February

Colin Edwards to undergo neck injury checks

Colin Edwards to undergo neck injury checks

Colin Edwards will undergo medical checks on his injured neck in Texas later on today (Tuesday). The American was plagued by the old injury during last week’s Sepang test session in Malaysia when he...

No special Honda support for Toni Elias

No special Honda support for Toni Elias

Toni Elias won’t get any extra support from Honda unless his satellite Gresini squad stumps up the cash for new parts. Despite having ‘factory’ rider status for 2009, Elias still won’t get the level...

Honda boss explains satellite team rev limit

Honda boss explains satellite team rev limit

Honda has confirmed cutting revs on the RC212V engines distributed to its satellite teams for the 2009 MotoGP campaign. Having finally taken delivery of the pneumatic valve engines used by Honda’s...

Suzuki against MotoGP testing restrictions

Suzuki against MotoGP testing restrictions

Suzuki has opposed a planned ban on all MotoGP testing during the season in 2009. As part of a range of radical cost-cutting measures to counter the global economic crisis, scheduled tests after five...

Monster close to Tech 3 Yamaha deal

Monster close to Tech 3 Yamaha deal

James Toseland and Colin Edwards are expected to line-up on the 2009 MotoGP grid with backing from energy drink Monster, MCN can reveal. The American energy drink giant is close to signing a deal to...

Colin Edwards thrilled with single tyre rule

Colin Edwards thrilled with single tyre rule

Colin Edwards reckons the controversial switch to a single tyre rule for 2009 has taken a lot of risk and stress out of riding in MotoGP. Under the new rules in winter testing, riders only have two...

Casey Stoner not expecting new parts before first race

Casey Stoner not expecting new parts before first race

Aussie Casey Stoner reckons he is unlikely to get any major new parts for Ducati’s new GP9 before the seasons gets underway in Qatar on April 12. The 2007 MotoGP world champion though hardly needs any...

Hungary MotoGP race ‘likely to be cancelled’

Hungary MotoGP race ‘likely to be cancelled’

The Hungarian MotoGP race, scheduled to take place on September 20 at the new Balatongring, looks certain to be postponed. Although there has been no official confirmation that the race will not go...

Sepang test: Casey Stoner thrilled at new Ducati performance

Sepang test: Casey Stoner thrilled at new Ducati performance

Casey Stoner declared himself thrilled after he kicked off 2009 by narrowly beating arch MotoGP rival Valentino Rossi to the fastest time in the three-day Sepang test. Worried that a long winter...

Sepang test: Valentino Rossi confident after 2009 debut

Sepang test: Valentino Rossi confident after 2009 debut

Valentino Rossi kicked off the defence of his MotoGP crown in 2009 in impressive fashion to finish the first test of the year in Sepang with the second best time. A best lap of 2.01.137 set in the...

Sepang test: James Toseland to undergo medical checks

Sepang test: James Toseland to undergo medical checks

British rider James Toseland flew home to the UK tonight with his first priority to get his battered and bruised body checked over in hospital. The double World Superbike champion’s brave attempt to...

Sepang test: Nicky Hayden facing ‘long flight home’

Sepang test: Nicky Hayden facing ‘long flight home’

Nicky Hayden admitted facing a long flight home to Kentucky after he finished the Sepang test down in 10th place and only third best Ducati GP9. Easily outpaced by a stunning performance from factory...

Sepang test: Loris Capirossi buoyed by top three

Sepang test: Loris Capirossi buoyed by top three

Italian veteran Loris Capirossi is confident Suzuki has transformed its fortunes after he produced a major surprise during the first MotoGP test in 2009. Fastest on the first day and second yesterday,...

Sepang test: Andrea Dovizioso rejects new Honda chassis

Sepang test: Andrea Dovizioso rejects new Honda chassis

New factory Honda rider Andrea Dovizioso has ditched a new RC212V chassis and will start the season on an older version having completed back-to-back tests in Sepang this week. The Italian, who...

Sepang test: Colin Edwards delighted with 2009 debut

Sepang test: Colin Edwards delighted with 2009 debut

American Colin Edwards shrugged off a niggling neck injury to make a brilliant start to 2009, the Tech 3 Yamaha rider clocking the fourth best time in Sepang. Making his debut on the 2009 Yamaha...

Sepang test: Casey Stoner ends Malaysia test fastest

Sepang test: Casey Stoner ends Malaysia test fastest

Aussie Casey Stoner made light work of the pain of his injured left wrist to set the fastest time at the end of the Sepang test in Malaysia. The 2007 MotoGP world champion might have had to limit his...

Sepang test: James Toseland suffering after 125mph crash

Sepang test: James Toseland suffering after 125mph crash

Battered and bruised British rider James Toseland bravely rode through the pain barrier in Sepang today – just 24 hours after his miraculous escape from serious injury in a 125mph...

Sepang test: Casey Stoner in pain but fastest

Sepang test: Casey Stoner in pain but fastest

Casey Stoner cast aside the numbing pain from his left wrist injury to surge to the top of the timesheets in Sepang today. The Aussie is still recovering from major left wrist surgery in November when...

Sepang test: Hard tyre headache for Nicky Hayden

Sepang test: Hard tyre headache for Nicky Hayden

Nicky Hayden’s reckons his quest to adapt quickly to Ducati’s GP9 machine has not been helped by a lack of confidence in Bridgestone’s hard compound rear tyre. The American has so far struggled to set...

