Ducati's decision to run its two MotoGP factory motorcycles under Open-Class rules has prompted yet another MotoGP rule rewrite. Ducati Corse general manager Gigi Dall'lgna based the decision on the concession of 12 engines for the season and no 'freeze' on engine development.

The Ducati decision would have left only Honda and Yamaha with entries in the Factory Class, Honda was unhappy at a rival factory entering what was intended to be a lower-cost class, as well as gaining concessions including four liters more fuel for the race and access to softer Bridgestone tires.

Bbut the new rules mean Ducati runs in the Factory Class, but with concessions because it has not won a race since 2010. IT will even use its own software – unlike the Open Class machines which must run Dorna's control ECU and software.

Fresh from an action packed weekend in Argentina, the MotoGP paddock has now completed an exhausting journey back to Europe. This week sees Movistar Yamaha MotoGP set up camp in Spain for the first back-to-back race weekend of the year, the Gran Premio de España at the Jerez circuit in the South of the country.

Valentino Rossi arrives back in Europe excited to return to a circuit that has recorded him a considerable number of victories. The nine-time World Champion has an impressive record on the Andalucian circuit with a staggering six premier class wins and two additional victories in the 125cc and 250cc classes. Last year’s visit saw him finish just off the podium with fourth place.

Jorge Lorenzo is excited to return to his home country to race on familiar territory, the two-time premier class world champion has an impressive record at Jerez, with two 250cc wins in 2006 and 2007 and a further two premier class victories in 2010 and 2011. 2012 saw him take second on the podium, just 0.9 seconds from a third potential premier class win and last year saw him continue his premier class podium run with third.

Movistar Yamaha MotoGP rider Jorge Lorenzo made a stunning return to form today, taking third in the Gran Premio de la República Argentina at the Termas de Rio Hondo circuit. Starting from second on the grid, Lorenzo catapulted from the line to take the hole shot into turn one, leading the MotoGP pack into the first ever MotoGP race at the circuit.

Teammate Valentino Rossi jumped two places to fourth as the story of the first laps began. What happened next was a flurry of activity with Jorge dropping initially to third with a wide corner and Rossi climbing to second. The positions were not to last as the Yamaha riders shuffled again, Lorenzo climbing back to retake the lead and Rossi dropping initially to fourth before passing Andrea Iannone for third.

With 22 laps to go a brief state of grace saw the Yamaha riders running in first and second. The moment was not to last as Rossi ran wide, dropping to seventh and giving himself a challenge to fight back up the rankings and chase down Sefan Bradl, Dani Pedrosa and Iannone in front.

Suzuki’s former World 500cc GP Champion Kevin Schwantz joined the Suzuki MotoGP Test Team for its test at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas this week.

The 1993 World Champion, who last raced a MotoGP machine in 2006, completed 11 laps of the 5,513m circuit with a best lap-time of 2’12.75.

Schwantz, who also tested the Yoshimura Suzuki Superbike team’s GSX-R1000s, said: “I went on the MotoGP machine after riding the GSX-R1000 Superbike and it felt like going from a 500cc to a 250cc bike; the MotoGP machine is so small and compact! The bike turns, accelerates, goes fast; it does everything and I had fun and really enjoyed it.

“With this bike you have power and braking so you brake and accelerate and the bike does all the rest. I think Suzuki should race now - the sooner the better! You can test a lot but in the race you really understand.

Today’s Grand Prix of the Americas at the COTA circuit in Austin, Texas proved to be a difficult one for the Movistar Yamaha MotoGP riders with Valentino Rossi taking eighth and teammate Jorge Lorenzo taking tenth.

After a less than perfect start that saw him drop from sixth on the grid to ninth, Rossi re-grouped and started to work his way back through the pack. Displaying his trademark efficiency the nine-time world champion made short work of the opening laps, passing Andrea Dovizioso, Stefan Bradl and finally Cal Crutchlow for fourth in turn seven. Rossi then began to close down Andrea Iannone and looked confident of scoring a podium finish until a sudden loss of grip on the right side of the front tyre left him unable to keep his pace, dropping him to eighth which he held to the line.

