• Tools:
• Save |
• Print |
• E-mail |
• Most Popular |

Ilmor team ready for MotoGP debut

Adjust font size:

LONDON, England -- Former Formula One engine designer Mario Illien's new MotoGP team will debut at next week's Portuguese Grand Prix, with Australian rider Garry McCoy entered as a wild card.

The Ilmor team said they had completed a successful test in Jerez this week with the 800cc machine and had made final adjustments for the season's penultimate round at Estoril.

"The bike was impressive although we are still in shakedown mode," said McCoy.

The Australian was a 500cc winner with Red Bull Yamaha in Portugal and Valencia in 2000, and will compete at both circuits in the last two races of the year.

"It's such an exciting project and I'm glad Mario has asked me to race for the team. I'm keen to get amongst the MotoGP guys again," he added.

"Even though we have tested well so far, I'm not placing big expectations on the first two races, the established teams have 20 percent more engine performance because they are still running to the current rules."

MotoGP's rules are changing next season, with the maximum engine capacity reduced from 990cc to 800.

Swiss-born Illien designed Formula One championship winning engines for McLaren in 1998 and 1999.

The company's engines have also won the Indy 500 on 11 occasions.

After a takeover by Mercedes, who also own 40 percent of McLaren, Illien bought out the special projects side of the business to found a new Ilmor last year.

Get up-to-the minute news from CNN CNN.com gives you the latest stories and video from the around the world, with in-depth coverage of U.S. news, politics, entertainment, health, crime, tech and more.

---

• Brittany Murphy autopsy conducted Monday
• Asian tsunami survivor still rebuilding life
• Opinion: Hollywood security trumps Pentagon
• Pregnant soldiers could face courts-martial
• Philippines volcano to explode 'within days'

• Irish PM to quit over payments scandal
• NATO chief: Afghan troop increase likely
• Militants hunted as calm retuns to Basra
• Pressure on Bush to skip Olympics
• BA sending misplaced T5 baggage to Milan

• Recruiting suicide bombers (2:50)
• London was lucky (2:36)
• Cars in London rigged as bombs (3:48)
• Second explosives-packed car foun (2:32)
• Soviet culture returns (3:47)