2012

Year: 2012

Month: ALL

Four flyaway races to kick off 2013 MotoGP campaign?

26 June 2012 by Matthew Birt

The European phase of the 2013 MotoGP world championship might not get underway until round five, with flyaway double headers in Qatar and India and then Argentina and Texas potentially kicking off...

Ben Spies hunting more Dutch delight

26 June 2012 by Matthew Birt

Ben Spies is determined to fire some momentum into his 2012 MotoGP world championship campaign by challenging for a second successive victory in the legendary Dutch TT at Assen this weekend. The...

Knockhill BSB: Hill takes pole

23 June 2012 by Liam Marsden

Reigning champion Tommy Hill will start the first of tomorrow’s superbike races from pole position at Knockhill after setting the pace early in superpole. Samsung Honda’s Michael Laverty will start...

Ducati plan more tests on aluminium swingarm

22 June 2012 by Matthew Birt

Ducati’s aluminium swingarm project hasn’t been axed and Valentino Rossi could evaluate it again during a one-day test immediately after his home race at Mugello next month. Rossi liked the new...

Jorge Lorenzo’s boss praises Yamaha improvement

22 June 2012 by Matthew Birt

Jorge Lorenzo’s factory Yamaha boss Wilco Zeelenberg believes a vastly improved new YZR-M1 1000cc machine is the key reason for the Spaniard dominating the early stages of the 2012 MotoGP campaign. It...

No factory bike at Tech 3 for Cal Crutchlow

22 June 2012 by Matthew Birt

Yamaha won’t offer Cal Crutchlow full factory support if he remains with its satellite Tech 3 squad in 2013. The British rider has told Tech 3 boss Herve Poncharal that the perfect scenario for his...

Honda to roll out production MotoGP racer in 2014

21 June 2012 by Matthew Birt

Honda will sell a production version of its current 1000cc prototype RC213V machine for the 2014 MotoGP world championship. The bike is currently under development in Japan and MCN understands it will...

No Tech 3 return for Ben Spies in 2013

21 June 2012 by Matthew Birt

Ben Spies won’t be making a move back to the Tech 3 Yamaha if Cal Crutchlow or Andrea Dovizioso land the Texan’s place in Yamaha’s official factory squad for 2013. With Jorge Lorenzo signed on a new...

Yamaha not surprised by interest in Crutchlow and Dovizioso

21 June 2012 by Matthew Birt

Yamaha says it would have been shocked if Honda and Ducati didn’t try and lure Cal Crutchlow and Andrea Dovizioso off a YZR-M1 for 2013. The Monster Yamaha Tech 3 duo are enjoying a brilliant 2012...

Ducati in talks with Cal Crutchlow

20 June 2012 by Matthew Birt

Ducati is locked in talks with Cal Crutchlow and has offered the British rider a two-year deal to quit Yamaha next season, MCN can reveal. Crutchlow doesn’t have a contract with his Monster Yamaha...

British MotoGP was superb

20 June 2012 by Peter Robert Woodhead

I thought the British MotoGP was really good value for money. After a cold start in the morning, things certainly warmed up when the races began. It was my first MotoGP and I will be booking for the next one when I get time.

Poll: Should Cal Crutchlow go to Ducati?

19 June 2012 by MCN

Ducati have apparently offered British star Cal Crutchlow a two year deal to ride their MotoGP bike. But, given its reputation as a career buster, should he go for it? pollcomment

Eric Granado high-side

18 June 2012 by ali bark

After 12 years of attending WSB, MotoGP and BSB races and trying to take half decent pics some poor soul had the good grace to eject from his Moto2 machine as I had my camera to my eye. Thank you...

Dani celebrating...

18 June 2012 by john parker

Dani’s really putting some effort in here.

British MotoGP: Relief and regret for heroic Cal Crutchlow

18 June 2012 by Matthew Birt

Cal Crutchlow experienced relief and regret in equal measure yesterday after the British rider produced a heroic ride to sixth place with a broken left ankle at Silverstone. The Monster Yamaha Tech 3...

British MotoGP: Valentino Rossi suffers more Silverstone misery

18 June 2012 by Matthew Birt

Silverstone remains Valentino Rossi’s bogey track after the Italian finished yesterday’s British Grand Prix in a lowly ninth position. Rossi was off the pace all weekend in dry conditions and more...

British MotoGP: Jorge Lorenzo taking nothing for granted

18 June 2012

Jorge Lorenzo says he won’t take anything for granted after his domination of the 2012 MotGP world championship continued at Silverstone yesterday. The Spaniard clinched a third consecutive victory...

British MotoGP: Casey Stoner worried by Honda pace

18 June 2012 by Matthew Birt

Casey Stoner says he is more worried about the pace of his Honda RC213V machine than he is about falling 25-points behind Jorge Lorenzo after a third straight defeat in yesterday’s British Grand Prix...

