motogp : Les chiffres avant Sepang / When was the first Malaysian GP held?

motogp.com vous propose une sélection de chiffres à prendre en compte avant le #MalaysianGP.

            

• Le premier GP de Malaisie eut lieu en 1991 et a depuis été organisé chaque année. Les trois circuits à l’avoir accueilli sont Shah Alam, Johor et Sepang.
• Le premier GP de Malaisie eut lieu à Shah Alam en 1991 et fut l’occasion de la première victoire de John Kocinski sur Yamaha en 500cc. Les Italiens Luca Cadalora (Honda) et Loris Capirossi (Honda) remportèrent respectivement les courses des catégories 250cc et 125cc.
• Le circuit de Shah Alam a accueilli le GP de Malaisie durant 7 ans avant le départ de ce dernier pour Johor, qui ne fut utilisé qu’une fois, en 1998. Le GP de Malaisie de 1999 eut lieu à Sepang en 1999 et le circuit accueille l’épreuve pour la 17e fois ce week-end.
• Yamaha est le constructeur qui a remporté le plus de victoires en MotoGP™ à Sepang, cinq dont la dernière en 2010 avec Valentino Rossi.
• Honda a remporté quatre victoires MotoGP™ à Sepang, dont ces trois dernières années.
• Ducati a remporté trois victoires MotoGP™ à Sepang, la dernière en 2009 avec Casey Stoner. Depuis la victoire de l’Australien, le meilleur résultat de Ducati à Sepang est la quatrième place de Nicky Hayden en 2012.
• Le meilleur résultat de Suzuki à Sepang en MotoGP™ est la cinquième place d’Álvaro Bautista en 2010.
• Valentino Rossi est le pilote qui a le palmarès le plus fourni à Sepang, avec six victoires en catégorie reine (1 x 500cc, 5 x MotoGP™). Casey Stoner (1 x 125cc, 1 x 250cc, 2 x MotoGP™) et Dani Pedrosa (1 x 125cc, 1 x 250cc, 2 x MotoGP™) en ont quatre chacun.
• Le seul pilote à s’être imposé en MotoGP™ à Sepang en menant chaque tour du départ et jusqu’à l’arrivée est Casey Stoner, qui a réalisé l’exploit deux fois, en 2007 et en 2009.
• Le GP de Malaisie a été décisif pour le titre mondial à quatre reprises : en 2003, 2005 et 2009 pour Valentino Rossi et en 2010 pour Jorge Lorenzo.
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• Take a look ahead to the Shell Malaysia Motorcycle Grand Prix with a plethora of all the stats you need.
• This is the 25th motorcycle grand prix event to be held in Malaysia and below are some facts and statistics about GP racing in Malaysia:
  • The first Malaysian Grand Prix was held in 1991 and has taken place every year since, with three different venues having been used; Shah Alam, Johor and Sepang.
  • The first Malaysian Grand Prix held at the Shah Alam circuit in 1991 saw a debut win in the premier-class for John Kocinski riding a Yamaha.  Italian riders dominated the smaller classes with Luca Cadalora (Honda) winning the 250cc race and Loris Capirossi (Honda) in the 125cc class.
  • The Shah Alam circuit hosted the event for a total of seven years before the Malaysian GP went to Johor for a single year in 1998.  The first Malaysian GP to be held at Sepang was in 1999 and this will be the 17th time that Sepang has hosted the event.
  • Yamaha have been the most successful manufacturer in the MotoGP™ class at Sepang with five victories, the last of which was in 2010 with Valentino Rossi.
  • Honda have had four MotoGP™ wins at the Sepang circuit, including the last three years.
  • Ducati have taken three MotoGP™ victories in Sepang, the last being in 2009 with Casey Stoner. Since Stoner’s win in 2009 the best result for Ducati at Sepang is fourth in 2012 with Nicky Hayden.
  • The best result for Suzuki at Sepang in the MotoGP™ era is fifth in 2010 with Alvaro Bautista.
  • The most successful rider at the Sepang circuit is Valentino Rossi with six GP wins (1 x 500cc, 5 x MotoGP™).  The next most successful, with four wins each, are: Casey Stoner (1 x 125cc, 1 x 250cc, 2 x MotoGP™) and Dani Pedrosa (1 x 125cc, 1 x 250cc, 2 x MotoGP™).
  • The only rider to win the MotoGP™ race at Sepang and to lead across the line at the end of every lap is Casey Stoner, who did so on two occasions, in 2007 and 2009.
  • The Malaysian Grand Prix at Sepang has been the deciding race in the MotoGP™ championship on four occasions: in 2003, 2005 and 2009 when Valentino Rossi won the title, and in 2010 in favour of Jorge Lorenzo.
             

