The revamped Red Devils Roma team and its new rider Michel Fabrizio wrapped up a positive three-day test session at Jerez with an excellent time of 1 minute 40.956 seconds. Fabrizio's time left the Italian up at the top end of the timesheets behind the Aprilia of Laverty and Sykes (Kawasaki).


Fabrizio's time was even more impressive as it was set on race tyres, without him using the qualifying tyre available. The session was greeted with satisfaction by team manager Andrea Petricca, who will now decide whether or not to test at Vallelunga before leaving for the opening rounds of the season in Australia and India.


Michel Fabrizio declared: "These were three intensive and positive days of testing. We did a lot of work because we wanted to overhaul the bike and test everything there was to test in order to get to know it better and be ready for every possible situation during future race weekends. I set my quickest time without using the soft tyre, because I wanted to find a set-up that would give me good performance over race distance and not on a single lap. I'm happy and feeling confident, not only for my lap times, but above all for the work we got through here at Jerez. My feeling with the Aprilia RSV4 has improved and that's important. Now it's time for the winter break and I'll get back into training for the first rounds of next season".

The 2012 edition of the Superbike Official Book, published by Giorgio Nada Editore, is now available.


Since World Superbike started in 1988 the yearbook has chartered the evolution and growth of the world's leading production-based motorbike racing championship and this year's edition is no exception, with words and pictures once again provided by Claudio and Fabrizio Porrozzi.


In 2012 Superbike fans around the world had much to celebrate as Max Biaggi (Aprilia Racing Team) took his second title before retiring from the sport, but there was action throughout the Supersport and Superstock categories as well and this is reflected in the pages of the book.


The Superbike Official Book has been produced for the fifth successive year by Infront Motor Sports and Giorgio Nada Editore, international leader in the publication of motoring books. The publisher can count on a widespread diffusion of the book both in Italy - through the distribution network of Giunti Editore, the Giunti al Punto bookstores and the Libreria dell'Automobile bookshop in Milan - as well as in foreign markets.


The 2012 edition, consisting of 208 pages in 24.3x27 cm format, is available in separate Italian and English versions.


The publisher's web site is: http://www.giorgionadaeditore.it

Bad weather wiped out the final day of a week-long winter testing session for the top Superbike teams at Jerez de la Frontera before the regulation six-week stop. Heavy rain in the morning today forced Ducati Alstare and BMW Motorrad Italia GoldBet to wait in vain for the track to dry and they then decided to shut up shop for good.


The track actually remained damp until late afternoon, which meant that BMW riders Marco Melandri and Chaz Davies stayed in the garages, while Ducati Alstare sent out Carlos Checa and Ayrton Badovini for a couple of laps before calling it a day.


"We certainly hoped to have more dry track time during winter testing" declared Melandri. "Anyhow, we can be happy as we were able to complete our planned programme on Wednesday and Thursday. I started working with the 17-inch tyres on the 2012 bike then once I was happy with the settings, we went on to test different 2013 parts. We clearly have an idea of which way to go, as we understand exactly what we need to do. I am looking forward to the winter break now, as I need some rest before I start working out in the gym again and preparing for 2013."


"I'm going on holiday in quite a relaxed mood", said Checa. "In the afternoon I did a couple of laps even though the track was still quite damp, but in any case it was a very positive test. We came to some good conclusions, and found out where the bike still needs work. This time round I managed to get my sensations across, now it's up to the engineers."


After the testing ban concludes on 15 January 2013, Ducati Alstare will be one of the first teams back on track with a session at Jerez at the end of January.

The 2013 edition of the eni FIM Superbike World Championship gets underway on 24 February 2013 at Phillip Island (Australia), while Jerez is the venue for the final round of the series on 20 October.

The GO Eleven team have reached a deal to race with Australian rider Mitchell Pirotta on board a Kawasaki ZX-10R machine in the 2013 FIM Superstock 1000 Cup, to which the Italian team returns after a year's stop.


Despite his young age, Pirotta, who was born in 1988, already has an important racing background to his name. After starting off in motocross, in 2008 the Sydney-born Australian finished fourth in the Australian ASBK Superstock 600 championship. The following year he was runner-up, and won the National South West Championship. In 2010 he was first in the Australian Extreme Championship (Super Sport) and then made his debut in World Supersport in 2011 (Photo De Col).


