The Italian celebrated his third-place finish after a weekend of hard work and constant [...]]]> The French Grand Prix saw Valentino Rossi score his first podium finish aboard a Ducati, following a race that was marked by excitement and surprises. Nicky Hayden started from the fourth row, but advanced to seventh place by the finish.

The Italian celebrated his third-place finish after a weekend of hard work and constant improvement, during which he and his crew progressively improved the bike’s setup until finding a good compromise for the race.

Sixth at the end of the first lap, Rossi stayed just a few tenths from Jorge Lorenzo and Andrea Dovizioso, who fought over fourth place until an incident between Pedrosa and Simoncelli with ten laps remaining.

At that point, the trio began battling over second place, and in the end, Valentino finished third, behind Dovizioso and winner Casey Stoner. Nicky Hayden fought over sixth place with Ben Spies, and although he had to concede the position to his compatriot in the end, he was pleased with the progress made over the course of the weekend. In two days, on May 17, Valentino Rossi will be in action at Silverstone Circuit aboard a Ducati 1198, as the English track inaugurates a new paddock wing.

Valentino Rossi (Ducati MotoGP Team) 3rd

“We’re very pleased with this podium because we’re on the right path, and especially because I had fun today. I rode the Desmosedici well, I was fast in the technical parts of the track, I felt good from start to finish and I had good lap times. This morning we made a last change to the setting together with Jeremy and the guys from Ducati, and it helped cut another couple of tenths. I knew I could beat Lorenzo, so that was my goal. I also passed Dovi at one point, but I got a little confused and made a move on the penultimate lap instead of the last one.

I lost my concentration momentarily, but in short, he got me again. Anyway, it’s fine like this; I’m happy for myself, for my team, for Filippo (Preziosi), and for all the boys at Ducati. This result boosts our morale. We still have to keep working and improving though, because there’s more to be done. I also have to improve and keep adapting my style to the Ducati, because I’m still not riding it as I should, but in the meanwhile, we’ll enjoy today’s nice race and podium.”

Nicky Hayden (Ducati MotoGP Team) 7th

“We didn’t do ourselves any favors by starting 10th, but actually, we made a little step forward with the bike today. I got a decent start but was just really tight and lost some time. As the race got going, I was able to move up a bit and slowly bring back Spies and Colin. Colin crashed, but once I got in front of Ben, I wasn’t really able to get down in the 34s and get away like I needed to. Seventh isn’t a great result for us, but I would say that overall, it’s probably been our best weekend yet. When the track was cold, I was able to go quite fast—always in the top five in those conditions. I hoped for better in the race, but I’m looking forward to the next stretch; we’re about to really get into the season.”

Vittoriano Guareschi (Team Manager)

“We’re satisfied with this weekend because we’ve already benefited from the first changes that we’ve made according to Vale’s requests. We had a nice race, maintained a good pace and took part in a nice battle. The team worked very well on the setup, which we changed every session and took a step forward each time—including one in the morning warm-up. We still have work to do, because this is only the start; there’s still a gap to make up, but anyway, we’re going in a promising direction. Nicky also confirmed that his feeling with the motorcycle has improved, and he made good progress on the bike over the course of the weekend.”

The third round of the world championship, at the Estoril circuit, saw Valentino Rossi put in a nice race on a dry track, as there was no rain after this morning’s wet warm-up. The Italian started well from the third row and made up more positions on the first lap, [...]]]> Ducati Racing Press Release

The third round of the world championship, at the Estoril circuit, saw Valentino Rossi put in a nice race on a dry track, as there was no rain after this morning’s wet warm-up. The Italian started well from the third row and made up more positions on the first lap, bringing him to fourth place.

From there, he maintained a good rhythm for the entire race, holding off Andrea Dovizioso until the very end, when Dovizioso slipped by in the race to the line and finished in front by a hair—just twenty-five thousandths of a second. Starting from the fifth row, Nicky Hayden also had a very strong launch, and the American was seventh after the first lap.