WRC Rally de Espana 2015 WRC, Catalunya : titres et sous-titres.../ titles and runner-up glory to settle

Si les titres Pilotes, Copilotes, Constructeurs et Juniors 2015 sont déjà empochés, le Rally RACC-Catalunya pourrait décider des podiums des championnats 2015 entre Latvala et Mikkelsen, entre Citroën-Total Abu Dhabi WRT, Hyundai-Shell WRT et M-Sport...

Avec son parcours mixte terre/asphalte renouvelé à 50%, sa spectaculaire Superspéciale de Barcelone et 84 concurrents attendus au départ, la douzième manche du Championnat du monde des Rallyes FIA ne manquera pas d’intérêt.

Certes, les titres mondiaux Pilotes, Copilotes, Constructeurs et Juniors ont déjà trouvé preneur, mais Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia, Volkswagen Motorsport ou encore Quentin Gilbert/Renaud Jamoul ne vont sans doute pas laisser passer l’occasion d’enrichir leur palmarès.

Et puis, le duel entre Latvala et Mikkelsen pour le titre de vice-champion du monde, celui entre Citroën, Hyundai et Ford/M-Sport pour la 2^e place du championnat Constructeurs, ou encore la bagarre à sept pour le titre WRC-2 et le match à cinq pour le titre en Fiesta Trophy vont nous tenir en haleine tout le week-end.

Pour sa 25^e édition en WRC, le Rally RACC-Catalunya s’annonce donc très intense. Depuis dix ans, l’épreuve est basée à Salou, dans l’enceinte du parc d’attraction de PortAventura. Les organisateurs, qui avaient fêté la 50^e édition l’an passé avec une spéciale de 50 km, n’ont pas reconduit l’expérience. La plus longue spéciale asphalte mesure 26,26 km, et 35,68 km sur terre. En revanche, environ la moitié du parcours a été renouvelé.

L’épreuve est toujours mixte avec une première étape (131,80 km) à disputer avec des pneus terre, suivie de deux étapes sur asphalte (196,45 km). Les pilotes prioritaires 1 Michelin pourront utiliser un maximum de 12 pneus terre à choisir parmi 12 LTX Force H4 (hard) et 10 LTX Force S4 (soft), et de 16 pneus asphalte à choisir parmi 16 Pilot Sport H5 et 12 Pilot Sport S5.

Qui dit mixité, dit aussi changement de configuration des véhicules de terre à asphalte vendredi soir. Pour ce faire, le temps d’assistance est augmenté de 30 minutes (1h15). Chez Volkswagen, 1341 pièces seront changées sur chaque VW Polo R WRC...

Parmi les 14 WRC attendues, on retrouve les pilotes officiels habituels : Ogier, Latvala, Mikkelsen chez VW, Meeke, Ostberg et Lefebvre chez Citroën, Tanak, Evans chez M-Sport, Sordo, Neuville, Paddon chez Hyundai. Kubica, Al-Qassimi et Prokop complètent les rangs des top-teams.

En WRC-2, les sept candidats encore au titre seront là : Al-Attiyah (Skoda), Lappi (Skoda), Protasov (Ford), Al-Kuwari (Ford), Ketomaa (Ford), Tidemand (Skoda) et Camilli (Ford). Idem en Ford Fiesta Trophy avec les cinq prétendants au titre : Aasen, Vatanen, Cave, De Mevius et Van den Brant. A noter que cette dernière épreuve de la saison compte double pour cette série.

