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Marco seeks tyre life

19 February 2007 by Matthew Birt

Marco seeks tyre life

A disappointing test in Qatar this week has left Marco Melandri bemoaning rear tyre endurance as the time ticks away for Bridgestone to make better rubber for the Italian’s Honda. With the first race...

Pitt sees positives

19 February 2007 by Matthew Birt

Pitt sees positives

Despite a torrid Qatar test well off the pace of the front men, Ilmor rider Andrew Pitt says the bike is showing real strengths for when the engine management issue is cured. The Aussie told MCN:...

Loris: 'Qualifying vital'

19 February 2007 by Matthew Birt

Loris: 'Qualifying vital'

A good performance in race simulations during tests last week won’t translate to a good race showing if he can’t qualify well, says Ducati’s Loris Capirossi after problems using qualifiers in the...

Jezza explains problems

19 February 2007 by Matthew Birt

Jezza explains problems

Engine management remains the new Ilmor 800’s biggest Achilles heel according to Jeremy McWilliams, following a tough Qatar test this week. The Ulsterman, who trailed last in the timesheets after...

Breakthrough for Vermeulen

19 February 2007 by Matthew Birt

Breakthrough for Vermeulen

A breakthrough in front-end set-up has left Chris Vermeulen upbeat after a difficult Qatar test this week for Chris Vermeulen. The Suzuki star found a set-up that allowed him to move away from usually...

Phaseone's 2007 season

19 February 2007 by Gary Pinchin

Phaseone's 2007 season

World Endurance is undergoing big changes in 2007.  Former promoters FG Sport have gone and the series is back in the hands of the FIM.  But the one thing that hasn’t changed is the commitment to the...

Hopkins sees specialist

16 February 2007 by Matthew Birt

Hopkins sees specialist

Suzuki’s John Hopkins will see a specialist in Derby tonight as he battles to recover from broken bones sustained in a sickening 120mph+ highside in testing yesterday. The Rizla man has broken two...

Jezza: "work to do"

16 February 2007 by Matthew Birt

Jezza: "work to do"

Jeremy McWilliams rode through the pain barrier to complete 36 laps on the final day of testing in Qatar. The British veteran was not surprisingly last on the timesheets, with the new Ilmor still...

Barros crashes

16 February 2007 by Matthew Birt

Barros crashes

Brazilian veteran Alex Barros added his name to a long list of crashes at the Qatar test late on the final afternoon. The D’Antin Ducati rider lost the front end at Turn Two as he ended the day with...

Rossi Satisfied

16 February 2007 by Matthew Birt

Rossi Satisfied

Valentino Rossi finished the Doha IRTA test in third place as he got a reminder that Dani Pedrosa is likely to pose the biggest threat to him winning back the MotoGP world crown in 2007. Rossi’s best...

Hayden struggles

16 February 2007 by Matthew Birt

Hayden struggles

Reigning MotoGP world champion Nicky Hayden slumped to 14th fastest on the final day of testing in Qatar as he tried to bounce back from a day two horror show. The Repsol Honda rider crashed twice...

Dani quickest

16 February 2007 by Matthew Birt

Dani quickest

Spaniard Dani Pedrosa topped the timesheets at the end of the IRTA test in Qatar today as he saved Honda red faces in the Middle East. The triple world champion set a blistering best of 1.55.471 on a...

Hopkins in pain

16 February 2007 by Matthew Birt

Hopkins in pain

American John Hopkins will fly back to the UK tonight and see a specialist in Derby next Monday to learn the extent of his injuries suffered in massive crash today in Qatar. The factory Suzuki rider...

Mondello Upgrades

15 February 2007 by Gary Pinchin

Mondello Upgrades

The drainage system at Mondello Park is being improved after last year’s dramatic cancellation of the BSB races due to persistent heavy rainfall. There was a general acceptance that no race track...

World Endurance politics

15 February 2007 by MCN

World Endurance politics

Last November the FIM announced they would promote the Wolrd Endurance Championsghip themselves, so ending five years of FG Sports running the series. Italian-owned FG Sport continue to promote...

Coghlan joins UK 125 class

15 February 2007 by Gary pinchin

Coghlan joins UK 125 class

Kev Coghlan has joined UK Racing for this year’s British 125GP Championship season. A last minute deal re-unites the 18-year-old with the team he last with in 2005 and subsequently earned a place in...

Breaking news: Hopkins in hospital

15 February 2007 by Matthew Birt

Breaking news: Hopkins in hospital

American John Hopkins has been transferred to a Doha hospital after suffering a massive crash just before the lunch break on the final day of testing in Qatar. The Rizla Suzuki rider suffered a huge...

Edwards continues form

15 February 2007 by Matthew Birt

Edwards continues form

Texan Colin Edwards has continued to outpace his MotoGP rivals on race tyres in Qatar today. While John Hopkins topped the timesheets this morning, the factory Suzuki riders best time came on a...

