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2006 Dakar Update 4

Day 11 - stage 10 - Tuesday 10 January 2006 Kiffa > Kayes (Mali) Connection 1 km, Special 283 km, Connection 49 km, Total 333 km   Due to the tragic accident of Andy Caldecott the Dakar organization decided that the day's stage was to be covered in liaison from start to finish for the bikes as a tribute to the unfortunate Australian rider. Instead of the 283 kilometer special, the day would not be timed for the riders. The cars and trucks were not excluded from competition and competed as planned. The neutralization for bikes offered Frétigné the opportunity to recover from the tragic event and the misfortune he experienced over the last few days.    Day 12 - stage 11 - Wednesday 11 January 2006 Kayes > Bamako (Mali) Connection 50 km, Special 231 km, Connection 424 km, Total 705 km   For the first time since 1996 the Dakar returned to the bush covered setting of Mali. On the first part of the 705 kilometer long stage in between forests and savannas, David Frértigné found a steady race pace, resulting in a seventh place on CP1 in pursue of race leaders Duclos (FRA) and Comas (ESP). On a steep stony ascent, Frétigné tumbled over, pulling the plug of his rear fuel tank. Unaware of this mishap, he switched to the last but emptied fuel tank 30 kilometers before arrival, leaving David stranded without fuel. Fortunately a helping hand from fellow Frenchman Michel Gau (KTM) gave Frétigné the opportunity to ride on and finish the day in 18th position.      Day 13 - stage 12 - Thursday 12 January 2006 Bamako > Labé (Guinea) Connection 197 km, Special 368 km, Connection 307 km, Total 872 km   A marathon stage from Bamako entering Guinea was an ideal setting for a specialized Enduro rider like Frétigné. David left Bamako in 18th position, riding the first part of the stage with fellow Yamaha riders Frans Verhoeven (NL) and Michel Marchini (FR), both on similar WR450F's. At CP1 Frétigné clocked a well deserved 12th time, leaving Verhoeven and Marchini behind on the last part of the special. Crossing the finish line in tenth position after this long stage was satisfying for David, resulting in the 18th position overall. Most importantly, since no assistance was available in the bivouac for all Dakar competitors, he brought in the bike without any significant damage.   Portuguese Yamaha rider Helder Rodrigues now defends Yamaha's honour as top WR450F rider. At 27 years of age and a coveted enduro specialist, just like David Frétigné, Rodrigues has all the qualities needed to tackle the most challenging Rally-raid races; experience, speed, technique and stamina.   Only 15 minutes behind 450cc class leader Alain Duclos and three days away from the finish in Dakar, Helder will have to do battle with Duclos for the 450cc class victory. Currently he is keeping ninth spot in the overall standings.     Overall standings after day 13 /stage 12   1. 002 COMA (ESP) KTM in 47h01:21 2. 001 DESPRES (FRA) KTM +32:39 3. 006 SALA (ITA) KTM +1h45:15 4. 009 BLAIS (USA) KTM +2h06:50 5. 004 DE GAVARDO (CHI) KTM +2h26:55 9. 055 RODRIGUES (POR) YAMAHA +4h12:28 18. 012 FRETIGNE (FRA) YAMAHA +8h42:57
Alex Asigno
Alex Asigno

Yamaha Denies Altadis' Wrongful Statements

On January 9, 2006 Altadis abruptly announced that it had initiated arbitration proceedings against Yamaha arising out of an alleged breach by Yamaha of the two companies' sponsorship agreement for Yamaha's factory racing team.  Yamaha would like to clarify several points in light of Altadis' wrongful statements.  First, Yamaha no longer has any sponsorship agreement with Altadis, as the previous sponsorship agreement was terminated in all respects for the 2006 season. Second, Yamaha strongly denies that it has ever breached its previous sponsorship agreement with Altadis.   Third, in the absence of any agreement in force between Altadis and Yamaha, there exists no legal obligation preventing Yamaha from contracting with a tobacco sponsor or any other sponsor for the 2006 season. Yamaha deplores the fact that Altadis' unreasonable actions have frustrated Yamaha's good-faith efforts to resolve this matter in an amicable fashion, and has seen fit to make its unmerited allegations in a public forum. To date, Yamaha has not been notified of any Request for Arbitration from Altadis. In any event, Yamaha will defend its rights vigorously, and reserves the rights to claim both pecuniary damages and declaratory relief with respect to the wrong and disparaging statements made by Altadis and the harm wilfully caused by its frivolous conduct, for the sake of Yamaha and all of its fans and supporters worldwide who continue to support and sustain the MotoGP sport and Yamaha's MotoGP factory racing team.
Alex Asigno
Alex Asigno

