Japan MotoGP 2016

Video: Sepang monsoon

11 November 2006

Torrential rain has flooded parts of the track at Sepang, putting a halt to the MotoGP test – see our exclusive video report. MCN MotoGP reporter Matthew Birt is in Malaysia to follow the test and he...

Guintoli's crocked debut

11 November 2006

French MotoGP new boy Sylvain Guintoli had a painful graduation from 250s to the big bikes, after he broke his collar bone in his first ride on a MotoGP bike. Guintoli, riding for Tech-3 Yamaha as...

Tommy Hayden falls

11 November 2006

US Superbike star Tommy Hayden made a debut he’d probably like to forget on the Yoshimura Suzuki he will race next year, after a mammoth highside at the Sepang test in Malaysia. The works Suzuki AMA...

Edwards ready for 800s

11 November 2006

Yamaha star Colin Edwards gets his first taste tomorrow (Wednesday Nov 15, 2006) of the all-new 800cc M1 he and team-mate Valentino Rossi will campaign in MotoGP next year. So far Rossi is the only...

Jacque ready for GPs

11 November 2006

Olivier Jacque claims he wasn’t bothered about being well down Kawasaki’s shopping list as the French rider clinched a shock return to MotoGP. The former world 250 champion was plucked out of the...

Pedrosa testing setback

11 November 2006

Dani Pedrosa’s winter testing schedule has taken a knock after he was forced to abandon plans to join a major three-day MotoGP test in Malaysia this week. Pedrosa has had an operation on his left...

Hopkins leads again

11 November 2006

Suzuki once again topped the timesheets in Sepang on day three of their 800cc testing. John Hopkins took more than a second off yesterday’s time to record a 2:01.64 lap ahead of team-mate Chris...

Rossi goes rallying

11 November 2006

He has barely turned a wheel in anger, but the World Rally Championship barely knows what has hit it with the hype prior to Valentino Rossi’s participance in this weekend’s New Zeland Rally already on...

Rain halts testing

11 November 2006

Colin Edwards’ first chance to try out Yamaha’s 800cc MotoGP bike was cut short by rain on Wednesday. The American was testing the new bike for the first time at Sepang before torrential rain ended...

Kawasaki and Eckl split

11 November 2006

Kawasaki has taken its entire MotoGP racing operation in-house after splitting with long-time team manager Harald Eckl. Eckl has run Kawasaki’s MotoGP programme, and before that the firm’s WSB...

Suzuki top at Sepang

11 November 2006

Suzuki proved the surprise package at the second day of the major Sepang MotoGP test today, with Rizla men John Hopkins and Chris Vermeulen finishing top two. Hopper set a best time of 2:02.73 in a...

Singing in the rain

11 November 2006

Want to see how fast the weather changed in Malaysia at the ongoing GP test? Our MotoGP reporter Matt Birt caught some dramatic video footage of the third turn completely under water after lashing rain brought the first day’s riding to a premature halt. Earlier in the day, Matt had been stood at the exact same corner and was more worried about being bitten by cobras in the grass than being...

Kallio proves popularity

04 November 2006

F1 driver Kimi Raikkonen, who replaces Michael Schumacher at Ferrari next year, has been beaten in the Finnish motorsport’s man of the year poll by motorcycle rider Mika Kallio. Kallio, runner up...

Barros testing early

04 November 2006

Alex Barros will make his Ducati GP7 800 debut two months ahead of schedule after impressing at last week’s Valencia test session. The veteran Brazilian wasn’t expecting to make his 800 debut until...

Rossi: F1 door still open

04 November 2006

Little more than days after losing his MotoGP world crown to Nicky Hayden, Valentino Rossi has reignited the F1 ‘Will he, won’t he?’ debate after suggesting he could yet race in the series in the...

Pedrosa stays silent

04 November 2006

Dani Pedrosa did little to defuse his frosty relationship with the Spanish and world media in Valencia as he refused to speak on both days at last week’s big MotoGP test. Despite finishing fastest...

Hayden targets title No.2

04 November 2006

Nicky Hayden may have barely shrugged off the hangover from winning the MotoGP world title in dramatic fashion last week, but he’s already got his eye on a second championship. Hayden, who won the...

Gibernau bows out

04 November 2006

Veteran MotoGP rider Sete Gibernau has announced his retirement from the sport with immediate effect. The 33-year-old called a press conference on Wednesday, November 8 where he told reporters he...

