NEXT STOP BARCELONA FOR THE REPSOL HONDA TEAM The Repsol Honda Team trucks roll through the gates of the Montmelo circuit this week as MotoGP’s intensive summer schedule reaches the Grand Prix of Catalunya – the third race in as many weekends. Dani Pedrosa arrives at his home circuit in excellent spirits following his convincing display in Assen last Saturday where a brilliant race-day effort from the Spaniard and his crew transformed a difficult weekend into a highly-credible second place finish. In truth, nothing but a win this weekend will satisfy the 24-year-old who was born in Sabadell, just 15km from the venue for Sunday’s 25-lap race. Pedrosa lies in second place in the World Championship having scored a win and two second places from the six races so far in 2010. The three-time World Champion is now looking for improved consistency in a season where a good result for him one weekend has typically been followed by less success at the next race. Barcelona would be the perfect place to break that pattern, and Pedrosa’s record at the 4.727km (2.937-mile) track certainly bodes well. He has won races in the 125, 250 and MotoGP classes at the Montmelo circuit, and has amassed six podium finishes from his nine Grand Prix starts dating back to 2001. Pedrosa also holds the MotoGP race lap record he set on his way to victory in 2008. His team-mate Andrea Dovizioso also has good pedigree at Catalunya and comes to Barcelona full of confidence after his strong start to the 2010 season. The 24-year-old Italian is just four points behind Pedrosa in the World Championship, and indeed the Repsol Honda pair have been leap-frogging each other in the title standings since the second race of the year. Dovizioso has twice finished fourth at Catalunya in his two previous outings in the MotoGP class, won the 250 race in 2006 and has four rostrum finishes to his name. Another podium would be no surprise this weekend, but the Italian now has his sights firmly fixed on scoring his second ever MotoGP win and will be truly satisfied with nothing less. The Grand Prix of Catalunya is one of the flagship events of the MotoGP calendar and a huge partisan race-day crowd is sure to greet Pedrosa, his fellow countrymen and the rest of the World Championship riders. With grandstands lining much of the circuit – and in particular the final high-speed corners that plunge down hill towards the start-finish straight – a highly charged atmosphere is guaranteed for round seven of the MotoGP season. Practice starts on Friday afternoon, with qualifying on Saturday and Sunday’s 25-lap race starting at 14.00. DANI PEDROSA World Championship position: 2nd 93 points “I arrive at Catalunya GP in a very good mood. The last race in Assen was an excellent example of how we will never give up. The practice sessions were very difficult but our team never became downhearted and we were working until the final moments to get a good result. I’m happy with the race because I was able to maintain a high pace from the first lap to the last and I hope we can do that again in Catalunya. So far this season we have alternated between bad and good results at each race, but hopefully we can reach a high level again in Barcelona – everybody in my team is ready to go for it. It’s a circuit I always love to ride at because it’s very much my home race. My family and friends are there and, together with my fans, I feel more than anywhere else that I’m surrounded by supporters. I really want them to enjoy the weekend. Last year this race was very t ough because I was injured and in pain, and I had to race with a pain-killing injection. This time we go to the Catalunya GP in good shape. We know that we will need to work very hard to set up the bike because at this circuit it is always difficult to find a good machine setting, and the one we used in Assen will probably not be right for this circuit. But I hope to get the bike sorted by Saturday, do a good qualifying practice and be prepared to fight at the maximum level in the race. So far when we’ve been at the front it’s been our hard work that has got us there, so we must continue pushing like this in Barcelona this weekend.” ANDREA DOVIZIOSO World Championship position: 3rd 89 points “I’m happy to be going to the Catalunya Grand Prix straight after the last race so that we can quickly turn page on the result in Assen and aim for a good result in Montmelo. This is one of my favourite circuits, it suits my riding style and I think it should be good also for the Honda RC212V machines. It’s a long track with fast corners and it’s a great feeling when you find the right flow and link one turn with the next. There is also a fantastic atmosphere at this track, and when you enter the final four corners it feels like a stadium and the sensation is incredible. I have always had good results here and I’m feeling really motivated. We have been strong so far this season and generally we have been improving race by race. We’ve finished on the podium quite a few times, and thanks to the work we put in over the winter we’ve been closer to front- running pace at most races. Still, we need to take another step forward so that we can compete for victory – that’s what we’ll try to do this weekend. I’m looking forward to the next challenge in Spain.” More, from a press release issued by Marlboro Ducati: CATALUNYA COMPLETES FIRST TRIPLE-HEADER OF 2010 The Ducati Marlboro Team travelled directly from Holland, where Casey Stoner celebrated a podium finish, to the north-east of Spain this week in readiness for Sunday’s Grand Prix of Catalunya, which completes a triple-header of races across three consecutive weekends. The Spanish track, the scene of Ducati’s first win during the factory’s debut MotoGP season back in 2003, is fast, exciting, and the it has been scene of some memorable races in the past. Both Stoner and his team-mate Nicky Hayden are hoping to find a good set-up for their machines as they look to mount another strong challenge for the podium. CASEY STONER, Ducati Marlboro Team “I have had some fantastic races at Catalunya in the past and others not so good but generally I have very fond memories there. I hope we can get around the issues we usually have there and be competitive because gradually we are getting better but we need to start picking up the results to show for it; it would be nice to start doing that at Catalunya. The layout is really nice, it’s quite a classic, but sometimes with our bike we have struggled to find grip there. We have to try and sort that out this year and hopefully I can have some fun because we normally get some really close racing here.” NICKY HAYDEN, Ducati