Rizla Suzuki off to new-look Silverstone for ‘home’ Grand Prix Publish Date: Wednesday, June 08, 2011 Rizla Suzuki has made the journey back to its home country of England for the sixth round of the MotoGP World Championship that will be held at the famous Silverstone circuit this weekend. Álvaro Bautista is in a determined mood to carry on the good work of last weekend’s Grand Prix, despite his disappointment of a frustrating race. The Spaniard is in a relaxed mood as he heads towards the team’s busiest race of the year. The Rizla Suzuki squad is based in the south of England, and with many of the crew hailing from the UK, it all adds up to an exciting and hectic event for the whole team. This Sunday will be the second time the British Grand Prix has been held at Silverstone since the event moved back to the Northamptonshire circuit after an absence of over 20 years. The MotoGP field raced on a totally new circuit last year after its configuration had been changed since the last race in 1986. This year will again see a new layout following the opening of the state-of-the-art ‘Silverstone Wing’, which sees the start and finish straight moving to the front of this fantastic new structure and the riders facing a brand new first corner to contend with on race-day. The 5’902m Silverstone track is the longest and one of the fastest on the MotoGP calendar, and this – coupled with the abrasive nature of the surface – will make tyre durability an important factor this weekend. Rizla Suzuki will take to the track on Friday morning for the first of two free practice sessions on that day, followed by another free session on Saturday morning. Qualifying for Sunday’s 20-lap race will take place during Saturday afternoon, when Bautista and the other MotoGP stars will battle it out for the best grid positions for the main event, which gets underway at 13.00hrs local time (12.00hrs GMT) on Sunday 12th June. Álvaro Bautista: “I am really looking forward to the weekend at Silverstone, we need to get back to work and continue with what we did in the practice sessions last weekend. We did very well in those – and in the wet practice – but the race just didn’t go to plan. I am more relaxed now than I was on Sunday and fully focused on the job ahead of us. I know Silverstone is going to be hard work both on and off the track, but I’m ready for it and plan to get a good result for the whole team at its home Grand Prix.” More, from a press release issued by JiR Moto2 Team: GP of Great Britain – Preview With barely time to catch their breath from the Catalan race, it’s now time for the JiR Team to face another trip. The next stage will be Silverstone for the British Grand Prix, the second of a series of events that will carry the World Moto2 Championship through until mid-July. The 6th place in Barcelona from De Angelis gave some impetus to the team in the world rankings. At Silverstone there will be the usual rotation of engines foreseen by the regulations and this, the team hopes, will help De Angelis to find the motor performance he has been lacking. From the chassis viewpoint Gianluca Montiron’s team will pursue the matter of which frame to use. After Barcelona’s switch back to the version used at the end of 2010, technicians and rider continue to consider the 2011 frame valid and this will be further investigated and developed in the near future, so they can capitalize on its potential. Gianluca Montiron After winter tests and the first five races there are still some technical elements to be better understood. We are bringing on a project that was entirely designed and developed from last year and the steps we are following are aiming towards the same goals as before. Giving the rider and team ample opportunity to adjust the chassis means we need to investigate the various technical paths. Given the situation we are in, there will be additional support provided by our Japanese partner TSR, as they will be going onto the track with their test rider to try out some innovations in response to our specific requirements, as the team’s main objective is racing. The 2011 frame is a development of 2010, but each rider has his own requirements and the fact that Alex shows a lack of confidence at the beginning of the race as well as not being able to repeat in qualifying the time he scores in practice the previous day are valid arguments on which to concentrate our efforts. Moto2 proves to be a tough class and according to the experience of last year we will not disrupt anything, but we will try to narrow the range of adjustability with the goal of having an easier and more intuitive bike. Experience teaches us to be pragmatic, not to dwell on changes that are borne out in real time, but now is the time to run and try to make a difference. Alex DeAngelis Silverstone is not a completely new track for me but it is certainly not as well-known as the others, given that last year I had a crash in the first practice session and I could not really study this circuit. However, I think it will not take long to be an expert and to push to the limits, as we are helped by the fact that this year we have four practice sessions instead of three as in 2010. In Great Britain we will be equipped with a new engine and this will allow us to understand whether the decline in performance that I experienced recently after the engine replacement in Estoril depends on this or because of one of our difficulties in development, therefore both cases will give us the opportunity to improve our competitiveness. We still have many issues to be explored and developed to exploit the potential of my MotoBI, so I hope that the weather will give us three stable days, enabling us to vary the set-up according to the performance needed and not to the Tarmac’s condition. In Thursday’s briefing we will discuss with my team the solution adopted with the chassis, I think that again this weekend we will adopt a solution in line with