The result was a win for Jonathan Rea which takes him into third place for the championship. Max Biaggi took second with Tom Sykes taking the third spot on the podium. Thanks to Melandri crashing out, Biaggi retains his position as championship leader, followed by Sykes and Rea. Checa drops to fourth after crashing out on the first turn of the first lap.

All photos: Stuart Dallas for MotoRaceReports

Jonathan Rea in Parc Fermé

Max Biaggi is already into his post-race report while still in Parc Fermé

Tom Sykes in Parc Fermé

Post-race interviews. One of Rea's mechanics is the tallest I've ever seen!

Tom Sykes: Ninja!

Tom Sykes' back wheel in Parc Fermé

The winning machines

Flags flying high above the podium

Sykes shows off his vertical range

Biaggi, Sykes and Rea In the back of the car

Job done, next stop Miller

All photos: Stuart Dallas for MotoRaceReports

Ducati girl #1

Ducati Girl #2

Honda Girl #1

Honda Girl #2

BMW Girl

BMW Girl

Honda Girl #1

Honda Girl #2

Aprilia Girl #1

Suzuki Girl #1

Suzuki Girl #2

Suzuki Girl #1

These results leave Sykes a single point behind Biaggi in the championship, with Checa 2 points behind that followed by Melandri, Haslam and Rea.

All photos: Stuart Dallas for MotoRaceReports

Tom Sykes reaches out a hand to accept congratulations as he enters Parc Fermé

Melandri celebrates in Parc Fermé

Marco Melandri in Parc Fermé

Melandri can't hide his joy

Haslam and Melandri share some post-race analysis

Melandri, Haslam and Sykes on the podium

Troy Corser shows his appreciation

This looks like soooo much fun!

I think Marco won that battle

Haslam and Sykes wait patiently for Melandri to join them after Parc Fermé

A Kawasaki between two BMWs

All photos: Stuart Dallas for MotoRaceReports

Tom Sykes

Leon Haslam

Marco Melandri

Max Biaggi

Leon Camier

Jakub Smrz

Carlos Checa

Ayrton Badovini

Michel Fabrizio

Eugene Laverty

Davide Giugliano

Niccolò Canepa

Chaz Davies

Hiroshi Aoyama

Loris Baz and Davide Giugliano

Peter Hickman

Lorenzo Zanetti and Niccolò Canepa

Mark Aitchison

Leandro Mercado

Gary Mason

Leon Camier and Max Biaggi

Eugene Laverty and Tom Sykes

Ayrton Badovini and Leandro Mercado

I always try to translate as closely as possible and suggestions are always welcome if you feel the need (that’s what the comments box is for) . Thank you.

Photo: Jorge Lorenzo / Yamaha Racing 2012

“We saved the furniture” (Damage limitation)

We had a complicated race in Estoril.

Things were against me on Saturday after the qualifying session: we did the fourth best time and the feelings were not the best.

But the team did not give up. They worked well and the changes got us results. I felt very good in the corners and I was confident during the race.

Generally speaking, the second place suits me just fine. We saved the furniture.

Stoner is very fast and the power that his Honda has these days makes the difference.

I fall behind with the braking and so it is hard to remain competitive.

Also, the beginning of the race played a lot. I did burn the clutch and lost a lot of time in the first two laps. Then, with the clutch already cold, I tried to reach him, got to the limit, but it became impossible due to the condition of the tyres.

There is much talk of losing the leadership but it is not something I worry about right now. There are many points left to grab. All we have to do is win when the situation does not favor the others and try to make the podium when things are quite bad, like we did today.

Finally, I would like to remember the circuit of Estoril, a historical place that now disappears from the MotoGP calendar. I’ve always felt very comfortable here and it will always be one of my favourite circuits. A greeting to all the Portuguese fans.

Until next time, friends!

And for those who keep asking me on Twitter via @motoracefeed , this is why Jorge has 20 minutos on his leathers!

