MotoGP on MCN

Here at Motor Cycle News we deliver bespoke MotoGP news from expert reporters on the ground at every major event. We get everything that's new in MotoGP before anyone else.

Year: ALL

Smith upbeat despite Jerez disappointment

28 March 2007 by Matthew Birt

British teenager Bradley Smith said the positives far outweighed his disappointing result in the Spanish GP last weekend. The Repsol Honda rider was running in eighth place when he was wiped out by...

Hopkins seeking Suzuki power

28 March 2007 by Matthew Birt

American John Hopkins is a hoping a new Suzuki 800 engine spec will dramatically enhance his chances of claiming an elusive MotoGP world championship podium. Hopkins and Rizla Suzuki team-mate, Chris...

Cecchinello praises rookie Laverty

28 March 2007 by Matthew Birt

LCR Honda boss Lucio Cecchinello has praised rookie Eugene Laverty after the Irish rider claimed his first world 250 championship points in last weekend’s Spanish GP. The 20-year-old scored a...

Eyewitness report of Locatelli crash

27 March 2007 by Dennis

The wife and I were at Jerez and she saw the Roberto Locatelli crash. I saw the crash from the impact onwards. There is a bit of mystery surrounding what happened. This is my wife’s description: “Roberto came down the short straight towards us (we were in the grandstand) and turned very sharply left well before the end of the straight. He turned so sharply that he was almost at ninety degrees to...

Bird strike unlikely cause of Locatelli crash

27 March 2007 by Matthew Birt

Investigations into the horror crash that left former world 125 champion Roberto Locatelli seriously injured at last weekend’s Spanish GP have ruled out a bird strike as a possible cause. Extensive...

Video: Parrish rides GSV-R

26 March 2007 by Angus Farquhar

BBC pundit Steve Parrish managed to get a special ride on John Hopkins’ factory Suzuki GSV-R800 in the build-up to the Beeb’s coverage of the Spanish GP, and you can see the video here. Parrish is the...

Rossi wins Jerez GP

25 March 2007 by MCN

Valentino Rossi has returned to dominance with victory at the Spanish GP at Jerez, having taken the lead from polesitter Dani Pedrosa on the first lap. Rossi was able to eke out a lead with small...

Talmacsi wins photo finish Jerez 125cc GP

25 March 2007 by MCN

Gabor Talmacsi took the win in the 125cc race at Jerez, denying Lukas Pesek his first win. Talamcsi and Aspar team-mate Hector Faubel dominated most of the race, until Pesek’s Derbi was able to close...

Lorenzo wins Jerez 250cc GP

25 March 2007 by MCN

Jorge Lorenzo continued his perfect 2007 season with the second victory in two races at Jerez, overcoming Alvaro Bautista and Andrea Dovizioso. All three tooks turns heading the field, with Bautista...

GP Brits bruised but fit to race at Jerez

24 March 2007 by Matthew Birt

British rookies Eugene Laverty and Danny Webb will be fit to ride in tomorrow’s Spanish GP despite both suffering crashes today in Jerez. Irish 250 privateer Laverty was lucky to walk away with...

Locatelli badly hurt in GP smash

24 March 2007 by Matthew Birt

Former world 125 champion Roberto Locatelli is in intensive care in a Cadiz hospital tonight after a horrendous crash in free practice for the Spanish GP this morning. The Italian, currently riding in...

Rossi happy with second on Jerez grid

24 March 2007 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi has declared himself happy despite missing out on pole position in Jerez this afternoon in what was the closest MotoGP qualifying top ten in history. Just 0.325s split pole setter Dani...

Jerez GP grid: Pedrosa from Rossi; 1s covers top 15!

24 March 2007 by Matthew Birt

Dani Pedrosa delighted a near 100,000-strong home crowd to claim pole position for tomorrow’s Spanish GP at Jerez, a fraction ahead of Valentino Rossi. In a thrilling hour-long session, Pedrosa...

Rossi slumps to 18th in Jerez GP practice

24 March 2007 by Matthew Birt

SEVEN times world champion Valentino Rossi slumped to a surprise 18th position in this morning’s third free MotoGP practice session in Jerez, as Carlos Checa topped the timesheets. LCR Honda rider...

Roberts springs Jerez surprise

23 March 2007 by Matthew Birt

American Kenny Roberts Junior sprang an early surprise in Jerez this morning by topping the timesheets in the first free practice session for Sunday’s Spanish GP. After finishing a disappointing 13th...

Bridgestone to test front qualifier

23 March 2007 by Matthew Birt

Bridgestone will experiment with a new front qualifying tyre at the MotoGP test immediately after this weekend’s Spanish GP. The soft front designed specifically for use in qualifying was due to be...

Suzuki brings forward performance tests

23 March 2007 by Matthew Birt

Factory Suzuki duo John Hopkins and Chris Vermeulen will test new engine parts immediately after this weekend’s Spanish GP in Jerez. The initial plan had been to test new V4 motor performance parts...