Teammate Jorge Lorenzo experienced his second Grand Prix weekend to forget today, making a jump start at the beginning of the race and receiving a ride-through penalty as a result. He pitted immediately at the end of the opening lap and re-joined at the back of the field in 23rd. The four-time world champion then showed his dedication and professionalism, working hard to move back through the pack to earn his first championship points of the season. As he crossed the finish line he did so in tenth position, less than four seconds from Rossi in eighth.

The Suzuki MotoGP Test Team continued its 2014 test programme on day two of the Sepang test in Malaysia today, finding better speed from the new engine and also better stability.

Test rider Randy De Puniet knocked 1.2-seconds off his best lap yesterday with a best time of 2:02.139 on his penultimate 59th lap of the 5,543km Sepang International Circuit.

The Suzuki MotoGP Test Team will continue to evaluate the new engine, electronic ignition and also a new chassis on the final day tomorrow.

After being informed that he wasn't in Ducati MotoGP plans for 2014, Nicky Hayden began looking at other options. These included a switch to the World Superbike Championship with Ducati, giving Hayden the opportunity to become the first person to win the WSBK and MotoGP championship. The prevailing rumor was that he was going to Aprilia to run on a CRT machine in MotoGP.

But then Aprilia's former technical director Gigi Dall'lgna announced he was defecting to rival Ducati to head up that company's faltering MotoGP program, throwing a wrench into Hayden's plans. The team Hayden had eventually signed with-the Power Electronics Aspar team – wasn't confident of Aplrilia's commitment to MotoGP, so they began to search out their options for machinery.

Lo and behold, Honda was looking for teams to run its new RCV1000R production Racer MotoGP motorcycle. With backing from several sponsors-including, interesting enough, American Honda-Hayden and Aspar announced prior to the season-ending Valancia GP that the team would be riding the new Honda machine.

Yamaha Factory Racing stars Jorge Lorenzo and Valentino Rossi kicked off the new MotoGP season today by unveiling the 2014 Yamaha YZR-M1 live in front of nearly 4000 members of the Yamaha family at the 3S Dealer meeting in Indonesia.

The two-day visit saw both riders engage in a number of activities for their first official outing of 2014. Yesterday Jorge met with a number of local media before heading off to take part in a soccer game with a team of Lorenzo fans and members of the Yamaha community.

This morning Jorge and Vale went together to meet Mr. Joko Widodo, the current Governor of Jakarta. The threesome spent some time cycling and chatting together before the riders moved on to join the thousands of Yamaha dealers gathered to witness the unveiling of the 2014 YZR-M1 that marked the start of the 3S Dealer Meeting.

Jorge and Vale wrapped up the day by recording a local TV show and shooting a Yamaha TV commercial before heading to the airport and saying goodbye to Indonesia once again.

The first MotoGP tests of 2014 are just around the corner so it's not a bad time to ask what the two things that matter most in racing might be: they are the ability to go fast and the ability to overtake. But what happens when all the motorcycles at the front of the pack go round the racetrack at pretty much the same speed. How then do you overtake?

Ducati thought hard about this before they joined MotoGP a decade or so ago. That's why they focused on building a motorcycle with the most horsepower and the best aerodynamics. From nowhere the Desmosedici took a podium in its first outing and won its sixth race. Five years later the factory won their first MotoGP crown, thanks to their horsepower advantage.

MotoGP is very different today but the same rules still apply. Ducati have been out of the equation for the last few years because they can't get their motorcycle into or out of the corners efficiently. Jorge Lorenzo and Yamaha won the 2012 title thanks to their superior corner speed. Marc Marquez and Honda won the 2013 title largely because they had better corner entry performance, so he could overtake the Yamaha relatively easy.

Throughout the years there have been many people who have influenced and changed racing into the exciting event it is today. The list consists of not only the riders and men involved in MotoGP, but also of exceptional women working behind the riders. Beautiful and skilled, they work with the same brave capacity of men around the paddock even though they are in the minority.

Those women are eager to travel every part of the world, careless of working overtime as long as they can be a part of the whole and earn a place in the team. They are keen to discover different cultures and nationalities, places beyond any imagination they would never have had the chance to visit some day. In this male-dominated field of motorcycles, women gain appreciation and respect by the excellent work they contribute every day.

Women who swop their high-heeled shoes for sneakers, feminine clothing for sporty outfits and at the end of a working day didn't lose their charm and sensuality. You'll see women working in different fields, fields like photography, Events Organization, Media Center, Cook or even Marshals.