Target for Estoril: climb to the top of the podium

4th of May 2012

I am writing from Estoril where my team and I are getting ready again to face the challenge of improving from last week and this time, climb to the top of the podium.

In the last few days, I recharged the batteries because the Jerez circuit was very intense.

Important decisions were made, probably not the best.
In the end, the last minute front tyre choice wasn’t the best option during the race because I didn’t have a good feeling.
Anyway, I kept the lead (in the championship) and I am prepared to defend it here in Estoril

Also, last Monday, I was in Montecorto, Malaga, to launch a special section of road, pioneering road safety measures aimed at reducing motorcycle accidents.
It is important for all authorities to carry on with this kind of work. I felt very proud to have participated and I really hope the 5 km road expands soon.

But my head is back and focused on the competition.
I look forward to the next race because Estoril is a circuit where I have had good results and I’m always motivated to race here.

The training will be important and getting pole position would be a bonus for me.
It would be the fifth in a row at this track.
Choosing the right tyres will be important, so hopefully this time we won’t fail.

I will write after the race and tell you the feelings from the weekend.

See you soon!

Jorge's team wishes his Happy Birthday this morning - Photo: @lorenzo99 on Twitter / Yamaha Racing 2012

How long have you followed motorcycle racing?

Rachel Healey: Since about 2006, so blame Nicky Hayden and his successful attempt to capture the Championship regardless of Dani Pedrosa!

Have you ever attended races at any level?

RH: Went to BSB a couple of times at Mondello Park just down the road from me, but as the track isn’t big enough and the Irish weather so bad, they stopped the Irish round. Catalunya Motogp last year, and we are going again this year.

What got you into motorcycle racing?

RH: My partner is a biker, so blame him! I really got into in 2008 when Lorenzo came back again and again from those awful crashes.

Do you ride yourself?

RH: Unfortunately no, I did have a couple of lessons but never had great confidence to continue.

Most memorable experience on a motorcycle or watching bikes?

RH: Touring around Wales, then onto Cornwall on our old BMW 650GS. Some great scenery, twisty lanes, and as every car park in Cornwall seemed to be on a hill, trying to park up the bike with difficulty.

Is there a track that you would like to see MotoGP race at that is currently not on the calender?

RH: Not particularly, but it would be a shame if they got rid of Jerez or Catalunya off the calendar.

Dorna for the day! You control Grand Prix racing the highest level, what would you do or change?

RH: Get rid of the single tyre manufacturer rule.

If you could spend the day on the track with any racer (past or present) , who would it be?

RH: Colin Edwards for sure… You would have a great days entertainment, his personal non scientific take on Factory and CRT Bikes, and probably the best laugh ever!

How and where do you normally watch races?

RH: Eurosport have the best coverage so with them if I’m not working. If I’m in work I follow Motoracefeed on Twitter and then watch the highlights at home.

Anything you would like to share with the MRR community?

RH: If you get chance to attend a Motogp race, don’t turn it down. It’s the best 3 days entertainment, like minded people around you, and if youre on Twitter, arrange tweet-ups. I’ve made some great friends out of it all!

Photo Credit: Steven Jackson/MotoRaceReports

Valentino Rossi has 10 podium finishes at Estoril , including 5 race wins.

After the best ever BMW World Superbike results obtained during the second round of the season at Imola with Leon Haslam, we had the chance to speak with one of the key elements of the team: Haslam’s Crew Chief, Giacomo Guidotti.

After a long career in motorsports, passing from FGF Corse to Aprilia, he joined the Suzuki Alstare squad in 2005, a magical winning year for the Japanese brand who won with Troy Corser, the first ever title since the series was launched.  In 2007 the Alstare team brought the legendary star Max Biaggi to the World Superbike series.   In 2010, the Suzuki Alstare Team campaigned with Leon Haslam; they were a very hard to beat contender for Max Biaggi’s first World Superbike crown, finishing second overall in the Championship for that year.

