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

Moto3: Red flag delay complicates opening day

26 October 2018 by Simon Patterson

Moto3: Red flag delay complicates opening day

Friday at the Michelin Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix got off to a fairly dramatic start as a red flag brought proceedings to a halt for some time, causing delays throughout the day. Stefano Nepa’s...

Moto2: Binder fast out of the blocks

26 October 2018 by Simon Patterson

Moto2: Binder fast out of the blocks

Brad Binder has come out the Moto2 blocks blazing on Friday at the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix to beat Marcel Schrötter’s free practice one time by 0.087 to go top overall, but the German rider...

MotoGP: Iannone leads opening day at Phillip Island

26 October 2018 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Iannone leads opening day at Phillip Island

Andrea Iannone left it late to leap to the top of the combined timesheets at the Michelin Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix, setting a 1:29.131 on his final lap to oust Danilo Petrucci from first. The...

MotoGP: Crutchlow suffers badly broken ankle in practice fall

26 October 2018 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Crutchlow suffers badly broken ankle in practice fall

LCR Honda rider Cal Crutchlow has suffered a badly broken ight ankle after falling in the final minutes of free practice two at the Australian Grand Prix. The Brit suffered a high speed fall at...

MotoGP: Marquez out to secure triple crown

25 October 2018 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Marquez out to secure triple crown

Marc Marquez says that despite securing the 2018 MotoGP title last time out at the Japanese Grand Prix, he’s still got work to do before the season finishes in his campaign to secure MotoGP’s triple...

MotoGP: Mike Jones to replace Bautista in Ducati reshuffle

25 October 2018 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Mike Jones to replace Bautista in Ducati reshuffle

Local favourite Mike Jones will replace Alvaro Bautista at the Angel Nieto Ducati team for this weekend’s Australian Grand Prix, stepping into the shoes of Alvaro Bautista as he’s shuffled up to the...

MotoGP: Lorenzo undergoes surgery on damaged wrist

25 October 2018 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Lorenzo undergoes surgery on damaged wrist

Ducati MotoGP rider Jorge Lorenzo has undergone minor keyhole surgery on his left wrist, in a battle to be fit in time for next weekend’s Malaysian Grand Prix and his penultimate ride on the Ducat...

Moto3: All to play for as one point separates leaders

24 October 2018 by Simon Patterson

Moto3: All to play for as one point separates leaders

It was a KTM show in qualifying at Motegi, and on race day it was a group of the Austrian factory’s machines largely fighting it out – joined by the likes of eventual podium finisher Lorenzo Dalla...

Moto2: Quartararo disqualification edges Bagnaia closer to title

24 October 2018 by Simon Patterson

Moto2: Quartararo disqualification edges Bagnaia closer to title

Francesco Bagnaia thought he’d taken a valuable second at Motegi, but some time after the race there came an announcement: the man who’d taken the flag just ahead of him, Fabio Quartararo, had been...

MotoGP: Phillip Island gearing up for another epic battle

24 October 2018 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Phillip Island gearing up for another epic battle

From a history maker of a Grand Prix at the Twin Ring Motegi, it’s all change as MotoGP now heads down under for the Michelin Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix. Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, a...

MotoGP: Bautista to replace Lorenzo at Phillip Island

22 October 2018 by Michael Guy

MotoGP: Bautista to replace Lorenzo at Phillip Island

After pulling out of the Japanese Grand Prix weekend on Friday, Jorge Lorenzo has elected to also miss this weekend’s race at Phillip Island due to his ongoing wrist injury. The 31 year old Spaniard...

MotoGP: Crutchlow bags second in Japan

22 October 2018 by Michael Guy

MotoGP: Crutchlow bags second in Japan

Britain’s Cal Crutchlow secured his third podium and seventh top five of the 2018 season with a strong second place in Sunday’s Japanese Grand Prix. The LCR Honda rider was in the mix for the win in...

