Gossip MOTOGP BSB Wsbk Etc

Gossip MOTOGP BSB Wsbk Etc



Hopper



Crescent Suzuki Confirms Talking to Hopper



Posted Friday, December 10th, 2010 @ 11:09 am, by Jensen Beeler



Being the fine British blokes that they are, MCN was able to get ahold of Crescent Suzuki Boss Jack Valentine, and ask him about the validity to the rumors suggesting that the British Superbike team is pursuing John Hopkins as a possible rider for the 2011 season. Confirming that the rumors were true, but that nothing has been agreed to yet, Valentine told MCN that “Crescent are in discussions with former MotoGP star John Hopkins, who is now fully fit again and finished on the podium in the last two rounds of the AMA series.”



Rumors of Hopper being linked to Crescent Suzuki started on Wednesday, and we amplified yesterday when Asphalt & Rubber broke the news that John Ulrich was no only letting go of John Hopkins as a rider, but also accused the Anglo-American of misleading Team Hammer on his physical condition, particularly with his supposedly healed right hand. While the fallout between Ulrich and Hopkins ends a nearly 20 year relationship between the two AMA personalities, the now recovering Hopkins is still without a ride for the 2011 season.



Crescent Suzuki is likely just one of a few teams that are capitalizing on the opportunity, and is exploring the possibility of adding Hopper to its ranks. Like all motorcycle racing teams though, budgets are tight and the opportunity to add another rider into the team means that additional funds and sponsorships go hand-in-hand with such a decision, which is easier said than done these past few seasons.



With everything that has happened between Ulrich, Hopkins, and Monster Energy Drink, we wouldn’t imagine that Hopper will bring with him the same level of personal sponsorship as he did before in the 2010 season. Time will tell of course.





Pies



Ben Spies to Appear in the Yamaha Display at Long Beach IMS Show



December 10, 2010 Cypress Ca.... MotoGP Rookie of the Year and Team Yamaha Factory MotoGP pilot Ben Spies is scheduled to make a special fan appearance at the Long Beach Progressive Insurance International Motorcycle Show next Friday, December 17th.









Max



Max Biaggi ‘was offered Sauber F1 drive’

Max Biaggi claims that, while still racing in 500cc (now called MotoGP), he was offered the chance to switch to four-wheels and drive for Sauber in the F1 World Championship.



Max Biaggi celebrates victory at Portimao

Credit: Infront Motor Sports

Biaggi said the offer was made by Ferrari team manager Jean Todt after a test for the famous Italian team in 1998. At the time Biaggi, like Ferrari, was sponsored by Marlboro.



According to GPone.com, Biaggi said at the recent Bologna Motor Show:



“(Ferrari President) Montezemolo called me in 1998, and he offered me a test in the Ferrari. My lap time at Maranello wasn't too bad, and so Jean Todt made a proposition to me: spend one year at Sauber, and if it goes well you can come to Ferrari. At that time (Jean) Alesi was racing for Sauber. I thought: if I have to compete against a strong driver like Alesi..."







Eugene laverty



I won the Enkalon Irish Motorcyclist of the Year Award tonight. Thanks to everybody who voted! How cool is this?

http://twitpic.com/3ert8j



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MotoGP: Paris Hilton sponsors its own team in 125!



December 11, 2010



It seemed a joke, "inocentada" (the "April Fools" in Spain which is celebrated every year on December 28) in advance. In reality it's all true, complete with a press release and the official presentation already scheduled for December 18 at the Hotel ME Madrid. Paris Hilton , heiress of the Hilton family, as well as model, singer and actress (performance Wikipedia ), will sponsor a team in the MotoGP 125cc class to take the name of his project, "SuperMartXé VIP by Paris Hilton." The team in question is the Team BQR , for years the way of the world's Moto2/250 and 125, who will be riding two Aprilia RSA entrusted to Sergio Gadea (back in the eighth of a liter after an unsuccessful spell in the Moto2 Pons KALEX ) and Maverick Vinales, believed (rightly) the new phenomenon of motorcycling Iberian, and sample 15 years after winning the 2010 all CEV promotional trophies in his career.



Paris Hilton will attend the launch of the "right" team members along with the Nano and Xavi Montero, Ricard Ricard Jove Garriga and as sports director of BQR. The statement is already talk of technical plan that will see the return of Rossano Brazzi in the wake of Gadea and Vinales.



Unveiling the team " by Paris Hilton SuperMartXé VIP "on the afternoon of Saturday, December 18 in Madrid, will follow in a night party in Paris to the disco style ...





In short, the World Championship for a leaky Antonio Banderas (Team Jack & Jones has withdrawn registration for Moto2 2011), Paris Hilton makes money, with the hope that the two bikes are not characterized as the Harley Davidson Chopper (worth 250 thousand dollars) made just for her in 2005 from "Beverly Hills Choppers ...





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Loris Baz



Baz bound for BSB in 2011





Loris Baz will be back in the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship in 2011 with Motorpoint Yamaha after making an impressive debut in the final three rounds of last season.



Baz made his debut with the team at Croft and over the final three rounds was consistently fast throughout practice and qualifying and secured top ten finishes with a best result of sixth place coming at the final race of the season at Oulton Park. Baz has now been confirmed to be joining the team for next season, with the French ace determined to prove that he can build on the foundations of last season.



Baz said: "I am excited about next season as I have ridden for Yamaha since the beginning of my career. I started in four stroke with Yamaha and then I had two years with them on the Superstock bike so I wanted to make the move to Superbike as I feel that I can be strong there and develop as a rider. I raced the Superbike for the first time at the end of last season and I think I showed that I can be strong in this championship, despite only having a few races and no real testing.