Bridgestone MotoGP™ Preview – Round 18: Valencia
Tuesday, November 4 2014
Bridgestone slick compounds available:
Front: Extra-soft & Soft (Symmetric) & Soft (Asymmetric). Rear: Soft, Medium & Hard (Asymmetric)
Bridgestone wet tyre compounds available: Soft (Main), Hard (Alternative)
The 2014 MotoGP™ season finale takes place at Valencia’s Circuito de la Comunitat Valenciana, a tight and technical circuit with an unbalanced layout and a stadium-like atmosphere.
The Valencia circuit is 4005 metres in length and offers tyres little respite over the course of a lap due to the constant corners, so a good bike setup is important to ensure the most efficient use of the tyres. The circuit has an unbalanced layout with nine left corners compared to just five right corners, and this necessitates the use of asymmetric rear slicks with harder rubber on the left shoulder at this venue. Adding to the challenge is the likelihood of cool temperatures, which place further importance on the need of a good bike setup.
Rear tyre options for the Factory Honda and Yamaha riders at Valencia will be the medium and hard compounds, while the Ducati and Open-class riders will be able to use the soft and medium compound rear slicks. Bridgestone will offer three front slick options at Valencia, an extra-soft and soft compound symmetric front slick and also the soft compound asymmetric front slick.
The main wet tyre for the Valencia Grand Prix is the soft compound wet tyre, with each rider also being able to select up to two front and two rear tyres in the alternative, hard compound wet tyre.
Hiroshi Yamada – Manager, Bridgestone Motorsport Department
“The final race of the 2014 season takes place at Valencia and given the exciting races at this venue in the past few years, expectations are high that we will see another thrilling season finale this year. With Marc wanting to take the record for most premier-class wins in a season, Dani’s peerless record at Valencia and the fight for second place in the championship between Valentino and Jorge still wide open, there is a lot at stake this weekend. As soon as the curtain falls on the 2014 season, our preparations for 2015 will start the very next day as we will be supporting all the teams in the Valencia MotoGP test starting on Monday. The data we acquire at this test is very important as it gives us an indication of the performance characteristics of next year’s MotoGP machinery which will help steer our development for next year’s range of race tyres.”
Shinji Aoki – Manager, Bridgestone Motorcycle Tyre Development Department
“Valencia is the traditional season finale, and this circuit features a low-grip surface and a relatively slow layout with a large difference in the number of right and left-hand turns. The frequency of corners at this circuit means the tyres spend a lot of time at high lean angles and have little chance to cool down over the course of a whole lap. As this race is the last of the season, low ambient and track temperatures are usually encountered, suggesting the use of softer compounds, however harder compounds are needed on the left shoulder of the rear tyres because of the temperature generated by the last corner. This weekend marks the second time we are offering an asymmetric front slick option and given the unbalanced layout of the Valencia circuit, I expect this option to perform well this weekend.”
More, from a press release issued by NGM Mobile Forward Racing:
NGM Forward Racing arrives in Spain for Valencia GP season finale
With eight months and seventeen races having passed since the 2014 season-opening round in Qatar, the NGM Forward Racing Team is heading to Spain for the finale event of the year, the Gran Premio de la Comunitat Valenciana.
The Valencia Circuit, a stadium-like facility housing a relatively tight track that runs in an anticlockwise direction, will welcome teams, riders and MotoGP fans with its extraordinary season-finale atmosphere.
For the NGM Forward Racing Team, Valencia will be the perfect place to celebrate the Open class title clinched by Aleix Espargaro with one race in advance. The title won in Malaysia 2 weeks ago crowned an exciting season that saw the Spaniard among the protagonist of the MotoGP class with one podium finish and a pole position.
The Valencia GP will be an important appointment for Alex De Angelis, who made a very good race in Malaysia, despite the final result that saw him obliged to retire on the last lap for a technical problem when he was close to the top10.
NGM Forward Racing Moto2 riders too look forward to the season finale. Mattia Pasini will try to repeat the strong performance he had at Sepang and to make a good result. Alongside Mattia, there will be also for the Spanish round, Florian Marino who has been replacing Simone Corsi since Misano Grand Prix. Corsi, who is recovering perfectly, preferred not to take additional risks racing at Valencia, aiming at facing the 2015 challenge with the NGM Forward Racing colours in the best possible shape.
