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

Misano MotoGP: Bradley Smith snatches late pole position

04 September 2010 by Matthew Birt

Misano MotoGP: Bradley Smith snatches late pole position

Bradley Smith secured his second 125GP pole position in the last three races with a stunning last lap at the Misano circuit this afternoon. The Aspar Aprilia rider produced a brilliant last lap of...

Misano MotoGP: Valentino Rossi content with fourth

03 September 2010 by Matthew Birt

Misano MotoGP: Valentino Rossi content with fourth

Valentino Rossi declared himself content with his fourth position at the end of first practice for his crucial home race in Misano. Rossi is chasing a third successive victory at Misano and he...

Misano MotoGP: Casey Stoner unfazed by lowly eighth

03 September 2010 by Matthew Birt

Misano MotoGP: Casey Stoner unfazed by lowly eighth

Casey Stoner denied his lowly eighth place in today’s opening practice for the Misano MotoGP race was a cause for major concern. The Australian was trailing 1.300s off Dani Pedrosa’s fastest pace on a...

Misano MotoGP: Tech 3 Yamaha confident after strong start

03 September 2010 by Matthew Birt

Misano MotoGP: Tech 3 Yamaha confident after strong start

American duo Colin Edwards and Ben Spies are confident they can mount a double attack on the top five in Sunday’s Misano MotoGP race after a strong showing in first practice. Edwards quickly shrugged...

Misano MotoGP: Jorge Lorenzo struggles again

03 September 2010 by Matthew Birt

Misano MotoGP: Jorge Lorenzo struggles again

After scoring his worst result of an outstanding MotoGP campaign in Indianapolis last weekend, Jorge Lorenzo suffered another tough day in practice at Misano this afternoon. The Spaniard finished...

Misano MotoGP: Dani Pedrosa makes ominously fast start

03 September 2010 by Matthew Birt

Misano MotoGP: Dani Pedrosa makes ominously fast start

Dani Pedrosa’s hopes of exerting more pressure on Jorge Lorenzo at the top of the MotoGP world championship got off to the perfect start in Misano today after a brilliant practice performance from the...

Misano MotoGP: Dani Pedrosa dominates first practice

03 September 2010 by Matthew Birt

Misano MotoGP: Dani Pedrosa dominates first practice

Dani Pedrosa was unstoppable in the opening MotoGP practice session at Misano this afternoon, the Spaniard finishing over 0.6s clear of his rivals with a dominant performance. A fastest lap of...

Misano MotoGP: Bradley Smith seventh in 125GP practice

03 September 2010 by Matthew Birt

Misano MotoGP: Bradley Smith seventh in 125GP practice

Bradley Smith made a disappointing start to the Misano 125GP weekend this afternoon. The British rider clocked a best time of 1.45.438 that was only good enough to secure the 19-year-old seventh...

Misano MotoGP: Valentino Rossi plays down hat-trick hopes

02 September 2010 by Matthew Birt

Misano MotoGP: Valentino Rossi plays down hat-trick hopes

Valentino Rossi has played down home crowd expectations that he can win a third successive MotoGP race in Misano this weekend. Misano is Rossi’s true home race with his Tavullia home just a short...

Misano MotoGP: Casey Stoner undaunted by winless run

02 September 2010 by Matthew Birt

Misano MotoGP: Casey Stoner undaunted by winless run

Casey Stoner reckons his failure to win a MotoGP race in 2010 has not become a massively frustrating situation. The Australian last won a premier class race last October in Malaysia and he hasn’t...

Misano MotoGP: Nicky Hayden hopes for luck change

02 September 2010 by Matthew Birt

Misano MotoGP: Nicky Hayden hopes for luck change

Nicky Hayden is hoping a drastic change in luck can boost his hopes of a top five MotoGP world championship finish in Misano this weekend. The 2006 world champion has an awful record in Misano and has...

Misano MotoGP: Jorge Lorenzo set for more 2011 talks

02 September 2010 by Matthew Birt

Misano MotoGP: Jorge Lorenzo set for more 2011 talks

Jorge Lorenzo confirmed in Misano today that he will try and make some headway this weekend into solving the contract issues that have seen him fail to agree a new factory Yamaha deal for 2011. The...

