Casey Stoner: Winning harder for Rossi at Ducati

By Matthew Birt

Casey Stoner reckons competition in MotoGP is now so fierce that Valentino Rossi won’t be a consistent winner at Ducati.

When Rossi quit Honda to join Yamaha at the end of 2003, the Italian was instantly able to consistently fight for victories and won the title at his first attempt on a YZR-M1 machine in 2004.

But Stoner, who has made his own major career change in 2011 having left Ducati to join Honda, said: “I don't believe he's going to do the same amount of winning he did last time when he changed to Yamaha.

"The competition level is sky high. There are not many years when people could say the competition is a lot higher than what it is now and one mistake at the moment and it is game over.

"We'll have to wait and see what he is capable of doing on this bike but like me he has got a big challenge ahead of him.”

Stoner recently made an impressive factory Honda RC212V debut when he finished second quickest at the Valencia test earlier this month. Rossi was a lowly 15th on his much-hyped Ducati first ride.

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Melandri on the pace in Valencia

By Michael Guy

Marco Melandri and Eugene Laverty concluded a successful one-day test at Valencia today with the Italian posting impressive lap times during his first ever ride on a Superbike.

Riding a black and white factory Yamaha R1 the 28 year old Italian set a competitive 1.34.5 on a race tyre before posting a fast 133.9 on a qualifier.

Melandri has spent his career racing prototypes having graduated from 125GP to 250GP and into MotoGP in a career that has already spanned 13 years. But despite having no racing experience on a production bike or Pirelli tyres he demonstrated an impressive pace.

Laverty spent the test riding a 2010 bike and a new 2011 R1 and set a 1.34.9 after making set-up changes to improve rear grip around the second gear constant radios corners of Valencia.

Speaking to MCN, Laverty said: “It’s been another good test. After riding the bike at Magny Cours I knew it was good so we didn’t want to go too far away from that.

“We did dome good work with the 2011 bike. It’s not a major difference to the 2010 bike and we spent the day calibrating the electronics so that when we get to Phillip Island for our test we’re going to be ready to go.”

For full insight into the test see MCN out Wednesday 17th November.

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Scott Redding catches attention of Ducati

By Matthew Birt

Scott Redding is already being closely monitored by Ducati management after his stunning debut Moto2 campaign in 2010.

Ducati boss Vittoriano Guareschi spoke of his admiration for the 17-year-old after he claimed third place in Indianapolis and then a brilliant second behind experienced Italian Alex de Angelis in Australia.

Six front row starts in the last eight races caught the attention of Ducati talent spotters tracking young talent in the smaller Grand Prix classes.

Redding only recently penned a new two-year deal with the Belgium-based Marc VDS Racing squad but it is clear that he is already regarded as one of the hottest properties in the paddock.

Ducati’s Vittoriano Guareschi told MCN: “Ducati likes Scott a lot. He is very young and he has a lot of work to do but he is very fast.

"We will keep him an eye on him for the future that’s for sure. We are looking in Moto2 for the future. It’s important to start to look at the younger riders and he is one we have seen and been impressed with.”

Redding, who remains the youngest rider in history ever to win a Grand Prix, said the attention was flattering but he wouldn’t let it go to his head.

He said: “It is really flattering to know that people are watching me but I’m not going to get carried away. I’ve got to go my job and keep improving.

"I love the team I’m in and they are bringing me on leaps and bounds and everything is going amazing at the moment.”

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Michelin planning MotoGP return in 2012?

By Matthew Birt

Michelin is plotting a shock return to the MotoGP world championship, MCN has learned.

The French factory hasn’t raced in MotoGP since the end of 2008 when the premier class switched to a controversial single tyre format.

Bridgestone was the only company to bid for the contract but rumours recently emerged that Michelin is contemplating a return, but only if competition is restored in MotoGP.

The current single tyre contract with Bridgestone expires at the end of 2011 and Michelin is understood to be willing to return in 2012 for the start of the new 1000cc era, as long as the Japanese factory remains. MCN understands former race boss Nicolas Goubert is back in the competition department at Michelin after a spell in America and is certain to spearhead a potential return.

A source told MCN: “There is a big interest from Michelin to be back, but they would only do so if there was competition. But the concern is that with competition it is going to cost a lot with one trying to outdo the other.”

A decision would have to be taken soon with several factories beginning testing of their 2012 prototypes in the coming months. None will want to test and develop on tyres they may not race.

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Expect Rossi to be Competitive Immediately on the Ducati

With the big news finally out that Rossi is Red, talk will now turn to how competitive Valentino Rossi will be on the Ducati Desmosedici, a bike that only Casey Stoner has tamed in the 800cc era. A comparison to the situation with the Honda to Yamaha switch in 2004 indicates there is little to be concerned about.

The Ducati Desmosedici has been criticized in the racing media for being a one man bike, a machine that only Casey Stoner can race and win on (and not even him so far in 2010) whilst nearly ending the careers of other aspirants such as Loris Capirossi, Marco Melandri and Nicky Hayden.

Whilst it is true that all 20 of the Ducati victories in the 800cc era have come at the hand of Stoner (who is now Honda bound), this year significant revisions to the power delivery due to a change to a big bang firing order have tamed the beast somewhat.

This change has allowed Hayden to obtain far better results than last year even as Stoner has seemed to have struggled compared to his 2009 form (a 3 race sit out due to undiagnosed lactose intolerance notwithstanding).

However all of this pales as an issue when compared to what Valentino and Jeremy Burgess faced in 2004 when they left the title winning Honda V5 990cc RC211V to climb aboard the inline four Yamaha M1 which had only won 2 races in the entire 2 year MotoGP era, both of those in 2002 with Max Biaggi at the helm. Despite this apparent major setback, by the first race in South Africa in 2004, Rossi took victory on a revised bike that was still lacking in speed compared to the Honda.

