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 absence ‘strange’ for Yamaha

10 June 2010 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi absence ‘strange’ for Yamaha

Valentino Rossi’s factory Yamaha team boss Davide Brivio has admitted it is ‘strange’ to think that the Italian star is out of the 2010 MotoGP world championship title chase. Rossi is currently...

Yamaha ‘deflated’ after Valentino Rossi injury blow

08 June 2010 by Matthew Birt

Yamaha ‘deflated’ after Valentino Rossi injury blow

Yamaha boss Lin Jarvis has admitted the mood in Valentino Rossi’s factory camp was deflated after the Italian broke his right leg in Mugello last weekend. Rossi will miss at least the next five races...

Valentino Rossi has second operation on broken leg

08 June 2010 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi has second operation on broken leg

Valentino Rossi underwent a second operation on his broken right leg yesterday (Monday). The nine-times world champion had a short operation to close the wound after the Italian suffered a compound...

Garry McCoy quits FB Corse MotoGP project

08 June 2010 by Matthew Birt

Garry McCoy quits FB Corse MotoGP project

Garry McCoy has ended his involvement with the FB Corse MotoGP project. The Aussie, who signed a deal to develop and race the former Oral Engineering 800cc concept in late January, quit the squad by...

Valentino Rossi and the curse of the cold tyre

08 June 2010 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi and the curse of the cold tyre

Valentino Rossi’s championship ending crash during practice for last weekend’s Italian MotoGP race once again put the issue of big high-side crashes on cold tyres into sharp focus. High-side crashes...

Mugello MotoGP: Dani Pedrosa celebrates 'unbelievable' win

07 June 2010 by Matthew Birt

Mugello MotoGP: Dani Pedrosa celebrates 'unbelievable' win

Just a few weeks after being written off as a MotoGP title no-hoper, Dani Pedrosa stormed to a commanding victory in the Italian Grand Prix at Mugello yesterday. Pedrosa produced one of his trademark...

Mugello MotoGP: Jorge Lorenzo hails 'perfect' Dani Pedrosa

07 June 2010 by Matthew Birt

Mugello MotoGP: Jorge Lorenzo hails 'perfect' Dani Pedrosa

Jorge Lorenzo admitted he was well beaten by bitter Spanish rival Dani Pedrosa after a comprehensive defeat in yesterday’s Italian MotoGP race at Mugello. Lorenzo was a comfortable pre-race favourite...

Mugello MotoGP: Casey Stoner satisfied with distant fourth

07 June 2010 by Matthew Birt

Mugello MotoGP: Casey Stoner satisfied with distant fourth

Casey Stoner declared himself satisfied with a distant fourth place finish as his 2010 MotoGP title challenge failed to gather serious momentum in Mugello. Stoner was never in contention for a first...

Mugello MotoGP: Emotional Andrea Dovizioso toasts third

07 June 2010 by Matthew Birt

Mugello MotoGP: Emotional Andrea Dovizioso toasts third

Andrea Dovizioso could not fight back tears after he claimed an emotional maiden home MotoGP podium in Mugello yesterday. The Repsol Honda rider held third for the opening two laps before he...

Mugello MotoGP: Marco Melandri surprised with brilliant fifth

07 June 2010 by Matthew Birt

Mugello MotoGP: Marco Melandri surprised with brilliant fifth

Marco Melandri admitted he shocked himself after the Italian claimed his best result in MotoGP for over a year. Starting from a lowly 14th on the grid on board the San Carlo Gresini Honda, the former...

Mugello MotoGP: Randy de Puniet bemoans double mistake

07 June 2010 by Matthew Birt

Mugello MotoGP: Randy de Puniet bemoans double mistake

Randy de Puniet reckons an early and late mistake cost him the chance of a fourth place finish in yesterday’s Italian MotoGP race. The French rider lost out in a titanic battle with 2007 world...

Mugello MotoGP: Nicky Hayden accepts blame for crash

07 June 2010 by Matthew Birt

Mugello MotoGP: Nicky Hayden accepts blame for crash

Nicky Hayden refused to blame an on-going front-end issue for Ducati’s new GP10 contender after his promising start to 2010 came to an abrupt end in Mugello. Hayden got a shocking start from the...

