MotoGP-Mugello

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Yamaha Factory Racing Prepare for 'Home' Grand Prix at Mugello

Yamaha Factory Racing set up for their ?home? race in Italy this weekend for the Gran Premio d'Italia at the Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello near Florence. Nestled deep in the Tuscan hills, the Mugello circuit is just over 300km from the team?s base in Gerno di Lesmo, near Milan. The track is a favourite for both Jorge Lorenzo and Valentino Rossi, with each scoring multiple victories across classes. Lorenzo can claim one 250cc win, two second place premier class finishes in 2009 and 2010 and the last two consecutive premier class victories in 2011 and 2012.

Rossi?s Mugello record includes one 125cc win in 1997, a 250cc win in 1999 and then an incredible seven-year consecutive premier class win streak at Mugello from 2002 to 2008, making him the only Grand Prix rider ever to take seven straight wins at his home race.

The Mugello circuit is one of the fastest tracks on the MotoGP calendar. With a straight of over a kilometre in length fans can expect to see some incredible speeds as the 1000cc machines get pushed to the limit. The rest of the 5.245km track is guaranteed to provide exciting racing with 15 turns, varied camber and gradient changes and high speed chicanes set on an extra wide track with many overtaking possibilities.
Jorge Lorenzo

?I'm looking forward to visiting Mugello after suffering a very disappointing weekend at Le Mans. It was a tough race for us and I want to recover points at Mugello, a good track for me. I like the circuit a lot because of its layout, plenty of long and high-speed corners. I have a lot of good memories there and I would like to make a positive weekend. 

I think also for Yamaha it is a good place to get the best performance. The circuit is amazing to ride and also the temperature is quite warm, as well as Jerez. The crowd is also very passionate there.

 The only weak point for us is the long straight, where maybe our rivals are stronger than us, but in general the track is very suitable for our bike. I can`t wait to go to Italy and find the pace. We need to cut away the gap to the front but anyway, the Championship is long so we have to be calm.?
Valentino Rossi

?I am very happy that we go to Mugello. I love this track and I'm really happy to go back there with Yamaha. This is a track that I really like and a good result is important. Unfortunately we are still not fast enough so we need to improve, especially in dry conditions. We must work hard and improve the bike. The Mugello race will be difficult, but we will try to do everything to get the best result. A podium would be really nice. I believe that there will be many people at Mugello so I'm happy and the heat in Mugello is always good!?
Wilco Zeelenberg - Yamaha Factory Racing Team Manager

"Well, after Le Mans where the result was very disappointing for us we need to make a good race. After three races where we have not found the pace wanted we will try to get some good points to keep our focus on the Championship. We know our rivals are really strong but there are still 14 races to go, this is quite long and the first track where we have to fight for the victory is Mugello. This circuit I think suits Jorge and Yamaha quite well so we hope to start in a good way.?
Massimo Meregalli - Yamaha Factory Racing Team Director

?I'm really looking forward to the Mugello race. This is our first home race and it?s a really nice circuit, a really nice place and there are always a lot of fans there. I think now that Valentino is back with a competitive bike more people will come to see the race as well. We always get a good result at this circuit so we are looking for a completely different result from Le Mans. We will start the first practice really focused to prepare the entire weekend in the best possible way and we will see what will happen on Sunday afternoon.?

 

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First Italian race in the 2013 World Championship

The 5th round of the MotoGP World Championship will be held at the Mugello circuit, more than five kilometers of track winding through woods and over the green hills of Tuscany, 30km from Florence.

The course is notable for its uphill straightaway that's more than 1km long, where racers can reach speeds of about 340 km/h. There are lots of elevation changes and fast, blind, tricky corners like the "Arrabbiata 1" and the "Arrabbiata 2". Also worth noting is the Casanova-Savelli, a right-left, downhill chicane, which can particularly impact lap time.

Important renovation work was performed in 2011 to improve safety standards, completely renew the asphalt and build a new central pavilion of covered box seats that can accommodate up to 4,500 spectators.

In the Ignite Pramac Racing Team pit work has resumed with ?head? pilot Ben Spies, who will be calling on information gathered during the French GP, in collaboration with test pilot Michele Pirro.
The team will be greeting Ben with a "Welcome Home" to this Italian circuit, where in 2011, in his second year in MotoGP, he earned a 4th place finish.

Ben Spies ?Ignite Pramac Racing Team
?I'm better than before. I?ve worked intensively to prepare the muscles for the effort required by a MotoGP bike, and especially the Desmosedici, and now I?m here with the team, ready to get back to work. I?m certainly not at 100% fitness yet, but in the next few days I?ll understand better as I ride my bike. The Mugello circuit isn?t the easiest one for making my return, as the track is challenging, and since it?s Ducati?s ?house,? there will be a lot of pressure and a lot of fans! Still, I'm happy to get back to competing in the World Championship and I would like to thank Michele Pirro for having worked with the team in my absence at Le Mans GP.?

The circuit is a particular favorite of Andrea Iannone, who made it to the top step on the podium twice with the Moto2 class, in 2010 and 2012, while the last victory by a motorcycle from the Ducati stables dates back to 2009 with Casey Stoner.

Andrea spent his week off dedicating himself to getting back into physical shape after the contemporaneous hardships of an operation to his forearm and a fall he took at the Jerez Circuit.

Following the French race, which was important in order to understand the consequences of his injuries and the reaction of his muscle, the Italian rider and his team are coming to the circuit determined to find a setup good enough to make him a contender in the home race.

Andrea Iannone ? Energy T.I. Pramac Racing Team
?I'm ready for our home track. I?d like to find my setting in time to be fast starting with the first practice session tomorrow, and we?ll work with this goal in mind. During these days, I trained myself to recover strength in the arm; my knee is healing, and I hope it won?t be too painful, since we also removed the stitches from my arm and knee. This is a track that I like. I?ve had a lot of success here in the past few years in Moto2, and it?s really a great experience to be on the podium. Maybe that?s not yet our goal, but I definitely want to have a good race. I will also have a new helmet for this race that shows my ?misadventures? starting from the beginning of my MotoGP World Championship.?

 

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Honda looking for fourth win in a row in Italy

A fortnight after securing a hat-trick of three consecutive MotoGP wins in France, Honda?s grand prix racers face a new challenge in Italy. The task is not only to continue the run of first places ... but to build on the strong championship positions achieved in the early races.

The Italian GP is the fifth round, and third in the European season. The venue is spectacular, set in a narrowing valley packed with passionate fans.

Both Repsol Honda RC213V riders have tasted victory at Mugello, but each race is a new beginning. This year, one or both of the riders have been on the rostrum at every race so far. Another double-top is the target.

In Qatar and Texas it was scintillating class rookie Marc Marquez setting the pace even while learning how to get the best out of his super-fast Honda racer. At the second round the 20-year-old reigning Moto2 World Champion took a maiden pole and race win to become the youngest ever in the premier class.

At the next two rounds senior team-mate Dani Pedrosa hit his stride, winning at Jerez and in dire wet-to-dry conditions at Le Mans in France. The 27-year-old Spaniard now leads the points table from Marquez, fulfilling pre-season predictions that his eighth year in the Repsol Honda would be his best yet, after he closed last season with a run of wins.

The key to his upturn this year was finding the right settings to give him the right machine balance and feeling to exploit his smooth style to the maximum. Dani describes how Mugello?s fast, sweeping corners demand the best possible settings, and hopes the balance he has found will work as well here as at the last two tracks. Dani has one Mugello win and three other rostrums in the last seven races at the track.

Marquez followed up his win in Austin, Texas with a fighting second at Jerez, seized in the last corner from defending champion Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha) in an attacking move that made the headlines, and further underlined the class rookie?s blazing arrival in the premier class.

At Le Mans, in his first wet race on a 250-plus horsepower MotoGP Honda, he stunned the fans again, riding through from ninth to third. Marc has won at Mugello in both 125 and Moto2 classes. His first attempt on a MotoGP bike is eagerly awaited.

Team GO&FUN Honda Gresini RC213V rider Alvaro Bautista came through to sixth place at Le Mans, his third such finish in a perfect top-ten tally so far. He lies seventh overall. The Spanish former 125 World Champion combines his racing role with that of suspension development: the only rider in the class to use Showa suspension.

The last race brought more woe for German former Moto2 World Champion Stefan Bradl. He was running strongly with the top riders when he was unsighted by a badly fogged visor, slipping off and remounting for tenth. He lies 11th overall after two earlier non-finishes, and will be striving to make amends at Mugello, where newly improved machine settings should give him the chance to regain lost ground.

