Casey Stoner - Photo Credit: MotoGP.com

Casey Stoner sent out an ominous message to the MotoGP field with a stunning lap time on the final day of the Malaysia test. The world champion was the only man to go under the two minute barrier after easing the chatter issues on his RC213V.

Kuala Lumpur’s famously torrential rain returned in the afternoon, preventing anyone from bettering Stoner’s time and Jorge Lorenzo was forced to make do with second, half a second adrift. The Spaniard was nevertheless happy with the session overall and is already looking forward to the next test in three and a half weeks’ time.

The top two were followed by their respective teammates with Dani Pedrosa and Ben Spies third and fourth while Valentino Rossi was fifth to bring an encouraging debut run for the GP12 to an end. The Ducati star was optimistic at the end of the day that the front end problems with the bike may finally be a thing of the past.

Hector Barbera confirmed the GP12’s improved pace with sixth while the Tech 3 Yamahas of Cal Crutchlow and Andrea Dovizioso were seventh and eighth. Alvaro Bautista was ninth for San Carlo Gresini while Nicky Hayden battled through shoulder pain to take tenth.

Stefan Bradl’s solid start to his MotoGP career continued with 11^th while Karel Abraham completed the regular 1000cc riders. Test riders Katsuyuki Nakasuga and Franco Battaini were next up while Colin Edwards got a 2:04.722 out of his Forward Racing Suter-BMW, comfortably outpacing fellow CRT runners Avintia Racing who were a full eight seconds off the pace.

Testing resumes at the Sepang circuit for three more days of running, starting on February 28^th.

MotoGP Testing – Malaysia (Day Two Result)

Alvaro Bautista - Photo Credit: MotoGP.com

Alvaro Bautista feels he is growing with confidence on the new 1000cc Honda RC213V after riding it for the second time in testing at Sepang. The San Carlo Honda Gresini rider concentrated on improving his consistency over longer runs on Wednesday and was happy to see the lap times come down, ending up ninth quickest.

“The second day of the test has seen us improve our lap times slightly but above all put together a consistent pace over a series of outings. Today I had more confidence with the bike and I was able to push with more conviction, which I am particularly pleased about. We have tried some things with the electronics and some setting solutions that will give us an idea of what we need to do tomorrow. I am sure that we can improve the bike and my riding significantly. Obviously I need to get used to riding a ‘thousand’ because it has different characteristics to an 800, mainly in that it has more power and you have to use that in a different way.”

The Spaniard also complimented his new team who are operating at the Kuala Lumpur circuit for the first time since Marco Simoncelli’s tragic death in October.

“I have been able to see how professional this team is. They are doing a great job so that gives me confidence for tomorrow, when we will try to take another step forward,” he commented.

Ben Spies - Photo Credit: MotoGP.com

Yamaha Factory riders Ben Spies and Jorge Lorenzo were satisfied with the progress being made after finishing day two of the Sepang test in second and third respectively. Spies topped the timesheets for much of the day before being usurped by Casey Stoner but remained happy with his day’s work.

“We got going pretty well in the morning, then even when the track started to slow down the pace was still really good. We started to mess with the balance of the bike a little today and played with the electronics to find a good foundation with the bike. At Valencia we compared some stuff and got in the right direction. Now we’re here and taking the next step, trying some things to see how it affects the set up. There’s definitely some room for improvement and some areas we’re not struggling with at all.”

Teammate Lorenzo was the fastest man on track yesterday and trailed Stoner by less than two tenths on Tuesday. The Spaniard admitted he didn’t feel as fresh in the sweltering heat but nevertheless was pleased with the performance of the new YZR-M1.

“Today I was much more tired than yesterday so it was tough to finish with a good pace but we managed it. We didn’t find any big improvements but some small details. Tomorrow we hope to make one big step. We improved our lap times a lot in the morning but in the afternoon when it was even hotter we managed to go faster which is very positive.”

Casey Stoner - Photo Credit: Repsol Honda Team

Casey Stoner says the Repsol Honda team still have plenty to work on despite setting the pace on day two of the Official MotoGP test in Malaysia. The World Champion could only manage four laps due to a strained muscle in his back yesterday but was back to full fitness today, completing 29 laps aboard the RC213V.

Stoner admitted he would like to have completed more mileage but feels there is plenty to look forward to, and to work on, with the new Honda.

“It was great to be able to ride today and everything went pretty well, although I would have liked to have done a few more laps. We spent most of the day on the new chassis comparing it back to back with the one we had in Valencia and we found a good direction and where we want to go. As usual it would be great to take some elements from one chassis and some from the other, but at least we found the direction we are happy to follow. We used the hard front tyre this afternoon but found we had more chattering with it so we have to work on this, there is still room for improvement. We didn’t get a chance to use the new spec tyres that Bridgestone have brought here, we’ll try them out tomorrow and go from there”.

Teammate Dani Pedrosa was fourth fastest, six tenths down on Stoner and was also cautiously optimistic with one day of the test remaining.

“Today we started to work well from the beginning; the track conditions were better than yesterday and it was hotter out there. We’ve been working on the setting of the bike, focusing mainly on the braking and reducing chatter, to improve the stability on the entry of the corners, that’s our main target right now. We made some comparisons between the two chassis’ and we will keep working with the bike and see what can we do before choosing. We have one more day, so we’ll try some other things with the shocks, this could help, and also different tyre pressures, we will see. I didn’t do many laps during the day, but now it’s time to test as much as possible and sometimes you have to spend more time in the garage, it’s normal. The new Bridgestone tyres are working ok, I just tried one hard on the rear but I didn’t have much grip and the soft ones are working better, even for the endurance they don’t look so bad”.

Michael Rutter & Peter Hickman - Photo Credit: Motorsport Vision

MSS Colchester Kawasaki have announced their rider line-up for the 2012 British Superbike season with experience the buzzword at Nick Morgan’s squad. The riders boast 491 BSB race starts between them with the bulk held by Michael Rutter who rejoins the team after four years away.

Rutter, who turns 40 shortly after the start of the season, hopes his experience proves vital in a year that sees regulation changes in the British Superbike Championship.

“This is going to be an interesting year for everybody, but I have obviously been with Nick and the team before so know what to expect from them and I am looking forward to getting back on the Kawasaki again. I know the power is good and having watched the riders clocking up podiums last year, I could see the whole machine is a good package. I missed out on the top six in the Showdown last season through that crash but this year I want to be back in that top six again. We need to be aiming for results early on as I also think that the bikes will change a lot during the season so it is important to score well from the start. I am definitely hoping that some of my experience of all the different bikes over the years will benefit me.”

Like Rutter, new teammate Peter Hickman narrowly missed out on the BSB Championship Showdown in 2011 and hopes to make the extra step this year.

“I’ve been talking to Nick for a couple of years but it came together for 2012 over the winter and I’ve got to say I’m really chuffed to be with such an established team. I keep coming back to Kawasaki; I won the Superstock Cup in 2004 on one and raced one again in Superstock in 2005 before two years on the Hawk Kawasaki bike in 2006-7 with some really good results in the first year.”

“The new rules in BSB should maybe close the gap but I’m sure it will still be the same faces up the front. I’m bringing my crew chief with me so it will be good to have a bit of consistency and I know Nick runs a great team. I feel like I’ve earned my place on the BSB grid now and with this package and team there’s no reason why we can’t be aiming for the top six, even with such a strong field. I have more to prove this year and I am really excited about getting started so I just can’t wait now for Brands Hatch and the start of the season.”

MSS Colchester Kawasaki ran a 2012 spec bike towards the end of last year and Team Owner Nick Morgan hopes it will help his new riders steal a march on the competition.

“We have an interesting line-up for this year that will hopefully cause some surprises. Michael needs no introduction and possesses such experience that will see him snatch results when they’re least expected. From my perspective it’s a good opportunity for a new rider like Hicky to come in and learn from Michael. I think he’s a really underrated rider who’s worked hard to get where he has. Last season saw some great rides, maybe he could benefit from some more direction and it will all click into place.”

“One thing we did last year that turned a few heads was run to the 2012 spec before the end of the season. We didn’t set the world alight but we logged up days and days of data at different tracks on how the new ZX-10R reacts when using the new engine spec regulations and Motec ECU. This means when we come to start testing in Spain we won’t have to re-invent the wheel and will be able to utilise that information to fine tune the bikes to Michael and Hicky.”

