2009

Year: 2009

Month: ALL

US MotoGP: Home podium tough, says Colin Edwards

30 June 2009 by Matthew Birt

American Colin Edwards believes a podium finish in his home race in Laguna Seca this weekend will be tough to achieve with the American rating 2009 as the toughest in his premier class career. The...

Assen MotoGP: Valentino Rossi celebrates 100th victory

27 June 2009 by Matthew Birt

An emotional Valentino Rossi hailed his 100th Grand Prix victory after the Italian produced a commanding performance in Assen today. The 30-year-old never looked in danger of having to delay his...

Assen MotoGP: Sickness strikes Casey Stoner again

27 June 2009 by Matthew Birt

A repeat of the severe stomach cramps that blunted his challenge in Catalunya earlier this month struck Casey Stoner again in Assen today as the Aussie had to settle for a distant third behind...

Assen MotoGP: James Toseland jubilant with top six

27 June 2009 by Matthew Birt

James Toseland was jubilant after he stormed to his best result of a troubled 2009 season in today’s Dutch MotoGP race. The British rider ended a titanic midfield scrap in sixth position to claim his...

Assen MotoGP: Toni Elias apologises to Loris Capirossi

27 June 2009 by Matthew Birt

Spaniard Toni Elias issued an apology to Italian veteran Loris Capirossi after the pair tangled at the final corner in Assen. Fighting for sixth place after Mika Kallio had crashed out just seconds...

Assen MotoGP: Jorge Lorenzo well beaten in Holland

27 June 2009 by Matthew Birt

Jorge Lorenzo admitted he was well beaten by Fiat Yamaha team-mate Valentino Rossi in today’s Dutch MotoGP race in Assen. A sluggish start and a continuing struggle to solve issues in the fourth...

Assen MotoGP: Dutch disaster for Repsol Honda

27 June 2009 by Matthew Birt

Honda’s factory team endured a nightmare in Assen with Dani Pedrosa and Andrea Dovizioso both crashing out of Saturday’s 26-lap race. Spaniard Pedrosa had just surrendered third place to a hard...

Assen MotoGP: Rossi takes 100th GP win

27 June 2009 by Liam Marsden

Reigning World champion Valentino Rossi has taken his 100th GP win at Assen ahead of team-mate Jorge Lorenzo. Ducati rider Casey Stoner led from the start, but Rossi soon made his way to the front...

Assen MotoGP: Sergio Gadea takes 125GP win

27 June 2009 by Liam Marsden

Aspar Aprilia rider Sergio Gadea won the 125GP race after race leader Nicolas Terol ran off the the track at the end of the last lap. Terol and Julian Simon were leading the race when they almost...

Assen MotoGP: Casey Stoner slams Sete Gibernau

26 June 2009 by Matthew Birt

Aussie Casey Stoner launched a scathing attack on veteran Spaniard Sete Gibernau in Assen today after an unseen incident during qualifying for the Dutch MotoGP race. The 23-year-old was clearly upset...

Assen MotoGP: Valentino Rossi talks pole position

26 June 2009 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi reckons tomorrow’s Dutch MotoGP race at the historic Assen circuit could be another classic after a thrilling qualifying session saw the Italian claim pole position. The 30-year-old,...

Assen MotoGP: Dani Pedrosa thanks Valentino Rossi for front row

26 June 2009 by Matthew Birt

Dani Pedrosa conceded he needed a huge helping hand from Valentino Rossi to claim only his third front row start of 2009 in Assen this afternoon. The Repsol Honda rider clocked his best time of...

Assen MotoGP: Jorge Lorenzo admits last sector weakness

26 June 2009 by Matthew Birt

Jorge Lorenzo will watch video footage of his qualifying performance in Assen today after he missed out on a third successive MotoGP pole position by just 0.368s. The Spaniard was struggling to get...

Assen MotoGP: James Toseland eyes first top six of 2009

26 June 2009 by Matthew Birt

British rider James Toseland is confident he can mount a challenge for his first top six of a tough 2009 MotoGP campaign in Assen tomorrow. The 28-year-old equalled his best qualifying result of the...

Assen MotoGP: Valentino Rossi storms to pole position

26 June 2009 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi’s bid for a 100th Grand Prix victory in Assen tomorrow got a massive boost this afternoon when he claimed pole position for the Dutch GP, In much cloudier and cooler conditions than...

Assen MotoGP: Bradley Smith fifth on grid for 125GP

26 June 2009 by Matthew Birt

World 125GP title contender Bradley Smith will start tomorrow’s 22-lap Dutch GP from fifth on the grid. The Oxfordshire rider clocked a best time of 1.45.712 to miss the front row by just 0.033s in a...

Assen MotoGP: Randy de Puniet shocked with fastest time

25 June 2009 by Matthew Birt

Randy de Puniet admitted his brilliant MotoGP practice performance in Assen today was a ‘big surprise’ as he edged out title contenders Valentino Rossi, Casey Stoner and Jorge Lorenzo to claim the...

