MotoGP 2010

[Rob]

Spies negotiating an extension to his Yamaha contract until 2013

Lin Jarvis is working on a contract extension for Ben Spies to stay with Yamaha until 2013. Speaking to SpeedTV, Jarvis says that the main reason is the introduction of the 1000cc engines in 2012. “Ben will do many tests next year to develop the 2012 bike, but a rider needs to be assured of the future in order to be engage in these projects.” The extension would be for 2012 with an option for 2013.

[Tifoso]

The Ducati boys and Rossi are well positioned

[Ste]

The Ducati boys and Rossi are well positioned

Hoping Stoner crashes out

[Tifoso]

Hoping Stoner crashes out

Can't stand him much, but while he's on a rossa....

[OldskoolF1]

have i missed something all season? I just watched the Moto GP on BBC HD Has it been on HD all season or is this the first time? Hopefully we can see F1 in HD soon

[Ste]

First time this race.

I said Stoner would crash.

[Sianellen]

First time this race.

I said Stoner would crash.

And there was much happiness when he did.

[siberianlady]

Not really- but it was on the cards. Watched the start then DTM- now that was more interesting today at least!

[OldskoolF1]

Surely Honda must worry about next season and whether Stoner is going to fall off the bike the whole time. Lorenzo crashed alot when he first came to Moto GP but he seems to have that under control now whereas Casey still flies off regularly

[siberianlady]

Surely Honda must worry about next season and whether Stoner is going to fall off the bike the whole time. Lorenzo crashed alot when he first came to Moto GP but he seems to have that under control now whereas Casey still flies off regularly

Why they have a third bike next year- Dovizioso may save the day........Lol

[Aussie]

Stoner is still my fav

[Tifoso]

Stoner is still my fav

You must be thrilled Now he gets hot

A superb qualifying display from the Ducati rider sealed him pole position for the final race of 2010 ahead of Jorge Lorenzo and Marco Simoncelli, the latter of whom secured his first front-row start. Valentino Rossi will start the race from fourth.

Valencia 2010 - MotoGP - QP - Highlights
Casey Stoner put on a stunning display in his final qualifying session with Ducati to take pole position for the last race of the 2010 season at Valencia, posting the only sub-1’32” lap of the weekend so far in a strong 45-minute run. The Australian’s hot lap of 1’31.799 left him 0.331s clear at the top of the timesheet, and came after he had dealt with an early run-off as he pushed hard for his fourth pole of the campaign.

World Champion Jorge Lorenzo, sporting a special edition helmet for the final-round occasion, followed Stoner onto the front row with a best effort of 1’32.130 on his Fiat Yamaha M1 having led for a large portion of the session.

Carrying his progress from the practice sessions into qualifying was Marco Simoncelli and the Italian rookie’s display was rewarded with his first front-row start in the premier class. The San Carlo Honda Gresini rider was just over a tenth of a second off Lorenzo.

A late surge from Valentino Rossi (Fiat Yamaha) placed the Italian fourth (+0.531s on Stoner) as he battled to find enough pace to challenge near the top end, with American duo Nicky Hayden (Ducati Team) and Ben Spies (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) also taking places on the second row of the grid.

Completing the top ten in the session were Colin Edwards (Monster Yamaha Tech 3), Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda), Andrea Dovizioso (Repsol Honda) and Marco Melandri (San Carlo Honda Gresini).

Sunday’s season-ending Gran Premio Generali de la Comunitat Valenciana gets underway at 2pm local time.

