INSPIRE July 2012 by Clearsightpartners Ltd

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Inspiration and genius, one and the same.â&#x20AC;? Victor Hugo

e n ev li

“I love vintage bikes, they are so cool!” Eveline

a daY at tHE raCES

Pure adrenalin

Grand Prix de Monaco Historique Cooper T71/73, 1964

Editorial

Enrico Barbieri Editor In Chief

It’s getting hot in here ladies and gentlemen! We’re up and running at full speed now, fine tuning each issue as if we were riding on the RC213V. Isn’t that a beautiful bike? Sometimes I find myself staring at the picture of her I have in my office, just like Stefan Bradl does in our article: The Iron Lady. Big cheers also to Fabio Mazzoni from Honda LCR who wrote it. Inspire means beautiful bikes and amazing girls as well, I know you all like our choices as we’re getting tons of feedback. This month we’re proud to introduce to you: Eveline. We had a lot of fun doing a photo shoot with her in Mugello, let me hear your thoughts about it. Gigi Soldano is an amazing photographer, you can find tons of his images each month in Inspire, Plus he’s a great friend of ours. He told us about his passion for pedal cars so we asked him to take some pictures and write us an article and here it is for you to enjoy. Time is running fast and the days keep on getting more and more exciting. I never felt so good waking up in the morning and catching a plane to see Helmut and Stefan Bradl riding their bikes together. Father and son on the same track, the past and the present of MotoGP next to each other. Then another flight took us to Ibiza to see Lenny Kravitz performing live on la “Isla Blanca”, the white island, he told us about his music and his passion for bikes. Last but not least, I’m sure you’ll love to hear about some crazy Italians riding to Tanzania in order to bring water to the natives of Africa. Don’t forget to check the video, Valentino Rossi is involved in the project too. I told you, it’s getting hot in here ladies and gentlemen!

K E Y N OT E

Lucio Cecchinello LCR Honda Team Principal

Otto was the name of my dad’s inseparable daily companion. He was so close to him that he never allowed him to go out by himself, so he would bark for hours and generally be a bundle of mischief. When spring was around the corner the biggest problems began…. My dad loved to go out for a ride in the evening or at the weekends on his mopeds or antique bikes (Mosquito, Cucciolo, Moto Guzzi…) wending his way around the various country paths visiting his friends and having lunch at “Da Valerio” trattoria…, and Otto was left at home and became furious! The first attempt at solving the problem was not to switch on the bike until a fair distance from home so Otto could not hear the roar of the engine… another go was to let him run and play behind the Mosquito in Via Cavazza to wear him out… but in the end, every effort was futile and to avoid Otto’s usual rebellion my dad built a two-seat Mosquito, a two-seat Cucciolo and a two-seat Guzzi. After a few years Otto also got a sidecar, a brand new Ural which was exclusively built for him. There was a special dish for his dog food in the foot-well, with a water bottle and a blanket for cold days, a raincoat in case of rain and even sungoggles for racing-dogs! Watching them setting out with the sidecar was simply great. As soon as Luciano started his Ural, Otto was shaking with excitement and barking until they reached the 50km/h mark and then he got distracted by the scents of the countryside. My dad and his racing-dog were a phenomenal couple together, and they generated a lot of smiles wherever they went. I am convinced they inspired many dog owners to be more careful with their puppies; they deserve our complete attention and affection because they are extraordinary companions for life.

11 JULY 2012

PHOTOGRAPHER

Duncan Macfarlane

WATCH AND GET INSPIRED Courtesy by Red Bull Content Pool www.inspire-lcr.com/redbullfuturesurfcamp

Mick Fanning performs during the Red Bull Future Surf Camp at Boomerang Beach in Forster, Australia on April 29th, 2012

INSPIRE

CoNtriBUtorS Steve Burges Full time MotoGP consultant working with most teams and some riders. ‘Love MotoGP and could not think of anything better to do’ Malika Laklalech Photographer, through my job I had the chance to be near important sportsmen who gave me the passion for speed. As soon as I had the chance I got involved in big sports events such as motorcycle racing, cars and boats. Juan Suarez I was born and raised on that magical White Island called: Ibiza The Phoenicians named it after Bez, their god of dance. It’s no surprise Ibiza became the favorite place for all those who looked for real good times. Centuries later it’s still like that and I couldn’t live anywhere else in the world. Elena Cecchinello I’m the hospitality and infrastructure manager. My main job is trying to help the whole team and my brother Lucio, the best way I can. My greatest passion is my family, I have two six year old twins whom I completely adore. I like the arts, I like being in contact with nature and I don’t like to show off, that’s why I always prefer to be behind the scenes. Massimo Visconti Photographer, videomaker, sound designer and most of all: bike lover. A true born gypsy, always willing to jump on a plane and land somewhere sunny, exotic and unknown. James Pipino Fashion/Celebrity Photographer based in Australia I shoot campaigns all over the world. I love creating images with a story and with a passion for all things motorsport I’ve been lucky enough to be involved with LCR. Fabio Mazzoni Sport, Business and the roar of the engines are my biggest passions. Working in MotoGP is a dream that has come true and working with LCR Team makes this dream even better.

S U M M a rY 20 38

52 20

A DAY AT THE RACES LCR Fashion photoshoot

THE IRON LADY The secret of our RC213V unveiled

RACE HIGHLIGHTS Race Highlights - Round 06

CARS... FOR PLAY! Gigi Soldano talks about his greatest passion

HELMUT BRADL Great Life Stories

GEOMETRIC ALUMINIUM

New Fluid Tank

“NEXT” www.rizoma.com

S U M M a rY

102

RACE HIGHLIGHTS Race Highlights - Round 07

FAST DOGS Bikes and Dogs in Monaco

ALESSANDRO BORGHESE Worldwide Flavors

100

TINO MARTINO The Racing Spirit in One Shot

102

MARCO LUCCHINELLI Vintage Emotions

108

LENNY KRAVITZ Bikes and People

114

CAPO TANZANIA A trip to bring water to Africa

126

RACE HIGHLIGHTS Race Highlights - Round 08

140

DRIVE RESPONSIBLY Lucio Cecchinello: Medicine consumption and driving

142

TRAVELS Where, what, when...

108

114

126

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it’s a GIVI monokey ® not just a top case

SPECIFIC REMOTE CONTROL (OPTIONAL)

CAPACITY 47 Lt INTERNAL SOFT BAG (OPTIONAL)

it can hold two modular helmets

A day at the Races text: Massimo Visconti - photo: James Pipino

What if this beauty was our data-recording engineer? What if she came from Holland? What if she lived in Italy? Guess what? At least two of these statements are true!

“... Seven kilometers later she’s riding even faster on her purebred Japanese stallion...”

he long, narrow, leather straps are firmly attached to the bridle while she pulls in the reins. The sun is setting and she is in the saddle, riding her purebred Arabian stallion gracefully. From her farmhouse near Borgo San Lorenzo, up and down the hills, right up to the castle of Montesenario. Stopping by at the river Sieve to cool down a little, all around the air starts to get hotter as the cicadas trill on the trees nearby her home. Seven kilometres later she’s riding even faster on her purebred Japanese stallion, a 1978 six-cylinder CBX, 1000cc of pure Honda pleasure. On a Thursday morning the paddock is already alight, though only certain people are allowed. She doesn’t even have to stop at the gate, all the guards know her by name. She waves her hand as she enters the Mugello Circuit with a disarming smile on her face. A few seconds later all the people stare while she takes off her helmet and steps into the garage. A walking ray of light, a sultry breeze with legs, she is, apparently, the most beautiful geek ever to work for a MotoGP team. She sits in front of her computer recording data: speed curves, pressure ratios, fuel burning, she loves being a part of all that, she loves fast bikes. The free practice will reveal if the team have found the perfect set-up for the beloved Italian circuit. But now she walks the pit-lane and the empty track, eyeing the stands, imagining the thousands of fans who will enjoy the show in the next few days. It’s going to be amazing, it’s going to be an electrifying weekend in Mugello.