2006 Dakar Update 3

Day 7 - Friday 6 January 2006 Zouérat - Atâr (Mauritania) Connection 10 km, Special 499 km, Connection 12 km, Total 521 km A big dose of courage was needed to cover this special. Technically difficult as well as providing a tough test of navigation, the day's riding consisted of large dunes alternating with fast flat portions on treacherous ground - proving to be one of the toughest stages of the rally. Starting in reverse order, David managed setting sixth time on CP1 (checkpoint). Fellow Frenchman Gilles Algay, (Yamaha WR450F) surprised by setting the quickest time at CP1. After refilling the obligatory water and fuel at CP1, a high-speed crash at about 130 km/h ended David's ambitions of a top five ranking. Despite the shock and a severely damaged bike, he refused to activate the emergency flare and instead took off again, clocking the eighth time after the 499 km special. Frétigné arrived in Atâr leaving significant work for the mechanics and his physiotherapist. Considering the damage to the bike, eighth position overall could be considered a good result.    Day 8 - Saturday 7 January 2005 Atâr - Nouakchott Connection 34 km, Special 508 km, Connection 26 km, Total 568 km The last stage before the much desired rest day was even more difficult in terms of navigation then the previous one. Bothered by physical discomforts of two serious crashes from a day earlier, Frétigné took off for the 568 km of the eighth stage. In search of a waypoint masque Frétigné lost one and a half hours on the top five riders. After finally reaching CP2 for the necessary refilling, David clocked a 33rd time, ending in 12th position for the night. Day 9 - Sunday 8 January 2006 Rest day at bivouac Nouakchott Several bikers have been given 2-hour time penalties today for missing out on a way point (WPM) during day 8. Among the top riders who missed the GPS point was Frétigné who lost 4 positions in the overall standings because of that, now 16th. Day 10 - Monday 9 January 2005 Nouakchott - Kiffa Connection 30 km, Special 599 km, Connection 245 km, Total 874 km Day 10 of the Dakar saw the longest stage set within Mauritania and a harsh environment displayed by the tragic death of KTM rider Andy Caldecott. Frétigné set a 17th time on CP2 but had a serious crash at kilometre 200. This crash damaged the front end of his bike, breaking off the support brackets of his navigation instruments. Therefore the remaining 600 km of stage could only be driven at a 30 km/h pace. David had to stop many times for temporary repairs to the bike. This resulted in a disappointing 45th place for the day, setting him back to 19th position in overall standings. Portuguese Yamaha pilot Hélder Rodrigues had a better day setting a third place for the day and improving his standing on the leader board to ninth position. Overall standings after day 10/stage 9 1. 002 COMA (ESP) KTM en 38h49:15 2. 001 DESPRES (FRA) KTM +22:47 3. 006 SALA (ITA) KTM +53:04 4. 005 ULLEVALSETER (NOR) KTM +1h27:42 5. 004 DE GAVARDO (CHI) KTM +1h35:15 19. 012 FRETIGNE (FRA) YAMAHA+8:06:54
Alex Asigno
Alex Asigno

Yamaha Factory Racing joins forces with JTI and CAMEL

Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. announces the start of a new partnership with JT International (JTI), a subsidiary of Japan Tobacco Inc., whose brand CAMEL will become the new title sponsor of Yamaha's Factory MotoGP Team for 2006. The Yamaha Factory MotoGP Team, consisting of reigning-World Champion Valentino Rossi and his team-mate Colin Edwards, will be known as the "Camel Yamaha Team" in 2006. Managing Director of Yamaha Motor Racing Lin Jarvis commented "Yamaha is very excited to enter into this new partnership with JTI. JTI has been involved in motorsport at the highest level for many years and has been an active sponsor at the top level in the MotoGP class for the past three seasons. We look forward to working with JTI to enhance the respective images of our brands and to challenge together for victory, as Yamaha enters its "next 50 years" and aims to retain its MotoGP titles in 2006." "A new chapter in the history of Camel in motorsport is just beginning", commented Roberto Zanni, JTI's Regional President for Europe, "After three years of great satisfaction in the premier class of the World Road Racing Championship, we are today launching a new challenge for the title. Our new partnership with Yamaha, the historic, championship-winning Japanese manufacturer, will be highly motivating for us and it will be an honour to be by their side throughout the 2006 season. We share the same passion and desire for victory and, I am sure, success will not be long in coming." The Camel Yamaha Team will begin its 2006 campaign in Sepang, Malaysia with a three-day test on 23rd, 24th and 25th January.
Alex Asigno
Alex Asigno

