Hasil Free Practice I MotoGP Prancis Sirkuit Le Mans 19 May 2012

Hasil Free Practice I MotoGP Prancis Sirkuit Le Mans 19 May 2012

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Le Mans - Casey Stoner mengawali sesi latihan di MotoGP Prancis dengan sangat baik. Dia mengalahkan rekannya di Repsol Honda, Dani Pedrosa, untuk jadi yang tercepat di latihan pertama.
Dalam sesi di Sirkuit Le Mans, Jumat (18/5/2012) sore WIB, Stoner berhasil membukukan waktu terbaik 1 menit 34,321 detik.

Pedrosa harus puas di tempat kedua. Catatan waktu terbaiknya lebih lambat 0,587 detik di belakang Stoner.
Pebalap Monster Yamaha Tech 3, Andrea Dovizioso, meraih hasil lumayan bagus di sesi ini. Dia menempati posisi ketiga, di depan Ben Spies.
Jorge Lorenzo cuma bisa menduduki tempat keenam. Jagoan Yamaha ini ada di belakang rider Pramac Ducati, Hector Barbera.
Empat pebalap lain yang melengkapi posisi sepuluh besar adalah Cal Crutchlow, Alvaro Bautista, dan Nicky Hayden, dan Valentino Rossi.

Hasil Free Practice I MotoGP Prancis:
No-Nama-Tim-Catatan Waktu-Gap

1. Casey Stoner Honda 1m34.321s
2. Dani Pedrosa Honda 1m34.908s + 0.587s
3. Andrea Dovizioso Tech 3 Yamaha 1m35.065s + 0.744s
4. Ben Spies Yamaha 1m35.202s + 0.881s
5. Hector Barbera Pramac Ducati 1m35.213s + 0.892s
6. Jorge Lorenzo Yamaha 1m35.239s + 0.918s
7. Cal Crutchlow Tech 3 Yamaha 1m35.318s + 0.997s
8. Alvaro Bautista Gresini Honda 1m35.336s + 1.015s
9. Nicky Hayden Ducati 1m35.403s + 1.082s
10. Valentino Rossi Ducati 1m35.829s + 1.508s
11. Karel Abraham Cardion Ducati 1m36.291s + 1.970s
12. Stefan Bradl LCR Honda 1m36.500s + 2.179s
13. Randy de Puniet Aspar Aprilia 1m36.935s + 2.614s
14. Aleix Espargaro Aspar Aprilia 1m37.916s + 3.595s
15. Mattia Pasini Speed Master Aprilia 1m38.140s + 3.819s
16. Yonny Hernandez Avintia FTR-Kawasaki 1m38.209s + 3.888s
17. Michele Pirro Gresini FTR-Honda 1m38.255s + 3.934s
18. James Ellison Paul Bird Aprilia 1m38.943s + 4.622s
19. Danilo Petrucci Ioda-Aprilia 1m39.110s + 4.789s
20. Ivan Silva Avintia Inmotec-Kawasaki 1m39.729s + 5.408s
21. Chris Vermeulen Forward Suter-BMW 1m41.398s + 7.077s


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Valentino Rossi: MotoGP sangat kehilangan Stoner

Valentino Rossi: MotoGP sangat kehilangan Stoner
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Le Mans - Valentino Rossi berkomentar soal keputusan Casey Stoner untuk pensiun akhir musim ini. Menurut Rossi, MotoGP akan sangat merindukan sosok Stoner dan merupakan sebuah kerugian karena kehilangan pebalap handalnya.

Stoner memutuskan gantung helm usai musim 2012 ini berakhir. Alasan utama Stoner adalah ia sudah tidak lagi menemukan gairah serta semangat untuk berkompetisi di balapan motor kelas primer tersebut karena banyaknya perubahan regulasi.

Sebuah keputusan yang mengejutkan mengingat usia Stoner masih 27 tahun dan ia sedang dalam puncak kariernya ketika menjuarai MotoGP untuk kedua kalinya musim lalu. Namun, keputusan itu sudah final dan para fans tak akan bisa melihat aksi rider Australia itu lagi musim depan.

Rossi yang merupakan rival Stoner di musim 2007 dan 2008 menyesalkan keputusan yang diambil oleh pebalap Repsol Honda itu. Menurut Rossi, MotoGP akan sangat kehilangan Stoner yang merupakan salah satu magnet untuk para penggemarnya.

