# All the way to the chequered flag #

Better late than never.

2009-02-06T08:19:00.000-08:00

It was one of them moments on transfer deadline day where you thought, I just can't see an agreement coming forth on the last day when they have had four weeks to do this. As ever Arsenal produced a suprise when they announced that Andrey Arshavin was finally a Gooner'. Wearing the number 23 shirt and costing £15 million I just can't see this boy being anywhere near a waste of money. Some of his goals have displayed exactly what Arsenal are missing, a "go for it" mentality.

I have screamed myself into a headache so many times watching Arsenal trying to walk the ball into the back of the net and refusing to adopt a more chance taking approach of hitting the bloody thing.

I will never forget the Cesc Fabregas goal against AC Milan because it was on of them games where they never looked like scoring unless one of the players were willing to make something happen.

Anyway back to the new boy. The Russian seems to have pace and strength in abundance, which Arsenal fans and players will appreciate. I just have the weakest posible trace of doubt that he will fit into the Arsenal style of play straight away.

However I sincerely hope that is put to bed this weekend against none other than Spurs'. It would get him some serious brownie points if he were to produce or assist some goals against their north London rivals.

Lets just hope that the Gunners can add to Harry's problems and show there is only one real team in north London.

Chelsea thrashed, United closing in, Liverpool faultering. It's all getting very interesting.

2009-01-12T10:56:00.000-08:00

It was nothing short of a demonstration by the champions at Old Trafford on Sunday 12th January. I was expecting a tight encounter where both teams brought their "A game" but instead it was a lacklustre Chelsea who were turned over by the rampaging United.

The first 45 minutes saw United take the initiative but Chelsea looked like they were slowly getting into their stride. A Namanja Vidic goal just before the interval proved to be the decisive blow Alex Ferguson's men needed. Chelsea came out second half a deflated and disjointed team and Wayne Rooney and Dimitar Berbatov capitalised on a poor defensive display and sunk the London side.

It seems Chelsea were waiting for something to happen in and around the danger zone at Old Trafford but by the time one of the players tried to make a break through there were reds shirts everywhere to stamp out the threat. A usually impressive Joe Cole was almost invisible bar some good tracking back. Frank Lampard appeared to be fairly isolated and Didier Drogba had nothing in terms of service.

If Chelsea win the title this season it will be because Manchester United went on holiday and didn't play the rest of their fixtures. Liverpool will once again bottle it like they did on the weekend being held to a draw at the Britannia after a Rafael Benitez rant on the Friday before the game.

That leaves Arsenal who picked up a good win on the weekend but consistency is the key. Aston Villa are like an annoying smell, you don't know where it's coming from but it won't go away. However in my opinion they won't be there when the dust has settled. The Gunners didn't miss the man in the middle Cesc Fabregas on Saturday but I don't think for one minute life is going to be that easy for the rest of the season. Hopefully we will be able to keep Manchester City's dirty hands off Andrei Arshavin and add some new blood to the squad.

One thing is for sure though, it is far from over yet. Liverpool will be second before they know it and it will then be up to Arsenal to keep the pressure on the four above them. A top four finish this season is vital otherwise it will go down as a bad season. Maybe the odds for who will take the title will change if a certain Russian makes his way into the red side of North London.

What next for MotoGP as Kawasaki pull out

2009-01-12T09:21:00.000-08:00

The MotoGP grid could be cut down to a worrying 16 bikes next season if Kawasaki can't be saved from their financial woes. It seems the world economic crisis is a lot bigger and more real than many of us care to believe. The top flight motorcycling championship is hardly rammed with riders and teams as it is and it looks to be getting worse before it gets better.

Manufacturers all over the world are struggling with sales decreasing and their budgets tightening so, is it a case of who is next? A glimmer of hope in the shape of Jorge Martinez could keep a Kawasaki presence in the series but I can't see the Spaniard keeping on John Hopkins and Marco Melandri. I imagine that a deal would be struck so that Martinez could field his own choice of riders that is likely to include the likes of Alvaro Bautista, being a Spaniard and possibly Marco Simoncelli as Martinez's backers are Italian.

The one thing that seems a little unfair to me is that the reasons for the green factory pulling out is said to be poor results from Hopkins and Anthony West as well as the credit crunch. Both riders are some of the best in the world and I don't agree with the blame being put on the riders because the factory can't engineer a competitive bike. We all know Hopkins is good for a top six finish on any given day like when he was onboard the Suzuki GSV-R so the finger should maybe be pointing in another direction on that front.

MotoGP needs a radical solution to try and encourage more manufacturers and teams to the paddock before the class dwindles into non-existence. Teams have come and gone before now trying to break into the MotoGP paddock such as, WCM in the 990cc era along with Aprilia but the extortionate cost with little to show for it made it an unrewarding experience. The latest team to try their metal was Ilmore in the 800cc era that also fell flat on it's face before their first season was done.

It will be a big loss if MotoGP lose team green next season and that's not to mention the two riders that could be out of a job. The new tyre rule has been implemented to try and close the gulf that occurs between the teams and make the efforts of the teams more worthwhile but Kawasaki may not even get a chance to ride on the new spec Bridgestone tyres. We shall sit and wait to see where the blue ribbon class goes from here.

In the end a point is a point.

2008-12-21T14:42:00.001-08:00

Arsenal entertained Liverpool today in a contest that both sides, particularly Arsenal could have done with the three points. However that was never going to happen and with Arsenal already taking Manchester United and Chelsea scalps so far this season, league leaders Liverpool were next.

The goal that came from a glorious long ball from Manchester United's worst nightmare Samir Nasri found Robin Van Persie, who displayed his world class ability with a chest control and touch that was capped off with an incredible finish.

I have never been a huge fan of Van Persie but I have never thought he was a bad player and I knew he was capable of scoring fantastic goals. His temper sometimes lets him down and has done in the past but he has matured now and setting a good example for the young guns in the team. I was reminded that the Dutch striker was a lot better than I had given him credit for and might I say again, "what a fantastic goal".

The goal just before half-time was bad news and to add to it the knee injury sustained to captain Cesc Fabregas. As he limped off the pitch the expression on his face said it all, he wasn't going to run this one off. His replacement Abu Diaby is a player I think can be very effective but he lacks consistency and had a very poor game in my opinion tonight.

Then later into the second half, referee Howard Webb showed Emmanuel Adebayor his undeserved and unjustified second yellow card. It is yet unclear to me whether it was the straying arm that hardly touched the Oscar winning actor Alvaro Arbeloa or the high foot, which must have had Middlesbrough's Julio Arca in stitches after what he got away with on Saturday on Fulham's Andy Johnson.

Either way Arsenal had taken two major blows and despite having the bit between their teeth for a period in the second half, a goal was unlikely with Liverpool's ten man defence making it rather difficult. From the sending off onwards the referee had a nightmare booking Bacary Sagna for a poor tackle where play should have been stopped anyway for a foul on Nasri.

However the referee had enough stick from the Arsenal faithful so that's my rant over with. What disappointed me just as much was the goal that the Gunners' conceded. Johan Djourou, a young defender I think has a great future at the club got caught napping as a ball over the top found Robby Keane who finished well. The Swiss born centre half was covering the left channel instead of making sure he was in a position to get goal side of goal scorer Keane. A little bit of inexperience is what I personally boil it down to but that will obviously come in time.

Apart from that I couldn't really fault the players. Adebayor looked dangerous in and around the penalty box before his unfortunate departure and Sagna, Nasri, Van Persie and Denilson all showed a bit more fight than I've seen as of late. Sometimes in football you have to battle and can't always play pretty and they done that well today to get a well earned point. I thought William Gallas was fantastic throughout game, particularly when his side seemed up against it in the second half.

The injury to Fabregas is going to be the downfall of the Gunners' season in my opinion, not just because he is the captain but his ability and presence will be sorely missed. It is now up to the characters in the team such as, Gallas and Kolo Toure when he returns, to rally the troops and try to see out the demanding Christmas period. With Aston Villa looking in great form Arsenal need to make sure it is not them who is chasing a Champions League spot by the end of the season.

Moto2, good or bad?

2008-12-21T14:04:00.000-08:00

If anyone follows the Moto GP as much as me then they will join me in saying that the two other classes that follow the blue ribbon class around the world is a fantastic addition to the series.

In the good old days when Moto GP was screened on Eurosport, there was nothing I loved more than tuning in to watch the future of Moto GP battle it out on pukka two strokes, risking life and limb to be recognised as the next graduate to the premier class.

However this week we have learned that the 250cc class will undergo a transformation in 2010 and dwindle into non-existence by 2011. It's replacement? A GP600 class consisting of 600cc 4 stroke engines with a 16,000 rpm rev limit and a controlled ECU unit supplied by Dorna. The new era has been introduced to try and ease the cost of racing at this level and reports from the 17/12/08 edition of MCN say that teams can purchase the race winning engine for just under £18,000.

2010 however will prove to be an interesting year with a split grid expected where the new GP600's will be up against the current 250cc bikes. As unfair as it sounds something tells me we could have a fantastic championship to look forward to in two seasons time. The GP600's will be underdeveloped compared to the trick 250cc bikes and even though I am no expert it seems to have close competitive racing written all over it.

