2016

Year: 2016

Month: ALL

WSB: Davies signs two-year Ducati extension

28 July 2016 by Oli Rushby

WSB: Davies signs two-year Ducati extension

Chaz Davies has signed a two-year extension that will see him compete with Ducati Corse for the next two seasons. The news comes as it has been confirmed that Marco Melandri will make a shock return...

Look back: Colin Edwards - “I could see Valentino was desperate to win so he never had to come back to Suzuka”

28 July 2016 by Andy Downes

Look back: Colin Edwards - “I could see Valentino was desperate to win so he never had to come back to Suzuka”

Former World Superbike champion Colin Edwards won the 2001 Suzuki Eight Hour endurance race when he was team-mates with Valentino Rossi for the second year running. The previous year had been a...

WSB: Melandri confirmed at Ducati alongside Davies

28 July 2016 by Simon Patterson

WSB: Melandri confirmed at Ducati alongside Davies

As reported by MCN earlier this week, Marco Melandri will join Welshman Chaz Davies at the factory Aruba Ducati squad in the World Superbike championship for 2017. The Italian has spent 2016 watching...

Endurance: Brookes out to prove a point with Suzuki

28 July 2016 by Simon Patterson

Endurance: Brookes out to prove a point with Suzuki

One man going into this year’s Suzuka 8 Hour with more pressure than usual the flag flyer for Suzuki and reigning MCE British Superbike champion Josh Brookes. Lining up alongside WSBK legend Nori Haga...

Endurance: Smith getting ‘itchy feet’ over Suzuka absence

28 July 2016 by Simon Patterson

Endurance: Smith getting ‘itchy feet’ over Suzuka absence

Monster Tech 3 Yamaha racer and reigning Suzuka 8 Hour champion Bradley Smith has admitted that he’s now developed ‘itchy feet’ at the prospect of missing this year’s prestigious endurance race, which...

Endurance: Reigning champions Yamaha top opening day at Suzuka

28 July 2016 by Simon Patterson

Endurance: Reigning champions Yamaha top opening day at Suzuka

The reigning Yamaha Factory Racing outfit of Kats Nakasuga and Pol Espargaró, joined this year by Alex Lowes, have topped the opening day of action at this year’s Suzuka 8 Hour race by nearly a second...

Moto2: Zarco and Binder among riders sampling Red Bull Ring

28 July 2016 by Simon Patterson

Moto2: Zarco and Binder among riders sampling Red Bull Ring

Reigning Moto2 world champion Johann Zarco and Moto3 championship leader Brad Binder have been among a number of riders from the junior classes who have sampled MotoGP’s newest circuit this week. The...

Endurance: Yamaha boss hoping for less rivalry in Suzuka squad

27 July 2016 by Simon Patterson

Endurance: Yamaha boss hoping for less rivalry in Suzuka squad

Yamaha Factory Racing Team Manager Wataru Yoshikawa says that he’s hoping for less rivalry in his Suzuka 8 Hour squad this weekend compared to last year’s squad, admitting that the combination of...

Moto2: Who the hell is Luca Marini?

27 July 2016 by Simon Patterson

Moto2: Who the hell is Luca Marini?

It’s not always the step up in racing to be a member of one of the famous dynasties of the sport like a Dunlop or a Haslam… so imagine how it must feel to be the half brother of one Mr Valentino...

MotoGP: Final video of Rossi series released

27 July 2016 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Final video of Rossi series released

Monster Energy have released the final video in their five-part series paying tribute to Valentino Rossi, opening the doors on behind the scenes in the life of MotoGP’s biggest star. You can watch the...

BSB: Iddon drops out of title chase

27 July 2016 by Oli Rushby

BSB: Iddon drops out of title chase

Christian Iddon’s 2016 title chances plunged into jeopardy this weekend as he left the sixth round of the championship having scored just three points from Sunday’s two races. The early series leader...

