Stoner Wins Another One - 2011 MotoGP Champion

OK, so I do like to say, "...told you so." And, I do it often. I guess that means that one more time won't be adding too much fuel to any fire of hatred anyone has for me...

Casey Stoner is the FIM MotoGP World Champion once again! On board the mighty Honda RC212V, he fought the best on the surface of this planet and beat all comers to the title. Vale, though, is not doing so well this season. It turns out that the Ducati is a bit more of a handful than many thought. I wonder how things would be different if Hayden were to jump into another factory's machinery; Yamaha, or Suzuki anyone?

http://tinyurl.com/3b3d476

P.S. Congratulations Honda, too. After all, the engineers there built the bike.

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 - Geoff May, Jorge Lorenzo & Nicky Hayden

Geoff may has made his way onto the entry list at the Daytona 200 for 2010. May has formed Geoff May Racing with which to compete in the AMA Pro Racing series this year. It is a full privateer effort, as you can see, and he will run his own Suzuki GSX-R600 in the Daytona SportBike Championship. His last position was as a rider for the Jordan Motorsports team, which dumped him at the end of last season.

http://tinyurl.com/ylfkh2d

Jorge Loranzo, Fiat Yamaha MotoGP rider, will miss the next big MotoGP test due to an injury he sustained while training on a motocross bike. He fell while riding the off-road machine on a course near Barcelona and fractured his hand in the process. Lorenzo is all patched up now, but he must wear something to protect his hand for the next four to six weeks.

http://tinyurl.com/yg77scz

Nicky Hayden recently had to have surgery on his arm to remove some scar tissue from a previous surgical procedure. He did this right after the Sepang MotoGP test, but his Ducati team is saying that he will be perfectly fit to ride in the next test at the end of this month. That's very good news as Hayden really needs any seat time he can get to dial that Desmosedici in to his liking.

http://tinyurl.com/ygrrcv7

More Morning Moto News - Chris Vermeulen, Ducati MotoGP & Air Asia Sponsorship

Chris Vermeulen is having trouble getting his Kawasaki World Superbike machine to agree with him. At the most recent WSBK tests he has been a bit off the pace, but no one is worried. Kawasaki does not expect as much as Vermeulen expects of himself, but that sure won't stop Vermeulen from pushing hard to finish high in the order. Again, the 2010 WSBK series will be very entertaining!

http://tinyurl.com/ybrkp8t

The Desmosedici GP10 has a host of changes from the 2009 model; Ducati is looking to get their edge back and take the 2010 title - as you would expect. Casey Stoner did well on the machine at the Sepang test, finishing second to Rossi. But, Nicky Hayden struggled a bit and only finished as high as eighth. But, the bike is better than last year's, or so the riders say, and that means something as it is they who must race it.

http://tinyurl.com/y8t3qyl

And, in even better news, Air Asia has signed on with Dorna to be the title sponsor at the British Grand Prix. That event will be held at the Silverstone Circuit 18 - 20 June 2010. Since they already sponsor some riders in the paddock, this is a natural fit. Let's hope it continues...

http://tinyurl.com/ykqr9as

Even More Monday Morning Moto News - Ducati and Nicky Hayden

Ducati has officially discounted any talks with Rossi about a future with their factory MotoGP team. It seems that they are quite happy with Casey Stoner and his ability to win races and championships. For 2010, it seems that Stoner may be over his mystery illness and is ready to take on the challenge. Given the work done on the Desmosedici, he will certainly have to work just as hard this year as he has all through his career. Will he make it to the top? Only the season will tell us. And, Rossi has already stated that he would like to retire with Yamaha.

http://tinyurl.com/yjrvqdp

Even Nicky Hayden understands this and he will be doing what he can to assist Stoner in his bid for a second championship. He also rejects the current belief that the Desmosedici favors Stoner's riding style, saying that the bike was not built for Stoner, he just knows how to get to the limits of it.

http://tinyurl.com/ykevyfs

Saturday Moto News - Ducati's Wrooom Event Produced 3 Winners!

At the Wrooom event at the Madonna Di Campiglio ski resort in Italy, there were several fun competitions between the various MotoGP and Formula 1 athletes at the event. First up was a skiing race which was started by (evil dictator) Bernie Ecclestone. In this event, Nicky Hayden, Casey Stoner, Felipe Massa, Fernando Alonso and test driver Giancarlo Fisichella, who won the downhill race, all competed - only one photo on the link.

http://tinyurl.com/yd66nfe

Next, it was on to ice racing in Fiat Panda cars and karts; in the auto race, Felipe Massa took the victory. In the kart race, it was Nicky Hayden who stood atop the podium. It was certainly a fun and entertaining event, but only the Formula 1 and MotoGP teams attended the event, though there were plenty of special guests. It is also nice to know that Massa is fully recovered from that horrible F1 accident last year.

http://tinyurl.com/ydzgxff

http://tinyurl.com/ydsba2d

http://tinyurl.com/ybr9alv

Tuesday Afternoon Moto News - Mid-America Auction, A Yamaha Wheel and Wrooom!