Chez les 2-roues motrices, Quentin Gilbert et Renaud Jamoul sont déjà champions Juniors. Mais le tandem franco-belge peut également viser le titre mondial WRC-3. Ils sont leaders avec 25 points d’avance sur Veiby, 38 points sur Tempestini et 40 points sur Crugnola. Il reste 50 points à attribuer. En WRC-3 Teams, rien n’est fait entre Printsport et Renault Sport Technologies, de même qu’au championnat Nations Juniors entre la France et la Norvège.

The 2015 Drivers’, Co-drivers’, Manufacturers’ and Junior championship fights are all over, but the Rally RACC-Catalunya could decide who scoops runner-up honours, with Latvala, Mikkelsen, Citroën-Total Abu Dhabi WRT, Hyundai-Shell WRT and M-Sport all in the hunt. 

Round 12 of the FIA World Rally Championship is sure to be an interesting show, if only because of its significantly-revised mixed gravel/asphalt format, spectacular super-special in Barcelona and 84-strong entry list.

True, the Drivers’, Co-drivers’, Manufacturers’ and Junior crowns have been bagged already by Sébastien Ogier, Julien Ingrassia, Volkswagen Motorsport and Quentin Gilbert, but all four would love to add another win to their 2015 record.

Meanwhile, the scrap for silver between Latvala and Mikkelsen in the Drivers’ championship, and between Citroën, Hyundai and Ford/M-Sport in the Manufacturers’ standings, along with a seven-cornered fight for supremacy in WRC2 and the battle between five drivers for this year’s Fiesta Trophy are sure to keep spectators entertained.

The 25th Rally RACC-Catalunya as a WRC qualifier will once again be based in the grounds of the PortAventura fun park in Salou. However, after incorporating a 50-kilometre stage to celebrate their event’s 50th anniversary in 2014, the organisers have lowered their sights this year since the longest asphalt and gravel tests will be just 26.26km and 35.68km respectively. That said, around half of the route has been modified.

                            

The all-gravel first leg (131.80km) will see Michelin’s Priority 1 partners benefit from a total allocation of 12 hard-compound LTX Force H4s and 10 soft S4s, up to 12 of which may actually be used. The action will then switch to asphalt for Saturday and Sunday when the tyre allocation will be 16 hard Michelin Pilot Sport H5s and 12 S5s, of which 16 may be fitted.

The mixed-surface format also means the cars will need to be converted from gravel to asphalt spec on Friday evening when the end-of-day service halt will be extended by half-an-hour to 1h15m. Volkswagen says it will change 1,341 parts on each of its Polo R WRCs...

Of the 14 WRC entries, the factory team regulars (VW: Ogier, Latvala, Mikkelsen / Citroën: Meeke, Ostberg, Lefebvre / M-Sport: Tanak, Evans / Hyundai: Sordo, Neuville, Paddon) will be joined by Kubica, Al-Qassimi and Prokop.

In WRC2, the seven drivers involved in the 2015 title chase will all be in Catalonia, namely Al-Attiyah (Skoda), Lappi (Skoda), Protasov (Ford), Al-Kuwari (Ford), Ketomaa (Ford), Tidemand (Skoda) and Camilli (Ford).

Similarly, the Ford Fiesta Trophy’s five remaining challengers (Aasen, Vatanen, Cave, De Mevius and Van den Brant) will be in action for their last clash which will earn double points.

The Junior championship has already been wrapped up by Quentin Gilbert/Renaud Jamoul but they can still claim this year’s WRC3 crown. With50 points still up for grabs, they enjoy leads of 25, 38 and 40 points over Veiby, Tempestini and Crugnola respectively.

The WRC3 Teams’ title chase still opposes Printsport and Renault Sport Technologies, while the Junior Nations championship will be a shootout between France and Norway.

