In between impromptu games of table tennis at Red Bull’s London HQ and fresh from a photoshoot, Danny Kent talked recently with his sponsors about the jump from 125s to 250s, a celebrity wedding, and having the confidence to drive hundreds of miles the day after passing your test…

What were your best and worst moments of last season?
Probably one of my good moments was finishing fourth in my second race, at Jerez, in my first year. One of the worst moments of last year? It’s a tricky one, that… I always find those a bit tricky…

Don’t worry if you can’t think of any bad moments!
No, I can’t really… it was a pretty good year. I had to learn most of the new tracks and stuff, so it was all right for a rookie year, all in all.

The new KTM looks really good, have you got to ride it?
No, I haven’t actually ridden it yet. We’ve got the first test on the 30th and 31st of this month, then we’ve got a three-day official test [in Valencia] on the 6th, 7th and 8th of February. As soon as I’ve ridden it, I’ll let you know!

Which of the tracks are you most looking forward to this year?
Obviously I’m looking forward to my home grand prix [the British round at Silverstone] because all the English fans will be there, and my family friends and sponsors. I won’t know what tracks will suit the bike best until I’ve ridden it.

You said last year that Moto3 would be a “level playing field” – do you still think that the new series will give everyone an equal chance?
Not straight away, I don’t think, as it’s going to be better for the people with more knowledge. But it’s a new class, so no one knows what to expect, really. It’s well known that KTM make a good bike, but until the rest of us have ridden it, only the KTM test rider knows how good this one is – we might get on it and find there are other bikes that are even better. You’ll start seeing what’s going to happen after the first couple of races.

Who do you think are your main rivals for the title?
The Spanish rider Maverick Viñales will be, and also my team-mate Sandro Cortese, who won races last year. Then you’ve got experienced riders like Hector Faubel, Luis Salom… I think there are at least six other riders who’ll be up there.

Who’s your money on for the MotoGP title this season?
I hate to state the obvious, but I think it’ll be Casey Stoner. He’s such a good rider, and Honda, last year, were just on a different level compared to any other bike out there. Unless Ducati can make a lot of difference with this year’s bike or, you never know, Valentino Rossi can pull something out of the bag… I do like Rossi, but then I admire all of them. I think what they all do is great, but I think it’ll be Stoner again at the end of the season.

It sounds as if you’ve been training hard in the off-season, what’s your daily routine like at the moment?
I wake up early in the morning, eat heathily, check my vitamins and go to the gym. I spend a couple of hours in the gym, sometimes twice a day. But after I’ve done whatever fitness training I need to, I do whatever a normal 18-year-old does – you know, go and see my girlfriend and stuff.

We hear you also passed your driving test recently – congratulations! Have you been very far yet?
Yeah! I only passed two days ago, so I had my first long drive yesterday, from Leeds [Danny lives in Gloucestershire, some 200 miles from the Yorkshire city…] and then up to London today [another 100 miles!].

Have you spoken to James Toseland since he announced he had to retire?
Yeah, I speak to James quite regularly. I think I’m going to go out to the Isle of Man, where he lives, and do some training with him before the season starts. He’s going to help me out quite a lot this year, as he’s got more time on his hands. He’s doing a bit more with music now… [Toseland is a talented piano player and singer with serious musical ambitions.]

I guess you’ve heard that James and Katie Melua have got engaged?
Yeah, he and Katie and are getting married in September.

Will you be going to the wedding?
Probably. Hopefully. If I’m here and not racing!

Interview source & photo: redbull.com

Much has changed since James Ellison’s first stint in MotoGP, a two year affair that saw the Brit aboard a WCM in 2005 and then a Tech 3 Yamaha the following year. Since then, Ellison spent a year in the American AMA Superbike series followed by four successful years in British Superbike where he claimed 17 podiums. He supplemented his British Superbike racing with wildcard appearances in World Superbike in 2008 and 2009, and in 2011 ran a full season of World Supersport along side his full time British Superbike ride.

Ellison now makes his return to the MotoGP paddock after signing with the Paul Bird Motorsport team for 2012 and 2013. The team will run a CRT bike and will make their first test with the bike on February 20th at Jerez, with further plans to test at Aragon and at the 3-day Official Test at Jerez in March.

Tell me about the team set up, you’ve got Mick Shanley (from the Swan Yamaha British Superbike team) as your crew chief.
“I’ve managed to get Mick back again, I’ve worked with him for a couple of years now but we’ve been mates for about 4 years. Phil Borley will be the team leader in charge of the bike’s technical preparations and I’ve got my number one mechanic from the 2009 GSE Racing team, Dave Parkes. I’ve got a crew behind me that I actually know really well, so that makes things easier. There’s still a lot of development work to be done, but one of the key risks—when the mechanic doesn’t know the rider and doesn’t understand him— is out of the way.”

What do you know about the bike so far, we know it’s an Aprilia engine but what about the chassis?
“The bike itself is going to be called an ART, the chassis is something they built specifically for MotoGP. As far as I’m aware, it’s something that they’ve developed for this engine, for CRT, and for the Bridgestone tyres.

So it’s the same bike that Team Aspar are running?
“I don’t know, the original plan was to use the Aprilia engine and build a chassis around it, but for Paul there wasn’t time. I think in the future he’d like to build his own chassis around the engine, but certainly for now, it’s probably best just to use what they’ve done.”

You’re not testing until 20th February, are you worried about the relative lack of testing time compared to MotoGP and some of the other CRTs?
“Not really. I don’t think any amount of testing this early on will make a difference anyway. The MotoGP factory bikes are pretty much developed, now they’re just fine tuning. It’s going to take years to get to where they are. As for the other CRTs, I’m assuming we’re going to share information if we are using the same bike. I would imagine it would be in Aprilia’s best interest to share a bit of information from the first test in Valencia [Team Aspar’s private test 30-31st January] when everybody else is in Sepang. With what they learn there, we might be able to take some of that information onboard for the next meeting.”

“So I’m not overly worried. We’re just going to have to accept the situation we’re in and do the best we can. I have to say we’ve got a good crew behind us, so I hope that everything normally learned at the first test with a new rider, a new team and new mechanics is all out of the way. We’ll just get on with tuning the bike to make it work.”

