Alex Asigno

It wasn't the easiest start to the Spanish race weekend for Yamaha Sterilgarda riders Cal Crutchlow and James Toseland today. The unforgiving Ricardo Tormo circuit proved challenging for both British riders with low grip on the track surface. Crutchlow made several changes to the bike during the qualifying session, leaving little time for an unbroken run to fully test the changes, ending the heat in ninth. Team-mate James Toseland had found a set-up to test, but then suffered a small crash as he settled in for some quick laps at the end of the session. Although uninjured and able to continue, it left not enough time to improve on his 12th place time. Cal Crutchlow Cal Crutchlow, Yamaha Sterilgarda World Superbike Team (9th, 1'35.052) "Today wasn't easy. We made good progress up to Portimao, unfortunately we are now at a track with much less grip which makes it again more difficult for us. Hopefully we can make improvements over the evening and into tomorrow. I look forward to getting started again in the morning and seeing how it goes." James Toseland James Toseland, Yamaha Sterilgarda World Superbike Team (12th, 1'35.203) "A frustrating session for me today. I'd just put the softer tyre in at the end of the session, I came out of turn one really well but unfortunately I got my finger stuck under the brake lever and couldn't stop in time. I only just got the bike stopped right up by the barrier and then tipped it over. Luckily no damage to me or the bike so I got back on but by the time I'd cleaned all the dirt off them the performance of them had just dropped slightly. I was three tenths quicker than this morning and the time was there to be had but I ran out of time, frustrating as it was my error. We've got a lot of information from today so I'm looking forward to tomorrow." Massimo Meregalli, Yamaha Sterilgarda World Superbike Team Manager "A difficult day, but it seems for many of the 4 cylinder machines it wasn't easy to get good grip here. With chassis set up changes and adjustments in the electronics area we hope to improve this for tomorrow and also help to reduce tyre wear. I'm confident we will be more competitive tomorrow in the next session." Circuit Length: 4005 Weather: Hot and Sunny Lap Record: 1'35.007 (Neil Hodgson, 23/04/2003) Fastest Lap Ever: 1'33.270 (Ben Spies, 05/04/2009) Last Years Winner: Noriyuki Haga 2010 WSB Spain - Valencia 09/04/2010 Qualifying 1 Pos. Rider Manu. Nat. Total Time 1 Carlos Checa Ducati ESP 1'34.220 2 Jakub Smrz Ducati CZE 1'34.502 3 Shane Byrne Ducati GBR 1'34.690 4 Max Biaggi Aprilia ITA 1'34.771 5 Leon Haslam Suzuki GBR 1'34.780 6 Michel Fabrizio Ducati ITA 1'34.886 7 Noriyuki Haga Ducati JPN 1'34.935 8 Lorenzo Lanzi Ducati ITA 1'35.049 9 Cal Crutchlow Yamaha GBR 1'35.052 10 Leon Camier Aprilia GBR 1'35.132 11 Sylvain Guintoli Suzuki FRA 1'35.189 12 James Toseland Yamaha GBR 1'35.203 13 Jonathan Rea Honda GBR 1'35.232 14 Troy Corser BMW AUS 1'35.279 15 Luca Scassa Ducati ITA 1'35.467 Click here to view the news

James Toseland put in a solid performance in race one today on his Yamaha Sterilgarda R1, starting from ninth on the grid the British rider made short work of the field to take second by the ninth lap. He was hotly pursued by Aprilia rider Max Biaggi for the entire race duration and fought off a number of attacks, holding on to second until just two laps from the end. He finished the race in third, claiming his well deserved first podium of the year, just 3.6 seconds off the race leader. Team mate Cal Crutchlow had a tougher first race. A less than perfect start saw him drop from pole to seventh going into the first corner of the race. He fought hard for the duration despite suffering from a lack of grip, riding as high as fifth before dropping back to claim seventh at the line. Race two was marred with incident, three laps in a high speed crash into the pit wall caused the race to be red flagged. After a delay it was restarted under aggregate timing with Crutchlow and Toseland in ninth and 12th respectively. The hot track temperature proved challenging for grip levels, with both riders fighting hard for position. Toseland crossed the line in seventh having challenged for several positions, whilst team mate Crutchlow hung on to take ninth at the chequered flag. Toseland goes to the next round in Assen with 50 championship points having jumped up the table from 11th to sixth. Team-mate Crutchlow remains in tenth as he heads to the Dutch round with 41 championship points. James Toseland James Toseland, Yamaha Sterilgarda World Superbike Team, (3rd, 7th) "Race one was great, it's always nice when the team work so hard to be able to repay them with a result. I was probably the widest man out there because I certainly wasn't the quickest after half race distance, I was finding a few things a bit difficult with the bike. It was great though to dig deep and get a podium, my first podium this year and my first since Brands 2007 I think. It's been a while since I took a trophy home so I was very happy. The team are working unbelievably hard, we've got some issues but we're making up a lot of ground in a short space of time. In the second race I got an average start when the clutch grabbed early on the line. I don't know where the front guys got their pace from on the re-start, mid 34's was a second faster than it was in the first race. Assen is next which is fast and flowing which will suit the bike better. We need to keep improving until we're strong at every track." Cal Crutchlow Cal Crutchlow, Yamaha Sterilgarda World Superbike Team, (7th, 9th) "Race one was ok, I was just disappointed I lost the tow to the leaders at the start. We've got bad rear tyre problems again, seem to be spinning a lot more than the other competitors from the go. The higher grip levels in Portugal suited us better. We're looking forward to hopefully improving it at the next race in Assen. A difficult weekend, the second race was much the same, no grip from the start." Massimo Meregalli, Yamaha Sterilgarda World Superbike Team Manager "We've had an up and down weekend. We had some issues on Friday then came back with the Superpole yesterday. It was great to see James achieve a podium in the first race, he really worked hard and deserved it. The second race was not so good for us, it proved to be more challenging for the riders with less grip levels on the circuit. For sure this weekend we've learnt some more about the bike and we've definitely improved since Phillip Island. We'll study the data from this weekend and we'll come to The Netherlands with something new." Circuit Length: 4.005 Weather: Hot and Sunny Lap Record: 1'34.618 (Noriyuki Haga, 23/04/2009) Fastest Lap Ever: 1'33.270 (Ben Spies, 05/04/2009) Last Years Winner: Noriyuki Haga 2010 WSB Spain - Valencia 11/04/2010 Race 1 - 23 Laps Pos. Rider Manu. Nat. Total Time 1 Leon Haslam Suzuki GBR 36'47.723 2 Max Biaggi Aprilia ITA 0'01.757 3 James Toseland Yamaha GBR 0'03.621 4 Troy Corser BMW AUS 0'04.209 5 Noriyuki Haga Ducati JPN 0'04.378 6 Jonathan Rea Honda GBR 0'09.834 7 Cal Crutchlow Yamaha GBR 0'10.466 8 Lorenzo Lanzi Ducati ITA 0'16.080 9 Sylvain Guintoli Suzuki FRA 0'18.382 10 Jakub Smrz Ducati CZE 0'18.589 11 Tom Sykes Kawasaki GBR 0'22.903 12 Ruben Xaus BMW ESP 0'25.203 13 Max Neukirchner Honda GER 0'25.676 14 Luca Scassa Ducati ITA 0'26.606 15 Andrew Pitt BMW AUS 0'43.797 Race 2 - 23 Laps Pos. Rider Manu. Nat. Total Time 1 Noriyuki Haga Ducati JPN 36'51.500 2 Carlos Checa Ducati ESP 0'00.025 3 Max Biaggi Aprilia ITA 0'00.299 4 Leon Haslam Suzuki GBR 0'10.100 5 Jonathan Rea Honda GBR 0'12.811 6 Sylvain Guintoli Suzuki FRA 0'13.459 7 James Toseland Yamaha GBR 0'14.845 8 Shane Byrne Ducati GBR 0'14.861 9 Cal Crutchlow Yamaha GBR 0'15.202 10 Jakub Smrz Ducati CZE 0'18.071 11 Ruben Xaus BMW ESP 0'25.179 12 Troy Corser BMW AUS 0'26.116 13 Lorenzo Lanzi Ducati ITA 0'30.189 14 Luca Scassa Ducati ITA 0'30.387 15 Tom Sykes Kawasaki GBR 0'35.741 Best Lap Rider Manu. Nat. Total Time Carlos Checa Ducati ESP 1'34.750 Â Rider Standings 11/04/2010 Pos. Rider Manu. Nat. Points 1. Leon Haslam Suzuki GBR 123 2. Max Biaggi Aprilia ITA 105 3. Carlos Checa Ducati ESP 80 4. Noriyuki Haga Ducati JPN 79 5. Jonathan Rea Honda GBR 60 6. James Toseland Yamaha GBR 50 7. Sylvain Guintoli Suzuki FRA 50 8. Troy Corser BMW AUS 46 9. Michel Fabrizio Ducati ITA 46 10. Cal Crutchlow Yamaha GBR 41 11. Shane Byrne Ducati GBR 33 12. Leon Camier Aprilia GBR 32 13. Lorenzo Lanzi Ducati ITA 26 14. Jakub Smrz Ducati CZE 20 15. Ruben Xaus BMW ESP 19 Â Manufacturer Standings 11/04/2010 Pos. Manufacturer Points 1. Suzuki 123 2. Ducati 107 3. Aprilia 105 4. Honda 61 5. Yamaha 57 6. BMW 47 7. Kawasaki 13 Click here to view the news

