July

Year: 2012

Month: July

Poll: Is Rossi making the right move?

31 July 2012 by MCN

It’s looking very likely that Rossi is on the way back to Yamaha. Is he making the right move?

Police appealing for witnesses after fatal crash at Oliver's Mount

30 July 2012 by MCN

Police are appealing for spectators who witnessed the fatal crash during the final race of the Cock o’ The North road race meeting at Oliver’s Mount on July 22. Police are particularly keen to speak...

US MotoGP: Valentino Rossi talks about potential Yamaha return

30 July 2012 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi has given his views on a potential return to Yamaha’s factory squad in 2013, with speculation rampant in Laguna Seca that he will reject a new two-year offer to remain with...

US MotoGP: No early birthday cheer for Nicky Hayden

30 July 2012 by Matthew Birt

Nicky Hayden turned 31 today (Monday) but there were no early celebrations after the American ended a tough home race weekend at Laguna Seca in sixth position. Hayden might have equalled his best...

US MotoGP: Casey Stoner equals Mike Hailwood’s victory tally

30 July 2012 by Matthew Birt

Casey Stoner equalled British legend Mike Hailwood’s tally of 37 MotoGP victories after he stormed to a second successive victory in the US Grand Prix at Laguna Seca yesterday. The Australian swept to...

US MotoGP: Swingarm failure floors Ben Spies

30 July 2012 by Matthew Birt

Ben Spies was fortunate to escape serious injury after a swingarm failure saw him crash out of fourth place in front of his home crowd at the Laguna Seca track in California. Spies looked on course to...

US MotoGP: Rossi Backs Redding

30 July 2012 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi backs Scott Redding for Ducati switch Valentino Rossi might be close to ending his dismal spell at Ducati, but the Italian legend has backed rising British star Scott Redding’s...

US MotoGP: Motivation waning, admits Valentino Rossi

30 July 2012 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi has admitted finding it increasingly hard to stay motivated to ride Ducati’s struggling factory Desmosedici machine after he suffered a dismal US Grand Prix at Laguna Seca. The Italian...

US MotoGP: Casey Stoner triumphs in Laguna Seca

29 July 2012 by Matthew Birt

Reigning world champion Casey Stoner fought off pre-race favourite Jorge Lorenzo to claim his second successive victory in the US Grand Prix at Laguna Seca earlier today. Factory Yamaha rider and...

Rea wins prestigous Suzuka 8-hour

29 July 2012 by Michael Guy

Jonathan Rea became the first British rider to win the prestigious Suzuka 8-hour Endurance race. Riding the FCC TSR Honda with team-mate Kousuke Akiyoshi, Rea secured a convincing four lap victory to...

US MotoGP: Jorge Lorenzo claims pole with record lap

29 July 2012 by Matthew Birt

Jorge Lorenzo claimed his third pole position of the season in record-breaking fashion at the spectacular Laguna Seca track in California this afternoon. The Spaniard secured his first pole position...

US MotoGP: Valentino Rossi takes blame for practice crash

28 July 2012 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi blamed himself for the fast practice crash in Laguna Seca that saw yesterday afternoon’s session red flagged. Rossi had just started to push to improve his pace from a 1.22.772 on a...

US MotoGP: Cal Crutchlow ‘lucky’ after fast practice crash

28 July 2012 by Matthew Birt

British rider Cal Crutchlow admitted he was lucky to escape a serious leg injury after he suffered a high-speed crash during the second practice session at Laguna Seca yesterday. The 26-year-old was...

US MotoGP: Dani Pedrosa quickest on new Honda

28 July 2012 by Matthew Birt

Dani Pedrosa took full advantage of an all-new factory Honda RC213V machine at Laguna Seca today to head the timesheets at the end of the opening day of practice in California. The Spaniard had set...

