Rizla Suzuki has unveiled their new livery designed by Troy Lee Designs and if you were expecting something more dramatic than a slightly darker shade of Rizla blue on the bike you’ll certainly be left wanting.

The new 2010 800cc GSV-R that will be used by veteran Motogp rider Loris Capirossi and by rookie Alvaro Bautista has been developed with the intention of improving both acceleration and durability to coincide with the new engine restrictions that have been implemented this year (6 engines for 18 races).

According to Suzuki their have been improvements in aerodynamics, chassis performance and electronic system and the Japanese manufacturer labels the 2010 machine as its “most advanced machine yet.”

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After missing the Sepang2 tests due to a fracture at the base of first metacarpal and a displaced thumb during a motocross training accident on February 12th, Jorge Lorenzo is still in doubt for the final pre-season MotoGP test that is scheduled for March 18-19 in Qatar.

While Lorenzo has constantly kept his numerous fans up-to-date on how his recovery is going and that he’s undergoing extensive physiotherapy, and will make his decision about Qatar only on Monday, as he wrote on his Twitter page yesterday: Hello people! Another day of intensive physiotherapy. Probably on monday i’ll decide if i can go to Qatar test.

The first race of the 2010 MotoGP season takes place at Losail, Qatar on April 11th.

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We thought we’d see the new Rizla Suzuki livery designed by Troy Lee Designs during the Qatar tests, instead Rizla Suzuki will be unveiling the new livery of the 2010 Rizla Suzuki GSV-R that Loris Capirossi and Alvaro Bautista will be using this season on Friday March 12th.

So check back with us tomorrow to see the official pics, but we guess you guys will have to wait until the first race or maybe even the second, since Qatar has religious problems with scantily clad grid and paddock girls to see what kind of outfits Troy Lee has thought up for the Rizla girls .

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MotoGP is hot item for track organizers and after Qatar whose night race now traditionally opens the championship season, Abu Dhabi, capital of the UAE and largest of the seven Emirates Gulf Coast countries is also vying to host a MotoGP round.

Abu Dhabi Motorsports Management who wants to make Abu Dhabi a motorsport capital and runs the Yas Marina Circuit where they already have international events like Formula 1, GP2 Asia Series, Australian V8 Supercars, FIA World GT1, an International Drag Racing Festival and would like to add premier motorcycle racing to their calendar and have already talked with Dorna, as confirmed by AMM CEO Richard Cregan:

“MotoGP boss Carmelo Ezpeleta was here last year and the track designer Hermann Tilke will be coming up with a proposal in the next couple of weeks. But it will take time. We are looking at a time-frame of maybe two to three years when Abu Dhabi will be able to hold a MotoGP round.”

Ultra modern circuit, but will they able to fill the stands like they do at Mugello or Jerez de la Frontera?

Source | khaleejtimes.com via bikeracing.it

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The San Carlo Honda Gresini Team’s official presentation took place yesterday at the Telenova studios in Milan, hosted by presenter Franco Bobbiese, during his show Griglia di Partenza ( our readers already know about this show) where Team Manager Fausto Gresini alongside the President of San Carlo introduced his all-Italian ‘dream team’ Marco Melandri and Marco Simoncelli to the world press (and Italian TV viewers last night).

Here’s what everyone said in the usual official press release, but the show was much more interesting with some clowining around and some cute anecdotes by short Marco and tall Marco, including the legendary Giacomo Agostini (via video) advising Simoncelli to take one step at a time after his big highside during the Sepang 2 tests.

Fausto Gresini : “Today was a really special day because a personal dream of mine has been fulfilled - having two top riders contest the MotoGP World Championship with my team and an Italian sponsor like San Carlo. I am proud to represent Italy around the world and I am looking forward to going racing this year - hopefully we can ensure that our flag flies high at circuits all over the world.”

Continue reading: San Carlo Honda Gresini presents his 'almost' All-Italian Team

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FB Corse’s FB01 MotoGP bike will finally see a race track. FB Corse has confirmed that they will be testing at Valencia’s Ricardo Torno circuit March 15-17 with Garry McCoy, who will have to prove the competitiveness of the new three-cylinder 800cc bike.

After two days of private testing, an IRTA delegate and Dorna’s Safety Commission delegate Franco Uncini will then officially “time test” McCoy’s lap times to see if he can get the FB01 within 3 seconds of the last qualifying rider from last year’s Valencia QP practice (Chris Vermeulen - 1′34.537) and therefore receive permission for the team to compete in this year’s MotoGP season.

