Sensational Second for Spies in Valencia for 800cc Grand Prix Finale

Monday 7 Nov 2011 by admin | No Comments
Filed under: 2011 Moto Gp, Competitions, Events, General News Tags: Ben Spies, Cal Crutchlow, Grand Prix Finale, Josh Hayes, Katsuyuki Nakasuga, Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team, MotoGP Spain, Valencia Grand Prix, Yamaha Factory Racing Team Manager

Yamaha Factory rider Ben Spies delivered a sensational performance today to take second in the Valencia Grand Prix. The Texan was quick to tuck in behind the fighting duo of Andrea Dovizioso and Dani Pedrosa, pacing the two as they fought for position. With seven laps to go he made his move and began to close down race leader Casey Stoner. Capitalising on a small mistake by the race leader, Spies moved to the front and managed to create a small gap. Unfortunately the last corner saw Stoner fight back, charging to cross the finish line just 0.015 seconds ahead.

Katsuyuki Nakasuga put in a brilliant performance today in his first ever premier class MotoGP race. The Japanese rider has faced challenging weather conditions all weekend on his first visit to the Valencia circuit. Faced with a grid of experienced GP riders and hugely changeable track conditions, Nakasuga-san delivered, holding his own and fighting through to take a very respectable sixth place finish.

Todays Grand Prix at Valencia was not only the last of the season, but also the last of the 800cc era. Although unable to ride for the last two Grand Prix, Jorge Lorenzo has amassed enough points to seal second in the Championship standings with 260. Team mate Ben Spies takes fifth place with 176 points.

Ben Spies

Position 2nd - Time +0.015

The conditions were really tough today, with the rain it was so difficult to know how hard to push so I was just concentrating on bringing the bike home. We were able to follow Dani and Dovi and get past them eventually and then get past Casey when he made a small mistake. When theres no rider in front of you, you dont have a judge on how slippery the track is so its difficult to judge speed in that last lap. When we came out of the last corner I got the paint sucked off the bike by Casey as he went past! Im happy enough; we made a huge charge at the end and finished well. Considering how the last month has gone its a great way to end. Well focus on the test now and aim to be up there and even more competitive next year. A huge thank you to Yamaha and my crew who made sure I had a great bike to ride today. This morning we all came out to make some noise and say goodbye to Marco, Im pretty sure he heard us and I know he would have approved!

Katsuyuki Nakasuga

Position 6th - Time +23.818

I was really surprised with sixth position in the race! In the beginning I was very nervous because of the weather condition so my main target was to complete the race. I am used to Japanese races which only last 30 minutes so I was worried that I might not be able to keep my concentration for nearly double the time. Finally Im very happy, the last five laps were quite risky because it wasnt easy to go faster but I had nothing to lose so I wanted to push as hard as I could. Its been amazing to experiment with a real Grand Prix race, not only can I use this for future development riding but Im very pleased with the good result. The weather maybe helped me, but I am happy and enjoying the moment.

Wilco Zeelenberg - Yamaha Factory Racing Team Manager

That was a very surprising race but very exciting as well! We are very happy with the results; Nakasuga-sans sixth position is fantastic. 30 laps in dry and wet conditions are very difficult when you have to push. To finish in front of regular GP riders is very good. Bens podium in between those two competitors was brilliant, a shame we just got passed at the line. Overall weve had a great weekend, now were going to work hard for the next few days to prepare for 2012.

Massimo Meregalli - Yamaha Factory Racing Team Director

What a race! For sure it was a really difficult one. Ben did a fantastic job; his reactions to everything on track were great. Unfortunately we lost the race for just 0.015 seconds. Its very important to me how we finished the Championship and this is a very good starting point for next season. Nakasuga-san achieved a great result; I dont think we were expecting him to do so well! We have finished our 50th anniversary of Grand Prix racing in a very fitting way. We are going to have two really important testing days now on Tuesday and Wednesday, Bens mood is pretty high and he is focused on the test. Well keep pushing and working hard to be ready for the next season.

Fantastic fourth clinches Rookie of the Year title for Crutchlow

Cal Crutchlow and the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team ended the 2011 MotoGP World Championship in fantastic fashion this afternoon, the British rider claiming a career best fourth position to win the coveted Rookie of the Year title in a dramatic race in Valencia.

The 30-lap encounter started with light rain falling on the Ricardo Tormo Circuit, the unpredictable conditions posing a major challenge for Crutchlow and stand-in team-mate Josh Hayes as both quickly tried to assess grip levels on the slippery surface.

Starting from 11th on the grid, Crutchlow immediately found himself elevated into the top five when he avoided a four-rider collision at the first corner.

The British rider then found himself locked in an exciting and tense battle with Rookie of the Year rival Karel Abraham, who was riding an inspired race to try and deny Crutchlow from claiming the title for the second year running for the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team.

Just one-point split the pair going into the race and they were barely a second apart for the whole race. They exchanged fifth place several times but the battle became even more nail-biting when rain started to fall heavily five laps from the end.

Crutchlow brilliantly judged where he could push his YZR-M1 machine close to the limit and he took fourth place from Spaniard Dani Pedrosa with a clinical overtake on the final lap. Abraham though was refusing to lie down but as their fight intensified, he made a mistake in the braking zone at Turn 11 and crashed out.

