Stoner to make 100th MotoGP start

Casey Stoner is intended to make his 100th MotoGP start in this Sunday's Malaysian Grand Prix at Sepang.

During his 99 grands prix to date, the recently crowned double world champion has won 32 races, ended on the podium 58 times, taken 33 poles and 27 fastest laps.

Here are some of the highlights and milestones of Stoner's profession in the Moto GP class:

Race 1 2006/Spain/Jerez - 6th place

Finishes 6th in his debut race on a MotoGP machine riding a Honda for the LCR team.

Race 2 2006/Qatar/Losail – 5th place

Qualifies on pole in just his second start in MotoGP to become the second youngest rider of all-time to start from pole in the premier-class; the only rider to start from pole at a younger age is Freddie Spencer.

Race 3 2006/Turkey/Istanbul – 2nd place

Finishes on the podium in his third MotoGP start to happen to the youngest Australian rider to finish on the podium in the premier-class.

Race 6 2006/Italy/Mugello - DNF

Suffers his first race crash riding a MotoGP machine.

Race 17 2007/Qatar/Losail – 1st place

Wins in his first race for Ducati to become the youngest Australian to win in premier-class and also the first Australian rider to win in 125cc, 250cc and premier-class.

Race 22 2007/Italy/Mugello – 4th place

Starts from pole for the first time since joining the Ducati factory team.

Race 23 2007/Catalan/Barcelona – 1st place

With this win in Catalunya Stoner becomes the first rider to win four times in one season on a Ducati.

Race 27 2007/USA/Laguna Seca – 1st place

Wins from pole and topped all 4 practice sessions to become the first non-American rider to win at Laguna Seca in the MotoGP era.

Race 29 2007/San Marino/Misano – 1st place

Wins three successive races for the first time and is the first to do so on a European manufactured bike since Agostini in 1972.

Race 31 2007/Japan/Motegi – 6th place

Becomes the youngest rider to win the premier-class world title since Freddie Spencer in 1983 and the first to win the title on a Ducati.

Race 32 2007/Australia/Phillip Island – 1st place

Wins at home in Australia for the first time.

Race 33 2007/Malaysia/Sepang – 1st place

Takes tenth win of the year.

Race 35 2008/Qatar/Losail – 1st place

Wins the first ever MotoGP race to take place at night under floodlights.

Race 39 2008/France/Le Mans – 16th place

Suffers mechanical problems during the race and fails to score points for first time riding a Ducati.

Race 46 2008/Czech/Brno - DNF

Crashes out of the race on the seventh lap while leading - his first non-finish on a Ducati.

Race 47 2008/San Marino/Misano - DNF

Qualifies on pole for the seventh successive race - the longest sequence of successive poles in the MotoGP era.

Race 53 2009/Qatar/Losail – 1st place

Wins the opening race of year for the third successive season.

Race 57 2009/Italy/Mugello – 1st place

Gives Ducati their first ever premier-class win at the Italian Grand Prix.

Race 78 2010/Aragon – 1st place

Wins the first MotoGP race to be held at the new Aragon circuit.

Race 81 2010/Australia/Phillip Island – 1st place

Wins his home GP at Phillip Island for the fourth successive year. This was Stoner's last win on a Ducati.

Race 83 2010/Valencia/Ricardo Tormo – 2nd place

Qualifies on pole and finishes second on last race for Ducati.

Race 84 2011/Qatar/Losail – 1st place

Qualifies pole and wins first race for the Repsol Honda team.

Race 85 2011/Spain/Jerez - DNF

Is taken out of the race by Rossi – the only non-podium finish since joining the Honda factory team.

Race 89 2011/Great Britain/Silverstone – 1st place

With this win at Silverstone, Stoner is the first Honda rider to win three successive MotoGP races since Rossi in 2003. This win gives him the lead in the world championship classification.

Race 93 2011/USA/Laguna Seca – 1st place

Wins for the 5th time in 2011 – the highest number of wins by a Honda rider during the 800cc era of MotoGP.

Race 98 2011/Japan/Motegi – 3rd place

Starts on pole for the tenth time in 2011 - a new record for most pole positions in a season during the MotoGP era.

Race 99 2011/Australia/Phiilip Island – 1st place

Qualifies on pole for the eleventh time in 2011, wins race and second world title.

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US premiere of Fastest to get place this month

The much predictable US premiere of Fastest will take place on October 14th with a private and exclusive screening at The Deuce Lounge inside the Aria resort and Casino at City Center in Las Vegas.

Shot around the world in 2010 and 2011 Fastest, the sequel to the enormously successful Faster, captures the thrilling reality of the MotoGP World Championship and distills it into a maximum-speed, full-length documentary feature film. As with its predecessor, Fastest is narrated by bike enthusiast and actor Ewan McGregor, and brilliantly captures a essential moment in the sport. In pursuit of his tenth world title Valentino Rossi meets the toughest challenge of his career to date; a wave of fiercely fast young riders, a horrific leg-breaking crash at his home Mugello GP, an amazing but agonising comeback 41 days later at the Sachsenring, and the question of who really is the fastest rider now?

Directed by the award-winning Mark Neale, whose previous work includes Faster and The Doctor, The Tornado and the Kentucky Kid, Fastest debuted worldwide on September 20th in the UK to an audience of 1300 and has established rave reviews.

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Pedrosa takes spectacular Motegi MotoGP

Dani Pedrosa (Honda) took the the honours in a dramatic Japanese Grand Prix where only two of the top seven riders didn't either run off the circuit or incur a ride-through penalty (or both!). Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha) and Pedrosa's Honda team mate Casey Stoner completed the podium.

MOTOGP

The 24-lap race began with pole man Stoner launching into Turn 1 at the head of the field, while team mate Andrea Dovizioso jumped the start from the front row, with Marco Simoncelli (Honda) and Cal Crutchlow (Yamaha Tech 3) also incurring ride from side to side penalties for the similar mistake.

Ducati's Valentino Rossi crashed out on the first lap, colliding with Yamaha rider Ben Spies and forcing off the track and down the order. Meanwhile Stoner appeared set to take another victory, leading clear and free until running off the track on lap five, just before Ducati privateer Hector Barbera crashed out, and Nicky Hayden on the second works Ducati went farming while running fourth.

MotoGP results	Points afer 15 rounds
1 Dani Pedrosa (Spain) Honda - 42min47.481	1 Casey Stoner (Australia) Honda - 300 points
2 Jorge Lorenzo (Spain) Yamaha +7.299sec	2 Jorge Lorenzo (Spain) Yamaha - 260
3 Casey Stoner (Australia) Honda +18.380	3 Andrea Dovizioso (Italy) Honda - 196
4 Marco Simoncelli (Italy) Honda +23.550	4 Dani Pedrosa (Spain) Honda - 195
5 Andrea Dovizioso (Italy) Honda +23.691	5 Ben Spies (US) Yamaha - 156
6 Ben Spies (US) Yamaha +37.604	6 Valentino Rossi (Italy) Ducati - 139
7 Nicky Hayden (US) Ducati +39.167	7 Nicky Hayden (US) Ducati - 123
8 Colin Edwards (US) Yamaha +45.023	8 Marco Simoncelli (Italy) Honda - 119
9 Hiroshi Aoyama (Japan) Honda +49.074	9 Colin Edwards (US) Yamaha - 98
10 Randy de Puniet (France) Ducati +59.022	10 Hiroshi Aoyama (Japan) Honda - 94
11 Cal Crutchlow (Britain) Yamaha +1min13.964
12 Kousuke Akiyoshi (Japan) Honda +1min21.709
13 Shinichi Ito (Japan) Honda +1min26.381 POINTS AFTER 15 ROUNDS

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Dovizioso, Pedrosa begin battle for third

Repsol Honda team -mates Dani Pedrosa and Andrea Dovizioso start this weekend's Japanese MotoGP estranged by just 15 points in the championship.

