Motorcycle Stunts Clips, Videos & News

Battery powered seven second dragbike...

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 07:00:00 GMT

Conversation concerning electric powered vehicles is normally the domain of green groups and eco warriors but more recently there has been talk of environmentally friendly motorcycles in drag racing circles.

The slightest mention of the words electric powered are normally enough to send just about any revhead into a slumber but a small group of American innovators are turning that around and leaving mouths agape wherever they go.

The subject of their passion is not some sort of uninspiring electric scoot that struggles to reach 60km/h but a truly awe inspiring creation they have dubbed the �KillaCycle�.

That aggressive name alone may not be enough to perk the interest of motorcycle enthusiasts, but mention these numbers and even the most skeptical will sit up and take notice: 0-100 in under a second and a standing quarter mile in 7.8 seconds.

And no that isn�t a misprint. The Killacycle can hit 100km/h from a standstill in under a second and the only thing to be heard is some tire and wind roar as this silent assassin disappears in to the distance. Dragstrips are never going to be the same again...

Denver based engineer Bill Dube� designed and built the KillaCycle as a private project largely funded by himself although as the rate of success increases a few minor sponsors have come onboard to lend a hand.

A123 Systems provided 1210 of their nanophosphate lithium-ion batteries that powered the machine to its first seven second pass last month at Pomona Raceway. The 85 kilograms of batteries hold enough charge to power the Killacycle to more than half a dozen 7 second passes.

And the running costs? Around ten cents worth of electricity is all it takes to refuel the Killacycle and the latest Manzanita Micro charger has the recharge time down to five minutes.

Picked your jaw up off the floor yet?

While the proven 7 second potential of the Killacycle is amazing, it is still a long way from the 5.7 second world record set by Larry McBride onboard a conventional Nitromethane powered Top Fuel motorcycle. But Top Fuel motorcycles have had many decades of development, need engine rebuilds between runs and cost thousands of dollars in fuel for each race meeting and those costs are continuing to escalate.

However in the field of battery power, costs continue to tumble and the rate of improvement continues to accelerate out of sight. That first 7 second pass was achieved not by a well funded major enterprise but is simply the backyard project of a guy that designs pollution measurement equipment for a living with an annual budget around $13,000 USD. That should give the drag racing fraternity a major fright and clearly signals the potential of battery vehicles should anyone put some serious money behind such a project...

Indianapolis Motor Speedway news

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 07:00:00 GMT

THE RACETRACK OF CHAMPIONS: 2008 IMS WINNERS SWEEP TITLES

INDIANAPOLIS, Monday, Nov. 17, 2008 -- When Jimmie Johnson crossed the finish line Sunday, Nov. 16 at Homestead-Miami Speedway, history was made 1,045 miles away, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

IMS further cemented its reputation as a racetrack of champions when Johnson clinched his third consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup Series title, as all three winners of major events in 2008 at the Speedway -- Scott Dixon, Johnson and Valentino Rossi -- also captured their respective series crowns this year.

It's the first time this feat has occurred since IMS began to play host to three annual races in 2000.

Dixon won the 92nd Indianapolis 500 on May 25 in the No. 9 Target Chip Ganassi Racing Dallara/Honda/Firestone for his first victory in "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing." He went on to clinch his second IndyCar Series title, as his first came in 2003.

"Obviously winning the Indianapolis 500 and a second IndyCar Series championship means a great deal to me and the whole Target team," Dixon said. "It has truly been an amazing year for the whole organization.

"I want to also congratulate Jimmie Johnson and Valentino Rossi on their championships. Although I wasn't at the NASCAR race this season to watch Jimmie win, I did have the pleasure of attending Rossi's incredible win at the first-ever Indianapolis GP. It's truly a great class to be a part of, and I'm sure Jimmie and Valentino are looking forward to duplicating those achievements as much as I am in 2009."

Johnson held off championship rival Carl Edwards to win the 15th Allstate 400 at the Brickyard on July 27 in the No. 48 Lowe's Chevrolet. It was his second victory in the marquee NASCAR race. Johnson earned his third consecutive NASCAR season title this season, tying a record held by the legendary Cale Yarborough. Johnson's first Brickyard victory came in 2006, his first title season.

Rossi pulled away from American favorite Nicky Hayden to win the inaugural Red Bull Indianapolis GP on Sept. 14 on the No. 46 Fiat Yamaha Team Yamaha/Bridgestone in torrential rain and high winds. The victory helped propel Rossi to his sixth career MotoGP World Championship.

The 2009 IMS Centennial Era season starts on track with the 93rd Indianapolis 500 on Sunday, May 24, continues with the 16th Allstate 400 at the Brickyard on Sunday, July 26 and concludes with the second annual Red Bull Indianapolis GP on Sunday, Aug. 30.

***

Stobart support Rossi's run for Children In Need

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 07:00:00 GMT

Stobart Motorsport have backed MotoGP star Valentino Rossi's bid to raise funds for Children In Need on next month's Wales Rally GB. Rossi will drive a Ford Focus RS with full Stobart livery and incorporate the charity's logo and mascot Pudsey Bear.

In an effort to increase charitable donations for the Children in Need appeal the Stobart team are offering a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to one lucky person by putting up for auction a priceless item within the realms of world motorsport.

In keeping with all Eddie Stobart trucks, and the team's other rally cars, the five times MotoGP champ will sport a girl's name on the front of his car; and the choice of name will go the highest bidder in a charity auction. After the event, the name will then be transferred to one of the 1850 Eddie Stobart trucks where it will be cemented in the history books of the trucking Superbrand. The winner will also receive Stobart VIP hospitality for the event.

The auction will run from today until Friday 21 November and details on how to place your bid can be found at www.stobartmotorsport.com.

The 29-year-old Italian is attempting the Cardiff-based event for the second time in his career and will be in the safe hands of expert co-driver Carlo Cassina who has contested 24 WRC events in his career. Cassina's impressive resume includes one victory on Rally Portugal in 1988 beside the last and only Italian to win the World Rally Championship for drivers, Miki Biasion.

For decades the Eddie Stobart transport company has upheld an idiosyncratic tradition of identifying its many trucks by allowing their drivers to choose a female's name to adorn it. The fact that thousands of people are currently on the waiting list to name a Stobart truck demonstrates the popularity of the iconic UK-based logistics firm; now part of the newly-formed Stobart Group. This tradition has since been employed by its motorsport wing which has seen cars named by their drivers in the WRC, British Rally Championship, Production World Rally Championship and the Fiesta SportingTrophy.

Valentino Rossi said:

"If two wheels are the big love of my life, 4 wheels, and especially rally cars, are surely my big passion! Having the chance to race at the Wales Rally GB and having, at the same time, the possibility to raise funds for Children In Need is something really special and I am very proud and happy. I cannot wait to be in the car and to have a lot of fun!"

AMA-SBK: Jake Zemke nominated for Athlete of the Year

Mon, 10 Nov 2008 07:00:00 GMT

AMA road racer Jake Zemke nominated for 2008 AMA SPEED Athlete of the Year award

PICKERINGTON, Ohio -- The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) is proud to announce that newly crowned 2008 Formula Xtreme Series Champion Jake Zemke is the final nominee for the 2008 AMA SPEED Athlete of the Year award. The winner will be announced at the 2008 AMA Pro Racing Awards Banquet on Sunday evening, Nov. 23, at the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum in Leeds, Ala.

Dating back to 1976, the AMA SPEED Athlete of the Year award is the highest honor bestowed on a professional motorcycle racer competing in AMA events. Past recipients of the award include such legendary names as Bob Hannah, Scott Parker, Kenny Roberts and Ricky Carmichael.

The nominees for the 2008 award are AMA Flat Track Champion Kenny Coolbeth, AMA Superbike Champion Ben Spies, AMA Motocross Champion James Stewart, ITP Tires/Moose Racing AMA/ATVA Pro Champion Dustin Wimmer, and Zemke.

Zemke, from Paso Robles, Calif., earned his nomination for this prestigious award by capturing the 2008 AMA Formula Xtreme Series Championship. Zemke's second-place finish at Road Atlanta clinched the title with one round to go.

"When I found out I was nominated, I was quite a bit surprised," Zemke said. "It's obviously an honor. Only five guys a year get nominated, and to have your name put up there as one of the five best out all of the racing disciplines that are represented, it's a pretty cool deal. When you look back on who has won this thing, it's a pretty impressive list -- not just the winners but the nominees."

The 2008 Formula Xtreme title is Zemke's first professional championship, yet the 12-year veteran of the AMA professional road-racing circuit has finished championships in the top five 11 times, the top three nine times, and has been runner-up five times. Zemke said that, despite this being his first title, he never anticipated anything less from himself.

"This is something that I've expected," Zemke said. "Being as close as I have before, I look at it as something that just didn't come together, for whatever reason, before this year. This has always been my goal. Of course, I had a great team behind me, and the Erion Honda team played a major role in my success. I couldn't have done it without them."

To see first-hand whether Zemke wins the AMA SPEED Athlete of the Year award, attend the AMA Pro Racing Awards Banquet, where AMA Pro Racing will honor its professional champions, joined by their families, friends, fans and industry leaders. Held at the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum, the banquet will take place among a collection of more than 1,200 historic and popular motorcycles.

Yamaha sweeps Qatar 8 hour podium

Mon, 10 Nov 2008 07:00:00 GMT

After eight intense hours around the impressive Losail circuit in the Qatari desert the Yamaha YZF-R1 motorcycle claimed all three podium spots in the final round of six in the Endurance FIM World Championship. Yamaha Austria Racing Team, represented by Igor Jerman, Steve Plater and Steve Martin finished ahead of Yamaha Folch Endurance and Maco Moto Racing.

For Jerman and Martin it was a case of sweet revenge after narrowly missing out on victory in Losail twelve months previously. Their triumph, together with Plater on this occasion, gave YART their first set of winner's garlands in 2008 and confirmed their vice-champion standing in the '08 competition.

The team ended the meeting three laps ahead of Folch Endurance; the Spanish duo of Daniel Ribalta and Pedro Vallcaneras losing precious time to a rear wheel problem. The crew were nevertheless pleased to end their first season at world level with a decent third place overall in the championship.

Small problems impeded the progress of Maco Moto Racing but Jason Pridmore and Thomas Hinterreiter were joined by WSB runner Jakub Smrz for a final and memorable podium placing with the R1.

The Qatar event represented the third consecutive podium finish for YART as they took 2nd position at Oschersleben in August and 3rd spot at the Bol d'Or in France in September.