P19 Yamaha Monster Energy Motocross Team's David Philippaerts can consider himself unfortunate to end his home Grand Prix with only 8th position after an eventful afternoon at Mantova for the second round of fifteen in the 2010 FIM MX-GP World Championship. The Italian was leading the first moto at the Grand Prix of Lombardia until a crash, which was then followed by an excellent recovery and finally thwarted by a damaged exhaust. He took 2nd place in the following outing. Yamaha Monster Energy Ricci Motocross Team's Ken De Dycker had a consistent day for 4th overall and his best finish yet on the YZ450FM. The weekend began positively with Philippaerts among the fastest riders as the track rapidly began to change, chop and cut-up due to the intense period of activity thanks to the presence of two support classes; the opening rounds of the 125cc European Championship and Veteran's World Cup (won by champion and Yamaha rider Mats Nilsson). The 25 year old enjoyed an entertaining battle with Tony Cairoli and Max Nagl in the Heat race to earn the first Pole Position for the rear-slanting innovative 2010 YZ450FM and put the distinctive black and green motorcycle into the Grand Prix gate first. Philippaerts comfortably fronted the pack in Moto1 for two laps across the rippled and treacherous terrain until catching a bump awkwardly at speed that pitched him onto the floor. Dazed, he remounted in 12th and began an emphatic charge to fly to 5th. With several laps to go the silencer on his exhaust broke free and robbed his machine of power. The 2008 world champion coasted across the finish but was penalised by a minute for failing noise control and classified 19th. Philippaerts again started well in Moto2 and rode a lonely 35 minutes and 2 laps behind winner Tony Cairoli and ahead of Max Nagl. De Dycker In contrast to the fine race had by Philippaerts on Saturday De Dycker suffered two falls in the Qualification Heat that left him ruing 19th place in the gate for the motos. The Belgian shook off the limitation from the line to slot into top ten contention and rise steadily to 4th and 5th positions for his best showing yet in Monster Energy colours. De Dycker is 4th in the world championship standings and Philippaerts is five points behind in 5th. The MX-GP FIM World Championship will now pause for a break after two events in succession. The Grand Prix of the Netherlands will run on April 25th at Valkenswaard. In other news Spaniard Carlos Campano leads the MX3 World Championship on his YZ450F after winning the opening round in Portugal last week and finishing fourth in France today. David Philippaerts, Yamaha Monster Energy MX Team, 8th: "The first moto was terrible. I had a big crash when I caught a bump at speed and the bike pushed me off. I hit my head on the ground and was dazed for a few moments. The bike was damaged and got worse as I went on. I made some good positions but five laps from the end the silencer broke; I did not feel safe even making the jumps. The second moto was good. I was in second and Nagl was quick at the beginning. I watched my lap-times on the board. Cairoli was too far to catch but I was pleased overall because I know I am fit and the bike is working very well. The track had a lot of ruts and bumps and was dangerous so I am pleased to come away feeling healthy. I will go to Belgium now for some training. Valkenswaard is next and I am fast there. Last year I should have done well but physically I was not 100%. This time I want better than a top five." Ken De Dycker, Yamaha Monster Energy Ricci MX Team, 4th: "I am pretty happy because yesterday was a nightmare. I felt better in the morning but I still had to work so hard on the bike and I really pushed to get those results. I feel that we can work from what we have achieved here and get better for Valkenswaard. The track got much drier and was a real mix of hard and soft bumps; it had everything." Crowd: 19,000 Weather: Changeable 2010 GP of Lombardia 11/04/2010 Race 1 - 19 Laps Pos. Rider Manu. Nat. Total Time 1 Clement Desalle Suzuki BEL 40'13.247 2 Antonio Cairoli KTM ITA 0'04.718 3 Maximilian Nagl KTM GER 0'14.321 4 Ken De Dycker Yamaha BEL 0'13.063 5 Sébastien Pourcel Kawasaki FRA 0'29.853 6 Jimmy Albertson Honda USA 0'33.123 7 Xavier Boog Kawasaki FRA 0'35.055 8 Jonathan Barragan Kawasaki ESP 0'37.764 9 Tanel Leok Honda EST 0'43.058 10 Steve Ramon Suzuki BEL 0'54.348 11 Manuel Monni Yamaha ITA 1'11.842 12 Marc De Reuver Suzuki NED 1'19.344 13 Davide Guarneri Honda ITA 1'23.471 14 Evgeny Bobryshev Honda RUS 1'24.100 15 Gareth Swanepoel Honda RSA 1'47.012 16 Tom Soderstrom Yamaha SWE 1'51.102 19 David Philippaerts Yamaha ITA 2'39.451 Race 2 - 19 Laps Pos. Rider Manu. Nat. Total Time 1 Antonio Cairoli KTM ITA 39'50.854 2 David Philippaerts Yamaha ITA 0'08.843 3 Maximilian Nagl KTM GER 0'17.627 4 Clement Desalle Suzuki BEL 0'32.466 5 Ken De Dycker Yamaha BEL 0'39.633 6 Xavier Boog Kawasaki FRA 0'41.226 7 Steve Ramon Suzuki BEL 0'48.453 8 Jonathan Barragan Kawasaki ESP 0'55.507 9 Evgeny Bobryshev Honda RUS 0'58.109 10 Anthony Boissière TM FRA 1'00.706 11 Joshua Coppins Aprilia NZL 1'01.396 12 Kevin Strijbos Suzuki BEL 1'02.494 13 Jimmy Albertson Honda USA 1'03.223 14 Gareth Swanepoel Honda RSA 1'10.054 15 Manuel Monni Yamaha ITA 1'13.328 Rider Standings 11/04/2010 Pos. Rider Manu. Nat. Points 1. Antonio Cairoli KTM ITA 88 2. Maximilian Nagl KTM GER 87 3. Clement Desalle Suzuki BEL 79 4. Ken De Dycker Yamaha BEL 65 5. David Philippaerts Yamaha ITA 60 6. Steve Ramon Suzuki BEL 59 7. Jonathan Barragan Kawasaki ESP 56 8. Xavier Boog Kawasaki FRA 54 9. Sébastien Pourcel Kawasaki FRA 37 10. Joshua Coppins Aprilia NZL 37 11. Davide Guarneri Honda ITA 32 12. Manuel Monni Yamaha ITA 31 13. Gareth Swanepoel Honda RSA 31 14. Tanel Leok Honda EST 30 15. Jimmy Albertson Honda USA 29 20. Tom Soderstrom Yamaha SWE 8 Manufacturer Standings 11/04/2010 Pos. Manufacturer Points 1. KTM 97 2. Suzuki 83 3. Yamaha 76 4. Kawasaki 64 5. Honda 47 6. Aprilia 37 7. TM 21 8. CCM 7 RACE REPORT 11/04/2010 Osborne close to podium with 4th in Italy Osborne in Mantova The MX2-GP category at the Grand Prix of Lombardia, the second round of fifteen in the FIM Motocross World Championship, saw Bike it Cosworth Yamaha's Zach Osborne defy a ruthless set of ruts, waves and loose bumps at the Mantova circuit in Italy to finish 4th overall. 19,000 spectators (weekend total) travelled to the second race meeting in the space of a week after the season-opener at Sevlievo, Bulgaria seven days ago. Sadly the sunshine and warm temperatures from Saturday could not extend to race day as wind, clouds and cooler climes altered, but did not lessen, the demands on the MX2-GP athletes. Osborne, on the new 2010 agile and manoeuvrable YZ250F, fought in the higher echelons of top ten during both motos and profited from a mistake by Jeffrey Herlings to register a decent 5th place. He fought with Shaun Simpson and British Championship rival Jake Nicholls to again mark 16 points in the second race. It was only the American's second GP of points in both sprints since he broke his wrist almost one year ago. Harri Kullas Yamaha Gariboldi Monster Energy's Harri Kullas and Christophe Charlier were the next highest-ranked Yamaha representatives in the first ever home GP for the team. The teenagers were 10th and 12th overall. Kullas was consistent and competitive to 9th in Moto1 but suffered some stomach cramps in Moto2 to 13th. Charlier was impressive in Qualification but his overall score was blighted barely seconds into the first race when he was hit from behind out of timing section and damaged his front brake as a result. Needing to visit the pits he was out of contention for points by the time the problem could be repaired. The European Champion's speed was evident in Moto2 as he arrived to 7th place by the chequered flag. Yamaha Monster Energy Ricci MX Team's Alessandro Lupino was 12th and 17th for 14th. Osborne is 6th in the world championship standings and only 3 points from the top five. Kullas is 10th and Charlier 11th. Yamaha Monster Energy MX Team's Gautier Paulin has seen some excellent progress on his recovery from a broken left fibula two weeks ago. After continual treatment the 20 year old was able to walk without crutches and was contemplating a return in Italy until wisely deciding to allow another two weeks for the bone to heal before looking at the Grand Prix of the Netherlands as a possible date for his Yamaha world championship debut. The sand of Valkenswaard is next up for Yamaha's MX2-GP world championship collective in two weeks time. Zach Osborne, Bike it Cosworth Yamaha, 4th: "I got two really good starts today but spun slightly coming out of the first turn in both motos. I worked as hard as I could in the first moto and got up to fifth after Herlings made a mistake on the last two laps. I felt really good after that race and with plenty of energy. We had a rougher track in the second moto and maybe I was not as strong as I should have been but to secure two fifth positions and go fourth overall is positive this early in the season. We are not far from the top five in the championship and have to keep building up. Mantova was a more physical track than Sevlievo. In Bulgaria you have to set the layout in your mind, mentally it is technical because you have to be flowing the whole time. Mantova is good; I hated it in practice but once it got rougher I enjoyed it more and more." Harri Kullas, Yamaha Gariboldi Monster Energy, 10th: "The first race was good; I had a decent start and was in 7th. I just tried to keep the same speed and was pretty happy to take 9th. I had contact with another rider in the next start and tensed up at the beginning. I managed to recover but I can be better than that. I felt a bit of a stomach ache and this meant I could not push so much. So, one good moto and one not so good, but I will train now and hope for better in Valkenswaard." Christophe Charlier, Yamaha Gariboldi Monster Energy, 12th: "A rider hit me from behind through the waves and I had to finish the first lap with a broken brake that was stuck. I came into the pits to get it fixed but in the end I was so far behind when I went back out that it was not worth continuing. My start was better in the second moto but I lost too much time stuck behind Simpson. The track was mainly one line and difficult. Once I had overtaken, my lap-times were near those of the leaders. I think I can get near the top five. I just need a bit of luck at the start." Gautier Paulin, Yamaha Monster Energy MX Team: "It was hard to watch the race in Bulgaria because I had worked all winter for this championship but now I am only looking forward to getting back on the bike. I knew that if I wanted to fight for the title then I would have needed to race here but that was crazy because I am still struggling to walk normally. Looking at all the ruts and bumps I am glad I did not take the risk! I want to be near 100% before I can come back to the track so I can do something good. I hope that will be at Valkenswaard in two weeks." Crowd: 19,000 Weather: Changeable 2010 GP of Lombardia 11/04/2010 Race 1 - 19 Laps Pos. Rider Manu. Nat. Total Time 1 Marvin Musquin KTM FRA 39'58.049 2 Ken Roczen Suzuki GER 0'00.370 3 Steven Frossard Kawasaki FRA 0'50.697 4 Jeremy Van Horebeek Kawasaki BEL 0'54.481 5 Zach Osborne Yamaha USA 0'56.927 6 Jeffrey Herlings KTM NED 0'57.314 7 Shaun Simpson KTM GBR 1'19.818 8 Joel Roelants KTM BEL 1'21.141 9 Harri Kullas Yamaha FIN 1'24.840 10 Marcus Schiffer KTM GER 1'27.785 11 Arnaud Tonus Suzuki CHE 1'28.759 12 Alessandro Lupino Yamaha ITA 1'29.087 13 Jake Nicholls KTM GBR 1'46.732 14 Dennis Verbruggen KTM BEL 1'51.133 15 Valentin Teillet KTM FRA -1Laps 17 Mel Pocock Yamaha GBR -1Laps Race 2 - 19 Laps Pos. Rider Manu. Nat. Total Time 1 Marvin Musquin KTM FRA 39'35.506 2 Jeffrey Herlings KTM NED 0'04.177 3 Ken Roczen Suzuki GER 0'23.515 4 Arnaud Tonus Suzuki CHE 0'45.327 5 Zach Osborne Yamaha USA 0'58.516 6 Jake Nicholls KTM GBR 1'03.613 7 Christophe Charlier Yamaha FRA 1'14.406 8 Shaun Simpson KTM GBR 1'30.422 9 Dennis Verbruggen KTM BEL 1'31.289 10 Steven Frossard Kawasaki FRA 1'37.646 11 Jose Antonio Butron Suzuki ESP 1'44.641 12 Matiss Karro Suzuki LVA 1'47.668 13 Harri Kullas Yamaha FIN 1'51.392 14 Petr Smitka KTM CZE 2'12.138 15 Gianluca Martini Honda ITA -1Laps 17 Alessandro Lupino Yamaha ITA -1Laps 19 Ed Allingham Yamaha GBR -1Laps Rider Standings 11/04/2010 Pos. Rider Manu. Nat. Points 1. Marvin Musquin KTM FRA 100 2. Ken Roczen Suzuki GER 86 3. Jeffrey Herlings KTM NED 72 4. Steven Frossard Kawasaki FRA 69 5. Arnaud Tonus Suzuki CHE 62 6. Zach Osborne Yamaha USA 59 7. Shaun Simpson KTM GBR 53 8. Jeremy Van Horebeek Kawasaki BEL 52 9. Jake Nicholls KTM GBR 47 10. Harri Kullas Yamaha FIN 39 11. Christophe Charlier Yamaha FRA 32 12. Dennis Verbruggen KTM BEL 30 13. Joel Roelants KTM BEL 25 14. Alessandro Lupino Yamaha ITA 24 15. Nick Triest KTM BEL 18 17. Mel Pocock Yamaha GBR 13 26. Rudi Moroni Yamaha ITA 5 27. Ceriel Klein Kromhof Yamaha NED 4 28. Glenn Coldenhoff Yamaha NED 2 29. Ed Allingham Yamaha GBR 2 Manufacturer Standings 11/04/2010 Pos. Manufacturer Points 1. KTM 100 2. Suzuki 86 3. Kawasaki 69 4. Yamaha 59 5. Honda 19 Click here to view the news

Valentino Rossi The 2010 MotoGP season got off to a flying start under the floodlights tonight with a gripping Qatar Grand Prix and a perfect opening result for the Fiat Yamaha Team. The indomitable Valentino Rossi took his 104th career victory, his first in the opening round since 2005, whilst Jorge Lorenzo rode a clever race to finish a strong second. The World Champion got a brilliant start from second on the grid and led after the first lap but both Dani Pedrosa and Casey Stoner were faster on the straight and he was soon relegated to third. On lap five he battled back to pass the Spaniard but Stoner was two seconds in front by then and the Italian looked to be facing a hard task to catch him. On the next lap however Stoner slid out of the race, leaving Rossi in the lead pursued by Nicky Hayden and Andrea Dovizioso. His work was far from over however as Dovizioso proved impossible to shake off and mounted a challenge on the straight on lap 16, momentarily getting his nose in front before his more experienced compatriot passed him back on the brakes into turn one. A couple of quick laps from Rossi gave him some breathing space and he was eventually able to pull clear, leaving Dovizioso and Hayden to dice with Lorenzo while he charged over the line to finish 1.022 seconds clear. His win today makes him only the third rider in history to have scored points in 200 Grands Prix. Lorenzo meanwhile had slipped several places at the start, dropping back to sixth before he started to find his rhythm on lap six. The 21-year-old had to contend with some pain in his recovering hand as well as a lap of grip in the rear but he played the waiting game until his fuel load lessened and he was able to push a bit harder. He then put up a gutsy display to gradually reel in the leaders and come within striking distance with two laps to go. A masterful overtaking display on the penultimate lap despatched first Hayden and then Dovizioso and he crossed the line behind his team-mate to the delight of the Yamaha garage. The team now has a short break before heading in high spirits to Yamaha's home race in Japan, with the second round of the MotoGP World Championship coming at Motegi in two week's time. Valentino Rossi - Position: 1stTime: 42'50.099 "I got a fantastic start but I wasn't quite fast enough and was suffering on the straight. I lost some time passing Pedrosa and by then Stoner was quite far from me, I thought then that it was going to be hard to catch him! Then he made a mistake and crashed, which was bad luck for him but crucial for us. After that I expected it would be easier but in fact it was very hard to stay in front of Dovizioso, who was very strong. We had a good battle and then I did three or four laps at the maximum and was able to stay in front, but it wasn't easy! I haven't won at the first race since 2005 and these 25 points at this stage are like gold dust, it's a fantastic result for the team to make a one-two at race one. It's especially good to win here because it doesn't suit our bike, we worked very cleverly throughout the practices and this is the reward, so thanks to all my guys. We definitely have some work to do but this is a good base to start from. I ran out of fuel on the slow down lap, I think I used more than expected early on because I was sliding quite a lot, but it was very funny to come to Parc Ferme riding a scooter!" Jorge Lorenzo Jorge Lorenzo - Position: 2ndTime: +1.022 "Today I had to disconnect my brain and just ride with my heart, and I am so happy about this second place. My hand was a bit sore but the bigger problem was the rear sliding, and early on with a full fuel tank I found it quite hard. My plan was to take it quietly and not risk too much, but after a while the adrenalin built up and I couldn't do that, I had to ride at the maximum! Once I had less fuel it was easier and I started to get closer, but I was on the limit physically and with the bike, so it was quite risky! I made some good overtakes at the end and this is a fantastic result for our team, with Valentino winning as well. Now we go to Motegi, where I won last year, and I will be in better physical condition by then and ready to be even stronger." Davide Brivio - Team Manager "It's been a very positive weekend for us not only because we won, but because we've worked through our issues very well and been able to confirm that our bike is good. This isn't a good track for us and we know we're suffering a bit in terms of top speed, this is something we need to work on, but to win here shows that we've got a good overall package. Now we will work to lessen the gap to our rivals. It's been a great night for Yamaha; three bikes in the top five and a brilliant start to the season. Now we got to Yamaha's home race in Japan and we're looking forward to maintaining our lead." Wilco Zeelenberg - Team Manager "This is a very good start to the season and Jorge rode a very clever race. He kept his patience when the bike was heavy, realised it wasn't the right time to push and little-by-little he was able to improve his pace and close the gap. With a couple of laps to go he saw his advantage and was able to grab second position. To finish just one second behind Valentino after his interrupted pre-season is very impressive and a great result for our team." Spies lights up 2010 MotoGP opener Ben Spies produced a dazzling performance in Qatar tonight to end a stunning Monster Yamaha Tech 3 debut in fifth position. In an enthralling 22-lap race under the Losail International Circuit floodlights, Spies produced one of the performances of the evening to storm through from 11th on the grid to a career best top five in only his fifth MotoGP start. Spies produced a thrilling first lap to gain four places and claim seventh before he was elevated into the top six by a surprise mistake from race leader Casey Stoner on lap six. Pursuing fellow Yamaha YZR-M1 rider Jorge Lorenzo, Spies once again demonstrated his devastating speed on worn tyres as he threatened to haul himself into contention for the podium battle involving Nicky Hayden and Andrea Dovizioso. For several laps, Spies was the fastest man on track and he ended with the fourth best time of 1.56.087 clocked on lap 17. Opting to settle for fifth as a dramatic battle for the podium unfolded in front of him, Spies finished just over two seconds off third position. And impressively on only his second race for Yamaha, the reigning World Superbike champion was less than four seconds away from race winner and reigning world champion Valentino Rossi. Fellow Texan Colin Edwards had a tough start to his eighth MotoGP campaign but rode a determined race despite some minor rear grip issues. Edwards guided his Monster Yamaha Tech 3 YZR-M1 to eighth position having brilliantly kept the hard-charging duo of Loris Capirossi and Hiroshi Aoyama at bay. Ben Spies Ben Spies - Position: 5thTime: +3.903 "I'm happy because I knew we had the bike and I knew I was riding decent. Some things didn't go my way in qualifying and while it wasn't really a smooth weekend, it came together in the race. I gave 110 per cent every lap and that's all I can do and at the end I came out with a decent result. They key was that I knew we had a good pace on race tyres. I got a good start and I was quite aggressive in the first couple of laps to try and make up some places and keep contact with the front group. My confidence was growing in the middle of the race and I could see Jorge and Valentino and those guys not a million miles in front of me. I wasn't catching them a lot, but I knew for a few laps in the middle of the race I was definitely the quickest out of the top five. Maybe if I'd have qualified higher I might have been in that fight for the podium at the end. But I can't be too greedy and this is a good start for me and gives me a platform to build on for the rest of the season." Colin Edwards Colin Edwards - Position: 8thTime: +19.867 "Tonight wasn't really any surprise because I struggled all weekend and I never seemed to get on top of the problems we had. We made the bike a little better for the race and it was certainly more comfortable to ride and that showed in the improved lap times, but it obviously wasn't enough to get close to that top five. I rode my hardest but tonight was one of the times when you're just riding around problems. The front grip was great but I was lacking a bit on the rear and I couldn't get a set-up that pushed the tyre on the ground. As soon I accelerated the rear tyre wou ld spin, but we actually found out some things for the future that will help me. The Yamaha is obviously working good when you look at the result and I want to congratulate Ben because he did a great job. Hopefully next time out I'll be a bit closer to the fight." Herve Poncharal - Team Manager "Everybody was expecting great things from Ben this year and we have to say already that he has shown what he is capable of tonight. We were a bit disappointed when he was only 11th in qualifying but we knew it would be better for the race because he was so strong on hard tyres and we know this is a major strength of Ben's. And he is a racer who is very aggressive and he made up a few places early on, which is always crucial in MotoGP. His lap times were incredibly fast and was he closing on the leading group for the whole race and this is a fantastic start for Ben with the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team. It was a tough weekend for Colin but he scored some valuable points and found out some interesting information on the set-up of the bike that will help him for the future. Overall it is a great team performance and we move to Japan now full of confidence in what is a very important race for Yamaha." Circuit Length: 5380 Temp: 24 Weather: Dry Lap Record: 1'57.305 (Valentino Rossi, 01/01/2006) Fastest Lap Ever: 1'53.927 (Jorge Lorenzo, 09/03/2008) Last Years Winner: Casey Stoner 2010 MotoGP Qatar - Doha/Losail 12/04/2010 Race 1 Pos. Rider Manu. Nat. Total Time 1 Valentino Rossi Yamaha ITA 42'50.099 2 Jorge Lorenzo Yamaha ESP 0'01.022 3 Andrea Dovizioso Honda ITA 0'01.865 4 Nicky Hayden Ducati USA 0'01.876 5 Ben Spies Yamaha USA 0'03.903 6 Randy De Puniet Honda FRA 0'09.322 7 Daniel Pedrosa Honda ESP 0'16.508 8 Colin Edwards Yamaha USA 0'19.867 9 Loris Capirossi Suzuki ITA 0'20.893 10 Hiroshi Aoyama Honda JPN 0'21.100 11 Marco Simoncelli Honda ITA 0'31.638 12 Hector Barbera Ducati ESP 0'32.573 13 Marco Melandri Honda ITA 0'40.780 Rider Standings 11/04/2010 Pos. Rider Manu. Nat. Points 1. Valentino Rossi Yamaha ITA 25 2. Jorge Lorenzo Yamaha ESP 20 3. Andrea Dovizioso Honda ITA 16 4. Nicky Hayden Ducati USA 13 5. Ben Spies Yamaha USA 11 6. Randy De Puniet Honda FRA 10 7. Daniel Pedrosa Honda ESP 9 8. Colin Edwards Yamaha USA 8 9. Loris Capirossi Suzuki ITA 7 10. Hiroshi Aoyama Honda JPN 6 11. Marco Simoncelli Honda ITA 5 12. Hector Barbera Ducati ESP 4 13. Marco Melandri Honda ITA 3 Manufacturer Standings 11/04/2010 Pos. Manufacturer Points 1. Yamaha 25 2. Honda 16 3. Ducati 13 4. Suzuki 7 Click here to view the news

