Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme : News EN

The Ducati Xerox team concludes 2 days of testing at Mugello

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 17:37:00 +0200

In preparation for the upcoming Nurburgring round of the World Superbike Championship, the Ducati Xerox Team carried out two days of testing at Italian circuit Mugello. The two factory riders divided the work, Michel Fabrizio on track on Tuesday and Noriyuki Haga taking over the ropes yesterday. The test was a very useful exercise for both riders after the month long summer break.

On Tuesday Michel made more than 65 laps during the day, working hard with his technicians to record a best time of 1m52.0, on a “Q”, in the late afternoon. During the day the Italian rider tried different set-ups and also tested several new tyre solutions provided by Pirelli. On Wednesday morning, in equally hot conditions, Noriyuki took to the track, carrying out a very similar work programme to Michel and clocking up around 60 laps by the close of play. His best time of the day was a 1m52.6 recorded on race rubber.

Noriyuki Haga: “This test has been helpful, allowing us to get feeling back with the bike after the summer holiday. It has been useful preparation for this weekend’s German round, giving us the chance to test settings. I completed a lot of laps, trying different set-ups and making constant improvement throughout the day.”

Michel Fabrizio: “The test will hopefully help us make a good race at the Nurburgring. I’ve tried different settings and the new rear tyres provided by Pirelli gave great results.”

It's a women's world in the Czech Republic

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 11:00:00 +0200

After a long summer break the 2010 FIM Women's Trial World Championship will resume in the Czech Republic this coming weekend, for the second of the three round series. As expected reigning champion Laia Sanz - Repsol Montesa, who is looking to clinch her tenth FIM Women's Trial World title this year, is once again in the driving seat after having dominated the opening Grand Prix in France back in July.

History would say that Sanz is going to be hard to stop, with the twenty-four year old having established a clear advantage over her nearest rivals in more recent seasons. Eighteen year old Joanne Coles - Gas Gas is the rider who is closest to Sanz after the first round, with the teenager having finished a solid second behind the Montesa teamster in France. Even by her own admission, Coles knows that she faces an almost impossible task in overcoming Laia at such an early point in her own career.

Whilst there is no doubting Coles' talent, perhaps it will be a more experienced campaigner who puts the pressure on Sanz as the action shifts to the Czech Republic. Twenty four year old Rebekah Cook - Gas Gas is no stranger to a battle with her Spanish rival, and has twice finished as runner up to Sanz in the general standings over the last two years. Although Cook has pushed hard at times, that initial Grand Prix win still eludes her.

Whilst unable to claim her win in France, Rebekah was part of an all British lock out at St Michele De Maurienne, as three Brits packed the top four places. On this occasion it was Cook who lost out to her two compatriots, as she finished fourth behind Emma Bristow - Gas Gas. This was Bristow's best ever GP result, with fifth place having previously been her highest showing amongst the World's elite.

Germany's Rosita Leotta - Gas Gas completed the top five in France, which was perhaps less than the seasoned campaigner expected, with this being her eighth year on the tour. Leotta, who will turn twenty one years old later this year, has threatened to re-establish herself alongside the leading challengers over more recent years, but has failed to regain the form that put her third in the World back in 2004 and 2005.

Spain's seventeen year old Sandra Gomez - Gas Gas is another rider who is operating on the fringes of better things, and her sixth position at this year's opening GP marked her best result to date. Practising with her brother Alfredo Gomez - Montesa over the winter would appear to have refined her young talent into a more complete package ahead of her 2010 assault.

With two rounds in two weeks, the defining moment in the 2010 FIM Women's Trial World Championship is almost upon us, so for those that are serious about their attack on this year's series will need to make sure that they are at their peak in the coming days.

Musquin ready to conquer 2010 FIM MX2 World Title

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 11:16:00 +0200

The FIM Motocross World Championship arrives in Lierop to celebrate the penultimate Grand Prix of the season with Antonio Cairoli being already the 2010 MX1 World Champion after the Brazilian GP. In the MX2 class everything is still to be decided, but Marvin Musquin has a highly range of possibilities to be proclaimed the 2010 MX2 World Champion with still one round to go.

