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2002

Barros makes good on RCV in Motegi

01 October 2002

Barros makes good on RCV in Motegi

Alex Barros repaid Honda and team boss Sito Pons’ faith with a win in Motegi on his debut ride on the West Honda RCV four-stroke as Honda took a one-two-three in today’s MotoGP race. A tense race-long...

Katoh confirms Motegi pole

01 October 2002

Katoh confirms Motegi pole

Daijiro Katoh will start from pole position in Sunday’s Japanese round of the MotoGP championship after no-one challenged his time of 1.49.052, set during Friday’s qualifying, in Saturday’s...

Roberts re-signs with Suzuki

01 October 2002

Roberts re-signs with Suzuki

Kenny Roberts has just inked a new contract that will keep him with the factory Suzuki MotoGP squad for the next two years. It comes on the back of his maiden podium in the new class, scored at the...

Barros gets RCV for Motegi GP

30 September 2002

Barros gets RCV for Motegi GP

Alex Barros has been confirmed as the beneficiary of the sole RCV four-stroke available to the West Honda squad for the rest of the 2002 MotoGP season. Barros said: ” I am very excited about my...

MotoGP’s musical chairs

23 September 2002

MotoGP’s musical chairs

The silly season is well and truly upon us. As contract time approaches, Yamaha and Suzuki both feature in the latest tranche of rumour and manoeuvre. Norick Abe is said to be on the verge of quitting...

McWilliams cracks collarbone in Rio

23 September 2002

McWilliams cracks collarbone in Rio

While Valentino Rossi was popping champaign corks to celebrate his win in Rio and new MotoGp title, Jeremy McWilliams was popping painkillers after his bike seized, spitting the Ulsterman off,...

Rossi to test BAR F1 car

23 September 2002

Rossi to test BAR F1 car

Valentino Rossi is lined up to test an F1 car at the end of the year. The boss of British American Racing (BAR) David Richards has reached an agreement with the 23-year-old’s Repsol Honda squad to try...

Max Biaggi signs for Honda

16 September 2002

Max Biaggi signs for Honda

Max Biaggi has just inked a three year deal to ride a Honda RCV V5-engined bike in MotoGP. Biaggi said: ” I was dreaming to race with Honda again and Pramac made my dream come true. ” ” I have...

Nakano and Jacque get M1s

16 September 2002

Nakano and Jacque get M1s

It’s just been announced that Olivier Jacque and his Tech 3 Yamaha teammate Shinya Nakano will get the four-stroke Yamaha M1 MotoGP machines from the Malaysian GP onwards. The Malaysian Grand Prix...

Rossi takes the title with a win in Rio

16 September 2002

Rossi takes the title with a win in Rio

He’s been 125cc world champion, he’s been 250cc world champion and he’s been the 500cc world champion. Now Valentino Rossi can add the maiden MotoGP crown to his trophy cabinet after winning a soaking...

Don’t forget: Saturday is the Rio GP

16 September 2002

Don’t forget: Saturday is the Rio GP

Free practice for the MotoGP class has just ended in Rio ahead of Saturday’s Grand Prix, and it’s Valentino Rossi topping the timing sheets. 1)V Rossi (1:52.359) 2)N Abe (1:52.712) 3)M Biaggi...

Biaggi claims provisional Rio pole

16 September 2002

Biaggi claims provisional Rio pole

Yamaha’s soon-to-be-ex rider Max Biaggi has slotted his Yamaha M1 on provisional pole at the Nelson Piquet Circuit in Rio ahead of Saturday’s Brazilian Grand Prix. His time of 1:51.854 pipped...

Bayliss and Capirossi on Ducati GP bike

16 September 2002

Bayliss and Capirossi on Ducati GP bike

It has just been revealed that Troy Bayliss will join forces with Loris Capirossi on the Ducati MotoGP machine in 2003. The two riders have signed two-year contracts to ride the new Desmosedici V4 in...

Estoril GP results

09 September 2002

Valentino Rossi won the Portuguese MotoGP round at Estoril today after runaway leader Suzuki’s Sete Giberanu crashed in torrential rain. MotoGP: 1)V Rossi 2)C Checa 3)K Roberts 4)A Barros 5)M Biaggi 250: 1)F Nieto 2)M Melandri 3)S Porto…7)L Haslam 125: 1)A Vincent 2)S Sanna 3)S Jenckner Rossi extends his lead over his Repsol Honda teammate Tohru Ukawa in second place to 89 points with four rounds...

Hayden will ride alongside Rossi

09 September 2002

Hayden will ride alongside Rossi

Sources inside the MotoGP paddock are saying that reigning AMA Superbike champion Nicky Hayden has signed to ride a Honda RCV in 2003, possibly alongside Valentino Rossi in the Repsol/HRC...

Brits look forward to Estoril GP

02 September 2002

Brits look forward to Estoril GP

This weekend, September 7-8, sees the Portuguese Grand Prix at Estoril, the scene of pre-season testing for most teams earlier in the year. And for most of the Brits taking part, it’s coming on the...

GP qualifying times from Estoril

02 September 2002

GP qualifying times from Estoril

Alex Barros has snatched provisional pole from under the nose of Daijiro Kato, by just 7/1000ths of a second ahead of Sunday’s Portuguese GP at Estoril. The Brazilian rider has consistently been the...

