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2011

Valentino Rossi and Ducati hint at aluminium chassis switch

18 August 2011 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi and Ducati hint at aluminium chassis switch

Valentino Rossi and Ducati technical boss Filippo Preziosi have both dropped strong hints that the Bologna factory is seriously contemplating a drastic change in philosophy by switching to a...

Casey Stoner thrilled with 2011 form

18 August 2011 by Matthew Birt

Casey Stoner thrilled with 2011 form

Casey Stoner has denied he’s exceeding his pre-season expectations in 2011, but the Australian hailed his campaign so far as ‘fantastic’ after he took victory in six out of the opening 11 races. The...

Yamaha rue Jorge Lorenzo’s wrong tyre choice in Brno

18 August 2011 by Matthew Birt

Yamaha rue Jorge Lorenzo’s wrong tyre choice in Brno

Jorge Lorenzo’s factory Yamaha team boss Wilco Zeelenberg has admitted the Spaniard’s front tyre gamble in Brno last weekend dealt a big blow to his hopes of successfully defending the MotoGP world...

Tech 3 Yamaha keen on Eugene Laverty

17 August 2011 by Matthew Birt

Tech 3 Yamaha keen on Eugene Laverty

Monster Yamaha Tech 3 boss Herve Poncharal has confirmed he is interested in signing Eugene Laverty for the 2012 MotoGP world championship. Laverty travelled to Brno last week for talks with the...

Nicky Hayden to switch to Ducati GP11.1 at Indianapolis

17 August 2011 by Matthew Birt

Nicky Hayden to switch to Ducati GP11.1 at Indianapolis

Nicky Hayden will switch to Ducati’s new GP11.1 Desmosedici machine for his home race in Indianapolis next week after a successful one-day test session at the Brno circuit earlier this week. The...

Jorge Lorenzo to use updated Yamaha engine in Indianapolis

17 August 2011 by Matthew Birt

Jorge Lorenzo to use updated Yamaha engine in Indianapolis

Jorge Lorenzo’s bid to overturn a 32-point deficit on MotoGP title rival Casey Stoner will get a boost in Indianapolis next week with the Spaniard to use an updated Yamaha YZR-M1 engine. The reigning...

220mph MotoGP bikes not dangerously fast, say Rossi and Stoner

16 August 2011 by Matthew Birt

220mph MotoGP bikes not dangerously fast, say Rossi and Stoner

Valentino Rossi and Casey Stoner reckon the predicted top speeds of close to 220mph from the new generation 1000cc bikes won’t make MotoGP too dangerous. Reigning world champion Jorge Lorenzo said he...

Casey Stoner: "I expected to be faster"

16 August 2011 by Matthew Birt

Casey Stoner: "I expected to be faster"

Casey Stoner admitted he expected to be slightly faster during his second test appearance on board Honda’s new RC213V 1000cc MotoGP bike at the Brno circuit in the Czech Republic yesterday. The...

Ben Spies praises Yamaha after 1000cc debut

16 August 2011 by Matthew Birt

Ben Spies praises Yamaha after 1000cc debut

Ben Spies praised the Yamaha engineering group after he made a fast debut on the Japanese factory’s new 1000cc machine in Brno yesterday. The 2009 World Superbike champion ended with a best time of...

Jorge Lorenzo impressed by potential of new Yamaha

16 August 2011 by Matthew Birt

Jorge Lorenzo impressed by potential of new Yamaha

Jorge Lorenzo got a pleasant surprise in Brno yesterday when the Spaniard made an impressive debut on Yamaha’s new 1000cc MotoGP bike. The reigning world champion was immediately fast and competitive...

Valentino Rossi surprised by new Yamaha 1000 pace

16 August 2011 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi surprised by new Yamaha 1000 pace

Valentino Rossi says the big surprise of yesterday’s Brno test was the performance of Yamaha’s new 1000cc MotoGP bike. The YZR-M1 800cc replacement was fast immediately out of the crate with reigning...

Brno MotoGP: Valentino Rossi buoyed by Ducati progress

15 August 2011 by Matthew Birt

Brno MotoGP: Valentino Rossi buoyed by Ducati progress

Valentino Rossi and Ducati are quietly confident that new front-end changes to the Italian’s factory GP11.1 will bring him closer to mounting a consistent challenge for podium finishes in the final...