MotoGP: Marquez dislocates shoulder celebrating 2018 championship title win

22 October 2018 by Michael Guy

MotoGP: Marquez dislocates shoulder celebrating 2018 championship title win

While Marc Marquez has been faultless throughout 2018 to claim his fifth MotoGP crown at Motegi on Sunday, his post race celebrations didn’t quite go to plan. Having stopped on the cooling down lap to...

Marquez crowned 2018 MotoGP champion

22 October 2018 by Michael Guy

Marquez crowned 2018 MotoGP champion

Marc Marquez has won the 2018 MotoGP title for the fifth time in six years following victory in the Japanese Grand Prix on Sunday. The 25 year old Spaniard needed to finish ahead of season long rival...

Alex Hofmann: life after MotoGP, a career in television and missed opportunities

18 October 2018 by Dan Sutherland

Alex Hofmann: life after MotoGP, a career in television and missed opportunities

With the rain bucketing down at a washed-out British MotoGP round from Silverstone, we took shelter in the seriously impressive KTM hospitality for an in-depth chat with former MotoGP rider, turned...

Moto3: Plenty still to play for in title race

17 October 2018 by Simon Patterson

Moto3: Plenty still to play for in title race

Friday and Saturday seemed to give us a clue to what was going to happen on Sunday in the Thai Grand Prix, as Jorge Martin struggled with the fitness of his left hand and key title rival Marco...

Moto2: Advantage Bagnaia as title fight continues

17 October 2018 by Simon Patterson

Moto2: Advantage Bagnaia as title fight continues

Francesco Bagnaia was happy after he crossed the line at Buriram for a magnificent seventh win, but that ramped up even more as teammate Luca Marini pulled up alongside him to signal he’d made it a...

MotoGP: Marquez gets first chance at title

17 October 2018 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Marquez gets first chance at title

Marc Marquez has done it before and wrapped up the title on the home turf of manufacturer Honda, and in 2018 he has chance to do it again in the Japanese Grand Prix. If he scores points and finishes...

Moto3: Last lap drama as Di Giannantonio takes the win

07 October 2018 by Simon Patterson

Moto3: Last lap drama as Di Giannantonio takes the win

Fabio Di Giannantonio has taken victory in the first ever Thai Grand Prix, holding off Lorenzo Dalla Porta in an action-filled race that saw Jorge Martin edge closer to the title win after a last...

Moto2: Bagnaia and Marini close down title race

07 October 2018 by Simon Patterson

Moto2: Bagnaia and Marini close down title race

An impressive one-two for the Sky Team of Francesco Bagnaia and Luca Marini has closed down the Moto2 title race, with the Italian duo coming out on top of a close fight with the Red Bull KTM pair of...

MotoGP: Marquez wins last corner duel with Dovi

07 October 2018 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Marquez wins last corner duel with Dovi

Marc Marquez has taken victory at the inagural Thai Grand Prix, winning a last corner duel with Andrea Dovizioso to take his seventh win of the season and to put one hand on the championship trophy.

Moto2: Baldassarri holds off Marquez and Marini by thousandths

06 October 2018 by Simon Patterson

Moto2: Baldassarri holds off Marquez and Marini by thousandths

Lorenzo Baldassarri will start tomorrow’s Moto2 race at the Thai Grand Prix on pole position, but by mere fractions of a second after just holding off Alex Marquez and Luca Marini for the top spot.

Moto3: Bezzecchi on pole as Martin suffers

06 October 2018 by Simon Patterson

Moto3: Bezzecchi on pole as Martin suffers

Championship contender Marco Bezzecchi will start tomorrow’s Thai Grand Prix from pole position, making the most of a difficult day for rival Jorge Martin. The Italian will start tomorrow’s race ahead...

MotoGP: Marquez edges out Rossi in Thai qualifying

06 October 2018 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Marquez edges out Rossi in Thai qualifying

MotoGP championship leader Marc Marquez has just edged out a resurgent Valentino Rossi for pole position for tomorrow’s inagural Thai Grand Prix, taking the top spot from the Italian after working his...