Due to the recent volcano eruptions in Iceland and international air traffic from Europe coming to a standstill as a result, the ruling parties in MotoGP have agreed to postpone the Grand Prix of Japan due to be held on April 25th. The proposed date for the Grand Prix of Japan is set on October 3th 2010. The next race for all MotoGP fans on the calendar will be the Grand Prix of Jerez, Spain on May 2nd. Click here to view the news

Assen circuit The Yamaha Sterilgarda World Superbike Team head to Assen this week for round four of the World Superbike Championship. The team prepare for the Dutch round with renewed confidence following rider James Toseland's first podium of the year last week in Valencia and a second Superpole of the season by Cal Crutchlow, signalling both sides of the garage have made significant improvements in making use of the increased performance of the 2010 WSB R1. Toseland's podium in particular was key in moving him several places up the championship table, he arrives in Assen now sixth in the standings and looking to go higher this weekend. Assen is an historic race circuit, although road racing started in the area in 1925, the closed circuit itself was first located there in 1955. It's undergone a number of changes since that day, including a major redesign in 2006, with the exception of the finish line which has never moved. The typical characteristics of the track include fast flat out corners and slow corners. For this year a change to the back section of the track with a fast flowing corner means the circuit is now even faster, with national classes already seeing a two second a lap quicker time over the circuit. "I've always loved racing at Assen," said James Toseland. "I've had some good results and always gone well there. I've won on the Ducati and on the Honda so it would be great to get a win on the Yamaha as well. The bike has come on again from Portugal to Valencia and we knew from the last round what we needed to improve for Assen. We've had to do a lot of work to get competitive but on the positive side there's still room for more and we're not far from the front. We can improve quite a lot more and we're going to be a strong package. On a personal side I always try hard, after the Australia crash where I broke my hand, then my mistake in qualifying in Portugal and missing out on the last Superpole session in Valencia by a thousandth of a second I thought I was going to have one of those seasons. But to go from ninth to third and be up there fighting at the front was a massive boost of confidence for me and the garage so it was good to reward the hard work of the team with a result." "I had a good race in Assen last year in Supersport," said Cal Crutchlow, "but it's going to be difficult this weekend as a couple of other teams have tested there already with the new circuit changes including the new faster section at the back. Hopefully in the first free practice we'll get to grips with it. There are some new changes coming this weekend with the bike so let's hope we've made some progress and see how we get on." Assen technically speaking according to Frankie Carchedi, James Toseland's Crew Chief "We managed to make a major breakthrough at Valencia, and are looking for further improvement. We found a good base engine map with a user friendly torque delivery. We also found a traction control setting that uses ignition cut, allowing James to control the spin of the rear tyre. We were on the dyno as early as Monday morning after Valencia to progress further with areas of our electronics. At Assen we will concentrate on tyre life, especially for warmer conditions, as this was an area we suffered in Valencia. Assen has numerous changes of direction, some at very high speeds so we will be also working on making a quick but stable bike. We will be looking to be on the podium both races as we can't afford to lose any more points for the championship!" Assen technically speaking according to Marcus Eschenbacher, Cal Crutchlow's Crew Chief "Assen has more grip than Valencia so it should suit our bike better than the last track. Assen has fast sweeping corners which are banked so you have to set up the bike to suit these areas. The rear end needs enough damping support and spring rate to keep it under control in the long fast corners. We will also try a new clutch to improve our starts which is arriving from Japan. We will also try some new electronic adjustments to help with Cal's starts from the line using the launch control system; these include new ignition mappings for Cal's engine management system." Massimo Meregalli, Yamaha Sterilgarda World Superbike Team Manager "I think Assen can be a good weekend for us, the characteristics of the track are well suited to our bikes, which is an advantage we have to make the most of. The developments focussed on our electronics areas from the last two races have been steadily progressing forwards which gives me a confidence that we can achieve some good results with both James and Cal. The step forwards with our mapping means we should be able to deliver better corner exits for both riders, and the new clutch we'll be trying this weekend will hopefully mean we can get them off the line quicker to stay at the front in the crucial first corner." Click here to view the news

Yamaha Sterilgarda riders Cal Crutchlow and James Toseland spent the first day of the Assen race weekend working hard on setting up their bikes for tomorrow's Superpole heats. Crutchlow got quickly down to fast consistent laps, spending the majority of the first qualifying session in second position. Two crashes resulting from losing the front end disrupted his session although he was unhurt and came away from the heat having demonstrated a consistent fast race pace. Team mate James Toseland spent the session working with his team on two very different bike set ups, exploring both front and rear end feel. They found positive steps in both areas so will work to combine and produce a race package ahead of tomorrow's Superpole session. Cal Crutchlow Cal Crutchlow, Yamaha Sterilgarda World Superbike Team (5th, 1'36.752) "It's been a good day speed-wise, I felt quite comfortable keeping the pace I had. We had two stupid crashes, both when I lost the front end. I was using my usual tyre for the first one, I hit a bump and crashed, on the second one I used the new harder front tyre but didn't have any feeling in it, I came into the last chicane maybe 6km slower than usual and just crashed for some unknown reason. Still, as I said I'm happy with the pace so looking forward to tomorrow and seeing if we can improve and achieve something good in the Superpole session." James Toseland James Toseland, Yamaha Sterilgarda World Superbike Team (10th, 1'37.166) "We've been trying a few things with the geometry to see if we can improve the front feel and the rear feel. Over the last three rounds we've either got the one or the other so we're trying to find a better balance using head angles and offsets. On one bike I had a setting very similar to what we used in Valencia, and the other bike had something completely different, I've been jumping between the two, and towards the end of the session I think we were getting there. My best lap time of the session was on the harder rear tyre which is generally not the quick tyre which is encouraging. I'm pleased with what we've done today, we've got through a lot and we've got some good ideas for tomorrow. There's a lot more time in me and the bike to come." Massimo Meregalli, Yamaha Sterilgarda World Superbike Team Manager "For our first day today we saw some good things, for sure tonight the technicians and the riders will continue to work to find ways to improve on the current set up even more. I'm expecting to be in a different position tomorrow afternoon. Cal has really good times through three sectors of the track, he's losing something in the last sector, we know this and so we're studying to understand why so we can fix that. When we do I think he will be really strong. I'm expecting James to take another step forward tomorrow, today he was focussed on comparing two very different bike setups, we found good things in both so we'll work tonight to bring those together." Circuit Length: 4555 Weather: Sunny Lap Record: 2'04.685 (Chris Vermeulen, 01/01/2005) Fastest Lap Ever: 1'37.626 (Ben Spies, 26/04/2009) Last Years Winner: Noriyuki Haga 2010 WSB The Netherlands - Assen 23/04/2010 Qualifying 1 Pos. Rider Manu. Nat. Total Time 1 Jakub Smrz Ducati CZE 1'36.041 2 Jonathan Rea Honda GBR 1'36.339 3 Troy Corser BMW AUS 1'36.489 4 Leon Haslam Suzuki GBR 1'36.618 5 Cal Crutchlow Yamaha GBR 1'36.752 6 Carlos Checa Ducati ESP 1'36.805 7 Leon Camier Aprilia GBR 1'37.064 8 Shane Byrne Ducati GBR 1'37.081 9 Michel Fabrizio Ducati ITA 1'37.165 10 James Toseland Yamaha GBR 1'37.166 11 Lorenzo Lanzi Ducati ITA 1'37.344 12 Tom Sykes Kawasaki GBR 1'37.434 13 Max Neukirchner Honda GER 1'37.453 14 Noriyuki Haga Ducati JPN 1'37.462 15 Luca Scassa Ducati ITA 1'37.506 Â Click here to view the news

Yamaha Sterilgarda riders Cal Crutchlow and James Toseland made it through the first Superpole heat this afternoon to secure ninth and tenth place on the third row of the grid for tomorrow's two World Superbike races at the Assen TT circuit. Both riders had spent the previous qualifying sessions working on their set ups for the afternoon's Superpole heats and had headed in to the Superbike shootout with confidence. They both made it through the first heat comfortably on race tyres, then switched to qualifiers midway through the second session. Crutchlow struggled to improve on his time in the second session leaving him just outside the top eight at the end. Team mate Toseland was on form and had nearly completed a hot lap which would have taken him through to the final eight when a violent wheelie three corners from the end at high speed disrupted his time. Cal Cruchlow Cal Crutchlow, Yamaha Sterilgarda World Superbike Team (9th, 1'36.027) "I struggled with my qualifier tyre in the second Superpole heat, and couldn't make it through to the third. Both James and I are still working on some stability issues which could be seen on track as well. We need to work hard in tomorrow morning's session to see what we can change in the set up to make another step forward. We're all working really hard, and on the positive side the electronics issues we've had in the past are now working very well for us." James Toseland James Toseland, Yamaha Sterilgarda World Superbike Team (10th, 1'36.061) "Frustrated is the word! It was a real surprise for the bike to do that in a place where I've never had that before, it kicked up and wheelied at over 180mph in fifth gear, it was a bit touch and go there but luckily I was able to save it. The lap was good up to that point, I only had two corners left to go and would have been through to the top eight and the third session. We've had so much work to do to get where we are, the team has done a great job trying to get the bike to work here. Tenth on the grid is not ideal and we're not sure about tyre life, depending on temperature tomorrow we might not be able to use the softer race tyre, everyone is waiting to see how warm it will be. I'm not too worried about race pace, it's all about what happens in those first few laps. The new fast section has effectively deleted a passing place so I'll have to get off the line well and see how we go." Massimo Meregalli, Yamaha Sterilgarda World Superbike Team Manager "We still have one practice session left tomorrow morning, for sure we will never give up so we will spend the session working hard to make more improvements ahead of the two races. We will definitely find something to help us. James was very unlucky on his hot lap in the second Superpole session, it was good he managed to save it safely. He's got a good race pace so needs a good start tomorrow and we will see what he can do. Cal has shown this weekend that he also has a competitive pace, especially on worn tyres so we are confident both riders can perform tomorrow." Circuit Length: 4555 Weather: Sunny Lap Record: 2'04.685 (Chris Vermeulen, 01/01/2005) Fastest Lap Ever: 1'34.944 (Jonathan Rea, 25/04/2010) Last Years Winner: Noriyuki Haga 2010 WSB The Netherlands - Assen 24/04/2010 Superpole Pos. Rider Manu. Nat. Total Time 1 Jonathan Rea Honda GBR 1'34.944 2 Jakub Smrz Ducati CZE 1'35.062 3 Troy Corser BMW AUS 1'35.306 4 Leon Haslam Suzuki GBR 1'35.330 5 Leon Camier Aprilia GBR 1'35.633 6 Carlos Checa Ducati ESP 1'35.892 7 Shane Byrne Ducati GBR 1'35.909 8 Michel Fabrizio Ducati ITA 1'36.405 9 Cal Crutchlow Yamaha GBR 1'36.027 10 James Toseland Yamaha GBR 1'36.061 11 Max Biaggi Aprilia ITA 1'36.069 12 Ruben Xaus BMW ESP 1'36.094 13 Sylvain Guintoli Suzuki FRA 1'36.327 14 Tom Sykes Kawasaki GBR 1'36.348 15 Noriyuki Haga Ducati JPN 1'36.574 Qualifying 2 Pos. Rider Nat. QUAL I QUAL II 1 Troy Corser AUS 1'36.489 1'35.621 2 Jakub Smrz CZE 1'36.041 1'35.939 3 Jonathan Rea GBR 1'36.339 1'36.211 4 Carlos Checa ESP 1'36.805 1'36.447 5 Leon Camier GBR 1'37.064 1'36.588 6 Leon Haslam GBR 1'36.618 1'36.891 7 Noriyuki Haga JPN 1'37.462 1'36.644 8 Shane Byrne GBR 1'37.081 1'36.655 9 Cal Crutchlow GBR 1'36.752 1'36.685 10 Michel Fabrizio ITA 1'37.165 1'36.689 11 Lorenzo Lanzi ITA 1'37.344 1'36.774 12 Sylvain Guintoli FRA 1'37.684 1'36.829 13 Max Neukirchner GER 1'37.453 1'36.859 14 Ruben Xaus ESP 1'37.685 1'36.872 15 Luca Scassa ITA 1'37.506 1'36.898 17 James Toseland GBR 1'37.166 1'37.084 Click here to view the news

Yamaha Sterilgarda World Superbike rider James Toseland made every lap count in Assen today, storming to two podium finishes and claiming hard earned points which move him up the championship table. The first race saw the British rider tear through the pack from his tenth place grid start position, making short work of his competitors with clean decisive overtakes, making up eight places to sit in second by just past mid-race point behind leader Jonathan Rea. An inspired overtake three laps to the end on the penultimate corner saw him temporarily lead the race, however Rea was able to get past at the end of the start straight, securing the win just 1.1 seconds ahead of Toseland. Team-mate Cal Crutchlow had a great start, making it up to sixth on the first corner before a bunched up pack of riders pushed him wide, dropping him to 13th initially. He fought back with a determined push and was the fastest lapping rider mid way through. He finally crossed the line in eighth having made up five positions on the tricky to overtake circuit. Race two and again Toseland charged through the pack, making fifth position by lap seven. He spent several laps following a furious battle in the top four between Haslam, Rea, Corser and Camier before slipping through and fighting his own battle to take third. Positions changed several times in the tightly bunched pack however he held onto third over the line for his second podium of the day. Team mate Crutchlow had a less fortunate race, with a technical issue with the rear suspension forcing an early retirement. Toseland now heads to the next round in Monza having climbed to fifth position in the standings on 86 points, just 17 behind Carlos Checa in fourth. Team-mate Crutchlow remains in tenth position just four points behind Michel Fabrizio in ninth. James Toseland James Toseland, Yamaha Sterilgarda World Superbike Team, (2nd, 3rd) "We've had another tough weekend, especially Friday and Saturday, but we've pulled through. Once again the team has worked fantastically well, especially this morning, we had a new linkage system on the rear end just to try and sort some issues and it seems to have worked. It's been a long weekend but to come from tenth on the grid and get a second and a third, two podiums is just a great result for me and the team. It's been coming slowly, we've come from far behind in the first two races so it's fantastic to be up there at the front and fighting. There are a lot of Brits out there, and we're all racing at the front and doing a great job, everybody deserves to be in it. I've had great support from my family and friends and want to thank everyone for supporting me in getting back to where I should be." Cal Crutchlow Cal Crutchlow, Yamaha Sterilgarda World Superbike Team, (8th, DNF ) "It's been a very frustrating end to the weekend for me, I know I had the pace to achieve really good results and be up there fighting with the front guys in both races. I made a good start in the first but lost a lot of places on the first corner when the pack pushed me wide, but fought back and was one of the fastest riders on the track mid-race. Race two was even more frustrating as I was determined and ready to fight for a podium. Unfortunately the technical issue was out of my control so there was nothing I could do." Massimo Meregalli, Yamaha Sterilgarda World Superbike Team Manager "We had a great result today, especially considering how we got it, after a lot of challenges over the last two days. James also put all his heart into his racing today. I'm sorry for Cal, I think he had the ability to have a great two races, especially in the second one. Unfortunately we had a technical issue, we don't know what yet but we will figure it out. We've made big advances with our electronics and also with our chassis which could be seen with James's performance. We are now getting to a point where we have a very competitive bike with a set up that works on different tracks, but obviously we will continue to work for the next level. We head to Misano for testing next week motivated to keep on improving. A big thank you to all the team and the riders who worked so hard this weekend." In the European Superstock 600 Championship MRS Racing rider Jeremy Guarnoni took an impressive second place podium finish, less than two hundredths of a second off the front and earning 20 championship points on his Yamaha R6. He maintains his position as the championship leader, 11 points ahead of his closest rival after three rounds. Circuit Length: 4542 Temp: 20 Crowd: 78000 Weather: Sunny Lap Record: 2'04.685 (Chris Vermeulen, 01/01/2005) Fastest Lap Ever: 1'34.944 (Jonathan Rea, 25/04/2010) Last Years Winner: Noriyuki Haga 2010 WSB The Netherlands - Assen 25/04/2010 Race 1 - 22 Laps Pos. Rider Manu. Nat. Total Time 1 Jonathan Rea Honda GBR 35'38.483 2 James Toseland Yamaha GBR 0'01.106 3 Leon Camier Aprilia GBR 0'01.249 4 Carlos Checa Ducati ESP 0'01.548 5 Troy Corser BMW AUS 0'02.738 6 Max Biaggi Aprilia ITA 0'02.813 7 Jakub Smrz Ducati CZE 0'06.296 8 Cal Crutchlow Yamaha GBR 0'12.022 9 Shane Byrne Ducati GBR 0'12.146 10 Noriyuki Haga Ducati JPN 0'19.753 11 Leon Haslam Suzuki GBR 0'22.204 12 Tom Sykes Kawasaki GBR 0'22.282 13 Michel Fabrizio Ducati ITA 0'22.780 14 Sylvain Guintoli Suzuki FRA 0'23.364 15 Luca Scassa Ducati ITA 0'37.097 Race 2 - 22 Laps Pos. Rider Manu. Nat. Total Time 1 Jonathan Rea Honda GBR 35'43.137 2 Leon Haslam Suzuki GBR 0'01.942 3 James Toseland Yamaha GBR 0'03.928 4 Max Biaggi Aprilia ITA 0'04.067 5 Troy Corser BMW AUS 0'04.176 6 Carlos Checa Ducati ESP 0'04.525 7 Jakub Smrz Ducati CZE 0'04.682 8 Shane Byrne Ducati GBR 0'07.698 9 Max Neukirchner Honda GER 0'09.903 10 Ruben Xaus BMW ESP 0'11.465 11 Luca Scassa Ducati ITA 0'15.489 12 Michel Fabrizio Ducati ITA 0'23.604 13 Sylvain Guintoli Suzuki FRA 0'29.085 14 Chris Vermeulen Kawasaki AUS 0'35.401 15 Matteo Baiocco Kawasaki ITA 0'44.330 Best Lap Rider Manu. Nat. Total Time Carlos Checa Ducati ESP 1'36.413 Rider Standings 25/04/2010 Pos. Rider Manu. Nat. Points 1. Leon Haslam Suzuki GBR 148 2. Max Biaggi Aprilia ITA 128 3. Jonathan Rea Honda GBR 110 4. Carlos Checa Ducati ESP 103 5. James Toseland Yamaha GBR 86 6. Noriyuki Haga Ducati JPN 85 7. Troy Corser BMW AUS 68 8. Sylvain Guintoli Suzuki FRA 55 9. Michel Fabrizio Ducati ITA 53 10. Cal Crutchlow Yamaha GBR 49 11. Leon Camier Aprilia GBR 48 12. Shane Byrne Ducati GBR 48 13. Jakub Smrz Ducati CZE 38 14. Lorenzo Lanzi Ducati ITA 26 15. Ruben Xaus BMW ESP 25 Manufacturer Standings 25/04/2010 Pos. Manufacturer Points 1. Suzuki 148 2. Aprilia 134 3. Ducati 130 4. Honda 111 5. Yamaha 93 6. BMW 69 7. Kawasaki 19 Click here to view the news

