Happy Anniversary Italy! Rossi

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March 17, 2011

 

 

Today, on the 150th anniversary of Italy's Unity, Ducati joins all Italian people of the world in the celebration of this important anniversary.

As a tribute to this anniversary of our country, and as proud ambassadors of Italy, Ducati has accepted the invitation from the Italian Republic President to place the logo celebrating this 150-year anniversary on the bikes of Valentino Rossi and Nicky Hayden. During the entire 2011 MotoGP season, the Desmosedici GP11 will bring the unity message represented by the three tricolore flags to racetracks all over the world.

On this important day, the spotlights will shine on the MotoGP Championship. Also Valentino Rossi, the icon of Italian motorcycle racing and Team Ducati MotoGP official rider, celebrates together with all Italians, despite being far from his homeland.

Rossi satisfied, Hayden needing improvements after MotoGP

Thursday, 17 March 2011
The 2011 MotoGP World Championship officially kicked off this evening at Losail International Circuit with the first Free Practice session of the Commercialbank Grand Prix of Qatar.


It was a positive first day for the Ducati Team, with Valentino Rossi fifth at the end of the 45 minute session, and more importantly, pleased with the work carried out on the Desmosedici’s setup.

Nicky Hayden started quite well, immediately matching his best time from the test, and although in the end he didn’t achieve the pace that he wanted, he has a variety of solutions to try in the coming days.

Valentino Rossi, (Ducati Team)

“We’re all pretty satisfied with this first free practice because we worked well throughout the entire session, progressively improving with each outing. We modified the setup a little compared to the test, and we immediately found it to be better, to the point that within just a few laps, I improved on my time from Monday. The last run was particularly positive and my final lap time, done with a hard tyre that had 19 laps on it, was my best. It was just a bit more than a tenth off second place. We know that if we want to have a good race on Sunday, we have to cut another five tenths, and we’ll try to do that tomorrow. Anyway, although we still have to improve some more things on the bike, now I don't have to push so hard and it is turning better. The shoulder is holding up well. It was only at the end that it started to lose a little strength, and tomorrow we’ll see how it reacts with two practice sessions. In any case, we’re happy today.”

Nicky Hayden (Ducati )

“It was certainly nice to be back in action that counted a bit more. We had a bit of wind, and the temperature wasn’t really high, but for as much sand as we’ve seen blowing around the last couple of days, the track was in great condition. The session started out pretty well. I immediately went out with a hard rear tyre and a soft front, which isn’t my favorite setup. I was able to match my lap time from the test by the fourth lap. I felt quite good, but from there, I never really was able to improve much. Obviously everybody else got quicker, so I’m not thrilled with that time. The bike was similar to how it was in the test. We’ve got some more opportunities before Sunday night, so we’ll keep trying to improve.”

Schumacher confident he will be chasing podiums ESPNF1 Staff March 16, 2011 « FIA stick by May deadline for Bahrain | Ecclestone vows to 'come out fighting' » Michael Schumacher: "I am confident that we can compete for podium finishes, and I am hopeful we can fight for victories at some of the races" © Sutton Images Enlarge Michael Schumacher is eager to get the new season underway and is targeting podiums and the odd race victory at the start of his 2011 campaign. The Mercedes driver signed off from pre-season testing with the fastest time of the week at Barcelona. At early tests the W02 had several reliability problems and was off the pace of its rivals, but Schumacher believes a package of upgrades brought to the final test has turned it into a top-three car. "My feeling is a good one," he told Mercedes' official website. "The team has been working very hard over the winter to shape our car in all of the areas which had been identified by us as needing improvement. The data I have seen over the winter had been quite encouraging, but then we all know that the realities of data and the race track can be quite different. "As a driver, you obviously hope for a good step forward and I think this is what we have achieved. I am confident that we can compete for podium finishes, and I am hopeful we can fight for victories at some of the races. Saying that, we will only see the truth once the season gets underway, so I can hardly wait to go to Melbourne to finally see what the real picture is." Schumacher is also confident that he is in better shape this year, after a season getting back up to speed in F1. "This year feels very different indeed," he added. "Last year everything was new again; the testing situation, the car, the team, the structures. It was very exciting but it was still something you had to find your way through. Now, one year later, I know much better which areas to work in. I am much more familiar with the team and we have a great group of very skilled and dedicated people. I enjoy what I do, I enjoy working with Mercedes, and I have never regretted my decision to return… if that is what you wanted to ask next!" © ESPN EMEA Ltd.

