2011 MotoGP Sepang 1 Test Preview - The Wait Is Over

It's been a long winter. And the lack of action on the MotoGP front has made the anticipation of the fans even worse by the many questions left hanging after the last test the MotoGP bikes participated in, after the season finale at Valencia.

Back in November, thousands watched Valentino Rossi make his debut on the Ducati (and Casey Stoner make his debut on the Honda, though it was clear where the attention of the fans was focused), and the results were a huge surprise. That Jorge Lorenzo was fast at the test surprised nobody, nor the fact that Casey Stoner was fast out of the traps, though quite how fast the Australian was after just a few laps on the Repsol Honda for the first time did raise a few eyebrows.

The big surprise from the Valencia test was Valentino Rossi's times on the Ducati. The Italian ended the test with the 15th time, with only Moto2 returnee Toni Elias and MotoGP rookie Karel Abraham behind him. There was no doubt that Rossi's injured shoulder - hurt in a training accident early in the year - played a significant role; the Valencia test came at the end of a long season, and after a full weekend of racing, at a track Rossi dislikes intensely. But Rossi (speaking through Filippo Preziosi, as he was contractually unable to speak directly to the press) also complained of a lack of feel from the front end, and a general lack of confidence in the bike.

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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MotoGPMatters/~3/QUb_WUrLGIo/2011_motogp_sepang_1_test_preview_the_wa.html

Walt Faulkner William Ferguson Maria Teresa de Filippis Ralph Firman

MotoGP Schedule Shuffled Again: Three 45 Minute Sessions, And An Hour Qualifying

The Grand Prix Commission - MotoGP's rulemaking body - appear to have too little to do. A meeting last week announced yet another shakeup of the weekend schedule for each MotoGP event, which will see three sessions of free practice, of 45 minutes each, and an hour of qualifying on Saturday afternoon.

The announcement is the latest in a series of changes to the organization of practice, coming just over a month after the previous change. In the meeting of December 9th, 2010, the GP commission announced a return to the four-practice schedule, then agreeing that the MotoGP class would have four sessions of an hour, two sessions on Friday and two on Saturday, including qualifying in the afternoon. That has now been amended to three free practice sessions of 45 minutes (two on Friday and one on Saturday morning), with an hour of qualifying on Saturday afternoon.

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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MotoGPMatters/~3/QstQ-WX8jPQ/motogp_schedule_shuffled_again_three_45_.html

Franck Lagorce Jan Lammers Pedro Lamy Chico Landi

2011 Harley-Davidson Blackline

Fresh from the International Motorcycle Show’s stop in New York, Harley-Davdison has released a new motorcycle for its 2011 line-up that’s set to be another entry point into the Milwaukee brand. Based off the Softail platform, and a part of Harley’s Dark Custom thought process on design, the 2011 Harley-Davidson Blackline has that hardtail bobber look, and that features a new asymmetrical fuel tank styling and split drag handlebars. At the core of the Blackline ...

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AsphaltandRubber/~3/JWcdOcjoqe8/

Domenico Schiattarella Heinz Schiller Bill Schindler JeanLouis Schlesser

Alex Briggs Starts the Ultimate Ducati MotoGP Experience Auction for Australian Flood Relief

Alex Briggs, Valentino Rossi’s mechanic and A&R super friend, has put together the ultimate Ducati MotoGP experience auction, with all proceeds going towards the disaster relief efforts for the flooding in Australia. Called the worst flood in Australia in the past 50 years, the waters have hit the states of Queensland and Victoria with devastating affect since December 2010 (damages are being estimated in the 10′s of billions of dollars), causing Briggs to want to ...

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AsphaltandRubber/~3/HkUaqoj_DuA/

Piero Dusio George Eaton Bernie Ecclestone Don Edmunds

Sachsenring 2009 MotoGP race analysis

While the weather had produced torrential downpours thoughout the preamble to this GP, it stayed dry for the action in Germany. As the riders lined up on the grid, there was a real feeling of anticipation as Rossi and Lorenzo, so close through practice until that awesome final qualifying lap from Valentino, pulled up next [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/motogpblog/postfeed/~3/U39d5gDqBKA/1137

Ricardo Zunino Carlo Abate George Abecassis Kenny Acheson

Ayrton Senna vs Graham Hill | Champion of Champions

Ayrton Senna knocked out Damon Hill in round one - now he's matched with Graham Hill.

