Tech 3 confirm Edwards for 2011

The American has signed a one-year extension with the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 team and will partner incoming with rookie Cal Crutchlow next season.

Monster Yamaha Tech 3 have confirmed that Colin Edwards has signed a one-year contact extension to remain with the MotoGP team for the 2011 season, thus combining his vast experience with the potential of the rookie Cal Crutchlow.

Fresh from his 100th race with the Yamaha at the Gran Premio A-Style de Aragón on Sunday the announcement was made that 36 year-old Edwards would remain with Tech 3 next year, continuing a partnership with the French outfit that started in the 2008.

“I’ve finally come to an agreement with the Hervé and Yamaha. I’m happy to stay and it’s been a long relationship with Yamaha, I think 1986 was my first contract with them back in my motocross days! I want to say a big thanks to the Hervé because along with Yamaha he made it happen,” said Edwards.

“I don’t know if next year will be my last one, I’m just looking forward to pushing as we normally do and riding hard. If Yamaha need something I’m always there, the other three Yamaha guys are going to be young. I’m just looking to fight and have fun.”

Commenting on his link-up with the 24 year-old British rider Crutchlow, who will arrive from WSBK, Edwards added: “I think it will be interesting. I don’t know Cal well but he’s young, he’s hungry and he’s ready so I’ll be here to help out if I can. I’m still looking for that first win so I’m still hungry too!”

Poncharal was just as pleased to be able to confirm the 2011 line-up for his team and said: “I’m happy that even though we have a few races to go for this season we have decided that we will have Cal Crutchlow and Colin Edwards in 2011. Colin, Tech 3, Yamaha and myself all agreed that we will have another year together. Colin has been really good to Yamaha and to Tech 3 and has given us lots of great moments with some really good results.”

“This is a good line-up and for sure Cal will be looking forward to hearing Colin’s advice and hopefully he can help him like he helped James Toseland and, this year, Ben Spies. This year the atmosphere between Colin and Ben has been excellent.”

Commenting on the aim for 2011 Poncharal concluded: “I think Colin wants to do one more season in MotoGP and he’s shown that even though he’s not in a position to win races he’s fast enough to be a strong MotoGP rider and brings a lot of information to the team and the factory. He’s helping us to strengthen and I think he’ll be like an advisor for Cal.”

Alonso and Singapore - a match made in heaven?

Occasionally the rapport between a driver and a particular circuit can take on a special significance - be it good or bad. Ayrton Senna, for the instance, had Monaco - a race he won six times and described as being ‘a special place for me’ - whilst one of Rubens Barrichello’s bugbears from his 300 plus-race career is that he is yet to win his home Grand Prix at Interlagos in Brazil.

Like all his competitors, Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso has enjoyed many high and lows at different tracks over his years in the Formula One racing, but one which seems to hold special resonance for the Spaniard is Singapore’s Marina Bay Street Circuit. It may only be hosting its third Grand Prix this weekend, but Alonso has already experienced enough drama at this venue to last a career.

From his controversial win in the 2008 through to his unexpected podium last year, Alonso has enjoyed both the success and tribulation at the floodlit venue, and this year in Singapore he must finish in the top-three for a third successive time if he is to realistically stay in title contention.

Rewind to 2008 and Alonso declared himself ‘curious’ about the calendar’s first night race, and after Friday practice it appeared to be love at first sight, with the Spaniard heading the timesheets for the Renault after pipping McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton at the death. Alonso took the honours again in Saturday’s final practice, but in qualifying was left languishing 15th after fuel-supply problems.

For the French team, fighting to defend fourth in the constructors’ table after a tough season, it was a bitter blow. Despite the R28’s obvious pace, everyone believed overtaking would be difficult and Alonso’s hopes of boosting Renault’s points haul looked slim. In post-qualifying interviews the former champion was gloomy, stating he’d need a ‘miracle’ to make progress in the race.

Backstage special: Paddock Girls photo shoot

motogp.com followed the French photographers Alexandre Chailan and David Piolé for a special photo session in the Misano.

Go backstage with the Alexandre Chailan and David Piolé as they prepare for a very special session in the Misano with some of the most popular MotoGP Paddock Girls: LCR Honda's Lauren Vickers and Interwetten Honda's Julia Liptakova and Gabriela Kořínková.

The two French photographers explain their approach as they bring fashion studio know-how to the MotoGP paddock, and you can watch the attached free video to find out the secrets of their techniques.