Motourage

The starting grid for the fourth round of the MotoGP World Championship at Le Mans took place this afternoon. There’s some disappointment inside the Pramac Racing Team garage, with Randy De Puniet suffering a fall during the first part of the qualifying session. Despite a hard knock to his left shoulder, the Frenchman immediately remounted his Ducati, managing to complete the session in eleventh place, just a few thousandths behind factory Ducati riders Nicky Hayden and Valentino Rossi. As for his teammate Loris Capirossi, the Italian was disappointed with what has thus far been a forgettable weekend. He’ll start from the fifth and penultimate row, ahead of Karel Abraham and Toni Elias.

Marco Rigamonti, Randy De Puniet’s Track Engineer
“We threw away this morning’s session because we started with the tire used during yesterday’s free-practice sessions. In the afternoon, the crash certainly didn’t help us, but Randy really did a great job by managing to do more than ten laps in a row with his qualifying tire. He put the crash out of his head right away and his feeling with the bike wasn’t affected. At the end of the session, he hit a little traffic and therefore wasn’t able to take advantage of the final minutes. The numbers speak clearly, however: we’re a tenth off Hayden’s Ducati, which means we’ve done our best. We know what the problem is; in some conditions, the bike doesn’t turn like it should. Now we’ll analyze the data together with Ducati to see if we can solve the problem.”

Randy De Puniet, Pramac Racing Team – 11th, 1’34.351

“I’m okay despite my crash at the beginning of qualifying. Looking at the pictures, I think I was lucky to make it back to the garage; I could have been seriously hurt, and instead I only have a little pain in my left shoulder. I don’t remember a lot about the crash, just that my head hit my shoulder. In the end, the time wasn’t so bad, especially because it’s the best I could do. We’re just behind the factory Ducati team, which means I gave everything I had. For tomorrow’s race, I hope to get back into the top ten; that would be a good result for me and my fans.”

Loris Capirossi, Pramac Racing Team – 15th, 1’34.866
“I’m still having a very hard time. Today I wasn’t able to find traction on corner exits, and this problem cost me a few too many tenths. Tomorrow we have to change something. I tried today, and in the end we’re all very close, within just a few tenths. Unfortunately, I can’t manage to get the most out of my laps. I have to give it my best effort and hope that everything goes well.”

Loris Capirossi

Just a few hundredths of a second separates both Randy De Puniet and Loris Capirossi from the leading group on the first day of practice session at the Monster Energy Grand Prix de France at the Le Mans Circuit in France, ending the day with satisfaction for the Pramac Racing Team. In the morning session, De Puniet stopped the clock with a time 1’35.687. In the afternoon, the Frenchman lowered his best time to 1’34.998, closing the day 11th. Capirossi had the 13th-fastest lap time at 1’35.383. The Italian rider improved his best time as well, lowering it by a second compared to that of the first practice session. The last free practice session is tomorrow, with qualifying in the afternoon.

Marco Rigamonti, Randy De Puniet Track Engineer
“Since this morning, we’ve tried different solutions to solve the problems that Randy found. We worked especially in the front of the bike, as Randy had difficulty finishing the corners. To solve the problem, the Franchman tried a pretty extreme solution. We’ll try to take a step forward tomorrow. We tested also the tires; we know how to make the race, although tomorrow we will have final answer. We are near to the leading group; I think that tomorrow we can improve our results.”

Randy De Puniet, Pramac Racing Team – 11th, 1’34.998
“I’ve improved my performance, my best lap time is lowered and the feeling with the bike is good. The front of the bike didn’t get the same problems since Estoril, although it’s not perfect. We took half step forward, tomorrow I hope to confirm my progress. I’m calm, run here, in my home, give me a lot of energies.”

Loris Capirossi, Pramac Racing Team – 13th, 1’35.383
“I’m satisfied. We took a great step forward changing the bike. Each time we came out of the garage we managed to improve our lap times. We know where to work; the bike is balanced, but gives up when braking as it doesn’t turn as it should. Let’s see if we can improve a bit more in the last free practice and solve the problem. I am a bit worried about tomorrow climatic conditions: ride with such a low temperature certainly doesn’t help to keep the tires on the asphalt.”