"Aku pikir semuanya akan berdampak negatif untuk MotoGP, karena kami kehilangan juara dunia bertahan dan pemimpin klasemen. Jadi dari sisi pandang teknik, maka balapan akan sangat kehilangan (Stoner)," tukas Rossi seperti dilansir Autosport.
sumber: sport.detik.com (mrp/mrp)   

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Tak lagi bergairah Casey Stoner rencana akhiri karir di MotoGP

 

Tak lagi bergairah Casey Stoner rencana akhiri karir di MotoGP

Le Mans - Casey Stoner memutuskan pensiun dari MotoGP akhir musim ini. Alasan utama rider asal Australia itu adalah karena dirinya tak menemukan passion untuk membalap lagi.

Dalam konferensi pers, Kamis (17/5/2012) malam WIB, jelang MotoGP Prancis di sirkuit Le Mans akhir pekan ini, Stoner membuat pernyataan mengejutkan ketika ia akan menyudahi kariernya di balapan motor kelas primer di penghujung musim 2012 ini.

Sebuah keputusan yang tentunya mengundang tanya tanya besar mengingat Stoner sedang berada di usia 27 tahun yang merupakan tahun emas dalam karier seorang rider motoGP. Apalagi musim lalu ia baru saja merengkuh titel juara dunia keduanya.

Namun, Stoner mengungkapkan utamanya mundur dari dunia yang membesarkan namanya itu adalah karena ia sudah lelah membalap lagi dan tak lagi punya gairah di olahraga tersebut, khususnya musim ini di mana banyak perubahan regulasi yang membuat Stoner jenuh.

Alasan lain dirinya memutuskan gantung helm adalah untuk memberi waktu lebih banyak pada keluarganya yang selama enam tahun terakhir tersita untuk kariernya. Apalagi tahun ini Stoner baru saja menjadi ayah setelah istrinya, Adriana, melahirkan putra pertama mereka.

"Aku akan pensiun di akhir musim MotoGP ini dan melakukan hal yang berbeda dalam hidupku," tukas Stoner seperti dilansir Autosport.

"Usai bertahun-tahun aku melakukan olahraga yang begitu kucintai, di mana aku mengorbankan waktu untuk diriku dan keluargaku, dan juga setelah bertahun-tahun yang kulalui untuk mencapai tempat di mana kami berada saat ini, olahraga ini sudah banyak berubah dan itu sudah mengubah pandanganku, sehingga aku tidak lagi menikmatinya," sambungnya.

"Aku sudah tidak lagi bersemangat untuk itu dan jadi saat ini kurasa waktu yangt tepat untuk pensiun," tegas Stoner.

"Banyak hal yang membuatku mencintai dan juga membenci olahraga ini, tapi sayangnya keseimbangan sudah berjalan ke arah yang salah. Jadi kami tidak bisa melanjutkan apa-apa lagi."

"Mungkin akan lebih baik jika aku katakan aku akan bertahan satu musim lagi. Tapi kapan waktuku untuk berhenti? Jadi kami putuskan untuk menuntaskan segalanya saat ini," tuntasnya.


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Casey Stoner tundukkan Sirkuit Estoril

Casey Stoner tundukkan Sirkuit Estoril

Estoril - Casey Stoner mengaku beruntung bisa bertahan dari tekanan Jorge Lorenzo di sepanjang balapan MotoGP Portugal dan akhirnya menang, padahal motornya masih belum lepas dari masalah chatter.

Pebalap Honda itu melesat di awal-awal balapan dan mencetak keunggulan 1,4 detik setelah tiga lap. Akan tetapi, secara pelan-pelan Lorenzo bisa mendekatinya.

Menurut dia, hal tersebut terjadi karena kendala masalah chatter di motornya. Akan tetapi, dengan gaya membalapnya Stoner bisa mengurangi problema tersebut dan menjaga jaraknya dengan Lorenzo hingga garis finis.

Kemenangan ini adalah yang pertama buat pebalap Australia tersebut di Estoril sekaligus kemenangan MotoGP ke-35 sepanjang kariernya.

"Ada tekanan hebat sepanjang balapan. Jorge mendekatiku dan aku hanya bertahan," ucap Stoner yang dikutip Autosport. "Aku merasa baik di awal-awal balapan dengan ban yang baru yang lama kelamaan menipis kami punya masalah chatter berat, yang kami temui di kualifikasi."

