Motourage

Defending MotoGP world champion Jorge Lorenzo put in a superhuman effort under the California sun yesterday at the Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix at Laguna Seca, battling for victory with championship rival Casey Stoner to finish second on the podium. Lorenzo made a strong start from pole and led the GP field for an impressive 26 lap run before conceding to Stoner as the effects of yesterday’s massive crash took its toll on his energy levels.

Fellow Yamaha Factory Racing rider Ben Spies had a less-than-perfect start from the grid, initially dropping to seventh behind Valentino Rossi on the first laps of the race. Rossi was eventually dispatched by the Texan on lap three, freeing him to focus on Dovizioso ahead. Spies put in an incredible ride to close a gap of over five seconds and take fourth with just three laps to go.

The weekend’s results leave Lorenzo heading into the short holiday break trailing Championship leader Stoner by 20 points. Teammate Spies will arrive at Brno still in sixth place in the standings but now just 12 points behind Dani Pedrosa in fourth.

Jorge Lorenzo, 2nd, +5.634
“Well first of all I’m lucky to be in the second position, after the crash yesterday I thought it wasn’t possible to race for a little while. After qualifying I hoped I might be able to fight till the end for victory but sometimes expectations are not reality. Casey was faster today, I couldn’t match his pace at the end. My physical condition is not so perfect which makes us a bit slow as well. Second is ok, we are only 20 points behind Casey and we’ll try again next time.”

Ben Spies, 4th, +20.562
“I got a really good start but going uphill to the steep part of the track basically we didn’t have enough power. I got stuck behind Valentino, I tried to get around as quick as I could but he’s really good on the brakes so it was pretty tough but I did the best I could. Once we got around him it was quite a big gap to Dovizioso but I just kept my head down and kept going. I’m happy we were able to track him down and get fourth. It was a really good race for us it just got spoilt in the first five hundred feet. I would have liked to have been on the podium as I think we had a package to fight with Dani, I guess that’s racing and I gave it 100% as always.”

Wilco Zeelenberg, Yamaha Factory Racing Team Manager
“A spectacular race by Jorge with a great 20 points secured. It is obvious we wanted to win this one but I think yesterday’s crash gave us not the best physical condition for a 32 lap race. At the end of the day, to take 20 points after a crash like that is not so bad. We’ll take some rest now and head to Brno recovered and in fighting form ready to challenge Casey again.”

Massimo Meregalli, Yamaha Factory Racing Team Director
“We leave here with some good points; second position is the best that Jorge could achieve considering his condition, which is very important for the Championship. Unfortunately Ben lost too much time behind Valentino, then when he was able to pass him there was already a big gap to the front guys. He did really well and caught Dovizioso to finish fourth which is good for him and for his standings. We’re looking forward to the next one already in Brno, the team have worked really hard this weekend and it’s been a special time to celebrate our 50th anniversary of Grand Prix racing with everybody here at Laguna.”

The iconic Laguna Seca circuit in California prepares to welcome the MotoGP paddock this weekend for the first of the two US rounds on the 2011 season. The event will be a special one for Yamaha Factory Racing; the team will again wear the special red and white YZR-M1 WGP50th Anniversary Edition livery as seen at the Assen TT where Ben Spies stormed to his first ever GP victory.

Can Ben Spies turn his three Laguna Seca AMA wins into a similar MotoGP result?

Last year saw Jorge Lorenzo triumph from a pole position start to take his first Laguna Seca MotoGP race win, his sixth victory and fifth pole of his 2010 season dominance. Teammate Spies is a three time AMA race winner at Laguna and scored an impressive sixth place finish in his MotoGP rookie visit last year. Having won last time out in the red and white colors confidence is high for more success on home ground for the local hero.

Situated amongst the hills just a couple of hours from San Francisco, the Laguna Seca circuit claims jaw dropping elevation changes and possibly the most famous corner in the racing world, the infamous ‘corkscrew’. Weather can be unpredictable with cold misty mornings followed by dry hot days providing exciting racing for the American fans.