Crutchlow ended fourth to clai m his best ever result and by claiming the highest finish by a British rider in the 800cc era, his result moved him into 12th place in the final rankings as he jumped ahead of Alvaro Bautista.

Hayes was another star performer in today's race, the American showing outstanding skill to finish in a stunning seventh place in demanding conditions.

The conditions couldn't have made his MotoGP debut any tougher, but he brilliantly adapted to riding Bridgestone's slick tyres on a greasy surface to finish in front of the some of the most experienced rider competing in the World Championship.

He had already left Loris Capirossi, Hector Barbera and Hiroshi Aoyama trailing behind him when he passed Toni Elias five laps from the end to deliver a hard earned but richly deserved double top 10 for the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team.

Cal Crutchlow

Position 4th - Time +8.718

That was a pretty dramatic way to finish the season and I am obviously thrilled to win the Rookie of the Year title. But I'm equally happy to have finished in fourth place because that was an incredibly difficult race. I'm not sure what happened at the first corner but I came out of it in sixth place and just pushed as hard as I could. It was a really intense battle with Karel right to the end and both of us were giving it everything we had. The track was so greasy it felt like you could crash so easily and when the rain started getting heavier I just got my head down again and kept pushing. I started to catch Dani really fast and I wasn't sure if he had a problem or whether I was pushing too hard. I slowed down because of that and Karel caught me back up, so it came down to the last lap and he obviously made a small mistake. He hit me from behind but I managed to stay on and to finish t he season with my best ever result is a great way to start planning for 2012. This year has been an incredible learning experience and we have a lot to work on for next season, but I feel confident I can make the step to the next level. I can hold my held up high and now I am looking forward to getting my first experience of the Yamaha 1000cc bike on Tuesday.

Josh Hayes

Position 7th - Time +33.118

“It was a very exciting and difficult race but certainly an experience I will never forget. I had a joke with my crew that I should have packed up at lunch after I was fastest in the warm-up! The conditions were really difficult with the rain but riding the Yamaha YZR-M1 with the carbon brakes and Bridgestone tyres was a lot of fun and I enjoyed it. The bike felt perfect each time I went out of the pits and it is a real bonus to finish inside the top 10. It i s not exactly how I wanted to do it with so many guys going down at the first corner but I am happy with my race and how I rode. It was a successful race for me and I managed to beat a lot of experienced riders, which is something to be proud of. Riding a MotoGP is definitely something I would like to do again in my career. I want to send a big thank you to everybody who helped me be here. Yamaha US, GYTR, YES and of course Hervé Poncharal gave me a great opportunity and everybody has been so nice to me. Hopefully people enjoyed seeing me out on track, because I definitely enjoyed being out there.”

Hervé Poncharal - Monster Yamaha Tech3 Team Manager

Today's race was incredibly difficult because the conditions were very tough and it was hard to understand how much grip there was. But I have to say that Cal did an amazing job and I'm really happy he ended his f irst season in MotoGP with such a positive result. It is never easy to finish so high in MotoGP in such demanding conditions, so he deserves a lot of credit. He was very fast all through the race and it was a fantastic battle with Karel right to the end. For the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team to win the Rookie of the Year title again is an achievement to be proud of, and we hope that the experience gained by Cal in 2011 will help him a lot next season. I can't praise Josh enough either. He had a lot to cope with this weekend in learning the track and the bike and the conditions made it even more difficult. He is a fast rider but also a great professional. He didn't make one mistake all weekend and we couldn't have had a better replacement for Colin Edwards.Finally I would like to say goodbye and a million thanks to Colin. I hope he is recovering well at home with his family and we will see him back on track again soon. Colin has been a fantastic ambassador for Tech 3 an d without doubt the most successful rider we've ever had in MotoGP. We will miss him a lot and the memories he has given us will stay with us forever. We wish him all the success in the future with his new adventure.

2011 MotoGP Spain

Valencia 06/11/2011

race I


1	Casey Stoner	Honda	AUS	48'18.645
2	Ben Spies	Yamaha	USA	0'00.015
3	Andrea Dovizioso	Honda	ITA	0'05.936
4	Cal Crutchlow	Yamaha	GBR	0'08.718
5	Daniel Pedrosa	Honda	ESP	0'09.321
6	Katsuyuki Nakasuga	Yamaha	JPN	0'23.818
7	Josh Hayes	Yamaha	USA	0'33.118
8	Karel Abraham	Ducati	CZE	0'37.952
9	Loris Capirossi	Ducati	ITA	0'48.953
10	Toni Elias	Honda	ESP	0'52.501
11	Hector Barbera	Ducati	ESP	1'06.519
12	Hiroshi Aoyama	Honda	JPN	1'08.760

