All posts tagged fiat yamaha
Fiat says good-bye to Yamaha and fans
We all more or less knew, that when Valentino Rossi formally announced that he was going to Ducati, that Fiat would be leaving their place as Yamaha’s title sponsor too, but you have to admit that Fiat as a motorcycle racing team sponsor really has a certain savoir-faire. This is their December 31st good-bye splash page on the the Fiat on the Web Yamaha website, and their way of gracefully bowing out of sponsoring the team, that saw their name alongside Yamaha’s and three World Championship titles.
I can only think of one positive thing that comes out of Fiat leaving Yamaha, we’ll no longer be seeing those strange one-off livery designs that has been on the M1 over these past years.
Welcome to Yamaha: future teammate Ben Spies congratulations ignored by Jorge Lorenzo
Okay so Jorge Lorenzo had just won the 2010 MotoGP World Championship but these kinds of scenes prove that there’s no team feeling in MotoGP, and certainly not in the Fiat Yamaha camp. After news that the Yamaha box wall will stay up in 2011, and knowing that Rossi and Lorenzo have never had a good relationship, it seems like Yamaha is breeding a culture of separatism in its ranks.
This video shows Ben Spies, Lorenzo teammate from 2011, attempting to congratulate the rider on winning the championship at last weekend’s MotoGP Sepang round. As Spies tries to gain Lorenzo’s attention, the latter is busy with his after race antics and ignores his future teammate. Spies shakes his head and rides away.
There are ways and styles to celebrating a championship win and once again Lorenzo has shown, like many riders unfortunately, to be a rather graceless winner. And it follows his rather graceless whinge about Rossi’s race tactics in the previous weekend’s MotoGP Motegi round.
Given that Ben Spies has proved himself the talent we thought he was in this MotoGP season, Lorenzo might once again be looking over his shoulder at his teammate next year. And Yamaha will keep the wall up in the hope that doing so will continue their winning run as a manufacturer.
Video | Youtube via Motoblog.it
'Unfair' Valentino Rossi get's his wrists slapped by Yamaha bosses
While Casey Stoner may have won the Japanese GP in a dominating fashion, it was the final two lap alpha male epic battle between team mates Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo for third place that fans actually talked about.
Jorge Lorenzo was very unhappy about the battle and judged Valentino Rossi’s passes too aggressive and risky and that could have cost him the title challenge and even complained about it with Yamaha boss Lin Jarvis, who obviously took Lorenzo’s side.
Speaking to the press Lorenzo said about Rossi: “This was a big battle between Valentino and I, two warriors with the killer instinct. I have to say that at some points I do not think he was completely fair, we were both on the limit but some of his moves were maybe a bit too much and he touched me and pushed me wide when I don’t think it was right. We are team-mates, I am fighting for the riders’ championship but we are both fighting for the teams’ and manufacturers’ championship as well and we have to remember this.”
Continue reading: 'Unfair' Valentino Rossi get's his wrists slapped by Yamaha bosses
Jorge Lorenzo signs 2 year contract with Yamaha
We were expecting the announcement at Aragon, but Yamaha took it’s sweet time before announcing that they have re-signed their soon to be 2010 World Champion Jorge Lorenzo for another two years, formally confirming what we’ve known as a foregone conclusion.
Lorenzo joined Yamaha’s official MotoGP team as the reigning double 250cc world champion in 2008 finishing 4th, in 2009 was 2nd and this year leads the championship challenge with 56 points and with Pedrosa out of the challenge and no longer a niggling worry, Lorenzo will take the world title.
Jorge Lorenzo:
“My first choice was always to stay here with Yamaha and I am very glad that this will happen. I feel happy here; I have good people around me, a strong relationship with Yamaha and a great bike. I want to say thanks again to Lin Jarvis, who has always supported me. Now we are focused on winning the Championship but I am already excited about next season. I know that Ben and I can do a great job for Yamaha and I want to thank them for their belief in me.”
Continue reading: Jorge Lorenzo signs 2 year contract with Yamaha
Find Your Face on Rossi's and Lorenzo's M1s
The Fiat Yamaha team unrevealed their one off paint job for their two M1’s for this weekend’s Laguna Seca GP and now we’ve got some close-up shots of the livery with fan photos.
If your one of those thousands of fans who sent their pic to be stickered on Valentino Rossi’s or Jorge Lorenzo’s bikes check out the gallery and see if you can find yourself.
Continue reading: Find Your Face on Rossi's and Lorenzo's M1s
Fiat Yamaha Special Livery for Laguna Seca
For all you fans who sent in their pics to the Fiat Yamaha team last June to have your faces stickered on Valentino Rossi’s and Jorge Lorenzo’s M1’s for the Laguna Seca GP, the team has unveiled the striking new livery that they’ll be using this weekend.
The promo is to celebrate the manufacturing of the five hundred thousandth Fiat 500.
Source | fiatyamahafacebook.com
Valentino Rossi on crutches but still rides
The guys at HFL have picked up this photo of Valentino Rossi’s test ride at Misano after his injury, in which he’s actually still using crutches to get around. That’s okay though, because it’s what he does on the bike, not off it, that’s important to us. The photo sort of proves though what we’ve known all along - that any return prior to Brno was more than optimistic.
I know we’ve talked about the crisis in the MotoGP and Dorna, and the Fiat Yamaha team, but for the rider personally, I don’t get why he would want to jeopardise his rehabilitation and possibly the rest of his career by looking to return any earlier than advisable. Have a holiday, Vale - we’ll wait!
The Valentino effect and Jorge Lorenzo: the Rossi era over for Yamaha?
Over our days of behind the scenes at the MotoGP Silverstone and Assen rounds, we had multiple opportunities to observe Jorge Lorenzo and mix with the guys from the Fiat Yamaha team, which is missing Valentino Rossi as if he were of their own flesh and blood. While it’s true that without the Doctor, whether for injury or whether for the rumours of Rossi to Ducati, the future of the team hangs in the balance. Indeed, looking at the television statistics for the MotoGP from Italy, the entire sport is suffering without its most charismatic presence.
While I think Rossi’s timeout and his injury is very good practice for the MotoGP and for Yamaha, in terms of a future retirement of the rider, I had not expected this drastic a fallout. There is a sense of pending dread over the paddock without Rossi, and in general among the fans and spectators, the reason for following the MotoGP has been suddenly removed.
During in our interview with Wilco Zeelenberg, the teammanager didn’t answer our question about whether Jorge Lorenzo could have had his success so far this season if Rossi had still been on the scene. We can only imagine how it must be for the Spanish rider - finally your time comes and no-one cares. What’s more, many believe you couldn’t have been at the top without your teammate being removed through injury.
Continue reading: The Valentino effect and Jorge Lorenzo: the Rossi era over for Yamaha?
Assen interview with Wilco Zeelenberg: Lorenzo team manager talks to TwoWheels
Off the back of his own talent and on the strength of the Fiat Yamaha team, Jorge Lorenzo is the undisputed number one rider in MotoGP at the moment and we had a chance to talk to his team manager, Wilco Zeelenberg after today’s qualifying at the MotoGP Assen. It’s hard not to like Zeelenberg, with his twinkly blue eyes and enthusiastic manner.
While it’s clear he’s good natured, we think this probably belies his efficiency and professionalism in the box itself. With Lorenzo’s recent success, the team dynamic and the bike set-up has found its sweet spot for the moment, and the team is riding high right now. Zeelenberg still brings a down-to-earth attitude to the management as he knows they’ve got a long way to go yet.
Our conversation starts just as Zeelenberg gets a message about his old protégé, Cal Crutchlow, and Crutchlow’s start at the Misano SBK.