Our Thoughts

07 June 2010 by david whiteley

MCN news is the only way an every day bloke can get a mesage to my hero Valentino Rossi. I was so upset when I so valentino crash so like most fans who will never meet him I send my love and best wishes to him get well soon the legend

Mugello MotoGP: Dani Pedrosa eases to dominant win

06 June 2010 by Matthew Birt

Mugello MotoGP: Dani Pedrosa eases to dominant win

Dani Pedrosa made the ninth win of his MotoGP career look easy as the Spaniard cruised to a start-to-finish success in Mugello this afternoon. Pedrosa is never more of a dangerous threat than when he...

Mugello MotoGP: Andrea Iannone cruises to Moto2 win

06 June 2010 by Matthew Birt

Mugello MotoGP: Andrea Iannone cruises to Moto2 win

Italian Andrea Iannone romped to his first Moto2 victory in easy fashion in front of a massive home crowd at Mugello this afternoon. Iannone led from start to finish having started from pole position...

I broke my leg the same day as Valentino Rossi

06 June 2010 by TOBYREEVES

I broke my leg the same day as Valentino Rossi

MY NAME IS RUBAN REEVES I AM THREE YEARS OLD AND I BROKE MY LEG THE SAME DAY AS VALENTINO ROSSI.

Mugello MotoGP: Bradley Smith fourth in 125GP thriller

06 June 2010 by Matthew Birt

Mugello MotoGP: Bradley Smith fourth in 125GP thriller

Bradley Smith missed his first podium finish of 2010 by just 0.045s today in a classic Italian 125GP at Mugello. Bidding for a second straight win at the spectacular Italian venue, the Oxfordshire...

Mugello MotoGP: Nicky Hayden talks Valentino Rossi crash

05 June 2010 by Matthew Birt

Mugello MotoGP: Nicky Hayden talks Valentino Rossi crash

Nicky Hayden has talked about the moment he witnessed Valentino Rossi’s 2010 world title hopes vanish in Mugello today. The American was in pursuit of the 31-year-old’s Fiat Yamaha in this morning’s...

Mugello MotoGP: Valentino Rossi surgery a success

05 June 2010 by Matthew Birt

Mugello MotoGP: Valentino Rossi surgery a success

Surgery to repair Valentino Rossi’s compound break of his right tibia has been a success in Italy this afternoon. Rossi suffered the injury when he lost control of his factory Yamaha YZR-M1 during the...

Mugello MotoGP: Jorge Lorenzo 'sad' at Valentino Rossi injury

05 June 2010 by Mattew Birt

Mugello MotoGP: Jorge Lorenzo 'sad' at Valentino Rossi injury

Jorge Lorenzo has spoken of his sadness at main title rival and Fiat Yamaha team-mate Valentino Rossi suffering a broken right leg in practice for the Italian MotoGP today. Rossi’s title hopes...

Mugello MotoGP: Casey Stoner writes off victory hopes

05 June 2010 by Matthew Birt

Mugello MotoGP: Casey Stoner writes off victory hopes

Former world champion Casey Stoner admitted he has little chance of fighting for the victory in tomorrow’s Italian MotoGP race at Mugello. The Australian will start the 23-lap clash from the front row...

Rossi (the Bear) Recuperating

05 June 2010 by Algwyn Myring

Rossi (the Bear) Recuperating

Valentino Rossi recovering from broken leg accident.

Mugello MotoGP: Dani Pedrosa happy with second pole position

05 June 2010 by Matthew Birt

Mugello MotoGP: Dani Pedrosa happy with second pole position

Dani Pedrosa declared himself satisfied after the Spaniard claimed his second pole position in the last three MotoGP races at a subdued Mugello today. With reigning world champion and home favourite...

Mugello MotoGP: Dani Pedrosa snatches late pole

05 June 2010 by Matthew Birt

Mugello MotoGP: Dani Pedrosa snatches late pole

Repsol Honda rider Dani Pedrosa snatched a last gasp pole position in front of Valentino Rossi’s shell-shocked home fans at the Mugello circuit. Pedrosa claimed his second pole position in the opening...

