2011

Year: 2011

Month: ALL

Jenson Button says bike racers are 'nutcases'

18 May 2011 by Matthew Birt

Former Formula One world champion Jenson Button reckons MotoGP riders are ‘nutcases’. The McLaren Mercedes driver was talking about MotoGP during the launch of the impressive new £27m pits and paddock...

Seeley lays down his marker in NW200 practice

18 May 2011 by Gary Pinchin

Alastair Seeley topped the opening Superbike and Superstock qualifying practice sessions and was second in the Supersport class, pipped by a tenth of a second by Cameron Donald tonight in preparation...

Casey Stoner makes Honda 1000cc debut

18 May 2011 by Matthew Birt

Casey Stoner kicked off his preparations for the 2012 MotoGP world championship in Jerez yesterday (Tuesday) when he completed his first day of testing on board Honda’s new 1000cc machine. Fresh from...

Yamaha unveils 50th anniversary paintjob for MotoGP

17 May 2011 by Andy Downes

Yamaha has unveiled a 50th anniversary celebration paintjob for the factory MotoGP team which will be raced at Assen at the end of June and raced by reigning world champion Jorge Lorenzo and teammate...

Le Mans MotoGP: Valentino Rossi blames Simoncelli

16 May 2011 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi conceded that Marco Simoncelli’s overtake during the French MotoGP race that left Dani Pedrosa with a broken left collarbone was too aggressive. Rossi has been a staunch supporter of...

Le Mans MotoGP: Casey Stoner hails ‘fantastic’ win

16 May 2011 by Matthew Birt

Casey Stoner returned to winning ways in emphatic fashion in yesterday’s French MotoGP race as a dominant performance saw him halve Jorge Lorenzo’s world championship lead. Stoner went into the 28-lap...

Le Mans MotoGP: Valentino Rossi revels in first Ducati podium

16 May 2011 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi toasted his first Ducati podium in Le Mans yesterday after the Italian finished the French MotoGP race in third position. The 32-year-old just failed to defeat compatriot Andrea...

Le Mans MotoGP: Yamaha not fast enough, says Jorge Lorenzo

16 May 2011 by Matthew Birt

Jorge Lorenzo admitted Yamaha has work to do to bridge the gap in performance to Honda after he was comprehensively beaten in yesterday’s French Grand Prix at Le Mans. Lorenzo never looked like...

Debate rages over Simoncelli move that took out Pedrosa

16 May 2011 by John Westlake

Marco Simoncelli’s reputation as the bad boy of MotoGP rose to new heights after he was involved in a collision with Pedrosa that left the luckless and injury prone Spaniard with a broken right...

Le Mans MotoGP: Marco Simoncelli defends controversial overtake

16 May 2011 by Matthew Birt

Marco Simoncelli has defended himself against a renewed barrage of criticism after he was involved in a controversial incident in yesterday’s Le Mans MotoGP race that left Dani Pedrosa with a broken...

Le Mans MotoGP: Cal Crutchlow bemoans first DNF

16 May 2011 by Matthew Birt

Cal Crutchlow was left to rue a small mistake early in yesterday’s French MotoGP race that he believes cost him the chance to score his first premier class top six in Le Mans. The British rider was...

Le Mans MotoGP: Stoner secures second victory of the season

15 May 2011 by Tom Cambio

Casey Stoner (Repsol Honda) secured his second victory of the season at Le Mans. After starting from pole Stoner reclaimed first from team mate Dani Pedrosa in the second lap, where he then stayed for...

Le Mans MotoGP: Casey Stoner fined after de Puniet punch

15 May 2011 by Matthew Birt

Casey Stoner has been hit with a 5000 Euro fine (£4350) fine after he punched French rider Randy de Puniet following an incident in the MotoGP Warm-up session at Le Mans this morning. Stoner was on a...

Le Mans MotoGP: Márquez takes first Moto2 victory

15 May 2011 by Tom Cambio

Marc Márquez (Team CatalunyaCaixa Repsol) battled from sixth to take his first Moto2 victory at Le Mans in the first race of the season that the reigning 125GP champion has completed. The top five...

Le Mans MotoGP: Viñales snatches his first 125GP win from Terol

15 May 2011 by Tom Cambio

Maverick Viñales (Blusens by Paris Hilton Racing Team) snatched first place from Nicolas Terol (Bankia Aspar Team) in the final corner of the last lap at Le Mans after a race long battle between the...

Byrne tops BSB qualifying at Croft

14 May 2011 by Gary Pinchin

Shane Byrne is in pole position for tomorrow’s third round of the MCE British Superbike championship at Croft. The HM Plant Honda rider set a best lap of 1m 20.069secs to pip Swan Yamaha rival Michael...

Le Mans MotoGP: Valentino Rossi ninth again in qualifying

14 May 2011 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi qualified his factory Ducati GP11 machine in ninth position for the third time in four races today in Le Mans, the Italian conceding he faces another tough race to claim a top...

Le Mans MotoGP: Casey Stoner impressed with Honda domination

14 May 2011 by Matthew Birt

Casey Stoner said he was thrilled to see Honda dominating practice and qualifying for tomorrow’s French MotoGP clash at the famous Bugatti circuit in Le Mans. The French venue has traditionally been a...