The Yamaha Sterilgarda world Superbike Team wrapped up a successful two day test in Misano this afternoon, fresh from James Toseland’s two podiums in Assen. Riders Cal Crutchlow and James Toseland spent the two days testing further changes to their 2010 R1 race-bikes as they prepare for the next round of the championship at the legendary Monza circuit next week. Toseland spent the first day focussing on the electronics, and ended the day second fastest on unofficial timing (no transponders) with a 1’36.0, only 0.1 behind the fastest time having completed 69 laps. Team mate Crutchlow was working on a general bike set-up, putting in 87 laps on the first day and ending it just behind Toseland, third fastest with an unofficial time of 1’36.3. Day two saw Crutchlow working through a different set up to the previous day, finding advantages with each. He finished the second day of testing in third having put in a 1’35.7 lap on race tyres. Team mate Toseland spent the day working on race pace and durability, using a qualifier towards the end to put in a 1’35.6 and take the second fastest slot of the day yet again. James Toseland, Yamaha Sterilgarda world Superbike Team “We’ve achieved a lot, and ended up second today. Fabrizio did a really good low 35 second lap on a qualifier but I think on race tyres there were definitely consistent 35s to be had for us as well. The fastest race time last year was a 37 so it shows how much everyone has improved, we’re 1.3 seconds under the lap record. Misano is definitely suited to the Ducati, it’s their strongest track I think, however I did ten laps in the low 36s which is great for race pace and the important thing is we’ve moved forward on durability for race pace which is key.” Cal Crutchlow, Yamaha Sterilgarda World Superbike Team “It’s been quite a progressive two days, we’ve worked through two completely different set ups and found pros and cons to both. I think we’ve found a clear direction to work in which we now need to fine tune. I was pleased with the pace we had, we were consistently in the top three without using a qualifier tyre, so we’re good with race tyres which is important. I have to keep working and hopefully it has put us in a good set for Monza.” Massimo Meregalli, Yamaha Sterilgarda world Superbike Team Manager “We’ve had a really good test here at Misano. We tried some different things in both electronics and bike set up with both riders and in the end we learnt some valuable information and we made improvements. We will use these steps to bring upgrades in both electronics and chassis set up. Misano has been invaluable in finally providing us with some structured testing time to really develop a solid base for the rest of the season. Whilst we have made steps at each round including the new linkage for James in Assen, this has been our first real opportunity to make the next step. We now head forward with a more competitive package for the season and are confident this will benefit us from the next race in Monza” Click here to view the news

Jorge Lorenzo Jorge Lorenzo produced one of the rides of his life to take a superb win in Spain today, the grandeur of a full-to-bursting Jerez providing a fitting amphitheatre for his first MotoGP win on home soil. Valentino Rossi finished third, making it a sixteenth double podium for the Fiat Yamaha pair since 2008. Lorenzo got a bad start and had dropped from second to fifth by the second lap, as he struggled to find a rhythm with a full fuel tank. On lap five he was able to pass Casey Stoner and then, five laps on, Nicky Hayden but he looked destined to stay in third as he languished 1.5 seconds adrift of Rossi, who was in turn the same distance from Pedrosa. With a third of the race to go however the Spaniard picked up pace, suddenly the fastest man on track as he stormed up on his team-mate. On lap 22 he despatched the Italian but with only five laps left and a two second gap a victory still looked unlikely. The tenacious youngster was not giving up however in pursuit of a sixth premier-class win and he rapidly gained on his fellow Spaniard to bring himself within striking distance on his penultimate lap. His first attempt to pass resulted in a dramatic moment as they both momentarily looked like running off track and in the end he had to leave it to the last lap to make the definitive move, passing Pedrosa on the brakes at the end of the back straight and crossing the line 0.543 seconds ahead. Lorenzo, who turns 23 on Tuesday, celebrated in hilarious style by leaping into the lake in the middle of the circuit, much to the rapture of the home fans who were already celebrating Spanish wins in the 125cc and Moto2 classes earlier in the day. Rossi was happy to make the podium, having struggled all weekend to overcome his injured shoulder and set-up problems with his M1. The World Champion got a great start from the second row and was second behind Pedrosa for most of the race. He stayed in touch in the early stages but began to drop back as his bike started to slide, eventually giving best to his charging team-mate and settling for the final podium spot and a valuable 16 points, 0.4 seconds behind Pedrosa. The Championship is now led by Lorenzo with 45 points, while Rossi is four points off him in second. The riders now have a three-week break before the French round at Le Mans on 23rd May. Jorge Lorenzo - Position: 1stTime: 45'17.538 "It has always been one of my dreams to win a MotoGP race in Spain and this was like a movie, everything that could possibly happen did! It was a very hard race because I made such a bad start and then found it very difficult in the first laps - I gave myself a tough job to do. After that I started to feel better and rode like a demon to get to the front. Once I passed Valentino I knew that I couldn't take it easy, I had to try everything to win and it was all I could think about. I had a great fight with Dani and in one moment we nearly crashed so I had to try again, on the very last lap! I know it's better to win races calmly, from the front, but lately that hasn't been the way for us and I have had to fight on every lap. I saw the lake on Thursday and thought it would be funny to jump in and I think the fans liked it, but I didn't really think about how heavy I'd be with wet leathers and for a minute I thought I wasn't going to get out! This has been an amazing day, I can't believe I've achieved this dream of mine, in front of all the Spanish fans at this magical place." Valentino Rossi Valentino Rossi - Position: 3rdTime: +0.890 "This just wasn't our race this year. We have struggled all weekend, first with my shoulder and then with the bike, and in the race today I couldn't do any more than third. I got a great start and was fast with the new tyre, I tried to go with Dani but then I started to slide a lot and I just had to play it safe. I made no mistakes and I'm happy about my race in the circumstances, these 16 points are very important. At the end I had a front-row seat to the Spanish party and I admit I was sorry not to be involved, Jorge did a great job today and I think it was very exciting for all the fans. I want to say thank you to Dr. Costa and all the staff at the Clinica Mobile, plus everyone back in Italy who has worked on my shoulder to allow me to be able to race this weekend. I will hopefully be back to full strength in Le Mans so I'm looking forward to that." Wilco Zeelenberg - Team Manager "It's fantastic to win this race in this way. The race itself was amazing, especially the last ten laps; a fight on the edge. Before the race started our target was just to be on the podium again and we managed the highest step, so we could not ask for more! Jorge was so fast at the end of the race, really amazing. We have wondered why he seems to get much stronger at the end of races; I think it's a combination of his riding style and confidence, because from a technical point of view there doesn't seem to be anything wrong. Apart from a less than perfect start, he controlled the bike very well during and kept a very good pace. He was able to keep the pace at the beginning and never gave up; he just got better. The target for the season remains the same, to keep aiming for the podium every weekend. We all know there are a lot of great riders out there and they all want to win, so it won't be easy. We have always been confident about our potential and now we are even more so. Well done to Jorge and all the team." Davide Brivio - Team Manager "Considering his recent injury we can see this as a very good result. The shoulder was okay and in fact the setting was the bigger problem, but the team did a great job to improve it as much as they could and we are happy that we made it onto the podium. Valentino got a fantastic start and was fast in the early stages but later on he couldn't keep pace with Lorenzo and Pedrosa so 16 points is good for us today. We have some work to do for Le Mans, when we hope Valentino will be back to full fitness. Well done to Jorge and all his side of the garage, he did a great race today." Tough Spanish MotoGP race for Monster Yamaha Tech 3 The Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team was left to contemplate what might have been after a difficult and disappointing Spanish MotoGP race at the Jerez circuit this afternoon. Colin Edwards fought a determined battle at the rear of a frenetic battle for seventh position in front of a sun-drenched crowd of 122,048 passionate Spanish fans. The Texan eventually had to settle for 12th position after he encountered small rear grip issues in the crucial final stages that left him unable to mount a sustained offensive on the exciting mid-pack dice. It was also a frustrating first Jerez MotoGP experience for 25-year-old Ben Spi es, who had started the race with high expectations after a brilliant performance in practice and qualifying. The reigning World Superbike champion made a blistering start and gained two places on the opening lap to sit menacingly behind former world champion Casey Stoner in sixth position. But just as Spies looked to consolidate his place in the leading group, he encountered a front-end issue that saw him unable to maintain his fast pace. Despite his valiant efforts to continue and score valuable points for the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team, Spies opted to retire at the end of lap eight after he'd fallen out of the top ten. The Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team will be hoping for improved fortunes when the MotoGP world championship resumes in France later this month. The Le Mans clash is the all-important home race for the Monster Yamaha Te ch 3 Team, with high hopes of a strong display in the third round of the 2010 campaign. Colin Edwards Colin Edwards - Position: 12thTime: +38.371 "I think I've had one good race at Jerez in my entire career and today wasn't it. This weekend has been a struggle and I've never been comfortable on the bike to show the pace I know I am capable of. Right from the start I had issues with the rear grip and I couldn't hold any load on the tyre at full lean angle. That also created some problems with the front-end, so I just struggled with the balance of the bike. It's the exact same issue that I had in Qatar even though the set-up I'm running is quite a bit different. I'd just like to be in a race. At the moment I just feel like I'm riding around and suffering. I can only look forward to Le Mans knowing that I go really well at that track and so does the Yamaha." Ben Spies Ben Spies - Position: DNF "It's just one of those things that can happen but it's really unfortunate because after coming here and learning the track really quick I thought we had a really good package for the race. The Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team had worked really hard but I just had some problem with the front-end. I'm not sure what the problem is but I've looked at the data and you can clearly see I had an issue. The bike just wasn't reacting like it should and it is a big shame. I got a really good start and was right behind Casey but pretty much from the first lap I knew I had a problem. I tried to round around the problem but at the end of the day I wasn't going to be scoring any points and I'd have risked crashing if I'd continued. The consolation is that I know we had the speed for a good result and there are a lot of positive points to take from the weekend. We can go to Le Mans confident that I'll be able to show more of my true potential." Herve Poncharal - Team Manager "I won't say it's a disaster but it certainly is a big disappointment for us. We had high hopes after we saw how quickly Ben mastered the track and it wasn't unrealistic to hope that he could have been at least in the top five again like in Qatar. He got a good start but after a few laps it was obvious that he couldn't maintain his pace and he was losing ground. He had to pull into the pits and he said he didn't have any feeling with the front. We'll analyse the data and check everything with Bridgestone to see if we can find out exactly what caused the problem. It is a shame for Ben but we have to accept it. Colin was never really comfortable with the bike all weekend. He had an interesting fight but it wasn't the result he wanted, so we'll work hard to understand some of his issues. Hopefully Le Mans will be better because that is a hugely important race for Tech 3 and Monster." Circuit Length: 4423 Weather: Dry Lap Record: 1'39.818 (Valentino Rossi, 01/01/2009) Fastest Lap Ever: 1'38.189 (Jorge Lorenzo, 30/03/2008) Last Years Winner: Valentino Rossi 2010 MotoGP Spain - Jerez de la Frontera 02/05/2010 Race 1 - 27 Laps Pos. Rider Manu. Nat. Total Time 1 Jorge Lorenzo Yamaha ESP 45'17.538 2 Daniel Pedrosa Honda ESP 0'00.543 3 Valentino Rossi Yamaha ITA 0'00.890 4 Nicky Hayden Ducati USA 0'09.015 5 Casey Stoner Ducati AUS 0'10.034 6 Andrea Dovizioso Honda ITA 0'23.144 7 Mika Kallio Ducati FIN 0'34.489 8 Marco Melandri Honda ITA 0'34.687 9 Randy De Puniet Honda FRA 0'36.160 10 Alvaro Bautista Suzuki ESP 0'36.791 11 Marco Simoncelli Honda ITA 0'37.155 12 Colin Edwards Yamaha USA 0'38.371 13 Hector Barbera Ducati ESP 0'38.371 14 Hiroshi Aoyama Honda JPN 1'02.052 15 Aleix Espargaro Ducati ESP -3Laps  Rider Standings 02/05/2010 Pos. Rider Manu. Nat. Points 1. Jorge Lorenzo Yamaha ESP 45 2. Valentino Rossi Yamaha ITA 41 3. Daniel Pedrosa Honda ESP 29 4. Nicky Hayden Ducati USA 26 5. Andrea Dovizioso Honda ITA 26 6. Randy De Puniet Honda FRA 17 7. Colin Edwards Yamaha USA 12 8. Marco Melandri Honda ITA 11 9. Ben Spies Yamaha USA 11 10. Casey Stoner Ducati AUS 11 11. Marco Simoncelli Honda ITA 10 12. Mika Kallio Ducati FIN 9 13. Hiroshi Aoyama Honda JPN 8 14. Loris Capirossi Suzuki ITA 7 15. Hector Barbera Ducati ESP 7  Manufacturer Standings 02/05/2010 Pos. Manufacturer Points 1. Yamaha 50 2. Honda 36 3. Ducati 26 4. Suzuki 13 Click here to view the news

