Shoya Tomizawa R.I.P.

The MotoGP riders and teams were in mourning today following the Moto2 race at Misano yesterday resulted in the death of the young Japanese rider Shoya Tomizawa.

The 19-year-old fell on lap 12 of the race while in fourth place and was hit by Alex de Angelis and Scott Redding who were unable to avoid the crashed rider.

The official statement from Dorna read;

“On Sunday 5th September during the Moto2 race at the Misano World Circuit, rider Shoya Tomizawa aged 19 suffered a serious crash and subsequent cranial, thoracic and abdominal trauma.

“Given the seriousness of his condition – especially for the thoracic and abdominal trauma – Tomizawa was immediately treated at the Misano World Circuit medical centre and put under artificial respiration.

“The rider was taken by ambulance to the Riccione hospital accompanied by two doctors – helicopter was not used in order to allow for the proper respiratory support to be administered. Despite various attempts to resuscitate him Shoya sadly succumbed to his injuries at 14.20.

“Everybody involved in MotoGP extends its deepest condolences to Shoya’s family and friends at this tragic loss.”

The Honda rider made history this year for being the first Moto2 Grand Prix winner at the Qatar followed by a pole position and podium for the following round.

Alex de Angelis managed to walk away from the carnage while Scott Redding received ten stitches to a laceration on is back.

R.I.P. Shoya Tomizawa

Ben Spies 2010

Riders and motorcycles from MotoGP, Moto2 and the 125cc class arrived on the streets of the Austrian capital, Vienna yesterday to the delight of the fans.

The official event took place ahead of this weekends Grand Prix in the Czech Republic with the 125cc riders Bradley Smith, Marc Marquez and Randy Krummenacher joining Moto2 riders Toni Elias, Thomas Luthi and Karel Abraham.

The MotoGP riders Ben Spies, Mika Kalio and Alex de Angelis led the parade down the famous Ringstrasse landmark in the heart of Vienna,  displaying the sight and sounds of their machines as well as meeting fans of the series.

The Cardion ab Grand Prix Czech Republic will mark the start of the second part of the season and an announcement is expected after the race regarding the move to Ducati of Valentino Rossi for the 2011 season.

Jorge Lorenzo - Fiat Yamaha 2010

The Fiat Yamaha rider Jorge Lorenzo took victory again yesterday at the Red Bull US MotoGP as race leader Dani Pedrosa crashed out.

It was the Repsol Honda of Dani Pedrosa that took to the front as the lights went out at Laguna Seca from his fourth spot on the grid.  As the Spaniard made a brave pass around the outside, Casey Stoner slotted in behind followed by Lorenzo in third.

On lap 6, Stoner lost his second place after making a mistake and running wide letting Lorenzo through and hot on the tail of his fellow countryman.

On lap 12 of the 32 lap race, Pedrosa low-sided off of his Honda and was out of the race handing the lead to Lorenzo who edged away from a struggling Stoner.

In third place was a very impressive Valentino Rossi, making it onto the podium just seven weeks after his accident at Mugello in which he suffered a broken leg.  Rossi managed to catch and overtake the second Repsol Honda of Andrea Dovizioso who was still challenging for that third place at the final corner.

Nicky Hayden crossed the line in fifth place followed by Ben Spies in sixth.  Spies got off to a fantastic start and was in fourth place in the opening laps of the race but by lap 3 had dropped back to seventh place.  The Monster Tech3 Yamaha rider then worked his way back through the field, passing Hayden on lap 21 and setting Rossi in his sights before once again dropping back down the order on lap 25.

Colin Edwards finished in seventh place ahead of Marco Melandri in eighth, Mika Kallio in ninth and Loris Capirossi rounding off the top ten riders of the day.

Hector Barbera appeared to suffer a technical problem with his Aspar Ducati and failed to finish the race along with Alvaro Bautista, Marco Simoncelli and Aleix Espargaro who all crashed out.

