2012

Year: 2012

Month: ALL

Qatar MotoGP: Valentino Rossi worried ahead of season opener

06 April 2012 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi said a lack of rear grip with his new Ducati GP12 machine was a big cause for concern after he ended the opening practice session of 2012 at the floodlit Losail International Circuit...

Qatar MotoGP: Chatter returns but Casey Stoner still fastest

06 April 2012 by Matthew Birt

A return of the dreaded chatter problem that plagued Casey Stoner for long spells of the pre-season winter testing campaign failed to stop the reigning world champion from heading the practice...

Qatar MotoGP: Casey Stoner tops opening practice

06 April 2012 by Matthew Birt

Casey Stoner made the perfect start to the defence of his MotoGP crown in Qatar tonight when the Repsol Honda rider held off a Yamaha onslaught to top the opening practice timesheets. Jorge Lorenzo,...

Qatar MotoGP: Nicky Hayden third but cautiously optimistic

05 April 2012 by Matthew Birt

Nicky Hayden refused to get too carried away after he kicked off the new 1000cc MotoGP era by setting the third fastest time in opening practice at the floodlit Losail International Circuit in Qatar...

Jorge Lorenzo expecting stronger threat from Dani Pedrosa

05 April 2012 by Matthew Birt

Factory Yamaha rider Jorge Lorenzo believes Dani Pedrosa will pose a stronger threat in the 2012 MotoGP world championship, which kicks off in Qatar tonight under the spectacular Losail International...

Lascorz recovering in Barcelona, extent of damage remains unclear

05 April 2012 by Michael Guy

Following his testing crash at Imola and subsequent surgery in Italy, Joan Lascorz has been transferred to the Valle Hebron hospital in Barcelona. The 27 year old Spaniard was operated after the crash...

Ducati boss: Valentino Rossi highly motivated for 2012

03 April 2012 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi remains motivated and determined to transform Ducati’s fortunes in MotoGP, despite conceding he’s little chance to start the new 1000cc era in Qatar on Sunday night with a...

James Ellison hoping for chatter boost in Qatar

03 April 2012 by Matthew Birt

James Ellison is hoping his dream return to MotoGP action in Qatar this weekend isn’t ruined by a chatter issue that severely hampered the British rider during the recent final pre-season test in...

Tech 3 boss hails strongest ever MotoGP line-up

03 April 2012 by Matthew Birt

Cal Crutchlow and Andrea Dovizioso spearhead the strongest Tech 3 Yamaha line-up ever in MotoGP in 2012, according to team boss Herve Poncharal. British rider Crutchlow has been in outstanding form...

50% off Donington BSB weekend tickets with MCN!

03 April 2012 by MCN

MCN and Donington Park have teamed up to offer readers a 50% discount on a Donington Park BSB weekend ticket for September 7-9 2012. This offer is available when purchased with a Donington Park WSB...

Davies’ dramatic race one crash in pictures

03 April 2012 by Michael Guy

Chaz Davies walked away from a dramatic race one crash at Imola where he spectacularly collided with Sylvain Guintoli’s Effenbert Liberty Ducati on lap two. The ParkinGo Aprilia rider had made up...

British riders dominate Imola WSB test

03 April 2012 by Michael Guy

British riders Tom Sykes, Jonathan Rea, Leon Camier and Leon Haslam ruled the one day official SBK test at Imola on Monday. The British riders secured the top four spots on the time sheets, holding...

Joan Lascorz injury update

03 April 2012 by Michael Guy

Following his serious accident at Imola yesterday in testing, Joan Lascorz underwent surgery last night in Italy to repair damage to his back. The 28-year-old Spaniard underwent an operation to...

Dani Pedrosa vows to focus on racing after arrest

03 April 2012 by Matthew Birt

Dani Pedrosa has vowed to not let his arrest for allegedly attempting to cheat during an exam to gain a yachtmaster certificate distract him from this weekend’s opening MotoGP round in Qatar. The...

Lascorz seriously injured in Imola testing crash

02 April 2012 by Michael Guy

Factory Kawasaki rider Joan Lascorz has been seriously injured in a testing crash at Imola today. The 27 year old Spaniard lost control of his ZX-10R in the final minutes of the opening test session...

Loris Capirossi: Ducati need time they don’t have

02 April 2012 by Matthew Birt

Loris Capirossi reckons Valentino Rossi and Ducati need to be given more time to prove the new factory GP12 machine is the bike to put the Italian in a position to challenge Casey Stoner and Jorge...

Andrea Dovizioso: Difficult to topple Casey Stoner in 2012

02 April 2012 by Matthew Birt

Andrea Dovizioso believes it will be hard for anybody to stop Casey Stoner from winning the inaugural 1000cc MotoGP world championship in 2012. The Australian starts the new season in Qatar this...

Ten Kate blasts Pirelli for inconsistent tyres

02 April 2012 by Michael Guy

Ten Kate Honda boss Ronald ten Kate has raised serious concerns over the performance of the Pirelli tyres used in World Supersport after his rider Broc Parkes was ruled out of a potential podium...

