February | Page 2

Lowes sets pace in World Supersport testing

18 February 2013 by Michael Guy

Sam Lowes got his pre-season testing campaign off to a perfect start by setting the fastest time of the day onboard his Yakhnich Motorsport Yamaha R6. The 21-year-old set a best lap of 1.39.950 to pip...

Camier tops the timesheets again in Phillip Island

18 February 2013 by Michael Guy

The first day of official World Superbike testing concluded today with Britain’s Leon Camier picking up where he left off in last week’s private testing by setting the overall fastest time. The Fixi...

Michael Laverty eager to try new PBM chassis

18 February 2013 by Matthew Birt

Michael Laverty is hoping to get in some critical development mileage on the new British-built PBM chassis he will race in his rookie MotoGP campaign when winter testing resumes in Sepang next...

Who do you think is going to be the top Brit in WSB, 2013?

18 February 2013 by MCN

The Brits dominated the official WSB test at Phillip Island last week, taking the top four spots. But who will be the top Brit in 2013? pollcomment

Will Rossi win the championship?

18 February 2013 by MCN

Valentino Rossi made an impressive return to Yamaha at the Sepang test in Malaysia last week, but will he win the Championship? pollcomment

Honda open to Casey Stoner wild card deal in 2013

18 February 2013 by Matthew Birt

Honda has said it would give serious consideration to offering Casey Stoner the opportunity to step out of retirement and race in at least two MotoGP rounds in 2013. There has been speculation that...

Tech 3 and Yamaha keen on extending MotoGP relationship

18 February 2013 by Matthew Birt

The French-based Tech 3 squad that will run an all-British line-up of Cal Crutchlow and Bradley Smith in 2013 will seek to extend its long and successful relationship with Yamaha beyond the current...

Silverstone switches paddock for British MotoGP round

15 February 2013 by Matthew Birt

Silverstone’s multi-million pound The Wing pit and paddock complex will not be used for this year’s British MotoGP round in early September. After consulting with MotoGP management and taking on board feedback from fans, Silverstone has decided to move MotoGP back to the National Paddock. In a statement released by the Northamptonshire track, it said bike racing fans preferred to get closer to the...

Scott Redding seventh in first Moto2 showdown

15 February 2013 by Matthew Birt

British rider Scott Redding ended the first pre-season test for the 2013 Moto2 world championship in Valencia by setting the seventh fastest time in a three-day session dominated by Spanish...

Sykes diagnosed with fractured radius

14 February 2013 by Michael Guy

Tom Sykes has suffered a fractured radius in a testing crash at Phillip Island today. The 27 year old factory Kawasaki rider crashed six laps into the opening session of day one of testing. A team insider told MCN: “The crash was completely unexpected. Tom wasn’t pushing and after studying the data we can see that he did absolutely nothing different to the lap before, but on this lap the rear cane...

WSB Phillip Island test – Day 1 – Laverty leads the way, Sykes suffers finger injury

14 February 2013 by Michael Guy

The first round of testing got underway at Phillip Island today with factory Aprilia man Eugene Laverty taking first blood to top the timesheets at the end of day one. The 26 year old Irishman set a...

Michael Laverty shocked at prototype/CRT speed gap

13 February 2013 by Matthew Birt

Michael Laverty reckons of the biggest surprises he got during an impressive MotoGP debut in Malaysia last week was the speed difference between factory prototype machinery like Honda’s RC213V and the...

Danny Webb happy with Suter-Honda debut

13 February 2013 by Matthew Birt

British rider Danny Webb was pleased with his progress on the opening day of Moto3 testing at a cool and windy Valencia track yesterday. Making his official debut for the Italian-based Ambrogio Racing...

Scott Redding fourth as Moto2 testing commences

13 February 2013 by Matthew Birt

British rider Scott Redding enjoyed a positive start to the 2013 Moto2 winter testing campaign by setting the fourth fastest time behind Spanish trio Nicolas Terol, Julian Simon and Pol Espargaro in...

Cal Crutchlow: MotoGP better with competitive Valentino Rossi

12 February 2013 by Matthew Birt

Monster Yamaha Tech 3 rider Cal Crutchlow believes the MotoGP world championship will be a greater spectacle for everybody with Valentino Rossi challenging for victories in 2013. The Italian quickly...

Video: David Knight last to first in Barcelona SuperEnduro race

12 February 2013 by Michael Guy

Three time world Enduro champion David Knight took a stunning race win in the Barcelona SuperEnduro round on Sunday. The 34 year old Honda rider stormed from the back of the grid to force his way past...

Bradley Smith gets insight into Jorge Lorenzo’s talent

12 February 2013 by Matthew Birt

Yamaha’s open policy on data sharing among its four riders in 2013 is already proving a huge benefit to rookie Bradley Smith. The British rider can compare his data with reigning world champion Jorge...

Aspar open to Suzuki talks for 2014

12 February 2013 by Matthew Birt

The Spanish-based Aspar squad has said it would welcome the opportunity to speak to Suzuki about the prospect of running the Japanese factory’s new 1000cc MotoGP project in 2014. Suzuki plans to...

