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MotoGPMatters.com (Free subscription) | 11/20/2009
The first round of extra testing for MotoGP's bumper crop of rookies has concluded, with Alvaro Bautista wrapping up a three-day test at Estoril in Portugal. The young Spaniard put in over 200 laps at the circuit, eventually lapping consistently in the 1'38.5s, according to the Suzuki press release . That pace would have put him around 12th place in the race, despite the conditions being cooler and...
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MotoGPMatters.com (Free subscription) | 11/11/2009
Testing has finally concluded for the MotoGP class for this year - or rather, almost, as Alvaro Bautista will be testing in Estoril next week, while Hiroshi Aoyama will have a test in Sepang a few days before Christmas, the two rookies being allowed extra tests to acclimatize to the MotoGP bikes. But the regulars go home with plenty to think about. Fastest of the three-day test was the man who had...
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MotoGPMatters.com (Free subscription) | 11/10/2009
While the grid in MotoGP is all but settled, in the junior classes everything is still wide open. A few key pieces are falling into place, but the grid still remains far from certain. One major piece slotted into place today, though: Bradley Smith signed a new one-year deal with his Bancaja Aspar team, making him the odds-on favorite for the 2010 125cc title. His championship assault will be no cakewalk,...
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MotoGPMatters.com (Free subscription) | 11/06/2009
Hector Barbera won the battle of the Valencians on the first day of practice for the 250cc class. The local hero relegated Alex Debon to 2nd place, Barbera leading Debon by over three tenths of a second. Alvaro Bautista was another three tenths behind in 3rd, ahead of championship leader Hiroshi Aoyama. Aoyama usefully put his team mate Raffaele de Rosa between himself and the only man capable of...
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MotoGPMatters.com (Free subscription) | 11/06/2009
There is always a strange atmosphere at the final MotoGP round at Valencia. It is probably the biggest party of the season, but a sense of sadness permeates the party atmosphere, making it feel more like the wild and desperate abandon of the night before the world is due to end than the joyous celebration of racing it could be. The Valencia MotoGP round is as much parting as it is party. That sense...
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MotoGPMatters.com (Free subscription) | 10/27/2009
The 2010 MotoGP season is set to be a bumper year for rookies, with a grand total of 6 newcomers entering the class. Hiroshi Aoyama, Hector Barbera, Alvaro Bautista, Aleix Espargaro and Marco Simoncelli are all moving up to MotoGP from the 250cc class, while Ben Spies is parachuting in from World Superbikes. The influx of new blood into the class - including some of the most eagerly-awaited names...
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MotoGPMatters.com (Free subscription) | 10/23/2009
Hiroshi Aoyama struck the first blow in the battle for the 250cc championship at Sepang, the Japanese rider setting the fastest time of the day in the dying seconds of first session of free practice. It had taken much of the session until Aoyama was up to speed, though. For the first 40 minutes, Aoyama languished mid-pack with his main title rival Marco Simoncelli, but with 20 minutes to go, the Scot...
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MotoGPMatters.com (Free subscription) | 10/17/2009
Mattia Pasini set the fastest time in the final session of free practice for the 250 class, keeping ahead of the team mates of the title contenders. Scot Honda's Raffaele de Rosa and Mapfre Aspar's Mike di Meglio finished the session in 2nd and 3rd, well ahead of their championship-chasing team mates Hiroshi Aoyama (7th) and Alvaro Bautista (10th). Jules Cluzel was once again at the front, setting...
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MotoGPMatters.com (Free subscription) | 10/16/2009
Hector Barbera was the fastest man on track for the 250cc class at Phillip Island, but the Spaniard paid a heavy price for his efforts, falling heavily on his back and badly bruising it. Barbera finished over half a second ahead of 2nd place man Raffaele de Rosa, the Scot Honda rider carrying on the strong form he showed at Estoril. Both Jules Cluzel in 3rd and Mike di Meglio in 4th did much the same,...
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MotoGPMatters.com (Free subscription) | 10/04/2009
Marco Simoncelli was fastest in this morning's warm up session for the 250cc class, powering through the morning's sea mist to lead by half a second. Hiroshi Aoyama is in good form in 4th, while his title rival Alvaro Bautista had a more troubled session, ending the warm up in 17th spot. Results: read more
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MotoGPMatters.com (Free subscription) | 10/03/2009
Hector Barbera continues to lead the way in the 250cc class at Estoril, but only by a hair's breadth. The Spaniard is three hundredths ahead of the remarkable Ratthapark Wilairot, who is in turn four hundredths ahead of Mike di Meglio. The Frenchman is a similar distance ahead of his Mapfre Aspar team mate and title contender Alvaro Bautista, while the man that Bautista is trying to beat in the title...
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MotoGPMatters.com (Free subscription) | 10/02/2009
Hector Barbera leads the way in the 250 class at Estoril, putting over half a second on 2nd place man Alex Debon. The Frenchman Mike di Meglio was 3rd fastest, while Karel Abraham once again surprised the field with a strong 4th place. The two men in the title race had a less successful start to the weekend, with Alvaro Bautista getting the best of it with the 6th fastest time, just behind Marco Simoncelli....
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MotoGPMatters.com (Free subscription) | 10/01/2009
In a surprising, if not shocking move, speedweek.eu is reporting that Chris Vermeulin has made a two-year commitment to Paul Bird Kawasaki to ride the ZX-10 Superbike in the World Superbike series. Vermeulin, who will be replaced by Alvaro Bautista at Rizla Suzuki next year, was rumored to be on every team manager in WSBK's short list of desirable riders, but whispers of serious discussions with Kawasaki...
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MotoGPMatters.com (Free subscription) | 09/24/2009
The MotoGP silly season is just about played out. With four races left in the season, the rider line up for 2010 is almost complete. As expected, once Jorge Lorenzo finally made up his mind, the remaining pieces in the puzzle fell into place, leaving just a few gaps to fill. All of the factory seats are now full, and largely unchanged, with Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo back at Yamaha, Casey Stoner...
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MotoGPMatters.com (Free subscription) | 09/13/2009
The biggest surprise in the 250cc championship this year has been Hiroshi Aoyama. The Japanese rider has always been strong in the class, winning regularly, but never able to fight for a title. Heading into the 2009 season, the title race looked like being a straight fight between Marco Simoncelli and Alvaro Bautista, yet it is Aoyama who leads the championship. A feat made all the more remarkable...
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