Colin Edwards and Cal Crutchlow head to the all-important home race for the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team in France this weekend confident they can continue their brilliant start to the 2011 MotoGP World Championship campaign. And not only is this weekend’s encounter at the legendary Bugatti Circuit in Le Mans the home race for Tech 3, the event is sponsored by the Team’s main backer, Monster Energy, adding further importance to the fourth round of an engrossing season.

Monster Yamaha Tech 3's Cal Crutchlow

Edwards heads into this weekend’s race in optimistic mood after he claimed his first top six finish of the campaign in the Portuguese Grand Prix earlier this month. And he impressed again during a one-day test at the Estoril track to finish inside the top six having worked on a range of suspension settings to improve rear grip with his Yamaha YZR-M1 machine. The vastly experienced American has produced some of his finest MotoGP performances at the 4.815kms circuit, and one of his three premier class pole positions came at the French venue in 2007. And two of his 11 podium finishes have been scored at the Le Mans circuit, which has been a permanent fixture on the MotoGP calendar since 2000.

British rider Crutchlow is aiming to continue his fantastic rookie campaign and the 25-year-old won’t be daunted at the prospect of having to learn another new track. Crutchlow had never raced in Jerez and Estoril before, but he qualified and finished comfortably inside the top ten in both races. He’s made another impressive top-ten finish his prime target for this weekend after he produced a sensational performance in the recent Estoril test. Demonstrating how quickly he has adapted to the challenge of riding a lighter and more powerful MotoGP machine, Crutchlow finished fourth quickest behind Marco Simoncelli, Jorge Lorenzo and Casey Stoner and is determined to deliver another good result for Tech 3 and Monster in this weekend’s 28-lap race.

Colin Edwards
“I am really looking forward to Le Mans because it is a track where I’ve had a lot of success at in the past. The Yamaha YZR-M1 has always worked well there too with the sweet handling characteristics of our bike suiting the layout of the track. We had a really good test after the race in Portugal and found a good direction to work with for improving rear grip and that should help us a lot. The new Yamaha chassis has a lot of potential but we still have to understand it a lot more to get the best performance out of it. A top six in Portugal is going to be hard to repeat because the field is so strong this season, but that’s what I’ll be aiming for. This weekend is huge for Tech 3 and Monster and I’ll be giving it 100 per cent to deliver a good result for both.

Cal Crutchlow
“I’m heading to Le Mans with a lot of confidence, even though it is another track I’ve only ever seen before on TV. I know it won’t be an easy task, but Estoril was obviously another great weekend for me and then to finish fourth quickest in the test showed what I am capable of. Each time I get on the bike I am learning more and more and thanks to my guys at Monster Yamaha Tech 3 I’ve been able to make some big progress. I’m always determined to get the best result possible but this weekend definitely has extra significance being the Team’s home race and Monster being title sponsor of the event. If I can replicate the results I achieved in Jerez and Estoril I’ll be really happy.”

Jorge Lorenzo heads to Le Mans this weekend for the Monster Energy Grand Prix de France, the fourth round of the 2011 MotoGP Championship in a confident mood. Having celebrated his 24th birthday last week, the reigning World Champion will be looking to extend his unbroken run of podium finishes so far this year. An impressive race win at Jerez in treacherous racing conditions and two superb second place podium finishes at Qatar and Estoril mean Lorenzo is the current Championship leader with a four-point lead over fellow Spaniard Dani Pedrosa. Le Mans has so far delivered great results, Lorenzo winning there the last two years consecutively and not forgetting a victory in 2007 in the 250GP class.

Yamaha's Ben Spies has yet to finish a MotoGP race at Le Mans

Fellow Yamaha Factory Racing rider Ben Spies arrives in France determined to break his run of bad luck with two DNFs from the last two rounds. Spies last visit to Le Mans in 2010 was also hit by misfortune, a big high side in the final free practice session seeing the American tackle qualifying and the subsequent race in some pain with a swollen ankle, ultimately resulting in a crash on the seventh lap and a DNF.

Both riders will be hunting a set up that delivers optimum balance and control under hard and repeated braking. Success at Le Mans requires dispatching several tight chicanes at the beginning of the circuit then attacking the short straights and tight hairpins that make up the remainder. Although arguably most famous for the Le Mans 24HR race, the iconic circuit draws huge crowds for the French MotoGP race.

