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.
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23-year-old Chris Burns has withdrawn from the German Grand Prix after his broken collarbone proved too painful.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.
Picture: McCoy slides around the opposition.
Fuchs Kawasaki's Garry McCoy and Andrew Pitt battled persistently to finish just outside the points in yesterday's British Grand Prix, former Speedway ace McCoy entertaining the crowd with his unsurpassed sliding skills, as pictured, along the way.
Barros breaks hand in Kagayama collision.
Alex Barros' bleak Donington weekend came to a premature - and bone breaking - end when the Brazilian was rammed by Suzuki wild-card Yukio Kagayama in the morning warm-up, leaving the Gauloises Yamaha rider to sit out the 30 lap British GP.
Biaggi: I feel sorry for Rossi.
Max Biaggi and Valentino Rossi are not known as being best of friends, having come to blows both on and off track in recent years, but after inheriting British GP victory when Rossi was penalised for passing under a yellow flag early in the race, the Roman Emperor admitted to feeling sympathy for
Biaggi takes win after Rossi penalised.
After a dramatic race on the track at Donington Park this afternoon the action continued behind closed doors as Valentino Rossi was docked 10 seconds for overtaking under yellow flags and victory at the Cinzano British Grand Prix was handed to Max Biaggi.
McWilliams may race two-stroke.
Jeremy McWilliams and the Oxfordshire-based Proton KR team are considering their options for tomorrow's 30 lap MotoGP race after riding both the new four-stroke and old 500cc two-stroke machines in qualifying.
Burns sets record despite 'stupid crash'.
In warm and breezy conditions in the British Midlands, WCM rider Chris Burns enjoyed his first ever Saturday qualifying session of the season. The 23 year old from Newcastle was delighted with how he qualified for his home GP after clocking up only 240 km in total on the ROC two-stroke Yamaha.
Vincent grabs late Donington entry.
Former British Champion Jay Vincent has grabbed a last minute wild-card entry of the 250cc race at Donington on Sunday.
2004 MotoGP machines unchanged, fuel cut in 2005.
The Grand Prix Permanent Bureau met at the FIM Headquarters in Mies yesterday and announced that for the 2004 season the regulations will remain unchanged.
Bayliss frightens Rossi in Donington practice.
Donington ace Valentino Rossi found himself under pressure from former WSBK champ Troy Bayliss in this morning's free practice - the Australian closing to within 0.03secs of the Italian ahead of this afternoon's first qualifying session despite a small fall.
Fortuna riders gear up with motocross session.
Fortuna Yamaha Team riders Carlos Checa and Marco Melandri took advantage of being on their 'home turf' to enjoy a short stint of extra training at the Donington Park motocross track today.
Surtees: MotoGP machines are <I>too</I> powerful.
John Surtees, the only man to win both the Formula One and premier 500cc motorcycle world championships, has questioned the amount of horsepower produced by the current generation of MotoGP racers - suggesting the engine capacity should be reduced by a third.
Day of Champions auction items announced.
The latest list of MotoGP memorabilia donated for auction at this Thursday's Day of Champions at Donington Park has been released, with items from the likes of Colin Edwards, Troy Bayliss, Max Biaggi and Loris Capirossi on offer to the highest bidder.
First pictures: Rossi in London.
Crash.net has just received pictures from Valentino Rossi's appearance in London today, which saw the reigning MotoGP world champion arrive by Speedboat before taking members of the press on a boat cruise on the Thames, past many of the City's landmarks
Melandri heads to 'second home'.
Fortuna Yamaha rider Marco Melandri will not have very far to travel to this weekend's Grand Prix, as the Donington circuit is situated really close to his UK home in Derby.
Nakano: Craner curves are too fast.
Shinya Nakano and his D'Antin Yamaha Team had a sour end to their Assen weekend, when race day rain left the Japanese just 13th by the end of the 19 laps. Now, Nakano heads to Donington Park eager to make amends at a circuit which should suit his M1.
Ducati: British circuits have a soul.
The Ducati Marlboro Team comes to Donington this weekend fresh from two events that underline the Desmosedici's awesome performance - Loris Capirossi scored the bike's historic first victory at Catalunya a month ago and its second pole position at Assen - the 'Cathedral' of motorcycle racing - a