Peter McLaren

Peter McLaren's picture

Peter McLaren

MotoGP Editor

Peter has worked for Crash.net for almost 20-years, helping set up the website’s two-wheel coverage during the gap year of an Automotive (Mechanical) Engineering degree, then re-joining the company following the completion of his studies.

During his time covering MotoGP, Peter has seen 500cc two-strokes morph into 990cc, 800cc and now 1000cc four-strokes, followed the entire premier-class careers of Valentino Rossi, Casey Stoner, Dani Pedrosa and Jorge Lorenzo and watched the current generation of world champions Marc Marquez, Joan Mir and Fabio Quartararo emerge.

Peter’s academic background means he is particularly interested in the technical side of the sport, interviewing MotoGP’s engineering masterminds from Yamaha’s Masao Furusawa to Ducati’s Gigi Dall’Igna,

A chat with test rider Michele Pirro at the 2017 Sepang Shakedown test saw the term ‘salad box’ enter the MotoGP vocabulary while aerodynamics, electronics, ride height and holeshot devices are among the other technical topics to have captured Peter’s interest.

Memorable trackside moments include following the twists and turns of a thrilling but controversial 2015 season between Valentino Rossi, Marc Marquez and Jorge Lorenzo around the globe, plus Casey Stoner’s return to a Ducati MotoGP bike as a test rider and interviewing Nicky Hayden minutes after his final race win, in the WorldSBK class.

Standing on the inside of Stoner corner at Phillip Island, along the fearsome home straight at Mugello and Turn 3 at Sepang rank as Peter’s top MotoGP viewing picks, while a pillion ride around Silverstone with Neil Hodgson gave a first-hand insight into the extraordinary talents of world championship riders.

Peter’s own two-wheel adventures started with local BMX racing from the age of 5. Motocross and enduro bikes followed and, despite a terrible sense of direction, holiday time is often spent riding through the jungles of SE Asia.

Articles by Peter McLaren
MotoGP

Aleix Espargaro is backing friend and countryman Jorge Martin to provide a title challenge to reigning MotoGP champion Francesco Bagnaia, depending on ‘how Ducati manage this’.

MotoGP

How the MotoGP grid is shaping up for 2024 and beyond, including the published contract situation for each rider.

MotoGP

Pol Espargaro is well aware that Pedro Acosta’s MotoGP move means KTM now has more riders than seats for 2024.

MotoGP

Aleix Espargaro has been given the Suzuki GSX-RR he rode during the 2016 MotoGP season.

MotoGP

While most riders were grateful for the start of the MotoGP summer break, an early exit in Assen left Jack Miller wishing it was four races in a row.

MotoGP

One of the few positive signs for Yamaha in MotoGP so far this season has been the improved form of Franco Morbidelli.

MotoGP

Raul Fernandez and Aleix Espargaro fear downforce and dirty air prevents overtaking in MotoGP, leading to ‘boring’ races. Statistics show only one race win by a rider outside the top three after the opening lap.

MotoGP

The full line-up of MotoGP stars past and present tackling the famous Hillclimb at next weekend’s Goodwood Festival of Speed (July 13-16th) is as follows:

MotoGP

Pol Espargaro contemplated retirement during some of the darkest moments following his Portimao MotoGP accident but is now focused on a comeback and believes “I still have some speed to show”.

MotoGP

Marc Marquez may have been forced to withdraw from the Dutch MotoGP but is adamant it was not a mistake to attempt the Assen event.

MotoGP

World Superbike champion Alvaro Bautista continues to play down the prospect of making a Troy Bayliss-style return to MotoGP at the end of this season.

MotoGP

Franco Morbidelli insists he’s “not daunted” by seeing Yamaha lying fifth and last in the current MotoGP Constructors’ standings.

Moto2

Having spent seven years on Dunlops in Moto3 and Moto2 before switching to Pirelli in World Supersport and now World Superbike, Philipp Oettl is well placed to describe the tyre change facing the smaller grand prix classes next season.

MotoGP

Aleix Espargaro doesn’t want Aprilia to be sucked back into MotoGP technical Concessions but is also ‘not against’ the rumoured changes to help struggling manufacturers Honda and Yamaha.

British Superbikes

2014 Moto2 world champion and former MotoGP rider Tito Rabat will join the McAMS Yamaha team for this weekend’s fifth round of the 2023 Bennetts British Superbike Championship at Snetterton.

MotoGP

One year ago, Fabio Quartararo and Yamaha went into the MotoGP summer break leading the world championship with three wins and six podiums.

MotoGP

While stressing that it didn’t happen overnight, Alberto Puig cites the Covid pandemic and Marc Marquez’s arm injuries as the main ‘coincidences’ behind Honda’s ‘downhill’ MotoGP fortunes.

MotoGP

Red Bull KTM has confirmed that its MotoGP race winner Brad Binder and factory test rider Mika Kallio will steer the RC16 up the famous Goodwood hill on July 13-16.

World Superbikes

Having conquered Donington Park for the first time as a World Superbike rider, courtesy of victories in both main races, Alvaro Bautista will now try to tick Imola off his win list later this month.

World Superbikes

Alex Lowes felt he rode well for a trio of sixth places at his home Donington Park World Superbike round as the ‘Kawasaki characteristic’ left him in a spin.

World Superbikes

Alvaro Bautista emerged from his and Ducati’s worst circuit on the current World Superbike calendar with two wins and a second place at Donington Park, increasing his title lead to a mighty 93 points.

World Superbikes

Danilo Petrucci can now add World Superbike podium finisher alongside accolades such as double MotoGP race winner, Dakar stage victor and MotoAmerica title runner-up.

World Superbikes

Race 2 results for round six of the 2023 World Superbike championship at Donington Park in Great Britain.

World Superbikes

Superpole Race results for round six of the 2023 World Superbike championship at Donington Park in Great Britain.

World Superbikes

Warm-up results for round six of the 2023 World Superbike championship at Donington Park in Great Britain.