News Riders & Teams: China Fiat Yamaha Team Jorge Lorenzo Pramac Grand Prix of China Shanghai
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Lorenzo to test ankle condition in Saturday morning session
Jorge Lorenzo will test his ankles’ condition on Saturday morning, in free practice. After his Friday accident at the Pramac Grand Prix of China.
There has been an anxious wait for Jorge Lorenzo and his Fiat Yamaha team overnight to see if he will be fit to ride after his spectacular Friday crash which resulted in damage to both of his ankles. The 20 year-old´s condition will be assessed early on by Clinica Mobile Doctor Claudio Macchiagodena after some practice laps on the Yamaha M1 as he seeks to continue his remarkable MotoGP adventure.
Round four of the 2008 World Championship will gather pace on Saturday, as the riders in all three classes do battle for the crucial grid positions in the afternoon, ahead of Sunday´s races.
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News Riders & Teams: China Fiat Yamaha Team Jorge Lorenzo Pramac Grand Prix of China Shanghai
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Jorge Lorenzo Suffer heavy crash at Shanghai
Lorenzo examined for ankle fracture after Shanghai high side
Jorge Lorenzo. He starred in Qatar, reigned in Spain and thrilled in Estoril. But his visit to China has got off to an inauspicious start. The current MotoGP World Championship leader suffered a huge highside in the second half of the opening practice session, and is currently being examined at the city´s Huashan hospital.
Daniele Romagnoli, Lorenzo´s Team Manager, after talking with the Clinica Mobile, said:
`I don’t think Jorge will be able to ride this afternoon because he has pain in both ankles and needs a further x-ray at the hospital, so it will take time to get there and back and to do the tests,´
News Riders & Teams: Chris Vermeulen James Toseland Joan Olive Marco Simoncelli Mika Kallio Shanghai Simone Corsi
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6 MotoGP Riders Present at Shanghai Riverboat Trip
Six MotoGP World Championship riders present at Shanghai event, the pre-event riverboat trip.
MotoGP riders James Toseland and Chris Vermeulen were joined by 250cc men Mika Kallio & Marco Simoncelli and 125cc representatives Simone Corsi & Joan Olive for a pre-event riverboat trip in Shanghai. Taking in the sights of the Chinese city from a different perspective.
`I found out that I can´t play the drums!´ said Toseland –MotoGP´s resident musician- after joining in on percussion. `Shanghai is a really beautiful city, and it´s the first time that I´ve ever been here.´
The sextet took part in a musical performance on the boat, the beat of a Chinese drum echoing out onto the Huangpu river. There was also a chance for local fans to get autographs from the stars upon their reaching dry land.
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News Riders & Teams: 92nd Indianapolis 500 Indianapolis Motor Speedway Nicky Hayden
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Hayden will ride on the Oval layout of Indy 500
Following on from his inauguration lap of the famed American circuit, 2006 MotoGP World Champion Nicky Hayden will once again be on-track at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 25th, when he will ride on the Oval layout ahead of the 92nd Indianapolis 500.
Hayden earlier this month used both a 1909 Indian and a Honda CBR1000 to become the first rider on the newly constructed MotoGP layout, which will host the Red Bull Indianapolis Grand Prix on September 14th. This time round, the Repsol Honda rider will be in full race trim, onboard the 2007 800cc RC212V used for the first races of this season.
`I just need to get it straight with the officials that I don’t mind rolling round in second gear waving to the fans, but when I come off Turn 4, the Pace Car needs to hold its line because as I head toward the bricks, I plan to open that baby up a little and blow out the cobwebs a little.´
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News Riders & Teams: Century of Grand Prix victors Estoril Jorge Lorenzo The MotoGP top 100
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Lorenzo completed century of Grand Prix victors
There has been a different race winner for the last three Grands Prix in the premier class, and the strength in depth traditionally present in MotoGP is perfectly illustrated by the most recent victor.
Jorge Lorenzo became the 100th different rider to triumph at the highest level when he crossed the line first in Portugal, joining a list packed with 60 years of top talent.
The MotoGP top 100 includes all the household names and legends since the inception of the World Championship. The likes of Giacomo Agostini –the rider with the most wins in the premier class with 68- Mick Doohan and Valentino Rossi all hold a string of victories, whilst some 46 of the 100 had just the one solitary appearance on the top step of the rostrum.
Below is the complete list of the 100 riders to win in a blue riband race, from 1949 race winner Harold Daniell right up to current championship leader and Estoril victor Lorenzo.
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Australian Road Safety Campaign lead by Vermeulen
Rizla Suzuki´s Australian star Chris Vermeulen is doing his bit to raise awareness of safe riding on the roads of his homeland, joining forces with motorsport governing body Motorcycling Australia (MA) as part of a campaign aimed at new riders.
`It might be the lifestyle or the fact that bikes are economical to run, but with that comes the brutal fact that people are dying on our roads, and in my opinion, needlessly.
`Riding a bike is becoming a real alternative for a lot of people,´ explains the high profile MotoGP star, who made clear the harsh reality of the risks that come with careless riding.
The idea came directly from the MotoGP rider himself, who approached MA with a proposal that has grown into a television, radio and press initiative. Vermeulen had been perturbed by the increase in easily-avoidable and fatal accidents on Australia´s roads, and is encouraging a common-sense approach to road riding.
