Moto GP

[BUSGO]

Well if history is anything to go by, Rossi doesn't normally care too much about pole and uses his cunning to work his way to the front before the end of the race.

I still hope that Lorenzo and Stoner can get in front and keep him at bay.
Then we will see some terrific racing.
Pederosa is always a dark horse too.

[Rev004]

Well Well Well who would have thought Rossi wouldn't have finish on the Podium I know that I wouldn't have picked that one.

All I can say it has certainly opened up the championship for Lorenzo to come and snatch what we were thinking was going to be Rossi all the way. Well that may not be the case now that Rossi has opened the door I still think that Rossi still has it in the bag with only 3 rounds to go but as a lot of people will be saying anything is possible. Rossi has just put all the pressure on himself to come up with the Goods and I'm sure like everyone else if he doesn't Lorenzo will be there to pounce, what a end to a season 3 rounds to go and the battle for the Championship is definitely on.

I would have to say that Stoner ran a good race I didn't think that he would be up to speed so quick and it must be a little disappointing for Hayden to see Stoner disappear like that. I spose when if comes to the Ducati up to date thereâ€s only been a couple of people that have managed to get anything out of the Ducati and that is Bayliss and Stoner go those .

Oh by the way all you guys and gals going to the Island all I can say is you lucky Bastards it will be one race worth doing the trip and seeing. All the best to everyone riding down and please take care and make it a safe one.

Anyway enough of my dribble here is the report and results from the MotoGp.

Lorenzo cuts Rossiâ€s title advantage with Estoril triumph
Sunday, 04 October 2009

A great win for Jorge Lorenzo at the bwin.com Grande Premio de Portugal saw him reduce the gap to Valentino Rossi in the standings to 18 points.

Estoril 2009 - MotoGP Race Highlights


Jorge Lorenzo repeated his 2008 Estoril victory from pole on Sunday to significantly boost his title chances as Valentino Rossi could only manage fourth place at the challenging Portuguese circuit.

The Fiat Yamaha pair got away in first and second places on the grid but Rossi was unable to match the pace of Lorenzo as he pulled away quickly at the front. On his return to action Ducatiâ€s Casey Stoner rode brilliantly to follow Lorenzo across the line in second place, whilst Repsol Hondaâ€s Dani Pedrosa was third.

Lorenzo will now feel that with three races to go and an 18 point deficit to Rossi the championship is far more achievable than before the visit to Portugal. The Spaniard was in unstoppable form in the Atlantic Coast sunshine and his fourth win of the year was eventually secured by a 6.3s margin.

Stoner performed admirably on his return to action after two months away due to illness, achieving his first podium since Assen in June – and he now has his home race at Phillip Island to look forward to in a fortnightâ€s time.

Pedrosa rode smoothly from fourth on the grid, taking the holeshot with one of his traditionally rapid starts onboard the factory RC212V and briefly holding the lead before Lorenzo slipped through. Pedrosaâ€s third place was his eighth podium of 2009.

World Champion Rossi appeared to be off-colour throughout the race, finishing off the podium for the first time at Estoril in the premier class. The championship leader will undertake a comprehensive inquest into his lack of competitiveness with his Fiat Yamaha crew after finishing 23 seconds behind Lorenzo.

Behind the MotoGP big guns at the front, Colin Edwards (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) was 10 seconds back on Rossi in fifth place, whilst Toni Elías (San Carlo Honda Gresini) held off Andrea Dovizioso (Repsol Honda) for sixth on the line.

The top ten also featured Nicky Hayden (Ducati Marlboro), James Toseland (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) and Chris Vermeulen (Rizla Suzuki), with Mika Kallio (Pramac Racing) crashing out early on and Loris Capirossi (Rizla Suzuki) and Alex de Angelis (San Carlo Honda Gresini) retiring due to technical problems

GRANDE PREMIO DE PORTUGAL

MotoGP Race
Pos. Points Num. Rider Nation Team Motorcycle Total time Km/h Gap
1 25 99 Jorge LORENZO SPA Fiat Yamaha Team Yamaha 45'35.522 154.100
2 20 27 Casey STONER AUS Ducati Marlboro Team Ducati 45'41.816 153.746 6.294
3 16 3 Dani PEDROSA SPA Repsol Honda Team Honda 45'45.411 153.545 9.889
4 13 46 Valentino ROSSI ITA Fiat Yamaha Team Yamaha 45'58.950 152.792 23.428
5 11 5 Colin EDWARDS USA Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Yamaha 46'08.174 152.282 32.652
6 10 24 Toni ELIAS SPA San Carlo Honda Gresini Honda 46'11.231 152.114 35.709
7 9 4 Andrea DOVIZIOSO ITA Repsol Honda Team Honda 46'11.245 152.114 35.723
8 8 69 Nicky HAYDEN USA Ducati Marlboro Team Ducati 46'14.352 151.943 38.830
9 7 52 James TOSELAND GBR Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Yamaha 46'19.615 151.656 44.093
10 6 7 Chris VERMEULEN AUS Rizla Suzuki MotoGP Suzuki 46'28.385 151.179 52.863
11 5 14 Randy DE PUNIET FRA LCR Honda MotoGP Honda 46'31.220 151.025 55.698
12 4 33 Marco MELANDRI ITA Hayate Racing Team Kawasaki 46'40.037 150.550 1'04.515
13 3 88 Niccolo CANEPA ITA Pramac Racing Ducati 46'40.060 150.548 1'04.538
14 2 41 Gabor TALMACSI HUN Scot Racing Team MotoGP Honda 47'02.821 149.334 1'27.299
Not classified
65 Loris CAPIROSSI ITA Rizla Suzuki MotoGP Suzuki 33'23.887 8 Lap
15 Alex DE ANGELIS RSM San Carlo Honda Gresini Honda 13'44.836 20 Lap
36 Mika KALLIO FIN Pramac Racing Ducati 8'18.517 23 Lap


