While MotoGP riders will still have another day of testing at Sepang to put under the belts tomorrow, yesterday the Aspar riders Randy de Puniet, Aleix Espargaro for and Speed Master’s Mattia Pasini concluded their two day CRT test at the Ricardo Tormo circuit in Valencia.

Despite the bitter cold temperatures, all three riders improved on the lap times they posted on Monday and once again de Puniet was the fastest of the small group of ART riders, lapping in 1.34.9 and dropping a full second from the previous day while Aleix Espargaro also shaved off a full second, but was still seven tenths adrift from his French team mate.

Mattia Pasini also came to grips with his Speed Master bike in the two day test, trying to master the complex electronics package of the Aprilia RSV4.

“Today the conditions were worse, the cold and wind have caused the track to have even less grip than yesterday, and it cost us more to catch up. Yet we improved our lap times, but I am convinced that we would have improved more if the conditions were better,” said De Puniet to the official website. “Today we continued working hard on the electronics, and also on managing the engine braking and the clutch. We’re leaving Valencia happy to have collected a good amount of information, and defined the next steps forward for the next tests at Jerez as well. The year has started great, I hope we continue in the same way. “

While Mattia Pasini said, “This was a shakedown test for us and we’re aware of the kind of work that we have to do. We’ve done what we set out to do: focusing on the electronics, getting to know the bike and its behavior with the Bridgestone tires and we also got to know one another as a team. From the data that we gathered at this test we can prepare the work plan for the next test and continue our learning process in regard to the category and the bike. There are several new things on which we have to work on but I am very pleased with this first contact with the bike and I think we’ve targeted the main objective of this test.”

Valencia MotoGP Day 2 lap times:

1. Randy De Puniet 1.34.9 (35 laps)
2. Aleix Espargaró 1.35.6 (46)
3. Mattia Pasini 1.36.7 (43)

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Aspar riders Randy de Puniet and Aleix Espargaro concluded the first day of testing at Valencia of their ART (Aprilia Racing Tecnology) bikes, based on the Aprilia RSV4, which now has a updated electronics package, a new fairing and carbon disk brakes and a new chassis (so Ducati won’t complain) that will better suited to the Bridgestone tires.

Both riders seemed happy with the bike, especially de Puniet who was able to make the comparison with the first version he rode during the Valencia post season test.

Randy De Puniet 1.35.30 (38 laps):

“The grip of the bike has considerably evolved compared to the one that I rode at the end of last year. This is the first test after several months and I am very happy. I can see that there has been a lot of hard work done over winter to make the bike grow. This first contact was very positive, I believe that tomorrow will continue to improve as the range is large. Today we worked mainly on traction control and on braking points. Tomorrow we will focus more on the chassis of the bike. It’s still early but we’re seeing that the bike has huge potential and offers a number of options and can evolve . I am very encouraged by this new adventure, I think there is a lot of work ahead, and although it is early my aim is to be the CRT reference ride and get as close to the factory bikes as much as possible. “

Aleix Espargaró 1.36.70 (47 laps):

“I am very happy because I enjoyed very much, is the first time I’ve ridden the CRT, I expected a lot of power and that’s precisely what I found. On the other hand I did not expect such a flexible and manageable chassis, I was pleasantly surprised. I must admit that the first impression on this new bike has been great. There had been some difficulties with the new tires, and personally I found a bike that has a lot of grip. Today I met everyone on my team, and they gave me a warm welcome which is very important to me. Today we worked mainly on electronics, traction control and the antispin. From eleven to four pm we improved a lot, I think they’ve found a good base. Tomorrow we’ll work more on the chassis. “

Source | asparteam@facebook.com

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‘Aspar’ Martinez has confirmed today via the team’s official Facebook page that he’ll be fielding Randy de Puniet and Aleix Espargaro in MotoGP in 2012.

The team will be using CRT Aprilia powered bikes (today at Jerez, de Puniet was using a different frame confirmed by a couple of spy shots that you can see here).