Casey Stoner - Photo Credit: Repsol Honda Team

Casey Stoner took over at the top of the timesheets as testing ahead of the new MotoGP season continued in Malaysia. The reigning world champion strained a muscle in his back yesterday and completed just four laps but returned to action today, beating Yamaha duo Ben Spies and Jorge Lorenzo.

Stoner shaved three quarters of a second off Lorenzo’s benchmark time from yesterday as he carried out a chassis comparison between his two RC213V machines. Spies and Lorenzo were both within two tenths of Stoner’s time while Dani Pedrosa was fourth quickest after having chattering issues on his bike.

Cal Crutchlow’s impressive start to 2012 continued, ending the day in fifth place and outpacing new teammate Andrea Dovizioso for the second day running. Hector Barbera was sixth fastest on the leading Ducati GP12 while Valentino Rossi improved on his Tuesday time by half a second to take seventh.

Alvaro Bautista also made improvements as he got to grips with the 1000cc Honda, ending the day in eighth, with Dovizioso and Nicky Hayden completing the top ten. MotoGP rookie Stefan Bradl outpaced Karel Abraham once again to take 11^th with Yamaha and Ducati’s test riders following them in the pecking order.

The Claiming Rules teams were well off the pace again although Colin Edwards did find over two and a half seconds on his Tuesday best. Avintia Racing continued to have a tough baptism, with pace and reliability continuing to desert them.

MotoGP Testing – Malaysia (Day Two Result)

Keith Amor - Photo Credit: Honda TT Legends

Keith Amor has announced his retirement from racing after injuries sustained over the last 12 months have failed to heal sufficiently. The Scotsman raced in the World Endurance Championship for Honda TT Legends last year as well competing at the Isle of Man TT, where he finished second overall in the TT Championship.

Amor suffered two crashes during the TT event which ultimately started the road to retirement. The first came at Quarterbridge during practice and another followed in the opening Supersport race, causing damage to Amor’s shoulder. He returned to race at the Ulster Grand Prix but another crash aggravated the injury.

Although he may still be fit enough to ride motorcycles, Amor has decided to call it a day, feeling he wouldn’t be able to do himself justice unless he was 100% fit.

“My decision has been a hard one and one I have agonised over for the last few months. I had major surgery to both shoulders in November with the right having to be totally reconstructed and the ligaments tightened in the left as well. I had a MRI scan today to check if the ops have been successful but the doc said it hadn’t healed and I would need further surgery. So that’s me done with racing. I was injured all of last year and I am not going to ride in that condition again. I am in racing to win and I want to be competitive, not just be out there to make up the numbers”

“I will be 40 this year and I have done a lot in racing in a short time. “I started my career in 2001 at Knock hill with an orange bib at a Kirkcaldy club meeting as a novice and ended it 10 years later as a member of Honda Europe’s TT Legends team. I didn’t race any roads at all until 2005 and I only went full-time in 2007. A lot of hard work went into getting here for it all to go wrong like this but everything changed with a simple twist of fate.”

Paul Philips, TT and Motorsport Manager at the Isle of Man Government, has paid tribute to Amor and praised his achievements in a relatively short space of time.

“Despite his late start to TT Racing Keith has had a great career. People often forget that he only began racing on the Mountain Course in 2007 and was a whisker away from Steve Plater as fastest newcomer lap that year. He finished on the podium in his second year and went on to claim at least one podium a year every year since. He quickly established himself as one of the leading TT riders and he was a great teammate to John McGuinness last year. I have no doubt that with had he continued to race at the TT fully fit, he would have won races and he is a popular figure who will always be welcome on the Isle of Man.”

Jorge Lorenzo - Photo Credit: MotoGP.com

Yamaha Factory Racing riders Jorge Lorenzo and Ben Spies were both impressed with the performance of the new YZR-M1 on the opening day of testing in Malaysia. Between them, the pair 58 laps of the Sepang circuit, finishing first and fourth respectively.

With the number one plate having switched to Casey Stoner’s Honda, Lorenzo is keen to give him a run for his money in 2012 and sees plenty of room for improvement in his new bike.

“I’m very happy with today. For the first ride on the bike in some time, it’s been very positive. Yamaha has worked very hard over the winter for this M1. I can see very easily where I have to adapt my riding style for the bike and I can see a lot of potential. We have many areas where we can improve so I’m looking forward to beginning again tomorrow. I’m also very happy that my finger is fine and doesn’t affect my riding at all!”

Teammate Spies was equally impressed and paid tribute to the Yamaha team for their effort in producing the new motorcycle.

“I’m happy, it was fun to get back on the bike today, I haven’t ridden any type of motorcycle since Valencia. It didn’t take too long to knock the rust off, we tried a few things in set up and every step we did made small improvements. We have a lot to do in the next couple of days and a lot more in the second test. It’s been a confidence inspiring start, Yamaha have put in a lot of effort for this season so we’ll work day by day to be even better.”

Alvaro Bautista - Photo Credit: Gresini Racing

Alvaro Bautista had great cause for optimism after the opening day’s testing in Malaysia after finishing ninth quickest. San Carlo Honda Gresini’s new signing rode the 1000cc Honda RC213V for the first time and completed over two full race distances around the Sepang circuit.

Bautista commented that he felt at home on the new bike immediately and expects to make great strides as he continues to improve the machine over the next two days.

“This was my first day on the RC213V and I am very pleased with it because I instantly felt comfortable riding a ‘thousand’. Obviously after a three-month break from racing it is not easy to get back out there because you have to reset your mind and body to the task and rediscover your pace. We have worked on adapting the bike to my riding style and I have just tried to get confident without worrying about lap times at this early stage. I am satisfied because I am working well with the team and everybody is putting in a lot of effort. Over the next two days we will work on general set-up and the electronics but I am already feeling positive because we are not too far off the fastest times and we haven’t started pushing yet.”

The Italian team had good news to report off the track too with the announcement of a technical collaboration with Showa, a revival of a previously successful partnership. The Japanese company will provide technical support to Gresini’s MotoGP, Moto2 and Moto3 squads and team owner Fausto Gresini has welcomed the news.

“To link up again with an important technical partner like Showa is a source of pride and great satisfaction for Team San Carlo Honda Gresini. We have enjoyed significant success together in the past and we hope to recreate that winning feeling again with this new deal. The technical support of a partner such as Showa is fundamental in MotoGP but especially so with additional projects such as CRT, Moto 2 and Moto3. We are sure that we can create a positive technical synergy with Showa that translates into top results on the track.”

Jorge Lorenzo - Photo Credit: MotoGP.com

Jorge Lorenzo set the pace on Tuesday in Malaysia as the MotoGP teams kicked off the first official test of 2012. At such an early stage, it’s dangerous to read too much into the quickest times but the Spaniard will surely have been encouraged to be within two tenths of last year’s pole position time on his 1000cc Yamaha.

Dani Pedrosa was the nearest competition in second for Repsol Honda while two more YZR-M1s completed the top four in the shape of Tech 3’s Cal Crutchlow and Ben Spies on the second factory bike.

Ducati fans will have been nervously waiting to see where Valentino Rossi placed on the opening day and the initial signs were positive. This time last year, the Italian was the thick end of two seconds away from the pacesetters but the gap was only 0.735s this time, and his 2:02.392 was faster than he went at any stage at this track during October’s GP weekend.

Hector Barbera took his Pramac Racing GP12 to seventh place, just behind Andrea Dovizioso while Alvaro Bautista ended up ninth after his first day on the Honda RC213V. The fit-again Nicky Hayden was tenth quickest ahead of Moto2 champion Stefan Bradl and Cardion Ducati’s Karel Abraham but Casey Stoner was only 14^th after an injured muscle whilst warming up restricted him to four laps.

Unsurprisingly, the three ‘CRT’ runners brought up the rear as they continued preparations for their debut MotoGP seasons. Forward Racing were the quickest thanks to Colin Edwards, albeit six seconds down on Lorenzo, while Jordi Torres and Ivan Silva were even further back on Avintia Racing’s BQR-FTR machine.

MotoGP Testing – Malaysia (Day One Result)

Dani Pedrosa - Photo Credit: Repsol Honda

Dani Pedrosa is preparing himself for a voyage of discovery when the first official MotoGP test of 2012 gets underway in Malaysia on Tuesday. The Repsol Honda team launched the 1000cc RC213V in Kuala Lumpur today and have set their sights on retaining the rider’s, constructor’s and manufacturer’s titles they clinched last year.

With the engine capacity changing for 2012, Pedrosa expects the first test to be a learning experience as the team gets to grips with the new spec of motorcycle.

