BSB: Josh Brookes Finally Cleared to Race

Aussie Josh Brookes was barred from entering the UK to race his HM Plant Honda bike in the British Superbike race at Brands Hatch, thanks to our genius immigration system that keeps hard working foreigners out, but lets in as many bone idle terrorists as possible.

Fortunately, our convict cousin has finally been granted a visa, so can take his place in the BSB series. He was a bit of a surprise choice for the highly sought after HM Plant seat, but was very quick in World Supersport so should hopefully adapt to the more powerful Superbike, and the more dodgy British tracks, before too long.

It'll be very interesting to see Brookesy in BSB over the coming months. He did well in a one off race at Brands last year. Welcome to the party, mate.

MotoGP: Colin's Computer Cockup at Motegi

A leaked email has revealed the reason for Colin Edwards' virtual disappearance in the Japanese MotoGP race at Motegi. Some clown in the Monster Tech 3 Yamaha team programmed the bike's engine management computer with the rain map.

In a profoundly profane email to his father (it's the only way to talk to an Australian after all) Edwards was philosophical about the mistake, but reckoned the guilty party would unsurprisingly get the boot.

Now, I like to have a bit of a dig at Colin as much as anyone. He talks a good game, but has never managed to climb the top step of the MotoGP podium, despite strewing excuses along the way. However, he is a hugely likeable character who tells things as they are, and is a double WSBK champion (his victory over Troy Bayliss at Imola is one of the greatest last laps of all time in any form of motorsport).

It's horrible luck that some birdbrain put a rain map on his bike. What this means is the engine thought the track was wet and therefore had no grip. It therefore refused to deliver much power, or much acceleration, to try and stop the rider destroying his rain tyres or highsiding himself into the clouds. Obviously this isn't much use on a grippy dry track with grippy slicks, so poor old Colin was stuck there, twisting the grip off the bars and still getting nowhere.

Well, his luck has to change some time. He'll be back on the podium.

MotoGP Motegi: Jorge Horses Vale

Jorge Lorenzo produced a faultless performance to win the Japanese round of the MotoGP championship at Motegi. To everybody's surprise, it was an interesting race that had battles for position right down the field. With qualifying rained off, the grid was based on free practise sessions, giving a front row of Valentino Rossi, Casey Stoner and Jorge Lorenzo.

Rossi made an excellent start on his FIAT Yamaha, and was followed into the first turn by the Rizla Suzuki of Chris Vermeulen. Dani Pedrosa made his usual rocket launch off the line on his Repsol Honda to take third place, pushing Stoner's Marlboro Ducati down to fourth. Jorge Lorenzo could only manage fifth on the second FIAT Yamaha, ahead of the second Repsol Honda of Andrea Dovizioso. In the midfield, Nicky Hayden lasted just four corners before his Marlboro Ducati was torpedoed by Yuki Takahashi's Scot Honda, the Japanese youngster getting a bit over-excited at his home race.

Vermeulen could not keep up with the pace of the leaders, and swiftly dropped back, while Lorenzo fought his way up the field to catch Pedrosa. The two Spanish arch-rivals had a good scrap for second place, with the cocky Lorenzo getting the best of his sour-faced enemy Pedrosa.

Arguably the most impressive performance was Marco Melandri on the sole Hayate bike. The repainted Kawasaki machine is usually considered to be the worst bike on the grid, so it was amazing to see Melandri in seventh place, climbing all over Stoner and Vermeulen. Although Stoner was, as always, the leading Ducati rider, he was having terrible trouble with a vibrating front brake, and repeatedly ran wide as he tried to pass his fellow Aussie.

At the front, Valentino Rossi was not managing to pull away from his team-mate Lorenzo, with the surprisingly fast Honda of Dani Pedrosa staying in touch with the pair of blue Yamahas. Soon, the two Yamahas were fighting for the lead. Lorenzo passed Rossi, but the wily Italian cut back in tight to re-take first place. A few corners later, Lorenzo passed his team leader in a close but clean move into the downhill right-hander. Rossi was now just in front of Pedrosa, with the second Repsol Honda of Dovizioso also joining the fight. Casey Stoner was now up to speed, but was a few seconds behind the leaders in fifth place.

