Sachsenring - Germany- FP1

2009 Sachsenring MotoGP FP1 Result - Stoner Smashes Lap Record On Drying Track

Submitted by David Emmett on Fri, 2009-07-17 14:58.

in http://www.motogpmatters.com

A drying track turned the first session of free practice for the MotoGP riders into a confusing and thrilling chase for times, lap times tumbling throughout. On the damp track, it was the Ducatis of Nicky Hayden and Casey Stoner that led the charts, with Marco Melandri and Andrea Dovizioso constantly close. Around the halfway mark the track began to dry properly, and the top spot started swapping hands at a pace almost too fast to follow. At one point even MotoGP rookie Gabor Talmacsi took over 2nd spot, before the rest of the field started catching up.

Once the track was fully dry - with the exception of a small stream running across the track around Turn 1 - it was Casey Stoner who set the fastest time, smashing the existing lap record in the process by over three tenths of a second. The 2nd spot went to Dani Pedrosa, who had been in and out of the top ten all day, but snatched 2nd in the dying seconds, forcing Valentino Rossi down into 3rd. All of the Yamaha men started the day off slowly, languishing in the bottom half of the timesheets, but as the track dried, all four Yamahas improved.

Randy de Puniet took 4th spot, ahead of a surprising Alex de Angelis, who has a history of good results here at the Sachsenring, while Colin Edwards was 6th fastest on the Tech 3 Yamaha. Toni Elias was 7th quickest, just ahead of Nicky Hayden and Andrea Dovizioso. But with just 0.2 seconds separating places 5 through 11, those positions were taken almost at random.

Hayden was unlucky to have been shuffled down into 8th, as the American put on a very strong show for most of the session, regularly topping the timesheets. Hayden has spoken of feeling more comfortable on the Ducati, and his results are starting to show it.

Results of the MotoGP FP1 session:

Pos No. Rider Bike Time Diff Diff Previous 1 27 Casey STONER DUCATI 1'22.779 “If there are wet conditions over the next two days like it was earlier today it is perfect for us, because we can go further in the race and maybe have a chance to win in these conditions, if we find a good setting,” Stoner commented at the end of Free Practice 1. “At the moment we still need to work a lot with the bike.” The former World Champion went on to add, “The feeling is quite good also in the dry. But we need to work a lot more in the wet, so if it is wet on Saturday that will be a good situation for us. The team did a fantastic job last year and I was able to finish the race in a good condition, but I didn’t feel like this. Anyway everything is feeling quite good and the bike is working really well again. The last few races it has really been working fantastic so it’s a big ‘hats off’ to all my team and Ducati for their hard work. Now we just have to see if we can last the weekend and be competitive for the race.” MotoGP.com 2 3 Dani PEDROSA HONDA 1'23.034 0.255 0.255 “I have to say that at the beginning in the wet I took it easy after what happened last year, but actually, when I saw the rain before the session I thought, OK, we can pick up from where we left off and change the outcome,” said Dani, who crashed heavily out of the lead one year ago. “We rode with the new engine today although, because of these mixed conditions, it wasn't really possible to draw definite conclusions - but the feeling was positive. We need more laps to fully evaluate the engine, so we'll continue with that tomorrow,” he added. Crash.net 3 46 Valentino ROSSI YAMAHA 1'23.088 0.309 0.054 "This was quite a strange session because we had all sorts of track conditions and then at the end it was basically dry and I was quite fast. It was a good chance to work on the rain setting and I am pretty happy because the bike felt good and our times were also quick on the wet track. It seems we have a good setting immediately here for all conditions, because it continued to feel good as the track dried and the nature of the asphalt changed. We have some things to improve, especially the feeling and general balance in the faster parts of the track, so we will concentrate on this tomorrow. Right at the end we had a bit of traffic or we could have been faster, but anyway we're still third so I think we are in good shape. It seems Bridgestone have brought good tyres for this track, of course there is no intermediate tyre which is always going to be a bit difficult in these sorts of conditions, but I don't think it was a big problem today." www.yamaha-racing.com 4 14 Randy DE PUNIET HONDA 1'23.133 0.354 0.045 “It was a good first session and I am quite satisfied about our performance,” said the Frenchman. “After the storm we started in the wet as everybody but since the first laps I was very comfortable with the bike. Once the surface started to dry up I came out on soft tyre but I was very careful at the beginning; when my lap times became more consistent we decided to continue on soft tyres. I made a 23-lap run [Sunday's race is 30 laps] with a good pace at the end on used tyres so I am pretty confident for tomorrow's qualifying. Basically we found the correct overall package and we just have to fine-tune the chassis and the suspensions”. crash.net 5 15 Alex DE ANGELIS HONDA 1'23.282 0.503 0.149 “I waited until I saw a few other riders on slicks before changing because we didn't want to risk anything and when we went back out I was able to hold my position near the top,” said de Angelis. “We had a bit of a problem with the bike not turning in the tight corners, which is the thing you really need here, but we improved that. Now the main issue is the rear spinning up and we need to sort that because every tenth you lose around this circuit is crucial. “I was the fastest in T3, the same as last year I think. I have always said my strong point as a rider is in fast corners and this is one of the fastest and most technical sections on the calendar. It is helping me make up some time but to be honest we still don't have the package I need to be fast and consistent around the rest of the circuit.” crash.net 6 5 Colin EDWARDS YAMAHA 1'23.295 0.516 0.013 "Looking at last year's race I knew the Bridgestone rain tyre was awesome, so it gave me chance to sort some of the issues out I've had in the wet recently. Previously I've had too much weight on the rear but now we've got it more balanced and it felt really good. For the dry we went back to my old setting that I pretty much rolled out at the first race in Qatar with and it was like coming home. We'd gone off the right path and I've not had any feeling with the front in the last few races. The bike hasn't been turning but the changes we've made with the front forks have transformed the way I feel. Now the bike is doing what I want it to because before I couldn't get the front set-up, I couldn't get into the corner and I had too much weight on the front with no feeling and no confidence. Now there's more weight on the rear and I can control weight transfer more without it all pushing to the front. I tried some new electronics today too and they are fantastic. It used to be so much effort to manage the bike under acceleration, but now it is incredible. I want to say a massive thanks to Yamaha because what they have put on my bike is like gold dust. It's a lot less effort to control the bike when I'm accelerating and it is giving me some crucial tenths." www.yamaha-racing.com 7 24 Toni ELIAS HONDA 1'23.351 0.572 0.056 “I'm struggling a little bit here with a stomach problem and some 'flu symptoms – but don't worry, it's not swine 'flu!” said the San Carlo Honda Gresini rider. “It was quite a good session today because we were able to get a feel for the conditions in the wet and then work on the bike in the dry. “We were pretty good in both conditions and even though I finished up in seventh place the gap to the top is only 0.5 seconds and with the way I'm feeling today that is not much. I have to be happy with the way things have started here.” crash.net 8 69 Nicky HAYDEN DUCATI 1'23.367 0.588 0.016 “It is nice to be able to come to a track and not have to be trying something radical with the set-up on the first day and today we started out with pretty much the settings from Laguna, making a few changes as the session went on. Having said that we are trying a new handlebar here, which isn’t normally the kind of thing you do at this stage of the season, but we have changed a lot on the back of the bike so we just needed to compensate a little at the front. Up to now we’ve been using data from Casey or previous riders to find a base set-up on a Friday but now hopefully we can work from my own data on a consistent basis. My final position today isn’t too great but early in the session we were going really well, especially in the wet. We were on top for a long time and in this paddock if you’re P1 in the wet, dry or intermediate you have to be riding well and be comfortable with the bike. I think I was third up until the last lap, and it is a thing we need to improve – when I try to really dig in we don’t seem able to go faster and it’s an area we still need to address in order to improve qualifying in particular. Anyway, here we’ve started very well so we’ll see where we go from here.” motogp.com 9 4 Andrea DOVIZIOSO HONDA 1'23.370 0.591 0.003 “Even though the track conditions were not ideal, we already felt some improvements from the new engine that Honda has brought for us this weekend,” stated Dovi. “The situation wasn't perfect for a comparison test because we started with a wet track and then it started to dry, so we began with the current version of the engine and then we did the last run with the new one. “The feeling was good both in wet and dry conditions and we did a lot of testing without focusing too hard on setting ultimate lap times, so I'm confident for tomorrow. We'll continue with the set-up and tyre testing work tomorrow, and continue to evaluate the new engine,” he added. crash.net 10 33 Marco MELANDRI KAWASAKI 1'23.466 0.687 0.096 11 99 Jorge LORENZO YAMAHA 1'23.496 0.717 0.030 "I am not at 100% and in fact my injuries don't feel as good as I had hoped on the bike, which is disappointing. I have decided for the first time to use the leathers with the airbag and I want to say that I feel much more safe! This isn't the best track for me, the slow corners don't really suit my style and when I am not at full fitness it makes it more difficult, but today was okay considering the conditions. During the early part when it was wet I was reminding myself of the track, and then when it was dry later on I didn't really have enough time to go fast because we had some things to check on the setting. But there are 12 riders all very close together, within seven tenths of a second and I am not worried because it was a strange day and not one for making conclusions. The forecast tomorrow looks similar tomorrow but let's hope it is wrong!" www.yamaha-racing.com 12 65 Loris CAPIROSSI SUZUKI 1'23.705 0.926 0.209 13 36 Mika KALLIO DUCATI 1'24.090 1.311 0.385 14 52 James TOSELAND YAMAHA 1'24.317 1.538 0.227 "It wasn't a bad session even though I'm down the timesheets because we've gathered a lot of information in the wet and dry. It was important to do a few laps in the wet and we found we didn't have a great setting. So that was good to discover because it looks like there's a big chance of rain for the rest of the weekend. I spent a bit too much time on the wet tyres basically, even when it was drying up while the other guys were already out on slicks. I wanted to check on the wet tyres and get a feel for them just in case it does dry up for the race like it did in Le Mans and Mugello. In the damp conditions I had a big moment too and really hit my right leg hard. I was out of the seat at Turn Eight and I smacked my foot on the rear brake lever so hard that it was all bent. It was painful but luckily it caught me on the protective part of my boot, otherwise I could have done myself some damage. By the time I put the slicks on and made a few changes to my set-up it was a little bit too late to get close to the speed of the others but I'm sure I could have got in the 1.23s. We had some new electronics from Yamaha and it is a big step. I've got to say a big thanks to Yamaha for helping me out. These bikes have got so much horsepower that with a bit more control under acceleration, it's amazing how much easier it feels. It has really helped me coming out of the corner and I can control the bike much better." www.yamaha-racing.com 15 88 Niccolo CANEPA DUCATI 1'24.908 2.129 0.591 16 7 Chris VERMEULEN SUZUKI 1'25.161 2.382 0.253 17 41 Gabor TALMACSI HONDA 1'25.416 2.637 0.255