Podcast: Thruxton BSB, Austrian MotoGP test and Suzuka 8 Hour

27 July 2016 by MCN Sport

Podcast: Thruxton BSB, Austrian MotoGP test and Suzuka 8 Hour

The second MCN Sport podcast, and this week the guys review last weekend’s MotoGP test in Austria and MCE British Superbike round at Thruxton, while looking ahead to the Suzuka 8 Hour and the start of...

WSB: Ducati bosses confirm Melandri interest for 2017

27 July 2016 by Oli Rushby

WSB: Ducati bosses confirm Melandri interest for 2017

Marco Melandri could make a shock return to Ducati next season as he looks to make his World Superbike comeback in 2017. The Italian has made no secret of his desire to return to World Superbikes on a...

Look back: Valentino Rossi's only Suzuka 8 Hour win

27 July 2016 by Liam Marsden

Look back: Valentino Rossi's only Suzuka 8 Hour win

While he is arguably the Greatest of all Time in MotoGP, there’s more strings to Valentino Rossi’s bow than just prototype racing, as the nine-time world champion showed in 2001 by taking victory in...

MotoGP: Crutchlow silences the critics

27 July 2016 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Crutchlow silences the critics

Cal Crutchlow has silenced his critics by taking a stunning debut MotoGP podium of the 2016 season at Sachsenring, using the wet conditions and his tyres to his advantage to return to the winners’...

Speedway: Swedes sweep into World Cup Final

26 July 2016 by Tony Hoare

Speedway: Swedes sweep into World Cup Final

Defending world speedway champions Sweden will join hosts Britain and favourites Poland in Saturday’s World Cup Final in Manchester. The Swedes won their home qualifying round in Vastervik tonight...

BSB: Easton parts ways with ePayMe Yamaha

26 July 2016 by Oli Rushby

BSB: Easton parts ways with ePayMe Yamaha

Stuart Easton and the ePayMe Yamaha team have parted ways at the mid-way point of the 2016 MCE British Superbike season after a tough start to the year. The Scotsman secured a best result of ninth...

BSB: Rookie Irwin takes debut podium

26 July 2016 by Oli Rushby

BSB: Rookie Irwin takes debut podium

Glenn Irwin celebrated his debut MCE British Superbike podium at Thruxton this weekend after intelligently conserving his tyres in the second race. The Northern Irishman endured a tough race one with...

BSB: Haslam frustrated after 'disastrous' weekend

26 July 2016 by Oli Rushby

BSB: Haslam frustrated after 'disastrous' weekend

MCE British Superbike championship contender Leon Haslam left the sixth round of the series at Thruxton frustrated after a disastrous weekend for the JG Speedfit Kawasaki team. Haslam and both...

Roads: No Ulster GP return for Guy Martin

26 July 2016 by Oli Rushby

Roads: No Ulster GP return for Guy Martin

Fans’ favourite Guy Martin is unlikely to return to motorcycle road racing this season after it has been announced he will not ride at this year’s Ulster Grand Prix. With the ultra-fast Dundrod...

MotoGP: Cecchinello ‘We needed that finish’

26 July 2016 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Cecchinello ‘We needed that finish’

LCR Honda team boss Lucio Cecchinello admitted to MCN after last Sunday’s German Grand Prix that after a difficult start to the 2016 season for them, Crutchlow’s podium during Sunday’s race couldn’t...

Opinion: Rossi screw-up ends title chances?

26 July 2016 by Simon Patterson

Opinion: Rossi screw-up ends title chances?

To call Sunday’s MotoGP race an unmitigated disaster for the factory Movistar Yamaha duo of Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo would perhaps be understating just how much the to hugely experienced...

BSB: Laverty back in title hunt after race two win

25 July 2016 by Oli Rushby

BSB: Laverty back in title hunt after race two win

Michael Laverty is now firmly back in the 2016 MCE British Superbike title hunt after a strong weekend saw him finish first and second at Thruxton. Hard work on tyre conservation throughout the...

BSB: Byrne upbeat despite race two DNF

25 July 2016 by Oli Rushby

BSB: Byrne upbeat despite race two DNF

Shane Byrne was able to leave the sixth round of the MCE British Superbike championship in a positive mindset despite missing out on what could have been a double victory at Thruxton. Having dominated...

