Category: Moto GP

1. APRILIA RACING TEAM GRESINI - MotoGP Texas Preview

   Posted on 5:00pm Wednesday 6th Apr 2016

   MOTOGP - APRILIA HEADS TO TEXAS SEEKING CONFIRMATION
   
   AFTER THE POSITIVE SIGNS IN THE FIRST TWO RACES, BRADL AND BAUTISTA ARE KEEN TO CONTINUE IMPROVING
   
   In 2015 the Austin circuit in Texas had Aprilia taking its first championship point in their new MotoGP adventure. This year things are rather different. The new 2016 Aprilia RS-GP began its path of growth well and, despite being a brand new project, in the first two races of the season it demonstrated reliability and finished in the points (in Qatar) and twice in the top ten (in Argentina) with Bradl seventh and Bautista tenth across the wire.

   This is an encouraging start for the Aprilia Racing Team Gresini as they will now take on the COTA - Circuit of the Americas - seeking important confirmation.
    
   ROMANO ALBESIANO - APRILIA RACING MANAGER
   "We are coming from a race where we skilfully managed a complicated situation, finishing with an encouraging overall result that could have been even better. In any case, this does not distract us from our main objective which, in this first part of the season, is still to develop and to get in as many kilometres as possible. In Texas we will continue to follow our testing schedule. We have identified a few good solutions, especially where electronics are concerned, but we have also found a few factors that limit our performance where we need work, in particular a vibration at the rear that keeps us from being 100% incisive. The track in Texas is a complex one that puts various characteristics of the bike to the test, so it is a good test bench for us".
   
   FAUSTO GRESINI - TEAM MANAGER
   "Despite some difficult conditions, in Argentina we brought home a positive result. Let's not forget that the new RS-GP has barely a thousand kilometres behind it and obviously there is still a lot that needs to be developed. The project started off well and finishing the race with both bikes in Argentina as a team along with other riders allowed us to collect important information and see more clearly which direction to take. Now we are preparing for the Austin round that will finish out the first phase of the championship, with three non-European races that are traditionally the toughest".
   
   ALVARO BAUTISTA
   “We are headed to a track that is new for us, very different than Qatar and Argentina. There are a lot of tight turns, a lot of acceleration points, a long straight stretch and a few changes in slope. It is a rather complete track where we'll be able to see how the new Aprilia reacts. We are in a good period where performance in the last race was positive, especially in the first part of the race where I was competitive against much more experienced bikes. The pace we demonstrated makes us confident, although we are still not at 100%. Our goal is still to get as many laps in as possible in order to gather information and get to know the new bike better. It would also be nice to earn a few more important points before heading back to Europe”.
   
   STEFAN BRADL
   “The result at Termas gives us great motivation. Austin is completely different. The layout of the track is quite demanding in terms of setup. As always, we will try to improve session after session. I must say that I like the track and that I've had good results in Texas before. We'll see how my Aprilia performs here. For us every race is a début and it gives us the chance to discover knew characteristics of the 2016 bike. The growth trend is encouraging and we need to keep going in this direction”.

2. MICHELIN READY FOR THE SEASON OPENER UNDER THE LIGHTS OF QATAR

   Posted on 3:00pm Thursday 17th Mar 2016

   Michelin will be heading to the Losail International Circuit for its return to MotoGP™ as the series kicks off under the floodlights at the Qatari track on Sunday 20th March.

   
   Following three informative pre-season tests – including one in Qatar – Michelin has analysed all the data to make its decision as to the best tyres to take to the 5,380km circuit. The Losail circuit is situated in a rocky, desert location and as such the track can be very abrasive at times due to the sand that is blown off the surrounding area. This allied to the usually cooler temperatures that are experienced as the sun sets, all add to the challenges that supplying the optimum tyres for such conditions will present to the French company. The Qatar race will see the introduction of 17” tyres and with a need to have a consistent grip and good durability, Michelin will take three front and two rear tyres to Losail for the race. The soft Power Slick – which will be identified by the white band - the medium Power Slick – which will not feature a coloured band for identification – and the hard Power Slick – yellow band - for the front. Along with the asymmetric soft Power Slick – white band - and the asymmetric medium Power Slick – no band – for the rear. There will be no Michelin Power Rain or Power Inter tyres in use as the riders will not run in wet or changeable conditions under the lights.

   
   Built in less than a year and completed in 2004, the Losail International Circuit is located on the outskirts of Doha – Qatar’s capital city – and has been a regular on the MotoGP calendar since its completion. The first night race was held in 2008 and is staged beneath over 3,000 individual light sources on more than 1,000 structures, all powered by huge generators. This impressive array of lighting is designed to not only light the track, but deflect light away from the surface and then redirect it back, all aimed at avoiding glare from blinding the riders and giving them ideal visual awareness.

