Cycle World

Will 2014 Honda MotoGP Bike Make Early Race Debut? New factory prototype revealed in Spain.

Matthew Miles — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 21:45:42 +0000

Honda unveiled its 2014 MotoGP prototype at Motorland Aragon earlier today in Spain. Both the V-Four engine and aluminum chassis are new, said the team’s technical director, Takeo Yokoyama. No specifications were provided. Rain at the circuit prevented Repsol Honda riders Dani Pedrosa and Marc Marquez from actually testing the bike; they will try again on Wednesday and, if necessary, Thursday. If Pedrosa and premier-class rookie Marquez discover that the feel of the new bike is a significant improvement over their current factory RC213Vs, said Yokoyama, Honda “will do its best” to provide the Spaniards with new machinery before the end of this season. Pedrosa debuted the present RC213V at Round 10 of the 2012 MotoGP World Championship, held last July at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, in Monterey, California. The current series points-leader finished third behind race-winner Casey Stoner and Yamaha’s Jorge Lorenzo. The factory Suzuki and Yamaha teams are also scheduled to test this week at Motorland Aragon.

Catalunya MotoGP Wrap-Up Jorge Lorenzo wins in Spain. Are you excited?

Kevin Cameron — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 17:10:02 +0000

Round 6 of the MotoGP World Championship, the Grand Prix of Catalunya, was a grinder, with the top three riders nose to tail for most of the 73-mile race distance. Factory Yamaha rider Jorge Lorenzo’s 1.7-second win over Repsol Honda teammates Dani Pedrosa and Marc Marquez in hot, clear conditions had nothing to do with motorcycle performance. Speed was capped by what the tires could give on 133-degree-Fahrenheit pavement. Anything beyond that risked losing everything. That’s the risk Marquez decided he had to take during the closing laps, running his V-Four under Pedrosa but not having the grip to make a pass. On the next-to-last lap, he lost the front entering Turn 4, exciting a big shake as he recovered. “It was very easy to make a mistake,” said Pedrosa, “and, in fact, in the closing laps, Marc made one, and I had a slide, but in the end, we were able to take a very important second place.” Very important because it preserved Pedrosa’s points lead! Top 10 Finishers 1. Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha) 2. Dani Pedrosa (Honda) 3. Marc Marquez (Honda) 4. Valentino Rossi (Yamaha) 5. Stefan Bradl (Honda) 6. Bradley Smith (Yamaha) 7. Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati) 8. Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia) 9. Colin Edwards (Kawasaki/FTR) 10. Michele Pirro (Ducati) Nicky Hayden and Andrea Iannone also lost the front in early laps, attempting to manage braking while their Ducatis were heavy with fuel. Unlike Marquez, however, they both crashed. “Maybe we were right at the limit for the conditions,” said Iannone, “because first I fell and then he did. Dovi, on the other hand, backed off, maybe because he immediately understood the situation.” Andrea Dovizioso’s Ducati progressively lost grip through the race, but it was one of the fastest bikes through the speed trap. The two go together: The higher tune required for great speed makes an engine’s torque delivery harsher, potentially fatiguing the rear tire sooner. “He had a solid race until mid-distance,” said team manager Bernhard Gobmeier, “but he suffered a tremendous loss of grip, with blistering on the rear tire.” Blistering indicates overheating sufficient to volatilize elements of the tread rubber, like the popping that occurs when you broil a steak. This race was a contest of how little heat a team could manage to put into the tires through riding and clever chassis setup. Marquez, who had been sixth during Friday’s practice, shot to the top on Saturday morning, then dropped to sixth in qualifying. Why such a rise and fall? Hot single laps excite us, but the riders know that achieving 25 fast laps in hot conditions will be difficult. The real job is to find ways to keep heat out of the tires. After qualifying, Marquez said, “In the morning, I felt more comfortable, with the track temperatures lower than in the afternoon. When they rose sharply, we had more problems.” Pedrosa achieved a perfect lap in qualifying, topping Casey Stoner’s 2008 record with a sensational 1:40.893. But one lap is very different than 25. In the race, Lorenzo’s Yamaha looked smooth and unbothered, its wheels in line. The two pursuing Hondas had their back tires “hung out” visibly, and Lorenzo had to do the same near the end. Previously, above a certain track temperature, Lorenzo’s corner-speed style had appeared to lose its grip. But on Sunday, it may have been a key to tire conservation. We’ll never know, but if Pedrosa had won the starting drag race into Turn 1, Lorenzo might have lacked the grip to pass. Now a question: We are used to saying that the Yamahas look collected and stable, while the Hondas are “busy,” lifting their tails during braking and never looking as smooth as the Yamahas mid-corner. Is that a difference in machines? Or could it just as well be a difference in rider style? Pedrosa and Marquez ride a more dirt-track-derived style, braking later and harder, arriving in the turn with a bit too much to do and having to gather up the bike to get early on throttle, possibly with a bit of untidiness showing. But if Lorenzo were on a Honda and Pedrosa and Marquez were on Yamahas, would the outcome be different? Thus far, Yamaha has gone through engines at a rate suggesting one or more of its riders may be starting later races from pit lane due to penalty; each rider gets five engines for the season. Valentino Rossi topped first practice, causing veteran observers to believe he is slowly “coming to himself” and adapting to things as they are. We shall see. Lorenzo, meanwhile, attended to his proven method. “We stayed with the same tires for the whole practice to understand why they are dropping in this weather so we could solve this problem that I think all the riders are having.” Looking at race lap times, we see that all four of the top finishers suffered such a “drop” (about a one second increase in lap time) centered around Lap 6. In FP3, Hayden was second quickest behind Marquez. Were the Ducatis coming good at last? Hayden qualified fifth—pretty good!—but his remarks were more realistic: “As soon as we lose a little bit of edge grip, it starts pumping. It was okay for qualifying, but we’ll have to try something tomorrow morning to see if we can make the tire last longer.” In Sunday morning warm-up, hard-working man that he is, Tech3 Yamaha rider Cal Crutchlow went to the top, and Hayden was again fifth-fastest. Sadly, in the race, Crutchlow, too, would lose the front and crash out on Lap 6. Okay, last question: Where’s the racing? Spectators, knowing little of all this tire trouble, hope to see top riders spectacularly diving past each other on the brakes or getting on the throttle early for a better drive or powering past down the straight. What’s happened to all that? All I can tell you is, that’s racing. Racing is what it is because the roles of engine, tires, chassis and rider shift constantly. Quick-fixers were sure a few years back that they could “bring back the excitement” by just switching off all the newfangled electronic aids. Then, it turned out that top riders, like Casey Stoner in MotoGP and Carlos Checa in World Superbike, had already begun to ride with their traction control turned way down. The image of top riders as passionless systems managers faded. Remember that Mick Doohan won five championships in a row without 21st-century electronics. Bring back the excitement? Racing is what it is, and that means that the key to enjoyment is trying to understand what we are seeing.

Josh Hayes: High-Speed Research Analyst Made-in-Buffalo Dunlops create new challenge for three-time AMA SuperBike champion.

