Alvaro Bautista with Suzuki in 2010

Against early assumptions that Alvaro Bautista will join the newly formed Aspar Ducati team in the MotoGP class next year, the young Spaniard has decided to sign a contract with Suzuki instead, his only possibility of riding a factory bike in the first year as a Rookie.

Jorge Martinez announced that he will now have to decide between Toni Elias and Hector Barbera as possible riders for his new team next season.

The official press release from Suzuki:

Suzuki Motor Corporation is pleased to announce that Spaniard Alvaro Bautista will be joining its official MotoGP team in a two year agreement, to contest the 2010 and 2011 MotoGP World Championships.

Bautista was Spanish 125cc champion in 2003 and crowned 125cc World Champion in 2006. He moved up to the 250cc class in 2007 and earned the ‘Rookie of the Year’ title for his impressive results. Bautista was runner-up in the 2008 title race and he is currently in contention for this season’s 250cc championship, sitting in second place with six races remaining. Since his Grand Prix debut in 2002 Bautista has scored 43 podiums including 16 victories (eight in each class). The 24-year-old hails from Talavera de la Reina in Spain, a town approximately 130kms west of Madrid.

Suzuki is very pleased to have achieved the signing of one of the brightest young stars in Grand Prix racing and looks forward to developing a strong relationship and exciting races with Alvaro Bautista.

Alvaro / Aspar Announcement Thursday?

MotoGPMatters reports on the question of whether Alvaro will ride with Aspar in MotoGP next season as coming to a head this weekend at Brno, citing stories from the likes of Marca and GPOne that suggest Bati signed a pre-contract of some kind with Suzuki in the middle of 2008, and that a ride on the vacant Ducati seat in Aspar’s new MotoGP team is by no means a certainty.

Says David Emmett:
Aspar has a problem. Alvaro Bautista has already signed a pre-contract with Suzuki last summer, according to the reports, and is not inclined to pay the penalty which breaking that commitment would involve. As a result, Bautista is increasingly leaning towards finalizing a deal with Suzuki to ride for the Rizla squad for 2010. His choice is also influenced by the fact that he will be able to go straight to a factory team, Suzuki having received a dispensation from the rookie rule which forces new entrants to sign with satellite squads.

Up against this, Aspar can offer a contract directly with Ducati, but riding in the Aspar team. Bautista would be assured of strong support from Ducati Corse, and the option of moving up to the factory squad should his results be good enough. Of course, with so many riders struggling to tame the Desmosedici, Bautista may not want to risk that option, and the Spaniard has in the past flat out refused to ride the Ducati.

The various reports suggest that there will be emergency meetings in the Brno paddock with Aspar and Alvaro’s management to try and nail the matter – and that whatever the outcome, Jorge Martinez will name his rider this weeked, probably on Thursday or Friday.

Assen: Thursday Team Quotes - 250cc & 125cc

250cc

1st Álvaro Bautista 1.40.817 (27 laps):
"To be honest the lap times weren't particularly quick today. We had a problem at the start of the session and the rear of the bike was sliding around a lot - also the engine wasn't working as it should be but as the session progressed we ironed things out. I'm still not completely happy with the rear of my Aprilia because it is not gripping and I can't open the throttle when I want to. So that is mainly what we need to work on tomorrow and I'm convinced we can make big improvements. It's not bad for the first day but we can't afford to go to sleep tomorrow. Barberá and myself are a little ahead of the rest but that doesn't mean anything because the pace will increase tomorrow. In our case we know where we can go faster and that is what we need to do in order for me to have fun on the bike."

3rd Mike Di Meglio 1.41.472 (25 laps):
"I'm really happy because I felt comfortable throughout the session. It was very windy but our pace was good - not incredibly fast but good enough for the first day and I'm satisfied. It is good to start out like this, to be up there from the first few minutes and to know that we can get better. I hope we can continue with this evolution tomorrow and consolidate our position amongst the top guys. The test at Valencia worked out well for us because now we have the chassis configuration more or less clear, even though we can refine it more on the second day here."

