MotoGP - Catalunya

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MotoGP Returns to Spain for The Grand Prix of Catalunya

The MotoGP paddock heads to Barcelona this week for the Grand Prix of Catalunya at the Montmel? circuit in Spain. Round five of the 2011 Championship, the second on Spanish soil this season, sees 2010 World Champion Jorge Lorenzo ready and prepared to defend his Championship lead in front of his home Catalan crowd. His last visit to the circuit proved a victorious one in 2010 with a decisive victory taken from pole. The Mallorcan born rider saw his points tally extended to 78 two weeks ago during an incident packed round four in France, he now leads closest rival Casey Stoner by 12 points.

Ben Spies ended his recent run of misfortune with a solid performance at the last race in Le Mans. After two DNFs in the previous rounds the Texan Yamaha Factory newcomer made good use of the French round to rebuild his confidence, holding off fellow American Nicky Hayden for a sixth place finish and valuable championship points. Spies arrives in Barcelona in 12th position with 20 Championship points, just two points adrift of Marco Simoncelli in eighth place.

The main grandstand at The Circuit de Catalunya sits over one of the longest main straights in the world; delighting the always capacity crowd with an unrivalled view of the action over the race weekend. The crews of Lorenzo and Spies will be focused on delivering their riders with the optimum chassis balance and front-end feel in their hunt for the perfect set-up for the circuit. These are needed to cope with the long radius and medium and high-speed sweeping corners, not forgetting the two tight left-hand hairpins and various camber changes.
Jorge Lorenzo

"We are now going straight to Montmel? and we don't even need to take a plane. It is amazing! I am so happy to be here, the closest track to my home. I remember last year's victory and also those in my 250cc days. This is a fast track with high speed and slow corners. It is the second race in Spain and I would like to be as fit as in Jerez. I know it's going to be tough; we need to improve a lot because our competitors are very strong and my finger is still recovering from the Le Mans warm up crash. Our aim in this GP will be the podium. We should be focused from Friday on, and I am quite confident that the team is ready to fight, as usual."
Ben Spies

I think Im looking forward to this race more than any so far this year! This is definitely a circuit I like to ride a lot more than the previous four. After a difficult start with some unlucky results we put in a solid ride at Le Mans, considering the pace of some of our competitors I was happy to finish where we did and get some points under my belt. As always were ready to give it 100% this weekend and will be looking again to build on the last round and hopefully move up a couple of places in the championship standings come Sunday.

Wilco Zeelenberg
Im quite happy to go to Barcelona as there will be a fantastic atmosphere there after they won the Champions League! Its also a special race for Jorge as its his home race. Weve been missing a little bit of pace so its a good moment to make a strong statement for the first of these back to back races to see if we can make a difference here.


Massimo Meregalli
We have been looking forward to this weekend to get back to the action and show what we are capable of. This is Jorges home track so the expectations are high and his results here have been good for the last couple of years. Ben really likes this circuit and hes got his confidence back following a difficult start to the year. The team are in confident mood and we are impatient for Friday morning to get started on track.

Jorge Lorenzo
Age: 24
Lives: Barcelona, Spain
Bike: Yamaha
GP victories: 36 (16 x MotoGP, 17 x 250cc, 4 x 125cc)
First GP victory: Brazil, 2003 (125cc)
First GP: Jerez, Spain, 2002 (125cc)
GP starts: 150 (55 x MotoGP, 48 x 250cc, 46 x 125cc)
Pole positions: 43 (16 x MotoGP, 23 x 250cc, 3 x 125cc)
World Championships: 3 (MotoGP 2010, 250cc, 2006/7)

Ben Spies
Age: 26
Lives: Longview Texas / Lake Como Italy
Bike: Yamaha
GP victories:
First GP victory:
First GP: Donington, UK, 2008 (MotoGP)
GP starts: 25
Pole positions: 1
World Championships: 1 (WSB 2009)

Grand Prix Results: Montmel? 2010

1. J.Lorenzo Yamaha 43'22.805
2. D.Pedrosa Honda +4.754
3. C.Stoner Ducati +4.956
6. Ben Spies Yamaha Tech 3 +21.503

Montmel? Record Lap
D.Pedrosa (Honda) 2008, 1'42.358

Montmel? Best Lap
C.Stoner (Ducati) 2008, 1'41.186
Monster Yamaha Tech3 Preview

After another break of two weeks break the Monster Yamaha Tech3 team rolls on with their 2011 campaign and will start the first of two consecutive races in Catalunya, Spain this weekend.

The all-important home race for the French-based Tech 3 squad in Le Mans two weeks ago was overshadowed by some bad luck for Colin Edwards and Cal Crutchlow as they both crashed during the race and only Edwards could rescue some crucial points by finishing the race in 13th place.

The American has worked with his crew to improve the chassis set up in recent weeks and the outcome of this work means he is is now looking forward to getting back on track in Montmelo this weekend.

Crutchlow, who was disappointed for not being able to give his hard-working Team some glory in their home race, is looking forward to learning another new track in his rookie year in the premier class of motorcycle racing. The British rider is a big fan of the challenging and technical layout of the Catalunya venue and he hopes he will be able to fight for another top ten this weekend.
Colin Edwards

"I am looking forward to Barcelona and to some heat. It has been a little cold at the previous race in Le Mans. I never really had what I would say a great result there apart from 5th or 6th at the Dorna tests. But I like the track and I am looking forward to riding there with the new chassis set up that we have been running. It feels good but we should see how it goes there.
Cal Crutchlow

Catalunya will be another new race for me. I am looking forward to going there as the track looks good. I had a strong results in qualifying in Le Mans and it was a shame that I crashed in the race, but if we can continue where we were at the previous race without the mistake I would be happy. I think we are going in the right direction and as always I will be doing my best."

 

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Bautista heading home and ready to race

Rizla Suzuki?s ?lvaro Bautista is eagerly awaiting his home Grand Prix at Montmelo in Catalunya this weekend, determined to put the rigours of this season so far firmly behind him.

Bautista will be back at full fitness as he heads to the Catalonian circuit, following the last two races that have seen him make an incredible ? but under-strength - return to action following a broken femur earlier in the year. He was involved in a five-man battle last time out at Le Mans that saw the Spaniard fight hard all race long, before eventually finishing in 12th place. Bautista is convinced that he can now make the step up and compete inside the top-10 as he aims to get Rizla Suzuki?s season firmly back on track. The Montmelo circuit is a track that Bautista enjoys and after a strong fifth there last season ? his equal best result of 2010 ? he will be hoping that the mix of his ?home? Grand Prix and the added incentive of many fans and friends at trackside will spur him on to a strong performance in this year?s race.

The Circuit de Catalunya is located 20km north of Barcelona, near the town of Granollers. It is one of the most modern circuits on the MotoGP calendar and has all the elements you would need to make an excellent Grand Prix. The 4,727m circuit, with its eight right and five left-hand corners, is a good measure of a bike?s performance, as what works well there will usually work well anywhere. The mixture of a kilometre-long straight, fast right-handers, elevation changes, a downhill section into a sharp right-hand bend and a huge grandstand that will be filled to capacity along the start-finish straight, all go to make this one of the most eagerly anticipated events on the season?s calendar.

Rizla Suzuki MotoGP will start its preparations for Sunday?s 25-lap race with two free practice sessions on Friday. Another free session will be held on Saturday morning and then an hour of qualifying in the afternoon will determine starting positions for the race, which gets underway at 14.00hrs local time (12.00hrs GMT) on Sunday 5th June.

?lvaro Bautista:

?I have a good memory from last year at Barcelona and I hope to be able to make a good race there because it is a track I like very much. I have been training very hard and I?ll be 100% fit when we start the weekend. We have all had a tough time so far this year and we need to forget about that and focus on the rest of the season, we still have many races to go and I?m sure we can be competitive and start pushing nearer the front very soon. I really like racing at Montmelo and I?m sure that my ?home? race will give me the confidence that I had there last year - and also during the winter tests - to be able to produce a good performance to really get our season underway.?

 

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01.06.2011
MOTOGP ARRIVES AT MONTMEL? FOR THE CATALAN GRAND PRIX

Nearly three weeks after the misfortune of Le Mans, culminating in separate crashes by riders Randy De Puniet and Loris Capirossi, the Pramac Racing Team is ready to turn around a season that hasnt gotten off to the best of starts. The MotoGP tour heads to Montmel? for the fifth round of the series, on one of its best-designed tracks. In 2001, Circuito de Catalunya received the Best Grand Prix trophy, a prestigious annual award given by IRTA. The venue can hold as many as 104,000 spectators. Its a favorite track for both Pramac Racing Team riders, and is the circuit where Loris Capirossi achieved his first podium finish as a Ducati rider, in 2003. That same season, Randy De Puniet won the 250cc race, and he backed it up the following year, again aboard an Aprilia.
The team hopes to make progress with the setup of the bike in Spain, and to have a positive weekend.

Fabiano Sterlacchini Pramac Racing Technical Director

We hope that Barcelona will be a redemption race for us. Both riders have always been very strong at this track. The long straightaway could certainly give all the Ducatis a hard time, as the Hondas are much stronger in such situations. We can do well if we manage the tyres. Loris seems very motivated, and hes really looking forward to getting back on the track. Ducati has been working hard in recent days, and were making a bike that works well for us. If we had managed it better, we could have obtained some good results. I know what our riders can do, and were confident.

