Catch You on the Other Side #58; Marco Simoncelli 1987 - 2011

Well, likely not...he's a fair bit faster than I.

Marco Simoncelli #58

It's a very sad day in motorcycle racing today as FIM MotoGP rider Marco Simoncelli succumbed to injuries he received in a crash on the second lap of the Malaysian Grand Prix. Some details are finally beginning to become available, but the footage is online...and it is painful to watch. I can barely write about it, actually. The link is below, but be warned that it is horrifying.

This will be another life given to the gods ruling this sport we all love so much. It happens all around the world far too often; it is the loss of such a promising young athlete, a 'youth' by many measures, who dedicated everything of his being to be the best motorcycle racer he could be which makes this one so significant. His second season, and his best yet, and we all knew he was to be a great...to become legend.

Nothing I can write here will make this any easier for this it has an effect upon, so I can only say: Marco, you will be missed, and I will never forget you nor who you were to the universe. Ride in Peace. See you on the other side.

MotoGP link (not much information): http://tinyurl.com/3hca8zb

MotoGP: Race Direction Press Conference (more information): http://tinyurl.com/5uprsvt

Video of the Crash (Be Warned): http://youtu.be/FkInpkx1hFE

#58

Some More MotoGP Post-Qatar Test Stories

Well, it seems that Dani Pedrosa is not too happy with where his team is at present. Much more needs to be done before the racing can start for Repsol Honda.

http://tinyurl.com/yzff56f

In other Repsol Honda news, Andrea Dovizioso is more than happy to face his first race in 2010. Dovizioso has been the top Honda rider through the testing and his season looks on track.

http://tinyurl.com/ygzqrlu

Gresini Honda riders Marco Melandri and Marco Simoncelli had a bad test at Qatar as well. The team has now called on Honda to help them out and discover why these two could not break the top 10 during practice...something is not right.

http://tinyurl.com/yk8pjt5

And, well, Valentino Rossi is quite happy with the Yamaha YZR-M1 so far this year. After all, he has led just about every preseason test so far...

http://tinyurl.com/yj2xgcp

More Morning Moto News - Rossi and Simoncelli & 2010 Triumph Thunderbird

Valentino Rossi has said that Marco Simoncelli needs to take some time to figure out why the rookie is having a tough time getting used to his new MotoGP role. Given the young Italian's crashing ways during the winter testing, Rossi thinks that Simoncelli should analyze his issues and find a way to get past them. After all, Simoncelli does have some serious potential. I hope he listens; I want to see him fighting for podium slots!

http://tinyurl.com/yfn2k33

The 2010 Triumph Thunderbird is a huge motorcycle, and it has the power to match its looks. But, how did it come about? Where does this new machine come from? For a great tale of how the new T-Bird came to be, you should take the link and read about the process at Triumph which brought this great motorcycle to the streets.

http://tinyurl.com/ya3xvjt

More Afternoon Moto News - MotoGP at Sepang, Marco Simoncelli & Team Recaps

The MotoGP testing is continuing on the Malaysian Sepang International Circuit - and Valentino Rossi is still leading everyone in lap times at the practice. Behind him this time were Casey Stoner, Nicky Hayden, Colin Edwards and Ben Spies. This speaks volumes on what we may see when the first race is complete...Hayden and Edwards are both improving greatly. We may actually see larger groups at the front this year. Either way, 2010 will be a wonderful year for motorcycle racing!

http://tinyurl.com/y8g47ct

Marco Simoncelli is not having such a good test, though, as he had a huge get-off during the practice sessions. He high-sided his Gresini Honda about three laps into his session; everyone was horrified at the accident as Simoncelli landed directly on his head. He was taken in for a CAT scan and all came back clear, but it still caught the attention of every ride and tech in the paddock.

http://tinyurl.com/yc49g7s

Take the link below to the MotoGP section of the Paddock Talk website where you will find several press releases from the MotoGP teams. There are several test 'recap' stories for you to peruse. So, take the link and click on your favorite team's report to see how they think the testing is going for them...

http://tinyurl.com/yznyogq

MORE Morning Moto News - Marco Simoncelli gets Sponsored & Racing Insider

Italian denim clothing brand Rifle has signed MotoGP rookie Marco Simoncelli. Rifle will sponsor the young Italian's efforts in the MotoGP World Championship through the 2010 season. They will also produce a special line of branded products called 'Supersic' which will bear Simoncelli's signature. Nice!

http://tinyurl.com/yaqjpmu

From Down Under, we get this week's edition of Racing Insider by Alex Gobert. As usual, he dishes on the various big events dealing with motorcycle racing worldwide. He covers the Australian Superbike series, World Superbike, MotoGP, AMA Supercross and Australian Motocross. Most of the stories you may have already heard, but it is worth a quick read to catch the things we missed...

http://tinyurl.com/yd9veu3

MORE Morning Moto News - MotoGP Sepang Testing: Espargaro, Simoncelli & Stoner

Continuing from the last post, we have more on that MotoGP test in Malaysia.

