Moto GP

[Rev004]

The day we have been waiting for draws closer with the 1st round of MotoGp Action kicking of this weekend unfortunately I will be away for the Easter Weekend so probably won't see the race or have access to the net so for my Money I reckon Stoner will take out the 1st round.

Then lets wait for all the one eyed fans to chuck their two mods worth in and all the opinions that come with it to all start again oh what fun..

Anyway with all that going on the one thing that we can all agree on is that we all enjoy a good race regardless of the winner.

So here is some more gossip leading up the the weekend..


Pick against Crivillà in MotoGP 2009 Fantasy League
Monday, 06 April 2009

Former 500cc titlist predicts Stoner, Rossi and Lorenzo top three for Qatar.


As a former MotoGP World Champion, Alex Crivillà knows a few things about premier class racing. But can you out-predict him in the new MotoGP 2009 Fantasy League?

Crivillà has gone for a conservative prognosis in his pick for the top three riders at this weekendâ€s Commercialbank Grand Prix of Qatar, and if you disagree with the Spaniard then you can make your own predictions and receive the chance of winning some top MotoGP prizes.

“Iâ€m going for Casey Stoner, Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo for the first podium of the year,” says CrivillÃ. “Weâ€ll see what Andrea Dovizioso is like with the Honda, but I donâ€t think that Dani Pedrosa is fit enough to get a good result –the most logical thing for him to do is be conservative.

“We should also pay attention to Loris Capirossi and Chris Vermeulen, as the Suzuki is a good bike and at the last test they were in the top five.”

The latest edition of the motogp.com prediction game allows for the selection of race winners, and Crivillà has once again gone for Stoner in his overall bet for the title.

“The man to beat this year is going to be Stoner. He has been the fastest in all the preseason tests that heâ€s done, and the way that he rides the Ducati is incredible. Heâ€s the one with the least active traction control as well; when the other Ducati riders were getting pushed to the outside by the bike at Jerezâ€s Ferrari corner, he was getting on the gas to hit the apex.”

Prizes up for grabs in the MotoGP 2009 Fantasy League include Grand Prix passes and a Yamaha scooter.

http://www.motogp.com/en/Fan+Zone/Fantasy+League


Opening night in Qatar beckons for MotoGP riders
Monday, 06 April 2009

2009 season begins this weekend in Losail in second MotoGP night race.


Five months on from the final race of the 2008 MotoGP World Championship, the 2009 edition of the series starts up on April 12th with the Commercialbank Grand Prix of Qatar. The first of seventeen races to decide who will be crowned the king of the premier class takes place at the Losail International Circuit in the Arab emirate, opening up the action for the third consecutive year.

The only night race on the MotoGP calendar, the Commercialbank Grand Prix of Qatar is a showpiece event for both the state and the World Championship. The inaugural event under the floodlights took place last year, and was won by Ducati Marlboroâ€s Casey Stoner.

Reigning World Champion Valentino Rossi has won races at every track used in 2009, but is still pending victory after sunset. The Fiat Yamaha rider was victorious by day in the desert in 2005 and 2006, engaging in his first head-to-head battle with future title rival Stoner at the latter event. Last season he finished fifth in Qatar, off the podium for the first of only two occasions.

The Losail International Circuit is a favoured track for former champion Stoner, the scene of his first pole position and MotoGP victory. The Australian begins the season fresh from a triumph in the BMW M Award competition in testing at Jerez, a ‘qualifying†competition in which he rolled over the opposition with an outstanding lap. Attention will be focused on Stonerâ€s endurance, called into question by his not having undertaken any long runouts since undergoing scaphoid surgery in November.

Guaranteed to be at less than 100% is 2008â€s third place finisher Dani Pedrosa, who missed the final test of preseason through injury and is a doubt for the Qatari round. A crash at the scene of this weekendâ€s race left Repsol Hondaâ€s Spanish star requiring surgery on his arm and leg, with his estimated return to fitness extremely close to opening night.

Jorge Lorenzo returns to the scene of his amazing MotoGP debut –where he took pole and finished second- after an injury-free preseason. He will be racing with Bridgestone rubber on his Fiat Yamaha M1 for the first time in what will be the maiden race for the series under a single tyre rule.

Four more factory riders will be in action in Qatar, as Ducati Marlboroâ€s Nicky Hayden lines up alongside Repsol Honda replacement Andrea Dovizioso and Rizla Suzukiâ€s unchanged lineup of Loris Capirossi & Chris Vermeulen.

2004 Qatar racewinner Sete Gibernau will be participating in his first MotoGP race since the 2006 Portuguese Grand Prix, whilst premier class bows will be made by Pramac Racingâ€s Niccolo Canepa & Mika Kallio plus Scot Racing's Yuki Takahashi. The 800cc field is completed by Monster Yamaha Tech3 riders Colin Edwards & James Toseland, San Carlo Honda Gresiniâ€s Alex de Angelis and Toni Eliás and Hayate Racing man Marco Melandri.