Jorge Lorenzo
“We are very strong at the moment with a great result at both Mugello and Sachsenring; we will try to continue to reduce our gap to Casey. I have had great moments in Laguna; above all last year when I won, but also in 2009 when I got pole position even with a big crash and at the end got a podium. Laguna is amazing; for the American style and atmosphere, but above all because of the corkscrew. I think maybe it is the best corner in the Championship, the place everybody wants to meet. I am looking forward to being back on my M1 there, riding to fight for the title.”

Ben Spies
“It’s always exciting to race in front of the home crowd, and it’s going to be a big event for Yamaha with the 50th anniversary colors being run again. They were lucky for me at Assen and hopefully they can bring me more luck in front of my friends and family. I’ve had some pretty good results in my AMA days at Laguna, and I love riding the circuit. It’s going to be a serious race weekend but it’s also going to be a lot of fun so I’m looking forward to seeing a lot of old faces at the track.”

Wilco Zeelenberg – Yamaha Factory Racing Team Manager
“Laguna was a very nice event last year when Jorge won after a great race. We will have a big break afterwards so it is a very important moment in the season with ten races completed. Jorge really enjoys Laguna and it’s a home circuit for Ben so I think our guys will be able to do a good job. The whole crew are looking forward to getting out to California.”

Massimo Meregalli – Yamaha Factory Racing Team Director
“I’ve been waiting for Laguna for ten years. I’m really excited about going there. As usual we are confident, especially after the strong results of the last three races. Jorge did a great job there last year and it is Ben’s home track so we have to be optimistic of a good performance by both riders.”

Jorge Lorenzo
Age: 24
Lives: Barcelona, Spain
Bike: Yamaha
GP victories: 37 (17 x MotoGP, 17 x 250cc, 4 x 125cc)
First GP victory: Brazil, 2003 (125cc)
First GP: Jerez, Spain, 2002 (125cc)
GP starts: 155 (60 x MotoGP, 48 x 250cc, 46 x 125cc)
Pole positions: 43 (16 x MotoGP, 23 x 250cc, 3 x 125cc)
World Championships: 3 (MotoGP 2010, 250cc, 2006/7)

Ben Spies
Age: 26
Lives: Longview Texas / Lake Como Italy
Bike: Yamaha
GP victories: 1
First GP victory: Assen, Netherlands, 2011
First GP: Donington, UK, 2008 (MotoGP)
GP starts: 30
Pole positions: 1
World Championships: 1 (WSB 2009)

Grand Prix Results: Laguna Seca 2010
1. J. Lorenzo, Yamaha, 43’54.873
2. C. Stoner, Ducati, +3.517
3. V. Rossi, Yamaha, +13.420
6. Ben Spies, Yamaha, +19.037

Laguna Seca Record Lap
C. Stoner (Ducati) 2008, 1’21.488

Laguna Seca Best Lap
C. Stoner (Ducati) 2008, 1’20.700

Texan Ben Spies chose to kick off Yamaha’s 50th Anniversary of Grand Prix Racing in style yesterday, delivering a flawless performance at the Assen TT to claim his first-ever MotoGP race win. Spies had been on form all weekend delivering a consistently fast race pace in all sessions whether wet or dry and was been beaten to pole by a mere 0.009 seconds by Marco Simoncelli. A great start saw him leading the race from the first corner, quickly building a sizeable gap to Casey Stoner in chase, which he held and extended to over 7.6 seconds by the checkered flag. The victory was all the sweeter for being delivered riding in the special red and white livery used this weekend to mark the anniversary celebrations.

Teammate Jorge Lorenzo delivered a true champion’s performance after being cause to crash on the first lap by Marco Simoncelli. Lorenzo quickly remounted and charged from the back of the pack through to claim an impressive sixth place finish and salvage valuable championship points from the unfortunate incident.

As a result of his performance Spies jumps to seventh in the championship standings, tying Dani Pedrosa with 61 points in sixth and just 10 points behind Nicky Hayden in fifth. Lorenzo adds 10 points to his championship tally and heads to Mugello next week with 108, 28 points behind leader Casey Stoner.

Ben Spies, Position 1st, Time 41.44.659:
“It was a strange race today as it was one of the most comfortable races we had and it resulted in a win. I saw the Simoncelli crash on the TV screen in the corner of my eye so I knew about it. I had a good feeling in the bike in the first couple of laps and had to push as much as I could to get a gap. When Casey was pushing back I still had a few tenths if I needed to, we could always match the pace. To do it this weekend with the 50th colors gives a little bit of pressure but it came out good. I was racing as hard as I could, I have to thank my guys; they gave me a great bike today. At least we’ve won a race now.”

