Alvaro Helmet Desktop Icons For Windows XP & Vista

Okay - here are the icons of Alvaro nice red & silver 2008 helmet, prepped for Windows XP and Vista. As with the Mac OSX versions, there are two - one with a drop shadow and one without.
Click here to download the Windows XP / Vista icon set...

Enjoy :-)

End Of Year Number Crunching

The finale to this season saw Alvaro taking part in his 100th Grand Prix in the World Championships.
It's a fitting time to take stock of his record since he first contested a WC race at Jerez in 2002 as a wildcard (entering the championships properly in 2003) and to knock out a few figures.
Lurking in these stats are his fab 2006 season, comprising the title, 8 victories and 14 podiums; and also this year's excellent 4 victories and 11 podiums (10 of which were consecutive)...

Here we go:

125cc
Races: 67
Victories: 8
Poles: 8
Fastest Laps: 9
Podiums 18

250cc
Races: 33
Victories: 6
Poles: 6
Fastest Laps: 8
Podiums: 18

TOTAL
Races: 100
Victories: 14
Poles: 14
Fastest Laps: 17
Podiums: 36


Great stuff, eh?
Hopefully plenty more cool stats to come next year - including another world title! :-)

Test Your MotoGP Knowledge With The 2008 MegaMoto Quiz

Fancy testing your knowledge of MotoGP 2008?
Then go see our special 2008 MegaMoto Quiz over at BatiFans.com, where we've set up a nice big quiz to keep you occupied over the Christmas break - 30 questions; 10 for each class -125cc, 250cc and MotoGP.
To actually enter the quiz you need to be a member, but that also brings with it the opportunity of winning some pretty cool Valentino Rossi diecasts, an Avlaro Bautista documentary on DVD, official Bati '19' stickers...
(*And of course, other exclusive downloads and competitions. And the priceless benefit of being a member of the friendliest MotoGP forum there is...)

Go on, go on.... ;-)

Well, What Else Did You Expect Me To Do?

It was bound to happen really - as soon as the 2008 250cc Season Review DVD arrives in the hands of a total BatiNerd with a copy of Handbrake and an iPhone...

Well, I've got to have something to help make those tube journeys a tiny bit less miserable ;-)

It would be easier of course if you could just buy the season reviews on the iTunes Music Store...
Maybe next year...

2008 Stats

Here's a few stats form the season which were gathered to use in a recent 'end of season' desktop wallpaper design. Although I know so many of us wished Bati had clinched the title this year, a reading of some of these reminds you that he had a pretty impressive time of it anyway...


Championship Position: 2

Championship points: 244

Wins: 4

2nd places: 4

3rd places: 3

Podiums: 11

Consecutive podiums: 10

Fastest laps: 7

Pole positions: 5

Consecutive pole positions: 3

Laps in first place: 130

Km covered in races: 1669.863

Highest speed: 278.1 km/h (Mugello)

First win: Estoril

Last win: Sepang

(*Thanks to Tamara)

Two Special Season-End Alvaro Bautista Wallpapers

Lightbbox: Australian GP, Phillip Island

Photos From Practice and QP1

Video of the Mapfre Aspar 250cc Presentation

With grateful thanks as ever to the awesome stv21 for finding this :)

Bancaja Aspar Team Presentation Photo: Madrid, 25th February

Jerez testing - 19/02/08

Some rain today on the first of 3 days testing, but a little bit of running...

1. Mika Kallio (KTM) – 1’46”369 (12 giri)
2. Marco Simoncelli (Gilera) – 1’46”881 (10)
3. Hiroshi Aoyama (KTM) – 1’47”281 (14)
4. Julian Simon (KTM) – 1’47”296 (19)
5. Alvaro Bautista (Aprilia) – 1’47”487 (12)
6. Imre Toth (Aprilia) – 1’48”339 (13)
7. Yuki Takahashi (Honda) – 1’48”605 (14)
8. Ratthapark Wilairot (Honda) – 1’49”027 (17)
9. Lukas Pesek (Aprilia) – 1’49”374 (9)
10. Karel Abraham (Aprilia) – 1’49”692 (13)
11. Hector Barbera (Aprilia) – 1’49”780 (23)
11. Mattia Pasini (Aprilia) – 1’49”840 (16)
12. Hector Faubel (Aprilia) – 1’50”156 (12)
13. Eugene Laverty (Aprilia) – 1’50”773 (13)
14. Manuel Poggiali (Gilera) 1’51”288 (5)
15. Russel Gomez (Aprilia) – 1’52”844 (13)
16. Doni Tata Pradita (Yamaha) – 1’53”359 (14)

Lid & Livery - A Short Rant

It’s not exactly news that Alvaro has switched helmet suppliers for 2008 (from NZI to Suomy) nor that the new graphic design is different from that on his 2007 lid; these have been covered on various websites (notably, first, on www.batifans.com of course) over the past days. Indeed you can already buy the replica from Suomy and its distributors - I’ve even seen a couple on eBay.
Nonetheless I just fancied wittering on about it for a short while anyway, being a designer by trade and being interested in liveries and branding and all that malarkey.

