After an exciting weekend in Malaysia, the stars of MotoGP head “Down Under” for this weekend’s GMC Australian Grand Prix. The teams have already arrived at the Phillip Island Circuit for the second of three consecutive races, and today enjoyed a variety of pre-Grand Prix activities. First up on the schedule was a visit to the Twelve Apostles, one of the most famous local tourist attractions. A collection of natural limestone stacks standing just off shore in the Port Campbell National Park, on the Great Ocean Road in Victoria, the site is one of the most breathtaking examples of Australian landscapes. Loris Capirossi and Kenny Roberts Jr were the two MotoGP riders taking in the awe-inspiring views. Experiencing aboriginal culture proved an interesting experience for a selection of riders, as they were given a demonstration of didgeridoo playing, boomerang throwing and traditional dances. MotoGP rider Toni Elias was joined by Hiroshi Aoyama, Gabor Talmacsi and Bradley Smith as they put their circular breathing to the test. Koalas, kangaroos and dingoes were paid a visit by Randy de Puniet, Alex de Angelis, Yuki Takahashi and Alvaro Bautista at the Maru Wildlife Park, as they experienced some of Australia’s most well-known animals ahead of tomorrow’s practice. There were three local riders present at the customary pre-event press conference, as Chris Vermeulen, Casey Stoner and Anthony West spoke about the track and their respective seasons so far. Championship leader Nicky Hayden and reigning World Champion Valentino Rossi, winner of the last five races at Phillip Island, also gave their thoughts on the head to head title battle in which they are involved. Practices begin tomorrow for the GMC Australian Grand Prix, which could be one of the most vital races of the 2006 season. MotoGP Nicky Hayden – Honda “Malaysia wasn’t so good for me, but looking back I was 23 seconds faster than last year so at least I can say I’ve improved at the track. I’m hoping to “stop the bleeding” here, as I love the track and the atmosphere. I’ve always had good races and results in Australia, it’s just a question of remembering where Valentino was faster than me last year at the track. He certainly rode smarter than me in 2005.” Valentino Rossi – Yamaha “I love the track and the place in general. The last five years I have been fortunate enough to win the MotoGP race here. I know that Nicky goes quick here, I believe he took his first podium at the track. However, the M1 always goes fast in Phillip Island and we just need to focus on that. Qualifying and practice will be the key to this weekend’s race.” Casey Stoner – Honda “It’s my favourite track, I’ve seen all my heroes race here and now I get the chance to do the same on a MotoGP bike. The track is a little too open for the 125cc bikes, where you get too much corner speed and it’s a little scary, but for the 990cc it is perfect.” Chris Vermeulen – Suzuki “Last year was my MotoGP debut here, and it was a great weekend. Watching Doohan and Gardner here back in the 80s and 90s and now getting to hopefully have a race like that this weekend is a dream come true. MotoGP is so different to any other class I’ve raced in here, and as it is earlier on in the year than usual I’m hoping that it will be a dry one.” Anthony West – Honda 250cc “I’m just waiting for the chance that these other Aussie riders have had to ride in the premier class. The team I’m with now have been under a bit of stress when the bike hasn’t been going well, although when it’s on form I’m a regular top ten rider when I shouldn’t be anywhere near that on the bike. I never give up and I never will, so I just work as hard as I can. I’m sure my opportunity will arrive, I thought I’d get a Honda ride this year but I’m beating the guy that they gave the bike too so I’m happy with that.” More, from a press release issued by Kawasaki Racing: CONFIDENCE HIGH AS KAWASAKI HEAD DOWN UNDER From the sweltering heat and the torrential rain of Malaysia, the Kawasaki Racing Team have moved on to the cooler climes of Phillip Island, the location for this weekend’s Australian Grand Prix. The Phillip Island circuit hosted it’s first Motorcycle Grand Prix meeting in 1989, and the 4.445 km track still ranks as one of the most spectacular on the MotoGP calendar. Scary fast corners, together with slow technical turns, have been combined with frequent elevation changes to produce a circuit that guarantees close and exciting racing, all played out against the picturesque backdrop of the Bass Strait. Many of the MotoGP riders, including Kawasaki’s Shinya Nakano and Randy de Puniet, rate this circuit as one of their favourites, and the