“It’s nice to be back with the team for the first Sepang test. I’m really excited to get on the bike again after the test we did in Valencia in November. Sepang is a good track for testing and we have still many things to discover out about the new bike. It’s been a long time since we were last riding and at the first test it’s always important to get the feeling back, the first sensations.”

“We will have three long days here to work with the team and HRC and it’s necessary to be very focused in order to get good information to move forward for the second test. I guess the main target in this test will be to know the bike and the new Bridgestone tyres”.

Casey Stoner - Photo Credit: Repsol Honda

Casey Stoner is fully expecting his chief rivals to be back to their best in the coming season after he waltzed to the 2011 MotoGP World Championship. The Australian took the title by 90 points as Yamaha and particularly Ducati struggled in the final year of the 800cc bikes.

But it’s all change for 2012 with the introduction of 1000cc machines and speaking at the launch of the Honda RC213V, the World Champion doesn’t expect to have it all his own way this time around.

“We know there will be a lot of serious competition out there, Ducati have been putting a lot of effort in as have Yamaha so it will be interesting to get out on track and see what everyone’s got. However, it’s early days and I think we’ll have to wait until the race in Qatar before we really know our competitors true pace and the package they have for 2012, but we’re ready for it.”

2012 also promises to be a special year off the track for Stoner with wife Adriana expected to give birth to their first child in the coming weeks.

“The off season has been really good, we got to go back home and spend some time with family and friends in Australia over Christmas which was great”, he said. “Then we came back to Switzerland to get everything in order for the baby’s arrival, Adriana’s due in just a few weeks and so we’ve been preparing, as best possible! After such a strong season in 2011, we remain focused and don’t expect to be in top form immediately. I am sure Honda have done a fantastic job with the new 1000cc machine over the winter break and I’m really looking forward to getting back on the bike and seeing what we can do, hoping to start strong again.”

The launch of the Repsol Honda RC213V - Photo Credit: Repsol Honda

Honda Racing Corporation’s Executive Vice President Shuhei Nakamoto has promised that his team will not be taking their feet off the gas as they prepare to defend their MotoGP World Championships. The Japanese outfit claimed the manufacturer’s crown with Casey Stoner and the Repsol Honda team clinching the Rider’s and Constructor’s crowns respectively.

And speaking at the launch of the 1000cc RC213V, Nakamoto has stressed that nothing less will be seen as satisfactory in 2012.

“We start this new 2012 season with a clear target: to work stronger than ever to defend our MotoGP World titles in this new 1000cc category. We finished the 800cc era winning the triple crown and we will fight to win this again in 2012. We fully trust in our riders Casey Stoner and Dani Pedrosa to deliver this big challenge and we will give them all our technical and human support. The RC213V is an evolution of the last version of the RC212V based on the same concept. The machines we have brought here to Sepang are basically the same machines we tested in Valencia back in November with only a few differences. In fact, Casey and Dani will have one machine the same as Valencia, and the other one with a slightly different chassis, based on their own requests.”

This week, the MotoGP fraternity are testing at Sepang in Malaysia, the first time they’ve visited the circuit since Marco Simoncelli’s tragic death there in October. Nakamoto has spoken of the emotional tribute the team paid upon arrival.

“This is the first time back to Sepang since we lost Marco Simoncelli last October, on Sunday we visited the scene of his accident and laid some flowers and said a final ‘Ciao’ to him. I believe by starting this season strong will be a fitting tribute to Marco”.

Guy Martin - Photo Credit: Isle of Man TT

Guy Martin will go in search of his first Isle of Man TT victory with Tyco Suzuki after committing for a second successive campaign with the TAS squad. The popular Lincolnshire man claimed four podium finishes at last year’s event and will join Conor Cummins on a pair of GSX-R Suzukis.

Martin will also race in the North West 200 and Ulster Grand Prix and feels the team has everything in place to challenge for victories.

“It’s taken a while, but it was always on the cards. I’m happy to be back with the team for a second year and I love the new Tyco Suzuki colours. Great job. I couldn’t knock last year to be honest; the only thing we didn’t do was win a TT, but hopefully we’ll put that right in June. That’s the box we want to tick. The North West and Ulster are great events but it’s a TT win I really want. The team is good enough, the bikes are good enough and I believe the rider is good enough, so it’s time to go out and bloody win one.”

Tyco Suzuki team manager Philip Neill is delighted to have completed the signing of the 30 year old and feels comfortable that his rider line-up has what it takes to be successful on the roads this year.

I think we both knew that it was going to happen. We made a verbal agreement to each other last August at the Ulster Grand Prix, but all the speculation has brought great publicity for our sponsors, the team and Suzuki, which is great. But I suppose when Guy gets out of bed these days he gets media coverage.”

“He’s a hard man to pin down with such a busy schedule, but Guy proved last year that he has all the ingredients required to go all out for that TT win in June. It’s eluded him so far, but we’ll go all out together to make it happen.”

“He’s not just the most popular rider in the UK these days, but also very popular outside the sport, which is good for motorcycling in general. Everyone at TAS, Suzuki, Tyco and existing sponsors like Ian Glen from Beacon are delighted to see him stay for a second year. And with Conor on-board and now Guy I think we have strong team looking ahead to the three international meetings.”

Paul Phillips, TT and Motorsport Manager with the Isle of Man Government, expects Tyco Suzuki to be one of the most popular squads at this year’s event.

“It’s always exciting for the fans, and the organisers, to see strong riders sign up for the leading teams and the Tyco Suzuki outfit will attract huge interest with both of their riders. Although neither has yet won a TT Race they both have gone very close and with a bit of luck either could already have stood on the top step on the TT podium. They’ll both have plenty of support at this year’s event and will definitely be one of the teams to beat.”

Only one race went ahead in last year's event, won by Alastair Seeley - Photo Credit: North West 200

Jeremy McWilliams will race in this year’s Relentless International North West 200 after signing a deal with Ryan Farquhar’s KMR Kawasaki squad. The 47 year old started 177 Grands Prix during his career and took a victory in the 250cc class along the way.

And now, the Northern Irishman will head to Coleraine for the road racing spectacular in May, where he’ll compete in the Supertwin race, and admits he will be fulfilling a lifelong ambition.

“The North West 200 is renowned in the world of motor sport, I’ve been attending it as a fan since I was a teenager and I’m really looking forward to experiencing it at first hand. The North West 200 has a unique atmosphere and exceptional racing. I’m hoping that I can be a competitive newcomer, I’ve some great competition just from my team mates! It would be a fairytale to win the new Supertwin race but I have to be realistic. I’m really happy with my bike and it’s been great to work with Ryan Farquhar who is no stranger to winning at the North West 200.”

Team Owner Ryan Farquhar believes the signing of McWilliams gives him the perfect team to challenge for victory this year.

“Having Jeremy make his North West 200 debut on one of my bikes is a fairytale for me. I’ve been involved in the Supertwin class from ‘day one’ and promoted it as best I can. It’s a perfect bike for both newcomers and experienced riders and I don’t think I could have a better team with Jeremy and newcomer Jamie Hamilton.”

Farquhar admits that McWilliams wasn’t his initial choice but an injury to one of his riders forced him to make alternative arrangements.

“The whole idea came about when I was invited to an international road racing event at Philip Island (Australia) last February. Lee Gourley was meant to be my team mate but was injured so I asked Jeremy to step in. He agreed, we had a great time and got on really well. It was in Australia when I first said to Jeremy about riding on one of my Supertwins and he was willing. The rest, as they say, is history! Jeremy then rode at the Sunflower and finished first and third and was keen to do it again. Thankfully, I secured sponsors which has made our North West 200 dream a reality. We’re really looking forward to it.”

North West 200 technical director Mervyn Whyte MBE is thrilled with the news and expects one of the strongest fields in the event’s history.

“Jeremy McWilliams is nothing short of a living legend in motorsport and no doubt our fans will be excited at the prospect of watching him race at the Relentless International North West 200. The Supertwin class is a new race for the North West 200 this year and we are pleased to be introducing it with such a high calibre line-up.”

Tati Mercado

Team Pedercini has announced they have decided that Spaniard David Salom and Argentinean Leandro “Tati” Mercado will lead their line up in the World Superbike Championship for 2012.

Both riders will be taking part in the next test at the Philip Island Circuit in Australia from February 13th-15th and also the official test on the 20th and 21st, a week before the opening race of the season which will be held on the same track.

