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

Valentino Rossi fit for Phillip Island despite test absence

06 October 2011 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi fit for Phillip Island despite test absence

Valentino Rossi will be fit to ride in next weekend’s Australian MotoGP race, despite withdrawing from a vital 1000cc test at the Jerez circuit today with a hand injury. The 32-year-old was due to...

MotoGP bosses keen to secure Paul Bird entry for 2012

05 October 2011 by Matthew Birt

MotoGP bosses keen to secure Paul Bird entry for 2012

MotoGP bosses are hoping that British team owner Paul Bird can finalise plans to enter a new team in the inaugural 1000cc world championship next year. Bird is currently trying to put together a...

Ducati appear in state of confusion, says Marco Simoncelli

05 October 2011 by Matthew Birt

Ducati appear in state of confusion, says Marco Simoncelli

Marco Simoncelli reckons Valentino Rossi and Ducati are in a state of confusion about how to transform the struggling Desmosedici into a consistent podium threat. Rossi has endured a miserable debut...

Josh Hayes to ride Tech 3 Yamaha at Valencia test

04 October 2011 by Matthew Birt

Josh Hayes to ride Tech 3 Yamaha at Valencia test

American superbike champion Josh Hayes will test Colin Edwards’ Yamaha YZR-M1 800cc MotoGP bike after the final race in Valencia next month. The 36-year-old will ride the current 800cc machine and...

Light delay caused Motegi jump starts, says Valentino Rossi

04 October 2011 by Matthew Birt

Light delay caused Motegi jump starts, says Valentino Rossi

Valentino Rossi reckons a delay with the start lights going out at the Twin Ring Motegi caused three riders, including Briton Cal Crutchlow, to jump the start in Sunday’s Japanese Grand Prix. Repsol...

No MotoGP freight issues for Phillip Island race

04 October 2011 by Matthew Birt

No MotoGP freight issues for Phillip Island race

MotoGP teams have been assured that their equipment and machinery will arrive at Phillip Island with no problems after being transported from Japan. Rumours circulating the paddock recently suggested...

Motegi MotoGP: Early error frustrates Casey Stoner

03 October 2011 by Matthew Birt

Motegi MotoGP: Early error frustrates Casey Stoner

Casey Stoner might have one hand on the 2011 MotoGP world title but a 13th consecutive podium in Japan yesterday did little to disguise the Australian’s disappointment at failing to win the Twin Ring...

Motegi MotoGP: Second not enough for Jorge Lorenzo

03 October 2011 by Matthew Birt

Motegi MotoGP: Second not enough for Jorge Lorenzo

Jorge Lorenzo kept his slim world title hopes alive after he finished one place in front of main championship rival Casey Stoner in a gripping Japanese Grand Prix yesterday. But the Spaniard fears his...

Andrea Dovizioso nearing 2012 decision

03 October 2011 by Matthew Birt

Andrea Dovizioso nearing 2012 decision

Andrea Dovizioso is close to reaching a final decision on whether he will ride for LCR Honda next season or partner Cal Crutchlow in the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 squad. The Italian told MCN his decision...

Motegi MotoGP: Ben Spies fights back for top six

03 October 2011 by Matthew Birt

Motegi MotoGP: Ben Spies fights back for top six

Ben Spies mounted a brilliant fightback in yesterday’s Twin Ring Motegi MotoGP clash to claim his ninth successive top six finish in Yamaha’s home race. The Texan’s podium hopes were wrecked after...

Motegi MotoGP: Suzuki misses out on season best result

03 October 2011 by Matthew Birt

Motegi MotoGP: Suzuki misses out on season best result

Suzuki’s home race in Japan ended in bitter disappointment after Alvaro Bautista threw away a golden chance to claim a career best MotoGP finish at the Twin Ring Motegi. The Spaniard was pushing in...

Checa takes race two win at Magny-Cours

02 October 2011 by MCN

Checa takes race two win at Magny-Cours

Carlos Checa (Althea Racing Ducati) continued his dominant form at Magny-Cours to take his fourteenth race win of the season in the second race at the French circuit and round off his championship...

