but, anyway, you learn from these mistakes. We can't forget that this is my first year in the class and I am here to learn how things are in MotoGP. In spite of everything we were still fighting for second place, which is a reason to be happy. I want to apologise to Honda and to the team, as they always support me and work so hard. Now we are turning our focus to Montmelo and I can't wait to race there."
Pedrosa continues to lead the standings, but by the reduced margin of 12 points from Lorenzo, while Marquez has fallen to 26 points in arrears of his teammate.
Alpinestars releases Marquez crash telemetry
Saturday, 1 June 2013
It was a minor miracle that Marc Marquez did not suffer major injury in his Friday crash at the end of the Mugello start/finish straight. The Spaniard, who made the conscious decision to jump off his Honda, was saved by his Alpinestars race suit.
Marquez left the track at 337.9km/h (209.9mph), sustaining several heavy blows to his back and shoulders as well as injuring his chin while sliding along the damp grass verge en route to San Donato corner.
The graph atop this article shows the time it took for Marquez’s airbag suit to deploy, with individual impacts markets with circles. Incredibly, it is quite possible that the 20-year-old’s body was subjected to gravitational forces greater than the highest recorded figure of 25G, as the suit’s accelerometers were completely maxed out.
The second graph (below this article) demonstrates a zoomed in look at the initial moment of impact. With this information, we know that it took the Alpinestars suit just a quarter of one tenth of a second to detect that the rider was falling. This ensured the airbag had already been deployed for eight hundreds of a second by the time Marquez sustained his first hefty blow with the ground.
Several other impacts were recorded at intervals of 1.2 seconds, 1.9 seconds, 2.3 seconds and 3.0 seconds after the deployment of the airbag, with the overall duration of the high-speed shunt being officially clocked at 5.2 seconds. Marquez went on to qualify sixth fastest just 24 hours later.
Saturday, 1 June 2013
It was a minor miracle that Marc Marquez did not suffer major injury in his Friday crash at the end of the Mugello start/finish straight. The Spaniard, who made the conscious decision to jump off his Honda, was saved by his Alpinestars race suit.
Marquez left the track at 337.9km/h (209.9mph), sustaining several heavy blows to his back and shoulders as well as injuring his chin while sliding along the damp grass verge en route to San Donato corner.
The graph atop this article shows the time it took for Marquez’s airbag suit to deploy, with individual impacts markets with circles. Incredibly, it is quite possible that the 20-year-old’s body was subjected to gravitational forces greater than the highest recorded figure of 25G, as the suit’s accelerometers were completely maxed out.
The second graph (below this article) demonstrates a zoomed in look at the initial moment of impact. With this information, we know that it took the Alpinestars suit just a quarter of one tenth of a second to detect that the rider was falling. This ensured the airbag had already been deployed for eight hundreds of a second by the time Marquez sustained his first hefty blow with the ground.
Several other impacts were recorded at intervals of 1.2 seconds, 1.9 seconds, 2.3 seconds and 3.0 seconds after the deployment of the airbag, with the overall duration of the high-speed shunt being officially clocked at 5.2 seconds. Marquez went on to qualify sixth fastest just 24 hours later.
Michael Dunlop takes maiden Superbike TT win
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Michael Dunlop took his first ever Superbike TT victory on Sunday afternoon at the Isle of Man TT Races, fuelled by Monster Energy, taking the lead at Ballaugh on the opening lap and going on to build a commanding 40 second victory from fellow Honda riders Cameron Donald and John McGuinness, the latter overcoming a one-minute pit-lane penalty to set a new outright lap record on the final lap.
After a 45-minute delay due to a road traffic accident, the 6-lap race finally got underway at 3.00pm and it was Gary Johnson who set the early pace, the Lincs Lifting Ltd Honda rider holding a 1.5s lead over Dunlop at Glen Helen on lap one with McGuinness a further second back. By Ballaugh Dunlop had taken over at the front, turning the deficit to Johnson into a one second advantage and with an opening lap of 130.842mph, the Honda TT Legends rider held a 3.2s lead over new second placed rider Guy Martin, Johnson now in third ahead of McGuinness, Donald and Bruce Anstey.
By Glen Helen on lap two, Johnson was back up to second, two seconds up on Martin but now 4.4s adrift of the flying Dunlop whilst McGuinness, riding in complete Joey Dunlop livery to celebrate 30 years since the 26-times winner’s first victory for Honda, was still, surprisingly, back in fourth. By the end of the lap though, he was up to second but some 15 seconds down on Dunlop who was continuing to pull away after his first ever 131mph+ lap.
McGuinness’ pit stop was six seconds quicker than third placed Martin but Johnson never got that far having retired at the Nook out of fuel so the leaderboard now read Dunlop, McGuinness, Martin, Donald, Conor Cummins and William Dunlop. However, the latter incurred a 30s penalty for speeding in the pitlane dropping him down the order.
Coming into the second pit stop at the end of lap four, Dunlop was the only rider above 130mph and it stretched his advantage over McGuinness to 30.8s although that soon increased with his Honda TT Legends team-mate being hit with a one-minute pit lane penalty dropping him behind Martin and back to fourth.
Dunlop had now caught McGuinness and Donald on the road with the trio circulating in close formation and all he had to do was continue that for the final laps to claim his fourth TT win. 19 times winner McGuinness was piling on the coals as he desperately tried to get back on the podium but lap five spelt disappointment for sixth placed Dan Stewart who retired at Sulby Village with a holed radiator.
As McGuinness closed in on Martin, Dunlop was able to ease back in the final lap and bring the bike home for a famous win, his eventual winning margin over Donald in excess of 40 seconds. The Australian, like Dunlop, posted a new personal best lap of the Mountain Course but McGuinness was still able to grab some headlines as he set a new outright lap record on the final circuit, 131.671mph, to claim third from Martin and make it a Honda 1-2-3.
Cummins took a good fifth on the Milwaukee Yamaha, the first time he’d completed a six-lap race since 2009 with the third of the Honda TT Legends riders Michael Rutter in sixth. James Hillier took seventh from Anstey, William Dunlop and the sensational Josh Brookes, the Australian finishing in tenth and becoming the fastest ever newcomer in the process, his final lap being a stunning 127.726mph.
In the battle of the privateers, it was Steve Mercer who came out on top in 13th overall, just ahead of Dan Kneen, Ben Wylie and Jamie Hamilton.
Tomorrow's race sees the the Monster Energy Supersport race get away at 10.45 with the Royal London 360 Superstock Race scheduled to take place at 14.00.
Honda and John McGuinness pay tribute to Joey Dunlop
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To mark the 30th anniversary of Joey’s Dunlop first Isle of Man TT win with Honda, his former team-mate and Honda TT Legends rider John McGuinness will contest today’s Superbike race in tribute Dunlop livery.
The iconic red and black Joey Dunlop/Honda Britain design adorning the Honda TT Legends CBR1000RR Fireblade and McGuinness’s leathers is based on that worn by Dunlop in his final Isle of Man TT in 2000. It was kept under wraps until the very last moment, when 19-times Isle of Man TT winner McGuinness emerged from his team’s pit tent alongside his racing machine.
The tribute is part of a weekend-long celebration by Honda that will pay homage to the ‘King of the Road’. The manufacturer last night hosted a gala dinner with special guest appearances by Dunlop’s former team-mates Ron Haslam, Roger Marshall, Roger Burnett, Carl Fogarty, Phillip McCallen, Michael Rutter and John McGuinness as well as his wife Linda Dunlop and nephews Michael and William Dunlop.
“There are a few reasons why we’ve decided to celebrate the life and times of Joey Dunlop this weekend,” explains Honda (UK) Racing Manager Neil Tuxworth. “First of all he is Honda’s longest standing factory rider – he rode for us longer than any other rider in any championship in Honda’s history – and on top of that he won five world championships and 26 TT races, 24 of which were on Honda machinery. It was in 1983 that Joey secured his first TT win with Honda so 2013 marks the 30th anniversary and it seemed the perfect time to honour him and his career achievements.”
“It’s an honour to be asked to take part in the tribute to Joey,” says John McGuinness. “He was and still is the most famous road racer of all time and although it’s 30 years since his first Honda win he’ll never be forgotten. Seeing the tribute design for the first time brought back all the memories of being Joey’s team-mate, when he wore the red and black livery and I was in pink and purple! It’s an iconic design and he just looked so cool so it’s going to be pretty special getting to wear it in his memory. I can’t wait to see all the faces of the fans and hopefully we can bring home a result for Joey.”
enlarge
Michael Dunlop took his first ever Superbike TT victory on Sunday afternoon at the Isle of Man TT Races, fuelled by Monster Energy, taking the lead at Ballaugh on the opening lap and going on to build a commanding 40 second victory from fellow Honda riders Cameron Donald and John McGuinness, the latter overcoming a one-minute pit-lane penalty to set a new outright lap record on the final lap.
After a 45-minute delay due to a road traffic accident, the 6-lap race finally got underway at 3.00pm and it was Gary Johnson who set the early pace, the Lincs Lifting Ltd Honda rider holding a 1.5s lead over Dunlop at Glen Helen on lap one with McGuinness a further second back. By Ballaugh Dunlop had taken over at the front, turning the deficit to Johnson into a one second advantage and with an opening lap of 130.842mph, the Honda TT Legends rider held a 3.2s lead over new second placed rider Guy Martin, Johnson now in third ahead of McGuinness, Donald and Bruce Anstey.
By Glen Helen on lap two, Johnson was back up to second, two seconds up on Martin but now 4.4s adrift of the flying Dunlop whilst McGuinness, riding in complete Joey Dunlop livery to celebrate 30 years since the 26-times winner’s first victory for Honda, was still, surprisingly, back in fourth. By the end of the lap though, he was up to second but some 15 seconds down on Dunlop who was continuing to pull away after his first ever 131mph+ lap.
McGuinness’ pit stop was six seconds quicker than third placed Martin but Johnson never got that far having retired at the Nook out of fuel so the leaderboard now read Dunlop, McGuinness, Martin, Donald, Conor Cummins and William Dunlop. However, the latter incurred a 30s penalty for speeding in the pitlane dropping him down the order.
Coming into the second pit stop at the end of lap four, Dunlop was the only rider above 130mph and it stretched his advantage over McGuinness to 30.8s although that soon increased with his Honda TT Legends team-mate being hit with a one-minute pit lane penalty dropping him behind Martin and back to fourth.
Dunlop had now caught McGuinness and Donald on the road with the trio circulating in close formation and all he had to do was continue that for the final laps to claim his fourth TT win. 19 times winner McGuinness was piling on the coals as he desperately tried to get back on the podium but lap five spelt disappointment for sixth placed Dan Stewart who retired at Sulby Village with a holed radiator.
As McGuinness closed in on Martin, Dunlop was able to ease back in the final lap and bring the bike home for a famous win, his eventual winning margin over Donald in excess of 40 seconds. The Australian, like Dunlop, posted a new personal best lap of the Mountain Course but McGuinness was still able to grab some headlines as he set a new outright lap record on the final circuit, 131.671mph, to claim third from Martin and make it a Honda 1-2-3.
Cummins took a good fifth on the Milwaukee Yamaha, the first time he’d completed a six-lap race since 2009 with the third of the Honda TT Legends riders Michael Rutter in sixth. James Hillier took seventh from Anstey, William Dunlop and the sensational Josh Brookes, the Australian finishing in tenth and becoming the fastest ever newcomer in the process, his final lap being a stunning 127.726mph.
In the battle of the privateers, it was Steve Mercer who came out on top in 13th overall, just ahead of Dan Kneen, Ben Wylie and Jamie Hamilton.
Tomorrow's race sees the the Monster Energy Supersport race get away at 10.45 with the Royal London 360 Superstock Race scheduled to take place at 14.00.
Honda and John McGuinness pay tribute to Joey Dunlop
enlarge
To mark the 30th anniversary of Joey’s Dunlop first Isle of Man TT win with Honda, his former team-mate and Honda TT Legends rider John McGuinness will contest today’s Superbike race in tribute Dunlop livery.
The iconic red and black Joey Dunlop/Honda Britain design adorning the Honda TT Legends CBR1000RR Fireblade and McGuinness’s leathers is based on that worn by Dunlop in his final Isle of Man TT in 2000. It was kept under wraps until the very last moment, when 19-times Isle of Man TT winner McGuinness emerged from his team’s pit tent alongside his racing machine.
The tribute is part of a weekend-long celebration by Honda that will pay homage to the ‘King of the Road’. The manufacturer last night hosted a gala dinner with special guest appearances by Dunlop’s former team-mates Ron Haslam, Roger Marshall, Roger Burnett, Carl Fogarty, Phillip McCallen, Michael Rutter and John McGuinness as well as his wife Linda Dunlop and nephews Michael and William Dunlop.
“There are a few reasons why we’ve decided to celebrate the life and times of Joey Dunlop this weekend,” explains Honda (UK) Racing Manager Neil Tuxworth. “First of all he is Honda’s longest standing factory rider – he rode for us longer than any other rider in any championship in Honda’s history – and on top of that he won five world championships and 26 TT races, 24 of which were on Honda machinery. It was in 1983 that Joey secured his first TT win with Honda so 2013 marks the 30th anniversary and it seemed the perfect time to honour him and his career achievements.”
“It’s an honour to be asked to take part in the tribute to Joey,” says John McGuinness. “He was and still is the most famous road racer of all time and although it’s 30 years since his first Honda win he’ll never be forgotten. Seeing the tribute design for the first time brought back all the memories of being Joey’s team-mate, when he wore the red and black livery and I was in pink and purple! It’s an iconic design and he just looked so cool so it’s going to be pretty special getting to wear it in his memory. I can’t wait to see all the faces of the fans and hopefully we can bring home a result for Joey.”
MOTOGP » Max Biaggi to test Ducati MotoGP bike!
04 June 2013
Max Biaggi reported to be riding Ducati MotoGP bike at Mugello this week.
World Superbike champion and former grand prix star Max Biaggi looks set to take part in a two-day MotoGP test for Ducati at Mugello later this week.
According to GPOne.com the Italian, who retired after winning his second WSBK crown with Aprilia at the end of last season, will ride the Pramac machine of Ben Spies...
And with Spies again sidelined due to ongoing shoulder issues, could Biaggi step in as a substitute for the upcoming races? See GPone for the full story.
A four time 250cc world champion, Biaggi raced in the premier-class from 1998-2005, winning 13 races and finishing as title runner-up on three occasions.
41-year-old Biaggi, arch-rival of countryman Valentino Rossi during the final years of 500cc and start of the MotoGP era, was previously linked with a wild-card WSBK race return at Monza but it it ultimately came to nothing. it ultimately came to nothing.
Biaggi was present at Mugello for Sunday's Italian MotoGP, where he watched friend Jorge Lorenzo ride to victory.
UPDATE: Ducati has now confirmed Biaggi's test, but also that test rider Michele Pirro will stand in for Spies at the forthcoming Catalunya round.
04 June 2013
Max Biaggi reported to be riding Ducati MotoGP bike at Mugello this week.
World Superbike champion and former grand prix star Max Biaggi looks set to take part in a two-day MotoGP test for Ducati at Mugello later this week.According to GPOne.com the Italian, who retired after winning his second WSBK crown with Aprilia at the end of last season, will ride the Pramac machine of Ben Spies...
