Dani Pedrosa: (Sekali Lagi) Wajib Juara

MotoGP Mania – Awal tahun 2011 lalu mGPm sempat mebuat tulisan dengan judul “Dani Pedrosa: Wajib Juara!“. Itu karena pada musim lalu, Dani merupakan rider Honda “tertua” dan paling berpengalaman naik RC212V. Meski akhirnya gagal jadi juara dunia, tapi rider Spanyol itu seperti menerima permakluman akibat cidera yang dideritanya.

Pada musim kompetisi 2012 ini Dani sepertinya kembali akan memikul beban untuk wajib menjadi juara dunia. Bahkan bisa dikatakan bebannya lebih berat karena tahun lalu ia sudah “kecolongan” oleh Casey Stoner.

Kekalahan Dani atas Casey musim lalu masih mendapatkan “pemaafan” karena cedera pasca insiden Le Mans. Tetapi musim ini, jika Stoner berhasil mempertahankan gelar, sepertinya tak akan ada alasan permakluman apapun untuk Pedrosa. Bahkan bukan tidak mungkin posisinya di tim repsol Honda akan terancam.

Dani memang punya posisi kuat karena kedekatannya dengan Repsol – title sponsor tim pabrikan Honda – tetapi jangan lupa di balakangnya sudah menunggu Marc Marquez, juniornya yang juga tak kalah lengketnya dengan sponsor asal Spanyol itu.

Pedrosa sesungguhnya punya modal yang cukup untuk bertarung dengan Stoner. Selain menunggang motor yang sama persis, keduanya punya karakteristik yang nggak jauh beda. Meski dengan riding style yang tak serupa, keduanya sama-sama jago dalam mencetak waktu untuk single lap (kualifikasi) dan mampu melakukan start dengan sempurna.

Yang masih kurang dari Pedrosa sepertinya adalah kempuan bertahan saat balapan dengan kondisi basah dan terutama saat masih menggunakan ban slick. Seperti yang terjadi pada Grand Prix di Phillip Island dan Valencia musim lalu dimana The Little Spaniard begitu melorot posisinya ketika track semakin basah.

Selain itu, Dani perlu mengurangi resiko terjadinya kecelakaan. Selama ini ia termasuk pembalap yang sangat sering mengalaminya. Memang kecelakaan dalam arena balap adalah sesuatu yang lumrah terjadi, tetapi seperti penuturan Dani sendiri, “Keberuntungan tidak dapat dikontrol tetapi Anda dapat menghilangkan faktor risiko.”

Ada baiknya pula Dani menyimak krtitik Shuei Nakamoto dari sisi positif. Wakil Presiden HRC itu sempat mengkritik bahwa pada kecelakaan di GP Prancis, Dani tidak sepenuhnya tidak bersalah. menurut Nakamoto, harusnya ia tahu kalau saat itu Marco Simoncelli (alm) lebih cepat darinya sehingga ia pun harusnya tahu resiko jika tetap ngotot memepertahankan posisi.

Stoner Sindir Balik Valentino Rossi dan Ducati

TRIBUNNEWS.COM, SEPANG - Beberapa pekan lalu, Valentino Rossi melontarkan kritikan pedas kepada juara dunia MotoGP 2011, Casey Stoner. Kini menjelang bergulirnya musim 2012, Stoner berbalik menyerang pengoleksi tujuh gelar dunia MotoGP itu. Kritikan Stoner itu membuat persaingan di lintasan balap semakin memanas,

Rossi mengkritik Stoner hanya mampu meraih juara dunia berkat kecanggihan motor Honda yang ia kemudikan. Menurut pebalap Italia itu, sebenarnya Stoner tidak memiliki kemampuan memadai untuk menjadi juara dunia. Stoner hanya tertolong dengan kecanggihan motor Yamaha.

Kini, Stoner balik mengkritik Rossi. Tidak hanya menyerang Rossi, pebalap Australia itu juga mempertanyakan keandalan mekanik tim Ducati, Jerry Burgess, dalam mengembangkan motor terbaik bagi Rossi. Stoner mengatakan, sepanjang musim lalu Burgess kesulitan meningkatkan performa motor Ducati sehingga Rossi kesulitan meraih podium.