“It’s easy to get lost in Mugello with our beautiful Eveline”

www.szen.com

+39 02 255151.1

THE

IRON LADY

text: Fabio Mazzoni - photo: Davide Esposito

BEAUTIFUL, FAST, STRONG, OF A PEACEFUL AND DETERMINED CHARACTER, SHE HAS THE AMBITION TO ALWAYS BE THE MAIN PROTAGONIST AND THE CENTRE OF ATTENTION, QUIET AND ALMOST SHY IN THE PREPARATION STAGES, UNLEASHED, UNCONTROLLABLE AND LOUD WHEN THE GAME STARTS AND IT´S SERIOUS.

eartfelt but reserved she doesn´t like to unveil her own secrets, she only likes to be caressed by expert hands, reliable and punctual, but she never betrays her rider. Descending from a long line of winners, she has made several riders and millions of passionate fans all over the world dream and cheer for her, she has left indelible marks, and has contributed in building the historic legend of a magnificent sport. Over the years she has evolved, she has adjusted to the trends, she has remained up to date with technology, she has been rebuilt many times, she has never abandoned her legendary name: “Honda RC”. These initials represent the meaning of four different project stages, developed and built by Honda since the sixties, capable of accompanying riders like Tom Phillis, Mike Hailwood, Jim Redman and Luigi Taveri to the victory of numerous world titles, using unique technologies and innovations across the eras. Since the end of the 70´s with the arrival of the fast and light two-stroke cousins, twice she has slowed down her ride as she returned back on the scene in the middle of the 80´s inspiring a daring model of road bike dubbed the Honda RC30, capable of winning the first titles in World SBK and dominating innumerable editions of legendary races as the Tourist Trophy on the Isle of Man, the Suzuka 8-Hours endurance race and numerous other national championships. In 2002 she returned through the main door under the name “RC211V”, with its 5 mighty cylinders in V, she dominated the first age of MotoGP four times, accompanying Valentino Rossi and Nicky Hayden to their World Championship titles. In 2007 she laboured slightly to adapt to the slimming down of the motors to 4 cylinders and 800cc, eventually finding an uproarious ally in Casey Stoner who was able to wildly dominate the world championship in 2011. Now under the name of RC213V, in the crusade organized by Lucio Cecchinello she is the inseparable companion of Stefan Bradl, with whom she shares the ambitious dream of being amongst the top riders in the top class. They spend a lot of time together and from the beginning they have shown each other respect and the will to work together, they have a feeling for each other on the hot days as well as rainy and cold days, they perfectly suit together in slow curves like Jerez and Sachsenring, but they also perform well in Montmelò and Mugello, as they have shown. Looking into each other’s eyes they have understood that together they can reach important finish lines.

WATCH AND GET INSPIRED www.inspire-lcr.com/theironlady

GrEat BritaiN

raCE HiGHliGHtS

oMiNUS SiGNS text: Elisa Pavan, Gavin Emmet - photo: Milagro

ALTHOUGH THE SUN EVENTUALLY BROKE THROUGH FOR THE RACE AFTER A DARK AND GLOOMY WEEKEND AT SILVERSTONE, LORENzO TOOK A THIRD WIN IN A ROW AND BRADL SUFFERED WITH A HAND INJURY

Bradl taKES FiFtH PlaCE

at SilVErStoNE FirSt oUtiNG oN HiS rCV

ilverstone, 15th June: The British Grand Prix got underway with a rain-hit first free practice session but the conditions improved for the second outing in the afternoon with Stefan Bradl taking fifth place in a time of 2â&#x20AC;&#x2122;05.391. Riding the Honda RCV, the German experienced the British track for the first time on a MotoGP bike, and went about his business with consistent pace both in the wet and in the dry. He knew there was more to come from his machine ahead of qualifying, as he set about fine-tuning the bike together with his technicians.

Stefan : â&#x20AC;&#x153;I feel quite satisfied about the first day of practices. It seems we are well prepared

both in the dry and wet conditions. I was a bit worried in the afternoon session because our rear tyre dropped off too fast so we made some little adjustments to improve our lap time. So far we are not at 100% yet with the set up but we know where to work and what we have to do because the lap times are still too slow compared to last year. But in general everything is working good for us: I have a little cold which is not helpful but hopefully I can control it during this weekend.â&#x20AC;?

GlooMY NiNtH iN darK

aNd CHillY BritiSH CoNditioNS S

ilverstone, 16th June: In chilly conditions the MotoGP grid headed out for the second day of practice at Silverstone with the morning session partially wet and the qualifying hour held amidst strong winds and darkening clouds. Stefan Bradl would eventually clock the 9th fastest lap time of the session (2’05.035). The 22-year German rider crashed on his out lap

in the morning, resulting in a nasty wound to the fourth finger on his left hand so Bradl was forced to sit out the remaining session. It was suspected that cooler track temperatures were stifling the tyre warm-up performance, and so in an incident-packed qualifying session Bradl dodged through to claim ninth spot on the grid despite the injury and a tricky track surface.

Stefan: “Honestly I am not thrilled about this second day. The weather was

incomprehensible and the crash this morning was quite hard. I was not at 100% for qualifying because of the injury to my finger and also in the afternoon the weather was very strange. We could not make a proper run on soft tyres because some dropped down in one part and some dropped down elsewhere... In the end I was not able to get enough confidence with the bike, and we were also struggling with the strong winds. So it’s not the perfect day for us but I am still confident for tomorrow: we are not that far from the front group and I hope the weather can be less unsettled.” 43 JULY 2012

BraVE BattlE to EiGHtH For Bradl at SilVErStoNE S ilverstone, 17th June: The weather was not kind to the 2012 British Grand Prix on the first two days, with strong winds, low temperatures and occasional downpours. However the sixth round of the season was eventually held in dry conditions and a thankful LCR Honda MotoGP rider Stefan finished the 20-lap race in eighth

position. The reigning Moto2 World Champion, who won in the wet last year at Silverstone, had a painful second day when crashing on his out-lap during the morning session. Bradl hurt the fourth finger on his left hand in the fall but lined up in ninth on the grid and went on to contest a brave race aboard his RC213V.

Stefan: “We can be happy overall because today we improved our pace both in the warm

up and in the race. Unfortunately yesterday I crashed in FP3 and that cost us a lot of track time but it could be worse than this: I mean I could have broken my finger. So it’s not been the perfect weekend for us but we have to take the positive things. Today my start was not perfect due to the injured finger and I lost the feeling for the first laps. Then some riders held me up and it was tough to overtake them. In the middle of the race Crutchlow passed me and I made a small mistake with the clutch because the downshifting was harder with this painful finger. Anyway our lap times towards the end of the race were still pretty fast so this means we have good potential: let’s see what we can do in Assen.”

BEHiNd tHE SCENES

Riders for Health’s (MotoGP’s Official Charity) auction in Silverstone raised £254,989 making a huge difference to the lives of millions of people across Africa. Thank you Stefan! And thanks to all your ontrack colleagues for their support. Let’s sing for Sic! The Rainband pay his tribute to Marco Simoncelli with the song Rise Again. photo: Milagro 47 JULY 2012

Dumb and Dumberer! Stefan’s joking with his Press Officer… Racing is fun even off track! Rossi’s special and historic prayer before getting on the bike did not work this time… OMG… What a crash! Directly from the land of the rising sun our new friend Yui Watanabe: respect for this teenager competing in the Red Bull Rookies Cup. We love her smile.

photo: Milagro

49 JULY 2012

TRACK KEY NOTE

SilVErStoNE aNtoN MaNG text: Nelly Pluto-Prondzynska

CirCUit iNFo LENGTH: 5.900 M. / 3,666 MILES WIDTH: 17M LEFT CORNERS: 8 RIGHT CORNERS: 10 LONGEST STRAIGHT: 770 M. / 0,478 MILES CONSTRUCTED: 1948 MODIFIED: 2011

nton “Toni” Mang was born on September 29th 1949 in Inning (Germany). At age 11 he had his first contact with a motorcycle, but soon he chose ski-bobbing. At this sport he even won the German National Championship and also a Junior European Championship. But he felt much more love for motorcycles and decided to dedicate his life to this sport. In 1970 he joined Dieter Braun’s team as his mechanic. With Sepp Schloegl and Alfons zender Mang, he developed the “Schloegl Mang zender” (SMz 250) and later he won his first race on this machine (in Augsburg). In Grand Prix he debuted during weekend in Austria in 1975 riding on 350cc bike. One year later he won his first race in GP… That win was very special for him, because he scored it during round in West Germany in the 350cc class. In the following year “Toni” became a well-known rider in the paddock, scoring very good results. Even if he was unlucky sometimes, he never gave up and proved his passion for motorcycles. Mang won his first world title in 1980 in the 250cc class, and at the same time he was runnerup in 350cc. One year later he became a double World Champion in both classes and also was German Sportsman of the year. In 1982 he climbed to be the last 350cc World Champion and…

lost the title in 250cc by single point! In 1983, Anton tried out in the 500cc category but failed to make an impact, suffering from an injury from a skiing accident earlier in the year. Anyway he again proved huge love to motorcycle racing and moved back to 250cc, where in 1987 he won his last title. 51 JULY 2012

With more than 60 years of hi stor y Silve rstone ha s become one of the most prestig iou s ve nues dedicated to motorspor t. C ompletely re vamped in rece nt years , a multimillion pound investme nt s aw the completion in 2010 of a f irst pha s e of works to g reatly improve the ve nue , making it one of the fa stest track s on the MotoG P cale ndar and ear ning hig h prai s e f rom the World C hampion ship r ide rs who e nj oyed the ne w layout. T he ‘Silve rstone Wing’ , a state - of - the - ar t, multi - million pound ne w Pit and Paddock C omple x , w ill welcome MotoG P in 2011, thu s adding to already breathtaking fac ilities at Silve rstone .

