Rizla Suzuki Unveils Livery, MSF Promotes Gladden & Sommerset Rebels Meet Complete

There is not a lot beyond a photo, but the Rizla Suzuki MotoGP team has now shown us what their Suzuki GSV-R will look like for the 2010 season. Riders Loris Capirossi and Alvaro Bautista will look good riding one of these...And, I almost forgot, Troy Lee Designs was at the helm of this design!

http://tinyurl.com/yzfwvku

The Motorcycle Safety Foundation (USA) has promoted Robert Gladden to be their General Manager. Gladden was the MSF Director, Program Administration, before he was promoted from within. He will now report to MSF President Tim Buche and will have much more responsibility. To read up on some Gladden history, please take the link. He has had an intriguing path to the top.

http://tinyurl.com/ylyu6ny

The Somerset Rebels Speedway meet coming up a week from today is now fully set. After Suyfutdinov's confirmation a few days ago, we now get news that his fellow countryman Roman Povazhny will be joining the event as well. That means that the weekend is fully set and ready to go. If you can get to this meeting, you will not be disappointed - you will have one hell of an evening!

http://tinyurl.com/ykcwm9j

And, More Evening News - Rizla Suzuki Riders & 2010 Yamaha XT1200Z Super Ténéré

The MotoGP Rizla Suzuki team riders stopped in Japan at the Suzuki factory in Hamamatsu to tour the factory, meet the people working there, and to meet with the race department ahead of their test in Malaysia. There are some issues which Loris Capirossi and Alvaro Bautista want to work out before they begin their work at the Sepang IC. For more, please take the link...

http://tinyurl.com/yfso36w

Finally, Yamaha has unveiled one of the most anticipated bikes this season, the 2010 XT1200Z Super Tenere! It is meant to be a direct competitior to the R1200GS from BMW, as you already know. Of course, there is the Ducati offering as well...and Moto Morini...and Moto Guzzi....it's getting veyr crowded in this popular segment these days. This is one sweet machine, though...

http://tinyurl.com/yzg5nom

Tuesday Night Moto News - Troy Lee Designs and Rizla Suzuki

There are some better photos somewhere on the 'Net, but the linked piece is solid and explains everything. Troy Lee Designs will be doing the livery for the 2010 Rizla Suzuki MotoGP team's bikes. Given how busy he has been helping to raised funds for the Haiti Earthquake (have you given yet?), it is a wonder where he finds the time. It is sure to be a decent design...and we get to see it at Qatar in March. Should be good!

http://tinyurl.com/yhg4gbo

More Morning Moto News - Rossi and Lorenzo, Freixenet & More About Sepang Practice

MotoGP Fiat Yamaha riders Jorge Lorenzo and Valentino Rossi took some time after their testing in Malaysia to stop in Thailand. They visited the Yamaha Riders Club and visited with and answered the questions of a select group of lucky riders. It was certainly an event not to be missed if you live in that nation!

http://tinyurl.com/yaobqna

Freixenet and Dorna have decided to continue their partnership. Freixenet will continue to provide the cava at each of the MotoGP events through 2011. It's always good news when a huge sponsor like this stays the course.

http://tinyurl.com/ycwdxrk

First up in the practice category is the unbelievable early performance of Ben Spies at the Malaysian test. He was on fire and managed to be in the top-five overall. That bodes very well for his freshman year in the MotoGP paddock.

http://tinyurl.com/yb8ds93

Loris Capirossi had a great test in Malaysia and he is quite happy with the testing he and his team completed. They have made some definite progress and it did show last weekend. As for Alvaro Bautista, he also made great progress in getting used to his new race weapon. Suzuki seems ready to compete, but only time will tell.

http://tinyurl.com/ybcwa43

Saturday Morning Moto News - Bautista, ASBK & California Superbike School in Dubai

Alvaro Bautista will be wearing the products of the REV'IT concern when he takes to the MotoGP circuits. He will be sponsored by them and will wear their protective racing leathers when on the track. It should be a productive relationship.

http://tinyurl.com/y969x5x

Down in Australia, the final round of the Australian Superbike Championship will be delayed a week. The new dates are 12 - 14 November 2010 at Symmons Plains. Make sure to make a note!

