2011

Year: 2011

Month: ALL

Jerez MotoGP: Bradley Smith claims fantastic fourth

04 April 2011 by Matthew Birt

Bradley Smith put up a brilliant podium fight in yesterday’s rain-hit Jerez Moto2 race as the British rider continued his outstanding start to the 2011 world championship campaign. The Oxfordshire...

Canard cranks up the pressure in Texas

03 April 2011 by Paul Harris

The merry-go-round of the 2011 Supercross series continued in Texas on Saturday. Mike Alessi was quickest out of the gate, but Trey Canard was on hand and straight through into the lead – Ryan Dungey tried to follow Canard through but tangled with Alessi, allowing Chad Reed to pass both of them, and then James Stewart came past the lot of them. Speedy Reedy fought back and made his way back into...

Jerez MotoGP: Lorenzo wins wet crash fest

03 April 2011 by Liam Marsden

Reigning world champion Jorge Lorenzo has won the Jerez MotoGP in wet conditions by 19 seconds ahead of compatriot Dani Pedrosa in a race which only had 12 finishers. Casey Stoner got the holeshot and...

Jerez MotoGP: Iannone wins, Smith fourth

03 April 2011 by Liam Marsden

Italian Andrea Iannone charged from the fourth row of the grid to take a dominant victory in a wet Moto2 race at Jerez. Brit Bradley Smith led the race before Simone Corsi overtook him on lap three,...

Jerez MotoGP: Terol takes victory in the wet

03 April 2011 by Liam Marsden

Nicolas Terol has taken his second win of the 2011 season at a wet Jerez which saw many of the front runners finish their races in the gravel. Terol and team-mate Hector Faubel pulled away from the...

Ducati to test new 1000cc MotoGP bike in Jerez

02 April 2011 by Matthew Birt

Ducati plans to shakedown its new 1000cc MotoGP bike at the Jerez circuit in Spain later this week, MCN can reveal. Dyno testing has been completed and Ducati team boss Vittoriano Guareschi confirmed...

Jerez MotoGP: Valentino Rossi rues qualifying crash

02 April 2011 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi was left frustrated after a qualifying mistake earlier today left the Italian languishing down in 12th position on the grid for tomorrow’s Spanish MotoGP race in Jerez. The 32-year-old...

Jerez MotoGP: John Hopkins deserves to be back in MotoGP

02 April 2011 by Matthew Birt

Factory Suzuki boss Paul Denning reckons John Hopkins has already proved that he is worthy of another chance to race in the MotoGP world championship after the American qualified in front of Loris...

Jerez MotoGP: Casey Stoner not desperate for victory

02 April 2011 by Matthew Birt

Casey Stoner has denied he will be going all-out to claim his first MotoGP victory at the Jerez circuit in Spain tomorrow. The Aussie’s brilliant start to his Honda career continued today when he...

Jerez MotoGP: Cal Crutchlow thrilled with top ten

02 April 2011 by Matthew Birt

Cal Crutchlow will start his second MotoGP race in Jerez tomorrow from ninth position on the grid after another impressive qualifying performance earlier today. The British rider, who qualified eighth...

Jerez MotoGP: Stefan Bradl on Moto2 pole

02 April 2011 by Liam Marsden

Moto2 championship leader Stefan Bradl has taken his second career pole position at Jerez today ahead of championship rival Yuki Takahashi. Thomas Luthi is the final rider on the front row in...

Jerez MotoGP: Stoner takes pole despite late crash

02 April 2011 by Liam Marsden

Repsol Honda rider Casey Stoner has continued his dominance of the 2011 MotoGP season with pole position at Jerez. The Aussie took pole position within the last moments of the session before dropping...

Jerez MotoGP: Cortese takes 125GP pole

02 April 2011 by Liam Marsden

German Sandro Cortese will start from pole poisition for tomorrow’s 125GP race at Jerez after beating Nicolas Terol to pole position in the last minute of today’s qualifying session. Terol’s team-mate...

Jerez MotoGP: Casey Stoner continues fast form

01 April 2011 by Matthew Birt

Casey Stoner’s exceptional start to the 2011 MotoGP world championship showed no sign of relenting today when he topped the opening practice timesheets in Jerez. A best lap of 1.39.551 set in cooler...

Jerez MotoGP: Valentino Rossi improves Ducati pace

01 April 2011 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi had arguably his best day on board the new factory Ducati GP11 machine today when he finished the opening day of practice in Jerez with the third fastest time. The 32-year-old set a...

Jerez MotoGP: ‘I rode like crap’ admits Ben Spies

01 April 2011 by Matthew Birt

Ben Spies admitted he was as much to blame as anything else in Jerez today after the American finished opening practice in seventh position. The Texan clocked a quickest time of 1.40.887 to finish...

Jerez MotoGP: Jorge Lorenzo chases big improvements

01 April 2011 by Matthew Birt

Jorge Lorenzo says he’ll need to make major improvements to his factory Yamaha YZR-M1 machine after he finished the opening day of MotoGP practice in Jerez down in fifth position. The Spaniard, who...

Jerez MotoGP: Stoner on top in FP1

01 April 2011 by Liam Marsden

Repsol Honda rider Casey Stoner set the fastest time during the first free practice session at Jerez today, continuing the dominating form he showed at the opening round in Qatar. Repsol Honda...

