Two Wheels

[wino]

Stoner: Crutchlow Taking Big Risk By Padding Wallet At Ducati
by staff
Friday, September 20, 2013
Casey Stoner, MotoGP's reluctant hero, continues to speak to the media at every opportunity about the sport he shuns and slams at every opportunity. The latest subject of his geyser-like opinions was Cal Crutchlow, who has been the top satellite rider this season for Tech 3 but is switching to Ducati and its troubled program in 2014.

Stoner thinks Crutchlow will have a fatter bank account by leaving Tech 3, and his reported $300,000 annual salary, for what must be a seven-figure paycheck from the Boys in Bologna. But two-time MotoGP World Champion Stoner, who won his first crown on a Ducati in 2007, also thinks the move could push Crutchlow further down the totem pole among elite MotoGP riders.

"I understand exactly where Cal is coming and that he feels that he can not stay with his current team," Stoner said to German media. "But I also think that he does not realize what is its current standard motorcycle, it's basically a factory bike. It is not possible to get a much better bike than what Cal has at the moment.

"Go to Ducati is the right way from a financial perspective. But I'm not sure what this step will mean for his career."

ENDS


Stoner Requires Modern TR750 In Order To Return
by staff
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
Two-time MotoGP World Champion Casey Stoner insists there are only two formulas that could cause him to return to racing in the premier class - more horsepower and no electronics on the current four-stroke machines or a change in specifications to two-stroke, 750cc engines.

Stoner retired after the 2012 season and pursued a new career in Australian V8 Supercars. But he struggled in his first season in the series' introductory class and abandoned four-wheel racing for this year earlier this month. Stoner also has tested Honda MotoGP bikes this season for HRC, a role he will continue this fall on the 2014 edition of the RC213V.

But despite rumors of a possible wild-card outing in October at his home track of Phillip Island, Stoner said he has no desire to return this year or at any time. Unless ...

"If they remove the electronics and greatly increase the performance of motorcycles, I might think about making a comeback," Stoner said told German media. "Maybe when the four-stroke has 300 horsepower and have no electronics. Or if there were even 750cc, two-stroke engines, that would be interesting.

"I just want more horsepower to do more on the bike and less of the stuff that makes it any easier to drive these machines. Then I could have a lot of fun and really enjoy to ride these bikes."

Current 1000cc MotoGP engines produce about 260 horsepower. But that's not enough for Stoner.

"The current generation MotoGP has not enough power for me," Stoner said. "I felt this after the test at Motegi. I want more and more power every time I drive these machines. That's why I have so much I struggled with the electronics and the fact that the engineers would try to control the power. I have asked them to turn off the traction control, because I wanted to feel the power in my right hand."


Spies: Ducati Ride Solid For 2014
by staff
Thursday, September 19, 2013
'My relationship with Ducati is great,' Spies said.
image by trale break
It's looking more and more likely that Ben Spies will only start two races in his first season with Pramac Ducati due to shoulder and chest injuries, but he insists he will keep the ride for 2014 despite rumors circulating in European media.
Spies only has started three of the season—at Qatar, CoTA and Jerez—due to lingering problems with his shoulder that was surgically rebuilt last October, chest muscle problems and an injury to his other shoulder in August at Indianapolis.

Pramac this week hired Colombian Yonny Hernandez to ride Spies' GP13 after Hernandez was released from his contract with Paul Bird Motorsport. Spies' super-sub this season, Michele Pirro, isn't available this fall due to his increased workload as the factory test rider for Ducati, which is developing its GP14 bike.

The hiring of Hernandez only has increased speculation Ducati may try to buy out the second year of Spies' contract. But Spies is having none of it.

"My relationship with Ducati is great," Spies said. "Nothing is going on there, like I have read about. You hear about all of these crazy stories, but that is basically it. There is nothing to (it).

"I am talking with Ducati every few days, and they are keeping me up to date with what is going on with the bike, what is going to be tested, what I am doing and so on. That is where we are at right now.

Note Spies specified that his relationship with Ducati is healthy, not mentioning Pramac.

"I wish (Hernandez) luck. It is a great opportunity for him - unfortunately at my expense - but I hope he does a good job and is able to do well.

"Right now we are just watching, kind of from the outside, and waiting to see the first time we can come back. Before setting any goal (for 2014), the first step is just to get back to 100 percent, and then we have plenty of time to get back on the bike and reset goals. I haven't felt that in a long time. If we can do that, then I know what we can do, and the team knows what we can do."


In '68 33 Riders Was A Small GP Grid
by staff
Friday, September 20, 2013


Dorna and the FIM issued a provisional entry list for Moto2 and Moto3 for 2014, with 20 teams and 33 riders in Moto2 and 17 teams and 32 riders in Moto3. Not too shabby for a globe still straining under the weight of a tepid economy.

Of course, nothing like the grid for the '68 Ulster Grand Prix's 350 GP as represented in various shades of gray in the above video. We stopped counting at 40-something as the bikes streamed past. Note that at least 20 riders tried but didn't qualify for the race.

ENDS




Back on track: Interview with Damian Cudlin

Tuesday, 24 September 2013
Damian Cudlin will make a welcome return to the MotoGP™ paddock as he joins PBM at MotorLand Aragon this weekend. The 30-year-old Australian will take the place of Yonny Hernandez, who has undertaken a new challenge with Ignite Pramac Racing.


Hailing from Sydney, Cudlin first competed on the World Championship stage at the 2010 Moto2™ race in Germany, in which he finished seventh. He returned to the intermediate category last year for two outings, although his only MotoGP™ roles to date came in 2011. He is now thoroughly looking forward to taking up the task of riding the PBM in-house bike, as teammate Michael Laverty switches to PBM’s ART machine that had previously been ridden by Hernandez. Cudlin will compete both in Aragon this coming weekend and at Phillip Island next month.

Damian, you are making your MotoGP™ return at MotorLand Aragon this weekend – how do you feel to be back in the World Championship?

I am really excited about it! I can’t wait to throw my leg over the bike. I think it is something every rider dreams of doing: being in MotoGP™. I am no different. It is going to be great to be back there. I have had a little taste of it before, having had the chance to ride for Pramac Ducati back in 2011 and then also for Aspar Ducati at Phillip Island. I suffered a bit of bad luck in both of those outings and thought that was maybe going to be the end of my MotoGP™ chances; so to have this thing come along now has really given me a whole new hope again, that I can still get myself into MotoGP™, and I can’t wait!

Do you have much experience of riding MotorLand Aragon?

I have been to Aragon before. I rode there when I was a development rider for Kalex, going there on what might have even been the first time they opened up the track for bikes, back at the start of 2010. So I have been there before and I do know the track, which is handy. Obviously I don’t know anything about the PBM bike I will be riding, but I do have a bit of experience with the class and with MotoGP™ bikes in general; I have done a lot of development work with the Suter-BMW CRT bike and I know the Bridgestone tyres plus the brakes, so I do have some experience with those things which probably helped get me the job.

How well do you know your teammate-to-be, Michael Laverty?

I have met Michael just in passing. Back in 2009, when he was doing some AMA stuff in the States, I was over there at the same time and in fact on one occasion filled in for him in AMA when he had a British Superbike commitment. I am looking forward to working with him. In fact, his ‘missus’ Jodi was the one who designed my Convict logo, so it will be a laugh working with those guys.

Is it too early to be asking about MotoGP™ possibilities for next year?

At the moment, I couldn’t tell you what I am doing next year because I don’t really know! It is all open, but I do think one positive is that this is the best time to come in and do these things because everything is up in the air at the moment, so it would be a good time for me to come in and do a good job. I am just going to try and focus on getting the most out of the bike and doing the best job I can; if something then comes out of it, that will be a bonus.

Damian Cudlin was speaking exclusively with motogp.com

 

[wino]

Rock & Hard Place
by staff
Friday, September 20, 2013
"Tanking" is a common phrase in American sports applied to teams that don't field their best players or compete with maximum effort late in a season, losing games to earn a better position in the upcoming off-season player draft.

It happens in racing, too of course. For example, two hot-footed riders, faced with racing a works endurance bike that the factory had built with all of the engine heat venting right on their feet, decided to "kill it" early in the Suzuka 8 hours so many years ago.

Aleix Espargaro faces a similar dilemma in MotoGP: To tank or not to tank?

Espargaro is the best rider among Claiming Rules Teams outfits this season in the premier class, 10th in points. His nearest CRT challengers are Colin Edwards II and Hector Barbera, 41 points behind.

So it's a pretty safe bet that—barring injury—Espargaro will finish the season as the No. 1 CRT rider. That's a blessing—and a problem.