Australian Bryan Staring sees the race as another chance to score his first points to prove his growing confidence with his CBR1000RR-powered CRT bike. The GO&FUN Honda Gresini FTR Honda rider had been confident of a good result in France, but crashed out early in the race, blaming ?impatience?.

The Mugello circuit is a magnificent venue for grand prix racing, with sweeping curves and chicanes using both sides of the valley in a lap of 5.245 km (3.259 miles). Running clockwise it has nine right-hand and six left-hand corners, forming a series of loops and high-speed chicanes. It is most famous for its 1.1-km ?straight?, undulating past the pits to finish over a blind brow at more than 350 km/h, followed directly by a looping 120-km/h corner.

Used fitfully in the 1970s and 1980s, the track outside Florence underwent a major refit for new owner Ferrari, and joined the calendar full time in 1991. In 22 years Honda has taken 12 wins in the Tuscan foothills.



Honda MotoGP Rider Quotes



Repsol Honda rider Dani Pedrosa says:

?After the race in Le Mans, I?ve managed to relax this week and I feel good physically. Mugello is a nice track and one that I really enjoy to ride. It?s a fast track with long corners so it?s important to have a good feeling with the bike. Usually the weather is good to us and there is a great atmosphere with all the fans there. I am leading the championship, which is very special so I hope to arrive in Mugello and find that the bike works well there too, and we can do a good race.?

Repsol Honda rider Marc Marquez says:

?I'm really pleased with the race in Le Mans, it was great experience for me to ride in the wet but now I am happy to go to Mugello and hopefully have some nice weather! Mugello is a difficult circuit, perhaps one of the most difficult in the World Championship. It has many changes of direction so we must work hard from the beginning to find the right set up. These coming races will be very important as they are difficult circuits and we must remain focused. The other riders are so fast in Mugello so I?m sure it?s going to be tough. As always we will try our 100 percent,?


GO&FUN Honda Gresini rider Alvaro Bautista says:

?We had a really good feeling for the bike at Le Mans even though the conditions were particularly difficult. We found a good wet setting and in general the team did a very good job, especially considering the fact that we were working off data from a less than perfect weekend last year. This year we were setting lap times in line with the guys who finished on the podium, and even though I am still having some problems getting the bike out of the corners we are making good progress in general. Mugello is a completely different circuit from Le Mans. It is technical, fast, with various changes in direction and elevation. It will be important to stay focused and do a good job from the first minute to the last to make sure that we bury the memory of a bad weekend last year. I am determined to get a good result and I know this is a special Grand Prix for the team because it is their home race.?

LCR Honda rider Stefan Bradl says:

?I have very good memories about my first race in the premier class at Mugello circuit. I finished the race in fourth, impressing everybody and I felt very happy about my performance because I really like the Italian circuit. This weekend is one of the most important for LCR and a lot of supporters are keen to see me and to give me an extra boost. The atmosphere will be warm but not the weather. However I am looking forward to this race and it would be amazing to repeat last years result. In Le Mans we have found a good way to solve our front-end issue and I could lap with more confidence. The race was particularly tough due to the rainy conditions but I arrive in Italy with high motivation and a good overall package.?



GO&FUN Honda Gresini rider Bryan Staring says:

?There should be a fantastic atmosphere at Mugello because this is the home race for Team GO&FUN Honda Gresini. I want to put the result from Le Mans behind me as quickly as possible and in order to do that I need to work hard from the first session to learn the layout and make progress with the bike set-up. It is another new circuit for me but on paper the layout looks exciting. I really want to have a good race here and close down the gap to the points-scoring positions.?

 

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Ducati Team prepares for home GP at Mugello

Buoyed by its recent positive showing at the French Grand Prix, the Ducati Team is preparing for its home round at the Mugello Circuit in the hills of Tuscany. Always one of the most popular rounds on the championship tour, this year?s edition of the Italian Grand Prix has been moved forward on the calendar to the start of June, and it?s sure to draw a host of fans, many of whom will be cheering on Andrea Dovizioso and Nicky Hayden from the Ducati Grandstand at the Correntaio curve.

The Italian will be competing aboard the Desmosedici GP13 for the first time at Mugello, where he began his Grand Prix career in 2001 (in the 125cc class), and where he has finished on the premier-class podium in each of his last three visits. Hayden also had a strong performance last year at the track, threatening for the podium before running off the track on the final lap.

Also in action at Mugello will be Ducati Test Team rider Michele Pirro, making his second wildcard appearance this season on the GP13 ?lab bike? following on from his Jerez debut; it will be the third race in a row for the Italian, who also took part in the Le Mans round, where he finished eighth as a substitute for Ignite Pramac Racing rider Ben Spies.

Andrea Dovizioso ? Ducati Team
?I definitely can?t wait to do the Mugello weekend, as it?s the nicest circuit in the world. It?s Ducati?s ?house,? and there will certainly be many fans on hand, so it?s really a lot of fun to race there. We?ve already had some tests, so we?ll be prepared, although it will be difficult because we still have basically the same GP13 from Le Mans. It?s a tough track that?s physical and very fast, although I don?t think it?ll be bad for us. Mugello is always a good circuit for me, and having the support of Ducati and its fans should help us to have a good weekend.?

Nicky Hayden ? Ducati Team
?Of course we?re extremely excited to go to Mugello. It?s a great race at a great track with a great atmosphere?really one of the best GPs of the year, especially when you?re riding a Ducati! Our bike was built around the circuit, so it works well there; the straightaway suits the Desmosedici because you come onto it so fast. It?s a tough track?really challenging, technical and physical, with a lot of blind sections and elevation changes?but it?s one that I like a lot. We?re not expecting miracles, but I think we can do well. The Italian Ducati fans have stuck with us through a lot, and it would be nice to leave Mugello with a result they can all be proud of.?

Michele Pirro ? Ducati Test Team
?First of all, I?m very happy to be making my second wildcard ride, and I?d like to thank Ducati for this opportunity. At Le Mans I did my best to adapt to the standard GP13, which I find quite different from the development version that I?ll be going back to this weekend. Mugello is close to Ducati?s offices, and we?ve done a lot of testing there, so I?m ready for the race. Doing the last two races in a row has helped to prepare me, so I hope to be able to gather some good data for the team and to be closer to the top guys with my lap times. It would be great to do a good result in front of the Italian fans, in order to show that we?re working in the right way with the bike.?

Vittoriano Guareschi ? Team Manager
?Mugello is our home race. We were able to do a test there earlier this month, so we already have an idea about the setup we?ll use. It could be hot at Mugello in June, and that might be a variable since it was fairly cool when we tested. Still, both Nicky and Andrea did a good job at the test, and we have good data from them and our test riders, so we expect to have a good race. As for support, there will be many people from Ducati at Mugello, along with a lot of Ducati fans, and everyone in our grandstand always does something special to demonstrate their enthusiasm. We?ll see what they?ve come up with for this year!?


Mugello Circuit Records

Circuit Record: Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha ? 2010), 1:48.402 ? 174.184 Km/h (108.233 mph)
Best Pole: Dani Pedrosa (Honda ? 2012), 1:47.284 ? 176.000 Km/h (109.361 mph)
Circuit Length: 5.245 km (3.265 mi)
2013 MotoGP Race: 23 laps (120.635 km/74.959 mi)
2013 MotoGP Schedule: 2:00 p.m. Local Time

2012 podium: 1st Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha), 2nd Dani Pedrosa (Honda), 3rd Andrea Dovizioso (Yamaha)
2012 pole: Dani Pedrosa (Honda) 1:47.284 ? 176.000 km/h (109.361 mph)

 

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Energy T.I. Pramac Racing Team completes his first Italian race at Mugello.

Regardless of the variable and unpredictable weather at the Mugello circuit, Energy T.I. Pramac Racing Team had a good day in the free trials, with Andrea Iannone back in top form.

He was still suffering from a little pain in his leftt knee, which hasn't healed completely, but the work he put in preparing for Sunday's race seems to have payed off.

In the FP2, which was contended on a completely dry track, he registered his best time of 1:49.467, coming in sixth behind Nicky Hayden and second for Ducati. It was almost one second faster compared to the morning trials, when the conditions on the track were completely different. The circuit was neither dry nor wet, and the temperature was cool.

