Moto2

The NGM Forward Racing team issued the following press release after their team launch in Milan:

Press releases from the Moto2 and Moto3 teams at the end of the test at Jerez:

With the rain and fog making a return to the Jerez circuit, the final day of testing for the Moto2 class was largely a washout. The weather threatened to improve briefly in the afternoon, but failed to make good on its promise. 

At the end of the third, wet day, it was Nico Terol who topped the timesheets, just as he had on the first day of wet practice at the Andalusian track. The Mapfre Aspar rider ended the day nearly three tenths ahead of Scott Redding and Danny Kent, the two British riders separated by just a couple of hundredths. Johan Zarco took 4th spot, a little ahead of Ricky Cardus and Xavier Simeon.

The Moto2 class now has one final group test before the season starts, returning to Jerez in mid-March. They test from 18th to the 21st of March, before flying out to Qatar for the 2013 season opener.

Official times from the final day of testing at Jerez for the Moto2 class:

With the 2013 motorcycle racing season about to kick off just a few hours from now, with World Superbikes about to take to the track at Phillip Island, Dorna and the FIM had a few official appointments to confirm before the season starts. Today, the FIM officially announced all of the people in charge of both MotoGP and WSBK. MotoGP's Race Direction sees two changes, with Franco Uncini promoted to FIM Safety Officer, and Loris Capirossi joining Race Direction as the riders' representative. Danny Aldridge has been confirmed as Technical Director, after taking over in the role from Mike Webb last year. In the WSBK paddock, Gregorio Lavilla joins Race Direction as Dorna Representative

Below are the press releases from the FIM announcing the changes:

FIM Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix

Decision of the Permanent Bureau

The Permanent Bureau of the FIM Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix, comprising of Messrs Vito Ippolito, FIM President, and Carmelo Ezpeleta, Chief Executive Officer of Dorna Sports, met on 20 February 2013, in order to designate the following composition of the 2013 FIM Grand Prix Race Direction:

Press releases from some of the Moto2 and Moto3 teams after the second day of testing at Jerez:

Pol Espargaro continues to dominate the Moto2 class this preseason, once again topping the timesheets on the second, much drier day of testing at Jerez. The Tuenti HP 40 rider lapped the track four tenths faster than Stefan Bradl's pole record, the Spaniard clearly showing his intentions for 2013. Takaaki Nakagami took second slot, the Italtrans rider fast at a track he knows well, while Scott Redding find some extra speed to take 3rd spot, a respectable half a second behind Espargaro. 

Julian Simon completed the Kalex whitewash of the second day, the Italtrans rider nearly three quarters of a second behind Espargaro. Aspar's Nico Terol was the first non-Kalex, the Spaniard setting the 5th fastest time on the Suter, and the last man to get within a second of Espargaro, ahead of two more Kalexes, those of Espargaro's teammate Tito Rabat, and Redding's Marc VDS  teammate Mika Kallio.

Though the conditions were far better on Wednesday, the riders lost a lot of time in the morning to fog, the mist causing problems until well after noon. With rain set to return for the final day of testing on Thursday, it remains to be seen how much action will take place, or whether the teams will pack up early and go home.

Times on the second day of testing:

The FIM today announced that Franco Uncini has been appointed as FIM Grand Prix Safety Officer, replacing Claude Danis, who retired from the post at the end of last year. Uncini, the 1982 500cc World Champion with Suzuki, has long been working in the paddock as the riders' representative on matters of safety, advising both riders and Dorna in the Safety Commission. Uncini was already a member of Race Direction, the body charged with overseeing that Grand Prix race weekends proceed according to the rulebook.

The official FIM press release announcing Uncini's appointment appears below:

Franco Uncini appointed FIM Grand Prix Safety Officer

Following the retirement of Mr Claude Danis, the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) has appointed Mr Franco Uncini FIM Grand Prix Safety Officer and circuit inspector. Claude Danis was a member of the FIM Road Racing Commission (CCR) from 1991 and Chairman of the CCR from 1993 to 2010. From 1999 onwards, he was also FIM Representative in the Grand Prix Race Direction. The FIM warmly thanks Mr Danis for his long career at the FIM and for playing an active part in the huge improvements made in recent years with regard to safety, a paramount aspect of our sport.

Press releases from the Moto2 and Moto3 teams after a (rather fruitless) first day of testing at a wet and windy Jerez:

Moving south did little to help with the weather for the Moto2 class. After three days of sunny weather at Valencia, the trek down to Spain's south coast was met with a solid day of wind and rain, with times suffering accordingly.