A small shifting problem affected him a little, but it was mainly the contact with Spies that caused him to lose a gap to Aoyama and Crutchlow. He was ninth at the finish. Tomorrow the Ducati MotoGP Team will stay for a post-race test with the other MotoGP teams, and naturally, good weather is hoped for so that the team can continue its development of the GP11.

Valentino Rossi (Ducati MotoGP Team) 5th
“Apart from Dovizioso, today went well! I’m joking, but Andrea obviously rode a race that was strategically perfect. I think he played with me a little, knowing that on the straight, he could probably beat me to the line. He couldn’t pass me because I was strong on the brakes, so he had me do all the work for 28 laps before making his attempt, and he got me by twenty-five thousandths. Apart from that, the team and I are very happy, because it was a nice race and this, for the time being, is the best we can do. I started well, I made up several positions, and then I was very consistent, with decent times.

I practically did the same lap from qualifying for 28 laps, so it’s a good result. My only disappointment is that fourth would have been my best finish with the Ducati. Anyway, another positive is that I’m physically well, as I’m missing just fifteen percent of my strength, but I think I’ll be at 100 percent between Le Mans and Catalunya. As for the bike, there’s certainly still work to do, but we’re working together with the Ducati technicians. They’re pleased with the data they have, and I’m seeing that what I get from the racing department works. It will take some time, but we’re going forward. Tomorrow we’ll have some new things to try, so let’s hope that it’s dry, and we’ll see how it goes. We don’t expect to solve everything in seven hours, just to continue down the path we’ve started on together.”

Nicky Hayden (Ducati MotoGP Team) 9th
“Starting from thirteenth, it was always going to be difficult for us, but the bike was good off the line and I got a good start. I made some early mistakes, but I was also recovering a few positions. I got into seventh, but I was having difficulty back-shifting. Already on the sighting lap, I knew it was an issue. On the grid, we talked about getting on the other bike, but we decided together that it was better to stick with our bike and not start from pit road. It caused some difficulty, especially on corner entry, and some guys came past. Then Spies hit me pretty good and stood me up going into Turn 3, so I lost the bridge to Aoyama and Crutchlow. I’m really happy we have a test tomorrow. We’ve got some stuff to try, and hopefully we’ll get some good weather, because we lost some dry time this weekend with the rain. The bike was great in the wet—third Friday and fourth this morning—but we need to make it better in the dry.”

Vittoriano Guareschi (Team Manager)
“Valentino had a good start and a nice race: we were very consistent with the times, and the gap to the front was reduced, which indicates that the work we’re doing on the GP11 is going in the right direction. Nicky also got away well when the lights went off and, despite a shifting issue, he stayed strong and finished in the top ten. Tomorrow will be a test day, and we’ll try some updates to different areas of the bike, so we hope that the weather won’t play any dirty tricks on us so that we can take advantage of all the track time.”

Nicky Hayden climbed the third step of the podium at the Spanish Grand Prix, in a race made so treacherous by rain that in the end, only twelve riders reached the finish line.

The American rider, who started from the fourth row, was fast from the beginning, immediately making up [...]]]> Ducati Racing Press Release

Nicky Hayden climbed the third step of the podium at the Spanish Grand Prix, in a race made so treacherous by rain that in the end, only twelve riders reached the finish line.

The American rider, who started from the fourth row, was fast from the beginning, immediately making up ground. He was involved in a number of battles that saw him alternating between fifth and third places for most of the race until he earned Ducati’s first podium finish of the season.

Valentino Rossi, who also started from the fourth row, mounted an extraordinary charge. Fast and determined, he advanced from twelfth to second position in the space of just seven laps.

Unfortunately, he had a fall following an error in the first turn of the eighth lap, involving the innocent Casey Stoner in the incident.

Rejoining the race in second-to-last place, with a big gap to the next rider, Rossi didn’t give up and gave everything he had, charging all the way to fifth place at the finish.