David Salom was born on the 16th October 1984 in Palma de Mallorca, Spain. His first major achievement was winning the Spanish Supersport Championship in 2006 and between 2007 and 2009 he competed in the World Supersport Championship. David joined the Pedercini team in 2009 and made his debut in the Superbike class. In 2010 David returned to the Supersport class and finished a very impressive 2nd onboard his Kawasaki.

Tati Mercado was born on the 15th February 1992 in Jesus Maria, Cordoba, Argentina. He won the AMA Supersport Championship in 2009 and the following year competed in the Superstock 600cc European Championship. In 2011 Tati joined up with the Pedercini team and competed in the Superstock 1000cc FIM Cup and Stock 1000cc Italian Championship.

The entire team is said to be delighted to see the return of both riders for the 2012 campaign. Salom and Mercado are already familiar with all the teams’ technical staff; this will surely help both riders and the team as they prepare for the upcoming season which opens in Australia in only a few weeks.

Donato Pedercini: “I’m extremely satisfied with the agreement reached with David Salom and Tati Mercado and I’m very happy to have the possibility to work with them again during the 2012 World Superbike championship. I know both of them very well and I appreciated their riding qualities and determination. Mercado is young and talented. He’s full of enthusiasm and has a real passion for racing. I think he’ll be the youngest Superbike rider this year and we will do our best to help him to adapt to our Kawasaki Superbike. Salom is still young but already has some experience. He’s strongly motivated and is on our wavelength in terms of projects and targets. We are now working hard to be ready for the first test in Phillip Island and also for the first races of the season. We are expecting a very busy season but one full of great professional satisfaction.”

David Salom: “I’m very happy to say that I will join the Pedercini Team for the 2012 World Superbike Championship. I know all the Pedercini team and they are professional, enthusiastic and ambitious. I want to thank the Pedercini family as they are giving me the opportunity to compete once again in the World Superbike category. I’m really looking forward to this new adventure, as staying on a Kawasaki motorcycle was very important to me. I know that, compared with 2009, the bike is now more competitive and the team also has more experience so I can’t wait to get started!”

Leandro “Tati” Mercado: “I am really happy to have made this choice and proud to be competing with Team Pedercini in World Superbike. Right from the start of my career, I always considered Superbike to be the premier class and my main goal. I am honoured to remain a part of this fantastic group of people and to be joining them as part of an ambitious project. I’m also very happy to have David Salom as a teammate. I know he’s an expert rider and I’m sure he’ll help me as I start this new adventure in such a difficult World Championship. I’ll do my best to pay back the faith Pedercini family have shown in me with some good results and technical development.”

Jonathan Rea in action at Philip Island

Honda’s World Superbike team of Jonathan Rea and his new team-mate for this season Hiroshi Aoyama started their preparations for the 2012 season by taking part in a three day test at the Philip Island race circuit in Australia this week.

The team ran the new 2012 SBK specification Honda CBR1000 Fireblade for the first time from the release of the 20th Anniversary version of the legendary machine which was launched in September last year.

The team will start the year with an added boost that, following a year as title sponsor, Castrol will remain as one of the key secondary sponsors until the end of the 2013 season.

The world famous lubricants manufacturer sponsored Honda’s World Superbike team as part of a global marketing campaign to re-launch its Power 1 brand in 2011. The continued support of the company extends a commercial and technical partnership between Castrol and Honda which dates back the whole way to 1959 when the Japanese manufacturer first started racing on the world stage.

Robert Watherston, the motorcycle racing manager at Honda Motor Europe said: “We’re delighted that Castrol has decided to continue its long-standing association with Honda and, in particular, our World Superbike campaign. We are especially pleased to have signed a two-year agreement, which takes us to the end of the 2013 season.”

Donald Smith, the sponsorship manager in Castrol’s Global Marketing Unit commented: “We are pleased to confirm the continuation of our long-standing relationship and support of Honda and motorcycle racing. World Superbikes is the ideal proving ground for the development of our advanced range of Castrol Power 1 lubricants and we look forward to the future of our continued relationship with Honda.”

Paul Denning

With only a few weeks until the start of the 2012 World Superbike season this would be a perfect time to catch up with Paul Denning, the team principle of Crescent-Yoshimura Suzuki World Superbike Team talks about the season ahead.

What are your feelings about the upcoming World Superbike Season, and the level of competition in the field?
Paul Denning: “The series looks very interesting for 2012 and even with Yamaha’s withdrawal, the level of manufacturer representation is very positive- Suzuki, Honda, Kawasaki, Ducati, BMW and Aprilia all have strong teams, whether “factory” or privately operated and all have very fast riders. The combination of the Pirelli tyres and Superbike specification machine is an “easier” package to access the limits of performance compared to the MotoGP bikes and therefore more riders can battle for the top positions. I say that with complete respect to all the riders in SBK, who fight like animals to win, but the Superbike specification bikes generally permit closer racing and different riders going for the podium week-to-week which is great for the fans. In Superbike, the rider can still make the difference. That said- the highest quality riders, bikes and teams are the ones who always end up battling for the title and we hope to be amongst them!”

How much difference is there in your Suzuki GSX-R from the British Superbike Series compared to the WSBK spec machinery?
Paul Denning: “The 2012 GSX-R will look pretty much the same but very few components will be shared – the whole bike has been seriously updated. Yoshimura is working very hard on the motor and we are sharing a lot of development ideas together; the suspension and brakes are all new, the Motec electronics package is updated and every single detail on the GSX-R is being carefully considered. The Suzuki is a great all-round package- we have to make sure we allow the riders to use 100% of the bike’s abilities by refining the GSX-R to be as good as it can be.”

Who do you believe are your main competitors for 2012?
Paul Denning: “It’s a much shorter list to say who won’t be! There are so many strong riders and teams and it’s up to us to maximise our potential and do our best, not to second-guess who else will be quick because they all are! As Crescent Suzuki, we are the new guys in SBK and we are entering with a “quiet” attitude; we have to respect all the top teams and riders and focus on our own performance.”

Will John Hopkins be fit and ready for the first race of the season?
Paul Denning: “I guess the finger will never be perfect but it’s good enough to race a motorcycle! John went through a lot last year- it was a minor injury that turned into a real nightmare. He’s just started properly training now- after a horrible month of extremely strong antibiotics- but his base fitness levels are good enough that he’ll bounce back quickly. I have no concerns- I do expect his fitness level to improve race by race- but it will be tough to be at a genuine 100% for Philip Island.”

Leon is a new member of your team, but has experience in the WSBK series, how do you feel he will adapt to the GSX-R 1000?
Paul Denning: “He’ll adapt easily. The bike fits him well, he likes the basic chassis feel and he knows and trusts the team. We had a tough test in Portimao but Leon still wasn’t far off at the end; he’ll be right at the sharp end of the fight I’m sure.”

This year will be your rookie year in the WSBK series, but do you believe you can challenge for podium places?
Paul Denning: “A simple straightforward question deserves a similar answer- Yes!!”

2012 WORLD SUPERBIKE RACE DATES:

1. 26th February- Australia- Phillip Island
2. 4th March- TBA- TBA
3. 1st April- Europe- TBA
4. 22nd April- Netherlands- Assen
5. 6th May- Italy- Monza
6. 13th May- Europe- Donington
7. 28th May- USA- Miller Motorsports Park
8. 10th June- San Marino- Misano
9. 1st July- Spain- Motorland Aragon
10. 22nd July- Czech Republic- Brno
11. 5th August- United Kingdom- Silverstone
12. 26th August- Russia- Moscow International Raceway
13. 9th September- Germany- Nurburgring
14. 7th October- France- Magny Cours
15. 21st October- Portugal- Portimao

Conor Cummins - Photo Credit: Suzuki Racing

Tyco Suzuki have confirmed Conor Cummins as the first signing for their 2012 road racing squad. The TAS Racing team will have a full programme in 2012 with Cummins set to compete in the North West 200, Ulster Grand Prix and his home event, the Isle of Man TT.

After a horrendous crash on the mountain course two years ago, Cummins feels he is starting to return to full fitness and is relishing the prospect of riding for such an experienced team.

“This is the ride I’ve been wanting for three or four years. I’m thrilled to have been given the chance to now ride for a factory-supported team in Tyco Suzuki and to be working with the boys at TAS Racing. I’ve been training hard with gym sessions and out on the pushbike and mountain bike over the winter, so I’m relishing the thought of getting aboard the team’s GSX-R1000 Superbike in testing. I’d say I’m not far off being as fit as I ever was and having been over to the workshop to meet the boys in Northern Ireland and have a look at my bikes – April can’t come quick enough to get racing!”

