Pasini, who was instantly comfortable when he competed the GP9 with the squad last month at Brno, was very positive again today even though the track was still wet and slippery, he is definately looking forward to two more enjoyable days on this fast and technical Italian circuit. His best lap time was 1’52.8 (56 laps).

“It is so much fun to ride the Ducati here at Mugello - this is the circuit to do it at!” explains Mattia. “The surface was a little slippery and we're not here to set super fast lap times but by the end we weren't going slowly either. I spent this morning 'getting my eye in' for the track and the speed, which is probably more difficult here [than other circuits], but after that we were able to start making a few little changes to adapt the bike to my riding style. This is a wonderful experience for which I would like to thank Ducati once again.

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The normal Valencia testing is due to commence following the last event of the 2009 year, it is sure to produce an opportunity to allow competitors to race in their maiden runs with new squads or new competitions, however the 2010 pre-season will only begin in February next year with the first of three sessions.

An admirable track considering good weather, the Sepang International Circuit will claim the initial testing from 3rd-5th February, the first day is being reserved only for test competitors named as a "private test", while the official MotoGP racers will have the following two days of work at the Malaysian circuit.

Three weeks afterwards starting from 24th-26th February, the MotoGP squads will arrive back to Sepang for more pre-season, then a last pre-season testing due at the Losail International Circuit from 17th-19th March, only three weeks prior to the event of next season at Qatari circuit.

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The Italian will compete alongside official test competitor Vittoriano Guareschi closely supervised by Filippo Preziosi. Pasini, currently fifth in the 250cc World Championship rankings, has ridden the Ducati in testing following the Czech MotoGP on 17th August and was instantly comfortable on the GP9, even though the test was affected by wet weather.

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With three wins and a total of ten stage appearances from 13 events so far this season, Jorge Lorenzo has provided an excellent job for the Fiat Yamaha squad in only his second year in the premier class.

The Spaniard is due to complete the year in a top two position in the rankings and if he wasn’t challenging for the championship with one of the most famous competitors, Valentino Rossi, he may have taken the title this season.

Fiat Yamaha Team bossr Daniele Romagnoli explains, “This season is really great for us, we’re very happy with the improvements the team has made, working on the set-up of the bike. Jorge has also progressed a lot as he’s now able to be very consistent, fast in every session and every race really. I think he will be the biggest rider in the future.”

He adds, “The best moment of the season so far was the Japanese Grand Prix. It was really important for us to get a win early on in the season and Jorge was able to get that one. Overall, we have to look at the fact that we’re regularly challenging Valentino - riding against him and challenging him is a great honour and a big satisfaction.”

Commenting on Lorenzo’s effort at home in Barcelona, where he just missed out on a win against Rossi by 0.095s, Romagnoli says, “Catalunya showed that although we didn’t win it was an important race because Jorge was able to push Valentino, right until the end. So it was not like a real loss, Jorge just got beaten on the last corner.”

On the remaining four events of 2009, the Italian manager adds, “Being 30 points behind Valentino, we know that getting the title would be very hard, but I think we have to try until the very end and put in maximum effort.

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Assessing the year so far from a Rizla Suzuki perspective, Paul Denning supplied his detailed analysis confirming his hopes for better form from Loris Capirossi and Chris Vermeulen and their GSV-R engines this season.

A good pre-season, which the Suzuki prototype seemed set for victory, has not tranferred into regular challenges with neither Capirossi nor Vermeulen showing up on stage this season, they could do this in 2008.

The squad has not seemed to be regularly capable of challenging with the championship leaders, despite the inconsistency of both of their competitors, Capirossi has kept things alive with four top five results,  two in the final three events, to place seventh in the rankings and take a contract renewal next year. Vermeulen disappointingly sits 11th and is being replaced by MotoGP rookie, Álvaro Bautista, next year.

