Gresini confirms Bautista signature for 2012
Álvaro Bautista and the San Carlo Honda Gresini team have reached an agreement together for the 2012 MotoGP World Championship, in which the Spanish rider will compete on board an RC213V.
Bautista was able to get his first laps on a Honda in on Wednesday morning at the Valencia track, where he rode the RC212V that Hiroshi Aoyama campaigned this season.
“I’m particularly satisfied that Álvaro Bautista will ride a Honda RC213V in the San Carlo Honda Gresini team colours next year,” said team boss Fausto Gresini. “He is a very fast rider and I hold him in high regard for his personality and pleasant nature too.”
Gresini added: “I am sure he will integrate into our group swiftly and that we will enjoy some notable experiences together in the future.”
The news comes shortly after the confirmation on Wednesday by the Rizla Suzuki team that they had parted ways with Bautista.
Rizla Suzuki press release:
Rizla Suzuki regretfully announces the departure from the team of current rider Álvaro Bautista.
Bautista joined Suzuki for the start of the 2010 season, making his racing debut at Qatar. He has been a popular rider with the team as well as establishing himself as a firm favourite with the fans due to his racing spirit and infectious smile. During his two seasons with Suzuki he has recorded top five finishes and put his Rizla Suzuki GSV-R on the front row of the grid. Bautista has been the solo rider in the team in 2011 and has been an asset in the improvements to the bike and the huge potential it is now showing.
Suzuki Motor Corporation, all members of the MotoGP team, title sponsor Rizla and the team’s other sponsors and partners would like to wish Bautista well in his future career and every success and happiness in his personal life, and everyone in the Rizla Suzuki squad would like to thank him for the two years of hard work, loyalty and commitment that he has given the team.
Álvaro Bautista:
“I am very sad to be leaving Suzuki after the two great years that I have had here. It has been a great team to work in and I have learnt a lot of things from everyone in the team. It was a fantastic experience working with an English/Japanese team and we have become like a big family, except we have never had any arguments and no-one falls out with each other! I want to thank everybody personally for the last two years, sometimes it has been difficult, but nobody ever gave up and I felt like I always had their full support and commitment. I don’t feel like I am leaving a team, but a group of friends that I hope I will know for a long time. I want to say a special thank-you to Tom, Paul, Ken san and Sahara san, and wish them and the rest of the team all the best for the future.”
Repsol Honda Team dominate on 1st day of testing at Valencia
Repsol Honda riders Casey Stoner and Dani Pedrosa were back in action at Valencia circuit today, testing the new 2012 RC213V machine. HRC test rider Kousuke Akiyoshi also joined the factory riders in a perfect day for testing, with temperatures reaching 20 degrees and no wind.
Dani Pedrosa set the fastest lap time with 1'32.186 on his final lap of 40 and Casey Stoner, who did 42 laps, finished closely behind him with a 1'32.322, recorded on lap 34.
The 1000cc prototype featured some new parts that were included based on feedback from both factory riders at the Brno test last August.
Dani Pedrosa – 1st 1'32.186
"It's been a good day for testing after so much rain! The track conditions were good which allowed us to work well on the bike and get the first feeling with the new RCV. We made a step forward from August, when I first tried the bike in Brno which is a good thing: we modified the front end a little and I felt the corner entry is better, also under braking. I'm quite satisfied, not because of the lap times but more for the feeling I had. It was a bike test but also a rider test, I feel it's like a schooling for me also and I enjoyed it. Not only the bike is new, also the tyres are different for these bikes, the engine is new, you have more power and more torque. We've been riding 800cc quite a long time and I feel that I need to adapt my riding style a little and it's interesting. It's more fun, in general."
Casey Stoner – 2nd 1'32.322
"Everything has gone pretty well for us we're struggling a little bit with the new tyres, we're finding they are giving us a little bit of chatter on the bike. We compared the bike that we tested in Jerez and Brno to the newer version we have here and we found quite a lot of improvements in some small ways with chattering but we still need to work on this some more. In general it was good to be out there on the 1000 and feel the horsepower, it's a lot of fun and I'm looking forward to feeling it on a lot of different tracks!."
De Puniet impresses at Valencia test
Rizla Suzuki gave an impromptu test to French MotoGP racer Randy de Puniet and he wasted no time impressing the team onboard the GSV-R
Suzuki gave de Puniet the opportunity to test the 800cc prototype bike at Valencia today to get another rider’s feedback on the machine and the Frenchman responded by recording the fourth quickest time of the day. De Puniet only took a few laps to make himself comfortable aboard the Suzuki GSV-R and continued to improve on his lap-times as the day progressed. His best time of 1'33.544 was recorded on his 35th lap as he ended the day completing 55 circulations of the 4,005m Valencia circuit.
Randy de Puniet
“I am very happy with the job I have done today and would like to thank Rizla Suzuki for giving me this opportunity. One hour before I rode the bike I didn’t know I was going to be on it, so I had to modify old leathers to remove the wrong brands! I had a good day and am very happy with the lap-time and position. The staff are very professional and it has been nice to have this day and to work with them. I was very impressed with the bike and I felt comfortable immediately and enjoyed it a lot. I would like to ride it next year, I’m not the boss, but I hope I did a good job for everybody! I think the bike has good potential and also the feeling with everybody in the team was good and this is the most important thing for me – to feel at home. I would like to say thank-you to my manager for pushing so hard to get me this opportunity, to Pramac for allowing me to take it and to Sahara san, Paul, Tom and the GSV-R for such a good day!”
Paul Denning – Team Manager
“We took this opportunity today to test with Randy because the bike has changed quite a lot over the year, and with John’s bad luck in Brno and Malaysia we didn’t get the chance to get the further feedback from a rider other than Álvaro. With that in mind it was an opportunity to properly test the 2012 Bridgestone tyres and receive detailed comments on the Rizla Suzuki GSV-R from another perspective. Frankly speaking we didn’t expect the result, but we are really pleased to see that Randy enjoyed the bike so much, was able to get a good feeling immediately and was very fast and consistent, as well as giving excellent technical feedback. I would like to say thank-you to him - I was very impressed with what he did today.”
Pedrosa leads the way on day one at Valencia
The Repsol Honda rider was quickest on the first of two days of official testing at the circuit, where preparations for the 2012 season continued.
The Official MotoGP Test got underway at Valencia on Tuesday as a number of riders got their first action on the new 1000cc capacity machines which will contest the 2012 World Championship.
Some had already had their first experiences on board the developing prototypes and were therefore immediately into their rhythm. Repsol Honda pair Dani Pedrosa and Casey were two such riders, having both previously ridden the evolving RC213V. The duo were at the forefront on the timesheet, Pedrosa clocking a 1’32.186 from 40 laps and Stoner a 1’32.322 from 42, as the pair gave further feedback to the Japanese factory on what they had last ridden at Misano.
Ben Spies was back on the Yamaha M1 factory bike and was just over a second off Pedrosa’s pace, as the American took on sole testing duties on Yamaha’s 2012 machine with Jorge Lorenzo unable to ride as he continues to recover from a finger injury. Spies, who finished Sunday’s race in second place, put in 73 laps throughout the day as part of a heavy workload, producing a best time of 1’33.226.
