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

Abu Dhabi to host MotoGP in 2011?

29 April 2010 by Matthew Birt

Abu Dhabi to host MotoGP in 2011?

The spectacular Yas Marina circuit in Abu Dhabi is bidding to host a round of the MotoGP world championship next year. Loris Capirossi and Casey Stoner were among a small delegation from MotoGP who...

Casey Stoner targets Spanish recovery

27 April 2010 by Matthew Birt

Casey Stoner targets Spanish recovery

Casey Stoner is hoping to get his 2010 MotoGP world championship challenge up and running at this weekend’s Spanish GP in Jerez. The Aussie blew a golden chance to collect the first 25-points of the...

Bradley Smith aims for more Jerez glory

27 April 2010 by Matthew Birt

Bradley Smith aims for more Jerez glory

Bradley Smith is hoping he can emulate his stunning maiden 125GP victory at Jerez in 2009 when he returns for the eagerly awaited Spanish GP this weekend. The Oxfordshire rider won his first Grand...

Dani Pedrosa looks for home boost

27 April 2010 by Matthew Birt

Dani Pedrosa looks for home boost

Dani Pedrosa is hoping his impressive record at the Jerez circuit will spark his disappointing 2010 season into life at this weekend’s Spanish MotoGP clash. The triple world champion struggled badly...

Valentino Rossi fit after unexpected lay-off

26 April 2010 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi fit after unexpected lay-off

Valentino Rossi has declared himself fit and ready to go ahead of this weekend’s Spanish MotoGP clash at the Jerez circuit. Nobody would have been more relieved than the 31-year-old at the recent...

Scott Redding eyes Jerez boost

26 April 2010 by Matthew Birt

Scott Redding eyes Jerez boost

After a bitterly disappointing Moto2 debut in Qatar earlier this month, British rider Scott Redding is hoping to kickstart his 2010 campaign when the world championship begins its crucial European...

Nicky Hayden on Ducati, new rules and volcanoes

22 April 2010 by Matthew Birt

Nicky Hayden on Ducati, new rules and volcanoes

American Nicky Hayden has given his thoughts on a range of subjects as part of a teleconference for the iconic Indianapolis circuit. The 2006 world champion gave his thoughts on his brilliant fourth...

‘Impossible’ for Japanese MotoGP to go ahead

22 April 2010 by Matthew Birt

‘Impossible’ for Japanese MotoGP to go ahead

MotoGP bosses have said it was ‘impossible’ for the Japanese MotoGP race to go ahead as scheduled this weekend. The Twin Ring Motegi clash was due to be staged on Sunday (April 25) but was postponed...

Honda duo disappointed after Motegi postponement

19 April 2010 by Matthew Birt

Honda duo disappointed after Motegi postponement

Dani Pedrosa and Andrea Dovizioso have spoken of their disappointment at not being able to compete in Honda’s home race at the Twin Ring Motegi this weekend. The factory Honda duo are just two of...

Hiroshi Aoyama “surprised’ at Motegi postponement

19 April 2010 by Matthew Birt

Hiroshi Aoyama “surprised’ at Motegi postponement

Home favourite Hiroshi Aoyama has said he was surprised to learn that this weekend’s Japanese MotoGP race had been postponed for six months. With hundreds of race personnel unable to make the long...

Motegi MotoGP replaced by internet phenomenon 'TwitGP'

19 April 2010 by Guy Procter

Motegi MotoGP replaced by internet phenomenon 'TwitGP'

Frustrated MotoGP fans have opted to replace the postponed Motegi round with the world’s first virtual MotoGP race. The ‘TwitGP’ , which will take place entirely on popular microblogging site Twitter,...

Japanese MotoGP confirms October date

19 April 2010 by Matthew Birt

Japanese MotoGP confirms October date

The Japanese MotoGP race, scheduled to take place this Sunday (April 25) has been postponed until October 3 because of on-going European travel chaos caused by an Icelandic volcano. As was first...

Japanese MotoGP cancelled after volcano disruption

18 April 2010 by Matthew Birt

Japanese MotoGP cancelled after volcano disruption

The Japanese MotoGP race, scheduled to take place at the Twin Ring Motegi next weekend (April 25), has been postponed until early October because of on-going European travel chaos caused by an...

