Andrea Iannone won today’s Moto2 race in masterful way and taking the lead in the standings from Stefan Bradl. The Italian who was only 11th on the starting grid rode a perfect race on the treacherous Jerez track, that was first damp and then completely wet and caught out more than one rider.

The Speed Master rider neatly carved through the field and halfway through the long race, passed Thomas Luthi on the brakes and from there never looked back to take his fourth win in Moto2 and putting a massive 7.859 seconds between himself and the Swiss rider, who took his second podium of the season.

Completing the podium was Simone Corsi, who started in 18th and was already third on the opening lap with Gianpiero Sacchi’s Ioda Racing team project bike, he was followed by Moto2 rookie Bradley Smith who spent the race chasing and duelling with Stefano Bradl, but finally overtook him in the second to last lap of the race, when the German rider almost lost his Kalex in a near highside.

Continue reading: Moto2 Jerez: Andrea Iannone dominates in eventful race

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Andrea Iannone was third in last year’s Moto2 standings riding for Luca Boscoscuro’s Speed Up team and this season the Italian rider from Abruzzo will racing the 2011 championship with his own Moto2 team called Speed Master.

The all Italian team who will be using a Suter MMXI machine and was officially presented to the press at the Boscolo Hotel Exedra in Milan yesterday. The squad is run by Regalino Iannone (Andrea’s father), Valentino Rossi’s BFF Alessio “Uccio” Salucci and Silvio Vercilli.

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Yesterday the Moto2 test kicked off at the Ricardo Tormo Circuit in Valencia, with the top spot speaking only Italian and shared by two riders, Alex de Angelis and Andrea Iannone.

The teams are running with unofficial engines (the official ones will be available only at Jerez) so we don’t exactly know what 600cc spec Honda engines the various teams are using, so lap times are unofficial and to be taken with a grain a salt.

Iannone (with his new Suter) and de Angelis (his JiR MotoBi with a new livery) both posted a time of 1’36.7, and the only riders to break under the 1′37 mark.

As customary with Moto2 lap times, there’s a gaggle of riders all within bare tenths of seconds of each other, with Julián Simón and Stefan Bradl tied for the second spot with a 1′37, followed by Marc Marquez who after spending two days at Barcelona, was just a tenth of a second off, as was Gresini’s new rider, Michele Pirro.

Last year’s MotoGP riders Aleix Espargaró and Mika Kallio, still coming to grips with their Moto2’s were 8th and 10th respectively.

Continue reading: Moto2 Valencia test day 1: Andrea Iannone and Alex de Angelis share the top spot

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Riding minimotos are a big part in most Italian riders upbringing. Riders who hail from the Romagna region (the land of Motors and great food) took their first baby steps in racing on these pocket bikes, and to celebrate Mattia Pasini’s dad 20 year’s in the minimoto business and tie it into a charity event, several top racers showed up last Saturday and Sunday to battle it out at the San Mauro Mare kart track.

Mattia Pasini, Massimo Roccoli, Matteo Baiocco, Marco Simoncelli, Andrea Iannone, Lorenzo Savadori, Denis Sacchetti, Marconi, William De Angelis (Alex’s brother), Manuel Poggiali, took to the track in several heats, but it was Moto2 rider Andrea Iannone who won, getting the drop on all of the others.

Hit this link of motociclisti.myblog.it to see a few pics of the event, including a ridiculously large Simoncelli trying to stay on the bike.

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Karel Abraham took his first and only Moto2 victory in the season finale at Valencia today, before moving to MotoGP next year with his own team.

The Czech rider came out on top in last lap thriller that saw five riders, Andrea Iannone, Julian Simon, Abraham, Toni Elias and Thomas Luthi all going for the win, but it was claimed by Abraham who was riding in fourth, when Moto2 World Champion Toni Elias in an aggressive and almost an impossible move to take Julian Simon’s second place ran into the side of Andrea Iannone’s bike.

Iannone didn’t crash and finished second with Abraham slipping in front of the scattered pack to finish first on the chequered flag,but Elias’ wild move cost Iannone the lead and second place in the final standings, while the Spaniard ended up in the gravel trap and would rejoin and finish 30th.

Third went to Julian Simon followed by Thomas Luthi and Scott Redding who managed to hold off Alex de Angelis for fifth.

Continue reading: Moto2 Valencia: Karel Abraham wins in last lap upset

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An all Italian speaking podium saw Roberto Rolfo win his first race in Moto2 and Toni Elias nab the the first ever Moto2 championship title with a fourth place finish after title rival Julian Simon made two huge mistakes and definitely handing the title to Elias in Sepang.

Rolfo, who won his last race in 2004 was able to take the win for his S.T.R, Italtrans team (and not included in next year’s Moto2 entry list) after battling it out with Alex de Angelis who took the second spot on the podium after just four races with the JiR racing team.

Elias also battled it out for the third spot on the podium with Andrea Iannone finally prevailing, but the Spanish rider was already the world champion with seven race wins and a second place podium and giving Fausto Gresini his second title after Daijiro Kato’s 2001 title in 250cc.

