The Bettega Memorial rally (dedicated to former Lancia factory driver Attilio Bettega, who died during the 1985 Tour de Corse) is one of the highlights of the Bologna Motorshow and this year’s victory went to Petter Solberg.

The former World Rally champion however had his hands full over the two day event as Andrea Dovizioso driving a Ford Fiesta RS WRC gave him some close competition, infact the Yamaha Tech 3 rider got in the final showdown as the two went into a tie break which Solberg won, but Dovizioso was able to beat Kris Meeke who took third and Jari-Matti Latvala who finished in fourth.

The rally drivers were impressed by the MotoGP rider, Latvala said, “He has done a really good job and he was improving very quickly. We spoke together about the areas where he can brake late and which gears to use: this kind of thing. It would be good if he did some events in the future, like Valentino Rossi did. For sure he has the basic talent” while Solberg said after the Night Sprint, “this guy is much better than Valentino Rossi as a rally driver.”

Rossi came in second in the Monza Rally Show behind Sebastien Loeb.

Videos and more pics after the jump.

Continue reading: "Andrea Dovizioso is a better rally driver than Valentino Rossi" says Petter Solberg

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As we already anticipated last September, the Autodromo di Termas de Rio Honda in Argentina will be hosting MotoGP racing from to 2013 to 2015 and Andrea Dovizioso will be the guest of honour to officially launch Argentina back on the MotoGP calendar.

The event will be held next Tuesday at the Bicentennial Museum (Casa Nacional del Bicentenario) also attending will be Gerardo Zamora, governor of the Santiago del Estero province, where the Termas de Rio Honda circuit is located and the Minister of Tourism Enrique Meyer and the usual Dorna and FIM representatives.

More details on the Argentinian GP will be revealed during the presentation.

Source | motoblog.it

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This upcoming MotoGP race at Valencia will be extremely difficult for everyone as it will be carried out under the dark cloud of the recent and tragic death of Marco Simoncelli.

The Repsol Honda team riders have admitted it will a tough one to get through, but are prepared to honour their fellow Honda rider, as is Dorna who is trying to organize the minute of noise requested by Simoncelli Sr. All the Valencia marshals will be wearing black arm bands while hundreds of racing fans are probably going to show at the Spanish track wearing tribute ‘Simoncelli’ wigs.

Casey Stoner has already wrapped up the 2011 championship title and is already thinking towards the new 2012 season, while Dani Pedrosa will be looking for victory in this season’s finale which would place him third in the general standings ahead of departing team mate Andrea Dovizioso, who will making his last appearance as Honda rider (after 10 years) before heading to the Yamaha Tech3 squad.

Here’s what the Repsol Honda riders had to say:

“It will be difficult to return to racing this weekend after Marco’s terrible accident in Sepang but I think it is the best thing we can do to honour him. We know we all play a risky game and, even if compared to the past the safety of our sport is much better, unfortunately these kind of events still occur. My thoughts go out to his family and I hope that they are coping through this period.”

“The race this weekend is the final round of an incredible season for us, we worked hard all year and after clinching the title in Phillip Island we are starting to look to 2012. After the race here in Valencia we will have the two day test on the 1000cc machine and then we can take a well deserved break and reflect on the ups and downs of a very long hard season. We will go out there this weekend and try to put on a good show for all the fans and especially in memory of Marco,” commented Casey Stoner.

Continue reading: Repsol Honda riders remember Marco Simoncelli and preview Valencia GP

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The rumor broke late Friday afternoon when several websites reported that Andrea Dovizioso had signed with Yamaha Tech3 for the 2012 season after spending ten years with Honda.

This rumor has now been officially confirmed and Dovizioso will be fielded alongside Cal Crutchlow and will be riding a satellite Yamaha next year, when MotoGP reverts back to the 1000cc format. The Italian hopes that he’ll then be considered for a Yamaha full factory ride in 2013, when both Jorge Lorenzo and Ben Spies’ contracts expire.

Andrea Dovizioso:

“I’m happy to have reached this agreement with Tech 3 for next year and I want to thank Hervé Poncharal for the opportunity he is giving me. I am excited to become part of Hervé’s squad and to be teamed with Cal. I am sure this new challenge will be exciting, motivating and fun. Now that 2012 is sorted I want to focus on finishing the season in the best possible way.”



Continue reading: Andrea Dovizioso and Yamaha Tech3 deal officially confirmed

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According to German website Speedweek.de Andrea Dovizioso has finally made up his mind and will be riding for Yamaha Tech3 next season, even in the final contract details have yet to be ironed out.

Dovizioso who has spent his entire career racing for Honda, will make the move to the satellite Yamaha team after Repsol Honda decided to cut their racing budget. Honda boss Shuhei Nakamoto wanted to keep the Italian and had offered him a full factory bike but riding for LCR’s Honda team, but apparently the Italian rider was not happy that rival Marco Simoncelli, who is behind him in the standings will be receiving the same preferential treatment and instead has opted for a one year contract with Herve Poncharal’s squad.

