Preview Robertino Pietri (#39) Claudio Corti (#71) Down under, Phillip Island is waiting for the World Championship, when the season is close to its end just three races to go. The track is 200 kilometers south of Melbourne, on an Island connected to mainland by a short bridge from the village of Sanremo on the continent – to his its counterpart, Newhaven. It is almost 5 kilometers long, with 12 corners. Its a very fast one, and almost all riders love it, even if they have to land here in a period which is the most rainy of the year. Team Italtrans, that in the Japanese Grand Prix lined up Takaaki Nakagami, is back to its consolidated pair Claudio Corti and Robertino Pietri. Takaaki who, at Motegi, in the warm-up, crashed breaking his scapula and being forced out of the race, is recovering very well and is going to attend the race from home, in Japan, as a fan of the team that, in Motegi, for three days was also his. On this track, while Robertino is an absolute beginner, Claudio got, in 2010, classified 16th I qualifying and 15th in the race. Luigi Pansera (Team manager): “These are the last races. The last chances to deliver. Nevertheless, you must never give up, even if being self-critical is an attitude always welcome in a professional racing team. But the work is rewarded, if you never quit”. More, from a press release issued by Monster Yamaha Tech 3: Edwards and Crutchlow fired up for Phillip Island challenge The Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team makes the long trip to Australia this weekend with confidence high that Colin Edwards and Cal Crutchlow can battle for a double top 10 finish at the breath-taking Phillip Island circuit. Edwards has an impressive record at the 2.764 miles track and in his eight finishes from nine starts, he has only finished lower than ninth on one occasion with a best of fourth place back in 2004. He has qualified in fifth position at Phillip Island for the past two seasons and he is aiming for a fifth consecutive top 10 finish at the spectacular coastal track, which has stunning views over the Bass Strait. The 37-year-old is currently ninth in the overall rankings on 98-points and six-points from Sunday’s 27-lap race will see Edwards better his tally from 2010 with two races of the World Championship still remaining. Crutchlow is no stranger to the technical Phillip Island layout, which features fast and sweeping corners that provides one of the toughest examinations of man and machine on the calendar. Crutchlow qualified on the front row of the grid at last year’s World Superbike round and he just missed the podium in an unforgettable World Supersport race in 2009 when the top five were split by just over a second. Like most of the grid, Crutchlow is a massive fan of the fast and undulating circuit and he is looking forward to riding a MotoGP bike for the first time at Phillip Island when practice gets underway on Friday morning. The British rider is currently enjoying a fine run of consistent form in his rookie season and he is seeking a fifth consecutive points-scoring finish on Sunday. Due to its proximity to the coast, the Phillip Island weekend is frequently dominated by rapidly changing weather conditions including heavy rain, high winds and bitterly cold temperatures that only adds to the challenge facing the MotoGP field. The Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team will have little time to rest and recuperate as the World Championship paddock immediately heads back to the Far East for the Malaysian Grand Prix at Sepang next weekend ahead of the season finale in Valencia. Colin Edwards, 9th – 98 points: “It is always a special feeling to be heading to Phillip Island because I’ve got a lot of good friends in Australia who always come out to support me. And the track is something really spec ial and there’s nothing else like it on the calendar. I fell in love with the track when I raced here years ago in World Superbikes and I still get that same buzz even now. It is super-fast, has lots of undulation and you get to push a MotoGP bike to its absolute limit at Phillip Island. The weather usually throws up a few surprises for us and I’m sure this weekend will be no exception, but we’ll be ready for whatever happens and pushing as hard as always to get the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team the best result possible. After a couple of difficult races I was back in the top 10 in Japan and that will be my aim again this weekend.” Cal Crutchlow, 13th – 57 points: “I’ve been really excited about this weekend for a while now because Phillip Island is an awesome track and I can’t wait to get a taste of what it feels