Checa wins first WSB championship with race one victory

02 October 2011 by MCN

Checa wins first WSB championship with race one victory

Carlos Checa (Althea Racing Ducati) won his first WSB Championship with his thirteenth race win of the season in the opening race at Magny-Cours. Having passed Eugene Laverty (Yamaha World Superbike...

Motegi 125GP: Zarco takes first GP win

02 October 2011 by MCN

Motegi 125GP: Zarco takes first GP win

Avant-AirAsia-Ajo rider Johann Zarco finally secured his first GP victory with a convincing performance at the Japanese circuit. Zarco started from pole but Terol took the lead,with team mate Hector...

Motegi Moto2: Iannone secures victory in Japan

02 October 2011 by MCN

Motegi Moto2: Iannone secures victory in Japan

Andrea Iannone (Speed Master) made a strong start to take the lead from Marc Márquez (Team CatalunyaCaixa Repsol) who started on pole, which then instigated a battle throughout the race for first.

Motegi MotoGP: Pedrosa takes third victory of season

02 October 2011 by MCN

Motegi MotoGP: Pedrosa takes third victory of season

Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda) secured his third victory of the season at the Twin Ring Motegi circuit in an eventful race that saw false starts and many riders venturing into the gravel. The race...

Motegi MotoGP: Jorge Lorenzo shocked to claim front row

01 October 2011 by Matthew Birt

Motegi MotoGP: Jorge Lorenzo shocked to claim front row

Jorge Lorenzo said he was shocked to qualify in second position on the grid for tomorrow’s Japanese Grand Prix having been outgunned by Honda during practice. The reigning world champion was easily...

Motegi MotoGP: Casey Stoner not surprised at blistering qualifying pace

01 October 2011 by Matthew Birt

Motegi MotoGP: Casey Stoner not surprised at blistering qualifying pace

Casey Stoner denied his blistering qualifying pace was a big surprise after he decimated the lap record at the Twin Ring Motegi today. The Australian stormed to his 10th pole position of the campaign...

Motegi MotoGP: Valentino Rossi frustrated to miss second row

01 October 2011 by Matthew Birt

Motegi MotoGP: Valentino Rossi frustrated to miss second row

Valentino Rossi was left frustrated after the Italian missed equalling his best Ducati qualifying result of a tough 2011 by just 0.256s at the Twin Ring Motegi today. The 32-year-old clocked a best...

Motegi Moto2: Márquez takes closely contested pole

01 October 2011 by MCN

Motegi Moto2: Márquez takes closely contested pole

The Moto2 qualifying session at Motegi saw a battle for pole between Interwetten Paddock Moto2 rider Thomas Lüthi and Team CatalunyaCaixa Repsol’s Marc Márquez, with the Spaniard managing to secure...

Motegi 125GP: Zarco takes pole in Japan

01 October 2011 by MCN

Motegi 125GP: Zarco takes pole in Japan

Johann Zarco (Avant-AirAsia-Ajo) took his third pole position of the season at Motegi, qualifying ahead of Bankia Aspar team mates Héctor Faubel and Nicolas Terol who start from second and third on...

Motegi MotoGP: Stoner secures tenth pole of season

01 October 2011 by MCN

Motegi MotoGP: Stoner secures tenth pole of season

Casey Stoner (Repsol Honda) has secured his tenth pole position start of the season at the Twin Ring Motegi circuit in Japan with a time of 1’45.267 – 0.02 seconds faster then Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha...

Motegi MotoGP: Eighth 'nothing fantastic' admits Valentino Rossi

30 September 2011 by Matthew Birt

Motegi MotoGP: Eighth 'nothing fantastic' admits Valentino Rossi

Valentino Rossi admitted his lowly eighth place finish at the end of opening practice for the Twin Ring Motegi MotoGP race was ‘nothing fantastic.’ The nine-times world champion clocked a best time of...

Andrea Dovizioso gets LCR Honda offer

30 September 2011 by Matthew Birt

Andrea Dovizioso gets LCR Honda offer

Andrea Dovizioso can begin the process of working out where he will ride in the 2012 MotoGP world championship having received a formal offer from the LCR Honda squad in Japan last night. The Italian...