2006 Dakar Update 2

Day 4 - Tuesday 3 January 2006 Er Rachida - Quarzazate (Morocco). Connection 56 km, Special 386 km, Connection 197 km, Total 639 km. Stage four of the Dakar 2006 event, from Er Rachidia to Quarzazate in Marocco, was to be another day covered in dust. Starting from 10th position, David Frétigné (Fra) needed all his physical strength and experience to overtake his opponents along the 86 km special stage. While the leaders set out first to navigate the route, the competitors that followed were able to make up ground with less navigation efforts, despite the dusty conditions. This second stage in Morocco was less technical than the previous one and was dominated by straights and sandy plates, not the ideal battle ground for David against the leading competitors with their bigger displacement bikes which have a higher top speed. Taking full advantage of the WR450F, Frétigné managed to end the day in 7th position, equalling his position on the provisional leader board.     Day 5 - Wednesday 4 January 2005 Quarzazate - Tan Tan (Morocco). Connection 187 km, Special 350 km, Connection 282 km, Total 819 km   A more technical stage from Quarzazate to Tan Tan (Morocco) was set out on the fifth day covering an impressive 819km in an ideal terrain to test the durability of the Yamaha WR450F Kit Afrique. It took Frétigné exactly 4 hours to cover the 350 km special, 13 minutes behind the day's fastest competitor Despres (Fra) before arriving in the bivouac in Tan Tan. The effort to keep up with the race leaders needed 100% dedication, especially because David suffered from a knee injury due to a fall earlier on in the stage.      This led to difficulties with operating the rear break and standing on the foot pegs during technical parts of the stage. Not being able to ride as he wanted, Frétigné was taking calculated risks to keep up with the race leaders and still ended 10th fastest for the day. With 7th place overall after the third day in Africa, David prepared for a short night having to leave the bivouac at 02:00 at night for stage six.
Day 6 - Thursday 5 January 2006 Tan Tan - Zouérat (Mauritania). Connection 336 km, Special 444 km, Connection 12 km, Total 792 km   Hampered by the injury of his knee, David Frétigné left the last Moroccan bivouac as 10th rider for a 792 km long stage. Entering Mauritania the landscape changed from fast tracks to the preferential setting for the light and manoeuvrable Yamaha WR450F; dunes and camel grass. David Frétigné confirmed the positive expectations by improving his position on the leader board to a 6th position overall.   David Frétigné (Yamaha WR450F Kit Afrique - Yamaha Motor France Ipone): "I slept only for three hours last night and today's stage was very long. The first 220 km didn't feel that good. On CP1 (Check Point) I clocked the 14th time, 7 minutes behind race leader Pujol (Spa) and Coma (Spa). After that it got very interesting with the appearance of the first real dunes and camel grass. I rode quite fast and navigation wasn't really a problem so I didn't follow the tracks of the leaders. I chose a different route and that worked out well. I made up three to four minutes by doing that and ended up in eight place for the day.   My knee injury improved during the day. Alex, my physiotherapist, had a busy night yesterday. I did a good deal of stretching and he worked on the ligaments. Thanks to his work and a good bondage I had a good day without too much pain. The bike functioned perfectly all throughout the stage.   Tomorrow the start will be inversed and it should be a positive day as well, leaving together with the race leaders. Knowing that Casteu and Despres had problems today, one can say the race is now really on! We'll be having some sleepless nights and more surprises will occur during the next three days. I have to remain vigilant and concentrated, but I don't really worry since I prepared myself well."   Overall standings after day 6 1. 2 COMA (ESP) KTM en 18h15:45 2. 1 DESPRES (FRA) KTM +3:43 3. 3 ESTEVE PUJOL (ESP) KTM +4:25 4. 4 DE GAVARDO (CHI) KTM +5:57 5. 10 CALDECOTT (AUS) KTM +27:43 6. 12 FRETIGNE (FRA) YAMAHA +34:28
Alex Asigno
Alex Asigno

2006 Dakar Update

In the first days of the 2006 Dakar David Frétigné positioned himself amongst the favorites for winning the grueling Rally event. 233 bikes started from Lissabon to Portimão for the first day. With the starting order inversed, meaning that the highest starting number would depart first, Frétigné carrying number 12 was one of the last riders to depart. He finished the day in sixth position being hampered by rainy conditions and some slower competitors ahead of him. Day two of the event introduced the longest special stage in Europe ever with a length of 115 Km, entering Spain over mountainous terrain to finish in the port of Malaga from where the caravan would make the cross over to Africa. Frétigné did not make the mistake to answer to the challenges of the local heroes from Portugal and Spain, who made an extra effort for home glory. Instead he rode a calculated and defensive race, bracing himself for treacherous African conditions, knowing that only there the race will be decided. He ended the day ninth overall. The third stage in 2006 Dakar from Nador to Er Rachidia introduced the first African terrain; stony tracks and Moroccan cliffs. The same route has appeared on the maps already three times earlier in the Dakar history but every time the course is laid out different. This meant there was little advantage for those who rode the rally previously, since the 'old' GPS navigation technique is replaced by a sole source of navigation; the road book. 237 km of liaison prior to the 314 km special stage followed again by a final 121 km of liaison completed the total of 672 km of the 3rd day. Leaving the first African bivouac at 5:30, David Frétigné (Yamaha WR450F Kit Afrique - Yamaha Team France Ipone), could not foresee the upcoming problems with the power supply of his road book. 100 km within the special, the power supply failed and the rider had to rely on his navigation skills. Focussing on the main objective of keeping in touch with the current leaders, the Yamaha pilot finished in 12th position, improving to 7th position overall on the provisional leader board. David Frétigné (Yamaha WR450F Kit Afrique - Yamaha Motor France Ipone): "Again a good day of riding and I wasn't intimidated by the fast pace of Caldecott (Aus). I started today's special at 9:20 and before CP1 (Check Point), problems occurred with the electrical supply for the road book. I tried to operate it by hand but it was too dangerous. I was glad that I could stay on the stage and the follow the route. The lack of a GPS system made it very difficult, but I quickly rediscovered my navigation skills. I was accompanying Cyril Despres. Later on, when we passed a group of riders, Despres drove away from me and I was pretty much alone. After CP2, visibility was poor due to the dust. Caldecott is a contender that knows how to navigate in poor visual conditions. In 2004 I was still impressed by his speed in the Australian Safari but in this years Dakar event I'm not. Physically I'm fit and the WR450F is fast. The work that been done in the Shamrock rally-raid on suspension gives me a lot of confidence. While focussing on problems with my road book, I had a 'moment' every now and then, but the bike reacted very well. Six minutes behind after day three in general standing is not really a problem. I take every day as it comes and I am not going to worry too much about the time I'm behind the leaders. I have to concentrate on each individual stage. There will be good and bad better days, but that's Dakar. Standings after day 3 1. 1 DESPRES (FRA) KTM - 6h03:12 2. 2 COMA (ESP) KTM + 1:16 3. 179 PELLICER (ESP) KTM +1:39 4. 10 CALDECOTT (AUS) KTM +3:41 5. 4 DE GAVARDO (CHI) KTM +3:41 7. 12 FRETIGNE (FRA) YAMAHA 5:49 Yamaha Racing Communications Hoogte Kadijk 61 HS / 1018 BE Amsterdam / The Netherlands Tel. +31 (0) 20 330 2709 / Fax +31 (0) 20 420 9470
Alex Asigno
Alex Asigno

