Team JiR ready to take ‘next step’ in 2012 season at Jerez Team JiR and rider Johann Zarco are ready to take the next step forward in their two-year challenge to take the Moto2 World Championship. Following on from an impressive first outing at Qatar, in which the 21-year-old Frenchman took 12th place in a race with few non-finishers, the determined racer is now aiming even higher as the championship heads to the legendary Spanish circuit of Jerez. The 2.7-mile circuit has been on the World Championship calendar since 1987 and has played host to a number of important and exciting races. Now, Team JiR and their eager young rider will travel to the circuit in a bid to break into the top ten finishers in the Moto2 race. Johann Zarco I am looking forward to going back to Jerez as at the IRTA tests I think I finished quite well on the timesheets. First of all when we arrive we want to be able to immediately do the same or similar time to what we did at the tests and then improve from there. It will be tough, as we know that the other riders will also improve, but it is essential for us to do this too, as I want to try and move up closer to the top ten. I want to get well into the 1m 42s bracket, which will mean an improvement of around five-tenths of a second. To make this jump, I think my confidence on the MotoBI is going to be important, but I like the track itself and it is never boring, so this helps. I’ve also been training hard on various tracks on my four-stroke track bike, so all of this will help. 2012 is different to last year, as back then I had constant pressure on as I was fighting for the 125cc world championship, but in comparison things are a little different as there is not so much pressure on as I’m learning a new bike and don’t have to do everything in one season. Despite this, I know I need to keep pushing to move forward, so I’m looking forward to Jerez. More, from a press release issued by Marc VDS Racing Team: Gosselies, Belgium: The Marc VDS Racing Team return to Jerez this weekend, the scene of two extremely successful preseason tests for both Scott Redding and Mike Kallio and the venue for the second round of the 2012 Moto2 World Championship. Redding and Kallio got their championship campaign off to a solid start two weeks ago in Qatar with Redding finishing sixth and Kallio tenth, after both fought their way through the field from the fifth row of the grid. It is this momentum that the Marc VDS riders are looking to carry into Jerez, where they are both targeting a top five finish at the Spanish Grand Prix. Both Marc VDS riders have enjoyed success at the Jerez circuit in the past. Kallio took the race win in the 250cc class in 2008 to add to his 125cc podium finish at the same circuit three years earlier. While the Jerez podium has so far eluded Redding, the British rider was fourth in the 2009 Spanish 125cc Grand Prix and has topped the timesheet at two of the last three tests at the circuit. Situated in southwest Spain on the outskirts of Jerez de la Frontera, the Jerez circuit has a complex layout, offering riders a real challenge. It boasts 13 turns over its 4.42km distance, with a combination of slow technical corners and fast sweeping turns making stability under braking and a good feeling from the front tyre critical when it comes to bike set-up. Scott Redding #45: “I went to Qatar looking for a top six finish, which I managed, so I’m pretty confident I can aim for the same or better this weekend. I suspect it will be tougher than in Qatar though. With the amount of testing we do at Jerez it’s like everyone’s home track, so I think the times at the front will be closer than ever. I had some chatter problems during preseason testing there, but we found a few things in Qatar that should help reduce this. I was pretty fast at both preseason tests and my times for the race simulations were consistent, so I’m fairly confident that a top five or six finish is a realistic goal this weekend.” Mika Kallio #36: “I think everyone was a little disappointed with Qatar; the result wasn’t what we were expecting and we had quite a few problems over the course of the weekend. But we need to forget Qatar now and focus on this weekend’s race. I was fourth fastest at the final preseason test at Jerez, so we know we have a good base set-up with which to start free practice on Friday. If I can qualify on the first two rows and then get away with the leading group in the race, then I think a top five finish should be well within our capabilities, or maybe even a podium. We will see.” Michael Bartholemy: Team Principal “We had our best start to the season for three years in Qatar, but that fact is tempered by the knowledge that with a better qualifying performance from Scott and Mika we could have finished the race even higher. Moto2 is such a competitive class that you can’t afford to give your rivals even a small advantage, so qualifying is just one area we’ll be focussing closely on this weekend in Jerez. We know we have a good set up for this track, where Scott and Mika were both fast and consistent during testing, so I hope to see them up at the sharp end in the race and battling for the top five finish they’re both more than capable of.” More, from a press release issued by Team Federal Oil Gresini Moto2: GINO REA READY FOR JEREZ AFTER SUZUKA TEST Gino Rea travels to Spain for the season round of the Moto2 season this weekend after a flying trip to Japan for a two-day test at Suzuka with Moriwaki. The Japanese factory engineers were keen to get valuable data as they look to improve the MD600 following a disappointing start to the season in Qatar. Team Federal Oil Gresini Moto2 and their British rider are now determined to get their season on track and show their true potential at Jerez. Gino Rea “Obviously Qatar couldn’t have gone much worse really, the new chassis just wasn’t working. We changed the forks for the race as we had nothing to lose but the change made it worse and I was trying hard not to crash, even at that pace. Since then I have been training hard and we had a two day test at Suzuka that we hope proves useful for Jerez. Preseason testing at Jerez didn’t go that great but with a few modifications I hope we can improve the bike.”It’s not my favourite circuit but I know it from the tests, which means I can focus on bike set-up from the first lap, instead of having to learn the circuit first. It will be a bit easier for me than Qatar but it’s the same for everyone, they all have good set-ups from the test so it will be as hard as always. Still, I’m looking forward to trying our bike modifications in the first free pratice.” Fausto Gresini “There is no doubt that the performance levels in Qatar were below expectations and it is important