MotoGP: Donington Results

The Doctor was out. Dovizioso, Edwards, and De Puniet were in.

Tyler Hopper

AllAboutBikes.com Staff Writer

The final MotoGP visit to Donington Park ended with a first ever premier class victory by Andrea Dovizioso and first podium finishes in 2009 for Colin Edwards and Randy de Puniet. The Doctor, Valentino Rossi, experienced a fall at the Fogarty Esses with 11 laps to go. Rossi was unable to add another victory to his laundry list of wins at Donington.

Early on into the race, volatility and indecision plagued the riders. As rain began to fall, the riders were left guessing whether or not they made the right tire choice. Toni Elias led for lap one, but Jorge Lorenzo grasped the lead, possibly as a result of being talked out of running wet tires, but took a fall when he graced a greasy rumble strip and couldn’t restart the Yamaha M1. Elias succumbed to the same fate as Lorenzo, taking a fall in the same spot on lap 7.

Read More...

World SBK: Rea Quickest

Rea grabs top slot in two-day WSB test at Imola, Neukirchner injured again

World Superbike Press Release

Jonathan Rea (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) put in a quick lap right at the end of the two-day official Superbike test to take the top slot at a sweltering Imola track in preparation for the round here on September 27. The Northern Ireland youngster set a time of 1 minute 48.670 seconds around the 4.936 km circuit to edge out Michel Fabrizio (Ducati Xerox), who had been quickest until then, from the top slot by two-tenths of a second. Texan Ben Spies finished third overall, the Yamaha World Superbike man not improving on his time from yesterday. Points leader and the only other WSB race winner this year Noriyuki Haga (Ducati Xerox) did not take part in the test as he is recovering for the next round at Brno.

"It's really motivational coming to a new circuit and finding your feet" declared Rea. "Our approach was a bit different than normal in that we forgot about setting up the bike and getting me up to speed first. Now we've had a lot of time on the bike the package is very strong and finally I'm happy after we went round in circles a bit at Donington. The team has put a massive effort into it, so a big thanks to them for everything. I put my fastest time in on a qualifier, but we've been consistently fast on both days, in the top 5, and I did a long-run and the tire was pretty good so hopefully they can bring that for the race. Where we are right now is good so I'm really happy."

Max Neukirchner, back on his Alstare Suzuki for the first time since the Monza incident, high-sided at the Tamburello ninety minutes into the morning session. He was stretchered to the medical centre but a further X-ray scan at Imola hospital revealed a D12 dorsal vertebra fracture in his lower back as well as three minor cracks in the right L1, L2 and L3 lumbar vertebrae. Neukirchner will return to Germany and must remain at total rest in a plaster cast for 30 days.

Fourth place went to Ducati DFX Corse's Lorenzo Lanzi, who was perfectly at home around his local circuit, while Tom Sykes (Yamaha World Superbike) also made progress in today's morning session to move up to fifth. John Hopkins (Stiggy Racing Honda) ran well this morning to finish sixth, but was then advised to sit out the afternoon session as his recent injuries are still not fully healed. Ruben Xaus (BMW Motorrad) made considerable progress over the two days, moving his S1000 RR up the timesheets to finish seventh overall, but team-mate Troy Corser could only manage seventeenth. Leon Haslam (Stiggy Racing Honda), Shane Byrne (Sterilgarda Ducati) and Shinya Nakano (Aprilia Racing) completed the top 10, the Italian fact

Preview: 2009 TT DVD

The Official DVD Review of the 2009 Isle of Man TT is due to be released on July 27th, but you can enjoy a sneak preview of the action right now

Isle of Man TT Official Press Release

The Official DVD Review is an action-packed and comprehensive look back at the fastest TT ever. Over almost four hours of comprehensive coverage, the Official Review brings you breathtaking action footage as records tumble over the legendary Mountain course.

Watch the trailer here.

Produced for the first time by North One Television, the TT 2009 review offers unrivalled coverage of this unique event.

There’s more on-board cameras with leading riders than ever, letting viewers experience the incredible 37.73-mile circuit from the rider’s point-of-view. Plus, the Hi-Motion camera captures spellbinding ultra-slow motion sequences which demonstrate exactly how much skill and courage it takes to control 240bhp Superbikes at speeds in excess of 190mph.

The Official Review rounds up all the practice week action, including Australian Cameron Donald’s stunning unofficial lap record and his TT-ending practice crash – complete with post-smash interview.

