Sepang, Day 2: Statements Honda

Latest News 24/02/2011


 What did the actors In previous news will read about the performance of riders Repsol Honda. Let's see what we said at the end of the day. Casey Stoner: "We tried many different things, including the new fork and shock. With this created intense vibrations. In most of the day we changed the suspension settings, the frame and fork but nothing seemed to satisfy us. However, it is essential to do these tests now, before the Championship. Now we begin to understand how the new framework behaves and tomorrow we will do more tests. However, the new fork I can brake better and slower. As I said, this causes many vibrations which, however, managed and reduced somewhat by the end of the day. " Dani Pedrosa: "Today we tested mainly in suspension. The new fork allows me to have better feel and improved braking and feel the rear wheel and I'm happy with the work of the people of Ohlins. Also, we tried various settings in the new framework to be able to judge what I prefer. However, both frames are good and should think twice before deciding what to use. The bike responds very well to what we applied, but only the first race may find advantage in and failing. Yamaha is very close to us and must be careful. " Andrea Dovisizo (photo) "I repeat, but I'm very happy! It was a surprise to me when I did the first testing time 2 ': 00'9, and today I 2': 05 '.0, which is also good. Usually I'm not so quick (in testing) and that means I have become more competitive. Today the state of the track was better than yesterday and it is good that we improved our times compared with those of the first Test here, while our competitors have done the same. I did a lot of new settings, and tomorrow will try to make a simulation game. "

Sepang: O Rossi ill does not

Latest News 23/02/2011 - 9:35

 With a fever that Valentino, returned to the hotel The virus that wanders Europe appears to be in Malaysia and after yesterday's flu Cal Crutchlow, o Valentino Rossi got a fever today. After his visit to clinica Mobile decided not to participate in the current tests and went back to his hotel, the Pan Pacific. O Crutchlow on the part of today is much better than yesterday, noting he fell twice! So there is hope that the action will be followed today by Rossi, may tomorrow, the last day of the test to turn on the track. Moreover, it is very important this test for himself and his team and is big enough loss to Today, which had planned to put soft tires and to see who can get in terms of year

MOTOGP » Pedrosa to make independent chassis choice

Dani Pedrosa's chassis choice won't be influenced by the decision of his Repsol Honda team-mates. Dani Pedrosa says it doesn't matter to him which type of chassis is chosen by Repsol Honda team-mates Casey Stoner and Andrea Dovizioso. Pedrosa and Stoner are still finding it hard to chose between the two options available - and there are now just three days of pre-season testing remaining; tomorrow's final day at Sepang and then the Qatar test. “I tested the two chassis options again today. It's hard to say [which is better]. Both give a good feeling and it's hard to have a clear choice,” said Pedrosa, speaking at Sepang on Wednesday evening. “I have to think about it, because it's a very important decision and I still have no preference,” confirmed the 2010 title runner-up. Pedrosa, like Stoner, wants to make a decision as soon as possible. If one of the Repsol Honda riders chooses a different chassis to the others, it could complicate machine development and reduce the amount of sharable set-up data. On the other hand, going in a different direction to the others - and making it work - would allow one Repsol rider to gain an advantage over the others. Crash.net asked Pedrosa if he would take the chassis choice of his team-mates into account when making his own decision - and if he thought it mattered, in terms of development, if the Repsol Honda riders use different chassis designs this season. “I don't know, ask HRC! I think this is just a rider's choice. If they offer 'this or this' [chassis option] then I think the decision is up to the feeling of each rider,” replied Pedrosa, “Honda already said it is not a problem. They will develop [both chassis during the season, if needed]” added a Repsol Honda spokeswoman.