Then a very big change for occurred for both, joining the German BMW Motorrad Motorsport team and after a difficult first year, things are getting much brighter now.

First of all congratulations for Imola, Leon Haslam had two fantastic third places and after an heroic start of the season (Editor’s Note: he was injured during Phillip Island tests right before the start of the season) he is now in fourth position in the championship.

GC: We are very happy for Imola, it was an incredible week end for us since we have been competitive from the very beginning  until the end. We made a big step forward in our performances, now we need to consolidate these kind of results and be always up front. Before the next race in Assen, we will have a test at the Mugello track to check all our settings and try a new swingarm.

It’s still early to speak about the consequences of the terrible accident happened to Joan Lascorz during the Imola test day, we just need to pray and hope is not going to be as terrible as it seems. A lot has been done for safety but this remains a dangerous sport, no matter what. But there could be a chance that riders nowadays are more stressed out to get immediate results?

GC: It’s very sad when things like this happen, in this case I don’t think there was too much pressure since it was a test. So for me it just happened in the unpredictable moment, you cannot foresee these kind of events. It will always remain a dangerous sport but we can do more for security, for example a more organized Security Commission established for WSBK as well.

The S1000RR has been developed a lot, getting the new electronics – going from an in-house option to the well known Magneti-Marelli. What really changed in the bike?

GC: This season we changed a lot both our track structure and our organizational structure. We started the season in a very positive way, all the requested modifications were made and this included the electronics of course but also the chassis and engine. The goal is to get a more normal bike that is easy to ride; we never had a gap in engine power but we needed to manage it in the correct way.

You were part of the great Suzuki Alstare Team, how does it feel to not have them in the paddock this season?

GC: It’s not a good thing for sure, I think we really lost a key team in WSBK. I’ve spent with them six fantastic years, I learned a lot and we won also a lot. We were also the title sponsor of the championship (Editor’s Note: in 2005) and Alstare management has great expertise in promotion but Suzuki started to budget cut because of the global economic crisis and at the end they decided to pull the plug. Right now Batta’s family is dealing with the Hospitality organization but I really hope to see them again soon in the paddock as a racing team.

Infront Motor Sports is discussing some new regulations, what do you think about the new ones introduced this year as the one bike per rider and what you’d like to see in the future?

GC: I think we are just starting to understand how to deal with the one bike rule. It was not an easy thing to accept, because the entire racing weekend strategy is different. We are now getting better but I do not see any relevant cost saving here. To be honest I’m not a fan of this rule, I know the rider at the end of the day used just one bike but you always had another bike ready for any kind of comparison or emergency. The risk here is that the fans can go to a race and cannot cheer for their rider maybe just because there was a problem on the single bike that the team was not able to fix on time. For the future, I know they’ve been talking about longer race distances, honestly I don’t know what to expect here and be sure this will not get a better economic situation.

Next races will be: Assen, Monza and Donington. Where do you think you can score another great race?

GC: If the team continues to work so well, any race could be the one from now on. For Leon, I’d say Donington of course and also Assen. Everything depends on the weather we will face during those weekends, again having just one bike per rider it’s something that will change things a lot.

What are your passions beside your job?

GC: I enjoy motocross a lot, it’s something I’m really missing lately. I’d like to have some more spare time to get on the MX bike and do some laps on it. I like all the aspects of it and I like to watch the AMA Supercross races. Apart from this, my passions are motorbikes obviously but I also enjoy road cycles and mountain bikes.

What are your goals for the 2012 season?

GC: Well, we have a lot of goals to say the least. For sure we want to improve our performances both on the single race and the entire weekend. So, let’s say that this is our primary goal in the short term.

OK Giacomo, we really want to thank for your availability and the MRR team wishes you, Leon, and BMW a great season.