                

THIS IS WHAT IT’S LIKE TO DRIVE A PORSCHE 356 RACE CAR

        by Petrolicious Productions 

Photography by Nathan Leland When Nathan Leland was out at Rennsport, he captured a few shots of Gregor Magnusson’s beautiful Porsche 356. The car was found in Connecticut nearly a decade ago, after a life spent on-track (including an appearance at the first Rennsport Reunion in 2001). Ever since, Magnusson has worked to maintain it, working with the 356 community to “bring it back to as period correct as possible,” as he says. Note that its modern safety equipment has been “visually suppressed,” he says, no doubt to enjoy the full effect of screaming down the front straight at Laguna Seca, hitting almost 90 mph. The patina of a race car is still here, thanks to years of being driven at—or near—the limit. As the hard-driving companion to a road-going 356 in near-concours condition, Magnusson definitely has the right idea with these two early Porsches split between road and track. “I now feel that the 356 is just waiting for me to become a better driver,” he says. For more on Leland, you can visit his website, nathanleland.com and follow him onInstagram.

YAMAHA X EL SOLITARIO: BIG BAD WOLF

Last Summer Yamaha teamed up with El Solitario to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the XJR1300, an iconic street machine. The result is an awe-awekening creation, a race inspired track monster that more than lives up to its name, ‘Big Bad Wolf’. 

The bike broke cover for the first time at the Glemseck 101 show in Germany in September, taking to the 1/8 mile race track to bring an end to the reign of the defending champions The Lucky Cat Garage. For something we chose to go to the moon, not because it is easy, but because we can, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win!

YAMAHA X EL SOLITARIO: BIG BAD WOLF (REBEL VERSION) from El Solitario on Vimeo.

LIMITED EDITION: THE DUCATI PAUL SMART SCRAMBLER

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Remember the irresistible Ducati SportClassic PaulSmart 1000 LE? Sporting the same silver livery as the Imola-winning racer, it was a classy addition to t SportClassic line.

The 1972 Imola 200 race was a defining moment for Ducati. The 750cc Desmodromic engine had yet to prove itself, so Ducati needed a talented rider to take it forward. EnterPaul Smart, who signed on after being convinced by his wife, Maggie—sister of the late Barry Sheene.

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Paul would go on to win the race (on his birthday no less), beating the likes of Phil Read and Giacomo Agostini. Ducati’s successful SuperSport era kicked off, and the iconic Smart-Ducati legacy was born.

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But when the SportClassic was dropped from Ducati’s range, the Paul Smart theme went with it. So Ducati Thailand’s Managing Director, Apichat Leenutaphong, decided to revive it. Apichat approached Paul last year, and urged him to redesign the Scrambler.

Once again it was Maggie that gave the necessary nudge, and a new partnership was born. The next 11 months would see the couple travel to Thailand extensively—to lead the design and oversee the production of the Scrambler Paul Smart.

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Being a ‘factory’ custom, the changes are mostly cosmetic—but they’ve ramped up the Scrambler’s vintage appeal tenfold. The requisite silver paint job is present, with a period-correct logo on the tank. And a gold stripe that mimics the translucent fuel level window on the original race bike.

The frame and swingarm have been redone in the distinctive Sea Green hue. And the Scrambler now wears gold anodised fork legs and an aluminum front fender.

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The real kicker—and the bit that required the most effort—is the racy tail section. The Ducati Thailand team modelled it out of clay, and then 3D scanned it. The seat’s been upholstered in brown Alcantara, and the removable cowl proudly wears Paul’s famous 16 race number.

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Another notable change is the Scrambler’s right side cover. It’s a huge improvement over the stock plastic part, so it’s marked with Paul’s signature.

Only twenty-four units of the Scrambler Paul Smart have been produced. And if you want one, you’re out of luck—they sold out shortly after the official unveiling.

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Still, it’s fantastic to see the Paul Smart theme return to the Ducati fold, and the Scrambler certainly wears it well. And with a few more tweaks, this would make a strong case for a Scrambler-based factory cafe racer.

