It seems that Anthony West, a once motorcycle racer with huge potential to make it into the big leagues, is extremely upset with how FIM has treated him in the past few years with claims to destroy and ultimately end his racing career.
In his latest post on Facebook, there were a lot of wild things that the furious 38-year-old Australian stated, even related to MotoGP world champions, Marc Marquez and Valentino Rossi. (more…)
MotoGP rider Andrea Iannone has been suspended for using banned substances (i.e. doping).
The Federation Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) made the announcement today. They also ruled that Iannone’s suspension takes effect immediately, albeit calling it “provisionally” as per Article 7.9.1 of the 2019 FIM Anti-Doping Code (CAD). He is prohibited from taking part in any motorcycle competition until further notice.
According to the press release, Iannone’s urine sample from the 2019 Shell Malaysia Motorcycle Grand Prix was found to contain “a non-specified substance under Section 1.1 a) of the Exogenous Anabilic Androgenic Steroids (AAS) of the 2019 Prohibited List.” The World Anti-Doping Agency accredited laboratory in Kreischa b Dresden in Germany found the banned substances from in the rider’s A sample.
The FIM also said that Iannone has the right to request and attend the testing of his B sample. If found tainted again, he can file an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to reduce his suspension.
He may also request the lifting of his provisional suspension.
Why did it take so long to know of the results? Negative results are usually known right away. However, should WADA will carry out further tests if the find or suspects the ue of banned substance. The process takes about two weeks depending on the tests carried out.
Arai fans will rejoice at this news. Arai Helmets were awarded the FIM Gold Medal.
Officially called the Nicolas Rodil de Valle award, the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) handed the award to the prestigious helmet maker last week. First awarded in 1983, the gold medal is a recognition for individuals or businesses who make significant contributions to two-wheeled racing. This was the first time a gear maker was conferred the honor.
Mr. Michio Arai, the current CEO and son of founder Hirotake Arai received the medal from FIM President Jorge Viegas.
The company says that they understand the reason behind the accolade. As such, they will not compromise in producing the best rider protection as was the philosophy behind the company’s founding in 1950.
Arai Helmets began in 1950 as the first Japanese helmet maker. First produced for general head protection, the brand became known as the premier motorcycle helmet maker within a few short years. Many of the techniques employed in making helmets have survived the test of time and are still in use today.
Every part of the helmet is designed for rider safety, hence the everlasting egg-shaped R75 shell.
Anthony West launched an expletive-filled tirade against the FIM. He also announced his retirement from motorcycle racing.
He posted in his Facebook page, “***k FIM I’m done with the sport. You’ll never see me on another motorcycle again in my life. You win you FIM dogs. Your (sic) really low s**t people who should have nothing to do with the sport. FIM have pushed me to lose my ride with Kawasaki here in Brazil. FIM have destroyed my life many times and have put me into depression to the point I wish I was dead. I’m done playing there (sic) bulls**t political games. ***k FIM.”
West was a permanent fixture in MotoGP riding in the Kawasaki team, besides being a WorldSSP winner. However, he has been banned for two years after testing positive for stimulants in his urine sample.
It wasn’t the first time he was tested positive with suspected illegal substance. The Australian was tested positive for methylhexaneamine, a substance in nasal decongestant but banned under the FIM Anti-Doping Code. That was when he competed in Moto2 for the QMMF team in Qatar 2012. He denied any wrongdoing but the FIM wasn’t impressed.
Unfortunately, it now appears that West may go down the route taken by fellow-Aussie rider Anthony Gobert.
Belgium is working to upgrade the Spa-Francorchamps circuit for MotoGP and FIM Endurance World Championship (EWC).
The government of Wallonia region announced that the circuit had been granted a €29.5 million loan to make the circuit safe for motorcycle racing. The loan is part of an €80 million financial package to upgrade and modernize the track and bring international motorcycle racing back to Belgium.
The objective is to hold the WEC in 2022 and MotoGP in 2024.
According to sources, upgrading the track is a daunting task as the circuit winds through the Belgian Ardennes. The area is wooded and has steep hills. (The Battle of the Bulge in World War 2 happened in this vicinity.) As such, there isn’t much room for runoffs. Being a forest and highlands also means lots of rain. There is an average of 12 rainy days per month.
However, Spa-Francorchamps is famous for featuring high-speed racing. Eau Rouge, Radillon and Blanchimont are the fastest corners of all tracks. But there is little room for mistakes due to limited runoff areas.
In fact, Spa holds the fastest average speed in the history of Grand Prix racing. Barry Sheene lapped the circuit at an average of 220.721 km/h, when it was still 14.1 kilometres long.
The last time GP motorcycles raced at Spa was in 1987 after being held there for 40 times. The FIM deemed the track too dangerous after remedial works weren’t carried out. It has been a regular venue for Formula 1 since then.
The Youth and Sports Ministry (KBS – Kementerian Belia dan Sukan) will set up a Pro-Tem Motorsports Committee (PMC), after the ousting of the Automotive Association of Malaysia (AAM) as the motorsports sanctioning body.