the choice we made in Barcelona but the 2011 project has great potential that has already been seen in the first races and we will therefore carry on in parallel its development in order to benefit from it as soon as possible. More, from a press release issued by Mahindra Racing: SILVERSTONE CHALLENGE BECKONS MAHINDRA Sunday’s AirAsia British GP at Silverstone in the United Kingdom, the first back-to-back race event of the season, is an enticing prospect for Mahindra’s riders. Last weekend’s round in Catalunya saw a very promising step forward with the setup of the team’s Mahindra Racing 125 GP bikes. The team’s best qualifying position of the year and impressive top speed figures promised much for the race, but it wasn’t to be as Danny Webb was hit from behind and taken out in the first corner. However, the 20-year-old Brit is now preparing for his home GP, confident that the recent development work puts him, and 18-year-old team-mate Marcel Schrötter, in a very positive position ahead of this weekend’s race. Both riders relish the challenge of the 3.67-mile (5.90 km) circuit, the longest in MotoGP, which features fast, complex corners and sections which require pin-sharp lines to master. Danny Webb said: “It’s a new team, and we’re really working together well. The bike’s getting better every race; we don’t even need good luck, we just need to not have any bad luck! I’m confident that the results will come. Our top speed is good, and Silverstone has many places where you can really use it to your advantage.” Hopes are high for the race as last year Danny qualified on the second row, and finished tenth. Schrötter’s progress with the team has been constant as he builds confidence in his machine and continues to develop it. The last round in Catalunya saw a breakthrough for Marcel as the team’s engineers cracked the ‘feel’ he needs to push his results up and his lap times further down. Marcel Schrötter said: “The circuit is interesting: but it’s quite hard to learn. I hope we have good weather for the practice, it’ll come in very useful to get as many laps in as possible.” Schrötter took Mahindra’s first points in a rain-lashed race at Jerez, finishing 13th. Last year at Silverstone, in his first full season, Marcel qualified 20th and finished 17th. Following this weekend’s racing, there is a two week break followed by two rounds back-to-back at Assen in the Netherlands and Mugello in Italy. More, from a press release issued by Marc VDS Racing: REDDING READY FOR SILVERSTONE RETURN Scott Redding heads for his home Grand Prix at Silverstone this weekend brimming with confidence, having finally secured his first Moto2 World Championship points of the season last time out at Catalunya. Redding’s Marc VDS teammate, Mika Kallio, is also confident of a good result at the British Grand Prix, after securing a season best eighth place in Spain just four days ago. A former winner of the British 125cc Grand Prix, Redding remains a firm favourite with the British race fans and the 18-year-old Gloucestershire teenager can be sure of strong support from the home crowd this weekend, as he looks to turnaround a season that has, so far, failed to live up to expectations. Redding took a hard fought fourth place at Silverstone in 2010, but the Marc VDS rider is under no illusions as to how tough it will be to repeat that success this time around, with a 40-rider field that has proved far more closely matched in this, the second season of the Moto2 World Championship. After securing his best result of the season so far with eighth place in Barcelona, Kallio arrives for the British Grand Prix determined to improve further. The Finnish rider made a big step forward with the set-up of his Suter MMXI machine last weekend, but is confident that there is more to come from the bike now that he and his crew have a clear direction for development. A former wartime airfield, Silverstone is famous for high speed, not just on the straights, but also in the ultra-fast Copse and Woodcote corners. The circuit was completely revamped for the return of the British Grand Prix last season, after an absence of 24 years. Gone is the tricky Bridge section, replaced by a new section of track known as the Arrowhead that brings the riders back into the infield, in full view of the grandstands. Scott Redding #45: “There’s always something a bit special about racing in front of your home crowd. You can literally feel the support when you’re on track and all those waving union flags must be worth a couple of tenths per lap! It’s been a difficult season so far, but we started to turn things around last time out in Barcelona, so I’m confident coming into this weekend. If we can continue to improve the feeling with the bike, building my confidence in the front, then it should be possible to put on a good show for the British race fans. I was fourth here last year, but it will be difficult to repeat that success this time around, because the championship is so much more competitive this season. That won’t stop me trying though and I’ll be pushing hard all weekend!” Mika Kallio #36: “I head to Silverstone a little more confident after the result in Barcelona, where we found a better set-up an my feeling with the bike improved throughout the weekend, as did my lap times. Silverstone is a very different track to Barcelona, so we need to see where we are with the bike in free practice on Friday, although we’re pretty sure we can improve things further compared to Barcelona. All we need now is for the British weather to be kind to us. The forecast is for mixed weather over the weekend, but I’m hoping it stays dry, which would be much better for us and for the crowd!” Michael Bartholemy: Team Manager “We achieved our aim in Barcelona, with both riders scoring points. Now we need to get Scott and Mika into the top ten and then start pushing for the podium once again. Mika definitely made a big step forward with the bike