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Bridgestone looks forward to Official Tyre Supplier Status from 2009

Bridgestone is pleased to confirm that it has signed the final contract with Dorna to be the Official Tyre Supplier for the MotoGP class in the FIM MotoGP World Championship for a three-year period commencing with the 2009 season. This follows a tender process which took place in 2008.

The agreement covers the 2009, 2010 and 2011 seasons where all MotoGP competitors will exclusively use Bridgestone tyres. Riders using Bridgestone tyres have won the past two MotoGP seasons. In 2007 Ducati rider Casey Stoner was the first competitor to win the title using Bridgestone tyres, whilst Yamaha rider Valentino Rossi won last season’s title.

The opening round of the 2009 FIM MotoGP World Championship will take place at the Losail circuit in Doha, Qatar on the evening of April 12th.

Carmelo Ezpeleta, Chief Executive Officer of Dorna, said:
“We’re delighted to have secured Bridgestone as sole tyre supplier for all teams in the MotoGP class of the FIM World Championship for the next three years. Bridgestone is a company with a fantastic reputation and they make anoutstanding contribution to motorsport. We strongly believe that this new agreement is very positive as it will simultaneously reduce costs and increase competition in MotoGP.”

Hiroshi Yasukawa - Director of Bridgestone Motorsport, said:
“Becoming the ‘Official Tyre Supplier to the MotoGP World Championship’ is a prestigious honour for Bridgestone and we await the start of the 2009 season with great anticipation. “In these turbulent times of economic crisis, Bridgestone is delighted to be working positively with Dorna to make an exciting contribution to MotoGP. We are dedicated to our support of MotoGP and being chosen as the official tyre supplier shows the high regard in which we are held by the sport in which we have been involved since 2002. Our participation in MotoGP is an important element of our position as the foremost tyre supplier in motorsport.

“In supplying all MotoGP competitors we will treat manufacturers, teams and riders with fairness and to do this we can draw on our experience of supplying all of the teams in Formula One with our tyres for the past two seasons. We hope that having all riders using our tyres will mean exciting races in MotoGP for the next three seasons.”

Source:
http://www.bridgestonemotorsport.com

Capirossi has confidence in more aerodynamic GSV-R

Loris Capirossi is ready and raring for another season in the MotoGP World Championship, one that will see him riding a heavily redesigned Suzuki GSV-R for his second year with the Japanese factory. The Italian continues his preparations for the upcoming year alongside an almost complete lineup of premier class rivals next week at Sepang, and is eager to get back into action.

`I can´t wait to ride again!´ says Capirossi, whose last test was a private run at Phillip Island at the end of 2008. `Over the winter break I have been getting motivated, and physically I am in great shape.´

On the subject of shape, that of the GSV-R will be a different one to that of the bike that finished the most recent MotoGP season. Capirossi and teammate Chris Vermeulen have both taken part in wind tunnel testing in Japan in order to redefine the optimal form for the 2009 prototype, with the results used by engineers during the testing embargo.

`The aerodynamics, engine and chassis are all-new, and I am expecting a lot from them because of the hard work that has been going on in Japan. I´ve got high hopes because of this!´ says the veteran.

`In Sepang we will be focusing on the setup; we don´t care about the times at the moment. The goal is to be ready for the first race of the year, and to have the best season possible.´

Capirossi´s twentieth season in Grand Prix racing will begin on April 12th, at the opening round of the 2009 campaign in Qatar.

Source:
http://www.motogp.com

Alonso pays tribute to Dennis

By Edd Straw and Matt Beer

Fernando Alonso has paid tribute to his former team boss Ron Dennis, after the Briton announced his intention to step down as McLaren team principal last week.

Although Alonso had a fractious relationship with Dennis during his season at McLaren in 2007, the double world champion said that didn't prevent him from respecting Dennis's achievements during his 28 years at the helm of the team.

"I think we are not best friends, but I think there is respect from each other," said Alonso at the launch of Renault's new R29.

"We didn't have a perfect end to our relationship but we know how much he has done for Formula One. When I was young I remember McLaren and I had great respect for him.

