Race Weekend - Valencia

A broken exhaust meant Danny Webb finished the 125cc MotoGP season in Valencia out of the points. Danny was running in tandem with team-mate Alberto Moncayo when his exhaust fell off with five laps to go. Luckily his engine didn't seize up, Webb was able to bring his ailing bike home in 16th and have a good burn up.

It means he finished the 2010 season in 10th overall, a good achievement considering he was riding on under-power machinery compared to his main rivals.

Danny Webb:

"It was a bit of a hard weekend. We struggled to get the set-up right, but I was alright in 11th when I hit someone. A faring broke, the exhaust got bent and eventually sheared off. It's one of those things. I still managed to finish the race, which was lucky as the engine could have seized at any time."

However, Webb is happy to report he has signed a deal which will keep him in the MotoGP paddock next season. He's pleased with the ride he has secured, but as yet is unable to announce who it is with. All will be revealed later this month.

Bradley Smith signed off his 125cc career with a superb victory at the final race of the season at the Generali Grand Prix of Valencia this afternoon. It was the 19 year old Oxfordshire rider’s first win of the season before moving onto the Moto2 class next season. 

“What a way to finish my career in 125 cc and the Aspar team,“ said Smith who finished 4th in the Championship.  “I got away at the start and just pushed and pushed. The win means so much to me before moving onto a new challenge which starts with testing tomorrow.”

It was not such a good day for the other British riders with Danny Webb dropping to 16th place after losing an exhaust pipe and Danny Kent retired with mechanical problems.

In a furious Moto2 race Scott Redding making his 50th Grand Prix appearance confirmed all his promise by finishing 5th with the Marc VDS team after another great battle for the podium.

Lorenzo ends title-winning 2010 on victorious note at Valencia

Jorge Lorenzo signed off a hugely successful 2010 campaign with his ninth win of the year today, taking victory at Valencia in front of a delighted home crowd. The MotoGP World Champion, who before this weekend had never won at the circuit, eventually crossed the finish line 4.576s clear of Casey Stoner, who was followed onto the podium by Valentino Rossi.

Despite the margin of victory it was far from a straightforward win for the 23 year-old Spaniard, who did magnificently to avoid crashing when he collided with Marco Simoncelli early on. Motivated even further by the moment Lorenzo determinedly pushed on and rode brilliantly to end his season in the perfect manner.

In second place and ending his four-year partnership with Ducati Stoner had led the race for much of the contest, but with eight of the 30 laps remaining he was unable to prevent Lorenzo taking over.

A further four seconds back Rossi, who was also ending a chapter in his illustrious career with his final race for Fiat Yamaha after seven success-laden years, placed third having engaged in a great scrap with Lorenzo in the earlier stages of the race. The Italian also secured third in the final Championship standings ahead of Stoner.

The fight for fourth was another great encounter in which Ben Spies came out on top as he rode his final race with Monster Yamaha Tech 3 before moving up the factory team. The American had been locked in a battle with Andrea Dovizioso (Repsol Honda) and San Carlo Honda Gresini rookie Simoncelli to the end with the Italian pair completing the top six.

Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda) – who sealed runner-up spot in the Championship with seventh – Héctor Barberá (Páginas Amarillas Aspar), Álvaro Bautista (Rizla Suzuki) and Randy de Puniet (LCR Honda) ended their 2010 seasons with top-ten finishes, with Aleix Espargaró (Pramac Racing), Colin Edwards (Monster Yamaha Tech 3), Marco Melandri (San Carlo Honda Gresini Team), Hiroshi Aoyama (Interwetten Honda MotoGP) and Carlos Checa (Pramac Racing) completing the 15 finishers.

There was disappointment for Nicky Hayden (Ducati Team) who crashed out at the start having risen to second position, whilst Loris Capirossi (Rizla Suzuki) retired from the race with 17 laps remaining.

Lorenzo’s final points tally of 383 is also a new record for the most points scored in a single season in the MotoGP class. His win was also the first at Valencia for Yamaha in the 800cc era.

Moto2

Karel Abraham’s first-ever World Championship Grand Prix win came in the Moto2 race as the Czech rider took victory in a thrilling encounter before making the move up to the premier class next year.

