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.
Hopkins 'in pain' - unlikely to race.
John Hopkins may have walked away from a heavy crash in today's final qualifying session at Rio without any broken bones, but the tough 20-year-old did suffer numerous injuries which could well force him out of tomorrow's GP.
'Catastrophic' session for Gauloises Yamaha.
Gauloises Yamaha riders Alex Barros and Olivier Jacque suffered a series of disasters that saw them qualify in 11th and 14th positions respectively for tomorrow's Rio Grand Prix, in a session labelled 'catastrophic' by team manager Herve Poncharal.
Barros 'not returning to Pons'.
Contrary to rumours in the British bike racing media this week, Brazilian ace Alex Barros will not be seeking a return to Sito Pons' eponymous team for 2004.
Final 500cc record set to fall.
This weekend, the MotoGP circus commences its final four-stop round-the-world tour in Rio, where the last remaining lap record of the 500cc GP era is expected to fall.
Moriwaki return at Motegi, plan full 2004 season.
Moriwaki Engineering Ltd. have officially announced they will be entering the Motegi round of the 2003 MotoGP championship, as wild-cards, with rider Tamaki Serizawa.
Panini launches MotoGP trading cards.
Italian company Panini, famous for its football sticker album collections, has revealed that its first ever release of a MotoGP trading card collection will take place later this month.
West: I don't know what it is about Estoril...
Ant West recorded his ninth top ten finish from eleven rounds in this year's 250cc world championship, but was at a loss to explain quite why he has been unable to hook up a good result at Estoril.
Rossi turns the corner.
Despite his pre-season caution, Valentino Rossi probably never imagined the 2003 season would provide him with such opposition - to the point where there was talk of the four-times champion facing a crisis, despite never losing the points lead.
Picture: Sete stung by Ducati power.
Loris Capirossi snatched a breathtaking, last-gasp podium finish in yesterday's Portuguese GP, using the awesome power of his Desmosedici to out-accelerate Sete Gibernau's Honda in a thrilling race to the flag.
Mondello twists prepare Team KR for Estoril.
Proton Team KR have been busy testing their newly born four-stroke prototype during the two weekend break since Brno, taking the V5 to Mondello Park in Ireland where they ran the latest power and engine braking improvements.
Rossi beats Sete with seven-year-old move.
Anybody who thought that Valentino Rossi was in crisis after four races without a win was silenced yesterday in a classic Czech Republic Grand Prix, which will be remembered for many years by the 44,865 Brno fans.
Rossi wins by millimetres after titanic battle.
Valentino Rossi rode arguable the race of his life in Brno today, taking revenge on Sete Gibernau by overtaking the Catalan on the final lap - after 22-laps of non-stop MotoGP heaven - and clinging on by just 0.04secs as the pair raced side-by-side to the chequered flag.
World championship standings.
Leading MotoGP championship standings following today's Czech Republic Grand Prix, round ten of the 2003 series. Riders' championship standings after round 10:
Nakano apologises after 140mph highside!
Shinya Nakano suffered a spectacular crash in morning free practice at Brno, highsiding his D'Antin Yamaha at 140mph in a spectacular, but sickening accident that required the Japanese to be airlifted to a nearby Hospital.
Nakano hospitalised after morning fall.
Shinya Nakano's Czech Grand Prix may have come to a premature end after the amiable Japanese was hospitalised with concussion after a huge morning practice fall.
McWilliams impressed with V5, wants two-stroke.
Team Proton KR riders Jeremy McWilliams and Nobu Aoki were back on the radical new 990cc four-stroke KR V5 at the sweeping Brno circuit, and enjoying a package of minor but significant revisions that have addressed teething troubles found in the bike's first few races, as well as unleashing more
Biaggi to get 'something new' from Honda.
Despite suffering his first non-score of the 2003 season last time out at the Sachsenring, Max Biaggi still finds himself the third player in the championship hunt - and Brno is his circuit.
Hofmann heads Brno wild-cards.
Alex Hofmann will make his fourth start as a Kawasaki wild-card rider this weekend in Brno, while a further 10 riders have been accepted for the 125 and 250cc classes. MotoGP class #66 Alex Hofmann (GER) Kawasaki Racing Team
Burns back for WCM, four-stroke return nears.
WCM's Chris Burns will return to action in Brno this weekend, four weeks after breaking his collarbone on his MotoGP race debut at the British Grand Prix.
Vincent 'astonished' by KTM dismissal.
Reigning 125cc world champion Arnaud Vincent has spoken of his 'astonishment' at being sacked by the KTM team nine races into the 2003 season - indeed, the Frenchman seems as surprised as everyone at the Austrian team's decision.
World champion Vincent sacked by KTM.
In something of a shock announcement, 125cc GP newcomers KTM have announced that they have sacked reigning series champion Arnaud Vincent and replaced him with young Finn Mika Kallio.
Honda's GP stars ready for 8 Hours attack.
Three current MotoGP stars have been entrusted with carrying Honda's hopes of a seventh consecutive victory in this weekend's 26th running of the Suzuka 8 Hours. The HRC assault will be spearheaded by the two Seven Stars Honda teams, equipped with the latest version of the VTR1000SP-W.
Okada joins Kato's cousin to run #74 at Suzuka.
This Sunday's Suzuka 8 Hours event will see former GP star Tadayuki Okada teamed with Chozum Kameya in the Sakurai Honda team.
McCoy off twice - in one lap.
Kawasaki's Australian slidemaster, Garry McCoy, overcame two scary off-track excursions to come within a whisker of scoring points in yesterday's fiercely contested German Grand Prix at Sachsenring.