awwwnuts

Neil Hodgson makes a return with the Motorpoint Yamaha team, and Tommy Hill joins the Worx Crescent Suzuki team. I thought Hydrex would have hung onto Hill after the cracking rides at the end of the season. No idea if Hodgson will keep Chris Walker has his team mate?

Bit of a comparison from the 2008 test times. Interesting how not a great deal in changes. Also how Suzuki were showing good form, but then you look at how the season went. Just goes to show. I would have thought Paul Denning would have been given the P45 by now. 1. Casey Stoner, Ducati Marlboro Team - 1´32.464 2. Dani Pedrosa, Repsol Honda - 1´32.672 3. Valentino Rossi, Fiat Yamaha Team - 1´32.921 4. Chris Vermeulen, Rizla Suzuki MotoGP - 1´33.142 5. Loris Capirossi, Rizla Suzuki MotoGP - 1´33.325 6. Alex De Angelis, San Carlo Honda Gresini - 1´33.375 7. Jorge Lorenzo, Fiat Yamaha Team - 1´33.550 8. Andrea Dovizioso, Repsol Honda - 1´33.676 9. John Hopkins, Kawasaki Racing Team - 1´33.760 10. Marco Melandri, Kawasaki Racing Team - 1´33.782 11. Randy De Puniet, LCR Honda MotoGP - 1´33.832 12. Nicky Hayden, Ducati Marlboro Team - 1´33.960 13. Toni Elias, San Carlo Honda Gresini - 1´34.129 14. Sete Gibernau, Onde 2000 Ducati - 1´34.451 15. Mika Kallio, Alice Team - 1´34.793 16. Olivier Jacque, Kawasaki Racing Team - 1´34.925 17. Niccolo Canepa, Alice Team - 1´34.995 18. Yuki Takahashi, JiR Team Scot Honda - 1´35.203

No one likes a smart arse

I know Rossi has God status for some, but I don't think even he could bring Suzuki back from the dead

Good to see Hayden up there, and Melandri too. I think we might see Melandri on the podium a few times next year. I never understood why he didn't get the Repsol ride.

There is no doubt Spies will be a strong satellite rider. remember though on Sunday he was riding a test bike, which meant a fresh engine and also probably running a higher spec than Toseland. Yes Spies did well, but so did Toseland in the first race at Qatar in 2008. Qualified 2nd and finished 6th. Both better than Spies, in not his first premiership race. I'm not making a defense for JT, I never thought he was suited for GP's, but he gave it a go, more than can be said for a certain other British champion, who was offered the chance. Also dreading next years Laguna race. jeeez its bad enough with all that singing on the grid and cheer leaders. Now we have 3 bloody yanks. Which bike will have the most crappiest American paint scheme

Its a strange one this. Rossi is not only backing Yamaha into a corner, but also himself. If Lorenzo goes on his own accord, people are going to say its because Rossi dictated it, and he's running the shop. If Yamaha keeps Lorenzo then Rossi has gone online saying he won't stay, and that's put him in the frame. Yes the Ducati is strong in Stoners hands, but everyone else struggles, and we all know a bike can be good one year, and an absolute dog the next. It seems strange Rossi went on camera saying these things right now. You would have thought he would have waited till the middle of next season, and seen how things panned out with Lorenzo at Yamaha, and how Pedrosa pans out at Honda. Poor results for Pedrosa and I see Lorenzo being a big target for HRC You have to wonder what motivation he requires at this stage in his career. The biggest one I see is Aggo's record, and he is on record saying he would love to reach it on an Italian bike. Could that be it? Either way I would love to know the salary he was offered, bet its more than they offered Lorenzo, and that was eye watering. Maybe he will go to Moto 2 ......It will after all be the only premiership championship he hasn't won

Not far off - for those with no brain! (Must be summat missing to go racing!! ) From someone who rode a Pan...an authority on the subject

Brilliant 250 race, and well done bradders, as to be champion next year 800 was the same old. I'm starting to belive thet have a toss up behind the garages in the morning and decided who's going to win. "Hey Danny you notta do a so well thees yeer. You a canna have a ween today"

Christ the BBC pictures of Toseland coming back to the garage was like watching someone strangling a puppy.