Matthew Miles — Sat, 15 Jun 2013 04:08:14 +0000

To anyone watching on television or even at the track, Josh Hayes’ pair of premier-class victories at Road America looked like business as usual. But in the mind of the three-time and reigning AMA Pro SuperBike champion, it was anything but business as usual. On Saturday, polesitter Hayes won the 13-lap Race 1 by nearly four seconds over Yoshimura Suzuki’s Martin Cardenas, who snatched the series points lead from Hayes’ Graves Yamaha teammate, sixth-place-finisher Josh Herrin. Hayes won Sunday’s 12-lap event by a narrower margin—.8 seconds—with Cardenas chewing on the gap all the way to the checkers. Herrin was a distant third. So, what’s the problem? Last year, Hayes beat Blake Young—replaced this season by three-time Daytona SportBike Champion Cardenas—by 11.3 sec. in Race 1 and 13.9 in Race 2. Hayes’ quickest lap, a 2:11.2 in Race 2, was 1.6 sec. quicker than his best this year. According to Hayes, tires were the difference. “This is the first time we’ve had the Buffalo tire on an older track surface,” he said after final qualifying. “I’m definitely not getting along with it. It’s not unsafe; it’s just different.” Hayes was referring to Dunlop’s dual-compound KR451 (2662/7455) rear slick, which debuted last season and, like the DOT-approved D211 GP-A used in other classes, is built in Buffalo, New York. For many years, Dunlop’s racing tires were developed and manufactured in Birmingham, England. In practice, Hayes was forced to experiment. “I was getting into the last turn a little hot,” he said. “I didn’t want to give it up, so I leaned in a little harder. I realized, ‘Man, I haven’t been getting full lean out of this thing.’ If the tire is moving around and you’re not at full lean, what makes you think you can go to full lean? I need to figure out what I can get away with—what the tire will let me do and what it won’t let me do. I don’t want to find out the hard way.” Before the green flag dropped on Saturday, Hayes had already completed two race-distance runs on the new tire. Dunlop has been working on this transition for six years. Equipment upgrades at its Buffalo plant allow special construction processes, such as the ability to apply tread rubber in a way that allows the asymmetric KR451 to be run in either direction, depending on track layout. At Road America, which has four left-hand corners and 10 rights, silver paint applied to the left sidewall indicated the softer (2662) of the two compounds. At Daytona, both Buffalo- and U.K.-built tires were available. “Their Daytona tire was worlds ahead of the U.K. Daytona tire,” said Hayes. “By far, it was the best choice.” Although Hayes was on pole at Daytona, he suffered two non-tire-related mechanical DNFs. “Here, at Road America, the U.K. tire would be a better choice, but it’s not an option.” After Sunday’s Race 2 podium press conference, I told Hayes what I’d seen trackside—slide, slide, grip. “The tire isn’t slipping,” said Hayes. “It’s giving, pushing away from me. Not knowing if I could stay in the throttle or if I had to back off was a little tough.” For the second race, Herrin had lowered tire pressure. Hayes, meanwhile, went the opposite direction, hoping to stiffen the casing and reduce squat during acceleration. “Grip has not been an issue for me,” he said. “It’s how the bike reacts. Whatever it is—a pump or a slip, or slip and grip—the tire moves a lot. I wanted to stop that movement.” Cardenas and Herrin already have experience with Buffalo product. “Those guys rode on 600s with U.S. tires for two or three years before they jumped on SuperBikes,” said Hayes. “Now, we’re going to the U.S. tires. Based on their experience, maybe they’ve got better feel for how these tires act. All of us SuperBike guys are struggling, but those guys—Cardenas and Herrin—are riding pretty good.” Round 3 of the series will be held June 21-23 at Barber Motorsports Park. “I’m going to have to show up and see what it throws me,” said Hayes. “I’ll probably be the first one rolling out for practice. I’m going to go about my business as usual. It worked for me this weekend, even though it was close.”

New Rules: SuperBike World Championship Dorna takes control.

Kevin Cameron — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 16:36:13 +0000

FIM press release: The FIM, Dorna & MSMA are pleased to announce that a new framework for the Superbike Technical Rules has been obtained after many discussions between the parties involved. The new Superbike rules will be applied progressively, starting in 2014, in 3 stages. The aim was focused on the reduction of cost and to fix a maximum price for the motorcycle and its components, to be reduced in yearly in the next 3 years. The price of the motorcycle and its components will be much lower than today’s cost. Furthermore, a maximum number of engines for use by a rider during the complete season will be introduced. Items considered for cost limitation are suspension components, brakes and gearbox ratios. The constructors present in the FIM Superbike World Championship agreed to have a minimum number of motorcycles with the same state of tuning, available for sale or through lease. A draft of the new technical rules will be published soon. Last straw, we are told, was when the Superbike World Championship successfully ran a round of its series in Russia and then signed up India for a future event. Didn’t Infront, SBK’s owners, know that MotoGP had its eye on those venues? Shortly, the financial overlords of Dorna, the TV rights-holders for MotoGP, bought Infront. What next? Would Dorna gut its upstart competitor, thereby destroying a series loved by a large audience? While business is not the purely rational actor assumed in the idea of “efficient markets,” its respect for stockholders usually restrains suicidal impulses (setting aside the events of 2008). In the past, SBK has been intentionally managed to present highly competitive racing. Six manufacturers have remained in the series because technical rules have, in the words of series tech inspector Steve Whitelock, “given ’em what they need.” In SBK, if a make became uncompetitive—as Kawasaki, Suzuki and Aprilia did in MotoGP—they were given the means to become competitive. Two years ago, when Honda fell behind, it was permitted to deploy ride-by-wire and returned to competitiveness. If a team prepared to deploy a “destabilizing” technology, Whitelock would remind them of the likely response from companies A, D and H. He kept teams competitive while preventing an “arms race” of the kind we’ve seen in MotoGP. Why mess with success? Dorna seems concerned with SBK grid shrinkage and so seeks to cut the cost of equipment and number of engines that may be used by each rider per season. Last year, Aprilia was rumored to have used 28 engines to make Max Biaggi champion. In MotoGP, each rider gets five engines per season, and some teams furiously change engines in practice to use up the mileage of clapped-out “smokers” no longer good enough to race. Rules come and go, and this is what’s fashionable now, even though travel costs are by far the largest expense in racing. Why take three years to move to the lower-tech, lower-cost machines? First, compromise may have been necessary to keep existing teams in the series. If you’ve invested a lot in developing sophisticated Superbikes, you may not be thrilled by the prospect of racing warmed-over stockers that will never challenge existing lap records. Second, making smaller changes over three years may make it easier to maintain competitiveness among the teams. Last item mentioned in the release is a requirement that production racers “with the same state of tuning” as factory Superbikes be offered for lease or sale. The rich irony is that many people enjoy World Superbike more than they do MotoGP. Now, MotoGP’s management proposes to improve SBK. Doctor, heal thyself.

Champions Past And Present: Freddie Spencer Meets Marc Marquez (Video) Grand Prix racing greats answer questions, swap stories.