   
   Track action at Losail begins on Thursday 17th March when the MotoGP stars will take to the circuit for the first free practice session. Two further free sessions will be held on Friday to decide which riders progress through to which qualifying session – held on Saturday evening. The inaugural race of 2016, and Michelin’s re-introduction in to the exciting arena of MotoGP, will take place at 21.00hrs local time (18.00hrs GMT, 17.00hrs CET) on Sunday 20th March, when the world’s best two-wheel racers will do battle over 22-laps of the challenging Losail circuit.

   
   The Qatar race weekend will also see a Michelin press conference which will be staged at the circuit on Saturday 19th March, with Director of Michelin Motorsport. Pascal Couasnon in attendance, along with Michelin’s Head of Two-Wheel Motorsport Group Nicolas Goubert and the Manager of the Two-Wheel Motorsport Group Piero Taramasso, when the three will lay-out Michelin’s plans for the forthcoming season and answers any questions from the assembled audience.

    

   Nicolas Goubert - Head of the Two-Wheel Motorsport Group:

   “We are looking forward to the first race, because we have been getting ready for it for over a year. It has been a lot of hard work to get to this position and we are now prepared for competitive action. We are quite confident about heading to Qatar, because we learnt a lot during the test sessions that we had two weeks before the race. The riders were satisfied with the improvements we have made from the beginning of the season, and there was a positive feeling at the end of the test. Having a race at night gives extra issues, where we can encounter lower temperatures and the added difficulty of dew on the surface, plus the wind blast blowing sand on the track, making it quite abrasive and giving it a sandpaper effect, which impacts on tyre wear. Other than that the Losail track is not the most demanding for tyres in general, the toughest part lies between turns 10 and 14, where riders contend with a double left (10 and 11) and a triple right (12, 13 and 14), which is quite a difficult combination, but we have worked hard to give the riders the best tyres for this circuit and we are now excited to get into competitive action.”

   
   Piero Taramasso – Manager of Michelin MotoGP Programme:

   “We are all motivated to get back to Qatar and the first round, especially with it being Michelin’s return and the special atmosphere of this night race. We have been preparing for over a year-and-a-half and have worked closely with the teams, the riders and Dorna to provide the best tyres in readiness for the first race. Logistics are very important, because the Qatar event is not the easiest one to manage and all our consignments of tyres and equipment has to be shipped in containers, but we have prepared for that and we’ll be ready for the first race. We are really looking forward to getting back into MotoGP action.”

3. MOTOGP - AFTER INDY APRILIA RACING TEAM GRESINI TAKE ON THE CZECH TRACK AT BRNO

   Posted on 9:00am Saturday 15th Aug 2015

   Brno (Czech Republic), 12 August 2015 - It's a non-stop August for MotoGP and Aprilia Racing Team Gresini. In fact, just a few days after the American weekend at Indianapolis it's time to fly to Brno in the Czech Republic for the eleventh round of the season. An exciting track, full of up and downhill sections, demanding for the chassis and the engine: the ideal testing ground to continue developing the RS-GP and, above all, to lay a solid foundation for creating the 2016 Aprilia prototype.
   
   For Alvaro Bautista the goal of finishing in the points at Indy went up in smoke due to tyre wear on a track that was not very well suited to the Italian bike, but at Brno the Spanish rider is keen to get back to his usual level of competitiveness.
   
   After a convincing début in the USA, Stefan Bradl will take on Brno with renewed optimism. On a track that he knows well, Stefan will be able to begin the weekend already familiar with the bike and the Team. Even from a physical point of view the Czech track seems to be less demanding on paper, which is good news for his recently operated right wrist.
   
   
   ROMANO ALBESIANO (Aprilia Racing Director)
   “Having two riders with very similar performance allows us to do more testing which is a positive aspect for solving the growing pains of our package. At Brno we'll be putting a new frame on the track and we'll basically be using new setups, precisely for the purpose of streamlining our programme in view of 2016. With its fast turns and direction changes, the Czech track will be a demanding test bench for the RS-GP machine's chassis. We will definitely be gathering some more fundamental data.”
   
   FAUSTO GRESINI (Team Manager)
   “The Indianapolis track was not one of the most favourable that we've been on so far and consequently we struggled a bit more than we had expected: at Brno we are hoping for an improvement, considering the fact that we can also count on a few technical changes in terms of the chassis. We'll continue with our development work and this weekend we hope to be able to take another step forward. At Indy we saw a good début by Bradl who was unfortunately slowed down in the race by his injured wrist. He doesn't have much time to recover, but we hope that he'll be more physically fit for Brno.”
   
