Ducati race boss discusses the future of MotoGP, World Superbike, MotoAmerica, and AMA Pro Flat Track.
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Ductalk: What's Up In The World Of Ducati
Ducati News Roundup Curated by Vicki Smith for Ducati.net |
Scooped by Vicki Smith for Ducati.net |
Ducati race boss discusses the future of MotoGP, World Superbike, MotoAmerica, and AMA Pro Flat Track.
Scooped by Vicki Smith for Ducati.net |
Ducati has chosen and Andrea Dovizioso, always sincere, had anticipated it to GPOne the last January. The third best lap time Dovizioso set today at Sepang is the best he has ever done on the Malaysian track , and it brought him less than one tenth off the two front runners, Rossi and Pedrosa. Crutchlow also showed considerable progress over the three days in which he was able to further get to grips with the bike he will be racing in his first season in Ducati.
Read more: http://www.gpone.com/en/2014022812866/Dovizioso-the-best-Ducati-I-ever-rode.html?redirect=1#ixzz2ujyzkWs4
Scooped by Vicki Smith for Ducati.net |
Ahead of his racing debut with Ducati this season, Englishman Cal Crutchlow has spent the winter working hard in California - preparing himself for preseason testing and round one of 2014 at Qatar. ...
Not to put too fine a point on this but Spanish press reported Lorenzo having reached a "prelimaniry agreement", not just talking. That's the difference between killing your relationship with Yamaha vs just reminding them why they may wish to start talking earlier about a new contract...
Scooped by Vicki Smith for Ducati.net |
“Hayden talks, Brute Force rolls, and Gifts Galore” – We have an exclusive interview with MotoGP Star and 2006 Champion Nicky Hayden. This is the first time Nicky has spoken to the press since he threw a leg over his new Honda RCV1000R production racer in the post season test. We talk to him about that and more. We ride the Kawasaki Brute Force 750i 4×4 and tell you all about it. The gift giving season is here, and we give you ideas on what to ask for or give. We showcase products from Pyramid, Wolfman, Neckmike, Automotophoto, and more! For Motorcycle Slang, we talk about Trail Braking. And we provide you with the latest industry news and more!...
Congrat's to Greg for his 20th show.
For just the Nicky Hayden portions of the show:
Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XyrgVNEmdyw
Part 2:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VaII-fIXIQ&feature=youtu.be&a
Scooped by Vicki Smith for Ducati.net |
Valentino Rossi speaking about his Australian rival in an interview with Rolling Stone magazine: “I’d look at his telemetry and couldn’t understand how he could achieve such times.
Scooped by Vicki Smith for Ducati.net |
"When you speak about people, you have to be careful because people are not things" Hard not to like the way he is thinking...
Scooped by Vicki Smith for Ducati.net |
"I think the best thing for Cal is not to talk or listen to anybody [about the Ducati]. Just get on and ride it and not have a lot of preconceived ideas" - Nicky Hayden.
Scooped by Vicki Smith for Ducati.net |
Ben Spies has suffered a literally bruising year in 2013, having been able to contest only two MotoGP™ races. The Ignite Pramac Racing rider, whose most recent injuries were picked up at Indianapolis, chats with motogp.com.
Good Interview. Good Timing. It sure would be nice to see this guy fit and riding a bike worthy of his ability. Fingers crossed for 2014.
Scooped by Vicki Smith for Ducati.net |
From international MotoGP star to Dunlop Series rookie, Casey Stoner's racing career continue to capture widespread attention from the Australian public and media
On-track, the 27-year-old’s Dunlop Series foray hasn’t exactly been smooth sailing, with promising speed at both Adelaide and Barbagallo thwarted by incidents.
Stoner’s short-term career choices moves, however, will depend largely on how happy he is with the off-track side of his racing schedule.
As he told Speedcafe.com’s Stefan Bartholomaeus ahead of the third round of the year in Townsville, the 2013 season so far has been rather busier than hoped.
