2011

Indy MotoGP: Ducati far away from victory challenge, says Valentino Rossi

26 August 2011 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi reckons Ducati is still nowhere near challenging for MotoGP victories in 2011 as he prepares for this weekend’s Indianapolis round in America. Rossi has no new updates for his...

Indy MotoGP: Ben Spies hopeful on neck fitness

26 August 2011 by Matthew Birt

Ben Spies is hopeful a trapped nerve in his neck won’t hurt his bid for a second successive podium finish in his home race at Indianapolis this weekend. Spies rode throughout the Brno race weekend...

Elena Myers tests factory Suzuki MotoGP bike

26 August 2011 by Matthew Birt

Elena Myers, the first female racer in history to win an AMA Pro road race last year, completed a handful of laps on Suzuki’s factory GSV-R at the legendary Indianapolis track yesterday...

Indy MotoGP: Casey Stoner eyes seven podiums to finish 2011

26 August 2011 by Matthew Birt

Casey Stoner has targeted extending his career best rostrum run in MotoGP until the end of the 2011 world championship campaign. The Australian’s outstanding form in his first season as a factory...

Hopkins withdrawn from Cadwell BSB

24 August 2011 by Gary Pinchin

Samsung Crescent Racing has confirmed that John Hopkins will not ride at Cadwell Park this weekend, the ninth round of the 2011 British Superbike Championship. The injury to his right hand is healing...

Yamaha breaks silence on Japanese Grand Prix

24 August 2011 by Matthew Birt

Yamaha has finally broken its silence on the re-scheduled Japanese Grand Prix, and senior management have confirmed they expect Jorge Lorenzo and Ben Spies to attend the Twin Ring Motegi race on...

No morale issue at Ducati, says Nicky Hayden

24 August 2011 by Matthew Birt

Nicky Hayden says morale inside Ducati’s factory MotoGP camp hasn’t suffered, despite a bitterly disappointing 2011 world championship campaign. American Hayden and team-mate Valentino Rossi have...

Colin Edwards poised for Forward Racing 2012 deal?

24 August 2011 by Matthew Birt

Colin Edwards insists he’s not been put off riding for a new private team in MotoGP after confirming to MCN he could ride a highly-tuned BMW S1000RR-powered machine in 2012. MCN has learned Edwards...

Valentino Rossi anticipating difficult Indianapolis weekend

23 August 2011 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi is anticipating another difficult race in Indianapolis this weekend, despite recent improvements to the performance of his factory Ducati GP11.1 machine. The Italian used new front-end...

Lorenzo boss: ‘Jorge will never give up’

23 August 2011 by Matthew Birt

Jorge Lorenzo’s factory Yamaha boss Wilco Zeelenberg says the Spaniard will never give up fighting to retain the MotoGP world title until it is mathematically impossible to defeat Honda rival Casey...

Yamaha would welcome Eugene Laverty into MotoGP

23 August 2011 by Matthew Birt

One of Yamaha’s senior MotoGP bosses has said he would have no objections to the Tech 3 Yamaha squad selecting Eugene Laverty for its 2012 MotoGP world championship line-up. Laverty is a leading...

Honda still finalising 2012 strategy

23 August 2011 by Matthew Birt

Honda is still in the process of finalising its 2012 MotoGP line-up with HRC facing pressure to make drastic cuts to its racing budget next season. The impact of the devastating earthquake and tsunami...

Meeting Guy at the TT!

23 August 2011 by Magda Zarek

This year my Dad took me to the TT for the first time and my goal was to meet Guy Martin. I managed to achieve this goal, although it wasn’t easy. I waited for Guy forfour hours but it paid off as I...

TT 2011: What the riders really thought...

23 August 2011 by MCN Sport

In this incredible behind the scenes footage, Guy Martin, Cameron Donald, John McGuinness and Bruce Anstey are caught on camera discussing the abandonment of the second Supersport race during the 2011...

Valentino Rossi still motivated for Ducati challenge

22 August 2011 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi is still fully motivated and relishing the tough challenge of turning Ducati’s struggling Desmosedici into a MotoGP world championship challenger. That’s the view of the Italian’s...

Honda expects Casey Stoner to race in Japan

22 August 2011 by Matthew Birt

Honda has once again made it clear it expects all of its factory-contracted riders, including world championship leader Casey Stoner, to attend the re-scheduled Japanese MotoGP round in early...

MCN Sport: The Question

19 August 2011 by MCN

John Hopkins determined to win BSB title after Brno

19 August 2011 by Matthew Birt

John Hopkins reckons the crushing disappointment of missing the Czech Republic MotoGP race last weekend through injury has only reinforced his determination to capture the BSB title for the Samsung...

Nicky Hayden expects wait for Ducati front-end mods

19 August 2011 by Matthew Birt

Nicky Hayden says he’s got no idea when he will get his chance to race new front-end parts that proved a big breakthrough for Valentino Rossi in Brno last weekend. A vague front-end feeling and an...

