2012 Valencia MotoGP Finale Although Valentino Rossi has finished on the podium at Valencia seven times, including two wins, the Ducati Team rider admits the Spanish circuit is not a favorite. This dislike for the circuit that will host the final round of 2012 MotoGP this weekend was likely compounded during Rossi's debut season on the Ducati desmo last year when San Carlo Honda Gresini's Alvaro Bauitsta took out a few riders, including Rossi and teammate Nicky Hayden. Valentino Rossi (Ducati Team GP12 MotoGP) says: "Valencia definitely isn't one of my favorite circuits, apart from the fact that it's in Spain, which always has a great atmosphere. It's a ‘Micky Mouse' track that's small for MotoGP and therefore difficult and tricky. There are a bunch of left hand corners, and I normally prefer those that go to the right. Anyway, we'll see. The asphalt was redone and that should have improved both the grip and the bumps. It will be a strange weekend that should be challenging for a few different reasons, but we'll do our best." But Rossi will give it his best at the resurfaced Valencia, which will be his last race aboard the Ducati. As for Hayden, he likes the track a bit more than Rossi, and will be looking for positive results at the season finale at Valencia, the fourth MotoGP race on Spanish soil. Nicky Hayden (Ducati Team GP12 MotoGP) says: "Valencia is a track and a race that I like a lot. It's the last round of the year, so the atmosphere is good and everyone always seems to have a little something extra. The track has been resurfaced since we were last there, and it was certainly due. "We'll have to see how it is with tires when we get there, as new surfaces can be hard on rubber. We'll need something that has good endurance on the left but also retains enough heat on the right. Smoother tracks are normally better for our bike. One thing we need to do better than in recent races is to make bigger improvements with the bike over the course of the weekend. My team has been working so hard all year, and I really want to end the season with a solid race for them." The Ducati Team Manager also offered comment on this weekend's MotoGP finale at Valencia. Vittoriano Guareschi (Ducati Team Manager) says: "It's the last race, and we have the chance for Valentino to finish the season in fifth place. We'll all do our best to help him achieve that. It's also important that Nicky finishes the season well, because apart from the wet Malaysian race, he's been unlucky during the final part of the season. "We were unfortunate at Valencia last year in that both riders were taken out in the first-turn crash, but prior to that, we had done a decent qualifying session with the possibility of having a good race. The track has new asphalt this year, so we'll have to see how well the data that we gathered last season applies." Following Valencia, Rossi and Hayden will remain at Valencia for the post-season MotoGP test on Tuesday and Wednesday. Valencia Records: Circuit Record: Casey Stoner (Ducati - 2008), 1:32.582 - 155.732 Km/h (96.767 mph) Best Pole: Valentino Rossi (Yamaha - 2006), 1:31.002 - 158.436 Km/h (98.448 mph) Circuit Length: 4.005 km (2.489 mi) 2012 MotoGP Race: 30 laps (120.15 km/74.658 mi) 2012 MotoGP Schedule: 2:00 p.m. Local Time Ducati Team's Best Results at Valencia: 2011: NA 2010: 2nd (Stoner) 2009: 5th (Hayden) 2008: 1st (Stoner) 2007: 2nd (Stoner) 2006: 1st (Bayliss) 2005: 4th (Checa) 2004: 3rd (Bayliss) 2003: 3rd (Capirossi) Valentino Rossi Info: Bike: Ducati Team Desmosedici GP12 Race number: 46 Age: 33 (born in Pesaro 16 February 1979) Residence: Tavullia (Pesaro, Italy) GPs: 275 (215 x MotoGP, 30 x 250cc, 30 x 125cc) First GP: Malaysian GP, 1996 (125cc) Number of wins: 105 (79 x MotoGP, 14 x 250cc, 12 x 125cc) First GP win: Czech Republic GP, 1996 (125cc) Poles: 59 (49 x MotoGP, 5 x 250cc, 5 x 125cc) First Pole: Czech Republic GP, 1996 (125cc) World Titles: 9 (6 x MotoGP, 1 x 500cc, 1 x 250cc, 1 x 125cc) Rossi's MotoGP track record at Valencia: 2011: Grid, 6th; Race, DNF 2010: Grid, 4th; Race, 3rd 2009: Grid, 4th; Race, 2nd 2008: Grid, 10th; Race, 3rd 2007: Grid, 17th; Race, DNF 2006: Grid, 1st; Race, 13th 2005: Grid, 