Obviously you’re not new to MotoGP, though much has changed since you were last here.
“Yeah a lot has changed. The first years I was in MotoGP I wasn’t actually riding a MotoGP bike, my R1 in BSB the same year was quicker, so my first experience wasn’t great to be honest. It should have been my best year, obviously you’ve got a lot of pressure being in a big team like that, but I was in way over my head. We were running Dunlop tyres and we were having problems with that chassis chattering, a problem that Rossi struggled with as well. I had the same chassis all year so we never really developed anything and I had the same problem every weekend. So it’s nice to have a second chance in MotoGP now, with a team that I know, mechanics that I know, the same tyres as everyone else and what looks to be quite an exciting GP bike.”

“I’m relishing the challenge to be honest, it’s a dream come true. I know it isn’t going to be easy, but all we can do is go out there and try to be a top CRT, that’s got to be our first goal and then see what happens from there.”

A few people have voiced concerns over the performance gap between CRT and factory bikes, what are your views?
“I imagine that the lap times from the factory bikes back in the day, when they first came out on track, weren’t that good either. It has taken years of development to get where they are now. I think the Bridgestone tyres making everything equal will help a lot. I don’t think they’re going to be as far off as everybody thinks, though I hope I’m not going to eat my words in a few months time. Certainly for the first few races, yes we’ll be off the pace but I think we’ll soon pick it up.”

It seems that this will be a transitional year.
“Definitely. I don’t think you can change the rules to put everyone on complete CRT bikes, that’s too big a move and for guys like Pedrosa, Stoner and the boys used to riding at the front, it would seem like a step backwards. But the way the economy is now, if you can’t afford to run the Championship fairly, then what’s the point in running it. So if the organisers can find a cheap way to get the same results and maybe even make it a little bit more exciting for the fans, then I’m all for it.”

“If we have a good season, as long as we don’t get lapped every 10 laps and as long as it looks like the bikes aren’t that far off, I think the other guys will come around a bit and realise that this is just the way that it has to be done, this is making it cheaper.”

The fact that we have 21 bikes on the grid and people like you are able to find a way back in MotoGP, that’s already a positive step.
“It’s an elite championship; it’s the best motorcycle championship in the world. There’s never going to be massive numbers but it’s starting to get a bit small and the standards are getting a little too high, because the factory boys up at the front are streets ahead of the guys at the back and that gap needs to close a bit. I don’t think the riders at the front have that much more talent than the riders at the back. Yes they are better, but I don’t think the gap is that huge. It has a lot to do with the machinery available. If that gap can be closed with machinery then I think there will be many more riders coming up that haven’t been able to prove their talent yet and it will make it more interesting.”

We’ve got Colin Edwards and Randy De Puniet coming from MotoGP, people like you who have been in MotoGP, some Moto2 riders and some from outside. What do you think of this mix that you will be competing against, at least at the beginning stages?
“I don’t know too much about the other riders. Yes you’ve got the likes of Colin and Randy on CRTs and I think that’s where the bar is going to be set. If we can run with those guys then we know we’re doing well. Everyone deserves a chance at the end of the day, if you work hard enough and the team has given them an opportunity to race in MotoGP, then why not?”

It could be an exciting new era.
“If it’s anything like Moto2, that’s what they’ve got to look at. I was pretty sure Moto2 was going to work out because of the (spec) engines and the prototype chassis, because there are a lot of good engineers out there. I was thinking ‘this is going to be good’ but then it was much better than I expected and it surprised a lot of people. I think CRT just needs to be proven first before people accept it. I think Dorna have definitely done the right thing. It might take some time for some of the riders and even some of the fans to accept it, but we just need to get a few races under our belt and prove that it was the right decision.”

Are you worried about how the technology of the bikes you’ll be competing against has changed in the time you’ve been away, or does coming in as CRT even that out a bit?
“I’m not worried as such. I’ve done a lot of development work in the past and I love it and that’s why I’m excited about working with Mick again, because we would spend hours at night in front of the computer and that’s how these bikes are run now, with electronics. I thrive on stuff like that so I’m excited about that side of it. I know that having Mick, Phil and the technical team there will be a big advantage because the bikes are fairly advanced at the front, so we need to do the best we can to get the best out of the machinery we’ve got. And having a good team around me will help.”

Source: motogp.com

Taylor is the son of former Grand Prix rider and three-time British Superbike champion Niall Mackenzie, and both father and son are delighted to have secured the Mar-Train ride on Yamaha machinery, which Niall campaigned for a large portion of his career. Niall will work alongside his son in the Mar-Train squad next season as his main advisor. Taylor joins his younger brother Tarran in the British Championship paddock, who recently confirmed that he will line up in the British 125GP Championship with Redline KTM.

Taylor Mackenzie: “I’m really excited to be riding in British Supersport this season with Mar-Train. I had a tough season in Grand Prix last year, so it’s nice to have the deal completed and be able to concentrate on my training programme. I was at my limit on the ‘one-two-five’ last year size-wise: I was squashed onto it! At times I’d sore knees and was trying to stay as skinny as possible all year, but having ridden an R6 in Spain before the New Year it was so nice and comfortable to ride. The BSB calendar now has so many good tracks to race at and I’ve ridden at Assen this last three years, so that will obviously help. Having Jack in the team next year will be great, as I’ll have someone to learn from. I just need to concentrate on getting stronger now to ride the 600. I can’t wait.”

Niall Mackenzie: “We looked at what was possible and the plan was to stay in Grand Prix for one more season, but a number of things happened and we realised he’d have to move onto a 600 at some time. I’d spoken to a number of people that I know, but Tim’s team were recommended to me by a good friend in the business. Taylor was also keen on the idea and after that it all just unfolded. Taylor had five days in Spain at the end of last year and had time on an R6 road bike. He loved it and having grown a bit towards the end of last season, he was happy that he fitted onto it after being cramped on the 125. So just before the New Year we shook hands on the deal with Tim. I must admit I’m happy that Taylor’s on a Yamaha – it will suit the way he rides. There’s a bit of family history there obviously and I’ve a good relationship with Yamaha worldwide, so hopefully that will be good for us and the team.”

Tim Martin, Team Principal: “We are really pleased to welcome both Taylor and Niall to the Mar-Train team. We are well aware Taylor has limited experience on four-stroke machinery to date, so it will be a learning year for him, although I do believe Jack Kennedy is the perfect team-mate for him. Add to that the experience his father Niall has in racing and that can only be good for everyone involved at Mar-Train Racing. There will certainly be no pressure on Taylor for results, but take nothing away from him, he has a wealth of experience in British Championship for a young man and I’m sure he’ll make steady progress throughout the season on the R6.”

