2009

Year: 2009

Month: ALL

Mugello MotoGP: Jorge Lorenzo shocks Valentino Rossi

29 May 2009 by Matthew Birt

MotoGP world championship leader Jorge Lorenzo gave Fiat Yamaha team-mate Valentino Rossi plenty to think about after the Spaniard topped the timesheets in opening practice in Mugello today. A best...

Mugello MotoGP: Arm pump hinders James Toseland

29 May 2009 by Matthew Birt

British rider James Toseland was delighted with his performance in Mugello today, despite being severely restricted by a rare arm pump problem in a hot and humid opening free practice session. The...

Mugello MotoGP: Dani Pedrosa smashes top speed record at 217mph!

29 May 2009 by Matthew Birt

Dani Pedrosa created history in Mugello this afternoon, the Spaniard’s Repsol Honda RC212V 800cc machine blasting through the speed traps at a record-breaking 217.04mph! The triple world champion...

Mugello MotoGP: Marco Melandri plays down home hopes

29 May 2009 by Matthew Birt

Marco Melandri has played down his hopes of springing another major surprise in this weekend’s Italian MotoGP clash in Mugello. Melandri has been the sensation of the 2009 season so far and heads into...

Mugello MotoGP: Jorge Martinez targets 2010 MotoGP entry

29 May 2009 by Matthew Birt

Jorge Martinez is launching another determined bid to join the MotoGP world championship in 2010. The Spaniard has been knocked back by Yamaha, Ducati, Suzuki and Kawasaki in flawed attempts to move...

Valentino Rossi to race Lawson, Rainey and Roberts

28 May 2009 by Matthew Birt

Italian icon Valentino Rossi will race fellow Yamaha MotoGP world champion’s Eddie Lawson, Wayne Rainey and Kenny Roberts in a special karting clash at the Laguna Seca GP in early July. The...

Mugello MotoGP: Jorge Lorenzo chasing famous win

28 May 2009 by Matthew Birt

Jorge Lorenzo has admitted he will need to ride at the peak of his form to have any chance of ending Fiat Yamaha team-mate Valentino Rossi’s incredible home record in Mugello. Lorenzo heads into this...

Mugello MotoGP: Valentino Rossi feeling home pressure

26 May 2009 by Matthew Birt

Reigning world champion Valentino Rossi has admitted he is feeling the weight of expectation ahead of this weekend’s crucial Italian MotoGP race in Mugello. The 30-year-old is looking to notch an...

Mugello MotoGP: Casey Stoner predicts tough fight

26 May 2009 by Matthew Birt

Casey Stoner is confident he can challenge Valentino Rossi’s domination of the Mugello race this weekend. Stoner is level on points with Rossi and is just a single point away from the Italian’s Fiat...

Mugello MotoGP: Nicky Hayden hopes to impress Ducati fans

26 May 2009 by Matthew Birt

American Nicky Hayden is hoping thousands of Ducati fans will inspire him to a major breakthrough on the GP9 MotoGP machine in this weekend’s massive Mugello clash. The Kentucky rider has had a...

Mugello MotoGP: Bradley Smith looks to strengthen title tilt

26 May 2009 by Matthew Birt

Briton Bradley Smith is looking to strengthen his 125GP title bid in Mugello this weekend as he goes in search of a second podium of 2009. The 18-year-old goes into the Italian GP weekend trailing...

James Toseland targets qualifying improvement

22 May 2009 by Matthew Birt

James Toseland has admitted he needs to drastically improve his qualifying performances to boost his hopes of threatening closer to the top six in MotoGP. The British rider has shown steady...

Casey Stoner doubts Honda weakness

22 May 2009 by Matthew Birt

Ducati’s Casey Stoner has questioned whether major complaints about the competitiveness of Honda’s new RC212V are fully justified. Repsol Honda duo Dani Pedrosa and Andrea Dovizioso have both launched...

Hayate look for more improvement

22 May 2009 by Matthew Birt

The Hayate MotoGP team is looking to continue its startling 2009 progress to help Marco Melandri become a consistent top six finisher. The Italian has been the major sensation of the season so far...

Valentino Rossi shrugs off latest Ferrari F1 link

20 May 2009 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi has brushed aside the latest speculation linking him with a shock move to Ferrari in Formula One – despite showing his adeptness at pit stops during last weekend’s Le Mans MotoGP...

Suzuki duo await engine upgrade

20 May 2009 by Matthew Birt

Loris Capirossi and Chris Vermeulen are anxiously waiting news on whether Suzuki will be able to deliver a new GSV-R motor in time for the Italian GP race in Mugello. Suzuki is readying a new improved...

Casey Stoner not expecting major GP9 tweaks

20 May 2009 by Matthew Birt

Former world champion Casey Stoner has denied his factory Ducati GP9 is about to receive a major overhaul to bolster the Aussie’s hopes of recapturing the MotoGP world title in 2009. Stoner is...

Rossi is great

20 May 2009 by wilf cook

I’ve met Valentino twice and he is great – just down to earth and very well mannered.

