Valentino Rossi Fans Club

valentino rossi at silverstone with ducati 1198

noreply@blogger.com (KwK Studio) — Thu, 19 May 2011 02:07:00 +0000

Valentino Rossi joined other great motorsports champions from the past and present in an inauguration ceremony for a new, ultramodern paddock structure at England’s Silverstone Circuit. The Silverstone Wing, as the British venue’s enormous new facility is called, comprises spacious garages, a media center, offices, and an auditorium, and it will host the seventh round of the MotoGP world championship on June 12. Rossi, who missed the track’s 2010 round due to injury, used the occasion to turn some introductory laps with a World Superbike 1198 and, while that bike was in the garage for a check of its electronics, with a standard 1198 street bike, complete with license plate and mirrors. The Italian greatly enjoyed his track time—about thirty laps in all—as a way to get to know the circuit. “I really had fun,” said Valentino Rossi before leaving for Italy. “After a few laps with the 1198 Superbike, we had a problem with the electronics and decided to use the 1198 street bike that Ducati’s UK affiliate rushed to us. I really liked riding that bike here. The track is nice—difficult and very technical. It makes you work hard because there are very fast sections where having the right trajectory is important, and others that are very narrow where you have to have good grip under acceleration. The first turn is completely blind, and you must hold a very precise line, and in general the entire first section is really great, definitely the part I like most. In short, I enjoyed it, especially because there were many drivers and riders who have great histories in motorsports, like John Surtees, who told me that he raced here in the ’50s. I wasn’t following racing then,” joked the Italian, “but he was great.”
source: ducati.com

nice race for rossi at estoril

noreply@blogger.com (KwK Studio) — Mon, 02 May 2011 02:20:00 +0000

The third round of the world championship, at the Estoril circuit, saw Valentino Rossi put in a nice race on a dry track, as there was no rain after this morning’s wet warm-up. The Italian started well from the third row and made up more positions on the first lap, bringing him to fourth place. From there, he maintained a good rhythm for the entire race, holding off Andrea Dovizioso until the very end, when Dovizioso slipped by in the race to the line and finished in front by a hair—just twenty-five thousandths of a second. Starting from the fifth row, Nicky Hayden also had a very strong launch, and the American was seventh after the first lap. A small shifting problem affected him a little, but it was mainly the contact with Spies that caused him to lose a gap to Aoyama and Crutchlow. He was ninth at the finish. Tomorrow the Ducati MotoGP Team will stay for a post-race test with the other MotoGP teams, and naturally, good weather is hoped for so that the team can continue its development of the GP11. Valentino Rossi (Ducati MotoGP Team) 5th
“Apart from Dovizioso, today went well! I’m joking, but Andrea obviously rode a race that was strategically perfect. I think he played with me a little, knowing that on the straight, he could probably beat me to the line. He couldn’t pass me because I was strong on the brakes, so he had me do all the work for 28 laps before making his attempt, and he got me by twenty-five thousandths. Apart from that, the team and I are very happy, because it was a nice race and this, for the time being, is the best we can do. I started well, I made up several positions, and then I was very consistent, with decent times. I practically did the same lap from qualifying for 28 laps, so it’s a good result. My only disappointment is that fourth would have been my best finish with the Ducati. Anyway, another positive is that I’m physically well, as I’m missing just fifteen percent of my strength, but I think I’ll be at 100 percent between Le Mans and Catalunya. As for the bike, there’s certainly still work to do, but we’re working together with the Ducati technicians. They’re pleased with the data they have, and I’m seeing that what I get from the racing department works. It will take some time, but we’re going forward. Tomorrow we’ll have some new things to try, so let’s hope that it’s dry, and we’ll see how it goes. We don’t expect to solve everything in seven hours, just to continue down the path we’ve started on together.” Nicky Hayden (Ducati MotoGP Team) 9th
“Starting from thirteenth, it was always going to be difficult for us, but the bike was good off the line and I got a good start. I made some early mistakes, but I was also recovering a few positions. I got into seventh, but I was having difficulty back-shifting. Already on the sighting lap, I knew it was an issue. On the grid, we talked about getting on the other bike, but we decided together that it was better to stick with our bike and not start from pit road. It caused some difficulty, especially on corner entry, and some guys came past. Then Spies hit me pretty good and stood me up going into Turn 3, so I lost the bridge to Aoyama and Crutchlow. I’m really happy we have a test tomorrow. We’ve got some stuff to try, and hopefully we’ll get some good weather, because we lost some dry time this weekend with the rain. The bike was great in the wet—third Friday and fourth this morning—but we need to make it better in the dry.” Vittoriano Guareschi (Team Manager)
“Valentino had a good start and a nice race: we were very consistent with the times, and the gap to the front was reduced, which indicates that the work we’re doing on the GP11 is going in the right direction. Nicky also got away well when the lights went off and, despite a shifting issue, he stayed strong and finished in the top ten. Tomorrow will be a test day, and we’ll try some updates to different areas of the bike, so we hope that the weather won’t play any dirty tricks on us so that we can take advantage of all the track time.” More news and high-resolution photography at: www.ducaticorsepress.com
source www.ducati.com

valentino rossi estoril 90%

noreply@blogger.com (KwK Studio) — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 00:36:00 +0000

Valentino Rossi will form 90% in Portugal. To say, in an exclusive interview with Spanish television RTVE, is none other than Jeremy Burgess.

The technician who has followed the Pesaro Ducati explained what he is doing and what to expect in the coming months.

"We must ensure that all riders can ride the Ducati, as we did with the Yamaha - says the Australian - are coming young drivers, and must find a bike easier to drive. This is the objective of ducats. But there take time to improve, say another month and a half. Stoner pier in fact went strong in 2007, but later has not been so successful. The year 2011 will be a difficult year, however, because it is the last one with the 800 and at the same time we must think of 1000 ".

Win with Valentino is not the only goal of Burgess in Ducati.

"I wish that at the end of the drivers that drive me say: thank you! The Desmosedici has become much more friendly, but to succeed it is important to understand it. For the time being does not turn, and now to turn it the pilot is forced to bend more, so extreme, however, working on the side of the tire and you have less grip and acceleration. One problem that depends on the engine from the chassis. "

In nearly four months of work, these were not seen much improvement.

"Time is the enemy of the competition, there is not enough for testing. And now we need to spend too much time to do the development."

RTVE has pushed his camera so close to Rossi, during testing, to "steal" the voice and joint ventures also a unique case: the greetings of the cameras, which are characteristic of Valentino when you see again, serve to indicate to the cameraman ... shove off!

