Motourage

MSS Colchester's Howie Mainwaring

MSS Colchester Kawasaki rider Howie Mainwaring took the first ever lap record at the new Silverstone Grand Prix Circuit with a fine podium in one of two Superstock support races this weekend. Howie took sixth in the second outing after a race long duel with returning MSS Superbike rider Simon Andrews, who this weekend deputised for the injured Conor Cummins in the Blackhorse Kawasaki Team. The race weekend saw two dramatic Superstock races with multiple leader changes. Howie lead the race for several laps before he was overhauled by the vastly experienced Josh Brookes and Glen Richards. The Superstock riders had a number of extra runners to add even more competitiveness to an already impressive field including Brookes, Andrews, Ian Lowry, Michael Rutter and Martin Jessop. With the added pressure of a huge crowd and MotoGP bosses in attendance, there was plenty on the line and opportunities to shine or crash out. Howie definitely shone in race one but with handling issues in race two he had to make the best of a bad job to finish sixth.

Afterward, a clearly disappointed Howie said, “I guess if this had been the other way round with a sixth on Saturday and a podium and fastest lap on race day I would be happier. I learnt loads about the circuit in race one but unfortunately I didn’t get to use the settings as we had a few problems in race two. Still awesome to ride in front of a big crowd and with all GP bikes parked up in pitlane.”

Team boss Nick Morgan summed up, “Overall, a cracking weekend and again so impressed with Howie, he really rode with maturity in both races keeping out of trouble. OK we lost a couple of points to Kirkham but we also cemented the runner-up placing with a big gap back to Plater, who’s still injured. I’m sure the fans loved watching the two Kawasakis battling it out in race two but I was genuinely surprised to see Simon cross the line in front of Howie.”

Metzeler National Superstock 1000 Championship
Rounds 5 and 6, MotoGP Silverstone

Race one result

1. Josh Brookes (HM Plant Honda)
2. Glen Richards (Padgetts Honda) +0.500s
3. Howie Manwaring (MSS Colchester Kawasaki) +1.967s
4. Jon Kirkham (JK Racing BMW) +2.933s
5. Simon Andrews (Blackhorse Kawasaki) +2.970s

Race two result

1. Josh Brookes (HM Plant Honda)
2. Michael Rutter (Ridersmotorcycles.com BMW) +3.336s
3. Jon Kirkham (JK Racing BMW) +5.043s
4. Sam Warren (Midland Motorsport Honda) +5.975s
5. Simon Andrews (Blackhorse Kawasaki) +8.864s

Championship standings after Silverstone:

1. Jon Kirkham (JK Racing BMW) 104
2. Howie Mainwaring (MSS Colchester Kawasaki) 86
3. Steve Plater (HM Plant Honda) 70

The Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team successfully navigated new territory today with Ben Spies and Colin Edwards making a positive start to the first British MotoGP race to be staged at the spectacular Silverstone track in over two decades.

The Texas pair made significant progress throughout the opening session this afternoon, Spies and Edwards wasting no time in working on fine-tuning their machine settings to suit the challenging 3.667-miles layout as MotoGP returned to Silverstone for the first time since 1986.

Ben Spies

Spies was once again in impressive form, the 25-year-old taking his time to build up his speed before his challenge picked up serious momentum in the closing stages.

A best lap of 2.07.250 saw the reigning World Superbike champion finish fifth quickest before heavy rain started to fall in the final five minutes to bring a premature end to proceedings.

Edwards has raced at Silverstone previously in his successful World Superbike career, but any knowledge of the venue counted for little with the circuit impressively transformed by a £5m (approx. $7.5m) revamp.

Despite finishing outside of the top ten in 12th, Edwards is confident that he can make big strides tomorrow with the experienced American planning overnight changes to make his YZR-M1 more agile through the fast sections of the circuit.