Jorge Martinez ‘Aspar’: “We are really happy because we are facing a new challenge and we believe that the future of MotoGP is CRT, so we’re the first to join this initiative. Also this year we will continue to grow, in our first two seasons in MotoGP we had one rider and now we will have two, Randy De Puniet and Aleix Espargaró. I’m glad that Randy is back with the team, he was with us in 2005 and we had a very good relationship. Aleix was also with us in 2009 but only for two races, and it is pleasure to have him with us. We are convinced that this new challenge will be very successful, with our two riders and with Aprilia as our engine supplier . We wanted to use the Noale marque in this new project because of the wonderful relationship that unites us, and for their proven quality in lower classes. Our goal this year is to be the best CRT and prepare to go a step further in 2013. “

Continue reading: Randy de Puniet and Aleix Espargaro to ride for Aspar Team Aprilia

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It was rumored that Aleix Espargaro would be moving back to MotoGP and race one of Aspar’s CRT bikes in 2012, instead the Spanish rider has signed to ride for Aspar’s Moto2 team.

Espargaro new team mate will be 125cc World Champion Nico Terol who is moving up to Moto2. The Spaniard who finished 11th in the general standings riding for Pons HP 40 (3rd at Catalunya was his best result this season), was Aspar’s second choice as the manager wanted Toni Elias, but the former MotoGP rider is close to signing a deal with Gresini’s Moto2 team and he’ll be testing the Moriwaki next week in a three-day test session at Valencia.

Aspar Martinez has already completed his line-up for Moto2 and Moto3, but his Moto1 team is still up in the air.

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To be dropped from Pramac Ducati at the end of the season to make room for Loris Capirossi and maybe Randy de Puniet, Aleix Espargaro had to turn to Moto2 to for a new ride and has found it with Sito Pons’ team, Tenerife 40 Pons Racing Moto2 Team.

The Spaniard who is currently 14th in the MotoGP standings, has been officially confirmed and will join Pons’ son Axel on the Kalex Moto2 bikes and will compete against his brother Pol, who’ll be switching to Moto2 in 2011 with Tuenti racing, while at the moment there is no news where former Pons rider Sergio Gadea will be heading.

“When I have to move to Moto2 then I want to do it with the best options and I know that Sito Pons can give me that. I’m delighted and very motivated for this new chapter and about the possibilty to work with Sito Pons as well as with Santi Mulero and all the team,” said Espargaro. “I know what they can do and I know what I can which is why together we have the potential to fight for the top from the beginning. I accept this challenge with a lot of respect, because I know I’m going to be surrounded by great riders and teams which for me is even more motivation to reach my new goals.”

Continue reading: Moto2: Aleix Espargaro signs with Pons team

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From the rumors that World Superbike’s Max Neukirchner would be heading to MotoGP and ride a Pramac Ducati with the latest item coming out of Sepang is that not only Neurkirchner will not be in MotoGP, but the Italian team run by Paolo Campinoti will be fielding only one rider next season.

The one rider should be MotoGP veteran Loris Capirossi - even if there hasn’t been any official announcement, but Capirossi’s manager, Carlo Pernat insisting that that the contract has been signed, which would leave out in the cold, rookie Aleix Espargaro and underperforming Mika Kallio, with both riders expected to be heading in Moto2, with Kallio linked to Ajo Motorsport and Espargaro to be fielded in all Spanish team with his brother Pol.

With the continuing rumors (publically confirmed by Francis Batta of Alstare Suzuki) that Suzuki will also field only one bike in MotoGP next season and that Interwetten Honda will be pulling out completely from the 2011 championship due to budget and sponsorship problems, could mean only 15 bikes on the grid next year, and the FIM will no longer be able to close their eyes and could legally pretend that Dorna return to the 18 rider minimum grid that is required or MotoGP lose their world championship status.

Source | motomatters.com

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Aleix Espargaro has gotten the green light from his doctor and will be racing at Laguna Seca this upcoming weekend.

The Pramac Ducati rider was suspected of having sustained a vertebra fracture after crashing into Randy DePuniet’s Honda, but his doctor after checking out the scans has ruled out that the young Spaniard had injured his neck.

“Luckily I have not broken anything in the fall. I had a little fear when I was in Chemnitz hospital because the doctors had no common opinion on the diagnosis. After the x-ray, some say that my C7 vertebra was broken and that I had to rest for two weeks. Others argued that what they saw was an old fracture and that I would still have no problem to ride my bike next weekend. Fortunately, the final diagnosis was that I haven’t got fractures during the fall,” said Espargaro.