Sachsenring - Germany- before the race

Racing numbers for Alice Motorrad Grand Prix Deutschland

Thursday, 16 July 2009

Numbers and statistics for the latest round of the MotoGP World Championship.

159 – At Sachsenring, Valentino Rossi is scheduled to make his 159th successive premier-class GP start without missing a race. This will take the record for successive premier-class starts from Alex Barros, who started 158 successive races.

61 – With his tenth place finish at Laguna Seca, Marco Melandri has scored 61 points from the first eight races of the year. This is four more than top Kawasaki rider of last year John Hopkins scored throughout the complete 2008 season.

18 – Dani Pedrosa’s win at Laguna Seca ended an 18 race sequence without a win for Honda in MotoGP, since Pedrosa won in Catalonia 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.

16 – Valentino Rossi has been on the podium sixteen times in the seventeen races since finishing second in Germany last year. The only occasion he has not finished on the podium during this period was when he crashed at Le Mans and re-started to finish 16th.

15 – Spanish riders have started from pole on fifteen occasions across the three classes in 2009. None of these riders have gone on to win the race after starting from pole.

11 – Race day in Germany will be the 11th anniversary to the day of the very first Grand Prix event to be held at the newly built Sachsenring circuit in 1998.

3 – Sachsenring is one of just three current circuits where Rossi has not started from pole in the premier-class; the others are Laguna Seca and Misano.

3 – There are only three riders in the 250cc class who have scored points at all seven races held so far in 2009; Hiroshi Aoyama, Hector Barbera and Raffaele de Rosa.

And now lets hear wht the boys have to say:

World Champion and standings leader Valentino Rossi was the first man to speak in Thursday’s press conference at Sachsenring, as he, Dani Pedrosa, Chris Vermeulen, Nicky Hayden and Mika Kallio commented on their 2009 experiences to date and offered their views on riding at the hilly German venue.

On his Sachsenring record Rossi stated, “It is always a difficult track for me personally but I have had some good victories here in the past, one in the 250cc class, one in MotoGP in 2002 and two in a row with Yamaha more recently. In 2007 I made a mistake in the race and lost a lot of important points in the championship, but last year was good in difficult conditions. It was very cold and there was a lot of rain but arriving in second position was an important result.”

Moving on to explain his approach the ninth GP weekend of the year, which he goes into with a nine point championship lead, Fiat Yamaha rider Rossi added, “This year we arrive here with a good pace and having got some good results. We also have a clear idea on our setting so we hope to start well from Friday.”

Meanwhile, Repsol Honda’s ‘comeback kid’ Pedrosa, who finally returned to full form with victory last time out at Laguna Seca less than two weeks ago, referenced his U.S. win saying, “It was a good result for me and for all our team, so we went out afterwards for dinner to celebrate and it was nice.”

Currently fourth in the classification, Pedrosa turned his focus to Sachsenring, where he dramatically crashed out last year, but normally goes well, adding, “I’ve also had some good times here but last year especially was not the greatest moment! It is a track where things are tight, the lap times are very close between the riders, so you have to work very hard to get on the front row.”

Rizla Suzuki representative Vermeulen, who lies eighth in the championship and was on the podium in 2008’s wet race in Germany despite starting 14th on the grid, stated, “Like Valentino said last season it was a very tough in the race, with conditions so different to practice and qualifying. We had struggled to get the most out of one lap on the tyre but I was very happy to be back on the podium in the race. It looks like the weather could be unstable again this weekend so it will be important to be fast in all conditions.”

Ducati’s fast-improving former World Champion Hayden arrives at round nine having boosted his confidence in his home race at Laguna. The American remarked, “In my last four races I’ve gone twelfth, tenth, eighth and fifth, so we know we are going in the right way. The next step, to put myself in with the front group, is the hardest one, but there is a lot of racing to go this year. We just have to keep our heads down and see what happens.”

Stoner diagnosed with mild anaemia

By Pablo Elizalde from autosport.com

Tuesday, July 14th 2009, 13:28 GMT

Casey Stoner has been diagnosed with a slight gastritis and mild anaemia after the Australian underwent further tests in the United States last week.

Stoner has been affected by the illness since the Catalunya Grand Prix and doctors were yet to discover the reasons for his slump during the races.

After staying in the United States following the Laguna Seca race, the former world champion underwent further tests and was finally given a verdict.

The Australian says he will now follow the doctors' indications to try and make a full recovery.

Ducati said doctors are sure that with the right treatment Stoner will be back to full fitness in a matter of weeks.

"I have been in USA until Saturday to do all the tests," Stoner said. "First of all I'd like to thanks all the doctors involved in this, Dr. Ting and Dr. Tuan in the Fremont Surgery Center, Dr. Macchiagodena, Dr. Catani, Dr. Ceccarelli and of course my physiotherapist Freddy.

"Hopefully step by step I will feel better with their indications. I still don't feel like I am 100 per cent but the biggest problem now is the ribs that are very painful after the crash in the USA GP qualifying.

"It will be probably another hard weekend, but as always, we will do our best to stay as much as possible close to the lead of the championship".

Team boss Livio Suppo added: "This is a delicate time for Casey but we know he is made of stern stuff. He will continue to fight like a lion, as he has done in the past few races, even though the crash at Laguna left its mark on him and that certainly won't help.

"Nicky again rides at a circuit where he has always gone well at in the past and I'm sure he will be able to confirm that the improvement made at Laguna is only the start!"

Nicky Hayden: "I'm Starting To Enjoy Riding The Ducati"

Submitted by David Emmett on Thu, 2009-07-16 19:27.

at motogpmatters.com

At the pre-race press conference for the German Grand Prix at the Sachsenring, Nicky Hayden spoke about the progress he'd been making on the Ducati, after a difficult start to the season. Speaking to a packed press room, under questioning from MotoGP.com's official commentator Nick Harris, the American revealed how the hard work put in by him and the team were starting to pay off. Below is a transcript of part of Hayden's interview:

Your 5th place at Laguna must have given you a great boost.

Last couple of races we've been 10th, 8th, 5th, we've made a lot of progress. That makes me happy that we're moving in the right direction, and we've found a way with the team. I'm enjoying riding the bike more. It's pretty good, and we need to keep going. But now I know that to stick my nose in the next group is when it's going to get real hard. That's the big step, that final group up front. We're going in the right way, just keep our head down and there's a lot of racing left to go.

What made the difference or did it just start to click? You've changed personnel, you've all been working very hard to make it work?

It was a lot of little things. In the beginning everything was wrong; I didn't feel any confidence in the bike, and a lot of bad luck, and it was just a disaster really. But slowly we've just started eliminating problems and working through it. Sure we've had some setbacks along the way and it hasn't just come over night - not that anything at this level ever does. It hasn't been just one thing that fell in place. We're still a long way off where we want to be and there's still a lot of work left to do. But certainly a lot of people have worked hard, and the team is starting to understand me better and the communication has certainly improved since the beginning of the season so now we're able to make a lot more progress through the weekend.