Cal Crutchlow and Andrea Dovizioso both had their first contact with the new M1 and Monster Yamaha Tech 3’s 2012 line-up made the most of day one, riding 75 and 49 laps respectively. The Italian makes the switch from Honda and spent some laps adjusting to the 800cc M1 before going out on the more powerful bike once comfortable.
Valentino Rossi bore the majority of the Ducati schedule as he put in just over 70 laps. The Italian’s team-mate Nicky Hayden was unable to ride due to a wrist injury he picked up in Sunday’s race, and Rossi pushed on with the development of the GP12, riding an experimental perimetral chassis along with Test rider Franco Battaini. Héctor Barberá (Pramac Racing) and Karel Abraham (Cardion AB Motoracing) both tried the GP12 for the first time.
There were 800cc bikes out on track as well on Tuesday, as Randy de Puniet and Moto2 World Champion Stefan Bradl both went out. De Puniet was on the Rizla Suzuki GSV-R as he worked with the team to aid them with an alternative perspective on the machine’s potential, amassing 55 laps in the afternoon and posting a best time of 1’33.544. Bradl went out on the LCR Honda RC212V in his first MotoGP ride, enjoying just over 60 laps on his debut on a premier class bike.
Interest was also raised by the on-track presence of three CRT machines. Iván Silva rode Inmotec’s prototype with Carmelo Morales on a Suter housing a BMW engine under the Laglisse team banner, whilst Gianluca Nannelli and Federico Sandi shared testing duties of Italian factory Gapam’s machine.
Ducati on track with experimental GP12
Rossi took to the track on day one of the Valencia MotoGP Test aboard a test version of the Desmosedici GP12.
Ducati's Valentino Rossi rode an experimental version of next season’s GP12, equipped with an aluminium perimeter frame, at the Test in Valencia on Tuesday.
In an interview with motogp.com, Ducati Technical Director, Filippo Preziosi, described the Desmosedici test version, but stressed that it is a starting point for developing next year’s bike. “Now we have designed a bike that has different technology for the frame, we would like to make the weight distribution, and everything else, the same as the standard bike in order to do a comparison. Then based on the results of our rider’s comments and data acquisition, we will define the final targets for the design of the next bike for the future.”
Preziosi continued, citing the main advantage of such a frame. “This chassis allows us to put the engine in a different position and change the pivot of the swingarm without producing other engines, which is a problem for the current rule, which says the maximum numbers of engines you can use is just six.”
The Technical Director then acknowledged the sacrifices the riders have made during the season in the name of development. "This is the worst thing you can ask of a rider - They are riders and they want to perform their best during the Sunday race, so asking them to act as a test rider during the entire weekend is something difficult. But Valentino did it and Nicky too, in order to have a better bike for the future.”
MotoGP Test underway at Valencia
No sooner has the 2011 season finished and the premier class teams and riders are back on track testing for the 2012 season…
The Ricardo Tormo circuit was filled with the noise of 1000cc engines on Tuesday morning when the MotoGP field began the two-day Official Test, as preparations for the 2012 season continued.
Casey Stoner and Dani Pedrosa, who have both previously tested Repsol Honda’s new machine, led the way in terms of lap times with the Australian setting a 1’32.779 and his team-mate just 0.160s behind as they pushed on with the development of the RC213V, aided by test rider Kousuke Akiyoshi.
Valentino Rossi was on track testing an experimental GP12 with a perimetral chassis, and he worked away on the progress of the Desmosedici, completing 38 laps by 2pm.
Ben Spies continued his work on the 1000cc Yamaha M1 having previously tested at Brno and Misano, and Andrea Dovizioso got his first taste of the machine as he makes the switch from Honda to the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 team in 2012. The Italian’s new team-mate Cal Crutchlow also had his first contact with the increased capacity bike.
Héctor Barberá, confirmed on Monday as a Pramac Racing rider for next season, was riding with his new team, and Randy de Puniet had turned a couple of laps on the 2011 Suzuki GSV-R by 2pm. The team, who is testing only today, handed the Frenchman the opportunity to ride the bike and gain his perspective on its potential. Álvaro Bautista, who rode with the team this season, is currently discussing his options for 2012 and is present at the track.
Moto2 World Champion Stefan Bradl took in his first laps on a premier class machine, riding LCR Honda’s 800cc RC212V, and there were three CRT machines out on track. Iván Silva, testing an Inmotec, Carmelo Morales on a Suter frame with a BMW engine, and Gianluca Nannelli on Italian factory Gapam’s effort.
Stoner collects BMW M Award as best qualifier in 2011
The 2011 MotoGP World Champion’s phenomenal season saw him qualify on pole position 12 times, securing him a top of the range BMW 1 Series M Coupé.
Rounding off a hugely successful 2011 season in which he collected his second MotoGP World Championship, Casey Stoner also took the BMW M Award as Best Qualifier in MotoGP.
A total of 12 pole positions – Stoner only qualified off the front row once during the season – helped the Australian amass 405 points as he equalled Mick Doohan’s record for the most poles in a premier class season. Stoner’s impressive form ensured that the 26 year-old was by far the best performer in qualifying this season as he ended the year 131 points ahead of runner-up Jorge Lorenzo.
On Saturday at Valencia Stoner was handed the keys to his prize, a high-specification top of the range BMW 1 Series M Coupé. Thomas Schemera, BMW M Commercial and Marketing Director, was present following the final qualifying session of the season at the Spanish circuit to make the presentation to Stoner.
It is the third time Stoner has collected the Award, which he previously won in 2007 and 2008, and he was officially confirmed as the 2011 winner at Motegi where he qualified in pole position.
Pramac confirm Barberá signing for 2012
The Spanish rider has put pen to paper on a contract with the MotoGP team for the forthcoming season.
Héctor Barberá is the new Pramac Racing rider for the 2012 MotoGP season. The Spaniard, after two MotoGP seasons in the premier class on a Ducati, will continue to ride the Desmosedici with the Pramac Racing team.
Paolo Campinoti, Pramac Racing Team Principal:
“We are happy to announce that Héctor Barberá will be with us for the 2012 MotoGP season. We are confident that his experience riding a Ducati in the last two years may take him on to achieve an even better season with us. This season, despite a bad injury, he finished as the third best Ducati rider and this bodes well. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank our 2011 riders, Randy de Puniet and Loris Capirossi, for the season they have just completed with us. We wish them a future full of happiness on and off the track.”
Héctor Barberá:
“This will be my third year riding a Ducati and I want to thank the Pramac Racing Team and Paolo Campinoti who have given me this opportunity. In the last two seasons I have not achieved the results I wanted and I hope that now, after the experience I have gained, I can get better results. Both I and Pramac Racing have high aims. I am coming from one of the hardest moments of my career and I want a change. Ducati is working hard, this was a difficult year but I am sure that with the Test on Tuesday and Wednesday and especially with the winter break, where they will have time to work, they will be able to give us a very competitive bike at the beginning of next season.”
