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Bradley Smith is ready and prepared for the biggest test of his 22 year old life when he rides the 990 cc Monster Tech 3 Yamaha M1 machine in the opening test of the 2013 MotoGP™ season at Sepang in Malaysia which starts on Tuesday.

For the first time in his whirlwind career he comes up against the legends of grand prix motorcycle racing such as Valentino Rossi, Jorge Lorenzo and Dani Pedrosa in the three day test at the 3.447 miles Sepang circuit.

Three times grand prix winner Smith makes his MotoGP debut at the opening round of the 18 race championship under the floodlights at the Losail International circuit in Qatar on April 7. He has only completed a few damp laps on the 2012 Yamaha M1 machine at Valencia in November. The two three day tests at Sepang and the final test at Jerez in Spain before the opening grand prix will be vital for the Oxfordshire rider who joins, Isle of Man – based Midlander, Cal Crutchlow in the French Tech 3 team.

Smith has a two year contract with the team and knows the experience gained test riding the 200 mph plus Yamaha will be a crucial part of his rookie MotoGP year.

“For the last few years I would race to the computer to check the MotoGP lap times from the Sepang test but this time it’s pretty scary because I will posting my own lap times on the screen and not watching from home,” explained Smith, who flew to Malaysia last weekend to acclimatise with the heat and humidity at the Sepang circuit. “I’m both excited and more than a little bit nervous because this a big deal for me. From the first to the last minute of the three days I have to keep my brain switched on and do the business.”

“I want to build a special relationship with the 2013 M1 Yamaha and the Tech 3 team right from the start. That means riding as many laps as possible and hopefully the rain staying away. I have so much to learn both from the bike and the team and they really whetted my appetite when I completed those few damp laps in Valencia last November. Since then I’ve been waiting for this day and it’s at last arrived. This is the most important test of my life so far and I can’t wait.”

Smith plans to stay in Malaysia before the second three day test session which starts on February 26.
Bradley is ready to take on the best

This week’s test is crucial to Bradley’s pre-season preparations

Cal Crutchlow and Bradley Smith get a taste of what lies ahead as they take on the best in the world in the first MotoGP™ test of the season at Sepang in Malaysia on Tuesday. The long awaited three day test throws together the MotoGP stars for the first time this season just two months before the 18 round season gets underway in Qatar on April 7.

It will be a contrasting experience for the two British Monster Tech 3 Yamaha riders around the 3.447 miles circuit. Isle of Man based Midlander, Crutchlow, embarks on his third MotoGP season after a brilliant 2012. He finished seventh in the World Championship and secured two podium finishes. This season Crutchlow looks towards more podium finishes and ultimately the first British premier class grand prix win since Barry Sheene in 1981.

Twenty two year old Smith is a MotoGP rookie after winning three 125 cc grands prix and a successful Moto 2™ career. This will be his first MotoGP test in the dry, although it can rain in Sepang and the first time the Oxfordshire rider has come up against the likes of World Champions Jorge Lorenzo and Valentino Rossi.

It’s also a baptism of fire for Ulsterman Michael Laverty. He rides a MotoGP bike for the first time when he tests the Paul Bird Motorsport ART machine on Tuesday. The PBM bike with new electronics will be available for both Laverty and Yonny Hernandez to ride at the second Sepang test at the end of the month.

Massive interest will be focused on a nine times World Champion and a MotoGP rookie at the test. Italian Valentino Rossi returns to Yamaha to partner World Champion Jorge Lorenzo after two disastrous years at Ducati. Nineteen year old Spaniard Marc Marquez has already clinched both 125 and Moto2 World titles and arrives in MotoGP replacing Casey Stoner at Repsol Honda where he partners Dani Pedrosa.

Andrea Dovizioso replaces Rossi at Ducati where he joins former World Champion Nick Hayden. Former World Superbike Champion Ben Spies and Italian Moto2 star Andrea Iannone team-up at Pramac Ducati

The second MotoGP test will be at Sepang between 26th and 28th of February. The Moto2 and Moto3 classes start testing at Valencia in Spain on February 12.

Check all the latest times, news and interviews from the tests at motogp.com
For the video coverage you will need a motogp.com video pass.
Nine times World Champion Valentino Rossi back at Yamaha

Double World Champion teenager Marc Marquez (right) joins Dani Pedrosa at Repsol Honda.

Cal Crutchlow ready to become first British premier class grand prix winner since Barry Sheene in 1981

Monday 8 October 2012
2012 AirAsia Grand Prix of Japan
ROUND FIFTEEN 2012 MotoGP™ WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP SUNDAY OCTOBER14
CRUTCHLOW ON COURSE TO RE-WRITE HISTORY BOOKS
Cal Crutchlow arrives in Motegi for the Air Asia Grand Prix of Japan on Sunday on course to becoming the highest placed British rider in the MotoGP™ World Championship for 22 years. With four rounds remaining the Isle of Man – based Midlander is fifth in the Championship – Niall Mackenzie was fourth in 1990. However the re-writing of the history books is no way decided with nine times World Champion Valentino Rossi and former 125 cc World Champion Alvaro Bautista breathing down his neck.

The Monster Tech 3 Yamaha rider is just seven points in front of the pair after finishing fourth in the previous round in Aragon as he prepares for just his second race at the 2.983 miles Motegi circuit.

Cumbrian James Ellison picked up more points on the Paul Bird Motorsport CRT machine in Aragon. He hopes to use the updated ART engine over the weekend as he chases Colin Edwards for 17th place in the championship.

Gloucestershire teenager Scott Redding was involved in a superb Moto2 race in Aragon. Despite splitting the stitches following an operation on his right wrist he finished on the podium in third place riding the Marc VDS Kalex. Right behind him was 21 year old Bradley Smith on the Tech 3 Mistral in fifth place. Redding was fifth at Motegi in the Moto2 race a couple of years ago while Smith was on the 125 cc podium the same year in third place and finished seventh in the Moto2 race last year. Londoner Gino Rea makes his first appearance at Motegi riding the Federal Oil Gresini Moto 2 machine.

Wiltshire teenager Danny Kent bounced back to form with fourth place in the Moto3™ race in Aragon. The Red Bull KTM Ajo rider is involved in a close battle for sixth place in the championship with his great friend Malaysian Fahmi Khairuddin whose big race is in Sepang just a week later.

Kent-based Danny Webb soldiers on aiming to score his first points of the season for the Indian Mahindra team before moving onto fresh pastures next year. Scottish teenager John McPhee embarks on the adventure of a life time starting in Japan riding the Caretta Technology KRP Honda on his first trip to the Far East.

Cal Crutchlow:
“I was happy with fourth in Aragon because this result once again shows the huge step I have made from last season. I was close to the podium and last year struggling to be in the top ten. It was a good result for the Championship too because I pulled a small gap on Valentino and Alvaro. I can go into the last four races with a lot of confidence and hopefully enjoy some more good battles with Andrea. I tried my best to beat him and didn’t quite manage it, so hopefully next time we are in a fight like that it will be me that comes out on top.”

STOP PRESS
Danny Kent moves up to the Moto2 World Championship next season. He replaces Bradley Smith in the Tech 3 team where he joins Frenchman Louis Rossi who won the Moto3 French Grand Prix this season. Smith moves up to the MotoGP team.

Former Moto2 World Champion Tony Elias returns at Motegi where he replaces Claudio Corti in the Italtrans Racing team.

