Qatar MotoGP 2016

No more testing, the 2016 MotoGP championship finally gets underway at the 3.3 mile floodlit Losail circuit, with all signs pointing towards reigning champ Jorge Lorenzo as the man to beat.

The factory Yamaha rider set an incredible 11 laps under the lap records over the winter, while his team-mate and rival Valentino Rossi only managed one.

Will Marquez finally click with the new Honda, control ECU and Michelin tyres, or will he just be an occasional annoyance for the title contenders? And let's not forget th surprise of winter testing - wunderkid Maverick Vinales, who pushed Lorenzo all the way in testing in just his second year on the Suzuki.

Year: ALL

Mugello MotoGP: Cal Crutchlow fourth in qualifying after crash

01 June 2013 by Matthew Birt

British rider Cal Crutchlow will start tomorrow’s Mugello MotoGP race from fourth on the grid after he bounced back from a heavy qualifying crash to just miss out on a second front row start in...

Mugello MotoGP: Redding takes second pole of season

01 June 2013 by Liam Marsden

Moto2 championship leader Scott Redding took his second pole position of the season – the only Moto2 rider to do so in 2013 – at the Mugello circuit today. The Marc VDS rider, from Gloucestershire,...

Mugello MotoGP: Pedrosa snatches pole

01 June 2013 by Liam Marsden

Repsol Honda rider Dani Pedrosa will start tomorrow’s MotoGP race from pole position after snatching it at the very end of the final qualifying session. Perosa stole pole position from reigning...

Mugello MotoGP: Folger to start from pole position

01 June 2013 by Liam Marsden

Mapfre Aspar rider Jonas Folger will start tomorrow’s Moto3 race from pole position after setting a fastest lap of 1’57.603 in qualifying. Team Calvo’s Maverick Vinales will start from second on the...

Struggling Ben Spies to withdraw from Mugello race?

31 May 2013 by Matthew Birt

Injury-hit Ben Spies has admitted withdrawing from Sunday’s Italian MotoGP race on Sunday is an option under consideration after he endured a tough return to action in Mugello. The Ignite Ducati rider...

Valentino Rossi anticipating Honda charge

31 May 2013 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi expects Honda rivals Dani Pedrosa and Marc Marquez to pose a bigger threat for the remainder of the Italian MotoGP weekend after Yamaha dominated the opening day of practice in...

Bradley Smith: ‘I was lucky to walk away’

31 May 2013 by Matthew Birt

British rider Bradley Smith admitted he was lucky to emerge from a high speed practice crash in Mugello today with only a nasty wound to his left little finger and a small fracture in his left...

Mugello MotoGP: Crutchlow sets third fastest practice time

31 May 2013 by Matthew Birt

Cal Crutchlow’s brilliant form in the 2013 MotoGP world championship continued in Mugello when he starred in a Yamaha clean sweep of the top three after today’s two opening practice sessions. The...

Cal Crutchlow threatens to quit Tech 3 over Espargaro deal

30 May 2013 by Matthew Birt

Cal Crutchlow’s frustration with Yamaha’s long-running pursuit of Spanish Moto2 rider Pol Espargaro could see him quit the satellite Monster-backed Tech 3 squad at the end of 2013. The British rider...

Ben Spies: ‘I hope the problems are over’

30 May 2013 by Matthew Birt

Ignite Ducati rider Ben Spies will make his return to MotoGP action in Mugello this weekend hoping that his long-standing injury problems are behind him. The Texan missed the last two races in Jerez...

Scott Redding: ‘I need to keep pounding the pressure on’

30 May 2013 by Matthew Birt

Scott Redding says it will be vital for him to keep piling the pressure on his Moto2 rivals when his quest to extend his world championship lead continues at the spectacular Mugello track in Italy...

Exclusive Pics: Randy de Puniet tests Suzuki MotoGP bike

24 May 2013 by Matthew Birt

These are the first pictures of French rider Randy de Puniet making his debut on Suzuki’s new 1000cc MotoGP project at the Twin Ring Motegi track in Japan this week. The current Aspar Aprilia rider...

Can Valentino Rossi rediscover winning touch in Mugello?

24 May 2013 by Matthew Birt

There was once a time when the MotoGP field would arrive in Mugello wondering who was going to finish second behind home favourite Valentino Rossi. The hugely popular Rossi was unbeatable on home soil...