Talking about the famed American circuit:” I have always heard about Laguna Seca’s and the Corkscrew myth, I cannot wait to face it and see if the change of direction and the subsequent fast downhill takes your breath away as they say. I studied the track with my engineers, it will be very important to start to be fast since Friday and continue to progress in the following days. ”

Team mate Mika Kallio will also be racing at the Mazda Speedway for the first time after missing last year’s race due to hand injury picked up at the Assen GP.

Source | pramacracing.com

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With Dorna patrolling Youtube, we haven’t found a video showing yesterday’s horrific accident that Randy de Puniet had at the Sachsenring GP, but we do have a photo sequence which may just be more explicit of how everything went down.

Check out pic number three and you’ll see Mika Kallio, who couldn’t avoid de Puniet, run over the French rider’s left leg and then Aleix Espargaro and Alvaro Bautista flipping over the Honda.

Gruesome.

Source | motoblog.it

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Aleix Espargaro was one of the two other riders that was involved in Randy de Puniet’s horrific highside crash during today’s MotoGP race at the Sachsenring that was red flagged after nine laps.

While the unlucky de Puniet, who already had a nicked tibia picked up after crashing on the oil that Jorge Lorenzo’s M1 left on track during yesterday’s qualifying session, suffered a fractured left tibia and fibula and was airlifted to the Hartmannsdorf hospital to undergo surgery to insert a pin in his left leg. Espargaro who flipped over DePuniet’s Honda seemed more or less uninjured except for some contusions to his right wrist and neck and cut knee that required two stitches.

According to the Pramac Ducati website, the the young Spaniard was sent to the Chemnitz hospital for further scans that revealed that may have picked up a possible fracture to his C7 vertebra. The scans will now be sent to Espargaro’s personal doctor to see if the fracture is new or an old one, which could put Espargaro out of contention for next Sunday’s U.S. GP.

Further news when we get it.

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Pramac Racing and riders Mika Kallio and Aleix Espargaró unveiled today in Qatar their brand new 2010 livery at ahead of the final pre-season MotoGP test that starts tomorrow and the team has gone “green.”

Besides adding The Green Energy Team to it’s name and changing the colour of the livery on their Ducati Desmosedici’s, Pramac Racing has decided to become the first MotoGP team to become eco-friendly. The Italian team will be be using solar panels and wind turbines to supply energy in their hospitality and garage, Quantya electric scooters to move around the paddock and they will also use recycled and recyclable materials where possible.

After the jump you can read why team owner Paolo Campinoti decided on this new approach and you can also see the The Green Energy teaser video.

Continue reading: MotoGP: Pramac Racing Goes "Green"

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Not only Italian MotoGP racers, like Valentino Rossi have fun driving cars in the off season, Pramac Ducati’s Aleix Espargaro went even farther, in his first ever car race, he won.

The Los 500 Km, an endurance race held at the new MotorLand Aragon circuit in Spain, Espargaro driving a Seat Leon TDI with partner Noel Hammal from Black Motorsport team won the D5 class reserved for diesel engine cars.

The team was able to take the lead in their group and hold on to it for the entire duration of the three hour race despite difficult weather conditions.

Espargaró said: “It went better than I expected. This is my first experience in cars and it’s been really fun. The circuit has some amazing areas, very different from each other, and a breathtaking downhill that no other circuit in the world has. ”

Asked about his future in MotoGP, the Ducati rider said, “My goal next season is to be the best rookie, and although I must admit, that with the entry of Ben Spies it will be very difficult, of course I will fight for it. I have a great team, a great bike and I hope I’ll have a good season. ”

Source | solomoto

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Pramac Ducati’s Niccolò Canepa has now officially been ruled out of the upcoming Malaysian Gran Prix at Sepang,

The young Italian rider suffered a massive crash during the first free practice at Phillip had to undergo a skin graft operation at a Melbourne hospital to fix a large cut on his forearm. The doctors have advised the Ducati rider to avoid racing because of the high risk of infection.

Canepa will be replaced at Sepang by Aleix Espargaro who will be riding full time for Pramac Ducati next year.

Niccolò Canepa is expected to return for his last race in MotoGP in the final round at Valencia November 8th.

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