2007

Dutch MotoGP: No beating Jorge Lorenzo on 250 grid

Dutch MotoGP: No beating Jorge Lorenzo on 250 grid

The wet conditions played their part for the 250s in the second qualifying practice this afternoon resulting in Jorge Lorenzo continuing his dominance on the weekend so far.  Although it was Honda’s...

Dutch MotoGP: 125s fail to improve on Mattia Pasini's pole setting time

Dutch MotoGP: 125s fail to improve on Mattia Pasini's pole setting time

Mattia Pasini held on from yesterday to secure pole position for tomorrow’s 125 MotoGP race in Assen.  The Aprilia rider recorded a best time of 1:45.603 in the first qualifying session, which was...

Dutch MotoGP: Chris Vermeulen claims MotoGP pole at wet Assen

Dutch MotoGP: Chris Vermeulen claims MotoGP pole at wet Assen

Chris Vermeulen once again proved what a formidable threat he poses in rain conditions as he claimed pole position at a sodden Assen circuit this afternoon. The Australian, who scored a maiden premier...

Dutch MotoGP: Jorge Lorenzo is unstoppable in Assen

Dutch MotoGP: Jorge Lorenzo is unstoppable in Assen

Provisional pole man Jorge Lorenzo was once again on the top of the 250 timesheets at the Dutch MotoGP in Assen.  The Spaniard went slightly slower than yesterday’s first qualifying practice with a...

Dutch MotoGP: Valentino Rossi leaves it late to deny Casey Stoner in Assen

Dutch MotoGP: Valentino Rossi leaves it late to deny Casey Stoner in Assen

Valentino Rossi left it late but the Italian denied MotoGP world championship leader Casey Stoner top spot at the end of free practice for tomorrow’s Dutch MotoGP. The Italian posted a 1.37.537 on his...

Dutch MotoGP: Sergio Gadea back on the pace for 125s in Assen

Dutch MotoGP: Sergio Gadea back on the pace for 125s in Assen

Sergio Gadea left it until his last lap of the morning to record the best time for the 125s at the Dutch MotoGP in Assen.  The Aprilia rider topped the timesheets with a 1:47.611 yesterday morning...

JT: King of WSB

JT: King of WSB

Here’s a picture of Claire, Jess and Theo with James Toseland, taken at Donington when we went to see the GP.

Dear Donington

Dear Donington

I attended the MotoGP event last weekend with my family. We rose early (6am) on Sunday to claim our spot where we could pitch our seats etc and watch the race from a prime viewing position (infield,...

Dutch MotoGP: James Toseland tapped up for vacant Elias Honda MotoGP ride

Dutch MotoGP: James Toseland tapped up for vacant Elias Honda MotoGP ride

James Toseland has been contacted about taking injured MotoGP rider Toni Elias’s Gresini Honda RC212V ride in the 2007 MotoGP world championship. MCN has learned that Gresini spoke to Toseland’s...

Dutch MotoGP: Toni Elias undergoes surgery on broken left leg

Dutch MotoGP: Toni Elias undergoes surgery on broken left leg

Spaniard Toni Elias has undergone surgery on the broken left femur he suffered at the Assen circuit in Holland this morning. The Gresini Honda rider broke the femur when he lost the front end of his...

Dutch MotoGP: Bradley Smith to fly to Spain after Assen crash

Dutch MotoGP: Bradley Smith to fly to Spain after Assen crash

British teenager Bradley Smith will fly to Barcelona tomorrow to begin his bid to be fit for the German 125 GP at the Sachsenring on July 15. The 16-year-old suffered broken bones in his left foot and...

Me and Nicky Hayden

Me and Nicky Hayden

I was lucky enough to bump into Nicky Hayden outside his garage at Donington on the Saturday night… really nice guy, shame about his luck on Sunday!

Dutch MotoGP: Jorge Lorenzo continues his form in Assen

Dutch MotoGP: Jorge Lorenzo continues his form in Assen

Jorge Lorenzo went just over a second quicker than this morning to take provisional pole position at the Dutch 250 MotoGP this afternoon. The Aprilia rider recorded a best time of 1:39.958 at the...

Dutch MotoGP: Casey Stoner continues Dutch dominance in Assen

Dutch MotoGP: Casey Stoner continues Dutch dominance in Assen

Casey Stoner ended the opening day at the Dutch MotoGP in Assen with the fastest time after another impressive performance in the second free practice session. Quickest this morning, the 21-year-old...

Dutch MotoGP: Valentino Rossi and Colin Edwards' Yamahas get a new look

Dutch MotoGP: Valentino Rossi and Colin Edwards' Yamahas get a new look

Valentino Rossi and Colin Edwards’ factory Yamaha YZR-M1s sported a somewhat garish looking paintscheme this morning (Thursday) when the Dutch MotoGP in Assen got underway.  The multi-coloured...

Dutch MotoGP: Mattia Pasini takes provisional pole for 125s in Assen

Dutch MotoGP: Mattia Pasini takes provisional pole for 125s in Assen

Mattia Pasini has taken provisional pole for the 125 category at the Dutch MotoGP in Assen. The Italian recorded a best lap of 1:45.603 on his Aprilia with less than five minutes remaining of the...

Dutch MotoGP: Jorge Lorenzo still the man to beat as 250s head out at Assen

Dutch MotoGP: Jorge Lorenzo still the man to beat as 250s head out at Assen

Current MotoGP 250 championship leader Jorge Lorenzo has gone fastest once again this morning in the first practice for the 250s in Assen.  The Spaniard managed a best time of 1:40.979 on his...