Kyle Chisholm Motoconcepts Yamaha's Kyle Chisholm was the first YZ450F rider across the line at a boggy, slippery and treacherous Rice Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City for the penultimate round of the 2010 AMA Supercross/FIM World Championship. The 22 year old finished 5th in a rain-hit event for a personal best result; leading Michael Byrne and Justin Brayton across the line in 6th and 7th respectively. Floridian Chisholm weathered arguably the most technical terrain the riders have experienced in the sixteen events held so far this year to seal his top five finish by over seven seconds from Australian Byrne. The SX class main event actually had to be shortened due to showers (even snow!) and was run over 15 laps instead of the usual 20 in front of a sodden 38,882 attendance. Josh Hill In the sixth main event to take place in the Utah metropolis, conditions were so tough that new champion and fourth-place finisher Ryan Dungey was actually lapped. Brayton was holding third at one stage but then faded back after his rear brake failed and Chisholm was able to run in the top three before being relegated to fifth. San Manuel Yamaha's Josh Hill had another poor meeting and his 19th spot means that he is virtually resigned to 5th place in the championship after having been in contention for the title thanks to five podiums from the first six events. Despite his misfortune with a rib injury the 20 year old is still Yamaha's highest placed rider in the standings, although Brayton in 6th needs just 4 more points to overtake. "Everything was going good at the beginning of the season," he said. "I got a whole bunch of podiums in a row and I left the western swing of the series tied for the points lead but Indianapolis went horribly. I just didn't ride a good main event there. I was ready to do better in Atlanta, but then I 'endo-ed' in the same rhythm section where Villopoto fell in the main event and broke three ribs. Ever since then I haven't been able to breathe at all after a few laps in the main event. Then, just when my ribs were starting to feel better [before St. Louis], I crashed again and re-broke them. I mean, I can't sleep, much less ride 20 laps in a main event. I'm still fast and every week I feel like I can get on the podium at least, but after a few laps in the main event, I can't breathe." Team-mate and 2009 champion James Stewart has been out of action since round three with a broken scaphoid. The San Manuel rider is allegedly considering some appearances in the AMA Motocross Nationals with a view towards the 2010 Motocross of Nations in Colorado on September 26th. Seattle West Coast Lites event winner Broc Tickle was 6th in Utah, after a bad start, and ends the season with 4th in the championship ranking on the YZ250F. The final round of the Supercross campaign will take place at the Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas next Saturday. Circuit Length: NA Crowd: 38, 882 Weather: Wet Last Years Winner: James Stewart 2010 AMA-SX Salt Lake City, UT 02/05/2010 Race 1 - 15 Laps Pos. Rider Manu. Nat. Total Time 1 Kevin Windham Honda USA 14'13.037 2 David D Millsaps Honda USA 0'16.271 3 Andrew Short Honda USA 0'56.158 4 Ryan Dungey Suzuki USA -1Laps 5 Kyle Chisholm Yamaha USA -1Laps 6 Michael Byrne Yamaha AUS -1Laps 7 Justin Brayton Yamaha USA -1Laps 8 Thomas Hahn Suzuki USA -1Laps 9 Nicholas Wey Kawasaki USA -1Laps 10 Chris Blose Honda USA -1Laps 11 Kyle Cunningham Yamaha USA -1Laps 12 Kyle Partridge Honda USA -1Laps 13 Troy Adams Honda USA -1Laps 14 Weston Peick Yamaha USA -2Laps 15 Jeff Gibson Kawasaki USA -2Laps 19 Josh Hill Yamaha USA -3Laps Rider Standings 01/05/2010 Pos. Rider Manu. Nat. Points 1. Ryan Dungey Suzuki USA 338 2. Kevin Windham Honda USA 273 3. Ryan Villopoto Kawasaki USA 266 4. David D Millsaps Honda USA 253 5. Josh Hill Yamaha USA 229 6. Justin Brayton Yamaha USA 225 7. Nicholas Wey Kawasaki USA 186 8. Ivan Tedesco Yamaha USA 183 9. Thomas Hahn Suzuki USA 174 10. Kyle Chisholm Yamaha USA 163 11. Michael Byrne Yamaha AUS 160 12. Andrew Short Honda USA 134 13. Chris Blose Honda USA 112 14. Trey Canard Honda USA 103 15. Jason Thomas Suzuki USA 74 17. Grant Langston Yamaha RSA 67 18. Jason Lawrence Yamaha USA 62 19. James Stewart Yamaha USA 51 25. Dan Reardon Yamaha USA 25 26. Weston Peick Yamaha USA 24 28. Kyle Cunningham Yamaha USA 18 37. Kyle Regal Yamaha USA 7 45. Josh Grant Yamaha USA 1 Manufacturer Standings 01/05/2010 Pos. Manufacturer Points 1. Suzuki 342 2. Honda 337 3. Kawasaki 319 4. Yamaha 305 5. KTM 3 Click here to view the news

De Dycker in Portugal The Grand Prix of Portugal took place at a challenging Agueda circuit in front of 14,000 spectators as rain on Saturday turned into sunshine on Sunday and Yamaha Monster Energy Ricci MX Team's Ken De Dycker grabbed his first top three finish of the season on the new YZ450F with 3rd place in the second moto. Yamaha Monster Energy David Philippaerts was the highest-placed Yamaha runner with 5th overall and aced a rostrum slot in the first race. On Saturday, after refining his set-up with the help of the Ohlins technicians, Philippaerts was able to make a great start in the Qualification Heat and lead world champion Tony Cairoli to the finish line for his second pole position of the season. Showers that lasted most of the day on Saturday caused the track to soften and become rutty and bumpy. As the terrain dried and offered more grip on Sunday more racing lines appeared in the second moto. DP at Agueda 2008 world champion Philippaerts was chasing Clement Desalle hard for second place in the first moto when he inexplicably fell on the landing of a long jump adjacent to the start-straight. The Italian was able to quickly remount and although he secured 3rd was left nursing a painful left hand. The complaint would bother him in the second race and he was unable to run at a similar pace through the rough bumps, eventually finishing 8th. Ahead De Dycker was battling with Evgeny Bobryshev, Max Nagl and Desalle. The Belgian was in a resolute mood after a first lap crash in the opening race had forced his retirement with a damaged radiator and broken front brake. The DNF meant that the 25 year old was 10th by the end of the day although he was pleased with his fight to 3rd. Philippaerts is 3rd in the world championship standings, 28 points from second while De Dycker is 6th. The team will head east across Portugal and into Spain arriving at Bellpuig for the Grand Prix of Catalunya next week and round five of the series. In other news Spain's Carlos Campano still leads the MX3 World Championship after his second win of the season at round three in Argentina last week. In front of a decent 20,000 crowd the former Spanish Champion went 2-1 at La Rioja to clinch his spoils and edge a 6 point lead in the standings. "I am very happy," he said. I won in front of so many spectators and I am still leading the Championship." Ten rounds remain in the contest that is held in conjunction with the MX2 European series. Philippaerts after Moto1 David Philippaerts, Yamaha Monster Energy MX Team, 5th: "In the first moto I was following Desalle and my speed was good but on the third lap I had a big crash. I don't know the reason for it, similar to what happened in Mantova, and it was just one second in which my race was decided. I hurt my hand and that affected my feeling on the bike in the second moto. I did not have quite as much control or strength as before and it was not good for my corner speed because the bike was moving around a lot because of the bumps and I needed to hold on. Yesterday was very good but our races are being hit by some surprises. My lap-times are good and I am keeping consistent and now we must all work on getting our set-up right and the results we deserve." Ken De Dycker, Yamaha Monster Energy Ricci MX Team, 10th: "I had some bad luck in the first race. I came into the rut and jumped it a little bit but the bike went sideways in the second part and I could not keep it up. The radiator was bent and the front brake was poking into the front wheel so it was not possible to go on. The second moto was better but hard work, and I lost the rhythm in some places. I am quite happy with how it went." Crowd: 14,000 Weather: Sunny Last Years Winner: Antonio Cairoli 2010 GP of Portugal 09/05/2010 Race 1 - 20 Laps Pos. Rider Manu. Nat. Total Time 1 Maximilian Nagl KTM GER 40'37.687 2 Clement Desalle Suzuki BEL 0'14.633 3 David Philippaerts Yamaha ITA 0'17.055 4 Xavier Boog Kawasaki FRA 0'18.870 5 Antonio Cairoli KTM ITA 0'20.685 6 Tanel Leok Honda EST 0'22.020 7 Steve Ramon Suzuki BEL 0'45.869 8 Sébastien Pourcel Kawasaki FRA 0'53.096 9 Evgeny Bobryshev Honda RUS 1'04.235 10 Marc De Reuver Suzuki NED 1'06.660 11 Rui Goncalves KTM POR 1'09.663 12 Kevin Strijbos Suzuki BEL 1'10.618 13 Anthony Boissière TM FRA 1'11.406 14 Nicolas Aubin Kawasaki FRA 1'25.652 15 Davide Guarneri Honda ITA 1'32.088 16 Tom Soderstrom Yamaha SWE 1'32.561 Race 2 - 20 Laps Pos. Rider Manu. Nat. Total Time 1 Antonio Cairoli KTM ITA 39'57.508 2 Clement Desalle Suzuki BEL 0'02.809 3 Ken De Dycker Yamaha BEL 0'04.569 4 Xavier Boog Kawasaki FRA 0'06.537 5 Maximilian Nagl KTM GER 0'09.288 6 Tanel Leok Honda EST 0'12.826 7 Evgeny Bobryshev Honda RUS 0'23.894 8 David Philippaerts Yamaha ITA 0'28.727 9 Sébastien Pourcel Kawasaki FRA 0'51.791 10 Davide Guarneri Honda ITA 0'52.578 11 Joshua Coppins Aprilia NZL 0'53.484 12 Steve Ramon Suzuki BEL 0'56.710 13 Rui Goncalves KTM POR 1'13.304 14 Kevin Strijbos Suzuki BEL 1'16.923 15 Anthony Boissière TM FRA 1'26.064 Rider Standings 09/05/2010 Pos. Rider Manu. Nat. Points 1. Antonio Cairoli KTM ITA 179 2. Maximilian Nagl KTM GER 161 3. David Philippaerts Yamaha ITA 133 4. Steve Ramon Suzuki BEL 124 5. Clement Desalle Suzuki BEL 123 6. Ken De Dycker Yamaha BEL 114 7. Xavier Boog Kawasaki FRA 106 8. Tanel Leok Honda EST 96 9. Evgeny Bobryshev Honda RUS 79 10. Sébastien Pourcel Kawasaki FRA 75 11. Davide Guarneri Honda ITA 73 12. Joshua Coppins Aprilia NZL 63 13. Jimmy Albertson Honda USA 59 14. Gareth Swanepoel Honda RSA 57 15. Jonathan Barragan Kawasaki ESP 56 17. Manuel Monni Yamaha ITA 46 21. Tom Soderstrom Yamaha SWE 19 Manufacturer Standings 09/05/2010 Pos. Manufacturer Points 1. KTM 197 2. Suzuki 169 3. Yamaha 156 4. Kawasaki 118 5. Honda 113 6. Aprilia 63 7. TM 37 8. CCM 11 RACE REPORT 09/05/2010 Osborne so close to Portuguese MX2-GP podium Osborne at Agueda The fourth round of the FIM MX2-GP World Championship saw Bike it Cosworth Yamaha's Zach Osborne miss a first podium result for the 2010 YZ250F - with increased agility due to a new chassis - by just one point as the American gets closer and closer to his first silverware of the season. Agueda hosted the Grand Prix of Portugal and thanks to copious rainfall on Saturday the course with many jumps, drops and climbs was a rougher prospect than usual for race-day. 14,000 spectators attended the event despite the changeable climate for the first of two back-to-back meetings on the MX-GP schedule. Osborne set a decent pace across a wet and slick layout in practice and qualification and was not far off the speed marked by the leaders in the motos themselves. The 2009 Turkish GP winner chased Shaun Simpson to finish 5th in the first moto and was exercising a degree of caution at the venue where he broke his scaphoid and ended his season twelve months ago. In the second moto Osborne gelled with the track and enjoyed a lengthy skirmish with Dutch GP victor Jeffrey Herlings, only losing out to the teenager after some fraught run-ins with backmarkers. With 3rd position by the flag Osborne gained his first entry into the top three and missed the podium by a single point. Kullas in Portugal Elsewhere Yamaha Monster Energy Gariboldi's Harri Kullas was 8th overall with a promising start and decent ride to 7th in Moto1. The Finn was slower getting away in Moto2 but persisted to the finish to gain 13th. Team-mate Christophe Charlier steered the third YZ250F into the top ten with 10th place overall. The 2009 European Champion was competing with an injured right hand after damaging thumb ligaments in a mid-week training crash. He defied the pain to reach the flag ahead of Kullas in Moto1 for 6th but a crash at the beginning of the second race dropped him to 15th. Yamaha Monster Energy Ricci MX Team's Loic Larrieu crashed in the Qualification Heat and had to enter the gate down in 33rd limiting his options at the start of the motos. The Frenchman also hit the ground during Sunday. Eventually he managed two points for 19th in the second sprint. Alessandro Lupino was 17th and 11th for 14th overall and his best points haul of the season, despite a sore right wrist. Osborne is currently the highest-placed Yamaha rider in the MX2-GP table with 6th position and 2 points from the top five. Kullas and Charlier are 9th and 10th. Yamaha 3C Racing's Chiara Fontanesi was 5th overall in the second round of the FIM Women's World Championship courtesy of two 6th positions and holds 4th in the seven-race series, the third edition of the competition, on the YZ250F. Round five of the world championship will take place at Bellpuig for the Grand Prix of Catalunya next week. Zach Osborne, Bike it Cosworth Yamaha, 4th: "I am a little disappointed that I did not make the podium because it would have been sweet revenge after getting hurt here last year. However a 5th and a 3rd and some good points mean that it has been a good weekend. I think I am catching those guys slowly but surely. My first race was not my best of the year but it was still solid, and in the second I held it out as long as I could up there but ran into some lappers and Herlings passed me. I gained some ground on him a little bit but again got mixed up with slower riders. I enjoyed the rough circuit. It was a GP track; gnarly, rough, hard to predict. It was definitely good. I am so happy with the way things are going with the team. Everyone is pulling together and it is such a joint-effort." Harri Kullas, Yamaha Monster Energy Gariboldi, 8th: "Overall I had one good, one bad. In the first race I had a good start and when Roelants crashed in front of me I had 7th. I could see Christophe in front of me but when I pushed he would do also and I could not get close enough. I was happy with 7th though. In the second moto I started badly and struggled to wake-up and this is something I need to work on. I rode smart but spent too much time behind Karro and Tonkov. Near the end I pushed as hard as I could. 8th overall was a good result for the day and I feel it is progress." Christophe Charlier, Yamaha Monster Energy Gariboldi, 10th: "I did the best I could today but it was definitely hard with my hand. I had a crash at the start of the second moto but the first one was pretty good in the circumstances. I just have to let my hand heal and hope it is a bit stronger for Spain." Crowd: 14,000 Weather: Sunny Last Years Winner: Rui Goncalves 2010 GP of Portugal 09/05/2010 Race 1 - 19 Laps Pos. Rider Manu. Nat. Total Time 1 Marvin Musquin KTM FRA 39'09.201 2 Ken Roczen Suzuki GER 0'03.389 3 Jeffrey Herlings KTM NED 0'03.997 4 Shaun Simpson KTM GBR 1'02.518 5 Zach Osborne Yamaha USA 1'17.802 6 Christophe Charlier Yamaha FRA 1'20.932 7 Harri Kullas Yamaha FIN 1'23.221 8 Joel Roelants KTM BEL 1'24.333 9 Arnaud Tonus Suzuki CHE 1'47.796 10 Matiss Karro Suzuki LVA 1'50.706 11 Steven Frossard Kawasaki FRA -1Laps 12 Nikolai Larsen Honda DNK -1Laps 13 Mel Pocock Yamaha GBR -1Laps 14 Aleksandr Tonkov Suzuki RUS -1Laps 15 Petr Smitka KTM CZE -1Laps 17 Alessandro Lupino Yamaha ITA -1Laps Race 2 - 19 Laps Pos. Rider Manu. Nat. Total Time 1 Marvin Musquin KTM FRA 40'09.015 2 Jeffrey Herlings KTM NED 0'08.230 3 Zach Osborne Yamaha USA 0'14.284 4 Jeremy Van Horebeek Kawasaki BEL 0'20.023 5 Steven Frossard Kawasaki FRA 0'32.628 6 Ken Roczen Suzuki GER 0'50.167 7 Arnaud Tonus Suzuki CHE 0'51.004 8 Joel Roelants KTM BEL 1'03.928 9 Jake Nicholls KTM GBR 1'05.055 10 Dennis Verbruggen KTM BEL 1'16.926 11 Alessandro Lupino Yamaha ITA 1'19.092 12 Valentin Teillet KTM FRA 1'20.792 13 Harri Kullas Yamaha FIN 1'22.165 14 Matiss Karro Suzuki LVA 1'45.346 15 Christophe Charlier Yamaha FRA 1'46.923 18 Mel Pocock Yamaha GBR -1Laps 19 Loic Larrieu Yamaha FRA -1Laps Rider Standings 09/05/2010 Pos. Rider Manu. Nat. Points 1. Marvin Musquin KTM FRA 179 2. Ken Roczen Suzuki GER 167 3. Jeffrey Herlings KTM NED 164 4. Steven Frossard Kawasaki FRA 133 5. Arnaud Tonus Suzuki CHE 116 6. Zach Osborne Yamaha USA 114 7. Shaun Simpson KTM GBR 105 8. Jeremy Van Horebeek Kawasaki BEL 101 9. Harri Kullas Yamaha FIN 83 10. Christophe Charlier Yamaha FRA 81 11. Joel Roelants KTM BEL 80 12. Jake Nicholls KTM GBR 76 13. Dennis Verbruggen KTM BEL 60 14. Alessandro Lupino Yamaha ITA 45 15. Matiss Karro Suzuki LVA 40 17. Mel Pocock Yamaha GBR 29 20. Loic Larrieu Yamaha FRA 16 29. Rudi Moroni Yamaha ITA 5 30. Ceriel Klein Kromhof Yamaha NED 4 31. Glenn Coldenhoff Yamaha NED 2 32. Ed Allingham Yamaha GBR 2 Manufacturer Standings 09/05/2010 Pos. Manufacturer Points 1. KTM 200 2. Suzuki 167 3. Kawasaki 135 4. Yamaha 123 5. Honda 40 6. TM 9 Click here to view the news