Yamaha without GAULOISES in 2006

Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. hereby announces that Altadis/Seita's sponsorship regarding Yamaha's Factory MotoGP Team will not continue after the end of the 2005 season. For more than 40 years, Yamaha has successfully participated in the Road Racing Grand Prix World Championship and it has become the leading manufacturer of the MotoGP competition.  Altadis/Seita have been sponsors of the Yamaha Factory MotoGP project for the past three seasons under both the Fortuna and the Gauloises brands, during which time the companies shared two world championship victories in the MotoGP class in 2004 and 2005.
Yamaha will announce its 2006 MotoGP program in January 2006.
Alex Asigno
Alex Asigno

Yamaha ends promising first R6 test

Yamaha ends promising first R6 test 15/12/2005 Yamaha Motor Germany completed a promising two-day test at Valencia today, the first outing for the team's 2006 model YZF-R6.
Experienced Australian Kevin Curtain was satisfied with the performance of the new machine, recording a best lap time of 1:38.6 on a machine that is still in its first stage of development as a race bike. The 39-year-old was able to enjoy two dry and trouble free days on the circuit, allowing him to complete a full test programme, evaluating numerous suspension and tyre options on the R6. Curtain's team-mate Broc Parkes was only able to complete a handful of laps today after crashing at the final corner on his first session of the morning. The 24-year-old lost rear end grip, no doubt due to the low track temperature. Parkes took a knock to his ankle but escaped serious injury, although his bike fared less well and his test was curtailed due to a lack of spare parts. His best lap time was a 1:38.8, set yesterday. Yamaha Motor Germany's next test is scheduled to take place at Phillip Island in Australia next month. Round one of the 2006 Supersport World Championship takes place at the Losail circuit, Qatar, on 25 February. Three other R6 riders were in attendance at the test. David Checa rode a machine fitted with prototype YEC 2006 kit parts while the Lorenzini by Leoni squad was also in attendance. The Yamaha Motor Italia supported squad only received their bikes last week, although Massimo Roccoli and Gianluca Vizziello recorded respectable times despite their machines being virtually stock. Kevin Curtain "I'm really happy with how things went over the past two days. The guys did a really great job to get the bikes ready in time and running without any problems, although it shouldn't be a surprise as they are such a meticulous team. The temperatures were still a bit low today but we were able to get through pretty much everything we planned. I've been really impressed with the bike. The engine has so much more mid-range than the R6 I rode last season and the chassis, especially the levels of front end grip, is amazing. I'm going home to Australia confident that the bike can challenge for the title next year." Broc Parkes "It was a big crash I'm hurting all over and I can't move my left ankle much, but at least it seems that nothing's broken. It was early and cold and I got caught out, lost the back end and that was it. It's a shame I wasn't able to get more time on the bike but at least we were able to get through most of what we needed to yesterday. Despite everything though it's been a good first test and we've already got a good base to work from. I'm heading back to Australia tomorrow and the boys will no doubt have made some more developments for our test in Australia next month. After three days in Phillip Island we should be in good shape for the start of the season." Terrell Thien (Team Manager) "It's been a positive first test, although it was a shame that Broc wasn't able to finish his test programme today. The track temperature was only about 5°C and he lost the back end. Unfortunately the bike was too badly damaged to continue and we do not yet have enough spares to rebuild the bike. Overall though it has been very positive. At present our bike is maybe only 50 per cent of its potential, so it's very encouraging to already be at the level of last year's bike. We have three days testing at Phillip Island next month, after which we should be in good shape for the start of the season." Lap times Kevin Curtain (Yamaha Motor Germany YZF-R6) 1:38.6 Broc Parkes (Yamaha Motor Germany YZF-R6) 1:38.8 Massimo Roccoli (Lorenzini by Leoni YZF-R6) 1:39.7 Gianluca Vizziello (Lorenzini by Leoni YZF-R6) 1:39.9 David Checa (Yamaha GMT94 YZF-R6) 1:39.9 Nakatomi debut ends on a low note 15/12/2005 Shinichi Nakatomi's first ride for the Yamaha Motor France team with whom he will compete in the 2006 Superbike World Championship ended on a low note after the Japanese rider ended the day in hospital with a hand injury. The 27-year-old joined team-mates Norick Abe and Sebastien Gimbert at the two-day test at the Valencia circuit in Spain, impressing on what was his first ride on any circuit outside his native Japan, despite ending the day in the medical centre after crashing during his final session. Like many riders at Valencia, Nakatomi lost the front after pushing too hard on a cold tyre. He has been taken to hospital and is undergoing further examination. The team worked on development of Yamaha's YEC kit parts and tested numerous parts, including new suspension and swingarms, with Abe and Nakatomi running new Soqi suspension today and Gimbert concentrating on engine development. The team will use the data gained from the test to build its 2006-specification machines over the winter. Abe ended the test as the fastest rider, setting a best lap of 1:36.8, with Gimbert recording a 1:37.0 and Nakatomi 1:38.2. Also in the Yamaha Motor France garage was David Checa, who was running a YZF-R6 fitted with prototype YEC racing parts. Norick Abe "We tried three different types of front suspension and one new rear. On one of the front forks I was able to do a 1:36.8, which is probably my best ever testing lap around here! I was quite happy with this fork and I would like to carry out further tests when we go to Phillip Island next month so that we can decide which brand to use on the race bike." Sebastien Gimbert "Quite a good test. I concentrated on evaluating the engine parts and I think we have found some good improvements from the bike I rode last year. I'm feeling fit and I'm happy with my times, especially considering the cold weather makes grip levels low at these tests." Shinichi Nakatomi "I had been enjoying my first experience in Valencia until the crash. I was making good progress to learn the bike and tyres and I was happy with my lap times. Now I must wait for a full diagnosis from the doctor and hope that the injury is not too serious."
Alex Asigno
Alex Asigno