Jorge Lorenzo
“I am coming back to Le Mans, a track I really enjoy and where I won last season. The people in Le Mans love motorbikes; they love the smell of fuel. We are on the top, but we should be focused on getting as many points as possible. Our main goal is the podium, our fourth podium, and to be in front in Montmeló. This track has a lot of chicanes and is funny for me. The weather is always changing, we have to be careful with the forecast, it can change everything.”

Ben Spies
I’ve had a really relaxing few days off after Estoril back home in Como, Italy. I had a good chance to get out on my bicycle and really work off some of the frustration from the race. Having felt so good at the start I really believed we could have delivered some strong results in Portugal. Anyway, we all move on together and as a team were coming to France determined to make up for it and really kick off our 2011 season again.

Wilco Zeelenberg
We had a fantastic test in Estoril; everybody was surprised with the good weather so we had the opportunity to try many things. We’re looking forward to Le Mans; Jorge has always been good there. Hopefully we’ve found our way back from the test to an improved setting so Jorge can go back to his old riding style of fast corner entry which he was missing a little for the first three races. We’ve given that back to him so were confident he can perform well in France and for the rest of the season. Le Mans is a Yamaha track, it works well for us so it’s also a great place for Ben to come back and aim for the podium.
 
Massimo Meregalli
We left Estoril with some good points from the test and some valuable information. We are going to Le Mans with good confidence to continue our strong performance. Jorge intends to keep his performance high; he has already proved he is strong at Le Mans. Ben has had a challenging start to the year however we had a really good test at Estoril and we are confident he will kick start his championship attack on Sunday in France.

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: 149 (54 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:
First GP victory:
First GP: Donington, UK, 2008 (MotoGP)
GP starts: 24
Pole positions: 1
World Championships: 1 (WSB 2009)

Grand Prix Results: Le Mans 2010
1. J. Lorenzo Yamaha 44’29.114
2. V. Rossi Yamaha +5.672
3. A. Dovizioso Honda +7.872

-. Ben Spies Yamaha Tech 3 NC

Le Mans Record Lap
V. Rossi (Yamaha) 2008, 1’34.215

Le Mans Best Lap
D. Pedrosa (Honda) 2008, 1’32.647

Rossi takes pole with Lorenzo hot on his heels in France

Reigning World Champion Valentino Rossi took the 59th pole position of his career and his first of the season today with an authoritative performance in sunny Le Mans. His team-mate Jorge Lorenzo was just five hundredths of a second off his time, as the Fiat Yamaha pair put up a commanding display ahead of tomorrow’s French Grand Prix.

After topping the time sheets yesterday, Rossi was third this morning with Lorenzo ahead of him in second. This afternoon temperatures once again soared into the high twenties and both riders looked in menacing form, having already found excellent base settings for their M1s yesterday. Both had spent time at the top of the standings before the session entered its final quarter and with ten minutes to go Lorenzo went top again, becoming the first man to dip into the 1’33s. The Mallorcan held out for a few minutes before Casey Stoner and then Dani Pedrosa took over but it was Rossi who had the most still hidden up his sleeve, the 31-year-old maestro pulling out a brilliant lap in a time of 1’33.408, a target that proved unassailable in the final two minutes.

Rossi is still worried about his damaged shoulder over race distance tomorrow but he will be doing all he can to take a second win of the year, as will his championship-leading team-mate Lorenzo, when the third round of the season gets underway at 1400 CET tomorrow.

Valentino Rossi – Position: 1st, Time: 1’33.408Laps: 30
“This weather is really making me very happy, because for once in Le Mans we have been able to use all of the sessions properly and now here we are on pole. My setting is good, I feel comfortable on my M1 and Bridgestone tires and my race pace is not bad either so everything is working out. It’s a great pleasure to be on pole and when I looked and saw the lap time I was very pleased with my performance and with how well we had worked, so thanks to all my team. I am still worried about my shoulder because sincerely today after ten or fifteen laps I started to lose power, but I hope adrenaline will take over in the race and that I will be able to arrive fast right to the end.”

Jorge Lorenzo – Position: 2nd, Time: 1’33.462Laps: 31
“This was another good session and we are very strong, although there are quite a few riders here who are fast with a good race pace. Today I was consistent and I can ride happily at around 1’34.5 so if I can keep this up during the race then we have a good chance. I need to try to get a good start tomorrow and be stronger during the first few laps, then I think I can fight for victory.”
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With a win and a podium each so far this season, Jorge Lorenzo and Valentino Rossi will arrive at Le Mans this weekend with high hopes of continuing their victorious start to the season. The Fiat Yamaha pair are first and second in the championship after two races, with Lorenzo four points ahead of Rossi following his magnificent home victory two weeks ago at Jerez.

