All posts tagged motogp valencia
Friday quotes from Valencia
Today’s MotoGP free practice sessions at the Ricardo Tormo circuit were characterized by a damp track with wet patches in the morning where reigning World Champion Casey Stoner topped the charts, but the afternoon session saw a group of outsiders take over the top five spots with Alvaro Bautista leading in the second practice, with a lot of complaints regarding the poor track surface and grip levels.
Loris Capirossi who was fifth fastest this morning and fell back to 12th with tire issues in the afternoon session. Speaking to GPone website, he explained that the tires he was given were old (based on the serial numbers) and are from last season or from an even older allotment and that this isn’t the first time that the Japanese tire manufacturer has done it. This complaint by Capirex who will be retiring at the end of this weekend, will no doubt put a queen bee in Bridgestone’s bonnet.
The weather forecast for tomorrow at Valencia predicts more rain, so we could be in for a wet qualifying session.
Álvaro Bautista - 1st
“Today has been a good day for us because we have had a full wet session to get some practice in those conditions. In this morning’s session I had a good feeling at the start, but as the track became drier it wasn’t as good and I couldn’t ride at the limit. The bike moved a lot and was spinning-up all over the track, so it was very difficult. In the second session, after the heavy rain, the track was much wetter and the conditions were a lot worse than this morning for all the riders, so it was essential that you rode smoothly and carefully. We changed some settings in the bike to help me get a confident feeling in the GSV-R and at the end of the session I was able to find a good rhythm. We finished first today and although it’s only the second free practice, you cannot improve as much in the wet as you can in the dry, so this is very good for us. I hope that tomorrow we can make some improvements in drying conditions like we had earlier today, but if it is totally dry we still have plenty of work to do to get ready. I am happy with the first day and looking forward to the rest of the weekend.”
Alvaro Bautista tops the charts in very wet FP2 at Valencia
If this morning’s MotoGP free practice at Valencia was difficult, this afternoon’s second free practice was even tougher with a fully wet track and it was Alvaro Bautista with his Rizla Suzuki who ended up being the fastest rider of the session with best lap 1.47.975, while everyone is still waiting to find out if the Japanese manufacturer will be on the MotoGP grid next season and Bautista’s decision on where he’s going to be riding.
Again with this type of weather conditions, the Ducati’s performed well with Nicky Hayden taking the second spot, followed by Pramac’s Randy de Puniet and Cardion AB’s Karel Abraham, who lost the front of his satellite Ducati crashing minutes before the end of the practice session.
Cal Crutchlow brought in his Yamaha Tech3 into fifth, while the fastest Repsol Honda rider was Andrea Dovizioso
Valentino Rossi finished 7th and 1″6 off pace visibly angry with electronics and suspensions problems judging by the way he entered his pit garage half way through the session. Casey Stoner uncharacteristically was only 8th followed by team mate Dani Pedrosa, both not taking any risks.
Replacement rider and AMA Superbike champion Josh Hayes took an impressive 10th, while Katsuyuki Nakasuga who is subbing for Jorge Lorenzo finished the session in 11th.
Abraham wasn’t the only rider to crash in the tricky conditions, Toni Elias binned it as did an already sore Ben Spies, who crashed his Yamaha at the first corner and didn’t return to track, while Hiroshi Aoyama also crashed his Honda.
Continue reading: Alvaro Bautista tops the charts in very wet FP2 at Valencia
Casey Stoner fastest in FP1 at damp Valencia
It was a difficult first MotoGP free practice due to a damp and partially wet Valenica circuit, with all the riders showin up with some sort of tribute to the late Marco Simoncelli, and Loris Capirossi running #58 plate instead of his historical #65 while Hiroshi Aoyama is running his Gresini Honda without the San Carlo sponsor banner, but just ‘Ciao Marco, uno dei noi’.
Casey Stoner was as usual the fastest rider on track, as he grabbed the top of the charts in the final minutes of the session with a best lap of 1.45.513 and then decided that was good enough and retired to his garage, with team mate Dani Pedrosa demoting Valentino Rossi from the second spot with his last flying lap.
The damp track favoured the performance of the Ducati’s, infact Valentino Rossi ended up third and just 0.315 from the 2011 World Champion, while team mate Nicky Hayden was fourth, followed by Loris Capirossi with his Pramac Ducati in fifth and he was less than six tenths of second from top of timesheets.
Ben Spies was sixth with Randy de Puniet on the second Pramac Ducati in seventh. Toni Elias had an excellent session coming in eighth, ahead of Andrea Dovizioso on his last weekend with Honda, with Cal Crutchlow closing out the top ten.
Josh Hayes who is subbing for recovering Colin Edwards in Yamaha Tech3, had the worst conditions to debut on a MotoGP bike and learn the Spanish circuit at the same time, but he finished the session in 15th, ahead of Yamaha test rider Katsuyuki Nakasuga who was 16th and subbing for recovering Jorge Lorenzo.