Marlboro Team “The Grand Prix of Catalunya is one of the nicest of the season. Whenever we race in Spain there is always a huge crowd and a really hot atmosphere. Everybody likes the track, even though over the years it has developed a few bumps. As far as set-up is concerned it will be important to find good traction because there are a lot of corners where you’re leaned over for a long time. There are also some hard braking areas so it will be important to find a good balance between stability and handling. We’ll do our best to do a good job.” VITTORIANO GUARESCHI, Team Manager “Barcelona brings us to the end of a series of three consecutive races during which time we have worked a lot on the set-up of the GP10 with both our riders. Casey in particular needed to rediscover his confidence with the front and he was satisfied with the progress we made at Assen. At Catalunya, where there are a lot of long, flat corners, it will be important to build on what we have found so far as well as finding good rear grip. Traction at full lean in the long corners will also be one of the main set-up areas we will be working on with Nicky at Barcelona, especially if the conditions are very hot because this will put extra stress on the tyres.” THE TRACK The Circuit de Catalunya, located around 20 kilometres north of Barcelona, was added to the calendar in 1992, when it hosted the European Grand Prix, before changing to the Grand Prix of Catalunya in 1996. It is a fast and demanding track with a long main straight of 1,047m, which allows the 800cc machines to hit top speeds in excess of 300km/h, and some hard-braking areas such as turn one and the “La Caixa” corner at the end of the shorter back straight, as well as some fast and flowing corners. The combination of long corners and variations in camber calls for a balanced chassis set-up and puts huge demand on front tyre durability and feel. The track was resurfaced in 2005 but many riders still complain about the bumps caused by F1 testing and racing. CATALUNYA CIRCUIT INFO Circuit Record: Daniel Pedrosa (Honda – 2008), 1’42.358 166.251 Km/h Best Pole: Casey Stoner (Ducati – 2008), 1’41.186 168.177 Km/h Circuit Length: 4,727 km MotoGP Race 2010: 25 laps (118.175 km) MotoGP Timetable 2010: 14:00 Central Europe Time Number of laps: 25 Race distance: 118.175 PODIUM 2010: 1st Valentino Rossi, 2nd Jorge Lorenzo, 3rd Casey Stoner POLE 2010: Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha 2009) 1’41.974 – 166.877 km/h DUCATI MARLBORO TEAM’S BEST RESULTS AT CATALUNYA 2009: 3rd (Stoner) 2008: 3rd (Stoner) 2007: 1st (Stoner) 2006: / 2005: 11th (Checa) 2004: 10th (Capirossi) 2003: 1st (Capirossi) DUCATI MARLBORO TEAM RIDER INFO CASEY STONER Age: 24 (Born 16th October 1985 in Southport, Queensland, Australia) Residency: Switzerland Bike: Ducati Marlboro Team Desmosedici GP10 GP Appearances: 133 (72xMotoGP, 31×250, 30×125) GP Victories: 27 (20xMotoGP, 5×250, 2×125) First GP victory: Valencia, 2003 (125) First GP: Great Britain, 2001 (125) Pole positions: 22 (18xMotoGP, 2×250, 2×125) First pole position: Italy, 2003 (125) World Titles: 1 (MotoGP, 2007) Stoner’s MotoGP track record at Catalunya: 2009: Qualified: 3rd. Race: 3rd 2008: Qualified: 1st. Race: 3rd 2007: Qualified: 4th. Race: 1st 2006: Qualified: 8th. Race: DNF NICKY HAYDEN Age: 28 (born 30th July 1981 in Owensboro, Kentucky, USA) Residency: Owensboro, Kentucky, USA Bike: Ducati Marlboro Team Desmosedici GP10 GP Appearances: 122 (122xMotoGP) First GP: Japan, 2003 (MotoGP) Number of victories: 3 (3xMotoGP) First GP victory: USGP, 2005 (MotoGP) Pole positions: 5 (5xMotoGP) First Pole: USGP, 2005 (MotoGP) World Titles: 1 (MotoGP, 2006) Hayden’s MotoGP track record at Catalunya: 2009 Qualified: 13th. Race: 10th 2008 Qualified: 3rd. Race: 8th 2007: Qualified: 7th. Race: 11th 2006: Qualified: 4th. Race: 3rd 2005: Qualified: 5th. Race: 5th 2004: Qualified: 3rd. Race: DNF 2003: Qualified: 3rd. Race: DNF More, from a press release issued by Bridgestone: Bridgestone MotoGP Preview – Round 7: Catalunya, Catalunya Tuesday 29 June 2010 Bridgestone slick compounds available: Front: Medium, Hard. Rear: Hard, Extra Hard (asymmetric) The seventh round of the championship takes the MotoGP paddock to Catalunya, and to one of the toughest circuits of the season for Bridgestone’s tyres, specifically the right shoulders of the rear tyres. The nature of the circuit is predominantly right-handed, and the right-hand corners tend to be fast and long. As the riders carry high corner speed at a high lean angle, and try to open the throttle as early as possible to maximise their drive out of each corner, the loads placed upon the right shoulder of the rear tyres increase and cause tyre temperature to rise. By contrast, the left-hand corners are fewer and generally slower, subjecting the left shoulders to far lower loads, thus the left side of the tyres runs at a lower temperature. To cope with these demands, Bridgestone have again selected asymmetric rear tyres for Catalunya, making it the fourth use of asymmetric rears this season. Last year, Catalunya marked the first outing for asymmetric rears, indicating just how many more races Bridgestone are bringing them to. The asymmetric rear slicks combine a hard or extra hard compound right shoulder, depending on the compound option, for increased durability and consistency at a higher operating temperature range with a soft compound left shoulder for the slower left-handers. This allows them to provide a consistent level of grip and rider feeling throughout the lap despite the imbalance in temperature and load between each side of the tyre. During last year’s race the track temperature peaked at 52 degrees Celsius and every rider chose the hard front and the extra hard rear slicks. It was also the scene of the thrilling duel between the Fiat Yamaha duo of Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo whose battle was decided on the final corner. The pair crossed the line separated by less than 0.1seconds, followed by Ducati Team’s Casey Stoner on the final step of the podium, just 0.05seconds ahead of Repsol Honda’s Andrea Dovizioso. Hiroshi Yamada Manager, Bridgestone Motorsport Department “We saw a fantastic race in Catalunya last year and I think everyone will remember the battle between Valentino and Jorge. The circuit is always popular with the fans and with five Spanish riders in the championship we can be sure of great attendance and an exciting atmosphere. Spain is also an important market for Bridgestone and the popularity of the grand prix helps support our MotoGP activity in the region. Catalunya is the final in a back-to-back trio of races