The KBS press release stated that the Malaysian Sports Commission has discussed the matter with KBS. The outcome of the meeting is to set up a temporary committee consisting of all motorsport bodies in Malaysia until a new sanctioning body is named by the FIM and FIA.
The PMC will oversee motorsport matters handled by AAM prior to their dissolution. As such, it will temporarily function as the National Sports Authority for the FIA (ASN-FIA) and National Motorsports Federation for the FIM (FMN-FIA).
The press release also stated that current AAM racing license holders may continue with their sporting activities as usual.
The statement regarding licensing will be a news much welcomed by the country’s professional racers. They had earlier voiced their concerns about the legitimacy of their racing licenses and insurance that were issued by AAM.
The Automobile Association of Malaysia (AAM)/Motorsports Association of Malaysia (MAM) saga riles many feathers and had many racing enthusiasts talking about it. In the latest twist, Kementerian Belia dan Sukan (KBS – Youth and Sports Ministry) joined the ring, calling for AAM to be booted out of role as the country’s authority on motorsports.
The minister of the department, Syed Saddiq said, “AAM has been suspended by the (FIM) Sports Commission for consistently breaching the provisions of the Sports Development Act 1997. Many warnings have been given out before.”
“It is important for international regulatory bodies to be aware of this and take whatever action as necessary. We do not dictate what they should or should not do.”
On the other hand, “MAM has always been registered with the Sports Commissioner under the Sports Development Act 1997 to carry out national motorsports events.”
He added that this was in effect from many years ago, even before he became a minister.
Malaysian Insider had previously claimed that Syed Saddiq sent a letter to the International Motorcycling Federation (FIM) in September last year. The letter sought to recognize MAM as the sole Malaysian motorsports authority.
According to the FIM’s Sports Commissioner’s Office, it cancelled AAM’s status as a sports body in late 2018 after the latter “broke the rules.” AAM did not submitted their year-end report and amending their own constitution.
AAM chairman Tunku Mudzaffar Mustapha, on the other hand, said that they had been in constant communication with the FIM, but was suddenly deregistered on 30thNovember 2018.
AAM is the only sporting body in Malaysia sanctioned by the FIM, International Automobile Federation (FIA), and International Carting Federation (CIK). Hence, participants need to apply for their racing license and insurance from AAM if they compete overseas.
Tunku Mudzaffar warned that international motorsports events such as MotoGP will be jeopardy since AAM is the sole sanctioning body.
Dato’ Ahmad Razlan Ahmad Razali had said that the SIC MotoGP teams registered their riders including Hafizh Syahrin directly with the FIM without the involvement of AAM or MAM.
But if the FIM accepts MAM as the sanctioning body in Malaysia, international motorsports events ought to continue, which contradicts AAM’s statement.
The reality is this: The AAM has long been reviled by Malaysian racers on both four wheels and two wheels. To them, the body had only been charging high premiums for the racing license and insurance but have done nothing to promote the country’s motorsports. “AAM is beyond reproach,” they said.
These grouses were aired to this writer when he was covering the FIM Asia Supermoto Championship from 2015 and many other motorsports events.
Karma?
Dorna and the FIM recently confirmed that Indonesia will hold a MotoGP and WorldSBK round beginning 2021. The site chosen is in Lombok.
However, when the announcement said that it’ll be the first MotoGP “street circuit,” the news attracted the same kind of negativity in social media as everything else. There were comments such as, “If it’s going to get riders killed then they shouldn’t ride there.”
Hey, guess what? Dorna and the FIM have better brains than armchair engineers.
The skepticisms were addressed directly by Mark Huges of MRK1 Consulting along with RoadGrip Motorsport. The two international companies were appointed by the Indonesian Tourism Development Corporation (IDTC) to plan, build and run the circuit.
“We are very conscious that when we announced this project there was a reasonable amount of scepticism about the concept of a street circuit,” Hughes said, during a presentation of the project at the season-opening Qatar Grand Prix.
“We have to make very clear that the track has been designed and will be built to the appropriate FIM safety standards for MotoGP.”
Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta also said that they will not compromise with safety.
“We’ve always said that we don’t race in a street circuit, but this has all the facilities of a street circuit – in a middle of a ‘city’, all the hotels will be there – but with full security (safety) for the riders,” declared Ezpeleta.
The Lombok circuit isn’t like other “street circuits” that we know of, for example Monaco and Macao. Instead, it is purpose-built for racing but opened to the public after the race. That means it is opposite of Monaco and Macao where public roads are cordoned off for racing.
“The master plan for the resort [layout] was actually finished before we got involved. And then between Roadgrip, MRK1 and ITDC we’ve tweaked that track design,” Hughes said.
“We knew we couldn’t go in and entirely change it, there had already been too much invested in that, and with the support of Dorna and also the FIM we then made some small changes to accommodate the safety requirements for a Grade A license.”
“When you arrive for the race event it will be like arriving at any other MotoGP track. It will have all the infrastructure there,” Hughes added. “But a large percentage of that infrastructure would then come out in order to turn the track back into a road network for the resort for the rest of the year.”
Infrastructure at the track will also be turned over for public use when there are no races. For example, the pit building will be used as a conference centre.
So, this is why the track is called “something special.”
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