DUCATI TAKE TO THE SKIES FOR NINTH ROUND OF THE SEASON The USGP is without doubt one of the biggest dates on the calendar for Ducati and its two riders. For Nicky Hayden the Laguna Seca circuit is one of two home races this season, as well as being the scene of his first ever MotoGP win in 2005 – a success he repeated in 2006 on his way to the world title. It is also one of Casey Stoner’s favourite dates on the calendar, thanks largely to the nature of the circuit – an old-style layout that follows the natural undulations of the land as opposed to the computer-designed modern tracks. The Australian, who travels to America on the back of three consecutive podiums, took victory in California in 2007 and finished second the following year. CASEY STONER, Ducati Team “Laguna is a circuit I have always liked because it’s tough but great fun and it follows the natural undulations and direction changes of the land. I also enjoy the raucous but respectful atmosphere that the American fans provide. Naturally I am looking for a good result but I don’t want to make any predictions because recently we have been close to the front without managing to finish with the result we want. We’re not far off – we just need a little more grip, stability under braking and handling, which would give us the extra tenth or two we’re missing. It is not much but at the level we’re at it will be noticeable. We’ll see what happens but the objective is to improve on what we have done so far.” NICKY HAYDEN, Ducati Team “I can’t wait to get to Laguna, a circuit that is extremely special to me. It is tough but really nice and it is where I won my first GP. I’m not just saying it because I’m American but it really is a unique place. There isn’t really a straight – all the corners run into each other and they are a mixture of fast and slow bends. The Corkscrew is unique, a three-storey drop with a blind entry – you feel like you’re taking off into space. Another thing about Laguna is that you can’t afford to run off line at any point because the exit to one corner is the entry to the next and you have to get your line right. At Sachsenring we had a tough weekend but recovered in the race and found a good feeling for the bike. That makes me confident for this weekend.” VITTORIANO GUARESCHI, Team Manager “I can’t wait to get to Laguna Seca, a fascinating circuit where both Casey and Nicky have won in the past. Obviously the level of the championship is very high and it is particularly difficult to get a top result at the moment but the team has been working well and we are making constant improvements with the set-up of our bikes. Both riders have a good feeling with them at the moment, especially with the front-end, which is important at Laguna. This is Nicky’s home race, which will give him another boost, whilst Casey comes on the back of three podiums and determined to improve so I’m sure both riders can do well on Sunday.” THE TRACK Laguna Seca played host to the US Grand Prix on six occasions between 1988 and 1994 before being removed from the calendar. A series of major structural improvements to the facility saw the World Championship return in 2005, although only for the MotoGP class. The track, which flows around the undulating hills on the outskirts of Monterey, is most famous for the Corkscrew, a tight and spectacular left-right downhill chicane. In fact, the entire circuit is a rollercoaster ride, with a few short straights and a series of fast corners and elevation changes that often leave the front wheel pawing at the air. The 3.610km track is the perfect amphitheatre for the fans and is surprisingly straightforward in terms of machine set-up, with little opportunity to maximise full throttle. Frequent downhill braking zones put extra stress on the front end and make tyre wear a crucial factor. LAGUNA SECA CIRCUIT FACTS Circuit Record: Casey Stoner (Ducati – 2008), 1’21.488 159.483 Km/h Best Pole: Casey Stoner (Ducati – 2008), 1’20.700 161.040 Km/h Circuit Length: 3.610km MotoGP Race 2010: 32 laps (115.52 km) MotoGP Schedule 2010: 14:00h local time PODIUM 2009: 1st Dani Pedrosa, 2nd Valentino Rossi, 3rd Jorge Lorenzo POLE 2009: Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha) 1’21.678 159.112km/h DUCATI TEAM BEST RESULTS AT LAGUNA 2009: 4th (Stoner) 2008: 2nd (Stoner) 2007: 1st (Stoner) 2006: 8th (Capirossi) 2005: 6th (Capirossi) CASEY STONER Age: 24 (Born 16th October 1985 in Southport, Queensland, Australia) Residency: Switzerland Bike: Ducati Team Desmosedici GP10 GP Appearances: 134 (73xMotoGP, 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 Laguna Seca: 2009: Qualified: 3rd. Race: 4th 2008: Qualified: 1st. Race: 2nd 2007: Qualified: 1st. Race: 1st 2006: Qualified: 7th. Race: DNF NICKY HAYDEN Age: 28 (born 30th July 1981 in Owensboro, Kentucky, USA) Residency: Owensboro, Kentucky, USA Bike: Ducati Team Desmosedici GP10 GP Appearances: 124 (124xMotoGP) 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 Laguna Seca: 2009: Qualified: 8th. Race: 5th 2008: Qualified: 3rd. Race: 6th 2007: Qualified: 4th. Race: DNF 2006: Qualified: 6th. Race: 1st 2005: