Roma wins stage 13 for Mitsubishi

Roma wins stage 13 for Mitsubishi

By Matt Beer
Friday, January 16th 2009, 20:39 GMT

Joan ‘Nani’ Roma took the new diesel Mitsubishi’s first stage win of the 2009 Dakar Rally on the penultimate day, as Volkswagen edged closer to victory.
VW duo Giniel de Villiers and Mark Miller will go into the final stage two minutes and 20 [...]

Ezpeleta expects Kawasaki bikes to race

Ezpeleta expects Kawasaki bikes to race

By Matt Beer and Michele Lostia
Wednesday, January 14th 2009, 13:24 GMT

Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta says he expects a Kawasaki team to race in 2009, having confirmed that he has agreed to let the company withdraw from its commitment to stay in MotoGP until 2011 provided it participates this season.
Kawasaki has [...]

Ducati reveal Desmosedici GP9

Ducati reveal Desmosedici GP9

By Matt Beer
Wednesday, January 14th 2009, 15:59 GMT

Ducati have released the first official images of their 2009 MotoGP challenger, which features a radical carbon fibre chassis.
The Desmosedici GP9 replaces the traditional tube frame with a carbon design, an innovation first tested by the team last summer.
“Some changes we’ve made to the cycle [...]

MotoGP to make radical cost cuts

MotoGP to make radical cost cuts

By Matt Beer and Michele Lostia
Wednesday, January 14th 2009, 08:35 GMT

Ducati team boss Livio Suppo says that the MotoGP manufacturers will follow Formula One’s example and make radical cost-cutting changes, but that most of the measures will have to wait until 2010.
The constructors met in Japan last week, but so [...]

Hayden sure he can adapt to Ducati

Hayden sure he can adapt to Ducati

By Matt Beer
Tuesday, January 13th 2009, 19:55 GMT

Former world champion Nicky Hayden is confident he will be able to get to grips with the Ducati GP9, but admits that he is not yet up to speed at his new team.
Casey Stoner has comfortably out-paced recent teammates Marco Melandri and [...]

Kawasaki start testing 2009 bike

Kawasaki start testing 2009 bike

By Matt Beer
Friday, January 16th 2009, 11:01 GMT

Kawasaki have begun testing their 2009 MotoGP machine at Eastern Creek, despite the factory team being withdrawn from the championship.
Test riders Olivier Jacque and Tamaki Serizawa gave the Ninja ZX-RR its debut at the former Australian Grand Prix venue in a private test yesterday.
“I [...]

Fry: No conflict over team sale

Fry: No conflict over team sale

By Simon Strang
Friday, January 16th 2009, 14:46 GMT

Honda Racing CEO Nick Fry has totally dismissed suggestions about a conflict of interest in him trying to find a buyer for the team, as he denied reports on Friday that his talks to sell the outfit were subject to a government investigation.
A [...]

DC: Button right to stick with Honda

DC: Button right to stick with Honda

By Steven English and Matt Beer
Monday, January 12th 2009, 13:00 GMT

David Coulthard thinks Jenson Button is right to put his faith in attempts to save Honda Racing rather than chasing the vacant Toro Rosso seat – but said Button should tell his current team that he will look elsewhere [...]

Mercedes open to Honda engine supply

Mercedes open to Honda engine supply

By Glenn Freeman
Tuesday, January 13th 2009, 12:59 GMT

Mercedes motorsport boss Norbert Haug has said the marque could supply the former Honda team with engines in 2009, provided any takeover leaves the team on a sound financial footing.
Although Mercedes has already committed to supplying a customer team for the first time, [...]

Mercedes open to Honda engine supply

Mercedes open to Honda engine supply

By Glenn Freeman
Tuesday, January 13th 2009, 12:59 GMT

Mercedes motorsport boss Norbert Haug has said the marque could supply the former Honda team with engines in 2009, provided any takeover leaves the team on a sound financial footing.
Although Mercedes has already committed to supplying a customer team for the first time, [...]