2008

Valentino Rossi wins a record-equalling 68th premier-class grand prix in front of his home fans after reigning world champion Casey Stoner falls from the lead for the second race in succession.

Growing rumours in the Misano paddock suggest that Repsol Honda's Dani Pedrosa will make a shock switch from Michelin to Bridgestone tyres in time for the forthcoming Indianapolis Grand Prix on September 14!

As drivers with something to prove, Jari-Matti Latvala and Francois Duval's retirement from the Rally New Zealand could probably not have come at a worse time.

BP Ford Abu Dhabi team boss Malcolm Wilson has branded the final leg of the Rally New Zealand as 'one of the most disappointing days' the team has ever experienced.

Harry Vaulkhard produced the best qualifying performance to date for Robertshaw Racing after taking eighth on the grid for the penultimate rounds of the HiQ MSA British Touring Car Championship at Silverstone.

Sebastien Loeb has extended his lead in the WRC standings to eight points with only four rallies remaining, two of which will occur on his preferred Tarmac surface.

The penultimate stage of the Rally New Zealand is turning into a nightmare for Ford after Mikko Hirvonen, Jari-Matti Latvala and Francois Duval all ran into problems.

1. Justin Wilson NHLR 87 laps 2. Helio Castroneves Penske +04.4056s 3. Tony Kanaan AGR +17.6815s 4. Oriol Servia KVRT +26.5468s 5. Scott Dixon Ganassi +27.7185s

1. Scott Dixon Ganassi 1m 12.2861s 103.090mph 2. Helio Castroneves Penske 1m 12.7649s 102.412mph 3. Oriol Servia KVRT 1m 12.9618s 102.136mph 4. Justin Wilson NHLR 1m 13.0530s 102.008mph

Casey Stoner needed just two qualifying tyres to put the seal on his pre-race dominance at Misano on Saturday, when the Ducati Marlboro star overcame a wrist injury to set his seventh consecutive pole position, a record in the (four-stroke) MotoGP era.

1. Casey Stoner AUS Ducati Marlboro Team (B) 1min 33.378 secs 2. Valentino Rossi ITA Fiat Yamaha Team (B) 1min 33.888 secs 3. Jorge Lorenzo SPA Fiat Yamaha Team (M) 1min 33.964 secs

This is the special helmet design with which Valentino Rossi will attempt to claim a record-equalling 68th premier-class grand prix victory, in front of his home fans in Sunday's San Marino Grand Prix.

Despite dominating both Friday practice sessions with a flawless opening day performance at Misano, Casey Stoner's San Marino Grand Prix hopes have been thrown into doubt by a freak wrist injury.

On the eve of this weekend's San Marino Grand Prix, Lino Dainese, founder and president of Dainese S.p.a., appointed Valentino Rossi as Honorary President of AGV, the Italian crash helmet company acquired by Dainese in 2007.

Phil Hill, Formula One world champion in 1961, has died at the age of 81, having been taken ill during a recent historic event at Laguna Seca in California.

Chris Atkinson's promising start to the Rally New Zealand has come to an abrupt end after he rolled into retirement on SS4.

Nick Heidfeld set the pace for BMW Sauber on the second day of Formula One testing at Monza, posting the quickest time of the week in the process.

James Dye has been out of bed and talking as he continues to make progress from the injuries sustained in an accident at Cadwell Park this weekend.

The battle for the 2008 SEAT Cupra Championship has stepped up a gear following Jonathan Adam's double victory at Knockhill and the Total Control Racing man will head to Silverstone this weekend just 14 points behind current leader Robert Lawson in the title standings.

Cal Crutchlow was unable to hide his disappointment after falling away in the battle for second place in the Bennetts British Superbike Championship following two frustrating races at Cadwell Park.

Shane Byrne admits he was surprised by the Airwaves Ducati's relative lack of pace in the latest Bennetts British Superbike round at Cadwell Park, even if he maintains that he would have won the second race had it not been shortened.

Ferrari has admitted that it is investigating the possibility that Kimi Raikkonen's retirement from Sunday's European Grand Prix in Valencia was caused by a similar problem to that which ended Felipe Massa's dominance at the Hungaroring three weeks ago.

Two of Ferrari's pit-stops in the inaugural European Grand Prix in Valencia provided talking points after the race, but the team was at least able to quell speculation about the condition of the crew member bowled over by Kimi Raikkonen when his second stop descended into chaos.

During today's Fuchs-Silkolene British Supersport race at Cadwell Park, a serious incident occurred involving riders James Dye and Dave Paton. It is believed that Dye fell from his Team Buff Triumph and was struck by following rider Paton, thus sustaining a serious head injury.