Matthew Miles — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 18:20:59 +0000

Alpinestars hosted three-time world champion Freddie Spencer and current MotoGP sensation Marc Marquez last weekend at a motorcycle superstore in Bordeaux, France. The 51-year-old Spencer and 20-year-old Marquez met with fans, signed autographs and answered journalists’ questions. In April, at the inaugural Grand Prix of The Americas, in Austin, Texas, Marquez became the youngest-ever premier-class race winner, breaking Spencer’s record, which had stood for 31 years. Moto Journal’s Thomas Baujard and two-time World Supersport Champion Sebastien Charpentier conducted the attached interviews. Despite having competed in different eras on machinery poles apart, Spencer and Marquez discovered they had much in common. “Racing is racing,” said Spencer.

Listen to the interview here: » Freddie Spencer Meets Marc Marquez - Part I » Freddie Spencer Meets Marc Marquez - Part II

Check out photos from the event:

Steve Rapp Wins Vance & Hines XR1200 Race At Road America Suburban Motors Harley-Davidson rider arrives late, charges to front in Wisconsin.

Matthew Miles — Sat, 08 Jun 2013 23:37:50 +0000

Which AMA Pro Road Racing class pays the most for a win? The answer may surprise you: Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson. Purse for a single-race victory is $3750, roughly one-third more than in SuperBike, despite its “premier” standing. Daytona SportBike also pays $2500 for a win; the top SuperSport finisher is awarded $750. Exception is the Daytona season opener, which pays twice the usual rate for SuperSport, four times as much in SuperBike and $20K to the winner of the Daytona 200. At Road America, Round 2 of the series, veteran racer Steve Rapp missed early practice and qualifying, having arrived in Wisconsin on Saturday night. Rapp flew in from Dallas, where he was training to pilot a Swiss-made Pilatus PC-12 for SurfAir, a California-based membership airline. Previously, Rapp worked for GoJet, a regional commercial airline with whom he logged hundreds of flight hours in the co-pilot seat of a twin-turbofan Bombardier CRJ700. Ambient temperature on Sunday morning was 49 degrees Fahrenheit, 28 degrees colder than on Saturday afternoon, when reigning XR class champ Michael Barnes led Qualifying 1 with a 2:37.4, three-quarters of a second ahead of second-place Ben Carlson. In the cooler conditions, the best Barnes could manage around the 4.05-mile road course was a 2:45.4 before crashing out of the session unhurt. Rapp, meanwhile, led the way with a 2:38.3, a full two seconds quicker than Carlson and good for a front-row start. “These bikes are pretty finicky,” said Rapp about the unfaired, broad-handlebar XR1200. “If you get them set up right, you can ride them pretty well. They move around. At first, it’s alarming; it feels like something’s wrong. But you get used to it after a while.” Rapp finished second to Chris Fillmore in the championship in 2011. Rapp was credited with leading all six laps of the race, which he won uncontested by more than four seconds. Rapp’s Suburban Motors Harley-Davidson teammate, Carlson, finished second. Points-leader Barnes was third. I watched the trophy presentation with class-namesake Terry Vance and his twin sons. “Barney is good,” said the hall-of-fame drag racer, “but Steve is a pro.” After the post-race press conference, Rapp changed into street clothes and rushed to Milwaukee, where, less than 24 hours after he arrived, he caught a flight back to Dallas—a good day’s work. Despite an ECU-related DNF at the season opener in Daytona, Rapp hopes to earn a spot in the end-of-season $60,000 “XR Showdown,” a special end-of-year points fund open to the top 10 points-scorers from the first five races of the season. The rider with the most points at the end of the year takes home the title and $25,000 in prize money, with the remaining $35K paid out to second through 10th overall.

2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 14 Daily photo update from The Island.

Kevin Warren — Sat, 08 Jun 2013 06:00:29 +0000

Wow! What more can I say? The 2013 Isle of Man TT closed out today with James Hillier getting his first win and John McGuinness scoring his 20th TT victory while ending Michael Dunlop’s four-race win streak. As a journalist, I should remain impartial, but I have to confess that after meeting James Hillier at the NorthWest 200 last year, we have become friends. In fact, last night, I treated Hillier to dinner, which gave me the chance to get to know the number-one plate-holder better as a person and not just a racer with a camera lens stuffed in his face. This morning, when Hillier won the three-lap Lightweight race, setting a new class lap record in the process, I was excited for him. The Senior TT didn’t get off to a great start. With the contenders already out on course, newcomer Jonathan Howarth lost control of his bike going down Bray Hill. The machine disintegrated upon impact, and parts of the bike flew into the crowd. Eleven people, including Howarth, went to the hospital. Thankfully, no one died. After the restart, McGuinness battled Hillier, followed by Dunlop and Bruce Anstey. By the end of the race, Hillier slipped from second to fourth, missing out on a podium to Anstey by a tenth of second. Think about that TT fans: 218 miles of racing on public roads and the difference at the end was a fraction of a second. As the ferries fill up with visitors leaving The Island, I must thank all of my friends, from the course marshals and shop owners to the bar keep who takes care of me every year. My recommendation? Do whatever necessary to experience this great race at least once in your life. You won’t be disappointed. Kevin Warren is a freelance photographer living in Atlanta, Georgia. To see more of his work, go to his website, http://www.digitalpressimages.com.

More from the Isle of Man TT:

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2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 13 Daily photo update from the Isle of Man.

Kevin Warren — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 02:13:39 +0000

It’s the night before Christmas and all through the house not a... oops, let’s start over. It’s the night before the Senior TT and all across The Isle, race fans are excited and racers are anxious. Nothing more can be done. No further preparations can be made. It’s time to put it all on the line. Will Michael Dunlop come across the line first and sweep the TT? This year, the racing has been amazing, albeit with one oddity: John McGuinness hasn’t stood atop the podium. Many expected the living legend to win his 20th TT, something he didn’t have the chance to do last year, when poor weather conditions prompted the unprecedented cancellation of the Senior TT. Thus far this year, however, the best McGuinness has finished is second. If you’ve been watching the television coverage at home, the Senior TT should be a cracker. If you haven’t been watching, well, make sure you tune in. You’ll get a broad perspective of the race; I see only the action in bits and bobs from whatever location I happen to be shooting. Come to think of it, I’m feeling a bit anxious myself. Kevin Warren is a freelance photographer living in Atlanta, Georgia. To see more of his work, go to his website, http://www.digitalpressimages.com.