“Saya merasa gelar juaraku di tahun lalu terasa sangat manis berkat kritikan Valentino dan Jerry. Seharusnya mereka melihat ke diri sendiri karena tidak mampu mengembangkan mobil yang kompetitif," kata Stoner kepada Motorcyclingnews, Rabu (15/2/2012).

“Ternyata mereka 10 kali lebih bingung dalam menentukan target mana yang menjadi prioritas. Semua yang Valentino katakan bahwa saya tidak berusaha cukup keras sebenarnya bukanlah hal yang baru,” tandas Stoner.

Pebalap berusia 26 tahun itu mengatakan, Ducati memiliki motor terbaik di grid dan ia memiliki ban terbaik dan banyak hal lainnya. Saat masih memperkuat Ducati, Stoner pernah merasakan apa yang sedang menimpa Rossi saat ini. Ia melihat nasib buruk Ducati juga menular kepada Marco Melandri dan Nicky Hayden.

Tes MotoGP 2012 Sepang

 Tes resmi yang lama dinanti akhirnya mulai berlangsung sejak hari ini hingga 2 Februari di Sepang Malaysia. Tes ini penting karena motor yang digunakan saat tes adalah motor yang akan digunakan pada balap MotoGP 2012. Jadi di tes ini kita bisa intip kekuatan masing-masing tim walau belum bisa menilai kinerja motor secara keseluruhan.

Tes kali ini tidak diikuti oleh CRT yang lain karena CRT tes di Valencia untuk menghemat biaya dan baru akan bergabung dengan tim Prototipe saat tes terakhir bulan Maret nanti.

Cuaca Sepang tadinya mendung seperti Jakarta, kondisi trek basah hingga motor para tim belum keluar dari garasinya masing-masing walau jadwal tes telah dimulai. Penundaan ini membuat para penggila MotoGP galau, ya kali lama bener mau liat pebalapnya keluar garasi.

Akhirnya hampir lewat 30 menit dari jadwal semula para rider mulai keluar dari garasi. Honda yang pertama kali keluar dengan tes rider Akiyoshi lalu diikuti oleh rider Honda yang lain. Casey Stoner memakai nomer 1 musim ini, semacam pedeh bahwa dia tak akan kalah tahun ini hehehehehe gi dah Stoner.

Ducati mengawali tes dengan tes rider Franco Battaini. Rossinya mana? Sabaarrrr.. orang sabar disayang pacar (halah). Ducati sempat membuat heboh dengan menyembunyikan penampakan Desmosedici GP12. Saat ada private tes di Jerez (awal tahun ini kalau tak salah), Ducati mengambil Carlos Checa sebagai tes ridernya. Hasil tes itu tak diberitahukan kepada media, pun perihal motor yang ditunggangi Checa. Tak ada informasi apakah motor itu adalah Desmosedici GP12.

Ketika ditanya kepada Davide Brivio, Manager The Doctor, ia menjawab itu bukan Desmosedici GP12. Nah penasaran kan. Dari akun twitter Alex Briggs, mekanik Valentino Rossi hanya didapat sebuah kode yang menyebut Desmosedici GP12 sebagai Phoenix. Halah apaan lagi coba.

Teka-teki tentang Desmosedici GP12 terjawab kemarin melalui akun twitter The Doctor. Ia meng-upload penampakan Desmosedici GP12 disertai kata-kata yang artinya kira-kira “Saudara-saudara.. inilah motor baru kami”. Desmosedici yang tadinya dikasih kode Phoenix itu tampilannya hitam. Belum ada fairing Ducati yang ciri khasnya merah. Ya sabar kali, ini kan baru tes.

Sebenarnya data teknis Desmosedici GP12 sudah dibocorkan oleh tim Cardion AB saat tim ini meluncurkan motor barunya. Desmosedici GP12 mempunyai berat 155 kg, kecepatan maksimal lebih dari 360 km perjam, daya 250 DK, kapasitas 999 cc, elektronik dari Magneti Marelli, mesin air cooled 4 tak, kopling kering multi plat, rantai regina, disc 16.5′ magnesium marchesini, gearbox enam kecepatan, chassis frame alumunium, ban Bridgestone, tangki bahan bakar 21 liter. Nah apa Desmosedici GP12 sudah kompeten? Ya belum tentu, mari lihat hasil tesnya saja.

