April

Year: 2014

Month: April

Bridgestone surprised by COTA front tyre issues

16 April 2014 by Matthew Birt

Bridgestone surprised by COTA front tyre issues

Bridgestone has admitted it did not expect to see such major front tyre issues during last Sunday’s Circuit of the Americas MotoGP clash in Texas. Several riders reported excessive wear on the right...

Yamaha: No chassis support for Forward in 2015

16 April 2014 by Matthew Birt

Yamaha will insist on Aleix Espargaro’s Forward Racing squad building its own chassis for the 2015 MotoGP world championship. The Italian-based squad has been allowed to start 2014 with a YZR-M1 chassis and swingarm package, while it developed its own frame to race in the future. Yamaha’s foray into the new Open category was only ever meant to include a leasing deal for its YZR-M1 engine, at a...

Nicky Hayden in dark on RCV1000R upgrades

16 April 2014 by Matthew Birt

Nicky Hayden in dark on RCV1000R upgrades

Nicky Hayden has admitted he has no idea when his underpowered production Honda RCV1000R machine will be given a performance upgrade in 2014. Hayden’s Spanish-based Aspar squad recently admitted the...

Valentino Rossi: ‘I’m a big fan of Jack Miller’

16 April 2014 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi: ‘I’m a big fan of Jack Miller’

Valentino Rossi’s Circuit of the Americas race day wasn’t a total disaster after the Italian slumped to a lowly eighth position with severe front tyre issues in the Texas MotoGP clash. The 35-year-old...

Watch the 2014 Isle of Man TT launch!

15 April 2014 by Simon Patterson

Watch the 2014 Isle of Man TT launch!

The Isle of Man TT press launch is live tonight at 7.30pm, with a whole host of TT stars in the Island’s Villa Marina theatre for the event. You can tune in live below, and hear what the top stars...

Texas MotoGP: Marquez wins, Dovi on the podium, Cal injured in dramatic Texas race

13 April 2014 by Simon Patterson

Texas MotoGP: Marquez wins, Dovi on the podium, Cal injured in dramatic Texas race

Marc Marquez has stormed to victory with ease at the Circuit of the Americas, in a race where he was overshadowed by the action taking place behind him, as drama unfolded across the grid; the reigning...

Breaking news: Crutchlow breaks hand in Texan crash

13 April 2014 by Simon Patterson

Breaking news: Crutchlow breaks hand in Texan crash

Cal Crutchlow has crashed out of the second round of the MotoGP championship, tangling with his machine and suffering a badly broken right hand in the process. The Brit suffered all race with...

Texas Moto2: Vinales steps up with first win

13 April 2014 by Simon Patterson

Texas Moto2: Vinales steps up with first win

Reigning Moto3 world champion Maverick Vinales has taken his first victory in the Moto2 class on only his second race in the class, controlling a crash-strewn damp race from the front to take victory...

Texas Moto3: Miller takes well deserved second victory in a row

13 April 2014 by Simon Patterson

Texas Moto3: Miller takes well deserved second victory in a row

Jack Miller has taken a well deserved victory in the Moto3 class at the Circuit of the Americas, but the Aussie didn’t have it all his own way as he takes back to back GP wins. Miller led from flag to...

Aragon WSB: Sykes wins from hard charging Melandri

13 April 2014 by Simon Patterson

Aragon WSB: Sykes wins from hard charging Melandri

Tom Sykes has fought off a charging Marco Melandri and teammate Loris Baz to take a double victory at Motorland Aragon in the second race of the weekend, after a frantic last lap battle. Sykes led for...

Aragon WSS: Coghlan denied win by Cluzel collision

13 April 2014 by Simon Patterson

Aragon WSS: Coghlan denied win by Cluzel collision

Scotsman Kev Coghlan has been denied his first ever win in the World Supersport class after being knocked off his machine while in the lead with only two laps remaining, after Jules Cluzel left his...

Aragon WSB: Sykes delivers masterclass in race one

13 April 2014 by Simon Patterson

Aragon WSB: Sykes delivers masterclass in race one

The Kawasaki Racing Team have delivered a masterclass in winning in the opening race of the day at Aragon, with Tom Sykes and Loris Baz delivering a one-two by over eight seconds from third...