"At full tilt I have no confidence. Let the bike shorter," It feels mean.

"Rossi will be in Portugal to 90%, but say it will be ready to win is a bit 'optimistic. We have to become familiar with the setup - Jeremy Burgess continues - and with the setup. Estoril should get news, before and after . Now, however, begins the best part of the season. We knew the start would be difficult not because of the motion as the shoulder of Valentino. "

Source: gpone.com

valentino rossi and 1000 the first video

noreply@blogger.com (KwK Studio) — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 02:34:00 +0000

Now the communication is inextricably linked to competition. Here, then appear, along with the first image, a video of Valentino Rossi at the helm of the prototype GP12 D16.

And 'quick, but allows fans to listen to the sound of the "thousand " and see the first dynamic images.

It looks like a gift, and it is infected, but since you do not have to make too many concessions to his opponents, who instead feel far away from prying eyes, all images are taken from angles that do not betray too many details

ducati monster 696 autografat valentino rossi a to auction for telethon

noreply@blogger.com (KwK Studio) — Sat, 12 Feb 2011 03:17:00 +0000

Ducati has auctioned Telethon for a "special" Monster 696 signed by Valentino Rossi. The Monster 696 is now up for auction on eBay in the category Classic bikes, Ducati has been given by custom and by Rossi with his signature on the cover of the tank. Rossi has autographed the bike in Sepang during the early season test. The money collected will be donated to the Telethon Foundation to fund research into genetic diseases.

The Monster, which was launched in 1992 as a parent of a segment in which the design is characterized from the lines and shapes, has established itself worldwide as an icon of Italian style. In 2008, the Monster 696 has presented a new look more muscular and imposing, while maintaining its traditional form. With its 80 hp at 9000 rpm the engine is the one with the best specific power of all Ducati air-cooled engines, while the low weight of 163 kg makes it the lightest bike in its category.

The chassis is inspired by the Ducati Corse department, while a new clutch which drastically reduces the effort needed to operate the lever makes it easier and more comfortable driving, the bike has a slipper system that avoids the locking of the rear wheel on the stairs of the most aggressive sport driving, while the brake system with dual front disc is sized to that of a supercar. If you are interested make your eBay bid on the rod Ducati Monster 696

Source: motoblog.it

Valentino Rossi (Ducati MotoGP Team) 10th, 2:01.842 (52 laps)

noreply@blogger.com (KwK Studio) — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 02:30:00 +0000

"I'm very happy because before coming here, I expected to do 20, 30 laps per day, and as it turns out, I did around 40 each of the first two days and over 50 today. Of course I was really finished by the end, in part because the rest of my body has to work differently; my left arm has to do extra work, so it's very tired. But I'm really happy with my shoulder because it's improving day-by-day, and even after the stress of having ridden a MotoGP bike at the limit, I don't have any problems: now it's just a question of strength. My mobility has improved a lot, and I no longer think my physical limitations cost me a second; let's say I lose five or six tenths, especially on braking and in corner entry. Anyway, we worked well today too, and we were able to collect a lot of data and solve the chattering problem we were experiencing. Obviously, there's still a lot to do, but compared to the start of the test, we've definitely gotten closer to the base setup we're looking for. There's no need to change the Desmosedici's character; we need to take advantage of its best characteristics-its stability and its engine-and improve the other areas, especially the in-corner behavior, to make it turn better. In any case, the overall evaluation of the test is definitely good; today we're a second off the top riders, and also in the afternoon, riding with race tires, the distance stayed around seven or eight tenths. I still have to do more kilometers in order to understand other aspects of the GP11 but, although I have to change my riding style a little, I now feel much more at home with the Ducati."

Valentino Rossi (Ducati Marlboro Team) 12th, 2'03.365 (41 laps) official tests in Sepang

noreply@blogger.com (KwK Studio) — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 02:21:00 +0000

"Rarely have I been this happy with a twelfth place, because after the test at Misano, we were pretty pessimistic considering how bad I felt there. It went better here though, especially in the morning, and we were able to do 20, 25 laps at a decent speed. Although we still have a lot of work to do, but we did a lot today: we worked on the riding position, and we're starting to understand, among the many details that we can adjust on this bike, what the best solutions are. The Ducati's DNA doesn't need to be changed; we have to take advantage of the positive aspects and improve the others. Unfortunately, it became more difficult when I lost a lot of strength in the afternoon, but in the end I was able to do about fifteen more laps. Let's say that at the moment, I have quite a bit of pain and not much strength, whereas the opposite would be preferable! The hardest parts are the straights and on hard braking into right corners, like Turn 1 and Turn 4; there alone I lose about a second, whereas the rest of the lap is okay, because compared to Valencia, I'm able to ride much better. It will be important to be able to rest well tonight in order to regain some mobility so that I can do 30 or 40 laps tomorrow. I'll have a relaxing massage and put ice on it."

open for valentino rossi sepang

noreply@blogger.com (KwK Studio) — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 01:26:00 +0000

From Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia's capital, the organization that runs the Sepang circuit has decided to open for fans wishing to watch the MotoGP test that will begin tomorrow, February 1st, and will run for three days. Much attention is the motoring world for the first official pilot of a comparison of the 2011 championship that opens with many, delicious novelty. Valentino Rossi, affliction, for the first time in many years is not the most citatocome the most nominated title. Or rather, as pointed out by the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper in Australia, it seems that this year the young man Tavullia colleagues have agreed to avoid pronouncing the name, in making predictions. Lorenzo says Stoner, Stoner and says little, preferring, as usual, to avoid the verbal skirmishes.

In any case, Sepang is ready. Not only to measure the temperature of Valentino, but also to discover, in a Honda that aligns an overpowering team, as we realize the balance between prima donnas. Because if Stoner and Pedrosa are prima donnas, they know and they ask, do not underestimate Andrea Dovizioso mates / opponents but even himself. E ', your biggest fan. And then, as Mark does not consider "long": Simoncelli enjoys comparable status, and is an added element in an already rich focal points.

And even in Yamaha, the balance of power between partners is the subject of interest: Jorge, who has tormented Valentino, may find, probably out of spite, that Ben Spies might haunt him. And half a mind that can happen, has it not by chance has to dichari AS, Spanish magazine, which "has left a legend to the Yamaha, but the young man who has taken the place is just as percioloso, since it talent, was recently in the World Championship, and hungry for success. "

All this, in a waltz in which couples change: Rossi on the Ducati of Stoner, Stoner on Honda's Pedrosa, Spies on that of Lorenzo, Lorenzo on his own, but is perhaps still, in large part to Rossi.