which have been busy for everyone, and it is followed by a well-deserved break until the German Grand Prix.” Tohru Ubukata Manager, Bridgestone Motorcycle Tyre Development Department “Catalunya is a smooth but high speed circuit that generates higher temperature in the right shoulder of the tyres than the left because of its mostly right-handed nature. Its surface is quite slippery but the loads on the tyres are very high which means that we see very high temperatures in the right side of the rear tyres. There are eight right-hand corners, most of which are long and fast, and only five left-handers, most of which are much slower so there is a significant imbalance between tyre temperatures in the right and left shoulders of the rear tyres, and we have chosen our asymmetric rear slicks again to manage this situation. Catalunya is one of the toughest circuits of the season for the rear tyres, but we have seen in the past that our pace and tyre performance there has been good so I feel confident.” More, from a press release issued by Dorna Communications: Montmeló hosts round seven of the 2010 FIM MotoGP World Championship this weekend as the Gran Premi Aperol de Catalunya completes a series of three back-to-back races. That said there will only be a one-weekend break before the call on Sachsenring, and the rapid succession of the calendar in recent weeks has played into the hands of Championship leader Jorge Lorenzo. The Fiat Yamaha rider comes into his home GP off the back of successive wins at Silverstone and Assen and with a 47-point lead, and is now the first rider to have finished on the podium in the first six MotoGP races of the year since team-mate Valentino Rossi in 2005. The duo put on one of the most thrilling battles of the modern era last season when they fought to the bitter end for victory at the Barcelona circuit, but Rossi will not be present this time around as he continues his recovery from injury. His replacement steps in this weekend however in the shape of Yamaha test rider Wataru Yoshikawa. Dani Pedrosa moved up to second in the standings and will have renewed confidence after taking second place at Assen. The Repsol Honda rider has a formidable record at Catalunya, having become the only rider other than Rossi to have won in all three categories there when he took victory in the premier class in 2008. The Spaniard will have his sights set firmly on challenging for the win. Andrea Dovizioso is battling with his team-mate to challenge Lorenzo and only four points separate the Repsol Honda pair in second and third. Dovizioso has been on the podium four times this season and finished fifth in Assen, so will be hoping to get back inside the top three especially seeing as he has finished fourth at Catalunya in his two premier class seasons to date. Ducati Team rider Nicky Hayden is fifth in the standings and has drawn level on 61 points with Rossi, and the American has Randy de Puniet (LCR Honda) hot on his tail as the contest for fourth place gets closer. Hayden’s team-mate Casey Stoner recovered important ground with his first podium of 2010 at Assen and will aim for a second quick-fire top three, and the Australian was on the rostrum at Catalunya last year. Ben Spies continues to go from strength to strength in his debut MotoGP season and the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 rider is currently the highest placed rookie in eighth position at just two points off Stoner. Marco Simoncelli (San Carlo Honda Gresini) and Colin Edwards (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) complete the top ten as it stands, with 11th placed Marco Melandri (San Carlo Honda Gresini) expected to return after his absence from the Assen race with a dislocated shoulder. Aleix Espargaró (Pramac Racing), Héctor Barberá (Paginás Amarillas Aspar) and Mika Kallio (Pramac Racing) are all in search of more Championship points, whilst Kousuke Akiyoshi will again ride in place of the injured Hiroshi Aoyama for the Interwetten Honda MotoGP Team. Rizla Suzuki duo Loris Capirossi and Álvaro Bautista will want to improve their individual points hauls as well. Moto2 Toni Elías will continue the defence of his Moto2 Championship lead on home soil with the Gresini Racing rider on 100 points after six rounds. Elías holds a healthy 24-point lead over second placed Shoya Tomizawa and the Technomag-CIP rider has maintained a regular scoring vein of form to remain second. Incredibly Elías has not finished a race at Catalunya since he was third in the 250cc category in 2004. His consistency this season however will offer him hope of securing a home podium as he attempts to maintain his occupation of top spot. Thomas Lüthi’s third place at Assen means that he and Elías are the only two riders to have finished on the podium three times this season, and the Interwetten Moriwaki rider placed second in the race before at Silverstone. Those two results were made all the more impressive after it was revealed this week the Swiss rider suffered a broken collarbone before the British GP. He has been operated on this week after aggravating the injury at Assen and will attend Catalunya on Thursday when a decision will be made on his participation, and he fully intends to ride. A second victory of the season at Assen lifted Andrea Iannone (Fimmco Speed Up) into fourth place in the standings and the Italian won the 125cc race at Catalunya last year. He is now just seven points behind Lüthi, with Julián Simón (Mapfre Aspar) six points further behind Iannone in fourth. Jules Cluzel (Forward Racing) and Simone Corsi (JiR Moto2) are level on 55 points each, and Alex Debón (Aeroport de Castello-Ajo) will attempt to ride despite having fractured a collarbone in a crash at Assen in qualifying, as he tries to keep the pressure on from ninth position in the standings. There will be two wildcard entries in the Moto2 class, as Dani Rivas and Jordi Torres ride Promoharris frames under the Mr Griful banner. 