STONER RETURNS FOR MOTEGI SCRAP
World Champion Casey Stoner makes a welcome return to the MotoGP World Championship with four rounds remaining starting at the AirAsia Grand Prix of Japan at Motegi on Sunday. The Australian Repsol Honda rider has missed the last three races after fracturing his right ankle in a qualifying crash at Indianapolis a month and a half a go.

His return to the 2.983 miles Motegi circuit will spice up the ultimate championship battle between his team-mate Dani Pedrosa who has won three of the last four grands prix and Championship leader Jorge Lorenzo. The Yamaha rider holds a 33 point advantage over Pedrosa but has only won one of the last five races. It promises to be a superb fight between the three Championship leaders who between them have won at Motegi in the last three years. It’s also an important race for Stoner to hang onto third place in the championship after Andrea Dovizioso closed to within seven points of the Champion after his sixth podium finish of the season at the previous round in Aragon.

It’s also a crucial race for his Monster Tech 3 Yamaha team-mate Cal Crutchlow in his attempt to hold onto fifth place in the title chase with both Valentino Rossi and Alvaro Bautista seven points adrift. Both Rossi and Ducati have a great record at Motegi but not together. The Italian has won twice while Ducati have secured four precious victories at the home of Honda thanks to Loris Capirossi and Stoner.

Rossi’s team-mate Nicky Hayden is confident of riding despite his crash in Aragon while Stefan Bradl makes his Motegi MotoGP debut after a rare crash for the German from the LCR Honda in Aragon. Ben Spies has four rides remaining on the factory Yamaha to secure his first podium finish of the season while the CRT battle between Power Electronics Aspar team-mates Aleix Espargaro and Randy De Puniet shows no sign of abating. De Puniet holds a two point advantage over his team-mate.

Ivan Silva returns to the Avintia Blusens BQR team replacing David Salom who had replaced him for the last two races. Former 250 and Moto2 winner Italian Robbie Rolfo comes into the Speed Master team to replace Mattia Pasini.

It appears a case of when rather than if Marc Marquez clinches the Moto2 World title. The Spanish teenager can’t do it at Motegi but could easily win his second World crown a week later in Malaysia. He holds an impressive 48 point lead over Pol Espargaro after finishing second behind his great rival following a ferocious battle in Aragon. There is every chance of a repeat at Motegi with Andrea Iannone fighting to hang onto third place from Tom Luthi while Marc VDS team-mates Scott Redding and Mika Kallio battle for fifth in front of Bradley Smith.

German Sandro Cortese has a mathematical chance of clinching the Moto3 World title but once again will probably have to wait until Malaysia. He has a 51 point advantage over Luis Salom after the Spaniard won his second grand prix of the year at Aragon. Spanish teenager Maverick Vinales dropped out of the Championship race when his engine failed on the warm-up lap in Aragon He’s already won five grands prix this season but slipped to third in the Championship after his Aragon demise.

TWIN RING MOTEGI FACTS AND FIGURES

The Twin Ring Motegi circuit is situated in the wooded hills 100 miles north-east of Tokyo. The huge complex was built by Honda in the late nineties and staged its first motorcycle grand prix in 1999 which was won by Kenny Roberts Junior.

The 2.983 road racing circuit, which includes two tunnels, is surrounded by the Indy style oval while the complex includes a speedway track, World trials sections and the magnificent Honda museum.
Circuit Length: 4.801 kms
Width: 15 m
Pole Position: Left
Longest Straight: 762m
Left Corners: Six
Right Corners: Eight
Pole Position Record:
Casey Stoner/Honda
1.45.267 (2011)
Lap Record:
Dani Pedrosa/Honda
1’46.090 (2011)

TELEVISION TIMES
BBC/BRITISH EUROSPORT
Friday 12 October
0510-0800 British Eurosport – Live Practice Moto3, MotoGP, Moto2
Saturday 13 October
0455 – 0800 BBC Red Button & British Eurosport – Live Qualifying Moto3, MotoGP, Moto2
Sunday 14 October
0245 – 0505 BBC Red Button/British Eurosport – Live Moto3 and Moto2 races
0530 – 0700 BBC2 Live MotoGP race
1230 — 1400 BBC2 MotoGP race repeat

The video in which Nick hosted the Optimum Procurement in Sport forum at Old Trafford cricket ground is now available at http://www.optimumprocurement.co.uk/

2012 Iveco Grand Prix of Aragon
ROUND FOURTEEN 2012 MotoGP™ WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 30
CRUTCHLOW FIGHTING TO HOLD ONTO FIFTH IN ARAGON

Cal Crutchlow is fighting to hang onto fifth place in the MotoGP™ World Championship at the Iveco Grand Prix of Aragon in Spain on Sunday. The Isle of Man – based Midlander crashed out of the previous round in Misano just two weeks after securing his first ever MotoGP podium finish. Riding the Monster Tech 3 Yamaha he is involved in a tremendous fight for fifth place in just his second MotoGP season.

Breathing down his neck with just five rounds remaining is nine times World Champion Valentino Rossi fresh from his second place on the Ducati in Misano. The Italian is just two points adrift while Alvaro Bautista, who grabbed his first ever MotoGP podium at Misano and Moto2 World Champion Stefan Bradl are four and seven points respectively behind the British rider.

Twenty five year old Ulsterman Jonathan Rea continues to replace the injured World Champion Casey Stoner on the Repsol Honda after an impressive MotoGP debut at Misano. In a chaotic race he kept his head to finish eighth and he returns to Aragon where he tested for two days earlier in the month.

It’s a sad race for Cumbrian James Ellison following the death of his father last week. He will have a new Aprilia ART engine in his Paul Bird Motorsport CRT machine.

Gloucestershire teenager Scott Redding is also fighting to hang onto fifth place in the Moto2™ World Championship. Riding the Marc VDS Kalex machine he has a five point advantage over team-mate Mika Kallio and will be looking to capitalize on good qualifying performances in the last two grands prix where he’s taken front row starts.

Twenty one year old Bradley Smith has only missed out points scoring once this season riding the Tech 3 Mistral machine. He has a good record in Aragon with a 125 cc podium finish in 2010 and sixth in the Moto2 race last year. Londoner Gino Rea must have a change of fortune in the last five races with a blown engine his latest tale of woe at Misano.

Wiltshire teenager Danny Kent could be moving up to Moto2 next season and will want to end his Moto3 career on a high riding the Red Bull KTM Ajo machine. He currently lies eighth in the World Championship, 11 points behind Fahmi Khairuddin and the injured Alexis Masbou who share sixth. Danny Webb hopes to sign of his time with the Indian Mahindra team with some points scoring rides after a disappointing and unlucky season so far.

McPHEE TO RIDE IN FINAL FIVE GRANDS PRIX

Scottish teenager John McPhee is set to replace the injured Frenchman Alexis Masbou for the remaining five rounds of the Moto3™ World Championship, starting at the Iveco Grand Prix of Aragon in Spain on Sunday. Caretta Technology rider Masbou, who is currently sixth in the Moto3 World Championship, broke his femur in a private test at Vallelunga in Italy earlier this month.

Eighteen year old McPhee, from Oban, Argyll, will join the Turin-based Caretta squad at Aragon and will compete on his KRP M3-01 chassis which has been re-liveried in Caretta Technology colours and is to be fitted with the Italian squad’s Geo Technology Grand Prix spec Honda engine.

