Motogp 2012 #4: Dawn of a new era

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Fresh from his best Ducati finish, Valentino Rossi now heads to the scene of what remains his most competitive race on a Desmosedici this weekend at Catalunya.

Rossi finished last year's Barcelona round in fifth place, but the 7.351sec margin between the Italian and race winner Casey Stoner remains the closest Rossi has been to victory since leaving Yamaha at the end of 2010.

For comparison, The Doctor's Ducati podiums - both at Le Mans - were claimed with a margin of 9.905sec (2012) and 14.564sec (2011) to victory.

There's no doubt that the wet second place last time out in France was a timely boost for the Italian, but Rossi remains realistic about his present podium chances in the dry.

“Two Sundays ago, we got a nice result because we took advantage of the wet track, a condition in which we know we can be competitive, but we're aware that we must continue improving in normal, dry conditions,” said Rossi.

Rossi has won a record nine times at Catalunya, in all three classes.

“The Catalunya circuit has always been one of my favourites, and although it's hard to imagine another podium, we must still do our best to finish with the front riders,” he said.

Since Le Mans, Rossi and team-mate Nicky Hayden have taken part in a private test at Mugello to try out the latest Ducati developments.

“Some of the things we tried in the Mugello test last week seemed promising," said Rossi. "It will be interesting to try them on a different track, and with much less time to set the bike up, to see if they're really a small step forward."

Those words suggest Rossi could use some of the new parts - which included an aluminium swing-arm - during the Catalan race weekend.

However engine modifications are among parts likely to be saved for Monday's post-race test due to the strict engine-change limits.

First practice for round five of the 2012 championship takes place at Barcelona on Friday morning.

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Cal Crutchlow has revealed that he has held initial talks about moving to a factory MotoGP team for next year after his superb start to the season.
Crutchlow, 26, has consistently been the top non-factory rider this season and has finished fourth twice.
He told BBC Sport: "At the end of the year I hope to be sitting on a factory bike, and my preference is Yamaha.
"I've had some contact with teams but they are just first talks. Any move will be at least two months away."

Stoner's shock decision to retire at the end of this year has started the debate over who will move where early this season, with Crutchlow looking a good bet to replace the out-of-sorts Ben Spies at the factory Yamaha team.
That would see him partner 2010 world champion Jorge Lorenzo - unless Lorenzo moves to take the coveted spot at Repsol Honda which is being vacated by Stoner.
"If you warrant it then it's right to be able to go to the factory team," Crutchlow added.
"All I can do is do my best and see what comes my way. If it happens it happens and if not I'll go and drive a van for a living or something.

"Until the best guys in the world move, you can't move, it's as simple as that.
"Casey leaving opens up one space but I don't see it changing the market too much."
Former World Superbike winner Spies was a race winner for Yamaha last season but has struggled so far in 2012, with only one top-10 finish to his name.
Should Crutchlow leave the Tech3 team after this year, his place will be taken by fellow Briton Bradley Smith - who has already signed a deal for 2013.
Crutchlow lies fourth in the standings and believes the 12-year wait for a British rider to step on to the podium in MotoGP could soon be over.

"We've done our homework over the last year and if we continue to make progress like we have done then by the end of the year there's no reason why we can't be up there consistently," he said.
"The expectation is high now because I was close to a race win in Jerez.
"But it gets harder every year. We are not far away.
"It won't be long before we are on the podium but I'd prefer to do it at Silverstone in a few weeks' time rather than in Catalunya!"

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Op woensdag 30 mei 2012 18:53 schreef Michael_Moore het volgende:
Cal Crutchlow wants factory Yamaha ride for 2013

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Honda Racing will not rush a decision on who will replace Casey Stoner from 2013, and will not rule out any options - like that of Valentino Rossi returning - according to vice president Shuhei Nakamoto.

Stoner's announcement at Le Mans that he will retire at the end of the year has left Honda with the massive quandary of finding a suitable replacement.

Yamaha's Jorge Lorenzo, Ducati's Rossi, last year's Moto2 runner-up Marc Marquez and a multitude of other riders have been connected with the factory ride.

Nakamoto says HRC will not rule out any options, and that the first step will be to speak to current works rider Dani Pedrosa, who is in his seventh straight year with the squad.

"I need to gather my ideas and discuss with my bosses in Japan," Nakamoto told Motosprint. "Nothing is impossible now.

"First of all I want to talk properly to Dani because he's very strong and he's been with us for many years. We can talk to Lorenzo, obviously. With Casey leaving we need to rebuild."

Asked whether Rossi could rejoin HRC, with whom he split acrimoniously at the end of 2003, Nakamoto refused to rule out the possibility, saying: "After all, Valentino started his career in the top class with Honda."

