Motourage

Repsol Honda’s Casey Stoner rode another faultless race in the Gran Premio de Aragón to win his eighth victory of the season and further strengthen his position at the top of the 2011 MotoGP World Championship. Teammate Dani Pedrosa finished second to complete Repsol Honda’s fifth one-two of the year, while Marco Simoncelli scored a hard-fought fourth-place finish.

Stoner had been race favorite after dominating practice and qualifying, but track conditions were very different from yesterday, with much cooler temperatures and a strong tail-wind on the back straight. Today’s track temperature was 15 degrees lower than during qualifying, which created grip issues for several riders during the 23 laps.

Nothing, however, could stop Stoner who started from pole position for the ninth time this year. Despite being beaten into third place during the first few corners by Pedrosa and Ben Spies (Yamaha Factory Racing), the 25-year-old Australian had regained the lead by the end of the first lap. From there he never looked back, establishing a new track record on lap four and steadily increasing his advantage over Pedrosa. The success also increased his championship advantage to 44 points over reigning World Champion Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha) with four races to go.

Stoner ended the race 8.162s seconds in front of Pedrosa who also had a lonely ride to his third consecutive runner-up result. Pedrosa always knew it was going to be difficult running Stoner’s pace because throughout the weekend he had been losing several tenths through the track’s first section. During the later stages of the race he also struggled with wheel-spin issues, though he was always well clear of third- and fourth-place finishers Lorenzo and Spies.

Today all three Repsol Hondas ran a special one-off livery created by Spanish designer Davidelfin, a superb way to celebrate the partnership’s 100th Grand Prix victory. Repsol Honda achieved its first premier-class win with Mick Doohan at the 1995 Australian GP. Although the Stoner/Pedrosa one-two made today an almost perfect day for the team, Andrea Dovizioso was unable to complete the race after sliding off on the first lap.

Simoncelli did everything he could to make it an all-Honda podium, just as he had done at last month’s Czech GP. The lanky Italian came through strongly after finishing the first lap in sixth place, passing Nicky Hayden (Factory Ducati), then Lorenzo and Spies to move into third on lap nine, only to run wide the next lap and ruin all his hard work. Demoted to fifth, Simoncelli kept his cool and slowly worked his way back towards Spies, from whom he took fourth place with seven laps to go. But with his rear tire past its best there was nothing he could do about Lorenzo.

Hiroshi Aoyama (San Carlo Honda Gresini) enjoyed a spirited battle with seven-time MotoGP World Champion Valentino Rossi, who started the race from pit lane after exceeding his ration of six engines per year. The pair spent the last half of the race with Cal Crutchlow (Yamaha) who won the three-way contest after making contact with Aoyama on the last lap. Aoyama – who had great hopes after qualifying on the third row – finished just behind Rossi in 11th.

Toni Elias (LCR Honda) was unable to complete the race after being taken down by Loris Capirossi (Pramac Ducati) as they attacked the turn eight/nine chicane with eight laps remaining. Capirossi dislocated a shoulder in the incident.

Today’s strong winds produced some big top speeds, with Aoyama’s RC212V the fastest bike of all at 330.5km/h (205.3mph).

The MotoGP paddock now packs up and heads eastward for the first of three ‘flyaway’ races outside Europe: the Japanese, Australian and Malaysian GPs. The action then returns to the Continent for the season finale at Valencia, Spain, on November 6.

Casey Stoner, Repsol Honda, Race Winner:
“Before the race everyone was a little cautious with the wind picking up after the morning warm-up session and conditions being a lot different to those we had seen all weekend. This was on our mind and also warming the hard tires to makes sure everything was good for the beginning of the race. Our start was pretty average, I pulled to the left a little on the start and managed to avoid hitting Dani but Ben came around the outside and I ended up third at turn one, from there we were able to settle down and feel pretty comfortable with the bike. I wanted to get to the front as soon as possible as the bike has been working perfect all weekend and it was our race to lose, so I wanted to try and get out in front and pull a gap. I passed Dani as soon as I could and tried to pull that gap, Dani kept with me for the first few laps but slowly I was able to push and put in a gap and from there manage the race. I think everyone was struggling with tires to some degree but the bike was fantastic and I don’t mind the bike when it slides around a little. A big, big thank you to the whole team and to take this hundredth win for Repsol Honda is something special.” Read more…

MotoGP riders and teams returned to action today at the Estoril Circuit for the bwin Grande Premio de Portugal, the third round of the season after a three-week break due to the postponement of Japanese GP. Both MotoGP practices were held in dry conditions, but, only two minutes after the second session, the famous changeable weather of the Portuguese track affected the Moto2 session with rain showers.

LCR Honda MotoGP racer Toni Elias returned to the scene of his greatest triumph when he won his first premier class race in 2006 ahead Valentino Rossi and Kenny Roberts Jr. This is the track where the Spaniard hopes to regain his positive feeling aboard the RCV and with the 14th lap time of the day it seems that the 28-year-old has found the right direction.

