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.
Rossi explains `wooden` helmet...
As is almost traditional, reigning world champion Valentino Rossi turned up at his home event sporting some new livery in the form of a revised helmet design - inspired by his recent lack of podiums!
Roberts: Best top speed would allow.
Kenny Roberts will start tomorrow's Italian Grand Prix from a credible ninth - a position he describes as 'where we should be' given the GSV-R's current lack of top speed.
Red flags after fire at Mugello.
The final qualifying session for the Italian Grand Prix has been interrupted by a fiery accident for Proton KR's Kurtis Roberts. The American MotoGP rookie fell from his machine with nine-minutes of the session to go, coming to rest against an airfence.
Rossi: Sete is on top form.
Valentino Rossi has made the Italian Grand Prix his own in recent years, but today the five-times world champion was forced to play a supporting role in front of his adoring home crowd, having been outpaced to the tune of 0.4secs by Sete Gibernau.
Hopkins to miss Mugello.
Suzuki's John Hopkins has been ruled out of the Italian Grand Prix after an examination revealed insufficient fusion in his broken thumb, sustained during a first lap fall at Le Mans three weeks ago.
The magic and madness of Mugello.
It's quite simply the craziest day of the year with all the things you love and don't love about Italy crammed into 18 hours of pure mayhem. You return home exhilarated and exhausted in the same breath from a very special event - the Italian Grand Prix at Mugello.
Biaggi's best chance of home glory.
Sete Gibernau may be leading the MotoGP world championship by virtue of two brilliant victories and a third place, but the majority of the expected 75,000 Mugello fans will be cheering for one of the top three Italians at this weekend's Italian Grand Prix.
Proton KR confirms 'big bang' engine.
Proton Team KR heads to Mugello for this weekend's Italian Grand Prix eager to develop their new 'growler' engine further.
Hodgson 'optimistic' of Mugello return.
Neil Hodgson has declared that although he isn't fully recovered from his Le Mans injuries, he will try and race at this weekend's Italian Grand Prix.
Ducati: GP4 and GP3 at Mugello.
Ducati has revealed that they will allow Loris Capirossi and Troy Bayliss to choose between the 2004 spec Desmosedici GP4 and a modified GP3 model at the Bologna based company's home event; this weekend's Italian Grand Prix.
Xaus models, Hodgson mends.
The past week has been very different for d'Antin Ducati riders Ruben Xaus and Neil Hodgson, with Ruben meeting the King of Spain before travelling to the World Ducati Week, while Neil returned to England to try and heal his Le Mans injuries.
Hofmann, Nakano and ZX-RR at Imola.
The Italian Grand Prix may be two weeks away, but the historic Imola circuit will reverberate to the sound of MotoGP engines this weekend, as Shinya Nakano and Alex Hofmann give Italian Kawasaki riders their first glimpse of the 2004 Ninja ZX-RR.
Edwards switches forks.
In a bid to close the gap to the front of the MotoGP field - and championship leading team-mate Sete Gibernau - Colin Edwards has switched away from his World Superbike winning front forks.
Checa: It's been a long time.
Carlos Checa returned to the MotoGP podium for the first time in over a year yesterday afternoon at Le Mans, the Spaniard finishing second to countryman Sete Gibernau - but beat Max Biaggi and team-mate Valentino Rossi to claim top Yamaha honours.
Gibernau grabs Le Mans pole.
World championship leader Sete Gibernau carried his morning practice pace through to final qualifying for the French Grand Prix, the Telefonica Honda rider emerging on top by just 0.15secs over Carlos Checa on a day when Valentino Rossi was left off the front row.
Red flag at Le Mans.
The final qualifying session for the French Grand Prix has been red flagged after ten-minutes following an engine failure for Alex Hofmann's Kawasaki.
Kurtis: Broken wheel sensor opened throttle.
Small but vexing problems at the first public outing of the revised-firing-order Proton KR V5 engine left riders Nobuatsu Aoki and Kurtis Roberts 21st and 22nd respectively in Le Mans first qualifying.
Sete getting factory Honda support?
Solo Moto is reporting that as a reward for his Spanish Grand Prix victory, Sete Gibernau could be receiving full factory Honda support for the remainder of the season.
Preview - French Grand Prix.
For the first time in two years and 38 grands prix, MotoGP heads to an event without Valentino Rossi at the top of the world championship standings.
Barros gets 'green card'.
Alex Barros may not have spent the opening two races of the 2004 season battling for victory, but the Brazilian has arguably exceeded early season expectations by outracing Repsol Honda team-mate Nicky Hayden.
French GP wild-cards.
The wild-card riders who will race in this Sunday's French Grand Prix at Le Mans are the following:
Kato commemorated by Misano.
The community of Misano, along with the Gresini Racing team, has chosen the new road that leads to the entrance of the Misano Circuit as the street to bear the name of the late Daijiro Kato.
Ducati: GP4 will suit Le Mans.
Ducati Marlboro heads to round three of the 2004 MotoGP world championship, the French Grand Prix, believing that the stop-go nature of the Le Mans circuit will suit the so far disappointing Desmosedici GP4.
Kawasaki test clutch, chassis and tyres.
Fuchs Kawasaki have concluded two days of testing at the Jerez with Shinya Nakano and Alex Hofmann completing more than 120 laps between them as they worked their way through a punishing schedule.