Some MotoGP News

LCR Honda welcome Playboy onboard

Friday, 27 March 2009

At the Official MotoGP Test this weekend Randy de Puniet’s LCR Honda RC212V machine will display the famous Playboy bunny logo thanks so a new sponsorship agreement.

I guess the Rizla Suzuki grid cop girls will have a competition for the sexiest grid girls.

Monster Yamaha Tech3 unveil new livery

Friday, 27 March 2009

Yamaha satellite team riders Colin Edwards and James Toseland open day with presentation in Jerez.

Monster Yamaha Tech3 were up early on Friday morning, opening their garage at the Circuito de Jerez for the unveiling of their 2009 livery. Riders James Toseland and Colin Edwards pulled the covers off their respective M1 bikes to reveal a black and yellow colour scheme.

Lorenzo’s Land comic to hit the shelves

Wednesday, 25 March 2009

The 2008 MotoGP Rookie of the Year Jorge Lorenzo and Panini will next week release a comic book entitled ‘Lorenzo’s Land’.

A hero to millions of fans across the globe in real life, Fiat Yamaha’s Jorge Lorenzo is set to enter the world of fiction as a superhero, courtesy of a forthcoming publication to be released by Panini Comics.

Gibernau returning to action after Qatar absence

Tuesday, 24 March 2009

Veteran rider Sete Gibernau will resume his preseason preparations in Jerez this weekend having missed the night test in Qatar earlier this month due to a shoulder injury.

When Sete Gibernau suffered a small setback to his recovery from a winter shoulder operation during a training session in February it significantly affected his 2009 MotoGP comeback programme, as he aggravated an old shoulder ligament problem and missed the Official MotoGP Night Test in Qatar.

Having never ridden under the floodlights at the Losail International Circuit that was a missed opportunity to prepare for the 2009 season opener on 12th April at the Arabian desert track, but Gibernau will be raring to go at this weekend’s Official MotoGP test in Jerez, with the Grupo Francisco Hernando Ducati satellite team.

Akiyoshi to test for Repsol Honda at Jerez

Monday, 23 March 2009

Former Suzuki test rider Kousuke Akiyoshi will ride for Repsol Honda at the Official MotoGP Test in Jerez this weekend.

In the absence of regular rider Dani Pedrosa at this weekend’s forthcoming Official MotoGP Test at Jerez de la Frontera, the Repsol Honda ranks will be boosted by Kousuke Akiyoshi, who steps in to help with testing.

The 34 year-old rider, who has performed test duties for Suzuki in the past and made wildcard appearances for them in MotoGP, joined Honda over the winter and will ride for the (Honda) F.C.C. TSR team in several Japanese National Championship races this year. He will also represent Honda later this year in the Suzuka 8 Hours event alongside Shinichi Itoh.

Pedrosa faces a race to be fit for the start of the season at Qatar on 12th April due to knee and hand injuries picked up in testing at the Losail International Circuit at the beginning of March, so in the mean time Akiyoshi will stand in for him at Jerez.

Meanwhile, Ducati’s regular test rider Vittoriano Guareschi will also be in attendance at the Jerez test.

BMW M Award returns to spice up the Official MotoGP Test at Jerez

Monday, 23 March 2009

The opening laps of the world’s most exciting motorsport kicks off this weekend at Jerez in Spain with the BMW M Award as the curtain raiser to the 2009 MotoGP season being ushered in with the MotoGP Official Test and the best riders on the planet all battling for a chance to win a brand new BMW.

A televised 45 minute ‘qualifying’ session on Sunday afternoon will see the entire MotoGP entry vie for the fastest lap around the 4.4 km Jerez track that in May will host the third round in the seventeen race title chase.

As a MotoGP partner for the past 10 years, BMW is once more providing the ultimate prize with a limited edition BMW 135i ‘BMW Sauber F1 Team Edition’ ready to be driven away from the test by the fastest rider. Only 135 of these cars have been made in respect of the 135 points that BMW Sauber F1 Team scored last year in Formula 1.

The BMW Award is the ultimate springboard for all MotoGP riders and teams as they lock horns for the first time after the long winter of development back in their workshops and factories during their quest for every hundredth of a second in the racing season. The opening race of the year is once more under the stunning floodlights of the Losail circuit in Qatar where last year the very first night time Grand Prix took place, two weeks after the Jerez test.

On every Grand Prix grid this year will once more be a fleet of BMW Safety Cars, but a new addition will be at Jerez this weekend and on each MotoGP grid in the shape of BMW’s brand new S 1000 RR superbike; a truly staggering motorbike that has taken the world’s motorcycle shows by storm with it’s looks and technology.

Elsewhere at MotoGP events this year will be a further fleet of up to 25 other BMWs for the VIP Village and MotoGP Paddock guests for swift and serene movement around the circuit.

Keep an eye out this weekend and see who which MotoGP rider has got the jump on the other with the curtain raiser for the 2009 season. Will it be the reigning champion Valentino Rossi, or an outsider? In years past Loris Capirossi gave a BMW 330 CD to his mechanics, Casey Stoner took a Z4 M Roadster last year, while Rossi has taken two Z4s back to Italy too. Indeed, many wives and girlfriends of riders will bee cheering their man on in an effort to win what could be a new, and very fast, car!

As since 2003, there will be the BMW Best Qualifier Award that gives riders points for their qualifying position for each race. At the end of the season a BMW M3 Sedan is available for the winner – a mouthwatering car in even the eyes of some of the superstar 310kph riders!