MotoGP followers know that Valentino Rossi, Andrea Iannone, Danilo Petrucci, Lukas Pesek and Stefan Bradl all wear AGV’s ultra modern Pista GP.

The AGV Pista GP was born on the racetrack and designed according to AGV’s own ‘Extreme Standards Helmets‘ and these above MotoGP riders talk about the improved features and virtues of using this helmet, from its lightness, the ventilation air takes that radically improves cooling, the visor that has been enlarged and extended upwards, which allows them to see better when they are tucked in behind the fairing or heading towards a turn.

Check out what four of the riders had to say about this helmet.

Continue reading: MotoGP riders preach the features and virtues of the AGV Pista GP helmet

Day 1 of the second official Sepang test was marred first by a greasy and slippery track that didn’t allow lap times to drop and then it was further hampered by the appearance of the usual afternoon tropical downpour but a few riders did go out in the wet.

Here’s what some of the other riders had to say following day 1:

Stefan Bradl - 4th

“Actually the track conditions were worse than the first test so today’s lap time is not as good as my first outing here. Due to the slippery surface it took me a while to get a proper confidence and a proper speed but we were able to put in many laps trying out some braking system components and geometry settings. Around 3pm it started to rain so I had a couple of laps in the wet aboard the 2013 machine for the first time and the verdict was quite positive”.

Cal Crutchlow - 6th

“I’m happy enough with today because all you could do was ride around to the grip that was available. This morning the track condition wasn’t good at all. It was greasy and the heat was just making it worse and you can see the lap times are a fair way off what we were doing here only recently. I was 1.5s off my best time from the first test and Pedrosa was about the same. Once I got to my best lap time today I pretty much stayed at that pace for the rest of the day because the grip wasn’t there. There were a few crashes and it was obvious that we’d got used to the grip that we had at the last test but it wasn’t there and when people started to push they crashed.”

Continue reading: MotoGP Sepang 2 test - more from the riders on day 1

In 2012 MotoGP saw rain at some point during 14 out of 18 race weekends, and the 2013 season looks to be starting off in the same manner, as the second and final day of ECU testing at Sepang for the three CRT teams who will be using the Magneti Marelli spec ECU was ruined by rain and continuing technical issues.

Danilo Petrucci who put in the most laps yesterday with Came IodaRacing’s Suter- BMW managed only four laps running again completely without electronic aids before suffering a technical glitch, and he also had to share his bike with team mate Lukas Pesek. Apparently the team only brought two machines for the five day test, but not enough spare parts to run both bikes that still have the 2012 chassis. Despite the numerous setbacks Pesek was able to put in 19 laps today.

Avintia Blusens’ Hiroshi Aoyama rested his injured left wrist today, deciding not to risk riding in the rain, while Hector Barbera again suffered electric issues with his bike’s wiring loom that cut power, although he managed 20 laps.

Continue reading: Second day of CRT testing at Sepang hampered by rain and problems

The first day of testing at the Sepang International circuit for the three CRT teams that will be using the spec Magneti Marelli ECU was hindered by a myraid of different problems that limited track action.

Only two riders actually set lap times, one was Ioda Racing’s Danilo Petrucci who managed to put in 27 laps with a best time of 2.06.841 on his 2012 version of the Suter- BMW with the new ECU, while his new team mate Lukas Pesek did none.

Recovering Hiroshi Aoyama was the second rider to record any lap times as he did nine laps, testing more the fitness of his recently broken wrist, than actually working on the development on the Avintia Blusens FTR-Kawasaki, and his time was 2.12.062, but he complained of pain and will decide tomorrow whether to continue.

Aoyama’s team mate Hector Barbera managed in the 8-hour test only four laps with both wiring and electronic issues curtailing his test and no lap times were recorded as the Spaniard did not complete one single recordable full lap.

Colin Edwards and Claudio Corti wasted the entire day sitting on the sidelines watching their NGM Forward Racing team building their bikes, as they received several parts late. Only Edwards did one lap with his new FTR-Kawasaki before the track closed at 6pm.

Missing from the ECU test is Michael Laverty as his PBMUK squad decided to delay the debut of their own PBM-01 CRT machine (GPMS/Aprilia) until the second Sepang test scheduled from February 26-28.

With track time hindered none of the riders had real chance to test the new CRT-specific softer compound rear tires that Bridgestone will supply to all CRT teams.

All six riders will have another day of private testing tomorrow, before being joined by the rest of the MotoGP and CRT teams (running Aprilia electronics) on Tuesday for another three days of official testing.

