2009

The rivalry that blazed all the way to the last lap of the last Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup race of 2009 will be rejoined in 2010 as Jakub Kornfeil and Sturla Fagerhaug oppose each other again. This time they will be full time Grand Prix competitors, up against the best 125cc riders in the world.Kornfeil, the 16 year old Czech who won the Rookies Cup by just 2 points, has signed for Racing Team Ge...

Casey Stoner is cautiously optimistic about his FIM MotoGP World Championship title chances next season after seemingly overcoming the fitness woes which blighted his 2009 campaign.The 2007 world champion was well in the title fight with Fiat Yamaha duo Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo last season before an energy-sapping illness started to affect him in races and ultimately led him to missing th...

Two-time British Superbike champion Ryuichi Kiyonari is to return to the series in 2010 with the HM Plant Honda team.The 27-year-old Japanese rider, the 2006 and 2007 champion, has spent the last two seasons racing in the FIM Superbike World Championship but will partner Australian Josh Brookes as he rejoins the team with which he secured his back-to-back titles.He said: "I'm looking forward ...

Shane Byrne is looking forward to taking on his fellow British riders in the 2010 FIM Superbike World Championship.The Althea Ducati rider will take on six other British riders in a series dominated by his fellow countrymen.Alongside Byrne will be Jonathan Rea (Ten Kate Honda), Leon Haslam (Alstare Suzuki), Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Superbike), Cal Crutchlow (Sterilgarda Yamaha), Leon Camier (Aprilia Ra...

Kawasaki's new signing Chris Vermeulen is confident of doing well in the 2010 FIM Superbike World Championship after completing a two-day test at Almeria in Spain.The Australian will be racing the factory Kawasaki ZX-10R alongside Tom Sykes and has been busy testing new parts and settings.Vermeulen told Motor Cycle News: "The test has gone well, it was another circuit I hadn't been to so I ha...

New Alstare Suzuki rider Leon Haslam admits his hopes for the 2010 FIM World Superbike Championship season have been boosted by the performance of the bike during winter testing.The 26-year-old Briton, who has moved to the team from the now defunct Stiggy Racing Honda squad, will team up with Frenchman Sylvain Guintoli as the Belgium-based team look to battle for the title after some trying times ...

Two-time FIM World Supersport champion Andrew Pitt is to step back up to the World Superbike Championship next season with the Reitwagen Motorsport BMW team.The 33-year-old Australian has raced in World Supersport since he lost his ride with the ill-fated Ilmor MotoGP project, which pulled out of racing following the 2007 Qatar Grand Prix at Losail. He will be joined in the team's rider line-up by...

Fiat Yamaha rider Jorge Lorenzo does not feel it is essential that he become world champion in 2010.The 22-year-old Spaniard enjoyed a fierce battle with legendary team-mate Valentino Rossi during the 2009 FIM MotoGP World Championship campaign, but mid-season crashes at the British and Czech Grands Prix helped the Italian eventually claim the crown by 45 points.But, Lorenzo doesn't feel that miss...

In 1959 Rolf Tibblin won the first Motocross World  Title for Husqvarna in the 250 class. Today Husqvarna is famous for the incredible number of World Titles conquered, which the Italian brand has gained in three off-road disciplines, starting from Motocross, going to Enduro and in more recent times Supermotard. In this last category, Husqvarna recently celebrated – for the third time in a ro...

Five-time British champion Scott Nicholls is still mulling over his plans for the FIM Speedway World Championship Grand Prix Series.The 31-year-old failed to secure an automatic place in the 2010 title battle after finishing 15th last season.Ipswich-born Nicholls, who rides in the British, Polish and Swedish leagues, has not yet decided if he wants to contest the qualifying rounds next year.He sai...