January

Year: 2018

Month: January

MotoGP: Repsol Honda duo roll out carbon swing arm

18 February 2018 by Simon Patterson

The Repsol Honda duo of Marc Marquez and Dani Pedrosa have been secretly testing a new carbon fibre swing arm on their RC213V machines at both of MotoGP’s official pre-season tests in Malaysia and...

MotoE: Covers come off MotoGP’s electric race bike

06 February 2018 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP bosses Dorna have pulled the covers off the Energica MotoE machines that will make up the one-make series when it takes to the grid for the first time in 2019. Unveiled by safety officer and...

Roads: Brookes to remain with Norton for 2018 TT

05 February 2018 by Oli Rushby

Josh Brookes will remain with Norton for a second consecutive crack at the Isle of Man TT this year, it has been confirmed. The Aussie became the fastest rider ever to lap the iconic 37.73-mile...

MotoGP: Syahrin confirmed at Tech 3 for Thai test

05 February 2018 by Simon Patterson

Malaysian rider Hafizh Syahrin will make his MotoGP debut next week with the Monster Energy Yamaha Tech 3 squad at the second of the championship’s three pre-season tests, ahead of the final...

BSB: Mason Law steps up superbike class with Team WD40

03 February 2018 by Oli Rushby

Mason Law will step up to British Superbikes this season with Brent Gladwin’s Team WD40 outfit. Law finished sixth in the Superstock 1000 class with the Sheffield-based outfit last year after a strong...

MotoGP: Syahrin to Tech 3 confirmed by Khairuddin move?

03 February 2018 by Simon Patterson

The promotion of Malaysian rider Hafizh Syahrin to the MotoGP class for the 2018 season looks set to be confirmed any day now, after the Sepang International Circuit announced today that fellow...

Roads: Welsh Road Race set to be called off

02 February 2018 by Oli Rushby

The all-new Welsh Road Race event set to take place in the Brecon Beacons later this year has run into difficulty and been called off. MCN understands the Auto Cycle Union (ACU) has been unable to...

WSB: Northern Ireland to host WSB round from 2019

01 February 2018 by Oli Rushby

World Superbike bosses are poised to announce a deal that will see a round of the series held at the new Lake Torrent circuit in Northern Ireland in 2019. Earlier this afternoon BBC Northern Ireland...

Roads: William Dunlop to continue with Yamaha machinery in 2018

01 February 2018 by Oli Rushby

William Dunlop is setting out to secure his first Isle of Man TT victory after signing a deal to remain on Yamaha machinery for the 2018 season. The elder Dunlop brother will again campaign a Yamaha...

MotoGP: Hafizh Syahrin in line to replace Folger?

31 January 2018 by Simon Patterson

MCN’s sources believe that Malaysian racer Hafizh Syahrin is now one of the prime candidates to replace German rider Jonas Folger at the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 team for the 2018 MotoGP season, with the...

Poll: Do you think Lorenzo can lift the MotoGP title for Ducati in 2018?

31 January 2018 by MCN News

Lorenzo has just topped the timesheets at the Sepang MotoGP test. Will 2018 see him take the title for Ducati?

MotoGP: Lorenzo smashes Sepang record to take top spot

30 January 2018 by Simon Patterson

Five-time world champion Jorge Lorenzo has smashed the lap record at Malaysia’s Sepang International Circuit to finish MotoGP’s first official pre-season test on top of the time sheets, finishing...

WSB: Camier quick despite lack of electronics switch

30 January 2018 by Oli Rushby

Leon Camier impressed in his third test with the Red Bull Honda team to place second quickest behind World Champion Jonathan Rea at Portimao. While his quickest time was set on qualifying rubber,...

BSB: Walker back on a superbike with TAG Yamaha

30 January 2018 by Oli Rushby

Chris ‘Stalker’ Walker jumped back on a British Superbike-spec machine for the first time since 2015 as he joined the TAG Racing squad for their opening test of the 2018 season at Jerez. Walker will...

BSB: Haslam: 'We've made big improvements already'

30 January 2018 by Oli Rushby

Leon Haslam has said he is confident the JG Speedfit Kawasaki team have made significant improvements with their package for the 2018 British Superbike season after their first test of the year in...

WSB: Rea remains quickest as rookie Razgatlioglu shines

29 January 2018 by Greg Haines

Jonathan Rea remained quickest as the Portimao World Superbike test drew to a close on Monday, although it was fellow Kawasaki rider Toprak Razgatlioglu who grabbed the attention by cracking the top...

MotoGP: Suzuki show off 2018 bike ahead of testing start

27 January 2018 by Simon Patterson

Suzuki have become the latest team to take the covers off their 2018 MotoGP machine, with Alex Rins and Andrea Iannone unveiling the bike at the Sepang circuit ahead of the start of the first official...

Gallery: The 2018 Movistar Yamaha M1

25 January 2018 by Simon Patterson

With the 2018 MotoGP season set to get underway this weekend at the first official pre-season test in Sepang, the Movistar Yamaha duo of Maverick Viñales and Valentino Rossi pulled the covers off...