Texas Moto2: Late lap leaves Rabat on pole

12 April 2014 by Simon Patterson

Texas Moto2: Late lap leaves Rabat on pole

Tito Rabat has taken pole position at Austin with a late fast lap, butting in a 2″10.13 lap at the chequered flag to knock Johann Zarco off the top spot he’d held for most of the session. Rabat,...

Texas MotoGP: Marquez demoralises opposition and blows away lap record for pole

12 April 2014 by Simon Patterson

Texas MotoGP: Marquez demoralises opposition and blows away lap record for pole

Marc Marquez has demoralised his opposition after blitzing them in qualifying for the second race of the year at the Circuit of the Americas in Texas, setting a lap time over a quarter of a second...

Texas Moto3: Miller demolishes opposition on way to first pole

12 April 2014 by Simon Patterson

Texas Moto3: Miller demolishes opposition on way to first pole

Jack Miller has topped the timesheets to start the second race of the 2014 season on pole on his Red Bull Ajo KTM, after demolishing the opposition by nearly half a secons with his 2’16.342...

Aragon WSS: Coghlan takes first ever pole

12 April 2014 by Simon Patterson

Aragon WSS: Coghlan takes first ever pole

Scottish rider Kev Coghlan has taken his first ever pole position in World Supersport, taking his DMC Panavto Yamaha to the top spot at Aragon ahead of AMerican PJ Jacobsen. Coghlan was 0.138 ahead of...

Aragon WSB: Superpole Sykes takes the top spot

12 April 2014 by Simon Patterson

Aragon WSB: Superpole Sykes takes the top spot

Reigning champion and Superpole master Tom Sykes has stormed to pole position for the first European races of the year, 0.2 seconds faster than his factory Kawasaki teammate Loris Baz with his...

Texas Moto2: Zarco tops both sessions

11 April 2014 by Simon Patterson

Texas Moto2: Zarco tops both sessions

Johann Zarco has topped both opening sessions at the Circuit of the Americas, as he bounces back from his opening lap crash at Qatar on the British Caterham Suter machine, ahead of Dominique Aegerter...

Texas MotoGP: Marquez blitzes opposition on opening day

11 April 2014 by Simon Patterson

Texas MotoGP: Marquez blitzes opposition on opening day

Marc Marquez has blitzed the opposition on the opening day of the Texan MotoGP round, ending the day over a second faster than the Ducati of Andrea Dovizioso, in a ride sure to demoralise his rivals...

Texas Moto3: Vasquez goes fastest on day one

11 April 2014 by Simon Patterson

Texas Moto3: Vasquez goes fastest on day one

Efren Vazquez has topped the time sheets on the opening day of practice in Texas, taking his Saxoprint RTG Honda to provisional pole position ahead of Jack Miller on the Red Bull KTM Ajo and Isaac...

WSB Aragon: Rea leads them all on day one

11 April 2014 by Gordon Ritchie

WSB Aragon: Rea leads them all on day one

Jonathan Rea (Pata Honda World Superbike) was the leader of a British 1-2-3 in the first day combined practice times in the WSB class at Motorland Aragon in Spain, with Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing...

Parrish returns to MotoGP coverage with BT Sport

11 April 2014 by Simon Patterson

Parrish returns to MotoGP coverage with BT Sport

Steve Parrish will return to British television’s coverage of the MotoGP World Championship this weekend, as the veteran commentator joins Mel Sykes in the BT Sport studio to help host the...

WSS Aragon: MV rider Cluzel just heads off the Flying Coghlan

11 April 2014 by Gordon Ritchie

WSS Aragon: MV rider Cluzel just heads off the Flying Coghlan

Kev Coghlan (DMC Panavto-Yamaha) looked on course to head up the 24-rider Supersport World Championship field after the first day of free practice, but he had to settle for second place, having led in...

Amor intending to pick up where he left off at NW200

11 April 2014 by Stephen Davison

Amor intending to pick up where he left off at NW200

Flying Scotsman Keith Amor intends to pick up where he left off when he returns to the Vauxhall International North West 200 in May. “The last time I was at Portrush in 2010 I won the Superstock race...