Abraham wraps up rookie season
The Czech rider battled Cal Crutchlow to the very end of the Valencia GP for the Rookie of the Year title, eventually losing out to his British rival.
Karel Abraham and Cal Crutchlow put on a superb final-race battle for the 2011 Rookie of the Year title at Valencia on Sunday, the Czech rider eventually coming off second best after pushing on the final lap and running off track.
Rounding off an impressive debut season in the premier class with an eighth place finished at Valencia, Abraham and Crutchlow scrapped for positions throughout the race until the last lap when the Czech rider ran off after touching his competitor’s rear wheel.
“The race was perfect. It was a good battle between me and Cal. I think everybody enjoyed it,” said the Cardion ab Motoracing rider. “I had hoped that Dani (Pedrosa) would slow Cal a little bit and I would make up some of the gap.”
Commenting on the moment when he ran off, Abraham added: “I knew that he (Crutchlow) would try to overtake me in that corner, but I was too fast and touched his rear tyre. What can I say… I’m so sorry because it was a very good race. Plus, it could have been my best result of the year and I could have taken the award for the best rookie. It’s a shame, but things like this happen. This season has been quite unlucky for us, but I believe that we will have more luck next season.”
Abraham will now start preparations for the 2012 campaign at the Test on Tuesday, when he will ride the Desmosedici GP12.
“I’m looking forward to testing it. With every change of category or motorcycle I have made progress and I’m hoping that this time it will be the same,” he concluded.
Elías and LCR Honda end season with top-ten result
The Spanish rider ended the 2011 campaign with a tenth-placed finish at the Valencia GP.
LCR Honda’s Toni Elías started from 13th on the grid in his final race with the team at Valencia and ended in tenth in a tricky last round of the campaign, as difficult conditions made it hard out on track.
Toni Elías:
“First it was very tough to line up without Marco (Simoncelli) today and we will always remember him. I took an incredible start from 13th spot and I could have gone for fifth place but Nicky (Hayden) got in my way and he was involved in the crash in the first corner. From the beginning to the middle of the race we had a good pace, just 1.5s slower than Casey (Stoner) at the front but later on, when it started to rain, I did not feel safe as I started to lose rear grip in corner entry so my lap time dropped down and I managed to finish tenth. This season was very tough for me but in the mean time I learnt a lot. Now I hope to start with a new challenge with more luck and I also wish the same to Lucio and the LCR Team.”
Lucio Cecchinello, Team Manager:
“First this season will be remembered for the tragic loss of Marco who will remain in our hearts forever because he was a pure talent and a charismatic guy. This season was tougher than what we expected but we learnt a lot from the difficulties and we will keep on working at 100% as always. I must thank Toni because he always tried hard to find a solution and the team too. I wish him the best for his future career because he is a tough rider and a guy with a huge heart, a contagious smile and full of human worth.”
The team also confirmed on Monday that 2011 Moto2 World Champion Stefan Bradl would test the Honda RC212V at Valencia on Tuesday.
Cecchinello added: “In a couple of days, together with our sponsors and Honda, we will take our final decision about the rider who will line up with us in 2012. In the mean time we have welcomed the request of HRC to give our structure and our RC212V bike to the new Moto2 World Champion Stefan Bradl, and we hope he will enjoy the MotoGP experience.”
FIM Awards Ceremony in Valencia rounds off 2011 season
Casey Stoner picked up his 2011 FIM MotoGP World Championship trophy in Valencia on Sunday evening, when the traditional end of season Awards Ceremony took place at the Auditori Mar Rojo de L’Oceanogràfic in the Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciencies.
The Repsol Honda rider took centre stage at the end of the evening as the night’s events culminated with his collection of the trophy, with viewers around the world watching a live broadcast of the event.
Presenters Gavin Emmett and Izaskun Ruiz were joined on stage by President of the Generalitat Valenciana Mr. Alberto Fabra, Mayoress of Valencia Ms. Rita Barberá and Dorna Sports CEO Mr. Carmelo Ezpeleta. FIM President Mr. Vito Ippolito, IRTA President Mr. Hervé Poncharal and FIM CCR Director Mr. Rezsö Bulcsu were also on hand to present awards throughout the course of the evening.
Before Stoner received his award a number of other prizes were handed out as Moto2 World Champion Stefan Bradl and the last-ever 125cc title winner Nico Terol were both presented with their trophies.
The recognition of a series of other notable achievements saw prizes awarded for the Rookie of the Year in each World Championship category, the BMW M Award for best qualifier in the MotoGP class, the Tissot Pole of Poles, Best Grand Prix, the Team and Manufacturer World Championship titles, the Michel Metraux Trophy (Moto2 and 125cc), the Shoya Tomizawa Fair Play Award, and the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup.
Sensational second for Spies in 800cc Grand Prix finale
Yamaha Factory rider Ben Spies delivered a sensational performance today to take second in the tomorrow’s Gran Premio Gernerali de la Comunitat Valenciana, the final race of the 800cc era and the season closer.
The Texan was quick to tuck in behind the fighting duo of Andrea Dovizioso and Dani Pedrosa, pacing the two as they fought for position. With seven laps to go he made his move and began to close down race leader Casey Stoner. Capitalising on a small mistake by the race leader, Spies moved to the front and managed to create a small gap. Unfortunately the last corner saw Stoner fight back, charging to cross the finish line just 0.015 seconds ahead.
Katsuyuki Nakasuga put in a brilliant performance today in his first ever premier class MotoGP race. The Japanese rider has faced challenging weather conditions all weekend on his first visit to the Valencia circuit. Faced with a grid of experienced GP riders and hugely changeable track conditions, Nakasuga-san delivered, holding his own and fighting through to take a very respectable sixth place finish.
Today’s Grand Prix at Valencia was not only the last of the season, but also the last of the 800cc era. Although unable to ride for the last two Grand Prix, Jorge Lorenzo has amassed enough points to seal second in the Championship standings with 260. Team mate Ben Spies takes fifth place with 176 points.
Ben Spies:
“The conditions were really tough today, with the rain it was so difficult to know how hard to push so I was just concentrating on bringing the bike home. We were able to follow Dani and Dovi and get past them eventually and then get past Casey when he made a small mistake. When there’s no rider in front of you, you don’t have a judge on how slippery the track is so it’s difficult to judge speed in that last lap. When we came out of the last corner I got the paint sucked off the bike by Casey as he went past! I’m happy enough; we made a huge charge at the end and finished well. Considering how the last month has gone it’s a great way to end. We’ll focus on the test now and aim to be up there and even more competitive next year. A huge thank you to Yamaha and my crew who made sure I had a great bike to ride today. This morning we all came out to make some noise and say goodbye to Marco, I’m pretty sure he heard us and I know he would have approved!”
Katsuyuki Nakasuga:
“I was really surprised with sixth position in the race! In the beginning I was very nervous because of the weather condition so my main target was to complete the race. I am used to Japanese races which only last 30 minutes so I was worried that I might not be able to keep my concentration for nearly double the time. Finally I’m very happy, the last five laps were quite risky because it wasn’t easy to go faster but I had nothing to lose so I wanted to push as hard as I could. It’s been amazing to experiment with a real Grand Prix race, not only can I use this for future development riding but I’m very pleased with the good result. The weather maybe helped me, but I am happy and enjoying the moment.”