Brno MotoGP: Jorge Lorenzo hoping for new engine boost

15 August 2011 by Matthew Birt

Brno MotoGP: Jorge Lorenzo hoping for new engine boost

Jorge Lorenzo is hoping a new YZR-M1 800cc motor he will test in Brno today (Monday) will help lift his spirits after his bid to successfully defend the MotoGP world crown suffered a major blow in the...

Brno MotoGP: Jorge Lorenzo hoping for new engine boost

15 August 2011 by Matthew Birt

Brno MotoGP: Jorge Lorenzo hoping for new engine boost

Jorge Lorenzo is hoping a new YZR-M1 800cc motor he will test in Brno today (Monday) will help lift his spirits after his bid to successfully defend the MotoGP world crown suffered a major blow in the...

Brno MotoGP: Marco Simoncelli savours maiden podium

15 August 2011 by Matthew Birt

Brno MotoGP: Marco Simoncelli savours maiden podium

Marco Simoncelli scored his first MotoGP podium at the 29th attempt in Brno yesterday. After several near misses in 2011, the San Carlo Gresini Honda rider finished third in the Czech Republic race...

Brno MotoGP: Dani Pedrosa mystified by early error

15 August 2011 by Matthew Birt

Brno MotoGP: Dani Pedrosa mystified by early error

Dani Pedrosa was at a loss to explain the cause of the crash that cost him the chance to notch his second MotoGP victory in the last three races in Brno yesterday. The Spaniard had just seized the...

Ben Spies makes debut on Yamaha’s 1000cc MotoGP bike

15 August 2011 by Matthew Birt

Ben Spies makes debut on Yamaha’s 1000cc MotoGP bike

Ben Spies has just completed his first laps on board Yamaha’s new factory 1000cc MotoGP bike at the Brno circuit in the Czech Republic. Having initially spent the first part of today’s one-day test...

Brno MotoGP: Casey Stoner romps to crucial win

15 August 2011 by Matthew Birt

Brno MotoGP: Casey Stoner romps to crucial win

Casey Stoner stretched his MotoGP world championship lead to a comfortable 32-point cushion after he dominated yesterday’s Czech Republic round in Brno. Once he hit the front on lap three after a...

Brno MotoGP: Ben Spies sorry to see Jorge Lorenzo struggle

15 August 2011 by Matthew Birt

Brno MotoGP: Ben Spies sorry to see Jorge Lorenzo struggle

Ben Spies came out in sympathy for factory Yamaha team-mate Jorge Lorenzo after the Spaniard’s bungled tyre choice saw his world title hopes suffer a major blow in Brno. Despite the hottest track...

Brno MotoGP: Andrea Dovizioso thrilled to hold off Marco Simoncelli

15 August 2011 by Matthew Birt

Brno MotoGP: Andrea Dovizioso thrilled to hold off Marco Simoncelli

Andrea Dovizioso survived intense pressure from bitter Italian rival Marco Simoncelli to keep his slender 2011 MotoGP world title hopes on track. The Repsol Honda rider claimed his fifth podium with...

Brno MotoGP: Stoner wins, Simoncelli secures first podium finish

14 August 2011 by MCN

Brno MotoGP: Stoner wins, Simoncelli secures first podium finish

Repsol Honda rider Casey Stoner took his sixth win of the season, finishing the Czech GP ahead of team mate Andrea Dovizioso and San Carlo Honda Gresini rider Marco Simoncelli, who managed his first...

Brno Moto2: Iannone secures second victory of season

14 August 2011 by MCN

Brno Moto2: Iannone secures second victory of season

Andrea Iannone (Speed Master) secured his second victory of the season in a fiercely fought race at Brno, where the Italian rider held off challenges from Marc Marquez (Team CatalunyaCaixa Repsol),...

Brno 125GP: Cortese takes first GP victory

14 August 2011 by Tom Cambio

Brno 125GP: Cortese takes first GP victory

Sandro Cortese (Intact-Racing Team Germany) secured his first GP victory at Brno in a closely contested race that saw championship leader Nicolas Terol (Bankia Aspar Team 125cc) retiring from the lead...

Cal Crutchlow and Colin Edwards to race in Japan

13 August 2011 by Matthew Birt

Cal Crutchlow and Colin Edwards to race in Japan

British rider Cal Crutchlow and Monster Yamaha Tech 3 team-mate Colin Edwards have confirmed today that they will definitely race in the re-scheduled Japanese MotoGP round in early October. Both had...

