February

Rea delighted with Superpole front row

28 February 2009 by Michael Guy

Jonathan Rea showed his undoubted potential with an accomplished performance in Superpole to secure his place on the front row for Sunday’s two WSB races at Phillip Island. Rea secured the third...

Haslam secures impressive sixth in qualifying

28 February 2009 by Michael Guy

Leon Haslam was the surprise package of Saturday Superpole by securing sixth position for Sunday’s two 22 lap WSB races. The 25 year old Brit was consistently one of the fastest riders on track after...

Crutchlow baulked by Pitt in final qualifying

28 February 2009 by Michael Guy

Cal Crutchlow secured a place on the front row of the grid for Sunday’s opening World Supersport race at Phillip Island despite being baulked by Andrew Pitt on his fastest lap of qualifying. Crutchlow...

Foret in doubt for Phillip Island Supersport race

28 February 2009 by Michael Guy

Yamaha Supersport rider Fabien Foret could miss the opening round of the World Supersport championship at Phillip Island tomorrow following a crash in final qualifying. The Frenchman crashed within...

Phillip Island WSB: Ben Spies takes pole on debut

28 February 2009 by Liam Marsden

Yamaha rider Ben Spies smashed the lap record to take pole position on his WSB debut at Phillip Island. Spies broke the lap record – held by Troy Bayliss – by four tenths of a second with his best...

Phillip Island WSB: Superpole explained

28 February 2009 by Michael Guy

The all new World Superbike Superpole kicked off at Phillip Island today. After ten years of running the one lap Superpole shootout where the fastest 16 riders after regulation qualifying entered the...

Laverty confident for opening race

28 February 2009 by Michael Guy

Eugene Laverty will start tomorrows 21 lap race World Supersport race from fifth position after an impressive performance during final qualifying. The Parkalgar Honda rider arrived at Phillip Island...

Andrew Pitt: ‘We don’t have a tyre to do the race”

27 February 2009 by Michael Guy

World Champion Andrew Pitt set the fastest time in qualifying today but declared that he doesn’t have a rear tyre that will last full race distance. The Ten Kate Honda rider who won last years...

Phillip Island WSB: Smrz surprise package in WSB first qualifying

27 February 2009 by Michael Guy

Jacob Smrz stole the limelight on the opening day of round one of the World Superbike championship to take provisional pole position. In scorching 33 degree ambient temperatures and 51 degree track...

Phillip Island WSS: First blood to Sofuoglu at Phillip Island

27 February 2009 by Michael Guy

2007 World Supersport champion Kenan Sofuoglu set the pace in first free practice at Phillip Island today. The Turkish Ten Kate Honda rider continues to make a seamless transition back to Supersport...

Phillip Island WSB: Hill suffers engine blow-up and fire

27 February 2009 by Michael Guy

Tommy Hill survived a spectacular engine blow-up and fire during the opening free practice session at Phillip Island today. Despite the set back, the Altea Honda rider still managed to secure the 15th...

Phillip Island WSB: Spies sets pace in opening free practice

27 February 2009 by Michael Guy

American Ben Spies started the 2009 season as he means to go on by setting the fastest lap time in the opening free practice session this morning at Phillip Island. The Yamaha World Superbike rider...

Jonathan Rea Countdown Diary – Day 9

26 February 2009 by Michael Guy

With the first round of the World Superbike Championship kicking off tomorrow, Britain’s Jonathan Rea has had a busy day getting ready. Having topped the timesheets at the two day test in Phillip...

WSB season ready for kick off

26 February 2009 by Michael Guy

A record 12 riders attended the Phillip Island pre season press conference today in preparation for the season kick-off tomorrow. WSB organisers historically invite four or five riders on stage to...

Shane Byrne in need of track time in Australia

26 February 2009 by Michael Guy

Shane Byrne admits that he’ll be playing catch up at the opening round of the WSB championship at Phillip Island having missed the latest round of testing at the Australian circuit. Byrne’s title...

WSB Blog: Why Haga will win the WSB title in 2009

25 February 2009 by Michael Guy

During his ten years in WSB Noriyuki Haga has won 33 races and on his day is arguably one of the fastest rider in the world. During his decade of competition the one thing he’s lacked is consistency.

Jonathan Rea WSB countdown Diary – Day 7

24 February 2009 by Michael Guy

In last weekends two-day test at Phillip Island, Britain’s Jonathan Rea topped the time sheets with an impressive 1m 31.8s lap time. The Ten Kate Honda rider has hit form just in time for the opening...

Carlos Checa rates his title rivals

23 February 2009 by Michael Guy

Hannspree Ten Kate Honda rider Carlos Checa will start the 2009 season as one of the favourites. The veteran Spaniard now has a year of World Superbike experience and a year of developing his Honda...