warm welcome extended by Phillip Island residents to the MotoGP paddock each year guarantees that the Australian Grand Prix also remains a popular event for all the participating teams. Shinya Nakano arrives in Phillip Island determined to make amends for his disappointing showing in last weekend’s Malaysian Grand Prix at Sepang. The 28-year-old Japanese rider crashed out of the race on the opening lap, after colliding with his Kawasaki teammate, de Puniet, at turn nine. Seventh in last year’s Australian Grand Prix, Nakano is confident that, if he can find a working set-up this weekend, then the combination of the 2006 Ninja ZX-RR and the engine upgrade he received in Malaysia, will allow him to aim for a higher finishing position this time around, with top five a realistic possibility. After a confidence-inspiring ride in Malaysia, where he missed out on a top ten finish only because of his off-track excursion on the opening lap, Randy de Puniet arrives in Phillip Island determined to record his best result so far in this, his rookie MotoGP season. The 25-year-old Frenchman enjoys racing at Phillip Island, and cites turn one – with it’s 320 km/h entry off the front straight – as one of the most exciting corners on any MotoGP circuit. While the first corner obviously holds no fears for de Puniet, the Kawasaki pilot has identified the back part of the circuit as the place where he needs to find some time this weekend, and it is on this section of the track that he will concentrate during practice and qualifying. Shinya Nakano: #56 “Malaysia didn’t quite go according to plan, with me crashing out of the race on the first lap, but I’ve now put that behind me and I’m completely focussed on making amends this weekend in Australia. At Phillip Island it’s critical that you find a set-up that gives good feedback from the front tyre. If you manage this during practice and qualifying, then racing at Phillip Island is really enjoyable. If you don’t find the right set-up then this track can be a little bit scary, especially the ultra-fast turn one! We had a good winter test here, so we will start this weekend with a good base setting on the bike, and this should make finding a good race set-up a little easier. If this proves to be the case, then I’d hope to finish top five in Sunday’s race.” Randy de Puniet: #17 “While it was disappointing to finish only 13th in Malaysia, I think I rode a good race, and my confidence on the bike has increased considerably. I like the Phillip Island track, especially turn one, but always I had some problems around the back part of the track on the 250cc machine, and I hope that I can improve in this area on the MotoGP bike. I had a good winter test here, but this is a difficult track to master, and I need to spend some time this weekend working on my lines through some of the more difficult corners during practice and qualifying. I’m looking forward to Sunday’s race, and I think it’s possible for us to come away from here with a good result this weekend.” More, from a press release issued by Pramac D’Antin: ALEX HOFMANN AND JOSE LUIS CARDOSO MEET THE MELBOURNE STORM TEAM ALEX HOFMANN and JOSE LUIS CARDOSO (PRAMAC D’ANTIN MOTOGP) got a feel for Melbourne before the weekend’s GP races at Phillip Island. They also didn’t miss the opportunity to meet with MATT KING and MATT GEYER, two of the best players of the MELBOURNE STORM, the top Australian football team in the NLR (National Rugby League). In the impressive Olympic Park, home stadium of the Australian team, both PRAMAC D’ANTIN MOTOGP riders spent an unusual day meeting the players of the Australian Rugby League under ideal weather conditions. The players taught the riders the basic rules of this spectacular sport, which is different from European Rugby, and practiced a simulated attack while passing the ball. ALEX HOFMANN : “I love it here. It was an exciting day! I used to watch Australian Rugby on television, but I had never seen it live. It was fantastic meeting those players who taught us the basics. This sport is so spectacular and so different from rugby in Europe. I also threw the ball for goal! It wasn’t easy, and I have to say it was a new and good sensation. For me, Australia is right up there. I love the atmosphere at Phillip Island, the people, and the whole scenery”. JOSE LUIS CARDOSO : “I enjoyed a lot. KING and GEYER were very nice. I talked a lot with them. We simulated an attack in the middle of the stadium’s playing field, and I felt the special atmosphere of a championship level match”. More, from a press release issued by Rizla Suzuki: SEVENTY-ONE DEGREES SOUTH Riders work their way into MotoGP in various ways, but