April

Year: 2008

Month: April

Estoril MotoGP: Jorge Lorenzo takes first MotoGP win

13 April 2008 by Angus Farquhar

Jorge Lorenzo has taken his first premiere class win just three races in to his first MotoGP season, while Brit James Toseland takes 7th. Valentino Rossi took the lead in the early part of the race...

Estoril MotoGP: Bautista takes impressive 250 win

13 April 2008 by Angus Farquhar

Alvaro Bautista has won the Portugeuse 250GP in Estoril after taking an astonishing lead. Marco Simonchelli took the hole-shot but Bautista got past on the first time down the back straight and kept...

Estoril MotoGP: Casey Stoner trying to remain calm

12 April 2008 by Matthew Birt

Reigning world champion Casey Stoner says he won’t let his frustrations boil over after his Estoril nightmare continued in qualifying this afternoon. The Aussie will start tomorrow’s 28-lap race from...

Estoril MotoGP: Jorge Lorenzo storms to ‘dream’ third successive pole

12 April 2008 by Matthew Birt

Spaniard Jorge Lorenzo maintained his perfect qualifying record in 2008 with a third straight MotoGP pole position in Estoril today. The Spaniard proved he is virtually untouchable on Michelin’s soft...

Estoril MotoGP: Valentino Rossi claims first Bridgestone front row

12 April 2008 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi claimed his first Bridgestone front row start in Estoril today in a qualifying session dominated by rivals Michelin. The Italian was the only Bridgestone rider in the top eight with...

Estoril MotoGP: James Toseland content with sixth

12 April 2008 by Matthew Birt

British rider James Toseland has said he is content to have claimed a place on the second row of the grid for tomorrow’s Estoril GP in Portugal. A best lap of 1.36.790 secured sixth place in...

Estoril MotoGP: Danny Webb claims debut 125GP front row

12 April 2008 by Matthew Birt

British teenager Danny Webb has claimed the first front row start of his career in Estoril this afternoon when he finished fourth fastest in final 125GP qualifying. Second with only five minutes to...

Estoril MotoGP: James Toseland delighted at 2009 Yamaha deal

12 April 2008 by Matthew Birt

James Toseland has spoken of his delight at clinching an extension to his current Yamaha contract for the 2009 MotoGP world championship after just two races of his rookie season. The 27-year-old has...

Estoril MotoGP: Tech 3 boss hails early James Toseland deal

12 April 2008 by Matthew Birt

Tech 3 team boss Herve Poncharal said he is confident that James Toseland can mount a future challenge for the MotoGP world championship after clinching a 2009 deal with the double World Superbike...

Estoril MotoGP: Tech 3 clinches new Yamaha deal

12 April 2008 by Matthew Birt

James Toseland’s Tech 3 squad has received a double boost in Estoril this weekend with confirmation that the French-based team has signed a new two-year deal to run Yamaha’s satellite MotoGP...

Estoril MotoGP: Colin Edwards top free practice

12 April 2008 by Matthew Birt

Texan Colin Edwards looks a good bet to maintain his 100 per cent front row qualifying record after he ended free practice with the fastest time in Portugal. The Tech 3 Yamaha rider clocked a best of...

Estoril MotoGP: Casey Stoner bemused at slump to seventh

11 April 2008 by Matthew Birt

Reigning world champion Casey Stoner was left puzzled by his disappointing seventh place finish in today’s opening free practice sessions in Estoril. The Aussie, who scored his worst factory Ducati...

Estoril MotoGP: Valentino Rossi bounces back from big crash

11 April 2008 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi bounced back from a spectacular high-side crash this morning to claim the second fastest time at the end of an eventful opening day in Estoril. The 29-year-old, who is bidding to end...

Estoril MotoGP: Toni Elias injures foot in freak incident

11 April 2008 by Matthew Birt

Spaniard Toni Elias has suffered a right foot injury after a high-speed clutch failure on his Alice Ducati in Estoril. The former Estoril GP winner was approaching the tight first corner at the end of...

Estoril MotoGP: Dani Pedrosa continues early season charge

11 April 2008 by Matthew Birt

MotoGP world championship leader Dani Pedrosa continued his impressive start to the 2008 campaign by clocking the fastest time in today’s opening free practice in Estoril. The Spanish GP winner topped...

Estoril MotoGP: James Toseland delighted with Yamaha engine upgrade

11 April 2008 by Matthew Birt

British rider James Toseland has spoken of his delight at the performance of Yamaha’s latest spec pneumatic valve engine that he used for the first time on a weather-hit first day in Estoril. Making...

Estoril MotoGP: Valentino Rossi unhurt after big high-side crash

11 April 2008 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi’s bid to end his long winless streak in Portugal this weekend has started in painful but fast fashion with the Italian suffering a big high-side crash in the opening MotoGP free...

Estoril MotoGP: Bradley Smith and Danny Webb crash unhurt

11 April 2008 by Matthew Birt

British duo Bradley Smith and Danny Webb have walked away from first 125GP free practice crashes at a cool, wet and windy Estoril this morning. Spanish GP podium finisher Smith ended the session with...

