Bridgestone MotoGP Preview – Round 16: Australia, Phillip Island Tuesday 12 October 2010 Bridgestone slick compounds available: Front: Soft, Medium. Rear: Hard, Extra Hard (both asymmetric) The final round of the back-to-back trio that has seen MotoGP in Japan and Malaysia in the last two weeks takes place in Australia at the Phillip Island circuit on 17 October. Phillip Island is the fastest circuit on the calendar with a record average speed set in qualifying in 2008 by pole-sitter and race-winner Casey Stoner of 180.598km/h. The layout of the track is fast and flowing, with the Honda Hairpin representing the only real heavy braking point in the lap. Situated on the southern coast of Australia, the circuit is widely recognised as the most spectacular but the most demanding circuit visited by the MotoGP paddock, and it generates the highest rear tyre temperatures of the season despite the low ambient temperature. By contrast, the loads on the front tyres are minimal. The predominantly left-handed circuit features some particularly fast and long corners, namely the final corner which really tests the left shoulder of the rear tyres as riders accelerate hard out of it onto the main straight whilst carrying high angles of lean. The intense lateral loads translate to very high tyre temperature, and it is for this reason that the rear Bridgestone slicks selected are a special construction to ensure their heat resistance and durability. Asymmetric rear tyres are vital at Phillip Island to balance the intense heat in the left shoulders with the relatively low demands placed on the right shoulders as there are few right-hand corners. Coupled with the low ambient temperature, warm-up performance on the right side is crucial. The rear tyres Bridgestone have selected for Phillip Island are the same as last year apart from extra soft compound rubber that is used in the right shoulder of the softer option rear to aid warm-up performance, particularly in the cold morning sessions on Saturday and Sunday. Hiroshi Yamada Manager, Bridgestone Motorsport Department “Last year in Australia we enjoyed our 50th MotoGP win, fittingly with Casey Stoner and the Ducati Team with whom we achieved our first World Championship title. It’s the third race in as many weekends in what is a very gruelling and tiring time of the season, especially after the heat of Malaysia which really tested the fitness of the riders and the teams. Phillip Island is much cooler, but this brings a totally different challenge to Sepang so everyone will need to be able to adapt quickly to the new conditions. The championship is sealed, but there are still many battles for position so I’m sure we will continue to see close racing in Australia and for the rest of the season.” Tohru Ubukata Manager, Bridgestone Motorcycle Tyre Development Department “Phillip Island has a low ambient temperature but is a high speed circuit with an asymmetric anticlockwise layout that has more lefts than rights. Whilst the ambient temperature is cool, the long and fast last corner generates the highest rear tyre temperature of the season in the left shoulders so this requires a special construction to cope with the heat. “By contrast, there are few right hand corners so the right shoulder of the tyres requires good warm-up performance. Coupled with the cool ambient conditions, we are using our extra soft compound rubber in the right shoulder of the softer option rear to improve warm-up feeling for the riders as we expect cold conditions, particularly in the morning.” More, from a press release issued by Rizla Suzuki: Rizla Suzuki ready for Antipodean assault Rizla Suzuki MotoGP heads over the equator to the single Grand Prix held in the southern hemisphere, as the team travels to Phillip Island in Australia this weekend. This Grand Prix will bring to an end a gruelling run of three back-to-back races around the Pacific Ocean, which has seen Álvaro Bautista record fifth and seventh place finishes in Malaysia and Japan respectively. He is high on confidence after last weekend’s fine ride in Sepang and is looking to continue from where he left off when he takes to the track in Australia on Friday. Bautista has good form at Phillip Island after winning there in 2006 on his way to the 125cc world title and also taking two second places in the 250cc category. Loris Capirossi will go to Phillip Island still in some discomfort from the right foot that he injured in Malaysia during a huge crash on the Saturday. He is still receiving treatment for the injury and will continue to do so right up until race-day. He is in a determined mood to put the disappointments of the last two Grands Prix behind him and finish the trip on a positive note. The Phillip Island circuit is located about 130km/s south-east of Melbourne and the track is so far south that the cold winds that blow over the exposed venue from the icy waters of the Pacific Ocean often bring heavy rain and even wintry showers. Track temperatures are also quite low at Phillip Island and due to the long corners that are entered at speed; it is regarded as the track on the calendar which is hardest on tyres. This doesn’t give the whole story of the circuit though, because it’s position right beside the Pacific Ocean and its mix of fast corners, changes of elevation and a 900m straight that gives the riders the perception they are heading out to sea, makes this one of the most spectacular and beautiful circuits on the MotoGP calendar. Rizla Suzuki takes to the 4,448m track on