Sepang test: Jorge Lorenzo admits Bridgestone struggles

Sepang test: Jorge Lorenzo admits Bridgestone struggles

Spaniard Jorge Lorenzo has conceded he is finding the switch from Michelin to Bridgestone much tougher than expected as he struggled to produce a competitive pace in Sepang. The Fiat Yamaha rider was...

Sepang test: Valentino Rossi happy with new electronics

Sepang test: Valentino Rossi happy with new electronics

Valentino Rossi declared himself happy with new electronics as he continued to clock crucial development miles on the new 2009 Yamaha YZR-M1 in Sepang today. Rossi ended the second day third quickest...

Sepang test: Injury forces Dani Pedrosa to fly back to Spain

Sepang test: Injury forces Dani Pedrosa to fly back to Spain

Dani Pedrosa has stunned the Sepang paddock tonight by announcing he will fly home to Spain because of a niggling left knee injury. The Spaniard revealed yesterday that he had undergone surgery on his...

Sepang test: Credit crunch biting hard in MotoGP

Sepang test: Credit crunch biting hard in MotoGP

The impact of the global economic crisis is starting to become more widespread in MotoGP, with Honda, Yamaha and Suzuki all forced into making some crucial but unpopular decisions to help cut...

Sepang test: Casey Stoner fastest on day two

Sepang test: Casey Stoner fastest on day two

Casey Stoner shrugged off the constant pain of his recovering left wrist to post the fastest time on the second day of MotoGP testing at the Sepang circuit in Malaysia. The impressive Aussie, still...

Sepang test: MotoGP cost cutting measures revealed

Sepang test: MotoGP cost cutting measures revealed

MotoGP engines will have to last for two races for the final part of the 2009 world championship campaign, MCN can exclusively reveal. The new rule, which means a rider must use the same engine for...

Trackdays in New Zealand

H i from nz, just got back from my sons first track day at lake taupo nz. It was a brilliant day with a very relaxed atmosphere. My son has an NC30 which did the day with no probs whatsoever which speaks volumes for the bike as it is almost 20 years old! My son is the same age as Valentino and i see lots of similarities between them. However my son is not as fast as vale, but then who is? It was...

Sepang test: Casey Stoner second but frustrated with wrist

Sepang test: Casey Stoner second but frustrated with wrist

Casey Stoner admitted he was frustrated with the condition of his recovering left wrist in Sepang today, even though he produced a stunning return to action by posting the second best time. Over three...

Sepang test: Track time and testing to be slashed in 2009

Sepang test: Track time and testing to be slashed in 2009

MotoGP fans will have a major reduction in the amount of track time they will see the likes of Valentino Rossi and Casey Stoner on track in 2009. Fans will see one hour and 45 minutes less action next...

Sepang test: Rossi and Toseland crash out on day one of MotoGP test

Sepang test: Rossi and Toseland crash out on day one of MotoGP test

YAMAHA stars Valentino Rossi and James Toseland kicked off the Sepang MotoGP tests with a crash bill for their teams. James Toseland suffered a massive and expensive high-side crash on the opening day...

Sepang test: Valentino Rossi third after early crash

Sepang test: Valentino Rossi third after early crash

Valentino Rossi’s long-awaited return to action in 2009 started in nightmare fashion when the Italian crashed on only his fifth lap in Sepang. But despite that early setback, the Italian quickly...

Sepang test: Honda limit revs on satellite team engines

Sepang test: Honda limit revs on satellite team engines

Honda has implemented an 18,200rpm limit on the RC212V engines it leases to satellite teams like Randy de Puniet’s LCR squad. The satellite teams have all taken delivery of the V4 pneumatic valve...

Sepang test: Loris Capirossi quickest on opening day

Sepang test: Loris Capirossi quickest on opening day

Loris Capirossi caused the first big surprise of 2009 when he topped the timesheets for Suzuki on the opening day of testing at the Sepang circuit in Malaysia. The veteran Italian clocked a best time...

Sepang test preview: Valentino Rossi vows to ride in Malaysia

Sepang test preview: Valentino Rossi vows to ride in Malaysia

Valentino Rossi has vowed he will kick off his 2009 winter testing campaign in Sepang tomorrow (Thursday), despite hobbling off his flight into Kuala Lumpur with the aid of a crutch. Get all the...

Sepang test preview: Suzuki hopeful on improved engine performance

Sepang test preview: Suzuki hopeful on improved engine performance

Suzuki’s factory MotoGP duo Chris Vermeulen and Loris Capirossi will be hoping further engine upgrades will help them threaten the leading times at this week’s Sepang test. Suzuki engineers have been...

Sepang test preview: Teams poised for crunch cost talks

Sepang test preview: Teams poised for crunch cost talks

This week’s Sepang MotoGP test session will not only be a chance for race fans to get a first gauge of the contenders and pretenders for 2009 when winter testing resumes on track in Malaysia. Off...

Sepang test preview: No shock Kawasaki appearance in Sepang

Sepang test preview: No shock Kawasaki appearance in Sepang

Kawasaki will not be present during this week’s three-day Sepang test session as hopes of a last-minute rescue deal to save the its factory team appear to be fading. Test rider Olivier Jacque recently...