Espargaro's strong performances on the Aspar Aprilia have attracted interest from satellite and customer teams for 2014, with Forward Racing pushing hard to get his signature on a contract for next season on a Yamaha customer bike.

But Espargaro admitted last week after riding to fifth overall in Friday practice at Misano—behind only the factory riders from Repsol Honda and Yamaha—that he has a clause in contract with Aspar that will require him to return to the team in 2014 if he is the top CRT rider this season.

"We are going through difficult times," Espargaro said. "As you all know, I would like to have a better bike for next year, but it is not easy. There is a clause in my contract which obliges me to stay if I end this year as the leading CRT. Obviously, I am a professional rider and I will continue in my attempt to finish first of the CRTs in every race, but it is not easy. It is a delicate situation."

No one is telling Espargaro to tank. A rumored buyout of 600,000 euros probably would cajole Aspar Martinez to pull out an eraser on that clause in Espargaro's contract. But Forward is rumored to be balking at paying that clause. So if that money can't be raised, and Espargaro sees his chance to ride a customer Yamaha slip away ...

ENDS


* edit*

there is word that forward racing is going to pay @ 400,000 Euros to buy him out.

 

[wino]

MOTOGP »
Aragon MotoGP: Marquez seeking first home win
24 September 2013

"It will be nice to return home to race in front of our home fans in Aragón this weekend!" - Marc Marquez.

• 
  
  Aragon MotoGP: Marquez seeking first home win
  There is not much more that Marc Marquez could have achieved so far during his rookie MotoGP season.
  
  A winner of five races - a rookie record - Marquez currently leads the standings by 34 points from compatriots Jorge Lorenzo and Dani Pedrosa, with just five rounds to go.
  
  But one opportunity that Marquez hasn't yet grasped is to claim a first MotoGP win on home Spanish asphalt, having finished second at Jerez and then third at Catalunya.
  
  The 20-year-old will have his next chance at Aragon this weekend, before the final round at Valencia.
  
  "It will be nice to return home to race in front of our home fans in Aragón this weekend!” said Marquez, who won at Aragon in the Moto2 class in 2011.
  
  “The track - which is one of my favourites - has technical first and final sections, and you need to be strong in cornering.
  
  “We've had good results there in the past two years so I hope to continue this way and we've also been testing there already this year on the MotoGP machine, so we have some data.
  
  “After the race in Misano, we had a good test on the Monday and definitely found some positive settings, so I'm looking forward to trying them out this weekend in Aragon!"
  
  Although Marquez has been beaten by Yamaha's reigning champion Lorenzo at the past two events, he has not been out-scored by team-mate Pedrosa since June's Catalunya event - allowing him to increase his points lead.
  
  Pedrosa took victory at Aragon last season and badly needs a repeat performance this weekend.
  
  "I've always done well in Aragón and I'm looking forward to racing in front of our home crowd again, the support is always great and gives you motivation!” said Pedrosa, winner at Jerez.
  
  “We had a test on Monday after Misano and found some positive things that I hope will help us here in Motorland, especially in corner exit. We'll have to wait and see"

MOTOGP »
Valentino Rossi to launch 'VR46' Moto3 team in 2014
24 September 2013

Valentino Rossi to start 'VR46' Moto3 team with sponsorship from Sky Italia, running KTM machinery and Romano Fenati as one of the riders.

Valentino Rossi to launch 'VR46' Moto3 team in 2014
UPDATE: Valentino Rossi-backed Moto3 team now confirmed as having filed an entry for the 2014 World Championship.

Valentino Rossi is to start a Moto3 team, running Romano Fenati and possibly half-brother Luca Marini on KTM machinery in 2014.

Rumours that Rossi would become involved in a Moto3 team have been circling for months.

But in August the seven time MotoGP champion insisted the plan was just to start a 'VR46 Riders Academy', to help support young Italian racers, rather than an actual team.

However Italy's SportMediaset reports that the Italian Federation will no longer field the San Carlo-backed Team Italia squad next year, leaving 2012 race winner Fenati in need of a team.

Italy's Sky TV will sponsor the new VR46 project, while KTM machines are also confirmed - and an obvious choice, having won every Moto3 grand prix so far this year.

"We have joined forces with Sky in order to give the Italian riders the opportunity to be competitive and reach the highest levels," said Rossi.

The identity of Fenati's team-mate is not yet known, but Rossi's half-brother Marini is unsurprisingly being tipped as a possibility. Marini - currently second in the Italian Moto3 championship - made his grand prix debut as a wild-card last time at Misano, but fell at the first turn.

Teams wishing to enter next year's Moto2 or Moto3 World Championships submitted their requests at the San Marino Grand Prix. Further details on the 2014 entries will be made available after the next selection meeting at the Malaysian Grand Prix, in October.

However the official MotoGP website has confirmed that the new VR46/Sky team "has already forwarded an official entry application to MotoGP governing body the FIM and commercial rights holder Dorna Sports in order to participate in the Moto3 class."


MOTOGP »
Aragon MotoGP: 200th GP for Andrea Dovizioso
24 September 2013

"I'm really happy to have reached this milestone but it also means that I'm becoming quite old!" - Andrea Dovizioso.

• 
  
  Aragon MotoGP: 200th GP for Andrea Dovizioso
  This weekend's Aragon MotoGP will mark the 200th Grand Prix for Andrea Dovizioso.
  
  After a wild-card entry in 2001, Dovizioso joined the 125cc class full time the following year, lifting the title in 2004.
  
  A double title runner-up in 250cc, the Italian reached MotoGP in 2008, claiming his first - and so far only - premier-class win in 2009 at Repsol Honda.
  
  Dovizioso scored one of his six Tech 3 Yamaha rostrums at Aragon last year and will be making his Ducati debut at the circuit this weekend. Ducati, unlike Honda and Yamaha, did not attend a test held at the circuit in June.
  
  “I really didn't know that I will reach the milestone of 200 GPs at Aragón!” he said. “It's really nice to do a lot of races in the world championship, and it's something really important for the rider.
  
  “When I was young, for me it was impossible to think about being a part of the world championship, so I'm really happy to have reached this milestone but it also means that I'm becoming quite old!”
  
  Dovizioso, 27, is currently eighth in the world championship with a best Desmosedici finish of fourth.
  
  “I don't know if Aragón will suit us better than Misano. For me this year it's always new and at every track the Ducati works in a different way. I don't know what we can expect but normally Aragón is quite a good race for Ducati.”
  
  Team-mate Nicky Hayden was one of two Ducatis on the podium in the inaugural 2010 Aragon event, won by Casey Stoner.
  
  “Aragón is definitely quite a bit different from Misano, the last track we raced at, as it goes left and has some elevation changes,” sad Hayden, who was flipped over a fence during a dramatic exit from last year's race.
  
  “It's a fun track that has some nice corners, although it has gotten pretty bumpy since the first year we went there and had great results with the Ducati, which hasn't helped us. It's a track I enjoy, but we know that it's not going to be an easy race for us.
  
  “Still, I'm looking forward to going there. We'll try to start the weekend strong and see if we can do something better than we have at the last few races.”
  
  Hayden, tipped to join Aprilia for 2014, is currently nine points behind Dovizioso.

 

[wino]

MOTOGP »
Thomas Luthi - Q&A
24 September 2013

“I lost a lot of blood during surgery and wasn't in good shape. I was even asking myself if I was doing the right thing. Then I saw the other riders racing and testing and I just felt I could still do it. More importantly, I just wanted to go out and beat them!” - Thomas Luthi.

• 
  
  Thomas Luthi - Q&A
  By Christian Tiburtius
  
  An exclusive interview with Moto2 star Thomas Luthi.
  
  The former 125cc world champion missed the end of pre-season testing and the opening rounds of this season due to a serious arm injury.
  
  The Swiss Interwetten Suter rider, 27, has since taken three podium finishes and is eighth in the world championship standings heading into this weekend's Aragon round…
  
  Crash.net:
  There are no race tracks in Switzerland, how do you start racing there?
  
  Thomas Luthi:
  Yeah, it's a pity that we don't have any tracks. I think I did it in a rather unusual way, in Switzerland we have a pocket bike championship and it happens in commercial car parks and kart tracks. You don't have any chance to make the step up to 125's or bigger bikes in Switzerland though.
  
  After that I took part in the German championship. I lived and went to school in Switzerland but travelled a lot. I got every Friday off from school, travelled to the race - some races were up to 1000km away - took part in the race and then travelled home on Sunday evening. Some Monday mornings I'd get home at 6am and have to be at school at 7am, a little bit tired, but it worked.
  
  It was tough and I was lucky to get the Fridays off. The teachers told me that as long as my work and grades at school didn't suffer too much then they'd let me do it, so that was a big motivation for me.
  
