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2011

Nicky Hayden suffers fresh injury blow

30 December 2011 by Matthew Birt

Nicky Hayden suffers fresh injury blow

Nicky Hayden is facing a race to be fit for the first MotoGP test of 2012 in Sepang at the end of January after he suffered another injury blow while training two days after Christmas. The American...

Valentino Rossi has no regrets over Ducati switch

23 December 2011 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi has no regrets over Ducati switch

Valentino Rossi says he has no regrets about moving to Ducati after a tough debut season with the Bologna factory saw the Italian icon fail to claim at least one victory in a season for the first time...

Casey Stoner happy to silence Rossi and Burgess criticism

23 December 2011 by Matthew Birt

Casey Stoner happy to silence Rossi and Burgess criticism

Casey Stoner has said his domination of the 2011 MotoGP world championship was made sweeter after the criticism he faced from Valentino Rossi and Jerry Burgess when he was riding for Ducati. Stoner...

New contract for Jorge Lorenzo top priority for Yamaha

21 December 2011 by Matthew Birt

New contract for Jorge Lorenzo top priority for Yamaha

Signing Jorge Lorenzo on a new contract will be a key priority for Yamaha at the start of the 2012 MotoGP world championship campaign. The 2010 world champion is out of contract at the end of next...

Tough to let Colin Edwards leave, admits Tech 3 boss

21 December 2011 by Matthew Birt

Tough to let Colin Edwards leave, admits Tech 3 boss

Monster Yamaha Tech 3 boss Herve Poncharal has said the decision not to offer a new deal to popular American Colin Edwards for 2012 was one the toughest he’s ever had to make. The 37-year-old left...

Hutchy in BSB with Hill at Swan Yamaha

21 December 2011 by Gary Pinchin

Hutchy in BSB with Hill at Swan Yamaha

Ian Hutchinson’s fightback from career-threatening leg injuries has been rewarded with a superbike ride in the title-winning Swan Yamaha team, alongside defending champion Tommy Hill. Hutchinson had...

Steve Mercer signs to ride Ducati 1199 Panigale at 2012 TT

20 December 2011 by Liam Marsden

Steve Mercer signs to ride Ducati 1199 Panigale at 2012 TT

Road racer and part-time MCN road tester Steve Mercer has signed with Millsport Racing to ride a new Ducati 1199 Panigale at the Isle of Man TT in 2012. Mercer, who made his debut at the Mountain...

Jerry Burgess welcomes new MotoGP testing rules

19 December 2011 by Matthew Birt

Jerry Burgess welcomes new MotoGP testing rules

New MotoGP testing rules that allow factories to use their contracted riders much more in 2012 will be a major boost for Ducati, according to Valentino Rossi’s crew chief Jerry Burgess. Under previous...

Dorna gauging factory opinion on future MotoGP rules

16 December 2011 by Matthew Birt

Dorna gauging factory opinion on future MotoGP rules

Dorna boss Carmelo Ezpeleta is in the process of staging individual meetings with senior management from Honda, Yamaha and Ducati over plans to introduce radical changes to technical rules in...

21 bikes on 2012 MotoGP grid

16 December 2011 by Matthew Birt

21 bikes on 2012 MotoGP grid

At least 21 bikes, including nine 1000cc machines featuring tuned production-based engines with prototype chassis, will contest the 2012 MotoGP world championship. Next year’s grid will be made up of...

Casey Stoner energised Honda, says HRC boss

16 December 2011 by Matthew Birt

Casey Stoner energised Honda, says HRC boss

Casey Stoner’s blistering speed from the moment he made his factory Honda debut at the end of 2010 injected fresh drive and motivation inside the Japanese factory, according to HRC boss Livio...

New date for 2012 MotoGP season opener

14 December 2011 by Matthew Birt

New date for 2012 MotoGP season opener

The 2012 MotoGP world championship campaign will kick off one week earlier than anticipated after the Qatar night race was moved to April 8. The traditional season opening clash at the Losail...