last time out and, as a result, I’m confident that this weekend he will be able to improve on his eighth place in Barcelona. Scott always responds well to the pressure of racing in front of his home crowd, as we saw with his 125cc win in 2008 and his fourth place last year. His confidence in the bike is returning and, while I’ll be happy to see him finish in the top ten, I’m sure he’ll have his sights well and truly set on a podium this weekend.” More, from a press release issued by Pramac Racing: With the Catalan Grand Prix having been completed last weekend, the MotoGP series moves on to Silverstone in the UK, for the sixth round of the world championship. The British venue is one of the most prestigious circuits in motorsports. Completely renovated in recent years, Silverstone is among the fastest tracks on the MotoGP calendar. The Pramac Racing Team has traditionally had decent performances in the British Grand Prix, although those had been at Donington until last year. The team has been very concerned about the physical condition of Randy De Puniet, but fortunately, the blow to his ankle during a crash in last weekend’s race hasn’t put his participation at Silverstone in doubt. Just last year, De Puniet qualified in the second spot on Silverstone’s front row, and he finished the race in sixth place. Loris Capirossi is particularly motivated after his performance in Barcelona, where the Italian earned his best result so far this season. At Silverstone, he’ll try to continue the recent progress made with his bike’s setup. Fabiano Sterlacchini Pramac Racing Technical Director “If we work like we did in Barcelona, we can get a good result again. We’re pleased with the work Loris has done on the bike, as it gives us the base on which to build a good race at Silverstone, which is a very difficult track, with both slow and very fast sections. We’ve identified the areas we need to work on, and we’re confident and calm.” Loris Capirossi – Pramac Racing Team Rider “I’m positive about the next race. We’ve recently found a good base, and we’ll try to put it to good use at Silverstone, which is a difficult race, as the track is still pretty new for everyone. The weather conditions here could shuffle the cards more than usual, so we’ll have to do a good job and take advantage of this situation.” Randy De Puniet – Pramac Racing Team Rider “I must say that I really didn’t need this ankle injury. I tried to relax the last couple of days, and fortunately, my doctor visit ruled out ligament damage. It’s a shame because I did well at Silverstone, especially in qualifying. I hope that although my physical condition is not 100%, I can repeat that performance this weekend.” More, from a press release issued by FTR MOTO: HOME CHALLENGE FOR FTR MOTO FTR MOTO is hoping to continue its improvement in the Moto2 World Championship when the series reaches the company’s home race at Silverstone in Northamptonshire on Sunday. FTR enjoyed four riders finishing in the top 10 at the last round at Catalunya, Spain last Sunday and is now looking to its 12 riders in the 40-strong championship to grab more success in the British round at Silverstone. Italian Simone Corsi is second in the World Championship on his FTR M211 machine, run by the IODA Project squad, with Corsi looking to close the 43-point gap to series leader Stefan Bradl this weekend. Esteve Rabat continues to show promise on the Blusens STX M211 and the Spaniard took a season-best finish last Sunday with seventh place. Max Neukirchner, riding the MZ-FTR machine, has taken two top 10 finishes so far and the German will be looking to repeat that at Silverstone. Pol Espargaro, aboard the HP Tuenti Speed Up FTR M211 machine, already has a top six finish to his name in 2011 and will be keen to challenge for the podium places again in this weekend’s sixth of the 17 rounds. Youngsters Yonny Hernandez, on the Blusens STX M211, and Kev Coghlan, Aeroport de Castello M211, will be looking to add to their respective best place finishes of ninth and eighth so far this year. FTR’s M211 continues to evolve with the company’s race engineers naturally keen to use the new 3.667-mile circuit at Silverstone, one of the fastest tracks on the calendar, for further development of the machinery from the Buckingham-based company. “We’re just beginning to see some consistency from the M211 riders,” explained FTR’s Steve Bones. “At the beginning of the year we had a lot of young riders and most got little pre season testing so now, after five races, they’re now really getting acquainted to the M211. “And it’s great that the experienced Simon Corsi is riding an FTR for the IODA Project Team and having him in second place in the World Championship is giving us plenty of encouragement.” More, from a press release issued by LCR Honda: 0% ALCOHOL 100% MOVEMENT Silverstone, 9 June: After the eagerly awaited Barcelona GP which saw over 146.000 spectators on track through the weekend, LCR Honda MotoGP Team is back on track at Silverstone. At this weekend Toni Elias’ RCVs will be branded with the Effenbert logo. The logo of the famous Czech beer, that takes its origins from the ancient tradition of brewing, started a new marketing campaign across Europe in 2008 and will support LCR Team at the sixth round of the season in Great Britain. Toni Elias will be an exceptional witness for Effenbert promoting their non-alcoholic beer: It’s a newly designed lager, fit to road safety and for those who do not like alcohol, with a content close to zero. Elias: “As a sportsman I do not drink alcohol but off track, when I relax with my friends, I like to get one beer like the majority of people my age. But I prefer to do it responsibly so that’s why I chose non-alcoholic beer. The taste is rich and agreeable but thanks to this beer I can keep my mind clear and drive my car. I suggest to young people to do the same because you can enjoy a good beer and not run unnecessary risks!”.