We all know the history. That victory was just the first of 9 that year as he took the title on the Yamaha adding back to back titles on different machinery to his ever increasing list of achievements. He retained the title for Yamaha in 2005 before losing it for 2 seasons running (Hayden in 2006 and Stoner on the Ducati in 2007). He fought back however and was victorious once again in 2008 and 2009 and looked to be in a showdown with his Yamaha teammate, Jorge Lorenzo, this year until his crash during practice at Mugello made the title race a foregone conclusion.

All this to say that compared to the seemingly miraculous transformation of the Yamaha from dog to undeniably the best overall motorcycle racebike in the world, making the Ducati regularly competitive in his hands should be childs play.

The Ducati is already fast (although in 6 engine per season mode, not as fast as the Honda), has taken a world title (2007) and won 20 races. It is not hard to imagine Rossi being immediately competitive next year and going at it with Lorenzo for the title. Would you bet against it?

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Nicky Hayden will be Grand Marshal at Indy Mile

Nicky Hayden will be the Grand Marshall of the Lucas Oil Indy Mile AMA Pro K&N Grand National Championship event on Saturday, August 28, 2010. Hayden, in Indianapolis to ride his Ducati Desmosedici GP10 at the Red Bull Indianapolis GP, will travel across town to the legendary Indy Mile at the Indiana State Fairgrounds to meet the thousands of dirt-track fans who will gather to watch the “Crown Jewel” of flat track motorcycle racing.

Hayden, 29, from nearby Owensboro, Kentucky is known worldwide as the “Kentucky Kid.” Hayden achieved his earlier career success on the dirt tracks of America. He is currently in his eighth season of the internationally acclaimed MotoGP World Championship, riding for Ducati. He made history when he won the world championship in MotoGP in just his fourth season in 2006.

At the Indy Mile, Hayden will find highly competitive Ducati brethren. In May of 2010, a Ducati-powered machine ridden by Joe Kopp won its first flat track mile ending seventeen years of Grand National Twins domination by Harley Davidson. The Lloyd Brothers Motorsports Ducati Flat Track Project first brought the Italian engine to the Lucas Oil Indy Mile in 2009 with Larry Pegram aboard. With Nicky Hayden’s appearance, Ducati has extra incentive to repeat the Joe Kopp triumph and go for a Grand National Twins win.

The announcement of Nicky Hayden becoming the Lucas Oil Indy Mile Grand Marshall is made in honor of Nicky’s outstanding motorcycle racing career. Riding since three years old, racing since five and winning fifteen amateur titles, Nicky made motorcycle racing his professional career in 1997. It was at the Indy Mile in 1999 when he picked up the prestigious Ricky Graham Rookie of the Year award from the AMA Pro Grand National series. That year he was also named the AMA/Speedvision Athlete of the Year for his remarkably successful season competing in three different AMA classes.

With a limited dirt track racing career, Nicky has won a total of six Grand National Championship races on Short Track, TT and Half-Mile race tracks. While coming up through the dirt track ranks, Nicky’s eyes were set on a full time road race career. Nicky has 17 AMA Pro Racing Superbike wins, the 2002 AMA Superbike Championship, 6 AMA Pro Racing Supersport wins, 1999 Supersport Championship, 5 AMA Pro Racing Superstock wins, 1998 Superstock Championship and 7 AMA Pro Racing Formula Extreme wins.

In 2003 after a successful dirt track and road race career in the U.S., Nicky turned his focus to the World MotoGP Championship series. Nicky has three MotoGP wins and became the MotoGP World Champion in 2006.

“We’re honored to have a U.S. and World Champion such as Nicky Hayden serve as Grand Marshal”, said Mike Moore, President of The Promotion Company-Family Events, producers of the Lucas Oil Indy Mile. “It’s a fitting tribute Nicky’s many accomplishments, especially here at the legendary Lucas Oil Indy Mile where he was first honored as a rookie”, Moore said.

Advance Discount tickets available at The Indiana State Fairgrounds Box Office, any Ticketmaster location, www.ticketmaster.com, or by calling 1-800-745-3000. For additional ticket information and web links, please visit www.IndyMile.com.
(Ducati North America)

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Burgess: Chill People, Rossi will be Fast on the Ducati

Valentino Rossi’s chief engineer, Jeremy Burgess has cautioned the naysayers who were disappointed in the results of the Italian’s first outing on the Ducati MotoGP racer at the recent Valencia post season test. Rossi ended the test 15th fastest and second slowest Ducati ahead of only rookie Karel Abraham.

Vale was 1.7 seconds off the pace of the front runners, former Ducati pilot Casey Stoner getting his first taste of a factory Honda and 2010 World Champion, Jorge Lorenzo on the Yamaha M1. Both Nicky Hayden and new to Pramac Ducati, Randy De Puniet were over a second faster than the GOAT. What gives?

Defending his charge, Burgess urged for calm when speaking with Motosprint.

“There’s no reason to panic, despite Valentino’s unusual test results. Everything was new for Valentino as it was for myself and my team.”

Reports suggest that Rossi liked the power delivery and the rear grip from the Ducati (something he has struggled with on the Yamaha) but found the front end of the Ducati as disagreeable as Stoner did.

“Everyone likes to be at the top of the timesheets, after every test session, but I knew Valentino would get on the track to do a different job: he wanted to ride to understand the bike, not to do record laps. “He kept himself within wide margins, he certainly didn’t ride as if it was a race weekend.” reported Burgess

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