Lalu bagaimana dengan Honda? Baik-baik saja tuh Honda. Honda juga meluncurkan motor barunya kemarin. Diberi nama Honda RC213V, 21 itu untuk abad ke 21 dan 3 nya untuk generasi mesin ketiga. Kapasitas mesin full 1.000 cc karena itu mesin dan chasisnya juga berbeda dengan motor yang lama. Honda sangat pede menghadapi musim balap tahun ini dan yakin pebalapnya bisa juara dunia lagi. Meski begitu Honda mengakui kalau Yamaha dan Ducati masih kompetitif.

Yamaha mendapat sponsor baru yang menggantikan tempat Petronas. Sponsornya adalah perusahaan oli Jepang yang bernama JX Nippon oil and energy corporation yang mengusung brand Eneos. Dengan hadirnya sponsor baru ini kemungkinan fairing motor Yamaha juga akan berubah. Eneos mempunyai warna merah, orange dan putih, jadi bayangkan saja bagaimana tampilan Yamaha nanti. Semacam warna-warni kalau semua warna Eneos diambil. Di Sepang fairing ini belum terlihat.

Hari ini Casey Stoner tak akan melanjutkan tes sesi kedua karena cedera punggung yang lama diderita. Dia akan melanjutkan tes besok. Nah lho, mitos angka 1 mulai menyerang hehehehe. Eh bukan nyumpahin lho ini. Semoga Stoner bisa pulih besok. Sementara Rossi setelah sempat ada di posisi kedua merosot ke posisi keempat setelah disodok Ben Spies. Tenang yak, ini kan baru tes sesi pertama. 

Selengkapnya hasil sementara tes MotoGP Sepang adalah sebagai berikut :

1. Jorge Lorenzo - Yamaha Factory Racing - 2:02.406 - 13 lap
2. Ben Spies - Yamaha Factory Racing - 2:02.456 - 21 lap
3. Dani Pedrosa - Repsol Honda Team - 2:02.535 - 31 lap
4. Valentino Rossi - Ducati Team - 2:02.824 - 22 lap
5. Cal Crutchlow - Yamaha Tech 3 - 2:03.099 - 15 lap
6. Alvaro Bautista  - Honda Gresini - 2:03.153 - 21 lap
7. Katsuyuki Nakasuga - Yamaha Factory - 2:03.418 - 15 lap
8. Hector Barbera - Pramac Racing Team - 2:03.523 - 16 lap
9. Nicky Hayden - Ducati Team - 2:03.969 - 19 lap
10. Andrea Dovizioso - Yamaha Tech 3 - 2:04.033 - 7 lap
11. Stefan Bradl - LCR Honda - 2:04.148 - 24 lap
12. Karel Abraham - Cardion AB Motoracing - 2:04.863 - 21 lap
13. Franco Bataini - Ducati Team - 2:05.292 - 15 lap
14. Casey Stoner - Repsol Honda Team - 2:07.163 - 4 lap
15. Colin Edwards - NGM Mobile Forward Racing - 2:08.240 - 12 lap
16. Ivan Silva - Avintia Racing - 2:11.267 - 12 lap
17. Jordi Torres - Avintia Racing - 2:12.816 - 20 lap

Sumber : MotoGP.com, Crash.net

Marquez will not attend Jerez Test

Tuesday, 14 February 2012
The CatalunyaCaixa Repsol rider is still recovering from the recent operation carried out on his right eye and will miss this week’s testing in Jerez, but Márquez is working hard and focusing 100% on getting the most out of a reduced preseason.

Marc Marquez underwent a medical exam on Monday that confirmed recovery from vision problems is continuing in a positive direction, though later on his blog at Repsol.com, he posted that he would not be participating in the Moto2™ Test scheduled this week at the Jerez circuit.