Cars

... for play! text and photo: Gigi Soldano

hen the automotive world made its appearance, pedal cars soon followed. Their popularity reached its peak in the late 1920’s and early 1930’s, but pedal cars experienced a resurgence in the 1950’s to 1960’s with chain-driven models. After the Second World War, with the increasing prosperity of the 1950’s, pedal cars grew more popular and were available in all major stores. From the early 1920’s through the late 1960’s, pedal cars, like “real” ones, were produced in many different models and colours and designed to incorporate the most current trends of the automotive world. They featured working lights and horns, chrome detailing and hood ornaments, moveable windshields and ragtops and white wall tyres and custom paint jobs. Our close friend and amazing photographer Gigi Soldano told us about his passion for these “adult toys”, he showed us his pictures and we couldn’t help but falling in love with them. Here’s what Gig told us: “We’re just like Big Kids. Collecting pedal cars is a way to stay forever young. I’ve always said it! When I meet the friends who share my own passion, my theory is confirmed each and every time. Our soul is everything but ingenuous, we’re pure, passionate and competent. Doesn’t matter if you’re Mario, the Bank Manager or Giovanni the Chief Physician, Alberto the Corporate Executive or Gigi the Mayor. You might produce balsamic vinegar like Amedeo or be an Antique Furniture Restorer like Romano. No matter what we do for a living, we’re all big kids, we’re like Peter Pan, we don’t want to grow up.Most of us didn’t even have a pedal car when we were kids and years later we got caught up in this passion becoming true perfectionists, like the real collectors. Perfectionism is an essential attribute of being a “professional” collector. You want to know everything about these magic pedal cars, every single detail is vital: build techniques, technical specs, the right painting, the exact pantone, the best materials to use. You’ll find yourself immersed in a never-ending study, a sort of infinite treasure hunting, collecting drawings, old pictures, documents and catalogues. You’ll feel richer every time you learn something new and all the information will make you a true expert and in most of the cases also, a restorer, yourself. What an immense joy it is to be able to put your hands on your favourite toys and fix them, pimp them or maybe build them from scratch. This is our “innocent” passion, a passion we’ll never get tired of ”. This one goes out to Romano, thank you for sharing this passion with me everyday.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;This one goes out to Romano, thank you for sharing this passion with me everydayâ&#x20AC;?

“Pulling the throttle can be so much fun!”

BRAKING INSTINCT

SPEED UNDER PERFECT CONTROL

www.nissinkogyo.co.jp

great LIFe StorIeS GET INSPIRED BY

Helmut Bradl text: Tanja Gvozdenov

HELMUT BRADL IS A FORMER GRAND PRIX MOTORCYCLE ROAD RACER FROM GERMANY AND FATHER OF THE CURRENT HONDA LCR RIDER STEFAN. HIS DESTINY SEEMS TO BE WRITTEN IN HIS NAME: HELMUT. IN GERMAN “HELM” STANDS FOR PROTECTION OR HELMET AND “MUT” STANDS FOR SPIRIT AND COURAGE. THOSE ARE THE WORDS THAT BEST DESCRIBE THIS CHAMPION.

Tanja: When you think back to the World Championship 1991, which three words come to your mind? Helmut: Only two. First: five nice victories, then “shit” (Helmut laughs). T: How were you with fans? H: I was very focused when I was on track, but I tried to please all the fans, unfortunately that´s not always possible, you always disappoint somebody. T: What did you think of the attention you got as a rider? H: When you are doing well on track, people are interested in you and you get support from all sides. But if you don´t do well on track, the interest gets less and less very fast and then the fame that you might have had before fades away very quickly. T: How was racing different when you were racing compared to nowadays racing? H: Racing back then was more about the men and their bikes, electronics didn´t exist in the way they do today. It was much more up to the rider to make sure his bike is doing well and he goes fast. Riders back then had many more high-sides and accidents than they do today, and all the riders from back then, like MacDewen etc. had their “scares” in racing, which shows how dangerous it was. Luckily the electronics improved a lot since then and racing is much safer, which I´m very happy about as my son is racing now as well. T: I was told that you were more a daredevil type than Stefan is now and that you crashed quite a lot in the first years, do you agree with that? H: Yeah I agree with that. I think Stefan is doing a great job, he is getting faster step-bystep and I just went out there thinking, I can do that and it will work somehow, and then I pushed over my limit sometimes and that caused me some crashes. Stefan is much more the “thinker-type-racer” who doesn´t do anything without thinking it through first and then act, rather than just do something and put himself unnecessarily in danger. T: When you think back to your racing career, what would you do different today? H: I made a lot of mistakes, but everybody

does. I came into MotoGP on my own and with hardly any support. I started when I was already much older than Stefan is now and I didn´t have such professional support around me. Back then MotoGP was very different, it was not so well organized like it is now. It was much simpler, it was pretty much all just about racing, and today MotoGP is a big business and it´s very professional and really well organized. There are so many people involved to make sure the spectators on track and the audience at home is getting a good show. T: Was paddock life much different back in the Nineties? H: Yeah I think so. It was much more relaxed than it is today. The motorhomes were not as big and luxurious as they are today and it was much more family-orientated as well. Riders used to bring their whole family to the track and there would be blow-up pools for the kids at the back of the motorhomes. Kids were running around playing and the wives or girlfriends were hanging up the washing. But then the riders didn´t have so many things to do and there was not so much expected of them away from the race track as it is today. And as I said before, times changed and everything is changing with the years, it doesn´t always mean that it changed for the worst, it´s just different. T: At the Hockenheim race in 1991, you won in front of your home crowd, how was the feeling riding over the finish line? H: It´s an incredible feeling to win a race anyway and if you win in front of your home crowd, then that´s even more of a satisfaction. I won the race with 13 or 14 seconds advantage and then you have some time to take a look at the crowd when you are riding over the finish line and they all stand up… it was amazing and an absolutely unbelievable feeling! Ralf Waldmann won the 125 race, so it was a German day and a great experience for all the spectators. T: MotoGP has changed since 1991 in many

ways, do you think that in 2012 the focus lies too much on media and public relations for the riders? Does too much get expected of them? H: Times have changed. When I was riding and I was at the GP in Japan, I called home only once a week to see how everybody was doing and that´s it. In the times of Facebook, Twitter etc. everything changed and you have to go with time, the focus on the PR and media side of things is very strong and I think that sometimes the focus on that is too much… but if you are not successful on track, then also nobody is interested in you. I also tried to explain that to Stefan and made him realize that it´s more important how many points you can achieve, than how many autographs you give on a race weekend. I think he is doing a good job, he is young and he is another generation so of course he is doing things differently than I was. T: Are you happy that now with Stefan riding in the MotoGP you´re back in the paddock again and part of it? H: I would be very happy being at home in Bavaria, sitting in my garden with my wife and having a glass of wine, listening to the birds… I appreciate such things much more now. As you get older your priorities change of course and after three days on the track and the noise, I´m looking forward to going home. I always say when I arrive to the Paddock and I put my pass around my neck: “now I´m going to the zoo for three days” (Helmut laughs). But of course I´m extremely happy for Stefan that he is where he wanted to be. I remember exactly when Stefan was 13 and had his first race, the ADAC-Rookies-Cup and the Bavarian television interviewed him and he said: “I want to be one place better than my dad.” And now travelling with him and supporting him, I´m very glad that he is where he always wanted to be. He achieved what I couldn´t achieve, so my son fulfilled my dream and Luca´s two daughters will probably never ride a bike faster than my son, so that makes me happy (Helmut laughs).

