Instant improvement in comfort noted by Pedrosa

The Repsol Honda rider felt much better riding his RC212V at the Estoril on Friday as he got his bwin Grande Premio de Portugal weekend underway in less than welcoming weather conditions.

Dani Pedrosa ended the first day of the bwin Grande Premio de Portugal satisfied with how he felt physically, as the Repsol Honda rider continued his recovery from the broken collarbone that has forced him to miss the last three races.

The 25 year-old did ride and qualify for the previous round in the Australia but opted against participating in the race due to the pain caused by his injury, and having had an extra 12 days in which to recuperate he noted an immediately improved feeling in Friday afternoon’s second practice at Estoril.

“Straight away I felt much better on the bike here than I did in Australia and the shoulder has recovered a lot, which is very positive,” said Pedrosa, who along with the majority of the premier class opted against riding in the first practice due to the wet weather conditions.

“I feel a little bit tired now, but basically I feel okay after riding today. It was a pity that we missed the whole practice this morning because of the rain, and also at the beginning of the afternoon session the track conditions were difficult, which limited what we could achieve. To be honest I didn’t feel totally at home on the bike today but I think this is normal after so long without riding, and this situation will improve.”

With the focus on re-establishing his comfort on the bike times were not on Pedrosa’s mind, as he completed 19 laps with a best time of 1’53.592 – just over five seconds off Jorge Lorenzo’s top time.

Jenson Button vows to fight on in F1 title defence

McLaren's Jenson Button says he would not forgive himself if he did not try to defend his Formula 1 crown at the next weekend's Brazilian Grand Prix.

Button, who clinched the 2009 title in the Brazil, trails Ferrari's championship leader Fernando Alonso by 42 points with only 50 points up for grabs.

"It is a long shot but I'd regret it for the rest of my life if I chose not to go for it," said Button.

"I've always said I'll fight until it's mathematically impossible for me."

Alonso, the Red Bulls of Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel and McLaren pair Lewis Hamilton and Button are all still in the title hunt with only two races to go in Brazil and Abu Dhabi on 14 November.

Button needs to finish at least second at Brazil's Interlagos circuit and hope other results go his way.

Two-time champion Alonso, who leads the standings by 11 points from Webber, is the only driver who can clinch the 2010 crown in Brazil.

Dovizioso ready for the final run in

The Repsol Honda rider discusses his 2010 season so far and also looks ahead to the last two rounds in the Portugal and Valencia in a video feature interview.

Andrea Dovizioso’s 2010 season is put under the spotlight in this video interview in which the Italian rider discusses his campaign as it draws to a close.

The Repsol Honda rider looks back on his rapid start to the season which saw him take four podiums in the opening five races of the campaign, analyses the improvements and developments in his RC212V this year and also explains how he and his crew have harnessed the potential of the machine’s engine through a lot of hard work and fine tuning of the bike’s set-up.

Dovizioso also looks ahead to the final two races of the season in Portugal and Valencia as he aims to maintain the form that has seen him finish on the podium twice in the last three races, and the 24 year-old also touches on the subject of his future.

Race - Alonso wins in Korea, double DNF for Red Bull

Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso scored one of the biggest wins of his career in a rain-affected Korean Grand Prix on the Sunday afternoon, and a day of total disaster saw neither Red Bull driver finish. Mark Webber crashed out early while running second, and Sebastian Vettel’s engine blew up as he was leading on the 46th lap.

The result puts Alonso into an 11-point championship lead over Webber, 231 to 220, with just two races left.

As dusk fell and the race was just completed before the two-hour cut-off point, what had begun as impending disaster for the Korean race organisers turned instead into a brilliant triumph. But it was edgy. After the rain got heavier just before the start, the race was red-flagged after just two laps had been run behind the safety car. That led to a lengthy delay until it was resumed as conditions got marginally better, but after the restart at 16.05 the safety car continued to lead the field for another 15 laps before racing finally began on the 18th.

Vettel sprinted into the lead from Webber with Alonso third and Mercedes GP’s Nico Rosberg deposing McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton for fourth. But then Webber spun and hit the wall in Turn 13 on the 19th lap, collecting Rosberg. Out came the safety car again until Lap 24, whereupon Vettel resumed control ahead of Alonso and Hamilton.