Friday afternoon for the first of its two free practice sessions, the second being held on Saturday morning. Qualifying will take place on Saturday afternoon with all riders battling for the best grid position to start Sunday’s 27-lap race, which gets underway at 16.00hrs local time (05.00hrs GMT). Álvaro Bautista: “I’m looking forward to going to Australia, it is a track I like a lot and after the last few races we are going there with a lot of confidence. I have never ridden a MotoGP bike at Phillip Island so that will be a whole new experience for me and it has some very fast corners so I will need to learn my braking points and get my references very quickly. I think that we can do well there, because the bike is going well and we have some good developments that should make the Suzuki GSV-R work a lot better around the track.” Loris Capirossi: “I am still in some pain from my foot, but most of the bruising has come out now and I feel like I can move about a bit easier, so when we get to Australia it should be a lot better. It is good we have a race so quickly after what happened in Malaysia because we need to get over that disappointment straight away. I want to go back from this trip with a good result to help us towards the last races of the year. Australia is always tough for us, but I am sure we can do something there this year.” More, from a press release issued by Interwetten Honda: Australian Grand Prix Phillip Island After the best result of a seventh place last Sunday at the Motorcycle Grand Prix of Malaysia in Sepang, Hiroshi Aoyama and the Interwetten Honda MotoGP Team arrive with new energy and motivation to the last of the three successive Grand Prix races at Phillip Island in Australia. Two weeks ago Aoyama finished his home race in Motegi / Japan with his second Top 10 result of this season and was able to improve this result with a seventh place on his favourite racetrack in Sepang / Malaysia. The 28-year-old Japanese has high targets for the Phillip Island race, as he wants to improve his last result furthermore. Phillip Island will host complete different conditions for the MotoGP riders and teams and it will be a tough weekend for the MotoGP circus, that hasn’t been on European sole for two weeks now. The difference of the temperature regarding to Malaysia is around minus 20°C degrees and it will not be easy to find the best settings for the Honda RC212V in these new conditions. If Aoyama’s feeling with the bike is good from the first session he will be trying hard to finish higher than seventh in the Australian Grand Prix race. Hiroshi Aoyama: “Phillip Island will not be an easy race weekend. The conditions there are very different as in Sepang. We have to adjust the settings of my bike to the conditions there and also the racetrack is quite tough, but I like it. If we can manage to get me a good feeling with the bike from the first session on, then I hope I can stay with the group from the beginning and finish higher than in the last race.” More, from a press release issued by Dorna Communications: With Jorge Lorenzo now crowned as the 2010 FIM MotoGP World Champion the remaining three rounds of the campaign throw a focus on the personal aims of other riders in the Championship. Having become only the second ever Spanish premier class Champion Lorenzo will want to underline his status with strong results in the final races, and victory at Phillip Island would be his first there in the elite category having twice been victorious there in the former 250cc class. Last season Lorenzo failed to finish the race in Australia and in Round 16 will be going for his eighth win of the season. Returning to the scene is Dani Pedrosa who, after missing the last two rounds with a fractured collarbone, had to watch on as his rival took the 2010 title in Malaysia and ended what slim hopes the Repsol Honda rider had of catching his compatriot. Pedrosa will be aiming to cement second spot in the Championship in the remaining three rounds however, and goes to Phillip Island where he stood on the podium last year guarding a 47-point advantage over third-placed Valentino Rossi as he tests his physical condition following successful surgery on his injury. Rossi will be buoyed by his first victory since the opening round of the season, a result that was enforced by the manner in which he secured it. Having dropped as low as 11th in the race at Sepang the Fiat Yamaha rider took his 46th victory with the Japanese factory and this weekend returns to a circuit at which he has never finished off the podium in the premier class. Included in that phenomenal record are five victories, which came consecutively between 2001 and 2005. Just a single point behind Rossi sits Casey Stoner, and the Ducati Team rider will be desperate for a strong result on his home circuit. After a crash in Malaysia brought an end to what had extended to a two-race winning run Stoner will be encouraged by the fact he has won at Phillip Island for the past three seasons, and he in turn protects a single-point gap over Andrea Dovizioso as a fantastic scrap for third and possibly even second position in the standings unfolds. Repsol Honda rider Dovizioso is in a rich vein of form having taken consecutive second-placed finishes in the past two rounds, and the Italian placed sixth at Phillip Island last year and has a 125cc win there from his title-winning year of 2004. Ben Spies (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) arrives on a track he has winning superbike