http://tinyurl.com/yzhv8ns

And, a nice story about the California Superbike School (the European franchise) taking to the track at the Dubai Autodrome. In case you were unaware, Keith Code's school has expanded beyond the state of California and he is teaching students the world over how to corner on a motorcycle.

http://tinyurl.com/ylchbww

A Busy Wednesday Morning - Moto Race News from All Over, Part 4

Valentino Rossi has accepted another offer to drive in a Ferrari Formula 1 machine. He will be testing the Ferrari F2008 at Barcelona during 20 - 21 January 2010. It was promised to him if he picked up the 2009 MotoGP championship, so they are now delivering. Must be nice to get such promises...

http://tinyurl.com/yjjyopt

Further Rossi news involves an Italian sports poll. The poll found that Rossi tops a list of athletes, also containing Michael Schumacher and Sébastien Loeb, as the leading athlete of the decade (of course, we all know that the decade is yet to be over). That is huge as he is placed well above the two mentioned here and another very long list of incredible sports personalities...Go Rossi!

http://tinyurl.com/ydtpzjd

On 17 March 2010, the newly minted FB Corse racing team will be attending the Qatar MotoGP test. They will not make the Sepang test, but they will certainly be ready for Qatar in March. (Some of this was in a previous post about the rider selection.) It appears that FB Corse is sure to compete in the 2010 MotoGP Championship - I hope you will join me in telling them 'Good Luck!'

http://tinyurl.com/yeeyq3r

Marco Simoncelli will not be making nice with Alvaro Bautista or Hector Barbera in the MotoGP paddock this season. Given all of the feuds between them in the 250 World Championship series, he has stated that they are still behaving the same way towards him, so he will return the attitude their way by ignoring them. Sounds a bit childish, but racers have to be competitive and maybe this will help drive Simoncelli harder in MotoGP...

http://tinyurl.com/ychwv8y

Rizla Will Be Staying in MotoGP Championship with Suzuki

A new two-year deal is about to be signed between Rizla and Suzuki to keep the team together until 2011 at least. The economic situation had better improve a bit or that might be their last year there for some time. At least their sales in India are doing very well. It is good to know that there are still companies out there committed to our sport - so few are, so few can afford to anymore...This is good news!

http://tinyurl.com/yzdv2xr

Rizla Suzuki Has Finished Three Days of Testing at Estoril

Alvaro Bautista and test rider Nobuatsu Aoki were in Estoril testing the new GSV-R over the last three days. The testing went rather well with Bautista doing over 200 laps on the MotoGP machine. Aoki was merely there to finish development testing which began with Loris Capirossi at Valencia. Overall, things are looking up for the Suzuki MotoGP team in 2010...

http://tinyurl.com/yzdo7yc

http://tinyurl.com/ykjhhld

This Week in Motorcycle Racing History - Road Racer X Speed Dating

There are several important birthdays this week! It is hard to believe, but something much come from being born in November in the motorcycle racing world. Soichiro Honda would have been 102 on Tuesday. Others include Yoann Tiberio, Kurtis Roberts, Tom Kipp, Helmut Bradl, Akira Tamitsuji, Jimmy Filice, Steve Rapp, Tom Halverson, Eric Bostrom, Neil Hodgson, Alvaro Bautista, Scott Parker, Dave Molyneux, Joan Olive, and - finally - Lukas Pesek. That's some serious racing cred and some interesting history plus some up-and-coming talents as well. It must be something about the cold...or being in your mother's womb during the summer...

http://tinyurl.com/yb38r8z

MotoGP Rookies Get Extra Testing Time - Some of Them

Alvaro Bautista will be testing with the Suzuki MotoGP team in Estoril next week. It is not known how this came about except that Suzuki rented the track for three days next week and has invited other rookies to take part as well. However, an new official rookie test will be held in Malaysia at Sepang during 21 - 23 December 2009. Interesting...

http://tinyurl.com/yhgqac2

Alvaro Bautista Racks up 52 Laps at Valencia Test

Bautista was a workhorse at the Valencia post-season test. He rode the tires off of the GSV-R. He managed some impressive lap times on board the Suzuki machine. OK, it wasn't Stoner territory, but for his first ride on the 800c.c. MotoGP bike, it wasn't bad either. He will be a real force - maybe the rider that Suzuki needs? I miss Vermeulen...but I do not hate Bautista because of it.

http://tinyurl.com/ydp66o9

MotoGP: 2009 Valencia 250GP Results - Aoyama is Champion!

