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

BTC: Skinner takes inaugural British Talent title

18 November 2018 by Simon Patterson

BTC: Skinner takes inaugural British Talent title

Thomas Strudwick won the final race of the inaugural British Talent Cup in style, pitching the drag to the line to perfection to steal the victory in a stunning photo finish. But the man he pipped to...

Moto3: Arbolino on pole as McPhee back on front row

17 November 2018 by Simon Patterson

Moto3: Arbolino on pole as McPhee back on front row

Tony Arbolino has done it again in the season finale as he secured his second career pole position at the Valencian Grand Prix. A 1:46.773 was enough to beat second placed Nakarin Atiratphuvapat by...

Moto2: Marini takes second pole of the season

17 November 2018 by Simon Patterson

Moto2: Marini takes second pole of the season

Luca Marini picked up where he left off in Malaysia to take pole position at the Valencian Grand Prix, his 1:35.777 enough to beat Xavi Vierge by a slender 0.027, with fellow Dynavolt Intact GP rider...

MotoGP: Viñales moves from Q1 to pole position

17 November 2018 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Viñales moves from Q1 to pole position

After a sensational final battle for pole in 2018, Q1 graduate Maverick Viñales was the man to take pole position at the Valencian Grand Prix after setting a 1:31.312 lap. This was enough to edge out...

Randy Mamola: A life in the MotoGP paddock

17 November 2018 by Dan Sutherland

Randy Mamola: A life in the MotoGP paddock

Achieving 57 podiums across four different manufacturers and finishing third in the world on three occasions with separate teams, Randy Mamola is widely regarded as the greatest Grand Prix racer never...

Moto3: Lopez the surprise star in Spanish rain

16 November 2018 by Simon Patterson

Moto3: Lopez the surprise star in Spanish rain

Local star Alonso Lopez has made a surprise appearance at the top of the time sheets on the opening day of action at the Valencian Grand Prix, taking the provisional pole position from Marco Bezzecchi...

Moto2: Lecuona leads chaotic wet practice

16 November 2018 by Simon Patterson

Moto2: Lecuona leads chaotic wet practice

Local rider Iker Lecuona has topped the opening day of Moto2 action at Valencia, leading the way ahead of Alex Marquez and Miguel Oliveira, with most of the provisional grid setting their fastest time...

MotoGP: Marquez masters drenched Valencia

16 November 2018 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Marquez masters drenched Valencia

MotoGP world champion Marc Marquez has mastered the Ricardo Tormo Circuit on the opening day of action for this weekend’s Valencian Grand Prix, topping free practice one in sodden conditions and...

MotoE: Smith and Gibernau headline inaugural championship

15 November 2018 by Simon Patterson

MotoE: Smith and Gibernau headline inaugural championship

There will be ten different nationalities lining up in the inaugural MotoE World Cup when the new series gets underway at five round of the MotoGP world championship in 2019, with riders from...

MotoGP: Crutchlow faces long road to recovery

15 November 2018 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Crutchlow faces long road to recovery

LCR Honda rider Cal Crutchlow is facing a long road to recovery after badly breaking his ankle a month ago at the Australian Grand Prix, Breaking it in three places after being pushed off the track by...

MotoGP: Pedrosa inducted to Hall of Fame

15 November 2018 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Pedrosa inducted to Hall of Fame

Three-time world champion Dani Pedrosa has been named a MotoGP™ Legend ahead of hanging up his leathers at the end of 2018, with the Spaniard inducted into the MotoGP Legends Hall of Fame at the...

MotoGP: Still prizes to play for at Valencia

14 November 2018 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Still prizes to play for at Valencia

2018 has broken records, tested limits, reset the boundaries and rewritten some history. We end the season with a seven-time world champion, some of the closest races and podiums in history, and...

Moto2: One last crack of the whip for title rivals

14 November 2018 by Simon Patterson

Moto2: One last crack of the whip for title rivals

Francesco Bagnaia was back on the podium in Sepang, and although key rival Miguel Oliveira finished just ahead of him, the 16 points for second were more than enough for the Italian to wrap up the...

Moto3: Time to play as title battle decided

14 November 2018 by Simon Patterson

Moto3: Time to play as title battle decided

As we head back to shores closer to home for those who fought for the Moto3 world championship this season, there’s one final set of bragging rights on the table for the riders graduating to Moto2.

Chris Vermeulen: life after professional motorcycle racing

13 November 2018 by Dan Sutherland

Chris Vermeulen: life after professional motorcycle racing

With the rain beating down heavily on a cramped media tent at the Silverstone round of the MotoGP world championship causing delays to the racing action, we grabbed a coffee with former World...

Moto3: Martin seals the deal with textbook race win

04 November 2018 by Simon Patterson

Moto3: Martin seals the deal with textbook race win

Jorge Martin (Del Conca Gresini Moto3) was crowned the Moto3™ World Champion at the Shell Malaysia Motorcycle Grand Prix after claiming a stunning Sepang International Circuit victory, with main...

Moto2: Jubilant Marini takes debut victory

04 November 2018 by Simon Patterson

Moto2: Jubilant Marini takes debut victory

Francesco Bagnaia (Sky Racing Team VR46) clinched the 2018 Moto2™ World Championship at the Shell Malaysia Motorcycle Grand Prix after finishing P3 at Sepang, with title rival Miguel Oliveira (Red...

MotoGP: Marquez wins as Rossi falls from the lead

04 November 2018 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Marquez wins as Rossi falls from the lead

Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) claimed his 70th career win after taking victory at the Shell Malaysian Motorcycle Grand Prix. The 2018 Champion looked set to lock horns with nine-time World Champion...

