After the conventional nature of the last three MotoGP venues the British MotoGP teenage trio face a very different challenge at the undulating and short Sachsenring circuit in the eni German Grand Prix on Sunday. Bradley Smith and Danny Webb should thrive in the 125 cc race but the Moto2 race and the very first corner in particular at the 2.281 miles circuit will be a daunting test for the 40 odd riders including Gloucestershire teenager Scott Redding.

Nineteen year old Bradley Smith arrives at this eighth round of the World Championship full of confidence after a superb second place on the Bancaja Aspar Aprilia at the previous round in Barcelona. This result just two weeks after his third place in the AirAsia British Grand Prix has kept Smith in Championship contention 38 points behind the new Championship leader Marc Marquez. The 17 year old Spaniard is on fire winning the last four grands prix and Smith will try and gang up with fellow Championship contenders Pol Espargaro and Nico Terol to prevent him making it five in a row.

Kent-based Danny Webb is having easily his best grand prix season riding the Andalucia Cajasol Aprilia. Following his lonely tenth place in Barcelona he held onto 11th place in the title chase. Webb is desperate to finish in the Championship top ten and is just six points behind Frenchman Johann Zarco in tenth place.

Seventeen year old Redding knows what to expect in the Moto2 race after the crashes and drama in Barcelona. The Marc VDS Suter rider knows he must improve his qualifying and keep out of trouble at the tight first corner to have any chance of a decent result. If he can achieve both aims he has a great chance of improving his 14th place in the explosive new Championship category before the summer break for both the 125 and Moto2 classes.

Neither class goes to America next week for the Red Bull U.S Grand Prix and their next grand prix is in the Czech Republic on August 15.

QUOTES

Bradley Smith: “We face the next round at the Sachsenring in Germany with real confidence. It’s a track I like and we are all on a high especially with the summer break coming up. There are still ten rounds left and I trail in the Championship by 38 points which means pulling back 3.8 points a race. Sounds easy but there is just one big problem – How are we going to beat Marc Marquez who has won four grands prix in succession? He is beatable and Pol, Nico and I have got to work together in a race to put pressure on him. He’s not put a foot wrong for the last four races and leads the World Championship for the very first time. It’s a new experience I can promise him and extra pressure comes with it. We must exploit that pressure and increase it out on the race track starting at the Sachsenring.”

Danny Webb: “We got our worst track out of the way in Barcelona and still managed to finish tenth. The Sachsenring is very different and much more like an English circuit with its hills and tight corners. We struggled a bit in Barcelona but had a really useful test in Aragon later in the week. My times were OK but we got through a lot of work and it certainly gave me confidence with the front end of the bike which will be so important over the weekend.”

Scott Redding: “Catalunya was a disappointment, but we had a very positive test at Aragon after the race and I'm confident we can bounce back this weekend at Sachsenring. I like the circuit; it's very different to the last four tracks we've raced at in that it's tight, technical and very demanding. It's right followed by left followed by right, with only a short straight on which to recover, and the up and down nature of the circuit means you tend to push a little bit harder than you would on the flat. Qualifying on the first three rows will be critical though, as turn one has the potential to be a complete nightmare at the start of the race. If we can't get through the first turn at Catalunya without a big crash, then there's not much hope at Sachsenring, where the first corner is much tighter and narrower. We'll try a slightly different approach to qualifying this weekend, which we hope will result in a better grid position for the race."

LORENZO OUT TO CONTINUE THE SPANISH SUMMER OF SPORT

Spaniard Jorge Lorenzo looks set to continue the Spanish global domination of sport as he chases his fourth consecutive MotoGP victory at the eni Grand Prix of Germany at the tight twisty Sachsenring circuit on Sunday. The Fiat Yamaha rider has not finished off the podium this season and his five grands prix wins have given him an impressive 52 point lead over fellow countryman Dani Pedrosa after just eight rounds of the 18 round Championship.

Lorenzo arrives at the 2.281 mile circuit situated between Dresden and Leipzig determined to increase his advantage before the short summer break following the next round in America and it will take an enormous effort from his rivals to prevent him being granted his wishes.

If past form is any indication then Pedrosa in particular must fancy his chances because Lorenzo has never won a grand prix in any classes at the Sachsenring. In contrast the Repsol Honda rider has tasted victories in both the 250 and MotoGP races and finished a battling second at the last round in Barcelona. His team-mate Andrea Dovizioso hung onto the rear wheel of Lorenzo for half the race but then crashed out but is having a good season. He’s third in the title chases and if he gets a good start could give Lorenzo a tough time.

Valentino Rossi has won four MotoGP races at the Sachsenring including last year but will wait until Wednesday before making a decision about a sensational return to the track just six weeks after he crashed in practice at the Italian Grand Prix in Mugello. He was back in the saddle last week riding a Yamaha Superbike and continued to test at Brno in the Czech Republic on Monday, the nine times World Champion will now wait two days before making an announcement.  If he does not make a return in Germany he will be replaced once again by Wataru Yoshikawa.  

Australian Casey Stoner is another former Sachsenring winner and last week opened the door for a massive transfer of allegiance by the top riders when he announced he’s leaving Ducati and joining Honda next season. This looks certain to clear the way for Rossi to join an Italian dream team by signing for Ducati. Stoner will want to go out with a bang for Ducati and after two podium finishes in the last two races is ready to challenge for a victory.

Team-mate Nicky Hayden ties in fourth place with the inform Frenchman Randy De Puniet riding the LCR Honda. Both are chasing their first podium finishes of the season with De Puniet starting the last three races from the front row of the grid.

The Monster Yamaha Tech 3 riders are experiencing very contrasting fortunes this season. Current World Superbike Champion Ben Spies faces yet another new circuit to learn which will not faze him in the slightest as he looks to improve on his eighth place in the Championship, only ten points behind the fourth place battle between Hayden and De Puniet. His team-mate, former World Superbike Champion Colin Edwards is having a tough time after such an optimistic pre-season testing campaign. He shares tenth place with former 250 cc World Champion Marco Simoncelli who won the 250 cc race at the Sachsenring for the last two years. His San Carlo Gresini Honda team-mate Marco Melandri is also a double 250cc winner in Germany but almost a decade previously.

The Rizla Suzuki duo of Alvaro Bautista and Loris Capirossi arrive in Germany with a little bit of confidence following their bests results of the season in Barcelona. They finished fifth and seventh respectively and will be looking to push on from those results at the very different Sachsenring.

Alex de Angelis makes an unexpected return to the MotoGP class after a wretched season in Moto2. He will replace Kousuke Akiyoshi who in turn had replaced the injured Sachsenring winner Hiroshi Aoyama in the Interwetten Honda team.

Moto2

After the Moto2 drama in Barcelona the tight nature of the undulating Sachsenring circuit could send a shudder down the spine of the 40 odd riders who line up on Sunday. Japanese Tech 3 rider Yuki Takahashi can’t wait. He won the last round in Barcelona and was a 250 cc grand prix winner at the Sachsenring four years ago but it’s still Spaniard Toni Elias that leads the Championship. The Gresini Moriwaki rider holds a 17 point lead over the inform Swiss rider Tom Luthi who has finished on the podium at the last three races. The Interwetten Moriwaki rider finished a superb second in Barcelona just a week after having an operation on a broken collarbone.

Shoya Tomizawa slipped to fourth place, behind last year’s 125 cc winner Julian Simon after crashing in Barcelona. Italian Andrea Iannone had an even more dramatic Barcelona race after setting pole and leading the race only to suffer a ride through penalty after overtaking under a waved yellow flag.

125

The 125 cc Championship is all about 17 years old Marc Marquez who has won the last four races on the Red Bull Ajo Motorsport Derbi. The Spanish teenager’s very first grand prix victory came at Mugello just five weeks ago, He’s won three since and also taken the lead in the Championship by a single point from Pol Espargaro. Former Championship leader Nico Terol crashed out on the last lap in Barcelona and is coming under pressure from his Bancaja Aspar Aprilia team-mate Bradley Smith who was second.

