While MotoGP fans (and teams, and journalists) eagerly await the arrival of the 2012 MotoGP calendar, which is due to be announced at the next MotoGP round at Aragon, the outlines of next season are starting to become clear. The weekend of the Misano round saw two important announcements made about rounds expected to be on the calendar next year, but which had not yet been confirmed.
The least surprising of the two announcements is an extension with the Misano Circuit for another five years. The track so close to Valentino Rossi's home in Tavullia, and in a region that has produced a large number of top Italian races in all classes has been a popular venue with the teams and riders, and despite the limited crowd capacity of the venue, has seen strong attendance. The race is likely to be run at the same point in the year, on the first weekend of September, as the traditional end of the Italian vacation month of August.

Marco Melandri set the quickest time for Yamaha on day 1 of Misano testing. The Italian lapped the World Circuit in a time of 1 minute 36.0 seconds, half a second quicker than June’s race record lap set by Carlos Checa (1’36.520). The Althea Ducati man however still holds the best unofficial time around Misano, with a 1’34.9 set in May’s testing. This time round Checa was three-tenths slower than Melandri and shares the slot with Eugene Laverty on the other Yamaha.
One-make tyre supplier Pirelli brought along the latest 2012-spec material, in particular for the Phillip Island opener, to the test as well as the tyres that will be used in the final three rounds of this year’s championship.
With testing taking place in perfect conditions (air 31° / track 44°C), much interest surrounded the debut of Toni Elias (LCR Honda’s MotoGP rider) on the BMW Italia machine vacated by James Toseland, who retired this week. The Spaniard, for the first time ever on a Superbike, did have one harmless crash and finished the day with a best lap of 1’38.1.
Excellent form was also shown by Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) with a time of 1’36.5, the British rider galvanized by his recent win in the wet at the Nurburgring. Joan Lascorz and the recovering Chris Vermeulen were also testing for the Akashi manufacturer, the Australian set to return to race action at Imola after a difficult season.
With Max Biaggi still convalescent after fracturing a bone in his left foot in Germany, Aprilia’s testing duties were carried out by its test-team and German rider Alex Hofmann (1’37.0). The reigning world champion will attempt to return at Imola.
Unofficial Tuesday times: 1. Melandri (Yamaha) 1’36.0; 2. Checa (Ducati) 1’36.3; 3. Laverty (Yamaha) 1’36.3; 4. Sykes (Kawasaki) 1’36.5; 5. Badovini (BMW) 1’36.8; 6. Rea (Honda) 1’36.9; 7. Lascorz (Kawasaki) 1’36.9; 8. Hofmann (Aprilia) 1’37.0; 9. Martin (BMW) 1’37.9; 10. Xaus (Honda) 1’38.0; 11. Elias (BMW) 1’38.1; 12. Vermeulen (Kawasaki) 1’38.4; 13. Tamada (Honda) 1’39.8.
Supersport: 1. Salom (Kawasaki) 1’39.4; 2. Parkes (Kawasaki) 1’39.7; 3. Morais (Kawasaki) 1’40.6.
The internet has been ablaze with news and rumors from Ducati's test at Mugello, where Valentino Rossi, along with test rider Franco Battaini, tested the new chassis for the Ducati GP12. Times were not issued, though the Italian sports broadcaster Sportmediaset is reporting that Rossi posted a 1'48.05, albeit without knowing which chassis was used to set that time. In comparison, Casey Stoner set a 1'47.326 on Honda's RC212V during the test in July, while Rossi set a 1'49.301 on the GP11.1 during the race.
After the event, they issued the following press release, which is a very tame affair compared to the rumors, though still leaving plenty to the imagination. Make of it what you will:
VALENTINO ROSSI CONCLUDES SIXTH GP12 TEST DAY, AT MUGELLO
For the final day of a three-day test at Mugello, Valentino Rossi joined the Ducati Test Team to work on developing the 2012 race bike. In doing so, he utilized the sixth of eight days during which factory riders may participate in such outings. The Italian turned a total of 82 laps in conditions that were sunny but not overly hot.