There’s complete coverage of every race over the Mountain course, including an incredible 15th TT win and new outright lap record of 131.578mph AVERAGE lap speed for John McGuinness. There’s also a popular double for Yorkshire’s Ian Hutchinson, an emotional return to the top step of the podium for the Dunlop name and an unexpected, but thoroughly deserved, victory for Steve Plater in the blue riband Senior TT.

The review also records a stunning 14th TT victory for sidecar legend Dave Molyneux during a TT packed with emotional highs and lows for the three-wheel crews.

Incredible camera angles, aerial footage and on-bike action are skillfully combined to bring you the full story, with informed commentary from ex-racers Steve Parrish and James Whitham keeping you fully up to speed. Plus, the Official Review takes you on-board at the Lightweight and Ultra Lightweight TT races – held on the 4.25-mile Billown Circuit – and takes a look at the inaugural TTXGP.

This was the first-ever race for clean emission motorcycles, putting the Isle of Man TT back at the cutting edge of racing technology and making headlines around the world – the Official Review’s special feature explains why TTXGP was such an important and ground-breaking achievement.

As ever, the TT attracted some famous fans and the Official Review features two of the biggest. There’s an interview with legendary ‘Voice of Motorsport’ Murray Walker O.B.E. and the historic lap by MotoGP great Valentino Rossi, the reigning World Champion taking a break from his busy schedule to achieve an ambition held since childhood – lapping the TT course.

You can order the Official DVD Review of the 2009 Isle of Man TT here.

MotoGP: By the Numbers

Numbers and statistics for the latest round of the MotoGP World Championship

MotoGP Press Release

159 – At Sachsenring, Valentino Rossi is scheduled to make his 159th successive premier-class GP start without missing a race. This will take the record for successive premier-class starts from Alex Barros, who started 158 successive races.

61 – With his tenth place finish at Laguna Seca, Marco Melandri has scored 61 points from the first eight races of the year. This is four more than top Kawasaki rider of last year John Hopkins scored throughout the complete 2008 season.

18 – Dani Pedrosa’s win at Laguna Seca ended an 18 race sequence without a win for Honda in MotoGP, since Pedrosa won in Catalonia last year. This is the longest sequence of races in the premier-class without a Honda win since they re-entered Grand Prix racing in 1982.

16 – Valentino Rossi has been on the podium sixteen times in the seventeen races since finishing second in Germany last year. The only occasion he has not finished on the podium during this period was when he crashed at Le Mans and re-started to finish 16th.

15 – Spanish riders have started from pole on fifteen occasions across the three classes in 2009. None of these riders have gone on to win the race after starting from pole.

11 – Race day in Germany will be the 11th anniversary to the day of the very first Grand Prix event to be held at the newly built Sachsenring circuit in 1998.

3 – Sachsenring is one of just three current circuits where Rossi has not started from pole in the premier-class; the others are Laguna Seca and Misano.

3 – There are only three riders in the 250cc class who have scored points at all seven races held so far in 2009; Hiroshi Aoyama, Hector Barbera and Raffaele de Rosa.

MotoGP: Round 9

MotoGP Alice Motorrad Grand Prix Deutschland

Tyler Hopper

AllAboutBikes.com Staff-Writer

With Yamaha and Ducati dominating the top three spots in championship points, both manufacturers face stumbling blocks on the road to Deutschland. Jorge Lorenzo, currently in second place, and Casey Stoner, in third, will be competing at less than 100 percent heading to Sachsenring, Germany, for the Alice Motorrad Grand Prix Deutschland.

When Lorenzo arrives for the ninth round, he won’t be concerned with the media; his attention will be with the Clinica Mobile, whose staff helped prepare him for the Laguna Seca race after his qualifying crash. The crash resulted in a collarbone injury, a micro fracture in his right foot and two bruised ankles.

Casey Stoner, who suffered a crash during qualifying at the Laguna Seca race, has recently been diagnosed with slight gastritis and mild anemia. Stoner said, “I still don’t feel like I am 100 percent, but the biggest problem now is that my ribs are very painful after the crash in qualifying in the U.S. It will be probably another hard weekend in Germany, but as always, we will do our best to stay as much as possible close to the lead of the Championship.” Stoner managed to finish fourth at the Red Bull Grand Prix at Laguna Seca, despite his misfortune in qualifying. That kind of performance, at a time when he needed it, is an indication of how much Stoner wants to stay in the battle for the championship.