Estoril MotoGP: Engine blow for Nicky Hayden and Dani Pedrosa

11 April 2008 by Matthew Birt

Factory Honda duo Nicky Hayden and Dani Pedrosa have been left reeling after finding out that a test on a new pneumatic valve engine in Estoril on Monday has been cancelled. World championship leader...

Estoril MotoGP: Marco Melandri gets new electronics

11 April 2008 by Matthew Birt

Marco Melandri is using new electronic software on his factory Ducati in Portugal this weekend to try and help him recover from a disastrous start to 2008. Melandri has endured a nightmare move to...

Estoril MotoGP: Casey Stoner fastest in mixed conditions

11 April 2008 by Matthew Birt

Reigning world champion Casey Stoner has topped the timesheets in a first free practice session run in mixed conditions in Estoril this morning. Stoner’s best time of 1.47.900 denied Valentino Rossi...

MotoGP: Nicky Hayden confident for Estoril

10 April 2008 by Matthew Birt

Nicky Hayden believes he is capable of joining the fight at the front of MotoGP in 2008 after his morale-boosting fourth place in last month’s Spanish GP. The American goes into this weekend’s Estoril...

MotoGP: Casey Stoner looks to get back on track in Estoril

10 April 2008 by Matthew Birt

Reigning world champion Casey Stoner is confident he can get the defence of his MotoGP crown back on track this weekend in Portugal. The Aussie arrives in Estoril hoping to quickly banish the memory...

Get closer to the action with MotoGP Impact

09 April 2008 by Sarah Carnell

MotoGP fans will feel a little closer to the action from this weekend as the Portugese race will see the launch of the new MotoGP Impact service. The service will include branded internet SKYPE-type...

MotoGP: Anthony West ready to gamble with new chassis

09 April 2008 by Matthew Birt

Struggling factory Kawasaki rider Anthony West has said he is willing to gamble on using an untried chassis for the first time in Estoril this weekend to try and spark an improvement in his...

MotoGP: Estoril track knowledge key for James Toseland

09 April 2008 by Matthew Birt

James Toseland reckons the key to him continuing the impressive start to his MotoGP career will largely depend on how quickly he can learn the Estoril circuit this weekend. Estoril is the first track...

MotoGP: Jorge Lorenzo keen to bounce back in Estoril

09 April 2008 by Matthew Birt

Rookie star Jorge Lorenzo believes he has the mental strength to bounce back from his disappointing Spanish MotoGP with another podium challenge in this weekend’s Estoril clash in Portugal. Although...

MotoGP: Valentino Rossi hopeful of more Estoril success

09 April 2008 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi is confident that he can notch another Estoril victory this weekend to end his worst barren run in MotoGP since his rookie year in 2000. The Portuguese circuit was one of only four...

MotoGP: Honda electronics can improve says Nicky Hayden

08 April 2008 by Matthew Birt

American Nicky Hayden believes Honda can still improve its sophisticated electronics system in 2008, despite significant winter developments. Hayden got his new season up and running with fourth place...

MotoGP: Younger generation starting to takeover says Andrea Dovizioso

08 April 2008 by Matthew Birt

The impressive performances of rookies like Jorge Lorenzo and James Toseland is the signal that a new generation is closing in on becoming the dominant force in MotoGP. That’s the view of JIR Scot...

MotoGP: Chris Vermeulen urges Bridgestone improvement

08 April 2008 by Matthew Birt

Chris Vermeulen has called on Bridgestone to accelerate development of its new tyres, with several riders still campaigning last year’s rubber. Vermeulen was one of several Bridgestone runners to use...

MotoGP: James Toseland looking for podium places

08 April 2008 by Sarah Carnell

Britain’s James Toseland says he’s finally realising he can continue his World Superbike success in MotoGP. The Tech 3 Yamaha rider has so far enjoyed two top six finishes in Qatar and Jerez plus a...

MotoGP: Tech 3 boss praises Michelin revival

08 April 2008 by Matthew Birt

James Toseland and Colin Edwards’ Tech 3 Yamaha team boss has praised Michelin after a promising start to the 2008 MotoGP world championship. British rookie Toseland has claimed top six finishes in...

MotoGP: Jorge Lorenzo flattered by world title backing

08 April 2008 by Matthew Birt

Spanish rookie Jorge Lorenzo says he is flattered to be considered an early contender for the 2008 MotoGP world championship. The Fiat Yamaha rider has made an instant impact in MotoGP, claiming two...

MotoGP: Suzuki nearing definitive 2008 GSV-R decision

08 April 2008 by Matthew Birt

Suzuki is closing in on deciding what the final specification its 2008 factory GSV-R machine will be after a disappointing start to the new MotoGP season. Having made big strides during the first...

MotoGP: Nicky Hayden completes first lap of Indianapolis Motor Speedway on 1909 Indian

07 April 2008 by Sarah Carnell

Repsol Honda’s Nicky Hayden has ridden the first lap of the newly-configured Indianapolis Motor Speedway today on a 1909 Indian Motorcycle. The Kentucky rider rode the circuit, which he will compete...