Japan MotoGP 2016

Year: ALL

Fenati takes long awaited first career pole

10 October 2015 by Steve English

Fenati takes long awaited first career pole

Romano Fenati claimed his first career pole position at Motegi with the Italian almost two tenths of a second ahead of Miguel Oliviera. Fenati, who has won six Grand Prix, has always been known as a...

Rins quickest ahead of qualifying

10 October 2015 by Steve English

Rins quickest ahead of qualifying

Alex Rins laid down a marker to the Moto2 field ahead of qualifying by leading the way in final practice from Johann Zarco by almost four tenths of a second. The Spaniard set his time on his final lap...

Lorenzo and Iannone under lap record in FP3

10 October 2015 by Steve English

Lorenzo and Iannone under lap record in FP3

Jorge Lorenzo smashed the track record at Motegi with the Spaniard four tenths faster than the Ducati’s of Andrea Iannone and Andrea Dovizioso. Yesterday Valentino Rossi said that he was afraid that...

Antonelli continues to set Motegi pace

10 October 2015 by Steve English

Antonelli continues to set Motegi pace

Niccolo Antonelli continues to look in superb form at Motegi with the Italian setting a storming pace ahead of qualifying to lead the way by three tenths of as second from Brad Binder. The South...

Rossi looking for positives after opening day

10 October 2015 by Steve English

Rossi looking for positives after opening day

Eighth fastest while Jorge Lorenzo sets the pace illustrates how difficult this weekend, and winning a tenth world title, could be for Valentino Rossi but the Italian felt that there was positives to...

Hand injury not holding Marquez back

09 October 2015 by Steve English

Hand injury not holding Marquez back

Marc Marquez admitted that the pain in his left hand is making life somewhat difficult for him on track in Japan but brushed away any suggestion that it’s more than an inconvenience. The reigning...

Strong start for Pedrosa despite "complicated" bike

09 October 2015 by Steve English

Strong start for Pedrosa despite "complicated" bike

Dani Pedrosa said that after Aragon he received plenty of messages saying how impressive it was to see him battling aggressively with Valentino Rossi. It’s something that has been lacking with Pedrosa...

Lack of midcorner grip costing Kent

09 October 2015 by Steve English

Lack of midcorner grip costing Kent

A lack of turn-in cost Danny Kent on the opening day of practice at Motegi but the Moto3 championship leader wasn’t too concerned about it affecting the rest of his weekend. Having had such a strong...

Lorenzo tops opening day at Motegi

09 October 2015 by Steve English

Lorenzo tops opening day at Motegi

Jorge Lorenzo shrugged off concerns about his injured by dominating the opening day of practice in Japan with the Yamaha rider setting the pace ahead of Dani Pedrosa, Andrea Iannone and Andrea...

Zarco claims Moto2 world championship

09 October 2015 by Steve English

Zarco claims Moto2 world championship

Johann Zarco became the sixth French rider to win a Grand Prix world championship with the Ajo Motorsport rider claiming the intermediate class crown this morning following Tito Rabat’s withdrawal...

Lack of power in wrist causes Rabat to withdraw from Motegi

09 October 2015 by Steve English

Lack of power in wrist causes Rabat to withdraw from Motegi

Tito Rabat’s decision to withdraw from this weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix has handed the Moto2 title to Johann Zarco. The Spaniard fractured his wrist in the lead-up to this weekend’s race and after...

Luthi fastest, Rabat withdraws from Motegi

09 October 2015 by Steve English

Luthi fastest, Rabat withdraws from Motegi

Thomas Luthi was fastest in FP1 at Motegi with last year’s Moto2 winner showing strong pace to start this weekend. The Swiss rider was 0.012s faster than Johann Zarco with the duo comfortably quicker...

Lorenzo sets pace in opening practice

09 October 2015 by Steve English

Lorenzo sets pace in opening practice

First blood in Japan went to Jorge Lorenzo with the Spaniard setting the pace in FP1 ahead of Andrea Iannone with the championship leader, Valentino Rossi, four tenths off the pace of his teammate in...

Antonelli fastest in FP1, Kent fourth

09 October 2015 by Steve English

Antonelli fastest in FP1, Kent fourth

Niccolo Antonelli continues to impress in Moto3 with the Italian setting the pace in opening practice at Motegi. Ajo KTM teammates Miguel Oliviera and Brad Binder were second and third fastest ahead...

No major upgrades expected for Suzuki in 2015

09 October 2015 by Steve English

No major upgrades expected for Suzuki in 2015

The progress made early in the season by Suzuki placed somewhat unrealistic expectations on the returning Japanese manufacturer and with both Aleix Espargaro and Maverick Vinales having enjoyed plenty...

McPhee to continue with 2014 chassis

08 October 2015 by Steve English

McPhee to continue with 2014 chassis

John McPhee is hoping that a return to last year’s chassis will offer him a similar run of late season form to 12 months ago. At Aragon the Scot changed to running last year’s Honda frame and...

No major upgrades expected for Suzuki in 2015

08 October 2015 by Steve English

No major upgrades expected for Suzuki in 2015

The progress made early in the season by Suzuki placed somewhat unrealistic expectations on the returning Japanese manufacturer and with both Aleix Espargaro and Maverick Vinales having enjoyed plenty...

Lorenzo and Marquez downplay injuries

08 October 2015 by Steve English

Lorenzo and Marquez downplay injuries

Jorge Lorenzo and Marc Marquez are both walking wounded in Japan but both rider have said that they expect to be able to compete freely at Motegi. Last week both riders suffered injuries with title...