“The performance level this year is not what we anticipated,” says Denning. “Especially after such strong performance in the winter tests. I think our competitors improved their performance a lot since the winter tests, when we stayed a little bit the same, so the balance of our performance was much less than what we hoped for. Suzuki have reacted though, so the bike has improved in the last few races and we’re now fighting again in the top five quite often. Loris is now seventh in the championship, then again it is not what we’re looking for, but at least we’re in the top half of the championship.”

Commenting on the highlight of the year so far for Suzuki, Denning adds, “Mugello was great. Fifth place is not great overall, but we were just three seconds off the winner and on certain days three seconds behind the winner can mean you’re on the podium.”

On the form individually of his two competitors Denning explains, “Loris has shown his enthusiasm, his bravery and excitement for the racing and that really important. Technically Chris is very good but he lost his confidence at some point during the season. In Misano for example, he was doing the same lap times as Loris but lost a lot of ground in the early laps and it’s difficult to fight back in those conditions. Chris has been a fantastic guy for Suzuki over the last four years. He never whined, we have never had a problem with him, he’s always been professional and did his best.”

“But sometimes, for us and for him, a change can be for the best and I think it can be positive for both of us. We wish him a lot of luck for the future.”

The Englishman ends, “For the last four races of the season, we have to keep pushing to catch up with the leading group, the two factory Yamahas, Dani Pedrosa and Casey Stoner.

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Applications have begun for the 2010 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup, with a finalisation date of Sunday, 20th September 2009. A majority of interest is expected and potential submissions for selection can now apply online at www.redbullrookiescup.com.

Following the past three seasons of the Cup, the course of competition has increased well and the selection procedure has been tightened this season with applications arriving in from teenagers with high performance motorbike experience. Applicants will require proof of racing success on their submissions, however this not limited to street racers as motocrossers, dirt trackers, speedway and other speed-sport challengers are welcome.

The most aspiring applicants will be invited to join a single selection occasion in Europe on the 5th October this year. From that event of testing, a minority number will be able to join the Rookies Cup for next year.

While the top list of this year’s Rookies, the likes of Jakub Kornfeil and Sturla Fagerhaug, seem set to continue their careers next season in the 125cc World Championship, many others will stay in the Cup for another yearn until the most promising selection can make their step up to Grand Prix competition.

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It is easy to state that Hiroshi Aoyama has been a shining star this year in the 250cc World Championship after coming back to Honda, reviving the competition of the Japanese factory in the intermediate session with his smart racing, consistent form and three fantastic victories at Jerez, Assen and Donington.

The 27 year-old from Chiba only skipped the top five two times, has six stage appearance ends in total and a 13 point lead on Álvaro Bautista in a title challenge which may seemly go down to the wire in the remaining four events in 250cc history. The Moto2 class exceeds over the intermediate category next year with Honda giving the motors to the squads, but Aoyama’s form this year has given him an excellent negotiating point if he wishes to proceed into MotoGP next year.

A premier class move is due shortly for Bautista, who will exit the Mapfre Aspar squad to unite with Rizla Suzuki next year, when he finishes his current title competition.

The skilled and popular Spaniard was rumoured for a great championship this season before it began and he made improvements on a disappointing initial round result at Qatar, having begun on pole, when he claimed victories at Japan and Catalunya.

However, a major error for Bautista ensued at Assen when he smashed out in the final laps after challenging the win with Aoyama. He has not been able to take down Aoyama in the title event since, event though stage appearances followed in recent rounds, though it is sure that he will challenge to the end this year.

World Champion Marco Simoncelli’s ride this year has definately been inconsistent, which began with a preseason injury at training, preventing him from participating in the opening event at Qatar, he then left Japan pointless following round two.

The Metis Gilera racer also could not claim any points in the opening two events of 2008 before heading on to claim the title.  He has gained four victories this season, three in the past five events, however his Barcelona and Misano DNFs have added to a disappointing position being 40 points away of Aoyama in the rankings. He will also go into MotoGP next season with the San Carlo Honda Gresini squad.

Fourth in the championship is also racer, Pepe World Team’s Héctor Barberá, who has also doused with inconsistency. He claimed an initial race victory in Qatar and the final event at Misano, but has ended outside the top ten twice and outside the top five on five seperate occasions. Following Simoncelli in the rankings, he will be fighting for third spot overall, and will join the new Aspar Ducati premier class next year.