Practice for the Commercialbank Grand Prix of Qatar begins on Friday night, with the first 45-minute practice session for the MotoGP riders taking place at 10.30pm local time.

The Losail International Circuit lies on the outskirts of Doha, the capital city of Qatar. Built in little over a year, the track cost $58 million USD and required round-the-clock dedication from almost 1,000 workers in order to get it ready for the inaugural event on October 2nd 2004. The clockwise-running track itself has a flowing layout of 5.4 kilometres, surrounded by artificial grass designed to prevent sand from the neighbouring desert from blowing onto the circuit. The main straight is over a kilometre in length and there is a good mix of medium and high-speed corners.


Pedrosa confirms Qatar participation
Tuesday, 07 April 2009

Spanish rider will ride in season opener after five weeks of recovery.


Repsol Honda rider Dani Pedrosa has confirmed that he will be present for the first practice session at the Commercialbank Grand Prix of Qatar. Speaking on his blog at www.repsol.com, the Spaniard announced that he had decided at the last minute to head to Losail.

Pedrosa has been sidelined since a crash at the track in testing, which led to him needing surgery on his leg and arm. Unable to bend his leg to 90 degrees whilst his rivals were testing in Jerez less than two weeks ago, it is unlikely that he is at full fitness for the opening race of 2009.

The recuperation of Pedrosaâ€s left knee and arm has progressed more quickly than expected, according to a separate statement from sponsors Repsol.


Rossi excited by unknown of Qatar
Tuesday, 07 April 2009

World Champion feels that not all his cards have yet been shown.


Valentino Rossi begins the defence of his MotoGP World Championship this weekend, and the Fiat Yamaha rider is in high spirits ahead of the first race of the year. Rival Casey Stoner may seem to have the beating of him at the Losail International Circuit, but Rossi has a strong belief in his Yamaha M1 and is sure to have a strategy in mind for the season-opener.

“Qatar isnâ€t one of our strongest tracks but we still have a few cards to play and I hope that a little more work will see us improve for the first race,” says the man who won at Losail in 2005 & 2006. “Tests really mean nothing once you get to racing, the situation is totally different and really we have little idea what will happen until we get there, itâ€s very exciting!”

“Iâ€m feeling confident, weâ€re in good shape even if weâ€re going to what was our worst track during testing, but I am happy about the performance of my M1 in general; Yamaha have done a great job and so this makes me happy.”

The final preseason test of the year in Jerez gave a glimpse of what qualifying will be like following the implementation of a single tyre supplier rule, in the BMW M Award shootout won by Stoner. Rossi is expecting the true effects of the rule change to become apparent over the course of the year, particularly following the first race this weekend.

“With the new rules the tactics will become clearer race by race. I think a lot of new factors will come into play and strategy is going to be quite important to determine where you start the race. I think luck will also be a factor in qualifying, more so than previously! In fact, I am quite curious to see what will happen in a 45 minute race with so few tyres, itâ€s going to be interesting.”

Rossi finished fifth at last yearâ€s Commercialbank Grand Prix of Qatar, one of only two occasions that he did not place on the podium in 2008.


Stoner keeps feet on the ground in preparation for Qatar
Tuesday, 07 April 2009

Australian avoiding overconfidence whilst teammate Hayden prepares for 100th race.


Casey Stoner and his Ducati Marlboro colleagues return to the scene of some of their most successful races this weekend, beginning their quest for a second MotoGP world title at the track at which they have won the past two editions of the Commercialbank Grand Prix of Qatar.

The final preseason test of the year gave Stoner an extra boost heading to the Arab emirate, with his victory in the BMW M Award competition held at Jerez. The test also allowed the Australian to confirm his positive feeling with the Desmosedici GP9, although he is taking nothing for granted in the run-up to the 2009 campaign.

“Iâ€m leaving behind the end of the summer holidays in Australia but to tell you the truth I really canâ€t wait for the new season to start. Iâ€m really pleased with the progress weâ€ve made together with the Ducati engineers behind the scenes and with the tests weâ€ve done out on the track,” says Stoner ahead of race one.

“Everybody has worked really hard, the bike has improved in a variety of areas and itâ€s much easier to ride. The power delivery from the engine is better, the carbon frame has improved stability and Iâ€m happy with the carbon swingarm too, even though we have only tried it in the last two tests and it still needs a little more work before we full understand it. So testing has been positive but we know that racing is another story and we simply cannot afford to drop our guard at any point – we have to keep working hard to make sure we donâ€t make the same mistakes as last season, which we went into with too much confidence.”

The Qatari race will also be a race to savour for Stonerâ€s new teammate, Nicky Hayden. The American debuts with Ducati on what will be his 100th Grand Prix start, something that fills him with pride.

“To be honest with you Iâ€d like to have had a little more time with the bike in preseason but this is what weâ€ve got to deal with and now itâ€s time to get serious. If I could have chosen anywhere to be making my debut on the Ducati I would have chosen Qatar, where we had a good test session a few weeks ago, so I guess Iâ€m lucky in that respect!” says Hayden of the Losail track.

