More legends added as ultimate festival weekend of classic grand prix action just around the corner

The first ever World GP Bike Legends takes place in just a month’s time at Jerez, Spain on 19-21 June. A full weekend festival spectacular, the event will see an incredible array of former motorcycle world champions and race winners going elbow to elbow on track while live music, modern and classic bike displays, trails shows and trade stands keep the off-track entertainment at fever pitch across all three days.

Alongside the likes of Freddie Spencer, Wayne Gardner, Kevin Schwantz, Christian Sarron, Loris Capirossi and many more, there are some late additions to the racing bill this week, as Niggi Schmassmann joins the legends roster and Michael Neeves signs up as a guest entry.

Schmassmann raced at 500cc World Championship level between 1988 and 1996 for Honda and Yamaha, though his crowning achievements came at national level. The Swiss ace topped the German 500cc championship an impressive four times and raced successfully in the European Endurance Championship.

Michael Neeves is a Senior Road Tester for UK publication Motorcycle News. He has tested every new bike for the past 13 years, as well as racing bikes, including 250cc and 500cc Grand Prix machines, 990 and 800cc MotoGP bikes and superbikes from the world, domestic and endurance championships…and everything in between. Now he’s joining the ultimate Race of Legends for an incredible weekend in June as Guest Rider.

The full list of confirmed riders is as follows: •Freddie Spencer
•Wayne Gardner
•Christian Sarron
•Didier de Radiguès
•Kevin Schwantz
•Graeme Crosby
•Steve Parrish
•José Luis Cardoso
•Carlos Cardús
•Loris Capirossi
•Juan Garriga
•Ángel Nieto
•Jorge Martínez
•Carlos Lavado
•Tadayuki Okada
•Phil Read
•Manuel "Champi" Herreros
•Hubert Rigal
•Niggi Schmassmann
•Michael Neeves (Guest Rider)

Furthermore, World GP Bike Legends has signed an agreement with Sunoco to be the Official Fuel Supplier to the race festival.

Supplying top quality fuel, Sunoco are no stranger to the racing world and are delighted to be involved in this inaugural event. They will have a full range of fuels available in the paddock for competitors throughout the weekend.

Manuel Dongil of RR2 Racing Fuel SL, said: “We’re delighted to be supplying the fuel at what promises to be a fantastic event and one that fans of motorcycles should not miss. Seeing the racing legends of the ‘golden years’, the ‘80s and ‘90s, such as Freddie Spender, Wayne Gardner and Carlos Cardus, thrashing around Jerez circuit on the original 2-stroke bikes, I can’t wait. There’s a whole race schedule over the weekend, featuring not only the 500cc and 250cc bikes, but also 350/250cc, 125cc and 80cc, so there’s a real mix and something for everyone.”

Leon Lloyd Haslam, born May 31st, in Ealing, London. 

He began racing at an early age, encouraged by his dad 'Rocket' Ron Haslam and has the nickname of 'Pocket Rocket'.

Currently riding for Team Aprilia Racing and here he is on the podium at Motorland de Aragon, Superbike. 

Qualifying for the 2015 Isle of Man TT Races, fuelled by Monster Energy, got underway on Saturday evening and although weather conditions meant the F2 sidecars failed to get out on track, the Lightweight class got a full session under their belts with Ryan Farquhar leading the way at 117.12mph.

The session got underway with the speed controlled lap for the solo and sidecar newcomers and TT rider liaison officer Richard 'Milky' Quayle, the 2002 Lightweight TT winner, led the solos away with Tom McHale, Robbin Harms and Franck Petricola behind him. Second Rider Liaison Officer John Barton took out his Lightweight machine with Derek McGee, Dan Harrison and Geoffrey Vankoekelnbergh all similarly mounted as they got their first taste of the Mountain Course on closed roads.

Soon after it was the turn of the F2 Sidecar newcomers with seasoned regulars Roy Hanks/Kevin Perry, John Holden/Dan Sayle and Tony Baker/Fiona Baker-Milligan showing the 12 debutantes around including Terry O'Reilly/Aidan Browne, Alan Warden/Stuart Clark and Pascal Gassmann/Olivier Chabloz.

Also out on track was reigning British F1 Champion Sean Hegarty making his first appearance at the TT since 1996. James Neave partnered him with their 675cc Triumph outfit certainly standing out.

At 6.57pm it was the turn of the first official session with the Lightweights setting off down Glencrutchery Road and the honour of being first away was Jamie Hamilton and Michael Sweeney. They were followed in quick succession by Junior Manx Grand Prix winner Andy Lawson and Dan Cooper, Michael Rutter and James Hillier and Ivan Lintin and Michael Jessopp.

All of the newcomers were soon back out on the course whilst Hillier was quickest through the Sulby speed trap at 156mph.

The first rider to complete the lap was Hamilton at 112.19 swiftly followed by Sweeney at 111.18 and Lintin who briefly went quickest at 114.64. Hillier was also over 112mph but the quickest two riders on the opening lap were Gary Johnson and Ryan Farquhar. The duo had left the line together and lapped at 114.866 and 114.827 respectively whilst Lee Johnston was also going well on another KMR Kawasaki at 113.32.

