Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP team boss Lin Jarvis says the direction for Valentino Rossi in Yamaha is different now.
Rossi’s contract ends at the end of 2020.
Whether he continues beyond 20021 will be up for discussion.
The Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP outfit boss Lin Jarvis dropped the bombshell during an interview with Motorsport.com. According to him, Valentino Rossi does not represent Yamaha’s future.
Rossi’s contract with the factory team ends in 2020. While Rossi is still very much revered by his fans and grudgingly respected by some of his peers, 2019 has proven to be the lowest point in his career. He had collected only 8 points from the last four races, with 3 non-finishes. He is currently behind his teammate Maverick Vinalez in the championship standings.
On the other hand, rookie sensation and satellite Yamaha rider Fabio Quartararo has exceeded everyone’s expectations.
Jarvis said that Rossi had given Yamaha four championships in 2004, 2005, 2008 and 2009 before switching to Ducati in 2009. That had complicated things upon his return to Yamaha.
“He (Rossi) is now in a different stage in his life and career. With all due respect, I feel that Rossi does not represent Yamaha’s future in MotoGP,” said Jarvis.
However, the team boss was quick to add that the option is open for Rossi to continue from 2021 onwards. The decision will made after bilateral discussions.
Jeremais Israel is set to rock GIVI Rimba Raid at Janda Baik 2019 on the Triumph Scrambler 1200 XE.
Jeremais was a works HRC rider in the Dakar Rally.
The Scrambler 1200 XE had finished fifth overall at the recent Mexican 1000 Rally.
Chilean Dakar Rally and off-road racer, Jeremais Israel is set to rock GIVI Rimba Raid at Janda Baik 2019 on the Triumph Scrambler 1200 XE.
The rider was present at Triumph Motorcycles Malaysia this morning to receive the bike and prep it. He will be using the #09 number plate in the race. Jeremais was specially flown in by GIVI to compete in Rimba Raid. He will also conduct a special off-road riding clinic tomorrow morning at Ukay Perdana.
The Triumph Scrambler 1200 XE is a true-blood off-road bike, dressed up in the classic Bonneville body. It’s inspired by the TR6 Trophy ridden by Steve McQueen and his stuntman Bud Ekins to a number of wins in the Baja 1000 Rally.
It features long-travel fully-adjustable Öhlins suspension, cross-spoke wheels, engine crash bars, under-engine skid plate, bark-buster style hand protectors as standard. The electronics are also geared towards off-road performance, although the bike rides pretty well over paved roads, too.
British stunt rider Ernie Vigil had proven the bike’s toughness and ability to duke it out with 450cc dirtbikes in the Mexican 1000 Rally recently. He finished fifth overall on a bog-stock bike.
Jeremais will also be riding a fully stock bike in GIVI Rimba Raid.
The Honda ADV 150 was unveiled at the 2019 Gaikindo Indonesia International Auto Show (GIIAS).
Its design follows the 745cc X-ADV but with a number of differences.
The ADV 150 is road-biased.
The Honda ADV 150 was unveiled at the 2019 Gaikindo Indonesia International Auto Show (GIIAS).
Taking inspiration from its larger, 745cc brethren, the ADV 150 features similar lines albeit in a smaller package. The large front fairing contains the dual headlamps like the bigger bike but gives the bike an unmistakable identity.
The windshield is non-adjustable. The LCD screen underneath also looks similar to the bigger bike’s. We do hope that the ADV 150 has a larger storage space than the 745. There’s LED lighting all-around.
Powering the bike is a 149.3cc, SOHC, single-cylinder engine. It produces 14.7 hp at 8,500 RPM and 13.8 Nm 6,500 RPM. The figures appear suspiciously identical to those produced by the PCX150’s powerplant. Anyway, power is sent to the rear wheel via a v-matic transmission instead of the Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT) found in the 745cc X-ADV.
The ADV 150 is more road-biased. As such it uses normal telescopic forks and a pair of Showa gas shocks in the rear. Another indication of its road vocation are the 14-inch front and 13-inch rear cast alloy wheels.
Will it be launched in Malaysia? It would give the Yamaha NVX 155 should it be introduced here.
But there is a major difference in the prize this year. AOS has pretty much given away motorcycles up to 2018. This year, the lucky person will walk away with car.
Well, car is over-simplifying it. It’s a specially-built 70’s-style drag car with a superbike engine. The project involves marrying a Suzuki Hayabusa engine to a Mini Cooper body, hence the amalgam of the names Mini Cooper and Suzuki, resulting in Mizuki.
Again, that only sounds simple because the work is exceedingly extensive instead of just plunking an engine into the husk of an old car.
AOS arranged a special field trip for the media to visit FNG Works in Ipoh. FNG Works was contracted to bring the ideas to fruition this year.
Asep Ahmad Iskandar
There, AOS founder Asep Ahmad Iskandar and FNG Work’s chief builder Irwann Cheng explained the work involved.
