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Repsol Honda make official presentation in Madrid

This afternoon the Palacio de Deportes de la Comunidad de Madrid was converted into an authentic spectacle of light and music so that Repsol Honda Team`s latest addition, Andrea Dovizioso, could be presented to Spanish fans. Dani Pedrosa, still recovering from the injuries he picked up in the latest practice sessions in Qatar, did not want to miss out on the presentation either, and even though he was not able to be there in person he was there as a virtual guest via satellite. This allowed him to greet all the fans in the stadium from Barcelona and even to respond to the questions made by some Repsol workers.

At the end of the presentation Dovizioso unveiled the Repsol Honda RC212V 2009, A bike that he will ride and battle to be up with best on in this season`s World MotoGP Championship, and which thanks to the latest regulations, promises to be very competitive.

With the 2009 season about to start and with all eyes on the first race on 12th April, at night in Qatar, the final round of the World Indoor Trial Championship became a party for all the fans in the stadium. The recently crowned three times World Indoor Trial Champion, Toni Bou, made a spectacular entrance into the hall alongside Andrea Dovizioso. The two jumped onto the stage riding trial bikes, a fantastic sight that was a great warm-up for the official presentation of the riders that will defend the Repsol colours in the 2009 World MotoGP Championship.

Music from Melocos and a spectacular light show were the atmospheric setting that gave a chance to all the fans packed into the Palacio de Deportes to get to know the new member of the Repsol Honda Team, and his brand new official RC212V. His teammate Dani Pedrosa, who was not able to go to Madrid, did not miss out on the opportunity to accompany Dovizioso either and he greeted the public by taking advantage of the latest satellite technology. And he in turn received the support and affection of the public in the Palacio de Deportes de la Comunidad de Madrid thanks to a video-conference.

The party carried on with the final round of the World Indoor Trial Championship, something that gave Bou a chance to offer his fifth world title to the public – this is his third indoor title – after he wrapped the championship by winning the penultimate round in Italy. The next time the Repsol Honda Team is together will be at the Official MotoGP Test that will take place in Jerez in two weeks, but only Andrea Dovizioso will be there. For Dani Pedrosa things are different, his objective is to be fit enough for the first race of the year: on 12th April at the Circuit of Losail, Qatar.

Dani Pedrosa
“I feel fine – that is making progress at a normal pace – and taking things with a lot of patience, because I still have two weeks left before I can begin to bend my knee. That is why I have not been able to be with the fans that have gone to see the presentation in Madrid, I have to let my body recover, which after all is what you have to bear in mind in a case like this. But being able to greet the fans that have gone to the presentation thanks to the video-conference from Barcelona, I am glad that I was able to be present, even though it was through a monitor. I would like to be fit enough to do more practice, but I will have to find another way to prepare. The objective is stil the same, try to be fit for the first race in Qatar in a month`s time.”

Andrea Dovizioso
“Becoming an official rider in the Repsol Honda Team is a dream come true for me. It is a great experience and an incredible challenge, something I have already had a chance to see in the pre-season practice sessions. Being in the official team means that you carry more responsibility, I now have to help develop the motorbike, and that in the world of MotoGP is quite complex. All I did before was to ride and go as fast as possible, refining the setup, but now I also have to think about how the bike behaves so that its overall performance can be improved. The bike is going quite a bit better as we have more power coming from the engine, and a new chassis has really helped us with the sensations that the front end transmits to us, it now leans over better. I am very pleased to be in Madrid for the presentation of the Repsol team, and from now on I will do all I can in the fight for the world title.”

Press release courtesy of Repsol Media

Source:
http://www.motogp.com

Melandri: One year contract with Hayate Racing

Marco Melandri will contest the 2009 season as a Hayate Racing rider in a single-rider, single-year deal, the Italian has confirmed to motogp.com. His previous two-year contract with Kawasaki has been torn up and a new agreement hastily arranged in time for the start of the coming season, one in which he will ride a Ninja ZX-RR with no further factory development.