Here we go.

source: gpone.com

Valentino Rossi returned to the track at Misano Adriatico aboard a Ducati 1198 Superbike

noreply@blogger.com (KwK Studio) — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 02:22:00 +0000

The day was sunny but chilly, with a maximum air temperature of 10º Centigrade (50º Fahrenheit) and a maximum track temperature of 15º C (59º F). Valentino arrived at the circuit at around 1:20 and met a team of Ducati technicians that included his own crew’s two engineers, Matteo Flamigni and Gabriele Conti, as well as Ducati MotoGP Team Manager Vittoriano Guareschi. A half-hour later, he turned the first laps aboard the 1198 to test the status of his shoulder which, though recovering nicely, is still quite painful, just a few days ahead of the first test in Malaysia with the Desmosedici GP11.

“First of all, thanks to Filippo (Preziosi) and to Ducati, who organized this test,” said Valentino Rossi. “Misano Circuit let us use the track on a day when Mattia (Pasini) was planning to ride in order to confirm his own condition. The track more or less confirmed what we expected: the shoulder is painful—especially under braking, when the front area hurts, where they stitched the tendon. Movement is stable enough, and we’re also doing not so bad with endurance, but apart from that, it hurts a lot and isn’t very strong. Let’s hope it gets a little better in these next few days before the test in Malaysia. Once we’re there, we’ll work with the riding position in an effort to make the most of the situation and collect important information with the Desmosedici, even though I’m not in top form. Today I did a total of 25 laps on the 1198 Superbike, which is sort of a ‘historic’ motorcycle for Ducati: beautiful and fast. I liked it!”

valentino rossi, test a surprise in misano

noreply@blogger.com (KwK Studio) — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 03:26:00 +0000

A Ducati Sbk to test shoulder
Test surprise for Valentino Rossi ahead of three days of MotoGP testing in Sepang next week planned. The Pesaro occurred at Misano to test the condition of the shoulder made in mid-November. Rossi, riding a Ducati Superbike, has driven a number of rounds to see if the joint is able to sustain the effort required by the Desmosedici, the bike that will guide in the next championships.

Rossi, accompanied by team manager Victorian Guarerschi, had to use the 1198, that until last year was the official bike with which Ducati to World Superbike, because of regulation, which prevents down the track, off the day official practice with the bike with which we run regularly.

There is enough, however, to understand if the physical conditions are sufficient to address a test "true" in the heat of Malaysia and the half in the saddle most difficult of the lot.

Valentino himself, during the official presentation of the team in Madonna di Campiglio, he admitted that his right shoulder bothering him a lot. This output should be used to dissolve the last doubts.

VALE: "The shoulder hurts"
"To begin with Filippo (Preziosi) and Ducati who organized this test and in no time at Misano we have made available to the track on a day when even Matt (Pasini) was to try to verify his conditions, "Valentine said after the tests. "The track has given us the answer that more or less than I expected: my shoulder hurts. Especially under braking when I'm sick at the front where they sutured the tendon. The structure is quite stable and we are going pretty well as resistance but for the rest, I have a lot of pain and little strength. We hope that a little better 'in these last days before the test in Malaysia, where, even working on the riding position, we will do everything possible to gather critical information with the Desmosedici although not in top form. I made a total of 25 laps, proving that the 1198 Superbike is a bit 'a bike "historic" Ducati: beautiful, be strong, I liked it. "

Source: sportmediaset.it

fiat main sponsor ducati motogp?

noreply@blogger.com (KwK Studio) — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 03:29:00 +0000

It 's like something was missing in the Ducati Desmosedici GP11 of Valentino Rossi and Nicky Hayden. Ducati one written on the side, just below "Ducati Desmosedici" seems to be put there to hide something. The fact that the presentation took place as usual at Wrooom does not mean that the sponsor Marlboro missing. If Marlboro as well as Title Sponsor Main Sponsor was also why do not you put it? After all, in 2010 the brand owned by Phillip Morris was unmistakable.

Next, try to guess which will be the main sponsor in 2011. Why not Fiat, for example? Exactly, the former main sponsor of the Yamaha World Champion that Iwata chose the House because of the presence of Valentino Rossi and could be ready to follow Valentine in the new adventure in Ducati. After all, the possibility of creating an all-Italian package (see Max Biaggi Aprilia in 2010) is an opportunity not to be missed. Let's then imagine Pros and Cons of this hypothetical operation.

PRO: We have asked for lights and contacted those involved in sponsorship in Fiat, but nothing. If it was a patently false news I'm sure they said no ... but all is quiet and often, who keeps silent consents. As far as I know the task of spreading the brand Fiat linked to MotoGP has borne fruit. On the occasion of the Madonna di Wrooom Campioglio, offered a fleet of Fiat Panda 4x4 Fiat Sedici for guests and 500. Then there is the question of workers at Mirafiori and Marchionne. The vote is taking place today. An announcement is so important at the level of investment would have given rise to labor unions. Logical then wait for the final of the event.

CONS: The investment of two years in MotoGP has not delivered the desired results. Why the adventure ended in MotoGP by winning the title. Fiat would be in conflict with the sponsor AMG. Whoever wanted the sponsorship of the M1 Fiat Rossi (Luca De Meo, Fiat Automobiles SpA's CEO at the time) is no longer in Fiat, but in Volkswagen.

Source: motoblog.it

Valentino Rossi jerez for help

noreply@blogger.com (KwK Studio) — Fri, 26 Nov 2010 06:31:00 +0000

The weather forecasts are not good, but also the Ducati try from tomorrow until Friday at Jerez. A three-day ... to explore new frontiers, as told by Vittoriano Guareschi, the team manager of Red, who will play the suit for the occasion and the role of test driver.

"There's a lot to do, then I'll drive, along with Franco Battaini, so as to divide the work. The weather tomorrow should be good, but we are counting on an improvement Thursday and Friday. The time will not be much, because in Jerez before eleven in the morning you can not enter the track for the cold, but let us see enough. "

It will be a test a little 'special, at least to feel Vitto.

"Yes, there are actually new songs to try, we would not even had time to do it. The work will consist mainly in the verification of various trims in order to run the bike according to the information he gave us Valentino Rossi in the test Valencia. Then we will raise and lower the bike, we will move the weights, get up alternately back and forth, we will change the geometry ...".

How does a similar job for a test?

"Well, we start dall'assetto that I use regularly. In these cases, the bike is working or not working ... and at worst you nsbatte ground. It is not very pleasant."