125cc The Spanish domination of the 125cc class continued at Assen and threatens to do so again in front of a home crowd at Catalunya, as the top three of Nico Terol, Pol Espargaró and Marc Márquez aim to serve up another superb spectacle. Second place at Assen handed Bancaja Aspar rider Terol the lead of the Championship again, but only by three points as he moved onto 118 with Tuenti Racing rider Espargaró keeping a very close check (115) thanks to third place. Red Bull Ajo Motorsport’s Márquez was the victor however and the 17 year-old has now won the last three races in a row, lifting him to third in the standings (107). Terol has form at the circuit having finished second in last year’s race, which current Moto2 rider Andrea Iannone won. That, incidentally, was the last time a non-Spanish rider won a 125cc race. Aside from the all-Spanish top trio, Brit Bradley Smith will be desperate to break into the top three once more having finished on the podium just once so far this season, in his home GP at Silverstone. Currently sitting in fourth, the Bancaja Aspar rider needs to maintain contact with the leading three if he is to maintain any hopes of challenging them in the title race. Two more Spaniards follow Smith in the standings with Esteve Rabat (Blusens-STX) and Efrén Vázquez (Tuenti Racing) both looking to bounce back after crashes in Assen. Five wildcard riders will also participate, four of them Spanish with Eduard Lopez and Isaac Viñales riding for the Catalunya Racing Team, Juan Perello and Johnny Rosell for the SAG Castrol set-up, and Hungarian Peter Sebestyen (Right Guard Racing). More, from a press release issued by Honda: HONDA HOMECOMING IN BARCELONA The Catalunya Grand Prix is the most eagerly anticipated race of the year for some in the Honda camp who make their homes in the hotbed of Spanish road racing. In the premier MotoGP class, Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda RC212V) arrives second in the championship and looking forward to racing in front of family and friends at the circuit not far from his home in Sabadell. Pedrosa wasn’t able to showcase his talent last year, after an earlier crash in Mugello, and is looking forward to an on-form return to the track where he won in 2008. And Toni Elias (Gresini Racing Moto2, Moriwaki) hopes to add to his Moto2 championship-leading points tally, which he built on by finishing second in last weekend’s Dutch TT. Pedrosa had little time to celebrate his fine second place finish in last week’s Dutch TT, a race in which he set the new circuit fastest lap. Assen was the second of three races on the trot and run only six days after Silverstone. With an extra day at home prior to the Catalunya race, Pedrosa will have more time to charge his batteries as he prepares to tackle a track where his circuit record lap from 2008 still stands. It will also give his team a little more time analyse the work they did to transform his RC212V overnight from Friday to Saturday’s race in Holland. Having struggled in practice and qualifying, Pedrosa was elated and confident in Saturday morning warm-up after validating the progress his team had made. With that progress already in place, Pedrosa will have a leg up when he rolls out for practice on Friday afternoon at the Montmelo circuit. The 24-year-old wasn’t at full fitness for the 2009 race, having crashed at Mugello two weeks earlier. But he’s in top shape now and eager to erase the memories of last year before a race day crowd which last year approached 90,000. Team-mate Andrea Dovizioso (Repsol Honda RC212V) always looks forward to his annual visit to Catalunya, as much for the atmosphere as the configuration. Catalunya is a long circuit with fast, flowing corners, one linked to the next, that suits his style. The proof is that he’s won the race and been on the podium numerous times. In 2008, his first year in the premier class, he finished one spot off the podium a performance he repeated last year. The Italian had arrived at the previous race in Assen full of confidence after finishing a season-best second in the British Grand Prix at Silverstone. That runner-up finish kept alive a string of five races with Hondas on the podium, a string that Pedrosa extended in Assen. Randy de Puniet (LCR Honda RC212V) finished sixth in Assen, his fourth such finish of the year. But that doesn’t tell the whole story. The Frenchman has run with the leaders at a number of races and was in podium contention more than once. More importantly, de Puniet has shown a newfound maturity by scoring points in every race, which has put him on pace for a best ever championship finish. The LCR Honda rider is the highest ranking non-factory rider one-third of the way through the 18-race calendar. De Puniet believes his strength is in fast corners, and the Catalunya circuit has several. His fondest memories of the venue are of his two 250cc wins and later running near the front early in his MotoGP career. Marco Melandri (San Carlo Honda Gresini) also has a number of fond memories of Catalunya. In addition to a victory in the 250cc class, the 27-year-old Italian has a pair of podium finishes from earlier in his MotoGP career, but a podium ill be a tall order this weekend. Melandri separated his left shoulder in practice on the morning of qualifying at Assen. The decision to withdrawal came a day later, on Saturday morning, when Melandri knew he wouldn’t be able to ride the Honda RC212V at his usual brisk pace. He was examined by a specialist on the Monday following the race, who said that he needs to undergo further checks on the collarbone ligaments and confirmed that the bone in his shoulder has suffered a major trauma. Melandri will undergo more tests after the race, but he has been cleared to take part. Though he will have had an extra day between races, the shoulder is certain to be a bother and a podium finish will be difficult. Still, he’ll certainly be able to score points and continue to mentor his younger team-mate. In the absence of Melandri, Marco Simoncelli (San Carlo Honda Gresini RC212V) was his team’s lone representative at Assen. Rear grip issues meant that the day didn’t produce the hoped-for results and he was thankful of his shot at redemption a week later. What he learned about his traction issues early in the race has been analysed by his team, which will send him out on Friday morning with a differently set up motorcycle. “Super Sic” has twice been on the podium at Catalunya, finishing second on a 125 and winning on a 250 on a circuit he considers one of his favourites. Kousuke Akiyoshi (Interwetten Honda MotoGP RC212V) will ride the second of his two races in place of the injured Hiroshi Aoyama, the Japanese rider who broke his back in practice for the British Grand Prix. The Honda test rider has made it clear his role is to continue to develop the Honda RC212V in race conditions, and Catalunya, where he has some experience, is the perfect venue. The team is currently searching for a more stable replacement for Akiyoshi and are talking with three different riders to substitute from the German Grand Prix at Sachsenring forward. The number one criteria is MotoGP experience, which at least two of the three riders have. With a weekend off between Catalunya and Sachsenring, they’re confident of reaching a solution. Toni Elias (Gresini Racing