few of them have earned a route into a prime berth like the Rizla Suzuki factory squad by such a well-travelled route as that taken by Chris Vermeulen, Mr 71. Most people, except Australians, think that Australia is far away from most places. For generations of Australian riders the draw of competition beyond their shores has been a simple necessity in order to advance their careers, and thus it will be no surprise to hear that Vermeulen chose to pound the well-worn path from Australia to the UK to gain experience. It may be more of a surprise to learn that Vermeulen, after an Aussie career of dirt tracking, followed by streetbike and two-stroke 250 racebike experience, also spent some of his young racing life lapping a 250GP machine in the Asian championship, in such places as Malaysia, Thailand, China and Indonesia. And he finished second, at only 17-years-of age. Chris is first to say he has been helped on his way by not just the astonishing levels of support he has enjoyed from his family (parents Peter and Julie, sisters Sheree, Jessica and Renita) based in the Sunshine Coast of Queensland, but also none-other than a double 500cc GP champion, the late great Barry Sheene. Vermeulen made his move to the UK in 2000, running in the Supersport and Superstock classes on the recommendation of Suzuki-legend Sheene. Not bad for a 17-year-old kid. After three seasons in the tough elbowing academy of World Supersport, full of brash hopefuls and wily old foxes on evenly matched bikes, all-comers were crushed by Chris in 2003, as he took the championship with gas to spare. Two subsequent seasons in World Superbike polished many of the skills he would bring to MotoGP, and with ten race wins in two years, he had become royalty in that class, before entering the rarefied MotoGP Empire this season. His first season of MotoGP life is well documented by now, with two poles to his credit already, as he approaches his home round at Phillip Island. It’s a special place with special memories for Chris, especially his first GP there in 2005, when riding as a wild card. He hopes it also carries the twinkling of some even better memories, and sooner rather than later. “Although I had ridden a World Superbike at Phillip Island before, and won World Supersport races in the past, last year was the most appreciated I had ever felt in PI as an Australian rider,” said Chris, still grinning at the memory of it all. “The support I got when I did the parade laps in the cars pre-race was incredible – as much as Valentino Rossi had – because I was the only Australian rider in the race. I knew I wasn’t going to win and I’m sure many other people down there knew I didn’t have the chance of even a podium, but the support they gave me was fantastic. This year, now I’m going back as a full-time rider on the Rizla Suzuki, we have already shown that we can be strong. So the chance to step on the podium would be great.” The track in Phillip Island is an acknowledged modern masterpiece, and with real history to its name to boot. Vermeulen, for as much as any rider always loves their home track, has a bone deep, visceral passion for the place. “I guess it’s to do with the trackside scenery, like when you really get your head down and top 300kmph staring right down the main straight… and all you can see is the ocean opposite. The whole circuit is pretty exciting to ride around and Australia itself is just an exciting country.” To Europeans more used to considering Australia as one homogenous land, Phillip Island is about as local for Sunshine Coast resident Vermeulen (long-time European season address Andorra) as Mugello is for residents of Edinburgh. “I guess PI is also a different experience for me because it’s in Melbourne and not in Queensland – the difference between London to Rome – but it’s still my home GP. I don’t think it would matter if I spent 15 years in Europe, I would still think of Phillip Island as my home GP, first and foremost. I still rate the British GP as my second home race, given the amount of time I spent there, and how many friends I have there still. But Australia is definitely my home GP.” And another GP he hopes to show the number 71 strongly at, this well-travelled MotoGP rookie of 24-years-of age, with a passion for young men’s things – mountain biking, motocross, heavy metal music, and souped-up classic hot rod cars. His other listed hobbies of cattle farming and tractor driving? I guess you can take the Aussie boy out of the country, but not the country out of the Aussie boy.

Four-time AMA Champion Tom Kipp and wife Catherine had their first child, a daughter, Anna Kathryn Kipp, September 8 in Chardon, Ohio.