  Crash.net:
  So we can thank your enlightened teachers for you career…
  
  Thomas Luthi:
  Yes, in a way but my parents too.
  
  Crash.net:
  I'm just trying to clarify if racing is actually illegal in Switzerland.
  
  Thomas Luthi:
  Yes, that's true. Racing on circuits is forbidden. There was a big car accident in Le Mans and after that circuit racing was made illegal. You can still have races in the mountains on the public roads but circuit racing is illegal. I don't think they still do mountain races on bikes but for sure they still do them with cars and those seem a lot more dangerous than racing on tracks to me.
  
  Crash.net:
  So from the Swiss point of view, the Isle of Man TT is legal but the GP at Silverstone is illegal?
  
  Thomas Luthi:
  Exactly, that's the way it works here!
  
  Crash.net:
  You won the Swiss personality of the year in 2005, you must be very well known?
  
  Thomas Luthi:
  That was after I won the 125 championship. I actually beat Roger Federer to the prize and I really thought wow! This is a really great moment. Roger was actually second to me, it felt very strange.
  
  There are many racing fans here even though we don't have a race. All the races are shown on Swiss television and particularly after I won the 125 championship there was a lot of hype so I am quite known. Some people recognise me but I can go out or have dinner with no problems, I still have to pay the bill, but I may get a free coffee!
  
  Also I think that Swiss people are perhaps a little more reserved and shy so they stay calm and don't bother me. I like living in Switzerland.
  
  Crash.net:
  When you were in 125s your results seemed to improve after working with Andy Ibbott?
  
  Thomas Luthi:

I worked with him for a long time and he was like a riding coach. My opinion was that despite the fact that you're in the world championship, everything isn't perfect and you always need to improve. The biggest thing that you can work on is your riding style and to try to be better every corner, every race, every lap. I worked with him for a long time and for sure I learned a lot from him.

You need many stones to build a house and Andy was definitely one of the important ones.

I always try to work on my style, sometimes I don't bother trying to change the bike, I just work on my style. The rider is a big part of the bike package and a lot of weight that can be moved around so working with your body on the bike can help a lot. You've got to be careful though because working too much with your body can make the bike nervous. I just play around to try and find the perfect way.

At the beginning everybody looked towards Valentino Rossi and thought 'as long as I do what he's doing everything will be OK' but all riders are different and you have to work on your own style. You couldn't take, for example, Marc Marquez's set-up, that's only for him.

Crash.net:
When you mentioned Valentino Rossi, one of his most characteristic style elements is the 'leg dangle'…

Thomas Luthi:
He was the first to do this and many riders thought that if he does it, I'll do it. I don't do it though. I had a look at Lorenzo and he's world champion so I think it's still possible to go fast without dangling your leg into a corner. I tried it sometimes when I'd braked too late and used my leg to right the bike. Maybe it helps to balance the bike a little but it's not a key point to go much faster.

Crash.net:
You seem a very calm rider and personality…

Thomas Luthi:
For sure I'm nervous on the grid and I feel that's important because you need to be like that. Most of the time though I can stay quite calm. I try to stay calm so that I can focus on the job.

When you're on the grid though it's probably another level of nerves to for example going on stage, starting a Moto2 race is one of the biggest things in bike racing, it's very competitive.

Crash.net:
When riders talk about 'finding a rhythm', what do they mean?

Thomas Luthi:
It's a very important thing, I often talk about finding the right flow. It's not thinking about the next corner, it's a feeling thing. At a certain point everything goes automatically and well and you feel you are in the flow, everything comes easier. At that point you don't have to work so hard on the bike anymore that's how you know you've found the rhythm.

In the race weekend I take the first exit in the first free practice and I use five or six laps to just try to find the rhythm, to try to get consistent lap times and braking points. I'm not looking for speed, I'm looking for the flow.

When you find that point, you feel more relaxed and you're not so tired after the race because the rhythm was there.

Crash.net:
The big influence on your 2013 season has been your injury, how bad was it and how are you now?

Thomas Luthi:
My right elbow was quite destroyed. When I say quite destroyed, it was actually completely destroyed. I had many broken bones in the elbow. It's really gratifying that I'm already back; the doctors did a really great job in completely rebuilding the elbow.

We missed tests and the first two races and all the bike set-up experience that would have come with it. Coming back was difficult in two ways, the fact that I was injured and also the lack of experience of working with the bike.

The arm really is much better now and on the bike for the last three races I've been able to ride without pain. The movement is almost 100%. I can't straighten it properly but on the bike that isn't a problem. On the bike I'm almost there. The injury was actually in a quite small area and there is a lot of metal work in there and I may have to have another operation in the winter to have it removed.

Straight after the accident it was a difficult time and I was thinking many things. Directly afterwards I was even asking myself if I was doing the right thing here. I lost a lot of blood during the surgery and I was in hospital for a week and really wasn't in good shape. After that my feelings changed quite quickly though but it was hard work.

In the end I saw the other riders racing and testing and I just felt that I could still do it, more importantly though, I just wanted to go out and beat them! It's the basic impulse when I ride in a race, I don't go there just to be with the other riders and ride with them, I want to beat them. I still think that I'm good enough to beat them all. If I go out and just start racing for a bit of fun, that'll probably be the beginning of the end.

The support of the people around me also helped, it was made clear to me that it would be my decision whether I came back or not.

Crash.net:
What would you say are your strengths in racing?

Thomas Luthi:
It's difficult to say, but perhaps one strength I have is my sheer experience in the Moto2 class. Another is that if the bike is set-up well then I can be very strong on the brakes, good set-up is very important for late braking.

Also depending on the situation, I'm quite a strategic rider.

Weaknesses, there are many points, as I mentioned at the beginning you have to continually work on so many aspects but I don't want to say which ones because the other riders may read the interview and try to beat me with my weaknesses! Perhaps I'd better keep those to myself.

Crash.net:
What about your crew?

Thomas Luthi:
It's a very stable crew and it was actually my goal to stay with the same crew for next year and that was a big wish from my side. It looks quite good now so I'll be in the same team with the same crew. That's a very important point because you have to trust the people who are around you.

It's great to have stability and that's an important element of going fast, stability of the crew chief is particularly important. He knows me very well, he knows what I need on the bike and I know him. I can talk about the bike in terms of feelings and he immediately knows what I mean, everything can be done quicker.

You can see that Rossi has always kept his whole crew when he moved. When you come in you pretty much only speak to your crew chief and that relationship is key. He manages everything that goes on in the box.

Crash.net:
How are the decisions made between you and your crew chief?

Thomas Luthi:
It's always a question of discussion but in the end it's my decision. We talk about it, when I have a better idea, he goes along with it and when he does I go along with it. The tyre choice is also ultimately the rider's but you listen to your crew chief first.

Crash.net:
Last year the Suter was dominant but this season Kalex seem to be doing better, has the Suter become less competitive?

Thomas Luthi:

No, you can't really say that. The Suter is still a race winning bike, they've won two races this season, it's just that there are more fast riders on the Kalex. Maybe that's why they're dominating at the moment. As I said, we missed two races at the beginning and still need to work on the bike and we're also working on the bike for next season. It's important to not get complacent with development so we are very much looking to next season.

Crash.net:
Are you the number one rider for Suter bike development?

Thomas Luthi:
Yeah, for sure. I was going into the season as the number one rider for development but after the accident Suter have been working with other riders too. We missed a lot at the beginning of the year so it's important to think of next season when we have the chance to go for the title again.

Me and the team have quite a strong influence on how the chassis is developed and we work closely with Suter.

Crash.net:
How would you compare the Suter and the Kalex?

Thomas Luthi:
Unfortunately, I can't give you any idea about the comparison because I've never ridden a Kalex. I think both bikes are at a high level and are race winning bikes. It would be interesting to ride a Kalex though but that's not possible because of finances.

Crash.net:
Do you have a strategy for the rest of the season?

Crash.net:
I just have to take it race by race. After the bad start to the season, the championship is gone anyway but I was quite strong over the past three races, I had two podiums and a fourth place, so the target is to get a podium in the rest of the races. We're looking for consistency.

Crash.net:
You have always been a front runner in Moto2, but you don't hear about any plans to move to MotoGP…

Thomas Luthi:
It's definitely a goal but only on the right bike, at the moment it's not an option for me to go on a CRT. If I get the chance to go on a prototype bike I might go for it. I've already had the chance to move there on a CRT, it's not an option for me at the moment though. It doesn't make any sense to move up if you don't get a prototype bike and if not I'll stay in the Moto2 class.

Next year the MotoGP scene will change quite a lot anyway so it might not be a good year to move up and there could be better opportunities at the end of next year.

My plans for next year are clear; it's same team, same crew, same championship.