Even though a number of pundits have pinpointed many faults in the rulebook already where teams can gain advantages through loopholes I think such a transformation was inevitable. As we know two-stroke engines are very 'dirty' in terms of their emission output and four-strokes seem to be the future of motorcycling everywhere due to their more emission friendly output e.g. off road bikes turning to four-strokes.

For me seeing the two-strokes disappear will be a huge shame. Every time I attend the British GP one of the highlights without a doubt is hearing and smelling the intoxicating sound and smell of the super tuned 125's and 250's. They will be sorely missed like my Aprilia RS 50 is since I let it go four years ago. Not only that but the stroker's remind us of the legend days of the fire breathing 500cc machines tamed by the likes of Kevin Schwantz, Mick Doohan and Wayne Rainey to name just a few, and that is something that the two-stroke era will always be remembered for.

But as the saying goes, the show must go on and so it will. It will be an exciting transition hearing the GP600's scream around the Moto GP tracks of the world and for all you die hard two-stroke lovers, we still have another two seasons to relish every single one of them out there in the 250 class until they depart in 2011. I can't help but think that it may only be a matter of time before the 125cc class is replaced.

The credit crunch takes no prisoners!

2008-12-21T13:42:00.000-08:00

In the last month or so we have heard the shocking news that Honda are one of the mighty forces in motor racing that have been severely hit by the credit crunch. First came the withdrawal from F1, which came as a shock in itself, but now MCN last week revealed that Honda may not have much of a future in Moto GP either.

With the financial dilemma hitting all the big businesses hard everywhere you look, it somehow doesn't seem right that Honda seem to have been struck the hardest. Such a successful company in producing motor vehicles for the road and the race track, could we be on the brink of losing one of the most synonymous manufacturers in motor sport?

It's anyone's guess what the future holds for motor racing in the current economic climate, but ITV's F1 pundit Martin Brundle believes that Honda pulling out of F1 could trigger more teams to make such a bold decision to quit top flight motor racing. One thing is for sure, if the crisis is enough to send Honda packing then I'm sure there are plenty more manufacturers that are on the same exit path in order for their co-operation to survive.

The latest news to come out of the Honda camp is that the AMA Superbike team has pulled the plug leaving Britain's Neil Hodgson out of a job along with a load of team mechanics and technicians.

It seems the credit crunch takes no prisoners and not even the super powers in motor sport are exempt. Lord only knows who will be it's next victim!

Last one of the year!

2008-12-20T10:27:00.000-08:00

As the year draws to a close, December 6 marked my last test for RSR Racing this year. With weather not playing ball as usual at this time of year it was no different at Mallory Park.

With proceeding delayed until just before midday due to ice on the track my first session was suitably steady. One of the riders suggested that we run a wet compound front to maximise the grip from the wet and slippery Mallory Park surface. With track conditions hardly offering us an opportunity to improve on our quickest times, and not having ridden on wet tyres before I decided it would be a valuable experience.

My first session was suitably steady and the rest of the day was a bit like learning the track again, guessing where the grip was. With no major moments the day went steady, until the last session of the day.

Pushing my luck resulted in a rear end slide at Edwina's, followed by an ambitious overtaking attempt that nearly landed me face first on the grass. The last session of the day the track was in it's best condition and despite being part of a handful of riders who were black flagged for dark visors due to the fading light, I quickly got back on track to make the most of it.

I was then part of a mini race after gradually catching up to two riders going quite well. After sitting behind them for a handful of laps I found where I was a little bit quicker and went to pass the rider in front at the chicane. However I left my braking a little bit late and was heading for a two in one corner manoeuvre, which was not the plan. As I squeezed the front brake on more and more I decided it wasn't worth risking taking the both of us out. I let off the breaks and went under the leading rider and straight across the unforgiving saturated grass. I managed to keep the Yamaha upright and made it back to the tarmac having felt like a bit of an arsehole' for ruining our dabble.

Never the less we learn by our mistakes and hopefully I will have got them out of the way by early next year. My Birthday and Christmas has brought me a chest protector and a new pair of Alpinestar boots, which look way too good for me to wear. Roll on the new year when the weather brightens up and the talking stops!

A little bit disappointed Rossi.

2008-11-29T13:12:00.000-08:00

After the finale at Valencia it was hard to accept that the season had finally finished and that there is so long to wait before it's return. I was intrigued to read all the post season comments from all the riders until I stumbled across a story in MCN about Valentino Rossi wanting to keep the wall between him and Lorenzo up in the Fiat Yamaha garage.

Disappointed is a light way of putting it if I'm honest. I am a huge Rossi fan and one of the main things I love about him is his refusal to be arrogant. However this unnecessary divide in the Yamaha garage has really put a dampener on my admiration for the Italian. At the end of the day Lorenzo is a young and very talented rider who could do with some advice from Rossi, and I thought Rossi could accept in good faith the threat the Spaniard poses to him. Even so I still see this act as a little pitiful.