So tomorrow the search will continue to find that confidence during braking that has been put hard to the test on this track, which features particularly fast changes in direction, and to work on the grip which, starting in the first laps today, slowed down the Italian rider's pace a little.

Andrea Iannone ? Energy T.I. Pramac Racing Team
?At the moment everything is going really well, we definitely need to improve and find a faster pace but we especially need to try and be more consistent. As long as the tires are new I manage to go fast enough and I feel good with the bike, but after the first five laps the back tire starts to lose its grip, especially in the very fast turns like the Arrabbiata 2, Correntaio and Bucine, and we lose a lot. As for everything else the motorcycle is performing well, we are positive but we also have to concentrate to find a little more faith in going in with the front brakes, which perhaps were affected today by the conditions on the track and the low temperatures. Physically I'm fine, the arm isn't hurting, and even though this morning my knee kept bothering me, we might have found a solution with a spongy protection which we adopted during the FP2, and I think I can overcome the problem. It's too bad that I couldn't do these tests here together with Andrea Dovizioso and Nicky Hayden a few weeks ago, but it just wasn't possible. Now the goal is to prepare for the race anyway and work on the motorcycle. Obviously, I'd like to achieve something special."

 

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Positive Friday for Edwards while complicated for Corti at Mugello

Beginning of the home race at Mugello for the NGM Mobile Forward riders Colin Edwards and Claudio Corti.

Colin Edwards and the FTR ? Kawasaki bike have a positive Friday sessions at Mugello. The American rider is feeling good about his chassis setup and hopes to smooth the electronics problems to be competitive for tomorrow?s qualifying session.

The pressure is on for the Italian ride after a complicated first day of free practices at his home race. Corti had some problems during the morning session with his bike one, prevented him from finding a good pace. Both the rider and team
believe in the potential of the FTR ? Kawasaki bike and that the right setting modifications can allow him to be faster.

Colin Edwards


?We started out in wet conditions this morning and what a lot of folks don?t know is that there is a pretty big difference between the rain tire and the dry tire dimensions: with the rain tire the bike feels lower on the rear and this morning when we used it the bike felt really good. At the end of the morning session, with the dry tire (same setting), the bike felt real steep and high on the rear. We decided to use the dry setup with the rain balance, dropped the whole bike a lot to get it more less even and it felt great, I was really happy with it. Obviously the electronics that we are trying to make better but chassis wise its feeling good. I think we can play a little bit with some spring rates and some chain force to get a little better but right now its feeling pretty good.?

Claudio Corti

?Today we had some problems with bike one at the beginning of the session and I had trouble finding the pace but when we went out with bike two, I was able to get in better lap times. We are far from having the ideal setup for the bike as of right now in order to be fast. We know what the causes of our main problems are and after going over today?s data we will decide what the best setting for tomorrow will be. We need a drastic setting change given that I am way behind my teammate in terms of the lap times. We will go over the data and decide what to do change for tomorrow.?


Sergio Verbena-MotoGP Technial Director
?We have had a good beginning of the weekend here in Mugello. We decided to start the weekend off with significant setting modifications on Colin?s bike that seem to be working well up to now. We still have three CRTs ahead of us but we have a good pace. We have some areas in which we have room for improvement and tomorrow?s focus will be on closing the gap for the qualifying session. The gap as of right now is of about three seconds, which if you take into consideration the length of the Mugello track, it?s not bad at all. Claudio had some problems today but he definitely has the potential to be faster tomorrow after we go over today?s data and solve the problems he encountered during today?s session. We want to be sure everything is ready for qualifying.?

 

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Abraham has started with good result in Mugello in spite of health problems

Surprisingly fourth place in morning free practice of MotoGP, and eighteenth place in the afternoon. Karel Abraham has started the race weekend in Mugello with good results, although he is struggling with fever. The morning free practice with gradually becoming dry track the Czech rider has finished on fourth place with gap of 1,077 second to the leader Marc Marquez. On dry track in the afternoon Karel has lost 3,153 seconds to the fastest Jorge Lorenzo.

Karel Abraham:
?The morning free practice has really succeed, I was fast on the wet surface since the beginning of the practice, when the track was becoming dry I?ve managed to drive behind Valentino Rossi and I?ve improved my time. In the afternoon, at the end of second free practice we had a technical problem with second bike. We wanted to try two different settings on this bike; it comes from experience of previous two seasons. Unfortunately the rear wheel got blocked several times because of technical defect and I had to come back to the garage. At the end of the practice I?ve managed to take just one good lap. Unfortunately I?m struggling with some cold, so I have fever and digestive problems. I had quite tough night and I hope to feel better tomorrow, so we can focus only to racing.?

Marco Grana, Chief Mechanic Cardion AB Motoracing
?Today we started with good result on wet and we also did well on drying surface with dry tyres. The fourth place is the best result at this circuit for us of last 2 years. We have to focus on setting of the bike because we have problem with bumping rear. Tomorrow we will change the setting of both bikes and our aim is to get closer to Espargaro and De Puniet. Anyway today was very positive to us and now we have to wait what weather condition will be in these days. Definitely better for us would be ride on dry track.?

 

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Ignite Pramac Racing Team back to full strength

Regardless of the variable and unpredictable weather at the Mugello circuit, the Ignite Pramac Racing Team was pleased to be back to full strength as it completed its first Italian race of the season.

Ben Spies, back in the paddock after the five weeks away from the Moto championship, maintained a constant pace, closing out the morning's FP1 among the first ten in the rankings and registering a time of 1:51.105 at the end of FP2, the last session of the day.

Compared to this morning's session, when the track was neither wet nor dry, this second part of the day took place on a dry track, allowing the Texan to regain confidence in his motorcycle and build toward Sunday's race.

Ben Spies ? Ignite Pramac Racing Team
?I feel a lot better. In doing everyday things, I've seen a huge improvement, but riding a bike is a completely different story. It?s not that easy, and we have to figure out the best direction to take. Today?s weather conditions were pretty difficult for getting back on the track. The second session was better, but it?s hard to get back on the bike, and I'm just trying to get back up to speed and get used to everything. It?s now more a weakness and instability problem than pain, but I know I'm still not 100% and it shows. I can't control everything yet, and I'm not happy about it, even though I expected it. Compared to Qatar and Austin, the straight-line braking strength is much better here, but on change of direction, especially in third and fourth gear chicanes while controlling the throttle and getting back on brakes--that?s where I'm struggling. I feel much more comfortable on the bike, and it's good to see and talk with the guys. Let?s see what happens tomorrow.?

 

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Yamaha Dominate in the Dry as Mugello Begins

The Gran Premio d'Italia got off to a damp start this morning at the Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello with difficult track conditions keeping the MotoGP riders on wet tyres with just a few exceptions in the final moments. The second practice in the afternoon proved to be a different story with Yamaha Factory Racing riders Jorge Lorenzo and Valentino Rossi dominating on slick tyres to the delight of the Mugello crowd.

Local hero Rossi led almost the entire session, consistently shaving time from each lap as he dropped to become the first rider into the 1?48s with 22 minutes to go. Teammate Lorenzo was not far behind and the only rider within a second of the seven-time Mugello winner. The last five minutes of the practice became a battle between the two Factory Yamahas as they swapped positions at the top of the timesheets, Lorenzo eventually taking the top spot at the chequered flag as the clock hit zero with a 1?48.375. Rossi wrapped up just 0.034 seconds behind. Fellow Yamaha rider Cal Crutchlow made it a Yamaha top three, the next riders a full second behind.
Jorge Lorenzo 1st, Time - 1'48.375, 26 laps

?In the morning it was wet and bad conditions so we preferred to not exit at the end of FP1 with the slick tyres as we thought the track was dangerous. We had to wait for the afternoon and dry conditions. From the beginning the Yamaha riders were very strong and competitive which means the track is working well for us this year. We have to wait for the improvement of our rivals and the possible change in weather that can change our performance but for the moment we are very competitive and happy.?
Valentino Rossi 2nd, Time - 1'48.409, 32 laps

?I?m happy because it's a very good practice today, starting from the beginning, staying at the top. It?s very good for the team as we are in first and second and for Yamaha because we have three Yamahas on the first three positions. Already the lap time is not so bad but we have to stay focused and concentrate for tomorrow because for sure our opponents will improve a lot. We have to make another step to improve and go faster to fight for a good position in the race.?