British MotoGP: Ben Spies mystified by rear tyre issue

18 June 2012 by Matthew Birt

Ben Spies is still seeking his first MotoGP podium of the season after a sudden and early drop in rear grip ended his victory challenge at Silverstone yesterday. The American led for the opening four...

British MotoGP: Scott Redding extends stunning home record

18 June 2012 by Matthew Birt

Scott Redding continued his incredible record in the British Grand Prix yesterday when he brilliantly fended off a relentless challenge from Moto2 world championship leader Marc Marquez to finish...

British MotoGP: Mixed emotions for Tech 3 Yamaha

18 June 2012 by Matthew Birt

Cal Crutchlow’s Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team hailed his heroic British Grand Prix ride from the back of the grid to sixth as one of the best in its long history. But team boss Herve Poncharal admitted...

British MotoGP: Lack of grip costs Nicky Hayden

18 June 2012 by Matthew Birt

Nicky Hayden was proof that Valentino Rossi’s hard rear Bridgestone tyre choice wasn’t a massive blunder at Silverstone yesterday. The American made a late switch to the soft Bridgestone rear tyre...

Valentin-oh!

18 June 2012 by Steve Loader

In the right place at the right time to capture the result of Valentino Rossi’s “faux pas” at Vale chicane during Saturday’s qualifying at Silverstone. “Valentino provides Nicky Hayden with the...

British MotoGP: Vinales takes win and championship lead

17 June 2012 by Liam Marsden

FTR Honda rider Maverick Vinales has moved to the the top of the Moto3 championship after a hard fought victory at Silverstone today. Vinales now leads KTM rider Sandro Cortest by two points after six...

British MotoGP: Lorenzo extends championship lead with win

17 June 2012 by Liam Marsden

Factory Yamaha rider Jorge Lorenzo extended his lead at the top of the championship with a dominant win at Silverstone today. Lorenzo got off to a slow start, as team-mate Ben Spies took to the lead...

British MotoGP: Espargaro dominates Moto2 race

17 June 2012 by Liam Marsden

Spaniard Pol Espargaro followed on from his first ever Moto2 pole position with a dominating performance in the Moto2 race at Silverstone to take his second Moto2 victory. Brits Scott Redding and...

British MotoGP: Cal Crutchlow aims to start home race

16 June 2012 by Matthew Birt

Cal Crutchlow will need to pass medical checks at Silverstone tomorrow morning to take his place on the grid for his first start in the British Grand Prix. It was feared that Crutchlow would face...

British MotoGP: Valentino Rossi unhurt in fast qualifying crash

16 June 2012 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi will start tomorrow’s British Grand Prix at Silverstone from 10th place on the grid after he walked away unscathed from a high-speed crash in a rain disrupted qualifying session. The...

British MotoGP: Espargaro takes maiden pole

16 June 2012 by Liam Marsden

Spaniard Pol Espargaro has taken the first Moto2 pole position of his career at Silverstone in a windy qualifying session. Brit Scott Redding spent the majority of the session at the top of the...

British MotoGP: Bautista takes surprise pole

16 June 2012 by Liam Marsden

Gresini Honda rider Alvaro Bautista will start tomorrow’s British GP from pole position after setting his fastest lap just before rain started to fall. Bautista set his fastest lap of 2’03.303 with 10...

British MotoGP: Jorge Lorenzo experiences rare off-day

15 June 2012 by Matthew Birt

In a season in which Jorge Lorenzo has only dropped 10-points in the opening five races, his seventh place on the practice timesheets at Silverstone today represented a bad day at the office for the...

British MotoGP: Valentino Rossi struggling with fast Silverstone

15 June 2012 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi blamed his own failure to gel quickly with the fast and technical Silverstone layout for his lowly 11th place in today’s weather-hit practice. Rossi had demonstrated once again just...

British MotoGP: Ben Spies second after early crash

15 June 2012 by Matthew Birt

Ben Spies bounced back from a crash in this morning’s wet practice session to clock the second quickest time on a dry track at Silverstone today. The Texan high-sided at Stowe Corner while he was...

British MotoGP: Cal Crutchlow ‘I’d be faster on an R1”

15 June 2012 by Matthew Birt

Cal Crutchlow reckons he could have lapped the Silverstone track today faster on a production Yamaha R1 machine than his prototype YZR-M1 MotoGP bike after the British rider experienced a tough start...

British MotoGP: Casey Stoner fastest in Silverstone practice

15 June 2012 by Matthew Birt

Casey Stoner ended the first day of practice for his final British Grand Prix appearance on top of the timesheets at a windswept Silverstone circuit this afternoon. Fourth quickest in wet and windy...

British MotoGP: Valentino Rossi quickest in wet opening practice

15 June 2012 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi took full advantage of the Ducati Desmosedici’s liking for rain conditions this morning to top the timesheets at a wet and windy Silverstone. The Italian set a best time of 2.19.328 on...