I have followed Rossi through most of the controversy, such as switching tyre manufacturer, knocking Sete Gibernau off the circuit at Jerez 2004 to name a couple, but I thought he was better than to go about his business in such a manner. I'm sure Lorenzo won't lose any sleep over it and he shouldn't either. If anything the likeable Spaniard will see it as a compliment that the eight times World Champion wants to keep himself to himself out of fear.

Never the less a Rossi fan I remain and unless James Toseland or Nicky Hayden are fighting for the Championship next year then he will have my unconditional support. Lets just hope that Lorenzo doesn't come back to bite Rossi and give him a real good reason to keep that wall up.

Single make tyre rule is here!

2008-11-29T12:57:00.000-08:00

Last week marked the end of yet another era in Moto GP as the paddock headed to Jerez for their first test at the Spanish circuit with the single make tyre rule in place.

It has already had praise from Valentino Rossi, which can't be a bad thing and if it means closer racing as a result then bring it on! I just hope that everyone adapts to the tyres as well as Rossi otherwise there will be an even bigger gulf in the field and the whole concept would be a waste of time for 2009.

I'd like to think that it won't be a problem seen as how Dani Pedrosa adapted so well with his mid-season switch from Michelin tyres to Bridgestone last season but it is too early to tell. Andrea Dovizioso certainly got a chance to see what the Repsol Honda can do with the new Bridgestone tyres at Jerez by his team-mate, but I cant see it being long before the Italian gets to grips with them and starts giving Pedrosa a hard time.

The Jerez test concludes 2008 so now we all have to wait for February to get our next dose of what we can expect next season. Roll on Spring!

Not bad, not bad at all!

2008-11-13T02:48:00.000-08:00

Last month I found myself at Mallory Park again this time on an ACU Wednesday with RSR racing for a test. All this still being new to me I was as usual quite nervous and seeing most of the British superstock setups next to us in the garages didn't help.

After passing the initial trial the aim was to get down to a 1 minute dead lap consistently and anything beyond that would be fantastic. However first session out came close to a nightmare. I was put into the faster of the two groups and I couldn't help but feel a little bit out of my depth. Superstock riders came past me like I was on stop and I started asking myself, "what am I doing here?".

It wasn't long before I found myself riding my luck more than the bike as I came out of the last corner well and truly out of the seat. Coming out of the tight chicane and down the hill I hooked third gear as the rear was fighting for grip, however the kick up to third was not hard enough and the R6 slipped out and back into second.

I have only high sided once before on circuit and that was at Donington park due to a wasted rear tyre and my ignorance in coming in to get it changed got myself a one way ticket to the gravel trap that day. So here I was at Mallory Park and thinking here we go again but the R6 relented and let me back into the saddle for another chance.

I got back to the pits disappointed, angry and with my confidence shot. After a prep talk from my team boss Roger Stuart and a good kick up the backside from my dad I was ready for session two. I had met my target of a 1 minute dead lap in session one but I done a good job of nearly ending the day early at the same time. Plenty of room for improvement then.

Second session went well as I got more confident and conversant with the Yamaha. Knee planted around Gerrards always gives you confidence and from there on I didn't look back all day. I ended up lapping consistently in the 59's which was fantastic. Best thing of all I was passing a few people which I didn't think would be happening that often.

Overall it was a big learning curve but I learnt more there in one day than I would learn in a year of trackdays. The ACU Wednesday give me a good perception of what is expected of me next season and from January onwards my training regime is going to get serious. I have another test coming up shortly and yes, I am nervous!

Fully behind the Kentucky Kid

2008-10-20T03:38:00.000-07:00

It was another good display at Sepang for Nicky Hayden as he finished a solid fourth after a great battle with his Repsol Honda successor next year.

Just watching Hayden close down Dovizioso you could tell it was like a red rag to a bull and every ounce of me knew that Nicky would have a good go like we know he can. Nicky got by the Italian rider but could not make it stick and after making an error Nicky could only get within a whisker of Dovizioso by the chequered flag.

I am a huge fan of the Kentucky Kid and believe that he has had a hard time at Honda since his championship winning year. I have never for one minute thought that Hayden has lost motivation or that his Moto GP title was a fluke but next year could be a make or break season for him. I think the Ducati will suit his all out action style but one will not put a lot of money on it after the terrible season Marco Melandri has had onboard the screaming Desmosedici.

Nicky has had some inspirational performances onboard the Respol since the new era of 800cc came around, my particular favourite was Assen 2007 coming from way back on the grid and tracking Valentino Rossi to come through and score a podium after Valentino went into Rossi mode to outride Casey Stoner. Nicky needs a strong finish to the season and a real good start in 2009 and I think he’s got more world titles in him.

