April | Page 4

Qatar MotoGP: James Tosland ready for ‘massive year’

09 April 2009 by Matthew Birt

British MotoGP rider James Toseland has admitted that 2009 is the biggest year of his career as he prepares for the season opening race in Qatar on Sunday night. The double World Superbike champion is...

Qatar MotoGP: Casey Stoner assured by wrist assessment

09 April 2009 by Matthew Birt

Aussie Casey Stoner has laid to rest any lingering pre-season nerves about the lengthy recovery of his left wrist injury ahead of this weekend’s crunch first MotoGP race in Qatar. Ever since the...

Qatar MotoGP: Jerry Burgess confident in 2009 Yamaha

09 April 2009 by Matthew Birt

Yamaha’s 2009 factory YZR-M1 is good enough to withstand a fresh onslaught from Ducati’s impressive new GP9, according to Valentino Rossi’s crew chief Jerry Burgess. After a nightmare first season in...

Qatar MotoGP: Jerry Burgess assesses Casey Stoner threat

09 April 2009 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi’s legendary crew chief Jerry Burgess has inevitably marked Ducati’s Casey Stoner as the biggest threat to the Italian’s hopes of clinching a seventh MotoGP title in 2009. Assessing the...

Qatar MotoGP: Casey Stoner confident in carbon fibre gamble

09 April 2009 by Matthew Birt

Former world champion Casey Stoner is confident that he can show Ducati’s gamble on radical carbon fibre chassis technology can be a major success when he starts the new MotoGP season in Qatar this...

Qatar MotoGP: Bradley Smith names 125GP title threats

09 April 2009 by Matthew Birt

Bradley Smith has named Aspar Aprilia team-mate Julian Simon as his biggest threat in the 2009 125GP world championship. Get all the latest MotoGP news The Spaniard has dominated winter testing and...

Qatar MotoGP Danny Webb aims for 125GP podiums

09 April 2009 by Matthew Birt

British teenager Danny Webb believes he can be a regular podium contender when the new 125GP world championship campaign kicks off on Sunday night in Qatar. Webb has secured a factory RSA Aprilia...

Qatar MotoGP: Suzuki eye return to 2007 form

09 April 2009 by Matthew Birt

Suzuki boss Paul Denning believes a successful season for the Japanese factory will be to emulate its success of the first year of the new 800cc era in 2007. Get all the latest MotoGP news Suzuki...

Spies bemoans Valencia result but praises Haga

08 April 2009 by Michael Guy

Ben Spies remains confident he can claw back his 40 point deficit to Xerox Ducati man Noriyuki Haga. Spies surrendered 30 points to the Japanese double Valencia race winner after he crashed out of...

John Hopkins targets Haslam and the podium

08 April 2009 by Michael Guy

WSB rookie John Hopkins remains confident he can become a front runner during the season onboard the Stiggy Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade. Hopkins claimed 11th and 12th in the two races despite a fuelling...

Top BSB rider Josh Brookes refused entry into England

08 April 2009 by Marc Potter

Factory HM Plant Honda rider Josh Brookes will NOT be racing at this weekend’s opening race after immigration officials refused him entry and sent him back home to Australia due to visa problems. MCN...

British Superbike Technical Chief killed in crash

08 April 2009 by Michael Guy

British Superbike Technical boss, Doug Barnfield has been killed following a motorcycle accident on Monday April 6. Barnfield who worked for the Motorcycle Racing Control Board (MCRCB) was a key player in drawing up the technical regulations of the British Superbike Championship and worked closely with series race director Stuart Higgs. The 63 year old, riding a Harley-Davidson Sportster collided...

Qatar MotoGP: Dani Pedrosa to ride in first race

08 April 2009 by Matthew Birt

Spaniard Dani Pedrosa will ride in this weekend’s opening MotoGP of 2009 at the Losail International Circuit in Qatar. The 24-year-old will fly to the Middle East despite fears that left arm and leg...

Qatar MotoGP: Valentino Rossi backs Suzuki for success

08 April 2009 by Matthew Birt

Reigning MotoGP world champion Valentino Rossi has backed Suzuki to be the major surprise of 2009 ahead of the first race in Qatar this Sunday. The Fiat Yamaha rider, who won nine races last year to...

Qatar MotoGP: Bradley Smith quickest in warm-up test

08 April 2009 by Matthew Birt

British teenager Bradley Smith posted the fastest time on the opening night of 125GP testing in Qatar as part of a warm-up for the first race of 2009 this weekend. Smith, who claimed pole position at...

WSB in Valencia

08 April 2009 by stuart pridmore

Just got back from WSB in Valencia. First time out with a camera. Who should come up trumps – MR Corser!

Qatar MotoGP: Yamaha boss targets top three for Jorge Lorenzo

07 April 2009 by Matthew Birt

Jorge Lorenzo’s Fiat Yamaha team boss is confident the Spaniard can cut the gap on dominant duo Casey Stoner and Valentino Rossi in 2009 to claim a top three MotoGP world championship finish. Lorenzo...

Qatar MotoGP: No secrets at Repsol Honda

07 April 2009 by Matthew Birt

Dani Pedrosa and Andrea Dovizioso will have an open working relationship where both will be able to access each other’s data during the 2009 MotoGP world championship. New Honda MotoGP boss Shuhei...

