March

Year: 2014

Month: March

Rutter and Muff at new-look Bathams BMW

31 March 2014 by Simon Patterson

Bathams IWR have announced that Michael Rutter will be remaining with the squad for the 2014 MCE British Superbike season as they make the switch from Honda to BMW machinery, as he’s joined by Swiss...

Dunlop gets first ride on BMW

31 March 2014 by Simon Patterson

Michael Dunlop has at last made his debut on the Hawk Racing BMW, joining Ryuichi Kiyonari and James Westmoreland for a day-long test at a wet Mallory Park last week. The Northern Irishman, making the...

Kiyo makes Buildbase BMW debut

31 March 2014 by Simon Patterson

Ryuichi Kiyonari has tasted a British circuit on a bike other than a Honda for the first time, completing his first pre-season shakedown at Mallory Park on the Buildbase BMW alongside teammate James...

Tinmouth kicks off 2014 campaign

31 March 2014 by Simon Patterson

Ellsemere Port-based Jenny Tinmouth has begun pre-season testing, as she starts her 2014 MCE British Superbike campaign ahead of official testing tomorrow (Tuesday) at Donington Park. Testing her TWR...

Stuart Easton to race Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki at North West 200

31 March 2014 by Stephen Davison

Reigning British Supersport champion Stuart Easton is the latest high profile entry for May’s International North West 200 on a Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki superbike. The diminutive Scot announced his...

Yamaha explain Open M1 test refusal for Jorge Lorenzo

28 March 2014 by Matthew Birt

Yamaha denied Jorge Lorenzo’s pre-season request to test an Open class spec YZR-M1 because it made no sense in letting the Spaniard evaluate a bike they had no intention of him racing. MCN exclusively...

Kevin Schwantz and COTA amicably end dispute

28 March 2014 by Matthew Birt

Kevin Schwantz thought he would need to face the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in a bitter legal fight over promotional rights to the Austin MotoGP round. But after the row was ended amicably, the...

Leon Camier Set To Ride For BMW Motorrad Team Italia In Spain

28 March 2014 by Gordon Ritchie

Leon Camier (27) is getting ready to return to the WSB paddock at the second round of the championship in Aragon on April 13th, as a replacement for BMW Motorrad Team Italia SBK EVO regular rider...

Despres retires from Dakar bike class to join official Peugeot car team

27 March 2014 by Michael Guy

Five time Dakar winner Cyril Despres will leave the Dakar bike category he has dominated for the last decade, alongside Marc Coma, to make a shock switch to a new official Peugeot car team. The 40...

Honda in no rush to upgrade new RCV1000R

27 March 2014 by Matthew Birt

Honda will not be rushed into an overhaul of its new production RCV1000R machine, despite pleas from the likes of Nicky Hayden and Scott Redding for more power. Honda’s new Open class bike doesn’t...

MCN at the TT

27 March 2014 by MCN

MCN will once again be represented by our very own senior road tester Adam Chad Child as he takes on the demanding 37 ¾ mile mountain course for the third year in a row. Adam will be competing in both...

Byrne fastest on return to BSB at Almeria

25 March 2014 by Simon Patterson

Shane Byrne has topped the opening day of the first official MCE British Superbike Championship test of 2014, with the Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki rider lucky to avoid gusting winds that caused teammate...

Team WD-40 to race in three classes in 2014

25 March 2014 by Simon Patterson

Team WD-40 have revealed their 2014 MCE British Superbike lineup, with a three strong team across three different classes, as Barry Burrell joins the team on Superbike, Canadian Ben Young in...

GBmoto concludes successful test at Cartagena

25 March 2014 by Simon Patterson

The GBmoto Kawasaki squad of James Ellison and Chris Walker have concluded their first test of 2014 at Cartagena, with the pair running in the team’s new Kawasaki machines ahead of the official MCE...

Qatar MotoGP: Marquez storms to victory

23 March 2014 by Liam Marsden

Reigning champion Marc Marquez battled through the pain barrier of a broken leg to take victory at the Losail circuit. The Repsol Honda rider started from pole position and had to battle with Stefan...

Qatar MotoGP: Rabat battles to Moto2 win

23 March 2014 by Liam Marsden

Marc VDS Racing rider Esteve Rabat overcame a poor start from pole position to take victory in his first race with the VDS team. In a repeat of last year Takaaki Nakagami took to the front of the pack...

Qatar MotoGP: Miller takes Moto3 win

23 March 2014 by Liam Marsden

Red Bull KTM rider Jack Miller capitalised on a late mistake by Alex Marquez to take victory in the opening race of 2014. Miller and Marquez spent most of the race out in front, with Marquez leading...

Qatar MotoGP: Marquez clinches pole position

22 March 2014 by Liam Marsden

Reigning world champion Marc Marquez showed no signs of a broken leg as he set a fastest time of 1’54:507 to take pole position for tomorrow’s opening race. Marquez will be joined on the front row...