Capirossi tastes podium success in UK rally

Sun, 09 Nov 2008 07:00:00 GMT

Rizla Suzuki MotoGP racer Loris Capirossi had a successful rally debut yesterday as he drove his Suzuki Swift to third place in the Swift Sport Cup, and ninth position overall in the two-wheel drive section of the Tempest Rally.

Capirossi started the day steadily in his Group N car as he came to terms with the demanding 80km of special stages held in the forests and Military training grounds around the Hampshire town of Aldershot in England. As the day progressed, Capirossi became more confident with the incredible performance and handling of the Swift and moved through the field before eventually getting into the top-three in the later stages. He pushed hard as darkness fell, but couldn't quite find the few seconds that he needed to progress further up the leader-board. With comprehensive assistance from experienced co-driver Craig Thorley, Capirossi brought his number 65 Suzuki Swift home in third place, just 14 seconds away from the eventual Swift Sport Cup rally - and championship -- winner Mark Gamble.

Capirossi's MotoGP Team manager Paul Denning was also competing in the rally, but he had a less successful conclusion than his Italian rider. Denning was in close touch with Capirossi and the leaders in the early stages, but a mistake at the end of a fast straight on stage four saw the Englishman slide off the road and into a ditch. He was unable to get his Suzuki back into the stage within the time limit and was disqualified. Denning and co-driver Jemma Bellingham did rejoin the rally for the four afternoon stages and restored some pride by recording some of the quickest times as the torrential rain and high winds battered the competitors.

Capirossi was on hand at the end of the rally to present the winners with their trophies and meet-and-greet his fellow drivers to discuss both the day's events and the demands of their respective motorsport disciplines. Capirossi and Denning will now prepare for Rizla Suzuki MotoGP's next winter test at Phillip Island in Australia later this month, when the evaluation of the 2009 Suzuki GSV-R will continue in readiness for next year's assault on the MotoGP World Championship.

Loris Capirossi:

"It has been a great day and it was really fun to do the rally. I took my time in the early stages as I got used to driving on the loose surfaces and in the forests, it was certainly very different from the wide-open tracks that I am used to in MotoGP! As I got more confident with the car my times improved and I was able to go a lot quicker and I think if we could have done a couple more stages I might have caught the leader, but I am really pleased with third in my first rally. It was a shame that Paul crashed out, because I think our times were very close and it would have been good to have had that extra bit of competition with him, but I think I would have beaten him anyway! I want to say a big thank-you to Craig for some great co-driving and to the organizers for putting on such a good day, plus thanks to Suzuki for inviting me to take part in the event and giving me this opportunity to drive the fantastic Suzuki Swift in a rally."

Daniel Reardon reports after Super X event at Parramatta

Sun, 09 Nov 2008 07:00:00 GMT

As you know, I injured my shoulder at the Geelong Super X round. I had a heap of scans and saw a bunch of specialists and it's come up pretty good.

The specialist told me that it was obviously dislocated, but it wasn't as bad as what it could have been, which is really good news.

There weren't any tears or anything like that in my shoulder, so I was actually really grateful and lucky to have come away with such a small injury. With the way it felt initially, I thought it was going to be much worse.

The Australian Supercross Motorcycle Championship is important to me because of what it is and also as part of my preparation for next year, so it's important for me to get back on feet as soon as possible. I wanted to be sure I did everything right and didn't risk doing myself damage.

I spent a week and a half off the bike just resting up and trying to get ready for this weekend's Super X in Parramatta.

My week was good coming into this round; at the end of it I did a little riding down at Mitch Hoad's place and felt reasonably comfortable.

Coming into tonight, I was still hurting, but I wanted to show that I could turn things around and put the pain aside.

Tonight was our first race under lights and the crowd and the atmosphere were awesome.

The track was definitely a little tough, being so tight, and the format was a little weird but hey, it was all good.

One thing is for sure, the format was definitely exciting - I think the people were a little surprised with the way things went.

Each race was a struggle because of the importance of getting a good start. For the majority of the time I got good starts, but there was once instance there when I didn't and I had to work hard to try and get through.

I finished second to Chad, which is alright, but I was a little disappointed with the end result - I'm not so much looking at a placing, but just the way I feel within myself. I felt that I rode way too tight tonight and that's maybe the result of not really having a full two weeks on the bike and feeling a little hesitant with my shoulder, but I'll work on it this week...

AMA at SEMA Show news

Fri, 07 Nov 2008 07:00:00 GMT

National OHV organizations hold land-use forum in conjunction with SEMA

PICKERINGTON, Ohio -- Leaders from the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) and other national organizations met in Las Vegas on Thursday, Nov. 6, to discuss a variety of land-use issues affecting off-highway vehicle (OHV) recreation. The meeting was held in conjunction with the annual Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) convention in Las Vegas.

In addition to the AMA and the AMA's sister organization, the All-Terrain Vehicle Association, stakeholder organizations represented included the American Council of Snowmobile Associations, Americans For Responsible Recreational Access, the BlueRibbon Coalition, the Motorcycle Industry Council, the National Motorcycle Stunts Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Council, the Off-Road Business Association, the Recreational Off-Highway Vehicle Association, the Specialty Vehicle Institute of America, and Tread Lightly!

This is the third forum that the groups have held in 2008. This meeting focused on the recent federal election results and their impact on recreational access issues, as well as the priorities and challenges facing OHV recreation in the 111th Congress. Also discussed were strategies to address the upcoming Recreational Trails Program reauthorization, and the on-going U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management Route Designation process.

The organizations represented believe that it is useful to periodically discuss and explore areas where they share a common interest. Recognizing that each organization has a separate mission in representing its distinct membership, communicating with each other serves to strengthen advocacy efforts for OHV recreation.

"The AMA values its partnerships a great deal," said AMA Vice President for Government Relations Ed Moreland. "Working together is the only way the AMA and our partners can meet the public lands access challenges before us. Meeting and sharing ideas and resources helps us address these challenges with a united front, and it amplifies our collective voice when advocating for continued responsible access to public lands."

Loris Capirossi Tempest Rally preview

Thu, 06 Nov 2008 07:00:00 GMT

Capirossi ready to rally this weekend

Rizla Suzuki MotoGP racer Loris Capirossi is swapping two-wheel stunts for four this coming weekend as he competes in the Suzuki-sponsored Tempest Rally in Hampshire, England.

Capirossi and Team Manager Paul Denning -- who will also be competing in the rally - completed a successful test of the Suzuki Swift "Sport Cup" rally car at Turweston Aerodrome in Northamptonshire, England on Tuesday, in preparation for this weekend's final round of the Swift Sport Cup one make series. The pair accumulated around 100 laps between them on the bespoke gravel circuit in both daylight and dusk conditions to get first-hand experience of the situations which the drivers will encounter on the 80km course through the forests and Military training grounds of Aldershot. Although both bring limited knowledge of rallying, the session also provided the chance for Capirossi and Denning to once again become accustomed to driving with pace notes, instructions detailing the road ahead, which will be given by co-drivers Craig Thorley and Jemma Bellingham respectively.

Capirossi and Denning were both given initial instruction in the Group N Suzuki Swift by one of Britain's hottest new rally prospects James Wozencroft. They were both taken for a number of demo laps around the gravel circuit to show the amazing handling performance of what is essential a road car. The Suzuki Swifts that that pair will be driving -- with Capirossi's car sporting his distinctive racing number of 65 - are based on a standard 1586cc, 123bhp Swift Sport with small changes made to the vehicle to cope with the rigorous of off-road driving, plus the addition of all the safety features needed to compete in a rally.

The Rizla Suzuki MotoGP duo will get underway in the 13 stage rally at 09.00hrs GMT on Saturday 8th November, when both will be looking to give a good account of themselves as they compete in their own rally within a rally for the glory of being the highest placed driver from the MotoGP team.

Loris Capirossi:

"It has been really good fun today and I have enjoyed the test day. The car is great fun to drive, and I'm really looking forward to Saturday. Today we only played, but at the weekend we will need to be careful because we have 13 difficult stages and it will be very different to the test we had today which was in a very controlled environment. It's completely different to what I'm used to, as this is the first rally for me on loose surfaces, but the car is very well set up and easy to control. I am delighted to have been given the opportunity to compete in the Tempest Rally, and I appreciate the support that Suzuki has provided to ensure that I have the best possible car and I want to say thank-you to them for giving me the chance to drive in the rally. We will have to see what happens on Saturday -- but for sure I want to beat Paul!"

Paul Denning -- Team Manager:

WSBK: Yamaha Portimao test summary

Wed, 05 Nov 2008 07:00:00 GMT

New R1 makes a great start for the 2009 Superbike season at Portimao

2009 Yamaha WSB riders Ben Spies and Tom Sykes enjoyed a successful two day test at Portimao with their new team. The riders used the time to develop both their relationships with their new team and also to make a start on the development of the all-new 2009 Yamaha YZF-R1 race-stunt bike.

Day one of testing was spent mostly riding the 2008 WSB machines, giving both riders the opportunity to learn the highly technical Portimao circuit which opened for the first time last weekend for the last round of the 2008 World Superbike Championship.

Day two saw the riders lapping on the all-new for 2009 Yamaha WSB R1. The new 998cc bike, featuring a high tech powerplant closely linked to the M1 MOTOGP bike, is currently at the very beginning of its development for the 2009 WSB season and is still relatively close to production specifications. However with the 2009 production R1 crossplane crankshaft engine and a unique uneven firing order giving linear torque and greater traction rider Ben Spies was able to come within two tenths of the race lap record set by Troy Bayliss during the inaugural race weekend two days previously.In a validation of the team's belief in the potential of the new bike both riders put in fast lap times, Ben Spies lapping consistently in the low 1.44s on the second day.

The Yamaha WSB team now move on to South Africa for the second test to take the next steps in the development of the bike.

So far the team's minor modifications to the standard bike include a modified cam-shaft, an enlarged radiator for extra cooling and the addition of an oil cooler. The new bike has no rear sub-frame but incorporates a strengthened frame. The exhaust is unique, and was developed in partnership with Akrapovic. The standard fuel tank has also been replaced with an aluminum tank with increased capacity. The bike features the latest Magneti Marelli electronic systems. The new swing arm is also developed purely for the WSB race bike based on knowledge taken from the 2008 racing season.