And there's a lot of work with Bologna and from the test team and they spend a lot of time testing. I spend a lot of time in Bologna with Filippo talking about things. We'll see if we can't keep it up because now I'm enjoying it. The bike is good, but that's the thing, sometimes it's hard to get it out of the bike, though when the bike is right it has huge potential but when it's off a bit it can often be a nightmare.

Injured Lorenzo says podium realistic

By Matt Beer at autosport.com

Monday, July 13th 2009, 13:44 GMT

Jorge Lorenzo thinks a podium should still be possible at the Sachsenring this weekend even though he admits he will not be back to full fitness following his Laguna Seca accident.

The Yamaha rider managed to take third in America despite damaging his shoulder and breaking bones in his foot when he had a violent high-side shortly after taking pole position in qualifying.

He said his condition had improved since then, but was not yet perfect.

"Following my injuries in Laguna Seca, I am feeling a lot better after a week of rest but I won't be at 100 per cent this weekend," Lorenzo warned.

"I have some pain in my foot when walking and also in my shoulder joint, so the first thing I will do when I get to Sachsenring is go to the Clinica Mobile."

He expects this race to be a damage limitation exercise.

"My aim as ever this weekend is to be on the podium and to try to get as many points as possible compared to the rivals that are in front of me," he said.

His team manager Daniele Romagnoli is confident that Lorenzo can still take home plenty of points despite his injuries, having shrugged the discomfort off very effectively as he battled team-mate Valentino Rossi for second at Laguna.

"We're happy to report that Jorge's condition is a lot better after a week of rest," Romagnoli said. "He won't be in perfect condition but he will be a lot stronger and therefore able to push harder on the bike this weekend than he could in Laguna.

"In America Jorge showed once again that he has a great determination to achieve his potential whatever condition he is in and so we hope that in Germany we can be in good shape once again, be at the front and fight for the podium. We need to try to recover some points as we look to the summer break."

Lorenzo currently holds second in the world championship, nine points behind Rossi, and seven ahead of Casey Stoner.

Gresini team bring progress back to Europe

Toni Elias

“It is important that we have started to find the right way forward at this stage of the season because there is still a long way to go and perhaps if we had taken any longer it would be too late. We have had eight tough races but we're starting to find the limits of this bike and we still have nine races left in which to push it to the maximum”, he said. “To be honest I don't like Sachsenring much but looking back I have raced there injured on three occasions so maybe that's why I don't have good memories or good results to reflect on! Last year could have been much better but it rained so hopefully this is the year my fortunes change in Germany. I stayed on in America for an extra day to go sightseeing in San Francisco, which was great fun, but after that I was straight home to train and get ready for another important race.”moto-live.com

Alex De Angelis'

"I have had so many good results at Sachsenring in the past, just the kind of results we could do with right now! Unfortunately we made the wrong choice with the setting for the race at Laguna but there were a lot of positives about the weekend as a whole and we are looking to bring those to the fore in Germany”, he said. “The German Grand Prix is definitely one of my favourites. I have a lot of affection for the Sachsenring circuit because I took my first pole there and I was on the podium every year from 2002 to 2007. The track is very technical, varied and without any long straights so it is important to have a good chassis set-up, more than a powerful engine. We're going through a difficult phase right now but we won't give up."moto-live.com

Kallio: Not as bad as it looks!

Mika Kallio will return to MotoGP action in this weekend's German Grand Prix after a nasty finger injury forced him to miss the recent Laguna Seca round.

The MotoGP rookie fell from his Pramac Ducati just a few corners short of claiming a career best sixth at Assen, then had part of his left ring finger ground away when his hand became trapped under the bike.

“It looks quite bad, but the pain is ok now,” said Kallio on Thursday in Germany. “I think it's not so bad for riding, but if I feel too much pain we just need to get an injection and that's it. Of course it would be much nicer to ride without this, but this is how it is.

"I would say I am at 90% of my usual physical condition," he added. "I will have to wear a special glove made by Alpinestar with much more space for my left ring finger due to the big bandage I have on it. For sure in the next few weeks I will not be able to get married as the ring would never fit!"

Kallio scored two eighth places in his first two MotoGP rides, but has claimed points in only two of the six races since (including his American absence).

“It's really tough in MotoGP,” said the Finn. “The start of the season was really good but then we get some little problems and struggled with some settings, so the feeling with the bike was not what exactly what I wanted. That it why the results were a little bit down.

“But now I think we are coming back. Like we saw in Assen, when everything was quite good. My speed and lap times were constant and good during the race.

“For sure it will be a tough weekend here," he continued. "Qualifying is really important here and we'll see what happens, because my finger is not so good. But wherever we qualify, we will push in the race.”

"It is so nice to have Mika back with us," stated Pramac Racing technical director Fabiano Sterlacchini. "We really missed him in America, but I am still convinced that we took the right decision by leaving him at home for one weekend to recover in the best way possible and not ruin the rest of the season.

"From the beginning of the season Mika has been telling me that this is one of his favorite tracks, if not the favorite, this is why we expect a lot here. For sure it will not be easy due to the injury, but we believe that Mika will almost be in the best physical condition possible to compete at the maximum level." crash.net

And the real sad news this week, another team runs into financial difficulties and another rider loses his sit.
So good bye to Gibernau- hopped to see more of you this year. better luck somewhere else

Gibernau's team quits MotoGP grid

http://news.bbc.co.uk

German MotoGP, Sachsenring
Date: 18-19 July
Saturday 18 July: Qualifying: 1150-1500, BBC Red Button/online Sunday 19 July: 125cc & 250cc races 0950-1205, BBC Red Button/online Race live: 1230-1400, BBC Two/online ; MotoGP Extra, 1400-1430, BBC Red Button/online

---

Gibernau's career has been blighted by a string of injury problems

Sete Gibernau's future in MotoGP is in doubt after his Ducati satellite team Grupo Francisco Hernando withdrew from the championship for financial reasons.

The Spaniard returned to the series this season after two years away and competed in six races, missing two others because of a broken collarbone.

"I am the most surprised at this decision," said Gibernau.

"It's a shame that just as we're getting close to picking up the results we were after we have had to pull out."

The former world championship runner-up has yet to make a statement over whether he plans to continue riding.

He retired for the first time in 2006 after a crash at the Portuguese Grand Prix.

Gibernau's most recent race of his comeback also ended in disappointment, crashing out of the United States Grand Prix at Laguna Seca.

MotoGP- Laguna Seca - Race

Drought Over

July 6, 2009 by Jacob Black - motogpmagazine.com

Pics by Scott Jones from motogpmatters.com

Repsol Honda pilot Dani Pedrosa revisited the top step of the podium for the first time in over a year at the Red Bull US Grand Prix in Laguna Seca. An action packed Laguna Seca grand prix saw just 12 riders finish a race of attrition, with six crashing out and James Toseland copping a disqualification. But it was the diminutive Spaniard who stood firm. Pedrosa holding off a last lap attack from Rossi to win after riding to the front off the line and dominating all race.

Starting from pole with a separated collarbone was too much for Jorge Lorenzo. The Spaniard dropping to eighth before turn one as Pedrosa and Stoner led the way from Valentino Rossi.

Rossi, clearly on a mission rounded up Stoner for second on the way into the famous corkscrew and set off after Pedrosa but in shades of 2008 Rossi lost the spot to Stoner again just one lap later, and the battle between the two saw Pedrosa take a small advantage into lap three.

At the end of three short laps Pedrosa led Stoner, from Rossi, Dovizioso and Lorenzo, the top five separated by less than 1.5 seconds.

Lap four saw the first crash of the race, Galbor Talmasci crashing out of his second MotoGP on the Team Scot Honda.

Settling back into a rhythm after yet another horror start, the injured Lorenzo closed on the front runners as Loris Capirossi crashed out of the race on lap five.

In a race that was rapidly turning into one of attrition, Andrea Dovizioso was the first of the front runners to falter, his crash on lap seven came at turn five, the Repsol Honda tucking the front and sliding out on the left hander while Sete Gibernau was the fourth rider out on the final corner of the lap.

James Toseland received a pit lane penalty for jumping the start, but either didn’t see his pit board or didn’t care, and was disqualified from the race for ignoring the penalty, leaving just 12 riders in the race.

Meanwhile Dani Pedrosa skipped out by two seconds over Stoner and Rossi, forcing Rossi’s hand. Rossi managed to retake Stoner for second on lap 12 but Pedrosa was still almost half a second faster than the rest of the pack and pulling away.

The injured and ever tenacious Lorenzo clawed his way into third on lap 21 as Stoner’s recurring mystery illness saw his slide slowly backwards to fourth. Stoner’s Ducati teammate Hayden, lurked in fifth at his home grand prix but the 10 second gap between the two was already insurmountable for the American.