“The contract with Kawasaki has been cancelled. I had to make a big financial sacrifice, but the most important thing that I wanted was to find trust,” he said on Thursday morning, just over a week on from his first testing appearance of 2009 in Qatar.

“I have nothing to lose. One month ago I had one foot outside the World Championship, and now I have a team that is working solely for me. My motivation is this, and to show Kawasaki that they made a mistake in choosing to pull out their factory support.”

His future confirmed, next on Melandri’s agenda is finding solutions to some of the problems experienced in Qatar. Although he was some way off the fastest riders at the test, the Hayate Racing man has pinpointed what he thinks are the big factors slowing him down. He put 80% of the time differential down to a rear grip issue that has been a persistent thorn in the side of those riding the Ninja ZX-RR, a difficulty that he admits may not be resolved within the month.

“We weren’t fast in Qatar; that’s a fact. The bike did make a good impression on me though. I don’t know how much it will be possible to improve it before the start of the season, but the team have assured me that they will be making a big effort until the end of March,” the former World Championship runner-up continued.

Melandri has experienced two difficult seasons with Honda and Ducati, respectively, in 2007-2008. Vocal about any disappointments and brutally honest, much interest will focus on how he reacts to a bike with which he does not expect to be pushing for the podium, but for the moment he is not looking too far ahead.

“I’ve heard about not getting any factory support, but I believe in the work that has been done up to now. If the bike improves then I think that I can keep up. Obviously if I’m coming in last every Sunday then it will be hard to deal with, but I don’t want to think so far into the future.”

Source:
http://www.motogp.com

Citroen Juniors look forward to Cyprus

From Citroen Press

The Citroën Junior Team is eagerly looking forward to the Cyprus Rally, the third round of the FIA World Rally Championship. For the first time, all the WRC crews will have to tackle two completely different surfaces on the same rally. This will form a considerable test for the three Citroen C4 WRCs of Conrad Rautenbach/Daniel Barritt, Evgeny Novikov/Dale Moscatt and Sebastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia.

After starting the season on the sodden asphalt of Ireland and then moving onto snowy Norway, the Citroen Junior Team is now preparing itself for a completely different type of challenge. Having been run entirely on gravel between 2000 and 2006, the Cyprus Rally has adopted a radically different format for its return to the FIA World Rally Championship this year. The first day will be run entirely on asphalt, before the event moves onto its more familiar gravel surface. In order to reduce costs, all the teams have been obliged to use Pirelli Scorpion gravel tyres throughout the entirety of the rally.

In Limassol the Russian Evgeny Novikov co-driven by Australia’s Dale Moscatt (n°7), and Zimbabwe’s Conrad Rautenbach co-driven by Briton Daniel Barritt (n°8), will be nominated to score points towards the World Championship for Manufacturers. As was the case for the two previous rallies, the French crew of Sebastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia will be entered in a third Citroen C4 WRC, carrying the number 12.

Five days of testing have allowed the Citroen Junior Team crews to get to grips with the Citroen C4 WRC in gravel configuration. Team Manager Benoit Nogier reported: « Conrad Rautenbach drove the car for two days and also had the chance to experience a gravel set-up on asphalt. Evgeny Novikov then drove for two days, while Sebastien Ogier took over the car for one day. It was very important for all our drivers to have a full understanding of the car before coming to this rally. On the second and third days of the test, we ran on gravel for the first time this year. The drivers all had a good feeling with the car and seemed to be very pleased with the set-up, which is encouraging. »

The recce for the rally is expected to start off under sunny skies, with temperatures ranging from 11°C to 18°C. But even though Cyprus is famous for its warm weather, there is still the possibility of some storms. In 2002, which was the last time that the Cyprus Rally was held in spring, heavy rain became a defining characteristic of the event.