After their pit stops between Laps 31 and 32, Hamilton jumped Alonso for second as the Spaniard had a minor delay due to arriving slightly sideways and making it difficult for mechanics to reach the right front wheel, but they were racing under the safety car again after Toro Rosso’s Sebastien Buemi had taken out Virgin’s Timo Glock on the 31st under braking for Turn Three.

As racing resumed on the 35th lap, Hamilton ran wide in Turn One as his front wheels were locking, handing second back to Alonso. And that’s how it seemed likely to stay as Vettel built a lead of 2.7s by Lap 41. But then Alonso and Hamilton began to move in, and going into Turn One on Lap 46 the Ferrari dived inside the Red Bull to take the lead. On the exit to the corner Vettel’s engine blew, and as Mark Webber breathed a sigh of some relief, Red Bull had their head in their hands.

Now it was Alonso’s race to lose, but though Hamilton gave it everything he had, annihilating the Ferrari in the first two sectors, Alonso was able to make it all back in the final one. Towards the end Hamilton dropped back, keeping a badly worn right front intermediate tyre alive, and was 14.9s adrift as a delighted Alonso took his fifth win of the year and his 26th overall.

Lorenzo receives a memorable welcome in Mallorca

Some 5,000 people cheered the rider in the tributes organized in the Palma, after he returned from securing the MotoGP World Champion crown.

This Wednesday Jorge Lorenzo was welcomed by an enthusiastic reception, on his return home from the triple Asiatic where he secured his first MotoGP crown. Yesterday was a day to party and the celebrations for the new world champion in the premier class saw him surrounded by a huge crowd in his hometown of the Palma de Mallorca.

The first surprise was at the airport of the Palma where the President of the Air Europa, one of Lorenzo’s main sponsors, showed him one of the hangars where the Spaniard discovered that one of the company’s Boeings had been renamed “Lorenzo's Land” in his honor. Lorenzo then christened the hanger with a bottle of champagne.

The rider was then driven from Son Sant Joan to Palma in an open carriage, escorted by hundreds of motorists. The delegation toured the main streets of the city and the rider, accompanied by his parents, was able to see and feel the affection of his countrymen. Upon arrival at Consolat Sea (home of the Balearic Government), Lorenzo was received by President Francesc Antich and other local authorities who gave him a commemorative plaque, and then the pilot appeared on the balcony of the Government headquarters, where the crowd cheered his name.

"This is yours. We are already champions. I am proud to be a representative of Mallorca" exclaimed the emotional 23 year old motorcyclist, who ended by joined in with chants of 'We Are The Champions' sung enthusiastically by the thousands gathered.

Before continuing the party, the Fiat Yamaha rider held a small press conference in which he commented on his 2010 championship victory - "I have achieved my dream and this title should be celebrated to the max" –remembering the people that had helped him to achieve it, starting with his father, Chicho, and his mother, Maria, and expressing his hopes to return to his island and the home of the government on future occasions to celebrate more successes in the World Championship.

F1 cars ready for Friday's Korean debut

The F1 Korean Grand Prix starts its three-day event Friday at Yeongam in South Jeolla Province, with 24 drivers from 12 teams and their machines now gathering, along with hundreds of staffers.

The drivers can practice up to three times from Friday to Saturday noon, ahead of a qualifying session to try and take poll position.

Qualifying will take place over three occasions. In the first 20-minute time race the slowest seven drivers will get grid positions 18 to 24 and the second 15-minute race will decide the next order of the next seven drivers.

The remaining 10 drivers will compete for poll position in the final 10-minute session.

As the Korean Grand Prix is holding its inaugural race the drivers have less information on whether the Korean International Circuit is easy to overtake or not.

For that reason, the drivers are likely to focus on the qualifying sessions as the starting positions could have a huge bearing on the end result.

Mark Webber of Red Bull Racing leads the drivers’ championship with 220 points, Spanish hero Fernando Alonso of Scuderia Ferrari-Marlboro and Sebastian Vettel of Red Bull Racing shared second with 206.

The top 10 finishers are awarded points on a sliding scale, with the winner receiving 25, while 10th place gets a solitary point.