No explanation, but it puts yamaha in a difficult posistion. What do you do, Lorenzo is the future, but then you lose Rossi, and the marketing machine that comes with him, not to mention the development expertise. Do you let Lorenzo go and move Spies up? I would love to see Rossi go to Ducati, If only to see if he can ride it. Also goes to show that all the we are not speaking to Ducati was bullsheet. Jerry let me see that plane ticket The BBC2 Interview Rossi hands ultimatum to Yamaha Rossi (left) and Lorenzo may not be team-mates beyond next season World champion Valentino Rossi has hinted he will leave Yamaha if they do not drop Jorge Lorenzo in 2011. Italian Rossi, who won his ninth world crown this year, has also revealed he could switch allegiance to Ducati. Lorenzo recently signed a new one-year deal with the Japanese firm but Rossi does not think there is room for the two riders in the same team. "Yamaha have to decide between me and Jorge for 2011," Rossi told BBC Two. "I have a great option to join Ducati." The pair have fought some incredible battles on the track this season, with the 30-year-old Rossi coming out on top and clinching the title with one race left of the campaign. Spaniard Lorenzo, 22, has been Rossi's closest rival this year and went into the last race of the year at Valencia needing one point to seal the runner's up spot in the championship. But Lorenzo has said that he has not always felt appreciated at Yamaha and revealed he had received offers from other manufacturers before signing his new deal. Now Rossi, who signed a two-year deal with Yamaha in August 2008, has made it clear he could make a switch. "I am not sure 100% if I will stay with Yamaha," said Rossi. "It depends on what happens next year. It depends on my performance and the fight with Jorge Lorenzo and the decision of Yamaha for 2011. "I could change bike, ride for Ducati and try to win the world championship with an Italian bike. That would be a great motivation. "But I prefer at this moment to stay with Yamaha because the love between me and Yamaha, our relationship, is something special. "To change bike would feel unfaithful. So for Yamaha it is important that I finish my career with them and for me it is also important. "

Just been on BBC2. Rossi interview. States wants to stay with Yamaha, but has been offered a deal with Ducati for 2011. Will only stay with Yamaha if they get rid of Lorenzo. ......No doubt more to follow on this!