2008 really represents quite a step-change in Alvaro’s ‘kit’ - far more so than his first season in 250cc. This is largely due to the imposition of the Mapfre branding on the 250cc squad’s bikes and leathers this year. Whilst the 125cc squad retain the blue variant livery (with the secondary flouro colours; magenta for Gabor Talmacsi, yellow for Sergio Gadea and orange for Pere Tutusaus) the 250cc has gone totally red and white for the pre-season testing at Jerez and Valencia.
‘Red and white’ actually means predominantly red, and particularly so on the bike.
I have to admit openly that I much prefer the previous blue/white combos (plus the orange flashing that Alvaro has used). The red and white just looks very cold and corporate by comparison.... who knows, maybe it’ll grow on me - but it hasn’t yet...
And on top of that (literally) is Bati’s new helmet.
Here I’m unequivocally of the opinion that last year’s (and those before it, which seemed to have a kind of evolutionary style about them - you could see the design developing from one year to the next) was hugely better. And here’s why...

I think that crucially there are some stylistic touches that make things look more sleek and aerodynamic - that bring things to life beautifully, and some others that make things look like a brick.
Unsubtle as they were (or *are*... they’re probably still popular in Lincolnshire...) “speed stripes” undeniably added a stylised ‘swoosh’ to the sides of a car, and with it an effect on exaggerating length and emphasising speed and sleekness - and their descendants; various arrows, flames, celtic curves and whatever - have continued to develop that theme for better or worse.
These touches tend to work best when they emphasise the horizontal, when they flow a design along a surface or around a shape.
Alvaro’s 2007 helmet (even though you could argue that some of the design detail may have been overly intricate) was a beautiful example of a graphic design that flowed perfectly across and around the contours and curves of the helmet. It made a functional piece of gear look sculpted and elegant.
If a design does not flow horizontally it is in danger of drawing the eye to a complete halt. Sharp inclines, thick blocks and vertical elements tend to do this spectacularly well. And guess what - Alvaro’s 2008 helmet design (by Bargy Design) does exactly this and, although I can admire the slightly simpler approach to the overall stylings, it feels undeniably blocky and less flowing. It looks less aerodynamic. And even though it includes very modern executions of certain swashes and a (less than successful) reinterpretation of Alvaro’s mischievous devil mascot, it looks decidedly old fashioned and clunky.

I’m sure some people will love it - very probably lots of people; but so far it’s really not growing on me at all, and I do feel it’s a disappointment given how cool Bati’s 2007 lid was.
I’m not convinced of the rightness of making the mischievous devil a lot more sinister either; the take on the devil mascot always having been that it’s not serious in any sense but reflects a kind of naughty side rather than a dark side of Alvaro’s character. While he may have the face of an angel he certainly rides like a little devil.
And don’t we love that :)
But the new graphic treatment seems to take this too seriously and loses any kind of cartoony, fun aspect (and if you think you can’t be both brilliant AND have a cartoon mascot then you’ve clearly never heard of Ayrton Senna).

Anyway - rant over; I’m a grumpy old git and much as I believe Bati should employ me as his brand advisor (and all kinds of other jobs too), this is when all’s said and done, no more than a very subjective little take on the whole lid & livery 2008 subject.
If nothing else I hope it’s been an interesting diversion for a few minutes... ;)

gb

MotoGP 2008 Riders & Teams (January update)

Okay, so with the announcement that there's apparently no Team Roberts in the MotoGP class this season (great shame, I *hate* small grids...) this is how the classes should stack up for March...