US MotoGP: Ducati confirm new deal for Nicky Hayden

27 July 2012 by Matthew Birt

Ducati has announced in Laguna Seca this morning that American rider Nicky Hayden has signed a new one-year deal with its factory MotoGP squad. The 2006 world champion has signed a deal for 2013 with...

US MotoGP: Ben Spies cagey on future plans

26 July 2012 by Matthew Birt

Ben Spies has refused to discuss his future plans or elaborate on his reasoning for deciding to quit Yamaha at the end of the season on the eve of his home race at Laguna Seca today. Spies dropped a...

US MotoGP: Nicky Hayden close to new Ducati deal

26 July 2012 by Matthew Birt

Nicky Hayden has confirmed he is close to agreeing a contract extension with Ducati’s factory MotoGP squad for 2013. An official announcement is likely to be made during his home race in Laguna Seca...

US MotoGP: Valentino Rossi nearing future decision

26 July 2012 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi says he will decide whether to stay with Ducati or make a shock move back to Yamaha in 2013 during the forthcoming short summer break. Speculation about Rossi’s future plans has hit...

Ben Spies leaves Yamaha

24 July 2012 by MCN

It’s emerged this afternoon that factory Yamaha MotoGP star Ben Spies will part company with the Japanese firm’s team at the end of the 2012 season. In a short statement on Twitter, the Texan, whose...

Toni Elias replaces Hector Barbera at Laguna Seca

24 July 2012 by Matthew Birt

Toni Elias will replace injured compatriot Hector Barbera on the Pramac Ducati GP12 in this weekend’s US MotoGP round at Laguna Seca. Barbera is currently recovering from a double break in his left...

Tommy Hill at Brands Hatch

23 July 2012 by alan winstanley

Tommy Hill at Brands Hatch

Hector Barbera begins recovery from broken leg

23 July 2012 by Matthew Birt

Hector Barbera has started the recovery process from a broken left leg that will certainly rule him out of this weekend’s US Grand Prix at the Laguna Seca track in California. The Pramac Ducati rider...

Shane Byrne claims his first double win of 2012

22 July 2012

Shane Byrne claimed his first double win of the 2012 British Superbike Championship season as the Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki rider again held off a hard-charging Josh Brookes. Michael Laverty again had a characteristic flying start to the race onboard the Samsung Honda to lead on the opening lap from Byrne and Brookes, but race one winner Bryne wasn’t settling for second and he took the lead at...

Melandri Double win at Brno

22 July 2012 by MCN Sportsdesk

Marco Melandri scored a double today. Winning the second race of the weekend at Brno. Melandri made a final pass on Tom Sykes in the final lap with just enough space on the final few corners to make sure the Englishman would finish second, by only 0.140 seconds. Carlos Checa finished in third place with championship leader Max Biaggi ) in fourth. Eugene Laverty took fifth. In the...

Shane Byrne responds in perfect style at Brands Hatch

22 July 2012 by MCN Sportsdesk

After leaving Oulton Park somewhat deflated, Shane Byrne responded in perfect style at Brands Hatch, taking a strong win in the opening race on Sunday. The 2003 and 2008 Champion overhauled the fast starting Michael Laverty and then resisted a late challenge from Josh Brookes to take his third win of the season. Brookes, fourth on the opening lap, set a series of fastest laps to move up to...

Impressive first race win for Melandri at Brno

22 July 2012 by MCN Sportsdesk

Marco Melandri (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) posted an impressive win in the first race at Brno after making his way through from a mid-pack position in a race that started with many wet patches on the...

Shane Byrne claims his first pole position of the season

21 July 2012 by BSB Sports Desk

Shane Bryne took the top spot in today’s qualifying session at Brands Hatch for round 7 of the British Superbike Championship. The Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki rider was one of only two riders to dip below the 1m26s bracket and a time of 1m25.908s gave him a slender advantage of 0.062s over current Championship leader Tommy Hill. The Swan Yamaha man will be joined on the front row by Michael...