Team Toth’s Mattia Pasini has had his work cut out for him this season, having tested a Pramac Racing Ducati MotoGP motorbike in the Czech Republic, though he has yet to confirm any plans for next year. He has been unable to complete events five times this season, but his highlights incorporated an excellent home victory at Mugello, plus two very close second places at Brno and Misano, where he just missed out on victory by less than a second in each event.

Pasini’s colleague Raffaele de Rosa (Scot Racing) has been doing well in his initial year in the 250cc session, gaining points at every round but only taking one top five result to date in Qatar. Meanwhile, for Héctor Faubel, he has one DNF and one podium, but many finishes outside the top ten have stopped him from taking on more points in total, sitting at seventh place overall.

Concluding the current top ten are Alex Debon and Thomas Luthi, who both clashed at Le Mans and were looking for better results this season.

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For the Pramac Racing squad, the decision of two MotoGP rookies in their season's line-up was a courageous bet and it has proven to be a mixture of results so far.

The Ducati satellite squad allowed Mika Kallio and Niccolò Canepa their premier class breaks this season and even though Kallio has not enjoyed immediate succession he has definately outdone his Italian colleague, with some excellent top ten results allowing him a short race with the Ducati Marlboro squad while Casey Stoner recovers from illness.

Stating the good performances, Pramac Racing team boss Paolo Campinoti commented on the contribution to the squads's dreams when asked to summarise the season so far, “The biggest satisfaction of the season was to see Kallio evolve so quickly as a rider over the course of the year,” Campinoti says. “The highlight was in Assen, when he was able to follow some top guys, having a wonderful race, but unfortunately he crashed on the last corner. He could have got a great result but at least he proved his potential and gave us a thrilling race.”

On the concluding results of the squad, which was excelled from the efforts of Kallio’s short term replacement Aleix Espargaró, who was 13th and 11th at Indianapolis and Misano in his initial MotoGP events, Campinoti adds, “We are quite happy with the development the team has had during the season.”

“We had some problems at the beginning, mainly because our two riders were new to MotoGP, so we had to wait for them to learn the bike. They improved a lot and we can now look forward to the rest of the season.”

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After a 2007 trek spanning 3000 kilometres from Darwin to Adelaide, the University of Adelaide’s BioBike is now due to leave on a 20,000 kilometre around Australia journey, taking over from the 2007 trek.

Visualised by Dr Colin Kestrell and manufactured by the University’s Mechanical Engineering students, the BioBike, aka Betty, will be ridden by author and prior offshore oil rigger, Paul Carter.

Extremely unique as a diesel bike, the motorcycle takes it to another level by riding on used cooking oil and waste fats.

Carter, and the University of Adelaide, is trying to raise awareness on the potential of using cooking oil as an alternative to hydrocarbons in terms of fuel.

The average speed of the ride’s highway element will be around 95km/h, and Carter anticipates using a total of approximately 650 litres for the journey.

With proof in the Panasonic World Solar Challenge in 2007 where the major enviornment award was won, ‘Betty’ is able to use excellent fuel economy and carbon output figures have acheived approximately 3.5 l/100km while releasing only 71g/km of CO2.

“This experience showed that biodiesel can be used to power a commercial-type vehicle over long distances and that it can have a significant, positive impact on the environment,” Dr Kestell states.

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Toni Cairoli was an important guest of the Fiat Yamaha squad last weekend at Misano, where he visited with MotoGP champion and compatriot Valentino Rossi.

The Motocross World hero who also races for Yamaha, was on the grid prior to the round 13 event and he spectated the action unfolding with wide eyes as Rossi took his sixth victory of the season.

Later Cairoli explains, “It’s cool to be here and I have a lot of friends in MotoGP. We also have a really busy calendar in Motocross but when I can find time it is really great to come and I can cheer for Valentino and all the other Italian guys! I know Valentino through Yamaha but I am closer to Marco Melandri who I go training with in the winter. Also Andrea Dovizioso comes to some of our races.”