Qualified: 1st. Race: 1st More, from a press release issued by Repsol Honda: REPSOL HONDA TEAM TARGETS BACK-TO-BACK WINS IN CALIFORNIA Dani Pedrosa, Andrea Dovizioso and the whole Repsol Honda Team will be working flat-out to secure another victory at the Laguna Seca circuit this weekend to follow Sunday’s classy win for Pedrosa in the German Grand Prix. After the drama of the Sachsenring’s two-part race, MotoGP jets to the west coast of the United States for round nine of the World Championship – the halfway point of the 2010 season. Pedrosa arrives at Laguna Seca brimming with confidence after his authoritative win at the Sachsenring. The 24-year-old Spaniard knows he has the capability to make it back-to-back victories at another circuit where he typically performs well. He won last year’s U.S. Grand Prix having led from start to finish, and with two second places and a win from the previous three races in 2010, Pedrosa has established the front-running consistency he lacked at the start of the season. He is in second place in the world championship standings with a 47-point gap to Jorge Lorenzo and so Pedrosa’s target is simply to take one race at a time and finish as high as possible. Another race victory this weekend is the clear goal. His team-mate Andrea Dovizioso is eyeing at least a return to the podium to add to the four top-three finishes he’s secured so far this season. After an impressive and consistent start to 2010, the 24-year-old Italian is now determined to battle for outright race wins and his strong previous form at Laguna Seca means that’s not an unrealistic goal this weekend. He was the top Honda in fourth place on his Laguna debut in 2008 and was unlucky to fall from a promising fourth place last year after damaging his clutch lever during the race, which interfered with his ability to control his machine. Dovizioso lies in third place in the world standings and will want to consolidate that position before MotoGP’s short summer break following this race. Lying back to back on the MotoGP calendar, the similarities between the Sachsenring and Laguna Seca circuits are several. They are the shortest tracks in MotoGP, with Laguna measuring 3.610km (2.243 miles), which is a mere 60 metres shorter than Sachsenring. Both venues feature steep hills and dramatic corners – the most famous of which is Laguna’s Corkscrew – a unique plunging left-right chicane. And finally they are two of only five circuits on the 18-race MotoGP schedule which run in an anti-clockwise direction. MotoGP practice begins on Friday at 13.55 (GMT – 7 hours). As in previous years, the U.S. Grand Prix features only the MotoGP class supported by a programme of national races, with the Moto2 and the 125cc riders returning to the track at the Czech Republic Grand Prix on 15 August. DANI PEDROSA World Championship position 2nd 138 points “To take the win in Germany was fantastic and it means we’re going into this weekend at Laguna Seca in great shape. I think the race will be very similar to the last one, with laptimes very close, and I hope we have a repeat of the way we worked in Germany. The key point in Sachsenring was that we were competitive and fast from the first practice on Friday. When everything is in place like this we have the level to compete with any of our rivals and to beat them – and that’s what I want to achieve again. We had a great race in Laguna Seca last year and we were able to win, so I would love to go on holiday after this weekend with another victory under our belts. I know we have to work very hard to make it happen because Lorenzo is not making many mistakes, Stoner is back to his best level, and Rossi has returned very strong – and I’m sure that in the States he will be even better than in Germany. But we can be up there again if we push hard. We started the season not being able to fight with the riders in front, but now we have got to the required level to do this. Of course, we must keep our feet on the ground and not relax at all.” ANDREA DOVIZIOSO World Championship position 3rd 102 points “Now we go straight to Laguna Seca after Germany and I’m really looking forward to racing there – because it’s a unique track – and also because I want to improve on my result from the last race in Germany. We are completely focused on getting a strong finish this weekend before we head into the MotoGP summer break. Last year I was fast at Laguna and I was having a great race until unfortunately I clipped the plastic poles at the exit of pitlane at high speed and it damaged my clutch lever, which later contributed to my crash. Until that point I was fighting with Valentino and it could have been a good race. But still, this means I’m confident going into the weekend and I know we can be strong at this Grand Prix. Dani won the race here last year – and also the last race in Germany on Sunday – and this gives us extra motivation too. The Laguna track is special – very different from the standard of tracks we are used to in Europe, and for this reason it is interesting to race here. I really like the atmosphere, the people and the fans and it’s always a pleasure to come to California.” More, from a press release issued by Bridgestone: Bridgestone MotoGP Preview – Round 9: United States, Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca Tuesday 20 July 2010 Bridgestone slick compounds available: Front: Medium, Hard. Rear: Medium, Hard (asymmetric) Round nine of the season takes the MotoGP paddock to North America for the first time in 2010, to the peninsula of Monterey on the west cost of California. Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca is one of the most famous and iconic circuits on the calendar, and this season Bridgestone have adopted a different approach. This year Bridgestone have selected asymmetric rear slick tyres for the United States Grand Prix, having listened to calls from riders following last year’s race. The asymmetric rear slicks comprise a harder compound in the left shoulder, for improved durability and stability at high temperature, and a softer compound in the right shoulder, for improved warm-up performance. This softer right shoulder will be particularly beneficial through turns three, four and ten, the circuit’s main right-handed corners. Laguna Seca is the shortest circuit on the calendar with a short main straight of just 0.9km, meaning the tyres spend less time upright and therefore have less time to cool down, resulting in higher tyre temperatures than the ambient and track conditions would suggest. The circuit’s elevation changes, particularly through the Corkscrew complex, require a good machine setup, and place a lot of importance on the performance of the front tyre. Hiroshi Yamada Manager, Bridgestone Motorsport Department “This is our first visit to America this year, and it is always exciting to go to a world-famous circuit such as Laguna Seca. The circuit has produced some memorable MotoGP battles in recent times, and there have been four different winners in as many years, so I am looking forward to another good race. I think this grand prix also demonstrates well our philosophy in MotoGP, which is to continually improvement and provide the best support to teams and riders we can. After listening to comments from last year, we have selected asymmetric rear tyres for this season which I believe will help increase the safety for riders and improve the show.” Tohru Ubukata Manager, Bridgestone Motorcycle Tyre Development Department “Laguna Seca is the shortest circuit on the calendar but this doesn’t make it any easier for the tyres. The Corkscrew is a really demanding corner with the fast change of direction and elevation and a strong front tyre is very important to cope with the elevation changes. Performance through the right-handed corners is critical, and this is where we have focused our improvements this year. “Last year we saw some crashes through turn ten during qualifying and we spoke at length with the riders, listened carefully to what they had to say and deeply analysed the situation, and as a result we have selected asymmetric rear tyres for this year to give the riders more confidence and better grip through the right-handers. The softer right shoulder has a wider temperature operating range and better warm-up, so I am feeling confident about tyre performance.” More, from a press release issued by Honda: HONDA MEN HEAD FOR MONTEREY Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda) carries the momentum from his majestic win in last Sunday’s German Grand Prix to Monterey, California, where the ups and downs of the famous Laguna Seca raceway await, and where he hopes to repeat last year’s winning performance in the United States Grand Prix. Pedrosa returns to the Monterey Peninsula for the first overseas race of the season as the defending Laguna champion, being the latest Honda winner at a track where Honda has excelled since MotoGP’s return to Laguna Seca in 2005. Of the five races run, three have been won by riders on Hondas, with both the 990cc RC211V and the 800cc RC212V. The race is one of the more anticipated of the season for a number of reasons. One is the track itself. The 3.610km road course is like nothing the riders encounter as they crisscross the globe, though the closest in similarity is the Sacshsenring, which Pedrosa mastered last Sunday before flying to California. Both are predominantly left-handed tracks with elevation changes, and hard braking and passing opportunities within reach of the finish line. Another is the setting. Monterey is a jewel of a town on the Pacific Ocean which lends a festive atmosphere to the final race before the summer break. Laguna Seca marks the halfway point in the 18-race MotoGP season and everyone wants to head into the summer break on a high, and no one more so than Pedrosa. The Spaniard arrives in Monterey riding a string of three podiums two seconds, and a first that has solidified his second place position in the championship. Having excelled in Germany, and with his record at Laguna, Pedrosa is confident that he can add to Honda’s wealth of victories in the California sun. The 11-turn raceway rewards riders with smooth riding styles, racers who hit their