Motegi MotoGP: Casey Stoner satisfied with second

30 September 2011 by Matthew Birt

Motegi MotoGP: Casey Stoner satisfied with second

Casey Stoner declared himself satisfied with the start of his preparations for the Japanese Grand Prix today after he finished a close second to Repsol Honda team-mate Dani Pedrosa in practice. The...

Motegi MotoGP: Food poisoning slows exhausted Ben Spies

30 September 2011 by Matthew Birt

Motegi MotoGP: Food poisoning slows exhausted Ben Spies

Factory Yamaha rider Ben Spies had to stop after just five laps of this afternoon’s second MotoGP practice at the Twin Ring Motegi as he continues to struggle with a bout of chronic food...

Motegi MotoGP: Dani Pedrosa sets practice pace

30 September 2011 by Matthew Birt

Motegi MotoGP: Dani Pedrosa sets practice pace

Dani Pedrosa cast aside some of his Twin Ring Motegi demons earlier today to clock the best time on the opening day of practice for the Japanese MotoGP round. It was at the Japanese track 12 months...

Riding position crucial to Ducati front-end issue, says Valentino Rossi

29 September 2011 by Matthew Birt

Riding position crucial to Ducati front-end issue, says Valentino Rossi

Valentino Rossi believes his riding position on Ducati’s 2012 Desmosedici could be pivotal to solving some of the vague front-end problems he’s experienced in a nightmare debut season for the Bologna...

Motegi MotoGP: Alvaro Bautista still in dark over Suzuki future

29 September 2011 by Matthew Birt

Motegi MotoGP: Alvaro Bautista still in dark over Suzuki future

Alvaro Bautista is hoping to get a clearer indication of Suzuki’s future MotoGP strategy during this weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix at the Twin Ring Motegi. The Spaniard confirmed earlier today in...

Motegi MotoGP: Jorge Lorenzo concedes title hopes fading

29 September 2011 by Matthew Birt

Motegi MotoGP: Jorge Lorenzo concedes title hopes fading

Jorge Lorenzo has admitted his MotoGP crown is slipping away as he attempts the tricky mission of trying to claw back a huge 44-point deficit on dominant Repsol Honda rider Casey Stoner with just four...

Marco Simoncelli to test Honda 1000cc bike in Japan

29 September 2011 by Matthew Birt

Marco Simoncelli to test Honda 1000cc bike in Japan

Italian rider Marco Simoncelli will make his debut on Honda’s new 1000cc RC213V machine at the Twin Ring Motegi on Monday. The former 250GP world champion, who announced he’d signed a new one-year...

Marco Simoncelli signs new Honda contract

28 September 2011 by Matthew Birt

Marco Simoncelli signs new Honda contract

Marco Simoncelli has agreed a new contract with Fausto Gresini’s Honda squad and he will retain his factory rider status with HRC in 2012. The controversial Italian, who has scored just one podium...

Jerez back on MotoGP winter testing schedule

27 September 2011 by Matthew Birt

Jerez back on MotoGP winter testing schedule

Jerez will be back on the winter testing schedule in 2012, while the night test session leading up to the first race of the season in Qatar has been axed from the pre-season programme. The MotoGP grid...

No rush to get Marc Marquez in MotoGP, says HRC boss

27 September 2011 by Matthew Birt

No rush to get Marc Marquez in MotoGP, says HRC boss

Marc Marquez has been warned not to rush coming into MotoGP as speculation mounts the emerging Spanish star will ride a new Honda RC213V machine in 2012. The reigning 125GP world champion’s...

John Hopkins lands Sepang wild card ride

27 September 2011 by Matthew Birt

John Hopkins lands Sepang wild card ride

John Hopkins will be back on a factory Suzuki MotoGP bike in the Malaysian round next month, MCN can reveal. The American, who is currently leading the British Superbike championship for Paul...

LCR Honda confirm Hopkins and de Puniet talks

23 September 2011 by Matthew Birt

LCR Honda confirm Hopkins and de Puniet talks

British superbike championship contender John Hopkins and French rider Randy de Puniet could land an LCR Honda ride in 2012 if Andrea Dovizioso fails to agree a deal with Lucio Cecchinello’s...