More from the Isle of Man TT:

• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 14	» 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 13
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Meet The Boss: Ducati Corse’s Bernhard Gobmeier

Kevin Cameron — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 18:00:56 +0000

A year ago, BMW World Superbike rider Marco Melandri indicated his conviction that motorcycle development cannot be exclusively directed by data, as is Formula 1. Because a good lap time on a motorcycle is so strongly dependent on rider confidence, all development must be rider-centered. “There are always two sides of the medallion,” said Bernhard Gobmeier, who worked with Melandri at BMW and now manages Ducati’s MotoGP program. “I agree 100 percent with Melandri—or with Andrea Dovizioso, in our case. At the end, certain things we don’t see in the data.” Gobmeier went on to say that if a rider’s lap time is a second away from the front, if technology can make up half the difference and gives the rider greater confidence at the same time, that confidence can make up the other half second by “unlocking” the rider’s skill. You can ride faster when you no longer feel that your motorcycle is trying to hurt you! Then, Gobmeier pointed out that there is value in data’s ability to provide statistics, from which trends of improvement can be derived, as he put it, “where you have to go.” We have already seen progress under Gobmeier’s leadership, identifying those trends of improvement and following them to their peaks. “Last year, all the riders were complaining that they don’t feel what is happening,” said Gobmeier. “We have improved it. I wouldn’t say we are perfect; we are still working on it.”

Ducati Team's Andrea Dovizioso

A conventional twin-beam aluminum chassis with built-in lateral flexibility has taken the place of Ducati’s revolutionary “black pyramid” of 2009. The carbon-fiber frame joined the steering head to the engine’s cylinder heads in Vincent fashion and doubled as the intake airbox. That concept, created to eliminate the uncertainty of the previous trellis frame, was so rigid that factory rider Casey Stoner could not gauge how close the front tire was to the traction limit. During the three years after his 2007 MotoGP championship, Stoner won fewer races and lost the front end without warning more times. There were other changes beside the frame; Stoner’s championship was won on Bridgestone tires designed specifically for the Ducati, not the same-for-everybody-spec Japanese rubber of recent years. “We have to adapt the bike to this specific tire configuration, which is very hard,” said Gobmeier. “Normally, the issues that we have [mid-corner understeer], Bridgestone could solve in two weeks. Easily. With no problem.” Sadly, the spec-tire rule prohibits the production of Ducati tires for Ducatis, Honda tires for Hondas. One tire for all. “We’re spending,” said Gobmeier, “let’s say, a hundred times the money, a thousand times the money, in order to fix what they could fix at no cost within two weeks.”

Nicky Hayden and Bernhard Gobmeier

Speaking of the twin-beam aluminum chassis, he said, “We are still at the beginning of the learning curve with this [chassis type]. Honda and Yamaha are experimenting and learning with this type of frame and material for more than 20 years. We try to learn as quickly as possible to catch up.” We have already seen results: The factory Ducatis of Dovizioso and Nicky Hayden are faster in practice and must now become faster also over race distance. Gobmeier successfully tackled very similar problems during his years with the BMW World Superbike program. “What I must say is the work environment at Ducati is... a good atmosphere among the people,” he said. “Everybody’s motivated and really pushing forward.” Gobmeier emphasized that Audi is not trying to micromanage the program. “They don’t get involved in the daily business,” he said. “In general, the two-wheel expertise is within Ducati.” Independent sources say that motorcycle vehicle-dynamics modeling is still far from being predictive science. Gobmeier seems to agree. “This model has limits,” he said. “In a car, much easier. On a motorcycle, the physics are much more complicated. And some things you find not similar. When you come to certain limits, you always have to update the model with the reality. When you don’t do that, you get lost.” Gobmeier’s continuing task is to organize Ducati’s process of finding its way back to the front in MotoGP.

2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 12 Daily photo update from the Isle of Man.

Kevin Warren — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 02:41:46 +0000

With the fortnight nearly complete on the Isle of Man, the weather is no longer the news; it’s the racing and records being broken. Before the start of the TT Zero race this morning, John McGuinness was looking to take the victory on the Mugen Shinden and end Michael Rutter’s three-race win streak. Indeed, McGuinness held the lead by several seconds as the race was nearing its conclusion. In the end, however, Rutter and MotoCzysz took top honors again, albeit by just 1.6 seconds, due in part to the top speed of McGuinness’ bike being limited to 122 mph. In the winner’s circle, a usually jovial McGuinness told the media that, if he and Rutter been on the same bikes, the outcome would have been different. Next up for the two-wheel crowd was Supersport Race 2. Michael Dunlop got his fourth victory of the week and another TT lap record. Will Dunlop match Ian Hutchinson’s sweep from four years ago? Time will tell, but if Dunlop has his way, on Friday, he’ll once again be standing atop the podium on Glencrutchery Road. Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be part of a team that consists of ultra-competitive racers like McGuinness, Rutter and Dunlop? Well, it’s kind of like a great night on the town with your best buddies, with lots of good-natured ribbing, of course. Kevin Warren is a freelance photographer living in Atlanta, Georgia. To see more of his work, go to his website, http://www.digitalpressimages.com.

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Alpinestars Airbag Protects Spanish Star Repsol Honda’s Marc Marquez survives 210-mph MotoGP crash.

Kevin Cameron — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 12:39:01 +0000

Marc Marquez crashed at 209.9 mph during practice for last weekend’s Italian GP at Mugello, but the Repsol Honda rider was medically cleared to ride the event, which he did. How could Marquez be so lucky? Part of his “luck” was the performance of the Alpinestars Tech Air Race suit, which detected the crash and, within 50 milliseconds, deployed airbag protection for his shoulders and back, reaching full inflation 30 milliseconds before Marquez’s first impact with the pavement. The presence of the inflated airbags spreads crash impact force over a wider area, preventing the extreme concentration of force that breaks human bones. For some time now, we have seen Alpinestars-supported riders walking into press briefings with mysterious “Spaceman Spiff” LED displays on their left forearms. These are the status lights for their airbag suits. The system includes a data logger, which reported eight separate g spikes—the highest of which was 25 gs—during Marquez’s 4.25-second crash.

Click image to zoom

The control technology behind this system is its crash-detection algorithms and multiple safety systems. In years of data gathering, the pattern of events leading to a crash was identified from masses of sensor output. Derived from this, activation criteria were then used to trigger inflation. To prevent inappropriate inflation (the rider bumps a doorframe with his shoulder or tosses the suit over a chair back), three other criteria must be met: 1) The suit must be switched on; 2) the main zipper must be done up; and 3) the rider must be in motion on a motorcycle. Data is taken from five sensors at a rate of 500 times per second, and the computer/data logger in the suit’s camelback scans this for the pattern that predicts a crash. The system’s battery provides eight hours of operation and recharges in the same manner as mobile phones.

Click image to zoom

Accordion-pleated areas of the suit accommodate bag inflation, which persists for five seconds. This suit carries a “dual-charge system,” which continues to protect a rider who crashes and is then able to remount and continue. In 20-25 seconds, the suit returns to its normal shape, and the system resets in 60 seconds. This program began in 2001, activation criteria were identified in 2003 and John Hopkins became the first user at the German GP that year. Casey Stoner used the technology in his first championship year, 2007, and Alpinestars improved the electronics and achieved a “detailed electronic picture of the dynamic force involved in riding, and, most importantly, crashing, a motorcycle.” In 2011, all Alpinestars-supported MotoGP riders began wearing the Tech Air Race suit. Marquez’s survival of this tremendous crash has stimulated discussion of making such airbag suits mandatory in the series.