Moto2, Moriwaki) will be able to sleep in his own bed for the grand prix weekend. The 27-year-old from Manresa admits his success in the premier class was limited at his home track, but his confidence has grown with each Moto2 race and he believes he can ascend the top step of the podium for the third time this year. Having struggled for two races prior to Assen, Elias and the team found their way again with a fighting second place finish and he expects the progress to continue at home. Shoya Tomizawa (Technomag-CIP, Suter) has been a revelation this season. The likeable Japanese rider has exceeded expectations in making the successful transition from Honda’s 250cc two-stroke to the 600cc four-stroke. Tomizawa likes the Barcelona track, where he tested his Suter chassis prior to fitment with the control Honda engine. That gave him a yardstick from which he’ll be able to measure the progress in the first six races of the season. Tomizawa began the season by becoming the first ever winner in the Moto2 class at Qatar. He followed that with a second in the next race and Qatar, before a DNF in France. His consistency has kept him in the top six the rest of the way and he sits second in the championship to Elias. Tom Lüthi (Interwitten Moriwaki Moto2, Moriwaki) will be riding in Spain less than a week after an operation to mend a broken collarbone. The Swiss rider dislocated the collarbone in a motocross crash prior to the British Grand Prix at Silverstone. Despite that, he finished a strong second in the grand prix. It was during Friday morning practice in Assen that Luthi broke the collarbone while trying to avoid a slide. Still, he rode valiantly to a third place finish and within striking distance of second. Marcel Schrötter, Luthi’s Interwetten Honda teammate, continues his rookie grand prix season with a visit to yet another new circuit. The young German wasn’t happy with his performance in Assen, where he had hoped to build on the results from the previous race, and is entering the Catalunya weekend without any expectations. His goal is to continue scoring points as he gains experience against a talented field of riders, most of whom have aspirations of ascending to the Moto2 and MotoGP championships. Prior to this season, the Montmelo weekend has traditionally followed the race in Mugello, a course with similar characteristics. (This year the series visited Silverstone and Assen in between.) Each has a long front straight followed by a hard braking right hand first turn-harder braking in Catalunya-followed by technical sections of fast and slow corners, and elevation changes. The track has eight right-hand corners, many of which are long and fast, and five slower left-handers, which put different demands on the control Bridgestone tires. One of the most critical corners is the uphill right that leads on the middle straightaway. What sounds like a misfire is, in fact, the sophisticated electronics regulating spark to the engine as the 250bhp race bikes struggle to find grip for the drive down the chute and into the final sequence. Montmelo’s dramatic end of lap plays out in front of a series of packed grandstands. The ‘stadium’ section is entered from the middle straight into a sharp left, followed by a less sharp left that flicks right into a hairpin that leads into the final two two right hand turns. The first sends riders rushing down to the final right onto the 1.047k straightaway, where top speeds reach nearly 322 kph. Valentino Rossi (Yamaha) won last year’s race with a dramatic pass of team-mate Jorge Lorenzo in the final corner, proving that nothing is decided until the very end. Because the Catalunya circuit is also used for Formula One, the track surface is rippled in a number of corners, which puts a greater emphasis on suspension tuning to get the true benefit of the Honda RC212V both in acceleration and under braking. MotoGP Rider Quotes: Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda) says: “I arrive at Catalunya GP in a very good mood. The last race in Assen was an excellent example of how we will never give up. The practice sessions were very difficult but our team never became downhearted and we were working until the final moments to get a good result. I’m happy with the race because I was able to maintain a high pace from the first lap to the last and I hope we can do that again in Catalunya. So far this season we have alternated between bad and good results at each race, but hopefully we can reach a high level again in Barcelona – everybody in my team is ready to go for it. It’s a circuit I always love to ride at because it’s very much my home race. My family and friends are there and, together with my fans, I feel more than anywhere else that I’m surrounded by supporters. I really want them to enjoy the weekend. Last year this race was very tough because I was injured and in pain, and I had to race with a pain-killing injection. This time we go to the Catalunya GP in good shape. We know that we will need to work very hard to set up the bike because at this circuit it is always difficult to find a good machine setting, and the one we used in Assen will probably not be right for this circuit. But I hope to get the bike sorted by Saturday, do a good qualifying practice and be prepared to fight at the maximum level in the race. So far when we’ve been at the front it’s been our hard work that has got us there, so we must continue pushing like this in Barcelona this weekend.” Andrea Dovizioso (Repsol Honda) says: “I’m happy to be going to the Catalunya Grand Prix straight after the last race so that we can quickly turn page on the result in Assen and aim for a good result in Montmelo. This is one of my favourite circuits, it suits my riding style and I think it should be good also for the Honda RC212V machines. It’s a long track with fast corners and it’s a great feeling when you find the right flow and link one turn with the next. There is also a fantastic atmosphere at this track, and when you enter the final four corners it feels like a stadium and the sensation is incredible. I have always had good results here and I’m feeling really motivated. We have been strong so far this season and generally we have been improving race by race. We’ve finished on the podium quite a few times, and thanks to the work we put in over the winter we’ve been closer to front-running pace at most races. Still, we need to take another step forward so that we can compete for victory – that’s what we’ll try to do this weekend. I’m looking forward to the next challenge in Spain.” Randy de Puniet (LCR Honda) says: “Barcelona is another fast race track with many fast