MRS Racing rider Jeremy Guarnoni took his second race victory of the year today at Monza on his Yamaha YZF-R6. The legendary Monza circuit provided an action packed race for the European Superstock 600 class, of the 20 riders who started on the grid only nine made it to the finish line. Guarnoni spent the eight lap race in close battle for a podium position until a last minute crash from his closest rivals on the final corner put him in front through Parabolica and across the line to claim the chequered flag. Team mate Romain Lanusse didn’t fair so well, crashing out after five laps, he was uninjured in the fall. Guarnoni now heads to the next round in Misano having stretched his lead in the championship to 88 points, 20 ahead of second placed rider Florian Marino. Team mate Lanusse sits in sixth, on 30 points. Click here to view the news

With just four hundredths of a second between them, James Toseland and Cal Crutchlow shot out of the legendary Parabolica curve on the final lap of race one today in second and third respectively to deliver Yamaha Sterilgarda's first double podium of the year. Crutchlow, having qualified second, had initially got off the line in fifth with Toseland two places behind in seventh. They worked their way up as a pair, passing Fabrizio and Corser to take third and fourth by lap three. Toseland then passed his team mate for third on lap four at the end of the high speed start-finish straight, then closed down on Haslam and Biaggi at the front. A brief fight with Haslam with some heart stopping passes saw Toseland take second where he stayed tucked up behind race leader Biaggi. Team mate Crutchlow took second from him briefly on lap 14 having caught up again after a missed chicane dropped him to fourth. Toseland was quick to recover position however and got as far as a look up the inside of Biaggi coming out of Parabolica before settling for second less than three tenths from the front at the chequered flag. Race two was brought short for both riders. Another rider collided with Toseland going into the first chicane on the opening lap, causing a big crash leaving him with light concussion. He was awake following the incident but taken to hospital for a check up to assess if there was further injury. Team mate Crutchlow made a good start and was chasing Biaggi in second place just 0.1 seconds behind the leader. On lap 11 stones from Biaggi's rear wheel were flicked up, peppering Crutchlow's helmet, with one piercing his oil cooler. This caused him to low side going into the first chicane on lap 12. He was uninjured in the fall but unable to continue. After the Monza round Toseland remains in fifth position in the championship on 106 points, now just four points away from Rea in third. Crutchlow remains in tenth position on 65 points, just seven behind Sylvain Guintoli in eighth. James Tosland James Toseland, Yamaha Sterilgarda World Superbike Team, (2nd, DNF) " The first race was a good strong race, I just want to congratulate the team, it's their home race and to get two of us on the podium is great. Max Biaggi rode a great race, he had a strong bike here and we expected him to go well, he didn't put a foot wrong. I was hoping on the last lap he was going to make a slight mistake, just enough for me to get alongside but he didn't so fair play to him. We're getting better with each race, moving in the right direction and it's getting frustrating finishing in second and third now!" Cal Crutchlow Cal Crutchlow, Yamaha Sterilgarda World Superbike Team, (3rd, DNF) "I felt like I put together a really solid first race, we didn't get the best of starts but made up for it and got stuck in. All credit to Yamaha, they've done a good job to give James and I a competitive package so it was great for us both to deliver them the podiums here for their home round. It was a strong result and we rode well so I was looking forward to the second race. I started really well and didn't take long to get tucked in behind Max, I knew exactly what I was doing and had my strategy sorted to pass him on the last lap. Incredibly some stones flew up off his back wheel, I was so close behind I felt some hit my helmet and unfortunately a big one made a hole in my oil cooler. I made it through another lap, but coming into the first chicane it must have reached my back tyre and I went straight down." Massimo Meregalli, Yamaha Sterilgarda World Superbike Team Manager "This has been a really mixed race weekend for us. From Valencia we have been stronger and stronger, it's clear by the podiums the riders have been delivering and the pace of both of them, especially this weekend and in Assen that we have a very competitive, strong bike. The first race was fantastic for us; to take two hard fought podiums at our home round is very special. The second race was incredibly frustrating; to have both riders out for reasons that were completely out of our control is disappointing when we have been the strongest team here. Following James's crash and concussion he was taken to hospital for scans as he complained of a pain in his neck. The first scan revealed no injuries, we are waiting for a second for confirmation. We expect to head to South Africa to fight for more podiums." Circuit Length: 5777 Temp: 20 Weather: Sunny Lap Record: 1'42.937 (Cal Crutchlow, 01/01/2010) Fastest Lap Ever: 1'42.121 (Max Biaggi, 09/05/2010) Last Years Winner: Ben Spies 2010 WSB Italy - Monza 09/05/2010 Race 1 - 18 Laps Pos. Rider Manu. Nat. Total Time 1 Max Biaggi Aprilia ITA 31'07.044 2 James Toseland Yamaha GBR 0'00.247 3 Cal Crutchlow Yamaha GBR 0'00.297 4 Leon Haslam Suzuki GBR 0'00.958 5 Leon Camier Aprilia GBR 0'04.493 6 Ruben Xaus BMW ESP 0'07.343 7 Michel Fabrizio Ducati ITA 0'07.369 8 Troy Corser BMW AUS 0'09.344 9 Tom Sykes Kawasaki GBR 0'15.338 10 Sylvain Guintoli Suzuki FRA 0'16.761 11 Noriyuki Haga Ducati JPN 0'16.921 12 Max Neukirchner Honda GER 0'22.231 13 Shane Byrne Ducati GBR 0'22.602 14 Carlos Checa Ducati ESP 0'22.742 15 Jakub Smrz Ducati CZE 0'26.266 Race 2 - 18 Laps Pos. Rider Manu. Nat. Total Time 1 Max Biaggi Aprilia ITA 31'07.122 2 Leon Haslam Suzuki GBR 0'04.547 3 Troy Corser BMW AUS 0'05.469 4 Leon Camier Aprilia GBR 0'10.267 5 Tom Sykes Kawasaki GBR 0'15.561 6 Noriyuki Haga Ducati JPN 0'15.816 7 Sylvain Guintoli Suzuki FRA 0'15.861 8 Jakub Smrz Ducati CZE 0'20.977 9 Shane Byrne Ducati GBR 0'21.920 10 Luca Scassa Ducati ITA 0'21.974 11 Carlos Checa Ducati ESP 0'27.152 12 Max Neukirchner Honda GER 0'29.315 13 Chris Vermeulen Kawasaki AUS 0'30.858 14 Roger Lee Hayden Kawasaki USA 0'47.160 15 Broc Parkes Kawasaki AUS 0'48.824 Best Lap Rider Manu. Nat. Total Time Jonathan Rea Honda GBR 1'43.031 Â Rider Standings 09/05/2010 Pos. Rider Manu. Nat. Points 1. Leon Haslam Suzuki GBR 181 2. Max Biaggi Aprilia ITA 178 3. Carlos Checa Ducati ESP 110 4. Jonathan Rea Honda GBR 110 5. James Toseland Yamaha GBR 106 6. Noriyuki Haga Ducati JPN 100 7. Troy Corser BMW AUS 92 8. Leon Camier Aprilia GBR 72 9. Sylvain Guintoli Suzuki FRA 70 10. Cal Crutchlow Yamaha GBR 65 11. Michel Fabrizio Ducati ITA 62 12. Shane Byrne Ducati GBR 58 13. Jakub Smrz Ducati CZE 47 14. Ruben Xaus BMW ESP 35 15. Tom Sykes Kawasaki GBR 35 Â Manufacturer Standings 09/05/2010 Pos. Manufacturer Points 1. Aprilia 184 2. Suzuki 181 3. Ducati 149 4. Honda 119 5. Yamaha 113 6. BMW 95 7. Kawasaki 37 Click here to view the news

Cunningham The 2010 AMA SX series/FIM World Championship came to an end with the seventeenth and final round of the year taking place at the Sam Boyd stadium in Las Vegas last weekend. Kyle Cunningham was the surprise top runner on the Valli Motorsports YZ450F with 4th position but Muscle Milk Joe Gibbs Racing's Justin Brayton finished 8th and was able to rise into the top five of the season standings. Texan Cunningham had a career-best race in just his third event in the premier class since taking the vacated seat of the injured Ivan Tedesco. The 21 year old, who had secured 8th place in the East Coast Lites series, had scored 13th and 11th in his two previous outings before coming to Nevada. "I knew I could ride the 450, I just hadn't put a whole race together," he said. "Something just kept happening. Plus, the other two races [seattle and Salt Lake City] were just crazy conditions. But here, with normal conditions, I felt great. I caught a flow about halfway through and I just rode it on in to the finish. I'm pumped." Kyle Chisholm was 7th ahead of Brayton and Michael Byrne managed 11th. Josh Hill was able to score two points more than his two previous outings with 17th place and end a nightmare-ish second half of the campaign in which a rib injury has affected his race stamina. Four Yamaha's finished in the final top ten of the standings with Brayton 5th, Hill 6th, Tedesco in 9th and Kyle Chisholm claiming 10th. 2009 champion James Stewart etched the sole victory for Yamaha at Anaheim 1 but has been out with a broken scaphoid since round four. The AMA Motocross Nationals will now begin in two weeks with the first event taking place at Hangtown in Sacramento, California. Circuit Length: n/a Crowd: NA Weather: Dry Lap Record: 0'52.030 (Kevin Windham, 01/01/2004) Last Years Winner: Ryan Villopoto 2010 AMA-SX Las Vegas, NV 10/05/2010 Race 1 - 20 Laps Pos. Rider Manu. Nat. Total Time 1 Ryan Dungey Suzuki USA 20'54.883 2 Chad Reed Kawasaki AUS 0'05.034 3 Kevin Windham Honda USA 0'20.098 4 Kyle Cunningham Yamaha USA 0'25.155 5 Andrew Short Honda USA 0'27.330 6 David D Millsaps Honda USA 0'28.730 7 Kyle Chisholm Yamaha USA 0'33.921 8 Justin Brayton Yamaha USA 0'35.887 9 Thomas Hahn Suzuki USA 0'49.306 10 Nicholas Wey Kawasaki USA 0'51.067 11 Michael Byrne Yamaha AUS 0'53.306 12 Matt Boni Honda USA -1Laps 13 Chris Blose Honda USA -1Laps 14 Josh Demuth Honda USA -1Laps 15 Weston Peick Yamaha USA -1Laps 17 Josh Hill Yamaha USA -1Laps 19 Jake Anstett Yamaha USA -3Laps Rider Standings 08/05/2010 Pos. Rider Manu. Nat. Points 1. Ryan Dungey Suzuki USA 363 2. Kevin Windham Honda USA 293 3. David D Millsaps Honda USA 268 4. Ryan Villopoto Kawasaki USA 266 5. Justin Brayton Yamaha USA 238 6. Josh Hill Yamaha USA 233 7. Nicholas Wey Kawasaki USA 197 8. Thomas Hahn Suzuki USA 186 9. Ivan Tedesco Yamaha USA 183 10. Kyle Chisholm Yamaha USA 177 11. Michael Byrne Yamaha AUS 170 12. Andrew Short Honda USA 150 13. Chris Blose Honda USA 120 14. Trey Canard Honda USA 103 15. Jason Thomas Suzuki USA 79 18. Grant Langston Yamaha RSA 67 19. Jason Lawrence Yamaha USA 62 20. James Stewart Yamaha USA 51 23. Kyle Cunningham Yamaha USA 36 26. Weston Peick Yamaha USA 30 27. Dan Reardon Yamaha USA 25 38. Kyle Regal Yamaha USA 7 45. Jake Anstett Yamaha USA 2 46. Josh Grant Yamaha USA 1 Manufacturer Standings 08/05/2010 Pos. Manufacturer Points 1. Suzuki 367 2. Honda 357 3. Kawasaki 341 4. Yamaha 323 5. KTM 3 Click here to view the news