Valentino Rossi and Ducati hint at aluminium chassis switch

18 August 2011 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi and Ducati technical boss Filippo Preziosi have both dropped strong hints that the Bologna factory is seriously contemplating a drastic change in philosophy by switching to a...

Casey Stoner thrilled with 2011 form

18 August 2011 by Matthew Birt

Casey Stoner has denied he’s exceeding his pre-season expectations in 2011, but the Australian hailed his campaign so far as ‘fantastic’ after he took victory in six out of the opening 11 races. The...

Yamaha rue Jorge Lorenzo’s wrong tyre choice in Brno

18 August 2011 by Matthew Birt

Jorge Lorenzo’s factory Yamaha team boss Wilco Zeelenberg has admitted the Spaniard’s front tyre gamble in Brno last weekend dealt a big blow to his hopes of successfully defending the MotoGP world...

Honda test at Cadwell Park

18 August 2011 by Gary Pinchin

Ryuichi Kiyonari began a two-day test at Cadwell yesterday in a bid to turn around his fortunes on the HM Plant Honda.  After his disappointing performance in the last BSB round at Brands Hatch, the...

Tech 3 Yamaha keen on Eugene Laverty

17 August 2011 by Matthew Birt

Monster Yamaha Tech 3 boss Herve Poncharal has confirmed he is interested in signing Eugene Laverty for the 2012 MotoGP world championship. Laverty travelled to Brno last week for talks with the...

Nicky Hayden to switch to Ducati GP11.1 at Indianapolis

17 August 2011 by Matthew Birt

Nicky Hayden will switch to Ducati’s new GP11.1 Desmosedici machine for his home race in Indianapolis next week after a successful one-day test session at the Brno circuit earlier this week. The...

Win a VIP experience at Cadwell Park with Swan Yamaha!

17 August 2011 by MCN

The MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship will intensify at Cadwell Park this August Bank Holiday Monday (29 August) for the Title Fighter decider and you could experience it with Swan,...

Jorge Lorenzo to use updated Yamaha engine in Indianapolis

17 August 2011 by Matthew Birt

Jorge Lorenzo’s bid to overturn a 32-point deficit on MotoGP title rival Casey Stoner will get a boost in Indianapolis next week with the Spaniard to use an updated Yamaha YZR-M1 engine. The reigning...

220mph MotoGP bikes not dangerously fast, say Rossi and Stoner

16 August 2011 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi and Casey Stoner reckon the predicted top speeds of close to 220mph from the new generation 1000cc bikes won’t make MotoGP too dangerous. Reigning world champion Jorge Lorenzo said he...

Casey Stoner: "I expected to be faster"

16 August 2011 by Matthew Birt

Casey Stoner admitted he expected to be slightly faster during his second test appearance on board Honda’s new RC213V 1000cc MotoGP bike at the Brno circuit in the Czech Republic yesterday. The...

Ben Spies praises Yamaha after 1000cc debut

16 August 2011 by Matthew Birt

Ben Spies praised the Yamaha engineering group after he made a fast debut on the Japanese factory’s new 1000cc machine in Brno yesterday. The 2009 World Superbike champion ended with a best time of...

Jorge Lorenzo impressed by potential of new Yamaha

16 August 2011 by Matthew Birt

Jorge Lorenzo got a pleasant surprise in Brno yesterday when the Spaniard made an impressive debut on Yamaha’s new 1000cc MotoGP bike. The reigning world champion was immediately fast and competitive...

Valentino Rossi surprised by new Yamaha 1000 pace

16 August 2011 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi says the big surprise of yesterday’s Brno test was the performance of Yamaha’s new 1000cc MotoGP bike. The YZR-M1 800cc replacement was fast immediately out of the crate with reigning...

Ulster GP

16 August 2011 by Hutch76

Here is my fiancé Janine with Michael Dunlop pre-race at the Ulster GP last weekend. It was our first time to a road race and we loved every second, made even more special by the fact we covered 800...

Brno MotoGP: Valentino Rossi buoyed by Ducati progress

15 August 2011 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi and Ducati are quietly confident that new front-end changes to the Italian’s factory GP11.1 will bring him closer to mounting a consistent challenge for podium finishes in the final...

Michael Dunlop’s Ulster treble

15 August 2011 by Gary Pinchin

Michael Dunlop had never won an Ulster Grand Prix going into this year’s event – but he left the Dundrod course on Saturday evening after being proclaimed the Man of the Meeting after three...

Brno MotoGP: Jorge Lorenzo hoping for new engine boost

15 August 2011 by Matthew Birt

Jorge Lorenzo is hoping a new YZR-M1 800cc motor he will test in Brno today (Monday) will help lift his spirits after his bid to successfully defend the MotoGP world crown suffered a major blow in the...