15th; Race, 3rd 2004: Grid, 3rd; Race, 1st 2003: Grid, 1st; Race, 1st 2002: Grid, 6th; Race, 2nd, 2001: Grid, 2nd; Race 11th 2000: Grid, 5th; Race, DNF Nicky Hayden Info: Bike: Ducati Team Desmosedici GP12 Race number: 69 Age: 31 (born 30 July 1981 in Owensboro, Kentucky, USA) Residence: Owensboro, Kentucky, USA Number of GPs: 166 (166 x MotoGP) First GP: Japanese GP, 2003 (MotoGP) Number of wins: 3 (3 x MotoGP) First GP win: USA GP, 2005 (MotoGP) Poles: 5 (5 x MotoGP) First Pole: USA GP, 2005 (MotoGP) World Titles: 1 (MotoGP, 2006) Hayden's MotoGP track record at Valencia: 2011: Grid, 7th; Race, DNF 2010: Grid, 5th; Race, DNF 2009: Grid, 6th; Race, 5th 2008: Grid, 3rd; Race, 5th 2007: Grid, 3rd; Race, 8th 2006: Grid, 5th; Race, 3rd 2005: Grid, 3rd; Race, 2nd 2004: Grid, 5th; Race, DNF 2003: Grid, 4th; Race, 16th Source: Ducati's Rossi: Valencia a 'Mickey Mouse' Circuit | Ultimate Motorcycling
Im not surprised his dislikes the track thou. But the press do like stir things up a bit. I bet he likes it alot more on the Monday after the race :tongue:
Yeah I'm looking forward to that, lets see if he can take another winning bike and wreck that one as-well!!!!
I went to Valencia a couple of years ago mainly to see Stoner ride the Ducati againt Rossi. It was the one where he fell off on the warm up lap. Thanks Casey! Oh BTW it might be a Mickey Mouse track, but its great from a spectators point of view. Pretty much a bowl shape so you can see about 90% of it.
+1 for the above.... I was there two years ago (the first time Rossi rode the Ducati) and it's by far the best circuit for spectators, that I've been to. I was in the boxes on the start finish straight and could see 100% of the circuit.
I had double vision most of the time I was there....did I mention the free drink in the VIP boxes and the rest of the circuit is non alcoholic :tongue:
Oh he's not going to wreck it....no no no According to his last interview I watched, I think his words were along the lines of: 'being the 2nd rider iz good yes?' 'I can help yamaha develop the bike with less pressure' not meaning to burst your bubble Vale, your a nice bloke and all that and even make me laugh at times....BUT I'm pretty sure Yamaha don't require the development skills your offering, if anything they should only take direction from Lorenzo IMO and just let you ride until retirement. but that's just me
ive been to the circuit a couple of times. My ex's brother lives a few miles away in Pablo de Farnels...Yes it is possible to see 100% of the circuit but the trouble is you are never, ever,ever close to anything, ever..unless you hold a pit crew pass...even the front row of the grandstand is a distance away..the far side is about 100+ metres away...you cant smell the bikes, see the riders faces, hear the bikes, nothing. Its the circuit equivalent of milton keynes...Theres nothign wrong with it, its perfect on paper, but in reality it has absolutely no soul.
???? I was ontop of the garages in a VIP box with only the width of the pitlane between me and the start/finish line and I could definitely smell the two strokes (RIP fully synthetic 2 stroke oil), admitedly I did have paddock passes too which was great and did a pit lane walk (but that was shite, I felt like cattle being herded).
We soon forget don't we was the yam a lame duck before he got on it, with "not a hope of a win"? did that happen or was i asleep when he was winning regulaly on it? I would like to think he will be bashing farings with lorenzo again and keeping him honest (well anything to make moto GP a bit more interesting!) i may eat my post by the end of the 13 season, but i hope not
As far as i understand the Yamaha improved through Alex Barros telling them to sort the torque curve out and improving the power delivery. Further improvements came from the cross plane crank and counter rotating crankshaft. Neither of which VR would have had any input in, unless he has a PHD in engineering. the Yamaha was always a fine handling bike.
Yep thats why the year before Biaggi had said it was rubbish and wanted a Honda as they were better.... Oh yes Barros telling them to sort the torque curve out that did it. He clearly has a PHD....
