THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF DUNLOP MOTORSPORT IN TOUCH [ www.injection.tv ] ISSUE TEN, NOVEMBER 2008 Simoncelli, di Meglio and Dunlop celebrate in style! Marco Simoncelli and Alvaro Bautista have been the most consistent finishers in the MotoGP 250cc category, each scoring in 13 of the 15 races this year and are first and second in the riders' standings with one race remaining, in Valencia at the end of October. With his third place finish in Malaysia mid-October, seconds behind Bautista at the chequered flag, it was Simoncelli who was crowned the 2008 250cc champion and the Italian celebrated by completing a helmet-less victory lap around the track. Simoncelli has scored five wins to Bautista's four so far this year, but the Italian has consistently finished on the podium. Mid-season he was on devastating form, finishing second to Mika Kallio in France, and then winning the Spanish and German Grands Prix, finishing second in Britain, and third at the Dutch Grand Prix. Bautista had fallen far behind by the time the bikes lined up in Spain, having scored one win, but just 16 more points in the Mike di Meglio wins the Australian 125cc race and Dunlop's 12th straight category title opening six races. The Spaniard worked hard during the second half of the year, starting on his home ground where he was second to Simoncelli, and that led Dunlop celebrates another successful to a run of six straight podium finishes, culminating in victory in South Africa. The series was interrupted by Hurricane motorcycle racing season in 2008 Ike, which caused the cancellation of the Dunlop is celebrating another American 250cc Grand Prix, but in the Win number 50 came with performance.” next three races in Japan, Australia and fantastically successful season Valentino Rossi at the 1999 British “We thank the teams for putting Malaysia, Simoncelli again applied the in motor cycle racing. Marco GP, while Marco Melandri brought their trust in our tyres, a trust pressure, winning twice on his way to Simoncelli scored Dunlop's 200th up the century at Brno in 2002 that clearly pays off,” said Jeremy securing the title in Malaysia. successive 250cc MotoGP victory and Casey Stoner delivered the Ferguson, Manager International "What a great season," said the Italian. at the world famous Twin Motegi 150th in Malaysia in 2005. Thirty Motorsport for Dunlop. "Winning the first ever 250cc World circuit in Japan, before going on three riders and five constructors “Although currently none of our Championship for Gilera as the marque prepares to celebrate its centenary to win the riders' title in Malaysia have enabled Dunlop to achieve competitors are challenging us in 2009, giving Dunlop their 16th mid-October, Dunlop's 16th this bicentenary, with many of in 250cc, Dunlop continues to consecutive 250cc crown, and their successive 250cc title. those riders now legendary in the improve the tyres – in 2008 we 200th consecutive 250cc GP victory - it At the Australian Phillip Island sport including Rossi and Stoner. have already evaluated more doesnt get any better than this. circuit, Mike di Meglio became Although the current run of 250cc than 50 new construction and "I have always used Dunlop in my GP only the second French rider to race wins started in 1996, Dunlop compound variants and introduced career, starting with the 125cc European win the 125cc title on Dunlop, Championship title in 2002 before has supplied the tyres for the the latest multi-compound moving up to MotoGP, firstly in 125cc which recorded its 12th successive 250cc World Champion every year technology." before moving up to 250cc with Metis World 125cc title. The SERT team since 1993. Dunlop has Gilera in 2007. scored Dunlop's fourth successive also won 1331 of the "The Dunlop guys are great to work with, World Endurance Championship 2561 Grand Prix held always ready to listen and help, and the and Dunlop was successful in in all the solo capacity number of close races where we have set all categories of the AMA series, new lap records at the end of the race classes since the World shows how good the tyre performance domestic series in Spain, France, Championship started is. Thanks to them, and let's do it again Nordic countries and Holland, and in 1949, more than all in 2009." the Japanese Superbike series. the other tyre companies The final race of the 2008 season will The tyre manufacturer reached combined. take place in Valencia on October 26, a milestone that most can only “We are delighted to where more than 125,000 spectators are dream of when it won its 200th celebrate this historic expected to attend. consecutive MotoGP 250cc victory”, said Sanjay Grand Prix. As Simoncelli took Khanna, Managing the checkered flag it marked Director Motorcycle an