Assen MotoGP: Valentino Rossi happy in second

25 June 2009 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi declared himself happy to be second quickest at the end of opening MotoGP practice in Assen today, the Italian bumped off top spot by a late attack from Randy de Puniet. Rossi looked...

Assen MotoGP: James Toseland fast on radical new Yamaha set-up

25 June 2009 by Matthew Birt

James Toseland was delighted with his opening day performance in Assen today after the British rider rode a radically revised Monster Yamaha YZR-M1 to the ninth quickest time in practice. Toseland’s...

Assen MotoGP: Randy de Puniet shocks title contenders

25 June 2009 by Matthew Birt

Randy de Puniet produced a big shock on the opening day of practice in Assen, the LCR Honda rider edging out MotoGP title contenders Valentino Rossi, Jorge Lorenzo and Casey Stoner to set the fastest...

Assen MotoGP: Top five for Bradley Smith and Danny Webb in 125GP practice

25 June 2009 by Matthew Birt

Bradley Smith and Danny Webb made a fast start to the Dutch GP in Assen today, the British pair setting the fourth and fifth best times respectively in opening 125GP practice. In sunny but windy...

Assen MotoGP: 100th win not a distraction for Valentino Rossi

25 June 2009 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi insists he will not let the prospect of winning his 100th Grand Prix in Assen this weekend be a major distraction. The Italian’s epic last corner victory over Fiat Yamaha team-mate...

Assen MotoGP: Yamaha wary of Dani Pedrosa influence

25 June 2009 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi’s Fiat Yamaha team boss Davide Brivio believes Spaniard Dani Pedrosa could still play a vital role in deciding the outcome of the 2009 MotoGP world championship. Although the Repsol...

Assen MotoGP: Gresini Honda confirms Marco Simoncelli signing

24 June 2009 by Matthew Birt

Marco Simoncelli will ride for the Gresini Honda squad in 2010, the Italian team has just announced in Assen tonight. As expected, the reigning world 250GP champion has shunned Yamaha, Ducati and...

Assen MotoGP: Marco Simoncelli to confirm Honda deal

24 June 2009 by Matthew Birt

Marco Simoncelli is expected to officially confirm he has signed a Honda deal for next year’s MotoGP world championship in Assen this week. The reigning world 250GP champion has signed a contract...

Casey Stoner: ‘I puked during Catalunya race’

24 June 2009 by Matthew Birt

Aussie Casey Stoner has revealed the full extent of his stomach problems during the recent Catalunya MotoGP race, the 23-year admitting to MCN that he vomited twice inside his helmet on his way to a...

Andrea Dovizioso wants more Honda help

24 June 2009 by Matthew Birt

Andrea Dovizioso has pleaded with Honda for more new parts after his successful debut on a new RC212V chassis in Barcelona last week. The Italian topped the timesheets during a one-day test at the...

Valentino Rossi motivated by Jorge Lorenzo challenge

23 June 2009 by Matthew Birt

The increasing threat posed by Fiat Yamaha team-mate Jorge Lorenzo is providing great motivation for reigning MotoGP world champion Valentino Rossi. That’s the view of Rossi’s factory Yamaha team...

Colin Edwards looking for front-end confidence

23 June 2009 by Matthew Birt

Colin Edwards is hoping he can solve some confidence-sapping front-end issues to bolster his hopes of a second successive MotoGP podium in Assen this weekend. The Texan has been plagued with a vague...

Consistency the key for Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo

22 June 2009 by Matthew Birt

Fiat Yamaha duo Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo have both admitted that consistency is going to be crucial as the MotoGP world championship heads into arguably its most critical phase in Assen this...

Win signed James Toseland replica race kit

22 June 2009 by Matthew Birt

You could see Valentino Rossi, Casey Stoner and Jorge Lorenzo continue their epic MotoGP world title battle at Donington Park next month while also winning exclusive signed James Toseland race...

Dani Pedrosa to ride in Assen

22 June 2009 by Matthew Birt

Spaniard Dani Pedrosa will be back in action in this weekend’s Dutch GP in Assen. MCN understands that Honda seriously considered withdrawing the Spaniard from the Holland clash to give him more time...

Next two races not crucial for Nicky Hayden’s future

22 June 2009 by Matthew Birt

Nicky Hayden has denied that the next two races in Assen and Laguna Seca will be crucial for his Ducati future in MotoGP. All three of Hayden’s premier class victories have come in Holland or at his...

Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo title scrap 'positive' for Yamaha

22 June 2009 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo’s unfolding rivalry is a ‘big positive’ for Yamaha. The Fiat Yamaha duo head to this weekend’s Dutch GP in Assen tied on 106-points with 2007 world champion Casey...

Jerry Burgess: Jorge Lorenzo to be Valentino Rossi’s biggest ever rival

18 June 2009 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi’s legendary crew chief Jerry Burgess believes Jorge Lorenzo is already well on the way to becoming the toughest rival the Italian has ever faced. Rossi got the better of his young...

Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo scrap tough to manage

18 June 2009 by Matthew Birt

Yamaha bosses have admitted the epic MotoGP title fight between factory team-mates Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo will pose a tough management challenge as the 2009 season unfolds. Rossi and...