MotoGP World Standing

Rider Standings

After Race 18 of 18

1.	Casey Stoner	Honda	AUS	350
2.	Jorge Lorenzo	Yamaha	ESP	260
3.	Andrea Dovizioso	Honda	ITA	228
4.	Daniel Pedrosa	Honda	ESP	219
5.	Ben Spies	Yamaha	USA	176
6.	Marco Simoncelli	Honda	ITA	139
7.	Valentino Rossi	Ducati	ITA	139
8.	Nicky Hayden	Ducati	USA	132
9.	Colin Edwards	Yamaha	USA	109
10.	Hiroshi Aoyama	Honda	JPN	98
11.	Hector Barbera	Ducati	ESP	82
12.	Cal Crutchlow	Yamaha	GBR	70
13.	Alvaro Bautista	Suzuki	ESP	67
14.	Karel Abraham	Ducati	CZE	64
15.	Toni Elias	Honda	ESP	61
16.	Randy De Puniet	Ducati	FRA	49
18.	Katsuyuki Nakasuga	Yamaha	JPN	10
19.	Josh Hayes	Yamaha	USA	9

http://blog.jhbyamaha.co.za/wp-content/plugins/sociofluid/images/digg_48.png

http://blog.jhbyamaha.co.za/wp-content/plugins/sociofluid/images/reddit_48.png

http://blog.jhbyamaha.co.za/wp-content/plugins/sociofluid/images/stumbleupon_48.png

http://blog.jhbyamaha.co.za/wp-content/plugins/sociofluid/images/delicious_48.png

http://blog.jhbyamaha.co.za/wp-content/plugins/sociofluid/images/blogmarks_48.png

http://blog.jhbyamaha.co.za/wp-content/plugins/sociofluid/images/technorati_48.png

http://blog.jhbyamaha.co.za/wp-content/plugins/sociofluid/images/google_48.png

http://blog.jhbyamaha.co.za/wp-content/plugins/sociofluid/images/myspace_48.png

http://blog.jhbyamaha.co.za/wp-content/plugins/sociofluid/images/facebook_48.png

http://blog.jhbyamaha.co.za/wp-content/plugins/sociofluid/images/yahoobuzz_48.png

http://blog.jhbyamaha.co.za/wp-content/plugins/sociofluid/images/twitter_48.png

Yamaha clinch the 2011 World Supersport Manufacturers Title, whilst Davies is 2011 World Supersport Champion

Wednesday 19 Oct 2011 by admin | No Comments
Filed under: 2011 SBK World Superbikes, Competitions, Events Tags: Chaz Davies, Luca Scassa, Manufacturer's World title in Portimao, World Super Champion, World Supersport Manufacturers, Yamaha ParkinGo

YAMAHA CLINCH THE 2011 WORLD SUPERSPORT MANUFACTURERS TITLE, WHILST DAVIES IS 2011 WORLD SUPERSPORT CHAMPION

Yamaha ParkinGO team closed the spectacular 2011 season in perfect fashion with an extraordinary number of achievements claimed throughout the year. Following a remarkable 12 podium finishes and nine race wins out of the 12 rounds of the 2011 season, Yamaha proudly clinched the 2011 Manufacturer's World title in Portimao, with a total of 251 points and a 21 point lead.

World Champion Chaz Davies was on true champion form at the final round of the season powering his YZF-R6 to the finish line, snatching the chequered flag and adding yet another race win to his numerous achievements. The Welshman immediately took the lead off the grid and continued to dominate the 20 lap race. Team-mate Luca Scassa also put on a strong, solid performance, gradually working his way up from eighth place off the grid to cross the line in fourth place.

Chaz Davies was crowned the 2011 World Supersport Champion already at the previous round of the championship in Magny Cours two weeks ago, while team- mate Luca Scassa climbed back up the standings to close the season in fifth place on 134 points, missing out on third place by just 12 points. Yamaha ParkinGO team made a sudden change of manufacturer at the beginning of the season, choosing the Yamaha YZF-R6 as the weapon of choice to power the team to complete a stellar season, snatching the 2011 World Supersport Champion title, the 2011 Manufacturer's World title and taking the top position in the 2011 Team classification.

Colin Edwards to attend YAMAHA “R” – DAY

Tuesday 18 Oct 2011 by admin | 1 Comment
Filed under: Events, Yamaha R - Day Tags: Biking, Colin Edwards, Kyalami, South Africa, Yamaha, Yamaha "R" - Day

So, do you want to ride with Colin Edwards? At Kyalami? Well, if you own a Yamaha, you can!

Do you want to attend an exclusive dinner and intimate question and answer session with Colin? Well, get your entry in for the Yamaha R Day and you can!

The 2011 Yamaha R – Day, to be held at Kyalami on the 16^th December, is going to be one track event to remember!! It will be a unique opportunity to interact with Colin Edwards, both at the evening function to be hosted at the World of Yamaha, and on the iconic Kyalami race track the following day. The event will be hosted by the renowned Track-Daze on behalf of Yamaha Distributors South Africa.

Limited to 120 Yamaha riders only, entries for this prestigious event are going to be in extreme demand. Priced at R1500-00 inclusive per delegate, this is an opportunity not to be missed, and those that are caught napping in getting their entries in promptly, are probably going to miss out.

To enter go to www.track-daze.co.za to download an entry form and follow the instructions to submit your entry.

Yamaha Clinch the 2011 World Supersport Manufacturers title at Portimao

Monday 17 Oct 2011 by admin | No Comments
Filed under: General News

Yamaha ParkinGO team closed the spectacular 2011 season in perfect fashion today with an extraordinary number of achievements claimed throughout the year. Following a remarkable 12 podium finishes and nine race wins out of the 12 rounds of the 2011 season, Yamaha proudly clinched the 2011 Manufacturer's World title today in Portimao, with a total of 251 points and a 21 point lead.

World Champion Chaz Davies was on true champion form today powering his YZF-R6 to the finish line snatching the chequered flag and adding yet another race win to his numerous achievements. The Welshman immediately took the lead off the grid and continued to dominate the 20 lap race. Team-mate Luca Scassa also put on a strong solid performance, gradually working his way up from eighth place off the grid to cross the line in fourth place.

