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Dakar Blog - Ready to race

05 January 2013 by Michael Guy

Well if I thought the Dakar village was busy yesterday, it’s gone into overdrive today. To whip up the crowds even more than they were all the big hitters had to go through the technical and...

Portimao 2012

05 January 2013 by darren gough

I went to Portimao, Portugal last September for my first WSB meeting. I was very excited to be seeing my hero Tom Sykes. The first race was probably the best I have witnessed. After a huge crash...

Casey Stoner memories: Lucio Cecchinello

05 January 2013 by Matthew Birt

In the sixth part of MCN’s exclusive series of Stoner memories, Lucio Cecchinello, who gave Stoner his first Grand Prix ride and big break into MotoGP in 2006, talks about their time together. “We...

Crutchlow's highs of 2012

05 January 2013 by Matthew Birt

2012 was a golden year for British sport. Bradley Wiggins became the first UK winner of the Tour de France and Andy Murray became the first British man to win a tennis Grand Slam for 76 years. And...

Dakar Blog – The calm before the storm

04 January 2013 by Michael Guy

Well it’s started, I arrived in Lima, Peru late last night 17 hours after leaving London Heathrow. The 40 minute taxi journey from the airport to my hotel was an experience in itself, lots of close...

Casey Stoner memories: Jerry Burgess

04 January 2013 by Matthew Birt

In the fifth part of MCN’s exclusive series of Stoner memories, Valentino Rossi’s legendary crew chief Jerry Burgess gives his thoughts on his no-nonsense compatriot. “I think we all know Casey is...

Casey Stoner memories: Livio Suppo

03 January 2013 by Matthew Birt

In the fourth part of MCN’s exclusive series of Stoner memories, Livio Suppo, who signed Stoner for Ducati at the end of 2006 and then worked with him at HRC, shares his thoughts. “I think his Phillip...

Casey Stoner memories: Chris Richardson

02 January 2013 by Matthew Birt

In the third part of MCN’s exclusive series of Stoner memories, Stoner’s former LCR mechanic Chris Richardson recalls his first encounter with the supremely talented Aussie. “My first year with Lucio...

2012 MOTOGP MOMENTS – LORENZO LANDS SECOND TITLE

01 January 2013 by Matthew Birt

Jorge Lorenzo has come a long way since he was a carefree and crash-happy MotoGP rookie in 2008. Eager to show he was a natural successor to Yamaha’s incumbent number one Valentino Rossi, Lorenzo...

Casey Stoner memories: Andy Dawson

01 January 2013 by Matthew Birt

In the second part of MCN’s exclusive series of Stoner memories, Ohlins suspension technician Andy Dawson, who worked with the Australian throughout his MotoGP career at Ducati and Honda, recalls his...

Casey Stoner memories: Vittoriano Guareschi

31 December 2012 by Matthew Birt

2012 marked the end of an era when double MotoGP world champion Casey Stoner hung up his leathers after finishing third in the Valencia race in November. The Australian– widely acclaimed as one of the...

2012 MOTOGP MOMENTS – VALENCIA

30 December 2012 by Matthew Birt

It’s rarer than rocking horse manure to see a rider win a Grand Prix having started from the pit lane and rare to witness a rider charge from the back of the grid to claim victory. So for both to...

Meet your new Dakar heroes

30 December 2012 by Michael Guy

British riders have a long tradition of competing in the world famous Dakar Rally and 2013 is no exception – from factory-supported riders through to top privateers and individuals fulfilling their...

2012 MOTOGP MOMENTS - VALENTINO ROSSI BACK TO YAMAHA

29 December 2012 by Matthew Birt

You’d have got better odds on Valentino Rossi coming round to your house for Christmas dinner than you would have got on the Italian completing a shock return to Yamaha in 2013. Had Casey Stoner not...

2012 MOTOGP MOMENTS – BRNO

27 December 2012 by Matthew Birt

MotoGP has often been accused of being about as entertaining as watching hair grow, but there were still reminders in 2012 of why we all fell in love with motorcycle racing. The new 250cc four-stroke...

2012 MOTOGP MOMENTS – DUCATI DISASTER

26 December 2012 by Matthew Birt

It’s the Valencia MotoGP test in November, 2010 and the wave of optimism sweeping through Ducati’s factory garage is so powerful it could almost knock you off your feet. Valentino Rossi has arrived to...

2012 MOTOGP MOMENTS – BEN SPIES AND ROTTEN LUCK

25 December 2012 by Matthew Birt

You wouldn’t want to be sitting next to Ben Spies on a plane after the shocking bad luck that struck the Texan in 2012. The switch to fire-breathing 1000cc prototypes was supposed to be the catalyst...

2012 MOTOGP MOMENTS - A NEW BRITISH STAR IS BORN

24 December 2012 by Matthew Birt

The emergence of Scott Redding and Bradley Smith in recent years convinced the world that young British riders were worthy of a punt on the Grand Prix stage again. We might not be churning out...