Aleix Espargaró:
"I'm really glad to be back in the World Championship - after such a long time away I'd almost forgotten what it's like! It's incredible how things can change - one minute you are sat at home and then you get a call four days before a Grand Prix from one of the biggest teams in the 250cc class to see if you will ride for them! I just tried to stay focused from the start today and even though the bike felt really small I just tried to get some laps in and get a feel for it. Thankfully the team helped me a lot - they just said get out there and ride until you feel comfortable. I honestly didn't know where the limit was so I just made sure I wasn't taking too many risks because the last thing I needed was a crash. At the end of the session Álvaro came past so I latched onto him and managed to get a fantastic lap in. The objective today was to break the ice and get a feel for the Aprilia, which I think we have done and then some!"


125cc

1st Julián Simón 1.46.725 (19 laps):
"The truth is that after what happened in Barcelona I really wanted to make a strong start here. I'm happy because even though Assen has never been a circuit that suits my riding style we've done a fantastic job today and I felt comfortable throughout the session. We've tried a few things with the engine, amongst other things, on the back of the tests we did at Valencia and in the end we found a tyre that we think can work well. First place is always a good result and it has filled me with optimism for the race, so hopefully we can have more good weather tomorrow. The incident at Montmeló left me feeling very highly motivated about this race and all I can think about is winning. I actually think we have a better chance of doing it here than we did in the last race. The team have been really supportive and told me to forget about Montmeló, so I'd love to pay them back with a win on Saturday."
 
2nd Sergio Gadea 1.46.925 (21 laps):
"I felt really comfortable during today's session despite a couple of problems with the front end. I managed to clock a '46.9 pretty early on but when I tried to push harder I was losing the front of my Aprilia to the point where at one stage I almost crashed. We put a softer tyre on and that stopped it from moving around so much, which made me feel better. We've set a good pace throughout the session and I'm happy because we still have plenty of room to improve. It is positive to start a weekend out like this and obviously providing we don't have a mechanical setback we can stay up there. Anything can happen in a race but I'll try and start as near the front as possible and hopefully be able to win! We've been consistent so far but now is the time when we need to start winning races."

4th Bradley Smith 1.47.113 (25 laps):
"It is nice to be competitive from the opening day, especially considering how hard we found it to get on the pace at Montmeló. We needed to make sure that everything was still working okay and today was a good start. I found it difficult to go any faster because it was quite windy out there today but on the other hand the track temperature was high and that helped us do our job. In general the lap times aren't that fast, probably because of the wind, but I expect we'll all pick the pace up tomorrow. It was a shame that I ran into a lot of traffic over the last three laps and it prevented me from getting a fast lap in but I'm happy with the job we've done. We'll work on finding a better feeling tomorrow with the front suspension and stiffen it up a little because today I couldn't brake as hard as I'd like."

Aspar Team - Assen Previews

250cc

Álvaro Bautista:
"I think we're strong right now and we go to Holland with plenty of confidence and motivation after the victory in Barcelona. Assen is a circuit I really like, with a mixture of fast and twisty sections, and in general it's a nice place. Last year we won from pole and we have good references, so hopefully the weather can be on our side like it was at the last round so that we can set the pace again. Our objective will be to work hard from Friday and find the best set-up possible so that we have every chance of fighting for the win on Saturday. Being the series leader is a source of great motivation but you have to remember that there is still a long way to go in the championship and it is important we stay consistent. If I have a chance to go for the win I won't think twice about it, but if it's not on then I'll take as many points as I can."

Mike Di Meglio:
"Assen is a wonderful circuit and I like it a lot, so I hope I can perform well there. Last year things didn't go well for me in the race because I had some problems with my bike but hopefully in this new category and with this new team we can work well for this race. The idea is to continue to learn and make progress but I would really like to cap it off with a good race. Over the past couple of rounds we've done well in practice but for one reason or another we haven't been able to finish the job off on a Sunday. From now on I'll be taking extra care not to crash because we've thrown away too many points already."