Next up is the story of Aleix Espargaro, who will be in his first full year in the MotoGP series in 2010. His practice went very well; of course, it helped that he had those three appearances last year on a similar machine. He will be another great rider in the top world series, so keep an eye on him.

http://tinyurl.com/y8jrkhd

Marco Simoncelli crashed hard at Sepang, and this hampered his testing at the circuit. He had bike setup problems and had some tough work to get his machine working as he wanted it. They did finally make some positive movements towards the end of the test, though, so it could be much better the next time he takes it to the track.

http://tinyurl.com/yaxm52y

Casey Stoner is not worried about the performance of the Yamaha YZR-M1 at the Sepang test. As he says, it is only the first official test and his team is working on many aspects of the Ducati Desmosedici. Plus, no one ever notices an advantage of one machine over another until some racing has been done. So, we will wait to see whether the M1 is even better than 2009.

http://tinyurl.com/ya6y4b8

Friday Morning Moto News - Biaggi, Jakub Smrz & Gresini Honda

Apparently, last year Max Biaggi and his Aprilia team attempted to appeal and FIM decision as to his punishment for cutting a chicane during the first race of the season. Well, the FIM has now declined the protest and the ruling will stand...as if we did not expect that.

http://tinyurl.com/yek9g7e

In more World Superbike news, the B&G Racing group has released their livery for the 2010 season. On that team is Jakub Smrz and he will be riding a Ducati 1198. The B&G name comes from the owners of the team Borciani and Guandalini. See the article for more and the photo.

http://tinyurl.com/yarhseg

Gresini Honda has picked up another sponsor for the 2010 - 2011 MotoGP Championship. Printer company Prink has signed on to be a sponsor of their effort and will provide all printing services for the entire Gresini team - all the way up to their HQ office. This is very good news - more sponsorship.

http://tinyurl.com/y9hjez3

Tuesday Afternoon Moto News - Toseland, Pedrosa, Aoyama and Simoncelli

Again we hear from James Toseland; this time it is about Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo. Toseland has now stated that he sees Rossi as a 'genuine' guy and Lorenzo as 'cocky'. There is some evidence backing him up in this, but it really is a matter of perspective. What's your opinion? Well, you are free to state it here.

http://tinyurl.com/ykzjs83

Dani Pedrosa has admitted that he needs to make fewer mistakes if he wants to take the MotoGP title. He has run into many problems in his quest to take that Championship, and he has been the cause of some of his won problems - though, not all of them! No matter your perspective on this, you know that he is a talented rider who does have a real chance to become a Champion.

http://tinyurl.com/yke62k2

How about some words from Hiroshi Aoyama and Marc Simoncelli about the new Moto2 class. Both were 250c.c. World Champions, and both are sad to see the two-stroke era come to an end. But, they are also quite ready to see what the new Moto2 series will bring to us in 2010.

http://tinyurl.com/ylm659y

More Monday Evening Moto News - Sandra Stammova and Speed Dating

The fastest woman in New Zealand will be entering the New Zealand Superbike Championship at the next round at Teretonga during 22 - 24 January 2010. Sandra Stammova was born in Slovakia, but moved to NZ two years ago. She had plenty of experience riding in her home nation and decided she wanted to do it again in her new home. She was actually going to participate in the opening round, but her Fireblade developed a fault and she could not compete. Watch out for her this coming weekend.

http://tinyurl.com/ycgbrxb

Yup, that time of week again - Speed Dating from Road Racer X magazine. Birthdays this week are Steve Bonsey (20, and I remember when I thought he was so young at 15 - I'm getting way old now), Ivan Clementi, David Stanton, Hugh Anderson, Aaron Slight, Marco Simoncelli, Scott Jensen, and Fausto Gresini. This is another good week for motorcycle racers. Well, except for the tragic fire which claimed the life of AMA Grand National Champion Ricky Graham. There is always sacrifice in some way...At least many of these names belong to good and young racers who will continue the competition.

http://tinyurl.com/ycnsspp

Monday Morning Moto News - Simoncelli and DiSalvo

Marco Simoncelli has ridden both the Aprilia RSV-4 - in World Superbike trim - and the Honda RC212V MotoGP machine. As we have heard many times before, the MotoGP machine is much harder to tame than a WSBK-spec machine. Simoncelli has ridden both rather close together in time, so he knows a thing or two about the differing behavior.

http://tinyurl.com/yepsao8


Well, even after reading the post on the Triumph racing efforts in 2010, we did not see this news. Jason DiSalvo, who lost his ride in DMG/AMA Pro Racing with M4 Suzuki, will be riding with Gary McCoy and Chaz Davies for the ParkinGO Triumph team in World Supersport. As even more riders defect from the US series, it seems that us Americans will have to get our racing fix in world class racing for 2010.


http://tinyurl.com/y9s894j

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

Your Tuesday Moto News Part 2 - Mostly Race-Related Information

Most of this is race-related...