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Chassis designers Suter Racing Technology (SRT) have announced their Moto2 forthcomings over the weekend at Misano, intending to participate in the new session next year.

The company have confirmed that a Laglisse YM2 Yamaha R6-powered Moto2 motorcycle, including a rolling chassis design and made by Suter Racing Technology, has acquired excellent results while testing and they are preparing to launch an overall Moto2 project.

Their initial SRT MMX Moto2 prototpye will be finalised for next season's bikes ready for practice in October 2009, with bikes preparing for delivery to squads from mid-December.

Whilst the Moto2 motorbikes will have motors manufactured by Honda, the remainder of the bike is being awaited for the respective squads to produce, with SRT giving their clients the complete package of electrics, frame, suspension, exhaust, fairing, brakes, tyres, etc. The company has had prior involvement in the premier class of the World Championship with Kawasaki and Ilmor.

SRT’s CEO Eskil Suter says, “We are sure that we can offer a very competitive Moto2 package to all teams. Due to our huge experience in design and building of GP motorcycles, our ability to build the complete bike in-house will ensure our future at the top of the Moto2 class

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Herve Poncharal has gained some excellent results throughout the year so far from his American competitor Colin Edwards, however Sunday’s event at the Gran Premio Cinzano di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini was filled with disaster for the Texan rider as he smashed out on the initial corner following a clash with Alex de Angelis.

Commenting on the accident, the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 boss says, “Before we started the race in Misano it had been a really good season so far for Colin, finishing all the races in the points and he was fifth in the championship. This is our first DNF of the year with Colin, thanks to Mr De Angelis and that won’t be a good memory for us this season. So (Andrea) Dovizioso has passed us and we are sixth in the Riders’ championship. The team is still fourth in the Teams’ standings though, 20 points ahead of Suzuki.”

Summing up the year so far, Poncharal continues, “It has been good, Colin has shown good results in qualifying and races. The best moment so far was Donington where he almost won the race and finished second behind Dovizioso. I am happy so far because we know that the first four guys, when Casey is here, and three guys at the moment, Valentino (Rossi), Jorge (Lorenzo) and Dani (Pedrosa), are almost untouchable and most of the time we are first behind this group, so this is good.”

“We have to thank Yamaha for this because their support is fantastic and I also have to congratulate Colin, because even though he is not the youngest rider on the grid he is pushing a lot and he is fulfilling his mission every weekend.”

With focus on the other side of the Tech 3 pit-box to James Toseland, who places 13th in the rankings, Poncharal adds, “It is not very easy with James this year, because although he is very motivated, pushing and giving the best that he can the results are quite disappointing, especially when you compare them to Colin’s and you have in mind that the Yamaha is the best bike in the championship.

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Young Spaniard Aleix Espargaró has not harmed his chances with a maiden duo of Grand Prix events over the last ten days, the 13th and 11th placings he has gained at Indy and Misano respectively will sit well on his competition resume as he searches to confirm a World Championship squad next year.

This will mean he may be fast-tracked to MotoGP or go into Moto2 as was expected prior to receiving his  break with Pramac Racing.  This remains to be seen, but it is clear that missing out on a regular race this season in the 250cc session,  he has gained a remarkable account of himself lately.

His substitute 250cc showings for the Balatonring Team allowed him to place fourth at Assen and seventh at Sachsenring, giving him praise throughout the MotoGP circuit and heading an opportunity to race Mika Kallio’s satellite Desmosedici GP9 for two events, while the Finn substitutes for Casey Stoner who has been recovering from injury from the Ducati squad.

Stoner is due back in Portugal, allowing Kallio to retake his Pramac ride and Espargaró will embark to the sidelines for now. A smash at Misano disrupted Espargaró’s progression, but he will have his forearm fixed in Spain on Monday to continue with his adventures after a rollercoaster year.

“We can consider ourselves satisfied with what we have done on track,” states the 20 year-old. “At Indy, on my MotoGP debut, I had to learn everything about this new experience and here at Misano we have demonstrated the ability to be competitive.”