There are also some details to be proved ergonomics.

"Yes, to feel more comfortable doing Valentino and sweat less. The new pieces, however, will arrive in time for Sepang, but I do not know yet what it will."

On the track should be there at the engineer Filippo Preziosi, to supervise the work. One good thing is that the Ducati is not alone: in addition to some Moto2, there will be Karel Abraham that being a rookie in MotoGP could exploit three additional days of testing to make miles, so a little 'rubber on the asphalt will be

bye bye yamaha

noreply@blogger.com (KwK Studio) — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 02:57:00 +0000

"This is a very emotional day but I'm very happy as well because I don't have any regrets and there have been no bad moments or thoughts throughout these seven seasons together with Yamaha. From the beginning it was something great and we worked very well together. Like in life, in sport the results are crucial but just as important is the enjoyment and we had this at Yamaha. We had a great fusion in my team - the Australians, the Italians, the Japanese, the English and many more...a lot of people all together having fun. If in 2004 somebody had told me that I would win four world championships with Yamaha and 46 Grand Prix I would have signed in blood! I am happy. I have to thank first of all Masao Furusawa because we went through some difficult moments but we were able to improve the bike and make it the best machine, then I just have to say a big thank you to everybody who helped me in these seven seasons, and wish everyone good luck."

Masao Furusawa
"I would like to thank Valentino very much, I started in MotoGP in 2003 and it was a terrible year, it was almost like I was in hell! I really wanted to make the YZR-M1 a better bike but the more investigated it, the more I realised I needed something else, more than the bike. So we found Valentino Rossi. First of all I didn't believe Valentino would come to Yamaha because the bike wasn't great but somehow it worked. After South Africa in 2004 I felt like I was in heaven, it was a very exciting and memorable year. In 2004 Valentino was the only one who could win on the YZR-M1 so he contributed a lot to developing the bike. This year not only Valentino but also three other riders were fast so it's clear that our YZR-M1 is a pretty good bike. This is mainly because of Valentino's contributions over the years so I really appreciate that and I want to wish him all the best in the future."

Lin Jarvis
"In 2003 when we had our worst year ever in GP racing and finally we said that whatever we were going to do, without Valentino Rossi on the seat it wasn't going to work! That was the point where we decided that we needed him. There were some exciting and secretive negotiations with Valentino and it was a very important decision but, with the backing of Masao Furusawa and the President of Yamaha Motor Company, we made it happen. It was ‘do or die'. With a huge commitment from Yamaha, the engineers and everybody in the team we made it work. We are very, very grateful because Valentino's arrival really turned things around for Yamaha and we came back to victorious ways. We are incredibly thankful and grateful to him for that. We've had so many exciting and enjoyable moments with him and with the crew that he brought with him, who are great guys. Today we will be saying goodbye to a great number of people including Davide Brivio, Jerry Burgess and the whole crew. We've had a super time, it's been a really excellent team and we will miss them tomorrow, it will be a strange day."

goodbye yamaha m1

noreply@blogger.com (KwK Studio) — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 03:03:00 +0000

It is hard for me to put into words how I'm feeling as I come to these last two races for Yamaha. It has been a beautiful seven years and I am sad to say goodbye to my M1! More than anything I want to have good final races and I want to thank Yamaha by helping them to win the Manufacturers' title. They are not two of my best tracks but anyway we will do our best! My shoulder is okay, I will have the operation immediately after Valencia and I hope to be okay for next season. I think Valencia will be an emotional time for me and my team, and we will do everything we can to make it the best possible 'goodbye'".

Burges: Valentino Rossi correra still 4 years

noreply@blogger.com (KwK Studio) — Sat, 23 Oct 2010 00:30:00 +0000

Sneaking in and out of the box n.1, what we here at Phillip Island was awarded to the Fiat Yamaha Team. His blue eyes smiles, the eyes of one who is good because it has no disputes with peaceful life.

Jeremy Burgess (16 April 1953), Australia is at home here. But it would be even if we were in Doha, Qatar, or Valencia, Spain. Because it lives in the World Championship since 1980.

There he headed the technical team world champions such as Wayne Gardner, Mick Doohan and Valentino Rossi, when they won a total of 13 world titles in 500 and MotoGP. He was also the mechanic Freddie Spencer in 1985, when he graduated from the U.S. pilot sample of 250 and 500, Erv Kanemoto's team. In short, a great pedigree.

But when this year Valentino Rossi has made the decision to leave to go to Yamaha next year with Ducati, his decision whether or not to follow Smith was neither immediate nor obvious, the good old Jeremy has carved out a bit 'time to think.

"People know me for my work and for those of Valentino - the engineer replied smiling - but I'm still a person. I realize that my future in the press interest to anyone, but before I decide I wanted to consider the various opportunities and understand what kind of life I wanted to do. "

To start from scratch with the Ducati will not be a difficult challenge as the one you accepted when you switched from Honda to Yamaha in the light of recent results, today there is Stoner who is working for you ...

"The bikes have a nature in itself. Look for example at Nicky Hayden at the beginning of the year seemed to have brought good results for as he made his debut this season, but then it was a bit 'lost. It will not be for sure a challenge as the transition from Honda to Yamaha because there was certainly more difficult, but I'm sure Valentino will be able to bring the Ducati motorcycles to be a winner at 100%. "

The results of this year did not affect in any way delay your decision?

"This was an unfortunate year, the shoulder injury in his leg and prevented us from Valentino to fight against Lorenzo."

Valentino told you something special to convince you to follow him?

"No, Valentino is a guy who can think and know to wait for the right time. I said that I wanted and then waited with him than with my decision. Take a young pilot chute would still be much more difficult. "

By the way, do you still run as?

"I'm sure it will run another three or four years."

i want to close the great

noreply@blogger.com (KwK Studio) — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 03:59:00 +0000

Pumped from the found victory, Valentino Rossi aims to "three" vacation at Phillip Island, one of his favorite tracks, where, however, has not won since 2005. "I want to close the season on a high. For some years I can not win and I would reverse the trend. It 's always special to go to Phillip Island because many Australians are members of my team and the fans are wonderful," said the Pesaro.
Shoulder operation now no longer speak, because getting on the top step of the podium is always the best medicine. "Sunday at Sepang was a fantastic day. It was great to win again, winning the 46 and the Yamaha was one of the finest of his career. I'm looking forward to racing at Phillip Island, one of the most beautiful for a race bike, "Rossi added.