McPhee, whose regular ride is with the Racing Steps Foundation-backed KRP team in Spain’s CEV Moto3 Series, will wrap up his hectic end-of-season schedule with a return visit to Valencia for the final round of the Spanish Championship. McPhee heads to Aragon having already picked up three world championship wildcards so far this year including last month’s Grand Prix at Brno where he eventually finished 15th after running as high as third place in the early stages.

There is also good news for Kent-based Danny Webb who has signed a deal with the World Wide Communications Ambrogio Next Racing team to compete in next year’s Moto3 World Championship.

John McPhee:
“It’s fantastic to be given the opportunity. To get more experience at world level with a Grand Prix team like Caretta should give a boost to my prospects of getting a full-time World Championship ride in 2013. Naturally I have a lot of sympathy for Alexis and wish him all the best for a speedy recovery. He’s clearly had a strong working relationship with the team to get the results he has, so hopefully I will be able to pick up where he left off.”

LATER BRITISH GRAND PRIX DATE AT SILVERSTONE

The 2013 British Grand Prix at Silverstone will be staged in September next year. The new Silverstone circuit will stage its fourth consecutive MotoGP event on September 1 in the provisional 2013 MotoGP calendar which was issued last week.

At the moment there are 19 races on the calendar with two races thought to be in Texas, USA and Argentina still to be confirmed. (Provisional calendar attached)

LORENZO DEFENDS COMFORTABLE LEAD IN ARAGON

Jorge Lorenzo arrives in Aragon on Sunday defending a 38 point championship lead over the luckless Dani Pedrosa with just five rounds of the 18 round MotoGP Championship remaining. Pedrosa is desperate to close that gap on the Yamaha rider at the Iveco Grand Prix of Aragon but the odds are stacked against him following his first lap crash at the previous round.

Lorenzo secured his sixth win of the season at Misano and knows that virtually podium finishes in those last five rounds would enable him to regain the title he lost to Casey Stoner and Repsol Honda last year. Stoner, who has won the first two grands prix at the 3.155 mile circuit situated between the Mediterranean coast and Zaragoza, is still recovering from his broken right ankle. The Australian will again be replaced by Ulsterman Jonathan Rea but may return for the next round at Motegi in Japan.

While the battle at the front on Sunday is expected to feature Lorenzo and Pedrosa once again nine times World Champion Valentino Rossi could be a threat after his second place in Misano. Ducati and Rossi appeared to have made some definite steps forward and Aragon will be the perfect test for the pair who go their separate ways at the end of the season.

Andrea Dovizioso replaces Rossi at Ducati next year and the Monster Tech 3 Yamaha rider still has ambitions to finish third in the championship before leaving Yamaha. The Italian is fourth, 23 points behind the absent Stoner while his team-mate Cal Crutchlow is fighting to hand onto fifth place after his crash in Misano.

Just seven points separate Crutchlow in fourth and Stefan Bradl in eighth. Rossi is just two points behind the Englishman while Alvaro Bautista, fresh from his first MotoGP podium at Misano, is just another two points adrift with Bradl just three points behind the Spaniard.

Ben Spies has five more rides with the Yamaha factory team before joining the Ducati ‘Junior’ team next season and will surely grab a podium finish before the end of the season while countryman Nicky Hayden continues his recovery from a hand injury. The American brought Ducati a third place in the first Aragon Grand Prix two years ago.

The CRT battle between Power Electronics Aspar team-mates Randy De Puniet and Aleix Espargaro continues. Frenchman De Puniet leads the Spaniard by just three points after finishing ninth in Misano where Espargaro crashed.

Nineteen year old Marc Marquez is getting closer to the Moto2 World title before joining MotoGP next year. The Team CatalunyaCaixa Repsol rider has an impressive 53 point lead in the championship over Pol Espargaro after his seventh win of the season in Misano. He won the Moto2 race at Aragon last year and should clinch the title long before the final round in Valencia. The big fight is for second place where Espargaro has a 20 point advantage over Andrea Iannone, who joins Spies at MotoGP Ducati next year, with former 125 cc World Champion Tom Luthi just four points behind.

German Sandro Cortese also looks odds on favourite to win the inaugural Moto3 World title following his win at Misano. The Red Bull KTM Ajo rider increased his championship lead to 46 points after his third win of the season. It’s much closer for second place with just ten points separating the Spaniards Maverick Vinales and Luis Salom.

ARAGON FACTS AND FIGURES

The 3.155 miles Aragon circuit is the newest addition to the MotoGP calendar having staged its first MotoGP race just two years ago. Situated in the beautiful unpopulated area between the Mediterranean coast and Zaragoza the undulating and long circuit is popular with both riders and spectators. It features seven right and ten left corners and a back straight well over half a mile long.

Circuit Length: 5.078kms
Width: 15 m
Pole Position: Right
Longest Straight: 968m
Left Corners: Ten
Right Corners: Six
Pole Position Record:
Casey Stoner/Honda
1.48.451 (2011)
Lap Record:
Casey Stoner/Honda
1’49.046 (2011)

TELEVISION TIMES
BBC/BRITISH EUROSPORT
Friday 28 September
1210 – 1500 British Eurosport – Live Practice Moto3, MotoGP, Moto2
Saturday 29 September
1150 – 1505 BBC Red Button & British Eurosport – Live Qualifying Moto3, MotoGP, Moto2
Sunday 30 September
0955 – 1205 BBC Red Button – Live Moto3 and Moto2 races
0945 –1200 British Eurosport – Live Moto3 and Moto2 races
1230 — 1400 BBC2 Live MotoGP race

CONTACTS
Nick will be available at the circuit from Thursday lunchtime until Sunday night. Please note Nick will not be available to answer the phone during qualifying or the races.

Email nick@nick-harris.co.uk
Mobile 07785 224 596
Time Schedule is attached
McPhee has already raced strongly in Moto3 this year as a wildcard

McPhee is looking forward to Aragon this weekend

ROUND THIRTEEN 2012 MotoGP™ WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 16
REA MAKES GRAND PRIX DEBUT ON WORLD CHAMPION’S HONDA

Ulsterman Jonathan Rea makes his MotoGP™ debut riding World Champion Casey Stoner’s Repsol Honda at the Aperol Grand Prix of San Marino and the Riviera of Rimini at Misano on the Adriatic coast of Italy on Sunday.

The 25 year old will replace the injured Stoner at Misano on Sunday and at Aragon in Spain in two weeks’ time after just two test sessions on the Honda RC213V machine at Brno and Aragon. In between the two tests he competed in two World Superbike races at the Nurburgring in Germany at the weekend riding the Honda Fireblade machine.

Last month Rea helped Honda win the prestigious Suzuka Eight Hour race in Japan and also tested the 800cc Honda MotoGP machine in Malaysia a couple of years ago. He has racing experience at both Misano and Aragon in the World Superbike Championship.

Jonathan Rea:
“I’m happy with the test we did in Aragon. Now we’re not looking at the lap times so much, but the gap to the front which is decreasing every test, so I’m happy with that. On the first day we did a lot of work with the base setting and we confirmed that the next morning. I’m still not completely happy finishing the corner, but on the final afternoon I did a long run and my fastest lap came at the end, so I need to push these tyres much harder and it’s a question of trust.
It’s been a good opportunity to test before the race; the Repsol Honda Team gave me the best opportunity, knowing the bike and the circuit and I am constantly learning. I raced in Germany at the Superbikes this weekend, so it will be a busy period for me but I will try to take advantage of it and enjoy it as much as I can. I’m grateful to Honda for giving me this opportunity. I don’t underestimate the challenge.”