Crash.net:
Would you consider a Superbike ride?

Thomas Luthi:
I've had talks about a Superbike ride but the goal is still MotoGP. I still think that with a good season in Moto2, fighting for the championship I can move up to MotoGP on a competitive bike. MotoGP is where my ambitions lie.

Crash.net:
While convalescing I guess you watched a lot of bike racing on television, which racing did you most enjoy watching?

Thomas Luthi:
I would say the Moto2 class.

Crash.net:
Is Moto2 a good place to be for pay?

Thomas Luthi:
It's really not about the money, and Moto2 is for sure not the kind of place you go to get rich. I think the riders have to take Moto2 as a stepping stone to another class, namely MotoGP. To get good money you need to be fast and up front in MotoGP. I'm paid by my team and also get some input from private sponsors.

Crash.net:
Talking of that, are you wearing a watch at the moment?

Thomas Luthi:
Yes, a Tissot

Crash.net:
Is it the T-Race Thomas Luthi?

Thomas Luthi:
(Hesitates) yes, I had to check! It's an important thing for me though because I'm Swiss and love to be punctual.

Crash.net:
Thanks for that Thomas and I'm impressed by your excellent English, did you have classes?

Thomas Luthi:
No, that's paddock English.

Crash:
Thanks Tom.

Thomas Luthi:
No problems, have a good one.

 

[wino]

I did this one night on my ZXR in a car park in my city one night. 5 stories up and down, it sounded fucking great

Embedded media from this media site is no longer available

 

[wino]

Racing Numbers: Gran Premio Iveco de Aragón
aragon racing numbers
Thursday, 26 September 2013

Aragon will be the scene of Round 14 of 18 in the 2013 MotoGP™ World Championship. Arguably the most important number is 25 in terms of points for a Grand Prix victory, but as always there are plenty of facts and figures in the air…

71 – Bradley Smith has 71 points from his first 13 races in the MotoGP™ class, which is already the highest score by a British rider in their rookie MotoGP™ season since James Toseland scored 105 points in 2008.

43 years – On the first day of practice at the Aragon Grand Prix, it will be 43 years to the day since Barry Sheene made his Grand Prix debut at the Montjuic street circuit in Barcelona, riding an ex-Stuart Graham factory Suzuki. Sheene led the race in the early stages before eventually finishing second to Angel Nieto.

28 - Dominique Aegerter’s fifth place finish at the San Marino Grand Prix was the 28th successive race at which he has finished in a point-scoring position. The last race at which he failed to score points was when he finished 18th at the opening race of last year in Qatar. This 18th place finish in Qatar is the only time in the last 39 Moto2™ races that Aegerter has failed to score points. Incidentally, the Swiss rider will celebrate his 23rd birthday on the Monday following the Aragon Grand Prix.

28 – On race day at the Aragon Grand Prix, Dani Pedrosa celebrates his 28th birthday.

25 – Nico Terol celebrates his 25th birthday on the first day of practice.

16 - KTM riders have won the last 16 successive Moto3™ races. This is the third longest sequence of successive GP wins in the lightweight class by one manufacturer. Only Honda have had longer sequence of successive wins, with 19 across the 1990/91 seasons and 17 in 1992/93.

4 - The same three riders (Jorge Lorenzo, Dani Pedrosa and Marc Marquez) have been on the podium at the last four MotoGP™ races. This is the first time ever that the three same riders have been on the podium at four successive premier class Grand Prix races.

4 – Valentino Rossi has finished fourth at the last four races. This is only the second time ever that the same rider has finished in fourth place at as many successive premier class Grands Prix. The only other rider to have done this is Ron Haslam, who in 1984 finished fourth in four successive 500 GP races.

3 – With Yuki Takahashi failing to start the race at Misano, there are now just three riders with a 100% starting record in the Moto2™ class since it was introduced in 2010: Scott Redding, Dominique Aegerter and Simone Corsi.

3 – Aragon is one of just three current circuits on which Jorge Lorenzo has not had a Grand Prix victory in any of the three classes; the other two are Germany’s Sachsenring and Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas which was a new addition this year.

2 – At the Aragon Grand Prix, Maria Herrera Muñoz will be appearing as a wildcard in the Moto3™ race. This means that, for the first time since the Spanish GP in 1994, there will be two female riders starting a Grand Prix. At that particular Spanish GP, both Daniela Tognoli and Tomoko Igata started the 125 race.

2 – Aragon is one of just two current circuits, along with Austin, on which Yamaha have not had a win in the MotoGP™ class.

2 – Two Ducati riders finished on the podium at the inaugural Aragon Grand Prix in 2010, with Casey Stoner winning the race and Nicky Hayden finishing third. This is the last occasion to date on which Ducati have had two riders on a MotoGP rostrum.

 

[wino]

Sykes Wins Opening Laguna Race!
WSBK, Laguna Seca, USA, 29 September 2013
Tom Sykes won the first race he has ever competed in at Laguna Seca on the USA, taking a full point score in a final 12-lap contest that was stopped a restarted twice. David Salom (KRT) was 11th.

The Laguna round already featured an unusual format of one race today (Saturday) and then the second one planned for Sunday, rather than then the normal fashion of having both traces on the same day. The return of SBK racing to the 3.610km American track for the first time since 2004, however, had some surprises of its own thrown in on the opening day.

Race One was scheduled for 26 laps but after a rider fell and his bike punctured the inflatable track safety barrier the first attempt at the race was stopped with only six laps gone. A second start only lasted eight laps of the planned 20, when three riders fell at the same corner and the red flags came out for the second time.

Tom and his team had made small but important adjustments to take on the final challenge of a third race – the only one which would count today – and over 12 laps Sykes proved unbeatable. He had qualified second on the grid after Superpole, which was held earlier today in its usual three phase format.

Sykes won race one by a final 1’253 seconds after a classic game of wait and pounce. He passed long time leader Chaz Davies with two laps to go and pushed hard from that point on, taking a confident victory as the following riders found no answer to his late attack. He also set a new lap record, of 1'23.803, on lap two.

He now takes a 22-point advantage, over championship second place rider Sylvain Guintoli, into the second race of the weekend on Sunday 29th. This was Tom’s seventh race win of 2013.

Supersport World Championship rider David Salom replaced team regular Loris Baz at this round and he narrowly missed out on Superpole qualifying, going 16th off the grid. After a poor start in the final leg, he pushed on to finish 11th on the race - despite hitting a plastic trackside marker with his left knuckles at the super-fast turn one.

Mark Aitchison had a great ride to tenth on his Kawasaki team Pedercini Ninja ZX-10R earning six valuable points, while his team-mate Federico Sandi scored two points for 14th place today.

The teams have it all to do again on Sunday, for what is scheduled to be a 26-lap race.

Tom Sykes: “It was hard having three starts but it ended up good for us with a race win. Sylvain Guintoli was riding really strong but when it counted, in the last of the three legs of the race, he had a bit of an issue. We came together at the entry to turn one off the start and our contact pushed my brake lever down from its normal position. That was a bit awkward to deal with for a little while but I got my head around it. I think the short race may have favoured some of our competitors and the BMW guys were really fast out of the traps. I was pushing to stay with those guys for a while but in the end it was a good race for us and it played out well for myself and the Ninja ZX-10R. Another race tomorrow so that is what I am thinking about now.”

David Salom: “My race was not so bad but I hit my left hand on the trackside plastic marker – the small orange cones - and I have a lot of pain in my finger! My start was not good but in each of the three races I was a bit better. I fought with Atchison and Fabrizio but three laps before the end I hit the track marker and then I had to slow down. Each session I have been feeling better on the bike. I am still trying to stop using Supersport lines and approach to the laps because you have to ride the Superbike in a very different way, but I am learning.”

 

[wino]

Ryder Notes: High Plains Drifters
by julian ryder on the ground in spain
Saturday, September 28, 2013
Twenty-four hours ago Jorge Lorenzo looked decidedly pissed. He was back in fourth behind a large pile of Hondas. Today, he is just one-hundredth of a second behind Marquez and will start tomorrow's race from the middle of the front row. Jorge is perfectly positioned for one of his blitzkrieg first laps which he has to engineer if he is to stand a chance of winning. Yesterday he was 0.4sec behind Marquez and was doing a very good impersonation of his teenage self when things weren't going well. Today he is smiling, not a lot but definitely smiling.

Marquez, of course, just trots out the usual platitudes about how it will be a hard race and everyone is very fast. He smiles a lot. Third place Dani Pedrosa is third and just far enough back to be dissuaded from smiling. Unlike Valentino Rossi who is fourth but very close to Dani on a track where neither he nor Yamaha have done well before. Maybe the old dog can learn new tracks. He was happy enough to remind journos at his debrief that he had just gone three-seconds a lap faster than he went in the race last year. Over at Ducati the once-equable Andrea Dovizioso is starting to question not just his bike but the people who are supposed to be fixing it. Nicky Hayden is mildly irked that he won't get any new bits, presumably because he didn't fancy the Panigale next year.