Loris Capirossi Pramac Racing Team Rider

Im really motivated. I took a break and recovered the energy lost during my therapy after Jerez. I want to get back on my Ducati and show that we can do a good job. I love the Barcelona track, as its where I got my first podium during my previous stint aboard a Ducati. We have to be clever and study every little detail, and I hope that well also have some good luck.

Randy De Puniet Pramac Racing Team Rider

I finally put aside the ill-fated race at Le Mans, and Im ready for Barcelona. Im pretty well physically, and I hope that the bike is as well. : Im hopeful that weve made some improvements with the bikes electronics, and I cant wait to get back on the track. I like this circuit, even though the straight could be a little difficult for us. The important thing is to do well in practice and try to have a good race on Sunday".

 

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Honda on a roll at Catalunya

The heart of the European MotoGP season begins this weekend with the Catalunya Grand Prix north of Barcelona, a race with a rich history and massive crowds that marks the first of six races in eight weeks. For the Honda riders who?ve been dominant this season, it?s a decidedly mixed blessing. The rapid succession of races gives multi-race winner Casey Stoner (Repsol Honda RC212V) plenty of chances to close in on the championship leader. But for Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda RC212V) the timing couldn?t have been worse.

Pedrosa has made the painful decision to withdraw from his home race to allow his right collarbone to heal properly. The Estoril GP winner suffered a broken collarbone in a racing incident with Marco Simoncelli (San Carlo Honda Gresini) during the French Grand Prix at Le Mans. Surgery was performed in France to stabilize the fracture with the hope that Pedrosa would be in fighting fitness for the race not far from his home in Sabadell. But despite a gap of two weekends between races, the collarbone isn?t ready for the rigors of racing and Pedrosa will sit out Catalunya. No date has been set for his return.

Stoner rolls into Barcelona having won the previous race in Le Mans from the pole, as he?d done in Qatar to open his career with the Repsol Honda team. The Montmelo circuit has been good to Stoner, he?s been on the podium at Catalunya every year of the 800cc era. It began with a win in 2007 en route to the MotoGP World Championship, and he?s finished on the box every year since.

Stoner sits second in the world championship and could easily be in the lead when this flurry of races finishes. The week after Catalunya is the British Grand Prix at Silverstone. Then comes a weekend off, after which the Dutch TT is run on Saturday, June 25, followed by the eagerly anticipated Italian Grand Prix at Mugello the following weekend. After another weekend?s break, the series resumes at the Sachsenring in the former East Germany. The begins the summer break for the support classes while the MotoGP class flies off to Monterey, California for the last race prior to the summer break. All in all, six races in eight weeks. In order to make a serious run at the championship, a rider will have to be consistent and fit.

Repsol Honda rider Andrea Dovizioso hasn?t had the highs and lows of his teammates. His season has been more steady, but not at the level that he expects of himself. Catalunya may be the setting where he can showcase his skills. The 25-year-old Italian won the Catalunya race and finished third on two different occasions while racing a 250. In both of his first two MotoGP appearances, he finished just off the podium.

Dovi?s most recent form has been his best. He arrives in Catalunya having finished second in Le Mans after qualifying a season high third.

Marco Simoncelli (San Carlo Honda Gresini RC212V) has had a tumultuous few weeks. It was the tall Italian who was involved in the incident with Pedrosa in France. Race direction believed the pass was too aggressive and Simoncelli had to serve a ride-through penalty. Earlier this week, it was announced by the FIM that he?d have to meet with race direction in Catalunya to further discuss the incident.

After a steady progression in his rookie campaign, Simoncelli has blossomed in his sophomore season. He?s been at or near the front in every race and led in Jerez before falling on a wet/dry track. In qualifying, he?s been no worse than fifth. In almost every race this season he?s been a legitimate podium threat, though the promise remains unfulfilled.

Simoncelli?s San Carlo Honda Gresini team-mate, Hiroshi Aoyama, hasn?t been out of the top ten in his second year in the premier class and knows that he has to start faster on the weekend. The popular Japanese rider hasn?t made the most of qualifying and knows that race success will only come when he can start closer to the front of the very talented field.

In his 250cc championship season of 2009, Aoyama finished second in Barcelona. This race will mark his MotoGP debut at the track. Last year he was forced to sit out the race in Spain because of a back injury.

Toni Elias (LCR Honda MotoGP RC212V) is from nearby Manresa, which will give the 2010 Moto2 World Champion added motivation in his home race. Elias has vast experience in Catalunya, he was second in the 125cc grand prix as far back as 2001. That may not help him much this season, but a test prior to the race in Le Mans did. As will an updated 2011 chassis supplied by Honda Racing Corporation to Elias for Catalunya. The season hasn?t been rewarding for the Spaniard, who would like the race to be a catalyst to greater things.

Montmelo is one of the few race tracks to be shared by Formula One and MotoGP. The layouts are slightly different, mostly in the final sequence of corners. It?s also a popular Formula One testing venue and all those laps do no favors to the track surface.

The long front straight is followed by a hard braking right hand first turn after which follow technical sections of fast and slow corners, and elevation changes. The track is biased towards the right with eight right-hand corners, fast and long for the most part, and five left-handers of lesser speed. The right hand bias wreaks havoc on the right side of the asymmetric rear slicks, while the lefts are far less taxing. One of the most interesting corners is the uphill right running to the middle straightaway. It?s here that one finds audible evidence of the electronics that have taken such a prominent place in racing. The sophisticated electronics cause the engine to produce a sound that sounds unhealthy, but, in fact, guarantees perfect traction for the run down the track?s second longest straight stretch.

The place to spectate is in the final stadium sequence. Riders arrive through a series of lefts that feed a looping right which runs into the double downhill rights prior to start-finish. Tyre temperatures here soar, as the riders are leaned over for three very long corners, and on the gas for the crucial run down the kilometre-plus front straight. Get the first part right and it?s difficult to be passed before the finish line, though it can be done.

MotoGP Rider Quotes:

Repsol Honda rider Casey Stoner says:
?After such a great weekend in Le Mans I'm really looking forward to going to Barcelona, it's one of the first Grand Prix tracks I rode on and I've always enjoyed it. It's a very flowing track and the Spanish crowd are amazing. In the past Dani has proven our bike performs well there, so hopefully we can get there and find a reasonably good set up, fast and be competitive because we really need to start taking back some more points. I am very happy to hear that Dani's operation went well and I hope that his recovery time is quick. It's a shame he cannot be riding in his home race, but I really wish him a quick return back to track.?

Repsol Honda rider Dani Pedrosa says:
?After France, I had surgery to stabilize the fracture on my right collarbone and hoped to be ready for Barcelona. I pushed myself as best as I could but I feel that my collarbone is not yet ready. I think I must stop for a while and recover properly. Since early this year I've had many problems and operations and I really believe I must stop now and let this heal properly.

I would love to be in Montmel? with all the fans that follow me but for me if I'm on track, I'm there to fight for victory and offer them a good race. I feel that is not possible at the moment and therefore the most sensible thing is not to compete. It is a big shame what happened. Despite all the problems I had earlier in the season, this year I felt very strong and I was aware that I could beat my opponents. I want to say thank you to you all for your support and hope to be back in full shape as soon as possible to continue giving my best.?

Repsol Honda rider Andrea Dovizioso says:
?I?m happy heading to the Catalunya Grand Prix after my second position at Le Mans. This is one of my favourite circuits, it suits my riding style and it?s a good track also for the Honda RC212V. It?s a long track with fast corners and it?s a great feeling when you find the right flow and link one turn with the next. I have always had good results here and after the podium achieved in the last race we arrive competitive and motivated to repeat a good performance.

The atmosphere at this circuit is fantastic, there are always many spectators who are truly passionate. With the Catalunya GP starts a very demanding period of the season with six races in eight weeks. Personally, I like having two races in a row because you keep working on the bike without a break and it?s good also as a rider as you spend more time on the bike. I'm very sorry for Dani and I hope his rehabilitation goes well.?

San Carlo Honda Gresini rider Marco Simoncelli says:
?I have had time over the two-week break to think about the race at Le Mans. I am still disappointed with what happened to Dani and I hope that he has recovered from his injury in time for this weekend. I am also disappointed because Honda were unable to celebrate having four bikes in the top four positions at the French Grand Prix. Overall on reflection I have realised where I have gone wrong and in the future I will try at certain times to evaluate the situation better and be a little more cautious. I know that I'm probably not going to get a standing ovation at Barcelona, but I hope that if I am criticised it is done in a civilised manner and not in the way that has happened in other sports in the past. In any case I just want to put the controversy behind me and get out there on my bike and start working towards a race that I am sure the team and I have the potential to do well in.?

San Carlo Honda Gresini rider Hiroshi Aoyama says:
?I am still pretty satisfied with the way my season has started. I have been solid and consistent and we have picked up important points. Now in Barcelona I want to kickstart the next phase of my MotoGP development. I am determined to be more decisive during practice and make sure of a good grid position so that I don't have to make up ground in the races, as I have done so far. I know that with the help of my team and the feeling I have already established with my bike I can do it. Barcelona is a circuit I like so hopefully we can meet our objectives.?