Wilco Zeelenberg – Team Manager:
“That was a very surprising race but very exciting as well! We are very happy with the results; Nakasuga-san’s sixth position is fantastic. 30 laps in dry and wet conditions are very difficult when you have to push. To finish in front of regular GP riders is very good. Ben’s podium in between those two competitors was brilliant, a shame we just got passed at the line. Overall we’ve had a great weekend, now we’re going to work hard for the next few days to prepare for 2012.”
Massimo Meregalli - Team Director:
“What a race! For sure it was a really difficult one. Ben did a fantastic job; his reactions to everything on track were great. Unfortunately we lost the race for just 0.015 seconds. It’s very important to me how we finished the Championship and this is a very good starting point for next season. Nakasuga-san achieved a great result; I don’t think we were expecting him to do so well! We have finished our 50th anniversary of Grand Prix racing in a very fitting way. We are going to have two really important testing days now on Tuesday and Wednesday, Ben’s mood is pretty high and he is focused on the test. We’ll keep pushing and working hard to be ready for the next season.”
Stoner wins dramatic Valencia GP at the line, Dovizioso seals third in the Championship
World Champion Casey Stoner could not have finished the season any better, after winning the final race of the season in Valencia in spectacular fashion in a race to the line with Ben Spies.
With this podium, Stoner celebrates his 16th podium finish of the year, equaling the record for most podiums in a single season in the premier class, previously achieved by Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo.
Alongside Stoner and Spies on the podium was Repsol Honda team mate Andrea Dovizioso, who finished third in the race and also wrapped up third place in the Championship. Dani Pedrosa, who was also fighting for the podium until the last five laps, crossed the finish line in fifth position and finished 2011 MotoGP World Championship in fourth place.
The riders took to the grid with slicks and on the warm up lap, drops of rain appeared, hinting at a potentially thrilling race. Stoner pulled away from the start and at one point had an advantage of nine seconds ahead of team mates Dovizioso and Pedrosa, who were jostling for position until lap 23.
On lap 24, a new race began as it started to rain more heavily. Spies overtook Pedrosa and Dovizioso, and with two laps remaining, Stoner made a mistake after engaging neutral instead of first gear and Spies took the lead. Stoner tracked him closely and then took a slightly different line coming out of the last corner of the final lap, and his Honda RC212V drove him to the finish line first, just 0.015 seconds ahead of the American.
Dovizioso and Pedrosa enjoyed a tough but clean fight however, in the final laps the Andrea adapted to the rain better taking his seventh podium of the year and with it celebrated his best Championship classification in his MotoGP career with third position.
This has been a fantastic season for the Repsol Honda Team who celebrate the 'Triple Crown' after adding the Team Championship (with 528 points compared to Yamaha's 446 points) to the riders' and Constructor's titles already won in Australia. The team will return to the Valencia track on Tuesday in the first official testing day for 2012. Riders Dani Pedrosa and Casey Stoner will take part in the two day test.
On Tuesday, Stefan Bradl will have the opportunity to ride the World Championship winning RC212V as a gift from HRC for winning the Moto2 Championship. It was planned to invite runner-up Marc Marquez to also ride the bike, but unfortunately due to his injury sustained in Malaysia this is not possible.
Casey Stoner:
"My heart was in my throat! We did such a good job all the race and then it started to rain heavily. Being the first one to arrive to the conditions on the track, I wasn't sure how hard to push so I slowed up to ensure I finished the race and I thought if they come past I can stay with them. Then coming onto the back straight I made a slight mistake when I went into neutral instead of first gear and Ben came past me. I tried to stay with him but he was riding very well, fast and smooth and he looked confident in the conditions, more so than me. In the first half of the final lap he made a nice gap but I knew we were quick in the second half of the lap. I thought to myself, we haven't been able to take any risks all season, this is the time to take one and see what we can do. I knew I had a better exit line out of the final turn and I kept my head down and went for the line. It's amazing to win this on the finish line, I've had it done to me in the past a few times but I've never done it to anyone else! I'm sorry for Ben, he rode a great race, a big thanks to my team for all their hard work this year".
Andrea Dovizioso:
“I’m so happy with third place in the Championship, it’s a great achievement born from a lot hard work throughout the year. Before arriving here I knew I only had a few opportunities to arrive in front of Dani, because he has been always so fast here. Dani was faster than me also in this race weekend so I had to make a good strategy to beat him. Considering that I had a soft front tyre, I knew I couldn’t push hard for 30 laps, I tried to stop him when I was in front of him, then every time he overtook me, I tried to pass him immediately. It was a good battle and with the rain at coming with 7-8 laps to go, I wanted to push harder for the win because I’m good in these tricky conditions however, third position in the Championship was too important so I decided not to take any additional risks. Thanks to my team for these three years spent together, I’m very pleased to finish my career at Honda with third in the Championship, my best result so far in MotoGP. On the final lap I thought of Marco and in the end I succeeded here on a track where I have always struggled. Marco helped me in this challenging mission, Ciao Marco.”
Dani Pedrosa:
"It wasn't an easy race. I did my best, trying hard but I wasn't feeling good on the bike, I was rigid and didn't ride very well. But especially in the end with more water on the track I struggled a lot as in Australia, so this is something I will try to improve with my riding in the future. I had a good battle with Andrea and in the last laps I lost a place to Cal Crutchlow, but I couldn't do any more. Andrea and I were on a soft front tyre and we were maybe struggling a little more than Ben or Cal who were on a hard front, but it's not an excuse. I just want to move forward and think about next year and the test we have on Tuesday. It has been a tough year, but we will try to take the positives from here and be optimistic for the 2012."
Ducati Team out of Valencia GP in Turn one
After a positive first two days during the final round of the 2011 MotoGP season, the Ducati Team had an unfortunate and premature end to the Valencia Grand Prix, with riders Valentino Rossi and Nicky Hayden both being taken out of the race in a Turn 1 racing incident.
The American experienced pain and swelling in his right hand following the fall, but an X-ray in the mobile clinic didn’t reveal any fractures. Rossi and Hayden finish the season seventh and eight, respectively, in the final Championship points standings.
A post-race test will take place at the Valencia circuit on this Tuesday and Wednesday.
Nicky Hayden:
“I felt some riders coming up the inside really fast as we approached Turn 1. Then something happened and it was just the domino effect - race over in the first corner. I’m okay other than my hand being pretty sore. It’s unfortunate. One of our bike’s strengths is generating heat in the tyres, and that’s what you need on a cold, wet track like this. Already on the warm-up lap, the bike felt good. It’s easy to say now, but I honestly feel like we could have put up a decent fight today and had some fun.”
Valentino Rossi:
“There’s really nothing to say about today, other than that I’m sorry beyond measure not to have been able to put on Sic’s T-shirt for the lap of honour. It’s truly a shame. I started well and all the conditions were in our favour for having a nice race, but we were unfortunate and received no points here either. We finish the season tied with Sic, with him ahead of me in the standings. I guess that’s my tribute to him!”