1 27 Casey STONER AUS Ducati Team Ducati 310.3 1'31.799
2 99 Jorge LORENZO SPA Fiat Yamaha Team Yamaha 305.5 1'32.130 0.331 / 0.331
3 58 Marco SIMONCELLI ITA San Carlo Honda Gresini Honda 303.7 1'32.244 0.445 / 0.114
4 46 Valentino ROSSI ITA Fiat Yamaha Team Yamaha 305.4 1'32.330 0.531 / 0.086
5 69 Nicky HAYDEN USA Ducati Team Ducati 305.7 1'32.422 0.623 / 0.092
6 11 Ben SPIES USA Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Yamaha 305.1 1'32.566 0.767 / 0.144
7 5 Colin EDWARDS USA Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Yamaha 305.3 1'32.579 0.780 / 0.013
8 26 Dani PEDROSA SPA Repsol Honda Team Honda 312.4 1'32.603 0.804 / 0.024
9 4 Andrea DOVIZIOSO ITA Repsol Honda Team Honda 311.3 1'32.886 1.087 / 0.283
10 33 Marco MELANDRI ITA San Carlo Honda Gresini Honda 308.7 1'32.917 1.118 / 0.031
11 14 Randy DE PUNIET FRA LCR Honda MotoGP Honda 307.1 1'32.925 1.126 / 0.008
12 41 Aleix ESPARGARO SPA Pramac Racing Team Ducati 303.1 1'33.085 1.286 / 0.160
13 40 Hector BARBERA SPA Paginas Amarillas Aspar Ducati 311.0 1'33.170 1.371 / 0.085
14 65 Loris CAPIROSSI ITA Rizla Suzuki MotoGP Suzuki 306.5 1'33.339 1.540 / 0.169
15 7 Hiroshi AOYAMA JPN Interwetten Honda MotoGP Honda 308.3 1'33.343 1.544 / 0.004
16 71 Carlos CHECA SPA Pramac Racing Team Ducati 305.3 1'33.499 1.700 / 0.156
17 19 Alvaro BAUTISTA SPA Rizla Suzuki MotoGP Suzuki 305.9 1'33.515 1.716 / 0.016


motogp.com

[epiclyaddicted]

You must be thrilled Now he gets hot

Stoner's doing a Kimi then Lou?

[Tifoso]

Stoner's doing a Kimi then Lou?

LOL. Exactly!

[Tifoso]

Uh, oh

MOTOGP »

Stoner second on RC212V debut
Casey Stoner second on Honda RC212V debut.
Casey Stoner has never taken long to get up to speed, but even the Australian might have been surprised by his factory Honda debut, in testing at Valencia on Tuesday.

Stoner, a Ducati rider for the past four years, last rode a Honda during his 2006 debut MotoGP season, but that was a satellite specification 990cc RC211V.

The 2007 world champion, a winner of more 800cc race than any other rider (23), took just a few laps to rubbish any suggestions that his success has been purely down to the Desmosedici by finishing his first day on an RC212V second on the timesheets.

New world champion Jorge Lorenzo, who is remaining with Yamaha, was the only rider faster Stoner, who beat not only new team-mates Dani Pedrosa and Andrea Dovizioso, but also his best lap time on the Ducati in Sunday's race.

According to Repsol Honda, Stoner spent the day "getting comfortable with the 2010 RC212V, adjusting riding position, controls and working up to speed."

Stoner was by far the highest placed of the seven riders making their debut on new types of bike on Tuesday.

The others were ranked 10th (Valentino Rossi, Ducati) , 11th (Randy de Puniet, Ducati), 14th (Cal Crutchlow, Yamaha), 15th (Loris Capirossi, Ducati), 16th (Toni Elias, Honda) and 17th (Karel Abraham, Ducati).

crash.net

[Ste]

Wouldn't worry Lou. First day of testing means nothing.

Rossi was testing two different engines today - big bang and the screamer. Deciding which he preferred. Also a new fairing as well as 3 different front end setups.

Tough day of testing. Stoner for example had nothing to concentrate on with riding the 2010 Honda. It's not being developed. He would have been further down the order if he'd been running on the 2011 Honda.

[Tifoso]

Wouldn't worry Lou. First day of testing means nothing.

Rossi was testing two different engines today - big bang and the screamer. Deciding which he preferred. Also a new fairing as well as 3 different front end setups.

Tough day of testing. Stoner for example had nothing to concentrate on with riding the 2010 Honda. It's not being developed. He would have been further down the order if he'd been running on the 2011 Honda.

Ahhh, thanks mate

(Is there an iPhone app? )

[Ste]

Ahhh, thanks mate

(Is there an iPhone app? )

There is a MotoGP live timing app yes. But I very much doubt it covers testing.

http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2010/M...hed+for+iPhone

Very similar to the F1 app.

[Rob]

[Tifoso]

I presume that was is black now on his uniform, will be red at the opener?

[Tifoso]

Yup

Ducati 'must improve' for Rossi to be Rossi
"The objective is clearly to allow Valentino to ride like Valentino! We know we have to improve the bike to achieve this, especially the front end" - Filippo Preziosi.
Ducati has pledged to improve its MotoGP machine after superstar signing Valentino Rossi was left just 15th fastest at the end of his Desmosedici debut at the Valencia MotoGP test.

Tenth out of the 17 riders after day one, the seven time MotoGP champion improved by only 0.121sec during his next 70 laps on Wednesday's second and final day.

Rossi's best time was 1.695sec slower than the rider he has replaced at Ducati, Casey Stoner, who was fastest for Honda.

