Shortly the competitors who will make up the 2010 MotoGP grid, will arrive at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia as the circuit preparations intensify for the coming year.

LCR Honda racer Randy de Puniet will be present and after his squad were recently at Honda Racing’s work place in Tokyo to develop the new version of the RC212V, he is excited about the fresh engine.

“My team was in Japan last week to work on the bike and I spoke with my crew chief,” De Puniet explains. “He told me the bike is completely new, and it will be closer to the factory prototype – this is great news for next year! Now I just have to wait to ride it because it’s not so easy to speak about the improvements until you’ve tried the bike out on the track.”

De Puniet adds: “I’m excited about Sepang because I’ll try the new bike there. It’s been almost three months now (since the end of the season). Some riders at the Valencia Test (last November) tried the new bike and I used the old one, so that’s why Malaysia will be very good for me.”

De Puniet has been training consistently as he still aims to fully recover from the fractured ankle incurred last August, however he is confident he will be in fine form for the beginning of the campaign.

“I’ve done some good training this month but I’m not at 100% yet,” he states. “I need to be at that for the first race, and that’s why we have this good schedule. Now it’s time to ride the bike and after to resume training, but I think we are on course.”

De Puniet has also been training beside Jules Cluzel, who will ride this year. He adds: “Jules came to train with me because he wanted to improve his physical condition. I tried to help him and I think he did a good job, because for him it was a completely new workout. We did cycling, motorcycling, running, and many other things for between three and four hours per day, five days per week and over a three-week period. It was good for both of us.”

Ending, De Puniet shares his thoughts on the recent confirmation that the premier session will have a maximum engine capacity of 1000cc from 2012.

“It will be interesting, especially on the riding side, and there will also be more power.

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Kawasaki has opened a new dealership in country Victoria named WBR Motorcycles.

Located in the popular holiday area of Echuca on the Murray River, the business is owned and run by 24 year old Travis Whitten and 20 year old Nathan Whitten.

The siblings are part of Whip Industries who are a firm that holds mini-bike jumping shows around the country. The brothers are also eager motocross racers and will be competing in both the 2010 Australian motocross and Super X titles.

Based on the main street of Echuca, WBR is now in the stages of manufacturing a brand new purpose built shop on the same part of land as the current building, due to open in April.

WBR Motorcycles is open five and a half days per week and there is a wide variety of stock available of Kawasaki motorbikes, including ATVs, Mule Utility Vehicles and RUVs.

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MotoGP champion Jorge Lorenzo has listed his services to aid to the unity currently on offer for victims of the Haiti earthquake.  He is currently supporting Oxfam’s efforts in helping those that have suffered from the disaster.

Lorenzo has given the golden Dainese boots that he wore during the 2008 year (when he won Rookie of the Year), for auction.

Lorenzo says: “Oxfam needs your donations in order to respond to this humanitarian crisis. The people of Haiti are in need and we cannot wait.”

Following his trip to Malaysia for the MotoGP Test at the beginning of February, Lorenzo willl experience his initial action of the new season.

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Track conditions have improved last Thursday which gave Valentino Rossi the ability to take nearly three and a half seconds off his best lap test on the Wednesday, as the World Champion ended a 2 day testing in a Ferrari F2008 at Circuit de Catalunya.

There were a few hitches howeve, after arriving back to the circuit in the afternoon, the Italian hero finished a handful of laps with two almost identical errors at the entrance to the chicane, this section of the circuit not used for motorcycle racing.

“Turn 10 is difficult because it is too narrow,” says Rossi. “For sure it’s much better when we go through it with a bike.”

Rossi finished a couple of sessions of between four and five laps, the best turn being 1’21.9.

“Today we hoped to run in the dry, but we had to fit wet tyres again this morning,” he adds. “I was faster than yesterday despite some problems with under-steering.”

He continues: “I haven’t driven an F1 car for a year, but today we worked on the setting. It’s always interesting to go a little further than just driving. I think it’s nice for Italian fans to see me driving a Ferrari. On the other hand, I must say that Montmeló is even more fun than Mugello.”

Focussing on his future, Rossi also spoke about the possiblility of staying with Yamaha: “It’s a special situation because the four fastest riders in the World Championship are in the final year of their contracts. Personally, I’ll think about it around June and may have decided by then.”

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Faster tells the tale of MotoGP with interviews, commentary and excellent footage, supplying an overall insight into the world of premier class motorbike racing.

The movie, directed by Mark Neale, shows interviews with former World heros Mick Doohan and Kevin Schwantz, plus a host of exciting figures in the world of motorbike racing, including Valentino Rossi and Max Biaggi whose massive rivalry is covered.

Faster is now recognised as the best motorcycling film of the decade from the January/February edition of RRX, you can buy the DVD online.

It is available in six different languages – English, French, German, Italian, Spanish and Dutch – purchases can be made along with the sequel The Doctor, The Tornado & The Kentucky Kid.

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