2012 MotoGP Season Photo Gallery

"Everything has gone pretty well to be honest, on the first day we just needed to compare the bike to the one we tested earlier in the year. There have been a few small improvements especially in terms of the bike working with the new 2012 tires." - Casey Stoner - Valencia Test

This final testing day of 2011 saw both riders fine tuning elements of their 2012, 1000cc machine. As well as testing the new 2012 Bridgestone tires, both riders worked on general set up of the machines.

Alvaro Bautista signs with Gresini Honda for 2012

The Spaniard will switch to the 1000cc Honda RC213V – the Japanese factory's new prototype for the new season at the Sepang test.

Alvaro runs a few seconds off Pedrosa during day 2 of the Valencia test.

Rider Ben Spies spent the sessions working through two differing engine specifications and a number of frame and geometry settings on the 2012 1000cc YZR-M1.

Nicky Hayden, who has an injured scaphoid in his right wrist, stayed at the track and followed the test from the Ducati Team garage.

"It's been a long two days," said Ben Spies. "We had a lot of work to do with Jorge not being here but we’ve got through everything. I think we got the guys working in the right direction, we're still quite a way from Qatar and what we'll be racing with but we've got a good idea of what we need to work on."

Shortly after agreeing a deal for 2012 with Team San Carlo Honda Gresini, Alvaro Bautista took to the Valencia circuit on board the Honda RC212V for the first time

"We had another good day of testing today. Basically we've been working on the engine mapping, to better manage the power of the bike, and with the rear shock. The changes we've done on the bike from Brno to here have been positive and we finish the year with a good feeling." - Dani Pedrosa - Valencia Test

Stefan Bradl - Valencia 1000cc Test

Yamaha MotoGP star Jorge Lorenzo took to the New Delhi Budh International Circuit, which may one day host an Indian Grand Prix.

The Ducati team once again met on the Alpine slopes for Wrooom.

Jorge Lorenzo and Ben Spies visit Jakarta Indonesia to meet potential rising racing stars of the future.

Cardion AB Motoracing's Karel Abraham will lead the team's efforts into the 1000cc MotoGP era.

The Ducati GP12 features a claimed max speed of 223.7 mph.

The GP12's cylinders are formed in an angle of 90 degrees and its engine is housed in deltabox aluminum frame.

2012 Cardion AB Motoracing Team debut in the Czech Republic

Anthony West was slated to move up from his Moto2 MZ gig to an Aprilia-powered CRT in MotoGP. But a lack of sponsorship has the Australian out of his promised Speed Master CRT seat, and for now out of GP racing entirely.

Casey Stoner and Dani Pedrosa will seek to defend Honda's title in the 2012 MotoGP Championship which begins April 15th in Qatar.

After suffering from injury in 2011, Spaniard Dani Pedrosa will return to Honda fully fit and in his best physical shape in years.

Aussie Casey Stoner finished on the podium in nearly every round last season on his way to winning the championship.

Proposed Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas. The plans to host MotoGP in 2013 have fallen into doubt during legal wranglings.

Colin Edwards is now on the NGM Mobile Forward Racing Team for the MotoGP Series with Alex De Anegis and Yuki Takahashi.

Cal Crutchlow and Andrea Dovizioso show off their new livery design for the 2012 MotoGP season with Monster Energy Yamaha.

Yamaha revealed its 2012 livery at the Jerez circuit prior to the preseason test.

Best buddies on the Factory Yamaha team. Spies will be feeling the pressure in year three, with Dovizioso pressing aboard the Tech 3 satellite.

Rockstar vs. Monster Energy in the Factory Yamaha garage.

2012 Factory Yamaha M1

Factory Yamaha M1 2012

Factory Yamaha 2012

Carbon brakes anyone?

Lorenzo thumbs up at the Jerez team presentation.

Ben Spies 2012

Ben Spies - Factory Yamaha 2012

Ben Spies Yamaha MotoGP 2012

Lorenzo is popular with the ladies - MotoGP 2012

Jorge Lorenzo - Factory Yamaha 2012

Former racer Lucio Ceccinello is team manager of the LCR Honda Monaco based MotoGP team which includes reigning Moto2 World Champion Stefan Bradl.