SPEEDCAFE: Casey, it’s been almost two months since we last saw you at Barbagallo. What have you been up to since then?
For the rest click HERE
Scooped by Vicki Smith for Ducati.net |
The General Manager of Ducati Corse racing team talks MotoGP racing.
A year ago, BMW World Superbike rider Marco Melandri indicated his conviction that motorcycle development cannot be exclusively directed by data, as is Formula 1. Because a good lap time on a motorcycle is so strongly dependent on rider confidence, all development must be rider-centered.
“There are always two sides of the medallion,” said Bernhard Gobmeier, who worked with Melandri at BMW and now manages Ducati’s MotoGP program. “I agree 100 percent with Melandri—or with Andrea Dovizioso, in our case. At the end, certain things we don’t see in the data.”
Gobmeier went on to say that if a rider’s lap time is a second away from the front, if technology can make up half the difference and gives the rider greater confidence at the same time, that confidence can make up the other half second by “unlocking” the rider’s skill. You can ride faster when you no longer feel that your motorcycle is trying to hurt you!
For the rest click HERE
Scooped by Vicki Smith for Ducati.net |
"I've got a 2 year deal and it's a factory contract which means I can ride for Pramac, the factory team or any Ducati team that they have" - Ben Spies.
By Christian Tiburtius
A exclusive interview with Pramac Ducati's Ben Spies, who is returning to action in this weekend's Italian MotoGP at Mugello after missing the last two rounds.
Spies talks about his shoulder injury, his career progression, the move from Yamaha to Ducati, how to make the racing in MotoGP closer and more...
Crash.net:
The first question has to be, how are you feeling?
Ben Spies:
I think I'm doing, in fact I know I'm doing a lot better than I was in Austin. It's been 30 to 35 days now doing rehab during the day when I've been home and I feel a lot better than I did 4 or 5 weeks ago and I just need to get back on the bike to see how I feel and start building from there. I won't know until Friday or Saturday how things are going, but we can say that we've done everything possible to be fit for the race.
Pretty candid interview with a guy that really deserves a good weekend.
Scooped by Vicki Smith for Ducati.net |
Cristiano Silei, Ducati North America CEO, discusses how the luxury motorcycle manufacturer plans to capture a larger portion of the U.S. market.
Scooped by Vicki Smith for Ducati.net |
Bernhard Gobmeier isn't the only new name appearing in the Ducati organogram. Paolo Ciabatti, former head of the WSBK project for the Italian manufacturer and director of that same championship for Infront, has returned to Borgo Panigale to help relaunch their MotoGP program. As already disclosed by Gobmeier, the GP13 will not be a revolutionary motorcycle. But why decide to start to start the season with a bike that is essentially identical to the one from 2012, a year in which the results weren't satisfactory?
Read more: http://www.gpone.com/index.php/en/201301169178/Ciabatti-too-much-pressure-from-Rossi.html#ixzz2II94hbjD
It's so nice to have Paolo Ciabatti back with Ducati. His ability to bridge the gap between what the team is doing and what the public and the media needs to know is unparelled.
Scooped by Vicki Smith for Ducati.net |
Cycle News catches up with the Texan to check on his fight back from injury...
To read the interview click HERE
Scooped by Vicki Smith for Ducati.net |
(Interview translated from Italian with Davide Giugliano)
Next year will not run with the new Panigale .
"I'm really disappointed because I really wanted the relationship I had with Ducati. With them, I won the Superstock 1000 and I made my debut in Superbike and I would be happy to continue to work with the Italian manufacturer, but unfortunately it was not possible. I'm sorry for not being able to continue a job I was doing for some time and was giving good results. "
What do you think of the decision to Ducati?
"do not know in detail, and therefore do not discuss the reasons that led Althea Ducati and not to agree to the next year. Have undoubtedly had their reasons. It leaves me a little bitter taste that after waiting so long and I found myself without a bike at the end of October. Luckily Genesio did not abandon me and actually know who is already working for the future of myself and our team. Are in these moments that you see who is your friend and who turns his back on you. "
What will you do next year?
