MotoGP on MCN

Here at Motor Cycle News we deliver bespoke MotoGP news from expert reporters on the ground at every major event. We get everything that's new in MotoGP before anyone else.

Stoner laughs off Ducati speed advantage

Stoner laughs off Ducati speed advantage

Qatar GP winner Casey Stoner reckons his factory Ducati will be a serious threat even at tight and twisty tracks where the Bologna factory’s new GP7 won’t be able to maximise its top speed...

Four tracks give Rossi speed concern

Four tracks give Rossi speed concern

Valentino Rossi has expressed his concern about Ducati’s horsepower and top speed advantage at four tracks which remain on the 2007 MotoGP world championship calendar. The seven-times world champion...

Stoner happy to be in early title hunt

Stoner happy to be in early title hunt

Aussie Casey Stoner is confident he will be able to maintain his brilliant start to the 2007 season and pose a genuine threat to ruining Valentino Rossi’s hopes of regaining the MotoGP world...

Rossi celebrates Jerez win

Rossi celebrates Jerez win

I travelled to the MotoGP in Jerez and managed to get this picture of Rossi celebrating his victory. Andy Lawson

Hodgson lands Ducati GP ride

Hodgson lands Ducati GP ride

Neil Hodgson moved a step closer to full time top-level racing after landing the job of official Bridgestone test rider for the Ducati MotoGP team, and makes his debut on the firm’s 800cc GP7...

Cecchinello proud to help Stoner career

Cecchinello proud to help Stoner career

Honda team boss Lucio Cecchinello has said he is proud to have played a part in helping Casey Stoner emerge from youthful prospect into one of the world’s top MotoGP riders. The 21-year-old Australian...

Rossi waiting for rivals to fire

Rossi waiting for rivals to fire

Valentino Rossi has told MCN he doesn’t expect his battle to win back the MotoGP world championship crown to come down to a scrap with just Dani Pedrosa and Casey Stoner. A feature of the first two...

Hopkins expects wrist problems for the rest of the season

Hopkins expects wrist problems for the rest of the season

Factory Suzuki rider John Hopkins has shunned an operation on his right wrist in the Easter break, admitting he will have to ride through the pain barrier for the entire 2007 MotoGP world championship...

Burgess determined to win back title

Burgess determined to win back title

Valentino Rossi’s crew chief Jerry Burgess says he is determined to win back the MotoGP world championship crown in 2007, admitting last year’s shock defeat to Nicky Hayden ‘ground my guts’. Losing in...

Capirossi hails Stoner form

Capirossi hails Stoner form

Struggling factory Ducati rider Loris Capirossi has praised new team-mate Casey Stoner for his impressive start to the new 800cc MotoGP era. Aussie Stoner lies second in the championship after a...

Vermeulen confident in Suzuki motor

Vermeulen confident in Suzuki motor

Australian Chris Vermeulen believes a new Suzuki 800 engine spec will help reduce some of the weak points of the Japanese factory’s 2007 GSV-R contender. Suzuki’s new V4 has already proved a massive...

Rossi shocked at Capirossi slump

Rossi shocked at Capirossi slump

Former world champion Valentino Rossi has spoken of his surprise at the disappointing start fellow Italian Loris Capirossi has made to the 2007 MotoGP world championship. The 33-year-old has endured a...

Checa demands Honda power

Checa demands Honda power

Spanish veteran Carlos Checa has reiterated his long-running calls to Honda for a horsepower upgrade after his disappointing finish in last weekend’s Spanish GP. Checa has complained about Honda’s new...

Video: Locatelli's mystery Jerez crash

I found this video of the mysterious crash by Roberto Locatelli at Jerez on You Tube. It’s an Italian TV interview with riders including Andrea Dovizioso who talk about the accident and you can see the crash in the interview. You’ll need to speak Italian to understand what they’re on about though…

Stoner and Elias on form

Stoner and Elias on form

Hiroshi Yamada, Bridgestone Manager of Motorcycle Sport has spoken of his views of the MotoGP in Jerez last weekend. How satisfied are you with tyre performance during the Jerez GP weekend? “In...

Awel celebrates Rossi win

Awel celebrates Rossi win

This is my three-year-old daughter Awel who is a big Rossi fan celabrating his latest victory in Jerez ala Rossi style.

Smith upbeat despite Jerez disappointment

Smith upbeat despite Jerez disappointment

British teenager Bradley Smith said the positives far outweighed his disappointing result in the Spanish GP last weekend. The Repsol Honda rider was running in eighth place when he was wiped out by...

Hopkins seeking Suzuki power

Hopkins seeking Suzuki power

American John Hopkins is a hoping a new Suzuki 800 engine spec will dramatically enhance his chances of claiming an elusive MotoGP world championship podium. Hopkins and Rizla Suzuki team-mate, Chris...

Cecchinello praises rookie Laverty

Cecchinello praises rookie Laverty

LCR Honda boss Lucio Cecchinello has praised rookie Eugene Laverty after the Irish rider claimed his first world 250 championship points in last weekend’s Spanish GP. The 20-year-old scored a...