MotoGP: Marquez ‘intermediates don’t exist to us’

25 July 2016 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Marquez ‘intermediates don’t exist to us’

While the gamble to switch straight from full wets to slicks – and forego Michelin’s new intermediate option tyres – eventually proved to be the move that won last weekend’s German Grand Prix for Marc...

MotoGP: Michelin rush tyres to meet Sachsenring challenges

25 July 2016 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Michelin rush tyres to meet Sachsenring challenges

Michelin have once again shown the level to which they’re prepared to push in MotoGP after rushing special tyres from their headquarters in southern France to the Sachsenring after conditions changed...

MotoGP: Rossi calls for introduction of race radios

25 July 2016 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Rossi calls for introduction of race radios

One of the calls Valentino Rossi made in the aftermath of last week’s disastrous German Grand Prix for him was for the potential introduction of ship-to-shore communications as used extensively in the...

BSB: Laverty wins race two as tech issue rules Shakey out

24 July 2016 by Oli Rushby

BSB: Laverty wins race two as tech issue rules Shakey out

Michael Laverty returned to the top step of the podium in the second MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship race at Thruxton, holding off a hard-charging Jason O’Halloran ahead of rookie Glenn...

BSB: Byrne dominates two-part tyre war

24 July 2016 by Oli Rushby

BSB: Byrne dominates two-part tyre war

Shane Byrne took an emphatic victory in a two-part opening MCE British Superbike race at Thruxton to extend his series lead to 26 points. Having dominated the entire weekend, Byrne shot off the line...

The Poles are coming to Britain... and they want the Speedway World Cup

23 July 2016 by Tony Hoare

The Poles are coming to Britain... and they want the Speedway World Cup

Poland are the first team to join host nation Britain in next Saturday’s Monster Energy Speedway World Cup Final at Manchester’s National Speedway Stadium. An exciting young Polish team won tonight’s...

BSB: Mainwaring-Smart splits with Smiths Racing BMW

23 July 2016 by Oli Rushby

BSB: Mainwaring-Smart splits with Smiths Racing BMW

Howie Mainwaring-Smart has parted ways with the Smiths Racing BMW ahead of tomorrow’s two MCE Insurance British Superbike races at Thruxton. The former race winner has endured a torrid start to the...

BSB: Bridewell stuns with surprise second

23 July 2016 by Oli Rushby

BSB: Bridewell stuns with surprise second

Bennetts Suzuki’s Tommy Bridewell will start tomorrow’s opening MCE British Superbike race from second on the grid after a stunning Superpole lap at Thruxton. The local rider has seemed to be off the...

BSB: Byrne takes pole despite fast lap mistake

23 July 2016 by Oli Rushby

BSB: Byrne takes pole despite fast lap mistake

Shane Byrne continued his domination of this weekend’s Thruxton round of the MCE British Superbike Championship with a commanding performance in Superpole despite making a mistake on his fast lap. The...

BSB: Byrne continues Thruxton domination with Superpole win

23 July 2016 by Oli Rushby

BSB: Byrne continues Thruxton domination with Superpole win

Shane ‘Shakey’ Byrne will start tomorrow’s first MCE British Superbike race from pole position after decimating his rivals throughout the weekend at Thruxton. Topping every session so far this weekend...

BSB: Confidence boost for Kiyo at Thruxton

22 July 2016 by Oli Rushby

BSB: Confidence boost for Kiyo at Thruxton

The opening day at Thruxton saw a boost in confidence for Bennetts Suzuki’s Ryuichi Kiyonari, who rounded out the second session sixth fastest after a re-assuring step forward with the GSX-R1000. The...

BSB: Byrne: 'The Ducati goads you on like it wants to go faster'

22 July 2016 by Oli Rushby

BSB: Byrne: 'The Ducati goads you on like it wants to go faster'

Shane Byrne’s weekend couldn’t have got of to a better start at Thruxton after he obliterated the outright lap record in free practice aboard the Be Wiser Ducati Panigale. The four-time British...