At the first test of the 2010 MotoGP season, with new bikes, new teams and new riders, Bridgestone’s tyres performed strongly in the typical Malaysian mix of scorching track temperatures and rain to enable the top four riders on each day to record lap times quicker than the existing circuit lap record. Whilst the bikes were new, the available Bridgestone tyres were exactly the same specifications as used during the Malaysian Grand Prix last year, providing the teams with a known entity to assist them in their set-up work. In wet and dry conditions on both days riders got the ...Read more.

Last Friday at the BMW Group Classic in Munich, Team BMW Motorrad Motorsport officially launched its second season in the FIM Superbike World Championship with Troy Corser and Ruben Xaus who are ready to begin the 2010 season that takes of at Phillip Island February 28th. In the presence of Infront Motor Sports CEO Paolo Flammini, Superbike World Championship Director Paolo Ciabatti and other guests, Corser and Xaus arrived on stage, riding their BMW S 1000 RR bikes. Director BMW Motorrad Motorsport Berthold Hauser has ambitious goals: “Our goal is to close the gap to the leading ...Read more.

For the second and final day of the first MotoGP test of 2010, the reigning World Champion is again top of the timesheets. The first on-track MotoGP activity of the year concluded in Malaysia on Friday, with Fiat Yamaha’s Valentino Rossi the fastest of the premier class riders for the second consecutive day. The weather played a part throughout the day with conditions wet at the scheduled start of 9am local time, and for a period between 11am and 12pm there was little activity on track. Afternoon sunshine improved the situation after 1pm, when both Rossi and Ducati Marlboro rider ...Read more.

Ducati Marlboro team riders make progress with the Desmosedici GP10 on second and final day of Sepang test. Casey Stoner and Nicky Hayden were both pleased with what they achieved across the two days of testing in Malaysia, despite the weather making Friday difficult. With a wet track in the morning as a result of rain, Stoner opted to wait until 1pm local time before starting his final-day session. The Australian recorded a fastest lap of 2’01.320 – his best across both days – and expressed his happiness at the set-up work completed on the GP10. “We are quite happy with the ...Read more.

A positive first day’s work for factory Ducati riders Casey Stoner and Nicky Hayden at the Sepang test ended with good general feedback on the Desmosedici GP10 on Thursday. The Ducati Marlboro team’s first day of testing with Casey Stoner and Nicky Hayden – after test rider Vittoriano Guareschi’s outing yesterday – delivered constructive results, with both riders pleased at the performance of the 2010 prototype. Stoner, second fastest of all 17 riders present, was pleased with the new engine and will focus further on the set-up of his bike on Friday to solve a minor problem ...Read more.

At present there are 24 full-time World Superbike riders scheduled to join what looks set to be the most exciting and evenly matched two-wheeled contest of all in 2010. From Aprilia to Yamaha and all points in between, the seven competing manufacturers will field riders who are not only proven winners, but capable of taking more silverware at some stage this season. A look at the competing riders' past records is proof enough of the high-class field. There are two former SBK Champions on display in 2010 - James Toseland and Troy Corser (on the podium in 2006 with Troy Bayliss) - plus ...Read more.

The test riders complete the opening day of the first official MotoGP test of 2010 at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia. Conditions were close to what was expected at Sepang on Wednesday as an air temperature of 30ºC and track reading of 60ºC met test riders, ahead of what will be a busy Thursday when the official MotoGP riders take to their 2010 bikes. Norihiko Fujiwara and Wataru Yoshikawa (Yamaha Factory), Kosuke Akiyoshi (Repsol Honda Team), Nobuatsu Aoki (Rizla Suzuki MotoGP) and Vittoriano Guareschi (Ducati Marlboro Team) were present as they all took out the ...Read more.

It’s been almost two months since Volkswagen bought a 20% stake in Suzuki Motor Corporation, but that hasn’t stopped German designer Nils Poschwatta from imagining what the peoples’ motorcycle would look like. Much fervor was made with the announcement of the two companies joining forces, with many motorcycle fans wishing thinking that VW branded motorcycles were on their way. Like this concept, that notion is a work of pure fantacy, as the two companies have made it clear the partial acquisition is to help both brands enter into emerging car markets more effectively. Still, it’s a ...Read more.