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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AsphaltandRubber/~3/o7XCaz67xEA/
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AsphaltandRubber/~3/o7XCaz67xEA/
There is no rivalry in MotoGP more bitter than that between Valentino Rossi and Casey Stoner, more bitter even than the one between Wayne Rainey and Kevin Schwantz. It has been a constant element in their relationship since Stoner won his first MotoGP title in 2007 (ironically, Stoner named Rossi as one of his heroes on the t-shirt he wore to celebrate that championship), though hardly a surprise, as the two men are polar opposites in almost every respect, except for their prodigious talent. The rivalry has intensified over the years, stoked by a series of incidents (nicely outlined by the peerless Italian website GPOne.com recently), including the booing of Stoner by Rossi fans at Donington in 2008, the epic battle at Laguna Seca in 2008, and the war of words between the two in 2010, ahead of Rossi's move to Ducati.
The rivalry does not just polarize the two riders, it also polarizes their fans. The comments section of almost any news story featuring the two men is riddled with posts by people blinded by fanaticism, with logic and calm consideration nowhere to be found. This polarization leaves the media with a dilemma: on the one hand, events concerning the two, and verbal exchanges between them need to be treated as newsworthy, and due consideration given to covering them as such. On the other hand, the media operate in the certain knowledge that covering the dispute is sure to sell more newspapers and magazines, generate more traffic to a website, and grab more viewers for a TV show. Reporting on these stories leaves journalists open to charges of sensationalism, but not reporting on them means they can be accused of not doing their jobs.
Yamaha test rider Katsuyuki Nakasuga finished in a shock second, while Casey Stoner hunted down Alvaro Bautista to snatch a podium place in his final MotoGP appearance before retirement.
Lorenzo had been one of the few riders to correctly choose slick tyres for the drying conditions, alongside Nakasuga and Stefan Bradl.
Pole sitter Pedrosa realised his wet tyre error on the warm-up lap and was joined by Nicky Hayden, Cal Crutchlow and Alvaro Bautistato in pulling into the pits to change bikes, meaning an end of pitlane start.
Slick tyres soon began to pay off with Lorenzo rising from eighth to first in the space of four laps, as more and more wet-tyre riders peeled into pitlane.
Once all were on dry bikes, Lorenzo was leading by three seconds from title runner-up Pedrosa, with Bradl third, Nakasuga fourth and Cal Crutchlow fifth. Bradl crashed out soon after.
Pedrosa caught Lorenzo after ten laps, but then ran wide and lost five-seconds.
However Lorenzo then got into a tank-slapper while trying to lap James Ellison, just before the halfway mark of the 30 laps - which turned into a massive highside on corner exit.
The Yamaha star was left fuming but lucky not to be hurt as he trudged through the gravel to only his second non-score of the year.
The incident left Pedrosa with a huge lead over Crutchlow - who also started from pit lane - but the Englishman then crashed with seven laps to go, ending his hopes of rising higher than seventh in the standings.
Nakasuga, who impressed with sixth in last year's damp Valencia race, thus secured a shock second place in only his sixth grand prix appearance!
Meanwhile Stoner - well outside the top ten early in the grand prix – got ever faster and passed Gresini Honda's Bautista to claim the final podium place with two laps to go.
27-year-old double champion Stoner waved to his Repsol Honda team, who were hanging off the pit wall and holding a pit board saying "Going Fishing", as he took the flag for the final time in MotoGP.
Stoner was the highest ranked rider to swap bikes during the actual race.
Fifth for Gresini's Michele Pirro was the best ever result for a CRT rider, while Andrea Dovizioso (Tech 3), Karel Abraham (Cardion), Danilo Petrucci (Ioda) and Ellison (PBM) followed.
Valentino Rossi's last Ducati ride ended in tenth place and one lap down, while team-mate Hayden was an early faller.
Pedrosa concluded the season 18 points behind Lorenzo and with a best ever seven wins, one more than Lorenzo this year. Third in the standings Stoner took five wins, but missed three races due to ankle surgery.
Dovizioso was the top satellite rider with fourth overall in this year's championship, with Bautista's Valencia performance confirming a career-best fifth from Rossi and Crutchlow.
Riders and teams now have just one day off to celebrate before preparations for the 2013 season begin in earnest with a post-race test at Valencia on Tuesday and Wednesday - without Casey Stoner.
Source: http://www.zimbio.com/MotoGP/articles/HM4afUVCioJ/Pits+victory+Pedrosa+Valencia
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AsphaltandRubber/~3/HTwJK3eYtH0/
Source: http://www.esportbike.com/forums/showthread.php?t=145019&goto=newpost
The meeting of the Grand Prix Commission last week was primarily aimed at doing a little housekeeping, and tidying up a few loose ends. What emerged from that meeting, and from the previous one held at Valencia a month ago, turned out to be a little more than that. Among the many changes announced were a few that point to the series turning down a new, and more sustainable path.
On reading the rule changes, it is hard to escape the conclusion that the official FIM press release containing the minutes may as well have been subtitled "MotoGP Regulations: The Marc Marquez Edition." Though Marquez is not yet twenty years of age, he has already left his mark on the rulebook, many of the new regulations appearing to have been drawn up in response to controversies emerging (rightly or wrongly) from Marquez and his Monlau Competicion Moto2 team.
The biggest change to the rules is the introduction of a penalty points system, aimed at bringing some clarity and consistency into the way that repeat offenders are treated. The rules arose from the debate generated by the treatment of Marquez throughout the year. The Spaniard received a number of warnings for incidents during the 2012 season, starting at Qatar, and his maneuver which forced Tom Luthi off line, passing through his collision with Pol Espargaro at Barcelona, a collision with Mika Kallio at Motegi, and ending with a penalty for an incident with Simone Corsi at Valencia, where he was forced to start from the back of the grid (the penalty did not slow him up much, he still came through most of the field on the first lap and went on to win the race).
Source: http://www.zimbio.com/MotoGP/articles/Gr8Od6f90q9/Pedrosa+wins+2012+finale+Stoner+third+last
Source: http://www.esportbike.com/forums/showthread.php?t=145010&goto=newpost
Source: http://www.zimbio.com/MotoGP/articles/O2rdWnLZcLF/PRE+WAR+GRAND+PRIX+GRID+CONFIRMED+2013+DONINGTON
Source: http://www.zimbio.com/MotoGP/articles/WovBJIpNeQl/Crutchlow+Dovizioso+star+dramatic+Valencia
KTM and Aki Ajo have finalized their agreement for Ajo to run the factory Red Bull KTM Moto3 team. KTM issued the following press release announcing the deal: