2008 | Page 66

Video: Phillip Island World Superbike: Troy Bayliss ready for final Phillip Island appearance

29 February 2008 by Michael Guy

Double World Superbike champion and current series leader, Troy Bayliss wants to make his final appearance in front of his crowd one to remember as he prepares for this weekend’s race at Phillip Island. Bayliss, who has announced that he will retire at the end of the 2008 season has got exceptional form having won races at his home track for the last two years is aiming to continue his strong run...

MotoGP Qatar test: Picture special of the opening night

29 February 2008 by Sarah Carnell

The first night of the historic MotoGP test is over without too much drama and photographers at the Losail circuit have captured some great moments from the test. Take a look at the pictures from the...

Video: Phillip Island World Supersport: Jonathan Rea ready to race

29 February 2008 by Michael Guy

Six days ago Jonathan Rea suffered a severed tendon on his right ring finger following a massive high side on lap two of the World Supersport race in Qatar. Now the tough Brit is preparing for the second round of the championship at Phillip Island having undergone an impressive recovery process and avoided any infection in his finger. Watch the video below to see Rea in the pre race press...

MotoGP Qatar test: Valentino Rossi happier with lights than lap times

29 February 2008 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi was happier with the spectacular Qatar floodlights than he was with his own performance as the Italian could only finish ninth quickest at the start of the historic first night...

MotoGP Qatar test: Casey Stoner thrilled at night speed

29 February 2008 by Matthew Birt

Reigning world champion Casey Stoner said he was pleasantly surprised at his incredible night test debut in Qatar. Riding under the spectacular floodlights at the Losail International Circuit for the...

Phillip Island World Superbikes: Troy Corser leads the way in Australia

29 February 2008 by Michael Guy

Troy Corser secured provisional pole position for Sundays Phillip Island World Superbike race onboard his Yamaha Italia R1. Corser continued his impressive form and qualifying pace at the Phillip...

Phillip Island World Superbikes: Andrew Pitt uses anger to take provisional pole

29 February 2008 by Michael Guy

Andrew Pitt put his provisional pole position for Sunday World Supersport race at Phillip Island down to still being angry after being taken out by his team-mate Jonathan Rea in last weekends Qatar...

Phillip Island World Superbikes: Yamaha's dominate free practice

29 February 2008 by Michael Guy

Noriyuki Haga showed no ill effects of his sore wrist following his race one crash in Qatar last weekend to top the timesheets in the opening free practice session in Phillip Island. On a virtually...

Phillip Island World Supersport: Andrew Pitt is on the pace

29 February 2008 by Michael Guy

Overnight rain in Phillip Island resulted in damp conditions for this mornings opening World Supersport Free Practice session. Typically windy conditions at the coastal Australian circuit quickly...

Video: James Toseland's massive MCN MotoGP send-off party

29 February 2008 by Angus Farquhar, Michael Carroll

James Toseland got a massive send-off for his 2008 MotoGP season at a party at Donington Park last weekend with BBC TV presenter Suzui Perry pledging in front of thousands to strip naked if he wins the title. Check out the video below to see the highlights of the party, including Toseland’s band Crash, Suzi Perry’s promise and an interview with the man himself. Watch Toseland’s band Crash at MCN...

MotoGP Qatar test: James Toseland shines in night test

28 February 2008 by Matthew Birt

British rider James Toseland was one of the shining stars on a historic night for MotoGP, with the first official night test held under floodlights in Qatar. Tech 3 Yamaha rider Toseland posted the...

MotoGP Qatar test: Anthony West escapes injury in big crash

28 February 2008 by Matthew Birt

Kawasaki’s Anthony West has had a lucky escape after he was uninjured in a big crash on the first night of testing under floodlights in Qatar. The Aussie lost control of his factory Kawasaki ZX-RR at...

MotoGP Qatar test: Stars back history-making night test

28 February 2008 by Matthew Birt

MotoGP stars including Nicky Hayden, Loris Capirossi, Colin Edwards and Jorge Lorenzo have endorsed Qatar’s historic night race after the opening night of testing under floodlights. Qatar night time...

MotoGP Qatar test: Picture special of the night riders

28 February 2008 by Sarah Carnell

History has been made in MotoGP as the riders have taken to the track at the Losail Circuit in darkness. Check out these photographs of Valentino Rossi, Chris Vermeulen, Britain’s James Toseland and...

MotoGP Qatar test: Casey Stoner makes dazzling start in night test, James Toseland second

28 February 2008 by Matthew Birt

Reigning world champion Casey Stoner has made an incredible start to the historic first official night MotoGP test in Qatar, taking just 14 laps to smash his 2007 lap record by over one second. See...

MotoGP Qatar test: James Toseland to shrug off ankle pain

28 February 2008 by Matthew Birt

James Toseland is confident the badly strained ankle he injured during in a high-side crash at the Jerez circuit earlier this month won’t severely restrict him during tonight’s historic night test in...

MotoGP: Yamaha relief at end of Valentino Rossi's tax saga

28 February 2008 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi’s Fiat Yamaha team boss has spoken of his relief that the Italian can focus 100 per cent on regaining the MotoGP world title in 2008. Valentino Rossi ends tax saga Speaking to MCN,...

MotoGP: Kawasaki unlikely to offer Roger Lee Hayden 2008 wild card rides

28 February 2008 by Matthew Birt

Roger Lee Hayden is unlikely to be offered the chance to wild card for Kawasaki in the two American MotoGP clashes in 2008. The younger brother of 2006 world champion Nicky Hayden, Roger Lee has...