Ben Spies (1'43.9)

"The whole Superbike weekend has been great for me.Having my own crew chief here from the US joining the team is good, he really understands me and it's great to see him working well with the Yamaha Motor Italia Technical Chief Silvano Galbusera. Getting out on Nori's bike we made a couple of changes and got going, it answered a lot of questions for me on the different tyre manufacturer and riding new circuits.The 2009 bike is at the beginning of its development, but for where it's at now compared to where we will be when we line up at Philip Island it's hugely exciting. The team worked really hard on the bike this weekend and it's just going to get better and better. I'm really looking forward to next year."

Tom Sykes (1'44.5)

"For me it's been a very good test. Having done two days I now feel fully part of the team. It was quite difficult arriving on Tuesday morning for the 1st day of the test, facing a new bike, a new circuit, and a new team. It was important to me to get it right from the start. We are developing well together and we have a good understanding. I was very happy with my time on the 2008 bike, and happy with a good race pace.For the 2009 bike, considering it's at a very early stage of development, I think it's a fantastic package.The feeling coming out of the corner is unbelievably smooth, the power is so controllable, the whole bike remains incredibly stable. There is still lots to be done but the outcome is already very good. All in all it was a great weekend for me, I was really happy to get started and learning, getting on with the new team and feeling part of it."

WSBK Portimao: Series weekend summary

Mon, 03 Nov 2008 07:00:00 GMT

Troy Bayliss wound up his Superbike career, and the 2008 FIM Superbike World Championship, with a spectacular double win in the final round at the Portimao in Portugal in front of 91,000 spectators.

Race 1

The first race was totally dominated by Bayliss, who powered into the lead at the start and was never seen again. The triple world champion's margin over his pursuers was just over two seconds at the flag but it had been much wider throughout the race. There was a terrific scrap for the remaining podium places, the right choice of Pirelli tire making all the difference and in the end it was Checa who came on strong to take the runner-up slot from Corser. The outcome for fourth place was also uncertain until the flag, and it eventually went to Jonathan Rea (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda), making his WSBK debut. Fonsi Nieto (Suzuki Alstare) recovered well to finish fifth, ahead of another Spaniard, Gregorio Lavilla (VentAxia Honda) and Leon Haslam (HM Plant Honda). Max Neukirchner (Alstare Suzuki) crashed out while trying to reach the leading group, while Michel Fabrizio (Ducati Xerox) and Max Biaggi (Sterilgarda Go Eleven Ducati) both retired a few corners in after a clash.

Race 2

The second race saw another totally dominant win from Bayliss, who bows out after a season in which the Australian clearly proved to be the strongest rider out there. Ducati's triumphant day was completed with a second place for Michel Fabrizio while the final podium place went to Leon Haslam (HM Plant Honda) who got the better of Neukirchner in the final stages. Thanks to a sixth place behind Nieto, Corser finished runner-up in the championship, taking advantage of a ride-through penalty for Haga for a jump start. Regis Laconi (Kawasaki) scored a good result in tenth for Kawasaki, while Biaggi could only finish in thirteenth place.

FIM Supersport Motorcycle World Championship

Kenan Sofuoglu (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) made a victorious return to the Supersport class. The Turkish rider, 2007 world champion, after a few laps settling in, took control of the race and went on to win by a wide margin over his future team-mate Andrew Pitt, who won this year's title. It was a terrific battle for third between Joan Lascorz (Glaner Motocard.com Honda) and (Parkalgar Honda), with the win going to the Spaniard in a sprint finish. Fifth went to Broc Parkes, best Yamaha to the chequered flag, while Gianluca Nannelli (Hannspree Honda Althea) finished sixth.

Superstock 1000 FIM Cup

The deciding race for the Superstock 1000 category proved to be an exciting one, as Brendan Roberts (Ducati Xerox Junior Team) powered to the win and the title. The young Australian also gained an advantage from a crash by points leader Xavier Simeon (Suzuki Alstare), which allowed him an easy run to the title. Second place went to another Australian Chris Seaton (Celani Suzuki) ahead of Maxime Berger (Hannspree IDS Ten Kate Honda), another of the stars of this season. Michele Pirro (Yamaha Lorenzini by Leoni) finished fourth, while Alex Polita (Sterilgarda Go Eleven Ducati) was out of luck in the title battle after starting from row 5.

World Superbike 2008 - Round 14 - Portimao (Portugal)

Mon, 03 Nov 2008 07:00:00 GMT

Brendan Roberts was today crowned FIM 1000 Superstock Cup World Champion after defying the odds going from fourth in the Championship to take the overall win. The new Portuguese circuit, Portimao, was a tester for all the riders this weekend as the track was only finished a couple of weeks ago. Roberts dominated throughout the weekend and took the fastest lap, pole position and the overall race win to take the Championship title.

Disaster struck Roberts at the last round at Magny Cours, where the young Australian was unable to finish the race after a gear box problem, dropping him to fourth in the Championship table. The 23-year-old originally from Adelaide, Australia, knew that he had to win in Portugal this weekend and hope for the best, his dreams came true and Roberts secured the race win and the Championship title for the Ducati Xerox Junior Team.

Riding the Ducati 1098R Roberts was eager to show people his true colours and was on flying form throughout the weekend at Portimao. Roberts topped the time sheets in both qualifying sessions and was eager to fight off his opposition during the 12-lap race. After a last minute tyre change on the grid due to the changing weather conditions, Roberts got a great start and was leading into the first turn, but slipped back to third after the opening lap behind Chris Seaton and Championship leader Xavier Simeon.

Roberts got tied up in a battle for second position and also the Championship, with Simeon and the two battled with each other, swapping positions for a couple of laps, Roberts finally made the move stick and he began to hunt down fellow Australian Seaton for the lead. Making a comfortable pass on lap eight Roberts had to remain focused for the remainder of the race. Cutting down his lap times he stretched out nearly a three second lead at the chequered flag, winning the Championship by seven points after going into Portimao with a nine point deficit.

Parkes and Foret out to secure final 2008 prize

Wed, 29 Oct 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Broc Parkes (Yamaha World Supersport Team) and Fabien Foret (Yamaha World Supersport Team) will be out to end the season on a high note at the Parkalgar circuit in Portugal.

Each rider has already scored a race win in 2008, Parkes in Losail and Foret in Monza, and for Parkes, currently fighting for third in the championship, there is only one ambition this weekend, to secure a victory for his team and himself in his last race for Yamaha.

Foret has recovered well from the serious head and spine injuries that ruined his mid-season push whilst sitting second in the championship. His comeback at Magny-Cours at the last round was impressive, as he posted an eighth place finish, despite his enforced lack of physical conditioning. Foret will return to the fray with Yamaha once again in WSS in 2009, alongside new signing Cal Crutchlow, who will test the YZF-R6 after the Portimao race.

Massimo Roccoli (Yamaha Team Italia Lorenzini by Leoni) is determined to march to a top ten finish overall after the Portuguese round. Currently he is 11th, albeit only two points from tenth.

Parkes, like most of the field, has not seen the all-new track on the Algarve up close yet, but expects to be on good form after a month of preparation and anticipation. "I've got to get a good result after the last round, when I got knocked off. So that means finding a good set-up for the race, concentrating on getting a better start, get the front early and then stay there. I normally learn tracks petty quickly and according to everyone who has seen it the new venue is really good. I'm just psyched to get out there and give it a go. I'll try to win my last race for Yamaha to say thank you to them for the past four years."

Foret sees the Portimao race as a good opportunity to boost his confidence before the winter testing begins shortly after race day. "I was very pleased with the way things went at Magny-Cours, even though I was very tired at the end of the race. I will be much stronger this weekend and I am very keen to see the new track, which should be fantastic."

Wilco Zeelenberg, the Yamaha World Supersport Team Manager, acknowledged that racing so late in the year, and at a new circuit, was slightly peculiar. "It is a little strange to be racing the final round of the championship on a track we have never been to and to be racing so late in the year, especially as the championship has now been decided. The new track layout looks challenging, there are lots of blind corners and those kinds of tracks are the most difficult to learn. Because the track is completely new, when the weather is nice all will be fine but it will be difficult if there is a lot of wind blowing dust across the track. We will start with our normal base set up and start working on finding the right gearing from the very start. It is our last race with Broc and I hope he will be able to take a good result."

Bridgestone begins 2009 preparations with Valencia tests

Tue, 28 Oct 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Less than 24 hours after Casey Stoner took victory in the final race of the 2008 season, Bridgestone's preparations for the 2009 season got underway with a test at the Ricardo Tormo circuit in Valencia.

Bridgestone will be the sole tire supplier to the MotoGP championship from 2009 and the Valencia test marked the first occasion to evaluate new specification tyres with all teams and riders for next year. A total of 18 MotoGP riders participated in the test on Monday with some riders joining new teams and others enjoying their first taste of MotoGP machinery.

In accordance with the agreed tire restrictions for this test, Bridgestone supplied a total of 12 slick tires to each rider, consisting of two different front and rear specifications.

The introduction of the sole tire supply regulation for next season will see a reduction in the total number of tires available for each rider during the race weekend, so tyres will have to operate within a wider working range with a greater level of durability. Bridgestone has also reduced the maximum level of grip of the tires in a concerted effort to assist the sport's governing body in its drive for improved safety through reduced cornering speeds.

Monday's session was held in hot and sunny conditions with Casey Stoner resuming where he left off on Sunday, topping the timesheets with a best lap time of 1m32.464s using the new Ducati GP9 machine. Tuesday's session was curtailed by intermittent rain and by 14.00 no riders had ventured out on track.

Bridgestone will now use the data collated from this session in order to prepare tyres for the next test session which will take place at the end of November in Jerez.

Tohru Ubukata - Bridgestone Motorsport - Manager, Race Tire Development

"I am really very satisfied with the first trials of our new specification slick tyres which we were able to carry out in the dry conditions on Monday. Considering it is the first time that we are producing MotoGP tires for everybody in a sole tire supply situation, I think we have made a good start. We have used the foundation of our 2008 tires for these new specs but made some important alterations to ensure that the tires have a wide operating window and can work well for all teams and riders. We have reduced the overall grip level of the tires in order to accomplish this and the feedback from the riders has been encouraging. The track conditions on Monday were excellent and the lap times were also very competitive as a result. The most important thing for us is to know that our tires are durable because this will be one of the most fundamental things for us next season. Some riders put up to 40 laps on the same set of tyres with great consistency which was particularly impressive.

Fiat Yamaha Valencia test notes

Mon, 27 Oct 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Rossi makes positive start on 2009 campaign in Valencia

One day after the final race of his victorious season, MotoGP World Champion Valentino Rossi began working towards the defense of his title with his first day's testing aboard the 2009 prototype M1. The Italian was third fastest in a time of 1'32.921, quicker than his best lap in yesterday's race.

