FB Corse Will Join MotoGP & Julian Simon Test Ducati Desmosedici GP10

FB Corse has been given approval to join the MotoGP Championship starting at the Jerez round - round 3 - with their incredibly talented rider Gary McCoy. Dorna representatives looked at the lap times (unreleased as of yet) and the make-up of the team and decided to let them join in the challenge. Given that Franco Uncini said that he would look at the overall picture, and not just lap times, we cannot say that the FB Corse machine is the equal of the other manufacturers but we should know that it is competitive - otherwise, it would not be in the series at all.

http://tinyurl.com/yfk8fyf

Ducati test rider Franco Battaini is injured, so the Ducati team asked if Julian Simon could take some test laps on the GP10 at Jerez for the marque. Well, it turns out that Simon seems made for the Ducati machine - or, maybe it seems made for him. He ran some 115 laps and actually came within 1.6 seconds of Valentino Rossi's lap record at the track!

http://tinyurl.com/yepxkxf

Wednesday Morning Moto News - Christian Iddon & Moto2 Testing Continues

Christian Iddon, well-known supermoto racer, has signed on to ride in the British Superbike Championship with SMT Honda. They signed the rider, even though he has limited roadrace experience, because the team owner has faith in Iddon's abilities - a rare thing in motorsport. For all of Iddon's history and what he is looking for in his first season, please take the link.

http://tinyurl.com/yl5zzr3

The Moto2 teams are mostly all present at the pre-season test being held at Valencia currently. On day two, 125GP Champion Julian Simon set the pace for the entire field. The second day was also the first full day of testing the spec Honda engines they will be using during this season. Simon was followed closely by American Kenny Noyes on his Team Jack & Jones (Antonio Banderas) machine. Toni Elias still kept them in sight, though, and finished up day 2 in third place.

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Tuesday Afternoon Moto News - Toni Elias Fastest & Celtic Racing Daytona 200

Toni Elias was the fastest Moto2 rider on the circuit at the recent Moto2 test session at Valencia in Spain. Elias is using, of course, the Honda spec engine and a Moriwaki chassis. On the first day of the three day event, Elias held the fastest lap and was the quickest around the track. He is picked as a favorite for the Moto2 Championship, but he has to get there first. Julian Simon, 125GP Champion, was a very close second to Elias.

http://tinyurl.com/yh3pgvw

Finally, we get a wrap-up of what the 2010 Celtic Racing team will look like. We have heard that American PJ Jacobsen and Bermudan Antoine Richards will both be racing for the team, but from different sources. Now we have confirmation that Jacobsen will be riding in the Daytona SportBike class and Richards will be riding in the East Coast Supersport class. The team will officially debut at Daytona this week. If you are going, you should already be there!

http://tinyurl.com/ylou8oh

More Morning Moto News - Julian Simon, WSBK & Burgess

After a great deal of negotiating and work, it seems that the Aspar Moto2 team will be using a RSV chassis after all. Julian Simon has tested many Moto2 machines and he, and his team, like the RSV frame with the 600c.c. Honda engine. They were going to use an Aprilia frame, but Aprilia cancelled their Moto2 project and left the team hanging. Now they are back at it and happy with what they have.

http://tinyurl.com/yhhsmcx

And, there are more post-practice reports from the World Superbike test at Portimao in Portugal over the weekend. If you want to know more about the behind-the-scenes and get some info which may not have popped up in the simple timesheets posted, this is the time to do so. Their next test will be at Phillip Island where the 2010 season starts.

http://tinyurl.com/ygs4pqt

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Jeremy Burgess has nothing but good things to say about the Yamaha YZR-M1 MotoGP bike. He really believes that when all of the statistics are written and people look back on the M1, it will go down as one of the best race bikes on the planet. Well, with as many championships as Rossi has brought for the factory, I doubt anyone will disagree.