Video: Bradley Smith Interview

28 February 2008 by Andy Downes

MCN caught up with Polaris World Aprilia rider Bradley Smith at the teams official launch in London yesterday. Watch the video to hear Smith discuss his chances for next year and what he is expecting when he expierences night racing in Qatar this weekend. Motorcyclenews.com will be following Bradley Smith and we will bring you news of the test from the Losail Circuit throughout the three days and...

British Superbikes Almeria test: Michael Laverty talks superbike step up

28 February 2008 by Rob Hull

MCN caught up with last year’s British Supersport champion Michael Laverty at the Almeria circuit during the three-day Pirelli test. Stepping up to a Suzuki GSX-R1000 from the 600 version with the...

Isle of Man TT: World Sidecar champion Tim Reeves to compete at 2008 TT

28 February 2008 by Gary Pinchin

The Sidecar Isle of Man TT races will get a huge boost this year with several new teams, including three-time World Sidecar champion Tim Reeves. Reeves will make his debut on the 37.73mile mountain...

World Supersport: Jonathan Rea delays surgery on injured finger

28 February 2008 by MCN Sportsdesk

Jonathan Rea will delay surgery on his injured finger to take part in this weekend’s Phillip Island World Supersport round. The Hanspree Honda Ten Kate rider partially severed a tendon in his right...

British Superbike Almeria test: Leon Haslam - we could be here a month and not get through everything

27 February 2008 by Rob Hull

Leon Haslam says the team has their work cut out for them in Spain during the final day of the Almeria test before heading on to Guadix for another three days on track later this week. Haslam was...

British Superbikes Almeria test: Cal Crutchlow crashes out of test

27 February 2008 by Rob Hull

Cal Crutchlow will sat out a lot of today’s final Pirelli test at Almeria after suffering a big highside earlier today. According to the HM Plant team manager Harvey Beltram, Cal Crutchlow lost the...

Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup: Britain's Matthew Hoyle fastest in Jerez

27 February 2008 by Sarah Carnell

Britain’s Matthew Hoyle topped the timesheets for the first test of the Red Bull MotoGP rookies in Jerez this week. The Spanish circuit saw 24 young riders test for two days and for many it was their...

British Superbikes Almeria test: Stuart Easton - 'Early signs of the ZX-10R are good'

27 February 2008 by Rob Hull

Despite using stock engines at the Pirelli test in Almeria, Stuart Easton believes the new Kawasaki ZX-10R is going to be competitive come the start of the season. Easton told MCN: “The new engines...

British Superbikes Almeria test: Michael Rutter talks Ducati 1098 and tyres

27 February 2008 by Rob Hull

After setting a competitive second day lap time of 1:37.7 Michael Rutter says the team are still very much working with the traction control on the new Ducati 1098. “We’re still learning away with the...

MotoGP: Bradley Smith raring to go at Polaris World Aprilia team launch

27 February 2008 by Andy Downes

Britain’s Bradley Smith has been at the official Polaris World Aprilia team launch in London this morning in what he says is one of the biggest days of his life. The Oxfordshire teenager, who has...

British Superbikes Almeria test: Shane Byrne tops day two in Spain

27 February 2008 by Rob Hull

Airwaves Ducati’s Shane ‘Shakey’ Byrne has continued his impressive return to two-cylinder machinery posting the only sub 1.37 time of the second day of testing at Almeria. Byrne’s unofficial best lap...

World Supersport: Garry McCoy raced in Qatar with a broken leg

27 February 2008 by Michael Guy

Garry McCoy was as high as fourth onboard his SC Caracchi Triumph 675 before a mechanical failure robbed him of an impressive World Supersport debut. Within minutes of the end of the race the former...

British Superbikes Almeria test: Injury not holding Leon Camier back in Almeria

26 February 2008 by Rob Hull

Despite still suffering from the injuries he sustained back in August at Cadwell Park, Airwaves Ducati debutant Leon Camier is holding his own at Almeria in the team’s first test of the year. Leon...

MotoGP: Give Marco Melandri more time says Casey Stoner

26 February 2008 by Matthew Birt

Reigning world champion Casey Stoner had defended struggling factory Ducati team-mate Marco Melandri. The Italian has so far failed miserably to make an impression in winter testing on the new Ducati...

British Superbikes Almeria test: Cal Crutchlow impressed with Honda Fireblade

26 February 2008 by Rob Hull

Both Cal Crutchlow and HM Plant Honda team-mate Leon Haslam had their first experience of the 2008 Honda Fireblade at the official Pirelli test at Almeria, both finishing day one with quick times...

British Superbikes Almeria test: Tom Sykes biding time with his Suzuki

26 February 2008 by Rob Hull

MCN caught up with Rizla Suzuki new boy Tom Sykes before his second day out on track at Almeria in Spain, and he spoke of the importance of looking at the long run. Sykes said: “I’ve been jumping off...

MotoGP: Yamaha confident in Bridgestone move

26 February 2008 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi’s factory Yamaha team boss is convinced a controversial move to Bridgestone tyres will help revitalise the Italian’s MotoGP world title challenge in 2008. The 29-year-old has impressed...

British Superbikes Almeria test: Shane Byrne happy with early pace

26 February 2008 by Rob Hull

Shane ‘Shakey’ Byrne impressed after just one day of testing at the official Pirelli test in Almeria Spain. The 2003 British Superbike champion did a number of 18 lap race simulations on day one, with...