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Calendar & Circuits News Riders & Teams: 2008 season Estoril Jorge Lorenzo Valentino Rossi
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Round four, Just around the corner
A free video preview of the Pramac Grand Prix of China, the fourth round of the MotoGP World Championship, is now available for free.
After three breathtaking rounds of the 2008 season MotoGP now heads east for the Pramac Grand Prix of China at the Shanghai International circuit, with early leaders Jorge Lorenzo (Fiat Yamaha) and Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda) both battling for outright supremacy against a number of other top names.
The electric start to his MotoGP career made by Lorenzo in the first three races, culminating with his brilliant win at Estoril has been perhaps the main story of the season so far and following surgery on his forearm since that Portuguese victory the double 250cc World Champion will be keen to maintain his remarkable form in China.
The MotoGP big guns are featured in a free Motogp.com video preview for China which is now online and free to watch.
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News Riders & Teams: Kevin Schwantz Red Bull AMA U.S. Suzuki´s 2009 MotoGP
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Schwantz eyes Suzuki´s 2009 MotoGP role
Former World Champion Kevin Schwantz explained to motogp.com his plans to be involved in Suzuki´s 2009 MotoGP projects.
Kevin Schwantz, the 1993 500cc title winner and MotoGP Legend, has told motogp.com that he has ambitions to return to the World Championship paddock next season, either in a role with the Suzuki factory team or running a satellite outfit with his compatriot Ben Spies on the Japanese firm´s machinery.
Schwantz is currently enjoying his tutoring work with the Red Bull AMA U.S. Rookies Cup, but has admitted he would love to return to MotoGP in a management role with the manufacturer he spent his entire Grand Prix career riding for. The 43 year-old American also believes double AMA Superbike Champion Spies would be a useful addition to Suzuki´s MotoGP artillery.
`Everybody should know that my heart is in MotoGP,´ says Schwantz. `That is where I spent most of my career and that is where most of my fans are. I would love to be back in there helping Suzuki on the management side, whether it is running a team with a single bike and Ben Spies or whether it is running their factory team.´
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News Riders & Teams: Biaggi Desmosedici GP8 Ducati Mugello
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Biaggi confirms for Desmosedici testing’s Availability
Former World Championship star Max Biaggi has confirmed to motogp.com that he has received a request from Ducati to test the Desmosedici GP8 – and a date could be set for a Mugello outing in May.
Max Biaggi, the experienced former MotoGP star who is currently competing for Ducati in the superbikes championship, has revealed that he recently confirmed his willingness and availability to the Italian factory should they require him to test their current MotoGP prototype.
`What I can say is that they have asked me to be available to do this test and I have told them that I will be,´ the Italian rider told motogp.com, before stating that a date is likely to be set for Mugello in May.
Livio Suppo, Ducati Marlboro´s MotoGP Project Director, recently acknowledged that Biaggi and Troy Bayliss, who also rides a Ducati superbike in the production series, had both been put on standby to test the Desmosedici GP8 – with both having experience of premier class MotoGP riding.
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Capirossi aiming for MotoGP’s another year
Paul Denning, Rizla Suzuki´s team manager, has told motogp.com that Loris Capirossi has not yet renewed his contract for 2009, but that an option exists to do so and both parties appear to be very happy with their working relationship.
After recent press speculation that experienced Italian rider Loris Capirossi had already signed a contract to remain with Rizla Suzuki in MotoGP in 2009, his team manager Paul Denning has commented on the situation – stating that next year´s plans are not yet in place but that a renewal could well be on the cards.
Denning told motogp.com, `The situation for 2009 isn´t yet completely clear with regard to riders and we feel that it is a little bit early after only three races in the 2008 season to be completely focussed on next year.´
`Loris has got a contract for 2009 which is based on performance criteria and if those criteria are met he has an automatic renewal with Suzuki in any case,´ explained the Englishman. `If they are not met he would be a free agent to look elsewhere and so would Suzuki. However, it has been such an excellent start to the relationship that at this stage we are very happy with Loris and I believe Loris is very happy with the team.´
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Doohan and Muresan attending Romanian motorsport event
An exciting new racetrack project has been presented in Bucharest, Romania, with five-time World Champion Mick Doohan and local rider Robert Muresan in attendance at the event.
MotoGP Legend Mick Doohan and current World Championship rider Robert Muresan (Grizzly Gas Kiefer) were in attendance at the presentation of a project to develop a new racetrack in Bucharest, the capital city of Romania, over the weekend.
The Grand Prix One centre will be an international leisure complex, which comprises restaurants, offices, playgrounds, shops, luxury car dealerships and a state-of-the-art new race track.
There are four such complexes currently under construction in Europe and the Middle East, with Formula One driver Jarno Trulli one of the creators of the concept and an active participant in the international development.
It is estimated that an annual average of 5 million people will visit the complex, which is costing approximately 250 million euros to build and will create at least 2000 jobs in the region.
Mugello circuit, the New pit entry
Modifications to the Mugello circuit were presented at the weekend, with an updated pit lane entrance designed to improve rider safety.
Coinciding with the opening Italian national championship race over the weekend, local officials at Mugello have presented the latest updates to the track which has seen the pit entrance modified to further increase rider security.
The Tuscan venue will host the Gran Premio d´Italia Alice on 1st June and is already considered to have some of the highest safety standards in the world.
The modifications went ahead with the consent of the FIM Safety Commission and are designed to aid the flow of traffic at the circuit, to improve safety for riders returning to their pit-lanes as well as those remaining on the track.