Honda Worldwide | Repsol Honda Team | Dramatic MotoGP season continues in Phillip Island

2012 Australian Grand Prix - Phillip Island - Preview - 23/10/2012

Date : 23/10/2012

Dramatic MotoGP season continues in Phillip Island

With five wins in the last six races for Dani Pedrosa and a podium finish for Casey Stoner in Sepang, the Repsol Honda Team head to Phillip Island for the Australian Grand Prix looking to close these three consecutive fly away races on a high. Dani is fighting stronger than ever to keep the title battle alive and Casey is aiming to take his sixth victory in a row at his home track before leaving the sport after Valencia.

Dani's six wins and fourteen podiums from 16 races place him second in the championship, 23 points off Jorge Lorenzo and with 50 more on offer in the last two races. He returns to Australia, where he celebrated his two 250cc World Championship in 2004 and 2005, with only one thing in mind: to keep this momentum and once again finsh in front of Lorenzo in the penultimate round of the season.

It will also be a very special weekend in Phillip Island for team mate Casey Stoner. Casey set his sights on retuning to action at the Australian Grand Prix after he was injured in Indianapolis in August. He was able to return two rounds earlier in Motegi, claiming fifth position, and jumped onto the podium at Sepang last Sunday, finishing third. However, it's no secret that it would be very special for Casey to win the last race of his MotoGP career in Phillip Island, where he has dominated the past five years.

In addition, the circuit together with the Australian GP promoters will honour their local hero with a fitting tribute. On Thursday morning, turn 3 at Phillip Island will be renamed 'Stoner Corner'. The young Australian rides this corner like no one else, and often refers to it as one of his favourite corners in the World.

A further treat for the home fans will see Repsol Honda hero Mick Doohan performing exhibition laps on Casey's RC213V Honda on Saturday at 09.15 and Sunday at 15.20.

The action will start on track on Friday morning one hour later than usual, with the first free practice scheduled at 11h10 local time, while the race on Sunday will start at 16h00.

DANI PEDROSA – World Championship Standing: 2nd with 307 points

"Phillip island is a great track, especially on these machines where you can usually see rear slides. The layout of the track makes racing very nice, so I hope we have good luck and that the bike is working well there also. I have very good memories from my championships back in 2004-2005 and I hope I can have a good race".

CASEY STONER – World Championship Standing: 3rd with 213 points

"We've really struggled with the bike set up in the past two races and I'm pretty disappointed with this. We always seem to find our rhythm in Phillip Island but I don't expect it to come easily this year. Thankfully the track goes to the left and we're having a lot less issues with chatter when it goes this way. Also there aren't so many sharp turns so my right leg might be able to deal with it a little better. I'm still nowhere near 100% physically and I still need time to be back to full strength so I'm not really sure what to expect this weekend, we'll do our best and see what happens".

Championship standings

1	Jorge Lorenzo	330 pts	SPA	YAMAHA	Yamaha Factory Racing Team
2	Dani Pedrosa	307 pts	SPA	HONDA	Repsol Honda Team
3	Casey Stoner	213 pts	AUS	HONDA	Repsol Honda Team
4	Andrea Dovizioso	195 pts	ITA	YAMAHA	Monster Yamaha Tech 3
5	Alvaro Bautista	154 pts	SPA	HONDA	San Carlo Honda Gresini
6	Valentino Rossi	148 pts	ITA	DUCATI	Ducati Team
7	Cal Crutchlow	135 pts	GBR	YAMAHA	Monster Yamaha Tech 3
8	Stefan Bradl	125 pts	GER	HONDA	LCR Honda MotoGP
9	Nicky Hayden	114 pts	USA	DUCATI	Ducati Team
10	Ben Spies	88 pts	USA	YAMAHA	Yamaha Factory Racing Team
11	Hector Barbera	79 pts	SPA	DUCATI	Pramac Racing
12	Aleix Espargaro	63 pts	ESP	ART	Aspar Team MotoGP
13	Randy De Puniet	53 pts	FRA	ART	Aspar Team MotoGP
14	Karel Abraham	43 pts	CZE	DUCATI	Cardion AB Motoracing
15	Michelle Pirro	30 pts	ITA	HONDA	San Carlo Honda Gresini
16	James Ellison	28 pts	GBR	ART	Paul Bird Racing
17	Yonny Hernandez	28 pts	COL	BQR-FTR	BQR
18	Colin Edwards	25 pts	USA	SUTER	NGM Mobile Forward Racing
19	Jonathan Rea	17 pts	GBR	HONDA	Repsol Honda Team
20	Danillo Petrucci	16 pts	ITA	IODA	Ioda Racing Project
21	Mattia Pasini	13 pts	ITA	ART	Speed Master
22	Ivan Silva	11 pts	SPA	BQR-FTR	BQR
23	Toni Elías	10 pts	SPA	DUCATI	Pramac Racing
24	Katsuyuki Nakasuga	7 pts	JAP	YAMAHA	Yamaha Factory Racing Team
25	Steve Rapp	2 pts	USA	N/A	Attack Performance
26	David Salom	1 pt	SPA	BQR-FTR	BQR
27	Roberto Rolfo	0 pts	ITA	ART	Speed Master
28	Franco Battaini	0 pts	ITA	DUCATI	Ducati Team
29	Chris Vermeulen	0 pts	AUS	SUTER	NGM Mobile Forward Racing
30	Aaron Yates	0 pts	USA	N/A	GP Tech

Circuit information

First race	1989
GPs held	17
Laps	27
Race distance	120.096km / 74.628miles
Track length	4.448km / 2.764miles
Track width	13m
Longest straight	0.900km / 0.559miles
Corners	12 (5 right, 7 left)
Pole position	Left
Grandstands capacity	Temporary facilities as required
Circuit total capacity	150,000

Circuit records

Pole position	1m28.665s (180.598Km/h) Casey Stoner (Ducati, 2008)
Race lap	1m30.059s (177.803Km/h) Nicky Hayden (Honda, 2008)
Race time	40m56.643s (175.990Km/h) Casey Stoner (Ducati, 2008)
MotoGP Wins	5 (Casey Stoner, Valentino Rossi)
2011 Winner	Casey Stoner (Honda)

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