October

Year: 2008

Month: October

Casey Stoner eyes more Sepang success

13 October 2008 by Matthew Birt

Casey Stoner eyes more Sepang success

Former world champion Casey Stoner has backed himself to continue his impressive form at the Sepang circuit ahead of this weekend’s Malaysian GP. The Aussie, who his home race at Phillip Island...

Valentino Rossi targets double win to end 2008

13 October 2008 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi targets double win to end 2008

Valentino Rossi has targeted victory in the final two races of the season to end his stunning 2008 campaign in positive fashion. Get all the latest Moto GP news Victory in Sepang this weekend...

Rossi's bike spotted in unlikely place

12 October 2008 by martin mills

Rossi's bike spotted in unlikely place

I found these photos on the internet and they are a little different… I thought I should share them with all of your readers.

Michelin boss doubts MotoGP will improve under single tyre rule

10 October 2008 by Matthew Birt

Michelin boss doubts MotoGP will improve under single tyre rule

Michelin boss Jean-Philippe Weber has cast doubt on whether a single tyre rule will spice up the action in MotoGP as the French factory prepares to bow out of top-flight bike racing. Weber said the...

Loris Capirossi joins Scott Redding fan club

10 October 2008 by Matthew Birt

Loris Capirossi joins Scott Redding fan club

Loris Capirossi is the latest big name to join British sensation Scott Redding’s growing list of admirers. Get all the latest MotoGP news Split by 20 years in age, Redding’s incredible rookie...

Tech 3 Yamaha boss hoping for strong finish from James Toseland

09 October 2008 by Matthew Birt

Tech 3 Yamaha boss hoping for strong finish from James Toseland

James Toseland’s Tech 3 Yamaha boss Herve Poncharal is hopeful the British rider can end his rookie MotoGP on a high after his stunning ride in last weekend’s Australian GP. Toseland equalled his best...

Valentino Rossi shocked by Ducati’s Michelin talks

09 October 2008 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi shocked by Ducati’s Michelin talks

Valentino Rossi has admitted he was flabbergasted when he heard that fierce MotoGP rival Casey Stoner might have made a shock switch to Michelin tyres for the 2009 campaign. Ducati seriously discussed...

Toni Elias aware of increased expectation in 2009

09 October 2008 by Matthew Birt

Toni Elias aware of increased expectation in 2009

Toni Elias has admitted he will be under intense pressure to deliver drastically improved results in 2009 after his factory Honda deal was finally confirmed last weekend in Phillip Island. Get all...

Pedrosa's manager slams Hayden

09 October 2008 by matto3227

Pedrosa's manager slams Hayden

Dani Pedrosa’s manager Alberto Puig has launched a scathing attack on the Spaniard’s Repsol Honda teammate Nicky Hayden. The relationship between the pair has been strained since Pedrosa collided...

Colin Edwards concerned about single tyre development

09 October 2008 by Matthew Birt

Colin Edwards concerned about single tyre development

Colin Edwards has raised concerns about how Bridgestone will develop tyres for the new single tyre rule, with the American worried that tyres might be built for the specific needs of only a handful of...

Kawasaki boss backs single tyre rule

09 October 2008 by Matthew Birt

Kawasaki boss backs single tyre rule

Kawasaki’s MotoGP Technical Director Ichiro Yoda believes the switch to a single tyre rule in 2009 will allow factories to place more focus on machine development. Yoda reckons competition between...

Ducati confident Nicky Hayden can master GP9

08 October 2008 by Matthew Birt

Ducati confident Nicky Hayden can master GP9

Ducati believe new recruit Nicky Hayden is the man to prove that its factory V4 is not a bike only Casey Stoner can consistently fight for MotoGP wins on. Only Stoner has managed to win consistently...

Danny Webb confident in fitness for Sepang

08 October 2008 by Matthew Birt

Danny Webb confident in fitness for Sepang

Danny Webb is confident he will be fit for the Sepang 125GP next weekend after he suffered more injury misery in Phillip Island. A massive warm-up high-side forced him to miss last Sunday’s Australian...

Bradley Smith talks Aspar Aprilia deal

08 October 2008 by Matthew Birt

Bradley Smith talks Aspar Aprilia deal

Bradley Smith has set his sights on mounting a challenge for the 125GP world championship in 2009 after he clinched a deal to join the Aspar Aprilia squad. Unable to continue with his Polaris World...

Matt Hoyle tests new Maxtra 125GP bike

08 October 2008 by Matthew Birt

Matt Hoyle tests new Maxtra 125GP bike

British rider Matt Hoyle impressed during test appearances on the new Maxtra 125GP machine at Snetterton and Donington Park recently. Hoyle, who currently leads the British 125 series and is lying...

Valentino Rossi leads support for single tyre rule

08 October 2008 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi leads support for single tyre rule

New world champion Valentino Rossi has led widespread support for a single tyre rule in 2009 after it was finally confirmed that Bridgestone was the only factory to bid for the exclusive...

Valentino Rossi getting ready to race

07 October 2008 by photopete

Valentino Rossi getting ready to race

2008 Moto GP World Champion Valentino Rossi pictured getting ready for the Moto GP Race at Phillip Island. Team: Fiat Yamaha. Photo: Peter Downing.

Phillip Island MotoGP: Toseland rode like a devil, says Rossi

06 October 2008 by Matthew Birt

Phillip Island MotoGP: Toseland rode like a devil, says Rossi

Valentino Rossi heaped praise on James Toseland after their epic battle during the Australian MotoGP. Get all the latest MotoGP news The world champ and British rookie scrapped for several laps...

