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

Jorge Lorenzo’s boss praises ‘incredible’ Marc Marquez

24 April 2013 by Matthew Birt

Jorge Lorenzo’s factory Yamaha boss Wilco Zeelenberg has praised Spanish rival Marc Marquez after the Repsol Honda rider won only his second MotoGP race at the spectacular Circuit of the Americas...

Marc Marquez expecting tougher times ahead

24 April 2013 by Matthew Birt

MotoGP sensation Marc Marquez has admitted that he faces a difficult challenge to continue the stunning start to his premier class career in 2013. After a brilliant third place on his debut in Qatar...

Andrea Dovizioso waiting on Ducati upgrades

23 April 2013 by Matthew Birt

Andrea Dovizioso says all he can do is be patient and push at 100% while waiting for a series of upgrades to be rolled out by Ducati’s factory MotoGP squad later in the season. Small updates for the...

Valentino Rossi impresses in NASCAR test

23 April 2013 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi indulged in his passion for four-wheeled motorsport in America yesterday when the Italian tested Kyle Busch’s NASCAR Toyota Camry at the Charlotte Motor Speedway. Fresh from a...

Valentino Rossi hails ‘fantastic’ Cal Crutchlow

22 April 2013 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi praised fellow Yamaha rider Cal Crutchlow after the Briton easily beat him to claim a fantastic fourth place finish in the first MotoGP race to be staged at the state-of-the-art...

Marc Marquez savours record-breaking Texas win

22 April 2013 by Matthew Birt

Marc Marquez became the youngest MotoGP winner in history yesterday when he triumphed in the inaugural Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in Texas. A red-hot pre-race favourite after dominating a Honda...

Jorge Lorenzo claims landmark 100th podium

22 April 2013 by Matthew Birt

After a weekend of getting battered by Honda duo Marc Marquez and Dani Pedrosa, Jorge Lorenzo did at least have something to celebrate in Texas when he claimed a 100th career podium. Lorenzo took...

Dani Pedrosa relieved to be back in victory hunt

22 April 2013 by Matthew Birt

Dani Pedrosa’s disapointment at a second successive defeat to rookie teammate Marc Marquez was outweighed by his relief to have challenged for victory in the inagural Circuit of the Americas (COTA)...

Scott Redding seizes Moto2 points lead

22 April 2013 by Matthew Birt

Scott Redding scored his first pole position in Texas and now leads a world championship category for the first time in his career after he secured a hard fought fifth place at the Circuit of the...

Marc Marquez becomes youngest ever MotoGP winner

21 April 2013 by Steve Hunt

The first MotoGP from the Circuit Of The Americas [COTA] opened with 20 year old Marc Marquez attempting to be the Youngest ever premier class winner – challenging the record of Freddie Spencer set in...

Cal Crutchlow doubts podium challenge

21 April 2013 by Matthew Birt

British rider Cal Crutchlow believes he has little chance of scoring a third MotoGP podium in today’s Texas race at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA). The Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team rider missed a...

Marquez dominates COTA qualifying

20 April 2013 by Steve Hunt

A tense qualifying ended at the Circuit Of The Americas [COTA] in Texas with Marc Marquez posting an excellent 2:03.021 to take his first ever MotoGP pole position, some two-tenths ahead of Honda...

Valentino Rossi rules out Texas victory challenge

20 April 2013 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi has ruled out the prospect of winning the first MotoGP race to be staged in Texas after the Italian finished a tough opening day of practice at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) almost two seconds of the pace. Rossi set a best time of 2.06.868 to finish fifth on the combined timesheets but his pace was a massive 1.837s behind dominant Marc Marquez, who was quickest again after...

Jorge Lorenzo expresses grip concerns

20 April 2013 by Matthew Birt

The chances of Jorge Lorenzo adding victory in Sunday’s first Circuit of the Americas (COTA) MotoGP race to his opening round triumph in Qatar appear close to zero. The Spaniard was no match for Honda trio Marc Marquez, Dani Pedrosa and Stefan Bradl in yesterday’s opening two 45-minute practice sessions and he finished well over a second off the best pace. The factory Yamaha rider logged a best...

Cal Crutchlow expecting Honda romp in Texas

20 April 2013 by Matthew Birt

British rider Cal Crutchlow believes Sunday’s inaugural MotoGP clash at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) will be a Honda dominated affair after the RC213V machine dominated the opening day of practice in Texas. It was no surprise to see Marc Marquez dominating the timesheets today after his stunning performance in a private test at COTA last month. But his best time of 2.05.031 put him a massive...

Marquez and Honda close the first day of Grand Prix of the Americas practice in dominant form

19 April 2013 by Steve Hunt

After two sessions of free practice in Austin, Texas at the Circuit Of The Americas, the day ended with Marquez continuing to post impressive times astride the factory Honda. The winner at Qatar –...

Valentino Rossi cagey on title prospects

19 April 2013 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi’s stunning return to Yamaha in Qatar earlier this month has not suddenly convinced the Italian legend that he is now a serious title contender in the 2013 MotoGP world...

Cal Crutchlow aims for Texas top five

19 April 2013 by Matthew Birt

Cal Crutchlow says he will be happy with another top five finish in the first MotoGP race to take place at the spectacular and challenging Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in Texas on Sunday. The...