125cc

Julián Simón:
"I really like Assen a lot. The old layout was better but it is still fun to ride here. I am really motivated because I know I can run at the front, even though we won't know exactly what we're capable of until we get out there. I'm sure that if we keep working as we have done up to now we'll be up there. The weather is going to be an important factor, as it always is here, and there's usually a day or two of rain. I really want to get back to winning ways, like at Le Mans, and be up there fighting for victory the whole race. I also want to put the disappointment of Montmeló behind me. Being back on top of the championship givers me a lot of motivation and I think it is a position befitting of the job we're doing."

Bradley Smith:
"After finishing eighth at Montmeló I'm looking forward to getting to Assen and fighting for a top finish. It wasn't a bad result and I'm still only a point and a half behind Julito but I was left with a bittersweet taste after that race. We have to think positive and keep working in the same way we have up to now. The Dutch TT last year was a strange race because of the red flag but I think I finished fifth, which isn't a bad result. I really enjoy riding at Assen - a lot of people I speak to say the old circuit was even more fun but I never had the chance to ride it. The first section is a bit slow and personally I prefer the second half of the lap because it's really quick. I think the work we did at the Valencia test should pay off because we improved engine performance."

Sergio Gadea:
"Assen is a circuit I've done well at in the past. Last year I broke down when I was in third place but I've been on the podium here before and I have plenty of good memories. I think I can be competitive here in wet or dry conditions and psychologically speaking we're strong after the podium at Montmeló and I think we can look for a top result. I just want to keep working as well as we have done up to now - I know we're 25 points behind Julián but we closed the gap in the last round and it is only one race difference, so it is up to us not to make any mistakes and to stay in touch. We'll try and do our job to the best of our ability in each race, not make any mistakes and I think our experience could play in our favour."

Aspar not with Yamaha in 2010

MCN reports that Yamaha boss Lin Jarvis denied that the Japanese factory might be increasing the numbers of bikes on the grid, supplying Jorge Martinez' MotoGP project next year.

"Four for us has always been the optimum number for how we maintain quantity and quality. There was a direct discussion with Aspar in 2008 about the possibility of a fifth bike but we decided to continue with Tech 3.

This year we had a request from Dorna to increase the quantity and Yamaha considered that, but it is very difficult, particularly now considering the economic climate. Given that, frankly four bikes now is the maximum Yamaha wants to do.

Concerning a split between Tech 3 and Aspar, we’ve never had that intention and we’ve clarified that. Yamaha has already informed Dorna that our limit is four bikes and it will remain as the current format, two for the factory team and two for Tech 3. That is absolutely sure.”

It is now suspected that Honda might supply a RC212V for Aspar's MotoGP project, probably working with current 250cc championship leader Alvaro Bautista who still has an offer from Suzuki on the table.

Newsflash: Talmacsi to Scot Honda

Former Balatonring Aspar rider Gabor Talmacsi has found a new ride in the MotoGP championship and will be joining Yuki Takahashi in the Scot Honda Team this weekend.
What's more, Gabor will take Takahashi's place from Assen onwards, leaving the Japanese without a ride.

Catalunya GP Weekend - TV Schedules

Friday June 12th

Live MotoGP - 11.40am
Catalunya Grand Prix: 125cc Practice
(Eurosport 2)

Live MotoGP - 12.45pm
Catalunya Grand Prix: MotoGP Practice
(Eurosport 2)

Live MotoGP - 2.00pm
Catalunya Grand Prix: 250cc Practice
(Eurosport 2)

MotoGP - 9.10pm
Catalunya Grand Prix: MotoGP Practice (rpt)
(Eurosport 2)

.............................................


Saturday June 13th

MotoGP - 11.00am
Catalunya Grand Prix: Practice (rpt)
(Eurosport 2)

Live MotoGP - 12.00pm
125cc Catalunya Grand Prix: Qualifying
(Eurosport 2)

Live MotoGP - 12.45pm
MotoGP Catalunya Grand Prix: Qualifying
(Eurosport 2)

Live MotoGP - 2.00pm
250cc Catalunya Grand Prix: Qualifying
(Eurosport 2)

MotoGP - 9.30pm
MotoGP Catalunya Grand Prix: Qualifying
(Eurosport 2)

.............................................


