2007

Year: 2007

Month: ALL

Yamaha signs Jorge Lorenzo for MotoGP

25 July 2007 by Dan Thornton

Jorge Lorenzo, the 250cc GP champion, has signed a two-year deal with Yamaha to make his MotoGP debut in 2008 aboard a Yamaha YZR-M1 with direct factory support. “Yamaha has been watching Jorge’s...

German GP thumbs-up

24 July 2007 by chris webster

Went to Sachsenring MotoGP with a mate on the back, stayed Friday and Saturday – amazing! The Germans were the best: friendly, helpful, fun & generous. We never even had to buy a beer on Saturday. On Sunday we secure-parked the bike & put all our gear in secure “holding” (all for 6 Euros; imagine that in the UK). Then it was a five minute walk to the track. Straight after the racing finished we...

Hofmann's crash

23 July 2007 by Nicholas Weaver

Hofmann’s full crash sequence… www.icsi.berkeley.edu/~nweaver/hofmann/

US MotoGP: AMA: Neil Hodgson fifth, Ellison tenth, Chaz Davies retires

23 July 2007 by MCN Sports Desk

Neil Hodgson made an impressive return to racing with fifth place in the AMA Superbike race as part of the US MotoGP weekend at Laguna Seca, with James Ellison tenth. The race was won by Yoshimura...

US MotoGP reaction: Sprocket failure costs Chaz Davies

23 July 2007 by Matthew Birt

A broken rear sprocket cost British rider Chaz Davies a points-scoring finish on his shock MotoGP debut in Laguna Seca. Replacing injured German Alex Hofmann on the D’Antin Ducati, Davies was lying...

US MotoGP reaction: Marco Melandri braves pain for Laguna Seca podium

23 July 2007 by Matthew Birt

Marco Melandri claimed a heroic third place in today’s American MotoGP race to clinch a contract with Ducati’s factory squad for 2008. Just over 24 hours after he dislocated his left ankle in a...

US MotoGP reaction: Chris Vermeulen second behind rampant Casey Stoner

23 July 2007 by Matthew Birt

Chris Vermeulen claimed his third podium of 2007 with second place in the Laguna Seca MotoGP clash, but was powerless to seriously trouble a dominant Casey Stoner. The closest Vermeulen got to his...

US MotoGP reaction: Stoner romps to victory

23 July 2007 by Matthew Birt

Casey Stoner extended his MotoGP world championship lead to a massive 44-points going into the summer break after a crushing victory at the American MotoGP. The 21-year-old obliterated his rivals to...

Marco Melandri clinches Ducati deal alongside Casey Stoner

23 July 2007 by Matthew Birt

Marco Melandri has signed a two-year contract to join Ducati’s factory squad next season, while Laguna Seca race winner Casey Stoner has extended his deal with the Bologna factory to the end of the...

US MotoGP: Vermeulen signs new factory Suzuki deal

23 July 2007 by Matthew Birt

Aussie Chris Vermeulen has signed a new contract with Suzuki’s factory MotoGP squad. The 24-year-old will stay on board a GSV-R for 2008 with an option for 2009 having accepted a formal offer he...

US MotoGP: Casey Stoner dominates Laguna Seca

22 July 2007 by MCN Sports Desk

Casey Stoner has won the US MotoGP round at Laguna Seca with a totally dominant performance on the Ducati Desmosedici. Dani Pedrosa led from the start, but within two corners Casey Stoner was in the...

US MotoGP: Casey Stoner tops Laguna Seca warm-up

22 July 2007 by Matthew Birt

Casey Stoner’s ominous form in Laguna Seca continued this morning when the factory Ducati rider finished warm-up with the fastest time. Stoner, who will start from pole position for this afternoon’s...

US MotoGP: Valentino Rossi and Colin Edwards fear front tyre trouble

22 July 2007 by Matthew Birt

Fiat Yamaha duo Valentino Rossi and Colin Edwards have serious concerns about the durability of their Michelin front tyres for tomorrow’s 32-lap American MotoGP race. Rossi will start fifth on the...

D'Antin MotoGP team impressed and surprised by Chaz Davies

22 July 2007 by Matthew Birt

Ducati team boss Luis D’Antin reckons he has been surprised by the impressive performance of British rider Chaz Davies in the American MotoGP. Davies was thrown in at the deep end yesterday afternoon...

US MotoGP: Late charge fires Casey Stoner to Laguna Seca pole

22 July 2007 by Matthew Birt

Casey Stoner produced a brilliant last two laps in today’s MotoGP qualifying session to claim his third pole position of the year in Laguna Seca. Having dominated the three free practice sessions,...

US MotoGP: Hofmann targets Brno MotoGP return

21 July 2007 by Matthew Birt

Alex Hofmann has targeted a return to action in the Czech Republic MotoGP race in Brno next month after undergoing surgery on a badly broken left hand in San Francisco yesterday (Friday). The German’s...

US MotoGP: Valentino Rossi crashes as Casey Stoner goes fastest

21 July 2007 by Matthew Birt

Casey Stoner topped the timesheets in the third and final American MotoGP free practice as main world title rival Valentino Rossi escaped injury in a crash. Stoner’s domination at Laguna Seca...

2008 provisional MotoGP calendar announced

21 July 2007 by Matthew Birt

The provisional calendar for the 2008 MotoGP world championship has been released today in Laguna Seca. As was widely anticipated, the series remains an 18-round championship, with Indianapolis...

US MotoGP: Chaz Davies talks dream Ducati debut

21 July 2007 by Matthew Birt

British rider Chaz Davies starred in one of the most unlikely MotoGP stories on the opening day of the American GP in Laguna Seca. Drafted in at the 11th hour to ride the D’Antin Ducati GP7, it was...

US MotoGP: Stoner stays in charge at Laguna Seca

21 July 2007 by Matthew Birt

Casey Stoner ended the first day of action at a sun-drenched Laguna Seca circuit with the fastest time in both free practice sessions. The MotoGP world championship leader clocked a 1.22.997 lap this...

US MotoGP: Rossi worried by red flag delay for injured Hofmann

20 July 2007 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi has confirmed he will speak to MotoGP bosses at the regular Safety Commission meeting tonight to discuss a delay in transferring injured Alex Hofmann to the Laguna Seca medical...

US MotoGP: Chaz Davies to replace Alex Hofmann

20 July 2007 by Matthew Birt

British rider Chaz Davies will replace injured German Alex Hofmann in this weekend’s American GP in Laguna Seca. Hofmann was injured in this morning’s free practice session when he broke his left hand...

US MotoGP: Hodgson eighth on Laguna Seca return

20 July 2007 by Matthew Birt

Neil Hodgson’s return to competitive race action for the first time since last October saw the British rider finish eighth quickest in the opening AMA superbike practice in Laguna Seca. The former...

US MotoGP: Stoner sets early Laguna Seca pace

20 July 2007 by Matthew Birt

MotoGP world championship leader Casey Stoner made the perfect start to the American GP in Laguna Seca this morning by clocking the fastest time in opening free practice. The Australian beat Marco...

US MotoGP: Alex Hofmann out of Laguna Seca MotoGP after practice crash

20 July 2007 by Matthew Birt

Alex Hofmann has been ruled out of Sunday’s American MotoGP race in Laguna Seca after suffering a serious left hand injury in this morning’s free practice session. Just ten minutes of the opening...

US MotoGP: Hayden plays down Laguna Seca hat-trick hopes

19 July 2007 by Matthew Birt

Reigning MotoGP world champion Nicky Hayden has played down his hopes of maintaining his 100 per cent winning record in Sunday’s American MotoGP clash in Laguna Seca. Hayden has been triumphant on...

Stoner ready for Laguna Seca challenge

19 July 2007 by Matthew Birt

MotoGP world championship leader Casey Stoner believes he will be capable of mounting a victory challenge in this weekend’s Laguna Seca clash. Looking to bounce back from his disappointing fifth place...

Repsol to stay with Honda MotoGP squad

19 July 2007 by Matthew Birt

Repsol has agreed a new two-year extension to stay as title sponsor of Honda’s official factory team. MCN understands the new deal was clinched after Spaniard Dani Pedrosa’s first win in 12 months at...

Colin Edwards sees life after Fiat Yamaha

19 July 2007 by Matthew Birt

Colin Edwards is believed to have been told his stint as Valentino Rossi’s team-mate is over at the end of this season, but still has the chance of a works Yamaha ride with the Tech 3 team for 2008.

Team Roberts’ MV link

19 July 2007 by Matthew Birt

Kenny Roberts’ British-based squad has held tentative discussions with MV Agusta about a future racing collaboration in either World Superbikes or MotoGP. Further talks about a possible tie-up will be...

World Superbikes: Toseland weighs Yamaha and Honda offers for 2008

19 July 2007 by Matthew Birt

James Toseland goes into this weekend’s Brno World Superbike round in the Czech Republic with two clear choices open to him for 2008. The Tech 3 Yamaha MotoGP team has made it clear they want the WSB...

Bradley Smith gets works Aprilia offer

19 July 2007 by Matthew Birt

Bradley Smith has been offered a factory Aprilia ride in the 2008 125cc world championship. The 16-year-old, one of the brightest British prospects for a generation, has been approached about signing...

MotoGP: Loris Capirossi in shock Rizla Suzuki move

18 July 2007 by Matthew Birt

MCN understands Marlboro Ducati’s Loris Capirossi has agreed to join Suzuki’s MotoGP team next year. This will see Italian joining Chris Vermeulen in the Rizla Suzuki squad after the Aussie agreed to...

Laguna Seca MotoGP: Roger Lee Hayden told to impress by Kawasaki

18 July 2007 by Matthew Birt

Kawasaki bosses have told Roger Lee Hayden his Laguna Seca wild card is a chance to put himself in the shop window for a full-time MotoGP world championship ride. The youngest of the Hayden racing...

Rossi had it coming

17 July 2007 by Geepier

Well something had to give. After reading John Hopkins’ statement of how Vale is overiding the Yamaha, watching a frustrated Valentino try to pass Randy De Puniet at a part of the track labelled as audacious and then bin it was no surprise. The downhill waterfall, a favoured passing place, only demonstrated the Yam’s lack of grunt against a Kawasaki, never mind a Ducati. Even shortshifting two...

German MotoGP reaction: Valentino Rossi: 'I made a mistake, I'm sorry'

16 July 2007 by Sarah Carnell

Valentino Rossi had admitted he “made a mistake” following his uncharacteristic crash out of the German MotoGP on Sunday. The seven-time world champion was battling to get past Randy de Puniet in the...