Nicky Hayden (Ducati MotoGP Team) 3rd
“That wasn’t necessarily a pretty win because my last laps were so slow when the tires were worn, but we’re on the podium, and I’m pretty happy about it! In the beginning, our bike was really good because I had a lot of traction. After a while, it was all about focus, and there was no room for error. The track was changing every corner, because there was rain in some parts and no rain in other parts. Also, the tyres and the lines kept changing. It certainly hasn’t been an easy start to the season, so we’ll take success any way we can get it. Big thanks to the team. Hopefully we can try to build on this, and it will be the little shot in the arm to help get us going. I know Ducati’s not sleeping. They’ve got some work to do, but I think our bike is better than we’ve been showing. We’ve just been missing a little bit, but I’m confident we can still recover and have a good season.”

Valentino Rossi (Ducati MotoGP Team) 5th
“Today in the wet we had a great chance for me to make my first podium with Ducati, or even to get my first win. I felt good, both with the bike and my shoulder, because I could brake where I wanted to rather than where I’m forced to in the dry, since I still don’t have the necessary strength. The bike is very fast in the wet. I was advancing really well, and I’m sorry to have made that mistake and thrown away such an opportunity. While braking for the first corner, I entered a bit long, and although I tried to stay to the inside, I lost the front and couldn’t stay up. I’m sorry, because I also took out Stoner, and I certainly didn’t want to do that. I apologized to him, and I’m truly sorry; it was a mistake. It’s a shame because we really could have gotten some satisfaction, but we’ll keep trying. We’re still not so fast in the dry, but we’re working hard. Anyway today’s fifth place gave us eleven points that are very important in the championship.”

Vittoriano Guareschi (Team Manager)
“We’re very happy because we got our first podium of the season with Nicky, and we saw Valentino riding really well. It’s a shame about the crash because he would have fought for the win, and obviously, we’re also very sorry that Casey was involved. Vale was able to get going again, and he had a great race. He didn’t give up, and he managed an excellent fifth place. Nicky was very good at handling a difficult situation over the last ten laps when the tyres were finished and it would have been easy to throw it all away. The team worked very well. We found a good setup for the wet during the warm-up, and we had an excellent team result.”

Nicky Hayden, on the other hand, was among the riders who [...]]]> Valentino Rossi posted the third-fastest time overall during the first day of practice in the Spanish Grand Prix at Jerez. Like the top seven in the results, he did it in the morning session, when conditions were slightly cooler and not as windy.

Nicky Hayden, on the other hand, was among the riders who improved in the afternoon, when he finished ninth, a little less than a second off his teammate in the combined results from both sessions.

Valentino Rossi (Ducati MotoGP Team) 3RD, 1:40.077
“I’m happy because this morning I did the third-fastest time, and in the afternoon, when the higher temperature hurt us a little, I was fifth. Anyway, most of the riders went a bit slower in the second session. Apart from the two Hondas at the front, we’re closer to everyone else, which was our goal. It was a good day. There’s still work to do; we’re trying to find the right balance, and that’s why we’re trying two settings that are a little different from each other as we work on weight distribution. We have to improve the front feeling a little; the bike that I prefer still doesn’t turn like we want it to, which means we’ll have to find a compromise between the two setups. As for my shoulder, I don’t have much strength, but in terms of endurance, it’s a little better.”

Nicky Hayden (Ducati MotoGP Team) 9th, 1:41.058
“We’re basically riding the same bike as in Qatar, obviously with a couple of small tweaks for this track; you need a stiffer front spring and a few other little differences. We feel closer than we were in Qatar. We made a little step forward this afternoon and it’s good because only a few riders improved in the afternoon session, though the wind was a lot worse. It’s the same for everybody, but the wind was really brutal today, especially around here where you’re leaned over in a lot of long corners. We’re still almost a second off of the front riders, but at least we’re inside a second, which wasn’t the case at Round 1. We’re not over here jumping up and down with joy, but we’re positive, and we’ll keep improving. There’s a few places I’m lacking, but we’re trying to just make small gains and not make too many big changes.”

