MotoGP

Rossi will retain his signature number 46 again in 2009

Dorna and the FIM have released the provisional entry lists of the MotoGP, 250GP and 125GP World Championships, with no real surprises coming on any of the three lists.

Apart from Kawasaki dropping from the original MotoGP list and being replaced by the Hayate Racing Team, the only real differences from last year apart from the already known rider/team swaps and additions are rider number changes from the likes of Casey Stoner (1 to 27) Dani Pedrosa (2 to 3), and Jorge Lorenzo (48 to 99).

Here are all three lists for you to check out as the new season quickly approaches…finally!

MOTOGP
3. Dani Pedrosa, Repsol Honda Team
4. Andrea Dovizioso, Repsol Honda Team
5. Colin Edwards, Monster Yamaha Tech 3
7. Chris Vermeulen, Rizla Suzuki Motogp
14. Randy De Puniet, Lcr Honda Motogp
15. Alex De Angelis, San Carlo Honda Gresini
24. Toni Elias, San Carlo Honda Gresini
27. Casey Stoner, Ducati Marlboro Team
33. Marco Melandri, Hayate Racing Team
36. Mika Kallio, Pramac Racing
46. Valentino Rossi, Fiat Yamaha Team
52. James Toseland, Monster Yamaha Tech 3
59. Sete Gibernau, Guinea Ecuatorial Team
65. Loris Capirossi, Rizla Suzuki Motogp
69. Nicky Hayden, Ducati Marlboro Team
72. Yuki Takahashi, Scot Racing Team Motogp
88. Niccolo Canepa, Pramac Racing
99. Jorge Lorenzo, Fiat Yamaha Team

250GP
4. Hiroshi Aoyama, Scot Racing Team 250cc
6. Alex Debon, Aeropuerto-Castello-Blusens
7. Axel Pons, Pepe World Team
8. Bastien Chesaux, Racing Team Germany
10. Imre Toth, Team Toth Aprilia
12. Thomas Luthi, Emmi – Caffe Latte
14. Ratthapark Wilairot, Thai Honda Ptt Sag
15. Roberto Locatelli, Metis Gilera
16. Jules Cluzel, Matteoni Racing
17. Karel Abraham, Cardion Ab Motoracing
19. Alvaro Bautista, Mapfre Aspar Team
25. Alex Baldolini, Wtr San Marino Team
28. Gabor Talmacsi, Balaton Racing Team 250cc
35. Raffaele De Rosa, Scot Racing Team 250cc
40. Hector Barbera, Pepe World Team
48. Shoya Tomizawa, Cip Moto – Gp250
51. Stevie Bonsey, Aprilia Madrid
52. Lukas Pesek, Auto Kelly – Cp
55. Hector Faubel, Thai Honda Ptt Sag
56. Vladimir Leonov, Viessmann Kiefer Racing
58. Marco Simoncelli, Metis Gilera
63. Mike De Meglio, Mapfre Aspar Team 250cc
75. Mattia Pasini, Team Toth Aprilia
77. Aitor Rodriguez, Aprilia Madrid

125GP
5. Alexis Masbou, Loncin Racing
6. Joan Olive, Derbi Racing Team
7. Efren Vazquez, Derbi Racing Team
8. Lorenzo Zanetti, Ongetta Team I.S.P.A.
10. Luca Vitali, Cbc Corse
11. Sandro Cortese, Ajo Interwetten
12. Esteve Rabat, Blusens Aprilia
14. Johann Zarco, Wtr San Marino Team
16. Cameron Beaubier, Red Bull Ktm Motosport
17. Stefan Bradl, Viessmann Kiefer Racing
18. Nicolas Terol, Jack & Jones Team
24. Simone Corsi, Jack & Jones Team
29. Andrea Iannone, Ongetta Team I.S.P.A.
32. Lorenzo Savadori, Fontana Racing
33. Sergio Gadea, Bancaja Aspar Team 125cc
35. Randy Krummenacher, Degraaf Grand Prix
38. Bradley Smith, Bancaja Aspar Team 125cc
44. Pol Espargaro, Derbi Racing Team
45. Scott Redding, Blusens Aprilia
53. Jasper Iwema, Racing Team Germany
60. Julian Simon, Bancaja Aspar Team 125cc
66. Matthew Hoyle, Haojue Team
69. Lukas Sembera, Matteoni Racing
71. Tomoyoshi Koyama, Loncin Racing
73. Takaaki Nakagami, Ongetta Team I.S.P.A.
77. Dominique Aegerter, Ajo Interwetten
87. Luca Marconi, Cbc Corse
88. Michael Ranseder, Haojue Team
93. Marc Marquez, Red Bull Ktm Motosport
94. Jonas Folger, Ongetta Team I.S.P.A.
99. Danny Webb, Degraaf Grand Prix

For those looking for updates from the 125/250 test in Estoril, check back later as this edition of Racing Insider was posted before the completion of the third and final day.

