FB Corse’s FB01 MotoGP bike will finally see a race track. FB Corse has confirmed that they will be testing at Valencia’s Ricardo Torno circuit March 15-17 with Garry McCoy, who will have to prove the competitiveness of the new three-cylinder 800cc bike.

After two days of private testing, an IRTA delegate and Dorna’s Safety Commission delegate Franco Uncini will then officially “time test” McCoy’s lap times to see if he can get the FB01 within 3 seconds of the last qualifying rider from last year’s Valencia QP practice (Chris Vermeulen - 1′34.537) and therefore receive permission for the team to compete in this year’s MotoGP season.

Continue reading: FB Corse to Test at Valencia

According to the FIM MotoGP rulebook, even riders for new teams are not allowed to test outside the official testing calendar decided by IRTA, and this was a big hurdle for FB Corse, who has yet to turn a wheel of their 3 cylinder bike designed by Oral engineer Mauro Forghieri, on a race track.

It was believed that Luca Cadalora would be giving the FB01 its first shakedown, however FB Corse after long talks with Dorna and the FIM, has received a waiver on this rule which will allow team rider Garry McCoy to put the bike on track.

The waiver is valid till the 28th of February, after which the team will have to fall back on Cadalora to bring the new machine up to a minimum of racing standards, and allow Dorna to judge, stopwatch in hand, if the bike can be safely and be competitive enough on track to test in the official Qatar tests that take place March.

Source | mediaset

Continue reading: MotoGP: FB Corse gets Waiver, McCoy to Test

You saw the pics of the FB Corse team launch last week that took place at the Virgin Radio station (who is also one of the team’s sponsors) and here’s a video that shows us a little more close-up detail of this three cylinder motorcycle, which will debut, if everything goes according to plans, at the MotoGP test in Qatar with Garry McCoy.

Source | dailymotos

Continue reading: FB Corse Launch Video

Today’s FB Corse official team presentation in Milan has clarified some questions surrounding this Italian team.

FB Corse’s three cylinder bike designed and built by Oral Engineering will have a racing budget of 5 million euros that will have to last the entire 18 race season.

FB Corse hasn’t been officially accepted in the MotoGP 2010 Championship, but according to the team this is only formality, but the bike will have to undergo approval by Dorna. The final test should be at Valencia and the rider will have to lap no more that 3 seconds from the last qualifier during the 2009 Valencia GP.

The lap time sounds feasible, but once the team is accepted, McCoy will be subjected to the regulations that prohibit any MotoGP rider testing outside the official tests and on MotoGP race tracks, unless the team gets a special dispensation to test as this year’s rookies did.

The greatest problem facing the FB01 is that it’s never been on a race track and has only been on dynos, but the first test should be towards the end of this month with Luca Cadalora and that leaves only one month of very intense work before the season opener in Qatar April 11th.

Source | fbcorse and motociclismo.it

Continue reading: More from FB Corse Team Launch

After the John Hopkins saga, the postponement of the official team launch, the last minute hiring of Garry McCoy, FB Corse have finally presented their 3 cylinder bike, livery and all, that will be debuting in MotoGP this year and here’s the first pic of FB Corse’s FB01 that was presented this afternoon in the studios of Virgin Radio in Milan.

More news as we get it, so stay tuned.

Source | virginradio.it

Continue reading: FB Corse FB01 Team Launch- First Pic

Garry McCoy who was recently axed from Triumph’s World Supersport effort has already found a new ride in record time. The Aussie rider was called to Italy on Friday by FB Corse, who was jilted by John Hopkins who preferred the AMA scene, has already signed up with the Italian team.

McCoy visited the Modena factory and had a first look at the new MotoGP 3 cylinder bike and has already started talking shop with FB and Oral’s engineers and has happily accepted to develop and debut the 34100 in MotoGP this year.

Translated Press Release:

Garry McCoy will be the man called on to debut on track our MotoGP bike, which has now been formally re-named as FB01.

In record time and thanks to the incredible willingness between the parties (after checking the reciprocal goals that match perfectly) the 37 year old, who’s been a rider in all the major championships (Supersport, Superbike, 125cc, 500cc and MotoGP) had decide to compete in 2010 with FB Corse. The contract forsees a full participation the the MotoGP World Championship riding the Italian three cylinder 800cc.

