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Valentino Rossi undone by Ducati DNA

29 January 2013 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi undone by Ducati DNA

Valentino Rossi was unable to master Ducati’s fearsome Desmosedici machine because the bike behaved in a way that was totally alien to the riding style the nine-times world champion honed for almost...

Dorna right to deny Suzuki new entry in 2014

29 January 2013 by Matthew Birt

Dorna right to deny Suzuki new entry in 2014

MotoGP bosses are right not to give Suzuki an automatic entry to return with a new full factory 1000cc effort in the 2014 world championship. Suzuki has been told by Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta that it...

Karel Abraham shows off 2013 CRT livery

28 January 2013 by Matthew Birt

Karel Abraham shows off 2013 CRT livery

Karel Abraham has shown off the new livery that he will run on the Cardion AB Aprilia CRT machine in this year’s MotoGP world championship. The Czech Republic rider unveiled the new design at a...

Nicky Hayden sorry at Filippo Preziosi exit

28 January 2013 by Matthew Birt

Nicky Hayden sorry at Filippo Preziosi exit

Nicky Hayden says he is sorry that technical guru Filippo Preziosi does not form part of Ducati’s future MotoGP plans. But the American also admitted that Ducati’s struggling Desmosedici project was...

Stoner completes four-wheel switch

28 January 2013 by Matthew Birt

Stoner completes four-wheel switch

Casey Stoner has ended months of speculation about his future by finally confirming he will race a V8 Supercar in Australia in 2013. The double MotoGP world champion, who retired after finishing third...

Valentino Rossi: ‘My first goal is the podium’

25 January 2013 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi: ‘My first goal is the podium’

Valentino Rossi’s first mission on his return to Yamaha in this year’s MotoGP world championship is to score his first podium since the end of 2010. The 33-year-old is making his first official...

Jorge Lorenzo confident he can defend MotoGP title

25 January 2013 by Matthew Birt

Jorge Lorenzo confident he can defend MotoGP title

Spaniard Jorge Lorenzo is confident he can retain his MotoGP world title in 2013 with the resumption of the winter testing campaign drawing ever closer. Lorenzo, who captured his second MotoGP crown...

MotoGP boss: Valentino Rossi convinced he still competitive

25 January 2013 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi prolonged his MotoGP career until the end of 2014 at least because he is convinced that he can still be a race winner and world title contender against the likes of Jorge Lorenzo and Dani Pedrosa. That’s the view of MotoGP boss Carmelo Ezpeleta, who believes the 33-year-old would not have completed a shock return to Yamaha if he had any doubt about his potential to be competitive...

Repsol Honda unveils 2013 RC213V

24 January 2013 by Matthew Birt

Repsol Honda unveils 2013 RC213V

Dani Pedrosa and Marc Marquez have unveiled the new 2013 factory Honda RC213V that the Spanish duo hope will help wrestle the MotoGP crown off compatriot and Yamaha rival Jorge Lorenzo. The new bike...

Ducati factory support vital for Andrea Iannone

23 January 2013 by Matthew Birt

Ducati factory support vital for Andrea Iannone

MotoGP rookie Andrea Iannone believes his hopes of succeeding in the new look Pramac Ducati squad will be given a massive boost by Ducati’s commitment to offer him full factory support in 2013. In a...

No red carpet for Suzuki MotoGP return in 2014

22 January 2013 by Matthew Birt

No red carpet for Suzuki MotoGP return in 2014

Suzuki will not be granted a brand new entry to complete its anticipated return to the MotoGP grid in 2014. Instead the Japanese factory will have to collaborate with an existing team like Aspar,...

Troy Bayliss Classic sorts the men from the MotoGP boys

22 January 2013 by Nick Byrne

Troy Bayliss Classic sorts the men from the MotoGP boys

The inaugural Troy Bayliss flat-track classic brought together many of the biggest names in two-wheeled motorsport from Australia and overseas for a truly unique event. It wasn’t designed to prove...

