December

Year: 2010

Month: December

Fiat replacement eludes Yamaha

23 December 2010 by Matthew Birt

Fiat replacement eludes Yamaha

The impact of the global economic crisis is still biting hard in MotoGP with Yamaha as yet to find a title sponsor for the 2011 world championship. Despite being the dominant squad in MotoGP since...

Honda has to deliver in 2011, warns Kevin Schwantz

23 December 2010 by Matthew Birt

Honda has to deliver in 2011, warns Kevin Schwantz

American legend Kevin Schwantz reckons Honda will be branded a major flop if it fails to emerge from the doldrums with Casey Stoner and Dani Pedrosa heading its line-up in 2011. Honda has never won an...

Suzuki eye more consistent GSV-R in 2011

22 December 2010 by Matthew Birt

Suzuki eye more consistent GSV-R in 2011

Suzuki will embark on another mission to make its factory GSV-R a more consistent performer across a wider range of conditions in 2011. A major weakness of the V4 contender has been its ability to be...

Honda boss ‘disappointed’ with 2010 outcome

22 December 2010 by Matthew Birt

Honda boss ‘disappointed’ with 2010 outcome

Honda boss Shuhei Nakamoto reckons he’ll look back on 2010 with a sense of disappointment, despite the Japanese factory enjoying its most successful season in the 800cc MotoGP era. Dani Pedrosa won...

Dani Pedrosa launches children’s book

22 December 2010 by Matthew Birt

Dani Pedrosa launches children’s book

Dani Pedrosa launched a new children’s book in Spain yesterday that tells the story of how he set on the road to stardom in racing. The book entitled ‘Two elves for Dani Pedrosa’ is based Pedrosa’s...

Casey Stoner doubts electronics reduction in 2012

21 December 2010 by Matthew Birt

Casey Stoner doubts electronics reduction in 2012

The constant quest to make MotoGP safer will never see a significant reduction in the influence of electronic rider aids, according to former world champion Casey Stoner. Valentino Rossi and several...

Yamaha boss reflects on ‘fabulous’ 2010

21 December 2010 by Matthew Birt

Yamaha boss reflects on ‘fabulous’ 2010

2010 was the year in which Yamaha continued its unrivalled domination of the MotoGP world championship as Jorge Lorenzo won his first world title in record-breaking fashion. But it was also the year...

Paris Hilton unveils 125GP team

20 December 2010 by Matthew Birt

Paris Hilton unveils 125GP team

Clad in a skintight pink, white and blue bodysuit with ample cleavage exposed, Paris Hilton proved last weekend why she is not your average motorcycle race team owner. But in a blaze of publicity in...

Pink paintjob for Paris Hilton's 125GP squad

17 December 2010 by Matthew Birt

Pink paintjob for Paris Hilton's 125GP squad

Not that Paris Hilton should be worried that her shock foray into Grand Prix racing would go unnoticed, the American socialite and tabloid media darling has made sure of maximum exposure after this...

Cal Crutchlow happy with shoulder recovery

17 December 2010 by Matthew Birt

Cal Crutchlow happy with shoulder recovery

Cal Crutchlow has told MCN he is making excellent progress in his recovery following major shoulder surgery earlier this month. The former World Supersport champion underwent an operation to repair...

Randy de Puniet delays leg surgery

17 December 2010 by Matthew Birt

Randy de Puniet delays leg surgery

Randy de Puniet won’t undergo surgery to remove metalwork from his damaged left leg until after the 2011 MotoGP world championship. The French rider had contemplated a winter operation to replace a...

BBC confirms MotoGP bid winner

17 December 2010 by Matthew Birt

BBC confirms MotoGP bid winner

Century TV has won the contract to produce coverage of the MotoGP world championship for the BBC until the end of 2013 season. Rohan Browning, Managing Director of Century TV, said: “We are delighted...

Motorland Aragon takes ‘Best Grand Prix’ prize

17 December 2010 by Matthew Birt

Motorland Aragon takes ‘Best Grand Prix’ prize

The impressive new Motorland Aragon track has become the first in history to claim the prestigious IRTA Best Grand Prix prize in its first season on the world championship calendar. The track was only...

Suzuki pressing on with 1000cc project

16 December 2010 by Matthew Birt

Suzuki pressing on with 1000cc project

Suzuki has begun ‘fundamental’ testing of its new 1000cc prototype engine for the new MotoGP class in 2012, despite its immediate future remaining shrouded in mystery. Although not understood to be as...

Yamaha made ‘tentative’ bid to break-up Valentino Rossi’s crew

16 December 2010 by Matthew Birt

Yamaha made ‘tentative’ bid to break-up Valentino Rossi’s crew

Yamaha made a tentative attempt to break up Valentino Rossi’s long serving and loyal crew earlier this year when the Italian star was finalising his big money switch to Ducati. Alex ‘Axel’ Briggs, a...

Engine upgrade vital for Yamaha, says Jerry Burgess

15 December 2010 by Matthew Birt

Engine upgrade vital for Yamaha, says Jerry Burgess

Yamaha’s domination of the 800cc MotoGP era could end in 2011 unless major improvements are made to the performance of its factory YZR-M1 engine. Valentino Rossi’s legendary crew chief Jerry Burgess...

Simoncelli in Australia

15 December 2010 by kenneth cronin

Simoncelli in Australia

Me with Marco Simoncelli in Melbourne airport after this year’s Phillip Island MotoGP round.