Aleix Espargaro
“Valencia is a small track, it’s not fast but it’s technically demanding. It’s not one of my favorite but it’s always nice to race in Spain and the atmosphere is exciting. Valencia will be my last race with the team; I hope to make a good result to thank them for this great season together.”
Mattia Pasini
“After two difficult races in Japan and Australia, I did a very good recovery in Malaysia. I hope to find the same feeling at Valencia and close the 2014 season with a good result”.
Alex De Angelis
“I have scored good results at Valencia so I have good memories and it will be great to return on board of the Forward Yamaha. It’s a tight track for the MotoGP machines and you don’t need all the power so I think this could be an advantage for us. It’s my last race of the season so I arrive with more experience on the Forward Yamaha. I look forward to make a good result”.
Florian Marino
“I’d like to thank the team for the great opportunity to race these 6 rounds together on board the Kalex. It has been a great experience and I hope to get a good result in Valencia to thank everybody. The target is to finish in the Top15”.
More, from a press release issued by Repsol Honda:
Marquez and Pedrosa head home to Spain for final race of 2014
Repsol Honda’s Marc Marquez and Dani Pedrosa are headed for the ultimate race of 2014 in front of their home fans. En route to Valencia, both riders paid a visit to the EICMA Milan motorcycle show where they unveiled Honda’s new production version of the RC213V (RC213V-S Prototype) and appeared with all HRC factory riders across multiple disciplines of motorcycle racing.
The MotoGP race at the Circuito de la Comunitat Valenciana is held on a 4km track comprising of five right handed corners, eight left handers and a 650m straight. Although the track is regarded as quite small, the stadium style grandstands can seat up to 150,000 spectators, and many fans are expected to come and greet 2014 World Champion, Marc, and watch Lorenzo and Rossi battle it out for third in the World standings, with Dani a firm favourite at a track where he has an incredible record.
Marc has experienced very dramatic Valencia GP’s in the past two years, after clinching the title here last year – in his maiden season – and in 2012 with his emphatic victory from last place on the grid to 1st in Moto2 however, these remain his only podiums at this track. Dani, who unfortunately crashed out of the Malaysian GP, has now secured fourth in the World Championship and has celebrated nine podiums in Valencia which include six 1st positions – 2012, 2009, 2007 (MotoGP), 2005, 2004 (250cc), 2002 (125cc).
Both riders will be aiming to beat Lorenzo and Rossi to clinch the Team’s Title for Repsol Honda, and thus granting Honda back-to-back Triple Crowns (Rider, Constructor and Team Championships).
TEAM QUOTES
Marc Marquez
2014 MotoGP World Champion
“The past month has been a whirlwind and winning the Championship in Japan seems like a long time ago now! After Malaysia we attended an event with Honda and Alpinestars in Thailand on the way home and then had a few days to relax in Spain and do some training before leaving for Milan to visit the EICMA show. It was a really good event with many people there, I really appreciate all the kind words from everyone I met! Now we head to Valencia for the final race of an incredible season. It’s always nice to race in front of the home fans and this year will be much more relaxed and I will be able to enjoy it without any pressure!”
Dani Pedrosa
Championship Standing: 4th – 230 points
“Obviously I’m now out of the race for second or third in the Championship, especially after the events in Malaysia, but I’m looking forward to going to Valencia and finishing the season on a high. This is always a special race for me, the fans are fantastic and they create a wonderful atmosphere. My results here in the past have been strong and this weekend I hope to repeat this and fight for victory on Sunday!”
More, from a press release issued by Drive M7 Aspar Team:
Hayden and Aoyama return to scene of greatest career moments
DRIVE M7 Aspar riders ready to sign off for the season at the circuit that saw them crowned MotoGP and 250cc World Champions in 2006 and 2009 respectively
Another season of MotoGP racing has gone by and once again the Comunidad Valenciana is ready to host the final round of the year. After three races on the other side of the world the paddock is back in Europe for one final showdown and even though the MotoGP title has already been decided the fourth Spanish round of the season always provides plenty of passion and entertainment. Whilst Marc Márquez gets to parade the title in front of his adoring home fans the chase for a coveted runner-up spot is still on between Yamaha team-mates Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo, with the Italian leading the Spaniard by twelve points but only too aware that anything can happen in this race, at this track.