Jorge Lorenzo, Position 6th, Time +44.536:
“Of course Simoncelli doesn’t want to throw me off the track, that wasn’t his intention but I think he is not very conscious about the risks in this class with these tires. I thought he learnt from the past and the polemic he created with Dani but it’s clear he hasn’t learnt. The good thing is that we finished in sixth and took some points. I was fast with a good pace. The championship is now more difficult so we have to go all out to win races and go fast. We are making changes to the bike that are making it better with stability to brake harder and deeper so I think we can go to Mugello and be more competitive like Ben demonstrated today. I want to say a big congratulations to him for his first GP win and also thank you to all my guys who again worked really hard all weekend to give me a competitive bike.”

Wilco Zeelenberg, Yamaha Factory Racing Team Manager:
“A very tough race, mixed feelings here as we are very disappointed by the action with Simoncelli, It was a racing accident but pretty stupid. I’m happy for Ben that we were able to win here for the 50th Anniversary race. It’s good to see we are able to win and it was also good to see Jorge picked up quickly and was able to do very good lap times so we know the speed was there. I know we would have been able to fight for the podium. I have to congratulate Ben he did a great job this weekend and I feel sorry for Jorge as he didn’t deserve this result.”

Massimo Meregalli, Yamaha Factory Racing Team Director:
“Ben rode a really fantastic race today, we are very proud and I don’t think his first GP win could have been more perfect. He was consistently fast all weekend and we were confident that he would deliver a really strong performance today. It’s even more special to have won here whilst celebrating our 50th Anniversary of Grand Prix racing. I have to say his crew worked extremely hard all weekend and made sure he had a bike that he could win on. I’m very disappointed for Jorge, it was clear the crash was not his fault. He showed his true colors as a world class racer with the way he rode following the incident. We leave Assen with a day of highs and lows and head to Mugello with even more confidence that we have made another step in our package and can challenge for more victories.”

The Assen TT got underway today in The Netherlands with riders enduring much the same weather conditions as the previous round at Silverstone. The first free practice session of the weekend was run in wet conditions this morning with steady rain throughout. Yamaha Factory Racing riders Jorge Lorenzo and Ben Spies were riding for the first time with the special YZR-M1 WGP50th Anniversary Edition red and white livery. Both took the opportunity to find their feet again following their crashes in the treacherous Silverstone conditions two weeks ago.

Having made a promising start and found a comfortable set up to focus on the riders were denied the opportunity to continue this afternoon. The track was closed for the day and the second session cancelled after oil was spilt along approximately a one kilometer section of the Assen circuit during the Moto2 practice session. As a result tomorrow morning’s final free practice will be an extended 90-minute session.

Ben Spies:
“We rode some laps this morning and we learned some good information for wet conditions should they stay like this at the weekend. Unfortunately some Moto2 riders dropped some oil which the track couldn’t clear in time for the second free practice. We only managed 12 laps in total but it was enough to see how it feels in the wet. It’s a special moment to be here for us with our new livery celebrating the 50th Anniversary so it’s really important to get a good result. We’ll do the best we can as always.”

Wilco Zeelenberg, Yamaha Factory Racing Team Manager:
“The first practice in Assen and typically Assen weather. Jorge needed to find his way through the wet after the crash in Silverstone but I have to say his confidence grew pretty quickly. Position five was good at the end and the bike felt good for him. The track was a bit slippery, especially corner entry which is a bit strange as Assen is a normally a grippe track. It’s much more used by cars than before which may be the reason. It’s a pity that the afternoon session was cancelled but we only had three sessions last year here as well. Hopefully we get at least one dry session tomorrow and we hope race day is dry for the fans as well.”

Massimo Meregalli, Yamaha Factory Racing Team Director:
“Unfortunately the weather didn’t help us today but Ben got back his confidence after the Silverstone race which was really important for us. We have some additional time in the morning free practice now so we’ll work on it. I’m confident we will deliver a good package for Ben and Jorge to be ready for the afternoon’s qualifying session. It’s great to see the bikes and team out in the red and white livery, we are all very proud to be part of this special time.”