As Jorge Lorenzo and Ben Spies’ contracts expire at the end of 2012, Dovizioso is hoping that he can move up to the factory team.

With ‘Dovi’ to be teamed with Cal Crutchlow, Eugene Laverty who was also on Tech3’s short list will probably remain in World Superbikes, with several sources reporting that he has signed with Aprilia to partner Max Biaggi, while others are reporting that he’ll be in BMW Italia, while John Hopkins and Randy de Puniet are on Lucio Cecchinello’s shopping list in case the deal with Dovizioso fell through.

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This year’s controversial Motegi GP was one strange race, and Casey Stoner who was tipped to win it and continue his winning streak suffered a big technical issue that left him third, while Andrea Dovizioso had jump start that psyched out several other riders.

Dani Pedrosa who last year lost his 2010 title chances in Japan due to a faulty throttle and picking up a fractured collarbone, instead took the first win ever for the Repsol Honda team at the Twin Ring and now is just one point behind Andrea Dovizioso (3rd) in the championship standing.

With three rounds to go, Stoner still leads the championship by 40 points over Jorge Lorenzo.

Dani Pedrosa - 1st

“I’m super happy with this victory, for the team that has been working so well, for HRC because this is the first win in Motegi with the Repsol Honda Team and for myself because it is the first time I’ve won here in MotoGP after doing so in 125cc and 250cc. The race was strange at the beginning with Stoner and Dovi really fast on the first few laps, they pulled away and then Casey had some problem and Andrea had a ride through for his jump start. I was alone in front with Lorenzo close, but I tried to put my head down and push every lap to pull away. I’m happy because at this track I’ve had a mix of good and bad results and some bad injuries, so to come back one year later and win in MotoGP is fantastic.”

Continue reading: Repsol Honda: Pedrosa super happy while Stoner and Dovizioso have different issues

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That Valentino Rossi is an overwhelming presence in any team is pretty obvious and being fielded as his team mate usually means playing second fiddle and if you don’t have an oversize ego you can accept the situation with grace, and joke about it as Colin Edwards and Nicky Hayden have done, or try to outshine the 9 time World Champion as Jorge Lorenzo did on and off track.

Andrea Dovizioso, instead would never accept being Rossi’s team mate. In an interview with MAX magazine, Dovizioso confessed, “I would never accept to be teamed up with Valentino Rossi, it would be pure masochism. There is no room for anybody at his side, he takes it from you and he takes it all. When Rossi is ready to share the limelight it will be the end of his racing days. “

The Italian who is currently third in the MotoGP standings and will lose is ride with Repsol Honda at the end of the season went on: “There are racers who end up on the podium and those media hyped racers - and their media worth almost never corresponds to their sporting results. Simoncelli, Spies and Bautista are fan favourites, but they hardly know the taste of victory.

Pretty harsh words for Andrea Dovizioso who keeps a pretty low profile and usually avoids confrontations and who can count only one race win so far, in the three seasons he’s been with the factory Repsol Honda team.

Source | motoblog.it

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Astra Honda Motors slogan on “One Heart” or “Satu Hati” in Indonesian, is featured on Repsol Honda RC212V MotoGP machines and to help promote the new CBR150R and the Blade 110R for the Indonesian market, they’ve gotten Dani Pedrosa, Andrea Dovizioso and Casey Stoner starring in two TV commercials.

Since one of MotoGP’s biggest fan bases is in Indonesia, having these three recognizable Honda riders who were also on hand last March for the launch of the CBR250R, is a sure fire way to help the sales of these two small displacement, but very sporty looking motorcycles.

The new CBR150R has 4-stroke, 150cc, DOHC, 4-valve, single-cylinder, liquid-cooled engine with auto fan, and twin tube frame, and adopts an electronically controlled fuel injection system (PGM-Fi) that meets Euro2 emission standards.

While the Blade 110R is equipped with EFT, an engine capacity of 110 cc, SOHC, 4-stroke with efficient high-performance, and uses a new technology called HVIC [Honda Variable Ignition Control] that makes the ignition process more efficient. Features also include front and rear disc brakes that provide more optimal braking power. In addition, it is also equipped with a useful 7-litre baggage storage.

Second video after the jump.

Continue reading: Casey Stoner, Pedrosa and Dovizioso promote Honda's Blade 110R and the CBR 150R (w/videos)

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What can you say about Casey Stoner this season and how he’s gelled with Honda’s RC212V? Only one word. Awesome. And Ducatisti, especially Italians should stop invoking his return to Ducati. It ain’t gonna happen.

The 2011 championship seems already in his pocket (racing is never a sure thing) and from this point on it’s only his to lose.

