With WSBK round 2 at Portimao in just two weeks time, we’ve got a couple of injury updates on riders of who will be racing and who’s still in doubt.

Chris Vermeulen (Kawasaki Racing) with his usual video, (thanks Chris) tells us the extent of the knee injuries that he picked up during race 2 when his gearbox locked up and sent him crashing into the tire wall at 200 km/h. Vermeulen in doubt.

James Toseland (Yamaha Sterilgarda) fractured his third metacarpal bone of his left hand during a heavy fall in free practice and hurt his hand further when he highsided in race 1. In race two the Brit rider took 10th place, but rode the race with his hand heavily anethestized. Toseland will race.

Roland Resch (Reitwagen BMW) crashed during Q1 and picked up a concussion and fractured his right collarbone and was operated on a week ago according to his Twitter page and thinks he can be ready for the Portimao round. Resch still in doubt.

Continue reading: WSBK - Physical Updates on Injured Riders

Yamaha Sterilgarda has become the lastest World Superbike team that has unveiled their new livery of their 2010 Yamaha YZF-R1 that James Toseland and Cal Crutchlow will be using this season.

The event that took place at the Sterilgarda’s headquarters in Castiglione della Stiviere (Mantova) this afternoon showed the bikes with almost imperceptible differences from last year’s livery.

Yamaha also released details regarding the R1’s upgrades that include:
- Maximum engine power increased by 8hp, considerable power benefits over the full rev range.
- Overall bike weight reduced by 3kg without losing the electric starter.

Continue reading: WSBK: Yamaha Sterilgarda Reveal 2010 Livery

MotoGP world champion Valentino Rossi may be known as ‘The Doctor’, and has a Honorary Doctorate in communications for the University of Urbino, but now James Toseland can also lay claim to the same, as he too has received an Honorary Doctorate from Sheffield Hallam University.

The 2 times WSBK champion and former MotoGP rider said: To be here and recognised by the city and Sheffield Hallam is possibly the most humbling thing I’ve ever received. It’s a great honour and the icing on the cake for me after winning two championships and hopefully another next year.”

After a torrid second year in MotoGP with Yamaha Tech 3 and finishing only 14th in the standings, the Briton is returning to World Superbikes in 2010 and will be riding with the Yamaha Sterilgarda World Superbike Team.

Source | jamestoseland.com

Continue reading: WSBK James Toseland becomes 'The Doctor'

Former two time WSBK Champion James Toseland will be returning to World Superbikes next season, after two disappointing seasons in MotoGP. Speaking to MCN, the British rider talks about how he would have liked to remain MotoGP another year and his two day test at the Portimao circuit.

Here’s he had to say about day one:

“It’s been a busy old day. I was jet-lagging a bit before lunchtime but had a good meal, and a bit of a rest at lunchtime and got to grips with the track a bit. It’s probably one of the worst tracks you could try and learn on a brand new bike! In the first ten laps I could have done with a motocross bike. It’s really enjoyable to ride once you get to know where you are on the track, with the blind corners that’s all. Once you know where you are it’s not too bad. The places where you need to know where you are going it’s fast, so to be safe around here and fast you need to know which position you need to be in on the track.”

Regarding the Yamaha R1:

Continue reading: WSBK - James Toseland Returns to Base

Sylvain Guintoli who will be switching from the BSB Championship to WSBK is going to debut at the Portimao race this weekend with his new 2010 team.

The former MotoGP rider, turned BSB rider underwent surgery last week to remove a screw from below his knee will ride the Alstare Suzuki for the first time on Friday and then take part in post race tests on Tuesday and Wednesday.

James Toseland who lost his MotoGP ride to Ben Spies, will also be taking part in the WSBK tests after receiving permission from his soon-to- be ex-team manager Herve Poncharal, to familiarize himself with the Portimao track and get to know the Yamaha R1 alongside new team mate Cal Crutchlow. Toseland will fly to Portugal immediately after the MotoGP Sepang race that takes place this weekend.

Chris Vermeulen who’ll also be switching to WSBK next season with a two year contract with Kawasaki Racing team, will not be taking part in the tests, as Rizla Suzuki team manager Paul Denning prefers that the Aussie rider concentrate on the final race of the season at Valencia, that takes place November 8th.