Source: BritishSuperbike.com
Photo Copyright: Simona Vogel for Vroom Media

Dorna Sports has released the following statement following the curtailment of the Malaysian Grand Prix due to a tragic, fatal accident that took the life of Marco Simoncelli…

On Sunday 23rd October, during the MotoGP race at the Shell Advance Malaysian Motorcycle Grand Prix at the Sepang International Circuit, San Carlo Honda Gresini’s Italian rider Marco Simoncelli suffered a serious accident in which he received critical injuries.

The race was stopped immediately with the red flag and Simoncelli was transported by ambulance to the circuit medical centre where the medical staff worked to resuscitate him.

Despite their efforts, Marco sadly succumbed to his injuries at 4.56pm local time.

Everybody involved in MotoGP extends its deepest condolences to Marco’s family, friends and team at this tragic loss.

It goes without saying that we too are stunned by the terrible news, and our thoughts and prayers are with Marco’s nearest and dearest.

Photo: Vroom Media

MotoGP

After a dream weekend at his home race at Phillip Island in which a ninth victory of the year sealed him the 2011 title, MotoGP World Champion Casey Stoner arrives at the Sepang International Circuit for Round 17 of the season satisfied that his first campaign with the Repsol Honda team has been a resounding success.

The Australian is set to make his 100th premier class GP start this weekend, and despite having secured his second MotoGP title with two rounds remaining will be just as hungry to continue his phenomenal form in 2011. On the podium at every round except one this year (Round 2 at Jerez), Stoner has not been off the rostrum for the last 14 races and will be out to deliver Honda their first win of the 800cc era at Sepang – a track at which the 26 year-old himself has won in the 125cc, 250cc and premier classes.

Jorge Lorenzo was a notable absentee from the starting grid in Australia and the deposed World Champion will also miss this weekend’s race as well. A nasty finger injury picked up in a Sunday morning warm-up crash at Phillip Island ruled the Yamaha Factory Racing rider out of the race, and following surgery he will not be able to compete in Malaysia either.

Lorenzo’s position as runner-up looks to be almost secured despite his inability to ride, although third-placed Andrea Dovizioso could still mathematically beat him to second in the final standings. The Italian finished on the podium in Australia as he pushes hard in his final races with Repsol Honda before a switch of teams in 2012, and he remains four points ahead of team-mate Dani Pedrosa in the duo’s battle for positions in the factory outfit’s pecking order.

Yamaha’s Ben Spies missed last Sunday’s race in Australia after taking a heavy blow to the head in a crash in qualifying, but expects to be fit to ride at a track on which he finished fourth in his rookie season last year. The American remains on course for a top-five Championship finish in his first season on the factory YZR-M1.

Thanks to his second podium of the year in Australia, San Carlo Honda Gresini’s Marco Simoncelli drew level on points with Valentino Rossi (Ducati Team) in the Championship and is still well able to challenge Spies for fifth. For Rossi the Phillip Island weekend could not have finished in more disappointing fashion as the Italian crashed out for a second successive race, as his woes on the Desmosedici continued. The nine times World Champion has taken nine podiums from his 11 previous premier class visits to Sepang, and his last MotoGP victory came in last year’s Malaysian GP.

On the other side of the Ducati Team garage Nicky Hayden continues his search for a second podium of the season at a track he is yet to step onto the rostrum, but where he has finished in fourth position on five previous occasions. A solid top-five ride in Australia will have boosted Colin Edwards on the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 as the American sees out his final two races with Hervé Poncharal’s team before a switch next season, and Hiroshi Aoyama (San Carlo Honda Gresini) appears set to achieve a top-ten finish this season after it was announced in Australia that the Japanese rider will bid farewell for now to the MotoGP World Championship at the conclusion of the campaign.

Mapfre Aspar rider Héctor Barberá is working hard to be fit to ride in Malaysia following surgery on the fractured collarbone he suffered in Japan just over two weeks ago, and John Hopkins will accompany Álvaro Bautista on the Rizla Suzuki GSV-R as a wildcard at the circuit where the Spaniard scored his equal best premier class result of fifth last year.

Moto2

The Moto2 class remains the most finely balanced of the three World Championship classes as just three points separate title rivals Stefan Bradl and Marc Márquez going into this weekend’s penultimate round.

The pair both finished on the podium on Sunday in Australia, Bradl (Viessmann Kiefer Racing) placing second behind race winner Alex de Angelis after a last-lap scare in which he nearly crashed, and Márquez (Team CatalunyaCaixa Repsol) in third after mounting a stirring fight through the field having started from last position on the grid due to a qualifying penalty.

The title could be decided this weekend if Bradl were to win and Márquez scored less than three points, but such an eventuality is highly unlikely and this title scrap is poised to go down to the final round in Valencia which follows a fortnight after Sepang. Both riders rode impressive races here in Malaysia last year, Bradl coming from 22nd on the grid to finish seventh in the Moto2 race whilst Márquez won the 125cc race from pole on his way to the title.

With all eyes focused on the thrilling battle at the very top, a no-less engrossing contest plays out further down the field. With his first win of the season, in Australia, De Angelis (JiR Moto2) closed the gap to third-placed Andrea Iannone (Speed Master) to just eight points and the two are certain to fight tooth and nail to the bitter end for a top-three finish.

Similarly, fifth spot in the standings remains wide open with just six points spread across Simone Corsi (Ioda Racing Project), Thomas Lüthi (Interwetten Paddock Moto2) and rookie Bradley Smith (Tech 3), with Yuki Takahashi (Gresini Racing) a distant eighth but closely pursued by Esteve Rabat (Blusens-STX). Aleix Espargaró (Pons HP 40) currently completes the top ten, but has Swiss rider Dominique Aegerter (Technomag-CIP) close on his heels.

There will be two wildcard riders added to the Moto2 field this weekend, with Malaysians Zamri Baba and Hafizh Syahrin on Moriwaki machinery for Petronas Malaysia.

125cc

After a season-long battle the race for the last-ever 125cc title could finally be decided this weekend at Sepang. With the introduction of the four-stroke Moto3 category which will replace the current two-stroke machinery in 2012, the name of this year’s 125 Champion will go down in history as another chapter closes in the annals of the World Championship.

