2007

Stoner crashes

Stoner crashes

Australian Casey Stoner walked away unhurt from a massive high-side at the end of the final day of testing in Jerez today. The 21-year-old crashed his factory Ducati Desmosedici GP7 in the stadium...

Rossi wins BMW

Rossi wins BMW

Valentino Rossi struck a crucial early psychological blow against his MotoGP rivals this afternoon with an incredible Jerez display that won him a new BMW Z4 Coupe. In what is surely a sign of things...

Tamada crashes

Tamada crashes

Japanese rider Makoto Tamada has escaped injury in a crash on the second afternoon of the IRTA test in Jerez. The 30-year-old lost the front of his factory Tech 3 Yamaha YZR-M1 800 at turn...

KR delays quit threat

KR delays quit threat

Kenny Roberts will continue to run his MotoGP squad until the middle of the 2007 season at least despite fears that a money crisis could see the American legend quit after two races. Speaking to...

Stoner second in Jerez

Stoner second in Jerez

Aussie Casey Stoner’s impressive winter testing form continued today as he logged the second quickest time on a first day in Jerez badly affected by rain. The 21-year-old was just 0.071s slower than...

Hayden's woes continue

Hayden's woes continue

Reigning world champion Nicky Hayden’s tough winter showed no signs of improvement today in Jerez as he finished way down the timesheets in 19th place. The American was a massive 3.338s slower than...

Rossi 13th in Jerez

Rossi 13th in Jerez

Valentino Rossi found himself surprisingly off the pace on a rain-hit first day in Jerez today with the former world champion languishing down in 13th place. The 27-year-old 1.9.31s slower than...

Marco sets Jerez pace

Marco sets Jerez pace

Former world 250 champion Marco Melandri took the honours on a rain-hit first day in Jerez today as Valentino Rossi and reigning world champion Nicky Hayden struggled. The Gresini Honda rider clocked...

OJ wants improvement

OJ wants improvement

Olivier Jacque says there is still plenty of room for improvement despite Kawasaki’s encouraging start to the new 800cc MotoGP era. Jacque, who missed most of last week’s IRTA test in Qatar after...

Diet boosts Checa

Diet boosts Checa

Carlos Checa has revealed some of the extreme measures he’s taken to help him adapt to the new generation 800cc MotoGP machines in 2007. The Spaniard underwent a rigorous and gruelling winter training...

Endurance boost

Endurance boost

John Hopkins reckons lap times are plummeting on the new 800cc machines because the drop in horsepower has seen tyre endurance greatly increased. Riders can lap faster and for longer without the...

Marco better than ever

Marco better than ever

Marco Melandri claims he will go into the new MotoGP world championship campaign in better shape than at any other time in his career. Despite some disappointing winter testing performances on the...

BHP management key

BHP management key

Factory Ducati rider Loris Capirossi believes one of the reasons why lap times are already plummeting in the new 800cc MotoGP era is down to significantly more manageable horsepower, despite saying...

Vermeulen wants grip

Vermeulen wants grip

Chris Vermeulen has told Bridgestone that it must improve its new generation front tyres to help adapt to the new riding style required on the 800cc MotoGP machines. With increased corners speeds and...

Dani's bike faster

Dani's bike faster

Marco Melandri has hinted that factory Honda rider Dani Pedrosa has already received engine upgrades on the new RC212V 800cc contender. The Italian spoke to MCN having followed the triple world...

Rossi backs Edwards

Rossi backs Edwards

Valentino Rossi has backed factory Yamaha team-mate Colin Edwards to finally deliver in the MotoGP world championship. The American is still searching for his first premier class victory having spent...

800s like two strokes

800s like two strokes

Former world 250 champion Marco Melandri says that the new generation 800cc MotoGP machines have the same aggressive power characteristics of a two-stroke. Though he never raced a two-stroke 500 in...

Barros targets win

Barros targets win

Brazilian veteran Alex Barros believes he is capable of making a winning return to the MotoGP world championship in 2007. The 36-year-old is back in the premier class after a year with in World...

Rear progress for Colin

Rear progress for Colin

Colin Edwards has been boosted by a breakthrough with rear set-up on his new factory Yamaha 800. Edwards experimented with yet another new Ohlins rear shock set-up having made a significant...

