2010 Grand Prix motorcycle racing

Dani Pedrosa denies Ben Spies stunning pole position

By Matthew Birt -MCN
MotoGP
14 August 2010 14:07

A brilliant late attack from Repsol Honda rider Dani Pedrosa denied Ben Spies a stunning maiden MotoGP pole position at the Brno circuit this afternoon.
Just 40 seconds remained of the decisive qualifying session when Pedrosa overhauled Spies to claim his third pole position of the 2010 campaign.
Spies had looked on course for a brilliant career first pole position when he steered his Monster Yamaha Tech 3 YZR-M1 machine to the top of the timesheets with just under five minutes remaining.

A lap of 1.56.846 put the reigning World Superbike champion at the top of the leaderboard by just 0.013s ahead of Spaniard Pedrosa.
Spies’ superb lap instigated a dramatic final five minutes with Pedrosa securing pole with a 1.56.508 in the dying moments. That was 0.338s ahead of Texan Spies, who was still able to celebrate his maiden front row start in MotoGP at the Czech Republic circuit.

World championship leader Jorge Lorenzo failed to extend his impressive run of qualifying performances as a late crash cost him a chance to push for a sixth successive pole position.
Lorenzo was looking to improve on his best time of 1.56.865 when he crashed out in the final three minutes. He walked away unhurt but his Fiat Yamaha YZR-M1 rolled several times through the gravel trap and finally came to a rest nestled on top of a perimeter tyre wall.
The Spaniard, who holds a commanding 72-point ahead of tomorrow’s race over Pedrosa, still qualified on the front row in third place. He has yet to qualify off the front row in 2010.

Former world champion Casey Stoner missed the front row by just 0.003s and he will start fourth. It is the first time he has failed to claim a front row berth since the British Grand Prix at Silverstone in June.

Reigning world champion Valentino Rossi was also another late crasher and the Italian will have to start from fifth spot on the grid.
He was looking to improve on a lap of 1.57.059 when he lost the front of his factory Yamaha YZR-M1 machine at the penultimate corner. He walked away unhurt but appeared angry with himself at the late blunder ahead of tomorrow’s 22-lap clash.

Nicky Hayden also fell heavily earlier in the session but he too was able to walk away unscathed to qualify his factory Ducati GP10 in eighth position.
Hector Barbera and Marco Simoncelli also crashed in a dramatic session ahead of round ten of the 2010 MotoGP world championship.
Factory Suzuki rider Alvaro Bautista failed to start the session having suffered back injuries in a big crash during this morning’s second free practice session.

starting in a while

He should be thankful that he doesn't play golf for a living haha

By Matthew Birt -
MotoGP
15 August 2010 17:57


Ducati has made official the worst kept secret in MotoGP racing by confirming it has captured Valentino Rossi on a big money two-year deal.

As was exclusively revealed by MCN back in late June, the reigning world champion has penned a deal to partner Nicky Hayden next season and he will spearhead Ducati’s assault on the first 1000cc MotoGP world championship in 2012

Tonight’s flurry of announcements made no reference to Rossi’s crew joining him in quitting Yamaha at the end of the season.
But it is widely expected that the seven-times premier class world champion will take his entire crew to Ducati, led by Australian Jerry Burgess.

Ducati Motor Holding president Gabriele Del Torchio said: “We are delighted to announce that Valentino Rossi will be with us from 2011. He is a paragon of excellence in the world of motorcycling, coherent with our Italian company, which is a standard-bearer for “made in Italy” excellence. These are key values for success in technology, design and sportsmanship. In addition to the strong and passionate intent of both parties, this agreement has been made possible by the committed support of our shareholder Investindustrial and all the sponsors associated with the Ducati Marlboro Team, sponsors which have believed in this opportunity and share and support our choices.”

Ducati Corse technical guru Filippo Preziosi, said he was thrilled to have capture Rossi’s signature following the departure of 2007 world champion Casey Stoner to Honda.
He said: “Firstly, Valentino is a great fan of motorcycles and so it has always been a pleasure for me to listen his opinions. Until the Valencia GP he will remain a competitor, one so great that he has always given a special value to our victories, but as soon as he rides the Ducati for the first time, we will work together on every single detail that will develop a bike capable of showing his huge talent. Working with Valentino is one of the most exciting things for every engineer and it’s good to know we will have this great opportunity next season.”

