Hector Barbera to ride Aspar Ducati in 2010

According to reports in the Spanish press, Hector Barbera and Jorge Martinez have reached an agreement today on a one-year deal for the current 250cc rider, with an option to extend the contract for another year.
The official announcement is said to follow in a few hours.

Update: Official confirmation has now come from Jorge Martinez.

This is excellent news for us, to be reunited with Héctor Barberá after so many years. We won the Spanish championship together and Grands Prix in 125cc and I’m sure this will be another great project. We hope for good results next year and we want this to be a long term agreement. Hopefully Héctor can earn factory machinery with his results. For our team it is a dream to be competing in all three World Championship categories.

Martinez and Barbera have already been working together until the end of 2003 when Barbera split with the Aspar Team in disagreement and joined the Seedorf Racing Team. Martinez has been angered by the matter ever since, but for this new project both parties seem to have buried their difference and open a new chapter.

Julian Simon Interview

You make a point of thanking your team at every Grand Prix. Where did this good relationship start?
To be honest I have always had a good relationship with my mechanics, at every team I've been in. Nobody gets anything for free and it has been a long hard road for me to get to where I am today, so I think it is right to appreciate the work being done by the mechanics to help me. I had the opportunity to join the Aspar Team a while ago but in the end the deal wasn't done, so when I knew I was going to be racing with them this season it felt like a dream had come true. I knew that in such a top team I would have the opportunity to show my full potential. We hit it off straight away - my chief mechanic Enrique Peris and the rest of the team were all extremely nice to me and it made things easy. The fact the results came so quickly brought us together even more and made us realise that we could achieve great things together.
 
What is your working relationship with the team like?
Very easy going, in fact this is one of the most enjoyable seasons I've ever had. I arrive at a circuit on a Thursday feeling relaxed because I know that the whole team is as focused as I am on making sure everything goes well from the first session. I am always really calm because I know everybody is behind me and when I go out on track the bike is going to be performing to its limit. If it isn't, it doesn't take us long to sort it out.
 
What is the team's biggest strength?
Just the calmness they instil in me and the confidence they have in me. They know perfectly well that with the attitude we're showing at the moment we can be competitive. The consistency also gives us the confidence necessary to run up front in every race.
 
What is your view on the season so far and where it goes from here?
From my side I think we have met all the objectives we set ourselves. The change in category was a risk for me and there we had our doubts, but thanks to my manager and the Aspar Team I am fighting to win at every Grand Prix. I adapted quickly to the Aprilia RSA, went fast on it from the first day and I think as far as the first half of the championship is concerned it is mission accomplished because we are leading the standings by fifty points. The second half of the seasons could be more difficult because of the circuits we have to race at and the tiredness that always kicks in. The circuits we have left are all good fun but also quite tricky. I suppose every rider would like to be going into them in my position and I usually go well in the second half of the season, so hopefully we can keep that tradition up.
 
Were you able to take a holiday or were you eager not to break your concentration?
To be honest I did relax a little bit. I usually find it difficult to switch off and I'm not the sort of person that can get up in the morning and not do anything but I have taken the odd day off over the past couple of weeks. I spent three days doing the tourist thing in London after Donington and just disconnected from racing. I have kept my training up though because it is important to be in the right shape for this second half of the season. It was nice to be at home for a while and spend time with family and friends.
 
Sachsenring, Donington. they say things come in threes. Do you think victory is a possibility again at Brno?
Yes of course and we'll be working very hard to achieve it. I will try not to fall into the trap of going for victory at all cost because I learnt a lot from my mistake at Jerez and I don't want to do it again. Brno is a circuit I have struggled at in the past but with the confidence we have this year and the good job we're doing, I'm sure we will start Sunday's race with every chance of fighting for the win.
 
What are your favourite circuits from now to the end of the season?
Apart from Brno, where I have usually struggled a little, I like them all - especially Estoril, Philip Island and Sepang because they are all set in stunning locations. To see a circuit surrounded by the ocean in Australia is incredible and the atmosphere is always great there too.
 
Have you started dreaming about winning the title yet?
Obviously, although I suppose that is normal with seven races left and a fifty-point advantage. My objective is to win the title and I want to keep dreaming - I never want the dream to end. One thing I am clear about though is that there's a long way to go in the championship and I have to keep working to the limit if I want to be crowned World Champion. We want to finish the job off as soon as possible but there's no rush. I have the team, the bike and the ability. all the weaponry I need so I just have to stay calm, focus on my job and see what happens.


