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Met Chris Walker at Cadwell

18 March 2009 by Gary Kidd

My wife Siobhan meeting Chris Walker at Cadwell testing!

Fausto Gresini bullish on 2009 prospects

18 March 2009 by Matthew Birt

Honda MotoGP team manager Fausto Gresini is confident Toni Elias and Alex de Angelis can play a prominent part in the 2009 MotoGP world championship. Gresini’s satellite Honda squad used to be one of...

Alex de Angelis looking for big improvement in 2009

18 March 2009 by Matthew Birt

Alex de Angelis is determined to improve on his best result of fourth place when the new MotoGP campaign gets underway in Qatar next month. The San Marino rider is confident he can score better than...

John Surtees 125GP team confirms name change

18 March 2009 by Matthew Birt

The Chinese backed 125GP team headed by MotoGP and Formula One legend John Surtees has confirmed it will change its name for the 2009 world championship campaign. Having initially planned to race as...

Toni Elias worried about first race prospects

18 March 2009 by Matthew Birt

Spaniard Toni Elias has already cast doubts on his prospects of making a fast start to the 2009 MotoGP world championship campaign. The Gresini Honda rider, who had a torrid time with the Alice Ducati...

Valentino Rossi critical of MotoGP testing restrictions

18 March 2009 by Matthew Birt

Reigning world champion Valentino Rossi has told MCN that he believes the new testing restrictions introduced to help cut costs in MotoGP are too severe. The Fiat Yamaha rider, who won nine races to...

Nicky Hayden looking for rear brake solution

18 March 2009 by Matthew Birt

Nicky Hayden is waiting for new footrest brackets to stop him inadvertently dragging the rear brake on Ducati’s stunning new carbon fibre GP9 machine. The Kentucky rider should have the new footrest...

Scott Redding getting comfortable on new Aprilia

18 March 2009 by Matthew Birt

Highly-rated Scott Redding believes he is getting more accustomed to the new 2009 Aprilia 125GP machine. But the Gloucestershire rider has conceded that he needs more time to focus on chassis set-up...

Danny Webb finishes frustrated in Estoril

18 March 2009 by Matthew Birt

Danny Webb had a frustrating final day of 125GP testing in Estoril after mechanical problems and high winds disrupted his first test of 2009. The British teenager was unable to improve on his lap...

McConnell ready after Raceways Spanish test

17 March 2009 by Gary Pinchin

Map Raceways Yamaha’s three-man team has returned from a successful four-day test at Cartagena, with their supersport star Billy McConnell saying he is ready to give the competition a run for their...

Chris Jones Riders Fund buys safety barriers

17 March 2009 by Gary Pinchin

The Chris Jones Riders Fund (CJRF) and BSB series organisers MSVR have secured the long-term supply and installation of soft barrier protection at BSB events. Since 2005 BSB has rented up to 300...

Hodgson Hospitalised after Motorcross crash

17 March 2009 by Michael Guy

Neil Hodgson has sustained a collapsed lung, dislocated shoulder and injured ribs in a motorcross training accident. The 35 year old Brit hit a fallen riders bike, crashing heavily and was taken to...

Chris Vermeulen expecting early engine upgrades

17 March 2009 by Matthew Birt

Aussie Chris Vermeulen has told MCN he expects Suzuki to roll out new engine upgrades in the early part of the season to help bridge the horsepower deficit to rivals Ducati, Honda and Yamaha. Suzuki...

Valentino Rossi hopeful on Dani Pedrosa’s fitness fight

17 March 2009 by Matthew Birt

Reigning MotoGP world champion Valentino Rossi has said he hopes Dani Pedrosa will be fit to start the new world championship in Qatar next month. The Spaniard is facing a desperate race to be fit for...

Kawasaki to cease MotoGP development soon

17 March 2009 by Matthew Birt

Kawasaki’s involvement in the new Hayate MotoGP project will be severely reduced by the end of March, MCN has learned. The Japanese factory will only develop new parts for the Hayate, which is a...

WSB boss outlines cost cutting future

17 March 2009 by Michael Guy

WSB boss Paolo Flammini has vowed to make only considered and rational changes to his championship in light of the current economical down turn. Two weeks ago it was confirmed that WSB race weekends...

Bradley Smith remains top Brit in Estoril test

17 March 2009 by Matthew Birt

Bradley Smith has remained top British rider after the second day of testing at the Estoril circuit in Portugal. The Aspar Aprilia rider clocked a best time of 1.46.328 to lap 0.3s faster than he...

John Surtees 125GP team drops Maxtra name

17 March 2009 by Matthew Birt

The new Chinese-backed 125GP team spearheaded by British motorsport legend John Surtees will not race under the Maxtra name. Provisional entry lists released by the FIM yesterday (Monday) have British...

