Photo Galleries

Olivier Jacque helps the Kawasaki Racing Team dial in the ZX-RR during testing at Valencia.

Kawasaki Racing's John Hopkins - Valencia Test

Kawasaki Racing's Marco Melandri - Valencia Test

Despite bright sunshine in the south of Spain, Hayden was still able to rack up 69 laps, improving his feeling with the bike on each outing and ending the day as the 10th fastest rider on track.

Team-mate Casey Stoner watching from pit wall.

With this being the final test for the team until February, these two days are especially important as they continue to develop the 2009-spec M1.

Lorenzo made the most of the limited time on the track to finish third fastest.

Niccolò Canepa, after finishing 50 laps, preferred to conclude his day of work around 4.30pm because of the cold breeze and the lower track temperature.

Mika Kallio accomplishing a total of 64 laps during his test of the Ducati Desmosedici GP9.

Chris Vermeulen turns laps at Phillip Island in the last test of 2008 before the winter break.

Andrea Dovizioso tried the 2009 prototype RC212V and was impressed by the bike’s overall performance.

Pedrosa worked methodically as ever, devoting the first day to trying different engine settings and the second day to working with chassis set-up.

Niccolò has worked hard on the set up of the bike, concluding just over half a second from his teammate.

Mika made it to finish with only just a tenth of a second over the third position occupied by Jorge Lorenzo and this underline the good feeling found with the Ducati Desmosedici GP9.

Hayden worked calmly and methodically despite the limited time available as he continued to get comfortable with the Ducati and Bridgestone tyres.

Nicky Hayden fifth fastest at the end of a day that saw a particularly late start to the action on track.

Pramac Racing lost Alice as a sponsor, so it will only be able to support one rider in 2009.

Claudio Domenicali CEO of Ducati Corse and General Director of Ducati Products talks about the Desmosedici GP9.

Casey Stoner and Nicky Hayden at Wrooom. Nicky Hayden making his Debut in Ducati Marlboro Team colors.

Casey Stoner and Nicky Hayden with the Ducati Desmosedici GP9.

Ducati Desmosedici GP9.

Nicky Hayden with the Ducati Desmosedici GP9.

Casey Stoner and Nicky Hayden today unveiled the new livery of the Desmosedici GP9. The bike contrasted perfectly with the snowy backdrop of the Malga Zeledria plane.

2009 M1

2009 YZR-M1

2009 YZR-M1

2009 Fiat Yamaha Team - Jorge Lorenzo and Valentino Rossi

Jorge Lorenzo - Sepang Test

Valentino Rossi - Sepang Test

Jorge Lorenzo - Sepang Test

Valentino Rossi - Sepang Test

Jorge Lorenzo - Sepang Test

Valentino Rossi YZR-M1 - Sepang Test

Valentino Rossi YZR-M1 - Sepang Test

Casey Stoner - Sepang Test

Nicky Hayden - Sepang Test

Mika Kallio - Sepang Test

Casey Stoner - Sepang Test

Nicky Hayden - Sepang Test

Niccolò Canepa - Sepang Test

Valentino Rossi - Sepang Test

Casey Stoner - Sepang Test

Nicky Hayden - Sepang Test

Jorge Lorenzo under the lights at pre-season Qatar test.

Nicky Hayden tests at Qatar.

Rossi rolls at Qatar during preseason testing.

Casey Stoner watches it rain at Losail.

Valentino Rossi - Qatar Test

Valentino Rossi - Qatar Test

Jorge Lorenzo - Qatar Test

Niccolo Canepa - Qatar Test

Casey Stoner - Qatar Test

Nicky Hayden - Qatar Test

Valentino Rossi - Qatar Test

Mika Kallio - Qatar Test

Nicky Hayden - Qatar Test

Casey Stoner - Qatar Test

Valentino Rossi - Qatar Test

San Carlo Gresini Honda

Jerez Test - Colin Edwards

Jerez Test - Sete Gibernau

Jerez Test - Casey Stoner

Jerez Test - Mika Kallio

Jerez Test - Jorge Lorenzo

Jerez Test - Randy De Puniet

Jerez Test - Valentino Rossi

Jerez Test - Monster Tech 3 Yamaha Team

Jerez Test - LCR got a new sponsor...

Jerez Test - Nicky Hayden

Jerez Test - James Toseland

Jerez Test - James Toseland

Jerez Test - Rossi and Lorenzo

Jerez Test - Stoner won the BMW M-Award in a special timed qualifying session.

Jerez Test - Rossi looks ready for '09

Jerez Test - Lorenzo's new windscreen sticker.

Jerez Test - Stoner won a BMW 135i coupe for setting the fastest time of the special session.

Jerez Test - Nicky Hayden

Jerez Test - Nicky Hayden

Mika Kallio - Jerez Test

Niccolo Canepa - Jerez MotoGP Testing

Jorge Lorenzo - Jerez MotoGP Testing

Valentino Rossi - Jerez MotoGP Testing

Colin Edwards - Jerez MotoGP Testing

James Toseland - Jerez MotoGP Testing

Andrea Dovizioso - Jerez MotoGP Testing

Chris Vermeulen - Jerez MotoGP Testing

Loris Capirossi - Jerez MotoGP Testing

Capirossi held the fastest time for a Suzuki with the sixth fastest time overall. - MotoGP - Losail

"Today everything went quite well. I made it to be really constant and this gives me a lot of trust for Sunday's race." - MotoGP - Losail

Valentino Rossi comes in for a pass around Chris Vermeulen - MotoGP - Losail

Rain in Qatar? It delayed the season opening race until Monday. MotoGP - Losail

Casey Stoner sprung off the front of the grid to take the early lead. MotoGP - Losail

Stoner out front. That's three in a row for the Aussie at the Qatar venue. MotoGP - Losail