ESPN 9.25pm each night

Actually ACU

Expect we all know this but just in case. Makes for interesting times Tardozzi open to offers By Michael Guy - World Superbikes 06 November 2009 15:07 Former Xerox Ducati WSB team boss Davide Tardozzi has told MCN that he is open to offers from other factories to continue his distinguished career as one of the worlds most successful team managers. Tardozzi worked for Ducati as a rider and then team manager for 20 years having clinched the WSB crown with Carl Fogarty, Troy Corser, Neil Hodgson, James Toseland and Troy Bayliss. Speaking to MCN by phone from his home in Italy he said: “I still had two years left to run on my contract, but in the last two months I felt my motivation wasn’t 100%. I did not want to make any announcement while the championship was still running so I waited until after Portimao. “As team manager it is my job to motivate the riders, the engineers and the mechanics but I did not feel that I had the right motivation myself to do this.” Since the revelation yesterday that Tardozzi was quitting the most successful team in WSB history there has been endless speculation over why he is leaving. The rumours vary from him being sacked because of a lack of team orders in this years title fight to that he left because he was not offered Livio Suppo’s job in MotoGP. He said: “I’ve read and heard the rumours and the speculation, but I can say that this is not true. I spoke with Filippo (Preziosi) on Tuesday night and the Claudio (Domenicali) on Wednesday. They tried to convince me to change my mind but the whole thing has been dealt with in a professional, gentlemanly and friendly way.” “The reason is because I am looking for a new challenge. I started with Ducati in 1989 and I am making this chance for my own personal reasons and challenge. I am not thinking any new role has to WSB or it has to be MotoGP, but I want to have a relationship direct with a factory. There is no interest in me running a private team.” There is one scenario that would mean Tardozzi wouldn’t have to look to far to find another job. Current rumours suggest that Yamaha World Superbike team manager Massimo Meregalli has an offer on the table from the Fiat Yamaha MotoGP team. Should he decide to take it, Tardozzi would be well placed to secure the role. Tardozzi wouldn’t be drawn on the speculation, but said: “I am happy for Massimo. It would be good for him, but I don’t think it would be good for Yamaha Superbike because he has done a very good job this year." Valencia MotoGP: Ducati confirm Livio Suppo departure By Matthew Birt - MotoGP 05 November 2009 14:22 Ducati has confirmed team boss Livio Suppo will leave its factory team after this weekend’s final race in Valencia. Although not yet officially confirmed, Suppo will take up a management role with Honda in 2010, as was first reported by MCN earlier today. A key player in Ducati’s MotoGP project since its inception in 2003, the Bologna factory confirmed current test rider Vittoriano Gaureschi would replace Suppo next season. MCN understands Suppo has been in discussions with HRC about a role for months. “Livio has meant a great deal to Ducati and also to me personally; he has been a loyal and valuable colleague but above all a great friend,” Claudio Domenicali, General Director of Ducati. “We are very sorry that he has decided to leave the company but, in light of his correctness, professionalism and the great contribution he has made to the growth and success of the MotoGP project and the Ducati brand, we can only offer him our very best wishes as he takes on a new professional challenge. "This is, however, also one of those moments in which we can rethink our organisation in order to further improve, and this is what we have done in defining the 2010 team’s direction. "The management of the Ducati Marlboro Team will be entrusted to, and reinforced by, two new managerial figures. "Alessandro Cicognani, currently marketing manager for the Ducati Corse Division, will be responsible for the MotoGP project and alongside him, Vittoriano Guareschi, already the test rider for Ducati, will undertake the role of Team Manager, bringing to the squad a wealth of knowledge and experience that he has gained through being a professional rider and, most recently, a test rider.”

Here is a motorcycling organisation article, might be of some use, and a link to Snell http://www.smf.org/ How Often Should I Replace my Helmet and Why? A helmet should be replaced about once every 5 years if it's been properly taken care of and hasn't been involved in an accident or some other impact. Helmets are made of materials which begin to deteriorate with age which gives them a limited life span. The 5 year rule should be taken from the date of manufacture which is stamped on the inside of a new helmet, or in the caes of an arai on the helmet strap, and not from the date you bought it as retailers buy in bulk they may have had the helmet a year or so before you buy it, just check when your buying it. Just dropping your helmet from waist height onto a concrete floor could compromise some of the materials used in the construction of your helmet liner so take care not to carelessly drop your helmet or accidently knock it off your bike. If your helmet HAS been involved in an accident or some other first time impact, all of the safety features are compromised once the helmet has become distressed in some way. The interior liner will start to deteriorate once it comes in contact with hair oils, body oils or fluids (sweat) and/or cosmetics. Glues, resins, and other materials that are used in the construction of the helmet will eventually break down which will affect the interior liner of your helmet and compromise it's protective qualities. In order to make sure the protective qualities of your helmet last as long as possible, ensure you take care of it by cleaning the interior liner and keeping it in a safe place free from accidental falls and knocks when not on your head.

Don't know if anyone caught free practice on Friday, but there was the Spanish commentator on there, who said he had interviewed Lorenzo, and is main reason he said for not quitting Yamaha and taking the Ducati ride was that he feared Spies getting the Yamaha factory ride. I also thought it was funny when he said in the press conference Lorenzo was peering round Rossi to get a look at Spies (bit like hiding behind your big brother to look at the new guy lol). Think you've hit the nail on the head Techno regarding the engines for next year. Teams are going to have to be a lot more conservative with how they tune the engines. Even now we are seeing Suzuki struggle, so with a bit of luck it will bring the satellite teams closer to the factory teams. i wonder how Ducati will cope knowing how highly tuned there engines are. What with the electronics being kerbed, and the brakes too. It maybe just what we need to bring the racing more close. Today on ESPN Classic they were showing Rossi's first win on the 500 two strokes at Donnington. You forget how much of an animal those bikes were. its being repeated again this week, along with the top 10 Rossi wins of his career so far. Well worth setting your sky planner for, especially for any people who have not seen the 500 two strokes racing, and to think those bikes had no electronics...scary!