Following Abraham onto the podium were Andrea Iannone (Fimmco Speed Up) and Julián Simón (Mapfre Aspar), with the Spaniard clinching runner-up spot in the Championship by just two points ahead of the Italian.

It was a fantastic race from start to finish and Iannone shot into the lead early on, with a number of riders battling for positions at the front of the race. Scott Redding (Marc VDS Racing Team) – who became the youngest ever rider to make 50 GP starts – and World Champion Toni Elías (Gresini Racing Moto2) were amongst those as they traded moves.

Both Stefan Bradl (Viessmann Kiefer Racing) and Kenan Sofuoglu (Technomag-CIP) were involved too, and as they went head to head when fighting for second position the Turk was forced to run on at turn one and went down. He rejoined the race but then had to retire, and shortly after Bradl himself crashed out at turn 12 when pushing to keep pace with the leaders.

All the while Simón had slowly crept up the order having dropped as low as ninth on the opening lap, and he slotted into second as he hunted Iannone down. The duo became involved in a great battle in the latter half of the race, into which Abraham and Elías were drawn as they both rode hard.

After many moves and exchanges of positions it came down to the final lap and the tension peaked when Elías clipped Iannone’s rear wheel and crashed out. Abraham capitalised and slipped through into first position amid the drama, holding it to cross the finish line 0.522s ahead of Iannone with Simón just six-hundredths behind in a breathless finale.

Thomas Lüthi (Interwetten Moriwaki Racing) was less than two-tenths back with Redding capping off his season with a top-five finish. The top ten was completed by Alex de Angelis (JiR Moto2), Simone Corsi (JiR Moto2), Sergio Gadea (Tenerife 40 Pons), Dominique Aegerter (Technomag-CIP) and Gabor Talmacsi (Fimmco Speed Up). Elías returned to the track to finish the race 30th.

125cc

Fourth position for Marc Márquez was more than enough for the 17 year-old to be confirmed as the deserved 2010 125cc World Champion after a mature ride from the Red Bull Ajo Motorsport rider. Victory was taken by Bradley Smith as he won his first race of the season in the final round, cruising across the finish line 2.786s clear in his last 125cc ride before graduating to the Moto2 class next season.

Smith took the lead from the start, with Nico Terol (Bancaja Aspar) – Márquez’s only title rival in the final round – and Márquez following behind. A poor start from Pol Espargaró (Tuenti Racing) was recovered well by the Spaniard as he slowly climbed back up the order having dropped as low as 11th on the opening lap, and as the race progressed Márquez allowed him through and into third, thus avoiding any potential mishaps.

With two laps to go Espargaró went through on Terol and the duo swapped positions once again, all the while Smith led comfortably at the front.

The Brit took the chequered flag almost three seconds clear for his first win of 2010, thus breaking what had stretched to a 26-race winning streak in the category for Spanish riders. Espargaró signed off from the class with second position – his 12th podium of the year – with Terol crossing the line in third.

Márquez, at just over five seconds back, took fourth position to end the year on 310 points having won ten races, taken 12 podiums and 12 poles in the process.

Completing the top ten were Sandro Cortese (Avant Mitsubishi Ajo), Esteve Rabat (Blusens-STX), Tomoyoshi Koyama (Racing Team Germany) – in his 100th GP – Efrén Vázquez (Tuenti Racing), Randy Krummenacher (Stipa-Molenaar Racing) and Luis Salom (Stipa-Molenaar Racing).

Bradley Smith makes his last ever 125 cc grand prix appearance at the Generali Grand Prix of Valencia in Spain on Sunday. The 19 year old Oxfordshire rider announced he will be joining the French-based Tech 3 team to compete in the Moto2 Championship next season just a few minutes after finishing third in the 125 cc race at the bwin Grand Prix of Portugal on Sunday

The Oxfordshire teenager rode a brilliant team race in Portugal to try and help his Aspar team-mate Nico Terol beat his Championship rival Marc Marquez but feels there will be no such pressures round the 2.489 mile Valencia circuit where he finished in second place last year.

Kent-based Danny Webb looks to hold onto his tenth place in the 125 cc Championship after finishing ninth in Portugal while 16 year old Danny Kent still chases that elusive first championship point after crashing out in Portugal from the Lambretta.

