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2009

Randy Mamola sad at British Eurosport exit

27 February 2009 by Matthew Birt

Randy Mamola sad at British Eurosport exit

Popular MotoGP pundit Randy Mamola has told MCN of his sadness at not being able to continue his role as pitlane commentator for British Eurosport in 2009. As part of new coverage plans for 2009,...

British Eurosport confirms 2009 MotoGP plans

27 February 2009 by Matthew Birt

British Eurosport confirms 2009 MotoGP plans

British Eurosport has confirmed that popular commentary duo Julian Ryder and Toby Moody will be reunited for 2009. Dorna confirmed yesterday (Thursday) that coverage of the 2009 MotoGP world...

Bulgaria to host MotoGP race in 2012

27 February 2009 by Matthew Birt

Bulgaria to host MotoGP race in 2012

A Bulgiarian round of the MotoGP world championship will be staged from the 2012 season onwards. Dorna boss Carmelo Ezpeleta has signed a preliminary five-year deal with the Bulgarian Motorcycling...

Andrew Pitt: ‘We don’t have a tyre to do the race”

27 February 2009 by Michael Guy

Andrew Pitt: ‘We don’t have a tyre to do the race”

World Champion Andrew Pitt set the fastest time in qualifying today but declared that he doesn’t have a rear tyre that will last full race distance. The Ten Kate Honda rider who won last years...

Phillip Island WSB: Smrz surprise package in WSB first qualifying

27 February 2009 by Michael Guy

Phillip Island WSB: Smrz surprise package in WSB first qualifying

Jacob Smrz stole the limelight on the opening day of round one of the World Superbike championship to take provisional pole position. In scorching 33 degree ambient temperatures and 51 degree track...

Phillip Island WSS: First blood to Sofuoglu at Phillip Island

27 February 2009 by Michael Guy

Phillip Island WSS: First blood to Sofuoglu at Phillip Island

2007 World Supersport champion Kenan Sofuoglu set the pace in first free practice at Phillip Island today. The Turkish Ten Kate Honda rider continues to make a seamless transition back to Supersport...

Phillip Island WSB: Hill suffers engine blow-up and fire

27 February 2009 by Michael Guy

Phillip Island WSB: Hill suffers engine blow-up and fire

Tommy Hill survived a spectacular engine blow-up and fire during the opening free practice session at Phillip Island today. Despite the set back, the Altea Honda rider still managed to secure the 15th...

Phillip Island WSB: Spies sets pace in opening free practice

27 February 2009 by Michael Guy

Phillip Island WSB: Spies sets pace in opening free practice

American Ben Spies started the 2009 season as he means to go on by setting the fastest lap time in the opening free practice session this morning at Phillip Island. The Yamaha World Superbike rider...

Meeting JT at his send off party

27 February 2009 by hayhay

Meeting JT at his send off party

A group of us (including my 9 year old niece who’s never met James and my mum who was in a wheelchair due to a recent knee replacement) attended JT’s send off party at Donington last weekend. Roger...

V for Victory....

26 February 2009 by leemuz

…Or a very amicable compromise. After bitching and complaining about Eurosport losing the motogp and worrying that the bbc won’t commit anywhere near as much time to the sport as we fans deserve, it seems there has been a great solution to this problem. And i hope that my concerns and the concerns of each and every fan who put there point forward on here MAY just MAY have been an influence in the...

Julian Ryder commits to British Eurosport

26 February 2009 by Matthew Birt

Julian Ryder commits to British Eurosport

Julian Ryder has confirmed to MCN that he will continue his popular partnership with Toby Moody on British Eurosport in 2009. Dorna confirmed today that British Eurosport will continue to screen...

Toby Moody: ‘I’m staying with Eurosport.’

26 February 2009 by Matthew Birt

Toby Moody: ‘I’m staying with Eurosport.’