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2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 11 Daily photo update from The Island.

Kevin Warren — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 03:32:35 +0000

Time flies when you’re having fun! Today marks the first day since I arrived on The Isle that we haven’t had any practice or racing. Ah, a day to sleep in, ride the beautiful byways and visit the grandstand to see some friends. Today’s photos show some rolling hills and a couple old girls with whom I had the chance to speak. Actually, it was a group of cows, but getting bovines to relax when you’re wearing a lime-colored jacket takes some convincing. Nothing works better than a calm voice. This evening, I managed to get a table at the famous Paparazzi pizza joint on the promenade, where, if you’re lucky, you’ll spot some of the TT racers sitting with family and friends over honest Italian food. The owners have been on The Isle 17 years, using only authentic ingredients shipped from their homeland. The RAF Red Arrows acrobatic flight squadron also put on a display tonight over Douglas Harbor. As for the rest of the week, three races remain, including the Senior TT. Stay tuned. Kevin Warren is a freelance photographer living in Atlanta, Georgia. To see more of his work, go to his website, http://www.digitalpressimages.com.

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• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 14	• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 13
• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 12	» 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 11	• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 10
• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 9	• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 8	• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 7
• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 6	• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 5	• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 4
• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 3	• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 2	• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 1

2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 10 Daily photo update from The Island.

Kevin Warren — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 05:07:58 +0000

Michael Dunlop’s hat trick is the big story this year at the Isle of Man. Three races entered, three race wins: Superbike, Supersport and Superstock. Is the late, great Joey Dunlop looking down from above and sharing his Mountain Course insights with his nephew? If you ask me, part of Dunlop’s calm confidence this year stems from the considerable support he’s received from the Honda TT Legends team. My day also involved some risk versus reward, specifically how and where I was going to shoot the racing. I walked into a rancher’s cattle field, climbed over a barbed-wire fence and onto an 18-inch-wide strip of grass atop a 10-foot-tall stone wall overlooking the course. As you can see from the accompanying photo of Dunlop, the racers were passing just below me. Speaking of risk versus reward, in the Superstock race, Cameron Donald returned to the pits after just two laps, unhappy with the handling of his bike and the way it was tossing him around. Josh Brookes also had bike issues and spent a long time in the pits, even crawling around on his hands and knees, before he once again ventured onto the course. That’s something that just about anyone who has ever ridden a motorcycle can appreciate. Kevin Warren is a freelance photographer living in Atlanta, Georgia. To see more of his work, go to his website, http://www.digitalpressimages.com.

More from the Isle of Man TT:

• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 14	• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 13
• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 12	• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 11	» 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 10
• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 9	• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 8	• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 7
• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 6	• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 5	• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 4
• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 3	• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 2	• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 1

Mugello MotoGP Wrap-Up Yamaha’s Jorge Lorenzo wins in Italy.

Kevin Cameron — Mon, 03 Jun 2013 16:19:34 +0000

Yamaha and Honda are locked in a game of who’s got grip. Back and forth, the results have tilted, as first one, then the other, has an ever-so-slight advantage, usually in marginal conditions. Practice at Mugello began wet, with MotoGP rookie Marc Marquez doing his job, studying hard and coming out on top. In the afternoon, the track dried, and the Yamahas of Jorge Lorenzo, Valentino Rossi and Cal Crutchlow were one, two and three, with Nicky Hayden fourth on a Ducati and Marquez’s Repsol Honda teammate, Dani Pedrosa, fifth. “Today’s practice wasn’t that good for us,” said Pedrosa. “We had lacked rear traction, and the bike wasn’t at its best because of that. We also didn’t have a great feeling with the tires.” No one rests. Everyone works constantly to refine setup, so qualifying’s shocker was that, on his very last lap, Pedrosa snatched pole from Lorenzo. Track temperature had been a moderate 75 degrees Fahrenheit in the morning, but for qualifying, it rose to 110, putting an end to whatever marginal condition was limiting Pedrosa’s grip. “Track conditions were good,” said the Spaniard, “the tires worked well, and we improved the bike.” Pedrosa was annoyed by several “lampreys,” slower riders who hoped to improve their positions by clamping onto him, drafting so closely that they impeded his qualifying effort. Lorenzo noted what has been so evident this season: As track temperature rises, his corner-speed riding style loses some of its power. “We still suffer a little bit when the weather is hotter,” he said. “We don’t have the same grip.” “All the Honda riders have a better pace thanks to the better temperature of the asphalt,” added fifth-place-qualifier Stefan Bradl. Ducati’s march back to competitiveness put Andrea Dovizioso third on the starting grid. The Italian is a realist. “We worked really well this morning, improving the setup a little,” he said, “and I was pretty fast this afternoon. But when the tires wear a little, our pace isn’t good enough to fight for the podium.” “I haven’t been able to get the grip I need to make the bike turn,” added Hayden. “Both ends are moving around a bit at the apex, and I’m getting pumping on the exit.” Pramac Ducati rider Andrea Iannone agreed. “As long as the tires are new,” he said, “I manage to go fast enough, and I feel good with the bike. But after the first five laps, the back tire starts to lose its grip, especially in the very fast turns.” Ben Spies, also on Pramac Ducati, is not yet sufficiently recovered from his shoulder operation to ride. He withdrew from the race. Marquez crashed in every practice, including a tremendous get-off at near maximum speed. “Just after the hill on the straight, I grabbed for the brakes, but I closed the front,” he said. “I tried to save it, but the bike was pulling me toward the wall, so I jumped from the bike to avoid hitting it.” There were many other fallers. Crutchlow tipped over in the last five minutes of qualifying but ran back to the garage for his “B” bike and did a lap that put him fourth on the grid. Unstoppable Cal! Dovizioso crashed, as well, hurting his neck. “I can’t tilt my head back,” he said, “so I’m not able to look ahead when I’m tucked on the straightaway or turn my head in the middle of the corners.” Rain was predicted for Sunday, but it didn’t come. In the cool morning warm-up, the order was Lorenzo, Crutchlow and Marquez, but the day heated up, taking track temperature to 105-110 degrees. Would this be too hot for ”Lorenzo’s Way”? Hot enough to put the Honda men on top? At the flag, it was even-steven, with Lorenzo getting past a fast-starting but wide-running Pedrosa at the second corner then being closely dogged by him and the battered yet remarkably fast Marquez. Round and round they went, nerve-wrackingly close together. No mistakes. But change was coming. Marquez, the high roller, took a shot at Pedrosa near the end and got past only to crash—his fourth fall of the weekend. He was out. At the end, Lorenzo led Pedrosa by 5.4 seconds. “The key of the race was in the middle, where I improved my riding,” said Lorenzo. “I was able to brake later with less fuel in the tank, so I was able to improve the lap time by two tenths. From this moment, Dani gave up a little pace, and I could get away and win the race, more or less like last year.” Mr. Consistency. Crutchlow was third, with Bradl, Dovizioso and Hayden fourth, fifth and sixth. And Rossi? After leading most of FP2, he was clearly on his way to a top finish, but on the first lap, he tangled with Alvaro Bautista, putting both out of the race. “In general, this was a difficult weekend,” summed up Pedrosa. “The back tire was giving me a lot of problems with grip, but taking 20 points from this race and maintaining the lead in the World Championship is something positive.” Who will have that elusive 0.1 percent grip advantage next time?

