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2009

Tech 3 gets Yamaha assurances for 2010

11 June 2009 by Matthew Birt

Tech 3 gets Yamaha assurances for 2010

James Toseland’s Tech 3 Yamaha squad has denied it will have to surrender one of its factory spec YZR-M1 machines to a rival team in 2010. Strong rumours emerged recently suggested that Herve...

Race to sign Marco Simoncelli intensifies

10 June 2009 by Matthew Birt

Race to sign Marco Simoncelli intensifies

Marco Simoncelli looks certain to be able take his pick of lucrative offers from every manufacturer in MotoGP as the race to sign the reigning 250GP champion intensifies. The 22-year-old is arguably...

Catalunya MotoGP: Dani Pedrosa to ride through pain barrier

10 June 2009 by Matthew Birt

Catalunya MotoGP: Dani Pedrosa to ride through pain barrier

Home favourite Dani Pedrosa will ride with the aid of regular pain-killing injections in this weekend’s Catalunya MotoGP clash in Spain. The 23-year-old has declared himself fit to start practice on...

Nicky Hayden anxious for testing time

10 June 2009 by Matthew Birt

Nicky Hayden anxious for testing time

Nicky Hayden is hoping a post race test after this weekend’s Catalunya MotoGP clash will help him rediscover some lost confidence in Ducati’s factory GP9 machine. The American has struggled during...

Bradley Smith eager for more success

10 June 2009 by Matthew Birt

Bradley Smith eager for more success

Bradley Smith eager for more success World 125GP championship leader Bradley Smith is looking for more success in Spain this weekend at the Catalunya GP. Smith broke his long-running victory duck in...

Valentino Rossi hoping to reign in Spain again

09 June 2009 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi hoping to reign in Spain again

Fresh from his first taste of the world famous Isle of Man TT, Valentino Rossi has turned his attentions back to MotoGP as he aims to claim a second victory on Spanish soil in Catalunya this...

Donington Park gets go ahead for WSB and MotoGP

05 June 2009 by Matthew Birt

Donington Park gets go ahead for WSB and MotoGP

The British MotoGP race and the forthcoming World Superbike clash at Donington Park will go ahead after the Leicestershire circuit passed an FIM safety inspection earlier today. Following an...

Bradley Smith refusing to get carried away

05 June 2009 by Matthew Birt

Bradley Smith refusing to get carried away

Bradley Smith has insisted he won’t get carried away by his stunning 2009 form. The level-headed 18-year-old leads the world 125GP championship after two victories in the opening five races of the...

Roberto Rolfo targets Moto2 ride

05 June 2009 by Matthew Birt

Roberto Rolfo targets Moto2 ride

Former MotoGP and World Superbike rider Roberto Rolfo has confirmed he plans a return to world championship racing in the new Moto2 600cc class in 2010. Rolfo, who was axed by the Stiggy Honda WSB...

Wayne Rainey excited at Yamaha legends kart race

05 June 2009 by Matthew Birt

Wayne Rainey excited at Yamaha legends kart race

Triple world champion Wayne Rainey is already eagerly looking forward to a special exhibition karting race that will pit him against Yamaha legends Eddie Lawson, Kenny Roberts and Valentino Rossi in...

Honda poised for Dani Pedrosa talks

04 June 2009 by Matthew Birt

Honda poised for Dani Pedrosa talks

Honda will kick off negotiations with Dani Pedrosa over a new MotoGP contract later this month. HRC management plan to open talks with the Spaniard over a 2010 deal after the Dutch GP in Assen at the...

Key inspection looming for Donington Park

04 June 2009 by Matthew Birt

Key inspection looming for Donington Park

A safety inspection vital for the forthcoming World Superbike and MotoGP races at Donington Park will take place at the Leicestershire circuit tomorrow (Friday). FIM Safety Officer Claude Danis will...

Kenny Roberts makes Moto2 bid

03 June 2009 by Matthew Birt

Kenny Roberts makes Moto2 bid

American legend Kenny Roberts has launched a shock bid to return to world championship racing in 2010, MCN can reveal. Triple world champion Roberts, who has been out of racing since he quit MotoGP at...

