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July

Queue chaos at Donington MotoGP

25 July 2009 by Laura Kennerley

Queue chaos at Donington MotoGP

There were chaotic scenes at Donington Park as the number of fans arriving for MotoGP qualifying took organisers by surprise. Fans collecting or buying tickets at the venue faced massive queues at the...

Pedrosa makes wish come true

25 July 2009 by Laura Kennerley

Pedrosa makes wish come true

Spanish MotoGP star Dani Pedrosa helped provide a sick child with the most memorable day of his life. Bike mad Dillon Chapman, 7, was overwhelmed when he met Repsol Honda rider Pedrosa in the paddock...

British MotoGP: Valentino Rossi expects tough title chase

25 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

British MotoGP: Valentino Rossi expects tough title chase

Valentino Rossi reckons his bid to win a ninth world title in 2009 will be one of the toughest of his illustrious career. The Fiat Yamaha rider starts tomorrow’s 30-lap British GP with a slender...

British MotoGP: Crashes blunt Casey Stoner challenge

25 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

British MotoGP: Crashes blunt Casey Stoner challenge

Casey Stoner admitted two crashes hit his confidence after he missed the front row of the grid for tomorrow’s British MotoGP race by just 0.044s. Stoner had already suffered a slow speed tumble at the...

British MotoGP: Bradley Smith talks home pole position

25 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

British MotoGP: Bradley Smith talks home pole position

Bradley Smith has spoken of his relief at snatching a stunning pole position for tomorrow’s British 125GP at Donington Park. The Oxfordshire rider feared he was going to be facing a tough day when he...

British MotoGP: Valentino Rossi surprised at Donington pole

25 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

British MotoGP: Valentino Rossi surprised at Donington pole

Valentino Rossi said he was ‘surprised’ to have claimed his fourth pole position of 2009 at Donington Park this afternoon. A best lap of 1.28.116 set in the final three minutes of today’s qualifying...

British MotoGP: James Toseland eyes home top six

25 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

British MotoGP: James Toseland eyes home top six

James Toseland is confident he can challenge for the top six in tomorrow’s British MotoGP race after he equalled his best qualifying result at Donington Park this afternoon. The 28-year-old will start...

British MotoGP: Valentino Rossi snatches Donington pole position

25 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

British MotoGP: Valentino Rossi snatches Donington pole position

Valentino Rossi’s hopes of winning the last British MotoGP race at Donington Park got a massive boost today when the Italian stormed to his fourth pole position of the season. The reigning world...

British MotoGP: Jorge Martinez confirms Ducati deal

25 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

British MotoGP: Jorge Martinez confirms Ducati deal

Jorge Martinez’s Aspar squad has confirmed today at Donington Park that it will move to MotoGP in 2010 with Ducati. After failed talks previously with Yamaha and Suzuki, the Spaniard also talked with...

British MotoGP: Bradley Smith storms to home pole position

25 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

British MotoGP: Bradley Smith storms to home pole position

Bradley Smith produced a stunning final lap to storm to pole position for his home 125GP at Donington Park tomorrow. The Aspar Aprilia rider looked like he might have to settle for second place after...

Brit teenager on pole for Donington Red Bull Rookies

25 July 2009 by Gary Pinchin

Brit teenager on pole for Donington Red Bull Rookies

Brit Danny Kent secured his second pole in a row within the first 10 minutes of practice for this afternoon’s Red Bull Rookies Cup race at the Donington Park British Grand Prix. Kent quickly got down...

Day of Champions raises £177,000

25 July 2009 by Gary Pinchin

Day of Champions raises £177,000

The Day of Champions raised £177,000 for Riders for Health as the stars of MotoGP joined thousands of fans at Donington on Thursday. This year’s Day of Champions – the last at Donington before the...

Riders for Health auction highlights

25 July 2009 by Gary Pinchin

Riders for Health auction highlights

£77,000 raised in the auction for Riders For Health in the Day of Champions at Donington on Thursday 75 lots auctioned in four hours Rizla Suzuki ultimate VIP package: £7600 Colin Edwards leathers and...

British MotoGP: Dani Pedrosa continues impressive Donington form

25 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

British MotoGP: Dani Pedrosa continues impressive Donington form

Repsol Honda rider Dani Pedrosa continued his impressive form at the British MotoGP this morning, the Spaniard topping the timesheets in the second practice session. Pedrosa, who won at Donington in...

British MotoGP: Brits outside top ten in 125GP practice

25 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

British MotoGP: Brits outside top ten in 125GP practice

Bradley Smith, Danny Webb and Scott Redding were all outside of the top ten in this morning’s final 125GP practice session at Donington Park. Oxfordshire rider Smith’s best lap of 1.39.188 was only...

British GP Blog: The British love of the Norton

24 July 2009 by Gary Pinchin

British GP Blog: The British love of the Norton

Mike Nicks and I wandered over to the Loop to watch – and hear – the two Nortons in practice for Sunday’s GP1 15-lap sprint race, part of the Thundersport GB support programme at this year’s Donington...

British GP Tech Blog: The trauma of wet Friday practice

24 July 2009 by Gary Pinchin

British GP Tech Blog: The trauma of wet Friday practice

First practice is important. Mess up and it can mean playing catch-up all weekend, chasing a set-up for race day. A crew chief needs to get a quick idea whether the initial set-up ideas that he’s...

British MotoGP: Casey Stoner to undergo more medical checks

24 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

British MotoGP: Casey Stoner to undergo more medical checks

Casey Stoner will return to Australia during the short summer break for further medical checks aimed at getting to the bottom of the Ducati rider’s on-going mystery physical issues. Recent assessments...