marks lap after lap with rhythmic precision. Pedrosa has always been known for a style that appears effortless, but in fact requires a great deal of skill. Andrea Dovizioso (Repsol Honda) arrives in California holding third place in the 2010 MotoGP series, 36 points behind his team-mate. The Italian has already scored four podium results so far this year, with a best finish of second place at June’s British GP, and is determined to score another top-three at Laguna. Last year Dovizioso tumbled out of the U.S. race, but he gets on well with the undulating track, having finished just one place off the podium during his first visit in 2008. Marco Simoncelli (San Carlo Honda Gresini) will continue the learning process of his rookie MotoGP season when he makes his first visit to Laguna Seca. The U.S.GP is the only weekend on the calendar in which MotoGP is the lone world championship class, which means that riders in the lower displacement categories only experience the track once they graduate to MotoGP. Though it will be Simoncelli’s first trip, he comes well prepared, with the Gresini Honda team having made repeated trips to the podium and Honda well prepared with a wealth of data. Simoncelli received a new chassis and swingarm at the Catalan GP and will have the benefit of an upgraded electronics package at Laguna Seca. Simoncelli comes to the U.S. after scoring his best finish of the season at the Sachsenring. Marco Melandri returns to Monterey looking to re-ignite the flame that carried him through the early part of the season. Melandri was on an upward trajectory for the opening four races, improving his placements every time, before bad luck and an injury slowed his progress. Since suffering a shoulder injury at the Dutch TT in late June, he’s battled to regain his health and his early season form. Melandri has a pair of podiums in the last four races at Laguna Seca, a track he likes and where he looks forward to racing. Alex de Angelis will have his second race for the Interwetten Honda MotoGP team in Monterey. De Angelis was drafted into the team to replace the injured Hiroshi Aoyama. Aoyama, the final 250cc World Champion, faces a lengthy recuperation after suffering a back injury at the British Grand Prix. De Angelis scored four championship points in his first race on the team’s Honda RC212V at the Sachsenring and has modest ambitions in America. Having raced in the U.S. last year, de Angelis has an advantage over riders like Simoncelli and the other Laguna first-timers. Randy de Puniet (LCR Honda) has been ruled out of the U.S. GP after breaking both the tibia and fibula in his lower left leg during the German GP. De Puniet is in good spirits, and has vowed to be ready for the Czech GP at Brno at the end of the summer break. His place in Monterey will be taken by a name familiar to many race fans. Roger Lee Hayden, who currently races in World Superbike and will ride for American Honda in the Moto2 race at the Indianapolis GP, will replace the Frenchman on the LCR Honda RC 212V at Laguna Seca, a circuit he knows well. Hayden has two victories at the track where his brother, Nicky, won the first two U.S. MotoGP events for Honda. Hayden said he thought he was dreaming when he first got the text from his brother Nicky after the German GP. That was followed by phone calls from Kevin Schwantz, then team owner Lucio Cecchinello. The youngest of the three Haydens has attended three GPs this year and has been impressed by both the professionalism of the team and de Puniet’s consistency in both qualifying and the races. The Laguna Seca layout is one that requires precision. Riders describe it as a momentum track, where the corners flow together and maintaining rhythm is rewarded. The 3.610km track has 11 turns, seven lefts and four rights. Two of the rights are turns three and four, the only two turns without elevation changes. Another of the rights is turn ten, a plunging downhill corner that feeds into the first gear turn 11, a hard braking 90 degree left that leads onto the front straight and where more than one race has been decided. The track is more physically challenging than most, with a deceptively long front straight of 0.966km. Deceptive, because the straight includes the rising kink left first turn taken by the very bravest in sixth gear. The signature corner is the Corkscrew, a dizzying left, right downhill that’s approached blind at the track’s highest point and falls away like a trap door before quickly sending riders into the very quick downhill left Rainey Corner, named after the three-time 500cc World Champion who lives in the hills above Monterey. Honda MotoGP Rider Quotes Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda) says: “To take the win in Germany was fantastic and it means we’re going into this weekend at Laguna Seca in great shape. I think the race will be very similar to the last one, with lap times very close, and I hope we have a repeat of the way we worked in Germany. The key point in Sachsenring was that we were competitive and fast from the first practice on Friday. When everything is in place like this we