2012 MOTOGP MOMENTS – CASEY STONER RETIRES

23 December 2012 by Matthew Birt

When Casey Stoner won the Jerez and Estoril races to ignite the defence of his MotoGP crown, talk of his retirement was already filling plenty of column inches. The Aussie was at pains to deny the...

2012 MOTOGP MOMENTS – CRUTCHLOW ON PODIUM

22 December 2012 by Matthew Birt

A British rider on a MotoGP podium had become almost as rare as the sight of Halley’s Comet. A podium drought that stretched back to the British Grand Prix in 2000 was finally ended though when Cal...

Jorge Lorenzo’s boss reflects on triumphant 2012

21 December 2012 by Matthew Birt

Jorge Lorenzo and Yamaha’s pre-season preparations were pivotal in helping the Spaniard capture a second MotoGP world title in 2012. That’s the view of Lorenzo’s factory Yamaha team boss Wilco...

Tech 3 boss hails ‘fantastic’ Andrea Dovizioso

21 December 2012 by Matthew Birt

Andrea Dovizioso’s performances in the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 squad last season have been hailed as ‘fantastic’, as the Italian prepares for the tough challenge of making Ducati’s factory Desmosedici a...

Marc Coma out of Dakar 2013

21 December 2012 by Michael Guy

Dakar legend Marc Coma has announced in a press conference today that he will not race the 2013 Dakar. The three time winner is still suffering the effects of a high speed crash during Rally Maroc in...

Colin Edwards: ‘I never considered retirement’

21 December 2012 by Matthew Birt

Colin Edwards reckons retiring from MotoGP was never an option he considered after a dismal 2012 on the struggling Suter-BMW CRT project. The popular Texan was the poster boy for the new CRT category...

Penalty points for dangerous riding in MotoGP from 2013

20 December 2012 by Matthew Birt

Dangerous and aggressive riding will be dealt with by a new penalty points system that will be introduced across all three classes in the MotoGP world championship from next season. Points will be...

Yamaha expected to unveil new gearbox for 2013

19 December 2012 by Matthew Birt

Yamaha is expected to equip its factory YZR-M1 machine with a new seamless shift gearbox to aid Jorge Lorenzo in his quest to win the MotoGP world title for a third time in 2013. Honda and Ducati have...

Yamaha expecting less friction between Lorenzo and Rossi

19 December 2012 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo’s relationship will not be dominated by the friction and animosity that existed between the pair between 2008 and 2010. Rossi’s return to Yamaha’s factory MotoGP...

Will Suzuki's 2014 MotoGP bike be good enough to get them on the podium?

19 December 2012 by MCN

Suzuki are set to return to the MotoGP grid in 2014 after leaving the championship at the end of 2011 for financial reasons. After such a lengthy absence, will they be competitive? pollcomment

HRC boss content with 2012 despite title defeat

18 December 2012 by Matthew Birt

Honda boss Shuhei Nakamoto has said he is happy with the performance of the official HRC factory MotoGP squad in 2012, despite losing the world title to Yamaha and Jorge Lorenzo. After dominating the...

Jorge Lorenzo: Yamaha return ‘great opportunity’ for Rossi

17 December 2012 by Matthew Birt

Reigning MotoGP world champion Jorge Lorenzo says Valentino Rossi’s return to Yamaha has presented the Italian icon with the perfect opportunity to show that he is still fast enough to win premier...

Jerry Burgess haunted by Ducati failure

15 December 2012 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi’s crew chief Jerry Burgess says he will be haunted to his grave by the Italian’s failure to be competitive enough to challenge for victories during a disastrous two-year stint with...

Factory support lured Andrea Dovizioso to Ducati

14 December 2012 by Matthew Birt

Andrea Dovizioso’s desire to be the technical figurehead for a major factory was his prime motivation for gambling his future on a move to Ducati in 2013, according to former Monster Yamaha Tech 3...

HRC hopes for ‘several’ victories from Marc Marquez in 2013

13 December 2012 by Matthew Birt

Honda is hopeful that rookie sensation Marc Marquez will be able to win ‘several’ races in his first season in MotoGP next year. Marquez’s arrival in MotoGP is already one of the most anticipated and...

Valentino Rossi and Casey Stoner clash over Laguna ’08 again

13 December 2012 by Matthew Birt

Long running tension and animosity between Valentino Rossi and Casey Stoner is showing no sign of letting up, despite the Australian’s retirement from MotoGP at the end of the season. The trigger for...

Jorge Lorenzo: ‘Rossi return can make me stronger’

12 December 2012 by Matthew Birt

Reigning MotoGP world champion Jorge Lorenzo believes the return of bitter rival Valentino Rossi to Yamaha in 2013 will make him an even stronger force to be reckoned with next year. The Spaniard will...

Cameron Donald re-signs with Wilson Craig Racing

12 December 2012 by Simon Patterson

Australian double TT winner Cameron Donald will remain with Wilson Craig Racing for the 2013 roadracing season. Donald, who has been supported by Craig through various teams since 2005, will be...

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