"Kami selalu sedikit kesulitan di kondisi trek yang hangat, ban-ban tidak bekerja dengan baik, bukan soal penggunaannya tapi soal chatter. Kami memiliki masalah itu sejak awal dan aku sulit mengendalikan bagian depan motor beberapa kali jadi aku harus mundur lalu Jorge mendekatiku dan aku beruntung bisa bertahan," sambung juara dunia dua kali itu.

"Sejak saat itu, aku mencoba menjaga jarak dengan Jorge yang ada di belakang. Ada tekanan besar sekali dan aku mencoba cara yang berbeda. Aku menemukan gaya membalap yang bagus, merasa sedikit lebih baik dan mendorongnya lebih kuat lagi dan akhirnya bisa membuka jarak yang cukup," pungkas Stoner.
sumber: sport.detik.com (rin/mrp)

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Casey Stoner masih ragu dengan motornya

Estoril - Pole position yang didapat Casey Stoner di GP Portugal tak lantas membuatnya optimistis menyambut balapan. Karena setting motor belum sepenuhnya memuaskan, pembalap Honda itu malah sedikit waswas.

Setting motor Honda milik Stoner sesungguhnya sudah dirasakan cukup baik di sesi latihan bebas ketiga. Namun demi lebih meningkatkan performa, sebelum masuk kualifikasi beberapa perubahan pun dilakukan.

Malang buat Stoner, perubahana setting tersebut justru menyebabkan gangguan dan ketidaknyamanan pada motor. Karena itulah, meski bisa dapat pole, sang juara dunia merasa dirinya perlu mewaspadai kalau-kalau tunggangannya menimbulkan masalah.

"Pagi ini kami mungkin merasa lebih percaya diri, motornya bekerja sangat baik di FP3. Lalu kami mencoba mengembangkannya yang kemudian justru membuat apa yang sudah bagus menjadi kelemahan kami. Kami tidak berjalan ke arah yang benar, itu (pole) yang tidak meyakinkan," sahut Stoner di Autosport.

Perubahan setting motor masih bisa dilakukan sebelum sesi pemanasan di Minggu pagi ini. Tapi jika setting tersebut kembali justru memperburuk kondisi motor, Stoner bisa kehilangan daya saing di Estoril.

"Kami cukup cepat di semua sesi dan kecepatan kami memberikan kami kepercayaan diri, tapi kami harus memikirkan setting seperti apa yang harus dibuat supaya menang dan saya harap itu akan jadi yang terbaik untuk bisa menang," lanjut Stoner.
sumber: detik.com (din/din)   

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2011 Japan GP: Bridgestone MotoGP Race Debrief With Hirohide Hamashima

2011 Japan GP: Bridgestone MotoGP Race Debrief With Hirohide Hamashima

Sunday's Japanese Grand Prix was a dramatic event with three riders penalised for jump-starts and being given ride-through penalties, five riders crashing out in separate incidents and another four recovering and rejoining after running off-track. All weekend the pace was very quick, as a combined result of partial resurfacing work to repair damage inflicted by the earthquake earlier this year, machine development over the past 12 months and the selection of softer compound rear slick tyre options for Motegi this year. On Saturday a new pole position record was set by Casey Stoner and in the race Dani Pedrosa set a new lap record. Pedrosa took his first premier class victory at the Honda-owned Motegi circuit ahead of Jorge Lorenzo, whilst Stoner recovered from running off track to finish third. With three round remaining in the championship, Stoner holds a 40 point lead over Lorenzo and mathematically has his first chance to seal his second World title at his home round in Australia next time out.

Hirohide Hamashima – Assistant to Director, Motorsport Tyre Development Division

Why were the laptimes so much faster at Motegi this year?
"It is true that the laptimes were quite a lot faster this year – Casey's pole time was 1.8seconds faster than last year and Dani's new lap record was one second under the previous record and also 1.3seconds faster than last year's fastest race lap.

"Although of course it is very difficult to quantify exactly, I believe the main reason for this improvement is the partial resurfacing of the circuit that was conducted to repair the damage caused by the March earthquake. Approximately 75 per cent of the circuit's surface is new and there have been many races since the tarmac was laid, including most recently the IndyCar series race two weeks ago, so the grip level is very good. It is also very smooth which adds to its advantage.