Lorenzo steadily closed on Rossi by two-tenths a lap and the battle for second ignited as Pedrosa stabilised his lead over the duo.

With the injured Lorenzo monstering the back of his teammate, it was a wild dive down the inside of the final turn that seemingly undid the Spaniard’s hopes to peg back points on championship leader Rossi. Lorenzo’s bike picked up the rear tyre deep under brakes, bucked and almost threw its pilot in a harrowing moment that showed just how disadvantaged the #99 rider was by his injured collarbone.

The moment seemed to trigger something in Rossi, who used his new found freedom from Lorenzo to push for the lead, with around a second gap to Pedrosa heading into the final lap Pedrosa could be forgiven for feeling safe but Rossi closed enough to have a lunge into the final turn.

The dramatic last lap had the Honda camp pulling their hear out but Pedrosa did enough to win Honda’s first race since Catalunya in 2008 from Rossi, Lorenzo, Stoner and Nicky Hayden in fifth, his best result on a Ducati in a race only 12 riders made the finish.

Today’s second place leaves Rossi still leading the championship by nine points from Lorenzo, 16 from Stoner and 59 points from Dani Pedrosa heading into the next round in Germany. .motogp.com

1. Dani Pedrosa SPA Repsol Honda Team 44min 1.580 sec

"The performance was very good. I was comfortable, I was doing great laps, and just in the last lap I relaxed a little bit too much.

"When I saw in the last lap the bike of Rossi I thought maybe I was too slow. But it's a good feeling to be back winning for me and my team." news.bbc.co.uk/sport2

2. Valentino Rossi ITA Fiat Yamaha Team 44min 1.924 sec

“The first half of the race was quite difficult because we weren’t at 100% today. I didn’t expect Dani to be so fast but he was very strong and there wasn’t much I could do to go with him! The last ten laps were very exciting because Lorenzo was pushing me so hard that I had to really make another step and then Dani slowed down and suddenly he was right in front of me! I thought there was a chance to pass on the final corner but unfortunately I was just too far off and it was too much of a risk. Second is good today because we were not in perfect shape here, we missed something in the setting and this is always a hard track anyway, so we have to be happy with these twenty points. We have extended the championship lead so it’s a good result for us and we have shown that we are still strong this year even when things are not perfect. This consistency is the most important thing for the championship. Now I am happy that we have some time to rest because these have been a hard two weeks and the next two races are very important because we are all so close!”yamaha-racing.com
3. Jorge Lorenzo SPA Fiat Yamaha Team 44min 3.506 sec

“I always try to do my best and I think that is what I have done today, considering my physical condition. I am really proud and I think that this was one of my best races. My foot was okay but I had a lot of pain in my right shoulder, which meant I wasn’t strong in my right hand and I had to over-compensate with my left; I am really tired now! I want to thank the Clinica Mobile because they made it possible for me to finish the race. After a while I started to forget about the pain a bit and I just wanted to do my best and I knew that it was possible to pass Valentino. Unfortunately I hit some bumps when I braked deep and my rear tyre moved a lot and I was lucky not to crash – maybe without this mistake, if I had been able to pass him, it would have been possible to win but anyway third is good in the circumstances and we have taken good points. Now we have some time to recover; I am fit and strong so I hope that by Sachsenring I will be back to my best.” yamaha-racing.com
4. Casey Stoner AUS Ducati Marlboro Team 44min 14.012 sec

“I can’t be happy with fourth place, even though I know that we have performed some damage limitation in terms of the overall standings. It’s a weekend to forget,” said the Ducati rider.

“Today I didn’t feel as bad at the end of the race as I have done in the last two, but I’m still not right,” he added, referring to his physical condition that has suffered over the past month. The fatigue also brought with it the return of a previous problem in his scaphoid.

“I found it really difficult to keep my concentration over the last few laps and I was in a bit of a daze by the end. My left arm was feeling really tired by the end because of the fact there are so many left-handers here and my left wrist still doesn’t have the full range of movement after my operation in the winter,” he explained. “Now we’ll focus on trying to find out the root of the problem because racing in this condition is not much fun.”

Stoner will now stay on in the United States for extensive tests at the Fremont Surgery Center with Dr. Arthur Ting and Dr. Tuan, to try and understand the source of the problem. .motogp.com

5. Nicky Hayden USA Ducati Marlboro Team 44min 23.243 sec

“It was certainly a lot better than my other races so far this year. I have some great memories from here so it’s hard to get too excited by fifth place but I’m happy.”

On the weekend as a whole he commented, “I’ve had a tough season, on Friday I was at the bottom and feeling miserable, just thinking it would break my heart to ride like that all weekend. We changed some stuff on the bike and just kept working our way forward, and in the end we got into the top five. Now we need to try and build on this.”

Looking ahead to the next round in Germany, Hayden added, “We have to enjoy this moment and then see what Sachsenring brings. We’ve made a lot of changes on the bike so this has been a big adjustment for me. The team is just working as hard as ever and I am happy with my guys and the support they give me so if we can get some momentum that is all I can ask for.” .motogp.com

6. Toni Elias SPA San Carlo Honda Gresini 44min 23.621 sec

“Finally I finished sixth and Nicky was very strong. I tried right up until the last corner but I couldn’t pass him, and although I wanted more, to be higher up, I think we have to be happy with sixth because it’s our best result this season.”

On the improvements he made in California he continued, “We are thinking positively, we must continue working like this. We are doing well, every race we are getting closer and I hope to take that next step to get closer to the best riders.”

“I was hoping the front guys would be a little slower than that and allow us to challenge them but the pace was very quick so compliments to them. In general this weekend has been much better than previous races and so was the result, but we always want more.” .motogp.com

7. Colin Edwards USA Monster Yamaha Tech 3 44min 31.781 sec

It’s great to score my 100th points finish in front of my home fans and doing it for Monster, Yamaha and Tech 3 who have given me great support. But I expect more than finishing seventh. I’m pretty tired now and it was a really physical race because I couldn’t get the bike to turn. Each time I threw it on its side it just went straight out to the kerb. I was using a lot of effort to get the bike to turn and it felt like the front forks were sitting between my legs. When I braked the front didn’t feel like it was coming back up. It felt like the front was buried in the ground and just pushed me out to the edge of the track. I ride over the front a lot but today it felt like I was crawling all over it, almost like I was sitting on top of the tank. It wasn’t super special and we’ve got to go back to the drawing board I think for Germany. My pace was consistent and I was doing between 22.9 or 23.1 the whole race, but that just wasn’t fast enough.”yamaha-racing.com
8. Chris Vermeulen AUS Rizla Suzuki MotoGP 44min 34.437 sec

“It was a little bit difficult, because I was sore from the crash I had on Saturday and that didn’t help things. To be honest we really struggled with the bike set-up to improve on what we had last year, even though our race time was quicker than last year, because everyone else has taken a bigger step forward. So it was tough for us.”

He continued, “I really struggled with the front tyre that Bridgestone had here, it was very different to last year. But that’s the single tyre supplier rule, it is the same for everyone and you’ve got to make your bike work around it. Anyway I got a pretty bad start, pretty bad couple of laps in which I got tangled up with (Colin) Edwards and (Loris) Capirossi and eventually came through for eighth. I felt our pace was probably good enough for sixth or seventh but it wasn’t as good as we needed to be at the front.” .motogp.com

9. Randy de Puniet FRA LCR Honda MotoGP 44min 41.905 sec

“I am quite satisfied as it was hard to expect a better result starting from the fifth row on this ‘up-and-down’ track. I struggled with grip problems from Friday and we tried to make some adjustments but in the end the bike was not at 100%. My start was not brilliant and I hit some traffic in the first few laps, but after that my rhythm was good enough to pass a few riders.”

He went on to say, “We decided to go for a softer rear tyre which was a good choice for the beginning of the race, but grip from the rear tyre dropped with ten laps to go. Still, this is another productive result for me and the team as I am sitting in ninth place in the championship.” .motogp.com

10. Marco Melandri ITA Hayate Racing Team 44min 49.608 sec

“We had quite a good set-up and I was confident but I had a small crash,” said Melandri of the incident. “We tried to repair the bike and use the same one but it was a big mistake because the settings were completely different to the morning and were not working well. I had a completely different feeling on left and right corners and the throttle wasn’t smooth, so it was tough.”

He continued, “I was just riding to finish the race because I already knew from the warm-up lap that I wasn’t going to do well. It’s disappointing because I think we had everything to do a good race, so now we have to look forward to the next one.”