MotoGP World Championship

Pos. Rider Nation Team Points
1 Valentino ROSSI ITA Fiat Yamaha Team 250
2 Jorge LORENZO SPA Fiat Yamaha Team 232
3 Dani PEDROSA SPA Repsol Honda Team 173
4 Casey STONER AUS Ducati Marlboro Team 170
5 Andrea DOVIZIOSO ITA Repsol Honda Team 142
6 Colin EDWARDS USA Monster Yamaha Tech 3 134
7 Loris CAPIROSSI ITA Rizla Suzuki MotoGP 97
8 Randy DE PUNIET FRA LCR Honda MotoGP 93
9 Marco MELANDRI ITA Hayate Racing Team 91
10 Toni ELIAS SPA San Carlo Honda Gresini 90
11 Chris VERMEULEN AUS Rizla Suzuki MotoGP 90
12 Alex DE ANGELIS RSM San Carlo Honda Gresini 88
13 James TOSELAND GBR Monster Yamaha Tech 3 85
14 Nicky HAYDEN USA Ducati Marlboro Team 81
15 Mika KALLIO FIN Ducati Marlboro Team 51
16 Niccolo CANEPA ITA Pramac Racing 38
17 Gabor TALMACSI HUN Scot Racing Team MotoGP 14
18 Sete GIBERNAU SPA Grupo Francisco Hernando 12
19 Yuki TAKAHASHI JPN Scot Racing Team MotoGP 9
20 Aleix ESPARGARO SPA Pramac Racing 8

[Rev004]

Not sure why he has decided to ride for Kawasaki there is certainly better bikes in the field than the Kwaka. I don't think that people realise how talented Chris is if I was a team manager I would have been very quick to pick him up.

Still I wouldn't have been as Quick to ride for Kwasaki even though they have promised an all out assault in the WSB next year Suzuki have been telling him that for the last couple of years in the MotoGp and look where that got him back in the Superbikes.

I spose when it come's to MotoGp teams want someone that can win the championship and unfortunately people don't believe Chris can do this but I would have thought that there is other candidates in the MotoGp circle that should have not got another ride OMI.

All I can say to Chris in all the best and hope to see you back in the premier class one day.

FOX SPORTS
Big decision ... Vermeulen has put his faith in strugglers Kawasaki.

Chris Vermeulen joins Kawasaki in World Superbike Championship
By Robert Grant
October 03, 2009 .Australian MotoGP race-winner Chris Vermeulen is headed back to the sanctuary of the World Superbike Championship.

The factory Suzuki rider has penned a two-year deal to ride for Kawasaki in the series from the 2010 season.

The contract was finalised after Vermeulen met Kawasaki boss Ichiro Yoda in Estoril on the eve of the Portuguese Grand Prix.

He has agreed to ride a Kawasaki ZX-10R for Paul Bird Motorsport.

Vermeulen said he was sold on the deal after being convinced that Kawasaki, after languishing at the back of the grid, was preparing an all-out assault on the superbike title.

"It's a really good deal and I'm excited about joining Kawasaki from the technical point of view, to race and develop the bike next year and then go out on the new bike for 2011," Vermeulen told motorcyclenews.com.

"World Superbikes is going to be their main project, they are pulling out of MotoGP and they will not be running an AMA (American Superbike) team nor a team in the Australian Superbike championship.

"This WSB program is where all their engineers and budget will be focused.

"They haven't won in WSB for a long time and they really want to win races.

"The financial backing and resources is very good for this project," he said.

Vermeulen is the second high-profile rider to confirm a return to World Superbikes following news that Briton James Toseland will move to Yamaha.

Toseland was dropped by the Tech 3 MotoGP squad in favour of American Ben Spies.

Paul Bird Motorsport is currently fielding Newcastle's Broc Parkes and Japan's Makota Tamada in the 2009 championship, but the results have been poor.

Vermeulen will be replaced in Suzuki's MotoGP squad by Spaniard Alvaro Bautista in 2010.

[bigfoot]

good luck to him!

[Mark_S]

REV004

I am a huge fan on Chris and I think his efforts on the Motogp Suzuki were amazing. Really for a team with no results in all those years. Chris did an amazing job. His biggest mistake was not going to Tech 3. The Yamaha without doubt is the best bike in the field and even though the Tech 3 machine would not have been a race winner. I feel that Chris would have been a top 5 finisher in most races and putting his real talent on show.

Really to be a race winner in GP you need to be on a factory machine and the factory machine he is on, is rubbish. I thought at one stage that he might pick up a ride on the Ducati next year with Stoner, but with Nicky getting picked up again this was not going to happen.

I hope what Chris says is true and Kawasaki will be putting all it's money and efforts behind Superbikes. I will also believe it when I see it. Still Suzuki turned it around with Corser, so who says Kawasaki cant do the same.


Chris is also a gun in setting a bike. I just hope he does not go the way of Andrew Pitt, who could also set up a bike and has been a wasted talent and never given the rides I think he deserved in the higher up classes. I also put much of Haga's sucess on the Yamaha down to Andrew Pitt.


Good Luck Chris, I hope you have the sucess in Supers like my other idol, Troy Bayliss.

My CV replica SHOEI will now find it's place in my bar next to my TB SUOMY (both with minor dings due to accidents)

[Leviathan]

It would suck to be Chris ATM, but at least he has a ride for next year. In my little Moto GP fantasy world I would have signed Chris to be Casey's stable mate. Nicky is getteing better but still way off the pace. If anyone could match casey on the Duc it would be Chris.

[bigfoot]

+1 both similar riding styles! and there will be team texas next year as well, with Colin Edwards and Ben Spies being teammates for tech 3 Yamaha i think Ben will be a force to be reckoned with...

[NEMESIS]

Whats rossis excuse now?
He should wear the donkey helmet again the goose.

Well done to stoner!

An lorenzo is quite the machine out there!

[Rev004]

Well for you guys and gals that missed the race well you missed a beauty. So just for those people and anyone else that wants to read some more stuff about the MotoGp this weekend well here you go read to your hearts content but I haven't but that much in that you won't fall asleep.

Until next weekend.

Stoner continues home dominance
Sunday, 18 October 2009

Casey Stoner won for the third successive year at Phillip Island, with championship leader Valentino Rossi finishing second as Jorge Lorenzo crashed out on turn one at the Iveco Australian Grand Prix.

Phillip Island 2009 - MotoGP Race Highlights


Casey Stonerâ€s dominance of his home circuit continued on Sunday as the Australian won at Phillip Island for the third year in a row, leading Valentino Rossi over the finish line by a margin of 1.935s.