Sunday June 14th

MotoGP - 9.00am
MotoGP Catalunya Grand Prix: Qualifying (rpt)
(Eurosport 2)

Live MotoGP - 10.00am
125cc Catalunya Grand Prix
(Eurosport)

Live MotoGP - 11.00am
250cc Catalunya Grand Prix
(Eurosport)

Live MotoGP - 12.30pm
Catalunya Grand Prix
(BBC2)

MotoGP - 4.00pm (*Delayed broadcast)
MotoGP Catalunya Grand Prix
(Eurosport)

Review: MotoGP.com iPhone App (5* rating)

I have a (possibly ever-so slightly deserved) reputation as a bit of a geek / nerd / saddo when it comes to anything Mac or iPhone related. So, imagine my joy then, when I was pointed at a dedicated iPhone app from MotoGP.com

Let's face it, MotoGP and Dorna have been way more innovative, smart and genuinely rewarding in their approach to online delivery than F1 - and far better at doing something of genuine interest to punters.
And so perhaps this is no great surprise. Doesn't mean that it's not worth a bit of a rave though...
It's a thoroughly tasty piece of work from start to finish, playing both to their own strengths in content and data, and the iPhone's strengths in interface and usability.

The key to it of course is dynamic data - in this case, live timing with race lap, rider position, lap time, gap time, and top speed. And nice touches like rotating the iPhone into 'horizontal' position to get a full live timing view, and live commentary from the MotoGP crew as well.
The app also provides access to race results, championship results, latest news, rider profiles, competition calendars and schedules, and a huge photo gallery.
Aside from all the good functionality, it also has the MotoGP.com excellent branding DNA, and attention to detail, in buckets. It's one of the slickest looking apps I've seen. (*And I've seen more than enough to prove I should get out more...)

To be honest it's a steal at only £1.79 and certainly an invaluable addition to the tech tools of anyone who loves MotoGP and their gadgets.

For some bizarre reason MotoGP.com have disabled 'embedding' of their Youtube demo of the app - which is a real shame as it'd be nice to just plonk it on the page here and share it on other sites and blogs, but if you click on this link then you can watch it anyway...

Finally, if you need no further persuading then just click here to go directly to the app in iTunes...


(*Oh, and don't forget that you can keep up with all the news and chat over at BatiFans with our very own iPhone Web App...)

French Grand Prix Weekend - TV Schedules

Basically a Eurosport listing, with the exception of the *live* MotoGP race on BBC2...

Friday May 15th

12:00 - *LIVE* - Eurosport2
The practice session for the 125cc French Grand Prix

12:45 - *LIVE* - Eurosport2
The French Grand Prix MotoGP practice session

14:00 - *LIVE* - Eurosport2
The 250cc French Grand Prix practice session

18:30 - Eurosport
The French Grand Prix MotoGP practice session

22:00 - Eurosport2
The French Grand Prix MotoGP practice session

......................................................................

Saturday May 16th

12:00 - *LIVE* - Eurosport2
The qualifying session for the 125cc French Grand Prix

12:45 - *LIVE* - Eurosport2
The MotoGP French Grand Prix qualifying session

14:00 - *LIVE* - Eurosport2
The 250cc French Grand Prix qualifying session

16:30 - Eurosport2
The MotoGP qualifying session for the French Grand Prix

......................................................................

Sunday May 17th

09:30 - Eurosport2
The French Grand Prix warm-up session

09:45 - *LIVE* - Eurosport2
The 125cc French Grand Prix

11:00 - *LIVE* - Eurosport2
The 250cc French Grand Prix

12:30 - *LIVE* - BBC2
The French Grand Prix at Le Mans

15:30 - Eurosport2
The MotoGP French Grand Prix

......................................................................