The Spaniard turned 23 two days after Jerez, and the memory of his first home MotoGP win was still fresh in his mind as he celebrated his birthday at home in Barcelona, following a successful one-day test. He cannot help but feel confident for another good weekend in Le Mans, where last year he kept his head to win by 17 seconds as the weather wreaked havoc on all around him, and the season before he finished second despite riding with two broken ankles. The Mallorcan has one other win at Le Mans, in 2007 on the way to his second 250cc title.

On the other hand, the 2009 French Grand Prix is one that nine-time World Champion Valentino Rossi would rather forget, plagued as he was by a catalogue of mishaps and visits to pit lane before limping home in 16th position. His previous record at the famous French track is exemplary however, with two wins for Yamaha in 2005 and 2008, as well as one other win and six podiums in all classes. Another two weeks off has given him time to fully recover from the shoulder injury that hampered him in Jerez and he will be back on top form and shooting for the top this time out.

Le Mans is most famous as home to the iconic 24-Hour race, but the MotoGP also draws a huge crowd every year. The first part of the track is the most difficult in what is not a particularly technical circuit, with the high-speed, uphill turn one giving way to several tight chicanes. The remainder of the track is made up of short straights and hairpins calling for a set up that yields both balance and control under hard and repeated braking and a quick transfer from full braking to full acceleration on the exit of the corners.

Jorge Lorenzo – “An amazing and crazy race!”
“Despite our victory in Jerez and taking the lead in the world standings I continue to think that I am not the favorite because the season is very long and it has only just started! I am very proud however because Jerez was my first victory at home in MotoGP. Last year I won in Le Mans in an amazing and crazy race. It was a very complicated because of the rain and drying track, but I think that everybody in our team did an unbelievable job, above all on Sunday. I know that I used everything I had, from the very first laps right to the end. I hope the fans aren’t waiting for a repeat this weekend! Of course the weather is always a risk in Le Mans, but I hope for sun. I’ve been on the podium twice there, last season and when I won my second 250cc title, so I am looking forward to trying again. I’ve had almost three weeks since Jerez and I know that I am ready for this second European race.”

Valentino Rossi – “Back to full strength”
“My shoulder is more or less recovered now so I hope I will be back to full strength in Le Mans. Despite the disaster of last year’s race, Le Mans is a good track for me and the Yamaha always goes well there. The biggest problem is the weather, but after last year I think we deserve a sunny French GP! We’ve made a good start to the season, with the win in Qatar and then another podium, but we have also struggled with the bike in some areas and so we need to try to improve our performance. We had a good test after Jerez so I hope that we will be able to use that information to start strongly here.”

Wilco Zeelenberg – “Looking to carry on our good start”
“After Jorge’s brilliant win in Jerez everyone has had another long rest and now we’re excited to get back to work and carry on our good start to the season. There is a very long way to go and we won’t get too excited, but just try to continue in the same way. Le Mans has been a good track for Yamaha in the past and last year Jorge had a great win there in very difficult circumstances. Hopefully the race will be a little more simple this year, without the rain!”

Davide Brivio – “Something to forget”
“We have something to forget in Le Mans after last year, when it rained, we had some difficulties and took no points! In general however Le Mans is always a very good track for Yamaha and we have had some good results there in the past. We hope for good weather this time. We have started the championship very strongly and our aim now is to continue this trend and remaining close or at the top by taking as many points as possible. We really hope to do well here in order to put us on a good footing for the busy period of June and July, when the championship will really start to take shape.”

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: 229 (169 x MotoGP/500cc, 30 x 250cc, 30 x 125cc)
Pole positions: 58 (48 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: 27 (6 x MotoGP, 17 x 250cc, 4 x 125cc)
First GP victory: Brazil, 2003 (125cc)
First GP: Jerez, Spain, 2002 (125cc)
GP starts: 130 (35 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)

Le Mans: Record Lap
V. Rossi (Yamaha) 2008, 1’34.215

Le Mans: Best Lap
D. Pedrosa (Honda) 2008, 1’32.647

Grand Prix Results: Le Mans 2009
1. J. Lorenzo (Yamaha) 47’52.678
2. M. Melandri (Kawasaki) +17.710
3. D. Pedrosa (Honda) +19.893
16. V. Rossi (Yamaha) +2 Lap

The third round of the 2010 MotoGP World Championship will see Rizla Suzuki riders Loris Capirossi and Álvaro Bautista competing at the famous Le Mans circuit in France this weekend.