Rossi made two runs of six laps each with his 2008 M1 in order to check some settings and also get a feel for the new tires, as today was the first day of the new mono-brand tire rule with Bridgestone now the official supplier for all riders. He then made five runs and a total of 28 laps on the new prototype, setting his best time on the second run.

Lorenzo started off on his 2008 M1 in order to get a feel for the different tires and to check some settings. He made ten laps with the old bike before climbing onto a test bike, which has some new prototype parts for him to try. He made five runs and 36 laps with the test bike, and despite a low-speed crash on the outlap of his third run he was able to make good progress and set a best time of 1'33.550.

Valentino Rossi - Position: 3rd Time: 1'32.921 Laps: 40

"Today we began work on 2009 and I was able to try the new bike for the first time. It is only the first prototype but my impression of it is very good and it seems they have done a good job. We are working on the engine in order to have more acceleration on the exit from the corner and there is a small change, not enough yet but in the right direction so this is important. We worked on the setting and the weight distribution and I was faster with the new bike so this is good!We need more time to understand the bike and more laps but this is only the first day and it is very positive. The other 'big' thing today of course is the

and I am really happily surprised. This is not the best track to try them at as we don't have so much data for here but anyway they feel very good. I was expecting less grip but we had a lot and everyone was fast today. The track conditions are a lot better today than they have been during the weekend so this makes a difference, but anyway we can already see that they are quite good. I think Bridgestone have done a good job but of course it will be hard to know for sure until we have been to some different tracks. We have to wait and see. For me they feel good even in comparison with my Bridgestone tyres from all of the season so I am happy so far. I have a special 'world champion' helmet now which I like a lot and which I will use throughout the winter testing. As for the number one...I will keep my 46 of course but I will put the number one on my back as I did in the past."

Jorge Lorenzo - Position: 7th Time: 1'33.550 Laps: 46

"I am really happy today because now everyone has the same tires. I tried a test bike with some new parts and today we were just working on collecting information and understanding the new things. I think it was a good day and I made some good laps, so I am quite happy. I had a crash in the afternoon which was my mistake, it was at turn twelve and I opened the throttle too much when the tire was cold, but I was not hurt and we were able to continue. Tomorrow we will try again with the new tyres and keep working and collecting information. Of course we need more time to be able to understand them and evaluate them properly, this is just the first day but we will go step-by-step. There is a long time before the new season but I am excited that we have started work already."

Stoner dominates at Valencian GP

Sun, 26 Oct 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Casey Stoner has won the Valencian GP, the final event in the 2008 MotoGP season. The Aussie led from start to finish, claiming his sixth victory this year. Stoner held off local rider Dani Pedrosa for the win while Valentino Rossi moved his way from starting tenth to finish third in the race.

Since 2003, Stoner hasn't won at Circuit de Valencia, Pedrosa is the rider that seems to fair well here in any class. Yet, today the Spaniard's luck ran out and the 2007 Champion was able to claim the both the first event in Qatar and now final race of the season. All that eluded him was a back-to-back championship; Rossi had already wrapped that up last month. The Ducati rider helped the bike maker finish second in the Manufacturers' title, with Honda settling for third.

"We couldn't really have asked for much more today," smiled Stoner. "To end a difficult season in this way is a fantastic feeling and it's a nice way to thank everybody at Ducati for their hard work. Once again my crew got it right, finding a good setting for the bike despite limited dry track time.

"This was the first time we've ridden in these conditions all weekend so there were still a few question marks before the race, so to go out and set the pace like that was a nice feeling. Now I'm really excited about testing the new bike tomorrow. It felt good the last time I rode it and I'm sure they've made it better, so hopefully we can have a good first session and go home for the winter full of optimism about next season," added the Aussie.

As Stoner said, most of the weekend was spent on a wet track but the weather stayed nice for the riders in today's race. Pedrosa had a bike that worked well in both conditions but couldn't match the pace of Stoner. For a fleeting second the Repsol Honda rider held the lead before the red Ducati pulled in front, never to look back. Pedrosa claimed eleven podiums, including two wins on his home soil. The hat-trick escaped him today but third in the championship should be a nice consolation.

The team celebrated Repsol's 40th anniversary in racing with special liveries based off the sponsor's first design in 1969. They close the season second to Fiat Yamaha in the Teams' Championship, Ducati Marlboro finished third.

"I am happy with second place today," said Pedrosa. "I pushed Casey as hard as I could but he had something a little extra and he managed the gap very well. We worked hard all weekend, so my thanks to my team and also to Repsol, the bike I rode today was one of the best-looking bikes I've ridden. The crowd was great, it was fantastic to see so many fans here, packing the grandstands and obviously really enjoying the spectacle and pushing us along.

"Overall, I am also happy with the last few races, because we were able to come back from a difficult period during the middle of the season. We changed tyres [switched to Bridgestone from Michelin] and I came in for some criticism, but finally we got back on the pace at the last few races, running close to the front in the wet and in the dry.

Pedrosa continued, "It hasn't been the easiest of years. I broke my right hand during preseason testing, I broke my left hand in Germany and I injured my left knee at Phillip Island. These injuries caused me to lose my rhythm and they interrupted our development work, while everyone else was racing and improving their bikes. I have had to push really hard to come back from all these injuries. Tomorrow we start testing for 2009 -- I am looking forward to it because things are going well now. I hope to have a good off-season and stay healthy."

Behind them, the 2008 Champion had quite a race on his own. Rossi wasn't as quick in yesterday's qualifying and found himself on the fourth row. The Fiat Yamaha team and their ace worked hard to find the right setup to charge through the field. By lap one he held onto seventh and it wasn't long before he fought his way to the final podium spot. Progress was halted from there on, Stoner and Pedrosa were just too far away. Still only a World Champ could dash to the front and make up seven positions in six laps.

Stoner takes season's final pole in Valencia

Sat, 25 Oct 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Casey Stoner has pole for the final grid of the 2008 MotoGP season. What a season it has been. From rookie to champions alike there have been high points and low moments. Valentino Rossi has already been crowned with this year's title and Stoner will be runner-up. Both these quick riders want to take the last win for themselves, while Spaniards Dani Pedrosa and Jorge Lorenzo look for a home victory.

Today's pole for the Valencian GP was Stoner's ninth of the season. The Ducati rider started out front more times than anyone else on the field. Unfortunately, it wasn't always translated into a race win. The Aussie's injuries made it hard for him to keep the pace full distance. Next year he will be healed and the Ducati team will have a brand new bike to take on Rossi and the rest and tomorrow's race will be the litmus test.

The weather in Valencia has been wet for much of the on track activities. In the morning the track was soaked for the final practice. Qualifying looked to be a bit more promising but again storm clouds loomed overhead, throwing all the teams' programs out the window.

"That was a really strange session," explained Stoner, "because of the weather but the team did a good job to judge the conditions well and adjust the setting of the bike during the limited dry track time available. It seems this track isn't as demanding on my wrist as Sepang was because there aren't as many hard braking areas, although I went out without strapping today and that didn't turn out to be the best decision. We'll strap it up tomorrow but I don't think it will be a problem. It's important to be on the front row because it is so hard to pass at this circuit and it's also nice to take the final pole position of the season. Hopefully the weather stays dry - for us and for the incredible fans here."

The Repsol Honda teammates completed the front row with Pedrosa second and Nicky Hayden third. Pedrosa was less than a tenth off Stoner's winning time. The Spaniard is a local hero in Valencia, the third event held in Spain this season. Twice this year Pedrosa has won on home soil, he looks for the hat-trick tomorrow.

"Finally, it looked like we might get a dry session this afternoon," commented Pedrosa. "The hour started dry but then it started raining again, which spoiled the work we had planned focusing on trying different race tyres. I wanted to continue working with race tires, preparing for the race, but we made an early switch to qualifying tires to make sure of a good grid position for tomorrow, in case it started raining more heavily. Finally we made the front row, quite close to pole, and the front row is particularly important at this track. We were only able to try one race tire this afternoon, so we will need a good warm-up and then we will need to think very carefully about which tyres we will run in the race. I hope we can have a dry race tomorrow, not only for us but also for all the tens of thousands of fans who always pack the grandstands here."

Hayden was a tenth off his teammate's pace. In the last part of the season the American rider has been up near the top and another front row start today shows his potential for next year. For 2009 Hayden will switch camps to Ducati with Stoner as teammate. For now, the Kentucky Kid will enjoy his last race on a Honda.

"We were close but close don't count, I guess! We shouldn't be too bummed out though," said Hayden, "because we're on the front row. It was pretty obvious that we really wanted to be on pole, we've been fastest all weekend, the bike is working good and the team did a great job when it started sprinkling, getting one bike ready with qualifiers early on. It was quite a tough session, going to qualifiers and then back to race tyres.

2009 ACO calendar

Wed, 22 Oct 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Keep these weekends free!

The Automobile Club de l'Ouest's 2009 season is going to be an intense one full of exciting events for 2, 4 and 6-wheel vehicles on the Bugatti track as well as on the big Le Mans 24-Hours circuit. Get out your diaries now -- weekends like these are not to be missed!

28th-29th March -- French Promosport Cups
An innovation in 2009: the season will kick off with the French Promosport Cups instead of the French Superbike Championship (put back till September). The meeting will include races for 125, 600 and 1000 cc motorbikes as well as the Honda Junior Cup, the Promo 500 Cup and the Makes Cup.

18th-19th April -- The Le Mans 24 Hours for Motorcycles
The 32nd Le Mans 24 Hours for Motorcycles is on the FIM Endurance World Championship Calendar, and will be a top-level event thanks to works involvement via professional teams. The Suzuki Endurance Racing Team based at Le Mans will be defending its title. 66 motorcycles are accepted for practice and 56 will start the race at 15h00.

22nd-23rd April -- Le Mans Series tests
Another 2009 innovation: All the teams will be welcome to the Le Mans Bugatti circuit between the first and second rounds of the 2009 Le Mans Series for two days' testing.

16th-17th May -- The French Motorcycle Grand Prix
The French Motorcycle Grand Prix will again be held on the Bugatti circuit, and in 2009 there will a French World Champion racing in front of his home crowd. Mike di Meglio won the 125 cc World Championship before the end of the 2008 season. His presence will attract the interest of French motorbike fans for the 125 and 250 cc championships and of course the highlight of the weekend, the top category Moto GP.