for the team, Gino and Moriwaki to make up for it as soon as possible. With this in mind Moriwaki organised two days of testing for us at Suzuka to try and improve the set-up of the bike going to Jerez. The main objective is to give Gino a bike he can get a good feeling for, which was missing in Qatar, so that he can show his quality on track. A more competitive package will give him the confidence he needs to be running at the front of the pack.” More, from a press release issued by Team Thai Honda PTT Gresini Moto2: WILAIROT HOPING TO MAKE UP FOR QATAR DISAPPOINTMENT AT JEREZ Ratthapark Wilairot heads to Spain this weekend looking to make up for his disappointment in the opening round of the Moto2 season in Qatar, where he struggled to get a good feeling for the Team Thai Honda PTT Gresini Moto2 Moriwaki MD600 despite relentless hard work and experimentation during practice. At Jerez ‘Feem’ is determined to improve his feeling with the bike and get his season on track. Ratthapark Wilairot “In Qatar it proved difficult for our team for improve and challenge at the front. We knew what the problem was and we tried very hard to fix it, changing many things on the bike, but the problem remained. Our target at Qatar in the end was just to finish the race, check the information and find out more about the bike. We have had three weeks between Qatar and Jerez and every day I have been training in the gym and working with the doctor on my knee. Now my knee is a lot better and now it is a case of building my strength and confidence on the bike. We have some good news to look forward to from Moriwaki, who have been working very hard on the bike. Jerez is a very nice circuit for me, I always enjoy riding there but at this track every rider in Moto2 has tested many times so the lap times are very strong. I am confident about what I can do at Jerez and we’ll certainly try very hard to be at the front.” Fausto Gresini “The Grand Prix of Qatar was a disappointment for the team and for Ratthapark Wilairot so we have no option but to make up for it at Jerez. At Losail ‘Feem’ never managed to get a good feel for the bike, which is still a little behind with the 2012 updates. Gino Rea went to Japan last week to complete a test for Moriwaki at Suzuka and hopefully the fruit of that work can be reaped by both him and Ratthapark at Jerez.” More, from a press release issued by Mapfre Aspar: MotoGP World Championship 2012 – Gran Premio de España – Preview Moto2 MAPFRE ASPAR RIDERS READY FOR THE UNIQUE CHALLENGE OF JEREZ Spanish riders looking for home success after dominating Qatar podiums The opening round of the MotoGP World Championship in Qatar three weeks ago saw Spanish winners in all three categories and as the series heads for Iberian soil this weekend the MAPFRE ASPAR Team are hoping to be amongst the silverware at their home round. The team’s two riders are both World Champions and both former winners at Jerez. Toni Elias, Moto2 World Champion in 2010, is the oldest Spanish rider on the grid and is preparing to contest his fourteenth race at Jerez across four categories: 125cc, 250cc, Moto2 and MotoGP. Two of those appearances have finished up with a visit to the top step of the podium, one coming with the ASPAR team in 2003 on the 250cc Aprilia and the other in the inaugural year of Moto2. Elías has also finished fourth at Jerez on two occasions in the premier class. Whilst Toni made his Jerez debut back in 1999 his team-mate Nico Terol, the current and last ever 125cc World Champion, took his bow at ‘The Cathedral’, as it is known to Spanish fans, in 2005. Over the years he has picked up second place finishes in 2008 and 2010, before breaking his victory duck last season on his way to the title. After a tricky weekend in Qatar both Nico and Toni will start out at Jerez with the same set-up on their Suter machines that they found in preseason testing here, which should help their cause. Both talented and determined riders, everything is in place for them to put on a competitive performance in their home race. Nico Terol: “Jerez has always been a good track to me. It has a bit of everything – fast and slow sections – and it suits my style well. I set a good pace in the last test there and I was satisfied with how it went but I am keen to improve on that and I think if we can refine our general set-up at this track it will help us over the coming races. I have to stay calm and keep an open mind, learn from my mistakes in Qatar and be ready for everything that comes my way this weekend.” Toni Elias: “I have special memories of my victories here in 2003 and 2010. It’s a circuit I like, in fact it is my favourite, and it suits my style. This is a unique event because of the circuit and the atmosphere, which will hopefully help us. I hope we can solve the problems we had in Qatar quickly but I think a mere change of venue will contribute to that. The IRTA tests here didn’t go badly and Dunlop are bringing in a narrower front tyre that we tested in the winter, which could help. I am feeling positive.” More, from a press release issued by Avintia Racing: Julián Simón willing to start the world championship all over again in Jerez The Blusens Avintia rider would like to start from scratch at the G.P of Jerez. Although he scored at the race in Qatar Julian’s quality and experience enable him to expect results that would be more suitable for his level and that of his team. Julián was a natural-born fighter and although he did not achieve the expected result in Qatar he very much hopes to improve in Jerez and cross the finish among the favourites. Neither the team nor him will spare any efforts in order to make it and the fact that Simón will ride on a Suter chassis which implies a lot f work and planning definitely proves it. The good spirits and the will to fight remain the same. Julián Simón: “As you can imagine riding in Jerez makes a Spanish rider feel much more motivated. The fans carry us shoulder-high and gives us an extra energy that we have to take advantage of. I can hardly wait for the training practices to start off because I am sure that a new world championship will be starting for me. The results in Qatar weren’t the ones we expected but neither the team nor myself are put off. On the contrary. It gives us more incentive to wotk harder and make concrete decisions. I am going to ride on a Suter chassis in Jerez which I am really used to and with which I am really expecting to find the feeling that I have been lacking so far. I am convinced that I will be lucky on this Andalucian track and that we will be more competitive from this next round onwards. I am surrounded by people who trust me and this brings me satisfaction. I feel like giving this trust back with good results.”