May

Year: 2010

Month: May

Nicky Hayden: ‘Don’t write Casey off yet’

28 May 2010 by Matthew Birt

Former world champion Nicky Hayden has warned against writing off factory Ducati team-mate Casey Stoner after the Aussie’s title hopes suffered a crushing blow in Le Mans last weekend. Hayden, who...

Ben Spies: ‘I have to earn factory chance’

28 May 2010 by Matthew Birt

Ben Spies reckons he’s still got to show Yamaha he’s worthy of a seat alongside Valentino Rossi or Jorge Lorenzo in 2011. The Texan has a two-year deal with Yamaha and has been heavily linked with a...

Yamaha target new Jorge Lorenzo deal

27 May 2010 by Matthew Birt

Yamaha has insisted it intends to keep current MotoGP world championship leader Jorge Lorenzo and Italian star Valentino Rossi together in its factory line-up in 2011. The future of both Lorenzo and...

Valentino Rossi predicts ‘difficult’ job for Ben Spies

27 May 2010 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi fears a lack of track knowledge will be the toughest challenge American rookie Ben Spies has to overcome in 2010. Spies, who has failed to finish the last two races in Jerez and Le...

Ducati plot Jorge Lorenzo swoop

26 May 2010 by Matthew Birt

Ducati will turn to Jorge Lorenzo if Casey Stoner drops a bombshell and signs a factory Honda deal for 2011. Bologna factory management confirmed to MCN that Spaniard Lorenzo has already been...

Hard work paying off, says Nicky Hayden

26 May 2010 by Matthew Birt

Nicky Hayden says he is finally reaping the reward for all his hard work in trying to be a success for Ducati. The popular American had a wretched debut season with the Bologna factory where he...

Rumours won’t affect Honda pair

26 May 2010 by Matthew Birt

Honda has denied incessant rumours linking the Japanese factory with a double swoop for Casey Stoner and Jorge Lorenzo is having a negative impact on its current line-up. Speculation is rife that Dani...

Jorge Lorenzo toasts dominant win

25 May 2010 by Matthew Birt

Spaniard Jorge Lorenzo hailed his French MotoGP success after he demolished Fiat Yamaha team-mate Valentino Rossi with a second successive premier class win. Lorenzo stalked his more experienced...

Valentino Rossi settles for second

25 May 2010 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi conceded he was powerless to prevent Jorge Lorenzo from romping to a dominant victory in Sunday’s French MotoGP race at the iconic Le Mans track. The Italian led for 12 of the 28-laps,...

Casey Stoner reflects on costly crash

25 May 2010 by Matthew Birt

Casey Stoner’s MotoGP title hopes suffered a crushing blow in Le Mans after the Australian crashed out for the second time in three races. Stoner’s latest mistake came on the third lap of the French...

Nicky Hayden fourth again

25 May 2010 by Matthew Birt

Nicky Hayden claimed fourth place for the third time this season in Le Mans to continue his impressive start to 2010. Fourth on the first lap after sweeping by factory Ducati team-mate Casey Stoner,...

Rear brake issue costs Dani Pedrosa

25 May 2010 by Matthew Birt

A rear brake problem cost Dani Pedrosa a chance to celebrate his 150th Grand Prix in style at the Le Mans circuit in France. The Spaniard looked certain to claim his 40th MotoGP podium finish when he...

Andrea Dovizioso delighted with third

25 May 2010 by Matthew Birt

Andrea Dovizioso was in jubilant mood after he exacted revenge on Repsol Honda team-mate Dani Pedrosa to claim third place in the French MotoGP race. A year ago Dovizioso lost third on the final lap...

Ben Spies baffled by crash

25 May 2010 by Matthew Birt

American rider Ben Spies admitted he could not explain the cause of the crash that saw him fail to finish a second successive MotoGP race in 2010 at Le Mans. The Texan was running in 11th position...

Le Mans MotoGP: Jorge Lorenzo cruises to victory

23 May 2010 by Matthew Birt

Jorge Lorenzo strengthened his early 2010 MotoGP world title bid with a crushing victory at Le Mans this afternoon. The Spaniard romped to his second successive triumph at the iconic French venue...

Le Mans MotoGP: Toni Elias wins crash strewn Moto2 race

23 May 2010 by Matthew Birt

Toni Elias extended his lead in the Moto2 world championship after a crash-strewn French GP at the Le Mans circuit this afternoon. The Spaniard kept his head in another dramatic 26-lap encounter to...

Le Mans MotoGP: Last lap mistake costs Bradley Smith podium

23 May 2010 by Matthew Birt

British rider Bradley Smith was left to rue a costly mistake on a dramatic last lap as he saw his hopes of a first 125GP podium in 2010 dashed in Le Mans. Smith rode a brilliant race to lead a...

Le Mans MotoGP: Shoulder still a worry for Valentino Rossi

22 May 2010 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi has continued to express concern about his damaged right shoulder, despite storming to the 59th pole position of his career in Le Mans today. The reigning world champion produced a...

Le Mans MotoGP: Casey Stoner confident of victory challenge

22 May 2010 by Matthew Birt

Casey Stoner is confident he can mount a challenge for victory in tomorrow’s French MotoGP race even though he missed the front row of the grid for the first time in 2010 this afternoon. A late attack...

Le Mans MotoGP: Nicky Hayden predicts tough race

22 May 2010 by Matthew Birt

Nicky Hayden expects a tough French MotoGP race at Le Mans tomorrow, despite qualifying in fifth place on the grid. Hayden posted a best time of 1.33.845 in this afternoon’s qualifying session,...

Le Mans MotoGP: Ben Spies hurt but not unhappy

22 May 2010 by Matthew Birt

Ben Spies refused to be too downhearted with his 12th position on the grid for tomorrow’s French MotoGP race after he escaped serious injury in a massive practice crash. Spies braved the pain of a...

Le Mans MotoGP: Kenny Noyes tops Moto2 qualifying

22 May 2010 by James Keen

Jack & Jones rider Kenny Noyes topped the timesheets at today’s Moto2 qualifying session in Le Mans. Tech 3 Racing rider Yuki Takahashi was second fastest, ahead of third place finisher Alex Debon,...

Le Mans MotoGP: Valentino Rossi storms to pole

22 May 2010 by Matthew Birt

Reigning world champion Valentino Rossi claimed his first pole position of the 2010 MotoGP campaign in Le Mans this afternoon. In an exciting climax to the decisive qualifying session, 31-year-old...

Le Mans MotoGP: Bradley Smith suffers late crash

22 May 2010 by Matthew Birt

A final minute crash cost British rider Bradley Smith his chance to secure a first front row start of the 2010 125GP world championship in Le Mans today. Boosted by a third place finish in this...

Le Mans MotoGP: Alvaro Bautista withdraws after crash

22 May 2010 by Matthew Birt

Spanish rider Alvaro Bautista has opted to withdraw from tomorrow’s French MotoGP race at Le Mans after suffering a massive high-side crash in the final free practice session. The former world 125GP...

Le Mans MotoGP: Casey Stoner tops crash strewn final practice

22 May 2010 by Matthew Birt

Australian Casey Stoner has topped the timesheets at the end of a crash-strewn final practice session in Le Mans this morning. Second quickest in yesterday’s opening session, the factory Ducati rider...

Le Mans MotoGP: Shoulder still troubling Valentino Rossi

21 May 2010 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi expressed more concerns about his damaged right shoulder in Le Mans today, despite the Italian topping the timesheets in free practice. The reigning world champion could not have timed...

Le Mans MotoGP: Marco Melandri runs Showa suspension

21 May 2010 by Matthew Birt

Italian Marco Melandri has made a surprise switch to Showa suspension on the first day of the French GP at Le Mans today. The former world 250GP champion ended opening practice in 10th place on the...

Le Mans MotoGP: Casey Stoner happier with Ducati performance

21 May 2010 by Matthew Birt

Having failed to claim a podium finish in the opening two races of the 2010 season, Casey Stoner is confident he can mount a serious rostrum threat in this weekend’s French GP at Le Mans. The...

Le Mans MotoGP: Ben Spies happy with eighth

21 May 2010 by Matthew Birt

Ben Spies wasted no time in mastering the iconic Le Mans circuit after he ended opening practice in an encouraging eighth place. The Texan clocked a best time of 1.35.291 to finish just 0.889s slower...

Le Mans MotoGP: Nicky Hayden finds French form

21 May 2010 by Matthew Birt

Nicky Hayden went some way to burying his Le Mans jinx this afternoon when the 2006 world champion ended the first free practice session in seventh place. The Kentucky rider has never scored a front...

Le Mans MotoGP: Valentino Rossi heads first practice

21 May 2010 by Matthew Birt

Reigning MotoGP world champion Valentino Rossi left it late to top the timesheets at the end of opening practice for the French GP at Le Mans this afternoon. The Italian looked like he might have to...

Le Mans MotoGP: Technical issue hits Bradley Smith

21 May 2010 by Matthew Birt

Bradley Smith’s hopes of a good start to the French 125GP weekend to help kickstart his 2010 title challenge were wrecked by a mechanical fault this afternoon. The Oxfordshire teenager, who is chasing...

Big four cautious on 2011 talk

21 May 2010 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi, Jorge Lorenzo, Casey Stoner and Dani Pedrosa have faced a barrage of questions about their future plans in Le Mans. But all of them have adopted a cautious approach when discussing...

Jorge Lorenzo targets new Yamaha deal

20 May 2010 by Matthew Birt

MotoGP world championship leader Jorge Lorenzo has again insisted he intends to race with Yamaha in 2011. The Spaniard has already been strongly linked with a big money move to Ducati’s factory team...

Casey Stoner confident for Le Mans

19 May 2010 by Matthew Birt

Former world champion Casey Stoner is confident he can kickstart his 2010 MotoGP world title challenge in Le Mans this weekend. Stoner has yet to score a podium in the opening two races and the...