31st May -- The Le Mans 24-Hours test day
This will be shakedown day for the 55 entrants invited by the ACO to take part in the 2009 Le Mans 24 Hours. They will have the 13,629-km track all to themselves for 7 hours. So there will be no time to lose to prepare for the most mythic endurance race in the world, which will take place 2 weeks later. A third 2009 innovation: the test will be accompanied by a race to the delight of the spectators (30 000 people in 2008!).

13th-14th June -- The Le Mans 24 Hours
The 77th running of the greatest endurance race in the world is the first one under a new set of ACO regulations, which will come into force progressively between now and 2011. Its basic guidelines concern the future of the event in terms of sporting equality, safety, cost reduction and sustainable development. More than ever the Le Mans 24 Hours will be in tune with the concerns of its era. The sport will win and the on-track action will again live up to the spectators' expectations. The attendance record to be beaten is 258 500 (2008). In addition, a round of the Le Mans Formula, the new feeder formula championship created by the ACO and Oreca, will be held as a curtain-raiser to the 2009 Le Mans 24 Hours.

4th-5th July -- LM Story
Every odd year LM Story is back on the calendar with races on the Bugatti circuit for the delight of lovers of historic racing. In 2007, 350 cars took to the track for 17 races divided up into 9 groups. Clubs of historic vehicle collectors of all makes and types will be part of the 2009 programme as well as a large assortment of Alpines.

Fiat Yamaha riders head to Valencia with more records in sight

Tue, 21 Oct 2008 06:00:00 GMT

A record-breaking season for Fiat Yamaha reaches its finale this weekend as the Grand Prix of Valencia brings the curtain down on the 2008 MotoGP World Championship. The traditional season-ending Spanish fiesta sees Valentino Rossi arrive with the title already in his pocket and the all-time points record for a season within his sights, whilst Jorge Lorenzo will become the highest-placed rookie in four-stroke MotoGP history by scoring just four points.

In a season that has seen Rossi become MotoGP World Champion for the sixth time, breaking the record number of wins in the class and scoring his 150th Grand Prix podium on the way, he now needs just eleven points to break the record for the highest tally in a season. He currently stands on 357 points, meaning fifth place or above would take him above the benchmark he set in 2005, which was equaled by Casey Stoner last year.

Lorenzo currently lies fourth in the championship and whilst third is now a mathematically impossibility, Andrea Dovizioso would have to win the race and hope the Spaniard finishes no higher than twelfth to dislodge him. Dovizioso is also the only rider with any chance of denying Lorenzo the title of Rookie of the Year. It is a familiar scenario for the old rivals, who entered the final round of the 2006 season at Valencia battling for the 250cc title, which Lorenzo won with fourth place as the Italian finished seventh.

The 21-year-old from Mallorca has never won at the Ricardo Tormo circuit although he will be looking to set that record straight this weekend in front of the 130,000 race-day fans that will pack into the unique stadium-style surroundings of the track. The layout is characterized by a never-ending burst of tight corners, connected by short straights. The long penultimate looping left-hander and the fast entry to turn one contrast violently with the otherwise geometric flip-flop chicanes and slow speed corners of the infield.

Valentino Rossi Motorcycle Racer- "An account to settle"

"I have had two bad years at Valencia and I have some memories I would like to forget with a good result there this year - I have an account to settle! In 2006 I crashed and lost the championship and then last year I broke my hand and lost second place in the championship! It's not the best track for us but I won there with Yamaha in my first year with them and I would like to do the same again this weekend. It's been a fantastic season and the win on Sunday in Malaysia was great, but I am not finished yet and I want to reward my team, Yamaha and Bridgestone for a fantastic season with the best possible result on Sunday. Then we can all celebrate with a big party!"

Jorge Lorenzo - "Aiming to finish on a high"

"Sunday was really disappointing but I am not hurt and now we are looking forward to Valencia. It's the third 'home' race for me and since at the last one, in Barcelona, I couldn't race, I especially want to get a good result for all my fans. It will be a special race because it's the 10th anniversary of the Valencia circuit. Of course it is a little sad that I am no longer fighting for third in the Championship, but I can still be Rookie of the Year and this is what I am aiming for. It is really important for me and for all my team. I don't have the best record at Valencia, I've never won the race there, although I was second in 2005, but I do have great memories from winning the 250cc world championship there in 2006. It will be our last race with Michelin, who I won my first premier class race with, and more than anything I want to get a good result for them, for my tire technician Pierre, for Jean-Phillipe Weber and of course for my team."

Davide Brivio - "We want to win and party"

Rossi takes win under hot Malaysian sun

Sun, 19 Oct 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Valentino Rossi may have already won the MotoGP championship this year, but that wasn't going to stop the Italian from taking more wins. In a day described by most teams as "sweltering", Rossi played it cool to win the Malaysian GP in Sepang. Polesitter for the race, Dani Pedrosa, crossed the line second. Andrea Dovizioso earned the first podium of the season for JiR Team Scot, better late than never.

The Penultimate weekend for MotoGP was wet at times, always humid and became extremely hot for the race. Circuit temperatures hit an astounding 60 C (140 F) and every degree was felt by the riders. At the start Pedrosa lead the field with Dovizioso making a brilliant leap into second. It wasn't long before the Italian was passed by fellow countryman Rossi. Soon the champ was after Pedrosa, making the pass about midway into the race. Behind them Jorge Lorenzo, teammate to Rossi, slid his Fiat Yamaha into the gravel, ending his chance for a podium finish.

Casey Stoner also had a tough day, the '07 champion was able to hang on to the end but his injuries made it an exhausting race. Sixth place was all he could get, but it was enough to secure the runner-up position in the title hunt, Pedrosa will end the season third.

On the track, Rossi crossed the line four seconds in front of Pedrosa, the Italian now ties Giacomo Agostini for total career podiums. Earlier this season Rossi had already surpassed the legend in total wins.

"I am so happy with this win today because all of the toughest championship of my career, including with Yamaha in 2004, have been won with nine victories," explained Rossi. "Of course that doesn't mean I don't want to win again next week, but for now I like this number! Today was incredibly hard because it was so hot. Once I got behind Dani I tried to pass many times but he was very fast and very consistent and I had a good battle to get by him.

"Anyway, it was important to win here because when we came here in the winter I did a very fast race simulation and I promised my new Bridgestone tire technician, Peter, that we would win the race! I took a gamble in February so I had to win today! Finally I want to congratulate my friend Marco Simoncelli for winning the 250cc World Championship today. I know how hard he has worked to get here and he really deserves it - I am very happy for him," added the Doctor.

Pedrosa had a solid Sunday, the Spaniard did his best to fend off Rossi but The Repsol Honda rider just couldn't match pace. The team is still learning a great deal about their new bike and Bridgestone combination. Their improvement is looking good; Pedrosa and teammate Nicky Hayden will be strong in the season finale at Valencia.

"It was a very tough race and I'm happy very about this result," said Pedrosa. "I want to thank my team, we have worked well, improving every session. On Friday morning we were only 17th, I think, then we started moving forward and yesterday we were able to get pole and today I finished second, so finally it has been a good weekend for me and my team.

Bridgestone appointed sole MotoGP tire supplier from 2009

Sat, 18 Oct 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Bridgestone has today been officially appointed the sole tire supplier for the MotoGP World Championship for a three-year period starting from 2009.

The decision comes following an announcement in September from the Federation Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) that MotoGP will become a single-make tire formula from 2009, and after a subsequent tender process in which Bridgestone was the only tyre manufacturer to submit a proposal to FIM and Dorna.

The specific regulations pertaining to the single tire contract will be confirmed by FIM in due course.

Hiroshi Yasukawa, Director of Bridgestone Motorsport commented on today's announcement:

"Bridgestone is pleased that we have been appointed the sole tire supplier to the MotoGP World Championship for the next three seasons, starting from 2009.

"Although we were sorry to hear that tire competition would not continue in MotoGP, Bridgestone appreciates the importance of safety and cost in motorsport. We respect the decision taken by FIM and Dorna to impose a one-make tyre rule for next season and acknowledge the safety and cost reasons given for their decision.

"We submitted a proposal to FIM and Dorna in order to continue competing at the pinnacle of motorcycle racing, and to continue to be a part of the MotoGP community, of which we are proud to have been involved since the 2002 season.

"We have developed strong relations with manufacturers, teams, riders and personnel in the MotoGP world and are happy to be able to continue a high level of participation in the sport. Even in a single tire situation, however, we must also guarantee and increase our return on investment from a business point of view, something that we hope to achieve through a close working relationship with all our teams and with Dorna.

"Alongside safety and cost, fairness is another pillar of Bridgestone's involvement in motorsport and we are committed to servicing our teams fairly at all times. Having worked with all manufacturers in MotoGP this season, we believe that we are well placed to offer the fairest possible treatment across all teams.

"We have relished competing on a global motorcycle racing stage with our rivals over the last seven seasons and will miss the opportunity to showcase our technical capabilities against them. In this period of competition, we have improved our performance level step by step and have been immensely proud to have taken the world title for the last two seasons, firstly with Ducati and Casey Stoner in 2007, and this year with Fiat Yamaha and Valentino Rossi.

Malaysian MotoGP: Bridgestone preview

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 06:00:00 GMT

MotoGP is set for a frantic final flourish to the 2008 championship as the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia plays host to the penultimate race of this year's campaign before the whirlwind tour moves to Valencia next week for the season finale.

This weekend's event will be the tenth consecutive MotoGP race to be held at the Sepang International Circuit since the Malaysian GP event was moved there back in 1999. Alongside Shanghai and Catalunya, it is one of three circuits on this year's calendar that also holds Formula One races, so Bridgestone can boast a wide-ranging pedigree at the track.

On two wheels, Bridgestone has two Sepang victories, both with Ducati, with Loris Capirossi in 2005 and Casey Stoner in 2007. Valentino Rossi may already have wrapped up this year's riders' title, but there is plenty left up for grabs in these final two races.

Casey Stoner took a popular home win at Phillip Island two weeks ago to extend his grasp of second place in the table and will be hoping to capture his second consecutive Malaysian GP victory this weekend. Repsol Honda's Dani Pedrosa will be hoping to end his season with some strong results to consolidate his top three status in this year's championship.

Hiroshi Yamada - Bridgestone Motorsport - Manager, Motorcycle Sport Unit Stunts.

"This long and competitive season is building to a resounding end with two quite contrasting race venues in Malaysia and Valencia. Malaysia is traditionally one of the hottest of the season, while Valencia can be quite cool at this time of the year. We have a good history in Malaysia. It was the scene of one of the two victories we shared with Ducati in our debut season of collaboration in 2005 after a great ride from Loris. He followed that win up with second place in 2006 after a very exciting battle with Valentino. It was also a tightly-fought race last year and we emerged with a 1-2, Casey taking his tenth win of the season in style ahead of Marco in second on the Honda Gresini bike. The last few races have proven to be very close, and I expect something similar in Sepang this weekend."

