Stoner not concerned by championship deficit

Following Jorge Lorenzo's British MotoGP win the Spaniard has opened a commanding 25 point championship guide over Casey Stoner.

With six races concluded in the season, and 12 remaining, it is far from what had been predictable from the reigning world champion - but Stoner was eager to stress that it was far too early to view the championship momentum as having swung determinedly in Lorenzo's favour.

“It's too early [to worry about the championship.] I'm more concerned about our pace to be honest,” said the 26 year old Repsol Honda rider. “That's the thing that has dissatisfied me a lot.

“Championships can turn just about in one race. Definitely the way Jorge is going it's not going to occur, but one DNF and a win for myself and we're equivalent on points and it's game on again.

"So we don't know what can occur later on in the season, but we have got to keep fighting and moreover try and close the gap or not let it enlarge too much."

With the Silverstone weekend having been run in unreliable weather conditions, Stoner was keen to stress that second place was a strong result.

“Today might have gone either way and I could have lost a lot more points than we did so I'm happy to have held on for second. Things could have disappeared a lot better too so we've got to turn ourselves around,” concluded the Australian.

Stoner led laps 5-10 of the 20-lap race, ahead of being passed by Lorenzo. Stoner then spent the left over laps holding off team-mate Dani Pedrosa.

Nicky Hayden gets MotoGP test time at Mugello

This Wednesday and Thursday, Ducati MotoGP star Nicky Hayden will join the factory's Test Team during the last two days of a three-day test at Mugello.

The aim of the test is to permit the American, who finished sixth and top Ducati at round one in Qatar, to make up for time lost during winter testing due to injuries at the 2011 Valencia Grand Prix and then in a December training event.

Hayden is thus predictable to use the time as an opportunity to carry out set-up tests that he wasn't able to complete prior to the start of the season. The 2006 world champion will join official test rider Franco Battaini, who is previously on track today (Tuesday) as he continues his development work on the GP12.

Those updates will be tried by Valentino Rossi and Hayden during future tests.

Round two of the 2012 MotoGP season takes place at Jerez, Spain, from April 27-29.

Stoner and Pedrosa geared up for Qatar

The 2012 MotoGP™ World Championship publicly starts this weekend in Qatar, the small Peninsula off the Persian Gulf, noted for hosting the only race of the calendar under floodlights. The Commercial bank Grand Prix of Qatar is, without any doubt, one of the most impressive races of the season.

Months of development, testing and hard work have gone into the training for this season which sees a switch to 1000cc bikes. In adding up to this change the Repsol Honda Team faces another challenge; defending the Triple Crown they achieved in 2011 when they won the rider, team and constructor titles.

Casey Stoner, the current MotoGP World Champion, has also been the man to beat in pre-season, dominating both tests in Malaysia and Jerez, where his team-mate, Dani Pedrosa, also established himself as one of the fastest riders in the top class.

Stoner’s record at the Losail circuit is impressive: he is the main position with four pole positions and four wins out of six in the MotoGP class. Pedrosa has visited the podium three times in MotoGP and will be fighting, like the Australian, for a strong start to the season.

Casey Stoner:

“After good pre-season Tests in both Sepang and Jerez, we head to Qatar feeling positive, but still have some work to do. This will be the first time with the new bike on this circuit so we will need to expend some time on the set-up to put ourselves in the best position. We've constantly enjoyed good results at the Losail circuit but this is a new season and there are more competitors contesting for victory this year. I'm keyed up to get the season started and fight for another World Championship.”

Dani Pedrosa:

“Each year is different and there are always a variety of obstacles to go through during a season. I’ve had good and bad races in the past, but a big part of these results are resolute by how you have prepared yourself in the winter. I’ve worked very well this year, I had a good pre-season with the bike and with my physical training; I hope that luck is on my side this time, so we can have a good championship. Qatar is significant because it’s the first race of the season, but you have to minimize risks. If you don't win this race you can at rest win the championship, but on the other side, a mistake can make difficult the year. I’m ready. Let’s see how everything goes and where each person is.”