EVENT TIME SCHEDULE

Friday 16 July

12.40 – 13.40              125cc Free Practice 1

13.55 – 14.55              MotoGP Free Practice 1

15.10 – 16.10              Moto2 Free Practice 1

 

Saturday 17 July

09.00 – 09.40              125cc Free Practice 2

09.55 – 10.55              MotoGP Free Practice 2

11.10 – 12.10              Moto2 Free Practice 2

13.00 – 13.40              125cc Qualifying

13.55 – 14.55              MotoGP Qualifying

15.10 – 15.55              Moto2 Qualifying

 

Sunday 18 July

08.40 – 09.00              125cc Warm Up

09.10 – 09.30              Moto2 Warm Up

09.40 – 10.00              MotoGP Warm Up

 

11.00                           125cc RACE (27 laps)

12.15                           Moto2 RACE (29 laps)

14.00                           MotoGP RACE (30 laps)

It’s almost like coming home for the British teenage trio as they travel to Barcelona to compete in the Aperol Grand Prix of Catalunya on Sunday. Bradley Smith, Danny Webb and Scott Redding all raced in the Spanish Championship before switching to the World Championship stage and they know the 2.937 Circuit de Catalunya better than any other in the World.

Both Smith and Webb will be trying desperately to halt the Spanish domination of the 125 cc class for the last year. Smith was disappointed to finish off the podium at Assen in fourth place and needs to be at least on the Barcelona podium to prevent his Bancaja Aspar Aprilia team-mate Nico Terol, Pol Espargaro and the in-form Marc Marquez disappearing at the top of the Championship table. At the moment Smith trails Championship leader Terol by 44 points after six rounds.

Kent teenager Danny Webb had a great ride in Assen and eventually finished seventh which was his best result of the season. Riding for the Spanish Andalucia Cajasol Aprilia team he is 11th in the Championship and looks well set for at least a top ten finish this season.

Seventeen year old Scott Redding is getting to grips with the new Moto2 World Championship. Following up from his fourth place in Silverstone he was 11th in Assen despite starting from the fifth row of the grid on the Marc VDS Suter machine. He knows he must improve his qualifying to starting making an impact and climbing up from 13th place in the Championship.

QUOTES

Bradley Smith: “It’s always special racing in Spain and this year will be even tougher with the three Spanish riders dominating the Championship. I was disappointed with fourth in Assen especially as I was able to put in my quickest laps near the finish. Once you get separated from the leaders it’s so hard to catch them and that must not happen on Sunday.”

Danny Webb: “I was really pleased with the Assen result although a bit disappointed not to finish sixth. I’ve never had a lot of luck in Barcelona although it’s a track I know really well. My luck is changing this year and I’m staying on the bike and so let’s hope that continues on Sunday. I’ve got my starts sorted out and know I’ve got to do better in qualifying.”

Scott Redding: “Assen I felt good, the bike felt good and the lap times were similar to those Elias and Luthi were doing at the front of the race, but I was on a hiding to nothing with the grid position. We need to take a long hard look at our qualifying performance, to ensure we start from further up the grid in future, starting this weekend in Barcelona.”

LORENZO RETURNS HOME AS CHAMPION ELECT

Jorge Lorenzo returns home to his native Spain to compete in the Aperol Grand Prix of Barcelona very aware that he is being regarded as the MotoGP Champion elect. With the Championship at only one third distance the 23 year old Fiat Yamaha rider has established an impressive 47 point lead after four wins and two second places in the opening six races.

However, just ask his team-mate World Champion Valentino Rossi how your fortunes can change in a blink. The Italian is making good progress recuperating from his broken leg sustained in the Mugello practice crash and he will be replaced in the Fiat Yamaha team this weekend by Japanese test rider Wataru Yoshikawa. This is a stop gap measure with Rossi possibly back in action at the Czech Republic Grand Prix in the middle of August.

Dani Pedrosa also returns home to compete round the 2.937 miles Circuit of Catalunya situated on the northern outskirts of the Mediterranean City of Barcelona. The Repsol Honda rider moved back into second place in the Championship after finishing second in the previous round at Assen and has a good record in Barcelona. He won the MotoGP race a couple of years ago to follow up 125 and 250 cc victories.

His team-mate Andrea Dovizioso has also been a winner of the 250 cc race in Barcelona. He dropped to third in the Championship after a disappointing fifth place in Assen following three successive podium finishes.

Lorenzo’s biggest threat could come from the Ducati duo of former World Champions Casey Stoner and Nicky Hayden. Australian Stoner won the MotoGP race in Catalunya three years ago and also secured his first podium finish of the season with a third place in Assen, but is having arm-pump problems which he hopes will be sorted before Friday afternoon practice. Hayden, who was second four years ago, shares  fifth place in the Championship with the injured Rossi but still chases that elusive podium finish.

Just five points behind them is the inform Frenchman Randy De Puniet who together with his LCR Honda boss have a great Barcelona record. De Puniet, who lies sixth in the Championship, has two 250 cc victories while LCR boss Lucio Cecchinello has a 125 cc win. De Puniet has qualified on the front row at the last two races and has finished sixth at the last three.

American Ben Spies is back in familiar territory – arriving to race at a circuit he’s never seen before. It’s done the Monster Tech 3 Yamaha rider no harm because he’s having a brilliant rookie MotoGP season. He’s eighth in the Championship 15 points in front of his team-mate Colin Edwards.

Sandwiched between them is Italian Marco Simoncelli who’s having a decent debut season on the San Carlo Gresini Honda. He is a former 250 cc winner in Barcelona as is Spaniard Alvaro Bautista who’d having a very different MotoGP debut season. He’s recovering from a cracked shoulder blade and together with his Rizla Suzuki team-mate Loris Capirossi, who brought Ducati MotoGP success seven years ago, could do with a big change of fortune after a wretched start to the year.

Kousuke Akiyoshi continues to replace the injured Hiroshi Aoyama on the Interwetten Honda while former Barcelona 125 cc winner Hector Barbara will be looking to beat local hero Aleix Espargaro. They share 13th place in the Championship.

Moto 2

Italian Andrea Iannone arrives in Barcelona with a great chance of improving on his fourth place in the Moto2 Championship. He dominated the previous round in Assen in similar style to his victory at Mugello in Italy. He also won the 125 cc race in Barcelona last year when race leader Julian Simon thought he’d won with a lap to go. Iannone, riding the Fimmco Speed Up Honda, trails Championship leader Toni Elias by 33 points. Elias is on home ground as finished an impressive second in Assen while second and third placed Shoya Tomizawa and Tom Luthi are separated by just two points. As always in Moto2 there are plenty of Barcelona winners in the line-up including Mike Di Meglio and Mateo Pasini.

125

Iannone was the last non-Spanish rider to win a 125 cc grand prix with that Barcelona victory. It promises to be the same old story on Sunday as the home trio of Nico Terol, Pol Espargaro and Marc Marquez continue their fight for the title. Terol leads the way by three points from Espargaro but 17 year old Marquez has got them in his sights. He has won the last three grands prix including his debut victory in Mugello and know trails Terol by just 11 points. It promises to be fast and fierce on Sunday.

EVENT TIME SCHEDULE

Friday 2 July

12.40 – 13.40              125cc Free Practice 1

13.55 – 14.55              MotoGP Free Practice 1

15.10 – 16.10              Moto2 Free Practice 1

 

Saturday 3 July

09.00 – 09.40              125cc Free Practice 2

09.55 – 10.55              MotoGP Free Practice 2

11.10 – 12.10              Moto2 Free Practice 2

13.00 – 13.40              125cc Qualifying

13.55 – 14.55              MotoGP Qualifying

15.10 – 15.55              Moto2 Qualifying

 

Sunday 4 July

08.40 – 09.00              125cc Warm Up

09.10 – 09.30              Moto2 Warm Up

09.40 – 10.00              MotoGP Warm Up

 

11.00                           125cc RACE (22 laps)

12.15                           Moto2 RACE (23 laps)

14.00                           MotoGP RACE (25 laps)

The British teenage trio who did so much to delight the partisan British crowd at Silverstone over the weekend are back in grand prix action on Saturday at the TIM Dutch TT at the legendary Assen circuit.

After such a tough weekend at Silverstone it’s straight back into Thursday practice at the sixth round of the MotoGP World Championship at the 2.83 miles Assen circuit in North Holland.