The historic circuit of Assen welcomes MotoGP back this week for what is a very special occasion for Yamaha. The 2011 Assen TT will witness a full livery change by Yamaha Factory Racing as part of ongoing activities to celebrate the iconic Japanese manufacturer’s 50th year of Grand Prix racing. The beautiful red and white color scheme will be launched to the media on Wednesday close to the Assen circuit, signaling the start of the Yamaha Expo which will run the full TT week.

Jorge Lorenzo and Ben Spies will be looking to put the previous race at Silverstone behind them and focus on delivering strong results at Assen, a track favored by both. Lorenzo has won on the Dutch circuit in all three GP classes; team mate Spies took pole and a race win in 2009 in World Superbike and finished fourth last year in his rookie GP visit.

The Assen circuit, sometimes referred to as The Cathedral by race fans due to its status and historical significance in racing, is the only circuit to have been part of the Grand Prix World Championship calendar since its inception. The circuit, which celebrated the 80th Anniversary of TT racing last year, has undergone many changes over that time. Initially run on public roads it has evolved into one of the most physically demanding and technical tracks in Grand Prix with high speed chicanes and varied camber changes.

Jorge Lorenzo:
“Assen is my favorite track where I’ve won in all categories and also last season. This year it is very special coming here because we celebrate the 50th Anniversary! Now we are in second position in the championship, we come here looking to put pressure on the leader. I need to do the same job as I’ve done before with maximum effort. The team is focused and I wish to come back to finish at least on the podium.”

Ben Spies:
“I’ve really been looking forward to coming to Assen again. It’s a track I love and the Yamaha M1 seems to really work well here. It’s a fast track which I really enjoy, I have so many memories of watching the racing on TV here as a kid, it’s a privilege to race here now. I’m still pretty sore from Silverstone’s crash but I’m not going to let it stop me giving 100% as always and going for the best results possible. It’s also going to be really cool to go out on the track in the special livery in front of all the fans.”

Wilco Zeelenberg, Yamaha Factory Racing Team Manager:
“We’ve been looking forward to Assen because of our special livery; I love the bike in white and red. We are currently second in the championship which is not such a bad position; we will see if we can put some heat on the feet of Casey. We made a mistake at Silverstone and now with 18 points deficit it’s a different situation for Jorge compared to most of last season and this year where he’s always been in front. When you lead you can’t be better than that so we need to be on top of everything and I believe he is able to fight with Casey for victory. We were only two tenths behind the front in qualifying at Silverstone so we have proved that our package is getting better and better and closer to the front.”

Massimo Meregalli, Yamaha Factory Racing Team Director:
“This is the first of our 50th anniversary race celebrations, I am proud to be part of this unique event and to be a part of Yamaha at this time. The team has worked really hard to prepare for this, we hope racing fans will be delighted with the special livery on not only the bikes but also our uniforms and pit garage. The Assen circuit should be good for us this weekend; our bike should be competitive thanks to the layout and characteristics of the track, it is also one of Ben’s best circuits to ride on. In dry conditions at Silverstone it was clear that the direction we are taking in development is working and we are confident here we can continue this improvement. I’m impatient for Thursday morning to get started.”

Jorge Lorenzo
Age: 24
Lives: Barcelona, Spain
Bike: Yamaha
GP victories: 36 (16 x MotoGP, 17 x 250cc, 4 x 125cc)
First GP victory: Brazil, 2003 (125cc)
First GP: Jerez, Spain, 2002 (125cc)
GP starts: 152 (57 x MotoGP, 48 x 250cc, 46 x 125cc)
Pole positions: 43 (16 x MotoGP, 23 x 250cc, 3 x 125cc)
World Championships: 3 (MotoGP 2010, 250cc, 2006/7)

Ben Spies
Age: 26
Lives: Longview, Texas / Lake Como, Italy
Bike: Yamaha
First GP: Donington, UK, 2008 (MotoGP)
GP starts: 27
Pole positions: 1
World Championships: 1 (WSB 2009)