like to ride a MotoGP bike on it. I’ve ridden a Supersport 600 and World Superbike machine there and had some good performances, so I’m hoping it will be the same this weekend. I’ve been told to expect some unpredictable weather this weekend, which will feel strange because normally when I’m here it is really hot and sunny in February. Whatever happens it will be the same for everybody and I’m just concentrating on extending my good run of results. I’ve scored points in the last four races and that consistency has been good for my confidence and at least I’m coming here without the extra pressure of learning the track. That makes a massive difference because I can focus all my energy on my riding and setting up the bike, so the top 10 is my goal again.” Circuit Introduction: Phillip Island, the self-styled home of Australian motorsport, is steeped in motor racing tradition, with the first car races having been held there on public roads in the 1920s. The first motorcycle races took place in 1931 and a permanent track was built in 1956. The circuit fell into disrepair during the late 70s and early 80s until it was bought in 1985 and given a AUS $5m facelift. MotoGP returned in 1989 and 1990 before becoming a regular fixture once more from 1997 onwards. The Phillip Island circuit is blessed with breathtaking scenery and beautiful ocean views and, as one of the fastest, most fluid, tracks on the calendar, it continues to provide some of the most spectacular racing in the MotoGP season. More, from a press release issued by Marc VDS Racing Team: THE ISLAND CALLS AS MARC VDS HEAD DOWN UNDER The Marc VDS Racing Team will make their only foray south of the equator this weekend, as the Phillip Island circuit in Australia plays host to round 15 of the Moto2 World Championship. Phillip Island was the scene of Scott Redding’s best performance of 2010, with the 18-year-old British youngster involved in a race long battle for the lead with Alex De Angelis before eventually finishing in second place. Redding will have available the very latest Suter chassis for the first time this weekend at Phillip Island, where he is determined to secure his first podium finish of the 2011 season. Mika Kallio also heads down under in a confident mood, having finished the last two races inside the top ten. The Marc VDS rider has enjoyed success at Phillip Island in the past, finishing on the podium in both the 125cc and 250cc classes previously, but would be happy to leave Australia this time with his third successive top ten finish in the hotly contested Moto2 class. The Phillip Island circuit hosted its first Motorcycle Grand Prix meeting in 1989, and the 4.445 km track still ranks as one of the most spectacular on the MotoGP calendar. Scary fast corners, together with slow technical turns, have been combined with frequent elevation changes to produce a circuit that guarantees close and exciting racing, all played out against the picturesque backdrop of the Bass Strait. Many of the Moto2 riders, including the Marc VDS Racing Team’s Scott Redding and Mika Kallio, rate this circuit as one of their favourites, and the warm welcome extended by Phillip Island residents to the Grand Prix paddock each year guarantees that the Australian Grand Prix also remains a popular event for all the participating teams. Mika Kallio #36: “We were competitive throughout the whole weekend last time out in Japan, eventually coming away with our second successive top ten finish. Hopefully we can carry this momentum into the Phillip Island weekend, where I’ll be aiming to finish a little higher up the order. Phillip Island is a technical circuit, but also very fast with few reference points. I’ve had some good results here in the past, including podium finishes in both 125cc and 250cc races, so it’s a track that has been good for me. I’m looking forward to the weekend ahead and I hope we can continue the improvements we’ve made in the last few races.” Scott Redding #45 “Phillip Island is one of my favourite races of the season. The circuit is a real rider’s track, it’s very fast and you need to have big balls to keep the throttle pinned! The atmosphere is also pretty special at Phillip Island, with the Australian fans making us feel welcome every time we come here. We will receive more updates for the 2012 chassis here this weekend, which should help us a lot. We ran some upgrades in Japan that made the bike better on the brakes and on corner entry, but the new swinging arm we’ve received for this race should improve things further. I’m looking forward to the weekend ahead at Phillip Island, where I hope I can finally pick up that elusive first podium finish