Curtain and Parkes debut new R6 in Valencia

Yamaha Motor Germany riders Kevin Curtain and Broc Parkes had their first outing on the race-spec YZF-R6s they will race in next year's Supersport World Championship at the Valencia circuit in Spain today. The two Australians flew into Spain especially for the test and spent the day making shakedown runs on their bikes, respectively completing 72 and 60 trouble-free laps around the 4.05km circuit on the first of two days testing. The German squad has been working hard in conjunction with its suppliers over the past months to prepare two immaculate machines for the test. Both bikes have been fitted with Öhlins race suspension, although further development work is still to be carried out on the engine prior to the first race of the season, at Qatar in late February. Sunny conditions ensured that the riders were able to get maximum track time, although cool track temperatures meant that grip levels were limited. Today's test programme concentrated mainly on checking systems and machine familiarisation for both the riders and mechanics rather than setting outright lap times. Tyre supplier Pirelli has also brought along a range of rubber for the team to test. Sharing the Valencia circuit were the Yamaha Motor France world superbike team, who gave Japanese newcomer Shinichi Nakatomi his first outing on their YZF-R1 alongside team-mates Norick Abe and Sebastien Gimbert. Also at the test were the Yamaha Motor Italia-supported Lorenzini by Leoni team, which will enter Massimo Roccoli and Gianluca Vizziello in the world supersport series and Claudio Corti in the FIM Superstock 1000 Cup. David Checa, riding a YZF-R6 for the Yamaha GMT94 team, and the Virgin Mobile Yamaha British superbike team are also in attendance. Copyright-free photography (for editorial use) from today's test is available from the photo gallery section of www.yamaha-racing.com - further information will be available after tomorrow's final day of testing. Kevin Curtain "I really can't say how happy I am with the new bike. Even at this stage everything is an improvement over the R6 I rode last year. At the moment we're still running one of Öhlins off-the-shelf shocks but even so I felt really confident with the chassis. I really noticed it when I had a slide coming out of one of the right hand corners - I was half expecting it to pitch me off, but instead it was really predictable. Of course there were a lot of little things we had to fix today, like the gear lever and handlebar positions, but overall it's a very positive start. My lap times are already matching what we did last season and I can't wait for when we've got everything finished and how I want it."
Broc Parkes "For a first day it's been perfect really. The bike feels good and so are the times. The track temperature has been too low to really push the bike but already my lap times are close to what we did last year, although that wasn't really the point of today. It's been two months since I last rode and so it was as much a case of remembering where the handlebars are as much as anything else! We've still got heaps of improvements to make, especially with the suspension settings, but that's the whole point of today and we've got a good idea of the direction to take." Terrell Thien (Team Manager) "It's been a good start. This is our first time running these bikes yet any problems we encountered today were small - like the gearlever position not being to Kevin's liking - but generally everything has worked well. All the electronics: the YCC-T system and our Motec engine management system, have worked perfectly and the rider's comments have both been good. The chassis is a major step forward and this bike has been built to race. Our lap times are already good and we will find improvements tomorrow. I'd like to thank all of our suppliers for their hard work in supplying us with the parts we needed to be ready for this test, especially Becker Carbon and Gillies Tooling, and to our mechanics, who have worked constantly for the past month, often through the night, to get the bikes ready."
Alex Asigno
Alex Asigno