Continue reading: Casey Stoner fastest in FP1 at damp Valencia
Ducati trucks with Marco Simoncelli's racing number
Ducati didn’t preview this weekend’s Valencia GP with the usual comments from Valentino Rossi and Nicky Hayden, instead they had team manager Vittoriano Guareschi doing the talking, and the Italian team is paying tribute to Marco Simoncelli in their own personal way with this touching dedication on all their trucks - Sic nei ns cuori (Sic in our hearts).
Valentino Rossi will debut a special helmet design in memory of Simoncelli, while Andrea Dovizioso will have #58 close to his heart on his leathers and Loris Capirossi in his final MotoGP weekend before he retires, will be running his Pramac Ducati with #58 plate (he was wearing a black arm band with #58 at the pre-event press conference) and no doubt there’ll be other riders, especially the Italians who will have tribute helmets and Sic’s number on their leathers and bike liveries.
“The Valencia Grand Prix will have a different atmosphere than normal because we’ve been thinking about Marco since Malaysia. He’ll be with us in Spain and beyond, but I think there will also be positive feelings in the paddock, because for Marco, racing equalled happiness, which is a concept that I understand very well,” said Guareschi.
Photo source | davidebrivio@twitter.com
Jorge Lorenzo to skip Valencia GP
Jorge Lorenzo has decided to skip the last MotoGP race of the season at Valencia.
With Casey Stoner having already taken the title, and with no other rider able to take away his second place in the standings, the Yamaha rider can concentrate on getting back to full fitness following the surgery he had to undergo to repair the extensive damage to left middle and ring finger, a result of his warm-up practice crash at Phillip Island.
Lorenzo will again be replaced by Katsuyuki Nakasuga.
After withdrawing from the Sepang GP, Ben Spies will be at Valencia and the Yamaha factory team will again appear with the red and white 50th anniversary of Grand Prix livery.
“I can’t believe I won’t be battling Marco on the track this weekend, it’s an incredibly sad way to finish the season. I’m going to honour him in the best way I know how, on the track. As with last year I arrive in Valencia recovering from injuries, but will of course give 100% of my efforts into performing to the best of my ability,” said Spies.
While Katsuyuki Nakasuga said, “It was a great honour to be chosen to ride for Jorge at Sepang and here at Valencia. Due to the tragic loss of Marco Simoncelli in Malaysia the race was cancelled. This weekend the track will be new for me but I will try as hard as I can to deliver good results.”
Colin Edwards: "Vale and I couldn't have avoided Marco "
Colin Edwards won’t be at Valencia for the final MotoGP race of the season and his last race with Yamaha Tech3 as he underwent successful surgery yesterday to fix the multiple fractures he sustained in the Sepang crash in which Marco Simoncelli lost his life.
In an interview with Italy’s Gazzetta dello Sport, the highly popular American rider talked about how sorry that he can’t be at Valencia (Josh Hayes will be taking his place ) and how being involved in Marco Simoncelli’s death affected him.
“The last few days have been tough, especially the first 24 hours after the accident when I asked myself a thousand questions: could have done something different? Back home I saw the video of the incident and I quickly found the answer: No, I couldn’t have done absolutely anything to avoid Marco and like me neither could have Valentino. It’s hard losing a friend, but I think I’d feel the same pain even if I had not been directly involved in the accident.” said Edwards.
Yet the Texas Tornado briefly thought about quitting, “I thought about it for a day, until I saw the images, and that was the end of it. We’ve lost a bright star, Marco was loved by fans for his personality, his character, his charisma. People love to watch our races, but it’s not only for that, but it’s also what we can transmit and Marco was a personality and there aren’t many in MotoGP and I’m sure some will disagree with this. I really liked the way he related to the fans. “
Edwards will be riding a CRT machine for NGM Forward Racing in 2012.
Source | lastampa.it
Repsol Honda riders remember Marco Simoncelli and preview Valencia GP
This upcoming MotoGP race at Valencia will be extremely difficult for everyone as it will be carried out under the dark cloud of the recent and tragic death of Marco Simoncelli.
The Repsol Honda team riders have admitted it will a tough one to get through, but are prepared to honour their fellow Honda rider, as is Dorna who is trying to organize the minute of noise requested by Simoncelli Sr. All the Valencia marshals will be wearing black arm bands while hundreds of racing fans are probably going to show at the Spanish track wearing tribute ‘Simoncelli’ wigs.
Casey Stoner has already wrapped up the 2011 championship title and is already thinking towards the new 2012 season, while Dani Pedrosa will be looking for victory in this season’s finale which would place him third in the general standings ahead of departing team mate Andrea Dovizioso, who will making his last appearance as Honda rider (after 10 years) before heading to the Yamaha Tech3 squad.
Here’s what the Repsol Honda riders had to say:
“It will be difficult to return to racing this weekend after Marco’s terrible accident in Sepang but I think it is the best thing we can do to honour him. We know we all play a risky game and, even if compared to the past the safety of our sport is much better, unfortunately these kind of events still occur. My thoughts go out to his family and I hope that they are coping through this period.”