Max power stops Honda in Brno

26 August 2002

Max power stops Honda in Brno

Max Biaggi became the first man this season to break the Honda hegemony with his debut win of the MotoGP era at the Czech GP in Brno, today. He lead from pole, taking with him Valentino Rossi and...

Rossi tops Brno free practice

19 August 2002

Rossi tops Brno free practice

Valentino Rossi topped this morning’s free practice ahead of Sunday’s Czech MotoGP. The Italian’s time of 2:00.943 was four tenths of a second faster than second place man Alex Barros around the...

McWilliams claims provisional Brno sixth

19 August 2002

McWilliams claims provisional Brno sixth

He may have been giving away almost 15mph to the top men, but that didn’t stop Jeremy McWilliams from claiming provisional sixth in MotoGP qualifying at Brno today. The Ulsterman lines up alongside...

Biaggi busts records for Brno pole

19 August 2002

Biaggi busts records for Brno pole

Max Biaggi became the first man to crack the sub-two minute lap at Brno today to snare pole position in Sunday’s Czech MotoGP. His time of 1:59.646 was fractions faster than Daijiro Kato on the...

Capirossi chooses wife, but not team

12 August 2002

Capirossi chooses wife, but not team

Loris Capirossi is making the most of the break in the GP schedule this year. He officially married long time girlfriend Ingrid Tence at a civil service in Monte Carlo last month, but the couple will...

Ueda hopes for Brno return

12 August 2002

Ueda hopes for Brno return

Nobby Ueda is hopeful he’ll be back to fitness in time for the Czech GP at Brno on August 25. The 35-year-old veteran of the 125cc class has been out since he injured his neck and hip crashing heavily...

Pere Riba aims for Brno return

01 August 2002

Pere Riba aims for Brno return

Pere Riba says his broken leg won’t be 100 per cent in time for the Czech GP at Brno on August 25, but he’s going to race anyway. Riba says; ” I’m feeling better and my condition is improving. I...

Checa extends contract with Yamaha

01 August 2002

Checa extends contract with Yamaha

Carlos Checa has extended his contract with Yamaha to run for another two years. He will continue the ride the YZR-M1 that has taken him to fifth so far this season. The 29-year old Spaniard has raced...

Jacque claims pole in Germany

15 July 2002

Jacque claims pole in Germany

Olivier Jacque pulled off the shock of the season so far by claiming the first pole position for a two-stroke this season in Germany today. The French rider crossed the line with just under 10 seconds...

Rossi to compete in car Rally of Great Britain

15 July 2002

Rossi to compete in car Rally of Great Britain

Valentino Rossi has confirmed he will be driving in the NetworkQ Rally of Great Britain, on November 14-17. He will be swapping his works Honda RC211V racebike for a Peugeot World Rally car, to...

Roberts to miss Germany, but Ryo rides again

15 July 2002

Roberts to miss Germany, but Ryo rides again

Kenny Roberts will miss the German Grand Prix in order to have surgery on his right arm. The operation is to cure the arm ” pump ” which has been a reason for his poor performances this season,...

Rossi makes it seven in a row

15 July 2002

Despite a poor start, Valentino Rossi claimed victory in Germany, making it seven wins in a row for the Italian. It was his Honda team-mate, Tohru Ukawa, who led the early stages of the race, until Alex Barros found his way past on lap seven, leading an eight-man fight for the lead. Barros was locked in a tussle with Frenchman Olivier Jacque, but both riders failed to finish. It was Max Biaggi who...

Katoh gets RC211V for Czech GP

15 July 2002

Katoh gets RC211V for Czech GP

Daijiro Katoh will race a Honda RC211V four-stroke at the Czech Republic GP. Honda will enter a third bike for the reigning 250cc World Champion, who is a HRC contracted rider, currently being leased...

MCN: Your British GP souvenir

15 July 2002

MCN: Your British GP souvenir

If you were one of the 60,000 there, if you wished you had been, if you watched it on TV, or missed everything, you need this week’s MCN, out on Wednesday, July 17. We’ve got a full 16 pages of...

Marlboro and Yamaha part company

15 July 2002

Marlboro and Yamaha part company

Yamaha has announced the end of their sponsorship by cigarette brand Marlboro. The deal will cease at the end of 2002, after three years with Marlboro as the team’s main sponsor. It doesn’t look like...

Show your support for Jezza

08 July 2002

Show your support for Jezza

Jeremy McWilliams is Britain’s only rider in MotoGPs this season, and he’s hoping the fans at Donington will give him the same kind of support that has led to Brands World Superbikes turning into a...

British GP results: Rossi wins again

08 July 2002

British GP results: Rossi wins again

Good weather and big crowds have marked this year’s British GP, but if you couldn’t make it, we’ve got all the results… MotoGP results: Valentino Rossi rode a textbook race to win at Donington,...

Capirossi to miss Donington GP

01 July 2002

Capirossi to miss Donington GP

Loris Capirossi will miss the British GP at MCN Donington Park on July 14 after crashing heavily at Assen on Saturday. For more on this story, don’t miss the latest issue of MCN, out Wednesday July...

Kawasaki’s MotoGP machine sharpens up

24 June 2002

Kawasaki’s MotoGP machine sharpens up

These are the latest pictures of Kawasaki’s ZX-RR four-stroke Grand Prix bike and it shows how much the designers have drawn from Honda’s successful RCV design. You can read more on the Kawasaki...