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

Jorge Lorenzo bemoans loss of qualifying tyres

01 April 2009 by Matthew Birt

Jorge Lorenzo bemoans loss of qualifying tyres

Fiat Yamaha rider Jorge Lorenzo has spoken of his sadness at the loss of qualifying tyres under the new single tyre rule in MotoGP. The Spaniard was one of the best performers on super-soft qualifying...

Casey Stoner questions Honda competitiveness

01 April 2009 by Matthew Birt

Casey Stoner questions Honda competitiveness

Casey Stoner has cast doubt on Honda’s ability to threaten in the early part of the 2009 MotoGP world championship. The Aussie has dominated this year’s pre-season testing schedule by topping the...

James Toseland hails fans support

31 March 2009 by Matthew Birt

James Toseland hails fans support

James Toseland has thanked his army of British fans for their support after his latest massive pre-season MotoGP crash in Jerez last weekend. The 28-year-old is recovering at his Isle of Man home...

James Toseland breaks bone in right foot

30 March 2009 by Matthew Birt

James Toseland breaks bone in right foot

James Toseland has confirmed to MCN that he suffered a broken fifth metatarsal bone in his right foot during yesterday’s massive high-side crash in Jerez. The British rider also has a badly sprained...

Casey Stoner confident in wrist for Qatar opener

30 March 2009 by Matthew Birt

Casey Stoner confident in wrist for Qatar opener

Former world champion Casey Stoner is adamant his recovering left wrist will not cause him any problems when the new MotoGP season gets underway in Qatar later this month. Despite movement still being...

Loris Capirossi boosts confidence in Jerez

30 March 2009 by Matthew Birt

Loris Capirossi boosts confidence in Jerez

Italian Loris Capirossi said his pre-season confidence that Suzuki could spring a major surprise in 2009 has increased after his impressive third place in the final winter test in Jerez. The new...

Bradley Smith challenges Lewis Hamilton

30 March 2009 by Matthew Birt

Bradley Smith challenges Lewis Hamilton

British 125GP world title hopeful Bradley Smith has tried to challenge Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton to a motocross battle. The Aspar Aprilia rider met the McLaren driver during a recent...

MotoGP Friday practice to remain in 2010

30 March 2009 by Matthew Birt

MotoGP Friday practice to remain in 2010

Valentino Rossi claims that MotoGP races will not switch to a two-day format from the 2010 world championship campaign onwards. The scrapping of all practice on Friday’s was one of several measures...

Tech 3 boss relieved at James Toseland’s escape

30 March 2009 by Matthew Birt

Tech 3 boss relieved at James Toseland’s escape

Monster Yamaha Tech 3 boss Herve Poncharal has spoken of his relief that British rider James Toseland will be fit to start to the new MotoGP season in Qatar. The British rider suffered his second...

MotoGP star rides streetfighter

29 March 2009 by STEVEACER

MotoGP star rides streetfighter

Can you name the Moto GP rider on my streetfighter, also can you recognise the original bike?

James Toseland released from hospital

29 March 2009 by Matthew Birt

James Toseland released from hospital

British rider James Toseland has been given the all-clear following precautionary head scans after his massive high-side crash in Jerez earlier today. Toseland has been discharged from a hospital in...

Casey Stoner fastest at Jerez testing

29 March 2009 by Matthew Birt

Casey Stoner fastest at Jerez testing

Casey Stoner produced a dominant performance to win the keys to a BMW sports car in Jerez this afternoon. The Aussie posted a stunning best time of 1.38.646 on his 12th lap to outclass his MotoGP...

James Toseland undergoing hospital checks after crash

29 March 2009 by Matthew Birt

James Toseland undergoing hospital checks after crash

James Toseland has been taken by ambulance to a Cadiz hospital for precautionary checks following a massive crash in Jerez this afternoon. The British rider momentarily lost consciousness when he...

James Toseland suffers spectacular crash in Jerez

29 March 2009 by Matthew Birt

James Toseland suffers spectacular crash in Jerez

British rider James Toseland is currently undergoing checks in the Jerez circuit medical centre after a huge high-side crash during this afternoon’s televised BMW car shootout. Toseland lost the rear...

Fiat Yamaha dominate in Jerez

28 March 2009 by Matthew Birt

Fiat Yamaha dominate in Jerez

Fiat Yamaha duo Jorge Lorenzo and Valentino Rossi dominated the opening day of the Jerez test in Spain today. Spaniard Lorenzo showed he is finally getting accustomed to the Bridgestone tyres after he...

James Toseland finds form in Jerez

28 March 2009 by Matthew Birt

James Toseland finds form in Jerez

British rider James Toseland put a turbulent winter behind him to finish just outside of the top ten on the opening day of testing in Jerez today. A best lap of 1.41.122 in a long 83-lap stint left...

Bradley Smith second in Jerez test

28 March 2009 by Matthew Birt

Bradley Smith second in Jerez test

British teenager Bradley Smith ended the three-day 125GP test session in Jerez with the second fastest time as he finally narrowed the gap to dominant Aprilia team-mate Julian Simon. The Oxfordshire...

No factory MotoGP ride for Ben Spies or Marco Simoncelli in 2010

28 March 2009 by Matthew Birt

No factory MotoGP ride for Ben Spies or Marco Simoncelli in 2010

Ben Spies or Marco Simoncelli will be barred from moving to MotoGP and riding for a factory team in their rookie campaign under controversial new rules on entry to the premier class. Fiat Yamaha,...

MotoGP rules for 2009 and 2010 unveiled

28 March 2009 by Matthew Birt

MotoGP rules for 2009 and 2010 unveiled

MotoGP bosses have confirmed a raft of new rules aimed at MotoGP surviving the current global economic crisis. As has been widely expected, Friday practice has been cancelled for all free practice...

