June

Mugello MotoGP: Dani Pedrosa blasts Marco Simoncelli

30 June 2011 by Matthew Birt

Dani Pedrosa’s long awaited return to the MotoGP paddock in Mugello today saw the Spaniard launch a stinging attack on fellow factory Honda rider Marco Simoncelli. Speaking at a packed pre-event press...

Mugello MotoGP: Valentino Rossi admits Ducati not strong enough

30 June 2011 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi has admitted he’s not competitive enough at the moment to be fighting for podium finishes ahead of his factory Ducati debut in Italy this weekend. Speaking on the eve of his...

Mugello MotoGP: Ben Spies looks to build on debut win

30 June 2011 by Matthew Birt

Ben Spies is determined to build on the confidence and morale gained from his maiden MotoGP win in this weekend’s Italian Grand Prix at Mugello The Texan became the 11th American rider in history to...

Andrea Dovizioso calls for electronics reduction

30 June 2011 by Matthew Birt

Andrea Dovizioso believes the only way to improve the spectacle in MotoGP is to slash the influence of electronic rider aids. The Italian is the latest high profile rider to call for a reduction in...

Marc VDS nearing 2012 decision

30 June 2011 by Matthew Birt

Scott Redding’s Marc VDS Racing squad will decide next week whether to ditch plans to race a highly tuned production BMW S1000RR motor in MotoGP next season. MCN has learned the Belgium squad has held...

Valentino Rossi without Jerry Burgess for home race

29 June 2011 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi will ride in his home race in Mugello this weekend without the influence of legendary crew chief Jerry Burgess after the Australian flew home to be with his seriously ill wife. Burgess...

Loris Capirossi to miss home race

29 June 2011 by Matthew Birt

Loris Capirossi has been forced to withdraw from his home race in Mugello this weekend. The Italian veteran broke two ribs and dislocated his right shoulder in Assen last weekend but it was initially...

Honda progress exposed Ducati weakness, says Valentino Rossi

29 June 2011 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi reckons the performance improvements made by Honda in 2011 worsened the extent of the problems experienced by Ducati this season. Rossi has struggled to make any significant progress...

Dani Pedrosa to ride in Mugello

28 June 2011 by Matthew Birt

Dani Pedrosa will end his injury nigtmare and make a return to action in Mugello on Friday – nearly 50 days since his 2011 MotoGP title dreams were shattered. The Spaniard hasn’t raced since he broke...

Did Marco Simoncelli reject soft tyre offer in Assen?

27 June 2011 by Matthew Birt

Suspicions about who rebuked Bridgestone’s offer to use a softer compound rear tyre in Assen last weekend have pointed to controversial Italian rider Marco Simoncelli. With numerous riders complaining...

Yamaha delays 1000cc debut

27 June 2011 by Matthew Birt

Yamaha has delayed the much anticipated debut of its 2012 prototype 1000cc MotoGP machine next week. The Japanese factory had been due to fly over the YZR-M1 800cc replacement for Jorge Lorenzo and...

Assen MotoGP: Ben Spies toasts maiden victory

26 June 2011 by Matthew Birt

Ben Spies hailed his commanding Assen MotoGP victory as the greatest moment of his career as he helped Yamaha mark its 50th anniversary celebrations in style yesterday. The Texan was never seriously...

Assen MotoGP: Casey Stoner content to extend title advantage

26 June 2011 by Matthew Birt

Casey Stoner will probably never be happier to finish second after his lead in the MotoGP world championship was increased to a healthy 28-points in Assen. Realising he didn’t have the pace to match...

Assen MotoGP: Valentino Rossi demands more from Ducati

26 June 2011 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi declared his competitive debut on Ducati’s new factory GP11.1 bike a success in Assen but urged the Bologna factory to roll out more parts in the near future. Rossi finished fourth on...

Assen MotoGP: Jorge Lorenzo rues missed opportunity

26 June 2011 by Matthew Birt

Jorge Lorenzo was furious after his hopes of a second MotoGP victory of the season were ended after just five corners of yesterday’s Dutch Grand Prix at Assen. The Spaniard crashed out on the first...

Assen MotoGP: Marco Simoncelli sorry for early error

26 June 2011 by Matthew Birt

Marco Simoncelli took centre stage for all the wrong reasons again in Assen yesterday after he instigated a crash that further dented Jorge Lorenzo’s hopes of retaining the MotoGP world title in...

Assen MotoGP: Cal Crutchlow bemoans front tyre problem

26 June 2011 by Matthew Birt

Cal Crutchlow was denied the chance to score a career best MotoGP finish in Assen yesterday after a front tyre problem struck while he was leading Valentino Rossi in fourth position. The Monster...

