2010

Davide Brivio quits Yamaha

03 November 2010 by Matthew Birt

When Valentino Rossi opted to join Ducati in 2011 back in early July, it was widely expected that he would decimate his side of Yamaha’s factory’s garage by taking all of his crew with him. That...

Jorge Lorenzo shrugs off Estoril boo boys

03 November 2010 by Matthew Birt

Jorge Lorenzo brushed off a chorus of boos that greeted his third straight MotoGP victory at the Estoril circuit in Portugal last weekend. The Spaniard, who was recently crowned world champion in...

Scott Redding: ‘I made more moves than Michael Jackson’

03 November 2010 by Matthew Birt

Scott Redding had boasted prior to an epic Estoril Moto2 race last weekend that he would need to pull off more moves than Michael Jackson having qualified in a dismal 25th. So it was perhaps fitting...

Italian Moto3 bike breaks cover

03 November 2010 by Matthew Birt

This the new Ioda Racing project, the first bike being prepped for the new Moto3 four-stroke series in 2012 to break cover in public in Estoril last weekend. The prototype TR 001 features a 250cc...

2011 MotoGP grid to be finalised in Valencia

02 November 2010 by Matthew Birt

The full line-up for the 2011 MotoGP world championship will be finalised in Valencia this weekend with a flurry of announcements expected. A resolution to the political saga between HRC and Repsol...

Scott Redding to test 1000cc BMW MotoGP bike

02 November 2010 by Matthew Birt

Rising British star Scott Redding will begin plans for a MotoGP future later this month when he tests a BMW-powered Suter machine designed for new 1000cc rules in 2012. But it is unlikely the...

Casey Stoner backs Ducati’s Screamer engine plan

02 November 2010 by Matthew Birt

Casey Stoner reckons Ducati should seriously consider reverting back to its more powerful Screamer engine for Valentino Rossi in 2011. The Aussie selected a smoother but less powerful Big Bang engine...

Valentino Rossi denies V8 Supercar deal is close

02 November 2010 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi has denied he is close to agreeing a deal to test drive a V8 Supercar in Australia. Rossi was approached about a test and a possible race opportunity by more than one team at the...

Moto2 to boast 40-rider field in 2011

01 November 2010 by Matthew Birt

Next year’s Moto2 world championship will be contested by a bumper entry of 40 riders after final selection meetings took place in Estoril last weekend. The field will be made up 22 teams, of which 18...

Estoril MotoGP: Valentino Rossi bemoans set-up gamble

01 November 2010 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi blamed a wrong set-up gamble for his failure to end 2010 world champion Jorge Lorenzo’s domination of the Estoril MotoGP race yesterday. The Italian led for a long spell in the 28-lap...

Estoril MotoGP: Ben Spies aims to ride in final round

01 November 2010 by Matthew Birt

Ben Spies is determined to ride in this weekend’s final MotoGP round in Valencia, despite the American aggravating an old left ankle injury in Estoril yesterday. The Texan’s Estoril debut ended in...

Estoril MotoGP: Andrea Dovizioso ‘gap to Yamaha too much’

01 November 2010 by Matthew Birt

Andrea Dovizioso’s delight at snatching a last-gasp third place from compatriot Marco Simoncelli in Estoril yesterday was tempered somewhat by the heavy defeat suffered at the hands of Yamaha. The...

Interwetten Honda confirm 2011 withdrawal

01 November 2010 by Matthew Birt

Hiroshi Aoyama’s Interwetten Honda squad confirmed in Estoril last night that it would be quitting the MotoGP world championship at the end of the season. The withdrawal of the Swiss-based squad has...

Toni Elias signs LCR Honda deal

31 October 2010 by Matthew Birt

New Moto2 world champion Toni Elias has signed a deal to join Lucio Cecchinello’s satellite Honda squad in 2011. It marks a quick return to the premier class for the Spaniard, who claimed a historic...

Tech 3 boss delighted with Bradley Smith signing

31 October 2010 by Matthew Birt

Tech 3 Racing Moto2 boss Herve Poncharal has spoken of his delight at capturing British prospect Bradley Smith for 2011. The current Aspar Aprilia rider 125GP rider signed a deal with the French-based...

Bradley Smith signs Tech 3 Moto2 deal

31 October 2010 by Matthew Birt

Bradley Smith has signed a deal to ride for the Tech 3 Moto2 squad in Estoril today, as was first reported by MCN last week. The 19-year-old will partner French rider and 2008 125GP world champion...

Estoril MotoGP: Marquez takes dramatic win

31 October 2010 by Liam Marsden

Marc Marquez took victory in the 125GP race at Estoril despite having to start from the back of the grid as the race was red flagged. Marquez got a good start and by the end of the first lap was in...

Estoril MotoGP: Jorge Lorenzo takes Portugal hat-trick

31 October 2010 by Matthew Birt

Jorge Lorenzo remains undefeated at the Estoril track in Portugal after he claimed his eighth victory of 2010 this afternoon. After a weekend dominated by appalling weather that badly disrupted...

Estoril MotoGP: Scott Redding fourth in Moto2 thriller

31 October 2010 by Matthew Birt

Scott Redding came close to a stunning Moto2 podium at a windswept Estoril today when he missed third place in a pulsating encounter by just 0.012s. Starting from 25th on the grid after torrential...

Estoril MotoGP: Bradley Smith not concerned about team orders

31 October 2010 by Matthew Birt

Bradley Smith dodged the tricky issue of team orders after he claimed his third 125GP pole position of the season at a rain-lashed Estoril circuit in Portugal. Gusting winds and heavy rain saw Race...

Estoril MotoGP: Fuel consumption worry for Casey Stoner

31 October 2010 by Matthew Birt

Casey Stoner reckons fuel consumption will play a massive role in Estoril tomorrow if the Grand Prix of Portugal is staged in dry conditions. Stoner will start the penultimate round of the season from...

Estoril MotoGP: Nicky Hayden thrilled with second

30 October 2010 by Matthew Birt

Nicky Hayden was thrilled to find out he’d start second on the grid for tomorrow’s Estoril MotoGP race after he suffered a heavy crash in treacherous conditions morning. With grid positions decided by...

Estoril MotoGP: Jorge Lorenzo claims landmark pole position

30 October 2010 by Matthew Birt

Jorge Lorenzo claimed a milestone 42nd career pole position today after severe weather forced the cancellation of today’s qualifying session at the Estoril track in Portugal. Torrential rain and...

Scott Redding to test FTR chassis

30 October 2010 by Matthew Birt

Scott Redding will test a British-built FTR chassis at the Motorland Aragon circuit in Spain on Monday. The Gloucestershire rider will use the frame in a back-to-back comparison with the current Swiss manufactured Suter chassis he has campaigned throughout the inaugural Moto2 world championship. The Marc VDS Racing rider is likely to continue to race the Suter frame in 2011 having been chosen as...