2011 MotoGP Season Ducati
Valentino Rossi in Ducati red, a seemingly perfect match. But will the all-Italian combination lead to championships?
MARLBORO DUCATI
Ducati made huge waves signing Valentino Rossi for 2011 and beyond. At long last, the great Italian icon of racing unites with Italy’s historic racing brand. Now that honeymoon afterglow has passed, will the Rossi/Ducati marriage be a happy one? Initial testing reveals a rocky opening of the season for Rossi and his new teammate, 2006 champ Nicky Hayden. The factory Ducati duo have struggled to find a top-10 pace in the pre-season tests.
As a seven-time MotoGP champ, Rossi severed a fruitful seven-year partnership with Yamaha to ink his deal with Ducati. It’s unwise to bet against The Doctor, but he enters this season will more questions about his dominance than ever before. The lackluster performance of the Ducati bike is the focus right now, but Rossi’s shoulder, which he injured during a motocross training incident back in April of 2010, is also still causing fits. In all three pre-season tests Rossi failed to break into the top-five and was regularly off the pace of the leaders. During his most recent preparations at Qatar, Rossi crashed and finished 13th-fastest.
“We still have a lot of work to do, regarding both the bike and myself,” said Rossi. “The real problem [is] that at about an hour and a half from the finish, I start to lose strength in my shoulder.” Rossi also added: “Let’s say that we’re not as far back as it looks, although we still have a lot of work to do.”
Rossi is renowned for his mastery of bike development, which could aid the fortunes of his new teammate, Hayden, the duo former teammates in Rossi’s final years at Honda. The working relationship between the two will certainly be less acrimonious than the tense situation in the divided Fiat Yamaha garage.
Ducati made huge waves signing Valentino Rossi for 2011 and beyond. At long last, the great Italian icon of racing unites with Italy’s historic racing brand. Now that honeymoon afterglow has passed, will the Rossi/Ducati marriage be a happy one? Initial testing reveals a rocky opening of the season for Rossi and his new teammate, 2006 champ Nicky Hayden. The factory Ducati duo have struggled to find a top-10 pace in the pre-season tests.
As a seven-time MotoGP champ, Rossi severed a fruitful seven-year partnership with Yamaha to ink his deal with Ducati. It’s unwise to bet against The Doctor, but he enters this season will more questions about his dominance than ever before. The lackluster performance of the Ducati bike is the focus right now, but Rossi’s shoulder, which he injured during a motocross training incident back in April of 2010, is also still causing fits. In all three pre-season tests Rossi failed to break into the top-five and was regularly off the pace of the leaders. During his most recent preparations at Qatar, Rossi crashed and finished 13th-fastest.
“We still have a lot of work to do, regarding both the bike and myself,” said Rossi. “The real problem [is] that at about an hour and a half from the finish, I start to lose strength in my shoulder.” Rossi also added: “Let’s say that we’re not as far back as it looks, although we still have a lot of work to do.”
Rossi is renowned for his mastery of bike development, which could aid the fortunes of his new teammate, Hayden, the duo former teammates in Rossi’s final years at Honda. The working relationship between the two will certainly be less acrimonious than the tense situation in the divided Fiat Yamaha garage.
The Kentucky Kid's title-winning form has waned ever since the move to 800, with 2011 looking like another challenge.
Nicky Hayden enlists in Ducati’s ranks for the third consecutive year. The American claimed seventh in the 2010 championship after only securing one podium finish. The Desmosedici has baffled more than one rider, including Hayden, who has been unable to return his 2006 title-winning form during the 800 GP era, which concludes this year.
“This is my third year with Ducati," Nicky said. "The start was a little bit difficult, but it’s gotten better and better since I’ve been on this team and on this bike. We’ve grown a lot, the bike has improved, and my relationship with the team has improved. We made a big step from the first year to the second, and I’d like to do the same this year.”
PRAMAC RACING
One of the stronger pre-season performers in the Ducati camp has been Frenchman Randy de Puniet, who teams with Loris Capirossi on the 2011 Pramac Racing squad. De Puniet recorded his best year in MotoGP last season on the LCR Honda, where he finished ninth in the championship. A regular in the top-10, De Puniet was unable to crack the podium, though he did score a fourth-place finish and five sixth-place results.
Capirex is still alive and kicking, clawing onto a GP seat and vowing to see the return of the 1000cc era. The elder statesman of Grand Prix had a forgettable season with Rizla Suzuki in 2010, returning to the Desmosedici project he helped build from scratch.
MAPFRE ASPAR/CARDION AB
Only Honda can rival Ducati’s six MotoGP entries. Aside from the two-man factory and Pramac teams, there are is tandem of solo-rider efforts: Hector Barbera on the Mapfre Aspar and Karel Abraham on the Cardion AB. The Spanish-based Aspar squad fields riders in all three Grand Prix series, with Barbera entering his second year of competition in the premier class. Twelfth overall in 2010, the Spaniard managed 8 top-10 appearances in his inaugural MotoGP campaign.