Elias, 14th, 1’38.912:
“Obviously we had a positive first day of practices and I am very happy. Doubtless we still have to improve our position and the bike set up but we have found the right direction to follow and this gives us more confidence. This first step forward was necessary to me and the guys and once we arrived here we established different ways to work. Finally I could make a couple of long run with a good pace and I could try to improve myself as I feel more stable on the bike now. It was a quite good opening for us and I want to thank the team for their efforts.”

The MotoGP World Championship returns to action at Estoril following a three-week break due to the postponement – and possible cancelation – of the Japanese GP at Motegi. The bwin Grande Prémio de Portugal hosts Round three of the 2011 season this weekend at one of the slowest circuits on the calendar. The unique track setup presents a real challenge to the riders and engineers, but perhaps the greatest concern for riders is the track’s proximity to the Atlantic. High-speed winds can whip off the ocean, blowing bikes and riders off course and throwing dust onto the circuit, making for challenging conditions. Last year’s event at the circuit saw torrential downpours; causing cancelation of Saturday’s qualifying session and generally wreaking havoc on riders and teams.

LCR Honda’s Toni Elias arrives at the Portuguese track with high motivation as he aims to take a step forward aboard his RCV, and the 28-year-old can rely on good experience at Estoril where he experienced his first victory in the premier class during a memorable race.

Elias: “Well, this break was a bit long and I am happy to be back on track especially on this circuit where I have experienced an unforgettable victory in 2006. We had plenty of time to check the data and I am hoping to find a better set up in Portugal because I am eager to bounce back after a difficult beginning. I am bit worried about the weather: I would prefer a dry race but the proximity to the ocean is always a gamble.”

With a track temperature nearing 70 degrees, the premier class riders got underway the first GP of the 2011 MotoGP World Championship season at the Losail International Circuit at 8pm local time with Repsol Honda’s Casey Stoner gaining his first victory aboard his RC212V ahead Lorenzo and Pedrosa.

LCR Honda MotoGP racer Toni Elias did not begin his 2011 season in the best way as the Spaniard struggled to find the proper set up of his Honda machinery at the 5.380Km desert track. Last year’s Moto2 World Champion started from the last spot on the grid after a difficult three-day practice and suffered a front-end crash at three laps to go when he was in 14th position. Elias escaped unhurt from the accident and will be back on track with his squad at Jerez de la Frontera on the April 1.

Elias – Crashed:
“Well… this first weekend has been very tough for me and the team. Since the two-day test prior to the race we have been struggling with the bike set up and even after. We have tried different adjustments to find the right feeling on this track but at the end we could only lap at low 1.58. And that was my lap time during the race from the first lap till the crash. We knew we could not do better than this as we knew our limit but I feel sorry for the crash. I want to cancel this bad week end and start again in Jerez.”

2011 MotoGP Qatar race results:
1. Casey Stoner (AUS) Honda
2. Jorge Lorenzo (SPA) Yamaha
3. Dani Pedrosa (SPA) Honda
4. Andrea Dovisioso (ITA) Honda
5. Marco Simoncelli (ITA) Honda
6. Ben Spies (USA) Yamaha
7. Valentino Rossi (ITA) Ducati
8. Colin Edwards (USA) Yamaha
9. Nicky Hayden (USA) Ducati
10. Hiroshi Aoyama (JPN) Honda
11. Cal Crutchlow (GBR) Yamaha
12. Hector Barbera (SPA) Ducati
13. Karel Abraham (CZE) Ducati
DNF Toni Elias (SPA) Honda – crash
DNF Loris Capirossi (ITA) Ducati – retire
DNF Randy De Puniet (FRA) Ducati – crash

FTR Moto recorded a fifth podium finish of the 2010 Moto2 World Championship as Andrea Iannone finished third on the FIMMCO Speed Up FTR M210 machine in round nine at Brno, Czech Republic on Sunday.

Iannone – starting from second place on the front row of the grid – made a poor start and was forced to battle back from seventh place on the opening lap, eventually taking the lead of the race on the sixth lap from fellow FTR M210 rider Alex Debon.

Yuki Takahashi and eventual race winner Toni Elias closed in and passed Iannone in the closing stages and Iannone was forced to settle for third place.

“Today was a difficult day,” said Iannone who moved into second place in the Championship standings. “I didn’t make a good start then eventually got to the front but the pace of Elias and Takahashi was too much for me in the end.”

Gabor Talmacsi – Iannone’s Speed Up teammate – fought his way through from 16th place on the grid to cross the finish line in a credible sixth place at the end of the 20-lap race, while Debon on the Aeroport de Castello-Ajo Team M210 finished in seventh.

Debon put in a spirited ride as he moved from 12th place on the opening lap to lead the race by lap five and eventually take his first podium finish since the British round at Silverstone two months ago. And the Spaniard’s progress was halted by a broken steering damper from the halfway stage of the race.

And there was no dream home race victory for promising Karel Abraham and his Cardion AB Motoracing Team FTR M210 as he was forced to miss the race following crashes in Friday’s practice and Saturday’s qualifying sessions. Abraham suffered minor injuries and mild concussion.

“Overall it’s great to see one of the M210s on the podium again although, at one point, I thought Iannone, Debon and Talmacsi were all heading for the victory.” said FTR’s Steve Bones. “With all three of our machines in the top seven, including Alex with a broken damper, and out of 39 starters I’m more than happy.”