Federica Marichalar

Melandri: Maiden Pole at Aragon WSBK 2011

2011 World Superbike

Not only did Marco Melandri grab his first-ever pole in the World Superbike Championship Saturday, the Italian piloted his Yamaha YZF-R1 to a new track record at Motorland Aragon in Spain

Melandri's impressive lap was a 1:57.634, which he posted on his first lap of the third Superpole session en route to his maiden pole-position at Aragon. Joining the former MotoGP rider and WSBK rookie on the front row will be the Alitalia Aprilia duo of Max Biaggi and Leon Camier, with series' leader Carlos Checa taking the final spot aboard the Althea Ducati.

Marco Melandri (Yamaha World Superbikes YZF-R1 Superbike) says: "This is an amazing day. I really didn't think I'd be in pole position, especially after the first Superpole where I risked not qualifying. My team has been working harder than ever since Misano and we've really come a long way and the bike is working very well.

"I'm really happy with today and I want to say thanks to Yamaha and all my team. The race tomorrow will be very difficult and competitive. A lot will depend on the heat of the track and tire wear but hopefully it won't be as windy as today."

Melandri took his maiden World Superbike victory at Donington, and is currently third in the championship with 150 points.

Stay clicked to UltimateMotorCycling.com for Sunday's race results; also, join us on Facebook where we will reveal when the results are in, but will throw a spoiler alert up in case you don't want to know.

2011 Aragon World Superbike: Qualifying Results
1. M. Melandri / Yamaha YZF-R1 / 1'57.634
2. M. Biaggi / Aprilia RSV4 / 1'57.790
3. L. Camier / Aprilia RSV4 / 1'58.279
4. C. Checa / Ducati 1198R / 1'58.472
5. T. Sykes / Kawasaki ZX-10R / 1'58.641
6. E. Laverty / Yamaha YZF-R1 / 1'58.756
7. J. Lascorz / Kawasaki ZX-10R / 1'59.194
8. A. Badovini / BMW S1000RR / 1'59.591
9. N. Haga / Aprilia RSV4 / 1'58.566
10. S. Guintoli / Ducati 1198R / 1'58.640

Honda RC212V Wallpapers

Engine and transmission
Engine type: 4 cylinders, 4-stroke, Inline
Displacement: 800 cc (48.88 cubic inches)
Cooling system: Air cooled
Power: 230.05 HP (169.2 kW)
Throttle: Cable operated
Valves
Valve train: DOHC, non-variable
Valves per cylinder: 4
Fuel and ignition
Sparks per cylinder: 1
Fuel supply system: Fuel injection
Ignition type: Digital CDI
Engine mounting: Transverse
Lubrication system: Wet sump
Gear box: Manual 6-speed
Clutch: Wet, multiple discs, cable operated
Final drive: Chain
Starter: Electric
Dimensions
Physical measures
Length: 2050 mm
Width: 645 mm
Height: 1125 mm
Weight
Curb weight: 148 kg
Chassis and suspension
Frame type: aluminium, twin spar
Front
Suspension: Cartridge – upside-down
Brake: Twin Disk, Ø320 mm
Rear
Suspension: mono shock, Swingarm
Brake: Disk
Other
ABS available: No
Power-to-weight ratio: 1.14 HP/kg (0.87 kg/HP)
Top speed: 340 km/h
Fuel capacity: 21 l
Number of riders: 1 person

Yamaha's plan to keep the competition season in 2011

Yamaha YZR M1 Di MotoGP 2010

Auto-Modification-Fiat Yamaha team finally unveil the new bike YZR-M1 which will be used by Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo for MotoGP season in 2010. But is a unique livery for Yamaha Indonesia tagline is "The At Home" became one livery as well. Well pride is what he said would raise the name of Indonesia at the motor racing world.

True or not will bring up the name of Indonesia in the eyes of the world of motor racing, the definitive livery has been launched and will be there for one season ahead. Placement of writing itself was in the stern of the motor and arm wearpack both drivers. This is natural, considering that Yamaha could become the biggest contributor to sales of Yamaha from around the world.

The opening ceremony of the veil that made the Sepang circuit in Malaysia this morning, Thursday (04/02), did not show a drastic change in the basic colors The Fiat Yamaha team bike. Because their primary sponsor of Fiat, is still the biggest part is determining what colors they would like.

"We can not deny that global economic conditions makes the conditions we had decreased, but concentrations in MotoGP will assist us in this recovery. Especially last year Rossi and Lorenzo could be the best in the arena of MotoGP. By joining Yamaha Indonesia as a promotion, we expect the recovery process in the camps we run fast, "said Lin Jarvis as managing director of Yamaha Motor Racing.

In addition they launched a new motor for the 2010 season, Yamaha also introduced two new people in the camps Lorenzo, namely Wilco Zeelenberg as team manager Davide Marelli and as a data technician. And this will become an important part of Yamaha's plan to keep the competition season in 2010 under the control of the duo's great racer.