“I say what I think and that’s the right way”

67 JULY 2012

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Watching Stefan riding in the MotoGP World Championship makes me happy and satisfiedâ&#x20AC;?

raCE HiGHliGHtS

all KNEEl For “tHE CatHEdral” text: Elisa Pavan, Gavin Emmet - photo: Milagro

STEFAN BRADL MAY HAVE INNOCENTLY WITNESSED THE COLLISION THAT ENDED THE LEGENDARY DUTCH TT EARLY FOR JORGE LORENzO AFTER ALVARO BAUTISTA COLLECTED HIM AT TURN ONE, HOWEVER THE RACE DIDN’T LAST TOO MUCH LONGER FOR THE GERMAN. NONETHELESS THE WEEKEND HAD MASSIVE POSITIVES, INCLUDING A BEST-EVER QUALIFYING SESSION FOR THE BAVARIAN, AND THE TITLE RACE WAS ALSO BLOWN WIDE OPEN AFTER STONER TOOK ADVANTAGE OF LORENzO’S MISFORTUNE TO SEAL VICTORY AND LEVEL THE SPANIARD ON POINTS.

NEtHErlaNdS

FIRST OUTING AT THE CATHEDRAL FOR MotoGP CONTINGENT

ssen, 28th June: The Dutch track provided largely sunny and dry conditions for the first day of free practices at the slightly revamped circuit which hosts the seventh round of the 2012 calendar. LCR Honda racer Stefan Bradl had a difficult Moto2 race in Assen last year and although

he is not a big fan of the 4.542km track, he still made a positive first MotoGP appearance at motorcycling’s “Cathedral” aboard his RC213V. Bradl posted the 11th fastest time (1’35.337) in a tight afternoon session with 10 riders separated by less than half a second.

Stefan: “This morning we struggled a lot with the bike and we were quite a way from our

perfect set-up and at the end of the first session I was a bit worried. I had no idea of what we needed to improve to be back to our normal shape. But in the second outing we made good progress and gained much more confidence. The bike was easier to ride but I need to improve on section one which is the main issue at the moment. If you look at the classification we are only 11th, but if you check the lap times we are very close to the top ten.”

FaNtaStiC FoUrtH oN Grid For rooKiE Bradl A

ssen, 29th June: LCR Honda’s Stefan Bradl put in his best qualifying display to date in the premier class at Assen, heading up the second row for the 26-lap race thanks to an incredible fourth-fastest time in practice. After Thursday’s steady first outing, Bradl quickly gained more confidence aboard his Honda and adapted to the flowing nature of the Dutch track. The 60-minute qualifying session started in dry conditions but with dark clouds overhead and some light downpours throughout the session, the German made light of the tricky conditions and posted a fastest lap time of 1’34.035 on soft rubber.

Stefan: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Finally we put things together and we had a very good qualifying session, a very

good lap time and a very good spot on the starting grid for tomorrow. I was not expecting this result because yesterday we were struggling a lot but we remained concentrated: basically we did not give up and the great result finally arrived and the team demonstrated strong character. We have found a good balance for the bike and had a perfect strategy. It was not easy though because the weather was pretty unstable. This is showing our real potential and now I must learn to repeat this in the future.â&#x20AC;?

EarlY BatH For StEFaN

at dUtCH tt

ssen, 30th June: The seventh round of the season at the famous Assen circuit took place in sunny conditions and saw Casey Stoner taking victory followed by his teammate Dani Pedrosa and Andrea Dovizioso, whilst MotoGP rookie Stefan Bradl unfortunately crashed out on lap two. This is the first race he has failed to finish in his rookie season. The adjustments made after the initial practices on day one gave Bradl the confidence to improve his pace and take fourth in the qualifying session in only his seventh ever MotoGP event. Unfortunately the German could not translate that impressive pace into a decent result but he was already looking forward to bouncing back at his home track in just seven days time.

Stefan: “Well... I don’t have so much to say. On Friday we obtained a very good grid

position and in the race I made another good start. In the first lap the feeling with the bike was great and I could easily close the little gap to Spies. I do not remember last time I had such a good feeling at the start but I have to be honest... I was probably then too aggressive on braking into turn ten and I crashed. It’s my mistake and I am very sorry for the guys: today we could have taken a very positive result. Now I want to learn from my mistake and make another step forward ahead my home race. The potential is there and we are capable of racing with the top riders.”

BEHiNd tHE SCENES

Maybe Stefan wants to line up on the grid aboard the Batman bike on Sunday? Mmmm… Dorna wont’be happy about it. But Lucio could buy a new toy for his rookie... no bullets permitted. Finally!!! The 1st MotoGP Ladies Happy Hour has been a real success… let’s do it again! Super Mario and The Doctor: two great Italian champions. photo: Milagro 83 JULY 2012

Lorenzo out of the game: a day to forget for the Spanish. A day to remember for Dovizioso whilst Casey is in seventh heaven: another fantastic victory for the Aussie! Hayden was clearly hoping for moreâ&#x20AC;Ś and Pedrosa share his champagne with a sexy girl.

photo: Milagro

85 JULY 2012

TRACK KEY NOTE

aSSEN

CirCUit iNFo LENGTH: 4.542 M. / 2,822 MILES WIDTH: 14M LEFT CORNERS: 6 RIGHT CORNERS: 12 LONGEST STRAIGHT: 487 M. / 0,303 MILES CONSTRUCTED: 1955 MODIFIED: 2012

Assen is the only venue to have held a round of the Motorcycle World Championship every year since its creation in 1949. The circuit was purpose built for the Dutch TT in 1954, with previous events having been held on public roads. The track is narrow, with rapid changes in direction, and is fully surrounded by grass banks and grandstands, providing excellent viewing for the hundreds of thousands of fanatical spectators who are drawn to the most prestigious event in Dutch motorsport every year. A huge favourite with riders, Assen is well known for its festive and extravagant atmosphere. In 1999 the circuit was modified with a new grandstand, control tower, press centre and renovated boxes. Modifications to the Assen circuit over the winter of 2005/6 saw the length of the championshipâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s longest serving track cut from over 6km down to 4.555km/2.83miles.

JiM rEdMaN

text: Nelly Pluto-Prondzynska - photo: Frank Melling Photo

im Redman, more precisely James Albert Redman, was born in London (England) on November 8th 1931. When he was a young man, he emigrated to Rhodesia (now zimbabwe) where he began his career in motorcycle racing in 1955. He also still lives in South Africa. After racing in South Africa and Europe, he debuted in Grand Prix at age 28. In 1959 and 1960 he started on few occasions in classes 250cc and 350cc. He became a professional rider in GP in 1961 and almost immediately he proved his talent, because in that year he was 3rd in 250cc class at the end of the season. What is the most unbelievable, in 1962 Redman became a double World Champion in 250cc and 350cc, and also was runner-up in

125cc class! One year later he defended both crowns and again in 1964 he was the best in 350cc class. In 1964, at Assen circuit, he became the first rider in history to win three Grand Prix races in just one day! Only Mike Hailwood also achieved this. From 1963 to 1965 Jim was also taking double wins in 250cc and 350cc classes at the Isle of Man TT. This is still a Guinness World Record! Redmanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s career was brought to a premature end after crashing at Spa-Francorchamps in 1966. The crash caused him permanent weakness and discomfort in his right arm which effectively ended his race career. Anyway, he still has a big passion and love for motorcycles, in 1995 he won his first race after 26 years! That happened in Daytona (America) during a Classic Grand Prix in the 350cc class. In GP he won 45 races, overall stood on the podium in 98 and, what is most important, became a six-time World Champion. Jim Redman was also awarded the Order of the British Empire for his achievements.

TRACK KEY NOTE

87 JULY 2012

Honda presents the new Honda NSX Concept

News and Technology featuring on www.honda-at-geneva.eu

text: Massimo Visconti - photo: Mal

ika Laklalech

FOUR-LEGGED BEST FRIENDS RIDING ON TWO WHEELS. THESE DOGS CAN REALLY RUN FAST! THEY FOLLOW THEIR MASTERS WHEREVER THEY GO EVEN ON THEIR MOTORBIKES. YOUR PET LOVES TO SHARE YOUR PASSION.