It's a somewhat artificial 'battle' - given that Pedrosa missed three races through injury - but has exacting significance for Dovizioso.

The Italian is set to lose his Repsol seat as the team scales back to two riders for 2012 and finishing third in the title would do his prospect employment prospects no harm.

Dovizioso suffered his first non-score of the season after a first-lap accident at Aragon, but his strong memories of Motegi - having taken his first MotoGP pole at the Honda-owned track last year, earlier than finishing second in the race, behind future team-mate Casey Stoner.

"We go to Japan focused on returning to the podium, this has to be our target," said Dovizioso. "We will turn up at the Japanese GP this year in the same position we were last year - straight from a crash and zero points, but I'm strong-minded to transform this disappointment with extra inspiration.

"Last season we had a great race and we almost won, so I'm certain to repeat a great performance at Motegi, a circuit that I like and where I have been on the podium in all the three classes.

"Moreover, this is Honda's home GP and it's very significant to score a good result here," he continued. "Concerning the Championship, we are third in the World Standings and we aim to strengthen our position, improving some points on Lorenzo and maintaining the gap to Dani."

Pedrosa's 2010 title chances ruined when a technical problem caused a collarbone-breaking accident during practice for last year's Japanese GP. The Spaniard proceeds seeking his third race win for 2011.

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2011 final run in to commence at Motegi

The Grand Prix of Japan starts a succession of three races in the space of three weeks in which Casey Stoner will attempt to safe his second premier class title, whilst Jorge Lorenzo tries to hold onto his crown.

The Grand Prix of Japan takes place this weekend as the 2011 Moto GP World Championship heads into a swift termination which will see three of the final four rounds – starting at Motegi – take place in the space of three weeks.

Taking a 44-point lead into this weekend’s 15th round is Repsol Honda rider Casey Stoner, who with conquest last time out at Aragón – his eighth of the season – extended his advantage at the top over defending World Champion Jorge Lorenzo. Stoner won last year’s race at Motegi and a repeat of that result would put him in a place to be able to secure the 2011 title in the following round, his home race at Phillip Island.

The Australian knows that is purely imaginary at the moment however and remains fully focused on taking each race as it comes. Likewise Lorenzo knows that whilst his chances of retaining his title are now slim, there is still everything to play for. The Yamaha Factory Racing rider was fourth in last year’s Motegi race on his way to the 2010 title, but won the previous year so knows his way about the Japanese track well.

Reliability has been the cornerstone of Andrea Dovizioso’s 2011 season and is the reason for the Repsol Honda rider’s current position of third in the Championship, but the rarity of a DNF at Aragón – the first time he has failed to score points in a race this season – will have infuriated the Italian. He will be keen to put that right at a circuit at which he ended second in last year’s race.

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Nicky Hayden expects wait for Ducati front-end mods

Nicky Hayden says he’s got no thought when he will get his chance to race new front-end parts that proved a big get through for Valentino Rossi in Brno last weekend.

A vague front-end feeling and an under steer issue have been long-term complaints for Rossi and Hayden all through the 2011 MotoGP campaign.

Yet a revised front-end setting that Rossi raced to sixth place in the Czech Republic last weekend twisted out to be a big improvement, with the Italian’s crew chief Jerry Burgess hailing the change as the biggest breakthrough since Rossi first rode the Desmosedici last November in Valencia.

The modifications, which incorporated changes to the front axle that gave Rossi more flex at the bottom of the forks, were built-in to Hayden’s GP11.1 machine during the Brno MotoGP test session earlier this week.

And while the American was able to right away feel the big improvement in front-end performance, his bike won’t run the revised set-up in Indianapolis next weekend, He told MCN: “I got it for a couple of hours and it was a nice little step but we don’t have a lot of parts and I had to give it back and I almost certainly won’t get it back for a while.

"It was better for steering and it helped feel the front tyre a bit better. It just takes time to make the parts and I almost certainly won’t get it for a while, but it was a nice help and clearly it is a better way.”