Continue reading: Moto2 Sepang: Roberto Rolfo wins, Toni Elias takes Championship Title

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Could we see Valentino Rossi and his sidekick Uccio make an appearance as team managers in Moto2? It would be an exciting thing if we did and firmly stamp Rossi’s legacy all over the MotoGP and its younger series. According to rumours, Rossi has been in talks with Eskil Suter, a supplier of 600cc engines over a chassis deal, while Alessio Salucci (aka Uccio) would be negotiating with Andrea Iannone as the first rider in the team. Contact with Rossano Brazzi, former crew chief at Aprilia and the 250cc championship win of Rossi, has also been named.

The rumours originally surfaced on Moto.it and have gained ground on MCN. It’s said though, that the Rossi Moto2 team would have to be ready for next year although applications for new teams must be in by September 28. With Rossi heading off to Ducati for two years, it’s also difficult to see him having a hands-on role in the outfit but it’s a rumour we can easily believe.

An MCN source has been quoted as saying: “It looks like one very high profile MotoGP rider will have his own Moto2 team next season. Iannone will be one rider. He has interest from just about every team, but it looks like he will end up with Valentino.” Initial team applications will be revealed at the MotoGP Sepang before teams are finalised in November. We don’t know about you, but we’d love to see Rossi get involved in some grass roots initiatives, if the Moto2 is to be considered that, but maybe with some of Daniele Romagnoli suggestions for Moto2 improvements.

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I had to check my calendar to see if it wasn’t April Fools Day, because the latest news coming from Aragon, is that Moto2 Speed Up rider Andrea Iannone (first in this morning’s free practice) wants to form his own Moto2 team next year and want’s Alessio Salucci who is better known as Valentino Rossi’s best friend, Uccio as his team manager.

Apparently this project is well on it’s way because the Italians have found an important sponsor and they’ve already contacted legendary Aprilia crew chief Rossano Brazzi (who isn’t in the paddock this year) who crewed for among others, Valentino Rossi, Marco Melandri and Manuel Poggiali.

It seems Uccio wasn’t kidding when he said in an interview, “I might become a personal manager for riders; in all these years I’ve become pretty good at picking out good riders.”

Source | moto.it

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Sporting a one off helmet design for what a rider considers his home race or a special race for the team has almost become de rigueur. This time another comic hero, after Marco Melandri’s Spiderman back in 2002, Jorge Lorenzo’s 2009 Captain America and this year’s Iron Man designs, Moto2 rider Andrea Iannone will be sporting the Incredible Hulk on his Airoh helmet for this weekend’s Misano GP.

Iannone has been one of this year’s biggest revelations in the new Moto2 series and is currently second in the standings with 119 points behind Toni Elias, will be donning this IANNHULK helmet designed by Starline, that matches the unmistakable green livery his Fimmco Speed Up bike.

Continue reading: Moto2: Andrea Iannone to wear 'Incredible Hulk' helmet at Misano

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What to Italian GP riders do in their spare time on a hot summer night on the Riviera Romagnola? They race against each on karts.

Valentino Rossi, Marco Simoncelli, Andrea Iannone and Mattia Pasini and a batch friends, including Gianfranco Guareschi, Vittoriano Guareschi, who’ll soon be Rossi’s team manager in Ducati, Aldo Drudi, renowned designer, headed to the new Jeepers Kart track at Cattolica for a little fun and games and naturally when the word got out fans and photographers showed up.

They also celebrated Rossi’s win with a mini podium and some beer and soft drink spraying and naturally a mini trophy.

You can see some pics here.

Source | ilrestodelcarlino via gpone.com

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Toni Elias stretched his Moto2 Championship lead in today’s race by taking his fourth race win of the season at Brno.

The Spaniard emerged the winner after several riders battled it out for the lead at the beginning of the race until the field began to thin out with Andrea Iannone grabbing the lead on lap 6 and began to pull away, but Elias wasn’t having any and began to hunt down the Italian with Roberto Rolfo hot on his tail.

After several passing attempts Elias took the the lead on lap 14 from Iannone with Rolfo also passing Iannone. The battle wasn’t over, Rolfo then grabbed the lead from but went wide letting the Gresini rider through. One lap later Rolfo’s Suter MMX suffered an engine failure and had to pull out of the race leaving Iannone in second.

Continue reading: Moto2 Brno: Toni Elias wins and lengthens championship lead

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Technomag-CIP’s Shoya Tomizawa took his second pole position of the season in today’s Moto2 qualifying session at Brno. The Japanese rider layed down a best lap of 2’03.452 admid traffic to leave Andrea Iannone who was looking for his fourth pole position in second and 0.232s behind.

Toni Elias who was banned from Friday’s free practice as punishment for a test session at Misano last Sunday, had been fastest in this morning’s practice will start the race on the third spot of the grid and completing the front row will be Roberto Rolfo riding an upgraded aerodynamic version of the Suter MMX.

On the second row of the grid will be Yuki Takahashi, Dominique Aegerter, Simone Corsi who was the final rider withing a second from Tomizawa. Arne Tode, Julián Simón and Scott Redding completed the top ten.

Thomas Luthi who is currently second in the championship 42 points behind Elias, will start in 13th.

Brno homeboy Karel Abraham, who will in MotoGP next season on a satellite Ducati crashed out this morning but also twice during the qualifying session and the second crash saw his bike fly over the tire barrier and will have to start in 34th. Others to crash during the session included Axel Pons, Yonni Hernandez and Raffaele de Rosa.

Continue reading: Moto2 Brno: Shoya Tomizawa takes the Pole

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