“Sascha loves to sit on his Harley watching the ships roll in”

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Tatoo just arrived on his Honda and is now ready to catch some good wavesâ&#x20AC;?

alika Laklalech is an Italian/Moroccan photographer living in Monte Carlo. She loves analogue cameras and most of all she loves dogs. Her passion took her on this beautiful journey that drove her throughout Monaco portraying the cutest dogs she found in town, together with “their” beautiful bikes. The message these cuties seem to shout out loud is clear: “We’re not going to stay home alone in the summer time!” So if you own a pet, always show him your love, even during the holidays. A vacation is a gift for both of you. Thanks to all the friends involved in this project, whether they walk on two or four legs. When did it all star t, how did you get involved in photog raphy? “I’ve always been in love with photography, I have so many close friends who work in the business. One of them once suggested me to start a project and bring it to life, I thought about it and eventually came up with this idea. My intention is to portray dogs in the most enchanting spots of the Principality of Monaco.” Do you own a dog yourself ? “Of course. My dog is Opi, the cute Jack Russell that you can see on the front cover of the magazine!” You’re going to print a book, what should we expect? “The book is already 200 pages long. It’s filled with beautiful pictures of dogs and bikes as well. It took a lot of time to bring them all together. I started with Opi” (her Jack Russell) “she’s been my model and muse since day one. Then came all my friends’ dogs and suddenly the book became a reality. Pets share all the passions of their masters here, from motorbikes to fast cars, so I tried to tell their stories through my images and I did it the Monte Carlo way!” Malika’s book will be in stores soon, we’ll keep you updated.

“Bretzel and Bonnie enjoy long trips and love to ride in style on their Honda Goldwing”

Cani MALIKA

“Indy and Mickey, sitting on the dock of the bay”

Flavors COOKING AT FULL GAS

Worldwide

aLeSSaNDro BorgheSe photo: Emacontino/AB Normal

“Wer reitet so spät durch Nacht und Wind? ” (Johann Wolfgang von Goethe) O ur dr ive r wa s waiting for u s r ig ht in f ront of the ar r ival s at “Ot to Lilienthal” B erlin’s inte r national air por t. A plea s ant and di sting ui shed man holding a handw r itte n sig n w ith the name “S cor pion s” on it. T hat’s s o me , I mu st admit, it mig ht s ound childi sh but it’s s o much f un . When I f ly around the globe I love to g ive the name of a famou s band to the dr iver waiting for me and my team at the air por t. Rudolf S che nker’s band, the g lor iou s S corpion s , we re the per fec t choice for our “wannabe rockstar g ame” in G er many.

I was asked by the Manag ing D irec tor of a G er man fac tor y to organiz e their si xmonthly team building. Years ago I came up w ith the idea of: “Bu siness in the Kitche n” . Not the common team building, but a pro per gastronomic competition betwee n colleag ues led by me and my cooks . In the kitchen as well as in e ver y bu siness you need r ules , skill s , pers e verance and team spir it. Watching the CEO and the C F O “f ighting” in the kitchen w ith their only weapons the spoon and the f lour, wa s way too much f un.

COOKING AT FULL GAS

PILCHARD FISHBALLS Recipes that ser ve four people: 500 g Pilchard Fish 200 g Breadcrumbs 50 g Grated Caciocavallo cheese from Ragusa 50 g Rehydrated Raisins 50 g Pine Nuts 100 g Tomato Concentrate 2 Eggs 1 Onion Mentuccia leaves 350 gr Fresh Peas Flour Salt Ground Pepper Extra Virgin Oil

Alessandro Borghese is the most esteemed Italian chef of modern times hosting several TV shows in Italy. Apar t from being a chef he also runs a company focused on catering and private events called: Il lusso della semplicitĂ .

Directions: Slice the onion thinly and let it brown in a pan with few spoons of oil. Add the tomato concentrate melted in a 1|4 litre of warm water, add salt, ground pepper and peas. Let it all cook for ten minutes on a low f lame. Slice the Pilchard Fish thinly and place in a bowl with the Caciocavallo che-

ese, raisins, pine nuts, breadcrumbs, f lour and chopped Mentuccia leaves. Add salt and ground pepper. Shape the fishballs, mash them gently and let them brown gently in a pan with some oil. When theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re ready, place them on plate with the peas.

www.alessandroborghese.com 99 JULY 2012

THE RACING SPIRIT IN ONE SHOT I have started working with Gigi Soldano (Milagro Group) in 1987 when I moved to Milano. Since that moment I act as his right shoulder! 3 years together of Paris Dakar living the real Africa and in 1990 we have started our adventure in the MotoGP Word Championship. First only the EU rounds and in 1991 the whole calendar. We mainly worked for Aprilia and I saw the debut of many Italian champions such as Capirossi, Biaggi and Rossi. All the riders in every moment have been special to me. I do not have a favourite rider… now that I am more experienced I can say that all the riders must be respected for their efforts, determination, commitment, and friendship etc… They are all good friends and great characters. I took this photo when Rossi crashed heavily in Mugello. Despite the tragicalness of the shot I like the joker face on the top of the helmet sniggering and the safety pillows with the writing DOCTOR. It’s a tragic paradox.

Photographer Tino Martino

INSPIRE

Vintage Emotions PRESENTS

MARCO LUCCHINELLI text: Gavin Emmett

The late seventies was an era of the playboy, where a carefree, never-say-die attitude pervaded. Motorcyclists have always embodied this laissez-faire sentiment, and as the decade clicked through into the 1980s Barry Sheene had become a household name in the UK, and Spain had their own high-roller superstar in Angel Nieto. Meanwhile Italy’s rock-star motorcyclist was none other than the ‘Crazy Horse’ himself, Marco Lucchinelli.

he Italian’s life has been one lived on the very precipice, both on and off the track. Ironically after the wave of colourful Americans that followed Kenny Roberts’ successes in the late 70s, Lucchinelli still represented the European old school. Wheels in line and smooth as silk, he was extremely fast on a motorcycle but often his wild nature pushed him beyond the limit. ‘Lucky’, as he became known to those in the paddock, was born in the town of Ceperana in La Spezia in 1954, and he began his motorcycle racing career in 1973 with an Aermacchi that he and friends had cobbled together. In a rapid rise through Italian series to the top, by 1976

he was already mixing it with the big boys in the 500cc World Championship. Riding the same Suzuki as the champion Sheene that year, Lucchinelli showed on a number of occasions that he had that streak of untamed madness required to succeed in the ultra-competitive premier class. The Suzuki four-cylinder may well have been the bike of the time, but he made life tough for the Briton, and sealed his first three career podium finishes including one on debut in Le Mans. He would end his first season in a creditable fourth place. ‘Lucky’ was certainly a maverick, with a cigarette often to be found dangling from the corner of his mouth or a cravat

twisted around his neck, yet that didn’t stop him from dominating the 1981 World Championship on board his Roberto Gallina backed RG500. That year he took five of his six race victories, and held off the charge from the new kid on the block Randy Mamola and the reigning champion Roberts. The star on his helmet quickly became known as the ‘Stella Fortuna’ or ‘Lucky Star’ under which he seemed to ride his charmed life. Over the years there have been riders who have had the talent but not the necessary mettle, and yet more who have enjoyed the playboy lifestyle but not been able to back it up on track. Lucchinelli was one of those who seemed to have got the balance right… That was until his successes got the better of him. This wasn’t a time when riders would spend hours at the gym, do media training and visit sports psychologists; all too often their pre-race preparation consisted of an allnight binge at a Swedish nightclub. However before long, this heady mix of racing, partying and generally burning the candle at both ends would take its toll on Lucky. After a sensational switch to Honda alongside Freddie Spencer in 1982 (perhaps no greater contrast of characters would ever sit side-by-side in a team again) Lucky’s career on track would start to slide. He tried his hand on a Cagiva, and then in a Formula 3000 car. He would even win an entertaining Battle of the Twins at Daytona in 1987, but by now it was his off-track lifestyle that would defeat him more often.He had always fancied himself as a bit of a crooner, and he enjoyed considerable chart success as a singer on the eponymous ‘Stella Fortuna’ and even would perform at Italy’s famous San Remo music festival. Yet this pop-star existence on top of that of a motorcycle genius led him down darker avenues. His luck eventually ran out when he was arrested in December 1991 for being present in a flat during a drug sting. In court he was forced to admit to the judge, “I am a cocaine addict, but not a drug dealer.” He was sentenced to five years and four months prison, but would only spend several months on the inside before being placed on house arrest. In effect prison became the place that would begin to turn his life around and like the true champion he is, he went on to defeat his addiction, and learnt from his mistakes to become a loving husband to his wife Paola and his two children Cristiano and Rebecca. “Prison was so useful to me,” he acknowledged later. “I wish I had gone there much earlier so I could have got rid of this damned slavery (cocaine addiction) long ago.” These days, Lucchinelli is more likely to be found adding his insight into the MotoGP TV programming on Italian TV, and every now and then his face appears around the paddock. The shaggy hair, pierced ears and weatherworn face remind us all of a life lived to the full, but one in which we are all thankful that he was living under a Lucky Star.