He also admitted there was pressure from sponsors Repsol to give Marquez the ride, but insisted that it would be dependent on Dorna's Carmelo Ezpeleta reversing the rookie rule – and that HRC did not want to pair two Spaniards together.

Nakamoto said he did not think Stoner would change his mind, but said HRC would take its time about choosing a replacement for the reigning world champion.

"Maybe after spending one year in Australia Stoner may feel nostalgic. Few things in this world give you the adrenaline you get from racing. After all, he'll turn 27 in October: even if he stayed out for one or two years he could come back before he turns 30 and he'd still be strong.

"My mission in 2009 was to make HRC strong again in every aspect, and my job hasn't ended. When I decided to hire Stoner, no one had anything against it: let's see what their thoughts are now.

"It's really early to make plans, because there are many things to evaluate. It's easy to talk and make predictions, but then to put it all into practice is a lot more complex because everyone's needs must be considered: companies, sponsors, riders.

"And besides, Honda is not in such a hurry to decide: we can take our time to think calmly."

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Op donderdag 31 mei 2012 19:37 schreef Kenju het volgende:
Jammer dat er niets uit de Honda school uit Japan klaar staat. Mis dat wel. Die Japanners hebben altijd een eigen stijltje. Ook onderling. Goede regenrijders ook wel.

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Op donderdag 31 mei 2012 19:54 schreef Michael_Moore het volgende:

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Tomizawa was een groot talent, een generatie ervoor Kato, beiden tragisch verongelukt.
Bovendien driften jonge Japanners liever met auto's.
Daar kan ik maar één ding op zeggen:

[ afbeelding ]

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Op donderdag 31 mei 2012 19:56 schreef Fir3fly het volgende:

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Dat loopt af met een highside.

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Op donderdag 31 mei 2012 19:50 schreef Fir3fly het volgende:
Ze hadden simpelweg nooit zo de baan moeten verneuken. Inkorten prima, maar dit haalde gewoon alles eruit waar Assen voor stond. Vooral de Ruskenhoek en De Bult, zo zonde .

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On the eve of his second home grand prix of the season at Catalunya this weekend, Jorge Lorenzo joked about his radically improved relations with fellow Spaniard Dani Pedrosa.

Bitter opponents during 125 and 250cc racing, the pair began to re-assess their rivalry after the King of Spain forced them to shake hands on the MotoGP podium at Jerez 2008.

A change of management for Lorenzo also helped smooth relations and the Spaniards clearly have much more respect for each other both on and off track.

Asked about the change during the pre-event press conference in Catalunya on Thursday, Lorenzo joked:

“In 2003 we were like enemies, in 2005 we were more enemies, in 2008 even more enemies. Now we can hug [after the Qatar race] and maybe in two or three years we can get married!”

After he had stopped laughing, Pedrosa - sitting next to Lorenzo - added: “I think it's a matter of before we were kids and were 'possessed' about winning. Now still, but you are aware of other things. You get more mature and that probably made the change.

“It was nothing 'obliged'. So that's a good base. You never know in the future, but we have better relations now. That's great - but we still race against each other like before.”

Lorenzo and Pedrosa, currently first and third in the world championship, are both former Catalan MotoGP winners.

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Op donderdag 31 mei 2012 20:58 schreef Marks het volgende:

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Precies, dat is een reden. En verder is er de groene propaganda golf die de laatste 10 jaar over het land is verspreid.
Alleen groen is goed, alles moet schoon en schoner en autoracen hoort daar niet thuis.
Ennuh... een paar jaar terug, in 2006 volgens mij sowieso nog, had je op Nederland 2 EN Eurosort live de MotoGP. Nu moet je naar de BBC of betalen voor Sport 1... Dat helpt ook zeker niet.

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Op vrijdag 1 juni 2012 00:54 schreef Nemephis het volgende:

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Voor mij geldt ook wel dat er geen Nederlanders meer zijn om voor te juichen, tenminste - met alle respect voor Jasper Iwema - geen Nederlanders die meetellen in het kampioenschap.
Daarnaast vindt ik de almaar doorgaande professionalisering ook niet alles - het wordt steeds minder sport, voor mijn gevoel.

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Op vrijdag 1 juni 2012 02:15 schreef Nemephis het volgende:

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Dat het meer en meer om geld en het circus er omheen draait.
't Is meer iets gevoelsmatigs, denk ik. Toen ik in de jaren '80 met mijn pa naar de TT ging konden we de motoren ook nog van dichtbij bekijken en als je geluk had was de coureur er ook nog bij. Dat kan nu niet meer, dat schept toch een soort afstand.

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Op vrijdag 1 juni 2012 02:22 schreef Nemephis het volgende:

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Hey maar ik klaag er ook al jaren over hè

Ik vind techniek interessant, dus dan wil ik die dingen van dichtbij zien als 't effe ken