MOTOGP » Q&A: Vittoriano Guareschi (Ducati team manager) "Even with Valentino at 80% everything is possible" - Vittoriano Guareschi. Vittoriano Guareschi holds a unique position in the MotoGP paddock, being both test rider and team manager for the Ducati Marlboro Team. The transition from rider to team manager came at the end of 2009, when Livio Suppo moved to Honda, and Guareschi now has the pleasure - and pressure - of overseeing MotoGP superstar Valentino Rossi's first season on a Desmosedici. Giving the seven time MotoGP champion the bike he wants has been made harder by the Italian's shoulder surgery, and then sickness today, during day two of the second Sepang test. But Ducati and Guareschi remain confident... Q: Vitto, first of all tell us about your riding career before becoming team manager? Vittoriano Guareschi: I began racing in the 125cc Italian Championship in 1988. Many years ago! After ten years in Italian Championship, 125cc and 600, I started in Supersport and rode in the world championship in '97 and '98, when I finished second in the championship twice and won four times. I rode in World Superbike in '99 and 2000 before coming back to Supersport in 2001, which is when I started my career with the Ducati factory, racing the 748. Then in 2002 the MotoGP project began. Filippo [Preziosi] and many others asked me if I wanted to start testing the MotoGP bike. I took this opportunity so that I could stay close to Ducati, because it is such an important historical factory in Italy. So I started this MotoGP testing job in 2002 and I haven't finished, because I still test now. Next month I will test the bike again. Q: What do you remember most about your time as a Ducati MotoGP test rider? Vittoriano Guareschi: The most important moment was the first time that I rode the MotoGP bike. In June 2002. Q: Were you the very first person to ride the Desmosedici? Vittoriano Guareschi: Yes! The first. Q: What did you think after the first lap on the bike? Vittoriano Guareschi: I don't know if it was some luck or just because we have very, very good engineering, but the bike was immediately incredible. Very, very good. A lot of torque and power. It was a monster! After that first test the bike developed a lot, engine firing order, many things. It was a really interesting time. Then, at the group IRTA test 'time attack' session at Barcelona, when Loris [Capirossi] set the best lap time, I thought 'whoa, I did a good job!'

MOTOGP » Dovizioso close to solving Honda instability?

 "We made a big improvement with the electronic system to control how the engine works during braking. Last year we never made a big difference like this" - Andrea Dovizioso. Repsol Honda's Andrea Dovizioso couldn't hide his delight at finally making a clear breakthrough with what he feels is the RCV's last significant weakness; a lack of stability - or rear-wheel hopping - under braking. Movement under braking has been an issue ever since the original 990cc version of the RCV, and all three factory Repsol Honda riders pinpointed it as the biggest area for further improvement after the first Sepang test earlier this month. The trio - Dovizioso, Casey Stoner and Dani Pedrosa - indicated it would take new parts to cure, but a change to the electronics did the trick for Dovizioso on Tuesday's opening day of the second Sepang test. “I'm really happy because we made a big improvement with the electronic system to control the engine brake, and how the engine works during braking,” said the 2009 Donington Park race winner. “Last year we never made a big difference like this. “The bike is much more stable and I'm very happy. We didn't fix everything but we improved a lot. It is a big, big improvement just through set-up. The HRC engineers have worked very well. “Turn seven is still a problem, because when you don't work the clutch [downshift] the problem stays the same as it was last year and at the first test here. This is still a bad point, but in all the other braking areas, where you need to shift down, we have improved the stability a lot.” Stoner said that he didn't work further on the 'hopping', having spent plenty of time on it at the first test. Pedrosa did try electronic changes on Tuesday, but without the same level of success as Dovizioso. “In the morning I was trying some electronics to improve the entry and exit of the corner... So-so,” said the 2010 title runner-up. “Hopping is really hard to fix,” he added. “Some other things are easier to get done.” Stoner and Pedrosa were first and second on Tuesday, with Dovizioso fifth. Honda riders have led all four days of 2011 testing to date.

Repsol Honda trio dominate day two timesheet in Malaysia

Wednesday, 23 February 2011

Casey Stoner, Dani Pedrosa and Andrea Dovizioso were the three fastest riders on Wednesday, with the first two riding under Valentino Rossi’s 2009 circuit best lap record. The Ducati rider was unable to take to the track due to illness.

Day two at the official MotoGP Test at Sepang ended with the RC212V having once more displayed its pre-season strength, as Repsol Honda trio Casey Stoner, Dani Pedrosa and Andrea Dovizioso took the three top positions on the timesheet.

With the heat having intensified and the track temperature reaching over 60ºC at one stage, the riders and teams worked hard to make the most of the second of the three days. After Pedrosa had already bettered Valentino Rossi’s 2009 Sepang circuit best lap by almost three-tenths with a 2’00.229 in the morning, Stoner stole the best time with his 42nd and final lap of the day, registering a 2’00.171 and heightening expectations that the 2’00” barrier could well be broken tomorrow (Thursday) if conditions permit.

With Stoner and Pedrosa having taken the top two spots Dovizioso slotted into third with an effort of 2’00.531, whilst Yamaha Factory Racing pair Ben Spies (2’00.824) and World Champion Jorge Lorenzo (2’00.931) were the final two under 2’01” for the day as they placed their M1 machines inside the top five. Spies’ day ended with a non-consequential crash at Turn 7.