Just like their team mates, Conrad Rautenbach and Daniel Barritt have never taken part in the Cyprus Rally before. So it is all new to the Zimbabwean – especially the much-awaited asphalt opening day of the event. « I’ve driven on asphalt before with a gravel set-up, but never further than a few hundred metres! » he said. « In Cyprus though, we’re going to have to drive for a whole day on tyres designed for gravel stages. It’s going to be a very strange experience. We’re not going to have anything like the same levels of grip that we are accustomed to and the cars will end up sliding a lot. I’m sure it will be good fun for all the spectators though! Our test went very well and I hope that we can soon find a good feeling when it comes to the actual rally. »

Having put in a noteworthy performance in Norway, Evgeny Novikov and Dale Moscatt will find themselves back on their surface of choice in Cyprus – for the most part. The young Russian explained: « I was very pleased with our gravel test. We soon found a good rhythm with the Citroen C4 WRC, and we’re obviously delighted by the fantastic opportunity that we have to drive the most competitive car in the championship, run by the Citroen Junior Team. For what’s still only our second rally in a WRC machine, we’re not fixing any sort of objectives in terms of results. The key thing about this event is that we have the chance to drive on gravel in order to prepare for the rest of the championship. There’s no need to focus too much on the opening day though as it’s going to be a very long event. »

Having successfully got to the finish of the first two rallies held so far this season, Sebastien Ogier will maintain the same objective in Cyprus. « It’s really just a question of gaining experience on a completely new type of rally, » he said. « We’re going to start the event by going reasonably carefully…but we’ll always be ready to put our foot down! »

Three questions for… Sébastien Ogier

Which conclusions can you draw from the first two rallies of the season?
« I think we’ve got the year off to a good start. Ireland was a very tricky rally. Scoring points for sixth place there was a good result, as we were learning more or less everything. In Norway, our end result of 10th place looks less good on paper, but that was only because of various problems that we encountered over the course of the rally. Our times were on the whole good, and we were able to up our pace on the last day of the event. »

How easy has it been to fit into the team?
« There’s a great atmosphere in the Citroën Junior Team. All the crews work together and help each other make progress. In the end, we all share the same goal. The understanding we have with the engineers, mechanics and the rest of the team is very good. It’s a huge motivation in itself to have talented and motivated people working alongside you. »

Have the tests before the Cyprus Rally met your expectations?
« This is a very specialised event, with a day on asphalt and the next two days on gravel. I was able to do one day’s testing, in order to find out how to drive the Citroen C4 WRC on gravel stages that were a bit similar to the ones we will face on the final two days of the Cyprus Rally. But I’m worried that generally it won’t be quite as exciting a rally as Norway. The roads in Cyprus are renowned for being slow and hard on the cars. It’s never nice to feel your machinery suffering. As for the first day on asphalt, we will just have to take it as it comes. It’s really not something we have a lot of information about. That will be a big question mark for me, even though I know that the Citroen Junior Team has carried out a lot of useful preparation for this event.

Source:
http://www.rallye-info.com

Munchi’s team gets set for 2009 debut

The Munchi’s Ford World Rally team will make its 2009 WRC debut on the Cyprus Rally with a Ford Focus RS for Argentinean driver Federico Villagra.

The team has taken advantage of new FIA regulations which allow single car teams to register for this year’s manufacturers’ championship.

Villagra, and co-driver Jorge Perez Companc, will lead the team’s campaign on eight events, and may be joined by a second car on selected rallies.

Seven-time Argentine Rally Champion Villagra has tackled the Cyprus event once before, finishing 27th in 2005, but is hoping two days of testing in the UK will help him on the unique mixed surface event.

Villagra’s last taste of WRC competition came on Rally Japan last year. “It feels like it has been a long time since my last event,” said Villagra. “It is great to be taking part in eight rounds of the WRC this season and I'm very happy to be back racing with Jorge. We have had a really good test and I am looking forward to the rally.

“Cyprus is going to be very interesting. The stages are very long and it is going to be a new experience driving on different surfaces in the same rally. I think it is also going to be very hard on the brakes and it will be tough mentally and physically,” he added.

Source:
http://www.wrc.com

Henning targets Saturday return

After his earlier altercation with a pick up truck forced his retirement from today’s competition, Henning Solberg says he hopes to restart the rally on Saturday.