CRUTCHLOW TO CONTINUE WHERE HE LEFT OFF

Cal Crutchlow can’t wait for the 28 lap race at Misano on Sunday after re-writing the history books in the previous round at Brno in the Czech Republic. The Isle of Man –based Midlander became the first British rider to finish on a MotoGP podium for 12 years with a brilliant third place finish behind championship leaders Dani Pedrosa and Jorge Lorenzo riding the Monster Tech 3 Yamaha.

Crutchlow in just his second MotoGP season lies fifth in the championship and has plenty of experience at the 2.262 miles Misano circuit in MotoGP and World Superbikes. He trails team-mate Andrea Dovizioso by 28 points in their battle for fourth place with six rounds remaining. Cumbrian James Ellison continues his fight for CRT honours. Riding the Paul Bird Motorsport ART machine he’s 18th in the championship three points behind Colin Edwards.

Gloucestershire teenager Scott Redding wants to forget the previous Moto2™ round in Brno where he started from the front row of the grid but crashed the Marc VDS machine at the third corner. He held onto fifth place in the championship two places in front of his great British rival Bradley Smith. The 21 year old Oxfordshire rider recovered from a bad qualifying session to finish eighth in Brno riding the Tech 3 machine. He’s desperate for a strong finish to his Moto2 career before joining MotoGP next season. It was also a tough Brno weekend for Londoner Gino Rea who crashed in the early stages but remounted to finish 24th.

Kent-based Danny Webb has recovered from his hand and wrist injury to return to the saddle of his Mahindra machine in the Moto3™ race. He will be joined by Wiltshire teenager Danny Kent who needs some more podium finishes to push on from eighth place in the championship. His one podium finish was a third place in Holland and he trails KTM team-mate Zulfahmi Khairuddin by ten points in their battle for seventh.

PEDROSA CHASING HATRICK TO KEEP THE PRESSURE ON

Dani Pedrosa chases a hatrick of MotoGP victories to close the gap on championship leader Jorge Lorenzo in the Aperol Grand Prix of San Marino and the Riviera of Rimini at Misano on Sunday.

The Repsol Honda rider arrives at the 2.626 miles Misano circuit on the Adriatic coast of Italy after winning the last two rounds at Indianapolis and Brno to close the gap to just 13 points on Lorenzo with six rounds of the 18 round championship remaining. It promises to be another head to head confrontation between the two bitter Spanish rivals who have both won at Misano in the last couple of years. Lorenzo brought Yamaha victory last year with Pedrosa on the top step of the podium the previous year.

World Champion Casey Stoner, who won at Misano five years ago, will miss the race recovering from the operation on his fractured right ankle. He will be replaced by Suzuka Eight Hour race winner Jonathan Rea who makes his grand prix debut.

Stoner’s third place in the championship is coming under threat from Italian Andrea Dovizioso who in turn is involved a battle with his Monster Tech 3 Yamaha team-mate Cal Crutchlow for fourth. It was a big weekend for the pair of them in Brno with Dovizioso agreeing a two year deal with Ducati and Crutchlow securing his first ever MotoGP podium.

Valentino Rossi will be replaced by Dovizioso at Ducati next year as he makes a much publicised return to Yamaha. It will be a bitter sweet weekend for the nine times World Champion at his home track. The Italian lives just five miles from the circuit where he won in 2008 and 2009 but will be making his last appearance for Ducati in Italy. He’s involved in a tremendous battle for sixth place in the championship with World Champions Stefan Bradl and Alvaro Bautista. The trio separated by just five points with Rossi’s team-mate Nicky Hayden in ninth place and likely to return after missing both Indianapolis and Brno through injury. Spaniard Hector Barbara is also expected to return riding the Pramac Ducati following his practice crash at Indianapolis.

Power Electronics Aspar team-mates Aleix Espargaro and Randy De Puniet are separated by just four points as they continue their battle for top CRT honours while David Salom replaces Ivan Silva in the Avintia Blusens BQR team for the remainder of the season. Italian Danilo Petrucci will ride a BMW Suter machine replacing his Came Ioda.

Spanish teenager Marc Marquez is a clear favorite to win the Moto2 race on Sunday and the World title before the final race of the season. The Catalunya Caixa Repsol Suter rider chases his seventh win of the season at the circuit where he has won both 125 and Moto2 races to increase that impressive 48 point championship lead. Nothing is ever clear cut in Moto2 racing and the likes of this year’s other grand prix winners Pol Espargaro, Tom Luthi and Andrea Iannone will make life as tough as possible for Marquez before he departs to MotoGP next year.

German Sandro Cortese has been almost as impressive in the Moto3 Championship building up a 32 point lead with a combination of consistency and aggression. The Red Bull KTM Ajo rider may have only won two grands prix but has only finished off the podium in one of the 11 rounds. In contrast second placed Maverick Vinales has won five grands prix but then produced just one more podium finish. Vinales must win on Sunday and hope for a rare Cortese mistake in the mayhem of a Moto3 Championship that has also brought wins for Jonas Folger, Luis Salom, Romano Fenati and Louis Rossi.

MISANO FACTS AND FIGURES

REVERSED MISANO RETURNED IN 2007
The 2.626 miles Misano circuit returned to MotoGP action in 2007 after a 14 year absence but running the opposite way round. The circuit, which is situated near to Riccione on the Adriatic coast of Italy, stopped hosting MotoGP events following the serious accident of the 500cc World Champion Wayne Rainey in 1993. It returned in 2007 running the opposite direction and with a number of safety changes.

The original circuit was built in the mid seventies to replace the sea front road circuit which staged early season international meetings.

MARCO MEMORIES

The Misano circuit was the home track for the late Marco Simoncelli and his San Carlo Gresini team. Consequently there will be a number of special events to celebrate the career of Marco who lost his life at the Malaysian Grand Prix in Sepang last year.

The 1993 500cc World Champion Kevin Schwantz has led a cycle ride relay, The Cycle of Wishes, from Donington Park in England to Misano. On Thursday evening all competitors’ in the grand prix this weekend will cycle a lap of honour of the Misano circuit to celebrate the life of the former 250 cc World Champion.

Circuit Length: 4.226kms
Width: 14 m
Pole Position: Left
Longest Straight: 565m
Left Corners: Six
Right Corners: Ten

Pole Position Record:
Casey Stoner/Honda
1.33.138 (2011)

Lap Record:
Jorge Lorenzo/Yamaha
1’33.906 (2011)

TELEVISION TIMES
BBC/BRITISH EUROSPORT
Friday 15 September
1210 – 1500 British Eurosport – Live Practice Moto3, MotoGP, Moto2
Saturday 16 September
1150 – 1505 BBC Red Button & British Eurosport – Live Qualifying Moto3, MotoGP, Moto2
Sunday 17 September
0955 – 1205 BBC Red Button – Live Moto3 and Moto2 races
0945 –1200 British Eurosport – Live Moto3 and Moto2 races
1230 — 1400 BBC2 and HD Live MotoGP race

2012 bwin Grand Prix of Czech Republic
ROUND TWELVE 2012 MotoGP™ WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP SUNDAY AUGUST 26
CRUTCHLOW SEEKS CHANGE OF FORTUNE IN BRNO

Isle of Man-based Midlander Cal Crutchlow chases a change of fortune at the magnificent Brno circuit when he rides in the bwin Grand Prix of Czech Republic on Sunday. Crutchlow crashed out of the Indianapolis Grand Prix on Sunday and also fell twice from the Monster Energy Tech 3 Yamaha in practice and qualifying.