Assen MotoGP: Spies takes maiden GP win

25 June 2011 by Liam Marsden

Factory Yamaha rider Ben Spies has taken his first ever MotoGP victory in dominant fashion at the Assen circuit, winning by 7.697secs ahead of championship leader Casey Stoner. Spies led from the...

Assen MotoGP: Marquez takes victory in the wet

25 June 2011 by Liam Marsden

125GP champion Marc Marquez has taken victory in the wet Moto2 race at Assen today to take his second victory in the class. Simone Corsi took the lead early on, with Bradley Smith close behind in...

Assen MotoGP: Vinales wins shortened 125GP

25 June 2011 by Liam Marsden

16-year old Maverick Vinales has taken victory at Assen in the 125GP race after it was red flagged after 14 laps due to rain. The race got underway under cloudy but dry conditions but rain started to...

Assen MotoGP: Valentino Rossi falters on new Ducati

24 June 2011 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi could only qualify Ducati’s radically revamped factory MotoGP contender in a disappointing 11th position at the Assen circuit in Holland today. Riding the updated GP11.1 in dry...

Assen MotoGP: Casey Stoner bounces back to third

24 June 2011 by Matthew Birt

Casey Stoner will start his bid to win four successive MotoGP races for the first time in his career from the front row after the Australian was fortunate to walk away unscathed from a heavy crash...

Assen MotoGP: Maiden front row just eludes Cal Crutchlow

24 June 2011 by Matthew Birt

Cal Crutchlow was less than 0.4s away from claiming a stunning maiden front row MotoGP start in Assen today. The British rider produced a heroic effort just 13 days after breaking his left collarbone...

Assen MotoGP: Simoncelli on pole

24 June 2011 by Liam Marsden

Italian Marco Simoncelli will start tomorrow’s 26 lap Dutch Grand Prix from pole position aboard his San Carlo Honda. With 10 minutes remaining Simoncelli matched exactly the fastest time of then pole...

Japanese Grand Prix to go ahead

24 June 2011 by Matthew Birt

The rescheduled Japanese Grand Prix at the Twin Ring Motegi will go ahead in early October, despite threats from top riders like Jorge Lorenzo that they may not attend because of radiation...

Crutchlow's crash

23 June 2011 by pjvick

Shots taken as Crutchlow crashed during qualifying at Silverstone.

Assen MotoGP: Nicky Hayden eyes new Ducati for Sachsenring

23 June 2011 by Matthew Birt

Nicky Hayden is desperately trying to persuade Ducati to make his debut on the new GP11.1 machine at the forthcoming German MotoGP round at the Sachsenring next month. The American was initially told...

Assen MotoGP: Rain fails to dampen Valentino Rossi’s spirits

23 June 2011 by Matthew Birt

Rain and a cancelled practice session failed to dampen Valentino Rossi’s spirits after he made an encouraging debut on Ducati’s new GP11.1 bike in Assen today. Riding the radical new bike for the...

Assen MotoGP: Casey Stoner chasing edge grip

23 June 2011 by Matthew Birt

Casey Stoner is confident he can make improvements to his factory Honda RC212V machine to challenge for pole position in Assen tomorrow after he ended a disrupted opening day of practice with the...

Assen MotoGP: Super sixth for heroic Cal Crutchlow

23 June 2011 by Matthew Birt

Cal Crutchlow made a brilliant MotoGP comeback in Assen today, the British rider claiming sixth position on an opening day of disrupted action in Holland. Just 12 days after he smashed his left...

Rossi during practice at Silverstone

23 June 2011 by alitown

Rossi during practice at Silverstone.

Assen MotoGP: FP2 cancelled after oil spill

23 June 2011 by Tom Cambio

This afternoon’s practice sessions at Assen have been cancelled, following an oil spill over one third of the circuit. Heavy rain during the first practice sessions led to many crashes, including NGM...

John Hopkins lands Suzuki wild card for Brno MotoGP

23 June 2011 by Matthew Birt

British Superbike title challenger John Hopkins has landed a wild card ride with Suzuki’s factory MotoGP squad for the Czech Republic round in Brno, as was revealed by MCN last month. The American...

Assen MotoGP: Valentino Rossi curious to ride radical new Ducati

22 June 2011 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi said he’s curious to gauge the performance of a radical new Ducati MotoGP bike in Assen tomorrow. Ducati and Rossi have pinned hopes on the new GP11.1 turning round their fortunes...

Assen MotoGP: Ben Spies relieved after Silverstone crash

22 June 2011 by Matthew Birt

Ben Spies has told MCN of the moment he feared he would be seriously injured in a high-speed crash during the recent rain-lashed British Grand Prix at Silverstone. The Texan fell heavily at over...

Assen MotoGP: Pressure less now, says Casey Stoner

22 June 2011 by Matthew Birt

Casey Stoner reckons he is under less pressure now that he is leading the 2011 MotoGP world championship, as he goes in search of a fourth straight win for the first time in his career in...