"I think there are two other factors too – the hard work of the teams and the development of the machines since last year, and secondly we selected softer rear tyre options for Motegi this year and I believe this contributed, specifically on Saturday during qualifying.

"Last year, all riders raced on the medium compound rear that showed good performance and had no problems at all, which was then the softer of the two options. This year, Dani won using the same medium compound rear, but because we have gone one step softer, it was the harder of the two available options. On the same tyres, his fastest race lap was 1.3seconds faster than the best from last year, which shows combined bike and track improvements, but in qualifying when most riders recorded their best laps on the newly-allocated soft rear, the improvement over last year was 1.8seconds, so I believe this is the difference made by the softer rear tyre allocation. Based on this, we can see that bringing the soft compound rear here was worth around 0.5seconds a lap."

Softer rear slicks were selected this time after rider requests for better warm-up – what was the feedback?
"Using the soft compound rear slicks for the first time at Motegi meant that the qualifying times in particular were faster, as I said above, but also it meant that race tyre choice was more mixed. Last year, everyone used the medium compound rear tyre for the race, but this year six riders used the medium and the remaining 12 starters chose the soft compound, which provided an interesting comparison of performance. Warm-up performance was certainly improved, even when race-day track temperature was only 26 degrees Celsius, the lowest of the weekend. But I am also happy that so many riders could get it to work consistently over race-distance, and the fact that so many used it tells me that it was right decision to revise our allocation for this year, and in doing so directly answer rider calls this year for softer compounds that reach their optimum working temperature more quickly."

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Repsol Honda rider Casey Stoner claims his pass over Nicky Hayden at Motegi

Repsol Honda rider Casey Stoner claims his pass over Nicky Hayden at Motegi

Repsol Honda rider Casey Stoner has said that his pass over Nicky Hayden of Ducati was not risky which he made during the 2011 Japanese Grand Prix at the Twin Ring Motegi Circuit on Sunday, October 2.

After Stoner ran wide during the fifth lap, the Aussie had to run back to the top for a podium finish.

In an effort of rising from seventh position in the race, Stoner had to push hard aggressively. During the several passes that he made to claim a third position on the podium, he had to overtake Nicky Hayden.

Stoner said, "Nah, I didn't get in there too hot. It's a thing that Nicky does. When you pass him he doesn't want to give up the position. It happened to me with him at Indianapolis, I think, last year."

The Aussie rider went on to recover his lost positions in the race and overtook former Ducati teammate Nicky Hayden. Following the race, it was speculated that Stoner made an aggressive pass over Hayden.

On this note Stoner stated it is normal for Hayden to ignore a rider that tends to overtake him.

Stoner further added, "You go up the inside and he keeps leaning on you, and leaning on you. That's basically all that happened. I went in there with plenty of room. I could have easily made the corner if he just didn't lean on me."

The 2012 championship leader, Stoner claimed that as he entered his inside line, Hayden started to lean over to his side and carried on doing so. In that situation, Stoner decided to release his brakes and move ahead realising his presence besides him.

He added that he had to make this advancement as he feared Hayden was going to ignore his presence.

The frustration and chaos filled Japanese race did give Stoner a podium position but his lead has dropped to 40 points from Jorge Lorenzo.
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MotoGP Film FASTEST Set for US Premiere In Las Vegas On October 14

MotoGP Film FASTEST Set for US Premiere In Las Vegas On October 14

MALIBU,Calif. (Oct. 3, 2011) – The critically acclaimed Moto GP documentary FASTEST is set for its United States premiere with a private and exclusive screening on Friday, October 14 at The Deuce Lounge inside the Aria resort and Casino at City Center in Las Vegas. Filmmaker Mark Neale followed the MotoGP circuit during the 2010 and 2011 seasons and searched the DORNA MotoGP archives, creating a true cinematic experience that captured the excitement, thrills and human drama as the world's best drag their knees at nearly 200 mph.

"'FASTEST' - the greatest feeling, the greatest risk. This is the essence of MotoGP and of the movie. The ecstasy and the terror of life at the very highest level of motorcycle racing." -Mark Neale

MotoGP is the worldwide pinnacle of motorcycle racing, and FASTEST takes you to its heart, capturing the behind-the-scenes personalities that make the sport one of the most popular on the planet. With 105 wins to his credit, Italian Valentino Rossi is chasing history, looking to become the winningest rider in the sport as he's faced with the challenge of coming back from a career-threatening injury. However, standing in his way is a group of talented young riders, led by his teammate and rival Jorge Lorenzo, looking to take the crown from "The Doctor."