Despite the misfortune he still holds fifth place in the championship while Cumbrian James Ellison picked up another precious point when he finished 15th on his 50th Grand Prix appearance riding the Paul Bird Motorsport ART machine.

Scott Redding was the only British success at Indianapolis after finishing sixth in the Moto2™ race. The Gloucestershire teenager is fifth in the championship riding the Marc VDS machine. Two places behind him is 21 year old Bradley Smith who failed to score points this year after finishing 16th at Indianapolis with Londoner Gino Rea three places behind him.

Wiltshire teenager Danny Kent led the Moto3™ race from the front row of the grid at Indianapolis but eventually dropped to 12th. He‘s had some brilliant qualifying performances this year but just one podium finish. Danny Webb is doubtful for Brno after fracturing his right arm when he crashed the Mahindra in qualifying on Saturday.

Cal Crutchlow:
“Of course it was a disappointing weekend at Indianapolis with the three crashes but at least I was not hurt in any of them. The big positive is I was 1.2s faster than last year and at this level it is not a bad run to go 10 races in a row inside the top 10. I’ve got a chance to put things right in Brno next weekend and I will be doing my best to be challenging for a top result again.”

PEDROSA CLOSES IN FOR BRNO BATTLE

Indianapolis winner Dani Pedrosa is just 18 points behind championship leader Jorge Lorenzo as their battle continues at the bwin Grand Prix of Czech Republic at the ancient Brno circuit on Sunday.

It was just Pedrosa’s second win of the season but the Repsol Honda rider has finished off the podium on only one occasion in the 11 races this season. Lorenzo has just one win in the last five races but has won five grands prix and only been out of the top two on one occasion.

It promises to be another close fight in the 22 lap race round the 3.357 miles circuit. Lorenzo won the MotoGP™ race a couple of years ago while Pedrosa’s only success has come in the 125 cc class although he did start from pole last season.

Pedros’a team-mate World Champion Casey Stoner has won twice including last year but he arrives in the Czech Republic suffering with torn ankle ligaments and chipped bones in his right ankle following his spectacular crash during qualifying at Indianapolis. He completed an unbelievable race to finish fourth in America but now trails Lorenzo in the championship by 39 points.

Andrea Dovizioso is having a great season and took his fifth podium finish of the season at Indianapolis riding the Monster Tech 3 Yamaha. He holds a comfortable fourth place in the championship especially after his team-mate Cal Crutchlow crashed in Indianapolis but still retained fifth place in the title chase.

Honda satellite riders Stefan Bradl and Alvaro Bautista are separated by just two points in their battle for sixth. Bradl won his first grand prix in the 125 cc race at Brno in 2008 with Bautista successful two years earlier on route to the world title.

Valentino Rossi has won five MotoGP races at Brno and 16 years ago won his very first grand prix in the 125 cc race. His Ducati team-mate Nicky Hayden hopes to be fit to ride after missing his home race at Indianapolis following a qualifying crash in which he broke some bones in his hand. Ben Spies will be looking for a change of fortune after his Yamaha engine blew apart while he was challenging Pedrosa for the lead at Indianapolis.

Aleix Espargaro leads the CRT battle from his Power Electronics Aspar team-mate Randy De Puniet who is a previous 250 cc Brno winner as is Tony Elias who continues to replace the injured Hector Barbera on the Pramac Ducati.

Nineteen year old Marc Marquez continued his quest for the Moto2 World Championship before moving to MotoGP with a comprehensive Indianapolis victory. It was the Spanish teenager’s fifth win of the season and leads his great rival Pol Espargaro by an impressive 39 points. Last year’s Brno winner Andrea Iannone had a disappointing Indianapolis and dropped to third place with former 125 cc winner Tom Luthi fourth.

German Sandro Cortese arrives at Brno brimming with confidence. He leads the Moto3 Championship by 29 points and won the 125 cc race at Brno last year. His great rival Spanish teenager Maverick Vinales crashed on the last lap at Indianapolis while Spaniard Luis Salom won his first grand prix.

BRNO FACTS AND FIGURES
The 3.357 mile circuit is situated on a wooded hillside high above the City of Brno. It replaced the old road circuit that ran round the town and staged the Czechoslovakian Grand Prix between 1965 and 1982. The undulating purpose built circuit which held its first grand prix in 1987 is a great favourite with the riders and attracts big crowds.

Circuit Length: 5.403kms
Width: 15 m
Pole Position: Left
Longest Straight: 636m
Left Corners: Six
Right Corners: Eight

Pole Position Record:
Valentino Rossi/Yamaha
1.56.145 (2009)

Lap Record:
Jorge Lorenzo/Yamaha
1’56.670 (2009)

TELEVISION TIMES
BBC/BRITISH EUROSPORT 2
Friday 24 August
1210 – 1500 British Eurosport 2 – Live Practice Moto3, MotoGP, Moto2
Saturday 25 August
1155 – 1500 BBC Red Button & British Eurosport 2 – Live Qualifying Moto3, MotoGP, Moto2
Sunday 26 August
0955 – 1205 BBC Red Button – Live Moto3 and Moto2 races
0945 –1200 British Eurosport – Live Moto3 and Moto2 races
1230 — 1400 BBC2 and HD Live MotoGP race

CONTACTS

Nick will be available at the circuit from Thursday lunchtime until Sunday night. Please note Nick will not be available to answer the phone during qualifying or the races.

Email nick@nick-harris.co.uk
Mobile 07785 224 596
Crutchlow is looking for a change of fortune in Brno

BACK TO THE TRACK AFTER OLYMPIC GLORY

There can be no better venue for the British MotoGP™ riders to continue the post Olympic optimism than the World famous Indianapolis Motor Speedway circuit when battle recommences at the Red Bull Indianapolis Grand Prix in America on Sunday.

Chasing the medals between those towering grandstands and across the famous yard of bricks the riders commence a frantic second half of the season as they crisscross the globe.

Isle of Man – based Midlander Cal Crutchlow chases his first MotoGP podium after a superb first half of just his second MotoGP season. He lies fifth in the World Championship and is involved in a tremendous battle with his Monster Energy Tech 3 Yamaha team-mate Andrea Dovizioso. They are separated by just 15 points and it’s a fight that will continue until that final round at the beginning of November in Valencia.

It’s been a tough return to MotoGP for Cumbrian James Ellison. Riding the CRT Paul Bird MotorSport ART machine he crashed out in the previous round at Laguna Seca after securing points at the previous three rounds. He 16th in the Championship but is the fifth highest CRT machine only four points behind Michele Pirro who is the third highest.

Scott Redding and Bradley Smith have been champing at the bit to get back on the track after a five week break since their last race. In that race at Mugello in Italy Smith was fourth and Redding sixth but they will be chasing podium finishes round the 2.620 Indy circuit on Sunday. Gloucestershire teenager Redding has finished on the podium three times this season riding the Marc VDS machine and is fifth in the Championship. Smith’s best result was at Mugello on the Tech 3 Mistral machine and is seventh after scoring points in all of the nine opening rounds. Both riders have finished on the Indianapolis podium with Smith second in the 125 cc race three years ago and Redding third in the Moto2 race the next year. Londoner Gino Rea makes his Indy debut fighting to hang onto his Gresini ride after a tough first half of his Moto2™ Championship season.

