2009

Year: 2009

Month: ALL

British MotoGP: Kevin Schwantz backs Valentino Rossi for title

24 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

American Kevin Schwantz believes Valentino Rossi’s experience will be vital as the Italian chases a ninth world title in 2009. Rossi is currently locked in an enthralling title fight with Fiat Yamaha...

Donington MotoGP stats: Facts and figures

24 July 2009 by Dr Martin Raines

Valentino Rossi has had seven victories at Donington; the 125cc race in 1997, the 250cc race in 1999 and in the premier-class in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004 and 2005. He also crossed the line first in...

British MotoGP: Casey Stoner – ‘Britain helped my career’

24 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

Former world champion Casey Stoner reckons he could not have enjoyed his premier class success had it not been for the British championship helping to launch his bid for stardom. Stoner cut his teeth...

British MotoGP: Bradley Smith to race Jenson Button - at triathlon!

23 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

MotoGP will clash with Formula One in London next month with Bradley Smith and Jenson Button poised to take each other on in the London Triathlon. Oxfordshire rider Smith, who has won two races in...

British MotoGP: Casey Stoner eyes end to frustrating spell

23 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

Casey Stoner has admitted he is getting increasingly frustrated that his mystery health issues are preventing him from mounting a stronger challenge to Fiat Yamaha rivals Valentino Rossi and Jorge...

British MotoGP: Valentino Rossi – ‘Weather to play vital role'

23 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

Reigning MotoGP world champion Valentino Rossi reckons the temperamental British weather could play a decisive role in his bid to win a sixth premier class race at Donington Park. The Italian’s last...

British MotoGP: Marco Melandri expecting Hayate withdrawal

23 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

Italian Marco Melandri has confirmed he is expecting the Hayate team to quit MotoGP at the end of the season. Branded Hayate, Melandri’s team is run by Kawasaki and he’s currently riding a 2009...

British MotoGP: Toni Elias unsure of future

23 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

Spaniard Toni Elias has admitted he has no idea whether he will be riding in MotoGP in 2010. Elias looks certain to lose his ride in the San Carlo Gresini squad with reigning 250GP champion Marco...

Donington stats: GP racing by numbers

23 July 2009 by Dr Martin Raines

150 The number of premier-class Grand Prix races that have taken place since the last time a British rider finished on the podium in the class – Jeremy McWilliams at Donington in 2000. 100 At the British GP, Lukas Pesek is scheduled to make his 100th Grand Prix start. He will be only the second Czech rider to reach this milestone – the other being Jaroslav Hules who made exactly 100 GP starts...

MotoGP stats: The Donington Park legacy

23 July 2009 by Dr Martin Raines

Next year the British Grand Prix will return to Silverstone, after being held at Donington every year since 1987. Below are some facts and figures from the GP events which have been held at the...

Donington GP250 stats: Facts and figures

23 July 2009 by Dr Martin Raines

Championship leader Hiroshi Aoyama finished third at Donington in both 2006 and 2007. In 2006 Alvaro Bautista did the clean sweep in the 125cc class at Donington of race win, pole position and new...

Donington GP125 stats: Facts and figures

23 July 2009 by Dr Martin Raines

Julian Simon’s only Grand Prix win prior to this year was the 125cc race at the Donington circuit in 2005 riding for KTM in very wet conditions. Sergio Gadea has finished fourth for the last two...

British MotoGP: James Toseland ‘I’m riding for my job’

23 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

James Toseland has a double goal ahead of his crucial home race at Donington Park this weekend. Determined to banish the painful memory of his disastrous British GP debut 13 months ago, the 28-year...

British MotoGP: Jorge Lorenzo - ‘Rossi is fast and clever’

23 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

MotoGP title contender Jorge Lorenzo has spoken of the difficulty in trying to defeat Italian legend Valentino Rossi ahead of this weekend’s British GP at Donington Park. The 22-year-old has been in...

British MotoGP: Nicky Hayden looking for strong second half to 2009

23 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

Nicky Hayden is confident his impressive Ducati revival can help him mount a stronger challenge in the second half of the 2009 MotoGP world championship campaign. After a woeful start on Ducati’s...

British MotoGP: Scott Redding praying for reliability

23 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

Scott Redding has played down his hopes of pulling off a stunning second successive British 125GP victory at Donington Park this weekend. The Gloucestershire rider became an overnight sensation 13...

British MotoGP: Bradley Smith aims to stop Julian Simon’s domination

23 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

Bradley Smith is looking to end Aspar Aprilia team-mate Julian Simon’s recent domination to boost his 125GP world title aspirations at Donington Park this weekend. Spaniard Simon arrives in...