Could Yamaha build a third R1 for Hopkins?

World Superbike
One of the most bizarre rumours that we’ve heard so far regarding ex-Kawasaki MotoGP rider John Hopkins’ future is that he’s inked a deal with Yamaha to complete the remainder of the Superbike World Championship on the new YZF-R1.

The news filtered through to us yesterday afternoon via Facebook when a friend from Europe on there asked if I’d heard the rumour at all. Sources spreading the rumour are credible, although so are the ones who have hinted at Hopper joining Stiggy Racing Honda so we’ll just have to wait for the official announcement.

Hopper on one of the new big-bang R1s alongside current SBK rookie hero Ben Spies would almost be the rivalry of the decade so far as the pair have long had an indirect rivalry since their amateur days in the USA. The only thing that my source was uncertain of was if it was the factory team that Hopkins would be joining if it became a reality, or if it’d be a factory-supported satellite team.

With Tom Sykes teamed with Spies on the official factory team it would be hard to imagine them building bikes for a third rider, although that is also the case on the other rumoured rides that Hopkins is linked to – the others being Stiggy Honda and Tech 3 Yamaha.

Either way, Hopkins to either a Yamaha WSBK team or the Tech 3 Yamaha MotoGP squad is quickly building momentum, and the fact that Monster is starting to jump onboard with many Yamaha teams in road racing and motocross also makes the rumours give you something to think about.

American Superbike

Hodgson battled with Mladin and Tommy Hayden at Daytona's AMA opener

Another major internet rumour that arrived in my inbox yesterday (and I hope it isn’t true) was that Neil Hodgson could miss next weekend’s second round of the AMA Superbike Championship at Fontana following a crash on his motocross bike while training in California on the weekend. I haven’t had the opportunity to call my brother, Aaron, who lives in America, and ask him if he’s heard anything yet, although word on this is beginning to escalate pretty quickly from a number of industry people who I’ve spoken to.

The word is that he may have injured a collarbone in the fall, but we’ll chase this one up and see if we can find out more. There’s a good chance that the American media will get the scoop if the rumour is in fact true. If Hodgson’s injury is a reality, it would come as a real blow to the former Superbike World Champion as he has been in great form so far this year on his Corona Honda.

Superbike Planet has also reported that Roger Lee Hayden won’t be at Fontana, skipping the race due to personal reasons like he did at Daytona. Nobody is really quite sure what Roger’s current problems are that are causing him to miss these opening races,although many are eager for his return to racing as the series just isn’t the same without him.

Updated (we were right about Hodgson apart from the suspected injuries):

CORONA EXTRA HONDA’S HODGSON TO SIT OUT NEXT AMA EVENT, JAKE HOLDEN TO TAKE OVER CBR1000RR SUPERBIKE DUTIES

Corona Extra Honda Racing’s Neil Hodgson unfortunately will miss the upcoming Auto Club Speedway AMA Superbike event due to a training accident that had him hospitalized this past Sunday.

Hodgson, who was training on his Motocross bike, hit a fallen rider’s machine and went down hard. He was hospitalized because of breathing difficulties, found to be caused by a collapsed lung. He also injured some ribs and dislocated his shoulder. He has been kept in Loma Linda Hospital for observation. We wish Neil well and expect him to make a speedy recovery.

2008 Corona Extra Honda rider and Auto Club Speedway Superstock winner Jake Holden will take over the piloting duties for the Honda CBR1000RR Superbike for the event. Look for Jake to be at the front of the pack in the race to the line/lime!

American Supercross
American motocross message boards are running hot with many reporting that Supercross and Freestyle Motocross icon Travis Pastrana will compete in the St. Louis round of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, series this weekend. Pastrana actually designed the circuit as part of the series’ tradition of getting legends of the sport to design the tracks in 2009, and he basically said he wants to race on the track that he designed. Welcome back once again TP.