Valentino Rossi dismisses MotoGP and Moto2 assault

03 June 2009 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi dismisses MotoGP and Moto2 assault

Valentino Rossi and Yamaha laughed off rumours the Italian legend is seriously considering trying to win the MotoGP and new 600cc Moto2 world championships in 2010. Freddie Spencer is still revered...

Practice day at Mugello

03 June 2009 by Anonymous

Practice day at Mugello

Trev and dave at Mugello for practice day.

Tech 3 boss: James Toseland can fight for top six

02 June 2009 by Matthew Birt

Tech 3 boss: James Toseland can fight for top six

James Toseland’s Monster Yamaha Tech 3 boss Herve Poncharal believes the British rider can become a consistent top six challenger in MotoGP following his best finish of 2009 last weekend in...

Bradley Smith thriving on pressure

02 June 2009 by Matthew Birt

Bradley Smith thriving on pressure

British rider Bradley Smith says he’s thriving on the pressure to perform for the high profile Aspar Aprilia in 2009. The 18-year-old continued his sensational season with a brilliant ride under...

Casey Stoner not shocked by Jorge Lorenzo form

02 June 2009 by Matthew Birt

Casey Stoner not shocked by Jorge Lorenzo form

MotoGP world championship leader Casey Stoner says he’s not shocked by the brilliant early season form of Fiat Yamaha rival Jorge Lorenzo. The Spaniard has only failed to finish off the podium once...

Suzuki waiting on Alvaro Bautista decision

02 June 2009 by Matthew Birt

Suzuki waiting on Alvaro Bautista decision

Alvaro Bautista could become a factory Suzuki rider in the next two weeks. The Spaniard, who is currently leading the 250GP world championship, has until his home race in Catalunya on June 14 to...

Dani Pedrosa gets injury boost

01 June 2009 by Matthew Birt

Dani Pedrosa gets injury boost

Spaniard Dani Pedrosa was given a major boost today when medical checks in Barcelona revealed he’d not suffered any further injuries when crashing out of Sunday’s Italian MotoGP race in...

Haojue 125GP team axe engine designer

01 June 2009 by Matthew Birt

Haojue 125GP team axe engine designer

The troubled Haojue 125GP team has terminated its contract with Dutch engine designer Jan Witteveen. A lack of performance and major reliability issues has dogged the Haojue project since its...

Mugello MotoGP: Casey Stoner ends Valentino Rossi’s home domination

31 May 2009 by Matthew Birt

Mugello MotoGP: Casey Stoner ends Valentino Rossi’s home domination

Casey Stoner handed Ducati its first Italian MotoGP success in Mugello today with a victory that ended Valentino Rossi’s incredible winning streak on home soil. Undefeated in Mugello since the 2002...

Mugello MotoGP: Fortune favours Jorge Lorenzo

31 May 2009 by Matthew Birt

Mugello MotoGP: Fortune favours Jorge Lorenzo

A huge slice of luck and some brilliant wet and dry riding from Jorge Lorenzo helped keep the in-form Spaniard in the early MotoGP world championship title hunt in Mugello. The double world 250...

Mugello MotoGP: Seventh for James Toseland after pit stop gamble

31 May 2009 by Matthew Birt

Mugello MotoGP: Seventh for James Toseland after pit stop gamble

British rider James Toseland scored his best result of a tough 2009 MotoGP world championship in another rain-hit clash at the Mugello circuit in Italy. Just two weeks after experiencing his first...

Mugello MotoGP: Bradley Smith talks successful Italian job

31 May 2009 by Matthew Birt

Mugello MotoGP: Bradley Smith talks successful Italian job

British rider Bradley Smith seized the lead in the 125GP world championship with a dominant performance in an enthralling Italian GP in Mugello.    The 18-year-old’s second victory in the last three...