Irwann Cheng
Asep wanted to contract a build for AOS and his boys found an old Suzuki Hayabusa engine. “When we met the seller to seal the deal, the seller offered us the rusted-out shell of a Mini Cooper. He and his friends have tried to get the project going but never got around to it,” explained Asep.
The items were subsequently brought to FNG Works for fabrication and assembly.
Since then, they have stripped out the car and installed a space frame to carry the engine in space behind the driver. The Suzuki engine is left stock, as with the chain final drive which connects to a Perodua Rusa differential, driving the rear wheels. The wheels are shod with fat, 10-inch wide drag racing tyres.
The stock driver and front passenger seats were swapped out for a pair of custom-made aluminium ones. The beautiful seats were fabricated by Saidi Racing Fabrications.
While it doesn’t look it in the pictures, the car is near completion. Asep and co have spent more than RM 30,000 for the build, thus far. “We hope that the new owner of Mizuki will actucally take it to the dragstrip and run against other dragsters. We always commissioned builds that are driveable, albeit not street legal.”
The project highlights the ingenuity of Malaysian talent in custom builds. FNG Works is well-known in their exploits, having won a number awards for their creations. “Part of AOS’s goal is to bring Malaysian talents to the fore,” said Asep. “Malaysia has plenty of great talents that just needs exposure.”
So, come down to the Art of Speed Malaysia 2019 Powered by PETRONAS on 27th and 28th July, at MAEPS Serdang and stand a chance to bring Mizuki home with you. You may also find more information in Art of Speed Malaysia’s official Facebook page.
Mizuki Specifications
Body shell: 1976 Mini Cooper
Engine: 1999 Suzuki Hayabusa
Rear:
Subframe: Replaced and reinforced with tubular spaceframe structure
Wheels: 13″ steelies with 10″ wide slick tyre
Axle: Modified Perodua Rusa axle
Drivetrain: Chain driven
Brakes: Modified Honda EG9 unit
Suspension: Ladder bar suspension with D2 Motorsport Hi Lo Soft Hard adjustable coilover+absorber
Interior: Stripped
Seat: Custom made by Saidi Racing Fabrications
Steering wheel: Original
Pedal box: Modified
Front:
Subframe: Original
Wheels: 12″ steelies
Suspension: Original
Brakes: Original disc brakes
Petrol tank: Mooneyes unit
The recently announced Ducati Panigale V4 25th Anniversario 916 has just been introduced and the folks from Next Bike Sdn Bhd aka Ducati Malaysia has confirmed that this very special and super limited model will be making its way here in early 2020. (more…)
Alvaro Bautista is now 81 points behind closest rival Jonathan Rea.
There are four rounds left, with eight main races and four Superpole races.
With a maximum of 248 points on offer, it may not be enough for Bautista.
In one – if not the most – remarkable turnaround in WorldSBK history, Alvaro Bautista suddenly finds himself at a disadvantage against his main rival Jonathan Rea.
Bautista had given the Ducati factory and fans to cheer about when he won 11 races in a row on the Ducati Panigale V4 R. It was without a doubt the return of Ducati to dominate the series like it once had in through the 90s and early 2000s. Heck, pundits were starting to say that Bautista could very well win every single race of the season.
Oh, but how the mighty have fallen.
Rea put in stunning rides in Imola and Jerez, by winning both races in those two rounds. Bautista’s streak started to unravel, and he crashed in the second race in Jerez.
He crashed again in Race 2 at the next round in Misano (although he finished 3rd in Race 1 and 1st in Superpole). He remounted to finish 14th for 2 points.
Moving on to the British round at Donington Park, Bautista crashed in Race 1. He finished 4th in Superpole and 3rd in Race 2.
The next round in Laguna Seca was the worst. He crashed in Race 1 and was classified as 17th. The crash hurt his hand and he opted to stay out of Superpole. Then he fell again in Race 2.
That’s 5 non-scoring races in 10 races. Rea on the other hand, picked up seven wins, one 5th place, and two 2nd places.
Jonathan Rea – Photo credit WorldSBK.com
As a result, Jonathan Rea on the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10RR now leads Bautista leads by a massive 81 points.
There are four rounds left with 12 races to go, including Superpole. Each win gets 25 points, while a Superpole win is awarded 12 points. As for finishing second, the rider is awarded 20 points in the Race and 9 points in Superpole.
So, Bautista will obtain 248 points if he won them all. Adding to his current points haul of 352, will result in a total of 600 points. If Rea finished second all the way to the end, he will earn 196 points. Add that to his current accumulation of 433 points and you will have the 2019 and Five-Time WorldSBK Champion.
Bautista could only hope that Rea somehow finish lower than second place in a few races.
Ducati’s lead in the manufacturers’ championship is under threat, too. They are now just one point ahead of the Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK.
Yes, the adage, “To win, you must first finish” is still very applicable.