125cc

No-Rider-Nation-Team-Machine
5-EFREN VAZQUEZ-SPA-BLUSENS APRILIA JUNIOR-APRILIA
6-JOAN OLIVE-SPA-BELSON DERBI-DERBI
7-ALEXIS MASBOU-FRA-LONCIN RACING-LONCIN
8-LORENZO ZANETTI-ITA-SEEDORF KTM 125-KTM
11-SANDRO CORTESE-GER-EMMI - CAFFE LATTE-APRILIA
12-ESTEVE RABAT-SPA-REPSOL KTM 125cc-KTM
14-GABOR TALMACSI-HUN-BANCAJA ASPAR TEAM-APRILIA
16-JULES CLUZEL-FRA-LONCIN RACING-LONCIN
17-STEFAN BRADL-GER-GRIZZLY GAS KIEFER RACING-APRILIA
18-NICOLAS TEROL-SPA-WRB FONTANA RACING-APRILIA
21-ROBIN LASSER-GER-GRIZZLY GAS KIEFER RACING-APRILIA
22-PABLO NIETO-SPA-SCOT RACING TEAM 125cc-KTM
24-SIMONE CORSI-ITA-WRB FONTANA RACING-APRILIA
27-STEFANO BIANCO-ITA-WTR NO ALCOL TEAM-APRILIA
29-ANDREA IANNONE-ITA-I.C. TEAM-APRILIA
30-PERE TUTUSAUS-SPA-BANCAJA ASPAR TEAM-APRILIA
33-SERGIO GADEA-SPA-BANCAJA ASPAR TEAM-APRILIA
34-RANDY KRUMMENACHER-SUI-RED BULL KTM 125-KTM
35-RAFFAELE DE ROSA-ITA-SCOT RACING TEAM 125cc-KTM
38-BRADLEY SMITH-GBR-POLARIS WORLD-APRILIA
44-POL ESPARGARO-SPA-BELSON DERBI-DERBI
45-SCOTT REDDING-GBR-BLUSENS APRILIA JUNIOR-APRILIA
51-STEVIE BONSEY-USA-ARIE MOLENAAR RACING-APRILIA
55-HUGO VAN DEN BERG-NED-ARIE MOLENAAR RACING-APRILIA
60-MICHAEL RANSEDER-AUT-I.C. TEAM-APRILIA
63-MIKE DI MEGLIO-FRA-AJO MOTOSPORT-DERBI
69-LOUIS ROSSI-FRA-FFM HONDA GP 125-HONDA
71-TOMOYOSHI KOYAMA-JPN-SEEDORF KTM 125-KTM
73-TAKAAKI NAKAGAMI-JPN-I.C. TEAM-APRILIA
77-DOMINIQUE AEGERTER-SUI-AJO MOTOSPORT-DERBI
87-ROBERTO LACALENDOLA-ITA-MATTEONI RACING-APRILIA
93-MARC MARQUEZ-SPA-REPSOL KTM 125cc-KTM
95-ROBERT MURESAN-ROM-GRIZZLY GAS KIEFER RACING-APRILIA
99-DANNY WEBB-GBR-ARIE MOLENAAR RACING-APRILIA


250cc

No-Rider-Nation-Team-Machine
4-HIROSHI AOYAMA-JPN-RED BULL KTM 250-KTM
5-HECTOR FAUBEL-SPA-MAPFRE ASPAR TEAM-APRILIA
6-ALEX DEBON-SPA-LOTUS APRILIA-APRLIA
7-RUSSEL GOMEZ-SPA-BLUSENS APRILIA-APRILIA
10-IMRE TOTH-HUN-TEAM TOTH APRILIA-APRILIA
12-THOMAS LUTHI-SUI-EMMI - CAFFE LATTE-APRILIA
14-RATTHAPARK WILAIROT-THA-THAI HONDA PTT SAG-HONDA
15-ROBERTO LOCATELLI-ITA-SQUADRA CORSE METIS GILERA-GILERA
17-KAREL ABRAHAM-CZE-CARDION AB MOTORACING-APRILIA
19-ALVARO BAUTISTA-SPA-MAPFRE ASPAR TEAM-APRILIA
21-HECTOR BARBERA-SPA-TEAM TOTH APRILIA-APRILIA
25-ALEX BALDOLINI-ITA-MATTEONI RACING-APRILIA
32-FABRIZIO LAI-ITA-CAMPETELLA RACING-APRILIA
36-MIKA KALLIO-FIN-RED BULL KTM 250-KTM
41-ALEIX ESPARGARO-SPA-LOTUS APRILIA-APRLIA
45-DONI TATA PRADITA-INA-YAMAHA PERTAMINA INDONESIA-YAMAHA
50-EUGENE LAVERTY-IRL-BLUSENS APRILIA-APRILIA
52-LUKAS PESEK-CZE-AUTO KELLY - CP-APRILIA
54-MANUEL POGGIALI-RSM-CAMPETELLA RACING-APRILIA
55-YUKI TAKAHASHI-JPN-SCOT RACING TEAM 250cc-HONDA
58-MARCO SIMONCELLI-ITA-SQUADRA CORSE METIS GILERA-GILERA
60-JULIAN SIMON-SPA-REPSOL KTM 250cc-KTM
75-MATTIA PASINI-ITA-POLARIS WORLD-APRILIA