Team Manager Philip Neill is delighted to have completed the signing and sees him as the ideal rider for his road racing outfit.

“After months of speculation and negotiations it’s great to finally welcome Conor Cummins to our team for the 2012 international road racing season. It’s fair to say there has been a little bit of pressure to return to a two-rider team on the roads – so once we’d reached that decision, Conor really was the obvious choice. As a person I’ve always been hugely impressed with Conor and his riding skills were evident to all after those blistering lap speeds at the 2010 TT.

“However, probably more impressive is the determination he has shown in his comeback from injury, and for me, that was more than enough to justify a factory-supported ride with us here at Tyco Suzuki. I’ll be looking forward to working with Conor both on and off the track this season, as he has the attitude and personality I was really looking for in a rider.”

Team Owner Hector Neill already has his eyes on the 2012 Isle of Man TT races and hopes the GSX-R1000 can power Cummins to home glory.

“It’s no secret the Isle of Man TT is the highlight of the racing season for me, and with that in mind, it was important to have a two-rider line-up. It’s also widely known that my number one desire in racing is to again win the Senior TT trophy. So what better way than to win it with a Manxman on board.”

The Young Riders Fund

Up and coming riders Josh Elliott and Niall Campbell will be supported by the Young Riders Fund for a second year in succession after a vote among the fund’s supporters and friends. The teenage pair benefitted from the collaboration last year and 64% of voters chose to extend the partnership.

The Young Riders Fund is run by volunteers with a passion for motorcycle racing and with donations from supporters and sponsors, they provide financial assistance to riders starting their careers.

18 year old Campbell, from Lanarkshire, will stay with the Grant Racing team in the National Superstock 600 Championship and has praised the YRF for giving him the confidence to compete at such a young age.

“I’ve had a great experience previously with the YRF and I’m looking forward to continuing to receive their backing,” he said. “The fund’s support has really helped motivate me and has given me extra confidence. I’m very excited about the 2012 season and hope to share some great moments with the YRF and its supporters.”

Elliott, 17, has joined Pr1mo Bournemouth Kawasaki for the upcoming National Superstock 1000 season and the Northern Irish youngster is looking to repay the YRF for their support.

“I’m delighted to be a part of the young riders fund again for 2012. Everyone involved is very supportive and they are great bunch of people. I’m looking forward to meeting a lot more of them this year at BSB. I will be working extremely hard to achieve my goals and fly the flag for the YRF this season.”

Both riders will get their 2012 campaigns underway at Brands Hatch on Easter weekend.

John Hopkins - Photo Credit: Suzuki Racing

John Hopkins has undergone surgery in California to have the middle finger on his right hand amputated. The American has suffered numerous complications since injuring the finger at the Czech Republic MotoGP at Brno last August and his consultant decided this was the best option.

“I went to see my doctor for a progress report and the news was not great”, he commented. “It’s never good news when you have to lose a body part, but this was the best scenario all round because otherwise the situation could’ve dragged on for some time, with not necessarily a better result in the end.”

Hopkins has been preparing for a World Superbike campaign with Crescent Suzuki and doesn’t expect the surgery to adversely affect his preparations.

“Apart from the actual pain of the surgery, I must say that it’s feeling better already. I now have about 10 days when I cannot do any physio, but then I can start again. This is a bit of a setback, but really not too bad because I have been training and getting fit for some time now, so my base level is very good. I’ll be able to train fully again soon and be able to get on a bike in three weeks, so I’m sure I’ll be ok for our first tests in Australia.”

“I know the bike well and I’ve raced at Phillip Island before, so at least I will not be starting from scratch. Our GSX-R1000 has a very good base setting and I am confident that we’re not going to be struggling at the start. The level of competition is tough for sure, but I think we’re going to be competitive right from the start.”

The MotoGP race gets underway at Misano - Photo Credit: MotoGP.com

Grid numbers in MotoGP will be at a four year high in 2012 after the FIM’s provisional entry list revealed 21 riders for the upcoming season. Not since 2007 have this many riders entered the opening race and the boost in competitors is largely down to the introduction of Claiming Rules Teams.

Nine of the bikes will be running to CRT regulations, with a number of teams entering the premier class for the first time. BQR, running under the Avintia Racing banner, will have two FTR-Kawasakis for Ivan Silva and Moto2 graduate Yonny Hernandez while Ioda Racing Project will run Danilo Petrucci with their own chassis powered by an Aprilia RSV4 engine. Speed Master, another outfit with a proven track record in the support series, will also have Aprilia power supporting Anthony West. Moto2 squad Forward Racing were one of the first to announce a CRT plan and will have the best possible rider for the new adventure in the ultra-experienced Colin Edwards.

The CRT project has also given British fans an extra name to cheer with Paul Bird Motorsport joining the Grand Prix fraternity. Their rider is no stranger to the paddock although James Ellison will have his work cut out after five years away.

Existing teams have also gone the CRT route with Aspar joining forces with Aprilia to provide two bikes for Randy de Puniet and Aleix Espargaro while Gresini will field Michele Pirro on an FTR-Honda.

Gresini will also have a 1000cc challenger with Alvaro Bautista entrusted with the Honda RC213V originally assigned to Marco Simoncelli prior to his tragic death but the title fight looks set to be between the big three manufacturers and their works outfits.

The entry list confirmed that Casey Stoner will wear the number one plate on his Repsol Honda and will just have one teammate this time in Dani Pedrosa. Yamaha retain Jorge Lorenzo and Ben Spies while the under-pressure Ducati team will be expected to provide Valentino Rossi and Nicky Hayden with better machinery this time.

The satellite teams see some rider changes with Andrea Dovizioso joining Cal Crutchlow at Tech 3 Yamaha, Hector Barbera staying on a Ducati although this time in Pramac colours, and Moto2 champion Stefan Bradl replacing his predecessor at LCR Honda. Karel Abraham completes the line-up on the fourth GP12 Ducati.

The season starts in Qatar at the Losail International Circuit on April 8th.

MotoGP 2012 – Provisional Entry List

No.	Rider	Motorcycle	Team
1	Casey Stoner	Honda	Honda Team
4	Andrea Dovizioso	Yamaha	Yamaha Tech 3
5	Colin Edwards	ART*	Forward Racing
6	Stefan Bradl	Honda	LCR Honda MotoGP
8	Hector Barbera	Ducati	Pramac Racing Team
9	Danilo Petrucci	Ioda*	Ioda Racing Project
11	Ben Spies	Yamaha	Yamaha Factory Racing
13	Anthony West	ART*	Speed Master
14	Randy de Puniet	ART*	Aspar Team MotoGP
17	Karel Abraham	Ducati	Cardion AB Motoracing
19	Alvaro Bautista	Honda	Honda Gresini
20	Aleix Espargaro	ART*	Aspar Team MotoGP
22	Ivan Silva	BQR-FTR*	Avintia Racing
26	Dani Pedrosa	Honda	Honda Team
35	Cal Crutchlow	Yamaha	Yamaha Tech 3
46	Valentino Rossi	Ducati	Ducati Team
51	Michele Pirro	FTR*	Honda Gresini
68	Yonny Hernandez	BQR-FTR*	Avintia Racing
69	Nicky Hayden	Ducati	Ducati Team
77	James Ellison	ART*	Paul Bird Racing
99	Jorge Lorenzo	Yamaha	Yamaha Factory Racing
*CRT (Claiming Rules Entrant)

Rea (centre) after winning the World Supersport race at Brno last year (Photo Credit: WSBK)

Britain will have three riders on the grid in Moto2 next year after the news that Gino Rea will ride for Gresini Racing in 2012. The Londoner tested for the Italian team in November and will make his debut in the intermediate class after being named on the FIM entry list today.

While Rea gets to grips with Grand Prix racing, Bradley Smith and Scott Redding will have their eyes on the top step of the podium. Redding’s Marc VDS team have swapped the Suter chassis for the Kalex which won the championship last year and the 19 year old will hope it leads to an upturn in fortunes after a tough season in 2011.

Meanwhile, Smith impressed in his rookie year which included a superb mid-season run of three consecutive podium finishes. His place on the 2013 MotoGP grid is already secured but this year, the Oxford youngster stays with Tech 3’s Moto2 squad and will look to start winning races.