The Australian dominated from start to finish at Aragon, with no one able to stay with his blistering pace and his victory today crowned the 100th victory for the Respol Honda Team since the partnership was formed in 1995 where Mick Doohan won the very first race for the factory HRC team in Eastern Creek.

“Before the race everyone was a little cautious with the wind picking up after the morning warm up and conditions being a lot different to those we have seen all weekend,” said Stoner. “This was on our minds, also warming the hard tyres to make sure everything was good for the beginning of the race. Our start was pretty average, I pulled to the left a little on the start and managed to avoid hitting Dani, but Ben came around the outside and I ended up third or fourth going into turn one but from there we were able to settle down and feel comfortable with the bike. I wanted to get to the front as soon as possible as the bike has been working perfect all weekend and it was our race to lose, so I tried to get in front and pull a gap. I passed Dani as soon as I could and tried to pull that gap, Dani kept with me for the first few laps, but slowly I was able to put in a gap and manage the race. I think everyone was struggling with tyres to some degree, but the bike was fantastic and I don’t mind when the bike slides around a little! A big, big thank you to the whole team and to take this hundredth win for Repsol Honda is something special.”

Continue reading: Repsol Honda celebrates 100th team win with Casey Stoner at Aragon

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Andrea Dovizioso has been a faithful Honda rider for almost a decade and this season he’s having his best MotoGP results ever and is currently third in the standings and just 25 points behind Jorge Lorenzo and he’s losing his factory ride.

It may seem bloody unfair to this pretty unassumingbut headstrong Italian, but the present economic situation is forcing HRC to cut back on their factory bikes and Dovizioso and Marco Simoncelli are pitted against each other to see who will get that extra bike.

Simoncelli is content to stay with Gresini as long as he has factory support and Honda doesn’t make him dismember his present technical crew, while for Dovizioso it would be an unfortunate step backwards, so he’s had his manager in talks with Herve Poncharal’s Yamaha Tech3 team, with Rizla Suzuki, but it seems Dovizioso isn’t interested in riding the GSV-R as there’s still no official word of what Suzuki will be doing or using next year and also with Ducati. Going to Borgo Panigale is always tempting for an Italian, but realistically a Desmosedici has become a career killer for any rider (except Stoner) who wants to win and be on the podium (which is the same reason that Jorge Lorenzo refused Ducati’s offer back in 2009).

Sill HRC is doing all they can to keep the two riders close to their bosom and have asked Lucio Cecchinello (LCR Honda) to take Dovi in and are promising that while the new RC213V won’t be a 100% factory, but it will be constantly updated during the season. Cecchinello has stated that he is trying to organize the team for Dovizioso’s arrival but the move requires more funding than the team can currently count on, however if the plan should fall through the team manager has set his sights on John Hopkins, but he’ll need Honda’s approval.

Source | moto.it

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Repsol may not be at the level of funny as Yamaha USA is in making videos with their Grand Prix racing stars (because they don’t have the awesome Colin Edwards) but at least they’re trying to promote them, something they often lacked to do in the past for fans outside bike mad Spain.

Check out this video starring Casey Stoner, Andrea Dovizioso, Dani Pedrosa and Marc Marquez who try to beat each other on who has the fastest reflexes in recognizing some pieces of various puzzles and they actually look like they’re having some fun.

Even Casey Stoner who usually isn’t this laid back in front of cameras doing promos and how about a laughing Dani Pedrosa? It sure kills off on how fans perceive riders personalities based solely on pre and post race interviews.

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They say it ain’t over till it’s over, but if Casey Stoner continues in this devasting manner and taking his 7th win of the season (11 podiums in 12 races and his worst result was a DNF caused by Rossi ) of the 2011 season at Indianapolis, Jorge Lorenzo will have to pack in his #JL a lot sooner than anyone expected.

The Australian despite his usual ‘complaints’ (he’s never satisfied) has virtually been uncontested in these last three races as soon as he gets out front and is now on a winning spree and stronger than ever.

Here’s what all three Repsol Honda riders had to say after the race:

Casey Stoner - 1st
“We got an ok start and I should have been a little more aggressive in the first corner. As I entered turn two Dani hit the breaks quite hard and I just had nothing, my brakes weren’t warmed up yet and I had trouble stopping, I was lucky to get through the first lap.

The race was tough, conditions were very hot and the track surface a little more slippery than practice and qualifying which made things difficult to know how much to push. At one point I closed the front and dropped the bike on my knee, I was pretty much down but managed to pick it back up and not lose too much confidence. From there we started to make our way past Dani, put in a few good lap times and pull an advantage.

Under challenging track conditions everything has worked really well this weekend, the crew did a fantastic job and gave me a great bike so a huge thanks to them all!”.

Continue reading: Casey Stoner and the other Repsol Honda riders on the Indianapolis GP

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