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Brno Czech Republic MotoGP Race Results 2011

Posted on 14 August 2011. Tags: BRNO, race results

Suzuki wild-card John Hopkins was forced to withdraw from the event after breaking fingers in Saturday practice.

1. Casey Stoner AUS Repsol Honda 43m 16.796s
2. Andrea Dovizioso ITA Repsol Honda 43m 23.328s
3. Marco Simoncelli ITA San Carlo Honda Gresini 43m 24.588s
4. Jorge Lorenzo ESP Yamaha Factory Racing 43m 25.309s
5. Ben Spies USA Yamaha Factory Racing 43m 26.982s
6. Valentino Rossi ITA Ducati Marlboro 43m 29.428s
7. Nicky Hayden USA Ducati Marlboro 43m 39.833s
8. Colin Edwards USA Monster Yamaha Tech 3 43m 40.985s
9. Hiroshi Aoyama JPN San Carlo Honda Gresini 43m 41.998s
10. Hector Barbera ESP Mapfre Aspar 43m 53.362s
11. Toni Elias ESP LCR Honda 43m 53.475s
12. Randy de Puniet FRA Pramac Racing 43m 53.905s
13. Loris Capirossi ITA Pramac Racing 44m 5.707s

DNF:
Alvaro Bautista ESP Rizla Suzuki
Karel Abraham CZE Cardion AB Motoracing
Cal Crutchlow GBR Monster Yamaha Tech 3
Dani Pedrosa ESP Repsol Honda

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BRNO MotoGP Qualifying results 2011

Posted on 13 August 2011. Tags: BRNO, Qualifying

Suzuki wild-card John Hopkins has withdrawn from the event after suffering finger fractures in Saturday morning’s wet practice session.

1. Dani Pedrosa ESP Repsol Honda 1m 56.591s
2. Jorge Lorenzo ESP Yamaha Factory Racing 1m 56.704s
3. Casey Stoner AUS Repsol Honda 1m 56.860s
4. Ben Spies USA Yamaha Factory Racing 1m 57.178s
5. Marco Simoncelli ITA San Carlo Honda Gresini 1m 57.351s
6. Valentino Rossi ITA Ducati Marlboro 1m 57.367s
7. Andrea Dovizioso ITA Repsol Honda 1m 57.442s
8. Colin Edwards USA Monster Yamaha Tech 3 1m 57.676s
9. Nicky Hayden USA Ducati Marlboro 1m 57.721s
10. Hiroshi Aoyama JPN San Carlo Honda Gresini 1m 57.784s
11. Cal Crutchlow GBR Monster Yamaha Tech 3 1m 57.797s
12. Toni Elias ESP LCR Honda 1m 58.245s
13. Hector Barbera ESP Mapfre Aspar 1m 58.273s
14. Alvaro Bautista ESP Rizla Suzuki 1m 58.274s
15. Randy de Puniet FRA Pramac Racing 1m 58.889s
16. Loris Capirossi ITA Pramac Racing 1m 58.938s
17. Karel Abraham CZE Cardion AB Motoracing 1m 58.946s

Fastest practice time:
Dani Pedrosa ESP Repsol Honda 1m 56.328s (FP1)

2010 US Grand Prix (August 14):
Pole position:
Dani Pedrosa ESP Repsol Honda 1m 56.508s
Fastest race lap:
Jorge Lorenzo ESP Fiat Yamaha 1m 57.524s

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Lorenzo blows away rivals with clinical Brno win; Rossi struggles to fifth

Posted on 16 August 2010. Tags: BRNO, lorenzo

Jorge Lorenzo

Jorge Lorenzo took an impressive seventh win of the season in Brno this afternoon with a clinical performance that saw him lead from the first lap to the chequered flag. In doing so he becomes only the third premier-class rider in history to finish in the top two at the opening ten races of the season. In stark contrast to his Fiat Yamaha team-mate’s good fortunes, Valentino Rossi ran into problems from the start and could only finish fifth.

Despite surrendering pole position for the first time in six races, some bold moves from the Spaniard around the first two turns saw him take the lead before the first split and he looked in imperious form on his Yamaha M1, with yesterday’s front-end troubles clearly a thing of the past. Dani Pedrosa kept close on his heels for the first few laps but every time his fellow countryman closed the gap a few tenths Lorenzo responded with renewed vigour and by the tenth lap he was a second clear. From then on he was unchallenged and he crossed the line 5.494 seconds clear of Pedrosa to take the 33rd win of his career and his 12th in MotoGP.

With the weather looking favourable following heavy rain this morning, Rossi was confident that he would be able to mount a strong challenge for honours this afternoon but it was not to be for the Italian today. He had felt strong all weekend despite sliding off yesterday but he never had the same confidence in the race and was unable to ride as he would have liked. He had dropped from fifth on the grid to eighth by the end of the first lap before rallying to pass Colin Edwards and Nicky Hayden to move to fifth by lap six, but from then on he could make no further headway and rode a lonely race to the flag.

