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2010

Phillip Island warned over 2012 date change

14 December 2010 by Matthew Birt

Phillip Island warned over 2012 date change

Phillip Island, popular venue for the Australian MotoGP race, will be kicked off the calendar unless organisers agree to stage the race six months earlier than its normal October slot in 2012. Dorna...

Engine issues tarnished Suzuki image

14 December 2010 by Matthew Birt

Engine issues tarnished Suzuki image

Suzuki’s failure to comply with new cost-saving engine restrictions reflected badly on the Japanese factory, according to a senior race boss. In a bid to cut costs by saving engine mileage for 2010,...

Relentless still looking for Brookes’ team-mate

13 December 2010 by Gary Pinchin

Relentless still looking for Brookes’ team-mate

Relentless by TAS Suzuki boss Philip Neill is still looking to sign a second rider alongside Josh Brookes for their BSB team. Neill was on the verge of bringing Ian Lowry back to the team who finished...

Eugene Laverty is Irish Motorcyclist of the Year

13 December 2010 by Stephen Davison

Eugene Laverty is Irish Motorcyclist of the Year

Eugene Laverty has won the coveted Irish Motorcyclist of the Year award. The World Supersport runner-up edged out WSB star Jonathan Rea and Irish national road racer Ryan Farquhar. Final standings:  ...

Rea to make MotoGP testing debut in Sepang

13 December 2010 by Michael Guy

Rea to make MotoGP testing debut in Sepang

Jonathan Rea is scheduled to ride Casey Stoner’s Honda RCV212V in a two day test at Sepang starting tomorrow (Tuesday). The current Ten Kate Honda WSB rider flew from Australia to Malaysia on Sunday...

Yamaha optimistic new Ben Spies deal is close

13 December 2010 by Matthew Birt

Yamaha optimistic new Ben Spies deal is close

Yamaha bosses remain optimistic that an extended MotoGP deal for impressive American Ben Spies will be finalised in the near future. Yamaha management and representatives of Spies have been locked in...

Honda fear Jorge Lorenzo in 2011

13 December 2010 by Matthew Birt

Honda fear Jorge Lorenzo in 2011

Honda management fear the biggest threat to the Japanese factory’s bid to win the last 800cc MotoGP title in 2011 will come from Yamaha rival and reigning world champion Jorge Lorenzo. The Spaniard...

Top doctors withdraw from TT

13 December 2010 by MCN Sports Desk

Top doctors withdraw from TT

MCN has received a statement which says TT Chief Medical Officer Dr Heike Rommer and Medical Director Dr Stevens will not be involved in the 2011 TT, but will continue to work at the 2011 Manx GP. The...

Guy Martin tests Relentless Suzuki

13 December 2010 by Gary Pinchin

Guy Martin tests Relentless Suzuki

TT hero Guy Martin completed his first test with the Relentless by TAS Suzuki team at Almeria on Sunday, completing over 90 laps on their 2010 TT superbike. In bright sunshine and 20-degree...

Star line-up for Sheffield Indoor trial

10 December 2010 by Gary Pinchin

Star line-up for Sheffield Indoor trial

International trials riders Dougie Lampkin, Toni Bou, Adam Raga and Jeroni Fajardo headline the Sheffield Indoor Trial on January 8, 2011. Five of the sport’s leading lights have switched camps this...

Baz and Westmoreland testing in Spain

10 December 2010 by Gary Pinchin

New Motorpoint Yamaha signing Loris Baz and prospective team-mate James Westmoreland are testing at Cartagena today. Baz is a confirmed runner with the team for next year’s British Superbike championship but Westmoreland is having a try out on the R1 before any decisions are reached. Team boss Rob McElnea said: “We’ve got some time at a track day to give both of them a run-out on the bikes before...

Positive shakedown test for BMW Motorrad Italia at Portimao

10 December 2010 by Michael Guy

Positive shakedown test for BMW Motorrad Italia at Portimao

The BMW Motorrad Italia team of James Toseland and Ayrton Badovini finally enjoyed some dry track time in Portimao toady where they begun their first shakedown test of their new S1000RR’s which the...

