2018

Tom Sykes has given a glowing review of his maiden test on the new BMW S1000RR with the SMR BMW squad as he heads into 2019 ready for a fresh start in the World Superbike championship.

The new-look factory BMW Motorrad World Superbike squad, run by Shaun Muir Racing, has made its test debut at Almeria with the new S1000RR as it begins its preparations for the 2019 campaign with Tom Sykes and Markus Reiterberger.

Title sponsor and technical partner to the multi-championship winning Mercedes F1 team, Petronas is moving into MotoGP for 2019 via backing of the new Sepang Yamaha project.

Pierre Gasly is relishing the opportunity to go head-to-head with Max Verstappen as Red Bull Formula 1 teammates in 2018, believing it is a "great opportunity" to display his potential.

Ferrari F1 sporting director Massimo Rivola has been hired as CEO of Aprilia Racing, starting his new job on January 7. Rivola, 47, described as a motorcycle and Aprilia brand enthusiast, has spent 21 seasons in Formula One.

Repsol Honda pulled off the biggest upset of the 2018 MotoGP silly season by reaching an agreement with Jorge Lorenzo, just before his breakthrough debut Ducati victory.

Audi has retained all six drivers in its DTM line-up for the 2019 season, keeping them in their current teams.

- Lewis Hamilton has conceded he used the "wrong words" when he described his hometown of Stevenage as "slums" during his BBC Sports Personality of the Year award nomination speech, saying he "didn't mean anything by it" (

Silverstone has responded to a report suggesting it has offered Formula 1's commercial rights holder, Liberty Media, all of its profits from hosting the British Grand Prix in order to keep the race beyond 2019 as "pure fiction."

Alexander Albon has confirmed he took inspiration from nine-time motorcycle world champion Valentino Rossi when it came to choosing his permanent number in Formula 1, but felt he could not "replace" The Doctor by selecting his famous #46.

Fabio Quartararo was the most surprising of the four 2019 MotoGP rookie signings. The young Frenchman had gone almost two and a half years without a podium when he snatched a shock debut victory, for Speed Up in the Moto2 class, at Catalunya in June.

The Laguna Seca round has returned to the World Superbike championship calendar for 2019 after initially dropping off the plan.

Former MotoGP points scorer Claudio Corti will make his Bennetts British Superbike Championship debut in 2019 as he rejoins forces with GR Motorsport, who continue its long-standing partnership with WD-40 as title sponsor.

Nicolas Goubert, executive director of the new FIM MotoE World Cup, has pledged that the new electric bike class will be able to race flat-out from start to finish during its inaugural 2019 season.

Alexander Albon has selected 23 as his permanent Formula 1 race number ahead of his debut in 2019 with Toro Rosso.

Ferrari has announced it will open a special exhibition dedicated to Michael Schumacher at its museum in January to mark the seven-time Formula 1 world champion's 50th birthday.

McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown has called on Formula 1 bosses to get the sport reset "as quickly as possible" by introducing a budget cap for 2021 instead of using a glide path that would reduce costs gradually over a number of years.

“If Marc loses to Lorenzo, it’s a win-win” claims MotoGP legend Mick Doohan - MotoGP.com .

Mercedes Formula 1 chief Toto Wolff has said the team has not lost any trust in Valtteri Bottas despite his winless 2018 campaign, but confirmed Esteban Ocon is in contention for a seat in 2020.

Dean Hipwell will step up to the Bennetts British Superbike Championship in 2019 with CDH Racing after previously competing in both the Supersport and Superstock support series.

Turn 6 at Jerez, home of the Spanish MotoGP, is to be renamed in honour of the newly retired Dani Pedrosa.

Dani Pedrosa has taken issue with comments by former personal and team manager Alberto Puig, which seemed to question his desire to be a MotoGP champion.

Racing Point has become the second Formula 1 team to confirm the launch date for its 2019 car after announcing it will unveil next year's challenger at the Canadian International AutoShow in Toronto on February 13.

- Ex-Force India Formula 1 driver Esteban Ocon believes long-running rival Charles Leclerc will be able to contend for the championship in 2019 during his first year with Ferrari ( racefans.net )