MotoGP: Filling the grid

While the new group of privateer 'Claiming Rule Teams' has arrived just in time to fill the 2012 grid, discussions are underway to point MotoGP in a clearer way for 2013 and beyond.

Following Suzuki's departure and a decrease in satellite entries, full prototypes have been abridged from 17 to 12 for this season - each of the remaining manufacturers (Honda, Yamaha and Ducati) supplying two factories and two satellite bikes.

But the network will still rise to 21 courtesy of the nine new CRT entries, running Superbike-based engines in a prototype chassis.

Extra fuel and engine concessions will be obtainable to help the CRTs compete and the controversial Aprilia project has set lap times that propose its top riders will be in touch with slowest satellite machines.

However other CRTs have far less possessions and the difference in technology between the front and back of the 2012 grid might be greater than at any point in premier-class history. As a result, track performance is likely to be just as wide-ranging.

“The concept of CRT we agree with… but the lap time difference is too big at this instant,” said HRC executive vice president Shuhei Nakamoto, who has previously stated that Honda test rider Kousuke Akiyoshi was only one second slower on a Superbike than on an 800cc RC212V at Suzuka.

But none of the three factories are next to the CRT concept. After all, where would the 2012 MotoGP World Championship be without it? Nevertheless, this season is very much middle, with May targeted as the deadline for agreeing the full set of proposals for 2013 and beyond.

Yamaha developing 'next invention of MotoGP electronics

Yamaha is setting up to initiate its next generation of MotoGP electronics early in the 2012 racing season.

Masahiko Nakajima, general manager of Yamaha's Motorsport Development Division, explained that the present control system fitted to the new 1000cc M1 is an addition of technology used for the previous 800cc machine.

However, the next generations of electronics are being developed in similar.

"We have changed the electric control - particularly traction control, wheelie control and also engine braking - for the 1000. But the electric manage is still not the new generation," explained Nakajima, speaking during last week's Sepang test.

"The current developments are based on the equal electric control strategy as last year, but parallel development of the next generation is ongoing. As soon as we attain good enough results with the next generation we will introduce it.

"I can't say accurately when, but I hope early in the season."

Yamaha has been mounting this next generation, in partnership with Magneti Marelli, since last year.

Asked to give details the advantages of the new system, Nakajima explained that it would be more suited to the complexities of real world motorcycle dynamics.

"The existing generation of computer has a motorcycle 'model' inside, so the computer knows things like 'now the bike is standing up, or banking, or braking, which corner'. This is normal. Our competitors' control systems also work like this," he began.

"For the next generation we need a more exact motorcycle model inside the computer and also how to motivate the engine or chassis more effectively. You have to think again these areas to make another step."

 for more

Edwards debuts the Suter-BMW CRT in Jerez test

Over a dozen riders gathered at the Andalusian track in a three-day test that featured MotoGP, CRT and Moto2 bikes on track jointly. Despite common rain earlier in the week, the first day of testing was held under sun and clear skies, encouraging the riders to grip all they could from the eight hours of work (from 10am to 6:00pm) allotted to them each test day.

Colin Edwards wrapped up his first skill aboard CRT machinery today riding the BMW powered Suter CRT bike of his new team for 2012, NGM Forward Racing. The experienced Texan posted a best time of 1'43.9 during his 39 laps, in his first day of track exploit since getting injured in the tragic accident that also claimed the life of Marco Simoncelli at Sepang. The American was absent for both the Grand Prix of Valencia and end of term Official Test held directly after at the Ricardo Tormo Circuit.

Sharing the track was Yonny Hernandez, who took to the controls of the Kawasaki motor driven BQR FTR motorcycle to turn out a best lap of 1.45.7, and Ivan Silva, who was crowned the Stock Extreme Champion in the Spanish Championship CEV on Sunday, who rode the sample Inmotec machine to register an unauthorized time of 1'45.5 within 40 laps.