Spaniard Nico Terol is in prime position for the honour and the Bankia Aspar rider could seal the crown this weekend. His only remaining rival for the title, Frenchman Johann Zarco, currently sits 25 points behind in the standings with two rounds remaining, and if Terol finishes this weekend’s race in front of the Avant-AirAsia-Ajo rider he will be crowned Champion. Even if both riders failed to finish the race, Terol would still take the title by virtue of his superior race win count this season. However, Zarco will not make life easy for Terol, as he has refused to do throughout the year.

Aside from the title, Terol could also pass the milestone of 1000 career points in the 125cc class, an achievement which only five other riders have managed.

While the two concentrate on the title, Sandro Cortese (Intact Racing Team Germany) will endeavour to consolidate third position in the standings which he took with victory last time out in Australia. The German rider, who before this season had never won a GP but now has two victories to his name, took Aprilia’s 14th win of the season in the 125cc class, equalling the record which is already held by the Italian manufacturer and which was previously set in 2007 and 2009.

Rookie Maverick Viñales (Blusens by Paris Hilton Racing) is almost guaranteed fourth position in what has already been a superb debut season in the World Championship, but the Spaniard can still overhaul Cortese for third as just seven points separate the pair with two races remaining.

The competition for fifth spot remains open and will be decided between Héctor Faubel (Bankia Aspar), Efrén Vázquez (Avant-AirAsia-Ajo) and Jonas Folger (Red Bull Ajo Motorsport), although Luis Salom (RW Racing GP) could mathematically still enter the fray, a scenario which is unlikely however due to his 33-point deficit to Folger. The Spaniard has had a solid season in the World Championship, underlined by a second podium of his campaign – and career – in Australia.

Zulfahmi Khairuddin (Avant-AirAsia-Ajo) will be hopeful of an impressive home race, and will be accompanied on the track by another Malaysian rider, wildcard entry Muhamad Farid Badrul Hisham who will ride a Derbi machine under the AirAsia SLC EVO banner.

The Shell Advance Malaysian Motorcycle Grand Prix takes place from October 21st-23rd and gets underway at 9.15am local time on Friday, when the 125cc class takes to the track for the opening free practice session.

Source: motogp.com

MotoGP

Casey Stoner’s second MotoGP title was achieved in fantastic fashion on Sunday when the Repsol Honda rider secured the 2011 crown on the day of his 26th birthday and at his home race, the Iveco Australian Grand Prix, taking his ninth victory of the season.

The Australian dominated the weekend for the fifth year running, leading the race from start to finish, giving Honda their first MotoGP premier class title since 2006. The 26 year-old took the holeshot from pole position and never looked back as the rest of the field battled for positions.

With a strong breeze blowing and darkening skies, the MotoGP race commenced with a rearranged grid following the withdrawal of both Yamaha Factory riders and Héctor Barberá’s substitute Damian Cudlin on the Mapfre Aspar team. Jorge Lorenzo withdrew after a crash in the morning warm up left him with a severely injured finger requiring surgery, while Ben Spies was still mildly concussed after a crash in qualifying on Saturday. Cudlin withdrew due to injuries from a crash in Saturday morning practice.

Nicky Hayden (Ducati Team) and Marco Simoncelli (San Carlo Honda Gresini Team) followed Stoner into turn one, with the Italian making an early move on Hayden to take second. Simoncelli then spent the remainder of the race tussling with Andrea Dovizioso (Repsol Honda), beating his compatriot across the line for his best MotoGP finish of second.

Dani Pedrosa was ten seconds adrift of team mate Dovizioso to finish fourth, making the top four bikes across the line all Hondas, while Colin Edwards (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) inherited fifth place after first Valentino Rossi (Ducati Team) and then Álvaro Bautista (Rizla Suzuki) crashed out. Rossi fell after making a pass on Bautista, while the Suzuki man slipped toward the end of the race as rain began to fall.

The white flag had been shown on lap ten as scattered rain drops appeared, giving riders the option to swap bikes, though the rain did not start in earnest until the final couple of laps, when it claimed not only Bautista but then Cal Crutchlow (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) and Hiroshi Aoyama (San Carlo Honda Gresini).

Hayden was the first to enter the pits to change bikes, followed by Loris Capirossi (Pramac Racing), though it did not help their finishing positions as Hayden ended the race seventh behind Randy de Puniet (Pramac Racing) despite the Frenchman having had an earlier off-track excursion, while Capirossi finished ninth behind Toni Elías (LCR Honda). The final race finisher was Karel Abraham (Cardion AB Motoracing), who crossed the line in tenth.

Moto2

Alex de Angelis won the Moto2 race for the second year running after a hard fought battle with Stefan Bradl, who regained the Championship lead with second place. Marc Márquez rode to a brilliant third place finish after starting from the back of the grid.

Following a windy and rainy morning, the Moto2 race began in sunny conditions on a dry track with Championship leader Márquez (Team CatalunyaCaixa Repsol) starting from the back of the grid after a one-minute qualifying penalty was handed to him following his collision with Ratthapark Wilairot (Thai Honda Singha-SAG) at the end of the Friday’s first free practice session.

De Angelis, who led all three practice sessions and started on pole, took the early lead, with Scott Redding (Marc VDS Racing) assuming it at the end of lap one followed by Pol Espargaró (HP Tuenti Speed Up). Bradl took the lead on lap five, holding it until a final lap showdown with De Angelis which saw the Sammarinese come out on top to take his second victory of the season.

Márquez made up plenty of ground with an extraordinary start that launched the Spanish star to midfield from his 38th position on the grid. The Team CatalunyaCaixa Repsol rider steamed full speed ahead, making up ground until lap 17 where, after passing Claudio Corti (Italtrans Racing) for third, the Italian fought back and the two battled it out to the finish, with the Spaniard making a move on the last lap to put him across the line third. His third place finished combined with the second place of Bradl rearranged the Championship standings, with the German retaking the lead by three points over Márquez with two races remaining.

Espargaró was fifth after going shoulder to shoulder with Márquez for a lap, with Kenan Sofuoglu (Technomag-CIP) taking sixth followed by Redding in seventh and Andrea Iannone (Speed Master) in eighth. Front row starters Mike di Meglio (Tech 3 Racing) and Yuki Takahashi (Gresini Racing) rounded out the top ten.

