2007

Year: 2007

Month: ALL

McWilliams out for Qatar

10 March 2007 by Matthew Birt

McWilliams out for Qatar

With just 40 minutes to go before the opening race of the season, it has been announced that Jeremy McWilliams will not race. Due to the injuries he has sustained, he sat out the morning warm-up...

Pedrosa heads morning warm-up

10 March 2007 by MCN

Dani Pedrosa has gone fastest in the morning warm-up session for the opening MotoGP of the season in Qatar. The Spanish Honda rider is first of three young riders heading the morning times, with John Hopkins second quickest on the Suzuki, and Casey Stoner third fastest for Ducati. There was a crash for Pedrosa following his fastest lap, along with controversy as he made a practice start. 1.

McWilliams plans to race

10 March 2007 by Matthew Birt

McWilliams plans to race

Jeremy McWilliams is still planning to race in this afternoon’s Qatar GP despite missing the 20-minute warm-up session. The British rider suffered a massive crash at the end of yesterday’s qualifying...

Tailgating Rossi

10 March 2007 by Top Dog

Tailgating Rossi

Carlos Checa tries following Rossi in Donington Park GP practice last year in an attempt to set a better qualifying time.

Jezza aims to ride despite crash

09 March 2007 by Matthew Birt

Jezza aims to ride despite crash

Jeremy McWilliams will undergo precautionary X-rays on his left leg in a Doha hospital later on today, but is confident he will be fit for the first MotoGP world championship race of 2007 tomorrow...

Rossi on pole in Qatar

09 March 2007 by Matthew Birt

Rossi on pole in Qatar

Valentino Rossi has taken the first pole of the 800 MotoGP era, by the smallest imaginable margin in Qatar. Yamaha’s Rossi snatched pole from Ducati’s Casey Stoner in the closing stages of the...

Rossi's hairy back

09 March 2007 by Chris Newbigging

Rossi's hairy back

Valentino Rossi has just headed out on track (Friday, March 9, 2007) in Qatar in these leathers with a furry number 46! The custom leather choice with yellow cavallino leather numbers follows his use...

Pitt readies for race

09 March 2007 by Matthew Birt

Pitt readies for race

Aussie Andrew Pitt says he is ready for the new MotoGP world championship season despite agreeing that the new Ilmor 800cc machine needed to complete more winter testing miles. Pitt was 19th in free...

Rossi: Speed no issue

09 March 2007 by Matthew Birt

Rossi: Speed no issue

Former world champion Valentino Rossi has denied he is concerned that Yamaha’s new 800 is lacking in top speed compared to some of its MotoGP rivals. The speed deficit is hardly going to concern the...

Hayden and Rossi: 990s forgotten

08 March 2007 by Matthew Birt

Hayden and Rossi: 990s forgotten

Defending MotoGP world champion Nicky Hayden reckons he’s not looking over his shoulder anymore and wishing he could still ride Honda’s brutal RCV 990cc machine in MotoGP. The switch to the new...

Yamaha fastest in the desert

08 March 2007 by Matthew Birt

Yamaha fastest in the desert

Yamaha have set the pace throughout the first day of the 2007 MotoGP season, with Colin Edwards and Valentino Rossi alternately heading the morning and afternoon practice session in Qatar today...

Hayden eyes Rossi and Pedrosa threat

08 March 2007 by Matthew Birt

Hayden eyes Rossi and Pedrosa threat

Reigning world champion Nicky Hayden has backed factory Honda team- mate Dani Pedrosa and Yamaha rival Valentino Rossi to pose the biggest threat to his hopes of mounting a successful defence of his...

Edwards fastest in Qatar

08 March 2007 by Matthew Birt

Edwards fastest in Qatar

Colin Edwards is determined not to let Valentino Rossi and Dani Pedrosa assume complete control in the 2007 MotoGP world championship – and backed up his ambition by going fastest in first free...

Dorna makes cash pledge

08 March 2007 by Matthew Birt

Dorna makes cash pledge

MotoGP bosses have pledged to invest a massive £25m in 2007 to help ease some of the sponsorship worries currently casting a cloud of world championship racing. The money will be split between teams...

2006 British GP wheelies

07 March 2007 by Top Dog

2006 British GP wheelies

Marco Melandri and Nicky Hayden wheelie up to Goddards at Donington 2006.

Laverty praises boss

07 March 2007 by Matthew Birt

Laverty praises boss

Irish rookie Eugene Laverty has praised LCR Honda team boss Lucio Cecchinello on the eve of his world 250 championship debut in Qatar. The 20-year-old sacrificed a big-money British superbike ride in...

Vermeulen Q and A

07 March 2007 by Matthew Birt

Vermeulen Q and A

The new generation 800cc machines have already changed MotoGP racing beyond recognition, with faster corners speeds and later braking seeing lap times already faster than the more powerful 990cc...

Hopper gets green light

07 March 2007 by Matthew Birt

Hopper gets green light

John Hopkins will race in the season’s opening MotoGP clash in Qatar after the American passed a medical check this morning at the Losail International Circuit. Hopkins though has rated his damaged...