Scott Redding poised for new Moto2 deal

02 September 2010 by Matthew Birt

Scott Redding poised for new Moto2 deal

Scott Redding is poised to sign a new Moto2 deal for 2011. The Gloucestershire rider was close to agreeing terms for a new deal with the Marc VDS Racing squad prior to his stunning maiden Moto2 podium...

Randy de Puniet close to full fitness

02 September 2010 by Matthew Birt

Randy de Puniet close to full fitness

Randy de Puniet reckons he’ll be able to ride at 100 per cent of his potential in time for the first ever MotoGP race at the new Motorland Aragon circuit in Spain. The Frenchman has been fighting his...

Ben Spies can become fifth MotoGP alien

01 September 2010 by Matthew Birt

Ben Spies can become fifth MotoGP alien

Rookie sensation Ben Spies believes he can become a fifth alien in the MotoGP world championship next year. The Texan will move to Yamaha’s factory squad in 2011 after a stunning first full season in...

Ducati test ban would hurt Valentino Rossi

01 September 2010 by Matthew Birt

Ducati test ban would hurt Valentino Rossi

Casey Stoner reckons Yamaha could deal a massive blow to rivals Ducati by banning Valentino Rossi from testing for the Bologna factory immediately after the final race in Valencia. Ducati and Rossi...

Ben Spies ready for factory chance, says Kevin Schwantz

01 September 2010 by Matthew Birt

Ben Spies ready for factory chance, says Kevin Schwantz

American legend Kevin Schwantz reckons Ben Spies will not succumb to the intense pressure of succeeding Valentino Rossi in Yamaha’s factory MotoGP squad. And Schwantz believes Spies can emerge as a...

Rossi's bike in Indianapolis

31 August 2010 by Cormac58

Rossi's bike in Indianapolis

With Valentino’s bike before morning warm up in Indianapolis. He went out and promptly fell off for the third time!

Indy MotoGP: Ben Spies storms to career best second

30 August 2010 by Matthew Birt

Indy MotoGP: Ben Spies storms to career best second

It was mission accomplished for rookie sensation Ben Spies in Indianapolis yesterday after he claimed his career best MotoGP result on home soil. The 26-year-old had vowed to better his brilliant...

Indy MotoGP: Valentino Rossi satisfied with fourth

30 August 2010 by Matthew Birt

Indy MotoGP: Valentino Rossi satisfied with fourth

Valentino Rossi ended a crash strewn Indianapolis weekend in a lonely fourth place, the Italian declaring himself satisfied with his display in a physically and mentally demanding race. Rossi suffered...

Indy MotoGP: Dani Pedrosa hails dominant win

30 August 2010 by Matthew Birt

Indy MotoGP: Dani Pedrosa hails dominant win

Dani Pedrosa breathed fresh life back into his MotoGP world title challenge with a convincing victory in Indianapolis yesterday. With runaway series leader Jorge Lorenzo experiencing a rare off-day in...

Indy MotoGP: Jorge Lorenzo content with third

30 August 2010 by Matthew Birt

Indy MotoGP: Jorge Lorenzo content with third

Jorge Lorenzo refused to be too downbeat after he scored his worst result of the 2010 MotoGP world championship in Indianapolis yesterday. The Spaniard never seriously looked like challenging for a...

Indy MotoGP: Crash extends Casey Stoner’s winless run

30 August 2010 by Matthew Birt

Indy MotoGP: Crash extends Casey Stoner’s winless run

Casey Stoner’s winless run in the MotoGP world championship extended to 12 races after he crashed out of the top six in yesterday’s Indianapolis MotoGP race. The Australian made a shocking start and...

Indy MotoGP: Freak problem hampers Nicky Hayden

30 August 2010 by Matthew Birt

Indy MotoGP: Freak problem hampers Nicky Hayden

Nicky Hayden’s hopes of maintaining his 100 per cent podium record in the Indianapolis MotoGP race were thwarted by a freak incident. Starting from the front row of the grid for the first time in his...