LCR Honda MotoGP rider Toni Elias says:
?Honestly my situation is not the one I was expecting for my home race, but I am not worried about that. I do not feel the pressure. I just want to continue my progression trying to fix the bike step by step. In the last three rounds we have found some small improvements, but my overall package is not perfect yet, so we will continue our set-up work to take a step further on my home soil. I want to thank Honda for their support so far and for the new 2011 chassis they gave us for this weekend. I will do my best to obtain the best result for me, the team and my fans.?

 

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UNPREDICTABLE WEATHER CONDITIONS AFFECT FIRST DAY AT CATALUNYA

The first day of practice at the Catalan Grand Prix was affected by variable weather conditions that only left about a half hour of completely dry track time. Both Ducati Marlboro Team riders posted their best lap times of the day in the morning session, before it started raining.

Conditions were the opposite in the afternoon, which began on a wet surface, with the sun only drying the track toward the end. Nicky Hayden and Valentino Rossi were among the riders who weren?t able to take advantage of the session?s final minutes, so they finished in the eighth and ninth positions, respectively, in the combined times.

Nicky Hayden (Ducati Marlboro Team) 8th, 1:44.799
?It was quite a strange day, with the weather. You just have to deal with it, but it makes it hard to test things when conditions are changing so much. This morning we had a really fine mist through most of the session. This afternoon we tried rain tyres for a bit and then went to slicks, but I wasn?t able to improve my time from this morning. In left-handers, I wasn?t able to get the left side of the tyre to come in. We tried some things, but you have to be careful to not confuse yourself, because a difference that you may think is due to setup might really just be down to conditions. Hopefully we?ll get some better weather tomorrow.?

Valentino Rossi (Ducati Marlboro Team) 9th, 1:44.844
?This morning we started with the setup from Le Mans, but we realised that something different was needed for this track; we altered the setup, but the first changes didn?t work. Then it started to mist, and that?s how it was for half of the first session. The second session started with a wet track, and although we were fast in those conditions, it wasn?t possible to work productively on the setup. We?re left with some problems to solve and, although the two-second gap isn?t accurate, we?re still too far from the leaders. Fortunately, we have some ideas for tomorrow in terms of both bike settings and electronics. I spent almost all my time on the same soft tyres, which were quite worn at the finish, so it?s also possible to make up some time there. Toward the end of the afternoon session, I stopped to adjust the fork setting, and I only had time left for one more lap?not sufficient to improve my time, but enough to understand that it was a step in the right direction. Tomorrow, weather permitting, we?ll see how much we?re able to improve. Anyway, although we?ll be more competitive if it rains, I would still prefer dry conditions, since that?s where we have to work at improving.?

 

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FIRST DAY OF FREE PRACTICE IN BARCELONA. DE PUNIET THIRTEENTH, CAPIROSSI RIGHT BEHIND HIM

Rain has characterized the fifth Grand Prix of the 2011 MotoGP season at Barcelona. Nonetheless, the asphalt was still wet in the afternoon session after the morning and early afternoon rain, prompting most riders to spend considerable time in their garages, waiting for the track to dry. That was the case for Randy De Puniet, who didnt trust these conditions and preferred to wait until 20 minutes remained in the session before riding his Ducati. The Frenchmans personal best lap time of the day was a 145.821 that came in the first free practice. The situation was similar for Loris Capirossi who, despite turning some more laps on the track, wasnt able to improve his best lap time of 146.136. At days end, therefore, the two Pramac Racing Team riders were in thirteenth and fourteenth position. The final practice sessions are scheduled for tomorrow morning, with qualifying to take place in the afternoon.

Marco Rigamonti Randy De Puniet Track Engineer


The track conditions were so strange that drawing conclusions is difficult. We dont know if some of the changes worked or not. This mornings problem with the front disappeared in the afternoon, but another one emerged! We need to understand if the other riders also had difficulty with the track conditions. Tomorrow, assuming the rain holds off, well work on solving the problem.


Randy De Puniet Pramac Racing Team 13th fastest time in 145.821



It wasnt a simple day for us. The weather conditions didnt help, especially in the afternoon. This morning I once again experienced the same problem with the bikes front end, especially on corner exits. In the second session, on the other hand, we experienced some other problems. Honestly, I cant understand what happened, but the feeling with the bike was completely the opposite between the two sessions. We must try to solve this problem, or well have troubles on Sunday.

Loris Capirossi Pramac Racing Team 14th fastest time in 146.136



The weather conditions arent helping us lately. Weather can always shuffle the cards, and we, who are already experiencing more problems than the others lately, have to work twice as hard. I must admit that we go better in the wet; I wont deny that if it rains tomorrow too, maybe I could do better. Anyway, the Team is working well, and we must continue doing so.

 

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Bautista in top 10 on first day at Barcelona

?lvaro Bautista made a steady start on the first day of his home Grand Prix to record 10th place in this afternoon?s free practice session and 11th overall on combined times.

Bautista (1?45.751, 32 laps) was only able to complete 12 laps during the first session this morning as intermittent rain made conditions very difficult. The weather cost all the riders almost half of the session as they waited for the track to improve and more inclement weather later in the day made the start of the afternoon practice quite wet. As it dried out Bautista became the first rider brave enough to use slick tyres ? a decision that rewarded him with his first visit to the top of the leader-board this season. He continued to find a rhythm during the rest of the time available and set his fastest time of the day on his very last lap. Today?s best time was set by Casey Stoner on a Honda.

Bautista has one more free practice session tomorrow morning followed by an hour of qualifying in the afternoon. He will be hoping that the forecasted rain stays away so he can get as much dry practice as possible and make sure he is prepared for whatever conditions face him in Sunday?s 25 lap race.

?lvaro Bautista:

?It has been a very strange day today because of the weather. This morning we did less than half of the practice due to the rain and it was also quite difficult this afternoon. We made some changes to improve on the grip in the wet and I started to get a much better feeling from the bike. As it dried out later in the day I was able to go quicker and felt quite good on the bike, but now we have to wait for tomorrow and see what the conditions are. I am very confident for this weekend and hope that I can get the feeling back that I had before my injury. I had a good race here last year and now I?ve got my fitness back, and I?m at my home race, I ?m sure that I can go well. I know that tomorrow we can improve the bike because we have a lot of information to make it go better. I?m really looking forward to Sunday?s race ? I think it could be quite a good one!?

Paul Denning ? Team Manager:

??lvaro was looking for more performance than he was able to produce on one of his favourite circuits today. The weather conditions and the colder temperatures made the race-track less fun than usual and it?s completely understandable ? coming back from the injury ? that he took things step-by-step. He started to get a better feeling towards the end of FP2, but by then the tyres had done a lot of laps, so fingers crossed the weather will warm up and he can have a lot more fun tomorrow.?

Gran Premio Aperol de Catalunya Combined Free Practice Classification:

1. Casey Stoner (Honda) 1?42.940: 2. Marco Simoncelli (Honda) +0.528: 3. Andrea Dovizioso (Honda) +0.663: 4. Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha) +0.870: 5. Ben Spies (Yamaha) +1.706: 11. ?LVARO BAUTISTA (RIZLA SUZUKI MOTOGP) +2.811:

 

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Unpredictable Weather Signals the Start to the Grand Prix of Catalunya

The MotoGP paddock had a less than perfect start to the GP of Catalunya today at the Montmel? circuit as changing weather conditions disrupted the first free practice sessions. A sunny morning gradually changed to deliver spots of rain towards the end of the first practice. The second session in the afternoon saw the same disruption with the first 30 minutes wet and just over 20 minutes of drying time available at the end for the riders.

Both Yamaha Factory Racing riders made as much use of the dry time as possible, testing some different chassis settings and for Ben Spies some different body positioning in the hunt for more performance. Lorenzo and his team mate recorded their fastest times of the day in the morning session going fourth and fifth respectively, positions they retained in the second heat, giving them a provisional second row position.
Jorge Lorenzo
Position: 4th Time: 1.43.810 Laps: 15

Today we didnt ride so much because the rain started at the end of the first session and the opposite in the afternoon. There were only 20 minutes of dry time at the end so we had only eight laps more or less to try some settings of the bike. We are quite far from first position but we have another full practice tomorrow morning to improve. Im happy to be here with my home crowd but its going to be tough to fight for victory. I need to be patient and calm and give it the maximum and fight for the podium.
Ben Spies
Position: 5th Time: 1.44.646 Laps: 24

Im feeling good about today, it was a tricky session going out in the rain and dry, you couldnt see how wet it was on the track so I had to feel it out a bit. We had a pretty big change on the bike trying to move my position around; I think weve found something and were hoping to now get some more dry time tomorrow. To be top five at the end of the first practice day and closer to the front is a lot better so well keep building on this.

Wilco Zeelenberg
We had an odd first day; its difficult to judge where we are because the circumstances were very strange, wet in the beginning and dry at the end of the second session. Compared to last year the lap times are slower but everybody has more or less the same situation. Hopefully tomorrow it dries so we can prepare ourselves for Sunday, so far we have no major problems.


Massimo Meregalli
The weather didnt help us so much to work on the set up of the bikes today but I can see that we had good speed and after both sessions we have both riders in the top five which is a good starting point for the weekend. Lets wait and see what we can do tomorrow.

Crutchlow learning fast, Edwards injured in Catalunya

The Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team started the Catalunya MotoGP round in Spain with a day of contrasting fortunes for Cal Crutchlow and Colin Edwards.