Eyewitness report of Locatelli crash

The wife and I were at Jerez and she saw the Roberto Locatelli crash. I saw the crash from the impact onwards. There is a bit of mystery surrounding what happened. This is my wife’s description: “Roberto came down the short straight towards us (we were in the grandstand) and turned very sharply left well before the end of the straight. He turned so sharply that he was almost at ninety degrees to...

Bird strike unlikely cause of Locatelli crash

Bird strike unlikely cause of Locatelli crash

Investigations into the horror crash that left former world 125 champion Roberto Locatelli seriously injured at last weekend’s Spanish GP have ruled out a bird strike as a possible cause. Extensive...

Video: Parrish rides GSV-R

Video: Parrish rides GSV-R

BBC pundit Steve Parrish managed to get a special ride on John Hopkins’ factory Suzuki GSV-R800 in the build-up to the Beeb’s coverage of the Spanish GP, and you can see the video here. Parrish is the...

Rossi wins Jerez GP

Rossi wins Jerez GP

Valentino Rossi has returned to dominance with victory at the Spanish GP at Jerez, having taken the lead from polesitter Dani Pedrosa on the first lap. Rossi was able to eke out a lead with small...

Talmacsi wins photo finish Jerez 125cc GP

Talmacsi wins photo finish Jerez 125cc GP

Gabor Talmacsi took the win in the 125cc race at Jerez, denying Lukas Pesek his first win. Talamcsi and Aspar team-mate Hector Faubel dominated most of the race, until Pesek’s Derbi was able to close...

Lorenzo wins Jerez 250cc GP

Lorenzo wins Jerez 250cc GP

Jorge Lorenzo continued his perfect 2007 season with the second victory in two races at Jerez, overcoming Alvaro Bautista and Andrea Dovizioso. All three tooks turns heading the field, with Bautista...

GP Brits bruised but fit to race at Jerez

GP Brits bruised but fit to race at Jerez

British rookies Eugene Laverty and Danny Webb will be fit to ride in tomorrow’s Spanish GP despite both suffering crashes today in Jerez. Irish 250 privateer Laverty was lucky to walk away with...

Locatelli badly hurt in GP smash

Locatelli badly hurt in GP smash

Former world 125 champion Roberto Locatelli is in intensive care in a Cadiz hospital tonight after a horrendous crash in free practice for the Spanish GP this morning. The Italian, currently riding in...

Rossi happy with second on Jerez grid

Rossi happy with second on Jerez grid

Valentino Rossi has declared himself happy despite missing out on pole position in Jerez this afternoon in what was the closest MotoGP qualifying top ten in history. Just 0.325s split pole setter Dani...

Jerez GP grid: Pedrosa from Rossi; 1s covers top 15!

Jerez GP grid: Pedrosa from Rossi; 1s covers top 15!

Dani Pedrosa delighted a near 100,000-strong home crowd to claim pole position for tomorrow’s Spanish GP at Jerez, a fraction ahead of Valentino Rossi. In a thrilling hour-long session, Pedrosa...

Rossi slumps to 18th in Jerez GP practice

Rossi slumps to 18th in Jerez GP practice

SEVEN times world champion Valentino Rossi slumped to a surprise 18th position in this morning’s third free MotoGP practice session in Jerez, as Carlos Checa topped the timesheets. LCR Honda rider...

Roberts springs Jerez surprise

Roberts springs Jerez surprise

American Kenny Roberts Junior sprang an early surprise in Jerez this morning by topping the timesheets in the first free practice session for Sunday’s Spanish GP. After finishing a disappointing 13th...

Bridgestone to test front qualifier

Bridgestone to test front qualifier

Bridgestone will experiment with a new front qualifying tyre at the MotoGP test immediately after this weekend’s Spanish GP. The soft front designed specifically for use in qualifying was due to be...

Suzuki brings forward performance tests

Suzuki brings forward performance tests

Factory Suzuki duo John Hopkins and Chris Vermeulen will test new engine parts immediately after this weekend’s Spanish GP in Jerez. The initial plan had been to test new V4 motor performance parts...

Stoner - No regrets about Yamaha

Stoner - No regrets about Yamaha

Casey Stoner says he has got no regrets about missing out on the chance to partner Valentino Rossi in Yamaha’s factory MotoGP squad for the 2007 world championship. The 21-year-old was locked in...

TV's Parrish rides the MotoGP Suzuki

TV's Parrish rides the MotoGP Suzuki

BBC pundit Steve Parrish will feature in a special ride on John Hopkins’ factory Suzuki GSV-R 800 in the build-up to the Beeb’s coverage of this weekend’s Spanish GP. Parrish is the first non...

Stoner keeping feet on the ground

Stoner keeping feet on the ground

MotoGP world championship leader Casey Stoner reckons he’s going to be keeping his feet firmly on the ground as he prepares to try and continue his brilliant start to the 2007 campaign in this...