Recent 2010 MX1 World Champion Antonio Cairoli obtained his fourth World Title in Brazil two weeks ago, which is his second in a row in the MX1 class and his first one with the revolutionary 350cc KTM machine. Clement Desalle lost all the chances to fight for the Championship when his Suzuki machine stopped by the end of the last heat of the Brazilian GP. The Belgian will have to fight teeth and nail with his pursuers, David Philippaerts and Max Nagl, if he wants to defend his second position in the Championship. Completing the top five is sand specialist Steve Ramon.

Marvin Musquin heads Lierop with his second MX2 World Championship Title in his mind. The French is 72 points ahead the German Ken Roczen and this weekend he will ride safe to go home with the Title under his name. Roczen, though, will not leave things easy for the French and he will fight until the last checked flag to avoid Musquin's victory. Third in the Championship is Steven Frossard, followed by injured Jeffrey Herlings, who will missed his home GP. Zach Osborne is now completing the top five.

The Grand Prix of Benelux will also host the last and crucial round of the FIM Veterans Word Cup. Mats Nilsson has a 45 points advantage over second classified Pascal Bal and Erwin Hendrickx is just one point behind the Belgian.

MX1

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing MX1's Cairoli handed KTM their so expected MX1 World Title on the revolutionary 350cc machine in the last GP in Campo Grande, Brazil. The Italian conquered the Title in his very first chance thanks to an outstanding performance in the Brazilian track and also helped by the misfortune of Desalle. Cairoli has won 36 Grand Prix so far and if he achieves the victory in Lierop will be tied in GP victories with Belgian Hallman and with only two Grand Prix difference with Eric Geboers.

Rockstar Teka Suzuki World MX1's Desalle is now 30 points ahead Italian Philippaerts and has to keep focused if he wants to keep his second position in the MX1 Classification. The Belgian is a sand specialist and last year was third overall in Lierop, so he is heading the Netherlands with high hopes for a GP win and settle down his runner up position in the points standings.

Third in the MX1 Championship is Yamaha Monster Energy Motocross' Philippaerts, who will not leave things easy to Desalle and will fight until the end to improve his third position in the Championship. The Italian was only fifth overall last year in Lierop, but he did an incredible first heat finishing second after GP winner De Dycker. Besides, Philippaerts arrives in Lierop after being second overall in the Brazilian GP in Campo Grande.

Following the Italian there is Nagl of Red Bull KTM Factory Racing MX1 team, who is 21 points behind the Italian and is only 12 points ahead Belgian Ramon. In the last three Grand Prix's, the German has shown that he is recovered from his collarbone injury suffered in France and will try to improve his seventh position obtained last year in the Dutch track and cut some points to Philippaerts.

Rockstar Teka Suzuki World MX1's Ramon is fifth in the points standings and although he was just eighth overall last season in Lierop, he expects to grasp some points to the leading Championship riders. The Belgian is not far from home and hopes to see his fans cheering for him and try to clinch his first GP victory of the season.

Estonian Leok follows Ramon in the MX1 Classification and seventh is last year's GP winner De Dycker. Boog, who showed in Brazil that he is ready to race again with top riders after his knee injury, is eighth in the Championship 21 points ahead ninth classified Bobryshev. Completing the top ten is Guarneri, who got a solid sixth position in Brazil.

Coppins is eleventh in the Championship but his second position in Lierop last year will give him extra motivation to enter the top ten of the MX1 Classification. Gonçalves, who follows the New Zealander in the Championship, was also second last year in the MX2 class, so it is also a good track for the Portuguese to climb up some positions in the Championship.

Strijbos will not race this weekend due to a shoulder injury and his teammate Butrón, who is been racing in the MX2 class this season, will debut in the MX1 class this weekend in Lierop.

MX2

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing MX2's Musquin could not conquer the MX2 World Title in the last GP in Campo Grande, Brazil, but the French is heading the Netherlands with 72 points advantage over runner up Roczen and with a lot of chances to achieve his second World Title in a row.

Teka Suzuki Europe World MX2's Roczen arrives in Lierop not thinking much about the Championship and being only focused on his riding. The 16 year old, who was third overall last year in Lierop, is performing an excellent ending of the season and is conscious that will be extremely difficult to stop Musquin to win the Title.

Following the German is Kawasaki CLS' Frossard who seems to be struggling a little bit in the last Grand Prix's of the season. The French is not a sand specialist but will try to defend his third position in the MX2 Classification this weekend in Lierop, the Netherlands.

