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.
Hodgson: Things look promising for next year.
It's been a difficult debut MotoGP season so far for World Superbike champion Neil Hodgson, but the Isle of Man-based Lancastrian - who will complete his first ever laps of the Estoril circuit in this weekend's Portuguese Grand Prix - believes 'things are getting better all the time'.
When to stop.
Hindsight is a wonderful word. The Concise Oxford Dictionary sums it up perfectly - 'Wisdom after the event'. How many times in your life would a little wisdom after the event pushed you down a different path?
Preview - Portuguese Grand Prix.
Spaniard Sete Gibernau will be looking to pull back Valentino Rossi's 17 point championship lead at the last European clash before four long haul races, in the Portuguese Grand Prix at Estoril on Sunday.
Kurtis to miss Estoril.
Nobuatsu Aoki will be Proton Team KR's only representative at this weekend's Portuguese Grand Prix, following the news that Kurtis Roberts is still recovering from injuries sustained last time out at the Czech Republic Grand Prix.
Team KR admits secret KTM test.
Proton Team KR had planned to debut the KTM engine after this weekend's Portuguese Grand Prix - but it has now been revealed that 20 'secret' laps were completed last weekend at Brno.
Fabrizio to race Byrne's Aprilia.
This Sunday's Portuguese Grand Prix will see WCM regular Michel Fabrizio line-up in MS Aprilia colours after being selected to replace the injured Shane Byrne for the Estoril event.
Hayden injury to benefit Gibernau?
With a considerable question mark hanging over Nicky Hayden's participation in this weekend's Portuguese Grand Prix, satellite Honda rider Sete Gibernau - now Valentino Rossi's nearest championship contender - could find himself with a little extra HRC help at Estoril.
Bayliss: Things are really taking shape.
Troy Bayliss may have had another luckless weekend at Brno - falling on oil late in the race after slipping back from fourth on the grid to twelfth - but the Australian is confident he can bounce back next weekend at Estoril, after improving his best lap time by a whole second in the post Czech G
KTM to build 250, Stoner set to graduate.
125cc GP manufacturer KTM has announced that it will also be the entering the 250cc world championship next season, and that current rider Casey Stoner is expected to graduate back up to the quarter-litre class with them.
Biaggi: I thought the new exhaust was better...
Max Biaggi jumped at the chance to use the new Honda exhaust system and associated engine parts in Sunday's Czech Republic Grand Prix - previously only available to factory riders Alex Barros (for two GPs) and Nicky Hayden (in the Donington test) - a seemingly obvious decision which may have cost
Hayden, Hopkins quickest in dry warm-up.
After two days of rain interrupted qualifying, dry weather - as had been predicted for race day - duly greeted the MotoGP competitors in this morning's warm-up session for the Czech Grand Prix, which was led by Repsol Honda's Nicky Hayden and Team Suzuki's John Hopkins.
Globe Hopper: Brno race.
"What a day. John did really well this morning in the warm-up session, he was second quickest right behind Nicky, so his confidence level was high despite the unlucky starting position of 21st. The weather was ok today, a bit chilly but no rain thankfully.
Lorenzo claims last lap 125cc Czech victory.
Jorge Lorenzo took another breathtaking victory in the 125cc class at the Czech Republic today, with a last-lap charge which seems to have become his speciality.
Gibernau Czechs rivals with Brno victory.
Sete Gibernau has halted title rivals Valentino Rossi and Max Biaggi's recent MotoGP win domination by beating the two Italians in a tense race long battle at the Czech Republic Grand Prix - to claim his first victory since Le Mans in mid-May.
Furious Hodgson confronts Biaggi.
It takes a fair bit to openly annoy Neil Hodgson, but in this morning's final practice session at Brno Max Biaggi managed to do just that when the two riders paths crossed a little too closely - sending Hodgson to the ground... and then in search of an explanation from the Roman.
'I couldn't resist it' - Xaus falls for team.
Ruben Xaus was one of a number of fallers in today's final qualifying session for the Czech Grand Prix, but while most others complained of unpredictable grip loss, the Catalan's explanation was refreshingly different; he simply pushed too hard while trying to please his D'Antin Ducati team.
Kurtis joins Byrne on Brno injury list.
Tomorrow's Czech Grand Prix grid will be two riders short following the news that both Aprilia's Shane Byrne and Proton KR's Kurtis Roberts have been forced to withdraw due to injury.
Gibernau beats weather for Brno pole.
The tempestuous Czech weather continued to torment the MotoGP field this afternoon at Brno, with rain returning just before the final qualifying session began - and playing into the hands of rain master Sete Gibernau.
New colours for D'Antin Ducati.
The D'Antin Ducati team rolled out their Desmosedicis in new colours at Brno today; the previous blue, white and orange (lower pic) being replace by a striking red and black display.
Engine overhaul inspires Kawasaki.
A revised engine will power the Kawasaki ZX-RR when MotoGP returns from its summer break this weekend at Brno; the Japanese factory having used the three-week race absence to provide its German based team with enhanced rideability and mid-range acceleration, plus a slight increase in rpm and top
Lavilla, Pitt back for Brno.
Former World Superbike star Gregorio Lavilla and former Kawasaki GP rider Andrew Pitt will both return to MotoGP 2004 action this weekend at the Czech Republic Grand Prix, at Brno.
Hayden itching for action.
An excited Nicky Hayden was ready to return to action only halfway through the three-week MotoGP summer break, which separates Donington from this weekend's Czech Grand Prix, and is hoping to kick off the second half of the season with his first '100%' weekend of the year.
Bayliss 'can't wait' for Brno return.
Troy Bayliss produced the best ride of his rookie MotoGP season at Brno last August, leading Valentino Rossi and Sete Gibernau for more than half race distance (lower pic) before eventually finishing third, just 0.6secs from winner Rossi - and the former World Superbike is confident he can again
More power for KR, and KTM engine test.
The end of Grand Prix racing's summer break takes Proton Team KR out of the workshop and back to the race-tracks, for this Sunday's Czech Republic GP at Brno.