The two Danny’s, Kent and Webb have tasted contrasting fortunes in the new Moto3™ Championship. Wiltshire teenager Kent may only be tenth but on many occasions he’s been battling for the lead on the Red Bull Ajo KTM and finished on the podium in Assen. He looks very capable of more podium finishes or even a grand prix victory. It’s been a very different story for the highly experienced Kent-based Webb. Riding the Indian Mahindra machine it’s been tough going and he chases his first points of the season in a very important second half of the year.

REDDING AND SMITH SET FOR MOTOGP NEXT YEAR
British Moto2 stars and grand prix winners Scott Redding and Bradley Smith look set to join Cal Crutchlow in the MotoGP Championship next season. Twenty one year old Smith has already signed a contract to ride for the Monster Energy Tech 3 Yamaha team next season while Redding is still hoping for a deal with his Marc VDS team to ride a Ducati next year.

During the summer break Redding completed a two day MotoGP test with Ducati in Italy. Smith’s first MotoGP ride is scheduled for Valencia in Spain a couple of days after the last grand prix of the season at the beginning of November.

Scott Redding:
“When I’m away racing I just want to focus on this year and so I don’t worry about what might happen next year, I’m aware of the gossip that goes on but don’t pay much attention to it until something actually happens so once this opportunity came about it’s certainly been interesting to know that Ducati are interested in me which is important for my career. I had no idea what was going to happen but I was going down the pit lane with the limiter on thinking “I’m on a MotoGP bike and I’ve no idea what to expect”. It was a real eye-opener, I opened it up full bore and thought “well, it’s not that quick” but realised about the anti-wheelie and traction control systems. The first time I came down the home straight and went from 5th to 6th gear and had the throttle completely wide open, that’s when you realise how fast it really is. It’s like sitting on a live rocket ship! Mugello’s a hard circuit to get a GP a bike around, there’s a lot of change of direction which is hard to get used to when especially on a bike that’s heavier than my Moto2 bike but it was pretty immense; the fast straight with the brow then you’re in the braking zone for the first corner by the time you’re in 6th gear. The bike would always want to wheelie but to try and go straight over it would cost 0.3/0.4s.They said there could be another test although I don’t get involved too much in the contracts side of things – I just want to concentrate on my racing although if I see Valentino or Nicky in the paddock I must just drop the elbow on them and then say “Ciao”!

THE BATTLE CONTINUES – EIGHT TO GO
After the shortest of summer breaks the battle for the MotoGP World Championship continues at the iconic Indianapolis Speedway on Sunday at the Red Bull Indianapolis Grand Prix. There are eight rounds of the Championship remaining in a frantic three months to decide the outcome.

Occupying the front seat of the roller coaster is Jorge Lorenzo fighting off the combined challenge of Repsol Honda riders Dani Pedrosa and World Champion Casey Stoner in those opening ten rounds. Only time will tell if the 23 point lead the Spanish Yamaha rider holds over Pedrosa or more significantly the 32 advantage over Stoner will be enough when the season closes in Valencia at the beginning of November.

The three leaders have all tasted success at the 2.620 miles ‘Brickyard ‘ circuit that incorporates the start and finish straight, albeit running in the opposite direction to the world famous Indy 500 track. Australian Stoner won last year, Pedrosa the year before and Lorenzo in 2009. This year Stoner grabbed his first win for three races in the last round at Laguna Seca and he needs to keep winning to put some real pressure on his great rival. Pedrosa’s consistency, off the podium just once this season, keeps the Spaniard in second place but he needs to win more races after just one victory this season to close the gap on his countryman at the front.

Nine times World Champion Valentino Rossi won the very first grand prix at Indianapolis, just before the tornado arrived back in 2008. Typically the Italian will be the centre of attention at the weekend after announcing he will return to Yamaha next season after two disastrous years at Ducati. The Monster Energy Tech 3 Yamaha pair of Andrea Dovizioso and Cal Crutchlow continue their season long battle for fourth place. Dovizioso leads the way by 15 points thanks to four podium finishes and one of them could replace Rossi at Ducati next season.

Former World Champion Nicky Hayden has re-signed for Ducati and can concentrate on his battle for sixth place with impressive MotoGP Rookie Stefan Bradl, Rossi and former 125 cc World Champion Alvaro Bautista who’s fighting to hang onto his San Carlo Gresini Honda ride. Ben Spies makes his last home MotoGP appearance for Yamaha and he’s determined to go out with a bang at Indianapolis where he finished third last year.

Toni Elias continues to replace the injured Hector Barbera who hopes to return at the bwin Grand Prix of the Czech Republic the following week on the Pramac Ducati. The CRT battle continues between Power Electronics Aspar team-mates Randy De Puniet and Aleix Espargaro who are equal on points way ahead of the field. There will be two extra CRT entries for the 28 lap race on Sunday. Steve Rapp makes his second appearance on the Attack Performance Aprilia after just failing to qualify at Laguna while former AMA Champion Aaron Yates rides the GP Tech machine at his home race.

The Moto2 and Moto3 riders return to the fray after a proper summer break of five weeks following their last round at Mugello in Italy. Despite only finishing fifth in Italy Marc Marquez holds a commanding 34 point Moto2 lead over countryman Pol Espargaro and Italian Andrea Iannone after a superb first half of the season. He won the Moto2 race last year in which Espargaro was second to secure his first Moto2 podium finish. Espargaro also won the 125 cc race three years ago and needs to secure his third win of the year to close the gap on Marquez and get away from Iannone who won the previous round in Mugello.

Moto3 makes it Indy debut and the American crowd are in for a real treat after a sensational start to the new championship. Nine points separate Sandro Cortese and Maverick Vinales at the top but there are at least ten riders capable of victory in the heat of battle. Italian teenager Romano Fenati makes his Indy debut after winning in Jerez, Luis Salom will surely win a race before the end of the season, Louis Rossi chases a repeat of his Le Mans victory while never rule out podium finishers Alexis Masbou, Alex Rins and Danny Kent.

INDIANAPOLIS FACTS AND FIGURES
The iconic Indianapolis Motor Speedway celebrated its 100th birthday three years ago by staging its second MotoGP race because the first race ever staged at “The Brickyard” was a motorcycle race in 1909. Since then the Oval circuit has been the home of the World famous Indy 500 car race. The 2.620 motorcycle circuit runs in the opposite direction but incorporates the same start and finish straight. The towering grandstands around the oval hold over 257,000 spectators.
Circuit Length: 4.216 kms
Width: 16 m
Pole Position: Right
Longest Straight: 872m
Left Corners: Ten
Right Corners: Six
Pole Position Record:
Casey Stoner/Honda
1.38.850 (2011)
Lap Record:
Casey Stoner/Honda
1’39.807 (2011)

TELEVISION TIMES
BBC/BRITISH EUROSPORT 2
Friday 17 August
1810 – 2100 British Eurosport 2 – Live Practice Moto3, MotoGP, Moto2
Saturday 18 August
1555 – 1800 BBC Red Button & British Eurosport 2 – Live Qualifying Moto3, MotoGP, Moto2
Sunday 19 August
1555 – 1800 BBC Red Button – Live Moto3 and Moto2 races
1545 –1800 British Eurosport 2 – Live Moto3 and Moto2 races
1830 — 2000 BBC2 and HD Live MotoGP race
2000 British Eurosport2 – MotoGP Action

CONTACTS
Nick will be available at the circuit from Thursday lunchtime until Sunday night. Please note Nick will not be available to answer the phone during qualifying or the races.