Denis Sacchetti (Team Manager) declared: "The negotiations lasted for some time but in the desire of GO Eleven to have a rider of the calibre of Mitch prevailed and we reached an agreement. I don't know him very well but he is a really nice guy and a great sportsman. He has had very few opportunities to demonstrate his potential in Europe and I am sure that he will be one of the protagonists of the 2013 FIM Cup. We'll do our best to give him a good technical package. We opted to return to this category with a view to an eventual future in SBK, and seeing as the rules might change we'll try to be ready for this. And it's also for this reason that Mitch is very important for us."


Mitchell Pirotta said: "I'm delighted that the GO Eleven team are giving me this opportunity to return to Europe and take part in Superstock 1000. I feel on form, I've had a year to relax and focus on my private life, and now I'm serene enough to return to racing. I'm really excited about the idea of racing a Kawasaki ZX-10R and can't wait to do my first tests. A big thanks to Denis Sacchetti and team owner Gianni Ramello, as well as the whole team for believing in me. We want to do a good job, for this reason in 2013 we'll be aiming for the very top. I'd also like to thank my wife for her precious support, my family and my friends who have helped me get to where I am today".

More than five hundred guests packed into the prestigious ‘Salle des Etoiles' room of the Sporting Monte-Carlo to enjoy a very special evening that rewarded the exploits of the World's best motorcycle riders. Broadcast live on TV in several different countries a host of motorcycling legends were on hand to present the 2012 FIM World Champions with their respective awards, whilst also being honoured themselves for their achievements to two wheel sports.


On receiving his award for winning the 2012 eni FIM Superbike World Championship, six-time world champion Max Biaggi was given a much-deserved standing ovation. "For me it's a great honour to be here, even though it's for the final time in my career", he declared during the Gala Evening. "After 20 years of racing it's fantastic to receive this recognition: there couldn't be a better place to celebrate a hard-fought 2012 season. I am happy with my decision to retire, a new phase of my life together with my family is is now beginning for me".


Kenan Sofuoglu picked up his third Supersport World Championship award for his title win, this year with Kawasaki Lorenzini. In 2013 the Turkish rider will defend the number 1 plate for the new Mahi Racing Team India Kawasaki, hoping to confirm his place as the most successful Supersport rider of all time.


Speaking at this unique occasion FIM President Vito Ippolito stated: "The third FIM Gala Ceremony in Monte-Carlo was the perfect moment to congratulate and honour our 2012 Champions not only in the ‘Salle des Etoiles', but also in front of millions of TV viewers around the globe. Again I must thank the riders and teams for being here tonight. They truly understand the importance of the FIM Gala both for the FIM and for motorcycle sport as a whole."

Bautista’s main aim of the first day was to test a raft of upgrades from his team’s suspension supplier Showa, as well as some parts from brake supplier Nissin. With preceding rain showers the night before, temperatures around 33 degrees Celsius and humidity of 60%, riders and teams had to wait until close to mid-day for track conditions to be suitable. The Gresini rider put in 24 laps before rain fell at 2pm local time, setting the quickest time with a 2:02’19. He later returned to track in the wet conditions, the only rider to do so, to continue his set-up and testing work with the satellite machine.

Márquez, who only had limited running time on his first MotoGP outing in Valencia two weeks ago, once again took to the track on his RC213V machine to familiarise himself with it and the Bridgestone tyres. A total of 26 laps saw him post the second fastest time with a 2:03’65. He did not opt to head out in the wet in the latter part of the afternoon.

In addition to the Spanish duo, two of Honda’s test riders in the form of Kousuke Akiyoshi and Takumi Takahashi were tasked with evaluating the 2013 RC213V Honda prototype around the Malaysian track. Before the skies opened, Akiyoshi, the first rider on track this morning, put in 32 laps to post a 2:04.21, whilst Takahashi recorded a 2:09.91 after 18 laps.

The Gran Premio de la República Argentina, which was set to take place at the Termas de Rio Hondo circuit early next year, has not been included in the 2013 calendar.

On June 20th 2012, the Spanish government recommended that teams and riders sponsored by Repsol should not travel to the República Argentina due to safety reasons. Therefore, the celebration of the 2013 Gran Premio de la República Argentina remained under suspension until such recommendation would be kept in force.

The deadline for Dorna Sports, commercial rights holder of the MotoGP™ World Championship, to officially propose the 2013 MotoGP™ Calendar to FIM was November 18th.

On November 20th, the Spanish government notified through email sent to Dorna Sports the withdrawal of the above-referred recommendation, when the time for the Calendar presentation had already expired and therefore, there was no possibility to include a new MotoGP™ event.