Nick is presumed to be an Aprilia rider next year in MotoGP with Eugene Laverty his most likely team mate. That'll be an interesting clash of accents.

And don't call the ART a CRT bike. That label is dead. What used to be a CRT bike will next year be described in the regulations as a MotoGP bike. Those non-conformists using their own software and 20 litres of gas will be described in the rule book as 'factory option'.

By the way, and you won't find this surprising,the front row of all three classes comprise three Spaniards. The surprise is that this has never happened before.



Marquez reacts to seventh pole of campaign

Saturday, 28 September 2013
Repsol Honda rider Marc Marquez took his seventh MotoGP pole position on Saturday at the Gran Premio Iveco de Aragon and will aim to return to winning ways in Sunday’s race.

The standings leader recorded a best time of 1'47.804 to comfortably brake Casey Stoner's pole record from 2011 (1'48.451). Marquez waited until the last minute to set his fastest lap, recording the time on lap seven of eight, and beating Jorge Lorenzo to the front spot on the grid by just 0.010s.

"It was a very closely fought qualifying session," he commented. "We were able to get maximum performance from the tyres, which was the key to this pole position. Small details decided things this afternoon."

"I am happy, because we were able to achieve our aim of a front row start and to have the pole is a bonus. Tomorrow it will be important to get a good start and keep calm in the early laps, with the intention of taking the race to Jorge and Dani (Pedrosa)."

For Marquez’ teammate Pedrosa he had hoped for better than third place on the grid and stated, "Even though the position on the grid maybe doesn't reflect it, today we had a good qualifying session. We did a good job today and a lap time that I'm pleased with, for tomorrow the key will be to have a good start as the first corner is very close to the start, so I want to have a strong first few laps and maintain a good pace for the whole race."

"The tyre wear will be crucial so it's also important to manage them for the race distance."


MOTOGP »
Aragon MotoGP: Rossi buoyed by 'great' qualifying
28 September 2013

'The level was very high and we were just one-tenth from pole position, so we are all together' - Valentino Rossi

Aragon MotoGP: Rossi buoyed by 'great' qualifying
Valentino Rossi was in fine form at Aragon as the Factory Yamaha rider claimed fourth position for the third Spanish MotoGP round of the season tomorrow.

Rossi's fastest lap of 1m 47.762s was only 0.158s slower than Marc Marquez's pole time and the nine-time world champion was more than happy with his best qualifying performance of the campaign.

The Assen race winner had been in contention for pole position until he was leapfrogged by Marquez, Jorge Lorenzoand Dani Pedrosa, but Rossi is hopeful he can challenge the top three in the championship tomorrow.

“I have a good feeling and I've improved my pace a lot and braking ability also. We have also improved the rear grip over long distance,” he said. “I'm so happy because it was a great qualifying for me and I enjoyed it a lot. The level was very high and we were just one-tenth from pole position, so we are all together.

“From yesterday we modified the bike and tried to improve the balance and we did a good job. This morning I was able to do a good lap time and I had a good sensation with the bike.

“We had a very good pace in FP4 and I was already happy with my rhythm and I knew that in the 15 minutes of qualifying I could be competitive.

“I was only 0.158s from pole position and I missed out on the front row by only five thousands but that's not a big problem. The good thing is that I am one of the four riders in the 1m 47s and I have a good pace and can stay with the top guys tomorrow.

“It's important to improve the grip on the edge because the other guys will improve too but I'm better in braking and our tyre life is improved. I'm happy with the distance to pole position because even though it's a fourth place the top four are very close. It's a pity to lose the front row but the distance to pole position is a lot more positive."

Apart from set-up, the other area where Rossi admitted to needing an improvement was his pace on the opening laps. Lorenzo's recent wins at Silverstone and Misano came as a result of his ability to get to the front and ride qualifying laps at the start of the race.

 

[wino]

Hayden To Aspar Rumors Gain Strength With Scooter Positioning
by staff
Friday, September 27, 2013
Hmmm. Could this be indicative of the future?
image by TOBY MOODY
The rumors of Nicky Hayden joining the Aspar MotoGP team for 2014 were given a shot in the arm today at Aragon when Mr. Hayden's scooter was sighted outside the Aspar transporter and hospitality area.

Broadcaster and pizza devourer Toby Moody captured the scene using the camera on his mobile communicating device.

ENDS




MOTOGP »
Nicky Hayden - Q&A
27 September 2013

"I think the best thing for Cal is not to talk or listen to anybody [about the Ducati]. Just get on and ride it and not have a lot of preconceived ideas" - Nicky Hayden.

Nicky Hayden - Q&A
By Christian Tiburtius

An exclusive interview with 2006 MotoGPworld champion Nicky Hayden, conducted on the eve of this weekend's Aragon Grand Prix.

Hayden is leaving the factory Ducati team, which he joined from Honda in 2009, at the end of this year…

Crash.net:
Hi Nicky, here you are at the track where both Ducatis were last on the podium (in 2010), any chance this time?

Nicky Hayden:
That was a good day. You'd certainly get long odds if you were a betting man for this race though. At this moment it doesn't look so good but anything can happen in racing and we'll see on Sunday. Don't put a whole lot of money on it though.

Crash.net:
You've raced in the best factory teams, you're a world champion and you're embarking on a new adventure, what keeps you motivated to keep racing?

Nicky Hayden:
Oh that's clear, I'm a racer and I love doing it. I love the challenge and competition, I even love the hard part; the getting up early, the training, the grind. It's what I do and I still have a strong desire for it for sure.

This year hasn't been a lot of fun but the enjoyment hasn't changed and I'm not ready to give up.

Crash.net:
Does the thought of not racing frighten you?

Nicky Hayden:
I would say so, yeah. I still love it and feel I've still got a lot to give so I'm not ready to stop by any means.

Crash.net:
What do you feel you've achieved in your time at Ducati?

Nicky Hayden:
Well, unfortunately, not a lot. I've been thrilled with the 5 years I've spent here but I definitely wish that I could have accomplished more and I don't see these years as a big success and unless something changes real quick I won't say that these years have been a real positive for me. It'll be very difficult to get any changes in the near future but we won't stop trying 'til the end.

Crash.net:
Have you kept the same crew through you MotoGP career?

Nicky Hayden:
No, during my Honda years they changed once but in my Ducati years they've been more or less always the same, sometimes maybe an engineer might change, the majority has stayed the same though.

Crash.net:
Did you feel you had a lot of influence on how the Ducati was developed?

Nicky Hayden:
I would say some influence but I wouldn't say I had a huge influence, no.

Crash.net:
Did you find that frustrating?

Nicky Hayden:
Yeah, at times I would have liked more. Of course I would have, it was just that that's the way it worked out.

Crash.net:
Did, for example, Jeremy Burgess' efforts make a good difference in the bike for you?

Nicky Hayden:
Of course I have a lot of respect for JB [Valentino Rossi's crew chief] and what he's done. He had a lot of ideas at Ducati, truthfully though we had a lot of problems apart from just set-up issues. We tried a lot of set-up ideas and they didn't really work. This bike is very different to ride and also for engineers so I can't really say that JB ever found some magic breakthrough that really helped us. The problems were harder than just that.

Crash.net:
Did any developments from the other side of the pits come over to your side too?

Nicky Hayden:
Yeah, yeah, Ducati is a really open notebook, there really aren't any problems as regards sharing information and that sort of thing.

I've loved it here in that Ducati's a great brand, I won't say anything negative about it especially the fans and the guys I work with in the garage. It's going to be tough to leave them but it's time to move on and try something different. I do wish the results had been better, I learned a lot though and have some great memories, they're a really special group of guys to work with.

Crash.net:
Did you feel that it was a disadvantage being Rossi's team-mate when he was at Ducati?

Nicky Hayden:

It was no secret he was the number one rider. They spent a lot of money getting him and his team but I had plenty of support and that's no excuse. Maybe there was something here, there and very small but that wasn't an issue.

Crash.net:
The prospect of leaving seems to have motivated you to race pretty hard, like the pass on Dovizioso at Indianapolis?

Nicky Hayden:
No, I really don't feel like my motivation's changed. People can draw conclusions, if you're doing good, maybe it looks like that. I feel I owe it to Ducati to do my very best right to the end and that's what I'm gonna do. I was a little bitter that I didn't get to try the new bike in the test and to maybe possibly use it for the rest of the year, which was my understanding. I've still got a job to do though, so I'll try my best and be a pro until the last lap in Valencia.