Hiroshi Aoyama did not win the race at Valencia, but he did win the 2009 Championship by finishing seventh on the day. Hector Barbera won what is the last race for 250c.c. two-strokes in fine style ahead of second place by almost 4 seconds. That second place rider was Alvaro Bautista, with Raffaele de Rosa bringing it in in third. Sadly, Marco Simoncelli crashed out with seven laps remaining - that handed the championship to Aoyama and second overall to Barbera. Also of note is the performance of Thai rider Ratthapark Wilairot landing in fifth! If you missed the race, make sure to catch it in rerun as it is worth watching.

http://tinyurl.com/yfdg9o6

http://tinyurl.com/yzyauyn

http://tinyurl.com/yk7y2j2

End of season standings: http://tinyurl.com/yfttmlv

More on Hiroshi Aoyama: http://tinyurl.com/y85nx96

P.S. Remember that this is the end of the 250c.c. two-stroke era; next year it will become Moto2, which will eb run with Honda 600c.c. engines in custom frames.

MotoGP: Loris Capirossi Interview from Singapore

In the interview, he stated that the MotoGP series would welcome a Singaporean race circuit into the long list of race visits worldwide. Apparently, a circuit is under construction already - the Changi circuit. He also spoke about his own career and his 2010 teammate, Alvaro Bautista. It's a good interview, take a look...

http://tinyurl.com/yjhmvbv

MotoGP Results: 250 World Championship at Sepang in Malaysia

Hiroshi Aoyama is one step closer to winning the 250c.c. World Championship after today's race at Sepang in Malaysia. Aoyama took the win and is now 21 points ahead in the final standings. Simoncelli pulled a third place finish at the event, but it will be tough to take the championship unless Aoyama finished far behind him in Valencia. Alvaro Bautista crashed for the third consecutive race and his title hopes are now gone...

http://tinyurl.com/ykewmuy

http://tinyurl.com/yk5wvwb

Overall 250c.c. World Championship standings with one race remaining: http://tinyurl.com/yjllbfc

Ben Spies Manages to Secure Number 11 for MotoGP

Spies had to run number 19 in World Superbike due to the fact that Troy Corser already had his number 11. So, now that he is destined to run in MotoGP next year, he will take back his number 11 since Alvaro Bautista is running number 19 on his MotoGP bike. Yeah, it sounds crazy, but a racer's number can be very important to them - just look at Rossi's 46 and Hayden's 69...

http://tinyurl.com/yccb2hp

Simoncelli is Back in the 250 Grand Prix Championship

Marco Simoncelli pulled himself closer to the 250c.c. World Championship by winning his race in Portugal. Of his two rivals to the crown, Aoyama only finished fourth and Bautista crashed out of the race. That means that Simoncelli is only 28 points away from taking his second consecutive title...

http://tinyurl.com/yb736jy

Bautista Taking 'Big Risk' Switching to Suzuki MotoGP Team in 2010

Alvaro Bautista will be leaving his Aprilia 250 for the Suzuki GSV-R of the factory MotoGP team. He understands that he is taking a risk by mounting himself on hardware which is usually classified as 'below par' in the premier class. However, Suzuki has made some solid improvements on their MotoGP racer and I think that Bautista will help them gain even more on the competition.

http://tinyurl.com/mhcmpd

Vermeulen "has left Suzuki" - According to Manager

Unfortunately, for Chris Vermeulen, 2010 will not see him on the Suzuki MotoGP team. Two other riders - Alvaro Bautista and Loris Capirossi (who is said to be 'close' to signing for next year) - will be in the paddock for 2010...so, Vermeulen seems to be left out.

http://tinyurl.com/nhspyl

MotoGP Riders' Circus Summary to Date

Have a look at a nice piece on the confusing world of 'who will ride where' in MotoGP.

http://tinyurl.com/luwt7s

Ducati Unhappy to Not Get Bautista

It seems that Livio Suppo was eager to have Alvaro Bautista ride for Ducati...instead, he signed with Suzuki for 2010 at Brno.

http://tinyurl.com/ns5nkz