Mugello MotoGP: Valentino Rossi undergoes surgery on broken leg

05 June 2010 by Matthew Birt

Mugello MotoGP: Valentino Rossi undergoes surgery on broken leg

Valentino Rossi is undergoing an operation on the right leg he broke in a huge practice crash at the Mugello circuit earlier today. The reigning world champion had further checks on his damaged leg at...

Mugello MotoGP: Bradley Smith secures 125GP front row

05 June 2010 by Matthew Birt

Mugello MotoGP: Bradley Smith secures 125GP front row

Bradley Smith will start from the front row of a 125GP race for the first time in 2010 having ended a sun-drenched Mugello qualifying session in third place. The British rider comfortably beat his...

MotoGP Blog - Rossi's Crash Opens So Many Questions

05 June 2010 by Mike Nicks

MotoGP Blog - Rossi's Crash Opens So Many Questions

Rossi’s Crash Opens So Many Questions For several seasons those in MotoGP have been asking: what will the sport do without Valentino? From today, we’ll all find out – if only for the duration of a few...

Mugello MotoGP: Valentino Rossi breaks right leg in massive crash

05 June 2010 by Matthew Birt

Mugello MotoGP: Valentino Rossi breaks right leg in massive crash

Valentino Rossi’s 2010 MotoGP world title hopes disappeared today when he suffered a broken right leg in a huge high-side crash during final practice for his home race at the Mugello circuit in Italy...

Mugello MotoGP: Valentino Rossi suffers massive crash

05 June 2010 by Matthew Birt

Mugello MotoGP: Valentino Rossi suffers massive crash

Valentino Rossi has suffered a huge high-side crash during final practice for his home race at the Mugello circuit in Italy this morning. The reigning world champion was viciously thrown from his...

MotoGP Blog: Ex-GP Rider Robinson Robbed at Mugello

05 June 2010

MotoGP Blog: Ex-GP Rider Robinson Robbed at Mugello

Ex-GP Rider Robinson Robbed at Mugello Former 250cc GP rider Jamie Robinson rode a Yamaha R6 from England to Italy to camp among the fans and experience the real Mugello – and got the full treatment...

Mugello MotoGP: Valentino Rossi in pain but fast

04 June 2010 by Matthew Birt

Mugello MotoGP: Valentino Rossi in pain but fast

Valentino Rossi made a blistering start to his home race in Mugello today despite suffering more pain from a badly damaged right shoulder. The Italian was in ominous form to dominate the opening...

Mugello MotoGP: Brake issue caused Casey Stoner crash

04 June 2010 by Matthew Birt

Mugello MotoGP: Brake issue caused Casey Stoner crash

A brake problem and not the return of a mystery front-end issue caused Casey Stoner’s early crash in the opening MotoGP practice session in Mugello this afternoon. Having crashed out of Qatar and Le...

Mugello MotoGP: Nicky Hayden looks for less bumpy ride

04 June 2010 by Matthew Birt

Mugello MotoGP: Nicky Hayden looks for less bumpy ride

American Nicky Hayden struggled to overcome Mugello’s notoriously bumpy surface today as he ended opening MotoGP practice in a lowly ninth place. Hayden has enjoyed a brilliant start to the 2010...

Red Bull X-Fighters Bring the Energy back to Battersea

04 June 2010 by Justin McCormack

Red Bull X-Fighters Bring the Energy back to Battersea

Freestyle motocross will light up Battersea Power Station in London once again with the return of the Red-Bull X-Fighters on Saturday 14th August. The world’s top 12 motocross riders will fight...

Mugello MotoGP: Ben Spies ‘blown away’ with sixth

04 June 2010 by Matthew Birt

Mugello MotoGP: Ben Spies ‘blown away’ with sixth

Ben Spies made a brilliant return to form this afternoon when he ended opening practice in Mugello with the sixth best time. The American’s first full season in MotoGP had stalled somewhat heading...

Two weeks to the British MotoGP

04 June 2010 by CosherB

check this out if you have tickets … and look forward to your new view of the circuit (from page 3 on). http://www.flickr.com/photos/silverstonecircuit/