Motourage

The German-language racing website, MotorsportTotal.com has reported that MotoGP rider Valentino Rossi’s best friend and personal assistant Alessio “Uccio” Salucci has been called to testify in Italian court about a suspected cocaine ring. The case dates back to 2008.

Read the full story HERE.

Riding with characteristic grit and determination, Valentino Rossi finished the Grand Prix of Qatar in seventh place. The Italian rider dueled with Ben Spies for sixth place as long as the strength in his still-healing shoulder allowed, and he managed to maintain a good pace to the end.

After starting from the fifth row, Nicky Hayden rode a comeback race, steadily increasing his pace and finishing ninth after a series of nice passes.

Valentino Rossi, 7th
“For sure we’re not here to get seventh-place finishes, but there are also positive things from this race, starting with the times, because we were lapping pretty quickly. I had a great start, and that was a nice feeling because the horsepower that this bike has really helps it to launch. Then I made a small error in the first turn, which is a shame because I got stuck behind Barbera for a few laps. Otherwise I would have been closer to Simoncelli and Dovizioso, since anyway there was a period when I lapped with them. I wouldn’t have beaten them though, because at the end of the race, I’m no longer able to ride like I have to. I’m not referring to the Ducati because even last year, after I hurt my shoulder, I had the same problems in the latter parts of the races, and since the two bikes are so different, it means that it’s really a matter of me not being physically right. It’s not just that. We also have to improve the bike because the others have clearly made a step forward since last year. Still, I learned a lot in this test and in this race, and we’ve already given very specific instructions about what must be done in the long term, in order to improve for the second half of the season for example. In the near term, on the other hand, we’ll work on the setup, we’ll keep gathering experience, and I’ll continue exercising and doing everything I can to recuperate physically.”

Nicky Hayden, 9th
“I got a bad start in the race, and then when De Puniet crashed, I just about ran over him and had to come to a complete stop. I’m happy I didn’t run into him, but that was a bad break, because I was dead last with a gap to the next person. I started picking my way through, and once I got into ninth, I got into a decent rhythm and started doing my pace. I was trying to catch Edwards because I thought it would’ve been nice to have a last-lap race with him, but I didn’t quite get to him. It’s been a tough weekend for me on and off the track, but everybody around here is working to the maximum. They’re the first ones in and the last ones out. I can’t be happy with the ride, but I came from dead last, and my fastest lap was my last one. We’ve got a lot of work to do, but it’s just one race, and no one can say we weren’t trying.”

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

Front row for Lorenzo, and Rossi improves to qualify fourth for final race

World Champion Jorge Lorenzo secured his seventeenth front-row start of the season at El Circuit de la Comunitat Valenciana this afternoon, qualifying second behind Casey Stoner for the eighteenth and final round of the season. His Fiat Yamaha teammate Valentino Rossi has struggled in all four sessions but the nine-time champion made a drastic improvement in the final stages of the session to qualify fourth for his final Yamaha appearance tomorrow.

Lorenzo, wearing a one-off crystal-encrusted helmet for his home race, was third in this morning’s practice session and then spent the first half of qualifying second in the standings as he made some final set-up tweaks to his M1. Half-way through he moved into first and then put in a run of stunningly consistent fast laps, improving his time several times over. Stoner was even quicker today though and with six minutes left on the clock the Australian moved ahead of the Mallorcan and, despite Lorenzo pulling out all the stops in the final moments, pole was not to be today and he finished 0.331 seconds off Stoner in second. Lorenzo is nonetheless the season’s best qualifier and will receive his prize of a new car this afternoon to add to his tally of plaudits from the year.

After yesterday’s difficulties a major set-up change this morning did little for Rossi’s feeling on the bike and the Italian was 10th in free practice. The early part of qualifying yielded no improvement and with five minutes to go he was still outside the top ten. A final alteration however left him feeling more confident on the bike and on his final lap the front row looked a not inconceivable target, as he was on course for second at the third split before dropping a couple of tenths in the final sector and coming home in fourth, 0.086 seconds off Marco Simoncelli.