Smith gets tech boost

06 March 2007 by Matthew Birt

Smith gets tech boost

Bradley Smith’s hopes of enhancing his world championship reputation have been bolstered by the arrival of MotoGP-winning engineer Juan Martinez in his Repsol Honda 125 team. Martinez has been signed...

Yamaha confirms Fiat deal and reveals new colours

05 March 2007 by Matthew Birt

Yamaha confirms Fiat deal and reveals new colours

This is the first look at the Fiat-backed factory Yamaha YZR-M1 that Valentino Rossi hopes will win him back the MotoGP world championship in 2007. In one of the worst kept secrets of the paddock,...

OJ fitness boost

05 March 2007 by Matthew Birt

OJ fitness boost

Factory Kawasaki rider Olivier Jacque has declared himself fit and raring to go for the new MotoGP world championship campaign which gets underway in Qatar next week. The French rider is confident he...

Edwards: "Best winter ever"

05 March 2007 by Matthew Birt

Edwards: "Best winter ever"

Colin Edwards says there’s no doubt that his winter testing campaign was the best in his entire career as he attempts to breaking his MotoGP victory duck in 2007. Delighted at the performance of...

New Ilmor engine planned

05 March 2007 by Matthew Birt

New Ilmor engine planned

Jeremy McWilliams and Andrew Pitt could get another new spec engine in the Ilmor 800cc contender by the middle of the 2007 world championship. The British and Aussie riders got their first chance to...

Burgess eyes Pedrosa GP threat

05 March 2007 by Matthew Birt

Burgess eyes Pedrosa GP threat

Valentino Rossi’s crew chief Jerry Burgess has backed the Italian’s belief that factory Honda rider Dani Pedrosa will pose the biggest threat in the 2007 MotoGP world championship. Rossi names Pedrosa...

Happy Max Biaggi

04 March 2007 by craig clues

Happy Max Biaggi

pic of me at philip island gp 2005 with happy max

Roberts sees 700cc future

02 March 2007 by Matthew Birt

Roberts sees 700cc future

Kenny Roberts believes that the MotoGP world championship will see a further capacity reduction in the future, with four-stroke 700s or 600s the most likely step. On the eve of the new 800cc era that...

Gibernau rejects GP return

02 March 2007 by Matthew Birt

Gibernau rejects GP return

Sete Gibernau has turned down the chance to make an instant return to the MotoGP world championship in 2007. The former factory Honda rider was offered a job working as an expert pundit on Spanish TV...

Rossi backs Brit teen

02 March 2007 by Matthew Birt

Rossi backs Brit teen

Seven-times world champion Valentino Rossi has backed British teenager Bradley Smith to make a big impact in his second year on the world stage in 2007. Rossi praised the MotoGP Academy graduate last...

Laverty crashes

02 March 2007 by Matthew Birt

Laverty crashes

World 250 championship rookie Eugene Laverty finished pre-season testing for his first GP campaign with a crash at the Losail International Circuit in Qatar. The 20-year-old crashed his production LCR...

Vermeulen wants BHP

01 March 2007 by Matthew Birt

Vermeulen wants BHP

Extra horsepower is one critical area that factory Suzuki rider Chris Vermeulen believes the new GSV-R can still improve as the countdown to the 2007 MotoGP world championship gets closer. Although...

Qatar concern for Loris

01 March 2007 by Matthew Birt

Qatar concern for Loris

Loris Capirossi is hoping front tyre concerns won’t ruin his hopes of winning the opening MotoGP race for the second year in succession. The Italian spoke to MCN about Qatar where several Bridgestone...

Edwards braking free

01 March 2007 by Matthew Birt

Edwards braking free

Texas Tornado Colin Edwards believes Michelin’s new 16-inch front tyre has helped him make a massive step forward in braking and corner entry speeds on the new factory Yamaha YZR-M1. The American has...

Oz future in safe hands

01 March 2007 by Matthew Birt

Oz future in safe hands

The emergence of young talent like Casey Stoner and Chris Vermeulen has proven This is according to legendary Aussie crew chief Jerry Burgess, who is working with former champion, Valentino Rossi to...

Edwards: Plenty to come

01 March 2007 by Matthew Birt

Edwards: Plenty to come

Colin Edwards has warned his MotoGP rivals he has still got plenty more to come when the new season kicks off on March 10, 2007. This is following his recent impressive testing performances at Jerez...

M1 power delivery boost

01 March 2007 by Matthew Birt

M1 power delivery boost

Seven-times world champion Valentino Rossi reckons the secret to Yamaha’s brilliant winter testing performances has been the smooth power delivery on his new factory YZR-M1 800. Several of Rossi’s...

Checa chases front grip

01 March 2007 by Matthew Birt

Checa chases front grip

Spaniard Carlos Checa reckons front-end feel on Honda’s new RC212V is the biggest area he needs to improve before the new MotoGP season kicks off in less than three weeks. Although Michelin has made a...