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Aoyama Cleared to Race at the Indy GP

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Good news comes from the Interwetten Honda Racing team this week as Hiroshi Aoyama has been cleared to ride this weekend at the Red Bull Indianapolis GP. Aoyama has been siting out MotoGP racing ever since his highside at Silverstone, which fractured one the Japanese rider’s vertebrae. Missing nearly two months of racing, Aoyama participated in MotoGP’s test at Brno two weeks ago, and seemed ready to come back to the sport. In his absence Honda test rider Kousuke Akiyoshi and Alex de Angelis have been carrying the Interwetten banner. Riding at Brno, Aoyama was instantly faster than de Angelis, proving that the Japanese rider’s decision to let his back heal naturally was the better course of treatment than having his vertebrae fused together.

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Rumors

Norton Returning to MotoGP Racing

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German magazine Speedweek is reporting that Norton will be back in GP racing for the 2012 season with a two-man team. Speedweek‘s highly respected Austrian journalist Gunther Wiesinger has received word that Norton has requested two spots on the 2012 MotoGP grid, and has signed a request to join the series when it returns to the 1000cc format. It’s unclear at this time if Norton will be entering as a claiming rule team (CRT), or be listed as a factory prototype, which could have a dramatic affect on the team’s success in the series.

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News

Jay Leno Will Be the Grand Marshal of the Indy GP

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Actor, comedian, and motorhead Jay Leno will serve as the Indianapolis GP’s Grand Marshal later this month when MotoGP makes its last stop in the United States for the year. Leno’s duties include presenting the Winner’s Trophy at the end of the race, and we have it on good authority that his chin will be waiving the checkered flag at the race’s conclusion (this last statement may have been fabricated for comedic purposes).

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Racing

Yamaha Looking to Sign both Jorge Lorenzo and Ben Spies to the Factory Team

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The news is a bit obvious, but Lin Jarvis, the Managing Director of Yamaha Motor Racing, has confirmed that the factory MotoGP squad intends to retain the services of Jorge Lorenzo, and bring Ben Spies into the squad for the 2011 season.

The news comes on the heels of Valentino Rossi’s decision to move to Ducati for next season, and has been assumed to be a done deal once Rossi’s announcement was made public. This is however the first time that anyone at Yamaha has spoken about the team structure for next year in such a direct tone, likely because of the need to keep Rossi’s departure under wraps.

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Racing

Nicky Hayden’s Wrist X-Ray from Brno

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Crashing during Saturday’s qualifying session at Brno, Nicky Hayden found himself in the gravel trap after losing the front-end of his Ducati Desmosedici GP10. Somewhere along the way of sliding over the asphalt and into the stones, Hayden broke off a portion of his radius bone in his left wrist, and had to be taken to Clinica Mobile for examination.

X-rays confirmed the break, but the American rider soldiered-on through the Czech GP with extra padding on his grip. Finishing the race in respectable form, Hayden will have to heal up over the next two weekends if he wants to be 100% for his hometown GP at Indy. More pictures after the jump.

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Racing

Valentino Rossi Goes to Ducati – Officially Official

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The worst kept secret in the paddock is finally official, thus completing what MotoGP fans (especially Italians) have been waiting for: Valentino Rossi signing with Ducati Corse. The nine-time World Champion and Italian celebrity is finally paired up with Italy’s most iconic motorcycling brand for the 2011 season, an action that has been the subject of intrigue not only for the better part of this season, but for years inside MotoGP.

Announcing their partnership today, Rossi and Ducati have their work cut out for them in taking-on impressive up-start Jorge Lorenzo and the formidable Yamaha YZR-M1. Press releases from Ducati & Fiat-Yamaha after the jump, along with a quote from Valentino himself.

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Racing

Hiroshi Aoyama Will Test at Brno on Monday

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Hiroshi Aoyama will test at Brno on Monday to see how his fitness is progressing from his highside at Silverstone, which broke the Japanese rider’s lower vertebrae. Aoyama has missed four GP starts so far this season because of the crash, and has seen Kousuke Akiyoshi and Alex de Angelis ride his Interwetten Honda during the interim of his absence. Deciding to let his T12 vertebrae fracture heal naturally, rather than go under surgery, Aoyama feels he is nearing the point where he can return to MotoGP.

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