pictures: NGM Forward Racing 2012 Livery with Coling Edwards

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source: crash.net

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Colin Edwards 2012 CRT MotoGP livery revealed

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The NGM Forward Racing team unveiled its racing colours for its 2012 MotoGP debut season at Jerez on Tuesday (more pics below). 

The team is one of several new entries taking advantage of the 'CRT' rules to step up from Moto2 to MotoGP. 

Forward Racing has signed popular Texan Colin Edwards to ride its Suter-BMW. 

Edwards, with two WSBK titles and twelve MotoGP podiums to his credit, is the most highly decorated of the nine CRT riders, but is expected to face tough competition for top CRT honours from Aspar Aprilia's Randy de Puniet. 

"I would like to apologize for being late," said Edwards. "Apparently there is an even bigger tornado than me in Texas that delayed my flight! 

"Jokes aside, I am very happy to be here today and to be part of this new adventure with the team. We have started off working a lot on the development of the bike and especially on the electronics. 

"At the first test we were at about 60% of the development of the bike and now we are at about 92%-93%. Our objective is to keep working and get good results.” 

Team owner Giovanni Cuzari believes the new CRT class will become as successful as Moto2. 

"In 2010 I immediately believed in the new Moto2 category," he said. "I realized the great possibilities that the new rules offered in terms of providing exciting races. In my opinion it was a great idea on Dorna's part and hence Carmelo's. 

"Today I think we can say that the Moto2 races are spectacular: the grid is full - maybe a little too much! - and the show is always guaranteed. So, today we're here to officially present our entry into MotoGP 'taking one more step forward'. 

"I think CRT will, with time, have the same success that Moto2 experienced. Of course, like all rookies at the beginning we will suffer a bit, but time will prove us right and hopefully bring many satisfactions with the CRT." 

Forward Racing will also continue in Moto2 this season, running Suter machinery for Alex de Angelis and Yuki Takahashi, also present at the launch. 

"For the past year and a half I have been riding a different bike and now I have to adapt my riding style to my Suter bike, but I believe that we can work really well together," said de Angelis. "I look 'Forward' to this season.” 

Fellow former MotoGP rider and Moto2 race winner Takahashi added: 

"I am happy to be here, the bike is good, the team is good and we can make many things together this season," he said. "We have had a busy pre-season where we have tried many different things to find a good setting. I hope to have a good start to the season and keep up the good work of the team.” 

The final Moto2/Moto3 pre-season test concludes at Jerez on Wednesday evening, with the MotoGP class taking over from Friday to Sunday. 

source: Crash.net

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Takahashi teams up with NGM Mobile Forward Racing in 2012

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Yuki Takahashi signed a one-year contract with the NGM Mobile Forward Racing Team and will ride alongside Moto2 and MotoGP veteran Alex De Angelis for the 2012 season.

Upon confirmation of the deal the experienced Japanese rider and his new team outlined their goal, which is to compete for the podium and a possible win at every race, with the ultimate aim of a top three finish in the final ranking.

”I'm really excited about joining the NGM Mobile Forward Racing Team in Moto2,” declared the 27 year old. “It represents a new challenge to me because everything changes: team, bike and chassis. My goal this year is to win the Championship. The NGM Mobile Forward Racing Team and Suter have shown to be competitive during the previous 2 seasons and I’ll give 100% to reach our objective.”

The Sporting Director of the team, Marco Curioni, was also enthused by the decision. “I’m very glad we reached an agreement with Yuki for next season. We are convinced that our technical material and the support from Suter will permit us to fight constantly for the positions on the top of the timesheets and I’m really looking forward to see him and Alex fighting for the win and podiums at every single race. Yuki is not just an extraordinarily professional rider but he is also an easy-going, down to earth person and I think it will be a pleasure to work with him. He definitely is the right person in the right place.”

Takahashi began his career in MotoGP as a 125cc wild card back in 2001 and surprised everyone with a third place finish in the 2002 250cc Pacific Grand Prix, his first appearance on a Honda 250. The 2012 season will be his seventh full-time campaign in the World Championship in which he has taken 3 wins and a total of 11 podiums.

source: motogp official

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Flashback: Motegi 2009, Nicky Hayden And Yuki Takahashi Crash

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Next October, MotoGP will back to Asian tour, with Japan and Malaysia as the host. Last year at Motegi Circuit Japan, Nicky Hayden and Yuki Takahashi involved on at crash. For Takahashi, Motegi was a home race. He had a lot of pressure from public. Maybe that was on of thr problem why Takahashi push to hard and make Hayden crashed into a gravel After that accident, Nicky Hayden was very disappointed.

“In the gravel trap I tried to ask Takahashi what he was doing; I guess he apologised, but I’m not too big on ‘sorrys’. I know that it’s a home race, and that there’s a lot of pressure, but that’s no excuse for trying to be a hero and take somebody out. It’s a race, and we’ve all done it,” said the Ducati Marlboro man, a relentless professional who can be forgiven for feeling aggrieved.

“It was exactly what we didn’t need. I got a decent start, then just going into the hairpin I just felt somebody hit me and that was it. We could have done with the experience, more than anything, as I need some laps on this bike.”

“This week I felt like I had better communication, and understood people better. We’ve got another race coming up, and I’m in good shape at least. I landed on exactly the same place as I did at Qatar and, apart from a bad headache, I’m feeling ok,” he concluded.

So see for next October 3rd when MotoGP will hosted on Japan. Hopefully there's no more accident for Nicky Hayden

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