Wilco Zeelenberg - Yamaha Factory Racing Team Manager
"Finally a good day. We are not as fast as last year but this morning was a rain session. This afternoon we were not just fastest, but also with a good rhythm. We will keep working as we have some things to solve for tomorrow but for now Jorge has a good rhythm and a good feeling with the bike. Let?s work and see what we can improve on the bike and the package for tomorrow.?


Massimo Meregalli - Yamaha Factory Racing Team Director
"Even if we lost the morning due to the less than perfect track conditions, this afternoon we did a great job. The base set up we started with worked very well with both riders. The consistency and the speed of both of them was superb, to see three Yamahas in the top three positions is really promising. I think we will for sure try to improve the bike as we are only on the first day but it seems very promising so far.?

Crutchlow makes fast start at magnificent Mugello

British rider Cal Crutchlow played a starring role on an opening day of practice for the Gran Premio d?Italia TIM that was dominated by Yamaha at the fast and technical Mugello track. Full of confidence after storming to a career best second position last time out in Le Mans, the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team rider set a personal best time of 1.48.672 in cool and overcast conditions to help Yamaha claim a fantastic clean sweep of the top three places. After this morning?s FP1 took place in far from ideal conditions on a track littered with tricky damp patches, Crutchlow was over eight seconds faster on a full dry surface this afternoon to rocket up from ninth into the top three behind Factory Yamaha pair Jorge Lorenzo and Valentino Rossi. Crutchlow was less than 0.3s behind reigning World Champion Lorenzo and Mugello specialist Rossi and no other rider was able to lap within 0.7s of the former World Supersport Champion's impressive pace.

A hugely promising day?s work by Bradley Smith unfortunately ended in painful fashion when the rookie fell heavily while trying to consolidate an excellent eighth position on the timesheets. Smith had superbly negotiated the tricky track conditions this morning to set the sixth fastest time, and relishing the challenge of powering his YZR-M1 machine round the undulating and high-speed Mugello track, he was lapping inside the top 10 again in FP2. Confident he could improve on his eighth position he was pushing hard when he fell exiting Turn 15. The 22-year-old fell heavily on his left side and he needed lengthy treatment in the Medical Centre to assess a suspected left arm injury, though no bones were broken in the nasty spill. Smith did though suffer an open wound to his left little finger after his hand was momentarily trapped under his machine. The injury will not prevent him from participating in Sunday?s race but he will require a skin graft on Monday to repair the damage.
Cal Crutchlow, 3rd, Time - 1.48.672, 33 laps

?That was a very positive start to the weekend and I am happy to be in the top three and close to the best pace. This morning was quite tricky with the damp patches but I was fast on the wet tyres and happy with the feeling of the bike. This afternoon I was able to be in the top three in the dry and that is also very positive, but it is going to be very difficult to beat Jorge and Valentino. Jorge is looking for a third straight win here, so he is very fast on this track, and Valentino obviously has some special motivation for his home race. But I am the best of the rest again, which is a good sign and we?ve still got some things to try to improve the bike. I?m not completely confident in some corners but I know my Monster Yamaha Tech 3 crew has some good ideas to help me improve. It could be tricky conditions tomorrow though if we get some rain that?s been forecast, but after my second place in Le Mans and the good feeling I had in FP1 on the wet tyres, I am still very optimistic.?

2013 MotoGP Italy
Mugello 31/05/2013
1 Jorge Lorenzo Yamaha ESP 1'48.375
2 Valentino Rossi Yamaha ITA 1'48.409
3 Cal Crutchlow Yamaha GBR 1'48.672
4 Nicky Hayden Ducati USA 1'49.377
5 Daniel Pedrosa Honda ESP 1'49.383
6 Andrea Iannone Ducati ITA 1'49.467
7 Andrea Dovizioso Ducati ITA 1'49.543
8 Stefan Bradl Honda GER 1'49.595
9 Randy De Puniet ART FRA 1'49.599
10 Michele Pirro Ducati ITA 1'49.649
11 Alvaro Bautista Honda ESP 1'49.733
12 Aleix Espargaro ART ESP 1'49.769
13 Bradley Smith Yamaha GBR 1'50.103
14 Marc Marquez Honda ESP 1'50.210
15 Hector Barbera FTR ESP 1'50.400

 

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Pedrosa 5th on day one in Mugello as Marquez escapes serious injury after crash

The first day of free practice for the Italian GP was both productive and dramatic for the Repsol Honda Team.

The track was still wet in the morning session and with just 14?c track temperature both Dani Pedrosa and Marc Marquez began the session on wet option tyres. However, towards the end of the session a dry line began to appear and both riders went out on the soft option slick tyres for the final 10 minutes with Marc taking the fastest time of the session (1'54.797) and Dani in 8th (1'56.534).

In the afternoon's FP2 session, track temperatures had doubled to 28?C and the team began their proper setup programme for Sunday's race. Unfortunately, Marc suffered a big crash midway through the session. On lap 10 as he came over the hill on the straight, he lost the front under braking. Medical staff were quick to reach him and after 45 minutes in the medical centre he was taken for treatment in clinica mobile with a heavily swollen chin - caused by the impact of his head hitting the ground, and some contusions to his shoulder, elbow and forearm. He finished the session 14th with a time of 1'50.210 taken on lap 5 of 9, completed before the accident.

Dani, who struggled with grip throughout the session, finished in 5th with a fastest time of 1'49.383 set on his final lap of 18.



Dani Pedrosa - 5th - 1'49.383

"Today's practice wasn't that good for us. We had problem with grip and lacked rear traction and the bike wasn't at its best because of that. We also didn't have a great feeling with the tyres. In the morning session the track was half wet, half dry, so we couldn't take any solid data from that but we hope to improve all-round for tomorrow"



Marc Marquez - 14th - 1'50.210

"Just after the hill on the straight I grabbed for the brakes but I closed the front. I tried to save it but the bike was pulling me towards the wall so I jumped from the bike to avoid hitting it. I hit my chin hard and strained my neck quite badly, I also have some contusions to my right shoulder, arm and leg but other than that I'm ok. Thanks to all the medical team that were quickly on the scene to assist me. Now I need to rest and see how I feel later tonight and in the morning"



Practice Results

1 - Jorge Lorenzo - 1?48.375 - SPA - YAMAHA - Yamaha Factory Racing

2 - Valentino Rossi - 1?48.409 - ITA - YAMAHA - Yamaha Factory Racing

3 - Cal Crutchlow - 1?48.672 - GBR - YAMAHA - Monster Yamaha Tech 3

4 - Nicky Hayden - 1?49.377 - USA - DUCATI - Ducati Team

5 - Dani Pedrosa - 1?49.383 - SPA - HONDA - Repsol Honda Team

6 - Andrea Iannone - 1?49.467 - ITA - DUCATI - Energy T.I. Pramac Racing Team

7 - Andrea Dovizioso - 1?49.543 - ITA - DUCATI - Ducati Team

8 - Stefan Bradl - 1?49.595 - GER - HONDA - LCR Honda MotoGP

9 - Randy De Puniet - 1?49.599 - FRA - ART - Power Electronics Aspar

10 - Michele Pirro - 1?49.649 - ITA - DUCATI - Ducati Test Team

11 - Alvaro Bautista - 1?49.733 - SPA - HONDA - Go & Fun Honda Gresini

12 - Aleix Espargaro - 1?49.769 - SPA - ART - Power Electronics Aspar

13 - Bradley Smith - 1?50.103 - GBR - YAMAHA - Monster Yamaha Tech 3

14 - Marc Marquez - 1?50.210 - SPA - HONDA - Repsol Honda Team

15 - Hector Barbera - 1?50.400 - SPA - FTR - Avintia Blusens

16 - Ben Spies - 1?51.105 - USA - DUCATI - Ignite Pramac Racing Team

17 - Colin Edwards - 1?51.433 - USA - FTR-KAWASAKI - NGM Mobile Forward Racing

18 - Karel Abraham - 1?51.528 - CZE - ART - Cardion AB Motoracing

19 - Yonny Hernandez - 1?51.644 - COL - PBM - Paul Bird Motorsport

20 - Danilo Petrucci - 1?51.937 - ITA - IODA-SUTER - Came IodaRacing Project

21 - Hiroshi Aoyama - 1?52.182 - JAP - FTR - Avintia Blusens

22 - Claudio Corti - 1?53.314 - ITA - FTR-KAWASAKI - NGM Mobile Forward Racing

23 - Michael Laverty - 1?53.480 - GBR - PBM - Paul Bird Motorsport

24 - Bryan Staring - 1?54.231 - AUS - FTR - Go & Fun Honda Gresini

25 - Lukas Pesek - 1?54.829 - CZE - IODA-SUTER - Came IodaRacing Project

 

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Hayden fourth, crash for Dovizioso on day one at Mugello

This action-packed first day of the TIM Italian Grand Prix at Mugello was marked by challenging riding conditions, with the morning free-practice session taking place on a damp track and the surface still lacking grip in the afternoon.