Chaz Davies aims for more WSB victories in 2013

11 February 2013 by Matthew Birt

Chaz Davies is confident he can build on his impressive first season in the World Superbike championship by adding more victories when the 2013 campaign gets underway in Australia later this month.

Yamaha boss: No question Rossi will be competitive in 2013

11 February 2013 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi’s impressive return to Yamaha’s factory YZR-M1 in Malaysia last week is proof that the Italian will be a major force again in the MotoGP world championship. That’s the view of Yamaha...

Leon Haslam: Sykes, Melandri and Laverty WSB title favourites

11 February 2013 by Matthew Birt

Ten Kate Honda rider Leon Haslam believes Tom Sykes, Marco Melandri and Eugene Laverty will kick off the new World Superbike season in Australia later this month as the main title contenders. Last...

Valentino Rossi praises ‘perfect’ Jorge Lorenzo

11 February 2013 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi has paid a glowing tribute to reigning MotoGP world champion and 2013 factory Yamaha teammate Jorge Lorenzo after being reunited with the Spaniard for the start of winter testing in...

Video: Repsol Honda complete Sepang test

08 February 2013 by Sports Desk

Hear from Repsol Honda riders Dani Pedrosa and marc marquez following the first test of 2013 in this video from the team. Pedrosa topped the time sheets, while rookie Marquez was the talk of the test...

Michael Laverty makes stunning MotoGP debut in Sepang

08 February 2013 by Matthew Birt

Few people would have given Michael Laverty a prayer of finishing third fastest CRT rider ahead of this week’s three-day MotoGP test at the long and technical Sepang track. Yet the Irish rider...

Ben Spies plays safe in Sepang

08 February 2013 by Matthew Birt

Ben Spies opted not to ride on the final day of his long awaited Ducati debut in Sepang while he continues a long and gruelling recovery from major right shoulder surgery. The Texan arrived in...

Gino Rea loses Moto2 ride

07 February 2013 by Matthew Birt

British rider Gino Rea has been left without a ride in 2013 after the new ESGP squad abandoned plans to race in the Moto2 world championship. Rea, who scored a stunning podium in a rain-lashed...

Valentino Rossi ecstatic with Sepang speed

07 February 2013 by Mattherw Birt

Valentino Rossi could barely contain his delight after he finished the Sepang MotoGP test with the third best time on his much anticipated return to Yamaha’s factory squad. After a disastrous two-year...

Alstare Ducati unveil new WSB contender

07 February 2013 by Simon Patterson

Alstare Ducati have unveiled their 2013 colour scheme, as the Belgian-owned team become the official Ducati Corse WSB squad. The Panigale 1199 will make its World Superbike debut this year after a...

Marc Marquez shrugs off crash to star in Sepang

07 February 2013 by Matthew Birt

Marc Marquez lived up to the pre-season hype in Sepang this week after the Spanish rookie shrugged off a final day crash to set the fourth fastest time. The reigning Moto2 world champion ended with a...

Cal Crutchlow impressed by Bradley Smith in Sepang

07 February 2013 by Matthew Birt

Cal Crutchlow reckons Bradley Smith’s critics have already been proven wrong after the British rookie produced one of the most impressive performances during this week’s Sepang MotoGP test in...

Rossi and Marquez Prove Their Worth: MotoGP Session 3 Results

07 February 2013 by Steve Hunt

The opening MotoGP test session of 2013 has finished in Sepang today, with the final timesheets showing a hint of a tantalising season ahead. Dani Pedrosa drew first blood of the winter testing...

Rossi and Lorenzo eager for Yamaha gearbox upgrade

06 February 2013 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo have made it clear to Yamaha that a seamless shift gearbox could drastically help improve acceleration issues with the new 2013 factory YZR-M1. A new gearbox was high...

Bradley Smith within one second of Valentino Rossi in Sepang

06 February 2013 by Matthew Birt

Rookie Bradley Smith gave himself a huge confidence boost in Malaysia today by finishing less than a second behind nine-times world champion Valentino Rossi on the second day of MotoGP testing at the...

Cal Crutchlow: ‘2013 will be a big war’

05 February 2013 by Matthew Birt

British rider Cal Crutchlow reckons MotoGP fans will be gripped by some hard and pulsating racing in 2013 after an enthralling start to pre-season testing at the Sepang track in Malaysia today. The...

Valentino Rossi shines on factory Yamaha return

05 February 2013 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi made a brilliant return to Yamaha’s factory MotoGP squad in Malaysia today, the nine-times world champion ending the first day of 2013 pre-season testing with the fourth quickest...

Bradley Smith ready for Sepang speed rush

04 February 2013 by Matthew Birt

Bradley Smith will find out what a factory-backed MotoGP machine is capable of in Sepang tomorrow (Tuesday), as the British rider prepares to kick off his 2013 preparations by breaking the 200mph...