In the middle of the pack, the second Ducati was the Pramac machine of Mika Kallio. The Finnish rookie had started from 17th after highsiding on a cold tyre during the practise session that was used to determine grid positions. Now Kallio was scything through the field, heading for a top ten position.

With 8 laps to go, Dani Pedrosa was hustling Rossi for second place. Still recovering from surgery to his arm and knee, the tiny Spaniard was as determined as he has ever been, outbraking Rossi for probably the first time ever to grab second place, only to lose out as Rossi cut back inside him. Again, Pedrosa passed Rossi on the brakes, and again he ran slightly wide, letting The Doctor back through. On the next lap, Dani made a move stick at the same place where Lorenzo had passed Rossi. However, the reigning champion stayed right on Pedrosa's tail, pulling off a similar move to retake second place into the hairpin.

Andrea Dovizioso was now slowing, and falling back towards the wailing V4 Ducati of Stoner. With two laps left, Dovi ran a little wide and Stoner seized fourth position.

Jorge Lorenzo held his lead to the flag, taking a sensational victory for Yamaha, on Honda's own test track. Valentino Rossi had to accept second place behind his team-mate, while the injured Pedrosa took an excellent third place, even managing a brief smile in parc ferme. Stoner had to settle for fourth, with Dovizioso fifth and Marco Melandri in an outstanding sixth that left his Hayate team ecstatic. Capirossi took 7th, while Kallio took a stunning 8th place.

Lorenzo performed his usual victory celebration of strutting into a gravel trap and planting a Lorenzo's Land flag, but had to be pushed back to the pitlane when his bike stalled. A relay of marshals and officials took turns to shove the victor home. Jorge Lorenzo now leads the championship by one point from Valentino Rossi, with Casey Stoner just two points further back. From a poor start, the season has suddenly started to look interesting.

WSBK Assen: Spies and Haga Again

Ben Spies and Noriyuki Haga shared the victories at the Assen round of the World Superbike championship, with the first race being a real classic. Leon Haslam also impressed by taking two podiums on his privateer Honda.

Race One
Ben Spies made full use of his 4th pole position of the year to lead the field into the first corner on his factory Yamaha bike. Behind him were Max Neukirchner, Jakub Smrz, Noriyuki Haga and Leon Haslam. At the front, Spies and Neukirchner were starting to pull away as Smrz held up the rest of the field on his Guandalini Ducati.

Nori Haga quickly managed to squeeze his factory Xerox Ducati bike past the Czech privateer, but Leon Haslam would have to wait a little longer before he could overtake on his Stiggy Honda, by which time his rivals had pulled out a reasonable gap. Tom Sykes on the second factory Yamaha followed Haslam past Smrz when the Czech had a big slide.

Haslam had to work hard to catch up to Haga, who was in turn catching the leading pair. Setting fastest laps, the Englishman caught up to make it a group of four fighting for first place. Immediately he had a big scare when Max Neukirchner fell in the final chicane, the German's Suzuki righting itself and shooting back across the track, coming terrifyingly close to clouting Haslam.

Spies now had Haga to deal with. The Japanese rider's Ducati was blisteringly quick around the back of the track, and he constantly harried his American rival. Behind them, young Haslam had once again clawed his way back to the leading group. With Tom Sykes riding a lonely race in 4th position, the next battle was for 5th, with Michel Fabrizio's Xerox Ducati, Max Biaggi's Aprilia and Jonathan Rea's Hannspree Ten Kate Honda fighting it out.

With ten laps left, Spies made a small mistake, running just inches wide, but that was enough for Haga, riding crazily close behind as always. As the Japanese star snatched the lead, Haslam pulled alongside on the next straight and outbraked Spies to take 2nd place.