Mat Mladin Motorsports Racing Team to take a break in 2007 Mat Mladin Motorsports is sad to announce that they will not be competing in the 2007 AMA road racing season. After two successful years competing in Superbike and Superstock with Marty Craggill as the rider, lack of support for the 2007 season forces the team to take a hiatus. “We’ve had a good two years,” says team manager and crew chief Rodney Rayborne. “Marty is a pleasure to work with, and is one of the most consistent riders in the AMA series.” “Marty won Superbike Privateer in 2005 and is currenty placed 9th overall in Superstock, with only 9 points covering the next two places in the class, a good showing could move him up a place or two,” Rodney points out. “That would be a great way to end out the efforts of the team. It’s rumored the team might return in 2008. “Mat is a very professional businessman,” stated Rayborne. “I know he enjoyed having a team and when and if the time is right I could see him doing it again. I was looking forward to working with Mat and Marty for a few more years.”

GARRETTSVILLE, Oh. The WERA National Series has just two rounds to go before the end of the season after capping off round eight at Nelson Ledges Road Course during the weekend. Last Saturday’s WERA/Bridgestone National Endurance Series race featured eight non-stop hours of racing into darkness, thanks to a red-flag free event. The race began in the late afternoon, with the checkered flag waving shortly before midnight. At the finish, it was Vesrah Suzuki who was ahead by seven laps. Mark Junge, Lee Acree, Chris Ulrich and Tray Batey rode the Heavyweight Superbike Suzuki GSX-R1000. ARNCHU Racing’s Randy Sherman, Nathan Dressman, Rick Knuckles and Mark Crozier followed in second, taking the Heavyweight Superstock class win on a Suzuki GSX-R1000. 5150 Racing followed in the third podium spot on their Heavyweight Superstock-spec Suzuki GSX-R1000, which was piloted by Phil Caudill, Tony Palarie and Charlie Coleman. LOC Endurance put in their best performance of the season, taking the Mediumweight Superstock win with their finish of fifth overall. Joe Hayes, James Vanderhaar, Jeff Agnes and Bill Stranahan rode on the team’s Yamaha YZF-R6. Red Star’s William Lindsay, Joe Prussiano, Brian Gibbs and Brent Bennett followed on the same lap, winning the Mediumweight Superbike class on a Yamaha YZF-R6 and finishing sixth overall. Ghetto Customs broke into the top ten, crossing the finish line in ninth and taking home the Lightweight Superbike trophy, thanks to the riding talents of Russ Stoddard, Chris Parrish, Cale Swiger and Tim Brewer on a Suzuki SV650. During the WERA/Michelin National Challenge Series sprint races on Sunday, it was Taylor Knapp who added up the memorable wins on the Ohio circuit. Knapp rode to victory in Open Superstock, Formula 1 and 750 Superstock. ARNCHU teammates Randy Sherman and Nathan Dressman followed up their endurance class win with some sprint victories. Sherman was victorious in 600 Superbike, while Dressman led the field in 750 Superbike. In the twins classes, Vesrah’s Tray Batey beat Knapp to the line in Heavyweight Twins Superstock, while Jeff Walker took the Lightweight Twins Superstock win. Matt LaPham won Formula 2. In the novice division, Seth Starnes continued to dominate every race he entered. The young rider won Open, 600 and 750 Superstock, as well as 600 and 750 Superbike. Scott Rosey won both Formula 2 and Lightweight Twins. The WERA National Series heads to Barber Motorsports Park for the penultimate round of the season in two weeks, from September 22-24. More information about WERA can be found online at www.WERA.com.