Yamaha Motor Italia ends 2005 with Qatar test

Yamaha Motor Italia completed their first year in the Superbike World Championship yesterday, taking part in a three-day test session at the Losail circuit in the Gulf state of Qatar. The test, organised by championship tyre suppliers Pirelli, was attended by all but one of the series' designated development teams and gave riders Noriyuki Haga and Andrew Pitt an opportunity to test some new Ohlins suspension parts on their YZF-R1 machines, as well as a host of new tyre options. In contrast to the rain which affected last February's race at the long Losail circuit, the riders were welcomed by surfaces temperatures approaching 40 degrees Celsius. Typically, Haga chose not to run a qualifying set-up - recording a best of 2:00.46 on race settings. Pitt did run the soft qualifying rubber on the third day to set a best lap of 2:00.56. Both riders were over two seconds faster than in their last visit to the desert circuit, almost 10 months ago, an indication of the development of both the machine and tyres. Ducati rider Troy Bayliss topped the timesheets after three days of running, with a 1:58.66 lap on qualifying tyres. Yamaha Motor Italia completed their first year in the Superbike World Championship yesterday, taking part in a three-day test session at the Losail circuit in the Gulf state of Qatar. The test, organised by championship tyre suppliers Pirelli, was attended by all but one of the series' designated development teams and gave riders Noriyuki Haga and Andrew Pitt an opportunity to test some new Ohlins suspension parts on their YZF-R1 machines, as well as a host of new tyre options. In contrast to the rain which affected last February's race at the long Losail circuit, the riders were welcomed by surfaces temperatures approaching 40 degrees Celsius. Typically, Haga chose not to run a qualifying set-up - recording a best of 2:00.46 on race settings. Pitt did run the soft qualifying rubber on the third day to set a best lap of 2:00.56. Both riders were over two seconds faster than in their last visit to the desert circuit, almost 10 months ago, an indication of the development of both the machine and tyres. Ducati rider Troy Bayliss topped the timesheets after three days of running, with a 1:58.66 lap on qualifying tyres. The next official superbike test takes place at Phillip Island in Australia, between 17 and 20 January. Round one of the series takes place at Losail on 25 February. Noriyuki Haga "The new suspension is very good. The front worked straight away without any changes! The rear is also good and with some changes we should find some further improvement. Now I am happy to go on holiday. We have hardly stopped since the end of the season and even as early as January we are back testing." Andrew Pitt "It's been a satisfying test and I was pleased to find that on the few times I was lapping with Bayliss my R1 was a little faster than his Ducati. Certainly the engine upgrades are working good, as is the new  suspension. We also fitted a new shock at the end of the test and this will be one of the key development areas at our next test." Massimo Meregalli (Team Coordinator) "We have improved massively since the first race of last season, especially with the chassis, and we suffered none of the front tyre wear problems we had when we raced here. We still have to work on the settings of the new shock absorber, but this looks like a step forward. We also tested engine durability here and completed almost 1,600 kilometres without any problems whatsoever. Also at this test we tried various different injection mappings to give a sweeter power delivery and better drive. Over the next few weeks we will build our 2006-specification engines and at the next test we expect to have several new developments, especially with the engine."   High resolution copyright free (for editorial use) images are available from the photo gallery section of www.yamaha-racing.com
Alex Asigno
Alex Asigno

Tracks

Tracks
Anglesey
http://www.streetmap.co.uk/streetmap.dll?G2M?X=238583&Y=367476&A=Y&Z=5 Brands Hatch
http://www.streetmap.co.uk/streetmap.dll?G2M?X=557500&Y=164500&A=Y&Z=5 Cadwell Park
http://www.streetmap.co.uk/streetmap.dll?G2M?X=529375&Y=380854&A=Y&Z=5 Castle Combe
http://www.streetmap.co.uk/streetmap.dll?G2M?X=385709&Y=176572&A=Y&Z=5 Croft
http://www.streetmap.co.uk/streetmap.dll?G2M?X=428440&Y=507201&A=Y&Z=5 Donington Park
http://www.streetmap.co.uk/streetmap.dll?G2M?X=442060&Y=325995&A=Y&Z=5 Goodwood
http://www.streetmap.co.uk/streetmap.dll?G2M?X=487989&Y=107485&A=Y&Z=5 Knockhill
http://www.streetmap.co.uk/streetmap.dll?G2M?X=305368&Y=693745&A=Y&Z=5 Lydden
http://www.streetmap.co.uk/streetmap.dll?G2M?X=623127&Y=146768&A=Y&Z=5 Mallory Park http://www.streetmap.co.uk/streetmap.dll?G2M?X=445468&Y=300594&A=Y&Z=5 Mondello Park
Oulton Park
http://www.streetmap.co.uk/streetmap.dll?G2M?X=358874&Y=364584&A=Y&Z=5 Pembrey
http://www.streetmap.co.uk/streetmap.dll?G2M?X=240923&Y=203804&A=Y&Z=5 Rockingham
http://www.streetmap.co.uk/streetmap.dll?G2M?X=489735&Y=291273&A=Y&Z=5 Snetterton
http://www.streetmap.co.uk/streetmap.dll?G2M?X=600446&Y=289139&A=Y&Z=5 Silverstone
http://www.streetmap.co.uk/streetmap.dll?G2M?X=467709&Y=242286&A=Y&Z=5 Thruxton
http://www.streetmap.co.uk/streetmap.dll?G2M?X=428235&Y=145810&A=Y&Z=5
Alex Asigno
Alex Asigno