Bradley Smith plays down Texas pressure

18 April 2013 by Matthew Birt

British rookie Bradley Smith has denied he is under any extra pressure to deliver in Sunday’s inaugural Circuit of the Americas (COTA) MotoGP clash in Texas. The 22-year-old failed to finish on his...

Crutchlow and Smith’s Tech 3 garage damaged by fire in Texas

18 April 2013 by Matthew Birt

Cal Crutchlow and Bradley Smith’s preparations for the long-awaited first Circuit of the Americas (COTA) MotoGP race have been disrupted by a small overnight fire in the Monster Yamaha Tech 3...

Bradley Smith samples ‘awesome’ Laguna Seca

16 April 2013 by Matthew Birt

Bradley Smith got his first chance to experience the unique Corkscrew section at Laguna Seca recently when he rode a Yamaha R1 to learn the technical and challenging California track ahead of his...

Jorge Lorenzo boss: Tough to repeat Qatar 1-2 in Texas

16 April 2013 by Matthew Birt

Jorge Lorenzo’s factory Yamaha boss Wilco Zeelenberg believes it will be a tough mission to repeat the Japanese factory’s stunning 1-2 in the season’s opening race in Qatar when the world championship...

Scott Redding eyeing Texas victory challenge

16 April 2013 by Matthew Birt

British rider Scott Redding is confident he will be fighting for victory in the inaugural Moto2 race at the spectacular new Circuit of the Americas in Texas this weekend. The Marc VDS Racing rider got...

Patience the key for Bradley Smith, says Cal Crutchlow

15 April 2013 by Matthew Birt

Being patient and gradually building up experience and confidence will be crucial in helping British rookie Bradley Smith emerge into a consistent future podium threat in MotoGP. That’s the opinion of...

Ben Spies weeks away from 100% shoulder strength

15 April 2013 by Matthew Birt

Ben Spies fears his recovering right shoulder injury won’t be back to 100% strength until early next month when the MotoGP world championship’s European campaign kicks off in Jerez. The Texan suffered...

Cal Crutchlow to attend Argentina MotoGP test

12 April 2013 by Matthew Birt

British rider Cal Crutchlow will be Yamaha’s representative during a special promotional tour and test session at the new Circuito Internacional Termas de Río Hondo track in Argentina in early...

Jerry Burgess: We need to improve to challenge Jorge Lorenzo

12 April 2013 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi’s crew chief Jerry Burgess believes Jorge Lorenzo’s dominant victory in the opening MotoGP round in Qatar last Sunday was proof of how much Rossi has to improve to consistently battle...

First five races pivotal, says Jorge Lorenzo’s boss

12 April 2013 by Matthew Birt

Jorge Lorenzo’s factory Yamaha boss Wilco Zeelenberg believes the first five races of 2013 are going to be pivotal to understand who the main contenders will be for this year’s MotoGP world...

Yamaha boss: Jorge Lorenzo a ‘winning machine’

11 April 2013 by Matthew Birt

Yamaha boss Lin Jarvis reckons reigning world champion Jorge Lorenzo is a ‘winning machine’ after the Spaniard’s brilliant start to the defence of his crown in Qatar last weekend. The 25-year-old...

Cal Crutchlow hails Qatar winner Jorge Lorenzo

11 April 2013 by Matthew Birt

British rider Cal Crutchlow has heaped more praise on reigning world champion Jorge Lorenzo after the Spaniard’s successful start to the defence of his MotoGP crown in Qatar last weekend. Speaking in...

MotoGP test scheduled for early July at new Argentina track

10 April 2013 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi, Jorge Lorenzo and Marc Marquez will get the chance to evaluate the new Circuito Internacional Termas de Río Hondo track in Argentina in early July. Dorna today confirmed that as part...

Bradley Smith vows to learn from Qatar error

10 April 2013 by Matthew Birt

Bradley Smith has vowed to learn from the early mistake that ended his MotoGP debut in Qatar after just five laps. The Monster Yamaha Tech 3 rider was pushing to move back inside the top 10 when he...

Which Grand Prix was the most exciting?

10 April 2013 by MCN

All three races from Qatar were edge-of-your-seat stuff at the weekend – even MotoGP. But which one was the best?

Danny Kent satisfied with Moto2 progress

09 April 2013 by Matthew Birt

British rider Danny Kent says he was satisfied with a steady rather the spectacular debut in the Moto2 world championship in Qatar on Sunday night. Kent, who won two out of the last four Moto3 races...

Danny Webb thrilled to end long-running points drought

09 April 2013 by Matthew Birt

Danny Webb wasted no time in banishing the memory of a disastrous 2012 Moto3 campaign after finishing on the fringe of the top 10 in last weekend’s opening round in Qatar. The British rider endured a...

Andrea Dovizioso: Ducati going nowhere without understeer solution

08 April 2013 by Matthew Birt

It blunted Casey Stoner’s blistering speed, shattered Valentino Rossi’s confidence, and now Ducati’s long-standing understeer issue is the bane of Andrea Dovizioso’s life. Huge pre-race optimism that...