"There are not many people like Ron in Formula One anymore. Ron did it like in the old days: one guy developing and growing up with the team, making a Formula One team successful and winning championships."

Alonso had joined McLaren on a multi-year deal in 2007, but the two parties agreed to end the contract after just one season due to the poor relationship between them, allowing the Spaniard to return to Renault.

Source:
http://www.autosport.com

Dennis to step down as team principal

By Jonathan Noble and Pablo Elizalde

McLaren boss Ron Dennis will step down from his role of team principal before the start of the 2009 season, the Briton announced on Friday.

The 61-year-old, however, made it clear that he is not retiring, but will instead focus on other commitments related to the McLaren Group.

Dennis said he would still attend some races, but intends to pass on his team principal responsibilities to Martin Whitmarsh as of March 1 this year.

"First thing I am going to do is work harder, that is the first target," said Dennis during the launch of the new McLaren.

"I intend to raise my own game because I think everybody in our organisation at every level realises this is a tough period in which we are going to work and of course we are a very diverse organisation now.

"We have a clear intention for our production car programme which is really a challenge. Any product we bring to the market will certainly fall the other side of this financial period.

"I stress nothing to get too excited about but it is absolutely time for Martin to take over as team principal. As from March 1 he will adopt that responsibility. I will still go to races, not all of them, because I am passionate.

"I intend to work harder and will take on greater responsibility in the group. I will be full executive chairman. It is time and I have to say it is absolutely 100 percent my decision. It is what I want to do, but I do intend to work much harder.

"Don't see it as some sort of retirement, I want to work harder in other areas and having to plan those tasks around the GP calendar is disruptive to the process. It is a job that Martin will embrace and enjoy.

"It is a job over the years we have shared anyway, but it will be his decision to influence things at a grand prix circuit."

Source:
http://www.autosport.com

Heidfeld wraps up BMW test

With strong winds persisting at the Valencia circuit in southern Spain, BMW Sauber F1 driver Nick Heidfeld brought the first test for the team's 2009 car to a close.

Heidfeld spent the morning going through system checks and the afternoon doing mechanical set-up testing.

"Although the test had to be interrupted once when the wind blew some debris on the track, I managed to do some long runs in the afternoon," Heidfeld said. "I finished the day with some race simulation starts on different tyre compounds."

This week the new BMW has covered 1,887km of testing. The team returns to testing on 10 February in Bahrain.

Source:
http://f1.gpupdate.net

Raikkonen completes first rally

Kimi Raikkonen enjoyed a very respectable result on his rallying debut in sub-zero conditions.

Raikkonen was in action in the Arctic Lapland Rally which lasts three days in the north of Finland. It saw Raikkonen pitch up against other famous names including Mika Hakkinen.

Raikkonen finished the rally thirteenth overall, ahead of Hakkinen and just six and a half minutes off the eventual winner.

Source:
http://f1.gpupdate.net

Specifications
LG KF240

Network	2G 3G	GSM 900 / 1800 / 1900
Size	Dimensions Weight Display	94 x 47 x 16 mm (3.70 x 1.85 x 0.63 in) 91 gram TFT, 256K colors 176 x 220 pixels, 2.0 inches (~141 ppi pixel density)
Memory	Phonebook Call records Internal Card slot	Yes 40 dialed, 40 received, 40 missed calls 20 MB microSD, up to 2 GB
Data	GPRS EDGE 3G WLAN Bluetooth Infrared port USB	Class 10 v2.0 with A2DP 2.0
Features	OS CPU Messaging Alert Browser Radio GPS Games Camera Video Colors Java	SMS, MMS, Email Vibration; Downloadable polyphonic, MP3 ringtones WAP 2.0/xHTML FM radio Yes 2 MP Yes Black MIDP 2.0 - Loudspeaker - Mini-SIM - Downloadable wallpapers - MP3 player - MP4 player - Organizer - Voice memo - Predictive text input - Clock - Calendar - Alarm
Battery	Stand-by Talk time	Standard battery, Li-Ion 800 mAh Up to 200 h Up to 3 h

Image: http://www.welectronics.com/gsm/lg