Ben Spies tipped to bounce back in 2013

21 January 2013 by Matthew Birt

Ben Spies tipped to bounce back in 2013

Ben Spies has been backed to bounce back from a nightmare 2012 MotoGP campaign when he jumps on Ducati’s unforgiving Desmosedici this year. The Texan suffered a wretched second season in Yamaha’s...

Pata Honda team unveiled at Verona

21 January 2013 by Simon Patterson

Pata Honda team unveiled at Verona

Ten Kate Honda unveiled their new bikes and riders yesterday in Verona, with crisp manufacturer Pata taking over as principal backer of the Dutch team. The team will this year feature two British...

Stage 14: Despres takes Dakar win number five

20 January 2013 by Michael Guy

Frenchman Cyril Despres dreams of winning his fifth Dakar in eight years became a reality when the factory KTM rider secured victory in Santiago today. The 38 year old finished 14th position on the delayed final stage, but after losing only 3m58s to stage winner Francisco Lopez he did enough to secure the victory. Even without long time rival Marc Coma competing in this year’s Dakar it’s still...

Dakar Stage 13: Brits deliver impressive results on penultimate stage of Dakar

19 January 2013 by Michael Guy

Dakar Stage 13: Brits deliver impressive results on penultimate stage of Dakar

The five strong British based contingents all had positive days on the penultimate stage of the Dakar with Stan Watt and Tim Forman moving up to 25th and 26th place respectively in the overall...

Dakar Stage 13: Lopez delights fans to win stage, Despres remains in control

19 January 2013 by Michael Guy

Dakar Stage 13: Lopez delights fans to win stage, Despres remains in control

Chilean Francisco Lopez had a day to remember after winning his fourth stageof the race to move up to second in the overall standings. Lopez profited from a navigational error of former second place...

Bradley Smith gets premier treatment ahead of Sepang test

18 January 2013 by Matthew Birt

Bradley Smith gets premier treatment ahead of Sepang test

Bradley Smith sampled elite level sport of a slightly more sedate pace than MotoGP when he was invited to a special training session with Premier League outfit Everton FC this week. The 22-year-old...

Nicky Hayden tips Marc Marquez to shine early

18 January 2013 by Matthew Birt

Nicky Hayden tips Marc Marquez to shine early

Factory Ducati rider Nicky Hayden says he expects highly rated rookie Marc Marquez to be competitive immediately when the new MotoGP season kicks off in Qatar in early April. Marquez will replace...

Dorna moves to cap price of World Superbike machinery

18 January 2013 by Matthew Birt

Dorna moves to cap price of World Superbike machinery

Dorna’s crusade to drive down costs in MotoGP will be mirrored in World Superbikes, with a price cap on machinery certain to be introduced for 2014. Now that Dorna controls both MotoGP and World...

Dakar Stage 12: Brits Round-up

18 January 2013 by Michael Guy

Dakar Stage 12: Brits Round-up

Stage 12 of the 2013 Dakar saw the remaining UK based riders continue to deliver results despite battling fatigue and injury. Tim Forman was once again the highest placed Brit finishing in 36th place...

Dakar Stage 12: Eventful day for Poskitt in tough stage

18 January 2013 by Michael Guy

Dakar Stage 12: Eventful day for Poskitt in tough stage

Lyndon Poskitt experienced first hand the challenges of the Dakar after a highly eventful stage 11 saw him have to cope with potential race ending technical problems. The 34 year old Brit realised...

Dakar Stage 12: Verhoeven wins stage, Despres rides smart to stay in front

18 January 2013 by Michael Guy

Dakar Stage 12: Verhoeven wins stage, Despres rides smart to stay in front

Dutchman Frans Veorhoeven became the sixth man to win a stage of the 2013 Dakar, claiming victory on the 319km timed special from Fiambala to Copiapo. The Dutch riders are renowned sand experts and...

Buy a MotoGP bike for under £1m in 2014

17 January 2013 by Matthew Birt

Buy a MotoGP bike for under £1m in 2014

Details of the alternative options to running a CRT machine in MotoGP are starting to emerge, with Honda committed to selling five of its production RC213V bikes and Yamaha agreeing to an engine...

