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

British MotoGP: Dani Pedrosa continues impressive Donington form

25 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

Repsol Honda rider Dani Pedrosa continued his impressive form at the British MotoGP this morning, the Spaniard topping the timesheets in the second practice session. Pedrosa, who won at Donington in...

British MotoGP: Brits outside top ten in 125GP practice

25 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

Bradley Smith, Danny Webb and Scott Redding were all outside of the top ten in this morning’s final 125GP practice session at Donington Park. Oxfordshire rider Smith’s best lap of 1.39.188 was only...

British GP Blog: The British love of the Norton

24 July 2009 by Gary Pinchin

Mike Nicks and I wandered over to the Loop to watch – and hear – the two Nortons in practice for Sunday’s GP1 15-lap sprint race, part of the Thundersport GB support programme at this year’s Donington...

British GP Tech Blog: The trauma of wet Friday practice

24 July 2009 by Gary Pinchin

First practice is important. Mess up and it can mean playing catch-up all weekend, chasing a set-up for race day. A crew chief needs to get a quick idea whether the initial set-up ideas that he’s...

British MotoGP: Casey Stoner to undergo more medical checks

24 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

Casey Stoner will return to Australia during the short summer break for further medical checks aimed at getting to the bottom of the Ducati rider’s on-going mystery physical issues. Recent assessments...

British MotoGP: Casey Stoner searching for wet improvement

24 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

Former world champion Casey Stoner conceded he will need to make significant improvements to the wet set-up of his factory Ducati if there’s a repeat of today’s fast changing weather conditions at...

British MotoGP: Valentino Rossi satisfied with third

24 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi’s hopes of bowing out at Donington Park in style got off to a good start today, the reigning MotoGP world champion claiming third place in a rain-hit opening practice session. As a dry...

British MotoGP: Dani Pedrosa ‘Great to be on top’

24 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

Dani Pedrosa made the perfect start to the final British MotoGP race at Donington Park today, the Spaniard topping the timesheets at the end of opening practice. On a virtually dry track at the end of...

British MotoGP: Fuel mix-up costs James Toseland

24 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

Confusion over the amount of fuel James Toseland’s Monster Yamaha Tech 3 YZR-M1 machine was carrying cost the British rider a chance to claim a morale-boosting top six finish in today’s weather-hit...

British MotoGP: Dani Pedrosa fastest at rain-hit Donington

24 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

Spaniard Dani Pedrosa topped an opening British MotoGP practice session dominated by constantly changing weather conditions at Donington Park today. The session started under grey and gloomy skies on...

British MotoGP: Downpour disrupts 125GP practice

24 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

A torrential downpour after less than three minutes badly disrupted today’s 125GP practice session at Donington Park. Most riders had only completed an out lap and one quick lap on a dry track when...

British MotoGP: Kevin Schwantz backs Valentino Rossi for title

24 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

American Kevin Schwantz believes Valentino Rossi’s experience will be vital as the Italian chases a ninth world title in 2009. Rossi is currently locked in an enthralling title fight with Fiat Yamaha...

Donington MotoGP stats: Facts and figures

24 July 2009 by Dr Martin Raines

Valentino Rossi has had seven victories at Donington; the 125cc race in 1997, the 250cc race in 1999 and in the premier-class in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004 and 2005. He also crossed the line first in...

British MotoGP: Casey Stoner – ‘Britain helped my career’

24 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

Former world champion Casey Stoner reckons he could not have enjoyed his premier class success had it not been for the British championship helping to launch his bid for stardom. Stoner cut his teeth...

British MotoGP: Bradley Smith to race Jenson Button - at triathlon!

23 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

MotoGP will clash with Formula One in London next month with Bradley Smith and Jenson Button poised to take each other on in the London Triathlon. Oxfordshire rider Smith, who has won two races in...

British MotoGP: Casey Stoner eyes end to frustrating spell

23 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

Casey Stoner has admitted he is getting increasingly frustrated that his mystery health issues are preventing him from mounting a stronger challenge to Fiat Yamaha rivals Valentino Rossi and Jorge...

British MotoGP: Valentino Rossi – ‘Weather to play vital role'

23 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

Reigning MotoGP world champion Valentino Rossi reckons the temperamental British weather could play a decisive role in his bid to win a sixth premier class race at Donington Park. The Italian’s last...

British MotoGP: Marco Melandri expecting Hayate withdrawal

23 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

Italian Marco Melandri has confirmed he is expecting the Hayate team to quit MotoGP at the end of the season. Branded Hayate, Melandri’s team is run by Kawasaki and he’s currently riding a 2009...