Schumacher confident he will be chasing podiums

ESPNF1 Staff

March 16, 2011 « FIA stick by May deadline for Bahrain | Ecclestone vows to 'come out fighting' »

Michael Schumacher: "I am confident that we can compete for podium finishes, and I am hopeful we can fight for victories at some of the races" © Sutton Images

Enlarge

Michael Schumacher is eager to get the new season underway and is targeting podiums and the odd race victory at the start of his 2011 campaign.
The Mercedes driver signed off from pre-season testing with the fastest time of the week at Barcelona. At early tests the W02 had several reliability problems and was off the pace of its rivals, but Schumacher believes a package of upgrades brought to the final test has turned it into a top-three car.
"My feeling is a good one," he told Mercedes' official website. "The team has been working very hard over the winter to shape our car in all of the areas which had been identified by us as needing improvement. The data I have seen over the winter had been quite encouraging, but then we all know that the realities of data and the race track can be quite different.
"As a driver, you obviously hope for a good step forward and I think this is what we have achieved. I am confident that we can compete for podium finishes, and I am hopeful we can fight for victories at some of the races. Saying that, we will only see the truth once the season gets underway, so I can hardly wait to go to Melbourne to finally see what the real picture is."
Schumacher is also confident that he is in better shape this year, after a season getting back up to speed in F1.
"This year feels very different indeed," he added. "Last year everything was new again; the testing situation, the car, the team, the structures. It was very exciting but it was still something you had to find your way through. Now, one year later, I know much better which areas to work in. I am much more familiar with the team and we have a great group of very skilled and dedicated people. I enjoy what I do, I enjoy working with Mercedes, and I have never regretted my decision to return… if that is what you wanted to ask next!"

© ESPN EMEA Ltd.

DUCATI MOTOGP TEAM COMPLETES QATAR TEST AHEAD OF OPENING ROUND

The final pre-season MotoGP test session was completed tonight in chilly, windy conditions at Qatar’s Losail International Circuit, where Ducati MotoGP Team riders Nicky Hayden and Valentino Rossi lowered their lap times from last night. The team will still be working hard to make up ground when practice for the first round of the world championship starts in two days, with the race scheduled for March 20.

Nicky Hayden (Ducati MotoGP Team) 9th, 1:56.726 (68 laps)
“When we got here this afternoon, I wasn’t sure how much riding we were going to get to do, because the wind was really gusting. It started dying down about the time we started, though, and they did a good job of cleaning the track. We tried some different options and got a little bit better, but not like we really wanted to. I did two longer runs and was able to string together some laps at a decent pace, on both hard and soft tyres. I ended the day with a crash in Turn 2, where a lot of guys have gone down this week. I just lost the front end. Anyway, that’s enough testing, because this weekend it will really mean something. We know it’s going to be a tough one, because everyone is pushing so hard, but we’ll do our best to come in here and make a good showing.”

Valentino Rossi (Ducati MotoGP Team) 13th, 1:56.988 (50 laps)
“I’d say that today was pretty challenging: the weather conditions were much tougher than yesterday, and I had another crash when I slipped on a white line. Fortunately, I just fell over on the ground—it was nothing serious. The real problem was that at about an hour and a half from the finish, I started to lose strength in my shoulder, and I just couldn’t push anymore. It’s a shame, because I had just done my best time, and I may have been able to drop it a little more from there. Instead, we didn’t even mount the two soft tyres that we had. I started on a long run, but I stopped because I was losing tenths lap after lap. Let’s say that we’re not as far back as it looks, although we still have a lot of work to do, regarding both the bike and myself, because the shoulder is evidently not yet able to bear two such intense days of testing. Between now and Thursday, I’ll do some light exercise and have it massaged, and then we’ll see.”

Schumacher: We will fight for the top places

Michael Schumacher and Mercedes GP eyeing podiums in 2011

Mar.16 (PVM) Shortly before midday, on the final day of collective Formula 1 testing in Barcelona, Michael Schumacher blasted around Circuit de Catalunya to set the fastest time of all at the Spanish venue and thus ended the last test session top of the timing screens, the seven times world champion – intentionally or not – made his rivals sit up and take note.

Michael during recent testing in Barcelona

The German told SID agency, “With the car [Mercedes MGP W02] we will be able to fight for the top places, and that is good news. The team did a great job.”
He added, “We are going in the right direction. Definitely. We should be in a good position this year. But as to whether we already have a winning car – for this assessment I would like to first wait a few races.”
This will be a relief to the entire Mercedes GP organisation as the 2010 car was hardly a winning piece of kit and little to enhance Schumacher’s legendary reputation. It was his worst full season in his long, record smashing, career.
Nevertheless,  Fernando Alonso earlier this year put Schumcher top of his list of most “dangerous” challengers for the 2011 Formula 1 crown.