WATCH AND GET INSPIRED www.inspire-lcr.com/marcolucchinelli

KRAVITZ

LENNY

BIKES AND PEOPLE

text: Juan Suarez

“I love bikes, I always had a huge crush on them”

enny Kravitz musician and producer one of the most innovative singers of the past decades, comes to San Antonio after his successful spell at Rock in Rio Madrid to perform at the Festival Ibiza 123, where he will present his new work ‘black and white America’, a review of his greatest hits and classic rock ‘. He will also interact with the ‘dj’ Luciano. “I love experimenting contrasts “ The great American singer intends to present on Tuesday his new show at ses Variades , with which he is on Tour around Europe at this moment. Leonard Albert ‘Lenny’ Kravitz (New York, 1964) is a producer, singer, instrumentalist, composer and an essential figure in rock music in recent decades. It has four Grammys and has sold nearly 90 million albums. His style, unique, incorporates elements of soul, funk, rock, reggae and just about every style of music retro. This has created a personal stamp imitated by musicians and composers called neopsycodelia. He admires Prince, Led zeppelin, Queen, Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Wonder y Curtis Mayfield, and many more. Lenny was married to actress Lisa Bonet, they have a daugther together, zöe, he signed with Virgin Records, with whom he recorded his first hit, ‘Are you gonna go my way’. The expectations created by its Spanish tour will be reflected in ses Variades , in a show of more than one hour and a half in which he also will be performing with DJ Luciano , presenting his first work as an ‘rocktronic’ artist and standing once again at rock’s vanguard forefront. - What will you present on Tuesday at Ibiza festival 123? I do not plan surprises, they just come by itselfs. You have to be at the festival to see it. - You never been in Eivissa before, But Im sure you heard about the island through Pino Sagliocco. What idea do you have about this Mediterranean island?

I have heard that the island is beautiful and has a wonderful nature,also a wonderdul crystal clear sea. Being my mother from Bahamas, those are just the elements I love . -Do You know that through Eivissa have passed many legends of ‘rock’, reggae, pop and electronic music now? Of course. I Also heard about legendary music and parties in the island. At this point I’m sure im not going to be disappointed. I will have to see it by myself. -How about the idea of fusing two completely diferent worlds as electronic music and rock ‘? I think is an excelent idea to fuse electronic music and rock . Actually, at this moment Im working on mixing this two concepts. -You live between your residence in Paris and Bahamas. How is to share the environment of a large cosmopolitan city with the simplicity of a small town on an island? I’ve always been fascinated by contrasts experiences in my life. I love spending part of the year living in a van in a deserted beach eating outside in the garden,and the other part in a nice hotel in Paris. In Bahamas is where i can find myself, enjoying the nature, and in Paris I live the opulence of the city. It’s a great mix, which I like. -What inspires you from everyday life and busy like in a big city and the peacefull and easy going from an island like Eivissa? Both of them are inspiring for me . -Your influences as a child come from ‘soul’ music and ‘R & B’, through which you had learned to compose and produce music. What kind of music do you get influenced by today? I get inspired by all kinds of music. There is always something to learn about, even if is not your style of music. -The Diving Bell and the Butterfly’, ‘Zoolander’, ‘Precious’ (with Maria Carey), a drama by Lee Daniels that won two Oscar Awards and by last, ‘Hun-

ger Games’ in which film you interprate Cinna, a bisexual fashion assistant , How has been your experience in cinema? I love the movies because it is not me but a character and vision of a director.It gives me the chance of get out of myself completely and look forward to new encouragement . I like a lot to collaborate with different actors and directors. -Are u planning to do more movies or is just something random for you? I dont rule out anything, it’s a experience that I like a lot -Your support for UNICEF’s global campaign for children’s access to drinking water has been relevant. What is your role in the proyect? Every human being should have access to clean and healthy water, but this is not the issue. UNICEF is doing a great job to help this become a reality. I just use my voice to help spread this idea throughout the world so then people have the opportunity to hear about this issue and help us with the cause. -In ‘Black and White’ you talk again about a hot topic and sensitive as racism could be.What is the difference in the treatment of this controversy on this album compared to your other works on this subject, as ‘Mr Cab Driver’? In general we have evolved a lot since then but racism is something that we must pay special attention. There are still many people in the world who are afraid of those who are different.. -In your latest album you make constant references to God. Does religion and faith are so important to you? My faith in God is the only real thing I have. -What is your secret to stay well, get inspired, stay in shape although your busy life? I love my life and am very aware of the blessings that had given me. So I take care of myself to be able to enjoy my time on this planet.Laughing and being positive helps a lot too. Everything is so natural. -You got four Grammy awards and sold 90 million albums... But you did not follow your mothers advice as a child. Is not that right? This comes from the advice she used to gave me always as a child . She used to say : “don’t take more when your mouth is full’’, a sentence I introduced in the song ‘ Always on the run ‘. Well, I guess my mouth is bigger that what I thought .

CAPO TANZANIA

text: Elena Cecchinello - photo: Gigi Soldano

FROM QATAR TO TANzANIA. ITALIAN PEOPLE ARE NOT ONLY A NATION OF SAINTS, POETS AND SAILORS, BUT RIDERS AS WELL. IN THE SADDLE OF THEIR TRUSTY BIKES, A GROUP OF CRAzY ITALIANS TRAVELLED THE WORLD TO BRING NEW LIFE TO THOSE PEOPLE DESPERATELY IN NEED OF HELP.

WATCH AND GET INSPIRED www.inspire-lcr.com/capotanzania

ESVI is an independent Humanitarian Organization founded in Italy in 1985. They work worldwide facing every kind of emergency, helping those countries hit by wars or natural disasters. CESVI fights poverty with sustainable development initiatives. Italian comedians Sergio Sgrilli, Paolo Cevoli, Marco Silvestri, the Harambee Association and MotoGP World Champion Valentino Rossi and CESVI itself, all teamed up to fulfil an amazing project. These Italian artists embarked on an amazing, crazy, beautiful journey that took them from Doha, the capital of Qatar on the coast of the Persian Gulf, right to Dar es Salaam, the largest city of Tanzania. The aim of this incredible expedition was to bring a mysterious gift, donated by Valentino Rossi to the CCBRT Hospital. This medical institution provides high quality medical care and rehabilitative services to people with disabilities. The box that

travelled the world contained a little present that symbolized something big. A simple tap, something so common in all our houses that gives us endless access to water, but not so common in a continent like Africa and something even more precious in a place like a hospital. The story of this journey is told by all the amazing human beings involved in this project and the joy of the people cheering for their new water pipe can be seen in these beautiful pictures. Gigi Soldano I wrote while departing…: I´m departing with a group of friends and I´m sure that everything will go well for us. With the desire to first of all look inside all of us. Let’s never stay satisfied and keep on flying with our wings of folly. And friends would be the real surprise for me. And you would have to be friends to surprise me in what was set to be a trip of

discovery of other values. I have understood my companions well and some in particular. Those that I paradoxically knew better in theory. So it was a trip of truth that makes you think and weigh up the values that you rarely use during a usual day. And I still miss that part of Africa, not sentimentally, but because it was unknown to me. And it is another dose of life lived, a moment savoured, after a moment surrounded by colours and perfumes that I really didn’t expect of myself, but that I remembered. I have picked out these photos (with the help of the precious photographic eye of Danilo) which will help you understand the kinds of feelings we have shared, in short they were strong. And above all, just not to forget. I hope they are a gift for everybody. Nothing has been given to us as a present during this trip. I am sure that we experienced everything there. Perhaps the only true gift was made by the children. And it’s them to