Tohru Ubukata - Bridgestone Motorsport - Manager, Race Tyre Development

"Sepang is one of the longest circuits on the calendar with two very distinct straights, both of which are around 1km in length, interlinked by a tight hairpin. The track layout requires a lot of outright engine power and good braking stability from the machines as riders brake from speeds in excess of 300km/h. It is also one of the hottest tracks that we race at with track temperatures often in excess of 50 degrees Celsius. For this reason, we have to look carefully at the central part of the tire because of the pressure that it is placed under and the length of time that riders are upright over the lap. The circuit was resurfaced for last year's event which gave us a new challenge, but the race performance showed good pace and consistency across the entire field, and it was a highly competitive race. Sepang is also a much-used place for pre-season testing, so most teams will arrive at the track for Friday practice with a good idea of bike set-up, which in turn allows us to get to work quickly on tire evaluation for the weekend.

MICHELIN TACKLES TROPICAL CHALLENGE

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Michelin's MotoGP crew swaps the cool, breeziness of Phillip Island for the sweltering tropical heat of Sepang for the penultimate race of the 2008 MotoGP World Championship.

Michelin performed well at Phillip Island, with Nicky Hayden (Repsol Honda RC212V-Michelin) scoring a superb podium result and all six Michelin men inside the top nine finishers. Hayden is currently sixth overall in the points standings, just behind fellow Michelin riders Jorge Lorenzo (Fiat Yamaha Team YZR-M1-Michelin) and Andrea Dovizioso (JiR Team Scot Honda RC212V-Michelin) and just in front of Colin Edwards (Yamaha Tech 3 YZR-M1-Michelin).

Sepang is one of the most challenging events of the MotoGP season, with riders, motorcycles and tires pushed to the limit by the intense weather conditions, with temperatures sometimes edging towards 55 degrees and humidity at up to 80 per cent. The circuit also demands much from riders and their machinery, with a com bination of wide, sweeping corners and heavy braking. Sepang's testing layout makes it MotoGP's most popular off-season test venue, with some teams visiting the track several times during the sport's winter season.

"After Phillip Island, which is the toughest circuit for tires, Sepang is another big challenge for the tire companies," says Jean-Philippe Weber, Michelin's director of motorcycle racing. "But conditions are very different from those we experience in Australia, with much higher ambient and track temperatures. At Phillip Island we had to contend with a track temperature between 22 and 35 degrees; at Sepang it can be anything between 40 and 55 degrees, which makes it very tough for the tires. The layout of the Sepang circuit puts less stress into the tires than Phillip Island, which puts so much heat into the tires. In Malaysia it is the heat that demands so much from the tires.

"We expect the asphalt to be less demanding than it was last year, when the whole track had been resurfaced, because Sepang is used a lot for racing, testing and other activities. Riders use similar rear tire constructions as they used at Phillip Island, with different compounds adapted to suit these special conditions. Edge grip and traction are very important at Sepang, with quite a few long corners. The tires need to provide consistent performance through these corners during the race.

AMA Congress annual meeting summary

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 06:00:00 GMT

American Motorcyclist Association Congress convenes, passes new lower sound rules for motorcycle competition

PICKERINGTON, Ohio--The 2008 American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) Congress gathered October 9-11 to consider numerous issues affecting amateur motorcycle competition and recreational riding in the United States. Rule changes passed by AMA Congress included the regulation of motorcycle sound levels at competitive events, motocross class advancement and new event types for road riders.

In all, AMA Congress considered 83 rule proposals at the 2008 annual meeting, 47 of which were passed or amended for possible ratification by the AMA Board of Directors. In deference to the needs of local AMA organizers, the AMA and original equipment manufacturers, most rules adopted by the 2008 AMA Congress will not take effect before 2010, at the earliest.

Most notably, the 2008 AMA Congress passed a 94 dB(a) standard for all amateur and Pro-Am motocross and off-road competition, effective in 2011. The new standard will not apply to land-speed racing, speed trials or drag-racing events.

The new level mirrors both the 2009 standard for professional motocross and Supercross racing in the United States, as well as the level mandated by the FIM (Federation Internationale de Motocyclisme), which governs international motorcycle competition. Currently, sound limits for amateur motorcycle competition are 99 dB(a) for closed-course competition and 96 dB(a) for cross-country racing.

"Few issues contribute more to misunderstanding and prejudice against the motorcycling community than excessively loud motorcycles, and this measure addresses the issue head-on," said AMA President and CEO Rob Dingman. "This standard is already in place for professional and international competition, making this one of the most cost-effective and easy-to-implement solutions to the sound problem. That said, AMA Congress understands that amateur competitors may need more time to adopt this new standard and wisely established a reasonable deadline for compliance."

Also at the meeting, AMA Congress passed revised advancement procedures for amateur motocross racers, which are designed to be more equitable to C-class riders poised to advance to the B level.

On the road-riding side, the AMA Congress considered several proposals, including two that develop new types of events. One is the Bonus Hunt, which is part scavenger hunt and part road enduro. The other provides a more detailed procedure for the popular Vintage Motogiro event, which gives owners of vintage and antique motorcycles a chance to meet and show off their unique machines.

US Open Saturday night summary

Sun, 12 Oct 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Stewart Enjoys $100,000-Plus Payday at Rockstar Energy Drink U.S. Open

LAS VEGAS (October 11, 2008) -- L&M San Manuel Yamaha's James Stewart, of Haines City, Fla., won the Rockstar Energy Drink U.S. Open at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, taking home the $100,000 winner's pay check.

Stewart set the stage coming into tonight's main event, winning the superpole, which put him two steps away from claiming the $250,000 Trifecta bonus award. Rockstar Makita Suzuki's Chad Reed, of Dade City, Fla., stopped Stewart from winning the $250,000 when he won the holeshot award. Yamaha's Broc Hepler, of Kittanning, Pa., followed Reed through turn one and Stewart started in fourth.

Reed led the first 16 laps before suffering a major crash that allowed Stewart to move into the lead. Red Bull Honda's Andrew Short, of Smithville, Texas, moved into second place, where he finished. Reed finished third.

In the overall, Red Bull Honda's Ivan Tedesco, of Tallahassee, Fla., finished second and Rockstar Makita Suzuki's Ryan Dungey, of Belle, Plaine, Minn., finished third.

"I wanted to come here and do good for the team," said Stewart. "I was lucky that Chad made a mistake for me. It was a great night and I am glad that we put on a great race for the fans."

Jesse Nelson bounced back from a rough ride Friday night to win the Alpinestars 85cc Mini Invitational. While trailing Nelson, Joe Savatgy, who finished second last night, crashed the timing section, giving up his chase for the lead. Austin Politelli, who won last night's main event, finished second place tonight and won the overall.

Rockstar Energy Drink U.S. Open Overall Results
1. James Stewart, Yamaha (1-1)
2. Ivan Tedesco, Honda (5-4)
3. Ryan Dungey, Suzuki (5-4)
4. Andrew Short, Honda (9-2)
5. Justin Brayton, KTM (4-9)
6. Josh Hill, Yamaha (3-12)
7. Michael Byrne, Suzuki (7-6)
8. Chad Reed, Suzuki (14-3)
9. Thomas Hahn, Kawasaki (8-13)
10. Broc Hepler, Yamaha (6-11)

Alpinestars 85cc Mini Invitational Overall Results
1. A. Politelli, Suzuki
2. K. Kamm, KTM
3. J. Savatgy, Honda
4. J. Nelson, Honda
5. J. Owen, Suzuki
6. M. Maze, Suzuki
7. D. Epstein, Yamaha
8. M. Bisceglia, Yamaha
9. T. Stewart, Yamaha
10. C. Alldredge, Yamaha

Rockstar Energy Drink U.S. Open Saturday Night Results
1. James Stewart, Yamaha
2. Andrew Short, Honda
3. Chad Reed, Suzuki
4. Ryan Dungey, Suzuki
5. Ivan Tedesco, Honda
6. Michael Byrne, Suzuki
7. Dan Reardon, Honda
8. Thomas Hahn, Kawasaki
9. Justin Brayton, KTM
10. Nico Izzi, Suzuki

Troy Bayliss proves he is a master with third crown

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 06:00:00 GMT

At the age of 39, Troy Bayliss continues to ride the high waves in World Superbike competition, this past weekend in Magny-Cours, France, the Aussie wrapped-up his third world championship with one event (two races) remaining on the 2008 calendar.

"I'm extremely happy to have won my third world championship and to be able to say I have won on three different generations of the Ducati Superbike Motorcycle. I want to thank the entire team who have worked so hard and put a lot of trust in me. Together we have done a great job this season," smiled Bayliss.

Riding for the Ducati Xerox Team, he got the job done. Bayliss was third in the first race on Sunday but came back to land the victory in the afternoon on Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours on his Ducati 1098 F08.

Bayliss kick-started his world racing career in 1997 but took three years away from Superbikes. He returned in 2006 to land 12 wins out of 24 races plus five Superpoles to earn his second crown. His first championship came in 2001 with two Superpoles and six victories.

"These last years with Ducati, since 2000, have been a great experience for me," said Bayliss.

Ducati moved Bayliss into another world stage in 2003, '04 and '05. His debut in MotoGP was remarkable with three podiums and two front row starting positions. He ended sixth and missed the top rookie award by a mere two points.

Bayliss admitted he found MotoGP to be very tough and his second season in '04 was dismal but at the end, he found the podium in the season finale and simply said, "You probably haven't seen me smile like this for a while ... It's been a tough year for me and everyone at Ducati but the bike has come good in the second half of the season."

The Aussie and Ducati parted ways in '05 with Bayliss moving to Honda in MotoGP. "For me the switch from Ducati to Honda is a bigger change than coming from Superbikes to MotoGP," he said.

His move back to the Superbike World Championship with Ducati is now history.

Two races have yet to run and the Aussie no doubt will add to his impressive career stats. With 150 starts, Bayliss has to his credit 50 wins, 29 second place finishes and 13 on the final podium step, plus his 25 Superpoles.

This year's stats will end on November 2 in Portimao, Portugal on the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve circuit. Out of the 26 races thus far this season, the Aussie has nine wins and will be the first to admit, it has been a tight battle between himself, Noriyuki Haga and the "other Aussie", Troy Corser, both racing for the Yamaha Motor Italia team.

