Gran Premi Cinzano de Catalunya racing numbers
Thursday, 11 June 2009
Some key numbers pertaining to this weekend’s Gran Premi Cinzano de Catalunya.
60 – The day of qualifying at the Gran Premi Cinzano de Catalunya will be the 60th anniversary of the very first race that counted towards the World Championship classification – the 350cc race at the Isle of Man TT event in 1949. This race was won by British rider Freddie Frith riding a Velocette. Frith went on to win all five GP races in the 350cc class in 1949 to take the world title and then he retired from racing.
20 – Following his 4th place at Mugello, Andrea Dovizioso has now scored points in 20 successive races.
17 – On race day at the Gran Premi Cinzano de Catalunya it will be 17 years to the day of the German Grand Prix in 1992 when the first three riders home in the 250cc race were Pier Francesco Chili, Max Biaggi and Loris Reggiani all on Aprilia machinery. This was the first all Aprilia podium in Grand Prix racing.
16 – There have been 16 MotoGP races since the last win by a Honda rider – Dani Pedrosa at the Catalan GP last year. This is the longest sequence of races in the premier class without a Honda win since they re-entered Grand Prix racing in 1982.
7 – Aprilia riders have won the last seven 125cc Grand Prix races. This equals the longest ever sequence of successive 125cc GP victories by Aprilia which they achieved in 2007.
5 – The first five races of the year in the 250cc class have been won by five different riders (Barbera, Bautista, Aoyama, Simoncelli and Pasini) which last occurred in 1988 (Mang, Filice, Pons, Garriga and Dominique Sarron).
3.274 seconds – The time covering the first five riders across the line at the end of the MotoGP race in Mugello making it the 8th closest top five of all-time in a full length premier-class Grand Prix.
(motogp.com)
Bridgestone brings asymmetric rear tyres
For the first time this season
(from http://www.moto-live.com) 11/06/09 11:00
The Circuit de Catalunya hosts the sixth round of the 2009 MotoGP season and marks the first race of the year to which Bridgestone will bring its asymmetric slick rear tyres.
With eight right-hand corners, most of which are long and fast, and only five left-handers, most of which are much slower, the circuit works the right and left shoulders of the Bridgestone tyres very differently.
The right shoulders of the Bridgestone slick tyres experience far greater loads and cornering forces, meaning they have to be able to cope with higher temperatures. Meanwhile, the left shoulders are less stressed and therefore must be able to perform at a lower temperature range.
With the nature of the circuit and the high track temperatures expected for this time of year at the Barcelona venue, a harder rear slick is required. Bridgestone will bring the hard compound and the extra hard compound rear slicks, but in both rear options the left shoulder of the tyre uses Bridgestone's soft compound.
By combining a hard or extra hard compound right shoulder in the rear tyres for increased durability and consistency at a higher operating temperature range with a soft compound left shoulder for the slower left-handers, the asymmetric Bridgestone rears are able to provide a consistent level of grip and rider feeling throughout the lap.
“The Circuit de Catalunya is a technical track with long right-hand corners that increase the temperature on that shoulder of the tyres. The surface is smooth and the stress placed on the tyres' outer shoulders necessitates hard compounds, especially for the rear. We will bring asymmetric rear tyres for the first time this season as having dual compounds to suit the right and left hand corners is essential for good feeling and performance at this circuit. Because the left shoulders are not used as hard, the temperature in them is cooler than in the right shoulders but the soft compound on the left side allows the tyres to give optimal grip and rider feeling in these conditions”, explained Tohru Ubukata, Bridgestone Motorsport Manager Motorcycle Race Tyre Development.
The recently revised 2009 tyre regulations come into effect from the finish of the Catalunya Grand Prix, when every rider will need to inform Bridgestone how many of each compound of front slick tyre they wish to use in Assen.
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This change in the regulations means that rather than every rider being given four of the harder and four of the softer compound Bridgestone front slicks, each can now choose whether they want four of each compound or five of one and three of the other. This will make rider and team strategy in terms of slick tyre selection even more important.