And with Spies again sidelined due to ongoing shoulder issues, could Biaggi step in as a substitute for the upcoming races? See GPone for the full story.
A four time 250cc world champion, Biaggi raced in the premier-class from 1998-2005, winning 13 races and finishing as title runner-up on three occasions.
41-year-old Biaggi, arch-rival of countryman Valentino Rossi during the final years of 500cc and start of the MotoGP era, was previously linked with a wild-card WSBK race return at Monza but it it ultimately came to nothing. it ultimately came to nothing.
Biaggi was present at Mugello for Sunday's Italian MotoGP, where he watched friend Jorge Lorenzo ride to victory.
UPDATE: Ducati has now confirmed Biaggi's test, but also that test rider Michele Pirro will stand in for Spies at the forthcoming Catalunya round.
Portimao Race Is Full Of Promise For Sykes And Baz
WSBK, Portimao, Portugal, 3 June 2013
Recent Donington double winner Tom Sykes and his talented KRT team-mate Loris Baz take their official Ninja ZX-10Rs to Portimao for round six of the championship this weekend in confident mood.
Sykes is eager to keep up his winning momentum, having won half of the last six individual races, including a brilliant double at his home venue of Donington last time out.
Having now visited a variety of circuits on his KRT Ninja ZX-10R Sykes has proved competitive at all of them, which gives rider and team a boost in their desire to continue the form that has put Tom only four points behind the championship leader with a third of the racing season completed.
Last year at Portimao Sykes won the first race of the day on his official KRT machine, having started from pole position. In 2013 Sykes and his entire Kawasaki crew aim to build towards ultimate raceday performance from the very first free practice session on Friday morning.
Baz is a real fan of the Portimao circuit and this will be his second visit there on an official Kawasaki, having raced to two seventh places in Portugal last year. Already a podium finisher in 2013, and proven SBK race winner in 2012, Baz is out to post consistent top five finishes as the 20-year-old French rider continues to build experience at a seriously fast pace. Sitting sixth in the championship after Donington, Loris has scored a 2013 podium finish already, in race two at Assen.
Portimao is a remarkably intense and undulating challenge for any Superbike rider and team to face, with so many uphill and downhill sections and a bewildering variety of corners to negotiate along its 4.592km length.
A stunning modernist venue in all ways, the ‘Autodromo do Algarve’ it is a treat for the spectators who get to see the riders for so much of the full lap, wherever they choose to watch from. It is also a popular testing circuit, although not one used by the KRT squad during the pre-season build up.
Federico Sandi (Kawasaki Team Pedercini) and his team-mate Alex Lundh will be back in action on their Ninja ZX-10Rs at Portimao with Lundh continuing his recovery from a relatively recent collarbone fracture.
The Superstock 1000 FIM Cup and Superstock 600 European Championships return to the SBK paddock at Portimao, after missing a round at Donington. The Kawasaki charge will come from a number of possible fronts in the Superstock 1000 class. The best-placed Ninja ZX-10R rider so far is Jeremy Guarnoni (MRS Kawasaki) who is fourth overall, while the first Kawasaki race winner of the year is Monza victor Lorenzo Savadori (Team Pedercini Kawasaki).
Tom Sykes: “I think it is safe to say that we have kept our feet on the ground after our first double win at Donington. Race weekends do not get any better than that and we took the maximum in all ways. The bad news is that we can only equal it again now! But the good news is that if we can do it again we will be in a really good situation. Both the Ninja ZX-10R and I have been fast in Portugal recently so I’m honestly really looking forward to it. Expectations will be high of course but I feel we have a good package to keep working forward with. I think Portimao is even more intense than Donington, very physical for the arms. The hills and so on are a bit extreme, almost too much but the beauty is that it is the same for everybody. I am sure we can get the Kawasaki working strongly and we need to keep the momentum going there. Racing is a massive team effort nowadays. A few years ago I thought that a strong rider could always make that last little bit of difference, and of course he still can, but I have learned a bit more since then. I think it is clear to understand that not only do you need to be a good rider you also need every single person involved to be in good working order. Luckily I have a very good blend of people around me and we are all working at a high level.”
Loris Baz: “I am sure Portimao should be a good race for us. I really like the track and the weather looks good at the moment. We would like to have a full three-day dry race meeting to let us work a little bit more in consistent conditions. I cannot wait to get on the bike on Friday now. Portimao is very intense but I really like it and it has always been a good place for me to ride at. It is up and down and has some fast corners, so it is a lot of fun to ride around. We are a third of the way through the season and I think overall we are where we wanted to be at this stage, maybe a bit more than we wanted. We are fighting for fifth place in the championship and we can fight for that position at nearly every race. I hope we can also be inside the top five in the Portimao races.”
Sofuoglu Heading To A Favoured Venue
WSS, Portimao, Portugal, 3 June 2013
Kawasaki Mahi Racing Team India riders Kenan Sofuoglu and Fabien Foret are both particularly keen to get to the state-of-the-art circuit of Portimao to continue their 2013 push to win more races.
Kenan and Fabien have each taken a race victory in 2013 so far and the leading Ninja ZX-6R riders are now second and third respectively in the championship table.
Sofuoglu has won two of his career total of 22 WSS race victories at Portimao, first in 2008 and again in 2010. Foret was a podium finisher at Portimao in 2012 for Kawasaki, in third place.
David Salom (Kawasaki Intermoto Ponyexpres) is down to make his comeback at this round after suffering a nasty injury to his right hand early in the season. He rejoins Luca Scassa (Kawasaki Intermoto Ponyexpres) who is now a strong sixth in the championship standings after a spirited ride to fifth at the previous round in Donington.
Andrea Antonelli (Goeleven Kawasaki) occupies eighth place in the pre-Portimao points totals with Riccardo Russo (Puccetti Racing Kawasaki) 11th.
Kevin Coghlan (Kawasaki DMC-Lorenzini Team) is ranked 12th in the championship after five rounds with his team-mate Vladimir Ivanov (Kawasaki DMC-Lorenzini Team) 15th, the Russian rider having taken a best single race finish of ninth.
Kenan Sofuoglu: “After the recent results I am really happy to be going racing again to make up more ground. Portimao is a nice track and you can really enjoy riding the bike. It has a lot of bumps now and that meant we found a bit of a problem last year but the best thing is that I know what it was and we should have a good feeling this time. For me, this will be an important weekend for the championship. We are planning to do a lot of testing to bring the performance up to an even better level all the time. Portimao should be a good track for my riding style. We are going there to win the race, not going for points or to be second - we now have to win the race.”
Fabien Foret: “I am OK now, starting to get some nice sunshine to train in and to recharge my batteries after two tough rounds at Monza and Donington. I am getting pumped for Portimao and trying to get myself in a good position again. I want to get back to where we were before Monza. I am always better racing in the sun and the heat so hopefully I will have fun on the bike in Portimao! Three dry days would be perfect - it should be good weather at Portimao in June.”
WSBK, Portimao, Portugal, 3 June 2013
Recent Donington double winner Tom Sykes and his talented KRT team-mate Loris Baz take their official Ninja ZX-10Rs to Portimao for round six of the championship this weekend in confident mood.
Having now visited a variety of circuits on his KRT Ninja ZX-10R Sykes has proved competitive at all of them, which gives rider and team a boost in their desire to continue the form that has put Tom only four points behind the championship leader with a third of the racing season completed.
Last year at Portimao Sykes won the first race of the day on his official KRT machine, having started from pole position. In 2013 Sykes and his entire Kawasaki crew aim to build towards ultimate raceday performance from the very first free practice session on Friday morning.
Baz is a real fan of the Portimao circuit and this will be his second visit there on an official Kawasaki, having raced to two seventh places in Portugal last year. Already a podium finisher in 2013, and proven SBK race winner in 2012, Baz is out to post consistent top five finishes as the 20-year-old French rider continues to build experience at a seriously fast pace. Sitting sixth in the championship after Donington, Loris has scored a 2013 podium finish already, in race two at Assen.
Portimao is a remarkably intense and undulating challenge for any Superbike rider and team to face, with so many uphill and downhill sections and a bewildering variety of corners to negotiate along its 4.592km length.
A stunning modernist venue in all ways, the ‘Autodromo do Algarve’ it is a treat for the spectators who get to see the riders for so much of the full lap, wherever they choose to watch from. It is also a popular testing circuit, although not one used by the KRT squad during the pre-season build up.
Federico Sandi (Kawasaki Team Pedercini) and his team-mate Alex Lundh will be back in action on their Ninja ZX-10Rs at Portimao with Lundh continuing his recovery from a relatively recent collarbone fracture.
The Superstock 1000 FIM Cup and Superstock 600 European Championships return to the SBK paddock at Portimao, after missing a round at Donington. The Kawasaki charge will come from a number of possible fronts in the Superstock 1000 class. The best-placed Ninja ZX-10R rider so far is Jeremy Guarnoni (MRS Kawasaki) who is fourth overall, while the first Kawasaki race winner of the year is Monza victor Lorenzo Savadori (Team Pedercini Kawasaki).
Tom Sykes: “I think it is safe to say that we have kept our feet on the ground after our first double win at Donington. Race weekends do not get any better than that and we took the maximum in all ways. The bad news is that we can only equal it again now! But the good news is that if we can do it again we will be in a really good situation. Both the Ninja ZX-10R and I have been fast in Portugal recently so I’m honestly really looking forward to it. Expectations will be high of course but I feel we have a good package to keep working forward with. I think Portimao is even more intense than Donington, very physical for the arms. The hills and so on are a bit extreme, almost too much but the beauty is that it is the same for everybody. I am sure we can get the Kawasaki working strongly and we need to keep the momentum going there. Racing is a massive team effort nowadays. A few years ago I thought that a strong rider could always make that last little bit of difference, and of course he still can, but I have learned a bit more since then. I think it is clear to understand that not only do you need to be a good rider you also need every single person involved to be in good working order. Luckily I have a very good blend of people around me and we are all working at a high level.”
Loris Baz: “I am sure Portimao should be a good race for us. I really like the track and the weather looks good at the moment. We would like to have a full three-day dry race meeting to let us work a little bit more in consistent conditions. I cannot wait to get on the bike on Friday now. Portimao is very intense but I really like it and it has always been a good place for me to ride at. It is up and down and has some fast corners, so it is a lot of fun to ride around. We are a third of the way through the season and I think overall we are where we wanted to be at this stage, maybe a bit more than we wanted. We are fighting for fifth place in the championship and we can fight for that position at nearly every race. I hope we can also be inside the top five in the Portimao races.”
Sofuoglu Heading To A Favoured Venue
WSS, Portimao, Portugal, 3 June 2013
Kawasaki Mahi Racing Team India riders Kenan Sofuoglu and Fabien Foret are both particularly keen to get to the state-of-the-art circuit of Portimao to continue their 2013 push to win more races.
Sofuoglu has won two of his career total of 22 WSS race victories at Portimao, first in 2008 and again in 2010. Foret was a podium finisher at Portimao in 2012 for Kawasaki, in third place.
David Salom (Kawasaki Intermoto Ponyexpres) is down to make his comeback at this round after suffering a nasty injury to his right hand early in the season. He rejoins Luca Scassa (Kawasaki Intermoto Ponyexpres) who is now a strong sixth in the championship standings after a spirited ride to fifth at the previous round in Donington.
Andrea Antonelli (Goeleven Kawasaki) occupies eighth place in the pre-Portimao points totals with Riccardo Russo (Puccetti Racing Kawasaki) 11th.
Kevin Coghlan (Kawasaki DMC-Lorenzini Team) is ranked 12th in the championship after five rounds with his team-mate Vladimir Ivanov (Kawasaki DMC-Lorenzini Team) 15th, the Russian rider having taken a best single race finish of ninth.
Kenan Sofuoglu: “After the recent results I am really happy to be going racing again to make up more ground. Portimao is a nice track and you can really enjoy riding the bike. It has a lot of bumps now and that meant we found a bit of a problem last year but the best thing is that I know what it was and we should have a good feeling this time. For me, this will be an important weekend for the championship. We are planning to do a lot of testing to bring the performance up to an even better level all the time. Portimao should be a good track for my riding style. We are going there to win the race, not going for points or to be second - we now have to win the race.”
Fabien Foret: “I am OK now, starting to get some nice sunshine to train in and to recharge my batteries after two tough rounds at Monza and Donington. I am getting pumped for Portimao and trying to get myself in a good position again. I want to get back to where we were before Monza. I am always better racing in the sun and the heat so hopefully I will have fun on the bike in Portimao! Three dry days would be perfect - it should be good weather at Portimao in June.”
D
dankhead
Internet Warrior
It OK to add some dirt bike news? Villapoto is just so friggin awesome!
sure plenty of great dirt bike stuff out there mate 
D
dankhead
Internet Warrior
2013 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship Schedule
Following another extremely successful racing season, MX Sports Pro Racing and Alli Sports, a division of NBC Sports Group, announce the 2013 schedule for Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing. Kicking off Saturday, May 18th at the Hangtown Motocross Classic, just outside of Sacramento, Calif., the series will make stops at the premier motocross facilities in the country, while introducing two new venues to the schedule. The 12-round championship will conclude August 24th at the Lake Elsinore National in Southern California.
Joining the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship for the first time is the Southeast’s Bristol National at Muddy Creek Raceway, located minutes outside the world-renowned racing town of Bristol, Tenn. The other new venue is Miller Motorsports Park, host of the new Utah National.
Many of the series’ traditional stops return in 2013, including Thunder Valley, High Point, Budds Creek, RedBud, Spring Creek, Washougal, Southwick, and Unadilla The world-class venues included in the 2013 season will provide returning fans and new guests the chance to witness the fastest racers on the planet in head-to-head competition, while enjoying a day outside interacting with elite series sponsors.
“We are very proud to continually bring Lucas Oil Pro Motocross to the most iconic tracks in the sport’s history, as well as new markets and racing facilities, which both provide excellent fan amenities and race circuits that will showcase the top riders in the world,” said MX Sports Pro Racing President Davey Coombs. “This series has experienced tremendous growth in the past five years and we look forward to the continued success in both increasing live audiences and television viewers from across the globe.”
The Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship is the pinnacle of professional motocross racing, attracting the world’s most fit and talented athletes to compete on the country’s toughest and most scenic motocross tracks. Combined with an ever-increasing television package on NBC, NBC Sports, FUEL TV and live stream viewing on AlliSports.com, the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship continues to grow with each season.
Reigning class champions – Red Bull KTM’s Ryan Dungey and Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Blake Baggett, of the 450 and 250 Classes respectively, look to defend their Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship crowns during the 2013 season. The series is expected to draw the fiercest competition next season, as athletes from all over the world descend on the legendary Hangtown Motocross Classic on May 18th to begin the summer-long battle for supremacy.
Tickets for all 12 rounds of the 2013 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship will go on sale Thursday, November 29th, at AlliSports.com. Purchase your tickets before December 24th for $20 off series merchandise and a chance to win the Moto Swag Pack, complete with ticket upgrades, series merchandise, and products from series sponsors etnies and FMF. Additional ticket promotions and offers will roll out continuously leading up to the start of the 2013 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship.