Jorge Lorenzo – Position: 2ndTime: 1’32.130Laps: 18
“I’m really excited and proud to be on the front row in front of the Spanish crowd, at this home race. Especially racing here; the last race is always special and everyone wants to do well. I tried my best to make the pole position today but Casey was really very quick today, I couldn’t beat him. Let’s see if we can keep in contact with him tomorrow in the race, if we can stay with him we can challenge. We will try the maximum as always. X-Lite has honored me with this special helmet and I am so proud of it, it looks like diamonds in the sunshine! Thanks to everyone and I hope to make a good race in it tomorrow.”

Valentino Rossi – Position: 4thTime: 1’32.330Laps: 23
“It was a difficult day but luckily we were able to improve the setting right at the end of the session, giving me a bit more grip and allowing me to push for a fast time at the end. We’re fourth and considering how the practices have been this really isn’t too bad. We will have to see tomorrow, it’s going to be very hard and we’re still in a bit of trouble, while the others are very fast, but if we can improve a bit more then we can try to challenge. It’s not particularly difficult to overtake at this race so the second row isn’t a big problem if we have a good pace. Stoner is very fast here, it looked like he was in a different sport today, but it’s my last race for Yamaha and I will do everything I can to be on the podium.”

Wilco Zeelenberg – Team Manager
“We are happy with second because it was clear Casey had something different here today. Jorge feels fine with no problems; good pace, good lap times and good consistency. We need to decide which tire we’re going to use for the race as both options are possible for the rear so we’re waiting for the weather tomorrow. It’s a temperature issue, if it’s hot we’ll use one, if it’s cooler we’ll use the other. The bike feels great, an improvement on this morning’s session so we are happy with the situation.”

Davide Brivio – Team Manager
“This morning we tried some different geometries and settings and then in the afternoon we continued in just one way, but it’s clear that we still have some work to do and we have some problems with grip. In the end we stopped a little bit early to consider the situation, and now we will look closely at the data to find the right way forward for tomorrow so that we can give Valentino a bike to allow him to ride how he wants here.”

Double podium at Estoril delivers third consecutive Yamaha Triple Crown

Fiat Yamaha riders Jorge Lorenzo and Valentino Rossi put in a superb team performance on Sunday at the Grand Prix of Portugal on the Estoril Circuit, taking first and second respectively to deliver Yamaha its third consecutive Triple Crown with the Team, Rider and Manufacturer titles. The achievement marks the first time since the Triple Crown’s inception that any manufacturer has won it three times in a row. After a weekend of disruption from the weather, yesterday’s race was run mainly in bright sunshine, although rain earlier in the day meant the track was still patchy to begin with.

2010 World Champion Lorenzo made a strong start from pole, taking the lead into the first corner before briefly relinquishing it to Nicky Hayden for a few seconds before taking back control of the race. His teammate, Rossi, made a play for the lead on lap four, relegating Lorenzo to second until lap 17 where a decisive out braking maneuver saw the Spaniard retake the lead, putting his head down to build an impressive eight second lead over Rossi by the checkered flag. The victory was another landmark for Lorenzo, being the third consecutive time he has won from pole position at this track. Rossi’s second position finish continues his impressive record in Portugal, giving him his tenth podium here in all classes.

Rossi’s second-place and a non-finish from Casey Stoner means the Italian has moved back to third in the championship standings, 19 points off Dani Pedrosa and second place. The final round of the season comes in one week’s time at Valencia in Spain.

Jorge Lorenzo – Position: 1stTime: 46’17.962
“On the warm-up lap I could see there were still a few wet parts and I knew that I was going to have to be careful at the beginning. I got a great start and was in the lead but eventually Valentino overtook me and then off he went. He had a better pace than me then and I couldn’t go with him. As the track got drier I found my pace improving and then step-by-step I closed the gap and was able to get past him. At that point I felt really good and I am so happy to win for the third time here at Estoril. It was a long time since I have won but my confidence has remained high and I haven’t been worried. I knew I could win here at my favorite track. We also confirmed the Triple Crown for Yamaha today so well done to the whole team for this victory.”