125cc

Sandro Cortese achieved his second victory of the season after a chaotic start that saw a rain shower complicate matters on the starting grid, delaying the start by eight minutes to give teams time to change tyres if they chose to do so. There were patches of clear skies showing however, though it was anyone’s guess as to if it would continue to rain. A few gamblers chose wets over slicks, but it quickly became clear that the track was drying out.

Alexis Masbou (Caretta Technology Forward Team) led off the start, bumping his French compatriot and pole starter Johann Zarco (Avant-AirAsia-Ajo) on his way out to the front. Adrián Martín (Bankia Aspar) took over the lead, however shortly thereafter enter the pits to change to slicks as the track dried out. Meanwhile Championship leader Nico Terol (Bankia Aspar) sliced his way through the field after dropping back into 17th off the start.

Cortese (Intact Racing Team Germany) pulled out a six-second lead while Luis Salom (RW Racing GP) moved into second and Efrén Vázquez (Avant-AirAsia-Ajo) raced his team-mate for third, despite the fact that Zarco is the only one who still has a chance to stop Terol in taking the Championship title.

As Terol gained ground on the front runners, three laps from the end the red flag was produced due to Niklas Ajo (TT Motion Events Racing) crashing and requiring trackside attention. The final race results were determined by rolling back the standings to the previous lap, which saw Cortese the clear winner, Salom in second, and a relieved Zarco the final podium finisher.

In fourth was Vázquez, followed by Alberto Moncayo (Team Andalucía Banca Cívica) and Terol in sixth place, the Spaniard making a remarkable recovery, though the finish has cut his Championship advantage over Zarco to 25 points.

Héctor Faubel (Bankia Aspar) finished seventh, ahead of Maverick Viñales (Blusens by Paris Hilton Racing), Louis Rossi (Matteoni Racing) and Danny Webb (Mahindra Racing) who completed the top ten. Jonas Folger (Red Bull Ajo Motorsport) never made it to his third place grid position due to his engine failing on the warm up lap.

Source: motogp.com

MotoGP

The spectacular setting of Phillip Island hosts Round 16 of the 2011 MotoGP World Championship this weekend, as Casey Stoner (Repsol Honda) heads for his home race aiming to replicate his form of recent years at the track. Stoner, who currently leads the Championship standings by 40 points ahead of defending World Champion Jorge Lorenzo, has won for the last four years at his home round, and victory for a fifth consecutive season at the Iveco Australian Grand Prix could even seal the 25 year-old his second MotoGP title depending on the result of Lorenzo.

Lorenzo remains the only rider who can mathematically deny Stoner the crown. The Yamaha Factory Racing rider has a best premier class finish of second at Phillip Island, but nothing less than a win will satisfy him as he continues in his attempt to keep alive his slim hopes of retaining the title he won for the first time in 2010.

Andrea Dovizioso remains third in the Championship but now holds only a single-point advantage over team-mate and race winner last time out at Motegi, Dani Pedrosa. Dovizioso has never stood on the podium in the premier class at Phillip Island whilst Pedrosa has only done so once (in 2009), and the pair will now battle out a close contest in the remaining three rounds of the 2011 Championship as they compete to finish as the second highest rider in their factory team this season.

Ben Spies made an impressive showing as a rookie last year at Phillip Island, qualifying on the front row and scoring a top-five finish, and the Yamaha Factory Racing rider will be aiming to go one better this time around as he aims to consolidate fifth position in the standings. Valentino Rossi (Ducati Team), who fractured a finger in his crash at Motegi, will fancy his chances of catching the American before the season is out. Rossi has finished on the podium 13 times in his 14 visits to Phillip Island across all classes, including fve consecutive premier class wins from 2001 to 2005, but he has not yet tasted victory there in the 800cc era.

The Italian’s team-mate Nicky Hayden, who last week tested the GP12 at Jerez, is in line to make his 150th Grand Prix start this weekend, all of which will have come in the premier class. The 2006 World Champion will become just the ninth rider in the history of the sport to have made as many starts in the premier class.

Marco Simoncelli, who tested Honda’s 1000cc prototype following the Grand Prix of Japan, won twice at Phillip Island in the 250cc class and was sixth last season on his premier class debut at the track. Looking for a strong end to 2011 the San Carlo Honda Gresini rider will want to add to his single podium scored this season at Brno. Colin Edwards (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) and Hiroshi Aoyama (San Carlo Honda Gresini) complete the top current top ten as it stands

Returning to the premier class fold this weekend will be Damian Cudlin, the Australian rider who impressed as a replacement for the injured Loris Capirossi at Motegi. Cudlin will this weekend step in at the Mapfre Aspar team as a substitute for Héctor Barberá, who had an operation last Thursday on the right collarbone he fractured in a crash in the Japan GP.

Moto2

The Moto2 class remains the tightest of the three World Championship categories with just three rounds of the 2011 season left, and the two riders hoping to take glory will this weekend enter battle once more.

Marc Márquez (Team CatalunyaCaixa Repsol) took the lead of the Championship for the first time this season following his second-placed finish at Motegi, and now leads rival for the title Stefan Bradl (Viessmann Kiefer Racing) by a single point as their fight for supremacy enters a thrilling three-race deciding final stretch.

Each rider has started from pole position seven times this year, adding another dimension to the closeness of their current situation, although it is Márquez who has the upper hand in terms of recent results having placed inside the top two in the last eight consecutive races – six of those having been wins.

Andrea Iannonne’s (Speed Master) bid to secure third place in this season’s Championship has hit a rich vein of form in recent rounds, the Italian taking four podiums in the last five races, including victory last time out in Japan, whilst Alex de Angelis (JiR Moto2) and Simone Corsi (Ioda Racing Project) are not far behind and are themselves separated by just six points.

Rookie Bradley Smith (Tech 3) and Thomas Lüthi (Interwetten Paddock Moto2) are level on points in sixth and seventh respectively, the Swiss rider fresh from a first podium since the second round of the season after his result in Japan. There then stands a significant points gap to Esteve Rabat (Blusens-STX) in eighth position, who is having an impressive debut season in the category, with Yuki Takahashi (Gresini Racing) and Aleix Espargaró (Pons HP 40) completing the top ten as it stands.

MZ Racing’s Anthony West has enjoyed a positive run of results in the last two rounds and will hope to continue the trend at his home GP.