Looking at the entry list, Marc Marquez has to go down as favourite given Stefan Bradl’s graduation to MotoGP. The Spaniard has the powerful support of Monlau Competicion and Suter and will be the man to beat, assuming he’s fully fit.

His greatest threat may also come from a Suter rider with 2010 champion Toni Elias making his return to the series with Aspar. Despite a nightmare year in the premier class, the 28 year old is a proven force at this level. The same can be said for Andrea Iannone and Alex De Angelis, who were third and fourth last year, but both have changed bikes for 2012. The Italian has reverted back to FTR after a year with Suter while De Angelis has gone the other way, joining the Suter-backed Forward Racing team after riding the Motobi last year.

As ever, the Moto2 grid is spiced up by newcomers from the 125cc class and many will be watching reigning champion Nicolas Terol who joins Elias at Aspar. Johann Zarco, his title rival from 2011, maybe a thorn in his side again after taking up the vacant seat at JIR. His teammate will be Eric Granado but not immediately as the Brazilian is still five months short of the minimum age of 16 and will not be allowed to race until Silverstone.

Another name that stands out from the 32-rider field is Elena Rosell who will get a full season after couple of wildcard appearances last year. She will partner Ricard Cardus at the QMMF Racing Team.

Moto2 2012 – Provisional Entry List

No.	Rider	Constructor	Team
3	Simone Corsi	FTR	Ioda Racing Project
4	Randy Krummenacher	Suter	GP Team Switzerland
5	Johann Zarco	Motobi	JIR Moto2
7	Alexander Lundh	MZ-RE Honda	MZ Racing Team
8	Gino Rea	Moriwaki	Gresini Racing Moto2
9	Kenny Noyes	TBA	Arguiñano Racing Team
12	Thomas Luthi	Suter	Interwetten-Paddock Moto2
14	Ratthapark Wilairot	Moriwaki	Gresini Racing Moto2
15	Alex De Angelis	Suter	Forward Racing
18	Nicolas Terol	Suter	Aspar Team Moto2
19	Xavier Simeon	Tech 3	Tech 3 Racing
24	Toni Elias	Suter	Aspar Team Moto2
29	Andrea Iannone	FTR	Speed Master
30	Takaaki Nakagami	Kalex	Italtrans Racing Team
36	Mika Kallio	Kalex	Marc VDS Racing Team
38	Bradley Smith	Tech 3	Tech 3 Racing
40	Pol Espargaro	Pons Kalex	Pons Racing
44	Roberto Rolfo	Suter	Technomag-CIP
45	Scott Redding	Kalex	Marc VDS Racing Team
47	Angel Rodriguez	FTR	SAG Team
49	Axel Pons	Pons Kalex	Pons Racing
57	Eric Granado	Motobi	JIR Moto2
60	Julian Simon	FTR	Avintia Racing
63	Mike Di Meglio	FTR	Speed Up
71	Claudio Corti	Kalex	Italtrans Racing Team
72	Yuki Takahashi	Suter	Forward Racing
73	Max Neukirchner	Kalex	Kiefer Racing
77	Dominique Aegerter	Suter	Technomag-CIP
80	Esteve Rabat	Pons Kalex	Pons Racing
82	Elena Rosell	Moriwaki	QMMF Racing Team
88	Ricard Cardus	Moriwaki	QMMF Racing Team
93	Marc Marquez	Suter	Monlau Competicion
n/a	TBA	FTR	SAG Team

Alan Techer tests his Moto3 machine at Valencia - Photo Credit: MotoGP.com

The Moto3 class will have a strong field of competitors for its inaugural season after the FIM published a 32-man entry list on Friday. The 250cc four-stroke category replaces the old 125cc class and despite 2011 champion Nicolas Terol’s move up to Moto2, there are plenty of big names with their sights set on Moto3 glory.

Four Grand Prix winners are among the list with Hector Faubel the most successful, boasting eight victories while German duo Jonas Folger and Sandro Cortese also have GP wins to their name. Folger will be the sole entrant for German manufacturer MZ while Cortese will have the hopes of the returning KTM on his shoulders. The 22 year old will also face pressure from within as Danny Kent gets his chance on a factory-spec motorcycle with the Red Bull KTM Ajo team.

Avintia Racing’s Maverick Vinales is likely to start as favourite after a stunning rookie season last year. The BQR squad will run an FTR chassis with Honda power as they look to power the 17 year old to the title. The Spaniard will be joined on the 2012 grid by his older cousin Isaac Vinales while Miguel Oliveira will look to renew their rivalry after signing for Monlau Competicion.  Alex Rins, the man who succeeded Maverick as Spanish champion, will make his Grand Prix debut alongside him.

Danny Webb is back as Mahindra gear up for their second season at World Championship level but there is no place for Harry Stafford who impressed last year, not yet anyway, meaning just the two British riders appear on the current entry list.

In total, five rookies will line up on the grid with six others starting their first full seasons, ensuring the new junior class will retain its status as the proving ground for future Grand Prix stars.

Moto3 2012 – Provisional Entry List

No.	Rider	Motorcycle	Team
3	Luigi Morciano	Ioda	Ioda Racing Project
5	Romano Fenati	Ioda	Team Italia FMI
7	Efren Vazquez	Honda	Team Laglisse
8	Jack Miller	Honda	Techno Racing
9	Toni Finsterbusch	Honda	Racing Team Germany
10	Alexis Masbou	Honda	Techno Racing
11	Sandro Cortese	KTM	Red Bull KTM Ajo
14	Brad Binder	Kalex KTM	RW Racing GP
19	Alessandro Tonucci	Ioda	Team Italia FMI
23	Alberto Moncayo	Kalex KTM	Aspar Team
25	Maverick Viñales	FTR Honda	Avintia Racing
26	Adrian Martin	Honda	Team Laglisse
27	Niccolo Antonelli	Honda	Gresini Racing Moto3
30	Giulian Pedone	Oral	Phonica Racing
31	Niklas Ajo	KTM	TT Motion Events Racing
32	Isaac Viñales	Honda	Ongetta-Centro Seta
39	Luis Salom	Kalex KTM	RW Racing GP
42	Alex Rins	Honda	Monlau Competicion
44	Miguel Oliveira	Honda	Monlau Competicion
51	Kenta Fujii	Honda	Technomag-CIP
52	Danny Kent	KTM	Red Bull KTM Ajo
53	Jasper Iwema	FGR Honda	Moto FGR
55	Hector Faubel	Kalex KTM	Aspar Team
61	Arthur Sissis	KTM	Red Bull KTM Ajo
63	Zulfahmi Khairuddin	KTM	AirAsia-Sic-Ajo
77	Marcel Schrotter	Mahindra	Mahindra Racing
84	Jakub Kornfeil	Honda	Redox-Ongetta-Centro Seta
89	Alan Techer	Honda	Technomag-CIP
94	Jonas Folger	MZ	MZ Racing Team
95	Miroslav Popov	Oral	Phonica Racing
96	Louis Rossi	Honda	Racing Team Gery
99	Danny Webb	Mahindra	Mahindra Racing

Shane 'Shakey' Byrne - Photo Credit: Honda Racing

Shane ‘Shakey’ Byrne had a miraculous escape after being involved in a multi-car accident on Monday before being hit head-on by a vehicle moments later. The Londoner was driving his Mercedes Vito when he was involved in the pile-up and when he climbed out of the damaged vehicle, he was struck head-on.

Byrne’s injuries were somehow limited to a sore ankle and was his usual cheerful self when he broke the news on his Twitter page.

“Bad day… Was in a multi car pile up early am, survived that in the pitch black, got out of my van, then got knocked down by another car!! Wish I could say I was joking, fortunately wife and children ok, suspected broken ankle turned out to be ok #callmelucky. 70mph head on smash, knocked down by another car after the crash and a sore ankle… Somebody was looking out for me!!!”

Two days later, Byrne offered an update on his condition and again, seemed in good spirits despite his near-miss, tweeting “Just out of local hospital, my shoe got ripped off in the accident & 1 of the cut/grazes is pretty raw, toes look like small sausages ha ha.”

Despite the injury, Byrne has assured everyone that he will be fully fit for the start of the 2012 British Superbike Championship in April when he will compete with Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki.

Jorge Lorenzo - Photo Credit: Yamaha

Jorge Lorenzo got his first taste of the new Buddh International Circuit on Wednesday, a possible venue for the MotoGP World Championship in the future. The Yamaha team leader took time out from meeting fans and media at the Auto Expo to visit the new facility, completing a lap on board a Yamaha R15.

