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.
Lorenzo ruled out of Catalunya.
MotoGP rookie Jorge Lorenzo, who fractured both ankles during a huge highside at Shanghai on May 2, has been ruled out of the remainder of this weekend's Catalan Grand Prix after sustaining further injuries during a heavy Friday afternoon fall.
PICTURES: Rossi`s Catalunya livery.
This is the special livery with which Valentino Rossi will ride during this weekend's Catalan Grand Prix. The livery is based on the style and colours of the Italian football team and is being used to celebrate the start of the European Championship.
Rossi admits: Ferrari wanted me.
Valentino Rossi has claimed that Ferrari wanted him to make the jump across to Formula 1 - and acknowledged that he considered the switch, but in the end decided that he enjoyed racing motorbikes too much to change.
New sponsors to fund Rossi pay rise?
By Mike Nicks Valentino Rossi's success in winning three consecutive races and soaring to the top of the MotoGP championship may have blocked Yamaha's plans to offer the seven-times world champion a pay cut in 2009, according to the daily Spanish newspaper Sport .
PICTURES: Rossi`s 2008 Mugello helmet.
The is the special helmet design with which Valentino Rossi took an amazing seventh consecutive home victory at Mugello on Sunday.
<I>Crash.net`s</I> Italian GP blog: Saturday.
Saturday pm - This Was an Incredible Ride from Toseland
Worst so far for Lorenzo.
Jorge Lorenzo may have been able to overcome the effects of a double ankle fracture during the last two rounds, but set-up problems prompted by the lack of dry track time at Mugello left MotoGP's star rookie a career worst seventh on the grid for Sunday's Italian Grand Prix.
250: Barbera takes stunning Mugello pole.
Hector Barbera has taken pole position for Sunday's 250cc Italian Grand Prix by a mighty 0.772secs. World championship leader Mika Kallio, seventh in Friday's wet session, shot to the top early in the session and was only relegated with five minutes to go, by Barbera.
Hayden makes Indy sales pitch.
Nicky Hayden gave American fans a taste of what to look forward to ahead of MotoGP's upcoming visit to Indianapolis by completing several laps of the legendary circuit before the Indy 500.
Pedrosa bad on the brakes.
The Repsol Honda star began the event on pole position and holding the world championship lead, but was overtaken by Casey Stoner into turn one and couldn't get around the Ducati rider.
Lorenzo stuns with crutches to second.
Fractures to both ankles at the previous Shanghai round have left Lorenzo needing a wheelchair or crutches when off the bike, and the Estoril winner raised serious doubts about his ability to race at Le Mans when he fell twice in practice - in addition to several other off-track moments.
Spies confirmed.
The move, which will see Spies ride a third Rizla Suzuki GSV-R alongside regulars Chris Vermeulen and Loris Capirossi, has been long rumoured and marks the first step towards the American's planned graduation to grand prix racing in 2009.
India eyes MotoGP.
"This is the right time to enter the market and India is set to become an important destination for premium bikes," said Ducati CEO Gabriele Del Torchio, as the Italian manufacturer introduced its range of exotic motorcycles to India.
MotoGP tyre war `even as it could be`.
With race wins divided equally between Bridgestone and Michelin during the first four rounds of the 2008 MotoGP World championship, Tohru Ubukata, manager of Motorcycle Race Tyre Development at Bridgestone, believes the tyre war is 'about as even as it could possibly be'.
Suzuki suffers `extremely unusual` problem.
Vermeulen's chain was slipping right from start of the 22 lap race, and then came off altogether, forcing his retirement on lap 6.
Stoner disappointed, Melandri delighted.
After qualifying on the front row for the first time this year, Stoner had hoped to be fighting for his second 2008 victory - following two tough rounds - but a change in the weather prompted a tyre gamble, which backfired, leaving the Australian helpless to prevent Dani Pedrosa and Valentino Ros
Rossi smashes losing streak in Shanghai.
Slicks were the tyres of choice for the damp track conditions - the lengthy Shanghai circuit drying steadily after heavy morning rain - and Rossi earned his breakthrough victory after a tense race-long battle with Repsol Honda's Dani Pedrosa.
<I>Crash.net</I> review: Lorenzo`s biography.
The Struggles, The Crises, The Successes: Lorenzo Reveals It All Review by Mike Nicks
Stoner `nothing to fear`, Melandri `happy`.
The Australian bounced back from two tough rounds to take his first front row qualifying performance of the season on Saturday, and is a previous Shanghai winner in both the wet (2005) and dry (2007).
Only Ducati breaks 200mph in qualifying.
The Desmosedicis have once again dominated the top speed charts throughout the Chinese Grand Prix weekend, with only Honda's Dani Pedrosa able to prevent a perfect top four sweep of every session - the Spaniard clocking the second fastest top speed during Friday afternoon.
PICTURES: Lorenzo`s monster highside.
The 20-year-old rookie - who has taken three podiums from his first three races, including a debut win last time out in Estoril - was ejected spectacularly from his Fiat Yamaha midway through Friday's first free practice at Shanghai, ending his hopes of a fourth consecutive pole position.
Surtees launches new 125cc team.
The new 'Maxtra' team will use Haojue machinery produced by the Grand River Group (GRG), which sold over 2.7 million motorcycles last year, and be spearheaded by Surtees, who won the 500cc World Championship four times between 1956 and 1960 before claiming the 1964 Formula One World Championship
Lorenzo injury update.
The 20-year-old rookie sensation, currently holding the joint world championship lead after three podiums - including one win - from his first three MotoGP races, was propelled spectacularly into the air when his rear tyre lost traction as he switched from right to left, midway through the mornin
Bernie: Schu risks `getting seriously injured`.
Bernie Ecclestone has questioned the rationale behind Michael Schumacher's increasing outings on two wheels, suggesting the German racing legend is risking 'getting himself seriously injured'.