MotoGP 2016

KTM + Red Bull is great combination. That's one good looking bike!
 
Fox1 said:
KTM + Red Bull is great combination. That's one good looking bike!
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Still 2 secs off the pace from what I am reading, but early days, and with Red Bull moola, who knows.
Good to see them get out there though.

Austria introduction
[video=youtube;eURq3UZk1O0]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eURq3UZk1O0[/video]

72165755.jpg
 
[video=youtube;IqNvLfjyvqw]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqNvLfjyvqw[/video]
 
Meh...

Iannone to miss Japanese GP

Ducati MotoGP rider Andrea Iannone will miss this weekend's Japanese Grand Prix at Motegi on medical advice and will not be replaced, the factory team said on Monday.

The Italian, eighth overall in the championship, has missed the last two races after suffering a fractured vertebra when he fell in practice for the San Marino Grand Prix in September.

Ducati said in a statement that Iannone, who won in Austria in August and is joining Suzuki next season, had checks last week that showed his recovery was going well.

"However, Iannone's doctor has advised him to continue with his rehabilitation and to wait a few more days until the fracture has completely healed, before going out onto the track once again," it added.

"The rider...in agreement with his team, has therefore decided not to take part in the GP of Japan and to return to the championship at the Australian GP from 21 to 23 October."

Ducati's only works rider in Japan will be Italian Andrea Dovizioso.

There are three races remaining after Japan. Spanish Honda rider Marc Marquez has a 52-point lead in the championship over Yamaha's Italian Valentino Rossi.
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I was surprised they did not elect to field the bike, but can it just be so late in the season that they don't believe its worth the extra dosh?
 
Hector Barbera will join the factory Ducati team for this weekend's Japanese MotoGP, with Australian Mike Jones taking his seat at Avintia, team sources have confirmed.

Barbera, tenth and the top satellite Ducati in the world championship standings, is stepping in to replace the injured Andrea Iannone.

The Spaniard will thus jump an entire generation of Desmosedici, swapping his usual 2014 bike for a dream chance on the race-winning 2016 model - the machine he will use at Avintia next season.

Jones is the 2015 Australian Superbike champion, who switched to a Ducati team co-owned by Troy Bayliss this season, where he finished fifth in the standings.

The 22-year-old also scored points on his WorldSBK debut as a wild-card at Phillip Island in February. Jones, who usually races with the #46, will now be lining up on the same grid as The Doctor.

Iannone suffered a fracture to his T3 vertebra at Misano and withdrew from Aragon after testing the injury in free practice. The Italian is hoping to return for next weekend's Phillip Island round, although the choice of an Australian at Avintia perhaps suggests that will not be the case.

Ducati initially stated that Andrea Dovizioso would ride alone at Motegi this weekend, with retired champion and star test rider Casey Stoner rumoured to have declined the chance to replace the #29.

Pramac (GP15) riders Scott Redding and Danilo Petrucci would not have been able to replace Iannone since they are currently in a points battle to earn the third GP17 machine next season.

Meanwhile, Ducati test rider Michele Pirro - who stood-in for Iannone at Misano and Aragon - is busy giving the GP17 its debut in a private test at Valencia.

The Ducati-Avintia rider changes for Japan will be officially announced later today.
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http://www.crash.net/motogp/news/234321/1/barbera-replaces-iannone-mike-jones-joins-avintia.html


MotoGP: Mike Jones to race for Avintia Ducati at Grand Prix of Japan
October 13, 2016

AUSTRALIA will have two riders on the MotoGP grid at this weekend’s Grand Prix of Japan, with Jack Miller set to be joined by rising star Mike Jones.

The 22-year-old will ride for the Avintia Ducati team, replacing regular rider Hector Barbera.

The vacancy emerged after Barbera got the call-up to replace injured Andrea Iannone at the factory Ducati squad for the Motegi race.

Jones was last year’s Australian Superbike Champion and finished fifth in the 2016 title racing for the factory-supported DesmoSport Ducati squad, co-owned by longtime Ducati favourite Troy Bayliss.

He had been testing at Phillip Island on Thursday ahead of the category’s support race at next weekend’s Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix when the call came from Japan.

Along with adapting to Avintia’s two-year-old Ducati Desmosedici GP bike, the fastest and most powerful bike he has yet raced, Jones will also have to use a new racing number.

Jones’ machine will wear the No. 7, as his usual No. 46 is most certainly unavailable.

Jones will join Miller on the grid, the Dutch TT race winner returning for Motegi after a two-race absence recovering from a hand injury.
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http://ma.org.au/index.php?id=12&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=16249&cHash=feb860ba5d0b088ff291dfe451e3d6d9
 
Superb qualifying ride from Rossi. Thought Marquez had it sewn up. Should be a fantastic race tomorrow with Marquez looking good for his first race win at Motegi.
 
