2016

Year: 2016

Month: ALL

Smith set for second home round at Le Mans

03 May 2016 by Simon Patterson

Smith set for second home round at Le Mans

Bradley Smith says he’s all set for his second home round of the MotoGP season this weekend at Le Mans, after a difficult start to the 2016 season so far for the Monster Tech 3 Yamaha racer. And...

Extra GP grid space withdrawn

02 May 2016 by Simon Patterson

Extra GP grid space withdrawn

The 24th MotoGP grid space set to be made available for the 2017 season has been withdrawn after objections from the manufacturers, despite organisers admitting that there were a number of strong...

Marquez wants to see MotoGP winglets banned

01 May 2016 by Simon Patterson

Marquez wants to see MotoGP winglets banned

Marc Marquez has gone on the record to admit that he would like to see the multitude of wings currently in use in MotoGP banned in the future – but won’t stop taking any advantage he can form them...

Successful private test for Lowes

01 May 2016 by Simon Patterson

Successful private test for Lowes

Sam Lowes has had a successful one-day test of the Federal Oil Gresini Kalex machine at Barcelona’s Montmelò, home of June’s Catalan round of the 2016 Moto2 championship that the Lincolnshire racer...

‘Marked increase in performance’ for KTM

30 April 2016 by Simon Patterson

‘Marked increase in performance’ for KTM

KTM have seen a ‘marked increase in performance’ for their new RC16 MotoGP machine at this week’s test at Brno, according to project head Mike Leitner. The rain-hit two-day test saw Mika Kallio and...

Circuit of Wales submits revised funding plan

30 April 2016 by Simon Patterson

Circuit of Wales submits revised funding plan

The Circuit of Wales have submitted a revised funding plan to the Welsh government. The new plan reduces the amount of financial guarantee required from the regional assembly by half, covering 50% of...

Yamaha have encouraging day on development Michelins

29 April 2016 by Simon Patterson

Yamaha have encouraging day on development Michelins

The Movistar Yamaha team of Jorge Lorenzo and Valentino Rossi had an encouraging day on Michelin’s latest development tyres at Monday’s one-day test at Jerez, according to team boss Massimo...

Pedrosa has ‘strange day’ at Jerez test

29 April 2016 by Simon Patterson

Pedrosa has ‘strange day’ at Jerez test

Dani Pedrosa says that the one-day test at Jerez following last weekend’s race at the Spanish circuit was a ‘strange day’ for him, with improved track conditions not brining the improvement in grip...

Video: Valentino Rossi - The Doctor series trailer

29 April 2016 by Simon Patterson

Video: Valentino Rossi - The Doctor series trailer

Everybody knows Valentino Rossi as an icon of motorcycle racing but what is it like to wear his shoes? To deal with expectation, spotlight, judgement and the constant pressure of being an athlete...

Suzuki winglets ‘not a huge improvement’

29 April 2016 by Simon Patterson

Suzuki winglets ‘not a huge improvement’

Suzuki rider Aleix Espargaró has admitted that the GSX-RR’s new front winglets do not make a huge improvement to the handling of his bike – but that with every advantage necessary at the minute in...

Moto3 front-runner Bastianini breaks wrist

29 April 2016 by Simon Patterson

Moto3 front-runner Bastianini breaks wrist

Moto3 front-runner Enea Bastianini has broken his wrist in a training accident, falling on Wednesday while riding off-road. The training crash saw him suffer a fracture to his right wrist. Following...

Crutchlow disappointed with first points-scoring finish

28 April 2016 by Simon Patterson

Crutchlow disappointed with first points-scoring finish

Cal Crutchlow was once again left disappointed with the fourth round of the MotoGP championship in Jerez last weekend, despite the Brit finally managing to get points on the board after finishing his...

Suzuki the key in GP contract talks

28 April 2016 by Simon Patterson

Suzuki the key in GP contract talks

Suzuki and Maverick Viñales have become the focal point of 2016’s contract negotiations, as the young Spaniard considers offers not only to join Valentino Rossi at the Movistar Yamaha squad but also...

GP Commission changes rules on jump-starts

28 April 2016 by Simon Patterson

GP Commission changes rules on jump-starts

MotoGP rulemaking body the Grand Prix Commission has restructured the system for penalising riders for jump starts following the aftermath of the debacle at the opening Moto2 round at Qatar. There was...

Dovi stakes claim for remaining Ducati seat

20 April 2016 by Simon Patterson

Dovi stakes claim for remaining Ducati seat

Andrea Dovizioso has staked his claim for the remaining seat at Ducati next season alongside new signing Jorge Lorenzo, hitting out at teammate (and rival for the spot) Andrea Iannone. Iannone is...

Upgrades for Aprilia as MotoGP returns to Europe

20 April 2016 by Simon Patterson

Upgrades for Aprilia as MotoGP returns to Europe

Aprilia will have further upgrades to the new RS-GP machines of Stefan Bradl and Alvaro Bautista this weekend as MotoGP returns to Europe, with the pair hoping to continue a strong start to 2016 at...

Lorenzo: My focus remains with Yamaha

19 April 2016 by Simon Patterson

Lorenzo: My focus remains with Yamaha

Jorge Lorenzo has spoken publically for the first time since his new Ducati deal for the 2017 and 2018 season was announced yesterday, posting a short video message to social media to thank his fans...

Smith hoping for better form on European return

19 April 2016 by Simon Patterson

Smith hoping for better form on European return

Bradley Smith is hoping for a return to better for this weekend when MotoGP returns to Europe, after a difficult start to the season for the Monster Tech 3 Yamaha racer. Struggling since before the...