Source | sbk

Continue reading: WSBK – Sylvain Guintoli to debut at Portimao race with Alstare Suzuki

It’s a big day for news from Yamaha today. After announcing that Ben Spies will be in MotoGP next year, they have now confirmed that James Toseland will be switching the Yamaha Superbike team and Cal Crutchlow who is currently leading the World SuperSport championship with Yamaha, will be moving up and will ride in Superbike team.

James Toseland:

“I’m looking forward to return to World Superbikes. I want to show I’m still the rider that can win world titles. Of course there is some disappointment at losing my opportunity in MotoGP as I believe the challenge was still achievable, but the R1 has proven to be beyond the strongest bikes in Superbike and I know many of the Yamaha World Superbike Team guys, so I’m going to pick up where I left off and give 100% to achieving good results with the team. Within Superbike there were a few options available to me, however the way Yamaha have treated me since I joined them has been outstanding. They gave me a great opportunity in MotoGP, but now I do wish Ben all the best in his campaign and my aim is to continue Yamaha’s success in World Superbike.”

Continue reading: More from Yamaha - James Toseland and Cal Crutchlow in WSBK

Francis Batta team owner and manager of Alstare Suzuki and their sponsor Brux have split up due to irreconcilable differences, in short Brux didn’t pay up.

Unfortunately for you guys you won’t be seeing anymore those paddock girls dressed in their cute dental assistant outfits and this could also explains why Batta can’t afford to pick up the future MotoGP refugee James Toseland, whose name has been linked to Suzuki. According to the manager : “James’ demands are a bit too high. In times like these, maybe other teams have more money than I do.”

After the jump you can read the official PR shtick about the split.

Continue reading: Alstare Suzuki and Sponsor Split Up

Here’s another awesome and funny video from Yamaha USA, starring WSBK sensation and points leader Ben Spies.

‘Elbowz’ spills the beans and lets everyone know his amazing and unbelievable secret of learning the layout of unknown tracks so fast, what he does before a race and his dietary regime that makes him such an incredible talent and amazing winner.

Stick around to the end of the video and you’ll find out which other winning Yamaha rider uses the same method.

Continue reading: Ben Spies reveals all his winning secrets

You’ve got to admit that Yamaha Motors USA have an excellent PR department, because this video is along the line of Yamaha’s MotoGP A Day in the Office video, but this one is on all the strange rumors surrounding the new 2010 Yamaha YZ450F that will be officially unveiled on September 8th.

Watch this year’s FIM World Supercross Champion James Stewart squash all the rumors, with cameo appearances by Yamaha’s MotoGP riders Jorge Lorenzo, Valentino Rossi, Colin Edwards and James Toseland.

Source | yamahamotor

Continue reading: James Stewart and the Yamaha YZ450F

Austrian national broadcasters ATV organized a promo event yesterday for the neighbouring AB Czech Republic Grand Prix at Brno, with several Gran Prix riders hitting the streets of Vienna for a ride down the famous Ringstreet of the Viennese capital with their official bikes.

Riders included Jorge Lorenzo (in a Fiat 500 car), Nicky Hayden, James Toseland, Gabor Talmacsi, Karel Abraham, Marc Marquez , Austrian homeboy Michael Ranseder and Randy Krummenacher all taking part in the special event.

The Austrians were pretty orderly, they could never hold such a thing here in Italy, without first calling in a whole platoon of cops in riot gear to protect the riders. There would have been a mob of fans blocking the event while trying to take photos with their cell phones.

Continue reading: MotoGP hits the streets of Vienna

The workers of Yamaha Motor Company in Cypress, California, received a much-welcomed visit at the American factory from MotoGP drivers Valentino Rossi, Jorge Lorenzo, Colin Edwards and James Toseland, who took the occasion to compliment the people who contribute to their sports successes and not just to the three tuning forks company.

Instead of the usual autographs, though, the workers and their respective families posed with the drivers and the YZR-M1 of Rossi in a unique photo; the happiness was immense, seeing as many of the people that work in the factory had never had the chance to meet their favorite racers in person.

From | Roadracing World

Continue reading: Valentino Rossi visits the Yamaha factory in the US

Valentino Rossi and teammate Jorge Lorenzo, Monster Tech 3 Yamaha riders Colin Edwards and James Toseland dropped in at Yamaha Motor Corporation’s U.S. headquarters in Cypress, California the other day, but they didn’t just go to shake hands and have a couple of promo pics taken to celebrate Rossi’s 100th victory.

Watch the video and find out what these star riders have to do besides racing, to stay on Yamaha’s payroll.

Continue reading: Yamaha MotoGP Riders Moonlighting