Julián Simón remains sidelined by injury as he continues to recover from further surgery to his leg, with Iván Moreno standing in for the Spaniard on the Mapfre Aspar team this weekend. Sergio Gadea (Desguaces La Torre G22) will be an absentee too as he continues to recover following a heavy crash at Motegi.

There will also be two wild card riders at Phillip Island with Australians Kris McLaren on a Suter and Blake Leigh-Smith on an FTR, both riding for BRP Racing.

125cc

The task remains a big one for Johann Zarco with Nico Terol 31 points ahead of him in the 125cc World Championship standings and just three rounds remaining, but the French rider comes into this weekend brimming with confidence after finally taking his first ever GP win last time out in Japan.

Terol (Bankia Aspar) maintains a healthy lead in the standings thanks to his second-placed finish at Motegi, and Avant-AirAsia-Ajo rider Zarco knows it will take something special to turn that around, but his confidence will be high after he defeated his rival last time out. Terol could claim the title this weekend, but such an outcome would require Zarco to place way down the order and the Frenchman has finished inside the top six in all 14 races so far this season.

In third position in the standings Maverick Viñales (Blusens by Paris Hilton Racing) could set a new points record for a rookie in the 125 class this weekend if he finishes inside the top four. The Spanish talent has 190 points, and the current record is held by Marco Melandri (202 points in 1998).

Sandro Cortese (Intact Racing Team Germany) is ten points behind with fellow German Jonas Folger (Red Bull Ajo Motorsport) a further 40 back in fifth position, and Héctor Faubel (Bankia Aspar), Efrén Vázquez (Avant-AirAsian-Ajo), Luis Salom (RW Racing GP) and Danny Kent (Red Bull Ajo Motorsport) complete the top ten.

Five wild card riders will participate in the 125 class this weekend with Australians Tom Hatton (Fastline GP Racing), Joshua Hook (HookRacing.com), Nicholas Diles (Aprilia RSW Racing) and Alexander Phillis (Phillis QBE Racing) joined by New Zealander Avalon Biddle (Avalon Biddle Racing). Marco Colandrea replaces Francesco Mauriello on the WTR-Ten10 Racing team for the remainder of the season, and Manuel Tatasciore continues to ride in place of the injured Simone Grotzkyj on the Phonica Racing team.

The Iveco Australian Grand Prix runs from October 14th-16th and gets underway at 10.15am local time on Friday, when the 125 category starts the opening free practice session.

Source: motogp.com

MotoGP

The Grand Prix of Japan takes place this weekend as the 2011 MotoGP World Championship heads into a swift conclusion which will see three of the final four rounds – starting at Motegi – take place in the space of three weeks.

Taking a 44-point lead into this weekend’s 15th round is Repsol Honda rider Casey Stoner, who with victory last time out at Aragón – his eighth of the season – extended his advantage at the top over defending World Champion Jorge Lorenzo. Stoner won last year’s race at Motegi and a repeat of that result would put him in a position to be able to secure the 2011 title in the following round, his home race at Phillip Island.

The Australian knows that is purely hypothetical at the moment however and remains fully focused on taking each race as it comes. Likewise Lorenzo knows that whilst his chances of retaining his title are now slim, there is still everything to play for. The Yamaha Factory Racing rider was fourth in last year’s Motegi race on his way to the 2010 title, but won the previous year so knows his way around the Japanese track well.

Consistency has been the cornerstone of Andrea Dovizioso’s 2011 season and is the reason for the Repsol Honda rider’s current position of third in the Championship, but the rarity of a DNF at Aragón – the first time he has failed to score points in a race this season – will have angered the Italian. He will be keen to put that right at a circuit at which he finished second in last year’s race.

Close on the tail of Dovizioso after a third straight second-placed finish in the previous round, Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda) is looking to score wins as 2011 draws to a close and would be eager to do so at a track at which he sustained a broken collarbone in a practice crash last year. Yamaha Factory Racing rider Ben Spies would also dearly love to add to his win tally having taken a debut GP victory earlier in the year, as he chases a possible top-four Championship spot.

One of the protagonists of the battle of the season last year was Valentino Rossi, who fought then team-mate Jorge Lorenzo fiercely for the final podium position at Motegi. The Italian finds himself in a very different situation this year however as the search for an improvement in performance continues at Ducati, with Rossi and factory team-mate Nicky Hayden currently sixth and seventh respectively in the overall standings.

Marco Simoncelli (San Carlo Honda Gresini) scored a 250cc win at Motegi in his title-winning 2008 campaign and the Italian will be challenging to add to his single podium achieved at Brno this year, and Colin Edwards (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) and Hiroshi Aoyama (San Carlo Honda Gresini) currently complete the Championship top ten. For Aoyama the Motegi round presents the most important race of the year for the Japanese rider as he aims to reward the home fans with a solid result.

The MotoGP field will be expanded this weekend with the addition of two further names, with HRC test riders Kousuke Akiyoshi and Shinichi Itoh both participating in the Grand Prix of Japan. Akiyoshi, who rode at Assen earlier this year, will be on an LCR Honda with Itoh on an RC212V for the Honda Racing Team.

Loris Capirossi will unfortunately not be able to ride this weekend after the Pramac Racing rider suffered a heavy crash at Aragón which aggravated an existing right shoulder injury. The Italian hopes to be fit for the following round in Australia.

Moto2

With just four rounds of the 2011 season now remaining the most closely matched of the three World Championship categories – Moto2 – guarantees to serve up another gripping instalment this weekend.

With victory at Aragón, his seventh of the year in his rookie Moto2 campaign, Marc Márquez narrowed Championship leader Stefan Bradl’s advantage at the top of the standings to just six points. Motegi will now commence a packed schedule of three races in as many weeks, as the fascinating duel between the German and his Spanish pursuant nears its climax.

Bradl, who suffered a problem with his rear wheel at Aragón which played a pivotal part in his eighth-placed finish, will seek to halt Márquez’s alarming run of devastating form which has seen the 2010 125cc World Champion win six of the past seven Moto2 races. The Viessmann Kiefer Racing rider himself has not won a race since Silverstone, maintaining his lead with a consistent run of podium finishes, but will need a return to race-winning ways if he is to deal with his adversary’s surge. Both have previously won at Motegi in the 125cc class, Bradl in 2008 and Márquez last year, thus adding to the anticipation.