JEREZ CIRCUIT RECORDS
Official Record: Dani Pedrosa (Honda – 2010), 1:39.731 – 159.657 Km/h
Best Pole: Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha – 2008), 1:38.189 – 162.164 Km/h
Circuit Length: 4.423 km
2011 MotoGP Race: 27 laps (119.421 km)

2010 PODIUM: 1st Jorge Lorenzo, 2nd Dani Pedrosa, 3rd Valentino Rossi

2010 POLE: Dani Pedrosa (Honda – 2010), 1:39.202 – 160.508 Km/h

Rossi is the reigning MotoGP champion. But he has been facing strong competition from within his Yamaha team. Jorge Lorenzo, a young Spaniard, is leading the series and appears to be the face [...]]]> Aug 16th

Valentino Rossi, the great Italian motorcycle rider, confirmed recent rumors that he will be joining Ducati MotoGP in 2011.

Rossi is the reigning MotoGP champion. But he has been facing strong competition from within his Yamaha team. Jorge Lorenzo, a young Spaniard, is leading the series and appears to be the face of Yamaha’s future. For the last couple of years, the team has been unable to conceal the two riders’ dislike of each other.

Rumors about a Rossi move to Ducati have swirled around the MotoGP paddock for months. But they grew stronger when Ducati rider Casey Stoner announced in July a move from the Italian outfit to the Repsol Honda team. It was all but certain that an announcement from Rossi about a jump to Ducati would come soon after. The terms of the deal were not revealed, though it is believed to be around $19 million a year.

Aug 5th

The Yamaha racer is widely expected to join the Italian team next season following Casey Stoner’s exit.

“Recent news which has appeared on websites has been misreported and must be attributed to the many rumours circulating lately,” said a statement.

“Whether and when a deal is reached an official press release will be issued.”

Present world champion Stoner recently announced he was leaving Ducati at the end of the season to  link up with Honda, which would create the vacancy for the Italian rider and Italian manufacturer to unite.

Valentino has just returned to action following a broken leg which looks to have ended any practical chance he had of retaining his world title this year, as he now lies fifth in the standings.

His Fiat Yamaha Team Mate Jorge Lorenzo is the leader, 72 points clear of nearest match Dani Pedrosa.

Earlier this week, Ducati chief executive and president Gabriele Del Torchio had been quoted as saying Rossi would be paired with American Nicky Hayden in the company’s 2011 MotoGP team, but they have now backtracked.

“Regarding the recent allegations attributed to Mr del Torchio, Ducati states that no agreement has been reached with the riders Valentino Rossi and Nicky Hayden for the future Moto GP season, although our interest in these riders remains,” said the Ducati statement.

Despite Ducati’s reserve, Rossi is widely expected to announce the end of his seven-year association with Fiat Yamaha during the next round of the MotoGP championship, at Brno in the Czech Republic on 14-15 August.

Yamaha racing boss Lin Jarvis recently stated he wanted his rider line-up for next year finalised before the Brno race weekend, with World Superbikes champion Ben Spies tipped to be named as Lorenzo’s new team-mate.

The Italian rider, who sustained the injury in practice for the Italian Grand Prix, tested a Yamaha YZF-R1 superbike at a private test session at [...]]]>

Rossi is back!

MotoGP 2010.

MotoGP world champion Valentino Rossi has made a successful return to action, less than five weeks after breaking his leg in a crash.

The Italian rider, who sustained the injury in practice for the Italian Grand Prix, tested a Yamaha YZF-R1 superbike at a private test session at the Misano circuit and completed 26 laps.

He will make a decision on his participation at the German Grand Prix within the next week and told www.motogp.com: “The test was positive, because I can at least ride, but there is a lot more to a MotoGP race than to a test like this one. I had some pain in the ankle, the knee and the shoulder, but above all I lacked strength in the shoulder and a bit of movement in the ankle.”