Moto3: Emotional Martin wins epic title duel

04 November 2018 by Simon Patterson

Moto3: Emotional Martin wins epic title duel

Jorge Martin is the 2018 Moto3 World Champion, taking the title at Sepang after a stunning season. Seven wins, nine podiums and 11 poles saw Martin a frontrunner throughout the season, and the...

Moto2: Bagnaia secures 2018 crown

04 November 2018 by Simon Patterson

Moto2: Bagnaia secures 2018 crown

Francesco Bagnaia is the 2018 Moto2 World Champion, taking the title at Sepang after eight wins, 12 podiums and six pole positions over an incredible season. Arriving 36 points up in the Championship,...

MotoGP: Schedule changed thanks to threat of rain

03 November 2018 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Schedule changed thanks to threat of rain

The schedule for tomorrow’s Malaysian Grand Prix will now begin two hours earlier than planned, thanks to the threat of heavy rain due to arrive at the Sepang circuit tomorrow afternoon. Action will...

MotoGP: Marquez takes pole but demoted for Iannone incident

03 November 2018 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Marquez takes pole but demoted for Iannone incident

Marc Marquez secured an 80th career pole position after he was the early master of the wet Q2 conditions at the Malaysian Grand Prix, but there was a small bump back to Earth not long after for the...

Moto2: Marquez untouchable as lap record blitzed

03 November 2018 by Simon Patterson

Moto2: Marquez untouchable as lap record blitzed

Alex Marquez stormed to Moto2 pole position today at the Malaysian Grand Prix, setting the only laptime in the 2:05s to better closest challenger Luca Marini by a stunning 0.488 seconds. Fabio...

Moto3: Martin takes pole again but McPhee on second row

03 November 2018 by Simon Patterson

Moto3: Martin takes pole again but McPhee on second row

Jorge Martin has added another pole position to his record by qualifying in first place for tomorrow’s Malaysian Grand Prix at Sepang. He’s joined on the front row by title rival Marco Bezzecchi and...

MotoGP: Jorge Lorenzo withdraws from Malaysian Grand Prix

03 November 2018 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Jorge Lorenzo withdraws from Malaysian Grand Prix

Jorge Lorenzo has withdrawn from this weekend’s Malaysian Grand Prix, after deciding that the pain in his still-injured wrist was too severe with the heavy braking forces of the Sepang circuit.

Moto3: McPhee second as 0.02 covers top four

02 November 2018 by Simon Patterson

Moto3: McPhee second as 0.02 covers top four

Tony Arbolino has topped an ultra-close opening day at the Malaysian Grand Prix, taking the top spot from John McPhee, Aron Canet and Jorge Martin with a mere 0.024 covering the quartet. The Italian...

Moto2: Marquez just holds off Quartararo at Sepang

02 November 2018 by Simon Patterson

Moto2: Marquez just holds off Quartararo at Sepang

Alex Marquez has just held off Moto2 rival Fabio Quartararo on the opening day of action for the Malaysian Grand Prix, taking the top spot at Sepang by a mere 0.030 from the Frenchman. The two were...

MotoGP: Rins leads the way on close opening day

02 November 2018 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Rins leads the way on close opening day

Alex Rins has topped the opening day of MotGP action at the Malaysian Grand Prix – but has only just held off the advances of his opposition, with 0.2 covering six riders and four manufacturers at the...

MotoGP: Suzuki bike destroyed in pit lane fire

01 November 2018 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Suzuki bike destroyed in pit lane fire

One of Alex Rins’ Suzuki GSX-RR MotoGP machines has been destroyed in a pit lane fire ahead of this weekend’s Malaysian grand Prix at Sepang, after catching fire while mechanics were warming it up...

MotoGP: Good result fires up Bautista for WSB

01 November 2018 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Good result fires up Bautista for WSB

Angel Nieto Ducati rider Alvaro Bautista says that rather than being bitter about his imminent exit from the MotoGP paddock he’s more than excited than ever to get going in World Superbikes after...

MotoGP: Crutchlow to undergo further surgery today

01 November 2018 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Crutchlow to undergo further surgery today

LCR Honda rider Cal Crutchlow will undergo further surgery today after his potentially season-ending crash during practice for last weekend’s Australian Grand Prix, after falling at the Phillip Island...

MotoGP: Smith proves KTM wrong again

01 November 2018 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Smith proves KTM wrong again

Bradley Smith has once again proved his Red Bull KTM bosses wrong in their decision to keep teammate Pol Espargaro and not him for the 2019 season, by outracing the Spaniard in Sunday’s Australian...

Moto3: Martin faces the pressure from Bezzecchi with two left

30 October 2018 by Simon Patterson

Moto3: Martin faces the pressure from Bezzecchi with two left

It’s an up and down year for Moto3 title protagonists Jorge Martin and Marco Bezzecchi and after the myriad twists and turns of the season so far there was yet another at Phillip Island. Despite...

Moto2: Olivera’s last stand in title race

30 October 2018 by Simon Patterson

Moto2: Olivera’s last stand in title race

Miguel Oliveira might have won the 2017 race at Phillip Island but this year was a different story for the Portuguese rider after a tough race that saw him come home outside the top ten, but it wasn’t...

MotoGP: Viñales out to capitalise but Ducati the ones to beat

30 October 2018 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Viñales out to capitalise but Ducati the ones to beat

Yamaha arrived in Australia on their worst ever losing streak but after a stunning victory for Maverick Viñales at Phillip Island, the drought is over for the Iwata marque. Now we head for a very...

Moto3: Arenas wins big as title contenders struggle

28 October 2018 by Simon Patterson

Moto3: Arenas wins big as title contenders struggle

Albert Arenas has taken his second Grand Prix win in stunning style in the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix, timing it to perfection to stay ahead over the line in one of the closest top fifteen...