2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 9 Daily photo update from The Island.

Kevin Warren — Mon, 03 Jun 2013 02:19:32 +0000

Today’s Superbike race at the Isle of Man was delayed by a streetbike accident at Brandywell. Apparently, The Island’s aggressive “Respect our Roads” campaign has had little impact on tourists, some of whom think they, too, are racing. Highlights of the race? Lead changes, a legend penalized for a pit-lane speed violation and, eventually, a Honda sweep. After the first lap, Michael Dunlop was in front, and he never looked back, taking his fourth TT victory on the 30th anniversary of his Uncle Joey’s first win. Bearded Australian plumber Cameron Donald was second on a Wilson Craig Honda. Dunlop’s teammate, 19-time TT-winner John McGuinness, riding a Joey Dunlop-commemorative CBR1000RR, was third, despite incurring a 60-second pit-lane-speed penalty during one of his two stops. In closing, I’d like to acknowledge Antonio Maeso, a photo of whom can be seen on my Day 7 blog. The Spanish rider hit a stone wall going through the Verandah section of the course, breaking his femur and shattering his knee cap. He underwent surgery at Nobles Hospital and will be okay. Kevin Warren is a freelance photographer living in Atlanta, Georgia. To see more of his work, go to his website, http://www.digitalpressimages.com.

More from the Isle of Man TT:

• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 14	• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 13
• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 12	• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 11	• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 10
» 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 9	• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 8	• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 7
• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 6	• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 5	• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 4
• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 3	• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 2	• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 1

2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 7 Daily photo update from The Island.

Kevin Warren — Sat, 01 Jun 2013 05:00:19 +0000

Well, it’s finally here: the last night of practice for the 2013 Isle of Man TT. If you’ve been following this blog, you know we’ve experienced rain, sun, wind—all at the wrong times for racing—and, tonight, a fire. I’m not a religious man, so I can only assume that if you’re reading this, the sun has once again risen wherever you are. Just as practice was about to begin this evening, while everyone was waiting for the call of “bike on course,” race control announced that, due to a house fire in the village of Kirk Michael, the roads were closed to allow emergency-vehicle access to the residence. What?! After clouds and rain on the mountain this afternoon, the skies were finally clear, and I was certain that I’d get a chance to shoot bikes racing past ivy-covered stone walls. By the time practice actually started, however, the sun has already dropped, leaving nothing but shadows. As a result, the Superbike race has been pushed back to Sunday, giving the racers competing in that class more practice and bike-setup time. Tomorrow, I plan to jump on my borrowed Honda Varadero to shoot a variety of bikes-on-course images from different locations around The Island. Fingers crossed for good weather and no more fires! Kevin Warren is a freelance photographer living in Atlanta, Georgia. To see more of his work, go to his website, http://www.digitalpressimages.com.

More from the Isle of Man TT:

• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 14	• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 13
• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 12	• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 11	• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 10
• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 9	• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 8	» 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 7
• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 6	• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 5	• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 4
• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 3	• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 2	• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 1

2013 Isle of Man TT Day 6 Daily photo update from The Island.

Kevin Warren — Fri, 31 May 2013 03:44:44 +0000

Sunshine finally arrived on the Isle of Man and, with it, an evening of timed practice for this year’s TT races. As I headed off to Sarah’s Cottage to shoot some wheels-up action, I saw dark clouds and mist. Wanting nothing to do with another night of low light and bad weather, I turned around and rode toward the top of the mountain for a better view. Indeed, looking toward the west side of The Island, I saw plenty of ugliness. So, I made a beeline across the top of the mountain, past fields of grazing sheep, toward my old friend, Dick Hodge, and his marshal crew at Brandywell. There, I was greeted by sunshine and the usual cold wind. I crossed the course, jumped a barbed-wire fence and took my position. I was soon smiling from ear to ear; good photos still give me goose bumps. Everything was fine until the sidecars got rolling. Close to the end of their session, radio control reported red flags on the course. After sector-chief Hodge gave me the okay to cross, I rushed back down the mountain to retrieve my laptop before they locked the doors of the media center at 10 p.m. I made it with five minutes to spare. Just another day at the Isle of Man TT. Kevin Warren is a freelance photographer living in Atlanta, Georgia. To see more of his work, go to his website, http://www.digitalpressimages.com.

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• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 14	• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 13
• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 12	• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 11	• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 10
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» 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 6	• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 5	• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 4
• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 3	• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 2	• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 1

2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 5 Daily photo update from The Island.

Kevin Warren — Thu, 30 May 2013 04:03:39 +0000

Every race fan should experience sunrise on the Irish Sea, just as I did this morning at the Isle of Man. Watching those same skies turn dark late in the afternoon, however, was like a curse from the racing gods. As rain began to fall, my heart sank; I’m here to photograph the world’s best real road racers. Practice was delayed until 7:15 p.m. Race control announced that yellow flags would fly between Milntown Cottage and the end of the Mountain Mile. Yoshinari Matsushita was killed in similar conditions three nights ago. Later, I asked American Brandon Cretu what he got out of the session. “It was a chance to make laps on my bike and gain track knowledge,” he said. “We had an issue with the brakes and throttle, so it was good to get that stuff sorted out. Was it safe? No.” As I walked away, I heard Cretu ask his crew if he could ride the course at sunrise. That is a dedicated real road racer. Good night from a deserted grandstand on Glencrutchery Road. Kevin Warren is a freelance photographer living in Atlanta, Georgia. To see more of his work, go to his website, http://www.digitalpressimages.com.

More from the Isle of Man TT:

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• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 6	» 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 5	• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 4
• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 3	• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 2	• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 1

2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 4 Daily photo update from The Island.

Kevin Warren — Tue, 28 May 2013 22:06:06 +0000

Hello again from the Isle of Man. A beautiful day of sunshine and puffy clouds gave way to rain this evening, resulting in the cancellation of practice. With just three sessions left before racing is scheduled to begin, TT newcomers and less-experienced racers desperately need more laps at speed around the 37.5-mile circuit. I, too, am getting antsy to see some racing action, albeit through the lens of my camera. Lucky Manx children took field trips to the TT paddock today. In this annual event for local schools, race staffers give tours, and competitors autograph team swag for the kids. The future of the TT should be bright as the youngsters’ enthusiasm was overwhelming. Another important part of a strong racing future goes beyond the racers and into the pits, where the mechanics responsible for making the bikes go fast—safely—work. Without passionate, well-trained teams supporting the racers, we wouldn’t have any racing. Tune in tomorrow for promised sunshine and, hopefully, more practice for the 2013 Isle of Man TT. Kevin Warren is a freelance photographer living in Atlanta, Georgia. To see more of his work, go to his website, http://www.digitalpressimages.com.