Stoner to make 100th MotoGP start

Casey Stoner is intended to make his 100th MotoGP start in this Sunday's Malaysian Grand Prix at Sepang.

During his 99 grands prix to date, the recently crowned double world champion has won 32 races, ended on the podium 58 times, taken 33 poles and 27 fastest laps.

Here are some of the highlights and milestones of Stoner's profession in the Moto GP class:

Race 1 2006/Spain/Jerez - 6th place

Finishes 6th in his debut race on a MotoGP machine riding a Honda for the LCR team.

Race 2 2006/Qatar/Losail – 5th place

Qualifies on pole in just his second start in MotoGP to become the second youngest rider of all-time to start from pole in the premier-class; the only rider to start from pole at a younger age is Freddie Spencer.

Race 3 2006/Turkey/Istanbul – 2nd place

Finishes on the podium in his third MotoGP start to happen to the youngest Australian rider to finish on the podium in the premier-class.

Race 6 2006/Italy/Mugello - DNF

Suffers his first race crash riding a MotoGP machine.

Race 17 2007/Qatar/Losail – 1st place

Wins in his first race for Ducati to become the youngest Australian to win in premier-class and also the first Australian rider to win in 125cc, 250cc and premier-class.

Race 22 2007/Italy/Mugello – 4th place

Starts from pole for the first time since joining the Ducati factory team.

Race 23 2007/Catalan/Barcelona – 1st place

With this win in Catalunya Stoner becomes the first rider to win four times in one season on a Ducati.

Race 27 2007/USA/Laguna Seca – 1st place

Wins from pole and topped all 4 practice sessions to become the first non-American rider to win at Laguna Seca in the MotoGP era.

Race 29 2007/San Marino/Misano – 1st place

Wins three successive races for the first time and is the first to do so on a European manufactured bike since Agostini in 1972.

Race 31 2007/Japan/Motegi – 6th place

Becomes the youngest rider to win the premier-class world title since Freddie Spencer in 1983 and the first to win the title on a Ducati.

Race 32 2007/Australia/Phillip Island – 1st place

Wins at home in Australia for the first time.

Race 33 2007/Malaysia/Sepang – 1st place

Takes tenth win of the year.

Race 35 2008/Qatar/Losail – 1st place

Wins the first ever MotoGP race to take place at night under floodlights.

Race 39 2008/France/Le Mans – 16th place

Suffers mechanical problems during the race and fails to score points for first time riding a Ducati.

Race 46 2008/Czech/Brno - DNF

Crashes out of the race on the seventh lap while leading - his first non-finish on a Ducati.

Race 47 2008/San Marino/Misano - DNF

Qualifies on pole for the seventh successive race - the longest sequence of successive poles in the MotoGP era.

Race 53 2009/Qatar/Losail – 1st place

Wins the opening race of year for the third successive season.

Race 57 2009/Italy/Mugello – 1st place

Gives Ducati their first ever premier-class win at the Italian Grand Prix.

Race 78 2010/Aragon – 1st place

Wins the first MotoGP race to be held at the new Aragon circuit.

Race 81 2010/Australia/Phillip Island – 1st place

Wins his home GP at Phillip Island for the fourth successive year. This was Stoner's last win on a Ducati.

Race 83 2010/Valencia/Ricardo Tormo – 2nd place

Qualifies on pole and finishes second on last race for Ducati.

Race 84 2011/Qatar/Losail – 1st place

Qualifies pole and wins first race for the Repsol Honda team.

Race 85 2011/Spain/Jerez - DNF

Is taken out of the race by Rossi – the only non-podium finish since joining the Honda factory team.

Race 89 2011/Great Britain/Silverstone – 1st place

With this win at Silverstone, Stoner is the first Honda rider to win three successive MotoGP races since Rossi in 2003. This win gives him the lead in the world championship classification.