Dutch MotoGP: Sergio Gadea goes fastest in free practice for 125s

Dutch MotoGP: Sergio Gadea goes fastest in free practice for 125s

Aprilia Rider Sergio Gadea was the quickest rider in the 125 series this morning as the Assen MotoGP weekend began.  The Spaniard recorded a time of 1:47.611, just under one 10th of a second quicker...

Dutch MotoGP: Casey Stoner beats Valentino Rossi as Assen MotoGP gets underway

Dutch MotoGP: Casey Stoner beats Valentino Rossi as Assen MotoGP gets underway

MotoGP world championship leader Casey Stoner continued his domination of the 2007 season to set the fastest time in this morning’s first free practice session in Assen.  In cool and blustery...

MotoGP: Second British MotoGP unlikely says Dorna chief

MotoGP: Second British MotoGP unlikely says Dorna chief

A second British MotoGP at the Silverstone circuit is unlikely to feature on the world championship calendar in the foreseeable future. Rumours have been rife Silverstone has made a formal request to...

Dutch MotoGP: Toni Elias breaks leg in Assen MotoGP practice crash

Dutch MotoGP: Toni Elias breaks leg in Assen MotoGP practice crash

Spaniard Toni Elias has suffered more injury misery at the Assen circuit this morning after he broke his left femur in a crash in the opening MotoGP free practice session. The Gresini Honda rider lost...

Dutch MotoGP: Injury puts Bradley Smith out of Assen MotoGP

Dutch MotoGP: Injury puts Bradley Smith out of Assen MotoGP

British teenager Bradley Smith will miss Saturday’s Dutch 125 MotoGP in Assen after suffering a broken left hand and foot in this morning’s opening free practice session.  Details of the incident are...

Donny GP: Brill

Donny GP: Brill

No complaints here except queuing for nearly an hour to collect tickets. Apart from that myself, my daughter Katie and my two nephews all enjoyed the trip from Ireland to watch some great racing. And...

Dutch MotoGP: Andrea Dovizioso confirms 2008 MotoGP ambitions

Dutch MotoGP: Andrea Dovizioso confirms 2008 MotoGP ambitions

World 250 championship challenger Andrea Dovizioso has confirmed his intention to move to MotoGP next season. The Italian, who won last weekend’s rain-soaked British GP at Donington Park, said, “I...

Dutch MotoGP: Valentino Rossi furious at British MotoGP motorhome graffiti

Dutch MotoGP: Valentino Rossi furious at British MotoGP motorhome graffiti

Valentino Rossi is understood to be furious after a small minority of angry fans targeted his motor home in the Donington Park paddock after Sunday’s British GP. Sources confirmed to MCN this...

Dutch MotoGP: Edwards interested in Tech 3 move

Dutch MotoGP: Edwards interested in Tech 3 move

British GP runner-up Colin Edwards has confirmed to MCN that he would consider moving to Yamaha’s satellite team in 2008, with his place alongside Valentino Rossi looking increasingly likely to go to...

Dutch MotoGP: Fausto Gresini fears Marco Melandri exit

Dutch MotoGP: Fausto Gresini fears Marco Melandri exit

Honda team boss Fausto Gresini has expressed concerns star rider Marco Melandri will quit to land a factory ride in the 2008 MotoGP world championship. With just one podium in 2007 in a rain-lashed...

Nicky and Shinya at Day of Champions

Nicky and Shinya at Day of Champions

This is Nicky Hayden and Shinya Nakano signing autographs for fans in pitlane at the Day of Champions at Donington Park.

Me and Kurtis Roberts

Me and Kurtis Roberts

This is me and Kurtis Roberts at the Day of Champions. He was doing a guided bus tour of the track and was such a lovely guy.

Dutch MotoGP: Kenny Roberts Junior plays down retirement rumours

Dutch MotoGP: Kenny Roberts Junior plays down retirement rumours

Team Roberts has played down speculation that Kenny Roberts Junior has raced in his last MotoGP world championship clash.  The American stayed at home in California while younger brother Kurtis...

Rainy, pricey Donington

Just dropping you a line to tell you about our experiances at the MotoGP in Donington this weekend. Me & the Mrs (Dawn) and six other mates stayed in Loughborough and did the whole Friday to Monday thing. Qualifying was great, and hearing the 800s for the first time was ear splittingly good! I really wanted to pass on my thanks to Donington Park for making me walk half the circuit to get to where...

In defence of Donington

This year’s British GP was my sixth year on the bounce and for anyone who’s complaining about how long it took you to get out, I can assure you that this year was the best organised and showed much improvement from previous years. As for the toilet facilities… what do you expect when there’s been thousands of people from thursday to saturday using them? I camped Friday to Sunday, got muddy and...

Donington GP

Donington’s a cracking circuit, but it’s let down badly by its stone-age facilities. The ticket situation was a farce. Despite being promised that the tickets had been sent out recorded delivery and taking two half days off work to catch the postie, I was then told: ‘sorry – the tickets weren’t in the post, collect them at the circuit’. Who’s going to reimburse me for the postage I paid for and...

Donington

Like many readers I am bemused as to how Donnington retains the MotoGP. Entry fee was exhorbitant, facilities non-existant, refreshments rubbish and expensive. It felt on Sunday what I imagined the Somme was like in World War One. Sell it to Jonathan Palmer and let’s have some money spent on those hardy souls called fans.

Meeting the greats

Meeting the greats

This is me at Donington greeting two of the greats of the sport. I did actually manage 15 photos in all of Dani Pedrosa, Bradley Smith, John Hopkins, Shinya Nakano, Carlos Checa, Phil Read, to name a...

MotoGP: Anthony West explains why he shines in the rain

MotoGP: Anthony West explains why he shines in the rain

Anthony West was one of the sensations of the British MotoGP at Donington Park, running as high as fifth before sliding off the track and ending what looked like a strong podium chance in his Kawasaki...