I don't know about a gift for Hayden, but Rossi certainly had problems that year. The bike was virtually unrideable at the start of that season due to chatter, and they eventually went back to the previous seasons frame and settings. I think that Simoncelli was able to ride the Aprilia was because it as been built round Max Biaggi. A man of rather small stature. The bike when you see it up close is tiny, and is built more like a GP bike than say your R1. It was after all built for the track first and road second. It will be interesting to see how Spies adapts to the bike. There is no question the guy can ride a superbike, but I just can't believe that he will adapt to the 800. I wonder if the Tech 3 will get slipped a few more factory parts quicker next season? Personally I don't think either the Brits or the Yanks are suited these days to GP's. The field in all classes are dominated by Mediterranean riders. Over there bike racing is massive, second only to football. the kids start on pocket bikes at such a young age, before progressing to 100, and then 125's. Hell they even have an academy. We just have to face facts that we love our superbikes in this country, and the USA is the same. So lets get the Trans Atlantic Cup going again. Now that was good racing

I think the simple fact is that WSBK riders are simply to big. Danny Pedrosa is 5' tall and weighs 7 stone. Ben Spies is 5'.11" and weighs 11.5 stone. That's quite a difference in power to weight ratio. Its the nature of the beast, a superbike suits the build of guys like JT and BS. The 990 era was more of a comparison hence Hayden having some success. Now with the 800's its all about corner speed, and that just doesn't suit a successful superbike rider, but does a 250 rider. I think that Spies will have some success, but world champion? No. I do think he will stay longer in GP than Toseland though, because Edwards is due to retire, and Hayden needs result to stay, which he just isn't getting. So Dorna will need Spies to keep the American interest going.

Report from Crash.net Toseland: It’s taking time to tame the beast! James Toseland has pronounced himself happy with his performance during post-season testing at Portimao, as he took the first steps to becoming reacquainted with World Superbike machinery for the first time in two years. Having made a swift return to Europe following his MotoGP race outing in Malaysia, Toseland spent the first day learning his way around the title-winning Yamaha R1, as well as the undulating Portuguese circuit. From there, Toseland began to improve his times, the two-time World Superbike Champion joining a handful of contemporaries in the lapping faster than Ben Spies did over the race weekend. Managing a best time of 1min 43.147secs – placing him eighth on the unofficial timesheets -, although Toseland was a second slower than new team-mate Cal Crutchlow, he insists it was important he focused on finding the bike's limits and not crashing. “I've been looking at Ben's race time and in two days on the bike we are nearly a second a lap faster by the end, which I'm quite pleased with,” he said. “We've got some work to do but for my first test on the bike we've been getting to understand the suspension and a few things and getting to understand how the bike reacts to some changes. We're working on some of the electronics and an area of engine work as well. “We've had a good test and have a lot of information to work on for next year. I like the bike, it's so much different to what I'm used to though so it's taking some time to tame the beast! “When you ride a heavier bike you have to take your time to find its limits. One thing I didn't want to do was crash as I've got another GP to race next week. I'm really pleased with the team, and looking forward to testing again as soon as possible.” Team manager Massimo Meregalli was also pleased with Toseland's efforts, particularly given he hasn't ridden a production-based bike since 2007. “James needs some time after a two year run in Moto GP he's in a different world and riding on a very difficult circuit. He made good improvements from yesterday so he's keeping going in the right direction.” Toseland will get his one chance to go head-to-head with Spies, his replacement at Tech 3 Yamaha, at the 2009 MotoGP finale in Valencia when the American enters as a wild-card.