Nineteen year old Oxfordshire rider Bradley Smith arrives at Assen fresh from his first 125 cc podium finish of the season at Silverstone and hoping to beat, or at the very least equal, his third place at Assen last year. His Bancaja Aspar team has at last found some speed from his Aprilia machine and Smith looked on the pace throughout the Silverstone weekend to secure third place. He lies fourth in the World Championship, 38 points behind Championship leader Pol Espargaro and so podium finishes at least are vital for the rider who was runner-up in the Championship last year.

Kent-based Danny Webb also looked on the pace at Silverstone especially after qualifying on the second row in eighth place, riding the Andalucia-Cajasol Aprilia. He made a slow start but fought back to finish tenth and lies 11th in the Championship just nine points behind Johan Zarco in tenth.

Seventeen year old Scott Redding produced a stunning performance in the Moto2 race at Silverstone. Despite a bad start on the Marc VDS Suter Honda he fought his way back through the field to fight for a podium finish right to the chequered flag. He eventually finished fourth just half a second behind race winner Jules Cluzel. The result and the ride have given the Gloucestershire rider’s confidence an enormous boost as he faces the sixth round of the Championship.

QUOTES

Bradley Smith: “On the podium at last and hopefully things can only go up from here. I like racing at Assen and finished third last year although I didn’t get on the podium because Nico Terol was relegated from third place after the ceremony following an incident on the last lap. I also led the race in 2008 but crashed in the rain just before the red flag came out. I’ve got to be chasing at least podium finishes for the remainder of the season to have any chance of the Championship and a win on Saturday would really help.”

Danny Webb: “I was already running round the Assen circuit by lunchtime on Monday and so I should be prepared. I like the track and was quick there last year but got taken out by another rider on the first lap of the race. It was good to get points at Silverstone after a slow start but I was not too pleased. Nothing was quite working as I would have liked so hopefully we can put that right.”

Scott Redding: “That Silverstone result was brilliant although it was a shame I could not finish on the podium. Despite that bad start I really enjoyed the race and felt good on the bike. It’s vital we can carry on in Assen after showing just what we can do. The team has worked so hard to set up the bike for me and if I feel the same as I did at Silverstone who knows what can happen.”

ASSEN PREPARES FOR LORENZO LAND

The Cathedral of grand prix motorcycle racing prepares for the arrival of MotoGP Championship leader Jorge Lorenzo at the famous TIM Dutch TT at Assen on Saturday. The Assen circuit in the north of Holland is the only venue remaining from the original 1949 grand prix calendar and the Dutch TT , the sixth round of the MotoGP World Championship, is still the biggest sporting event of the year in Holland 61 years after that first World Championship event.

Spaniard Lorenzo arrives at Assen brimming with confidence following his comfortable win at the previous round in England on Sunday. The Fiat Yamaha rider has built up a 37 point lead in the Championship and has taken on the mantle of his injured team-mate Valentino Rossi as he takes on the 2.83 miles Assen circuit where he has scored double 250 cc and single 125 cc victories.

He will be a tough man to beat in both Saturday’s race and the Championship but the fight for second place has produced some stunning battles. Italian Andrea Dovizioso took over second place in the title chase after finishing second at Silverstone and the former 125 cc Champion, riding the Repsol Honda, has produced four podium finishes in five races.

He took over second place from team-mate Dani Pedrosa who eventually finished eighth at Silverstone after two crashes over the weekend. It will be a crucial battle between the two riders as they fight for Championship points and to keep their place in the Honda factory team.

One rider really looking forward to Assen is World Superbike Champion Ben Spies who secured his first ever MotoGP podium finish at Silverstone with a superb third place. The Monster Tech 3 Yamaha rider had never ridden at the last four MotoGP venues before going out to practice but Assen is different. Spies won the first World Superbike race at the Dutch circuit last year and expects another big fight with compatriot Nicky Hayden who also has an impressive Assen pedigree. The former World Champion secured his one and only grand prix victory outside America at Assen on route to his World title in 2006. He returns riding the Ducati determined to break his podium jinx after four fourth place finishes this season.

His team-mate Australian Casey Stoner has had a tough year and like Hayden still chases his first podium finish of the season but he could be the dark horse on Saturday. Stoner won at Assen a couple of years ago and although he only finished fifth at Silverstone he was in very last place going into the first corner of the race. Another dark horse for at least a podium finish could be Frenchman Randy De Puniet who is sixth in the Championship, just six points behind Hayden. The LCR Honda rider was sixth at Silverstone after looking a likely podium finisher until the later stages of the race.

The San Carlo Gresini Honda pair of Marco Melandri and Marco Simoncelli share ninth place after very different Silverstone experiences. Melandri, a former 250 cc Assen winner, crashed out while Simoncelli was seventh in front of Pedrosa.

American Colin Edwards has mixed memories of Assen. After a podium finish in 2005 he led going into the last chicane a year later chasing his first grand prix victory but crashed handing victory to Hayden. It’s been a tough year for Edwards who is currently 11th in the Championship.

It’s also been a disastrous year for the Rizla Suzuki team who need a turn of fortune after veteran Loris Capirossi crashed out for the third time this season at Silverstone while Alvaro Bautista limped home in 12th place still in pain from his cracked shoulder blade. Both are former 250 cc Assen winners and need to kick off the season in Holland.

One former 250 cc winner Hiroshi Aoyama looks likely to miss the race after damaging his back in a warm up crash at Silverstone while seven times Assen winner Valentino Rossi continues his rehabilitation following his Mugello crash. He will not be replaced at Fiat Yamaha in Assen but will be replaced a week later for the Aperol Grand Prix of Catalunya in Barcelona.

The Moto2 Championship makes it’s much anticipated Assen debut after five breathtaking rounds. Picking a winner is virtually impossible. Spaniard Toni Elias leads the way after winning two rounds but he has been off the podium at the last two races won by Italian Andrea Iannone and Frenchman Jules Cluzel. Elias is a former 125 cc winner at Assen but so are Sergio Gadea, Gabor Talmacsi and Matteo Pasini. Throw in World Champions Tom Luthi, Julian Simon and Mike Di Meglio and it’s a lottery that has produced some stunning racing.

Perhaps a few less likely winners in the 125 cc class but the racing is just as exciting. Spaniard Pole Espargaro leads the Championship by a single point after his second place at Silverstone following his battle royal with the inform Marc Marquez. The 17 year old Spanish Derbi rider won his second grand prix in succession and now trails second placed Nico Terol by 16 points in the Championship. Spanish riders have won the last 15 rounds of the 125 cc Championship and the only man likely to break their domination is British rider Bradley Smith who took his first podium finish of the season at Silverstone.

EVENT TIME SCHEDULE

Thursday 24 June

12.40 – 13.40              125cc Free Practice 1

13.55 – 14.55              MotoGP Free Practice 1

15.10 – 16.10              Moto2 Free Practice 1

 

Friday 25 June

09.00 – 09.40              125cc Free Practice 2

09.55 – 10.55              MotoGP Free Practice 2

11.10 – 12.10              Moto2 Free Practice 2

13.00 – 13.40              125cc Qualifying

13.55 – 14.55              MotoGP Qualifying

15.10 – 15.55              Moto2 Qualifying

 

Saturday 26 June

08.40 – 09.00              125cc Warm Up

09.10 – 09.30              MotoGP Warm Up

09.40 – 10.00              125cc Warm Up

 

11.00                           125cc RACE (22 laps)

12.15                           Moto2 RACE (24 laps)

14.00                           MotoGP RACE (26 laps)

The British teenage trio of Bradley Smith, Danny Webb and Scott Redding step into the unknown when they take on the brand new 3.667 miles Silverstone circuit at the AirAsia British Grand Prix on Sunday.

None of the three teenagers were born when Silverstone staged its last grand prix motorcycle event in 1986 but they relish the opportunity of making their one and only appearance in Britain this year at the fifth round of the MotoGP World Championship.

Two years ago 15 year old Gloucestershire rider Scott Redding won the 125 cc British Grand Prix at Donington Park and this year he returns to a new track and in a new class. He’s not found it easy in the new very competitive Moto2 class riding the Marc VDS Racing Team Suter Honda with a knee problem not helping his cause.

Redding is confident that the knee problem is sorted and that he can start pushing for some top ten finishes in the new class that is providing such close racing.

Oxfordshire teenager Bradley Smith really counts Silverstone his home circuit and arrives full of confidence after an epic 125 cc battle at the previous round in Italy. For the second grand prix in succession the Bancaja Aspar Aprilia rider got knocked off a podium in a last lap battle and eventually finished fourth after leading. He is still looking for a little extra top speed to compete with the Championship leaders Nico Terol and Pol Espargaro. Smith currently lies fourth in the Championship in which he was runner-up last year.

Kent-based Danny Webb has made a good start to the season and only a mistake on the last lap in the 125 cc race in Italy cost him a top ten finish. Riding for the Andalucia Cajasol Aprilia team Webb lies 11th in the Championship and has every chance of getting into the top ten with three grands prix in the next two weeks.

QUOTES

Scott Redding: "Silverstone is a big weekend, that's for sure. I've been down and had a look at the track and it's certainly going to be fast, which suits me. Obviously I'll be looking to put in a good performance in front of my home crowd, but I'm not feeling any additional pressure going into this weekend. I had some problems in Mugello with my knee, which was really painful after ten laps or so. This week I've had an MRI scan on the joint and, thankfully, the problem isn't serious. I'll have treatment on the knee over the next few days, but I'm not expecting it to be an issue at Silverstone. Like every race, I'll be pushing as hard as I can to get a good result. With a bit of luck I can hopefully give the British Grand Prix fans something to cheer about next weekend."

Bradley Smith: “ I’ve got more self confidence since Mugello than I’ve had for a long time and I know I have the ability to win the British Grand Prix,. I got a real buzz cycling round the new circuit and I can’t wait to get started. Also I hope to complete some more laps in a car  before first practice on Friday afternoon. The likes of Terol, Espargaro and Marquez are  good but they are beatable as long we start on a level playing with the bikes having equal top speed. I’m more excited and determined than nervous because it’s such an  important race and so close to home. It’s a special event and it will be tough for everybody at a brand new circuit. No team has any data to go back to while the riders will have to make every single lap of practice and qualifying really count. Parts of the track such as Maggots, Becketts and Chapel will be very technical while other parts will be flat out on 125 and Moto2 bikes.”

Danny Webb: “ I’ve not been round the new track but my brother rode round it last week and I’ve also spoken to Leon Haslam and both told me it was awesome and very quick. It’s going to be very special going back to Silverstone with all its history and I’m really looking forward to it. I’m getting more and more confident and I’m staying on the bike. The plan is to keep doing what we are doing and finish in the top ten in the Championship but not push too hard and throw the bike down the road. I’m looking for a top ten finish on Sunday but if everything went perfectly that could be a podium if I push really hard.”

WILD CARD ENTRIES

The following Wild card entries will race in the 125 and Moto2 races at Silverstone:

125cc

73  TAYLOR MACKENZIE   KRP  HONDA
 
 
74   JAMES LODGE  RS EARNJMANX MOTORCYCLE  SEEL
 
 
75   DEANE BROWN  COLIN APPLEYARD/MACADAM RACING  SEEL
 

76   WILLIAM DUNLOP  JAMES DELANEY  HONDA
 
 
77    ANDREW REID   AZTEC GRAND PRIX  HONDA
 

Moto2

19  XAVIER SIMEON   HOLIDAY GYM RACING   MORIWAKI
 
 
54  KEVIN COGHLAN   MONLAU JOEY DARCEY  FTR

SILVERSTONE – THE ICONIC HOME OF BRITISH MOTORSPORT

The former Northamptonshire wartime airfield is quite simply the home of British Motorsport and MotoGP makes a welcome return after a 24 year absence.

Even when the British round of the World Championships was being held at the TT races in the Isle of Man Silverstone staged some prestigious international events. Consequently, it was no great surprise when the TT mountain circuit was deemed too dangerous for World Championship racing it was Silverstone that staged the very first British Motorcycle Grand Prix in 1977,

American Pat Hennon won the 500cc race with British riders Steve Parrish and Peter Williams both crashing on the last lap while leading. For the next ten years Silverstone hosted some magnificent grand prix races including the classic 1979 Kenny Roberts/Barry Sheene battle but bad weather and crowd problems resulted in Silverstone staging its last Motorcycle Grand Prix in 1986.

Australian Wayne Gardner won the 500cc race before the British Grand Prix switched to Donington Park who staged the event for the next 23 years.

In January this year Silverstone signed an agreement with Dorna Sports for the next five years to bring the British Grand Prix back home.

NEW VENUE. – NEW CHAMPION ?

Championship leader Jorge Lorenzo arrives at the brand new Silverstone venue without his Fiat Yamaha team-mate Valentino Rossi and experiencing a new kind of pressure and expectancy.

After just four rounds of the MotoGP World Championship the Spaniard is already being touted as the new MotoGP World Champion after his superb start to the season. He has won two grands prix and finished second in the other two which gives him an impressive 25 point lead over Dani Pedrosa.

It’s the type of pressure that Lorenzo has learned to live with after winning two 250 cc World titles and finishing runner-up in the MotoGP Championship last year. Along with the other best riders in the world he faces the challenge of a new circuit for the first time since Misano in Italy three years ago.

The Repsol Honda duo of Dani Pedrosa and Andrea Dovizioso arrive at the new 3.667 miles venue fresh from a brilliant weekend at Mugello. Spaniard Pedrosa won the race with Dovizioso claiming his third podium of the season in third place. With three grands prix coming up in successive weeks it’s vital for the Championship and Honda that they keep the pressure up on Lorenzo starting on Sunday.

One rider who should have no problems with Silverstone will be World Superbike Champion Ben Spies. The Monster Energy Tech 3 Yamaha rider had never seen the last three venues of the Championship before racing on them. His seventh place at Mugello confirms he is a very quick learner. His team-mate Colin Edwards was plagued by arm-pump and fatigue in Mugello and will be looking for a change of health this weekend.

It’s been a tough start to the season for Australian Casey Stoner who came to England almost a decade ago to start his road racing career. The former World Champion has crashed out of two grands prix with front end problems with his fourth place in Mugello his best result of the season.

His Ducati team-mate and another former World Champion Nicky Hayden made a great start to the year but blotted his copy book in Mugello. He crashed out after finishing fourth in the opening three races and could be a good podium bet on Sunday.

Frenchman Randy De Puniet upset Stoner in a frantic fight for fourth at Mugello which also involved Italian Marco Melandri. Hard riding De Puniet has made a great start to the season and lies sixth in the Championship riding the LCR Honda while Melandri is really getting to grips with the San Carlo Gresini Honda in seventh place.

Melandri’s team-mate former 250 cc World Champion Marco Simoncelli has recovered from a tough start and is the best of the Rookies with the other 250cc stars Hector Barbara, Hiroshi Aoyama and Aleix Espargaro all adapting well to the rigours of MotoGP.

It’s been a hard start to the season for the British-based Rizla Suzuki team. Thirty seven year old Loris Capirossi has crashed out of two races while former 125 cc World Champion Alvaro Bautista is currently riding with a cracked shoulder blade following a motocross accident.

The British fans will get their first look at the new Moto2 class over the weekend and they will not be disappointed. The first four rounds have thrown up close racing, surprise winners and massive grids. The very experienced Spaniard Toni Elias leads the way despite only finishing sixth in Mugello in a race totally dominated by Italian former 125 cc star Andrea Iannone. Nineteen year old Japanese rider Shoya Tomizawa won the opening round and lies second in the Championship, 19 points behind Elias with another Italian former 125 cc star Simone Corsi in third place.

Two Spaniards Nico Terol and Pol Espargaro are fighting a head to head battle at the top of the 125 cc Championship table. Terol leads the way by just six points after securing a win and three second places. Espargaro, riding the Tuenti Derbi has won two races and finished third in Mugello.

The race on Sunday will not be just between these two with Marc Marquez, who won his first grand prix in Mugello, Terol’s Bancaja Aspar Aprilia team-mate Bradley Smith, Espargaro’s team-mate Efren Vazquez, Tito Rabat and Mugello pole setter Sandro Cortese sure to be right up there in the heat of the battle.