Haslam's rear tyre started to squirm around with around 4 laps to go, and Spies found his second wind. The three leaders were locked together with barely a bike length between each of them. On the next lap, Spies managed to pull alongside Haslam, but the Englishman refused to yield. The pair went around three corners side by side, almost leaning on each other, before Spies took the upper hand. It was a breathtaking display of control from both riders. The slightest mistake would have taken them both out in a shower of gravel and acrimony.

It looked like Haga must have the win sewn up, but Spies put in an incredible last lap. The Texan somehow shot past Haga to take the lead with a stunning pass in a fast right hander. With just one left hand corner before the final complex, Haga could do nothing to fight back. Ben Spies won the race to continue his astounding rookie season in WSBK, ahead of Haga and Haslam. It was a truly classic Assen battle.

Race Two
Ben Spies made another excellent start, but it was Noriyuki Haga who led the field around the first lap. Leon Haslam was first to the corner entry, but outbraked everybody including himself, dropping back to fourth. Spies only waited a few corners before passing Haga, and was pulling out a few bike lengths when he suddenly crashed on the second lap. He was unhurt, but his Yamaha tumbled right through a gravel trap and over the barrier.

Haga now had the lead back, with Max Neukirchner's Suzuki in second place and Leon Haslam in third. Michel Fabrizio was next up. The Italian took advantage of the fight between Haslam and Neukirchner to close up and pass Haslam for third. Shortly afterwards, Fabrizio rudely shoved Neukirchner wide, the hapless German running off the track, furious with the Ducati rider.

At the front, Nori Haga was now checking out, while Fabrizio, Haga and Smrz battled over the remaining podium spots. Fabrizio was having one of his randomly-selected good races, and was holding back the clearly faster bike of Haslam.

Nicking an idea from Ben Spies, Haslam shot past Fabrizio in the fast right hander towards the end of the lap. The first four positions then settled down, with the excitement coming from the battle for fifth, between Jonathan Rea and Tom Sykes. The pair swapped positions back and forth, with Rea eventually coming out on top.

Haga led easily across the line to take the victory and keep up his impressive title challenge. Haslam finished an excellent second, by far the best Honda rider. Third place was decided on the last lap, with Fabrizio missing a gear to let Jakub Smrz steal third place. Fabrizio celebrated fourth with a hilarious display of melodramatics as he cursed his misfortune.

It was not a classic race, especially compared to the fantastic first race of the day, but Haga used his new-found consistency to make himself the clear favourite to win the championship.

WSBK: Hopper Crocked in Assen Practise

Poor John Hopkins. He'll be rueing the day that those dollar signs popped up in his eyeballs when Kawasaki came a-calling. He spent a year falling off the slow green machine and hurting himself. Then the board of Kawasakisaurus Rex decided to ditch MotoGP racing due to the credit crunch, leaving Hopper without a ride. Finally, things started to go Hopper's way when he joined the Stiggy team in World Superbikes.

It seemed like the perfect match for Hopper. A nice, relaxed paddock filled with nutters, a great up and coming team with a very respectable bike, a race series that involves beaucoup overtaking, it was all going so well as the Anglo-American eased his way into the ways of World Supers.

Until he got to Assen. It's a track that seems to have something against Hopper. The MotoGP Kwaka threw him off at high speed in a terrifying crash, TV pictures showing him fly through the air and slam into a concrete wall, leaving him with nasty injuries for most of last season.

Now the partly legendary Dutch track (only the now-destroyed full circuit had full legend status) has bitten him again. On one of his first laps around the track on a superbike, he highsided, landed awkwardly on his feet, and trashed his leg again. The hip was dislocated, the joint cracked, and various muscles and tendons badly damaged. He'll probably be out for many weeks, if not months.

Sometimes life just isn't fair. Get well soon, Hopper.

MotoGP Motegi Qualifying Cancelled

With torrential Japanese rain and rivers flowing across the track, the qualifying session for the MotoGP race at Motegi was cancelled. The starting grid will be made up from practise times.

This comes after the season opener at Qatar was rained off and ended up happening the next day, with the huge change in track conditions almost certainly helping to turn the race into a typical 2007-style suckfest.