"Today I went to the doctor in Barcelona and everything is going as planned according to the deadlines he set. I just have to take it easy. For now, the team and I stayed home this week and we won’t participate in the test at Jerez. But we understand that it does not mean we are on vacation," wrote the 2011 Moto2 Rookie of the Year in his blog. The Moto2 World Championship runner-up says he is "working on my fitness and training hard on my dirt bike, and I'm looking forward to get on my Moto2 bike."

In a conversation with motogp.com, Marquez's mentor and team manager Emilio Alzamora said: "There is no specific date for his return yet. They are doing medical checks and are happy with his progress, but things still need time. Marc will be on the bike when he is at 100%."

Alzamora added that Marquez "continues his training, riding motocross and waiting until he can return." When asked if his return was scheduled to be at a test in Portugal at the Portimao circuit, as has been reported on several websites, or at the next official Test of the season in late March, again at Jerez, Alzamora replied: "I can’t say whether it will be in Portimao or Jerez, like I said, we can’t yet anticipate a specific date."

Espargaró: "Aprilia will be the bike to beat among the CRTs"

Tuesday, 14 February 2012
Just ahead of the second test round of the season for CRT teams and riders next week in Jerez, Aleix Espargaró spoke with motogp.com about his impressions of the project that will return him to the premier class.

It’s difficult to find someone in the MotoGP™ paddock with the enthusiasm of Aleix Espargaró when facing new adventures, and now that he has the opportunity to return to the top class in 2012 he is especially motivated and enthusiastic. The rider from Granollers, just outside Barcelona, recently debuted the Aspar Team’s ART bike at the first preseason test in Valencia, and will continue developing the bike at the Jerez circuit in a test next week. But first he will make a stop in Paterna (Valencia) where his team will officially present the multinational Power Electronics company as their primary sponsor of the MotoGP Aspar Team. In this interview, Espargaró shared his views on the project and his progress thus far.

Aleix, at the end of last season when you signed with the Aspar team, it was originally to run in the Moto2 class. Then this CRT project for MotoGP came up. Are you where you want to be in 2012?

"MotoGP is better for me, for my size and weight I’ll have less of a handicap. And the start of the project has been exciting. "

On one hand, you’ll have many options to stand out among the other CRTs but on the other hand, having a rider like Randy De Puniet on the same bike and in the same box ...

"Yes, they always say that your friend is your first enemy, and in this case even more so. Randy is a very experienced rider and very very fast. But I really like him, at the Valencia test we talked a lot and we helped each other out, the most important thing is to make our bike the best CRT. It’s a year to gain experience and develop the bike and I think between the two of us we can do a good job."

Do you think it will it be a year of gradual evolution or think you’ll see some quick progress, perhaps after the first part of the championship? What expectations do you have in this regard?

"It’s clear that we will evolve and CRTs will get progressively closer to the front. It’s logical and obvious that we’ll suffer in the first few races, but the idea and the goal must be to get better in every GP and then toward middle or end of the year to be as close as we can to the front, especially at the smaller circuits."

Your opinion after the Valencia test was positive, you even had some pleasant surprises, like with the level of tire grip. What are you going to focus on next with the bike?

"As far as power and riding, the bike is very different from a Moto2 bike, and I have had to re-adjust my riding. But I'm happy, the bike works great. We have to learn to make good use of the electronics, I think that’s the most important thing, and like I said, I also have to adapt and improve the bike gradually. It’s clear that the initial package will be inferior to what we will have at the end of the season, it’s going to evolve."

Regarding suspension, brakes, chassis, tires and other components, it isn’t so different from the MotoGP bikes. Which aspects do you think you’ll have to work on more to optimize the ART CRT ?

"I see it as an improved Superbike. The times are going to be between a Superbike and MotoGP bike. A little faster than the Sperbike, a little slower than a MotoGP bike. In terms of power, I think we can still improve a little. And I think that we’re not too far off. As for electronics, the CRT concept is somewhat less sophisticted than a MotoGP bike, less complex, and with far fewer telemetry channels, but it’s clear that what we have works well and we have to try to improve it."