Valentino Rossi – Position: 2ndTime: +8.629
“Like I said yesterday, a wet warm up and a dry race is a difficult one! I am happy about this weekend, we worked really well on the bike on the wet and this morning I was the fastest in the warm up, if it had been a wet race I could have been very competitive. For the dry we started blind so I had to try to take some risks at the beginning because the setting was ok, but it was not enough because when Jorge got into his rhythm he was faster than me, I had no way to fight with him. I tried to stay with him but he was too fast. Anyway second place is positive for my championship because I am back in third place and I’m not so far from Dani Pedrosa in second. I’m happy to have improved the setting of the bike but we are still not strong enough so we will try to improve for Valencia for a final win with Yamaha.”

Wilco Zeelenberg – Team Manager
“They were strange conditions for the race today, being run in the dry after all the wet practice sessions. We struggled at the start a bit with a full fuel tank, Jorge over braked a little on the end of the straight so P1 was not so good in the beginning. After eight or nine laps however the feeling was a lot better and he was able to catch up with Valentino and pass for the win. This is victory number eight and after a few races of not winning we are happy to be first again! We need to keep our focus for Valencia because it would be great to finish this fantastic season with one more win.”

Davide Brivio – Team Manager
“On one side it was a very good race because we went into a dry race with a blind setting and we got a very good result, but unfortunately when you are so very close to the victory it’s hard to not get there. Anyway we took a positive second position and we learned a lot today about out setting for the final race. It was a very positive day for Yamaha too because we took the Triple Crown again, well done to everyone.”

Mixed fortunes for Edwards and Spies in Estoril

The Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Yamaha Team experienced mixed fortunes at the Grand Prix of Portugal today, Colin Edwards racing to a gutsy seventh position while Ben Spies was unfortunately unable to start after a heavy fall on the sighting lap.
Read more…

Lorenzo fastest on wet Estoril circuit, Rossi close behind in third

In echoes of the harsh weather conditions witnessed two weeks ago at the Phillip Island Circuit in Australia, heavy rains and wind severely disrupted today’s free practice sessions at the Portuguese Grand Prix at Estoril. The morning’s 45-minute first free practice session saw less than five MotoGP riders take to the circuit for a minimal number of laps, the majority, Fiat Yamaha Team riders Jorge Lorenzo and Valentino Rossi included, deciding to sit it out in the hope of gentler conditions for the afternoon. The riders’ patience paid off with a break in the rain signaling the start of the afternoon session, the circuit drying in patches towards the end of the 45 minute practice.

The 2010 MotoGP champion waits for the rain to end at Estoril

Newly crowned 2010 MotoGP World Champion Lorenzo was clearly enjoying one of his favorite circuits on the calendar, relishing the enjoyment of riding with the pressure of the world championship title battle no longer a focus. The young Mallorcan lapped consistently within the top four before a final push at the end of the session to secure the fastest time in advance of tomorrow’s qualifying sessions. Rossi was also on form, delivering consistent fast laps from the off and leading the table mid-session as he worked through the wet settings. He finished the session in third, just over three tenths off his team mate. Tomorrow’s two sessions have both been extended to one hour in order to make up for some of the time lost to the rain today.

Jorge Lorenzo – Position: 1stTime: 1’48.522Laps: 20
“I love this track; I have won here both times in MotoGP so I am very happy to be here. Unfortunately the weather was terrible this morning and there was no point in riding, then this afternoon it was still very difficult, with a lot of water on the track and you had to be very careful. I felt good despite the conditions and step-by-step we improved so that at the end, when it was slightly drier, I was able to set a good time and we are on top. Tomorrow we will have two longer sessions so we will be able to recover some of the lost time, let’s hope for no more rain.”

Valentino Rossi – Position: 3rdTime: 1’48.883Laps: 20
“This afternoon was a normal wet practice and I’m happy about my performance. I am close to the top, was fast from the beginning of session and had a good feeling with bike. Unfortunately we were losing a little bit in some sections of the track, especially the last one because the bike was moving a little too much. We will try for tomorrow to improve the settings, it’s important that we made a good start this afternoon as this morning’s session was canceled and it looks like the weather may not be very good over the weekend, so we will not have a lot of time to set up the bike.”

Wilco Zeelenberg – Team Manager
“We are quite happy with the practice, not so happy with all the rain so far. The track was starting to dry towards the end of the session though and we were able to make some small improvements to the settings. We have to concentrate on entry and exit grip on the rear on the corners so if it’s wet again tomorrow we’ll focus on that. P1 is always good but the times are very close so we’ll see tomorrow.”