Race 93 2011/USA/Laguna Seca – 1st place

Wins for the 5th time in 2011 – the highest number of wins by a Honda rider during the 800cc era of MotoGP.

Race 98 2011/Japan/Motegi – 3rd place

Starts on pole for the tenth time in 2011 - a new record for most pole positions in a season during the MotoGP era.

Race 99 2011/Australia/Phiilip Island – 1st place

Qualifies on pole for the eleventh time in 2011, wins race and second world title.

US premiere of Fastest to get place this month

The much predictable US premiere of Fastest will take place on October 14th with a private and exclusive screening at The Deuce Lounge inside the Aria resort and Casino at City Center in Las Vegas.

Shot around the world in 2010 and 2011 Fastest, the sequel to the enormously successful Faster, captures the thrilling reality of the MotoGP World Championship and distills it into a maximum-speed, full-length documentary feature film. As with its predecessor, Fastest is narrated by bike enthusiast and actor Ewan McGregor, and brilliantly captures a essential moment in the sport. In pursuit of his tenth world title Valentino Rossi meets the toughest challenge of his career to date; a wave of fiercely fast young riders, a horrific leg-breaking crash at his home Mugello GP, an amazing but agonising comeback 41 days later at the Sachsenring, and the question of who really is the fastest rider now?

Directed by the award-winning Mark Neale, whose previous work includes Faster and The Doctor, The Tornado and the Kentucky Kid, Fastest debuted worldwide on September 20th in the UK to an audience of 1300 and has established rave reviews.

Pedrosa takes spectacular Motegi MotoGP

Dani Pedrosa (Honda) took the the honours in a dramatic Japanese Grand Prix where only two of the top seven riders didn't either run off the circuit or incur a ride-through penalty (or both!). Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha) and Pedrosa's Honda team mate Casey Stoner completed the podium.

MOTOGP

The 24-lap race began with pole man Stoner launching into Turn 1 at the head of the field, while team mate Andrea Dovizioso jumped the start from the front row, with Marco Simoncelli (Honda) and Cal Crutchlow (Yamaha Tech 3) also incurring ride from side to side penalties for the similar mistake.

Ducati's Valentino Rossi crashed out on the first lap, colliding with Yamaha rider Ben Spies and forcing off the track and down the order. Meanwhile Stoner appeared set to take another victory, leading clear and free until running off the track on lap five, just before Ducati privateer Hector Barbera crashed out, and Nicky Hayden on the second works Ducati went farming while running fourth.

MotoGP results	Points afer 15 rounds
1 Dani Pedrosa (Spain) Honda - 42min47.481	1 Casey Stoner (Australia) Honda - 300 points
2 Jorge Lorenzo (Spain) Yamaha +7.299sec	2 Jorge Lorenzo (Spain) Yamaha - 260
3 Casey Stoner (Australia) Honda +18.380	3 Andrea Dovizioso (Italy) Honda - 196
4 Marco Simoncelli (Italy) Honda +23.550	4 Dani Pedrosa (Spain) Honda - 195
5 Andrea Dovizioso (Italy) Honda +23.691	5 Ben Spies (US) Yamaha - 156
6 Ben Spies (US) Yamaha +37.604	6 Valentino Rossi (Italy) Ducati - 139
7 Nicky Hayden (US) Ducati +39.167	7 Nicky Hayden (US) Ducati - 123
8 Colin Edwards (US) Yamaha +45.023	8 Marco Simoncelli (Italy) Honda - 119
9 Hiroshi Aoyama (Japan) Honda +49.074	9 Colin Edwards (US) Yamaha - 98
10 Randy de Puniet (France) Ducati +59.022	10 Hiroshi Aoyama (Japan) Honda - 94
11 Cal Crutchlow (Britain) Yamaha +1min13.964
12 Kousuke Akiyoshi (Japan) Honda +1min21.709
13 Shinichi Ito (Japan) Honda +1min26.381 POINTS AFTER 15 ROUNDS

Dovizioso, Pedrosa begin battle for third

Repsol Honda team -mates Dani Pedrosa and Andrea Dovizioso start this weekend's Japanese MotoGP estranged by just 15 points in the championship.