experience on, and with the aim of progressing further towards a top-six Championship finish in his debut season in MotoGP. Nicky Hayden (Ducati Team) who has stepped on the podium on three previous occasions at Phillip Island Randy de Puniet (LCR Honda), Marco Simoncelli (San Carlo Honda Gresini) who has won for the past two seasons in the former 250cc class in Australia and Marco Melandri (San Carlo Honda Gresini) all occupy top-ten Championship positions going into the weekend. Moto2 Toni Elías will enjoy his first race as Moto2 World Champion this weekend, but whilst the Spaniard’s 2010 title is firmly secured second position in the standings is still wide open. Elías wrapped up the inaugural Moto2 title with fourth place last time out at Sepang, but for Julián Simón the weekend proved much more difficult. Having finished down in 21st the Mapfre Aspar rider’s grip on second in the Championship was loosened, and he now sits five points ahead of Andrea Iannone (Fimmco Speed Up). Phillip Island is a track Simón will head to high in confidence however, as he took victory there last year to seal his own title the 2009 125cc crown and he will be more keen than ever to take his first win in Moto2 before the season is out. Iannone is hot on his heels however, and fresh from a podium finish in Malaysia the Italian will be going for win number four of the season. Thomas Lüthi (Interwetten Moriwaki) is now 25 points behind third-placed Iannone after he crashed out at Sepang but the Swiss rider is another who is desperate to claim a win before the end of the campaign, and he won at Phillip Island in 2005 on his way to the 125cc title. Simone Corsi (JiR Moto2) and Jules Cluzel (Forward Racing) complete the top six as it currently stands, and for the Philip Island round Javier Forés will continue as a substitute for the injured Ricky Cardús on the Maquinza-SAG Team. Anthony West (MZ Racing) will hope for a season’s best in front of his home crowd, with fellow Australian Wayne Maxwell riding for the Matteoni Racing team for this round. Alex Cudlin will be a third home representative as he rides a wild card entry for Qatar Moto2 Team. 125cc Another twist in the 2010 125cc title chase unfolded in Malaysia and now Australia plays host to the 15th of 17 rounds in the Championship. Marc Márquez arrives at Phillip Island as the leader following his eighth win of the year at Sepang, but with only a three-point advantage over Nico Terol and 12 ahead of Pol Espargaró it is the closest of battles. Victory from pole position last time out for Márquez who now holds the record for poles in a single 125cc season with ten gave the young Red Bull Ajo Motorsport rider the slenderest of advantages at the top of the Championship, and in Phillip Island he heads to a track at which he has finished ninth in the last two seasons. Breathing down his neck in second place is Terol and the Bancaja Aspar rider has a best finish of sixth (last year) at the Australian circuit. He finished third in the last round and his consistent podium form (of the 13 races he has started this year he has only failed to step onto the rostrum twice) has maintained his Championship challenge as the final run-in heats up. In third place Espargaró (Tuenti Racing) was the pole man last year at Phillip Island and ended the race fourth. His tenth podium of the season in Malaysia means he is keeping the pressure on as well, in what is proving to be a delightfully intriguing contest between the three in each race. Bradley Smith (Bancaja Aspar) in fourth position is still in search of a first win of 2010 and he placed second at Phillip Island last season, whilst Sandro Cortese (Avant Mitsubishi Ajo) was also on the podium last season when he finished third. The German completes the top five in the standings at present. Five Australian wild cards will add to the 125cc field with 2010 Red Bull MotoGP rookie participant Josh Hook (Hook Racing.com) being joined by Jordan Zamora (Eurotwins Brisbane), Levi Day (Racetrix), Nicholas Diles (Aprilia RSW Racing) and Joel Taylor (BRP Racing). The impressive Danny Kent will continue for the Lambretta Reparto Corse set-up having achieved the team’s best qualification result in Malaysia, whilst Italian youngster Tommaso Gabrielli rides again for the Ongetta Team. The 125cc class gets the Iveco Australian Grand Prix underway at 12.40pm local time on Friday, October 15th with the commencement of the first practice session. More, from a press release issued by Marlboro Ducati: STONER’S HOME RACE AT PHILLIP ISLAND CLOSES ‘FLYAWAY’ TREBLE The Australian Grand Prix this weekend represents the third and final instalment of the MotoGP World Championship’s gruelling ‘flyaway’ period, which includes three races in as many weeks in countries with wickedly contrasting conditions. After the heat of Malaysia, where the MotoGP and Moto2 titles were decided in favour of Jorge Lorenzo and Toni Elias on Sunday, the series heads for the Australian springtime, which traditionally welcomes the paddock with cool temperatures and unpredictable weather. Casey Stoner’s home race is one of the favourite dates on the calendar for the majority of riders, however, and the Ducati Team in particular has enjoyed great success there, with Stoner taking victory in the last three editions. Stoner and his team-mate Nicky Hayden will be looking to make the most of their recent progress with the GP10 machine and a favourable circuit as they aim to put bad luck from the last round at Sepang behind them. CASEY