Single engine proposal for Moto2 class tabled

28 March 2009 by Matthew Birt

Single engine proposal for Moto2 class tabled

The new Moto2 class for 600cc four-strokes that will replace the current 250GP two-stroke in 2011 is now likely to feature a single engine rule. MotoGP bosses are poised to discuss the proposal, which...

Haojue 125GP boss happy with testing progress

28 March 2009 by Matthew Birt

Haojue 125GP boss happy with testing progress

Haojue 125GP boss Garry Taylor admitted the new squad had enjoyed a ‘baptism of fire’ after its official testing debut at the Jerez circuit in Spain. British rookie Matt Hoyle and Austrian team-mate...

Chris Vermuelen and Loris Capirossi show off 2009 Suzuki colours

28 March 2009 by Matthew Birt

Chris Vermuelen and Loris Capirossi show off 2009 Suzuki colours

Chris Vermeulen and Loris Capirossi have shown off their 2009 factory Suzuki GSV-R machines in full Rizla livery for the first time in Jerez today. This morning’s unveiling ended long negotiations...

Scott Redding satisfied with 12th in Jerez

28 March 2009 by Matthew Birt

Scott Redding satisfied with 12th in Jerez

Scott Redding declared himself satisfied with his Jerez testing performance despite finishing outside of the top ten. The 2008 British GP winner, who became the youngest rider in history to win a...

Danny Webb gaining confidence with new Aprilia

28 March 2009 by Matthew Birt

Danny Webb gaining confidence with new Aprilia

DeGraaf Aprilia rider Danny Webb is confident he is finally mastering Aprilia’s 2009 125GP contender after he finished the Jerez test in a disappointing 17th place. The British teenager has struggled...

Matt Hoyle makes more progress in Jerez

28 March 2009 by Matthew Birt

Matt Hoyle makes more progress in Jerez

British rookie Matt Hoyle believes he is making big progress with the unproven Chinese-backed Haojue machine as he concluded the Jerez test in Spain. The Bradford rider ended with a best time of...

Ducati try cast ally chassis at Jerez

28 March 2009 by Neil Spalding

Ducati try cast ally chassis at Jerez

Before their revolutionary carbon ‘stressed airbox’ chassis has even raced, Ducati arrived at the Jerez preseason test with another new idea, the cast aluminium version!! Ducati aren’t saying anything...

Playboy backs Randy de Puniet

27 March 2009 by Matthew Birt

Playboy backs Randy de Puniet

Playboy will sponsor French rider Randy de Puniet’s LCR Honda MotoGP squad for the first three races of 2009. Italian team boss Lucio Cecchinello confirmed the deal today on the eve of the final...

James Toseland unveils 2009 MotoGP colours

27 March 2009 by Matthew Birt

James Toseland unveils 2009 MotoGP colours

James Toseland’s Tech 3 Yamaha squad has unveiled its new livery for the 2009 MotoGP world championship at the Jerez circuit this morning. Featuring a striking black, yellow and white colour scheme,...

Scott Redding improving in Jerez

26 March 2009 by Matthew Birt

Scott Redding improving in Jerez

Scott Redding is confident he is finally mastering the new factory spec 2009 Aprilia 125GP bike after an improved performance on the second day of testing in Jerez. The Gloucestershire rider made big...

Matt Hoyle crashes unhurt in Jerez

26 March 2009 by Matthew Birt

Matt Hoyle crashes unhurt in Jerez

British rookie Matt Hoyle has escaped injury in a crash on the second day of 125GP testing at the Jerez circuit in Spain. Hoyle lost the front end of his Chinese-backed Haojue machine at Turn 10 in...

Danny Webb finding speed in Jerez

26 March 2009 by Matthew Birt

Danny Webb finding speed in Jerez

Danny Webb believes he is finally getting to grips with the new 2009 factory Aprilia 125GP bike after a positive second day of testing in Jerez. The British rider has struggled in his short time on...

Suzuki sad but not sorry at Ben Spies departure

26 March 2009 by Matthew Birt

Suzuki sad but not sorry at Ben Spies departure

Ben Spies’ stunning start to his World Superbike career has posed one major question. How must Suzuki be feeling at letting the American slip through its grasp, when all he wanted do was stay with the...

Julian Simon dominates in Jerez

26 March 2009 by Matthew Birt

Julian Simon dominates in Jerez

Bradley Smith’s Aprilia team-mate Julian Simon continued his domination of the 125GP pre-season in Jerez yesterday as the Oxfordshire rider ended seventh quickest. Smith posted a best time of...

Scott Redding searching for chassis confidence

26 March 2009 by Matthew Birt

Scott Redding searching for chassis confidence

British 125GP sensation Scott Redding has admitted he still needs to gain more confidence with Aprilia’s 2009 machine after he ended the opening day of testing in Jerez in 10th place. Get all the...

Wall to split James Toseland and Colin Edwards’ Tech 3 pit

26 March 2009 by Matthew Birt

Wall to split James Toseland and Colin Edwards’ Tech 3 pit

The tension between Colin Edwards and James Toseland over the controversial winter crew chief switch will see a dividing wall split the pair in the Tech 3 Yamaha garage, MCN exclusively reveal. The...

Clue to James Toseland’s new look

26 March 2009 by Matthew Birt

Clue to James Toseland’s new look

This striking new black, yellow and white paint scheme on the Tech 3 Yamaha truck in Jerez gives a clue to how James Toseland and Colin Edwards’ YZR-M1 machines will look in 2009. The French-based...