November

Melandri tops 1st day

25 November 2005

Early reports from the MotoGP testing session in Sepang have shown the Hondas dominating the first day with Marco Melandri setting the fastest time. Rain caused some delay in the morning but it soon...

Rossi takes control

25 November 2005

Valentino Rossi has broken the Honda dominance of the Sepang MotoGP test. Rossi beat yesterday’s best time of 2:02.99, set by Marco Melandri, by 0.38 seconds riding the 2006 Yamaha M1. Melandri...

Gibernau ups the pace

25 November 2005

The Ducati GP team has had a much-improved second day of testing at Jerez, despite the cold weather, with Sete Gibernau setting the best lap. Loris Capirossi and new team-mate Gibernau spent the day...

Damp start for Ducati

25 November 2005

The Ducati GP team’s run of bad luck has continued with yet another day of testing disrupted by wet weather. The team’s previous test session in Valencia was abandoned to rain, and now their first...

Three in a row for Smith

25 November 2005

British youngster Bradley Smith won the final round of the Spanish 125cc championship at the weekend, just missing out on the championship win by one point. The MotoGP Academy rider, who celebrated...

Smith wins again in Spain

18 November 2005

14-year-old British star-in-the-making – Bradley Smith – has bagged his second win in Spanish racing. The MotoGP Academy youngster claimed his second success in the Spanish 125cc Championship at the Ricardo Tormo track near Valencia last weekend. He celebrates his 15th birthday next week.

WCM to use KTM

18 November 2005

With the WCM team still waiting for the brand new Blata V6 engine to appear it seems they might be able to run the ditched KTM engine for some of next year. The Proton KR team ran the engine in 2005...

Yamaha test for Ellison

18 November 2005

James Ellison will test a factory Yamaha YZR-M1 in Sepang at the multi-team MotoGP test beginning on November 28. The British rider’s future took a dramatic twist this week when he began negotiations about riding a full factory YZR-M1 in 2006 for the French-based Tech 3 squad on Dunlop tyres. MCN understands a deal is close to being clinched, and Ellison will then line-up on next year’s MotoGP...

Suzuki test washed out

11 November 2005

Chris Vermeulen’s Thursday (Nov 10) test with Suzuki’s MotoGP team had to be abandoned on as strong winds swept rain showers across an increasingly slippery Valencia circuit. He and John Hopkins had...

Friday practice in Spain

04 November 2005

Marco Melandri was fastest in second free practice for the Valencia season finale MotoGP, on Friday (Nov 4). His time of 1.33.464 beat Carlos Checa’s FP1-topping time by a fraction. Checa clocked...

Checa RCV test disaster

04 November 2005

Carlos Checa made a disastrous Honda RCV debut this morning at Valencia. The Spaniard crashed on only his third lap at turn three as he returned to Michelin tyres after a season with Bridgestone on...

Vermeulen tests Suzuki

04 November 2005

Chris Vermeulen made his Suzuki GSV-R debut on Monday (Nov 7) as preparations for the 2006 MotoGP world championship kicked off in Valencia – less than 24 hours after the final race. The Australian,...

Gibernau on Spanish pole

04 November 2005

Sete Gibernau has qualified on pole position for the final race of the 2005 MotoGP season, which takes place at Valencia in Spain on Sunday, November 6, 2005. The Spanish Movistar Honda rider...

Melandri wins in Valencia

04 November 2005

Marco Melandri has won the final MotoGP race of the year at Valencia. The Italian rider lead the race from start to finish after getting the best start. Hayden was on his tale throughout but could...

Melandri mobbed at NEC

01 November 2005

Honda GP rider Marco Melandri got completely mobbed at the NEC motorcycle show today, Tuesday November 1. The Telefonica Movistar rider came to the show to meet fans and sign autographs on the Honda...

Shakey loses GP ride

01 November 2005

Shakey Byrne’s topsy-turvy season took another dramatic twist today (Nov 1) when his deal to ride the Camel Honda RC211V at Valencia this weekend fell apart. The team did a last-minute U-turn and...

Rossi goes retro

01 November 2005

Valentino Rossi will be racing in the traditional red, yellow and white Yamaha racing colours at this weekend’s Valencia GP. The Yamaha team has decided to go with the retro colours for the final...