Anyhow, Dorna Sports commits itself to include Gran Premio de la República Argentina on the 2014 Calendar and onwards, to be approved by FIM subject to the homologation of the track, which presumably shall take place within the first quarter of 2013.

Dorna Sports recognizes the Gran Premio de la República Argentina Promoter´s efforts regarding the satisfactorily termination of the construction works and the organization and promotion preliminary activities.

" We come to win" were The Doctor’s first words to the press ahead of the weekend. He delivered, and in some style: with multiple Le Mans winner Dindo Capello breathing down his neck, Valentino had huge competition all weekend and in fact secured a margin of victory in the Stage Rally by a tight 2.8 seconds, after 9 outings, around the awesome Autodrome di Monza. The pair traded stage wins on Sunday morning and it was ultimately a further 54.4 seconds back to Piero Longhi in third.
With a smile on his face the whole way through the weekend, the fans not only got up close to their hero in the paddock on his numerous trips out of the garage, where he inked memorabilia and posed for photos, but he drove the Master Show in front of the jammed grandstand with immense confidence.

Run on the start-finish straight and in honor of the late, great Marco Simoncelli: the head-to-head format saw Valentino set fastest times in his heats. Picking his way to the final, he came up against fellow MotoGP star Andrea Dovizioso who couldn’t find quite enough to stay with him. The final run saw him square up against Capello one more time but over the three-lap run he blazed to the win by over 8.5 seconds. Meanwhile, it was Andrea Dovizioso who claimed the third spot on the box.

Team VR|46 Racing’s outfit depart Monza with a medal haul thanks to Valentino’s exploits but plenty to celebrate in the form of Robby Brivio and Uccio Salucci’s results as they stormed home to 9th and 13th respectively in the Stage Rally format. Meanwhile, Andrea Dovizioso will no doubt fancy another crack at four-wheel racing thanks to a super solid performance throughout, scoring fifth place in the Stage Rally as well as his Master podium.

Team Suriano will once again be racing in next year's FIM Supersport World Championship after striking a deal with Suzuki. The Rome-based team, after two seasons with Triumph, during which it scored one podium with Alex Baldolini and fifth place overall in the teams general ranking, has now opted to switch back to the Japanese brand.


The Rome-based Suriano Team is currently defining final details about its two future riders and is also considering entering the Superstock 1000 FIM Cup. The deal sees the Italian team and the Japanese manufacturer once again join together in a partnership that previously led to many successful results with the aim of achieving even greater goals.


Antonio "Ninetto" Suriano (team owner) declared: "The last two seasons, during which we worked on the old ParkinGO bikes, have been successful but now it's time to jump into a new project. We are going back to Suzuki, a brand with which we have shared a lot of satisfaction. We will join the Supersport championship and we are defining our two riders. It's only a matter of days before we will unveil their names. We are even thinking about joining the Superstock series. Our aim is to develop a bike that's not even in the championship at the moment and to take it to the highest place in the ranking."

The Italian MV Agusta company, a leading manufacturer in the 600cc market sector, has decided to come back to the racing world with the ParkinGO Team. Both partners have signed a three-year contract. The program has, as its first step, the debut of the MV Agusta F3 675 in the 2013 FIM Supersport World Championship and the development of MV Agusta's sporting activity.


The project will see the three-cylinder machine from the Schiranna factory undergo development by ParkinGO, the 2011 World Supersport Champions and protagonists in World Superbike last season, in order to make it race-ready.


The ParkinGO Team has reached its dream of a long-term project with an Italian company that can claim a unique record in the racing world, winning a grand total of 37 world titles with the legendary Giacomo Agostini.


The contract with MV Agusta arrives on the same day as the birthday of the late Claudio Castiglioni, who would have been 65 years old today. The date is not just a simple coincidence, but is a virtual continuation of the sporting passion that had always been an important part of his life.


Giovanni Castiglioni (MV Agusta President) declared: "It gives me great satisfaction to announce this agreement with Team ParkinGO. Personally speaking, for me it is a big and exciting challenge as I have inherited from my father the passion for racing. I am convinced that with the experience of engineer Massimo Bordi, who is involved in this project as well, we have all the right components needed to get important results."


Giuliano Rovelli (ParkinGO President) added: "This morning my brother Paolo and I were talking about the big responsibility and at the same time the great satisfaction we feel in signing such an important agreement. Already from the first meetings there has been a good understanding with the management of the company. Our common aims in the project are important components to get the best out of this partnership."