2013 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship Schedule
May 18
May 25
June 1
June 8
June 22
June 29
July 6
July 20
July 27
August 10
August 17
August 24 Red Bull Hangtown Motocross Classic
Rockwell Watches Thunder Valley National
Built Ford Tough Tennessee National
High Point National
Red Bull Budds Creek National
Moto-X 338 National
Red Bull RedBud National
Peterson CAT Washougal National
Red Bull Spring Creek National
Built Ford Tough Unadilla National
Built Ford Tough Utah National
Red Bull Lake Elsinore National Sacramento, CA
Lakewood, CO
Blountville, TN
Mt. Morris, PA
Mechanicsville, MD
Southwick, MA
Buchanan, MI
Washougal, WA
Millville, MN
New Berlin, NY
Tooele, UT
Lake Elsinore, CA
Following another extremely successful racing season, MX Sports Pro Racing and Alli Sports, a division of NBC Sports Group, announce the 2013 schedule for Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing. Kicking off Saturday, May 18th at the Hangtown Motocross Classic, just outside of Sacramento, Calif., the series will make stops at the premier motocross facilities in the country, while introducing two new venues to the schedule. The 12-round championship will conclude August 24th at the Lake Elsinore National in Southern California.
Many of the series’ traditional stops return in 2013, including Thunder Valley, High Point, Budds Creek, RedBud, Spring Creek, Washougal, Southwick, and Unadilla The world-class venues included in the 2013 season will provide returning fans and new guests the chance to witness the fastest racers on the planet in head-to-head competition, while enjoying a day outside interacting with elite series sponsors.
“We are very proud to continually bring Lucas Oil Pro Motocross to the most iconic tracks in the sport’s history, as well as new markets and racing facilities, which both provide excellent fan amenities and race circuits that will showcase the top riders in the world,” said MX Sports Pro Racing President Davey Coombs. “This series has experienced tremendous growth in the past five years and we look forward to the continued success in both increasing live audiences and television viewers from across the globe.”
The Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship is the pinnacle of professional motocross racing, attracting the world’s most fit and talented athletes to compete on the country’s toughest and most scenic motocross tracks. Combined with an ever-increasing television package on NBC, NBC Sports, FUEL TV and live stream viewing on AlliSports.com, the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship continues to grow with each season.
Reigning class champions – Red Bull KTM’s Ryan Dungey and Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Blake Baggett, of the 450 and 250 Classes respectively, look to defend their Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship crowns during the 2013 season. The series is expected to draw the fiercest competition next season, as athletes from all over the world descend on the legendary Hangtown Motocross Classic on May 18th to begin the summer-long battle for supremacy.
2013 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship Schedule
May 18
May 25
June 1
June 8
June 22
June 29
July 6
July 20
July 27
August 10
August 17
August 24 Red Bull Hangtown Motocross Classic
Rockwell Watches Thunder Valley National
Built Ford Tough Tennessee National
High Point National
Red Bull Budds Creek National
Moto-X 338 National
Red Bull RedBud National
Peterson CAT Washougal National
Red Bull Spring Creek National
Built Ford Tough Unadilla National
Built Ford Tough Utah National
Red Bull Lake Elsinore National Sacramento, CA
Lakewood, CO
Blountville, TN
Mt. Morris, PA
Mechanicsville, MD
Southwick, MA
Buchanan, MI
Washougal, WA
Millville, MN
New Berlin, NY
Tooele, UT
Lake Elsinore, CA
D
dankhead
Internet Warrior
Villopoto continues to stretch his lead in the US Outdoors with a 1-1 at High Point
07:41AMSun, 9th June 2013
After two consecutive days of rain in southern Pennsylvania, the 37thrunning of the GEICO High Point National shaped up as a great day of racing at the historic High Point Raceway in Mt. Morris. Ryan Villopoto extended his points lead in the 450 Class after sweeping both motos to secure his third victory of the season at Round 4 of the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing. Marvin Musquin rode on to his second straight victory in the 250 Class this season after taking his first career moto-win in Lucas Oil Pro Motocross.
Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Ryan Villopoto returned to his winning ways on Saturday after finishing third overall at the last round. In Moto 1, Team Honda Muscle Milk’s Justin Barcia grabbed his fourth Motorcycle Superstore Holeshot of the season, but it didn’t take long for Villopoto to take command of the lead on the opening lap.
Ryan Villopoto dominated the 450 Class, sweeping both motos of the High Point National
Courtesy: Simon Cudby
Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Tyla Rattray got off to a third place start in Moto 1, while Lucas Oil/Troy Lee Designs/Honda’s Malcolm Stewart jumped in close behind. Malcolm experienced a crash that dropped him out of podium contention, while Rattray maintained his third place position in the early portion of the race.
However, Dungey began charging right away as he passed Rattray and then Barcia to take over the second place position. Dungey then set his sights on Villopoto in the lead position but wasn’t able to catch the points leader before the end of the moto. Barcia held on for third, while Rattray and Team Honda Muscle Milk’s Trey Canard rounded out the top five in Moto 1.
In Moto 1 of the 250 Class, GEICO Honda’s Zach Osborne shot out of the gate to earn his second Motorcycle Superstore Holeshot of the season. Points leader Ken Roczen put his Red Bull KTM straight to the front on the opening lap, with Lucas Oil/Troy Lee Designs/Honda’s Cole Seely and Red Bull KTM’s Marvin Musquin close behind. Seely lost his podium position with a series of crashes, and he ultimately didn’t finish Moto 1.
Tyla Rattray captured his first career podium finish in the 450 Class
Courtesy: Simon Cudby
The GEICO Honda duo of Osborne and Justin Bogle diced back and forth in the opening laps and Rockstar Energy Racing’s Jason Anderson quickly injected himself into the battle. However, as Anderson attempted to put the pass on the GEICO Honda teammates, Osborne bumped into him and knocked him down, which caused the New Mexico native to lose several positions.
Round 2 overall winner Eli Tomac began Moto 1 around the tenth place position but the GEICO Honda rider quickly made his way toward the front of the pack. Tomac eventually caught up to second place Musquin near the end of Moto 1 and secured a third place finish. By the checkered flag, only 10 seconds separated Roczen, Musquin and Tomac in the opening moto.
Marvin Musquin’s Moto 2 win was the first of his career in the U.S.
Courtesy: Simon Cudby
After finishing 16th in Moto 1 of the 450 Class, eventually having to drop from the race after getting hit the face with a rock, Yoshimura Suzuki’s James Stewart bounced back with vengeance in the second moto, commanding the lead early on. Toyota/JGR/Yamaha’s Josh Grant grabbed his first Motorcycle Superstore Holeshot of the season before Stewart took over the lead on the opening lap.
Dungey and Grant stuck around, where they battled back and forth for the second place position. Dungey quickly made the pass for second place on Lap 2, leaving Grant and Villopoto to battle for the third place position. It didn’t take long for Villopoto to find the front of the pack, as he slowly picked off the other three riders ahead. As Villopoto attempted the pass on Stewart for the lead, Stewart experienced a mechanical issue that slowed him down and ultimately kept him from finishing the second moto.
450 Class Podium: Tyla Rattray, Ryan Villopoto, Ryan Dungey
Courtesy: Simon Cudby
Villopoto went on to take the Moto 2 win, giving him an undefeated score at Saturday’s High Point National. Dungey’s consistent (2-2) score gave him second overall for the day and a few more points in the championship standings, where he currently sits second overall. Rattray’s moto score of (4-4) secured the South African native his first career 450 Class podium with a third place overall finish.
“I’m really looking forward to the Budds Creek track next round,” said 450 Class points leader Ryan Villopoto. “We have some time to regroup next week with the weekend off, we have some little things to fine tune and we’ll keep plugging away this season.”
In Moto 2 of the 250 Class, Musquin grabbed the early lead with the Motorcycle Superstore Holeshot but Osborne latched on to the former MX2 world champion early on. The two battled back and forth for the lead position, while Moto 1 winner Ken Roczen slowly made his way into the mix.
250 Class Podium: Eli Tomac, Marvin Musquin, Ken Roczen
Courtesy: Simon Cudby
Roczen eventually made the second place pass on Osborne, where he then set his sights on his teammate Musquin. The European duo quickly separated from the rest of the pack as the 250 Class overall came down to the final moments of the second moto. Although Roczen applied the pressure on his teammate, Musquin didn’t crack as he secured his first career 250 Class moto win en route to his second consecutive overall this season.
Tomac took third overall with a moto score of (3-4), while his teammate Osborne went (10-3) for fourth overall. Reigning 250 Class Champion Blake Baggett rounded out the top five overall with a (4-8) score for the day.
Round 2 of the Women’s Motocross Triple Crown took place at High Point, where six-time WMX Champion Jessica Patterson secured her first overall win of the season, sweeping both motos of the day. Japanese rider Sayaka Kaneshiro rode a consistent day, taking a pair of second place finishes for second overall. WMX Class rookie Taylor Higgins grabbed a podium finish with a moto score of (5-3) for the day. The WMX Triple Crown heads to the Moto-X 338 National in Southwick, Mass. for the third and final round on Saturday, June 29.
Jessica Patterson went (1-1) to take the WMX Triple Crown Round 2 victory
Courtesy: Simon Cudby
Round 5 of the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship heads to Mechanicsville, Md. for the Red Bull Budds Creek National on Saturday, June 22.
For tickets and additional information, please visit AlliSports.com/motocross and LIKE the Pro Motocross Facebook page and follow @ProMotocross on Twitter and Instagram for exclusive content and additional information on the latest Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship news.
450 Class (Moto Finish)
1. Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki (1-1)
2. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., KTM (2-2)
3. Tyla Rattray, Durban, South Africa, Kawasaki (4-4)
4. Justin Barcia, Monroe, N.Y., Honda (3-7)
5. Mike Alessi, Victorville, Calif., Suzuki (10-3)
6. Trey Canard, Oklahoma City, Okla., Honda, (7-5)
7. Ryan Sipes, Elizabethtown, Ky., Suzuki (6-6)
8. Josh Grant, Riverside, Calif., Yamaha (5-8)
9. Jake Weimer, Twin Falls, Idaho, Kawasaki (8-9)
10. Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Suzuki (11-11)
450 Class Championship Standings
1. Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki, 193
2. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., KTM, 177
3. Justin Barcia, Monroe, N.Y., Honda, 148
4. Trey Canard, Oklahoma City, Okla., Honda, 120
5. Mike Alessi, Victorville, Calif., Suzuki,116
6. James Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Suzuki, 104
7. Tyla Rattray, Durban, South Africa, Kawasaki, 95
8. Ryan Sipes, Elizabethtown, Ky., Suzuki, 79
9. Jake Weimer, Twin Falls, Idaho, Kawasaki, 69
10. Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Suzuki, 67
250 Class Championship Standings
1. Ken Roczen, Apolda, Germany, KTM, 185
2. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Honda, 170
3. Marvin Musquin, La Reole, France, KTM, 163
4. Blake Baggett, Grand Terrace, Calif., Kawasaki, 141
5. Zach Osborne, Abingdon, Va., Honda, 127
6. Jason Anderson, Edgewood, N.M., Suzuki, 100
7. Cooper Webb, Morehead City, N.C., Yamaha, 90
8. Justin Bogle, Cushing, Okla., Honda, 89
9. Jeremy Martin, Millville, Minn., Yamaha, 88
10. Kyle Cunningham, Aledo, Texas, Yamaha, 81
WMX Class (Moto Finish)
1. Jessica Patterson, Tallahassee, Fla., Yamaha (1-1)
2. Sayaka Kaneshiro, Japan, Honda (2-2)
3. Taylor Higgins, Mesquite, Texas, Honda (5-3)
4. Sara Pettersson, Sweden, KTM (6-4)
5. Marissa Markelon, Ansonia, Conn., KTM (7-5)
6. Jacqueline Strong, Sedona, Ariz., KTM (4-9)
7. Sade Allender, Sanford, Maine, Honda (9-7)
8. Amanda Brown, Baltimore, Md., Honda (8-8)
9. Lindsey Palmer, Conifer, Calif., Kawasaki (11-6)
10. Shelby Rolen, Blaine, Tenn., Yamaha (10-11)
WMX Class Championship Standings
1. Sayaka Kaneshiro, Japan, Honda, 86
2. Jessica Patterson, Tallahassee, Fla., 72
3. Taylor Higgins, Mesquite, Texas, Honda, 72
4. Jacqueline Strong, Sedona, Ariz., KTM, 61
5. Sara Petterson, Sweden, KTM, 58
6. Mackenzie Tricker, Cairo, Ga., Yamaha, 55
7. Courtney Duncan, New Zealand, Yamaha, 50
8. Amanda Brown, Baltimore, Md., Honda, 44
9. Lindsey Palmer, Conifer, Calif., Kawasaki, 42
10. Sade Allender, Sanford, Maine, Honda, 41
07:41AMSun, 9th June 2013
After two consecutive days of rain in southern Pennsylvania, the 37thrunning of the GEICO High Point National shaped up as a great day of racing at the historic High Point Raceway in Mt. Morris. Ryan Villopoto extended his points lead in the 450 Class after sweeping both motos to secure his third victory of the season at Round 4 of the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing. Marvin Musquin rode on to his second straight victory in the 250 Class this season after taking his first career moto-win in Lucas Oil Pro Motocross.
Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Ryan Villopoto returned to his winning ways on Saturday after finishing third overall at the last round. In Moto 1, Team Honda Muscle Milk’s Justin Barcia grabbed his fourth Motorcycle Superstore Holeshot of the season, but it didn’t take long for Villopoto to take command of the lead on the opening lap.
Ryan Villopoto dominated the 450 Class, sweeping both motos of the High Point National
Courtesy: Simon Cudby
Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Tyla Rattray got off to a third place start in Moto 1, while Lucas Oil/Troy Lee Designs/Honda’s Malcolm Stewart jumped in close behind. Malcolm experienced a crash that dropped him out of podium contention, while Rattray maintained his third place position in the early portion of the race.
However, Dungey began charging right away as he passed Rattray and then Barcia to take over the second place position. Dungey then set his sights on Villopoto in the lead position but wasn’t able to catch the points leader before the end of the moto. Barcia held on for third, while Rattray and Team Honda Muscle Milk’s Trey Canard rounded out the top five in Moto 1.
In Moto 1 of the 250 Class, GEICO Honda’s Zach Osborne shot out of the gate to earn his second Motorcycle Superstore Holeshot of the season. Points leader Ken Roczen put his Red Bull KTM straight to the front on the opening lap, with Lucas Oil/Troy Lee Designs/Honda’s Cole Seely and Red Bull KTM’s Marvin Musquin close behind. Seely lost his podium position with a series of crashes, and he ultimately didn’t finish Moto 1.
Tyla Rattray captured his first career podium finish in the 450 Class
Courtesy: Simon Cudby
The GEICO Honda duo of Osborne and Justin Bogle diced back and forth in the opening laps and Rockstar Energy Racing’s Jason Anderson quickly injected himself into the battle. However, as Anderson attempted to put the pass on the GEICO Honda teammates, Osborne bumped into him and knocked him down, which caused the New Mexico native to lose several positions.