Eight years ago Rossi arrived here with an eight-point championship lead over Nicky Hayden but a sensational race saw the American crowned MotoGP World Champion. Now riding for the DRIVE M7 Aspar Team, the ‘Kentucky Kid’ is unsurprisingly a huge fan of the track and he is looking forward to riding in Spain again this weekend as he continues to recover strength in his wrist. On the other side of the DRIVE M7 Aspar garage Hiroshi Aoyama is determined to maintain his consistent points-scoring form until the end of the season. The Japanese rider has scored in sixteen of the seventeen races so far and after producing his best form so far in the three ‘flyaway’ races he is determined to sign off with another strong result at Valencia, where he too was crowned World Champion in the now-defunct 250cc class in 2009.
Nicky Hayden: “Valencia is usually a pretty unique race because it’s the last of the year and it’s in Spain, in front of a great crowd, usually with a title to be decided. Every rider goes into the last race fired up and determined to finish the season with a strong result and this is a Grand Prix that always gets me excited, especially because I like the track. It is narrow and tight with a lot of time spent in second gear but I still love it. It’s also where I became MotoGP World Champion. This season has been tough for us and perhaps we’re not in perfect shape for this weekend but as always the objective is to push to the limit and finish the year in a satisfactory way. I am really hungry for a strong result at Valencia. It is quite a technical track and the weather can often throw up a few surprises but I am looking forward to getting to work and putting on a good show for the team, the sponsors and the fans.”
Hiroshi Aoyama: “It is the final race of the 2014 season this weekend at Valencia and I am very much looking forward to, it is a place that holds wonderful memories for me. I won the 250cc title at Valencia in 2009 so it is a special place for me. It is also the team’s home track so my intention is to finish the season with the best possible result. It is my last race with the DRIVE M7 Aspar Team so I want to show them my appreciation for this fantastic season. We rode this bike at Valencia last year so we have some work already done in advance and we can start from a clear base in the first session. We have found a reliable set-up in recent weeks so hopefully we can continue to perform at the same high level. Valencia is a short and quite difficult circuit but I quite like it and we should be closer to the factory bikes here. We have had a consistent season and I want to keep it that way at Valencia.”
More, from a press release issued by Ducati Corse:
Ducati Team conclude 2014 season at Valencia’s Ricardo Tormo circuit with the Valencian Community GP
Almost eight months and seventeen races since the start of the championship in Qatar, all the protagonists of 2014 MotoGP are gearing up for the final round of the season in Spain, the Valencian Community GP.
The Ricardo Tormo circuit, which is situated at Cheste close to Valencia, is the fourth event this year on Spanish soil, and is a medium-slow and twisty track that runs in a counter-clockwise direction. As is tradition, the Sunday race will be followed by three days of official IRTA tests in preparation for next season, but for the two riders of the 2015 Ducati Team – Andrea Dovizioso and Andrea Iannone – participation will be limited to just one day on Monday.
The Ducati Team have scored two wins in MotoGP at Valencia, one with Troy Bayliss in 2006 and the other with Casey Stoner in 2008. Andrea Dovizioso has taken part in the Valencia race six times, his best result being a third place in 2011, while Cal Crutchlow’s best performance in his three races at Valencia was fourth place in 2011.
For Cal, the final event of the season will also be his last time in Ducati Team colours: the British rider in fact will be continuing his career in MotoGP next year with another team.
After his eighth place at Sepang, Dovizioso is fifth overall in the standings with 174 points, while Crutchlow, who celebrated his 29th birthday last week, is fourteenth with 63 points.
The race at Valencia will also see a return to the track for Ducati Team test-rider Michele Pirro, who will step onto his Desmosedici GP14 for the sixth time this season, the fifth time as wild-card.
Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team #04)
“I don’t think the Valencia race will be easy for us: the layout of the track is totally different to the others, but in any case we have to continue to give the best feedback to the team, as we have always done throughout the season. We’ve made some big steps forward recently in consistency and pace and I’m sure we can improve in the future. I’ve got some good memories of the 2011 race when I got onto the podium, beating Pedrosa for third overall, but I don’t like the track very much and I’m sure I’m not the only rider who thinks this way.”
