JOHN HOPKIN'S terrifying high-speed crash raised new safety questions about the fast left-hand Ramshoek corner, one of few remaining sections of the old track. The same corner had earlier accounted for Capirossi, putting him out of the race.Last year Toni Elias suffered a fractur...

THE CONTROVERSY of the plan to replace 250 two-strokes with 600cc four-strokes was a major talking point of the paddock, in anticipation of the next crucial GP Commission meeting at Assen.The probable outcome is the adoption of a generic engine

Ben Spies...ready for more in MotoGPBEN SPIES made a quick adaptation to riding a MotoGP bike in the rain, placing eight for a third-row start in the streaming qualifying session in his outing as substitute for the injured Loris Capirossi.The day before, in only his second time o...

leg and ankle fractures after slamming feet-first into the barrier.The Hopper started the season injured after crashing at Phillip Island tests, then hurt his back again crashing at Catalunya, although he kept riding.The Assen crash was expected

after Melandri's disastrous season with Ducati continued to deteriorate at Assen. While team-mate Stoner has been making hay, Melandri has completely failed to gel with the factory Marlboro Ducati Desmosedici, qualifying and finishing consistently

track: Phillip Island, which takes over from Assen (pole lap speed 112.79mph) as the fastest track of the year. Last year's Australian pole speed was 110.404mph.But not all modern tracks are Mickey Mouse. Brno remains vast and grand, giving the 990s a

, both in China and then Catalunya in Spain.At Assen, mid-point of the season, capricious fate gave Rossi another opportunity for greatness, with a gigantic ride from 11th on the grid to first at the flag. He could do this because after rain through

mistake in the race, you should lose time, but here and Assen and some other places you can just run off the track, kind of like the Superbikes were doing at Monza last week, and pull right back on in the middle of the racing line, or in the middle of a

. Most riders thought that physical injuries were self-regulating. As Randy Mamola said, among several examples he cited: “When Loris Capirossi was riding a Honda 500 for Sito Pons, he crashed and broke his hand in morning warm-up at Assen, and he raced

disproves that old standby: nice guys don't win championships. You won't find anybody in racing with a bad word about the Kentucky Gentleman. Or have I got the proverb wrong? Is it not: nice guys don't win races?Nicky only won two in 2006, one (Assen) when