March

Year: 2014

Month: March

Schwantz to return to Suzuka

11 March 2014 by Simon Patterson

Yoshimura Suzuki will run not one but two teams for this year’s Suzuka 8 Hours, as they expand to celebrate the 60th anniversary of racing legend Pop Yoshimura founding the tuning firm back in 1954. A...

Waters to race Suzuka with Yoshimura

11 March 2014 by Simon Patterson

Yoshimura Suzuki have announced their main rider line-up for the Suzuka 8 hours, with Tyco Suzuki MCE British Superbike racer Josh Waters joining Takuya Tsuda, last year’s runner-up with the team, as...

Aleix Espargaro: Aspar ride boosted my career

11 March 2014 by Matthew Birt

Aleix Espargaro says he owes a big debt of gratitude to Spanish legend Jorge Martinez’s Aspar squad for helping him develop into a more competitive MotoGP rider. The 24-year-old has been the major...

Honda announce 2014 British plans

11 March 2014 by Simon Patterson

Honda Racing UK have finalised their 2014 British championship racing plans, with three machines in the National Superstock 1000 series alongside their already confirmed wildcard appearances in the...

No new bike for Cal in 2014

11 March 2014 by Michael Guy

Cal Crutchlow and team-mate Andrea Dovizioso will campaign their existing Desmosedici GP14 throughout the 2014 season with no all new bike expected until the 2015 season. Speaking at the official...

Suzuki keen on MotoGP test for Eugene Laverty

11 March 2014 by Matthew Birt

Suzuki is keen to get the input of Eugene Laverty on its new factory 1000cc MotoGP contender during 2014. The Irish rider is locked in talks over selected rides on the new Suzuki and he met new MotoGP...

Dall’Igna talks ‘Open’ at 2014 Ducati MotoGP team launch in Munich

10 March 2014 by Michael Guy

The 2014 Ducati MotoGP squad was officially unveiled to the worlds press in Munich today. Ducati launches historically take place in the mountains of Madonna di Campiglio, but in 2014, Ducati owners...

Ducati unveil 2014 Desmosedici

10 March 2014 by Simon Patterson

Ducati have unveiled their 2014 MotoGP contender in an impressive ceremony at parent company Audi’s showrooms inside Munich Airport in the presence of a host of top names and vehicles from the German...

Hopper at home on Tyco Suzuki

10 March 2014 by Simon Patterson

Former MotoGP podium finisher John Hopkins says that he feels at home already on the Tyco Suzuki machine he will compete in the 2014 MCE British Superbike championship on, with the similarities to his...

Philip Neil: “Waters has that big smile back”

10 March 2014 by Simon Patterson

Former Australian Superbike champion Josh Waters has left Cartagena having made positive steps forwards on his Suzuki return, after a woeful 2013 season on the Milwaukee Yamaha, finishing the test...

Seeley pleased with Cartagena progress

10 March 2014 by Simon Patterson

Alastair Seeley has left a four day test at Cartagena pleased with the progress he has made with his new Mar-Train team, with the Ulsterman able to run competitive times not only on his British...

Bradley Smith rebounds from crash to claim top three

10 March 2014 by Matthew Birt

Bradley Smith experienced an eventful but ultimately very productive final night of MotoGP testing at the Losail International Circuit in Qatar. The Monster Yamaha Tech 3 rider was relieved to emerge...

'Unbelievable' race simulation thrills Aleix Espargaro in Qatar

10 March 2014 by Matthew Birt

Aleix Espargaro continued his outstanding winter testing form in Qatar last night by finishing the final pre-season action of 2014 on top of the timesheets. The Forward Yamaha rider was doubly happy...

Pol Espargaro suffers injury blow in Qatar

10 March 2014 by Matthew Birt

Pol Espargaro’s preparation for his rookie MotoGP season suffered a cruel blow in Qatar last night when he broke his left collarbone in a crash in the final hours of a promising pre-season...

Stefan Bradl ends pre-season with two crashes

10 March 2014 by Matthew Birt

Stefan Bradl’s winter testing campaign certainly didn’t end on a high after he suffered two crashes on the final night of testing at the Losail International Circuit in Qatar. The LCR Honda rider had...

Rear grip concern for Alvaro Bautista in Qatar

10 March 2014 by Matthew Birt

Alvaro Bautista dropped from being fastest rider on the second night of MotoGP testing in Qatar to finish fifth at the conclusion of the final winter test yesterday evening. Bautista was unable to...

Scott Redding surprised by race run speed

10 March 2014 by Matthew Birt

British rider Scott Redding gave himself a morale boost heading into his rookie MotoGP campaign after he delivered an impressive first distance run on the new Honda RCV1000R production bike in Qatar...

Alvaro Bautista struggles on way to fastest time

09 March 2014 by Matthew Birt

Alvaro Bautista might have been fastest on the second night of MotoGP testing in Qatar, but it was not an easy ride to the summit of the timesheets for the Gresini Honda rider. The former 125GP world...