While the drivers could add up to 75 points in the last three events, two Vodafone McLaren-Mercedes drivers Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button will need to shine to keep alive their slim hopes of winning the championship.

Aussie Burgess follows Rossi again

Valentino Rossi and Ducati have poached the legendary Australian crew chief Jeremy Burgess from Yamaha in a bid to win a MotoGP title with a third manufacturer.

Rossi and Burgess are the most successful pairing in the MotoGP with seven world championships together over the past 11 seasons.

The Italian, who finished third behind winner Casey Stoner in the Australian Grand Prix last weekend, has insisted Ducati hire Adelaide-based Burgess to supervise his race program in search of an eighth world crown in 2011.

Rossi has never raced in MotoGP without kingmaker Burgess whose credits include world championships with Aussie greats Wayne Gardner and Mick Doohan.

"Jerry stays with me until I retire," Rossi said when asked about the prospect of racing without his trusted wingman.

Burgess left Honda to join Rossi at Yamaha in 2004 and will now work to reinvigorate Ducati, who have not won a title since 2007 with Casey Stoner.

"I've spoken to Ducati and I think it is all going to work out fairly well," Burgess said of his impending switch to Italy's famous red team.

Massa determined to make amends in Korea

A resolute Felipe Massa has vowed to do all that he can to support Ferrari - and his team mate Fernando Alonso - in their title fights, as the 2010 season enters its final stages. Massa has struggled recently, crashing out on the first lap in Japan and finishing the preceding Singapore race in eighth, but he’s hopeful he can bounce back in Korea.

“I have been at home in Brazil for about a week and I made good use of my time, getting as well prepared as possible for the final trio of races,” the Brazilian told his official Ferrari blog. “They are going to be very important for me on a personal level to fight back after the disappointing outcome of the last two races. However, more importantly, I will be trying to bring home a significant number of the points to help the Scuderia in its fight for both championships.

“Firstly we need to qualify well on Saturday and after that, in the race, I want to be in the middle of the battle for the drivers' championship, fighting with the five drivers who are chasing the title, which is the best thing I can do to help Ferrari's and Fernando's aspirations. I know that everyone in the team, at the track and the factory is completely pumped up for the challenge of these last three races and I am equally keen to give them my best shot.”

Although Korea’s newly-built Yeongam circuit is very much an unknown quantity, Massa believes the track could suit the Italian team’s F10.

Rossi to test with Ducati at Valencia

The rider stated in an interview that Yamaha’s Masao Furusawa has given him the all clear to ride for his 2011 team at the post-season Test in the November. Ducati’s Alessandro Cicognani also discussed the details of the Test.

Valentino Rossi had indicated that he has been given permission by the Yamaha’s Executive Officer for Engineering Operations, Masao Furusawa, to test with Ducati in the Valencia next month.

The question of whether the 31 year-old would be allowed by Yamaha to ride the Desmosedici for the team with which he has signed for the 2011 season remained a matter of great interest amongst the media, and in an interview with Italian MotoGP broadcaster Italia 1 Rossi said he had finally received clearance from Furusawa after speaking with him on Saturday evening.

“Furusawa called me and told me it was a way of saying thanks for what I have done for Yamaha,” Rossi told Italia 1. “I think it’s a nice gesture and it shows that Yamaha has valued the things done over these years.”

Upon hearing the news MotoGP Project Manager for Ducati Alessandro Cicognani told motogp.com in an interview: “I haven’t heard what Rossi or Yamaha have said exactly, but I was told about this so I am really happy. I think in a way it’s like a present from Yamaha to Valentino after what he has done for them.”

“We can be happy with this and I would like to thank, in a way, Yamaha. I have good relations with Lin Jarvis and I take this chance to thank him because he has always been fair and open to discussion. It’s not easy and it’s great. So we will work now and finish the season, and then start again for 2011 just after the Valencia race.”

Pedrosa taking it “step by step”

The Repsol Honda rider was back on his RC212V for the first time two weeks to the day after fracturing his collarbone, as he took to the track for the FP1 at the Iveco Australian Grand Prix.