Campano on threshold of MX3-GP world title

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 12:48:00 +0200

With just one round remaining in the 2010 MX3-GP World Championship Spaniard Carlos Campano is extremely close to his maiden world title which will make him the first rider from his country to covet the exclusive FIM prize.

The former MX2-GP and MX1-GP rider was able to break into the top half of the leader-board on numerous occasions in the past four seasons before diverting his attentions to the Open Class MX3-GP contest, (run with a separate calendar and alongside the MX2-GP feeder European MX2 Championship). Campano could deliver the first major accolade for the innovative reversed cylinder fuel injected 2010 YZ450F which he has been campaigning within the confines of his private Team Yamaha Andalucia. He has also enjoyed the valuable technical input and support of the Yamaha Rinaldi Research and Development team (YRRD) with his kitted machine.

Campano initially entered the MX3-GP series in emphatic fashion by winning both motos at the Grand Prix of Portugal. Since then the 24 year old has taken an impressive six rounds from a total of ten and nine moto victories. The twelfth and final meeting will take place this weekend in Geneva with Campano boasting a 32 point advantage and just 50 up for grabs.

“At the start of the year my goal was to be riding in MX1-GP but when I saw that a place would not necessarily be guaranteed I looked at attending the first round of the MX3-GP series in Portugal. I won both races and then together with my sponsors and my team we decided we would stay and push for the championship,” Campano explains on his commitment to the series. “Yamaha and particularly Yamaha Motor Spain have given me good support with material to go for this title and I hope it will have a happy end,” he added.

FIM Women´s Trial Training Camp

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 12:15:00 +0200

The 2nd FIM Women´s Trial Training Camp was held in Frammersbach/Germany from 9 – 11 August 2010.

Forty one girls made their way to Frammersbach including one girl from the Netherlands. Eight girls with a 2010 FIM Women´s Trial World Championship licence were present. The official FIM coach this time was Andreas Kindsvogel (Iris Krämer’s Minder in the past). We had, including the FIM coach, 7 coaches for the 41 girls so the practice in small groups was really successful.

The DMV Trial Ladies Cup was held in the same venue two days before the FIM Women´s Trial Training Camp so we used this opportunity to practice inside the sections after the competition.

In the evening we had motorcycle technical training and FIM media training for all the female participants.

The weather was great with just a little rain in the night and during the day we had beautiful sunshine with an average of 25 degrees.

The local club (MSF Frammersbach) organised full accommodation and food during the 3 days.

It was a really nice atmosphere during the practice in each group and the girls enjoyed it a lot. So all in all a successful event, with lots of happy faces and I hope some future World Championship riders.

Iris Krämer

Czech Republic Trial GP to decide final order

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 12:01:00 +0200

The small town of Kramolin located one hundred and twenty Kilometres South of the capital city of Prague and close to the Austrian / Czech Republic border holds the responsibility for deciding the final order in the 2010 SPEA FIM Trial World Championship. Only one position is clear at the moment, with Toni Bou - Repsol Montesa having already been declared champion at the penultimate Grand Prix in Italy.

Free of any real pressure Bou will be at his most dangerous for the final round of the 2010 series and just could play his part in deciding the rankings that fall behind him. Unlike other forms of motorsport, team orders are almost impossible in Trial, so Bou's team mate Takahisa Fujinami - Repsol Montesa will have to rely on his own performance if he is to snatch the vice champion's position away from Adam Raga - Gas Gas.

Victories on the second day of the Grand Prix held in Portugal and Great Britain have put Fujinami in with a chance of securing his best finish in the championship since back in 2006. Raga's sole win of the season came on the closing day in Japan, and despite his sixth place at the French GP the double FIM Trial World Champion has kept himself in contention for a top two finish thanks to his consistency throughout the rest of the year. A mere two points separates these two protagonists after a season long battle.

A similar margin, this time three points, is the gap between Albert Cabestany - Sherco and Jeroni Fajardo - Beta who are currently fighting it out for fourth spot in the general standings. Fajardo has enjoyed the stronger run of form over the last three counting days following his disasterous showing at the British round. Seventh in Italy was Cabestany's equal worst result of his campaign, Albert's other black moment coming on day two of the Japanese GP during yet another season when he has failed to realise his true potential.