Aside from the engrossing two-way tussle at the top there is another great contest playing out below the title aspirants, as five riders contend for third position in the Championship. Andrea Iannone (Speed Master), Alex de Angelis (JiR Moto2), Simone Corsi (Ioda Racing Project), Bradley Smith (Tech 3 Racing) and Thomas Lüthi (Interwetten Paddock Moto2) are all in with a chance of finishing third, and will all be out to impress in the final races of the season.

Currently eighth in the standings Yuki Takahashi (Gresini Racing) will be fully prepared for a strong effort at his home Grand Prix, whilst British rider Scott Redding will be eager to turn his recent strong form into a first podium result of the season. His Marc VDS Racing team-mate Mika Kallio has a very strong record at the Motegi circuit having won three times (twice in 125s and once in the 250cc class), and the Finn would love to rediscover that kind of form as he continues his search for a first Moto2 podium.

Elsewhere Turkish rider Kenan Sofuoglu (Technomag-CIP) is set to make his return from injury although Julián Simón (Mapfre Aspar) will not be present after further surgery on the leg he injured back in June.

Tomoyoshi Koyama, who filled in for Sofuoglu in the Turk’s absences at Misano and Aragón, will ride as a wild card under the CIP with TSR team banner, and former 125 World Championship rider Takaaki Nakagami replacing Claudio Corti on the Italtrans STR machine for this GP.

125cc

Round 14 of the 125cc World Championship will see current standings leader Nico Terol and his main title rival Johann Zarco go head to head once more as the Spaniard looks to extend his advantage whilst the Frenchman continues in search of a first GP win.

With victory at Aragón Terol extended his lead at the top over Zarco to 36 points, taking his eighth win of the season and consigning his rival to a sixth second-placed result if 2011. Terol’s win was also the 14th consecutive victory for Aprilia in the class, the manufacturer’s longest ever sequence of successive victories in the category.

Knowing that catching the Bankia Aspar rider remains a tough task Zarco’s determination to taste a first GP victory continues to drive the Avant-AirAsia-Ajo rider on. Neither Terol or any other rider on the current 125cc grid has previously won a GP race at the Motegi circuit.

As the battle rages between those two at the top the fantastic rookie season of Maverick Viñales (Blusens by Paris Hilton Racing) continues. Third place at Aragón was the precocious 16 year-old’s seventh podium of his debut year in the World Championship, and few would bet against the talented young Spaniard adding spice to the title fight with a charge for victory of his own in Japan.

More experienced heads in Sandro Cortese (Intact Racing Team Germany) and Jonas Folger (Red Bull Ajo Motorsport) will also have an eye on challenging the leading group at this round, where Folger is set to make his 50th Grand Prix start. If the German lines up on the grid on Sunday he will become the third youngest rider ever reach the milestone, with only Scott Redding and Jorge Lorenzo having done so at a younger age.

The Spanish contingency of Efrén Vázquez (Avant-AirAsia-Ajo), Luis Salom (RW Racing) and Alberto Moncayo (Andalucia Banca Civica) will all push to be at the front, whilst Héctor Faubel (Bankia Aspar) is expected to be fit to ride after crashing out at Aragón on the final lap when battling with Zarco for second position. British rookie Danny Kent (Red Bull Ajo Motorsport) will also look to consolidate what has so far been an impressive debut year, and he currently completes the top ten as it stands in the Championship.

Japanese fans will have five young talents to cheer on this weekend with wild cards Takehiro Yamamoto (Team Nobby), Kikari Ookubo (18 Garage Racing), Jun Ohnishi and Hyuga Watanabe (both riding for Project u 7C HARC) lining up alongside Syunya Mori, who will replace the injured Simone Grotzkyj (Phonica Racing) for this race. Swiss youngster Damien Raemy will replace Francesco Mauriello on the WTR-Ten10 Racing this weekend.

The Grand Prix of Japan runs from Friday September 30th to Sunday October 2nd, with the opening session the 125cc first practice which gets underway at 9.15am local time on Friday.

Source: motogp.com

Smith’s new contract will see him remain with the Tech 3 Racing Team in the ultra-competitive Moto2 World Championship in 2012.
He will then move to the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 MotoGP Team for 2013 and 2014 having agreed the long-term deal with Tech 3 owner Herve Poncharal during last weekend’s Motorland Aragon race.

The 20-year-old has been one of the star performers in this year’s Moto2 World Championship, showcasing the high potential of the Tech 3 Racing Mistral 610 with three podium finishes, including a be st of second position in his home race at Silverstone in June.
Smith has also claimed four other top six finishes and with four rounds of the campaign left, he remains firmly in the hunt for a fantastic third position in the overall rankings.

Completing the Tech 3 Racing Moto2 line-up in 2012 will be Xavier Simeon. The Belgian rider has gained a wealth of experience riding the Tech 3 Mistral 610 machine in his rookie campaign in 2011, and he is looking forward to building on his close relationship with the French-based squad.
Simeon has scored points in three races to date, including a best result of 12th in the Mugello round. The 22-year-old will continue to be supported by RTL-Sport in Belgium.

Bradley Smith:
“I am thrilled to have signed a three-year deal with the Tech 3 Racing Team and I am looking forward to continuing the excellent relationship we’ve developed in 2011. I have a fantastic relationship with Herve, my crew chief Tom Jojic and all my crew, who all have an amazing passion for racing. It is that dedication and desire to succeed that convinced me to join Tech 3 in 2011, so to be staying until the end of 2014 is the perfect scenario for me. There was never any doubt in my mind that Tech 3 would be the best option to develop my career. It has been flattering to have attracted interest from so many top teams in Moto2, but the opportunity to move to MotoGP in 2013 was simply too good for me to turn down. To think I’ll be riding a Yamaha 1000cc MotoGP bike just over a year from now is hard to believe. I’ve worked so hard for many years to earn the chance to be given an opportunity like this, and now it has come I intend to grab it with both hands. Tech 3 gave me the chance to move to MotoGP in 2012 and it was an hono ur to be even considered at this stage of my career. The decision to stay in Moto2 was one of the hardest of my life but I believe that together, we can be fighting at the front from the start of next season and pushing to challenge for the Championship.”