Email nick@nick-harris.co.uk
Mobile 07785 224 596
Redding will be back on his Moto2 bike this weekend

2012 TIM Italian Grand Prix
ROUND NINE 2012 MotoGP™ WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP – SUNDAY JULY 15
SMITH RETURNS TO SCENE OF TRIUMPH
Twenty-one year old Oxfordshire rider Bradley Smith returns to the scene of previous triumphs when he competes in the Moto2™ race at the magnificent Mugello circuit in the TIM Grand Prix of Italy on Sunday. Smith won the 125 cc race in 2009 at the 3.259 miles circuit and last year finished third in the Moto2 race. He’s currently seventh in the Moto2 World Championship and his Tech 3 Mistral machine is improving every race.
Gloucestershire teenager Scott Redding was chasing his third successive podium in Germany on Sunday but crashed out at the second bend he did, however, retain his fifth place in the Championship. Londoner Gino Rea started from the second row in Germany but finished just out of the points in 18th place.
Cal Crutchlow finished eighth in Germany after running of track chasing a podium finish. He makes just his second Mugello appearance trailing his Monster Tech 3 Yamaha team-mate Andrea Dovizioso by seven points in their battle for fourth in the championship. Cumbrian James Ellison is fifth in the CRT category riding the Paul Bird Motorsport ART machine.
Wiltshire teenager Danny Kent was thawted by mechanical problems in Germany and is keen to get back to podium chasing in Italy, while Danny Webb chases a change of fortune for the Mahindra team at the fast undulating track.
Bradley Smith:
“I am really happy with the first part of the race because I was battling for the podium and that is where I should be. But the second half of the race wasn’t so easy and it is clear we still have some work to do to improve the Mistral 610 machine. I had the same problem in the race that I had all weekend in the dry and that was a lack of rear grip. We tried a lot of things to improve it but I didn’t have the drive out of the corner like the rest. It is a pity that I didn’t quite finish in sixth because that would have been a decent outcome, but seventh still gives us something to build on. The Mistral 610 is getting better and that is clear because both myself and Xavier were able to finish inside the top 10, so that shows the brilliant work the team have been doing. Now we go to Mugello, which is one of my favourite tracks, and I’m hoping to have another great battle like last year when I was third.”

STONER TO FIGHT BACK AT MAGNIFICENT MUGELLO

World Champion Casey Stoner arrives at the magnificent Mugello circuit in determined mood for the TIM Grand Prix of Italy after his disasterous weekend in Germany. The Australian slipped to third place in the World Championship after crashing two bends from the finish in the race won by his Repsol Honda team-mate Dani Pedrosa.
Jorge Lorenzo finished second in Germany to regain his championship lead. The three leading riders are separated by 20 points and all three have excellant records at the superb 3.259 mile Mugello circuit nestling in the Tuscan hillsides above the beautiful City of Florence.
Lorenzo won for Yamaha last year and also secured the 250 cc victory six years ago. Pedrosa, fresh from his first victory of the season in the Sachsenring, also has MotoGP™ and 250 cc wins while Stoner brought Ducati victory in 2009. It promises to be another classic encounter between the three leaders but there may be others fighting for the podium.
Andrea Dovizioso has secured three podium finishes, including Germany for the Monster Energy Tech 3 team and regained fourth place in the championship from team-mate Cal Crutchlow who ran off track but still finished in eighth place in Germany.
Mugello’s favourite son returns home with mixed memories. Valentino Rossi won seven years in succession between 2002 – 2008 to send the partisan fans wild. Two years ago he crashed and broke his leg in practice but he returns after finishing sixth in the Sachsenring to hold onto sixth place in the championship. Just four behind him.despite having to start from the back of the Sachsenring grid is Alvaro Bautista who is a 250 cc winner at Mugello. Rossi’s Ducati team-mate Nicky Hayden is two points adrift and coming under pressure from German Stefan Bradl riding the LCR Honda.
American Ben Spies is fighting for his factory Yamaha contract. He’s tenth in the championship after Dovizioso relegated him to fourth in Germany. Randy De Puniet took over the lead in the CRT category after finishing 11th in Germany. He leads team-mate Aleix Espargaro by a single point but also look out for previous double Mugello winners Matteo Paisini and Italian Michele Pirro on the San Carlo Gresini Honda. Italian Ducati test rider Franco Battaini is expected to continue replacing the injured Karel Abraham.

Spanish teenager Marc Marquez is running away with the Moto2™ World Championship. He has built up a 42 point lead in the championship after his fourth win of the season in Germany. In similar style to the last two rounds in Assen and the Sachsenring he’s chasing a hatrick of victoris after 125 and Moto2 wins at the Italian venue. There is a tremendous battle for second with Pol Espargaro , Tom Luthi and Andrea Iannone seperated by just five points. It’s a big home race for Iannone after crashing in Germany.

German Sandro Cortese will stop celebrating his histroric home Moto3™ win to concentrate on protecting his 18 point lead in the championship. Previous championship leader Maverick Vinales had a disasterous time in Germany finishing out of the points. It’s a special race for 16 year old Italian Romano Fenati who returns home for the first time to race after his maiden grand prix win in Jerez.

MUGELLO FACTS AND FIGURES
One of the favourite MotoGP venues for both fans and riders. The 3.259 miles circuit follows the contours of the Tuscan hills high above the City of Florence. It’s both fast and undulating and is also the Ferrari Formula One test track. Mugello staged it’s first grand prix in 1976.

Circuit Length: 5.245kms
Width: 14 m
Pole Position: Right
Longest Straight: 709m
Left Corners: Six
Right Corners: Nine

Pole Position Record:
Casey Stoner/Honda
1.48.034 (2011)

Lap Record:
Jorge Lorenzo/Yamaha
1’48.402 (2011)

TELEVISION TIMES
BBC/BRITISH EUROSPORT 2
Friday 13 July
1210 – 1500 British Eurosport 2 – Live Practice Moto3, MotoGP, Moto2
Saturday 14 July
1150 – 1505 BBC Red Button & British Eurosport 2 –
Live Qualifying Moto3, MotoGP, Moto2
Sunday 15 July
0950 – 1205 BBC Red Button – Live Moto3 and Moto2 races
0945 –1225 British Eurosport 2 – Live Moto3 and Moto2 races
1230 — 1400 BBC2 Live MotoGP race
1400 British Eurosport2 – MotoGP Action

CONTACTS
Nick will be available at the circuit from Thursday lunchtime until Sunday night. Please note Nick will not be available to answer the phone during qualifying or the races.

Ellison moves into fifth position in the CRT category points standing

Monday 25 June 2012
2012 IVECO TT ASSEN
ROUND SEVEN 2012 MotoGP™ WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP SATURDAY JUNE 30
CRUTCHLOW’S CRUSADE TO THE CATHEDRAL

Cal Crutchlow’s MotoGP crusade continues at the Cathedral of motorcycle sport, the TT circuit at Assen in Holland on Saturday. For the 64th time on the last Saturday of June the world famous circuit stages the Dutch round of the World Championship and this year the Iveco Dutch TT is the seventh round of the 18 round MotoGP™ World Championship.