Second time around and Farquhar and Johnson were still circulating together and increased their speeds with the Northern Irishman going to the top of the early leaderboard at 117.12, already his fastest ever lap on a Lightweight machine. Johnson wasn't far behind at 117.02 with Lintin also improving to 116.60.

Johnston was up to 115.40 with Cooper slotting into fifth overall at 113.41mph. Meanwhile, McGee was going well on his Lightweight Kawasaki at 107.60 with McHale, continuing on his Superstock machine, also impressing at 108.12.

However, rain was beginning to fall at various parts around the course and Clerk of the Course Gary Thompson ended the session early meaning the F2 Sidecars missed out their session and will have to wait until Monday evening to get their first laps.

The seamless gearbox makes its debut on the Aprilia RS-GP bikes ridden by Bautista and Melandri. The chassis and setups have also undergone many changes

Mugello Circuit (Italy), 29 May 2015 - The first day of free practice at the Italian Grand Prix forced Aprilia Racing Team Gresini to set an extraordinary work pace. In fact, if the entire 2015 season is set up as a long and demanding test of the MotoGP project's growth for the Italian team, the home round is characterised by a series of development changes on the Aprilia V4.

As already announced, the seamless gearbox made its début on Friday. This is a continuous shifting system which, after the tests that only Bautista conducted at the post-Jerez sessions, here it is available for both riders. Some changes to the setup and chassis arrived as well for the RS-GP bikes. A series of new solutions tested directly in the races in accordance with the spirit of this championship season.

At the end of the first day Alvaro finished in 21st place (1’49.741) whereas Melandri had the 26th best time at 1’51.800.


ROMANO ALBESIANO (Aprilia Racing Manager)
“We brought the seamless gearbox to the races for the first time. It worked very well with both riders and this is an important step taken. It is quite significant that even Melandri, who also tried the bike with the conventional gearbox today, confirmed the clear difference between the two solutions. Marco also tried a front end with various rigidity but that doesn't seem like the right direction for us. At the moment we are focusing a lot on the setup because that's where we want to improve the most.”

FAUSTO GRESINI (Team Manager)
“We are really working a lot on various areas of the bike, trying a lot of new parts, so in this first phase we certainly couldn't expect immediate progress. We are continuing our policy of baby steps and we hope to see the first signs of progress as early as tomorrow. We are all fully committed, from Aprilia to the team and the riders, so we will continue to stay focused and confident as tomorrow approaches.”

ALVARO BAUTISTA
“This morning I tried a more tapered saddle with new ergonomics which make me feel a bit more comfortable on the bike, in addition to the seamless gearbox and an engine evolution. On the gearbox I had the same good feelings as the tests at Jerez so I'm satisfied. In the afternoon I tried a smaller fairing which performed well in the wind tunnel and on the track it also seems to provide some advantages in terms of more agility. The bike still tends to go wide coming into turns but tomorrow I'll have both the bikes fitted with all the changes so it will be easier to focus on chassis comparisons, which is the area where I think we have the most room for improvement.”

MARCO MELANDRI
“Today I was able to try the new seamless gearbox for the first time and it works well. Aprilia did a good job. As for the chassis the situation hasn't changed and I had the same problems that have continued to slow me down since the beginning of the year. So tomorrow we'll try to work more on the chassis to improve.”

Gresini Racing: the collaboration, started back in 2011, sees the Italian group, a European leader in the field of tube manipulation and its components, supporting the team led by Fausto Gresini both in MotoGP and in Moto3, the ambitious project dedicated to young talents in the smaller class of the World Championship.

Making use of highly qualified personnel and advanced equipment, and thanks to over 40 years of experience, SAG TUBI is today capable to produce any kind of rigid tube or flexible hose combination for any application. High quality competitive products, accompanied by an extraordinary service, which led SAG TUBI to become a partner of the most important manufacturers of engines, agricultural machinery, earthmoving equipment, forklifts, passenger and freight transport.

WALTER ZINI (CEO SAG Group)
“I’m very pleased to continue the partnership with Gresini Racing, now in its fifth year: the 2015 season is proving to be one of the most interesting from a technical and sporting point of view, with the return of Aprilia in MotoGP and the great performances that the young Moto3 riders have been showing so far. For a big fan of the sport like me, being able to live first hand this experience, through the great reception that Fausto Gresini and all the people at Gresini Racing have always given to us, it’s a great privilege. We hope to live many beautiful moments during the season, starting with the home Grand Prix at Mugello, which is just around the corner!”.

FAUSTO GRESINI
“The 2015 represents a new chapter in Gresini Racing’s history, having reached an agreement with Aprilia in MotoGP and having made a lot of changes in the Moto3 program: SAG TUBI embraced with great enthusiasm this breath of fresh air, thus renewing a collaboration which continues uninterrupted since 2011. Therefore I would like to thank Walter Zini, a great lover of the sport, for having believed and continue to believe in our projects”.