In his second Grand Prix back after a three-race absence, the 24 year-old celebrated his birthday weekend with an impressive win from pole position, his third race victory of the season, which took him to third in the championship standings.

A frustrating weekend for Jorge Lorenzo was compounded when the Spaniard crashed out at turn one of the first lap after touching bikes with Stonerâ€s Ducati Marlboro team-mate Nicky Hayden. Having struggled through the practice sessions and qualifying with both rear-grip issues and illness, Lorenzo was unable to continue after sliding off, although Hayden climbed back aboard his Desmosedici GP9 to finish 15th.

Rossiâ€s second place opened his lead at the top of the championship to 38 points over Fiat Yamaha team-mate Lorenzo with two races remaining, after it had been cut down to 18 following the latterâ€s win last time out at Estoril.

Dani Pedrosa secured his first podium at the circuit in the MotoGP class but came in 22.618s adrift of Rossi, while Alex de Angelis†fine weekend was completed with a fourth-placed classification.

Colin Edwards (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) took fifth spot from fifth on the grid, and Andrea Dovizioso (Repsol Honda) overcame his worst qualifying position since Germany – tenth – to take sixth place.

Marco Melandri (Hayate), Randy de Puniet (LCR Honda), Mika Kallio (Pramac Racing) and Toni Elías (San Carlo Honda Gresini) all also finished inside the top ten.

Loris Capirossi (Rizla Suzuki) came in twelfth after being demoted to the back of the grid after his team was penalised for using an extra engine outside its allocation.

Iveco AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX MotoGP

Pos. Points Num. Rider Nation Team Motorcycle Total time Km/h Gap
1 25 27 Casey STONER AUS Ducati Marlboro Team Ducati 40'56.651 175.989
2 20 46 Valentino ROSSI ITA Fiat Yamaha Team Yamaha 40'58.586 175.851 1.935
3 16 3 Dani PEDROSA SPA Repsol Honda Team Honda 41'19.269 174.384 22.618
4 13 15 Alex DE ANGELIS RSM San Carlo Honda Gresini Honda 41'29.353 173.677 32.702
5 11 5 Colin EDWARDS USA Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Yamaha 41'32.536 173.456 35.885
6 10 4 Andrea DOVIZIOSO ITA Repsol Honda Team Honda 41'35.133 173.275 38.482
7 9 33 Marco MELANDRI ITA Hayate Racing Team Kawasaki 41'41.112 172.861 44.461
8 8 14 Randy DE PUNIET FRA LCR Honda MotoGP Honda 41'41.592 172.828 44.941
9 7 36 Mika KALLIO FIN Pramac Racing Ducati 41'50.996 172.180 54.345
10 6 24 Toni ELIAS SPA San Carlo Honda Gresini Honda 41'57.856 171.711 1'01.205
11 5 7 Chris VERMEULEN AUS Rizla Suzuki MotoGP Suzuki 42'02.068 171.425 1'05.417
12 4 65 Loris CAPIROSSI ITA Rizla Suzuki MotoGP Suzuki 42'02.601 171.388 1'05.950
13 3 41 Gabor TALMACSI HUN Scot Racing Team MotoGP Honda 42'14.602 170.577 1'17.951
14 2 52 James TOSELAND GBR Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Yamaha 42'14.636 170.575 1'17.985
15 1 69 Nicky HAYDEN USA Ducati Marlboro Team Ducati 41'27.127 167.395 1 Lap
Not finished 1st lap
99 Jorge LORENZO SPA Fiat Yamaha Team Yamaha

Title within touching distance for Rossi
Sunday, 18 October 2009

With a 38-point advantage in the World Championship after his podium finish and a crash for rival Jorge Lorenzo at Phillip Island, Valentino Rossi knows a seventh premier class title is ever closer.


Second place at the Iveco Australian Grand Prix was enough for Valentino Rossi to extend his lead at the top of the MotoGP World Championship standings, after title rival and Fiat Yamaha team-mate Jorge Lorenzo crashed out on lap one of the race.

Rossi saw his advantage at the summit of the rankings cut to 18 points after the Spaniardâ€s win at Estoril, but an eleventh podium of the season – comprised of six wins, four runner-up spots and a third place – stretched his lead to 38 points after Phillip Island.

Casey Stoner took victory at his home circuit for the third year in a row, and Rossi acknowledged the Australianâ€s quality as well as the significance of Lorenzoâ€s DNF.

“I read on my board that Lorenzo was out, so I tried for the victory. Casey set a good pace, but my bike setting was good so I tried to follow him at 100%, but also had to remember not to make any mistakes for the championship after Lorenzoâ€s crash. It was a great battle. I tried, at one part of the race it was possible to attack, but at the end it was too risky and anyway Casey had a great race.”

“These 20 points are so important for my championship. I have to thank Yamaha and all the guys in my team because we worked well this weekend and now we have a 38-point advantage with two races to go and we will try to do better next week in Sepang.”

Rossi knows that the 2009 title is imminent and that he could clinch it in Malaysia, “I think with 38 points itâ€s possible. Sepang is a great circuit, one of my favourites and I like it a lot. Usually the Yamaha is very strong over there, so Iâ€m quite confident. We have to keep the concentration. We have the first match point for the championship but we have to remain focused and try to improve the result. This is one of the best second places of my career.”

Physical problems no longer an issue for Stoner
Sunday, 18 October 2009

Casey Stonerâ€s win at Phillip Island was evidence of the Australianâ€s return to full fitness, and he is pleased to have overcome the physical issue that halted his 2009 season.


A strong display on his home circuit at the Iveco Australian Grand Prix brought Casey Stoner victory at Phillip Island for the third successive year, and signalled his return to full fitness.

Having struggled with his endurance and requiring a three-race break, Stoner returned to action at Estoril where he secured second spot, before his third win of the season on his home track on Sunday.

Stoner enjoyed a battle with championship leader Valentino Rossi for the win and was victorious by a margin of 1.935s after starting from pole position, securing his first win since Mugello.

“Itâ€s not been our year to challenge for the championship and thatâ€s a little bit disappointing, but at least weâ€ve had a good run and learnt a lot of things. So itâ€s definitely not all bad,” said Stoner. “To come back in Portugal was a really nice result for us. Jorge (Lorenzo) was too quick on the day but we almost had the pace to win the race, and weâ€re very proud of the team to have come back that quickly. This race, after the warm up in Portugal, was just a run off of that. “

“We struggled all weekend with rear grip and were trying to get the bike hooked up a little bit better out of turns, but I think everybody was suffering from similar problems. So we did the best we could for the race, and the bike was working pretty well.”

