January

Year: 2011

Month: January

Casey Stoner plays down 2011 title prospects

31 January 2011 by Matthew Birt

Casey Stoner has moved quickly to play down pre-season hype that he will start the 2011 MotoGP world championship as favourite having moved to Honda. The Australian made an impressive debut on Honda’s...

Casey Stoner plays down 2011 title prospects

31 January 2011 by Matthew Birt

Casey Stoner proud to follow Mick Doohan at Repsol Honda

31 January 2011 by Matthew Birt

Casey Stoner has told MCN of his delight at fulfilling a lifelong dream to ride for the Repsol Honda team and follow in the illustrious footsteps of fellow Aussie Mick Doohan. Giving his thoughts on...

Andrea Dovizioso predicts strong Honda challenge

31 January 2011 by Matthew Birt

Andrea Dovizioso reckons Honda’s 2011 factory MotoGP line-up is one of its most formidable in years as the Japanese factory seeks to end its barren run of success in the premier class. HRC has yet to...

Dani Pedrosa unsure of shoulder strength

31 January 2011 by Matthew Birt

Dani Pedrosa reckons the left shoulder he badly broke during a practice crash in Japan in early October could still give him some problems when the 2011 winter testing schedule kicks off in Malaysia...

Honda determined to win final 800cc crown

31 January 2011 by Matthew Birt

Honda boss Shuhei Nakamoto has spoken of his desire and determination to win the final 800cc MotoGP crown in 2011 at the launch of the Repsol Honda squad in Malaysia tonight. Speaking at a special...

Ducati move to prolong Valentino Rossi’s career

31 January 2011 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi’s Ducati move is likely to extend his career in MotoGP. The 31-year-old stunned the racing world last year when he opted to quit Yamaha and sign for the Bologna factory in a lucrative...

Jerry Burgess predicts fierce Casey Stoner challenge

31 January 2011 by Matthew Birt

Jerry Burgess reckons Honda and Casey Stoner will pose the biggest threat to Valentino Rossi’s hopes of capturing the MotoGP title at the first attempt for Ducati in 2011. Rossi’s legendary crew chief...

Yamaha focus on improving rear grip in 2011

31 January 2011 by Matthew Birt

Improving rear grip has been a key winter development target of Yamaha as the Japanese factory seeks to continue its domination of MotoGP without talisman Valentino Rossi in 2011. Rossi and 2010 world...

Video: Valentino Rossi on track on a Ducati

31 January 2011

Valentino Rossi has returned to the track for the first time since his shoulder operation, and you can see how it went it this video showing the Italian legend on a Ducati 1198 Superbike. Just 73 days...

First shots of Stoner's 2011 Honda RC212V

31 January 2011 by Dan Aspel

These are the first official photos of Casey Stoner alongside the Honda RC212V that he’ll be racing in the 2011 MotoGP season. There are apparently few updates to the machine except for the new...

Lorenzo is "No.1"

31 January 2011 by Dan Aspel

MotoGP champion Jorge Lorenzo has unveiled his racing logo for the 2011 season: a number one made of the initials J and L. He said: “I have been lucky with my design because the No 1 works really well...

Villopoto wins Anaheim Supercross opener

30 January 2011 by Paul Harris

Like an Apollo moonshot, the 2011 AMA Supercross season has counted down and reached blast off – there were a host of big names vying for supremacy but the Neil Armstrong of the first race of the ‘11 SX season was Ryan Villopoto. Kawasaki’s factory star was coming back from an enforced eight month layoff following a terrible crash last April and showed that the plates and pins in the badly-broken...

Rossi faking it

28 January 2011 by Joe Cunningham

Further to the comments about Vale faking his shoulder problems. After being wiped out on a roundabout by a careless car driver which resulted in my bike being written of and me being in hospital for 5 days with back and shoulder damage in which the tendon was totally ripped off the shoulder bone. I had a operation on the November 10 2010 to re-attatch the tendon (Left shoulder athroscopic...

Gary Johnson signs for East Coast

28 January 2011 by MCN Sports Desk

East Coast Racing have signed TT star Gary Johnson and Lee Johnston to race in British Supersport this year. They will ride the ex-GNS Racing Hondas ridden by BSS title-winner Sam Lowes last year.

Portimao WSB test: Rea fastest in changeable weather

28 January 2011 by Gordon Ritchie

Poor weather was the enemy of all at the official Portimao WSB tests on day two. An early rain shower made sure only eight of the 16 WSB riders in attendance would go out in the morning session, and...

Swan Yamaha reveal factory R1s

27 January 2011 by Gary Pinchin

Swan Yamaha riders Tommy Hill and Michael Laverty will be racing 2010 factory R1s in this year’s MCE British Superbike championship. The team built the bikes in the WSB factory team’s workshop in...

Hutchinson signs for Swan Yamaha

27 January 2011 by Gary Pinchin

Ian Hutchinson has signed a two-year deal to ride for Swan Yamaha in the major international road races and selected rounds of the British Supersport series. Hutchy is still recovering from the broken...

