Austin MotoGP 2016

Moto2 to boast 40-rider field in 2011

01 November 2010 by Matthew Birt

Next year’s Moto2 world championship will be contested by a bumper entry of 40 riders after final selection meetings took place in Estoril last weekend. The field will be made up 22 teams, of which 18...

Estoril MotoGP: Valentino Rossi bemoans set-up gamble

01 November 2010 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi blamed a wrong set-up gamble for his failure to end 2010 world champion Jorge Lorenzo’s domination of the Estoril MotoGP race yesterday. The Italian led for a long spell in the 28-lap...

Estoril MotoGP: Ben Spies aims to ride in final round

01 November 2010 by Matthew Birt

Ben Spies is determined to ride in this weekend’s final MotoGP round in Valencia, despite the American aggravating an old left ankle injury in Estoril yesterday. The Texan’s Estoril debut ended in...

Estoril MotoGP: Andrea Dovizioso ‘gap to Yamaha too much’

01 November 2010 by Matthew Birt

Andrea Dovizioso’s delight at snatching a last-gasp third place from compatriot Marco Simoncelli in Estoril yesterday was tempered somewhat by the heavy defeat suffered at the hands of Yamaha. The...

Interwetten Honda confirm 2011 withdrawal

01 November 2010 by Matthew Birt

Hiroshi Aoyama’s Interwetten Honda squad confirmed in Estoril last night that it would be quitting the MotoGP world championship at the end of the season. The withdrawal of the Swiss-based squad has...

Toni Elias signs LCR Honda deal

31 October 2010 by Matthew Birt

New Moto2 world champion Toni Elias has signed a deal to join Lucio Cecchinello’s satellite Honda squad in 2011. It marks a quick return to the premier class for the Spaniard, who claimed a historic...

Tech 3 boss delighted with Bradley Smith signing

31 October 2010 by Matthew Birt

Tech 3 Racing Moto2 boss Herve Poncharal has spoken of his delight at capturing British prospect Bradley Smith for 2011. The current Aspar Aprilia rider 125GP rider signed a deal with the French-based...

Bradley Smith signs Tech 3 Moto2 deal

31 October 2010 by Matthew Birt

Bradley Smith has signed a deal to ride for the Tech 3 Moto2 squad in Estoril today, as was first reported by MCN last week. The 19-year-old will partner French rider and 2008 125GP world champion...

Estoril MotoGP: Marquez takes dramatic win

31 October 2010 by Liam Marsden

Marc Marquez took victory in the 125GP race at Estoril despite having to start from the back of the grid as the race was red flagged. Marquez got a good start and by the end of the first lap was in...

Estoril MotoGP: Jorge Lorenzo takes Portugal hat-trick

31 October 2010 by Matthew Birt

Jorge Lorenzo remains undefeated at the Estoril track in Portugal after he claimed his eighth victory of 2010 this afternoon. After a weekend dominated by appalling weather that badly disrupted...

Estoril MotoGP: Scott Redding fourth in Moto2 thriller

31 October 2010 by Matthew Birt

Scott Redding came close to a stunning Moto2 podium at a windswept Estoril today when he missed third place in a pulsating encounter by just 0.012s. Starting from 25th on the grid after torrential...

Estoril MotoGP: Bradley Smith not concerned about team orders

31 October 2010 by Matthew Birt

Bradley Smith dodged the tricky issue of team orders after he claimed his third 125GP pole position of the season at a rain-lashed Estoril circuit in Portugal. Gusting winds and heavy rain saw Race...

Estoril MotoGP: Fuel consumption worry for Casey Stoner

31 October 2010 by Matthew Birt

Casey Stoner reckons fuel consumption will play a massive role in Estoril tomorrow if the Grand Prix of Portugal is staged in dry conditions. Stoner will start the penultimate round of the season from...

Estoril MotoGP: Nicky Hayden thrilled with second

30 October 2010 by Matthew Birt

Nicky Hayden was thrilled to find out he’d start second on the grid for tomorrow’s Estoril MotoGP race after he suffered a heavy crash in treacherous conditions morning. With grid positions decided by...

Estoril MotoGP: Jorge Lorenzo claims landmark pole position

30 October 2010 by Matthew Birt

Jorge Lorenzo claimed a milestone 42nd career pole position today after severe weather forced the cancellation of today’s qualifying session at the Estoril track in Portugal. Torrential rain and...

Scott Redding to test FTR chassis

30 October 2010 by Matthew Birt

Scott Redding will test a British-built FTR chassis at the Motorland Aragon circuit in Spain on Monday. The Gloucestershire rider will use the frame in a back-to-back comparison with the current Swiss manufactured Suter chassis he has campaigned throughout the inaugural Moto2 world championship. The Marc VDS Racing rider is likely to continue to race the Suter frame in 2011 having been chosen as...

Ducati confirm Valentino Rossi crew for Valencia test

30 October 2010 by Matthew Birt

Ducati has confirmed that all of Valentino Rossi’s crew have been released to work with the Italian when he makes his much-hyped Bologna factory debut in Valencia next month. Rossi was released from...

