2003
2004 MotoGP dates
16 December 2003
After changes to both the British GP and the Brazilian GP the final dates for the 2004 MotoGP season have now been confirmed. The updated calendar is as follows: April 18, South Africa, Welkom; May 2, Spain, Jerez de la Frontera; May 16, France, Le Mans; June 6, Italy, Mugello; June 13, Catalunya, Catalunya; June 26, Netherlands, Assen; July 4, Rio, Jacarepaguá; July 18, Germany, Sachsenring; July...
Hodgson survives MotoGP test scare
16 December 2003
Neil Hodgson had luck on his side during his first MotoGP test on the 246bhp Ducati Desmosedici V4. An oil leak led to some scary slides within his first three minutes on the bike, but fortunately he...
The MCN MotoGP archive is open
16 December 2003
There are hundreds of MotoGP stories currently in our archives for you to browse. We’re adding less additional content than usual to this section while we focus on improving the overall service we...
Biaggi fastest at Valencia
09 December 2003
Max Biaggi is the fastest rider at the end of the Valencia MotoGP test. The Italian rider clocked the best time of 1:32.88 during the second day of testing on Thursday but couldn’t better it in...
Hodgson's short Desmosedici debut
09 December 2003
Neil Hodgson had a short first day on the Ducati Desmosedici MotoGP bike. Damp conditions forced the World Superbike champion to wait until 2:30 before he could take the bike out on track at the...
Davies nominated for Young Sports Personality
02 December 2003
British 250cc GP star Chaz Davies has been nominated for the BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year award. This season saw the 16-year-old move into the 250cc class after spending his debut year in...
Kato crash investigation results
02 December 2003
The Honda investigation committee has ruled out mechanical failure as a cause of the crash that took the life of GP rider Daijiro Kato, in a special press briefing on Friday, November 28. It has taken...
McWilliams signs with Aprilia
02 December 2003
Jeremy McWilliams has confirmed he will join Shane Byrne in an all-British factory Aprilia MotoGP squad next season. The 39-year-old signed a contract today (Friday) having flown down to Aprilia’s...
Suzuki switch to Bridgestone
01 December 2003
John Hopkins will be riding his Suzuki GSV-R on Bridgestone tyres for next years MotoGP season. Suzuki is a long term partner of Michelin tyres but the GP team announced the switch as part of a move...
Byrne makes Aprilia MotoGP debut
25 November 2003
Shane Byrne made his debut for the Aprilia MotoGP team on the second day of a three-day test shared with the Ducati team at Jerez in Spain. The 26-year-old was forced to sit out the first day due to...
Byrne debut washed-out
25 November 2003
Bad weather has delayed Shane Byrne’s debut factory Aprilia MotoGP test. Both the Ducati and Aprilia factory GP teams are at the Jerez circuit in Spain for a three-day test. Intermittent rain meant...
Checa tests at Sepang
25 November 2003
Carlos Checa continued the development of the new Deltabox chassis for the 2004 Fortuna Yamaha YZR-M1 at Sepang this weekend. The Spanish rider was at the Malaysian track to work on the new chassis...
McWilliams likely to sign for Aprilia
18 November 2003
Britain’s Jeremy McWilliams is looking likely to partner Shane Byrne in the factory Aprilia MotoGP squad in 2004. McWilliams is due to fly to Italy on Wednesday to finalise a deal after being faxed a...
New signings in 250GPs
18 November 2003
The second and third-placed riders in the 2003 250cc championship will join forces next year for the Fortuna Honda squad. Roberto Rolfo will remain with the team after narrowly missing out on the...
Xaus joins Hodgson in Ducati GP team
11 November 2003
Ruben Xaus will continue as Neil Hodgson’s team-mate next year after signing for the d’Antin Ducati MotoGP squad for 2004. The deal has been on the cards for Xaus since Hodgson signed with the team at...
Edwards tests Honda RC211V
04 November 2003
Colin Edwards has completed his first test on the Honda RC211V he will race in 2004. The American rode in a private test at the Catalunya circuit in Spain for half a day on Tuesday, November 4. MCN’s...
Yamaha confirms Rossi switch
04 November 2003
MotoGP world champion Valentino Rossi has signed a two-year contract with Yamaha. The deal will see Rossi ride a factory YZR-M1 in the 2004 and 2005 MotoGP world championships and was confirmed in a...
MotoGP Scalextric unveiled
04 November 2003
Model and toy firm Hornby has announced a new MotoGP Scalextric slot racing package. Scalextric has secured the MotoGP licence from Dorna, allowing the series to include every rider and manufacturer in the championship. The first deliveries are expected in Spring 2004 to coincide with the opening rounds of the 2004 championship. The bikes will be powered by a small electric motor driving the rear...
GP testing starts for 2004
04 November 2003
The MotoGP squads have started preparation early for next season with many of the teams staying on after this year’s final race in Valencia for two days of hard testing. After a brief rest on Monday...