STONER, Ducati Team “I’m looking forward to going back to Phillip Island- we have had decent results there for the past three years and with the way the bike is working now we can expect to be competitive. After last weekend in Malaysia we go there feeling a little disappointed but we will do our best to improve our situation and hopefully fight for another victory. I am sure it will be a close race there. It is one of my favourite circuits but that’s the same for a lot of riders and as always I imagine it will be a fun race to watch.” NICKY HAYDEN, Ducati Team “Phillip Island is definitely one of the highlights of the season. I think all the riders love the country and especially the circuit and I am not exception. I have had some good results there in the past, a few podiums and pole positions. The weather is usually pretty unpredictable, with low temperatures and very different conditions to Malaysia, but the track itself is awesome, one of the best on the whole calendar, so we’re looking forward to it and we’ll see what we can do. This track works the tyres really hard so we’ll need to find a set-up that helps deal with that and make sure they last the whole race. You spend a lot of time at full lean and you need to have good traction.” VITTORIANO GUARESCHI, Team Manager “We go to Australia with a package that we know it works well. It is also Casey’s home race, he has always done well there in the past and the Ducati has always been fast and competitive so we expect that to continue. Nicky has also had some good results there in the past and even though last Sunday didn’t turn out how we hoped the potential was there, both our riders showed good pace in practice and they are both working well with their respective teams. These last three races have proved that the GP10 can adapt well to different kinds of circuits so we are confident for next Sunday too. As always at Phillip Island we will have to pay close attention to the weather, with temperatures usually tending to be low, which will be a major factor to take into account for the tyres.” THE TRACK Phillip Island is the fastest circuit in MotoGP and one of the most demanding on the rider, bike and tyres. The layout is flowing and riddled with elevation changes that require precise throttle and machine control. It is one of the riders’ favourite circuits because, unlike many modern tracks, Phillip Island has fast corners that really put them to the test. Located 130km south of Melbourne, the island hosted a motorcycle race for the first time in 1920, when the only way to access it was by boat. The original 12-mile track fell into disrepair but it was rebuilt as a closed circuit in the 80s and held its first Grand Prix in 1989. Its exposed location next to the Bass Strait often makes this race a victim to extremely changeable weather conditions. More, from a press release issued by Repsol Honda: REPSOL HONDA TEAM BACK TO FULL STRENGTH FOR AUSTRALIA The Repsol Honda Team arrives in Australia this week ready to contest the third of three MotoGP races on consecutive weekends. A buoyant Andrea Dovizioso will be aiming to continue his recent front-running form and challenge for the win at the picturesque Phillip Island circuit, as he did so impressively at the previous two races in Japan and Malaysia. Joining him once more in the Repsol Honda garage will be Dani Pedrosa who is making a swift return to racing after missing the last two Grands Prix following surgery to fix the collarbone he broke in practice for the Japanese Grand Prix. Pedrosa departs Barcelona for Australia today (Monday) and will have a few days down under to acclimatise to the time difference before his first outing on the RC212V in Friday practice. The 25-year-old Spaniard, who is continuing with physiotherapy after the successful operation to fix a titanium plate to his fractured collarbone, is under no illusions about the ch allenge that awaits him: Phillip Island is a fast and physical circuit which requires commitment and strength to master. But Pedrosa has previous experience of riding while recovering from injury and, though he will be taking nothing for granted, another podium visit this weekend is not beyond the realms of possibility. With the world championship title now decided in favour of Lorenzo, Pedrosa is determined to defend second place and the 47 point lead he has over Valentino Rossi. Dovizioso is on a roll at the moment, having come so close to victory at the last two races. Indeed in last Sunday’s Malaysian Grand Prix the Italian was just 0.224s behind race winner and renowned Sepang specialist Valentino Rossi after 20 hard fought laps. It was the closest finish of the MotoGP season so far and Dovizioso’s performance demonstrates his readiness to score his first dry-weather MotoGP victory. Dovizioso’s recent strong results have rekindled his season, and thi rd place in the championship is his clear and achievable target – with Rossi just two points ahead and Stoner only one in front of Dovizioso. The 4.448km (2.764-mile) Phillip Island circuit always promises exciting racing, a vibrant atmosphere and highly unpredictable weather. Its beautiful and exposed seaside location guarantees a unique spectacle, and the high-speed curves and flowing undulations make Phillip Island a favourite venue with many MotoGP riders. Track action gets under way on Friday with practice starting at 13.55 (GMT + 11 hours). DANI PEDROSA World Championship position 2nd 228 points “It was hard to take the decision to not go to Malaysia, but