Valentino Rossi escapes serious injury in motocross crash

16 April 2010 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi escapes serious injury in motocross crash

Valentino Rossi was lucky to escape serious injury after the reigning MotoGP world champion suffered a heavy crash while training on a motocross bike in Italy yesterday (Thursday). Rossi, who won his...

Jerry Burgess predicts top five for Ben Spies in 2010

15 April 2010 by Matthew Birt

Jerry Burgess predicts top five for Ben Spies in 2010

Valentino Rossi’s legendary crew chief Jerry Burgess believes Ben Spies has a great chance of finishing his first full MotoGP campaign in the top five. The Texan made an immediate impact in 2010 when...

Honda happy with RC212V progress

15 April 2010 by Matthew Birt

Honda happy with RC212V progress

New HRC Technical Director Shinichi Kokubu believes Honda’s 2010 RC212V is making good progress after Andrea Dovizioso’s podium finish at the season’s opening race in Qatar. Honda has endured a...

Ben Spies ready for the unknown

14 April 2010 by Matthew Birt

Ben Spies ready for the unknown

Ben Spies is ready to start the toughest period of his first full MotoGP campaign when the premier class circus moves to the Far East next week for the Japanese GP. The Honda-owned Twin Ring Motegi...

Andrea Dovizioso hails Honda engine speed

14 April 2010 by Matthew Birt

Andrea Dovizioso hails Honda engine speed

Andrea Dovizioso has praised the impressive top speed of Honda’s new 2010 factory RC212V machine after his podium finish in the season opening Qatar MotoGP race last weekend. Dovizioso claimed only...

Qatar MotoGP: Valentino Rossi hails winning start

12 April 2010 by Matthew Birt

Qatar MotoGP: Valentino Rossi hails winning start

Valentino Rossi doesn’t usually need much help to win MotoGP races. But win number 104 in his illustrious career came with a big helping hand from title rival Casey Stoner after the Australian crashed...

Qatar MotoGP: Casey Stoner rues ‘silly mistake’

12 April 2010 by Matthew Birt

Qatar MotoGP: Casey Stoner rues ‘silly mistake’

Casey Stoner admitted his surprise blunder in a thrilling Qatar MotoGP race was a ‘silly mistake’ as the Aussie crashed out of the lead to hand Valentino Rossi a 104th career success. Stoner looked on...

Qatar MotoGP: Jorge Lorenzo satisfied with second

12 April 2010 by Matthew Birt

Qatar MotoGP: Jorge Lorenzo satisfied with second

Jorge Lorenzo maintained his 100 per cent podium record in the Qatar night race after a brilliant late attack in a dramatic opening to the 2010 MotoGP campaign. Lorenzo looked like he was struggling...

Qatar MotoGP: Mixed emotions for Nicky Hayden

12 April 2010 by Matthew Birt

Qatar MotoGP: Mixed emotions for Nicky Hayden

Nicky Hayden experienced mixed emotions after the American produced arguably his best ever ride for Ducati in a thrilling 22-lap Qatar MotoGP race last night. The Kentucky rider was the surprise...

Qatar MotoGP: Tech 3 thrilled with Ben Spies

12 April 2010 by Matthew Birt

Qatar MotoGP: Tech 3 thrilled with Ben Spies

Monster Yamaha Tech 3 boss Herve Poncharal said new recruit Ben Spies had already lived up to the pre-season hype after the Texan’s brilliant ride to fifth place in last night’s MotoGP curtain-raiser...

Qatar MotoGP: Scott Redding dismayed at poor Moto2 debut

12 April 2010 by Matthew Birt

Qatar MotoGP: Scott Redding dismayed at poor Moto2 debut

Scott Redding endured a nightmare debut in the historic first Moto2 race in Qatar last night. The British prospect could only ride his Marc VDS Racing Suter MMX machine to a bitterly disappointing...