Another maximum-points haul for Lorenzo leaves the young Mallorcan 77 points clear of Pedrosa in the standings, with eight rounds remaining. Rossi holds on to fifth, 14 points behind Andrea Dovizioso. Tomorrow will see both Fiat Yamaha riders back out on track, weather permitting, for a one-day test before the bikes are shipped off to Indianapolis for the second US round of the season in two week’s time.

Jorge Lorenzo – Position: 1st Time: 43’22.638
“After my problems yesterday and the crash I didn’t expect this today, I thought it would be much more of a struggle. Once I got to the front I expected Dani to come with me and I knew it was my moment and that I had to push as much as possible. I thought he would try to overtake me but I felt good, pushed hard and little by little I was able to lose him. I know I said I was riding for the championship now and that’s still true but when there’s the chance to win I have to take it! To take my seventh win in one season is fantastic, thank you to all of my team for such a good job after we had difficulties yesterday. Tomorrow we have an important test which we hope will help us in the last part of the championship and then we go to Indianapolis, a track that I love.”

	Valentino Rossi

Valentino Rossi – Position: 5th Time: +17.930
“We are really disappointed tonight because we had hoped to do a good race and I was confident that I could challenge at the front today. It seemed everything was right and yesterday we had a good pace but today we just weren’t as fast and I couldn’t stay with the leaders. We are sad but tomorrow we will have the chance to test and try to understand what went wrong today, which will help us to be in better shape in Indianapolis. As for my future, you will know something at 6pm today.”

Wilco Zeelenberg – Team Manager
“A surprisingly good result because after the crash of yesterday and Dani’s speed in qualifying we had some doubts about today. Jorge really stuck his neck out to put in a great first half of the race and actually Dani couldn’t stay with him. The lap times were equal or even slower to yesterday so we didn’t make a huge change to the bike, so we really have to put this down to Jorge doing an excellent job and the others struggling a bit today. Well done to everyone for another great weekend.”

Davide Brivio – Team Manager
“Unfortunately during the race Valentino never felt good with the front and this made it very difficult for him in corner entry. Luckily we have a test tomorrow so this will give us the chance to really investigate what happened. We had a good pace throughout the weekend and we hoped to be able to stay with Lorenzo and Pedrosa but we weren’t able to today so we’re a little bit disappointed. Tomorrow will be a good opportunity for us to improve and work towards our target of a good end to the season.”

Big points haul for Spies and Edwards in Brno

Ben SpiesA strong weekend concluded in fine style for the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team squad in Brno today with Ben Spies storming to a superb fourth position and Colin Edwards equalling his best result of the season.

Starting from the front row of the grid for the first time in his MotoGP career, Spies made a blistering start and led momentarily off the line before giving way to a typically fast starting Dani Pedrosa.

Spies swept by the Spaniard later on the first lap to engage in an exciting early battle with Pedrosa and Jorge Lorenzo. Despite launching a concerted effort to stay in contention at the front, Spies was unable to maintain his impressive early rhythm.

Battling a small front-end grip issue, the Texan tenaciously fought to keep Casey Stoner at bay until the Australian relegated Spies to fourth position on lap nine. Spies dug deep again to try and keep himself in contention for a second rostrum of the campaign but he was unable to keep close to Stoner, the reigning World Superbike champion settling for a comfortable fourth position that moved him to within 25-points of fourth place in the overall rankings. He was once again leading non-factory rider and second best Yamaha as Jorge Lorenzo triumphed in emphatic fashion again.

Colin Edwards also made a brilliant start from the third row and he was involved in one of the few battles unfolding in front of a bumper crowd of 148,120.

The experienced 36-year-old fought tirelessly to close in on compatriot Nicky Hayden and Valentino Rossi before he too encountered some small front-end grip issues.

He settled for a seventh place that moved him into the top ten in the overall rankings and today’s 22-point haul – the second best of the season for the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 squad – further consolidated the team’s position in fourth place in the Team World Championship classification.

Ben Spies

Ben Spies – Position: 4th Time:
“I got a good start and was staying right with Jorge and Dani for a few laps and had a comfortable pace. But after about lap seven I starting having problems with the front that I hadn’t experienced all weekend. It’s a shame because while I know I definitely didn’t have anything to fight Jorge with because he is riding so well, maybe I could have stayed close to Dani. I’m not saying I’d have beaten him but I’d have been closer to put up a challenge. I had one second on Casey when I started having the problems but I had to slow my pace quite a bit and that was a bit frustrating because it meant he caught me quite quickly. I couldn’t run his speed so when he passed me I didn’t worry about trying to run with him. I’m not upset though because without that small problem I could have easily battled for the podium. I’d have loved the podium to give me a big lift before going home to Indianapolis, but I’m really happy with my recent performances and once again I was the top satellite team rider and I can’t be unhappy with fourth place.”