Popular commentator Toby Moody has confirmed he is staying with British Eurosport to voice its coverage of the 2009 MotoGP world championship. Moody, who has commentated on MotoGP since 1996, will...

Marco Melandri to race in one man Kawasaki team

26 February 2009 by Liam Marsden

Marco Melandri to race in one man Kawasaki team

Italian Marco Melandri will race in the 2009 MotoGP world championship as part of a one-man Kawasaki team. Kawasaki confirmed its plans to quit MotoGP in January because of the global economic crisis,...

BBC Sport boss delighted with improved MotoGP coverage

26 February 2009 by Matthew Birt

BBC Sport boss delighted with improved MotoGP coverage

BBC Sport Editorial boss Philip Bernie has spoken of his delight at the record levels of coverage the BBC will give to MotoGP in 2009. Despite fears that the Beeb’s new deal to screen the Formula One...

British Eurosport keeps MotoGP for 2009

26 February 2009 by Matthew Birt

British Eurosport keeps MotoGP for 2009

As was exclusively revealed by MCN one week ago, British Eurosport will continue to screen coverage of the MotoGP world championship in 2009. A deal has been thrashed out with MotoGP rights owners...

Robert Dunlop died after modified brake accident

26 February 2009 by Matthew Birt

Robert Dunlop died after modified brake accident

Legendary Irish road racer Robert Dunlop died when he inadvertently hit the front brake of his Honda 250cc machine during an engine seizure at over 150mph while practicing for last year’s North West...

Jonathan Rea Countdown Diary – Day 9

26 February 2009 by Michael Guy

Jonathan Rea Countdown Diary – Day 9

With the first round of the World Superbike Championship kicking off tomorrow, Britain’s Jonathan Rea has had a busy day getting ready. Having topped the timesheets at the two day test in Phillip...

WSB season ready for kick off

26 February 2009 by Michael Guy

WSB season ready for kick off

A record 12 riders attended the Phillip Island pre season press conference today in preparation for the season kick-off tomorrow. WSB organisers historically invite four or five riders on stage to...

Shane Byrne in need of track time in Australia

26 February 2009 by Michael Guy

Shane Byrne in need of track time in Australia

Shane Byrne admits that he’ll be playing catch up at the opening round of the WSB championship at Phillip Island having missed the latest round of testing at the Australian circuit. Byrne’s title...

Fiat Yamaha boss assesses 2009 MotoGP contenders

25 February 2009 by Matthew Birt

Fiat Yamaha boss assesses 2009 MotoGP contenders

Fiat Yamaha boss Davide Brivio has told MCN he expects Casey Stoner and Dani Pedrosa to remain as chief title rivals to reigning world champion Valentino Rossi in 2009. Since the start of the 800cc...

Qatar test to decide Kawasaki/|Marco Melandri fate

25 February 2009 by Matthew Birt

Qatar test to decide Kawasaki/|Marco Melandri fate

Marco Melandri is expected to test a Kawasaki ZX-RR in Qatar next week, but the Italian is not yet convinced he will start the 2009 season. Get all the latest MotoGP news In a further confusing...

Ducati boss: Rider salaries will reduce

25 February 2009 by Matthew Birt

Ducati boss: Rider salaries will reduce

Ducati’s factory team boss Livio Suppo has told MCN it is inevitable that some of the world’s top riders will have to race for less money in the future. While it is impossible to police a salary cap,...

WSB Blog: Why Haga will win the WSB title in 2009

25 February 2009 by Michael Guy

WSB Blog: Why Haga will win the WSB title in 2009

During his ten years in WSB Noriyuki Haga has won 33 races and on his day is arguably one of the fastest rider in the world. During his decade of competition the one thing he’s lacked is consistency.

Yamaha boss fears more engine expense

25 February 2009 by Matthew Birt

Yamaha boss fears more engine expense

Yamaha’s MotoGP boss Masao Furusawa fears the drive to extend engine life will only force factories to spend more money in the short term. Extending engine life is seen as one of the most crucial new...