Crutchlow once again demonstrated his expert skill at learning new tracks fast to finish seventh fastest on the combined timesheets, the British rider producing another impressive performance on the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team YZR-M1 machine on a circuit he's never ridden at before in his career.

He set a best time of 1.44.797 to finish less than 0.2s away from the top five, the 25-year-old setting a competitive pace on a dry and damp track as the first day of action was disrupted by rain showers.

The fifth round of the 2011 MotoGP World Championship ended in premature and painful fashion for team-mate Edwards though after he was diagnosed with a broken right collarbone following a heavy crash in this afternoon's second free practice session.

The day had started full of promise for Edwards and the experienced American was sixth fastest this morning with a best time of 1.44.768. The opening day of action saw frequent rain showers dampen the Montmelo circuit and a cloudburst during the early 125cc practice session meant the second MotoGP session got underway on a damp track.

The track dried rapidly and with just over 15 minutes remaining, the field switched to slick tyres as lap times significantly improved with the better conditions. Edwards had completed one run on slick rubber when he switched bikes and was an out lap when he crashed at Turn 5. He landed heavily and was immediately attended to by trackside marshals before being transferred to the Medical Centre, where further checks revealed he'd suffered a broken right collarbone.

Edwards was later taken to the Dexeus Institute Hospital in Barcelona where he will undergo surgery performed by Dr Xavier Mir, who has previously treated Dani Pedrosa and Jorge Lorenzo.
Cal Crutchlow
Position: 7th Time: 1.44.797 Laps: 22

I really like the track. It seems to suit my riding style and it turned to be a positive first day for me. I used the same set of slick tyres all day and I ran the hard rear tyre, so I'm sure I could have gone quicker if I'd used the softer option. I did a few laps in the wet but it wasn't really wet conditions and it was a bit of a waste of time. Learning the braking markers is one of the biggest challenges and in the first corner, I was losing 0.4s on the brakes just at that point. I could make up time in other places but you can't afford to lose that much time in just one corner. I followed Valentino for a little bit and that was nice because you can learn stuff really quickly. He is smooth as silk and it is incredible to be learning off somebody who is my hero, but if I keep improving there is no reason why I can't have a good qualifying and be fighting for the top ten again in the race. I'm really sad that Colin has got injured. He's been riding brilliantly all season and everybody at Monster Yamaha Tech 3 wishes him a speedy recovery.
Herve Poncharal
Monster Yamaha Tech3 Team Manager

Unfortunately Colin has broken his right collarbone and this is a big shame for him and for the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team because we were confident he was going to be very strong and competitive this weekend. Colin has been superb so far this season and he has shown that even when the competition is probably stronger than ever in MotoGP, he is still one of the fastest out there. It looks like he paid a heavy price for a very small mistake. He landed heavily on his shoulder and it was clear from the TV pictures that he was in a lot of pain. He will have an operation tonight, so we should have a clearer idea of how long the recovery process will be later this weekend. The important thing now is that he rests and recovers as quickly as he possibly can. We wish him a fast recovery and hope that it is not too long before we see him back in the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team garage.

2011 MotoGP Spain
Catalunya 03/06/2011
1 Casey Stoner Honda AUS 1'42.940
2 Marco Simoncelli Honda ITA 1'43.468
3 Andrea Dovizioso Honda ITA 1'43.603
4 Jorge Lorenzo Yamaha ESP 1'43.810
5 Ben Spies Yamaha USA 1'44.646
6 Colin Edwards Yamaha USA 1'44.768
7 Cal Crutchlow Yamaha GBR 1'44.797
8 Nicky Hayden Ducati USA 1'44.799
9 Valentino Rossi Ducati ITA 1'44.844
10 Hiroshi Aoyama Honda JPN 1'45.332
11 Alvaro Bautista Suzuki ESP 1'45.751
12 Toni Elias Honda ESP 1'45.760
13 Randy De Puniet Ducati FRA 1'45.821
14 Loris Capirossi Ducati ITA 1'46.136
15 Karel Abraham Ducati CZE 1'46.280

 

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Simoncelli grabs first pole position, Stoner a close second

Marco Simoncelli (San Carlo Honda Gresini RC212V) underlined his ever-growing speed by scoring his first MotoGP pole position at Catalunya today in preparation for tomorrow?s Catalan Grand Prix. The former 250 World Champion went quickest in the final few minutes, taking over from Casey Stoner (Repsol Honda RC212V) who had led the session from the start. The final place on the front row was taken by reigning World Champion and current points leader Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha).

Andrea Dovizioso (Repsol Honda RC212V) secured a second-row start with fifth fastest time. The factory Repsol-backed team?s third rider Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda RC212V) is absent this weekend. The Spaniard is still recovering from the collarbone fracture he sustained when he came out worst from a clash with Simoncelli during last month?s French Grand Prix.

This afternoon Simoncelli responded in the best way possible following that incident, by riding a perfect lap of the challenging Catalunya circuit. The Italian came on strong at the very end of the session after struggling to fine-tune the set-up of his RCV during the early stages. After demoting Stoner to second, he still had time for one more lap and was even faster until he got to Turn 12 where he had a big slide, which he saved with his right knee.

Stoner led free practice ? which included yesterday?s two rain-affected sessions ? and was considerably faster than everyone during the first half of qualifying. After 30 minutes he was six tenths ahead of his closest rival, but when it was time to fit the softer-option Bridgestone he couldn?t find any extra speed. A lack of edge grip was the issue on the softer rubber, but the Australian knows he has a very competitive race pace.

Dovizioso was also in the hunt for a front-row start. The Italian ran strongly in the early stages and with 12 minutes to go he moved into second place behind Stoner. He was confident of retaining that position until he ran wide at Turn Five during his last lap, ending the session just 0.007 seconds shy of fourth-fastest Ben Spies (Yamaha).

Hiroshi Aoyama (San Carlo Honda Gresini RC212V) was 11th quickest, the Japanese one of many to complain that the track is lacking its usual grip. The former 250 World Champion also struggled to keep the front end down exiting the turns which lost him crucial time. He hopes to find a solution to his difficulties in morning warm-up.

Toni Elias (LCR Honda MotoGP RC212V) qualified 14th for his home Grand Prix, using a 2011 RCV chassis modified to suit his particular riding technique. Although the chassis is a step in the right direction, Elias was disappointed not to have achieved a better position on the grid for his home race.

Tomorrow?s Catalan Grand Prix is the fifth round of this year?s 18-event MotoGP World Championship. Immediately after racing finishes the paddock heads north and across the English Channel for next weekend?s British Grand Prix at Silverstone.

MotoGP rider quotes

Marco Simoncelli, San Carlo Honda Gresini: pole position ? 1m, 42.413s
?It went well and I am much happier now than I have been for the past two weeks leading up to the Grand Prix. I was strong even though we had a few problems at the start of the session when I couldn?t push as hard as I would have liked. By the end we had solved the problems and I was able to ride really fast, although I never thought I would be able to set pole because Casey had been so fast in every session. I took a bit of a risk on the last lap trying to go faster and managed to save it, so finally my long legs have been good for something! Tomorrow won?t be easy because both Casey and Jorge have a fast race pace but I will try to stay with them. My first target is to finish the race, the second is to finish on the podium and you can guess the third!?

Casey Stoner, Repsol Honda: 2nd ? 1m, 42.429s
?I?m disappointed with qualifying, we had good pace and should have been able to go a lot faster on new tyres. In my first run of the session the bike wasn?t working so well, the tyres weren?t warming up as expected with that set-up and I had a lot less grip on the soft tyre, which we couldn?t understand why. We tried changing tyre pressure but it made it worse and we weren?t able to do anything with the last tyre which I?m very frustrated with because I almost did the same lap time with the soft and the hard tyre. Front row is obviously where we want to be but I?m annoyed as we spent the whole session working on the tyres and not improving the bike set-up. For tomorrow we?re confident with our race pace on hard tyres if the weather stays dry, it?s just upsetting to have a qualifying session like this.?

Andrea Dovizioso, Repsol Honda: 5th ? 1m, 42.749s
?Montmelo [Catalunya] is a special track, you slide a lot and it?s a good fun to ride with a MotoGP bike. This morning we worked on the set-up and weight balance to improve the grip and this afternoon I had a better feeling. I?m happy with the race pace, we lapped consistently and together with Stoner, who made an impressive lap time. I think myself, Sic [Simoncelli] and Lorenzo will all be in the fight. The first row was possible but in my last lap I went wide at Turn Five, so I lost the opportunity. But to start from the second row is also fine as I feel strong and I have the pace to fight in the race. Tomorrow we will have a good race, hard fought and I look forward to it.?

Hiroshi Aoyama, San Carlo Honda Gresini: 11th ? 1m, 43.734s
?It was a difficult session because I didn?t have good feeling with the bike due to the lack of grip on the track and also because the bike was ?wheelying? a lot. I managed to close the gap to the front guys but it wasn?t enough to make sure of a good grid position. We will try and find something in the warm-up that gives me more confidence with the bike and hopefully have a good race.?