Thanks to Jay Adgie for posting this in the motorsports forum and getting my attention with it being there

Indeed, I think he would be a bit like senna, finding all the grip before corners!

I wanted to see him on Aprilia!! But, this is close enough

Valentino in red .... yeahhhhhh:tongue:

Spies deserves it. Another solid performance at the weekend. Will be nice to see how he develops with some factory wheels under him.

Yes, he raced well on Sunday. Nice step up in "teams"...

Good on Ben Spies. He's had a solid season, will be interesting to see how he fares on a full facoty bike. Wonder if Cal Crutchlow takes his place at Tech 3.

@Günthar & Bram - Rossi has already ridden for Aprilia in 125cc and 250cc classes and I can't see Biaggi giving up his RSV4 seat in WSBK just yet :tongue:

This "news" came as no surprise, everyone knew Rossi was heading to Ducati - the Ducati CEO confirmed the rumours when he spilled the beans in an interview with Cycle World 4 weeks prior to Brno.

I can't wait to see Rossi and Ducati together, it's been quite a while since an Italian on an Italian bike won races (or a world title) in the premier class. If Rossi does win a championship in th next 2 years, they'll be little doubt over the G.O.A.T claims.

Roll on 2011.

Lorenzo has scored 235 out of a possible 250 points thus far. The man has been incredible this year - pity the racing has been a little dull.

Casey Stoner shines in first practice

By Matthew Birt -MCN
MotoGP
27 August 2010 21:01

Casey Stoner made a fast start to the Indianapolis MotoGP weekend this afternoon, the Aussie denying runaway 2010 series leader Jorge Lorenzo top spot at the end of a sun soaked opening practice session.
Using a new set of 2011 Ohlins front forks on his Ducati GP10 machine, the 24-year-old set his best time of 1.40.884 with 16 minutes of the session remaining.
That put him in front of Fiat Yamaha rival Lorenzo by a comfortable margin of 0.462s as the factory Ducati rider looks to end a winless streak stretching back nearly 11 months in Sunday’s Indianapolis race.

Spaniard Lorenzo, who is seeking an eighth win in 11 races this weekend, was only able to get within 0.225s of 2007 world champion Stoner’s time.
Lorenzo, who leads the world championship by a massive 77-points, ended with a best time of 1.41.109.
That easily secured him second place on the timesheets with home favourite Nicky Hayden claiming third place.
The Kentucky rider, who has never finished off the rostrum in Indianapolis, set a best time of 1.41.405 to finish 0.296s adrift of Lorenzo.

Hayden posted his best time with 14 minutes remaining but on his very next lap he crashed out.
The 2006 world champion lost the front of his factory Ducati GP10 and landed heavily on the left wrist he damaged in a crash during qualifying for the recent Brno MotoGP race in the Czech Republic.
Hayden chipped a bone in his wrist in that spill but didn’t appear to have aggravated the problem as he walked away from this afternoon’s tumble.

Repsol Honda rider Dani Pedrosa was fourth fastest but a time of 1.41.421 left him 0.537s behind Stoner’s benchmark.
A late rally from Valentino Rossi pushed the reigning world champion into a respectable fifth place. The Italian, who is still well short of full fitness after breaking his right leg in Mugello in early June, ended with a best time of 1.41.623.
That left him 0.739s off Stoner and the 31-year-old had languished down in ninth for much of the session.

Colin Edwards continue his revival with the sixth best time of 1.41.664 leaving the experienced Texan just 0.041ss behind Rossi.
Edwards had been as high as third place in the final 20 minutes on board the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 YZR-M1.

Team-mate Ben Spies had to settle for a lowly eighth place as his hopes of celebrating a move to Yamaha’s official factory team in 2011 were wrecked by a late crash.
Spies was a top three challenger throughout the session and was looking to improve on fifth spot when he lost the front-end of his Monster Yamaha Tech 3 machine.
He was unhurt and ended with a fastest time of 1.41.722.

Hiroshi Aoyama was back in action for the first time since he broke his back in a crash during the warm-up session for the British Grand Prix at Silverstone in June.
Riding with a special corset to support his back when riding his Interwetten Honda machine, the Japanese rider logged a best time of 1.42.874. That was less than two seconds off Stoner’s pace and he beat a struggling Randy de Puniet by 0.113s.

The French rider could only post a best lap of 1.42.987 on the LCR Honda. It was only just over a month ago that de Puniet broke his left tibia and fibula in Germany.