historic moment for the tyre Tyres Dunlop Europe. manufacturer and motorcycle “The technology transfer racing. Since Maxi Biaggi rode his between race and road Dunlop-shod Aprilia to victory at helps us to develop road the Japanese Grand Prix in Suzuka tyres with superlative in 1996, every 250cc race has characteristics both with Marco Simoncelli been won on Dunlop tyres. regards to safety and Valentino Rossi scored Dunlop's 50th 250cc win 2 Mike di Meglio celebrates winning the 125cc title by spraying the champagne in Australia Di Meglio 125cc champion Bautista wins in Malaysia as Dunlop secures 12th title but Simoncelli seals title Mike di Meglio was crowned as the cliffs overlooking the ocean. The circuit is Marco Simoncelli may have scored then in the later stages by Alvaro Bautista 125cc World Champion at Phillip Island, a riders’ favourite, with its high speed (176 Dunlop’s 200th consecutive 250cc race (Aprilia) who closed to within 0.3 seconds Australia on October 5 after a dominant kph average) and long flowing corners win at the Japanese Grand Prix, but the of the Italian at the flag after setting a performance, starting from pole position producing close racing whilst producing a Italian had to wait until the Malaysian new lap record on the final lap of the race. and going on to win by 10 seconds from lot of stress on the rear tyres. Weather is Grand Prix on October 19 to wrap up the Alex Debon (Aprilia) finished third, having Stefan Bradl. always an issue - this being early spring in riders’ title. demoted Simon to fourth six laps from the Di Meglio, who became only the second Australia, but whilst it had rained on Friday, The Italian has been a consistent finisher finish. French 125cc champion six years after by Sunday it was dry, sunny and warm with all season, and had done enough to be Simoncelli went to the next race in Australia Arnaud Vincent achieved the feat, had temperatures of 20 degrees Centigrade able to finish third to his title rival Alvaro leading the championship by 32 points, already put himself into a dominant (68F). Bautista in Malaysia to be declared the with Bautista now moving into second, position in the championship when he Di Meglio again started from pole, took the champion with one race, in Valencia at the eight points clear of Mika Kallio (KTM) who finished second to Bradl at the Twin Motegi lead on lap two and eased away to take very end of October, still to contest. finished 5th in Motegi. circuit in Japan one week earlier to give victory, and the title, in style. Bradl finished The Motegi circuit is situated two hours At Phillip Island, the Australian crowd was himself a 36 point lead over Simone Corsi. second after a race long duel with Talmacsi, from Tokyo in a heavily wooded rural treated to yet another wheel to wheel race Di Meglio started the Japanese race from the two riders filling the other podium setting and it was here that the 250cc between pole-sitter Simoncelli and Bautista, pole but was embroiled in a struggle with places just ahead of Iannone. At 20 years of riders put on another fantastic race, who led the early laps with the KTMs of defending champion Gabor Talmacsi and age di Meglio added his name to the list of Fittingly, it was championship leader Simon and Kallio in close attendance. Bradl. The gap between the three of them Dunlop shod riders that have won this title Simoncelli who started from pole and led Simoncelli took over the lead on lap eight was never more than 0.5 seconds, with every year since Valentino Rossi savoured throughout the race to bring up the 200th (of 25) but could not shake Bautista off. Bradl and di Meglio taking turns to lead. his first world Championship crown in 1997. consecutive victory. The two of them traded lap records as the Bradl held the slight advantage, the young The championship favourite race wore on, never separated by more German finishing 0.1 ahead of di Meglio was challenged throughout the race - than 0.3 seconds with Bautista eventually with Talmacsi 0.1 second behind. initially by the KTM of Julian Simon, and putting in the fastest lap (172.7 kph) on lap The group of three finished six seconds 22 in a final attempt ahead of a chasing group of four (Joan to take the victory. The Olive, Nicolas Terol, Sandro Cortese and KTM duo did not have Simone Corsi) who were separated by less the pace to stay with than 0.5 seconds at the flag. the leaders, falling From Japan, the traveling circus moved 14 seconds behind to Australia and the Phillip Island track, at the flag with Kallio just 130ks south of Melbourne and is claiming the third dramatically situated on the top of the podium spot just two one-thousandths of a second ahead of di Meglio on his way to the 125cc title Simoncelli leads Bautista in Australia Simon.