Continue reading: Garry McCoy with FB Corse: It's Official

Pull out your hankerchiefs, because FB Corse has issued another press release, this time stating all their bitterness towards the Hopkins saga, which reads like an Italian melodrama.

Less than two weeks ago FB Corse in a press release complained of how the foreign press was spreading “partially incorrect and conflicting information” and confirming that “ “John just can’t wait to to get to know and test the three cylinder bike, more than any other bike from a smaller championship” has to now acknowledge that Hopkins has decided to stay in the States and race in the AMA.

FB Corse is still also stating that they intend to race the entire 2010 MotoGP season with their three-cylinder motorcycle and talking to motocorse.com said that they are not listed in the recent provisional MotoGP list due to bureaucratic reasons, because Dorna and FIM want to see the results of their test results before deciding if the bike is competitive and entering their name on the list.

FB Corse insists that next month’s Milan launch (February 11th at Virgin Radio Station) will go ahead as planned and that they have chosen a new rider and according to Australian website Motonline and Italy’s Gpone, the new rider will be Garry McCoy, who was recently ousted from his Triumph Supersport World ride in favour of Jason DiSalvo.

Translated FB Corse press release after the jump.

Continue reading: FB Corse talks Hopkins and finds a new rider

Casey Stoner’s sliding at Phillip Island GP just blew everyone over and brought back some exciting and fond memories and we’ve decided to list our top ten slides with the relative videos. We hope that you’ll enjoy watching them again, just like we did.

1. Garry McCoy and his smokin’ tires earned him the title of the King of Slide, because he likes racing sideways.
2. Marco ‘Macio’ Melandri almost quit racing after the 2008 season in Ducati, but he just had to look at his one handed slide to be reminded just how good he is.
3. Chris Vermeulen, because we still in the hell don’t know how he did that one.
4. Casey Stoner, at this year’s Australian GP, where we almost forget that he was riding a 800cc bike.
5. Ryuichi Kiyonari, awed English fans during a very wet Superpole at Donington Park.
6. Ben Spies, was doing it in the States before he became an international racing star.
7. Valentino Rossi, the MotoGP czar used to do power slides just to thrill his numerous fans.
8. Nicky Hayden, the Kentucky Kid put his Honda through the move at the Brickyard.
9. Sete Gibernau, was another of those 1000cc riders that liked to slide.
10. Noriyuki Haga, isn’t known as the Samurai of Slide for nothing.

Continue reading: Ten Best MotoGP and Superbike Slides

We hope Garry McCoy will forgive us, if after viewing this video of Casey Stoner who won yesterday’s Australian GP at Phillip Island, if we say that there’s another Aussie that can take the name of Slide King.

Check out that power drift! Awesome!

Continue reading: Casey Stoner Video - The New Slide King

From the MotoGP documentary movie Faster, the sensational Sultan of Slide, Garry McCoy.
Don’t you guys just miss seeing smoking tires?

Continue reading: Garry McCoy in Faster

Garry McCoy may be known as the Sultan of Slide, Nicky Hayden loves to lower the TC on his bike and power drift, Ryuichi Kiyonari strutted his stuff in the wet at Donington Park this year, but check out Bill Wagner from Freestyle Supermoto crew at the Sachsenring with an Aprilia 550. This guy lives sideways.

Thanks to mwinani for the tip.

Continue reading: Driftin' the Time Away

Garry McCoy will be returning to the championship after his heavy crash and, riding with the Triumph Italia BE1 team at Portimao. The Australian rider is very well-known for his aggressive riding style.

Team Manager Giuliano Rovelli has said they’ll be trying three motorbikes at Portimao: ” Our goal is to line up three motorbikes at Portimao where we feel confident to have the chance to grab a very good result. I’m really glad to have Garry with us, on a new track where all the teams have no point of reference. Garry’s big experience will be really helpful to carry on our growth.”

Garry McCoy is also happy to have the opportunity to ride for the Triumph Italia BE1 racing bikes. He likes the bike and he believes the Daytona 675 has a big potential, he said: “after the testing session at Mugello, I think that was we could finish in the top five. The test was useful in order to get a feedback about my physical conditions. No problems at all, except a light pain at one rib when I change direction quickly, but I think I’ll be ok within fifteen days at Portimao.”

Source | triumph BE1

Continue reading: Garry McCoy returns in Portimao