Source: Aspar Media

Martinez On Reduced Seating For European F1 Grand Prix

A small piece of slightly off-topic Formula One news today - because it involves Jorge Martinez, who as well as running our favourite 125 & 250 squads, is also active more broadly in Spanish motorsport and is heavily involved with the F1 Valencia GP, which makes its second appearance on the Formula One calendar later this year.

Apparently, the Valencia street circuit is planning to reduce its seat capacity for this year's European Grand Prix. Last year's event, the first in the Spanish city, had a seat capacity of 112,000, but organisers said on Thursday that there will be reduction of around 35,000 seats, bringing the capacity down to 75,000.

Jorge Martinez, vice-president of the race's promoters Valmor Sport, said tickets sales had been slower than last year, and also said the row between the FIA and the Formula One Teams' Association was partly to blame for the slow ticket sale.
"It (the row) has slowed things down a lot," Martinez told the EFE news agency. "The only thing I'm hoping for is that the last few months are erased, because there has been people who have talked too much."

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.

Pics Of The Day: Catalunya, Saturday 125cc

Jorge Martinez Speaks Out On Talmacsi Situation

"I would like to make clear that the relationship between myself -both professionally and personally- and Gábor Talmacsi over these past three years has been excellent. I have absolutely no idea of why this decision has been taken at this stage of the championship, after just three races. Gábor is fifth in the standings, one point off fourth, in his first 250cc season.
Grupo Milton as our main sponsor and all the other supporters are delighted with the Balatonring Team project, and our feelings are the same. We think that this is a hugely solid project for Hungary, Gábor and the team, so for this reason it is a real pity that the interests of certain individuals -in this case the Manager of Gábor Talmacsi- have taken priority. It is honestly the first time in 28 years that I have witnessed a situation like this.
It is frankly incomprehensible that a World Champion can make a decision like this, putting his sporting career in jeopardy over a disagreement over image rights. It hurts me a lot, but I want to make clear that I would love to continue with Gábor Talmacsi as the Balatonring Team's rider. I consider the allegation made by Gábor's lawyer, regarding a supposed lack of material, unjustified.
We have an RSA factory bike that Bautista, Simoncelli and the other top riders have, and the championship results speak for themselves. During all the time that we have worked together the relationship has been magnificent, even up until the last race at Jerez. To find ourselves caught up in this situation just a week later is a big surprise for both myself and the team. I really don't understand it at all, and I think that it is clearly not a problem of the economic kind, nor in our working relationship, but rather a personal one on the part of Gábor's manager.
The most important thing is not to lose sight of our good relationship, which have taken us to a 125cc title in 2007 and third place last year. I have still been unable to talk to Gábor, and that saddens me most of all, because I consider that this situation has not been created by either him or ourselves."

Balatonring Team Issues Statement Over Talmacsi

The Balatonring Team has issued a statement following yesterday's shock announcement of the withdrawl of Gabor Talmacsi from the squad...

Balatonring Team - Le Mans Circuit - 15/05/09

BALATONRING TEAM DISAGREES WITH THE SITUATION PROVOKED BY GÁBOR TALMÁCSI AND HIS ENVIRONMENT

The news has been unexpected for Balatonring Team, which is already in France since yesterday to take part in Grand Prix of France.
After recent news in the media accusing Balatonring Team for breach of the contractual relation with pilot Gábor Talmácsi, the Hungarian team denies these accusations. In fulfilment with his sports obligations, the team has moved the team staff and infrastructure to Le Mans Circuit, to take part in the Grand Prix of France, which will begin tomorrow.
The news has been unexpected for the whole Balatonring Team, which is already in France since yesterday. The team considers groundless the accusations alleged by their pilot Gábor Talmácsi regarding this season's limited provided material due to several reasons:

One of them is summarized in the excellent results achieved by the pilot during the first three tests of the championship, something impossible to obtain achieve if he is not provide with the appropriate material. The second reason regards the confidence placed in him by the leader of the project Balatonring Team, Jorge Martínez "Aspar", who decided to choose the Hungarian pilot in 2007 despite his dicreet performance in the previous world championship, and put at his disposal the means of one of the World Championship's most experienced structures -the Aspar Team - to make him World Champion.
The last reason shows again the confidence of Jorge Martinez in pilot Gábor Talmácsi, searching for a reputed sponsor for this campaign - Milton Group- to create a team exclusively designed for the former World Champion. Thus, Balatonring team finds enough reasons to be in total disagreement with the attitude taken by the Hungarian pilot and his environment, and feels deeply disappointed to be led to such a situation.