Source: MindTheZap

No Aspar Kawasaki Team in 2009

Kawasaki has now officialy announced its withdrawal from the MotoGP class as a factory.
However, there will still be Kawasakis on the grid in 2009. But differently to what was previously assumed, Jorge Martinez will not take over the team from Kawasaki and make it into a MotoGP Aspar Team. Martinez stated earlier that he will not participate in the project at all cost and that he wanted to stay in the class for at least three years and with a development guarantee from the factory. It seems that Kawasaki was not willing or able to provide that and instead current competition manager Michael Bartholemy will run the team in 2009 with Kawasaki ZX-RRs, together with a guarantee of spare parts and a maintenance agreement.
This way there are again 19 bikes on the grid next season, but with Jorge Martinez out of the picture. With an uncompetitive Kawasaki not an option anymore for 2010, Martinez will continue talks with other factories in order to get one or two MotoGP bikes the following season.

Update: Aspar in MotoGP 2009

After a few uncertain weeks filled with lots of discussions since the shock announcement of Kawasaki's potential withdrawal from the MotoGP class, Jorge Martinez seems to have a emerged from the crowd as the potential saviour of the entire class.
The head of the highly successful Aspar Team admitted that he was very interested in the project, but will not do it at any cost. A crisis meeting of Carmelo Ezpeleta with representatives of Kawasaki and the MSMA is still going on in Japan, but Martinez seems to be optimistic about the project and stated his own terms for the project.
Autosport.com reports:

Aspar team boss Jorge Martinez says he wants a long-term deal to run Kawasakis rather than just a short term fix to ensure a full MotoGP grid in 2009.

Kawasaki is set to pull out of MotoGP as a factory entrant, and has entered talks with Martinez with a view to the Aspar team running its ex-works bikes this season, which would keep the championship field at 19 bikes. Withdrawing from MotoGP would also leave Kawasaki liable to pay penalty costs to the series organisers.

Martinez said he was still waiting for more information from Kawasaki, but that his preference was to run a two-bike team for an initial three-year period.
"I offered my help to find a solution for Kawasaki, but up to now they haven't come up to me with any precise proposal, including details," he told Gazzetta dello Sport.

"I'd prefer to have two riders, but if it was to be just one for the first year, I'd accept that.
"What's clear is that I'm not interested in a project limited to just this year: I want a programme for at least three years."

The Aspar team came close to a deal to run a satellite Kawasaki this season, but discussions reached an impasse because the team's Spanish sponsorship depended on them running a Spanish rider, whereas Kawasaki wanted to place Shinya Nakano at Aspar.

Martinez added that he remained upbeat about both the Kawasaki talks, and MotoGP's future.
"How do I feel? Optimistic, for this situation and more in general too," he said. "I think that within one or two years the motorcycling world championship will come out of this crisis stronger."

More information about the project will follow when things are confirmed and officially announced.

Team Aspar Kawasaki in 2009?

After the shock announcement that Kawasaki is set to leave the MotoGP class with immediate effect due to the financial crisis, Jorge Martinez Aspar is now once again in talks to possibly run ex-works Kawasakis in the MotoGP championship in 2009. Autosport.com reports:

Leading 125cc and 250cc team Aspar are working on a deal to run the ex-works Kawasakis in MotoGP this year following the Japanese manufacturer's decision to quit the series.
As reported by autosport.com earlier this week, Kawasaki is set to officially confirm its exit from MotoGP in the coming days, leaving just four factory teams on the grid.

Aspar came close to agreeing a satellite Kawasaki deal for 2009, only for the plan to fall through because Kawasaki's preferred rider Shinya Nakano was not favoured by Aspar's Spanish backers.
But now Aspar boss Jorge Martinez says talks have resumed as championship organiser Dorna works to keep a Kawasaki presence in MotoGP.

"At the moment I'm on vacation with my family," Martinez told Gazzetta dello Sport. "However, since it has been known that Kawasaki was not taking part next season, my vacations have practically finished.
"For the last two days I've been on the phone with Dorna. They called me first. We are in contact and talks to buy out the two Kawasakis have started.

"For sure I'm very interested in MotoGP. It's a project that was already in my plans. Now there is this opportunity which I don't yet know with certainty whether it will come to be and how. From my part there is the will to talk. We'll see."