Last year, Catalunya brought the first pole position of the season for Bridgestone and the Ducati Team with Casey Stoner's qualifying lap record of 1m41.186s.
Pedrosa receives clearance for Catalonia
Wednesday, 10 June 2009
Spaniard to participate in home race after last-minute check.
Repsol Honda rider Dani Pedrosa has confirmed his presence at the Gran Premi Cinzano de Catalunya, less than two weeks after suffering a minor fracture to his right femur. The Spaniard undertook a final check-up at Barcelona’s Dexeus facility on Tuesday, with Doctors Xavier Mir and Manel Ribas giving him the all-clear to ride.
The participation of the 2008 racewinner was never in serious doubt, based on his past record of riding around injuries, the closeness of the title chase in front of him and the fact that the weekend’s race is one of his best chances of taking a first victory of the season. In a statement, Pedrosa also listed the desire to ride in front of his home fans as a key motivational factor.
“I didn’t want to miss this important date for anything in the world,” he said. “On the one hand I wanted to ride because missing this race would mean losing too much ground in the standings, and also because I wanted to race in front of my fans, friends and family.”
Pedrosa has been resting up following his Mugello ordeal, with his right leg immobilised and a cocktail of anti-inflammatories and muscle relaxants to ease the pain. (motogp.com)
Lorenzo and Rossi ready for Catalonian challenge
Posted on 09 June 2009
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The Fiat Yamaha Team moves to Spain for the Grand Prix of Catalunya this week and after Valentino Rossi’s home race in Italy last time out it is now Jorge Lorenzo’s turn in the spotlight as the local hero. After a thrilling race in Mugello the pair now lie second and third in the championship and another exciting spectacle beckons this weekend at the high-speed Montmeló track.
Mallorcan-born Lorenzo lived in Barcelona for much of his early career and after a brief hiatus in London last year he has now returned to live in his beloved home city. Following two wins and a brilliant second in Mugello the 22-year-old lies just four points off Casey Stoner in the championship standings and after disappointment on his last visit to Spain earlier this season he is determined to reach the podium in front of his fans this time out. Last year he was forced to miss the Catalunya round through injury after a crash in practice but he has won there previously in 250s and knows that home success is something special in front of the passionate and knowledgeable Spanish fans.
Montmeló has been a happy hunting ground for reigning World Champion Rossi in the past and he has no less than eight victories to his name there, but he has finished second for the past two years and would like a return to the top step at what is one of his favourite tracks. Last year he made an impressive charge through the field from ninth on the grid to take the runner-up spot but he is keen to strike back with a win this weekend to add to his victory in Jerez a few races ago and claim back points on his team-mate, whom he trails in the standings by five points.
The Circuit de Catalunya is similar to Mugello in that it features one of the longest main straights in the world. The rest of the track is characterised by long radius, medium and high-speed sweeping corners, with two tight left-hand hairpins thrown into the mix. This variation combined with regular changes in camber makes the circuit particularly demanding on chassis balance and means that front-end feel is a key concern for every rider. After the limit on testing this season, the Monday after the race will allow the teams their first chance to test since before the first race and it promises to be a crucial day of development before the busiest stage of the season.
Jorge Lorenzo - “One of my favourite tracks”
“I’ve had a great season so far but it hasn’t all been perfect and I made a big mistake in Jerez when I tried to pass Stoner, so hopefully I can do better for my home fans this time! After Mugello and Le Mans we know that anything can happen and you just have to keep calm and focused. Now we’re going to my home, the closest place to my Island of Mallorca and one of my favourite tracks. I’ve always been fast there, right back to when I went there for the first time when I was in 125s and got my first second row start. My main aim this time is to have a better weekend than last year and to completely forget what happened. I improved on last year in Mugello so hopefully I can do the same again in Barcelona.”
Valentino Rossi - “Hoping for a second Spanish win!”