Isle of Man-based Midlander Crutchlow fought through the pain barrier and confounded the medical authorities by finishing sixth at the previous round at Silverstone riding with a broken and dislocated left ankle sustained in a practice crash 24 hours earlier. The Monster Energy Tech 3 Yamaha rider moved back into fourth place in the Championship in front of his team-mate Andrea Dovizioso who crashed out. Crutchlow has been receiving extensive treatment on the injured ankle back in the Isle of Man before travelling to Assen to compete in the 28 lap race round the 2.822 mile circuit near Groningen in the North of Holland.

Cumbrian James Ellison picked up more points after finishing 14th at Silverstone on the Paul Bird Motorsport ART machine. He returns to Assen in fourth place in the CRT category with chances of improving with three grands prix on the next three weekends.

Gloucestershire teenager Scott Redding shared the headlines with Crutchlow after Silverstone. The Marc VDS rider finished a brilliant second in the Moto2™ race after a titanic last bend fight with Championship leader Marc Marquez. It was his second podium of the season and he needs to continue the podium finishes to close on the leaders from his fifth place in the Championship.

Twenty one year old Oxfordshire rider Bradley Smith finished third in the Assen Moto2 race last year and the 2009 125 cc race. Riding the Tech 3 Mistral machine he led for the first few laps at Silverstone to eventually finish seventh after a tremendous last lap scrap with Tom Luthi. It was his best result of the season and hopes to make further improvements on Saturday while Londoner Gino Rea looks for a points scoring ride on the Federal Oil Gresini machine after a disappointing race at Silverstone.

Eighteen year old Wiltshire rider Danny Kent looks to at least match his sixth place at Silverstone on the Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto3 machine. It was his best result of the season and he has a great chance to climb from his 14th place in the Championship. It’s been a nightmare season for the experienced Danny Webb in the same class. The Kent-based rider has yet to score any championships points as the Indian Mahindra team struggle for reliability in the very competitive class.
Cal Crutchlow:
“If they pass me fit at Silverstone, they’ve got to pass me fit at the next race unless I have an operation – and I won’t be having an operation. The doctors said they could operate and put a pin in it but the guy who I saw on the Saturday, who is an ankle specialist, said it would make it worse. The doctors told me I was not allowed to put any weight on my foot for eight to 10 weeks but me being a typical motorcycle rider, that’s eight to 10 hours. I ride motorcycles for a living. The bone is quite badly broken on the inside. I’ve fractured the inside of my ankle and I dislocated it. I’ve got to rest up, let the healing process do what it can and aim to come back stronger in Assen. The Silverstone result gives me confidence because I was as fast as the guys in front and matching Jorge Lorenzo. The positive thing for me is that I was running at a consistent pace when out in clear air, which is something we’ve struggled with since last year so that’s encouraging for the future.”

STONER NEEDS ASSEN VICTORY

World Champion Casey Stoner needs to get back to winning ways at Assen on Saturday to prevent Championship leader Jorge Lorenzo running away with the 2012 title chase. Lorenzo riding the factory Yamaha has won the last three races to build up a 25 point lead over the Australian who has been dogged with tyre and chattering problems on the Repsol Honda.

Both have premier class victories at the 2.822 miles TT circuit with Lorenzo also a winner in both 250 and 125 cc classes. It promises to be a close fought 28 lap encounter between the two World Champions. Last year Lorenzo’s Yamaha team-mate Ben Spies secured his one and only MotoGP victory and how the American needs a repeat or at least a podium finish as he fights to keep his place in the factory team.

Stoner’s team-mate Dani Pedrosa has made a solid start to the season but needs to step up to fight for wins to push on from his third place in the Championship. The Spaniard has only been off the podium once this season and is a former 125 cc winner at Assen.

Monster Tech 3 Yamaha team-mates Cal Crutchlow and Andrea Dovizioso are separated by six points in their battle for fourth. Dovizioso crashed out of the last round at Silverstone while Crutchlow was a brilliant sixth, riding with a fractured left ankle. It’s even closer behind them with seven times Assen winner Valentino Rossi tied on points with San Carlo Gresini rider Honda rider Alvaro Bautista, a 250cc Assen winner, in sixth place. Moto2 World Champion Stefan Bradl has made a good start to his MotoGP career on the LCR Honda and leads former World Champion Nicky Hayden by a couple of points. The American Ducati rider won his only grand prix outside America with a last bend victory over countryman Colin Edwards in 2006 riding the Repsol Honda. Karel Abraham returns to the action on the Cardion AB Ducati after missing Silverstone with a hand injury.

Spaniard Aleix Espargaro leads the CRT category from his Power Electronics Aspar team-mate Randy De Puniet.The pair come up against some experienced Assen competitors. Italian Mattia Pasini may be having a tough season on the Speed Master ART machine but was a 125 cc winner five years ago while veteran Edwards was desperately unlucky not to win the MotoGP race a year earlier.

With the outcome of the appeal by Pol Espargaro’s Pons 40 HP Tuenti team against the re-instating of Marc Marquez’s third place in Barcelona still to be heard, the Moto 2™ World Championship is packed with intrigue and great racing. Last year’s Moto2 and the year before 125 cc winner Marquez grabbed the lead in the Championship after finishing third behind Espargaro and Scott Redding in Silverstone. The in form Espargaro shares second place with former leader Tom Luthi, who could only finish eighth at Silverstone, just six points adrift of Marquez with 2010 winner Andrea Iannone fourth in front of the Marc VDS pair of Redding and Mika Kallio.

Another Spaniard and Assen winner last year took over the lead in the Moto3™ World Championship. Seventeen year old Maverick Vinales, riding the Blusens Avintia FTR Honda, won at Silverstone to lead German Sandro Cortese by just two points, in what is turning into a two rider head to head confrontation for the Championship. Luis Salom in third place chases that elusive first grand prix win after two second places, including Silverstone, while 16 year old Romano Fenati in fourth place makes his Assen debut.

ASSEN FACTS AND FIGURES

THE ONLY SURVIVER
The Assen TT circuit is the only survivor from the original inaugural 1949 World Championship calendar. Motorcycle racing started on the roads surrounding the Dutch City of Assen in northern Holland in 1925 and has continued ever since apart from a break in the Second World War.

The circuit has changed considerably over the last 87 years from the long road circuit to the current 2.82 configuration. However, some of the old bends remain and the circuit is still known as the Cathedral of grand prix motorcycle racing.

Circuit Length: 4.542 kms
Width: 14 m
Pole Position: Left
Longest Straight: 487m
Left Corners: Six
Right Corners: Twelve
Pole Position Record:
Jorge Lorenzo/Yamaha
1.34.515 (2010)
Lap Record:
Dani Pedrosa/Honda
1’34.525 (2010)

TELEVISION TIMES
BBC/BRITISH EUROSPORT 2
Friday 29 June
1150 – 1505 BBC Red Button & British Eurosport 2 – Live Qualifying
Moto3, MotoGP, Moto2
Sunday 30 June
0950 – 1400 BBC Red Button Live Moto3, Moto2 and MotoGP race
0945 – 1225 British Eurosport 2 Live Moto3 and Moto2 races

CONTACTS
Nick will be available at the circuit from Wednesday lunchtime until Saturday night. Please note Nick will not be available to answer the phone during qualifying or the races.
Media Office Tel No: +31 592380375

A time schedule for the event is attached
Crutchlow has received extensive treatment on his ankle for this weekend’s race

Redding will be aiming to go one better this weekend