Davide Brivio – Team Manager
“It was a good session today, we started with a good base and Valentino was fast throughout the practice. There are still some improvements to make both with the electronics and the balance of the bike. We got some really useful information from the session so if we have any further wet sessions or a wet race on Sunday we can continue with this good base.”

Spies learns fast at wet and windy Estoril

Ben Spies conquered another steep another learning curve at the Estoril track in Portugal today, the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team rider ending the opening day of MotoGP practice in an impressive fifth position.
Read more…

Fiat Yamaha looks to Triple Crown as MotoGP returns to Europe

Having wrapped up the Riders’ and Teams’ titles already this season, the victorious Fiat Yamaha Team returns to European shores this weekend for the penultimate round of the season at Estoril in Portugal. New MotoGP World Champion Jorge Lorenzo and his team-mate Valentino Rossi are eager to end the season on a high and hopeful that good results in the final two races will help Yamaha wrap up the coveted Triple Crown.

Lorenzo has swept all before him this season and the 23-year-old has a flawless record at Estoril, having won from pole position in both his MotoGP appearances at the track. The track was the scene of his first premier-class win and he was equally dominant last year, taking his fourth win of the season. This year he has taken seven victories but, having not won since Brno, the 23-year-old is keen to stand on the top step of the podium at least once more before the circus shuts down for the winter.

Rossi is still the most successful rider in history at Estoril and has taken five wins there. Last year was the first time in his ten visits to the track when he finished off the podium and he will be determined to return to it this year. The flyaway races saw an upturn in his fortunes and he took three podiums, including his stunning win in Malaysia, which have somewhat put the gloss back on a difficult season. With just two races left with Yamaha, the Italian hero is hopeful of ending on a high and will be going for the maximum this weekend.

Estoril circuit is located just seven kilometers (4.3 miles) from the Atlantic and is notorious for dramatic changes in weather, with spells of warm sunshine often interrupted by wild gusts of cold wind and rain. The layout of the Autodromo Fernanda Pires de Silva is similarly contrasting, featuring one of the longest main straights in MotoGP and one of the slowest corners. Several other twisty sections make for the lowest average speed in the championship but the 200kph (124mph) kink at turn five and the final Parabolica corner are two of the toughest tests of any rider’s skill and bravery. The final two races will feature a revised practice timetable, with four 45-minutes sessions over Friday and Saturday taking the place of the usual three one-hour ones.

Jorge Lorenzo – “I always feel so good there”
“We now have the last two races in a row, and they are two very special races. The first one is Estoril, where I’ve had some of my best moments in MotoGP in the last two seasons. I had never won there before in 125 or 250, but since 2008 I have had two victories. It’s the only one place where I’ve won twice in this category! I like the Estoril track and I always seem to feel so good there. Also it always seems a bit like another Spanish GP. Many people from home are coming and I am looking forward to feeling their support, because it’s the first time I’ve ridden so close to home since becoming World Champion. I am still on a high and I would try to win again, like last year when the astronaut arrived.”

Valentino Rossi – “I want to finish the season on a high”
“The flyaways were very good for us, three podiums including one win – we were happy with how much we had improved the bike and also the level of my shoulder. Now we return to Europe and I feel very strongly that I want to enjoy these final two races and try to win again. Estoril was not a good track for me last year, we had some problems and I couldn’t make it onto the podium so we will be trying to change that this year. After Phillip Island we hope the weather will be a bit warmer but Estoril can change very quickly so it could be a factor again.”

Wilco Zeelenberg – “Set for the last part of the season”
“This will be my first visit to Estoril but I’ve watched the 2008/09 races and seen that Jorge loves the place. It’s exciting coming back to race in Europe after the long trip overseas as World Champions, and it will be a big weekend for Jorge. He is definitely set for this last part of the season – fit, calm and ready to try for his third consecutive win in Portugal.”

Davide Brivio – “Try to be strong from the start”
“We are arriving back in Europe satisfied and happy about the flyaway races; three podiums including one great win, and we are looking forward now to trying to continue this trend over the last two races. Portugal wasn’t great for us last year so we will need to make the most of the practice time to find a good setting and try to be strong from the start.”