Here are the results;

1.  Jorge Lorenzo  ESP Fiat Yamaha Team  43m 54.873s
2. Casey Stoner AUS Ducati Marlboro Team 43m 58.39s
3. Valentino Rossi ITA Fiat Yamaha Team 44m 8.293s
4. Andrea Dovizioso ITA Repsol Honda Team 44m 9.061s
5. Nicky Hayden USA Ducati Marlboro Team 44m 9.474s
6. Ben Spies USA Monster Yamaha Tech 3 44m 13.91s
7. Colin Edwards USA Monster Yamaha Tech 3 44m 35.594s
8. Marco Melandri ITA San Carlo Honda Gresini 44m 42.092s
9. Mika Kallio FIN Pramac Racing 44m 47.686s
10. Loris Capirossi ITA Rizla Suzuki MotoGP 44m 47.687s
11. Roger Lee Hayden USA LCR Honda MotoGP 45m 8.962s
12. Alex de Angelis RSM Interwetten Honda MotoGP 45m 9.539s

DNF:
Aleix Espargaro ESP Pramac Racing
Marco Simoncelli ITA San Carlo Honda Gresini
Dani Pedrosa ESP Repsol Honda Team 998m 0s
Hector Barbera ESP Paginas Amarillas Aspar
Alvaro Bautista ESP Rizla Suzuki MotoGP

Dani Pedrosa - Repsol Honda 2010

The Repsol Honda rider Dani Pedrosa took his second win of the season yesterday in a fantastic race at the Sachsenring circuit in Germany.

As the race got underway it was pole sitter Jorge Lorenzo on the Fiat Yamaha that took the lead ahead of Dani Pedrosa, Casey Stoner, Andrea Dovizioso and Valentino Rossi.

As Pedrosa stuck to the back wheel of his fellow countryman on lap 9 the red flag was waved following a huge crash which saw Randy de Puniet come off at turn 4 collecting both Alvaro Bautista and Alexi Espargaró. Neither rider could avoid the LCR Honda of de Puniet who received a broken left tibia and fibula and a possible cracked vertebra for Espargaró.  Despite returning to the pits to recover their spare bikes, neither Espargaro or Bautista were allowed to continue as they were unable to get back with their bikes within 5 minutes of the red flag.

The second 21 lap race started 25-minutes later with Lorenzo once again out in front but this time Pedrosa made  his intentions clear as he attempted a pass on the Yamaha rider before the end of the first lap.  While the took took turns at the front Rossi had made his way past Dovizioso for fourth and was after Stoner in third.

Pedrosa took control of the race after making his move stick on lap 12 breaking his own lap record from the previous year.  Rossi meanwhile was on the tail of Stoner before the two raced side-by-side across the circuit with just a handful of laps to run.

Pedrosa took the chequered flag 3.355 seconds ahead of Lorenzo with Stoner taking third place after passing Rossi on the final corner of the last lap.  Dovizioso crossed the line in fifth place followed by Marco Simoncelli in sixth, Nicky Hayden in seventh, Ben Spies in eighth, Héctor Barberá in ninth and Marco Melandri in tenth.

The Pramac Racing team rider Mika Kallio crashed out on the first lap of the restarted 21 lap race after a disastrous weekend while the Monster Yamaha Tech3 rider Colin Edwards failed to restart the race after crashing out on lap 7 of the original race.

Here are the results;

1.  Dani Pedrosa  ESP Repsol Honda Team  28m 50.476s
2. Jorge Lorenzo ESP Fiat Yamaha Team 28m 53.831s
3. Casey Stoner AUS Ducati Marlboro Team 28m 55.733s
4. Valentino Rossi ITA Fiat Yamaha Team 28m 56.099s
5. Andrea Dovizioso ITA Repsol Honda Team 29m 7.634s
6. Marco Simoncelli ITA San Carlo Honda Gresini 29m 8.233s
7. Nicky Hayden USA Ducati Marlboro Team 29m 8.411s
8. Ben Spies USA Monster Yamaha Tech 3 29m 11.433s
9. Hector Barbera ESP Paginas Amarillas Aspar 29m 12.476s
10. Marco Melandri ITA San Carlo Honda Gresini 29m 25.693s
11. Loris Capirossi ITA Rizla Suzuki MotoGP 29m 35.518s
12. Alex de Angelis RSM Interwetten Honda MotoGP 29m 35.68s

DNF:
Mika Kallio FIN Pramac Racing
Alvaro Bautista ESP Rizla Suzuki MotoGP
Aleix Espargaro ESP Pramac Racing
Randy de Puniet FRA LCR Honda MotoGP >
Colin Edwards USA Monster Yamaha Tech 3