It's a somewhat artificial 'battle' - given that Pedrosa missed three races through injury - but has exacting significance for Dovizioso.

The Italian is set to lose his Repsol seat as the team scales back to two riders for 2012 and finishing third in the title would do his prospect employment prospects no harm.

Dovizioso suffered his first non-score of the season after a first-lap accident at Aragon, but his strong memories of Motegi - having taken his first MotoGP pole at the Honda-owned track last year, earlier than finishing second in the race, behind future team-mate Casey Stoner.

"We go to Japan focused on returning to the podium, this has to be our target," said Dovizioso. "We will turn up at the Japanese GP this year in the same position we were last year - straight from a crash and zero points, but I'm strong-minded to transform this disappointment with extra inspiration.

"Last season we had a great race and we almost won, so I'm certain to repeat a great performance at Motegi, a circuit that I like and where I have been on the podium in all the three classes.

"Moreover, this is Honda's home GP and it's very significant to score a good result here," he continued. "Concerning the Championship, we are third in the World Standings and we aim to strengthen our position, improving some points on Lorenzo and maintaining the gap to Dani."

Pedrosa's 2010 title chances ruined when a technical problem caused a collarbone-breaking accident during practice for last year's Japanese GP. The Spaniard proceeds seeking his third race win for 2011.

2011 final run in to commence at Motegi

The Grand Prix of Japan starts a succession of three races in the space of three weeks in which Casey Stoner will attempt to safe his second premier class title, whilst Jorge Lorenzo tries to hold onto his crown.

The Grand Prix of Japan takes place this weekend as the 2011 Moto GP World Championship heads into a swift termination which will see three of the final four rounds – starting at Motegi – take place in the space of three weeks.

Taking a 44-point lead into this weekend’s 15th round is Repsol Honda rider Casey Stoner, who with conquest last time out at Aragón – his eighth of the season – extended his advantage at the top over defending World Champion Jorge Lorenzo. Stoner won last year’s race at Motegi and a repeat of that result would put him in a place to be able to secure the 2011 title in the following round, his home race at Phillip Island.

The Australian knows that is purely imaginary at the moment however and remains fully focused on taking each race as it comes. Likewise Lorenzo knows that whilst his chances of retaining his title are now slim, there is still everything to play for. The Yamaha Factory Racing rider was fourth in last year’s Motegi race on his way to the 2010 title, but won the previous year so knows his way about the Japanese track well.

Reliability has been the cornerstone of Andrea Dovizioso’s 2011 season and is the reason for the Repsol Honda rider’s current position of third in the Championship, but the rarity of a DNF at Aragón – the first time he has failed to score points in a race this season – will have infuriated the Italian. He will be keen to put that right at a circuit at which he ended second in last year’s race.

Nicky Hayden expects wait for Ducati front-end mods

Nicky Hayden says he’s got no thought when he will get his chance to race new front-end parts that proved a big get through for Valentino Rossi in Brno last weekend.

A vague front-end feeling and an under steer issue have been long-term complaints for Rossi and Hayden all through the 2011 MotoGP campaign.

Yet a revised front-end setting that Rossi raced to sixth place in the Czech Republic last weekend twisted out to be a big improvement, with the Italian’s crew chief Jerry Burgess hailing the change as the biggest breakthrough since Rossi first rode the Desmosedici last November in Valencia.

The modifications, which incorporated changes to the front axle that gave Rossi more flex at the bottom of the forks, were built-in to Hayden’s GP11.1 machine during the Brno MotoGP test session earlier this week.

And while the American was able to right away feel the big improvement in front-end performance, his bike won’t run the revised set-up in Indianapolis next weekend, He told MCN: “I got it for a couple of hours and it was a nice little step but we don’t have a lot of parts and I had to give it back and I almost certainly won’t get it back for a while.

