Andrea Dovizioso set for style makeover

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Andrea Dovizioso will use next week’s Sepang test in Malaysia to continue tweaking his riding technique to suit the new Yamaha YZR-M1 1000cc MotoGP bike.

The Italian spent his entire MotoGP career riding for Honda before he agreed a deal to partner British rider Cal Crutchlow in the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 squad this year.

The former 125GP world champion impressed during the traditional Valencia test in November but he was hampered in the opening Sepang test earlier this month by a recovering right collarbone, which he broke in a motocross training accident in early January.

And the former Repsol Honda rider admits he still needs to work on changing his riding style to suit the YZR-M1.

He told MCN: “There is a big difference between Honda and Yamaha. They have very different characteristics. I have to try and push in the good points of the Yamaha like in the braking, entry and middle of the corner. And I have to change a lot because four years I was with Honda in MotoGP and there is only one way to ride that bike.

"At Honda you have to cut the line and you have to try and pick up the bike as quickly as you can. That is the best way to go fast with that bike. But that doesn’t work with Yamaha.

"With the Yamaha you can brake late, make really high speed in the middle of the corner, so I have to change everything. I have to change how to use the traction control and all these things but I was happy with the work we did in Sepang.

"I was also really happy with the lap time considering my physical condition. Casey (Stoner), Dani (Pedrosa), (Jorge) Lorenzo and (Ben) Spies went so fast but not so far from me given my condition.”

Dovizioso, who finished third in last year’s MotoGP world championship behind Stoner and Lorenzo, also believes the second Sepang test won’t crucial to understand who is going to be strong and competitive when the new season kicks off in Qatar on April 8.

The second Sepang test gets underway on February 28 and Dovizioso added: “I think the next time we are in Sepang it will be important to understand exactly the level in that track but only that track.

"In Jerez and Qatar with completely different characteristics we will then get a clearer idea of the level of the bike, but not now.”

source: MCN

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Private testing in Jerez continues

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Randy De Puniet continues to lead the MotoGP™ CRT field, while British rider James Ellison made his first laps on the ART prototype of the Paul Bird Racing team on the second day of the private test at Jerez.

Day two of private testing wrapped up for five riders aboard CRT prototypes, plus Karel Abraham on a satellite Ducati and Franco Battaini test riding for Ducati.

Joining the new Claiming Rule Team bikes on track was Briton James Ellison of the Paul Bird Motorsport Team, who today made his first laps on the ART bike ahead of his return to the World Championship five years after finishing his last race in the premier class. Ellison reported being quite satisfied with the ART bike, although only completing 36 laps, with a best time of 1’44.4.

Randy De Puniet was again the fastest rider aboard a CRT, the Frenchman set a best time of 1’40.9 at the controls of the Power Electronics Aspar Team ART while continuing to try new options with the electronics package. Despite struggling with grip levels today, De Puniet managed to complete the day 7 tenths of a second faster than his time from Monday.

Teammate Aleix Espargaró returned to the track after leaving early yesterday due to feeling ill, though the Spaniard was not able to get a good feeling on the bike today and crashed twice. "The main problem is holding a line in the fast corners. I’m losing feeling and running wide on the exit," explained the Aspar rider, who matched his best time of 1’42.6 set on Monday.

Mattia Pasini’s second day proved productive as the 26 year old bettered his time by 1.3 seconds on the Speed Master ART, just over a second behind the fastest rider on the track.

Karel Abraham (Cardion AB Motoracing) joined the test this morning, completing 46 laps before a crash in which his GP12 went up in flames, causing huge damage to the front end and chassis. The Czech rider escaped without serious injury but the Ducati team now have a big job to get the bike fixed for Hector Barbera (Pramac Racing) to ride tomorrow, as the Spaniard was to share the satellite Ducati with Abraham for one day each of testing. Ducati are hopeful that their mechanics can repair the bike tonight for the third and final day of testing.