TITLE CHASERS READY FOR PHILLIP ISLAND CHALLENGE With just four races to go in this enthralling MotoGP World Championship, the tussle at the top gets tighter and tighter with Nicky Hayden (Repsol Honda RC211V) hanging onto his lead by just 22 points from Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda RC211V) with 100 points from four rounds still left to fight for. And there lurks Valentino Rossi (Yamaha) just four points behind the predatory Pedrosa who has steadily eroded Nicky’s advantage in recent rounds finishing ahead of him in four of the last five rounds and then coming a second to him at the American’s home race at Laguna. This clash at Phillip Island will be key to both Honda men’s hopes. Nicky likes the place and his record here is respectable, but bears little comparison to Rossi’s. The Italian has won five from his last five outings here and he beat Nicky into second place here last year with a combination of racecraft guile and sheer speed in the closing laps. Nicky will be desperate to atone for that result. And this year he would seem to have the means to achieve that. But he will have to be on top of set-up from day one and use his new found raceday consistency to outpace his rivals. Although if it comes to a last lap showdown with either Rossi or Pedrosa he also has the fight in him to prevail. Pedrosa has crashed here (badly) on a 125, but he put any doubts about his pace here firmly to bed when he won here last year on a 250 to clinch the title. He will need all his strength and will to last 27 laps of this 4.448km track at racing intensity but he has proved he can go the distance when the conditions are tough Laguna being a prime example. This pivotal race will establish who has the guts to win out in this grinding test of nerve. No rider can afford a DNF and yet no rider can afford to lose the psychological fight here either. A win will require sheer speed and nerveless lap-by-lap attack and although another 75 points will be available to all three contenders after this round one feels this could be the determining race. It would be unwise to ignore the title aspirations of fourth and fifth-placed riders Loris Capirossi (Ducati) and Marco Melandri (Fortuna Honda RC211V), Capirossi is 17 points behind Rossi and 43 adrift of Hayden, while Marco is three behind Capirossi and 46 off Hayden. But both have the capacity to win and capitalise on any major errors their rivals might make. For Toni Elias (Fortuna Honda RC211V) this race is another chance to show he can finish a race as well as compete bravely and the young Spanish rider knows he needs a good finish after a season where he started strongly and fell away slightly before injuring himself in Holland. Casey Stoner (LCR Honda RC211V) is eager to get more than just a pole and a podium (so far) from a remarkable rookie season, a season that would look even more remarkable were it not for fellow 250 graduate Pedrosa’s exploits. Kenny Roberts (Roberts KR211V) has shown what the Honda-powered Roberts machine is capable of, but the American wants another chance to remind the world that he is capable of more than just one podium finish and several near rostrum misses. Makoto Tamada (Konica Minolta Honda RC211V) is desperate for the sort of results that marked him out as a possible title contender at the end of 2004. He has had little to celebrate since that season and try as he might, the results refuse to come his way. This rollercoaster of a circuit is situated 130km south-east of Melbourne and is home to one of the climaxes of a 17-race season. Real talent is needed here, perhaps more than at any other circuit. Australia hosted its first Grand Prix race here in 1989 and the racing is almost always spectacular, the crowd vocal and the atmosphere spine tingling. Tyres will be an issue here. The two long left-hand turns onto the main straight are particularly hard on rubber, so machine set-up will be partly aimed at conserving rubber on this 4.448km long circuit. It has just one short 900m straight, but five right-hand turns and seven lefts including the high-speed series onto the start/finish straight. Much of the track requires rapid changes of direction at high speed, and sustained periods of high lean-angle test riders to the maximum. Competitors need to be comfortable on worn tyres towards the end of the race, while wind and trouble with wandering wildlife can also be determining factors. Nicky said, “Phillip Island is one of my favourite tracks for sure. I love the layout, the atmosphere and the racing there, so I’m looking forward to having a strong weekend. Every day and every session needs to be fast and consistent so we’ll be looking to come out strong on Friday morning and have some fun here. My boys are working really hard and I’ve got a strong team behind me so we’ll give it all we’ve got for these final four races. Last year I was on pole position and I was second in the race so I’ve