Balatonring Team wishes to thank the tremendous support provided by Milton Group and its main representative, Bence Kovács, who despite the incidents has not turn his back on the team and continues to rely on the experience of Jorge Martinez to take the Hungarian project forward.

Jorge Martínez said "The truth is that I did not expect this reaction in any way. This year we had created a new team exclusively designed for Gábor. It has been hard to take the project forward, but we have never surrendered or stopped fighting to offer the best material and support. I feel a tremendous disappointment to be involved in this situation, and I hope that when everything is over, Gábor will realize how much he had bet on him. Of course I completely disagree with his statements and if we cannot manage to cordially reach an agreement, I will proceed as necessary to defend our interests."

New Mapfre Commercials

The main sponsor of the 250cc Mapfre Aspar Team produced a new set of commercials with Álvaro Bautista and Jorge Martinez. The spots have the reoccuring theme of Álvaro "representing" a motorbike that faces all the adverse situations of standing on the streets.







The rest of the spots can be found here and here.

Yet Another Promotional Commitment For Aspar!

Jorge Martinez, left, and the president of Bancaja, José Luis Olivas, at a promotional event for the Aspar Team ahead of the 2009 season. It's been a hectic few weeks for the Aspar boss; which now continues with the Qatar test ahead of the GP itself next weekend. '09 is GO!

Team Aspar sponsored by Yellow Pages

Team Aspar officially presented the newest addition to their impressive portfolio of sponsors. The Spanish version of the Yellow Pages - Paginas Amarillas - will sponsor the 125cc and the 250cc Aspar Team for the 2009, showing its logo on the bike fairings, the rider leathers, the team clothes and on the garage walls.
Team manager Jorge Martinez alongside Mapfre Aspar riders Alvaro Bautista and Mike Di Meglio recently met with the marketing director Bruno Porchietto for a press conference and to pose for pictures.

Team Aspar at FITUR

As reported earlier, several members of Team Aspar visited the FITUR tourism fair in Madrid yesterday. Jorge Martinez, Sergio Gadea, Bradley Smith and Alvaro Bautista started their visit at the stand of sponsor Comunidad Valenciana where they met a few other sport stars. Alvaro Bautistaand tennis star David Ferrer fought a match of Wii tennis while Sergio Gadea and Bradley Smith enjoyed a round of virtual golf.
Afterwards the team spent some time at the stand of rental car sponsor Sol-Mar and signed autographs for all attending fans.


Jorge Martinez: "It is always an honor for and for the equipment to be able to thank our sponsors in some way for all the support. Due to schedules and travels it is often difficult for us to go to many events, so to be here today was a great idea."

Alvaro Bautista: “What better way to thank our sponsors for all the support than passing some of our free time with them. I believe that it is worth the trouble from time to time to make place for this type of events. And additionally I had a lot of playing with the Wii.”

Sergio Gadea: “It has been a very peculiar visit, I didn't expect to see so many people at such an event. This week is a little busy, because we come from the test in Jerez and this weekend we will be riding in Cheste, but it is always a pleasure to be able to share this type of event with our sponsors. I had fun playing the computer games and hope I'll be able to repeat the experience soon.”

Bradley Smith: “It has been very interesting to go to an event of this magnitude. It is totally new for me to attend something that big. Due to our work we travel much and we see a lot of things, but to see so many events at a fair like this one is really amazing. It is interesting to see how the world of tourism attracts a great market.”

Team Aspar at IFEMA Fair in Madrid

Several riders of Team Aspar and Jorge Martinez will be present at the IFEMA Tourism Fair in Madrid today where they visit the stands of their sponsors Diputacion Valencia, Comunidad Valencia and Sol-Mar. Aspar, Sergio Gadea, Bradley Smith and Alvaro Bautista will start at the Diputacion Valencia stand on 10am and conclude their visit about 12pm on the Sol-Mar stand. On all stands they'll be signing autographs for everyone attending.

