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Estoril MotoGP: Jorge Lorenzo takes Portugal pole

03 October 2009 by Matthew Birt

Estoril MotoGP: Jorge Lorenzo takes Portugal pole

Jorge Lorenzo romped to his fifth pole position of the season in Estoril today. The Spaniard, who won his first ever MotoGP race at the Estoril circuit in 2008, produced a brilliant qualifying...

Crutchlow on pole, Laverty fourth

03 October 2009 by Michael Guy

Crutchlow on pole, Laverty fourth

World Supersport title rivals Cal Crutchlow and Eugene Laverty will line up on the front row of the grid for tomorrows penultimate round show down at Magny Cours. In a thrilling qualifying session...

Estoril MotoGP: Bradley Smith storms to front row

03 October 2009 by Matthew Birt

Estoril MotoGP: Bradley Smith storms to front row

British teenager Bradley Smith shrugged off a massive practice yesterday to surge to a brilliant front row start for the Portuguese 125GP. In bright and sunny conditions for this afternoon’s...

Fabrizio takes control in second qualifying

03 October 2009 by Michael Guy

Fabrizio takes control in second qualifying

Inform Italian Michel Fabrizio stamped his authority on the second qualifying session at Magny Cours by finishing a convincing 0.377 seconds faster than his closest rival Ben Spies. Onboard his Xerox...

Ben Spies to race Valentino Rossi and James Toseland in Valencia

03 October 2009 by Matthew Birt

Ben Spies to race Valentino Rossi and James Toseland in Valencia

Ben Spies will make a shock Yamaha MotoGP debut in the season’s final race in Valencia next month. MCN learned that Yamaha has submitted an entry application to Dorna and the International Race Teams...

Fabrizio secures provisional pole from Rea

02 October 2009 by Michael Guy

Fabrizio secures provisional pole from Rea

Imola race two winner Michel Fabrizio stormed to an impressive provisional  pole position in first qualifying at Imola today. Onboard the Xerox Ducati, the 25 year old Italian snatched the position by...

Estoril MotoGP: Casey Stoner faster and fitter than expected

02 October 2009 by Matthew Birt

Estoril MotoGP: Casey Stoner faster and fitter than expected

Casey Stoner admitted he was faster and fitter than he expected as he ended his self-imposed exile in impressive fashion in Estoril today. Back on board his factory Ducati GP9 for the first time...

Chris Vermeulen signs Kawasaki World Superbike deal

02 October 2009 by Matthew Birt

Chris Vermeulen signs Kawasaki World Superbike deal

Aussie Chris Vermeulen has signed a two-year deal to ride for Kawasaki in the 2010 World Superbike championship. As was widely expected, the current factory Suzuki rider penned his deal in Estoril...

Estoril MotoGP: James Toseland satisfied with eighth

02 October 2009 by Matthew Birt

Estoril MotoGP: James Toseland satisfied with eighth

James Toseland kicked off the last part of his MotoGP career with the eighth quickest time in Estoril this afternoon. Shrugging off the bitter disappointment at losing his Monster Yamaha Tech 3 ride...

Estoril MotoGP: Bradley Smith escapes injury after heavy practice spill

02 October 2009 by Matthew Birt

Estoril MotoGP: Bradley Smith escapes injury after heavy practice spill

Bradley Smith has been given a clean bill of health after a big high-side crash in opening practice for Sunday’s Estoril 125GP. Just under 15 minutes of the session remained when the 18-year-old was...

Estoril MotoGP: Jorge Lorenzo tops MotoGP practice

02 October 2009 by Matthew Birt

Estoril MotoGP: Jorge Lorenzo tops MotoGP practice

Jorge Lorenzo’s love affair with the Estoril circuit continued today after the Spaniard returned from the summer break with the fastest time in opening MotoGP practice. Lorenzo, who won his first...

Slow start for Laverty and Crutchlow

02 October 2009 by Michael Guy

Slow start for Laverty and Crutchlow

Championship rivals Eugene Laverty and Cal Crutchlow, riding at Magny Cours for the first time, both made slow starts in this afternoons opening free practice session finishing down in seventh and...