"They are quiet as far as my future because I know that Bevilacqua has always believed in me and will do so again. Is working in my interest also thinking about my future and my career and for that I just have to thank him and feel lucky to have found someone like him. I also know that he does not compromise and who is trying to get the best for his team, as he has always done. Not content to participate and that makes me optimistic about the future. I still want to thank Ducati, with whom I spent wonderful years, full of successes. The Ducati fans will always remain in my heart for all the love that I have always been and I hope that I continue to follow with sympathy, even if they see me on another bike. "
For the original interview click HERE
Scooped by Vicki Smith for Ducati.net |
Nicky Hayden has admitted he is confused by his former team-mate Casey Stoner's decision to retire from MotoGP.Reigning world champion Stoner announced in May that 2012 would be his last season in the sport.
That means he will walk away at the age of 27, after just seven years in MotoGP - although in that time he has won two titles and 37 races to date.
For the rest of the Hayden comments, click HERE
Scooped by Vicki Smith for Ducati.net |
Sport360°'s Martyn Thomas talks to former World Superbike Champion Troy Bayliss about his illustrious career, retirement, and visiting the UAE.
Motorcycle racing legend Troy Bayliss finds it tough to watch other professional riders now he is not a part of the circus, and, as he bounds around Ducati’s new state-of-the-art showroom in Abu Dhabi, it is easy to see why.
The hair may have greyed a little since he called time on his career nearly four years ago, but the passion for high performance two-wheeled machines still burns bright.
The 43-year-old retains close links to the Italian team that made him famous, testing for them as well as working with the Ducati Ride Experience (DRE), a motorcycle training programme, but when it comes to race day Bayliss admits he is a terrible spectator.
For the rest click HERE
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It’s been a while since we covered the opening of a manufacturer showroom, what with deadlines lurking steathily around every corner. Fortunately though, when an invite to the opening of only the second Ducati showroom in the UAE arrived in the crankandpiston inbox, I found myself with a spare morning to fill, and decided a bit of mingling was in order.
And it’s rather fortunate I did, since the the day’s guest of honour was Troy Bayliss, three-time World Superbike Champion and a Ducati sporting legend. As you can imagine, every man and his dog wanted a quick word with – and an autograph from – the likeable Aussie. Before the traffic built up too heavily, crankandpiston leapt forward – voice recorder in hand – for a few words with the Champ.
For the rest click HERE
Scooped by Vicki Smith for Ducati.net |
Triple Superbike World Champion Troy Bayliss has said that Abu Dhabi needed to build race tracks for bikes and hold a championship right from the grass-root level to nurture talent and make a strong case for hosting MotoGP in the future.
Abu Dhabi’s Yas Marina Circuit, the spectacular venue of the Formula One Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, was talked about as a possible candidate on the MotoGP calendar. In fact, MotoGP bosses, renowned track designer Hermann Tilke and riders Loris Capirossi and Casey Stoner visted the Yas Marina Circuit couple of years ago and the delegation had suggested a few changes to the circuit in terms of run-off areas and safety precautions for bikes.
Capirossi went on to say that Abu Dhabi could host a race in 2011. But it didn’t happen as planned. There was talk of a 2012 and 2013 date but that too did not materialise.
For the rest read HERE
Scooped by Vicki Smith for Ducati.net |
Ducati will re-organise its racing department and seek to take full advantage of its relationship with Audi from 2013 in a bid to once again rediscover winning form in MotoGP...
The Italian company also backed Andrea Dovizioso - confirmed for next season alongside Nicky Hayden – to help the manufacturer to improve its form over the past two years.
Ducati has not won a race since Casey Stoner triumphed in Australia in late 2010.
In the past two years, with Valentino Rossi and Hayden at the helm it has taken just three podiums, the most recent of which came in wet conditions at Le Mans this year.