after another week I feel it was the right thing to do because during these days my condition has improved quite a lot. So I’m looking forward to getting to Australia and finding out how I feel on the bike. I will arrive at Phillip Island on Wednesday to have some time to recover from the flight and rest a little bit. I know it will be tough because Phillip Island is a very demanding track and also the weather conditions can play a big part, but I really believe it’s time to come back with my team and try to return to the high level of performance we had before the crash in Japan. After the operation I began rehabilitation immediately. The surgery was very successful and the plate was well fixed, so the main problem was not the collarbone but the stiffness in my neck and all around my shoulders. I’ve been ha ving massage and doing exercises with my physiotherapist and I will keep this up in Australia. The championship is decided, but for us it’s still not over. The target now is to retain second place in the standings and continue working on the bike so that we arrive in good shape for the winter tests, when we will start working for next year.” ANDREA DOVIZIOSO World Championship position 5th 179 points “We arrive in Australia in a strong position with two consecutive podium finishes under our belts from two tracks with very different layouts and race day temperatures. This means that we have made a big step forward. We have improved things a lot in terms of set up and electronics, and now we are able to fight for wins. On Sunday in Malaysia we finished just two tenths from Valentino, and we need to stay at that level and be consistent. Also, in the last two races there were two different winners, while we have been consistent in second place. So I’m confident that we can also be competitive at Phillip Island; a very demanding and technical track, and one of the fastest on the calendar. We aim to finish third in the world championship this season, so we need to score good results in the remaining races. Phillip Island is a very spectacular place; the circuit is very close to the ocean and this makes it unique. The atmosphere on race day is always really good because there are a lot of fans who are truly passionate. The real unknown is always the weather as it’s always very changeable and it can be really cold. Anyway, cold conditions are not an issue for us so we are very confident for the Australian GP.” More, from a press release issued by Fiat Yamaha: NEWLY CROWNED WORLD CHAMPION TAKES CELEBRATOINS TO THE ISLAND The newly crowned 2010 MotoGP World Champion Jorge Lorenzo leads his victorious team down under to Phillip Island this weekend, for the sixteenth round of the season. His team-mate Valentino Rossi, returned to winning ways after Sunday’s epic win, is in equally high spirits and it is a happy Fiat Yamaha Team that lands on Australian shores today. Third place for Lorenzo on Sunday was enough to secure the 23-year-old his first premier-class crown and the Spaniard celebrated his championship in style alongside his ecstatic crew in Kuala Lumpur. With his lifelong goal achieved Lorenzo can now relax and concentrate on racing for the final three rounds of the season and he is determined to start this weekend with a strong result at the Island. He won there in both his 250cc championship-winning years but has never had a MotoGP podium, c rashing out at turn one last year in a race he will be keen to forget this weekend. Sunday may only have been Rossi’s second win of the season but the emphatic victory had all the hallmarks of a classic, as the nine-time champion charged through the field after dropping to eleventh at the start. It was his 46th victory for Yamaha but the Italian has no plans to stop there and would like to add to the number in the last three races of the season. He is something of a Phillip Island specialist, having ruled supreme for five unbeaten years, and he has eleven podiums in all classes, including a second place last year. Perched on the cliffs above the Bass Strait, Phillip Island is one of the most dramatic racetracks in the world and its precarious position always makes for changeable and often chilly weather. The circuit is also one of the sternest tests of rider and bike, with its sweeping and flowing nature making for the ultimate ch allenge of machine control and throttle accuracy, not to mention the sheer bravery required from the rider. Jorge Lorenzo “ONE OF THE HAPPIEST PEOPLE IN THE WORLD!” “I am one of the happiest people in the world! We got it! I am very proud of my team, partners and sponsors, but it is not really ‘game over’ because we have to continue, we still have three more races. We have to focus in the same way as we have until now, fighting for the podium and without the pressure of the championship we hope to get some good results. I like Philip Island, it’s one of my favourite tracks and maybe the fastest on the calendar. It’s always amazing to ride there, so close to the sea, but the weather is very different to Malaysia, always very cold.” Valentino Rossi “A FANTASTIC PLACE TO RIDE” “Sunday was a truly fantastic day; to win again was wonderful, my 46th for Yamaha and I think one of the best victories of my career, I am so happy. Now I really want to try to finish the season strongly and I’m excited about getting to Phillip Island, which is one of the most fantastic places in the world to ride a motorcycle. I haven’t won there for a few years and I would really like to change that. It’s