Sword tops at Landrake British MX2

02 October 2009 by Gary Pinchin

Sword tops at Landrake British MX2

Newly-crowned British MX2 Champion Stephen Sword picked up the overall win at the final round of the series at Landrake in Cornwall. He was joined on the podium by overall runner-up Billy MacKenzie...

Knight wins Natterjack Enduro

02 October 2009 by Gary Pinchin

Knight wins Natterjack Enduro

Kawasaki rider David Knight brought his participation in the 2009 British Enduro Championship to a winning close by topping the final day of the REME-organised Natterjack Enduro. The fastest rider on...

Kagayama adds fuel to BSB return rumour

02 October 2009 by Gary Pinchin

Kagayama adds fuel to BSB return rumour

Rumours that Yukio Kagayama could return to BSB have gained some creedence after Worx Suzuki boss Jack Valentine agreed at Silverstone the Japanese rider’s name had been linked to Suzuki’s choice of a...

Valentine says keep FIM superbike rules

02 October 2009 by Gary Pinchin

Valentine says keep FIM superbike rules

Worx Suzuki team boss Jack Valentine is not convinced that the new Evo rules that call fro superstock engines and control ECUs are the way forward for BSB. He told MCN: “The FIM superbike rules (which...

Hydrex develop new engine braking system

02 October 2009 by Gary Pinchin

Hydrex develop new engine braking system

Hydrex Honda ran a new airbleed system at Silverstone to try and overcome the Honda’s tendency to back into corners. The team’s technical guru Mick Shanley said: “We’ve more hardware on the bike –...

Harris’ tough debut on SMT Honda

02 October 2009 by Gary Pinchin

Harris’ tough debut on SMT Honda

After a weekend of troubles, Karl Harris salvaged a distant 14th place in the second BSB race at Silverstone in his debut on the SMT Honda. It was scant reward for early in the weekend, it looked...

Rutter: One BSB season. Five different bikes

02 October 2009 by Gary Pinchin

Rutter: One BSB season. Five different bikes

Michael Rutter finally achieved something few of his rivals would never wish to contemplate – riding every make of machine in one season of BSB. Rutter pulled the dustsheets off the Ducati he rode all...

Harley XR1200 series ready to rumble

02 October 2009 by Gary Pinchin

Harley XR1200 series ready to rumble

The much talked-about Harley-Davidson XR1200 series will thunder into life at BSB meetings next year. After almost a year of development with Harris Performance, registrations have opened for next...

Guintoli getting back up to speed

02 October 2009 by Gary Pinchin

Guintoli getting back up to speed

Sylvain Guintoli continued to rebuild his confidence in his comeback from injury with seventh and eighth places on the Worx Suzuki at Silverstone. He said: “At Croft it was difficult to find the...

BSB: Richards happy with Silverstone return

02 October 2009 by Gary Pinchin

BSB: Richards happy with Silverstone return

Glen Richards made his comeback to BSB at Silverstone last weekend, just three months after suffering a broken femur at Knockhill. The Aussie qualified 12th, 1.6s off Leon Camier’s blistering pole...

Linfoot gets wild card WSS rides

02 October 2009 by Gary Pinchin

Dan Linfoot will race the Node4 Yamaha R6 at Magny Cours this weekend and again at Portimao on October 25. And between the two he’s ride the team’s superbike in the BSB round at Oulton Park on October 11. Linfoot started the season well on the supersport bike – taking three podiums on four races but has since been hindered by injuries. With the championship out of the window – the team blooded him...

Rea and Haslam lead the way at Magny Cours

02 October 2009 by Michael Guy

Rea and Haslam lead the way at Magny Cours

Jonathan Rea kicked off his Magny Cours race weekend in style by topping the time sheets in the opening free practice session. Onboard the Ten Kate Honda, Rea was the only man to dip under the 1m40s...

Estoril MotoGP: Bradley Smith suffers big practice crash

02 October 2009 by Matthew Birt

Estoril MotoGP: Bradley Smith suffers big practice crash

Bradley Smith suffered a massive high-side crash during opening 125GP practice in Estoril today. The British teenager had slipped down the rankings to tenth having earlier held third spot when he...