Fuel no worry for Honda

Fuel no worry for Honda

Former world champion Kenny Roberts Jr reckons Honda’s new RC212V has no worries over fuel consumption with tank capacity slashed to 21 litres for 2007. Fuel consumption has been one of the most...

Carlos gets comfy

Carlos gets comfy

Carlos Checa has unveiled some of the secrets to his rapid improvement in winter testing on board the LCR Honda RC212V 800 contender. The Spaniard has begun to recapture his best form in recent tests...

Michelin boss talks 16

Michelin boss talks 16

Having made the first aggressive move in the 2007 MotoGP tyre war with a new 16-inch front tyre becoming one of the big talking points of winter testing. Michelin boss Jean-Philippe Weber has told MCN...

Nicky needs early speed

Nicky needs early speed

Reigning world champion Nicky Hayden reckons he has got to come out of the gate faster at every race to bolster his hopes of retaining the MotoGP crown in 2007. Hayden admitted one of his weaknesses...

Meetings help Yamaha

Meetings help Yamaha

A new regime has helped Yamaha become the manufacturer everybody wants to beat when the new 800cc MotoGP world championship kicks off on March 10, 2007 in Qatar. That’s the view of factory rider Colin...

Beeb unveil '07 plans

Beeb unveil '07 plans

All 18 rounds of the 2007 MotoGP world championship will be screened live on the BBC. Coverage plans were confirmed by BBC MotoGP series producer Belinda Rogerson at the start of the IRTA test in...

Wet, wet, wet in Jerez

Wet, wet, wet in Jerez

The opening morning of the final IRTA test in Jerez has been dominated by soaking wet conditions that have seen none of the full-time MotoGP riders out on track in the first two hours. Only Ducati...

Pitt waits on new parts

Pitt waits on new parts

Andrew Pitt is hoping that vital engine upgrades for the struggling Ilmor 800 arrive in time for this weekend’s final IRTA test in Jerez. Pitt and team-mate Jeremy McWilliams are waiting on a new...

Yamaha's 800 edge

Yamaha's 800 edge

Honda duo Marco Melandri and Carlos Checa reckon rivals Yamaha have a clear advantage going into the inaugural 800cc MotoGP world championship next month. Former world champion Valentino Rossi and...

Hayden: Engine still key

Hayden: Engine still key

Nicky Hayden believes Honda’s new RC212V 800cc motor can improve despite the V4 appearing close to its rivals in testing in Qatar last week. Hayden has been a vocal critic at the lack of performance...

Edwards on Jerez test

  Edwards on Jerez test

In-form factory Yamaha rider Colin Edwards has backed the factory’s YZR-M1 800 machine to continue its blistering winter pace when pre-season testing reaches its climax in Jerez. Edwards said he is...

800 just a tool

800 just a tool

Legendary Aussie chief engineer Jerry Burgess says he doesn’t expect MotoGP to change too drastically despite the capacity reduction to 800cc for 2007. Burgess, who is working with Yamaha and...

Rizla Suzuki's 2007 livery revealed

Rizla Suzuki's 2007 livery revealed

This is the first look of the new livery to be run by Rizla Suzuki’s MotoGP team in 2007. The bike was officially unveiled at Jerez moments ago (on Thursday afternoon), and is designated the...

Hopper gets shocked

Hopper gets shocked

John Hopkins is undergoing intensive electric shock treatment in Jerez to ensure he returns close to 100 per cent fitness for the season’s opening GP in Qatar on March 10, 2007. With the final IRTA...

Webb injured in crash

Webb injured in crash

British teenager Danny Webb will need a late fitness check before deciding whether he can ride in the final 125 winter test session in Qatar next week. The 15-year-old scraped skin off three fingers...

Vermeulen rates rivals

Vermeulen rates rivals

Aussie Chris Vermeulen reckons Yamaha’s new YZR-M1 has set the early benchmark in the new 800cc MotoGP era with the new season due to kick off in less than three weeks. The factory Suzuki rider...

Hopper: more speed

Hopper: more speed

Injured American John Hopkins reckons Suzuki’s new GSV-R 800 needs more power. The 23-year-old believes this is necessary to ensure it will be a competitive force when the new MotoGP world...