Ducati to revamp GP11 for Valentino Rossi

31 March 2011 by Matthew Birt

Ducati is working on a major re-design of its factory GP11 bike after being told by Valentino Rossi the current version isn’t competitive enough to win MotoGP races. The Italian was only seventh in...

Dani Pedrosa to undergo shoulder surgery

31 March 2011 by Matthew Birt

Dani Pedrosa has suffered a fresh injury nightmare having been told the on-going left shoulder problem he suffered last October requires further surgery. The Repsol Honda rider suffered a recurrence...

Casey Stoner expects strong home challenge in Jerez

30 March 2011 by Matthew Birt

Casey Stoner has admitted facing a difficult challenge to repeat his stunning debut win for Honda in this weekend’s Spanish MotoGP clash. The Australian made a dream start to his HRC career earlier...

Jorge Lorenzo to pose stronger challenge in Jerez

30 March 2011 by Matthew Birt

Reigning MotoGP world champion Jorge Lorenzo has been tipped to mount a much stronger challenge to Honda’s dominant early season form in his home race at Jerez this weekend. Lorenzo’s factory Yamaha...

Ben Spies looking to close gap to Honda

29 March 2011 by Matthew Birt

Ben Spies has targeted a closer challenge to Honda’s early season dominance ahead of the second round of the 2011 MotoGP world championship in Jerez this weekend. The Texan finished the season’s...

Electronics boom impresses John Hopkins

29 March 2011 by Matthew Birt

John Hopkins has hailed the development of electronics in MotoGP as he prepares to make a shock premier class comeback in Spain this weekend. The American will ride injured Alvaro Bautista’s factory...

Casey Stoner unfazed by Dani Pedrosa threat

29 March 2011

Casey Stoner has denied the presence of a fast team-mate capable of winning races increases the pressure and scrutiny on him this season. Stoner is facing arguably the biggest internal competition of...

Randy de Puniet's girlfriend goes green

29 March 2011 by Matthew Birt

Lauren Vickers, the top model girlfriend of French MotoGP star Randy de Puniet, has thrown her weight and most of her clothes behind the Pramac Ducati squad’s environmentally friendly initiative for...

A great weekend

29 March 2011 by sue bostock

What a great weekend I had at Donington WSB. Tickets at reasonable prices and laid back, low key security on the camp site. I was able to sleep in my van and wasn’t forced into putting a tent up in another location. Well done to Red Security – safe but not over powering security. Fantastic racing and an all round enjoyable weekend. “Just one thing spoils it. The price of a cup of tea or coffee on...

Leon Haslam a bit out of shape

27 March 2011 by Simon Veasey

Leon Haslam trying to climb off at some unearthly speed on Starkey’s Straight. Somehow by luck or judgement he stayed on!

MCN Donington WSB: Checa dominates race two

27 March 2011 by Liam Marsden

Carlos Checa extended his championship lead with a dominating victory in the second MCN-backed WSB race at Donington Park. Brit Leon Haslam again got to Redgate corner first, but was unable to stop...

MCN Donington WSB: Scassa takes supersport win

27 March 2011 by Liam Marsden

Factory Yamaha rider Luca Scassa continued his dominance with a win in the MCN-backed World Supersport race at Donington Park. Scassa led from flag to flag, with team-mate Chaz Davies the only rider...

MCN Donington WSB: Melandri takes first WSB win

27 March 2011 by Liam Marsden

Factory Yamaha rider Marco Melandri has taken his first win in WSB in the first race at the MCN-backed Donington WSB round. Melandri was ninth after the first lap and had to battle past Biaggi and the...

MCN Donington WSB: Biaggi fined 3000 Euros for Melandri slap

27 March 2011 by Michael Guy

Max Biaggi was fined 3000 euro for an altercation in pit lane after Superpole 3 which resulted in the World Champion slapping Marco Melandri. The incident was the result of their antics on track...

MCN Donington WSB: Scassa takes supersport pole

26 March 2011 by Liam Marsden

Lucas Scassa starts from pole tomorrow for the supersport race at the MCN-backed Donington Park round. Yamaha ParkinGO team-mate Chaz Davies will start from second on the grid, ahead of British...

MCN Donington WSB: Checa takes pole

26 March 2011 by Liam Marsden

Championship leader Carlos Checa will start from pole position tomorrow at the MCN-backed Donington Park WSB round. Checa dominated the final two sessions of superpole, and set pole with a fastest lap...

MCN Donington WSB: Biaggi keeps top spot

26 March 2011 by Liam Marsden

Factory Aprilia rider Max Biaggi kept his place at the top of the timesheets today during second qualifying at the MCN-backed Donington Park WSB round. Biaggi again held off compatriot Marco Melandri...

Donington Park tank range

26 March 2011 by Robert Taylor

I went to Donington Park yesterday. As a pensioner I can no longer justify the cost of race day tickets but I like to go on Friday practice days, it’s cheaper and less crowded so I get a good view of the riders. I’ve been going to Donington since the late 80s and used to love the place, but I was amazed to see the mess left by the antics of the last management team. It reminded me of the tank...