   ALVARO BAUTISTA
   “Brno is a very different track compared to Indy. We need to try to make the bike agile with all the direction changes, whereas on the uphill sections the engine counts a lot. We'll continue our development work with the goal of collecting as much data as possible and laying the foundation for the 2016 project. This weekend we hope to be more competitive and to take home some satisfaction.”
   
   STEFAN BRADL
   “We are going to a track that I know very well and where I have had good results in the past, so I can't wait to get back in the saddle. On paper Brno is also a physically less demanding track than Indianapolis, so I hope that my right wrist doesn't give me problems, also considering the fact that I'll have a few days to rest. I'll also be able to begin practice starting from a level of familiarity with the bike which is definitely higher, so I hope that we'll be able to do a good job this weekend.”

4. Cummins returns to the Ulster GP with Honda Racing‏

   Posted on 5:00pm Wednesday 5th Aug 2015

   Conor Cummins will be back on-board the Honda Racing CBR1000RR Fireblade SP this week for the Ulster Grand Prix. Situated just west of Belfast in Northern Ireland, the event takes place on the 7.4-mile Dundrod circuit and is dubbed ‘the world’s fastest road race’.

   The ‘Ramsey rocket’ was due to race at the meeting last year for Honda Racing, but had to pull out after sustaining an injury at the Southern 100 in mid-July. Cummins has enjoyed previous success at the UGP, winning the Superbike race in 2009 and is a former lap record holder, something he hopes he can repeat this year.

   Cummins will compete for Honda Racing in three Superbike races, with one on Thursday 6 August and two on Saturday 8 August.

   For real-time updates follow @HondaRacingCBR

5. MOTOGP RESUMES WITH THE INDIANAPOLIS ROUND

   Posted on 8:54am Wednesday 5th Aug 2015

   Stefan Bradl makes his debut on the Aprilia RS-GP alongside Alvaro Bautista
   
   Indianapolis (USA), 4 August 2015 - After the three week summer break the MotoGP engines roar to life for the Indianapolis GP. But even during the holidays there were changes afoot: German rider Stefan Bradl will make his début on the Aprilia RS-GP for the American round. Bradl will then continue throughout the season on the Aprilia Racing Team Gresini alongside Alvaro Bautista.
   
   At exactly the midway point of the season Bradl's contribution could be decisive in continuing the project development process which is Aprilia's primary goal in this rookie year of MotoGP. This is a progressive job that Bautista has been carrying out perfectly from the start of the championship, managing to consistently battle for points and, with the tenth place finish at Barcelona, bringing home a very encouraging result for the entire team's work.
   
   
   ROMANO ALBESIANO (Aprilia Racing Manager)
   “Stefan is a young rider with a lot of important experience and he's fast, having won the Moto2 world championship title and taking home some good placements in MotoGP in recent years. We are expecting an important contribution from him in developing the RS-GP, working alongside Alvaro Bautista who has done a truly excellent job thus far. I would like to thank Michael Laverty for his efforts and professionalism during the German GP.”
   
   FAUSTO GRESINI (Team Manager)
   “After a three week break we are anxious to get back onto the track. Up to now we have been able to do a lot of work on the RS-GP and with Bautista we have also brought home a few satisfying results, like the tenth place finish in Barcelona and the other five finishes in the points. Now we are ready to get back to work with even more enthusiasm. We are sure that with the arrival of a fast and expert rider like Stefan Bradl alongside Alvaro our progress on the technical front will move along even quicker.”
   
   ALVARO BAUTISTA
   “During the summer break unfortunately I didn't have much time to relax. I would have liked to have spent some time on the beach, but it just wasn't to be. In fact, after the Sachsenring race, my right forearm which had been operated on for compartment syndrome swelled up so I had to do physical therapy and undergo various medical checks. In any case, I'll be going to Indianapolis very focused and intent on picking up on the development work carried out in the first half of the championship: Indianapolis is a very particular track since it was made to be raced on in the opposite direction, but we want to continue gathering important data here as well in order to define next year's bike. I'd also like to welcome Bradl to the team: being able to count on a competitive team mate is definitely positive and I hope that together we'll be able to move forward more quickly on developing the RS-GP.”
   
   STEFAN BRADL
   “I can't wait to get to Indianapolis and start this new, great adventure. It obviously won't be easy at the beginning. I'll need to get used to a new team and a new bike, so my main goal in this first Grand Prix is to begin getting to know my mechanics and familiarising myself with the way the bike performs. As for my injured right wrist, the situation is good: I am very pleased because my hand is no longer giving me problems and lately I have been able to do the same training programme that I did before my injury. During the summer break the healing process went well and on Monday the doctors gave me the all-clear to race at Indy. Recently I have also been Motocross training to check my sensations on a bike. I still don't know how I'll feel astride a MotoGP bike, but I think that by the time I arrive at Indianapolis I'll already be close to 100% fitness.”