More from the Isle of Man TT:

• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 14	• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 13
• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 12	• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 11	• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 10
• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 9	• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 8	• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 7
• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 6	• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 5	» 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 4
• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 3	• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 2	• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 1

2013 Isle of Man TT Day 3 Daily photo update from The Island.

Kevin Warren — Tue, 28 May 2013 03:50:18 +0000

The weather on the Irish Sea can be a fickle beast, and today was a perfect example. Rain, wind and cold air were the rule until late in the afternoon when the skies cleared enough for practice to begin. A disabled tour bus further delayed practice until 6:50 p.m.

Due to fog, the race course was a mixed bag of wet patches and limited visibility on the mountain section. Practice gave riders a chance to familiarize themselves with the course at a slower-than-race pace.

On a somber note, 43-year-old Japanese rider Yoshinari Matsushita lost his life due to injuries suffered in a practice-ending crash. Earlier in the day, I’d made a few photos of Yoshi as he was setting up his Tyco Suzuki GSX-R600, making sure the handlebars and seat were comfortable for him.

Good night and safe riding.

Kevin Warren is a freelance photographer living in Atlanta, Georgia. To see more of his work, go to his website, www.digitalpressimages.com.

More from the Isle of Man TT:

• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 14	• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 13
• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 12	• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 11	• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 10
• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 9	• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 8	• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 7
• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 6	• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 5	• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 4
» 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 3	• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 2	• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 1

2013 Isle of Man TT Day 2 Daily photo update from The Island.

Kevin Warren — Mon, 27 May 2013 05:16:56 +0000

What do you do on a non-racing day at the Isle of Man? You can take a walk along the beach at low tide or ride a motorcycle around The Island. The towns are quite quaint, if you like that sort of thing. The railways are another big draw, particularly the Manx Electric Railway. When you’re done riding, you can stop at the famous Creg-Ny-Baa pub for a pint.

If you’re a racer, the pits are most likely where you’ll be found. There is always something to do: meeting with your helmet tech (John McGuinness) or relaxing with your mates after prepping pit setup (Michael Dunlop). American Brandon Cretu arrived late today with his gearbags to meet his ride for this year’s campaign, an ex-Gary Johnson Honda CBR1000RR.

Today’s update is brief because practice begins tomorrow. It’s important for racers, fans and even photographers to get a good night’s rest. Cross your fingers that the forecasted showers don’t materialize. We need to see some real road racing.

Kevin Warren is a freelance photographer living in Atlanta, Georgia. To see more of his work, go to his website, www.digitalpressimages.com.

More from the Isle of Man TT:

• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 14	• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 13
• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 12	• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 11	• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 10
• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 9	• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 8	• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 7
• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 6	• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 5	• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 4
• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 3	» 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 2	• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 1

2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 1 Daily photo update from The Island.

Kevin Warren — Sun, 26 May 2013 04:41:39 +0000

Welcome to the 2013 Isle of Man TT. It’s a beautiful sunny day on the Irish Sea, and tonight’s first practice should be some pretty good craic for all involved. Every year, the “newcomers” are real story of first practice at the TT. These are the riders wearing the orange bibs who are competing for the first time on the infamous 37.75-mile mountain course. The risk accepted by race participants is well-known, and while the newcomers have studied the videos, lapped the course on bikes or in cars, nothing has prepared them for their first blast down Glencrutchery Road and their first official lap of the course at speed. This year, we will see the first Chinese-made motorcycle, a 650cc Twin, competing at the TT. Gary Johnson will pilot a ValMoto MV Agusta F3 675 in Supersport, and Michael Dunlop will take Johnson’s place on the Honda TT Legends team alongside the legend himself, John McGuinness. So, sit back, relax and enjoy the photos. We will be posting daily galleries from The Island, along with a short news update for fans following this legendary event in the U.S. and around the world. Kevin Warren is a freelance photographer living in Atlanta, Georgia. To see more of his work, go to his website, www.digitalpressimages.com.

More from the Isle of Man TT:

• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 14	• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 13
• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 12	• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 11	• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 10
• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 9	• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 8	• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 7
• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 6	• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 5	• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 4
• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 3	• 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 2	» 2013 Isle Of Man TT Day 1

Wrist Injury Doesn’t Stop Nicky Hayden American Ducati MotoGP rider finished fifth in France.

Matthew Miles — Tue, 21 May 2013 16:16:18 +0000

Just four rounds into the 18-race 2013 MotoGP World Championship, Ducati factory rider Nicky Hayden is already talking about having surgery at the end of the season to remove a screw from his right wrist. Hayden has complained about pain in that joint for some time. After the Spanish GP in Jerez, the 31-year-old Kentuckian posted a photo on his Twitter feed showing both arms side-by-side. The right arm was visibly misshapen. “A lot of fans were asking, ‘How’s the wrist?’ So, I showed ’em,” said Hayden. “Plus, I wanted to make it clear this wasn’t something I was making up. There’s a chance we’ll have to take the screw out at the end of the year.” Hayden hyperextended his wrist exercising. “It was bothering me in Austin,” he admitted, referring to the second GP of the year, held at Circuit of The Americas. “When I got on the plane to come over to Europe, it really swelled up.” I asked Hayden if the injury had anything to do with his dramatic highside crash during qualifying at last year’s Indianapolis Grand Prix. He sat out that race with a concussion and two fractures in his right hand. “No,” he replied. “If anything, it could be related to Valencia a year and a half ago, that Turn 1 crash when [Alvaro] Bautista took out three of us. That’s when I first had to put a screw in the scaphoid.” Despite the pain, Hayden finished seventh in Spain, beating his teammate, Andrea Dovizioso, by 16 seconds. “Jerez was really tough,” he said, “but I’m glad that I was able to get through the weekend and get a result. I hope I don’t have to suffer like that again any time soon.” After Jerez, Hayden and Dovizioso tested at Mugello in Italy. “The Mugello test wasn’t easy, either,” said Hayden, “but it was worth doing. I think it will pay off when we go back for the race [in early June].” This past weekend at Le Mans, which Hayden calls “maybe my worst track; never had a podium, never had a front row,” the swelling had gone down significantly. Hayden qualified 10th and finished fifth, battling close to the front. Dovizioso qualified third-quickest, led and finished fourth. Post-race, Hayden hardly mentioned his wrist. “I really enjoyed the first 15 laps,” he said. “We know the Ducati is good in the rain, and when the track was wet, I had really good feeling. Unfortunately, when Valentino [Rossi] crashed, I picked it up and went straight to avoid him. I thought I could still recover the gap to Dovi and Cal, and then I ran off again. “Qualifying wasn’t great, but overall, we had pretty good pace this weekend. I’m really looking forward to Mugello—I love the track, I love the race, I love the country. I don’t know if it’s the best GP of the year, but it’s right up there. “We’ll regroup, get the hand even better and really go for it.”

Le Mans MotoGP Race Wrap-Up After back-to-back wins, Spanish Honda rider Dani Pedrosa takes over championship lead.