Seventeen year old Scott Redding had a brilliant ride in the Moto2 race in Portugal. Despite starting down in 25th place on the grid he almost finished on the podium riding the Marc VDS machine into fourth place after another fantastic battle with Alex De Angelis. He has a real chance of a podium finish in Valencia and a good result could see him finish as high as sixth in the Championship.

Quotes

Bradley Smith:

“My last 125 grand prix at a track I know well. The shackles will be off after trying to help Nico in Portugal and I’m really looking forward to the race and my first Moto2 test for Tech 3 the next day. I finished second in Valencia last year and I would love to finish my 125 cc career with a win.”

Danny Webb:

“Let’s hope the weather is better than Portugal but still I picked up some important points in ninth place. Valencia is a track I know so well and I want to finish off the season with a good result to hang onto tenth place or perhaps even grab ninth.”

Danny Kent:

“I was unlucky in Portugal and so go to Valencia looking for those first World championship points.”

Scott Redding:

“Despite all the problems in Portugal I nearly grabbed a podium place right at the finish. My recent results give me great confidence going into the last race in Valencia. It’s a track I know well and if we get some decent weather I may have a chance of that first Moto2 victory but first I’ve got to beat Alex De Angelis who once again beat me to the podium on Sunday.”

THE FINAL SHOW DOWN IN VALENCIA

The final round of the 2010 MotoGP World Championship will take place round the tight demanding 2.489 miles Ricardo Tormo circuit at the Generali Grand Prix of Valencia in Spain on Sunday.

While Jorge Lorenzo and Toni Elias return home for the first time to celebrate their respective MotoGP and Moto2 World titles it’s 17 year old Marc Marquez who looks likely to make it a Spanish treble by clinching the 125 cc World title.

The Red Bull Ajo Motorsport Derbi rider holds a 17 point lead over Nico Terol going into the final round after winning his tenth grand prix of the season after an anxious weekend in Portugal. Pol Espargaro dropped out of contention following his tenth place in Portugal. It promises to be another anxious weekend for Marquez and his team but they dealt with everything that could be thrown at them in Portugal and came out on top.

Lorenzo chases his ninth win of the season in the MotoGP Championship where the battle for second and third place takes centre stage. Danny Pedrosa, who returned to the action to finish eighth in Valencia, has a 19 point advantage over Valentino Rossi in their battle for second place. Pedrosa has won two premier class races in Valencia including last year while Rossi, who has finished on the podium in the last four races, has two premier class wins but back in 2003 and 2004

Casey Stoner, who won in Valencia two years ago, crashed out in Portugal and dropped to fourth in the Championship just ten points in front of Andrea Dovizioso who was third on Sunday.

The other big battle is all American between Ben Spies and Nicky Hayden who are tied on points. Hayden may hold the advantage because Spies dislocated his left ankle in the Portuguese warm-up lap and did not ride the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 in the race. He has been declared fit to ride on Sunday.

Marco Melandri bows out of a superb MotoGP career with 125, 250 and MotoGP victories including a Valencia victory. The Italian competes for the last time on the San Carlo Gresini Honda before joining the World Superbike Championship next year.

Andrea Iannone’s crash in Portugal after an amazing ride through the field means that Julian Simon has every chance of finishing second in the Moto2 World Championship behind Elias. Simon, who won the 125 cc race last year, has a sixth point advantage over Iannone with Tom Luthi a likely fourth.

Elias returns home after crashing out in Portugal determined to finish his championship season with his eighth win of the year before returning to MotoGP with LCR Honda next year.  

EVENT TIME SCHEDULE

Friday 5 November

09.05 – 09.45              125cc Free Practice 1
10.05 – 10.50              MotoGP Free Practice 1
11.10 – 11.50              Moto2 Free Practice 1
13.05 – 13.35              125cc Free Practice 2
14.05 – 14.50              MotoGP Free Practice 2
15.10 – 15.50              Moto2 Free Practice 2

Saturday 6 November

09.05 – 09.45              125cc Free Practice 3
10.05 – 10.50              MotoGP Free Practice 3
11.10 – 11.50              Moto2 Free Practice 3
13.05 – 13.45              125cc Qualifying
14.05 – 14.50              MotoGP Qualifying
15.10 – 15.55              Moto2 Qualifying

Sunday 7 November

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 (27 laps)
14.00                           MotoGP RACE (30 laps)

Time Schedule is GMT + 1 hr