2008

Michael Rutter: “It was like being taken hostage”

12 December 2008 by Rob Hull

Michael Rutter said his ordeal stuck out in Thailand for a week was like being in prison after the 26-time British Superbike race winner was stranded at Bangkok airport. Rutter had stayed out in...

Kyalami Test: Michel Fabrizio finishes on top

12 December 2008 by Michael Guy in Kyalami

Xerox Ducati man Michel Fabrizio maintained his dominance of the three day Kyalami test by topping the time sheets for the third consecutive day. The young Italian has been in sublime form throughout...

Picture perfect for Scott Redding

12 December 2008 by Matthew Birt

Scott Redding’s historic British GP success earlier this year is the subject for top motorcycle artist Steve Whyman’s latest work of art. The Gloucestershire teenager became the youngest rider in...

Rea holds second with less than two hours of test remaining

12 December 2008 by Michael Guy in Kyalami

Jonathan Rea made the most of his qualifying tyre to jump up the leader board with a blistering lap first thing this morning, good enough for the second fastest time of the test in Kyalami. Rea has so...

Kyalami latest: Troy Corser becomes latest crash victim

12 December 2008 by Michael Guy in Kyalami

Troy Corser became the latest crash victim of the three day WSB test at Kyalami. The Australian BMW rider lost the front at turn eight in what was his first ever crash on the BMW S1000R. Fortunately...

Kyalami latest: Fabrizio sets the pace, Rea goes second

12 December 2008 by Michael Guy in Kyalami

Michel Fabrizio became the first man to break the 1m40s bracket with a blistering 1m 39.714s on the final day of the three day test at Kyalami. The young Italian made the most of the cooler...

600s to compete against 250GP bikes in 2010

12 December 2008 by Matthew Birt

New four-stroke 600cc bikes will be phased into MotoGP a year ahead of schedule to race against 250 two-strokes for one season in 2010, MCN can exclusively reveal. The new bikes, which will form part...

MSS Colchester Kawasaki into future development

11 December 2008 by Rob Hull

MSS Colchester Kawasaki won’t just be running in BSB next season; they will continue their development with 16-year old Jess Trayler in the Superstock 600 championship. Trayler was snatched up by Morgan following his 5th place finish in the Aprilia Superteens championship and 4th overall in the ACU standings in 2006 – his first full season on a road bike. And the lanky 50kg youngster went from...

John Laverty joins Tristan Palmer at Buildbase Kawasaki

11 December 2008 by Rob Hull

2008 British Superbike Cup Champion John Laverty will join Tristan Palmer at Stuart Hicken’s Kawasaki team, which will now run under the name Buildbase Kawasaki. Laverty brings with him the title...

Michel Fabrizio keeps top spot at Kyalami WSB test

11 December 2008 by Michael Guy in Kyalami

Michel Fabrizio held on to his advantage to end the second day of testing at the top of the table in Kyalami today. The 24 year old Italian set a benchmark 1m 40.7s lap at the beginning of the day...

MotoGP boss gets Honda assurance

11 December 2008 by Matthew Birt

Honda has told MotoGP bosses that it does intend to compete in MotoGP next season with six bikes, despite the global economic crisis forcing the Japanese factory to quit Formula One. Although no...

Michel Fabrizio still on top in Kyalami

11 December 2008 by Michael Guy in Kyalami

Italian Michel Fabrizio became the first man to dip into to the 1m 40s bracket at Kyalami this morning. The Xerox Ducati rider topped the timesheets at the end of day one and took less than ten laps...

Moto2 600cc four-stroke rules unveiled

11 December 2008 by Matthew Birt

Rules for the new 600cc class that will replace the 250cc two-stroke world championship in 2011 have been finalised, with the new series to be called Moto2. Details of the new class were confirmed at...