The 21-rider 2012 MotoGP grid.

Ben Spies Practice - Qatar MotoGP 2012

Tech 3 Yamaha Team Boss Herve Poncharal at Catalunya.

Karel Abraham led a 1349-rider memorial lap of the Brno circuit in tribute of fallen MotoGP rider Marco Simoncelli.

MotoGP fans took to the 3.36-mile Brno circuit on a wide array of machinery.

The Brno grid swells to capacity with a 1349-rider strong tribute ride for Marco Simoncelli.

The Brno circuit hosted a claimed 1349 riders for a Marco Simoncelli tribute ride at the Czech circuit.

Casey Stoner delivered stunning news at the MotoGP press conference at Le Mans, annoucing his retirement from MotoGP at the end of the 2012 season.

Ducati finished testing in Mugello, trying different configurations of the engine, electronics and chassis, among which was a new aluminum swingarm.

Marc Marquez is expected to jump up to MotoGP, and can head straight to the Repsol Honda seat if the Rookie Rule is repealed.

Jorge Lorenzo claimed the checkers at Qatar - the 2010 champion beating his Repsol Honda rivals, Dani Pedrosa and Casey Stoner.

Lorenzo was just able to squeeze out Pedrosa for the holeshot at Qatar. Pedrosa shot up from the third row to second place by the first turn, though.

Monster Yamaha Tech 3 rider Andrea Dovizioso had a strong showing for his new team, battling with teammate Cal Crutchlow for much of the race for the fourth position.

The starting grid at Jerez with Lorenzo and Pedrosa out front.

Casey Stoner (center) took the win at Jerez, having some fun here with second place finisher Jorge Lorenzo and Dani Pedrosa, who came in third.

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Dani Pedrosa (26) fights with Cal Cruchlow (35) for podium position at Jerez.

A view of Jerez courtesy of Repsol Honda.

Casey Stoner took his second consecutive win of 2012 at Estoril.

Jorge Lorenzo (99) came in second at Estoril followed by Dani Pedrosa (26) in third.

Valentino Rossi had another diappointing finish at Estoril, coming in seventh.

Early on during the GP at Estoril where Casey Stoner would go on to win.

Rossi battled with Tech 3 Yamaha's Cal Crutchlow and Andrea Dovizioso before both crashed out, leaving Rossi free to contend with Stoner for second place at LeMans.

Stoner out ahead of Rossi, though the tables were about to turn as Rossi was on his way to his first second-place finish of the season.

Jorge Lorenzo didn't make the front row during the LeMans qualifier but took first in the GP.

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Stefan Bradl was one of the first riders to switch over to slick tires in Saturday's qualifier at LeMans and went on to take fifth in the GP.

Chris Vermeulen filled in for the injured Colin Edwards at LeMans.

Cal Crutchlow came in with the third fastest time in practice sessions at Catalunya but couldn't make the podium in the GP, finishing fifth.

Ben Spies appeared to have broken his streak of bad luck at Catalunya, briefly taking the lead, but then went off track and fell to 20th.

Lorenzo secured his third MotoGP victory of the season at Catalunya.

Frank Melling offers these classic race tires as a solution to just one of the problems he sees as plaguing MotoGP.

Frank Melling aboard his Matchless G.50 and classic race tires which provide traction in wet and dry conditions.

US Grand Prix Laguna Seca.

Lorenzo kept Pedrosa at bay, leaving the Repsol Honda rider to second-place at Catalunya.

Cal Crutchlow rode from last place on a broken ankle to take sixth at Silverstone.

Ben Spies finally broke the top five at Silverstone.

Long time Honda Repsol Rider Dani Pedrosa will be teaming up with rising star Marc Marquez for the 2013-2014 MotoGP seasons.

Spies opened the race at Silverstone with the lead, then Stoner took it over after four laps with a hungry field close behind.

Lorenzo eventually got out front at Silverstone, earning his third consecutive victory of the season.

Dorna Sports recently signed with ADAC in Munich ensuring that the German MotoGP will take place at Sachsenring until 2016.