of the season.” Michael Bartholemy: Team Manager “Securing a podium finish has proved more difficult this season than last, but our expectations are high going into this weekend at Phillip Island, a track that particularly suits our Suter Moto2 machine and Scott’s riding style and the scene of our best result of 2010. Scott will finally get a 2012 chassis identical to that of Marc Marquez for this race, which we’ll run for the first time in free practice on Friday. This means a busy weekend for Scott’s crew, as we’ve not had the opportunity to test with this chassis, but I’m confident they’ll find a good set-up for the race in the limited track time available. Mika has also had some good results at Phillip Island in the past and I hope that he will be able to make it three top ten finishes in a row here this weekend.” More, from a press release issued by FTR MOTO: FTR MOTO AIMING HIGH DOWN UNDER FTR MOTO is looking to Sunday’s 15th round of the Moto2 World Championship at Phillip Island, Australia to challenge for a first win of the campaign after a series of second and third place finishes in 2011. FTR’s M210 took third place in last year’s Australian round and this year’s leading rider on the FTR M211, Ioda Racing Project’s Simone Corsi, has consistently challenged for victory in recent rounds. Corsi, 24, is the only rider in the Championship to have finished every race in a top 15, point-scoring position, taking 12 top 10 finishes from the 14 races of 2011. The Italian finished fifth in the last race in Japan 10 days ago and sits in fifth place in the World Championship. Esteve Rabat, riding the Blusens-STX M211, has scored World Championship points in four of the last five races and is targetting the final three races Australia, Malaysia and Spain to try and improve on his current eighth place in the Championship. The HP Tuenti Speed Up Team’s Pol Espargaro is focussed on at least a repeat of his Phillip Island 125cc podium finish of 12 months ago when the five times Grand Prix winner finished runner-up at the Victoria state coastal circuit. Espargaro sits in 16th place in the World Championship but only 19 points away from the top 10. FTR enjoyed three top 10 finishes in last year’s Australian race and is hoping for at least a repeat of that from its 12 riders in Sunday’s 25-lap race. Anthony West (MZ-FTR) will be aiming for a strong finish in his home race after being in the points in the last two races while his team-mate Max Neukirchner is 19th in the Championship and will be keen to return to the early and mid season form that led to seven top 15 finishes from the first eight races. Yonny Hernandez (Blusens-STX) continues his return after injury while Corsi’s Ioda team-mate Mattia Pasini is capable of podium finishes after leading races twice this year and Ratthapark Wilairot (Thai Honda Singha SAG) extends his quest for points to add to his only other top 15 finish of the year in Spain in April. Kenny Noyes (FOGI/GP Tech M211), Santiago Hernandez (SAG) and Valentin Debise (Speed Up) are all chasing their first points of the year as is Aeroport de Castello replacement rider Joan Olive. More, from a press release issued by Pramac Racing: CAPIREX RETURNS AT PHILLIP ISLAND The setting of Phillip Island hosts Round 16 of the 2011 MotoGP World Championship this weekend, the third last of the season. Loris Capirossi will be back aboard his Ducati Desmosedici after the Motegi forfait. The MotoGP veteran, which suffered a right shoulder dislocation at Aragon, is working hard in these days to try to get the race in good condition on this track, where he has done well in the past (three first places and several podiums). Fabiano Sterlacchini – Pramac Racing Technical Director “Last year, on this track, Ducati done very well, and this is a good point of start. The track is quite compatible with the characteristics of the bike, we should be good to take our chances. We hope the weather will cooperate with us. It’s a pity that Loris will not at 100%”. Loris Capirossi – Pramac Racing Team “I’m happy to be back in this circuit, I’m very bound to Phillip Island track. In the past I’ve won here three times, earning many podium finishes. I’ll be back there for the last time, I hope to do well, even though my shoulder still causes many problems, despite the medical care made in recent days.” Randy De Puniet – Pramac Racing Team “At Motegi we didn’t repeat the good things made at Aragon. The feeling with the bike was not good because Motegi track required a different setting than the standard. In the past I did not get great results in Australia, but I want to do well and finish this season in the best possible way.”