Ben Spies 5th 2.07.250 – 19-laps
“It is a super-fun track with a really cool design. It is really fast in a lot of places and I really like the fast right and left combination where they are building the new pits and paddock. And coming out of the first corner you are really picking up a lot of speed before that twisty part and it is all about finding the limit, learning how deep you can run it in. It was a decent session though it took me a while to get going. With everybody shooting in the dark in terms of set-up, we were missing a little bit in places with the gearbox setting but overall I’m happy. I think everybody will improve quite a bit tomorrow and I know I can be much faster. I tried a completely different set-up to Mugello and that has helped in a couple of places and towards the end I was getting more comfortable with it. We can improve the bike, particularly with the gearbox, so I’m looking forward to tomorrow now we’ve got some experience and information on the track.”

Colin Edwards 12th 2.08.525 – 21-laps
“The track is absolutely awesome and hats off to Silverstone because they did a fantastic job. The first corner is cool and then you’re flat-out going all the way to the twisty section and you really need to be brave at that point. It is so fast and reminds me of Phillip Island where you can really push the bike to the limit of its performance and the whole lap is just fast, flowing and really challenging. It’s just a lot of fun and they’ve done a great job. You’re going so fast that it takes time to get your brain in gear so you can work out how to go faster. I know there were some concerns about bumps. There are some out there but definitely no more than any other track. I’m only 12th which isn’t fantastic but I know there is a lot more to come. The bike at the moment just feels a bit heavy and not just in the change of direction. It is a bit of an effort just to get the bike back upright from maximum lean angle, but we know we can make it better for tomorrow and get it feeling easier.”

Lorenzo flies lone Fiat Yamaha flag as MotoGP comes to Silverstone

A somewhat depleted Fiat Yamaha Team lands on British shores this week, with championship leader Jorge Lorenzo the team’s sole representative following Valentino Rossi’s injury at Mugello. Silverstone plays host Grand Prix Motorcycle Racing for the first time since 1986 and the riders and teams are looking forward to getting their first look at the modified track.

Lorenzo has had a stunning start to the season, with two wins and two second places under his belt and a championship lead of 25 points from Dani Pedrosa. The 23-year-old has a strong following in Great Britain, having won there in 2006, and is keen to take his first premier-class win on British soil after crashing out of the lead at Donington last year. On Wednesday Lorenzo will get a taste of a sport that is entirely alien to him as a Spaniard when he meets the British media at Lord’s, the world-famous cricket ground in London.

The British fans adopted Rossi as one of their own when he lived in London for several years and will be devastated that the Italian will not be racing this weekend. They will be cheered however by the news that he is recovering well at his house in Italy after breaking his leg at his home round and that he has confirmed that he will be back racing just as soon as he is returned to full fitness. The Fiat Yamaha Team will set his garage up as usual and his two YZR-M1s will be there for the fans to see.

Silverstone straddles the Northamptonshire and Buckinghamshire borders and was first used for impromptu car racing in 1947, when it was no more than a disused airfield. It is most famous as the home of the British Formula One Grand Prix, which was first held there in 1948 and has been contested at the track every year since 1987. Silverstone is no stranger to bike racing, with the 500cc machines having raced there from 1977 to 1986, but it has undergone extensive alterations in the past year with remodeled sections and faster, sweeping corners to tailor it to the 800cc MotoGP machines.

Jorge Lorenzo – “I want to keep improving”
“After Mugello we arrive at Silverstone, a track that none of us know! I will do some laps with the scooter on Thursday; I don’t always do this but I think it’s very important because so far I’ve only seen the track on the Play Station and it’s changed quite a lot. My aim is once again to get on the podium, but I was disappointed after Mugello and I want to do a better race in England. I am happy with my lead in the standings but I want to keep improving and this weekend we will try to find some more traction for my M1. Last week I went to the Isle of Man to see the TT, which was an incredible experience and I even rode a lap, but quite slowly! On Wednesday I will go to Lord’s Cricket Ground for a press conference and it will be the first time I’ve seen cricket, because we don’t play in Spain. I think it will be interesting to discover this sport, and maybe even play! Finally I want to send again my best wishes to Valentino, I am glad he is recovering well and we will miss him in these busy weeks.”