Burgess Crucial for Rossi and Ducati

noreply@blogger.com (KwK Studio) — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 00:40:00 +0000

WAG of legendary Australian Mick Doohan, Jerry Burgess admitted that the decision to follow Valentino Rossi who will strengthen the Ducati in the 2011 season will provide great benefits to the Italian motorcycle manufacturer. According to Doohan, Burgess will be a crucial factor to bring "The Doctor" to achieve success with the team based in Bologna that.

Burgess and Rossi had made the decision to leave Yamaha at the end of the 2010 season. They still want to work together, and starting next season will both be looking for a challenge with Ducati.

Doohan, five times world champion 500cc (now MotoGP), who won all that title for the Repsol Honda between 1994 and 1998 under the direction of Burgess, admitted that "intimacy" they make Burgess truly understand how the desire Rossi with his new ride later.

"They're a great team and without a doubt, it will bring Valentino on the right track from the beginning. All that he change about the machine so that he knows how to work with all the crew. They know how to interpret what he says. They've worked with him long enough so that it can interpret the intent if he raised an eyebrow, "said Doohan, who retired in 1999 after suffering a serious injury accident at Jerez.

Doohan also gave warning to the Honda and Yamaha, which is the most competitive team at this time. According to him, the two Japanese teams had to work harder to stem the toughness duo Rossi-Burgess, who has won many titles.

Yes, Rossi and Burgess has won seven world titles and a total of 78 MotoGP victory in the premier class. They also play an important role to make the Yamaha YZR-M1 machine to be tough so immediately won the world title, when Rossi decided to move from Honda at the end of 2003 season and joined them.

source: kompas.com

valentino rossi and win 46 yamaha

noreply@blogger.com (KwK Studio) — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 05:10:00 +0000

Valentino Rossi, on the highest step back at Sepang winning the No. 46 riding the Yamaha: "When I saw I had 45 wins with Yamaha I said should be 46. It 'was difficult, but I did thank the great effort team. I'm happy. " Then the doctor ended with a joke: "I am very sorry to go away from Yamaha. If you try the new bike? If I did not really do try are the ...".
Then a duty: to compliment Lorenzo world champion. "I did congratulate Jorge who won, but I'm running for me not for him."
The Pesaro back on the race and thoughts go to those who saw it on TV: "All my friends who have enjoyed I have to offer a pizza. It was not the worst start of my career, I've sometimes , I've seen bad, but then curves 4-5 was enough to know that you could do. I drove well, was strong on the brakes, it was a race to win and the difference between great drivers and the samples is to get ahead when there are races to win. I'm very strong on this track and I'm fine if a few tenths of advantage over my opponents. This victory has a great importance to me. "
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Valentino Rossi Diary

noreply@blogger.com (KwK Studio) — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 06:49:00 +0000

I am sorry it has been such a long time since I wrote a diary, but as I am sure you can all guess this has been one of the strangest seasons of my career!

The big ‘moment’ of the season of course for me was the crash at Mugello. It was a very scary time for me but I was very lucky that I was able to be treated by the very best doctors in Italy and they did a fantastic job to mend my leg. The hardest time was at the beginning, when I was in hospital and I couldn’t move from my bed. Once I was allowed to go home it was easier because my friends were always beside me, keeping me entertained and happy. It was very strange to watch the racing on TV but it encouraged me to work as hard as possible to get back on my M1 as soon as possible. I spent some time in a hyperbaric chamber, which accelerates the healing process and is like a big oxygen room! It’s not so much fun to be in there; one of my friends came in with me the first time but never again after that so I had to suffer on my own!

My leg healed very quickly and we soon realised that I could make it back to racing much sooner than expected, in the end it was at Sachsenring. That first race in Germany was incredible and then again the next week in Laguna; getting onto the podium was an amazing feeling after such a low point in my career. Honestly, I have to say that at that time I was sure that once my leg was back to 100% everything would be fine and I would be fighting to win again, so it has been disappointing to find that this has not been the case.

You will all have seen that I have not been strong in the last few races and this isn’t because of my leg, which is really back to its best now, but because of the shoulder that I hurt back in April. We thought with time the shoulder would be okay but unfortunately it can’t heal by itself and it now seems likely that I will need an operation after the end of the season. I prefer to do everything possible to avoid surgery and it’s still not 100% sure, but it’s looking more probable as time goes on. My team are doing the best they can to set the bike up in a way that helps me but I am lacking half the strength in my shoulder so I really can’t ride in the way that’s needed to fight at the front. Motegi for sure will be hard but I hope that Malaysia and Phillip Island will be gentler on the shoulder. I really hope so because they are two of my favourite tracks in the world!
The routine
The routine

As you will all know by now, at the end of this season I will be saying goodbye to Yamaha and moving on to a new place in the paddock. This was not an easy decision to make and I want to take this opportunity to thank you, all of the fans, for making it such a special seven years with Yamaha. I have won four world championships and many races and it has been a truly beautiful partnership. I will never forget falling in love with my M1 for the first time in Welkom when I won the first race with Yamaha; memories like that will stay with me forever.

Next week I will travel to the Yamaha headquarters in Japan to say goodbye to everyone at the factory and I am sure it will be a very emotional day for me!

Recently we had a very sad day when we lost Shoya Tomizawa, a fanstastic talent and a truly nice guy – simpatico, as we say in Italy. Unfortunately, despite the very best safety gear, we are always at risk from fluke accidents like this and there really was nothing to be done. The safety commission meets at every race to discuss how to constantly keep improving the safety of our sport so of course we had a big discussion in Aragon, but we know that everything that could have been done, was. All of our thoughts are with Shoya’s family and friends and we will miss him a lot in our MotoGP family.

Even if the end of the season isn’t going to be exactly how I imagined it, because of the problems with the shoulder, I still want to do the best I can for Yamaha until I leave. Jorge has done an amazing job this season, he’s been so strong and consistent and he really deserves this title, so if there is anything I can do to help of course I will be happy.

I look forward to seeing you all in Motegi!