Kawasaki already had John Hopkins and Marco Melandri under contract for 2009. The American's personal sponsorship from energy drink company Monster could prove valuable to any team taking on the Kawasakis, and although Martinez was unwilling to discuss rider plans, he hinted that he would also be happy to retain Melandri.

"The matter regarding riders isn't a priority at the moment," said Martinez.
"I certainly wouldn't have any problem with Melandri. In fact, he's a rider I've always liked very much."

Martinez would be able to get the bikes at no cost, because Kawaski has a contract with Dorna to stay in the championship until 2011 and a breach of contract would cost them a few millions. This way they would avoid that situation and Aspar had more options for sponsors and riders.
Dorna is very interested in keeping Kawasaki on the grid since only 17 bikes on the grid would be one bike short of the world championship status and Dorna is eager to retain that status, especially in light of recent image damage compared to World Superbikes.

TeamAspar.net will keep you updated on any new developments concerning a possible Aspar Kawasaki Team.

Downloadable 2009 BikeSport Calendars

I've made a bunch of iCals to help keep tabs on all the important dates next year. iCal is an application on the Mac, which uses the open .ics calendar format - which means that you can also use these in various Windows and Linux applications such as Microsoft Works (Version 8 or higher), WinDates, Mozilla Calendar, Sunbird and Zimbra.

MotoGP 2009 Calendar
Click here to subscribe in iCal...

CEV Buckler 2009 Calendar
Click here to subscribe in iCal...

SBK: World Superbikes 2009 Calendar
Click here to subscribe in iCal...

BSB: British Superbikes 2009 Calendar
Click here to subscribe in iCal...


More information about how to use these calendars on Windows PCs here at iCalShare...

Hope they're useful.
Enjoy :-)

gb

Alvaro Bautista 2009 Calendar Now Online

Okay - the 2009 BatiCal is now online for download.
As per last year, it's a special BatiFans.com design, completely chocca with great pics, and fully marked up with all MotoGP dates and the Batster's birthday.
All the info and pics you should need to go on your Mac/PC desktop or to print out onto some nice glossy stock for your walls or *real* desktop
I’ve done two versions; one high resolution top print quality, and the other screen quality (although it has to be said this will print out very well indeed anyway).
Just wanted to give you the option of a seriously quality version if you plan on outputting it onto some costly paper/stock.

Full information and downloads are here at the BatiFan.com Fan Forum...

Hope you enjoy it, and I hope you'll pass the links around so that other fans and friends can enjoy it too. As well as a nice piece of Bati fanart and a useful calendar it also helps pimp our website and forum so anything you can do to spread the word in that respect is *always* appreciated... :)

Two Special Season-End Alvaro Bautista Wallpapers

Bancaja Aspar Team Announces 2009 Structure

On the day of the Australian Grand Prix, the Bancaja Aspar team are proud to announce the signings of Julian Simón and Bradley Smith for the 2009 season. Both riders have been previous targets for the team, but this year the ambitions to run both riders in the 125cc class have finally been made reality. Despite the differences in their Grand Prix backgrounds, both riders mark a strong lineup for Bancaja Aspar in their quest to regain the 125cc World Title. Both have been signed on two-year contracts to ride with the team, run by Jorge Martinez 'Aspar'.
 
Julian Simón will move down from the 250cc category for his opportunity with the Bancaja Aspar team. The Spanish rider has ridden well in the quarter-litre category this season, but was enticed by the opportunity to ride a completely 'factory' bike in 125cc. He will have an Aprilia RSA at his disposal for the first time in his career, with the intention of using the machine to fight for the title in 2009.
 
British rider Bradley Smith was close to reaching an agreement with Bancaja Aspar at the end of the 2007 season,  and has finally joined up with the team alter a long courting process. The Oxford-based teenager will be competing in his fourth season as a Grand Prix rider, following a year in which he has achieved strong results with the Aprilia RSA. He will use the same machinery in 2009, and is expected to push for the title in his second year with the bike.