Toseland leads Rossi

06 October 2008 by Peter Downing

Toseland leads Rossi

James Toseland leads Valentino Rossi at the Moto GP Australia. Pic attached from Peter Downing

Casey Stoner triumphs in Ducati’s 100th race

05 October 2008 by Matthew Birt

Casey Stoner triumphs in Ducati’s 100th race

Casey Stoner could not have picked a better time to make a return to winning ways as he stormed to a dominant victory in front of his home fans at Phillip Island today. Stoner ended his recent barren...

Jorge Lorenzo disappointed with fourth

05 October 2008 by Matthew Birt

Jorge Lorenzo disappointed with fourth

Jorge Lorenzo said his hopes of a top three finish in the MotoGP world championship were all but over after he slumped to a disappointing fourth in Phillip Island today. The Fiat Yamaha rider never...

Valentino Rossi surges from 12th to second

05 October 2008 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi surges from 12th to second

Valentino Rossi produced a heroic display in Phillip Island today to surge from the fourth row of the grid to claim second. Riding with a muscle strain in his neck and a big headache after his huge...

Birthday boy James Toseland claims stunning sixth

05 October 2008 by Matthew Birt

Birthday boy James Toseland claims stunning sixth

James Toseland celebrated his 28th birthday in style today with a stunning ride to sixth place in an enthralling Australian MotoGP race. The British rider produced easily the best performance of his...

Bradley Smith signs for Aspar Aprilia

05 October 2008 by Matthew Birt

British teenager Bradley Smith will ride for the Aspar Aprilia squad in the 2009 125GP world championship. As was first reported by MCN, the 17-year-old has clinched a deal with Spaniard Jorge Martinez after he was told his Polaris World Aprilia squad didn’t have the funding to continue in 2009. Smith, who had a disastrous Australian GP today when he crashed on the first and last lap, told MCN:...

Phillip Island MotoGP: Casey stoner runs away with victory

05 October 2008 by Liam Marsden

Phillip Island MotoGP: Casey stoner runs away with victory

Reigning MotoGP world champion Casey Stoner has taken victory at his home Grand Prix at Phillip Island ahead of a valiant Valentino Rossi. Casey Stoner ran away at the front of the pack from the...

Phillip Island MotoGP: Simoncelli wins 250GP race

05 October 2008 by Liam Marsden

Metis Gilera rider Marco Simoncelli has continued his dominance of the 250GP series with a win at Phillip Island. Simoncelli – currently leading the championship – had opened up a slight gap from Alvaro Bautista during the race but Bautista managed to put in some fast laps and catch up with the Italian. The two then enjoyed a scrap which saw Bautista eventually lose out when he nearly touched...

Nicky Hayden still looking for more speed

04 October 2008 by Matthew Birt

Nicky Hayden still looking for more speed

American Nicky Hayden reckons he still needs to improve his pace to have a chance of challenging for victory in tomorrow’s Australian GP. The Repsol Honda rider secured his second successive front row...

Jorge Lorenzo disappointed to miss pole position

04 October 2008 by Matthew Birt

Jorge Lorenzo disappointed to miss pole position

Jorge Lorenzo admitted he was disappointed not to have claimed his fifth pole position of the season in Australia today. The Spaniard was pipped to pole by home favourite Casey Stoner as he missed out...

Michelin explains MotoGP quit decision

04 October 2008 by Matthew Birt

Michelin explains MotoGP quit decision

Michelin has explained why it didn’t try and win the tyre supply deal for the 2009 MotoGP world championship. The French factory let a deadline pass without submitting a bid to win the contract, with...

Valentino Rossi 12th after massive crash

04 October 2008 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi 12th after massive crash

Valentino Rossi’s hopes of extending his remarkable Phillip Island record suffered a huge blow to day today after he was fortunate to escape injury in a massive qualifying crash. The Italian ran off...

James Toseland gets early birthday boost

04 October 2008 by Matthew Birt

James Toseland gets early birthday boost

British rider James Toseland gave himself a pre-birthday boost in Australia today as he claimed a stunning fifth position on the grid for the Phillip Island clash. The Tech 3 Yamaha rider, who will...

Bradley Smith on 125GP front row despite crash

04 October 2008 by Matthew Birt

Bradley Smith on 125GP front row despite crash

British teenager Bradley Smith will start tomorrow’s Australian GP from the front row of the grid after he claimed second in a crash strewn final qualifying session. The Polaris World Aprilia rider...

Phillip Island MotoGP: Marco Simoncelli smashes 250GP lap record

04 October 2008 by Liam Marsden

Phillip Island MotoGP: Marco Simoncelli smashes 250GP lap record

Metis Gilera rider Marco Simoncelli has taken pole in the 250GP at Phillip Island after destroying the previous lap record. Championship leader Simoncelli posted a fastest lap of 1.32.075 to smash the...

Phillip Island MotoGP: Casey Stoner shrugs off wrist injury to take home pole

04 October 2008 by Liam Marsden

Phillip Island MotoGP: Casey Stoner shrugs off wrist injury to take home pole

2007 MotoGP champion Casey Stoner has taken pole position at his home Grand Prix of Phillip Island, smashing the lap record in the process. His best lap of 1.28.665 saw him smash the previous record...

Phillip Island MotoGP: Mike Di Meglio takes 125GP pole

04 October 2008 by Liam Marsden

Phillip Island MotoGP: Mike Di Meglio takes 125GP pole

Ajo Motorsport Derbi rider Mike Di Meglio has taken his second successive pole position of the year at Phillip Island, ahead of Briton Bradley Smith. The young Frenchman was two tenths faster than...

Valentino Rossi leads calls for Phillip Island date change

03 October 2008 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi leads calls for Phillip Island date change

Valentino Rossi has made another plea to MotoGP bosses to get the Phillip Island race moved to an earlier slot in the calendar to avoid bad weather disrupting the Australian GP. For the third year in...