2010

Year: 2010

Month: ALL

Honda line-up delay no concern for Casey Stoner

12 October 2010 by Matthew Birt

Honda line-up delay no concern for Casey Stoner

Casey Stoner insists he’s got no regrets about moving to Honda despite being caught up in a long-running political saga that has engulfed the Japanese factory. Over three months since his HRC move was...

World titles dedicated to Shoya Tomizawa

12 October 2010 by Matthew Birt

World titles dedicated to Shoya Tomizawa

Jorge Lorenzo and Toni Elias both dedicated the world titles they claimed in Sepang last weekend to late Japanese star Shoya Tomizawa. Tomizawa was fatally injured in a horrific accident during the...

How James Toseland helped in Motegi thriller

12 October 2010 by Matthew Birt

How James Toseland helped in Motegi thriller

James Toseland inadvertently played a key role in the thrilling podium fight between bitter rivals Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo in the recent Japanese MotoGP race. It emerged after the classic...

Dani Pedrosa confirms Phillip Island return

12 October 2010 by Matthew Birt

Dani Pedrosa confirms Phillip Island return

Dani Pedrosa will be back in action at Phillip Island this weekend, the Repsol Honda rider confident his left shoulder is strong enough for him to compete in the Australian MotoGP race. Pedrosa missed...

Sepang MotoGP: Valentino Rossi ecstatic after thrilling win

11 October 2010 by Matthew Birt

Sepang MotoGP: Valentino Rossi ecstatic after thrilling win

Valentino Rossi’s Sepang MotoGP victory will live long in the memory after the Italian fought his way through from 11th to take his 46th win for Yamaha. The Italian produced one of the finest displays...

Sepang MotoGP: Jorge Lorenzo realises lifelong dream

11 October 2010 by Matthew Birt

Sepang MotoGP: Jorge Lorenzo realises lifelong dream

Jorge Lorenzo realised a lifelong dream yesterday when he clinched a maiden MotoGP world title at the Sepang circuit in Malaysia. Required only to finish ninth or higher in the 20-lap race, the...

Sepang MotoGP: Yamaha celebrates more domination

11 October 2010 by Matthew Birt

Sepang MotoGP: Yamaha celebrates more domination

Yamaha moved a step closer to claiming a third successive MotoGP triple crown after Jorge Lorenzo wrapped up his first premier class title at a scorching hot Sepang yesterday. The Japanese factory...

Sepang MotoGP: Dani Pedrosa congratulates Jorge Lorenzo

11 October 2010 by Matthew Birt

Sepang MotoGP: Dani Pedrosa congratulates Jorge Lorenzo

Dani Pedrosa passed on his congratulations to fellow Spaniard and bitter rival Jorge Lorenzo after the Fiat Yamaha rider secured his first MotoGP world title in Malaysia yesterday. Pedrosa’s injury...

Sepang MotoGP: Casey Stoner blows hat-trick bid

11 October 2010 by Matthew Birt

Sepang MotoGP: Casey Stoner blows hat-trick bid

Casey Stoner’s hopes of winning a third successive MotoGP race ahead of his vital home clash at Phillip Island this weekend ended in disaster yesterday in Malaysia. The Aussie had quickly gained two...

Sepang MotoGP: Andrea Dovizioso foiled again

11 October 2010 by Matthew Birt

Sepang MotoGP: Andrea Dovizioso foiled again

Andrea Dovizioso’s quest for a first dry MotoGP victory continues after he was narrowly defeated by a startling performance from fellow Italian Valentino Rossi in Sepang. For the second time in a...

Sepang MotoGP: Toni Elias savours Moto2 success

11 October 2010 by Matthew Birt

Sepang MotoGP: Toni Elias savours Moto2 success

Toni Elias said a massive weight had been lifted off his shoulders after he clinched a historic first Moto2 world title in Sepang yesterday. The Spaniard finished fourth and with closest challenger...

Sepang MotoGP: Jorge Lorenzo crowned world champion, Valentino Rossi wins

10 October 2010 by Matthew Birt

Sepang MotoGP: Jorge Lorenzo crowned world champion, Valentino Rossi wins

Valentino Rossi gatecrashed Jorge Lorenzo’s MotoGP world championship party in stunning fashion in Malaysia this afternoon. Lorenzo wrapped up his maiden premier class world title with a safe and...