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If there were any question about how important emerging markets are to motorcycle manufacturers just check out Fiat Yamaha’s Valentino Rossi’s and Jorge Lorenzo’s leathers and YZR-M1 bikes, that see the Semakin di Depan “One Step Ahead logos and the number of visits and superstar reception that these two high profile riders have received so far.

Rossi and Lorenzo just finished another whirlwind three day tour in Indonesia with Rossi came straight from testing in Malaysia last week, while Lorenzo flew out from Spain, where he has been recuperating at home from an injured hand.

Rossi visited Medan first, Indonesia’s third largest city, where he took part in a press conference alongside Yamaha Motor Indonesia top managemen and then visited PT. Alfa Scorpii, Indonesia’s second largest Yamaha Main Dealer, for the opening ceremony of its new show room along with over 400 customers and media and the moved on to Indonesia’s second largest city Surabaya, where he visited PT. Surya Timur Sakti Jatim, Indonesia’s largest Yamaha Main Dealer and finally he visited the DBL Arena to meet around 4,000 Yamaha customers.

Lorenzo meanwhile headed to Indonesia’s ‘Flower City’ Bandung, where he too took part in an important press conference to launch the ‘Semakin di Depan’ sponsorship. As well as the press conference he enjoyed a warm welcome at an exclusive fan meet and greet where he signed hundreds of autographs and met the local media. He moved on to Jogjakarta, the city where the traditional Indonesian art of batik is practiced, to meet more Yamaha customers there and take part in some outdoor activities at one of the biggest malls in Jogjakarta.

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With four days of pre-season testing at Sepang already over, MotoGP will be heading to Qatar on March 18-19 for the final two days of tests, before the new season kicks off at Losail for the night race that takes place on the weekend of April 11th .

Here’s what the riders had to say about today’s final day of testing in Sepang.

Valentino Rossi - 1st : 2′00.271 Laps: 39

“I’m really happy to have beaten my pole record, it’s a good feeling to be this fast in testing. I did this with an old tyre but we also got the chance to try a very good new tyre from Bridgestone today, which I hope we will use from the first race. Our bike is in great shape; we need to do a bit more work on the electronics but in general everything is better, especially the rear grip and the engine. Yamaha have been very clever to develop this new bike whilst keeping the best parts of the old one, I’m very happy about it. It was good to get the chance to try the Japanese test bike, hopefully the feedback I gave them will help us in the future. Now we go to Qatar and then we will see our level because it is not one of mine or Yamaha’s best tracks! But we’re in great shape and this is very important at this stage of the season. I’m really looking forward to it.”

Continue reading: MotoGP Sepang 2 - Final Day Rider Quotes

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Valentino Rossi and his M1 led once again the final day of testing in Sepang. The rider from Tavullia who dominated both official pre-season tests in Sepang, put in a scorching best lap of 2’00.271 shattering his 2009 qualifying pole position on the Malaysian track by 0.247s seconds.

Casey Stoner continued to stalk Rossi, with his 2’00.512, but the biggest surprise of the day was Ducati’s factory rider Nicky Hayden in third with his GP10, who put in a best lap of 2’00.703, axing off a massive 1.5 seconds from yesterday and ending up less than two tenths from team mate Stoner.

The Yamaha Tech 3 duo, Colin Edwards and Ben Spies switched positions from yesterday. The Texas Tornado posted a best lap of 2’00.988 putting him in the fourth slot and the last rider under the 2’01” mark, while the Texas Terror’s best time was 2’01.014. This puts three Yamaha riders in the top five spots and 2009 runner-up and Yamaha rider Jorge Lorenzo wasn’t present due to his hand injury.

Continue reading: MotoGP Sepang 2 Tests - Rossi on Top Again and Breaks Own Qualifying Record

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Valentino Rossi once again led testing on the first day of official testing in Sepang, resuming where he left off three weeks ago. The Italian’s led both the morning and afternoon sessions topping the chart with a 2.01.068, which was slightly higher than his best time in the previous test.

Casey Stoner was second, just 0.151 from Rossi and testing different swingarms including a new and updated carbon fiber swingarm. Andrea Dovizioso had a positive day with his third place. His best lap was 2.01.063 which was a big improvement from his previous test where he finished in a lowly th place and a best lap of 2.02.272.

Loris Capirossi , fourth and just 0.056 from Dovizioso with his new GSV-R engine, continued testing numerous new parts that Suzuki brought from Japan.

Continue reading: MotoGP Sepang 2 Test: Rossi Leads Day 1

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