Sam Lowes shines in Moto2 qualifying

22 March 2014 by Matthew Birt

Sam Lowes delivered a dazzling performance under the Losail International Circuit floodlights in Qatar tonight to qualify in fifth position for his Moto2 debut. The reigning World Supersport champion...

Qatar MotoGP: Rabat on Moto2 pole

22 March 2014 by Liam Marsden

Kalex rider Esteve Rabat has clinched pole position with a fastest time of 2’00.081 at the Losail circuit – the fastest ever Moto2 lap of the track. World Supersport champion Sam Lowes surprised the...

Qatar MotoGP: Rins takes Moto3 pole

22 March 2014 by Liam Marsden

Honda rider Alex Rins will start the opening Moto3 race of 2014 from pole position after setting a fastest lap of 2’05.973. Rins will be joined on the front row by team-mate Alex Marquez and KTM rider...

Smith suffers '500 crash'

21 March 2014 by Simon Patterson

Bradley Smith suffered one of the biggest crashes of his career tonight at the Losail International Circuit, with an old-school 500 era highside spitting him off his Tech 3 Yamaha half way though free...

Qatar MotoGP: Espargaro holds off factory bikes to stay P1

21 March 2014 by Simon Patterson

Aleix Espargaro was top of the time sheets in yet another mixed up day at Qatar, with the top factory bike of Marc Marquez barely making an impression on the front end of the grid. Espargaro continued...

Qatar Moto2: Cortese fastest as times go slower

21 March 2014 by Simon Patterson

Former world champion Sandro Cortese was the fastest Moto2 of day two, as windy conditions meant many of the top riders in the 600cc class were able to improve on their times from yesterday. Cortese’s...

Qatar Moto3: Fenati fastest again on day two

21 March 2014 by Simon Patterson

Romano Fenati has topped yet another session on the Sky Italia VR46 KTM machine at Qatar, finishing 0.061 ahead of the Estrella Galicia Honda due of Alex Rins and Alex Marquez. The Hondas,...

Hickman to make road racing debut at NW200

21 March 2014 by Stephen Davison

Peter Hickman is the latest recruit to the Vauxhall International North West 200 from the MCE British Superbike championship paddock. Following in the wheeltracks of superstars like Michael Rutter,...

McGuinness will ride North West 200 despite wrist injury

21 March 2014 by Stephen Davison

John McGuinness will definitely be racing at the 2014 North West 200. That is the message the ‘Morecambe Missile’ is sending to his fans as he recovers from injury after crashing his dirt bike this...

Qatar Moto2: Nakagami fastest with last minute lap

20 March 2014 by Simon Patterson

A race to the chequered flag with the fastest Moto2 lap of the day has left Honda Asia rider Takaai Nakagami top of the time sheets after the opening day at Qatar, with the Japanese rider finishing up...

Qatar Moto3: Fenati provisional pole on VR46 debut

20 March 2014 by Simon Patterson

Romano Fenati has taken the Valentino Rossi Team Sky KTM to the top of the timesheets on day one of the 2014 season at Qatar, finishing 0.022 ahead of Jakub Kornfeil with a late lap only seconds of a...

Qatar MotoGP: Espargaro tops first session of 2014

20 March 2014 by Simon Patterson

Aleix Espargaro has capitalised on his knowledge of the Qatar circuit gained from last week’s test absent of the factory riders to finish the first day of the 2014 season top of the timesheets,...

Yamaha thrilled with Movistar title sponsor deal

20 March 2014 by Matthew Birt

Yamaha boss Lin Jarvis has spoken of his delight now the Japanese factory has been able to secure a long-term five-year title sponsorship deal with Spanish communications giant Movistar. Jorge Lorenzo...

Alvaro Bautista hoping for podium return in 2014

20 March 2014 by Matthew Birt

Gresini Honda rider Alvaro Bautista is hoping for a return to the MotoGP podium in 2014 after his consistent run of form at the end of last season. In the last 11 races of 2013, the Spaniard only...

Aleix Espargaro plays down extra soft tyre advantage

20 March 2014 by Matthew Birt

Forward Racing rider Aleix Espargaro has played down the benefit he could get from the use of an extra soft Bridgestone tyre in the new Open class in 2014. The extra soft tyre has been pivotal in...

Yamaha deny Jorge Lorenzo Open test request

19 March 2014 by Matthew Birt

Jorge Lorenzo believes he would have a better chance of winning back the premier class crown on Aleix Espargaro’s Open-spec Yamaha YZR-M1. Lorenzo is adamant that the Forward Racing YZR-M1, which can...

Movistar Yamaha colours revealed!

19 March 2014 by Simon Patterson

The Yamaha MotoGP team have unveiled their new livery today at Qatar, with Movistar returning to MotoGP as a title sponsor after a gap of a number of years. The colour scheme is very busy, after...

Pol Espargaro: Hard to beat Smith in 2014

19 March 2014 by Matthew Birt

Spaniard Pol Espargaro has admitted he faces a tough battle to defeat new Monster Yamaha Tech 3 teammate Bradley Smith in the 2014 MotoGP world championship. Reigning Moto2 world champion Espargaro...