Valentino Rossi for Fiat Yamaha Team

Valentino Rossi (born February 16, 1979 in Urbino)

Valentino Rossi Top MotoGP World Champions

Valentino Rossi Best Riders

Valentino Rossi in Action

Michael Doohan Legend in MotoGP

Michael "Mick" Sydney Doohan AM born 4 June 1965 (age 43) in Brisbane, Australia,

Michael Doohan Legend in MotoGP

Michael Doohan Top Five World Champion

Michael Doohan in Honda NSR500

Valentino Rossi Moto GP Racer

Valentino Rossi, (born February 16, 1979 in Urbino), is an Italian professional motorcycle racer and multiple MotoGP World Champion. He is one of the most successful motorcycle racers of all time, with nine Grand Prix World Championships to his name – a record seven of which are in the premier class.

Following his father, Graziano Rossi, Rossi started racing in Grand Prix in 1996 for Aprilia in the 125cc category and won his first World Championship the following year. From there, he moved up to the 250cc category with Aprilia and won the 250cc World Championship in 1999. He won the 500cc World Championship with Honda in 2001, the MotoGP World Championships (also with Honda) in 2002 and 2003, and continued his streak of back-to-back championships by winning the 2004 and 2005 titles after leaving Honda to join Yamaha, before regaining the title in 2008 and retaining it in 2009. He left Yamaha to join Ducati for the 2011 season.Rossi is first in all time 500 cc/MotoGP race wins standings, with 79 victories, and second in all time overall wins standings with 105 race wins (behind Giacomo Agostini with 122).

Valentino Rossi was born in Urbino, and he was still a child when the family moved to Tavullia. Son of Graziano Rossi, a former motorcycle racer, he first began riding at a very young age. Rossi's first racing love was karting. Fuelled by his mother, Stefania's, concern for her son's safety, Graziano purchased a kart as substitute for the bike. However, the Rossi family trait of perpetually wanting to go faster prompted a redesign; Graziano replaced the 60cc motor with a 100cc national kart motor for his then 5-year-old son.

Rossi won the regional kart championship in 1990. After this he took up minimoto and before the end of 1991 had won numerous regional races.

Valentino Rossi has had numerous nicknames during his racing career. His first prominent nickname was "Rossifumi." Rossi explained the etymology of this nickname as a reference and tribute to fellow rider Norifumi Abe.His next nickname appeared some time around his days racing in the 250 cc World Championship. The nickname "Valentinik" was a reference to the Italian Donald Duck superhero, "Paperinik"^.

After leaving the family home in Tavullia, he moved to Milan, before taking up residency in London, England during his period with Honda. During this time he acquired a villa in Ibiza which he still owns, and following the tax case has now returned to his main residence to live close to his family in Italy.

Rossi continued to race karts and finished fifth at the national kart championships in Parma. Both Valentino and Graziano had started looking at moving into the Italian 100cc series, as well as the corresponding European series, which most likely would have pushed him into the direction of Formula One. However, the high cost of racing karts led to the decision to race minimoto exclusively. Through 1992 and 1993, Valentino continued to learn the ins and outs of minimoto racing.

In 1993, with help from his father, Virginio Ferrari, Claudio Castiglioni and Claudio Lusuardi (who ran the official Cagiva Sport Production team), he rode a Cagiva Mito 125cc motorcycle, which he damaged in a first-corner crash no more than a hundred metres from the pit lane. He finished ninth that race weekend.

Although his first season in the Italian Sport Production Championship was varied, he achieved a pole position in the season's final race at Misano, where he would ultimately finish on the podium. By the second year, Rossi had been provided with a factory Mito by Lusuardi and won the Italian title.

The inaugural year for the MotoGP bikes was 2002, when riders experienced teething problems getting used to the new bikes. Rossi won the first race and went on to win eight of the first nine races of the season, eventually claiming 11 victories in total.

It was more of the same in 2003 for Rossi's rivals when he claimed nine pole positions as well as nine GP wins to claim his third consecutive World Championship. The Australian GP at Phillip Island in 2003 is considered by many observers to be one of Rossi's greatest career moments due to unique circumstances. After being given a 10-second penalty for overtaking during a yellow flag due to a crash by Ducati rider Troy Bayliss, front runner Rossi proceeded to pull away from the rest of the field, eventually finishing more than 15 seconds ahead, more than enough to cancel out the penalty and win the race.

The 2010 season began with Rossi topping most of all pre-season testing sessions and took victory in the first race of the season in Qatar, after early leader Casey Stoner crashed out. Rossi injured his shoulder and back while training on a motocross bike after the Japanese Grand Prix was postponed to October due to the disruption to air travel after the second eruption of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano in Iceland. The following two rounds Rossi was beaten by team-mate Lorenzo with Rossi complaining about shoulder pain. The injury was not taken seriously initially and was expected to cure in a few weeks, but did not turn out as expected and the ligament tear in the shoulder failed to sufficiently heal.

On 15 August 2010, after the Brno race, Rossi confirmed he would ride for Ducati Corse, signing a two year deal starting in 2011, joining former Honda team-mate Nicky Hayden in the team. He tested the Desmosedici for the first time in Valencia on 9 November 2010, making his first appearance since 1999, on an Italian motorcycle. Rossi underwent surgery on his shoulder which he injured during the 2010 season, in order to be ready for preseason testing in Malaysia. After original progress during the first test, the Ducati failed to meet the team's expectations at the second Malaysian test and left Rossi unsatisfied, having finished over 1.8 seconds behind Casey Stoner's pace-setting Honda.