http://tinyurl.com/yg85bh7

Aspar May Trake Over Aprilia Moto2 Project

Aprilia had been planning to join the Moto2 class with their own chassis (of course, using the spec-Honda engine), but they announced a few days ago that they would be focusing their efforts elsewhere. In comes Jorge Martinez - he of Aspar - to say that he may expand his team by taking on that program. It would not be like creating a new team as Aprilia was nearly finished with their frame, but it would still take some serious work to make the team competitive.

http://tinyurl.com/yhg6dfo

Kevin Schwantz Get Attacked by Germs at Rossi's Charity MX Event

It's true, but not something anyone would want to happen. Schwantz was taking part in the Valentino Rossi charity motocross event in Italy last weekend. He started to feel bad by Sunday morning, but he just thought it was being a bit out of shape as far as riding motocross machines - it can be tough on anyone's body. But, by the time he left for the plane flight home, he knew something was wrong. It turns out that he had caught the flu at the event - somehow - and was so bad that he could barely walk when he arrived in the US. At least the even was very successful!

http://tinyurl.com/y8n4m7b

Mike di Meglio and Julian Simon Sign with Mapfre Aspar

Though they will be campaigning in the new Moto2 series in 2010, the same riders will be on the team. Simon and di Meglio have both signed contracts to stay with the Aspar team and ride the spec-Honda 600c.c. engines in the custom chassis. The two riders are both champions in the 125c.c. Grand Prix category, so watch out for the in 2010!

http://tinyurl.com/ybltjyq

Bradley Smith Signs with Aspar Aprilia for 2010

Smith is on pace to become a British World Champion - the first since Barry Sheene in 1977. He finished second in the 125c.c. World Championship to teammate Julian Simon in 2009. It is not much of a stretch to see him taking the crown in 2010. He will join Nico Terol on the Aprilia next season as Simon is moving up to Moto2 next season. Good luck Smith!

http://tinyurl.com/yeskumy

Valencia Plays Host to 2009 MotoGP Awards Ceremony

Like many racing series award ceremonies, the winners are already known before the event kicks off. Mostly, the event is a formality and a useful ceremony.The 2009 FIM MotoGP Awards Ceremony was hosted by BBC’s Matthew Roberts and TVE’s Ainhoa Arbizu. Rossi, Aoyama and Simon all picked up their championship trophies - many other awards were given out as well - manufacturer's championship (Yamaha), team championship (Yamaha), rookie of the year(Mika Kallio), etc. Have a brief look:

http://tinyurl.com/yhxp2dq

MotoGP: 2009 Valencia 125GP Results

Well, the 2009 champion, Julian Simon, took victory in front of his home crowd today at Valencia. His teammate - and up and coming racer - Bradley Smith pulled in just two-tenths of a second behind Simon, with Pol Espargaro rounding out the podium. We have certainly seen where the sport may go next year with the late charges of Smith and Espargaro - you won't want to miss 2010!

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Britain Danny Webb just can't catch break - or can he? He further damaged his feet during practice at Valencia and could not take part in the race today: http://tinyurl.com/yg2486f

Valencia MotoGP: 125GP World Championship Qualifying

The champ is leading the way at the final 2009 125c.c. World Championship race at Valencia, Spain. It is appropriate as Simon is a Spaniard and will probably be the crowd favorite in the race tomorrow - of course, he isn't the only Spanish rider, but he is at the top of his game, seemingly. Who knows, in just a few years we could see him on a MotoGP bike. It would not be unheard of. Following Simon on the grid are Simone Corsi and Bradley Smith.

http://tinyurl.com/ykfmcjr

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Simon Fastest in Friday 125GP Practice at Valencia

The champion is still on the pace at this weekend's races. Julian Simon may add even more points to his total this weekend - though, they are virtually meaningless since he already has the crown this year. If he does win, it will be the first victory on home soil for the Spaniard. The real surprise, though, is German wild-card entry Marcel Schrotter as he was fastest for much of the practice session and finished in third on Friday...very nice!