"It was better for steering and it helped feel the front tyre a bit better. It just takes time to make the parts and I almost certainly won’t get it for a while, but it was a nice help and clearly it is a better way.”

Dovizioso closes on Lorenzo with fifth podium

Andrea Dovizioso's hopes of challenging for the runners-up spot in the 2011 MotoGP World Championship were known a boost at Brno with a strong run to second, a result that closes the gap to Jorge Lorenzo.

The Repsol Honda rider has been an instance of consistency this year, finishing all but one race inside the top five, performances that place him a comfortable third heading into the second-half of the year.

Although he is yet to taste the winners' champagne this season, Dovizioso's second place – from seventh on the grid - marks his fifth trip to the podium and puts him 23 points at the back Lorenzo in the overall standings.

“I'm really happy to be back on the podium, it's a good result after a hard weekend and second position is so important for the Championship,” the Italian said. “In the warm-up we made some small changes and my feeling improved. I arrived at the race very strong-minded and I made a very good start from seventh position.

“In the first laps I was riding carefully to save the tyres. I had good pace and when Dani pedrosa crashed I tried to stay with Casey but I made a mistake at turn 13 and I approximately went off the track. I lost contact and from that moment Casey stoner built a gap that was not possible to catch. I'm happy of how I managed the race first with Lorenzo and then with Simoncelli to uphold second position.

“In the final five laps I pushed harder, lapping under 1'58 to uphold the margin from Marco. I didn't want to fight with him in the last corners. I want to thank Honda and the team for the good work, in spite of the fact that we struggled slightly over the weekend, we have established one more time that in the race we are there and I'm really looking forward to Indy in two weeks' time.”

Ducati: No 1000cc test at Brno

Ducati's 2012 MotoGP prototype will keep away from a head-to-head assessment with rival 1000cc machines from Honda and Yamaha, after the factory announced that this year's 800cc bike will be used at Monday's official post-race test at Brno.

Ducati has already used five of the eight days of 1000cc testing acceptable with MotoGP riders this year - compared with two days for Honda and none for Yamaha.

All the preceding factory 1000cc tests have been detained in private, but that will change on Monday in the Czech Republic with Honda and Yamaha both confirming that their factory MotoGP riders will try 2012 bikes.

However Ducati has determined that both Valentino Rossi and Nicky Hayden will offer that day to working on the 800'.

“The Test Team tried some electronics updates at Mugello, and we'll use them in the post-race test at Brno to carry on improving the setup and reduce the gap to the lead group," said team manager Vittoriano Guareschi.

"Filippo [Preziosi] will be on hand Monday, and we'll carry on the development work on the GP11.1 with both Valentino and Nicky.”

While Rossi will go on to ride the GP11.1 throughout the grand prix weekend, team-mate Hayden - who completed his first laps on the customized bike during Friday practice at the previous US GP - revealed that he is probable to use the original GP11.

"Obviously the test on Monday will be really significant for us. I'll almost certainly just ride the GP11 on the race weekend and then test the new bike on Monday," said the American.

Rossi and Hayden will start round eleven (of 18) holding fifth and seventh in the world championship, with one podium apiece so far this period.

Rossi to create 250th grand prix start

This Sunday's German Grand Prix will see Valentino Rossi make his 250th grand prix start, across all classes.

Up to crashing and breaking his leg in practice for last year's Italian Grand Prix, Rossi had made 230 consecutive starts; an all-time record.

Rossi will become just the sixth rider in the history of motorcycle grand prix racing to reach the 250-starts milestone, as exposed in the following table.

The nine-time world champion is at present enduring his longest losing streak in grand prix racing, having gone eleven consecutive races without a victory.

Rossi's first ever grand prix, at the 1996 125cc Brno race, came in his eleventh start.

Loris Capirossi, who holds the all-time record for GP starts, is due to come back from injury this weekend.

Rossi, Capirossi and Randy de Puniet are the only riders in the top 15 start list to still be opposing in grand prix.