	Colin Edwards

Colin Edwards – Position: 7th Time:
“I gave it everything I had and I can’t be disappointed with the way I rode. I thought it was going to be a good race because I’d been strong all weekend and really happy with the new front-end geometry setting that had helped the bike turn much better. And when I got a good start I felt confident that I could challenge for my first top six of the season. But in the race I didn’t have the same feeling with the front tyre and I don’t think I was the only one that had a small issue. When I tried to push a bit harder I had a moment and I lost contact with Valentino and Nicky in front of me. I took some risks to keep close to them but there was nothing I could do. Seventh is not a great result but it’s better than where I have been finishing and hopefully we can make some more progress in Indianapolis and be closer to the front.”

Herve Poncharal – Team Manager
“I am a happy man tonight because Ben and Colin were really strong all weekend and today was no exception. We scored a good amount of points that really helps us in the Team Championship and once again thanks to Ben and Colin we are the leading non-factory squad. I think Ben gave everything he had and at one stage early on we were thinking that he might be able to challenge for another podium. But he had some small issues that prevented him from staying close to Jorge and Dani and then Casey. He kept the pace he was comfortable at and it was another very strong result from Ben who can be proud of another impressive weekend. I’m also happy with Colin because he has been riding very well at the last two races and he helped Yamaha occupy an incredible four places in the top seven. We are really confident for the rest of the season that Ben and Colin can be consistently together in the top six. Now we look forward to another trip to America where both will be determined to put on a good show for the fans.”

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Second row for Rossi in dramatic Brno qualifying

Posted on 14 August 2010. Tags: BRNO, Qualifying

Jorge Lorenzo

An extraordinary qualifying session in Brno today left Jorge Lorenzo in third and Valentino Rossi in fifth for tomorrow’s Czech Grand Prix. The Fiat Yamaha riders were luckily unhurt despite both crashing out within moments of one another on their final flying laps.

Heavy storms overnight had changed the nature of the track and Lorenzo was not feeling quite as comfortable with his front-end set-up as he would have liked this afternoon, losing time in the latter half of the circuit. Despite this he was still sitting in second position when he headed out for his final run, with his sights set on a tenth front row of the season. He looked on course to improve his time when he made a small mistake at turn eleven and was sent flying across the gravel trap, luckily getting up straight away unhurt. The championship leader had done a good enough job to hold on to third on the grid and he will line up next to fellow Yamaha rider Ben Spies tomorrow, who took his first front-row in MotoGP, with Dani Pedrosa on pole.

At his third race back after injury, World Champion Rossi was looking to return to the front row for the first time and he looked like he might do just that as he steadily improved his times over the course of the session, feeling good with the set-up of his M1. On the first flying lap of his final run he was just a fraction off provisional pole time and pushing hard when he made a small mistake at turn 13 and lost the front end, sliding harmlessly off track and luckily doing no further damage to either his leg or shoulder. The Italian was disappointed to remain on the second row but he is confident of a strong showing tomorrow when the race gets underway at 1400 CET.

jorge Lorenzo – Position: 3rd Time: 1’56.865 Laps: 20
“This wasn’t the best practice session of the year for us. We made some modifications that didn’t work and it was especially a problem in the front, which was closing on me a lot. I wasn’t fast and I was having to take too many risks. Then I made a mistake and the bike went flying! I really hope the engine is okay for tomorrow, luckily I am not hurt and I was able to get up straight away. We are still on the front row and we can’t always be on top! I think tomorrow will be a tough race but we will see how we can improve our setting and see what happens.”

	Valentino Rossi

Valentino Rossi – Position: 5th Time: 1’57.059 Laps: 23
“I’m okay and I haven’t made any of my injuries worse, so this is the most important thing. I was pushing hard and trying to make my best flying lap and I just lost the front, so maybe we’re still missing a bit of grip. I was really angry when I crashed because I think it was possible to get second or even the pole position! Apart from the mistake though I’m very happy because I feel confident on the bike and I enjoyed riding today; I think for tomorrow I can be competitive. Warm-up is going to be important because we need to try to slightly improve my feeling with the front. We also need to wait to see what the weather does!”

Wilco Zeelenberg – Team Manager
“We’ve had better qualifying sessions but it’s not too bad, this track always changes a lot after it rains and we just need to adjust things a bit more. At the beginning Jorge was looking okay and his speed was good but he didn’t feel the same as he’d felt yesterday with the bike; he had less grip in the front and we made some adjustments but things weren’t perfect. The crash was unlucky; he lost the front although it wasn’t totally clear what happened. Anyway he is okay so we’re not worried and now we will try to improve his confidence in the front tomorrow.”

