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

Sete Gibernau’s Ducati squad quits MotoGP

12 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

Sete Gibernau’s Ducati squad quits MotoGP

Sete Gibernau’s Grupo Francisco Hernando Ducati squad has withdrawn from the MotoGP world championship with immediate effect. The Spanish squad, run by former 125GP racer Pablo Nieto, is the latest...

Supporting JT at Laguna Seca

11 July 2009 by ste60

Supporting JT at Laguna Seca

Me and my mate Chris supporting JT at Laguna Seca. Great place, great race.

MCN on the way to Laguna Seca

10 July 2009 by costheydooo

MCN on the way to Laguna Seca

Rachael Brooke on her way to Laguna Seca, 3am Birmingham Airport

Honda deny dumping Yuki Takahashi

10 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

Honda deny dumping Yuki Takahashi

Honda has vigorously denied throwing rookie Yuki Takahashi – its only Japanese MotoGP rider – on the scrapheap. Claims by the Scot Honda team that it had reluctantly released Yuki Takahashi because...

Kenny Roberts looks to Britain for Moto2 chassis project

10 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

Kenny Roberts looks to Britain for Moto2 chassis project

American legend Kenny Roberts will turn to British expertise to help his plans for a shock return to racing in the new 600cc four-stroke Moto2 class. The Californian wants to run a two-rider effort in...

Valentino Rossi: Jorge Lorenzo facing massive decision on future

10 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi: Jorge Lorenzo facing massive decision on future

Valentino Rossi reckons it would be a massive decision for Jorge Lorenzo to turn his back on Yamaha and make a shock switch to rivals Honda. Lorenzo has been linked with a move to Honda’s factory...

Yamaha boss ecstatic at Valentino Rossi future pledge

10 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

Yamaha boss ecstatic at Valentino Rossi future pledge

Yamaha boss Masao Furusawa has spoken of his delight at Valentino Rossi’s recent pledge to continue racing until the end of 2013 at least. When the 30-year-old notched his 100th Grand Prix victory in...

Valentino Rossi: Great mistake to dismiss Casey Stoner threat

09 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi: Great mistake to dismiss Casey Stoner threat

Valentino Rossi has told MCN it would be a great mistake to dismiss Casey Stoner’s MotoGP title hopes as the Aussie struggles to overcome health problems. Stoner has surrendered crucial ground in the...

Casey Stoner thrilled at Nicky Hayden progress

09 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

Casey Stoner thrilled at Nicky Hayden progress

Casey Stoner has spoken of his delight at Nicky Hayden’s recent drastic improvement on Ducati’s factory GP9 machine. After a torrid start to 2009, Kentucky rider Hayden has started to make...

Honda in talks with Dani Pedrosa and Andrea Dovizioso

09 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

Honda in talks with Dani Pedrosa and Andrea Dovizioso

Dani Pedrosa’s first win in 13 months last weekend in Laguna Seca couldn’t have come at a better time as he started negotiations over a new factory Honda contract. HRC is desperate to retain the...

Yamaha not worried about Ferrari swoop for Valentino Rossi

09 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

Yamaha not worried about Ferrari swoop for Valentino Rossi

Yamaha is not anticipating a Ferrari swoop for Valentino Rossi to make a sensational move to Formula One next year. The Italian was linked with a big-money move to F1 for the umpteenth time late last...

Weekend of dreams in Catalunya

08 July 2009 by Gary & Paula

Weekend of dreams in Catalunya

Just thought you may like to see some photos of Paula and I at the Catalunya GP being very well looked after by the Rizla Suzuki team. The team were fantastic, the racing breathtaking and the weather...

US MotoGP: Relieved Dani Pedrosa ends Honda win drought

06 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

US MotoGP: Relieved Dani Pedrosa ends Honda win drought

Dani Pedrosa was relieved to end Honda’s worst losing streak for 27 years after the Spaniard claimed a shock start-to-finish victory in Laguna Seca. The 23-year-old was relieved to end his own injury...

US MotoGP: Casey Stoner to undergo immediate medical checks

06 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

US MotoGP: Casey Stoner to undergo immediate medical checks

Casey Stoner has delayed his return journey back to Europe to undergo rigorous medical checks near San Francisco later on today after his fourth place finish in Laguna Seca. Renowned MotoGP medical...

US MotoGP: Valentino Rossi extends title advantage with second

06 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

US MotoGP: Valentino Rossi extends title advantage with second

Valentino Rossi stretched his world title lead to nine-points over Yamaha rival Jorge Lorenzo but was left to contemplate what might have been as he finished second in a dramatic conclusion to the...

US MotoGP: Heroic Jorge Lorenzo defies pain with thrilling third

06 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

US MotoGP: Heroic Jorge Lorenzo defies pain with thrilling third

Painful right shoulder and foot injuries couldn’t stop courageous Spaniard Jorge Lorenzo from keeping his MotoGP title hopes alive in a pulsating Laguna Seca race. Riding in intense pain after his...

US MotoGP: Nicky Hayden revels in Ducati best

06 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

US MotoGP: Nicky Hayden revels in Ducati best

Nicky Hayden’s quest to master Ducati’s fickle factory GP9 got a massive boost in Laguna Seca when the home favourite surged to a season best fifth place. Boosted by only his second top ten result in...

US MotoGP: Points milestone for Colin Edwards in home race

06 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

US MotoGP: Points milestone for Colin Edwards in home race

Colin Edwards became only the 14th rider in history to score points in 100 Grand Prix races on home soil in Laguna Seca. But the Texan was still not happy with his seventh position as he continued to...