The 2007 World Champion went on to add, “Physically, I was able to do the same from start to finish, and I was just really happy with the way everything was working. Especially with my body; every lap I kept going past the point where I used to just hit my wall. It made me smile, and I enjoyed each lap after that. Itâ€s very nice to be back here, and I thank Marlboro for allowing me to use this livery and to the team and everybody for supporting me. To do three from three is a very nice way to end the year for me.”


MotoGP World Championship

Pos. Rider Nation Team Points
1 Valentino ROSSI ITA Fiat Yamaha Team 270
2 Jorge LORENZO SPA Fiat Yamaha Team 232
3 Casey STONER AUS Ducati Marlboro Team 195
4 Dani PEDROSA SPA Repsol Honda Team 189
5 Andrea DOVIZIOSO ITA Repsol Honda Team 152
6 Colin EDWARDS USA Monster Yamaha Tech 3 145
7 Alex DE ANGELIS RSM San Carlo Honda Gresini 101
8 Randy DE PUNIET FRA LCR Honda MotoGP 101
9 Loris CAPIROSSI ITA Rizla Suzuki MotoGP 101
10 Marco MELANDRI ITA Hayate Racing Team 100
11 Toni ELIAS SPA San Carlo Honda Gresini 96
12 Chris VERMEULEN AUS Rizla Suzuki MotoGP 95
13 James TOSELAND GBR Monster Yamaha Tech 3 87
14 Nicky HAYDEN USA Ducati Marlboro Team 82
15 Mika KALLIO FIN Pramac Racing 58
16 Niccolo CANEPA ITA Pramac Racing 38
17 Gabor TALMACSI HUN Scot Racing Team MotoGP 17
18 Sete GIBERNAU SPA Grupo Francisco Hernando 12
19 Yuki TAKAHASHI JPN Scot Racing Team MotoGP 9
20 Aleix ESPARGARO SPA Pramac Racing 8

[Rev004]

Lorenzo leads the way at Sepang
Friday, 23 October 2009

Jorge Lorenzo set the standard at Sepang on Friday afternoon, kicking off the weekend with the fastest lap time in the first MotoGP practice.


A margin of 0.064s separated Jorge Lorenzo and Casey Stoner in Free Practice 1 of the Shell Advance Malaysian Motorcycle Grand Prix weekend, as the Fiat Yamaha rider recorded the quickest time in the opening MotoGP session.

On the weekend in which Valentino Rossi could seal the 2009 World Championship title, it was his team-mate – who trails the Italian by 38 points in the standings – who set the pace in humid conditions, with the ambient temperature reaching an energy-sapping 31°C.

Lorenzo set a best lap of 2â€02.180 in a tight session, with the top four riders – including Rossi – breaking the 2â€03 barrier.

Stoner followed Lorenzo closely, with Dani Pedrosa just over half a second further down at third in the order as Rossi came in fourth, registering a time 0.684s off Lorenzoâ€s. It was the perfect start to the weekend for the Spaniard, whose crash at Phillip Island last weekend all but ended his hopes of wrestling the title from Rossi.

Pedrosaâ€s Repsol Honda team-mate Andrea Dovizioso completed the top five with a best lap of 2â€03.142, while fellow Italian Loris Capirossi was just over 0.1s behind him.

Toni Elías (San Carlo Honda Gresini), Nicky Hayden (Ducati Marlboro), Colin Edwards (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) and Chris Vermeulen (Rizla Suzuki) were all inside the top ten.

motogp.com will provide exceptionally extended coverage of the Shell Advance Malaysian Motorcycle Grand Prix, with Live Video Broadcast of the MotoGP Free Practice 2 session available from 09:55 to 10:55 local time on Saturday as the riders make their final preparations ahead of the qualifying session.

SHELL ADVANCE MALAYSIAN MOTORCYCLE GRAND PRIX
MotoGP Free Practice Nr. 1

Pos. Num. Rider Nation Team Motorcycle Lap time Km/h Gap
1 99 Jorge LORENZO SPA Fiat Yamaha Team Yamaha 2'02.180 303.541
2 27 Casey STONER AUS Ducati Marlboro Team Ducati 2'02.244 307.955 0.064
3 3 Dani PEDROSA SPA Repsol Honda Team Honda 2'02.758 309.455 0.578
4 46 Valentino ROSSI ITA Fiat Yamaha Team Yamaha 2'02.864 305.862 0.684
5 4 Andrea DOVIZIOSO ITA Repsol Honda Team Honda 2'03.142 301.255 0.962
6 65 Loris CAPIROSSI ITA Rizla Suzuki MotoGP Suzuki 2'03.253 303.456 1.073
7 24 Toni ELIAS SPA San Carlo Honda Gresini Honda 2'03.294 307.254 1.114
8 69 Nicky HAYDEN USA Ducati Marlboro Team Ducati 2'03.426 300.250 1.246
9 5 Colin EDWARDS USA Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Yamaha 2'03.739 301.591 1.559
10 7 Chris VERMEULEN AUS Rizla Suzuki MotoGP Suzuki 2'03.763 299.334 1.583
11 36 Mika KALLIO FIN Pramac Racing Ducati 2'03.785 305.084 1.605
12 15 Alex DE ANGELIS RSM San Carlo Honda Gresini Honda 2'04.042 304.396 1.862
13 33 Marco MELANDRI ITA Hayate Racing Team Kawasaki 2'04.274 301.844 2.094
14 14 Randy DE PUNIET FRA LCR Honda MotoGP Honda 2'04.664 300.668 2.484
15 52 James TOSELAND GBR Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Yamaha 2'05.218 299.003 3.038
16 41 Gabor TALMACSI HUN Scot Racing Team MotoGP Honda 2'05.289 300.250 3.109
17 44 Aleix ESPARGARO SPA Pramac Racing Ducati 2'05.336 298.013 3.156

Lorenzo: ‘I feel great at this circuitâ€
Friday, 23 October 2009

After setting the pace on day one of the Shell Advance Malaysian Motorcycle Grand Prix Jorge Lorenzo told motogp.com he is feeling great at Sepang.