Carlos Checa, Max Biaggi and Marco Melandri are also unmoving racing at world championship level and now battling for the World Superbike title.

Capirossi needs to ride at the Sachsenring GP

Loris Capirossi will grit his teeth used for the ninth MotoGP World Championship at the Sachsenring circuit held on July 17. The MotoGP veteran’s physical condition is not 100%, but a statement from the team assures that he "is functioning hard these days to get to the race in Germany in good condition."

"I feel better, but my fitness is still not satisfactory. I'm doing daily sessions of physiotherapy at the IM2S Medical Center of Monaco. I've previously missed two races, Mugello was really vital to me. I want to ride the bike as soon as probable,” announced the Italian rider.

Capirossi broke his ninth and tenth ribs and continued a severe contusion to his shoulder from a crash that occurred in the Dutch TT qualifying session. These injuries banned him from participating in Saturday's race at Assen as well as the Mugello weekend.

Just after the Italian Grand Prix, former MotoGP rider Sylvain Guintoli hardened with the Pramac Racing Team as a probable replacement if Capirossi would be unable to ride at the upcoming World Championship round.

Comeback race for Rossi and Hayden at Mugello

Valentino Rossi was left last at the start of the Gran Premio d’Italia TIM to find himself in twelth place at the end of the first lap, but aggravated by the enthusiastic crowd, he caught the group of riders in front of him and climbed to sixth place. The Italian had a better pace in the race than he had all weekend, thanks to a setup change that his technicians made previous to the warm-up.

Nicky Hayden had a great launch at the start and at once climbed to fifth place, but he went long in a corner and couldn’t stop on the dirty part of the asphalt. He went off the track and re-entered in last place. He climbed as high as tenth place after that, and even though he was disappointed by the lost opportunity, he was pleased that the work done over the weekend has helped him find a good feeling with his GP11.

Valentino Rossi:

"We have a bike that is dissimilar in many aspects from the one we started the season with. We’re aware that it needs to undergo further development from a technical point of view, but even at this stage it has shown that it has a good margin of enhancement just with setup. The weather didn’t help us at Assen, and the same was true here. We had imperfect time to work this weekend, so once again we made a significant setup change on Sunday morning. It was a step forward, and in the race I was able to have a better rhythm than in practice, although the enhanced behavior in corners was accompanied by a small loss of grip. Anyway, we think it’s a good direction to try in the future with our setup. I lost some time on the start because the clutch slipped, and I was almost last into the first turn, with a lot of ground to make up. It’s a shame because I’ve always managed to do well on the starts with the Ducati this year. Still, I’m not sure how long I would have been able to stay with Spies and Simoncelli even if I had started better. The gap on lap times was less than at Assen, which is optimistic, but it’s still quite large, about eight tenths. We have to keep working in arrange to stay with the Hondas and Yamahas. We’re all doing all we can, both us at the track and the guys at Ducati. It’s certainly a difficult situation, but to come here to Mugello and see all these flags and fans cheering forever provides a big thrill and gives us motivation to return to the front.”

Ducati's Mugello test tops with Rossi back on the GP12

Ducati’s Mugello test ruined with a beautiful, sunny day and ideal conditions. On Wednesday was Valentino Rossi’s turn back on the Ducati GP12, as he finished his third day of testing with the bike by turning 80 laps between 11:00 a.m. and 6:30 p.m., when the Tuscan circuit closed.

Franco Battaini finished a series of tests with both the GP11 and the G12, while Vittoriano Guareschi followed Valentino’s progress from the box, along with Filippo Preziosi.

“It was another positive test,” said Rossi. “We had a number of things to try, counting a new step with the frame that I liked. The all-purpose feeling was good. I was already happy with the engine the first time I tried it, and now we’re also manufacture progress with the rest of the bike. Naturally, we’ll have to see when the others try their 2012 bikes, but as far as we’re worried, for the moment we’re pleased; our bike is previously good. Riding at Mugello is always a enjoyment. On top of everything else, the conditions today were ideal, so in addition to the good work we carried out—because I did 80 laps—I enjoyed my time riding. Compliments to the circuit for the new trappings; the main grandstand is actually nice, and of course I hope to see Mugello overflowing with fans for the race.”