corners. It is another track that suits my riding style and the way we have been working so far makes me confident to get another positive result. I won two races in 250cc class and got the front in 2007 with Kawasaki so I have got very good memories about this circuit. I do not want to dream about the podium because I need to stay focused on our job to take as many points as possible but I am pretty sure we can lap in the front once again as the overall package is quite good at the moment.” Marco Melandri (San Carlo Honda Gresini) says: “I’m going to Barcelona with the clear objective of putting the disappointments of Silverstone and Assen behind me. I will obviously have to wait and see how I feel on the bike after such a big crash in Holland, but my determination to race again is huge. I have had a lot of treatment on the shoulder since Saturday and even though I still won’t be at peak physical fitness I am determined to get back out on track. I really want to build on the progress we made in practice at Assen, where we confirmed our recent progress with the set-up of the bike. I hope I am fit and able to continue the recent good work we’ve been doing so that we can have more to be pleased with by the end of the weekend.” Marco Simoncelli (San Carlo Honda Gresini) says: “The tyre problem at Assen definitely wasn’t what we wanted. It has halted my progress a little and denied me the opportunity to improve on my result from Silverstone, which is a shame. Anyway, I was happy to have at least finished the race in those conditions. I suppose it was one of those bad experiences that helps you to grow stronger. At Barcelona I want to pick up from where we left off in practice at Assen and put the Dutch TT behind me. I like this track a lot, I have won here in 250 and I’m sure I’ll feel comfortable. My feeling with the bike is improving and thanks to the team and Honda I am making constant progress, the gap to the front guys is getting smaller and I am more and more convinced that I am going to be fighting for top results soon.” Kousuke Akiyoshi (Interwetten Honda MotoGP) says: “Assen was a complete new track for me, but I liked it. Barcelona I know, I have been there before, but that was quite a while ago. I heard that also the test rider of Yamaha will take part in the race and I look forward to the battle with him. I hope I will win it.” Moto2 and 125cc Rider Quotes: Toni Elias (Gresini Racing Moto2) says: “We were back to our old selves at Assen and now we have the confidence to go to Barcelona with the same belief in our potential that we had at the start of the season. I have never had a lot of success at Montmelò over the years just a couple of podiums so this year I’d like to win it for my fans. My house is close to the track and there will be a lot of people there supporting me, so I don’t want to let them down. At Assen we found our way again after being lost for the previous two rounds so we have to keep working in the same way. As a team we never give up and we have to maintain the same approach if we are to achieve the goals we set ourselves at the start of the year. “ Shoya Tomizawa (Technomag-CIP) says: “I like the Barcelona race track. It is a very technical and interesting layout. We did a test there for the first time with Moto2 before the IRTA test. At that time, it was with a standard engine without much mileage on the bike, so it will be interesting to see how much progress we have made. This time I hope I have trouble free practices and make the best use of the track time available so we may be able to improve a little with our set-up. I will do my best, and I want to make good race.” Tom Lüthi (Interwetten Moriwaki Moto2 Team) says: “I will defiantly try to race in Barcelona. I am in third place in the world championship standings right now and I will do all I can to not risk this position. I already had one race with no points this season and I won’t risk losing more important points. I will speak to the doctors in Barcelona and hope that I will sit on the bike for the first free practice on Friday.” Marcel Schrötter (Interwetten Honda 125 Team) says: “I really don´t expect anything from Barcelona, as last time in Assen I expected a lot, as I was there before and it really was disappointing. Now I don’t want to be disappointed again, so I go to Barcelona without any expectations. I want to get points again. It is not really motivating if you go home with nothing. I know the first year is a learning process, but I hope Barcelona will be a better grand prix.” More, from a press release issued by Pramac Racing: MOTOGP ARRIVES IN MONTMELO’ FOR THE GRAND PRIX DE CATALUNYA Sunday on the Catalunya circuit, there will the third consecutive race, the seventh of the 2010 MotoGP World Championship season. Championship that race after race is becoming always more and more competitive and that is projecting the Pramac Racing riders closer to the first eight riders of the league. On Assen circuit the ‘green’ riders of the Pramac Racing Team did not disfigured at all, finishing the race respectively in tenth place with the young Aleix Espargarò and in the eleventh place with Mika Kallio that thanks to a great start had remounted different positions. Now the focus shifts on the Grand Prix de Catalunya track. The circuit of Catalunya, is considered by many riders one of the most difficult tracks on which fast straights, are alternate to slow and driven sectors. The Sunday race will be the twentieth round of the top bike class that will be run on this track, which is situated just thirty kilometers from the center of Barcelona. This track will be the home race for the young Catalan Aleix Espargarò that has born in Granollers and who resides now just a few kilometers from the Montmelò circuit. In the past, Pramac Racing hasn’t had great satisfaction on the Catalunya circuit, the absolute best result was the fourth place with Barros in 2005. Last year Mika Kallio has finish the race in the ninth position, this result has served to make a change in his first MotoGP season. The hope is that also for this year the Catalan Grand Prix will give a change to the so far difficult season for the Finn rider. Paolo Campinoti – Team Principal Pramac Racing Team “Assen result gives me good hope for the rest of the season although I am a bit disappointed, especially if I think how the things where going on Friday morning when Aleix had the seventh fastest time. I am still proud of the work done by all the Team that had allowed Aleix to finish the race for the fourth consecutive Grand Prix, in the top ten ranking. I’m partially happy also for Mika’s result, he had fought with the other