Dani Pedrosa took the next step in his recovery from his fractured collarbone on Friday when he made his return to action in the opening practice session at Phillip Island. The Repsol Honda rider completed just seven laps as he took an understandably cautious approach to testing his comfort level on his factory RC212V in wet conditions.

“The plan today was simply to check my condition on the bike – in these conditions I didn’t want to take any unnecessary risks. What I can say is that I had some strength to move on the bike and put pressure on the handlebars which is good,” explained the 25 year-old.

“However, I didn’t feel very comfortable with the leathers because they were tight and there was pressure but even with that I could do some laps and tomorrow I will try again – we will go step-by-step. Now it’s quite painful but we will see how the pain goes through the night and tomorrow we will take another step. We knew it wouldn’t be easy but I just hope that the effort is worth it in the end.”

Adverse weather conditions overnight made the first practice on Friday a wet affair and Pedrosa is hoping for an improved physical feeling in Saturday’s second session before qualifying.

“To ride in wet conditions is more smooth than in the dry, but also more risky. The asphalt today was very, very cold and here it’s a problem because on the right hand turns you don’t have any grip at all,” continued Pedrosa. “The hardest point was braking, changing direction and in the right hand corners because I have to stretch my arms a lot, but I hope we can work a little bit on the leathers to make it more comfortable for tomorrow. Afterwards I went to the Clinica Mobile and they told me that now I need to relax the muscles. We’ll see how it goes tomorrow.”

Pedrosa secured his first Phillip Island premier class podium with third place in last year’s race.

Rossi hoping to race at ‘100 per cent’

Valentino Rossi says the flowing nature of the Phillip Island course should prove less troublesome for his injured shoulder this weekend as he looks to build on his Malaysian Grand Prix success.

The Italian romped to his first win since suffering with both shoulder and leg injuries in separate accidents with a victory at Sepang, Rossi subsequently reviving his hopes of securing third in the MotoGP standings.

With less than a week to prepare for the Australian Grand Prix, Rossi is looking forward to racing at Phillip Island, claiming the fast, sweeping bends – and minimal harsh braking points – will create fewer problems for his pained shoulder.

"I hope I can race at 100 per cent here in Australia," the FIAT Yamaha rider said. "On paper it looks good for my shoulder because although there are many fast changes of direction there isn't so much heavy braking here. We will see."

"The Phillip Island track is great; something different compared to other tracks. It's so fast and it's important to find the right line. Here it is difficult to find the right balance between the fast and slow corners, but it always makes for great racing, especially in MotoGP."

Rossi is currently positoned third in the standings, though Casey Stoner and Andrea Dovizioso are just one and two points behind respectively.

Webber: I need another win for the title

Championship leader Mark Webber says he must take with another race victory this season as he looks to secure his first Formula One drivers’ title. Webber extended his standings lead in Suzuka on Sunday, but has not won a Grand Prix since Hungary back in August.

“I need to win again in the future,” said Webber after his second-place finish behind Red Bull team mate Sebastian Vettel in Japan. “I’m very confident I can do that, and that would be beneficial, of course, but also reliability can still yet play a role, many things, circumstances, lots of different things.”

Webber has benefitted from the intense competition in recent races between Red Bull, Ferrari and McLaren. His consistency - podiums at four of the last five rounds - combined with Lewis Hamilton’s misfortunes, Fernando Alonso’s renaissance and Vettel’s Suzuka win have seen the Australian’s points advantage grow from just five after Monza to 11 after Singapore and 14 after Japan.

“Two weeks ago (my main rival) was Lewis, then it was Fernando - it’s chopping and changing, but the most important thing is that the gap is going the right way,” continued Webber. “I need to keep it like that. We’ve got three races to go and it’s a good result for me.”

Nevertheless, with 75 points still up for grabs from the remaining races in Korea, Brazil and Abu Dhabi, and with five drivers still in contention for the title, Webber knows he can take nothing for granted.

“As we’ve seen this year, five of us are capable of winning races,” he added. “Well, four in the dry - Jenson’s (Button) had a few races in the wet conditions - but in the dry conditions it’s been four of us who can win.”

Sebastian Vettel Q&A: Our aim is to be ‘big in Japan’!