British MotoGP: Danny Webb confident of strong result

23 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

British teenager Danny Webb is confident he can erase the painful memory of last year’s Donington disaster to score a strong result in Sunday’s 125GP. The 18-year-old broke his collarbone at the...

Me at the Corkscrew at Laguna Seca

22 July 2009 by Julie Simmonds

My first time at Laguna Seca. Here I am the Corkscrew and watching James Toseland’s band Crash.

Donington Park infield fully open

22 July 2009 by John Westlake

Donington Park has announced that the whole infield area will be open for the duration of this weekend’s MotoGP. All construction work has been stopped ahead of the 23rd and final MotoGP at the...

British MotoGP: Ralf Waldmann to make Donington comeback at 43!

21 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

Ralf Waldmann, the most successful rider in Grand Prix history never to win a world championship, will make a sensational return to action in Sunday’s British 250GP. The German, who was runner-up...

British MotoGP: Valentino Rossi eyes final Donington success

21 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

Regardless of what happens in Sunday’s British MotoGP race, reigning world champion Valentino Rossi will still be the most successful rider in the history of Grand Prix racing at Donington Park. But...

British MotoGP: Jorge Lorenzo hoping for Donington classic

21 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

Jorge Lorenzo is hoping to serve up another classic scrap with Fiat Yamaha team-mate Valentino Rossi in this weekend’s British MotoGP. The Spaniard though is also hoping to come out on top after close...

British MotoGP: Casey Stoner growing in confidence and strength

21 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

Casey Stoner believes he’s getting physically stronger and more confident as he chases a third successive victory in this weekend’s British MotoGP race at Donington Park. Stoner hasn’t finished on the...

British MotoGP: Dani Pedrosa sad to leave Donington Park

21 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

Spaniard Dani Pedrosa is hoping to continue his recent run of good form in this weekend’s British MotoGP race, the Repsol Honda rider hoping to bow out at Donington Park on a high. Pedrosa, who...

Betfair: test your MotoGP knowledge with a free £25 bet

21 July 2009 by MCN

Online gambling site Betfair is offering MCN readers the chance to test their MotoGP knowledge with a free £25 bet on the British MotoGP. Click here to claim your free bet Place a bet on the...

German MotoGP: Valentino Rossi jubilant with 101st win

20 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi was jubilant after he won the latest installment in his titanic fight with Fiat Yamaha team-mate Jorge Lorenzo at the Sachsenring yesterday. Rossi produced a brilliant last two laps...

German MotoGP: Casey Stoner digs deep for fourth

20 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

Casey Stoner said he was happy to have put up such a strong fight in yesterday’s German MotoGP race, despite his physical problems returning in an exciting 30-lap clash. With the cause of Stoner’s...

German MotoGP: Jorge Lorenzo rues double mistake

20 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

Jorge Lorenzo was left counting the cost of two mistakes that saw him lose out in another classic scrap with Fiat Yamaha team-mate Valentino Rossi at the Sachsenring. Lorenzo put up another heroic but...

German MotoGP: Early error costs Nicky Hayden

20 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

A mistake at the first corner ruined Nicky Hayden’s hopes of scoring his best Ducati result in Germany. Boosted by his best qualifying performance that left him fourth on the grid, Hayden’s hopes of...

German MotoGP: Dani Pedrosa content with third

20 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

Dani Pedrosa was happy to continue his recent return to form with his fifth podium finish of the season in Germany yesterday. Second behind Valentino Rossi for the opening four laps after another...

German MotoGP: James Toseland happy to be back in top ten

20 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

James Toseland scored his fifth top ten finish of 2009 to boost his hopes of an improved result at his home race at Donington Park this weekend. Boxed in at a chaotic first corner, Toseland dropped...

German MotoGP: Bradley Smith vows to bounce back

20 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

Bradley Smith has vowed to bounce back to form in his home race at Donington Park this weekend after two crashes in the Sachsenring 125GP dented his world title hopes. The 18-year-old managed crashed...

German MotoGP results: Rossi wins after clash with Lorenzo

19 July 2009 by MCN

Valentino Rossi defended his world title successfully at the Sachsenring beating his team mate Jorge Lorenzo by just over a tenth of a second. Rossi and Lorenzo left the pack behind by the 13th...

German MotoGP 125 & 250 results

19 July 2009 by MCN

Julian Simon followed on from his strong practice and qualifying to take victory in the 125 class of the German Moto GP. Bradley Smith was unable to finish after two crashes, leaving Danny Webb to be...

German MotoGP: Nicky Hayden says thanks and sorry to Niccolo Canepa

18 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

Nicky Hayden apologised to rookie Niccolo Canepa after a bizarre incident during a rain-lashed Sachsenring MotoGP qualifying this afternoon. Pushing to try and claim his first Ducati front row start,...