riders and had won positions, but however he is still far from the position that a riders with his talent can easily reach. On the Catalan circuit we had in the past some good success, we had finish fourth, just a steep from the podium in 2005 with Barros. Mika also had some success in the past on this track, he had got a pole in 2005 and then he had finish the race in third position during his last year of 125cc. Aleix has instead conquered here a fifteenth place as best result in his debut season in 125cc, but he knows very good the circuit that is sit uated just a few kilometers from his home. I think that thanks to the steady growth that has shown in the recent races and driven by the many fans who will follow him on this track, he will be protagonist of a great race and that he will gain a good result. ” Aleix Espargarò – Pramac Racing “Also if I’m a rookie, we are keeping a good level for this part of the season. Except the first two races, where unfortunately I fall two times, I could have finished in the top ten in every race. Friday was fantastic, I had the seventh overall time, very close to the other riders. Saturday I was also very close to the fastest riders even if I get the tenth place on the starting grid. Unfortunately I had a bad start and I was soon far from the front riders. I look forward to race on Montmelò track that I consider my home track. Although I was not able to have good result on this track in the past in the four Championship races that I had run here, is not far from Granollers where I was born. I will give my best to conquest a relief placement, for my Team that has always worked hard for me and for my fans who will support me from the stands. ” Mika Kallio – Pramac Racing “Assen result is not exciting, but I hope that the eleventh position that I had in the Dutch Grand Prix will serve to give a changing direction to my season. In the past I always had good results on the Catalan circuit and I hope to have in the next Sunday race. Last year I had finished the race in ninth position and in the test we had the day after the race, I had the fourth fastest time ever. This weekend we’ll start from the data that we had obtained last year. It ‘s a beautiful track, with very fast sectors and other very driven, I should not have adapting problems to this track. Here I had some satisfaction in the past, in 2005 I won a pole position and third place in my last 125cc season. I’ll give everything to conquer a good position that I’m missing from Jerez Grand Prix. ” More, from a press release issued by Marc VDS Racing Team: HECTOR FAUBEL HEADS HOME TO BARCELONA The Marc VDS Racing Team’s Hector Faubel heads home to Spain and the Montmelo circuit outside Barcelona for the second race of the season in front of his home crowd. The 26-year-old Spaniard hails from Lliria, so counts the season finale at Valencia as his true home race, but the Marc VDS rider is looking forward to racing in front his fellow countrymen this weekend, on a circuit at which he has finished on the podium previously. Faubel finished 24th at Jerez earlier in the season, but was still adapting to the Suter MMX Moto2 machine after being drafted into the Marc VDS Racing Team at the last minute and missing out on the winter testing that all of his rivals had completed at the circuit. This weekend in Barcelona, Faubel is determined to give the Spanish fans something to cheer with a much stronger performance. Scott Redding heads for Barcelona determined to improve his chances in the race by qualifying closer to the front of the grid. The 17-year-old Briton had to fight his way through from 12th on the grid to take fourth place in Silverstone and then did the same from 20th on the grid to take 11th in Assen. With a better starting position this weekend in Barcelona, Redding sees no reason why he shouldn’t be up there fighting at the front during the race. Hector Faubel #55 “We’ve had two difficult races in a row, so the confidence isn’t so high going into this weekend at Catalunya. We need to go back to the settings we ran on the bike at Mugello for this race, to eliminate some of the problems we had at Silverstone and Assen. We also need to improve in qualifying. I ended up further down the grid than I expected after having problems in qualifying for the last two races, and we simply can’t afford a repeat this weekend. I need to be aiming for the first three rows of the grid if I am to have a chance of a good result this weekend, so that must be our first priority. The circuit is not so technical, but the last two fast corners onto the long start finish straight are critical to a good lap time, so this is where we must focus our efforts with the set-up of the bike. It will be good to race once again in front of my home crowd and I hope I can give them something to cheer about this weekend.” Scott Redding #45 “I know I can run at the same race pace as the riders battling for the podium, as we saw in Silverstone and Assen, so if we can improve in qualifying this weekend at Catalunya then a top eight finish should be well within our grasp. I like the track, but the bike set-up is always a compromise there. The first three turns need a bike that changes direction well, but there are also three places on the track where you need the bike to be stable under heavy braking. Then there are the last two turns, where you have to find the drive to carry speed onto the main straight, which is pretty long at Catalunya. I’m looking forward to this weekend; I just hope the track conditions won’t be too hot, as this has caused us problems in the past.” Michael Bartholemy: Team Manager “Hector has had two difficult races in a row now, but I hope that the extra motivation of racing in front of his home crowd this weekend will allow him to make the same big step made by Scott at Silverstone three weeks ago. Top five may be asking too much, but a good result would increase his confidence, which has taken a hit recently. For Scott, he just needs to continue to challenge in the races. We know what we need to do to get him up there and battling in the top five or six, as does he, and that’s what we’ll be working on this weekend in Catalunya.” More, from a press release issued by Fiat Yamaha: BARCELONA BECKONS LORENZO TO HOME CHALLENGE AS YOSHIKAWA JOINS TEAM After two commanding wins in a row at Silverstone and Assen over the last two weekends, Jorge Lorenzo lands in his home city of Barcelona this weekend with a championship lead of 47 points and a plan to delight his Spanish fans with another win on home soil. He has flown the Fiat Yamaha flag alone for the last three races following Valentino Rossi’s