Henning Solberg said: “We went to pass a vehicle which had stopped by the side of the road and it pulled straight out right in front of us. I didn’t have any chance to do anything. My car was bent at the side and at the front. Sometimes things like this can happen, but it’s very bad. We should be able to SuperRally tomorrow, but there’s no chance of a good result now - I can’t take five minutes out of everybody on every stage tomorrow....”

Also at service...

Mario Isola, Pirelli’s tyre manager, said: “Today has been a huge challenge but it seems the tyres are lasting well, so we’re quite happy. The forecast is for rain this afternoon - it will be interesting if it happens. The stages this afternoon are going to be dirtier and it’s likely there will be stones are rocks about too so punctures could be a problem.”

Petter Solberg’s co-driver Phil Mills said: “We’re understeering and oversteering like a pig and the car handles like a donkey with three legs. Yes the situation is the same for everybody but you have to ask what’s going on when we’re driving stages like this on gravel tyres. It’s ridiculous. You turn the wheel and nothing happens because the tyres are folding under the cars. Can you imagine Lewis Hamilton going out onto the circuit with knobbly tyres?”

Source:
http://www.wrc.com

Pop star Rouvas takes a spin with Hirvonen

Mikko Hirvonen helped Greek pop music superstar Sakis Rouvas rev up for his sell-out concert in Limassol on Thursday night by taking the singer for a passenger ride in his Ford Focus RS WRC.

Hirvonen took the 37-year-old for a drive along the seafront road into Limassol, where Rouvas performed a special sell-out concert.

"Sakis wanted to know all about the switches and controls in the cockpit of the Focus and we joked about how both of us earn our living on a stage - him on the stage of concert venues and me in the special stages of the WRC," said Hirvonen. "The Eurovision Song Contest has a huge following in Finland so I promised to support him in May's competition - provided he doesn't beat my own country! When I saw the welcome he received from fans at the start I realised just what a huge star he is in this part of the world."

"That was a fantastic experience," said Rouvas, as he climbed out of the car. "Mikko told me all about the car and showed me some of its capabilities. I was amazed at the acceleration, there was a real kick in the back as the power came in, and the braking was equally impressive. It's the first time I have sat inside a World Rally Car. Mikko promised me that next time he will drive me through a stage so when Ford comes to the rally in Greece in June I will contact him to remind him of that!"

After his ride with Hirvonen, Sakis was lucky enough to get a second World Rally Car experience as he was driven over the start podium and onto stage of his Palais des Sports concert by World Champion Sebastien Loeb.

Source:
http://www.wrc.com

Specifications
Performance

Horsepower (bhp): 61 bhp
Torque (Ft Lbs): 55 lbs
Redline RPM: N/A RPM
Exterior

Body Material: N/A
Frame: Steel
Hand Grip Material: Rubber
Transmission

Number Of Speeds: 5
Transmission Brands: N/A
Transmission Types: Manual
Instrumentation

Speedometer: Standard
Tachometer: Standard
Fuel Level Warning: Not Available
Wheels

Rear Wheel Diameter: 15
Front Wheel Width (in): 2.5
Rear Wheel Width (in): 3.5
Bags & Storage

Tank Bag: Not Available
Saddle Bag(s): N/A
Lockable Storage: Standard
Tires

Front Tire Speed Rating: N/A
Rear Tire Speed Rating: N/A
Tire Brand: N/A
Fuel Economy

US MPG (City): N/A
US MPG (Combined): N/A
US MPG (Hwy): N/A
Brakes

Front Caliper Pistons: 2
Rear Caliper Pistons: 2
Rear Brake Rotor Width (mm): N/A
Suspension & Steering

Front Suspension Brand: N/A
Front Suspension Type: Telescopic Fork
Rear Suspension Type: Twin Sided Swing Arm
Seats

Seat Height (mm): 718.8
Seat Material: Vinyl
Seat Type: One-Piece
Other Specs

Fuel Capacity (gal): 4.4
Number Of Speakers: N/A
Adjustable Handlebars: N/A

Source:
http://www.motorcyclistonline.com