This is the first report I have come across from the Las Vegas Mid-America vintage motorcycle auction. Apparently, the number of bikes in the auction was less than previous events by about 100 consignments. However, there were plenty of great historic motorcycles to get your hands on if you had the money. About 20% were Triumphs, so the linked article focuses on this more than the others. Enjoy!

http://tinyurl.com/yjcmlut

Finally, more news: http://tinyurl.com/yh6nnvh

And, about Day 3: http://tinyurl.com/yb4pzcn

Another design which did not make it into the previous post. This is something really out of this world! It is a one-wheel 'motorcycle' from the mind of Japanese designer Yuji Fujimura. He calls it the Yamaha Wheel Rider. Really, you owe yourself a look...

http://tinyurl.com/yc5pd68

And, finally for this post, we get the press release from Ducati about the Wrooom 2010. There are plenty of bits about the new GP10 bike, Nicky Hayden and Casey Stoner. Since it is a PR, just have a read and learn what Ducati wants us to know about the huge (and very expensive) event held in the Italian ski resort of Madonna di Campiglio.

http://tinyurl.com/yd2lsqb

More in Moto News for Tuesday - Birthdays, Hayden and Rossi

From the mag Road Racer X we get our weekly dose of significant birthdays - and some death-days - in the world of motorcycle racing. This week it belongs to Steve Hislop, David Pingree (of RRX magazine), Ben Thompson, Simon Crafar, Craig Jones, Alberto Puig, and Mike di Meglio. Not a busy week for birthdays, but some very good racers and personalities in this list.


http://tinyurl.com/yd5amlu

It also appears that Nicky Hayden was rather embarrassed at revealing the Ducati Desmosedici GP10 via his mobile phone camera a week or so ago. He posted the photos to his website and it was picked up by the moto press immediately. I think he will be OK...

http://tinyurl.com/yju5prr

Valentino Rossi's visit to India has ignited a storm of publicity from the nation's populace. They are simply mad about the MotoGP Champion and they are filling the Internet with posts about the visit and about the people who were lucky enough to actually meet the race hero.

http://tinyurl.com/yjdzppy

Friday Morning Moto News - Racing News - Part 2

We have now heard that Davide Tardozzi - former Ducati WSBK team manager and now BMW WSBK team manager - believes that Casey Stoner is the best rider in MotoGP. I would have to say that he is a bit biased coming, as he did, from many years working for the Bologna-based company. Of course, history will show the truth as Rossi has 7 premier class championships compared to only one for Stoner.

http://tinyurl.com/yc76r89

Wildcard rider Muhammad Zulfahmi Khairuddin in 2009 is now a full-time 125GP racer for 2010. It is unbelievable, but the sponsors got behind him and now he has a ride on the Ongetta Team I.S.P.A. team and his biggest sponsor is Air Asia. Since he only started racing in 2008, this is an amazing turn of events for the young rider. What's next, a championship? It would be the first for a Malaysian!

http://tinyurl.com/yem9ab3

http://tinyurl.com/yc95nmu

http://tinyurl.com/yka8p4z - Some more background on the series which got him this far

Another MotoGP story is that Nicky Hayden is looking for even more improvements in 2010 on the Ducati. If that proves to work well for him, we should see him on many more podiums this year. He has shown that he can ride that bike and ride it well, but we do need to see some consistency (and tell the other riders to stop crashing into him!). We will all be watching closely, I bet.

http://tinyurl.com/ybwmj89

A neat little story about Nicky Hayden's background and dirt track past. He only has to win on a mile track to be added to the Grand Slam list...

http://tinyurl.com/yjdm7sc

Monday Morning Moto News - Back to Work Edition, Part 3

Even more...