Davide Brivio – Team Manager
“It was a good session until the crash! It’s a pity because he was fast and he was going to improve his time and now we’re only in fifth. But we’ve worked well and our setting is at a good level – we have room for some small improvements before the race but we feel like we’re in good shape and Valentino didn’t hurt himself, so we’re looking forward to racing.”

Super Spies storms to maiden front row start in Brno

Ben Spies stormed to his maiden MotoGP front row start in Brno today, the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team rider coming within seconds of claiming a stunning pole position at the end of a dramatic qualifying session.

The Texan needed less than a quarter of the session to establish himself in the top six as he continued to make significant progress with the set-up of his YZR-M1 machine in preparation for tomorrow’s 22-lap race.

Spies began to demonstrate his fast pace shortly after the halfway stage when he moved into fourth position. His challenge for a landmark career first pole position began to gather serious momentum though when he surged into second place with a lap of 1.57.166 that put him just 0.005s behind Spaniard Dani Pedrosa.

He first moved to the top of the timesheets with 16 minutes remaining, an impressive lap of 1.57.140 on the softer compound Bridgestone rear tyre moving him 0.021s clear of the field.

The reigning World Superbike champion though wasn’t finished and he produced another blistering lap in the final five minutes of 1.56.846 to put him back ahead of Pedrosa by a margin of just 0.013s.

But with a remarkable first pole position beckoning, Pedrosa produced a decisive late attack, the triple world champion clocking a best of 1.56.508 with just 40 seconds remaining to drop Spies into second spot.

Spies though was thrilled after securing his first front row start and is brimming with confidence that he can mount a serious challenge for a second pod ium finish in what has so far been a fantastic first full season in MotoGP for the 26-year-old.

Fellow American Colin Edwards also had something to cheer this afternoon as he enjoyed his second best qualifying session of the campaign.

The experienced Texan had joined Spies in the top three earlier in the session as he lapped comfortably in the low 1.58 bracket in full race trim.

Profiting from the improved turning performance created by a revised front-end geometry setting, Edwards looked destined to secure a place on the second row for only the second time in 2010.

But despite his best efforts, he was unable to utilise the performance of his final two soft compound rear Bridgestone tyres and had to settle for seventh place. His best time of 1.57.222 was just 0.105s away from the second row and Edwards is confident he can score h is first ever top six finish at Brno tomorrow.

Ben Spies

Ben Spies – Position: 2nd Time: 1’56.846 Laps: 24 laps
“My goal was to be on the second row and I didn’t think the front row was possible, let alone a pole position, so I’m really happy. From the start of the weekend every change we have made to the bike has been better and that doesn’t usually happen. I had a decent pace so I was confident I could have a good qualifying. When we put the second soft tyre in I got into first position and I thought people would go faster. I did a really good time at the end but when I saw I was still up there I thought, ‘I could do this.’ Dani did a good job and I didn’t have those last three tenths anyway and the time I set was a good time for me. It would have been nice to have a pole position but at this point just being on the middle of the front row is a great result for the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 T eam and myself. I’ll try and get a good start and if I can latch onto those guys for the first six or seven laps I can put together a good race. I’ve struggled in the first few laps in some races but here I’ve been able to get into a fast rhythm pretty quick, so I’m looking forward to it. This is just qualifying but it gives you confidence for the race. I’ve had a podium in my first full season and a front row is another box ticked and that’s very satisfying for me.”

	Colin Edwards

Colin Edwards – Position: 7th Time: 1’57.222 Laps: 24 laps
“That’s my best qualifying for a few races and it was looking really good for a while when I got myself into the top three after I used the first soft tyre. Unfortunately I just couldn’t quite get the best out of the last two soft tyres I had at the end of the session. You have to push so hard to get a good time that you wear the front tyre a lot. It is only a small dro p because the Bridgestone front is awesome, but it was enough to make the bike not feel as balanced and I struggled to get the bike turned. I just didn’t have the confidence to push as hard as I wanted with a new rear tyre and used front. But I know when the grip is the same on the front and the rear that we’ve got a really competitive package. I’m really happy with the bike and the new front-end geometry setting is helping me a lot. I can just ride with more confidence and comfort and the bike turns much better with more weight on the front. We’ve finally got the chassis working pretty good and I’m riding good, so I’ll hopefully get my first top six at this track. It has been a bogey track for me in the past but I’m confident I can get my best result here. Congratulations to Ben too for his first front row. He’s been riding awesome and it is great for the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team.”