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Danny Sullivan Marc Surer John Surtees Andy Sutcliffe

2011 Provisional World Superbike Rider Line Up

The provisional line-up for the 2011 World Superbike class, as issued by the FIM: 

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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MotoGPMatters/~3/8DnvidtGl9w/provisional-rider-list.html

Don Beauman Karl Gunther Bechem Jean Behra Derek Bell

2011 Moto2 / 125cc Test Dates

As the end of the winter break draws near, the thoughts of the teams are turning to the 2011 season, and the resumption of hostilities at the remaining winter tests. Below is the schedule for the Moto2 and 125cc class, in preparation for the first race at Qatar, on March 20th: 

February 10-12	Valencia
February 15-17	Estoril
March 4-6	Jerez

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MotoGPMatters/~3/1vvjoKXEZ4U/2011_moto2_125cc_test_dates.html

Christijan Albers Michele Alboreto Jean Alesi Jaime Alguersuari

Ducati Test Team Wraps Up Testing At Jerez

After three days of work at Jerez, the Ducati test team has packed up and is heading home to Bologna with a couple of disks full of data and a few ideas to help improve the Desmosedici GP11 for when the official riders start to test again in 12 days' time. Work for Vito Guareschi and Franco Battaini has focused around improving the front end feel of the GP11 - something that was the bane of the 2010 bike - and a revised electronics package, improving the traction control and anti-wheelie systems.

The team now takes the solutions found to Sepang, where Valentino Rossi and Nicky Hayden will be able to put them to the test at race pace. That will take place at the first official MotoGP test of 2011, from February 1st - 3rd.

Below are the official press releases from Ducati's test team:

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Day 2

WORK UNDERWAY AT JEREZ FOR DUCATI MOTOGP TEST TEAM

Vittoriano Guareschi and Franco Battaini completed the second day of a three-day Ducati MotoGP testing session at Jerez de la Frontera, lapping until the track closed since weather conditions have made it pointless to ride prior to lunchtime. Guareschi completed 59 laps, while Battaini turned in 66.

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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MotoGPMatters/~3/ghQnoc0t_K0/ducati_test_team_wraps_up_testing_at_jer.html

JeanClaude Rudaz Eddie Russo Paul Russo Troy Ruttman

Maldonado?s demonstration run in Venezuela | F1 pictures

Pictures from Pastor Maldonado's Williams demonstration run in Venezuela.

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Theo Helfrich Mack Hellings Brian Henton Johnny Herbert

Another Ducati Launch: Karel Abraham And The 2011 Cardion AB Team

While the eyes of the world were on Madonna di Campiglio, the Italian ski resort which hosted Ducati's Wrooom! event, where Valentino Rossi was officially introduced as a Ducati rider, over in the Czech Republic, another Ducati rider was taking center stage. On Wednesday, the Cardion AB Motoracing Ducati held their official launch, presenting Karel Abraham as their rider for the 2011 season.

The team was launched with at least as much glitz and glamor as the Marlboro Ducati factory team, and with a huge amount of interest from the local Czech media. This is no doubt in part due to the fact that Karel Abraham's father, Karel senior, is an immensely wealthy businessman, owning the Cardion medical supplies firm, as well as the Brno circuit, but the excitement among Czech fans is genuine enough. Abraham is the first ever Czech rider to race in the MotoGP class, and coming off a surprising strong season in Moto2, including his first ever win at the last race of the 2010 season at Valencia.

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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MotoGPMatters/~3/PI_Y2ldFTx4/another_ducati_launch_karel_abraham_and_.html

Bob Evans Corrado Fabi Teo Fabi Pascal Fabre