March

Year: 2009

Month: March

Hopkins satisfied with first test – Exclusive pictures

31 March 2009 by Michael Guy

John Hopkins heads to Valencia WSB this weekend satisfied after completing a one day test at Almeria, Spain on Monday. Riding the Stiggy Honda CBR1000RR for the first time, Hopkins had to acquaint...

Hopkins in Almeria for first WSB test –Exclusive Pictures

30 March 2009 by Michael Guy

John Hopkins is minutes away from getting his first taste of the Stiggy Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade he’ll campaign in the World Superbike Championship this year. The former Kawasaki MotoGP rider is...

Tommy Hill on target for more points in Valencia

26 March 2009 by Michael Guy

Tommy Hill has already scored points in three of the four opening World Superbike races this year and is targeting round three at Valencia for even better results. Onboard the Altea Honda CBR1000RR...

Shakey welcomes Hopkins to WSB

26 March 2009 by Michael Guy

The last time Shane Byrne rode against John Hopkins was in MotoGP in 2004 and 2005. Now four years on the reigning British Superbike Champion is relishing the opportunity of racing against the...

Photos from Qatar WSB

25 March 2009 by Gavin Stevenson

Here’s a few photos I took at the Qatar WSB round – great racing, especially the supersports! Facilities at Losail are non-existent, but at least it’s cheap (once you’re here!).

John Hopkins buoyed by Colin Edwards advice

25 March 2009 by Matthew Birt

John Hopkins has told MCN of his excitement and anticipation at joining up with the Stiggy Honda WSB squad for the first time having spoken to fellow American Colin Edwards about the move. Some of the...

John Hopkins targets World Superbike wins

21 March 2009 by Matthew Birt

John Hopkins is confident he will be fighting for victories in World Superbikes having finally signed a deal with the Stiggy Honda squad. The 25-year-old will try and rebuild his career in World...

John Hopkins signing a ‘dream’ for Stiggy Honda

21 March 2009 by Matthew Birt

Stiggy Honda boss Johan Stigefelt reckons the capture of high profile American John Hopkins is like a ‘dream’ for the WSB squad. Hopkins will join British rider Leon Haslam for the rest of the 2009...

Hopkins first test date confirmed

21 March 2009 by Michael Guy

John Hopkins will get an initial shake down test onboard the Stiggy Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade superbike before he arrives at Valencia for round three of the championship on 3rd to 5th April. Hopkins...

Leon Haslam unfazed by John Hopkins’ arrival

20 March 2009 by Michael Guy

Leon Haslam has told MCN that he is unfazed by the arrival of high profile MotoGP star John Hopkins as his team-mate in the Stiggy Honda WSB squad. Hopkins will race an identical Honda CBR1000RR...

Qatar WSB

20 March 2009 by Sandy Morrison

Hi Folks, I work in Qatar and took the opportunity of going along to the SBK meeting at Losail. The racing was great and the riders put on an excellent show for the very small crowd which bothered to come along. Also I was pleasantly surprised that, although not running at the front, the BMW’s didn’t disgrace themselves either. It keeps the series alive when another manufacturer comes in,...

John Hopkins signs Stiggy Honda WSB deal

20 March 2009 by Matthew Birt

MotoGP exile John Hopkins has signed a deal to race for the Stiggy Honda World Superbike team, as was first reported by MCN four months ago. The 25-year-old, who was left without a ride following...

Spies’ Crew Chief: “Ben will be really good in a couple of years”

19 March 2009 by Michael Guy

American sensation Ben Spies has taken the WSB paddock by storm winning three out of the opening four races of 2009 and the man that knows him best, his crew chief and mentor Tom Houseworth believes...

WSB boss outlines cost cutting future

17 March 2009 by Michael Guy

WSB boss Paolo Flammini has vowed to make only considered and rational changes to his championship in light of the current economical down turn. Two weeks ago it was confirmed that WSB race weekends...

WSB Qatar: Haga and Spies Open Points Gap

14 March 2009 by Mike Nicks

Noriyuki Haga and Ben Spies look like making the battle for the 2009 World Superbike Championship a two-man shootout after both edged away from rivals in today’s two races in Qatar. Haga holds onto...

WSB Qatar: Spies Batters Haga Again

14 March 2009 by Mike Nicks

American new boy Ben Spies again drubbed the World Superbike Championship old guard when he won the second race at the second round of the series in Qatar on his Yamaha R1. The former AMA Superbike...

WSS Qatar: How Laverty Climbed from Grand Prix Obscurity

14 March 2009 by Mike Nicks

Eugene Laverty’s success in topping the rostrum in the World Supersport race at Qatar today is a wonderful reward for a young rider who could so easily have sunk into the obscurity suffered by so many...

WSS Qatar: Laverty Hammers Ten Kate Pair

14 March 2009 by Mike Nicks

Eugene Laverty emerged from two years of despair in 250cc grand prix racing to win his first World Supersport Championship race in an extraordinary sprint to the line on his Parkalgar Honda CBR600 in...

WSB Qatar: Byrne Backs up Words with Strong 6th

14 March 2009 by Mike Nicks

British champion Shane Byrne lived up to his confident pledge to bounce back in the second round of the World Superbike series by scoring a strong sixth place in the opening leg on the Losail circuit...

WSB Qatar: Spies Cuts into Haga's Lead

14 March 2009 by Mike Nicks

American Ben Spies sent a chill through the Ducati Xerox pitbox in Qatar today when he won his second consecutive World Superbike Championship race on the new Yamaha R1 on the desert circuit. Noriyuki...

WSB Qatar: Makoto Tamada ruled out of races after big warm-up crash

14 March 2009 by Michael Guy

Factory Kawasaki rider Makoto Tamada will miss the two races in Qatar following a heavy high side in warm-up this morning on his Paul Bird prepared ZX-10R. The former WSB and MotoGP race winner...

WSB Qatar: Sykes targets podium

14 March 2009 by Michael Guy

Tom Sykes believes he has the pace to run with his dominant team-mate Ben Spies after an impressive practice and qualifying session in Qatar. The 23 year old will line up on the second row of the grid...

Why no Brands Hatch WSB this year?

13 March 2009 by Steve Edwards

Why is there no Brands Hatch WSB this year? It surely must still be one of the best events in Europe, for racing and atmosphere, and still drawing large crowds, and all the Brits racing this year? Seems crazy to me! We have Donnington, but sorry it’s not the same or as good, (should still have Moto GP) or Moto GP at Brands, why not. Then we get Moto GP to Silverston in 2010, a useless spectator...