always special to go there because many of my team are Australian and the fans are great. I can’t wait!” Wilco Zeelenberg “STILL ON A HIGH” “We’re still on a high from the championship, what a great day it was for us! Now that’s done however we can go racing, and we’re excited. Jorge has achieved his goal and now he can just relax and enjoy riding the bike and pushing hard with nothing to lose, we really want to try to win some more races this season. Phillip Island hasn’t been the best track for him even though he likes it – he’s never had a MotoGP podium there – but we’re aiming to change that this weekend.” Davide Brivio “LOOKING FORWARD TO MORE OF THE SAME” “We are coming to Australia very happy after the fantastic result of Sunday. It was great to see Valentino back riding at his best and we are looking forward to more of the same this weekend. Phillip Island is one of his best tracks and we always enjoy racing there, it’s a spectacular track. We haven’t won there for a few years and it would be great to get another good result this weekend so we will see what we can do.” More, from a press release issued by Honda: HONDA BRINGS ALL THE TROOPS TO PHILLIP ISLAND The Honda contingent will once again be at full strength and on a roll as it arrives on Phillip Island, south of Melbourne, for the always enjoyable Australian Grand Prix. The last of the three Asian/Australasian races on the trot will see Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda RC212V) back on the grid next to surging teammate Andrea Dovizioso (Repsol Honda RC212V), who’s put together the strongest stretch of his MotoGP career. Dovi began the string of flyaways in Japan with his first-ever premier-class pole position, then backed it up with a hard-fought second place just behind Casey Stoner (Ducati). A week later, in the tropical climes of Sepang, Dovi was again on the front row and again on the podium, this time a mere 0.224s behind race winner Valentino Rossi (Yamaha). Dovizioso has made good use of upgraded electronics, and a corresponding improved set-up on his Repsol Honda RC212V, which has increased his competitiveness and led to a late surge in the standings. The Italian is now only two points off a career-best third overall, which is his target for the end of the season. After breaking his left collarbone at Motegi, Pedrosa found it difficult to sit out the Malaysian GP, but the extra week’s rest will allow him to arrive in Australia healthier and readier to race. The Spaniard spent the Malaysia race week at home in Barcelona recovering from surgery to plate the collarbone. The plan is for Pedrosa to arrive early in Australia to allow him to adjust to the time difference, as well as to rest. He’ll also continue to receive therapy on his neck and shoulders, which suffered trauma from the crash and ensuing surgery. The Spaniard finished third in last year’s race at Phillip Island, where he won the 250cc race en route to his 2005 World Championship. After Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha) clinched the championship in Malaysia, Pedrosa is no longer in the championship hunt, but he’s in a strong position to finish the 2010 campaign by equaling his career best second overall from the 2007 season. In addition, he’ll continue to develop the Honda RC212V, which has become the most versatile machine in the field, in advance of the winter testing season. Three Honda riders are separated by eight points as they battle for the final three spots in the championship top ten. Randy de Puniet (LCR Honda RC212V) leads the trio, despite having missed a race after breaking a leg in the German Grand Prix. His goal was to be the top non-factory rider, but that honor will likely go to Ben Spies (Yamaha), the 2009 World Superbike champion now in his rookie MotoGP season. Marco Simoncelli (San Carlo Honda Gresini RC212V) and Marco Melandri (San Carlo Honda Gresini RC212V) are close behind de Puniet and both have had great success at Phillip Island. Melandri is the only Honda rider to have won all three classes at the track. The Italian won the 125cc GP in 1999, the 250cc race in 2000, and the wet MotoGP race in 2006, which he won with nearly ten seconds in hand. Simoncelli has won the last two 250cc races at Phillip Island and is looking forward to his MotoGP debut at the track. The class rookie has been on a roll of late, stringing together his strongest three-race stretch of the season and continuing his ascendant learning curve. Having spent the year learning the Honda RC212V and its Bridgestone tyres, Simoncelli briefly put himself in a position to challenge for a podium in the last weekend’s Malaysian Grand Prix. Melandri was on pace to have his best finish of the season at Sepang. The Italian was running a close seventh on the sixth lap when he ran off the track, dropping to 11th. He recovered two spots to finish a fighting ninth, close on the tail of team-mate Simoncelli. Melandri took encouragement from knowing that he had better pace than his rivals and was confident going into Phillip Island, a track that he loves. Hiroshi Aoyama (Interwetten Honda MotoGP RC212V) is keen to make the transition from the tropical climate of Sepang to the unpredictable, but certainly much cooler, weather on Phillip Island. Aoyama finished a MotoGP career-best seventh last weekend in Malaysia, as he continues to recover the form lost from sitting out five races with the broken vertebra he suffered at the British Grand Prix. Toni Elias (Gresini Racing Moto2, Moriwaki) arrives