Jezza and OJ return

15 February 2007 by Matthew Birt

Jezza and OJ return

Walking wounded Jeremy McWilliams has returned to action in Qatar this morning (Thursday, February 15, 2007) after he missed day two of the Doha session. The 42-year-old British rider completed 18...

Kawasaki boss talks

15 February 2007 by Matthew Birt

Kawasaki boss talks

The man leading up Kawasaki’s MotoGP effort has spoken about the 2007 season.  The team sat Race Director Ichiro Yoda down for a mammoth Q&A to keep Kawaski fans in the loop – here’s what he had to...

Stoner's first Duke crash

15 February 2007 by Matthew Birt

Stoner's first Duke crash

Casey Stoner suffered his first crash on board Ducati’s new GP7 800 Desmosedici in Qatar today but continued to overshadow experienced team mate Loris Capirossi. The Australian, who was third fastest...

Doha disaster for champ

15 February 2007 by Matthew Birt

Doha disaster for champ

Nicky Hayden suffered a nightmare second day in Qatar as the reigning world champion crashed his new Honda RC212V twice to slump to 11th fastest. The American lost the front both times – the first...

Rossi wants stability

15 February 2007 by Matthew Birt

Rossi wants stability

Valentino Rossi ended the second day of testing in Qatar today with the second fastest time as Yamaha’s new YZR-M1 800 contender continued to outgun its rivals. Rossi finished second overall behind...

Edwards leads Qatar after day two

15 February 2007 by Matthew Birt

Edwards leads Qatar after day two

Colin Edwards maintained his dominant Doha form by topping the IRTA test timesheets for the second successive day in Qatar. The American’s best time of 1.56.296 set this morning was unbeaten as the...

Spills in Qatar

15 February 2007 by Matthew Birt

Spills in Qatar

Shinya Nakano and Randy de Puniet both escaped injury from crashes today at the Losail International Circuit in Qatar. New Honda recruit Nakano crashed at the penultimate corner as he failed to...

Jezza out

14 February 2007 by Matthew Birt

Jezza out

British veteran Jeremy McWilliams has missed the second day of testing in Qatar today. Returning to the track for the first time since a 120mph horror crash at Jerez at the end of November left him...

Yamaha lead

14 February 2007 by Matthew Birt

Yamaha lead

Factory Yamaha duo Colin Edwards and Valentino Rossi continued to dominate the IRTA test in Qatar today after brilliant performances on the second morning. At lunch on day two, Edwards was again...

Jacque sits out day two

14 February 2007 by Matthew Birt

Jacque sits out day two

French rider Olivier Jacque will try and return to action tomorrow (Thursday) in Qatar having decided to sit out day two of the IRTA test in Doha. Circuit doctors cleared Jacque to ride following a...

OJ concussed in Qatar

14 February 2007 by Matthew Birt

OJ concussed in Qatar

French rider Olivier Jacque is a major doubt for the rest of the first IRTA test in Qatar after he suffered concussion in a heavy crash this afternoon. The factory Kawasaki rider was taken by...

Tough return for Jezza

14 February 2007 by Matthew Birt

Tough return for Jezza

British veteran Jeremy McWilliams bravely returned to track action in Qatar today after his injury nightmare. The Ilmor rider, hobbling around the paddock with a crutch, was unsurprisingly the slowest...

Hayden happier in Qatar

14 February 2007 by Matthew Birt

Hayden happier in Qatar

Reigning world champion Nicky Hayden admitted he felt as happy as he has done all winter on Honda’s new RC212V as he finished the opening day in Qatar with the fifth best time. The American was only...

Capirossi crashes in Qatar

14 February 2007 by Matthew Birt

Capirossi crashes in Qatar

Loris Capirossi emerged unscathed after he crashed his new Ducati GP7 800 late on the first afternoon of the IRTA test in Qatar today. The Italian walked away uninjured after the crash at the first...

Rossi behind Edwards

14 February 2007 by Matthew Birt

Rossi behind Edwards

Just five days after he played second fiddle to factory Yamaha team-mate Colin Edwards in Sepang, former world champion Valentino Rossi was beaten to the best time again by the American in Qatar...

Qatar day one: It's Edwards

14 February 2007 by Matthew Birt

Qatar day one: It's Edwards

Colin Edwards continued his brilliant winter testing form today in Qatar with a best lap on day one of the IRTA test session that blitzed Valentino Rossi’s 2006 990cc lap record. The in-form American,...

Ducati 1098S race-build

14 February 2007 by Gary Pinchin

Ducati 1098S race-build

The Buildbase Ducati team, based at John Hackett’s Ducati Coventry shop, are fielding John Laverty and Keiran Clarke in the National Superstock series this year on a pair of the exciting new 1098S...

Ducati's Italy test

14 February 2007 by Michael Guy

Ducati's Italy test

Reigning World Champion Troy Bayliss completed his final test before heading to the opening round of the WSB championship in Qatar on 24th February.  Onboard the Xerox Ducati 999 F07, Bayliss got his...