Jorge Lorenzo Jorge Lorenzo gave the Fiat Yamaha Team a reason to smile in Mugello this afternoon as he brought his M1 home in second position, extending his Championship lead after two wins and two seconds so far this season. Lorenzo took to the podium wearing a yellow number 46 shirt as a nod to his team-mate Valentino Rossi, who watched the race from his hospital bed after breaking his leg in practice yesterday. Lorenzo got a good start behind Dani Pedrosa but soon realised he was not able to keep yesterday's blistering pace, quickly losing ground to his fellow Spaniard as he became embroiled in a fight with Andrea Dovizioso. The Italian passed Lorenzo on lap three but the Mallorcan got his nose back in front three laps later, the pair then remaining locked closely together until three-quarter race distance, when Lorenzo managed to stretch his lead to over half a second. By then Pedrosa was several seconds clear and the 23-year-old had no choice but to settle for a safe runner-up spot, meaning he has taken an impressive 90 points from a possible 100 so far this season. His lead is now 25 points over Pedrosa in the championship, with the injured Rossi in third. This was the first time Rossi has not started a race since he began his illustrious career over fourteen years ago in Malaysia at the age of 16, and the Italian holds the record of 230 consecutive starts. He is currently recuperating at the Centro Traumatologico Ortopedico in Florence following surgery yesterday to repair his broken right leg. Jorge Lorenzo - Position: 2ndTime: +4.014 "Unfortunately my pace today wasn't as good as yesterday and I could only finish second; something happened and I couldn't ride in the same way but in the circumstances I am happy with my result. Anyway Dani had a perfect race today; he had an amazing pace and I don't know if I could have beaten him even if I had been as fast as yesterday! To take 90 points from 100 is great and I am leading the championship, so I cannot ask for more. I need to make some improvements to my riding style and Yamaha needs to try to improve the power of the bike a bit so we have some things to work on, but I am confident about the next weeks. It was very strange today without Valentino, I am so glad the fans honoured him so well. I wanted to win to dedicate the victory to him but that wasn't possible so all I can do is say 'get well soon!'" Wilco Zeelenberg - Team Manager "After the weekend our team has had with what happened to Valentino this was a good result for us, we have 90 points, two wins and two seconds and we are happy with our season so far. Jorge had some issues today and we need to analyse why it happened and why he couldn't keep the same pace, but we are not too worried and he rode a good race today. We are 25 points clear in the championship which is great but we all know why, because Valentino isn't here, and it's a sad situation. We all wish him the best." Ben Spies battles hard for seventh at majestic Mugello Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team rider Ben Spies got his 2010 world championship campaign firmly back on track with a battling seventh place finish in today's Italian MotoGP race at Mugello. Spies showed his failure to finish the previous two races had done little to dent his confidence as he made a stunning start from the third row of the grid. The 25-year-old slotted into a brilliant fourth place before he slipped back to seventh in a hectic opening few laps. He briefly moved back into the top six with an overtake on Randy de Puniet on lap six but spent the remainder of the 23-lap encounter giving his maximum effort to try and clos e in on captivating battle for fourth position. Spies brilliantly hunted down Casey Stoner, de Puniet and Marco Melandri but despite launching a persistent challenge he was never able to get sufficiently close to mount an attack. The Texan's morale-boosting result though moved him back into the top ten in the world championship standings on 20-points with four of the 18 rounds completed. American team-mate Colin Edwards finished in a brave 13th place despite having to race in extremely difficult circumstances. Edwards suffered a mystery fatigue issue in this morning's warm-up session and it was obvious from the start of the race that his physical condition would prevent him from showing his true potential as he dropped from fifth to 11th. Despite feeling well below his best, Edwards bravely rode to 13th to collect three valuable po ints and preserve his 100 per cent points-scoring record this season. The Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team now embarks on a new adventure when MotoGP visits the Silverstone circuit in England for the first time since 1986. Ben Spies Ben Spies - Position: 7thTime: +28.806 "The goal was top ten, so to be eighth I'm pretty happy with, especially leaving here with solid points after the disappointment of the last two races. I got a great start and felt like I rode as hard as I could and didn't make too many mistakes but I just couldn't quite get up close to the battle in front of me and that was a little frustrating. I found myself right on the tail of that pack with Randy, Marco and Casey but I wasn't going to be able to pass them on the straight. I just tried to stay as close as I could for as long as I could in case something happened with them but everybody kept it upright. I was just hoping that the pack was going to break open and I could pick one of them off but they stayed together. It was a good race and what I needed to build my confidence and experience and now I'm looking forward to Silverstone. That's a level playing field with nobody knowing the track, so I'll have less of a disadvantage." Colin Edwards Colin Edwards - Position: 13thTime: +1'14.393 "I'm really disappointed and a bit mystified because I've felt good all weekend and we got the bike working really well again after we switched back to the setting we had at Mugello last year. But it was a struggle from the off and I didn't feel great at all. The bike was working well. It goes round the corner good, it brakes good and has good traction but I can't ride in that condition. I felt fatigued really early in the race and was really struggling to change direction with the bike. And at this track you have got a l ot of fast changes of direction that are crucial to help you flow and set good times. I've had a bit of an arm pump issue all weekend for the first time in my career and needed quite a few injections to ease that. But I was way below my best physical condition and not just because of that. All I can do is apologise to Monster Yamaha Tech 3 and I wish I knew what was going on. I'll try and figure it out and be ready to come out fighting strong in Silverstone." Herve Poncharal - Team Manager "It was a mixed day for Monster Yamaha Tech 3 because we had high hopes after qualifying. Ben did a great job and it was a shame that he could not really force his way into that exciting fight for fourth place. He did everything he could and he never gave up to show how determined he is to achieve a better result. But I think it was obvious that he had a speed issue on the straight a nd that didn't help him. But it was a race that will be good for his confidence though and he showed that he is capable of easily challenging for the top places. It was a big shame for Colin because it is clear he was not able to ride at his usual level. Colin showed his potential in qualifying with fifth but in the race his physical condition never allowed him to fight at his maximum potential and I feel for him because he too never stop trying to improve his situation. We now look forward to the new challenge of Silverstone hopeful of a positive result." Circuit Length: 5245 Temp: 32 Weather: Dry Lap Record: 1'50.117 (Max Biaggi, 01/01/2005) Fastest Lap Ever: 1'42.837 (Valentino Rossi, 04/06/2006) Last Years Winner: Casey Stoner 2010 MotoGP Italy - Mugello 06/06/2010 Race 1 - 23 Laps Pos. Rider Manu. Nat. Total Time 1 Daniel Pedrosa Honda ESP 42'28.066 2 Jorge Lorenzo Yamaha ESP 0'04.014 3 Andrea Dovizioso Honda ITA 0'06.196 4 Casey Stoner Ducati AUS 0'25.703 5 Marco Melandri Honda ITA 0'25.735 6 Randy De Puniet Honda FRA 0'25.965 7 Ben Spies Yamaha USA 0'28.806 8 Aleix Espargaro Ducati ESP 0'40.172 9 Marco Simoncelli Honda ITA 0'41.394 10 Loris Capirossi Suzuki ITA 0'42.107 11 Hiroshi Aoyama Honda JPN 0'43.095 12 Hector Barbera Ducati ESP 0'43.363 13 Colin Edwards Yamaha USA 1'14.393 14 Alvaro Bautista Suzuki ESP 1'24.389 Rider Standings 06/06/2010 Pos. Rider Manu. Nat. Points 1. Jorge Lorenzo Yamaha ESP 90 2. Daniel Pedrosa Honda ESP 65 3. Valentino Rossi Yamaha ITA 61 4. Andrea Dovizioso Honda ITA 58 5. Nicky Hayden Ducati USA 39 6. Randy De Puniet Honda FRA 36 7. Marco Melandri Honda ITA 32 8. Casey Stoner Ducati AUS 24 9. Marco Simoncelli Honda ITA 23 10. Ben Spies Yamaha USA 20 11. Hector Barbera Ducati ESP 19 12. Colin Edwards Yamaha USA 19 13. Hiroshi Aoyama Honda JPN 18 14. Aleix Espargaro Ducati ESP 16 15. Loris Capirossi Suzuki ITA 13 Manufacturer Standings 06/06/2010 Pos. Manufacturer Points 1. Yamaha 95 2. Honda 77 3. Ducati 52 4. Suzuki 19 Click here to view the news

The Camel Yamaha Team completed their three-day test in Sepang, Malaysia today with more promising work on the new 2006-spec YZR-M1. Both Valentino Rossi and Colin Edwards concentrated mainly on work for Michelin in the morning and made some important progress in this area with the tyre manufacturer. After lunch both riders then completed a long run in order to gather information about the new M1 in race conditions, and were both pleased with the performance of the bike and the improvement in times from the race in September. Sete Gibernau (Ducati) was fastest today with a time of 2'01.03. Rossi, who captured his seventh World Championship title at this track in September, set a fastest lap of 2'01.60, which puts him fifth fastest over the three days according to the unofficial times. Edwards' best lap of the day was 2'02.54 but his fastest time from the three days remains the 2'02.00 that he set yesterday. The Camel Yamaha Team now has a 12-day break before heading to Doha, Qatar for their next test on February 6th, 7th and 8th. Valentino Rossi (2'01.60, 60 Laps) "This morning we worked 100% on tyres with Michelin. Last year at the race here we had some problems in this area but Michelin have brought a lot of new tyres here and they seem to be very good. We've been working with them to find a better grip. This afternoon I did the race simulation which was also promising. In general I am happy with this first test and with the evolution of the new bike; I already have a good feeling with it. It's not so different from the 2005 version but it's better in many areas. Yamaha is working especially hard on improving the stability of the bike and making it easier to find the right setting. The engine is also better. Now it's important that we try the bike at a different track and I think it will be interesting in Qatar. Last year I was able to win the race there, one of the best races of the season, but we had some problems throughout the weekend. It will be good to see how the new bike performs there." Colin Edwards (2'02.54, 62 Laps) "In the morning we worked a lot on tyres and setting, and made some progress to get rid of the chatter we had yesterday. This afternoon I did a long run and was quite pleased with it. It was much faster than I was in the race last year, so that's proof that we've made some progress. The tyre I used is maybe not the one I would have chosen for the race, but it worked okay all the same and we've found some other good new stuff with Michelin. Overall I think it's been a good first test. It's helpful to have the chance to get used to the new bike at a track we know well and I'm pretty excited about it. Everything has improved and the package seems to work. We've had a few problems this week, and we need to understand why they happened, but we've got plenty more time before the first race. I'm looking forward to going to Qatar, a track I really like, and seeing how the bike goes there." Davide Brivio - Camel Yamaha Team Director "It has been a good first test and we have some positive results for both riders. They both managed to complete many laps and made some excellent progress with the new bike. It's been very important to test the new bike here to check that everything is okay and it was also useful to end with the long run. Now we go to Qatar where it will be interesting to see our bike at a different circuit." Tech 3 Yamaha Team The Tech 3 Team have completed the three-day test in Sepang despite an ill James Ellison. Being the first chance for Ellison to ride the 2006-spec YZR-M1, the focus was mainly on gathering data for Dunlop and getting a feel for the new version of the M1. Herve Poncharal - Tech 3 Yamaha Team Director "It's been a hard test, but in the end it's been quite important for us. We've done a lot of tyre testing, which was our main aim for the week and we are quite happy with the directions we've found for the front and rear. James has done a really good job, especially considering that he's been ill, and it hasn't been easy for him. Our main mission for this year is to develop with Dunlop and this has just been the start of a long year's work. We're very happy with the new M1, it seems that Yamaha has done an excellent job over the winter and this new bike is a big step forward from the old one. Obviously the main thing is for Dunlop to get as much data and laps done as possible. With this in mind and as everyone knows, we are still hoping to have a second rider and we are working as hard as possible to try to find a solution and a way to attend the test in Qatar with two riders." James Ellison (2'04.17) "I got sick over a week ago and I really hoped it would be okay by now but I was at my worst on Monday for the first day of the test! It was really disappointing because we had so much to do! Yesterday and today were better and we managed to get a lot of laps done and make some progress. I am pretty knackered after the three days! The bike is really good, the main difference I can see from the one I rode last year is in the power.there's more of it! This circuit is not one of my favourites and I find it quite hard, but I am a little disappointed with my times over the days. Obviously I am much faster than I was in the race last year but I am still off the pace a bit - I thought I could be a bit closer to the main group. I am definitely not fast enough considering that I am on a factory Yamaha. With Dunlop the main problem is traction - with qualifying tyres it's great but with race tyres we have some problems and some chatter in the rear. I hope that in Qatar - a track I really like and where Dunlop performs well - we can do better and make more progress." Unofficial lap times 1. Sete Gibernau (SPA) Ducati 2'01.03 2. Loris Capirossi (ITA) Ducati 2'01.08 3. Marco Melandri (ITA) Honda 2'01.12 4. Dani Pedrosa (SPA) Honda 2'01.51 5. Valentino Rossi (ITA) Yamaha 2'01.60 6. Nicky Hayden (USA) Honda 2'01.69 7. Shinya Nakano (JPN) Kawasaki 2'01.78 8. Randy de Puniet (FRA) Kawasaki 2'02.18 9. Toni Elias (SPA) Honda 2'02.30 10. Chris Vermeulen (AUS) Suzuki 2'02.43 11. Colin Edwards (USA) Yamaha 2'02.54 12. Casey Stoner (AUS) Honda 2'02.67 13. K. Akiyoshi (JPN) Suzuki 2'02.80 14. John Hopkins (USA) Suzuki 2'03.05 15. Alex Hofmann (GER) Ducati 2'03.20 16. Kenny Roberts (USA) KR Honda 2'03.37 17. Jose Luis Cardoso (SPA) Ducati 2'03.50 18. S. Ito (JPN) Ducati 2'03.60 19. James Ellison (GBR) Yamaha 2'04.17 Ambient temperature: 29.2 degrees Track temperature: 49 degrees Humidity: 63.8% Click here to view the news

2006 Yamaha YZF-R1 LE Owners Club2006 YZF-R1 LE Key Features: The R1 LE is a special, limited-edition version of our awe-inspiring liter-bike—packed with premium components in addition to the standard tremendous firepower of the R1. Öhlins suspension units front and rear, custom-developed for the R1 LE by the same people who work on the YZR-M1 MotoGP bike, provide the ultimate ride and handling. Custom, YZR-M1-style forged aluminum Marchesini wheels designed specifically for the LE add style while removing nearly a pound of unsprung weight. Back torque-limiting slipper clutch greatly aids downshifting from speed, helping the rider exploit all the R1 LE’s tremendous braking power. New intake port modifications increase output by three horses, to 183 at 12,500 rpm. New for 2006: Special 50th Anniversary Yellow/Black paint with a numbered serial plate and gold Marchesini wheels; only 500 of these machines will be produced. GP tech trickles down: Revised rigidity of the main frame between the engine mounts and steering head, a new, more rigid lower triple clamp and a 20mm longer swingarm produce the best-handling R1 ever. Öhlins 43mm front fork and rear shock, fully adjustable, with hydraulic preload adjuster at the rear, provide ultimate handling on the track and the street. Slipper clutch for smooth downshifts; revised clutch boss for increased oil flow. Shorter valve guides increase intake flow and reduce friction, for more power. Adjustable rear-shock linkage allows 10mm of ride height adjustability; the longer swingarm accepts a greater range of rear tire sizes. Integrated lap timer switch on the right handlebar for track days. Gold drive chain, gold M1-style tuning fork fuel tank badge, define this special R1 as a production racer. Engine: Short-stroke 998cc, DOHC, 20-valve, liquid-cooled, inline four-cylinder engine now produces 183 horsepower (with Ram-Air) at an amazing 12,500 rpm. Dual-valve fuel injection system uses motor-driven secondary throttle valves and 32-bit ECU for super-responsive, instantaneous power delivery. Two-piece ergonomically designed fuel tank carries fuel in the rear section, for good centralization of mass, while the front half contains a Ram-Air-fed airbox for increased power. Lay-down design cylinder head – 40° forward – optimizes weight distribution, straightens intake tracts for improved cylinder filling, and allows frame to pass over instead of around the engine for great strength and a narrow chassis. Closed-deck cylinder block provides great strength while allowing a narrow engine in spite of big, 77mm bores. Narrow-angle five-valve combustion chambers produce a highly efficient 12.4:1 compression ratio. Big valves and high-lift cams flow plenty of air. Carburized connecting rods with fractured big ends produce a quick-revving engine with excellent high-rpm durability. High silicon-content ceramic-composite cylinder sleeves ensure great heat dissipation for consistent power delivery and reduced friction. Titanium underseat exhaust system (except for stainless steel midpipe with catalyst) contains a titanium EXUP valve for a broad, seamless powerband. High-efficiency curved radiator and an aluminum liquid cooled oil cooler maintain stable operating temperature. Direct ignition coils, dual-electrode spark plugs and highoutput magneto deliver extremely accurate, reliable firing. AC generator behind cylinder block produces a narrow engine with excellent cornering clearance. Chassis/Suspension: Overall frame width of only 15.6 inches produces comfortable ergonomics as well as efficient aerodynamic penetration. Controlled Fill die cast, truss-type swingarm is very strong and long, for optimal traction and feedback. Controlled Fill die cast, detachable aluminum subframe is light, strong and allows easy rear shock access. Dual 320mm front disc brakes; light/strong, forged one-piece radial-mount calipers and Brembo radial-pump front master cylinder with adjustable lever delivers amazing braking power and controllability. Fully adjustable Öhlins inverted telescopic front fork settings were carefully developed by MotoGP Championship-winning technicians to provide track-tuned handling. Fully adjustable Öhlins rear shock was also developed by MotoGP technicians, and includes a super-convenient hydraulic preload adjuster. Additional Features: Two multi-reflector and two projector beam headlights provide great illumination and distinctive style. Adjustable LCD illumination and multi-function digital gauges: adjustable shift light, odometer, dual tripmeters, water temperature, air temperature, full-time clock, lap timer and large 15,000 rpm analog tachometer. Aggressive bodywork with twin Ram-Air intakes for increased engine performance. LED taillight is light, bright and highly efficient. Sticky 120/70-ZR17 and 190/50-ZR17 Pirelli tires for incredible grip and precise handling. Forged footpegs are extra durable and light. Extensive use of hollow bolts and lightweight fasteners helps trim overall weight. 8.2 AH battery is compact and light. Durable #530 O-ring–sealed drive chain. Standard toolkit located in convenient storage compartment under passenger seat. Click here to view the news