Sepang MotoGP: Toni Elias wins inaugural Moto2 title

10 October 2010 by Matthew Birt

Sepang MotoGP: Toni Elias wins inaugural Moto2 title

Spaniard Toni Elias created history in Malaysia today when he won the inaugural Moto2 world title with three races to spare. The Gresini Moriwaki rider finished fourth to wrap up the title after...

Sepang MotoGP: Bradley Smith fifth, Marc Marquez dominates

10 October 2010 by Matthew Birt

Sepang MotoGP: Bradley Smith fifth, Marc Marquez dominates

British teenager Bradley Smith had to settle for a distant fifth place in punishing heat at the Sepang circuit today as Spaniard Marc Marquez produced another dominant display to seize the initiative...

Sepang MotoGP: Jorge Lorenzo poised for title glory

09 October 2010 by Matthew Birt

Sepang MotoGP: Jorge Lorenzo poised for title glory

Jorge Lorenzo set himself up perfectly for the biggest race of his life tomorrow when he qualified in pole position for the Malaysian MotoGP. Needing only a top ten finish to become only the second...

Sepang MotoGP: Valentino Rossi disappointed in sixth

09 October 2010 by Matthew Birt

Sepang MotoGP: Valentino Rossi disappointed in sixth

Having topped the timesheets in yesterday’s opening practice session at a sweltering hot Sepang circuit, Valentino Rossi couldn’t hide his disappointment this afternoon after he qualified in a lowly...

Sepang MotoGP: Bradley Smith claims tenth front row

09 October 2010 by Matthew Birt

Sepang MotoGP: Bradley Smith claims tenth front row

Bradley Smith came close to notching his third pole position of the season today at a sweltering hot Sepang circuit in Malaysia. Air temperatures soared to a scorching 35 degrees but Smith looked like...

Sepang MotoGP: Casey Stoner confident of victory challenge

09 October 2010 by Matthew Birt

Sepang MotoGP: Casey Stoner confident of victory challenge

Casey Stoner remained confident he can mount a challenge for a third successive victory in tomorrow’s Malaysian MotoGP race, despite a frustrating qualifying session leaving the Australian on the...

Sepang MotoGP: Nicky Hayden ‘shocked’ at front row

09 October 2010 by Matthew Birt

Nicky Hayden admitted he was ‘shocked’ after he narrowly missed claiming a first MotoGP pole position since 2007 by one-tenth-of-a-second in Sepang today. The factory Ducati was languishing down in 15th place after yesterday’s practice session but came close to scoring his first pole position since the Estoril round in the inaugural 800cc world championship campaign. Hayden’s best time of 2.01.637...

Sepang MotoGP: Jorge Lorenzo storms to pole position

09 October 2010 by Matthew Birt

Sepang MotoGP: Jorge Lorenzo storms to pole position

Jorge Lorenzo will start the biggest race of his career from pole position tomorrow after he denied Nicky Hayden a shock Malaysian MotoGP pole in baking hot conditions. Lorenzo could not have wished...

Sepang MotoGP: Valentino Rossi relieved at fast pace

08 October 2010 by Matthew Birt

Sepang MotoGP: Valentino Rossi relieved at fast pace

Valentino Rossi got another pleasant surprise today when he topped the timesheets in opening practice for the Sepang MotoGP race. Unsure how his damaged right shoulder would react just five days after...

Sepang MotoGP: Scott Redding continues brilliant form

08 October 2010 by Matthew Birt

Sepang MotoGP: Scott Redding continues brilliant form

British rider Scott Redding’s brilliant recent form continued in Sepang today after he ended a rain-hit Moto2 practice session in second position. The Marc VDS Racing rider only completed 11-laps in a...

Sepang MotoGP: Casey Stoner fourth after early crash

08 October 2010 by Matthew Birt

Sepang MotoGP: Casey Stoner fourth after early crash

Casey Stoner said he was more worried about a lack of rear grip than a small crash that left him in fourth place at the end of first practice for this weekend’s Malaysian MotoGP race. Stoner had just...

Sepang MotoGP: Alvaro Bautista claims surprise fifth

08 October 2010 by Matthew Birt

Sepang MotoGP: Alvaro Bautista claims surprise fifth

Alvaro Bautista was the big surprise on the opening day of practice at a scorching hot Sepang today, the Spaniard riding his factory Suzuki GSV-R machine to the fifth quickest time. Bautista proved...