Alvaro Bautista heads second night in Qatar

09 March 2014 by Matthew Birt

Gresini Honda rider Alvaro Bautista led the way on the second night of MotoGP testing at the Losail International Circuit in Qatar. A quickest lap of 1.55.194 saw the Spaniard finish 0.314s clear of...

Hard work pays off for Millsport Ducati

08 March 2014 by Simon Patterson

An intense pre-season testing schedule had paid off for the Millsport Ducati squad and their rider Jacob Smrz, as the privateer team finished day three of the Cartagena pre-season test rivalling their...

Hopkins finds pace early on BSB return

08 March 2014 by Simon Patterson

Former MotoGP podium finisher John Hopkins says he’s surprised at how quickly he’s managed to get back into fast lap times, after a year and a half away from competitive riding. Hopkins, who hasn’t...

Aleix Espargaro happy with opening night pace in Qatar

08 March 2014 by Matthew Birt

Aleix Espargaro continued his pre-season giant-killing act in MotoGP tonight when the Forward Yamaha Open class rider beat a host of factory prototypes in Qatar. Fourth fastest in both Sepang tests...

Scott Redding happy to close gap to Nicky Hayden

08 March 2014 by Matthew Birt

Scott Redding was satisfied with his performance on the opening night of MotoGP testing in Qatar after the Gresini rider finished within 0.4s of Nicky Hayden on the new production Honda RCV1000R...

Bradley Smith not happy to play second fiddle to Aleix Espargaro

08 March 2014 by Matthew Birt

British rider Bradley Smith admitted he was not happy to be outpaced by Aleix Espargaro on the opening night of testing at the floodlit Losail International Circuit in Qatar. Smith led the timesheets...

Bridewell fastest on day 2 at Cartagena

07 March 2014 by Simon Patterson

Tommy Bridewell has cemented his position as a 2014 MCE British Superbike championship contender, setting a blisteringly fast lap right at the end of day two of pre-season testing at Cartagena in...

Ioda Racing: Leon Camier situation ‘very hard’

07 March 2014 by Matthew Birt

Ioda Racing boss Giampiero Sacchi has spoken of his disappointment at not being able to go ahead with a 2014 MotoGP deal for British rider Leon Camier. Former British Superbike champion Camier signed...

Suzuki re-thinking MotoGP strategy after Ducati Open move

07 March 2014 by Matthew Birt

Ducati’s decision to move to the new Open class has already forced Suzuki into re-thinking its 2015 MotoGP strategy, and is likely to put pressure on Honda and Yamaha to do the same. Just three weeks...

Colin Edwards admits doubt over FTR chassis

07 March 2014 by Matthew Birt

Colin Edwards has admitted it is looking increasingly unlikely that he will get the opportunity to race a British-designed and built FTR frame in the 2014 MotoGP world championship. A revised official...

Crutchlow baffled by front tyre issue in Oz race simulation

05 March 2014 by Matthew Birt

British rider Cal Crutchlow was left baffled by a front tyre issue that forced him to abort a planned full race simulation on the final day of Bridgestone’s crucial tyre test at the Phillip Island...

Movistar Yamaha born in five year deal

05 March 2014 by Simon Patterson

Yamaha MotoGP have confirmed recent paddock rumour by confirming that they have been joined by telecoms giant Movistar to become Movistar Yamaha for the next five years. The deal, a massive boost for...

Dovizioso: Expectations ‘not unbelievably high’ for 2014

05 March 2014 by Matthew Birt

Andrea Dovizioso believes there won’t be any big improvement in Ducati’s fortunes in the early part of the 2014 MotoGP campaign, despite a positive pre-season campaign in Malaysia and...

Tito Rabat ‘lucky’ after big crash in Australia

05 March 2014 by Matthew Birt

Marc VDS Racing Moto2 rider Tito Rabat admitted he was fortunate to escape injury after his pre-season testing campaign ended with a heavy crash on the final day of tyre testing at Phillip Island. The...

Jorge Lorenzo quickest at end of Phillip Island tyre test

05 March 2014 by Matthew Birt

Jorge Lorenzo completed his domination of this week’s Bridgestone tyre test in Australia today by setting the fastest time in cool and windy conditions at Phillip Island this afternoon. The Spaniard...

MCN Fantasy Road Race is go!!

05 March 2014 by MCN

With only days to go before the 2014 MotoGP season gets underway in earnest, MCN are pleased to unveil the all-new-look MCN Fantasy Road Race, which for the first time ever focuses on the Grand Prix...

Jorge Lorenzo evaluates new Yamaha bodywork in Australia

04 March 2014 by Jorge Lorenzo

Double MotoGP world champion Jorge Lorenzo assessed a new fairing on the second day of the Bridgestone tyre test at Phillip Island today. The unbranded black carbon YZR-M1 fairing was evaluated by the...

Jorge Lorenzo remains on top in Australia

04 March 2014 by Matthew Birt

Jorge Lorenzo remained in control of the Bridgestone tyre test in scorching hot conditions at the Phillip Island track in Australia today. The Spaniard improved his pace to a 1.29.133 today to edge...