Cal Crutchlow (Ducati Team #35)
“I’ve been feeling a lot more confident on the bike now since Aragòn, we’ve really found my pace back, so we need to take these positives to Valencia. This will be my last GP with the Ducati Team so a big thanks to them for this season, I’m going to miss them. They worked hard all through the year and I will try my best in the last race to get a good result.”
Michele Pirro (Ducati Test Team #51)
“I haven’t raced since Brno, so it’ll be great to be back in action. Valencia is a track that I like, and I’ve also won a race here. I hope to get a good result and gather all the info we need for the things we are testing on the bike. We’ve still got a few things in the electronics package to fine-tune and we hope to finish off the year in the best possible way”.
The Ricardo Tormo Circuit, Valencia
The Valencian Community circuit, which was inaugurated in 1999, hosted its first Grand Prix that same year. The 4 km long track contains fourteen corners and an 876 metre long main straight. Although the circuit is relatively small, the main complex houses 48 pits and the long grandstands that surround the track, stadium-like, can contain over 150,000 spectators. The circuit layout creates a unique atmosphere, giving the public a spectacular view of the entire arena.
More, from a press release issued by AirAsia Caterham Moto2 Team:
Valencia GP – Race Preview
Spain – 9th November 2014
Circuit: Comunitat Valenciana
Circuit Length: 4.005 km
Moto2 Records
Fastest Lap: 2013 Pol ESPARGARO (SPA) Chassis: Kalex; Time: 1’34.957; Speed: 151.8 km/h
Circuit Record: 2013 Jordi TORRES (SPA) Chassis: Suter; Time: 1’35.694; Speed: 150.6 km/h
Best Pole: 2013 Pol ESPARGARO (SPA) Chassis: Kalex; Time: 1’34.957; Speed: 151.8 km/h
Top Speed: 2012 Pol ESPARGARO (SPA) Chassis: Kalex; Speed: 279.6 km/h
The final round of the 2014 Moto2 World Championship will take place at the unique Circuito de la Comunitat Valenciana.
Having hosted Grand Prix’s since its completion in 1999, the Valencian Circuit, located in Cheste, is the ideal venue to stage the season finale.
With capacity for 150,000 spectators, the fans can enjoy unrestricted views of the entire track from any grandstand, creating a natural amphitheater and an electric atmosphere throughout.
Containing nine left corners, five right corners and a 650m straight, the compact layout is one of the slower tracks on the calendar, where good bike set up is essential for quick direction changes.
Having secured sixth place overall at the penultimate round in Malaysia, Johann Zarco will be looking to finish his season on the podium, whilst teammate Ratthapark Wilairot is determined to finish on a high following his misfortune overseas.
#5 Johann Zarco: “I have great memories from Valencia last year where I had a podium.
It is the final race of the season and so everybody wants to finish with a good result. All the riders are ready for this Grand Prix because everybody knows the track. It’s quite a short track but I like it. If I feel good on the bike I hope to fight for the podium because I was very near in Malaysia, so I will really work for this and be focused on it.”
#14 Ratthapark Wilairot: “I know the track quite well at Valencia and I enjoy riding there. There are many corners close together, so it is very important to set up the bike well to be able to turn quickly.
I have become more and more comfortable on the Caterham Suter every round, so I think we can have a good weekend and finish the season with a good result. I hope to qualify well and make the same start as I did in Malaysia, if I can, for sure we can get some points.”
Johan Stigefelt – Team Manager: “We have not been to Valencia since we were testing there at the beginning of the year. A lot has happened since then and we have learnt many things as a team during this time, so it will be interesting to see what we can achieve this weekend.
“We know Johann can be fast around Valencia and with the recent development from his side and the teams’, it will make it interesting to see just how good we can do. We will certainly look for a win, as this is what we are missing. It would be great to show this before we end the season and for Johann as a rider.
“For Ratthapark I must congratulate him on his 2nd place in Qatar last weekend in World Supersport. This just proves how good he is as a rider. We are yet to show this on the Caterham Suter, so as a team we must give him the best bike in order to do a great result.”