GC: Thank you, it was my pleasure. I want to thank also all the people that work with me at BMW and all the fantastic fans that makes the WSBK series a magical one.

We are ready

We’ve finally finished the tests and we are now ready to start a new season.
After what we saw at Jerez, I think that you are going to enjoy a few races with things being a lot more equal than in the previous season and therefore more spectacular for the fans.

Like you, I am already looking forward to the start of the races.
It is something that always happens to me during the pre-season: testing a new bike but not being able to compete. It is like teasing you with a sweet you cannot eat!

Patience… and before we know it, we will be under the floodlights in Qatar, waiting for the green light to go.

Next Monday, we are already leaving for Qatar.
We are going there earlier than for any other GP because I want to be very focused for the first race.
You can workout at the gym in the hotel and relax, do everything possible to start at 100 percent.

I will keep you informed of any developments.

See you soon.

Photo: Jorge Lorenzo - Yamaha Racing - 20 Minutos.es

Jorge has blogged about the second test in Sepang.

You can find the original post here

Test in the wet
29 February 2012

Hello, Friends!

As promised, I am writing from Malaysia to tell you how we’re doing here.

We arrived on Saturday afternoon and on Sunday, we visited the Kuala Lumpur Motoxpo and the Yamaha stand to sign autographs.

On Monday, we had the day off and took the opportunity to play tennis and get used to the time difference: you cannot imagine how hard it is to sleep when you have jet lag and I am one of those people who can fall asleep anywhere.

Tuesday was the first day of testing and we were not been able to do everything we wanted.
In the morning, the track was very dirty and in the afternoon we couldn’t do much because of the rain.
At least I tested some new gloves that Alpinestars have done, with extra fingers protection (you can see them in the photo).

On Wednesday, we continue. I hope that the rain respects us and that we can take advantage of the whole day.
On Thursday, we will finish testing and I will explain my feelings on the bike.

See you later!

Jorge with his new Alpinestars gloves - Photo: Jorge Lorenzo - Yamaha Racing

On the 2nd of March, Jorge posted a video when he returned home.
You can see the video in Spanish here

In this short video, a relaxed looking Jorge tells his fans he’s come back home satisfied and happy after testing in Sepang.

The new CRT machines have entered into the MotoGP show with the start of the winter testing schedule. This will be the very first season for this new type of racing concept, the one derived in some way from the Moto2 model, that could eventually lead to a totally new series in the near future.

Danilo Petrucci is an Italian rider who bravely took this new challenge in his career, knowing the difficulties he and his team will face during this MotoGP “transition season” as many people suggested to call it.

His achievements have already confirmed his talent and will to be a very fast rider, considering only the past season he was able to get the crown in the Italian STK 1000 series and the second position in the World STK 1000 series, with a gap of just two points from the World Champion Davide Giuliano (Editor’s note: now part of the WSBK Althea Racing team with Carlos Checa).

The rider from Terni, Italy will be part of the IODA Racing MotoGP team, a squad that that will count on the great expertise of Giampiero Sacchi, as the team owner, and Giovanni Sandi, the legendary Aprilia crew chief. After talking with IODA Racing MotoGP mechanic Tiziano Verniani, now is the turn to have a chat with the team’s rider:

The test season just took off and you’ll start this year on a new bike, team and category. It is also the very first time for the CRT series, how do you feel about this?

DP: Yes, I didn’t take part of the first tests (Editor’s note: the end of January in Valencia, Spain) because were in the process of fixing the last few things on the bike to be ready for the next ones in February. At the beginning we’ll need just to make as many laps as possible, we need to close the gap with the GP bikes. I feel very confident, especially because I can rely on a great team, having on my side both Giampiero Sacchi and Giovanni Sandi is for sure a very solid base to start with. Of course this is the first season for the CRTs so we just need to get our own experience but I’m very positive about our choice.

You have great experience on 1000cc bikes as well as your team has on the same type of engine. What do you expect from next season?