The documentary follows some of the most successful riders in recent years, including Rossi, Lorenzo, Marco Simoncelli, Casey Stoner, Ben Spies, Alvaro Bautista, Randy De Puniet, Dani Pedrosa, Nicky Hayden and Colin Edwards, as they chase the MotoGP World Championship. FASTEST captures some of the most amazing moments in the sport's recent history as it shows both the incredible highs when it all goes right, and the terrible lows when everything goes wrong.

FASTEST debuted internationally on September 20, to an audience of 1,300 in London, and has received rave reviews, contributing to its global success with both fans and industry professionals alike.

"Good films about motorcycles are few in number, fewer still about motorcycle racing but Fastest is, at least in my book, equal to On Any Sunday." – David Miller, bikesportnews.com

Neale, a UK native, has won multiple awards throughout his illustrious career for his work on such films as FASTER and The Doctor, The Tornado and the Kentucky Kid. He paired with award-winning producer Paul Taublieb to create FASTEST, as his background in motorsports and action sports made him a natural for the project. Taublieb consulted on the creation of the ESPN X Games, and now produces all that event's moto-x competitions, in addition to NASCAR and the TORC racing series. He recently wrapped production with Spyglass Entertainment on a feature film project.

FASTEST will premiere at a private and exclusive screening at The Deuce Lounge inside the Aria resort and Casino at City Center in Las Vegas on Friday, October 14. Press, media, Monster Energy athletes, and other industry insiders will be among those invited to the private event. The premiere will not be open to the public. Tastemaker screenings, available to the public, will take place on specific dates following the premiere event. These dates will be announced shortly.

The documentary is currently in limited theatrical release in areas outside of the United States. The DVD will be available in the United States in 2011. The release date will be announced shortly along with other distribution updates that should thrill MotoGP and FASTEST fans worldwide.

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MotoGP FP3: Stoner best at wet Brno

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MotoGP FP3: Stoner best at wet Brno - GPone English

The rain which hit the Brno circuit last night was still evident during the final MotoGP practice session. The premier class riders none the less took advantage of the wet running time, pushing hard for good lap times and consistent pace in anticipation of a wet race on Sunday, though times were more than ten seconds slower than those of the day before.

Jorge Lorenzo topped most of the session, until Casey Stoner took his spot and held it on top of the timings in the last five minutes. The Australian had crashed at the start of the session on the cold track, but remained unruffled and proceeded to push, posting a final time of 2'07.321.

Ducati Team rider Valentino Rossi, who was seventh fastest of the field on Friday, found a good set up for the rain to post a time of 2'07.443, landing him third on the charts, while Dani Pedrosa finished the session in fourth place, his time set in the first practice session of the weekend remaining fastest of the field so far.

Nicky Hayden (Ducati Team) took a significantly higher spot in the line up than his fourteenth place on Friday, the Kentuckian lapping well in the rain with a time of 2'07.695, just 0.374s off the pace set by Stoner for the session.

In sixth was Hiroshi Aoyama (San Carlo Honda Gresini) following Hayden by 0.048s, with Cal Crutchlow (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) in seventh and Andrea Dovizioso in eighth. Marco Simoncelli (San Carlo Honda Gresini Team) and Ben Spies (Yamaha Factory Racing) completed the top ten.

Karel Abraham (Cardion ab Motoracing) placed in eleventh at his home circuit with a time of 2'08.460, a gap of 1.139s off the leading time.

Wild card John Hopkins on the Rizla Suzuki had a fall in Turn 3 just fifteen minutes into the meet. He was taken to the Clinica Mobile where he was diagnosed with a fractured finger and was unable to rejoin the session.

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Stoner Takes 6th Win of Season at Czech GP

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Stoner Takes 6th Win of Season at Czech GP - AllAboutBikes

Casey Stoner extended his lead to 32 points today by taking his sixth win of the season at the Czech GP. The Repsol Honda rider was followed by his teammate, Andrea Dovizioso, and fellow Honda rider, Marco Simoncelli, who earned his first career MotoGP podium.