Is this coincidence, or karma? MotoGP has been sucking like a chain-smoker ever since the switch to 800cc engines. Pointless rule changes have ensured that the racing is abysmal, except for one fine day in California last year. Is MotoGP being punished? Or should I say, is Dorna being punished?

Even the weather gods think that Dorna is a laughing stock. Mother Nature is pointing at the Spanish company and laughing at their gross mismanagement of the MotoGP series.

The changeable conditions and lack of practise time will likely play into the hands of the very best riders, namely C. Stoner Esq and Signore V. Rossi. Will there be an exciting race at Motegi tomorrow? Fingers crossed.

MotoGP Qatar: Stoner Reigns In The Desert at Night

Casey Stoner made a perfect start to this year's MotoGP campaign, crushing the opposition at Qatar in one of his trademark lights-to-flag victories. The race took place 22 hours late, after the original running was cancelled just seconds before the parade lap due to torrential rain. Ironically, the real problem was not the flood water, but the floodlights that were illuminating this night race. The glare and reflections from the lighting make the track unrideable in wet weather. This was also the first race for the new control tyre rule, so all riders were on the mandatory Bridgestone rubber.

When the lights eventually went out, Stoner fired his Marlboro Ducati off the line to lead into turn one. Loris Capirossi was in second on the Rizla Suzuki, ahead of the FIAT Yamaha pair of Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo. The two team-mates battled around the first lap, with Lorenzo passing his team leader for third, only for Rossi to take the place back from the young Spaniard later in the lap. At the front, Stoner was looking ominously fast. His red Ducati was glistening under the artificial lights, and he was easily pulling away from Capirossi's powder blue Suzuki.

Marco Melandri had impressed in practise and qualifying on the Hayate Kawasaki, but his luck ran out as the field entered the first corner on lap 2. The Italian outbraked himself and ran off the track at high speed, but managed to stay onboard and set off after the disappearing tail enders.

Having dealt with his team-mate, Valentino Rossi quickly closed down the gap to his fellow Italian Capirossi, and passed the veteran on lap 3. Andrea Dovizioso took his Repsol Honda past Lorenzo for 4th position. Now Stoner was well in front, ahead of a four-way scrap between Rossi, Capirossi, Dovizioso and Lorenzo, with Rizla Suzuki rider Chris Vermeulen behind them in 6th, followed by Monster Energy Yamaha's Colin Edwards. The two ex-Superbike racers were fighting amongst themselves, with Edwards passing Vermeulen to take 6th position. Loris Capirossi could not maintain his early pace, and lost 3rd place to his much younger countryman Dovizioso.

Things started to get exciting on lap 7. Jorge Lorenzo outbraked Dovizioso to nick third place, the pair almost touching on the start finish straight. James Toseland on the second Monster Energy Yamaha then ran off the track at turn one, much the same way as Melandri had earlier. Loris Capirossi was struggling for pace, and with Colin Edwards breathing down his neck, the Italian slid off the track in a right-hander. What would be a fairly standard lowside crash was transformed into an amazing night-time spectacle, as the Suzuki scraped down the track throwing up a massive shower of sparks. Little Capirex was uninjured, and trudged away unaided.

At the front, Valentino Rossi had chipped away at Casey Stoner's lead, with the gap down to just 2 seconds...

Read the rest of my review of MotoGP's visit to Qatar at Motorbikesport.com

BSB Brands Indy: Wins for Guintoli and Camier

The British Superbike Championship season kicked off at the short Brands Hatch Indy circuit, with the wins shared between Frenchman Sylvain Guintoli and Englishman Leon Camier.

Guintoli is the sole rider for Worx Crescent Suzuki this year, and as an ex-MotoGP rider all eyes were on him to deliver a good performance. He got the race meeting off to a perfect start by taking pole position on his first visit to the track. HM Plant Honda's new Aussie rider Josh Brookes was unluckiest of all, denied entry to the UK by a pencil pusher who was heroically defending our borders from world-class motorcycle racers who have travelled the world for years without claiming asylum anywhere. Brookes was replaced at Brands by veteran Steve Plater, who would have to race in both the Superbike and Supersport classes.

Race One
Scotsman Stuart Easton took the lead on his Hydrex Honda as the field streamed into Paddock Hill bend for the first time. Behind him, his team mate Karl Harris was battling with Steve Plater, with HM Plant's legal Aussie Glen Richards 4th ahead of Guintoli and Airwaves Yamaha's Leon Camier.

The safety car soon appeared after a high speed crash at Clearways left Matt Bond lying in the track. He was badly battered but basically OK.

When the race restarted, Easton kept his lead, but Glen Richards passed his team mate Plater. A lap later, Richards pounced to take the lead, and Sylvain Guintoli was closing rapidly on Plater. Karl Harris was the first of the leaders to make a big mistake, sliding off the track and out of the race. Steve Plater was relishing the unexpected opportunity to race a superbike, and he overtook Easton on lap 11 to make it an HM Plant Honda one-two at the front. However, Guintoli and Camier were now breathing down Stuart Easton's neck as he tried to hold third place.

Steve Plater took the lead from Richards, totally ignoring the concept of a team pecking order in true wildcard style. With the laps clicking down at a crazy rate due to the very short 47 second lap time, the front group was turning into a five bike squabble. Guintoli was soon up to second, with Camier taking third. Then on lap 16 chaos suddenly reigned at Druids hairpin. Steve Plater fell off all on his own, and almost simultaneously just a few bike lengths behind him, Leon Camier ran off the track while battling with Richards.

There was now a lead group of three, with Guintoli leading from Richards and Easton, then a long gap back to Airwaves Yamaha's James Ellison in 4th. Ellison, another ex-MotoGP rider, lost out to his team-mate Camier with just over a lap to go.

Sylvain Guintoli's Suzuki squirmed around as he led the field round Clearways for the last time to take the chequered flag. It was a brilliant performance from the popular Frenchman as he won his first ever BSB race. Glen Richards took a decent second place, while Stuart Easton took an impressive podium finish, having raced on his spare bike and suffered tyre problems. Leon Camier was 4th, ahead of Ellison and Gary Mason, who was the first Cup class rider home on the Quay Garage Honda.

To read about race two, read my full report of the British Superbike Championship's Brands Hatch Indy meeting at Motorbikesport.com

MotoGP Qatar Race To Run On Monday

Well, the sheer idiocy of night racing has finally revealed itself. Qatar's floodlit MotoGP race was abandoned before the parade lap because more than 5 MegaWatts of light reflecting off the wet track surface would have dazzled the riders.

However, the race has been rescheduled to run on Monday at 9pm local time, which is 7pm British Summer Time. To watch in the UK, we'll have to press the red button on a BBC channel at 6.45pm BST, or watch live streaming on the BBC Sport website (available in UK only). It also appears that British Eurosport will be allowed to show the race live due to the circumstances, so fans of Tobe and Jules should be happy. Tune in to British Eurosport 2 at 6.45pm for their coverage.

BBC Shafts MotoGP Viewers Again

The BBC took a lot of flak from the punters about MotoGP at the end of last year, when it was announced that they would have exclusive coverage and British Eurosport would be out on their ears. They protested loudly, saying they were committed to MotoGP and would be doing a great job again.

But that was bullshit. Both the Qatar and Indianapolis races will be shown on the digital-only channel BBC Three, not the two main channels that everyone can receive.

It'll be interesting to see what excuses Belinda and pals concoct about this one.

Screw you, BBC.

WSBK Valencia: Nitro Nori Doubles

Noriyuki Haga took a double victory when the World Superbike circus visited Valencia, keeping up his championship challenge on the Xerox Ducati.

The Valencia track is far too tight and twisty for big, heavy Superbikes to race on. In fact, it's only really suited to tiny 125cc machines. However, if you have to choose a Superbike to race at Valencia, it would be a Ducati, whose grumbling V-twin engine is perfect for accelerating out of the Spanish track's slow corners.

Ben Spies had taken pole position on his Yamaha, but a qualifying lap and a race lap are two different animals. He would have three Ducatis alongside him on the front row.