British rider James Toseland shadowed Randy de Puniet and Mika Kallio in the early stages, but just as he closed in for an attack, he ran off into the gravel trap at the final corner on lap seven after a tangle with Toni Elias. He would finish in 16th. MotoGP - Losail

Hayden had a rough start to his Ducati career, with a sickening highside in qualifying and running into the gravel trap on Monday. MotoGP - Losail

Rossi being .... well, Rossi! MotoGP - Losail

3rd-placed Lorenzo - proving he was the best of the rest in the desert. MotoGP - Losail

"The middle part of the race was great fun and I made six or seven good laps to come much closer, but I knew I wouldn’t be able to continue in that rhythm, it was too risky for the tires and I decided it was more important to take the 20 points." Valentino Rossi - MotoGP - Losail

Rossi celebrating after his second place finish in Qatar. He was followed in third by his Fiat Yamaha teammate Jorge Lorenzo.

Doviziozo accompanied by the Respol Honda umbrella girl before the race in Qatar. Dovizioso managed his traction problems well to finish 5th in the race. MotoGP - Losail

De Puniet playin' it cool before the race in Qatar. He finished in 10th place and said: "I am a bit disappointed because I expected a better result after my performances in the practice sessions." MotoGP - Losail

Fourth-placed Colin Edwards faired far better than his teammate James Toseland, who ran off into the gravel trap at the final corner on lap seven after a tangle with Toni Elias. MotoGP - Losail

Hayden spent a good portion of the weekend in the gravel. MotoGP - Losail

Ducati's Nicky Hayden is still acclimating to a new bike with new tires and recovering from a huge highside in qualifying. MotoGP - Losail

Marlboro Ducati's Casey Stoner ended up with the win, followed by the two Fiat Yamaha riders, Rossi and Lorenzo. MotoGP - Losail

Stoner wins the opening round of MotoGP in Qatar with a commanding lead over returning Champion and runner-up Valentino Rossi.

"I think that we can be back fighting again in Motegi. I am so glad we could race today after yesterday and I am satisfied to be leaving here having made a good start to the season – it is long!" Valentino Rossi - MotoGP - Losail

Valentino Rossi practicing on Friday in the Land of the Rising Sun.

After qualifying was canceled on Saturday due to rain, the riders returned for an extended 40 minute warm-up on Sunday. Although initially wet things cleared by the time the race kicked off. Fiat Yamaha’s Valentino Rossi assumed the pole position from his Friday results.

Overly confident and slightly smug, Rossi's winning personality is starting to rub off on to his teammate Jorge Lorenzo, to good effect.

What were we suppose to be doing here? . . . oh, that's right, photographing a MotoGP race.

Yamaha has suplemented its pre-race arsenal of umbrella girls with 'prison bait girls' - sometimes you have to take risks to end up on top.

Dani Pedrosa, 3rd: "In the end I was near the front for the whole race, had a good battle for second, and finished on the podium so this is great. We still have to sort out some issues on the machine, but it’s a very positive result going in to the Jerez."

The worst opening lap belonged to Nicky Hayden, who was unceremoniously t-boned by the sole Japanese rider on the grid, Yuki Takahashi.

Dani Pedrosa took a hard-fought third place for Respol Honda at the Twin Ring Motegi circuit, at points passing Rossi for second.

The race was decided as Rossi pulled away from Pedrosa in the latter stages to take second after Lorenzo for the the Fiat Yamaha clean sweep. With both teammates intent on wining the championship, expect more neck-to-neck races between the Spaniard and Italian.

Lorenzo claimed ownership of Motegi in his personal manifest destiny to conquer the MotoGP Championship.

Tension builds between the Fiat Yamaha team as Lorenzo steals the points lead from Stoner and Rossi. There can be only one alpha male in the Championship, and Rossi will be looking to reestablish his dominance in Lorenzo's own territory in the next Grand Prix in Jerez, Spain.

Who needs Red Bull when you can actually fly.

The Rizla Suzuki team keeping Vermeulen's GSV-R in good form.

Lorenzo giving the Spanish Fist Jab, get use to it.

Jorge Lorenzo on the gas at Jerez.

Valentino Rossi burning-out in front of the Eiffel tower on a special edition Monster Energy Yamaha YZF-R1.

The rainy Sunday morning meant all the riders started the race on rain tires, and the Rizla Suzuki umbrella girls had thier work cut out for them keeping Vermuelen and Capirossi dry.

Lorenzo, starting from second, slipped a place at the start but had passed both Casey Stoner and Dani Pedrosa by the end of the first lap to take the lead.

Starting 9th on the grid Marco Melandri improved upon his incredible fifth in Spain as he claimed his first podium, powering into second behind Lorenzo. The only Kawasaki rider in the paddock now sits fifth in the points standings.

Reigning World Champion Valentino Rossi was the first man to change to slick tyres, but his decision proved precipitous and he crashed during his out lap, with the track still damp in places.

In the end Jorge Lorenzo was the last of the front-runners to pit, a gamble which paid off brilliantly as he was by then nearly 34 seconds clear and was able to rejoin the race in the lead on lap 13.

The MotoGP Le Mans Podium (left to right): Marco Melandri (Kawasaki) in second, Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha) with the Super Mario Jump win, and Dani Pedrosa (Honda) in thrid

Jorge Lorenzo showed his dedication to the local Spanish football team at Catalunya.

Lorenzo topped qualifying on Saturday in Catalunya.

Rossi and Hayden show off in Spain.

It was a showdown between between the two Fiat Yamaha riders at the Catalunya MotoGP.

Rossi showing that he could give it the extra millimeter of effort in Catalunya.

Rossi made a triumphant return to the top of the podium in Catalunya after losing his home round to Lorenzo.