Australian Grand Prix 2016

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Valentino Rossi boosted by practice pace

14 June 2013 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi quickly brushed off the crushing disappointment of his first lap exit in his home race in Mugello recently to give himself a huge confidence boost on the opening day of practice in...

Valentino Rossi fastest in Catalunya practice

14 June 2013

Valentino Rossi’s love affair with the Catalunya track near Barcelona continued today when then Italian topped the practice leaderboard to deny home heroes Jorge Lorenzo, Dani Pedrosa and Marc...

Ducati urged to try radical revamp of Desmosedici

13 June 2013 by Matthew Birt

Ducati has been urged to consider a radical revamp of its factory Desmosedici MotoGP contender after Andrea Dovizioso and Nicky Hayden were left completely underwhelmed by a latest test on the Bologna...

Bradley Smith happy with hand recovery progress

13 June 2013 by Matthew Birt

British rider Bradley Smith is confident a gruesome left hand injury will not be a painful hindrance during this weekend’s Catalunya MotoGP round in Barcelona. Smith has undergone intensive treatment...

Cal Crutchlow aiming for podium hat-trick

13 June 2013 by Matthew Birt

Cal Crutchlow admits he faces a massive task to claim a third successive MotoGP rostrum in Catalunya on Sunday, with Spanish trio Jorge Lorenzo, Dani Pedrosa and Marc Marquez all gunning for glory on...

Ben Spies vows to repay Ducati faith

11 June 2013 by Matthew Birt

Ben Spies has vowed to reward Ducati’s faith in him by returning to the form that at one time seemed destined to see him challenge for the MotoGP world championship. The injury-ravaged Texan is...

Suzuki keen to understand performance against MotoGP opposition

11 June 2013 by Matthew Birt

Suzuki will get a clear understanding of the size of the task it faces to be a competitive force in MotoGP again when it pitches its new 1000cc MotoGP contender against Honda and Yamaha in Spain next...

When Spencer met Marquez

10 June 2013 by Matthew Birt

For 31 long years, American legend Freddie Spencer held the distinction of being the youngest rider in history ever to win in the MotoGP class. That was until the mercurial Marc Marquez arrived in...

MotoGP grid set to swell to 28 bikes in 2014

10 June 2013 by Matthew Birt

The MotoGP grid could swell to its largest size in years with the potential for a 28-strong entry in 2014. With Honda, Yamaha and Ducati all contracted to supply four factory prototypes each, there is...

Marc Marquez impressed by Scott Redding’s form

10 June 2013 by Matthew Birt

Reigning Moto2 world champion Marc Marquez says he has been impressed at how Scott Redding has added consistency to his speed after the British rider’s brilliant start to 2013. Redding arrives in...

Honda happy with new production bike performance

10 June 2013 by Matthew Birt

Honda says the performance of its new production RC213V machine that will be raced in MotoGP next season is better than anticipated after its first shakedown test in Japan recently. The new bike is...

No Rossi and Crutchlow dream team at Suzuka

10 June 2013 by Matthew Birt

A Yamaha dream team featuring Valentino Rossi and Cal Crutchlow racing a factory R1 superbike in the prestigious Suzuka 8-hour endurance race is just a dream for 2013. Rossi and Crutchlow spoke briefly earlier this year about competing in the gruelling event on July 28, which the Italian won way back in 2001 with American Colin Edwards when both rode for Honda. But Yamaha said it was too late to...

First pictures: Biaggi tests Pramac Ducati MotoGP bike

06 June 2013 by Michael Guy

Six time world champion Max Biaggi returned to the track today at Mugello today the Pramac Ducati MotoGP bike. Following his retirement from WSB at the end of last season, the 41 year old Italian has...

Cal Crutchlow: ‘I’d have been happy with fourth’

03 June 2013 by Matthew Birt

Cal Crutchlow was celebrating an unlikely second successive podium in a row in 2013 after he was the chief benefactor of late drama in Mugello yesterday. The Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team rider was doing...

Late crash costs Marc Marquez second

03 June 2013 by Matthew Birt

Marc Marquez blew a golden chance to end a painful and punishing Italian MotoGP weekend on the podium when he fell out of second place in the closing stages of yesterday’s Mugello clash. The Repsol...

Valentino Rossi reflects on disastrous first lap exit

03 June 2013 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi was fortunate to escape injury after the Italian’s hopes of claiming a home podium in Mugello were ended by a disastrous first lap collision with Spaniard Alvaro Bautista. The factory...

Scott Redding jubilant after second straight Moto2 win

03 June 2013 by Matthew Birt

Marc VDS Racing rider Scott Redding extended his Moto2 world championship lead to a commanding 43-points after he delivered a dominant victory in Mugello to become the first British rider in over four...

Brave Bradley Smith delighted with top 10 finish

03 June 2013 by Matthew Birt

Bradley Smith ended the toughest weekend of his MotoGP career with a gutsy ride to ninth place before heading off to fix up his battered and bruised body. Huge high-side crashes on cold tyres in...