EVENT TIME SCHEDULE

Friday 18 June

12.40 – 13.40              125cc Free Practice 1

13.55 – 14.55              MotoGP Free Practice 1

15.10 – 16.10              Moto2 Free Practice 1

 

Saturday 19 June

09.00 – 09.40              125cc Free Practice 2

09.55 – 10.55              MotoGP Free Practice 2

11.10 – 12.10              Moto2 Free Practice 2

13.00 – 13.40              125cc Qualifying

13.55 – 14.55              MotoGP Qualifying

15.10 – 15.55              Moto2 Qualifying

 

Sunday 20 June

09.00 – 09.20              Moto2 Warm Up

09.30 – 09.50              MotoGP Warm Up

10.00 – 10.20              125cc Warm Up

 

11.15                           Moto2 RACE (18 laps)

13.00                           MotoGP RACE (20 laps)

14.30                           125cc RACE (17 laps)

Oxfordshire teenager Bradley Smith seeks a big dose of deja vu as he fights to get his 125 cc World Championship challenge back on track at the TIM Italian Grand Prix at Mugello on Sunday. Last year Smith secured a superb victory around the legendary 3.259 miles circuit in the 20 lap race he started from pole.

Smith slipped to sixth in the Championship after being pushed back to fifth place on the last lap at the previous round in France. However after major mechanical issues in the first two races and practice in France, Smith feels his Bancaja Aspar Aprilia is ready to fight for the lead once again, starting at Mugello.

Kent-based Danny Webb is finding his feet with his new Andalucia Cajasol Aprilia team. He was ninth in Le Mans despite a dreadful start from the second row. He’s 13th in the Championship and some consistent rides will push him up the table and do his confidence a power of good.

Seventeen year old Scott Redding secured his first Moto2 points of the season after finishing 11th at Le Mans. The Marc VDS Suter rider made a better start in the race which is imperative to succeed in the traffic jam situation of Moto2. The Gloucester teenager was ninth in the 125 cc race at Mugello last year.

QUOTES

Bradley Smith: “I have some fantastic memories of Mugello last year and a repeat of that victory would be perfect after the difficult start to the year. Despite being knocked back to fifth on the last lap of Le Mans it was a great feeling to be fighting near the front once again. I’m confident we have sorted out the acceleration problems with the bike and we are ready to fight for the lead for the first time this season.”

Danny Webb: “I was happy with the race at Le Mans  because we made good progress coming from a long way back, but I was also a bit gutted because I wondered what would have happened if I’d had a good start.  

The weekend, however, was successful and again we made good progress with the bike and I am feeling very comfortable within the team now.  I cannot wait to get to Mugello and hopefully we will have an even more successful weekend. I’ll be working on those starts”

Scott Redding: “Qatar for me was difficult, we had a good first practice then we struggled in the rest of the sessions and the race. Jerez was better – we struggled in practice and qualifying then did better in the race, and it was the same at Le Mans, we struggled in practice and qualifying but had a good race. The racing is very difficult. You have one second separating 30 guys which is very close, and every tenth feels like a second. The season so far has been hard but I’m sure we can get some better results. I started 21st at Le Mans and made 11th in the race, so if I’m in front from the beginning of the weekend at Mugello then I’m sure I can run with the front guys and get a good result.”

LORENZO IN ACTION BEHIND ENEMY LINES

Fresh from two brilliant successive MotoGP victories Jorge Lorenzo goes into action behind enemy lines when he takes on the might of both Valentino Rossi and Ducati in the TIM Italian Grand Prix at Mugello on Sunday.

The Spanish Fiat Yamaha rider faces the ultimate test round the magnificent 3.250 miles Mugello circuit nestling in the Tuscan hills and he’s up for it. Following his wins in Jerez and Le Mans he leads the MotoGP World Championship by nine points from his team-mate, World Champion Valentino Rossi whose victories at Mugello are only greeted with more passion and noise than an Italian World Cup football victory.

Rossi quite simply is God at Mugello and his record is second to none. ‘The Doctor’ won seven successive MotoGP races at the circuit which was also the Ferrari F1 test track, between 2002 – 2008. His victory run was halted last year but the Italian fans were not too disappointed because it was the Italian built Ducati, ridden by Australian Casey Stoner that broke the sequence. Lorenzo pushed Rossi back to third and has tasted success at Mugello in the 250 cc class.

Italian Andrea Dovizioso moved into third place in the Championship after finishing third behind the Fiat Yamaha duo in Le Mans riding the Repsol Honda. The former 125 cc World Champion has made big strides this year and never would there be a more opportune moment to challenge the big two at the front. His team-mate Dani Pedrosa is another former 250 cc winner but he was a disappointing fifth at Le Mans and is fighting to hold onto his Honda ride.

Stoner returns to the scene of his triumph desperate for a repeat after a disastrous start to the season. Crashes in Qatar and Le Mans see his Championship chances in tatters and nothing short of a repeat victory will lift his spirits. His Marlboro Ducati team-mate Nick Hayden arrives in Mugello in a very different frame of mind. Three fourth places in the opening three races have pushed the American former World Champion into fifth place in the Championship, just one point behind Pedrosa. A podium finish is next on the agenda.

Behind them the battle is fierce between Frenchman Randy De Puniet riding the LCR Honda plus former World Superbike Champion Colin Edwards and San Carlo Gresini team-mates and 250 cc Mugello winners Marco Melandri and Marco Simoncelli. The current World Superbike Champion Ben Spies had a bit of a reality check in Le Mans with crashes in practice and the race. The Monster Yamaha Tech 3 rider faces a new circuit to learn for the third race in succession but has looked more than capable of being competitive right from the start.

It’s been a really tough start to the season for the Rizla Suzuki team. Veteran and former Mugello 250 cc winner Loris Capirossi returns home after crashing in Le Mans. His team-mate and another former 250 Mugello winner Alvaro Bautista missed the Le Mans race after crashing on his injured shoulder in practice. The former 125 cc World Champion is confident of riding at Mugello.

In some ways crashes spoilt the dramatic Moto2 race at Le Mans but what a championship it’s turning out to be after just three frantic rounds. Former MotoGP star Toni Elias leads the way after winning the last two races on the Moriwaki machine. The previous Championship leader Shoya Tomizawa crashed in Le Mans together with many others. Hard riding 125 cc star Italian Simone Corsi has slipped into third place almost unnoticed after three consistent rides including third in Le Mans. He won the 125 cc race at Mugello a couple of years ago. Watch out for 125 cc World Champion Julian Simon who switched to a Suter frame for Le Mans and finished second, moving him into fourth place in the Championship. Again a host of former Mugello winners including Gabor Talmacsi, Matteo Pasini, Hector Faubel do battle.

The Spanish duo of Nico Terol and Pol Espargaro continue their personal duel at the top of the 125 cc Championship. Espargaro may have won the last two races on the Tuenti Racing Derbi but Terol still leads the Championship by a slender two points. They should be joined by some others at the front on Sunday. Last year’s winner Bradley Smith is at last getting some speed and acceleration from his Bancaja Aprilia while never rule out the likes of Marc Marquez, Efren Vazquez and Sandro Cortese.

EVENT TIME SCHEDULE

Friday 4 June

12.40 – 13.40              125cc Free Practice 1

13.55 – 14.55              MotoGP Free Practice 1

15.10 – 16.10              Moto2 Free Practice 1

 

Saturday 5 June

09.00 – 09.40              125cc Free Practice 2

09.55 – 10.55              MotoGP Free Practice 2

11.10 – 12.10              Moto2 Free Practice 2

13.00 – 13.40              125cc Qualifying

13.55 – 14.55              MotoGP Qualifying

15.10 – 15.55              Moto2 Qualifying

 

Sunday 6 June

08.40 – 09.00              125cc Warm Up

09.10 – 09.30              Moto2 Warm Up

09.40 – 10.00              MotoGP Warm Up

 

11.00                           125cc RACE (20 laps)

12.15                           Moto2 RACE (21 laps)

14.00                           MotoGP RACE (23 laps)

 

Schedule is local time + 1

 

MUGELLO FACTS AND FIGURES

 

Circuit Length: 5.245 km

Width:  14m

Pole Position: Right

Longest Straight: 1.141km

Left Corners: Six

Right Corners: Nine

 

Pole Position Record:

Valentino Rossi/Yamaha

1m48.130/174.623km/h (2008)

 

Lap Record:

Casey Stoner/Ducati

 1m50.003/171.649Km/h (2008)

 

2009 Results Flashback

MotoGP/ 23 laps/ 120.635 km

1 Casey STONER                AUS         DUCATI                   45'41.894

2 Jorge LORENZO              SPA         YAMAHA                45'42.895

3  Valentino ROSSI             ITA           YAMAHA                45'43.970

 

250cc/21 laps/110.145 km

1  Mattia PASINI                  ITA            APRILIA                  45'38.391

2  Marco SIMONCELLI       ITA            GILERA                   45'38.508

3  Alvaro BAUTISTA            SPA          APRILIA                  45'39.684

 

 

125cc/20 laps/104.9 km

1 Bradley SMITH                 GBR          APRILIA                  40'09.523

2 Nicolas TEROL                 SPA          APRILIA                  40'09.739

3 Julian SIMON                    SPA          APRILIA                  40'16.637

 

TELEVISION TIMES

Practice, qualifying and the races will be shown at the following times on British television:

BBC

Saturday 5 June

11.50 – 15.00 Qualifying 125cc, MotoGP, Moto2 – Red Button

Sunday 6 June

09.50   125cc and Moto2 Races – Red Button

12.30   MotoGP Race – BBC 2

All races will be available on iplayer.