Giampiero Sacchi’s IodaRacing Project teams are continuing in 2013 their collaboration with Came (leader in automation systems and access controls) and yesterday at Came’s headquarters in Treviso presented their 2013 line-up with Danilo Petrucci and Lukas Pesek on the Ioda-Suter BMW in MotoGP, and Johann Zarco in Moto2.

For Petrucci it will be his second season riding the Italian team’s CRT - who abandoned their own TR003 machine which had about 80hp less than other CRT bikes and was about 40km slower - and switched to the Suter-BMW during the 2012 Misano GP.

New addition to the MotoGP team - who has expanded from one to two riders this season - is Lukas Pesek. The Czech rider is returning to the GP paddock after spending almost two seasons in the IDM German Superbike and Supersport series.

Continue reading: Came IodaRacing presents 2013 MotoGP and Moto2 squads

Last Friday it was officially announced that Ioda Racing will be fielding Lukas Pesek in MotoGP next season to ride their Suter-BMW.

Pesek will be joining the long line of riders who will have to pay-to-ride - apparently to ride in a third tier CRT in MotoGP you need to come up with about 200.000 euros, give or take 10K - but the Czech rider admitted to his country’s press that he has yet to come up with all the budget that the Italian team wants from him.

“Unfortunately, the sum is much greater than what they had said and I still haven’t come up with the entire amount. but we’re working on. Obtaining such a sum in a few days isn’t so simple.”

Pesek is hopeful that he can find the funds because he wants to return to the atmosphere of the GP paddock and his wish is to beat fellow countryman Karel Abraham (AB Cardion Racing will be switching to ART CRT machinery in 2013).

Source | motogpnews.cz via gpinside.com

Just three days ago we reported the rumor that Czech rider Lukas Pesek was in negotiations with IodaRacing to ride their CRT machine in 2013 after the passed up on Chris Vermeulen.

The Italian team run by Giampiero Sacchi has today officiall confirmed that Pesek will be indeed be in MotoGP in 2013 and completing his team line-up along with Danilo Petrucci on a second Suter-BMW and it will be welcome return for Pesek who rode for the ex-Aprilia boss with the official Derbi team in the 125cc class from 2005 to 2007 where he took two victories (Shanghai and Phillip Island).

“I’m very happy to get this opportunity,” said Pesek. “I have to thank Giampiero Sacchi, with whom I share some great memories of my 125cc years. Racing in MotoGP is definitely not an easy task, I’ll be up against the best riders in the world - it’s a big step for sure but I’ll give my best!”

IodaRacing Project boss Sacchi commented: “Lukas’s return is very welcome - he wrote some great pages of Derbi’s history in 125cc working alongside some of our current team members. It’s a tough challenge lying ahead of him but I’m sure he can do well in the premier class.”

the 27-year old Pesek has also ridden in 250cc, Moto2, Supersport, CEV and part of this past season in the IDM Superbike championship.

IodaRacing is the only MotoGP team that has yet to confirm their second rider entry for the upcoming season. After the rumors that Chris Vermeulen could be returning to MotoGP to ride for Giampiero Sacchi’s CRT team, the lastest rumor again coming from German website speedweek.de is that Czech rider Lukas Pesek could be getting that ride.

Apparently negotiations with Vermeulen fell through, because the former MotoGP and Superbike rider was looking for a paying contract and not the usual pay-to-ride that has become so common in GP racing lately, while IodaRacing was looking for someone to fork over around 220,000 euros to have the pleasure of riding their Suter-BMW.

It remains to be seen if Pesek, a former 125cc, 250cc, Moto2 and World Supersport rider - who didn’t even complete the 2012 season with ProRace Honda before he was axed after two races to be replaced by Lorenzo Lanzi and then moved to the IDM Superbike championship with HPC Power Suzuki Racing - has a suitcase of cash laying around or a rich sponsor willing to back him.

Moto2 team Matteoni Racing has decided to axe Lukas Pesek from their team and the Czech rider will not be taking part in this weekend’s Moto2 race at the Motorland Aragon circuit.

According to the press release Pesek was dropped because of lack of results that “undermines the ability of the team to renew key agreements by the end of the season and for the foreseeable future.”

Pesek will be temporarily replaced at Aragon by Colombian Santiago Hernandez, who currently races in the CEV Moto2 championship in the Laglisse team and is the brother of Moto2 BQR rider Yonny Hernandez.

Matteoni Racing intends to find another rider to finish the season on the Moriwaki MD600 and the announcement should be made before the Motegi GP

It will be interesting to see if Czech insurance company Česká Pojištovna, who is the title sponsor of the team will continue in their sponsorship.

Source | bikeracing.it