Nearly the entire team structure for Bancaja Aspar has been confirmed for 2009, with a third bike another remaining option to be decided upon base don the final races of the current season.


Jorge Martínez:
"I am delighted to have signed these two riders for the team, because once again we are shaping a team that can compete for the title in 125cc. Both Julian Simón, two years ago, and Bradley Smith last year, were candidates for the team, and I am satisfied to have picked them up for 2009 and 2010. Julian is a clean rider with a great 2008 behind him, and I am convinced that a factory bike can put him in the fight for the World Championship. Bradley has shown that, despite his age, that he could not have adapted better to the RSA. He has been fast all year, and now has the maturity to be World Champion."

MotoGP - Australia, Phillip Island - Event Schedule

Friday October 3rd

125cc  :: Free Practice 1  :: 09:00-09:45
MotoGP  :: Free Practice 1  :: 10:00-11:00
250cc  :: Free Practice 1  :: 11:15-12:15
125cc  :: Qualifying 1  :: 13:10-13:40
MotoGP  :: Free Practice 2  :: 13:55-14:55
250cc  :: Qualifying 1  :: 15:10-15:55



Saturday October 4th

125cc  :: Free Practice 2  :: 09:00-09:45
MotoGP  :: Free Practice 3  :: 10:00-11:00
250cc  :: Free Practice 2  :: 11:15-12:15
125cc  :: Qualifying 2  :: 13:10-13:40
MotoGP  :: Qualifying 1  :: 13:55-14:55
250cc  :: Qualifying 2  :: 15:10-15:55



Sunday October 5th

125cc  :: Warm-Up  :: 08:40-09:00
250cc  :: Warm-Up  :: 09:10-09:30
MotoGP  :: Warm-Up  :: 09:40-10:05
125cc  :: Race  :: 13:00
250cc  :: Race  :: 14:15
MotoGP  :: Race :: 16:00


(*All times local: Phillip Island = GMT+10)

Post-Quali Quotes From Motegi, Japan - 250cc & 125cc

250cc

5th Álvaro Bautista: 1.51.821 (19 laps):
"It was a shame because I ran into a group of riders at the end of the session and only got one good lap in, which was before I'd got into my rhythm, but I'm happy because our pace was good and I'm only four tenths off pole. I would have preferred to be on the front row but it wasn't to be and the important thing is that we're not as far back on the grid as we have been recently. Let's see if we can get a good start tomorrow and be in the front group from the off. The important thing will be to stay concentrated and try to stay in the fight for victory until the end. The times have been close throughout practice so it looks like being a fun, close race."

6th Héctor Faubel: 1.51.973 (19 laps):
"I'm really happy because we've been around eighth position all weekend and in the end I've managed to qualify sixth. For the race I hope I can stick with the lead group over the opening laps, although we have to be aware of our limits. I think we're doing a great job so we want to continue like this from now on. We've worked hard on the front end of the Aprilia and I'm pretty happy with the results. This afternoon the track got cold and the feeling wasn't as good as this morning but I managed to get my lap time down so I'm satisfied."


..............................................................


125cc

5th Gábor Talmacsi: 1.59.179 (12 laps):
"I really didn't expect this result. After free practice I was in a lot of pain and I told my team and my manager that I might not be able to race tomorrow. Doctor Costa found a good solution for my hand and I feel much better now. I can't say I'm totally fit but I can ride and the set-up of my Aprilia is fantastic. I can't brake too hard but the perfect chassis set-up we've found means I don't have to. I didn't push too hard at the start of qualifying and saved my energy for two fast laps at the end, which I think was the right decision. If my hand is the same as this tomorrow I think I can ride although I can't predict a result because we'll have to wait and see how it holds out."

10th Sergio Gadea: 1.59.695 (12 laps):
"I crashed this morning when the bike folded on the front and I didn't have time to react. We solved our front end issues and in qualifying the bike ran well, although we could have done with a bit more from the engine. It is costing us half a second at the moment and we're losing another half through a combination of the front suspension and my riding. I think if Smith hadn't have crashed I could have got a good time behind him but I need a reference for my braking and I'm always on the limit. Starting from tenth tomorrow should at least allow us to have a better race than Indianapolis."