Danilo Petrucci was the source of another red flag when he crashed his Ioda Racing machine after matching his best time of 1’43.3 of yesterday. The 21 year old Italian told motogp.com that he is not 100% sure that the team will be able to reassemble the bike in time for the last day of testing tomorrow, an important day as the Italian claims there is still a lot of work to be done on the electronics.

source: MotoGP Official

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KTM is confirmed in Jerez with its pilots

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Will still chrono "unofficial", but between Valencia and Jerez the KTM seem to have something more than the competition, whether the five officers dell'Ajo M32 KTM Motorsport KALEX or four-KTM team Aspar and RW Racing GP. At the end of the test well in Andalucia 8 pilots pushed the single-cylinder 250cc 4-stroke made ​​in Mattighofen found themselves in the top-10, led by the young Briton Danny Kent, a real revelation of this "pre-season" written by the official with the M32 Red Bull KTM Factory Team.

Vice-champion Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup 2010 (winner of Race 1 at Jerez right), ranking 2 nd in the "Rookie of the Year" in 2011 with an Aprilia GP 125 RSW (three races while arguing with RSA), Danny Kent does not can only be satisfied with the responses that emerged from the Jerez test, finding himself on the top list of the times in all three test days.

" Everything went well , "says the talented British driver. " The feelings are positive, there were problems and chronometric references to prove it. On the final day of testing, we also tried a long run with good responses, always discovering something new. "

Some more problems instead of dominating the previous trials in Valencia, Sandro Cortese , fell ruinously into Day 2, but manage to complete the program of work and development on behalf of KTM Racing and Ajo Motorsport technicians. " It happens to fall when you are forcing the pace. Anyway, I'm happy: despite setbacks we are always there in the lead ", did you know the German driver.

Budget therefore positive for KTM and Ajo Motorsport, as reaffirmed in no uncertain terms by Aki Ajo, owner of the team and team manager for the official formation Ajo Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team . " Jerez is a circuit with different characteristics compared to Valencia. We did not encounter major problems, the bikes and the engine is delivering the expected responses, so we focused our work mainly on the general set-up package. Now for us and our development department KTM Racing is facing three weeks of hard work to prepare for upcoming tests and, of course, for the start of the 2012 season. "

source: bikeracing.it

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Lorenzo "This year we are closer to the Honda"

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At the end of testing in Sepang, Jorge Lorenzo is one of the pilots seemed more satisfied. Back in the saddle after 3 months of inactivity for injured remedied in the Warm Up at Phillip Island, "Porfuera" has traveled regularly finding himself behind Casey Stoner, showing above all a good race pace. As stated in a lengthy interview with "Brand", Lorenzo can be considered happy for this first part of 2012.

" The Sepang test went very well , "said Jorge Lorenzo. " It 'been my back in the saddle after injury, but there were no special problems: after 4-5 laps I had found the rhythm, I have encountered physical problems also because this year the clutch size is smaller. This helped me to drive, I have not encountered particular problems at the helm. "

Speaking of the potential of the new Yamaha YZR M1 1000cc, World Champion 2010, December efiducioso. " At one point there were three Yamaha in Sepang in the top five: This undoubtedly is a significant fact. Stoner has an incredible talent, goes fast with every movement and condition, but this year we are closer to him. We'll see here at Losail, but for now Yamaha has done a great job. ? $ 80?

About Stoner, " Without doubt it is a very fast driver, but I think I'm up to it. If there are no problems and my Yamaha will be competitive, I think we will be able to do a season like that of 2010. "

By tri-World Champion (2006 and 2007 in the 250cc MotoGP in 2010), Lorenzo knows what it takes to hit the highest goal. " To become world champions need not committing errors. Last year I made ​​two, at Silverstone and Phillip Island. I gave my all to fight with Stoner, the limit is easy when you're wrong: it can happen. "

source: bikeracing.it

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Moriwaki MD600 develops new for 2012 season

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The first Moto2 World Champion in the category is renewed. For 2012 Moriwaki Engineering has completely revised its MD600, in order to file the gap to compete with the power to solve one of the main problems encountered during 2011: the maximum speed on the straights.

For this reason, satisfying the demands of the two teams "customers" of the World (Gresini QMMF), has developed a new aerodynamic fairing with a reduced size and an air intake airbox "Suter style."

Also new on the chassis with a new chassis that has met the four pilots of World Moriwaki Moto2, the former star of the Gresini team Supersport Gino Rea and Thai Ratthapark Wilairot, for Damian Cudlin QMMF Racing Team (pictured) and Elena Rosell.

It must be said that the Gresini team will develop your own Moriwaki MD600 , choosing the 2012 Showa suspension after the "experiment" Shock last season.

source: bikeracing.it

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