Round 2 overall winner Eli Tomac began Moto 1 around the tenth place position but the GEICO Honda rider quickly made his way toward the front of the pack. Tomac eventually caught up to second place Musquin near the end of Moto 1 and secured a third place finish. By the checkered flag, only 10 seconds separated Roczen, Musquin and Tomac in the opening moto.
Marvin Musquin’s Moto 2 win was the first of his career in the U.S.
Courtesy: Simon Cudby
After finishing 16th in Moto 1 of the 450 Class, eventually having to drop from the race after getting hit the face with a rock, Yoshimura Suzuki’s James Stewart bounced back with vengeance in the second moto, commanding the lead early on. Toyota/JGR/Yamaha’s Josh Grant grabbed his first Motorcycle Superstore Holeshot of the season before Stewart took over the lead on the opening lap.
Dungey and Grant stuck around, where they battled back and forth for the second place position. Dungey quickly made the pass for second place on Lap 2, leaving Grant and Villopoto to battle for the third place position. It didn’t take long for Villopoto to find the front of the pack, as he slowly picked off the other three riders ahead. As Villopoto attempted the pass on Stewart for the lead, Stewart experienced a mechanical issue that slowed him down and ultimately kept him from finishing the second moto.
450 Class Podium: Tyla Rattray, Ryan Villopoto, Ryan Dungey
Courtesy: Simon Cudby
Villopoto went on to take the Moto 2 win, giving him an undefeated score at Saturday’s High Point National. Dungey’s consistent (2-2) score gave him second overall for the day and a few more points in the championship standings, where he currently sits second overall. Rattray’s moto score of (4-4) secured the South African native his first career 450 Class podium with a third place overall finish.
“I’m really looking forward to the Budds Creek track next round,” said 450 Class points leader Ryan Villopoto. “We have some time to regroup next week with the weekend off, we have some little things to fine tune and we’ll keep plugging away this season.”
In Moto 2 of the 250 Class, Musquin grabbed the early lead with the Motorcycle Superstore Holeshot but Osborne latched on to the former MX2 world champion early on. The two battled back and forth for the lead position, while Moto 1 winner Ken Roczen slowly made his way into the mix.
250 Class Podium: Eli Tomac, Marvin Musquin, Ken Roczen
Courtesy: Simon Cudby
Roczen eventually made the second place pass on Osborne, where he then set his sights on his teammate Musquin. The European duo quickly separated from the rest of the pack as the 250 Class overall came down to the final moments of the second moto. Although Roczen applied the pressure on his teammate, Musquin didn’t crack as he secured his first career 250 Class moto win en route to his second consecutive overall this season.
Tomac took third overall with a moto score of (3-4), while his teammate Osborne went (10-3) for fourth overall. Reigning 250 Class Champion Blake Baggett rounded out the top five overall with a (4-8) score for the day.
Round 2 of the Women’s Motocross Triple Crown took place at High Point, where six-time WMX Champion Jessica Patterson secured her first overall win of the season, sweeping both motos of the day. Japanese rider Sayaka Kaneshiro rode a consistent day, taking a pair of second place finishes for second overall. WMX Class rookie Taylor Higgins grabbed a podium finish with a moto score of (5-3) for the day. The WMX Triple Crown heads to the Moto-X 338 National in Southwick, Mass. for the third and final round on Saturday, June 29.
Jessica Patterson went (1-1) to take the WMX Triple Crown Round 2 victory
Courtesy: Simon Cudby
Round 5 of the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship heads to Mechanicsville, Md. for the Red Bull Budds Creek National on Saturday, June 22.
For tickets and additional information, please visit AlliSports.com/motocross and LIKE the Pro Motocross Facebook page and follow @ProMotocross on Twitter and Instagram for exclusive content and additional information on the latest Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship news.
450 Class (Moto Finish)
1. Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki (1-1)
2. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., KTM (2-2)
3. Tyla Rattray, Durban, South Africa, Kawasaki (4-4)
4. Justin Barcia, Monroe, N.Y., Honda (3-7)
5. Mike Alessi, Victorville, Calif., Suzuki (10-3)
6. Trey Canard, Oklahoma City, Okla., Honda, (7-5)
7. Ryan Sipes, Elizabethtown, Ky., Suzuki (6-6)
8. Josh Grant, Riverside, Calif., Yamaha (5-8)
9. Jake Weimer, Twin Falls, Idaho, Kawasaki (8-9)
10. Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Suzuki (11-11)
450 Class Championship Standings
1. Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki, 193
2. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., KTM, 177
3. Justin Barcia, Monroe, N.Y., Honda, 148
4. Trey Canard, Oklahoma City, Okla., Honda, 120
5. Mike Alessi, Victorville, Calif., Suzuki,116
6. James Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Suzuki, 104
7. Tyla Rattray, Durban, South Africa, Kawasaki, 95
8. Ryan Sipes, Elizabethtown, Ky., Suzuki, 79
9. Jake Weimer, Twin Falls, Idaho, Kawasaki, 69
10. Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Suzuki, 67
250 Class Championship Standings
1. Ken Roczen, Apolda, Germany, KTM, 185
2. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Honda, 170
3. Marvin Musquin, La Reole, France, KTM, 163
4. Blake Baggett, Grand Terrace, Calif., Kawasaki, 141
5. Zach Osborne, Abingdon, Va., Honda, 127
6. Jason Anderson, Edgewood, N.M., Suzuki, 100
7. Cooper Webb, Morehead City, N.C., Yamaha, 90
8. Justin Bogle, Cushing, Okla., Honda, 89
9. Jeremy Martin, Millville, Minn., Yamaha, 88
10. Kyle Cunningham, Aledo, Texas, Yamaha, 81
WMX Class (Moto Finish)
1. Jessica Patterson, Tallahassee, Fla., Yamaha (1-1)
2. Sayaka Kaneshiro, Japan, Honda (2-2)
3. Taylor Higgins, Mesquite, Texas, Honda (5-3)
4. Sara Pettersson, Sweden, KTM (6-4)
5. Marissa Markelon, Ansonia, Conn., KTM (7-5)
6. Jacqueline Strong, Sedona, Ariz., KTM (4-9)
7. Sade Allender, Sanford, Maine, Honda (9-7)
8. Amanda Brown, Baltimore, Md., Honda (8-8)
9. Lindsey Palmer, Conifer, Calif., Kawasaki (11-6)
10. Shelby Rolen, Blaine, Tenn., Yamaha (10-11)
WMX Class Championship Standings
1. Sayaka Kaneshiro, Japan, Honda, 86
2. Jessica Patterson, Tallahassee, Fla., 72
3. Taylor Higgins, Mesquite, Texas, Honda, 72
4. Jacqueline Strong, Sedona, Ariz., KTM, 61
5. Sara Petterson, Sweden, KTM, 58
6. Mackenzie Tricker, Cairo, Ga., Yamaha, 55
7. Courtney Duncan, New Zealand, Yamaha, 50
8. Amanda Brown, Baltimore, Md., Honda, 44
9. Lindsey Palmer, Conifer, Calif., Kawasaki, 42
10. Sade Allender, Sanford, Maine, Honda, 41
Sykes Up And Then Down As Baz Scores Strongly
WSBK, Portimao, Portugal, 9 June 2013
Tom Sykes scored third in race one at Portimao but then failed to score in the second as his KRT team-mate Loris put in two impressive results, taking his Ninja ZX-10R to a fifth and a fourth place.
In a bizarre raceday for Sykes and his team he hung on well inside the leading three in race one, and did so for the whole race, only losing out in the final two laps to finish third. When he realised he could not quite match the pace of Marco Melandri and Sylvain Guintoli he eased up right at the end to make sure of a good top-three finish.
His luck was to change in race two when he clipped a kerb on his sighting lap at turn one, fell heavily, and was lucky to be able to restart. Tom made it back to pitlane, his team made running repairs and he lined up for the real race start in pitlane itself. Tom then found an issue with a broken sensor for the electronics system, damaged in the crash, and came back into pitlane. After this was fixed he going again to try out his new settings.
Not classified in race two as he finished seven laps down, Sykes nonetheless scored the new lap record of 1’42.475 as his team had made improvements in the bike set-up between race one and race two before Tom’s fall.
For Baz both races were fruitful, as he was only 12 seconds from the winner’s overall race time in race one, and an assured fifth, despite not having a perfect race set-up on his machine. In race two he went one better in fourth place - his second best finish of the year - as he also found a happier set-up in the second outing.
Despite his race two mishap Sykes is still second in the championship fight, although 28 points behind leader Sylvain Guintoli. Baz improved his championship prospects with his Portimao performances. He is now only 14 points behind fifth place after six rounds.
Federico Sandi (Kawasaki Team Pedercini) and his team-mate Alex Lundh each scored SBK points at this tough and technical circuit, with Sandi tenth in race one and then 13th in race two, while Alex Lundh was a retiree from the opener but 14th in race two.
Jeremy Guarnoni was third the Portimao Superstock 1000 FIM Cup race on his MRS Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R, with Leandro Mercado (Team Pedercini) fourth. In the points Guarnoni is top Kawasaki rider, fourth, and only ten points behind the leader with four rounds of ten completed.
Tom Sykes: “I expected the first race to be just as close as it was, and obviously the guys who finished first and second were riding really strongly, but I was struggling a little bit with race performance. But we made a good podium and scored good points. Portimao is not one of my strongest circuits and still we could fight for the win. In race two the fall was my fault because in turn one on my out lap I ran over the kerbstone on the inside. The piece of kerbstone looked quite flat but in the last moment I realised it was a big high kerb and it chucked me over the front of the bike. The bike flipped, landed on me and it was a big crash. It hurt my right leg and gave me a headache. We had made improvements on the bike for race two and we proved that was the case because we went on to break the lap record. I was just riding to the limits of the bike in each race. This is my worst circuit but in both races we raced to the limit of the package and it felt easier to do this record lap time in race two. I feel I have let a few people down but I do not want to be too hard on myself as it is the first mistake I have made for a long time.”
Loris Baz: “Race two was a good one and I made a good start like I did in race one. I tried to go with Sylvain Guintoli but I could not follow him. I pushed in the race but when I saw Sylvain going away I dropped the pace a little. Top five is always our target but I think we could have made an even better result than fifth in race one. I lost only one position early on in that race but I felt that the bike did not have the same feeling with the rear as we had in practice and when I passed Carlos Checa I could not push like I wanted. In race two Melandri had a problem and I caught him fast so that was a good race for me. Overall two positive races and we made up points to Chaz Davies in table. If you look where we started on Friday we made a big improvement on raceday.” WSBK results
Portimao
WSBK, Portimao, Portugal, 9 June 2013
Tom Sykes scored third in race one at Portimao but then failed to score in the second as his KRT team-mate Loris put in two impressive results, taking his Ninja ZX-10R to a fifth and a fourth place.
His luck was to change in race two when he clipped a kerb on his sighting lap at turn one, fell heavily, and was lucky to be able to restart. Tom made it back to pitlane, his team made running repairs and he lined up for the real race start in pitlane itself. Tom then found an issue with a broken sensor for the electronics system, damaged in the crash, and came back into pitlane. After this was fixed he going again to try out his new settings.
Not classified in race two as he finished seven laps down, Sykes nonetheless scored the new lap record of 1’42.475 as his team had made improvements in the bike set-up between race one and race two before Tom’s fall.
For Baz both races were fruitful, as he was only 12 seconds from the winner’s overall race time in race one, and an assured fifth, despite not having a perfect race set-up on his machine. In race two he went one better in fourth place - his second best finish of the year - as he also found a happier set-up in the second outing.
Despite his race two mishap Sykes is still second in the championship fight, although 28 points behind leader Sylvain Guintoli. Baz improved his championship prospects with his Portimao performances. He is now only 14 points behind fifth place after six rounds.
Federico Sandi (Kawasaki Team Pedercini) and his team-mate Alex Lundh each scored SBK points at this tough and technical circuit, with Sandi tenth in race one and then 13th in race two, while Alex Lundh was a retiree from the opener but 14th in race two.
Jeremy Guarnoni was third the Portimao Superstock 1000 FIM Cup race on his MRS Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R, with Leandro Mercado (Team Pedercini) fourth. In the points Guarnoni is top Kawasaki rider, fourth, and only ten points behind the leader with four rounds of ten completed.
Tom Sykes: “I expected the first race to be just as close as it was, and obviously the guys who finished first and second were riding really strongly, but I was struggling a little bit with race performance. But we made a good podium and scored good points. Portimao is not one of my strongest circuits and still we could fight for the win. In race two the fall was my fault because in turn one on my out lap I ran over the kerbstone on the inside. The piece of kerbstone looked quite flat but in the last moment I realised it was a big high kerb and it chucked me over the front of the bike. The bike flipped, landed on me and it was a big crash. It hurt my right leg and gave me a headache. We had made improvements on the bike for race two and we proved that was the case because we went on to break the lap record. I was just riding to the limits of the bike in each race. This is my worst circuit but in both races we raced to the limit of the package and it felt easier to do this record lap time in race two. I feel I have let a few people down but I do not want to be too hard on myself as it is the first mistake I have made for a long time.”
Loris Baz: “Race two was a good one and I made a good start like I did in race one. I tried to go with Sylvain Guintoli but I could not follow him. I pushed in the race but when I saw Sylvain going away I dropped the pace a little. Top five is always our target but I think we could have made an even better result than fifth in race one. I lost only one position early on in that race but I felt that the bike did not have the same feeling with the rear as we had in practice and when I passed Carlos Checa I could not push like I wanted. In race two Melandri had a problem and I caught him fast so that was a good race for me. Overall two positive races and we made up points to Chaz Davies in table. If you look where we started on Friday we made a big improvement on raceday.” WSBK results
Portimao
MOTOGP » Marc Marquez meets Freddie Spencer
10 June 2013
“Freddie Spencer competed in two World Championships on a Sunday... now this I cannot imagine” – Marc Marquez.
Marc Marquez, who beat Freddie Spencer's long held record as the youngest 500cc/MotoGP race winner earlier this year, met the American for the first time at a special Alpinestars event in France this weekend.
Spencer set his win record on 4th July 1982, at the age of 20 years and 196 days, in the 500cc Belgium Grand Prix. It was finally broken when Marquez won in only his second MotoGP appearance, at the age of 20 years 63 days, in Austin, Texas.
“It's great,” Spencer said. “Hopefully, Marc may hold the record as long as I did; 31 years. For Marc to come along now and to perform like he has is great. Great to see, great for the sport!”
After his first win, Spencer went on to claim a total of 20 premier-class victories and two 500cc crowns. For Marquez and many others, Spencer's greatest achievement was winning both the 500cc and 250cc titles in '85, a feat unlikely to be repeated
“I saw many videos and from what people explained to me, Freddie was always more or less like me, always pushing, never was enough,” said Marquez. “When you see he competed in two World Championships on a Sunday …. now this I cannot imagine.”
Marquez - who has won grand prix titles in the 125cc and Moto2 catagories - will be chasing his second MotoGP victory, in front of his home fans, at Catalunya this weekend.
10 June 2013
“Freddie Spencer competed in two World Championships on a Sunday... now this I cannot imagine” – Marc Marquez.
