2009

Year: 2009

Month: ALL

Edwards impressed with Bridgestone endurance

17 February 2009 by Matthew Birt

Tech 3 Yamaha rider Colin Edwards has declared himself delighted with the endurance and consistency of Bridgestone’s tyres. The Michelin stalwart completed his first long distance run on Bridgestone...

Sete Gibernau still looking to master electronics

17 February 2009 by Matthew Birt

Sete Gibernau has told MCN that he is still trying to adapt to the huge increase in electronics since he last raced in MotoGP in 2006. The Spaniard spent the majority of the last test session in...

MotoGP grid numbers unlikely to increase in 2010

17 February 2009 by Matthew Birt

Plans to introduce a one bike per ride rule next year in MotoGP to help bolster dwindling grid numbers in 2010 appear to be seriously flawed before the approval stage. Dorna boss Carmelo Ezpeleta...

Nicky Hayden: ‘I expect more’

17 February 2009 by Matthew Birt

American Nicky Hayden has admitted that he expected much more from his recent 2009 MotoGP debut in Sepang. The new factory Ducati rider was only 11th quickest in the Far East and struggling to get...

World road race series

17 February 2009 by Gary Pinchin

Would a World Championship racing series on pure roads be a viable proposition? It’s something that’s been talked about ever since the demise of the FIM World Championship TTF1 series at the end of...

Ian Lougher’s TT plans

17 February 2009 by Gary Pinchin

Ian Lougher’s Black Horse Finance Yamaha team will be expanded to three riders at the Isle of Man TT this year. He will run Swede Mats Nilsson in the superbike and supersport races and Japanse rider...

Celebrating Rossi's 30th

16 February 2009 by ashley bland

We had our own birthday party to help celebrate in style valentino’s 30th birthday. good time had by all!

Japanese TT race still possible

16 February 2009 by Gary Pinchin

TT star Ian Lougher reckons there’s still a possibility of a TT-style road race on Miyakejima island, a six-hour ferry ride from mainland Japan. But it’s likely to be on a two-mile time trial on...

Ulster GP backs British Supersport team

16 February 2009 by Gary Pinchin

The Ulster Grand Prix has followed the precedent set by the North West 200 and backed a race team in the British championship. The Ulster Grand Prix Bikeweek Race team, will consist of three Yamaha R6...

Valentino Rossi’s 30th birthday messages

16 February 2009 by Matthew Birt

Tom Cruise and Daniel Day-Lewis might have been the A-list stars delivering personal messages to Valentino Rossi on his 30th birthday. But a host of people have been passing on their congratulations...

Kevin Schwantz sad at British MotoGP switch

16 February 2009 by Matthew Birt

American legend Kevin Schwantz has spoken of his sadness at seeing his beloved Donington Park lose the British MotoGP race to Silverstone from 2010. Four of Schwantz’s 25 MotoGP victories were...

Hollywood says Happy Birthday to Valentino Rossi

16 February 2009 by Matthew Birt

Hollywood stars Tom Cruise and Daniel Day-Lewis have both sent 30th birthday messages to reigning MotoGP world champion Valentino Rossi. Top Gun star Cruise, who attended last year’s American GP race...

Scott Redding tipped as 125GP title challenger

16 February 2009 by Matthew Birt

German Stefan Bradl believes British sensation Scott Redding will be a serious contender for the 2009 125GP world championship. Speaking at the launch of his Kiefer Racing Aprilia team at the famous...

Valentino Rossi celebrates 30th birthday

16 February 2009 by Matthew Birt

Italian MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi is celebrating his 30th birthday today (Monday). Rossi, who began his world championship career with Aprilia in the 1996 125GP series, has gone onto become one of...

Tom Grant gets Centurion Honda reprieve

16 February 2009 by Gary Pinchin

Tom Grant made his track debut for the Centurion Honda team this week when he joined regular rider Dan Cooper for the team’s three-day test in Calafat, Spain. 20-year-old, Grant from Melbourne, Derby...

Maxtra searching for engine speed

16 February 2009 by Matthew Birt

Increasing engine performance is the next key target for the new Maxtra 125GP squad after a successful two-day test session in Valencia last week. British rookie Matt Hoyle and Austrian Michael...

Matt Hoyle improves but crashes in Valencia

15 February 2009 by Matthew Birt

British 125GP rookie escaped injury in a crash on the final day of testing in Valencia as he on the new Maxtra machine. The 17-year-old former Red Bull Rookie star knocked a massive three seconds off...

Colin Edwards renews attack on James Toseland

13 February 2009 by Matthew Birt

Colin Edwards has launched another attack on British rider James Toseland over the controversial crew chief switch at Tech 3 Yamaha for 2009. Edwards lost his crew chief Gary Reynders to Toseland for...