Ducati Team rider Nicky Hayden finished the day in a respectable fourth position after improving upon his seventh place from the morning session, making him the top Ducati rider after the three Yamahas at the front. Meanwhile, his teammate Andrea Dovizioso fell in San Donato corner three minutes from the end of FP1, and the resultant sore neck put his participation in the afternoon session in doubt. With the help of the circuit?s medical staff and the Clinica Mobile, Dovizioso was able to ride in FP2. Though far from fully fit, the Italian managed to do fifteen laps, finishing in seventh place.

Ducati Test Team rider Michele Pirro had a strong showing aboard his Desmosedici GP13 laboratory bike. Taking part in his third race in a row, the wildcard entrant was second in the morning session and consistently near the top before concluding the day tenth in the combined times.

Nicky Hayden - Ducati Team, 4th (1:49.377)
?Today wasn?t easy at all?very difficult conditions, especially in FP1. At the time, it looked like it could rain at any moment and end maybe our only semi-dry track time of the weekend, so we had to make sure we were in the top ten to not miss out on tomorrow?s Q2 session. In the end, the position isn?t bad, but the gap to the front is large. I expected to have a better feeling with the bike, especially with grip in the middle of the corner; both ends were moving a bit, so I couldn?t really turn well at the apex. Maybe some of it?s down to the track being 'green' but that?s the same for everybody. We?ll see what the weather does tomorrow. Every bit of track time is valuable.?

Andrea Dovizioso - Ducati Team, 7th (1:49.543)
?I?m really happy that I was able to do the second session because I really didn?t think I?d be able to ride. It?s not that what happened to me was so terrible, but it?s problematic for the riding position. I can?t tilt my head back, so I?m not able to look ahead when I?m tucked on the straightaway or turn my head in the middle of the corners. I must thank Dr Costa and the Medical Centre for doing what they could to help me to ride, because otherwise I wouldn?t have been able to do it. My physiotherapist, Francesco Chionne, helped a lot as well. Let?s hope the situation doesn?t get worse, because I?m at the limit with being able to ride. Despite that, I?m pleased with the time. As for my fall, I made a mistake in turn one, which was the wettest corner. I came in a bit wide, but I wanted to try to stay on the asphalt. I was going pretty fast and lost the front, and I started to tumble in the gravel; I twisted my neck, and it definitely had an effect on my micro-hernia.?

Michele Pirro ? Ducati Test Team, 10th (1:49.649)
?It was a pretty positive day. We were very competitive on the rain tyres this morning, when I was second. In the dry this afternoon, I did almost the entire session in the top six. When we put on new tyres, I had a bit of trouble with the front brakes and wasn?t able to do the time I was capable of in order to be a bit further up. Anyway, we?re gathering data and tomorrow we hope to improve the pace and make another step forward. We?re ready for any condition, so we?ll see what happens.?

 

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Ben Spies forced into a further stop

Unfortunately yesterday?s free practice sessions highlighted the muscular problems still afflicting Ben Spies.

The intense rehabilitation activities which the Texan has undergone in the last 4 weeks have brought about a clear improvement but it still not sufficient for Spies to demonstrate his true potential on the track.

After an analysis of the situation, the Pramac Racing Team, Ducati Corse and the rider have taken the mutual decision to continue rehabilitation and physiotherapy and to interrupt all track activities to allow Ben to complete his total physical recovery.

In the next few days Ben Spies will undergo further medical checks in order to have a clearer appraisal of the situation and evaluate the treatment to be followed for full recovery.

 

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5th row for Energy T.I. Pramac Racing Team

Less than a tenth of a second separated Andrea Iannone from advancing into the Q2 session during qualifying for tomorrow?s Italian Grand Prix.

The Energy T.I. Pramac Racing Team rider completed the third free-practice session with a time of 1:49.135 and 11th place, putting him in the Q1 session. He?ll start tomorrow?s race from the fifth row of the starting grid.

Once again, Iannone was limited by a lack of grip, which he and the team tried to correct with a different setting from the one used in yesterday's session.

However, the results were still not up to par. There are still many unknowns for tomorrow?s race, but the hope is that further changes to be tried in the morning warm-up will enable the Italian to recuperate the few tenths of a second needed to have a good race.

Andrea Iannone
?I had quite a hard time today and I definitely thought I'd be faster on this track with all the information. However, we have a different rear tyre now, and the motorcycle and the electronics are also a bit different, but perhaps it isn't just that. Dovizioso rode really fast, so I think there?s some margin for me to do better if we could just understand where we need to make changes. I tried a different setting that I?ll reconsider tomorrow during the warm-up because I wasn't able to do the pace that I wanted. In any case, from now until tomorrow there's still time to understand what and where we can improve, what I may be doing wrong, and how much instead depends on the bike. Physically I'm fine, the only thing is I might be short of breath because since the fall in Jerez I could only resume training last week. Tomorrow I'd like to regain the 3 - 4 tenths I need, and I'm going to do my best to get off to a good start and have a good race.

 

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Edwards and Corti qualify 17th and 18th at Mugello

The qualifying session at Mugello ended with NGM Mobile Forward Racing riders Colin Edwards and Claudio Corti qualifying in 17th and 18th place respectively for tomorrow?s race.

Colin Edwards feels he is still lacking some traction and exit grip but feels he has found a good setting for his FTR ? Kawasaki. The American rider is planning on trying some minor modifications during the warm up session to try and solve these problems.

The Claudio Corti seems to have overcome the problems he had during yesterday?s free practice sessions after teammate Colin Edwards made some suggestions to modify the electronics of Corti?s bike. The Italian rider will continue working on the bike during warm up and to be as competitive as possible for the race.
Colin Edwords
?We found a pretty good setting yesterday, played around a little bit with it, mainly messed with the electronics to see if we could get it better. In qualifying I got behind Smith and put my head down. I can?t say I?m happy but I gave it all I?ve got, I think we are lacking a little bit of traction, exit grip. We might try something tomorrow morning if it?s dry.?
Claudio Corti
?Since yesterday we have made important modifications on the front of the bike that have turned out to be very beneficial since in the afternoon session I was able to improved a lot my lap times. We are working in the right direction; I have a better feeling with the bike, we have also improved a lot in terms of the electronics. We made some modifications that Colin (Edwards) had suggested and the electronics are now working better. We have some ideas for tomorrow?s warm up in the hope that they will be useful too. The pace is good, we have the motivation, we have the fans behind, its our home race and if tomorrow morning we managed to get a two or three tenths we can hope to do well.?
Sergio Verbena-MotoGP Technial Director
?Overall we had a good day today, we were able to have two dry sessions before the qualifying session. We have qualified in seventeenth and eighteenth position for tomorrow?s race and we are happy because we have improved during every session even if we know we can still improve. Claudio managed to solve the problem he had yesterday, we had a meeting with both riders, they shared their ideas and found a good solution for him. Colin, with his experience was able to help Claudio find the base for his bike. Both riders made more or less the same lap times, the race pace is not the best but we hope for a dry race tomorrow. Our goal is to have both riders in the points.?

 

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Abraham unhappy after qualifying practice

Karel Abraham will start from seventh row to Sunday?s race of Italian Grand Prix. The Czech rider was not successful in qualifying practice 1 taking tenth place with time 1:51,089 that guaranteed him twentieth position on the grid. Abraham lost 2,565 seconds to the fastest rider of qualifying practice 1, Marc Marquez.

Karel Abraham:
?Of course I?m not satisfied, I hoped, that we could be around fifteen position. I?m angry because this position wasn?t so far and we could make it. On Friday I was riding only half of second slowly respected today and this is very small improvement. We would need improvement of another half of second to reach good result. During qualifying practice we were using the bike on which I will start to the tomorrow?s race. Unfortunately we were struggling with problems on this bike all the day. I hope that we find all problems and tomorrow the bike will be prepared. I?m still struggling with health issues so before practices I had to take drip in medical centre. But I don?t admit that it could limit me during tomorrow?s race.