Biker Meets

Biker Meets
Ace Café, Old North Circular Road, Wembley – Sunday
http://www.streetmap.co.uk/streetmap.dll?G2M?X=519550&Y=183850&A=Y&Z=1 Tel: 020 8961 1000 http://www.ace-cafe-london.com Boxhill, Ryka's Cafe, Old London Road, Dorking - Sunday
http://www.streetmap.co.uk/streetmap.dll?G2M?X=517150&Y=152050&A=Y&Z=1 Carlisle Parade, Carlisle Parade, Hastings, Sussex - Wed Eve
http://www.streetmap.co.uk/streetmap.dll?G2M?X=581550&Y=109250&A=Y&Z=1 Cat & Fiddle Inn, Macclesfield Forest, Cheshire - Saturday, Sunday
http://www.streetmap.co.uk/streetmap.dll?G2M?X=397850&Y=372950&A=Y&Z=3 Tel: 01298 23364 Devils Bridge, Kirkby Lonsdale, Lancashire - Tue, Fri Eve, Sunday
http://www.streetmap.co.uk/streetmap.dll?G2M?X=361550&Y=478250&A=Y&Z=1 Dick Turpin, Arterial Rd, Wickford, Essex - Tue Eve
http://www.streetmap.co.uk/streetmap.dll?G2M?X=575150&Y=190950&A=Y&Z=3 Tel: 01268 726205 Hartside Top Café, Alston Moor, Cumbria – ???
http://www.streetmap.co.uk/streetmap.dll?G2M?X=368776&Y=543049&A=Y&Z= Tel: 01434 381036 Earl of March, Lavant, Chichester, Sussex - Thu Eve
http://www.streetmap.co.uk/streetmap.dll?G2M?X=485750&Y=108250&A=Y&Z=1 Tel: 01243 774751 Matlock Bath, Matlock, Derbyshire - Saturday, Sunday
http://www.streetmap.co.uk/streetmap.dll?G2M?X=430050&Y=360050&A=Y&Z=1 Rivington Barn, Hampson St, Horwich - Sunday
http://www.streetmap.co.uk/streetmap.dll?G2M?X=363550&Y=411850&A=Y&Z=1 http://www.rivingtonbarn.com Squires Milk bar, Newthorpe Lane, Newthorpe, Leeds – Wed Eve
http://www.streetmap.co.uk/streetmap.dll?G2M?X=445751&Y=432956&A=Y&Z=1 Tel: 01977 684618 Westgate Street, Newcastle upon Tyne – Saturday, Sunday
http://www.streetmap.co.uk/streetmap.dll?G2M?X=423950&Y=564150&A=Y&Z=1 Whiteways, A29, Arundle, Sussex - Saturday, Sunday
http://www.streetmap.co.uk/streetmap.dll?G2M?X=500150&Y=110950&A=Y&Z=3
Alex Asigno
Alex Asigno

Nakatomi joins three-man Yamaha Motor France squad

Yamaha Motor France will enter the 2006 Superbike World Championship with a three-rider line-up that sees former Japanese 250cc champion Shinichi Nakatomi join the team's 2005 riders Norick Abe and Sebastien Gimbert. Twenty-seven-year-old Nakatomi is an experienced R1 pilot, having ridden for Yamaha's YSP Racing Team in the Suzuka Eight-hour and Japanese JSB1000 championship since switching to four-strokes in 2003. Having never raced outside his native Japan, Nakatomi is looking forward to the adventure of racing in the world championships, experiencing the western culture and racing the YZF-R1 at
world level.  Yamaha Motor France's squad will again be run by experienced tuner Martial Garcia, whose company is responsible, in conjunction with Yamaha's Japanese headquarters, for the development of Yamaha's YEC racing kit parts development programme for the YZF-R1 and YZF-R6. The team expects to use these parts as the base of their 2006 machines and will use the series as well as an opportunity to test and develop the 2007 range of customer race parts. Completing the squad are Abe and Gimbert, both of whom are looking to improve on their Superbike rookie seasons in 2005. Experienced Grand Prix rider Abe ended his first superbike season in 13th place but, having learned the circuits and the characteristics of the YZF-R1 and championship controlled Pirelli tyres, is looking to become a regular feature in the battle for podium finishes in 2006. Gimbert suffered an injury-plagued 2005 campaign but showed his speed early in the year with a lap record in Qatar and a sixth place in Valencia. The Frenchman will again also feature in Yamaha Motor France's squad at the classic 24-hour races of Le Mans and Bol d'Or. Shinichi Nakatomi "Although I still haven't finished the big task of winning the All-Japan JSB1000 title on the YZF-R1, I am going to start a new next season in world superbike and try to focus everything I have learned over the past three years with Yamaha and do the best I can. I don't intend to use my first year in the championship just as a year for learning. I intend to go out there and race aggressively, and I hope to be up there in the race for the championship." Norick Abe "This year was my first season racing in the world superbike series and there was a lot that I had to learn. But now, with this season of experience behind me, I am anxious to work on improving the things I wasn't able to do in the off-season and during the season this year so that I can approach the coming season better prepared. Our overseas tests will begin in December and my first aim is to do the best preparation possible during these tests." Sebastien Gimbert "I am looking forward to a second year in world superbikes and also staying with the Yamaha Motor France team. My leg injury weakened my performances last season but now I am fully fit and feeling strong. The experiences of myself and the team will allow us to go to each circuit with invaluable knowledge and I believe that we can give a greater representation of our abilities."
Alex Asigno
Alex Asigno

Yamaha Motor Italia test in Valencia

Yamaha Motor Italia riders Noriyuki Haga and Andrew Pitt were on track yesterday at a two day test at Valencia circuit, arranged by championship tyre supplier Pirelli for its official development teams. Running time was limited after Monday's action was washed out due to heavy rain. Pitt was one of only four riders to brave the conditions, completing just a handful of laps on the slippery surface. Day two saw the arrival of sunshine but the track failed to dry out in the morning, leaving just three hours of dry running. Both riders ran their R1s in virtually the same specification they finished the 2005 season with, the main evolutions being updated Ohlins suspension, which was tested for the first time, and some new specification tyres from Pirelli. Despite the limited running time, both riders were comfortably faster than their times from April's race. Haga concluded the test with the fourth fastest time of the 12 riders present, a 1'36"6, while Pitt was seventh fastest with a 1'37"2. Lorenzo Lanzi (Ducati) was fastest overall with a 1'35.7. Team Coordinator Massimo Meregalli commented: "The bad weather reduced the time available and we were only able to get through a small amount of the work we'd planned. However it went well and this test has given us the opportunity to work with three new team members and for them to become familiar with our working practices. Next we have a test in Qatar early next month where we hope to have more track time. We ended the 2005 championship growing in confidence and for 2006 our intention is to be one of the main challengers for the championship title."
Alex Asigno
Alex Asigno

