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Ducati on Top at MotoGP’s IRTA Jerez Test

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Results are in from the MotoGP IRTA Test at Jerez this past weekend, and it was Casey Stoner who lead the entire weekend and came out the M Award winner. Despite this, Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo were closer than these times suggest. Jorge Lorenzo, in particular, made a big step forward, and looks like he could run with Rossi, Stoner and Pedrosa this season, though he is still not ready to challenge for the title. At least, that’s what he says. Unsurprisingly, the best times for most people were set during the BMW M Award session, but the lack of qualifying tires this year, combined with the fact that that 45 minute session was disrupted by both the weather and James Toseland’s crash meant  that there was not so much in it. 

 

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Racing

Data-Logging Shows Nicky Hayden’s Riding Style Quirks

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For the tests in Jerez, Ducati will be providing Nicky Hayden with a new set of foot pegs for his GP9. After studying track data, Borgo Panigale has revealed that the 2006 World Champion touches the rear-brake of the GP9 with his foot without noticing it. At Honda, Nicky’s propensity to hit the rear-brake had also been discovered, and was attributed to his past in dirt track riding. With these new foot pegs, we’ll see if the Kentucky Kid can gain a few tenths of a second without even trying.

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Bikes

Ducati Streetfighter S Coming as Early as May, MSRP $18,995, Ducati Streetfighter Coming in Summer, MSRP $14,995

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The Ducati Streetfighter is being launched to motorcycle magazines in Italy this week, luckily pictures and video have already made it to the internet for us to enjoy. Unfortunately, we’ll stay have to wait a few more months for the traction control, Marchesini wheeled, and Öhlins suspended Ducati Streetfighter S to go on sale in the US sometime in May. MSRP for the Streetfighter S will be $18,995. The cheaper non-S Streetfighter will hit showrooms sometime latter this summer with an MSRP of $14,995. More Details and pictures after the jump.

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News

Bookies Pick Rossi to Win MotoGP

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Place your bets for this year’s MotoGP winner, and if Vegas is any indication, the smart money is on Valentino Rossi to win the 2009 MotoGP Championship series. Bookies have marked Valentino Rossi as the clear favorite to win this year’s MotoGP Championship, with many betting houses only offering ‘odds-on’ (e.g. 4:5) or ‘evens’ (1:1) prices on the Italian. Don’t be completely deterred from betting on Rossi though, has still got the Italian at close to 2:1 for the title win. Continue reading to see the spread on your favorite riders.

 

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Racing

Kawasaki to Drop Support for Hayate After Jerez Test

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When Marco Melandri signed with Hayate, he knew that Kawasaki would only be doing limited development on the ZX-RR in 2009. According to MCN that limited development will be quite limited after all, with Kawasaki ceasing to update the ZX-RR at the end of March, shortly after the Jerez tests. From then on, the factory will provide a maintenance service only, with no more upgrades, leaving Hayate to update the bike if they wish.

 

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Melandri Officially Signs with Hayate

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Today Marco Melandri confirmed that he has signed a one-year contract with Hayate Racing to race in this year’s MotoGP championship that will replace his previous two-year contract with Kawasaki.

The deal is a costly one for Melandri, both financially and in terms of his ability to compete. “I had to make a big financial sacrifice, but the most important thing that I wanted was to find trust,” he told MotoGP. Throughout the last test at Qatar, Melandri complained of issues with rear grip, a similar complaint he had with the Kawasaki, and he expressed his hope that these problems could be fixed quickly.

“I have nothing to lose. One month ago I had one foot outside the World Championship, and now I have a team that is working solely for me. My motivation is this, and to show Kawasaki that they made a mistake in choosing to pull out their factory support.”

In another month’s time, at the season opener at Qatar, we shall see whether Melandri’s hope as justified.

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