IRTA (International Road Racing Teams Association) has assigned the “Best Grand Prix 2011″ to the Mugello circuit for hosting the Gran Premio d’Italia TIM last July 3rd, won by Jorge Lorenzo.

This is the fifth time that the Italian circuit has won the award and the Tuscan circuit will continue to host MotoGP events up to 2016 after signing a five year deal with the organizers last season.

IRTA President Herve Poncharal said: “The best Grand Prix is voted by the teams, and the teams talk to the riders, mechanics and press officers. So it’s not only the track, it’s everything, how everybody feels about the Grand Prix and how everybody feels at home there. So I’m personally very happy that they’ve won it for the fifth time. I’m delighted to think we’re going to go back there quite soon and this is well-deserved.”

“I consider this award recognition of Italian excellence around the world. This is proof that Italy is able to answer – with the strength of tradition and innovation – to global challenges defining this difficult historical period,” said Mugello Circuit CEO Paolo Poli. “The Italian Grand Prix will remain the most important event of our sporting calendar in years to come. In addition, we will continue our positive relationship with Dorna and IRTA, whose professionalism has allowed motorcycle racing to be more successful and popular than ever.”

In 2010 the ‘Best Grand Prix’ went to the September 19th MotorLand Aragon GP.

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When FIM, Dorna and IRTA announced that they were changing the 250cc class to 600cc Moto 2, most fans turned up their noses and declared that it was the end of an excellent championship and that it would be an end as a learning school for riders that would be heading to the top class, that Dorna was making another bad mistake and most teams wouldn’t want anything to do with the new series, especially when it was announced that Honda would be the sole motor provider for the new Moto2 series.

After Friday’s official closing date FIM announced that they have received proposals from 47 teams for 91 entries, two of which are for the exsisting 250cc 2 stroke class that is still permitted to run in 2010 alongside the four-strokes, and those two will probably be Aprilia’s since the Noale based company is offering their RSA bikes free of charge to two teams.

Six satellite MotoGP teams, Tech 3 Yamaha, Gresini Honda, LCR Honda, Pramac Ducati and Grupo Francisco Hernando Ducati and Scot Honda all submitted entries for two-rider teams as well as most of the 250 teams, with Jorge “Aspar” Martinez who wants three places on the grid.

Maybe the best news is that Kenny Roberts has also submitted an application to field a team in Moto2. Team Roberts last fielded a MotoGP bike back in 2007. Speaking to Cycle News, the three times World Champion said:

Continue reading: 47 Teams and 91 Entries for Moto2

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Today at Motegi, the MSMA and Grand Prix Commission will be holding another meeting to discuss several adjustments to the new 2009 rules and the first to be changed will be the 45 minute free practice format.

The new format was put into effect as a cost saving measure. During the Qatar GP the new rule came under a lot of criticism from riders and teams who complained of not having enough time to set-up the bikes during the allotted practice time.

Hervé Poncharal, IRTA President has confirmed:

“We will revert back to one hour practice sessions to give riders and mechanics more time. This rule was requested by the manufacturers to lengthen engine life and we will instead introduce a limit on how many lap can be taken during practice sessions, this way riders and mechanics will have more time to talk.”

“We will have to oversee all the procedures and also the software that controls the practice sessions. We will probably revert back to one hour long sessions in Jerez, if we have time”

Source | gpone

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