 

EUROSPORT

Friday 4 June

11.40 – 15.10 Live Free Practice 125cc, MotoGP, Moto2

 

Saturday 5 June

11.00 – 15.00 Live Qualifying 125cc, MotoGP, Moto2

 

Sunday 6 June

09.45   125cc Race Live

11.00   Moto2 Race Live

14.00   MotoGP Action

The three British MotoGP teenagers chase a change of fortune at the third round of the Championship, the Monster Energy French Grand Prix round the 2.60 miles Bugatti at the legendary motorsport location of Le Mans on Sunday.

Nineteen year old Bradley Smith grabbed his first ever 125 cc grand prix podium, a third place at Le Mans three years ago. The Bancaja Aspar rider needs at least a repeat to keep the leaders in sight as he fights his way from fourth place in the Championship led by his team-mate Nico Terol. Lack of acceleration out of the corners meant a fortuitous fourth place in Jerez was the best he could hope for in the race won by Pol Espargaro. Smith will need that power for the stop and start sections of the Bugatti circuit.

Nineteen year old Danny Webb was even unluckier at Jerez when he crashed while fighting for sixth place. He’s gelled with his new Adalucia Cajasol team after finishing 11th on his debut with them in Qatar. It’s important that Webb cuts out the crashes because he could be a real threat to the leaders with his new team as he strives to score his first ever world championship points at Le Mans.

Seventeen year old Scott Redding has jumped head first into the new Moto2 Championship and found it tough, as he knew it would be. He chases his first Moto2 points of the season on the Marc VDS Suter Honda at Le Mans and knows that a good qualifying position followed by a good race start are vital with over forty riders racing towards the Dunlop chicane on the first lap.

QUOTES

Bradley Smith:  “I took my first ever 125 cc grand prix podium at Le Mans three years
ago and I need at least a repeat of that result on Sunday to keep the leaders in sight. I’m frustrated but certainly not disheartened by my start to the season. At Jerez my corner speeds where as fast as the leaders and it’s finding that acceleration out of the corners that will make the difference to the results. The team are working flat out to find a solution and I’m confident we will be on the pace over the weekend. We need to be with five races in the next seven weeks.”

Danny Webb: “I’d be happy for a top seven finish because I was battling for sixth at Jerez before the crash and came 11th in Qatar. We could build from there and hopefully soon be right up with and on the pace with the front runners. The team have been telling me to go step by step and to take my time. That’s what we’ve started to do and it’s working. I set my fastest ever lap times during the race weekend at Jerez which was another positive. We are moving forward and hopefully we can keep it that way.”

Scott Redding: "We made a step forward during the Jerez race, although it wasn't really reflected in the result, but now we need to continue improving at Le Mans. Qualifying will be critical this weekend, as the off-camber chicane just before the Dunlop Bridge isn't a place you want to be approaching mid-pack in a 40-rider field! As I learnt in Jerez, if you get caught in the pack then you spend the whole race swapping positions with the people around you and that just loses you time. We need to be up the front from the start and the easiest way to guarantee that is to secure a good grid position in qualifying on Saturday afternoon. A start from the first three rows would be good, but the front two rows would be a lot better. If we can do that then, hopefully, we'll be in a position to bag our first championship points of the season in the race."

 LORENZO RELISHES FRENCH REPEAT TO INCREASE CHAMPIONSHIP LEAD

Fresh from his Jerez success Jorge Lorenzo relishes a repeat of his Le Mans victory last year to increase his lead in the MotoGP World Championship over his Fiat Yamaha team-mate Valentino Rossi.

The 23 year old Spaniard leads the World Champion Rossi by just four points going into their third round battle round the 2.60 miles Bugatti circuit at Le Mans, having won a race apiece in the opening two rounds.

Lorenzo, who also won a 250 cc grand prix at the French circuit, has hit top form after a pre-season training accident but will expect a big battle in Sunday’s 28 lap race. Rossi, refreshed and fully recovered from a shoulder injury, will be looking to repeat his 2002, 2005 and 2008 victory around the stop and start Bugatti circuit but there are plenty of others in the frame.

Dani Pedrosa looked back in form after leading at Jerez for such a long time on the Repsol Honda despite a fuel sensor problem. The Spaniard is a former 125 and 250 cc winner at Le Mans and is third in the Championship just three points in front of his team-mate Andrea Dovizioso a former 125 cc winner.

American former World Champion Nicky Hayden has been flying the Ducati flag with two fourth places while his team-mate, another former World Champion has struggled. The Australian crashed out in Qatar while leading and could only finish fifth in Jerez. He already trails Lorenzo by 34 points as he ties in eighth place with Ben Spies and Marco Melandri.

It’s the biggest race of the season for Frenchman Randy De Puniet who’s made an impressive start to the season on the LCR Honda. He lies sixth in Championship coming into his home race. It’s also a big event for the French-based Monster Tech 3 Yamaha team who are represented by the American duo of Colin Edwards and Ben Spies who have very different experiences at Le Mans. Edwards has finished on the podium twice while Spies has never raced at the circuit although that seemed to make little difference at Jerez for the World Superbike Champion before being sidelined with suspected front tyre problems.

The Motocross training accident saga continues with Spanish Rizla Suzuki rider Alvaro Bautista the latest victim. He broke his shoulder in a training accident but hopes to join team-mate Loris Capirossi on the grid after an operation last week.

Former 250 cc World Champion Marco Melandri looked happier in Jerez after finishing eighth riding the San Carlo Gresini Honda and he has a great record at Le Mans. He won the MotoGP race four years ago and last year was a superb second on the Hayate Kawasaki in the difficult conditions.

Another rider arriving with confidence is Mika Kallio riding the Pramac Ducati. He crashed out in Qatar but fought back to seventh in Jerez. His new team-mate Aleix Espargaro is desperate for points after the 15th place at Jerez his only finish.

The Moto2 race should be another cracker after an explosive start to the new Championship. Nineteen year old Japanese rider Shoya Tomizawa leads the way after first and second place on the Technomag-CIP Suter machine but as always there are at least ten likely winners in the Sunday line-up which is dominated by former Le Mans winners. Second placed Toni Elias who won in Jerez is a former 250 cc winner along with Fonsi Nieto, Yuki Takahashi, Alex Debon and Marco Simoncelli while 125 cc winners include Tom Luthi, Sergio Gadea, Mike Di Meglio and current Word Champion Julian Simon.

The opening two 125 cc encounters have been just as hectic. Nico Terol leads the way from fellow Spaniards Jerez winner Pol Espargaro and surprise packet Tito Rabat with Bradley Smith down in fourth place. Jerez pole setting Marc Marques is fighting to be fit after damaging his shoulder in a spectacular race crash at the Spanish circuit.