Vittoriano Guareschi - Team Manager:
“Today I’m particularly sorry to have to talk about a race in which once again, we weren’t able to capitalize on our potential. In practice, both Vale and Nicky demonstrated that they were able to ride this track well in the conditions that we had for the race, but after they both started well, they really were victims of a classic first-turn crash. It happens, but it hurt Ducati worse than the others. There’s not much else to say. Now we’ll focus on the work that’s about to start for 2012.”
Fantastic fourth clinches Rookie of the Year title for Crutchlow
Cal Crutchlow and the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team ended the 2011 MotoGP World Championship in fantastic fashion this afternoon, the British rider claiming a career best fourth position to win the coveted Rookie of the Year title in a dramatic race in Valencia.
The 30-lap encounter started with light rain falling on the Ricardo Tormo Circuit, and the unpredictable conditions posing a major challenge for Crutchlow and stand-in team-mate Josh Hayes as both quickly tried to assess grip levels on the slippery surface. Starting from 11th on the grid, Crutchlow immediately found himself elevated into the top five when he avoided a four-rider collision at the first corner. The British rider then found himself locked in a tense battle with Rookie of the Year rival Karel Abraham, who was riding an inspired race to try and deny Crutchlow from claiming the title for the second year running for the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team. Just one point split the pair going into the race and they exchanged fifth place several times, but the battle became even more nail-biting when rain started to fall heavily five laps from the end.
Crutchlow took fourth place from Spaniard Dani Pedrosa with a clinical overtake on the final lap, Abraham though was refusing to lie down, but as their fight intensified, he made a mistake in the braking zone at Turn 11 and crashed out. Crutchlow ended fourth to claim his best ever result and by claiming the highest finish by a British rider in the 800cc era, his result moved him into 12th place in the final rankings as he jumped ahead of Alvaro Bautista.
Hayes was another star performer in today's race, the American showing outstanding skill to finish in a stunning seventh place in demanding conditions. The conditions couldn't have made his MotoGP debut any tougher, but he brilliantly adapted to riding Bridgestone slicks on a greasy surface to finish in front of the some of the most experienced rider competing in the World Championship, finishing in the top ten in his MotoGP debut.
Cal Crutchlow:
“That was a pretty dramatic way to finish the season and I am obviously thrilled to win the Rookie of the Year title. But I'm equally happy to have finished in fourth place because that was an incredibly difficult race. I'm not sure what happened at the first corner but I came out of it in sixth place and just pushed as hard as I could. It was a really intense battle with Karel right to the end and both of us were giving it everything we had. The track was so greasy it felt like you could crash so easily and when the rain started getting heavier I just got my head down again and kept pushing. I started to catch Dani really fast and I wasn't sure if he had a problem or whether I was pushing too hard. I slowed down because of that and Karel caught me back up, so it came down to the last lap and he obviously made a small mistake. He hit me from behind but I managed to stay on and to finish t he season with my best ever result is a great way to start planning for 2012. This year has been an incredible learning experience and we have a lot to work on for next season, but I feel confident I can make the step to the next level. I can hold my held up high and now I am looking forward to getting my first experience of the Yamaha 1000cc bike on Tuesday.”
Josh Hayes:
"It was a very exciting and difficult race but certainly an experience I will never forget. I had a joke with my crew that I should have packed up at lunch after I was fastest in the warm-up! The conditions were really difficult with the rain but riding the Yamaha YZR-M1 with the carbon brakes and Bridgestone tyres was a lot of fun and I enjoyed it. The bike felt perfect each time I went out of the pits and it is a real bonus to finish inside the top 10. It i s not exactly how I wanted to do it with so many guys going down at the first corner but I am happy with my race and how I rode. It was a successful race for me and I managed to beat a lot of experienced riders, which is something to be proud of. Riding a MotoGP is definitely something I would like to do again in my career. I want to send a big thank you to everybody who helped me be here. Yamaha US, GYTR, YES and of course Hervé Poncharal gave me a great opportunity and everybody has been so nice to me. Hopefully people enjoyed seeing me out on track, because I definitely enjoyed being out there."
Hervé Poncharal – Team Manager:
“Today's race was incredibly difficult because the conditions were very tough and it was hard to understand how much grip there was. But I have to say that Cal did an amazing job and I'm really happy he ended his f irst season in MotoGP with such a positive result. It is never easy to finish so high in MotoGP in such demanding conditions, so he deserves a lot of credit. He was very fast all through the race and it was a fantastic battle with Karel right to the end. For the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team to win the Rookie of the Year title again is an achievement to be proud of, and we hope that the experience gained by Cal in 2011 will help him a lot next season. I can't praise Josh enough either. He had a lot to cope with this weekend in learning the track and the bike and the conditions made it even more difficult. He is a fast rider but also a great professional. He didn't make one mistake all weekend and we couldn't have had a better replacement for Colin Edwards.Finally I would like to say goodbye and a million thanks to Colin. I hope he is recovering well at home with his family and we will see him back on track again soon. Colin has been a fantastic ambassador for Tech 3 and without doubt the most successful rider we've ever had in MotoGP. We will miss him a lot and the memories he has given us will stay with us forever. We wish him all the success in the future with his new adventure.”
First corner disaster ends Rizla Suzuki’s season early
Álvaro Bautista was involved in a four rider crash on the first corner during today’s Valencian Grand Prix that scuppered any chances of a successful end to the season for the Rizla Suzuki team.
Bautista had looked promising and confident in all conditions leading up to today’s race and as intermittent rain fell on the track leading up to the start, tyre choice was always going to be important. Starting from fifth on the grid, Bautista got away in the pack heading for the first corner, but his front wheel was accidently touched by Andrea Dovizioso and Suzuki’s Spaniard lost control of his machine. As Bautista fell to the floor his bike slid into Valentino Rossi, Nicky Hayden and Randy de Puniet, leaving the four riders stranded in the gravel trap and out of the race. Bautista tried to re-mount his GSV-R, but was unable to achieve it and walked back despondently, and uninjured, to the pits.
Today’s race was preceded by a tribute to Marco Simoncelli, who tragically lost his life at the Malaysian Grand Prix two weeks ago. Every bike and rider from the MotoGP, Moto2 and 125cc classes completed a parade lap and then lined up on the grid – fronted by Simoncelli’s bike – along with hundreds of Grand Prix personnel and guests to celebrate the Italian’s life with two minutes of fireworks and applause.
This afternoon’s race was watched by 75,774 fans at trackside and the spectators that braved the horrible conditions saw World Champion Casey Stoner take his 10th victory of the season. The event also marked the final race for former Suzuki rider and triple World Champion Loris Capirossi. He is retiring after 22 seasons in top level motorcycle racing and Rizla Suzuki would like to wish Loris and his family well for the future.