Marquez: Rivals will be strong at Jerez

19 April 2016 by Simon Patterson

Marquez: Rivals will be strong at Jerez

Marc Marquez says it’s more important than ever that him and the Repsol Honda squad make a strong start this weekend at Jerez, a track he expects title rivals Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo to be...

Confirmed: Lorenzo makes Ducati switch for 2017

18 April 2016 by Simon Patterson

Confirmed: Lorenzo makes Ducati switch for 2017

As reported by MCN weeks ago, reigning MotoGP world champion Jorge Lorenzo will make the switch from Yamaha to Ducati for the 2017 and 2018 MotoGP seasons. The news was confirmed this afternoon only...

What next for Yamaha?

18 April 2016 by Simon Patterson

What next for Yamaha?

With the news that reigning MotoGP world champion Jorge Lorenzo will move to Ducati for the 2017 season, one big question mark that remains to be answered in the aftermath of the move is who exactly...

Yamaha and Lorenzo part ways for 2017

18 April 2016 by Simon Patterson

Yamaha and Lorenzo part ways for 2017

Movistar Yamaha have announced that they will part ways with Jorge Lorenzo for the 2017 season, partly confirming that, as reported by MCN weeks ago, that the reigning world champion will switch to...

Crutchlow left struggling with gout in Austin

15 April 2016 by Simon Patterson

Crutchlow left struggling with gout in Austin

Cal Crutchlow’s difficult start to the 2016 MotoGP season – failing to score points in the opening three races of the year – was left even worse last weekend in Austin when travel chaos from Argentina...

Viñales left kicking himself after testing pace

15 April 2016 by Simon Patterson

Viñales left kicking himself after testing pace

Suzuki rider Maverick Viñales has been left kicking himself after discovering his pace on the 2016 GSX-RR chassis at the Circuit of the Americas – in a test a day after using the 2015 version for the...

Dorna pledge support to British Grand Prix

15 April 2016 by Simon Patterson

Dorna pledge support to British Grand Prix

Dorna events director Javier Alonso has pledged support to the British Grand prix, regardless of what happens in the future with the beleaguered Circuit of Wales project. Currently the rights holders...

Ten more years of racing at Phillip Island

11 April 2016 by Simon Patterson

Ten more years of racing at Phillip Island

MotoGP and World Superbike rights holders Dorna have signed a ten-year extension to both deals that will see both series return to Australia’s iconic Phillip Island track until at least 2026. The...

Welsh minister refuses underwriting for ‘unacceptable risk’ of Circuit of Wales

07 April 2016 by Simon Patterson

Welsh minister refuses underwriting for ‘unacceptable risk’ of Circuit of Wales

Welsh Assembly economy minister Edwina Hart has refused to underwrite the Circuit of Wales project, saying that it was an ‘unacceptable risk’ to the government in light of the “significant question...

Lorenzo to make Ducati switch

06 April 2016 by Simon Patterson

Lorenzo to make Ducati switch

Reigning MotoGP world champion Jorge Lorenzo looks odds on to become a Ducati rider for the 2017 and 2018 MotoGP seasons, ending a long and lucrative partnership with Yamaha. MCN understands that the...

Crunch time for Circuit of Wales

06 April 2016 by Simon Patterson

Crunch time for Circuit of Wales

The Circuit of Wales project has reached a critical point, with the next 24 hours being key to whether the ambitious project in South Wales will go ahead or not. The crunch comes from the imminent...

KTM boss Beirer: Smith was the logical choice

30 March 2016 by Simon Patterson

KTM boss Beirer: Smith was the logical choice

KTM’s head of motorsport, former MXGP racer Pit Beirer, has told MCN that Bradley Smith was not only the most logical choice for the factory, he was also the first name on their list. First...

Aerodynamic additions banned from Moto2 and Moto3

22 March 2016 by Simon Patterson

Aerodynamic additions banned from Moto2 and Moto3

Aerodynamic features like the ‘wings’ currently fitted to Ducati’s MotoGP machine have been banned from Grand Prix’s support classes after a ruling today by the technical rules governing body the GP...

McPhee plagued by mystery issues

14 March 2016 by Simon Patterson

McPhee plagued by mystery issues

Scotsman John McPhee has been left with effectively no winter testing completed successfully on his Saxoprint Peugeot machine after a recurring problem that has plagued the team since day one of the...

Lowes blitzes opposition to finish Moto2 test top

13 March 2016 by Simon Patterson

Lowes blitzes opposition to finish Moto2 test top

Federal oil Gresini Kalex rider Sam Lowes has blitzed his opposition with a last minute lap to finish the final test of the winter 0.2 faster than runner-up Thomas Luthi. Finishing the test with the...

Antonelli holds on to Moto3 top spot

13 March 2016 by Simon Patterson

Antonelli holds on to Moto3 top spot

Niccolo Antonelli has held onto the top spot at Qatar on the final day of the 2016 Moto3 pre-season, leaving Losail with a 0.217 advantage over fellow Honda rider Livio Loi. Loi was a further 0.057...

Aegerter debuts latest GP aerodynamic devices

13 March 2016 by Simon Patterson

Aegerter debuts latest GP aerodynamic devices

Swiss rider Dominique Aegerter has debuted the latest in a series of aerodynamic devices that have appeared on Grand Prix bikes over the winter testing season at this week’s Qatar Moto2...

Lowes finds easy time in new swinging arm

13 March 2016 by Simon Patterson

Lowes finds easy time in new swinging arm

Sam Lowes has been left delighted with his progress on the Federal Oil Gresini Oil Kalex Moto2 bike after the second night of testing at Qatar, making a major breakthrough on bike set-up with a new...