Toni Elias, LCR Honda MotoGP: 14th ? 1m, 44.510
?This morning we fitted the new 2011 chassis which made a little improvement for me on front feeling and rear traction out of the corners, but it was not the solution of our issues. We are still working all together to increase our pace but I cannot feel the bike: I miss braking stability and grip on the maximum angle. This is a difficult situation for everybody in the team because we have got the potential to finish in the top ten.?
Pole position : 1m42.413s (166.162Km/h) Marco Simoncelli, Honda
Circuit record lap : 1m42.358s (166.251Km/h) Dani Pedrosa (Honda, 2008)
Circuit Best Lap : 1m41.186s (168.177Km/h) Casey Stoner (Ducati, 2008)
Qualifying position
1 Marco Simoncelli 1m42.413s ITA HONDA Honda Gresini
2 Casey Stoner +0.016s AUS HONDA Repsol Honda Team
3 Jorge Lorenzo +0.315s SPA YAMAHA Yamaha Factory Racing
4 Ben Spies +0.329s USA YAMAHA Yamaha Factory Racing
5 Andrea Dovizioso +0.336s ITA HONDA Repsol Honda Team
6 Cal Crutchlow +0.789s GBR YAMAHA Monster Yamaha Tech 3
7 Valentino Rossi +0.810s ITA DUCATI Ducati Team
8 Nicky Hayden +0.815s USA DUCATI Ducati Team
9 Alvaro Bautista +1.034s SPA SUZUKI Suzuki MotoGP
10 Hector Barbera +1.243s SPA DUCATI Aspar Ducati
11 Hiroshi Aoyama +1.321s JPN HONDA Honda Gresini
12 Randy De Puniet +1.351s FRA DUCATI Pramac Racing Team
13 Loris Capirossi +1.655s ITA DUCATI Pramac Racing Team
14 Toni Elias +2.097s SPA HONDA LCR Honda MotoGP
15 Karel Abraham +3.248s CZE DUCATI Cardion AB Ducati

 

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FOURTH AND FIFTH ROWS FOR DE PUNIET AND CAPIROSSI

The starting grid for the fifth Grand Prix of the MotoGP world championship, in Barcelona, was finalized in this afternoons qualifying session. Randy De Puniet will start from the fourth row, having posted the twelfth-best time of 1:43.764, just 3 hundredths from Honda Gresini rider Aoyama. De Puniets teammate, Loris Capirossi (who was also the victim of a problem in FP3), was right behind the Frenchman on the time sheets, and will start from the fifth and final row. His best time was 1:44.068.

Marco Rigamonti - Randy De Puniets Track Engineer

Weve had problems with rear grip all weekend, and things didnt change for todays qualifying session. We made some changes from this morning, but the results werent satisfactory because we also found problems with the front. We decided to return to the same setup from free practice, while also trying to fix the rear. Unfortunately, the result isnt positive.

Randy De Puniet - Pramac Racing Team 12th, 143.764

It wasnt an easy day, as I had problems with suspension and grip. Yesterday the front worried us a little, but today it was okaynot great, but not bad. It was impossible to ride with hard tyres today though, and the soft tyres were losing grip. I was losing a lot of time in the corners, so it was difficult to do better. Tomorrow is another day, and Ill try my best in the race to get a good result.

Loris Capirossi - Pramac Racing Team 13th, 1'44.068

We worked well on the setup; its just a shame that in qualifying I can never take advantage of the bike as I would like. Im not able to be fast for just one lap, and this situation is hurting me every time. On the other hand, I think were pretty competitive in terms of race pace. I hope that the problems with the rear from this morning wont show up in the race. Im optimisticwe just need patience and luck.

 

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Lorenzo Claims Front Row Start for His Home Race at Catalunya

Yamaha Factory Racing riders Jorge Lorenzo and Ben Spies managed to escape the threat of rain today and enjoy a third free practice and subsequent qualifying session under dry and sunny conditions. Lorenzo will start the Grand Prix of Catalunya tomorrow from the front row in third position on the grid, his team mate Spies taking fourth for a second row start.

Both riders made big steps forward from yesterday with the improved weather; the reigning World Champion Lorenzo finding over a second from day one to wrap up qualifying 0.315 seconds from pole. The improvement from Spies was even more impressive, the Texan finding nearly two seconds today and running as high as second place during qualifying. A front row start was looking possible until a concerted effort by his Mallorcan team mate relegated him to the second row at the end of the heat, just 0.014 seconds behind Lorenzo.

Jorge Lorenzo Position : 3rd Time: 1'42.728 Laps: 25

?It has been a tough session today. In the morning it was good but in the afternoon we struggled a little bit. I pushed as hard as I could for pole but it was not possible. The race will also be tough because we are still quite far from the front but not as far as yesterday. If we can take one or two tenths we can fight for something, but I think a win would be a miracle.?

Ben Spies Position : 4th Time: 1'42.742 Laps: 27


?It was a good session although we were missing a little bit of time out there. Looking at the ideal split times it would have put us on the front row. We?re in a good position in fourth all the way to the left of the grid so hopefully we can have a good start and have a good first couple of corners. The bike is working really well and we?ve been top five for most of the weekend. The weather?s looking like it might be ok for tomorrow now so I?m looking forward to the race. It?s been a while since we?ve been consistently quick so hopefully we can make the bike better, we?re going to try some set up changes in the morning and I?m feeling a lot happier on the bike.?

Wilco Zeelenberg Team Manager

?Not the best qualifying we?ve had so far. This morning it went well and we made some adjustments after that. This afternoon they didn?t really work out, Jorge was missing some front end feeling so was pushing hard, we need to solve that for tomorrow. Anyway we are happy to be on the front row because that?s important but it?s more important now to solve our front end problem.?

Massimo Meregalli Team Director

?I?m satisfied with the results, Ben is feeling a lot more comfortable and has a better feeling on the bike, he rode very well in all the sessions and is clearly enjoying riding the bike. It?s very important to start the race from a good position which he has in fourth on the grid. The crew is working really well and Ben is happy with the behaviour of the bike; he is being smooth, fast and consistent which is a good signal for tomorrow. We completed a long run with good pace so now we have to decide which tyre to use tomorrow, other than that we are pretty much set. Jorge is starting from the front row which is very important for his race here at his home track. He will for sure fight for the best result possible.

Top six for Crutchlow, successful surgery for Edwards

Cal CrutchlowCal Crutchlow will start tomorrow's Gran Premi Aperol de Catalunya from sixth position on the grid after the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team rider produced another outstanding qualifying performance this afternoon.

The 2009 World Supersport champion was a serious contender for the top six throughout today's session, run in warmer conditions than expected as temperatures peaked at 25 degrees.

Crutchlow spent the majority of the session working to improve the side grip performance with his Bridgestone rear tyre options, the British rider soaring into fourth place on the timesheets when he posted a lap of 1.43.501 with just over 15 minutes left on the clock.

As the pace hotted up in the final few minutes, Crutchlow slipped down the rankings to sixth position. He kept his cool though and showed how quickly he's mastered the technical Montmelo circuit by producing a stunning final lap of 1.43.202 to claim his second successive start from the second row of the grid. He finished just over 0.4s away from reigning World Champion Jorge Lorenzo, who qualified his factory Yamaha YZR-M1 machine in third spot on the front row for tomorrow's 25-lap race.

Colin Edwards has already commenced his recovery from the broken right collarbone he suffered in a crash during the second free practice yesterday afternoon. The popular American underwent a successful operation on the damaged collarbone at the USP Institut Universitari Dexeus of Barcelona this morming. The procedure was carried out by specialist surgeons Dr Xavier Mir, Head of the Hand Surgery Unit of the Orthopaedics Department of the USP Institut Universitari Dexeus, and Dr Victor Marlet. A plate and seven screws was inserted to stabilise the injury.

Edwards will remain under observation in hospital for the next 24 to 48 hours, but the 37-year-old is already in good spirits and planning a return to his Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team at the earliest opportunity. The collarbone injury ends the Texan's proud record of starting 141 consecutive races since his MotoGP debut back in 2003.

Cal Crutchlow 6th ? 1.43.202 ? 22 laps:

?I'm happy enough to be on the second row of the grid again because this is another track I've come to with zero experience and I've shown my raw speed and proved a few people wrong. Ben (Spies) was fifth here last year and I was trying to get that one place higher up to equal it, but I can't be disappointed with sixth on the grid. All credit to the Team because they have done a fantastic job again. We've still got some work to do to improve the side grip but I'm confident we can make the set-up better for the race. As soon as I open the throttle I'm struggling for grip, so if we can improve in that area we should be on course for a strong result. As I get faster and faster I have to keep changing my riding style but I think I can have an interesting race if I can get away from the start. It's a long run down to the first corner here so I need a good start to avoid getting bunched up at the beginning. It's a shame Colin is not here because I can learn lot from him on the data that helps me out a lot, particularly with lines. I heard he sent the Team a text saying he wanted to see me 'kick some ass', so hopefully I can do that for him tomorrow.?

Herve Poncharal ? Team Manager:

?Colin had his operation this morning in Barcelona and I am pleased to report that it was a routine procedure and everything went very well. Although he was in quite a lot of pain yesterday, the only positive is that the injury was a clean break without any complications, so we are confident the recovery will be a quick process and we will see Colin back on track very soon. We are still obviously very sorry for what happened to Colin but he is already back to being the Colin we know and love, laughing and joking with staff at the hospital, so we hope to see him back in the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 family very soon. Cal though is certainly doing his best to put the smile back on our faces. His performances on tracks he's never seen before have been remarkable, and today he showed again he is a top level MotoGP rider. He looks more like a seasoned campaigner than a rookie and to qualify in the top six again against this competition is a fantastic achievement. We are looking forward to the race with a lot of confidence now and hopefully he can do Colin and the Team proud.?