Valentino Rossi: Information
Age: 31
Lives: Tavullia, Italy
Bike: Yamaha
GP victories: 105 (79 x MotoGP/500cc, 14 x 250cc, 12 x 125cc)
First GP victory: Czech Republic, 1996 (125cc)
First GP: Malaysia, 1996 (125cc)
GP starts: 239 (179 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: 33 (12 x MotoGP, 17 x 250cc, 4 x 125cc)
First GP victory: Brazil, 2003 (125cc)
First GP: Jerez, Spain, 2002 (125cc)
GP starts: 143 (49 x MotoGP, 48 x 250cc, 46 x 125cc)
Pole positions: 41 (14 x MotoGP, 23 x 250cc, 3 x 125cc)
World Championships: 3 (MotoGP 2010, 250cc, 2006/7)

Estoril: Record Lap
D. Pedrosa (Honda) 2009, 1’36.937

Estoril: Best Lap
J. Lorenzo (Yamaha) 2008, 1’35.715

Grand Prix Results: Estoril 2009
1.    J. Lorenzo (Yamaha)    45’35.522
2.    C. Stoner (Ducati)    +6.294
3.    D. Pedrosa (Honda)    +9.889
4.    V. Rossi (Yamaha)    +23.428

Fiat Yamaha seal team title with double podium at Philip Island as Spies claims top rookie award

A double podium for the Fiat Yamaha Team today sealed the second leg of the 2010 Triple Crown, as World Champion Jorge Lorenzo finished second and Valentino Rossi third behind winner Casey Stoner in the Australian Grand Prix at Phillip Island.

Jorge Lorenzo and Valentino Rossi share a brief, rare moment of mutual celebration

After a sopping wet weekend, the weather finally cleared up on Sunday, as the sun came out and temperatures rose above 15°C (59°F) for the first time. Lorenzo got a good start into turn one, losing one place to Marco Simoncelli but passing the Italian back soon after to retake second. However, as the World Champion had feared, he was unable to match Stoner’s pace, despite trying his best in the early stages. Once he realized he could not catch the Australian, he contented himself with an uneventful but enjoyable race, unchallenged throughout to finish in second place. It was the 23-year-old’s 50th start in the MotoGP class and his 32nd podium from those races.

A small set-up tweak in warm-up left Rossi slightly more hopeful of his chances, but the nine-time champion was left with a lot to do when he dropped to ninth on the first lap. He gained two places on the next three laps, and on lap five found himself on the end of a four-man group in sixth, with third in his sights. He dealt with Simoncelli first, passing his countryman on the brakes into turn one, dispatched Nicky Hayden on lap seven and then fellow Yamaha man Ben Spies on the eighth. His task was not over however and he had his work cut out to hold onto the final podium spot with Hayden hard on his heels.  The American got by the Italian, but a brilliant last-lap move from Rossi secured him an incredible 13th podium in 14 years at Phillip Island.

Stoner’s win means Rossi slips one place to fourth in the standings, with a deficit of eight points from the Australian. After a hard three weeks, the paddock now heads home for ten days, with Jorge Lorenzo due to take part in a parade through his home city of Palma de Mallorca on Wednesday when he returns victorious as the new World Champion. Sunday also saw American Tech 3 Yamaha rider Ben Spies, who will join the Factory Team in 2011, secure the Rookie of the Year title.

Jorge Lorenzo – Position: 2nd. Time: +8.598
“We knew Casey would be hard to beat today! I tried my best, riding as hard as I could at the start and occasionally it seemed like I was closing a little bit, but then on the next lap Casey would extend his lead again by a few tenths. I kept trying but I didn’t have much hope and half way through I decided it was better not to take risks. I really enjoyed riding here and sliding a bit on my M1, it was fun but this was Casey’s race today. It was good to be on the podium and now we are heading back and I have my first chance to go home to Mallorca as World Champion and to celebrate with my friends and family. Today we won the Teams’ Title and this shows what a great season it has been for us all, with everyone working at the maximum.”