Stoner - No regrets about Yamaha

23 March 2007 by Matthew Birt

Casey Stoner says he has got no regrets about missing out on the chance to partner Valentino Rossi in Yamaha’s factory MotoGP squad for the 2007 world championship. The 21-year-old was locked in...

TV's Parrish rides the MotoGP Suzuki

23 March 2007 by Matthew Birt

BBC pundit Steve Parrish will feature in a special ride on John Hopkins’ factory Suzuki GSV-R 800 in the build-up to the Beeb’s coverage of this weekend’s Spanish GP. Parrish is the first non...

Stoner keeping feet on the ground

22 March 2007 by Matthew Birt

MotoGP world championship leader Casey Stoner reckons he’s going to be keeping his feet firmly on the ground as he prepares to try and continue his brilliant start to the 2007 campaign in this...

Hopkins confidence sky high

22 March 2007 by Matthew Birt

Factory Suzuki rider John Hopkins has admitted his confidence and morale were given a massive lift after his impressive fourth place finish in the season’s opening race in Qatar earlier this...

Rossi at Coppice

22 March 2007 by jondartnell

My photo of Valentino Rossi taken on the Friday practice at Coppice corner at last year’s MotoGP at Donington.

Dorna wrong to ignore 250 and 125 teams

20 March 2007 by Matthew Birt

High-profile 125 and 250 team boss Jorge Martinez has spoken of his anger at the smaller classes being omitted from next month’s sponsorship summit in Barcelona. Dorna has arranged a two-day seminar...

Ducati expect Honda retaliation

20 March 2007 by Matthew Birt

Ducati technical guru Filippo Preziosi reckons there’s an easy way for the likes of Honda to avoid a repeat of their humiliation in Qatar. Asked how much personal satisfaction he took from hammering...

Pitt devastated at Ilmor withdrawal

19 March 2007 by Matthew Birt

Andrew Pitt has spoken for the first time about the bitter disappointment at Ilmor’s shock withdrawal from the MotoGP world championship last week. The Aussie, who suffered a crushing blow at the end...

Aoyama out of Jerez

19 March 2007 by Sarah Carnell

KTM rider, Hiroshi Aoyama, will miss the next round of the 250 grand prix after sustaining injuries in a crash at Qatar. The crash, suffered at the first meeting of the 2007 season, left the Red Bull...

Edwards desperate for more speed

19 March 2007 by Matthew Birt

Colin Edwards has joined factory Yamaha team-mate Valentino Rossi in pleading for his YZR-M1 to get an urgent power upgrade. Rossi begged Yamaha engineers for a horsepower upgrade after factory Ducati...

Edwards remains upbeat

19 March 2007 by Matthew Birt

Colin Edwards is confident he will bounce back from his disappointing start to the new MotoGP world championship campaign at the second round in Jerez this weekend. The American was sixth in the...

Repsol stars lead Madrid parade

19 March 2007 by Dan Thornton

Repsol Honda stars Nicky Hayden and Dani Pedrosa led an 8000 bike convoy through the Spanish captial of Madrid on Sunday, March 18, 2007. The duo swapped their MotoGP machines for a pair of Honda...

Rossi Graham Madden rides for Yamaha

18 March 2007 by tufty

This is my son Rossi Graham Madden. He is only two years old and has already got his first MotoGP ride for Yamaha! Guess it’s all in the name! Plus he’s even got his own “brolly mummy”, pictured with...

Hodgson wrong to reject Ducati GP ride

17 March 2007 by Matthew Birt

Former British and World Superbike champion, Neil Hodgson, was wrong to have rejected the chance to join the D’Antin Ducati MotoGP squad for the 2007 world championship. That’s the view of his manager...

Burgess joy at Rossi deal

17 March 2007 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi’s crew chief Jerry Burgess reckons the Italian’s recent new deal with Yamaha’s factory team killed off any suggestion of any hangover from last year’s shock MotoGP defeat. Rossi...

Suzuki to get engine upgrade

16 March 2007 by Matthew Birt

Factory Suzuki duo John Hopkins and Chris Vermeulen will test a different engine spec immediately after the Turkish GP in Istanbul next month. The Japanese factory is keen to build on an impressive...

Stoner: Criticism was unjust

16 March 2007 by Matthew Birt

Casey Stoner reckons some of the criticism that came his way in his rookie MotoGP year last season was unjust as he aims to prove the doubters wrong in 2007. The factory Ducati rider was criticised...

Smith eyes '08 switch

16 March 2007 by Matthew Birt

British teenager Bradley Smith has set his sights on a switch to the world 250 championship in 2008. Smith, who is riding for the Repsol Honda 125 squad in GPs again this season, is confident a good...

Breaking news: Ilmor out of MotoGP

15 March 2007 by Matthew Birt

Ilmor dropped a bombshell today by announcing it has suspended its MotoGP team after just one round of the 2007 world championship. In a phone call to MCN this morning, Ilmor boss Mario Illien...