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Third row start for Bautista at his home Grand Prix

?lvaro Bautista will start tomorrow?s Catalonian Grand Prix from the third row of the grid after qualifying in ninth place this afternoon.

Bautista (1?43.447, 29 laps) again made solid progress today as he prepared his Rizla Suzuki GSV-R for Sunday?s main event. His lap-times improved throughout the qualifying session as he worked with his team to get the best grid position for tomorrow?s race. Bautista?s ninth place equals his starting position from last year; when he went on to record his equal best season finish of fifth in the race.

Today?s qualifying was held in very overcast conditions, but the threatening rain clouds stayed away enabling the session to go ahead completely dry. Marco Simoncelli on a Honda took a career-first MotoGP pole position, with fellow Honda rider Casey Stoner second and reigning World Champion Jorge Lorenzo filling the remaining front row berth.

Tomorrow?s 25-lap race is the fifth round of this season and the lights will go out to signal the start at 14.00hrs local time (12.00hrs GMT), with Bautista aiming to give a competitive performance in front of his fellow countrymen.

?lvaro Bautista:

?It?s was a good day?s practice because we improved on yesterday?s rhythm and lap-times. I tried a different setting in the shock with the harder tyres this morning, but I didn?t like it too much, so for this afternoon we continued with the same setting as yesterday. I tested the hard front and soft rear tyres, but I didn?t really have a good feeling from the front, especially under hard braking when entering a corner, so I changed to a soft front and was able to get a good feeling and keep my place in the top 10. At the end of the qualifying session we put on a new set of tyres to make a good lap for the best grid position and I did my best lap alone ? without following other riders. On this track if you follow someone you can get a good time, but I am happy with my time because in each practice I improved by one second. My feeling with the bike is still not 100%, but it is getting much better. I have a lot more confidence now than the first practice and I am getting more aggressive, so I hope to get the same feeling in the race! The third row is a good position and it is the same as last year and tomorrow ? depending on the weather ? we will have a good race. I want to say thank-you to my crew because they are working very hard to give me a bike that gives me the confidence I need after my injury. I will try to enjoy tomorrow?s race and hope that they enjoy it too!?

Paul Denning ? Team Manager:

??lvaro has done a good job to pick up the pace today. His self-confidence is starting to come back, and to qualify the bike only a second from pole - with the intensity at the front of the pack as it is - is definitely a reasonable result. The plan was for the season to really start here after his accident and it?s been difficult to know where we are after the injury in Qatar, so it will be a proper test tomorrow to try and translate the third row start in to a decent result.?

Gran Premi Aperol de Catalunya Qualifying Practice Classification:

1. Marco Simoncelli (Honda) 1?42.413: 2. Casey Stoner (Honda) +0.016: 3. Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha) +0.315: 4. Ben Spies (Yamaha) +0.329: 5. Andrea Dovizioso (Honda) +0.336: 9. ?LVARO BAUTISTA (RIZLA SUZUKI MOTOGP) +1.034:

 

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SEVENTH AND EIGHTH FOR VALENTINO ROSSI AND NICKY HAYDEN IN CATALUNYA QUALIFYING

Valentino Rossi and Nicky Hayden set the seventh- and eighth-best times, respectively, in qualifying for the Catalan Grand Prix, and both riders will start from the third row of the grid tomorrow.

The sessions took place in nice weather conditions, which allowed the two Ducati Marlboro Team riders to work well along with their respective crews, and to improve the setup of the GP11. In qualifying, both Rossi and Hayden used new engines with the latest technical updates from the racing department.

Valentino Rossi (Ducati Marlboro Team) 7th, 1:43.223
?This afternoon went a little better, although I can?t be happy with the third row. Crutchlow took the second row from us in the end, but it was my fault because if had ridden better on my final lap, I could have cut a couple of tenths from my time, which would have put me in sixth. Anyway, we improved the bike?s settings. The three free-practice sessions were very difficult, and I even had a fall this morning, but fortunately I didn?t hurt myself. We found the key to the problem in qualifying though, and we made some setup changes that helped us to get a little closer to the front?not close enough of course, but our pace with hard tyres isn?t bad. We also decided to use the updated engine, which I prefer, as the bike is more controllable on acceleration.?

Nicky Hayden (Ducati Marlboro Team) 8th, 1:43.228
?I know eighth isn?t great, but it?s my best qualifying session of the year. At least we?re starting a little closer to the front, which is a good sign. The second row was right there in front of us?a real possibility today. No excuses, though; I had clear laps but just couldn?t quite get down to the time I needed. It?s obviously not a perfect situation for the race, but I would say we?re a little bit closer than we have been. I?m looking forward to tomorrow. It?s going to be tough, but hopefully I can get a good start and get in there and mix it up.?

 

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FIFTH PLACE AND PROGRESS FOR ROSSI IN BARCELONA, HAYDEN EIGHTH

The Catalan Grand Prix saw Valentino Rossi and Nicky Hayden finish fifth and eighth, respectively, on a day that had mixed conditions. The warm-up session was wet, while the race was dry except for a few raindrops thirteen laps from the end. That situation brought out the white flags, indicating that riders could change to bikes with rain setups if the conditions worsened, but they never did.

Following strong starts from the third row, Valentino Rossi and Nicky Hayden weren?t as competitive as they had hoped. The Italian in particular seemed capable of fighting for third place in the first half of the race, but he was a bit penalized by a less-than ideal setup choice and had to settle for fifth place. He took some satisfaction from the fact that he reduced the gap to the front, and he gained some confidence that the development of the GP11 continues apace in the right direction.

Valentino Rossi (Ducati Marlboro Team) 5th
?There are good and bad aspects to today?s race. On the positive side, we reduced the gap to the front, and the others in front of me weren?t so far ahead. On the other hand, I?m obviously not happy with fifth place, because our goal was to do better than that. To tell the truth, we really could have done a little better today but last night we thought of a change to try in the warm-up and the session turned out to be wet. The change worked quite well, so we found ourselves at a crossroads as to whether or not to blindly use it in the race. We tried it, and that may have been a mistake because the bike moved a lot on corner entry. It was sliding, and I didn?t have enough grip, so I was stuck for the whole race, unable to attack Dovizioso and Spies. Otherwise, I think I could have had a slightly better pace and perhaps battled with them. Anyway, we?re not too far off, and we?re working well, which we need to continue doing. The championship is long and we?re still fully focused on both the GP11 and 2012, and we have no intention of backing off.?

Nicky Hayden (Ducati Marlboro Team) 8th
?I thought I could do better than that. I actually got a good start and the tyres came right in, so the first couple laps I thought we might be on for a good result. We used up the tyre really quickly though, and almost immediately I was spinning a lot, especially in the long corners. We had some ideas to maybe help that, but we couldn?t try them in the morning because it was wet, and it was too much of a gamble to try in the race. The rest of the bike felt really good. When the raindrops came, you definitely had to stay on your toes. I ended up in eighth, where we qualified, which I?m not thrilled with since normally we?ve been able to move up in the races. It will be a short week, so we need to understand the data and see what we get in Silverstone.?

Filippo Preziosi (Technical Director)
?Clearly, we would have liked to have given Vale what he needed to fight for the podium, but nonetheless, I think today?s race demonstrates that we?ve taken another small step forward. We?ve reduced the gap to the front, which is very positive. It was probably possible to do even better, but we found ourselves in a situation where we only had this morning?s wet warm-up to try some changes, and they didn?t all work well in the race. Nicky wasn't able to take full advantage of all the sessions either, but he likes the latest changes to the GP11, so we hope that soon we?ll see him back at his level from last year as we improve the bike step by step. We?re working hard on all areas of the bike, and the direction we?re following is beginning to pay off. We?re already better than we were in the winter tests, but we?re still not to the point that Valentino and Nicky deserve.?

 

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Tough race for Bautista at home Grand Prix

Rizla Suzuki?s ?lvaro Bautista was left frustrated at the end of today?s Catalan Grand Prix after the Spaniard finished his home race in 12th position.

Bautista had looked competitive all weekend and after heavy overnight rain had soaked the track this morning, he continued with his good form in the wet warm-up session to record the seventh quickest time. The rain stayed away and the track dried in time for this afternoon?s race and as the 25-lap spectacle got underway Bautista consolidated his ninth place grid start. He held on to that until the 14th lap, but as light rain started to fall in the last part of the circuit he couldn?t get the grip he wanted to keep the position and came under pressure from three other riders. Bautista battled all the way to the line but was unable to hold off the attacks and eventually bought his Rizla Suzuki GSV-R home safely in 12th.

Today?s overcast skies did nothing to dampen the spirits of an excitable crowd of over 81,000 fans at trackside. They saw Casey Stoner on a Honda race to victory ahead of home favourite and current World Champion and championship leader Jorge Lorenzo.

Rizla Suzuki and Bautista will not have to wait long to get back in to action as they head across the English Channel for the British round of the 2011 MotoGP World Championship, to be held at Silverstone next Sunday.