Álvaro Bautista:
“It has been a bad way to end the year, because before the race I was expecting to be fighting for the podium! In all conditions we had been fast this weekend and I thought we would have a good race today. In the first corner we all arrived together and I was between Andrea and Valentino. Unfortunately Andrea hit my front wheel with his rear tyre and I couldn’t do anything to save the crash. The worst thing was that I hit three other riders and they crashed as well, I am sorry for them and also sorry for the team and all the fans. This year has been very tough, it didn’t start very well when I broke my left femur and although we did a good job – especially in the middle of the season when I was totally fit, both mentally and physically - we haven’t finished with that many good results. I got more and more confident in the bike as the season went on and the work we have done has been amazing, we have come such a long way. Thanks to Suzuki for all they have done and thanks to my team, they work 100% in all races and I think everybody has been able to see the improvement on the track. Thanks also to everybody that has supported me and Rizla Suzuki in 2011, and now we will have to see what happens for next year.”
Paul Denning – Team Manager:
“The bad weather that seems to have followed MotoGP this year made conditions really tricky at the start of the race, but given that we didn’t even make it around the first corner, it didn’t make a lot of difference to us! It’s obviously a very disappointing way to end the season, but frankly speaking I’m not particularly upset because all four riders involved are ok and we’ve seen recently how dangerous that type of accident can be - so we can all be very thankful that all the guys escaped unharmed. I don’t think the crash was anybody’s fault, it was just too many bikes arriving at one bit of tarmac, at differing speeds, on a slippery track – it’s racing and it can happen!
“Rizla Suzuki and Álvaro Bautista didn’t achieve the results we could, or should, have done in the latter part of the season, but I hope we’ve shown a lot of fighting spirit and a huge amount of performance potential. I’d like to thank Álvaro and the whole team for their consistent professionalism and enthusiasm. We’ll do some testing here at Valencia with the current bike on Tuesday and hope that we will be able to announce some positive news in the near future.”
Emotional final race for Loris Capirossi
The Gran Premio Gernerali de la Comunitat Valenciana was the last race of Loris Capirossi's glorious 22 year career, as the Italian retires at the season close. The MotoGP veteran was extremely moved at the conclusion of the race, crossing the line in ninth place.
The Pramac Racing Team thanks Loris for all the excitement and emotion he provided all season, and sends their rider wishes of luck for his new future.
Fabiano Sterlacchini - Technical Director Pramac Racing Team:
"This difficult season is now finished. It was the umpteenth unfortunate race for Randy after the good results earlier in the weekend. Loris was doing well, but at the end he didn't feel like pushing because of the rain. It was a pleasure work with him, and I wish him all the best."
Randy De Puniet:
"I'm angry, disappointed, and sorry. This has really been an unfortunate season. Bautista's fall caused my crash and three other crashes. I was convinced that I would've had a good race. I wanted to end this season in the best way possible. It was a pleasure to be Capirex's teammate in his final season."
Loris Capirossi:
"What can I say, now it's really finished. The race was complicated by the rain, and in the last laps I couldn't push because I risked crashing. I wanted to end my career in a good way honoring Marco. I gave my best. Thanks to all the people that have supported me. Now I'm retired!"
Stoner powers to Valencia victory
Casey Stoner closed the 800cc era with his tenth victory of the season by a margin of one hundredth of a second over Ben Spies, with Dovizioso claiming the third podium spot and third in the Championship.
The Repsol Honda rider launched from pole position and into the lead off the start of the Gran Premio Gernerali de la Comunitat Valenciana, the final race of the season and of the 800cc machines. Although the race was declared wet, the field all sported slicks tyres in the difficult conditions that claimed the first casualties in the very first corner.
In the rush for the first corner, Álvaro Bautista (Rizla Suzuki) fell, taking out Pramac Racing’s Randy de Puniet along with both Ducati Team riders, Nicky Hayden and Valentino Rossi. The crash was the Rossi’s third race in succession to conclude with a fall, marking the end of a difficult season for the seven times MotoGP World Champion.
Andrea Dovizioso and Dani Pedrosa managed to avoid the incident, and with Stoner and Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha Factory Racing) already holding first and second in the Championship, the campaign for third between the teammates remained to be decided this weekend. Neither of the Repsol Honda riders showed any sign of deferring to the other as the two fought for the second spot on the podium, as well as the final Championship position, until the final laps of the race when the Spaniard slowed slightly as the slight rain fall picked up.
Ben Spies rode behind the Honda men as they battle for second, until on lap 23 the Texan made his move on Pedrosa for third, then put on the afterburners and closed in on Stoner, passing Dovizioso on the way to the front.
With three laps left, Stoner ran it wide, letting the American through to take over the head of the race and who then pulled an immediate one second gap at the front. The Yamaha man looked set to take the win, until in the very last corner of the race when the World Champion rocketed past the Texan at the line to claim his tenth win of the season and in the final race of the 800cc era.
The chase for the Rookie of the Year award between Karel Abraham (Cardion AB Motoracing) and Cal Crutchlow (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) also went down to the very last lap, with the Czech rider poised to take the title until he touched the British rider and ran off into the gravel, handing Crutchlow the title and fourth place in the race. Abraham was able to rejoin the race to finish in eighth, ahead of Loris Capirossi (Pramac Racing), who concluded the final race of his career with a ninth place.
Fifth place went to Dani Pedrosa, with Lorenzo’s replacement rider Katsuyuki Nakasuga (Yamaha Factory Racing) claiming sixth ahead of Colin Edwards’ replacement on the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 team, Josh Hayes. Toni Elías (LCR Honda) completed the top ten finishers, with Héctor Barberá (Mapfre Aspar) and Hiroshi Aoyama (San Carlo Honda Gresini) the final race finishers.
Hayes the pace man in MotoGP warm up
Josh Hayes, riding in place of Colin Edwards on the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 team, set the fastest time in the morning warm up in preparation for the Gran Premio Gernerali de la Comunitat Valenciana. Aoyama and Stoner followed in second and third.
American rider Josh Hayes starts his first MotoGP race ever from the back of the grid, but he shined in a damp morning warm up session by leading the field with a fast lap of 1’40.469. Hayes opted for slick tires over wets and the decision paid off as he lapped over a second and a half faster than second place pace man Hiroshi Aoyama (San Carlo Honda Gresini).
Pole man Casey Stoner (Repsol Honda) was third in the cold and slippery outing at the Ricardo Tormo circuit, ahead of team mate Andrea Dovizioso, who starts the raced from ninth on the grid.
Second and third rows for Rossi and Hayden
Valentino Rossi and Nicky Hayden posted the sixth and seventh best times, respectively, in qualifying and they’ll start tomorrow’s Gran Premio Gernerali de la Comunitat Valenciana from the second and third rows of the grid.
The MotoGP riders didn’t have to face truly wet conditions during qualifying for the Valencia Grand Prix, as they did in both of the previous day’s sessions, but the track was nonetheless cold and slippery, and very difficult to master. Weather forecasts for the race are still uncertain, but both riders were fast in the wet on the first day, and they also have decent setups for the dry.