Giving some further thoughts on the forthcoming visit to Sachsenring, Melandri added, “It’s a strange track because it’s very, very tight and you stay on the left side a lot. We’ll have to see about the weather too because sometimes it can be very unpredictable.”.motogp.com

11. Alex de Angelis RSM San Carlo Honda Gresini 44min 50.390 sec

“We made some changes to the bike for today but with the conditions being so much cooler for the warm-up this morning than they were for the race in the afternoon, we hadn’t really tested them. I was really struggling over the first few laps and the bike was moving around a lot but the problem eased in the second half of the race and I was able to push harder. I honestly thought I could run with Vermeulen today and that would have been a battle for eighth place so it’s a shame we suffered this setback. Anyway, at least we picked up a few points.” motogpworld.net
12. Niccolo Canepa ITA Pramac Racing 45min 20.111 sec

"Hard race for us today. In the first laps I couldn't push more because I didn't have enough grip with the front part of the bike, in addition I saw other riders fall in front of me and I thought the track wasn't in the best condition in that moment”, he said. “Once the front tyre was warmer it was too late because I found myself practically alone. I maintained yesterday's afternoon rhythm, but it wasn't enough to reach the riders in front of me. We will try to do better in two weeks at the Sachsenring."moto-live.com

DNF:
Gabor Talmacsi HUN Scot Racing Team MotoGP

"I had a very good feeling with the bike, and a good start. Then suddenly, when I was 15th, I lost the front. I cannot say why,” shrugged the Hungarian. “I'm fine, but it is really a pity because I was in a condition to get a good result. I stay confident for the next race."
Loris Capirossi ITA Rizla Suzuki MotoGP

“I am really upset about this because we have worked so hard over weekend to find the best solution and we thought we would be ok with the setting. I started quite well and was really aggressive in the first couple of laps, but on turn six I lost the front on the second lap and then on the next lap I did the same in the same place, but that time I crashed.”

“The truth is this has been a terrible weekend for me as we never really found a good solution. Fortunately we have another nine races in front of us and we will keep working really hard to get some good results.”.motogp.com

Andrea Dovizioso ITA Repsol Honda Team

“We were in good shape, I’d got into a fast rhythm and I’m sure we could have had good result, so I’m very disappointed. Unfortunately I made a mistake and I spoiled my opportunity.”

Explaining what had occurred in more detail he added, “During the first laps, I was behind Valentino Rossi, I wanted to overtake him and I was very close at the end of the straight. It’s a blind point and I was so close that I didn’t see the plastic poles that separate the track from the pit lane. I hit a few of them and in the impact the clutch lever bent, and from that moment on I couldn’t control the engine braking. It was my mistake as my line was too far to the left but after that it was tough to ride and change gear properly.”

He continued, “Nevertheless, I tried to stay up with the leaders. Then I lost the front and crashed after having had a couple of warnings. I’m really disappointed because we are getting closer to front-running pace at every race and here we could have done well. Still, I believe in myself, in the machine and in my team, and I really hope to get a good result soon.”.motogp.com

Sete Gibernau SPA Grupo Francisco Hernando

DSQ:
James Toseland GBR Monster Yamaha Tech 3

“There’s not much I can say really other than it was a tough weekend. I feel like the jump start was pretty harsh. I knew it was close but I didn’t think I’d jumped the start and that early in a 32-lap race I’m not looking at my pitboard. I was just concentrating on catching the guy in front and the first thing I realised that I’d been penalised was when I saw the black flag and my number. Obviously if I’d known I’d jumped the start then I would have come in but I’ve watched the TV replay and you can’t see anything. I didn’t gain any places either so in my opinion it’s pretty harsh. It’s a setback but I’ve just got to get on with it and bounce back in Germany.” yamaha-racing.com

Mika Kallio was absent this weekend due to a finger injury, while Gabor Talmacsi will be Scot Honda’s only rider from this event onwards..motogp.com

MotoGP is coming to Laguna Seca-USA

(from wiki)

MotoGP heads west to Laguna Seca

Monday, 29 June 2009 motogp.com

The riders in the premier class this week make a dash across the Atlantic to the West Coast of the US, to the superb Californian track of Laguna Seca.

This weekend’s Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix at Laguna Seca is the first of two World Championship visits to America this year and is the second of four GPs in a five week period as the 2009 season really begins to gather pace.

With Indianapolis to come in August the MotoGP riders will this weekend enjoy their first Stateside trip of the campaign as they head to California, with visits to Sachsenring and Donington Park still to come on the busy schedule before the summer break.

After seven rounds so far this year things are tight at the top, with three main protagonists emerging as the title candidates. Heading to Assen in the Netherlands last weekend, Valentino Rossi, Jorge Lorenzo and Casey Stoner were all square on points at the head of the standings and even though Rossi has pushed ahead with the superb 100th GP victory of his career at the Dutch track his young rivals are still snapping at his heels.

Last year at Laguna Rossi took a hugely important win over Stoner, passing him brilliantly on infamous Corkscrew corner and scoring a significant psychological blow against the Australian. This year, however, he has two key rivals to contend with.

World Champion Rossi goes into round eight in great from, with a five point lead over Lorenzo in the general classification, having relegated his Fiat Yamaha team-mate to second place in the last two races at Catalunya and Assen. The Italian looks as strong as ever, with his Yamaha M1 machine working brilliantly as he looks to turn up the heat on his rivals.

Lorenzo, meanwhile, has never completed a race at Laguna having crashed out on the first lap on his debut at the Californian track last year. He insists however that this year he is finding things more comfortable at tracks which did not favour him in the past and can be expected to be pushing Rossi hard at the front again this weekend.

Fitness doubts for Stoner could be the major factor hindering the Ducati star following another grueling race in The Netherlands, where for the second round in succession he finished third, but was totally exhausted on the podium. If he can recover full strength he will be confident of another good performance on Sunday, at a track where he won in 2007 and finished second in 2008.

Behind the leading three in the championship, the Repsol Honda duo of Andrea Dovizioso and Dani Pedrosa will be desperate to bounce straight back from their Assen disappointments having both crashed out of the Dutch contest, in separate incidents at the same corner, when well positioned to earn some decent points. Dovizioso is currently fourth in the standings, some distance behind the top three, but with just a two point advantage over Pedrosa and Colin Edwards.

Texan rider Edwards arrives for his home race in good form following his fourth place at Assen and is hoping for another good result as he seeks to extend his MotoGP career. The Monster Yamaha Tech 3 rider was on the podium at Laguna Seca in 2005 but since then has struggled for good results there and will aim to correct that pattern on Sunday.

His compatriot Nicky Hayden, the only other American rider in the premier class at present, boasts two of his three MotoGP career wins at Laguna and would love nothing more than to get his first top five result of 2009 on his Stateside debut for Ducati this weekend.

The Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix promises to be a memorable event, coinciding with the American 4th July celebrations and commencing this Friday, 3rd July, with Free Practice 1 at 1.55pm local time, (9.55pm GMT, 10.55pm CET). The 250cc and 125cc classes do not compete at Laguna and will be back in action at Sachsenring on the 17th-19th July weekend.

World Championship - riders standing

Pos. Rider Nation Team Points

1 Valentino ROSSI ITA Fiat Yamaha Team 131

"Back to normal!"
"The wonderful memory of the 100th win is still fresh, but now we have just a few days to recover before the next race, which is hard for everyone. We have to try to relax as much as possible and recharge the batteries a little, because Laguna is always a tough weekend and often very hot. Last year I had a great battle with Stoner and for me it was for sure one of the turning points of the championship and a very important win; I have some good memories. I think this year it will be hard again because Lorenzo is in brilliant form and I am sure Stoner will also be back to his best. Laguna is a great place to race and an exciting track, I also have a little trip to Los Angeles and Yamaha US first which I am looking forward to. The championship is very open at this point so we need to keep focus, get back to normal after Assen and try to get another good result this weekend." yamaha-racing.com

2 Jorge LORENZO SPA Fiat Yamaha Team 126

"Looking forward to the challenge"
"Last year Laguna wasn't good for me but I don't think about this. It's the only time I've been there but I don't see that as a problem - until 2008 I'd never won in Portugal before and I won my first race there in MotoGP, and then again this year I won in Motegi where I'd never won before, so I don't consider any track 'bad' for me - the past doesn't matter. We are feeling very strong after the last races and everyone is very motivated to continue in the same way so I am looking forward to the challenge and learning more about the track. I will do my best and hopefully that will mean we can run at the front again." yamaha-racing.com

3 Casey STONER AUS Ducati Marlboro Team 122

“We have had some setbacks over the past couple of races that have prevented us from showing our full potential. We have done a lot of work on the bike and found a great set-up for the race on both occasions but I have not been in good shape when it was the moment to take advantage of that work”, he said. “We have come straight to America from Assen and there hasn't been much time to recover, although I do feel better already. What we learned from last weekend is not to underestimate the symptoms. I have always liked Laguna, with its natural elevation changes, I love racing in America and the Ducati has always gone well here. We have the potential to challenge for a good result again but we'll wait until we get out on track and see how things shape up.” moto-live.com

4 Andrea DOVIZIOSO ITA Repsol Honda Team 69

“I really look forward to the race in Laguna Seca,” said the Italian. “The track itself and the whole atmosphere makes coming to Laguna a fascinating experience. Last year was the first time that I had raced in the United States and I was impressed by this track.