Mapfre Aspar rider Nico Terol did not suffer, however. The Spaniard had topped the first day of testing at Valencia, and was top of the timesheets in Jerez as well, putting his Suter ahead of Simone Corsi on the NGM Forward Speed Up machine. Julian Simon was also strong in thewet, taking 3rd spot, though nearly two thirds of a second off the pace of Terol, and just ahead of championship favorite Pol Espargaro. Espargaro has suffered in the wet in recent races, but made good progress at Jerez. The Kalex, which last year was dominant in the dry but difficult in the wet, also showed signs of progress, with Simon, Espargaro and Marc VDS Racing's Scott Redding all in the top 5, and all riding Kalexes.

Testing continues tomorrow, with the weather set to improve for the test on Wednesday. However, with the rain likely to return on Thursday, it remains to be seen who will stay on after that, if the track is not dry.

Results:

Press releases from some of the Moto2 and Moto3 teams after the three-day test at Valencia:

Pol Espargaro has stamped his authority on the Moto2 class at Valencia, leading the overall standings after all three days. Espargaro is two tenths quicker than Mapfre Aspar's Nico Terol, and four tenths faster than Julian Simon. The Moto2 class, like the Moto3 class, sees a trio of Spaniard leading, but the question is whether this will still be the case at the next test at Jerez. Terol has always excelled at Valencia, his home track, and he may not find it as easy at Jerez.

With fewer rookies in the class, the riders did not make the kind of progress which the Moto3 boys and girl did. Standout rider on the list of improved times is Johann Zarco, the Frenchman taking two-and-three-quarters of a second off his best time from Tuesday, and moving well up the order to get into the top 10. Sandro Cortese was the most improved of the rookies, taking nearly two seconds off his best time, with Tech 3's Danny Kent improving by over 1.8 seconds. Louis Rossi's progress was stymied by a crash he had on Friday morning, leaving the Frenchman unable to post a faster time.

Below are the overall standings after all three days of testing, as well as a list showing the improvement made by each of the riders:

Pol Espargaro has topped the final day of testing for the Moto2 class at Valencia, taking advantage of a day of excellent weather to destroy his existing pole record by over half a second. The Tuenti HP 40 rider ended two tenths ahead of Nico Terol, the local man who always has something extra at Valencia, while Julian Simon took 3rd, some four tenths of a second behind Espargaro. Jordi Torres, Mapfre Aspar teammate to Terol, set an excellent 4th fastest time, while Thomas Luthi was 5th fastest.

Luthi's day ended unhappily, despite his good lap time. The Interwetten Paddock rider collided with Ratthapark Wilairot during the afternoon session, both men falling heavily and being taken to hospital in Valencia for further check ups. Wilairot was being treated for pain in the head, but Luthi suffered a broken arm and collarbone. Luthi is being flow to Bern in Switzerland tonight, to have surgery on the arm. The injury would be very bad news for the Interwetten Paddock team, as the worst case scenario would leave Luthi out with injury for several months.

MotoGP is to change pits once again at the Silverstone circuit. The paddock is to move away from the new Silverstone Wing between Club and Abbey and back to the old facilities between Woodcote and Copse. The move has been made to accommodate fans, who could not reach the paddock behind the Wing very easily, with buses running between the old paddock and the new Wing. The situation is set to continue until a bridge or tunnel can be built for fan access to the pit complex at the Wing, but that is an investment which the circuit does not currently have the funds to make.

This also means that the start and finish line will move again, from its former position after Club, back to the spot just after Woodcote.

Below is the press release issued by the Silverstone press office, containing full details of the move:

Silverstone MotoGP™ Paddock on the move

After two years of being based in The Wing Pit and Paddock Complex, Silverstone has confirmed that this year’s MotoGP™ Paddock will be returning to the National Paddock for the British Grand Prix on 30 August – 01 September.

Pol Espargaro has taken charge of the second day of testing for the Moto2 class at Valencia, the Tuenti HP 40 riders upping the pace and closing in on the pole record. Local boy Nico Terol was demoted to 2nd, two tenths off the pace of the Espargaro, and spent time on Wednesday testing the 2013 version of the Suter chassis, which he pronounced an improvement. Thomas Luthi secured 3rd spot, though only just, with both Julian Simon and Johan Zarco posting very strong challenges. Zarco, in particular, had a very strong second day of testing, improving his time from Tuesday by over two seconds. Scott Redding, 4th fastest on the Marc VDS Racing Kalex on Tuesday, could not make the same kind of step forward, and dropped down the order.

Danny Kent won the battle of the rookies, the Tech 3 rider getting the better of 2012 Moto3 champion Sandro Cortese by over half a second. Cortese once again found himself wrapped up in a battle with Kent's teammate Louis Rossi, the Frenchman five thousandths slower than Cortese, ceding an extra one thousandth of a second to the German on Wednesday. 

Press releases from some of the Moto2 and Moto3 teams after the first day of testing at Valencia: