April

Year: 2008

Month: April

MotoGP: Jerry Burgess confident for China clash

30 April 2008 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi’s crew chief Jerry Burgess is confident the Italian will be able to register a third successive Bridgestone podium finish when the MotoGP season resumes in China this weekend. Rossi...

MotoGP: Ducati advantage has decreased, says factory boss

30 April 2008 by Matthew Birt

Ducati’s factory team boss has said the advantage the Bologna marque held in the inaugural 800c MotoGP world championship last season has been virtually wiped out by rivals Honda and Yamaha. Livio...

MotoGP: Valentino Rossi believes he has plenty to offer

30 April 2008 by Matthew Birt

Seven-times world champion Valentino Rossi believes he still has plenty to offer the MotoGP world championship with talks on extending his Yamaha contract expected to start imminently. Rossi hasn’t...

MotoGP: James Toseland hoping to spring Shanghai surprise

30 April 2008 by Matthew Birt

British rider James Toseland is hoping he can spring a surprise in this weekend’s Shanghai MotoGP clash to continue the brilliant start to his rookie campaign. The Tech 3 Yamaha rider is fifth in the...

MotoGP Exclusive: Legend John Surtees to spearhead new GP team

30 April 2008 by Matthew Birt

A new 125GP team spearheaded by British motorsport legend John Surtees will be officially unveiled in Shanghai on Friday, MCN can exclusively reveal. Icon Surtees, who holds the unique distinction of...

MotoGP: John Hopkins praises Kawasaki ahead of 100th race

30 April 2008 by Matthew Birt

John Hopkins has praised his factory Kawasaki team as he prepares to make his 100th MotoGP appearance in Shanghai this weekend. Hopkins, who scored his career first rostrum finish in China last season...

MotoGP: Valentino Rossi admits quit decision motivated Michelin

29 April 2008 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi has admitted that Michelin used his controversial defection to tyre rivals Bridgestone has played a part in the early races of the 2008 season. Fiat Yamaha rider Rossi goes into this...

MotoGP: Yamaha satisfied with Valentino Rossi’s Bridgestone form

29 April 2008 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi’s factory Yamaha team boss has declared his satisfaction with two podiums from the first three races after the Italian’s switch to Bridgestone tyres for 2008. Rossi is yet to break his...

Colin Edwards crucial to Jorge Lorenzo’s early success

28 April 2008 by Matthew Birt

Tech 3 Yamaha boss Herve Poncharal reckons the key role Colin Edwards played in Yamaha’s early 2008 success should not be underestimated. The Japanese factory has made a brilliant start to 2008, with...

MotoGP: Ducati won't roll out 2007 motorcycle

28 April 2008 by Matthew Birt

Ducati bosses have denied they are considering rolling out last year’s world championship-winning factory GP7 machine to help Casey Stoner understand some of his early season problems. The Aussie...

MotoGP: John Hopkins happy with Kawasaki progress

28 April 2008 by Matthew Birt

American John Hopkins says he is happy that Kawasaki is now making big strides with the performance of its factory ZX-RR after his injury disrupted pre-season. Hopkins, who scored his best result of...

Nicky Hayden 2007 leathers!!!!!!!!

28 April 2008 by Anonymous

I was looking at the Powersport.co.uk website and to my surprise saw Nicky Hayden’s Repsol Honda suit advertised in their marketplace!!!

MotoGP: Casey Stoner doubts Ducati test plan

28 April 2008 by Matthew Birt

Reigning world champion Casey Stoner has doubted whether Ducati engineers will learn anything significant from veteran duo Troy Bayliss and Max Biaggi testing his factory GP8 machine. Ducati want...

MotoGP: Andrea Dovizioso benefits from new approach

25 April 2008 by Matthew Birt

Honda rookie Andrea Dovizioso reckons a new outlook will help him challenge consistently for MotoGP podium places for the remainder of the 2008 campaign. The former world 125 champion was running in...

MotoGP: Valentino Rossi still looking for qualifying improvement

25 April 2008 by Matthew Birt

Factory Yamaha rider Valentino Rossi has renewed calls for Bridgestone to improve its qualifying rubber, despite claiming his first front row start in 2008 in Estoril earlier this month. Fiat Yamaha...

MotoGP: Fast rookies no surprise for Nicky Hayden

25 April 2008 by Matthew Birt

Former world champion Nicky Hayden says he hasn’t been shocked by the impressive performances of MotoGP rookies Jorge Lorenzo, Andrea Dovizioso and James Toseland. Spaniard Lorenzo has made the...

moto gp moaning

25 April 2008 by Dave Iles

Stoner, Hayden etc… are moaning about Toseland’s overtaking, what do they expect, mirror, indicate, manoeuvre the last time I looked James’s bike wasn’t fitted with mirrors or indicators, come on guys this is racing, stick it up them James.

MotoGP: Bridgestone readying new tyres for China clash

24 April 2008 by Matthew Birt

Bridgestone will make new compounds and constructions available for the likes of Valentino Rossi and Casey Stoner ahead of the Shanghai GP in China early next month. Bridgestone riders tested a range...

MotoGP: Stability key for Yamaha success

24 April 2008 by Matthew Birt

Stability is the key to help Yamaha return to the top of the MotoGP world championship. Yamaha race chief Lin Jarvis believes a settled team and rider line-up will help Yamaha’s bid for success, with...

MotoGP: Jerry Burgess refusing to rule out Casey Stoner

24 April 2008 by Matthew Birt

Casey Stoner can’t be ruled out of the MotoGP title race after the Australian’s tough start to the defence of his world crown in 2008. That’s the view of fellow Aussie Jerry Burgess, who helped...

MotoGP: James Toseland ponders qualifying review

22 April 2008 by Matthew Birt

British rider James Toseland reckons a rule should be considered where riders are not allowed to be out on track after they have used their allocation of soft tyres in MotoGP qualifying. Toseland...

Valentino Rossi relishing epic Spanish scrap

22 April 2008 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi reckons he is relishing the prospect of seeing Jorge Lorenzo and Dani Pedrosa’s rivalry emerge as a key feature in the 2008 the MotoGP world championship. The Fiat Yamaha rider is no...

Nicky Hayden's 2007 leathers

21 April 2008 by S. Cheshire

I recently managed to get my hands on Nicky Hayden’s 2007 Repsol Honda MotoGP suit! Does anyone want to buy it?

MotoGP: Jorge Lorenzo’s stunning start no shock for Jerry Burgess

16 April 2008 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi’s crew chief Jerry Burgess reckons he hasn’t been shocked by the incredible start to Jorge Lorenzo’s MotoGP career. Burgess lavished praise on the Spaniard again after he won his first...

MotoGP: Yamaha boss hails Jorge Lorenzo

16 April 2008 by Matthew Birt

Senior Yamaha boss Lin Jarvis has tipped rookie Jorge Lorenzo to help the Japanese factory remain a major force in MotoGP after the Spaniard’s stunning start in 2008. Lorenzo has made an incredible...

MotoGP: James Toseland has proved critics wrong

16 April 2008 by Matthew Birt

James Toseland’s personal manager Roger Burnett reckons the double World Superbike champion’s new 2009 Yamaha contract should finally silence the sceptics who thought the British rider would flounder...

Video: MotoGP: Nicky Hayden talks about Indianapolis pace on 1909 Indian

16 April 2008 by Ben Purvis

Nicky Hayden took the lap record at the new Indianapolis MotoGP circuit last week – on a 1909 Indian. The 2006 MotoGP champion can make this claim as he’s the first rider to take to the new infield circuit at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Although Hayden is unsure of the exact time, the 40mph vintage motorcycle was never set to hold the record for long as the 26-year-old also tried out the...

MotoGP: Surgery success for Jorge Lorenzo

16 April 2008 by Matthew Birt

MotoGP world championship leader Jorge Lorenzo is confident he will be able to continue the brilliant start to his premier class career in China next month after undergoing successful surgery to cure...

MotoGP: Estoril winner Jorge Lorenzo undergoes surgery

14 April 2008 by Matthew Birt

Estoril MotoGP winner Jorge Lorenzo has undergone surgery today (Monday, April 14) to cure an arm pump problem that has plagued him in the opening three races of 2008. The Fiat Yamaha rider had hoped...

Estoril MotoGP: Camera fault slammed by Casey Stoner

13 April 2008 by Matthew Birt

Aussie Casey Stoner blasted Dorna after a loose on-board TV camera seriously hampered the reigning world champion in today’s Estoril GP. The 22-year-old looked like he was going to finish outside the...

Estoril MotoGP Reaction: Colin Edwards content with fourth

13 April 2008 by Matthew Birt

Colin Edwards said he was satisfied with fourth place in today’s Estoril GP, which secured him his best result for nine months. The American benefited from mistakes by Andrea Dovizioso and compatriot...

Estoril MotoGP Reaction: Valentino Rossi reflects on disappointing third

13 April 2008 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi put a brave face on in Estoril this afternoon after his barren run in MotoGP was extended to seven races. The Italian led from the second lap and looked on course to win for the first...

Estoril MotoGP Reaction: Jorge Lorenzo in ‘heaven’ after maiden win

13 April 2008 by Matthew Birt

Spaniard Jorge Lorenzo said he was in ‘heaven’ after he stormed to his first MotoGP win in hugely impressive style in Estoril today. The double world 250 champion finally converted a pole position...

Estoril MotoGP Reaction: James Toseland reacts to seventh

13 April 2008 by Matthew Birt

James Toseland has said he was too cautious in tricky conditions at the start of today’s Estoril GP as he claimed another top ten finish in only his third race. Light rain showers falling in certain...

Estoril MotoGP: Danny Webb fifth, Corsi wins

13 April 2008 by Angus Farquhar

Danny web has taken his best GP finish so far with a fifth position at the Estoril GP, while Simone Corsi took the win. It was a difficult race for the British contingent with crashes and engine...

Keep it Eurosport

13 April 2008 by Julian Collins

I have just read the article about Eurosport potentially losing the right to brocdcast Moto GP in 2009… well that would be a shame, as I cannot see the BBC giving the same coverage to qualifying, open practice, 250’s and 125’s alike. Also, what be more of a shame is losing the expertise and passion of the likes of Toby Moody, Julian Ryder and Randy Mamola. Their commentating chemistry and witty...