“Some parts are quite dangerous and very different from the European standard of racetracks we are used to, but the whole atmosphere is incredible and I like it a lot.

“I'm confident that we can have a good race here. Last year I had a good battle and finished fourth, which I was pleased with. I feel as though I've come fourth enough times this year though, so I hope to make the step up.

“At each race we're getting closer to the leading riders but we're still not close enough yet. So we need to work hard to get the speed and consistency we need." crash.net

5 Dani PEDROSA SPA Repsol Honda Team 67

“I'm actually really looking forward to getting to Laguna and I'm feeling confident going into the weekend - as I was before Assen,” said Pedrosa, who crashed out of fourth place in the Dutch TT. “The result there wasn't great, but there's no reason why we can't have a strong race in the US.

“I felt much better on the bike in Assen than I did in Barcelona and, although my physical fitness is not at 100 per cent because I haven't been training as usual for quite a while, the injury is getting better and isn't giving me any problems on the machine.

“The Laguna track itself is unique and it can be a lot of fun to ride - as long as you're going quickly. When you're struggling it obviously isn't quite as much fun! As a team we've got to continue working hard and bring the whole machine package up to a level where we can compete for wins again.

“We're making progress and with luck Laguna will take us closer to that target,” he declared. crash.net

6 Colin EDWARDS USA Monster Yamaha Tech 3 67

“I don't think there was a home-track advantage [for the American riders] after the first year,” said the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 rider.

“We did the first year, and everything was great, and then they hacked up the track, pulled some off of Turn 1, changed the entry to the Corkscrew and repaved it.

"All the home-court advantage is really knowing where all the bumps are. Once they repaved it, everybody pretty much had to start from scratch.” crash.net

7 Loris CAPIROSSI ITA Rizla Suzuki MotoGP 56

"I wasn't at full strength at Laguna last year following my crash at Assen and all the changes in direction really made it a painful race for me. This year I am going there fully fit and the bike seems to be improving every time I ride it, so we are hoping to be right up amongst the front guys this weekend”, he said.

“The season still has a long way to go and I am now in-touch with the top-five in the championship and that certainly has to be our target - to break into that group and go from strength-to-strength at every race." moto-live.com

8 Marco MELANDRI ITA Hayate Racing Team 55 9 Chris VERMEULEN AUS Rizla Suzuki MotoGP 53

"I'm really looking forward to Laguna Seca, it's certainly one of my favourite circuits and I've been on the podium there for the last two years, as well as a pole position in 2006. I certainly want to try and repeat those performances and get the Suzuki on the podium for the first time in 2009”, he said. “I hope it is a good race for all the fans and that the weather is as nice as it usually is. I am sure we can be competitive from day one and put on a good show." moto-live.com 10 Randy DE PUNIET FRA LCR Honda MotoGP 51

"Laguna is a very special racetrack - I love the challenges that it throws at you. We had quite a challenging time there last year, but came out of it all with a not so bad sixth-place finish. This year we have the potential to do better if Friday and Saturday go well for us. I feel really good on
this year's bike and tyres, so I'm really looking forward to the race." superbikeplanet.com

11 James TOSELAND GBR Monster Yamaha Tech 3 39

Designed to improve rear traction, Toseland told MCN: “I just had more grip on the rear and it was much more consistent and that allowed me to do some consistent times in Assen .

"It kept me in front of the group and without it I wouldn’t have been able to keep them at bay. I’m just pleased because there wasn’t a lot of pressure in Holland, but I didn’t realise Nakajima was going to be in my box for every second.

"And with that support it gave me some pressure and it’s just nice to repay his effort and help. When you get help from the boss you’ve got to deliver and hopefully that’s what I did.”

The 28-year-old added that he had never doubted that he would rediscover his best form after a hellish start to ’09.

Toseland suffered massive testing crashes in Sepang and Jerez and he added: “Those crashes could have finished my career let alone injured me and I didn’t like that for one bit.

"But Assen has given a platform to build on and I like Laguna Seca, so hopefully I’ll be battling for the top six again.

"I’ve always pushed every single corner of every single lap, but my performances haven’t been good enough. My effort has always been the same and it shows what can happen if you keep the belief and keep working hard no matter what, things will start to come right.

12 Alex DE ANGELIS RSM San Carlo Honda Gresini 31

"I am extremely motivated going into this race because we're finally finding the right way with the bike and working through our problems”, commented De Angelis. “We know that sometimes when you solve one problem you can create another and finding the ideal package isn't easy, but the point is that we are solving our biggest issue, which is rear traction, and that is important. I don't think anything more problematic than that is going to crop up! I love Laguna Seca, I went fast from the first day on my debut there last year and we know the tyres work well there too, so I am excited. The target is to get involved with that second group again but this time be fighting with them all the way to the final corner." moto-live.com

13 Nicky HAYDEN USA Ducati Marlboro Team 27

“We still have a lot of work to do but it has been nice to see a little progress over the last few weeks and at Laguna I really need to take another big step. I don't have any big plan or anything – it's not that easy! All I know to do is keep trying and working at it and hope it will come”, he said. “Laguna is a great track and very challenging. There are a few points that stick out but in general it is different to most tracks, which usually have a few different sections, whereas Laguna is basically just one section and you have to put it all together to make a good lap. This year we're racing in America on the 4th of July weekend and it's perfect - I can't think of a better way to celebrate the holiday than at the US Grand Prix! Also the fact my brothers will be racing on the same weekend in the AMA championship helps make it special for me. This will be the first time my American fans get to see me on a Ducati so that will be cool because there are a lot of strong Ducati fans in the states. No predictions or anything but we'll go full gas and see what happens. ” moto-live.com

14 Toni ELIAS SPA San Carlo Honda Gresini 27

“I left the last race at Assen feeling frustrated with the result, having been relegated to twelfth by Race Direction for an aggressive move in the final corner, but even the eighth place I managed before the penalty was below our expectations”, said Elias. “Having said that I was encouraged by the performance and to have passed so many riders in the race gives me motivation and determination to continue where I left off at Laguna Seca. I'll receive another frame like the one that I like and that should allow us to work a bit more calmly and make quicker progress in adjusting the set-up. Our recent pace suggests that we're not far from making another step forward – not into the top four just yet but at least a little closer to them.” moto-live.com

15 Mika KALLIO FIN Pramac Racing 26

"Mika's condition is better than what we thought straight after the race, but still we preferred to give him a weekend off to recover, " said team technical director Fabiano Sterlacchini.

"This would have been the first time at Laguna Seca for him and with his precarious physical condition we preferred not to take any more risks and we hope he will be at his best in three weeks time at Sachsenring.

"Mika will not undergo surgery before the German GP, but will continue to take medication and have the injured finger cleaned daily to avoid infection and further complications." http://news.bbc.co.uk

16 Niccolo CANEPA ITA Pramac Racing 12

"I am really sorry Mika will not be here with us this weekend and it will be strange. I hope he will be able to get back on track really soon. He is a really nice guy and a great rider and I hope to see him again in our box for the German race. It will not be easy for us this weekend as it's my first time in my career here. For what I have seen on the television in the past years it isn't a really fast track but with many insidious turns. I think that my heart rate will be really fast at my first time at the corkscrew. On paper this is a really fascinating track and I hope to be able to be fast from the first few laps. On Indianapolis track, when I have ridden on it for the first time last year, I registered very interesting lap times straight away: who knows that maybe the same will happen here." londonbikers.com

17 Sete GIBERNAU SPA Grupo Francisco Hernando 12

"I first went to Laguna in 1993, just to watch that year's GP. It's one of those tracks that everyone knows about even if they haven't raced there, because of the Corkscrew and layout, which is so different to what we're used to.
"I raced there for the first time last year and really enjoyed myself. I enjoyed the atmosphere, I enjoyed the crowd and I enjoyed being in the US. In fact everything was really good except that I had two difficult days of practice, so it seemed like a difficult track for me but I think this visit will be very different. The team is working so well with me that I believe we will be able to have some fun but much will depend on the condition of my shoulder. It wasn't good in Germany but I've been back to my surgeon in Barcelona, and I hope that it will be a bit stronger for Laguna because it is a tough track, tight and bumpy." roadracingworld.com

18 Yuki TAKAHASHI JPN Scot Racing Team MotoGP 9

19 Gabor Talmacsi (Scot Honda)

says: "I never have been there. I'm really curious. I asked for information from my more experienced companions and everybody told me that Laguna is different and difficult. Well, the great majority of things are new for me in the MotoGP class. So, I'm getting used to facing new challenges. I will try
to understand by myself as many things as I can about Laguna Seca, then I will knock on Nicky
Hayden's motor home and ask for his advice; he declared himself glad to teach me the secrets of
his home circuit. We reached a point at which I feel necessary to work a little bit more on the
set-up, to improve my performances. In the first races, the target was simply - not to do silly
things and learn as much as I could. Now I want to make a step ahead and leave the last position to some other guy." superbikeplanet.com

Gabor Talmacsi sole rider for the Scot Racing Team from Laguna Seca onwards

Thursday, 02 July 2009 motogp.com

Official press release announces new plans for MotoGP project and departure of Yuki Takahashi.

