MotoGP Features

The Grand Prix Commission - composed of Carmelo Ezpeleta (Dorna), Claude Danis (FIM), Sito Pons (IRTA) and Takanao Tsubouchi (MSMA) - has today confirmed that MotoGP engine capacity will be reduced from 990cc to 800cc for the 2007 season onwards.

It started as a dream some 33-years ago across the hills from Mugello and that dream turned into a reality 5-years later amid the Alpine splendour of Austria.

Late last season came the announcement that Colin Edwards had signed-up for what is arguably the toughest job in MotoGP; being team-mate to six-times world champion Valentino Rossi.

Fast circuits, slow circuits, technical corners, bumps, blind turns... the 2005 MotoGP World Championship has them all as the series visits no less than seventeen different circuits - on four different continents - during its biggest ever season.

Le Mans is a circuit made up of a number of second gear hairpins linked together by a series of long straights, with only the occasional chicane breaking up the run to the next hairpin.

The MotoGP World Championship now makes its way to Shanghai, China for the first time in the championship's illustrious 56-year history.

After two often frustrating seasons in MotoGP with Yamaha - the highlight of which was a pair of podiums early in 2004, before a sudden and drastic decline that saw him fail to score points in seven of the last nine races - Marco Melandri appeared almost a broken man at the end of last season.

The first test of the new MotoGP 'flag-to-flag' racing rule, which means dry races will no longer be stopped due to rain and riders instead have the chance to change bikes, passed without major problem at Estoril on Sunday - although nobody enjoyed riding on slick tyres in the rain.

By Peter McLaren A quick look at when each rider set their fastest race laps were distributed during the 2004 MotoGP season contains some interesting figures.

By Peter McLaren and Andy Stobart Former British Superbike champion Shane Byrne will get his second bite at the MotoGP cherry this season, after signing an eleventh hour contract to ride a Team Roberts run Proton KR-KTM in the 2005 world championship.

By Peter McLaren and Andy Stobart There comes a time in every rider's career where they must cross the line from potential star to proven performer - and Team Suzuki's John Hopkins needs, and expects, 2005 to be the year in which he takes that step.

Suzuki's John Hopkins looks set to start pre-season testing '100% fit' after a speedy recovery from surgery to remove a rod from his femur and pins from each of his ankles.

Former Formula One, CART and IndyCar star Alex Zanardi has revealed he enjoys watching MotoGP more than F1 these days.

Suzuki has told Crash.net that legendary race engineer and team manager Erv Kanemoto will not be working for the factory MotoGP team next season.

Luca Montiron, formerly of Pramac and now managing director of the Konica Minolta Honda team, has revealed that he expects his new team to occupy an existing grid place next season - but will be able to find a new entry if needed.

Following Wednesday's announcement that Ruben Xaus and Toni Elias will ride for the Tech 3 Yamaha team next season, the future of Norick Abe - one of the team's 2004 riders - remains uncertain.

Bridgestone, who won their first two MotoGP races with Camel Honda's Makoto Tamada this season, look set to expand their premier-class line-up further for 2005.

Basketball legend Michael Jordan made his MotoGP debut at the Valencia Grand Prix today - riding the Ducati Desmosedici two-seater!

Newly crowned 2004 world champion Valentino Rossi has highlighted Yamaha's introduction of a 'big bang' engine, plus his three-race win streak from Mugello to Assen, as the most significant moments in his title winning season - and credited Sete Gibernau as perhaps his greatest on track rival.

Newly crowned five-times AMA Superbike champion Mat Mladin has stated that he's unlikely to return to premier-class GP racing - and has no interest in World Superbikes.

The FIM has confirmed that the 17 round 2005 MotoGP World Championship season will feature two news events - in China and America - but will not return to South Africa.

It just falls short of Around the World in Eighty Days but it's very close: In just 47 days the MotoGP riders will travel approximately 55,000 kilometres, visit five countries in three separate continents and unlike those characters in the book, they are not doing it for a bet.

Aprilia has now confirmed that Garry McCoy will make a surprise MotoGP return, by replacing the injured Shane Byrne in the three remaining rounds that follow this weekend's inaugural Qatar Grand Prix.

by Peter McLaren Valentino Rossi has rejected rumours that he is set to switch to Formula One next season - by confirming that he'll stay in MotoGP, with Yamaha, until at least the end of 2005.