Chaz Davies was crowned the 2011 World Supersport Champion already in the last round of the championship in Magny Cours two weeks ago, while team- mate Luca Scassa climbed back up the standings to close the season in fifth place on 134 points, missing out on third place by just 12 points. Yamaha ParkinGO team made a sudden change of manufacturer at the beginning of the season, choosing the Yamaha YZF-R6 as the weapon of choice to power the team to complete a stellar season, snatching the 2011 World Supersport Champion title, the 2011 Manufacturer's World title and taking the top position in the 2011 Team classification.

Chaz Davies

Yamaha ParkinGO Team - 1st

"This was the best possible way to end an amazing season. It was a tough race, I had a good start, put my head down but started losing the front and had to work hard to keep pushing. I’m worn out actually but I really enjoyed the race. I had a great package, great bike and the team did a great job and I couldn't ask for anything more. The entire year has been amazing and the title and today is just a dream come true."

Luca Scassa

Yamaha ParkinGO Team - 4th

"It was a difficult last race today. I wanted to do my best and today I did, but the little crash yesterday caused me to start way back in eighth on the grid and it's really difficult to make my way back up especially if you don't do it in the first three corners. I had to pass a few riders ahead but it was tough, I was losing a lot accelerating; I think my weight was making it extra difficult. The team did a great job yesterday to repair the bike so I could get a few laps in in the second qualifying. I did my best and my worst this year, some silly mistakes have cost me a top three finish in the championship. But when one year ends, another begins and I'll hopefully have a better year next year."

Lucio Nicastro - Yamaha ParkinGO Team Manager

"It seems like the year started yesterday and it's already over. We made a sudden change to Yamaha just before the beginning of the season, so it was difficult to get adjusted, we had to work extremely hard. The entire team did a fantastic job and we were winning from the very start of the season. Nine victories out of 12 is a spectacular result, three for Luca who had a great start to the year but unfortunately struggled a little mid-way, which is a pity as I'm sure he could have been second in the championship. Chaz was just amazing and ended the season as a true champion, taking his sixth race win this year. Three titles this year; World Champion, Manufacturer's title and top team in the Championship, we couldn't ask for more."

Laurens Klein Koerkamp

Racing Manager, Yamaha Motor Europe

"What an impressive season this has been. Taking the World Supersport Rider's world title with Chaz, Manufacturer's world title, first in the team standings with the Yamaha ParkinGO team and winning 9 out of 12 races. A big thank you to Chaz and Luca, all team and the supporting staff for a fantastic season.

We race to support our brand image and show the strength of our R-series production models and Yamaha couldn't have asked for a better World Supersport season than this.

The Yamaha R6 has dominated this year again, and on top of that Jed Metcher won European Superstock title today also on an R6.

A perfect season."

2011 World Supersport Portugal

Portimão 16/10/2011

20 Laps

race I
1	Chaz Davies	Yamaha	GBR	35'31.806
2	David Salom	Kawasaki	ESP	0'01.253
3	James Ellison	Honda	GBR	0'01.415
4	Luca Scassa	Yamaha	ITA	0'05.522
5	Florian Marino	Honda	FRA	0'21.658
6	Roberto Tamburini	Yamaha	ITA	0'24.490
7	Massimo Roccoli	Kawasaki	ITA	0'25.506
8	Miguel Praia	Honda	POR	0'32.271
9	Vladamir Leonov	Yamaha	RUS	0'32.660
10	Balazs Nemeth	Honda	HUN	0'32.680
11	Vittorio Iannuzzo	Kawasaki	ITA	0'34.732
12	Fabien Foret	Honda	FRA	0'35.109
13	Alexander Lundh	Honda	SWE	0'51.652
14	Gino Rea	Honda	GBR	0'54.002
15	Pawel Szkopek	Honda	POL	0'54.400
17	Luca Marconi	Yamaha	ITA	0'57.933
19	Gunther Knobloch	Yamaha	AUT	1'04.473
21	David Linortner	Yamaha	AUT	1'15.618
24	Eduard Blokhin	Yamaha	RUS	2'00.000

Best Lap

James Ellison

Honda

GBR

1'45.638

World Supersport World Standing

Rider Standings

After Race 12 of 12

1.	Chaz Davies	Yamaha	GBR	206
2.	David Salom	Kawasaki	ESP	156
3.	Fabien Foret	Honda	FRA	148
4.	Broc Parkes	Kawasaki	AUS	136
5.	Luca Scassa	Yamaha	ITA	134
6.	Sam Lowes	Honda	GBR	129
7.	James Ellison	Honda	GBR	99
8.	Florian Marino	Honda	FRA	89
9.	Roberto Tamburini	Yamaha	ITA	80
10.	Massimo Roccoli	Kawasaki	ITA	71
11.	Gino Rea	Honda	GBR	69
12.	Robbin Harms	Honda	DNK	59
13.	Miguel Praia	Honda	POR	51
14.	Vittorio Iannuzzo	Kawasaki	ITA	44
15.	Balazs Nemeth	Honda	HUN	42
16.	Alexander Lundh	Honda	SWE	29
29.	Alessio Velini	Yamaha	ITA	3
30.	Luca Marconi	Yamaha	ITA	3
34.	Louis Bulle	Yamaha	FRA	1

