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An interesting insight into Yamaha’s past few seasons and the improvements they made to the M1 by Julian Ryder.

Cast your minds back to the ‘07 season, the Yamaha was a recalcitrant beast, prone to overheating, hard on its tyres and much, much slower than the Ducati. It was, we were told, also heavy on fuel. The inroads Furusawa and MotoGP Group Leader Masahiko Nakajima made into these problems while keeping the bike rideable by four racers with widely differing styles is more than impressive. The Yamaha men claim engine performance was increased by 12% and simultaneously fuel consumption was increased by 6%. That is a clever trick. Top speed went up by an average of just over 4mph (7kph) as well. At Qatar, where the Desmosedici so unforgettably blasted past Rossi in ‘07, the improvement was an astonishingly just under 10mph (16kph). At Laguna there was hardly an improvement at all. The other notably above-average top speed improvements were, not surprisingly, also at tracks with long straights. By far the best improvement in fuel consumption came at Estoril, a slow track that happens to have a long straight. Jerez, which has a bit of everything, also showed a seriously above-average improvement in consumption whereas Laguna, Shanghai and Donington guzzled gas at almost the same rate they did twelve months previously.

Yamaha’s M1 MotoGP Bike: The All-Rounder

Buy it here

James Toseland wrote a book chronicling his rookie season in MotoGP. Published by Virgin Books on November 27th, 2008, It is available for sale at Amazon.com now.

James Toseland is one of the hottest properties in motorsport. Two times World Superbike Champion, James is ready to take on the best riders in the world in his first season in MotoGP. As the only British rider in the 2008 competition, the country’s hopes rest firmly on James’ shoulders. James gives a unique insight into what it’s like to compete at the very top level. What are his hopes and fears as he enters his first season? What does he think about the competition, including current champion Casey Stoner and the legendary Valentino Rossi? And what’s it really like being part of the MotoGP circus, with sponsorship commitments and international travel, not to mention the ‘bikes and birds’ lifestyle? Packed with stunning photographs from every race of the season, as well as events off the track, James’ account gives an honest picture of the highs, lows and inevitable crashes of a season in MotoGP.

He’s also written an Autobiography which is available here: James Toseland: The Autobiography

Toni Elias is the fourth MotoGP rider to have something metal removed from his body over the winter break.

San Carlo Honda Gresini’s Toni Elias underwent surgery at the Institut Dexeus de Barcelona on Wednesday to remove a screw from the femur he broke at Assen last year and is expected to be released from hospital within 24 hours.

The operation was carried out without complication by Dr. Ignacio Ginebreda, who earlier this week also performed surgery on Ducati rider Sete Gibernau.

Elias has surgery to remove screw from femur

Gibernau’s Wednesday operation to remove a metal plate on his collarbone went well and without problem.

“It appears that the bone has recovered very well.” said Gibernau “I don’t have to do any kind of special rehabilitation for my collarbone, so I will make the most of the time to be with my family over Christmas. I am nonetheless excited about the opportunity to ride again”

Previously: Gibernau heads to surgery

Over the course of the past few weeks, eight times champion of the world, Valentino Rossi, has competed in a WRC Rally, tested Ferrari’s F1 car in the rain, and set the fastest time at the final MotoGP test of 2008 aboard the prototype 2009 Yamaha M1. He’s about to race in the Rally in Wales this week, and if reports are correct. He appears to be challenging World Superbike Champion, Troy Bayliss, to a one off race for kicks.

If true, and if this race somehow happens, it would truly be one for the ages. My heart picks up speed just imagining the possibilities.

Here’s what the publication has apparently run as direct quotes from Rossi himself: “If there was an opportunity and the right date then I would race there tomorrow. I like World Superbikes to be mad, I like to watch it and I’d love to ride in it, the problem is the dates.

“I do not know when, but I hope that I can make a race in WSB. I am sad that I would not be able to race against Bayliss on track now because I would like to challenge him on a superbike. Maybe, if I ask him he might even come back for one race for the challenge.”

The magazine also goes on to quote Ducati Xerox Team Boss David Tardozzi as saying: “We like this idea, but will Rossi really race in Superbike? Bayliss is ready.”

I think David’s reticence about the idea is pretty spot on. Would Rossi really come to WSB for a one-off race against Bayliss? Vale on the R1 versus Troy on the 1098?

Rossi to challenge Bayliss?

SPEED™ opened the last three categories of its Third Annual SPEED Performance Awards for online fan voting Monday, highlighted by the Racer Magazine Rookie of the Year Award.

Candidates for the award include stock car rookies Joey Logano and Scott Speed, F1 newcomer Sebastien Vettel, MotoGP rookie Jorge Lorenzo and second-generation IRL shoe Graham Rahal.

Other categories open for fan voting on SPEEDtv.com include Best Rivalry, Best Comeback, Temper Temper, Biggest Upset, Best Finish, Biggest Hit, Best Move and the Oops Award. To vote, fans can visit www.SPEEDtv.com (keyword: Performance).

In addition to the fan-selected SPEED Performance Awards, SPEED will once again present the Mario Andretti Trophy, created by bronze artist Elie Hazak, to the SPEED Performer of the Year. Nominations are made and voted on by a panel of SPEED personalities, producers, former trophy winners and Andretti. All of the awards will be part of a one-hour SPEED Performance Awards special to air in February.

SPEED is the nation’s first and foremost cable television network dedicated to motor sports and the passion for everything automotive. From racing to restoration, motorcycles to movies, SPEED delivers quality programming from the track to the garage. Now available in more than 78 million homes in North America, SPEED is among the fastest-growing sports cable networks in the country and, the home to NASCAR on SPEED and an industry leader in interactive TV, video on demand, mobile initiatives and broadband services. For more information, please visit SPEEDtv.com, the online motor sports authority.

From a press release issued by SPEED Channel

Direct link to Speed Performance Awards

December 1st marks the start of the Winter testing ban for all classes of MotoGP. The ban lifts January 21st, 2009. No on-track activity is permitted during the ban, though manufacturers may continue developmental work and riders may continue to train.

The first post ban test is set for Feburary 5th-7th in Sepang.