"This whole year has been up and done, with several riders remaining consistently fast. From half way through the season we became more confident and so there was a lot of pressure but I've done what I set out to do, I really wanted to win on the three different Ducati Superbikes," Bayliss said. "It's just a fantastic feeling. Now I have secured the title, I'm looking forward to enjoying the last round at the brand new track of Portimao, where I'm hoping I can finish the season on a high!"

WORCS to receive AMA sanction in 2009

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 06:00:00 GMT

American Motorcyclist Association announces agreement to sanction WORCS events for 2009

PICKERINGTON, Ohio--The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) is proud to announce that it will sanction the World Off-Road Championship Series (WORCS) for 2009. In addition, the AMA and WORCS will also partner on several rounds of the AMA Western Hare Scrambles Series, which will lay the groundwork for future cooperative endeavors.

"Off-road racing is a unique area of motorcycle competition where both the country's top athletes and recreational amateur racers frequently compete in their respective classes at the same events," said AMA President and CEO Rob Dingman. "Thousands of our members are die-hard off-road racing enthusiasts, and the AMA remains steadfastly committed to this form of competition on all levels. As one of the premier series for off-road racers in this country, WORCS represents an excellent additional partner for the Association as we continue to grow and improve this area of competition."

With the addition of WORCS events, the AMA adds another of the country's top off-road series to its fold, which also includes the AMA FMF Racing National Enduro Series, the AMA FMF Racing National Hare & Hound Series, the Can-Am AMA Grand National Cross Country Series, the AMA/MAXXIS National Endurocross Series, the AMA/NATC National Observed Trials Series and the AMA Eastern and Western Hare Scrambles Series.

AMA Off-Road Director Chuck Weir added that the benefits of sanctioning WORCS will go beyond that series alone.

"The AMA is thrilled with the opportunity to sanction this world-class championship, and honor the WORCS champions with AMA recognition," Weir said. "In addition, by working with WORCS on the AMA Western Hare Scrambles Series, both programs will be elevated and better racing will result for the competitors and fans. This is a win/win relationship that will start paying dividends immediately."

Sean Reddish, CEO and founder of WORCS, said that he has long wanted to affiliate WORCS with the AMA, the world's largest motorsports sanctioning body and the leading advocate for motorcyclists' rights in the United States.

"WORCS has looked at partnering with the AMA for the last three years and now the time is just right," Reddish said. "With the growth of the WORCS series and the new direction AMA has taken in sanctioning, we knew that 2009 was the year to make it happen. Many positive things can be said of the AMA, and the one that I and WORCS consider the most important is the protection of our right to ride and race."

Reddish added that WORCS hopes to co-sanction three to four races with the Western National Hare Scrambles program in 2009.

ELLISON AND MARTIN ALL SET FOR BRANDS FINALE

Tue, 07 Oct 2008 06:00:00 GMT

The 2008 Bennetts British Superbike Championship concludes this weekend with the final round at the Brands Hatch Indy circuit whereby Hydrex Bike Animal Honda riders, James Ellison and Guy Martin, aim to round the season off in style.

When the series last visited the Kent track back in May, albeit on the full GP circuit, both riders came away with a decent points haul and the pair will be looking for a repeat of those performances for Shaun Muir's team.

28 year old Ellison from Kendal in Cumbria currently lies in seventh place in the standings, 34 points down on the experienced Michael Rutter, and but for his one and only indiscretion on his comeback season, when he slid off in the first race at Silverstone a couple of weeks ago, James could have been realistically challenging for a top six placing after claiming three podiums throughout the season.

For 26 year old Martin, the meeting offers the chance to rid himself of the bad luck that has plagued his entire season and the rider from Kirmington in Lincolnshire will be looking to add to his one and only top ten placing so far, which he scored at the very first round at Thruxton.

James Ellison: "I'm really looking forward to Brands Hatch to try to get around the problems we had at Silverstone. It's a bit of a short circuit and not much you can do there with settings so I reckon we'll be competitive. I'll just keep trying for this elusive win, I have two chances left and I'd like to get that top step of the podium for all the team, to pay them back for all their hard work."

Guy Martin: "It doesn't seem five minutes ago that the season was just starting, full of high expectations, but it's just not happened for me this year. I'm looking forward to getting some better results at Brands Hatch as we really need a tonic to carry us into the winter months. But come Sunday evening, it will be a case of 'win or lose, we'll have some booze.'"

The first of the thirty lap encounters is scheduled for 2pm with the second race getting underway at 4.45pm and as ever, the action will be shown live on British Eurosport with a Channel 4 highlights show to be aired during the following week, as well as motorcycle stunts.

Tommy Aquino is 2008 Road Race Rookie of the Year

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Graves Motorsports' Tommy Aquino is 2008 AMA Road Race Rookie of the Year

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida--AMA Pro Racing is proud to announce that Graves Motorsports Yamaha rider Tommy Aquino is the 2008 AMA Road Race Rookie of the Year. In his first full professional season, Aquino finished 14th overall in the Pro Honda Oils Supersport Championship presented by Shoei.

AMA Road Race Rookie of the Year honors are awarded to the eligible rookie rider with the most points accumulated in one of the eligible AMA professional road-race classes, Superbike, Supersport, Formula Xtreme or Superstock.

"Tommy had an exceptional year in the AMA Pro Honda Oils Supersport Championship, and we're happy to recognize those efforts with the AMA Road Race Rookie of the Year Award," said AMA Pro Racing Special Projects Manager Bill Syfan. "This young man put in a number of solid rides against some of America's best road racers, and established himself as a possible front-runner for 2009. We would like to congratulate Tommy, the Aquino family and Graves Motorsports on a successful season."

Aquino's closest competitor for the honor was Seth Starnes, who was competing in the AMA Superstock Series presented by Dynojet. Going into the last round at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, California, Starnes has accumulated 121 class points to Aquino's 111. Aquino, however, wrapped up his year with a 7th in the Supersport race, while Starnes carded a 19th in Superstock. The additional points gave Aquino the edge he needed to claim the award by 2 points, 135 to Starnes' 133.

"It's exciting to win this award," said Aquino, who's from Woodland Hills, California. "I only completed seven races (because he turned 16 in May) and got top 10 in most of them. I knew everybody would be a lot better than me at first, but it worked out and was fun."

Aquino added that a big difference between the amateur and pro ranks was the motorcycle stunting intensity.

"I learned that in the pros, everybody up front is really aggressive, and I had to be aggressive to do well," he said. "You also have more confidence, though, because you know you're racing around people who know what they're doing, so close riding and aggressive riding isn't as dangerous."

Aquino had a successful amateur career before he made the leap to the pro ranks this year. Aquino was the 2007 WERA National Champion in the 600 Supersport class and finished second in 600 Superbike Expert last year.

Stoner wins home Australian MotoGP

Sun, 05 Oct 2008 06:00:00 GMT

For the second year in a row Casey Stoner his won at his home event, the Australian GP at Phillip Island. Last year's MotoGP champion started from pole and led every lap around the 4.445 km (2.762 miles) circuit. This year's title winner, Valentino Rossi, crashed in qualifying but was still able to move his way into second place. The Fiat Yamaha rider passed Nicky Hayden for the spot on the final lap. Hayden's third moved him up two places in the point standings.

Quick all weekend, Stoner was hungry for today's win. The Aussie shattered the track record to gain the top starting spot. In the race only Hayden could keep up, but eventually even the American fell six seconds away from the Ducati.

"This weekend has been a bit like the whole season - up and down! Thankfully it's finished on a high and it's a great feeling to win my home Grand Prix in front of all these wonderful fans, with my family here too," said Stoner. "That's largely down to the hard work of my team because we've had some issues with the bike here but today it felt great and I was able to push hard from the first lap. Sometimes at this track you can have the best pace but still get dragged into a battle but I was able to get away, even though Nicky chased me hard for a long time before eventually dropping off and giving me some breathing space. It's been a great year for me and even though we haven't won the title I feel proud of our achievements. If we can battle for the championship again next year that would be great but for now I'm just going to enjoy winning my home GP."

In contrast, Rossi had a terrible Saturday. The Italian looked quick during practice but a mistake in qualifying sent the Fiat Yamaha bike into the gravel. Rossi banged his head pretty good and wasn't able to place a competitive time before the end of the session. After a good night's rest the Doctor was ready to make up for his spill.

Starting twelfth on the grid the champ quickly dispatched a large chunk of the field before hanging onto the tail of his teammate, Jorge Lorenzo. Without losing his pace Rossi slipped past the sister Yamaha and then worked on James Toseland for third, the pair not giving an inch before Rossi finally made a pass stick. Rossi became a man possessed, with six seconds between himself and Hayden he gave his all to catch the Honda. When Hayden's rear tire faded away Rossi was able to make the pass on the final lap. Clearly Rossi won the hard charger award, gaining eleven positions on his quest for the best possible finish.

"That was a very exciting race for me, from start to finish!" smiled Rossi. "Unfortunately I made a small mistake yesterday and I paid a high price for it - both with my starting position and with my body! This morning my neck was okay but I had a lot of pain in my head, so I have to say thank you to Dr. Costa and the Clinica Mobile because they gave me a lot of massage and some medicine and I was in better shape for the race.

Stoner takes pole at his Australian home event

Sat, 04 Oct 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Casey Stoner can only become the runner-up for this season's championship but the Australian isn't going to let anyone take away the win at his home event. A week after Valentino Rossi took the title in Japan the MotoGP series moved to a smaller island, Phillip Island, for the Australian GP.

In today's qualifying, Stoner went out as the session closed to grab pole away from Nicky Hayden, setting a new circuit record along the way. When the dust settled Jorge Lorenzo also managed to beat out Hayden for second place. In his own right Hayden's third is well earned. The American was also lightning quick, he set the first hot lap to break the old track record. All three drivers in the front row are separated less than a tenth of a second.

Doubts surrounded Stoner going into his home event. Many sideline tacticians were quick to speculate the 2007 champion's injured wrist is what made him lose to Rossi this season. Denying his old injury has anything to do with missing the title, the Aussie brushed aside all criticism and did what any professional rider does best, go faster than everyone else on the track. Tomorrow will be a challenging race for Stoner but it looks like the Ducati rider isn't worried, a win at his home race before his birthday is the extra juice needed to claim victory.

"This is actually the first time this season we've had three identical qualifying tyres and the first one ran out of grip in the final sequence of left-handers," explained Stoner. "With the last one I tried to preserve it a bit better by picking the bike up out of the corners earlier and even then it was do-or-die in those final three bends. I thought the lap time would be good enough for a front row start but we ended up on pole position so I'm surprised and extra happy today. This is my home race but there is no pressure on us and I just want to enjoy it. I hope the fans do too."