Ciao,
Vale 46

RACE FOR LIFE OF LORENZO that won a stunning victory at Jerez

noreply@blogger.com (KwK Studio) — Tue, 04 May 2010 06:25:00 +0000

Jorge Lorenzo has produced one of his best races winning a superb victory in Spain today before a crowd overflowing that provided the best setting imaginable. Valentino Rossi finished in third position: that brings to sixteen GP who saw the couple together on the podium, with effect from 2008.
Lorenzo was a bad start, moving from second to fifth before the end of the second lap. Could hardly find a good rhythm with a full tank, however, the fifth round and could pass Stoner, ten laps later, even Hayden. But it seemed destined to sail into third place, a second and a half from Rossi, who in turn followed with equal detachment Pedrosa. When there was only a third of the race at the end, the Spaniard managed to increase the pace, suddenly becoming the fastest on the track. At twenty-second lap he passed his teammate, but with just five more to be done and a gap of two seconds, his victory seemed unlikely. Tenaciously, the boy did not let go, in search of sixth win in the premier class, quickly gaining ground against compatriot. The penultimate lap, the opponent was within range. The first attempt at passing has created a moment of great excitement when it was feared that both would finish out. So Lawrence had to wait before another go past Pedrosa braking at the end of the back straight and then cutting the finish line 0.543 seconds ahead. Lorenzo, who turns 23 years next Tuesday, celebrated the victory by diving into the pond in the middle of the circuit, pearl delight of Spanish fans who had previously had the opportunity to celebrate the victories of fellow-time Bike 2 in 125.

Rossi was happy to be on the podium after battling all weekend against a shoulder still hurt and a set-up problem. The world champion was leading to an excellent start, moving from the second row and turning the second position for most of the race, behind Pedrosa. After being in contact in the first phase, gradually began to lose ground when his bike began to slide, giving the end mate who towered, aiming for the podium and collecting 16 important points, 0.4 seconds behind Pedrosa .

Lorenzo now leads the championship with 45 points, while Rossi the following four sizes. The pilots are now expected to be three weeks without competition before moving to Le Mans for French GP, which will take place May 23.

Amazing atmosphere and fantastic fans "Jerez"

noreply@blogger.com (KwK Studio) — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 08:32:00 +0000

Rossi has an impressive record at Jerez, with seven wins in all classes there including three for Yamaha in 2005, 2006 and last year, when he overhauled Dani Pedrosa to take his first win of the season. Despite being on a high from his brilliant win in Qatar, Rossi was perhaps more grateful than most for the volcano's eruptions as he slightly damaged his shoulder muscles in a motocross training accident ten days ago. The cancelled race has given him unexpected extra time to recover and he hopes to be in good enough shape to put up a fight in Jerez.
The Andalucian city of Jerez is a shrine for Spanish motorcycle racing and draws one of the biggest crowds of the year. More than 120,000 fans make the pilgrimage south and pack into the natural amphitheatre to create a three-day carnival. The track itself has few hard braking points and little opportunity to fully open the throttle, but often throws up some spectacular racing. The 4.423 km layout features regular and quick changes in direction, meaning the rider requires a responsive overall set-up and good grip at maximum lean angles.
Valentino Rossi - "Amazing atmosphere and fantastic fans"
"Of course it was a pity not to go to Japan, Yamaha's home race, but we will go in October now and for me it was quite lucky to have this extra week. I didn't hurt myself badly in the motocross fall but my shoulder was quite sore so it was good to give it more time to recover. I don't know yet how much it will affect me this weekend, I hope not too much. The win in Qatar was fantastic but we saw there that we are lacking in some areas compared to our rivals so we have work to do. I love to race at Jerez, the atmosphere is amazing and I have fantastic fans in Spain. Last year I had a great win and I hope we can challenge again this time."
Davide Brivio - "A good track for Yamaha and Valentino"
"We are going straight to Jerez after a longer rest than we expected. Unfortunately Valentino won't be in the best shape due to his recent injury sustained while training with a motocross bike. We will have to see to what extent it affects him but we hope he will be okay. Jerez has always been a good track for Yamaha and Valentino likes it very much. It will be an interesting race because several riders will be competitive there and we hope to see another close race like Qatar. It will be nice to be back in Europe and to meet all the European fans again after such a long time."

Valentino Rossi - Position: 1st Time: 42'50.099

noreply@blogger.com (KwK Studio) — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 01:18:00 +0000

The World Champion got a brilliant start from second on the grid and led after the first lap but both Dani Pedrosa and Casey Stoner were faster on the straight and he was soon relegated to third. On lap five he battled back to pass the Spaniard but Stoner was two seconds in front by then and the Italian looked to be facing a hard task to catch him. On the next lap however Stoner slid out of the race, leaving Rossi in the lead pursued by Nicky Hayden and Andrea Dovizioso. His work was far from over however as Dovizioso proved impossible to shake off and mounted a challenge on the straight on lap 16, momentarily getting his nose in front before his more experienced compatriot passed him back on the brakes into turn one. A couple of quick laps from Rossi gave him some breathing space and he was eventually able to pull clear, leaving Dovizioso and Hayden to dice with Lorenzo while he charged over the line to finish 1.022 seconds clear. His win today makes him only the third rider in history to have scored points in 200 Grands Prix.

Lorenzo meanwhile had slipped several places at the start, dropping back to sixth before he started to find his rhythm on lap six. The 21-year-old had to contend with some pain in his recovering hand as well as a lap of grip in the rear but he played the waiting game until his fuel load lessened and he was able to push a bit harder. He then put up a gutsy display to gradually reel in the leaders and come within striking distance with two laps to go. A masterful overtaking display on the penultimate lap despatched first Hayden and then Dovizioso and he crossed the line behind his team-mate to the delight of the Yamaha garage.

The team now has a short break before heading in high spirits to Yamaha's home race in Japan, with the second round of the MotoGP World Championship coming at Motegi in two week's time.

"I got a fantastic start but I wasn't quite fast enough and was suffering on the straight. I lost some time passing Pedrosa and by then Stoner was quite far from me, I thought then that it was going to be hard to catch him! Then he made a mistake and crashed, which was bad luck for him but crucial for us. After that I expected it would be easier but in fact it was very hard to stay in front of Dovizioso, who was very strong. We had a good battle and then I did three or four laps at the maximum and was able to stay in front, but it wasn't easy! I haven't won at the first race since 2005 and these 25 points at this stage are like gold dust, it's a fantastic result for the team to make a one-two at race one. It's especially good to win here because it doesn't suit our bike, we worked very cleverly throughout the practices and this is the reward, so thanks to all my guys. We definitely have some work to do but this is a good base to start from. I ran out of fuel on the slow down lap, I think I used more than expected early on because I was sliding quite a lot, but it was very funny to come to Parc Ferme riding a scooter!"