Looking to immediately put the nightmare of his first corner crash at Phillip Island out of his mind on the first day at Sepang Jorge Lorenzo got the penultimate round of the 2009 MotoGP World Championship off to a good start on Friday as he topped the timesheet ahead of Casey Stoner, Dani Pedrosa and Valentino Rossi.

Lorenzo was 0.064s ahead of second fastest participant Stoner, but was a more significant 0.684s gap in front of fourth placed Rossi, as he started the weekend - in which he attempts to prevent his Fiat Yamaha colleague from clinching the title – in good shape.

“Iâ€m straight back on form, Iâ€m comfortable on the bike and I feel great at this circuit right from the beginning,” stated an upbeat Lorenzo after the hour-long practice session. “Normally you have a bit of a doubt when you first arrive at a track but now I feel quick on the bike and my lap times were quite fast. Itâ€s always good to start well on the first day.”

Contrasting the sweltering heat and humidity of the South East Asian venue with the conditions experienced last weekend at round 15, Lorenzo added, “Compared to Phillip Island the weather is the opposite. It was almost icy in Australia and now we have tropical weather so it is crucial to keep drinking water and energy drinks to be hydrated for the race.”

The talented Spanish youngster did add one note of concern however, as he revealed, “Unfortunately I have some pain in my finger where I hurt it on last weekend, it's not too bad but the cut is right on the knuckle, so it's a bit painful when I have to bend it to brake. Anyway, like I said on Sunday it could be a lot worse!.”

Podium the focus for Rossi after FP1
Friday, 23 October 2009

There is work to do after the first practice session at Sepang, says Valentino Rossi, whose aim remains a podium finish.


After a fourth-fastest lap time in the opening practice of the Shell Advance Malaysian Motorcycle Grand Prix on Friday, Valentino Rossi was satisfied with the setting of his YZR-M1.

The Italian could secure the 2009 MotoGP world title this weekend at Sepang with a top-four race finish, and after his first outing of the weekend on his machine he was behind Fiat Yamaha team-mate and title rival Jorge Lorenzo, Casey Stoner and Dani Pedrosa in the practice order.

Despite not being overly satisfied with his ranking in the session – during which the track temperature rose to 46°C – the Italian felt good on his bike, and was able to identify what needed fine tuning ahead of Saturdayâ€s second practice and qualifying.

“The position is not fantastic. Itâ€s because we worked with all the tyres – we decided to do it like this, to try to understand the amount of grip after a lot of laps,” explained Rossi. “With this temperature the tyre is under a lot of stress. We are quite happy with the setting and now we have to find some extra rear grip, especially for Sunday, when we have to do 22 consecutive laps.”

Rossi continued, “This weekend the training we do during the year will be very important. From now until the race we have to relax and drink a lot, because if on Sunday the temperature is more than 40°C it will become difficult.”

Rossi feels good on a track he is familiar with, and he is refusing to become distracted by the potential title celebrations that could ensue on Sunday.

“I like the track and itâ€s one of my favourites,” he said. “I have great experience here because of the amount of testing we do here during the winter, so I think we can be competitive and out target remains the podium for Sunday.”

“I have to maintain focus, because the first target is to try and win the championship, but itâ€s early. To reach Sunday in the best shape we have to work well in practice and be ready for the race.”

Pedrosa concentrating on braking
Friday, 23 October 2009

Braking is the area Dani Pedrosa and his Repsol Honda mechanics will be paying closest attention to after a first practice in Sepang.


Dani Pedrosa was third fastest in the first practice at Sepang on Friday, and the Spaniard is pleased with how his Honda RC212V performed.

There is still room for improvement however, with Pedrosa keen to stabilise the braking on his factory machine ahead of Saturdayâ€s practice and qualifying sessions.

The 24 year-old was just over half a second off leader Jorge Lorenzoâ€s pace, with rival for third spot in the championship Casey Stoner also quicker than him in the Friday session.

“It was tough, it was very hot out there but I think the track was a little bit dirty. So I think little by little it will get cleaner, and we can get faster,” said Pedrosa. “Iâ€m happy with how this first practice session has gone and weâ€ve established a good base for the weekend.”

“The lap times are already quite competitive because we test at this circuit and all the teams have plenty of set-up data even before we arrive. Iâ€m not worried about being half a second back from the fastest time at this stage – itâ€s not so important and we have some areas to work on to improve things.”

Pedrosa added, “To achieve good stability under braking is the key area for us and weâ€ll be working to make some improvements to the set-up for tomorrow.”

Tuning the key for Stoner
Friday, 23 October 2009

Casey Stoner is pleased with his continued progress, but still has some rear-grip issues to deal with after the first practice at Sepang.


After a positive first session at the Shell Advance Malaysian Motorcycle Grand Prix on Friday, Casey Stoner is pleased with how his Desmosedici GP9 is shaping up, but there is still work to do on the machine for the Australian.

Rear-grip issues were a problem for Stoner during his victorious home GP weekend at Phillip Island last time out, but he managed to secure victory regardless.

After setting the second-fastest time behind Jorge Lorenzo in the opening practice at Sepang, Stoner knows exactly what needs working on.

“Iâ€m very happy with the way things have gone this weekend. Since the first session in Portugal weâ€ve basically been in the top two every time,” Stoner told motogp.com.

“Today we started off a little bit weak, we werenâ€t feeling very good on the bike, but we slowly improved it as the session went on and everything started to feel a little bit more comfortable. Hopefully we can continue the rest of the weekend like this, but everyone else is going to be pushing real hard, thatâ€s for sure.”

Stoner continued, “Weâ€re struggling a lot with rear grip again, the same as we have been all year. Again the bikeâ€s turning brilliantly, but we still need to work on that a little bit. Weâ€re having some chattering problems which we really need to improve. With the rear grip, on the edge of the tyre when weâ€re on full lean angle, weâ€re really struggling. Weâ€ll see if we can improve that a little bit tomorrow and we should be quite happy if we can.”

[Rev004]

Pedrosa assumes the momentum in FP2
Saturday, 24 October 2009

Dani Pedrosa was the leading light in the second MotoGP practice session at Sepang, setting the pace with an impressive display.


A best lap of 2â€01.427 from Repsol Honda rider Dani Pedrosa saw the Spaniard rank as the fastest rider in the Saturday morning practice at Sepang.

