May

Year: 2012

Month: May

Nicky Hayden eager to evaluate Ducati upgrades in Catalunya

31 May 2012 by Matthew Birt

Nicky Hayden says he can’t wait to see if new technical upgrades to his Ducati GP12 machine will reap immediate rewards when practice starts for the Catalunya Grand Prix tomorrow (Friday). The...

Cal Crutchlow gets brake upgrade for Catalunya

31 May 2012 by Matthew Birt

Cal Crutchlow will race in this weekend’s Catalunya MotoGP round in Spain with the latest spec 2012 Brembo front brake calipers and pads having backed down on his refusal to buy them out of his...

Improved acceleration focus for Yamaha in test double-header

31 May 2012 by Matthew Birt

Yamaha will focus on improving acceleration and grip on corner exit when Jorge Lorenzo and Ben Spies test a host of YZR-M1 updates in Catalunya and Motorland Aragon next week. The pair will evaluate...

Yamaha: No extra pressure on Ben Spies

31 May 2012 by Matthew Birt

Yamaha has denied that Texan Ben Spies is under increasing pressure to improve his results as he goes in search of his first top six finish of a troubled 2012 world championship campaign in Catalunya...

Chaz Davies doubts Casey Stoner will step out of retirement

31 May 2012 by Matthew Birt

Chaz Davies doubts that close friend Casey Stoner will return to racing once the reigning world champion retires from MotoGP at the end of the 2012. Stoner stunned the racing world earlier this month...

Meeting Lorenzo

31 May 2012 by Stewart White

A picture of my son, Jonathan with Jorge Lorenzo at Silverstone during last year’s MotoGP before the rain came.

Valentino Rossi: “I’ve never thought about stopping”

25 May 2012

MotoGP fans around the world breathed a collective sigh of relief when Valentino Rossi vowed to race on until the end of 2014 during last weekend’s French Grand Prix at Le Mans. After Repsol Honda...

Lucio Cecchinello not surprised by Stoner’s retirement decision

25 May 2012 by Matthew Birt

Lucio Cecchinello, the man who played an integral role in helping Casey Stoner become double MotoGP world champion, says he is not surprised the Australian has decided to retire at the peak of his...

Scott Redding targets consistent podium challenge

25 May 2012 by Matthew Birt

British teenager Scott Redding believes his first Moto2 podium for over 18 months in Le Mans last weekend will help him become a consistent top three contender in 2012. Redding mastered treacherous...

HRC boss: No way to change Casey Stoner’s mind on retirement

25 May 2012 by Matthew Birt

Casey Stoner’s Repsol Honda boss Livio Suppo says HRC didn’t try and talk the Australian out of his shock decision to retire from full-time racing at the end of 2012. Stoner stunned the racing world...

Cal Crutchlow: Casey Stoner’s retirement took b***s

24 May 2012 by Matthew Birt

British rider Cal Crutchlow reckons Casey Stoner’s shock decision to retire from MotoGP at the end of 2012 took ‘massive b***s’ from the reigning world champion. Stoner confirmed 2012 will be his last...

Valentino Rossi: Too early to ponder 2013 change

24 May 2012 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi says it is too early to contemplate where his future lies in MotoGP after Casey Stoner’s shock decision to retire sparked rumours the Italian could make a dramatic return to Honda or...

Andrea Dovizioso: Lorenzo holds key to 2013 shake-up

24 May 2012 by Matthew Birt

Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team rider Andrea Dovizioso says current world championship leader Jorge Lorenzo has complete control of the rider market for next season. Casey Stoner’s bombshell decision to...

Paul Bird: “Ellison can kick on now”

24 May 2012 by Matthew Birt

Paul Bird believes James Ellison’s confidence will have soared and his results continue to improve after the British rider finished top CRT rider for the first time in Le Mans last weekend. Ellison...

LCR Honda thrilled with Stefan Bradl’s form

22 May 2012 by Matthew Birt

LCR Honda boss Lucio Cecchinello says he is thrilled with the form of MotoGP rookie Stefan Bradl after the German claimed his best result so far in 2012 during a rain-lashed French Grand Prix on...

Cal Crutchlow: “Rossi still one of the best”

22 May 2012 by Matthew Birt

Cal Crutchlow said Valentino Rossi’s brilliant return to the podium in a rain-hit French Grand Prix on Sunday proved the Italian is still one of the best riders in the world. Rossi claimed his first...

Gino Rea gutted after Le Mans podium challenge ends early

22 May 2012 by Matthew Birt

Gino Rea was gutted after his hopes of claiming a shock maiden Moto2 rostrum were wrecked by home crowd favourite Johann Zarco in Le Mans last weekend. The former World Supersport winner has had a...

Celebrating my 50th birthday in Le Mans

22 May 2012 by Tony Hoare

I spent my 50th birthday in Le Mans on race day, watching a great race with rossi looking back to his old self. Later in the evening I met Alvaro Bautista in a restaurant. A great day!