Crash.net:
When you say you couldn't try the new bike, is your bike the same as Dovi's?

Nicky Hayden:
No, his is a later spec. Earlier we were testing the two versions and at the time I liked the current bike better, but in the latest spec I haven't had a chance to try so I don't know if it's better or what the differences are. But I would have liked to try it for myself.

Crash.net:
Has this got anything to do with the lab bike that we hear about?

Nicky Hayden:
No, that's not the lab bike, that's a bike purely for trying things out on.

Crash.net:
Is Audi making its presence felt at Ducati?

Nicky Hayden:
You know, at the moment we haven't seen a big influence from Audi. Sure they own Ducati now but we haven't seen a huge influence from them now.

Crash.net:
You've been a factory rider for your whole career, how does the prospect of moving on feel to you?

Nicky Hayden:
Well, I'm not sure what it's going to be. The thought of leaving Ducati without getting the results we wanted has been a bitter disappointment and I would have loved to leave with something better.

Now the thought of leaving has kind of hit home and I'm very excited about it and very excited for the future and to try a new bike and to see what's left. Now that I think about it, a change is best for me and I'm looking forward to it.

Crash.net:
The rumors say that it's Aprilia or Forward Racing, can you confirm?

Nicky Hayden:
It's true that I've had a lot of discussions with Aprilia and it's a definite possibility but nothing's official yet.

The other possibility is a Honda customer bike.

I've also had some meetings in the WSBK paddock and talked about some stuff but my heart is still in MotoGPand I want to stay here. In the future though WSBK may still be an option.

Crash.net:
Do you feel that you need a certain level of electronic sophistication on a bike to keep you interested?

Nicky Hayden:
Well on these bikes you need some electronics for the kind of horsepower they generate, but as long as they're similar to the rest I'm OK with it. The new rules in WSBK certainly didn't put me off, it was more that I still had options here, MotoGP is still the big show and it's where my heart is.

Crash.net:
If it is the Aprilia option, what specifications do you understand the bike to be?

Nicky Hayden:
It would be something similar to Espargaro's bike [now] but they do have a lot of ideas and quite a lot of effort and interest from the factory to try and put up a better fight.

Crash.net:
Would you be taking your crew with you?

Nicky Hayden:
No, my crew is under contract for another year at Ducati. It's going to be tough to leave those guys after five years.

Crash.net:
Cal's taking your seat at Ducati, what advice would you give him?

Nicky Hayden:
Well, I mean looking at my results, I wouldn't take much of my advice! Cal's a fast rider, that's pretty clear, it just depends if they improve the bike as to how it'll go. I don't think that at the moment he'll be able to make up the difference. It's a very different bike, he'll find that out but at the end of the day it is a bike and I'm sure he knows what he's getting in to.

 

[wino]

I think the best thing for him is not to talk to anybody or listen to anybody and just get on it and ride it and not have a lot of preconceived ideas in his head.

Crash.net:
Finally, what's a bigger achievement, being a world champion or the inventor of the 'backyard move' (neat 2010 pass onJorge Lorenzo at Aragon)?

Nicky Hayden:
Oh world championship for sure. I'm not sure I invented that move, maybe just the name, a lot of other guys used that move so I can't take credit for that. I will take credit for the championship in '06 even though I didn't dominate the season or win as many races as people would have liked. I'm really proud of that one.

Crash.net:
Did you thank Toni Elias?

Nicky Hayden:
Yeah I have, maybe a couple of times. I'll always have a soft spot for him in my heart!

Crash.net:
Thanks Nicky.

 

[wino]

 

[wino]

Practice Starts & How & Where You'll Do Them In MotoGP
by staff
Friday, September 27, 2013
This just in from the rolling rulebook of MotoGP:

FIM Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix Decision of the Grand Prix Commission

The Grand Prix Commission, composed of Messrs. Carmelo Ezpeleta (Dorna, Chairman), Ignacio Verneda (FIM Executive Director, Sport), Herve Poncharal (IRTA) and Takanao Tsubouchi (MSMA) in the presence of Javier Alonso (Dorna) and Mike Trimby (IRTA, Secretary of the meeting), in a meeting held on September 26 2013 at Motorland Aragon, made the following decision:

Sporting Regulations All Classes - Effective immediately
Responding to a request from Race Direction and the Safety Commission, The Grand Prix Commission has decided to make immediate amendments to the regulations controlling the regulation of practice starts.

Riders will still be permitted to make practice starts when it is safe to do so, at the pit lane exit before joining the track.

Riders will also still be permitted to make practice starts after passing the chequered flag at the end of practice sessions and warm-ups. However, under the revised regulation the location of these practice starts will be controlled.

For each circuit there will be one or two (depending on circuit layout) designated Practice Start Zones. These zones will be communicated to the teams on Wednesday or Thursday before practice begins. Practice starts may be made only in the designated Practice Start Zone(s), and the following procedure will apply:

1. After the chequered flag at the end of the practice session, a track marshal will be positioned on the side of the track indicating the Practice Start Zone(s).
The Zone will be off the racing line, on the opposite side of the track to the normal racing line.

2. Yellow flags will be waved at the marshal post(s) before the Practice Start Zone, to alert riders that bikes may be stopped ready for practice starts.

3. Riders may make practice starts only when there are no stationary bikes in front of them. That is, the riders most forward in the Practice Start Zone make their starts first, followed by the riders behind them, and so on.

4. Only one practice start from each Practice Start Zone is allowed. It is not permitted to make a practice start, then stop further up the track and make another practice start from the same Zone.

5. Riders who do not wish to make a practice start may continue slowly on the racing line, on the opposite side of the track to the Practice Start Zone.

ENDS

 

[wino]

Customer Bikes Should Be Quick, But Who's Buying Them?
And Why Not Just Sell A True Factory Bike?
by staff
Wednesday, September 25, 2013
Wayne Rainey and Robert Muzzy tour the old Hailwood wing of the Donington museum many Trans-Atlantics ago. The bikes were later sold.
image by merlyn plumlee (rip)
HRC boss Shuhei Nakamoto told British media that Honda's RCV1000R "customer" MotoGP bike could threaten the top six places on certain tracks in 2014 because of its larger fuel capacity provided by new rules.

Fuel-gulping tracks such as Qatar, Silverstone and Motegi could be playgrounds for the customer bikes from Honda and Yamaha next year, as they will carry 24-liter fuel tanks compared to the 20-liter tanks of factory prototypes, which can use proprietary software.

But even that prospect hasn't created a long line of customers for either Japanese manufacturer's customer bikes for next season. The customer concept was supposed to banish the unsavory Claiming Rules Team machines to the trash dumpster of history when announced last year, but the tepid response to the customer bikes probably will keep a handful of CRT machines on the gird in 2014. Those machines will be lumped into a "non-factory" category with the customer bikes.

Forward Racing is believed to be the only confirmed team on the Yamaha customer list, with team boss Giovanni Cuzari reportedly paying an escape fee of 400,000 euros to free Aleix Espargaro from his contract with Aspar to ride one of Forward's two customer bikes next year.

Honda also is believed to have only two customer RCV1000R bikes confirmed for 2014, with one going to Gresini for Moto2 standout Scott Redding and probably another to the family-owned team of Czech field-filler Karel Abraham.

Aprilia also will field two bikes that are similar to customer machines for Aspar, and its bikes also are rumored to include seamless transmission and pneumatic valves. Nick Hayden and World Superbike race winner Eugene Laverty remain the top candidates for those machines, which probably will use the Dorna-spec software in the Magneti Marelli black box so it can carry the larger, 24-liter fuel tank.

But the rest of the existing CRT teams are believed to be sticking with their production-based rigs.

Why the tepid response?

One, the price tag of 1.2 million euros is steep. Sure, it's less expensive than some of the 2 and 3 million-euro fees paid annually by satellite teams for trickle-down works equipment. But customer bikes still cost a chunk more than CRT machines, and it's a leap of hubris-fueled blind faith by Dorna and the Japanese manufacturers to think smaller teams can find sponsors in this stumbling global economy to cover the difference.

The second reason for teams sticking with CRT-style bikes next season is the increasing competitiveness of that equipment, at least on some tracks and with well-funded teams. CRT teams are starting to understand their electronics better, and the softer tires Bridgestone has produced only for the production-based bikes this season has pulled them closer to the front of the grid.

Espargaro has qualified in the top seven in three of the last seven races and has seven top-10 finishes this season on his Aspar Aprilia, the most refined of the CRT machines.