http://tinyurl.com/yb8ccx8

Bradley Smith Close to Signing with Aspar Aprilia for 2010

It is not finalised yet, but sources say that Bradley Smith is close to signing with the Aspar Aprilia 125 World Championship team. He had wanted to go into the Moto2 series, but the team already has a full dance card for that series with Julian Simon, new 125GP Champion, and Mike di Meglio. Gresini approached Smith for the Moto2 class, but that team has yet to get their budget settled.

http://tinyurl.com/yhve2u5

MotoGP Results: 125 World Championship at Sepang in Malaysia

The 125c.c. Champion has already been crowned, and it is the Aspar Aprilia Ace Julian Simon. He showed just how much he deserves the honor by winning his race at the Malaysian Motorcycle Grand Prix today. He fought an almost race-long battle with his teammate Bradley Smith. Pol Espargaro rounded out the podium...

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Overall standings after Sepang: http://tinyurl.com/yjot8h2

MotoGP: Malaysian Grand Prix 125 World Championship Qualifying

Marc Marquez managed to take pole position for the second time this season at the Sepang International Circuit. He was followed by Julian Simon and Bradley Smith, who will sit second and third on the grid, respectively. Smith has a broken right foot, which he sustained at the end of the qualifying session, but will ride in the race anyway; after qualifying third, he feels he can have a great race, so why not?

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The Two Top MotoGP Columns Write About the Malaysia MotoGP Round

Steve Parrish and Matt Roberts are both well-known in the world of media covering the MotoGP Championship. Today, we have both of them writing about what Phillip Island meant to the overall championships in the three series (MotoGP, 250c.c., 125c.c.) and what we should look for in Malaysia. Rossi could take the title Sunday; Aoyama and Simoncelli are both possible 250c.c. Championship contenders; and, we all know that Simon is the 125c.c. champion, but who will be in second or third? Read both of these and you will be doing yourself a great service!

Steve Parrish: http://tinyurl.com/yh42wwx

Matt Roberts: http://tinyurl.com/ykbgjlx

Malaysian MotoGP Round 125 First Pratice Results

Britain's Bradley Smith took the first position in today's practice - he was fast right off the start. He managed to get passed Marc Marquez on the KTM and Julian Simon, Smith's teammate at Aspar Aprilia, who took third position. The heat in Malaysia is incredible this weekend, so that may contribute to an odd race weekend...get ready and watch!

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Julian Simon Wins Phillip Island Race and 125 World Championship!

Congratulations are in order for Spaniard Julian Simon! He is now the 2009 World Champion in the 125c.c. class - the entire country of Spain probably erupted in cheers when the race was finished and he stood on the podium. He certainly deserves the title; he has been the most consistent 125 rider in the series and dominated the championship. Brit Bradley Smith deserves some praise as well by being second in the overall points.

http://tinyurl.com/yfzfxsb

Phillip Island GP Race results: http://tinyurl.com/ygy8jbx

Season points in 125c.c. GP: http://tinyurl.com/yzuw42y

Get Ready for Phillip Island Motorcycle Grand Prix

It's only a few days away and preparations are already under way at the Phillip Island circuit. So, for your own good and knowledge, have a read and get yourself ready for the weekend's racing. The title fight is getting close and there are two heavily favored riders - Rossi and Lorenzo - and one which could throw a wrench into the works - Pedrosa. These last three races will be very important to all series - 125, 250 and MotoGP! Don't forget to set your alarm or Tivo, if you have one!

http://tinyurl.com/yh4o9kt

Spanish 125 GP Contingent Heading to Phillip Island

The Spaniards have been taking the 125c.c. World Championship by storm. If you don't believe me, you are not watching the same races I have been, nor are you paying attention! Julian Simon, Nico Terol, Pol Espargaro and Sergio Gadea are all in the top six in the 125 class, and there is still no sure winner of the series. Phillip Island should be interesting viewing...

http://tinyurl.com/yl2a7of