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2006 MotoGP Series Preview
By Dirck J. Edge

As the 2006 MotoGP series getting underway this weekend at Jerez, you have to wonder whether we are about to witness yet another dominant performance by multi-time World champ Valentino Rossi aboard his Yamaha.

With the departure of veterans Max Biaggi, Alex Barros and others, and the arrival of rookies such as Dani Pedrosa, Chris Vermuelen and Casey Stoner there will be new contenders to deal with. With Bridgestone tires elevating the likes of Team Kawasaki and Team Suzuki (and making Ducati even stronger), there will also be new manufacturers vying for podium positions and wins. This could be one of the most interesting MotoGP series, yet.

How will it all shake out? You have to pick Rossi to take another World title this year, but behind him it gets much more interesting. At the end of last year, it looked like Honda men Nicky Hayden and Marco Melandri would be Rossi's closest challengers this year. That may still prove to be the case, but pre-series testing indicates that Honda is struggling a bit with development of a new machine (tested primarily by Hayden up to this point), and even with development of last year's machine (ridden by most of the other riders during pre-season testing). At the same time, the Bridgestone-shod bikes (Ducati, Kawasaki and Suzuki) are emerging as true contenders.

Part of Honda's problem is a lack of experienced test riders. Despite Nicky Hayden's obvious talents as a racer, he has yet to prove himself a top development rider . . . yet, Honda seems to be relying on him heavily in the development of its new MotoGP weaponry. Whether this can be blamed on Hayden or HRC engineers is irrelevant, at this point, but Honda may be playing catch-up early this series.

Yamaha has had its troubles in testing, as well. A serious problem with front-end chatter destroyed the lap times of both Rossi and Edwards at more than one track during the series break. Despite this, the Yamahas of Rossi and Edwards appear ready to be front runners from the first race onward.

The surprise this year is the re-emergence of old contenders in the form of Sete Gibernau (now with Ducati) and Shinya Nakano (still developing the Kawasaki MotoGP machine). How soon people forget that Gibernau was the primary challenger to Rossi just a couple of years ago -- before a series of unfortunate circumstances (many beyond his control) destroyed his final season aboard a Honda in 2005. Gibernau has been fast at times aboard his new Ducati, but is still looking for consistency. We think he will find it and be in the fight for podium spots quite often this year.

No one doubts Nakano's skill as a rider. His machinery has held him back in MotoGP, but the Kawasaki finally appears ready to compete at the front in 2006. The package includes more competitive Bridgestone tires this year. Indeed, Bridgestone had the upper hand on Michelin at more than one test in the last few months.

Of all the rookies, none is more highly anticipated than Danny Pedrosa. Moving straight to the top Repsol Honda squad, Pedrosa has been quicker than Hayden, at times, during testing. Pedrosa is diminutive, and lacks upper body strength, however, and this could pose a serious challenge to him aboard a MotoGP machine. If he can develop the endurance to go hard the entire race, Pedrosa will be on the podium repeatedly, and may even win races his rookie year.

Other prominent riders include the Suzuki factory squad of John Hopkins and class-rookie Chris Vermuelen, both of whom benefit from the improved Bridgestone rubber this year. The Suzuki machine, however, still seems slightly off the pace and will need some serious development before these riders will be podium contenders in 2006. Vermuelen, by the way, has proven to be a quick study at tracks he has never seen before.

Casey Stoner also comes up from the 250 class to MotoGP this year aboard a Honda from a satelite team. Stoner is very quick, and beat Pedrosa straight-up in the 250 class more than once. Stoner has been injured during some of the pre-series testing, however, and will be at a bit of a disadvantage as the series opens this weekend.

So, behind Rossi, it is a difficult pick. In our opinion, the contenders for podium spots will be Melandri, Hayden, Pedrosa, Colin Edwards, Nakano, Gibernau and his Ducati teammate Loris Capirossi. A dark horse could be former world champ Kenny Roberts, Jr. aboard a Honda-powered chassis provided by his father's team. We can't wait for Jerez!

Yea......I said ALL that with just one pic.

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YUP.. SETE WHO.. that guy is a bum......

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New MotoGP Season Kicks Off Next Weekend
Mar 21, 2006

From a press release issued by Gresini Racing:

THE CHALLENGE BEGINS
GP OF SPAIN - PREVIEW

The waiting is over. After an intense winter of preparation that has seen the Team Fortuna Honda riders visit circuits in Malaysia, Australia and Spain, the battle for the 2006 world title is finally underway.

The venue for the opening round of the MotoGP World Championship takes place at Jerez de la Frontera, a circuit where both Team Fortuna Honda riders hold fond memories. It was at this track where Marco Melandri scored his first podium of the 2005 season on his debut with the Honda RC211V and the Team Gresini, whilst Toni Elias took his MotoGP bow in the colours of Fortuna.

The final test session at the Andalusian ten days ago confirmed the good job done by the team during the preseason and now Marco Melandri and Toni Elias are ready for the first race.

Fausto Gresini - Fortuna Honda
"This is an important moment because it is the start of a new season, for which we have high hopes. It is the start of a new project alongside Fortuna, with a young team and, thanks to Marco Melandri and Toni Elias, with massive potential. Marco is 23, he became the MotoGP World Championship runner-up with this team last year and scored his first wins in the premier-class. With two straight victories and five podiums in all he was a real star in an incredible season and he's now ready to challenge at the very highest level.

After a tough winter I am sure that Marco can fight for the front positions from the first race.