Marc Marquez, who beat Freddie Spencer's long held record as the youngest 500cc/MotoGP race winner earlier this year, met the American for the first time at a special Alpinestars event in France this weekend.Spencer set his win record on 4th July 1982, at the age of 20 years and 196 days, in the 500cc Belgium Grand Prix. It was finally broken when Marquez won in only his second MotoGP appearance, at the age of 20 years 63 days, in Austin, Texas.
“It's great,” Spencer said. “Hopefully, Marc may hold the record as long as I did; 31 years. For Marc to come along now and to perform like he has is great. Great to see, great for the sport!”
After his first win, Spencer went on to claim a total of 20 premier-class victories and two 500cc crowns. For Marquez and many others, Spencer's greatest achievement was winning both the 500cc and 250cc titles in '85, a feat unlikely to be repeated
“I saw many videos and from what people explained to me, Freddie was always more or less like me, always pushing, never was enough,” said Marquez. “When you see he competed in two World Championships on a Sunday …. now this I cannot imagine.”
Marquez - who has won grand prix titles in the 125cc and Moto2 catagories - will be chasing his second MotoGP victory, in front of his home fans, at Catalunya this weekend.
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Racing Numbers: Gran Premi Aperol de Catalunya
Thursday, 13 June 2013
Catalunya will play host to the sixth round of the 2013 MotoGP™ season as a selection of riders aim for home victory this weekend. As is often the case, all sorts of numbers will be in the air…
64 – Jorge Lorenzo’s win at Mugello was the 64th time he has stood on the podium in the MotoGP class; the same number of premier class podiums achieved by Wayne Rainey during his Grand Prix career. Only six riders have had more podium finishes in the premier class: Valentino Rossi (142 podiums), Mick Doohan (95), Giacomo Agostini (88), Eddie Lawson (78), Dani Pedrosa (75) and Casey Stoner (69).
52 years – On race day in Catalunya it will be exactly 52 years ago that Mike Hailwood won the 1961 Senior TT in the Isle of Man riding a Norton, becoming the youngest rider at that time to win a 500 GP race counting towards the World Championship. Hailwood’s victory in the 500 class followed wins earlier in the week in the 125 and 250 classes, making him the first rider to win three GP classes at one event.
39.802 seconds – Aleix Espargaro was the first CRT rider across the line in Mugello, just 39.802 seconds behind race winner Jorge Lorenzo. This is the smallest time gap to the race winner that a CRT rider has achieved, representing an average lap time difference throughout the race of just 1.73 seconds.
25 – All of Jorge Lorenzo’s wins in the MotoGP class have been when riding for Yamaha. Only two riders have more wins in the premier class onboard Yamaha manufactured motorcycles: Eddie Lawson (26) and Valentino Rossi (46).
23 – Jorge Lorenzo and Dani Pedrosa have finished first and second together in the MotoGP class on 23 occasions. On 12 of those occasions Pedrosa has won the race, whereas Lorenzo has come out on top 11 times.
22 – Pol Espargaro celebrated his 22nd birthday on the Monday before the Grand Prix of Catalunya.
18 – Australian Moto3 rider Arthur Sissis will celebrate 18th birthday on the day of qualifying at the Catalunya Grand Prix.
11 years – On race day in Catalunya it will be exactly 11 years since Jorge Lorenzo finished 14th in the 125 GP at the Catalan GP in 2002, thus becoming the youngest ever rider to score GP points at that time. Since then only two riders have scored points at a younger age: Pol Espargaro and Jonas Folger.
10 years – On qualifying day at the Circuit de Catalunya, it will be exactly ten years since Loris Capirossi gave Ducati their first win in the MotoGP class at the 2003 Catalan Grand Prix.
0.819 seconds – Just 0.819 seconds covered the first five riders across the line in the Moto3 race at Mugello; this is the smallest time margin to have covered the top five riders in the lightweight class and in a full length race since the Italian GP in 2008.
Thursday, 13 June 2013
Catalunya will play host to the sixth round of the 2013 MotoGP™ season as a selection of riders aim for home victory this weekend. As is often the case, all sorts of numbers will be in the air…
64 – Jorge Lorenzo’s win at Mugello was the 64th time he has stood on the podium in the MotoGP class; the same number of premier class podiums achieved by Wayne Rainey during his Grand Prix career. Only six riders have had more podium finishes in the premier class: Valentino Rossi (142 podiums), Mick Doohan (95), Giacomo Agostini (88), Eddie Lawson (78), Dani Pedrosa (75) and Casey Stoner (69).
52 years – On race day in Catalunya it will be exactly 52 years ago that Mike Hailwood won the 1961 Senior TT in the Isle of Man riding a Norton, becoming the youngest rider at that time to win a 500 GP race counting towards the World Championship. Hailwood’s victory in the 500 class followed wins earlier in the week in the 125 and 250 classes, making him the first rider to win three GP classes at one event.
39.802 seconds – Aleix Espargaro was the first CRT rider across the line in Mugello, just 39.802 seconds behind race winner Jorge Lorenzo. This is the smallest time gap to the race winner that a CRT rider has achieved, representing an average lap time difference throughout the race of just 1.73 seconds.
25 – All of Jorge Lorenzo’s wins in the MotoGP class have been when riding for Yamaha. Only two riders have more wins in the premier class onboard Yamaha manufactured motorcycles: Eddie Lawson (26) and Valentino Rossi (46).
23 – Jorge Lorenzo and Dani Pedrosa have finished first and second together in the MotoGP class on 23 occasions. On 12 of those occasions Pedrosa has won the race, whereas Lorenzo has come out on top 11 times.
22 – Pol Espargaro celebrated his 22nd birthday on the Monday before the Grand Prix of Catalunya.
18 – Australian Moto3 rider Arthur Sissis will celebrate 18th birthday on the day of qualifying at the Catalunya Grand Prix.
11 years – On race day in Catalunya it will be exactly 11 years since Jorge Lorenzo finished 14th in the 125 GP at the Catalan GP in 2002, thus becoming the youngest ever rider to score GP points at that time. Since then only two riders have scored points at a younger age: Pol Espargaro and Jonas Folger.
10 years – On qualifying day at the Circuit de Catalunya, it will be exactly ten years since Loris Capirossi gave Ducati their first win in the MotoGP class at the 2003 Catalan Grand Prix.
0.819 seconds – Just 0.819 seconds covered the first five riders across the line in the Moto3 race at Mugello; this is the smallest time margin to have covered the top five riders in the lightweight class and in a full length race since the Italian GP in 2008.
MOTOGP » MotoGP Catalunya: Red-hot Pedrosa hails 'fantastic' pole
15 June 2013
'I am also happy about improving our race pace, as this is the most important thing' - Dani Pedrosa
Dani Pedrosa produced a stunning performance in qualifying to smash Casey Stoner's 2008 lap record and secure pole for tomorrow's sixth round of the MotoGP World Championship at Catalunya in Spain.
Pedrosa's sizzling lap of 1m 40.893s put him a huge 0.608s ahead of Cal Crutchlow in second place on the Tech 3 Yamaha machine.
The Spaniard's time was 0.293s quicker than Stoner managed when qualifying rubber was still being used five years ago.
Pedrosa earned his second successive pole start of the season as he prepares to mark his 200th Grand Prix start tomorrow, becoming only the 19th rider in history to reach the milestone.
“I am very happy, because we put in a great lap and took a great qualifying time,” he said.
“It was a fantastic pole position for me. We also broke the circuit record and were able to do so in front of the home fans.
“I am also happy about improving our race pace, as this is the most important thing,” he added.
“We hope to put on a good show tomorrow and take full advantage of the front row start.”
Pos.RiderTeamBikeTime
1 Dani Pedrosa Repsol Honda Team Honda 1:40.893
2 Cal Crutchlow Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Yamaha 1:41.501
3 Jorge Lorenzo Yamaha Factory Racing Yamaha 1:41.566
4 Alvaro Bautista Go&Fun Honda Gresini Honda 1:41.714
5 Nicky Hayden Ducati Team Ducati 1:41.800
6 Marc Marquez Repsol Honda Team Honda 1:41.842
7 Valentino Rossi Yamaha Factory Racing Yamaha 1:41.959
8 Andrea Iannone Energy T.I. Pramac Racing Ducati 1:41.963
9 Andrea Dovizioso Ducati Team Ducati 1:42.053
10 Stefan Bradl LCR Honda Honda 1:42.090
11 Bradley Smith Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Yamaha 1:42.548
12 Aleix Espargaro Power Electronics Aspar ART
1:42.878
15 June 2013
'I am also happy about improving our race pace, as this is the most important thing' - Dani Pedrosa
Dani Pedrosa produced a stunning performance in qualifying to smash Casey Stoner's 2008 lap record and secure pole for tomorrow's sixth round of the MotoGP World Championship at Catalunya in Spain.Pedrosa's sizzling lap of 1m 40.893s put him a huge 0.608s ahead of Cal Crutchlow in second place on the Tech 3 Yamaha machine.
The Spaniard's time was 0.293s quicker than Stoner managed when qualifying rubber was still being used five years ago.
Pedrosa earned his second successive pole start of the season as he prepares to mark his 200th Grand Prix start tomorrow, becoming only the 19th rider in history to reach the milestone.
“I am very happy, because we put in a great lap and took a great qualifying time,” he said.
“It was a fantastic pole position for me. We also broke the circuit record and were able to do so in front of the home fans.
“I am also happy about improving our race pace, as this is the most important thing,” he added.
“We hope to put on a good show tomorrow and take full advantage of the front row start.”
Pos.RiderTeamBikeTime
1 Dani Pedrosa Repsol Honda Team Honda 1:40.893
2 Cal Crutchlow Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Yamaha 1:41.501
3 Jorge Lorenzo Yamaha Factory Racing Yamaha 1:41.566
4 Alvaro Bautista Go&Fun Honda Gresini Honda 1:41.714
5 Nicky Hayden Ducati Team Ducati 1:41.800
6 Marc Marquez Repsol Honda Team Honda 1:41.842
7 Valentino Rossi Yamaha Factory Racing Yamaha 1:41.959
8 Andrea Iannone Energy T.I. Pramac Racing Ducati 1:41.963
9 Andrea Dovizioso Ducati Team Ducati 1:42.053
10 Stefan Bradl LCR Honda Honda 1:42.090
11 Bradley Smith Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Yamaha 1:42.548
12 Aleix Espargaro Power Electronics Aspar ART
1:42.878
Catalunya MotoGP Qualifying Quote Machine
by chase winstead
Saturday, June 15, 2013
These just in:
Repsol Honda
Pedrosa smashes lap record with stunning pole and Marquez on second row
Repsol Honda's Dani Pedrosa has broken the lap record and was over half a second faster than his rivals as he stormed into pole position for tomorrow's GP of Catalunya. He clocked a lap of 1'40.893 on his 5th lap of 8, breaking the previous record of 1'41.186, recorded by Casey Stoner in 2008 when qualifying tyres were still in use, by 0.293s. This is Dani's second and successive pole position of the season and it comes on the weekend of his 200th GP start. He becomes only the 19th rider to reach this milestone in the 65-year history of grand prix racing.
After being quickest in this morning's FP3 session, Dani's teammate Marc Marquez narrowly missed out on the front row by just 0.276s and will start tomorrow's 25 lap race from 6th position on the grid.
Tyre choice will be crucial tomorrow as temperatures continue to rise. It is expected that the front tyre option will be the hard compound but the rear tyre is still not decided. The soft compound will lose grip quickly on the hot asphalt so riders may choose the hard compound for the first time this season.
Dani Pedrosa
Dani Pedrosa 1st 1'40.893
"I am very happy, because we put in a great lap and took a great qualifying time. It was a fantastic pole position for me. We also broke the circuit record and were able to do so in front of the home fans. I am also happy about improving our race pace, as this is the most important thing. We hope to put on a good show tomorrow and take full advantage of the front row start"
Marc Marquez
Marc Marquez 6th 1'41.842
"I am fairly happy and satisfied, because we achieved our objective of getting onto either the first or second row. In the morning I felt more comfortable, with the track temperatures lower than in the afternoon. When they rose sharply, we had more problems. Despite this, I think that we have done a good job. We will try to test out a few things in the warmup tomorrow and see if we can gain a little more confidence when the track is hotter"
*************
Yamaha
Lorenzo Delivers Catalunya Front Row
Jorge Lorenzo continued his unbroken run as the only rider to consistently start from the front row this season, taking third on the grid for tomorrow's Gran Premi Aperol de Catalunya. The reigning world champion had only the last minutes of the brief qualifying heat to record a best time after a clutch issue forced him to pit shortly after the session started. Despite the setback he was able to salvage a front row start in third with a 1'41.566 after completing just seven laps. Lorenzo was able to walk away uninjured from a crash in the morning's third free practice after losing the front at turn five. Conditions were even hotter than yesterday with track temperatures hitting up to 57 degrees over the afternoon.
Having been the fastest rider yesterday Valentino Rossi continued his competitive pace into the third free practice this morning, ending in fourth but just 0.156 seconds from first. Having mastered race pace the nine-time champion turned to qualifying, allowing most of the field to leave the pits before venturing out to find some clean track. Using the harder front and soft rear tyre option he delivered a best time of 1'41.959 to take seventh on the third row of the grid, less than four tenths from his team mate Lorenzo on the front row.
Jorge Lorenzo, 3rd, Time - 1'41.566, 7 laps
"I'm very disappointed because today we had a problem with the clutch in a crucial moment and this lap time was the best I could do. I also had not so much confidence on the front to make a perfect lap. We hope for race distance we can remain constant and fight for the win. We will need to be strong and concentrate for the whole race; we don't know what can happen in the 20th lap."
Valentino Rossi, 7th, Time - 1'41.959, 8 laps
"We worked hard today; it's not so bad but unfortunately we are not able to start from a better position on the grid. We tried everything but I still don't have the maximum feeling to improve a bit more. The race tomorrow is going to be very interesting because of the tyre choice and the rhythm. There are four or five riders who are very fast and very constant so we hope to do a good start and good first laps to stay with the top guys and check our performance."
Wilco Zeelenberg, Yamaha Factory Racing Team Manager
"A strange day but overall we are in front row even when we had a problem with the first bike. The clutch was spinning when he went out which isn't ideal because you miss a bit of time with your first tyre. He did well anyway with a 1'41.7s lap. We had to stay out with the same bike, but he was able to make a 1'41.5s lap to qualify for the front row. I think that was the maximum for today, Dani with his 40.8 was unreachable. We have to sort out what went wrong with the clutch and dig into our set ups to prepare for tomorrow's race."
Massimo Meregalli, Yamaha Factory Racing Team Director
"We are quite satisfied with the pace we could run in the free practices but the qualifying didn't go as we expected. We have to try and close the gap as our competitors are quicker, especially in the hot conditions that we will probably have again tomorrow. We will work to understand how to improve the total package and we will do our best to be as competitive as possible for tomorrow. The race is always different to the qualifying session. We know the tyres we are going to use, we have to try and make the rear last as long as possible. The race is going to be tough and difficult but we will be ready."