29th Adrián Martín: 2.02.069 (11 laps):
"This morning with the lower temperatures the engine didn't suffer as much and ran better. At the start of the afternoon it wasn't revving high and I really had to push hard to make gradual improvements. My objective was to lap around the 2'01 mark and if I could have latched on to somebody maybe I could have managed it, but the engine wasn't running well and I didn't feel comfortable. Like at Misano I'll be going out tomorrow to enjoy myself and to fight for as high a finish as possible."

Japanese GP - Final Qualifying - 250cc

Pos | Rider | Bike | Time
1. Marco Simoncelli Gilera 1:51.473
2. Hiroshi Aoyama KTM 1:51.719 + 0.246
3. Alex Debon Aprilia 1:51.758 + 0.285
4. Mika Kallio KTM 1:51.765 + 0.292
5. Alvaro Bautista Aprilia 1:51.821 + 0.348
6. Hector Faubel Aprilia 1:51.973 + 0.500
7. Julian Simon KTM 1:52.033 + 0.560
8. Yuki Takahashi Honda 1:52.197 + 0.724
9. Aleix Espargaro Aprilia 1:52.228 + 0.755
10. Roberto Locatelli Gilera 1:52.259 + 0.786
11. Mattia Pasini Aprilia 1:52.464 + 0.991
12. Lukas Pesek Aprilia 1:53.130 + 1.657
13. Shoya Tomizawa Honda 1:53.289 + 1.816
14. Ratthapark Wilairot Honda 1:53.356 + 1.883
15. Fabrizio Lai Gilera 1:53.496 + 2.023
16. Takumi Takahashi Honda 1:53.660 + 2.187
17. Alex Baldolini Aprilia 1:54.276 + 2.803
18. Simone Grotzkyj Gilera 1:54.688 + 3.215
19. Doni Tata Pradita Yamaha 1:55.015 + 3.542
20. Manuel Hernandez Aprilia 1:55.675 + 4.202
21. Daniel Arcas Aprilia 1:56.283 + 4.810
22. Kazuki Watanabe Yamaha 1:56.587 + 5.114
23. Yuuki Ito Yamaha 1:57.053 + 5.580
24. Imre Toth Aprilia 1:57.115 + 5.642
25. Takumi Endoh Yamaha 1:57.451 + 5.978

Indianapolis Grand Prix - Schedule of Events

Fri, Sep 12

125cc Practice #1
8:30-9:15 a.m.

MotoGP Practice #1
9:30-11 a.m.

250cc Practice #1
11:15 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

125cc Qualifying #1
1:10-1:40 p.m.

MotoGP Practice #2
1:55-2:55 p.m.

250cc Qualifying #1
3:10-3:55 p.m.

Red Bull Riders Cup/Rookies Cup Practice
4:05-4:30 p.m.

Red Bull Riders Cup/Rookies Cup Qualifying #1
5:10-5:30 p.m.

Red Bull Riders Cup/Rookies Cup Qualifying #2
5:40-6 p.m.


********************************************

Sat, Sep 13

125cc Practice #2
8:45-9:45 a.m.

MotoGP Practice #3
10-11 a.m.

250cc Practice #2
11:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m.

125cc Qualifying #2
1:10-1:40 p.m.

MotoGP Qualifying
1:55-2:55 p.m.

250cc Qualifying #2
3:10-3:55 p.m.

Red Bull AMA U.S. Rookies Cup Race (16 laps)
4:20-4:50 p.m.


********************************************

Sun, Sep 14
Race Day

125cc Warm-up
8:40-9 a.m.

250cc Warm-up
9:10-9:30 a.m.

MotoGP Warm-up
9:40-10:05 a.m.

Red Bull Riders Cup Race (16 laps)
10:25-10:55 a.m.

125cc Race (23 laps)
Noon

250cc Race (26 laps)
1:15 p.m.

Red Bull Indianapolis GP MotoGP Race (28 laps)
3 p.m.


(*All times local)