Two riders looking forward to top performances this weekend are Dani Pedrosa and Valentino Rossi. Coming off of a victory in the US, Pedrosa looks forward to the race in Germany. “I’ve had some good results at this track and I take a lot of confidence into the race weekend at Sachsenring because we’re probably in the best shape we’ve been in for a while,” stated the Pedrosa. “The win in Laguna Seca was really important for me and the team because it proves we’ve been making progress and we now have the pace to win races.”

Rossi is looking to continue his run for the title this weekend. Rossi said, “Sachsenring isn’t one of my favorite tracks but I’ve had some great races there and generally it suits Yamaha well, which is good. We need another good result to keep our lead because our rivals are so strong and we can’t afford to make any mistakes. Last year there was a lot of rain in Germany but in fact we were able to take a great second place. I hope this year we can go one better.”

Schwantz School at Indy

Schwantz School Headed For The Brickyard

Press Release

Join 1993 500cc World Champion Kevin Schwantz at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for a special two-day Schwantz School on August 21-22. Students will have the unprecedented opportunity to lap the same track that Valentino Rossi, Nicky Hayden and the rest of the world's best will tackle one week later during the second running of the Red Bull Indianapolis GP.

Schwantz and his team of instructors will offer a comprehensive, corner-by-corner look at IMS's 16-turn, 2.6-mile road course. Classroom instruction, conducted by Schwantz and his chief instructor, will cover visual awareness and concentration, body position and steering, lines and reference points, gear selection and shifting, and braking. Schwantz will also lead a track walk to further enhance the learning experience.

Michelin Pilot Power-shod Honda CBR600RRs and Suzuki GSX-R600s will be provided, with Arai helmets and Dainese riding gear available for rental. Students will receive an inaugural Schwantz School T-shirt, a photo CD and a video DVD. Special awards for the safest and most-improved students are planned. Drinks and snacks will be offered both days, along with lunch each afternoon. A special Schwantz family BBQ is scheduled for Friday evening.

The Schwantz School at Indy is limited to 34 students, all of whom must be 18 years of age. Price is $2750.00. Online registration opens at 11 a.m. EST on Wednesday, July 15, at schwantzschool.com. For more information, call 866.223.5649 or 205.702.2712.

MotoGP – Laguna Seca

Independence Day, and of course Rossi

Tyler Hopper

AllAboutBikes Staff-Writer

If history repeats itself, this 4th of July weekend at Laguna Seca is sure to be an action-packed thrill ride. Last year at Mazda Raceway, a battle between Casey Stoner and Valentino Rossi resulted in an unbelievable overtaking by Rossi through the corkscrew and Stoner sliding through the gravel, but ultimately finishing second.

The battle between Rossi and Stoner continues this season with Rossi ahead in points with 131, and teammate Jorge Lorenzo a close second, trailing by only 5 points. Four points fewer than Lorenzo, Stoner hangs on to third with nearly double the points of Andrea Dovizioso, 69 points, in fourth.

Also this Independence Day weekend, MotoGP racers will share the same track with AMA Superbike and Sportbike stars at Mazda Raceway, Laguna Seca. And all the Haydens will be together; Nicky sharing the track in different events with his brothers Tommy and Roger. Could there possibly be a better way to celebrate this holiday as an American racing in MotoGP.

The weekend of the 4th at Laguna Seca is sure to be one great show for fans and riders alike. It’s not everyday that greats like Mat Mladin, Tommy Hayden, Valentino Rossi, Colin Edwards, Casey Stoner and Neil Hodgson get to entertain a crowd all in the same day.

Read More...

Rossi’s 100 GP wins – the statistics

Some facts and figures relating to Valentino Rossi’s remarkable 100 career wins, since his first victory in the 125cc class in Brno in 1996

MotoGP Press Release

With his victory at the Alice TT Assen Valentino Rossi became only the second rider ever to reach the milestone of 100 Grand Prix victories, as motogp.com documented in Monday’s video tributes to the Fiat Yamaha star.

