Edwards and Crutchlow focused for German round

Experienced American Colin Edwards is looking to merge his place inside the top 10 in the overall rankings having scored points in six of the seven races he has started in 2011. Edwards is also resolute to leave Europe full of confidence ahead of his crucial home round at the spectacular and challenging Laguna Seca track in California on July 24th. His best result at Sachsenring was fourth position in 2007 and he is confident in improving and handling the performance from the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 YZR-M1 this season will be a vital advantage in dealing with the demands of the 2.281 mile track.

This weekend presents an additional big challenge for British rookie Cal Crutchlow, who will be making his Sachsenring debut. The 25 year-old is concentrating all his efforts on lively back from difficult races in Assen and Mugello recently and is aiming for a welcome come back to the top 10. Sachsenring is the shortest track on the World Championship schedule but surely one of the most challenging, the undulating layout made up of predominantly left-hand corners.

Colin Edwards:

“The last two races haven't been that fantastic but we can point to a bad tyre choice in both for that. We've got to take some liability for that but sometimes you roll the dice and gamble but the result doesn't go your way. That's all after me now and I'm just concentrating 100 per cent on getting a good result in Germany this weekend. This track is pretty extraordinary with so many left-hand turns but our chassis is much better than last year, so I'm sure the bike will be easier to ride in the tight and twisty sections. The break after Mugello has really helped my corporal condition. I've been able to get some good rest and the muscle damage about the ribs on the right side of my body isn't as painful as it was. I'll only understand how much of an improvement there's been on Friday when I get on the bike, but I'm expecting a lot less uneasiness than in Mugello where it was quite tough. Aside from 2003 when I had the fireball at the bottom of the hill, I've really enjoyed my time at Sachsenring. The German fans are really well-informed and they love MotoGP, so hopefully we can put on a good show for them. I'll be looking for a good result to take some energy into my home race at Laguna Seca, which is a huge weekend for me and one I'm already thrilled about.”

Cal Crutchlow:

"Like a lot of tracks so far in 2011, I haven't seen this one before but it looks in fact good on TV and I can't wait to get started on Friday. The track is obviously conquered by left-hand turns but I'm not worried that is going to be a big problem for me. The left collarbone I broke at Silverstone last month is fine and I'm happy with the development it is making. After all the weather disruptions of the last few weeks, I'm just hoping for a dry weekend so I can learn the track faster. And I'm also hoping for hot conditions because that will give me an opportunity to resolve some of the front-end issues I've been experiencing lately. When the temperature is hot I've had some issues with front-end feeling, so hopefully some hot weather will give us the ideal opportunity to find a solution. I'm confident I can be running back inside the top ten and receiving the results I know that the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team is capable of.”

Lorenzo fastest in morning test session at Estoril

Championship leader Jorge Lorenzo (Yahama Factory Racing) led at the midway point of the MotoGP official test session held at the Portuguese circuit, subsequent yesterday’s race. The test is split into two parts: 10.00 -13.00 and 14.00-18.00 local time. Colin Edwards (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) and Casey Stoner (Repsol Honda) were second and third quickest correspondingly.

On a gloriously warm day in Estoril, Lorenzo was the first rider to emerge on track in the morning session. The reigning MotoGP World Champion’s quickest lap of the morning sitting was 1’37.170 which was 0.240s ahead of Edwards. The Spaniard was absorbed on new electronic components and working on the suspension of his factory M1 machine. The Monster Yamaha Tech 3 rider worked on the race setting from yesterday, as did Stoner. Edwards and his team were also trying to find more grip from modifications on the chassis.

Estoril race winner Dani Pedrosa called an early halt to his test session after only carrying out a few laps. The Spaniard tried a new clutch and worked on the race setting of his factory RC212V, but was in too much pain to carry on and will now rest in the lead up to the next MotoGP race in Le Mans. Pedrosa was fifth fastest, just over half a second slower than Lorenzo’s fastest lap.

Edwards: “We’ve got a good shot this year”

The Monster Yamaha Tech 3 rider was in high spirits following the second pre-season Test at Sepang last week.

Colin Edwards stopped up the Sepang Test in Malaysia last week in fine form, both on the track and off it. The Monster Yamaha Tech 3 rider was left flattering the overall presentation of the M1 and its off-season improvements, having enjoyed his three days of work.

Edwards spent the bulk of the Test configuring the chassis of his machine and came away extremely satisfied with an better front-end feeling, as well as a better corner exit and rear grip.

The American was also in certain mood about the 2011 season with the gap race in Qatar on March 20th, and said in the attached video interview: “I think we’ve got a good shot this year so I’m excited. I’m really happy with the package. To get in the top five this year I think will be a tall order for anybody. You have a lot of fast factory guys up there and there should be some entertaining racing.”

Edwards concluded: “I’m sure in 2011 Jorge would like to repeat what he did in 2010, but we’ll see. There’s a lot of stiff competition out there and there should be some good racing when it gets happening.”

Crutchlow recovery on course

The Monster Yamaha Tech 3 rider explained that just over a week after his bear surgery he is happy with how he is moving ahead, that he expects to be fully fit for the Sepang Test at the start of the February, and also discussed the forthcoming season.

Cal Crutchlow is now sure that he will be at full strength to take the most out of the Official MotoGP Test at the Sepang on February 1st, despite recently undergoing shoulder surgery. The 25 year-old British rider, who will talk his rookie season with the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 team, underwent an operation last week in Manchester and explained that Professor Len Funk who performed the procedure expects him to be ready in time for Malaysia.

“I not working at the end of the 2009 and ripped the reverse bankart at the back of the shoulder – it was very alike to what Valentino Rossi had,” Crutchlow said. “Because I rode on it all year it really wore the shoulder joint so when they opened it, it was worse than expected. They did the best job possible and have said I should make a full recovery. I should make it by February for the Sepang Test. Everyone was pleased with the outcome of the process.”

He sustained: “I have three weeks in a sling but I'm having regular physiotherapy every day, and it’s coming along very well. I’m using the hyperbaric chamber which is a brilliant facility. I use that for an hour and a partially every day, then go for physio for an hour then do a bit of training on the static bike at home. The arm is high-quality when I take the sling off, and I can do almost everything. The range of group already is nearly full, it’s just that the muscle is still a little bit sore as you would expect.”