Kevin Cameron — Mon, 20 May 2013 21:30:20 +0000

In Northern Europe, the best-laid plans of MotoGP teams can always be washed away by rain. Current series champion Jorge Lorenzo said after practice at Le Mans that his main task was “to improve the bike to keep a more consistent pace. I think we’ve got it.” In dry qualifying, however, Repsol Honda’s Marc Marquez was first—his second pole in four races—by a bare .030 of a second over Lorenzo. The Yamaha rider had done a long run in practice, assuring himself he had overcome the rapid tire drop that had so quickly killed his speed at the previous round in Jerez, Spain. All bets were off Sunday because it rained. Some hail rain as “the great leveler,” but my view is that rain is a crapshoot. At Le Mans, lap times increased by 10 seconds in the wet. Some see rain as a contest of traction-management electronics. If so, Honda is clearly as strong in this area as Yamaha. Others see rain as a horsepower contest. Years ago, three-time 500cc World Champion Kenny Roberts said, “In the wet, everyone goes equally slow in the corners, so the bike with the most horsepower wins.” If true, that could explain Ducati’s past podiums at Le Mans, which is an accordion-folded dragstrip of short straights and tight corners. Marquez showed a special strength in finishing third behind race-winner Dani Pedrosa and Tech3 Yamaha’s Cal Crutchlow. At first Marquez floundered, spinning and sliding on the wet surface. “From the beginning, maybe I tried to push too much,” he said. “I did many, many mistakes and lost many seconds. But in the end, I started to get the feeling again, and I came back.” This was Marquez’s first time on a MotoGP bike at Le Mans and his first MotoGP rain race. Like a new side man, sitting in with a big-name band, he picked up the music as he played. Second in a MotoGP race is a great result for anyone, especially for a rider on a “second-level” lease bike. Is Crutchlow, who rode injured, desperate to keep his ride, amid rumors that Yamaha wants to replace him with 21-year-old Pol Espargaro, runner-up to Marquez last year in Moto2? We know Yamaha has tried to impose the Lorenzo corner-speed style on all its riders; this is part of the reason American Ben Spies left the team. Why? This season’s races have shown that Lorenzo’s corner-speed style does best in a fairly narrow temperature range—warm enough for grip (track temp on Sunday was 57 degrees), not hot enough to be slippery. So far this year, the Hondas and their riders have proved most versatile in varying conditions (Qatar was the exception). But to give Lorenzo his due, he has turned extreme consistency into a race-winning tool. How much of Honda’s strength is its riders’ styles, and how much is its greater R&D clout? If Yamaha disapproved of Spies’ Superbike style, how much more so must they disapprove of Crutchlow’s? Yet there was hard-braking, hard-riding Crutchlow in second, while lack of grip backed Lorenzo down to finish seventh. Does Yamaha prefer corner speed for reasons of lap time, tire life or fuel economy? We can only speculate, but it may be time for Yamaha to stack its chips on more than that one square. Andrea Dovizioso on the factory Ducati led from third on the grid and had a lively duel with Pedrosa. Progress! Some are seeing rough justice in Rossi’s fall out of fourth, remounting to see the Ducatis he left finish fourth (Dovizioso) and fifth (Nicky Hayden). But these are not the same bikes he rode last year and the year before; they are now evolving in a fresh direction under the new management of Bernhard Gobmeier. It’s great to see a Ducati leading again, because the more Honda succeeds, the more Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta will be tempted to switch MotoGP to a spec engine.

MotoGP: Jerez Wrap-Up Dani Pedrosa wins in Spain, but new championship-leader Marc Marquez writes the headlines.

Kevin Cameron — Mon, 06 May 2013 21:40:11 +0000

Well, what are we seeing? One popular theory is that MotoGP rookie phenomenon Marc Marquez has redefined everything, but clearly, his Repsol Honda teammate, Dani Pedrosa, has other plans, as the race finish this past weekend in Jerez, Spain, was Pedrosa, Marquez and Jorge Lorenzo (with Marquez dramatically bouncing off Lorenzo in the middle of the last corner on the final lap). Another theory is that the Hondas and Yamahas impose different styles on their riders, and what we are seeing is the interplay of this with the various racetracks—Lorenzo on top at the Losail Circuit in Qatar, Marquez the hero at Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas, and now, Pedrosa, master of Jerez. I remember Casey Stoner saying that he and Pedrosa ride a dirt-track-derived style and were forced into the corner-speed mold by the nature of the current Bridgestone tires, but that Lorenzo’s basic style is corner speed. I also remember Kenny Roberts’ two-pronged criticism of corner speed: 1) When using all your tire grip for turning, acceleration must be delayed; and 2) using corner speed, risk is high all the way through the corner, while point-and-shoot exposes the rider to limited grip for a much shorter time. And then, I thought of the plight of those who rode Honda’s NSR500V in 1997: That V-Twin had just enough power to be very fast, as long as its tires had grip enough to support a corner-speed style. If the tire faded or the track was slippery, they were sunk. In 2000, five-time 500cc World Champion Mick Doohan told me that corner speed was the faster style while the tire was young, but as grip faded, point-and-shoot became necessary. On Saturday, Pedrosa said, “We need to keep working on this in order to get the bike more stable, both on the entrance and exit of the corners. That would allow us to ride at a faster pace.” Late, hard braking, getting turned early, lifting the bike and getting quickly on throttle seemed to be working marginally less well than Lorenzo’s pole-setting round, smooth corner-speed style. Yet, there was Crutchlow, topping FP3 on a satellite Yamaha without being Mr. Corner Speed. This makes it seem that there is, after all, a place for the Superbike style in MotoGP. On Saturday and Sunday, high track temperatures reduced grip and accelerated tire fade. With less grip, Lorenzo’s corner speed was becoming a weaker play than the styles of Pedrosa and Marquez, who abruptly push their machines up when they apply throttle, putting the load on parts of the rear tire solidly backed by carcass structure and taking it off the flexible “shelf of rubber” that is the edge of the tire. After the race, Yamaha team director Massimo Meregalli said, “We ... worked as hard as we could to improve tire life. Unfortunately, we couldn’t get what we were looking for.” Stefan Bradl, who has yet to incorporate the lift-and-accelerate scheme into his riding, has to push his Honda harder on entry, and so he always has problems with front grip. At Jerez, he lost the front in Turn 9 on Lap 3 and was out. “Since the beginning of the race,” he said, “I could not push in the front, and this overall package did not suit my riding style.” Wilco Zeelenberg, Lorenzo’s team manager, said, “After five laps, the tire had already dropped a lot, and Jorge was missing apexes here and there.” This refers to the first downward “step” in tire properties that normally occurs during its life. The 115-degree-Fahrenheit track temperature was doing its work. Pedrosa acknowledged this, too. “I was able to ride the bike well,” he said, “even though it was difficult because the tires were really on the limit. I couldn’t push too hard because of that, so I had to ride carefully.” Fifth-place Crutchlow added, “With a full fuel tank, I could not stop the bike, and I had no grip, so I lost quite a bit of time in the early laps.” Dueling tire strategies. Advantage, Honda.