Stoner takes debut 125cc win
01 November 2003
Casey Stoner has taken his first-ever 125cc win at Valencia. The 18-year-old Australian overcame the best efforts of Hector Barbera to hold the lead to the flag. Barbera eventually finished third after an attempt to snatch the lead at the last corner saw him run wide and let Steve Jenkner past. 1) Stoner. 2) Jenkner. 3) Barbera. 4) Simoncelli. 5) Giansanti. 6) Bautista. 7) Nieto. 8) Dovizioso. 9)...
Valencia victory for Rossi, Stoner and De Puniet
01 November 2003
The tension continues to build towards Honda’s official announcement this afternoon, following Valentino Rossi’s win at Valencia. Rossi underlined why there is so much interest in his future, triumphing over Sete Gibernau. Loris Capirossi took third on the Desmosedici Ducati. Jeremy McWilliams took 12th on the Proton KR bike. 1) Rossi. 2) Gibernau. 3) Capirossi. 4) Biaggi. 5) Checa. 6) Barros. 7)...
Poggiali third seals 250cc title
01 November 2003
Manuel Poggiali took the 2003 250cc title with a third place at Valencia behind Randy De Puniet and Toni Elias. Title challenger Roberto Rolfo saw his championship hopes fade with a sixth place. Britain’s Chaz Davies finished in 13th place. 1) De Puniet. 2) Elias. 3) Poggiali. 4) Guintoli. 5) Nieto. 6) Porto. 7) Rolfo. 8) Battaini. 9) Bataille. 10) Debon 11) Matsudo. 12) Heidolf. 13) Davies. 14)...
Rossi leaves Honda; Edwards joins
01 November 2003
Valentino Rossi has confirmed that he is not riding for Honda in 2004. Meanwhile Colin Edwards has signed to ride alongside Sete Gibernau under Telefonica Movistar colours. Rossi said that the reason...
Rossi on provisional pole for Sunday
28 October 2003
Valentino Rossi posted a new qualifying record lap to take provisional pole for Sunday’s Spanish GP at Valencia. The Italian posted a time of 1:33.643 to lead an all-Honda front row. The only other...
Rossi and Hodgson latest as it breaks
28 October 2003
The final round of the 2004 MotoGP championship promises some huge news about the coming season. MCN is expecting that Neil Hodgson to confirm his departure from WSB on Saturday to join the D’Antin...
Abe fastest in practice at Valencia
28 October 2003
Yamaha’s Norrick Abe heads the first practice session at Valencia, riding for Fortuna Yamaha as a replacement for regular rider Marco Melandri. His time is over two seconds quicker than Garry McCoy,...
Abe replaces injured Melandri
21 October 2003
Norrick Abe will fill in for injured Fortuna Yamaha regular Marco Melandri at the Valencia GP on Sunday, November 2. The 28-year-old Japanese rider will replace regular team member Melandri for the...
Rossi wins despite penalty
14 October 2003
Valentino Rossi has won the penultimate MotoGP race of the year in fantastic style, taking the win despite incurring his second time penalty of the season. Rossi had a bad start to the race, running...
Rossi on pole at Phillip Island
14 October 2003
Valentino Rossi has taken his Honda RCV to pole position for Sunday’s Australian GP, beating Ducati’s Loris Capirossi in to second place. The newly crowned world champion beat Capirossi’s...
McWilliams ninth in qualifying practice
14 October 2003
Jeremy McWilliams, who last year claimed pole at Phillip Island on a two-stroke, is in a provisional ninth place on the Proton V5 for this Sunday’s MotoGP at the Australian circuit. Valentino Rossi...
Rossi plays down F1 move
14 October 2003
Newly-crowned MotoGP world champion Valentino Rossi has played down the rumours that he will be driving a Formula 1 car next year. Rossi was offered a no-strings-attached test drive of the Ferrari F1...
Rossi is champion again
07 October 2003
Valentino Rossi has won his seventh race of the year to seal the MotoGP championship for the second year running. The world champion sat behind Sete Gibernau for early part of the race but at half...
Sepang pole for Rossi
07 October 2003
Amidst rumours about a possible switch to Yamaha, Valentino Rossi put his Honda RC211V on pole for the Malaysian GP on Sunday. Rossi created a new pole lap record of 2:02.480 on his way to the front of the grid. Second place goes to Spaniard Carlos Checa, with Makoto Tamada third. 1) Rossi 2:02.480. 2) Checa 2:02.885. 3) Tamada 2:03.138. 4) Biaggi 2:03.254. 5) Nakano 2:03.342. 6) Capirossi...
Rossi keeps world guessing
07 October 2003
Valentino Rossi looks set to keep the world waiting anxiously for an answer on his future for a few more days yet. It seems all the huge speculation surrounding his future won’t come to an end until...
Rossi on provisional pole for Malaysian GP
07 October 2003
Valentino Rossi underlined why there is so much speculation about his contract for next year by setting a new qualifying record to put himself on provisional pole for Sunday’s race at Sepang. The...
Rossi set for shock Yamaha switch
07 October 2003
Valentino Rossi is looking more and more likely to make a shock switch from Honda to Yamaha in 2004. GP sources claim the deal is already done – but nothing official is expected until Sunday’s...