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Rossi romps to victory and all-time 160 podium record, but Lorenzo crashesout at Brno

Posted on 16 August 2009. Tags: BRNO, victory

Rossi – Lorenzo

Valentino Rossi put in a faultless display to claim his fifth win of the season at Brno today, 13 years almost to the day after he took the first of his 102 Grand Prix wins. The Italian’s 160th career podium also moves him ahead of Giacomo Agostini to top the all-time podium list. It was a devastating day for his team-mate Jorge Lorenzo, as the Spaniard crashed out with just five laps to go when sparring with Rossi at the front.

A stunning day in the Czech Republic saw 130,000 fans make the trip to watch what was expected to be another thrilling duel between the Yamaha pair. Rossi got a great start from pole position but Lorenzo, starting alongside him, dropped a couple of positions and had to battle back to take third first time around. On lap four the Mallorcan moved past Dani Pedrosa to claim second and he and Rossi gradually began to clear a gap from Pedrosa and the chasing pack.

The middle part of the race was largely uneventful, with Rossi retaining a more or less consistent gap of about half a second from his team-mate, but just after the half way point Lorenzo improved his rhythm and suddenly started to look threatening. The two were by now pushing each other hard, lapping nearly two seconds faster than the other riders and on lap 17 Lorenzo made his move, passing Rossi early on to claim the lead and set the fastest lap of the race. The crowd was gearing up for a tense finale but on the next lap Lorenzo made a mistake in braking, ran wide and lost the front, sliding into the gravel to leave Rossi 14 seconds clear at the front. All the 30-year-old had to do then was bring his M1 safely home which he duly did, easing up to cross the line 11.766 seconds ahead of Pedrosa, with Toni Elias back in third.

Another 25 points for Rossi and zero for Lorenzo means he is now 50 points clear at the top of the championship, whilst Lorenzo stays second, 12 points ahead of the absent Stoner and 27 ahead of Pedrosa. The next stop for the team is the Indianapolis Grand Prix in two weeks time.

Valentino Rossi – Position: 1st Time: 43’08.991
“This is a very important victory for us! Jorge had shown all weekend that he was very strong and, when we still weren’t feeling perfect after the warm-up, we decided to make one more small modification to improve the feeling with the front and the result was brilliant; my Yamaha really flew today. I got a good start and I was able to ride exactly how I wanted, using all of the track to get the best lines. At the end, when Jorge passed me, I thought that the fight was starting and I was really ready for it, but then he made a mistake and crashed. Of course I’m sorry; it’s really bad for him but I have to say that it’s great for us because now we have an advantage of 50 points with six races to go. However it would be very stupid to relax now because Jorge is very strong and for sure we expect another hard fight with him in Indianapolis. Today I arrived at the top of the all-time podium list and I’m very proud of this, especially here at Brno where I took my first victory 13 years ago! Thanks to Yamaha and my team for today, it was a great win.”

	Lorenzo – Rossi

Jorge Lorenzo – Position: DNF
“I got a bad start and had to get by some people, and then I just didn’t have the same pace that I’d had all weekend. I was slower than in the practices and it really wasn’t what I was expecting. Unfortunately for me Valentino was just as strong as he’d been all weekend and I had to push very, very hard to stay with him. Towards the end I began to close the gap and after I passed him I was doing everything to stay in front, but then I made a mistake and crashed. There’s nothing more I can say except that I’m so sorry to the team and to Yamaha and I will do everything I can to make it up in America.”

Davide Brivio – Team Manager
“We’re very sorry for Jorge today, because we were all hoping for another exciting battle in the final laps and I am sure it would have been a great show for the public. Today Valentino rode like a magician and again the Yamaha has been shown to be the best bike on the track. A big thanks to all the team for their work because once again they were able to provide Valentino with a bike that he was very comfortable on and happy with. Now we have a 50-point advantage but we can never stop pushing because I am sure that at the next race Jorge will be out for revenge! We are looking forward to meeting our friends from Yamaha Motor US again this year and we want to continue with the same rhythm and performance in America. Tomorrow we have a day’s testing and we will start on our development for 2010, giving Valentino the chance to try a new chassis and a new engine specification as potential solutions for next year’s bike.”

Daniele Romagnoli – Team Manager
“Today was a great disappointment because after such good practice sessions we had high hopes for a great race. Of course Jorge’s target today was to try to beat Valentino in order to close the gap in the standings and so he was doing everything he could. He got past him but Valentino was still very close behind, putting a lot of pressure on Jorge and unfortunately he made a mistake and crashed. It will be another important lesson for him and we are confident that he will learn from it continue to be just as fast and to keep improving. He’s got many more races to show his potential so now we will get back to work with a day’s testing tomorrow and make sure we’re in the best shape possible for Indianapolis.”

Double top ten for Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team in Brno

The Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team scored a double top ten finish in today’s Czech Republic MotoGP race in front of nearly 140,000 sun drenched fans at the Brno circuit.