had some good results at this track and I definitely need one this weekend.” Dani, still recovering from his Malaysian qualifying crash, said, “It would be nice if I can improve my physical condition before Phillip Island because the race in Malaysia was quite difficult and I was very tired at the end. We only have four days off which is not a lot for the body to recover, nevertheless I will be working to keep the flexibility in both legs and resting as much as possible. I tested at Phillip Island during the winter so I have some experience of a MotoGP bike on the track, though it’s not one of my favourite circuits.” “I can’t wait to race at Phillip Island, said Melandri. “A track I really love. I’m glad to be getting straight back on my Honda after a disappointing race at Sepang. I’m motivated to have a good race and get back to the competitive level I know I should be at. The Championship is really difficult for me now but I will still be going out to give it my best shot every Sunday. Hopefully we can start off on the right foot at Phillip Island, a track which requires a perfect set-up.” Elias said, “The team are doing a great job at the moment and we’re taking steps forward every time. That’s why I’m really looking forward to the next round at Phillip Island, a circuit I really like a lot. The design is beautiful and the track is one of the fastest and most spectacular in the world. Just the speed makes it very technical and difficult to understand. It’s very demanding but I’ve always had good results here in the 250s and then last year in MotoGP when I qualified seventh. Hopefully I can do that again this year but with a better end result.” Local hopeful Stoner said, “It’s good to be racing at one of the great tracks that’s also a place where I go well. Now that we’re making some progress with the front-end changes we should be able to have a good run here, but I’ll have to make sure I get away with the front runners and that means qualifying well let’s hope qualifying goes smoother than it did in Malaysia.” For Roberts this is another opportunity to put the Honda-powered family machine on the front row again. “Qualifying will be really important here,” said Kenny. “And if I get away well I feel we have the equipment to finish high up the order here. But we’ll know more after Friday.” Tamada said, “I’m trying to make the best use of the few free days I have before the Australian race. I need to quickly recover energy and on the fantastic isle it will not be too difficult. The Phillip Island race will be hard especially for the temperature that will remain very low completely different conditions from Sepang. I hope to be able to find a good feeling immediately because here it will be more important than usual.” In the 250cc class Andrea Dovizioso (Humangest Racing Honda RS250RW) knows he needs a win to not only steal points from series leader Jorge Lorenzo (Aprilia) but to unsettle the Spaniard who has now won four from the last five races and seven from 12 this season. Dovi trails Lorenzo by 12 points. Dovi said, “Well the next Grand Prix is at Phillip Island, which is a circuit I like. It’s fast with some big turns but, after the race in Malaysia, I feel motivated and confident we can do even better next Sunday. Here there are different weather conditions with lower temperatures and so we shouldn’t have any problems with heat with the bike.” His team-mate Yuki Takahashi, currently fourth overall, said, “Phillip Island is not one of my favourite circuits, but this year I have changed my riding style and so I’m doing well on tracks that I don’t like particularly. The Malaysian race was hard for me, the high temperatures and my physical condition made things tough. So now I’m trying to relax as much as I can in order to get ready for Phillip Island. For sure here lower temperatures will be better for me than at Sepang.” Shuhei Aoyama (Repsol Honda RS250RW), currently sixth in the World standings, said, “I’ve never been to Australia before so I don’t know the racetrack. This time I haven’t even been able to make some laps with the Playstation; I’ve only watched the videos of the races from previous years, so that’s all I know. But I’ll try to do my best as always and learn the track quickly to get ready for the race.” The 125cc title is almost in the hands of Alvaro Bautista, who has won six races and only missed a podium finish in one race from 12 so far. He is 74 points ahead of his nearest challenger Mika Kallio (KTM). Reigning Champion Thomas Luthi (Elit Grand Prix Honda RS125R) currently lies seventh in the standings. He said, “I really like Australia and the track at Phillip Island is a great circuit for me. I’ll be very positive about the race there and I’m already thinking of the great corners to ride at that track, not about the long straight.” More, from a press release issued by Michelin: MICHELIN RELISHES BIGGEST CHALLENGE OF THE YEAR 2006 MotoGP World