Along with Nicky Hayden in the last few days Ben Spies was the special guest of the Long Beach Motorcycle Show, a major American motorcycle shows. Present at the Yamaha booth where he received a welcome gift (a WR450F Supermoto made by former pilot, now a designer, Roland Sands), then the Superbike World Championship 2009 took part in a press conference where he expressed his positive for the 2011 season , his first official driver from Yamaha in MotoGP.

” Next year, I have no excuses: I have to win , “said Spies. “I have a season with assets of these bikes, tires, tracks, know the category and is the first time in the last 3 years that I have to change and start from scratch. I will run as a pilot officer and I have a whole business behind me, this I am very happy.

In the first test in Valencia I could touch the difference compared to 2010: is there a more methodical approach in development work, the bike is better in all aspects even though it is not very different from what I have driven this’ year.

For me the goal is to improve the results of last year, even if they are in a position to win, I have everything to succeed. The moment to remember the 2010? Surely Indianapolis, a great weekend to begin by the unexpected pole position . ”

The man to beat for next season? Jorge Lorenzo of course … ” And ‘the world champion and is now the strongest. There are 16-17 riders at the highest level, but he remains the benchmark, not only because it’s my new teammate. The relationship with him is good and I think we work well together, as had happened in the past (the reference is to Mat Mladin, ed) .

Protagonist of the weekend in Indianapolis, Ben Spies hit a double objective in the race finish on the podium in second position, be the best Yamaha rider. Unable to keep the frantic pace of Pedrosa, the Superbike World Championship in office was “satisfied” with second place and beat in direct comparison Jorge Lorenzo and Valentino Rossi crossed the line behind him …

“I’m really glad I got my best result in MotoGP before the home crowd and on a track like Indianapolis, “admits Ben Spies. “I always said it wants to reach this goal, mission accomplished! After the pole position of my start was good and I must say it was nice to find myself for the first time in the head in a MotoGP race.

Unfortunately I did not pass Pedrosa, he played a really great race. Anyway I am happy because when I was leading I made no mistakes and I kept a steady pace, when Pedrosa passed me I knew not to follow him, so I let go and I am focused on keeping second place and remove Lorenzo.

I can not complain it was a good weekend and be the best Yamaha rider in the race which saw his fellow brand is something positive … I will try to replicate this result in Misano.

Recovered with interest the success of failure of last year. Pedrosa dominates at Indianapolis centering the 3rd win of the season and 34th career MotoGP (11 of them in MotoGP), putting into practice his favorite among race strategies : the escape. Fourth after the first round, three-time World Champion has passed sequentially Hayden, Dovizioso and especially Ben Spies, a leader in the first seven laps later, giving the pole position yesterday. Since that time the road was inevitably downhill, with a wheelbase of reach for anyone not a matter of 2-3 tenths as shown by the evidence, but a “net at will, when necessary, when necessary. Couple as an important victory in sight last part of the championship, which could put it mildly for the championship (68 points are to be recovered), but portends a different for the 2011 Honda is finally following a path (which is one. .) development of the RC212V less dancing than usual, as only tamed Dani Pedrosa was unable to do in recent years.

America is called “runner up”, the second good, and today was definitely Ben Spies on the podium again after Silverstone, but this time after a weekend protagonist with the pole on Saturday and a valuable 2nd place in race . With the Tech 3 Yamaha team with technical updates of nature “motor” from Laguna Seca, a track like Indy, where he finished the 6th even with Suzuki in 2008, the Superbike World Championship in office did not miss the call using favorable opportunity to celebrate the best promotion to the official team for 2011.

A performance that could be a warning bell for Jorge Lorenzo, but the safety, speed and talent of the leader of the world does not pose any concerns, just think that today’s third place was his worst result of the season … down from the podium Valentino Rossi, 4th salvage in a weekend by three falls in four practice sessions (two days), paying duty against Lawrence, but also of Spies. Misano 7 days between the time comes to take stock of the situation to understand what is wrong if only compared to races like the Sachsenring and Laguna Seca.