Simply unstoppable

2008-10-20T03:27:00.000-07:00

I found myself sitting watching MotoGP once again on Sunday morning anticipating a red hot race between the world champion and poleman Pedrosa. After a lightening start from the Spaniard I thought, ‘great stuff now at least Rossi needs to work for it.’ However once again Rossi made the most sensational things he does on a motorcycle look so easy it makes me speechless every time.

After stalking Pedrosa for the first stint in the race Rossi pulled off an outrageous out braking manoeuvre on Pedrosa that seemed even too late for Rossi. Once again he made the apex and convincingly pulled away from the Repsol Honda rider. If there is one thing I will give Casey Stoner is that he has the fight in him to make it hard for Rossi but Pedrosa seems to have everything in abundance but this battling element to him. At Laguna Seca Pedrosa would not have lasted a lap in that Scrap between the Italian and Australian and we are yet to see a fairing bashing performance from Pedrosa.

Then again Pedrosa summed it up in a post race interview with the BBC in saying Rossi seems to find that extra something in the race that lets him have the last say. After that display in Sepang I think it's fair to say he was simply unstoppable this weekend.

one of the best weekends of my life?

2008-09-01T11:40:00.000-07:00

It has been a while since things have gone so well when it has come to me and getting some good riding under my belt and a unique opportunity cropping up out of nowhere that I took advantage of.

It looked to be a bad August with the weather being nothing short of atrocious 99% of the time and not much to look forward to apart from the racing on T.V. at weekends. Staring at trackday photos and reminiscing of a boiling hot day in 2006 at Donington Park (my Mecca) with my knee firmly planted on the dry and grippy tarmac at the Melbourne Loop. My pre-booked trackday with Phil Bevan had to be cancelled after finding out that their age policy for track use was 21 years of age and older unlike Focused Events who I was riding with on the same track (Pembrey) only two weeks before.

None the less I was determined to get back on track in a serious way and booking a double header with Focused Events on the last weekend of August made me a happy chappy, weather permitting. Luck looked to be changing with a reasonable forecast for the trackday weekend however something caught my eye in MCN two weeks before that I followed up and in the end went for.

RSR racing were advertising for all level riders to go to Mallory park and try out to join their race team. With racing being a passion of mine I rang the number and organised a trial. Apprehensive but confident enough to go and give it a good shot I managed to get under the cut time by 2 seconds after the first 20 minute session. Considering I have not been to the track for over a year I was reasonably happy with my achievement and so was Roger Stuart.

The trackday the day before certainly helped in the mindset department but I was not in tip top shape physically simply because I was not used to being on a bike two days in a row in a fast riding environment. But I relished it. I am now re-applying for my ACU licence and could even be entering a race before the season is out but no promises.

Next year could be a big year and I am going to train like crazy to be in the best shape for it. I have already changed my eating regime prior to the assessment and my training has been increased. I have had good vibes off the team and Roger Stuart in particular made me feel very decent. Hopefully I can race for him and do him proud. Ill be keeping you posted!

If it aint broke, don' t fix it!

2008-08-27T10:37:00.000-07:00

Moto GP is once again set to be meddled with by Dorna boss Carmel Ezpeleta after admitting changing the engine capacity to 800cc has made the bikes even faster rather than the desired effect of slowing them down. It has come out this week that many top Moto GP riders don' t understand why the capacity was changed in the first place and Valentino Rossi' s chief engineer, Jeremy Burgess put it well in saying the engineers should be the people Ezpeleta should be asking for such advice.

A control tyre rule is the new proposal from the Dorna boss which has been positively received by many riders but Ezpeleta seems adamant that the new proposal is for safety reasons rather than to improve the spectacle of Moto GP that has run into a processional championship recently. With corner speed up by up to 8mph on the new 800cc bikes it seems obvious to me that higher corner speeds as opposed to higher top end speeds is more dangerous.

However the dorna Boss is quick to suggest that speeds of 220mph are excessive but with the exception of Shinya Nakano' s tyre failiure at Mugello in 2004 the 990cc bikes seemed more controllable and as a result safer. Rossi has suggested a raise once again in capacity but with a limited ECU giving the rider more feel and control over their machines. The option seems viable but the legitimate argument is the ability to police such a regulation would be very difficult.

Roll on the 990cc bikes once again I say because there is nothing better than watching Valentino Rossi spin his YZR Yamaha M1 off the Old Hairpin in warm up like I saw in 2005. Limited ECU? Then we will see how Stoner handles that Ducati.

British motorsport loses a shining star.

