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.
Roberto Locatelli to make 100th Grand Prix start.
Roberto Locatelli is scheduled to make his 100th Grand Prix start at the first round of the Championship in Japan.
Suzuka MotoGP wildcards announced.
The first MotoGP race of 2002 sees wildcard entries for Shinichi Itoh and Akira Ryo with both taking part aboard 4 stroke machines. Itoh will line up on the Honda RC211V with Ryo piloting a Suzuki GSV-R.
125cc: Did you know?
Honda have taken nine wins in the 125cc class at Suzuka, Aprilia have won twice, and Derbi once. The 125 race will have the youngest entry list ever for a Grand Prix race with fifteen riders still teenagers.
Toby Moody's preview: Japanese GP and 2002 - Pt 1.
Top Eurosport MotoGP commentator Toby Moody looks ahead to 2002 and in this first of two articles previews the new season, which kicks off this weekend in Japan:
Yamaha set up for Suzuka.
The 2002 Suzuka MotoGP will mark the launch of the all-new combined four-stroke/two-stroke MotoGP World Championship; with less than 990cc four-strokes taking on the most successful two-stroke engine configuration in more than a decade - the V-four 500.
Four-strokes are go!
This weekend Grand Prix racing launches into its new four-stroke era at Suzuka, Japan's fastest, most historic racetrack. Suzuka hosted its first Grand Prix 40 years ago, when the earliest battles for supremacy between two-strokes and four-strokes were raging.
Wild-card Suzuka riders announced.
Wild-card riders who will race in the Japanese Grand Prix, scheduled on the circuit of Suzuka on April 7th, are the following:
Japanese day of reckoning for MotoGP.
The day of reckoning arrives at Suzuka on Sunday with the four-strokes late-crashing the two-stroke MotoGP party that has been going on unchallenged for almost three decades.
Honda HRC Suzuka test - Day 2.
Repsol Honda factory tam riders Valentino Rossi and Tohru Ukawa ended the two-day HRC Suzuka test session on a high note. Both men slashed over second off their best times of day one.
Jack Findlay retires from MotoGP after 10 years.
Ex-Grand Prix rider Jack Findlay has decided to retire from his post as Grand Prix Technical Director for the FIM Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix, after 10 years in the post.
Honda HRC Suzuka test - Day 1.
On the opening day of the 2 days HRC test at the Suzuka circuit, Japan, the Repsol Honda Riders and Team technicians spent their time finding optimum settings for the RC211 V - four stoke Honda.
Riba replaces Criville.
Pere Riba (SPA) will replace Alex Criville in the Antena 3 Yamaha d'Antin team for the upcoming MotoGP season, which begins on April 7th.
HRC announce team name for 2002.
Honda Motor Co., Ltd. has announced that the name of the Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) factory team, that will participate in MotoGP class of FIM 2002 Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix, will be "REPSOL Honda."
Suzuki's new four-stroke meets the rivals.
Team Telef?nica MoviStar Suzuki riders Sete Gibernau and Kenny Roberts and factory colleague Akira Ryo met the new four-stroke opposition for the first time at the Catalunyan GP circuit this weekend - and their brand new GSV R motorcycle showed a fine turn of speed at only its fourth test outside
Checa & Biaggi head to head with MotoGP rivals.
Marlboro Yamaha Team riders Carlos Checa and Max Biaggi commenced their final European pre-season test at Catalunya yesterday, continuing development of the new chassis they evaluated for the first time at Mugello, Italy, last week.
Rossi tops first day times at IRTA Catalunya test.
The first day of the two-day pre-season MotoGP test session at the 4.727km Circuit de Catalunya, got under way in bright sunshine providing the riders with almost ideal track conditions.
An excellent start to the IRTA tests at Montmelo.
Warm temperatures and sunny weather greeted the first day of the two-day IRTA MotoGP practice at the Catalunya Circuit. Valentino Rossi clocked the fastest lap with the new Honda RC211V, while Loris Capirossi led the field behind the Italian on the 4-stroke Honda.
Officials enthusiastic about new TT Circuit Assen.
IRTA-Riders representative Franco Uncini, FIM's CCR President and Inspector Claude Danis and Dorna's Operations & Event manager Javier Alonso visited the TT Circuit Assen last week, to make a first check of the rebuilding of the track.
Lorenzo makes 125cc Derbi debut.
Last week Jorge Lorenzo, the 14 year old rider from Mallorca, made his Derbi debut at the Italian circuit of Misano. Lorenzo took the opportunity to get an initial feel for the 125cc machine he will be riding in the coming season.
Two-strokes on top in first head to head test.
At the end of the MotoGP IRTA test in Valencia, which pitted the 500cc two-strokes against the revolutionary 990cc four-strokes for the first time, the half-litres emerged with the upper hand.
Checa fast at Valencia, Biaggi tumbles & waits.
Marlboro Yamaha Team riders Carlos Checa and Max Biaggi commenced their first full European test session of 2002 at Valencia yesterday, Checa lapping inside the track record, Biaggi enjoying less luck with a high-speed spill and a minor bike problem.
DeGraaf team focuses on GP250 with Janssen, Aoki.
This weekend, Arie Molenaar's DeGraaf Grand Prix team participates in its first MotoGP test at the IRTA-organised sessions in Valencia.
Rossi weaves more Malaysian magic.
Valentino Rossi was in scintillating form on the final day of the HRC RC211V test session at Sepang today [Sunday], as Honda continued its preparations for the forthcoming four-stroke grand prix season.
MZ reveals Waldmann and Cardoso.
German MotoGP outsider MZ launched its 2002 campaign over the weekend, unveiling the already confirmed Jose Luis Cardoso and racing returnee Ralf Waldmann as its line-up for the first four-stroke grand prix championship.