At the first test in Valencia, there were no other CRTs there, they were at the test in Malaysia, so the first direct comparison between all the 2012 CRT's is coming up shortly. Will you be at the test in Jerez next week?

"I don’t know for sure. Clearly, I would have liked to have gone to Malaysia, but it made sense not to go, the bike is still green and training in Europe is much safer, because if something happens you have the factory next door. So we haven’t been measured against the teams that went to Malaysia, and now we are going to test in Jerez, then in Aragon, and then again at the Official Test in Jerez, which means that we’ll see where we are before the Grand Prix in Qatar, though I think the Aprilia will be the bike to beat in the CRT category."

"We'll see where we are with respect to Colin (Edwards), who seemed to be the best in Malaysia. The Sepang track is a bit misleading though because it’s fast and the power of the 1000cc is really noticeable there, but if we do better than the BMW-Suter on tracks like Aragon, Valencia and Jerez, then the objective has to be 2 to 2.5 seconds off pole."

Experienced and fast riders like Edwards and De Puniet won’t make it easy for you to be the first rider on a CRT ...

"No, nor others like Pasini, a rider with no experience in the class, but really fast ... I think it'll be fun. We’ll get left behind by the MotoGP bikes - but we have to try to be close, because then everything will be more competitive-- but we’ll focus on trying to beat all CRTs. Like I said, I think the Aprilia motorcycle will start as the favorite, so de Puniet will be the strongest rival. I'd be very happy if I could be the first CRT."

What is the atmosphere like in the Aspar team surrounding this new project?

"We are excited, about our team and about the Aprilia. The bike is brand new and the truth is that when it arrived, we liked it a lot. Jorge Martinez and Aprilia are working hard and we all can’t wait to see how far we can go this year."

For someone like you with the reputation of being a good test rider, to embark on a project like this should be particularly exciting ...

"Yes, I was fortunate enough to develop the first Moto2 bikes that were in Spain, with Dani Devahive, and then I went to the World Championship and got on the podium with a Moto2. Now I really want to do something great with this bike. Jorge has one of the best teams in the Championship, it’s a professional environment and with Aprilia it’s great ... it's a very exciting project, I really want us to be competitive and do something big "

And starting tomorrow, you’ll have a new sponsor ....

"Yes, I’ll be at the presentation in Paterna (Valencia) with the team. Jorge is making an amazing effort, he started testing the new bikes without a sponsor. Now the sponsor(Power Electronics)has been finalized and hopefully with a bit of luck and we can do well in the races and in the Championship "

Moto2™ and Moto3™ back on track this week

Wednesday, 15 February 2012
The Moto2™ and Moto3™ teams are back on track this week, this time in at the Jerez circuit for the second Official Test of the preseason, from Feb 16th to 18th.

After the first seasonal gathering of Moto2 and Moto3 teams and riders in Valencia, both classes are heading south to Jerez de la Frontera for the second round of three day testing. The Andalusian circuit will see more than 60 riders from both classes continuing to adapt and develop their new race bikes.

Valencia Test Moto2 frontrunners such as Pol Espargaró and Tito Rabat from Pons Racing, Marc VDS Racing Team’s Scott Redding, sole Speed Master rider Andrea Ianonne, Simone Corsi (Ioda Racing Project) and Claudio Corti from the Italtrans Racing Team will pick up where they left off at the Ricardo Tormo circuit, while the newcomers to the class like JiR’s Johann Zarco and Eric Granado and reigning 125cc World Champion Nico Terol (Aspar Team Moto2) will continue adapting to the four stroke machinery.

Marc Marquez will again be missing from the ranks of the Moto2 riders, the Repsol rider is recovering slowly but surely from vision problems, training for the 2012 season aboard a motocross bike and waiting until he is 100% to climb aboard his Moto2 machine.

The Moto3 category continues the march towards its debut in the World Championship, with season favorites Maverick Viñales of the Avintia Racing team and Sandro Cortese (Red Bull KTM Ajo) heading the pack of 33 riders which includes more than a handful of World Championship newcomers in the class.

Testing begins Thursday and continues through Saturday, and as with the test in Valencia last week, timing reports will be unofficial and supplied as desired by the teams.
TAGS 2012