2008-08-27T10:18:00.000-07:00

The sad and tragic death of Craig Jones came as a shock to me and I'm sure to everyone who followed the Brit. Watching the Supersport race at Brands Hatch Craig Jones was once again showing that he possesses talent that some of us can only dream of. Hanging onto the factory boys on a lower spec machine as usual and riding the balls of his Honda CBR 600RR he was one of the most inspiring riders I have had the pleasure to watch.

As one of my Idols the news came as a horrible suprise when I heard of his death the Monday after the race. Initially after seeing the crash I felt sure that Craig would simply shrug off a bad result at Brands and carry on his Championship hunt. If there is something that makes a rider great it is the ability to ride an underpowered and lower spec machine to the very limit and fight with riders on superior machinery and that is something Jonesy done week in week out.

I first seen Jones in BSB riding a Triumph 600 in spectacular fashion, backing in at every corner and ringing the neck of the inferior bike he was once again expected to compete with. A bad season in World Superbikes showed how poor the Foggy Petronas bike really was but it looked like Jones could put himself in the shop window in World Supersport.

Craig Jones was one of the best we had and looked good enough to match the James Toselands of this world but sadly he is no longer with us. I like everyone else who saw this legend in the making ride sincerely thank Craig Jones' parents for bringing such a talent into this world and pass on my condolences at the same time.

R.I.P. Craig Jones.

It will be a sad day when the doctor leaves the surgery!

2008-07-21T11:38:00.000-07:00

After watching the American GP there are only two words I could use to describe it, awe inspiring. The world champion and Valentino Rossi rode their bikes like men possessed as Rossi once again proved why he is the most adored motorcycle racer in the world. Stoner' s Ducati was far superior in the acceleration from the final corner to turn one but Rossi used his tactical genius to keep the Australian at bay.

For once I could not predict what was going to happen as Stoner relentlessly followed The Doctor around the tight demanding Laguna Seca circuit. Rossi showed his unbelievable grit and determination at the corkscrew as he pulled off a fairytale move on the Ducati man and took to the gravel nearly taking them both off the track. It was a matter of time however before Stoner was broken by Rossi' s unmatchable consistency as the champion run wide and slipped in the gravel trap at walking pace at the final turn.

After the race my admiration for Casey Stoner plummeted as live on BBC 1 the Aussie snubbed Rossi' s handshake complaining the Italian' s moves were too aggressive. It seems that we have a very spoilt Champion at the moment who doesn' t like it when someone shows up to spoil the annoying Ducati party. He is doing no favours for his dire popularity amongst British Moto GP fans as it is. How does he think Gibernau felt when rossi barged him off the track at Jerez in 2005? Now that was too agressive!

Once again Rossi is the hero. The man that made the race and made the summer break an unwelcome one as I'm sure everyone wants to get Brno underway A.S.A.P.

P.S. Stoner has been Valentino' d, Laguna Seca 2008!

super stoner shines in German GP

2008-07-13T11:10:00.000-07:00

As much as many fans dislike the Australian Moto GP Champion nobody can take away the fact that he can seriously ride the Ducati GP8 in any conditions on any track.

At the beginning of last season as usual I was an avid Valentino Rossi fan and did not like what seemed like a far superior bike making Casey Stoner look good. Races such as Assen last year enforced many views that Rossi had to make up the difference and that Stoner had it easy. However this year I am seeing just how naive I was last season in thinking anybody could win on a Ducati that good.

Stoner showed one of his most professional displays today in the German GP as the treacherous conditions did nothing to spoil the World Champions form. It seems that no matter how fast or tight the track is or how dry or wet the circuit is, he can win on it. Not even Dani Pedrosa could keep up what looked like sure domination early on in the race without crashing into turn 1 that saw the Spaniard luckily escape with no major injuries.

Rossi kept up the heat as best he could on eventual race winner Stoner but he never looked like troubling the Aussie who relentlessly posted fastest lap after fastest lap during the race. Again the Italian showed why he is adored by the fans of Moto GP being the only man to keep stoner' s point advantage to a minimum. The Championship is now perfectly poised for a thriller as the Champion now trails The Doctor by 20 points and only four points off second place Pedrosa.

I'm sure I am not the only one who is starting to regret playing down Casey Stoner' s ability. As every week passes I become more and more convinced that Valentino Rossi has met his match and Stoner is someone Rossi can' t stop. Good on you Casey you have certainly earned my respect this year, anyone else still eating their words?

First ever night race at Qatar. Was it safe?

2008-04-20T13:04:00.002-07:00

Qatar held the first ever Moto GP night race under floodlights this year. However is night race safe for the premier class of racing?

The fairytale stage was set on Match 9^th as one of the most eagerly awaited seasons in Moto GP exploded into life at the floodlit Losail circuit. Moto GP race directors watched nervously as the race weekend progressed. Teams and riders had little data from their bikes apart from the three day test the same week.