Silverstone MotoGP switch not money motivated

25 February 2009 by Matthew Birt

Silverstone MotoGP switch not money motivated

MotoGP boss Carmelo Ezpeleta has denied his shock decision to move the British GP back to Silverstone for the first time in over 20 years was money motivated. MCN understands that Silverstone paid...

MotoGP commentary

24 February 2009 by wilf cook

MotoGP commentary

Just great news to here julain ryder and tony moody may be back, get really excited listening to them- great. I met Valentino on monday after testing in Valencia, he was absolutely fantastic. I said...

Blog: Can Hydrex Honda step up a gear?

24 February 2009 by Gary Pinchin

Last Friday’s Hydrex Honda launch was an impressive show of team owner Shaun Muir’s long-term commitment to the sport. The team’s new workshop facility in Guisborough is by far one of the most outstanding all new facilities in BSB and the fact that Muir has a three-rider team and is building seven bikes is an impressive display of the team’s determination to succeed on all fronts. It’s not only...

Hydrex boss: BSB does it for us

24 February 2009 by Gary Pinchin

Hydrex boss: BSB does it for us

Andrew Simcox is the Managing Director of Hydrex. The company specialises in the rental and sale of mobile plant equipment with the rail, industrial and construction industries – some of the worst...

Hydrex Honda HQ tour

24 February 2009 by MCN

Hydrex Honda have shown everyone they mean business this year by unveiling their all-new purpose built headquarters. Hydrex Honda have signed Karl Harris, Stuart Easton and held on to infamous road racer Guy Martin, so it’s one serious race effort. Team owner Shaun Muir is confident: “We’ve no excuses. We’ve got the best bikes, the best team and the best riders. There’s no one on the grid we...

Jonathan Rea WSB countdown Diary – Day 7

24 February 2009 by Michael Guy

Jonathan Rea WSB countdown Diary – Day 7

In last weekends two-day test at Phillip Island, Britain’s Jonathan Rea topped the time sheets with an impressive 1m 31.8s lap time. The Ten Kate Honda rider has hit form just in time for the opening...

Yamaha boss supports calendar cut

24 February 2009 by Matthew Birt

Yamaha boss supports calendar cut

Yamaha’s senior MotoGP boss Masao Furusawa believes an effective way to slash costs in MotoGP would be to significantly reduce the world championship calendar. The MotoGP world championship currently...

Silverstone set to be fastest MotoGP track

24 February 2009 by Matthew Birt

Silverstone set to be fastest MotoGP track

Silverstone’s revamped circuit to host the 2010 British MotoGP race looks set to make it the fastest on the world championship calendar with an average speed of 113mph! Simulations of the revised...

Valentino Rossi bemoans loss of qualifying tyres

24 February 2009 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi bemoans loss of qualifying tyres

Six-times MotoGP world champion Valentino Rossi has bemoaned the loss of qualifying tyres under the new single tyre rule for 2009. The Fiat Yamaha rider is worried that Saturday afternoon’s qualifying...

Valentino Rossi is scared of Wayne Rooney

24 February 2009 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi is scared of Wayne Rooney

Reigning MotoGP world champion Valentino Rossi isn’t scared of dicing with Casey Stoner at nearly 200mph. But he is scared of England football star and Manchester United ace Wayne Rooney. Rossi’s...

British Eurosport MotoGP announcement this week

24 February 2009 by Matthew Birt

British Eurosport MotoGP announcement this week

As MCN exclusively revealed last week, MotoGP will stay on British Eurosport in 2009, with an official announcement expected later this week. MCN understands a deal has been reached between Dorna and...

Carlos Checa rates his title rivals

23 February 2009 by Michael Guy

Carlos Checa rates his title rivals

Hannspree Ten Kate Honda rider Carlos Checa will start the 2009 season as one of the favourites. The veteran Spaniard now has a year of World Superbike experience and a year of developing his Honda...