The first race of the MotoGP season got underway last night with Valentino Rossi doing what he does best, taking the chequered flag. The Commercialbank Grand Prix of Qatar got underway with Dani Pedrosa on the Repsol Honda taking the lead as the lights went out, from seventh on the grid. Casey Stoner on the Marlboro Ducati slipped back to fourth place after starting in pole position but was in the lead by the fourth lap after picking off his Ducati team-mate Nicky Hayden, Rossi and Dani Pedrosa. Rossi was soon chasing down Stoner but the Ducati rider had managed to make a gap of two-seconds by the time the Italian had made his move on Pedrosa. However, Stoner lost the front end of his Ducati going into turn 4 and was out of the race leaving Rossi at the front of the pack. Hayden stuck with Rossi after an impressive ride from ninth on the grid as the second Repsol Honda of Andrea Dovizioso replaced his team-mate Pedrosa at the front. Dovizioso got past Hayden before challenging Rossi for the lead, briefly making the pass stick on lap 16 before Rossi snatched it back. Jorge Lorenzo was then on the move as Rossi created a gap at the front, first picking off third place man Hayden before muscling his way through on Dovizioso two laps later. Hayden once again fought his way past Dovizioso but not for long as the Honda rider retook the lead on the final run down to the line for third place. Ben Spies came in to finish in fifth place on the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 followed by the LCR Honda of Randy de Puniet in sixth and Pedrosa in seventh. The second Monster Yamaha Tech 3 of Colin Edwards finished in eighth place ahead of Loris Capirossi on the Rizla Suzuki, riding in his 300 grand prix finished in ninth followed by Hiroshi Aoyama in tenth for the Interwetten Honda team. The Pramac Racing riders Mika Kallio and Aleix Espargaro, both failed to finish the race after crashes along with rookie rider Alvaro Bautista, who slid off track on the final lap of the race. Here are the results;

Moto2 The first ever replacement series for the 250cc series, Moto2 took place with a surprising victory for newcomer Shoya Tomizawa. Every machine on the grid follows the new rules of using Honda-built 600cc four-stroke engines and all are fitted with Dunlop tyres, with the race coming down to riding skills and nerve. As Toni Elias took the lead in the early stages of the race, his back wheel was clipped by his team-mate Alex deAngelis , causing de Angelis and Stefan Bradl out of contention. Tomizawa had moved to the front of the pack as second place man Elias, was moved back to third when Jules Cluzel made his move with 5 laps left to run. Tomizawa took his first ever podium step for the Technomag Seuter team ahead of Alex Debon on the Aeroport de Castelló-Ajo bike in second and Jules Cluzel for the Forward Racing team in third. Elias finished the race in fourth place followed by Roberto Rolfo in fifth, Mattai Pasini in sixth, Thomas Lüthi in seventh, Simone Corsi in eighth, Gabor Talmacsi in ninth and Sergio Gadea completing the top ten riders. Here are the results;

125CC Nico Terol claimed the top step of the podium in the first 125cc race of the MotoGP season for the BancajaAspar team last night. It was Efrén Vázquez who led as the race got underway but the lead spot was soon swapped as Marc Márquez, Terol and Pol Espargaro all took a turn at the front. Terol was however the man of the day followed by Vázquez for second place and Márquez in third. Espargaro finished in fourth place ahead of Sandro Cortese, Randy Krummenacher, Esteve Rabat, Bradley Smith, Tomoyoshi Koyama and Alexis Masbou rounding up the top ten. Here are the results;

Marco Simoncelli

On Thursday, the San Carlo Honda Gresini launch took place at the Telenova studios in Milan with their two Italian riders present at the unveiling of the 2010 Honda RC212V,

Marco Melandri and Marco Simoncelli will be riding for the dream Italian team this season after both the 2009 riders Toni Elias and Alex de Angelis were shown the door.

Melandri is making his return to the Gresini team where he rivaled Valentino Rossi back in 2005, along with the younger team-mate Simoncelli, who was hospitalised during the test session last week following an horrendous high-side, which fortunately left him without injury apart from a broken crash helmet.

Scot Racing MotoGP 2009

Alex de Angelis is moving into the Moto2 series for 2010 after signing a one-year contract for the Team Scot racing squad for the coming season.

The San Marino based team announced last month that they would not be competing in the MotoGP series from 2010 before announcing that they had signed Niccoló Canepa, who will be partnering De Angelis in the season ahead.

The San Marinese rider, who’s new team is only 500 metres away from his own front door,  made a point of explaining why he had only signed with the outfit for one year, with the option for a second year;

“The contract is only for one year because the aim is to return to MotoGP as soon as possible.”

It had been rumoured that Toni Elias would be taking the second seat with the Honda team but he is now expected to sign with the Sito Pons team for 2010.

Jorge Lorenzo at Riders For Health 2009

The MotoGP Fiat Yamaha rider Jorge Lorenzo, underwent surgery on Monday to remove a titanium plate from his left collarbone.

The 22-year-old suffered a double fracture of the collarbone back in 2005 when riding in the 250cc series after colliding with Alex de Angelis. The Spaniard suffered further injury to his shoulder during an off-season test session in Valencia.