Imola WSB: Checa does the double

01 April 2012 by Liam Marsden

Althea Ducati rider Carlos Checa has won both WSB races at Imola today to take the lead in the championship. It was the same story as race one, with pole setter Tom Sykes getting off to a flyer and...

Imola WSS: Fabien Foret takes victory

01 April 2012 by Liam Marsden

Intermoto Step Kawasaki rider Fabien Foret won the second World Supersport race of the season and took the lead in the championship standings after championship rival Kenan Sofuoglu was black flagged...

Imola WSB: Checa takes race one win

01 April 2012 by Liam Marsden

Kawasaki rider Tom Sykes was unable to hold off reigning world champion Carlos Checa in race one at Imola despite leading the first half of the race. Sykes got the holeshot from pole position, and...

Roll on BSB 2012!

31 March 2012 by Kevin Langridge

Highlights from last year’s final BSB round at Brands Hatch. Roll on the new season!

West quits Supersonic BMW for QMMF in Moto2

31 March 2012 by MCN Sports Desk

A week before the first race of the BSB season, Anthony West has walked out on the Supersonic BMW team to join the QMMF Racing Team in Moto2. In a press release from QMMF, West is quoted: “It’s great...

Imola WSB: Sykes takes pole with fastest ever superbike lap

31 March 2012 by Liam Marsden

Yorkshireman Tom Sykes will start tomorrow’s WSB races from pole position at the Italian track of Imola after setting the fastest ever lap of the circuit on two wheels with a 1:46.748. It’s the second...

WSB Imola: Sykes takes provisional pole, Haslam third

31 March 2012 by Michael Guy

Tom Sykes continued to demonstrate his impressive pace by securing provisional pole position at the end of second qualifying at Imola this morning. The factory Kawasaki man cites Imola as one of his...

Imola WSB: Smrz steals provisional pole

30 March 2012 by Michael Guy

Effenbert Ducati rider Jakub Smrz secured provisional pole position right at the end of the opening qualifying session at Imola today edging out Kawasaki pairing Joan Lascorz and Tom Sykes. The Czech...

BMCRC Round 1 Report: Snetterton 24/25 March 2012

30 March 2012 by MCN

Minitwins Jones and Couzens share the spoils in Bemsee Minitwins Jesse Jones and 2011 champion Dan Couzens took two wins apiece in the opening round of the BMCRC Minitwin championship, as the popular...

Bemsee Premier 1000 racing blog: Snetterton 300

30 March 2012 by Michael Neeves

Pics by Bryan Lancaster. Well, that was a surprise. Three wins in Bemsee’s new Respro Premier 1000 class at Snetterton 300, a fastest lap and a pole position in the new BSB-style races – grid...

Ben Spies: “I have high expectations”

30 March 2012 by Matthew Birt

Ben Spies will start the 2012 MotoGP world championship in Qatar next week with expectations of fighting for the title on Yamaha’s impressive new factory YZR-M1 1000cc machine. Spies has been backed...

Imola WSS: Second place Lowes positive after first qualifying

30 March 2012 by Michael Guy

Bogdanka Honda rider Sam Lowes ended the opening day at Imola with the second fastest time and remains optimistic about the remainder of the weekend. The 21-year-old set a best lap of 1.52.784...

Scott Redding expected to win in 2012

30 March 2012 by Matthew Birt

Scott Redding’s Marc VDS Racing Moto2 squad believe the British teenager must win races in 2012 to put himself in the shop window for a possible switch to MotoGP next year. The Gloucestershire rider...

Tech 3 halt work on new CRT machine

30 March 2012 by Matthew Birt

Cal Crutchlow’s Tech 3 squad has suspended work on a proposed new CRT 1000cc MotoGP project. The French-based squad planned to have a new prototype chassis ready for track testing by the middle of...

Honda continue testing at Cadwell

30 March 2012 by Laura Stevens

The countdown continues to the Easter opener at Brands Hatch next weekend (6-9 April) and the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship teams have been making their final preparations as the...

Cal Crutchlow lauds special Jorge Lorenzo

29 March 2012 by Matthew Birt

Cal Crutchlow has praised factory Yamaha rider Jorge Lorenzo’s silky smooth riding style having been able to observe the Spaniard at close quarters in MotoGP for the last 18 months. The 2010 world...

Colin Edwards: ‘Aprilia gives us hope’

29 March 2012 by Matthew Birt

Colin Edwards says the performance of Aprilia’s new CRT MotoGP machine gives other new 1000cc projects hope for the future as he attempts to make the new Suter-BMW package more competitive in...

Casey Stoner: Hard to judge Ducati potential

29 March 2012 by Matthew Birt

Reigning MotoGP world champion Casey Stoner says it is difficult to gauge the potential of Ducati’s new factory GP12 ahead of the start of the new 1000cc era in Qatar next week. Ducati has rolled out...