Le Mans MotoGP: Valentino Rossi claims best Ducati result

21 May 2012 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi came out on top of a captivating late battle with Honda rival Casey Stoner to secure second place and his best Ducati finish in yesterday’s rain-hit French Grand Prix at Le...

Rossi and Stoner recall Jerez 2011 collision

21 May 2012 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi and Casey Stoner admitted having flashbacks to their controversial collision in last year’s Jerez MotoGP race after they battled for the podium in an exciting finale to yesterday’s...

Le Mans MotoGP: Tyre temperature issue leaves Casey Stoner third

21 May 2012 by Matthew Birt

Casey Stoner lost the lead in the MotoGP world championship in Le Mans after temperature issues with his wet weather Bridgestone tyres left him in third position. The Aussie, who announced he will...

Le Mans MotoGP: James Ellison finishes top CRT

21 May 2012 by Matthew Birt

James Ellison finished top CRT rider in Le Mans yesterday (Sunday), just two weeks after wondering whether he would even be starting the French Grand Prix. A tough start to 2012 caused by a chronic...

Le Mans MotoGP: Andrea Dovizioso aims for consistent podium challenge

21 May 2012 by Matthew Birt

Andrea Dovizioso is confident he will be a consistent podium threat for Yamaha in the future after he crashed out of top three contention in a rain-hit French Grand Prix at Le Mans yesterday. The...

Le Mans MotoGP: Cal Crutchlow baffled by speed issue

21 May 2012 by Matthew Birt

British rider Cal Crutchlow said he was baffled by a speed deficit with his Monster Yamaha Tech 3 YZR-M1 machine before he crashed out of podium contention in a rain-affected French MotoGP...

Le Mans MotoGP: Lorenzo takes victory and championship lead

20 May 2012 by Liam Marsden

2010 MotoGP champion Jorge Lorenzo has won the wet race at Le Mans by 9.9 seconds and taken the lead in the championship by eight points. Lorenzo got an excellent start to lead from flag to flag,...

Le Mans MotoGP: Luthi dominates wet Moto2 race

20 May 2012 by Liam Marsden

Swiss rider Thomas Luthi dominated the wet Moto2 race at Le Mans to comfortably take his second Moto2 victory. It was Pol Espargaro who lead in to the first corner, with Brit Scott Redding making a...

Le Mans MotoGP: Louis Rossi takes first Moto3 win in torrential rain

20 May 2012 by Liam Marsden

Frenchman Louis Rossi has taken his first Moto3 win at his home circuit of Le Mans in torrential rain after three other riders crashed out of the lead. Spaniard Maverick Vinales got a good start from...

Le Mans MotoGP: Marquez on pole despite crash

19 May 2012 by Liam Marsden

Championship leader Marc Marquez has taken his third pole position in a row at Le Mans despite crashing with 25 minutes of the session remaining. The rain started to fall with five minutes of the...

Le Mans MotoGP: Pedrosa steals pole

19 May 2012 by Liam Marsden

Repsol Honda rider Dani Pedrosa will start tomorrow’s MotoGP race at Le Mans from pole position. Pedrosa stole pole position with only a few minutes remaining of the session. The session started in...

Le Mans MotoGP: Vinales takes first pole of 2012

19 May 2012 by Liam Marsden

Spaniard Maverick Vinales has taken his first pole position of 2012 during a wet qualifying session at the Le Mans circuit today. Efren Vasquez qualified second, just under one second behind Vinales,...

Le Mans MotoGP: Stoner on top after FP2

18 May 2012 by Liam Marsden

Repsol Honda rider Casey Stoner has ended the first day at Le Mans at the top of the timesheets. The Aussie – who yesterday announced he is to retire at the end of the season – posted a best time of...

Casey Stoner: “I've lost the passion for MotoGP”

17 May 2012 by Matthew Birt

Reigning world champion Casey Stoner will retire at the end of 2012, the Australian saying he’s lost his passion and love for racing at a time when the Repsol Honda rider is arguably at the peak of...

Valentino Rossi vows to race on until end of 2014

17 May 2012 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi will not be joining Casey Stoner in quitting the MotoGP world championship at the end of 2012. Double MotoGP world champion Stoner stunned the paddock in Le Mans tonight when he...

Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo shocked at Stoner’s retirement decision

17 May 2012 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo – two of the biggest rivals in Casey Stoner’s career – have spoken of their shock at the Australian’s decision to retire from MotoGP at the end of the 2012 world...

Casey Stoner announces retirement

17 May 2012 by Michael Guy

Repsol Honda rider Casey Stoner has announced that he will retire at the end of the 2012 season. The shock announcement was delivered to a packed press conference at Le Mans ahead of this weekend’s...

Chris Vermeulen excited ahead of MotoGP return

16 May 2012 by Matthew Birt

Chris Vermeulen is hoping to show the racing world that he is over his two-year injury nightmare when he makes a return to action in this weekend’s French Grand Prix at Le Mans. The Australian will...