From the US Grand Prix onwards, the Scot Racing Team will continue in the MotoGP class with the Hungarian rider Gabor Talmacsi. With great regret the Team announces that - due to unavoidable circumstances - Yuki Takahashi will not continue.

The decision was reached after exhaustive attempts to find a way to continue with two riders, but the economic realities facing the Team due to the increased cost involved in running two riders, combined with a health problem of Yuki, has led to this regrettable decision.

Cirano Mularoni Scot Racing Team Manager, said: "The Team would face a lot of new costs to line up two riders and without the possibility to improve its results with Yuki because he has suffered a slipped disc in his back, most likely caused by recent falls. So our team has decided to stop racing with Yuki and to wait for his recovery before taking any decisions on his future".

Shuhei Nakamoto, vice president of HRC said: "For Honda as well as the Scot Racing Team, this is a sad announcement and one we wanted to avoid if at all possible. But we understand the Team's problems with regard to the increased costs of running two riders. Takahashi was the only Japanese rider in the MotoGP championship and of course Honda wanted to see him continue. But in the end the Team made it clear that this outcome was impossible and we respect their decision. Honda will continue to support the Scot Racing Team in MotoGP with Gabor Talmacsi riding".

Press release courtesy of Scot Racing.

Assen- QF

Rossi outguns rivals for pole in Dutch qualifying session

Friday, 26 June 2009 motogp.com

Italian to chase win from front, ahead of Pedrosa and Lorenzo.

Valentino Rossi will start his quest for a 100th Grand Prix victory from pole position at the Assen circuit on Saturday afternoon, taking the top spot for the Alice TT Assen with a 1’36.025 lap.

Although it is Rossi’s second pole position of 2009, it is also the first time that he has topped a qualifying session this season. His previous pole came courtesy of combined practice times when the grid-deciding session in Japan was cancelled due to rainfall.

The Fiat Yamaha rider was trailed by Repsol Honda’s Dani Pedrosa, who was less than a tenth of a second slower than the Italian’s hot lap. Pedrosa returns to the front row after two races away.

Jorge Lorenzo continued his 100% record of front line starts with a time three-tenths down on teammate Rossi’s marker, and the Spaniard made a final push for pole in the closing stages of the session. He is now the only rider to have qualified on the front row for every race of the 2009 season to date, having relegated the only other candidate –Casey Stoner- to fourth place.

Although Stoner had crossed the line with enough time to perform another hot lap, the Australian sat up and opted against a further attempt at pole. Problems with grip had plagued the Ducati Marlboro rider throughout the morning and afternoon sessions, and he had another wobble that left him obviously agitated during the outing.

Colin Edwards once again qualified on the second row after leading the session for a small period of time, alongside another veteran in Rizla Suzuki’s Loris Capirossi.

The only crash in the session came from Niccolò Canepa, the Pramac Racing rookie escaping uninjured.

1 46 Valentino ROSSI ITA Fiat Yamaha Team Yamaha 1'36.025 293.080

“I’m so happy about the qualifying session. This morning we worked a lot on the bike and this afternoon we put it all together,” said the joint World Championship leader. “I have a good pace with the race tyres as well, and I’m looking at a few places where we can improve tomorrow. “I’m also happy to have taken pole position, because even though it is always great this one is my second of the year. Motegi was a strange case because of the rain in qualifying, so this is a real pole position with a really good lap at the end.”

Not a fan of flag-to-flag races, Rossi is praying for sunshine at the ‘Cathedral of Motorcycle Racing,’ where he believes that he can challenge for a 100th Grand Prix victory.

“I’m in good shape, just like my M1, and I just hope for good weather tomorrow. To have the grandstands full today for practice sessions is something incredible, so we’ll try to put on a good show for the fans tomorrow.”

2 3 Dani PEDROSA SPA Repsol Honda Team Honda 1'36.110 296.948 0.085

“I’m pleased with my qualifying position today, especially considering that there was quite a lot of traffic on track in the final few minutes,” said Pedrosa, famed for his speedy starts in the premier class.

“It’s always good to be on the front row, because then you have the best chance to make a clean getaway, so I’m satisfied with second. I was lucky at the end of the session to have Valentino in front and being behind him helped me a lot to set this lap time.”

The former World Championship runner-up missed testing after the Barcelona race, and as such still has to play catch-up with some minor details ahead of the Alice TT Assen itself. However, he is feeling comfortable with both the bike and his rapidly improving physical condition.

“The feeling from the machine is quite good, although we still need to make some adjustments to the set-up to make best use of the Bridgestone tyres for the race, and this is what we’ll be working on in the warm-up tomorrow,” he explained.

“My physical condition on the bike today was again much better than at the last race in Barcelona and this makes a lot of difference because I am able to concentrate fully on riding. I know that the race will be very physically demanding though, so I can take nothing for granted. Still, with some final set-up improvements, I hope I can make a good start and have a strong race tomorrow.” motogp.com

3 99 Jorge LORENZO SPA Fiat Yamaha Team Yamaha 1'36.393 292.445 0.368

“I’m a little disappointed with my last lap. I made some mistakes on a few corners and couldn’t improve my time,” lamented the Fiat Yamaha rider, joint leader of the MotoGP World Championship.

“Anyway, we have good pace and we will be trying to work on T4, where we are losing a few tenths at the moment, for the race. If we can do this then we have a chance of fighting for the podium tomorrow.”

Involved in an intense battle with teammate Valentino Rossi at the last round in Barcelona, on a Yamaha M1 that has been the standout bike at the past few races, Lorenzo believes that anything that can be significantly improved will not be the ride at his disposal. “We won’t work on too much mechanically in the warmup. Maybe it will be myself that needs to improve, not the bike.” motogp.com

4 27 Casey STONER AUS Ducati Marlboro Team Ducati 1'36.633 292.682 0.608

"Unfortunately a couple of riders got in my way, waiting for a two in a dangerous and fast part of the track," he said, "which obviously cost me time but could have cost me a whole lot more if I had crashed.

"It is a frustrating situation which seems to be happening more and more in MotoGP and it is about time something was done to stop it."

Stoner had been in contention for pole until the last ten minutes of the hour-long session, but was nearly the victim of a massive high-side thanks to a temperamental rear tyre.

"We've been very fast on race tyres and even though we're normally good for a single qualifying lap on a soft tyre we've had a few issues here," he said. "With my second soft tyre I was up out of the seat a couple of times but we changed it and the next one was a lot better.

"Thankfully I'm starting from fourth on the grid, which I am fine with because I can still challenge at the front from there and with the times we set today there is no reason not to be confident." autosport.com

5 5 Colin EDWARDS USA Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Yamaha 1'36.760 293.398 0.735

"Overall we have made another step with the setting and I am quite happy about that, but we still need to take a further step tomorrow morning in the warm-up. The whole team is working really hard and they really understand what I need. I am still losing a bit of front feeling, but it's not that bad and I think it is something we can overcome. Second row is not too bad and we will have to see what sort of start we get and try to keep with the front pack. I am quite optimistic for tomorrow because if we make the small step we are looking for we will be right up there challenging!" motogp.com

I've got a busy feeling on race tyres now I'm using the longer wheelbase,” said Edwards of his ne set-up. “It puts a bit more weight on the front and while it's not chatter I don't feel I'm absorbing the bumps as well as I need to be.

“At certain times it feels like I'm skimming over the bumps, but despite that I'm pretty happy with my pace. I did a 37.3 on race tyres and for race pace that's acceptable. I think low 1.37s or high 1.36s will be the pace if it stays dry, and I'm confident I can run those times.

“I'm happy to have equalled my best qualifying of the year, particularly as I feel we can make the bike better. I think we're looking good for tomorrow because the fourth section has [previously] been a bogey section for me and that's where you can gain or lose a lot of time.

“On the Bridgestone's it is unbelievable through that last section. They are just so stable you don't get the handlebars shaking or flapping through the fast sections. Everything just rolls nice and smooth and I think we can get out there and fight at the front tomorrow.” crash.net
6 65 Loris CAPIROSSI ITA Rizla Suzuki MotoGP Suzuki 1'36.953 291.734 0.928

"Overall we have made another step with the setting and I am quite happy about that, but we still need to take another step tomorrow morning in the warm-up," said Capirossi.

"The whole team is working really hard and they really understand what I need. I am still losing a bit of front feeling, but it's not that bad and I think it is something we can overcome.