The Italian even came within 0.032sec of being outpaced by MotoGP rookie Karel Abraham, also riding a Ducati.

With Rossi unable to discuss the test due to the terms of his early release from Yamaha, it was left to Ducati Corse general manager Filippo Preziosi to face the press.

The first decision to make is in terms of the 2011 engine - stick with the 'big bang' or switch back to the 'screamer'. Preziosi is leaning towards the more user-friendly 'big bang', which Rossi used throughout day two.

"After these two days of tests we will go back to Ducati for a meeting, where we will decide which path to take between the two engines, the 'big bang' and the 'screamer', although the information we have is pointing towards the former," said Preziosi.

"It will be a decision we will make by analysing the data in depth as well as planning the way forward around all the other things we learnt at the test."

Preziosi then admitted he'd have liked Rossi to have gone faster, and that work needs to be done on the front end of the bike.

Stoner and Nicky Hayden crashed out of eight races this season. All those falls are believed to have been triggered by front end problems.

"The objective is clearly to allow Valentino to ride like Valentino!" said Preziosi.

"We know we have to improve the bike in order to achieve this, especially the front end. He has given us some very precise information and now it is down to us to use it. [snip]

crash.net

[Ste]

Rossi Undergoes Shoulder Operation
Source: Autosport

Valentino Rossi had surgery on Sunday to resolve the shoulder issue that hampered much of his 2010 season.

The former world champion sustained the injury in a Motocross crash in April, and the after-effects lingered through the rest of the championship - ultimately hampering his form more than the recovery from the broken leg he suffered at Mugello.

Rossi had the two-hour operation on his supraspinatus tendon and glenoid ligament at the Cervesi di Cattolica hospital.

The official MotoGP website quoted surgeons Dr Alex Castagna and Dr Giuseppe Porcellini as saying: "The condition of the shoulder was really critical: Valentino really had to be tough to keep racing with that kind of injury.

"The intervention went well, without any complications.

"For rehabilitation, you'd usually need 90 days for that kind of injury but we'll do our best in order to meet the requirements of the rider."

Rossi had considered missing the final rounds of the 2010 season to have the surgery, before ultimately deciding to race on and then complete his first test with Ducati prior to the operation.

[Ste]

Rossi: Shoulder Worse Than Expected
Source: Autosport

Valentino Rossi has revealed that his injured shoulder was in much worse condition than expected before surgery was carried out last weekend, but says it is now 'as good as new'.

The former champion struggled for much of the 2010 season due to pain from damage sustained in a Motocross crash in April, but he held off until after the championship and his first Ducati test were complete before undergoing the required operation.

Rossi is now recovering from the surgery, and said that he was in a lot of discomfort at present.

"I feel quite in pain, it hurts a lot, but it's normal in the days that follow surgery," he said in an interview with Italian TV programme Striscia la Notizia.

"I struggle to sleep, but the operation went well, everything is okay. Now my arm is tied to my neck, but the shoulder should get back to 100 per cent, so it's just a matter of time."

He explained that the severity of the injury had not become fully clear until he was in hospital.

"Unfortunately the shoulder was in a lot worse condition than we had expected, so the operation lasted twice as long as it should have," said Rossi, whose season was also disrupted by a broken leg.

"All the tendons and everything else that was believed to perhaps be slightly damaged, were in fact completely broken, so I have a new shoulder now.

"They've given me a new shoulder, I can't wait to test it!"

[Ste]

Burgess: no Panic Over Rossi Test Pace
Source: Autosport

Valentino Rossi's chief engineer Jeremy Burgess says the Italian's slow times in his maiden test for Ducati are no cause for panic.

The seven-time MotoGP champion was only eighth and 15th on his first two days of running with his new team at Valencia last week.

But Burgess, who was followed Rossi to Ducati after achieving great success with him at Honda and Yamaha, said the Valencia sessions were largely for acclimatisation and there was no need to top the times.

"There's no reason to panic, despite Valentino's unusual test results," Burgess told Motosprint.

"Everything was new for Valentino as it was for myself and my team."

He admitted that there was a great deal of change to adjust to at Ducati.

"We've all found ourselves in contact with a bike very different from the Japanese ones, and therefore with a different work method," Burgess said.

"The Ducati reacts differently, so this is a time to be handled with calmness by us too, just to understand things.

"After years of Japanese bikes, and seven seasons at Yamaha, for Valentino to get on the Ducati was a sort of culture shock.

"This bike is a lot more physical, the way to make it turn with the required precision is certainly the thing we must focus on at the moment."

