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

Kawasaki to race as Hayate MotoGP in 2009

27 February 2009 by Matthew Birt

Kawasaki’s one-rider MotoGP effort for the 2009 campaign will be re-branded ‘Hayate’, MCN can exclusively reveal. Hayate means ‘Hurricane’ in Japanese and is the team name that Kawasaki’s ZX-RR will...

James Toseland eager to begin Qatar test

27 February 2009 by Matthew Birt

Tech 3 Yamaha rider James Toseland can’t wait to get back on track on Sunday night as preparations for the new MotoGP season continue in Qatar. Sunday’s opening night will be the first time Toseland...

Jorge Lorenzo backs James Toseland to bounce back in Qatar

27 February 2009 by Matthew Birt

Jorge Lorenzo reckons James Toseland will be mentally stronger as he backed the Brit to bounce back from his 125mph Sepang crash nightmare. Spaniard is an expert in bouncing back from adversity and...

Randy Mamola sad at British Eurosport exit

27 February 2009 by Matthew Birt

Popular MotoGP pundit Randy Mamola has told MCN of his sadness at not being able to continue his role as pitlane commentator for British Eurosport in 2009. As part of new coverage plans for 2009,...

British Eurosport confirms 2009 MotoGP plans

27 February 2009 by Matthew Birt

British Eurosport has confirmed that popular commentary duo Julian Ryder and Toby Moody will be reunited for 2009. Dorna confirmed yesterday (Thursday) that coverage of the 2009 MotoGP world...

Bulgaria to host MotoGP race in 2012

27 February 2009 by Matthew Birt

A Bulgiarian round of the MotoGP world championship will be staged from the 2012 season onwards. Dorna boss Carmelo Ezpeleta has signed a preliminary five-year deal with the Bulgarian Motorcycling...

Meeting JT at his send off party

27 February 2009 by hayhay

A group of us (including my 9 year old niece who’s never met James and my mum who was in a wheelchair due to a recent knee replacement) attended JT’s send off party at Donington last weekend. Roger...

V for Victory....

26 February 2009 by leemuz

…Or a very amicable compromise. After bitching and complaining about Eurosport losing the motogp and worrying that the bbc won’t commit anywhere near as much time to the sport as we fans deserve, it seems there has been a great solution to this problem. And i hope that my concerns and the concerns of each and every fan who put there point forward on here MAY just MAY have been an influence in the...

Julian Ryder commits to British Eurosport

26 February 2009 by Matthew Birt

Julian Ryder has confirmed to MCN that he will continue his popular partnership with Toby Moody on British Eurosport in 2009. Dorna confirmed today that British Eurosport will continue to screen...

Toby Moody: ‘I’m staying with Eurosport.’

26 February 2009 by Matthew Birt

Popular commentator Toby Moody has confirmed he is staying with British Eurosport to voice its coverage of the 2009 MotoGP world championship. Moody, who has commentated on MotoGP since 1996, will...

Marco Melandri to race in one man Kawasaki team

26 February 2009 by Liam Marsden

Italian Marco Melandri will race in the 2009 MotoGP world championship as part of a one-man Kawasaki team. Kawasaki confirmed its plans to quit MotoGP in January because of the global economic crisis,...

BBC Sport boss delighted with improved MotoGP coverage

26 February 2009 by Matthew Birt

BBC Sport Editorial boss Philip Bernie has spoken of his delight at the record levels of coverage the BBC will give to MotoGP in 2009. Despite fears that the Beeb’s new deal to screen the Formula One...

British Eurosport keeps MotoGP for 2009

26 February 2009 by Matthew Birt

As was exclusively revealed by MCN one week ago, British Eurosport will continue to screen coverage of the MotoGP world championship in 2009. A deal has been thrashed out with MotoGP rights owners...

Fiat Yamaha boss assesses 2009 MotoGP contenders

25 February 2009 by Matthew Birt

Fiat Yamaha boss Davide Brivio has told MCN he expects Casey Stoner and Dani Pedrosa to remain as chief title rivals to reigning world champion Valentino Rossi in 2009. Since the start of the 800cc...

Qatar test to decide Kawasaki/|Marco Melandri fate

25 February 2009 by Matthew Birt

Marco Melandri is expected to test a Kawasaki ZX-RR in Qatar next week, but the Italian is not yet convinced he will start the 2009 season. Get all the latest MotoGP news In a further confusing...

Ducati boss: Rider salaries will reduce

25 February 2009 by Matthew Birt

Ducati’s factory team boss Livio Suppo has told MCN it is inevitable that some of the world’s top riders will have to race for less money in the future. While it is impossible to police a salary cap,...

Yamaha boss fears more engine expense

25 February 2009 by Matthew Birt

Yamaha’s MotoGP boss Masao Furusawa fears the drive to extend engine life will only force factories to spend more money in the short term. Extending engine life is seen as one of the most crucial new...

Silverstone MotoGP switch not money motivated

25 February 2009 by Matthew Birt

MotoGP boss Carmelo Ezpeleta has denied his shock decision to move the British GP back to Silverstone for the first time in over 20 years was money motivated. MCN understands that Silverstone paid...

MotoGP commentary

24 February 2009 by wilf cook

Just great news to here julain ryder and tony moody may be back, get really excited listening to them- great. I met Valentino on monday after testing in Valencia, he was absolutely fantastic. I said...

Yamaha boss supports calendar cut

24 February 2009 by Matthew Birt

Yamaha’s senior MotoGP boss Masao Furusawa believes an effective way to slash costs in MotoGP would be to significantly reduce the world championship calendar. The MotoGP world championship currently...

Silverstone set to be fastest MotoGP track

24 February 2009 by Matthew Birt

Silverstone’s revamped circuit to host the 2010 British MotoGP race looks set to make it the fastest on the world championship calendar with an average speed of 113mph! Simulations of the revised...

Valentino Rossi bemoans loss of qualifying tyres

24 February 2009 by Matthew Birt

Six-times MotoGP world champion Valentino Rossi has bemoaned the loss of qualifying tyres under the new single tyre rule for 2009. The Fiat Yamaha rider is worried that Saturday afternoon’s qualifying...

Valentino Rossi is scared of Wayne Rooney

24 February 2009 by Matthew Birt

Reigning MotoGP world champion Valentino Rossi isn’t scared of dicing with Casey Stoner at nearly 200mph. But he is scared of England football star and Manchester United ace Wayne Rooney. Rossi’s...

British Eurosport MotoGP announcement this week

24 February 2009 by Matthew Birt

As MCN exclusively revealed last week, MotoGP will stay on British Eurosport in 2009, with an official announcement expected later this week. MCN understands a deal has been reached between Dorna and...

Happy Birthday Rossi

20 February 2009 by alan wilcocck

I just want to wish the ‘young’ Mr Rossi a very happy birthday and to thank him and his team manager for the best wishes and the gifts they sent to my brother “Colin” last year. He was recovering...