Starting from the second row of the grid, Edwards posed a persistent threat for the top six throughout a gruelling 22-lap race that saw temperatures that nudged 30 degrees. Chasing a group in front battling for fourth that included Toni Elias, Andrea Dovizioso and Loris Capirossi, Edwards lapped nearly a second faster on lap seven to get to within 0.7s of the intense battle.

Unable to remain in close contact with the battle ahead, Edwards was left to fend off the determin ed challenge of fellow American Nicky Hayden. Still less than 100 per cent fit after an illness earlier in the weekend, the 35-year-old produced a superb performance, holding Hayden at bay until lap 18. He tried to mount a late counter attack on Hayden to secure his fifth top six finish of the season, but he had to settle for seventh, losing out to Hayden by just 0.1s.

British rider James Toseland produced a typically determined ride, the 28-year-old making up two places on the first lap as he set about mounting a top ten challenge from 14th on the grid. Growing in confidence after some early front-end issues, Toseland settled into a consistent pace and he eventually finished in a respectable ninth place, just over 1.5s away from Alex de Angelis in eighth.

Colin Edwards

Colin Edwards – Position: 7th Time: +0’25.676
“That was a pretty tough race. Right from the start of the weekend I said I thought my engine felt a bit flat and today I couldn’t do anything. I was getting passed easily and I couldn’t stay in the slipstream at all. I could do the lap time but I couldn’t race them. I couldn’t get within ten bike lengths at the end of the straight but then I’d nearly be running into the back of them at the exit of the corner because I was trying to make up all the time on the brakes and on corner speed. I lost the group with Toni, Andrea and Loris for a bit early on but I only came back at them for a while because I was pushing the front so hard. I got the right side of the front tyre way too hot and after that I kept losing the front. I was nearly running into them in the middle of the corner but I couldn’t get close enough to pass them on the brakes going in. At the end I was locked in a battle with Nicky but I think I could have been behind him all day and not be able to pass him. I got another load of points and I was close to the top six, but I’ve been beating those guys in front of me consistently all year and that’s a pity because maybe I could have got another podium today. I’m back home again for Indianapolis next time out and I’ll be looking for a much better weekend.”

	James Toseland

James Toseland – Position: 9th Time: +0’35.617
“It has been a tough weekend and I’ll be the first to admit that I was a bit fortunate to get into the top ten. I rode as hard as I could every lap and never gave up but at the moment I’m struggling with a problem with the front for the first half of the race. I get a hopping sensation on the front and it really hurts my corner speed. We’ve been struggling with it for a while now but after half distance, how the feeling comes better is unbelievable. It’s almost like somebody is tweaking my bike while I’m riding because it improves so much. On lap 20 I did a 58.4, which is only one tenth off my qualifying time, so it shows how good the bike eventually feels. But I lose so much in the first half of the race that it really costs me. My pace in the second half of the race should be getting me in the top six. If we can solve this front-end issue then I know I can be running much higher up the field, which is where the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team deserves to be.”

Herve Poncharal – Team Manager
“You can’t be disappointed when both Colin and James finish inside the top ten having given their maximum again in what was a demanding race. But it was a little bit disappointing, particularly for Colin who was doing very well all weekend. I don’t think he was 100 per cent still after his illness but it was another strong result for him. James again was much better in the race than he was in practice and I’m pleased that he put in a lot of effort in the second half of the race. If he can sol ve some of the problems he’s experiencing I’m convinced we will see him achieving much better results. Now we move to Indianapolis which is an important race for Colin, for Yamaha and for our sponsor Monster, so hopefully we can be fighting back closer to the top five. I’d like to congratulate Valentino because he again proved he is the master. Yamaha was unbelievably strong again today and it was just a shame Jorge crashed because everybody was looking forward to a strong fight for the world championship to the end.”

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Brno MotoGP – Race results

Posted on 16 August 2009. Tags: BRNO, race results

Race results from the Czech Republic Grand Prix at Brno, round eleven of the 2009 MotoGP World Championship.

Jorge Lorenzo crashed out of the lead with five laps to go, just one lap after overtaking team-mate Valentino Rossi. Rossi’s title lead over Lorenzo has now doubled to 50 points.
Mika Kallio and Marco Melandri collided on the penultimate lap while fighting for eighth.
Third in the championship Casey Stoner has withdrawn from the next three events to try and cure the fatigue problems he has suffered at the last five rounds.
Stoner’s place at Ducati Marlboro has been taken by Mika Kallio, whose own Pramac ride was handed to WSBK race winner Michel Fabrizio for Brno.