Burgess added: "Everyone likes to be at the top of the timesheets, after every test session, but I knew Valentino would get on the track to do a different job: he wanted to ride to understand the bike, not to do record laps.

"He kept himself within wide margins, he certainly didn't ride as if it was a race weekend. For sure we've understood that to make the Ducati turn, you need a bigger effort than what Valentino was used to, physically too, and we didn't expect that."

Burgess also believes that Rossi was suffering particularly badly with his shoulder injury - which has since undergone surgery - at the test.

"No one has focused on one aspect: his shoulder," said Burgess.

"Valentino has held on in order to finish the season, and two extra days have put strain on his already suffering shoulder.

"On the second day Valentino could barely do three or four laps in a row, and without ever pushing. This has influenced his test."

[Tifoso]

Great news, all around. Thanks for posting mate


Brilliant sig, sir.

[Ste]

Brilliant sig, sir.

Thanks mate, I like it too.

[Tifoso]

Good news

Rossi updates on condition, still eyeing Sepang
The 2009 world champion is determined to be in good shape ahead of the crucial test with Ducati in Malaysia.
Valentino Rossi says he has made a good start to his rehabilitation process having eased himself back into training following his shoulder operation.

'The Doctor' went under the knife to correct the damage in his shoulder earlier this month [November], but with the stitches having now been removed, he is now able to begin some training on the rest of his body.

While surgeons initially raised concern that Rossi wouldn't quite be fully fit to participate in the next MotoGP test at Sepang in February – a crucial outing for the Italian as he looks to adapt to his new Ducati steed -, the seven-time world champion is more optimistic about the outcome.

“I'm undergoing rehabilition on my shoulder and the situation is improving,” he said on his personal website. “It's been two weeks since the operation and Doctor Porcellini has removed the stitches: I can now go back to the gym to workout - at least on the rest of my body - and continue to work on the shoulder, even if it's just passive rehab, to make sure we don't lose any mobility.

“In two weeks' time, I'll start actively working out, in the pool and in the gym, to be ready for the three day test at the start of February. We will have to move as fast as we can, but I hope to be in pretty good shape for the first test of 2011 with the Ducati at Sepang.”

crash.net

[Tifoso]

Fans voted the best riders for 2010. Interesting choice for #1 Because it's correct

http://www.crash.net/motogp/news/165...ar_part_2.html

[Rob]

Ducati: Rossi's fitness biggest concern
By Michele Lostia and Matt Beer http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/88751

Ducati's sporting boss Filippo Preziosi has admitted that he is concerned Valentino Rossi's testing programme could be hampered by his recovery from shoulder surgery.

The MotoGP legend is joining Ducati from Yamaha next season, but was off the pace in his first test on the Italian bike in November, and then had surgery on the shoulder injury he had sustained in a Motocross incident earlier in the season.

In an interview with Motosprint, Preziosi confirmed that Rossi's fitness was a worry, as he fears the former champion will still be below par physically when testing resumes in Malaysia in February.

"At the moment, the thing that worries me the most isn't a technical issue," Preziosi said.

"I can't figure when he will have the physical condition to really push on the track. Valentino will come to Sepang fully recovered from a medical point of view, but physically he will have a big gap to make up. After all, he'll come from a winter not dedicated to resting, but to working out to recover.

"Valentino will not have the chance to rest, while for riders at that level it's important to pull the plug a bit. Luckily he his super strong mentally, so he will come to the races in a strong psychological state of mind."

Preziosi admitted that Rossi might have to limit his testing mileage for fitness reasons - yet will want to accumulate as many laps as possible as he adjusts to the very-different characteristics of the Ducati.

"We'll have to be very able in asking him not to run too much," said Preziosi. "Temperatures are very high in Sepang and conditions are extreme.

"The priority is for him to recover 100 per cent during the winter, so for February and March it's fine to sacrifice some extra information from running on the track.

"We must be able to do without all the testing we'd like to do, otherwise we'd force Valentino into a hyper-activity on track that may slow down his recovery.

"We'll have to make him run just as little as needed to develop the bike. I don't want to risk having Valentino under 100 per cent in the races because he got too tired in testing. We must save him energy during the winter.

"It's clear, however, that we will have to hold him back because he will want to understand and develop the bike as much as possible. To do that, he'll want to run plenty."

The team boss added that Ducati would have to stay calm about its testing form, as it might not be representative.

"I don't think we'll lead the lap times, but we must avoid being influenced by it," said Preziosi. "We must think about the races."

[Tifoso]

Closing this one. We'll use the 2011 one.