accident in Mugello, but this weekend he will be joined by Yamaha’s experienced Japanese test rider, Wataru Yoshikawa. The two-time Japanese Superbike Champion will be riding Rossi’s M1 while the Italian is out of action, backed by Rossi’s usual crew who make a welcome return to the paddock this week. Last year the Mallorcan-born Lorenzo lost out to his team-mate Valentino Rossi in a titanic last-lap battle, which Rossi named one of his best ever wins. With the Italian still out of a ction, Lorenzo is robbed of the chance to exact revenge on his team-mate but a second Spanish win of the season, following his victory in Jerez, would be sweet nonetheless for the 23-year-old and he will be going all out to stand on the podium once again As one of the key test riders in Yamaha’s MotoGP development programme, Yoshikawa is well acquainted with the M1-Bridgestone package. He has ridden as a wild card once previously in MotoGP, at the 2002 Motegi round, but this will be his first visit to the Montmeló circuit. The Circuit de Catalunya features one of the longest main straights in the world, watched over by a vast grandstand, which is always full to bursting from Saturday morning. The rest of the track is characterised by long radius, medium and high-speed sweeping corners, with two tight left-hand hairpins thrown into the mix. This variation combined with regular changes in camber makes the circuit particularly demandi ng on chassis balance and means that front-end feel is a key concern for every rider. Jorge Lorenzo “WE SHOULD ENJOY MONTMELÓ!” “Montmeló is a very special track for me, it is the closest to Mallorca and I can feel the people supporting me. Last year I lost at the final corner but now I will try to come back to the podium to celebrate with all my fans. We have a big gap in the standings and it give us confidence and allows us to be calm, but the team will be working at the same level, I am sure. We still have twelve more races, double what we’ve already had! We should enjoy Montmeló and then, after these three consecutives races, we have earned a little break – a week for a rest!” Wataru Yoshikawa “HELPFUL FOR OUR DEVELOPMENT” “I’m excited about riding the M1 in Spain this week, even if I’m very sorry for Valentino’s injury. I have only ridden in a MotoGP race once, at Motegi in 2002, and this is the first time I have ridden at the Montmeló track. We can see from the team’s results this season that Yamaha did a good job with the winter development of the M1 and I am sure that these few races I will contest now will be extremely helpful for the future development of our bike.” Wilco Zeelenberg “KEEPING FOCUSED” “After six races we are leading the standings with a big gap so we can be very happy with the job we have done. Jorge has done very well to keep so focused through such a busy period of races and we just have one more before we can all enjoy a short rest. Barcelona is Jorge’s home race and last year he lost there very closely to Valentino in an exciting finish. This week we will carry on in the same way, trying to keep focused and aiming for the podium once again.” Davide Brivio “GOOD TO COME BACK” “This weekend our team will come back to the paddock after a strange time watching from home! We go to Barcelona where we have some amazing memories from last year. Of course we will miss Valentino but he is recovering well and now we will give our maximum support to Wataru as he joins our team. It will be nice to see the fourth M1 back on the track, Wataru is an experienced rider even though he doesn’t know Barcelona and we will see what happens.” More, from a press release issued by Rizla Suzuki: Álvaro Bautista and the Rizla Suzuki team are heading to Spain for his home Grand Prix this weekend to be held at Montmelo near Barcelona. Bautista comes from Talavera de la Reina near Madrid and although there will be four Grands Prix held in Spain this year; the 25-year-old is focusing on the next race as his local event. He is sure to have plenty of home support at a circuit where he has tasted success with two victories in the last four years in the 125cc and 250cc classes. Loris Capirossi has an equally impressive record at the Spanish circuit. He finished fifth there last season in Rizla Suzuki colours and has only once completed a race lower than sixth place. Capirossi is in a determined mood to put recent events behind him and get the Suzuki GSV-R back to a competitive package as soon as possible. The 4,727m Circuit de Catalunya is situated at Montmelo near Granollers, about an hour’s drive from the city centre of Barcelona. It is a modern circuit and has all the ingredients you could want for a fantastic Grand Prix event. A kilometre-long straight where speeds in excess of 300kp/h will be achieved, fast right-handers, elevation changes and a huge fan-base of highly excited and colourful Spanish fans. The Catalan Grand Prix is certainly a highlight on the MotoGP calendar and one not to be missed. Rizla Suzuki will take to the track for one practice session on Friday afternoon, followed by another on Saturday morning. An hour of qualifying on Saturday afternoon will decide grid positions for Bautista, Capirossi and the rest of the field for Sunday’s 25-lap race. Alvaro Bautista: “I have had a couple of days rest and my arm feels a lot better than it did in Assen and I am sure it will be much stronger this weekend. Barcelona is a very good track for me to go to next, because it is very long and very fast so it won’t be as physically demanding as Assen. It is a very special place for all the Spanish riders because you can feel every fan pushing you and wanting you to go fast, so it is a very good feeling to be there. I won in 2006 in 125 and 2009 in the 250, so I have very good memories of the circuit and with it being my home Grand Prix I will be trying to get a good result for myself and the whole team we really need one now so this will be a good place to start.” Loris Capirossi: “We need to get back on track quickly to try and find a solution to what has been holding us back in the recent races. Barcelona is a good circuit for me and I know can go well there and that the GSV-R can perform there. The whole crew has been working hard at every race, but we just can’t find the answers we need at the moment and with a back-to-back race like this and so little testing in the season now, it doesn’t give you much time to make many major changes to work out what the problem is. These results are not good enough for anyone, but we are still focused on what we have to do and everybody in the team is still motivated that we will be able to turn things around very quickly.”