Given that you won with Crutchlow last year, would you have liked to see him on the Yamaha Tech 3 bike and how do you think he would have done?
Yes, of course. I think he deserved a seat on the superbike first of all. Ok, so he was planning on going to Moto2 but I’m happy he’s staying with Yamaha. Yamaha had an option on him, and I pushed for him to stay with Yamaha. I said “let him go and he will run against you the next three, four years”. I’m very positive about him, he has a strong mind, and he’s talented and fit. He has space for speed. Supersport was nice for him but has space to go faster and that’s what I saw last year, and what was already proven in superbike as well.
Continue reading: Assen interview with Wilco Zeelenberg: Lorenzo team manager talks to TwoWheels
Ducati to kill SBK for Valentino Rossi contract?
As the Rossi to Ducati rumours really take off, the Italian press is reporting that Ducati will cut its SBK team to acquire the world champion Italian rider. If Valentino Rossi moves to Ducati it will be under a Marlboro contract and to finance the move, a total re-organisation of Ducati Corse would take place in which the superbike team would be scratched.
With money tight and motorsports looking to cut costs, Ducati’s move to kill its historic superbike team could be motivated by other than its desire to purchase Rossi, although the move provides a neat excuse. If Ducati were to take this drastic decision, it would also find itself with a whole lot of new money in its coffers - something other teams either can’t or would be unwilling to do.
The rumours of Rossi to Ducati are more persistant every day and if the Italian rider is looking for big money somewhere, he won’t find it at Yamaha despite his repeated desire to remain with the team and finish his career there. As reported by MotoMatters, Rossi was looking at a salary cut which he was apparently comfortable with, until that cut meant financing Jorge Lorenzo’s new contract.
Continue reading: Ducati to kill SBK for Valentino Rossi contract?
Yamaha guessing games and the M1 under the sheet: new Fiat Yamaha livery?
On taking our live pics of Lorenzo’s M1 yesterday, we also got a few shots of Rossi’s bike (coming up) which is set up whether he’s there or not, as well as a tiny glimpse more of cover than bike, of another two Yamaha M1’s in the garage. One of them is the bike Rossi crashed with, which has been fixed since the accident. With repaired fairing and parts, it’s currently just a chassis missing its engine.
The other M1 under the sheet is a shadowy, mysterious thing and I was told that unless I already had an idea of what it was, my ‘tour guide’ wasn’t going to be the one to tell me. In fact, his exact words were “It’s not fun if you know all the surprises at once.” I deterred, but the fact remains I still don’t know what’s under there. At today’s free practice at the MotoGP Assen, there was talk of new Fiat Yamaha livery, so my bets are there. Start your guessing now….
Behind the scenes at MotoGP: Fiat Yamaha box Lorenzo's M1
The hush of the Fiat Yamaha box will be no longer today when the free practice round gets started this afternoon. We took a look at Jorge Lorenzo’s bike, ready for the trials at today’s MotoGP Assen; a bike which carries the top rider of the moment and the dreams that Yamaha will still win the championship, but this time with Lorenzo and not Valentino Rossi.
Meanwhile, Lin Jarvis has announced that Yamaha preferred to keep an in-family rider as subsitute for Rossi, and that Yoshikawa will race for at least three rounds, likely excluding the possibility of yesterday’s rumour that Rossi would return for Laguna Seca. Lorenzo is looking relaxed and calm so far at Assen so we can expect a good performance from him again. Check out his resting but ready bike in the gallery below.
Continue reading: Behind the scenes at MotoGP: Fiat Yamaha box Lorenzo's M1
Follow us
Most commented posts
Advertising
Are you interested in advertising on twowheelsblog?
Advertise on Blogo.it.
twowheelsblog is part of the Blogo.it network of blogs. Contacts About us.
© 2005-2010 Blogo.it, P. IVA 04699900967, some rights reserved under a Creative Commons license.