Wilco Zeelenberg – “An exciting new track”
“We’ve had a great start to the season and it is exciting to be leading the championship at this stage. Now we head to a new track for MotoGP and personally I am looking forward to it as I raced there myself when I was younger! The track has been changed quite a bit but it looks like it’s going to be great for our bikes so we’re looking forward to Friday. Of course our team will miss Valentino but we wish him all the best and look forward to having him back as soon as possible.”

Valentino Rossi: Information
Age: 31
Lives: Tavullia, Italy
Bike: Yamaha
GP victories: 104 (78 x MotoGP/500cc, 14 x 250cc, 12 x 125cc)
First GP victory: Czech Republic, 1996 (125cc)
First GP: Malaysia, 1996 (125cc)
GP starts: 230 (169 x MotoGP/500cc, 30 x 250cc, 30 x 125cc)
Pole positions: 59 (49 x MotoGP/500cc, 5 x 250cc, 5 x 125cc)
World Championships: 9 Grand Prix (1 x 125cc, 1 x 250cc, 1 x 500cc, 6 x MotoGP)

Jorge Lorenzo: Information
Age: 23
Lives: Barcelona, Spain
Bike: Yamaha
GP victories: 28 (7 x MotoGP, 17 x 250cc, 4 x 125cc)
First GP victory: Brazil, 2003 (125cc)
First GP: Jerez, Spain, 2002 (125cc)
GP starts: 132 (37 x MotoGP, 48 x 250cc, 46 x 125cc)
Pole positions: 35 (9 x MotoGP, 23 x 250cc, 3 x 125cc)
World Championships: 2 (250cc, 2006/7)

Loris Capirossi’s Rizla Suzuki GSV-R was recently present at the Silverstone circuit in England to celebrate the announcement that the Northamptonshire circuit has secured the long term future of the FIA Formula 1 British Grand Prix to sit alongside the return of MotoGP to the famous British circuit in 2010.

MotoGP rookie Alvaro Bautista joins veteran Loris Capirossi on the Rizla Suzuki team for 2010

Staff based at Silverstone’s Northamptonshire headquarters were celebrating the fact that the circuit will host not one, but two British Grands Prix in 2010. In addition to securing the new 17-year F1 deal with Bernie Ecclestone’s Formula One Management (FOM), the motorcycle Grand Prix will also be returning to the home of British motor racing in 2010 – the first time in more than 20 years.

To mark the occasion, the #65 Rizla Suzuki GSV-R was joined at Silverstone by dignitaries from the local councils, government officials and Lewis Hamilton’s 2009 Vodafone McLaren Mercedes Formula 1 car.

Capirossi and the Suzuki GSV-R will be joined at Silverstone by new Rizla Suzuki signing Álvaro Bautista and the rest of the MotoGP paddock for the sixth round of the MotoGP World Championship on Sunday 20th June, with F1 heading to Silverstone on Sunday 11th July.

Motourage will never pass up the chance to include an extra Alvaro Bautista photo

Originally part of Donington Hill estate, Donington Park motor racing circuit was the first permanent race course in England.  Donington Park hosted its first motorcycle race in 1931, and it has been home to the MotoGP British Grand Prix since 1987.  This weekend, the MotoGP circus rolls into Donington Park for the final time, as the race will return to Silverstone next year after a 22-year absence.  Formula 1 will move from Silverstone to take MotoGP’s place at Donington.

Valentino Rossi has won at Donington Park seven times; however, he hasn’t graced the top of the podium there since 2005.  Defending winner Casey Stoner is hoping for a repeat, but he’s still suffering from health problems for the past few weeks.  The 250cc class is guaranteed a new winner, as none of the riders currently on the roster has ever won at Donington.

Today’s Motourage Video of the Day includes highlights form last year’s MotoGP British Grand Prix at Donington Park.

Since embedding has been disabled by the powers that be at MotoGP, you’ll have to go HERE to watch the video.