The track, owned by the Jaypee Group, played host to its first Formula One Grand Prix last year and after sampling it for himself, Lorenzo thinks it would be a welcome addition to the MotoGP calendar.

“It’s been great to visit the Buddh circuit today. The track is very modern and wide. I think it is quite prepared and ready to be on the calendar. I believe it will be exciting to ride with many overtaking opportunities. The Indian people I have met have been very kind and gentle, I would like to see more of India in the future with more time; we didn’t get to see so much in just two days here. Now I’m very excited to go to Jakarta to see all my Indonesian fans there.”

Lorenzo will be joined in Jakarta by teammate Ben Spies this weekend and the pair will be eagerly anticipating the first test of 2012 in Malaysia on January 31^st.

Luke Quigley - Photo Credit: Motorsport Vision

BSB newcomers GBmoto have signed Luke Quigley to complete their rider line-up for the 2012 MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship. The 32 year old moves up from the National Superstock 1000 class after a strong 2011 season which saw him win what turned out to be the final race of the season, finishing third overall.

Quigley will race in BSB for the first time since 2008 and expects the 2012-spec Honda Fireblade to be a competitive package under the new regulations.

“You get nervous preparing to race but this winter has brought a different kind of pressure with interest from different teams. When Mark came with an offer to ride in BSB, well, it’s where I want to be. Every rider wants the best bike, in the best team, in the best possible championship, against the best riders. It’s been awesome really running my own team. It’s good experience doing things yourself, but Mark (Smith-Halvorsen – Team Principal) has given me the opportunity to concentrate more on my racing. I think the series will be even more competitive. Hopefully there will be a good mix of riders up front and I think the Honda will be a great bike to be on. I’m looking forward to the opportunity. Mark’s (going all out to prove a point. He doesn’t just want to be another team in the paddock. He wants to be right up there and, being in a competitive team that wants to win, helps a rider’s confidence.”

Team Manager Terry Liquorish expects Quigley and teammate Tristan Palmer to spring a surprise in what promises to be a fascinating season.

“We signed Luke because we really believe he will fit into our team well – and have watched first hand just how well he can race this year. Whilst there is more power and less weight in Superbike which alters the technique required, we will be making sure he adjusts well to the extra grip, stopping power and balance that will be dialled into our Hondas. The rule changes will suit both our riders, who can start the season without any external pressure or heightened expectation – a little like we did last year. We don’t plan to be any less competitive this season. We are not getting carried away with the task ahead of us, but neither are we at a loss as to how to progress and develop things systematically. Luke has added another reason for the team to feel happy and confident as we go about the job of preparing for the premier class.”

The new season gets underway on April 9th at the Brands Hatch Indy circuit.

Nine winners of 2011, and tributes to two who lost their lives aiming to join them

The twelve months of 2011 have been twelve months of contrasts, a twelve months packed with the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. Now, having looked back over the previous year the writers of The Checkered Flag look forward at what the 2012 racing season could bring with new driver line-ups and regulations.

Peter Allen

Intra-team battles ad Force India and Toro Rosso
The two midfield F1 squads have gone with potential over experience for their 2012 driver lineups. The stakes are potentially very high for the drivers at both teams, with Paul di Resta and Nico Hulkenberg eyeing any seat that becomes available at Mercedes, while Daniel Ricciardo and Jean-Eric Vergne will fight it out to become Mark Webber’s replacement at Red Bull. All four are highly-rated, and it will be fascinating to see what happens at both teams.

Toro Rosso teammates and F1 new boys Daniel Ricciardo and Jean-Eric Vergne - one battle to watch in 2012

David Bean

Someone to match Vettel?
Sticking to F1, most fans will be looking for the emergence of a challenger to Sebastian Vettel and Red Bull. Will one of the McLaren pairing, or even Fernando Alonso at Ferrari, be able to stop next season becoming as one-sided as it was in 2011? It will also be interesting to see how Kimi Räikkönen and Romain Grosjean do at Renault, and how the exciting young talent – the likes of Daniel Ricciardo, Jean-Eric Vergne and Charles Pic – manage in their first full seasons as F1 drivers.

Josh Bell

Formula One 2012
I have two, so forgive me for being greedy. The battle at Toro Rosso between their new driver line up of Daniel Ricciardo and Jean-Eric Vergne will be extremely intense, particularly as one of them may land themselves a Red Bull seat if Mark Webber departs at the end of 2012. Secondly, I am optimistic of five teams challenging for the Formula One World Championship next season. Or maybe I am just a romantic? Merry Christmas readers!

James Broomhead

NGTC comes of age
Nationally I think the BTCC is headed for another superb year. The second half of the year was the NGTC-spec cars coming out party, and in 2012 it will be interesting to see some more of the potential of the new cars when Honda roll out the new Civic. How their efforts – with Matt Neal and Gordon Shedden compare to the teams with a whole year of NGTC trouble-shooting behind them – is just another facet in a year that could bring even more manufacturers in even bigger grids.  

Andy Champness

Challengers to Team Vodafone
The V8 Supercars has again shown it’s the best touring car series in the world, so more of the same please! Team Vodafone dominated the 2011 season, but I think teams such as Stone Brothers Racing and Ford Performance Racing will up their game and close the gap in 2012. Look out for the likes of Tim Slade, David Reynolds and in particular Shane van Gisbergen who this year won his first race at his home event in New Zealand and backed it up in Darwin to finish fourth in this year’s championship. These are the sport’s new generation, young drivers who showed in 2011 that they have the talent and ability to pose a genuine threat to the more established stars.

Mark Foley

The Young(er) Blood
Formula Renault 2.0 champion Alex Lynn and the imaginatively named Carlos Sainz Jr. join the ranks of British Formula 3 for 2012, and both could be potential headaches for the more experienced British F3 runners cracking their knuckles as they eye the 2012 title. Lynn has BRDC and FIA Excellence Academy support behind him, whilst Sainz Jr. comes ominously armed with Red Bull backing, adding pressure, removing excuses and drawing plenty of keen eyes onto the youngsters tipped for future stardom.

Formula Renault UK champion Alex Lynn - one of the drivers set to make the 2012 British Formula Three Championship a year to remember

Chris Gurton

What To Look For Next Year – National racing and beyond
For me there are a number of things to look for next year. After the teething troubles of the new NGTC cars in the BTCC, a more level playing field next season and a big field should lead to an exciting championship. On the subject of touring cars, it will be interesting to see how Arena Motorsport and Special Tuning Racing cope with the step up to WTCC.

After an extremely close fought title battle in British GT, next seasons Championship will no doubt be an equally exciting and close fight. Look out for the new look Ginetta G55 GT3 and the Aston Martin V12 Vantage adding to the array of stunning cars throughout the field. For fans of endurance racing, the new World Endurance Championships should be something to look out for too.

Also, with driver moves and deals still being confirmed within Formula One, an exciting new driver to keep an eye out for is Jean Eric-Vergne. The Frenchman showed true class in the 2010 British F3 Championships on his way to the title and runner up at the end of a season in formula Renault 3.5 has shown his ability. With the backing and support of Red Bull, could he be the new Sebastian Vettel? 

Leigh O’Gorman

What To Look For In 2012 – The World Endurance Championship
The emergence of the World Endurance Championship may not just be “the thing to look for in 2012”, but rather the biggest motorsport news of the decade. Since the WEC was announced at Le Mans, manufacturers have either thrown their hat into the ring or are weighing up future participation in a series that may – realistically – have far more relevance to the automotive industry than Formula 1 could ever dream of. Also, a nod to Tony Fernandes, who continues to raise the profile of motor racing in Asia, by organising national and club championships in emerging territories.

Simon Paice

What to look for in 2012 -Ginetta Juniors
In 2012, I’m really excited for the Ginetta Junior Championship. 2011 saw the teenage racers once again produce superb racing and while Seb Morris dominated, the likes of Niall Murray, Charlie Robertson, George Gamble and Sennan Fielding emerged as top talent. With some of them returning to join the usual influx of exciting new rookies, it is sure to be a fascinating, must watch 2012 season in the G40′s.

Also something I’m really looking forward to seeing is Petter Solberg in a Ford in the WRC, taking it to the Citroens and hopefully picking up a second world title.