Valentino Rossi – Position: 3rd. Time: +17.997
“To start eighth and finish third is not a bad result and, considering the trouble we had this weekend, we can be happy. Today Casey was riding in a different sport and I want to say congratulations to him – the podium was the maximum for us but it was still a hard fight to get there. We made some good changes to our set-up this morning and I knew I had a better chance, but we still lacked grip and the bike started to slide a lot after a bit. I had great fun with Nicky at the end because in some places he was faster than me and I really had to push, but the podium here is so important for me and I couldn’t give it up easily. This is my 13th podium in 14 years racing at Phillip Island and I am very proud of this record. We have had three podiums in a row, including one win, and after this difficult season I am happy about this. Today we won the Team title and I am happy for us all and for Yamaha.”

Wilco Zeelenberg – Team Manager
“Today the podium was the most we could do. Jorge tried his hardest at the start and his lap times were quick; we had a good set-up today but Casey was just faster than us. Jorge really enjoyed himself out there and he had a big gap behind him so it was a successful day. Considering the difficult circumstances we’ve had all weekend we can be satisfied with what we’ve achieved. We are happy to win the Team title and now we are going home, finally, and everyone deserves a good rest!”

Davide Brivio – Team Manager
“This morning we did a good job and we were able to find a much better setting. Unfortunately the difficult conditions this weekend and the bad luck we had in qualifying yesterday meant that we were starting from the third row so we had a big job to do. Valentino did very well to get this podium. These three races have gone well for us and we’re heading back to Europe satisfied. Congratulations to the whole team tonight for another Team Championship.”

Super Spies claims top rookie award in Australia

Ben Spies set another personal milestone in his stunning 2010 MotoGP world championship campaign today, the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team rider’s hard fought fifth place in the Australian Grand Prix securing him the coveted Rookie of the Year award.

After a weekend of typically unpredictable conditions at Phillip Island, today’s 27-lap race started under sunny skies with temperatures hitting a weekend high of 15 degrees. Spies made a flying start from the front row of the grid but slipped back to sixth after nearly touching new world champion Jorge Lorenzo as the field jostled for position at turn two. The 26-year-old was back in the hunt for his third podium by lap five, Spies executing thrilling overtakes to move by fellow American Nicky Hayden and Marco Simoncelli. But a small mistake under heavy braking for the perilously fast first turn dropped Spies back to sixth on lap eight. He quickly regained his composure but was unable to restart his rostrum challenge with Hayden and Valentino Rossi pulling clear. Spies had a determined Simoncelli to occupy his mind though, the Italian seizing fifth on lap 19. Content to shadow Simoncelli, Spies quickly realized he could lap much faster and claimed back fifth on lap 23. Displaying his expertise on worn tires, a magnificent late attack broke Simoncelli’s resolve to ensure Spies lifted the Rookie of the Year title with two races remaining. And his latest top six result means he will also finish top non-factory rider in 2010.
Read more…

Newly crowned World Champion takes celebrations to the island

The newly crowned 2010 MotoGP World Champion, Jorge Lorenzo, leads his victorious team down under to Phillip Island this weekend, for the round 16 of the 2010 MotoGP World Championships. His team mate, Valentino Rossi, who returned to winning ways Sunday, is in equally high spirits, and it is a happy Fiat Yamaha Team that lands on Australian shores today.

Jorge Lorenzo clinched the 2010 MotoGP championship with a third-place finish in Sepang

Third place for Lorenzo on Sunday was enough to secure the 23-year-old his first premier-class crown and the Spaniard celebrated his championship in style alongside his ecstatic crew in Kuala Lumpur. With his lifelong goal achieved Lorenzo can now relax and concentrate on racing for the final three rounds of the season and he is determined to start this weekend with a strong result at the Island. He won there in both his 250cc championship-winning years but has never had a MotoGP podium, crashing out at turn one last year in a race he will be keen to forget this weekend.

Sunday may only have been Rossi’s second win of the season but the emphatic victory had all the hallmarks of a classic, as the nine-time champion charged through the field after dropping to eleventh at the start. It was his 46th victory for Yamaha but the Italian has no plans to stop there and would like to add to the number in the last three races of the season. He is something of a Phillip Island specialist, having ruled supreme for five unbeaten years, and he has eleven podiums in all classes, including a second place last year.

Perched on the cliffs above the Bass Strait, Phillip Island is one of the most dramatic racetracks in the world and its precarious position always makes for changeable and often chilly weather. The circuit is also one of the sternest tests of rider and bike, with its sweeping and flowing nature making for the ultimate challenge of machine control and throttle accuracy, not to mention the sheer bravery required from the rider.