Repsol mechanics get Casey Stoner's bike ready for the battle at Mugello.

Bradley Smith will move up to the premier class with Tech 3 Yamaha in 2013.

Moto 2 action at Mugello.

Marco Simoncelli's 2008 winning Gilera RSA 250 was recently presented to the Marco Simoncelli Foundation.

Unveiling of Marco Simoncelli's #58 Gilera RSA 250 at Aprilia Racing headquarters.

Simoncelli's father Paolo accepted his son's bike. 2008 crew chief to "Sic" Aligi Deganello and Luigi Dall'lgna, Technical and Sport Director of the Aprilia Racing Divison also attended the presentation

Yamaha riders Jorge Lorenzo, Ben Spies, Andrea Dovizioso and Cal Crutchlow participated in a commemorative video in preparation for Laguna Seca, each with his own Dodge Challenger.

Nicky Hayden inks a one-year extension with Ducati at Laguna Seca.

Dani Pedrosa will continue on with the Repsol Honda squad, racing alongside rookie Marc Marquez in 2013.

Andrea Dovizioso had to put in some hours at Yamaha's US Headquarters before Laguna Seca.

Yamaha Factory Racing boss Lin Jarvis at the 2012 Yamaha Racing team launch in Jerez.

Andrea Dovizoso

Carmelo Ezpeleta is considering implementing control ECU's and rev limiters to help cut costs in MotoGP in 2014.

Casey Stoner has undergone ankle surgery in his native Australia to repair damage caused during his Indianapolis GP qualifying crash.

Jonathan Rea continued testing the Repsol RC213V in Casey Stoner's absence during a private test at Aragon.

Construction on the Circuit of the Americas track near Austin. The COTA has been embroiled in controversy shortly after its inception, with lawsuits surrounding its opening Formula 1 and MotoGP events.

MotoGP riders line up for a bike ride at the newly named Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli, in memory of "SuperSic."

Premier class riders in a press conference prior to Misano.

Valentino Rossi at Misano.

The Circuit of the Americas has finalized its deal to host a third USGP round in 2013, the MotoGP paddock visiting Texas on April 19-21.

Valentino Rossi signs some autographs at the Japanese Grand Prix at Motegi.

Cal Crutchlow crashed out in the wet race at Sepang.

Valentino Rossi at Sepang before race officials called off the contest due to unsafe weather.

Casey Stoner will look to defend his winning record at Phillip Island in the penultimate round of the 2012 season.

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Alvaro Bautista (19) and Cal Crutchlow (35) battled at Sepang before Crutchlow crashed out.

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Katsuyuki Nakasuga will replace Ben Spies in the final round at Valencia.

Hiroshi Aoyama will join Avintia Blusens in 2013.

Alvaro Bautista took fifth at Phillip Island and will look to protect his standing in fifth overall at Valencia.

Andrea Dovizioso will try to get one more podium before the season's over at Valencia.

Casey Stoner says goodbye to professional racing after the final round of 2012 at Valencia.

Colin Edwards has had a difficult season but will try to post a big result in the final round at Valencia.

While Dani Pedrosa won't be in contention for the 2012 title, this year has been one of his best ever in professional motorcycle racing.

Jorge Lorenzo has the title in hand going into the final round at Valencia and will look to put on a good show for his home crowd.

Nicky Hayden at Phillip Island where he finished eighth.

Stefan Bradl battled hard at Phillip Island and scored a sixth-place finish.

Valentino Rossi says goodbye to his Ducati after the final round of 2012 at Valencia. He moves to Yamaha Factory Racing in 2013.

Randy de Puniet aboard the Power Electronics Aspar ART machine.

Dani Pedrosa on the wet track at Valencia during practice.

Cal Crutchlow during the wet practice session at Valencia.

Filippo Preziosi, Ducati Corse General and Technical Director.

Valentino Rossi with Ducati boss Filippo Preziosi. Rumors have started to swirl that Preziosi may soon be removed from his position at Ducati.

2012 MotoGP Season Photo Gallery

Check out all the latest photos from the 2012 MotoGP season here at motorcycle-usa.