Hiroshi Aoyama has been testing with his electronics package switched off on his MotoGP machine. Someone thought to ask why, and we now have an explanation from his technical director, Tom Jojic. In short, they are doing it to allow Aoyama to explore the potential of the motorcycle first - afterwards, they may go right back to the electronics to aid him in gaining the extra he needs to win. Makes some sense...

http://tinyurl.com/yekxw8f

And, finally (for this morning, anyway) we have an exclusive interview with Nicky Hayden from MotorcycleUSA. Mostly, this deals with last season, but there is some good news for 2010 as well. Nicky improved on the Desmosedici almost every race in 2009, so 2010 should be a good year for him now that he will also have more practice with the machine and team.

http://tinyurl.com/ycnhpwc

Wednesday Morning Moto News from Around the Industry

A steampunk MV Agusta comes to us from MCN (UK), but it is not yet complete. So, I can only send you to the MCN article with just one photo. However, they link directly to the blog where the builder is posting his build photos as he completes his work. A rather interesting idea which would be cool to see finished.

http://tinyurl.com/yatgbng

Remembering the Aprilia Falco from 2000 to 2003; the bike was actually a great bargain for a well-made Italian road-burner. It made an excellent sport-tourer and is still available on the second-hand market for a good price.

http://tinyurl.com/ycwb4ug

A trip through Texas Hill Country on an Aprilia Caponord is well worth your time. The countryside is lovely, the weather tolerable, and the roads are fantastic. Of course, the bike is a real winner as well!

http://tinyurl.com/y9n83ty

Nicky Hayden accidentally unveiled an image of the Ducati Desmosedici GP10 machine on his website. It's not as big of a deal as some are making out of it, but it is cool to have technology which provides us with rare inside looks like this.

http://tinyurl.com/ybtfcjj

The top two riders in the 2009 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup have now signed with their respective 125 World Championship teams for 2010 - where they will renew their rivalry. Jakub Kornfeil and Sturla Fagerhaug have joined the Racing Team Germany and the I.S.P.A. Ongetta, Worldwide Race Team, respectively. Again, 2010 is shaping up to be one incredible race season!

http://tinyurl.com/ydcuhmb

Bradley Smith is looking to win the 125c.c. World Championship in 2010 - and we hope he does have a good year - and he is hoping to help two up and coming racers in the Relentless British 125GP Championship. Riders Wayne Ryan and Fraser Rogers will be helped through the Racing Steps Foundation - the first time it has ever done this. They can thank John Surtees as well! The real mission is to get another Brit into the championship lists - not since Barry Sheene in the 1970's has someone from the U.K. been there.

http://tinyurl.com/ycaf75o

Ducati Motologic have signed Australian Jamie Stauffer to ride for them in the 2010 Australian Superbike Championship. He will be riding a 1198 in the same series where his brother, Dan, is riding an Aprilia.

http://tinyurl.com/yfru82n

And, finally, the end of this morning's news comes in the form of Pit Pass Radio's show tonight. They will feature Chris Blose - Supercross Racer, Donnie Emler Jr. - FMF Marketing, Jesse Harris - National Film Festival for Talented Youth, Jason Disalvo, and Tyler O'Hara - Pro Flat Track,Road Race,and Supermoto Racer-Team Livin' The Life Racing. It's an incredible line-up, so do not miss it!

http://tinyurl.com/yg9e8z8

Very Good Round-Up of Racing News This Week

Again, we come across Road Racer X's Road Racerhead for this week. There is not so much racing news this week as many teams are heading home for the holidays. However, there is always something going on in the motorcycle racing world in one way or another. Check it out and you will get updated on the MotoCzysz MotoGP hopes, Antonio Banderas' Moto2 team, and much more...

http://tinyurl.com/yghqp6n

Several Nicky Hayden Stories - MotoGP & Ducati News

First of all, we hear that Hayden is happy about the MotoGP switch to a 1000c.c. displacement. That is expected as the larger machines are better for his style of riding. With the change, we will probably see him climb further up the results charts in 2012 - but, he has already improved significantly on the Ducati over the 2009 season. Whichever way it goes, he is a talented rider who is only getting better.

http://tinyurl.com/ykcq5yh

Next, Hayden was in India to open the second Ducati showroom in the nation. This one is based on a working agreement between Ducati and distributors Precision Motor India Private Limited and Radiant Motorcycles. And, this one is located in Gurgaon.

http://tinyurl.com/yzmhmr7

Before he flew off to India, he stopped by Ducati Corse to have a look at the Desmosedici GP10 for his 2010 MotoGP season.

http://tinyurl.com/ylbmctz

More Post Race Reports from the Valencia MotoGP Round

After the last race of the 2009 MotoGP calendar, there will be many reports on the events at the race and events elsewhere which are connected to the final race. We have a three-day practice running at Valencia right now with new riders trying out new machines and the racers staying with their team will be working on new technology for 2010. So, here I will gather the reports as they come in and post them here. Expect various 'insider' sections and many, many press releases. Enjoy!