have the level to compete with any of our rivals and to beat them and that’s what I want to achieve again. We had a great race in Laguna Seca last year and we were able to win, so I would love to go on holiday after this weekend with another victory under our belts. I know we have to work very hard to make it happen because Lorenzo is not making many mistakes, Stoner is back to his best level, and Rossi has returned very strong and I’m sure that in the States he will be even better than in Germany. But we can be up there again if we push hard. We started the season not being able to fight with the riders in front, but now we have got to the required level to do this. Of course, we must keep our feet on the ground and not relax at all.” Andrea Dovizioso (Repsol Honda) says: “Now we go straight to Laguna Seca after Germany and I’m really looking forward to racing there because it’s a unique track and also because I want to improve on my result from the last race in Germany. We are completely focused on getting a strong finish this weekend before we head into the MotoGP summer break. Last year I was fast at Laguna and I was having a great race until unfortunately I clipped the plastic poles at the exit of pit lane at high speed and it damaged my clutch lever, which later contributed to my crash. Until that point I was fighting with Valentino and it could have been a good race. But still, this means I’m confident going into the weekend and I know we can be strong at this Grand Prix. Dani won the race here last year and also the last race in Germany on Sunday and this gives us extra motivation too. The Laguna track is special very different from the standard of tracks we are used to in Europe, and for this reason it is interesting to race here. I really like the atmosphere, the people and the fans and it’s always a pleasure to come to California.” Randy de Puniet (LCR Honda) says: “As riders we always risk crashing and breaking something, but it’s always when you are not thinking about crashing that you do. After the crash when (Mika) Kallio involuntarily hit my leg, I immediately understood that I had a serious problem. But the surgery went very well and now I am feeling better. I want to thank Doctor Costa and all the medical staff here for the good job they did. They say that I need six weeks recovery period to start racing again, but I will try my best to be back in Brno”. Roger Lee Hayden (LCR Honda) says: “First of all, I want to wish Randy a speedy recovery. It’s never nice to see another rider on the sidelines due to injury. I’m very happy that LCR has chosen me to fill in for Randy this weekend at Laguna Seca. It is a track I like a lot and I hope to do a good job for the team and for all the American fans. I want to thank team Pedercini for giving me the OK, and everyone else involved to make this great opportunity happen.” Marco Melandri (San Carlo Honda Gresini) says: “Laguna Seca is one of the nicest tracks in the world as far as I am concerned, but it won’t be easy. I was disappointed after Germany because I thought I was going to be in better physical shape, but it proved to be the opposite and I completely ran out of strength. It wasn’t easy, so my confidence is not the best going to America. There are a few less left-hand corners at Laguna so I hope I can recover my feeling with the bike. I would really like to make up for the result at Sachsenring at a circuit I like and where I have always raced well so I hope I can be fighting as much as possible. The atmosphere in California is special, the track is fast and flowing and as I said before I love it there but I don’t want to make any predictions until I see what shape I am in.” Marco Simoncelli (San Carlo Honda Gresini) says: “I had a lot of fun at Sachsenring, the whole race was fantastic and now we go to a circuit that I only know from playing Gran Turismo on the games console. I’ve never been there before so I am curious so see how it is, also we will get an electronic upgrade in America so there will be a few new things to get used to that will make it a tough weekend for me and for the guys in the team. There will be a lot of things for us to get used to in the first session, which won’t be easy, but I don’t take long to learn new tracks so I’ll just have to take it steady and learn how the electronics work because even if they don’t make an immediate difference I’m sure they will do in the future. I hope I can continue in this way because at the moment I am feeling very happy with things.” Alex de Angelis (Interwetten Honda MotoGP) says: “For sure it will be easier for me in Laguna Seca, as it is the second race for me in MotoGP after Sachsenring. Also, many of the new MotoGP riders have never been to Laguna, so it is new for them as well and they have to adapt and learn like me. So I think it is easier to be part of the group there. The first practice will be a first practice for all of us. My target is not to be last in the race. I know it will not be easy, but I will try whatever it needs to reach it.” More, from a press release issued by Dorna Communications: The MotoGP