We’re looking at you, Bologna…

Ducati Thailand | Facebook

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Ferrari’s new hardcore F12tdf is an automotive tour de force

Designed in homage to the original Tour de France race in which Ferrari competed so successfully, the new F12tdf is a sharper, faster, more hardcore version of the company’s flagship V12 GT…

Delivering a scarcely believable 780HP (80% of which will be available from 2,500rpm), the newFerrari F12tdf will accelerate from 0-62mph in 2.9sec and continue on to a top speed of 211mph. It features an innovative new rear-wheel steering system, similar to that found on the Porsche 991 GT3, which is said to virtually ‘shorten the car’s wheelbase’ and increase both stability and cornering speeds. The dual-clutch gearbox is even quicker, and apparently the car’s ‘tendency to oversteer’ has been reduced somewhat, with the electronic aids switched on, at least.

A radical redesign

The radical new aero design is almost twice as efficient as the regular F12b, and boasts almost 40% more downforce. Weight has also been slashed by 110kg, thanks to the extensive use of carbonfibre both inside and out. The car might not be to everyone’s tastes, but the figures are mightily impressive – definitely a case of function over form. It’s certainly relit the debate in the Classic Driver office as to whether Ferrari still builds elegant cars. Just 799 will be made and, though prices have not been revealed, expect it to be considerably more expensive than the standard F12b. We’d take ours in Tour de France Blue, naturally.

Photos: Ferrari

You can find several regular Ferrari F12bs listed for sale in the Classic Driver Market. 

Africa Twin - An Interactive Adventure Made By Honda

What better way to demonstrate the true Adventure capabilities of the new CRF1000L Africa Twin than to put its destiny in your hands? Surf in the dunes, explore the mountains, hit the open road - you decide which path you take.

These 20 masterpieces of design form the perfect collection

Following on from the 2015 FIAC art fair in Paris, Artcurial will hold a remarkable auction on 27 October, offering 20 masterpieces of design that would form ‘the perfect collection’, according to auctioneer Emmanuel Berard…

The 20 objects were consigned by Berard, the head of the design department at Artcurial, and Fabien Naudan, the auction house’s vice president. Included in the collection are important works from French, Italian and Scandinavian design history, comprising both early formative works and contemporary classics. 

Take, for example, the ultra-rare ‘Bone Chair’ by Finn Juhl, or the late 1950s hanging lamp by Ettore Sottsass, which has never before been sold at auction. French design legends Charlotte Perriand and Jean Prouvé are well represented, as are the old masters Robert Mallet-Stevens, Gerrit Thomas Rietveld and Jean Royère. “This perfect collection brings our masterpieces together,” said Berard. “Of course, the selection is subjective, but each piece holds a place in the history of design. It wasn’t easy to bring them all together, and we’re very proud of the result. Each object is unique, and we hope that collectors will share our enthusiasm for them.”

Among the objects is the bookshelf of Charlotte Perriand, created in the studio of Jean Prouvé for the ‘Maison du Mexique’, which can be seen for the first time in its original form. It’s estimated at 80,000-120,000 euros. From Prouvé, there's also the table ‘Trapèze’, which once served as a dinner table for teachers at a university. It’s estimated at a staggering 500,000-700,000 euros.

Photos: Artcurial

You can find all 20 masterpieces of design from Artcurial’s sale here.

Regard....

DISTINGUISHED GENTS RIDE 2015 – VIDEOS

I say, what a spiffing ensemble of videography depicting the gallant spectacle that was the 2015 Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride. 37,157 smartly-dressed riders in 410 cities from 79 countries took part and so far have raised over $2,300,000 and counting.

To find out more about the DGR and to donate funds towards prostate cancer research and treatment contact the upstanding gentlefolk via   Facebook  |  Web

This page may take some time to load, so why not open the main library in a new window.

To return to the Bike Shed Video Library click here  |  To have your city’s ride video feature email us the video LINK here.

via The Bike Shed