British MotoGP: Casey Stoner searching for wet improvement

24 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

British MotoGP: Casey Stoner searching for wet improvement

Former world champion Casey Stoner conceded he will need to make significant improvements to the wet set-up of his factory Ducati if there’s a repeat of today’s fast changing weather conditions at...

British MotoGP: Valentino Rossi satisfied with third

24 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

British MotoGP: Valentino Rossi satisfied with third

Valentino Rossi’s hopes of bowing out at Donington Park in style got off to a good start today, the reigning MotoGP world champion claiming third place in a rain-hit opening practice session. As a dry...

British MotoGP: Dani Pedrosa ‘Great to be on top’

24 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

British MotoGP: Dani Pedrosa ‘Great to be on top’

Dani Pedrosa made the perfect start to the final British MotoGP race at Donington Park today, the Spaniard topping the timesheets at the end of opening practice. On a virtually dry track at the end of...

British MotoGP: Fuel mix-up costs James Toseland

24 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

British MotoGP: Fuel mix-up costs James Toseland

Confusion over the amount of fuel James Toseland’s Monster Yamaha Tech 3 YZR-M1 machine was carrying cost the British rider a chance to claim a morale-boosting top six finish in today’s weather-hit...

British MotoGP: Dani Pedrosa fastest at rain-hit Donington

24 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

British MotoGP: Dani Pedrosa fastest at rain-hit Donington

Spaniard Dani Pedrosa topped an opening British MotoGP practice session dominated by constantly changing weather conditions at Donington Park today. The session started under grey and gloomy skies on...

British MotoGP: Downpour disrupts 125GP practice

24 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

British MotoGP: Downpour disrupts 125GP practice

A torrential downpour after less than three minutes badly disrupted today’s 125GP practice session at Donington Park. Most riders had only completed an out lap and one quick lap on a dry track when...

British MotoGP: Kevin Schwantz backs Valentino Rossi for title

24 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

British MotoGP: Kevin Schwantz backs Valentino Rossi for title

American Kevin Schwantz believes Valentino Rossi’s experience will be vital as the Italian chases a ninth world title in 2009. Rossi is currently locked in an enthralling title fight with Fiat Yamaha...

Donington MotoGP stats: Facts and figures

24 July 2009 by Dr Martin Raines

Donington MotoGP stats: Facts and figures

Valentino Rossi has had seven victories at Donington; the 125cc race in 1997, the 250cc race in 1999 and in the premier-class in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004 and 2005.  He also crossed the line first in...

British MotoGP: Casey Stoner – ‘Britain helped my career’

24 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

British MotoGP: Casey Stoner – ‘Britain helped my career’

Former world champion Casey Stoner reckons he could not have enjoyed his premier class success had it not been for the British championship helping to launch his bid for stardom. Stoner cut his teeth...

British MotoGP: Bradley Smith to race Jenson Button - at triathlon!

23 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

British MotoGP: Bradley Smith to race Jenson Button - at triathlon!

MotoGP will clash with Formula One in London next month with Bradley Smith and Jenson Button poised to take each other on in the London Triathlon. Oxfordshire rider Smith, who has won two races in...

British MotoGP: Casey Stoner eyes end to frustrating spell

23 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

British MotoGP: Casey Stoner eyes end to frustrating spell

Casey Stoner has admitted he is getting increasingly frustrated that his mystery health issues are preventing him from mounting a stronger challenge to Fiat Yamaha rivals Valentino Rossi and Jorge...

British MotoGP: Valentino Rossi – ‘Weather to play vital role'

23 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

British MotoGP: Valentino Rossi – ‘Weather to play vital role'

Reigning MotoGP world champion Valentino Rossi reckons the temperamental British weather could play a decisive role in his bid to win a sixth premier class race at Donington Park. The Italian’s last...

British MotoGP: Marco Melandri expecting Hayate withdrawal

23 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

British MotoGP: Marco Melandri expecting Hayate withdrawal

Italian Marco Melandri has confirmed he is expecting the Hayate team to quit MotoGP at the end of the season. Branded Hayate, Melandri’s team is run by Kawasaki and he’s currently riding a 2009...

British MotoGP: Toni Elias unsure of future

23 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

British MotoGP: Toni Elias unsure of future

Spaniard Toni Elias has admitted he has no idea whether he will be riding in MotoGP in 2010. Elias looks certain to lose his ride in the San Carlo Gresini squad with reigning 250GP champion Marco...

Donington stats: GP racing by numbers

23 July 2009 by Dr Martin Raines

150 The number of premier-class Grand Prix races that have taken place since the last time a British rider finished on the podium in the class – Jeremy McWilliams at Donington in 2000. 100 At the British GP, Lukas Pesek is scheduled to make his 100th Grand Prix start. He will be only the second Czech rider to reach this milestone – the other being Jaroslav Hules who made exactly 100 GP starts...

MotoGP stats: The Donington Park legacy

23 July 2009 by Dr Martin Raines

MotoGP stats: The Donington Park legacy

Next year the British Grand Prix will return to Silverstone, after being held at Donington every year since 1987. Below are some facts and figures from the GP events which have been held at the...

Donington GP250 stats: Facts and figures

23 July 2009 by Dr Martin Raines

Donington GP250 stats: Facts and figures

Championship leader Hiroshi Aoyama finished third at Donington in both 2006 and 2007. In 2006 Alvaro Bautista did the clean sweep in the 125cc class at Donington of race win, pole position and new...

Donington GP125 stats: Facts and figures

23 July 2009 by Dr Martin Raines

Donington GP125 stats: Facts and figures

Julian Simon’s only Grand Prix win prior to this year was the 125cc race at the Donington circuit in 2005 riding for KTM in very wet conditions. Sergio Gadea has finished fourth for the last two...