Brno MotoGP: Valentino Rossi savours best Ducati qualifying

13 August 2011 by Matthew Birt

Brno MotoGP: Valentino Rossi savours best Ducati qualifying

Front-end modifications helped Valentino Rossi claim his best grid position for Ducati after the Italian ended today’s Brno qualifying session in sixth position. A best lap of 1.57.367 bettered his...

Brno MotoGP: John Hopkins ruled out with hand injury

13 August 2011 by Matthew Birt

Brno MotoGP: John Hopkins ruled out with hand injury

A high-speed crash in a wet final free practice session in Brno this morning has forced John Hopkins out of tomorrow’s Czech Republic MotoGP round with a broken finger on his right hand. The American,...

Brno Moto2: Marquez steals pole from Bradl

13 August 2011 by MCN

Brno Moto2: Marquez steals pole from Bradl

Marc Marquez (Team CatalunyaCaixa Repsol) stole his fourth pole position start of the season from Stefan Bradl (Viessmann Kiefer Racing) in the final lap of qualifying at Brno. Alex De Angelis (JIR...

Brno MotoGP: Pedrosa takes first pole of season

13 August 2011 by Tom Cambio

Brno MotoGP: Pedrosa takes first pole of season

Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda) continued his dominant form at Brno to take his first pole position start of the season. Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha Factory Racing) was second fastest at the Czech circuit,...

Brno MotoGP: Terol secures fifth pole of season

13 August 2011 by MCN

Brno MotoGP: Terol secures fifth pole of season

Nicolas Terol (Bankia Aspar) secured his fifth 125GP pole position start of the season at Brno, with Johann Zarco (Avant-AirAsia-Ajo) qualifying in second and Sandro Cortese (Intact-Racing Team...

Brno MotoGP: Valentino Rossi eager for Monday test

12 August 2011 by Matthew Birt

Brno MotoGP: Valentino Rossi eager for Monday test

Valentino Rossi says he’s eager to see what development parts Ducati will roll out for the Italian star to evaluate during a one-day test session at the Brno circuit on Monday. Rossi is awaiting the...

Brno MotoGP: Casey Stoner and Jorge Lorenzo frustrated

12 August 2011 by Matthew Birt

Brno MotoGP: Casey Stoner and Jorge Lorenzo frustrated

Casey Stoner and Jorge Lorenzo were both left frustrated in Brno today after the 2011 MotoGP world title contenders were blown away by Dani Pedrosa in the first two practice sessions. Repsol Honda...

Brno MotoGP: Dani Pedrosa maintains dominant form

12 August 2011 by Matthew Birt

Brno MotoGP: Dani Pedrosa maintains dominant form

The first day of MotoGP action at the Brno circuit in the Czech Republic belonged to Dani Pedrosa after the Spaniard dominated both practice sessions today. The Repsol Honda was almost a second...

Brno MotoGP: Dani Pedrosa dominates first practice

12 August 2011 by Matthew Birt

Brno MotoGP: Dani Pedrosa dominates first practice

Dani Pedrosa made a fast return to MotoGP action after the short summer break in Brno this morning, the Spaniard dominating the opening free practice session at the Czech Republic track. After Marco...

Father-to-be Casey Stoner could race in Japan

11 August 2011 by Matthew Birt

Father-to-be Casey Stoner could race in Japan

Casey Stoner says he’s not completely ruled out racing in the re-scheduled Japanese MotoGP round in October. But the Aussie revealed today his much-publicised concerns about the Twin Ring Motegi race...

Brno MotoGP: Valentino Rossi dismisses Honda rumours

11 August 2011 by Matthew Birt

Brno MotoGP: Valentino Rossi dismisses Honda rumours

Valentino Rossi has laughed off rumours he’s trying to end his Ducati nightmare by securing a Honda ride next season. And the nine-times world champion also poked fun at Yamaha World Superbike rider...

Brno MotoGP: Marco Simoncelli vows to ignore podium pressure

11 August 2011 by Matthew Birt

Brno MotoGP: Marco Simoncelli vows to ignore podium pressure

Marco Simoncelli has denied the pressure of trying to break his MotoGP podium duck has been a factor in his performances in recent weeks. And the San Carlo Gresini rider is confident he can ignore the...