Spectacular One Two for the Yamaha WSB Team at the Season Finale in Portimao

Monday 17 Oct 2011 by admin | No Comments
Filed under: 2011 SBK World Superbikes, General News Tags: Eugene Laverty, Laurens Klein Koerkamp, Marco Melandri, Season Finale in Portimao, World Superbike Portugal, Yamaha WSB Team

Yamaha World Superbike riders completed yet another spectacular race day today in Portimao, the final two races of the 2011 WSB season, with an outstanding one two finish on the Portuguese podium. Both Melandri and Laverty completed their WSB rookie seasons in style, closing the championship with Marco Melandri in second place in the 2011 WSB Championship standings and Eugene Laverty in fourth, the latter tying on points with 2010 Champion - Max Biaggi who takes the third place.

The Yamaha World Superbike Team proved to be the top team in the standings by completing the second race of the day with a spectacular one two race finish. Skillful race craft and determination was on display throughout the 22 laps. Laverty claimed the lead on lap one, following a perfect start off the front row on the grid, while Melandri tucked in behind him in second place by lap three. Holding off advances from Rea and Checa, Melandri closely tailed him team-mate to eventually take the lead with just four laps to go and snatch the chequered flag, claiming his fourth victory of the year. His Northern Irish team-mate and fellow rookie crossed the line just one second behind, to take the second step on the last podium of the season.

Both Yamaha riders faced a difficult race one after getting off to a perfect start from the grid. After just two laps Eugene Laverty had an issue with the rear of the machine, skillfully managed to avoid crashing but was forced to come in and have the steering damper repaired. The determined Northern Irish rider went back out, with a two lap gap and impressively made up four places setting fast lap times to complete the race in 19th position but missed out on important points for third place in the championship. Team-mate Marco Melandri struggled with rear tyre issues but pushed hard to cross the line in sixth place.

In this stellar season the Yamaha World Superbike team has claimed an amazing 19 podiums of which six race victories with two WSB rookie riders, Yamaha taking the second place in the 2011 World Superbike Manufacturer's standings with a total of 450 points and the top team in the Team standings

Earlier this season, Yamaha Motor Europe took the difficult decision to withdraw the official Yamaha World Superbike Team from the FIM Superbike World Championship at the end of the 2011 season, so today's race day in Portimao sadly marked the final race for the Yamaha WSB team.

Marco Melandri

Yamaha World Superbike Team - 6th, 1st

"It was a fantastic race win and end to the championship. The bike was working well and I really wanted one more win before finishing up the season. I would have liked a double but race one didn't go so well. I got a good start and was planning on waiting a few laps before pushing harder and fighting for a win but unfortunately the rear tyre was gone by mid race I had very little grip and just couldn't keep pushing. The team has worked really hard all year and I'd like to thank them and everyone at Yamaha for the amazing season together and for all their help and support in the tough time since YME decided to withdraw at the end of this year."

Eugene Laverty

Yamaha World Superbike Team - 19th, 2nd

"Well it was a great end to the season for Yamaha with a one two race finish in race two. It's been a fantastic year and I'd like to thank Yamaha and all the team for that. Obviously it would have been great to finish up with one more point to get third in the championship, but unfortunately I lost out on a lot of points in race one. I had an issue with the bike on lap three, coming into the VIP tower corner when the rear of the machine came off the ground and the bike suddenly snapped sideways. I was lucky not have crashed and managed to stay on the bike but the viciousness of the incident broke the steering damper and I had to come back in and have it changed. It's a pity as the pace was quick and I could have definitely been on the podium."

Andrea Dosoli - Yamaha World Superbike Team Manager

"Fantastic! A great finish to an amazing season. Marco and Eugene were really spectacular. In the second race they showed fantastic racing, proving to be very talented and determined riders with great respect for each other. It's a pity Eugene lost out on important points in the first race and Marco had a problem with the rear tyre and they couldn't fight for the podium.

I'd like to thank the riders, the team and all our partners for the professionalism, passion and motivation evident throughout the 13 races of the season. Second place in the Manufacturer's championship is an excellent result for Yamaha, considering that both riders are rookies and were battling with Checa, a Champion that deserves his title, flawless all year and making the most of the advantage that the twin cylinder machines are provided by the championship. We are proud that our R1 is the first four cylinder in the standings. Thanks to everyone."

Laurens Klein Koerkamp

Racing Manager, Yamaha Motor Europe

"Finishing first and second in the last race is an unbelievable way for the Yamaha World Superbike Team to leave the championship. But apart from today, we are extremely proud of the whole season: Marco and Eugene being Superbike rookies and finishing second and fourth, winning six races on the way, is a fantastic achievement and the R1 has proven to be the best four cylinder machine in the superbike field. But of course at the same time it is a sad moment as Yamaha Motor Europe (YME), as announced before, now withdraws the official Yamaha World Superbike Team from the championship.

On behalf of YME I want to express the strongest appreciation possible to Marco and Eugene, our engineers in Japan and to all staff of the Yamaha World Superbike Team. They have done a great job this year again and to finish the 2011 season as the number one team in the WSB Team standings is a confirmation of their professionalism and dedication. Also I want to thank again all our team partners.

Many of the staff and partners have been with us for many years, giving their best to Yamaha with great passion, and were part of winning the World Title with Ben, the Manufacturers World title, many race victories and podiums and the success of the 2011 season.