In the Junior class only eleven points currently splits the top three riders when their best nine results are taken into consideration, the same number of counting days will decide the eventual champion. Britain's Jack Challoner - Beta has ridden his way back to the top of the points table after back to back victories in San Marino and Italy. Spain's Alfredo Gomez - Montesa will need to regain the form that has already netted him two wins this season, if he is to defeat Challoner and to keep Alexandre Ferrer - Sherco at bay.

With Pol Tarres - Gas Gas having wrapped up the Youth title with room to spare, it is now down to Jack Sheppard - Beta and Carles Traviesa - Gas Gas to scrap it out for second place in this class. Sheppard holds the upper hand as they head to the Czech Republic, but will not under estimate his young Spanish rival with Traviesa having beaten him on a number of previous occasions throughout the year.

All in all round eight of the 2010 SPEA FIM Trial World Championship is shaping up to be an interesting and exciting finale to a six month campaign that started at the Spanish GP back in April. Since then the riders have visited no less than seven different countries, including the long trip to Japan, before heading to Kramolin this weekend to complete the eleventh and final counting day of the series.

The battle for the 125cc title continues

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 11:14:00 +0200

The battle for the 125cc title continued to hot up at Indianapolis and promises to deliver another exciting slice of action this weekend, after Nico Terol cut Marc Márquez's Championship lead to just four points with victory last time out.

As if the tightness of the top two was not enough, Pol Espargaró lurks just a single point behind Terol as the trio continue to size each other up at every round. Just five days after the action at Indy they will be back on track Misano, eager to strike their next blows in the 11th round of an intriguing battle.

Red Bull Ajo Motorsport's Márquez was strong in Indy despite his lingering injury concerns and proved his mettle with pole position, but tenth in the race and a first back-to-back set of victories for Bancaja Aspar's Terol saw the 17 year-old's advantage lessened. Third for Tuenti Racing's Espargaró was enough to maintain a very close check on things.

52 points back in fourth place is Bradley Smith and whilst the Bancaja Aspar rider's chances of challenging for the title appear to be weaker now, the Brit has been on the podium at Misano for the past two seasons and is still in search of a first win of 2010.

A podium for Sandro Cortese (Avant Mitsubishi Ajo) in the previous round will have boosted the German's confidence further and he will aim to close up further on Smith in the standings, with Esteve Rabat (Blusens-STX) not far behind.

Returning to action will be Alexis Masbou (Ongetta Team) and Sturla Fagerhaug (AirAsia - Sepang International Circuit Team), with five Italian wild cards adding to the field in the shapes of Francesco Mauriello (Team Semprucci), Tommaso Gabrielli (Racing Team Gabrielli) and Junior GP team riders Giovanni Bonati, Alessandro Tonucci and Armando Pontone.

Toni Elías leads Moto2 Championship

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 12:45:00 +0200

Toni Elías holds a commanding Moto2 Championship lead with seven rounds - including Misano - remaining. The Gresini racing rider is 67 points clear at the top of the standings, a position which was reinforced by his fifth win of the season last time out at Indianapolis.

The result in the U.S. was the Spaniard's third successive win, the first time he has secured a treble of back-to-back victories in his GP career, and he has an impressive record at Misano. In 2008 he finished on the podium in the premier class and was sixth last year.

His closest challenger in the race for the title remains Andrea Iannone and the Fimmco Speed Up rider showed his resilience in the previous round. A crash at the beginning of qualifying in Indianapolis resulted in an injured ankle and restricted the Italian to a start from 25th on the grid, but he still rode to fourth place. He has a best result of sixth at Misano in the 125cc class from two years ago.

Level on 108 points in third and fourth are Thomas Lüthi (Interwetten Moriwaki) and Julián Simón (Mapfre Aspar). The Swiss rider has a best result of fourth at Misano in the 250cc class, whilst Simón won there last year on his way to the 125cc title and is fresh off the back of a second-placed finish from pole in Indy.

Simone Corsi (JiR Moto2) is another rider who put in a highly impressive ride in the U.S. after the Italian started from the back of the grid. He finished fifth and has been on the podium at Misano in the 125cc class before so will be confident of picking up more Championship points on his Motobi bike.

Yuki Takahashi (Tech 3 Racing) and Gabor Talmacsi (Fimmco Speed Up) are part of a chasing pack looking for repeats of positive results at Misano. The Japanese rider finished second there in the 250cc class in 2008, whilst Talmacsi won the 125cc race.