DP: I want to learn the Bridgestone tyres and the new circuits we are going to ride as fast as I can. Our goals are to stay together with the other CRT bikes and by the end of the season try to be the best one out there. I don’t have too much pressure since I have a two year deal; this is something very important for a rider’s mind because you can concentrate only on the riding part of the game. We need to learn all the aspects of this new type of machine and work hard this season to be competitive in 2013.

You’ve shown your potential and you had a great season in the STK 1000 series, both the Italian and the international one. What do you think about challenging the fastest guys on Earth in MotoGP?

DP: It scares me a little obviously; I don’t know anybody and I need to learn and get good experience. I’m not afraid about the speed these guys can make considering the longer race distances, especially because we know that these riders can be very fast even in the last lap of the race. It’s going to be hard for sure but I am confident in my strengths and my team. For us it will be even a bit harder, because we are the only ones that are not going to use the ART frame because we decided to make our own, so we’ll not have any comparison with the other riders.

Favourite rider and track? Plus, next year competitors?

DP: I would say Laguna Seca for sure! I have never been there and everybody said that it’s a very difficult track so I just can’t wait to get there in California and try it out. Also Phillip Island – it’s going to be a great place to race, since I love fast tracks, and of course Mugello race day is going to be a magical feeling. I know the Mugello track very well plus the crowd there is really awesome; whenever I think about the love for racing you can feel there I just get goose bumps all the time.

You’ve been on the development team of the Ducati 1199 Panigale, paired also with the great Troy Bayliss. What can you tell about this machine that will enter the WSBK class in the 2013 season?

DP: Yes, I made tons of laps with the Panigale on the Mugello track. The 1199 has a really great potential but since it’s a totally new bike it needs a lot of development. I think Ducati has made a good decision to postpone the debut to the 2013 season, since in my opinion the engine of the 1198 is better right now since it’s a well-developed machine.

Let’s talk about training. Winter time, season time what do you do to keep yourself in a good shape?

DP: I love riding my MTB and road bicycles to stay in a good shape. I’m really into the bicycle scene even because, apart doing some Downhilling or Superenduro races which are disciplines that I love, my brother is riding at a professional level in Downhilling (Editor’s Note: Francesco Petrucci). I used to ride with him a lot, together with some friends, which is one of the reasons why I enjoy mountain biking so much. If I can organize well this season, I would like to make a couple of races on both DH and Superenduro.

We saw the home page of your site (http://www.danilopetrucci.it/) dedicated to Marco Simoncelli, what is your opinion on safety measures?

DP: I don’t think there is a very safe way to face this sport, it’s a dangerous one and we all know this. Of course we can work to reduce the dangerous side as much as we can and this is something we really need to do. Marco had a very nice style, he was very physical and this was one of his key strengths and many times he was able to recover a certain fall by simply pushing on the track with his body. Other points to work are the rescue team improvements, in order to have it more efficient and professional, and the location of the artificial grass that in some tracks is not a safety measure for motorcycles.

You are using Facebook and Twitter as lots of other sportsmen out there, keeping all your fans informed. Are you enjoying it?

DP: Yes, they are definitely great tools to stay in touch with our fans. Updating them is a good way to understand how the rider really is, what he likes and how he spends his free time. They are also useful to let the fans see what happens behind the scenes, how the team works and all the little things we face in our day-by-day activity.

We want to thank Danilo and wish him and his team a very productive first season in MotoGP, Good Luck!

Since the very first ride on the new machine, the Jerez tests hold in November last year, there was a great feeling between the new package and the #45 English rider, leaving the tests as the fastest rider on track.

We are entering the off-season tests of 2012 and the first race is not that far but being on his third consecutive year in the team, gives high confidence and concentration to award the Marc VDS squad with a well-deserved productive year. Here is what we shared on our last chat.