Crutchlow: We have to push the front so hard

08 October 2015 by Steve English

Crutchlow: We have to push the front so hard

Like the other Honda riders Cal Crutchlow has had a difficult year with the Englishman having strong results when the bike has been able to produce grip but struggling for much of the campaign. Motegi...

West to return to MotoGP grid at Philip Island

08 October 2015 by Steve English

West to return to MotoGP grid at Philip Island

Anthony West will make a return to the MotoGP grid for the first time since 2008 next weekend at Philip Island with the Australian in line to replace Karel Abraham. The Czech rider has elected to skip...

Eyewitness: Another Honda-Yamaha Suzuka showdown that ended in tears

07 October 2015 by Mat Oxley

Eyewitness: Another Honda-Yamaha Suzuka showdown that ended in tears

In July 1985 King Kenny Roberts came out of retirement to ride Yamaha’s first serious four-stroke race bike, the YZF750 Genesis. Partnered by Japanese ace Tadahiko Taira, the three-time 500 world...

Espargaro looking to build momentum

07 October 2015 by Steve English

Espargaro looking to build momentum

Pol Espargaro has had a disappointing year on the Tech3 Yamaha but with three races over three weekends the momentum of his season could shift rapidly with some strong results on the Asian swing of...

Smith focused on another strong result

07 October 2015 by Steve English

Smith focused on another strong result

With four races remaining in 2015 Bradley Smith is keen to hold onto his place in the top five of the MotoGP world championship. The Tech3 rider heads to Japan excited at the prospect of returning to...

Ducati hopeful of strong weekend

07 October 2015 by Steve English

Ducati hopeful of strong weekend

Andrea Dovizioso has struggled in recent races with a lack of feeling under braking but the Italian is confident that he can improve his fortunes this weekend at Motegi. The GP15 started the season as...

Video: Camping with Bradley Smith

07 October 2015 by Simon Patterson

Video: Camping with Bradley Smith

What happens when you take one of the UK’s top motorbike racers (who also happens to currently lie fifth in the MotoGP title chase) up a Scottish mountain, away from home comforts, proper toilets, and...

Lorenzo sprains shoulder in training accident

04 October 2015 by Simon Patterson

Lorenzo sprains shoulder in training accident

Spanish media are reporting that Jorge Lorenzo’s 2015 MotoGP title aspirations may have suffered a major blow, after the Movistar Yamaha rider sprained his left shoulder in a training accident ahead...

Bendsneyder to join Ajo-KTM in 2016

02 October 2015 by Steve English

Bendsneyder to join Ajo-KTM in 2016

Red Bull Rookies champion Bo Bendsneyder has been confirmed with Ajo-KTM for next year. The team also announced that Brad Binder will continue with the Finnish squad for a second year. For Bendneyder...

MotoGP switch confirmed for Rabat

01 October 2015 by Steve English

MotoGP switch confirmed for Rabat

One of the paddock’s worst kept secrets was confirmed today by Marc VDS with the team announcing that Tito Rabat will move into the premier class to ride a Honda RC213v. Rabat tested the bike on...

Watch, read, decide: the most controversial last-corner clash ever

01 October 2015 by MCN

Watch, read, decide: the most controversial last-corner clash ever

The race for the 1998 250 title was a three-way, in-house battle between Aprilia factory riders Loris Capirossi and Tetsuya Harada, with rookie Valentino Rossi looming like the future. Then came the...

Passion verses perfection

30 September 2015 by MCN

Passion verses perfection

Perfection versus passion. Exactitude versus adaptability. Lorenzo versus Rossi. What a surprising season this last of (almost) full factory bikes has turned out to be. ast Sunday’s Aragon GP brought...

Marquez undergoes operation for fractured hand

30 September 2015 by James Archibald

$Marquez undergoes operation for fractured hand$

Marc Marquez has undergone an operation this morning to treat a fracture to the fifth metacarpal of his left hand. The reigning MotoGP World Champion fractured his hand yesterday while training on his...

Redding: Tough race caps a difficult weekend

29 September 2015 by Steve English

Redding: Tough race caps a difficult weekend

A lack of feel from the rear high tyre temperatures left Scott Redding off the pace at Aragon and only able to finish 12th. The Marc VDS rider had battled with the Pramac Ducati of Yonny Hernandez in...

Miller: I was happy with about 90% of our race

29 September 2015 by Steve English

Miller: I was happy with about 90% of our race

Jack Miller finished outside the points at Aragon with the Australian finishing 19th after falling off the back of the scrap for the final points scoring positions in the closing stages of the...

Mistake leads to frustrating day for Smith at Aragon

29 September 2015 by Steve English

Mistake leads to frustrating day for Smith at Aragon

A mistake under braking cost Bradley Smith one second in the middle of the race and ultimately cost him any chance of finishing fifth at Aragon. Falling to the back of the second group Smith had to...

Gearbox woes cost Espargaro dearly in Aragon

29 September 2015 by Steve English

Gearbox woes cost Espargaro dearly in Aragon

Pol Espargaro may have finished ninth on Sunday but his Aragon Grand Prix was a positive step in the right direction. The Spaniard, who had a strong qualifying session and ran in at the front of the...

Lack of grip holding Crutchlow back

28 September 2015 by Steve English

Lack of grip holding Crutchlow back

A lack of grip left Cal Crutchlow seventh in Aragon and unable to challenge for a top five place after struggling to drive out of corners to be able to attack Andrea Dovizioso and Aleix...