Stoner took the Czech GP victory with a dominant performance around the BRNO track. Stoner could have had stiff competition from his teammate Dani Pedrosa, who started from the pole position, but Pedrosa crashed out of the race, leaving Stoner alone at the front. Stoner would claim his 7th victory of the season by more than 6 seconds ahead of Andrea Dovizioso.

Simoncelli took his first MotoGP career podium ahead of Jorge Lorenzo. It is only the fourth time this season that Lorenzo has missed the podium.

Lorenzo's Yamaha teammate Ben Spies took fifth ahead of the Ducati duo of Valentino Rossi and Nicky Hayden.

Colin Edwards, Hiroshi Aoyoma, and Hector Barbera completed the top 10.

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Stoner: Long way to go...

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Stoner: Long way to go... - crash.net

Casey Stoner has expressed a disappointment with his start to the 2011 Czech Republic Grand Prix at Brno, claiming he isn't happy with various issues on the Repsol Honda.

The Australian says he is suffering with a 'vague' front-end and a lack of rear grip, though he was still fast enough to land second in both free practice sessions, behind team-mate Dani Pedrosa, but ahead of key rival Jorge Lorenzo.

Nonetheless, having ended his weekend at Laguna Seca in perfect style, Stoner is hopeful a solution to the problems on the RC212V can be found in time for qualifying.

“Today hasn't been that positive to be honest, we seem to be having a similar start to our weekend in Laguna and aren't sure which direction to take at the moment. The feeling in the front is very vague, our corner entry and mid-turn isn't that great. We also need to find a lot more grip in the rear as I'm struggling on the edge of the tyre and exit of the corner.

“We have a long way to go before I feel happy with the set up and there are many areas we can improve, so tomorrow we will be trying a lot of different things on both bikes and prepare as best we can for qualifying.”

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MotoGP Brno Repsol Trio Fired Up

@JakartaForumJakartaForum MotoGP Brno Repsol Trio Fired Up

Honda Repsol's Stoner, Pedrosa, & Dovizioso, Ready For Brno

The World Championship visits this weekend the Czech Republic, with Dani Pedrosa, Andrea Dovizioso, Casey Stoner and Marc Márquez ready for the second half of the year. After a well earned break, MotoGP Circus resumes the action on European soil.

The Repsol riders go back to work with new energy and will look for new victories during the second half of the season. In the premiere category, the Repsol Honda Team reaches the technical track of Brno leading the championship and with three of the top four positions of the overall standings. Marc Márquez —second of the Moto2 World Championship—, will try to keep the good level shown in previous races and recovering points with reference to Bradl.

The leader of the MotoGP World Championship, Casey Stoner, used the summer break to rest and recover from the intense period of the World Championship they just had: six Grand Prix in eight weeks. The Australian arrives to the Czech Republic with the aim to keep the level shown in Laguna Seca, a race where the Repsol rider had to be patient and smart to wait for the perfect moment to overtake his rivals and cross the finish line in first position. He finished almost six seconds ahead of Jorge Lorenzo, which is also 20 points behind him in the overall standings.

After his third position in Laguna Seca, Dani Pedrosa started two weeks of holidays with the only aim to relax and recover his strength to keep setting good times and be able to sign results such as the ones he had in Germany and the US —first and third—. The Spaniard of the Repsol Honda Team will try to be again on the highest step of the podium at the Czech Republic, a track where he has been about to take victory twice —second in 2009 and 2010—. Since he returned after his injury, Pedrosa climbed to the fourth position of the World Championship, just behind his team mate at the Repsol Honda Team, Andrea Dovizioso.

The Italian was very consistent since the beginning of the season, achieving four podium positions in the first eight races —3 seconds and 1 third— which placed him in the third position of the overall standings. The Repsol rider arrives in Brno with the objective to keep advancing in the World Championship, start from a good grid position, be in the top group on Sunday and fight for his first victory of the season.

