Aurin: ‘The key for Dani is to be a little more aggressive’

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After the Sepang 1 test, Dani Pedrosa’s new Crew Chief Ramon Aurin spoke about his new role and Pedrosa’s 2015 title hopes.

From the Malaysian circuit Aurin gave his thoughts to Spain's Movistar TV:

You have already started working with Dani Pedrosa, how have things gone so far?

"After three years without working as a crew chief something always escapes you, but hopefully by Qatar all will be well on track. Like a rider, I just need a bit of practice."

Has your work changed much?

"Last year I had a more technical role, whereas now it is more about coordination and decision making to get the bike set-up. There are days when you'd be more on the technical side and others where it is decision making or as a coordinator, but I accept it as it comes and I'm happy to be back."

You worked as crew chief with Andrea Dovizioso. Is there more pressure now?

"Maybe the first year with Dovi I had a lot of pressure because it is role that you have to learn. Dani is a rider who always fights for the title. To maintain this dynamic you have to do a good job."

How did the job offer come about? Was it from Dani or proposed by Honda directly?

"Because of circumstances, Mike Leitner decided to leave and various possibilities were assessed. I'm a Honda man and have been for a long time, I did this job with Dovi and I think he was happy. I wanted to know if Dani agreed because the relationship with the rider is very important. He said he was very happy with it and here we are."

Do you think Dani will be a title contender this year?

"The key for Dani to be champion is to be a little more aggressive. Last year he made good races from middle distance to the end. The regulations help the Open riders to be ahead in the opening laps, he is not so aggressive and being lighter it is harder for him to warm the tyres at the beginning, he just needs four or five laps to be on the pace, when others get on it in the second. That's where we need to improve, to be more aggressive at first, so I don’t know whether or not he’ll win, but for sure he will have more chance."

source : MotoGP.com

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Ducati Desmosedici GP15 to be presented in Italy

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The Ducati Team to take part in the 2015 MotoGP™ World Championship will be presented on Monday (16th February) in Italy.

The presentation will take place at 11am on Monday at the Ducati Auditorium in Borgo Panigale. During the event, which has been organized in collaboration with Telecom Italia, the 2015 sporting activities will be presented and the team’s official riders Andrea Dovizioso and Andrea Iannone will pull the wraps off the highly-awaited Desmosedici GP15.

The riders will officially debut the machine on track at the Sepang 2 test from 23rd to 26th February.

source: MotoGP.com 

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Marquez nominated for Laureus award

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MotoGP World Champion Marc Marquez has been nominated for the main Laureus World Sports Award.

Last year the Spaniard won the Laureus Breakthrough Award after taking the 2013 MotoGP title, as the youngest ever rider to win the premier class title.

After retaining the title in 2014 he is now up for the main award for "Best Sportsman of the Year", with the likes of Lewis Hamilton (Formula 1), Novak Djokovic (Tennis), Rory McIlroy (Golf) and Cristiano Ronaldo (Football) also nominated.

The Laureus Foundation provides financial and practical support to over 150 projects related to education for young people living in deprived areas of the world. The result of the vote of the Laureus Awards and the awards ceremony will take place on 15th April in Shanghai.

source: MotoGP.com

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MotoGP Legend Agostini honoured in Jerez

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Former 500cc World Champion Giacomo Agostini has been honoured in the Jerez Walk of Fame.

The Italian MotoGP™ Legend was inducted into the city’s new Walk of Fame as part of Jerez’s celebrations as the World Motorcycling Capital. Fellow MotoGP Legend Angel Nieto was the first rider to be inducted into the walk in January.

Officials from the city of Jerez and Agostini’s wife were alongside him as he unveiled his star, the second to have been created on the Walk of Fame.

Agostini is the most successful rider in the World Championship history with a total of 122 Grand Prix victories and 15 titles to his name, eight in the premier class and seven in the former 350cc category.

source: MotoGP.com

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British Grand Prix to run at Silverstone

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Silverstone and Circuit of Wales have confirmed they have reached an agreement which will see Silverstone hosting the British GP in 2015.

The FIM have confirmed that Silverstone will be the host venue. The event will take place over the weekend of 28 – 30 August 2015 and the arrangement has secured the future of MotoGP™ racing in the UK following the recent announcement by Donington Park confirming that they will not be hosting the event.

Patrick Allen, Managing Director of Silverstone commented:  "A lot of work has been done over recent years to ensure MotoGP™ fans enjoy what Silverstone has to offer and it was devastating for the venue to lose the event last autumn.  Two wheel racing is as much a part of Silverstone’s heritage as four wheel racing and I am obviously delighted to be in a position to announce we are hosting both the F1™ and MotoGP™ Grand Prix in 2015."

"We have recently introduced a family friendly pricing policy for the Formula 1 British Grand Prix which is proving extremely popular and over the next two weeks I will be working closely with my team at Silverstone to launch a ticket model for MotoGP™ that I hope will be equally well received by fans."

"I would also like to take this opportunity to thank all our customers who have moved their event dates to enable us to accommodate MotoGP™."

Michael Carrick, Chief Executive of Circuit of Wales commented  "We are delighted to announce that we have reached agreement with Silverstone to host the 2015 and 2016 British rounds of MotoGP™.   We want to thank the new management at Silverstone, our partners at Dorna and our investors for the rapid response needed to support the 2015 event when it became clear that we would be unlikely to conclude the contractual arrangements at Donington.  We are delighted to secure the future of the event for the next two years while our circuit in Wales is under construction. Today’s announcement ensures we will have the 2015 British Round of MotoGP™."

"We continue to advance our development activity on the Circuit of Wales and are focused on the upcoming public inquiry into the deregistration of the common land.  We expect construction to commence once this inquiry has concluded."

source: MotoGP.com

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