“This is my third year with Ducati," Nicky said. "The start was a little bit difficult, but it’s gotten better and better since I’ve been on this team and on this bike. We’ve grown a lot, the bike has improved, and my relationship with the team has improved. We made a big step from the first year to the second, and I’d like to do the same this year.”
PRAMAC RACING
One of the stronger pre-season performers in the Ducati camp has been Frenchman Randy de Puniet, who teams with Loris Capirossi on the 2011 Pramac Racing squad. De Puniet recorded his best year in MotoGP last season on the LCR Honda, where he finished ninth in the championship. A regular in the top-10, De Puniet was unable to crack the podium, though he did score a fourth-place finish and five sixth-place results.
Capirex is still alive and kicking, clawing onto a GP seat and vowing to see the return of the 1000cc era. The elder statesman of Grand Prix had a forgettable season with Rizla Suzuki in 2010, returning to the Desmosedici project he helped build from scratch.
MAPFRE ASPAR/CARDION AB
Only Honda can rival Ducati’s six MotoGP entries. Aside from the two-man factory and Pramac teams, there are is tandem of solo-rider efforts: Hector Barbera on the Mapfre Aspar and Karel Abraham on the Cardion AB. The Spanish-based Aspar squad fields riders in all three Grand Prix series, with Barbera entering his second year of competition in the premier class. Twelfth overall in 2010, the Spaniard managed 8 top-10 appearances in his inaugural MotoGP campaign.
Alvaro Bautista, the lone man fighting the good fight in Grand Prix for Suzuki.
Abraham is notable as the first Czech rider in the premier field, riding for his father’s own Cardion AB team. The 21-year-old Abraham has competed for six seasons at Grand Prix circuits in the support classes, with his Moto2 effort in 2010 culminating in by far his career highlight – his first-ever GP victory at the Valencia finale.
RIZLA SUZUKI
Also going solo for 2011 is Rizla Suzuki, as Alvaro Bautista anchors the baby blue effort. Bautista fared better in 2010 than his now departed teammate, Capriossi, but still could only manage 13th overall. Another sophomore in the MotoGP class, Bautista had a streaky rookie season, with a pair of fifth-place finishes at Catalunya and Sepang the highlight.
Though committed to making a go at the British Superbike title for 2011, former Rizla rider John Hopkins was kicking around at the recent Qatar test, where the team promoted his turning laps on the GSV-R for promotional photo ops. Hopper represents a tantalizing back-up and wild card option for the team, should the opportunity arise. All told, though, it looks like another long season for Suzuki in the MotoGP. Despite the marque’s grim chances in the upcoming campaign – at least Rizla girls will be back for another year!
FANTASY RACING
True, the MotoGP racing demigods will clash 18 times on the world’s Grand Prix circuits. But let’s not lose sight of the true significance of their titanic struggles – earning points in Motorcycle USA’s Fantasy GP racing game! That’s right, it’s time for our second season of Fantasy GP, so sign up now to compete amongst the crème of the MotoGP establishment (i.e. fellow Motorcycle USA readers…). Eligible Fantasy GP players can enter to win a VIP Vacation to the Red Bull USGP at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. Sign up now: It’s fast, free and fun!
RIZLA SUZUKI
Also going solo for 2011 is Rizla Suzuki, as Alvaro Bautista anchors the baby blue effort. Bautista fared better in 2010 than his now departed teammate, Capriossi, but still could only manage 13th overall. Another sophomore in the MotoGP class, Bautista had a streaky rookie season, with a pair of fifth-place finishes at Catalunya and Sepang the highlight.
Though committed to making a go at the British Superbike title for 2011, former Rizla rider John Hopkins was kicking around at the recent Qatar test, where the team promoted his turning laps on the GSV-R for promotional photo ops. Hopper represents a tantalizing back-up and wild card option for the team, should the opportunity arise. All told, though, it looks like another long season for Suzuki in the MotoGP. Despite the marque’s grim chances in the upcoming campaign – at least Rizla girls will be back for another year!
FANTASY RACING
True, the MotoGP racing demigods will clash 18 times on the world’s Grand Prix circuits. But let’s not lose sight of the true significance of their titanic struggles – earning points in Motorcycle USA’s Fantasy GP racing game! That’s right, it’s time for our second season of Fantasy GP, so sign up now to compete amongst the crème of the MotoGP establishment (i.e. fellow Motorcycle USA readers…). Eligible Fantasy GP players can enter to win a VIP Vacation to the Red Bull USGP at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. Sign up now: It’s fast, free and fun!
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