Friday was a good day for Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel, after he took the top honours in both the practice sessions at the Suzuka. Even with unsettled weather conditions predicted for qualifying, Vettel is brimming with the confidence and gunning for a second successive Japanese victory on Sunday…

Q: Sebastian, what is your goal for this weekend?
Sebastian Vettel: To win. With our car it must be the aim - and this track supports that aim. Last year we were very strong here so it’s natural that we want to repeat that. The conditions will be crucial, but right now it is difficult to predict what those conditions will be. It seems a low-pressure front is coming towards us but it is still hard to say when it will hit the region.

Q: Many fear that this track seems designed to suit the Red Bull…
SV: If that were true I would eliminate the straights and add some more corners to it! Then that would be true. But yes, we are pretty confident that we will enjoy a good result here.

Q: You won last year’s race, so you must be feeling pretty confident…
SV: I like this circuit. I walked the track because you see its special characteristic more and you instinctively ask yourself why it cannot be like this anywhere else. The right combination of corners is just great - that’s what makes a great circuit.

Title focus for Lorenzo, Rossi wants to continue form

The Fiat Yamaha duo are approaching Round 15, the Shell Advance Malaysian Motorcycle Grand Prix, with different aims. Lorenzo is on the verge of clinching his first premier class title, whilst Rossi wants to build on the form he displayed in Japan.

Jorge Lorenzo:

"All I am thinking about is Sunday and if I can win the title... It's been one of the dreams of my life and it would be great to get it here in Sepang. I like Malaysia a lot and I've done so many kilometres there testing on my M1, plus I have great memories from winning the 250cc championship there in the 2007. The track is long and modern but the weather can be a problem because it can be too hot and also rain can cause problems. Last year was a bit crazy with the rain and then I had to start from last on the grid! I would definitely prefer it to be dry this year. The team and I will focus in the same way we have all season, working hard from Friday and with the goal of a podium or victory. We hope for the best result we can get."

Valentino Rossi:

"Japan was very exciting for us and it felt good to be fighting at the front through all the sessions and the race; it's been a long time since we were that strong. I don't know until I start riding how Sepang will feel on my shoulder but it is one of my two or three favourite tracks in the world and I am always excited to go there. We were strong there in winter testing, obviously a lot has changed since then but we made some good improvements to our bike in Japan so I hope we can be in the same kind of form this weekend."

Hamilton: Now is the time to fight

After three retirements from the last four races, McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton knows he cannot afford another DNF in this weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix if he is to keep his title hopes alive. He also knows, however, that an overly cautious approach could cost him the points he needs to close with the championship leader Mark Webber.

Hamilton finished third at the Suzuka last year - his first Formula One race at the legendary circuit - when McLaren were outpaced by the likes of Red Bull and Toyota. This season, the former champion is out to make amends.

“Suzuka is very much unfinished business for me,” he said. “I raced the best I could last year, but our car just wasn’t fast enough. This year, I’m holding nothing back - I need a strong result to get my title hopes back on track, and that will be my complete focus from the moment I first sit in the cockpit on Friday morning.”

Hamilton limped out of the last round in Singapore with suspension damage after contact with Webber’s Red Bull, which stewards deemed a racing incident. The preceding round at Monza ended in similar fashion after he ran into Felipe Massa’s Ferrari; and he knows that Suzuka will punish any further errors.

“It’s a real driver’s circuit - you need to be committed and precise to do well there, and there’s no room for error either: no tarmac run-off, and all the barriers are pretty close, so any mistake is going to hurt your chances big-time,” he added.

Following Singapore, Hamilton dropped from second to third in the drivers' table and now has 182 points to Webber’s 202 and Fernando Alonso’s 191. With just four races remaining, and with McLaren struggling to match the pace of the Red Bulls and Ferraris, he knows he must attack in Japan.

“Now is not the time to hold back; now is the time to fight,” he concluded.

Rossi / Lorenzo Friction Making MotoGP Even More Fun

Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo have it. Whether it is the friction these two teammates display in the paddock, or the friction they create with rubbing bodywork in the turns, there is no love lost between the two Yamaha-sponsored speedsters. Thankfully we race fans have a front row seat.

