2016

Year: 2016

Month: ALL

Expert opinion: If MotoGP were a game of rugby...

28 September 2016 by Simon Patterson

Of all the injuries that riders sustain in motorbike racing, there are few as likely to bring a hush to the paddock as reports of a head injury. The human brain, while an incredible computer, is also...

MotoGP: Hayden back in the points once again

27 September 2016 by Simon Patterson

Nicky Hayden has completed his pre-race goal of scoring points in yet another Grand Prix season during his replacement ride at Aragon last weekend. The 2006 champion was deputising for an injured Jack...

MotoGP: Smith set for Japanese return

27 September 2016 by Simon Patterson

Bradley Smith will make a return to the 2016 MotoGP season and his Monster Yamaha Tech 3 machine next month for the Japanese Grand Prix, as he completes a month of gruelling physiotherapy following a...

Moto2: Lowes goes even faster at Aragon test

27 September 2016 by Simon Patterson

Aragon Moto2 race winner Sam Lowes has come away from the Spanish circuit surprised to find even more pace in Monday’s post-race test, going even faster than he did enroute to pole position and an...

MotoGP: Provisional 2017 calendar released

21 September 2016 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP organisers Dorna have released a provisional calendar for the 2017 MotoGP season, which will as tradition kick off in late March at Qatar’s Losail International Circuit. The calendar then sees...

MotoGP: Are Ducati testing regenerative braking?

21 September 2016 by Simon Patterson

At the last round of the 2016 MotoGP championship, Ducati test rider and wildcard Michele Pirro drew stares during Saturday morning’s free practice session three when he rolled out onto track sorting...

MotoGP: Baz aiming for Aragon return

20 September 2016 by Simon Patterson

Frenchman Loris Baz is looking to make a return to MotoGP this weekend at Aragon, as he recovers yet again from another injury in his incident-hit 2016 season. The Avintia Ducati rider was caught up...

MotoGP: Lowes looking for Aragon progress

20 September 2016 by Simon Patterson

Alex Lowes is looking to make further progress this weekend at Aragon, as he takes a break from his regular World Superbike schedule for a third outing on the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 bike as a...

MotoGP: Michelin bringing asymmetric options to Aragon

19 September 2016 by Simon Patterson

French tyre manufacturers Michelin will bring a range of compounds and compositions to this weekend’s Aragon round of the MotoGP championship, with the firm continuing their policy of bringing a range...

MotoGP: Hayden to deputise for injured Miller

19 September 2016 by Simon Patterson

2006 MotoGP world champion Nicky Hayden will make a stunning return to the series this weekend at Aragon, as he steps in to replace the injured Jack Miller. The Australian sat out last weekend’s race...

Moto2: Lowes has successful Valencia test

16 September 2016 by Simon Patterson

Sam Lowes has attempted to re-find his mojo on the Federal Oil Gresini Kalex, by completing a huge number of laps in a two-day outing with the team at Valencia’s Ricardo Tormo circuit, home of the...

MotoGP: Aprilia delighted with home top ten

16 September 2016 by Simon Patterson

The Aprilia racing squad of Alvaro Bautista and Stefan Bradl have been left delighted with their home pace, making the most of their experience testing at the Misano circuit to take an impressive...

Moto3: McPhee set for BT Sport Honda team?

16 September 2016 by Simon Patterson

Rumours in the Moto3 paddock have continued to gather steam that Czech Grand Prix winner John McPhee will link up with British broadcaster BT Sport to ride a Honda under the channel’s colours in the...

MotoGP: Marquez sides with Rossi in Lorenzo row

15 September 2016 by Simon Patterson

Marc Marquez has sided with Valentino Rossi in the furious row that broke out between the Italian and his teammate Jorge Lorenzo after Sunday’s San Marine Grand Prix, with Marquez admitting afterwards...

Moto2: Who the hell is Lorenzo Baldassarri?

15 September 2016 by Simon Patterson

Just before he took his stunning debut victory in the Moto2 class, MCN caught up with Valentino Rossi protégé and Forward Racing rider Lorenzo Baldassarri to find out just who the young Italian is and...

MotoGP: Espargaró builds GP-inspired GSX-R for training

15 September 2016 by Simon Patterson

Aleix Espargaró has built a MotoGP-inspired Suzuki GSX-R1000 machine to allow him to improve his riding style by training on a machine similar to the bike that he rides every weekend for the...

MotoGP: The genius of Michelin’s tyre war

14 September 2016 by Simon Patterson

Since their return to the MotoGP championship at the start of this season, Michelin have come under a lot of flack. Starting with Loris Baz’s high-speed tyre explosion back at the Sepang tests (even...

Moto3: Binder replaced by Antonelli at Red Bull KTM

14 September 2016 by Simon Patterson

Moto2 graduate and 2016 Moto3 champion-elect Brad Binder will be replaced by Italian Nicolo Antonelli at the Red Bull KTM Ajo squad for 2017, following yesterday’s announcement that the South African...