Dani Pedrosa

"These two and a half weeks have flown by for me, but I really enjoyed this break. The truth is that I needed it, first of all to rest after the last few races that were physically hard for me but also to disconnect a little and to train, to get back my physical strength and be fit again. My holidays have been a combination of all.
When I got back from Laguna I spent some days doing nothing just to relax the whole area of the neck, arms and back. After this I've been combining physical training with relaxation exercises to avoid over stressing the area. Now I'm looking forward to competing again and enjoying the races until the end of the season. The bike is working very well this year so I hope we can get good results and win races in this second half of the Championship.
Brno is a track I like, I've won there in 125 and 250, and I've had some podiums also in MotoGP so to fight for the victory is a challenge for me and I'm very motivated. I'm also looking forward to the test at Brno with the 1000cc bike. I missed the first one in Jerez due to the injury and I'm exciting to see to see how the new bike works".

Andrea Dovizioso

"I spent the summer break with my family and friends at the seaside in Sardinia. Early in the morning I was training, then I could play with Sara, my little daughter. It was a new experience for me that I really enjoyed. It was a perfect time to relax and switch off and now I’m ready for the second part of the season.
We arrive in Brno very motivated as we want to redeem the disappointing result of Laguna. Brno is a fast track, the curves have a long range so the speed in the mid corner is high. I’m confident that we can be competitive there, the Honda machine is working very well and the characteristics of the track suit my riding style too.
It’s similar to Mugello and we look for a good result. Casey [Stoner], Dani [Pedrosa] and Jorge [Lorenzo] will be strong rivals, but I’m confident that we will be able to fight with them. We are determined to return on the podium. This is our target".

Casey Stoner

"I've really enjoyed this summer break. After a great race in Laguna, we decided to stay in California and visit some friends and enjoy some down time, mixed in with some training. Now I feel relaxed and ready for the second half of the season. I'm looking forward to going to Brno, it's a circuit I've always enjoyed and I believe with the results we've had in the past years we can expect to have a good race there.
I've seen that the Honda can be very competitive at all circuits this year so I'm sure we will also be strong in Brno. The fact that it's very fast and flowing has helped the Yamaha's in the past seasons and I think Jorge [Lorenzo] will be strong there, so I will be watching for him.
We'll be working on overcoming some of the issues we've had in the fast corners at circuits this year and we will certainly be looking for the win, or at the very least some more important Championship points".

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Stoner out to increase lead in Brno

@JakartaForumJakartaForum Stoner out to increase lead in Brno

MotoGP championship leader Casey Stoner believes that he is in a strong position to extend his points advantage over rival and reigning champion Jorge Lorenzo, with the Honda expected to suit the swooping nature of the Brno layout this weekend.

Stoner heads into this weekend's Czech GP with a 20-point lead over Lorenzo following the Australian's victory over the Spaniard in the USGP last month, and said he went into the summer break boosted by his dominant performance at Laguna Seca.

"Now I feel relaxed and ready for the second half of the season," he said. "I'm looking forward to going to Brno, it's a circuit I've always enjoyed and I believe with the results we've had in the past years we can expect to have a good race there. I've seen that the Honda can be very competitive at all circuits this year so I'm sure we will also be strong in Brno."

Stoner hasn't written off the challenge from Lorenzo, who won the event last year which was dominated by Yamaha.

"The fact that it's very fast and flowing has helped the Yamahas in the past seasons and I think Jorge will be strong there, so I will be watching for him," said Stoner. "We'll be working on overcoming some of the issues we've had in the fast corners at circuits this year and we will certainly be looking for the win, or at the very least some more important championship points."

Teammate Andrea Dovizioso, who lies third in the championship, is also determined to set the record straight with a good result this weekend after a disappointingly distant fourth last time out at Laguna Seca.

"We arrive in Brno very motivated as we want to redeem the disappointing result of Laguna," he said. "Brno is a fast track, the curves have a long range so the speed in the mid corner is high. I'm confident that we can be competitive there, the Honda machine is working very well and the characteristics of the track suit my riding style, too.

"It's similar to Mugello and we look for a good result. Casey, Dani [Pedrosa] and Jorge will be strong rivals, but I'm confident that we will be able to fight with them. We are determined to return on the podium. This is our target."

This article originally appeared in Autosport.com

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Repsol Honda trio Stoner, Dovizioso, Pedrosa geared up for US Grand Prix

@MotoGPTweetmotogp news update

Repsol Honda trio Stoner, Dovizioso, Pedrosa geared up for US Grand Prix ... - bettor.com (blog)

Repsol Honda trio of Casey Stoner, Andrea Dovizioso and Dani Pedrosa is fully prepared to take up the challenge at the upcoming tenth 2011 MotoGP event scheduled to be held in the US.
Stoner said, “I'm looking forward to going to Laguna Seca, it's a circuit I've always enjoyed quite good results at and we've always been naturally quite fast there. The track itself is a very tight and technical track, there are lots of sweeping gradients and unusual corners with a lot of camber, so you need to be delicate on the track and not ‘attack’ it too much.”

