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FIM MotoGP - Red Bull Indy Grand Prix Preview


PHOTO (select to view enlarged photo)

Indianapolis, Jul. 28, 2012: 2010 MotoGP World Champion Jorge Lorenzo rode to a dominant victory in the Italian Grand Prix on July 15 at Mugello, expanding his lead in the World Championship to 19 points over Dani Pedrosa. Lorenzo thrust his factory Yamaha under pole sitter Pedrosa's Repsol Honda at the exit of the first turn on the first lap, leading all 23 laps en route to a 5.223-second victory over Pedrosa.

It was the fifth victory in nine races this season for Lorenzo.

Andrea Dovizioso finished third on his Tech 3 Yamaha, his third consecutive podium finish on a satellite machine.

WHO'S HOT

Andrea Dovizioso: Italian Dovizioso has finished in the top three for three consecutive races on his Tech 3 Yamaha satellite machine and has four podium results overall this season. He is under consideration for the Yamaha factory seat that American Ben Spies is vacating after this season but may be bypassed if seven-time MotoGP World Champion Valentino Rossi decides to leave Ducati and return to Yamaha in 2013. The last satellite team rider to record three consecutive podium finishes was Marco Melandri in 2006.

Nicky Hayden: American Hayden didn't appear to be part of Ducati's future plans two weeks ago, as the team expressed its desire to keep seven-time MotoGP World Champion Valentino Rossi and reportedly offered a two-year contract to Cal Crutchlow. But Hayden signed a one-year contract extension Friday, July 27 at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca and will continue with Ducati for the fifth consecutive season next year.

WHO'S NOT

Alvaro Bautista: Spaniard Bautista entered TT Assen on June 30 after finishing a season-best fourth at the British Grand Prix. But then he took out points leader Jorge Lorenzo in the first turn at Assen, and his season turned downhill. Bautista has seventh and 10th in the last two races on his San Carlo Gresini Honda since the incident with Lorenzo.

Casey Stoner: Reigning World Champion Stoner crashed out of the German Grand Prix on July 8 on the last lap while dueling for the lead. He followed that disappointment by finishing eighth in the Italian Grand Prix on July 15 at Mugello, dropping him into third place in the World Championship, 37 points behind leader Jorge Lorenzo.

NEWS and NUMBERS

The Ducati Team announced July 27 a one-year contract extension with 2006 MotoGP World Champion Nicky Hayden to ride with the team through 2013, ensuring there will be at least one American rider in the premier class next season ... American Steve Rapp is competing as a MotoGP wild-card rider at this event on a Claiming Rule Teams Attack Performance machine ... The winner of this event also has won the MotoGP World Championship in the same season five of the last six years. The only exception was Dani Pedrosa in 2009 ... This is the only event in the World Championship in which the Moto2 and Moto 3 classes do not participate ... Rookie Stefan Bradl has scored 75 points through the first nine races this season, already the highest total in premier-class history by a German rider ... Only Casey Stoner and Dani Pedrosa have beaten Jorge Lorenzo in a race Lorenzo has finished since the Red Bull Indianapolis GP last August at IMS ... The next event in the World Championship is the Red Bull Indianapolis GP on Aug. 17-19 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

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2012 tickets: Tickets for the 2012 Red Bull Indianapolis GP MotoGP event, scheduled for Aug. 17-19 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, are on sale now at www.imstix.com, by calling (800) 822-INDY or (317) 492-6700 or by visiting the IMS Ticket Office at the IMS Administration Building at the corner of Georgetown Road and 16th Street between 8 a.m.-5 p.m. (ET) Monday-Friday.

Tickets for groups of 20 or more also are on sale. Contact the IMS Group Sales Department at (866) 221-8775 for more information.

Information on camping at IMS during the Red Bull Indianapolis GP is available at www.imstix.com. Hotel package information can be found at visitindy.com/redbull.