David Frétigné wins Shamrock

David Frétigné (Yamaha WR450F - Yamaha Moto France Ipone) confirmed his ambitions for the legendary Dakar rally raid by claiming his fourth consecutive win in the Shamrock rally, that took place in the Marroccan Sahara from the 28th of October to the 6th of November. After his season competing in national and international enduro races, 'the Shamrock' marked Frétigné's traditional switch to rally-raid. The likeable Frenchman quickly adapted to the terrain and his bike. Frétigné, 35, took five day wins at the eighth edition of the Shamrock and added his fourth overall victory to his already impressive tally. David showed great speed in both fast and technical stages, making the best of his past experience in Marocco. However the main goal of the race was to let Frétigné and his team get used to his new WR450F and prepare for the Dakar.
The 28th edition of the Dakar rally will take place from the 31st of December to the 15th of January 2006. After the rally had already started in France and Spain, it will this time take off from Lisbon, Portugal to end nearly 10,000 kilometres later at the coast of Dakar, Sénegal. In only his second Dakar participation this year David Frétigné finished fifth overall. He was the only rider to have won three specials in 2005 and he repeated his 450 class win of last year. David Frétigné (Yamaha WR450F - Yamaha Moto France Ipone) - overall winner "Above all I have used the Shamrock to prepare for Dakar. It's nice that I have won with an advance of more than 2 hours over the second, but for more it's even more important to know that we have done our homework for the Dakar. I have concentrated on getting the right setting for my suspension over the past week and everything turned out great. Apart from that we did the usual stuff with a new bike: adjusting pedals and handlebars, learning to work with the new GPS and so on. We have not touched the engine, but even under demanding situations the WR450F engine behaved brilliantly. In general the bike gave me even more confidence than before, and we will keep the bike as it is for the Dakar. The next step in my preparation is to rest and perfect my physical shape till the end of November, after that I will start studying the maps to get my mind set for the 2006 Dakar. I will also have the bike with me to continue to ride and practice my navigation." FINAL STANDINGS SHAMROCK RALLY 2005 1. David Frétigné (Yamaha), 2. Thierry Bethys (Honda), 3. Christophe Meillat (Honda), 4. Olivier Cubaynes (Yamaha), 5. Patrick Moreno (Suzuki), 6. André Lenoble (Suzuki), 7. Christophe Rougeot (Yamaha), 8. Philippe Pennarun (Yamaha), 9. Jean-Michel Redal (Polaris), 10. Eric Beaudoin (Kawasaki)
Alex Asigno
Alex Asigno

Haga and Pitt continue with Yamaha Motor Italia in 2006

Noriyuki Haga and Andrew Pitt will race for the Yamaha Motor Italia squad in the 2006 Superbike World Championship, fulfilling the team's desire to retain the services of both its riders from the 2005 campaign. Both men played an important role in developing Yamaha's YZF-R1 in its first year of world superbike competition with Japanese ace Haga recording 10 podium finishes, including two wins, on his way to third place in the championship. Australian Pitt ended the year eighth in the standings with a best result of fourth in the opening race of the season in Qatar. The Yamaha Motor Italia squad will again benefit from the official backing of  Yamaha Motor Europe and for 2006 will use the updated YZF-R1 as the base for their world superbike contender. Preparations for the new season have already begun, with the first test of the 2006 season due to take place in Valencia on 14-15 November. Noriyuki Haga "I wanted to stay with Yamaha as we ended the year very strongly and I am very pleased that we have been able to agree terms. We had a good first year together and it would have been a shame not to take advantage of all the development work we carried out. Yamaha knows what it has to do to make the bike into a championship winner and it was important for me to know that I have the support needed for 2006. We came close to winning the title in 2000 and my motivation to become champion is still as strong as it ever was. Becoming world superbike champion is the goal I still have to achieve and I believe that Yamaha can give me what it takes to turn this dream into reality." Andrew Pitt "When I signed for last year we always knew that it would be 2006 before we could really see the benefits of our work, therefore I'm delighted to continue with the team and hopefully take advantage of the hard work we put in last year. I enjoy working with this team and we've seen that the bike can be a winner. We know what we have to do to take it to the next level and with a year's experience of the class, the bike and the Pirelli tyres I feel that I can show my true ability next year." Laurens Klein Koerkamp - Racing Manager, Yamaha Motor Europe "We were quite late in starting this project last year and I said that our objective would be to develop the bike and put ourselves in a situation where we were winning races by the end of the year. By the middle of the season we were well on track, and we have shown that we can compete with the best in the class. For 2006 we can take advantage of our year's knowledge. We now have base settings for each circuit we race on, a year's development work behind us and some chassis improvements from the new YZF-R1. The team will again be run by Massimo Meregalli and working with Andrew and Noriyuki gives us great stability. Our learning year is over and we now know exactly what is required to challenge for the title. It will not be easy, but ultimately it is our goal for 2006."
Alex Asigno
Alex Asigno