“The race this weekend is the final round of an incredible season for us, we worked hard all year and after clinching the title in Phillip Island we are starting to look to 2012. After the race here in Valencia we will have the two day test on the 1000cc machine and then we can take a well deserved break and reflect on the ups and downs of a very long hard season. We will go out there this weekend and try to put on a good show for all the fans and especially in memory of Marco,” commented Casey Stoner.
Continue reading: Repsol Honda riders remember Marco Simoncelli and preview Valencia GP
Fausto Gresini announces his teams will race at Valencia in memory of Super Sic
Team owner Fausto Gresini has announced that both his teams will race at the upcoming Valencia GP. There had been some doubt whether MotoGP rider Hiroshi Aoyama and Moto2 riders Michele Pirro and Yuki Takahashi would be competing this weekend, however the Italian manager has decided to have them race to honour Marco Simoncelli and not only attend as he previously stated.
“The decision to participate was not an easy one, but we have made this choice as it is what Marco would have wanted. Going out on track at Valencia is definitely the best way to honour him by doing what he most loved to do: Ride and experience the world of MotoGP.
“This is why I believe that the best show of affection that we can make to Marco is by lining up our teams and riders for this race. ‘Super Sic’ will be present in the hearts of Hiroshi Aoyama, Michele Pirro and Yuki Takahashi, and I am sure that they will give him a most fitting tribute with their performances on Sunday,” said Gresini.
Paolo Simoncelli would like a minute of 'casino' at Valencia
‘Casino’ is an Italian slang word that can mean racket, mess or make some noise, and this is what Paolo Simoncelli would like instead of the de rigueur minute of silence for his son Marco, at the upcoming Valencia GP.
Simoncelli Sr. is simply requesting what many motorcycle groups do when a member passes away, to hear the howling sounds of dozens of revving bikes and in this case it would be to hear all the MotoGP, Moto2 and 125cc bikes, all revving together at the Spanish track.
Regarding the idea of naming Misano World Circuit after his son, Paolo Simoncelli said, “It would be an immense gift, even if he liked that track less then others, but it would be a marvelous tribute and if they do it, I’d be willing to put in a museum and donate Marco’s leathers and things so fans can pay tribute to him.”
Source | sky.it
Josh Hayes to replace Colin Edwards at Valencia
With Colin Edwards set to undergo surgery next week and unable to take part in the final MotoGP race of the season at Valencia, Yamaha Tech3 has decided to replace him with Josh Hayes.
Hayes was already set to be at Valencia to test theYamaha M1 during the official post season test, a gift by Yamaha USA after his winning the 2011 AMA Superbike Championship, but now he’ll get his debut ride in the actual race weekend.
Source | asphaltandrubber.com
Colin Edwards ruled out of final race of the season at Valencia
Colin Edwards will have to miss the MotoGP season finale at Valencia and his last race with Yamaha Tech3 following the injuries he sustained during that fatal lap 2 at Sepang that claimed the life of Marco Simoncelli last weekend.
The YamahTech3 rider will have to undergo surgery on a left arm injury due to numerous small fractures at the top of his humerous bone that also has cartilage damage around the tip of the same bone and has severe swelling to both wrists and right heel, but fortunately for the Texan there are no fractures.
“Firstly, I want to thank everybody for all their messages of support since Sunday. The support and love has been overwhelming and it has been a great comfort to me at this difficult time. My heart goes out to the family and friends of Marco and I will miss him a lot, as will the entire MotoGP family. I watched Marco’s funeral yesterday and I really wish I could have been there. I wanted to go but unfortunately my injuries meant I was unable to travel. I know Valentino spoke to Marco’s family on my behalf and I thank him for that. It was a great service and a fitting celebration of his life. I also wanted to be in Valencia next week to give my support to MotoGP, but it is not going to be possible because of the surgery I need on my left arm. The top of my left humerus bone has got multiple small fractures but the cartilage that is around the top of the bone has been pulled off. The surgery will anchor the cartilage back to the bone but there is no nerve damage, so I should be 100 per cent in about four weeks,” said Edwards.
His team is currently considering a replacement rider for Valencia and the Yamaha factory team has yet to confirm if Jorge Lorenzo and Ben Spies will be fit to ride next weekend.
Team Gresini will attend Valencia GP
Yesterday, Fausto Gresini was quoted by several Italian media sources that he would not take his MotoGP and Moto2 teams to Valencia to take part in the final event of the season.
Apparently the Italian team manager who has lost two riders in tragic racing accidents, has had a change of heart or the outpouring of messages from thousands of fans who wish to pay their last tribute to Marco Simoncelli during the Valencia GP may have have convinced the stricken manager to change his mind.
The entire team will be at the Spanish circuit will be at the Valencian circuit the beginning of November and display Simoncelli’s # 58 Honda in their garage.
Fausto Gresini has yet to decide if Hiroshi Aoyama, Michele Pirro and Yuki Takahashi will take part in their respective races. According to the official Motogp website the team may make that announcement tomorrow morning or wait until after the funeral services that will be held on Thursday.
Source | motogp.com
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