Having finished on the podium in his three previous premier class races at the Malaysian circuit, and needing such a result this weekend to maintain his battle for third place in the championship standings with Casey Stoner, Pedrosa led the remainder of the field by a tight margin of 0.019s.

Pedrosa repeatedly set the fastest time in the session, with Valentino Rossi – who needs a top-four finish in Sundayâ€s race to secure the 2009 world title – posting a best lap of 2â€01.446 to make him second quickest on the timesheet.

Stoner was next with a 0.058s deficit on Pedrosa, whilst Jorge Lorenzo – who set the fastest time in the first practice – was fourth in the order as he came in a further 0.319s adrift of the Ducati Marlboro man.

Pedrosaâ€s team-mate Andrea Dovizioso completed the top five order, with Toni Elías (San Carlo Honda Gresini), Nicky Hayden (Ducati Marlboro), Colin Edwards (Monster Yamaha Tech 3), Mika Kallio (Pramac Racing) and Loris Capirossi (Rizla Suzuki) all registering top-ten times as well.

SHELL ADVANCE MALAYSIAN MOTORCYCLE GRAND PRIX

MotoGP Free Practice
Pos. Num. Rider Nation Team Motorcycle Lap time Km/h Gap
1 3 Dani PEDROSA SPA Repsol Honda Team Honda 2'01.427 314.318
2 46 Valentino ROSSI ITA Fiat Yamaha Team Yamaha 2'01.446 309.544 0.019
3 27 Casey STONER AUS Ducati Marlboro Team Ducati 2'01.485 309.988 0.058
4 99 Jorge LORENZO SPA Fiat Yamaha Team Yamaha 2'01.804 309.189 0.377
5 4 Andrea DOVIZIOSO ITA Repsol Honda Team Honda 2'02.076 307.079 0.649
6 24 Toni ELIAS SPA San Carlo Honda Gresini Honda 2'02.181 311.059 0.754
7 69 Nicky HAYDEN USA Ducati Marlboro Team Ducati 2'02.416 309.455 0.989
8 5 Colin EDWARDS USA Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Yamaha 2'02.425 306.992 0.998
9 36 Mika KALLIO FIN Pramac Racing Ducati 2'02.607 311.059 1.180
10 65 Loris CAPIROSSI ITA Rizla Suzuki MotoGP Suzuki 2'02.825 309.278 1.398
11 14 Randy DE PUNIET FRA LCR Honda MotoGP Honda 2'02.993 305.689 1.566
12 7 Chris VERMEULEN AUS Rizla Suzuki MotoGP Suzuki 2'03.181 305.343 1.754
13 15 Alex DE ANGELIS RSM San Carlo Honda Gresini Honda 2'03.220 305.949 1.793
14 44 Aleix ESPARGARO SPA Pramac Racing Ducati 2'03.458 305.689 2.031
15 33 Marco MELANDRI ITA Hayate Racing Team Kawasaki 2'03.732 308.307 2.305
16 52 James TOSELAND GBR Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Yamaha 2'04.078 302.351 2.651
17 41 Gabor TALMACSI HUN Scot Racing Team MotoGP Honda 2'04.492 304.654 3.065

Rossi secures pole position with Sepang record
Saturday, 24 October 2009

Valentino Rossi will start the Shell Advance Malaysian Motorcycle Grand Prix in pole position, as he bids to secure the 2009 World Championship at Sepang on Sunday.

Sepang 2009 - MotoGP QP Highlights


A best lap of 2â€00.518 in MotoGP qualifying secured Valentino Rossi pole position for Sundayâ€s race at Sepang, with Jorge Lorenzo and Dani Pedrosa completing the front row.

The Italian broke his own previous pole record at the circuit – recorded on a 990cc machine in 2006 – by 0.087s and lapped 0.569s faster than his Fiat Yamaha team-mate Lorenzo.

Lorenzo, who crashed on his MotoGP race debut at the track last season, was followed onto the front row of the grid by Pedrosa.

The Repsol Honda man had been the fastest in practice, but was unable to match the blistering pace set by Rossi, finishing a further 0.167s behind Lorenzo.

Casey Stoner, who won the race at Sepang in 2007, will head up the second row after lapping at almost a full second slower than Rossi, while Loris Capirossi secured fifth spot on the grid on his Suzuki GSV-R.

Toni Elías (San Carlo Honda Gresini), Nicky Hayden (Ducati Marlboro), Randy de Puniet (LCR Honda), Colin Edwards (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) and Alex de Angelis (San Carlo Honda Gresini) all came through inside the top ten as well.

SHELL ADVANCE MALAYSIAN MOTORCYCLE GRAND PRIX

MotoGP Qualifying
Pos. Num. Rider Nation Team Motorcycle Lap time Km/h Gap
1 46 Valentino ROSSI ITA Fiat Yamaha Team Yamaha 2'00.518 310.077
2 99 Jorge LORENZO SPA Fiat Yamaha Team Yamaha 2'01.087 310.612 0.569
3 3 Dani PEDROSA SPA Repsol Honda Team Honda 2'01.254 314.410 0.736
4 27 Casey STONER AUS Ducati Marlboro Team Ducati 2'01.455 312.138 0.937
5 65 Loris CAPIROSSI ITA Rizla Suzuki MotoGP Suzuki 2'01.716 308.131 1.198
6 24 Toni ELIAS SPA San Carlo Honda Gresini Honda 2'01.918 310.434 1.400
7 69 Nicky HAYDEN USA Ducati Marlboro Team Ducati 2'01.980 309.101 1.462
8 14 Randy DE PUNIET FRA LCR Honda MotoGP Honda 2'02.098 305.775 1.580
9 5 Colin EDWARDS USA Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Yamaha 2'02.195 308.219 1.677
10 15 Alex DE ANGELIS RSM San Carlo Honda Gresini Honda 2'02.274 307.517 1.756
11 4 Andrea DOVIZIOSO ITA Repsol Honda Team Honda 2'02.362 307.604 1.844
12 36 Mika KALLIO FIN Pramac Racing Ducati 2'02.435 312.952 1.917
13 44 Aleix ESPARGARO SPA Pramac Racing Ducati 2'02.859 303.541 2.341
14 7 Chris VERMEULEN AUS Rizla Suzuki MotoGP Suzuki 2'03.032 304.998 2.514
15 33 Marco MELANDRI ITA Hayate Racing Team Kawasaki 2'03.088 307.604 2.570
16 52 James TOSELAND GBR Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Yamaha 2'03.528 306.992 3.010
17 41 Gabor TALMACSI HUN Scot Racing Team MotoGP Honda 2'03.874 303.968 3.356

[Rev004]

Another race is luming and with the usual top four pace setters who knows who will win.