Mugello GP: Casey Stoner takes the win in Italy

31 May 2009 by James Keen

Mugello GP: Casey Stoner takes the win in Italy

Ducati Marlboro rider Casey Stoner took the win at Mugello to earn 25 points and a place at the top of the championship standings. Spaniard and Fiat Yamaha rider Jorge Lorenzo rallied after a crash on...

Mugello GP: Mattia Pasini claims home win

31 May 2009 by James Keen

Mugello GP: Mattia Pasini claims home win

Italian rider Mattia Pasini took the win in front of his home crowd at the Mugello 250 GP clash. On lap ten Mapfre Aspar rider Alvaro Bautista and Metis Gilera rider Marco Simoncelli bashed fairings...

Mugello GP: Brit Bradley Smith victorious in 125 GP

31 May 2009 by James Keen

Mugello GP: Brit Bradley Smith victorious in 125 GP

British rider Bradley Smith held off a last lap challenge from Nico Terol to take victory in the 125 GP at Mugello. This gives the young Bancaja Aspar Team rider the points he needs to take the lead...

Mugello MotoGP: Valentino Rossi confident despite missing front row

30 May 2009 by Matthew Birt

Mugello MotoGP: Valentino Rossi confident despite missing front row

Valentino Rossi remains confident that he can claim an incredible eighth successive MotoGP victory in Mugello, despite missing out on a front row start in qualifying this afternoon. The Fiat Yamaha...

Mugello MotoGP: Italy stunned as Jorge Lorenzo grabs pole position

30 May 2009 by Matthew Birt

Mugello MotoGP: Italy stunned as Jorge Lorenzo grabs pole position

Valentino Rossi and thousands of his loyal fans were stunned in Mugello today as Jorge Lorenzo romped to pole position for the 23-lap Italian MotoGP clash. While world championship leader Lorenzo was...

Mugello MotoGP: 91 entries for Moto2 600cc class

30 May 2009 by Matthew Birt

MotoGP bosses have confirmed massive interest in the new 600cc four-stroke Moto2 class, with applications for 91 riders to compete in the 250cc world championship replacement series.  Interested teams had to submit applications for entry by yesterday (Friday) to the International Race Teams Association. And it has just been confirmed in Mugello the mass interest in the new class, which will...

Mugello MotoGP: More injury torment for Dani Pedrosa

30 May 2009 by Matthew Birt

Mugello MotoGP: More injury torment for Dani Pedrosa

Dani Pedrosa’s injury nightmare continued in Mugello today, the luckless Spaniard suffering serious muscle damage in his right leg during an incident in this morning’s final free practice session. ...

Mugello MotoGP: James Toseland down in ‘disastrous’ 14th

30 May 2009 by Matthew Birt

Mugello MotoGP: James Toseland down in ‘disastrous’ 14th

British rider James Toseland branded his 14th place on the grid for tomorrow’s Italian MotoGP race a ‘disaster’.  The 28-year-old gave himself a mountain to climb in tomorrow’s 23-lap race as a best...

Mugello GP: Bautista on pole for 250 GP

30 May 2009 by James Keen

Mugello GP: Bautista on pole for 250 GP

Mapfre Apsar rider Alvaro Bautista has earned pole for the 250 GP by lapping Mugello in 1’52.804 in the 250 qualifying session. Metis Gilera rider Marco Simoncelli was second quickest, closely...

Mugello GP: Lorenzo quickest in qualifying

30 May 2009 by James Keen

Mugello GP: Lorenzo quickest in qualifying

Fiat Yamaha rider and current championship leader Jorge Lorenzo has secured pole position on the grid for tomorrow’s Mugello GP clash.  The 22-year old Spaniard put in a 1’48.987 lap of the Italian...

Mugello MotoGP: Bradley Smith and Scott Redding 1-2 on grid

30 May 2009 by Matthew Birt

Mugello MotoGP: Bradley Smith and Scott Redding 1-2 on grid

Bradley Smith and Scott Redding claimed a stunning British 1-2 on the grid for tomorrow’s Italian 125GP race in Mugello. Incredibly, today’s result is the first time that a British duo has occupied...