Michael and Fernando Alonso have a long running rivalry

After the final Barcelona test the Spaniard warned, “I think Mercedes has shown it has made a good step forward compared to the start of the tests and can be one of the favourites for Melbourne. It’s normal that, with a quick car, Michael should immediately be competitive.”
Perhaps the biggest revelation of Schumacher’s comeback is that the arrogance that characterised his Ferrari years has made way for a much more humble character, at least for now.
He admits candidly, “I never thought that I would come back after three years and everything would be as before. I am a realist in this respect…it is true that the re-acclimatisation has taken longer than I hoped, but I was always clear that it would be difficult and that there would be no guarantee of success. I am the type who is encouraged by challenges.”

Michael driving the MGPW02 in Barcelona

“We are talking about a highly complex, highly competitive and ever-changing sport – so you cannot expect that things will always run as desired. It is important to stay strong and keep concentrated on the work. We did that and I am convinced that Mercedes will become a championship contender,” said Schumacher who will be lining up on the Albert Park grid, in Melbourne on 27 March, for the 269th time.
Although confident going into the new season Schumacher is also realistic, predicting, “Red Bull looks very strong, and therefore, Sebastian is a favourite going into the season.”

« « Previous: Sam Michael: Strange not to be racing yet

Next: F1 hopes slim as Bahrain crisis worsens » »

MotoGP: Japanese Grand Prix Date Rescheduled After Quake-Tsunami Disaster

Mar 15, 2011
Read more: international motorcycling federation, isabelle larivier, japanese grand prix, motegi twin ring circuit, motogp, qatar grand prix

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The MotoGP race due to be held in Japan next month has been postponed until later in the year in the aftermath of Friday’s earthquake and tsunami.
The 9.0-magnitude quake caused cracks on the track and damaged spectator seats at the circuit in Motegi, to the north of Tokyo.
It is the latest in a list of sporting fixtures to be affected by the recent disaster in the Asian country, where there are also fears of a radiation leak from several explosions at a nuclear plant.
Japan is continuing to experience aftershocks from the quake which has already claimed the lives of thousands of people and left many more homeless.

The 18-race MotoGP season will now begin in Losail, Qatar on March 20. CNN International
It is the second year in succession that the Japanese round of the world championship has been rescheduled.
The race in 2010 was postponed from April to October following the volcanic ash crisis in Iceland that prevented most of the paddock from flying from Europe to the Far East.
International Motorcycling Federation spokeswoman Isabelle Larivier confirmed on Tuesday that the event had been postponed and rescheduled Sunday 2 October.
The revised date means the Japanese event will slot into the MotoGP calendar between the Aragon and Australian races. BBC Sport

What do Lewis and Beckham have in common?

Lewis Hamilton under new management

Mar.14 (Press Release) On the verge of a thrilling new Formula 1 season, Lewis Hamilton today announced that he has signed a new management deal with Simon Fuller’s XIX Entertainment group.

Lewis won the 2008 F1 world championship

The 2008 Formula 1 world champion joins an impressive roster of British sporting talent at XIX Entertainment, which has already forged successful associations with David Beckham and Andy Murray.
Additionally, the group works in partnership with screen and entertainment stars such as Sir Michael Caine, Jennifer Lopez, Robert Pattinson, Annie Lennox and Roland Mouret.
Speaking of his decision, Lewis said: “It was important that I took my time to make this decision as it had to be right for my career and my long-term future. I spoke to many interested companies in recent months but I felt Simon Fuller, along with his team at XIX Entertainment, not only wanted to help me become an even better racing driver, but they also shared my ambitions for the longer term. I look forward to working with them closely.”

Simon Fuller with Victoria Beckham and David Beckham at the 2007 British GP

The move was welcomed by Lewis’s father Anthony, who previously guided the 26-year-old’s motorsport career. He said: “This is great news for Lewis and for Simon. Lewis has wisely taken his time to find a good person to look after him. I met with Simon a couple of years back and he was then at the top of my list as my potential replacement. I’m happy to see that, two years on, Lewis has also come to his own opinion about Simon and made his own decision.”
Simon Fuller added, “I’d met Lewis and his father several times in the past and kept an eye on his career closely over the years. Like any British sports fan, I watched with pride and admiration at his achievements, incredibly winning the world championship at such a young age.”

Lewis (pictured here in 1996) was a karting prodigy

“He’s not only one of the leading sportsmen of his generation, but he will, I believe, become one of the best of all time. It’s an honour to be partnering with Lewis in what will be a very exciting stage of his career,” added Lewis’ father.
Martin Whitmarsh, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes team principal, added: “Lewis has been part of the McLaren ‘family’ since he was a kid. He was introduced to us by his father Anthony, who did so much to inspire a racing career that led Lewis from karting to Formula 1. Now, however, it’s gratifying to see Lewis open a new chapter of his career, and we at Vodafone McLaren Mercedes will relish joining him on his journey, both on track and off track, working closely with Simon Fuller and the XIX Entertainment team.”