Nicky Hayden:
“With the conditions, it wasn’t easy for anybody to reach down and do a fast lap. The track was a bit damp at first, plus it was very windy and spitting rain. I did the first lap on rain tyres, but I came straight back in, and the team was ready with the dry bike. Despite the conditions, it was important to push right away, because we didn’t know if heavier rain was going to come. The target was the second row, which we achieved at the last couple of races, but although we stayed in the top five for the first 20 minutes, we didn’t go fast enough in the end. For tomorrow, we need to try to get more confidence in the front, to be able to attack the corners. It will be tough for the last race, like all of them, but we’ll try to get a good, solid result.”
Valentino Rossi:
“Today was decent. This afternoon’s session was complicated because the conditions were mixed, making grip tricky, but in the end, I was able to do some good laps and improve my time, which isn’t bad. I’m on the second row, and apart from Stoner, we’re not so far from the others. I’m quite fast in T2 and T3, which are twisty, but I lose a lot in T1 and T4, where I have a hard time braking like I should, and where the bike tends to wheelie too much on acceleration. Honestly, T1 has always been difficult for me, through all the years that I’ve raced here. We’ll see for tomorrow, especially concerning the weather. For now, the forecasts say it will rain, and if that’s the case we could be competitive, but I think we could even do okay in the dry.”
Héctor Barberá targets best result of the season in final GP
MAPFRE Aspar rider Barberá is hoping to entertain his home crowd tomorrow in the final race of the 2011 season. The Spaniard starts the race from ninth on the grid.
The MotoGP riders had to contend with every condition imaginable today, with wind, rain and cold hampering their progress in the final free practice and qualifying sessions for the Grand Prix of Valencia. Despite this being a short track at just 4.005km, the conditions led to significant disparity in the lap times today although the one thing that stayed constant was the dominance of Casey Stoner, who looks certain to make a break in tomorrow's race. The Australian set a pole time that was a second clear of his nearest rival although the fight behind him promises to be close, with all the riders looking to pay homage to Marco Simoncelli and the likes of Rossi, Barberá or Bautista all capable of springing a surprise.
MAPFRE Aspar rider Héctor Barberá battled the elements and ongoing pain in his injured collarbone to secure a place on the third row of the grid with the ninth fastest qualifying time. An engine breakdown early in the session saw him return to pit for his second bike and even though it was not set-up as he preferred he made gradual progress and then a late push to move up the order. Héctor plans to dial in his favoured set-up for tomorrow and is confident it can take him to a good result.
Héctor Barberá
"We had an engine problem on the third lap this afternoon and had to switch to the second bike. I wasn't happy with the set-up but had to adapt as well as I could because there wasn't the time to change anything. I wasn't comfortable but I managed to qualify ninth. This evening we have plenty of time to get the bike dialed in the way we know it works and then we can have a good warm-up tomorrow. To qualify ninth under the circumstances is positive and I am sure we can do even better tomorrow. If the conditions are the same as today it could be a crazy race but we should be competitive whatever the weather."
De Puniet just misses first row, Capirossi on row four
The starting grid for the Gran Premio Gernerali de la Comunitat Valenciana was finalized in this afternoon’s qualifying session, in cold and windy conditions.
Randy de Puniet finished the session with the fourth-best time, just missing the front row by 0.061s after a strong performance all weekend. The French rider stopped the clock with a time of 1’33.118 behind third position qualifyer Ben Spies. Loris Capirossi registered the twelfth-best time with a 1’34.671, and will start the race tomorrow, the last of his career, with a special helmet and leathers designed for the occasion.
Marco Rigamonti - Randy De Puniet Track Engineer:
"We are very proud about our work. We were fast all weekend, both in the dry and in the wet. For the moment, everything went perfectly, both with the bike and the tires. The race pace is very good, and Randy will have to focus on the start. It’s a shame, we could qualified on the first row, but the important thing is that we were very close. Randy crashed on the last lap because he wanted to take the first row, but that’s okay."
Randy De Puniet:
I'm happy to end the season, at times unfortunate, so well. In these days my team worked so well. I found an excellent feeling with the bike and tires. I feel confident in both the wet and the dry. It’s been an up-and-down season, and I want to finish it as well as possible, as a way to thank the team.
Loris Capirossi:
“To think that this was my last qualifying session makes me a little sad, but I’m happy with the choice I made. I expected my last round to be different, happier. Instead, I’m very sad, and I have a big empty spot for Marco, who has left us. I’m sorry I wasn’t so fast, but I want to honor him as well as I can tomorrow. It will be my last race, and I still can’t believe it.”
Stoner clinches 12th and final pole of the season for Repsol Honda
Casey Stoner took his 12th pole of the season in the final race of the 2011 World Championship in Valencia, with Dani Pedrosa in second place and Andrea Dovizioso, eighth.
This is Casey's fourth consecutive pole position at the Ricardo Tormo circuit and with it he equals Mick Doohan's record of 12 pole positions in a single season. With light rain appearing throughout the session, it was difficult for the riders to determine how wet and slippery the circuit was. Casey went to the top of the timing sheets early on in the session with team mate Dani Pedrosa just behind him in second.
After the brief rain showers disappeared, lap times once again started to improve and with under ten minutes of the session remaining, Casey on a fresh rear soft tyre recorded his fastest lap of 1'31.861 which remained unbeaten for the remainder of the session with Dani Pedrosa closely behind in second position with a 1'32.875 lap. Unfortunately, on his final lap of the session, Repsol Honda's Andrea Dovizioso suffered an accident in turn four and finished in 8th position. He visited the circuit medical centre and was released without any serious injury, just a dislocated and heavily bruised left thumb.
Casey Stoner:
"Of course I'm really happy with pole position today, I'm still hungry to win and get pole positions, after all this is why I line up to go racing, winning the Championship is the bonus at the end of the season, but I still try my best in every session and every race. I took some less risks yesterday in the wet as I didn't feel we were making any progress in the conditions. Today was also difficult, there was a little rain in all the sessions, this morning there were some wet patches on the track and it was hard to know where to push, then the same this afternoon with some rain on the track, you're never 100% sure how far you can push. We felt comfortable though and the feeling in the bike was pretty good, with a similar set up to the test we had here last year and we put in a good lap. Now we'll have to see what the weather does tomorrow and take it from there, but we remain confident."
Dani Pedrosa:
"It was tricky out there because we had a little rain by the middle of the session, we were lucky because the track stayed dry and we were able to do one more practice on slick tyres. Casey was very fast and consistent. I'm happy with second position on the grid, it's a good place to start, but I'm not totally satisfied with the set up of the bike yet, we need to improve the front tonight with the mechanics. I want to have a good race tomorrow, it's the last one and in front on my fans, so I'll do my best to finish the season in the best way."
Andrea Dovizioso:
“It was a strange session, complicated by the wind and the difficult track conditions. Towards the end of the session the conditions improved and I was 4th and not pushing because I didn’t want to take too many risks, but then when the other riders began to improve their lap times I saw that I needed to push. Unfortunately at turn four I lost the front and crashed. It was my mistake as the tyre was cold and turn four is the first right turn. Thankfully I haven't broken anything, I dislocated my thumb and have heavy bruising, it is quite painful but I will have some treatment to reduce the pain. I didn’t have the perfect qualifying for the race. We are fighting for third position in the championship and starting from the third row is not ideal, but I will rest tonight and tomorrow start over and super determined. The weather is uncertain but we will be prepared for every condition."
