February

Rea delighted with Superpole front row

28 February 2009 by Michael Guy

Jonathan Rea showed his undoubted potential with an accomplished performance in Superpole to secure his place on the front row for Sunday’s two WSB races at Phillip Island. Rea secured the third...

Haslam secures impressive sixth in qualifying

28 February 2009 by Michael Guy

Leon Haslam was the surprise package of Saturday Superpole by securing sixth position for Sunday’s two 22 lap WSB races. The 25 year old Brit was consistently one of the fastest riders on track after...

Crutchlow baulked by Pitt in final qualifying

28 February 2009 by Michael Guy

Cal Crutchlow secured a place on the front row of the grid for Sunday’s opening World Supersport race at Phillip Island despite being baulked by Andrew Pitt on his fastest lap of qualifying. Crutchlow...

Foret in doubt for Phillip Island Supersport race

28 February 2009 by Michael Guy

Yamaha Supersport rider Fabien Foret could miss the opening round of the World Supersport championship at Phillip Island tomorrow following a crash in final qualifying. The Frenchman crashed within...

Phillip Island WSB: Ben Spies takes pole on debut

28 February 2009 by Liam Marsden

Yamaha rider Ben Spies smashed the lap record to take pole position on his WSB debut at Phillip Island. Spies broke the lap record – held by Troy Bayliss – by four tenths of a second with his best...

Phillip Island WSB: Superpole explained

28 February 2009 by Michael Guy

The all new World Superbike Superpole kicked off at Phillip Island today. After ten years of running the one lap Superpole shootout where the fastest 16 riders after regulation qualifying entered the...

Laverty confident for opening race

28 February 2009 by Michael Guy

Eugene Laverty will start tomorrows 21 lap race World Supersport race from fifth position after an impressive performance during final qualifying. The Parkalgar Honda rider arrived at Phillip Island...

Kawasaki to race as Hayate MotoGP in 2009

27 February 2009 by Matthew Birt

Kawasaki’s one-rider MotoGP effort for the 2009 campaign will be re-branded ‘Hayate’, MCN can exclusively reveal. Hayate means ‘Hurricane’ in Japanese and is the team name that Kawasaki’s ZX-RR will...

James Toseland eager to begin Qatar test

27 February 2009 by Matthew Birt

Tech 3 Yamaha rider James Toseland can’t wait to get back on track on Sunday night as preparations for the new MotoGP season continue in Qatar. Sunday’s opening night will be the first time Toseland...

Jorge Lorenzo backs James Toseland to bounce back in Qatar

27 February 2009 by Matthew Birt

Jorge Lorenzo reckons James Toseland will be mentally stronger as he backed the Brit to bounce back from his 125mph Sepang crash nightmare. Spaniard is an expert in bouncing back from adversity and...

Randy Mamola sad at British Eurosport exit

27 February 2009 by Matthew Birt

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 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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 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

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

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 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

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

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

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

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 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 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

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’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

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’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

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

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...