Today we offer a selection of statistics relating to Rossi’s colorful and triumphant march to a century of GP successes, which along the way have brought him eight World titles across the three Grand Prix classes:

• The 100 victories have come from 217 Grand Prix starts – a win rate over his career of 46.1%. Rossi has won on six different types of motorcycle: 125cc Aprilia (12 wins), 250cc Aprilia (14 wins), 500cc Honda (13 wins), 990cc Honda (20 wins), 990cc Yamaha (25 wins) and 800cc Yamaha (16 wins).
• His 41 wins riding for Yamaha is more than any other rider. The second most successful Yamaha rider is Phil Read with 39 victories.
• Rossi has won Grand Prix races at 27 different circuits. The circuits at which he has had most success are Mugello and Catalunya with nine wins at each.
• The most wins Rossi has had in a single season is 11, which he has achieved on four occasions: 1997 (125cc), 2001 (500cc), 2002 and 2005 in MotoGP.
• His 11 wins in 1997 is a record for most victories in a single season in the 125cc class.
• Rossi’s 74 race victories in the premier-class is more than any other rider in the 61-year history of Grand Prix racing.
• With his victory in Jerez this year Valentino Rossi became the first rider to achieve at least one Grand Prix victory for 14 successive seasons.
• The total length of his winning career from his first win in the 125cc race at the Czech GP in 1996 to his latest victory at Assen, is 12 years 313 days. Only four riders have had a longer winning career in Grand Prix racing: Loris Reggiani, Phil Read, Angel Nieto and Loris Capirossi.

MotoGP heads west to Laguna Seca

The riders in the premier class this week make a dash across the Atlantic to the West Coast of the US, to the superb Californian track of Laguna Seca.

Press Release

This weekend’s Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix at Laguna Seca is the first of two World Championship visits to America this year and is the second of four GPs in a five week period as the 2009 season really begins to gather pace.

With Indianapolis to come in August the MotoGP riders will this weekend enjoy their first Stateside trip of the campaign as they head to California, with visits to Sachsenring and Donington Park still to come on the busy schedule before the summer break.

After seven rounds so far this year things are tight at the top, with three main protagonists emerging as the title candidates. Heading to Assen in the Netherlands last weekend, Valentino Rossi, Jorge Lorenzo and Casey Stoner were all square on points at the head of the standings and even though Rossi has pushed ahead with the superb 100th GP victory of his career at the Dutch track his young rivals are still snapping at his heels.

Last year at Laguna Rossi took a hugely important win over Stoner, passing him brilliantly on infamous Corkscrew corner and scoring a significant psychological blow against the Australian. This year, however, he has two key rivals to contend with.

World Champion Rossi goes into round eight in great from, with a five point lead over Lorenzo in the general classification, having relegated his Fiat Yamaha team-mate to second place in the last two races at Catalunya and Assen. The Italian looks as strong as ever, with his Yamaha M1 machine working brilliantly as he looks to turn up the heat on his rivals.

Lorenzo, meanwhile, has never completed a race at Laguna having crashed out on the first lap on his debut at the Californian track last year. He insists however that this year he is finding things more comfortable at tracks which did not favour him in the past and can be expected to be pushing Rossi hard at the front again this weekend.

Fitness doubts for Stoner could be the major factor hindering the Ducati star following another grueling race in The Netherlands, where for the second round in succession he finished third, but was totally exhausted on the podium. If he can recover full strength he will be confident of another good performance on Sunday, at a track where he won in 2007 and finished second in 2008.

Behind the leading three in the championship, the Repsol Honda duo of Andrea Dovizioso and Dani Pedrosa will be desperate to bounce straight back from their Assen disappointments having both crashed out of the Dutch contest, in separate incidents at the same corner, when well positioned to earn some decent points. Dovizioso is currently fourth in the standings, some distance behind the top three, but with just a two point advantage over Pedrosa and Colin Edwards.

Texan rider Edwards arrives for his home race in good form following his fourth place at Assen and is hoping for another good result as he seeks to extend his MotoGP career. The Monster Yamaha Tech 3 rider was on the podium at Laguna Seca in 2005 but since then has struggled for good results there and will aim to correct that pattern on Sunday.

His compatriot Nicky Hayden, the only other American rider in the premier class at present, boasts two of his three MotoGP career wins at Laguna and would love nothing more than to get his first top five result of 2009 on his Stateside debut for Ducati this weekend.

The Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix promises to be a memorable event, coinciding with the American 4th July celebrations and commencing this Friday, 3rd July, with Free Practice 1 at 1.55pm local time, (9.55pm GMT, 10.55pm CET). The 250cc and 125cc classes do not compete at Laguna and will be back in action at Sachsenring on the 17th-19th July weekend.

June 30, 2009

Read More ...