2012 World Superbike Test Dates Announced - Testing Added To Australian, Spanish, Italian And Russian WSBK Rounds

Infront Motor Sports, organizers of the World Superbike series, have announced the official test dates for the 2012 WSBK season. As part of the cost-cutting initiatives which are now a ubiquitous part of motorcycle racing, testing for the WSBK series has been linked to races, rather than at separate tests, with the aim of reducing travel and transport expenses.

The first test is the traditional pre-season test at Phillip Island, taking place on the Monday and Tuesday before the 2012 season season opener at the Australian circuit. The following test is at Imola, on the Monday after the race at the legendary Italian track at the beginning of April. The Spanish WSBK round at the Motorland Aragon circuit in July also features a test on the Monday after the race, while the teams will get a one-day test - in effect, an extra day of practice - ahead of the inaugural Russian round of World Superbikes at the Moscow Raceway being built just outside the Russian capital.

Below is the press release from Infront announcing the test dates:


SBK official 2012 tests dates announced

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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MotoGPMatters/~3/Zfflnw6VVDo/2012_world_superbike_test_dates_announce.html

Reiner Bratenstein Hans Braumandl Dieter Braun Georg Braun Walter Brehme Jack Brett Norick Abe Hubert Abold

Valentino Rossi hopes for future in rally racing [UPDATE: w/video]

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Valentino Rossi

Valentino Rossi, certainly the greatest motorcycle racer of our generation, has no concrete plans to leave MotoGP. In fact, after an extremely disappointing first season with Ducati in 2011, we’d wager he’ll be sticking around for at least a few more years to prove he’s still got what it takes to win at the highest level when competing on competitive machinery.

But, as we’ve heard in the past, Rossi would love nothing more than to “retire” by taking a break from two-wheeled competition and settling into something with four. And while we know The Doctor has proven quite adept at piloting a Ferrari Formula One machine, the likeable Italian apparently prefers to rally. In an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport, Rossi said:

I’m happy, it was one of my best rallies, even if I had won it the past. Getting ahead of Loeb in two specials really turned me on… I’ll do a few more years in MotoGP, then I’d race in rallies: these machines are really fun to drive because they have less electronics.

A future career in rally racing wouldn’t be a stretch for Rossi – the motorcycle racer finished in second place in a Ford Fiesta RS WRC, a mere 24 seconds behind eight-time world champion Sebastien Loeb’s Citroen DS3.

*UPDATE: Video of Rossi’s rally exploits added after the break.

Continue reading Valentino Rossi hopes for future in rally racing [UPDATE: w/video]

Valentino Rossi hopes for future in rally racing [UPDATE: w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 30 Nov 2011 09:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.zimbio.com/MotoGP/articles/l7F0IpKbE1g/Valentino+Rossi+hopes+future+rally+racing

Kousuke Akiyoshi Raffaele Alberti Josef Albisser Pierluigi Aldrovanti Alejandro Aleman Eduardo Aleman Jaime Alguesuari Julien Allemand

2011 Portimao WSBK Test Day 1 Results: Haslam Leads BMW Clean Sweep

Fresh off the back of three days testing at Jerez, the factory BMW team topped the timesheets of the first day of the combined Aprilia, BMW and Suzuki test at the Portimao test. Leon Haslam led his teammate Marco Melandri, the Englishman posting a time of 1'43.6, a tenth quicker than Melandri, but a long way off Max Biaggi's lap record, the track conditions far from ideal despite warm and sunny weather. The factory BMW team continued the work on the new generation of electronics to be used for the coming season - though the provenance of the electronics remains mysterious, with rumors of the team running both Magneti Marelli and Pi systems, while BMW insists that the systems are BMW electronics. The mechanics were also given plenty of work to do, Marco Melandri writing off his S1000RR in a massive crash at the end of the day.

Race Details
2011

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Pierluigi Aldrovanti Alejandro Aleman Eduardo Aleman Jaime Alguesuari Julien Allemand Dick Allen Rudy Allison Pedro Alvarez

Tribute To Simoncelli Reviews

2011 MotoGP Valencia series is the last one this year as well as the first time the MotoGP event at the title without the figure of Simoncelli. At the time the race will be held on the MotoGP class, line of motorcycle riders lined Super Sic pride of wearing the number "58", and motor Simoncelli was leading the ceremony. All the drivers off the helmet is accompanied by playback of some video footage to commemorate Simoncelli. The fans Simoncelli also brought along one poster that reads "CIAO Super Sic , We will always remember you.. Forever".



Racing is predicted to be a very exciting series cover was a little disturbed, When the race started on the first corner incident an accident that befell A. Bautista, V. Rossi, Nicky Hayden and Randy De Puniet. accident began when Bautista brushed motors are driven by the rear wheels Motor Davizioso, Bautista was dropped and dragged the driver's side up to 3 can not continue to race.


Casey Stoner, who had led the race from the beginning kept away from his two fellow right behind him. Chasing each other action indicated by the two Repsol Honda rider Dani Pedrosa Davizioso and followed from the Yamaha rider Ben Spies. until late last six laps of competition was not over, until the weather starts to turn into the drizzle, the ability of the wheels of his Repsol Honda rider also decreased and this was used by Ben Spies. and finally the last 3 laps race Ben Spies also belong. Until the last lap Ben Spies led the race and taped tightly by Stoner, victory in front of the eyes were gone when the final corner before the finish Stoner showed his ability as MotoGP World Champion. acceleration and rapid technique shown Casey stoner to win the race 2011 MotoGP Valencia.
and here are the results of 2011 MotoGP Valencia:

1. Casey Stoner2. Ben Spies3. Andrea Dovizioso4. Cal Crutchlow5. Dani Pedrosa6. Katsuyuki Nakasuga7. Josh Hayes8. Karel Abraham9. Loris Capirossi10. Toni Elias ESP11. Hector Barbera12. Hiroshi Aoyama
and this is the name of the driver who could not finish the race:
Randy de PunietNicky HaydenValentino Rossi

Source: http://www.zimbio.com/MotoGP/articles/DdfWBe-a9j6/Tribute+To+Simoncelli+Reviews

Stu Avant Rex Avery Masao Azuma Jan Bäckstrom Chris Baert Graham Bailey Steve Baker Peter Balaz