Issues that plagued some of the riders and teams throughout the weekend were low track temperatures which greatly affected the level of grip the riders had.

Another problem was the track had a fine layer of sand blown onto it due to the wind speed difference in the night time. Therefore riders had to use every bit of skill to find the limit of their machines.

On race day the top six riders were wheel to wheel as tyre manufacturers struggled to convince the riders that the tires would last the whole race at race pace. However as the laps went by, last years world champion Casey Stoner took the initiative from Dani Pedrosa to pull away and win the race.

Despite the radical difference in what conditions the racers are usually used to there was only one rider who crashed at the race which possibly could quash any claims that the spectacle made the race more dangerous. Rider Alex De Angelis crashed on lap 6 and escaped unharmed.

Motorcycle journalist Simon Roots believes that the Qatar night race was a safety success; “If there was only one rider who crashed out of the race, the issue of safety can’t be too serious. However riders have requested to change the date of the race. As they are the experts then they obviously believe there was a strong element of danger.”

Originally the reason for the night race was not only to create a spectacle in motorcycle racing but as a way of avoiding the searing heat of the Qatar desert. The ambient temperature for the race was 18°C, degrees and track temperature was at 19°C, as apposed to daytime ambient temperatures that have reached nearly 40 degrees.

Despite the extreme change in conditions race winner Casey Stoner still managed a lap 1.4 seconds quicker than his lap record from

2007 in daytime conditions at the Losail circuit. The world champion admitted that he didn’t think the race pace would be as quick as it was due to temperatures and grip constantly dropping which as the race progressed. However Stoner is among a group of riders that have requested the race to be moved later in the year next year for safety reasons relating to track temperature.

2008-04-20T13:04:00.001-07:00

2008-04-20T12:59:00.001-07:00

After a successful night race under the floodlights of Qatar night racing, could become a new dimension in the world of motor racing?

Even though racing at night is new to most forms of motor sport there are championships in the world that have been doing this for years.

NASCAR racing in the U.S.A. is notorious for running races at night with 11 night races featuring in the calendar. These include the Budweiser Shootout, the NASCAR NEXTEL All-Star Challenge, Darlington, Phoenix, California and the Budweiser Shootout races.

NASCAR has been running night races since 1978 and now most of the circuits raced at today have facilities to accommodate a night race.

The night race at Qatar was not the first ever motorcycle race that has taken place during the night. The 24 hour Le Mans race is an endurance race that runs through the day and into the night time and has been around since 1976. There are also races that take place at the Bol d’Or, Suzuka 8 hour in Japan as well as many others that race during the night time.

Since the success of the Qatar night race in Moto GP the idea of night racing has spread across to the world of Formula 1. In the 2009 F1 season there will be a race held under floodlights in Singapore, a street style race circuit which will be a new addition to the F1 calendar.

The idea of the night race comes due to the broadcasting times being suitable for European audiences. However safety is paramount and if it is deemed unsafe to race at night then it will be run in the daytime.

Judging by many other forms of motor sport that now race in these conditions it is very much thought that F1 will stage the race at night.

The main issues that surround the idea in Formula 1 according to driver Mark Webber are blackouts which would seriously disrupt proceedings and be very dangerous. Another issue raised was the chance of rain during the race which would make visibility almost non existent.

2008-04-20T12:41:00.001-07:00

2008-04-20T12:34:00.000-07:00

Grand slam heroes

2008-03-16T14:40:00.000-07:00

It was an electric atmosphere at the Millenium Stadium Saturday as Wales disposed of the French in a heroic and professional manner. The French battled long and hard against the Welsh defence but despite having 70% of the possession they could not muster up a single try. A man of the match performance by Martyn Williams could not have been completed better for the man brought out of retirement as he scored the final try for Wales to seal the Six Nations Grand Slam.

Now Warren Gatland has issued a chilling message to rivals by saying he is now eyeing up a World Championship with the Wales squad. The Wales coach believes that the squad are in great shape to go to South Africa and have a good go at the World Cup.

Another startling statistic that Wales can boast is that they only conceded twice throughout the whole tournament, bettering the previous record of four set by England when they won the World Cup in 2002-2003.

Jones seals start for changed Wales side

2008-03-04T06:49:00.000-08:00

Stephen Jones has been told he will feature as Wales fly-half for this weekends game against Ireland at Croke park. After an impressive performance against Italy Gatland has given Jones the nod to start. Scrum-half Mike Phillips is another player who gets a start for this weekends clash replacing Dwayne Peel. Other changes include Alun Jones replacing Ian Evans along with Huw Bennett, who according the RBS Six Nations website, is thought to be included to steady the Wales line out. The other change made by Warren Gatland is Adam Jones coming in place of Rhys Thomas.