1. Valentino Rossi ITA Fiat Yamaha Team 43min 8.991 sec
2. Dani Pedrosa SPA Repsol Honda Team 43min 20.757 sec
3. Toni Elias SPA San Carlo Honda Gresini 43min 29.747 sec
4. Andrea Dovizioso ITA Repsol Honda Team 43min 30.409 sec
5. Loris Capirossi ITA Rizla Suzuki MotoGP 43min 30.529 sec
6. Nicky Hayden USA Ducati Marlboro Team 43min 34.535 sec
7. Colin Edwards USA Monster Yamaha Tech 3 43min 34.667 sec
8. Alex de Angelis RSM San Carlo Honda Gresini 43min 43.100 sec
9. James Toseland GBR Monster Yamaha Tech 3 43min 44.608 sec
10. Randy de Puniet FRA LCR Honda MotoGP 43min 48.815 sec
11. Chris Vermeulen AUS Rizla Suzuki MotoGP 43min 49.767 sec
12. Niccolo Canepa ITA Pramac Racing 43min 59.652 sec
13. Gabor Talmacsi HUN Scot Racing Team MotoGP 44min 8.179 sec

DNF:
Michel Fabrizio ITA Pramac Racing 12min 13.902 sec
Jorge Lorenzo SPA Fiat Yamaha Team 33min 15.284 sec
Mika Kallio FIN Ducati Marlboro Team 39min 38.278 sec
Marco Melandri ITA Hayate Racing Team 39min 38.518 sec

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Brno MotoGP – Qualifying times

Posted on 15 August 2009. Tags: BRNO, Qualifying

Full qualifying times from the Czech Republic Grand Prix at Brno, round eleven of the 2009 MotoGP World Championship.

Third in the championship Casey Stoner has withdrawn from the next three events to try and cure the fatigue problems he has suffered at the last five rounds.
Stoner’s place at Ducati Marlboro has been taken by Mika Kallio, whose Pramac ride has in turn been temporarily handed to WSBK race winner Michel Fabrizio.
Valentino Rossi lost the front of his Fiat Yamaha and crashed out with three minutes of the session to go, but still kept pole.
Mika Kallio also had a fast accident, with eight minutes to go, which ended with his factory Ducati on top of a tyre barrier. Kallio, like Rossi, was unharmed.

1. Valentino Rossi ITA Fiat Yamaha Team 1min 56.145 sec
2. Jorge Lorenzo SPA Fiat Yamaha Team 1min 56.195 sec
3. Dani Pedrosa SPA Repsol Honda Team 1min 56.528 sec
4. Toni Elias SPA San Carlo Honda Gresini 1min 56.817 sec
5. Colin Edwards USA Monster Yamaha Tech 3 1min 56.954 sec
6. Andrea Dovizioso ITA Repsol Honda Team 1min 57.108 sec
7. Alex de Angelis RSM San Carlo Honda Gresini 1min 57.775 sec
8. Nicky Hayden USA Ducati Marlboro Team 1min 57.803 sec
9. Loris Capirossi ITA Rizla Suzuki MotoGP 1min 57.811 sec
10. Mika Kallio FIN Ducati Marlboro Team 1min 57.994 sec
11. Chris Vermeulen AUS Rizla Suzuki MotoGP 1min 58.087 sec
12. Niccolo Canepa ITA Pramac Racing 1min 58.208 sec
13. Randy de Puniet FRA LCR Honda MotoGP 1min 58.298 sec
14. James Toseland GBR Monster Yamaha Tech 3 1min 58.331 sec
15. Marco Melandri ITA Hayate Racing Team 1min 58.477 sec
16. Michel Fabrizio ITA Pramac Racing 1min 58.680 sec
17. Gabor Talmacsi HUN Scot Racing Team MotoGP 1min 58.749 sec

Fastest practice time:
Jorge LorenzoSPA Fiat Yamaha 1min 56.331sec (FP2)

2008 Czech Republic Grand Prix – 17/8/2008:
Pole position:
Casey Stoner AUS Ducati Marlboro (B) 2min 11.657sec (wet)
Fastest race laps by manufacturer:
Casey Stoner AUS Ducati Marlboro (B) 1min 57.199sec
Valentino Rossi ITA Fiat Yamaha (B) 1min 57.228sec
Shinya Nakano JPN San Carlo Honda Gresini (B) 1min 58.174sec
Loris Capirossi ITA Rizla Suzuki (B) 1min 58.497sec
Anthony West AUS Kawasaki Racing (B) 1min 59.136sec

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Fiat Yamaha resume title challenge at Brno

Posted on 12 August 2009. Tags: BRNO, setup report

Fresh from a two-week summer break, Fiat Yamaha riders Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo head to Brno in the Czech Republic this weekend riding high at the top of the championship. Despite a disappointing last round in the UK the pair remain first and second in the standings with seven rounds remaining, setting up a thrilling final seven-race run to the end of the season.

Brno is a special track for Rossi as the Italian took the first of his 101 career victories there, in the 125cc class in 1996. Since then he has added a 250cc win and four MotoGP victories to his tally, including a commanding one last year on the way to his eighth World Championship title, and three second places. The 30-year-old slid out of the lead in Donington last time out but remounted to finish fifth, meaning he managed to extend his lead at the top of the championship to 25 points from his team-mate.