Scott Redding at Jerez test, Nov. 2011 - Photo: MarcVDS Racing

Q: Let’s start from your last ride, the Moto2 tests held in Jerez in November 2011. You’ve been the fastest rider out there, on each day of tests. How does it feel and what are your thoughts on that?

A: Yes, it was awesome but I must say that for me the Kalex is really comfortable, so I have a lot more space and I’m not struggling all the time with my the elbows and legs. I think the bike is working a lot better, for sure is a lot more fun to ride and when it is like that it’s easier to get good lap times.

Q: Obviously you feel good with the new Kalex chassis. How was the change and where, plus do you really think this could be the right weapon to aim really high next season?

A: Yeah, it has a great potential and you can tell that it’s is the world champion bike. I really hope for good weather on the test so we can work on it and try to get all the data we need to start the season.

Q: Moto2 series is getting into its third year of existence. Do you think is complete at the moment or it’s missing something?

A: I think the series has some very good rules with same sealed engines and same tires to put everybody on the same base. Plus tires are a lot better, at the beginning this was probably the main limit now it’s more like a race bike you are riding.

Q: Now you have a lot of experience riding those bikes, what is the most productive way to ride a Moto2 bike in your opinion?

A: Hard to say, it really depends on the rider since some are hard on the front and some on the rear. Important thing is to keep the speed in the corner and the ability to be quite aggressive and smooth at the same time.

Q: You’ve shown your potential and you are getting results. Do you feel strong enough to be very consistent this season and what will be your major opponents?

A: Should be the best season for me, I really think we are in a good position and the team is great and riding has been very good. Of course we need to see the rest of the tests and the start of the season but I’m really positive on this side. About the other riders there are lot of guys who changed bike so we need to see how this will be, but I’d say similar guys to last year so Marquez, Luthi, Takahashi and the rest of the top riders.

Q: Let’s talk about training. Winter time, season time what do you do to keep you in a good shape?

A: I really enjoy riding mountain bikes, even though is more like an off season training but when I can I try to do it as much as I can. Usually, I go out for a two or two and a half hours ride then distance and altitude can change of course. I like to have a good solid ride and have a good fun also mentally speaking. I really loved Morzine, a place we had the chance to ride last year and it was a great fun.

Q: We passed two tragic loss during the last two seasons, Shoya Tomizawa in 2010 and Marco Simoncelli in 2011. A lot has been done for security but there’s plenty to do more: you already used the front brake lever bar and next season we have an improvement into that direction as well. What are your thoughts about this and do you think there’s room to improve even more? What neck/collarbone protections specifically?

A: Yeah, a lot has been done and more is on the way but basically a motorbike rider need to be in a good position and move a lot to be smooth on the bike so there’s no room to get tons of protections beside what we already have. For sure we are doing some things but at the end of the day there is a rider and a bike, you can’t do more on this. Airbag could be a valid option for neck, especially if connected with sensors on the bike, but I do not see other types of protections to work well in this area of the body.

Q: Next season: your goals for the 2012 Moto2 season.

A: My goals will be to get at the top three in the championship, trying the best as I can riding each race at a time.

Q: You are using Twitter a lot, getting in touch with the fans and having fun at the same time. Tell us more about this social media activity.

A: It’s very good with the fans, but it’s also time consuming and since there are so many people to reply to sometimes you just can’t do it all. But I’m trying to keep it up as much as I can.

Q: Vittoriano Guareschi recently said in an interview that he likes your style and that he thinks it fits perfectly for a MotoGP bike. Your thoughts on this?

A: Well, I think that maybe since I have longer arms and legs I need to move my body a bit more in comparison to the other riders. So, kind of elbows out all the time but it could be also a nice style. About MotoGP, I think is a great class but needs to cut out a bit of electronic to get a better show for the fans and it needs also to improve since it’s now a going on project with the CRT bikes.

Thanks a lot for your time, the MRR team wishes you all the best for a great 2012 season.

Interview by Dave Contini (MotoRaceReports)