whom I devote the photo of page 11. A message sent with the eyes, a real present to us, to not be forgotten and to hold for us all! Aldo Drudi They say that after going to Africa once you will always return, you cannot escape from it anymore. I perhaps have always been in Africa forever. From when I was a child I estranged myself from the garden behind the house in Mazzini Street, with grazed knees and with the catapult in the small pocket of my short pants to go with a few splashes from the little river that flowed under the bricks by the bridge of the railroad. The “Overe”, little more than a ditch full of frogs, tadpoles and snakes. After this little jump you came to the border limits of a territory which was forbidden to explore without permission from the adults. The wild plants, the butterflies in spring, the moles,

the lupines to be chewed, the frogs, the nettles and that smell of wet dirt after the storm. Down there in Tanzania, together with my companions on this trip, I found once more the sincerity of gesture, the simplicity of the words, the beauty of the smiles and the pain and this smell I of dirt that I once knew. Africa is a warm place where real man lives. Sergio Sgrilli Africa. I have not understood yet if every time I go there I leave a part of my heart, or if I patch up a bit of it. So far and so near. So different and so equal. So advanced and so behind. So present and so enormous, that it can happen that you don´t pay enough attention to it. Or it is perhaps right that it is this way. Just a few days and so many emotions, colours, thoughts, doubts, parallel realities, trips, storms, water, warmth, smiles, green, herbs, smiles, sounds,

rhythms, faith, smiles. I have been fortunate to live this experience. I also sincerely hope to remember it, suggest it, talk about it and live proud of it! Paolo Cevoli What a trip !! A kind of trip you will remember forever. Where every quarter of an hour you repeat to yourself “who made me do that?” I don’t know who made me do all this. For sure Aldo Drudi (however I will never be able to thank him enough). But with that sense you forget everything: the flattened backside from sitting in the Jeep for hours and hours, the sleep, the lack of convenience. With the sense that remains: the eyes of the blind baby with bandy feet that laughs when we open the faucet, the orphan babies that are running happily behind the motorbikes on Palm Sunday, the gratitude of our travelling companions on

the nights full of stars on the shore next to the river Ruaha. What a trip!! Valentino Rossi How nice that “those of the Motorbike” and “those of the Zelig” do something together. Something to have a good time, a trip on a bike to an exotic country and on top of that to give a helping hand to those who need it. My commitments didn’t allow me to take part in this trip to Tanzania and therefore I have thought about participating in another way and giving the order to the friends that took part, to deliver a tap for me, that should symbolize “the first brick” of the start of the project of Harambee and Dar Es Salaam considering that in Africa, they told me, without water nothing happens. The boys have shown me the photos, the tape and now the book...wonderful! Mission completed!

After a long trip the riders delivered the last component of the water network of the Hospital facility: a faucet that will allow hundres of people to live next to their familiars

raCE HiGHliGHtS

tWiSt aNd

tUrNS

text: Elisa Pavan, Gavin Emmet - photo: Milagro

AFTER PULLING LEVEL LESS THAN A WEEK PREVIOUSLY, A CRASH FROM STONER AT THE TORTUOUS GERMAN TRACK HANDED THE TITLE INITIATIVE BACK TO LORENzO, AS PEDROSA ALSO GOT IN ON THE ACT. A FIRST HOME MotoGP RACE FOR BRADL SPURRED HIM ON TO HIS BEST DRY RESULT SO FAR.

GErMaNY

GREAT PERFORMANCE FOR GERMAN ROOKIE AT RAIN-LASHED SACHSENRING S

achsenring, 6th July: LCR Honda MotoGP’s Stefan Bradl had high expectations heaped on him by an excited home crowd and in the first day of practice at the Sachsenring, the premier class rookie gave his local fans something to cheer about as he set the second-fastest lap time of the day behind Pedrosa. In the morning’s hot and humid session the local

hero took to his home track aboard a MotoGP machine for the first time ending up in ninth position. However in the afternoon session a torrential downpour hit the German surface so the majority of riders headed out onto the track to sort their wet weather race set-up and that included Bradl who made the most of the wet conditions to finish second fastest (1’32.304).

Stefan: “It was a first crazy day because the weather was so unpredictable. This morning

the sun was shining and we had very good track temperature but later in the afternoon it was pretty unstable with on and off rain showers. In those conditions it’s difficult to find the proper set up but in the end we made some little adjustments that helped me to get more feeling in the wet. Unfortunately we could not fine-tune the bike in the dry because of the weather but in both conditions we are prepared. Second position looks fantastic and it’s a good feeling for me and the team but we keep our feet firmly on the ground.”

StEFaN SatiSFiEd WitH SiXtH

oN Grid For HoME GP

achsenring, 7th July: MotoGP was once again unlucky with the weather at the Sachsenring on Saturday as they were greeted by rain in the morning free session and the same tricky conditions seriously affected the 60-minute frenetic qualifying session with Stefan Bradl lining up on

the second row ahead tomorrow’s 30-lap race. LCR Honda’s local favourite Bradl had led the majority of the session as he showed his increasing confidence aboard the Honda RC213V at the 3.671Km circuit putting in a great effort for his home crowd to seal sixth spot on the grid (1’32.510).

Stefan: “We did not expect to have a wet qualifying session but in the end it rained a lot and our pace was consistently fast from the start. We did a good job for the whole session and this is a positive sign for the team and I. With the little adjustments that we made I could quickly adapt to the conditions lapping at a good pace. At the end of the session the surface started to dry up and everybody pushed hard but I got stopped by some slower riders on my last lap. I was a bit disappointed because we could have been on the front row but in any case it was a very positive session for us and we can be happy about the result.” 131 JULY 2012

Bradl ENdS HoME raCE WitH a

FaBUloUS FiFtH S achsenring, 8th July: The MotoGP contingent were greeted by some welcome sunshine on race-day for the 30-lap German Grand Prix, with local favourite Stefan Bradl excelling on his RC213V machine in front of his home crowd. The German rookie was again a strong performer both in the wet and in the dry at the tight and twisty racetrack and was sixth fastest in the competitive wet qualifying. Bradl started at the end of row two and instantly demonstrated his dry weather potential by leading the second group of riders until a dramatic last three laps in which the 22 year-old German was able to hold off vastly more experienced riders such as Rossi and Hayden.

Stefan: â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was a tough race from the off because I had to fight to maintain the gap to

the group behind me. But I made another good start and this is very positive: after that I was able to follow the Yamaha riders for a while but I could feel that our corner speed was not enough and our edge grip in the left side was poor, because after three or four laps the bike started to spin already. That caused me some issues because I was not able to attack them and in the middle of the race I had to let them go. From that moment I had to manage the group behind me right up to the chequered flag and it was very difficult. I had to push myself to the maximum to block Rossi, Hayden and Barbera in the last three laps. I am very happy about this result because I kept them behind me and this fifth place is a fantastic result for me, for my family, for the team and for my local fans.â&#x20AC;?