22-year-old Lorenzo also has an impressive record at Brno, having won there in 125cc and twice in 250cc, both times from pole position. He finished tenth at the Czech track last year, a creditable performance considering that he was nursing broken bones in his foot sustained at the previous round in America. This year he arrives more or less in full fitness, having had a chance to fully recover from another foot injury, lying second in the championship and determined to put in a good performance to try to close some of the 25-point deficit to Rossi.

This year marks the 40th time a Grand Prix has been held at Brno since the 14km road circuit was first used in 1965. Today the modern track retains much of the character of the original road circuit, with its winding chicanes and dramatic elevation changes. The well-balanced nature of the circuit make it an ideal testing venue and the team will remain there after the race for a key mid-season test. Brno sees an important new rule come into existence, with all riders now restricted to just five engines for the final seven races of the season with a 10-point deduction for any rider who goes over his quota.

Valentino Rossi – “Rested and relaxed”
“The summer ‘holiday’ wasn’t as long as usual but anyway I’ve had the chance to recharge the batteries in the break and I’m feeling rested and relaxed. Last time out wasn’t ideal but in the end it was a positive day for us and we now have a one-race buffer at the top of the championship. Despite this breathing space we can’t afford to relax for a minute because our rivals are very strong and I expect everyone to be at their best in Brno. It’s a great track for me and I took my first ever win there; I’m hoping for another good result this time.”

Jorge Lorenzo – “Aiming to get back on the podium”
“I’m really excited about this race after what feels like a long time without one. It was good to have a bit of a break and I used the time to work on my fitness and to completely recover from the injuries I had after Laguna, in the gym and with my physiotherapist. The result is that I feel much better than I did in Germany and England and I’m excited to be getting back on the bike. I like Brno and I have had good results in the past there, including three wins. This time my aim is to fight hard and get back on the podium.”

Davide Brivio – “A good circuit for Valentino and Yamaha”
“After a short break, Brno is the start of three close races before the real season finale of the remaining four events. Brno is a good circuit both for Valentino and for Yamaha in general and we have to take advantage of this to manage and hopefully extend the 25-point advantage we currently have in the championship. Valentino has always been at the top there and it’s a track that’s full of important memories for him and for us, including in 2008 when it marked the start of us ‘completing’ the job of recapturing the title. At the moment we’re working very well and we are looking forward to maintaining the same high standard as much as possible. The competition amongst the top riders is very exciting and we hope we can offer everyone another great show.”

Daniele Romagnoli – “Great motivation”
“A little break to recharge the batteries has been useful for us all before the last seven races. This has given Jorge the chance to improve his fitness after his Laguna Seca injuries and he will be in good shape for Brno. All the team and Jorge want to forget the ‘zero point’ of Donington and we have a great motivation to catch Valentino at the top of the championship! From this Grand Prix the new engine rule will be applied but Yamaha has worked hard on engine durability and maintaining performance so we’re confident that it won’t be an issue.”

Valentino Rossi : Information
Age: 30
Lives: Tavullia, Italy
Bike: Yamaha
GP victories: 101 (80 x MotoGP/500cc, 14 x 250cc, 12 x 125cc)
First GP victory: Czech Republic, 1996 (125cc)
First GP: Malaysia, 1996 (125cc)
GP starts: 220 (160 x MotoGP/500cc, 30 x 250cc, 30 x 125cc)
Pole positions: 56 (44 x MotoGP/500cc, 5 x 250cc, 5 x 125cc)
World Championships: 8 Grand Prix (1 x 125cc, 1 x 250cc, 1 x 500cc, 5 x MotoGP)

Jorge Lorenzo: Information
Age: 22
Lives: Barcelona, Spain
Bike: Yamaha
GP victories: 24 (3 x MotoGP, 17 x 250cc, 4 x 125cc)
First GP victory: Brazil, 2003 (125cc)
First GP: Jerez, Spain, 2002 (125cc)
GP starts: 121 (27 x MotoGP, 48 x 250cc, 46 x 125cc)
Pole positions: 33 (7 x MotoGP, 23 x 250cc, 3 x 125cc)
World Championships: 2 (250cc, 2006/7)

Brno: Record Lap
C. Stoner (Ducati) 2008, 1’57.199

Brno: Best Lap
V. Rossi (Yamaha) 2006, 1’56.191

Grand Prix Results: Brno 2008
1. V. Rossi (Yamaha) 43’28.841
2. T. Elias (Ducati) +15.004
3. L. Capirossi (Suzuki) +21.689
10. J. Lorenzo (Yamaha) +39.573

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Valentino Rossi Ducati – MotoGP 2012