2007

Puig: Pedrosa waiting for Honda to improve

Puig: Pedrosa waiting for Honda to improve

Dani Pedrosa’s mentor Alberto Puig believes the Spaniard will return to winning ways once Honda’s new factory RC212V gets major improvements. The triple world champion is still winless in 2007 as he’s...

Burgess: Tough to find weakness in Stoner

Burgess: Tough to find weakness in Stoner

Valentino Rossi’s crew chief Jerry Burgess has conceded it will be difficult for the Fiat Yamaha rider to expose a weakness in Casey Stoner’s when the MotoGP world championship resumes in Mugello this...

Vermeulen confident with new Suzuki motor

Vermeulen confident with new Suzuki motor

Aussie Chris Vermeulen has told MCN he is confident that a new spec Suzuki V4 motor will bolster his hopes of adding to his maiden MotoGP success in France earlier this month. Vermeulen is now hoping...

Rossi: Pedrosa still a title threat

Rossi: Pedrosa still a title threat

Valentino Rossi has refused to rule Dani Pedrosa out of contention for the 2007 MotoGP world championship. The Spaniard is third in the standings behind series leader Casey Stoner and Rossi having...

Hayden admits double trouble

Hayden admits double trouble

Nicky Hayden has admitted the combination of Honda and Michelin’s struggle to match its rivals has made the defence of his MotoGP world crown doubly difficult. Honda’s new factory RC212V 800 contender...

Suzuki boss backs Vermeulen for more success

Suzuki boss backs Vermeulen for more success

Factory Suzuki boss Paul Denning has backed Aussie rider Chris Vermeulen to build on his French GP victory and become an even bigger influence in the MotoGP world championship. Denning was thrilled...

Rossi urges for Michelin improvement

Rossi urges for Michelin improvement

Valentino Rossi has urged Michelin to improve its new generation 800cc tyres with the most critical phase of the MotoGP series kicking off this weekend in Mugello. With six races in the next eight...

Puig delighted with Brit Smith

Puig delighted with Brit Smith

The man who gave Bradley Smith his big world championship break has paid tribute to the British teenager after his historic career first 125 GP podium in Le Mans last weekend. Alberto Puig selected...

Schwantz talks to MCN

Schwantz talks to MCN

Kevin Schwantz attended his first GP since the switch to 800cc so we caught up with him to find out what he thinks of the new machines, which riders he’s keeping an eye on and what his plans are with...

Vermeulen confirms Kawasaki approach

Vermeulen confirms Kawasaki approach

French GP winner Chris Vermeulen has been approached about a switch to Kawasaki’s factory team in 2008. Kawasaki is one of two factory teams to have made contact with the Aussie, who claimed a...

Rossi's feathered fan

Rossi's feathered fan

What happened to Rossi then? This is the wife’s African Grey parrot. She is called Dax, and she can say “come on Rossi, get going”!

Le Mans GP

Le Mans GP

Rona and the guys at Le Mans for the GP.

Colin Edwards and my wife!

My wife Jan with Colin Edwards at Siverstone WSB.

My bike

My bike

I love riding…

Rain, what rain?

Rain, what rain?

The heavens may have opened at the Le Mans GP for the big race, but the rest of the weekend was scorchio. Here are pictures of the eventual top three enjoying the glorious Saturday sunshine going into...

Bradley at Le Mans

Bradley at Le Mans

I was lucky enough to be at Le Mans for the MotoGP and got to see young Bradley Smith’s front row start and podium finish – the first of what hopefully will be many more to come. Here are a few...

Hayden wants gravel traps made safer

Hayden wants gravel traps made safer

Reigning world champion Nicky Hayden has called for a change to trackside gravel traps to help protect fallen riders more in big crashes. Hayden made his call after crashing out of fourth place in the...

Dorna pledge cash boost for MotoGP teams

Dorna pledge cash boost for MotoGP teams

MotoGP boss Carmelo Ezpeleta has pledged to help with the lease costs incurred by independent teams in 2008. Ezpeleta, boss of Spanish rights owners Dorna, will make a financial contribution to all...

Share a bath

Share a bath

Who said the facilities at Le Mans hadn’t been updated? Mobile baths now on campsite.

Suzuki confirm Melandri meeting

Suzuki confirm Melandri meeting

Marco Melandri has held tentative discussions with Suzuki’s factory MotoGP squad. MCN has learned that the Italian met Rizla Suzuki team manager Paul Denning after he clinched his first podium of 2007...