Le Mans MotoGP: Classy Cal Crutchlow claims top six

14 May 2011 by Matthew Birt

Cal Crutchlow produced another outstanding performance this afternoon to claim a career best sixth position on the grid for the French MotoGP race at Le Mans. The 25-year-old, who has been a...

Le Mans MotoGP: Marco Simoncelli ‘I just need to finish’

14 May 2011 by Matthew Birt

Italian Marco Simoncelli came within 0.059s of claiming a stunning maiden MotoGP pole position in Le Mans today. The San Carlo Gresini rider produced a brilliant final lap of 1.33.212 to come...

Le Mans MotoGP: Stefan Bradl takes fourth consecutive Moto2 pole

14 May 2011 by Tom Cambio

Stefan Bradl (Viessmann Kiefer Racing) took his fourth consecutive Moto2 pole this season in qualifying at Le Mans. Swiss rider Thomas Lüthi (Interwetten Paddock Moto2) took second place in the final...

Le Mans MotoGP: Stoner takes pole position

14 May 2011 by Tom Cambio

Casey Stoner (Repsol Honda Team) continued his run of consistently fast laps at Le Mans to take pole position in qualifying, finishing the session 0.059s ahead of Marco Simoncelli (San Carlo Honda...

Le Mans MotoGP: Terol secures 125GP pole

14 May 2011 by Tom Cambio

Nicolas Terol (Bankia Aspar Team) continued his dominance in qualifying to secure his third pole position of the season at Le Mans. The championship leader will start ahead of team mate Hector Faubel,...

Le Mans MotoGP: Stoner continues to lead in FP3

14 May 2011 by Tom Cambio

Casey Stoner (Repsol Honda) maintained his lead at Le Mans this morning, setting the fastest time in his final lap of the last practice session. The Australian led a Honda top four, pushing Marco...

Le Mans MotoGP: Valentino Rossi bemoans slow pace

13 May 2011 by Matthew Birt

A new chassis failed to move Valentino Rossi closer to the top of the timesheets in Le Mans today as the factory Ducati rider ended the opening day of practice in a disappointing ninth position. Using...

Le Mans MotoGP: Jorge Lorenzo urges Yamaha improvement

13 May 2011 by Matthew Birt

Jorge Lorenzo has repeated his demands for Yamaha to improve its factory YZR-M1 after he was powerless to stop Honda dominating the opening day of practice in Le Mans today. The Spaniard, who is...

Le Mans MotoGP: Casey Stoner shocked at Yamaha slump

13 May 2011 by Matthew Birt

Casey Stoner admitted he was shocked to see Yamaha struggle so much on the opening day of practice for the French MotoGP race in Le Mans. The Aussie led a Honda domination of today’s sessions with HRC...

Le Mans MotoGP: Braking error costs Cal Crutchlow top ten

13 May 2011 by Matthew Birt

A braking mistake in the final stages of this afternoon’s second MotoGP session at the Le Mans circuit cost Cal Crutchlow his chance of a top ten finish on the opening day of practice for the French...

Colin Edwards’ crew chief to face ‘involuntary manslaughter’ charge

13 May 2011 by MCN Sports desk

Colin Edwards’ Tech 3 Yamaha crew chief Guy Coulon has been released pending further enquiries after being accused of accidentally killing a motorcyclist in France. The chief technician for Tech 3’s...

Hill tops Croft BSB practice

13 May 2011 by Gary Pinchin

Tommy Hill ignored the pain from his injured shoulder to post the fastest time in free practice today at Croft in preparation for Sunday’s third rounds of the MCE British Superbike championship. The...

Le Mans MotoGP: Stoner maintains pace in FP2

13 May 2011 by Tom Cambio

Repsol Honda rider Casey Stoner maintained the pace he set in this morning’s practice session to finish the second free practice session fastest at Le Mans, setting a 1m 33.782s lap. Stoner was 0.404s...

Laverty and Melandri get Aragon test underway

13 May 2011 by Michael Guy

The factory Yamaha World Superbike team of Marco Melandri and Eugene Laverty will begin their second day of testing at the Aragon Motorland circuit today. The two riders completed a successful day of...

Casey Stoner denies blocking Valentino Rossi in Estoril test

12 May 2011 by Matthew Birt

Casey Stoner has denied accusations from Valentino Rossi that he deliberately blocked the factory Ducati rider during the recent MotoGP test at the Estoril circuit. Rossi has been quoted in the...

Le Mans MotoGP: Valentino Rossi pushes Ducati for more upgrades

12 May 2011 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi has urged Ducati to make further improvements to its factory GP11 machine after the Italian was boosted by a positive recent test session in Estoril. The nine-times world champion...

Le Mans MotoGP: Dani Pedrosa expects tough weekend

12 May 2011 by Matthew Birt

Dani Pedrosa has conceded he faces another physically gruelling weekend in Le Mans as he battles back to full fitness after recent surgery on his right shoulder. Pedrosa produced a startling display...

Checa back to his best at Misano test

12 May 2011 by Michael Guy

Carlos Checa shrugged of what was a difficult weekend at Monza where by finishing the two day test at Misano fastest to reassert his previous dominance back on the championship. The Althea Ducati...