A four-time World Champion himself, Jorge Martínez “Aspar” will continue to pay tribute to his late compatriot Ángel Nieto on track with the Ángel Nieto Team, a project that will be led by Nieto's eldest son Gelete from youth development to MotoGP.

Gelete Nieto returns to the place he called home for several years as he takes over the reins of the newly-named Ángel Nieto Team, an exciting project that covers every level of motorcycle racing, from the FIM CEV Repsol Moto3 Junior World Championship to the elite stage of the Moto3 and MotoGP World Championships.

“Ángel Nieto is synonymous with motorcycle racing, a sport that gave him so much and to which he gave so much in return. Motorcycle racing is what it is in Spain thanks to the man who laid the first stone and we want to pay homage to that fact by renaming our team the Ángel Nieto Team,” explained Jorge Martínez “Aspar”, Nieto's great rival on track and great friend off it.

“You would always learn so much from being alongside him. Ángel helped so many people, me amongst others, and he was an important part of my life, as are his sons Gelete and Pablo and his nephew Fonsi."

"Ángel was particularly excited about this whole project. He trusted me to give Gelete his start in racing and he told me, 'I know that with you he will learn.' To be able to pay tribute to his memory and continue with this project in the hands of his eldest son, who was one of the first to ride for my team, gives me enormous pride.”

Gelete Nieto competed with the Aspar Team from 1993 to 1997 and picked up a European Championship victory in Barcelona and another in the Spanish Championship at Jerez, as well as making 28 Grand Prix appearances.

“I took my first steps in racing with Jorge Martínez “Aspar”, he guided me to the top step of the podium in the European and Spanish Championships," explains Gelete Nieto. 

"He has always been an important person to our family and alongside him I am now about to start a new chapter of my professional life in a team that will carry the name of my father. 2016 was his 50th season in the World Championship and I am sure he would have loved to be around for a few more. Motorcycles were his way of life and through this team we will make sure he remains in touch with his great passion."

Gelete was the first of the Nieto family to race in the team run by Jorge Martínez “Aspar”, soon to be followed by his brother Pablo and cousin Fonsi.

The trio, along with Ángel Nieto, were part of a team that enjoyed some of their best moments together, with standout moments like Pablo's victory in the Grand Prix of Portugal in 2003 and Fonsi's 250cc World Championship runner-up season of 2002.

Jorge Martínez “Aspar” added that Ángel Nieto “was the reason why so many Spaniards, including myself, his sons and so many others, wanted to dedicate our lives to racing and became champions of our passion."

"Thanks to him, we have the best fans in the world. Ángel will live forever, he will never leave our hearts and with this gesture he will be even more in our minds, if that were possible, as we continue to produce champions and keep the flame of our passion for this sport alive.”

source: motogp.com

The Grand Prix Commission, composed of Messrs. Carmelo Ezpeleta (Dorna, Chairman), Paul Duparc (FIM), Herve Poncharal (IRTA) and Takanao Tsubouchi (MSMA), in the presence of Vito Ippolito (FIM President), Carlos Ezpeleta (Dorna), Mike Trimby (IRTA, Secretary of the meeting), Corrado Cecchinelli (Director of Technology), Mike Webb (Race Director), Danny Aldridge (Technical Director), Fabio Muner (FIM) and Steve Aeschlimann (FIM), in a meeting held in Mies, Switzerland on 29 November 2017, made the following decisions:

Technical Regulations - effective Season 2018

Road Racing Wheels

New proposals for the testing and approval of road racing wheels were confirmed. Details can be seen in the updated technical regulations.

Virtual Pit Board Signals

In the 2018 season teams will continue to have the ability to send messages to the dashboard of the rider using the same system as already in place for Race Direction messages, as some of them have been doing towards the end of the 2017 season. Regulations have now been introduced to ensure that teams using this system comply with the protocols issued by Dorna timekeeping. The main requirement is that any message sent to a rider dashboard must be precisely replicated in the message received simultaneously by Dorna timekeeping and TV.

Sporting Regulations - effective Season 2018

New Championships and Classifications

There currently exists an FIM World Championship for MotoGP class teams. Two new FIM World Championships have now been introduced for Moto3 and Moto2 teams. Results will be based on the combined points of all riders in the team including substitutes and replacements.

Awards will also be introduced to recognise the highest ranked Independent Team in the MotoGP class and the highest ranked rider in an Independent MotoGP class team. These will not be World Championships but eligible teams and riders will compete for:

- MotoGP Class Independent Team Trophy

- MotoGP Class Independent Team Rider Trophy

Other Matters

MotoGP Class Wild Card Entries

An application from KTM to enter Mika Kallio as a wild card entry in the MotoGP class in five 2018 events was approved. The events are those in Spain (Jerez), Catalunya, Germany, Austria and Aragon. Teams using machines from Manufacturers with concessions have the right to have six wild card entries per season as opposed to only three. It has been decided that if a Manufacturer loses its concessions, this right won’t be revoked till the following season.

Best Grand Prix of 2017

The Malaysian Grand Prix at Sepang was chosen as winner of the best Grand Prix of 2017.

Insurance for Permanent Pass Holders

For several years, holders of permanent working passes have been insured in case of accidental death whilst travelling to or from an event or actually during the event.

With effect from 2018 this policy is being extended to cover up to €100,000 of medical or repatriation costs of holders of all permanent working passes; IRTA, Dorna, FIM and Media. This cover will include the pre-season official tests in and outside of Europe.

The premium for this new arrangement will continue to be paid by the FIM.

source: motogp.com

Pol Espargaro was second fastest for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, two tenths off Iannone after 54 laps as the Austrian factory continue plowing through their impressive workload on the way to 2018 – with new chassis, swingarms, comparisons and setups to work through for their sophomore season. Teammate Bradley Smith was fifth quickest, putting in 49 laps with a best of 1:38.688.

Danilo Petrucci was the man just ahead of Smith, as the Italian put in 49 laps with a best of 1:38.607. He took a tumble at Turn 8 and was largely unscathed, but did suffer a cut to his hand.

The Italian was also on track on one of Ducati Team rider Jorge Lorenzo’s machines, on Borgo Panigale factory business. Teammate Jack Miller was sixth quickest as he continues adapting to the Ducati, and his fastest lap was a 1:38.998.

Less than a tenth behind Miller saw Scott Redding take the RS-GP into seventh, putting in 64 laps on his new bike. Eugene Laverty, testing the Aprilia in place of Aleix Espargaro, was ninth.

source: motogp.com