Revised MotoGP Schedule

8 April, Qatar* - Doha/Losail
29 April, Spain - Jerez de la Frontera
6 May, Portugal (STC) - Estoril
20 May, France - Le Mans
3 June, Catalunya - Catalunya
17 June, Great Britain - Silverstone
30 June, Netherlands** - Assen
8 July, Germany (STC) - Sachsenring
15 July, Italy - Mugello
29 July, United States*** - Laguna Seca
19 August, Indianapolis - Indianapolis
26 August, Czech Rep. - Brno
16 September, San Marino & Riviera di Rimini - Misano
30 September, Aragon - Motorland
14 October, Japan - Motegi
21 October, Malaysia - Sepang
28 October, Australia - Phillip Island
11 November, Valencia - Ricardo Tormo – Valencia

* Evening Race
** Saturday Race
*** Only MotoGP class
STC (Subject to the contract)

Death of a Stranger

I'm a guy, so I don't cry often. Even then it's usually a subtle, eyes-welling, choked moment when I can't talk. It's understandable that one would cry for a family member or close friend. Crying for someone you never met is a little different, especially if you're a guy. On December 8th, 1980 I was on the way to go night skiing after work when the news came over the car radio ... John Lennon was dead ... shot. That was the first time I cried for a stranger.

Over the years, it's happened a few times. Joey Dunlop. David Jefferies.

Now I can talk about the last time I cried for a stranger. On October 23rd I caught a glimpse of the MotoGP website homepage as I tried to get to the race video, a couple of hours after actual race time, without revealing the winner. The glimpse included a flash of white and red. Simoncelli. He's been one of the most exciting racers of the season, albeit a bit of a loose cannon. I was all prepared for his first MotoGP win. I was anticipating reckless, breathtaking passes and hard fought, close racing. I was excited for Marco.

Lap two, turn 11 at Sepang. Marco and Bautista had started an early duel, with Simoncelli in front. Pushing as hard as they were, that early in a race never bodes well. Tyres are up to temp, but bikes are still heavy with fuel. Simoncelli low-sides drifting to the outside of the right-hander, Bautista sneeks through on the inside. With Marco falling to the inside of the bike, possibly trying to save it, he ended up underneath, forcing the rear tyre back down onto the track, driving the bike back across the rack to the inside, directly in the paths of Colin Edwards and Valentino Rossi. Edwards hammered into Marco's back, neck and head, while Rossi added force by hitting Edwards, forcing Simoncelli under the full weight of his own bike and out the other side. His helmet popped out from under the bike.

I got that choked, heart-stopping feeling as soon as I saw the helmet and, with shock, instantly realized why Marco's picture had been on the MotoGP homepage. I knew right then that Marco Simoncelli, Super Sic, 58, was dead. Again I cried for a stranger.

2012 Provisional Schedules

MOTOGP

April 15 Qatar* - Doha/Losail
April 29 Spain (STC) - Jerez de la Frontera
May 6 Portugal (STC) - Estoril
May 20 France - Le Mans
June 3 Catalunya - Catalunya
June 17 Great Britain - Silverstone
June 30 Netherlands** - Assen
July 8 Germany (STC) - TBC
July 15 Italy - Mugello
July 29 United States*** - Laguna Seca
August 19 Indianapolis - Indianapolis
August 26 Czech Rep. - Brno
September 16 San Marino & Riviera di Rimini - Misano
September 30 Aragon - Motorland
October 14 Japan - Motegi
October 21 Malaysia - Sepang
October 28 Australia - Phillip Island
November 11 Valencia - Ricardo Tormo – Valencia

* Evening Race
** Saturday Race
*** Only MotoGP class
STC (Subject to the contract)
TBC (To be confirmed)

World Superbike

February 26 Phillip Island, Australia
March 4 TBA, TBA
April 1 TBA, Europe
April 22 Assen, Netherlands
May 6 Monza, Italy
May 13 Donington Park, Great Britain
May 28 Miller Motorsport Park, USA
June 10 Misano, San Marino
July 1 Motorland Aragon, Spain
July 22 Brno, Czech Republic
August 5 Silverstone, United Kingdom
August 26 Moscow Int’l Raceway, Russia
September 9 Nurburgring, Germany
October 7 Magny-Cours, France
October 21 Portimao, Portugal

TBA = To be announced.

Isle Of Man TT 2012

May 26 - 8 Jun

Rossi Gets His Podium Fix

This is kinda cool. Rossi and Dovizioso competed in the Monza Rally outside Milan this past weekend. The field of 97 included 8 WRC champions, 5 European Rally champions, one IRC Rally title holder, 11 Italian Rally champions, and 3 winners of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Sébastien Loeb, 8 times WRC champion won the three day, nine-stage event. Winner of 2 stages, 24 seconds behind the leader on accumulated time and second overall was ... Valentino Rossi! Awesome. Dovi finished 54th.

So How's It Going?

Well, if Ducati thought they were going to catch up with 1000cc between the wheels, they seem to be misguided. After completion of the second private test round at Valencia, the Honda RC213V is top of the heap, with fastest times by Pedrosa and Stoner. Fastest CRT (Claiming Rule Team) rider was Colin Edwards on the BMW-powered Suter team bike. Several factory riders were absent, notably Rossi and Dovizioso who are driving in the Simoncelli-themed Monza Rally and Nicky Hayden's recuperating from wrist surgery. For 2012 Randy DePuniet will be on the Aspar, Aprillia powered CRT bike. Times for the CRT bikes seem to be 10 seconds slower than the Hondas, so we may see two distinct classes going round the tracks. It's early yet.

What's a CRT you say? Well, the engines for these non-factory teams cannot be supplied by one of the big four factories (Yamaha, Honda, Ducati and Suzuki). They get 12 motors instead of 6 and 24 litres of fuel instead of 21. Any of the big four teams can claim and buy any CRT motor at the end of any race for €20,000 with transmission or €15,000 without. A maximum of four claims can be made against one CRT in any one racing season, and each factory team may not claim more than one engine per year from the same CRT. So now you know.

Next action is the 2012 Official Test at Sepang, 31 Jan - 02 Feb.

Let's Give This Another Go

For some reason, I got put off blogging about bike racing after watching the 2009 MotoGP at Indianapolis ... a real crap piece of track. The USA has many better tracks in the east, notably Barber. But, motivated by money rather than quality of racing, MotoGP has now had three years at Indy. So enough about that. I think I'll start blogging once again, just in time for the 2012, litre bike debut.

It's going to be interesting to see if Ducati can get their shit together. They've been held back by their innovative frameless 'chassis' (with limited ability to design in adequate flex) and 90 degree L motor (which puts the crankcase too far aft). The Desmosedici GP12 has had the carbon fibre headstock-airbox replaced with an aluminum version which is easier to machine-in flex. However, it's still a very rigid connection between headstock and engine. Rossi seems to like it, but so far in testing, he doesn't look significantly faster than he was before. It's just a bandaid solution that doesn't address the two main problems. Ducati seems to be betting on the power of their litre motor, but if I were them, I'd get over my emotional attachment to the frameless design and hallmark motor configuration.

Oh, and Indy is still a crap track.