This weekend in Japan, the two were almost recklessly aggressive in their mutual pursuit of the final spot on the podium. Lorenzo is poised for this year’s MotoGP championship, Rossi is the defending circuit champ. Obviously, the competitive juices flow briskly in each. The final 3 laps of the Japanese MotoGP were classics. The top two podium spots were a forgone conclusion, leaving all if the intrigue to the fight between Rossi and Lorenzo.

In true Kobe Bryant / Shaquille O’Neil style, these two uber-competitive alpha males will part way next season when Rossi will pilot a Ducati. In the mean time, we get to watch the pre-separation fireworks.

In Japan, it was Rossi who fought his way to the podium. However, the two disagreed on how he got there. Rossi called it, “a great battle, proper racing.” On the flip side, Lorenzo claimed, “at some points I do not think he (Rossi) was completely fair, we were both on the limit but some of his moves were maybe a bit too much and he touched me and pushed me wide when I don't think it was right.”

Over the next few races, Lorenzo will almost certainly claim the title. However, the inter-team rivalry will surely spice up the MotoGP storyline.

Accidental hero - BMW Sauber’s Kamui Kobayashi

He is the best hope of a strong home result in next weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix - so much so that he’ll have his own ‘fans’ corner’ in the Suzuka stands- and on Wednesday he was appointed an international ambassador for sports and tourism by the Japanese government. BMW Sauber’s Kamui Kobayashi chats about racing on home soil, reflects on life on the road as an F1 driver, and explains why things could have been very different - if only he were funnier…

Q: What does your home race mean to you?

Kamui Kobayashi: Returning to race in Japan as a Formula One driver means a lot to me. I had a taste of it last year when I stepped in for Timo Glock at Toyota for the Friday practice sessions. This was at short notice, but for this year’s race a lot of supporters are going to be there. There has been a Kamui Kobayashi fans corner set up between turns two and three. It has more than 2000 seats and has been sold out for quite a while. I managed to buy tickets for friends and I hope they will be having fun.

Q: What are your expectations for the race in Suzuka?

KK: After a good qualifying the outcome of the race in Singapore was, of course, disappointing for me. I hope in Suzuka we have reason to be happy on both Saturday and on Sunday. We all think the circuit should suit our car pretty well.

Q: When was your last race in Japan?

KK: I didn’t do a lot of racing in Japan and the last race was long ago. It was in 2003 with Formula Toyota on the short track in Suzuka, not on the Grand Prix circuit. I was 17 years old then.

Q: What is the difference between racing in Japan and Europe?

KK: It is huge and I think this is because Europe has all the history in motor racing. You have plenty of smaller racing series which provide for good driver development. Anyone who has attended a Japanese Formula One Grand Prix knows about the excitement and passion the people have for it. But it is also true it is not easy for Japanese people to follow Formula One because the European races are broadcast live relatively late at night.

Q: Have you ever felt home sick?

KK: No. Of course it was strange when I first came to Europe, actually to Vicenza in Italy, because I didn’t even speak English and everything was completely different. But it was also a lot of fun!

Q: But didn’t you miss your parents and your younger sister?
KK: This seems to be very difficult to understand for Europeans, but for Japanese it is not that unusual to leave your family and go to work elsewhere. Even when I was doing things in Japan I rarely met my family. Most times I went to Tokyo and they still live in Amagasaki, which is close to Osaka and quite far away from Tokyo. I always like to stay somewhere nice, but it doesn’t really matter which country it is.

Q: You have got a dog - how does it survive when you are always away?

KK: Yes, I have a dog. Alfred is a Yorkshire terrier and very cute! He stays with a friend in Paris but I go and see him as much as I can.

Q: Did you always dream of becoming a Formula One driver when you were a child?

KK: No, never. I rather wanted to become a comedian - Amagasaki is quite popular for Japanese comedians. But I found I wasn’t talented enough.

Q: Did you have support from your parents to go racing?

KK: My parents were not at all interested in racing. They still don’t own a road car. I bought myself a car twice, but both times my father sold it. He runs a Sushi delivery shop in Amagasaki. Most likely if I hadn’t been quick in karting perhaps I would have become a sushi chef. But I hate raw fish.