The Australian rider and his team hope to improve their strategy and work to get better results as compared to the last three race weekends. Though Stoner has scored three podiums in the last three events but his satisfaction lies in winning races which is also important for maintaining the championship lead.

The US Grand Prix is the sixth event in the last eight-week span of the 2011 MotoGP season which has given very little time for the teams to try out their packages. However, Stoner said he likes to race at Laguna Seca, the crowd and atmosphere.

On the other hand, Dovizioso said, “I really look forward to racing in Laguna Seca. I have always had a good feeling with this track and I like the whole ambience there. We arrive very motivated and it’s good that we race straight after Sachsenring.”

The Italian rider is content with his improved race pace, as he was streaming in top riders through whole race. Occasionally, he swapped places with both of his teammates but finally finished fourth at Sachsenring.

The priority for Dovizioso is to keep a hold on the podium position but it is always better to strive for the win. In all the fights, the Italian has been focused to gain good points and shorten up the points’ gap from Jorge Lorenzo and leader Casey Stoner.

Their third teammate Dani Pedrosa has been celebrating his German Grand Prix success with his family since the last few days.

Let’s see how the Repsol Honda trio fares at the Mazda Raceway circuit at Laguna Seca this weekend.

Labels: MotoGP, Casey Stoner, Dani Pedrosa, Andrea Dovizioso, Repsol Honda, California, Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix, Honda RC212V

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Battle heats up atop MotoGP standings

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Battle heats up atop MotoGP standings - Monterey County Herald

Yamaha Factory Racing's Jorge Lorenzo pulled a dramatic last lap pass of Casey Stoner in Sachsenring, Germany Sunday for second place, thereby reducing Stoner's overall lead to just 15 points as they head into Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca this weekend.

The popular 2007 champion from Australia now riding for Repsol Honda leads Lorenzo of Spain 168-153 as the best road racers on two wheels prepare for the Red Bull United States Grand Prix Friday through Sunday at Mazda Raceway.

Spaniard Dani Pedrosa rode his Repsol Honda to victory Sunday and jumped two spots to fifth in the world classification with 94 points.

Texan Ben Spies, on the Factory Yamaha, moved up in the points total with Sunday's fifth-place finish and has tied compatriot Nicky Hayden, "the Kentucky Kid" who won the world title in 2006, at 85 points to share sixth place in the World Championship standings.

At 2.238 miles (11 turns), Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca is the shortest circuit in the MotoGP series. Yet that distinction also makes it one of the most technical and physically-demanding tracks for riders to navigate. The elevation changes and The Corkscrew's plunging blind left-right-left will keep riders' full attention.

For further information, including race schedule, fan activities and to purchase tickets

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Casey Stoner, Repsol Honda Team, Sachsenring WUP

Casey Stoner, Repsol Honda Team, Sachsenring WUP

Pole starter Casey Stoner strengthend his place at the top of the MotoGP field by posting the fastest time in the morning warm up session ahead of the ahead of the eni Motorrad Grand Prix Deutschland race.

Repsol Honda’s Casey Stoner set a lap of 1'22.132 to put him first of the field in the MotoGP warm up at Sachsenring, after setting pole the previous day for his sixth time this season. The Australian was 0.177s ahead of third place starter Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha Factory Racing) and 0.280s faster than team mate Dani Pedrosa.

Álvaro Bautista (Rizla Suzuki) set the fourth fastest time, a 1’22.555, before he crashed out of the warm up session, with Marco Simoncelli (San Carlo Honda Gresini Team), who starts from the second row, in fifth and Ben Spies (Yamaha Factory Racing) 0.016s behind the Italian in sixth.

Andrea Dovizioso (Repsol Honda) posted a time of 1'22.765 to rank him seventh, with Nicky Hayden (Ducati Team), Colin Edwards (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) and Randy de Puniet (Pramac Racing) rounding out the top ten. Valentino Rossi (Ducati Team) slightly improved his best time from yesterday to finish eleventh with a 1’23.260.

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