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Dovizioso closes on Lorenzo with fifth podium

Andrea Dovizioso's hopes of challenging for the runners-up spot in the 2011 MotoGP World Championship were known a boost at Brno with a strong run to second, a result that closes the gap to Jorge Lorenzo.

The Repsol Honda rider has been an instance of consistency this year, finishing all but one race inside the top five, performances that place him a comfortable third heading into the second-half of the year.

Although he is yet to taste the winners' champagne this season, Dovizioso's second place – from seventh on the grid - marks his fifth trip to the podium and puts him 23 points at the back Lorenzo in the overall standings.

“I'm really happy to be back on the podium, it's a good result after a hard weekend and second position is so important for the Championship,” the Italian said. “In the warm-up we made some small changes and my feeling improved. I arrived at the race very strong-minded and I made a very good start from seventh position.

“In the first laps I was riding carefully to save the tyres. I had good pace and when Dani pedrosa crashed I tried to stay with Casey but I made a mistake at turn 13 and I approximately went off the track. I lost contact and from that moment Casey stoner built a gap that was not possible to catch. I'm happy of how I managed the race first with Lorenzo and then with Simoncelli to uphold second position.

“In the final five laps I pushed harder, lapping under 1'58 to uphold the margin from Marco. I didn't want to fight with him in the last corners. I want to thank Honda and the team for the good work, in spite of the fact that we struggled slightly over the weekend, we have established one more time that in the race we are there and I'm really looking forward to Indy in two weeks' time.”

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Ducati: No 1000cc test at Brno

Ducati's 2012 MotoGP prototype will keep away from a head-to-head assessment with rival 1000cc machines from Honda and Yamaha, after the factory announced that this year's 800cc bike will be used at Monday's official post-race test at Brno.

Ducati has already used five of the eight days of 1000cc testing acceptable with MotoGP riders this year - compared with two days for Honda and none for Yamaha.

All the preceding factory 1000cc tests have been detained in private, but that will change on Monday in the Czech Republic with Honda and Yamaha both confirming that their factory MotoGP riders will try 2012 bikes.

However Ducati has determined that both Valentino Rossi and Nicky Hayden will offer that day to working on the 800'.

“The Test Team tried some electronics updates at Mugello, and we'll use them in the post-race test at Brno to carry on improving the setup and reduce the gap to the lead group," said team manager Vittoriano Guareschi.

"Filippo [Preziosi] will be on hand Monday, and we'll carry on the development work on the GP11.1 with both Valentino and Nicky.”

While Rossi will go on to ride the GP11.1 throughout the grand prix weekend, team-mate Hayden - who completed his first laps on the customized bike during Friday practice at the previous US GP - revealed that he is probable to use the original GP11.

"Obviously the test on Monday will be really significant for us. I'll almost certainly just ride the GP11 on the race weekend and then test the new bike on Monday," said the American.

Rossi and Hayden will start round eleven (of 18) holding fifth and seventh in the world championship, with one podium apiece so far this period.

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Rossi to create 250th grand prix start

This Sunday's German Grand Prix will see Valentino Rossi make his 250th grand prix start, across all classes.

Up to crashing and breaking his leg in practice for last year's Italian Grand Prix, Rossi had made 230 consecutive starts; an all-time record.

Rossi will become just the sixth rider in the history of motorcycle grand prix racing to reach the 250-starts milestone, as exposed in the following table.

The nine-time world champion is at present enduring his longest losing streak in grand prix racing, having gone eleven consecutive races without a victory.

Rossi's first ever grand prix, at the 1996 125cc Brno race, came in his eleventh start.

Loris Capirossi, who holds the all-time record for GP starts, is due to come back from injury this weekend.

Rossi, Capirossi and Randy de Puniet are the only riders in the top 15 start list to still be opposing in grand prix.

Carlos Checa, Max Biaggi and Marco Melandri are also unmoving racing at world championship level and now battling for the World Superbike title.

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