Danny Webb crashes unhurt in Estoril

17 March 2009 by Matthew Birt

Danny Webb survived a pre-season scare when he crashed his new 2009 Aprilia 125GP machine on the second day of testing in Estoril yesterday (Monday). The British rider, who claimed a career best...

LCRRC 4th round winter season

16 March 2009 by Pat Contrino

The fourth and final round of the LCRRC Winter Season held at Whilton Mill on 7th and 8th March brought a feast of entertainment to spectators throughout the weekend in all categories of racing.

Suzuki confirms new Rizla MotoGP deal

16 March 2009 by Matthew Birt

Loris Capirossi and Chris Vermeulen will continue to run in Rizla colours for the 2009 MotoGP world championship. The Japanese factory has confirmed today (Monday) that the British-based team will...

Marco Melandri satisfied with Hayate potential

16 March 2009 by Matthew Birt

Italian Marco Melandri is confident he will be competitive on the new Hayate MotoGP bike in 2009. Having recently confirmed he will race the re-branded factory Kawasaki ZX-RR in a deal exclusively...

Danny Webb passes driving test

16 March 2009 by Matthew Birt

British 125GP racer Danny Webb might be one of the fastest teenagers on the planet on two wheels, and now he’s all set to take to the road on four too. The DeGraaf Aprilia rider recently passed his...

MCN helps James Toseland show off BKS quality

16 March 2009 by Matthew Birt

James Toseland has used MCN’s exclusive pictures of his amazing 125mph Sepang high-side in winter testing to showcase the protection offered by BKS leathers. The double World Superbike champion...

Bradley Smith third quickest in Estoril

16 March 2009 by Matthew Birt

British teenager Bradley Smith has continued his promising start to 2009 by clocking the third quickest time on the opening day of 125GP testing in Estoril, Portugal. The Aspar Aprilia rider clocked a...

Andrea Dovizioso wants 2009 title tilt

16 March 2009 by Matthew Birt

Italian Andrea Dovizioso is confident he can threaten Casey Stoner and Valentino Rossi’s recent domination of the MotoGP world championship when the new MotoGP season kicks off in Qatar next...

Dani Pedrosa targeting Qatar return

16 March 2009 by Matthew Birt

Injured Spaniard Dani Pedrosa has refused to rule himself out of the opening MotoGP race of 2009 in Qatar next month. The Spaniard is facing a desperate battle to be fit for the opening race under...

Racing results round-up: March 14-15

16 March 2009 by MCN Sports Desk

Each week we will have a full list of the racing results from the previous weekend. Click on the name of the championship you wish to see the results of. WORLD SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP, LOSAIL, QATAR,...

WSB Qatar: Haga and Spies Open Points Gap

14 March 2009 by Mike Nicks

Noriyuki Haga and Ben Spies look like making the battle for the 2009 World Superbike Championship a two-man shootout after both edged away from rivals in today’s two races in Qatar. Haga holds onto...

WSB Qatar: Spies Batters Haga Again

14 March 2009 by Mike Nicks

American new boy Ben Spies again drubbed the World Superbike Championship old guard when he won the second race at the second round of the series in Qatar on his Yamaha R1. The former AMA Superbike...

WSS Qatar: Defeated Pitt Still Leads Points Table

14 March 2009 by Mike Nicks

Reigning World Supersport champion Andrew Pitt was generous in defeat after he mounted the podium in Qatar today in second place below race winner Eugene Laverty. “Second again, but still some good...

WSS Qatar: How Laverty Climbed from Grand Prix Obscurity

14 March 2009 by Mike Nicks

Eugene Laverty’s success in topping the rostrum in the World Supersport race at Qatar today is a wonderful reward for a young rider who could so easily have sunk into the obscurity suffered by so many...

WSS Qatar: Laverty Hammers Ten Kate Pair

14 March 2009 by Mike Nicks

Eugene Laverty emerged from two years of despair in 250cc grand prix racing to win his first World Supersport Championship race in an extraordinary sprint to the line on his Parkalgar Honda CBR600 in...

WSB Qatar: Byrne Backs up Words with Strong 6th

14 March 2009 by Mike Nicks

British champion Shane Byrne lived up to his confident pledge to bounce back in the second round of the World Superbike series by scoring a strong sixth place in the opening leg on the Losail circuit...

WSB Qatar: Spies Cuts into Haga's Lead

14 March 2009 by Mike Nicks

American Ben Spies sent a chill through the Ducati Xerox pitbox in Qatar today when he won his second consecutive World Superbike Championship race on the new Yamaha R1 on the desert circuit. Noriyuki...

WSB Qatar: Makoto Tamada ruled out of races after big warm-up crash

14 March 2009 by Michael Guy

Factory Kawasaki rider Makoto Tamada will miss the two races in Qatar following a heavy high side in warm-up this morning on his Paul Bird prepared ZX-10R. The former WSB and MotoGP race winner...

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