Hopkins to BSB rumours: The facts

10 December 2010 by Gary Pinchin

Hopkins to BSB rumours: The facts

Crescent Suzuki have admitted they are courting former MotoGP star John Hopkins to race in BSB next year. Rumours that the American may ride for Crescent Suzuki in BSB next year surfaced on the web...

Plater and Lowes to ride indoor shorttrack

09 December 2010 by Gary Pinchin

Plater and Lowes to ride indoor shorttrack

British Supersport champion Sam Lowes and recent Honda TT Legends World Endurance signing Steve Plater are just two of the top names lined up to race in the Braintree Bonanza indoor short track...

Toseland’s Portimao test delayed by mudslides

09 December 2010 by Michael Guy

Toseland’s Portimao test delayed by mudslides

The BMW Motorrad Italia team of James Toseland and Aryton Badovini have been forced to sit out of their scheduled test at Portimao this morning after a heavy storm caused mudslides at the Portuguese...

Ducati ponders seven-bike entry in 2012

08 December 2010 by Matthew Birt

Ducati ponders seven-bike entry in 2012

Ducati could extend its involvement in the new look 1000cc four-stroke MotoGP world championship to seven bikes in 2012. The Bologna factory will field six bikes in 2011 having agreed to lease a GP11...

Laverty: “I could have been even faster”

08 December 2010 by Michael Guy

Laverty: “I could have been even faster”

In last weeks WSB test at Phillip Island Eugene Laverty topped the time sheets beating Max Biaggi, Leon Camier and Marco Melandri in the process. His performance and progress since jumping on the...

New approach crucial to Jorge Lorenzo’s success

07 December 2010 by Matthew Birt

New approach crucial to Jorge Lorenzo’s success

A calmer approach and revised strategy proved crucial in helping Jorge Lorenzo become only the second Spanish rider in history to capture the MotoGP title in 2010. The 23-year-old was a model of...

Alex Criville warns Honda against major changes

07 December 2010 by Matthew Birt

Alex Criville warns Honda against major changes

Former world champion Alex Criville has warned Honda not to make radical winter changes to its factory RC212V contender to help Dani Pedrosa win the last 800cc MotoGP title in 2011. Criville said...

Niall Mackenzie’s son lands 125GP ride

06 December 2010 by Matthew Birt

Niall Mackenzie’s son lands 125GP ride

Kenny Roberts and Kenny Roberts Junior, Graziano and Valentino Rossi and Ron and Leon Haslam are all father and sons to have raced in the Grand Prix world championship. Now Niall and Taylor Mackenzie...

Cal Crutchlow starts rehab after shoulder surgery

06 December 2010 by Matthew Birt

Cal Crutchlow starts rehab after shoulder surgery

Cal Crutchlow has started the long rehabilitation process after he underwent successful surgery on a long-standing left shoulder injury in Manchester last week. The Coventry rider needed tendon and...

Jerry Burgess expects big Honda challenge

06 December 2010 by Matthew Birt

Jerry Burgess expects big Honda challenge

Jerry Burgess reckons Honda could pose the most serious threat to Valentino Rossi’s hopes of winning the MotoGP crown at the first attempt with Ducati in 2011. The Aussie, who is currently in Bologna...

Bradley Smith destroys Moto2 bike in test crash

03 December 2010 by Matthew Birt

Bradley Smith destroys Moto2 bike in test crash

Bradley Smith escaped unhurt but destroyed a Tech 3 Racing Moto2 machine as he took part in a freezing cold and wet testing double-header in Spain earlier this week. The 20-year-old braved chilly...

Casey Stoner backs four-rider Honda assault

03 December 2010 by Matthew Birt

Casey Stoner backs four-rider Honda assault

Casey Stoner has dismissed concerns that Honda might struggle to give equal support to its quartet of factory riders in 2011. Stoner will ride with Dani Pedrosa and Andrea Dovizioso in the factory HRC...