“I canâ€t hide the fact that Iâ€d like to be closer to the front than where weâ€re at right now and further down the road in terms of the work weâ€ve got to do with the team but Iâ€m still really pleased that the season is starting because I love the races.

“I canâ€t believe itâ€s already been a hundred GP starts - I have really enjoyed them all… well some a lot more than others! But itâ€s been an honour to race in Grand Prix with all these great riders, sweet tracks, and the awesome fans all over the world! I know it wonâ€t be easy but I really hope my best GPs are ahead of me.”



Lorenzo previews season in depth
Tuesday, 07 April 2009

Returning to the venue where he commenced his remarkable MotoGP rookie campaign in such style last year, Jorge Lorenzo is pumped up and ready for the â€09 season.


Sure to be one of the key players this weekend at the Commercialbank Grand Prix of Qatar Jorge Lorenzo is looking forward to returning to the scene of his superb MotoGP debut at the beginning of last season.

Pole position and second place in the race at your first GP is not a bad effort and the ultra-confident Lorenzo would surely be happy with a repeat result. In the preseason test visit to Qatar early in March Lorenzo was also second overall and he counts the desert track as one of his favourites.

“Losail is one of the tracks where I am strongest,” says the 21 year-old Spaniard. “It has a place in history as the host venue of the first ever night race and the floodlights there make it different to anywhere else. Itâ€s a great place to start the season and if I can get back on the podium there it will be even better.”

The 2008 rookie of the year went on to preview the season in more detail as he undertook a revealing Q & A session, just days ahead of his second premier class campaign…

Q. How are you feeling after the first few tests with the new Yamaha M1 during the preseason?
A. “Iâ€m doing well and I really want the races to start. It wasnâ€t easy with the new bike at first, but now I have started to go fast with the Bridgestone tyres. The last day of the Qatar test and both days in Jerez were good. Iâ€m really up for it now, with the reduction in tests and the long winter break I really want to get back on the bike and start racing.”

Q. What do you think about the new Bridgestone tyres and the removal of Friday morning free practice from the time schedules?
A. “The new tyres are really different to the ones I was using last year but Iâ€m gradually getting used to them. The Bridgestone front tyre is really impressive and when you are on the brakes you really notice the difference. From a selfish point of view I donâ€t think losing Friday mornings will help me much because I like to put in plenty of laps, but it will help the championship financially.”

Q. Do you think the tyres were talked about too much last year?
A. “It was logical because the situation was not normal. I think Dorna took the right decision even though it was a break from the tradition of tyre competition. Hopefully we will see an even more open championship with more overtaking and more excitement at the end of the races.”

Q. Do you feel more confident as you go into your second year in MotoGP?
A. “Well I obviously have a lot more experience after everything I went through last year. Last year I felt good right from the start and I started to get good results straight away. But the tyres were such a big factor. When they worked well we were up front but when they didnâ€t I started crashing, as it took time to understand that I had to adapt my riding according to the conditions.”

Q. What is you main objective this season?
A. “The main aim is to improve on the fourth place I got overall last year. Itâ€s a good goal to have, to improve yourself as a rider each season.”

Q. Who do you see as the favourites for the title?
A. “Logically you have to say those who were at the top last year. Valentino (Rossi) is the champion and (Casey) Stoner was the winner before him, so they are under the most pressure. (Dani) Pedrosa has a serious injury but Iâ€m sure he will be fighting for victories again. That is how you have to see things logically, but we all know that anything can happen when the races start.”


Grand Prix Motorcycle history book released
Thursday, 02 April 2009

A book covering the official technical history of the machinery used in the premier class of the MotoGP World Championship, entitled ‘The Grand Prix Motorcycleâ€, is now available for purchase.


A new book entitled ‘The Grand Prix Motorcycle - The Official Technical Historyâ€, written by Kevin Cameron and with a foreword by MotoGP Legend Kenny Roberts Sr., is now on sale.

The publication is an authoritative technical analysis of Grand Prix bikes, looking at the motorcycles used right from the beginning of the FIM MotoGP World Championship in 1949 to the end of the 2008 season.

Written by one of the foremost experts on the subject, the text is packed with factual detail, insightful perspective and thought-provoking judgement, all supported by illustrations of each of the World Champion motorcycles from 60 years of the premier class.

Features also include:
- Technical developments in each of the 60 seasons described in detail.
- Coverage of 14 major eras, each with a special body-off illustration of the landmark motorcycle design of the period.
- Full data on each of the 60 champion bikes, covering title-winning marques AJS, Ducati, Gilera, Honda, Manx Norton, MV Agusta, Suzuki and Yamaha.

The new title is a latest release from Haynes Publishing and forms part of an extensive range of officially licensed MotoGP books. For more details visit http://www.haynes.co.uk/webapp/wcs/store...ogId=10001&storeId=10001&categoryId=35017&langId=-1&parent_category_rn=10188&top_category=10006