The 2011 MotoGP season will come to a conclusion this weekend at Valencia, where the final round of the campaign will take place at the famous Ricardo Tormo circuit.

Primarily the thoughts of the entire MotoGP community remain with the family and friends of Marco Simoncelli, whose funeral took place last week in the Italian rider's hometown of Coriano. The Gresini Team has confirmed it will be present at this weekend's Gran Premio Generali de la Comunitat Valenciana with the team garage set up and displaying Simoncelli's bike in tribute.

As the riders refocus on riding once again and with Casey Stoner already having been crowned World Champion, there still remain a number of positions to be decided in the final standings.

Jorge Lorenzo is assured of runner-up spot in the overall classification regardless of whether the Yamaha Factory racing rider takes part this weekend. The Spaniard is still recovering from surgery to a finger injury he received following a crash in Phillip Island, and confirmation of whether he will ride or not this weekend is still to come.

Third place remains a closely contested position with Repsol Honda team-mates Andrea Dovizioso and Dani Pedrosa just four points apart. The Italian will be keen to sign off from his time in the factory Honda outfit with a strong result and final classification, before he moves onto the Tech 3 team in 2012.

Ben Spies (Yamaha Factory Racing) will expect to be back to full fitness after a tough weekend at Sepang, and the American looks set to seal fifth in the standings, although Valentino Rossi (Ducati Team) can still challenge him. Rossi's team-mate Nicky Hayden could also still finish ahead of his Ducati colleague.

Colin Edwards will be absent this weekend as he continues to recover from the injuries he sustained in Malaysia, and will be replaced in Valencia by American superbike champion Josh Hayes. Edwards' fellow American will also remain in Valencia for the Test on Tuesday and Wednesday. Cal Crutchlow, on the second Tech 3 machine, leads Karel Abraham (Cardion ab Motoracing) by a single point in the race for the Rookie of the Year title.

This weekend will also see Loris Capirossi take part in his final Grand Prix, bringing to an end his illustrious 22-year World Championship career which will have spanned 328 race starts by the time the Italian takes to the starting grid for Sunday's race.

Preparations for the 2012 season will continue on Tuesday, as the traditional Valencia Test takes place with manufacturers pushing on with the development of their prototypes ahead of the introduction of the new 1000cc engine capacity limit next season.

San Carlo Honda Gresini and Gresini Moto2 will participate at Valencia

Monday, 31 October 2011

The MotoGP and Moto2 teams run by Fausto Gresini will be present and on track this weekend at Valencia, with Hiroshi Aoyama riding in the MotoGP class and Michele Pirro and Yuki Takahashi competing in the final Moto2 race of 2011.

Team owner Fausto Gresini confirmed the participation of both teams in the final round of the 2011 MotoGP World Championship at Valencia, stating the participation of the teams will be tributes to their fallen rider Marco Simoncelli.

“The decision to participate was not an easy one, but we have made this choice as it is what Marco would have wanted,” said Gresini.

“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,” he concluded.

Josh Hayes to join Monster Yamaha Tech 3 in Valencia

Monday, 31 October 2011

American Superbike Champion Josh Hayes will replace injured Colin Edwards for this weekend's Valencia MotoGP round in Spain.

The 36-year-old has been drafted in by the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 squad because Edwards is unable to participate in Valencia while he recovers from injuries sustained during the Shell Advance Malaysian Motorcycle Grand Prix at Sepang on October 23.

Edwards was due to make his final appearance for the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 squad at the Ricardo Tormo Circuit after a long and successful career with Yamaha in the MotoGP World Championship, which started back in 2005.

The Texan though will undergo an operation to repair cartilage damage around the top of the humerus bone in his left arm after he was involved in an incident with Marco Simoncelli and Valentino Rossi on the second lap of the Sepang race. Tragically, Simoncelli succumbed to injuries sustained in the accident.

Hayes, who won his second successive American Superbike crown for the Monster Energy Graves Yamaha Team in a dramatic final round in New Jersey, was due to test the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 YZR-M1 machine the day after Sunday's final race.

Yamaha US and Monster Energy arranged the test appearance to reward Hayes for capturing the American Superbike title for the second year in succession in 2011.

Hayes will now join British rider Cal Crutchlow when practice for the Valencia round gets underway on Friday morning.