Grand Prix Results: Assen 2010
1. J. Lorenzo Yamaha 41’18.629
2. D. Pedrosa Honda +2.935
3. C. Stoner Ducati +7.022
4. Ben Spies Yamaha Tech 3 +13.265

Assen Record Lap: D. Pedrosa (Honda) 2010, 1’34.525

Assen Best Lap: J. Lorenzo (Yamaha) 2010, 1’34.515

MotoGP returns to Silverstone this weekend for the second year in a row after an absence of 25 years. The paddock arrives in the UK for round six of the Championship preparing to enjoy the all new Silverstone facilities launched just two weeks ago. MotoGP Championship leader Jorge Lorenzo arrives fresh from his podium finish in front of his home crowd last weekend. The young Mallorcan rider is looking to replicate his stunning victory from pole position taken in his first outing at the modified Northamptonshire circuit in 2010.

Yamaha Factory Racing teammate Ben Spies shares equally positive memories from last year’s British GP, scoring his first ever MotoGP podium at Silverstone aboard the Tech3 Yamaha YZR-M1. Having shaken off a less than perfect start to this year, Spies delivered a textbook perfect ride to share the Catalunya podium with Lorenzo last week. The Texan is focused, motivated and looking to continue with his current form this weekend.

The 5.9km Silverstone circuit underwent major restructuring last year. The track has all kinds of character, a fast part and also a very tight infield. It looks a little bumpy in places, but with plenty of overtaking opportunities and remodeled sections including faster, sweeping corners to tailor it to the 800cc MotoGP machines.

Jorge Lorenzo
“We managed to finish our home GP leading the Championship last weekend. I’m very happy because we are very consistent in the beginning of this season. Now we are going for our second visit to Silverstone, a track I like. Last year was the first year and I made one of my best races; it was almost perfect. I know this season will be tough, but Yamaha and I are working hard and are focused on each race results.”

Ben Spies
“I can’t wait to get to Silverstone and get back on the bike again. It’s a track I really enjoy riding and where I got my first ever MotoGP podium last year. Catalunya definitely felt like we were starting the season again, everything went smoothly and I felt really comfortable and able to challenge for the podium. We’ll be looking to do at least the same in the UK so roll on Friday.”

Wilco Zeelenberg, Yamaha Factory Racing Team Manager
“Round six coming up, we’re very happy to be going to Silverstone; we had a fantastic result there last year. I think it will be one of the tracks where will be more competitive than we have been. We are still leading the championship by seven points but we need to do something better to stay there at the front. Of course the podium is our first target but also a win is sometimes very important, for the riders especially, so let’s see what happens this weekend.”
Massimo Meregalli, Yamaha Factory Racing Team Director
“Silverstone seems to be a good circuit for Yamaha; we’re going there with very high expectations and good morale after the double podium at Catalunya. We intend to start the right way on Friday and see what we can achieve. Both Jorge and Ben have a good history there so I think we will be very competitive.”

Crutchlow and Edwards confident for Silverstone showdown

After a weekend of contrasting fortunes in Catalunya recently, Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team riders Cal Crutchlow and Colin Edwards have quickly turned their attention to this weekend’s British Grand Prix at the legendary Silverstone circuit.

Read more…

Yamaha Factory Racing riders Jorge Lorenzo and Ben Spies managed to escape the threat of rain today and enjoy a third free practice and subsequent qualifying session under dry and sunny conditions. Lorenzo will start the
Gran Premi Aperol de Catalunya tomorrow from the front row in third position on the grid, his team mate Spies taking fourth for a second row start.

Ben Spies hopes to get back to his rookie-season performance

Both riders made big steps forward from yesterday with the improved weather; the reigning World Champion Lorenzo finding over a second from day one to wrap up qualifying 0.315 seconds from pole. The improvement from Spies was even more impressive, the Texan finding nearly two seconds today and running as high as second place during qualifying. A front row start was looking possible until a concerted effort by his Mallorcan team mate relegated him to the second row at the end of the heat, just 0.014 seconds behind Lorenzo.

Jorge Lorenzo, 3rd, 1.42.728, 25 laps
“It has been a tough session today. In the morning it was good but in the afternoon we struggled a little bit. I pushed as hard as I could for pole but it was not possible. The race will also be tough because we are still quite far from the front but not as far as yesterday. If we can take one or two tenths we can fight for something, but I think a win would be a miracle.”