US MotoGP: Black day for James Toseland

06 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

US MotoGP: Black day for James Toseland

James Toseland’s nightmare American MotoGP ended in disaster when the British rider was black-flagged for failing to observe a ride through penalty having been adjudged to have jumped the start of the...

US MotoGP Results: Pedrosa dominates from the start

06 July 2009 by MCN

US MotoGP Results: Pedrosa dominates from the start

Dani Pedrosa dominated from the start in Laguna on his Repsol Honda, shooting from fourth position on the grid into the lead. The Spaniard was at the front of the pack from then on and even Valentino...

US MotoGP: Jorge Lorenzo vows to race at Laguna Seca

05 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

US MotoGP: Jorge Lorenzo vows to race at Laguna Seca

Battered and bruised Jorge Lorenzo insists he will attempt to compete in the American MotoGP race, despite two spectacular crashes in less than 20 minutes during qualifying at Laguna Seca. The...

US MotoGP: Tyres to blame for big crashes, says Valentino Rossi

05 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

US MotoGP: Tyres to blame for big crashes, says Valentino Rossi

Valentino Rossi believes the lack of dual compound tyres available under new MotoGP rules contributed to massive crashes suffered by 2009 title rivals Jorge Lorenzo and Casey Stoner in a chaotic end...

US MotoGP: Crash was my fault admits Casey Stoner

05 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

US MotoGP: Crash was my fault admits Casey Stoner

Aussie Casey Stoner conceded the big Laguna Seca qualifying crash that left him with shoulder and groin injuries was his own fault. The 23-year-old crashed at the third corner just moments after...

US MotoGP: James Toseland 15th and furious

05 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

US MotoGP: James Toseland 15th and furious

British rider James Toseland was furious after he struggled to his worst qualifying result of 2009 in Laguna Seca. Toseland could only secure 15th place on the grid after severe front-end issues with...

US MotoGP: Pole to medical centre for Jorge Lorenzo

05 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

US MotoGP: Pole to medical centre for Jorge Lorenzo

Jorge Lorenzo stormed to his fourth pole position of 2009 in Laguna Seca today before a huge high-side in the final minutes saw the Spaniard whisked off to the circuit medical centre in the back of an...

US MotoGP: Exhausted Casey Stoner vows to fight on

04 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

US MotoGP: Exhausted Casey Stoner vows to fight on

Casey Stoner has vowed to fight on to preserve his world title hopes after the Aussie’s chronic exhaustion problems struck again during opening practice for this weekend’s American MotoGP clash in...

US MotoGP: Valentino Rossi fastest but searching for more

04 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

US MotoGP: Valentino Rossi fastest but searching for more

Valentino Rossi might have made a perfect start in Laguna Seca today, but the Italian was still not totally satisfied despite ending first practice with the quickest time. Rossi’s best time of...

US MotoGP: Jorge Lorenzo thrilled with second

04 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

US MotoGP: Jorge Lorenzo thrilled with second

Jorge Lorenzo was thrilled with his fast start to the American MotoGP weekend, despite a late attack from Fiat Yamaha team-mate Valentino Rossi denying him top spot in first practice. The Spaniard’s...

US MotoGP: Chris Vermeulen rues early crash

04 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

US MotoGP: Chris Vermeulen rues early crash

Aussie Chris Vermeulen’s hopes of claiming a third successive podium finish in Laguna Seca were dealt an early blow today. The factory Suzuki rider crashed his GSV-R machine after just eight minutes...

US MotoGP: James Toseland not worried by lowly 13th

04 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

US MotoGP: James Toseland not worried by lowly 13th

James Toseland insisted he wasn’t going to press the panic button despite finishing opening practice for the American GP in a lowly 13th place. Brimming with confidence after his season best sixth...

US MotoGP: Valentino Rossi leaves it late to top Laguna practice

04 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

US MotoGP: Valentino Rossi leaves it late to top Laguna practice

Valentino Rossi snatched top spot from Fiat Yamaha team-mate Jorge Lorenzo on his last lap in today’s opening free practice at the spectacular Laguna Seca circuit. A best time of 1.21.981 on his 32nd...

US MotoGP: Casey Stoner hopeful of trouble free Laguna

03 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

US MotoGP: Casey Stoner hopeful of trouble free Laguna

Casey Stoner has told MCN that he’s confident he won’t be dogged by the chronic stomach problems that have severely hindered him in the last two races during this weekend’s Laguna Seca clash. Stoner,...

US MotoGP: Valentino Rossi beats Lawson, Rainey and Roberts in kart demo

03 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

US MotoGP: Valentino Rossi beats Lawson, Rainey and Roberts in kart demo

Less than a week after notching his 100th Grand Prix victory in Assen, Valentino Rossi’s winning streak continued today with the Italian ‘winning’ a special Superkart demonstration against American...

US MotoGP: Valentino Rossi looking for more American glory

03 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

US MotoGP: Valentino Rossi looking for more American glory

Having won twice in America in 2008, Valentino Rossi is confident he can complete a hat-trick in this weekend’s Laguna Seca clash in California. The 30-year-old Italian arrives in Laguna in bullish...

US MotoGP: Consistency the key for Jorge Lorenzo

03 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

US MotoGP: Consistency the key for Jorge Lorenzo

Jorge Lorenzo believes consistency will be the crucial factor in deciding this year’s thrilling MotoGP world championship. The Spaniard goes into this weekend’s American GP at Laguna Seca trailing...

US MotoGP: Colin Edwards relieved tyres no longer key factor

03 July 2009 by Matthew Birt

US MotoGP: Colin Edwards relieved tyres no longer key factor

Colin Edwards reckons he won’t even have to worry about tyres playing a key role in the American MotoGP race as he hopes to end a 12-month podium drought on home soil this weekend. Edwards, who last...