Meeting Rea at the Belfast Show

22 February 2009 by jamierob

Met JR last Friday 13/2/09 at Belfast Motorbike show and took a couple of photos of him with my son and his mates , they were all really pleased to meet him ,so thanks and good luck this year,

Neukirchner leads the way in Phillip Island test

22 February 2009 by Michael Guy

Alstare Suzuki man Max Neukirchner topped the time sheets on the opening day of the final two day test at Phillip Island. The 24 year old German riding the new 2009 GSXR-1000 set a time of 1m 32.5s to...

Jonathan Rea – WSB countdown diary – Day 5

21 February 2009 by Michael Guy

Having spent the last four days on the beach and having BBQ’s it was down to the serious stuff today with the first of a two day Superbike test at Phillip Island. “I made my usual start to the day...

Team personnel key to Troy Corser’s success at BMW

20 February 2009 by Michael Guy

Troy Corser has put his impressive testing pace onboard the new BMW S1000RR down to the strength of his immediate crew and professionalism of the German team. Get all the latest WSB news Corser is...

Jonathan Rea – WSB countdown diary – Day 4

20 February 2009 by Michael Guy

With the two day World Superbike test at Phillip Island kicking off tomorrow, Jonathan Rea has continued to make the most of his time and has clearly settled into the Australian way of life. He didn’t...

Jonathan Rea – WSB countdown diary – Day 3

19 February 2009 by Michael Guy

On day three of Jonathan Rea’s WSB countdown diary the young Brit has been talking tactics with his team ahead of this weekends test at Phillip Island. He’s also found time to relax, have another BBQ...

Haslam satisfied with Phillip Island WSB test

18 February 2009 by Michael Guy

Leon Haslam believes he is ready to race after completing a two day test at Phillip Island. The Stiggy Honda rider has continued to work on machine set-up ended the test happy with his result after slashing a full second off his day one best lap time. He said: “It’s been good, we’ve worked a lot on set-up and been able to eliminate a lot of things. Phillip Island is different to where we’ve tested...

Biaggi fastest in three day Phillip Island WSB test

18 February 2009 by Michael Guy

Aprilia’s Max Biaggi has ended the first round of testing at Phillip Island with the fastest time. Riding the Aprilia RSV4, Biaggi survived a day two fall at Honda Hairpin to get his pre season...

Jonathan Rea – WSB countdown diary – Day 2

18 February 2009 by Michael Guy

Jonathan Rea touched down in Australia yesterday ahead of the opening round of WSB at Phillip Island in nine days time. While Aprilia, Stiggy Honda and Altea continue to test Rea has had a much easier...

Jonathan Rea – WSB countdown diary – Day 1

17 February 2009 by Michael Guy

With just ten days until the World Superbike championship kicks off in Australia MCN will be following the build up to the race with Hannspree Ten Kate man Jonathan Rea. The 22 year old Brit has...

Craig Jones honoured in local communmity

13 February 2009 by Michael Guy

World Supersport man Craig Jones has been honoured with a memorial tree and bench on the Greenbank estate where he grew up. The 23 year old died following a crash at Brands Hatch in August 2008 whilst...

Yamaha unveil new WSB livery

13 February 2009 by Michael Guy

The Yamaha World Superbike squad of American Ben Spies and Brit Tom Sykes have unveiled its all-new livery for their 2009 R1. After being sponsored by Spanish financial giant Santander and running a...

WSB men get Imola testing date

10 February 2009 by Michael Guy

The World Superbike and Supersport riders will get to complete a two day test at the famous Imola circuit in preparation for the 12th round of the championship on 27th September. The two day test will...

WSB hit by credit crunch

09 February 2009 by Michael Guy

The worldwide credit crunch has claimed it’s first high profile victim in World Superbikes following the announcement that the Sterilgarda Ducati team will only field one rider in the opening two...

Brits flood 42 strong Superstock 1000 grid

09 February 2009 by Michael Guy

The 2009 Superstock 1000 FIM Cup promises to be a classic with 42 riders all under the age of 24 fighting for top honours onboard 1000cc fours and 1200cc twins. Last year four riders went into the...

Aprilia focus on aerodynamics

04 February 2009 by Michael Guy

The factory Aprilia World Superbike team have conducted a number of wind tunnel tests to optimise the aerodynamics of the all new Aprilia RSV4. Japanese rider Shinya Nakano spent a day in the wind...

Video: World Superbike men tryout flag to flag race simulation

03 February 2009 by Michael Guy

In 2009 a new flag to flag ruling has been introduced into World Superbike, meaning races will run from start to finish and won’t be stopped for changing weather conditions. The same ruling was introduced in MotoGP in 2006 leading to exciting pit stops where riders would have to think tactically before coming in to swap bikes. In preparation for the forthcoming season, World Superbike organisers...

John Hopkins to WSB?

01 February 2009 by Michael Guy

Former Kawasaki MotoGP rider John Hopkins could be poised for a sensational switch to the World Superbike Championship. MCN understands that the American is in negotiations with the Stiggy Honda...