“Mugello was disappointing but still we took some good points and now, entering one of the most important phases of the championship, this is very important. We still haven’t found the perfect answer to make my M1 exactly how I want but Barcelona is a good track for us so hopefully we can make the final step there, also since we will finally have a chance to test on Monday. Barcelona is, along with Mugello and Phillip Island, one of my favourite tracks and I always love racing there. I have taken one Spanish win so far this season so I am hoping for another this weekend. We need to keep focused and use what we learnt in Mugello to put us in the right shape. Finally I am hoping for good weather because I don’t think these flag-to-flag races in the wet and the dry suit me very well!”
Daniele Romagnoli - “Feeling very strong”
“Going to Barcelona, Jorge’s home race, lying second in the championship is absolutely brilliant and it gives us great motivation; we are feeling very strong right now after two good results in a row. This year the championship is very close and we need to be consistently on the podium in order to stay in touch. We’ve done very well in the last two races in the strange weather conditions but I think everyone would prefer a ‘normal’ race this time so let’s hope for some Spanish sunshine.”
Davide Brivio - “Still on target”
“We’re still on target and close to the top of the championship but this weekend we need to try to gain some points on the two ahead of us in the championship. We have to work at our hardest this weekend. Usually we’re good in Barcelona but there are a lot of others who are also strong there and we know that it’s going to be a hard battle which we have to be involved in! On Monday we have our first test since the start of the season and it’s going to be a very important day which will hopefully give us some good information to help us over the second half of the championship.”
Valentino Rossi : Information
Age: 30
Lives: Tavullia, Italy
Bike: Yamaha
GP victories: 98 (72 x MotoGP/500cc, 14 x 250cc, 12 x 125cc)
First GP victory: Czech Republic, 1996 (125cc)
First GP: Malaysia, 1996 (125cc)
GP starts: 215 (155 x MotoGP/500cc, 30 x 250cc, 30 x 125cc)
Pole positions: 52 (42 x MotoGP/500cc, 5 x 250cc, 5 x 125cc)
World Championships: 8 Grand Prix (1 x 125cc, 1 x 250cc, 1 x 500cc, 5 x MotoGP)
Jorge Lorenzo: Information
Age: 22
Lives: Barcelona, Spain
Bike: Yamaha
GP victories: 24 (3 x MotoGP, 17 x 250cc, 4 x 125cc)
First GP victory: Brazil, 2003 (125cc)
First GP: Jerez, Spain, 2002 (125cc)
GP starts: 116 (22 x MotoGP, 48 x 250cc, 46 x 125cc)
Pole positions: 32 (6 x MotoGP, 23 x 250cc, 3 x 125cc)
World Championships: 2 (250cc, 2006/7)
Montmelo’: Record Lap
D. Pedrosa (Honda) 2008, 1′42.358
Montmelo’: Best Lap
C. Stoner (Ducati) 2008, 1′41.186
Grand Prix Results: Montmelo’ 2008
1. D. Pedrosa (Honda) 43′02.175
2. V.Rossi (Yamaha) +2.806
3. C.Stoner (Ducati) +3.343
(http://www.rossifiles.com)
Jorge Lorenzo threatened by former manager? |
Sportspaper Marca states that Amatriain was arrested in Barcelona, venue for this weekend's Grand Prix of Catalunya, after making death threats against his former riders.
Amatriain, who guided Lorenzo to two 250cc world titles (pictured) before his 2008 MotoGP debut, is alleged to have demanded money from the riders during early morning phone calls and face to face meetings.
Lorenzo split from Amatriain late last year and has attempted to make a 'fresh start' in 2009, even dropping his traditional #48 for the number 99.
The Spaniard has won two of the five races so far this season and is currently second in the world championship, just four points behind Ducati's Casey Stoner and five points ahead of Fiat Yamaha team-mate and reigning champion Valentino Rossi.
Whilst racing in the lower classes, Amatriain and Lorenzo frequently clashed with the other Spanish power-pairing of Dani Pedrosa and Alberto Puig. (http://www.crash.net)
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