Jorge Lorenzo – “One of the happiest people in the world!”
“I am one of the happiest people in the world! We got it! I am very proud of my team, partners and sponsors, but it is not really ‘game over’ because we have to continue, we still have three more races. We have to focus in the same way as we have until now, fighting for the podium and without the pressure of the championship we hope to get some good results. I like Philip Island; it’s one of my favorite tracks and maybe the fastest on the calendar. It’s always amazing to ride there, so close to the sea, but the weather is very different to Malaysia, always very cold.”

Valentino Rossi – “A fantastic place to ride”
“Sunday was a truly fantastic day; to win again was wonderful, my 46th for Yamaha and I think one of the best victories of my career, I am so happy. Now I really want to try to finish the season strongly and I’m excited about getting to Phillip Island, which is one of the most fantastic places in the world to ride a motorcycle. I haven’t won there for a few years and I would really like to change that. It’s always special to go there because many of my team are Australian and the fans are great. I can’t wait!”

Wilco Zeelenberg – “Still on a high”
“We’re still on a high from the championship, what a great day it was for us! Now that’s done however we can go racing, and we’re excited. Jorge has achieved his goal and now he can just relax and enjoy riding the bike and pushing hard with nothing to lose, we really want to try to win some more races this season. Phillip Island hasn’t been the best track for him even though he likes it – he’s never had a MotoGP podium there – but we’re aiming to change that this weekend.”

Davide Brivio – “Looking forward to more of the same”
“We are coming to Australia very happy after the fantastic result of Sunday. It was great to see Valentino back riding at his best and we are looking forward to more of the same this weekend. Phillip Island is one of his best tracks and we always enjoy racing there, it’s a spectacular track. We haven’t won there for a few years and it would be great to get another good result this weekend so we will see what we can do.”

Valentino Rossi:
Age: 31
Lives: Tavullia, Italy
Bike: Yamaha
GP victories: 105 (79 x MotoGP/500cc, 14 x 250cc, 12 x 125cc)
First GP victory: Czech Republic, 1996 (125cc)
First GP: Malaysia, 1996 (125cc)
GP starts: 238 (178 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:
Age: 23
Lives: Barcelona, Spain
Bike: Yamaha
GP victories: 33 (13 x MotoGP, 17 x 250cc, 4 x 125cc)
First GP victory: Brazil, 2003 (125cc)
First GP: Jerez, Spain, 2002 (125cc)
GP starts: 143 (48 x MotoGP, 48 x 250cc, 46 x 125cc)
Pole positions: 41 (14 x MotoGP, 23 x 250cc, 3 x 125cc)
World Championships: 3 (MotoGP 2010, 250cc, 2006/7)

Phillip Island: Record Lap
N. Hayden (Honda) 2008, 1’30.059

Phillip Island: Best Lap
C. Stoner (Ducati) 2008, 1’28.665

Grand Prix Results: Phillip Island 2009
1: C. Stoner (Ducati)    40’56.651
2: V. Rossi (Yamaha)    +1.935
3: D. Pedrosa (Honda)    +22.618
J. Lorenzo (Yamaha)    DNF

Rossi and Lorenzo first and third on day one in Malaysia

The MotoGP paddock was back in action today at Sepang and the usual scalding Malaysian temperatures greeted the riders as they made their first foray onto the track. The Fiat Yamaha Team made a strong start to the 15th round of the season, with Valentino Rossi finishing on top of the time sheets and Jorge Lorenzo not far off him in third.

Jorge Lorenzo finished fourth in Sepang

The biggest problem facing the riders today was the lack of grip on track, with the circuit very slippery after a period of inactivity. It was therefore difficult for them to make their Bridgestone tires work at full potential but despite this the Yamaha riders were quickly on the pace, rarely out of the top three for the whole session. It was Rossi who put down the best lap of the day but Lorenzo, who has his first championship title shot this Sunday, was less than two tenths off his team-mate. Both the Italian and the Spaniard are looking forward to making further improvements tomorrow as more rubber is laid down and the grip levels get better.