Shane Williams praised

2008-03-04T03:36:00.000-08:00

Welsh try machine Shane Williams has been praised by Wales assistant coach Rob Howley this week after his startling performances so far in the Six Nations. This weekend Williams has a record set in his sights a just one try against Ireland this weekend will see him match Gareth Thomas try record of 40 tries in 100 tests. Howley told the RBS 6 Nations Website that Williams is very hard to play against due to his great agility and hunger to score tries.

Shane Williams however is flattered by the comments and honoured to mentioned in the same sentence as a Welsh rugby hero. Williams has yet to score a try against Ireland however but the Wales star winger is confident that the team can press the opposition for a full 80 minutes to get results.

Preston News Map

2008-02-27T04:29:00.000-08:00

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Wales still favourites.

2008-02-27T02:49:00.000-08:00

Caldy director of rugby Tony Atherton has told the Liverpool Daily Post that despite Englands impressive win against the French, he still expects Wales, who have a 100% record in their group, to take the Six Nations. With tough tests still to come for the Welsh who have to play France and an in form Ireland side before anything is decided.

Atherton complimented the England performance at the Stade de France for being 'professional and doing the simple things well'. Nick Easter was one of the names mentioned as a stand out player along with Johnny Wilkinson and Flood who defended superbly. England head to Murrayfield to take on the Scottish who recently have been in the media spotlight for Scott MacLeod being tested positive for a drugs test.

Ryan Jones Wales captain told the Guardian that he believes that Wales can do the Grand Slam this year in the Six Nations. The Wales number 8 who was given the captaincy after returning from a shoulder injury and now according to the Guardian is in the running to captain the Lions team in South Africa next year.

no major shakeups for Ashton

2008-02-20T04:04:00.000-08:00

After Englands unconvincing win over Italy in the second game of the Six Nations Brian Ashton has not made any major changes to the squad. The latest change for England comes for Sale Sharks scrum-half Richard Wigglesworth. The two other changes are in the forwards with Andrew Sheridan and Phil Vickery returning as Ashtons props. More information is available on, http://www.rbs6nations.com/en/8461.php

nothing but praise for Gataland

2008-02-20T03:17:00.000-08:00

Martyn Williams belives that Wales are on the brink of something special in the six nations this year. After coming out of retirement after the disappointment of the World Cup he is now back and believes Gatland's new ideas and new backroom staff has given the team a lift and a fresh outlook on ambitions of the team. Find out more on, http://www.rbs6nations.com/en/8462.php.

Former New Zealand hooker Sean Fitzpatrick has praised Warren Gatland for instilling belief and confidence in the Welsh side. Fitzpatrick added that Gatland has demanded a lot from the players in training and is reaping the rewards for taking a hard stance. Along with Martyn Williams he also said that he has brought in some bery affective backroom staff to help the Welsh team find form. More information on this story can be found on, http://www.rbs6nations.com/en/8469.php

Wales Rampant as Gatland Turns Welsh Hero

2008-02-12T03:30:00.000-08:00

Another great win for the Welsh rugby team in the Six Nations takes them to joint top with France. Shane Williams provided another fantastic display with two tries even though one was said to be controversial. Scotland are livid with the decision to allow the try after it was said Carlo Damasco turned down the chance to see extra video footage that could have been the pivot in ruling the try out. In Domasco's defence the referee is obligated to make a decision as quick as possible and maybe felt that there was not need to keep viewing the footage.

With Italy coming up in two weeks which should see Wales through for a third win in a row a tought game against Ireland is to follow.

Warren Gatland is said to name the Wlesh team to face Italy today with a few changes expected to appear in the so far formidable line-up such as an expected start for experienced half-back's Stephen Jones and Dwayne Peel.

Rumours are also rife that Gatland's sucess so far with Wales has linked him with a chance to coach the British Lions against South Africa but no confirmation of the coach for the lions team is said to be made untill the end of the Six Nations tournament.

Virgin Blogger!!!

2008-01-30T03:22:00.000-08:00

Blogging for the first time to see how it all works. Being a sports journalist this is an essential part of my course. My main interest is motorsport but I like football also. I have been asked to cover sport a a class exercise so I will be covering the biggest sports news stories so far today. Find out about the Moto GP test so far on the following link. http://www.motogp.com/en/motogp/motogp_news.htm?

Routledge is having a medical at Aston Villa after the clubs and player agreed personal terms. Newcastle are reportedly interested in swooping in for Levante's Alvaro for a cool £3m at the expense of Birmingham, also interested in aquiring the Brazilian. Find out more on http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11095_3091829,00.html

Robert Kraft american business man is interested in taking over from current American owners George Gillette and Tom Hicks. Kraft already owns the infamous New England Patriots American Football team. Read more on http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11095_3092096,00.html