Lorenzo apparently almost went into orbit with a high side leading up to quali.
Taken away in a helicopter but came back.
 
http://www.crash.net/motogp/news/234434/1/lorenzo-i-was-flying-many-metres-in-the-air.html

Jorge Lorenzo admits he feared the worst when he was flung from his Movistar Yamaha in a massive high-side during FP3 at the Japanese MotoGP.

Incredibly, Lorenzo escaped with bruising and was able to compete in FP4 and qualifying following medical checks, battling back to seal third place on the front row.

On Friday, Dani Pedrosa was ruled out with a broken collarbone following a big high-side and reigning MotoGP world champion Lorenzo feared he had been injured after heavy contact with the tarmac following the painful crash.
Read more at http://www.crash.net/motogp/news/23...ny-metres-in-the-air.html#lAhPTZw9ePrlhy0d.99

“It was one of the worst crashes in my career, after China [2008] probably. It's been a long time since I had a crash like that – flying a lot of metres in the air and touching the ground very strong.

"I was scared at the beginning because all my body was hurting and I expected the worst, a big injury, especially in the left leg. But finally it was just a big impact, in all the body, but especially in this leg,” Lorenzo said.

“For caution, we went to the hospital and they checked all my body. We came back to the track to make FP4 and it was much better than I expected.

“When I came back from the hospital I couldn't walk very well and I have a lot of pain. But with painkillers and the adrenalin of qualifying I forget and I felt well and with power, so it should be okay for tomorrow.”

Lorenzo lapped in 1m 44.221s to end Q2 0.267s behind pole man Rossi and believes he has a strong chance to fight for another premier class win at the Twin Ring circuit, where he has won three times in the past.

“The bike was working well and I was faster and faster every lap, so I was really surprised about that. I was ready to fight for the pole position but the lap times from Marc and Rossi were very fast, especially the one of Rossi following [Maverick] Vinales. I couldn't get close and I pushed but I couldn't make pole position,” he said.

“I'm happy with this front row, I think we have good potential to fight for the victory tomorrow. It will be crucial at the start and it depends on how all the riders feel on the bike – if they feel better or worse than Saturday,” added Lorenzo.

“Especially the last 10 laps will be important and the riders who can control more the rear tyre will have a big advantage at the end of the race. I expect a close race at the beginning, maybe a little less close in the last laps.”
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orange_medicine.jpg

KTM has completed its final test before making its race debut in the Valencia season finale.

Fittingly, the three-day test was held at the same Spanish circuit with Mika Kallio - who will race the RC16 next month - and Randy de Puniet on track for the new machine's twelfth development test this year.

“Everyone in the team can really be proud about the work this year but in motorsport we never really reach the finish," Kallio said. "Luckily we can see that there are still many possibilities for improvements. I would say our level is good."

Michele Pirro was also present, trying Ducati's GP17 for the first time.

"With Ducati here we had a good reference again but the race will show us where we really are. Naturally I'll be pushing even more with the fans at the circuit and riding with all our competition but our goal must be to see the finish line," Kallio said.

"Perhaps we could even pick up one or other point, and when everything goes perfectly maybe even a bit more is possible. Our own demands are extremely high and so are the expectations from outside but we have to be realistic, and we have to continue to concentrate on our work.”

The RC16 will start free practice at Valencia having completed 35 days of track testing.

“We have to see the wild-card start in the last Grand Prix as another test," insisted Mike Leitner, Vice President Onroad. "It will be yet another new situation where we can improve our times under different conditions.

"It would be ideal if we can finish the race without problems and get the best possible performance. However it will be the first Grand Prix for the KTM RC16 project where the other teams have already had racing experience all season long.”

Two days after the Valencia race, KTM will be back on track for the official post-season test, when 2017 race riders Bradley Smith and Pol Espargaro will ride the Austrian machine. A three-day test at Jerez will follow the week after.

“I think our three days here have shown that the package works well. As regards to speed, for that we have to get to know competition even better," commented technical director Sebastian Risse.

"From a technical perspective we will have a shared focus for the four weeks between now and the race. This is because immediately after we have our first tests with our MotoGP riders for next season, and for this we need a lot of parts.

"On the other hand, we naturally want to build the best possible bike for Mika by drawing on the experience we have, and to make sure we're able to provide the necessary spare parts so we can go to Valencia with a clear conscience.”
Read more at http://www.crash.net/motogp/news/23...-before-motogp-debut.html#4l6HtOmrrwy6dhDc.99
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http://www.crash.net/motogp/news/234422/1/ktm-completes-final-test-before-motogp-debut.html
 
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