Lorenzo has now been advised to take ten-days of recuperation before resuming his fitness programme .

Gabor Talmacsi on the Scot Racing Team bike 2009

The Scot Racing MotoGP team have announced that they will withdraw from the Championship at the end of the 2009 season.

The team claimed the title as World Champions this season when Hiroshi Aoyama but have now revealed that they will only be taking part with the Moto2 team next year.

Team Manager Cirano Mularoni said;

“After the happiness for the conquest of the world championship in the 250cc class for me and for the whole team this is a great disappointment, that no reward for all the work done over the years.

Now we just have to concentrate on the project Moto2.”

The former Gresini rider Alex de Angelis was said to have been close to signing a deal with the team to ride in 2010 but now looks to be left on the sidelines for his third season in the series.

Dani Pedrosa 2009

The Repsol Honda rider Dani Pedrosa took the victory at the final round of the 2009 season at the Valencia MotoGP followed by the two Fiat Yamaha riders Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo.

125cc

There was a fantastic battle between the two Bancaja Aspar team-mates Julián Simón and Bradley Smith at the Valencia circuit yesterday with the 2009 Champion taking the win.

The two riders fought up until the last lap to claim the chequered flag with Simón just taking the lead by 0.220 seconds ahead of Smith followed by Derbi Racing team rider Pol Espargaró in third.

It looked as though Smith was in trouble at the start of his race after his bike appeared to stall on the warm-up lap but he managed to get it going in time for the start.

As the two swapped places several times throughout the race, it was Smith who made a mistake with only 4 laps of the race remaining.  As the British rider ran wide it was the advantage Simón needed as he darted into first place but with Smith still challenging until they crossed the line.

Marc Marquez crashed-out on the final lap on the Red Bull KTM while challenging for fourth place with Joan Olive on the Derbi Racing team, seeing him finish in seventeenth place.

Earlier in the race Scott Redding and Esteve Rabat, the Blusens Aprilia team riders, collided at the final turn of the lap and were both out of contention.

Danny Webb withdrew from the race after it was discovered that he had broken bones in both of his feet after his collision at the Sepang round of the championship, which were made worse after crashing during the Valencia qualifying session.  It has also been announced that the 18-year-old rider has now signed to race for the Spanish-based Jack & Jones Team for the 2010 season in the 125cc series for the next two-years.

Here are the results;

250CC

Hiroshi Aoyama yesterday became the 2009 250cc World Champion despite finishing the race in seventh position as Héctor Barberá took the chequered flag.

Barberá was joined on the podium by Spain’s Álvaro Bautista on the Mapfre Aspar machine and Raffaele de Rosa for the Scot Racing team in third.

Aoyama was moved back to eleventh place on lap 10 of the race, taking a trip through the gravel after being squeezed out by the leading pack under braking, while rival Marco Simoncelli was leading the race.  Just a few laps later Aoyama moved up to tenth place and then was gifted ninth when Mike de Meglio crashed out from fifth place with only seven laps to go.

On lap 21, Simoncelli crashed out from the lead as he lost the front of his machine at turn 2 and slid off the track and was out of the race, handing the championship to the Japanese rider and the second place in the championship standings to Barbera.

Alex Debon on the Blusens machine was unable to take part in the race despite qualifying in pole position on Saturday.  The Spanish rider had already secured his grid start and set the fastest lap of the session when he lost the back end of his bike going into turn1.  He was diagnosed with a suspected broken rib at the track-side Clinica Mobile and it was decided that he was in too much pain to take part in Sundays race.

Here are the results;

MotoGP

Dani Pedrosa took his second win of the season at his home track at the Ricardo Tormo Circuit of Valencia yesterday, after dominating the race.

Casey Stoner the Ducati Marlboro rider, had qualified on pole position but high-sided off of his machine during the warm-up lap and took no further part in the race.  It appeared to be a common problem of tyre temperatures which saw him thrown from his machine after a dramatic season for the 24-year-old, which also saw him lose his chance of third place in the championship standings.

Lorenzo had moved his Yamaha past his team-mate Rossi by the end of lap 1 to take third position before passing the San Carlo Honda Gresini rider Toni Elias on lap 3 for second place.  With his team-mate on his tail, Lorenzo was almost thrown off his machine on the following lap giving Rossi the advantage he needed to get ahead of the Spaniard.

Colin Edwards was helped in his challenge to take fifth in the championship standings by World Superbike Champion Ben Spies, who on his wild-card ride managed to get past the Repsol Honda of Andrea Dovizioso, allowing Edwards to finish in fourth.

Here are the results;