Following the floodlit extravaganza of Qatar and the hedonistic atmosphere of Jerez, the MotoGP cavalcade now heads to one of the most heritage-laden tracks on any motor-racing calendar. The 4,185m Bugatti circuit that is used for MotoGP was completed in 1966 and uses a part of the world-famous Circuit de la Sarthe that has hosted the 24-hour race since 1923. The twisty layout of the circuit is in complete contrast to an incredibly fast first turn that is taken almost flat-out in top-gear. The French GP is always a colorful and lively affair with as many events happening off-track as there are on.

Capirossi and Bautista have both had limited success at Le Mans and will be looking to make amends for that this weekend. Capirossi was on the podium at the French circuit in 2006, and has never finished outside the top 10 in a completed race there. Bautista has never scored a podium finish at Le Mans – the only track on the calendar that he has raced at where he has failed to achieve such a feat.

Bautista will hopefully be fit enough to race at Le Mans on Sunday despite breaking his clavicle bone in a training accident last week. He underwent a successful hour-long operation and his surgeons have given him the all-clear to compete in France.

Rizla Suzuki takes to the track on Friday, May 21 for the first free practice session of the weekend. This will be followed by a second session on Saturday morning, with an hour of qualifying in the afternoon. Sunday’s 28-lap race will get underway at 1400hrs local time.

Álvaro Bautista:
“It seems like it has been a long time between the Jerez race and now and I want to get going again. Unfortunately for me I had a small accident last week and broke a bone in my shoulder. It has been repaired and although it is quite painful I am totally focused on the weekend ahead. Le Mans is not one of my favorite tracks and it is the only one that I have not had a podium at, so it would be great to change that as soon as possible. I was on pole there in 2009, but only finished fourth, so I need to try and break that record. I was 10th at Jerez and although I was top rookie I still want to do better. I didn’t get a very good start in Spain and I have to work on that, I did some practice in the test so I hope I will be able to improve in time for the race. Anyway, these are details – the most important thing is just to ride the bike, I will do my best.”

Loris Capirossi:
“I really need to get on track again as it seems like the season is yet to get going, it’s amazing to think we’re almost in June and we’ve only done two races. With such little action it is difficult to judge where we are at the moment, but the one-day test after the last race in Jerez was very good for us and we made some positive steps. Le Mans is always a gamble because you never know what weather to expect – we have heard it should be good but you can’t always guarantee that so we will need to be ready for anything. On thing is for sure, I am ready to get back to work and excited about the prospects we have ahead – and I hope Alvaro is ready to ride, he is improving all the time and we need two strong riders.”

The First round of the 2010 World Sidecar Championship was held this past weekend at Le Mans in France. Treasure Racing’s driver Adam Treasure & passenger Darren Dewhurst arrived early and set up their pit area among the other sidecar teams. The sidecar championship was held along side the 24 hour World Endurance Championship.

The first free practice on Friday was used to refresh Adam’s memory of the layout of the circuit and introduce Darren to the fast and flowing nature of the track. At the completion of the two qualifying sessions, Adam and Darren had qualified 13th on the grid.

For the 18-lap race on Saturday, Adam got a great start, and the boys settled into a good pace very early, picking off quite a few teams in front of them on the grid with some aggressive riding into turns one and two, followed by a good early pace in the opening laps, which saw Treasure racing up into 8th place by halfway through the 2nd lap. The race was red flagged near the completion of the second lap when another teams motor expired dropping oil onto the racing line.

The restart was for the remaining 15 laps, and again Adam got away from the start in good time and the pair worked their way forward to 10^th.  Nearing the completion of the fifth lap, under heavy braking at the end of the fast back straight, the sidecar became unstable and rolled, coming to a stop upside down off the edge of the track. Both Darren and Adam were not seriously hurt in the accident. The sidecar suffered only cosmetic damage to the fairing. Treasure racing had no choice but to retire from the race. Adam & Darren left Le Mans now looking forward to Round 2 in Germany

The 2010 Qtel FIM Endurance World Championship has wind in its sails. The entry list for the next 24 Hours of Le Mans broke new records with 31 Permanent teams this season, and applications are still flowing. The 24 Hours of Le Mans, opening round of the Qtel FIM Endurance World Championship, will take place on April 17 and 18 and will be an unprecedented popular event. The organizers have received 80 application forms; however, there are only 64 places available for the qualifying session on the Bugatti race track for the 24 Hours event.