"Second row is not too bad and we will have to see what sort of start we get and try to keep with the front pack. I am quite optimistic for tomorrow because if we make the small step we are looking for we will be right up there challenging."

Capirossi is using Suzuki's upgraded engine this weekend, which Vermeulen hopes to receive from the next event at Laguna Seca if the Assen race goes smoothly.

The Australian has struggled for much of the season but was pleased with today's result and reckoned he could have gone even quicker.

"It was a fairly good qualifying for us and a lot better than the previous two GPs," said Vermeulen. "The team did a great job and made a big step forward with the bike.

"Unfortunately on my last run we were a bit close on time and I thought I'd get in one more lap, sadly I wasn't able to, but I am sure I would have improved my time - and hopefully grid position - because I made a couple of mistakes on my previous lap, which was my fastest, and I'm sure I'd have put them right.

"Seventh place is a bit closer to the front than we have been recently and I'm feeling quite confident and looking forward to a good race tomorrow."

Team boss Paul Denning hopes that the qualifying result will give Suzuki a chance to take plenty of points away from Assen.

"It's been extremely close amongst the fastest riders here at Assen this weekend and we've managed to get closer to the front group in qualifying than we were in free practice," he said.

"I think there are still some sizable improvements we can make tomorrow to increase the confidence of both riders. Whatever happens with the bike - or indeed the weather - when you start in sixth and seventh places it gives you a much better chance to hang on to the back of the leaders in the early laps and see how the race develops." autosport.com

7 7 Chris VERMEULEN AUS Rizla Suzuki MotoGP Suzuki 1'37.194 292.286 1.169

"It was a fairly good qualifying for us and a lot better than the previous two GPs. The team did a great job and made a big step forward with the bike. We went well on both the compounds of tyres today and the softer one gave quite a bit more grip at the rear so we used that to do the qualifying laps on. We were able to do seven or eight laps on them and they stayed very consistent which shows what a good job Bridgestone are doing. Unfortunately on my last run we were a bit close on time and I thought I'd get in one more lap, sadly I wasn't able to, but I am sure I would have improved my time - and hopefully grid position - because I made a couple of mistakes on my previous lap - which was my fastest - and I'm sure I'd have put them right Seventh place is a bit closer to the front than we have been recently and I'm feeling quite confident and looking forward to a good race tomorrow."
8 4 Andrea DOVIZIOSO ITA Repsol Honda Team Honda 1'37.237 290.791 1.212

“I have to say I’m quite disappointed about my qualifying result this afternoon because starting from the third row makes the race more complicated. Although my race pace was pretty good throughout the session, I didn’t manage to make the best of the soft tyre option, so tomorrow I will really have to focus on making a good start and recovering as many positions as possible during the first two or three laps. Apart from my grid position, I’m confident because I further improved my race pace with the hard Bridgestone tyres by two or three tenths compared to this morning’s session. Me and the crew will take a look at the data this evening to make some final decisions on the set-up solutions we tested this afternoon. The weather is looking uncertain again, but we’ve had some good wet/dry races this season so I’m not worried about the bike change if it happens.” motogp.com
9 52 James TOSELAND GBR Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Yamaha 1'37.323 287.616 1.298

“I'm really happy even though I'm only ninth again on the grid,” said the Briton. “We've spent a lot of time working on the race setting with the new set-up and I'm feeling really confident on race tyres.

“The weight we've put on the rear is really helping the Bridgestone work and its helping keep load on the tyre. We put a bit more weight on the rear again today and we're getting better rear grip. I'm just trying to work the rear tyre a lot more with that extra load on it and that means I can exit the corner a lot better.

“I've also got more stability going into the corner but on the softer tyres there was so much traffic that I got held up a bit otherwise I might have gained another couple of places. I had to roll off when I came across Toni Elias and that was a big shame because I'd just done my best first split of the whole session.

“Fingers crossed it will be dry tomorrow because I feel I'm getting close to where I need to be.

“After Catalunya I've done about 15 practice starts this weekend because it is crucial that I get away to give myself a chance of a top six. I'm trying a slightly different clutch just to be a bit smoother because as I release the clutch it has been a bit aggressive in the first few races. But I'm desperate to give Yamaha and my guys at Tech 3 a good result after all the help they've been giving me this weekend,” Toseland concluded. crash.net
10 14 Randy DE PUNIET FRA LCR Honda MotoGP Honda 1'37.473 294.358 1.448

“After this morning's crash we decided to go for a longer run to confirm our race set up. Basically we have an acceptable lap time on race tyre but I struggled with rear grip on the edge. We do not have too much time to work on that and so we moved to soft tyres, but we could not really improve our lap time. The bike slid to much and I did not want to take any risk. We expected a better grid position after yesterday’s performance but it’s not the end of the world; I am hoping to get a top eight finish”.
11 15 Alex DE ANGELIS RSM San Carlo Honda Gresini Honda 1'37.637 288.230 1.612

“It's a shame that Capirossi and Talmacsi got in my way through the last couple of corners of my last lap because I know I could have gone much faster,” said the San Marinese. “I'm sure Loris didn't do it on purpose but he is very experienced and it was a big mistake for him to make.

“I'm not angry but obviously very frustrated because I'm sure I would have moved ahead of de Puniet on the grid and maybe even Toseland, which would have meant an extra row and that would have been really important to me.

“The good thing is that I did a 1min 38.0sec on a race tyre and that is encouraging for tomorrow, even though I think it's going to rain,” he added.

Team-mate Toni Elias had only himself to blame for 15th on the grid.

“To be honest everything worked better today but in the end I screwed it up,” admitted the Spaniard. “I have to hold my hands up and say that I made the wrong decision and it is my fault we're down in 15th place, which is not good enough, so I want to apologise to the team.

“Basically I spent the last few laps looking for a tow but by the time I got one and tried to push for a good grid position, the tyre temperature had dropped too low. It was the last lap and it didn't work out like I thought it would. We can't do anything about it now - the only option is to get a good start and pull back as many positions as I can.”

“Everybody has to take responsibility, myself included, to make sure that our riders start to move up the order and start performing at a level that reflects the true potential of this team structure and the machinery available to us,” stated team manager Fausto Gresini. crash.net
12 36 Mika KALLIO FIN Pramac Racing Ducati 1'37.749 294.518 1.724

"I was expecting to enter the top ten today, but unluckily it didn't go this way and I am a bit disappointed. I thought I would have been able to be at least half a second faster. I have encountered some complications with the front part of the bike that didn't allow me to push more. Tomorrow we will have to modify the balance of the bike, making it higher in the front during the warm up to understand if the bike will be more easy to ride. Anyway it seems the weather forecast for tomorrow will be completely different compared to today and this would change the situation to everyone." motogp.com
13 69 Nicky HAYDEN USA Ducati Marlboro Team Ducati 1'37.759 295.404 1.734

“Unfortunately qualifying is not our strong point at the moment but we made some improvements with the bike in free practice this morning. We changed the transmission, which helped a bit, and made a few more tweaks that made the general feeling of the bike a bit better but for the afternoon we tried some stuff that didn’t work so well. We had to go back to what we had this morning and I was only able to go a little bit faster, which is why the qualifying position isn’t great. The cooler track today made it hard to get heat into the left-hand side of the tyre. You don’t get good balance with the single compound tyres around here, for me at least, the right side is really good but it’s hard to get heat into the left. We’ll see what the weather brings, obviously we could do with it being nice and hot, line up and see what we got!” motogp.com
14 33 Marco MELANDRI ITA Hayate Racing Team Kawasaki 1'37.948 287.386 1.923
15 24 Toni ELIAS SPA San Carlo Honda Gresini Honda 1'38.136 294.358 2.111

“To be honest everything worked better today but in the end I screwed it up. I have to hold my hands up and say that I made the wrong decision and it is my fault we're down in 15th place, which is not good enough, so I want to apologise to the team”, he said. “Basically I spent the last few laps looking for a tow but by the time I got one and tried to push for a good grid position, the tyre temperature had dropped too low. It was the last lap and it didn't work out like I thought it would. We can't do anything about it now – the only option is to get a good start and pull back as many positions as I can.” moto-live.com
16 59 Sete GIBERNAU SPA Grupo Francisco Hernando Ducati 1'38.453 290.322 2.428
17 88 Niccolo CANEPA ITA Pramac Racing Ducati 1'38.605 287.157 2.580

"Unluckily I slipped in the most important part of the qualifying session and with the second bike with only a few minutes left it hasn't be easy to improve my performance. I tried, but we will have to start from seventeenth position. The situation compared to yesterday has improved a lot and we will have to try to make another step forward tomorrow during the race to gain some more positions." motogp.com
18 72 Yuki TAKAHASHI JPN Scot Racing Team MotoGP Honda 1'38.619 291.655 2.594
19 41 Gabor TALMACSI HUN Scot Racing Team MotoGP Honda 1'39.407 282.944 3.382