Valentino Rossi – Position: 1st Time: 2’02. Laps: 21
“It’s been another good start for us here and we found a good setting straight away. I am feeling very comfortable on the bike and so far my shoulder is okay here. The track is quite dirty but that will get better and I love riding at this track, it’s one of my favorites and I am always happy to be on the bike here. We are confident that we will be able to make some more improvements tomorrow and be in good shape to try for the front row tomorrow afternoon.”

Jorge Lorenzo – Position: 3rd Time: 2’02.898 Laps: 22
“Today conditions were quite difficult, with the high temperatures and a dirty track. I’m happy though because I felt good on the bike, I rode fast and I was close to the first position. We rode with the old engine again today but maybe we will try the new one tomorrow. We need to work on the fourth sector, which is where we’re losing time at the moment, so tomorrow we will concentrate on that and try to improve further.”

Davide Brivio – Team Manager
“It’s nice to start the weekend at the front again and this was a good session, with Valentino fast from the beginning. It seems he has a good pace here but of course it’s only the first session and we have more work to do. The track isn’t in great condition; it’s quite slippery at the moment but this will improve throughout the weekend. Tomorrow we will work on our Bridgestone tire choice and fine-tune the setting ahead of qualifying.”

Wilco Zeelenberg – Team Manager
“The track hasn’t been used for a while and our first impression is that there’s not much grip and it’s quite slippery. We tried two different settings to try to work around this but in fact they were both quite similar. We expect it to be better tomorrow but of course we can’t just rely on the track improving, we need to work on our setting as well. Anyway we were still fast today, the speed is okay and we’re close to the front so we’re already competitive, we just need to improve our package a bit more tomorrow.”

Edwards and Spies target improvements in hot Sepang

Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team riders Colin Edwards and Ben Spies are optimistic they can make big set-up improvements ahead of Sunday’s Malaysian MotoGP race after an encouraging start in Sepang.

Boosted by a season best fifth place in Japan last weekend, Edwards spent the majority of a closely contested opening free practice session concentrating on improving front and rear grip with his YZR-M1 machine.

Edwards is a seasoned campaigner at the 5.548km Sepang circuit but he needed to call on all his experience to improve traction during a session that saw air temperatures peak at a grueling 38 degrees. Scorching hot conditions make Sepang one of the most physically and mentally demanding challenges on the calendar with humidity and temperatures posing a serious examination of rider stamina.

Edwards made several set-up changes to the front and rear suspension of his YZR-M1 machine on his way to recording the sixth quickest time, a lap of 2.03.393 only 0.055s away from the top five.

Ben Spies arrived in Kuala Lumpur confident that he would be competitive from the off having impressed in two visits to the long and technical circuit during the winter testing campaign.

The 26-year-old quickly established himself in the top ten and like Edwards dedicated most of his time working on improving front and rear grip as a slippery track surface meant conditions were far from ideal this afternoon.

He occupied a place in the top four in the early stages before a la p of 2.03.477 left him ninth on the timesheets but less than a tenth away from the top six.

Today’s session was a closely contested affair with less than a second covering the top 12.

Colin Edwards – Position: 6th Time: 2’03.393 Laps: 18
“It’s nice to start the weekend at the front again and this was a good session, with Valentino fast from the beginning. It seems he has a good pace here but of course it’s only the first session and we have more work to do. The track isn’t in great condition; it’s quite slippery at the moment but this will improve throughout the weekend. Tomorrow we will work on our Bridgestone tire choice and fine-tune the setting ahead of qualifying.”

Ben Spies – Position: 9th Time: 2’03.477 Laps: 24
“The track hasn’t been used for a while and our first impression is that there’s not much grip and it’s quite slippery. We tried two different settings to try to work around this but in fact they were both quite similar. We expect it to be better tomorrow but of course we can’t just rely on the track improving, we need to work on our setting as well. Anyway we were still fast today, the speed is okay and we’re close to the front so we’re already competitive, we just need to improve our package a bit more tomorrow.”
Circuit Length: 5548
Temp: 38
Weather: Dry

Lap Record: 2’02.993 (Nicky Hayden, 01/01/2005)
Fastest Lap Ever: 2’00.518 (Valentino Rossi, 25/10/2009)
Last Years Winner: Casey Stoner
2010 MotoGP Malaysia – Sepang 08/10/2010