British MotoGP: Toni Elias unsure of future

23 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

Spaniard Toni Elias has admitted he has no idea whether he will be riding in MotoGP in 2010. Elias looks certain to lose his ride in the San Carlo Gresini squad with reigning 250GP champion Marco...

Donington stats: GP racing by numbers

23 July 2009 by Dr Martin Raines

150 The number of premier-class Grand Prix races that have taken place since the last time a British rider finished on the podium in the class – Jeremy McWilliams at Donington in 2000. 100 At the British GP, Lukas Pesek is scheduled to make his 100th Grand Prix start. He will be only the second Czech rider to reach this milestone – the other being Jaroslav Hules who made exactly 100 GP starts...

MotoGP stats: The Donington Park legacy

23 July 2009 by Dr Martin Raines

Next year the British Grand Prix will return to Silverstone, after being held at Donington every year since 1987. Below are some facts and figures from the GP events which have been held at the...

Donington GP250 stats: Facts and figures

23 July 2009 by Dr Martin Raines

Championship leader Hiroshi Aoyama finished third at Donington in both 2006 and 2007. In 2006 Alvaro Bautista did the clean sweep in the 125cc class at Donington of race win, pole position and new...

Donington GP125 stats: Facts and figures

23 July 2009 by Dr Martin Raines

Julian Simon’s only Grand Prix win prior to this year was the 125cc race at the Donington circuit in 2005 riding for KTM in very wet conditions. Sergio Gadea has finished fourth for the last two...

British MotoGP: James Toseland ‘I’m riding for my job’

23 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

James Toseland has a double goal ahead of his crucial home race at Donington Park this weekend. Determined to banish the painful memory of his disastrous British GP debut 13 months ago, the 28-year...

British MotoGP: Jorge Lorenzo - ‘Rossi is fast and clever’

23 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

MotoGP title contender Jorge Lorenzo has spoken of the difficulty in trying to defeat Italian legend Valentino Rossi ahead of this weekend’s British GP at Donington Park. The 22-year-old has been in...

British MotoGP: Nicky Hayden looking for strong second half to 2009

23 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

Nicky Hayden is confident his impressive Ducati revival can help him mount a stronger challenge in the second half of the 2009 MotoGP world championship campaign. After a woeful start on Ducati’s...

British MotoGP: Scott Redding praying for reliability

23 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

Scott Redding has played down his hopes of pulling off a stunning second successive British 125GP victory at Donington Park this weekend. The Gloucestershire rider became an overnight sensation 13...

British MotoGP: Bradley Smith aims to stop Julian Simon’s domination

23 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

Bradley Smith is looking to end Aspar Aprilia team-mate Julian Simon’s recent domination to boost his 125GP world title aspirations at Donington Park this weekend. Spaniard Simon arrives in...

British MotoGP: Danny Webb confident of strong result

23 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

British teenager Danny Webb is confident he can erase the painful memory of last year’s Donington disaster to score a strong result in Sunday’s 125GP. The 18-year-old broke his collarbone at the...

Me at the Corkscrew at Laguna Seca

22 July 2009 by Julie Simmonds

My first time at Laguna Seca. Here I am the Corkscrew and watching James Toseland’s band Crash.

Donington Park infield fully open

22 July 2009 by John Westlake

Donington Park has announced that the whole infield area will be open for the duration of this weekend’s MotoGP. All construction work has been stopped ahead of the 23rd and final MotoGP at the...

British MotoGP: Ralf Waldmann to make Donington comeback at 43!

21 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

Ralf Waldmann, the most successful rider in Grand Prix history never to win a world championship, will make a sensational return to action in Sunday’s British 250GP. The German, who was runner-up...

British MotoGP: Valentino Rossi eyes final Donington success

21 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

Regardless of what happens in Sunday’s British MotoGP race, reigning world champion Valentino Rossi will still be the most successful rider in the history of Grand Prix racing at Donington Park. But...

British MotoGP: Jorge Lorenzo hoping for Donington classic

21 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

Jorge Lorenzo is hoping to serve up another classic scrap with Fiat Yamaha team-mate Valentino Rossi in this weekend’s British MotoGP. The Spaniard though is also hoping to come out on top after close...

British MotoGP: Casey Stoner growing in confidence and strength

21 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

Casey Stoner believes he’s getting physically stronger and more confident as he chases a third successive victory in this weekend’s British MotoGP race at Donington Park. Stoner hasn’t finished on the...

British MotoGP: Dani Pedrosa sad to leave Donington Park

21 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

Spaniard Dani Pedrosa is hoping to continue his recent run of good form in this weekend’s British MotoGP race, the Repsol Honda rider hoping to bow out at Donington Park on a high. Pedrosa, who...