?lvaro Bautista:

?I am very frustrated with today because nobody really expected this result. All weekend we have been more competitive than we were in the race, and also in the wet this morning we went very well. I don?t know what happened in the race, but I just didn?t have the same feeling as I did in the practice. I felt like I had less grip from the bike and it was difficult to stop the bike and enter into the corners. I fought for a top-10 position, but when it started to rain in the last part of the track I wasn?t able to go very fast through there and lost some time to the other guys around me. We have to continue working and put this behind us, I?m very disappointed with what happened here, because as I said I didn?t expect this. We now have some races in a row so it will be good to get in a rhythm and it will help me to recover to my full potential on the bike.?

Paul Denning ? Team Manager:

?Today?s result is disappointing ? it?s as simple as that - it?s especially upsetting for ?lvaro who has worked hard to get back to a decent level of fitness. After qualifying ninth and running very strongly in this morning?s wet warm-up, we were looking for a much more competitive race, but we didn?t produce the grip levels that we did yesterday and it looked like a very tough race. On the positive side it?s another finish and physically he is ready to take that next step up ? luckily we don?t have to wait long now to get to Silverstone and help him move things forward.?

Gran Premio Aperol de Catalunya Race Classification:

1. Casey Stoner (Honda) 43?19.779: 2. Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha) +2.403: 3. Ben Spies (Yamaha) +4.291: 4. Andrea Dovizioso (Honda) +5.255: 5. Valentino Rossi (Ducati) +7.371: 12. ?LVARO BAUTISTA (RIZLA SUZUKI MOTOGP) +45.239:

World Championship Classification:

1. Lorenzo 98: 2. Stoner 91: 3. Dovizioso 63: 4. Dani Pedrosa (Honda) 61: 5. Rossi 58: 16. ?LVARO BAUTISTA (RIZLA SUZUKI MOTOGP) 11:

 

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BEST RESULT OF SEASON FOR CAPIREX IN BARCELONA. DE PUNIET OUT ON THIRD LAP

Following a battle for ninth place that lasted almost the entire race, Loris Capirossi managed to take the position from young Karel Abraham in the final corner. The Italians experience and desire for redemption help the Pramac Racing Team look forward to the future with optimism. It was Capirossis best race of the season so far, and not just because of the result, which earned him seven points and advanced him to 16th place in the overall standings.

Meanwhile, Randy De Puniets misfortune continued. The Frenchman, who had problems with his bikes setup throughout the entire race weekend, was knocked down by Hiroshi Aoyama on the third lap. After visiting the mobile clinic, Randy returned to his garage with a bandage on his right ankle, which might have ligament damage. An MRI in Barcelona on Wednesday should provide more definitive information. Meanwhile, the Pramac Racing Team moves on to Silverstone for the sixth round of the world championship.

Fabiano Sterlacchini - Pramac Racing Team Technical Director

Todays race was pretty positive. Of course it was nothing exceptional, but Loris result gives us hope for the future. We were coming through quite a negative period, as good luck seemed to have forgotten us: many crashes, some sub-par performancewe were a little demoralized. Today we brainstormed some good basics: just to have found a good setting for Loris and the bike is a good start. We have faith for the next round, at Silverstone. We know where to start, and well focus our work to further improve the bikes setup.

Loris Capirossi - Pramac Racing Team - 9th in race - 15th in MotoGP standings 


Todays result was definitely good. I fought hard, and I dont even know how many passes I made in the race. Its actually hard to find a negative; even the start was quite good. I want to consider Barcelona a starting point for a new direction. Now we shouldnt get lost with bad choices, and well work like we did over this weekend. I would like to thank my team for helping me today, because our result is due to their efficiency.

Randy De Puniet - Pramac Racing Team - DNF - 16th in MotoGP standings

Im not at all happy with how things went, as Im going through a difficult period. At Le Mans, I was out after just one lap, and things werent much different today. I dont know what happened with Aoyama; I saw him coming into me while I was exiting the first corner. Its really a shame because I was very motivated. I had a good feeling with the bike in the early kilometers, and I thought I could do well. I hope that I havent hurt my ankle. It makes a strange noise when I walk, so I hope the ligaments arent broken.

 

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Lorenzo and Spies Deliver Double Podium in Catalunya

Yamaha Factory Racing riders Jorge Lorenzo and Ben Spies made it a double celebration today, taking second and third on the podium for the Grand Prix of Catalunya. World Champion Lorenzo grabbed the hole-shot off the line and team mate Spies shut the door neatly on Valentino Rossi to take third as they dropped into the first corner. The end of lap one saw Casey Stoner take the lead at the end of the straight, Lorenzo tucking in behind him and holding until the line for his fourth podium of the season. A white flag to signal some rain on the track caused some concern with 13 laps to go but was not severe enough to cause any rider to pit in and change to wet tyres.

Spies delivered the same consistent race pace in evidence from the beginning of the weekend, secure in third position from the first corner to the chequered flag. The Texan built a lead of around a second from Andrea Dovizioso for the duration of the race to claim his first podium for the Factory Yamaha Team.

The riders head straight to Silverstone now for a back-to-back race, Lorenzo still leading the championship with a seven point advantage over Casey Stoner. Team mate Spies jumps an impressive five places up the standings to seventh with 36 points, eleven points behind fellow American Nicky Hayden in sixth.

Jorge Lorenzo Position : 2nd Time: +2.403


?I?m really happy with the result, I gave it the maximum! I overtook Casey on the start but I knew he could overtake me. I tried to stay with him and not to lose his back wheel for as long as possible. At the end it started to rain a little and it was tough to keep concentration in the last sector but we managed it. We are still leading the championship so let?s see what happens in Silverstone.?

Ben Spies Position : 3rd Time: +4.291


?We just kept pushing and pushing and we were slowly catching up to Jorge, not necessarily to try and catch and pass him but to stay away from Andrea. The bike was great and I felt good on it and just needed a good result. After the first couple of laps I realised we had a shot at a podium so I rode as hard as I could. The tyre was a good choice for us today; we did what we came here to accomplish and that?s good enough. Big thanks to the team who worked hard to deliver a great package this weekend, bring on Silverstone!?

Wilco Zeelenberg Team Manager

?Not a very spectacular race but second and third places are of course very important to us. We closed the gap we feel this weekend even if it was difficult circumstances. We said at the beginning it?s important to finish every race on the podium. We need to solve some more issues and make some more steps but we are definitely heading in the right direction. I?m very happy for Jorge that he finished on the podium in front of his home crowd and for Ben for bouncing back from a difficult start to the year with his first podium.?

Massimo Meregalli Team Director

?This weekend started well from Friday and everyday was better. To get both riders on the podium is a great success for the team. We were not so far from the leaders having worked hard and improved the bike a lot. We are optimistic thinking about the Silverstone race as that was also a good race last year for Yamaha.?

Super seventh for Crutchlow, Edwards targets Silverstone return

Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team rider Cal Crutchlow heads to his crucial home race at Silverstone next weekend brimming with confidence after he stormed to a career best MotoGP result in the Gran Premi Aperol de Catalunya today.

Starting from the second row of the grid, the British rider quickly gained momentum on Bridgetone's hard rear tyre and a series of consistently fast laps saw him easily reel in the factory Ducati of 2006 MotoGP World Champion Nicky Hayden. He eventually passed the American on lap ten and was able to comfortably pull away, despite some nervous moments from the halfway stage as spots of rain started to fall on the Montmelo circuit.

Crutchlow was preparing for his first experience of the flag-to-flag format, but the light rain abated and he rode to a brilliant seventh place. The result, which moves Crutchlow into the top ten in the World Championship rankings on 30-points, sets him up perfectly for a strong showing in front of his home crowd at the British Grand Prix next weekend.

Crutchlow will be joined at Silverstone by Monster Yamaha Tech 3 team-mate Colin Edwards, who will attempt to compete in the sixth round of the 2011 MotoGP World Championship.

Edwards returned to the Catalunya track this morning having undergone successful surgery to insert a titanium plate and 13 screws in the right collarbone he broke in a heavy crash during Friday's second free practice session. Edwards has already gained closed to full movement in his right shoulder and in a brave attempt to continue his proud record of never missing a race in his MotoGP career, Edwards planned to start the 25-lap clash and retire after two laps.

But after medical checks prior to the race, medical staff declared him unfit to start, though the 37-year-old is confident he will have no problems riding in Silverstone this weekend after a few days of rest.

Cal Crutchlow
Position 7th Time +26.483
That's my best result in MotoGP and of course I'm happy, but I'd rather have got a result like that in a more entertaining race. It was just a test of concentration for most of the race once I'd passed Nicky and it was quite lonely. I caught him really quickly but once I got by I'd used up my rear tyre trying to chase him down because I struggled for grip after that. When the spots of rain came it was quite difficult. The white flags were being waved like there was a monsoon but there was only rain in the last three corners. Part of me was looking forward to having a flag-to-flag race because it might have given me a chance of fighting with the group at the front, but the rain never got worse than a few spots on the visor. I still managed to pull away from Nicky but I finished 26 seconds behind Casey, and that is not too bad considering I'd never seen this place before. If I hadn't backed off a little I'm sure I could have finished about 20 seconds back and that was good enough for the top six last year. Sixth to eighth position is where I'm at the moment but it is a good confidence boost as well to finish as the top non-factory rider. Nobody can ride this package harder than I am at the moment and now I'm looking forward to Silverstone. I'm sure the support is going to be incredible and I'm really looking forward to it."