It also filled us at Yamaha with pride that riders and staff all were prepared to hang on while we were trying to find a solution to remain on the grid with Yamaha factory superbike machinery. Unfortunately it is not meant to be.

We will bring the team to a closure in the coming months and I wish Marco, Eugene and all team staff all the best in pursuing the next steps in their careers."

2011 World Superbike Portugal

Portimão 16/10/2011 22 Laps

race I
1	Carlos Checa	Ducati	ESP	38'13.293
2	Sylvain Guintoli	Ducati	FRA	0'02.860
3	Jonathan Rea	Honda	GBR	0'08.481
4	Max Biaggi	Aprilia	ITA	0'11.963
5	Joan Lascorz	Kawasaki	ESP	0'13.330
6	Marco Melandri	Yamaha	ITA	0'18.960
7	Maxime Berger	Ducati	FRA	0'20.489
8	Tom Sykes	Kawasaki	GBR	0'25.320
9	Leon Haslam	BMW	GBR	0'26.695
10	Jakub Smrz	Ducati	CZE	0'26.801
11	Michel Fabrizio	Suzuki	ITA	0'27.115
12	Leon Camier	Aprilia	GBR	0'28.563
13	Ayrton Badovini	BMW	ITA	0'31.765
14	Troy Corser	BMW	AUS	0'31.822
15	Noriyuki Haga	Aprilia	JPN	0'31.866
19	Eugene Laverty	Yamaha	GBR	2'00.000
race II
1	Marco Melandri	Yamaha	ITA	38'11.326
2	Eugene Laverty	Yamaha	GBR	0'01.075
3	Jonathan Rea	Honda	GBR	0'01.363
4	Carlos Checa	Ducati	ESP	0'02.648
5	Sylvain Guintoli	Ducati	FRA	0'03.555
6	Leon Camier	Aprilia	GBR	0'04.709
7	Max Biaggi	Aprilia	ITA	0'06.514
8	Joan Lascorz	Kawasaki	ESP	0'14.441
9	Ayrton Badovini	BMW	ITA	0'19.128
10	Maxime Berger	Ducati	FRA	0'25.527
11	Noriyuki Haga	Aprilia	JPN	0'26.400
12	Davide Giugliano	Ducati	ITA	0'26.646
13	Jakub Smrz	Ducati	CZE	0'26.968
14	Michel Fabrizio	Suzuki	ITA	0'30.209
15	Leon Haslam	BMW	GBR	0'30.951

Best Lap

Sylvain Guintoli

Ducati

FRA

1'43.453

World Superbike World Standing

Rider Standings After Race 13 of 13

1.	Carlos Checa	Ducati	ESP	505
2.	Marco Melandri	Yamaha	ITA	395
3.	Max Biaggi	Aprilia	ITA	303
4.	Eugene Laverty	Yamaha	GBR	303
5.	Leon Haslam	BMW	GBR	224
6.	Sylvain Guintoli	Ducati	FRA	210
7.	Leon Camier	Aprilia	GBR	208
8.	Noriyuki Haga	Aprilia	JPN	176
9.	Jonathan Rea	Honda	GBR	170
10.	Ayrton Badovini	BMW	ITA	165
11.	Joan Lascorz	Kawasaki	ESP	161
12.	Michel Fabrizio	Suzuki	ITA	152
13.	Tom Sykes	Kawasaki	GBR	141
14.	Jakub Smrz	Ducati	CZE	127
15.	Troy Corser	BMW	AUS	87
16.	Maxime Berger	Ducati	FRA	64

Fantastic fifth for Edwards in windy Phillip Island as Yamaha Factory Riders missed out on race

Monday 17 Oct 2011 by admin | No Comments
Filed under: 2011 Moto Gp, Competitions, General News Tags: Australian Grand Prix at Phillip Island, Ben Spies, Cal Crutchlow, Colin Edwards, Jorge Lorenzo, Yamaha

Yamaha Factory Racing riders Jorge Lorenzo and Ben Spies did not ride in today’s Grand Prix of Australia following separate on track incidents by both.
World Champion Lorenzo was declared unfit to race after sustaining an injury to the fourth finger of the left hand during this morning’s warm up. He is currently undergoing surgery in Melbourne, a full update of his condition and expected recovery time will be released as soon as surgery is completed.

Lorenzo’s team mate Spies received a hit to the head yesterday during the qualifying session after a high speed crash. After attempting to ride some laps in this morning’s warm up, the rider reached an agreement with team members that with reduced concentration attempting the race would be considered too dangerous for himself and other competitors.

Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team rider Colin Edwards battled against the elements at Phillip Island this afternoon to storm to a fantastic fifth position in an Australian MotoGP round dominated by unpredictable weather.

British team-mate Cal Crutchlow was also on course for a brilliant top ten finish when he suffered an unfortunate crash in the final stages when a quick rain shower fell while he was locked in an exciting battle with Hiroshi Aoyama for eighth position.

The 27-lap race started in sunny but cool conditions but it was a fierce wind that made tackling the high-speed and technical 4.4km Phillip Island a tough challenge this afternoon.

Edwards finished the first lap in eighth place as he tried to judge the unpredictable gusts of wind to maintain a fast and consistent pace as the race unfolded. He was seventh when late drama occurred as a heavy rain shower soaked the track in a small section from Lukey Heights to the fast approach to the final corner with three laps remaining.