Op for Melandri

04 November 2006

Marco Melandri will have to delay testing on Honda’s new RC212V 800cc after undergoing surgery. The Italian rider has been experiencing niggling in his left arm, similar to carpal tunnel syndrome.

McWilliams bid for GPs

04 November 2006

Jeremy McWilliams’ bid for a dramatic return to the MotoGP world championship at the age of 42 could be eased by fellow Brit Leon Haslam announcing his decision to stay in BSB. Veteran McWilliams...

2007 MotoGP riders

01 November 2006

125cc confirmed riders: KTM: Tomoyoshi Koyama. 250cc confirmed riders: Humangest Honda: Yuki Takahashi Wurth Honda BQR: Pablo Nieto. Aleix Espargaro. Now that the season is coming to an end, riders...

USA tickets on sale

01 November 2006

Tickets went on sale for the 2007 Red Bull US Grand Prix on Wednesday, November 1. The race, which will once again be held at the Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, is scheduled for July 20 to 22. All...

No GP return for Neil

01 November 2006

Neil Hodgson has turned his back on a sensational return to the MotoGP paddock after turning down an offer to rejoin the D’Antin Ducati team in 2007. The 32-year-old was linked with the ride last...

Pedrosa fastest in Spain

01 November 2006

Dani Pedrosa topped the timesheets on the final day of testing the new 800cc MotoGP bikes in Valencia. The Repsol Honda rider managed a 1:32.66 lap around the circuit in Spain just 0.03 seconds...

All change for Hopkins

01 November 2006

Rizla Suzuki rider John Hopkins and F1 driver Tonio Liuzzi could not resist the opportunity to swap machines during testing at Valencia this week. Both Hopkins and Liuzzi, who drives for Scuderia...

Rossi flying at 800 test

01 November 2006

Valentino Rossi has gone fastest in the first test of the 800cc MotoGP era. The former world champion rode both his 800 and 990 bikes in the same test on Wednesday at Valencia, managing to beat the...

Lorenzo takes 250 title

28 October 2006

Jorge Lorenzo has taken the 250cc World Championship with a fourth position in Valencia today. Roberto Locatelli led the race from the green light until he was caught by Alex De Angelis and Hiroshi...

New deal for organisers

28 October 2006

IRTA and MotoGP rights holders, Dorna Sports, have signed a new agreement to prolong their relationship for a further five years. The format of race meetings is set to continue with both parties...

Watch GP on Big Screens

28 October 2006

Fancy watching the final MotoGP of the year with 500 other race fans at a top London venue? Then get yourself down to the The Sports Café for the round of a lifetime as Valentino Rossi and Nicky...

Guintoli in Ellison out

28 October 2006

The wave of rider movements continues with MotoGP’s Tech 3 Team the latest to confirm their line up for 2007. Current test rider and 250cc competitor Sylvian Guintoli will join up with Makoto Tamada...

Hayden wins GP title

28 October 2006

In one of the most memorable races in Moto GP history, Nicky Hayden has clinched the World championship. From the start Troy Bayliss took the lead, which he held to the flag to win the final race of...

Yamaha retain Edwards

28 October 2006

Colin Edwards will stay as team-mate to Valentino Rossi for 2007, retaining his place with the Yamaha Factory team for a third year. The 32-year-old American has a one-year agreement for his third...

Smith is top Rookie

28 October 2006

A teenager from Oxfordshire has won the Rookie of the Year title in this season’s World 125cc Grand Prix Championship. Bradley Smith was awarded with the accolade at the Grand Prix awards ceremony in...

Moto GP Qualifying

28 October 2006

Valentino Rossi will be heading into turn one of the Valencia GP from pole position this afternoon. Rossi took pole yesterday by nearly a quarter of a second from the suprise package of the weekend,...

Jacque back to Kawasaki

28 October 2006

Former world champion Olivier Jacque has returned to Kawasaki and MotoGP full time for 2007, to ride alongside fellow countryman Randy de Puniet. Puniet, 25, will stay with the team for his second...

Dunlop boosts GP effort

21 October 2006

Tyre firm Dunlop has announced a major investment in new technology at the Fort Dunlop plant in Birmingham, to deliver MotoGP successes. The money covers manufacturing technology, including advanced...