BEHiNd tHE SCENES

Crocodile Dundee at Sachsenring? Oops… it is Paolo Beltramo from Italian TV. Nice costume wrong place. Traffic jam for the MotoGP start… they need a traffic light! Rossi’s new underwear may be too tight and Lorenzo has to cope with his crutches. photo: Milagro 135 JULY 2012

Robocop lent his helmet to Michele Pirro: a cooperation between cops. As predicted Pedrosa is the King of Sachsenring whilst Bradl powered his RCV to 5th place amazing his boss and his local fans. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time to relax for Koinuma-San: we will miss you. Great job and great personality.

photo: Milagro

137 JULY 2012

TRACK KEY NOTE

SaCHSENriNG roBErto loCatElli text: Nelly Pluto-Prondzynska

CirCUit iNFo LENGTH: 3.671 M. / 2,281 MILES WIDTH: 12M LEFT CORNERS: 10 RIGHT CORNERS: 3 LONGEST STRAIGHT: 700 M. / 0,435 MILES CONSTRUCTED: 1996 MODIFIED: 2003

oberto Locatelli was born in Bergamo (Italy) on July 5th 1974. Since he was a child, he felt something special for motorcycles and thanks to that he got his first bike when he was just 5 years old. And even if he began his career in enduro, later he fulfilled his father’s dreams by taking up a career in road-racing. He started riding on road bikes at age 18. After spending few years in Italian and European Championships, he debuted in Grand Prix as a wild-card rider during a round at the Mugello circuit in the 125cc class in 1994. Next year he became a full-time rider. He had spent two seasons in 250cc before he was back to the

smallest class. In 1998 at Sachsenring Roberto climbed, for the first time in his career, onto the podium. His first win came one year later, but this time in Le Mans. He was racing on 125cc and 250cc bikes with success more or less. The best season for him was 2000, when in the smallest classes he won the championship. On the road to glory he scored five wins and nine podiums overall. Unfortunately the next years weren’t lucky for him, but he never gave up and tried his best. He scored his last ever win in Germany in 2004 whilst riding for Lucio Cecchinello’s team in the 250cc class. A serious accident in 2007 almost ended his career. In free practice at Jerez de la Frontera “Loca” lost control of his bike. He collided with safety barriers, resulting in severe facial trauma, including many fractures of his face, as well as an open fracture of his left ankle and a fracture of the left collarbone. But he shocked everyone when he came back to racing in Le Mans (round 4) less than two months after the crash. Locatelli’s last ever podium came in Le Mans in 2009, where he was third. Roberto decided to retire at the end of 2009 season with one World Championship and nine wins. 139 JULY 2012

Car and bike races have been held on closed public roads in the area around the town of Chemnitz, Germany since the 1920s and were still taking place until as recently as 1990. It was decided, however, that the five mile course through such a densely populated area was no longer suitable and a new circuit was built five miles west of Chemnitz in 1996. Although mainly used as a driver training centre and road transport safety station, Sachsenring first hosted MotoGP in 1998 and many improvements have taken place since then, including a drastic layout enhancement in 2001. Numerous tight corners make it one of the slower tracks on the calendar but there is never any shortage of close racing action.

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ONLINE INSURANCE

presents

LUCIo CeCChINeLLo Former Rider - MotoGP Team Manager

MEDICAL WARNING, READ CAREFULLY: PRESCRIPTION MEDS AND DRIVING, PLEASE DON’T MIX Dear friends, before I start digging into the topic of this column, I would like to kindly ask you a question. Why should an Online Insurance Company like

FEATURING

Linear, sponsor a MotoGP team? I kept on asking myself this question from the very first moment I received their offer. “Why do they choose to enter the MotoGP World? Is it because their competitors maybe took a similar step? Absolutely not! They chose this way simply because they’re ahead of the game. I’m not saying it just to please one of the companies who chose to support and believe in my team. Instead, Linear had the capacity to understand that visibility is not the only key factor in entering the MotoGP World. Hanging around with a group of pro riders is a great way to get some good tips to share with the everyday driver. Safety first! We’re always willing to offer some good advice if we can and Linear gave me and the racing community the chance to reach a wider audience. In the previous episodes of my column: “Green Light” I had the chance to talk about the risks that cyclists run when they’re out on the streets, the importance of an accurate maintenance of our vehicles but today let me talk about driving whilst taking prescription medication. Something that pro riders know very well, but which is frequently ignored by the common people. I’ve been on the track myself for fifteen years and

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I know what it means when your attention span is reduced by the meds you’ve been prescribed, whether simple pain-killers or fever reducers for example. Last year, in their annual report, the Italian Medical Organization OSMED, stated that the bestselling medicines in Italy are those against cardiovascular diseases, followed by gastrointestinal and the central nervous system ones. Ten millions Italians suffer with allergies and buy antihistamines. One of the side-effects of this pharmaceutical drug is drowsiness. Considering the fact that one in every five accidents that occur on the streets might be caused by people suddenly nodding off, it is quite clear how much attention we need to pay before driving “under the influence”. A new research by OSMED says that 74% of Italians know that taking medicines and driving might be dangerous together and they wait before sitting behind the wheel. Women (78%) seem to be more conscientious than men (69%), people over 45 years old (81%) seem to be much better informed than young people (58%). Among everyone, they are the ones who are least aware of the problem, information is a must! At the end of the chart come those who know they

might be in danger, but choose to drive anyway. The percentage is 13%, which means a considerable one-in-seven drivers. Doctor Corbascio, the right-hand man of Doctor Costa, founder of the Mobile Clinic (the hospital that travels to every MotoGP event) explained to us that: “The most dangerous medicines we take before driving, are those that affect the central nervous system because of their sedative effect. The side-effect that medication has on us can differ from one person to the next. Age, sex, weight might all be factors that make us react in different ways to drugs, we also might have genetic sensitivity to specific ingredients, even without knowing it. Drowsiess, vertigo, focus disorders might all occur when we take sedatives, but opioids aren’t the only medicines that might cause us problems. Psychostimulants are also dangerous, they can unnecessarily amplify the nociceptive stimuli, causing panic and convulsive reactions. Alcohol isn’t the only arch-enemy of safety, pharmaceutical drugs might be dangerous as well. So, remember always to carefully read the side-effects of any medicines you take, especially if you have to drive. When you’re out on the streets it is always a matter of safety. Everybody’s safety. Lucio Cecchinello

141 JULY 2012

TRAVELS

ItaLY - 13th/15th JUNe gettINg reaDY to the NeXt graND PrIX text: Sayaka Miyazaki

ell, I can say that all Italian cities are attractive! I would like to pick out Florence this time. Beauty, splendour and history are at every corner in this city. Lorenzo the Magnificent (You are familiar with this name from MotoGP already) held the strings of power in this region during the golden age of the Renaissance, with great artists such as Botticelli, Da Vinci, Michelangeloâ&#x20AC;ŚI highly recommend you to visit the Uffizi Gallery to see all of them. Also enjoy the splendid historic centre of Florence!

The Plazzo Piatti

Interior of the Palazzo Pitti

The Basilica di Santa Croce

TRAVELS

UNIteD StateS - 27th/29th JULY gettINg reaDY to the NeXt graND PrIX text: Sayaka Miyazaki

an Francisco is best known for the Golden Gate Bridge, cable cars, cool summers, fog, steep rolling hills and its Chinatown. It is frequently portrayed in music, film and popular culture and this made the city famous. And there is no doubt, the 13th most populous city in the U.S, is a fabulous food city especially for fresh local seafood, Yum cha(Dim sum), Italian, Mexican…After having a big meal, let’s go out into the city. My suggestion would be, go to the California Academy of Sciences which is a role model for environmentally-friendly design!

Enjoy fresh seafoods at Fisherman’s Wharf

Lombard Street is famous for most winding street! 143 JULY 2012

California Academy of Schiences

Team LCR is extremely grateful to all the friends and brands involved in our projects. With your hard work, support and passion, you keep on making us bigger as a MotoGP team. Your efforts also helped us in giving birth to an amazing magazine, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be forever thankful. Life is a race, letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s get inspired. We keep on running!

INSPIRE

CrEditS Editor In Chief eNrICo BarBIerI enrico.barbieri@lcr.mc

LCR Honda Team Principal LUCIo CeCChINeLLo cecchinello@lcr.mc

Art Director Emanuele Vallorani graphic@lcr.mc

Production Coordinator Errico Gasperoni graphic@lcr.mc

Contributors Massimo Visconti, Elisa Pavan, Tanja Gvozdenov, Gavin Emmet, Sayaka Miyazaki, Nelly Pluto-Prondzynska, Alessandro Borghese Special Contributors Elena Cecchinello, Gigi Soldano, Malika Laklalech, Juan Suarez, Fabio Mazzoni, Helmut Bradl Photography Milagro, Duncan Macfarlane, Davide Esposito, James Pipino, Gigi Soldano, Malika Laklalech, Emacontino/AB Normal, Frank Melling Photo, Tino Martino, Getty Images Publisher Steve Burgess

steve.burgess@clearsightpartners.com

www.lcrhonda.com

Nothing else comes close

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4th - Bridgestone Battlax BT-016 PRO 5th - Michelin Pilot Power 2CT 6th - Michelin Power Pure

Test date: November 2011, Test bike: BMW S1000RR, Test tyres: 120/70ZR17, 190/55ZR17, Test facility - Bridgestone Europe Proving Ground, Italy, Testing organisation: Motorrad TestCenter, Stuttgart, Germany

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