Definitely no Aspar Kawasaki

As expected there will be no Aspar Team in the MotoGP class this season, following the withdrawal of Kawasaki. Jorge Martinez confirmed in the Spanish magazine Motociclismo that there will definitely be no green Aspar Team this season. The negotiations with the company fell short when it became clear that Kawasaki would not be able to provide Aspar with the necessary long-term support he requested.
The potential rescue of the team now lies in the hands of team boss Michael Bartholemy who is currently in Japan, trying to sort out an agreement with the company to run the bikes during the 2009 season.

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.

Aspar Team Day unites riders, mechanics, sponsors & helpers

Last week the annual Aspar Team Day took place for the second time at the Valencia Circuit in Cheste.

Jorge Martinez preparing for the kart race

The unique event is a big get-together for riders, mechanics, sponsors, organisators and people involved with Team Aspar and is a perfect opportunity to re-unite once more before the long off-season and have a bit of fun.

Alvaro Bautista taking a curve in the kart

A kart race for the 40 guests was the highlight of the day, followed by the three attending riders - Alvaro Bautista, Julian Simon and Sergio Gadea - as well as Jorge Martinez and Gino Borsoi taking a Mitsubishi Lancer EVO III fast around the track.


Jorge Martinez Aspar:
“It has been a very funny initiative. Throughout the year we have contact with our sponsors, mainly during the GPs, but always with only very limited time. This day has allowed us to enjoy some motorports activities and mainly it has allowed us to do it with some more time on our hands and in a more relaxed environment, now the season has ended.
It is interesting to be able to enjoy a rest day like this from time to time and seeing the success, I only hope that this idea is the first of many others”.

Aspar Team structure 2009

According to various Spanish news reports, Jorge Martinez has released current Aspar riders Sergio Gadea and Hector Faubel from the team and they will not ride in the Aspar colours next season.
Both riders were in talks with other teams to get another ride for next year, but in the end both wanted to stay with the Aspar Team. But team owner Martinez did not want that anymore.

New additions for the team next year are said to be current replacement rider Adrian Martin in the 125cc class and Alex Debon in the 250cc class. Talks with experienced rider Debon seem to have developed quite far already and he is said to get an official Aprilia RSA bike next season when he rides in the Aspar livery.
Other news however report that 125cc world champion Mike Di Meglio has already signed a contract with Aspar to ride in the 250cc team next season. Since Aspar will support a Hungarian team with Gabor Talmacsi as well, it is not clear yet whether Di Meglio will join Álvaro Bautista in the official team and Debon will be with the Hungarian sponsored team or vice versa.

If the reports prove to be true, the full structure for the 2009 squad would look like this:

125cc:

• Bradley Smith
• Julian Simon
• Adrian Martin

250cc Aspar Team:

• Álvaro Bautista
• Mike Di Meglio / Alex Debon

250cc MOL Aspar Team:

• Gabor Talmacsi
• Mike Di Meglio / Alex Debon
  

Team Aspar celebrates 10th anniversay of Valencia Circuit

Jorge Martinez and all the Team Aspar riders took part in the big anniversary celebration of the Ricardo Tormo circuit in Cheste on Thursday.

At a celebratory dinner on Thursday evening, ahead of the Gran Premio Parts Europe de la Comunitat Valenciana, dignitaries including Valencian president Francisco Camps and Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta gathered to mark the tenth anniversary of the Ricardo Tormo circuit.

Numerous MotoGP riders were also in attendance, in addition to the likes of Circuit Director Julio Garcia and prominent local figure Jorge Martinez Aspar to sample some local paella and enjoy some Valencian fireworks.

The riders also came face to face with larger than life size `ninots´ - models of themselves – created by a local artist, in the traditional Valencian style.

Presentation of Gran Premio de la Comunitat Valenciana

Jorge Martinez and three riders of Team Aspar took time for the official presentation of the 10th Gran Premio de la Comunitat Valenciana at Cheste this year.
Hector Faubel, Sergio Gadea and replacement rider Adrian Martin along with circuit officials, regional politicians and DORNA boss Carmelo Ezpeleta officially presented this year's GP and unveiled the poster for the 2008 event.

Just like last year the official poster will again feature Mapfre Aspar rider Hector Faubel.