Indy MotoGP: Dani Pedrosa romps to easy win

29 August 2010 by Matthew Birt

Indy MotoGP: Dani Pedrosa romps to easy win

Dani Pedrosa made amends for his crash out of the lead in last year’s Indianapolis MotoGP today, the Spaniard romping to his third win of 2010 at the historic American venue. Pedrosa’s crushing...

Indy MotoGP: Redding takes first Moto2 podium

29 August 2010 by Liam Marsden

Indy MotoGP: Redding takes first Moto2 podium

Brit Scott Redding took his first podium in Moto2 after finishing third in the restarted race at Indianapolis. The race was red-flagged before the end of the first lap when there were two...

Indy MotoGP: High-side wrecks Bradley Smith’s podium bid

29 August 2010 by Matthew Birt

Indy MotoGP: High-side wrecks Bradley Smith’s podium bid

Bradley Smith suffered a painful and bitterly disappointing Indianapolis 125GP race today when he crashed out of second place. Recovering from a poor start that dropped him back to sixth on the...

Indy MotoGP: Official - Nicky Hayden extends Ducati deal

29 August 2010 by Matthew Birt

Indy MotoGP: Official - Nicky Hayden extends Ducati deal

Nicky Hayden will partner Valentino Rossi in Ducati’s factory MotoGP squad in 2011. News of the American’s contract renewal has been anticipated for several weeks and official confirmation came in...

Indy MotoGP: Ben Spies talks ‘dream’ first pole position

29 August 2010 by Matthew Birt

Indy MotoGP: Ben Spies talks ‘dream’ first pole position

Ben Spies said his first MotoGP pole position was a ‘dream’ after he produced an outstanding qualifying performance on home soil at Indianapolis. The Texan’s already impressive rookie campaign got...

Indy MotoGP: Nicky Hayden thrilled with first Ducati front row

29 August 2010 by Matthew Birt

Indy MotoGP: Nicky Hayden thrilled with first Ducati front row

Nicky Hayden finally scored his first front row start for Ducati in Indianapolis with the American securing third place on the grid for today’s 28-lap clash. Hayden has qualified on the second row of...

Indy MotoGP: Ben Spies can win, says Jorge Lorenzo

29 August 2010 by Matthew Birt

Indy MotoGP: Ben Spies can win, says Jorge Lorenzo

Jorge Lorenzo reckons Ben Spies can become the first non-factory rider to win a MotoGP race since Toni Elias triumphed at Estoril back in 2006. The Texan produced a brilliant display in Indianapolis...

Indy MotoGP: Traffic thwarts Scott Redding’s pole bid

29 August 2010 by Matthew Birt

Indy MotoGP: Traffic thwarts Scott Redding’s pole bid

Heavy traffic in the decisive final moments of Moto2 qualifying at Indianapolis cost Scott Redding chance to claim a sensational pole position. The British rider has been in inspired form all weekend...

Indy MotoGP: Second row frustrates Casey Stoner

29 August 2010 by Matthew Birt

Indy MotoGP: Second row frustrates Casey Stoner

Factory Ducati rider Casey Stoner vented his frustration on the condition of the Indianapolis track after he equalled his worst qualifying result of the season. The Australian will start the race from...

Indy MotoGP: Valentino Rossi reflects on double crash

29 August 2010 by Matthew Birt

Indy MotoGP: Valentino Rossi reflects on double crash

Valentino Rossi struggled to recall the last time he crashed twice on the same day as the Italian’s hopes of a second podium in America in a month suffered a big blow. The Fiat Yamaha rider will start...

Indy MotoGP: Scott Redding to start from third

28 August 2010 by Liam Marsden

Indy MotoGP: Scott Redding to start from third

Brit Scott Redding will start tomorrow’s Moto2 race at Indianapolis from third on the grid after dominating most of the practice and qualifying sessions. The Marc VDS Racing rider was fastest in all...

Indy MotoGP: Ben Spies claims stunning maiden pole position

28 August 2010 by Matthew Birt

Indy MotoGP: Ben Spies claims stunning maiden pole position

Ben Spies claimed a stunning pole position for the first time in his career ahead of tomorrow’s Indianapolis MotoGP race. The reigning World Superbike champion clocked a superb lap of 1.40.105 with...