Me and Cameron Donald

02 December 2010 by Richard Thorne

Me and Cameron Donald

Me and Cameron Donald at the Isle of Man. He was more than happy to have this photo taken.

Jorge Lorenzo expects strong challenge from Ben Spies

02 December 2010 by Matthew Birt

Jorge Lorenzo expects strong challenge from Ben Spies

MotoGP world champion Jorge Lorenzo is expecting new factory Yamaha team-mate Ben Spies to pose a major threat in the 2011 premier class series. Spies will join the 23-year-old next year after the...

Padgetts sign Anstey

02 December 2010 by Gary Pinchin

Padgetts sign Anstey

Padgetts of Batley have signed Bruce Anstey for the three major international road races in 2011. The veteran TT star was cut loose after several years with the Relentless by TAS team but now returns...

Antonio Banderas team quits Moto2

02 December 2010 by Matthew Birt

Antonio Banderas team quits Moto2

The Moto2 team supported by Hollywood star Antonio Banderas has collapsed, leaving former 125GP world champion Gabor Talmacsi and American Kenny Noyes without a ride for 2011. Title sponsor Jack &...

Cameron Donald signs for Wilson Craig

01 December 2010 by Gary Pinchin

Cameron Donald signs for Wilson Craig

Australian Cameron Donald has signed to race for Wilson Craig in next year’s international road races.
  The Australian left Relentless Suzuki by TAS Racing only a week ago by mutual consent, less...

Danny Webb secures 125GP ride with new Indian manufacturer

01 December 2010 by Matthew Birt

Danny Webb secures 125GP ride with new Indian manufacturer

Danny Webb will contest the last 125GP world championship next season and first ever Moto3 four-stroke series in 2012 for the Indian-based Mahindra and Mahindra squad. The British rider has agreed a a...

Cal Crutchlow to undergo shoulder surgery

01 December 2010 by Matthew Birt

Cal Crutchlow to undergo shoulder surgery

Cal Crutchlow is facing a race to be fit for the opening MotoGP test of 2011 having been due to undergo identical shoulder surgery to Valentino Rossi in Manchester today (Wednesday). The British rider...

Xaus tops day two of testing in Portimao

30 November 2010 by Michael Guy

New Ten Kate Honda signing Ruben Xaus finished the second day of testing at Portimao at the top of the time sheets with an accomplished and convincing wet weather riding performance. The 32 year old Spaniard completed a massive 114 laps in fully wet conditions with a best time of 1m 55.8s. It’s clear that Xaus has impressed his new team with his enthusiasm and commitment to understand his new...

Loris Capirossi expects Suzuki development to suffer in 2011

30 November 2010 by Matthew Birt

Loris Capirossi expects Suzuki development to suffer in 2011

Loris Capirossi reckons Suzuki will slip even further behind successful rivals Honda, Yamaha and Ducati by cutting its involvement in MotoGP next season to just one bike. The Japanese factory will...

McGuinness and Amor to miss NW200?

30 November 2010 by Gary Pinchin

McGuinness and Amor to miss NW200?

Race fans in Northern Ireland have been shocked to hear that John McGuinness and Keith Amor may be forced to miss the 2011 North West 200. The race on May 21 clashes with the second round of the World...

Toseland gets first taste of BMW

29 November 2010 by Michael Guy

Toseland gets first taste of BMW

James Toseland has completed his first ever laps onboard the BMW S1000RR at a wet and cold Portimao this morning. The two time WSB champion rode the BMW test team’s bike in preparation for his future...

Ben Spies closing in on new Yamaha contract

29 November 2010 by Matthew Birt

Ben Spies closing in on new Yamaha contract

Ben Spies is closing in on an extension to his current factory Yamaha MotoGP contract. Talks about extending the Texan’s current deal have been in progress for a number of weeks with Spies and Yamaha...