Ben Spies, 4th, 1.42.742, 27 laps
“It was a good session although we were missing a little bit of time out there. Looking at the ideal split times it would have put us on the front row. We’re in a good position in fourth all the way to the left of the grid so hopefully we can have a good start and have a good first couple of corners. The bike is working really well and we’ve been top five for most of the weekend. The weather’s looking like it might be ok for tomorrow now so I’m looking forward to the race. It’s been a while since we’ve been consistently quick so hopefully we can make the bike better, we’re going to try some set up changes in the morning and I’m feeling a lot happier on the bike.”

Wilco Zeelenberg, Yamaha Factory Racing Team Manager
“Not the best qualifying we’ve had so far. This morning it went well and we made some adjustments after that. This afternoon they didn’t really work out, Jorge was missing some front end feeling so was pushing hard, we need to solve that for tomorrow. Anyway we are happy to be on the front row because that’s important but it’s more important now to solve our front end problem.”

Massimo Meregalli, Yamaha Factory Racing Team Director
“I’m satisfied with the results, Ben is feeling a lot more comfortable and has a better feeling on the bike; he rode very well in all the sessions and is clearly enjoying riding the bike. It’s very important to start the race from a good position which he has in fourth on the grid. The crew is working really well and Ben is happy with the behavior of the bike; he is being smooth, fast and consistent which is a good signal for tomorrow. We completed a long run with good pace so now we have to decide which tire to use tomorrow, other than that we are pretty much set. Jorge is starting from the front row which is very important for his race here at his home track. He will for sure fight for the best result possible.”

2011 Gran Premi Aperol de Catalunya
1. Marco Simoncelli, Honda, ITA, 1’42.413
2. Casey Stoner, Honda, AUS, 1’42.429
3. Jorge Lorenzo, Yamaha, ESP, 1’42.728
4. Ben Spies, Yamaha, USA, 1’42.742
5. Andrea Dovizioso, Honda, ITA, 1’42.749
6. Cal Crutchlow, Yamaha, GBR, 1’43.202
7. Valentino Rossi, Ducati, ITA, 1’43.223
8. Nicky Hayden, Ducati, USA, 1’43.228
9. Alvaro Bautista, Suzuki, ESP, 1’43.447
10. Hector Barbera, Ducati, ESP, 1’43.656
11. Hiroshi Aoyama, Honda, JPN, 1’43.734
12. Randy De Puniet, Ducati, FRA, 1’43.764
13. Loris Capirossi, Ducati, ITA, 1’44.068
14. Toni Elias, Honda, ESP, 1’44.510
15. Karel Abraham, Ducati, CZE, 1’45.661

Circuit Length: 4727
Temp: 25 deg C
Weather: Dry
Lap Record: 1’43.195 (Valentino Rossi, 1/1/2005)
Fastest Lap Ever: 1’41.186 (Casey Stoner, 6/8/2008)
Last Year’s Winner: Jorge Lorenzo

Yamaha Factory Racing rider Jorge Lorenzo extended his unbroken run of podium finishes on Sunday in Portugal for the third round of the 2011 MotoGP World Championship. Having taken his fourth consecutive Estoril pole position start in Saturday’s qualifying heat, the reigning World Champion retained the lead from the off. Lorenzo completed a perfect 25 lap run in the lead before relinquishing to Pedrosa just three laps from the end, crossing the line in second place to take valuable championship points.

Lorenzo’s teammate Ben Spies was again denied the opportunity to complete the MotoGP race in Estoril. A tool used to temporarily block the fuel overflow pipe on grid was accidentally left in place for the race start, compromising the Texan’s ability to ride competitively. The tool’s location adjacent to the front brake lever made it impossible for him to brake effectively, ultimately affecting his concentration which resulted in a crash with fifteen laps remaining of the race.

The team will remain at Estoril tomorrow for an official test session before heading to Le Mans in two weeks’ time for round four of the MotoGP calendar, the Monster Energy Grand Prix de France. Following today’s race Lorenzo adds another 20 points to his championship tally, giving him a total of 65 at the top of the table. Spies remains on ten points and sits in 14th position.