Quotes from the Valencia MotoGP round: http://tinyurl.com/yzylunm

Jorge Lorenzo takes second position overall in MotoGP: http://tinyurl.com/yg66cnk

Slightly Ducati-based after the race report: http://tinyurl.com/ygtm5wb

Ducati's MotoGP Team Gains New Team Manager

This could, possibly, be an indication that Valentino Rossi will be moving to Ducati after 2010, but I am still hopeful he will not make that switch. This is because Rossi is not fond of Livio Suppo, the outgoing team manager. In either case, whether this is for Rossi or not, it is good to see Ducati actually promoting from within the company. Vittorio Guareschi was their chief test rider for the Desmosedici and other high-end motorcycle models, but now he will be managing Casey Stoner and Nicky Hayden in the MotoGP World Championship!

http://tinyurl.com/yfj5dsj

On This Day in History - In the World of Motorcycling

This is Road Racer X's usual "Speed Dating" column is up now for this week - 26 October thru 1 November. You will see many things you remember, such as Nicky Hayden winning the 2006 MotoGP Championship, Floyd Clymer's birthday and the great Merlyn Plumlee left this world this week in 2007. Some good, some great and some bad - all in our shared past. Have a read...

http://tinyurl.com/yjfnaxx

Photos of the Great Helmet Designs of the 2009 MotoGP Season

This came along and I found it to be interesting, so I thought I would share it with everyone. The author has collected images from just about every MotoGP race this season - that's not so different. But, what is different is that the images are all of riders' helmets in the series. Some of the best are here - Rossi's Drudi-drawn lids, Lorenzo's special lids, Nicky Hayden's various designs, Colin Edwards, Capirossi, and de Angelis...Enjoy!

http://tinyurl.com/yknzsux

More on Phillip Island MotoGP Round...

What happened at Phillip Island that the fans probably did not know? Well, the MotoGP Insider column can help with that. Will Rossi defect to Ducati at the end of 2009? He and his team say no, but some insiders at Ducati and the Italian press say yes! There is much more here...

http://tinyurl.com/ygwzb28

What exactly caused Lorenzo to crash out of Sunday's race? Well, the above article goes into some detail, but here is more information for you...

http://tinyurl.com/ykkhm7y

And, of course, what do the tire guys at Bridgestone think went right or wrong at Phillip Island...

http://tinyurl.com/yjou4se

Ready for Malaysia - the MotoGP Championship at Sepang

Well, this coming weekend will be yet another tough race for the MotoGP racers. Valentino Rossi may be able to clench the title if he wins or places far enough above Jorge Lorenzo, but that might not come to pass as Por Fuera is on fire! Casey Stoner may play spoiler to all of this - he can't win the championship but he might change the points enough to force Rossi to wait for another race to take victory. Then there is the heat and humidity of Malaysia - the racers have to be very careful of their health while there as it can be very hard on the leather-clad athletes during the race. No matter what, there will be a MotoGP race this weekend and that is worth the trip alone...

http://tinyurl.com/yzxme6r

Rizla Suzuki - how will Caprirossi and Vermeulen handle the heat? http://tinyurl.com/ykzzndr

Ducati - will Casey Stoner get sickened by the weather; can Hayden stay upright and not get hit by another racer? http://tinyurl.com/ygltcav

Scot Honda: http://tinyurl.com/yhp5s93

Standings ahead of the Malaysian GP: http://tinyurl.com/ykdzw4x

Casey Stoner Wins Phillip Island Grand Prix - MotoGP

Stoner led from start to finish, but Valentino Rossi was hot on his heels through much of the race. Unfortunately for Jorge Lorenzo, he crashed out very early - just seconds into the race - and took Nicky Hayden with him - another crash that was not Nicky's fault and cost him points. Nicky went on to finish in 15th. Dani Pedrosa did not disappoint, but he was far behind the two leaders of the event; he finished third.

More news: Rossi experienced personal tragedy before yesterday's practice after hearing that his step-father had passed away in Italy. Very sad news...With the podium finish today, though, he is even closer to the 2009 MotoGP Championship.

http://tinyurl.com/yfckdbg

http://tinyurl.com/ylq59ag

http://tinyurl.com/yfkbt66

Team Reports:

Bridgestone: http://tinyurl.com/yjw4wgg
Ducati: http://tinyurl.com/yk872xz
Fiat Yamaha: http://tinyurl.com/yf5r8s4
Repsol Honda: http://tinyurl.com/yz5dkvx
Tech 3 Yamaha: http://tinyurl.com/yfaxshh
Pramac Ducati: http://tinyurl.com/yftc4ha
Rizla Suzuki: http://tinyurl.com/yhx9aor
Gresini Honda: http://tinyurl.com/yzso6te
LCR Honda: http://tinyurl.com/yzn29el
Scot Racing: http://tinyurl.com/yg3vt8w