Marco Grana, chief mechanic Cardion AB Motoracing
?We can?t be satisfied with today?s result. Our aim was to get closer to Randy De Puniet. At the end of qualifying practice we solved quiet serious problem with front of the bike and Karel is more comfortable with the bike now. During the warm up we will try to set the bike to improve rider?s feeling. . I believe that we can do a step forward and that we can be able to fight for points in the race. Karel is not hundred per cent ok and tomorrow he will have to see the doctor Costa to make the race, because Mugello is really hard race on difficult track. We have to hope that tomorrow we will do better and that we?ll repeat the good result from Le Mans.?

 

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Lorenzo Flies to Mugello Front Row

Yamaha Factory Racing?s Jorge Lorenzo continued yesterday?s blistering form this afternoon at the Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello, taking second on the grid in qualifying for tomorrow?s Gran Premio d'Italia. The reigning World Champion was fast straight out of the box in the tense 15 minute heat, dipping under the lap record on his first full lap with a scorching 1?47.621 effort to take provisional pole. After a change of rear rubber he was back out with six minutes remaining and looked certain to retain pole with an even more impressive 1?47.226 lap. Unfortunately a late effort by rival Dani Pedrosa improved the lap time by just 0.069 seconds, taking pole and relegating Lorenzo to second.

Valentino Rossi was caught up in a busy track from the start of the short session and struggled to find a clear space to record his best lap time. The Italian rose initially to third with an impressive 1?47.832 and looked good for a front row until a flurry of late activity pushed him to seventh position on the third row for tomorrow?s race.


Jorge Lorenzo 2nd, Time 1'47.226 - 8 laps
"We still suffer a little bit when the weather is hotter, we don't have the same grip. Even with this issue we have been competitive though, in the free practice and also in the qualifying. I was surprised to be so fast in the first lap when I made a 47.6. I was also surprised about the lap time from Marquez on his first try and also the lap time from Dani. I thought the 47.2 lap was enough for pole position but Dani was faster so it wasn't. The important thing is to make a good start tomorrow, to get in front and to go away if possible. If not possible, the race is long and we have to be consistent. We have to improve some small details but in general the bike is better here than at the other tracks.?


Valentino Rossi 7th, Time 1'47.872 - 8 laps
?The practices are not so bad because we have a good pace for the race which is important. As always in the qualifying we suffer more than the others. They use the slipstream of the others and are able to go a bit faster than me. Unfortunately I have to start on the third row but I?m quite happy because my pace is quite good so I think with a good start I can do a good race. We will see tomorrow.?



Wilco Zeelenberg - Yamaha Factory Racing Team Manager

?A very exciting qualifying. We have a very good pace and Jorge did two fantastic laps. Dani was in seventh or sixth and panicking a bit, I think he had to do it in the last lap and he was one tenth faster. Anyway, tomorrow is the race, we would of course like to be on pole but tomorrow is a different story. Tomorrow we get the points so we concentrate on that and make sure we have a good pace.?

Massimo Meregalli - Yamaha Factory Racing Team Director

?It has been a pity that we lost pole position for just a fraction of a second when we led for most of the practices and we had a very strong pace, Jorge is very fast and consistent. Valentino has also a good pace and showed it in the last free practice. I think tomorrow is going to be a really tough race but I think there are all the ingredients for Yamaha to be in the front and fighting for victory.?


Crutchlow and Smith perform heroics in Mugello
Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team riders Cal Crutchlow and Bradley Smith delivered heroic performances in a tense and dramatic qualifying session ahead of tomorrow?s Mugello MotoGP race in Italy.

British rider Crutchlow?s hopes of a second front row start in the 2013 World Championship appeared to have ended when he fell heavily but unhurt at Turn 3 shortly before the halfway point of QP2. The 27-year-old dashed back to the paddock to jump immediately on his second YZR-M1 machine, but at that stage Crutchlow had fallen down to seventh on the time sheets. Undeterred by the earlier crash, Crutchlow brilliantly kept his focus to rocket into the top three with a stunning lap of 1.47.771 in the decisive final moments. As the action intensified, Crutchlow dropped back to sixth before improving his pace again, a breathless final lap of 1.47.632 ensuring he will start from fourth position on the grid for the fourth race in a row this season. A first front row start since the opening race in Qatar eluded Crutchlow by just 0.004s in a session that took place in easily the best conditions of the weekend so far, with a strong and warm sun finally penetrating through the grey and gloomy skies that dominated yesterday?s practice.

Heroic performances are becoming a trademark of the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team in 2013 after Crutchlow raced to a career best second place in Le Mans last month with a broken bone in his right leg. Today was no exception, with Smith showing bravery and determination above and beyond the call of duty after he suffered a nasty hand injury in a high-speed practice fall yesterday afternoon. Smith had already rode through the pain barrier to earn a place in QP2, and despite constant pain and discomfort coming from a badly damaged little finger on his left hand, a lap of 1.48.706 secured the 22-year-old a hard earned but richly deserved 11th spot on the grid.


Cal Crutchlow 4th, Time 1'47.632 ? 7 laps
?That was certainly another eventful qualifying session and after crashing out I can?t complain too much to finish fourth and be only 0.004s away from the front row. Luckily I could make it back to the paddock pretty quickly and get out on the second bike and to be on the second row is a good result given what happened. I have been struggling all weekend with the bike to be honest. And although this is my third year at this track, I still don?t feel so comfortable, so to be near the front and not running a bad pace gives me confidence for the race. I need to improve in the first sector and that was my biggest issue yesterday, so we have work to do. It is going to be a long and tough race and we need to make the bike work better. My Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team is doing an awesome job to help me find the best setting and hopefully I can be fighting for the podium again tomorrow like I was in Le Mans.?


Bradley Smith 11th, Time 1.48.706 ? 5 laps
?First of all I was just happy that I was able to ride today after the big crash in practice yesterday. My left hand is not in the best condition but the Clinica Mobile staff did an incredible job working on my finger and my wrist. Sometimes there were four people working on me at the same time, so I owe a huge thanks to all of them for helping me to be out on track today. Considering this whole situation I really have to be happy to have made my way to QP2, even if 11th is a little bit disappointing. But I preferred to save my energy for tomorrow?s race, which will probably be very demanding from a physical point of view, instead of risking too much for a better lap time this afternoon. I?m also very pleased with the set-up of the bike and we just need to make a couple of small changes for the warm up, but all things considered we should be proud of what we achieved given my physical condition. Now I will just try to get as much rest as possible for tomorrow as I want to collect a decent number of points for the Championship and hopefully battle for another top 10.?



2013 MotoGP Italy
Mugello 01/06/2013
1 Daniel Pedrosa Honda ESP 1'47.157
2 Jorge Lorenzo Yamaha ESP 1'47.226
3 Andrea Dovizioso Ducati ITA 1'47.628
4 Cal Crutchlow Yamaha GBR 1'47.632
5 Stefan Bradl Honda GER 1'47.737
6 Marc Marquez Honda ESP 1'47.763
7 Valentino Rossi Yamaha ITA 1'47.872
8 Nicky Hayden Ducati USA 1'48.006
9 Alvaro Bautista Honda ESP 1'48.355
10 Michele Pirro Ducati ITA 1'48.564
11 Bradley Smith Yamaha GBR 1'48.706
12 Andrea Iannone Ducati ITA 1'49.265
13 Randy De Puniet ART FRA 1'49.266
14 Hector Barbera FTR ESP 1'49.847
15 Danilo Petrucci Ioda-Suter ITA 1'50.518

 

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Pedrosa takes brilliant last-gasp record pole for Honda

Repsol Honda RC213V rider Dani Pedrosa left it until the very last moment to claim a dazzling first pole position of the year at Mugello today, setting the fastest-ever lap of the spectacular 5.245km Mugello circuit in the Tuscan foothills.

Team-mate Marc Marquez was hardly less impressive. The 20-year-old class rookie bounced back from a shocking crash yesterday ? possibly the fastest ever in Grand Prix history ? to claim sixth place, on the second row of the grid.
Pedrosa is the only rider to win more than one race this year, and is aiming for a third win in succession to cement his World Championship points lead. His progress had started relatively slowly yesterday, when he was only fifth fastest. Overnight work adjusting his Honda RC213V to the fast and flowing circuit bore fruit, however; and a supreme effort at the very end of the crucial 15-minute final qualifying saw him edge Spanish rival Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha) to second.