Sepang MotoGP: Valentino Rossi quickest in first practice

08 October 2010 by Matthew Birt

Sepang MotoGP: Valentino Rossi quickest in first practice

Valentino Rossi continued where he left off in winter testing at the Sepang circuit today, the Italian topping the opening practice timesheets in baking hot conditions in Malaysia. The 31-year-old,...

Sepang MotoGP: Suzuki to run one-bike in 2011

08 October 2010 by Matthew Birt

Sepang MotoGP: Suzuki to run one-bike in 2011

Suzuki looks certain to run one factory GSV-R machine in 2011 after several team members were told in Sepang yesterday (Thursday) that they were unlikely to be offered new contracts. The majority of...

Sepang MotoGP: Valentino Rossi vows to finish season

07 October 2010 by Matthew Birt

Sepang MotoGP: Valentino Rossi vows to finish season

Valentino Rossi has denied he will end his final world championship campaign with Yamaha immediately after this weekend’s Malaysian MotoGP race at Sepang. Rossi insists he will race on and try and...

Sepang MotoGP: Valentino Rossi shocked at Jorge Lorenzo complaints

07 October 2010 by Matthew Birt

Sepang MotoGP: Valentino Rossi shocked at Jorge Lorenzo complaints

Valentino Rossi has told MCN that he was shocked at Jorge Lorenzo’s criticism about his aggressive overtakes after their enthralling podium fight at the Twin Ring Motegi last weekend. Rossi came in...

Sepang MotoGP: Jorge Lorenzo silent on Motegi row

07 October 2010 by Matthew Birt

Sepang MotoGP: Jorge Lorenzo silent on Motegi row

Jorge Lorenzo has refused point-blank to continue his complaints about the tactics employed by Fiat Yamaha team-mate Valentino Rossi during their thrilling podium fight at last weekend’s Japanese...

Sepang MotoGP: Casey Stoner eyes third straight win

07 October 2010 by Matthew Birt

Sepang MotoGP: Casey Stoner eyes third straight win

Casey Stoner is confident he can fight for a third straight win in this weekend’s Sepang race in Malaysia to further boost his confidence ahead of his crucial home race in Australia later this...

Dani Pedrosa rules out shock Sepang return

07 October 2010 by Matthew Birt

Dani Pedrosa rules out shock Sepang return

Dani Pedrosa has ended speculation that he will make a shock return to MotoGP action in Sepang this weekend. Rumour spread like wildfire in the Sepang paddock earlier today that Pedrosa would make a...

Dani Pedrosa aims for Phillip Island return

06 October 2010 by Matthew Birt

Dani Pedrosa aims for Phillip Island return

Dani Pedrosa has revealed he plans to return to MotoGP action at the spectacular Phillip Island track in Australia later this month. The Spaniard though has refused to completely rule himself out of...

Valentino Rossi confused ahead of Sepang clash

06 October 2010 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi confused ahead of Sepang clash

Valentino Rossi has admitted his brilliant last-gasp podium finish in Sunday’s Japanese MotoGP race has thrown him a big curve ball ahead of this weekend’s Sepang race in Malaysia. The Italian wasn’t...

Ben Spies targets return to top five in Sepang

06 October 2010 by Matthew Birt

Ben Spies targets return to top five in Sepang

American Ben Spies is confident he can return to the top five at this weekend’s Sepang MotoGP race in Malaysia. The Texan had two successful winter tests at the Sepang circuit back in February when he...

Marc Marquez delays Moto2 switch decision

06 October 2010 by Matthew Birt

Marc Marquez delays Moto2 switch decision

Highly-rated Spanish teenager Marc Marquez has delayed plans to switch to the Moto2 class in 2011 until he’s won or lost this year’s 125GP world championship tussle. The 17-year-old is rapidly...

Ex-Lorenzo boss to crew chief for Cal Crutchlow

06 October 2010 by Matthew Birt

Ex-Lorenzo boss to crew chief for Cal Crutchlow

Cal Crutchlow is still fighting to bring World Superbike crew chief Marcus Eschenbacher to MotoGP in 2011, despite his Tech 3 squad installing Daniele Romagnoli to spearhead the British star’s premier...