On the round thirteen event he adds, “In the first laps I was going really well and at one stage I was part of a group of riders who were fighting for seventh position. After the fifteenth lap I felt a lot of pain in my right forearm and it was impossible to maintain the pace. I was able to somehow manage braking with the palm of my hand, but I couldn’t completely open the throttle and I was losing too much at top speed.”

He finishes, “On Monday in Madrid I will have surgery so that I can be in top form for my next ride in whatever class it will be.

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After the contract announced by Honda Racing Corporation at Brno recently, the minor details have now been finalised and both competitors have signed the contracts at Misano during the Gran Premio Cinzano di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini weekend.

Pedrosa has confirmed a one-year extension which will allow the 23-year-old competing for the factory Honda team for a fifth consecutive year. Dovizioso has also confirmed a deal with HRC for next season with opportunities to extend for 2011. Combined with this young and talented duo, HRC is rest assured that it has the competitor line-up required to take the MotoGP World Championship title.

Tetsuo Suzuki, HRC President comments, “We are very pleased that both Dani Pedrosa and Andrea Dovizioso have re-signed for the factory Honda team and we have total confidence that these two riders possess the talent to help us fight for the MotoGP World Championship. They both have long and successful careers with Honda in Grand Prix racing and we are happy this partnership will continue. Although we have struggled this season, we will continue the challenge until the very last Grand Prix. Since this year is the 50th anniversary of the start of Honda’s participation in the World Championships, we must remind ourselves once again that Honda has been striving to compete at the top level in the world since the day of its founding. As HRC we will, of course, reinforce the development of our machine, and together with every team member, we will continue to fight with Honda’s challenging spirit in our hearts.”

Dani Pedrosa adds, “This new agreement with HRC is great news for me and I’m very pleased to be staying with the team that I’ve ridden for since 2006. We have now established an effective way of working and I’m confident that we can become even more competitive in the future. The target has always been to win the World Championship and that of course stays the same. We have proved before that we can be the fastest and beat the best in the world, and I still believe we can get to a level where we are challenging for that at every race. That is what the whole team must work towards. HRC has a very impressive racing heritage and I still have confidence that they can produce a bike that can win the World Championship.”

Andrea Dovizioso states, “I’m very happy to be continuing with HRC in the factory Honda team. The experience of being involved with such a prestigious team has been very important for me and, as soon as we began discussing the future, my target was to continue with Honda. My first year as a factory rider has taught me a lot. I’m confident that with the direction we’ve agreed for machine development we can reach a level where we are fighting for victory every Sunday.

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Thursday’s pre-event festivities the night prior to the Gran Premio Cinzano di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini began with a visit to the famous heart of San Marino and the ‘Wall’ at Mount Titano, which was stated a UNESCO World Heritage Site last year.

Marco Melandri, Colin Edwards, Gabor Talmacsi, Alex de Angelis, Héctor Barberá, Andrea Iannone, Raffaele de Rosa, Alex Baldolini and Hiroshi Aoyama all showed their talens by abseiling down the wall.

Randy de Puniet also made an appearance, but was unable to abseil due to his ankle injury. Edwards made an effort at scaling the wall but time ran out for the Texas Tornado to reach the top this time!

Edwards, De Angelis, Talmacsi, Barberá, Iannone, De Rosa, Baldolini and Aoyama then continued on to San Patrignano, which is a privately costed drug rehabilitation community, extremely supported by Scot Costruzioni and the Scot Racing squad upon founding back in 1978.

The racers were met by 1500 community locals in the dining hall, and gained a welcoming arrival. They sat for pictures with a majority of the residents before enjoying a lunch cooked by the community’s chefs.  The chefs are all associated with the rehabilitation program.

The community’s media officer, Carlo Bozzo, then advised the competitors how the San Patrignano program works to rehabilitate individuals against drug abuse.

The competitors were given a tour of the winery, where locals made San Patrignano’s own wine united as part of their project, afterwards there were the stables where locals had trained a few of the best showjumping horses in Italy.