MotoGP poised for South American double-header in 2014

17 January 2013 by Matthew Birt

MotoGP poised for South American double-header in 2014

The MotoGP world championship could make two stops in South America in 2014, with Dorna locked in negotiations about a new race in Brazil to join Argentina back on the schedule. Next year’s calendar...

Dakar Stage 11 Blog

17 January 2013 by Michael Guy

Dakar Stage 11 Blog

It’s 10pm on the evening of Stage 11, I would tell you what day it is, but I can’t, because since joining the biggest circus in South America at the start of January, days of the week don’t count.

500cc four-stroke class to join World Superbike schedule?

17 January 2013 by Matthew Birt

500cc four-stroke class to join World Superbike schedule?

A non-world championship category for 500cc four-stroke machinery could join the World Superbike schedule from 2015 onwards. With MotoGP rights owners Dorna now controlling World Superbikes too, plans...

Dakar Stage 11: Casseli wins again, Despres in control overall

16 January 2013 by Michael Guy

Dakar Stage 11: Casseli wins again, Despres in control overall

American Kurt Casseli showed his huge potential in the world of Rally after taking his second stage win on the stage 11 from La Rioja to Fiambala. The factory KTM man is competing in his first Dakar...

Dakar Stage 11: James West out of Dakar on stage 11 following crash

16 January 2013 by Michael Guy

Dakar Stage 11: James West out of Dakar on stage 11 following crash

The UK lost one of its six remaining riders today when James West crashed out of stage 11 smashing both fuel tanks on his factory supported Sherco. The 37 year old Dubai based Brit has had a tough...

No quick fix to help make Ducati competitive

16 January 2013 by Matthew Birt

The journey to return Ducati to winning ways in MotoGP will be a long one, with new race boss Bernhard Gobmeier admitting no miracle cure exists to help the Bologna factory end its winless streak in the premier class world championship. Gobmeier, who replaced ousted Filippo Preziosi as head of Ducati’s MotoGP project in 2013, said the forthcoming season will be dedicated to development of the...

Dakar Stage 9: Cyril Despres Interview

16 January 2013

Dakar Stage 9: Cyril Despres Interview

Michael Guy caught up with Dakar master Cyril Despres after stage nine of this year’s rally. Still out of breath from 12hrs on the bike, the Frenchman gives us his rundown of the day.

Ducati confident in old bike strategy

16 January 2013 by Matthew Birt

Ducati confident in old bike strategy

Ducati is confident its surprise strategy to kick off preparations for 2013 using an old version of its factory Desmosedici machine is the right approach to help it threaten Honda and Yamaha’s...

New Ducati boss to call on Preziosi’s experience

16 January 2013 by Matthew Birt

New Ducati boss to call on Preziosi’s experience

Long-serving Ducati MotoGP boss Filippo Preziosi will not be completely cut out of the Bologna factory’s world championship project, despite being axed at the end of last season. Preziosi was the...

Dakar Stage 10: Watt stays in top 30 despite riding with dislocated shoulder

16 January 2013 by Michael Guy

Dakar Stage 10: Watt stays in top 30 despite riding with dislocated shoulder

Stan Watt rode through the pain barrier on stage ten of the 2013 Dakar to claim a more than respectable 45th position to maintain a top 30 spot in the overall standings. Watt suffered a high speed...

Dakar Stage 10: Barreda wins stage as Despres moves into overall control of the race

16 January 2013 by Michael Guy

Dakar Stage 10: Barreda wins stage as Despres moves into overall control of the race

Speedbrain Husqvarna rider Joan Barreda showed once again he is among the very fastest Rally riders in the world by winning stage ten– his fourth stage win of the 2013 Dakar. The 29 year old Spaniard...

Ducati unveils new 2013 MotoGP contender

15 January 2013 by Matthew Birt

Ducati unveils new 2013 MotoGP contender

This is the new Ducati GP13 Desmosedici machine that the Bologna factory hopes will help it bounce back from a nightmare two-year spell with Italian icon Valentino Rossi. The new bike was unveiled by...