Herve Poncharal – Team Manager:
“It gives me enormous pleasure to confirm that Tech 3 has signed a three-year agreement with Bradley Smith. Without doubt, we have managed to secure the services of one of the brightest young talents in the world and I am thrilled that Bradley has put his trust in Tech 3 to help him accomplish his dream of racing in MotoGP. We know he had a lot of interest inside the paddock because of the way he has performed this season, so it is a big compliment to Tech 3 that he chose to commit himself to us until the end of 2014 at least. Bradley has made an immedi ate impact in Moto2 this year and we all know it is a very difficult class. The rules mean that rider talent plays a crucial role in determining the results, and Bradley has shown he has the speed, talent and commitment to match the best. He has shown the true potential of the Mistral 610 machine with some phenomenal performances this season, and we are in no doubt that in 2012 he can be a genuine title contender before he makes the step to MotoGP. One more year in Moto2 will help him gain more valuable experience, so that when he moves to our MotoGP Team in 2013, he will be immediately competitive. I am convinced that with Bradley’s long-term commitment to Tech 3 Racing that we can look forward to a long and successful relationship together. I’m also pleased to have signed Xavier Simeon. He has shown a lot of promise in 2011 and I’m sure next year he can be consistently finishing in the points and I want to thank RTL-Sport in Belgium for their continued support.”

Source: Tech3 Communications

Casey Stoner took another 25 points home at the Gran Premio de Aragón as the Australian took his eighth win of the 2011 season, with Dani Pedrosa crossing the line second and Jorge Lorenzo third.

Stoner’s victory at the MotorLand circuit on Sunday gave Repsol Honda their 100th GP win as well as putting the Australian 44 points clear of defending World Champion Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha Factory Racing).

Dani Pedrosa finished the round in second place behind his team mate, while Lorenzo made his way to the final podium spot. Marco Simoncelli (San Carlo Honda Gresini Team) crossed the line 6 seconds behind Lorenzo to take fourth, a strong finish for the Italian despite running off track during his first attempt at passing the YZR-M1 of Ben Spies. Spies had a great start off the outside of the first row, leading into turn one in front of fellow front row starters Stoner and Pedrosa, but the two Repsol Honda riders passed him by lap two, and the American finished the race in fifth place.

Álvaro Bautista (Rizla Suzuki) crossed the line sixth from an eleventh place start, passing Nicky Hayden (Ducati Team) on lap 10 and holding the position to the finish line. Hayden and Héctor Barberá had a scrap for seventh, with the American passing the Mapfre Aspar rider on the penultimate lap.

Cal Crutchlow (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) finished ninth, ahead of Valentino Rossi who started his Ducati Team machine from Pit Lane having used his seventh engine of the season in the warm up, with Hiroshi Aoyama (San Carlo Honda Gresini) in 11th.

A first lap crash for Karel Abraham (Cardion AB Motoracing) caused Randy De Puniet to run off track to avoid the Czech rider, the Frenchman rejoining the race to finish 12th. Andrea Dovizioso (Repsol Honda) also fell on the first lap and was unable to rejoin, while Loris Capirossi (Pramac Racing) collided with Toni Elías (LCR Honda) on lap 15, both riders going down in the gravel.

Moto2

Spanish star Marc Márquez (Team CatalunyaCaixa Repsol) took the hole shot from pole position, with Stefan Bradl (Viessmann Kiefer Racing) and Scott Redding (Marc VDS Racing) immediately challenging for the lead, Redding taking over at the front by the end of lap one and Bradl taking over on lap four.

Meanwhile Andrea Iannone (Speed Master) made his way up to the lead pack off his tenth place start, along with Simone Corsi (Ioda Racing Project) and Alex de Angelis (JiR Moto2), which then marked the start of a breathtaking five-way fight for first position. Márquez broke from the pack on lap 13, but not without Iannone making it very difficult for the young Spaniard to get away.

The fight for second then commenced, with Iannone eventually crossing the line a tenth of a second ahead of fellow countryman Corsi, while De Angelis followed by half a second to take fourth. Aleix Espargaró (Pons HP 40) was fifth ahead of Bradley Smith (Tech 3 Racing), and Thomas Lüthi (Interwetten Paddock Moto2) who made a great comeback to take seventh, after dropping down into 16th position on lap 8.

Bradl dropped out of the leading pack by lap 16 with what appeared to be mechanical issues to finish the race in eighth, the lower than expected finish further denting the German rider’s Championship lead, with Márquez now trailing by just 6 points.

Ninth place went to Dominique Aegerter (Technomag-CIP) after a video image was required to determine his position in front of Mika Kallio (Marc VDS Racing) in tenth, the two crossing the line so closely it appeared simultaneous, while Redding finished 15th after dropping out of the lead group on lap 9.

125cc

With wind gusts up to 30kph, the single cylinder class race commenced with Bankia Aspar’s Nico Terol heading first into turn one at the MotorLand circuit pulling an immediate gap on the rest of the field and holding it to cross the line over 6 seconds ahead of second place finisher Johann Zarco (Avant-AirAsia-Ajo).

A poor start from Zarco off the second row once again saw the Frenchman desperate to make his way up to the front, finally breaking from the pack to catch pole starter Héctor Faubel (Bankia Aspar) with whom he then scrapped with for the second podium spot the entire race. Their battle lasted until the last lap when Faubel made a late braking pass in the second to last corner and lost the front, crashing out spectacularly and handing second to Zarco and third to Maverick Viñales (Blusens by Paris Hilton Racing Team), who had run the race in a lonely fourth position.

A thrilling race long battle for fifth place, which turned into fourth after Faubel’s DNF, saw Luis Salom (RW Racing GP) finish ahead of Efrén Vázquez (Avant-AirAsia-Ajo), Sandro Cortese (Intact Racing Team Germany), Danny Kent (Red Bull Ajo Motorsport) and Alberto Moncayo (Team Andalucía Banca Cívica) in eighth, the pack of five finishing with just fractions of a second between each other and requiring a video image to determine sixth and seventh positions. Directly after the finish however, both Salom and Cortese were penalised for passing under a yellow flag and were therefore reclassified as finishing fifth and seventh, while Vázquez and Kent were moved to fourth and sixth respectively.

Adrián Martín (Bankia Aspar) and Jonas Folger (Red Bull Ajo Motorsport) completed the top ten, ahead of eleventh place finisher Marcel Schrötter (Mahindra Racing) and Luigi Morciano (Team Italia FMI) in 12th.

Source: motogp.com