MotoGP: Honda roll out 2017 engine in Misano test

14 September 2016 by Simon Patterson

Honda has rolled out the much-anticipated 2017-specification engine at a private test at Italy’s Misano circuit following last weekend’s San Marino Grand Prix. Coming after constant complaints from...

Moto3: Who the hell is Lorenzo Dalla Porta?

07 September 2016 by Simon Patterson

A wildcard appearance at Assen, a factory Mahindra for next season, spending the rest of the year as Romano Fenati’s replacement at his idol Valentino Rossi’s Team Sky – AND he’s leading the Junior...

MotoGP: Pedrosa looking to gain from Silverstone confidence

07 September 2016 by Simon Patterson

Dani Pedrosa is out to maintain a better run of form this weekend at Misano, after being buoyed by a strong performance last weekend in Silverstone’s British Grand Prix after a difficult season so...

MotoGP: Nakasuga set for Motegi wildcard

07 September 2016 by Simon Patterson

Suzuka 8 Hour winner Katsuyuki Nakasuga will once again make a wildcard appearance at this year’s Japanese Grand Prix, with the factory Yamaha superbike racer riding for the Yamalube Yamaha Factory...

MotoGP: Xavi Forés to replace injured Loris Baz

06 September 2016 by Simon Patterson

Avintia Ducati rider Loris Baz will miss another round of the 2016 MotoGP championship thanks to injury, with the Frenchman set to sit out this weekend’s Misano Grand Prix after breaking his ankle...

MotoGP: Rossi looking forward to track with ‘nice memories’

31 August 2016 by Simon Patterson

Valentino Rossi says he’s looking forward to returning to a track with ‘nice memories,’ as MotoGP heads to Silverstone for the British Grand Prix this weekend. Returning to the circuit where he took a...

MotoGP: Roberts family feud ends up in court

31 August 2016 by Simon Patterson

Three-time 500 Grand Prix champion Kenny Roberts and son Kurtis Roberts are set to face off against each other in court this week, after a family feud long brewing between the pair resulted in police...

MotoGP: Alex Lowes to make GP debut as replacement for injured Smith

29 August 2016 by Simon Patterson

Alex Lowes will make his MotoGP debut this week at his home race at Silverstone on the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 machine, as he wildcards to replace the injured Bradley Smith. Smith was hurt last week...

MotoGP: Smith awaiting scan results on knee injury

26 August 2016 by Simon Patterson

Monster Yamaha Tech 3 rider Bradley Smith is awaiting the results of an MRI scan to determine how serious the injuries to his knee are after a high speed collision with another rider during qualifying...

MotoGP: Smith happy with KTM testing pace

26 August 2016 by Simon Patterson

KTM’s 2017 rider Bradley Smith says that he’s delighted with the progress that the Austrian manufacturer seems to be making with their new project, especially after the pace that they displayed when...

Moto2: Rookie to MotoGP progression plan for KTM

24 August 2016 by Simon Patterson

As well as MotoGP, KTM will make their debut on the Moto2 grid in 2017 with a new bike built in collaboration with their in-house suspension partners WP, as they seek to address a crucial hole in...

MotoGP: Smith calls for open class reform

24 August 2016 by Simon Patterson

Bradley Smith is calling for reform of MotoGP’s open class system to give satellite bikes a chance of being competitive in normal dry conditions. The British rider claims it’s increasingly unlikely...

MotoGP: Alex Lowes completes Tech 3 Yamaha test

23 August 2016 by Simon Patterson

World Superbike racer Alex Lowes has completed his first outing on MotoGP machinery, after taking to the track on Monday at Brno for a quick run on Suzuka 8 Hour teammate Pol Espargaró’s Monster Tech...

MotoGP: Tech 3 boss Poncharal pours praise on Crutchlow

23 August 2016 by Simon Patterson

Monster Tech 3 Yamaha boss Hervé Poncharal has poured praise on his former MotoGP rider Cal Crutchlow, after the Brit took his first ever success in the premiere class at the weekend’s Czech Grand...

MotoGP: Movistar Yamaha top one-day test

23 August 2016 by Simon Patterson

The Movistar Yamaha pairing of Jorge Lorenzo and Valentino Rossi have topped MotoGP’s one-day test at Brno following Sunday’s race, taking the top spot after an interrupted day’s running at the Czech...

Valentino Rossi’s first win 20-years on

18 August 2016 by James Archibald

Valentino Rossi started his ascent to his legendary status on this day, August 18 1996. Where 20 years ago at the Czech GP in Brno, he took the first win of many in his colourful racing career aboard...

MotoGP: Laverty loses perfect record after Petrucci collision

17 August 2016 by Simon Patterson

Eugene Laverty has lost his perfect points scoring record for the 2017 MotoGP season after a last corner collision between him and Danilo Petrucci saw the Irishman in the gravel and the Italian called...

MotoGP: Aspar Ducati confirm Bautista for 2017

17 August 2016 by Simon Patterson

The Aspar Ducati squad have confirmed that Alvaro Bautista will be returning to the team for the 2017 MotoGP season, as he returns to the outfit he claimed his world championship with in the 125GP...