Bradley Smith: ‘Marquez not unbeatable’

14 December 2011 by Matthew Birt

Bradley Smith: ‘Marquez not unbeatable’

Bradley Smith believes overwhelming 2012 Moto2 world championship favourite Marc Marquez won’t be unbeatable next season. The Spaniard will go into next season as a red-hot favourite after he won...

Chaz Davies tops off dream season by winning Wales Sports Personality of the Year

14 December 2011 by MCN

Chaz Davies tops off dream season by winning Wales Sports Personality of the Year

World Supersport Champion Chaz Davies capped off what has been a remarkable year by securing BBC Wales Sports Personality of the year. Davies clinched the accolade after a public vote some him receive...

Ducati will be stronger in 2012, vows Nicky Hayden

13 December 2011 by Matthew Birt

Ducati will be stronger in 2012, vows Nicky Hayden

Nicky Hayden believes Ducati will bounce back stronger next season after a tough 2011 saw the Bologna factory score just two podium finishes all year. Ducati’s campaign fell well below expectations...

Lorenzo boss: ‘Casey Stoner took Honda to another level’

13 December 2011 by Matthew Birt

Lorenzo boss: ‘Casey Stoner took Honda to another level’

The talent of Casey Stoner lifted the performance of Honda’s factory RC212V machine to a new level in 2011, according to Jorge Lorenzo’s Yamaha boss Wilco Zeelenberg. Zeelenberg reckons Honda’s 2011...

Beech signs for Blackhorse Kawasaki

09 December 2011 by Laura Stevens

Beech signs for Blackhorse Kawasaki

Blackhorse Kawasaki have signed Triumph Triple Challenge race winner Ashley Beech and Victor Cox for their Metzeler National Superstock 1000 campaign next season. Beech finished fourth in the Triumph...

Coghlan in British Supersport with Appleyard R6

09 December 2011 by MCN Sportsdesk

Coghlan in British Supersport with Appleyard R6

Team Appleyard Macadam have signed Scot Kevin Coghlan to race in British Supersport alongside existing team regular Deane Brown. Coghlan comes to the Appleyard team after three very successful seasons...

Burgess: Valentino Rossi still fast enough to win in MotoGP

09 December 2011 by Matthew Birt

Burgess: Valentino Rossi still fast enough to win in MotoGP

Valentino Rossi has not lost his winning touch and with a competitive bike could still be challenging Casey Stoner and Jorge Lorenzo at the front in MotoGP. That’s the view of the 32-year-old’s...

FTR-Honda MotoGP bike ready for February

09 December 2011 by Matthew Birt

FTR-Honda MotoGP bike ready for February

A new 1000cc MotoGP bike using a British-built FTR chassis and a tuned Honda CBR1000RR engine will be ready for shakedown testing in February. But the bike that is being raced by Fausto Gresini’s...

Jessopp WSS switch to PTR Honda

07 December 2011 by Gary Pinchin

Jessopp WSS switch to PTR Honda

Martin Jessopp has blamed the BSB change of rules to a spec Motec ECU for his decision to quit the British series and sign for the PTR Honda team alongside Sam Lowes in World Supersport. The...

Seeley back in BSB with Tyco Suzuki

07 December 2011 by Gary Pinchin

Seeley back in BSB with Tyco Suzuki

British Supersport champion Alastair Seeley finally signed on the dotted line to race in BSB next year for the Tyco TAS Suzuki team. After Seeley wrapped up the BSB title last year, it was assumed he...

Marc Marquez: “I’d love to race Rossi.”

07 December 2011 by Matthew Birt

Marc Marquez: “I’d love to race Rossi.”

Teenage Spanish star Marc Marquez hopes Valentino Rossi doesn’t walk away from MotoGP at the end of 2012. Marquez will stay in Moto2 next year having been linked with a Honda MotoGP ride at the end of...

Tech 3 to build MotoGP chassis

06 December 2011 by Matthew Birt

Tech 3 to build MotoGP chassis

Cal Crutchlow’s Tech 3 MotoGP squad will design and build a chassis for a new 1000cc MotoGP bike that could be raced as early as 2013. The French-based squad will commence work on developing its own...

