2012 Ducati 848 Se 4k Mi. on 2040-motos

Moto blog

Nuggets from Estoril

 HRC Executive Vice President Shuhei Nakamoto and Ducati General Director Filippo Preziosi attracted some major media attention as they enjoyed a lengthy but very public chat in the Estoril paddock. Some speculated they were chewing the fat over Stoner’s brilliance now that even Rossi is struggling to get close to the podium on the D800cc Ducati. Others had no doubt it was the rule change for Moto GP machines moving to 1000cc in 2012 that was being debated.

This is one trashed 1199 Panigale

This is what a destroyed Ducati 1199 Panigale looks like, after South African superbike racer Chris Leeson lost the front end at turn one of the Kyalami circuit. Although the same can't be said for the new and now mangled Ducati superbike, Leeson escaped the crash with minor bruising. Crash sequence below.

Stats ahead of Estoril MotoGP round

The MotoGP circus moves into it's tenth appearance at the Estoril circuit, with the Portugease circuit playing host to a Grand Prix event in each of the previous nine years since the introduction of the four-stroke MotoGP formula at in 2002. Below is a reminder of the highlights of the previous nine MotoGP races held at Estoril: 2002 – Having won the last 500cc GP race at Estoril in 2001, Valentino Rossi (Honda) won the first of the MotoGP races held at the circuit. This was a race that was run in very wet conditions and Sete Gibernau had led for most of the race only to crash out with four laps to go.