More "Training" Injuries

Valentino Rossi's career took a turn for the worse after injuries sustained during a motocross training session in 2010. This was followed by an horrific practice session crash at Mugello that resulted in a compound frature to his right leg. He recovered from the broken leg, but the shoulder injury plagued him right through the first half of the 2011 season. Last week Nicky Hayden suffered shoulder and rib injuries during a dirt track practice session.

On Thursday, Andrea Dovizioso broke his right collarbone during a motocross training session. He underwent surgery today and is expected to recover quickly. With three weeks to go before the Sepang test round, he could be back in shape in time to participate on his new Tech3 Yamaha M1. In 2011 Colin Edwards and Cal Crutchlow recovered quickly from simple collarbone breaks but both Rossi and Pedrosa were plagued with slow healing shoulders in the first half of the season. While these were more serious injuries, it's never good to start a new season with recent injuries no matter how quickly they heal. Maybe it's time the relatively small number of MotoGP riders consider some other way of staying in shape during the off season.

End of 16.5" Wheels for Superbikes

Pirelli has announced that tyres for the 2013 WSB and BSB series will be 17" and they will not be supplying 16.5" tyres. It would appear that this will reduce costs and increase revenue, since they'll be able to market their Superbike-spec tyres to serious trackday riders. It will be interesting to see if this has any noticeable effect on lap times since, in theory, the 16.5" tyres provide a larger contact patch at full lean. Probably not but we could very well see a few more mid-corner crashes this season.

Mid-winter Fix

Here's a great IOM TT slow motion video ... for best viewing, double-click, then watch full screen at 720p:

More Injuries for Hayden

After recovering from a broken scaphoid bone in his right wrist, Nicky Hayden crashed during a flat track session in Kentucky on Tuesday. This time it's a broken shoulder blade and two ribs on the left side, so it's not yet known whether he'll be fit for the January 31st training round in Sepang. "I came up behind another rider, and he went to move out of the way. I wasn’t going that fast, but he clipped my front wheel and I went down and landed pretty hard on my left shoulder, and that was it."

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