Jorge Lorenzo, Position 2nd – Time +3.051
“I made a good start and I’m really happy for that then I pushed to my maximum to try to open the gap to Dani. Unfortunately today was not the day for that, he was too strong and consistent and at the end he was maybe fresher to push. Second is a good result, we have a lot of points from three races so I think we are in a good way to keep fighting for the championship. I want to thank my team who worked really hard this weekend to make sure we were as competitive as we could be.”

Ben Spies, DNF
“I am bitterly disappointed with today. After a lot of hard work by the crew this weekend we started the race with a very competitive set up and I was feeling good. When I noticed the tool hadn’t been removed I tried to do it myself because it was right in there next to my brake lever. I managed to get it off but then this loose tube was flying around which was pretty scary. It really messed with my concentration as I was worried about taking out another rider in one of the corners and then I crashed. After the DNF at Jerez this was really frustrating as it was completely out of my control, nothing to it now but to move on and come back strong for Le Mans.”

Wilco Zeelenberg, Yamaha Factory Racing Team Manager
“A second place here at Estoril is very good, of course we would like to have won but it didn’t happen. Jorge led for 25 laps but Dani held on and had a little bit extra in his pocket at the end. He looked very stable and clean when he passed so Jorge was smart to settle for second. We gained a bit in split one and lost a bit in split four from qualifying, you win some, you lose some. Second place is ok and we’re still leading the championship. We’re going for podiums and if we can win then we’ll try, today we couldn’t.”

Massimo Meregalli, Yamaha Factory Racing Team Director
“Lorenzo took a lot of important points for the championship today. He led for most of the race riding impeccably. When he understood it was difficult to retain the lead he showed his maturity as a racer to secure second place. Ben has again been unlucky at Estoril. It is unfortunate that sometimes these human errors occur in racing at all levels. Fortunately he was uninjured and was able to avoid involving any other riders in the incident. Our focus is now on the test tomorrow and Le Mans in two weeks time.”

Yamaha Factory Racing riders Jorge Lorenzo and Ben Spies managed to avoid the rain today as the bwin Grande Prémio de Portugal got underway at Estoril. Lorenzo got down to business quickly in the first free practice as he looked to set up for his fourth consecutive win in Portugal. The afternoon’s second session saw him make a step forward, spending the majority of the 45-minute practice as one of only two riders to break the 1’38 barrier. The reigning MotoGP World Champion and current Championship leader completed the second heat in second place just 0.061” from first.

Yamaha's Jorge Lorenzo

Today marked Texan rider Spies’ first opportunity to ride the Estoril circuit in the dry. With no race experience and no dry set up from last year, the crew started with a base set up from Jerez in the morning. A number of set up changes followed and Spies also tried the harder Bridgestone tire option in the afternoon session. The Yamaha Factory rider made steady improvements from morning to afternoon, finishing the day in eighth having improved on the morning session by 0.332”.

Jorge Lorenzo
“It’s good to be back on track here; I really love riding at Estoril. We have to improve some sectors for Sunday, especially in braking. We lost some tenths in the first sector but we make up for it in the other three so we are up there in second. We are always in the top four which is important.”

Ben Spies
“It hasn’t been a perfect day; we’ve struggled a little bit. We tried to get a feel for the harder tire this afternoon and don’t think that’s the right way for us. We tried some different settings through the sessions and we think we know what we need to do. We’re not close to the front but we’ll find our way up there. I’m pretty confident my guys and me can step up and be there; it’s in me and the bike so we’ll come back tomorrow and improve.

Wilco Zeelenberg – Yamaha Factory Racing Team Manager
“We’re quite lucky because it started to rain on the last lap of the second session. We’re happy we missed it because we had quite a few things to try today. This afternoon we focused on some new electronic settings for better grip. We’re not ready yet but we had positive comments from Jorge so we are satisfied with the position and lap time so far.”

Massimo Meregalli – Yamaha Factory Racing Team Director
“We worked to find a good, balanced set up today for Ben. It was his first day on a dry circuit here in Estoril so it was a learning experience. We’ve been working hard to make the bike as he wants it; we still have more to do as the setup is not as he would like it yet. Jorge did a really good long run; he definitely has the right rhythm and good pace and should make another step forward tomorrow.”