Qualifying 1 "Valentino Rossi - Position: 2ndTime: 1'55.362Laps: 25"

noreply@blogger.com (KwK Studio) — Sun, 11 Apr 2010 06:33:00 +0000

World Champion Rossi had struggled a little yesterday but was much happier on his bike today after some set-up changes this morning, finding better rear grip and an improved race pace as a result. Mid-way through the session he moved into the lead for a short while before Stoner bettered his time and edged him back into second. With the hour gone the Italian was up on the clock on his final flying lap but he dropped a few tenths when passing two riders on the fourth sector and had to settle for second, 0.355 off Stoner's time.

After his confidence-inspiring opening day yesterday, Lorenzo took a small step back this evening and found he had less feeling in the rear than previously. He was nonetheless able to put up a spirited fight for grid positions and was happy to qualify third, considering his recently broken hand and lack of testing. The 23-year-old admits that he still has some pain when braking but is more concerned in tweaking his set-up tonight to put him in the best possible shape for tomorrow night's race, which starts at 2300 local time (2200 CET).

"I'm really happy about the work we've done today on our set up and now we have a good race pace with the hard Bridgestone tyres. With the soft one the rear is still sliding a little bit too much, but I think for the race we are okay. My final flying lap was very fast but then I had to pass a couple of riders in the final sector and I lost some time, but anyway we have a good grid position so I am happy. A strong start is going to be very important and we will have to push hard on the first lap to try to stay close to Stoner, who is always very strong here. Honestly I think it will be tough to beat him but we will try our best!"

Lap Record: 1'57.305 (Valentino Rossi, 01/01/2006)
Fastest Lap Ever: 1'53.927 (Jorge Lorenzo, 09/03/2008)
Last Years Winner: Casey Stoner
2010 MotoGP Qatar - Doha/Losail 10/04/2010
Qualifying 1
Pos. Rider Manu. Nat. Total Time
1 Casey Stoner Ducati AUS 1'55.007
2 Valentino Rossi Yamaha ITA 1'55.362
3 Jorge Lorenzo Yamaha ESP 1'55.520
4 Randy De Puniet Honda FRA 1'55.831
5 Loris Capirossi Suzuki ITA 1'55.899
6 Andrea Dovizioso Honda ITA 1'55.963
7 Daniel Pedrosa Honda ESP 1'55.990
8 Colin Edwards Yamaha USA 1'56.005
9 Nicky Hayden Ducati USA 1'56.163
10 Hiroshi Aoyama Honda JPN 1'56.227
11 Ben Spies Yamaha USA 1'56.271
12 Mika Kallio Ducati FIN 1'56.283
13 Alvaro Bautista Suzuki ESP 1'56.450
14 Aleix Espargaro Ducati ESP 1'56.652
15 Marco Simoncelli Honda ITA 1'56.957

Valentino Rossi - Position: 3rd Time: 1'56.028 Laps: 23

noreply@blogger.com (KwK Studio) — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 04:04:00 +0000

"Honestly I expected to be faster today - the lap time is not bad but it could be better. The conditions are much better than during the test, it's warmer and a lot less humid so I'm happy about that, but we don't have enough grip and I was sliding quite a lot so we need to try to find a way to improve this. Stoner is always very fast here and I hope we can close the gap to him by making some small changes to our suspension. If we can stop the bike sliding then we will be a lot faster."
Rider Nation Team Motorcycle Time Lap Total Gap Top Speed
COMMERCIALBANK GRAND PRIX OF QATAR
Computerised results and timing service provided by
5380 m.
Losail Circuit
MotoGP
Free Practice Nr. 1
Classification 3
TISSOT
1 27 Casey STONER AUS Ducati Marlboro Team DUCATI
2 99 Jorge LORENZO SPA Fiat Yamaha Team YAMAHA
3 46 Valentino ROSSI ITA Fiat Yamaha Team YAMAHA
4 4 Andrea DOVIZIOSO ITA Repsol Honda Team HONDA
5 69 Nicky HAYDEN USA Ducati Marlboro Team DUCATI
6 11 Ben SPIES USA Monster Yamaha Tech 3 YAMAHA
7 19 Alvaro BAUTISTA SPA Rizla Suzuki MotoGP SUZUKI
8 14 Randy DE PUNIET FRA LCR Honda MotoGP HONDA
9 36 Mika KALLIO FIN Pramac Racing Team DUCATI
10 40 Hector BARBERA SPA Paginas Amarillas Aspar DUCATI
11 26 Dani PEDROSA SPA Repsol Honda Team HONDA
12 5 Colin EDWARDS USA Monster Yamaha Tech 3 YAMAHA
13 65 Loris CAPIROSSI ITA Rizla Suzuki MotoGP SUZUKI
14 58 Marco SIMONCELLI ITA San Carlo Honda Gresini HONDA
15 41 Aleix ESPARGARO SPA Pramac Racing Team DUCATI
16 33 Marco MELANDRI ITA San Carlo Honda Gresini HONDA
17 7 Hiroshi AOYAMA JPN Interwetten Honda MotoGP HONDA

valentino rossi april 2010

noreply@blogger.com (KwK Studio) — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 00:28:00 +0000

I’ll start off by telling you about some of the car racing I have done, which kicked off back in November following the 2009 season finale in Valencia. I participated in the 19th edition of the 6 Hours of Vallelunga in a GT3 team with Andrea Ceccato and my old friend Alessio ‘Uccio’ Salucci in a Ferrari 430 prepared by the Kessel Team. Unfortunately my first stint in the car was spoiled by fog, which meant that I had to drive behind the safety car, and then we had a few mechanical issues and an outbreak of fire in the closing stages, which prevented us from challenging for victory.

I was scared a little by the fire, but the safety guys were very quick to react. It’s tough, because we came close to victory. There wasn’t a battle at the start because of the safety car, but we all had fun because we ran well and had many fans there – 10,000 of them in total! Eventually we finished third. If there is an opportunity to return next year, I’d be happy to, because when you are at the front only 40 minutes from the end it leaves a bit of a bitter taste.

In the last weekend of November I competed in the Rally de Monza and finished second. Driving a Ford Focus WRC, I took four out of nine stage wins, but two errors on special stages 4 and 5 meant that I missed out to Dindo Capello, who was driving a Citröen C4. I also took part in the Master’s Show, a competition involving all the participants of the rally in an elimination-round special stage. Despite having the best overall time, I only reached the semi-finals and lost again to Capello, having beaten my friend and new MotoGP rival Marco Simoncelli in the quarter final round.

Anyway, I finished the rally by winning the last super special “Grand Prix” test in the rain so it ended in a good way! In recent years the level of the Rally de Monza has risen a lot and in order to win it is not enough just to be fast, it is also necessary to make very few mistakes. I ended my motorsport year with one more appearance before Christmas at the “Bettega Memorial”, a rally show that is celebrated each year as part of the Bologna Motorshow.