MotoGP

No-Rider-Nation-Team-Machine
1-CASEY STONER-AUS-DUCATI MARLBORO TEAM-DUCATI
3-ALEX DE ANGELIS-RSM-HONDA GRESINI-HONDA
4-ANDREA DOVIZIOSO-ITA-JIR SCOT TEAM-HONDA
5-COLIN EDWARDS-USA-YAMAHA TECH 3-YAMAHA
7-CHRIS VERMEULEN-AUS-RIZLA SUZUKI MOTOGP-SUZUKI
13-ANTHONY WEST-AUS-KAWASAKI RACING TEAM-KAWASAKI
14-RANDY DE PUNIET-FRA-HONDA LCR-HONDA
21-JOHN HOPKINS-USA-KAWASAKI RACING TEAM-KAWASAKI
24-TONI ELIAS-SPA-TEAM ALICE-DUCATI
26-DANI PEDROSA-SPA-REPSOL HONDA TEAM-HONDA
33-MARCO MELANDRI-ITA-DUCATI MARLBORO TEAM-DUCATI
46-VALENTINO ROSSI-ITA-FIAT YAMAHA TEAM-YAMAHA
48-JORGE LORENZO-SPA-FIAT YAMAHA TEAM-YAMAHA
50-SYLVAIN GUINTOLI-FRA-TEAM ALICE-DUCATI
52-JAMES TOSELAND-GBR-YAMAHA TECH 3-YAMAHA
56-SHINYA NAKANO-JPN-HONDA GRESINI-HONDA
65-LORIS CAPIROSSI-ITA-RIZLA SUZUKI MOTOGP-SUZUKI
69-NICKY HAYDEN-USA-REPSOL HONDA TEAM-HONDA

Excellent News On Alvaro Bautista 2008 PDF Calendar / Calendario

Great news on our PDF BatiCal - the superb BatiFans.com 2008 Alvaro Bautista calendar download - it's now been taken by over 700 fans; great news in such a short time since its launch late last year.
Make sure you download a copy too, for keeping on your Mac or PC desktop and for printing out onto some nice glossy paper and putting up on the wall.

Click here for full info and download...

MotoGP 2008 'Calendar' Desktop Wallpaper

I've done a very general 2008 MotoGP "Calendar" wallpaper - hopefully a nice download for a fan of any rider...
It's a blue-ish design with grids and dots making up a world map and a semi-opaque treatment of a big bunch of MotoGP bikes sweeping into a corner overlaid on it.
It's completed by a text listing of all the dates and locations of the 2008 MotoGP season.
Click here to find it in our MotoGP / 250cc / 125cc section over at BatiFans.com

Enjoy :)

The Alvaro Bautista 2008 PDF Calendar Download

Another goodie for you... this one, all modesty aside, really is pretty special...
It's our 2008 BatiCal - a superb A4 sized PDF calendar, absolutely stuffed with awesome pictures of Alvaro on and off the bike and also chocca with all the useful MotoGP dates for 2008 too; it's indispensable and it's all you'll need to keep an eye on those crucial dates.
It looks great printed out onto glossy paper and bound as a "real" desktop calendar; alternatively you can just download it to your PC or Mac desktop and keep it there for whenever you need it.
Click here for full info and download...

Enjoy :)

MotoGP Calendar 2008 Gets Updated

The FIM has announced a couple of amends to the 2008 MotoGP calendar.
Portugal and Valencia are each pulled forward a week, whilst Japan and Australia swap dates.
The resulting changes look like this:

Rd 1 - March 9 - Qatar - Doha/Losail
Rd 2 - March 30 - Spain - Jerez de la Frontera
Rd 3 - April 13 - Portugal - Estoril
Rd 4 - May 4 - China - Shanghai
Rd 5 - May 18 - France - Le Mans
Rd 6 - June 1 - Italy - Mugello
Rd 7 - June 8 - Catalunya - Montmelo
Rd 8 - June 22 - Great Britain - Donington Park
Rd 9 - June 28 - Netherlands - Assen **
Rd 10 - July 13 - Germany - Sachsenring
Rd 11 - July 20 - United States - Laguna Seca *
Rd 12 - August 17 - Czech Republic - Brno
Rd 13 - August 31 - San Marino - Misano
Rd 14 - September 14 - Indianapolis - Indianapolis
Rd 15 - September 28 - Japan - Motegi
Rd 16 - October 5 - Australia - Phillip Island
Rd 17 - October 19 - Malaysia - Sepang
Rd 18 - October 26 - Valencia Ricardo Tormo - Valencia

(* Only MotoGP class ** Saturday)

Aspar Aprilia Confirm Alvaro Bautista for 2008

(*Above: Jorge Martinez and Alvaro Bautista)

Great news - in Spanish at least! (full reports haven't crept out onto English speaking websites yet sadly) is that Alvaro Bautista has been confirmed by the Master Aspar Aprilia Team for 2008.
You can read their press release here...

Congrats Bati from all of us on the Fan Site - it's fantastic news :)