Again we are hearing rumors. This time the subject of the whispered voices was not some new secret motorcycle model or a world-renowned racing celebrity changing race teams. No, this idle chat concerns the owners of the entire MotoGP World Championship series, Dorna, and their owners, London-based investment group Bridgepoint Capital. Apparently, MotoGP is up for sale and it may actually go through in early 2011.
Bridgepoint Capital previously picked up Dorna from another investment company, CVC, for what seems like a paltry €450 million (~US$591 million at the current exchange rate, which has fallen some in recent years). CVC would not miss MotoGP as they now own the Formula 1 Championship. Investment firms are … More
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Ducati team boss Vittoriano Guareschi says there is no intention to turn the squad’s bike ‘into a Yamaha’ despite the arrival of Valentino Rossi and his crew.
Guareschi acknowledged that Ducati was keen to benefit from Rossi and his crew chief Jerry Burgess’ title-winning experience, but said so far the indications were … More
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Humbled during the post-Rossi era, is Honda finally poised to reclaim their position of dominance in MotoGP?
For a two decade run there might have been no more overpowering force in the world of motorsport than the Honda Motor Corporation. Driven to succeed due in large part thanks to Soichiro Honda’s racing background, and with virtually unrivaled engineering know-how, it didn’t matter if it was Formula 1, American open-wheel cars, Superbikes, or Grand Prix machines, Honda seemed capable of not only winning practically any series they desired, but humiliating the opposition along the way.
During the late ’80s and early ’90s Honda-powered cars claimed six straights F1 titles … More
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