However, I was only away from the steering wheel for a few weeks because at the end of January I went to Barcelona for two days of tests with the Ferrari F1 team. Both days started out wet, which made things complicated at the start, but I was able to put more than 600 kilometres on the clock of the F2008, provided by Maranello’s F1 Clienti department, and set a best lap time of 1.21.900 on the penultimate lap - almost over the time limit the team was allowed to use the track! We kept the last three quarters of an hour to try a ‘time attack’ with little petrol and fresh tyres and I was delighted with my speed. Before the test I would have given anything for such a lap time. I had much more fun compared to my last experience with the Ferrari at Mugello in November 2008, mainly because the track is a little bit easier. It’s more effort in Mugello, but Montmeló is really wonderful, with motorbikes and cars, although I have to say that turn 10 is a little tight (the one with the spins) and you’re braking much later.
Vale in pit box
Vale in pit box

I enjoyed spending so much time on four wheels over the winter but I was much more excited to be back on two wheels when the MotoGP preseason finally got underway at Sepang. It was always going to be important to make a good start to the preseason because this year we had just six days of testing in which to set the bike and we could not afford to waste any time, so I was delighted with what we pulled out of the box on the opening day in Malaysia. We tried the new bike for 2010, with a different chassis and the new engine, which can do more kilometres, and it was already quite fast. I was inside the lap record and fastest overall, half a second quicker than my nearest rival Casey Stoner. On the second day I completed just 32 laps because of some rain but I finished with a best time of 2'00.925, only half a second slower than my record pole time there. Even though we lost a few hours to the rain at the end we were still able to finish all our work and I was happy to be the fastest overall.

After the test Jorge and I went to Bangkok to take part in a two-day promotional visit for Thailand Yamaha Motor. On the first day we made an appearance at the Yamaha Riders Club, where we enjoyed a meet and greet with Yamaha VIP customers before taking part in an exclusive TV interview with the Thailand Night Show, and on the second day we took part in a press conference with various Thai media before appearing on-stage in front of almost 10,000 fans to unveil the new Yamaha Mio125cc. We made a couple of laps on special 46 and 99 replica versions of the new model and also had the chance to meet Mr. Nagashima, President of Thailand Yamaha Motor, and Mr Yanagi, who will be Yamaha Motor Company's new president, which was a great thrill.
Rossi in Sepang
Rossi in Sepang

A couple of weeks later we were back in Malaysia for the next test, where we were able to confirm that the work we did at the first session was good and we made a decision about the right way to go with overall balance of the bike and the suspension settings. We also tried some new electronic maps, to try to improve acceleration, and it clearly worked because this time I was able to go faster than my pole record, which was a good feeling. I did this with an old tyre but we also got the chance to try a very good new tyre from Bridgestone, which I hope we will use from the first race. I also had the chance to try the Japanese test bike, so hopefully the feedback I gave them will help us in the future.

It was good to have set the pace on all four days of testing at Sepang but in many ways the Qatar test was always going to give a clearer indication of our progress because it is not one of mine or Yamaha's best tracks! In fact, we were fastest on the first night and second fastest overall behind Casey Stoner, who is always very fast at Losail, and that shows what a great job Yamaha has done with the new M1. On the first night I was already able to go faster than last year whilst on the second night we concentrated mostly on race preparation. We did a long run at the end of the session and we got some good information, which will help us in the race, and it feels like we're ready now.
Vale with fans
Vale with fans

I should say that before the Qatar test we also paid a wonderful visit to Indonesia, one of the most important markets for Yamaha. Firstly I visited Medan, the country’s third largest city, where I took part in a press conference alongside Yamaha Motor Indonesia top management. The press conference officially launched the ‘Semakin di Depan' sponsorship, which will see Yamaha Motor Indonesia's ‘One Step Ahead' logo carried on my bike and leathers this season. Then I visited ‘PT.Alfa Scorpii', Indonesia's second largest Yamaha Main Dealer, for the opening ceremony of its new show room along with over 400 customers and media. From Medan we moved on to Indonesia's second largest city Surabaya, where I visited PT. Surya Timur Sakti Jatim, Indonesia's largest Yamaha Main Dealer, to continue to spread the ‘Semakin di Depan' word, before finishing at the DBL Arena, where I met around 4,000 Yamaha customers. It was a fantastic experience and I would like to thank everybody I met there for their kind hospitality.

It has also been nice to spend some time this winter in Italy, where I am enjoying living again after returning from London a couple of years ago. It was a great honour for me to be awarded the first ‘Winning Italy Award’ by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs a couple of weeks ago at Villa Madama in Rome. I was pleased to be able to invite Vito Ippolito, Carmelo Ezpeleta and Giacomo Agostini to the ceremony, where Minister Franco Frattini handed me a trophy with the inscription ‘Winning Doctor, ambassador of Made in Italy’.

Since I returned to my home country I have distanced myself from some people and now I have returned to surround myself with real friends. I am again enjoying the sport and the desire to compete, so I think I will continue for some more years. The trick to staying on top for a long time is having fun. This is the motivation I prefer and it avoids controversy. When I was younger I was entertained by that but not any more.

Now that testing is over I am very excited about the season. We've been strong throughout the six days of testing and it gives me confidence for the whole season that we were fast in Qatar, where we have struggled in the past. We have only tested at two tracks so we need to wait for another different one to fully understand the new bike, but I think we're in good shape. My M1 feels great and I'm looking forward to racing!
VR
VR

I have some new rivals this year, such as my new factory colleague Ben Spies and my good friend Marco Simoncelli. Unfortunately I think that Simoncelli is in a bad condition at the moment because he is off the pace and he’s already had two big crashes and in both he hit his head on the asphalt. For me he has good potential and it is possible he will become one of the protagonists of MotoGP but first of all he has to understand why he goes slow and crashes. This year will be very tough but the good thing for us is that we are also in good shape so it will be another good fight. I am still motivated more than ever. I always try to be at the top of my game, improving and trying to adapt to the new bike. I am experienced and I know that you always need to adapt yourself to new machines, to new regulations. If you ever think you are at the top of your performance, then you have a big problem! Every season has its own story, it is more and more difficult and you always have to be faster. This is my passion and I have had a great career with a lot of good results. The way to race for me is to try and win. When I understand that will not be possible, it will be ciao to MotoGP forever!

It is not yet that time, though, so in the meantime it is just ciao for now! See you on the grid in Qatar.