Rossi added: “I would really like to come back at Sachsenring, but it is still too early to say. We still have 12 days and we must wait and see how much we can improve my condition in the next few days.”

Rossi finished 11 laps before returning to the track for 15 more, recording a best lap time of one minute 38.200 seconds. The 31-year-old was expected to be out of action for three to four months.

Valentino Rossi has been walking on crutches since the end of last month. His Spanish team-mate Jorge Lorenzo is leading the championship by 52 points after winning the last three races. Rossi has slipped to seventh overall.

Moto GP world champion Valentino Rossi completed on Monday a second successful testing session since breaking his leg last month. Rossi completed 46 laps on a Yamaha YZF-R1 superbike, the same  GP bike he rode on his return to racing a week ago at the Misano circuit in Italy. His best time on Monday was 1 minute, 59.135 seconds.

“Today was good, I felt better than in Misano but I still feel quite tired after a few laps and a race will be a much bigger question,” Rossi said.

The 31-year old Rossi is contemplating a return to competitive action at the weekend at the German Grand Prix, but could delay until the Czech Republic Grand Prix in Brno on Aug. 15.

“We haven’t made the final decision yet,” he said “I need to have some more x-rays on Wednesday and then my doctors and I will consider whether I can ride at Sachsenring.”

If he was to ride in Germany, he would require clearance from the Moto GP medical director. If he does not pass the required tests, Japanese rider Wataru Yoshikawa will again replace Rossi, as he did at the Catalan Grand Prix earlier in the month.

The seven-time champion underwent surgery for two-and-a-half hours following a crash in qualifying for the Italian Grand Prix on June 5. He was expected to be out of action for three to four months.

Varying media reports in recent weeks have had Valentino Rossi signing for Ducati [...]]]> Valentino Rossi off to Ducati

The debate over Valentino Rossi’s future could be set to be cleared up as soon as this weekend’s Catalan Grand Prix in Barcelona, a source close to Crash.net has hinted.

Switching to Ducati from Yamaha

Varying media reports in recent weeks have had Valentino Rossi signing for Ducati Corse, staying put at FIAT Yamaha and then signing for Ducati again only this time with the carrot of some future Ferrari F1 test – and perhaps even race – outings thrown in for good measure, but still there has been nothing official to confirm. It appears fans may not have much longer to wait.

According to a paddock insider at Catalunya, the record-breaking multiple MotoGP World Champion has agreed terms with Ducati to join the Italian manufacturer from 2011 onwards, replacing Casey Stoner who looks to be Repsol Honda-bound.

Ducati

In the 31-year-old’s place at FIAT Yamaha would graduate Ben Spies, who over the last two races at Silverstone and Assen has laid down a genuine marker with a podium finish and a fourth place for the satellite Tech 3 squad.

It is widely believed that Rossi’s unwillingness to partner Jorge Lorenzo for another season – after issuing a dramatic if subsequently retracted ultimatum late last year that it would be either him or the Spaniard at FIAT Yamaha in 2011.

With the bottom line being that the team wasn’t big enough for the both of them – has hit an insurmountable stumbling-block in his employer’s desire to retain the current runaway pace-setter’s services, regarding him at just 23 years of age as the future, and indisputably a world champion in-the-making.

That, it would appear, was the final tipping-point for the Urbino native, and with Ducati having made no secret of its desire to poach ‘The Doctor’ away – and stumping up a big-money offer in its efforts to do so – Yamaha’s immovable object has seemingly met Rossi’s irresistible force and the fallout looks likely to leave the most successful rider of the modern era set for a future in red. Perhaps both on bikes and in cars.

The two-time Japanese Superbike Champion will ride in the place of the injured Valentino Rossi, with Rossi’s [...]]]>

MotoGP: Filling in for Valentino Rossi

Yamaha Motor Racing is pleased to announce that Wataru Yoshikawa, their experienced Japanese test rider, will join the Fiat Yamaha Team from the Barcelona round of the MotoGP World Championship.