A notable absence on day two was Rossi, who was eventually unable to ride at all on Wednesday due to illness. The Ducati Team rider, who yesterday came in ninth fastest, attended the circuit in the morning but returned to his hotel to rest in a bid to be fit for the third and final day.

Back on track the San Carlo Honda Gresini bikes of Marco Simoncelli and Hiroshi Aoyama continue the RC212V theme, making it five inside the top seven. Working on suspension settings to improve braking stability, an issue which has been highlighted by a number of Honda riders, Simoncelli was the final rider within a second of Stoner as he posted a 2’01.033. Aoyama, riding to find out if major changes made the day before brought any significant benefit, was fractionally over four-tenths off his team-mate.

Colin Edwards (Monster Yamaha Tech 3), Héctor Barberá (Mapfre Aspar) and Álvaro Bautista completed the top ten, the Rizla Suzuki rider’s day having been interrupted by illness. He managed 35 laps nevertheless, with a best time of 2’02.035.

The sole factory Ducati rider on track Nicky Hayden worked on the setting of his GP11 and set a best time of 2’02.208, with Pramac Racing’s Desmosedicis belonging to Randy de Puniet and Loris Capirossi closely matched.

Karel Abraham (Cardion AB Motoracing), who had a fall right at the end of the day, Toni Elías (LCR Honda) and Cal Crutchlow (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) completed the timesheet, which you can view by

The clutch is the "secret" of the Honda;

Latest News 23/02/2011 - 14:23

 A "controversy" has erupted on the Internet * VIP (Very Important Post) According to a report in the Italian site «Sportmediaset», the secret to dominance of the Honda riders in Sepang tests is that the Japanese use expertise from the double-clutch gearbox. The text of the website stated that "once they have motorcycle production dual-clutch gearbox DCT (H Honda VFR 1200) - as used in motor of the group Volkswagen - it's easy to imagine that this knowledge is applied and the race motorcycles. It seems that Honda has a new type of clutch, which, however, is in conformity with the regulations. Please note that regulations prohibiting the use of dual-clutch gearbox. At present, no official announcement from Honda for the published

Sepang Day 2: 3 Honda ahead, "it's raining feathers!" Latest News

 23/02/2011 

New absolute record for the track Pedrosa! H Honda has once again demonstrated the strength of this year, with three drivers in the Repsol Honda in the top three and with terrible times. Once the fourth round of the morning, Dani Pedrosa 2:00.229 noted, time is absolutely new track record, well below the 2:00.518 he had made in 2009 by Rossi. O Casey Stoner in fourth round also stopped the clock at 2:00.342, and this time under the Italian. The third group of works Honda, o Andrea Dovizioso in 2:00.531 wrote this year in the 8th round and finished the morning dominance of HRC, which may change only at the end of the day, yet still 3 hours until 6 afternoon in Malaysia and the end of the second day. The fourth driver of the factory Honda, o Marco Simoncelli was the fastest of the first test on the same track in early February, is in sixth position, a difference of 0.931 from the top, while teammate in the Team Gresini Honda, o Hiroshi Aoyama is seventh, completing 5 Honda on top 7. "Brechei wings" in Malaysia, as it is telling the fans of the big company to mark the wing. Two Yamaha, Jorge Lorenzo of Ben Spies and interrupt the party of "feathers" in positions 4 and 5 with the works of the American team of "pitch" to be 0.107 seconds quicker than his Spanish World Champion. In eighth place another Yamaha M1, with Colin Edwards, but in 1509 of a second behind Pedrosa, big difference. The tester's Yamaha, which currently do not know who he is, is in ninth place, ahead of Alvaro Bautista of the Suzuki's in 1921 behind the top shows provlimatisenos. Similarly, the Ducati is not in any way a good psychology, since Nicky Hayden in 11th place, is 1979, almost two seconds from Honda! O Valentino Rossi, as we wrote in previous reports, does not now and the other Ducati, the Barbera, De Puniet, Capirossi, Abraham followed in positions 12-15. So defeat for the Italian company at the moment! Defeat for World Champion Moto2 Toni Elias is just 17th 2712 by far the first and only ahead by Cal Crutchlow but they had a fever yesterday and today is just a little better. In three hours we finished the second story of the penultimate day of official testing at the track in Sepang.