Crutchlow fastest Yamaha in Catalunya qualifying
Cal Crutchlow stormed to his second front row of 2013 in scorching heat at the Circuit de Catalunya this afternoon, the British rider continuing his hot streak of form to qualify as the fastest Yamaha rider ahead of the sixth round of the MotoGP World Championship. The Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team rider saved his best for last with a blistering lap of 1.41.501 on his eighth and final lap moving him ahead of reigning World Champion Jorge Lorenzo to secure second position on the grid for tomorrow's 25-lap race. With temperatures rocketing to a sweltering 30 degrees, Crutchlow delivered an ice cool performance to challenge for a ninth career front row right from the start of the 15-minute QP2. The 27-year-old was immediately inside the top three and he never looked like missing out on his front row start since the opening round in Qatar, his quickest lap making him the fastest Yamaha rider by 0.065s ahead of home crowd hero Lorenzo.
Bradley Smith will start the Gran Premi Aperol de Catalunya from 11th on the grid, the British rider bouncing back superbly from a heavy crash in yesterday's sun-drenched practice to post a best time of 1.42.548. Smith didn't let yesterday's tumble dent his confidence and he advanced into QP2 with a best lap of 1.42.607, with only Andrea Iannone able to lap within 0.5s of the 22-year-old in QP1. As track temperatures soared to over 50 degrees this afternoon in conditions that provided an extreme test of both man and machine, Smith was only a second off the sensational pace set by teammate Crutchlow and he is confident he can battle for the top 10 tomorrow.
Cal Crutchlow, 2nd, Time - 1.41.501, 8 laps
"I think we did a great job today and I am really happy to be back on the front row. It seems a while since I managed it at the first race in Qatar and at least I won't be starting from fourth again. The conditions were really tricky with the incredibly high track temperature and it looks like it is going to be a big battle in the race tomorrow. I'll be happy to get a good start and hang with Dani and Jorge because they are obviously going to be strong. Jorge had a few problems today and maybe without those he would have taken second off me. But there's no doubt we deserve this front row and that's a good reward for all the hard work done by my Monster Yamaha Tech 3 crew. Congratulations to Dani though because that was an incredible lap time in such tricky conditions."
Bradley Smith, 11th, Time - 1.42.548, 8 laps
"I'm feeling a lot more positive now considering what happened yesterday when I was quite slow. I've managed to go 1.7s faster today and that's a great step. I am only a second away from Cal and that is my normal level and I feel we did a good job. When you go so much faster though the feeling with the bike changes and I could do with one more day of practice to fine-tune the set-up. I am really looking forward to the race now. Tyre wear in such hot conditions is going to be critical but I need to stay with the group in the first eight laps and then it will be a big fight to see who can conserve the tyres for the longest. I need to say a big thanks to my Monster Yamaha Tech 3 crew because they have worked really hard on changing the bike to help me improve. My left hand I injured in Mugello was also much better today and it won't cause me any issues in the race."
**************
Bridgestone
Pedrosa smashes lap record to take pole position at the Catalan Grand Prix
Round 6: Catalan MotoGP? - Qualifying Practice
Montmeló, Saturday 15 June 2013
Bridgestone slick compounds available: Front: Medium & Hard. Rear: Soft, Medium & Hard (Asymmetric)
Bridgestone wet tyre compounds available: Hard (Main), Soft (Alternative)
Weather: FP3 - Dry. Ambient 25-28°C; Track 37-40°C (Bridgestone measurement)
FP4 & QP2/1 - Dry. Ambient 32-32°C; Track 56-58°C (Bridgestone measurement)
For the second consecutive race Dani Pedrosa set a new pole position record in qualifying, the Repsol Honda rider setting a remarkable lap time of 1'40.893 to claim the first slot on the grid for tomorrow's Catalan Grand Prix.
Pedrosa's storming lap saw him qualify more than six-tenths of a second ahead of his nearest rival, the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 M1 of Cal Crutchlow whose best time of 1'41.608 placed him in second position. Rounding out the front row of the grid in third place and 0.065 seconds adrift of Crutchlow was Yamaha Factory Racing's Jorge Lorenzo. Power Electronics Aspar's Aleix Espargaro was the best CRT qualifier, his time of 1'42.878 placing him twelfth overall.
Yesterday's hot weather intensified today with track temperatures soaring to 58°C in QP1. Many riders took to task in the free practice sessions to evaluate both options of rear slick, and amongst the works riders the consensus is that despite the extremely high track temperatures, the superior edge grip of the softer rear slick has the better overall performance at this circuit which features prolonged periods at high lean angles. With many fast and flowing corners, the harder front slick is preferred due to its more stable feel.
Tomorrow's Warm Up session at 0940 local time (GMT +2) will give riders a last opportunity to decide on tyre choice for the twenty-five lap race which commences at 1400..
Shinji Aoki - Manager, Bridgestone Motorsport Tyre Development Department
"We had another very hot day today and many riders took the opportunity to test both rear tyre options in today's free practice sessions. The feedback we received is that the harder rear slick gave better drive out of corners, but with the riders spending so much time at high lean angles, the greater edge grip of the softer rear slick is the better performing option around this circuit. Also, the track condition improved today so the consistency of lap times of the softer rear on long runs was better, so I think many works riders are planning on using this option for tomorrow's race - even in these very hot conditions. Front tyre choice for the race is clearer with the harder option being preferred by almost everyone."
*****************
LCR Honda
BRADL STRUGGLES IN THE SWELTERING HEAT OF CATALUNYA GP QUALIFYING
Montmeló, 15 June: LCR Honda racer Stefan Bradl will start from the 10th position (1'42.090) on the gird tomorrow after a tough and hot qualifying session at the Montmeló race track. The German responded very well to the fast traits of the 4.727km race track over the 2 days of practices tweaking the set up of his Honda machine but was not able to confirm his good shape in the afternoon QP2 session.
Stefan: "Obviously this is a disappointing qualifying for us as we were expecting a second row start. We missed some time and I lapped all alone for the whole session which is unusual for this 15-minute session new system. We changed the plan a bit during the session and I did 3 laps on the first tyre and 2 on the second tyre missing a few tenths to get a P5 start for example. It's not the end of the world anyway because we are still able to do a good race tomorrow. Over the distance our potential is higher than what we have shown today so I still feel very confident ".
***************
Pramac Ducati
Eighth place on the grid for Iannone and the Energy T.I. Pramac Racing Team
Andrea Iannone and his team had a busy qualifying day today, taking part in every MotoGP session, but by day's end they had earned the eighth spot on the starting grid?their best of the season so far.
The FP4 session had gone well, with some positive changes being found ahead of Q1, helping the Italian to make the third row for tomorrow. There are still some aspects to work on, and no decision has yet been made regarding which tyre to use in the race, although with today's high temperatures?30° air and 52° asphalt?Andrea preferred the soft option.
Andrea Iannone - Energy T.I. Pramac Racing Team
"I'm happy with today. We made it to Q2, and I did some good laps by myself, which is positive for tomorrow. The pace stayed high, and it may be the first weekend that we've really managed to ride hard, improve the bike, and understand the direction to take. I felt quite good today despite some problems that we still have?difficulty in slowing the bike for corner entry, for example?but we know that these are our limits at the moment. In order to remedy the problem, we probably won't be able to use an ideal setting, as we'll have to opt for better rear grip in order to decrease the sliding. We certainly won't solve that for tomorrow, but together with Ducati, we're preparing for the next GPs. Anyway, we're improving little by little, and every day I understand better how to continue our work. I'm still not sure which tyre to use in the race. Today we worked mainly on getting the most from the soft tyre. We changed some things that gave positive feedback, and we'll make our decision after analyzing the data to compare the pace in the different sessions, although I'm currently more inclined to use the soft. The guys did a great job, and now we have to stay strong in order to be fast in the race."
*****************
Marlboro Ducati
Second, third rows for Ducati Team at Catalan GP
In sunny and hot conditions at the Circuit de Catalunya, Ducati Team riders Nicky Hayden and Andrea Dovizioso rode to the fifth and ninth spots on the grid, respectively, for tomorrow's Catalan Grand Prix.
It was a positive day for Hayden, who was the second-quickest rider in the morning session, then backed it up with his best qualifying session of the year thus far. The American had also set the circuit top-speed record in free practice aboard his Desmosedici GP13, although the mark was subsequently eclipsed by Marc Marquez in the afternoon. Meanwhile, Dovizioso improved his pace from yesterday, but had back luck in qualifying and didn't manage to put together a good lap. He'll share tomorrow's all-Italian third row with Valentino Rossi and Andrea Iannone.
Nicky Hayden - Ducati Team, 5th (1:41.800)
"Dani [Pedrosa] had a spectacular pole lap, but the front row wasn't out of the question for me today. That would've been nice, but this is still my best qualifying position of the year so far. The bike is working pretty well when we have new tyres, but as soon as we lose a little bit of edge grip, it starts pumping. It was okay for qualifying, but we'll have to try something tomorrow morning to see if we can make the tyre last longer. We know it won't be an easy race, but hopefully we can put up a good fight and have some fun."
Andrea Dovizioso - Ducati Team, 9th (1:42.053)
"It's a shame about the qualifying session. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to do a perfect lap, and starting from the third row won't be easy. That's too bad because Barcelona is one of the nicest tracks to ride when you have a perfect lap, but I'm mainly disappointed that our spot on the grid will make it difficult for us tomorrow. My first exit was good, and I knew that if I could put all the sectors together, I could lower my time by three or four tenths. Then on my first lap with the second tyre, the bike closed the front in turn four. I almost fell and had to abort the lap in order to save the tyre. We've improved a lot from yesterday?more with pace than on a fast lap?but it will certainly be a very difficult race as we'll all be struggling when the tyres wear. It will be important to make up some positions at the start, as anything can happen in the race."
*************
FIM
2013 FIM Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix Gran Premi Aperol de Catalunya - Decision of the Race Direction
During the Moto3 Qualifying practice at the Gran Premi Aperol de Catalunya, Spanish rider Maverick Viñales suffered a mechanical problem with his machine and entered the pit lane exit from the main straight. In doing so he crossed in front of Italian rider, Matteo Ferrari, causing him to take evasive action. Maverick Viñales also rode his machine in the opposite direction in the pitlane exit. This is an infringement of Articles 1.21.2, and 1.21.11 of the FIM Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix Regulations.
Race Direction held a hearing with the rider Viñales and his team manager, where these facts were acknowledged.
The decision of Race Direction is to impose one Penalty Point on the record of Mr Viñales for the 2013 season.
No appeal was lodged.
The decision of the Race Direction is final.
by chase winstead
Saturday, June 15, 2013
These just in:
Repsol Honda
Pedrosa smashes lap record with stunning pole and Marquez on second row
Repsol Honda's Dani Pedrosa has broken the lap record and was over half a second faster than his rivals as he stormed into pole position for tomorrow's GP of Catalunya. He clocked a lap of 1'40.893 on his 5th lap of 8, breaking the previous record of 1'41.186, recorded by Casey Stoner in 2008 when qualifying tyres were still in use, by 0.293s. This is Dani's second and successive pole position of the season and it comes on the weekend of his 200th GP start. He becomes only the 19th rider to reach this milestone in the 65-year history of grand prix racing.
After being quickest in this morning's FP3 session, Dani's teammate Marc Marquez narrowly missed out on the front row by just 0.276s and will start tomorrow's 25 lap race from 6th position on the grid.
Tyre choice will be crucial tomorrow as temperatures continue to rise. It is expected that the front tyre option will be the hard compound but the rear tyre is still not decided. The soft compound will lose grip quickly on the hot asphalt so riders may choose the hard compound for the first time this season.
Dani Pedrosa
Dani Pedrosa 1st 1'40.893
"I am very happy, because we put in a great lap and took a great qualifying time. It was a fantastic pole position for me. We also broke the circuit record and were able to do so in front of the home fans. I am also happy about improving our race pace, as this is the most important thing. We hope to put on a good show tomorrow and take full advantage of the front row start"
Marc Marquez
Marc Marquez 6th 1'41.842
"I am fairly happy and satisfied, because we achieved our objective of getting onto either the first or second row. In the morning I felt more comfortable, with the track temperatures lower than in the afternoon. When they rose sharply, we had more problems. Despite this, I think that we have done a good job. We will try to test out a few things in the warmup tomorrow and see if we can gain a little more confidence when the track is hotter"
*************
Yamaha
Lorenzo Delivers Catalunya Front Row
Jorge Lorenzo continued his unbroken run as the only rider to consistently start from the front row this season, taking third on the grid for tomorrow's Gran Premi Aperol de Catalunya. The reigning world champion had only the last minutes of the brief qualifying heat to record a best time after a clutch issue forced him to pit shortly after the session started. Despite the setback he was able to salvage a front row start in third with a 1'41.566 after completing just seven laps. Lorenzo was able to walk away uninjured from a crash in the morning's third free practice after losing the front at turn five. Conditions were even hotter than yesterday with track temperatures hitting up to 57 degrees over the afternoon.
Having been the fastest rider yesterday Valentino Rossi continued his competitive pace into the third free practice this morning, ending in fourth but just 0.156 seconds from first. Having mastered race pace the nine-time champion turned to qualifying, allowing most of the field to leave the pits before venturing out to find some clean track. Using the harder front and soft rear tyre option he delivered a best time of 1'41.959 to take seventh on the third row of the grid, less than four tenths from his team mate Lorenzo on the front row.
Jorge Lorenzo, 3rd, Time - 1'41.566, 7 laps
"I'm very disappointed because today we had a problem with the clutch in a crucial moment and this lap time was the best I could do. I also had not so much confidence on the front to make a perfect lap. We hope for race distance we can remain constant and fight for the win. We will need to be strong and concentrate for the whole race; we don't know what can happen in the 20th lap."
Valentino Rossi, 7th, Time - 1'41.959, 8 laps
"We worked hard today; it's not so bad but unfortunately we are not able to start from a better position on the grid. We tried everything but I still don't have the maximum feeling to improve a bit more. The race tomorrow is going to be very interesting because of the tyre choice and the rhythm. There are four or five riders who are very fast and very constant so we hope to do a good start and good first laps to stay with the top guys and check our performance."
Wilco Zeelenberg, Yamaha Factory Racing Team Manager
"A strange day but overall we are in front row even when we had a problem with the first bike. The clutch was spinning when he went out which isn't ideal because you miss a bit of time with your first tyre. He did well anyway with a 1'41.7s lap. We had to stay out with the same bike, but he was able to make a 1'41.5s lap to qualify for the front row. I think that was the maximum for today, Dani with his 40.8 was unreachable. We have to sort out what went wrong with the clutch and dig into our set ups to prepare for tomorrow's race."
Massimo Meregalli, Yamaha Factory Racing Team Director
"We are quite satisfied with the pace we could run in the free practices but the qualifying didn't go as we expected. We have to try and close the gap as our competitors are quicker, especially in the hot conditions that we will probably have again tomorrow. We will work to understand how to improve the total package and we will do our best to be as competitive as possible for tomorrow. The race is always different to the qualifying session. We know the tyres we are going to use, we have to try and make the rear last as long as possible. The race is going to be tough and difficult but we will be ready."