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Hans Trunkenpolz who is the son of KTM’s founder (also called Hans Trunkenpolz), has suddenly passed away aged 65 after having a heart attack whilst competing in a half-marathon.

He is known for taking KTM to eight successive wins in the Dakar rally, and was very well known for discovering motocross hero Heinz Kinigadner.

He died on Sunday August 30 in Altotting, Bavaria.

Prior to the arrival of the fresh new Moto2 class and last season’s 250cc event cancelled at Indianapolis, Sunday’s competition in the intermediate class at The Brickyard was a famous occasion and will be kindly remembered by Marco Simoncelli.

The Italian hero aims to hold on to his 250cc title prior to forwarding on to MotoGP and is eager to make his name in history as the last sole 250 champion by keeping his title.

He still requires 27 points to take the lead on Hiroshi Aoyama (Scot Honda) following the remaining five rounds from third in the rankings and with second placed Álvaro Bautista (Mapfre Aspar) also hoping to state his claim, it promises to be an adventurous finale to the year.

Concluding his fourth victory of 2009 on Sunday, after three practice smashes on Saturday, Simoncelli states, “It was a fantastic race and to be honest in qualifying I was unconvinced about my chances of fighting for the win. But my team did an excellent job to put my bike back together and to have it working the way I wanted.”

Ahead of the next event this coming weekend, which should prove to vey special for the Italian youngster, he explains, “I feel really good on the Gilera right now and the next race takes place just 5km from my house.

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The Red Bull Indianapolis Grand Prix weekend begain with Loris Capirossi’s career in MotoGP racing confirmed for at least another year when his 2010 contract with Suzuki was confirmed, it concluded with the strong Italian claiming another sturdy top ten result for his squad, although a few obstacles were required to be overcome.

The Suzuki squad were not able to locate a competitive setting at the historic American circuit and Saturday finished with Capirossi and his counterpart Chris Vermeulen qualifying 11th and 14th respectively, but moments got worse when the race began.

An accident on the second corner gave both Rizla Suzuki competitors a run off the circuit, with Capirossi in 14th place at the finish of lap one, however the 36 year-old challenged back strongly for the remaining 27 laps to finally place seventh.

He comments, “The final position is not too bad, but I am disappointed with my start because it was not very good and on turn two I was involved in a big mess with some other bikes! I kept up a good pace and I overtook a lot of guys, I had a good rhythm throughout the race and if I'd had that rhythm without the incident early on and the bad start I think I could have challenged for a top five place.”

“I want to thank all my guys for another good job this weekend and they are all working hard to discover the best performance for the new chassis, I already think it is a lot better than the old one, but we still don't know its full potential.

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The challenge for the 2009 World Championship was opened wide on Sunday at the Red Bull Indianapolis Grand Prix as Jorge Lorenzo claimed a fantastic victory while his Fiat Yamaha team-mate Valentino Rossi gained his first DNF of the season.

Lorenzo crossed the line with a 9.5s victorious margin to put Rossi’s championship lead in half, as the deficit slouched from 50 to 25 points, with only five races left.

Following Lorenzo was an amazing race from San Carlo Honda Gresini’s Alex de Angelis who gave his chances of staying in MotoGP no harm in second place, claiming his sole ever premier session stage from fourth on the grid.

Nicky Hayden also rode with great ability repeating his 2008 Indianapolis stage appearance, this time in third position.  His best ever current result with Ducati. Hayden got the heads up on Andrea Dovizioso, even though he suffered a tough challenge from the person who reinstated him in the Repsol Honda squad, the Italian again having to settle for fourth placing on the final lap.

World Champion Valentino Rossi smashed the ground on lap nine when challenging for the lead with Lorenzo, the Italian was able to regroup and continue on up to having to retire a few laps later because of the damage his M1 engine incurred. It was the sole ever moment Rossi has been unable to finish a competition since Valencia in 2007.

Earlier on there was another crash for Dani Pedrosa on the fourth lap when the he was in front.

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