Mugello MotoGP: Lorenzo eases to victory

02 June 2013 by Liam Marsden

Reigning champion Jorge Lornzo eased to victory in Mugello today to record his second win in a row. Pole sitter Dani Pedrosa got off to a good start, but a hard move from Lorenzo at the first corner...

Mugello MotoGP: Redding takes second Moto2 win in a row

02 June 2013 by Liam Marsden

Brit Scott Redding took his second Moto2 victory in a row at Mugello to increase his lead in the championship. The Marc VDS rider won by 2.175 seconds to become the first Brit to to take back-to-back...

Mugello MotoGP: Salom battles to Moto3 victory

02 June 2013 by Liam Marsden

Red Bull KTM rider Luis Salom battled through the Moto3 race at Mugello to take victory and close the gap to championship leader Maverick Vinales to just four points. The Spaniard came out on top...

Mugello MotoGP: Marc Marquez recovers confidence after horror crash

01 June 2013 by Matthew Birt

Marc Marquez bounced back from the fastest and scariest crash of his career in Mugello to claim sixth place on the grid for tomorrow’s Italian MotoGP clash. The Repsol Honda rider miraculously escaped...

Mugello MotoGP: Ben Spies fears long injury lay-off

01 June 2013 by Matthew Birt

Ben Spies fears he is facing a lengthy injury lay-off after he took the difficult decision to withdraw from this weekend’s Italian MotoGP race in Mugello. The Texan is still not close to being 100%...

Mugello MotoGP: Cal Crutchlow fourth in qualifying after crash

01 June 2013 by Matthew Birt

British rider Cal Crutchlow will start tomorrow’s Mugello MotoGP race from fourth on the grid after he bounced back from a heavy qualifying crash to just miss out on a second front row start in...

Mugello MotoGP: Redding takes second pole of season

01 June 2013 by Liam Marsden

Moto2 championship leader Scott Redding took his second pole position of the season – the only Moto2 rider to do so in 2013 – at the Mugello circuit today. The Marc VDS rider, from Gloucestershire,...

Mugello MotoGP: Pedrosa snatches pole

01 June 2013 by Liam Marsden

Repsol Honda rider Dani Pedrosa will start tomorrow’s MotoGP race from pole position after snatching it at the very end of the final qualifying session. Perosa stole pole position from reigning...

Mugello MotoGP: Folger to start from pole position

01 June 2013 by Liam Marsden

Mapfre Aspar rider Jonas Folger will start tomorrow’s Moto3 race from pole position after setting a fastest lap of 1’57.603 in qualifying. Team Calvo’s Maverick Vinales will start from second on the...

Struggling Ben Spies to withdraw from Mugello race?

31 May 2013 by Matthew Birt

Injury-hit Ben Spies has admitted withdrawing from Sunday’s Italian MotoGP race on Sunday is an option under consideration after he endured a tough return to action in Mugello. The Ignite Ducati rider...

Valentino Rossi anticipating Honda charge

31 May 2013 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi expects Honda rivals Dani Pedrosa and Marc Marquez to pose a bigger threat for the remainder of the Italian MotoGP weekend after Yamaha dominated the opening day of practice in...

Bradley Smith: ‘I was lucky to walk away’

31 May 2013 by Matthew Birt

British rider Bradley Smith admitted he was lucky to emerge from a high speed practice crash in Mugello today with only a nasty wound to his left little finger and a small fracture in his left...

Mugello MotoGP: Crutchlow sets third fastest practice time

31 May 2013 by Matthew Birt

Cal Crutchlow’s brilliant form in the 2013 MotoGP world championship continued in Mugello when he starred in a Yamaha clean sweep of the top three after today’s two opening practice sessions. The...

Cal Crutchlow threatens to quit Tech 3 over Espargaro deal

30 May 2013 by Matthew Birt

Cal Crutchlow’s frustration with Yamaha’s long-running pursuit of Spanish Moto2 rider Pol Espargaro could see him quit the satellite Monster-backed Tech 3 squad at the end of 2013. The British rider...

Ben Spies: ‘I hope the problems are over’

30 May 2013 by Matthew Birt

Ignite Ducati rider Ben Spies will make his return to MotoGP action in Mugello this weekend hoping that his long-standing injury problems are behind him. The Texan missed the last two races in Jerez...

Scott Redding: ‘I need to keep pounding the pressure on’

30 May 2013 by Matthew Birt

Scott Redding says it will be vital for him to keep piling the pressure on his Moto2 rivals when his quest to extend his world championship lead continues at the spectacular Mugello track in Italy...

Exclusive Pics: Randy de Puniet tests Suzuki MotoGP bike

24 May 2013 by Matthew Birt

These are the first pictures of French rider Randy de Puniet making his debut on Suzuki’s new 1000cc MotoGP project at the Twin Ring Motegi track in Japan this week. The current Aspar Aprilia rider...

Can Valentino Rossi rediscover winning touch in Mugello?

24 May 2013 by Matthew Birt

There was once a time when the MotoGP field would arrive in Mugello wondering who was going to finish second behind home favourite Valentino Rossi. The hugely popular Rossi was unbeatable on home soil...