Michele Pirro to ride Gresini-FTR 1000cc MotoGP bike

05 December 2011 by Matthew Birt

Michele Pirro to ride Gresini-FTR 1000cc MotoGP bike

Fausto Gresini has confirmed that Michele Pirro will be promoted from his Moto2 squad to ride a new Honda CBR1000RR-powered MotoGP machine in 2012. The new machine will form part of the new CRT rules...

Video: 2011 Macau Grand Prix highlights

30 November 2011 by MCN

Video: 2011 Macau Grand Prix highlights

Ducati rider Michael Rutter became the most successful Macau Grand Prix rider in history when he took his seventh victory at the street circuit on 20th November. To claim the record Rutter had to...

Laverty talks about his first Aprilia crash

30 November 2011 by Michael Guy

Laverty talks about his first Aprilia crash

Eugene Laverty suffered his first crash onboard his factory Aprilia at Portimao yesterday  – and it was a big one. The 25 year old Irishman who finished the day second fastest had a huge high side on...

Colin Edwards experience vital for Suter/BMW project

30 November 2011 by Matthew Birt

Colin Edwards experience vital for Suter/BMW project

Colin Edwards and his wealth of experience will be an invaluable asset to help the new Suter/BMW 1000cc MotoGP project develop at a fast rate. That’s the opinion of Swiss chassis designer Eskil Suter,...

Haslam from Laverty on day two at Portimao

29 November 2011 by Michael Guy

Leon Haslam maintained his position at the top of the time sheets after posting a 1, 43.2s lap time – 0.4 faster than his day one best. The BMW Motorrad rider continued to work through chassis and electronic changes onboard his 2012 spec S1000RR. “It’s been another good day, I was able to reduce my average time on the hard tyre and then when we used the softer tyre I went quicker even though I...

Haslam and BMW in control on day one at Portimao test

28 November 2011 by Michael Guy

Haslam and BMW in control on day one at Portimao test

BMW Motorrad rider Leon Haslam ended day one of the three day test at Portimao at the top of the time sheets. The 28 year old completed 56 laps and set a 1.43.6s best shortly before the circuit closed...

Aspar confirms Aprilia deal for 2012

28 November 2011 by Matthew Birt

Aspar confirms Aprilia deal for 2012

Spain’s high-profile Aspar squad has officially confirmed it plans to race in the 2012 MotoGP world championship with an Aprilia RSV4-powered 1000cc project. The team has also confirmed the signing of...

Scott Redding thrilled with Kalex race simulation

28 November 2011 by Matthew Birt

Scott Redding thrilled with Kalex race simulation

Scott Redding might have topped the Moto2 timesheets in Jerez last week but the highly-rated British teenager was also thrilled with a final day race simulation on the new Kalex chassis. A best lap of...

Gone, but never forgotten

25 November 2011 by Russell Hunter

Gone, but never forgotten

British GP, Silverstone 2011. I was cold, I was wet and felt a touch miserable. Then, coming down the Wellington Straight was a white screaming blur. The rider’s head was down, his throttle was wide...

Colin Edwards: “We’ve got a huge to do list”

25 November 2011 by Matthew Birt

Colin Edwards: “We’ve got a huge to do list”

Colin Edwards ended his debut test on the Forward Racing Suter/BMW in Jerez yesterday admitting the new 1000cc project needs major improvements ahead of the 2012 world championship campaign. The Texan...

WSB make history with 10 year deal to race in Russia

25 November 2011 by Michael Guy

WSB make history with 10 year deal to race in Russia

The World Superbike Championship will embark on a new era after announcing a ten year deal with Yakhnick Motorsport to bring WSB to Russia. The first race at the new Moscow Raceway circuit takes place...

Scott Redding remains on top in Jerez

25 November 2011 by Matthew Birt

Scott Redding remains on top in Jerez

Scott Redding continued his fast form at the Jerez Moto2 test yesterday when he remained on top of the timesheets at the end of the second day. The 18-year-old matched his best lap of 1.42.9 set on...