Qualifying cancelled after Estoril monsoon

30 October 2010 by Matthew Birt

Strong winds and heavy rain that battered the Estoril circuit saw qualifying for all three Grand Prix classes abandoned this afternoon. Torrential rain started to fall shortly after midday and with...

Monsoon conditions cause havoc in Estoril

30 October 2010 by Matthew Birt

Monsoon conditions that battered the Estoril track caused havoc this afternoon with qualifying for all three Grand Prix classes postponed. Torrential started to fall shortly after midday and gradually...

Estoril MotoGP: Brits shine in Portugal monsoon

29 October 2010 by Matthew Birt

Treacherous conditions at the Estoril circuit in Portugal this morning did little to deter British duo Scott Redding and Bradley Smith. Torrential rain and gusting winds battered the Portugal track...

Estoril MotoGP: Jorge Lorenzo fastest in practice

29 October 2010 by Matthew Birt

New MotoGP world champion Jorge Lorenzo continued his love affair with the Estoril track in Portugal today after he topped a rain-hit practice session. The Fiat Yamaha rider logged a best time of...

Estoril MotoGP: First practice washed out

29 October 2010 by Matthew Birt

Torrential rain and strong winds meant only eight full laps were completed in this morning’s MotoGP practicr session in Estoril. With practice restored to four sessions for the final two races of...

Casey Stoner aims to equal Wayne Rainey

28 October 2010 by Matthew Birt

Casey Stoner reckons Jorge Lorenzo is the biggest hurdle standing in his way as he attempts to equal Wayne Rainey’s MotoGP victory tally in Estoril this weekend. New world champion Lorenzo is...

Valentino Rossi confident of victory challenge

28 October 2010 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi has backed himself to mount a victory challenge in Estoril this weekend as the Italian plots a successful conclusion to the Yamaha chapter in his glittering career. The 31-year-old is...

Loris Capirossi back at Ducati in 2011

28 October 2010 by Matthew Birt

Loris Capirossi has confirmed he will make a return to Ducati in next year’s MotoGP world championship. The Italian veteran has signed a deal to join the Pramac Ducati squad, as had been widely...

Nicky Hayden: ‘No doubt Rossi can win at Ducati’

28 October 2010 by Matthew Birt

Nicky Hayden told MCN in Estoril this afternoon that he’s keen to hear Valentino Rossi’s first impressions of Ducati’s factory MotoGP contender. And the American says he is no doubt that current Fiat...

Colin Edwards to test Tech 3 Moto2 bike

28 October 2010 by Matthew Birt

Colin Edwards will switch Grand Prix classes for a brief spell next month when he lends his vast experience to the Tech 3 Racing Moto2 project. The Texan is being lined up to test the French squad’s...

Bradley Smith in Tech 3 Moto2 talks

28 October 2010 by Matthew Birt

Bradley Smith will hold further talks with the Tech 3 Racing Moto2 squad in Estoril this weekend. MCN understands the 19-year-old British rider will negotiate with French team boss Herve Poncharal...

FTR and the first year of Moto2

27 October 2010 by Gary Pinchin

With the initial Moto2 World Championship almost concluded – with just two of the 17 rounds remaining – FTR Moto’s Steve Bones reflects on the first year of the new category. In early 2009 the Moto2...

Ducati boosted by Valentino Rossi’s Valencia debut

27 October 2010 by Matthew Birt

Nicky Hayden reckons Ducati has got a massive boost now that Valentino Rossi will make his much-anticipated Bologna factory debut in Valencia early next month. Rossi’s Ducati debut had remained in...

Suzuki deny deal for Hiroshi Aoyama came close

27 October 2010 by Matthew Birt

Suzuki has denied a deal to keep its involvement in MotoGP to two bikes while saving the Interwetten Honda squad from collapse ever come close to fruition. The Japanese factory plans to reduce its...

Dani Pedrosa eager to gauge fitness

27 October 2010 by Matthew Birt

Dani Pedrosa is eager to check the strength in his damaged left shoulder as he prepares for the physical challenge posed by the tight and twisty Estoril circuit in Portugal this weekend. Pedrosa has...

Valentino Rossi targets strong Yamaha finish

26 October 2010 by Matthew Birt

Having won 46 races in a glittering MotoGP career for Yamaha, Valentino Rossi is determined to bow out in style for the Japanese factory before he moves to Ducati early next month. The 31-year-old is...

Loris Capirossi determined to race in Estoril

26 October 2010 by Matthew Birt

Loris Capirossi will brave the pain of numerous right leg injuries to try and ride in this weekend’s Estoril Grand Prix in Portugal. The Italian veteran missed the last race in Australia when a heavy...

Yamaha may keep dividing wall in 2011

22 October 2010 by Matthew Birt

Yamaha has dropped its biggest hint yet that a controversial dividing wall might remain in 2011, despite the departure of Valentino Rossi. Many expected the wall to be abolished when new world...

Jorge Lorenzo home to rapturous reception

22 October 2010 by Matthew Birt

Thousands of fans lined the streets in Mallorca earlier this week to welcome home new MotoGP world champion Jorge Lorenzo. The 23-year-old was met by crowds and dignitaries at the airport before...