For those who haven't seen it ESPN Classic are showing the film .... Doctor, Tornado and the Kentucky Kid. Its on Saturday at 4.25pm and repeated Sunday 2.15am and 1.10pm. Its a behind the scenes look at the GP circus keep a look out for Colin Edwards indoor Go Kart track...yes you will want one lol. Worth keeping an eye on this channel as it often shows old races from the 70's to present day.

Its almost a shame that JT went to GP. I think he could have had another championship under his belt if he had stuck with Ten Kate and developed the CBR further. They certainly took a knock when he left. At least he gave it a try though, and you can't knock that. I do wonder if his results tailed off after the complaints of his aggressive style when he first went to GP. Did he back off. i don't really know because we didn't get to see much of him. I hope in the last race he gives them some good old WSBK fairing bashing, especially the wingers who complained. Have to agree there is so many potential race winners that its going to be a very close season. Haga will defiantly be up there, but Fabrizio is going to be pushing him all the way. Curious I can't remember when Ducati last had 2 strong riders. probably when Laconi was pushing with JT. DAY 2 TEST TIMES 1. Jonathan Rea (Honda) 1min 41.878sec 2. Michel Fabrizio (Ducati) 1min 41.992sec 3. Cal Crutchlow (Yamaha) 1min 42.115sec 4. Leon Haslam (Suzuki) 1min 42.251sec 5. Max Biaggi (Aprilia) 1min 42.710sec 6. Leon Camier (Aprilia) 1min 42.790sec 7. Noriyuki Haga (Ducati) 1min 43.098sec* 8. James Toseland (Yamaha) 1min 43.147sec 9. Carlos Checa (Ducati) 1min 43.425sec 10. Max Neukirchner (Honda) 1min 43.549sec 11. Sylvain Guintoli (Suzuki) 1min 43.612sec 12. Joan Lascorz (Kawasaki) 1min 43.902sec* 13. Javier Fores (Ducati) 1min 44.413sec* 14. Tom Sykes (Kawasaki) 1min 44.900sec 15. Vittorio Iannuzzo (Honda) 1min 44.908sec 16. Alex Hofmann (Aprilia) 1min 45.5sec 17. Regis Laconi (Ducati) 1min 46.458sec* * set on day one.

JT as had a good first day testing on the R1. Little off the pace, compared with the other riders, but first time at this track and the bike. Good to see JT back up there though. Tomorrows results will be interesting. TODAYS REPORT FROM YAMAHA James Toseland, Yamaha World Superbike Team(1'43.7) “I’m feeling really positive, it’s obviously my first time on the bike, it felt a bit alien after two years on a GP bike but the balance of the bike felt good and I’m really impressed with how the team’s working, I’ve got an old friend of mine as a chief engineer. I’ve been really impressed to work with him today and Silvano Galbusera (Yamaha World Superbike Team Technical Co-ordinator) looking over him with his experience has been great. What’s been nice is the changes we’ve been making have always been in a positive direction, so to say we’ve got down to more or less race pace on a brand new track and a brand new bike is good, I’m pretty pleased with it.” 1. Jonathan Rea (Honda) 1min 42.156sec 2. Michel Fabrizio (Ducati) 1min 42.362sec 3. Cal Crutchlow (Yamaha) 1min 42.795sec 4. Noriyuki Haga (Ducati) 1min 43.098sec 5. Leon Haslam (Suzuki) 1min 43.300sec 6. Max Biaggi (Aprilia) 1min 43.400sec 7. James Toseland (Yamaha) 1min 43.700sec 8. Max Neukirchner (Honda) 1min 43.810sec 9. Leon Camier (Aprilia) 1min 43.900sec 10. Joan Lascorz (Kawasaki) 1min 43.902sec 11. Carlos Checa (Ducati) 1min 43.951sec 12. Javier Fores (Ducati) 1min 44.413sec 13. Tom Sykes (Kawasaki) 1min 45.500sec 14. Regis Laconi (Ducati) 1min 46.458sec

Bloody hell do you work for the tourist board....good write up though , Shame about the weather.

All wrapped up, and a great days racing