I'm suspecting if Rossi can set the pace he set in Qualifying that he will be hard to beat but the race is an entire new ball game.

Here is the report & results from this mornings warm-up as well as some goss from yesterday.

Stoner takes control of warm up
Sunday, 25 October 2009

Casey Stoner was the leading MotoGP rider in the warm up session at Sepang, leading Dani Pedrosa and pole position holder Valentino Rossi.


With a notably cooler track temperature than in qualifying but a higher humidity level to contend with, the MotoGP riders were led around the warm up session by Casey Stoner.

The Australian, who is fourth on the grid after qualifying, set a lap time of 2â€01.655 during the 20-minute session, coming in ahead of Dani Pedrosa, pole position holder Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo.

Pedrosa was 0.277s off Stonerâ€s pace, with Rossi a further 0.139s down and Lorenzo – who had discussed the issue of tyres following qualifying – just over half a second off the Ducati Marlboro riderâ€s pace.

The top four, who are the leading quartet on the grid, were the only riders able to break the 2â€02 barrier.

Andrea Dovizioso, who qualified down in 11th position, was fifth quickest around, with Loris Capirossi, Nicky Hayden, Randy de Puniet, Toni Elías and Colin Edwards also registering top-ten times.

SHELL ADVANCE MALAYSIAN MOTORCYCLE GP

MotoGP Warm Up
Pos. Num. Rider Nation Team Motorcycle Lap time Km/h Gap
1 27 Casey STONER AUS Ducati Marlboro Team Ducati 2'01.408 314.593
2 3 Dani PEDROSA SPA Repsol Honda Team Honda 2'01.635 314.227 0.227
3 46 Valentino ROSSI ITA Fiat Yamaha Team Yamaha 2'01.774 312.228 0.366
4 99 Jorge LORENZO SPA Fiat Yamaha Team Yamaha 2'01.996 309.455 0.588
5 4 Andrea DOVIZIOSO ITA Repsol Honda Team Honda 2'02.195 306.296 0.787
6 65 Loris CAPIROSSI ITA Rizla Suzuki MotoGP Suzuki 2'02.286 308.659 0.878
7 69 Nicky HAYDEN USA Ducati Marlboro Team Ducati 2'02.299 307.254 0.891
8 14 Randy DE PUNIET FRA LCR Honda MotoGP Honda 2'02.372 304.139 0.964
9 24 Toni ELIAS SPA San Carlo Honda Gresini Honda 2'02.540 309.721 1.132
10 5 Colin EDWARDS USA Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Yamaha 2'02.543 307.955 1.135
11 7 Chris VERMEULEN AUS Rizla Suzuki MotoGP Suzuki 2'02.849 303.200 1.441
12 33 Marco MELANDRI ITA Hayate Racing Team Kawasaki 2'02.958 308.483 1.550
13 36 Mika KALLIO FIN Pramac Racing Ducati 2'03.005 310.077 1.597
14 15 Alex DE ANGELIS RSM San Carlo Honda Gresini Honda 2'03.248 304.396 1.840
15 44 Aleix ESPARGARO SPA Pramac Racing Ducati 2'03.819 305.862 2.411
16 41 Gabor TALMACSI HUN Scot Racing Team MotoGP Honda 2'04.092 305.689 2.684
17 52 James TOSELAND GBR Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Yamaha 2'04.299 306.818 2.891

Stoner and Hayden on second and third rows
Saturday, 24 October 2009

Ducati Marlboro riders Casey Stoner and Nicky Hayden will start Sundayâ€s race at Sepang in fourth and seventh places respectively on the MotoGP grid.

Factory Ducati pair Casey Stoner and Nicky Hayden contemplate starting Sundayâ€s race at the Shell Advance Malaysian Motorcycle Grand Prix from the second and third rows of the grid respectively - after a hard-fought qualifying practice at Sepang.

Casey Stoner - 4th
"Iâ€m really disappointed with that session because I know we could and should have been fighting for pole position. I had a much better feeling with the setting at the start of the session but midway through we went to change tyres and after that we suffered from a huge vibration in the bike. We still havenâ€t worked out what it is yet so we need to figure it out and fix it for tomorrow. I tried the softer compound but the chattering was even worse. I swapped to my other bike but we had a different setting in it that I hadnâ€t tried and I didnâ€t feel comfortable. Everything that could go wrong in the crucial second part of the session did go wrong but if we can fix this problem then weâ€ll be in good shape for tomorrow. Anyway Iâ€m happy with my pace in race conditions and I look forward to tomorrow.”
Nicky Hayden – 7th
“I didnâ€t actually make as big a step this afternoon as I had hoped from the morning session. On race tyres in the hotter temperature it was certainly tough and I was struggling a little bit. We had a couple of problems during the session but in the end I was able to find one good lap to get me into a respectable grid position, very close to the second row. Iâ€m not too happy with my race pace – weâ€re missing a few tenths and we have some work to do tonight to try and find where we can make them up. Iâ€m never really happy with seventh place but to be honest today it was a pleasant surprise because it could have been much worse off than that if we were just a few tenths slower. Weâ€ve got a big job to do tomorrow. 22 laps around here when your race pace isnâ€t perfect is certainly not easy but thatâ€s what we train for. Hopefully we can improve in the warm-up, get a good start and weâ€ll see what we've got.”

Former champion Crivillà backs Rossi
Saturday, 24 October 2009

Former premier class champion Àlex Crivillà believes Valentino Rossi is perfectly placed to wrap up the 2009 MotoGP World Championship in Sepang.

As an ever-present on the MotoGP circuit with Spanish national broadcaster TVE in his role as part of their commentary team, former 500cc World Champion Àlex Crivillà is backing Valentino Rossi to win this weekendâ€s race in Sepang and clinch the world title.

