Buzzin MotoGP

Nicky Hayden

Nicky Hayden, is likely to miss out on this weekend’s Czech Republic Moto GP, after injuring his foot at the recent X Games event in Los Angeles.

Hayden landed badly whilst performing a jump in a Supermoto event, and injured the heel of his right foot, which he has been advised to rest until the San Marino GP at the end of the month.

Hayden said,

“I certainly feel bad about it for my team and I apologise.  I had their permission to do the Supermoto thing.  I just wanted to do some riding during the break, have some fun, and I thought that maybe It’d give me a little spark for the rest of the season, but it backfired on me.”

It is the second race in concession that the Honda team have been unable to produce a full line-up, after Dani Pedrosa withdrew from the US Grand Prix when his injuries made it too uncomfortable for him to ride.

Pedrosa, is hoping to rejoin the action at the Czech Republic after resting and rehabilitating his finger and wrist injuries.

Pedrosa is now 41 points behind the championship leader, Valentino Rossi, but he is determined to get back to the top.

Pedrosa said,

“I hope I can have a good race at Brno to start the second part of the championship in the best possible way. It’s the kind of circuit that demands a gentle, fine riding style, you don’t need to be aggressive when taking the corners.  It has just been resurfaced, so we will have to wait and see what the grip is like.  The atmosphere is always great with a big enthusiastic crowd on race day. “

Donington Park

The British round of the MotoGP at Donington Park for 2009, will take place a month earlier than it did this year on the 24/25/26 July.

Donington Park’s Chief Executive, Simon Gillett said,

“It’s a prime time of year to hold Britain’s premier motorcycle race in the UK, and we are delighted to be able to have the date announced so far in advance, that the record crowd that attended this year’s event can plan their arrangements accordingly.

We will continue to provide the best possible programme of entertainment for the event, on and off the track.”

Donington Park’s current contract to stage the race runs until 2009 but they are currently in negotiations for the continuation into the next decade.

Nicky Hayden

Nicky Hayden made a guest appearance this weekend, riding a Honda as part of the Supermoto event in the 14th X Games in Los Angeles.

As Hayden went back in time to his dirt-track days, he was competing against twenty-two other riders.  In the Friday practice session, the American came in fifteenth.

Hayden decided to take no further part in the weekends games because of the risk of injury and withdrew himself and his Troy Lee Honda from the event.

The MotoGP teams and riders will be at the Czech Republic for the next round of the Championship on the August 12.

Jorge Lorenzo the Fiat Yamaha rider has admitted to having a fear of riding now and he is desperate to regain the confidence he had at the beginning of the season.

He has said that he is not the same rider he was at the start of 2008, and that he is struggling to ride at the limit following his succession of crashes and injuries.

He said in an interview,

“Circumstances have changed.  Unfortunately I’ve had too many consecutive crashes and these have caused me to be afraid of the bike, I’m not the same person I was at the beginning of the season.

At this competitive level, if you are a bit afraid of the bike and lose just a little bit of confidence, then you are finished.  Normally I’m not afraid of crashing and getting injured but now I’m in crisis and I working to getting rid of this fear”.

Sete Gibernau completed a three day test yesterday on the Ducati Desmosedici at the Mugello circuit, a day ahead of schedule.

Gibernau said,

“I wish to thank Ducati again for the chance to ride the MotoGP bike once more.  We will see together whether and how there will be the chance to continue our cooperation.”

Gibernau admitted previously to “several offers on the table”

This weekend is the Rizla Suzuki Racing day at Assen with the riders Loris Capirossi and Chris Vermeulen putting in two lots of five laps each of the circuit in front of their fans.

The Rizla Racing day is supported by Suzuki and is held every August at the Assen TT circuit, which not only features the MotoGP bikes but also Karts, super-cars as well as other motorcycles, plus a round of the ATS Formel-3-cup.

The provisional calendar for the 2009 MotoGP has been revealed with China being dropped and replaced by a new race in Hungary.

The Chinese Grand Prix which holds the MotoGP event at the Shanghai International Circuit, has been removed after only running the race for four years.

The calendar remains with eighteen races, starting again at the Losail circuit in Qatar, which featured the first night race.

Next year’s calendar will not start until April, unlike this year when it began in March.  The Japanese round will now be featured in April as the second round instead of September, and the Portugal race will be in October instead of April.

Donington Park will continue with it’s round for the British MotoGP, although it is thought there maybe some problems as the track will be under construction in readiness for the Formula One British Grand Prix, which is to be held at the circuit in 2010.

Here is the provisional calendar;

April 12th - Qatar, Losail (Evening Race)

April 16th - Japan, Motegi

May 3rd - Spain, Jerez

May 17th - France, Le Mans

May 31st - Italy, Mugello

June 14th - Catalunya, Catalunya

June 27th - Netherlands, Assen (Saturday Race)

July 5th - United States, Laguna Seca (MotoGP Class only)

July 19th - Germany, Sachsenring

July 26th - Great Britain, Donington Park

August 16th - Czech Republic, Brno

August 30th - Indianapolis, Indianapolis

September 13th - San Marino, Misano

September 20th - Hungary, Balaton

October 4th - Portugal, Estoril

October 18th - Australia, Phillip Island

October 25th, Malaysia, Sepang

November 8th - Valencia, Ricardo Tormo Valencia