... and it's known that Honda Japan were not amused when they saw that Freddie Spencer had offered for sale his NSR500 and NSR250s from 1983 and 1985.
Why don't the manufacturers just sell works (aka "factory") MotoGP bikes? Because there is still a great deal of proprietary technology inside a MotoGP bike in 2013 and no factory wants their top level bike or technology in the hands of a competitor. This was evidenced when Ducati auctioned off MotoGP bikes as ridden by Casey Stoner and Valentino Rossi in April 2012. Stoner's Ducati was several years old at that point, obviously, and Rossi's Ducati--not really a race-winning weapon was it? However, both were sold with lengthy purchase contracts and sealed engines that Ducati "could inspect at any time". They take proprietary information very seriously at the manufacturer level, even on bikes that don't really matter in the present day.

After the bikes that Mr. Honda gave Mike Hailwood were auctioned off after "the Bike's" death, there was an awareness at Honda that promises that factory bikes would "never leave the family" can't always be kept, and "gift bikes" that truly are factory GP bikes became a subject of much debate. And it continues today. Valentino Rossi wrote in his book that he left Honda in part because they would not give him an NSR500, and it's known that Honda Japan were not amused when they saw that Freddie Spencer had offered for sale his NSR500 and NSR250s from 1983 and 1985.

The idea of Scott Redding on a Casey Stoner and HRC-developed RC213V or "RCV1000R " excites us very much, and somehow we think that the first time one of these "production" MotoGP bikes lands on the podium the purchase price won't seem so steep to prospective buyers.

ENDS

 

[wino]

Stoner Requires Modern TR750 In Order To Return
by staff
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
Two-time MotoGP World Champion Casey Stoner insists there are only two formulas that could cause him to return to racing in the premier class - more horsepower and no electronics on the current four-stroke machines or a change in specifications to two-stroke, 750cc engines.

Stoner retired after the 2012 season and pursued a new career in Australian V8 Supercars. But he struggled in his first season in the series' introductory class and abandoned four-wheel racing for this year earlier this month. Stoner also has tested Honda MotoGP bikes this season for HRC, a role he will continue this fall on the 2014 edition of the RC213V.

But despite rumors of a possible wild-card outing in October at his home track of Phillip Island, Stoner said he has no desire to return this year or at any time. Unless ...

"If they remove the electronics and greatly increase the performance of motorcycles, I might think about making a comeback," Stoner said told German media. "Maybe when the four-stroke has 300 horsepower and have no electronics. Or if there were even 750cc, two-stroke engines, that would be interesting.

"I just want more horsepower to do more on the bike and less of the stuff that makes it any easier to drive these machines. Then I could have a lot of fun and really enjoy to ride these bikes."

Current 1000cc MotoGP engines produce about 260 horsepower. But that's not enough for Stoner.

"The current generation MotoGP has not enough power for me," Stoner said. "I felt this after the test at Motegi. I want more and more power every time I drive these machines. That's why I have so much I struggled with the electronics and the fact that the engineers would try to control the power. I have asked them to turn off the traction control, because I wanted to feel the power in my right hand."

ENDS

 

[wino]

WSBK in 1991

 

[magoo]

Here ya go Wino, save ya for looking for the rossi wish you were here pictures.
perla album too

 

[wino]

Marquez wins from Lorenzo as Pedrosa crashes

Aragon 2013 - MotoGP - RACE - Highlights

Sunday, 29 September 2013
Marc Marquez has increased his possibilities of becoming a rookie MotoGP™ World Champion by claiming his sixth victory of 2013 in the Gran Premio Iveco de Aragón. Current title holder Jorge Lorenzo was overtaken by the newcomer en route to second place, as Dani Pedrosa crashed out of the race on the sixth lap.


Starting from his seventh pole position of the season, Marquez had beaten Lorenzo by one hundredth of a second on Saturday whereas last year’s Aragón winner Pedrosa was starting on the front row for the first time since Indianapolis. Yamaha Factory Racing’s Lorenzo grabbed the lead at the start, as the Repsol Honda Team riders immediately went to battle at the second corner.

The critical moment of the afternoon, and perhaps of the 2013 World Championship, would come on Lap 6. As both Hondas closed in on Lorenzo for the lead, Marquez ran third but appeared to out-brake himself at Turn 12. Moments later, Pedrosa dramatically highsided out of the race and it was later confirmed that the two teammates had made contact. The moment allowed Lorenzo to extend his lead to 1.7 seconds, although he was caught by Marquez and overhauled at the same corner eight laps later. The championship lead now increases to 39 points with 100 left on offer.

Lorenzo’s teammate Valentino Rossi finished on the podium for the first time since Laguna Seca, fending off GO&FUN Honda Gresini’s Alvaro Bautista, LCR Honda MotoGP’s Stefan Bradl and Monster Yamaha Tech3’s Cal Crutchlow in a highly entertaining four-rider contest. Tech3’s Bradley Smith, Ducati Team duo Andrea Dovizioso and Nicky Hayden and Energy T.I. Pramac Racing’s Andrea Iannone completed the top ten, while Power Electronics Aspar’s Aleix Espargaro was once again the leading CRT runner in 11th spot. In 17th place, Italian Luca Scassa ended his debut with Cardion AB Motoracing ahead of two other CRT machines, covering for Karel Abraham who has been ruled out of action for the rest of the campaign.

A total of five riders failed to finish. Pedrosa retired for the first time this year on his 28th birthday, while PBM’s Michael Laverty and Came IodaRacing Project’s Danilo Petrucci were put out of action on the opening lap in an incident also involving Scassa. On his return to MotoGP™, Australia’s Damian Cudlin suffered gearbox issues while Avintia Blusens’ Hector Barbera pulled into the pits, having already changed bikes after encountering pre-race problems with his original.

With four races remaining in the 2013 season, the drama will continue at the Shell Advance Malaysian Motorcycle Grand Prix in two weekends’ time.


Lorenzo: ‘I pushed to the limits’

Aragón Race: Second position - Jorge Lorenzo

Sunday, 29 September 2013
World Champion Jorge Lorenzo says he ‘pushed to the limits’ in Sunday’s 23 lap Gran Premio Iveco de Aragon race, but it was not enough to prevent another Marc Marquez victory.


Lorenzo made a brilliant start to the race from second on the grid and it looked in the early stages of the race as if he could repeat his Silverstone and Misano victories, as he cranked up the pressure.

But despite Marquez clashing with teammate Dani Pedrosa behind Lorenzo - or perhaps even as a result of the collision which took an improving Pedrosa out – it would eventually be the Repsol Honda rookie who triumphed over his Yamaha Factory Racing rival at the MotorLand circuit.

Marquez and Lorenzo flew away from the rest of the field after the Pedrosa incident and would both finish well over 10 seconds ahead of third placed Valentino Rossi, but Lorenzo eventually missed out on a third successive victory by +1.356s.

Afterwards he explained, “Like always, I tried to open up a gap at the beginning, but when Marc recovered all of that gap I just relaxed to try and save a bit of energy to try and be with him at the end of the race. Really, he was stronger all weekend. I pushed to the limits to follow him, but it was impossible. No excuses. He was faster today and we have to think about the next race.”

Lorenzo also explained the set-up changes made on Sunday and how he had hoped they would improve his performance, ultimately to no avail, stating, “The tactic was to try and improve the bike in the Warm-Up. Finally, we gained a little bit with turn-in. The turn-in was better but on braking it was worse – I was losing so much compared with Marc.”



MOTOGP »
Aragon MotoGP: Pedrosa 'I went flying'
30 September 2013

"Marc went in too wide on the corner entry, clipped me from the outside and I went flying when I got on the gas" - Dani Pedrosa.

• 
  
  Aragon MotoGP: Pedrosa 'I went flying'
  Dani Pedrosa escaped serious injury in a big highside, triggered by contact with team-mate Marc Marquez in Sunday's Aragn MotoGP.
  
  But Pedrosa's title hopes look to have suffered terminal damage, slipping 59-points from Marquez with just four rounds remaining.
  
  Pedrosa and Marquez were running second and third behind Jorge Lorenzo when Marquez missed his braking point on lap 6 of the race.
  
  The rookie tried to avoid Pedrosa, but made light contact - snapping a cable and disabling Pedrosa's traction control, causing Pedrosa to highside on the exit of the turn.
  
  CLICK HERE for more pictures of the incident.
  
  Afterwards, Pedrosa was sent to the Medical Centre for checks. Sunday was Pedrosa's 28th birthday.
  
  "Fortunately I'm fine physically," said Pedrosa. "I took a heavy knock to my hip and my groin area, but I was able to escape relatively unhurt from what was a big crash.
  
  "Marc went in too wide on the corner entry, clipped me from the outside and I went flying when I got on the gas. My mechanics told me later that the traction control cable had been cut by the contact."
  