The two-time Japanese Superbike Champion will ride in the place of the injured Valentino Rossi, with Rossi’s team and the YZR-M1, until the Italian is back to full fitness following his broken leg.

Tech 3 rider Colin Edwards had been viewed as one of the favourites to step up and replace Rossi, but with that leaving Tech 3 then on the hunt for a new rider, Yamaha has instead turned to the relatively unknown two-time Japanese Superbike Champion to take over the best bike/team combo in MotoGP.

It is expected that Yoshikawa will be with the Fiat Yamaha Team for at least three races, after which more should be known about Rossi’s expected return date.

Rossi’s Spanish team mate Jorge Lorenzo is leading the championship after five races and will again be the solo Fiat Yamaha rider at the Dutch GP at Assen on Saturday.

Yamaha managing director Lin Jarvis said the team had considered all options before opting for the veteran tester.

“We had always planned to use a rider from within the Yamaha Motor and Tech 3 family,” he said.

“But for each rider we considered who is in active competition, their move to the Fiat Yamaha Team would have created another problem for their own racing program or for the teams in which they are engaged.”

Jarvis said Yoshikawa had the experience and would also allow the team to fulfil their contractual obligations to series promoters.

“I’m happy to have this chance to stand-in for Valentino while he is recovering and to compete in MotoGP again for the first time since 2002, when I raced at Motegi,” said Yoshikawa, who won Japanese superbike titles in 1994 and 1999.

Yoshikawa has raced once before in MotoGP, competing as a wild card in 2002.

MotoGP boss Davide Brivio has said he would not replace Valentino Rossi with a second rider if it was not for a contractual obligation.

The nine-time World Champion will be out of action for the forseeable future after the Italian [...]]]>

Valentino Rossi, Out of Moto GP for Six Weeks

FIAT YAMAHA MOTOGP:

MotoGP boss Davide Brivio has said he would not replace Valentino Rossi with a second rider if it was not for a contractual obligation.

The nine-time World Champion will be out of action for the forseeable future after the Italian broke his right shin during practice at Mugello MotoGP.

“If it was up to us we wouldn’t replace Valentino, but the contracts force us to,” Brivio told Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport.

“We have two test riders, but they are a bit slow, and to see an excessive gap among riders isn’t nice. Unfortunately it’s difficult to find an available rider at MotoGP level.”

As you’d expect, the rumour mill is red hot with potential candidates to fill Rossi’s seat for the next few races; 2009 World Supersport Champion Cal Crutchlow, Tech 3 Yamaha rider Colin Edwards and Moto2 frontrunner Yuki Takahashi are all hot names for the most-prized seat in motorcycle racing

Rossi’s bid to retain his world title has been ended by the injury, which could see him sidelined for four to five months. However, the 31-year-old remains upbeat.

He said: “I’ll come back soon. I was afraid, now it’s a lot better. It will take time, the important thing is to return to 100%.
“It was a bad fall, a bad injury, but it’s going well.”

Ferrari suggested Valentino Rossi to test in Formula 1 before returning to MotoGP after the Doctor was involved in a bad crash during the Italian Grand Prix qualifications.

Even though Rossi will “wear” crutches in the following six weeks, the multiple MotoGP world champion was invited to test a Ferrari F1 car before coming back in the motorcycles competition, according to a statement made by Luca di Montezemolo, Scuderia President.

“Everyone at Ferrari is with you at this difficult time. We are sure that you will be back on track soon, even stronger than before. If during your convalescense you feel you would like to do some training on four wheels, then remember that the door to Maranello is always open to you,” wished Luca di Montezemolo to Rossi via Ferrari’s official site.

Rossi tested a lot of times for Ferrari an is heavily rumored that the Italian is wanted in Formula 1, if Scuderia’s proposal that top F1 teams to have three drivers is approved.