Moto GP Donington - Appetiser

Moto GP Donington - Appetiser

It’s only a few weeks now to the Moto GP at Donington Park and I thought that some of you may appreciate an appetiser before this year’s event. Attached are a few pictures that I managed to take at...

Yamaha: No regrets about missing Stoner

Yamaha: No regrets about missing Stoner

Fiat Yamaha boss Davide Brivio has told MCN he has no regrets about twice missing out on the signing of Casey Stoner to join Valentino Rossi. Yamaha pursued the Australian in the summer of 2005 and...

Hopkins keeping '08 options open

Hopkins keeping '08 options open

John Hopkins has refused to rule out a move away from Suzuki’s factory MotoGP squad in 2008. Although expressing his desire to continue his long-running relationship with the Japanese factory, the...

Video: Vermeulen on his first MotoGP victory

Video: Vermeulen on his first MotoGP victory

Chris Vermeulen took a fantastic first MotoGP victory at Le Mans in torrential rain at the weekend, MCN man Matt Birt caught up with him to find out what it felt like to take Suzuki’s first 800cc win.

Roberts eyes Brits for Donington GP

Roberts eyes Brits for Donington GP

Jeremy McWilliams, Neil Hodgson and James Haydon could be offered a golden chance to contest next month’s British GP for American legend Kenny Roberts’ squad. Team Roberts manager Chuck Aksland...

Schwantz and Rossi hail 'rain wizard' Vermeulen

Schwantz and Rossi hail 'rain wizard' Vermeulen

Suzuki legend Kevin Schwantz hailed Chris Vermeulen’s stunning rain-lashed Le Mans victory as ‘amazing.’ American Schwantz, who won the world 500 title for Suzuki in 1993, was raving as Vermeulen gave...

Tech 3 close to new Yamaha deal

Tech 3 close to new Yamaha deal

Yamaha is close confirming the French-based Tech 3 squad will continue to operate its two-rider satellite team in 2008. MCN understands lengthy negotiations between Yamaha management and Tech 3 bosses...

Burgess praises Kawasaki 800

Burgess praises Kawasaki 800

Kawasaki is a top rider away from mounting a consistent podium threat in the MotoGP world championship. That’s the view of Valentino Rossi’s crew chief Jerry Burgess, who has been impressed by the...

Elias and Stoner clear the air

Elias and Stoner clear the air

Toni Elias has held clear the air talks with Casey Stoner after the pair got involved in an on-track skirmish for the third race in a row. Having incurred the wrath of Stoner, Valentino Rossi, Alex...

Hayden admits title dreams slipping away

Hayden admits title dreams slipping away

Reigning world champion Nicky Hayden has conceded his hopes of retaining the MotoGP crown are slipping away just five races into the 2007 season. Hayden’s tough title defence continued in Le Mans on...

Schwantz: Rossi still title favourite

Schwantz: Rossi still title favourite

Suzuki legend Kevin Schwantz reckons Valentino Rossi is still hot favourite to reclaim the MotoGP world title despite Casey Stoner’s impressive start to the new campaign. Stoner’s third place in a...

No time to celebrate for schoolboy Bradley

No time to celebrate for schoolboy Bradley

Bradley Smith had little time to celebrate his brilliant career first 125 GP podium as he jetted back to England today to begin his last week at school. The 16-year-old became the youngest British...

Vermeulen triumphs in wet Le Mans chaos

Vermeulen triumphs in wet Le Mans chaos

Chris Vermeulen has won the French MotoGP  round in a chaotic race due to wet weather conditions. Vermeulen finished the race ahead of Marco Melandri and Casey Stoner, followed by Dani Pedrosa,Alex...

Lorenzo extends title lead with 250cc win

Lorenzo extends title lead with 250cc win

Jorge Lorenzo nows leads the 250cc GP championship by 32 points as he defended his title with a win in France. Lorenzo had to overcome a strong challenge from Alex de Angelis and Andrea Dovizioso to...

Smith takes third as Gadea wins 125GP

Smith takes third as Gadea wins 125GP

Britain’s Bradley Smith claimed his first podium, by taking third in the 125cc French GP. Smith finished behind winner Sergio Gadea, who took his first ever GP win for the Bacaja Asapr team, whilst...

First two-stroke premier class winner passes away

A minute’s silence was held this morning at the Le Mans circuit in memory of Australian Jack Findlay, who passed away last night. Findlay set several world championship landmarks in a distinguished career that spanned 21 years from 1958 to 1978. He was the first rider to take a premier class victory on a two-stroke machine in the 1971 Ulster GP. And he was the first rider to claim victory on...