The record level of entries includes high numbers of very competitive teams. Not less than 10 different brands, many of them with official support, are competing in three different classes at Le Mans: Formula EWC, Superstock and Open. Twelve different nationalities and four tire suppliers will be present on the starting grid.

The 2010 Qtel FIM Endurance World Championship has several assets to explain that success. It is an international championship in which the costs of participation are still limited. The free choice of the tire manufacturer is also one of its characteristics. This leaves to the team great opportunities of partnership and sponsorship, and has also allowed a new tire supplier, Bridgestone, to officially join the championship. Last but not least, the increasing media and TV coverage of the Qtel FIM Endurance World Championship gives more and more popularity to each of the race events.
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YART World Championship Team

The Yamaha Austria Racing Team’s (YART) 2009 YZF R1 crossed the finish line at the Bol d’Or yesterday to claim the 2009 World Endurance Championship title. YART started the 24 hour race at its usual pace, setting the best lap time and keeping an unmatched tempo with consistent times under 1.42 for a streak of 91 laps. Unfortunately the team was heavily tested when some issues appeared and ultimately lost the chance of a podium. Nevertheless YART managed to finish the race to gain valuable points which were needed to claim the well deserved championship.

The privately run team, who already have two championship second place finishes in 2006 and 2008 have been dominant all year on the all-new R1. Riders Steve Martin, Gwen Giabbani and Igor Jerman have been the riders to beat in 2009, taking the first three race victories in a row at Le Mans, Oschersleben and Albacete. A fourth place finish at Suzuka meant that the three points gained at yesterday’s race in Magny Cours was enough to confirm the win and get the champagne flowing with one more round to go in Qatar in November.

Mandy Kainz, YART Team Manager
“We came here to win, and we’ve done it. We tried to win all the races and for the last one it was not possible but we are very happy to win the title here already. It’s the first title for YART having taken second place twice, so we’ve waited long enough for it. The new Yamaha has proven it’s the best bike in the championship, it’s been incredibly reliable this year and consistently fast at every circuit. I want to say a thank you to the team who worked really hard at each round and to the riders who kept going and racing intelligently to bring home the points. Also a big thank you to all the Yamaha family for the help and support!”

Igor Jerman, YART
“This year was quite tough because we started with a new bike and new tyres, so the full package. Before the season started we had a lot of tests, we worked really hard to set up the bike for Michelin tyres and it worked really well. The season has been great; we’ve had no problems apart from the last race, so we are very happy with the bike. It’s great to have won the title, this was our wish for this year, we tried really hard and we did it. I’m really happy for Mandy and he worked really hard to make a good team and a good bike so deserves this win.”

Steve Martin, YART
“I feel ecstatic for the team, for Yamaha and all our technical partners, I want to say thank you for making my dreams come true. It’s fantastic to win with one race in hand so we can go to Qatar and really enjoy it with the pressure off. Big thanks to my fellow riders as well, it’s been a pleasure racing with them this year.”

Gwen Giabbani, YART
“I feel a bit disappointed about yesterday’s race as we had the speed and everything we needed to win. We have the title though so I feel better! The rest of the year was all perfect, winning at Le Mans to start with was unexpected but the best thing for us, and we knew we were capable of winning the other races from then on. It all ran easy from there, we just missed the podium at Suzuka but we took the points we needed and apart from that it’s been great.”

In the UK, another successful weekend of racing at Croft saw GSE rider Leon Camier take a 6th and a 1st (his 16th victory of the year) while his team-mate James Ellison took a 2nd and a 4th. The results mean Yamaha have clinched the manufacturer’s title for the British Championship, and as the final two rounds of the British Superbike Championship approach, the last races will decide which of the two Airwaves Yamaha riders will claim the title, another victory for the 2009 R1.

There was more celebrating in Germany yesterday as Jorg Teuchert wrapped up the final round of the IDM German Superbike Championship with a second place and a victory. Teuchert had already secured the title by Assen last month having dominated all year on his R1.