MotoGP: Lorenzo out after monster highside

06 October 2018 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Lorenzo out after monster highside

Jorge Lorenzo is out of this weekend’s inaugural Thai Grand Prix, after suffering a monster highside in yesterday’s free practice two session that left the already-injured Ducati rider suffering even...

MotoGP: Dovi tops day one in Thailand

05 October 2018 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Dovi tops day one in Thailand

After day one at the PTT Thailand Grand Prix it’s less than a tenth that splits the top four and Andrea Dovizioso who finishes Friday as the fastest man at Buriram. The Italian was only 0.031 faster...

Moto2: Perfect start for Pasini in Thailand

05 October 2018 by Simon Patterson

Moto2: Perfect start for Pasini in Thailand

After ending FP1 at the top of the timesheets, Mattia Pasini continued his perfect start to the PTT Thailand Grand Prix as he went fastest once again in FP2 and kept hold of the top spot. The Italian...

Moto3: Kornfeil fastest as McPhee and Martin struggle

05 October 2018 by Simon Patterson

Moto3: Kornfeil fastest as McPhee and Martin struggle

Thanks to a 1:43.415 in FP1 at the PTT Thailand Grand Prix, Jakub ends Friday as the fastest man in the Moto3 class after no one could better the time in the afternoon. Ayumu Sasaki came closest as he...

MotoGP: Lorenzo passed fit but unsure of condition

04 October 2018 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Lorenzo passed fit but unsure of condition

Ducati rider Jorge Lorenzo says it’ll be tomorrow before he figures out his condition on the bike, as he goes into the inaugural Thai Grand Prix still nursing an injured foot from his first corner...

MotoGP: Marquez explores Bangkok by tuk tuk

04 October 2018 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Marquez explores Bangkok by tuk tuk

Reigning MotoGP world champion Marc Marquez has taken to the streets of Bangkok in a tuk tuk and on his Repsol Honda MotoGP machine ahead of this weekend’s inaugural Thai Grand Prix, exploring the...

Moto2: Binder out to upset title fight?

02 October 2018 by Simon Patterson

Moto2: Binder out to upset title fight?

Red Bull KTM rider Brad Binder could well be an end of season joker in the 2018 Moto2 title, as he builds on his momentum from last time out and looks to disrupt teammate Miguel Oliveria and rival...

Moto3: Rivals line up to take on Martin

02 October 2018 by Simon Patterson

Moto3: Rivals line up to take on Martin

Moto3 championship leader Jorge Martin put on quite a show at MotorLand Aragon, taking pole and then disappearing from the holeshot to stretch out an incredible lead and cross the line in clear air.

MotoGP: Last chance saloon for title fight?

02 October 2018 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Last chance saloon for title fight?

Reigning MotoGP world champion Marc Marquez will head to Buriram and the new-to-the-calendar Chang International Circuit with a massive 72-point lead, almost three race wins clear, and it’s fast...

MotoGP: Marquez and Dovi divided on title battle

29 September 2018 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Marquez and Dovi divided on title battle

MotoGP championship rivals Marc Marquez and Andrea Dovizioso remain divided on whether this season’s championship remains up for grabs, despite a dramatic victory for the Repsol Honda rider in...

MotoGP: Suzuki lose concessions after podium battle

29 September 2018 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Suzuki lose concessions after podium battle

Suzuki will lose their status as one of MotoGP’s concession teams for 2019 – but at a fair cost, after both Andrea Iannone and Alex Rins got involved in the podium battle at Sunday’s Aragon Grand...

MotoGP: British Grand Prix in jeopardy

29 September 2018 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: British Grand Prix in jeopardy

The future of the British GP is in doubt after Dorna’s top boss confirmed to MCN that, following last month’s rain-lashed debacle, Silverstone is not currently licensed to hold a MotoGP race and needs...