Zero carbon TTXGP racer

11 December 2008 by Gary Pinchin

Grantham-based Evo Design Solutions is the first company to commit to the TTXGP zero carbon fuel Grand Prix. The race is to be held on the same day as the premier Senior TT event on June 12 and will...

Fabrizio tops timesheets, whilst Haga suffers third crash of the day in Kyalami

10 December 2008 by Michael Guy in Kyalami

The new look Xerox Ducati team suffered mixed fortunes at the first day of the three day test in Kyalami. Italian Michel Fabrizio ran consistently at the front throughout the day before putting his...

Latest lap times from Kyalami WSB test

10 December 2008 by Michael Guy in Kyalami

Despite two crashes this morning Xerox Ducati rider Noriyuki Haga is at the top of the time sheets mid way through the afternoon session of the opening day. Yamaha Italia rider Tom Sykes sits at the...

Second crash for Noriyuki Haga at Kyalami

10 December 2008 by Michael Guy in Kyalami

Noriyuki Haga has crashed his Xerox Ducati for the second time during testing at the Kyalami circuit this morning. In his first crash the former Yamaha man collided with Briton Jonathan Rea in only...

Leon Camier heads to Oz to train with Casey Stoner

10 December 2008 by Rob Hull

Following the successful training period last year in Australia with good friend Casey Stoner, Leon Camier flies down under again today for three months with the 2007 MotoGP Champion. Camier spent a...

2009 British Superbike calendar announced

10 December 2008 by Rob Hull

The 2009 British Superbike calendar has finally been announced, with the biggest change being the Brands Hatch GP round being held in the height of the summer. Brands Hatch will not be hosting a World...

Haga crashes out two laps into Ducati WSB debut

10 December 2008 by Michael Guy in Kyalami

Noriyuki Haga crashed his new Xerox Ducati 1098 F09 on only his second flying lap after a collision with Ten Kate Honda rider Jonathan Rea. Riding the Ducati for the first time, Haga was cruising and...

Casey Stoner: No big changes for 2009 Ducati

10 December 2008 by Matthew Birt

Former world champion Casey Stoner reckons he isn’t expecting any big changes to Ducati’s factory GP9 machine when winter testing resumes in February. Stoner gave his impressions and feedback on the...

Hard work key to Valentino Rossi’s success

10 December 2008 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi’s incredible work ethic played a fundamental part in the Italian winning back the MotoGP world crown for the first time since 2005 last season. That’s the view of his Fiat Yamaha team...

Sykes meets Sykes

09 December 2008 by Martin Sykes

Josh Sykes from Huddersfield meets his hero Tom Sykes from Huddersfield at Brands Hatch.

Loris Capirossi wary of single tyre rule

09 December 2008 by Matthew Birt

Italian veteran Loris Capirossi believes the new single tyre rule won’t inject any new excitement into MotoGP next season. The factory Suzuki rider believes that some of the boring races that have...

Honda considering 2009 MotoGP cuts

09 December 2008 by Matthew Birt

Honda has refused to confirm it will maintain its current level of involvement in MotoGP next season after the Japanese factory’s shock move to quit Formula One. CEO and chairman Takeo Fukui dropped a...

BSB Web Blog: Is Michael Rutter too old for BSB?

09 December 2008 by Rob Hull

I understand why Ducati said they wanted to base their BSB assault around a young rider like Brendan Roberts who’s deal to come to the British Championship fell through when the Australian preferred a...

Rossi's GB Rally race suit!

08 December 2008 by Shaun Middlemore

Look what I found at Rally GB Wales- Valentino’s Stobart Motorsport race suit!

Video: Marco Melandri reveals thoughts on 2009 season

08 December 2008

Marco Melandri took time out of his winter training schedule to drop in on the last day of the NEC show on Sunday. The MotoGP racer talked about his hopes for the forthcoming season and about the difficulties of building a relationship with his newKawasaki team. He also revealed that helmet maker Nolan is working on some special new colour schemes for the 2009 season. See the full interview here.