Championship, Round 14 Australian Grand Prix, Phillip Island September 15/16/17 Michelin men Nicky Hayden (Repsol Honda Team RC211V-Michelin), Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team RC211V-Michelin) and Valentino Rossi (Camel Yamaha Team YZR-M1-Michelin) swap the sweltering heat of Sepang for the chill winds of Phillip Island this weekend as their three-way contest for the 2006 MotoGP World Championship approaches boiling point. The three riders are separated by just 26 points at the top of the championship chart with just four races to go. Phillip Island – the fastest MotoGP track of all and a real riders’ circuit – will thus be a vital event for all three men as they work closely with their respective Michelin engineers to choose a race-winning tire combination. And Phillip Island isn’t just the fastest MotoGP circuit of all, it is also the most challenging for tire makers, with high running temperatures and an extremely asymmetric layout, which greatly complicates tire design. Perhaps that is why Michelin has enjoyed great success at the ultra-demanding seaside venue, winning all 11 premier-class GPs staged at the track since 1989. Rossi, whose remarkable last-lap victory in Malaysia last weekend was his 58th with Michelin, goes for his sixth consecutive Phillip Island success this Sunday. The Italian’s Sepang triumph was also Michelin’s 349th premier-class victory. MICHELIN’S RESPONSE TO THE CHALLENGE OF PHILLIP ISLAND “From a sporting point of view, Phillip Island is one of my favorites,” says Nicolas Goubert, Michelin’s motorcycle racing director. “It’s a real rider’s track with flowing corners where maintaining momentum is important. And the layout allows riders to overtake in many different places, not just during braking, so the races are usually very entertaining to watch. Also, the flowing layout makes it difficult for riders to break away from the pack, so it’s well known for close racing. “So we always look forward to going there, though it is a huge challenge for tires, in fact it’s the biggest challenge of the year for tire makers. The track is so asymmetric that you need rear tires with very different rubber on the right and the left sides. “High tire temperatures aren’t the only issue at Phillip Island, tire warm-up is also a major consideration and will be more so this year because we are expecting colder conditions since the race is a few weeks earlier than usual. Tire warm-up isn’t a worry on the left of the tires because the layout is so demanding on that side that it quickly gets hot, whether you’ve got a track temperature of 20 degrees or 30 degrees. But that’s not at all the case with the right side of the tire which is the big challenge.” “The corners that put the most heat into the tires are the very fast final left-hander and the exit of Southern Loop. On the other hand, the first corner is also very tricky; it’s a fast downhill right-hander, with negative camber, which demands a lot from the rear tire, even though that side of the tire hasn’t really been used for a long time. “The front tire isn’t a major concern at Phillip Island. You need confidence in the front to attack the fast corners but there aren’t any areas of sustained heavy braking, so you can use a medium-soft front.” MICHELIN IN AUSTRALIA Australia is a keen motorcycling nation, with bike sales showing impressive growth in recent years. Last year the annual sales figures exceeded 100,000 for the first time. With so much open space, dirt bikes account for almost 45 percent of the market. Michelin features strongly in all areas of the market, on target to sell around 90,000 bike tires this year. Michelin enjoys great success in Australian road racing, having won the 2004 and 2005 Superbike and Supersport crowns. The company employs 120 people in the country. PHILLIP ISLAND DATA Lap record: Marco Melandri (Telefonica Movistar Honda RC211V-Michelin), 1:30.332s, 177.266km/h, 110.148mph (2005) Pole position 2005: Nicky Hayden (Repsol Honda RC211V-Michelin), 1:29.337km/h Recent winners of the Australian GP 2005 Valentino Rossi (Gauloises Yamaha Team YZR-M1-Michelin), 41:08.542 2004 Valentino Rossi (Gauloises Yamaha Team YZR-M1-Michelin), 41:25.819 2003 Valentino Rossi (Repsol Honda RC211V-Michelin), 41:53.543 2002 Valentino Rossi (Repsol Honda RC211V-Michelin), 42:02.041 2001 Valentino Rossi (Nastro Azzurro Honda NSR500-Michelin), 42:22.383 2000 Max Biaggi (Marlboro Yamaha Team YZR500-Michelin), 42:28.792 1999 Tadayuki Okada (Repsol Honda NSR500-Michelin), 42:09.271 1998 Mick Doohan (Repsol Honda NSR500-Michelin), 42:42.511 1997 Alex Crivillé (Repsol Honda NSR500-Michelin), 42:53.362 1996 Loris Capirossi (Marlboro Yamaha Team Rainey YZR500-Michelin) race held at Eastern Creek MICHELIN MOTOGP TIRE LOGISTICS The secret behind the success of Michelin’s MotoGP tires is their all-round performance potential. Logistics, however, are just as crucial in the quest for