Qatar MotoGP: Bradley Smith frustrated with eighth

12 April 2010 by Matthew Birt

Qatar MotoGP: Bradley Smith frustrated with eighth

Bradley Smith cut a frustrated figure in Qatar last night after the British rider made a disappointing start to his bid for 125GP glory in 2010. Tipped by many as favourite for this year’s crown after...

Qatar MotoGP: Valentino Rossi wins, Casey Stoner crashes

11 April 2010 by Matthew Birt

Qatar MotoGP: Valentino Rossi wins, Casey Stoner crashes

Valentino Rossi won the first race of the season for the first time since 2005 tonight after a gripping opening to the new MotoGP campaign in Qatar. The reigning world champion triumphed by just over...

Qatar MotoGP: Shoya Tomizawa wins historic first Moto2 race

11 April 2010 by Matthew Birt

Qatar MotoGP: Shoya Tomizawa wins historic first Moto2 race

Shoya Tomizawa created a slice of history for himself in Qatar tonight after the Japanese rider dominated the inaugural Moto2 world championship clash. Riding a Suter MMX chassis for the Technomag-CIP...

Qatar MotoGP: Nicolas Terol wins 125GP clash

11 April 2010 by Matthew Birt

Qatar MotoGP: Nicolas Terol wins 125GP clash

Nicolas Terol drew first blood in the 125GP world championship in Qatar tonight, the Spaniard triumphing after a brilliant late attack in an enthralling season opener to register Aprila’s 275th Grand...

Qatar MotoGP: Toni Elias claims historic Moto2 pole

11 April 2010 by Matthew Birt

Qatar MotoGP: Toni Elias claims historic Moto2 pole

Spaniard Toni Elias created a slice of history last night as the first rider ever to claim a Moto2 pole position. Elias, who has been moving around the Losail International Circuit in Qatar on...

Qatar MotoGP: Casey Stoner claims first pole of 2010

10 April 2010 by Matthew Birt

Qatar MotoGP: Casey Stoner claims first pole of 2010

Casey Stoner stormed to the first pole position of 2010 in Qatar tonight and will start the opening race as a red-hot favourite for his 21st MotoGP victory. Fastest in free practice yesterday and...

Qatar MotoGP: Lowly ninth for Bradley Smith

10 April 2010 by Matthew Birt

Qatar MotoGP: Lowly ninth for Bradley Smith

Bradley Smith will start his bid for the 2010 125GP world championship from a lowly ninth place on the grid in Qatar tomorrow night. The British teenager had a tough 45-minute qualifying session under...

Qatar MotoGP: Casey Stoner edges out Valentino Rossi

10 April 2010 by Matthew Birt

Qatar MotoGP: Casey Stoner edges out Valentino Rossi

Casey Stoner continued to lead the way in the build-up to tomorrow night’s MotoGP opener in Qatar after the factory Ducati rider finished fastest at the end of free practice this evening. Stoner’s...

Qatar MotoGP: Valentino Rossi chasing grip

10 April 2010 by Matthew Birt

Qatar MotoGP: Valentino Rossi chasing grip

Reigning MotoGP world champion Valentino Rossi’s hopes of ending Casey Stoner’s domination of the opening race of the season were hit by a lack of grip on the opening night of the season in Qatar. The...

Qatar MotoGP: Casey Stoner talks flying start

10 April 2010 by Matthew Birt

Qatar MotoGP: Casey Stoner talks flying start

Aussie Casey Stoner looked as unbeatable as ever on the Losail International Circuit in Qatar tonight after dominating the opening practice session of 2010. The 24-year-old has an incredible record at...

Qatar MotoGP: Scott Redding ecstatic with second

10 April 2010 by Matthew Birt

Qatar MotoGP: Scott Redding ecstatic with second

Scott Redding could barely contain his delight after the British rider stormed to second place in the opening Moto2 practice session in Qatar. The 17-year-old produced a stunning performance on the...

Qatar MotoGP: Casey Stoner lights up first practice

09 April 2010 by Matthew Birt

Qatar MotoGP: Casey Stoner lights up first practice

Casey Stoner’s quest for a fourth straight victory in the Qatar MotoGP race started in dominant fashion tonight when the Australian topped the timesheets in the opening practice session of 2010. ...