Spies bounces back for front row start in Valencia
Yamaha Factory Racing rider Ben Spies made it count this afternoon in difficult weather conditions to take third on the grid for tomorrow’s Grand Prix of Valencia.
The Texan completed his fastest lap on a used set of tyres having patiently circled waiting for a gap in the changing weather to put in a qualifying time.
Katsuyuki Nakasuga faced yet another treacherous day of unpredictable weather as he learnt his way around the twisty Valencia circuit. A fresh rear tyre towards the end of the qualifying session saw him exit the pits in confident mood to set a qualifying time however the drops of rain on the track meant he was unable to improve on 15th position.
Ben Spies:
“Qualifying was really hectic today for all the riders. There was a sprinkling of rain all the way through which makes you very nervous about how much to push. I have to say thank you Yamaha for a great bike. It’s working great here so we just need to pray for some dry time for the race. We’re going to get some rest tonight and try to make sure we end the season on a high tomorrow.”
Katsuyuki Nakasuga:
“Today was quite difficult with the different weather conditions. I did feel that I understood the track a little bit better. This afternoon in qualifying we changed to a new tyre and I felt good with it but unfortunately was not able to make a better time as I was unsure how much to push with some rain falling. Tomorrow I will do my best for Yamaha; the experience will also help me in the future as a test rider!”
Crutchlow and Hayes ready for season finale
Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team rider Cal Crutchlow will start his quest to win the coveted MotoGP Rookie of the Year title in tomorrow's GP Generali de la Comunitat Valenciana from 11th position on the grid.
The British rider set a best time of 1.34.329s in cool and windy conditions at the Ricardo Tormo Circuit this afternoon to finish less than 0.2s away from claiming a spot on the third row of the grid for tomorrow's season ending race.
This afternoon's qualifying session took place on a dry track, despite spots of rain falling intermittently during the session as threatening grey clouds hung over the 2.489 miles circuit.
Crutchlow is looking forward to a strong battle with Karel Abraham in the final race of the 800cc era tomorrow as the fight to be crowned 2011 MotoGP Rookie of the Year goes down to the wire. The Czech Republic rider will start one place higher up on the grid but Crutchlow is confident he can end his first year with the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team on a high note by claiming the Rookie of the Year prize for the second successive season for the French-based squad.
Josh Hayes, who is replacing injured American Colin Edwards, got his first chance to experience the true potential of the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 YZR-M1 machine today. Both practice sessions yesterday took place in wet conditions, but today the 36-year-old got his first taste of carbon brakes and Bridgestone's slick tyres with the third practice and qualifying taking place on a dry track. Despite learning about the potential of the YZR-M1 machine while also continuing to gain knowledge of the Ricardo Tormo Circuit, which he only experienced for the first time yesterday, the double American Superbike Champion produced an exceptional display to post a best lap of 1.36.042 and he will start from 16th position.
Cal Crutchlow:
“Today wasn't the easiest day and I'd have liked to have qualified inside the top 10. Finding a good set-up with the bike has been quite difficult and the weather conditions haven't made it any easier with such little dry track time. The problems are similar to what I've been experiencing in the last few races. It is hard for me to stop and turn the bike but I'm still confident I can have a strong race tomorrow. We'll analyse the data tonight and see what we can come up with to improve my feeling with the bike. I'm sure it will be a good battle with Karel tomorrow. We have been so close on the timesheets all weekend, so it could be an exciting battle for the Rookie of the Year award. I'd love to win it for the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team after Ben Spies won it last year."
Josh Hayes:
“Having got the chance to ride the Yamaha YZR-M1 machine in the dry, all I can say is it is an incredible machine. The power and acceleration compared to the superbike I race in America is incredible. The carbon brakes are impressive too and the chassis works much differently in these conditions than I expected. It is definitely not easy adapting to this bike and the big thing is that I just need more time to understand it. This afternoon's session started off on rain tyres, but the track was completely dry and three times during the session you would ride around and big rain spots would start to hit you. I am not sure how the Bridgestone tyres work with some moisture on the track. And I didn't want to push too hard and crash because that would cost me precious time I need to understand the bike and learn the track. All in all I am happy with the job I've done for the Team but obviously as a racer you always want more and I'd like to be a bit closer to the regular guys. But I've had two wet sessions, one dry and one session where conditions were a bit dodgy, so the weather hasn't helped my preparations much. I'm really looking forward to the race though and it will be great to be part of the last 800cc race.”
Bautista on second row for final race of the year
Álvaro Bautista produced another strong performance in the tricky conditions of today’s qualifying to take fifth place on the grid for tomorrow’s race.
Bautista had to contend with the varying conditions during this afternoon’s hour-long session, which included strong winds, cold temperatures, intermittent rain and broken sunshine He coped well and was one of the busiest riders out on track as he completed 30 laps of the 4,005m Valencian circuit. Bautista improved his times, even as track conditions worsened and finished the session in the middle of the second row to give himself every chance in Sunday’s race, regardless of what the weather might be.
Tomorrow’s race will see the 2011 season draw to a close with what promises to be an exciting 30-lap race, because with rain forecast at some point during the afternoon it could prove to be a very close and open event.
Álvaro Bautista:
“Today has again been a good day for us, despite the very difficult conditions. This morning I felt good in the dry session, because today in the cold conditions we had a good feedback from the bike. In qualifying it was very tough, because we had rain before the session and the track was a bit wet in some parts. I pushed hard from the beginning, but it was raining in some parts of the track and it made it even harder because when you see drops of rain on the visor it's always against logical thinking to push even more. At the end I did some good laps and got a good rhythm despite the strange weather and made my way to fifth on the grid. I’m quite happy with that because this track is not one of the best for Suzuki and we are all looking forward to tomorrow no matter what the conditions are. Yesterday in the wet we did very well and we have a good setting and if it is dry I think we can stay in the battle for the podium positions. We will have to wait and see what tomorrow brings, but we will push to the maximum in any condition because I want to finish the season with a good result and I think it is possible to get it.”
Valencia to pay tribute to Marco Simoncelli on Sunday
The MotoGP community has been paying tribute to Marco Simoncelli throughout the Gran Premio Generali de la Comunitat Valenciana weekend in a variety of ways, and on Sunday the entire paddock at the Ricardo Tormo circuit will gather to make a collective dedication to the late Italian rider.
At 10.10am local time on Sunday morning riders from all three categories of the World Championship have been invited to depart from Pit Lane as a group, and complete a lap of the track in honour of Simoncelli.
The procession will be led by Marco Simoncelli’s San Carlo Honda Gresini RC212V bike, which will be ridden by 1993 World Champion Kevin Schwantz.
As the riders round the final corner of the circuit and approach the finish line they will stop just short, with local authorities and representatives of MotoGP’s governing bodies (Dorna, IRTA and the FIM) congregating on the other side of the finish line. Paddock members are also invited to be present on track and will be able to meet in a designated area.
Once the bikes have taken up their positions on the start/finish straight a two-minute Valencian Mascletà (a traditional firecracker display) will take place.
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