Race One
The surprise leader into turn one was crazy Frenchman Regis Laconi, who won a 500cc Grand Prix here 10 years earlier. However, his satellite Ducati ran wide on the exit, letting Haga past. Suzuki rider Max Neukirchner popped up into 2nd place, and Troy Corser rose as high as 4th place before lowsiding out of the race from 5th a couple of laps in.

Ben Spies was a little ragged, but climbed to 4th after making a poor start, though he was being harried by the evergreen Yukio Kagayama. They were still in touch with the leaders, with Neukirchner briefly taking the lead before Haga snatched it back. Laconi kept watch in 3rd.

Nori Haga can be infuriatingly inconsistent, but when he has one of his good days, it becomes blindingly obvious why his suport is so fanatical. This was one of his good days. The Japanese star started stretching away from the following bikes, setting fastest laps as he went.

Haga's Xerox Ducati team-mate Michel Fabrizio is even more inconsistent, but he was working his way through the field, getting up to 4th place. This became 3rd when the shine came off Ben Spies' start to the season. The gangly Texan was pushing to stay with Neukirchner when he hopped off at the super-fast turn one. The bike was trashed, but Spies was straight on his feet, trudging disconsolately back to his garage after his first major mistake of the season.

Haga led over the line to take the victory on his Xerox Ducati. In 2nd place was his younger team-mate Fabrizio, just fractions ahead of Max Neukirchner's Suzuki. Regis Laconi's Ducati was right with them in 4th. Leon Haslam was by far the best Honda rider, taking his Stiggy machine to an excellent 5th place ahead of Kagayama's Suzuki, Tom Sykes on the second Yamaha Italia machine, and the Aprilia of Max Biaggi in 8th, recovering from a truly disastrous 18th position on the grid.

Race Two
Once again it was Regis Laconi's Ducati that took the lead into turn one, and once again he ran out wide, letting Neukirchner and Fabrizio past. Haga too passed the Frenchman, and Ben Spies overtook him on the second lap. Haga wasn't keen to sit looking at his team-mate's rear tyre, and outbraked the Italian a lap later. Almost immediately, Haga was on the back of Neukirchner.

Ben Spies was showing no ill effects from his race one tumble when he outbraked Michel Fabrizio into turn one to take 3rd place. He started to close on Haga in 2nd, but the Samurai of Slide managed to make a great exit from the last turn and slipstream alongside Neukirchner's missile-fast Suzuki on the start/finish straight, outbraking the German into turn one. The Japanese rider then proceeded to stretch out into the lead. Ben Spies stole 2nd place from Neukirchner in the twisty outfield, but the Texan simply couldn't match Haga's pace, and had to watch the Ducati gradually disappear into the distance.

Neukirchner was now falling back through the pack, his Suzuki better suited to fast tracks where it can stretch its legs. The German was soon losing 5th place to Leon Haslam, who was fastest Honda yet again. Ahead of him the fight for 3rd place was between two Ducatis, with Michel Fabrizio just holding off Regis Laconi.

Carlos Checa was running in 7th, and behind him was a four man battle for 8th. MotoGP refugee John Hopkins had the place on the second Stiggy bike, but was eaten up by the squabbling trio of Tom Sykes, Max Biaggi and Ryuichi Kiyonari. It was Sykes who blinked first, running wide and letting Biaggi and Kiyonari past. With the bickering bunch slowing each other down, Shane Byrne joined the back of this group on his Sterilgarda Ducati. The tiny Roman Emperor, Max Biaggi, took his tiny Aprilia V4 to the front of the mini freight train in 8th place, finishing ahead of Kiyonari, Sykes, Byrne and John Hopkins.

Nori Haga made it a double as he wheelied across the line, with Ben Spies 2nd and Michel Fabrizio bagging the last podium spot. Laconi took 4th, with Haslam in another great 5th place, top Honda rider once more, ahead of Checa and Neukirchner.

It was a great day for Haga, who stretched out a championship lead of 40 points over Spies. Just 11 points cover the next 5 championship positions from Neukirchner to Biaggi.