Bad weather on Friday meant a damp start to free practice, robbing all riders of set-up time at the spectacular Italian circuit, which combines a long and undulating 1.1-km straight with fast looping corners and high-speed to-and-fro chicanes. The forecast was for continued rain, but the second of three days confounded the predictions, with sunshine breaking through a patchy cloud cover.

A strong qualifying performance put Stefan Bradl (LCR Honda RC213V) as next-best Honda, placed fifth in the middle of the second row, equalling his best grid positions so far this year. German former Moto2 champion Bradl is pushing to wipe out the memory of a disappointing tenth two weeks ago at Le Mans, when he slipped off while running with the front group, as well as a pair of earlier non-finishes.

Marquez had a miraculous escape from serious injury on Friday afternoon after locking the front wheel at 337 km/h, running off the track, and then leaping clear at barely undiminished speed before the bike struck a trackside wall. He returned today sporting a white bandage on his bruised and scraped chin, the only visible injury, though he also hurt an arm and a leg in the crash. Nothing daunted, he lay second in final qualifying in the closing stages, when he was pushed to sixth. After two pole positions this year, it is only the second time in five races the reigning Moto2 champion and MotoGP-class rookie has not been on the front row.

Alvaro Bautista (Team GO&FUN Honda Gresini RC213V) will start directly behind Marquez on row three, after qualifying ninth. The Spanish rider is the only man in the field using Showa suspension, combining racing with a testing/development role.

Team GO&FUN Honda Gresini team-mate Bryan Staring qualified 22nd, on the Honda CBR1000RR-powered CRT machine, escaping unhurt from a tumble in morning free practice. The Australian GP rookie, learning the circuits as he goes along, is looking to score his first World Championship points as he finds his feet in the class.



Honda MotoGP Rider quotes



Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda): first ? 1m 47.157s

?Today the track conditions were good, the tyres worked well and we improved the bike. All this helped us a lot to increase our pace and this is the most important thing. Qualifying was difficult, because we were behind for a large part of the session, but we managed a great last lap and took pole. Now we have some ideas to improve the bike for tomorrow and hope to have a strong race.?



Stefan Bradl (LCR Honda RC213V): fifth ? 1m 47.737s

?Actually this fifth position is very important for us and I am pleased with the improvement we achieved. All the Honda riders have a better pace thanks to the better temperature of the asphalt. The qualifying was a bit tough for us as we were waiting until the last moment to get the best lap time. I am looking forward to the race tomorrow because we have the potential to take the first podium. I am sure it will be an exciting race with the guys in the front.?



Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda RC213V): sixth ? 1m 47.763s

?Sixth place today was the best that we could have hoped for and I am very happy with this result. At the end of qualifying I was able to put in a hot lap, but the race tomorrow is going to be difficult and tough. I won?t be 100 percent physically, because I?m bruised and sore. My shoulder is bothering me the most, and we will see how it responds tomorrow. We are going to give our all, in any case, and see where we end up.?



Alvaro Bautista (Team GO&FUN Honda Gresini): ninth ? 1m 48.355s

?I am not particularly happy with our position on the grid for tomorrow. I felt I could do a better lap than that because we have improved my confidence with the bike compared to yesterday ... but we didn?t manage it. My race pace is good, and hopefully if we can get a good start we can stick with the lead group and fight for a top-five position at the end.?



Bryan Staring (GO&FUN Honda Gresini FTR Honda): 22nd ? 1m 51.981s

?This is proving to be a difficult weekend for me. I am struggling to get a feel for the track and the crash this morning made things even more difficult. We made some improvements this afternoon but the gap to the guys in front is still too big. Despite everything I am still confident for the race, because I think if we can make a good start and follow some guys who know the track well I can get a better reference.?

 

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Dovizioso on front row at home GP, Hayden eighth

Ducati Team rider Andrea Dovizioso turned in an emotional performance during qualifying at Mugello, the Italian manufacturer?s home track, posting an inspired final lap in the Q2 session that put him on the front row for tomorrow?s TIM Italian Grand Prix. Meanwhile, grip problems limited teammate Nicky Hayden to eighth-best, and the American will start from row three.

Making the Italian?s accomplishment even sweeter was the fact that following a hard fall yesterday, he hadn?t been sure if he?d be able to ride, due to a sore neck. However, thanks in part to intensive physiotherapy, he managed to record the third-best time, achieving his second front-row qualifying performance in a row.

Thanks to a strong ride in FP3, Ducati Test Team rider Michele Pirro made it into the Q2 session for the first time, and the Italian will start the race from the tenth spot on the grid.

Andrea Dovizioso - Ducati Team, 3rd (1:47.628)
?It feels incredible to make it onto the first row at Mugello, especially as a Ducati rider! It was one of my goals, but I still can?t believe it, particularly after yesterday?s crash. The Clinica Mobile and my physiotherapist did a really good job of making my neck feel better, which gave me the opportunity to push hard in qualifying. It still bothers me, but I can push at almost 100%, and because yesterday I didn?t even know if I?d be able to race, I?m very happy. We worked really well this morning, improving the setup a little, and I was pretty fast this afternoon, but when the tyres wear a little our pace isn?t good enough to fight for the podium. Anyway, we?ll try to do our best to get a good result tomorrow for Ducati and all our fans.?

Nicky Hayden - Ducati Team, 8th (1:48.006)
?Today didn?t go as well as I had expected, and I?m not happy to be eighth. I was almost a half-second faster in qualifying here last year, and I was also better in the test we did here a month ago. I haven?t been able to get the grip I need to make the bike turn. Both ends are moving around a bit at the apex, and I?m getting pumping on the exit. The bike was improved for qualifying, but I still wasn?t able to do a good enough lap to get on the first two rows. We just need to see where I can improve and try to do something better tomorrow.?

Michele Pirro ? Ducati Test Team, 10th (1:48.564)
?I?m happy to have taken part in Q2, which seemed almost like a Saturday race! However, I don?t think I took advantage of the extra grip that the new tyre can give this bike in qualifying, like Dovizioso did. All in all, I?m quite pleased to have been pretty fast and consistent in all the sessions. That means that the new bike is starting to improve, and that we?ve taken a step forward from Jerez.?

 

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Energy T.I. Pramac Racing Team completes Italian Grand Prix

Race day got off to a good start for Energy T.I. Pramac Racing Team rider Andrea Iannone. He had a good pace during this morning's warm-up, shaving almost five-tenths from his best time he from yesterday's FP3.

Changes to the setup had given the Italian more control, allowing him to keep up with the small lead group.

Everything changed in the race, however. In the first part of the race, Andrea struggled hard to stay in the top ten, wrestling with an unexpected problem with the rear of his bike that slowed his pace and caused him to run wide at the San Donato corner on lap thirteen.

Iannone re-joined the race in nineteenth place and began to mount a comeback, and he recovered six positions to end up thirteenth.

The Energy T.I. Pramac Racing Team will return to action at the Catalan GP in two weeks.

Andrea Iannone ? Energy T.I. Pramac Racing Team
?Right from the start, I was having lots of problems with rear grip?so much so that I considered stopping after the first four laps, as the situation was really weird. I?ve never felt the slide the rear so much for no reason. I hadn't had this problem throughout the entire weekend, and not even this morning in the warm-up. After returning to the pit at the end of the race, we immediately checked the telemetry, and you can clearly see that compared to this morning, there was no grip. I was struggling every time I braked and coming out of all the corners, even when I backed off the throttle. At the moment, we really have no idea what the problem is, but we kept the same setting as this morning, when I had a good pace. The only thing we changed before lining up on the starting grid was the tyres, so for now, if we analyse how the bike was behaving, that's all we can think of. Now Ducati is going to work together with Bridgestone to try and get a handle on what happened. Obviously, all I can say is that it was a major disappointment; after the warm-up, I was happy; we had a good pace to have a good race and stay close enough to Hayden and Dovizioso, but it just didn't turn out that way. Now we're thinking about Barcelona, another track that I really like.?

Francesco Guidotti ? Team Manager Pramac Racing Team
?This morning we had found a good setting, and we thought we had overcome many of the problems Andrea was having. We were confident that we'd have a good race, but instead, Andrea ended up fighting with a slippery tyre that was really unusual. Now we have to check the data very closely, but Bridgestone will also definitely have to check the tyre, because there was such a huge difference compared to this morning that wasn't connected with any particular technical cause.?