Ducati president Gabriele del Torchio says Dovizioso's arrival overlaps with a wider re-organisation in the hunt for future success.
"We are working on a re-organisation of the racing department," del Torchio told Gazzetta dello Sport. "We are discussing this together with our friends from Audi.
For the rest of this story click HERE
Scooped by Vicki Smith for Ducati.net |
Former MotoGP World Champion, Nicky Hayden goes On the Record with Cycle World. Find out what he has to say.
Ducati tried everything, and Valentino Rossi gave a lot of effort. It was impressive to see how he stayed motivated. We weren’t always on the same page with little things, but as far as the big stuff, we had a lot of similar comments. That was a good thing, especially for me, because it was clear he was number one.
Valentino didn’t take the easy way out going back to Yamaha; he’s got a lot of pressure on him. It’s not going to be easy. Jorge Lorenzo hasn’t gotten any slower since the last time they were teammates, but Valentino doesn’t seem scared of the challenge.
For the rest click HERE
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"I would have liked to finish the job [at Ducati]. We aren't far off, perhaps we lack only 1 per cent. In these two years Ducati has learned a lot, and for me it is disappointing to be unable to finish," said Burgess."
Valentino Rossi's long-time crew chief Jeremy Burgess says he has yet to decide whether he will follow the Italian across to Yamaha for the 2013 MotoGP season.
Burgess, who previously achieved great success with Wayne Gardner and Mick Doohan, began working with Rossi at Honda and then followed him to Yamaha and then Ducati - although it had been uncertain whether he would make the latter switch at the time.
The Australian says he's been asked whether he will move across yet, but hasn't reached a resolution for himself anyway should the question come.
For the rest click HERE
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And So It Begins - Audi has aquired Ducati and it's CEO tells us what that means...
For the rest of the story click HERE
Scooped by Vicki Smith for Ducati.net |
(auto translation from Italian)
Jeremy Burgess is leaning on a crate outside of the pits at Laguna Seca , looks at his boys to open the boxes and the "house" of GP12 for the weekend is slowly taking shape, with red panels that hide the gray concrete walls. " I love coming to this track - he says, enjoying the sun warming his skin - it's more than twenty years since the first time we came here and never drop a drop of rain . " To make the perfect weekend would also serve a great performance from Valentino. " I was thinking earlier this week that will fight for the top two positions - reveals a surprise - I could not do otherwise. Then maybe after the first free practice session I change my mind , "he concludes, laughing.
The Doctor's crew chief looks ahead, no revelations about the future of its pilot, but he knows what use to make a step forward in performance. " This year we started with a completely new bike - he explains - the problem is that from the first race has not changed enough . Perhaps you would have thought about the steps of developing close during the season. For example, a new frame at Le Mans, then at Mugello and so on. Important news that Valentino could try and do their own signs. Instead the frame, which was made very quickly, has changed little, on weekends we rarely try to unpublished components. Rossi to serve as new, different frames for example, but also other less important details, so that when the pilot enters the box and asks: what's new? I can tell you: one plate of the fork, four new screws ... would serve to keep him motivated . "
Read more: http://www.gpone.com/index.php/en/201207257701/Burgess-Rossi-vuole-piu-sviluppo.html#ixzz21iNvyS8Z
Scooped by Vicki Smith for Ducati.net |
Having worked directly with Max Biaggi, Casey Stoner, Nicky Hayden and Valentino Rossi, to name only a few, Federica De Zottis’ experience in Grand Prix motorcycle racing is truly unique. For the past five years she has worked closely with the Ducati Team riders, her current main responsibility on race weekends being to assist with the press duties of Valentino Rossi. When I approached her about the possibility of an interview, she was kind enough to invite me to the Ducati hospitality at Estoril to share her story.
http://motomatters.com/blog/2012/05/23/photographer_s_blog_interview_with_feder.html
Good interview with Paolo, fingers crossed for Scrambler Flat Track program next year...