  The Marquez-Pedrosa incident is currently under investigation by Race Direction. Pedrosa told the official MotoGP website: "Whatever the decision I will still have zero points."
  
  "They were braking in a different way, different style for that corner," added team manager Livio Suppo. "Marc is not stupid. He knows a touch could mean a big problem also for him. He didn't do it deliberately. Unfortunately these kind of things can happen. Dani is in pain, but more than that it is a big disappointment. I totally understand."
  
  Marquez went on to win the race from Lorenzo, who is now 39 points behind the reigning Moto2 champion.
  
  Honda will no doubt protect the sensor cable in future, but it is nonetheless surprising that the traction control system didn't revert to a safe/back-up mode once the sensor had failed.
  

 

[wino]

WSBK »
USA WSBK: Laverty assumes Aprilia with ‘unexpected’ win
30 September 2013

Eugene Laverty lifts himself to second in the World Superbike standings following his third win in four races as he continues his late charge for the 2013 title.

• 
  
  USA WSBK: Laverty assumes Aprilia with ‘unexpected’ win
  Eugene Laverty heads into the final two rounds of the 2013 World Superbike Championship as Tom Sykes's new closest challenger for the title after a third win in four races saw him nose ahead of team-mate Sylvain Guintoli for the first time since round one.
  
  Laverty has been in stellar form of late, the Irishman coming to Laguna Seca with momentum on his side following his recent double victory at Istanbul Park, confidence he displayed in race one with two last lap passes that rewarded him with a third place finish.
  
  Looking to go better in race two, Laverty led initially before being bumped down to third by the charging Sykes and Davide Giugliano, but came on strong again in the final race to aggressively force his way back past both riders in the final laps to grab an 'unexpected' victory.
  
  A seventh win of the season, the result lifts the in-form Laverty past Aprilia counterpart Guintoli in the standings for the first time since this year's curtain raiser in February and leaves him 23 points adrift of leader Sykes, much to his delight.
  
  “This was anything but an easy race. In the first race I struggled quite a bit to keep up with the front runners and I managed to finish on the podium by overtaking twice in the last lap.
  
  “I want to thank my team because we worked a lot on the bike and took a big step forward that allowed me to ride better in spite of the grip issues. I pushed hard from the first to the last lap and Davide (Giugliano) and Tom (Sykes) didn't make this win an easy one!”
  
  Looking ahead to what promises to be a thrilling climax to the year, Laverty says he needs to continue giving 100 per cent in order to keep himself involved to the final moments.
  
  “This is a result that I really didn't expect which now takes me to second place in the rider standings, but we have two very different rounds ahead of us. I struggled last year at Magny Cours, but my RSV4 has grown a lot so things could change, whereas Jerez is our test track so I could have an advantage there.
  
  “In any case I'll need to give 100 per cent in every session for the next two weekends. I'd like to dedicate my win to my engineer Marco Bertolatti who became a father just a few hours ago.”

WSBK »
USA WSBK: Sykes content with extended points lead
30 September 2013

Despite missing out on a potentially lucrative double victory at Laguna Seca, Tom Sykes says he can be pleased with his extended 23 point advantage with two rounds remaining.

• 
  
  USA WSBK: Sykes content with extended points lead
  Tom Sykes says he is focused on the positive of an extended lead in the World Superbike Championship standings with two rounds remaining, despite a late crumble in race two that prevented him from securing a potentially lucrative double at Laguna Seca.
  
  Having multiplied his overall advantage with victory in the first race of the weekend, Sykes looked capable of doing the double as he grabbed the lead of race two after just four laps.
  
  However, once there the Kawasaki rider would struggle for grip and though his inch-perfect lines would prevent the close-following pack from overtaking initially, Eugene Laverty's pass for the win with just over a lap to go would signal the unravelling of Sykes's hard work.
  
  Indeed, both Davide Giugliano and Marco Melandri would proceed to find a way past the waning Sykes before the chequered flag, demoting last year's runner-up to a somewhat unsatisfied fourth position.
  
  Even so, the Briton still finished just ahead of erstwhile closest challenger Sylvain Guintoli, ensuring his lead remains at a healthy 23 points, albeit now over Laverty.
  
  “It was great to win in the first race and I led for a long time in race two but that was the first time we have struggled with grip all weekend. We were six or seven tenths off our best times in the same track conditions and we have to think about why that was. We know what our potential was here again today. Overall, we have extended our championship lead but it would have been nice to taken that second podium!
  
  “We can keep improving and we have a couple of good circuits coming up so we will move on with confidence. In less than a week's time we will be in France and doing it all over again. We have worked hard and well all race weekend and took a win on Saturday.”

 

[wino]

MOTOGP »
Casey Stoner to ride at Australian MotoGP, but…
01 October 2013

"It will be nice to take to the track with Mick and Wayne this year without the pressure of competing" - Casey Stoner.

• 
  
  Casey Stoner to ride at Australian MotoGP, but…
  Casey Stoner, who retired from MotoGP at the end of last season, will be back on track during his home Australian Grand Prix weekend.
  
  But he won't be racing.
  
  Instead the double world champion, unbeaten at Phillip Island from 2007-2012, will join fellow Australian world champions Wayne Gardner and Mick Doohan for a lap of honour.
  
  “The 2012 Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix was a fairytale ending to my MotoGP career,” said 27-year-old Stoner.
  
  “It will be nice to take to the track with Mick and Wayne this year without the pressure of competing. I look forward to enjoying it and mixing with the fans that have supported me throughout my career.”
  
  Stoner, Doohan and Gardner all have sections of the Phillip Island circuit named in their honour.
  
  “Casey has set Phillip Island alight, and thrilled our fans, time and time again. Seeing him one more time on his favourite track flanked by Mick and Wayne will be a unique and electrifying opportunity for fans of all ages,” said Australian Grand Prix Corporation chief executive officer Andrew Westacott.
  
  The parade will be held moments before the start of the MotoGP race on October 20.
  
  Gardner and Doohan are also looking forward to the occasion.
  
  “It's always a great pleasure to ride the Phillip Island Circuit. I have enjoyed many special moments there and riding with Casey and Mick will certainly add to this list,” said 1987 title winner Gardner, Australia's first premier-class world champion.
  
  Five time 500cc champion Doohan added: “Casey's return to Phillip Island is big news for MotoGP fans. The crowd will undoubtedly love it and I look forward to playing my part.
  
  “MotoGP is enjoying great success around the world at the moment with the next generation of legends emerging. We are witnessing a new era for the sport and I encourage fans to make the trip to Phillip Island next month for what promises to be a great event.”
  
  Stoner will be taking part in his latest Honda test, to help with development of next year's factory and privateer grand prix machines, at Motegi later this week.
  
  
  Be there! CLICK HERE to see ticket prices for the remaining rounds of the 2013 MotoGP World Championship from the Official MotoGP Ticket Store.

 

[wino]

MOTOGP »
Casey Stoner rides Honda MotoGP Production Racer
03 October 2013

"We also tried the production bike which was more impressive than I predicted" - Casey Stoner.

• 
  
  Casey Stoner rides Honda MotoGP Production Racer
  Casey Stoner rode the latest RC213V and made his debut on the new 'Production Racer' as part of Honda's latest development tests at the Twin Ring Motegi Circuit.
  
  The Australian had been unable to ride on the first day of his third HRC outing due to poor weather - which had also wiped out the whole of his second test - but action commenced as planned under cloudy skies on Thursday.
  
  In the morning, Stoner rode the RC213V factory machine and in the afternoon the Production Racer, a new Privateer bike based on the RCV.
  
  The main differences between the Production Racer and factory RCV is that the Production bike has spring (rather than pneumatic) operated valves, a normal (rather than seamless shift) gearbox, plus the full standard ECU system (rather than just the hardware).
  
  Despite it being his first ride on the test model, Stoner lapped the circuit with 'high average speeds worthy of the RC213V'.
  
  "Unfortunately the weather played a big role in this test which was a little frustrating not to be able to share the workload over the two days," said double world champion Stoner, who retired from MotoGP at the end of last season.
  
  "We tried to do everything today but it was a little difficult, and we also had the threat of rain again. We started with the current RCV, trying to find a base setting and then work from there. We had two variations of chassis' to try and some big modifications and improvements in my opinion.
  
  "We also tried the production bike which was more impressive than I predicted. It had a similar feeling to the RCV but with a little less power and a different feeling in engine braking. With some small modifications I believe this bike will be competitive and I look forward to the next test with it! In general it was a good, but busy day!"
  
  Scott Redding, stepping up to MotoGP with Gresini, is the only rider so far confirmed as using the Production Racer in 2014.
  
  Privateer entries will be allowed more race fuel and engine changes relative to the factory bikes.