Crutchlow fastest Yamaha in Catalunya qualifying
Cal Crutchlow stormed to his second front row of 2013 in scorching heat at the Circuit de Catalunya this afternoon, the British rider continuing his hot streak of form to qualify as the fastest Yamaha rider ahead of the sixth round of the MotoGP World Championship. The Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team rider saved his best for last with a blistering lap of 1.41.501 on his eighth and final lap moving him ahead of reigning World Champion Jorge Lorenzo to secure second position on the grid for tomorrow's 25-lap race. With temperatures rocketing to a sweltering 30 degrees, Crutchlow delivered an ice cool performance to challenge for a ninth career front row right from the start of the 15-minute QP2. The 27-year-old was immediately inside the top three and he never looked like missing out on his front row start since the opening round in Qatar, his quickest lap making him the fastest Yamaha rider by 0.065s ahead of home crowd hero Lorenzo.
Bradley Smith will start the Gran Premi Aperol de Catalunya from 11th on the grid, the British rider bouncing back superbly from a heavy crash in yesterday's sun-drenched practice to post a best time of 1.42.548. Smith didn't let yesterday's tumble dent his confidence and he advanced into QP2 with a best lap of 1.42.607, with only Andrea Iannone able to lap within 0.5s of the 22-year-old in QP1. As track temperatures soared to over 50 degrees this afternoon in conditions that provided an extreme test of both man and machine, Smith was only a second off the sensational pace set by teammate Crutchlow and he is confident he can battle for the top 10 tomorrow.
Cal Crutchlow, 2nd, Time - 1.41.501, 8 laps
"I think we did a great job today and I am really happy to be back on the front row. It seems a while since I managed it at the first race in Qatar and at least I won't be starting from fourth again. The conditions were really tricky with the incredibly high track temperature and it looks like it is going to be a big battle in the race tomorrow. I'll be happy to get a good start and hang with Dani and Jorge because they are obviously going to be strong. Jorge had a few problems today and maybe without those he would have taken second off me. But there's no doubt we deserve this front row and that's a good reward for all the hard work done by my Monster Yamaha Tech 3 crew. Congratulations to Dani though because that was an incredible lap time in such tricky conditions."
Bradley Smith, 11th, Time - 1.42.548, 8 laps
"I'm feeling a lot more positive now considering what happened yesterday when I was quite slow. I've managed to go 1.7s faster today and that's a great step. I am only a second away from Cal and that is my normal level and I feel we did a good job. When you go so much faster though the feeling with the bike changes and I could do with one more day of practice to fine-tune the set-up. I am really looking forward to the race now. Tyre wear in such hot conditions is going to be critical but I need to stay with the group in the first eight laps and then it will be a big fight to see who can conserve the tyres for the longest. I need to say a big thanks to my Monster Yamaha Tech 3 crew because they have worked really hard on changing the bike to help me improve. My left hand I injured in Mugello was also much better today and it won't cause me any issues in the race."
**************
Bridgestone
Pedrosa smashes lap record to take pole position at the Catalan Grand Prix
Round 6: Catalan MotoGP? - Qualifying Practice
Montmeló, Saturday 15 June 2013
Bridgestone slick compounds available: Front: Medium & Hard. Rear: Soft, Medium & Hard (Asymmetric)
Bridgestone wet tyre compounds available: Hard (Main), Soft (Alternative)
Weather: FP3 - Dry. Ambient 25-28°C; Track 37-40°C (Bridgestone measurement)
FP4 & QP2/1 - Dry. Ambient 32-32°C; Track 56-58°C (Bridgestone measurement)
For the second consecutive race Dani Pedrosa set a new pole position record in qualifying, the Repsol Honda rider setting a remarkable lap time of 1'40.893 to claim the first slot on the grid for tomorrow's Catalan Grand Prix.
Pedrosa's storming lap saw him qualify more than six-tenths of a second ahead of his nearest rival, the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 M1 of Cal Crutchlow whose best time of 1'41.608 placed him in second position. Rounding out the front row of the grid in third place and 0.065 seconds adrift of Crutchlow was Yamaha Factory Racing's Jorge Lorenzo. Power Electronics Aspar's Aleix Espargaro was the best CRT qualifier, his time of 1'42.878 placing him twelfth overall.
Yesterday's hot weather intensified today with track temperatures soaring to 58°C in QP1. Many riders took to task in the free practice sessions to evaluate both options of rear slick, and amongst the works riders the consensus is that despite the extremely high track temperatures, the superior edge grip of the softer rear slick has the better overall performance at this circuit which features prolonged periods at high lean angles. With many fast and flowing corners, the harder front slick is preferred due to its more stable feel.
Tomorrow's Warm Up session at 0940 local time (GMT +2) will give riders a last opportunity to decide on tyre choice for the twenty-five lap race which commences at 1400..
Shinji Aoki - Manager, Bridgestone Motorsport Tyre Development Department
"We had another very hot day today and many riders took the opportunity to test both rear tyre options in today's free practice sessions. The feedback we received is that the harder rear slick gave better drive out of corners, but with the riders spending so much time at high lean angles, the greater edge grip of the softer rear slick is the better performing option around this circuit. Also, the track condition improved today so the consistency of lap times of the softer rear on long runs was better, so I think many works riders are planning on using this option for tomorrow's race - even in these very hot conditions. Front tyre choice for the race is clearer with the harder option being preferred by almost everyone."
*****************
LCR Honda
BRADL STRUGGLES IN THE SWELTERING HEAT OF CATALUNYA GP QUALIFYING
Montmeló, 15 June: LCR Honda racer Stefan Bradl will start from the 10th position (1'42.090) on the gird tomorrow after a tough and hot qualifying session at the Montmeló race track. The German responded very well to the fast traits of the 4.727km race track over the 2 days of practices tweaking the set up of his Honda machine but was not able to confirm his good shape in the afternoon QP2 session.
Stefan: "Obviously this is a disappointing qualifying for us as we were expecting a second row start. We missed some time and I lapped all alone for the whole session which is unusual for this 15-minute session new system. We changed the plan a bit during the session and I did 3 laps on the first tyre and 2 on the second tyre missing a few tenths to get a P5 start for example. It's not the end of the world anyway because we are still able to do a good race tomorrow. Over the distance our potential is higher than what we have shown today so I still feel very confident ".
***************
Pramac Ducati
Eighth place on the grid for Iannone and the Energy T.I. Pramac Racing Team
Andrea Iannone and his team had a busy qualifying day today, taking part in every MotoGP session, but by day's end they had earned the eighth spot on the starting grid?their best of the season so far.
The FP4 session had gone well, with some positive changes being found ahead of Q1, helping the Italian to make the third row for tomorrow. There are still some aspects to work on, and no decision has yet been made regarding which tyre to use in the race, although with today's high temperatures?30° air and 52° asphalt?Andrea preferred the soft option.
Andrea Iannone - Energy T.I. Pramac Racing Team
"I'm happy with today. We made it to Q2, and I did some good laps by myself, which is positive for tomorrow. The pace stayed high, and it may be the first weekend that we've really managed to ride hard, improve the bike, and understand the direction to take. I felt quite good today despite some problems that we still have?difficulty in slowing the bike for corner entry, for example?but we know that these are our limits at the moment. In order to remedy the problem, we probably won't be able to use an ideal setting, as we'll have to opt for better rear grip in order to decrease the sliding. We certainly won't solve that for tomorrow, but together with Ducati, we're preparing for the next GPs. Anyway, we're improving little by little, and every day I understand better how to continue our work. I'm still not sure which tyre to use in the race. Today we worked mainly on getting the most from the soft tyre. We changed some things that gave positive feedback, and we'll make our decision after analyzing the data to compare the pace in the different sessions, although I'm currently more inclined to use the soft. The guys did a great job, and now we have to stay strong in order to be fast in the race."
*****************
Marlboro Ducati
Second, third rows for Ducati Team at Catalan GP
In sunny and hot conditions at the Circuit de Catalunya, Ducati Team riders Nicky Hayden and Andrea Dovizioso rode to the fifth and ninth spots on the grid, respectively, for tomorrow's Catalan Grand Prix.
It was a positive day for Hayden, who was the second-quickest rider in the morning session, then backed it up with his best qualifying session of the year thus far. The American had also set the circuit top-speed record in free practice aboard his Desmosedici GP13, although the mark was subsequently eclipsed by Marc Marquez in the afternoon. Meanwhile, Dovizioso improved his pace from yesterday, but had back luck in qualifying and didn't manage to put together a good lap. He'll share tomorrow's all-Italian third row with Valentino Rossi and Andrea Iannone.
Nicky Hayden - Ducati Team, 5th (1:41.800)
"Dani [Pedrosa] had a spectacular pole lap, but the front row wasn't out of the question for me today. That would've been nice, but this is still my best qualifying position of the year so far. The bike is working pretty well when we have new tyres, but as soon as we lose a little bit of edge grip, it starts pumping. It was okay for qualifying, but we'll have to try something tomorrow morning to see if we can make the tyre last longer. We know it won't be an easy race, but hopefully we can put up a good fight and have some fun."
Andrea Dovizioso - Ducati Team, 9th (1:42.053)
"It's a shame about the qualifying session. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to do a perfect lap, and starting from the third row won't be easy. That's too bad because Barcelona is one of the nicest tracks to ride when you have a perfect lap, but I'm mainly disappointed that our spot on the grid will make it difficult for us tomorrow. My first exit was good, and I knew that if I could put all the sectors together, I could lower my time by three or four tenths. Then on my first lap with the second tyre, the bike closed the front in turn four. I almost fell and had to abort the lap in order to save the tyre. We've improved a lot from yesterday?more with pace than on a fast lap?but it will certainly be a very difficult race as we'll all be struggling when the tyres wear. It will be important to make up some positions at the start, as anything can happen in the race."
*************
FIM
2013 FIM Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix Gran Premi Aperol de Catalunya - Decision of the Race Direction
During the Moto3 Qualifying practice at the Gran Premi Aperol de Catalunya, Spanish rider Maverick Viñales suffered a mechanical problem with his machine and entered the pit lane exit from the main straight. In doing so he crossed in front of Italian rider, Matteo Ferrari, causing him to take evasive action. Maverick Viñales also rode his machine in the opposite direction in the pitlane exit. This is an infringement of Articles 1.21.2, and 1.21.11 of the FIM Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix Regulations.
Race Direction held a hearing with the rider Viñales and his team manager, where these facts were acknowledged.
The decision of Race Direction is to impose one Penalty Point on the record of Mr Viñales for the 2013 season.
No appeal was lodged.
The decision of the Race Direction is final.
Crutchlow: The Continuing Saga
by staff
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
Crutchlow on the podium at Mugello. Fingernails chewed down to the bare minimum he salutes the crowd. Where will he ride in 2014? Good question.
image by Marco Guidetti
Cal Crutchlow and his manager, American Bobby Moore, reportedly met with Yamaha Factory Racing boss Lin Jarvis, Yamaha of Japan execs and Tech 3 Yamaha team principal Herve Poncharal Sunday evening, June 2 after the Italian Grand Prix at Mugello, hoping to clear the air regarding Crutchlow's recent threat to quit Tech 3 if he doesn't get a Yamaha factory deal for next season.
Crutchlow has produced superb results on the Tech 3 Yamaha satellite bike so far this season, with two podium finishes and no result worse than fifth in five starts. He is fourth in the standings, ahead of Yamaha Factory Racing prodigal son Valentino Rossi.
Possibly the most overlooked detail of the entire saga is that last season Crutchlow was offered a two year contract with Tech 3 Yamaha. Instead he requested a one year contract.
However, Crutchlow's now two season long saga with Yamaha may soon to be coming to a close. Suzuki sources suggest that Crutchlow may soon sign with Suzuki for their return to Grand Prix in 2014.
If Crutchlow does sign with Suzuki, it will put an end to a silly season saga nearly two years in the making.
Possibly the most overlooked detail of the entire saga is that last season Crutchlow was offered a two year contract with Tech 3 Yamaha. Instead he requested a one year contract. Thus Yamaha began negotiations with Moto2 rider Pol Esparago for 2014, knowing that Tech 3 already has Brit Bradley Smith under a long term contract. Major MotoGP teams like Yamaha and Honda have multi-year plans for their teams and don't like to write TBD (to be determined) in regards to who will ride their bikes in upcoming seasons.
Last summer Crutchlow underwent negotiations with Ducati about the seat that would open when Valentino Rossi left the squad. However, that situation left the man from Coventry bitter. After Ducati signed Andrea Dovizioso, Crutchlow reportedly suggested that Ducati had lied to him, and there were rumors of an argument between Crutchlow and then Ducati CEO Gabriele Del Torchio.
Re-signing with Yamaha for 2013, Crutchlow began harping on Yamaha about the spec of his bike early this year, even though he left the Sepang test fastest and has been one of the fastest men on a Yamaha in 2013 MotoGP racing. It was a case of a man clearly conflicted: he was fastest, faster than the factory bikes, but could not stop talking about how his M1 was not of the same spec as those ridden by the factory teams.
In presumed protest, at different times this season, Crutchlow stopped using the word "Yamaha" when he spoke about his team, and told reporters that he had "quit" the Tech 3 team for 2014 because Yamaha had signed Esparago rather than him for 2014, interestingly ignoring that Tech 3 had offered him a two year deal last season which Crutchlow turned down.
Crutchlow has also told media that if he can't get a factory MotoGP ride in 2014 that he may return to WSBK.
As it stands right now, Crutchlow's options seem limited. Honda's factory and satellite teams are full for 2014 with the possible exception of Gresini's satellite RC213V now being ridden by Alvaro Bautista. Yamaha riders Jorge Lorenzo and Valentino Rossi are signed through 2014. Tech 3 has Bradley Smith under long term contract for MotoGP, leaving just Crutchlow's seat open, a ride Crutchlow clearly does not want. Nicky Hayden's contract at Ducati ends following the 2013 season leaving one factory seat open at Ducati, currently.
With Suzuki by no means ready to announce their 2014 plans, all that seems certain is that the saga surrounding Cal Crutchlow's 2014 employment will not be extinguished any time soon.
ENDS
by staff
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
Crutchlow on the podium at Mugello. Fingernails chewed down to the bare minimum he salutes the crowd. Where will he ride in 2014? Good question.
image by Marco Guidetti
Cal Crutchlow and his manager, American Bobby Moore, reportedly met with Yamaha Factory Racing boss Lin Jarvis, Yamaha of Japan execs and Tech 3 Yamaha team principal Herve Poncharal Sunday evening, June 2 after the Italian Grand Prix at Mugello, hoping to clear the air regarding Crutchlow's recent threat to quit Tech 3 if he doesn't get a Yamaha factory deal for next season.
Crutchlow has produced superb results on the Tech 3 Yamaha satellite bike so far this season, with two podium finishes and no result worse than fifth in five starts. He is fourth in the standings, ahead of Yamaha Factory Racing prodigal son Valentino Rossi.
Possibly the most overlooked detail of the entire saga is that last season Crutchlow was offered a two year contract with Tech 3 Yamaha. Instead he requested a one year contract.
However, Crutchlow's now two season long saga with Yamaha may soon to be coming to a close. Suzuki sources suggest that Crutchlow may soon sign with Suzuki for their return to Grand Prix in 2014.