Nicky Hayden trying to stay positive

19 May 2009 by Matthew Birt

Nicky Hayden is adamant he will not let his current Ducati struggles get him down as the American desperately tries to put a positive slant on a nightmare start to 2009. The 2006 world champion has...

Dani’s Pedrosa’s Japanese MotoGP tyre issue unveiled

19 May 2009 by Matthew Birt

Bridgestone have released the findings of an investigation into the front tyre issue that struck Repsol Honda rider Dani Pedrosa during the recent Japanese MotoGP race. The Spaniard still managed to...

Valentino Rossi motivated by Jorge Lorenzo challenge

19 May 2009 by Matthew Birt

Reigning world champion Valentino Rossi has told MCN the fierce challenge posed by Fiat Yamaha team-mate Jorge Lorenzo will help motivate him in hid bid to clinch a seventh premier class crown in...

Sete Gibernau targets Catalunya return

19 May 2009 by Matthew Birt

Spanish veteran Sete Gibernau is hopeful he will be fit to return action in his home race in Catalunya next month after undergoing successful surgery on his broken left collarbone yesterday. Gibernau...

Le Mans MotoGP: Jorge Lorenzo seizes championship lead

17 May 2009 by Matthew Birt

Jorge Lorenzo produced a masterful display of wet and dry weather riding to seize back the MotoGP world championship lead in Le Mans. The Spaniard’s second win in the last three races moved him to the...

Le Mans MotoGP: Marco Melandri hails stunning second

17 May 2009 by Matthew Birt

Marco Melandri was in dreamland after he produced the first major shock of 2009, the Italian riding the unfancied Hayate to a stunning second place in the French MotoGP race. The former world 250...

Le Mans MotoGP: Valentino Rossi explains French farce

17 May 2009 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi blew his chance to win a 100th Grand Prix in his home race in Mugello later this month after an extraordinary French GP race. The 30-year-old suffered a crash, he needed to stop in the...

Le Mans MotoGP: James Toseland satisfied with ninth

17 May 2009 by Matthew Birt

British rider James Toseland felt he made major progress with confidence in his Monster Yamaha Tech 3 YZR-M1 after he claimed a hard fought ninth place. In an incident-packed race, which saw Toseland...

Le Mans MotoGP: Race Results - Lorenzo outclasses even the weather to take victory

17 May 2009 by MCN

Jorge Lorenzo romped home to an impressive victory today finishing an epic 17 seconds ahead of the pack. The Spanish rider perfectly judged the weather, staying on wet tyres for as long as possible...

Le Mans MotoGP: 125 and 250 results - Simon wins, Smith takes fourth

17 May 2009 by MCN

Julian Simon rode a blistering race today, finishing an epic 27 seconds ahead of his nearest rival. Simon made the best of the tricky weather conditions and put the disappointment of Jerez behind...

Le Mans MotoGP: Qualifying Results - Pedrosa takes pole

16 May 2009 by MCN

Dani Pedrosa snatched pole away from Jorge Lorenzo by less than .005 of a second. The pair engaged in a feirce battle but Pedrosa managed to squeeze a bit more power out of his Repsol Honda and take...

Le Mans MotoGP: 125 and 250 qualifying results, Redding leads the Brits

16 May 2009 by MCN

Le Mans MotoGP: Scott Redding second on 125GP grid British rider Scott Redding missed claiming his maiden pole position in Le Mans today by just 0.093s. The Blusens Aprilia rider will start...

Le Mans MotoGP: Sete Gibernau breaks left collarbone

16 May 2009 by Matthew Birt

Spaniard Sete Gibernau is facing a desperate battle to be fit for his home race in Catalunya next month after breaking his left collarbone in a practice crash at Le Mans this morning. In cold...

Le Mans MotoGP: Andrea Dovizioso quickest in rain-hit practice

15 May 2009 by Matthew Birt

Repsol Honda rider Andrea Dovizioso ended a rain disrupted first practice session for the French MotoGP race with the fastest time in Le Mans. The Italian edged out factory Ducati rider Casey Stoner...

Le Mans MotoGP: Yamaha stars explain slow pace

15 May 2009 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi, Jorge Lorenzo and Colin Edwards have explained Yamaha’s surprisingly slow pace in Le Mans today. Many expected Yamaha to dominate this weekend’s French GP after the YZR-M1 claimed two...

Le Mans MotoGP: Gabor Talmacsi to make Honda MotoGP move?

15 May 2009 by Matthew Birt

Hungarian Gabor Talmacsi could be thrown a shock lifeline by moving to the Scot Honda MotoGP squad for the remainder of the 2009 world championship, MCN can exclusively reveal. Talmacsi could ride...

FIM apologise to KTM over KERS ban

15 May 2009 by Guy Procter

The FIM has secretly apologised to KTM after IRTA claimed its energy-recovering KERS system was in breach of the rules. IRTA made the ruling on 28 March at Jerez (the day before race day), but appears...

Le Mans MotoGP: War of words erupts as Gabor Talmacsi quits

15 May 2009 by Matthew Birt

A bitter war of words has broken out between Bradley Smith’s Aspar Aprilia team and former world 125GP champion Gabor Talmacsi. The Hungarian rider walked out just three races into a two-year deal to...