EVENT TIME SCHEDULE

Friday 21 May

12.40 – 13.40              125cc Free Practice 1

13.55 – 14.55              MotoGP Free Practice 1

15.10 – 16.10              Moto2 Free Practice 1

 

Saturday 22 May

09.00 – 09.40              125cc Free Practice 2

09.55 – 10.55              MotoGP Free Practice 2

11.10 – 12.10              Moto2 Free Practice 2

13.00 – 13.40              125cc Qualifying

13.55 – 14.55              MotoGP Qualifying

15.10 – 15.55              Moto2 Qualifying

 

Sunday 23 May

08.40 – 09.00              125cc Warm Up

09.10 – 09.30              Moto2 Warm Up

09.40 – 10.00              MotoGP Warm Up

 

11.00                           125cc RACE (24 laps)

12.15                           Moto2 RACE (26 laps)

14.00                           MotoGP RACE (28 laps)

 

Schedule is local time + 1

Last year the Spanish Grand Prix at Jerez attracted a record crowd of 263,648 over the three days of practice qualifying and racing which was the biggest ever official crowd recorded at a MotoGP event.

With a race day crowd of just under 125,000 the Spanish Grand Prix, which is traditionally the opening MotoGP event of the European season is one of the biggest sporting events in Europe and this year should prove no exception.

After the explosive first round in Qatar followed by the postponement of the Japanese Grand Prix, interest is at fever pitch for the second round of the Championship.

All roads head south with no other sporting event in Europe or perhaps the World attracting a bigger crowd than the bwin Spanish Grand Prix this weekend.

LOGISTICAL NIGHTMARE

It’s been a logistical nightmare to get over 270 tons of freight to Jerez in time for the bwin Spanish Grand Prix following the postponement of the Japanese Grand Prix.

Three cargo 747 Jumbo planes flew all the bikes, spares, television, timing and advertising equipment direct from the Qatar to Japan in preparation for the second round of the MotoGP World Championship.

Then the Japanese Grand Prix was postponed because of the world-wide travel chaos and the freight had to be flown to Spain by Tuesday of this week ready to set-up and prepare for the biggest MotoGP event of the year.

Everything will be in place by the first 125 cc practice session at 12.40 hrs on Friday afternoon and then a few hundred people can relax and get some sleep for the first time for many days.

BRITISH TEENAGE TRIO RETURN ‘HOME’

It’s almost like a homecoming for the three British teenagers competing at Jerez this weekend. Bradley Smith, Scott Redding and Danny Webb all cut their competitive teeth racing in the Spanish Championship before embarking on World Championship careers.

For 19 years old Bradley Smith it’s a homecoming from last year he’d love to repeat. The Bancaja Aspar team rider won his very first 125 cc grand prix in Jerez last year on his way to the runner-up spot in the 125 cc World Championship. Lack of top speed from his Aprilia in Qatar kept him down in eighth place but Smith is confident that if the problem can be resolved he’ll be right up there fighting for his third grand prix victory.

Kent teenager Danny Webb also rides for a Spanish-based team and made a decent debut for them by finishing 11th in Qatar. It’s a massive race on Sunday for his Andalucia Cajasol team and a top ten finish for Webb would tick all the right boxes.

After a fantastic first practice session for Scott Redding in the new Moto2 class in Qatar the 17 year old Gloucestershire rider found problems in the race and eventually finished out of the points. He faces the second round with confidence on the Marc VDS Racing team Suter Honda because of some impressive pre-season testing sessions at the Spanish circuit.

QUOTES

Bradley Smith:

“I love racing at Jerez and nothing would have stopped me getting there. I’ve spent hours of my life racing and practicing round there from my earliest days of road racing. Of course last year was highlight when I won my very first grand prix in front of that massive crowd. It’s a day me and the family will never ever forget and it will be hard to repeat that very special memory.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

In pre-season testing Pol Espargaro and Marc Marquez set the pace and they will be quick throughout the weekend. They were lapping under the lap record but I know I can match those times if we can sort out the top speed. It promises to be a great weekend and I’m looking for at least a podium finish to prevent the Qatar winners getting away in the points table.

Danny Webb:

“We know we can improve a lot and we are looking forward to Jerez to start fighting for podium positions.  I would like to thank my new team ever so much because I know it was a hard weekend in Qatar with everything that had happened, they still worked extremely hard and it was a pleasure being around them.  I would like to wish the mechanics well who were injured in the car crash in Qatar and to get better soon and we are all looking forward to Jerez which is such a special place for me and of course the team.”

Scott Redding:

"After the disappointment of Qatar I'm looking forward to getting to Jerez, especially after the successful test we had there back in March. We know it's possible to get the bike working well around Jerez, as long as the track conditions aren't too different to those we had during the test. I would say I'm fairly confident going into the second race of the season. A top ten finish is a realistic goal, but we should really be able to get into the top five if everything goes according to plan. However, as we saw in Qatar, things don't always go according to plan. Hopefully we'll have better luck in Jerez and we'll get the chance to show our true potential in the race."

ROSSI RETURNS TO FAMILIAR BATTLEGROUND

World Champion Valentino Rossi returns to a familiar battle ground to defend his early Championship lead at the second round of the MotoGP title chase at the superb 2.748 mile Jerez circuit in Southern Spain on Sunday.

The 31 year old Italian has fully recovered from a motocross training accident he sustained just a few days after winning the opening race in Qatar on the Fiat Yamaha. The postponement of the Japanese Grand Prix gave him more time to rest and recover as he chases his seventh premier class victory around on the legendary MotoGP venue.

Rossi will need to be 100 per cent fit for the first European race of the season with his team-mate and last year’s pole setter Spaniard Jorge Lorenzo leading the charge. Despite riding with an injured hand, Lorenzo finished second in Qatar and the three week break should see him fully fit for the 27 lap race around the circuit where he won a couple of 250 cc grands prix.

Completing the podium in Qatar was Italian Andrea Dovizioso who fought off the dual American challenge of former MotoGP World Champion Nicky Hayden and the current World Superbike Champion Ben Spies. Dovizioso has looked at home on the Repsol Honda while his team-mate and 2008 Jerez winner Danny Pedrosa has struggled. He finished a disappointing seventh in Qatar and together with former World Champion, Australian Casey Stoner will be looking for a big improvement.

Stoner, riding the Marlboro Ducati, dominated practice and qualifying in Qatar but crashed while leading in the early stages of the race. Already Stoner is 25 points behind Rossi in the Championship battle and will be out to secure his first victory at Jerez in any class.

Spies, riding the Monster Tech 3 Yamaha, was brilliant in Qatar but will be fully tested in his first race at Jerez but no doubt will have received plenty of advice from his team-mate Colin Edwards. The former World Superbike Champion finished third at Jerez three years ago behind Rossi and Pedrosa.

There are plenty of former winners from the smaller classes competing in the MotoGP race this year including last year’s 250 cc winner Hiroshi Aoyama who was tenth on his MotoGP debut in Qatar, Mika Kallio who crashed in Qatar, veteran Loris Capirossi and his Rizla Suzuki team-mate Alvaro Bautista and 125 cc double winner Marco Simoncelli.

The very first Moto2 World Championship race in Qatar was everything that everybody had hoped for. Close racing, a massive entry and a 19 year old rider winning his first grand prix. Shoya Tomizawa will never forget the day but he knows that maiden victory on the Technomag-CIP Suter Honda will be hard to repeat as Moto2 makes it’s much anticipated European debut.

Any one of 15 riders is a serious contender not only for a podium finish but the ultimate victory. Perhaps look no further than a home victory for the likes of veteran Alex Debon who was second in Qatar, Toni Elias who fought through the pain barrier to finish fourth from pole, 125 cc World Champion Julian Simon who retired with a mechanical problem or former Jerez 250 cc winner Fonsi Nieto.

Throw in former Jerez winners Gabor Talmacsi, Simone Corsi and Robbie Rolfo plus a host of grand prix winners and World Champions and you have the prospect of another epic four-stroke encounter.

Spaniard Nico Terol arrives in Jerez brimming with confidence after making his debut for the Spanish-based Bancaja Aspar team by winning the 125 cc race in Qatar. The 23 lap race on Sunday promises to be another classic 125 cc race with pre-season Jerez testing stars Marc Marquez and Pol Espargaro  plus last year’s winner Bradley Smith fighting for victory.