riders and teams complete what will have been a busy schedule of five races in six weekends at Laguna Seca on Sunday as round nine of the 2010 campaign, the Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix, heralds the halfway point in the season one which has already been packed with plenty of drama. Arriving at this stage in the season Jorge Lorenzo sits atop of the Championship with a 47-point advantage, and his second place in Germany maintained his form of finishing inside the top two in every race so far this season. The Fiat Yamaha rider is also the first since Valentino Rossi in 2005 to have opened the campaign with eight successive podiums. Last year Lorenzo finished third in the race despite injuries in qualifying, and he will be going for a first premier class win at Laguna the shortest circuit on the current GP schedule at 3.61km long. With victory at Sachsenring in the last round Dani Pedrosa drew Honda level with Yamaha on 57 wins each in the four-stroke MotoGP era, and on a personal level maintained his hold on second in the Championship. Winner of last year’s race at Laguna the Repsol Honda man is going for his first back-to-back victories in the premier class this weekend. Andrea Dovizioso is still hunting his first win of the season and will aim to improve on his best previous result of fourth at the American circuit from 2008, the Repsol Honda rider currently sits third in the standings. In fourth Casey Stoner is also striving for his first 2010 win, and he has a good record at the track having won and finished second and fourth in the previous three seasons. Heading up the home contingent will be Ducati Team’s Nicky Hayden, currently fifth overall. Since his victory at the circuit in 2006 no American rider has been on the podium at Laguna, something he, Ben Spies who has AMA superbike experience at Laguna and finished eighth as a 2008 MotoGP wildcard there and Colin Edwards of the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 team will be desperate to change. Valentino Rossi’s recovery will continue, although the reigning World Champion displayed in his battle until the last corner the final podium spot at Sachsenring that he is already highly competitive after his return from injury. The Fiat Yamaha rider has a single victory at Laguna, from 2008, and last year finished second, and now continues his attempt to recover ground in the Championship. The Italian and his team-mate Lorenzo will be displaying special new liveries on their M1 machines as well. Randy de Puniet suffered fractures to both the tibia and fibula in his left leg in Germany and will be substituted for by Roger Lee Hayden on the LCR Honda team, making it a fourth American on the grid. San Carlo Honda Gresini pair Marco Simoncelli and Marco Melandri, Páginas Amarillas Aspar rookie Héctor Barberá, Rizla Suzuki’s Loris Capirossi and Álvaro Bautista and Pramac Racing duo Aleix Espargaró and Mika Kallio will all be looking for strong results, with Alex de Angelis continuing on the RC212V of the Interwetten Honda MotoGP Team as a substitute for the injured Hiroshi Aoyama. The first practice session gets underway on Friday at 1.55pm local time. More, from a press release issued by Fiat Yamaha: CALIFORNIA CHALLENGE CALLS FOR FIAT YAMAHA TEAM The Fiat Yamaha Team flies west today for the first North American stop of the season, at Laguna Seca in California. With Jorge Lorenzo leading the championship and Valentino Rossi back in action after six weeks out through injury, the team is in high spirits and looking forward to what is always a favourite race for all involved. Barcelona-based Lorenzo has won five races this season and come second in the remaining three so he arrives in the States as the man everyone wants to beat, with a 47-point lead over Dani Pedrosa in the championship. His first visit to Laguna Seca in 2008 saw him fail to finish but last year he put in a brilliant performance whilst struggling with a shoulder injury to storm home in third behind his team-mate and he is hoping for another visit to the podium, at the very least, this time around. On route to Monterey Lorenzo and Tech 3 Yamaha colleague Ben Spies will make a stop at the home of American talk-show host Jay Leno, where they will be shown round the star’s world-famous garage, which houses a incredible collection of over 200 cars and motorcycles. When he broke his leg just a little over six weeks ago it was not expected that nine-time World Champion Rossi would be seen on track before Brno at the earliest, but the irrepressible superstar has surprised everyone yet again with a return to racing last weekend and a competitive one at that, missing out on a podium by just two tenths of a second. While not yet back to his best the Italian hopes to be stronger again this weekend and feels ready to face the demands of the spectacular circuit. He finished second last year but the memory of his incredible win there in 2008, which he still cites as one of his best ever races, is never far from the minds of his fans. Laguna Se ca sits on the side of a hill just outside the coastal town of Monterey, a couple of hours south of San Francisco. The sometimes intense dry heat, unpredictable asphalt and anti-clockwise layout provide a break from the norm and the riders are forced to adapt their style somewhat after a summer on the fast and wide European tracks. The track boasts some of the most spectacular elevation changes and dramatic corners on the world championship circuit, the most notorious of which is the infamous ‘corkscrew.’ Jorge Lorenzo “ALWAYS AIMING FOR THE PODIUM” “This is the first time this season that we’ve left Europe and I’m excited to be going to Laguna Seca again, one of the most famous tracks in the world. I like riding there and one of my aims is to win there, some day! I have had some crashes there but last year I also took the pole and made it onto the podium. We come from a second place in Sachsenring and our target remains the same, to be consistent and to always aim for the podium. Before the race we will go to see Jay Leno and also I will hopefully visit the headquarters of Twitter in LA.” Valentino Rossi “TRY TO IMPROVE A LITTLE BIT MORE” “I was so happy to be back in Sachsenring and to be fighting for the podium, even though I just missed out, was more than we could have hoped for. I still have some pain in my leg but I am growing stronger every day and I hope this week that I will be in better shape once again and I can try to improve a little bit more. Laguna is different to anywhere else we go but it’s always great fun to ride there and the last two years I’ve had great races.” Wilco Zeelenberg “FEELING CONFIDENT” “This is the ninth race of the season and we have won or been second in every one so far so we come to America feeling confident. Laguna is a different track to anywhere else we go with different demands on both bike and rider, but Jorge seems to be able to cope with everything he comes to this season so we have no reason not to hope for another good weekend. We have a comfortable cushion in the championship and we will try to keep it that way by continuing to get on the podium each week.” Davide Brivio “YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT WILL HAPPEN!” “We are arriving in the US after an incredibly exciting weekend in Sachsenring, when we not only enjoyed having Valentino back but also got to see him ride an amazing race so soon after his injury. You never know what will happen with him! Our target this time is the podium, so we will work with this in mind. We also need to try to improve some areas of our bike because our plan is to have a really good end of the season when he’s back to full fitness.” More, from a press release issued by Ducati North America: DUCATI ISLAND INVADES THE RED BULL UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX Cupertino, Calif For the fourteenth consecutive year, Ducati Island will return to Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca and its annual motorcycle festivities. Located in the lagoon between turns two and three, Ducati Island is open to all motorcycle enthusiasts. On the Island Ducatisti and race fans will experience special exhibits, partner vendors, autograph sessions, the legendary Ducati Fashion Show, Ducati Museum and much more. Ducati owners who display their current Ducati registration or proof of insurance and photo ID will receive extra benefits such as Ducati parking, gear check and hospitality. ATTRACTIONS AND EVENTS INCLUDE: Ducati Museum: The Ducati Museum tells the story of Ducati’s off-road past starting with the 1967 100cc Mountaineer up to today’s modern Multistrada 1200 S Sport that took the recent win at the Pikes Peak Hill Climb. Make A Wish Silent Auction: A silent auction will be held on Ducati Island to benefit the Make A Wish Foundation. Auction items will include: Contour HD Helmet Cameras Gibson Les Paul Guitar Ducati Metal Garage Signs Spider Grips Autographed by Greg Tracy- 2010 Pikes Peak Winning Rider Various signed Ducati MotoGP memorabilia Ducati Performance Experience Ducati Performance experience is a display of everything performance and customization, from custom bikes to the Monster Art body panels. Autograph Signing Ducati riders will get together for numerous Island autograph sessions; including Nicky Hayden, Casey Stoner, Larry Pegram, Steve Rapp, Bobby Fong and Michael Beck. Ducati Apparel and Accessories Store The latest in Ducati fashion will be available for purchase on Ducati Island- including the new team replica gear. Partner Displays A variety of Ducati’s friends and partners will be on hand displaying exceptional Ducati related goods, including Foremost Insurance, NCR, VHOLDR and more. Ducati Island Food and Beverages A selection of Italian menu items will be available Entertainment Zone Fun activities such as a daily foosball tournament will take place in the hospitality area. New Ducati Models See the hottest new Ducati models, including the new Multistrada 1200 S and Monster 796. FOR DUCATI OWNERS ONLY: Ducati-Only Motorcycle Parking Gear Check Ducati Owner Hospitality Tent We look forward to seeing you there! For more information please visit www.ducatiusa.com