Craig Jones honoured in local communmity

13 February 2009 by Michael Guy

World Supersport man Craig Jones has been honoured with a memorial tree and bench on the Greenbank estate where he grew up. The 23 year old died following a crash at Brands Hatch in August 2008 whilst...

Yamaha unveil new WSB livery

13 February 2009 by Michael Guy

The Yamaha World Superbike squad of American Ben Spies and Brit Tom Sykes have unveiled its all-new livery for their 2009 R1. After being sponsored by Spanish financial giant Santander and running a...

Kenny Roberts stars in celebrity golf tournament

13 February 2009 by Matthew Birt

American MotoGP legend Kenny Roberts’ departure from the paddock enabled him to spend more time indulging in his passion for golf. And the Californian seems to have put his spare time to good use as...

Pics: James Toseland’s Sepang crash helmet

13 February 2009 by Matthew Birt

These exclusive pictures of James Toseland’s Airoh helmet shows why the British rider was lucky to escape with only minor injuries after his 125mph testing high-side in Sepang. Toseland destroyed his...

Fast start for Marco Simoncelli in Valencia

13 February 2009 by Matthew Birt

Reigning world 250GP champion Marco Simoncelli kicked off preparations for the defence of his crown in positive fashion when he logged the quickest time in Valencia yesterday (Thursday). The Italian...

Matt Hoyle makes official 125GP debut

13 February 2009 by Matthew Birt

British rider Matt Hoyle made his debut for the new Maxtra 125GP team in Valencia yesterday (Thursday), ending 10th quickest for the John Surtees-inspired project. The 17-year-old clocked a best time...

A chance encounter with James Toseland

13 February 2009 by Tricia Bignell

I thought you may like to see these pictures of a huge coincidence! I was waiting for a flight to Holland at Birmingham airport on Wednesday (11th) and had just been reading my MCN about poor JT’s...

Official GSE Racing history

13 February 2009 by Gary Pinchin

GSE Racing, the most successful British superbike race team of all time, has released a limited edition book, ‘From Diggers to Ducatis,’ charting the history of the team since its inception in...

BSB bikes under development

13 February 2009 by Gary Pinchin

I’ve had the privilege to go behind the closed doors of some British Superbike team workshops this past couple of weeks, namely Relentless Suzuki, Cresent Suzuki, and Rob Mac Racing Yamaha and it’s...

Road race rockstar Farquhar!

12 February 2009 by suzukimad07

Heres Ryan Farquhar winning cookstown road races 2008. He had two wins and a second, was man of the meeting, he finished the year with 600 and 1000 championship titles and won dukes rankings title for a third time!

Ryan Farquhar in action

12 February 2009 by suzukimad07

Ryan Farquhar winning one of many races in 2008!

Valentino Rossi drinks MCN’s Monster

12 February 2009 by Matthew Birt

This is the first official picture of Valentino Rossi using energy drink Monster – using cans hand delivered by MCN! MCN MotoGP reporter Matthew Birt carried out five cans of Monster in his luggage to...

My Rossi tattoo

12 February 2009 by david owen

I was hoping you would print a photo of my new Valentino tattoo. I’ve just had it done for the new season and was really hoping to get it personally signed by rossi when he comes to Donington. Ed:...

James Toseland given all-clear after 125mph Sepang crash

12 February 2009 by Matthew Birt

James Toseland has been given the all-clear following medical checks after his spectacular 125mph high-side crash during last week’s Sepang MotoGP test session in Malaysia. The British rider passed...

Andrea Dovizioso sure Honda will be competitive

12 February 2009 by Matthew Birt

Italian Andrea Dovizioso is confident that Honda’s new RC212V will be competitive enough to challenge Yamaha and Ducati in the 2009 MotoGP world championship. The former world 125 champion reckons the...

Ducati hold high expectations for Mika Kallio

12 February 2009 by Matthew Birt

Ducati bosses are confident that Finnish rookie Mika Kallio will be able to make a big impression in MotoGP in his rookie campaign. The former KTM 250GP rider continued his promising pre-season...

Casey Stoner ready to step up training

12 February 2009 by Matthew Birt

Former MotoGP world champion Casey Stoner will step up his pre-season training campaign after he topped the timesheets at last week’s Sepang test in Malaysia. The Aussie cast aside the constant pain...

Valentino Rossi doubts Kawasaki quit motives

12 February 2009 by Matthew Birt

Reigning world champion Valentino Rossi has voiced doubts that Kawasaki quit the MotoGP world championship purely because of the global economic crisis. Kawasaki quit MotoGP at the beginning of...