EVENT TIME SCHEDULE

Friday 30 April

12.40 – 13.40              125cc Free Practice 1

13.55 – 14.55              MotoGP Free Practice 1

15.10 – 16.10              Moto2 Free Practice 1

 

Saturday 01 May

09.00 – 09.40              125cc Free Practice 2

09.55 – 10.55              MotoGP Free Practice 2

11.10 – 12.10              Moto2 Free Practice 2

13.00 – 13.40              125cc Qualifying

13.55 – 14.55              MotoGP Qualifying

15.10 – 15.55              Moto2 Qualifying

 

Sunday 02 May

08.40 – 09.00              125cc Warm Up

09.10 – 09.30              Moto2 Warm Up

09.40 – 10.00              MotoGP Warm Up

 

11.00                           125cc RACE (23 laps)

12.15                           Moto2 RACE (26 laps)

14.00                           MotoGP RACE (27 laps)

 

Schedule is local time + 1

The hopes of British Motorcycle racing rests on the capable shoulders of three British teenagers who face the first round of the MotoGP World Championship at the CommercialBank Grand Prix of Qatar on Sunday night.

It’s 33 years since a British rider won a grand prix World Championship but under the floodlights at the Losail International circuit Bradley Smith, Scott Redding and Danny Webb start their campaign to re-write the history books.

Last year 19 year old Bradley Smith finished second in the 125 cc World Championship behind his Bancaja Aspar team-mate Julian Simon. The Spaniard has left to ride in the new Moto2 Championship but the Oxfordshire teenager has remained and aims to go one better this year.

Also remaining in the 125 cc World Championship is Kent-based Danny Webb. His grand prix future looked bleak when his proposed move to a new team fell through but he’s joined the new Spanish-based Andalucia Cajasol Aprilia. It’s a big year for the talented hard riding teenager.

Seventeen year old Scott Redding has switched from the 125 cc class to the new Moto2 Championship riding for the Marc VDS Racing team. The former British 125 cc Grand Prix winner has adjusted brilliantly to riding the four-stroke Honda and looked very impressive in the recent three day test in Jerez.

Bradley Smith:

“At last time to go racing and the effort to get up to train on some of those cold, wet winter mornings will all seem worth it. We’ve just finished three days of testing at Jerez and despite not setting any fast times I’m confident going into that first race with both the bike and the structure of the team. We were not prepared to risk anything so near the first race and my corner speed was good and have plenty left in my pocket for Qatar.

The test also reminded me that crashing and a bit of pain are all part and parcel of racing when I suffered a rubber burn on my neck which came when I was run over by my own bike when I crashed on Saturday. It will be fine for Qatar. It’s important to score some decent points in the first race of 17 grands prix and that’s exactly what I aim to do. I learnt so much last year which should really help me this year starting under those Qatar floodlights.”

Danny Webb:

“I can’t wait to get started and it’s been a really long winter but everything has worked out. The new team is really good to ride for. They are relaxed and help me and we have done well in all the pre-season tests. I’ve finished in the top ten at all our tests and at Jerez last week completed a number of race distances without any crashes.

My aim is to repeat those top ten finishes at the opening three grands prix and go from there. I’m comfortable on the bike and I’m confident about the first race. I like the Losail track and love racing under the floodlights. Let’s hope the rain stays away this year.”

Scott Redding:

"It's all come together during the last two tests in Jerez and, I'm glad to say, we're now well and truly on the pace. We've made some big steps forward with the set-up of the bike, but the biggest improvement has come from me changing my riding style; I was trying to ride the bike like a 125cc machine, when it requires a very different style to get the best from it.

Having been in the top five on the timesheet throughout the three days at Jerez, we head for the first race in Qatar knowing that we're on the pace, but I'm determined not to be over confident. We'll be aiming for a top ten finish but, if I'm honest, I think top five could be a possibility if everything comes together for us. I just can't wait to get there and get the season started now!”

Gloves off- Losail lights on

The gloves come off and the lights go on to herald the long awaited start of the 2010 MotoGP season under the Losail floodlights on Sunday evening. The CommercialBank Qatar Grand Prix should prove a real foretaste of the battles that lie ahead in what promises to be one of the hardest fought Championship campaigns for a very long time.

Already the 22 lap race round the desert location of the 3.343 miles Losail International circuit is billed as a showdown between Italian World Champion Valentino Rossi and former World Champion and Qatar expert Australian Casey Stoner. Rossi, riding the Fiat Yamaha, chases his tenth World title while Stoner, riding the Marlboro Ducati has won the opening grand prix in Qatar for the last three years. It promises to be a real scrap between two World Champions who have looked so very impressive in pre-season testing.

Others are very capable of joining in the fun at the front. Former Qatar 250 cc winner and Rossi’s team-mate Jorge Lorenzo should be fully fit for the opening round. The Spaniard finished second in the Championship last year but damaged his right hand in a training accident which has restricted his testing plans.

Current World Superbike Champion American Ben Spies and former Champion Colin Edwards have joined forces in the Monster Tech 3 Yamaha team. They have been in sensational form at the three official test sessions and could be a real threat to the front runners. Stoner’s Ducati team-mate and former World Champion Nicky Hayden also impressed at the final test in Qatar while former World 125 cc Champion Andrea Dovizioso has been the only Honda rider to shine.

His Repsol Honda team-mate former 125 and 250 cc World Champion Dani Pedrosa has really struggled as have the new pairing of Italian former 250 cc World Champions Marco Simoncelli and Marco Melandri riding the San Carlo Gresini machines.

The current and very last 250 cc World Champion Hiroshi Aoyama makes his MotoGP debut on the Interwetten Honda. Also making their MotoGP debuts are the very competitive Spanish 250 cc stars Alvaro Bautista, who joins experienced Loris Capirossi at Rizla Suzuki and Hector Barbara riding for the Paginas Amarillas Aspar team.

Finnish star Mika Kallio starts his second MotoGP season and is joined by Spaniard Aleix Espargaro at Pramac Ducati while Frenchman Randy De Puniet looks to carry from a good season last year riding the LCR Honda.

History will be made on Sunday evening with the staging of the very first Moto2 Grand Prix. The only certain element of the race, it will be close – picking a potential winner will be much tougher. Will it come from the former MotoGP stars Tony Elias, Alex de Angelis or Niccolo Canepa? Perhaps the 125 cc World Champions Julian Simon, Gabor Talmacsi or Mike Di Meglio will shine but don’t rule out former 250 cc grand prix winners Fonsi Nieto, Robbie Rolfo and Yuki Takahashi. It should be the start of a season long battle.

The 125 cc class has always provided those season long battles and this year should prove no exception with British rider Bradley Smith aiming to go one better than last season. He was piped to the World title by Aspar team-mate Julian Simon who’s departed to Moto2 but it will not be easy for Smith. He’s joined by Nico Terol at Aspar while the young Spaniards Marc Marquez and Pol Espargaro have been impressive in testing.

Last year the 125 cc race in Qatar was shortened to just four laps because of pouring rain which delayed the MotoGP race by 24 hours. The chance of a repeat of the desert downpour is remote but it’s the only thing that could spoil the weekend – the racing will take care of itself.

News Update

The Grand Prix of Hungary scheduled to be held on September 19 has been cancelled because construction work on the Balaton circuit will not be completed on time. It will be replaced by the Grand Prix of Aragon at the reserve circuit Motorland Aragon in Spain on the same date.

Packed Moto2 Debut

The new Moto2 class makes it’s much anticipated debut in Qatar. Around 40 riders will pack the grid in Qatar for the opening round of the new Championship which replaces the 250 cc class.

Testing has already shown just how close the racing will be with riders all using identical 600cc Honda engines housed in their own frames with Dunlop supplying all the tyres.

The Championship has attracted a very strong field of current and former World Champions, riders from the MotoGP, 250 and 125 cc classes plus a host of exciting newcomers.

Event Time Schedule

Friday 9 April

20.00 – 21.00              125cc Free Practice 1

21.15 – 22.15              Moto2 Free Practice 1

22.30 – 23.30              MotoGP Free Practice 1

Saturday 10 April

18.00 – 18.40              125cc Free Practice 2

18.55 – 19.55              MotoGP Free Practice 2

20.10 – 21.10              Moto2 Free Practice 2

22.00 – 22.40              125cc Qualifying

22.55 – 23.55              MotoGP Qualifying

00.10 – 00.55              Moto2 Qualifying

Sunday 11 April

18.00 – 18.20              125cc Warm Up

18.30 – 18.50              Moto2 Warm Up

19.00 – 19.20              MotoGP Warm Up

20.00                           125cc RACE (18 laps)

21.15                           Moto2 RACE (20 laps)

23.00                           MotoGP RACE (23 laps)