There is the desire of the nine times world champion to fight for the top positions even in these his last adventure races for Yamaha before moving to Ducati Nicky Hayden in sixth place behind Andrea Dovizioso (15 “by the accused teammate Pedrosa) and Casey Stoner crashed in the early laps when he had his own “heir” with the Desmosedici for 2011.

If the 7th Marco Simoncelli resists attacks with a surprising Alvaro Bautista Suzuki Loris Capirossi has not gone beyond the eleventh place. On the ground Marco Melandri, only 13 riders at the finish line including the returning Hiroshi Aoyama preceded Randy De Puniet, returned in Misano Adriatico in 5 days where there will be time to recover from ailments, even for Dani Pedrosa to celebrate a success without discussions.

Chronicle of Race

Spies has an excellent behind the 2nd pass Dovizioso on Hayden, Pedrosa, Lorenzo and Rossi, Stoner badly as much as 9 °. Nothing changes in the first round, wait overtaking Pedrosa Hayden at the damage curve 10 which is the third position in pursuit of Spies and Dovizioso who have already taken a few meters ahead. Intermediate phase of stroke to “warm up” the tires on the third lap Lorenzo’s passing Hayden, Pedrosa takes second position with the fastest lap in 1’41 “406, Melandri finds himself on the ground in an attempt to Stoner to resist the 7th square bitterly closing its 200th Grand Prix in MotoGP.

Skip a few laps before you see the race enlivened somewhat by passing Stoner Rossi Hayden rejoining except fall near the seventh lap ending in zero from the first race at Le Mans this part. Virtually the same time Pedrosa exploits the wake of Ben Spies and sets the command, following a step-by-race with frightening 1’40 “8 eleventh round, a” better than everyone, including Jorge Lorenzo which bypasses Dovizioso for third place.

He stops in the pits to a technical problem Colin Edwards, his teammate Ben Spies takes the comparison distance with Jorge Lorenzo view and does not seem to have trouble keep the second place: much more complicated the work of Andrea Dovizioso now also approached Valentino Rossi.

Towards the final rush falls Mika Kallio when he was in 9th place near Bautista and Simoncelli, there are more changes with Dani Pedrosa wins by dominating Ben Spies, Jorge Lorenzo was third followed by Valentino Rossi, Andrea Dovizioso, Nicky Hayden and Marco Simoncelli. Appreciable eighth Alvaro Bautista with Suzuki, Loris Capirossi only better than 11 percent.

MotoGP World Championship 2010
Indianapolis Race Standings

01 – Dani Pedrosa – Repsol Honda Team – Honda RC212V – 28 laps in 47’31 .615
02 – Ben Spies – Monster Yamaha Tech 3 – Yamaha YZR M1 – 3575 +
03 – Jorge Lorenzo – Fiat Yamaha Team – Yamaha YZR M1 – 6812 +
04 – Valentino Rossi – Fiat Yamaha Team – Yamaha YZR M1 – 12,633 +
05 – Andrea Dovizioso – Repsol Honda Team – Honda RC212V – 21,885 +
06 – Nicky Hayden – Ducati Marlboro Team – Ducati Desmosedici GP10 – 35,138 +
07 – Marco Simoncelli – San Carlo Honda Gresini – Honda RC212V – 36,740 +
08 – Alvaro Bautista – Rizla Suzuki – Suzuki GSV-R – 36,825 +
09 – Aleix Espargaro – Pramac Racing Team – Ducati Desmosedici GP10 – 44,905 +
10 – Hector Barbera – Paginas Amarillas Aspar – Ducati Desmosedici GP10 – 51,368 +
11 – Loris Capirossi – Rizla Suzuki – Suzuki GSV-R – 55,386 +
12 – Hiroshi Aoyama – Interwetten Honda – Honda RC212V – 57,903 +
13 – Randy De Puniet – LCR Honda – Honda RC212V – 1’04 .139 +