Jorge Lorenzo starts Yamaha contract talks

11 April 2014 by Matthew Birt

Jorge Lorenzo starts Yamaha contract talks

Double MotoGP world champion Jorge Lorenzo has confirmed in Texas today (Thursday) that he has started talks with Yamaha over a new contract. The Spaniard has spent his entire six-year MotoGP career...

Colin Edwards to retire at end of 2014

10 April 2014 by Matthew Birt

Colin Edwards to retire at end of 2014

Colin Edwards has announced on the eve of his home MotoGP race in Texas today that 2014 will be his final season in motorcycle racing. The 40-year-old used the pre-event press conference at the...

Yamaha: No doubt Lorenzo ‘back on it’ in Austin

10 April 2014 by Matthew Birt

Yamaha: No doubt Lorenzo ‘back on it’ in Austin

Yamaha has no doubt that Jorge Lorenzo will be able to bounce back from the bitter disappointment of his early exit from the opening race of the season in Qatar when the world championship continues...

Electronics main focus for Suzuki in Austin and Argentina tests

10 April 2014 by Matthew Birt

Electronics main focus for Suzuki in Austin and Argentina tests

Suzuki will not have a raft of new parts for Randy de Puniet to assess during forthcoming post race tests in Austin and Argentina, with the Japanese factory concentrating on development of the latest...

Byrne blows away lap record at Snetterton

09 April 2014 by Simon Patterson

Byrne blows away lap record at Snetterton

Shane Byrne has dominated the final pre-season test of 2014, setting a time below the outstanding lap record at Snetterton on the final day of two ahead of next week’s opening round of the MCE British...

Smiths' Triumph head to TT with Rutter and Johnson

09 April 2014 by Simon Patterson

Smiths' Triumph head to TT with Rutter and Johnson

British Supersport team Smiths’ triumph will make their first journey to the Isle of Man TT in 2014, securing the services of two former winners to spearhead their supersport campaign, as Gary Johnson...

New look for Padgetts' Honda as Valvoline join team

09 April 2014 by Stephen Davison

New look for Padgetts' Honda as Valvoline join team

Flying Kiwi Bruce Anstey will have an eyecatching new livery on his Padgett’s Hondas as he chases down his tenth win at the Vauxhall North West 200 in May. The Batley based squad have announced a new...

Walker third fastest despite 'tough' day at Snetterton

09 April 2014 by Simon Patterson

Walker third fastest despite 'tough' day at Snetterton

Chris Walker had a ‘tough’ opening day of testing at Snetterton, despite finishing third only to Shane Byrne and Jakob Smrz, with windy conditions at the Norfolk track being less than perfect for the...

Kiyonari pleased with pace despite lack of track time

08 April 2014 by Simon Patterson

Kiyonari pleased with pace despite lack of track time

Ryuichi Kiyonari has been able to return some of the form that took him to three MCE British Superbike titles on the first day of the Donington test, with the Japanese rider ending the day third...

Byrne tops day one as rivals close gap

08 April 2014 by Simon Patterson

Shane Byrne has once again topped the day in pre-season testing for the MCE British Superbike Championship, finishing the day at Snetterton 0.4 ahead of Jakub Smrz as his rivals slowly close down the gap. Smrz was impressive on the Millsport Ducati Panigale, finishing 0.4 behind Byrne but almost a second clear of third placed man Chris Walker, who had another fast day on the GBmoto Kawasaki to...

Shock speedway GP winner as Brit world champ suffers

05 April 2014 by Tony Hoare

German racer Martin Smolinski took a shock victory in the opening round of the 2014 speedway world championship Grand Prix in New Zealand. It was Smolinski’s first-ever appearance in the Grand Prix after making it through the qualifying rounds, and there’s not likely to be a bigger surprise this season than his win in his GP debut. The 29-year-old was in fine form throughout the 20 qualifying...

Bimota BB3 makes first appearance ahead of Aragon

05 April 2014 by Simon Patterson

Bimota BB3 makes first appearance ahead of Aragon

Bimota’s new BMW-powered BB3 machine has finally appeared ahead of next week’s second round of the World Superbike Championship, where British rider Christian Iddon will join Italian Ayrton Badovini...