Edwards opted not to stay out on slicks rather than switch to his YZR-M1 set-up for the rain with only a small part of the track affected by the cloudburst. His decision paid off and he claimed his third top six finish of the season.

Crutchlow was unfortunately caught out by the tricky conditions in the final stages while he was preparing for a late attack on Aoyama.

The British rider had fought brilliantly to keep Karel Abraham and Randy de Puniet at bay when he hit a wet patch of tarmac at Lukey Heights on lap 24. Aoyama crashed in identical cir cumstances right in front of Crutchlow and the 25-year-old was unable to rejoin the race and collect a deserved top 10 finish.

Colin Edwards

Position 5th - Time +7.299

“That was all about surviving because the conditions might have looked great on TV with the sun shining but the wind was horrendous. We know the wind plays a big part here normally but today it seemed particularly bad and it was impossible to judge when a gust was going to hit you from one lap to the next. I got into a pretty good rhythm and I was happy to be running a consistent pace in eighth when all the late chaos happened. It is never a good feeling when you see rain spots on the visor with slick tyres on but there was only rain in a small part of the track. I knew it was a flag-to-flag situation but I never thought about pulling in for the rain bike. I was just riding as hard as I could but a s safe as I could in the last couple of laps and fifth is a great result. I just want to say congratulations to Casey because he has been awesome all year and he's a worthy World Champion. As a fellow rider you have to admire what he's done.”

Cal Crutchlow

DNF

“I'm pretty disappointed because it has been a very difficult weekend, so to get a top 10 would have been a very positive way to sign off. I'd been having a really good battle with Abraham, Aoyama and de Puniet and I was confident I was going to finish at least eighth. But I came into Lukey Heights and couldn't even see any rain and the next thing I was down. The weird thing is Aoyama went down right in front of me on the same wet patch, so it was like synchronised crashing. I had no idea why I'd crashed and someone in the crowd told me it had rained really quickly and then stopped. It is a pity because tha t cost me a decent result but I'll be looking to get back in the fight for the top 10 in Sepang next week. I tested twice at that track in the winter and while it was tough, I've gained so much experience since then that there's no reason why I can't have a strong weekend.”

Herve Poncharal - Monster Yamaha Tech3 Team Manager

"I am very happy for Colin because he did a great job in very demanding conditions. Like in Jerez and Silverstone when we had difficult conditions, Colin is always there. The fifth position was well deserved and this result is a great boost for his chances of finishing the top non-factory rider in the World Championship standings. I am a little bit disappointed on the other side of the garage because Cal knew this track and I thought he would have been a lot stronger here. But he found it very difficult to find a fast pace all weekend. I have to give him credit though becau se he never gave up and it was a dramatic race. His engine stopped on the grid but that didn't distract him and he had a very good fight with some experienced riders. I think sixth position would have been a possibility but he was caught out by the conditions and that was an easy thing to do. Other people made a mistake but we hope Cal can return stronger in Sepang, which is another track he has ridden on. Finally I'd like to say congratulations to Casey. He is shown this year what a phenomenal talent he is and he deserves to be World Champion. I'd also like to praise Jorge Lorenzo because he has shown that Yamaha is a very competiive package in MotoGP and he has produced some truly incredible performances to push Casey all the way."

2011 MotoGP Australia

Phillip Island 16/10/2011

race I

1	Casey Stoner	Honda	AUS	42'02.425
2	Marco Simoncelli	Honda	ITA	0'02.210
3	Andrea Dovizioso	Honda	ITA	0'02.454
4	Daniel Pedrosa	Honda	ESP	0'13.160
5	Colin Edwards	Yamaha	USA	0'30.886
6	Randy De Puniet	Ducati	FRA	0'48.800
7	Nicky Hayden	Ducati	USA	1'16.314
8	Toni Elias	Honda	ESP	-1Laps
9	Loris Capirossi	Ducati	ITA	-1Laps
10	Karel Abraham	Ducati	CZE	-2Laps

MotoGP World Standing

Rider Standings After Race 16 of 18

1.	Casey Stoner	Honda	AUS	325
2.	Jorge Lorenzo	Yamaha	ESP	260
3.	Andrea Dovizioso	Honda	ITA	212
4.	Daniel Pedrosa	Honda	ESP	208
5.	Ben Spies	Yamaha	USA	156
6.	Valentino Rossi	Ducati	ITA	139
7.	Marco Simoncelli	Honda	ITA	139
8.	Nicky Hayden	Ducati	USA	132
9.	Colin Edwards	Yamaha	USA	109
10.	Hiroshi Aoyama	Honda	JPN	94
11.	Hector Barbera	Ducati	ESP	77
12.	Alvaro Bautista	Suzuki	ESP	67
13.	Cal Crutchlow	Yamaha	GBR	57
14.	Karel Abraham	Ducati	CZE	56
15.	Toni Elias	Honda	ESP	55
16.	Randy De Puniet	Ducati	FRA	49

Spectacular Double Podium for Yamaha World Superbike Team at Penultimate Round of the Season

Monday 3 Oct 2011 by admin | No Comments
Filed under: 2011 SBK World Superbikes Tags: Eugene Laverty, Marco Melandri, World Superbike, Yamaha

Double podium for Yamaha

The R1 has yet again delivered spectacular results on the French circuit at Magny Cours today, with riders Marco Melandri and Eugene Laverty completing race one in second and fifth places respectively and the second race of the day with a fantastic double podium for Yamaha, taking second and third places.

Marco Melandri carried out two impressive races from eighth place and second row on the grid. Despite struggling with the front set up on his machine in race one, the Italian managed to gradually work his way through the pack to cross the line second, just behind Carlos Checa as the Spaniard claimed the 2011 World Championship title. Team-mate Eugene Laverty was on equally flying form at the penultimate round of the season. The Northern Irish man dominated the first half of race one before Checa overtook to take the lead. Laverty pushed hard to hold second but began to struggle with severe tyre wear on the rear of his R1 and was forced to settle for fifth at the line. Yamaha World Superbike riders concluded a hotter second race with Melandri climbing up to the third before closing in on and overtaking his team-mate on the last lap to power his Yamaha to the line, close behind champion Checa and claim the second step on the podium, while Laverty closely followed in third.

Marco Melandri leaves Magny Cours in second place in the championship. Following Carlos Checa title win today and the 77 point gap between the Italian and his fellow Yamaha team-mate now in third place, Melandri; the World Superbike Rookie, has completed the outstanding year in second place in the overall Championship classification. Following today’s impressive race results Laverty has jumped up to third place in the championship standings. Just 2 points separates the Northern Irish rider from the reigning world champion Max Biaggi, who is expected to make a return to the track after his recent injury, for the final round of the season in Portimao. The World Superbike rookie will be heading to the grand finale determined to keep a firm hold on his top three finish. Yamaha is in second place in the Manufacturer’s Championship standings, a substantial 16 points ahead of third. Yamaha already secured the top place in the Team Standings in the last round in Imola, and cannot be surpassed by another team.

Marco Melandri

Yamaha World Superbike Team - 2^nd, 2^nd

"I’m pleased with my two podium finishes today. Race one was very difficult, I was with struggling with the front so we modified the fork a bit before the second race but it didn’t make the difference I had hoped for. At the beginning I didn’t have a good feeling with the bike but mid-way I was more comfortable and pushed as hard I could. When I saw Eugene on the small hairpin on the last lap, I knew it was my only chance to get ahead. My target today was to catch up on the riders ahead and I did my best in both races so I’m happy to come away with two seconds."

Eugene Laverty

Yamaha World Superbike Team – 5^th, 3^rd

"They were two very tough races today. I was fighting hard for a podium in race one but I was struggling quite a bit with the rear towards the end and it was either crash or settle for fifth and I chose the latter. In the second race the bike was feeling very strong. I tried to stay with Carlos and battle for a win but he’s hard to beat this year and then Marco did a great last few laps and managed to overtake me. It’s great to be back on the podium again and it’s nice to have two Yamahas up here together. I’m delighted to be in third place in the championship but hopefully Max will be back in Portimao so we can battle for third overall."

Andrea Dosoli - Yamaha World Superbike Team Manager

"Today was a fantastic race day for both riders. Marco did really well to get two podiums on a track he didn’t know until this weekend, especially from 8th place off the grid. He has proved yet again to be a strong competitor and we are proud of his progress. Eugene also did a fantastic job in both races. It’s a pity he couldn’t get a podium finish in the first race due to harsh rear tyre wear, but considering the circumstances he did really well. In the second race he dominated the first part and then continued to battle with the champion to get a podium that has taken him into third place in the classification. Both sides of the garage worked really hard yet again this weekend and did a fantastic job. We are now second and third in the standings and the only four cylinder machines in the top three."

2011 World Superbike France

Magny Cours 02/10/2011

race I
1	Carlos Checa	Ducati	ESP	38'16.465
2	Marco Melandri	Yamaha	ITA	0'02.201
3	Leon Haslam	BMW	GBR	0'03.218
4	Leon Camier	Aprilia	GBR	0'03.796
5	Eugene Laverty	Yamaha	GBR	0'05.602
6	Sylvain Guintoli	Ducati	FRA	0'09.634
7	Noriyuki Haga	Aprilia	JPN	0'09.814
8	Joan Lascorz	Kawasaki	ESP	0'11.387
9	Troy Corser	BMW	AUS	0'17.143
10	Tom Sykes	Kawasaki	GBR	0'24.523
11	Javier Fores	BMW	ESP	0'34.532
12	Michel Fabrizio	Suzuki	ITA	1'19.742
13	Roberto Rolfo	Kawasaki	ITA	1'50.000
race II
1	Carlos Checa	Ducati	ESP	38'17.851
2	Marco Melandri	Yamaha	ITA	0'01.267
3	Eugene Laverty	Yamaha	GBR	0'02.043
4	Leon Haslam	BMW	GBR	0'06.506
5	Sylvain Guintoli	Ducati	FRA	0'07.843
6	Leon Camier	Aprilia	GBR	0'08.360
7	Joan Lascorz	Kawasaki	ESP	0'15.285
8	Ayrton Badovini	BMW	ITA	0'15.549
9	Troy Corser	BMW	AUS	0'16.278
10	Noriyuki Haga	Aprilia	JPN	0'22.996
11	Javier Fores	BMW	ESP	0'43.132
12	Maxime Berger	Ducati	FRA	0'47.846

Best Lap

Carlos Checa

Ducati

ESP

1'38.643