“For this test we brought an efficient frame for Valentino to try,” echoed Filippo Preziosi, “along with several other interesting things, and I’m satisfied to report that we received positive feedback. The lap times were better than at the last test, which is added confirmation that we’re working in the right direction. A big thank-you to Valentino and Nicky, to all the guys on the Team, and Ducati, where they’re tremendously committed and are working really hard.”

Rossi and Hayden inspired for Catalunya

The Ducati Team riders are keenly anticipating this weekend’s Gran Premi Aperol de Catalunya, at a circuit they both enjoy.

Both Ducati Team riders like the Catalan Grand Prix, citing both the track’s layout and the large crowds that forever heat up the Spanish races. Valentino Rossi, who did not take part in the 2010 round due to injury, has scored wins at the track in every class, collecting an inspiring nine victories and a further four podiums. Nicky Hayden also made the podium in 2006, on his way to the MotoGP title.

Valentino Rossi:

“The Catalan Grand Prix is one of the nicest of the season, for a number of reasons: Barcelona is a beautiful city, the track is really nice – almost certainly my second-favourite after Mugello – and finally, as is always the case at Spanish races, the grandstands are packed with enthusiastic fans. I’m really happy to return to the track, since I had to watch the race from my house last year. I’ve always been quite strong at the track, so I have many nice memories, the most recent of which is the 2009 win after a great clash with Lorenzo. We’re very aggravated and we’re working really hard on the bike; step-by-step, we can see that we’re making progress. We know there’s still a lot of work to be done, but we need to keep annoying to get closer to the front.”

Nicky Hayden:

“Any race in Spain is huge, and Catalunya is no exemption. It’s a good track. I made the podium there in 2006, although I haven’t gotten the results I’d like there in recent years, particularly last season. I’m looking forward to it. The two weeks off have been okay, but I like this part of the season, with back-to-back races. The next month and a half is leaving to be busy, because this is when the season really gets going. Even though our end result wasn’t a lot better in Le Mans, I absolutely think we were closer to the front. Ducati hasn’t stopped functioning over the last couple of weeks, and we’ll see at Barcelona if we can keep going on the right path.”

Rossi’s right-hand man: Uccio

Instantly recognizable as Valentino Rossi’s friend and confidante, Alessio Salucci – otherwise known as “Uccio” in the MotoGP Paddock – discusses his connection with the nine-time World Champion in a special interview.

How did the friendship with Valentino begin?

“It’s been a long time, it’s hard to remember! Vale’s been there since my earliest memories, our parents were friends and we almost grew up together. We’re from a little village and went to the same nursery, schools… we’ve always been very close.”

What are your earliest memories of Valentino?

“I have plenty! I remember that in nursery our friends often played football, but we would go to a downhill slope we knew and ride a tricycle down it! A group of us would go, me and three friends, one of whom was Valentino. It’s a memory that is well set in my mind, even at that age we were captivating big risks – there was a big turn to the left!”

How did the passion for bikes start?

“I was born around motorbikes, I have always loved them since I was a child. I didn’t like football, I liked (Kevin) Schwantz. It’s thanks to my father. In Pesaro everybody was a fan of Graziano (Rossi, father of Valentino) and because of this two-wheeled sport was more significant than any other. I did like F1, but I chose bikes because that was the path Vale took.”

What do you do during a GP weekend?

“My main role is to drive the motorhome to the races, even if this year it isn’t a motorhome but a truck used as a home as the old motorhome became too small. Over the winter we worked a lot on this new truck and I take care of it. It’s a big job as it’s more or less like a hospitality suite. I also take care of the leathers, gloves, boots, helmet… every detail so that Valentino can think fully on racing.”