Colin Edwards
DNS

?I'm a little bit disappointed with the decision not to let me ride because while it's not a lifelong ambition never to miss a MotoGP race, it was a run I was pretty proud of. I understand the decision but my shoulder feels great. Dr Xavier Mir has done an amazing job on my collarbone because it was smashed, but it was never my intention to do the full race. I just wanted to start, do a couple of laps and pull in. I only considered it because I was here in Barcelona and it seemed pointless breaking the streak. But I'm too big and too old to get upset and I'm going to rest up now and concentrate on getting ready for Silverstone. I know I can race next weekend and I'm already looking forward to it. I can't remember the last time I missed a race and I definitely don't like watching on TV, so I'm desperate to get back working with my Monster Yamaha Tech 3 crew.?
Herv? Poncharal
Monster Yamaha Tech3 Team Manager

"Seventh is a good result for Cal and the best we can hope for. The six in front of him are on all factory machinery and I think even with a better start, it would have been a big ask for him to fight with Simoncelli. But to chase down Nicky on a factory bike, pass him and then pull away quite comfortably, is still a big scalp for Cal. It is easy to forget he is a rookie but seventh is his best result so far and it couldn't have come at a better time with his home race at Silverstone coming next weekend. We are also looking forward to having Colin back in action at Silverstone. I can understand his desire to ride today and at 37 with all he's achieved in his career, his determination and commitment is amazing. But we have to remember he was only operated on yesterday and he respects the decision of the medical staff. He will be stronger at Silverstone and it will be great to see Colin and Cal back on track together doing their best for the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team.?

2011 MotoGP Spain
Catalunya 05/06/2011 25 Laps
race I
1 Casey Stoner Honda AUS 43'19.779
2 Jorge Lorenzo Yamaha ESP 0'02.403
3 Ben Spies Yamaha USA 0'04.291
4 Andrea Dovizioso Honda ITA 0'05.255
5 Valentino Rossi Ducati ITA 0'07.371
6 Marco Simoncelli Honda ITA 0'11.831
7 Cal Crutchlow Yamaha GBR 0'26.483
8 Nicky Hayden Ducati USA 0'33.243
9 Loris Capirossi Ducati ITA 0'43.092
10 Karel Abraham Ducati CZE 0'43.113
11 Hector Barbera Ducati ESP 0'44.224
12 Alvaro Bautista Suzuki ESP 0'45.239
13 Toni Elias Honda ESP 0'58.268
MotoGP World Standing
Rider Standings After Race 5 of 18
1. Jorge Lorenzo Yamaha ESP 98
2. Casey Stoner Honda AUS 91
3. Andrea Dovizioso Honda ITA 63
4. Daniel Pedrosa Honda ESP 61
5. Valentino Rossi Ducati ITA 58
6. Nicky Hayden Ducati USA 47
7. Ben Spies Yamaha USA 36
8. Hiroshi Aoyama Honda JPN 36
9. Marco Simoncelli Honda ITA 32
10. Cal Crutchlow Yamaha GBR 30
11. Hector Barbera Ducati ESP 26
12. Karel Abraham Ducati CZE 24
13. Colin Edwards Yamaha USA 21
14. Toni Elias Honda ESP 20
15. Loris Capirossi Ducati ITA 16
16. Alvaro Bautista Suzuki ESP 11

 

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Stoner dominates at Catalunya, closes in on points lead

Australian ace Casey Stoner (Repsol Honda RC212V) rocketed to a dominant victory at Catalunya today. His third win of the year and his second consecutive success moves him to within seven points of series leader Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha) who finished in second place. Lorenzo?s team-mate Ben Spies completed the podium just ahead of Andrea Dovizioso (Repsol Honda RC212V). Pole position man Marco Simoncelli (San Carlo Honda Gresini RC212V) came home in sixth spot.

Stoner was the clear favourite after setting a lightning-fast race pace throughout the two days of practice. Even though he missed out on pole position ? because he didn?t have the set-up to fully exploit the extra grip of the softer tyres ? the 2007 World Champion was confident he could be more than competitive today.

Second behind Lorenzo at the end of the first lap, Stoner took the lead at the start of lap two and stayed in front for the rest of the 25-lap race. He steadily built an advantage until the midway point when he sensibly eased his pace as light rainfall affected the final section of the Catalunya track. Lorenzo ? who was able to gauge his pace in the treacherous conditions according to Stoner ? closed the gap from more than two seconds to 1.8 seconds, but as soon as the rain stopped Stoner re-established his advantage. At one point he was almost four seconds ahead of Lorenzo. Finally he crossed the finish line 2.4s ahead.

Dovizioso had a highly competitive, but slightly frustrating race. He was in fourth place almost from start to finish, chasing Spies throughout, but never quite getting close enough to mount an assault on the American. Dovizioso had Valentino Rossi (Ducati) briefly get ahead of him in the early stages and spent the remainder of the race sandwiched between Spies and Rossi, playing the tricky game of simultaneously attacking and defending. The result moves the Italian into third place overall ahead of team-mate Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda RC212V) who missed this race after breaking his right collarbone at Le Mans three weeks ago.

Yesterday Simoncelli scored the first pole position of his MotoGP career and much was expected of the lanky Italian in today?s race. But he got swamped by his rivals in the rush to the first corner and ended the first lap down in seventh. Simoncelli was able to overcome Nicky Hayden (Ducati) and get close to Rossi, but in the end he had to settle for a sixth-place finish.

Toni Elias (LCR Honda MotoGP RC212V) had another difficult outing, crossing the line all alone in 13th position. The reigning Moto2 World Champion raced a modified chassis for the first time, but struggled with both front and rear grip and will try bigger changes for next weekend?s British Grand Prix.

Hiroshi Aoyama (San Carlo Honda Gresini RC212V) crashed out on lap four, taking Randy de Puniet (Ducati) with him. Neither rider was injured in the accident.

After today?s Catalan GP the paddock is already packing up in preparation for the northward trip over the English Channel for the coming weekend?s British GP at Silverstone.


MotoGP rider quotes

Casey Stoner, Repsol Honda: winner
?We got a reasonably good start, but not as good as Jorge. I wanted to try to pass him early on, but had to wait until the end of the first lap. From this point I just tried to put in the consistent laps as we did in the practice sessions to see if he could stay with me. Fortunately I was able to open up an advantage without pushing too hard or feeling too much pressure. I was really happy, the bike was feeling fantastic and then it started to rain. There was enough rain there to make you think that it will affect the bike, and in the last corner there was enough rain to make the track slippery. As I was always the first to arrive to the wet area of the track, I watched what the others were doing [from the information displayed on his pit board] and if they had started to catch me then I would push and if I start to pull an advantage then I would back off a little. I?m just happy I kept the bike upright at this stage and I want to thank all my team at Repsol Honda for all the hard work this weekend. We now head to Silverstone next week where we?ll also be looking to fight for victory. I just hope Dani can make a return there also and I wish him a fast recovery.?

Andrea Dovizioso, Repsol Honda: 4th
?After the warm-up session in the wet, the conditions during the race were tricky, especially when it started to rain with 12 laps to go. I didn?t have a perfect start and this complicated the race. In the first laps with a full tank, I didn?t have good stability in the front. With the hard tyres the traction was not so good compared to Lorenzo, Spies and Rossi who were riding with soft tyres. Even if we improved compared to Le Mans in terms of lap times, I?m not happy finishing fourth, five seconds behind the winner. Today we were fast and I think that with a good start we could have at least fought for the podium. I?m sorry for my team as they worked hard during the whole weekend. Now I look forward to next weekend?s race in Silverstone, a circuit that I like and where I hope to get a good result.?

Marco Simoncelli, San Carlo Honda Gresini: 6th
?I don?t know if I held the clutch too long at the start, but it slipped and a lot of riders passed me, costing me a lot of time. After that I was unable to get back into the rhythm I had during practice and I was struggling, even though the pace in general was slower. I had a gap of over a second to the guys in front of me and I got it back down to three tenths to Valentino, but after a few laps I was taking too many chances in certain areas where it was a little damp and decided to pull my oars in and bring the bike home. Overall the weekend has been positive because after the pole yesterday sixth place doesn?t feel great but I have to think back to how I felt arriving here in Barcelona and be satisfied. I achieved the first of my three objectives from yesterday, which was to finish, so we will try for the other two in the next race.?

Toni Elias, LCR Honda MotoGP: 13th
?It was one of the worst races of my career because we could not even match yesterday?s lap times. We probably took the wrong direction as we have lost front grip and rear grip was really poor for the whole race. At the end we scored some points, but I feel bad for me, for the team and for my fans. There?s something wrong and we need a radical change because we all deserve a better result. We are working hard since the winter test and we will continue this way.?

Hiroshi Aoyama, San Carlo Honda Gresini: DNF
?It hasn?t been a good weekend for us and today I made a mistake. I crashed and took de Puniet with me, but it was completely my fault. I don?t know what to say other than I want to get to Silverstone and forget about this Grand Prix.?
Pole position : 1m42.413s (166.162Km/h) Marco Simoncelli, Honda
Fastest lap : Lap 5 - 1m43.084s (165.080Km/h) Casey Stoner, Honda
Circuit record lap : 1m42.358s (166.251Km/h) Dani Pedrosa (Honda, 2008)
Circuit Best Lap : 1m41.186s (168.177Km/h) Casey Stoner (Ducati, 2008)