Free Practice Results

The MotoGP paddock sets up at the Estoril Circuit on the Atlantic coast in Portugal this weekend for round three of the World Championship, the bwin Grande Prémio de Portugal, after an extended break. The recent disaster in Japan and subsequent postponement of the Motegi round has resulted in a four week gap between races for Yamaha Factory Racing riders Jorge Lorenzo and Ben Spies.

American Ben Spies was poised for a poduim finish at Jerez until a late-race crash took him out of the running

Reigning MotoGP World Champion and current Championship leader Lorenzo returns to Estoril looking to extend a perfect score sheet from the Portuguese circuit. So far the young Mallorcan has three consecutive pole position starts, race wins and fastest laps, taking nothing less than victory from every Estoril race of his MotoGP career. The later scheduling of the Portuguese race in last year’s calendar meant Lorenzo raced at Estoril in 2010 having already been crowned World Champion. He went on to deliver Yamaha’s third consecutive Triple Crown that weekend with the help of his then team mate. A flawless performance under treacherous conditions in Jerez last month delivered Lorenzo’s first race win of the season, the incident filled first Spanish round leaving most of the competition struggling to stay upright and reach the checkered flag. He arrives at Estoril nine points clear of his closest rival at the top of the Championship standings.

Yamaha Factory Racing rider Ben Spies heads back from his four week break in the USA preparing for his first Estoril MotoGP race. The 2010 round which saw Monsoon weather disrupt qualifying had initially looked positive for the then satellite Texan rider, combined practice times giving him a second row start for the race. An unfortunate high side on the second of two sighting laps however resulted in a dislocated ankle meaning Spies has yet to complete a MotoGP race here and has yet to turn a wheel on a dry Estoril track. The 2010 rookie of the year had been on track for his first podium of the year at Jerez last month. He had been running in second behind his teammate until he joined the many riders to crash out as the changeable track surface took its toll on the worn out rain tires. Spies arrives in Estoril sitting in 12th in the Championship with ten points.

The Autodromo Fernanda Pires de Silva sits just seven kilometers from the Atlantic coast and as such is notorious for dramatic weather changes; riders can see conditions change in seconds from warm sunshine to high winds and gusts of rain. Estoril provides one of the most challenging circuits for set up, featuring one of the longest straights of the MotoGP calendar combined with the one of the slowest corners. Lorenzo and Spies will need all their rider skills to negotiate the slow twisty sections then hold their nerve for the high speed 200kph (124mph) kink at turn five and the infamous final Parabolica corner leading to the finish line.

Jorge Lorenzo
“This week we will be in Portugal, a country where I’ve had nice moments. In Estoril I got my first victory in the MotoGP class in 2008 which I repeated over the last two seasons. The track has turned into a talisman for me and it is the place where the astronaut always comes back. We have been training for a month, and I hope that this makes us fit for a good race. We are in front of the standings, but it is very early and it is just the beginning. This week will also be important since we are testing on Monday and we will certainly be able to check a lot of things for the future setup”.

Ben Spies
“Although I’ve enjoyed the opportunity to head home and get some chill out time in Texas this break has been way to long for me. The team worked really hard over the weekend in Jerez and by race day had delivered a competitive set up that meant we could fight for the podium. Unfortunately it wasn’t to be. I really enjoyed the first practice sessions here last year and was frustrated to have not made the race, I can’t wait to get started on Friday morning and see what we can do.”

Wilco Zeelenberg
“It seems like Jerez was last year, not the last round! It’s a bit strange to have such a long time away from the track during the season but of course we all know the reason. We are really looking forward to Estoril, with the position we have and knowing Jorge is strong here we think he can do a good job and compete for the podium again. It’s early in the season and our competitors have made big advances from last year but we are again fighting for the championship.”

Massimo Meregalli
“Estoril is a good circuit for Yamaha, it’s one of the favorite tracks for Jorge and he always gets good results here, as have other Yamaha Factory riders in the past. Despite not finishing the race at Jerez Ben showed he had the potential to finish on the podium so comes here looking to step forward again. Estoril has extra significance as we secured our Triple Crown for the third consecutive time here last year. We are confident that in the 50th year of Yamaha’s involvement in Grand Prix racing we can continue our tradition of success in Portugal.”