Qatar MotoGP: Nicky Hayden looking to improve communication

07 April 2009 by Matthew Birt

Nicky Hayden says it is crucial that he learns to communicate more clearly with his new Ducati squad ahead of his debut for the Bologna factory in Qatar this weekend. Get all the latest MotoGP...

Qatar MotoGP: Eurosport expert backs Valentino Rossi

07 April 2009 by Matthew Birt

Eurosport’s expert summariser James Haydon has backed Fiat Yamaha rider Valentino Rossi to retain his MotoGP world championship crown in 2009. Italian Rossi kicks off the defence and his crown and his...

Qatar MotoGP: Casey Stoner refusing to single out Valentino Rossi challenge

06 April 2009 by Matthew Birt

Casey Stoner has refused to single out Valentino Rossi as his big title threat ahead of the first MotoGP clash of 2009 in Qatar this weekend. Aussie Stoner has been in scintillating form during winter...

Qatar MotoGP: Suzuki optimistic ahead of 2009

06 April 2009 by Matthew Birt

Factory Suzuki boss Paul Denning has told MCN of his optimism at the prospects of Loris Capirossi and Chris Vermeulen becoming regular podium challengers in the 2009 MotoGP world championship. The new...

Qatar MotoGP: Jorge Lorenzo vows to cut out mistakes

06 April 2009 by Matthew Birt

Fiat Yamaha rider Jorge Lorenzo has vowed to cut out the big mistakes in 2009 that cost him so dearly in his rookie MotoGP world championship campaign. Large parts of his maiden campaign were spent...

Qatar MotoGP: Nicky Hayden backs Casey Stoner’s title tilt

06 April 2009 by Matthew Birt

Nicky Hayden has backed new factory Ducati team-mate Casey Stoner to mount a serious challenge to regain the MotoGP world crown in 2009. Looking ahead to the season’s opening race under Qatar’s...

Qatar MotoGP: Colin Edwards confident for 2009

06 April 2009 by Matthew Birt

Monster Yamaha Tech 3 rider Colin Edwards has backed himself to become a regular top six threat when the new MotoGP season kicks off in Qatar this weekend. The Texan has set consistent and competitive...

Qatar MotoGP: Bradley Smith hails Randy Mamola influence

06 April 2009 by Matthew Birt

British 125GP world championship hopeful Bradley Smith believes the influence of mentor and former MotoGP star Randy Mamola will be crucial ahead of his 2009 campaign. The Aspar Aprilia rider has...

Racing results round-up: April 4-5

06 April 2009 by MCN Sports Desk

Each week we will have a full list of the racing results from the previous weekend. Click on the name of the championship you wish to see the results of. WORLD SUPERBIKES, VALENCIA, SPAIN,...

World Superbikes Blog: Two Qualifiers into Three Superpoles Doesn’t Work

06 April 2009 by Michael Guy

It’s amazing how often humans decide not to do the obvious thing. Like choosing to have three segments for Superpole qualifying in the World Superbike championship, but allowing teams to have only two...

World Superbikes, Valencia: Haga Breaks the Spies Spell

05 April 2009 by Mike Nicks

Noriyuki Haga won the second race in the World Superbike Championship round at Valencia today on his Xerox Ducati, and proved decisively that the American new boy Ben Spies can be beaten on equal...

World Supersport, Valencia: Crutchlow Takes His First Win

05 April 2009 by Mike Nicks

The 23-year-old British rider Cal Crutchlow scored his first World Supersport win in only the third race of his first full season in the series when he crushed Australian Anthony West in a 23-lap...

World Superbikes, Valencia: Haslam Leads Brit Charge

05 April 2009 by Mike Nicks

With a strong ride into fifth place in the first race at Valencia, Leon Haslam continues to reign as top Brit in this year’s World Superbike championship. Noriyuki Haga leads the points table after...

World Superbikes Valencia, Race 1: Spies Falls, Haga Wins

05 April 2009 by Mike Nicks

Ben Spies reversed everyone’s assumptions about the outcome of the opening World Superbike race in Valencia when he slid gracefully off his Yamaha R1 on the tenth lap on the Ricardo Tormo circuit. The...

WSB Valencia: Shakey down but not out

05 April 2009 by Michael Guy

Shane Byrne saw his chances of a front row qualifying position disappear in Superpole 2 when he high sided his Sterilgarda spectacularly. The 33 year old Brit was on a fast lap, holding second...

World Superbikes, Valencia: Super Spies Rocks to Third Superpole

04 April 2009 by Mike Nicks

With just over five minutes of Superpole action remaining on the Ricardo Tormo circuit, the quiet American Ben Spies rolled his Yamaha out of pit lane. At the end of sector one on the 2.487-mile he...

World Supersport, Valencia: Crutchlow Blazes to Second Pole

04 April 2009 by Mike Nicks

Britain’s Cal Crutchlow scored his second pole position in three races in qualifying for tomorrow’s World Supersport race at Valencia. The 23-year-old factory Yamaha rider bounced to the front with...

Valencia WSB: Nakano out with broken collarbone

04 April 2009 by Michael Guy

Factory Aprilia rider Shinya Nakano is out of tomorrows two WSB races at Valencia after sustaining a broken collarbone during this mornings second qualifying session. Nakano’s Aprilia RSV4 engine...