MotoGP News
We’re first for the latest MotoGP news. Motorcycle racing’s elite competition is a fast paced, ever-evolving beast and here you’ll find all of the MotoGP news you could wish for. We cover everything from interviews with the major players, updates on machine reveals, team news and more. See brand new content from MotoE and insightful ‘first look’ features showing the forthcoming MotoGP season’s riders in their new colours.
Nakano apologises after 140mph highside!
Shinya Nakano suffered a spectacular crash in morning free practice at Brno, highsiding his D'Antin Yamaha at 140mph in a spectacular, but sickening accident that required the Japanese to be airlifted to a nearby Hospital.
McWilliams impressed with V5, wants two-stroke.
Team Proton KR riders Jeremy McWilliams and Nobu Aoki were back on the radical new 990cc four-stroke KR V5 at the sweeping Brno circuit, and enjoying a package of minor but significant revisions that have addressed teething troubles found in the bike's first few races, as well as unleashing more
Biaggi to get 'something new' from Honda.
Despite suffering his first non-score of the 2003 season last time out at the Sachsenring, Max Biaggi still finds himself the third player in the championship hunt - and Brno is his circuit.
Hofmann heads Brno wild-cards.
Alex Hofmann will make his fourth start as a Kawasaki wild-card rider this weekend in Brno, while a further 10 riders have been accepted for the 125 and 250cc classes. MotoGP class #66 Alex Hofmann (GER) Kawasaki Racing Team
Burns back for WCM, four-stroke return nears.
WCM's Chris Burns will return to action in Brno this weekend, four weeks after breaking his collarbone on his MotoGP race debut at the British Grand Prix.
World champion Vincent sacked by KTM.
In something of a shock announcement, 125cc GP newcomers KTM have announced that they have sacked reigning series champion Arnaud Vincent and replaced him with young Finn Mika Kallio.
Vincent 'astonished' by KTM dismissal.
Reigning 125cc world champion Arnaud Vincent has spoken of his 'astonishment' at being sacked by the KTM team nine races into the 2003 season - indeed, the Frenchman seems as surprised as everyone at the Austrian team's decision.
Okada joins Kato's cousin to run #74 at Suzuka.
This Sunday's Suzuka 8 Hours event will see former GP star Tadayuki Okada teamed with Chozum Kameya in the Sakurai Honda team.
Honda's GP stars ready for 8 Hours attack.
Three current MotoGP stars have been entrusted with carrying Honda's hopes of a seventh consecutive victory in this weekend's 26th running of the Suzuka 8 Hours. The HRC assault will be spearheaded by the two Seven Stars Honda teams, equipped with the latest version of the VTR1000SP-W.
WCM finish first race of 2003.
In something of a sad reflection of their 2003 season, the WCM team saw the chequered flag for the very first time this year in Germany yesterday when sole remaining rider David de Gea finished 20th and last on his ten year old two-stroke Yamaha.
Kenny: Jacque high-sided doing a burn-out!
Kenny Roberts made his GP return from injury at the Sachsenring on Sunday, but a distant fifteenth placed finish gave him little joy... although Olivier Jacque made him smile with his post race antics.
McCoy off twice - in one lap.
Kawasaki's Australian slidemaster, Garry McCoy, overcame two scary off-track excursions to come within a whisker of scoring points in yesterday's fiercely contested German Grand Prix at Sachsenring.
Rossi leads warm-up, Capirossi has fiery accident.
Valentino Rossi led a dry warm-up session prior to this afternoon's German Grand Prix, edging out pole sitter and long time session leader Max Biaggi in the final minutes of an incident filled warm-up.
Rolfo grabs dramatic debut victory.
Roby Rolfo finally secured his first ever 250cc GP victory today at the Sachsenring, after holding off a charging Fonsi Nieto and Randy de Puniet at the end of 29 hard fought laps of the Sachsenring.
Gibernau defeats Rossi in photo finish.
Sete Gibernau won today's German Grand Prix by just 0.06secs after emerging victorious from a fierce race long fight with Valentino Rossi, that looked to be going the Italian's way until the very final corner.
World Championship standings.
Leading MotoGP championship standings following today's German Grand Prix, round nine of the 2003 series. Riders' championship standings after round 9:
Porto puts Honda on 250 pole.
Sebastian Porto finally kick-started his 2003 season today at the Sachsenring, defeating fellow Honda rider Roberto Rolfo to take 250cc pole position for tomorrow's German Grand Prix, while top Aprilia was the privateer machine of Franco Battaini.
Biaggi tames McWilliams for Sachsenring pole.
Jeremy McWilliams came agonisingly close to causing the biggest upset of the MotoGP season this afternoon as the Ulsterman got to within 0.002secs of putting his year old 500cc two-stroke ahead of the fastest 990cc four-strokes ever made - and onto pole position for the German Grand Prix.
Battered Burns withdraws from German GP.
23-year-old Chris Burns has withdrawn from the German Grand Prix after his broken collarbone proved too painful.
'Positive start' puts Checa in contention.
Carlos Checa felt instantly comfortable during this morning's opening free practice session at the Sachsenring, and carried that momentum through to the afternoon first qualifying session, where he set the initial pace.
Edwards: I was engulfed in flames.
World Superbike Champion Colin Edwards suffered the biggest scare of his MotoGP - and perhaps motorcycling career - today at the Sachsenring, his RS Cube exploding in flames at over 120mph after the fuel cap fell off.
Team KR choose two-strokes for Germany.
Proton Team KR will again campaign last year's 500cc two-strokes this weekend in Germany. The Oxfordshire-based team are continuing to develop their V5 but feel the tried and tested KR3 will be much more competitive at the twisty Sachsenring circuit.
Clifford: It's fun until someone gets hurt.
The WCM team's belated 2003 MotoGP debut proved to be an incident packed affair, with the ten-year-old Yamaha two-strokes - called up to temporarily replace the teams controversial four-stroke racer - spitting off, and injurying, both riders over the British GP weekend.
Edwards clips Ukawa, loses knee slider.
Colin Edwards had an incident packed British Grand Prix at Donington Park yesterday, the popular Texan clipping Tohru Ukawa at turn one, sending him into the gravel, then staging a string fightback before losing a knee slider while attacking Olivier Jacque.