Marco Simoncelli has stated his goal in his first year in the 2010 MotoGP Championship - he wants to land top 5 at worst! That is an ambitious goal considering he is a rookie in the class and will be running on satellite machinery. They say that he is aware of the challenge he faces in that paddock, but he is a very good rider and a potential threat on any weekend...

http://tinyurl.com/ygdqp54

Chris Vermeulen is ready to race now! He was out training on both Christmas and New Year's Day - just to show that he has two more days than other riders - as he is preparing for the 2010 World Superbike Championship. It is good to know that all is going well for his ride in WSBK as he is most certainly a talented motorcycle racer who does have a chance at another title or two before he is done.

http://tinyurl.com/yg9jne8

Tuesday Morning News from the Moto World - Part 2

Now, we head on over to the second part of this morning's news...

First story here is an interview with current Rally Dakar champion Marc Coma. He is getting ready for the 2010 running of the event and the author caught up with him to ask him how it is all going. The 450c.c. limit - and the restriction of bikes with larger displacements - is a major area of discussion. Have a good read...

http://tinyurl.com/ylx8p2h

Apparently, earlier reports of John Hopkins joining the MotoGP FB Corse team are not accurate. His manager has now related that Hopper is considering many options and he is working with FB Corse now, but has signed nothing.

http://tinyurl.com/yg9jbzx

We also hear from some of his companions (Cal Crutchlow and Troy Corser) in the World Superbike Championship for 2010, James Toseland will enjoy and prosper in the series. They state that the culture there is much better suited to Toseland, even if it has changed since the last time he raced there.

http://tinyurl.com/ygx3v4j

Marco Simoncelli and Hiroshi Aoyama have finished up with their testing at the Sepang track in Malaysia. The first days of testing were hampered by bad weather, but the remaining time was very useful for both riders as they prepare for their first year in MotoGP in 2010.

http://tinyurl.com/yfp75d8

Thursday Morning Mixture of Moto News - Christmas Eve Edition - Part 1

Yep, the holiday is only one day away now, so let's see what we can find in the news...

We have yet another mention of the Road America Vintage Motorcycle Classic, which takes place 11 - 13 June 2010. The Motorcycle Classics magazine has teamed up with the organizers to present the Road America Motorcycle Classics Ride and Show. Just one more reason to make the trip!

http://tinyurl.com/y8to5rc

Now, how about a trip into history with the 1973 Triumph X75 Hurricane. It is a great history lesson and a look into the British motorcycle marques of the era. Go and have a look at a true icon in motorcycling, and one which is now very rare.

http://tinyurl.com/ybujyxc

How about some wrap-up from the MotoGP rookies testing taking place out in Malaysia at Sepang? Well, both Aoyama and Simoncelli were there and Aoyama set the faster lap. However, it is only testing and each team could have been working on something different with vastly different results. Get updated, take the link.

http://tinyurl.com/ydjprqr

That's it for part 1, next is - you got it! - part 2.

Marco Simoncelli Is Happy to be Testing in Malaysia

At the Sepang Circuit in Malaysia, Simoncelli is having his rookie test on the Honda RC212V he will be racing next year in the MotoGP Championship. His Gresini team is there with him for this rookie test and he really seems to be enjoying himself on the track. It will certainly make him a threat in 2010.

http://tinyurl.com/yddhec4

Rossi Receives Awards from Italian Press in Bologna

During his trip up to Bologna for the motor show there, Valentino Rossi also attended some events just for him. One of them was a night for Italian magazine awards; Rossi received the 'Top Rider' award from the readers of Motosprint - the other was the very prestigious Casco d'Oro award, which is the top award for any rider from the moto press in Italy. It was a good night for him...and some others, please take the link.

http://tinyurl.com/yauzze7

Valentino Rossi Takes Second in Monza Rally 2009

Rossi was joined by two other MotoGP racers in this event: Marco Simoncelli and Loris Capirossi. Rossi led for much of the event, but spun out and ended the day in second place - not bad for someone whose real job involves two wheels, not four. Simoncelli finished in seventh and Capirossi had some trouble and finished in 15th. Rossi was driving a Ford Focus WRC car with co-driver Carlo Cassina. Must have been fun!

http://tinyurl.com/yb82kwz

Simoncelli Testing in Sepang With San Carlo Honda Gresini

Marco Simoncelli will be testing with the Gresini Honda team in Sepang during 21 - 23 December 2009. Again, nothing has been officially released from the MotoGP bosses (Dorna and FIM) about rookie testing time, but many are out testing their new machines during this off season. Well, the more time these newbies get on their MotoGP bikes, the better for everyone...

http://tinyurl.com/yf86atn

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

More From Valencia MotoGP Testing - Simoncelli and Melandri

Marco Simoncelli was astounded by the power of the Honda RC212V MotoGP bike during his first practice aboard the machine. He really liked what it had to offer, but he also sees a long learning curve ahead. On the other hand, Marco Melandri also liked the RC212V, but it was something he knew at least a little since he rode with Honda back in 2007; still, the bike had changed since he last threw a leg over it. He did outdo his best time on the Kawasaki during Sunday's race. Aoyama and Barbera also participated in this test...

http://tinyurl.com/yb3vksm

Some good photos from the event: http://tinyurl.com/ylbl9f6