Phillip Island warned over 2012 date change

14 December 2010 by Matthew Birt

Phillip Island warned over 2012 date change

Phillip Island, popular venue for the Australian MotoGP race, will be kicked off the calendar unless organisers agree to stage the race six months earlier than its normal October slot in 2012. Dorna...

Engine issues tarnished Suzuki image

14 December 2010 by Matthew Birt

Engine issues tarnished Suzuki image

Suzuki’s failure to comply with new cost-saving engine restrictions reflected badly on the Japanese factory, according to a senior race boss. In a bid to cut costs by saving engine mileage for 2010,...

Yamaha optimistic new Ben Spies deal is close

13 December 2010 by Matthew Birt

Yamaha optimistic new Ben Spies deal is close

Yamaha bosses remain optimistic that an extended MotoGP deal for impressive American Ben Spies will be finalised in the near future. Yamaha management and representatives of Spies have been locked in...

Honda fear Jorge Lorenzo in 2011

13 December 2010 by Matthew Birt

Honda fear Jorge Lorenzo in 2011

Honda management fear the biggest threat to the Japanese factory’s bid to win the last 800cc MotoGP title in 2011 will come from Yamaha rival and reigning world champion Jorge Lorenzo. The Spaniard...

Ducati ponders seven-bike entry in 2012

08 December 2010 by Matthew Birt

Ducati ponders seven-bike entry in 2012

Ducati could extend its involvement in the new look 1000cc four-stroke MotoGP world championship to seven bikes in 2012. The Bologna factory will field six bikes in 2011 having agreed to lease a GP11...

New approach crucial to Jorge Lorenzo’s success

07 December 2010 by Matthew Birt

New approach crucial to Jorge Lorenzo’s success

A calmer approach and revised strategy proved crucial in helping Jorge Lorenzo become only the second Spanish rider in history to capture the MotoGP title in 2010. The 23-year-old was a model of...

Alex Criville warns Honda against major changes

07 December 2010 by Matthew Birt

Alex Criville warns Honda against major changes

Former world champion Alex Criville has warned Honda not to make radical winter changes to its factory RC212V contender to help Dani Pedrosa win the last 800cc MotoGP title in 2011. Criville said...

Niall Mackenzie’s son lands 125GP ride

06 December 2010 by Matthew Birt

Niall Mackenzie’s son lands 125GP ride

Kenny Roberts and Kenny Roberts Junior, Graziano and Valentino Rossi and Ron and Leon Haslam are all father and sons to have raced in the Grand Prix world championship. Now Niall and Taylor Mackenzie...

Cal Crutchlow starts rehab after shoulder surgery

06 December 2010 by Matthew Birt

Cal Crutchlow starts rehab after shoulder surgery

Cal Crutchlow has started the long rehabilitation process after he underwent successful surgery on a long-standing left shoulder injury in Manchester last week. The Coventry rider needed tendon and...

Jerry Burgess expects big Honda challenge

06 December 2010 by Matthew Birt

Jerry Burgess expects big Honda challenge

Jerry Burgess reckons Honda could pose the most serious threat to Valentino Rossi’s hopes of winning the MotoGP crown at the first attempt with Ducati in 2011. The Aussie, who is currently in Bologna...

Bradley Smith destroys Moto2 bike in test crash

03 December 2010 by Matthew Birt

Bradley Smith destroys Moto2 bike in test crash

Bradley Smith escaped unhurt but destroyed a Tech 3 Racing Moto2 machine as he took part in a freezing cold and wet testing double-header in Spain earlier this week. The 20-year-old braved chilly...

Casey Stoner backs four-rider Honda assault

03 December 2010 by Matthew Birt

Casey Stoner backs four-rider Honda assault

Casey Stoner has dismissed concerns that Honda might struggle to give equal support to its quartet of factory riders in 2011. Stoner will ride with Dani Pedrosa and Andrea Dovizioso in the factory HRC...

Jorge Lorenzo expects strong challenge from Ben Spies

02 December 2010 by Matthew Birt

Jorge Lorenzo expects strong challenge from Ben Spies

MotoGP world champion Jorge Lorenzo is expecting new factory Yamaha team-mate Ben Spies to pose a major threat in the 2011 premier class series. Spies will join the 23-year-old next year after the...

Antonio Banderas team quits Moto2

02 December 2010 by Matthew Birt

Antonio Banderas team quits Moto2

The Moto2 team supported by Hollywood star Antonio Banderas has collapsed, leaving former 125GP world champion Gabor Talmacsi and American Kenny Noyes without a ride for 2011. Title sponsor Jack &...

Danny Webb secures 125GP ride with new Indian manufacturer

01 December 2010 by Matthew Birt

Danny Webb secures 125GP ride with new Indian manufacturer

Danny Webb will contest the last 125GP world championship next season and first ever Moto3 four-stroke series in 2012 for the Indian-based Mahindra and Mahindra squad. The British rider has agreed a a...

Cal Crutchlow to undergo shoulder surgery

01 December 2010 by Matthew Birt

Cal Crutchlow to undergo shoulder surgery

Cal Crutchlow is facing a race to be fit for the opening MotoGP test of 2011 having been due to undergo identical shoulder surgery to Valentino Rossi in Manchester today (Wednesday). The British rider...