Estoril MotoGP: Rossi and Lorenzo to race in special livery

02 October 2009 by Matthew Birt

Estoril MotoGP: Rossi and Lorenzo to race in special livery

Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo will sport a special one-off livery on their factory Yamaha YZR-M1 bikes in Estoril this weekend. The livery is designed by Centro Stile Fiat and Aldo Drudi to...

Westmorland wins Silverstone BSS

02 October 2009 by Gary Pinchin

Westmorland wins Silverstone BSS

James Westmoreland stormed to a convincing win at Silverstone on his 675 Triumph. He got a good start and exited Copse in second and made his move on Lee Johnston towards the end of lap one. Billy...

Valentino Rossi issues warning to Ben Spies

02 October 2009 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi issues warning to Ben Spies

Valentino Rossi believes Ben Spies can make a big impact in MotoGP in 2010 but warned the American star his hugely anticipated switch from World Superbikes will not be easy. Spies will quit World...

Colin Edwards deserves 2010 deal, says Tech 3 boss

02 October 2009 by Matthew Birt

Colin Edwards deserves 2010 deal, says Tech 3 boss

Colin Edwards thoroughly deserved his chance to stay in MotoGP in 2010. That’s the view of Tech 3 Yamaha boss Herve Poncharal after the Frenchman confirmed yesterday (Thursday) in Estoril that he will...

Bradley Smith to sacrifice 2010 Moto2 ambitions?

02 October 2009 by Matthew Birt

Bradley Smith to sacrifice 2010 Moto2 ambitions?

Bradley Smith could be willing to sacrifice his Moto2 aspirations to ensure he remains with the influential Aspar squad in 2010. The Oxfordshire rider, who has won two races in a brilliant...

Seeley to race superbike Suzuki at Oulton

01 October 2009 by Gary Pinchin

Seeley to race superbike Suzuki at Oulton

After his brilliant debut at Silverstone on the Relentless by TAS Suzuki ‘Evo’ GSX-R1000, Alastair Seeley will get to ride one of the team’s fully-tuned superbikes in the final MCE BSB round...

Haga wants repeat of 2007 Magny Cours double

01 October 2009 by Michael Guy

World Superbike championship leader Noriyuki Haga will be going all out to replicate his stunning 2007 double win at the French track this weekend at Magny Cours. Haga currently leads friend and rival Ben Spies by three points after a stunning performance at Imola last weekend where he secured a win and second place. Over the last five years Haga has enjoyed unprecedented success at the French...

Ben Spies admits MotoGP switch decision was ‘difficult’

01 October 2009 by Matthew Birt

Ben Spies admits MotoGP switch decision was ‘difficult’

Ben Spies has admitted his decision to quit World Superbikes and move to MotoGP was a ‘difficult’ one. Tech 3 Yamaha delighted to capture Ben Spies The 25-year-old Texan has agreed to join...

Tech 3 Yamaha boss praises James Toseland

01 October 2009 by Matthew Birt

Tech 3 Yamaha boss praises James Toseland

Tech 3 Yamaha boss Herve Poncharal has praised the efforts of James Toseland after it was confirmed in Estoril today that the British rider will be replaced by Ben Spies in 2010. Toseland will move...

Tech 3 Yamaha delighted to capture Ben Spies for 2010

01 October 2009 by Matthew Birt

Tech 3 Yamaha delighted to capture Ben Spies for 2010

Monster Tech 3 Yamaha team boss Herve Poncharal has spoken of his delight at the signing of Ben Spies for 2010. Spies will make Tech 3 the Texan 2 team as he joins compatriot Colin Edwards on board a...

Toseland and Crutchlow to WSB

01 October 2009 by Marc Potter

Toseland and Crutchlow to WSB

Yamaha has officially confirmed that James Toseland and Cal Crutchlow will form an all-British Yamaha WSB front for 2010, as exclusively revealed by MCN. Cal moves up from the World Supersport...