Lorenzo was an example of consistency today, earning him his seventh front row start of the season. Once the Fiat Yamaha team sorted out a dry weather setup, the Spaniard finished the morning practice third quickest. During qualifying the MotoGP rookie's pace increased every lap with his best and final a mere seven thousandths from Stoner. While a new comer to the premier class Lorenzo has a winning history here in 250cc.

"The weather was more complicated than it looked because the wind was very strong, but anyway my bike worked very well," said Lorenzo. "I am disappointed to miss out on the pole position by such a tiny amount but anyway I am happy to be on the front row and also to have such a good race pace. My rivals are fast too and we know that it is going to be a hard battle, but I am really looking forward to it. Yesterday we tried some practice starts, because this has been an issue for me lately, so now I hope I can get a good start tomorrow, stay at the front and try to fight. Thanks to my team and Michelin for getting us onto the front row again; the fourth race in a row!"

Australian MotoGP: Bridgestone Friday practice report

Fri, 03 Oct 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Aussies lead the Bridgestone charge in wet and dry

Australian riders Casey Stoner and Chris Vermeulen were the top performing Bridgestone-shod riders in the opening two practice sessions for Sunday's Australian GP after a mixed day of weather conditions at Phillip Island.

Stoner led the way in this morning's dry and sunny session with a massive 0.670s advantage over his nearest challenger Fiat Yamaha rider Valentino Rossi. Rossi, who clinched the 2008 MotoGP crown with a win at Motegi last Sunday, was in turn three-tenths clear of San Carlo Honda Gresini man Alex De Angelis who completed an all-Bridgestone top three in the dry conditions.

As clouds gathered over the island, rain made yet another unwelcome visit to a MotoGP weekend this season in time for the afternoon practice session, which saw Chris Vermeulen take top Bridgestone rider honors in third position for Suzuki behind wet pace-setter Nicky Hayden and second-placed Andrea Dovizioso. It was very much a day of two halves but with six riders in the top ten in both sessions, Bridgestone's Australian GP preparations have started solidly.

The Phillip Island track is renowned for its technical complexity with the dominance of fast left-hand corners placing a firm emphasis on performance and durability on that side of the tire. Bridgestone hopes for improved track conditions for tomorrow's practice and qualifying session as it works to extract a performance level from its tires similar to that seen in last year's Australian event in which Ducati riders Casey Stoner and Loris Capirossi took a 1-2 finish.

Tyre Talk with Shinji Aoki - Bridgestone Motorsport - Assistant Manager, Motorcycle Race Tyre Development

What did Bridgestone look at in this morning's dry session?

"In this morning's dry session we got immediately to work looking at several different compounds for this track, and we could quickly find a good direction. This circuit is probably the most severe in the world for the left-hand side of the tire, so we must carry out some longer runs tomorrow to assess the durability. Today, the wear appearance from the motorcycle race tires was as expected but the heating process in the tire is different on non-consecutive runs. When the rider pits in, the tyre naturally starts to cool down, but when completing consecutive laps the heat is prolonged over a greater period of time and affects the tire much more. This is our main focus and challenge for this track, which is why an analysis over longer runs will be so important."

Are there any concerns over wet weather tire pace?

"The track's characteristics affect wet tires in exactly the same way as the slicks on the left-hand side of the tire. This afternoon, our wet weather tires generally need a few laps to reach the optimum temperature, but then showed a good level of consistency. We could of course try to find a better lap time by using softer specification wets, but we must consider the durability over the complete race distance. As typical for this season, the rain is following us wherever we go, but hopefully this will make way for better weather tomorrow and Sunday."

A look at eight-time champion Valentino Rossi

Sun, 28 Sep 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Further information World Title Valentino Rossi

"I think it's difficult to say, but maybe this is even better than the first championship with Yamaha in 2004. In 2004 I arrived after three championships in a row; the change was very big and no one expected me to win then, not even us to be honest! But this year is great too because I didn't start as the number one favorite after losing for two years. The taste of this is something special.

"In 2006 I lost because of bad luck; I still won the most races and was the fastest on track for most of the time, but in 2007 Stoner was a lot faster than us and so we got to the end with a big of disadvantage. Winning this championship was very difficult but also very, very important.

"The decision to change to Bridgestone tires, which I took together with Jeremy, my team and all the Yamaha crew, was very important, as were the changes to the bike because the first 800cc M1 last year was not competitive enough. We spoke a lot during last season and I remember a strange meeting in Valencia last year, me with a broken hand, speaking with Furusawa about 2008. From then we started to work on the improvements for this season. It's also been important to have the right people in the right place and this year everything has been correct. It's been step-by-step.

"I think I have made a lot of good decisions this year and we have been competitive from the start. Qatar was the worst race of the season but I knew our potential was good so, although we were a bit worried at that point, we weren't desperate because we knew if we fixed a few problems we could try to win.

"I grew up a lot in the last two years, because at the end of 2005 I had a great career and I had won all the important targets so far. 125, 250 and then five titles in a row in MotoGP with two different bikes -- I felt unbeatable. But in 2006 and 2007 I learned to lose and this has been very important. I came out much stronger and my level of concentration and effort to win this championship has been higher than ever before.

"This season has had some different periods. At the beginning of the year we had some important results when Bridgestone wasn't the strongest: Jerez, Portugal and others, and in that period we took a big advantage from Stoner. After Barcelona Casey started to ride like a demon and dominated three races in a row, and then we went to Laguna which was the turning point of the season. Laguna was a real battle and from then on we have flown.

"The show after the race was one of my friends pretending to be a 'notary', signing and certificating the eighth championship 'deed'. It was very exciting to be planning the championship t-shirt and celebration once again with my friends and fan club and the one we came up with is funny I think, it says 'I'm sorry for the delay!'

"I am very content at Yamaha and this is why I signed for two more years. I had some good offers at other factories, but I already changed bike once and proved everything I wanted to and so there is no need to do that again. Also I am no longer 20 years old and I need a good atmosphere in my team in order to keep me focused and happy, and I have this at Yamaha. The atmosphere in our team, from the Japanese all the way down to the garage is fantastic and this is what makes me want to stay.

Rossi wins twice over, race and title both his in Japan

Sun, 28 Sep 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Valentino Rossi clinched the 2008 MotoGP World Championship in total style at the Motegi circuit in Japan, his manufacturer's home track. The Doctor clinched his fifth consecutive win today, number 70 for his all time win record. The Fiat team and Yamaha can both proudly say they helped Rossi earn his sixth world title along with their own respective teams' and manufacturers' crowns. The Italian rider truly has become a legend from this generation of motorcycle racers.

Rossi started fourth on the grid and just needed to finish on the podium to wrap up this year's championship. His main rival, Casey Stoner was second and needed victory here to have any hopes of keeping his title chase mathematically possible. At the start it looked as if Stoner might get lucky when pole sitter Jorge Lorenzo slid down the order.

Meanwhile, Rossi dropped into fifth for a moment before putting his spurs on. He was soon past teammate Lorenzo and off after Dani Pedrosa and Stoner. Stoner's Ducati got around Pedrosa and Rossi quickly followed suit. The two rivals then engaged in their own personal battle at the front, a fitting visual representation to this season's epic fight between them.

By lap fourteen Rossi decided a podium wasn't good enough and flew past Stoner for the lead. By then the championship was already won but once Rossi is on a charge only a checkered flag can make him slow down. Stoner crossed the line next, two seconds behind. Pedrosa and Lorenzo were left to sort out third, and the pair of Spaniards fought hard, knowing precious points were at stake. Lorenzo made a bold move at the hairpin and almost collided with Pedrosa. The rookie lost enough ground trying to recover and Pedrosa was able to stretch out about one second over Lorenzo before the race was over, taking third place for himself and Honda.

Fittingly, Pedrosa is third in the championship while Lorenzo is fourth. Stoner will now have to fend off Pedrosa for second in this year's title; the gap is now only eleven points. But that's for later consideration, for now all eyes are on multiple-champ Rossi and the Fiat Yamaha team, 2008 World Champions in the sport's highest level of competition.

More to follow....

Lorenzo on Japan pole, Rossi close to sealing title

Sat, 27 Sep 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Jorge Lorenzo, the Spanish rookie that turned so many heads in the first half of the MotoGP season has captured the Japanese GP pole position at Motegi, his first top spot since the Portuguese GP. Casey Stoner will start next to the Yamaha rider, fighting to keep his championship hopes alive. American Nicky Hayden completes the front row on the outside in third. Michelin and Bridgestone are both represented at the front. Yamaha and Honda's positions will make the Japanese crowd feel national pride, while Stoner's Ducati just couldn't help but add some Italian seasoning into the mix.

Fiat Yamaha rider Lorenzo lost momentum mid-season after a series of multiple crashes and injuries. Yet the youngster never gave up and today Lorenzo sends a clear message that he is ready to salvage this season. With the fastest time already his, the Spaniard went out one final moment to set a time of 1'45.543, breaking the track record by two-tenths of a second.

"I'm so happy for this pole position because this is how I started my season and it shows that we are returning to how we were," smiled Lorenzo. "It's the first pole since Portugal, when I won, and we have had a hard time since then until the last two podiums so this is a great satisfaction for me. I was able to ride so fast all day today, a big improvement from yesterday, and my Michelin tires worked so well all day so thank you to them. My team have done a great job to set the bike up and this is a fantastic qualifying for us. It's not the race so now we have to wait for tomorrow, but we're starting in the best place so I am looking forward to having a great race."

Ducati was looking fast on Friday and in the morning Stoner was able to find a tad more pace than Lorenzo but the Japanese manufacturer and young rider could not be denied the home pole. Even the local insects are out to keep an Italian bike from stealing the show, hitting Stoner's visor on his final hot lap in qualifying, wrecking his vision.

"For the race we're in quite good shape," explained Stoner. "We've still got a few things to improve for tomorrow but we're reasonably happy because we're running consistent lap times. I'm a little bit disappointed with qualifying. Of the three qualifying tires you always use the first one to try and get used to it and build from there but the second tire didn't work as we hoped and then on the third one I got a bug on my visor at the start of the lap! I couldn't get the rip-off visor off because I was trying to push but the bug distracted me and I couldn't see properly. It's a silly little thing but stuff just doesn't seem to be going for us at the moment! Anyway, second place is still good and tomorrow's another day. We're in good shape for the race and we'll do the best we can."