Vince Pettit

British Superbikes
The 2012 season in British Superbikes looks set to be another great championship battle, defending champion joined by Isle of Man record breaker Ian Hutchinson, the Swan Yamaha team will be hard to beat. Although with that said that the PBM squad have assembled a strong team with the likes of Shakey Byrne and Stuart Easton. TAS Suzuki will also feature with Alastair Seeley looking to continue his momentum in the main class after securing the National Superstock 1000 and British Supersport titles in 2009 and this season respectively.

Louis Suddaby

A New Era Begins
2012 sees the introduction of CRT (Claiming Rule Teams) in MotoGP and a glimpse into the future of the premier class of motorcycle racing. Don’t expect too much too soon but this new philosophy had to happen, if anything to give us more bikes to look at. Moto3 will replace the 125cc class and unpredictability is the only certainty while EVO rules will now effectively be standard in the British Superbike Championship, surely producing another open season. 2012 will also be a huge year for Valentino Rossi. Surely Ducati will get it right this time?

Scott Wilkes

New regulations in BTCC and MotoGP
In the BTCC, the NGTC cars that started to make a surge to the front of the pack at the end of this season should be a preview of what’s to come this season, and it should be an even better season for close racing than we have just seen.

In MotoGP, the withdrawal of Suzuki and the arrival of the CRT machines should herald the start of an interesting shakeup in the sport. With the addition of the new standardised Moto3 series replacing the 125cc Championship, I am expecting the same level of competition as we saw in the spectacular Moto2 championship this year.

As for a rider/driver to look out for, it has to be Marc Marquez. After a poor start to last season, I wasn’t expecting much more from the young Spaniard. However, as happens most times with myself, I was proved wrong, and Marquez started a brilliant resurgence which left him a position to possibly win the championship at the final race, only to be ruled out by injury.

Andrea Dovizioso - Photo Credit: MotoGP.com

Andrea Dovizioso may miss the opening test of 2012 after breaking his right collarbone in a motocross accident. The 25 year old confirmed the news on his personal Twitter account and has just over three weeks to be fit for the three-day test at Sepang which starts on January 31^st.

Dovizioso has signed to ride for the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 squad alongside Cal Crutchlow and the team are yet to comment on the estimated recovery time, or whether their testing plans have changed.

The Italian joins Nicky Hayden on the injured list after the Ducati rider broke his shoulder while training for the new season in Kentucky. With both injuries taking place during the off-season, riders’ activities during the winter have come under scrutiny.

Dovizioso himself raced a Ford Fiesta RS at the Bologna Motor Show in December, losing to Petter Solberg in the final of the Memorial Bettega rally, while he also joined the likes of Valentino Rossi, Andrea Iannone and Claudio Corti at the Monza Rally Show a month earlier.

But Bradley Smith, who will race for Tech 3 in Moto2 this season, responded via Twitter, pointing out that riders take part in these activities not just for enjoyment and adrenaline, but also to keep themselves sharp during the winter break from competitive racing.

“Do you really think Racers would ride Motocross if we didn’t feel it was of “Benefit” to us. I have ridden some form of Motorcycle from 5years old. You just can’t take that away. If you don’t ride, you don’t understand.”

Alan Techer's Technomag-CIP Moto3 bike fires up at Valencia - Photo Credit: MotoGP.com

For 2012, the FIM’s New Year’s resolution must be “out with the old, in with the new.” Since the very first Grand Prix World Championship in 1949, the 125cc class has been an ever-present, setting the likes of Alex Criville, Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo on the road to stardom. But as Nicolas Terol joined them on the list of champions, the history book of 125GP racing closed behind him. Enter Moto3.

There was no doubting the 125s’ popularity but as MotoGP Director of Technology Corrado Cecchinelli admitted to MotoGP.com, “for the majority in the real world, nobody is interested in two-stroke engines.” While some may see this as an exaggeration, the popularity and appeal of the two-stroke motorcycle has been in decline over the years. The reason for change doesn’t simply lie with the bike’s popularity though, worldwide financial developments have necessitated the change in philosophy.

MotoGP must move with the times and make sure it is prepared for economic difficulties rather than simply waiting for the harsh reality to smack them in the face and react accordingly. It must also prove it is taking environmental issues seriously. Motorsport will never be 100% green but with the four-stroke’s dedicated lubrication system they are certainly more efficient than the gas-guzzling two-strokes.

The MGP30, Mahindra's Moto3 challenger, but will the new formula work? - Photo Credit: Mahindra

Grid numbers in the premier class have been falling for a while and the junior class hasn’t proven immune either.

The early part of the 21^st century saw Honda, Gilera, Aprilia, KTM and Derbi do battle for superiority but the manufacturers have steadily filtered away. Gileras had all but disappeared by the start of 2006 while there was hardly a Honda in sight by 2008. KTM and Derbi were still around as recently as last year but were distinctly in the minority.

Of the 30 bikes that lined up on the grid in Qatar last year, 23 of them were Aprilias and even fewer represented factory-spec machinery. Ajo Motorsport ran a trio of Derbis with Caretta Technology populating the midfield with a couple of KTMs but that was it, besides the newcomers Mahindra whose entry was all geared towards a Moto3 project. The big hitters simply weren’t building 125cc two strokes any more.

To entice these names back into the sport, a Grand Prix entry needed to be cost effective and that is what Moto3 intends to be. The 250cc, single cylinder, four-stroke engines must cost no more than €12,000 with crankshaft speed limited to 14,000rpm. Any manufacturer looking to provide engines must be prepared to supply up to 15 riders per season. Not only does this encourage the manufacturers to enter, it also gives independent teams the chance to purchase a powerplant to go with their own chassis relatively cheaply. Each bike will have a six-speed gearbox with two ratios allowed per speed, although these must be declared before the season starts.

Crucially, any updates or developments brought by an engine manufacturer during the season must be made available to all customers, eliminating the possibility of an arms race giving the works teams a money-driven advantage.

Looking at the entry list for 2012, the plan seems to have worked with 21 teams planning to field a total of 32 riders between them. KTM have a factory squad involving Sandro Cortese and British youngster Danny Kent while Honda will also heavily involved. The Japanese manufacturer was the first to unveil its 2012 challenger with Alex Criville putting it through its paces at Catalunya in June. Mahindra followed suit on the weekend of last season’s final race and a number of existing 125cc teams have experimented with chassis-engine combinations in testing so far.

KTM are back with a works Moto3 squad which spells good news for Britain's Danny Kent - Photo Credit: MotoGP.com

Teams from the upper echelons have also bought into the Moto3 project with Gresini preparing a Honda-powered bike for Italian teenager Niccolo Antonelli and Moto2 regulars Technomag-CIP fielding a two man squad. The new technical challenge has also enticed chassis designers such as FTR, Kalex and TSR to prepare a 2012 model, ensuring the first ever Moto3 grid should have nothing if not variety.

The most exciting entry of all comes from Monlau Competicion. The name may not seem immediately familiar but when I tell you they ran in Moto2 under the CatalunyaCaixa Repsol banner last year, almost guiding Marc Marquez to the title, you realise how strong this outfit is. In fact, Emilio Alzamora’s team have led the Moto3 revolution in the Spanish domestic championship.

While leading Alex Rins to the CEV Buckler 125cc title, Monlau also fielded Portuguese sensation Miguel Oliveira on a Moto3-spec bike (legal in the 2011 Spanish championship) and even tasted victory late in the season. Both Rins and Oliveira will represent Monlau this season and in a year where everything is unknown, perhaps they have already stolen a march.

Miguel Oliveira became the first man to win a CEV Buckler race on board a Moto3 bike at Valencia in November - Photo Credit: MotoGP.com

Turn the clock back two years and uncertainty surrounded the debut of Moto2, the replacement for the 250cc class, but what followed was sensational racing, healthy grid numbers and as many as 20 bikes covered by a single second on the stopwatch. Moto3 will hope to replicate this and has taken steps to keep the competition close.

Dunlop will supply a control tyre, as they have in Moto2, while Dell’Orto will provide electronic control units for the entire field. eni will be the sole fuel and lubricants provider, also fulfilling the role they already have in the intermediate class. The bike/rider combination will weigh a minimum of 148kg and with the changes to the engines used in 125, the importance of a riders’ weight will reduce. No longer will tiny riders gain a speed advantage over their taller rivals, again levelling the playing field.

The hope is that this new series will close the gap between the three classes, giving the stars of tomorrow a greater chance of advancing all the way to MotoGP. It is also intended to reduce the cost of competition while negating the advantage of those who have the most money. The FIM and Dorna are hoping that Moto3 will become the future of Grand Prix racing in more ways than one. Time will tell as to whether they’re right.