MotoGP: Hernandez to deputise for Folger at Sepang

25 January 2018 by Simon Patterson

Columbian rider Yonny Hernandez will replace Monster Yamaha Tech 3’s Jonas Folger at this weekend’s official MotoGP test at Malaysia’s Sepang circuit, as he lines himself up to replace the German full...

WSB: Sykes leads way after Jerez test

24 January 2018 by Oli Rushby

Kawasaki once again reigned supreme as testing for the 2018 World Superbike Championship got underway at Jerez this week, but it was Tom Sykes at the top of the timesheets at the end of the two-day...

MotoGP: Movistar Yamaha duo reveal 2018 machine

24 January 2018 by Simon Patterson

The Movistar Yamaha duo of Maverick Viñales and Valentino Rossi have pulled the covers off their 2018 MotoGP machines in Madrid, revealing a modified variant of last year’s design only days before the...

MotoGP: Viñales kicks off silly season with two-year Yamaha extension

24 January 2018 by Simon Patterson

Maverick Viñales has delivered the first deal of the 2018 MotoGP silly season by announcing a two-year contract extension with the Movistar Yamaha team at the squad’s launch event in Madrid this...

WSB: Dorna considering triple headers for Donington and Portimao

24 January 2018 by Greg Haines

The Superbike World Championship is likely to run three races on at least two race weekends this season, MCN can reveal. The word in the Jerez paddock, where a two day test is taking place this week,...

Roads: David Johnson signs deal with Gulf BMW

24 January 2018 by Oli Rushby

Shaun Muir Racing will return to the Isle of Man TT in 2018 under the Gulf BMW banner. Aussie David Johnson will ride for the Giusborough squad at the TT as well as the 2018 North West 200 and...

Live: Watch Yamaha launch their 2018 MotoGP effort

24 January 2018 by Simon Patterson

With the 2018 MotoGP season set to get underway in earnest later this week in Malaysia with the opening official test at the Sepang circuit, the Movistar Yamaha squad of Valentino Rossi and Maverick...

BSB: Taylor Mackenzie joins MotoRapido Ducati for 2018

24 January 2018 by Oli Rushby

Taylor Mackenzie will ride for Wilf Moore’s MotoRapido Ducati team for the 2018 British Superbike Championship, it has been confirmed. The elder Mackenzie brother has spent two tough years in the...

WSB: Lowes chases Rea as 2018 testing gets underway

23 January 2018 by Oli Rushby

Jonathan Rea shrugged off two small crashes to start 2018 where he left off on top of the timesheets as testing got underway at Jerez today. The three-time world champion wasn’t to let two small...

WSB: 1000cc V4 Panigale breaks cover in Jerez

23 January 2018 by Oli Rushby

The 1000cc version of the V4-engined Panigale Ducati will race in 2019 broke cover at Jerez today, where the Italian marque are testing with Lorenzo Zanetti alongside their World Superbike team. While...

BSB: Buildbase Suzuki kick 2018 off at Cartagena

22 January 2018 by Oli Rushby

Buildbase Suzuki began their preparations for the 2018 British Superbike Championship early with a shake down test for their new line-up of Bradley Ray and Richard Cooper in Cartagena last week. With...

MotoGP: Alex Lowes speaks out to end Tech 3 speculation

21 January 2018 by Simon Patterson

Pata Yamaha World Superbike rider Alex Lowes has spoken to MCN to end speculation that he’s in line to replace Jonas Folger at the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 squad after the German announced that he would...

Michael Dunlop to test Suzuki MotoGP bike

21 January 2018 by Oli Rushby

15-time Isle of Man TT winner Michael Dunlop will test Suzuki’s MotoGP bike at the Sepang International Circuit later this week. MCN understands the Ballymoney ace has been invited to the test to...

Dakar 2018: Brits Lyndon Poskitt and Max Hunt nail Dakar finish

20 January 2018 by Michael Guy

Brits Lyndon Poskitt and Max Hunt had cause for serious celebration after both men finished the 2018 Dakar. In what is fast being regarded as the toughest Dakar for years due to its brutal terrain and...

Dakar 2018: Matthias Walkner crowned Dakar champion

20 January 2018 by Michael Guy

Austrian Matthias Walkner is the new 2018 Dakar champion. The 31-year-old consolidated his lead in the final 120km timed special today to secure over all victory by 16m 53s ahead of factory Honda...

Podcast: Dakar, Ducati launch and John McGuinness

20 January 2018 by Simon Patterson

With the Dakar Rally entering its final week and Ducati kicking off the 2018 MotoGP season with their team launch, MCN Sport’s Oli Rushby and Simon Patterson are joined by sports editor Michael Guy...

WSB: Honda WorldSBK boss quits ahead of 2018 season

20 January 2018 by Oli Rushby

The man at the helm of Honda’s World Superbike effort has parted ways with the squad ahead of the 2018 season. MCN understands Marco Chini, Honda’s WorldSBK Operations Manager, has left his role...

Dakar 2018: Walkner closes in on overall win

20 January 2018 by Michael Guy

Stage 13 – San Juan to Cordoba, 560km liaison, 369km special stage Australian Toby Price showed his class to take his second stage win on the bounce with a commanding performance on the penultimate...