 

[KUCIAR666]

Lorenzo Makes it Three in a Row with Masterful Mugello Victory

Jorge Lorenzo struck again at Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello today, taking his third consecutive Gran Premio d'Italia victory in fine form. Starting from second position on the grid the Yamaha Factory rider wasted no time in striking, diving up the inside of leader Dani Pedrosa through turn three and taking control of the race. The reigning World Champion kept Pedrosa and Marc Marquez close behind until the halfway point, then put the hammer down, delivering a series of untouchable laps to build a gap that had grown to nearly five and a half seconds as he crossed the finish line. The race win, Lorenzo?s 25th Premier Class victory, moves him to second position in the standings on 91 points, now just 12 behind Pedrosa in front and 14 ahead of Marquez in third.

Home hero Valentino Rossi?s Mugello race proved to be the nightmare opposite of his teammate?s success story. The Italian nine-time World Champion came together with Alvaro Bautista between turns two and three on the first lap, coming off at high speed and into the air fences to the disappointment of the thousands of fans present. The resulting DNF leaves Rossi in sixth position in the Championship standings on 47 points.
Jorge Lorenzo, 1st

?The conditions and the circumstances were good for us and I didn't make a mistake, I made my best performance even if the conditions were much hotter than this morning. We are still struggling so much when the conditions get hotter. Anyway the key of the race was in the middle where I improved my riding, I was able to brake later with less fuel in the tank so I was able to improve the lap time by two tenths, from this moment Dani gave up a little pace and I could get away and win the race, more or less like last year. It?s very special; I won the last three years here so this track is magic for me and very positive for Yamaha. It also reminds us to keep working on the bike as at the tracks which are not so flowing like Mugello we will struggle. I?m very happy to give this win to Yamaha Motor Racing President Shigeto Kitagawa because this was his last race here in Grand Prix, as he will retire. He has done a great job for the team in the last years and it is a big loss for us. I hope he will enjoy the different life he will have. Our president Yanagi-san is also lucky for me, I won the 2010 Championship in Malaysia when he was there on the track and again today a victory with his presence.?
Valentino Rossi, DNF

?Unfortunately in the start I had a problem with the clutch spinning and I lost two or three positions. Then I was attacking because we had a good pace and I was fast. On the second corner I was on the outside already in front of Bautista. For me, from the inside he opened the throttle to close the line so he doesn't lose another position but I was already in front so he came to me and took me on the boot. I was lucky because it was a bad crash and I arrived at the wall but I?m ok. We will try next week in Barcelona, but it is a pity because firstly it is Mugello and secondly I think we could have done a good race and maybe arrived on the podium.?
Crutchlow storms to majestic Mugello podium

Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team rider Cal Crutchlow stormed to a second successive podium in 2013 after a fantastic late attack in today's Italian MotoGP race was rewarded with a richly deserved third position. The British rider quickly seized fourth position from former Monster Yamaha Tech 3 teammate Andrea Dovizioso on the second lap, but leading trio Jorge Lorenzo, Dani Pedrosa and Marc Marquez had already established a lead of over one second. Crutchlow showed tremendous fighting spirit and blistering speed in the second half of the 23-lap race to superbly cut into a big advantage held by Pedrosa and Marquez, who were locked in an exciting battle for second. The 27-year-old's stunning charge paid off when Marquez was unfortunate to tumble out of second with just three laps remaining, just as Crutchlow was sizing up an attack on Pedrosa.

With a brilliant third place secured to follow up his career best second in Le Mans last time out, Crutchlow called off his pursuit of Pedrosa to collect 16 priceless World Championship points that consolidated his fourth position in the rankings.

Award for the bravest and most courageous ride of the day went to outstanding rookie Bradley Smith, who demonstrated amazing determination to bounce back from two heavy crashes ahead of the fifth round of the Championship. Nursing a nasty left hand injury after a heavy fall in Friday's FP2, Smith suffered another bruising crash during this morning's warm-up session. Way below his peak physical condition, it seems nothing can knock the 22-year-old's confidence and he showed he has desire and determination to match his talent by riding his YZR-M1 machine to a heroic top 10.

Smith, who will undergo skin graft surgery in San Marino to repair damage to his left little finger tomorrow (Monday), finished in ninth position and he will now begin a period of rest and recuperation to be in the best physical condition for the next race in Catalunya.
Cal Crutchlow, 3rd

"I am really happy to be back on the podium because Mugello is one of the blue riband races on the calendar and that makes it feel a bit more special. It is an awesome result and I have to pay a big tribute to my Monster Yamaha Tech 3 crew who did an incredible job this weekend. I've not felt comfortable on the bike but today they gave me a package that was really competitive. In the second half of the race I was really strong and consistent and I could see for the last 10 laps I had the pace that was bringing me closer to Dani and Marc. I was in a really fast and consistent rhythm but I hate to be gifted a podium like that. I'm sorry Marc crashed because he was doing an amazing job again but to be honest I felt I could have caught Dani and taken third anyway. When I saw Marc crash I slowed down to not risk losing a second podium in a row, which is a fantastic achievement for the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team and me. I'm fourth in the Championship, top non-factory rider again, so it has been another great way to finish the weekend and continue our very strong start to the season."
Bradley Smith, 9th

"To be honest ninth position was obviously a really good result considering the circumstances of today. This morning's crash was the last thing I needed, so to be able to go the whole race distance with just one mistake was positive for me. I had a lot of problems with my left hand as well as with my wrist and it was magnified with Mugello being such physically demanding track. So I believe I did a really good job. It would have been good to beat (Aleix) Espargaro at the end but considering the whole weekend I should be satisfied with another top 10 result. After a very difficult weekend for my body I just need to rest as much as I can to put me in the best possible condition for Barcelona. We still learned a lot during these tough days, especially from the big crashes, but I suppose that's all part of the game on my way to becoming a better MotoGP rider."

2013 MotoGP Italy
Mugello 02/06/2013
race I
1 Jorge Lorenzo Yamaha ESP 41'39.733
2 Daniel Pedrosa Honda ESP 0'05.400
3 Cal Crutchlow Yamaha GBR 0'06.412
4 Stefan Bradl Honda GER 0'19.321
5 Andrea Dovizioso Ducati ITA 0'19.540
6 Nicky Hayden Ducati USA 0'26.321
7 Michele Pirro Ducati ITA 0'38.144
8 Aleix Espargaro ART ESP 0'39.802
9 Bradley Smith Yamaha GBR 0'40.243
10 Hector Barbera FTR ESP 0'48.392
11 Randy De Puniet ART FRA 0'48.480
12 Danilo Petrucci Ioda-Suter ITA 1'13.708
13 Andrea Iannone Ducati ITA 1'14.601
14 Colin Edwards FTR Kawasaki USA 1'21.249
15 Karel Abraham ART CZE 1'25.738
MotoGP World Standing
Rider Standings After Race 5 of 18
1. Daniel Pedrosa Honda ESP 103
2. Jorge Lorenzo Yamaha ESP 91
3. Marc Marquez Honda ESP 77
4. Cal Crutchlow Yamaha GBR 71
5. Andrea Dovizioso Ducati ITA 50
6. Valentino Rossi Yamaha ITA 47
7. Nicky Hayden Ducati USA 45
8. Alvaro Bautista Honda ESP 38
9. Stefan Bradl Honda GER 30
10. Aleix Espargaro ART ESP 28
11. Bradley Smith Yamaha GBR 24
12. Michele Pirro Ducati ITA 22
13. Andrea Iannone Ducati ITA 21
14. Hector Barbera FTR ESP 13
15. Randy De Puniet ART FRA 11
16. Ben Spies Ducati USA 9


Circuit Length:
5245

Weather:
Sunny

Lap Record:
1'47.705
(Daniel Pedrosa, 1-1-2012)

Fastest Lap Ever:
1'47.157
(Daniel Pedrosa, 2-6-2013)

Last Years Winner:
Jorge Lorenzo
Manufacturer Standings
02/06/2013
1 Honda 111
2 Yamaha 102
3 Ducati 51
4 ART 28
5 FTR 13
6 Ioda-Suter 8
7 PBM 3
8 FTR Kawasaki 3
Team Standings
02/06/2013
1. Repsol Honda Team 180
2. Yamaha Factory Racing MotoGP Team 138
3. Monster Yamaha Tech3 95
4. Ducati Team 95
5. Power Electronics Aspar 39
6. Pramac Racing Team 38
7. Go&Fun Honda Gresini 38
8. LCR Honda MotoGP 30
9. Avintia Blusens 14
10. Came Ioda Racing Project 8
11. Paul Bird Motorsport 6
12. NGM Mobile Forward Racing 3