in Australia with the distinction of being the first Moto2 World Champion. The Spaniard secured the title with a measured fourth place finish in Malaysia, and now has the final three races to get back to winning. Elias clinched the title on the strength of winning seven of the first 14 races, and finishing lower than fifth in only one race. That allowed him the luxury of not needing to win in Malaysia, but with the number one already on his Gresini Racing Moriwaki, he’s looking forward to again showcasing the skills that earned him his first world title. Julian Simon (Mapfre Aspar Team, Suter) was the only rider who could prevent Elias from winning the title at Sepang, having put together a remarkably consistent string. Going into the Malaysian race, Simon had finished second four races in a row and was poised to continue the streak. The reigning 125cc World Champion ran as high as third, and was seventh when he crashed out on the seventh lap. He remounted to finish 21st and out of the points. Though the number one plate is now out of reach, Simon remains locked in a battle for second overall with Andrea Iannone (Fimmco Speed-Up, Speed-Up), the pair separated by five points with three races remaining. Iannone has been the least consistent of the front runners, but when he’s on, he’s on. The Italian has three wins, but hasn’t finished better than 12th in the following race. Last week in Malaysia he fought hard to finish third in front of Elias and closed within five points of Simon. Iannone’s wins have come on three disparate tracks, Mugello, Assen, and Aragon, and he is looking forward to Phillip Island. Iannone has been suffering rear grip issues in the past few races, which he hopes to solve during practice and qualifying so that he can use the harder option Dunlop rear. Thomas Luthi (Interwetten Moriwaki Moto2, Moriwaki) is looking forward to Phillip Island after running strongly throughout the weekend in Malaysia. Luthi steadily improved throughout practice and qualifying, finishing on the front row for the second time this season, but then he crashed out of the race. Still, having run so strongly all weekend, Luthi expects to put that progress to good use in Australia. Phillip Island, simply put, is one of the great racetracks of the world, a rider’s favourite that is uniquely situated on the cliffs above the Bass Strait. The island is 130km southeast of Melbourne. The first Australian Grand Prix was held at the track in 1989 and Honda has had considerable success there. Two of the main features are named after Honda heroes; the 900m straight front straight is named after 1987 500cc World Champion Wayne Gardner and Doohan Corner, fittingly a 215kph corner that begins the rollercoaster ride that is Phillip Island, takes its name from five-time 500cc World Champion Mick Doohan. The track has seven lefts and five rights, which, along with the sustained lean angles in the fast, left hand corners make the use of multi-compound tyres mandatory. But it’s the end of the race, when the tyres have been thoroughly abused, that some of the most spectacular racing takes place. The fast, flowing nature of the track puts a premium on high-speed stability and changes of direction, with only a few slow, hard-braking turns. The combination of fast and slow corners, and elevation changes, make for a thoroughly entertaining rider and fan experience. What can never be predicted on the island are the weather and the wildlife. Harsh, blowing winds and horizontal rain have been known to plague the weekend. And although Phillip Island is a world renowned destination for bird watchers-the nightly Penguin Parade of “Little Penguins” draws birdwatchers from around the world more than a few sea gulls have had the unfortunate experience of flying into the path of 240bhp racing motorcycles. HONDA MotoGP RIDER QUOTES Repsol Honda rider Dani Pedrosa says: “It was hard to take the decision to not go to Malaysia, but after another week I feel it was the right thing to do because during these days my condition has improved quite a lot. So I’m looking forward to getting to Australia and finding out how I feel on the bike. I will arrive at Phillip Island on Wednesday to have some time to recover from the flight and rest a little bit. I know it will be tough because Phillip Island is a very demanding track and also the weather conditions can play a big part, but I really believe it’s time to come back with my team and try to return to the high level of performance we had before the crash in Japan. After the operation I began rehabilitation immediately. The surgery was very successful and the plate was well fixed, so the main problem was not the collarbone but the stiffness in my neck and all around my shoulders. I’ve been having massage and doing exercises with my physiotherapist and I will keep this up in Australia. The championship is decided, but for us it’s still not over. The target now is to retain second place in the standings and continue working on the bike so that we arrive in good shape for the winter tests, when we will start working for next year.” Repsol Honda rider Andrea Dovizioso says: “We arrive in Australia in a strong position with two consecutive podium finishes under our belts from two tracks with very different layouts and race day temperatures. This means that we have made a big step forward. We have improved things a lot in terms of set up and electronics, and now we are able to fight for wins. On Sunday in Malaysia we finished just two tenths from