Alongside him Toni Elías, also 23, a Spanish rider who this year joins our team, where so many young talents have come through over the years. In the preseason tests Toni has proved that he is a talented and determined rider and a quick learner. During the last test at Jerez he showed that he has character and good potential. I'm sure that we can now start to reap the fruit of his hard work during the winter."

Marco Melandri:
"I can't wait to get out onto the track at Jerez, a circuit I like a lot because it is technical and complete. There is so much expectation for the start of the championship and it's guaranteed to be a real spectacle. Jerez will be a very combative race with so many riders in the right shape to challenge to win. I am also ready. I can already feel the adrenaline and I am sure that will push me to take that extra step forward and be competitive. I am quite satisfied; after a tough winter we have managed to create a good base. We still have to improve a little bit and then I can be fast, like I showed I can be last season."


Toni Elias: A Race To Remember
"Finally the testing is over and the championship is starting. Over the winter we worked a lot, keeping a philosophy of taking small steps forward. I tried to remain calm and focused to try and understand the bike and adapt it to my style without just going for a lap time at all cost. I've covered a lot of kilometres, I now feel more comfortable on the bike and my race rhythm has improved. I'm looking forward to the start - I can already feel the tension of a race. I'm happy to be starting out in Spain, in front of my fans. Jerez is a nice Grand Prix, not just for the track but also for the fans - the feeling when you enter the 'stadium' section is unbelievable.

"Jerez is a special occasion for every rider in the championship and even more so for a Spaniard. It is a particular GP because of the amount of passion transmitted by the fans, so many of them and so close you can feel it in your helmet. I've always had really strong emotions at this circuit. It was here that I produced one of the best races of my life, the Spanish GP in 2003 while I was racing in 250. I remember starting from the third row after a difficult weekend caused by a broken thumb injury I had picked up in the previous race. I started to make up positions and only on the last lap I managed to join the lead group. My thumb was hurting but the desire to win in front of my home fans was bigger. One final effort, the finish line and an a long shout inside the helmet. I dedicated the victory to my family, my team and Daijiro Kato. I had wanted to do it at Welkom, the first race after his death, but the dream came true at Jerez, where I was able to dedicate victory to a good friend and a great rider.

"Jerez 2006: a new challenge, same emotions. This will also be my first race on the Honda and my 23rd birthday. I hope I can give myself a nice present!"



More, from a press release issued by Dorna Communications:

MotoGP 2006 season begins this weekend at Jerez

After a preseason packed with team changes, broken circuit records and new and improved bikes, the MotoGP World Championship 2006 season gets underway this week. Sunday’s Gran Premio betandwin.com de España will be the first chance to see all the old favourites, young pretenders and surprise packages set to wow spectators over the next 17 races.

Reigning MotoGP World Champion Valentino Rossi will be out to defend his crown for the fifth consecutive season in 2006, but the popular Italian will have to be looking over his shoulder over the next eight months as the premier class’ top contenders won’t be giving it up without a fight. Riders such as Marco Melandri, Sete Gibernau, Nicky Hayden and Dani Pedrosa will be going all out to break the Yamaha rider’s dominant winning streak.

With the exception of rookie Casey Stoner who was recovering from surgery, all the MotoGP riders will have the Jerez Circuit’s twists and turns fresh in their minds. The final preseason test took place just over a week ago at the Andalusian track, with Ducati riders Loris Capirossi and Sete Gibernau topping the timesheets. Capirossi and his team-mate have demonstrated the strength of the Desmocedici GP6 throughout the preseason, and will be wanting to carry their form into the season proper.

Ahead of this weekend’s curtain raiser Capirossi stated, "I think we are well prepared for the first race, the team and Bridgestone are really strong at the moment, my bike feels perfect for Jerez after the set-up modifications we made during the final tests. It's not always easy to find perfect settings but the bike is great now, and hopefully what we learned during the last tests will help us at other tracks. We have worked very hard this winter. The bike is better than before, the engine is more rider-friendly and the tyres have also improved a lot. Bridgestone have done very good work over the winter, so my thanks to them. Jerez is a good track, it's nice to ride and very technical. To go quick at Jerez you need a well-balanced bike and a good front end because you need confidence to attack all the fast corners.”

Impressive performances at the final test also came from Kawasaki’s Shinya Nakano and young rookie Dani Pedrosa, who is looking to become an immediate challenger for Rossi’s world title. With the Yamaha also looking strong in tests returning rider Carlos Checa even surprised himself with his fast times, and with John Hopkins’ performing well for Suzuki the championship is shaping up to be as competitive than ever.

250cc

With Pedrosa making the jump in category to MotoGP, this year will see a new 250cc champion crowned. Casey Stoner and Randy de Puniet will join the Spaniard in the premier class, leaving a wide open quarter litre category. Jorge Lorenzo had a tight grip on the top spot during the final test, although his fellow Aprilia riders Alex de Angelis and Hector Barbera have not been far behind. Andrea Dovizioso and Sebastian Porto will also enter the 2006 as favourites to challenge for the title, with solid preseason results for Yuki Takahashi and Jakub Smrz indicating that any one of a number of riders could be victorious.

125cc

In 125cc, Champion Thomas Luthi will be taking to the Jerez Circuit for the first time this season, coming back from a fractured collarbone suffered in the earlier official test at Catalunya. With Julian Simon, Mattia Pasini and last year’s runner-up Mika Kallio chasing after the Swiss rider, the exciting junior category is sure to provide more of the usual thrills and spills throughout the coming season.

anyone doing a moto gp get together??

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