Ten years on from securing his own world title, Crivillà has told motogp.com that while Jorge Lorenzo, Dani Pedrosa and Casey Stoner cannot be written off, Rossi is his pick for the Shell Advance Malaysian Motorcycle Grand Prix.

You might want to compare your thoughts with those of the 1999 World Champion before making your round 16 predictions in the Fantasy MotoGP 2009 game.

“After Jorgeâ€s error in Australia last week, Rossi has a really good advantage in the title race. He also loves riding here at Sepang, and is in pole position so it looks like he has everything under control. He only needs to come in the top four, even if Jorge wins the race, so I think the title looks pretty sure,” Crivillà told motogp.com.

“However, anything could really happen in the race. We have a magnificent four and it should be a fantastic race. There could be some surprises in the race in terms of times, but Rossi has broken the pole record so youâ€d think he has the best chance of winning the race. I donâ€t think Lorenzo is in a bad position, and Pedrosa and Stoner are quite close too. Any of the four could win, but Iâ€m going for Rossi.”

Contrasting fortunes for Repsol Honda pair
Saturday, 24 October 2009

Dani Pedrosa is on the front row for Sundayâ€s race at Sepang, whereas his factory Honda colleague Andrea Dovizioso has qualified down in 11th place.

In the sweltering heat of Sepang on Saturday Dani Pedrosa put his Repsol Honda RC212V on the front row of the grid for the ninth time this season, securing third place in qualifying at the Shell Advance Malaysian Motorcycle Grand Prix with a best effort of 2â€01.254.

Meanwhile, Andrea Dovizioso will be dependent on an excellent start from 11th on the grid if he is to repeat his podium finish from last yearâ€s race.

Dani Pedrosa – 3rd
“Iâ€m happy to be on the front row again because, as always, this gives you a clear getaway when the start lights go out. I think weâ€ve got a good machine setting for the race tomorrow and we just need to adjust it a little bit during the warm up. At the end of the qualifying session I didn't make a very good job of it with the last soft Bridgestone tyre so my laptime doesnâ€t reflect our full potential this afternoon. First I made a couple of mistakes and then I had some traffic which caused me to lose a little bit of the concentration you need to go at maximum pace at this moment. Anyway, Iâ€m happy to be on the front row again. It will be a very tough race, very demanding for sure, but we always look for the win and we will give all we have to make it happen. I'm very motivated for this race.”
Andrea Dovizioso – 11th
“In this morningâ€s practice we were in fifth place and my pace in race trim is not too bad so, even though Iâ€ll be starting from the fourth row, Iâ€m still hopeful for tomorrowâ€s race. Of course Iâ€m disappointed to be in 11th because this is a track I really like, so a good start tomorrow is going to be essential. The track conditions gave less grip this afternoon compared to this morning and I wasnâ€t able to improve my laptime with the soft tyres - in fact I was faster this morning. My rhythm with the race tyre is OK, but starting from the fourth row could spoil the race. Weâ€ve worked on traction control settings again today and this will be useful for when the tyres go off in the race - but it doesnâ€t help to achieve an outright fast lap on for qualifying. Itâ€s not the qualifying result we wanted and tomorrow is going to be tough, but weâ€ll focus on getting off the line quickly and see what we can do in the race.”

Capirossi intending to fight with top four
Saturday, 24 October 2009

Fifth place on the starting grid for Sundayâ€s Shell Advance Malaysian Grand Prix is a timely boost for Loris Capirossi.


Rizla Suzuki rider Loris Capirossi will start Sundayâ€s race at Sepang on the second row of the grid, and is looking to battle with the top four.

With Valentino Rossi, Jorge Lorenzo, Dani Pedrosa and Casey Stoner starting ahead of him on the Sepang grid, Capirossi knows he has the best possible chance of dicing with the championshipâ€s leading four.

The veteranâ€s best qualifying position since Mugello in May also offers him an improved chance of securing his 100th podium finish in Sundayâ€s race, at a circuit he takes pleasure in tackling.

“I really enjoy riding here but we had struggled a lot on the bike until this morning,” said the Italian following Saturdayâ€s qualifying practice. “In the afternoon we changed the setting though and managed to go faster, so I think itâ€s a good qualifying result for me in fifth place today. I am really optimistic for Sunday and I have my fingers crossed that the engine will work well for the race.”

Capirossi is also pleased with how his GSV-R is feeling, and he added, “I am pretty settled on the setting and I donâ€t think there is too much more to do in the warm-up. We might make some small adjustments to our traction control but not too much. For us to be fighting with the top four guys would be good.”

Lorenzo ready to up the pace
Saturday, 24 October 2009

Jorge Lorenzo knows he will need to improve on his qualifying pace to stand a chance of challenging for a race win at Sepang.


Having qualified in second place for Sundayâ€s Shell Advance Malaysian Grand Prix, Jorge Lorenzo knows that he will need to improve his pace on hard tyres.

Lorenzo struggled in the Saturday morning practice and at the start of qualifying, spending much of both sessions outside the top four, before a change to softer Bridgestone tyres allowed him to record his lap of 2â€01.087 which secured second on the grid.

At over half a second off Rossi – who set a new pole position lap record – Lorenzo is aware that the race pace will be demanding on his tyres.

“This practice for us was not so easy, we struggled a lot with the hard tyre but fortunately at the end of the practice with the soft one we made a big step forward and we were able to finish second,” said the Spaniard. “I think it will be important to improve our pace with the hard tyre if we want a good result on Sunday, but we are still not ready so we have to fight. It will be difficult because we just did a fast lap on soft tyres and the race pace will be 2â€01.5.”

Lorenzo continued, “The conditions are basically the same as yesterday so I can't blame them, but we just don't have the same levels of grip and confidence that we had before and it's hard to understand why. Now we all need to study the data and work out what we can do for the warm-up tomorrow. I am happy that we were able to be back on the front row as this will be important, now we will just try our best to be in better shape for the race. It wonâ€t be the easiest race for us in theory but it is still possible to win.”

[simmo]

250s great race, now kick back for the super bikes

[Gassick]

Rossi!!!!! The Greatest of all time. Who wants to argue!!!!!!!!

[Astro]

Rossi!!!!! The Greatest of all time. Who wants to argue!!!!!!!!

No argument here... 9 World Championships speak for themselves.

Will it be 10 in 2010 ???

Oh... and well done Stoner.