Valentino, and we need to stay at that level and be consistent. Also, in the last two races there were two different winners, while we have been consistent in second place. So I’m confident that we can also be competitive at Phillip Island; a very demanding and technical track, and one of the fastest on the calendar. We aim to finish third in the world championship this season, so we need to score good results in the remaining races. Phillip Island is a very spectacular place; the circuit is very close to the ocean and this makes it unique. The atmosphere on race day is always really good because there are a lot of fans who are truly passionate. The real unknown is always the weather as it’s always very changeable and it can be really cold. Anyway, cold conditions are not an issue for us so we are very confident for the Australian GP.” LCR Honda rider Randy de Puniet says: “After Malaysia I sat down with the crew to come up with a solution to our front-end issue. We had to use the harder compound front tyre, which affected grip and didn’t allow me to enter corners as I’d like, and the entry is the most important part of the corner on these 800s. I think we know what we need to do and I’m anxious to try it on Friday at Phillip Island, a track that I love.” San Carlo Honda Gresini rider Marco Simoncelli says: “I am nice and relaxed going to Australia because apart from the final result at Sepang I learnt a lot and I think I made an important step forward. It definitely wasn’t easy at a circuit that hasn’t been kind to me in the past and where we had a disastrous winter test, but I managed it and that means we are on the right lines. Phillip Island, on the other hand, is a circuit I really love and so I am very confident I can have a good race there. I am not saying I have made it because we still have work to do but at Sepang we made some important progress.” San Carlo Honda Gresini rider Marco Melandri says: “If it wasn’t for that off track excursion at Sepang it could have been my best race of the season. I am still disappointed by it because of the problems we had over the first few laps, which caused me to make mistakes. I still had a more consistent pace than a lot of my rivals. However, overall I am satisfied and confident that at Phillip Island, a circuit I love, I will have the chance to make up for it. I want to end the season on a high and take some good memories with me and I am sure after Sepang that I can do that. We will be working with the guys in the team in the hope that we can start from Friday on the right path to a good race.” Interwetten Honda MotoGP rider Hiroshi Aoyama says: “Phillip Island is a very special track as from Sepang to there we have to take off 20 degrees of temperature. The track character, the weather conditions, everything is different. If we can start with a good rhythm we can have a good weekend. We have to analyse the data from the race now and see what we can improve for the next race.” Moto2 RIDER QUOTES Gresini Racing Moto2 rider Toni Elias says: “Sepang wasn’t an easy weekend everybody was telling me I was going to become World Champion but I am superstitious and that made me tense. It was to be expected but I would have preferred not to hear it. In the end we reached our objective and it was liberating. My dream has become a reality and Sunday turned into a long night, with so many interviews and my desire to share the title success with everybody. I wanted to be World Champion for everybody and I was able to celebrate it with my team and my family, it was a fantastic moment. I cried and held in my heart the people who are no longer with us and everybody close to me. Now I can go to Australia feeling more relaxed and try to do the title justice at a circuit I love.” Mapfre Aspar Team rider Julian Simon says: “Lady Luck turned her back on us at Sepang but we have to think positive and take confidence to Australia. Phillip Island is one of my favourite circuits and I will be giving it everything from Friday to be fighting for the win on Sunday. That is my main objective. I missed my chance at Sepang because I got ahead of myself on a couple of occasions but I think I had the pace to be fighting for it. Luckily we are still second in the championship, which as well as winning races is very important for my team and for me. Going back to Phillip Island or the first time since I won the 125cc title there gives me an extra reason to try take my first win of the season.” Fimmco Speed Up rider Andrea Iannone says: “I like Phillip Island a lot because like most riders I love fast corners. The important thing there is to have rear grip for all the fast corners where you use a lot of throttle. We have had some problems with rear grip at the last few races, so we need to keep working on this. Here we had to use the soft rear tyre, while (Alex) De Angelis and (Roby) Rolfo were able to use the hard tyre.” Interwetten Moriwaki Moto2 rider Thomas Luthi says: “I like the track in Phillip Island. It is not an easy track for sure and the weather still is not perfect as I heard it is raining and really cold. I am looking forward to Phillip Island and I hope we can be better there.” HONDA 125 RIDER QUOTES Interwetten Honda 125 Team rider Marcel Schrötter says: “Of course my target is points again for Phillip Island and I hope that qualifying will go well; row four would be great for a change. If I could finish the race 11th or 12th or similar I will be very satisfied. The track itself I only know from TV or Playstation.”