The Moto2 field will be supplemented by two Italian wild card entries for the weekend with Mattia Pasini riding for Italtrans STR and Ferruccio Lamborghini the Forward Racing team, both on Suter chassis.

Quick follow up at Misano for MotoGP

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 13:40:00 +0200

The action continues to come thick and fast as the MotoGP field returns to the track just five days after the visit to Indianapolis, with the World Championship moving onto Misano for the Gran Premio Aperol di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini. Jorge Lorenzo remains the rider to catch, having maintained his 100% podium record for the season in the U.S. along with his substantial lead in the standings.

The fact that third place at Indianapolis represented the Fiat Yamaha rider's worst result of the season to date is testament to his phenomenal form in 2010, and he has now finished on the podium for 12 successive races - stretching back to the final race of last season in Valencia. In his two previous premier class visits to Misano Lorenzo has placed second and will be going for an eighth win of the season on Sunday.

Brimming with confidence will be his main challenger Dani Pedrosa, and the pair's intense competitiveness has continued throughout the season. The Repsol Honda rider trimmed his rival's Championship lead to 68 points with victory at Indy, his third of the campaign, and edged back in front of Lorenzo in the GP victory stakes across all classes. The score now is 34-33 to Pedrosa, with Lorenzo leading in terms of premier class wins at 12-11. Last season Pedrosa completed the podium at Misano behind Lorenzo, but will be aiming to upset his adversary's run to a first MotoGP title and become the first Spaniard to win in the premier class at the circuit.

Further back Andrea Dovizioso and Casey Stoner are separated by just seven points respectively as they continue to contest third position. The Repsol Honda man has a best premier class result of fourth which came last season in his first race on new Öhlins suspension and was disappointed with fifth last time out at Indy. For Stoner it has been two years since he raced at Misano having missed last season due to illness, and he will want to correct his DNF at Indianapolis. A repeat of his 2007 victory from pole would be the perfect remedy for the Ducati Team rider.

Reigning World Champion Valentino Rossi has won for the past two years at Misano, last season from pole, and is hot on the tail of Stoner in the standings having finished fourth in Round 11. Ben Spies in turn has the Italian in his sights after a season's best result at Indianapolis of second and the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 rider won one of the two WSBK races at Misano last year. Just a point behind him is fellow American Nicky Hayden who continues his search for a first podium of the season on his factory Desmosedici GP10.

Randy de Puniet's (LCR Honda) continuing recovery from his broken leg will take its next step, whilst rookie Marco Simoncelli and his San Carlo Honda Gresini team-mate Marco Melandri will both want solid home results. Colin Edwards (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) is closely grouped with last year's 250cc race winner Héctor Barberá (Páginas Amarillas Aspar), and veteran Italian Loris Capirossi (Rizla Suzuki) is scheduled to become only the second rider in the 62-year history of GP racing to make 200 premier class starts.

Iversen goes wild

Tue, 31 Aug 2010 17:17:00 +0200

Danish international Niels Kristian Iversen has been handed the wild card for the FIM Dansk Metal Nordic Speedway Grand Prix at Vojens on September 11.

The former SGP regular, who raced in the series full-time in 2006 and 2008, missed out on qualification for next year’s World Championship in the GP Challenge on this circuit on August 21. But he will be determined to make up for that disappointment and push to produce his best form in front of his home fans.

The Peterborough, Holsted, Zielona Gora and Indianerna star is joined in the meeting by track reserves Nicolai Klindt and Patrick Hougaard. The duo did the same job in the FIM Dansk Metal Danish SGP at Copenhagen’s PARKEN Stadium on June 5.

Klindt, who wears No.17, represented his country in the FIM Speedway World Cup and joined Iversen in the team which narrowly missed out on the gold medal to huge favourites Poland. He has also been a key player in helping British Elite League champions Wolverhampton to second place in the table behind Poole and giving them a shot at retaining their crown.

Meanwhile, rider No.18 Hougaard races his Danish league home meetings at Vojens and will hope to make the most of his local knowledge if called upon.
Klindt and Hougaard will only take to the track if one of the 16 riders in the main field touches the tapes; breaches the two-minute time allowance for getting to the start line, or suffers an injury and cannot take a ride.

Due to injury, Russian rider Emil Sayfutdinov (No.3) has withdrawn from the FIM Dansk Metal Nordic Speedway Grand Prix and his place will be taken by Australian Davey Watt (No.20).