Hickman teams up with Tyco Racing

27 January 2011 by Laura Stevens

Tyco Racing has signed Peter Hickman to ride alongside Tommy Bridewell in this year’s MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship, which gets underway on Easter weekend at Brands Hatch (22-25 April).

Snetterton revamp underway

27 January 2011 by Gary Pinchin

The major £3.5m Snetterton revamp is well underway to create a very new look for the Norfolk circuit which MotorSport Vision boss Jonathan Palmer has said will make it the most exciting circuit in the...

FTR and Speed Up continue in Moto2

27 January 2011 by MCN Sportsdesk

British manufacturer FTR Moto and the Italian Speed Up Team will challenge for the 2011 Moto2 World Championship with the youthful line-up of 19-year-old Spaniard Pol Espargaro and 18-year-old French...

Rossi tests 1198: full gallery

26 January 2011 by Dan Aspel

Ducati has released the following pictures of Valentino Rossi riding the new 1198 superbike this afternoon at Misano. The multiple world champ is reportedly using the WSB testing session to evaluate...

Rossi tests 1198 superbike at Misano

26 January 2011 by MCN

Valentino Rossi is currently testing the new Ducati 1198 superbike at Misano. The Italian is using the WSB testing session to evaluate the state of his shoulder before MotoGP testing gets underway in...

Relentless boost for NW200

25 January 2011 by MCN Sports Desk

This year’s Relentless-backed NW200 takes place on Saturday May 21 with Race Week Festival kicking off on May 15. The 2011 event was launched this morning at the Belfast’s Merchant Hotel and leading...

Danny Kent lands top 125GP ride

24 January 2011 by Matthew Birt

Danny Kent has landed a top 125GP ride in the team that won last year’s crown with Spanish sensation Marc Marquez. Kent, who impressed during selected wild card appearances at the end of the 2010...

Eight Brits in Grand Prix in 2011

24 January 2011 by Matthew Birt

British talent in the Grand Prix world championship will be at its highest level in years in 2011 with eight riders confirmed for the forthcoming season. Cal Crutchlow will lead the challenge in the...

Scott Redding heads triple British Moto2 attack

24 January 2011 by Matthew Birt

Scott Redding will be hoping to emerge as a serious title threat in 2011 as he heads a three-pronged British challenge in the successful Moto2 class. The Gloucestershire rider will again ride for the...

Factory Yamaha’s back in WSS with BE1? – Davies and Scassa to ride 2009 title winning R6’s in 2011

23 January 2011 by Michael Guy

MCN understands that Briton’s Chaz Davies and Italian Luca Scassa could swap their Triumph 675’s to race factory Yamaha R6’s in 2011 – the same bikes that that took Cal Crutchlow to the WSS crown in...

Cold weather hampers Castrol Honda’s first test, but new livery shines through

22 January 2011 by Michael Guy

Castrol Honda riders Jonathan Rea and Ruben Xaus were only able to complete one day of a scheduled two day test at Aragon due to poor weather conditions in Spain. Despite the lack of track time both...

I, Superbiker movie set for release

21 January 2011 by Gary Pinchin

A brand new motorcycle racing movie ‘I, Superbiker’ is due for general release on March 10 and will be rolled out across 50 cinemas in the UK. The film covers the 2010 BSB season and is focussed on...

Video: Castrol Honda are back!

21 January 2011 by Michael Guy

Eight years after American Colin Edwards won the WSB crown in 2002, Castrol Honda are back! MCN caught up with Castrol at the official launch of the new team and spoke to the riders and Ronald Ten...

Buildbase sign Lowry

21 January 2011 by Gary Pinchin

Ian Lowry is a late addition to the Buildbase BMW team and will ride a superbike alongside John Laverty in BSB. Lowry said: “I’m over the moon. Team owner Stuart Hicken has a great team with stacks of...

Sorrymate.com Honda sing Linfoot

21 January 2011 by Gary Pinchin

Dan Linfoot will race for Robin Croft’s sorrymate.com Honda team in BSB this year. After a difficult 2010 season with Motorpoint Yamaha, he was originally expected to join the new-look Tyco-backed...

John Hopkins to ride Crescent Suzuki

21 January 2011 by Gary Pinchin

American John Hopkins has signed for the Crescent Suzuki BSB team. It will give the former MotoGP star an opportunity to rebuild his career after a series of injuries and the team an opportunity to...

Jentin switch to Honda with Brogan

20 January 2011 by Gary Pinchin

BSB Evo champion Steve Brogan will race a Jentin Honda in BSB this year. Brogan won last year’s inaugural Evo title riding a Jentin BMW but since losing their direct tie up with the German company’s...

Haslam completes successful three day private test

20 January 2011 by Michael Guy

Leon Haslam benefitted from a three day private test at Cartegena where he was the only rider on track in an effort to get a full understanding of the advanced electronics system onboard his BMW...