Bridgestone: No fault with Jorge Lorenzo’s Le Mans tyre

21 May 2013 by Matthew Birt

Bridgestone has confirmed that a thorough examination of the rear rain tyre used by reigning world champion Jorge Lorenzo in Sunday’s French MotoGP race showed up no defect. Lorenzo suffered a...

Le Mans MotoGP Dashboard

21 May 2013

It was all chance this weekend in Le Mans, with the satellite bike of Cal Crutchlow beating the factories, the Ducatis running at the front, and Jorge Lorenzo slumping to a measly seventh. Here’s all...

Cal Crutchlow savours career best second in France

20 May 2013 by Matthew Birt

Cal Crutchlow’s fantastic start to the 2013 MotoGP world championship continued in Le Mans yesterday when the British rider stormed to a career best second position. Riding with a badly swollen right...

Valentino Rossi rues blowing podium chance in France

20 May 2013 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi saw his bid for a second rostrum finish of 2013 slip away in a rain-hit Le Mans MotoGP race after the Italian crashed out while lying in fourth position. The 34-year-old was trying to...

Jorge Lorenzo deflated after slump to seventh

20 May 2013 by Matthew Birt

Jorge Lorenzo suffered his worst finish in the MotoGP world championship since the final race of his rookie season in 2008 after the reigning world champion slumped from second to seventh in Le...

Andrea Dovizioso thrilled with podium challenge

20 May 2013 by Matthew Birt

Andrea Dovizioso capitalised on Ducati’s preference for wet conditions to mount a podium challenge until the penultimate lap of a rain-hit French MotoGP race in Le Mans yesterday. The Italian led for...

Scott Redding targets more wins after Le Mans triumph

20 May 2013 by Matthew Birt

Scott Redding is hoping his priceless maiden victory in yesterday’s French Moto2 race in Le Mans will inspire him to more success in the 2013 world championship. Winless since his historic victory in...

Le Mans MotoGP: Pedrosa takes wet win, Cal second!

19 May 2013 by Simon Patterson

Dani Pedrosa took his second win of 2013 in wet conditions at Le Mans, ahead of Cal Crutchlow taking his best ever MotoGP finish and rookie Marc Marquez, as mechanical problems relegated Jorge Lorenzo to 7th. Andrea Dovisioso was the surprise leader off the line, making the most of his unexpected front row start to lead from Lorenzo and Pedrosa, before he passed his fellow spaniard to take second...

Le Mans Moto2: Redding takes first win!

19 May 2013 by Simon Patterson

Scott Redding finally broke his duck to take victory in his first Moto2 race at Le Mans today, 20 years to the day since Alan Carter’s win in the same class at the French track. Takaai Nakagami took an early lead after a brilliant start from pole, but soon lost the lead to Pol Espagaro. However, he couldn’t get away from the Japanese racer, who soon retook the lead as Esteve Rabat joined the...

Le Mans Moto3: Vinales takes commanding win with return to old form

19 May 2013 by Simon Patterson

Maverick Vinales showed his old form today at Le Mans, taking a mid distance lead then making fast lap after fast lap to break his opposition and win easily over Alex Rins and Luis Salom. A good start from the second row allowed Luis Salom and Alex Rins to move forwards to battle with the leaders early on. Johann Folger was initially able to lead, before pole man Vinales took over, leaving Folger...

Le Mans MotoGP: Marquez takes pole as Dovi storms to front row

18 May 2013 by Simon Patterson

Marc Marquez stormed to his second pole position of his career, in only his fourth MotoGP race, ahead of Spanish championship rival Jorge Lorenzo. Marquez just pipped the reigning world champion,...

Le Mans Moto3: Vinales continues form to take pole

18 May 2013 by Simon Patterson

Maverick Vinales has continued the run of form that saw him take hisfirst win of the season at Jerez two weeks ago to finish qualifying top of the time sheets at Le Mans. Blitzing the fastest time...

Scott Redding dominates Le Mans practice

17 May 2013 by Matthew Birt

British rider Scott Redding’s stunning start to the 2013 world championship campaign continued in Le Mans today when the Marc VDS Racing rider dominated the opening day of Moto2 practice. Redding had...

Dani Pedrosa takes charge in Le Mans practice

17 May 2013 by Matthew Birt

Boosted by his first win of 2013 in Jerez earlier this month, Dani Pedrosa continued his impressive run of form in France today to top the opening day of practice at the historic Le Mans track. A best lap of 1.34.035 put the Repsol Honda rider just 0.134s clear of world championship leader and teammate Marc Marquez in cool but dry conditions ahead of the fourth round of the 2013 campaign. Pedrosa...