If Crutchlow does sign with Suzuki, it will put an end to a silly season saga nearly two years in the making.
Possibly the most overlooked detail of the entire saga is that last season Crutchlow was offered a two year contract with Tech 3 Yamaha. Instead he requested a one year contract. Thus Yamaha began negotiations with Moto2 rider Pol Esparago for 2014, knowing that Tech 3 already has Brit Bradley Smith under a long term contract. Major MotoGP teams like Yamaha and Honda have multi-year plans for their teams and don't like to write TBD (to be determined) in regards to who will ride their bikes in upcoming seasons.
Last summer Crutchlow underwent negotiations with Ducati about the seat that would open when Valentino Rossi left the squad. However, that situation left the man from Coventry bitter. After Ducati signed Andrea Dovizioso, Crutchlow reportedly suggested that Ducati had lied to him, and there were rumors of an argument between Crutchlow and then Ducati CEO Gabriele Del Torchio.
Re-signing with Yamaha for 2013, Crutchlow began harping on Yamaha about the spec of his bike early this year, even though he left the Sepang test fastest and has been one of the fastest men on a Yamaha in 2013 MotoGP racing. It was a case of a man clearly conflicted: he was fastest, faster than the factory bikes, but could not stop talking about how his M1 was not of the same spec as those ridden by the factory teams.
In presumed protest, at different times this season, Crutchlow stopped using the word "Yamaha" when he spoke about his team, and told reporters that he had "quit" the Tech 3 team for 2014 because Yamaha had signed Esparago rather than him for 2014, interestingly ignoring that Tech 3 had offered him a two year deal last season which Crutchlow turned down.
Crutchlow has also told media that if he can't get a factory MotoGP ride in 2014 that he may return to WSBK.
As it stands right now, Crutchlow's options seem limited. Honda's factory and satellite teams are full for 2014 with the possible exception of Gresini's satellite RC213V now being ridden by Alvaro Bautista. Yamaha riders Jorge Lorenzo and Valentino Rossi are signed through 2014. Tech 3 has Bradley Smith under long term contract for MotoGP, leaving just Crutchlow's seat open, a ride Crutchlow clearly does not want. Nicky Hayden's contract at Ducati ends following the 2013 season leaving one factory seat open at Ducati, currently.
With Suzuki by no means ready to announce their 2014 plans, all that seems certain is that the saga surrounding Cal Crutchlow's 2014 employment will not be extinguished any time soon.
ENDS
Lorenzo triumphs again in Barcelona
Catalunya 2013 - MotoGP - RACE - Highlights
Sunday, 16 June 2013
Jorge Lorenzo has won the Gran Premi Aperol de Catalunya for the third time in four years, beating Dani Pedrosa and Marc Marquez on Sunday afternoon. Valentino Rossi rode a lonely race to fourth position while as many as eight riders retired, including Cal Crutchlow who crashed out on the sixth lap.
Saturday had seen Dani Pedrosa smashing Casey Stoner’s 2008 lap record en route to an impressive pole position for the Repsol Honda Team rider’s 200th Grand Prix weekend. He would ultimately lose his lead on the drag to the first corner and never regain the top spot, not least as teammate Marquez closed in from behind.
Two weeks ago, Lorenzo had sealed his second victory of the campaign in Italy. He now becomes the first rider to win three times in 2013, in the process moving to within seven points of championship-leading Pedrosa. This afternoon, the Mallorcan made the most of the battling Hondas to pull out a lead of over one second with four laps to go.
As Yamaha Factory Racing’s Lorenzo moved to seventh in the all-time rankings for premier class race wins, with his 26th victory putting him one ahead of 1993 World Champion Kevin Schwantz, Pedrosa was forced to fight a rear-guard action even though Marquez had almost removed himself from the race on the penultimate lap.
Heading into Turn 4 on the 24th of the 25 tours, Marquez suffered a significant scare and came perilously close to losing the front end of his bike. He would go on to reduce a six-tenth of a second margin to finish the race just six hundredths behind Pedrosa, although the key to his day had been a strong getaway from sixth on the grid.
Taking advantage of the dramas in front of him – such as accidents for Monster Yamaha Tech 3’s Cal Crutchlow and Ducati Team’s Nicky Hayden, going out in separate solo incidents on the tenth lap – Stefan Bradl enjoyed a second consecutive top five finish as Tech 3’s Bradley Smith celebrated a personal best result of sixth. In ninth, Colin Edwards picked up his personal 2013 best for NGM Mobile Forward Racing.
The leading CRT rider for the sixth time in as many Grands Prix this season, Power Electronics Aspar’s Aleix Espargaro finished eighth for the second race in a row, while GO&FUN Honda Gresini’s Alvaro Bautista was upset to have crashed on the opening lap following a near-miss with Valentino Rossi’s Yamaha. Also in the gravel at the La Caixa corner were PBM’s Michael Laverty and Ignite Pramac Racing’s Michele Pirro, although the Italian went on to finish tenth.
The high attrition allowed an assortment of riders to enjoy their best races of the season, including Australian newcomer Bryan Staring who finished 14th to score the first points for the Gresini CRT bike. Scoring on his debut was Avintia Blusens’ Javier del Amor, substituting for Hiroshi Aoyama who had injured a finger on Saturday.
Six races into the 2013 MotoGP™ campaign, Dani Pedrosa leads Jorge Lorenzo by the further reduced margin of seven points. In the Constructors’ Championship, Yamaha has moved to within four points of the leading Honda. The battle will continue in The Netherlands, with the historic Iveco TT Assen on Saturday 29th June.
Pos.RiderTeamBike
1 Jorge Lorenzo Yamaha Factory Racing Yamaha
2 Dani Pedrosa Repsol Honda Team Honda
3 Marc Marquez Repsol Honda Team Honda
4 Valentino Rossi Yamaha Factory Racing Yamaha
5 Stefan Bradl LCR Honda Honda
6 Bradley Smith Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Yamaha
7 Andrea Dovizioso Ducati Team Ducati
8 Aleix Espargaro Power Electronics Aspar ART
9 Colin Edwards NGM Mobile Forward Racing FTR Kawasaki
10 Michele Pirro Ignite Pramac Racing Ducati
11 Danilo Petrucci Came Iodaracing Project Ioda-Suter
12 Claudio Corti NGM Mobile Forward Racing FTR Kawasaki
13 Yonny Hernandez Paul Bird Motorsport ART
14 Bryan Staring Go&Fun Honda Gresini FTR Honda
Margin of victory: 1.7 seconds.
Gresini rider Bautista crashed out very early in the race and nearly took out Valentino Rossi.
Hayden and Crutchlow crashed out well before mid-race, both losing the front, both seemingly unhurt. CRT rider Laverty crashed out, as did Andrea Iannone and Hector Barbera.
Stoner Holds Steady When Answering THE QUESTION
by staff
Friday, June 14, 2013
Thanks but no says Stoner to a MotoGP comeback.
It should come as no surprise that a man who was so clearly miserable being paid millions of dollars to race a dream motorcycle into the MotoGP record books has no intention of returning to the game which made him so obviously unhappy.
Two-time World Champion Casey Stoner has made it very clear he has no plans to return to motorcycle racing since he shocked the world 13 months ago by announcing he would retire after the 2012 season, at age 27.
Yet the worldwide motorsports media continues to prod Stoner, almost willing for him to return, by asking him THE QUESTION in nearly every interview. A prominent British racing website was the latest to march in this headline-grabbing parade, and 2007 and 2011 MotoGP World Champion Stoner stood firm when asked if he plans to make a comeback on two wheels despite racing this season in Australian touring cars.
"At this point, I can't ever see myself going back," Stoner said. "I'm closed; I'm done with it. I can't see the direction I want it to, where I think I'd enjoy riding the bikes enough again, to want to go back and deal with that."
Stoner said that his time away from racing has made his resolve to not return even stronger.
When he raced Stoner seemed to pine for the simple life, with a small house by a body of water in Australia and not ever seeing the inside of an airplane again. Instead he bought a huge mansion on the water and has been doing a good bit of traveling--he was in the US a few weeks ago bumming around with friends. Also, now he doesn't have to put up with the appallingly disrespectful MotoGP media crowd, breaking news he had to angrily deny only to confirm it as the truth later.
Some HRC execs cried when Stoner retired, but it's a valid question--does Honda even need Stoner? The RC213 is very close to weapon of choice for the MotoGP grid. Pedrosa is a solid man for the 2013 title and Marc Marquez is their rider for the future. Why on earth would they force Stoner back into that mix? What would they gain?
Other teams, of course, might find him of use. Marlboro Ducati, perhaps?
Regardless, Stoner seems keen to live the life he seemingly always wanted--one away from the constant bother of MotoGP racing.
"I'm watching it as a fan now rather than being there, and it's not hurting me."
Is that clear enough? He's. Not. Coming. Back.
ENDS
Catalunya 2013 - MotoGP - RACE - Highlights
Sunday, 16 June 2013
Jorge Lorenzo has won the Gran Premi Aperol de Catalunya for the third time in four years, beating Dani Pedrosa and Marc Marquez on Sunday afternoon. Valentino Rossi rode a lonely race to fourth position while as many as eight riders retired, including Cal Crutchlow who crashed out on the sixth lap.
Saturday had seen Dani Pedrosa smashing Casey Stoner’s 2008 lap record en route to an impressive pole position for the Repsol Honda Team rider’s 200th Grand Prix weekend. He would ultimately lose his lead on the drag to the first corner and never regain the top spot, not least as teammate Marquez closed in from behind.
Two weeks ago, Lorenzo had sealed his second victory of the campaign in Italy. He now becomes the first rider to win three times in 2013, in the process moving to within seven points of championship-leading Pedrosa. This afternoon, the Mallorcan made the most of the battling Hondas to pull out a lead of over one second with four laps to go.
As Yamaha Factory Racing’s Lorenzo moved to seventh in the all-time rankings for premier class race wins, with his 26th victory putting him one ahead of 1993 World Champion Kevin Schwantz, Pedrosa was forced to fight a rear-guard action even though Marquez had almost removed himself from the race on the penultimate lap.
Heading into Turn 4 on the 24th of the 25 tours, Marquez suffered a significant scare and came perilously close to losing the front end of his bike. He would go on to reduce a six-tenth of a second margin to finish the race just six hundredths behind Pedrosa, although the key to his day had been a strong getaway from sixth on the grid.
Taking advantage of the dramas in front of him – such as accidents for Monster Yamaha Tech 3’s Cal Crutchlow and Ducati Team’s Nicky Hayden, going out in separate solo incidents on the tenth lap – Stefan Bradl enjoyed a second consecutive top five finish as Tech 3’s Bradley Smith celebrated a personal best result of sixth. In ninth, Colin Edwards picked up his personal 2013 best for NGM Mobile Forward Racing.
The leading CRT rider for the sixth time in as many Grands Prix this season, Power Electronics Aspar’s Aleix Espargaro finished eighth for the second race in a row, while GO&FUN Honda Gresini’s Alvaro Bautista was upset to have crashed on the opening lap following a near-miss with Valentino Rossi’s Yamaha. Also in the gravel at the La Caixa corner were PBM’s Michael Laverty and Ignite Pramac Racing’s Michele Pirro, although the Italian went on to finish tenth.
The high attrition allowed an assortment of riders to enjoy their best races of the season, including Australian newcomer Bryan Staring who finished 14th to score the first points for the Gresini CRT bike. Scoring on his debut was Avintia Blusens’ Javier del Amor, substituting for Hiroshi Aoyama who had injured a finger on Saturday.
Six races into the 2013 MotoGP™ campaign, Dani Pedrosa leads Jorge Lorenzo by the further reduced margin of seven points. In the Constructors’ Championship, Yamaha has moved to within four points of the leading Honda. The battle will continue in The Netherlands, with the historic Iveco TT Assen on Saturday 29th June.
Pos.RiderTeamBike
1 Jorge Lorenzo Yamaha Factory Racing Yamaha
2 Dani Pedrosa Repsol Honda Team Honda
3 Marc Marquez Repsol Honda Team Honda
4 Valentino Rossi Yamaha Factory Racing Yamaha
5 Stefan Bradl LCR Honda Honda
6 Bradley Smith Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Yamaha
7 Andrea Dovizioso Ducati Team Ducati
8 Aleix Espargaro Power Electronics Aspar ART
9 Colin Edwards NGM Mobile Forward Racing FTR Kawasaki
10 Michele Pirro Ignite Pramac Racing Ducati
11 Danilo Petrucci Came Iodaracing Project Ioda-Suter
12 Claudio Corti NGM Mobile Forward Racing FTR Kawasaki
13 Yonny Hernandez Paul Bird Motorsport ART
14 Bryan Staring Go&Fun Honda Gresini FTR Honda
Margin of victory: 1.7 seconds.
Gresini rider Bautista crashed out very early in the race and nearly took out Valentino Rossi.
Hayden and Crutchlow crashed out well before mid-race, both losing the front, both seemingly unhurt. CRT rider Laverty crashed out, as did Andrea Iannone and Hector Barbera.
Stoner Holds Steady When Answering THE QUESTION
by staff
Friday, June 14, 2013
Thanks but no says Stoner to a MotoGP comeback.
It should come as no surprise that a man who was so clearly miserable being paid millions of dollars to race a dream motorcycle into the MotoGP record books has no intention of returning to the game which made him so obviously unhappy.
Two-time World Champion Casey Stoner has made it very clear he has no plans to return to motorcycle racing since he shocked the world 13 months ago by announcing he would retire after the 2012 season, at age 27.
Yet the worldwide motorsports media continues to prod Stoner, almost willing for him to return, by asking him THE QUESTION in nearly every interview. A prominent British racing website was the latest to march in this headline-grabbing parade, and 2007 and 2011 MotoGP World Champion Stoner stood firm when asked if he plans to make a comeback on two wheels despite racing this season in Australian touring cars.
"At this point, I can't ever see myself going back," Stoner said. "I'm closed; I'm done with it. I can't see the direction I want it to, where I think I'd enjoy riding the bikes enough again, to want to go back and deal with that."
Stoner said that his time away from racing has made his resolve to not return even stronger.
When he raced Stoner seemed to pine for the simple life, with a small house by a body of water in Australia and not ever seeing the inside of an airplane again. Instead he bought a huge mansion on the water and has been doing a good bit of traveling--he was in the US a few weeks ago bumming around with friends. Also, now he doesn't have to put up with the appallingly disrespectful MotoGP media crowd, breaking news he had to angrily deny only to confirm it as the truth later.
Some HRC execs cried when Stoner retired, but it's a valid question--does Honda even need Stoner? The RC213 is very close to weapon of choice for the MotoGP grid. Pedrosa is a solid man for the 2013 title and Marc Marquez is their rider for the future. Why on earth would they force Stoner back into that mix? What would they gain?
Other teams, of course, might find him of use. Marlboro Ducati, perhaps?
Regardless, Stoner seems keen to live the life he seemingly always wanted--one away from the constant bother of MotoGP racing.
"I'm watching it as a fan now rather than being there, and it's not hurting me."
Is that clear enough? He's. Not. Coming. Back.
ENDS
that's my favorit one... fucking piece of art!
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