MotoGP: Edwards misses out on Win, Rossi brings home Points June 26, 2006
Camel Yamaha Team rider Colin Edwards came within metres of his first MotoGP World Championship victory today after dominating the Dutch TT until a breathtaking finale at Assen. Starting from the front row of the grid Edwards led the way from the first turn and set an electrifying pace that only American compatriot Nicky Hayden (Honda) was able to follow. With two laps remaining Hayden closed in and made his first lunge for the lead, forcing Edwards off the track and onto the escape road. The ‘Texan Tornado’ looked consigned to second place but he produced a stunning fight-back to …
MotoGP: Brave Seventh for Melandri
Just five days after a terrible accident at Catalunya, which almost left him out of action altogether, FORTUNA HONDA rider Marco Melandri was back on track today as he took a starring role in another incident-packed Grand Prix. After astonishing everybody with his powers of the recovery, Melandri finished seventh in a race won by Nicky Hayden, who clinched the 200th victory for Honda in the premier-class. Marco made an excellent start as he joined the leading group in fourth place. However, as his strength waned he preferred not to take any further risks and he eventually lost ground, conceding …
MotoGP: Rizla Suzuki battles for points at Assen
John Hopkins and Chris Vermeulen raced their Rizla Suzuki GSV-Rs to sixth and 10th place respectively at today’s Dutch TT in Assen, Holland.
Hopkins got off to a great start from his pole position and was in second place behind the Yamaha of Colin Edwards for the first third of the race. As the race developed and grip became an important issue, Hopkins was unable to stay the front running pace, but the never-say-die attitude of the Anglo-American saw him fight all the way to the line to claim sixth place and 10 World Championship points.
Vermeulen also got off to a …
SBK: Kawasaki Corse’s Walker Rides to fourth at Misano
After the disappointment of a first race crash was consigned to the memory, Chris Walker (PSG-1 Kawasaki Corse) took his ZX-10R to a fighting fourth, losing out on the team’s first 2006 podium by just overhalf a second. Regis Laconi (PSG-1 Kawasaki Corse) scored sixth earlier in the day, while Fonsi Nieto (PSG-1 Kawasaki Corse) had a personal Misano best of eighth in race one.
In the first race of the day Regis Laconi scored a season best result, with Nieto eighth. Walker crashed out of contention on lap ten, after an early run with the front group.
In the second 25-lap …
SBK: Kagayama takes Misano Podium
Team Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra rider Yukio Kagayama had his best day of the World Superbike Championship year so far, grabbing a podium in the first race at today’s Misano sixth round and finishing fifth in race two.
His third place in race one was by far his best result of the season and, but for tyre problems in race two, another podium would’ve been on the cards.
In contrast, reigning Superbike World Champion Troy Corser had a day to forget: A crash in both races left him without any points to show and he has now slipped to fourth place in …
SBK: Bayliss extends unbeaten run to eight
Troy Bayliss extended his unbeaten run to eight at Misano Adriatico as the first race saw the Ducati Xerox Team rider take a superb win from seventh on the grid. With clinical efficiency Bayliss picked off the six riders ahead of him on the track one by one to take the lead on lap 11 and power to the 25 points. The second race of the day could have produced a similar result until Bayliss slid onto the grass on lap 17 while challenging for second place and then remounted to finish twelfth as Andrew Pitt (Yamaha) headed for his …
MotoGP: Front Row For Kawasaki’s Nakano At Assen June 24, 2006
Kawasaki’s Shinya Nakano will start tomorrow’s 26-lap Dutch TT from the front row of the grid, after qualifying his Ninja ZX-RR in second place during this afternoon’s hour-long timed session at Assen.The 28-year-old Japanese rider stole pole position early on in the session, but was pushed back to second place by a hard charging Colin Edwards after 20 minutes at the top of the timesheet.
Nakano responded with ten minutes left on the clock, retaking pole position from the American and holding on almost to the chequered flag. With just 14 seconds remaining of the session, Nakano was knocked from the …
MotoGP: Capirossi battles pain, Hofmann on third row
Ducati Marlboro Team riders Loris Capirossi and Alex Hofmann qualified 15th and ninth fastest for tomorrow’s Dutch TT at Assen. This afternoon’s qualifying session was a major challenge for both men, Capirossi riding in considerable pain from the injuries he sustained in last Sunday’s turn-one crash at Catalunya, Hofmann still getting to know the bike and tyres he has inherited from Sete Gibernau, who broke a collarbone in the same accident.
Capirossi’s biggest problem is the chest injuries he sustained last weekend because excellent upper-body strength is essential in motorcycle racing. The Italian is struggling despite using pain-killing therapies and undergoing …
MotoGP: Edwards seals Front Row Start, Rossi struggles for fitness
Camel Yamaha Team team-mates Colin Edwards and Valentino Rossi will start from opposite ends of the grid in tomorrow’s 76th edition of the Dutch TT after enjoying contrasting fortunes in qualifying practice. Whilst Edwards was consistently amongst the fastest riders on track throughout the day, topping the time sheets in morning free practice before clocking the third quickest time to seal a front row start in the decisive afternoon session, Rossi continued to suffer from the effects of a heavy crash yesterday and was only able to complete fourteen laps in qualifying.
The Italian’s best effort was almost four seconds off …
MotoGP: Hopkins secures pole for Suzuki at Assen
John Hopkins roared to his first ever pole position at Assen in Holland for tomorrow’s Dutch TT, with team-mate Chris Vermeulen putting his Rizla Suzuki GSV-R on the second row.
Anglo-American Hopkins (P1, 1′36.411, 29 laps) has nearly secured the top position many times before but today was his day, as he powered his Bridgestone shod Rizla Suzuki GSV-R to the head of the grid with just seconds to spare in this afternoon’s qualifying session. Hopkins and his crew had worked tirelessly today to get the best set-up for Saturday’s race and his pole position is reward for all the hard …