Motourage

MotoGP 2012 finally got underway today with the first of three days of testing at the Sepang Circuit in Malaysia. Yamaha Factory Racing riders Jorge Lorenzo and Ben Spies took their first ride on the 1000cc YZR-M1 since last year. Both riders blew the cobwebs off quickly and settled down to an impressive pace, Lorenzo proving to be the fastest man on track with his team mate always close behind him.

The focus for the first day was to get back into the swing of riding and also to establish a good base set up. Tomorrow and the day after, Lorenzo and Spies will compare various new settings to provide valuable data for the second Sepang test in one month’s time.

Jorge Lorenzo, 1st, 2.01.657, 30 Laps:
“I’m very happy with today. For the first ride on the bike in some time, it’s been very positive. Yamaha has worked very hard over the winter for this M1. I can see very easily where I have to adapt my riding style for the bike and I can see a lot of potential. We have many areas where we can improve so I’m looking forward to beginning again tomorrow. I’m also very happy that my finger is fine and doesn’t affect my riding at all.”

Ben Spies, 4th, 2.02.234, 28 Laps:
“I’m happy. It was fun to get back on the bike today. I haven’t ridden any type of motorcycle since Valencia. It didn’t take too long to knock the rust off, we tried a few things in set up and every step we did made small improvements. We have a lot to do in the next couple of days and a lot more in the second test. It’s been a confidence inspiring start, Yamaha have put in a lot of effort for this season so we’ll work day by day to be even better.”

Test Times:
1. Jorge Lorenzo (SPA) Yamaha Factory Racing 2’01.657
2. Dani Pedrosa (SPA) Repsol Honda Team 2’02.003
3. Cal Crutchlow (GBR) Yamaha Tech3 2’02.221
4. Ben Spies (USA) Yamaha Factory Racing 2’02.234
5. Valentino Rossi (ITA) Ducati Team 2’02.392
6. Andrea Dovizioso (ITA) Yamaha Tech3 2’02.751
7. Hector Barbera (SPA) Pramac Racing Team 2’02.773
8. Katsuyuki Nakasuga (JPN) Yamaha Factory Racing 2’02.829
9. Alvaro Bautista (SPA) Honda Gresini 2’02.869
10. Nicky Hayden (USA) Ducati Team 2’03.151
11. Stefan Bradl (GER) LCR Honda 2’03.668
12. Karel Abraham (CZE) Cardion AB Motoracing 2’03.781
13. Franco Battaini (ITA) Ducati Team 2’04.986
14. Casey Stoner (AUS) Repsol Honda Team 2’07.163
15. Colin Edwards (USA) NGM Mobile Forward Racing 2’08.240
16. Jordi Torres (SPA) Avintia Racing 2’10.671
17. Ivan Silva (SPA) Avintia Racing 2’11.267

Sepang Record Lap:
C. Stoner (Ducati) 2007, 2’02.108

Sepang Best Lap:
V. Rossi (Yamaha) 2009, 2’00.518

The Ducati 848 Challenge returns for 2012 now firmly established as the premier one-make series in the UK.

For many riders the Ducati 848 Challenge series has been the ideal platform to display their talents in front of huge BSB TV audiences, and for many it provides the best profile for their valued sponsors.

The success of the championship has been reflected with 25 riders already signed up for the 2012 season and a large number still looking to join the series before the opening round at Brands Hatch over the Easter weekend.

Ducati Manchester’s Robbie Brown, who last season finished third overall, returns for 2012 and must start as one of the Championship favorites along with Darren Fry (JHP Racing/Ducati Coventry) hoping to return to the form that took him to the title in 2010. However, they face stiff competition from riders switching to the Challenge for the first time in 2012, including Marty Nutt (NUTTTravel.com), Ed Smith (Ultim8 Racing) and Max Hunt (OHLINS @ P&H Motorcycles) who all spent last season in British Supersport. Former British 250 Champion Woolsey Coulter is coming out of retirement to take up the Challenge and will be joined by 2011 MRO Stock1000 Champion Byron Beckett, ex-TTC rider Nicky Wilson (NWR), along with Sean Neary (Motocorse) and Ryan Myler (Close Print Ducati).

Although there are some experienced riders competing, the Challenge welcomes a group of up and coming young riders eager to make their mark in the paddock. James White, 18, (Team After Dark) the 2011 Thunderbike Champion will seek to use his experience of racing a Ducati (his 2011 title was achieved on a 749) while James Folkard, 20, (Win43.com) will be stepping up as last year’s Aprilia RRV450 Challenge champion. Sam Coventry (Moto Rapido) joins the series from the Spanish CEV Stock Extreme Championship, Ryan Gibson, 17, (Fast Frame UK) comes from North Gloucestershire 600 class while Kasey Wyatt, 18, (GBmoto Racing) moves up from the highly competitive Aprilia Superteens.

Other riders returning to the fray include Stuart Poyser (P & H Motorcycles), Mark Cheetham (Hunt Pie Machines), Ricky Holden (Holden Racing), Jamie Poole (Moto Rapido), Aaron Brown (Ladybirds Ducati) and Barry Poll and Dan Cruickshank (both Pumpkin Patch Racing). Another returnee, Steve Jordan, will be joined this year by his wife, Sarah Jordan (both Global Robots/Steve Jordan Motorcycles), no doubt creating the first husband and wife team in the BSB paddock to ever race against each other!

The Ducati 848 Challenge will again consist of eight rounds and sixteen races, including six British Superbike rounds, as well as the now traditional two overseas rounds. The series kicks off at the British Superbikes opener at Brands Hatch before visiting Assen, Snetterton 300, Misano and the famous World Ducati Week, Oulton Park, Cadwell Park, Donington Park and finally Ducati UK’s home circuit, Silverstone.