Yamaha Motor Germany today completed their final test before next month's opening round of the Supersport World Championship. The team spent three days at the Phillip Island circuit in Australia, with riders Kevin Curtain and Broc Parkes both completing over 1000 trouble-free kilometres and lapping their home circuit at lap record pace. Having given their machines a shakedown test in Valencia last month, the team travelled to Australia with updated machines fitted with a range of new Öhlins suspension parts. Good weather greeted the riders present at the legendary circuit, with the strong winds that blighted Yamaha Motor France's test a few days earlier all but gone. Riding alongside Yamaha's Australian national superbike team, Curtain was the fastest of the Yamaha Motor Germany riders clocking a best of 1:35.6, Parkes was less than a second behind his experienced team-mate with a 1:36.4. Having found a good base setting at Valencia, the team worked on fine-tuning the R6 package, experimenting with the bike's electronics and slipper clutch in a bid to improve corner speed. Tyre supplier Pirelli brought along a range of new rubber for the test, while the new suspension parts proved an improvement over the off-the-shelf components used at the Valencia test. Both riders declared themselves happy with developments and have found a satisfactory base setting for next month's opening race. Round one of the series takes place at the Losail circuit in Qatar on Saturday 25 February with Phillip Island playing host to the second round eight days later. Kevin Curtain "I'm really, really happy with how it's gone. The difference between this bike and the 2005 one is night and day. The energy it takes us to do the same lap times is just so much less and overall the package is far better. The weather has been good to us as well. There wasn't much wind and this morning (Wednesday) was the best I've ever seen Phillip Island. There was not a cloud in the sky and virtually no wind. The ocean looked beautiful and it was a magical experience riding around there." Broc Parkes "After hurting my ankle in Valencia it took me a day to get back into the swing of things but by the second day I felt comfortable again. Luciano Zaza (suspension technician) brought over so much stuff and although we've found a pretty good base there's still a bit more to come from the suspension. I'm not at my best riding around on my own so on the last day Kevin and I did a race simulation together. I was able to run right with him and run the same lap times. We had a bit of a battle, so that was good for my confidence. We've had three really good days and the lap times have been good. I don't want to get carried away though. We've done the times in perfect conditions but there was no one else here to compare ourselves to, so the proof will only come in Qatar. One thing is for sure though, we are much further ahead of where we were at this time last year." Terrell Thien (Team Manager) "We made a good decision to come to Phillip Island as we have found perfect testing conditions. The first day was maybe a little too hot, but better too hot than too cold, although and after that the temperatures were just right. We've tried four different (specification) of front forks internals and even more rear shocks. The team worked well together and I was happy to arrive and find both riders in really good shape. We came with a big test schedule and were able to get through everything we needed to get a good base setting." Click here to view the news

The Italian based UFO Corse Yamaha enduro team are pleased to announce details of the riders that will represent them in the eight-round 2006 World Enduro Championship (WEC), which starts in Sweden on March 18-19. Bringing together riders from three of Europe's leading enduro nations, the UFO Corse Yamaha team will again compete in two of the WEC's three senior classes and is this year represented by Italian, Spanish and French riders. With the new-look squad, an exciting mix of experience and youth, the UFO Corse Yamaha team are hoping to repeat the successes of past seasons while guiding the squad's enduro newcomers through their first year of World Enduro Championship competition. In the Enduro 1 class, Italian rider Maurizio Micheluz and Spaniard Arnau Vilanova will compete aboard Yamaha WR250F machines as they bid to stamp their mark on what will be one of the most competitive WEC classes. For Micheluz 2006 will be the start of his second season with the UFO Corse Yamaha team following a strong seventh place finish in the 2005 E1 world championship. Joining Micheluz in the E1 class is Arnau Vilanova, one of Spain's most promising young riders. After bursting onto the WEC scene in 2004, where he placed third in the highly competitive Enduro 2 class as a privateer, 2006 will see Arnau compete aboard a Yamaha for the first time in his professional career. Having already proved to have the speed to compete against the world's best, Arnau is looking to improve on his previous WEC successes and will be the UFO Corse Yamaha team's number one rider in the Enduro 1 class. In the Enduro 2 class Frenchman Johnny Aubert and Italian Fabrizio Dini will compete in the WEC for the first time. Under the watchful eye of the experienced UFO Corse Yamaha team, both riders hope to compete at the head of the Enduro 2 class while learning more about the series. Both compete on Yamaha WR450F machines and will need to adapt their motocross and supercross skills to perform at their best in the WEC. Both riders, despite being newcomers to the WEC, look set to battle it out with the series' established riders as they fly the flag for Yamaha in the Enduro 2 class. Furthermore the UFO Corse Yamaha Team will support young talent in 2006. Slovakian Robert Kapacik (age 19) and Polish Michal Szuster (age 20) will compete in the Enduro Junior challenge riding the WR250F. Enduro 1 class: Arnau Vilanova (Spain) + Maurizio Micheluz (Italy) Enduro 2 class: Johnny Aubert (France) + Fabrizio Dini (Italy) Rider Profiles WEC 2006 Arnau Vilanova Regarded as one of the most exciting young riders competing in the World Enduro Championship today Spaniard Arnau Vilanova has a point to prove in 2006. Competing as a privateer in the 2004 Enduro 2 world championship he finished his first full season of the World Enduro Championship in an amazing third position. Competing in only a handful of international enduro competitions during 2005, Arnau returns to the World Enduro Championship arena this season as the UFO Corse Yamaha team's number one Enduro 1 class rider. Having already proved that he has the speed and skills to mix it with the world's best Arnau is gunning for glory in 2006. Date of birth: 3 October 1981 Place of birth: Andorra la Vella (Spain) Nationality: Spanish Residence: La Seu (Spain) Weight: 75kg Height: 175cm Marital status: single Hobbies: everything in bike racing! Team: UFO Corse Yamaha Bike: Yamaha WR250F Class: Enduro 1 Career highlights: 2005: 1st Spanish Championship E1 class 2004: 3rd Enduro 2 World Championship 2003: 2nd 250cc Spanish Enduro Championship Maurizo Micheluz During 2005 Maurizio Micheluz continued to show that he is one of Italy's brightest Enduro talents. In only his second full season of the World Enduro Championship, his first as a member of the UFO Corse Yamaha team, Maurizio finished in a strong 7th position in the competitive Enduro 1 class. Finishing the season as one of the classes most consistent performers, the former 125cc European Enduro Champion placed just a handful of points behind some of the WEC's most experienced and well known riders. For 2006 Maurizio is looking to continue his rise to the top and has his sights set firmly on finishing amongst the world's best. Date of birth: 16 February 1976 Place of birth: Pordenone (PN) Nationality: Italian Residence: Aviano (PN) Weight: 75kg Height: 174cm Marital status: girlfriend Sandrina Hobbies: Mountain biking Team: UFO Corse Yamaha Bike: Yamaha WR250F Class: Enduro 1 Career highlights: 2005: 7th Enduro 1 World Championship, 3rd Italian Championship 'assoluti d'Italia 250 4T' 2004: 7th Italian 450 Championship 2003: 125 European Enduro Junior Championship. Junior four stroke Italian Championship 2002: Italian Champioin 'Cadetti Assoluto e 4t' Johnny Aubert 13 years after becoming 80cc World Motocross Champion Frenchman Johnny Aubert faces a new big challenge as he takes to the World Enduro Championship stage for the first time ever in 2006. Having raced in both the World Motocross Championship and in the US National Motocross Championship, Aubert will compete in the Enduro 2 class in this year's WEC series aboard a Yamaha WR450F. Bringing new blood to the eight-round World Enduro Championship, Aubert will call upon his years of motocross experience in order to perform at his best and deal with enduro racing's many technical and physical challenges. Although a newcomer to international enduro racing the Frenchman is no stranger to enduro racing having placed in fourth position at the 2005 Le Touquet Beach race. In 2006 Johnny Aubert will be looking to make a big impression on the World Enduro Championship. Date of birth: 31 March 1980 Place of birth: Maubeuge (France) Nationality: French Residence: Saulnes (France), second residence Pecrot (Belgium) Weight: 77kg Height: 183cm Marital status: single Hobbies: Jet ski, karting, cinema, computers Team: UFO Corse Yamaha Bike: Yamaha WR450F Class: Enduro 2 Career highlights: 2005: 4th Le Touquet Beach Race 2004: 125 AMA Supercross & 250 AMA Motocross competitor 2003: Motocross GP competitor 2002: 12th world championship motocross class 250cc 2001: 2nd German MX championship 250cc, 11th World championship MX 250cc 1999: National champion France, 125cc elite class, 15th World championship MX 125cc 1998: National champion France, Supercross 125cc, 2 wins in Paris-Bercy 1996: National champion France, Junior class 80cc 1993: World champion 80cc class. National champion France, rookie class 80cc Fabrizio Dini The second Italian within the 2006 UFO Corse Yamaha squad Fabrizio Dini is also the team's second newcomer to the World Enduro Championship. After many successful years competing at the front of the Italian motocross scene, Dini has decided it is time for a change in direction of his professional motorcycling career and will channel his energies into competing in the Enduro 2 class of the 2006 World Enduro Championship aboard an UFO Corse Yamaha prepared WR450F. While needing to develop new skills in order to master the challenges of the WEC series, Dini, like Aubert, comes equipped with years of experience of high-level racing - including world championship motocross - and as the 2005 Motocross Italian Champion. Looking forward to competing in the WEC Fabrizio Dini is only interested in one thing - battling against the world's best. Date of birth: 9 April 1976 Place of birth: Montevarchi (AR) Nationality: Italian Residence: Abbadia Agnano (AR) Weight: 82kg Height: 190cm Marital status: married to Roberta Hobbies: Fishing Team: UFO Corse Yamaha Bike: Yamaha WR450F Class:Enduro 2 Career highlights: 2005: National champion Italy, senior class 2004: injured 2003: 7th Italian championship Italy 500, 1st 'assoluti d'Italia' 2002: 15th Italian championship 500, 3rd 'assoluti d'Italia' 2000: 15th Italian championship 500, 3rd 'assoluti d'Italia' 1997: European champion 125 MX Click here to view the news

Camel Yamaha Team riders Valentino Rossi and Colin Edwards both made progress on the development of the 2006-spec YZR-M1 in Malaysia today, despite the day being cut short by rain. The morning saw high temperatures and building humidity at the Sepang track before it gave way to a rainstorm in the mid-afternoon. Both riders decided not to carry on testing and now hope for good weather tomorrow in order to make the most of the final day. Ducati riders Sete Gibernau and Loris Capirossi both set fast times under the 2'02 marker today, but Edwards was close behind with a best lap of 2'02.00 after 58 laps. Rossi, who set a lap of 2'02.14 yesterday, was ninth fastest today with a best time of 2'02.62 after 41 laps Colin Edwards (2'02.00, 58 Laps) "Today went really well and I'm excited about the progress we're making already. Usually with a new bike you have to compromise in some areas to improve others, but it seems that with this bike they've improved it all over. Yamaha has done a really great job on it over the winter. The traction especially is much better. The crash yesterday has actually helped us to make progress and now we've found a setting that I really like. We've still got a tiny bit of chatter, but only in about three corners so we're not so worried and I am confident we can find a way to fix it." Valentino Rossi (2'02.62, 41 Laps) "Today was not perfect because the rain interrupted everything this afternoon and we didn't do as much work as we wanted to. Up to then we had concentrated mostly on fixing the chatter that we experienced yesterday and in the end we were successful. We realised that the problem was in the rear shock and now it's okay. I ran a lot on old tyres today and then it started to rain so we weren't able to try any of the new race tyres Michelin had brought. Tomorrow we will probably do a long run and hopefully we will also get the chance to try some of these new tyres." Davinde Brivio - Camel Yamaha Team Director "Unfortunately it rained this afternoon so we couldn't finish the day's work. Despite this both riders made some progress and Colin's times especially were quite fast. Tomorrow we hope that we have good weather and that we can complete everything that we need to do." Unofficial lap times 1. Sete Gibernau (SPA) Ducati 2'01.50 2. Loris Capirossi (ITA) Ducati 2'01.80 3. Colin Edwards (USA) Yamaha 2'02.00 4. Nicky Hayden (USA) Honda 2'02.02 5. Dani Pedrosa (SPA) Honda 2'02.26 6. Randy de Puniet (FRA) Kawasaki 2'02.40 6. John Hopkins (USA) Suzuki 2'02.40 8. Casey Stoner (AUS) Honda 2'02.57 9. Valentino Rossi (ITA) Yamaha 2'02.62 10. Marco Melandri (ITA) Honda 2'02.70 11. Toni Elias (SPA) Honda 2'03.26 12. Shinya Nakano (JPN) Kawasaki 2'03.43 13. Chris Vermeulen (AUS) Suzuki 2'03.80 14. Kenny Roberts (USA) Honda 2'04.10 15. James Ellison (GBR) Yamaha 2'04.15 16. Alex Hofmann (GER) Ducati 2'04.49 17. Jose Luis Cardoso (SPA) Ducati 2'06.06 Lap Record: Nicky Hayden (Honda) 2005 - 2'02.993 Best Lap: Loris Capirossi (Ducati) 2005 - 2'01.731 Ambient temperature: 29.2 degrees Track temperature: 43 degrees Humidity: 64.4% Click here to view the news

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 Click here to view the news

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. Click here to view the news

Day 14 - Stage 13 Friday 13 January 2006 Labé > Tambacounda Connection 7 km, Special 348 km, Connection 212 km, Total 567 km A very technical stage was set for Friday the 13th after two days without technical assistance. The reliable technique of the WR450F demanded only the obvious maintenance: oil and filters. Passing the highest points in this year's Dakar, the riders had to cross several steep and rocky passes. The nimble character of the WR450F gave David Frétigné good expectations to attempt an attack on the race leaders. David quickly found his rhythm in the special stage, confirmed by an eighth place on Check Point 1 (CP). After CP1, David had difficulties with the mounting of his road book causing him to stop several times, which set him back six minutes. Later that stage, just 15 kilometres before CP 2, two road crossing cows forced David into a ditch. This incident cost him valuable minutes in pursuit of the race leaders. Despite this mishap, David confirmed today's expectations by setting seventh place for the day. This gained David two places in the overall standings: from 18th to 16th place. Day 15 - Stage 14 Saturday 14 January 2006 Tambacounda > Dakar Connection 107 km, Special 254 km, Connection 273 km, Total 634 km The road to the capital of Senegal , being the last stage of importance before the finish line, was set significantly different compared to last year's. The numerous changes of direction forced the riders to be very attentive. Still, the changed route led to navigational errors for many of the top competitors as Cyril Despres (Fra), Alain Duclos (Fra) and Giovanni Sala (Ita), but not for David Frétigné. The World Enduro Champion managed to win his first stage in this year's Le Dakar, bringing his grand total to seven victories. Setting a third time on CP1, David kept on riding in a high pace and slowly caught up with leader Marc Coma (Spa). In the last part of the stage, David managed to pass Coma and he kept his leading position until Dakar finishing 33 seconds ahead of Coma. This victory was a well-deserved reward for the Yamaha WR450F rider. Gaining three places on the overall leader board, David ends the penultimate day in 13th position overall. David Frétigné - Yamaha France Ipone: "The last three or four days I was in good form. If I had not been confronted with yesterday's problems I could have won that special too. I left Tambacounda in seventh position and I did a good job in navigating today. Contrary to other riders it was a perfect day for me. Practically all day's special I drove up with Marc Coma. After CP1, he clinched to the group of Despres who seemed lost. I didn't stick to the beaten paths, knowing where I was. Relying on my road-book, Marc (Coma) noticed me taking another route and followed me. Then I made a small detour, but returned on the right path where I rejoined Marc Comas. After that I set the pace higher resulting in my seventh Dakar victory. It is very important for me, for Yamaha and for my technical team! We stopped at the finish of the special in Thiès to pay tribute to last year's deceased Fabrizio Meoni in a ceremony that the organisation had arranged for him. The remaining two kilometres I was filled with emotions, also knowing I was soon to be reunited with my wife and two children." Day 16 - Stage 15 Sunday 15 January 2006 Dakar > Dakar Connection 38 km, Special 31 km, Connection 41 km, Total 110 km In tribute to the two children who lost their lives during the passage of the Dakar caravan, the ultimate Lac Rose stage was not timed. The results timed after the 14th stage were to be the official times to end this year's Dakar. After 9.093 kilometres, of which 5.000 kilometres covered in specials, the 2006 Le Dakar has come to an end on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean. From the 232 bikes attending the start in Portugal, only 93 had made it to this last stage, once again confirming its reputation of world's toughest Rally raid. David Frétigné - Yamaha France Ipone: "It was very relaxed today, rounding up the event. It was a bit disappointing that there wasn't a final confrontation due to the neutralization, but completely understandable. Although the main objective is to arrive in Dakar, it is victory that drives me. This year I had a competitive bike, good enough to win stages. With all occurred situations it wasn't really possible for me to live up to those expectations. The Dakar 2006 is finished and yet I am thinking about the next event in February: the Touquet enduro race, where I will be competing on a similar bike as current champion Arnoud Demeester. With my wife and children,I will stay in Dakar for another week to enjoy the good things in life. After that I will return home to prepare for Le Touquet. A moment of rest will follow to get ready for the new enduro season." Final overall standings 1. 002 COMA (ESP) KTM in 55h27:17 2. 001 DESPRES (FRA) KTM +1h13:29 3. 006 SALA (ITA) KTM +2h29:48 4. 009 BLAIS (USA) KTM +2h36:18 5. 004 DE GAVARDO (CHI) KTM +3h22:47 9. 055 RODRIGUES (POR) YAMAHA +6h54:41 12. 058 KNUIMAN (HOL) YAMAHA +8h29:27 13. 012 FRETIGNE (FRA) YAMAHA +8h45:56 Click here to view the news