victory, particularly when races follow on from each other in quick succession. This year’s calendar takes teams from Malaysia to Australia and finally on to Japan in the space of just three weeks! Michelin provides tires for a total of 18 MotoGP machines for 9 riders at each race of the 17-round World Championship. Since the beginning of the 2006 season, Michelin runners have claimed 7 pole positions and 10 wins from 12 races. They have also secured 30 podium places from a possible 36. For the forthcoming visit to Asia and the Pacific Rim, Michelin’s tires were trucked to the airport in high security convoys. They were then loaded onto secure airfreight containers which left France on the Monday of the week preceding the Malaysian Grand Prix race week. Additional tires will be flown directly to Australia and Japan. To facilitate stock management and movements, all tires are identified by bar codes. The freight containing the tires and equipment needed for the paddock amounts to between 7 and 8 tons. Used tires are returned to Clermont-Ferrand after each race. Michelin’s MotoGP crew totals 16 staff: the program manager, five engineers, eight fitters, one press officer and one security guard to watch over the tires at night. Michelin takes around 1,000 tires to each GP. – Rear tires (60 percent). – Front tires (40 percent). Front tires are available in two profiles: 55 percent are ‘wide’ profiles and 45 percent are ‘narrow’ profiles. – 30 qualifying tires per race for all of Michelin riders. – The number of rain tires taken to each race fluctuates slightly as a function of the anticipated climate (slightly more are taken to Phillip Island where the chances of rain are higher). Rain tires account for around 10 percent of the total package. Michelin’s nine riders generally use between 200 and 300 tires in the course of a GP weekend. The other 700 tires allow Michelin to respond to all track and weather conditions. MICHELIN MotoGP RIDERS 2006 Colin Edwards, Valentino Rossi (Camel Yamaha Team YZR-M1-Michelin) Nicky Hayden, Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team RC211V-Michelin) Toni Elias, Marco Melandri (Fortuna Honda RC211V-Michelin) Casey Stoner (Honda LCR RC211V-Michelin) Makoto Tamada (Konica Minolta Honda RC211V-Michelin) Kenny Roberts Jr (Team Roberts KR211V-Michelin) More, from a press release issued by Rizla Suzuki: VERMEULEN HEADS HOME FOR AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX Rizla Suzuki MotoGP Racer Chris Vermeulen will be racing in his first ‘home’ Grand Prix as a full factory rider during this weekend’s Australian Grand Prix at Phillip Island. Vermeulen has impressed during his rookie season including taking two pole positions and will be looking to put a good display in front of his home crowd. It will be the second time he has raced at Phillip Island in a MotoGP after making his debut there last season as a replacement rider. Team-mate John Hopkins will be going to Australia on the back of a string of top 10 finishes and a great performance in Malaysia last time out. Hopkins finished sixth in Sepang after fighting back from 14th place. He will be looking to extend his run of eight consecutive top 10 places and challenge for that as yet elusive podium. The 4,445m long Phillip Island circuit is the only track to stage a GP in the southern hemisphere and this year is the second leg in the three week flyaway tour. The Australian circuit is one of the most picturesque on the calendar, as the track looks out over the Pacific Ocean. This doesn’t take anything away from the racing though because the layout of the circuit with its flowing curves and long hairpins make this a riders favourite and a track that has produced some memorable racing. Rizla Suzuki MotoGP will be in action on Friday for two free practice sessions. This will be followed on Saturday AM by the third and final practice session before Vermeulen and Hopkins go all out to secure the best grid positions possible during the hour long qualifying session. Sunday’s race is round 14 on the MotoGP Calendar and will get underway at 15.00hrs local time (05.00hrs GMT). Paul Denning Team Manager: “We are going to Australia in a very positive frame of mind after the Sepang race. It was a very tough weekend for us in Malaysia with the cancellation of qualifying – leaving both riders with poor starting positions and uphill battles – and Chris’ illness. But the Team worked hard as a unit and the new spec engine that Suzuki delivered to us there certainly showed great potential over race distance. “We are under no illusions that it will be tough at Phillip Island and the possible cold conditions could play a huge part, but the riders and all the crew are up to the task and will be working as hard as possible for the best results. “It will be great for Chris to ride at ‘home’ for the first time for Rizla Suzuki MotoGP and I’m sure he will have many friends, family and fans cheering him on!”